Joanna Lin's Blog (8)

il laboratorio del gelato - 95 Orchard St. (btwn Broome & Delancey)



I went here after work since it was only 2 blocks away. They have over 100 exotic flavors listed, such as thai chili chocolate, tarragon with pink pepper, greek yogurt, and… guinness(?!). But their retail location is a small… Continue

THOR is the epitome of sleek, modern and sexy high-fashion hotels (in both design and clientele), and one of the hottest spots in the Lower East Side. I've been there on multiple occasions for its lounge and nightlife. You walk in and you’ll feel like a celebrity—there is even a red-carpet waiting for you (literally). All of the walls are floor-to-ceiling glass, which means breathtaking…

Continue

THE GATES - 290 8th Avenue (between 24th & 25th St.)

Sooo my friend took me here Saturday night. It was formerly the Biltmore Room (the marble walls alone have been valued at $2.4 million), and reopened as a “super-luxury lounge”: the Gates. It operates with an “ambassador” program that awards keys to 125 members of…

Continue

Comic artist Neill Cameron’s latest project, A-Z of Awesomeness, is exactly what you think it is: A “My First Alphabet”-style list of everything that’s awesome.



Cameron is taking entry suggestions via Facebook (J thru Z), so if you’ve got an awesome alliteration you’d like him to illustrate, go to there and drop him a… Continue

What are speakeasies?

Speakeasies are establishments which illegally sold alcoholic beverages during the Prohibition Era (1920's). During this time, the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol was illegal. The term comes from a patron’s manner of ordering an alcoholic drink without raising suspicion—bartenders would tell patrons to be quiet and “speak easy".



Yes, bars with this theme still exist in New York (Little…

Continue

1st stop: POP BURGER 58-60 9th Ave (near 15th St.)



This hip and trendy burger joint is also a bar/club/lounge. Thank god for hookups— we walked in and were seated at a table with plush red-velvet couches. Everything was free: burgers, fries, beer, juice, and an entire bottle of vodka. The economics of it is this: there’s always a handful ballers who are willing to drop a couple grand… Continue

my friend's receipt from his recent trip to Vegas. WTF MAN.
i guess what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…….. until the credit card bill shows up.

1st stop: Little Branch - 20 7th Ave. South & Leroy St.

Little Branch is an underground speakeasy nestled beneath a mysterious corner entrance. Always opt for the ‘bartender’s choice’: simply name your favorite ingredients, and they’ll concoct a potent surprise for you! My drink was a curious mix of egg yolk, cream, port, and bourbon. Extremely strong, yet rich…

Continue