October 26, 2011
It’s Swizzle Stick Tuesday the night I go out to a bar in search of the ever elusive swizzle stick. I found a place in the Dream Hotel that looks really fancy called Rm.Fifty5. It doesn’t look like the type of place I’d hang out in, but sometimes you have to throw your personal preferences out the window (along with some hard-earned cash) when you’re swizzle stick hunting. Let’s see if we bag a swizzle.
I'm heading out a little earlier than usual, I'm taking a couple nights off work after three weeks of working double shifts. So I thought I'd splurge and take a cab to the bar.
Aerial cab shot out the window!
Okay, we're at 55th and Broadway, the bar is located in a hotel about a block away.
And here we are at the Dream Hotel, which houses the bar.
It's quite a fancy-Dan lobby with a tube-like aquarium in the middle. It's here that an employee hits me with the sad news that Rm.Fifty5 is having a private party.
But, there is a silver lining. I'm told that up on the 14th Floor, there's a bar called the Ava Lounge. It sounds good to me, I don't feel like taking that lonely walk to another bar in midtown. And awaaay we go!
It's nice and dark up here, let's snag a spot at the bar.
And here's the friendly and beautiful bartender Holly, serving up a double gin and tonic. Is that a swizzle stick in the glass?
Upon close inspection...
It's a black plastic straw. No swizzle for you! Wha wha wha whaaaa.
Zeem was seated next to me enjoying some wine. He's a model and designer. Check out his websites: Zeemrock.com and Zeemproductions.com.
An overhead view of my working area at the bar.
A longshot of the candlelit bar.
Here's the lounge area behind the bar. Candlelight and couches. It's got a real makeout vibe to it.
Here's the view from the window. It kind of made me dizzy, so I went back to the bar.
There's a picture of actress Ava Gardner at the end of the bar. It's called the Ava Lounge, because this space was once her apartment back in the day. Pretty cool to think that her and Frank probably hoisted a few cocktails right where I'm seated!
And Holly rings up the tab and it's time to call it a night. Goodnight, Frank, goodnight Ava, we'll see you tomorrow after dark.
Ava Lounge
In The Dream Hotel
210 W. 55th St. (Near Broadway)
212-246-2211
Further reading: Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York, New York magazine and facecrack.
ame>
They heard the breeze in the trees making weird melodies,
And they made that the start of the blues.
(Surprise link...click on it...I dare you!)
23 Comments
Reader Comments (23)
umm i'm gonna be at that zeemrock page for a bit...
i'll comment after a cold shower....
Imma fan of the Ava Lounge - but I wouldn't get close to the windows either!
“How does it feel to be, one of the beautiful people? How often have you been there? Often enough to know. What did you see, when you were there? Nothing that doesn't show. Baby you're a rich man, Baby you're a rich man, Baby you're a rich man too. “:)
To me, the ending of "The Social Network" with that song was the best part of the movie.
Looks like a nice place - will have to check it out.
@Gidget: Enjoy the Zeem page and that cold shower!
@Meleah: The window made me dizzy, but then again, it could've been the double gin and tonic, Holly pours a strong drink!
@Duncester: I haven't watched that movie, but "Baby You're a Rich Man" sounds like the perfect fadeout song for it!
@Goggla: Not bad for midtown. No swizzle though!
Cool thing about New York. You can go to fancy ass places that real stars hung out and still do. Not so in Milwaukee. The only star that ever said publicly, that he liked Milwaukee, was Ernest Borgnine....and that was because of our circus parade. I guess he liked to dress up as a clown and hang out with horses! Tony Randall once said Milwaukee was the ugliest city he ever saw. He later recanted after some heat from our mayor but i think he meant it! Jay leno said he liked our city during Harley-Fest but what the fuck does he know....by the way.......did i ever mention that i once urinated next to Jay at Summerfest....i'm sure i did. The Happy Days crew was here for the unveiling of the Fonzie statue but they were so old that they probably didn't know where they were. So......My point? I forget. Cheers to New York City!
@MAD: Shucks. I was looking forward to the Dream review. I have a crackpot theory that a funky font is a very dangerous, polarizing thing. Once used, the event or venue is either bound to be pure awesome-sauce or doomed to be über-suck; no middle-ground. I hope for a future review.
@Duncester: Man, now I know how the Social Network ends. Ruined! I just rented Titanic, don't tell me how this fantastic floating voyage goes.
@Gidge: If you recover from your vapours and drag Zeemrock away, may I ring up Holly? (This may be low-brow, but it can't be sexist. She started it.)
@Prof.: Milwaukee must be a fabulously wealthy metropolis. It gives away it's "Best" for pennies.
@MyFingers: Why are you cramping? Oh yeah, I'm typing a lot. SILENCIO!
@ Marty-Titanic Spoiler Alert-Leo DiCaprio makes love with a beautiful woman. Sorry, that’s a spoiler alert for EVERY Leo DiCaprio movie.
@Prof- Gilles Frozen Custard-the best in the universe.
@Professor Dungpie: I love the Jay urination story! Cheers to Milwaukee, I need to get back there sometime and have about 8,598 beers with you!
@csp: It is a scary font, I will go back soon and check it out.
@Duncster: I think you have me mixed up with csp, but now I never have to see another Leo movie in my life! I'll buy you a beer the next time we meet for the money I'm going to be saving!
at least you got to see Holly ......
I read that Ava Gardner could out drink most men, Errol Flynn included.
Holly is hotter than zeemrock.. really...but he has this one picture.. hummmm....
i'm back...
I just love when the Martser remembers to post some beautiful boys for me:)
Thank you Marty for.. well a great post!
@GENE: True! She was not only beautiful, but really nice!
@Al: I would've loved to have a drinking contest with her! I've read she's one of the few women that wouldn't be pushed around by Frank Sinatra, a real, true tough broad!
@Gidget: In total agreement about Holly! Happy to have provided a little eye candy for you!
@ Marty & Duncester...Leo DiCaprio's latest is a movie about J Edgar Hoover, perhaps he'll wind up DRESSED like a beautiful woman....er...more like a pudgy, stocky cigar chomping woman anyway...yeah, I know, not even slightly interested.
Ya know, I've always wanted wanted to see an episode of The X Files where Scully and Mulder discover the re-animated corpse of J Edgar Hoover dressed in a Moo Moo and consorting with aliens. Would have made one hell of a final episode...I'll shut up now.
@Jaws the Cabbie-J Eger Hoover wasn’t straight?* Oh my! Mercy! Heavens to Murgatroyd! Leo needed a day off. I assume even Errol Flynn had to rest one day.
There’s also the rumor out there that JEH went out in public disguised as an African American woman. About 1.26 in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYp9WtbMo2k&feature=related
Anyway, any excuse to come back to this thread and take a look at Holly. Hooray for Holly!
damn...a upscale place like that and no swizzle...how much did that one set you back (or did you have two for tuesday?) or two for Holly-day?...my point is...come to think of it i have no idea what my point is...
You don't see a lot of difference between the Gin Blossoms and the Byrds.
Steve Forbert
rr
@Jaws: I hadn't heard about that, I'm actually looking forward to it now.
@Duncester: That clip...HA HA HA! I haven't seen that movie in years, need to watch it soon! Thanks for sending that!
@rr: 22 bucks! No, shit! And your point makes me think of Harry Nilsson. As far as the quote, I see a world of difference!
This looks like a cool place. Somewhere to check out in mid town.
MAD..."sorta" thought want an outlandish statement and just had to put it out there...oh yeah hope you enjoy your time off...
rr
@Melanie: If you're stuck in midtown, it's not a bad place to hang out at.
@rr: No worries, it was perfect as always! Thanks, it's been nice having some time off. Back to work tomorrow, though. For now...beer!
Marty, get back to where you once belonged. $ 4.00 shots and $ 2.00 beers. Where a twenty dollar bill lasts all night. And you know exactly what and where I'm talking about. Love you to pieces. Sip Ahoy!
@Uncle Waltie: Okay, I get the message, I'll see you at I Bar next Tuesday! Love ya right back, Uncle Waltie! Sip Ahoy!
@Professor Dungpie: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!