Get Happy

After a great birthday weekend with Significant Eater, I was feeling a little down. So what better way to chase the blues away other than to head out and meet a friend for a drink. As it happens, that night at Death & Co. was like old times. Plenty of familiar faces on the civilian side of the bar, and Brian Miller, one of the original bartenders, behind the stick.

Of course, Death & Co. is one of the groundbreaking cocktail lounges we have here in NYC. Opening well after the exclusive Milk & Honey and the more egalitarian Pegu Club, Death & Co. wasn't the first of the cool cocktail lounges; but for me, as well as for many others, it simply became our favorite. I don't know if it was the punch bowls; I don't know if it was the heavy wooden door. Maybe it was the location - a mere 15 minute walk from my apartment. Maybe it was the crowd. Actually, when you get right down to it, it was probably the drinks.

So Mr. Miller started me off with his Cure For Pain cocktail, a rather strong concoction - and delicious too. If my memory serves me right, it included .5 Stagg, 1.5 Rittenhouse, White Creme de Cacao, Campari, Antica, tawny port, Ango and creole bitters. Good - you bet. Great even.

I then moved on to another boozy (yeah, Brian knows what I like) one - his Jane Russell Cocktail. Rye based, with Benedictine, Antica, Grand Marnier and mole bitters to help soften the blow, it was about all I needed. I certainly didn't need to continue on to this final drink, shared with my friend, but the ice is so nice, isn't it? Almost made me forget that little bit of sadness I felt after a super weekend.