It’s that time of year again in New York City! That time of year when all of the designers, fashionistas, publicist’s, media, & influencers, hit the runways to take in the new trends of the season.
From the shows to the parties to the after after parties, September in Manhattan is all about fashion.
With that in mind, Tipsy Diaries went the boozy route. We decided to hit the streets of Manhattan during NYFW, on the hunt for crafty cocktails and delicious drinks at some of the city’s most luxurious hotel bars. In our mind, there is nothing better than a hotel bar. It’s our favorite.
We started at Mandarin Oriental at Columbus Circle, then headed over to The Plaza Hotel on 5th Ave, then over to The Pierre on 5th, then to The Ritz Carlton Central Park, and then ended at The Chatwal.
What a boozy couple of days!
Check out our road to tipsy during New York Fashion Week…
Cheers!
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The Lobby Lounge at Mandarin Oriental, New York
On the first day of NYFW, while everyone’s mind was on fashion, we hit up Mandarin Oriental, over-looking Columbus Circle.
The Lobby Lounge at Mandarin Oriental, with a wall of floor to ceiling windows, is the perfect spot for some tipsyness with a view! The panorama of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline provides a scene that can never get old. I mean seriously. Just look at it.
Add in a light lunch, afternoon tea, cocktails, or late night dessert, with the city lights as your backdrop, and you have yourself the perfect little rendezvous.
At the time of our visit, Mandarin Oriental was offering a ‘Capsule Collection’ of cocktails in honor of New York Fashion Week. The sparkling cocktail flight consisted of the ‘Pear Drop’ cocktail, the ‘Peach Velvet’ cocktail, and the ‘Bella Pesca’ cocktail.
We did it up!
Each of these cocktails are offered on the regular menu, however, the Capsule Collection turned the three of them into a flight of cocktails. Perfect!
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The Palm Court at The Plaza Hotel
Next up on our tour of some of the top luxury hotel bars & lounges in the city, we visited none other than The Palm Court at the infamous The Plaza Hotel.
Setting the standard for luxury for more than a century, The Plaza Hotel is an iconic link to the history and elegance of New York City.
The Palm Court, The Plaza’s world-renowned lobby bar, provided us with some crafty cocktails that can’t be beat.
First up, we went very Sex and the City-esque and tried the ‘NYC Cosmo.’ So so good!
Next up, as recommended by the mixologist, we had the ‘Hemingway Daiquiri.’ This cocktail was created for Ernest Hemingway at El Floridita Bar in Havana, Cuba.
Our last cocktail at The Palm Court was the ‘Gatsby Mint Julep.’ Wow!
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Perrine at The Pierre
Our third stop on our Tipsy Tour was The Pierre.
This opulent landmark sits across the street from Central Park on New York’s famed 5th Avenue, right in the lap of luxury.
We sat down at Perrine inside The Pierre for some appetizers and some of our favorite cocktails of the tour.
After about 6 cocktails thus far on our tour, it was about that time for some food!..and of course, more cocktails.
Perrine recommended their Oysters on the Half Shell, Tuna Tartare, and the Maine Crab Imperial Flatbread.
Lastly, since we were not able to experience The Rotunda as it was closed for a private event, we still wanted to see what all the hype was about – And wow!
As the signature room of The Pierre, The Rotunda is now open, offering guests indulgent dishes and cocktails in a beautifully, whimsical, & intimate space. One that you’ll never forget.
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The Star Lounge at The Ritz Carlton New York, Central Park
Mandarin Oriental, The Plaza, & The Pierre. Doesn’t get much better! But oh wait, it does!
Next up, for our nightcap, was The Star Lounge at The Ritz Carlton New York, Central Park. This luxury hotel provides a haven in the heart of Manhattan, offering up the ultimate city experience.
When you think of luxury lobby lounge, The Star Lounge at The Ritz should come to mind.
A warm and inviting spot, with wood tones and high ceilings, it reminded us of an old-fashioned study. So welcoming that we didn’t want to leave by the end of the night. Tent please?..
The best part? The lounge features the hotel’s legendary New York bartender, Norman Buzkofzer. If you don’t know about him, look him up!
In line with New York Fashion Week, The Star Lounge offered NYFW Specialty cocktails; ‘The Stiletto’ cocktail, ‘The Clutch’ cocktail, and ‘The Gown’ cocktail. We tried them all!
Each cocktail also came with a special chocolate stiletto treat to either take home or enjoy with your drink. It was VERY fashionable!
In addition to the NYFW Specialty cocktails, we also couldn’t leave without having the ‘The Mediterranean Martini‘ and ‘The Central Park Cocktail’ created by Norman Buzkofzer, and inspired by the captivating and iconic Central Park.
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The Lambs Club Bar at The Chatwal, a Luxury Collection Hotel, New York City
Our final stop on our Tipsy Tour was The Lambs Club Bar at The Chatwal, New York.
We couldn’t possibly fit in The Chatwal after The Ritz, so we went to bed, rested up, and continued our tipsy tour the next day.
Located in the heart of Manhattan’s Theater District, 2 blocks from Times Square and Bryant Park, The Chatwal boasts the honor of being named one of the top 10 Best Hotels in New York City, by 2016 Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards.
The popular Midtown New York bar, The Lambs Club, over-looking the Lobby of The Chatwal, features some of the city’s most experienced barkeeps and a drink menu that pays homage to vintage cocktails.
After 14 drinks the day before, we were now ready for 4 more!
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Talk about a quintessential New York experience. Definitely one for the books.
Between the five iconic New York city hotel bars/lounges that we got our drink on at, to the incredible NYC views, to the exceptional hospitality that was bestowed upon us, and finally, to the crafty cocktails that we consumed (all made with such creativity and attention), made for a memorable tipsy tour.
This one will be hard to beat!
Until next time…
Cheers!
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