A friend of mine recommended this spot in New York and at first my reaction was, ‘never’! I wouldn’t be going for a drink to a pretentious bar at a luxury department store in New York. It just wasn’t happening!

However, after insistence from him, I landed there for a drink one Sunday afternoon. I was sat next to a lovely handbag designer who shared some hilarious dating stories with me and we had some good banter. I was surprised by the cosiness of the bar area and warmth of the team. The bar has been beautifully designed by Kelly Wearstler and if I am not mistaken this is the first design I have seen by her in person. Everything; the walls, branding and even the teacups have a 1930’s flair to them. The space has all the natural light and stunning views over Central Park. Whilst I sat at the bar, I wondered why I hadn’t seen this space before. 

My second visit during the trip sealed my relationship with the bar forever. I sat next to two lovely people from Los Angeles who turned out to be best friends celebrating their birthdays (on the same day) in New York. One turned out to be a photographer and the other an artist. The most down to earth, welcoming, generous and open hearted couple I had met in New York. It was less about what we did but the connection we built on a more human level. They took me under their wing and shared great life advice but also seemed to represent that magical moment in New York where they say ‘anything is possible’. They introduced me the next day to some amazing spots in New York including Bar Pitti. Meeting them made my trip even more special, engaged and eye opening. What I loved about them is that they enjoyed New York as much as I did. We were there for short periods of time but were making the most of it.

So thank you Leslie and Cliff for such a lovely time spent and thank you BG for bringing us together. 

(You must try the mezcal and berries cocktail – hands down the best cocktail I had in New York)