I love going to eat out the beginning of the week. You never have to deal with the crowds or lines and I feel like you are getting the authentic experience. After living in SF for a hot minute, New Yorkers are the only people who will wait hours for a table at a restaurant. Or people visiting New York for that matter. I never understood why people would wait literally 3 hours for a table at the Spotted Pig when I was working the legendary "list" there. People would though. But that is another story. 

Monday night after Snowmaggedon 2016 aka Storm Jonas hit the city, my sister, who was visiting from SoCal, and I decided to brave the slushy streets and make our way downtown to the LES. I had a game plan of hitting up a couple of different spots to show her the best and/or new LES. First stop was Hotel Indigo on Ludlow. I have heard of Mr. Purple on their 15th floor before via Eater or Thrillist or something. Once the elevator doors opened, there is one of the best views of BelDel (Below Delancey). I think i just made that up! New Hot neighborhood BelDel! the bar which has 2 patios one including a pool that is actually heated in the winter! Can we say "chic!" The only people in the bar were 3 of its employees and one random European guy. He kept moving around the space. A little sketchy to say the least. Anyways, we bellied up to the bar and were greeted by Jeremy the bartender. He looked bored to shit and happy to have customers. I noticed they were "on trend" with having pre-batched cocktails. Not that I am a super fan of them and think they are a sort of lazy but good for a super busy bar. I ended up trying the ...

BOTTLED USUAL SUSPECTS

pyrat xo rum, falernum, pineapple juice, lime juice, angostura bittera

Jeremy sold me on it because he said it tastes like you are on an island and since I had just gotten back from Puerto Rico and there was 3 feet of snow on the ground that I might as well relive that moment. It was pretty good. Kind of like a grown up Cactus Cooler. Janice got a glass of bubbles. Very boring.  We checked out the space and started chatting up Jeremy about when is it busy and what not. You know the casual conversation you have with your bartender type of stuff. Allegedly the place is back Fridays and Saturdays which is par of the course. I kind of loved being pretty much the only people there to be honest. We were talking about the storm and he told us how they had been down to the skeleton crew over the weekend and shit got weird! I loved it. It reminded me of my days at the Standard. Late nights stripping down and going for a swim, sabering bottles of champagne and you dont want to know what was happening in the dark corners. Ah! To be young, dumb and full of cum again! Those were the days.