The Premium Life

In my early twenties I was the queen bee of NYC’s latest and greatest hotspots. I knew about a bar, lounge or restaurant launch weeks before everyone else did because I followed commercial real estate websites and newsletters—nope, I didn’t have a life.

Once I began working at a fashion magazine I became lazy and gave up on the space stalking aspect—they wanted me there on opening night no matter what—they wanted me to cover the hangover-inducing bash. Well … then I stumbled onto something called responsibility *yawn* and rolling into the office reeking like a plastic bottle of Popov Vodka was no longer acceptable. What would I do if I got fired because I was out until 4 AM buying shots for random guys who used to be on The Bachelor? Needless to say, I feel like I’m slightly out of the hotspot loop, but—don’t you worry—this is all about to change.

I am embarrassed to say that I just discovered the sexiness that is Apothéke—a year late. You see, I tend to stay in on weekend nights and get my fix at random brunch spots on Saturdays and Sundays. Who feels like dealing with out-of-towners and day-long hangovers on Saturday and Sunday? My friends do. Read more »

It seems like every week I get calls and emails from our clients and friends wanting to know what the new “hot spot” is and where they should grab drinks after a hard days work. I start going down the list of places and locations (mostly in the West Village, Meat Packing District or Lower East Side) and the reply is always the same. “Sounds like a great place but I don’t feel like going all the way downtown, are there any cool places in mid town?”

Well after my second excursion to the new Monkey Bar last week, I am happy to report there are. The revamped Monkey Bar is located in the Elysee Hotel on 54^th between Madison and Park. It was previously owned by The Glazier Group until Graydon Carter, the editor of Vanity Fair and an owner of the Waverly Inn in Greenwich Village, and two other partners, Jeff Klein, owner of the City Club Hotel, and Jeremy King of The Wolseley bought it and decided it to overhaul the cuisine and overall feel.

The Monkey Bar reopened in May and still has the same swanky feel of a 1930’s Supper Club – rich red-leather banquettes, brass trimmings, monkey lamps and a 65-foot mural of New Yorkers along the walls. Most of the servers wear white steward jackets with long tails and striped patches on the shoulders. The dining room has balcony and orchestra-level seating.

I did not sample the food the first time I was there, but there was plenty of eye candy to make your mouth water. It is a pretty looking crowd, mostly coming from their midtown  office right after work and many staying until very late in the night. I quickly became friends with one of the main waiters (Pete) who took care of me and my clients for the rest of the night. We sampled various cocktails and sat around chatting and enjoying the talent.

I decided to go back a second time and sample the food. After a few Martini’s we ordered the oysters of the day (with lime and Tabasco, of course) and also sampled the Peeky-toe crab cakes and the soft shell crab. All of the food was delicious but let be clear about one thing–the main attraction here is the scene.

It certainly helps to get there on the early side to secure one of the few tables near the bar. Or if you prefer, you can always make a restaurant reservations and take a table in the restaurant area. Whatever your choice maybe, just be happy to know that you no longer have to schlep to all four corners of the city to find a good after work hangout. As always, if you need help planning your next experience let us know at www.premiumlg.com. Bottoms up!