What makes a great beach cocktail? If you ask me, it’s whatever drink finds its way into your hand while you’re sitting on the beach.

The Sneaky Spirit Social Club thinks otherwise. They have a few specific guidelines to help you rethink your beach cocktail, and three bottled beauty cocktails for sale with an exclusive for BIT readers. Read On.

From the Sneaky Spirit Social Club

A beach cocktail should start with fresh, in-season ingredients. We went to our local farmers market for a little inspiration and came back with the following:

English Cucumbers

Fresh Mint Ginger Root

A spikey little Pineapple

And PLENTY of citrus- oranges, limes, lemons.

With these as our inspiration, we thought of the best “base spirits” to accompany them. As a rule of thumb, gin and cucumber always make good friends. Rum is a great bet to make a drink taste more tropical. And when in doubt for anything else, tequila.

We paid a visit to our good friends at Duke’s Liquor Box to pick up these spirits, and came home for a little painless trial-and-error.

We juiced, strained, peeled, pressed, pureed, and paired it all with a few of our favorite Sneaky Tinctures- including a hibiscus spice tincture (made from hibiscus flowers and white peppercorn) and our new Sneaky Szechuan spice (a taste-altering tincture) before coming up with these amazing beach cocktails.

Beach Cocktails with the Sneaky Spirit Social Club

Gin Cucumber Cooler

A minty, cucumber, Szechuan combination with a little fresh lemon guaranteed to make you cooler with the first sip.

Hibiscus Margarita

A tried-and-true favorite made from dried hibiscus, fresh lime, and a little white peppercorn, and a heavy-hand of blanco tequila.

Ginger Rum Punch

Pineapple, Orange, and a bite of fresh ginger bring a brightness to the dark rum soul of this drink.

Each of these has 4.5 ounces of booze (read: that’s more than 2 drinks worth!) and we’re extending a special offer for BIT readers:

Buy 1 bottled cocktail for $12

Buy 3 for $33

Buy 10 or more for only $10 each
 
Free same-day delivery in Greenpoint and Williamsburg.

Call us from the park. Call us the night before you leave for the beach. Let us meet you on the dock before the ferry to Governor’s Island comes. Take us with you, and let’s make this summer a little more Sneaky.

So I’ve started a sneaky little cocktail club with my partner-in-crime (and drinking) and we’d like to share with you our favorite summertime mocktails (that you can easily make into cocktails) featuring our bubbly little friends at Topo Chico. Follow our adventures here and let’s shake things up this summer.

The Gilligan’s Island

A tropical fruit and Ginger punch you’d want to get stranded with

2oz Strawberry Rhubarb Puree

1.5oz Lemon juice

.75 Ginger syrup

Shake with ice

Dirty Pour into Highball glass

Top with Topo Chico Grapefruit soda

Garnish with Strawberry

Optional Spirit addition

2oz White Rum (be sure to use appropriately sized glassware)

The Cool Kid

Minty freshness and cucumber crispness without all the attitude of that kid you hated in high school

2oz Cucumber Juice

1oz Lemon juice

.75 Mint simple syrup

Shake with ice

Dirty Pour into coupe, or other stemware

Top with Top Chico soda

Garnish with Cucumber wheel

Optional Spirit Addition

2oz Gin or Vodka (be sure to use appropriately sized glassware)

The Teenage Crush

A berry-basil blast that you won’t get over… until September comes

Gently muddle four trimmed strawberries with 1oz Basil syrup

Add 1.5oz Lemon Juice

Shake vigorously with ice

Dirty Pour into Big Coupe, or Rocks Glass

Top with Topo Chico soda

Garnish with Basil and Strawberry

Optional Spirit Addition

2oz Vodka (be sure to use appropriately sized glassware)

Gallagher’s Revenge

A totally smashable watermelon-mint cocktail

2oz Watermelon juice

1oz Lime juice

.75 Mint simple syrup

Shake with ice

Strain into couple glass

Top with Topo Chico Lime soda

Garnish with watermelon triangle 

Optional Spirit Addition

2oz Vodka (be sure to use appropriately sized glassware)

What is the Sneaky Spirit Social Club?

We are Zach and Liz, two bartenders living in Brooklyn, and this is our club.

It’s a cocktail thing that we do on the down-low. Kind of like speakeasies when they were actually illegal, or cults without the dying, or gangs without the killing, or sleepovers without the sleeping and with booze that you don’t steal from your parents.

Want to book a sneaky, virtual cocktail class with us? Send me a message here and let’s get started.

Cheers, Brooklyn… from the Sneakies.

As much as I love exploring the restaurants and cocktail bars of a city, there is something so therapeutic to settling in at home to a challenging recipe, with a complementary cocktail in hand.

When you find that you have ample time to cook because of a pandemic (just, you know, as an example), try making a nice soup and freezing most of it for those days when you won’t have so much time.

This recipe was spicy, pungent, and oh-so-smooth with the addition of blended squash. Don’t skip the garnish- it will make your entire apartment smell like a foot for a few hours (oof, roasted fish sauce…) but it is truly the piece de resistance. I made a little jasmine rice with toasted almonds to accompany the dish, and tossed in some cubed soft tofu.

Find the recipe below (borrowed from the New York Times cooking), with a few notes: I didn’t have lime leaves so substituted lime zest. Also, in place of peanuts I used sliced almonds because again, I had them on hand. 

Thai Basil Gin Fizz

Created by my in-house cocktailero Zach, the secret here is a thai chili tincture that brings out the botanical qualities of the gin and basil and adds a nice, lingering spice to the finish. This drink is ideal for a pandemic with all of the immune-boosting ginger and turmeric! Trust me. I know a doctor.

Want to know more about Sneaky’s Tinctures? Send an email to sneakyspiritsocialclub@gmail.com and we’ll fill you in on the rest.

INGREDIENTS (for 2 servings)

• 4oz gin
• 20g diced ginger
• 10g diced turmeric
• 5 leaves fresh basil
• 1oz simple syrup
• Juice of 2 limes (roughly 3oz)
• 4 droppers of Sneaky’s Thai Chili Tincture

Marinate 4oz gin with diced ginger, diced turmeric, and basil leaves for at least 30 minutes. Add all ingredients into a shaker, shake and pour over ice. Top with soda and garnish with a basil leaf.

Butternut Squash and Green Curry Soup

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SOUP:

• 4 tablespoons coconut oil or neutral-tasting oil
• 3 medium shallots, diced
• 1 (2-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 lemongrass stalk, cut into 3-inch pieces
•  Kosher salt
• 2 medium butternut squashes (about 4 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into about 3/4-inch cubes
• 2 (13 1/2-ounce) cans coconut milk
• 6 to 8 tablespoons Thai green curry paste, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 to 4 cups water or chicken stock, preferably homemade

FOR THE GARNISH:

• ¾ cup raw peanuts
• ¾ cup unsweetened raw coconut flakes
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 8 small dried red chiles, such as Japones or chiles de árbol, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon neutral-tasting or melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 10 lime leaves, thinly sliced (optional)
•  Handful of Thai or Italian basil leaves
• 2 to 3 limes, quartered

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Melt oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add shallots, ginger, lemongrass and a generous pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are tender and just starting to brown, about 18 minutes.
2. Add squash, coconut milk, curry paste, 3 tablespoons fish sauce and 3 cups water or stock. Increase heat to high. When liquid comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook the soup covered until squash is tender, about 25 minutes.
3. Make garnish while soup cooks: In a medium mixing bowl, toss together peanuts, coconut flakes, fish sauce, chiles, 1 tablespoon oil, the minced lemongrass, the sugar and the lime leaves, if using.
4. Spread mixture out onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes after the first 10 minutes. Remove from oven when coconut is deep golden brown, and pour mixture immediately into a bowl to prevent overcooking. Stir to combine, and set aside.
5. Remove soup from heat. Remove lemongrass stalks from pot. Use a hand blender to purée soup. Alternatively, transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor and purée. Taste and adjust for salt and curry paste. Add water or stock to thin soup to the desired consistency.
6. Thinly slice the basil leaves and arrange on a small plate or platter, along with lime wedges and peanut mixture. Serve soup hot with garnishes.

Cheers everyone, and stay indoors!

What do fish tacos and the founder of the Whitney Museum have in common? Well, kind of a few things… namely, a penchant for those bold, undiscoverable gems that find their way into this city, and an appreciation for Latin flavors and landscapes. There’s a spicy little story behind it all, so read on to understand how hand-made, seafood-filled tortillas and a sculptor turned collector turned revolutionary just make sense together, hand-in-hand.

We live in New York because we don’t want to be defined by societal norms and what seems to be the nation’s status quo. We feel, somewhat collectively, like a community of transcendence. We are here because we find comfort somehow in the insatiable chase.  We are here because it seems no other place is big enough or energetic enough to hold what it is that we believe we can do. And in this spirit, The Whitney is kind of like our very first apartment in New York. 

Ok, let me explain.

(To skip this historical lesson and get straight to the tacos, just you know… scroll down)

The Whitney Museum of American Art did not happen because people realized there needed to be a space to highlight the work of so many up-and-coming American-born artists. During the early 1900s when so many world-class museums were all springing to life and gaining in popularity, the country and the world were all focused on the artists and movements that were making news during that time, the vast majority of whom were European.

During that time, Sculptor Gertrude Whitney saw that American artists with new ideas were getting very little respect or recognition, and thus exhibition space and room to grow. Even as the ambitious Armory show attempted to introduce American artists’ work amid those familar and progressive European pieces, in her eyes, not much respect was won. She started the Whitney Studio in 1914, a meager yet transcendent space to highlight such artists who had been neglected by the traditional academies. And once her collection grew to an immensely impressive (collection of) pieces, she assembled a collection of nearly 500 pieces to the Met as a gift. When it was declined, the Whitney was born.

Gerty provided a place and a voice and a launching ground for those artists who somehow couldn’t be seen or supported anywhere else. She said, with this meager representation, there is a chance that the thing you solely can do will be felt, and thus will move on, far beyond these tiny walls. They just needed a bit of an incubation period in order to grow and be recognized and to move far beyond their fledgling beginnings into what would become world-renowned artists. 

After outgrowing the Whitney’s first permanent location in Midtown (now the Met Breuer), it became the glorious and expansive space in Chelsea. A place that so intentionally brings the city skyline as a familiar background between surreal landscapes. 

It is, however, located in what few of us would consider an ideal place to absorb culture otherwise. Nestled among luxury showrooms and overhyped nightclubs, Chelsea has fallen from its graces as a griddy and alive artistic hub and is now, well… a sterile outdoor shopping center surrounding a very well planned food court.

But you will, and should, find yourself there- if only for the Whitney. And when you do, you will likely be hungry. 

Where to Eat Near the Whitney Museum | Los Mariscos Tacos

In the spirit of Lady Gertrude, search for the undiscovered talent in what can be a noisy and competitive arena. I’m talking about Chelsea Market, what has basically become a shopping mall and Influencer thoroughfare. How do we wade through the nonsense and crowds to find something truly covetable? You believe that this is New York, and there is something shiny and worthwhile amid all of the noise. And perhaps you listen to a trusted voice to find it.

You will only find Mariscos if you see the sign, painted on a column, surrounded by people waiting in line for Los Tacos. It simply reads “Los Mariscos” with an arrow pointing left, toward a wall. From there, you will be led down a hidden hallway papered with “Workers Rights” infographics and it will overall fell not right. Fish tacos, this way? That’s when you’ll see the next sign- “yes, it’s this way!”

At which point you will find yourself transported to a fish shack in Baja California.

Los Mariscos is the most authentic Mexican seafood I’ve found in this city, and it an ideal little flavor oasis that I didn’t know could exist in the tourist trap that Chelsea has become. 

What Not to Miss

The Fish Taco

Perfectly fried and alarmingly fresh, this perfectly-topped and sauced fish is folded into a handmade tortilla somehow sturdy enough to not require double-wrapping, yet oh-so-delicate. There is nothing more that this fish taco could be, and nowhere closer to Baja that you can get other than a barstool inside the Chelsea Market. Order at least two.

Green Aguachile with Shrimp

So those stone (called “molcajetes”) can be used for more than just overpriced avocado conglomerations! This chilled soup is filled with raw fish and plenty of spice and citrus that will have you forget ceviche is a thing. When I ordered it, the guy told me, “The green is the more spicy, but, well… you have to get the green one.” The look that I gave him back said, “Please, sir… I’m not afraid of an authentic level of spice…” Which, the look I had after my first sip was quite different.. however, the spiciness in this bowl is balanced out by the cucumber lifesavers lining the perimeter, as were the communal bag of tostadas that no Coronavirus could convince me not to help myself to, repeatedly.

Un Pacifico Claro

Even with a spinning class looming in my Google calendar, there is always room for a Mexican beer when you feel like you’re in Mexico. I mean, hell, there’s room for a Mexican beer when you feel like you’re in Helsinki for that matter, but just make sure you get one. 

Los Mariscos is open from  11am-10pm daily, and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Wet your appetite here first. Then, dive in.

Deciding to spend an afternoon at one of this city’s world-class museums likely transplants you into a neighborhood you’re unfamiliar with, and thus with a food scene that could lead you into that familiar, debilitating state of hungry panic. Facing a few hours of invasive art and information on an empty stomach seems jarring but where the hell do people eat on the Upper East Side? Admittedly, this is when I can be tempted to get a hot dog from the cart outside of the Met and enter feeling noticeably uncultured and likely with mustard on my shirt.

Don’t let this happen to you. I’m helping you pick out the best lunch spots near all of the city’s museums so you can leave with a newfound knowledge of culture and history, and the confidence to find a damn good restaurant in a new neighborhood.

Han Dynasty in the Upper West Side

The best way to prepare yourself to conceptualize the explanation of millions of years of natural history and evolution, and to understand just how the hell these massive creatures inhabited our planet, you must invigorate your senses before entering.

Han Dynasty’s UWS location is quite different than their original, hole-in-the-wall LES spot, but the flavors are the same, and you’re way more likely to get a table. This authentic Szechuan outpost by way of Philly is serving some of the boldest Chinese food in the city, and it’s just a 10 minute walk from the Museum of Natural History. Don’t be turned off my it’s massive size or the number of “ladies who lunch” around you. This is the UWS. Everything is bigger and bitchier, but noticeably not lacking in taste.

What Not to Miss

Dan Dan Mian

If this is on a menu, it’s on my table. Han Dynasty’s version is just spicy enough with peanut and minced pork, and I was still thinking about it even as I stared into the glassy eyes of a wild boar right at the museum later.

Dumplings in Chili Oil

Spicy and oily is what you come to expect from a Szechuan lunch, and walking it all off in a massive museum is what you’re about to do. So don’t shy away from these floppy little dumplings because of their appearance. Besides, you’ve been meaning to work on your chopsticks skills anyway, and this dish is just slippery enough to be up for the challenge.

Spicy Crispy Cucumbers

Admittedly we got these to keep things nice and cool, and even with an “8” on the Han spicy scale, they did the trick. They’re more sweet than spicy and just what we needed in between dishes.

Mapo Tofu

I’m a sucker for a good mapo tofu, and I never mind a mediocre one either. This dish didn’t wow me, but the spicy sauce and slippery tofu was satisfying and a good balance to the meat dishes on the table.

Dry Pepper Style Chicken

When you eat at Han Dynasty, getting an entree is a must. I didn’t know what to expect with the description of this “thrice-fried” dish, but it was surprisingly not greasy. This was a fantastic entree choice.

Please note that we ordered way, way too much food. However, even with five dishes on the table and enough leftovers for lunch the next day, our bill was unexpectedly cheap. Plus the free hot tea and (maybe) a slight hangover tempted us away from any lunch beers, keeping the bill under $60.

Plan on this guy accompanying you at the museum.

How Not to Miss It

Service here is fast, so you can expect to spend no more than 45 minutes even if you order 4-5 dishes.

Han Dynasty is located at 215 W. 85th Street in the UWS (and the original NYC location is at  90 Third Ave)

And, admittedly, my favorite thing about this place is the way the website reads “handynasty”… 

The Museum of Natural History is a 12-minute walk from the restaurant. 
Plan to spend about 3 hours here. Highlights include a very real look at climate change and what the city is doing to help prevent it, a collection of expertly taxidermied animals that were a “gift” to the city back in 1930, and, obviously, the dinosaurs. 

I found myself wandering around Gowanus on a rainy day in February with a friend, attempting to quell our curiosity about what exactly it means to designate something a superfund site, and to ignore the slight stench that permeated the misty air that might tempt our appetites into submission. We were hungry, and curious about the area, and stumbled upon a tiny little oasis somewhere on 3rd avenue that caught our attention. 

We settled into a bright booth in the window, admittedly with our cameras and notebooks at the ready. We had intended to explore the neighborhood with no direction- “a day with no plans”, we’d said, desiring instead to let the neighborhood and its residents speak to us. 

And what Gowans unknowingly said to us was, “You’re about to have a Michelin-star lunch.”

And not knowing or intending this made this experience all the more riveting. We giggled with the server about the cocktail list, which was boldly all mezcal-based, before deciding to each indulge in one… because when you intend to have no plans, a 1pm cocktail feels like it’s right on time. 

We chose a few dishes to share – the tuna tostada, the remolacha tostada, the turkey tinga tacos. And as our chosen dishes began arriving and our little booth filled with the scents and flavors of Oaxaca, we knew that this unintentional lunch was about to have a permanent spot on our must-eat list.

Here’s what you can’t miss at Claro, other than the fact that it’s so warm, approachable, and inviting, you’ll have no idea it has a Michelin star until, perhaps, you’re at home the next day doing a bit of research for a piece you’re going to put on your blog.

Tostada de Remolacha

In my quest to lean towards a plant-based diet, I’ve found myself intentionally ordering dishes that I would often pass up. How good can a beet really be? Chef TJ Steele won’t hesitate in answering that question. A beet can be something sacred when fire-roasted to perfection and sitting atop a handmade tostada, accompanied by some unlikely yet welcome new bedfellows- guacamole, queso fresco, cilantro, and some sort of creamy white binding agent who seemed to be present to keep the band together. This is a great way to start your meal.

Tostada de Tuna

Now before you say, ‘another tostada??’ just stop, and don’t. Tostadas are the Mexican answer to canapes, and thus intended to eat and be shared freely and repeatedly. Plus, Chef Steele handmakes all of his tortillas, so even if they weren’t wearing fancy hats, I’d have multiple. This one looked like a work of art, but one that we had no qualms destroying immediately. What was listed on the menu as accompanying our perfectly rare tuna was “pasilla oaxaqueña, cara cara, chicharrón” none of which sounds like, or tasted like, it was fished out of a superfund site. This must be on your table.

Turkey Tinga Tacos

Sure, a tinga is a tinga, right? That’s like saying a Beatles album is a Beatles album, or a walk in the park is just a walk in the park. It isn’t. You know this. And once you take one bite of this surprising turkey tinga, it’s going to be hard for you to go back to your familiar chicken tinga tacos. And that’s a little sad, but trust me, it’s how it has to be. These saucy little numbers need to be  on your table and then in your mouth.

My only regret is that we didn’t order either of the mole dishes, and I suppose that the charming, leaf-covered patio wasn’t open (again, February…) However, the approachable atmosphere and unbelievable flavors we experienced at Claro will have us coming back way before patio season. 

Claro is located at  284 3rd Avenue

Follow them here, then go there.

I suppose I understand why young(ish) people right now are making an effort to dismiss the consumption of alcohol and would prefer a cozy cup of hot cocoa to an Old Fashioned any day. But, call me old fashioned… and, well, most of my friends as well, because we all appreciate a healthy dose of inebriation, especially around the holidays.

I paid a visit to local spirit aficionado Patrick Dacy, owner of Duke’s Liquor Box in Greenpoint, to get some advice on spirited gift-giving this year, and a little background as to what brought his magical little shop to the neighborhood.

The warmth we felt walking into Duke’s wasn’t just from the hopeful taste of some of these warming spirits, but inevitably from Patrick himself. He’s not just a spirit enthusiast, but also a natural storyteller. The very first question I asked led to a 15-minute explanation that included elements of neighborhood history, post-prohibition spirit distillation, and the true life cycle of farming. Stopping himself, Patrick smiled shyly and said, “Sorry, that was a really long answer to ‘why a spirit shop…’”

However, the richness of his storytelling blended all of the right elements into what would become a cocktail of a story that was just what my writer/bartender heart was seeking.

I’ll shake it up and pour it all out for you below, along with Patrick’s top gift picks this season.

This city is littered with discount liquor stores, but Greenpoint wasn’t always that way. About 10 years ago Patrick realized that there wasn’t anywhere in the neighborhood to get a decent bottle of tequila or mezcal, especially from someone who cared about what you wanted to sip on. He and his wife had a small general store on Franklin Street and were one of only 4 businesses in what is now the neighborhood’s main shopping district. A space became available beside the shop, and at that point they realized that they felt the spirits calling them to use the space to open a different type of liquor store.

This was not only because of the noticeable lack of decent bottles in the neighborhood, but also because the timing felt right. Patrick predicted the wave of craft distillers in the city and country once New York finally opened up its archaic licensing laws. “There’s no reason why distilling laws should have been so prohibitive at the time,” Patrick told us. “Distilling used to be a big part of the farming cycle of life. Farm with grain, turn it into beer, then distill into whiskey, and all the ‘waste’ goes back into the ground to start again.”

His passion for small distilleries and for making a personal connection with makers is evident as soon as you step into his shop. Duke’s Liquor Box is still the only store in the city that refuses to buy from any of the big distributors, and as such, each bottle comes with a story. The result is a well-curated bottle selection and a staff who cares about and believes in the spirits they sell. 

A little over a year ago, Duke’s moved to a larger space down the street, and now has expanded their collection to include a backroom with mostly natural wines… which means you can easily find something for everyone on your list there. 

So give them a gift that will make your friends completely forget about Dry January. Or, bring a few bottles and stir up some cocktails at your next holiday party. Read on for Patrick’s standout picks for the holidays and stay thirsty, Brooklyn.

Flor del Desierto Sotol

If you’re unfamiliar with the pechuga method of distilling mezcal, the most important thing you need to know is that it is a very celebratory and sacred process, and is believed to infuse the spirit with the soul of an animal. How do they do this? By taking the heart and chest area of said animal (the “pechuga”), hanging it up in the still, and allowing the gas from the spirit pass through it, again and again, during the distilling process. The results are a rich, slightly gamey, and noticeably fuller spirit. Pechugas are commonly poultry but vary depending on what’s available around the farm at the time. This bottle in particular used the pechuga of a rattlesnake, which is just about the most badass thing I’ve ever heard.

Get this bottle for your boldest (and probably non-vegan) friend, and be there when they open it. 

Agave Fortaleza

For a shop that has always been known for its collection of Agave, make sure you spend some time in this section. Let Patrick expand your mind beyond salty shots and syrupy margaritas, so that then you can enhance the palette and appreciation of your friends. His favorite choice this season is from Fortaleza, a 3rd generation agave makers from the original Sauza family. Their special winter blend is a delicate mix of anejo and reposado and its rich flavor profile demands it to be sipped on like brandy, not shot or mixed. So tell your friends to grow up in the most delicate way possible, with a bottle of this small-batch agave.

Edinburgh Christmas Blend

It was the three wise men who were said to bring Jesus the gifts of frankincense and myrrh, mystical essential oils fit for a king. And while you may not have anyone on your list who reminds you of Jesus, or really anyone very wholesome at all, you can still be the wisest person at the party with this fancy bottle of Gin. Edinburgh infuses their Christmas blend with frankincense and myrrh, making this warming and aromatic spirit a perfectly seasonal yet unexpected edition to any liquor cabinet. Patrick suggests blending in equal parts with a spice-forward vermouth like La Quintinye, and Sirene Elisir del Lago (in place of Campari) for a bold, spicy, holiday Negroni. 

For the holidays, Duke’s will also throw in a free mixing glass and cocktail stirrer with the purchase of three bottles so you can show off your own skills or show your friends the ropes. And as always, they offer free gift wrapping in their ironically iconic Bellevue Meat Market butcher paper. 
Need some additional inspiration? Read my guide here to my favorite holiday cocktails, and stir up something nice this season.

Duke’s Liquor Box is located at 114 Franklin St. Follow them here for daily inspiration and stop in for inebriation and more than a few messages-in-a-bottle.

I get it. We’re all standing around wondering where the hell November went and also trying to figure out how to start and finish our holiday shopping all in one day trip to Manhattan. And getting into the holiday spirit? Well, that’s something that will help smooth all of this over. Trust me. And if you don’t know how to get into it, I can help guide you. Consider me your spiritual shaman, for the moment. Read on and raise a glass to the holiday spirit, and let yourself feel present, or at least, presently tipsy, for the rest of it.  

Searching for that holiday spirit in North Brooklyn led us unsurprisingly into Duke’s Liquor Box, on Franklin Street. This un-pretentious boutique spirits and wine shop will help guide you through their shelves of mostly unexpected bottles to find something to talk about at your upcoming holiday parties, or an expressive mainstay on your liquour cart. We were inspired by a few bold bottles, and the cocktails they could become. 

These two, dreamt up by my in-house cocktailero and good-spirits sheriff Zachary. He’ll take it from here.

The Christmas/Chanukah Connection 

Winter doldrums already gnawing at your soul? Wishing you were still sunning yourself on Rockaway beach? Well, here are two cocktails sure to warm you up and keep your holiday spirits high.The first of our delicious cocktails is called the “Christmas/Chanukah Connection”. With our two base spirits being cognac and a delicious apéritive like Aperol but spicier, we add a bit of honey syrup and a combination of orange and traditional Angostura bitters. Stirred and served up with a star of anise or a flamed orange zest, this cocktail will be a perfect complement to warm you by the fire this season.

1.25 oz cognac

1.25 oz Forthave

.25 oz honey syrup

2 dashes orange bitters

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Stirred with ice. Strain into a coup glass

The Feliz Navi-Dazed

The second holiday cocktail we present here is intended to transport you back to the beach. Dubbed, “Feliz Navi-Dazed” this boozy mezcal or tequila based beverage is sure to help you endure the cold for the next few months. Combining grapefruit and lime juice, mezcal or tequila, and…. rosé (what? yes!), this beverage is a version of a citrusy Paloma but with less sugar in order to give you more room for all the sweets you can eat. It’s easy to make and is sure to be a crowd pleaser this season!

2 oz mezcal or tequila

1 oz rosé

75 oz lime juice

5 oz grapefruit juice

Shake with ice. Dirty pour into salted rocks glass

Top up with soda 

Want something a little softer? Hey, I’m not judging you. (I am judging you). Here are my favorite bottles of the season, from Duke’s and one from Spirit Animal, in Williamsburg.

Primal!! By David Bowler

A wine from an ex-rocker should have a bit of grip to it. This former member of Half-Japanese, a raucous, art punk band from Maryland circa 1975 found his next-calling making what some consider to be the epitome of raw wine. Free of bullshit, negligent of boundaries, and wholly expressive of the land, the grapes, the moment. This 100% tempranillo has a high acidity and tartness, but is almost immediately balanced with semi-sweet cherries and strawberry rhubarb. Pair it with the stronger dishes on the table, or with the stronger personalities in your friend group. 

Barrika Basque Cider

I suppose it’s very pase to discuss politics at a holiday party and certainly something you want to avoid around the family dinner table, but personally, I think it’s totally acceptable to bring up the political situations in other countries. Why? Because it doesn’t really mean anything to take sides and also it makes us all feel like our current situation is quite juvenile. Case in point, the Basque country, that culture with the prehistoric-looking alphabet that has not-so-silently been fighting for independence from Spain for nearly 70 years now. But beyond that, they’ve been making some of the world’s best cider for centuries. It will get people talking, and drinking, and trying to do some of the wild tricks they do with the same spirit over in the Iberian peninsula. Bring some Barrika to the table and make things feel better, for now, or for always. 

Forthave Aperitivo

The world of digestifs are often lost on us. The end of a meal or an event should be punctuated, time-stamped, sniffed, sipped, and swallowed. It should be put to rest. And there have been people seeking to capture the spirits of such a transition in the evening for centuries. So let’s dive into this world of digestifs. Let’s start with this locally-made spirit from Forthave. If you haven’t yet familiarized yourself with the spicy, seductive world of Amaros, let this be your first foray. This spooky little spirit from Forthave in Bed-Stuy is based on the secret recipe of four medieval thieves. These thieves were caught stealing from plague victims in Marseille, and in exchange for clemency, they revealed their secret concoction. With notes of cinnamon, eucalyptus, and honey, it’s a smooth digestif that doesn’t need to wait for food, or thankfully, another plague, to be appreciated.

Cheers, Brooklyn.

Just because we’re surrounded by water in New York doesn’t mean any of us are living that island life… the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle makes it easy to forget that we should be embracing the beauty in the juxtaposition of so many vistas connecting skline and inevitably, embracing a beverage along with it.

I’ve picked out all of my favorite ways to get out on the water all over town. Get out there.

North River Lobster Company in Hell’s Kitchen

This “floating lobster shack” is super charming and takes you up the Hudson, leaving from 41st. So if you’re looking specifically for those iconic downtown views, this isn’t ideal but the food is great and their sunsets are damn beautiful. $10 to board, lobster rolls are predictably both pricey and delicious. Info here.

The Honorable William Wall near Ellis Island

This place seems like one of those places that doesn’t exist. Kind of like when the seniors tell you there’s a pool on the roof your first day of high school… but unlike that pool, it does exist, and you can go there. It’s a “yacht club” boat that is anchored near Ellis Island that you can only access by their chartered boats. It’s $20 per person; drinks are available for purchase, bring your own food if you want to eat. You can leave from Brookfield Place or Jersey City; in both places, an official William Wall captain will greet you and take you to the boats and then the bar. Info here. 

The Brooklyn Barge in Greenpoint

It’s a floating barge bar in Greenpoint that is similar to the Frying Pan in Manhattan but not (quite) as douchey. It does get super crowded on the weekends though, so I would say it’s a little low on the romance factor, but the sunset over the city is stunning. Info here.

Anable Basin in LIC

This sort-of hidden gem in Long Island City is a very low-key waterfront bar that offers amazing views of the city. And because of its location, you’ll get that coveted view of the sun nestled right between the skyscrapers. It’s hidden behind some warehouse buildings, but just trust me and keep going down 44th. It will be there. It’s cash only but they have an ATM. Info here.

Grand Banks Oyster Bar in Tribeca

This fancy schooner is super charming and has great (and kind of pricey) cocktails and oysters. It’s anchored at a pier in Tribeca, so the “skyline” views are a little limited, but it’s still beautiful. Find it at Pier 25. Info here.

North Brooklyn Boat Club in Greenpoint

Kayaking through the creek that was the site of the biggest oil spill in US history, that spills out into the East River may not sound romantic, but this is New York. Nothing is clean or safe or smart, it’s an adventure. NBBC does free kayaking trips through Newtown Creek and up to the entrance to the East River. You can also canoe instead of kayak, if you’re a dork. They have a guide with you so you won’t be completely on your own. This would be a great option to then have dinner in Greenpoint, say, at Le Fanfare where yours truly works   Info here.

Ferry + Park + Wine, anywhere

If you want more of a DIY experience, just jump on the NYC Ferry. Each one has a bar and a rooftop and you can hop on at sunset and ride however long you want. A good option would be to start in Queens or North Brooklyn and ferry down to Brooklyn Bridge Park where you can sit along the waterfront and overlook lower Manhattan, and that Statue that used to stand for something before everything went to shit. Also, Transmitter Park in Greenpoint is right on the water, overlooking all of Manhattan. This is easily one of my favorite spots in the city. Just bring wine

Mezcal Mule

Blood Orange Mezcalarita

Mezcal Negroni

Mezcal Neat