Stuff Boston : venue:radius

The good life?

Erin Souza — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:02:00 GMT

Now might just be the time to indulge your champagne taste

This economy, for better or worse, has redefined the term “need.” We don’t really need to buy that new 42-inch plasma TV, but it’s so cheap! How can we not? And those Christian Louboutin suede booties? They’re practically giving them away! (Fine, that one’s a bit of stretch, but bear with me here.) Times of economic uncertainty bring up all sorts of questions. Chief among them: what really distinguishes a need from a want?

Is it irresponsible to shop when our state’s unemployment rate has rocketed to 7.4 percent, a high we haven’t seen since 1993? Probably. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a fantastic time to invest in things that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to buy — a timeless designer suit, a caviar facial, a meal at that seemingly out-of-reach fine French restaurant.

We understand that “splurge” is a relative term. As is the word “luxury.” One man’s special-event-only dinner is another man’s value meal. But no matter where you fall on the budget spectrum, one thing is true for all: a dipping Dow is translating into dipping prices on the finer things.

Our nation’s economic troubles are one harsh reality. But there’s no need to wallow in the sadness of it all — quite the opposite, actually. Pop some bubbly and toast to the good life. Because when times are tough, retailers and restaurateurs are finding ways to make your few dollars feel like a million bucks.

For those who have always been able to afford the top-shelf goods life has to offer, more power to you. Now you can snag those luxe items for less (lucky you). And for the rest of us? A little slice of the Champagne life is, strangely enough, nearer to our grasp than we thought.

Mass-appeal deals

Fine-dine on a dime
Synonymous with luxury (or at least an outstanding cut of meat and a check that’s well into the three-digit range), the city’s upscale dining establishments have for too long been out of reach for many, saved for a milestone birthday or special anniversary. But now, restaurants are redressing that notion (whether they like it or not) by offering prixfixe menus at incredible prices.

Aujourd’hui at the Four Seasons (200 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.351.2037), arguably one of Boston’s most posh epicurean destinations, offers diners a nightly three-course menu for the $40 they’d typically pay for an entrée, plus wines starting at $10 a glass. Same goes for Chef Michael Schlow’s power player of a French inspired restaurant, Radius (8 High Street, Boston, 617.426.1234), where the prix-fixe menu costs a mere $45 per person. Pigalle (75 Charles Street South, Boston, 617.423.4944) is offering three courses for $40, and the Boston landmark in sleek new digs, L’Espalier (774 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.3023), gives new meaning to “power lunch” with their $24 lunch options and $40 three-course menu. Now, for a little more than the cost of a three-course meal of reheated frozen food at a cheesy chain restaurant, even penny-pinchers can dine in style.

Discounts are the new black
A little known fashion rule? When the Dow is down, it’s time to stock up.

Case in point — an utterly chic, classic black pencil skirt by Blumarine at Neiman Marcus (5 Copley Place, Boston, 617.536.3660) is marked down to $184, a fraction of its original $525 price tag. Now is the time to buy pieces that will endure: a timeless suit that will carry you from season to season, a durable leather bag that will never go out of style, impeccably made shoes that will last and be worth the trip to the cobbler to mend tired soles when necessary.

Gorgeously crafted, covetable labels that rarely or never go on sale (here’s looking at you, Christian Dior) have slashed prices on pieces that many of us could really only dream about owning in better economic times. The proof is in the proverbial pudding: you can now save up to 50 percent on select handbags and ready-to-wear pieces from Christian Dior; staple white blouses from Maha Barsom went on sale for 40 percent off, a first for the designer; classic black trousers by Diane von Furstenberg, a must-have for work or play, have been marked down from $275 to $79 at Barneys New York (100 Huntington Avenue, Boston, 617.385.3300); and the list goes on.

Online sale sites like Rue La La (www.ruelala.com) and Gilt Groupe (www.gilt.com) have been selling high-end designer labels for men and women at up to 70 percent off the original price since well before the economic downturn. But now, these spots for designer deals are getting overstock from designers they would never have gotten before; these brands might not be selling as well at regular cost, so sale sites (and now you) have better chances of getting their hands on them. Ah, the democratization of fashion at its best.

Recent sales on Rue La La included gorgeous Yves Saint Laurent bags and pumps and Miu Miu handbags for outrageously marked down prices. Gilt Groupe has the online sample sale on lock, scooping up pieces by Catherine Malandrino, Oscar de la Renta, and Helmut Lang and slashing the prices by more than half. Just don’t sleep on these deals — they are impulse purchases that defy the name.

Luxe city getaways
Restful, rejuvenating vacations don’t require a plane ticket. Now is the time to book a staycation, as local luxury hotels are offering weekend packages that present the right amount of pampering at the right price.

Didn’t think you could afford a stay at the famed Park Plaza (50 Park Plaza, Boston, 617.426.2000)? In 2009’s economic climate, you can get more bang for your buck. Their Fun with Fondue package starts at $259 and includes a one night stay at the historic hotel, a prix-fixe dinner for two at The Melting Pot (cheese fondue, salad, filet mignon, and chocolate fondue with a Champagne toast are on the menu), and free overnight valet.

For high rolling on a lower budget, the Bets and Bites package at Mohegan Sun (1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT, 888.226.7711) offers a one-night stay, a $100 food and beverage credit plus a reservation at any of the casino’s restaurants (including Todd English’s Tuscany) with a visit by the chef, and a $10 free bet per person. Rates start at $129 per person when you book for two.

Live the island life at the Union Street Inn (7 Union Street, Nantucket, 888.517.0707) with $200 rooms for two Monday through Thursday all spring long. Nantucket Reds not included, though small plates and dessert at iconic restaurant American Seasons are.

Don’t feel bad. We can’t afford to have Dennis Duffy design our homes, either. But we can pretend for one night. The South End’s Chandler Inn (26 Chandler Street, Boston, 617.482.3450) will boast redesigned boutique rooms in early April, courtesy of Duffy. For $199.99 per night, get a home-away-from-home experience surrounded by minimalist, modern décor, plus breakfast at the Berkeley Perk Café, admission for two to the Museum of Fine Arts, and a prix-fixe pasta and wine dinner at neighborhood eatery Pops.

Well-priced pampering
For most of us, caviar is a delicacy we can rarely put in our mouths, never mind slather on our faces. Thank you, recession, for changing that. At Emerge spa and salon (275 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.437.0006), their ultra-indulgent Caviar Body Ritual and Caviar Facial, typically priced at $235 each, are available for $100 off when you book both. Because really, if we’re talking about conspicuous consumption, why not go over the top?

At Melt salon and spa (172 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.262.1116), monthly deals keep getting sweeter. Recent specials included customized 50-minute massages for $60 instead of the usual $100, a free manicure with the purchase of a classic pedicure, and now an exfoliating body polish for $25 off the original price. Pampering could move up on your priority list with prices like these, right?

Men can get groomed in style for less, too. Through April 30 at the sleek boys’ club of the Barbershop Lounge (245 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.450.0021), a 60-minute full-body massage costs just a dollar a minute. That’s $50 less than the typical price. And through the end of March, get a foot treatment (read: manly man’s pedicure) for just $10.

Steals for the well-heeled

Smart art
Dropping thousands of dollars on something pretty to look at can still be tough these days, even for those with good cash flow. But payment plans on artwork can mean buying a painting that’ll adorn your walls for years is a more affordable option than you might expect. Most galleries will allow buyers to pay in installments, so don’t be afraid to ask — that masterpiece may be hanging above your couch before you know it. The terms of the payment plan recently launched by Chase Gallery (129 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.859.7222) are particularly generous: no interest and no payments for a year on any piece — at any price — in the gallery.

It may not be a bad time for a trip to the auction house, either. With fewer bid-happy financiers showing up to speculate, the economic slump has created buyer’s market. Christie’s worldwide sales were down 11 percent last year, and reports of sale prices 20 to 40 percent below pre-auction estimates at the major houses are not uncommon right now. Skinner, the big name in auctioneering in the Bay State, is hosting auctions in Boston for European furniture and decorative arts on April 11 and Asian works of art on April 24 and 25. Check out the catalogue at www.skinnerinc.com, and you may find a piece that will elevate your living room for less than an arm and a leg. Like, say, just an arm — you can spare that in name of the arts, right?

Riding in style
So maybe the sky is falling, but buck up, because so are prices. According to Ernie Boch Jr., there are great deals available on everything, and it’s not just the auto industry. “Everybody wants to do business more than they ever have in the past because of this economy. I’ve never seen anything like it,” says the owner of Boch Automotive.

Ferrari has cut back their distribution to North America, according to Boch, who offers the cars to the few and fortunate
locals who can afford them. But the good news there is that while prices remain the same (i.e., astronomical), fewer people are buying, so you’ll have more to choose from if you’re in the market for one. And presumably, lots of new friends, too.

Same goes for Mercedes and Porsche. Since people are cutting back on spending, the availability of used luxury cars has jumped. For example, Boch estimates that the prices on used Porsches have gone down at least 15 percent from this time last year. “And the Escalades and Yukons of the world?” says Boch. “The prices are down 40 or 50 percent.”

If you can afford to fill the gas tank — and deal with the eco-guilt that comes with driving such a gas-guzzler — now is a good time to buy.

Hot to (globe)trot?
If you’ve got a yacht, we’re jealous. And if you don’t, you can charter one and pretend it’s yours for a week or so. Salem’s Angela Connery (www.acyachtcharters.com), a broker who connects seafarers with privately owned yachts tailored to their every need, says prices on yacht charters aren’t drastically dropping, but deals are definitely available.

For about $5000 (a figure that’ll cover food, drinks, and a full crew on board for about a week), a couple can charter a yacht to the Virgin Islands — one of the most economical of vacation spots, according to Connery. That’s a $1000 to $1500 savings on the typical cost. Another deal might be getting 10 days for the price of seven or eight, says Connery. “Many people don’t realize how affordable it actually is.” Of course, affordable is a relative term.

Private jets still not out of reach for you lucky bastards? Good for you. Now you can buy into fractional ownership — which typically costs upwards of $100,000 for partial ownership of a jet and a set number of hours of use per year — for a lower price. Check out the new 15-hour charter card from Avantair (www. avantair.com) for $72,500, which allows members to fly anywhere in the continental US and 200 miles into Canada, as well as to certain airports in Mexico and the Bahamas. Yeah, that’s still more than double the median income in Massachusetts, but we’re not hating if you can still swing it. Just let us hitch a ride once in a while, ok?

Get out of town

Ruth Tobias — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:47:00 GMT

Why are so many urban restaurateurs flocking to the ’burbs? We asked; they answered.

I may be a legend in my own mind, but I didn’t really imagine, when I left Boston last fall after years of churning out, in my sleep, the kind of shockingly original food writing that revolutionized the genre, that half the chefs in town would decamp promptly thereafter, knowing in their hearts they’d never again enjoy the privilege of cooking for someone with both the soul of an immortal poet and the appetite of a raging beast. (Not to mention the face of an absolute angel.)

But even I couldn’t argue with the flattering facts, as I got wind of hordes of local toques heading for the hills.

Okay, perhaps I could. In the interest of something like responsible journalism, I decided maybe I’d better go ahead and ask a few of them just what led them to hie for the hinterlands at the height of their bigcity heydays. Their answers may surprise you — especially since not one involves me. Go figure.

Lydia Shire
Along with maybe two or three others back in the late ’80s and early ’90s (Jasper White and Frank McClelland come to mind), Lydia Shire shaped — painstakingly, by hand — the upscale dining scene as Bostonians know it today. She was serving offal, well before any but the most staunchly French or Chinese chefs dared; she introduced us to the lobster pizza; she ushered no lesser a crumbling institution than Locke-Ober back into the culinary limelight. And now she’s scoring big with Scampo at the Liberty Hotel.

But even as downtowners are rediscovering the Med-style derring-do that made Shire’s Biba such a sensation back in the day, Mainers are marveling over her acute, astute slant on New England cooking at Blue Sky on York Beach (where she’s joined by longtime cohort Susan Regis, of the erstwhile Pava). Think lobster deep-fried in homemade lard. Crispy sole filets with crab biscuits. Hot potato doughnuts. Hmm, suddenly that Pine Tree State grass is looking pretty darned green. How’d they get so lucky?

Q: Why traipse off to York Beach? Why not stay in Boston?
A: I didn’t go looking outside of Boston. It sort of came to me. A man named Don Rivers had taken this beautiful building that had become an ugly eyesore (it’s 100 years old; it was a hotel at one point but now there were skunks living in it) and he was restoring it, and he needed a restaurant operator. In January 2005, he asked me if I wanted to do it. I said I’d decide by Labor Day. It turned out Labor Day weekend was just glorious — the sky was electric blue — and I thought, “Oh my God, I really do want to live here.”

I love Maine. It’s just a beautiful state — somewhat unadulterated, pristine. It’s not rich like New York or Los Angeles; it doesn’t have that glitz, and that’s what I found to be so appealing. It’s kind of a down-home place. I just felt very strongly that if I did something very nice there, but not overthetop fancy, it would be appreciated. There’s a lot of great food in Maine — not far from me is Arrows in Ogunquit; and [Arrows’ chefs] Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier opened up MC Perkins Cove; there’s Melissa Kelly in Rockland and Sam Heyward over at Fore Street — but there’s some room to grow, because [the market’s] never oversaturated.

Q: From a culinary standpoint, how does the location compare with Boston?
A: Here you have to have lobster as a significant part of your menu, for obvious reasons. Our lobster section is pretty large. There’s lobster stew, lobster pizza, ... steamers dipped in lobster butter, which are my favorite.

The one little thing I am trying to do right now is introduce French-Canadian dishes onto the menu — a sugar pie, haddock with a tourtière [a type of meat pie]. I think when you write a menu for a specific location, you try to see what’s around you — and you do take hints from your customers.

Geoff Gardner
That eggplant–goat cheese dip with black walnuts. Those rosemary pomme frites. A rhubarb clafouti whose memory is now some seven years old, but no less vivid or fond for that. Ever since Geoff Gardner left L’Espalier to open Sel de la Terre with mentor Frank McClelland, I’ve been a big fan. Now he’s branching out with a second Sel de la Terre in Natick — but he wants you to know he’ll be careful not to overload the bough until it breaks. When we spoke, Gardner’s determination not to stretch himself too thin was palpable.

Q: Why did you decide to open a second Sel de la Terre in Natick instead of in, say, Cambridge? Or, for that matter, instead of opening a whole new Boston venue?
A: We actually are opening a Sel de la Terre in August in the Back Bay. So it’s not that we’re running away from Boston; we love this city. But Natick has great demographics. It’s an underserved community. We fit that upscalecasual niche, which people in Metrowest are looking for and appreciate. It’s a nice complement to what’s already out there — the larger, more casual, familystyle chains. Also, a tremendous developer was working on [the Natick Collection] who we were excited to work with. It’s just a gorgeous facility. We used the same designer who we used downtown, because part of what we’re doing is building a brand. It’s different than a quoteunquote chain — Sel de la Terre is too handson, too chefdriven, too creative for that.

Q: How’s the outpost the same? How’s it different?
A: The design is not a carbon copy of the original, and the new one we’re working on in the Back Bay isn’t either. Each one is an evolution. The earth tones, some of the materials, some of the design elements are common throughout — very warm, comfy country French. But in Natick, the barslashatrium happens to have 30to40foothigh ceilings, with glass going all the way up. There’s lots of beautiful natural light. So we designed around that.

When we expanded, I could no longer be the round-the-clock chef I’d been for the past seven years. So my [former] sous chef is now the chef at State Street, and the sous chef from L’Espalier, Daniel Bojorquez, is now the chef in Natick. They preserve the rustic French style of cooking, and there are signature dishes — but only a handful. I divide my time between the two locations and work closely with the chefs, but I don’t want to stifle their creativity.

The two chefs do a lot of different things, but I think if they were to switch places they wouldn’t change what they’re doing. One whole category on the Natick menu that’s not on the downtown menu is Provençal tapas. Bojorquez was born in Mexico, and he worked at Masa for a while and does beautiful tapas. But he also worked with Frank [McClelland], he worked with Charlie Trotter, and so he can draw from different cultures and styles. I think it’s a lot of fun.

Michael Schlow
Show me a chef who isn’t restless and I’ll show you, however talented, a cook. Michael Schlow epitomizes the ever-energized epicure. Considering all the Boston cream pies the man has had his finger in over the years — Radius, Great Bay, Via Matta, the gusto with which he’s taken to poking around beyond Beantown is mind-boggling, at least for those of us without such zest for adrenaline. Press him for details, though, and it all begins to make perfect sense. Especially if you do it, as I did, by phone amid the background noise of the MGM Grand at Foxwoods, where Schlow was putting the finishing touches on Alta Strada numero due following the success of the Wellesley flagship.

Q: Hey, why doesn’t Boston boast an Alta Strada?
A: I already have an Italian restaurant in Boston. I don’t necessarily need to create my own competition. Boston is pretty small. The competition for resources, for staff, for customers, is fierce. And ever since I moved to Boston from New York in 1995, I’d hear people saying, “We need more restaurants out [in the ’burbs].” You hear it enough in your own restaurant, and after a while you start to do something about it. My eyes are always open for that next great spot, and I have the luxury to be choosy.

Q: How do your Italian restaurants differ? Are there things you can do at Alta Strada that you can’t do at Via Matta, or vice versa?
A: First of all, at Alta Strada, we have a togo market where you can buy our products fresh. That’s a big change, one that fits suburban needs. One of the most popular dishes that you can’t get at Via Matta is a pasta called sacchetti; they look like little beggar’s purses. Another is the lune [a ravioli-like pasta].

I don’t think it’s really the case that urban diners in New England are that much more sophisticated than [their suburban counterparts]. Take tripe. You’re never going to sell tripe anywhere in New England; in Rome, I could do it. On the other hand, look at what’s happening in Portland, Maine, and in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Those are hotbeds of new culinary talent. Or look at burrata — it’sa very creamy, fresh mozzarella that I get from Campania. Ten or even five years ago, you couldn’t even find it. Now it sells like hotcakes at both Via Matta and Alta Strada.

Dante deMagistris
After coming, it seemed, from out of the “blu” — where he made a splash pronto — Dante deMagistris, joined by brothers Damian and Filippo, quickly took the plunge with Restaurant Dante, the sleek Med hang overlooking the Charles in the Royal Sonesta Cambridge. Now the trio’s backtracking to their hometown of Belmont, where Il Casale is in the works.

Q: We thought you couldn’t go home again. Why Belmont?
A: Ever since I was a little boy, people who knew I loved cooking would say, “Wouldn’t it be great if you opened a restaurant in Belmont Center, right next to your dad’s hair salon?” It’s something that many locals need and are very excited for. We’ve always said, “Yes, that would be nice, but how can we make it work without a liquor license?” Well, now that we can have the first bar and full liquor license in Belmont, the time is right, and the perfect building is available.

My brothers and I started negotiating to open up a restaurant in the Belmont firehouse over two years ago — even before we opened Dante. At that time it was a working firehouse, but now it’s being renovated. It’s a very slow process. When the basebuilding work is finished — and I’m not sure when that will be exactly, we’ll begin our fourmonth buildout. Considering what has been going on with the economy, it’s actually a good thing we didn’t open sooner. We’ve been able to change our business plan accordingly.

What we hope is for Il Casale to be a second living room for Belmont residents in particular, a good oldfashioned gathering place — not only for eating and drinking well, but for seeing old friends and neighbors [and] meeting new ones. Boston already has these types of places; Belmont doesn’t just yet.

Q: How do you envision the dining experience at Il Casale as opposed to the one at Dante?
A: At Dante, many of our diners come for multi-course tastings in an elegant setting. Il Casale will be more casual. Both restaurants serve Italian food; however, at Dante, each dish adds a modern twist. Il Casale will be traditional, home-cooked Italian food like we grew up on. Which doesn’t mean we won’t be adventurous — diners all over are more into eating unique ingredients than ever.

John Moore
You can’t get more iconically local than the Navy Yard Bistro: smack dab in the shipyard, steps from Boston Harbor, it nonetheless caters not to tourists insisting ad nauseum on “chowdah,” but to stalwart Charlestowners seeking bistro-style bargains otherwise hard to come by in these parts. So why does Moore’s sophomore venture, Downtown Bistro and Wine Bar, have to be so far away?

Q: Lynn, huh? What’s the draw?
A: I grew up outside of Lynn, a lot of my family still resides there, and my father worked for the city for a long time. So I have a long family history with it. What’s more, the Office of Economic and Community Development helped me finance it. I wasn’t looking to get an investor; I wanted to finance myself. And they wanted more business downtown.

Q: So it’s a win-win.
A: Yeah, I wanted to be one of the frontrunners. [Downtown Lynn] has the potential to be a mini–South End. But for a 70seat restaurant in the South End, you’d pay $15,000 a month in rent. Here I pay $2500.

Q: How are the economics reflected in the aesthetics?
A: The location in Lynn is more upscale than the one in the Navy Yard; it’s more of a destination spot. In fact, 75 percent of my clientele comes from Marblehead. I tell people we’re Marblehead’s favorite restaurant [laughs]. Also, we have a bigger kitchen, so we can make homemade desserts, homemade ice cream. We plate everything a little fancier, and people order more courses, nicer bottles of wine. And we have to take reservations there, because the customers are definitely more high-maintenance.

Q: Really? More than the city slickers?
A: In Boston, it’s more like people’s second kitchen. I have sports celebrities coming into Navy Yard, and they don’t care — they’ll wait an hour for a table, they’ll take any table. But in Lynn, God forbid if it’s a Saturday night and someone can’t get a table by the window after five minutes [laughs].

Where to find them

Alta Strada, 92 Central Street, Wellesley, 781.237.6100

MGM Grand at Foxwoods, 240 MGM Grand Drive, Mashantucket, Connecticut, 866.MGM.0050

Blue Sky on York Beach, 2 Beach Street, York Beach, Maine, 207.363.0050

Downtown Bistro and Wine Bar, 191 Oxford Street, Lynn, 781.593.3111

Great Bay, 500 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.532.5300

Il Casale, 50 Leonard Street, Belmont.

Locke-Ober, 3 Winter Place, Boston, 617.542.1340

Navy Yard Bistro and Wine Bar, First Avenue and Sixth Street, Charlestown, 617.242.0036

Radius, 8 High Street, Boston, 617.426.1234

Restaurant Dante, Royal Sonesta Cambridge, 40 Edwin H. Land Boulevard, Cambridge, 617.497.4200

Scampo, Liberty Hotel, 215 Charles Street, Boston, 617.536.2100

Sel de la Terre, 255 State Street, Boston, 617.720.1300; 1245 Worcester Street, Natick, 508.650.1800.

Via Matta, 79 Park Plaza, Boston, 617.422.0008

Buy and buy: A guide to splurging for all types of people

Heather Bouzan — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:42:00 GMT

“SPLURGE” IS a relative term. Sure, it’s dependent on the depth of your pockets and the size of your stock portfolio, but your definition of a worthy splurge depends equally on your personality type. After all, courtside Celtics tickets are wasted on a high-maintenance girlie girl, and a chauffeured Newbury Street shopping trip, complete with personal stylist, is no good for a rugged outdoorsman. (Whether or not he could use one is another story.) For your splurging — or, in the case of the cash-strapped, daydreaming — pleasure, read on for our dollar-dropping guide for six different types.

beauty junkie
We’ll start you off slow: a new line of lipsticks from Too Faced, called Lip of Luxury, will run you $18 a tube at Sephora (Prudential Center, 800 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.4200). (When you’re used to dropping $3.25 on glosses from CVS, we think this counts as a splurge.) Shades like Celebrity Meltdown and Drop Dead Red are infused with moisturizing Champagne essences, and the case is topped with a 20-carat “diamond” rhinestone.

When it comes to pricier products, beauty junkies can step things way up with a wide array of “miracle” creams. Giorgio Armani’s Crema Nera ($225), available at Saks Fifth Avenue (Prudential Center, 800 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.8500) and made from petrified lava found on an Italian island we’ve never heard of, promises skin-cell regeneration and a radiant glow. Chantecaille offers a Nano Gold Energizing Cream ($420) that revitalizes skin using silk microfibers wrapped in 24-karat gold; find it at www.barneys.com. Then there’s the holy grail of skin creams: La Mer’s Crème de la Mer, available for $125 an ounce (or $1350 for 16.5 ounces) at Neiman Marcus (5 Copley Place, Boston, 617.536.3660).

The obvious next step for those looking to drop some serious cash on prettifying? Newbury Street, spa capital of the city. When choosing a hairstylist, go right to the man on top — after all, there’s a reason his name’s on the door. A visit with Mario Russo of Salon Mario Russo (9 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.424.6676; 234 Berkeley Street, Boston, 617.266.4885) will set you back $325 for a first-time consultation and cut, and $195 every time after that. At only $150 a visit, Marc Harris — of the eponymous Marc Harris (125 Broad Street, Boston, 617.443.8633) and Salon Marc Harris (30 Newbury Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, 617.262.2222), plus two other locations in Andover and Providence — is a relative bargain.

Once your hair is perfectly coiffed, experience 80 minutes of pure luxury with the Timeless Rejuvenation Caviar Spa Facial by Pevonia ($150) at Spa Newbury (115 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.262.9464): caviar and pearl extracts oxygenate, smooth, and slough years off your skin. If you’re looking to go all-out on a more mainstream treatment, try the Specialty Manicure ($70; 50 minutes) at MELT (172 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.262.1116), which adds a scented soak, scrub, and mask to your standard mani services. For head-to-toe coddling, order up the Ultimate Emerge Experience ($875), featuring seven hours of pure bliss at Emerge (275 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.437.0006). If La Stone Therapy Massage, Caviar Facial, Aromatherapy Kur, Deluxe Manicure, Moor Mud Pedicure, blow-dry and style, and makeup application aren’t a splurge, we don’t know what is. (Guys can get in on the indulgence, too: just switch out the last two services for a spa scalp treatment and haircut.)

Speaking of boys, the newly opened Barbershop Lounge (245 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.450.0021) offers three membership opportunities, the loftiest being the Platinum Membership ($2275). It includes 13 visits for a haircut, scalp massage, shave, hand and foot treatment, 60-minute massage, and shoe shine, plus 10 percent off retail products and valet parking.

sporty spice
Whether you’re a true athlete or you prefer couch-side coaching, the right gym membership is key. Sure, you can make do with a so-so spot that offers treadmills, free weights, and a skuzzy locker room, but what’s the fun in that? Worth every penny is the Executive Level Membership Package ($595 to join; $250 per month) at Equinox (131 Dartmouth Street, Boston, 617.578.8918). Not only do you have access to a cushy locker room that’s separated from the masses (entrance is via iris scan), you also get a private permanent locker, laundry service, Malin+Goetz products, and Fiji water and fresh fruit; the space is outfitted with a plasma TV and Wi-Fi access, as well.

More interested in professional athletes? We can’t think of a better place to hang than the TD Banknorth Garden (100 Legends Way, Boston, 617.624.1050), where you’ll need to pony up big time for membership to the Premium Club. Options abound, but we suggest going whole hog with membership to the Executive Suites ($55,000). Amenities include a living area and wet bar, plasma TVs, and a private bathroom — which is worth the money right there.

If it’s the Red Sox you’re into, skip over the suite in favor of the Ultimate Monster and Ultimate Deck Packages ($32,400 and $20,000 per game, respectively) at Fenway Park (4 Yawkey Way, Boston). The former, which allows 27 of your closest friends to perch atop the Green Monster, includes pre-game on-field access, while the latter puts 20 guests at private tables on the Budweiser Right Field Roof Deck, with access to the Green Monster during batting practice. Both packages feature a VIP Fenway Park tour, Sox jerseys for the group, food and drinks during the game, and a customized mid-game scoreboard message.

Of course, you can’t attend every local sports game, and you’ve got to outfit your home’s “luxury box” somehow. We suggest taking it over the top with the Pats Leather Dreamchair ($1295), available in the Pro Shop at www
.patriots.com. Or try the Boston Celtics Big Daddy Recliner ($854.95), which you’ll find at celticsstore.seenon.com.

Finally, if you’re looking to rub elbows with the greats, charity events are the perfect way to do it. For starters, Kevin Youkilis and fiancée Enza Sambataro’s charity, Hits for Kids, is hosting a shower to help furnish seven new apartments that will be acquired by Christopher’s Haven, a local charity that provides housing for kids (and their families) who are undergoing cancer treatment at Mass General Hospital. The event is at Great Bay (500 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.532.5300) on April 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets are $150 and include a jazz brunch; attendees are also asked
to bring a gift from the organization’s Target.com registry. Visit www.youkskids.org for details.

musical god
Music fan that you are, you’ve been relegated to the lawn seats and nosebleed sections for far too long. This concert season, spring for the VIP Box Program (starting at $17,000 per box) at the Bank of America Pavilion (290 Northern Avenue, Boston, 617.728.1600). Membership includes a four-seat luxury box with prime views, access to the venue’s VIP club, VIP parking, and waitstaff to attend to your every food-and-drink need. Or purchase a season-long membership to the Ultra Elite Program ($7000 per seat) and you’re guaranteed a spot in the third, fourth, or fifth rows, center stage. Down at the Tweeter Center (885 South Main Street, Mansfield, 508.339.2331), join the VIP Box Seat Program and you’ll score four-seat boxes for between $19,500 and $22,800, or an eight-seat box in the front middle section for $38,000.

Don’t blow all your splurge money on concert tickets, though — knowing you, you’ll also want to rock out at home. We can’t think of a better way than with a custom guitar ($950 and up) from First Act Guitar Studio (745 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.226.7899). After all, pros like Adam Levine from Maroon 5 and Brad Whitford of Aerosmith have commissioned custom instruments from the store. If you’re not ready to commit, you can investigate your potential splurge at www.firstact.com, where the First Act Guitar Builder allows users to select from a number of options to create the guitar of their choice.

When it comes to your home theater, why subject your extensive, lovingly cataloged musical collection to anything less than a sound system from the inventive folks at Bang & Olufsen (30 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.262.4949)? Start with the très chic BeoSound 9000 ($5250) — a great way to make your CD collection look anything but passé — and build from there.

Maybe your appreciation of great tunes outweighs your ability to create them. If so, enroll in classes at the School of Continuing Education at the New England Conservatory (290 Huntington Avenue, Boston, 617.585.1100). Whether it’s guitar, piano, or bassoon lessons you’ve always considered, spoil yourself with 15 weeks of 60-minute private sessions with a member of the school’s distinguished faculty; the semester will run you $1410 (for-credit courses are pricier).

foodie
If there’s nothing that gives you more pleasure than an excellent meal, and you’re perfectly happy to “eat” your extra cash, order up a subscription to Meat of the Month Club from Savenor’s Market (160 Charles Street, Boston, 617.723.6328; 92 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, 617.576.6328). Choose any combination of the year’s remaining cuts for two (including May’s sirloin steaks for $94.99, August’s Kobe beef hot dogs for $65.99, and November’s Turducken for $96.99). For more focused carnivores, there’s also the Bacon Society ($180/six months) and the Sausage of the Month Club ($150/six months). All are shipped to your door on the 15th of the month.

We know you can eat, but can you cook? Whether you’re an amateur dabbler or practically a pro chef, you’ll love the opportunity to play Sous Chef for a Day ($2545) at Radius (8 High Street, Boston, 617.426.1234), available for purchase at www.excitations.com. You’ll arrive at around noon and immediately be put to work, prepping dishes for the evening’s menu alongside one of the most talented kitchen staffs in the city. Once you’ve absorbed as much knowledge (and insider secrets) as you can handle, you’ll be sent home to relax before returning later for a swank multi-course dinner for two.

If it’s the community aspect of eating that inspires your love of food, splurge on a group cooking class at Taranta (210 Hanover Street, Boston, 617.720.0052) for you and 14 to 24 of your friends ($1500 to $2500). Together with guest chefs from other local restaurants — and, if you’re lucky, chef-owner José Duarte — you and your group will create a heavenly five-course meal. Just don’t arrive too ravenous: plan for two to three hours of prep before the eating begins.

With all of your new skills, the next thing you’ll be looking for is a home-kitchen upgrade. Hightail it over to the Moda Cucina showroom at the Boston Design Center (One Design Center Place, sixth floor, Boston, 617.361.2400). Everything there is 100 percent custom, environmentally conscious, and state of the art; in fact, Moda Cucina categorizes their cabinetry not as premium, but as “museum-quality.” A total overhaul will run you $100,000-plus — but doesn’t a new kitchen make your meals taste better?

Finally, there are the worth-every-penny tasting menus at three of the city’s top dining establishments: No. 9 Park (9 Park Street, Boston, 617.742.9991), Clio (370 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.536.7200), and L’Espalier (30 Gloucester Street, Boston, 617.262.3023). We can’t think of a better, more leisurely way to experience dish after mouthwatering dish of delectable creations. No. 9’s Chef’s Tasting Menu ($90; $150 with wine pairings) features seven courses, while Clio’s version ($135; more with wine) has a whopping 12. A few tasting options are available at L’Espalier, but we think Chef McClelland’s Tasting Journey ($175; $270 with wine pairings) is the ultimate. The tasting menus at all three restaurants are created on the chefs’ whims and change often, so they’re sure to utilize the freshest seasonal ingredients and cutting-edge techniques.

patron of the arts
What’s the best way to get in with the cultured crowd? Choose your favorite means of artistic expression, then invest in the appropriate patronage program. Costs and member benefits vary, so you can keep your splurge budget-appropriate. Become a member of the Director’s Circle at the avant-garde Institute of Contemporary Art (100 Northern Avenue, Boston, 617.478.3100) for as little as $1500 (Patron) or as much as $25,000 (Founder’s Circle). If your tastes run more toward the classic, investigate the Patron Program at the Museum of Fine Arts (465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, 617.267.9300), with memberships from $2500 to $25,000-plus. Or join the Benefactors (gifts of $2000-plus) or Friends (between $100 and $1999) groups at the Boston Ballet (19 Clarendon Street, Boston, 617.695.6950). There’s also the Club Membership at the Citi Performing Arts Center (270 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.482.9393), which goes up to a $50,000 Philanthropists Circle.

If you’re looking to invest in more tangible works of art, peruse the city’s galleries, particularly those on Newbury Street and in the South End. We’ve long sung the praises of Samson Projects (450 Harrison Avenue, Storefront 63, Boston, 617.357.7177) and Rhys Gallery (401 Harrison Avenue, Boston, 617.357.7497), but if you’re looking to support talented up-and-coming artists, you could also hold out for the annual December Sale at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (230 The Fenway, Boston, 617.267.6100). The sale, which showcases nearly 5000 works of art at a range of prices, benefits emerging artists and student scholarships.

Finally, if you’d like to indulge your guests at your next five-star event (while at the same time supporting an amazingly talented nonprofit theater group), hire ImprovBoston (www.improvboston.com, 617.576.1253) to entertain your crowd. Services range from $500 for a two-person improv training and show, to $2500-plus for a catered, private show in the group’s theater. IB even offers a “mystery guest” service: they’ll send four or five undercover troupe members, posing as guests, caterers, or party planners, to your event. They’ll mingle with the rest of your invitees, then start acting increasingly crazy — think yelling, outlandish displays of affection, general obnoxiousness — until they finally reveal themselves to the relieved crowd, and then put on a performance.

wannabe socialite
You may not have been born with a seven-figure trust fund, a sprawling Back Bay manse, and a vacation house on Nantucket, but with a few well-placed bills and some insider info, you can buy your way into almost any social circle. First, your wardrobe will need some tweaking. Call on stylist Alisa Neely (www.stylescout.net), who works with a broad range of clients in varying income brackets; she offers an array of services, but our favorite is the appropriately named Socialite ($800), featuring a four-hour shopping expedition via luxury SUV, with private dressing rooms, VIP discounts, and a Champagne toast or two.

In anticipation of your bustling social calendar, you’ll also need to hire the services of a personal assistant; try husband-and-wife team Edward and Chantal Boxer of Fini Concierge (www.finiconcierge.com). They’ll cheerfully take on thankless tasks like running errands, making travel arrangements, and waiting around for the cable guy, leaving you free to hop from society lunch to cocktail soirée without wasting a thought on your dry cleaning. Fees are $47 per hour, with a minimum of an hour charge for all services.

Why spend the night at home when you can have practically an entire hotel staff tending to your every need? We can’t imagine you’d want for much in the Presidential Suite ($5500 per night) at the Liberty Hotel (215 Charles Street, Boston, 617.224.4000). Try to peel yourself away from the breathtaking views of Beacon Hill and the Charles River (not to mention the 2200-square-foot space, which includes a library, living room, master bed and bath, and private dressing area) since the sceniest scene in the city is just an elevator ride away. Wander into the main-floor lobby bar totally oblivious to the line that’s surely buzzing outside Clink — as a hotel guest, your name will be bumped to the top of the list for walk-in dinner reservations. Then enjoy a few post-meal drinks in a dark corner at Alibi, or linger over a flute of bubbly at the Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Bar. While you’re there, splurge on La Grande Dame 1998, at $49 a glass or $330 for the bottle.

Then, if you’re looking to show off that fantastic new outfit on the dance floor, it’s imperative that you score VIP accommodations, Paris Hilton–style, at your favorite hotspot. And what’s more luxe than a night out at the Estate (One Boylston Place, Boston, 617.351.7000)? Securing a table, which includes a private bartender and free admission, will require a two-bottle minimum purchase, but we can top that. Reserve one of two private rooms — the Kiki or the Shag — for your entourage and your friends will likely buy your drinks all night. The Kiki, next to the second-floor balcony, is outfitted with its own bar and a private elevator down to the dance floor, while the Shag is a cozy, curtained corner that comes with a dedicated server. Since management declines to provide definitive pricing information for either room, file them under “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.” @

Judgement day: Local bartenders share what they're really thinking about when you order that drink

Heather Bouzan — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:35:00 GMT

Call us “mean girls,” call us Simon Cowell, call us US Weekly — we can’t help it; we love to judge. Whether it’s the size of a trust fund, the desirability of a street address, or the thickness of a midsection, we find ourselves constantly (and a smidge wickedly) cooking up preconceptions about people based on superficial details. And we’re not the only ones. We asked six local bartenders to share the snap judgments they make based on the drink orders they take. What are they really thinking when you sheepishly order the pink concoction that you love so dearly? Read on.

Cosmopolitan
Daniel Motsinger, Radius (8 High Street, Boston, 617.426.1234): “Simple-drinking, very easy, needs something refreshing.”
Jason Zahlaway, Middlesex Lounge (315 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617.868.6739): “Well, first of all, most likely a female, due to the color of the drink. Usually a person who orders a Cosmopolitan is put together quite well as far as their outfit goes. Someone who’s dressed sloppily isn’t going to order a Cosmo, but someone who is wearing something nice — it’s a good complement to the whole ensemble.”
Sara Armour, Pour House (907 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.236.1767): “I would say that you don’t know any other fruity drink. That person is definitely a girl, and she doesn’t really care that it’s going to take us a while to make it.”
Michael Ahearn, Stella (1525 Washington Street, Boston, 617.247.7747): “Usually classic, doesn’t take any chances. Usually a lady of a certain age.”
Patrick Sullivan, B-Side Lounge (92 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, 617.354.0766): “I didn’t realize it was ladies’ night. Honestly, what I think is, this person watches too much TV.”
Gabriel Foster, Davio’s (75 Arlington Street, Boston, 617.357.4810): “Unoriginal. Try something new.”
Trina Sturm, bartender at City Bar (61 Exeter Street, Boston, 617.933.4800) and the Beehive (541 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.423.0069): “Definitely a woman; most guys don’t order pink drinks. If they do, I think it’s without their knowledge. I think I would have to say that they’re in a rut, and they haven’t really moved on.”

Gin & Tonic
DM: “Gin & Tonic is for the long-going drinker who doesn’t want to overdo it too quickly.”
JZ: “Usually it’s a guy who’s going to order a Gin & Tonic, from my experience. Well, 75 percent of the time. Someone who’s reliable. Someone who’s traditional, classic. Knows what they want, doesn’t follow the trends.”
SA: “Gin & Tonic means that that’s what you saw your mother drinking growing up, and so you’re drinking that, because it’s all you really know.”
MA: “Gin & Tonic is usually, I would say, 30-something male. Usually the straight male. A guy’s guy.”
PS: “Genius. Forward-thinker. Gin makes you smarter — it’s a scientific fact.”
GF: “I would try to introduce them to Hendrick’s gin, because Hendrick’s gin is delicious. It’s flavored with cucumbers and rose petals, and if they’ve never tried it, they’re probably going to love it, especially in the summer. [Personality-wise], normal nine-to-fiver. Normal, in a good way.”
TS: “Probably somebody who just knows what they like and they have their staple. Unless they’re more specific. If they’re ordering a Plymouth and tonic or a Hendrick’s and tonic, I’d say maybe they’re a little bit more adventurous and still like their staple but maybe want to try something [new].”

Negroni
DM: “A Negroni is for a purist, a drinker who loves big flavor in a cocktail.”
JZ: “Usually someone who’s well-traveled, because it’s more of a traditional Italian drink. Obviously, if you go to most parts of the country, I don’t think people are going to be ordering Negronis. Here in Boston, it makes sense because of our closeness to Europe and a lot of the international people who live here.”
SA: “I don’t even know what a Negroni is. It’s a drink that you like saying, just because you like saying the name. It says that you just want to be a clown; you’re a comedian.”
MA: “Very rarely do I get an order for a Negroni, and there are two types of people that order it: either people over 70, or young gay men.”
PS: “We will not have a problem with this person — that’s the first thing that comes to my mind. This is a seasoned veteran of the bar.”
GF: “Not afraid to drink. It would usually be a man. If they had never tried a Negroni, because we have one on our signature list, they’re probably not going to like it. Campari’s pink, and it looks like it’s sweet, but it actually tastes like soil.”
TS: “They know what they want, especially if they’re telling me to stir it. If they’re telling me specifically how to make their Negroni, I know that they are an experienced drinker. They know what they want, and they’re not out to just get drunk. They’re out to actually enjoy their cocktail.”

Caipirinha
DM: “Someone who just wants to order something difficult to watch you do your work.”
JZ: “We [in Boston] have the largest population of Brazilians in the United States. It’s like, people who order them are basically starting to get turned on to Brazilian food and Brazilian culture, and that’s directly related to all the stuff that’s popping up around Boston. They’re excited when they order it; they get a kick out of it. So, someone who is curious.”
SA: “It means that, again, you don’t really care if it takes us time to muddle that; you will wait. And you’re feeling sort of ethnic, sort of Brazilian that day.”
MA: “Typically, you get the Brazilians who come in and tell you, ‘That’s not a Caipirinha,’ no matter how you make it. It’s kind of like giving an Italian someone else’s gravy — not as good as their mother’s. I feel like it’s a very sexy drink, and it’s somebody who can handle their liquor, because those things will definitely, definitely take you down.”
PS: “Tourist. That’s the first thing. This is one of those drinks people don’t like to drink as much as they like ordering the drink. They like to say the word ‘Caipirinha.’ This is like the mojito; I like to hear the way people say ‘mojito.’ It’s great laughs behind the bar. The Caipirinha and the mojito, as the number of drinks grows, the attitude ... by the end of it, you think that you’re watching someone in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, the way they snarl their face. It’s true.”
GF: “Caipirinha’s simply Euro. They’re probably from Brazil or Spain. They probably like to party.”
TS: “They’ve either never had it before and it sounds good to them, or they’ve had it before and they like that bite. I definitely think it’s someone who has tried quite a few other drinks in their past, because it’s not something that you come across. Caipirinha, it’s like the mojito was five years ago; nobody really knew about it, and now it’s one of the number-one drinks out there. A Caipirinha’s kind of the same way. Once you start ordering it and you order it with authority, I think you know what you’re doing and you know what you’re getting.”

Martini
DM: “Straight-up martini is just as classic as you can get. And you need one; you just need it.”
JZ: “It’s going to fall very much along the lines of the Gin & Tonic, since it’s a classic cocktail. The person who’s going to order a martini is usually a straight shooter. Their tastes aren’t very complicated, yet you find with people who order martinis, they are particular about what type of martini they’re going to get. I consider those people to be knowledgeable. Either you love them or you hate them.”
SA: “I would say that you have a high tolerance for pain. You could probably go to a business meeting afterward and be totally, appropriately drunk.”
MA: “I don’t think it gets more classic than that. I know that’s what I drink. I like just a simple, ‘Give me booze in a glass, and skip the vermouth.’ I would say
it’s somebody who likes a classic drink, doesn’t like to fool around, straight to the point — ‘Just give me my booze.’ ”
PS: “It depends. Anyone who asks for a martini list makes me shudder. Anyone who asks for a martini, I used to be okay with. Now I’m nervous. Because of vodka martinis, martini drinkers make me nervous. That’s the overall impression, a feeling that I get. First of all, vodka drinkers make me nervous. Vodka drinkers are always trouble; that’s the truth. Gin martini [drinkers], these people are the salt of the earth, pillars of the community.”
GF: “I would just ask you if it’s gin or vodka. Gin martini, they’re pretty serious about their cocktail, so they like to make it count. And vodka, they’re like gin-martini rookies.”
TS: “[Gin martini drinkers], they’re really, really enjoying their cocktail. I appreciate them so much. It’s not about the glass for them; it’s about the cocktail — that perfect balance between dry vermouth and the perfect gin of their choice. A gin martini drinker will never come up to you and say, ‘I want a martini.’ They want a specific brand of gin, they want it slightly dry. It’s very, very specific for them.”

French 75
DM: “French 75 is a very classic drinker, but one who likes a lot of fun in their cocktails.”
JZ: “A joyful person. Someone who’s not afraid to treat themselves, or pamper themselves.”
SA: “I would say that that person is out for a good night, and really knows their drinks. Someone who’s definitely bartended before, for sure.”
MA: “It’s more of an upscale drink. It’s usually someone who goes to the finer restaurants. Not to say we’re not a great restaurant, but we don’t really get that clientele. It’s kind of the person who’d be likely to order a Champagne cocktail, but wants it a little fortified, perhaps. I would definitely say it’s the more upscale clientele.”
PS: “If someone specifies that they want their French 75 made with gin, this person is the gold-star winner. They’re in the exclusive club of cocktailers. First of all, any drink made with Champagne is awesome, so this is a person who knows how to drink. And if they sit down and they specify, ‘Can I please have my French 75 with gin?’ then this person gets a high-five. [If a customer requests it made with brandy], I don’t know about that. I’m a gin guy. Gin makes you smarter. Why anyone would want brandy over gin is beyond me.”
GF: “A simply sophisticated woman.”
TS: “One of my favorite drinks. When someone orders that drink and they know what they’re getting, I just think that they want something balanced, they want something that’s refreshing, they want something that’s obviously classic. Thank you for being experienced enough to know a good cocktail that’s not overly strong, that’s just completely refreshing, and it’s completely balanced. They’re probably a balanced person themselves.”

Manhattan
DM: “Manhattan is for a patriarch.”
JZ: “Ah, Manhattan. Classic gentleman’s drink. Although ladies are more than welcome. A special tip of the hat to any female who orders a Manhattan. She has a steely personality. Steely, yet very attractive.”
SA: “I would say, someone who’s like 85 or above, channeling their grandparents. Just sort of like an old lady drink.”
MA: “Somebody after my own heart. I rarely serve Manhattans to women, unless they’re older women; I don’t think I’ve ever served a Manhattan to a young lady. Usually it’s a guy. It’s, again, a guy’s guy who wants his Manhattan — and don’t forget the bitters.”
PS: “Gentleman. Manhattan’s the greatest cocktail ever invented. The Manhattan is the drink, man. It’s like, say no more. At the B-Side, we make awesome Manhattans. This is why you’re drinking, is to get to this drink. But the martini and the Manhattan, I like you for the first one or two, but then I’m looking to call you a cab. Because no one can have more than one or two of these drinks; I don’t care who you are. It just turns south in a hurry.”
GF: “Old-school. [But] a woman who orders a Manhattan is, like, wow. It’s always shocking when a woman orders a Manhattan, because it’s a man’s drink. It’s just almost always men who order them. It’s kind of a tough-guy drink; it’s straight whiskey, more or less.”
TS: “That’s my drink of choice. I have an appreciation for any woman who orders brown liquor. And if it’s a guy, kudos. Again, an experienced cocktail drinker is going to want to be specific about it. If you are ordering a Manhattan, you’re pretty specific about it as well. You know what type of rye or bourbon or whatnot that you want in there. You say your brand, you say how you want it served, whether it’s straight-up or not, you tell me the garnish that you want on it, bitters or no bitters. Most people really are very specific about it. And if you order that, I’m going to make it with so much love, you’re going to just keep coming back for more.”

Shot of whiskey
DM: “A shot of whiskey is for someone who really had a bad day and is likely to order another one.”
JZ: “My type of person. All business. I think someone who’s not afraid to get their hands dirty. In my estimation, if they’re willing to swallow whiskey ... . After a hard day’s work, it’s nice to have a shot of whiskey, as far as I’m concerned.”
SA: “A shot of whiskey means that you’re a dude, and you want everyone to know that you’re a dude.”
MA: “If we’re talking about whiskey or single-malt scotch, it’s usually a gentleman, probably over 40, usually has a bit of money, especially if he’s ordering the single-malts. Usually a businessman.”
PS: “If it’s a man ordering whiskey, it’s very polished. Someone orders a glass of whiskey, I don’t have to worry too much about that person. If it’s a woman ordering a glass of whiskey, that’s extra, extra sexy.”
GF: “Older-school. Probably used to drink Manhattans, but now they just do a shot of whiskey. I think if they’re young, they’re trying to be a cowboy, but if they’re old, they’ve just been drinking whiskey for a long time.”
TS: “I’ve never had someone just come up to me and say, ‘Can I get a shot of whiskey?’ I’ve had people ask me for whiskey and whatever, whiskey and Coke or whiskey and soda, and I make them be more specific: ‘Do you want American whiskey, Canadian whisky? Do you want a blended?’ Whiskey’s a huge, huge category. So for me, a shot of whiskey is more of a conversation-starter than anything. I’m going to get them to be specific, and I’m going to want to know why they’re ordering a shot. And I think they’ve been probably been watching too many cowboy movies.”

Pisco Sour
DM: “Someone who I want to know.”
JZ: “Someone who is, for lack of a better word, trendy. Or someone who’s interested in the latest trends in drinks. And is an adventurous drinker.”
SA: “I’d say, ‘Christmas is over; order something without food in it.’ It says that you’re just getting beefed up. You’re just trying to drink some protein. It’s like a protein shake at the bar. Egg white is the most pure form of protein, and you’re aware of that at all times.”
MA: “The Pisco Sour is pretty much a Latin drink. It’s definitely somebody who’s either Latin or exposed or into Latin culture, because it’s so specific with the egg whites and the Pisco, and it’s pretty hard to find somebody who’s carrying Pisco. It’s usually someone who’s worldly, let’s say. Definitely somebody who’s been around, who’s traveled.”
PS: “My first thought is, put down your Food & Wine magazine and go out and do something. That’s my first thought. The Pisco Sour, this is one of those drinks that, this is a Food & Wine drink, and no one really drinks these.”
GF: “I would think that they’re presumptuous. We don’t make those here. I know they make those at Eastern Standard; maybe I would send them over there. Because I know they make fantastic Pisco Sours at Eastern Standard.”
TS: “When someone orders a Pisco Sour, I think that they’re into the cocktail scene, they kind of know what they’re talking about. And I’m hoping that they understand that it should have the egg white, and if you’re lucky enough to go to a bar that actually uses that, I hope they appreciate it. I hope they’re not thinking that, ‘Ooh, Pisco’s some weird liquor I’ve never heard of, but I know I like sours.’ I’m hoping that they understand what they’re getting, and that they have an appreciation for it.” @

[Photos by Ian Barnard}