Back and Inspired!

Sorry I've been gone for a while, I took a trip to New York City- only one of the most amazing cities in the world and one that I lived in nearly two years ago. It never ceases to amaze me the pure energy that one feels upon setting foot in the metropolis; it's as though the air is charged from the very first breath. And with that inspiration, I set upon my mission: (1) to spend time with my amazing friends and (2) to eat/drink myself silly without creating an asteroid sized cavity in my bank account. Mission #1- a give in, Mission #2- that would be much harder.

The first night in New York, I went to a bar in the West Village called Employees Only. It's a trendy restaurant with a great ambiance, very popular with young professionals, and it's definitely a splurge. They have a fantastic cocktail menu and the bartenders are very knowledgeable- they nailed my requests for a mint julep and pink lady. From their cocktail menu, I chose the "Mata Hari"-Cognac with chai-infused vermouth and pomegranate juice. It was absolutely delicious. I shared with two drinking companions who ordered the "Ginger Smash"- muddled ginger and prickly pear with gin, apple liqueur, and fresh lemon juice and the "Fraise Sauvage"- gin with wild strawberries and Tahitian vanilla, topped off with Prosecco. All were amazing and well worth the $15/drink average.



Then two nights later, I visited another memorable bar called Mayahuel. Mayahuel is located in the East Village, a part of New York City renowned for unique stores/restaurants and creative thinking. Mayahuel did not disappoint! While it is primarily a tequila and mezcal bar, their bartenders have some of the best skills I've seen and can surely whip you up anything. The bar itself is small, like Employees Only and a majority of other bars in the city, and there's not much room for roaming. This isn't a problem though, because the decor itself is so unique, channeling a dia de los muertos fiesta, that you'll just want to gaze at the eye candy. The biggest strength of Mayahuel lies in the complexity of its drinks. They do a great job with combining the sweet and the spicy, the sour and the delicate, creating libations that you will want to sip down slowly...infinitely. My favorite was the "Whoopsy Daisy"- blanco tequila, joven mezcal, pomegranate molasses, and lime. Also well worth the $14/drink average.



All in all, my mission in New York was a success... except for the small dent in my pocketbook. Thank you NYC for your constant source of energy and inspiration. Alas, I'm back in Los Angeles.