A New York City Classic: Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle
Posted in bars, dining, hotel tagged with Bemelmans, Bemelmans Bar, Chris Gillespie Trio, Classic Bars, Ludwig Bemelmans, Madeline, New York City Bars, The Carlyle on August 11th, 2009 by Mary-KateLike the summer wind, my ex-boyfriend made a cameo appearance last Tuesday via Blackberry Messenger.
“Interested in dinner and drinks this evening, darling?” He wondered. After waiting 25 minutes to respond — games — I agreed to a meeting and suggested Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle Hotel.
I laced up my 4″ espadrilles and “gracefully” hobbled six blocks to The Carlyle, which is located on Madison Avenue at 76th Street. As I entered into my own personal Gossip Girl episode, I scanned the supremely sexy room looking for the boy, but the old Hollywood-style décor — and maybe a quick flashback of the bar in The Shining — commanded my attention. I had forgotten how absolutely stunning this bar is. The impeccable combination of the black granite bar, 24-carat gold leaf-covered ceiling, a grand piano, sumptuous, chocolate brown leather banquettes and nickel-trimmed black glass tabletops makes this a wannabe Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s dream come true! I made a bee-line for the bar because I needed a swig of my old standby, a Grey Goose martini, before his arrival. “Ali”, my couldn’t-be-friendlier, white-jacketed bartender could sense my uneasiness and began asking about my day at work. After a couple of minutes of chit-chat and a few sips of his delicious martini, my date arrived. Read more »
