A Giant Silvery Lipstick

55 W 46th Street Building

I'm hurrying along on 45th Street because I had to get to the subway, when I saw this dazzling building.  It reminded me of a giant, silvery lipstick case.  It loomed over this small public green space.  The light seemed to hit it just right and it caught the diagonal zig zag lines.  That's the thing about New York, you're minding your own business and thinking about the next meeting or event and suddenly something in the landscape just grabs you.  Awesome.

Another Celebrity Financial Cautionary Tale

The entertainment industry was all abuzz about how Mischa Barton, a former well-known actress (because has-been is too cruel), was going to lose her 8-million-dollar house because she is behind $100,000 on her mortgage.  The estate has 8 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms and great ocean views of Catalina Island.  It only goes to show no matter how much you earn, it only matters what you get to keep.  People also forget that salaries don't always go up, although I think people realize it more now.  If you're in a fickle industry like the arts, your income can be notoriously unstable and any high income that you get can be very temporary.  It's a lesson too few people really learn.  They want to live like the Rich and Fabulous without acknowledging that you can lose it all.

Getting rich in a short time can be very illusory situation.  A lot of money can be quickly spent if you're not prudent.  Preserving money and making it work for you over the long term is hard.  It's hard to keep your head together when you get a windfall, but that's why it's important to hold fast to your normal budget and not make any financial decisions until at least six months later.  You can get a better picture of your financial situation.  Don't forget that a temporary windfall also means that you have to pay more taxes.  What you get to keep is what matters.

In addition, I have to wonder why she bought such a big house.  How many kids does she have?  The entertainment reports don't even mention if she is married with kids.  If she lives in that big house all by herself, she would have to hire staff to maintain it -- that's another expense.  She has to keep working as an actress in order to keep her estate.  I haven't really seen her in anything lately.  It's like Hollywood actors have an expiration date.  Wealth can have an expiration date also.

For artisanal, one-of-a-kind cocktails, The Dead Rabbit is a Treat

If you want to experience cocktails that give you the same experience as a five-course meal, then The Dead Rabbit is a place you should go.  This historic downtown pub (on the same block as Fraunces Tavern) has one of the best cocktail menus in the world.

If you've ever seen the movie, Gangs of New York, then you have an idea of the historic background of The Dead Rabbit.  The pub takes its name from a time when Irish immigrants came by the boatload, and in order to survive, organized into gangs to protect its members and essentially was a network to be able to find jobs and live a piece of the American Dream.  The leader of a powerful gang, The Dead Rabbits, was John Morrissey.  He emigrated from Ireland with his family and lived a rough and tumble life then eventually becoming a respectable politician and millionaire.  The pub's cocktail menu is based around the life and times of Morrissey, so for example, his early years are reflected in the types of cocktails that are herb-based and refreshing, in accord with how green he was when he came to the New World.  In each phase of his life, types of cocktail are grouped together.  There's at least six phases.  All the cocktails are very original and a delight to the palate.  

The originality of the cocktails is owed to the many infusions of liqueurs that the pub creates along with the mind-boggling combinations.  These cocktails are based on bartender recipes that were available from the 19th century.  From the outside, the pub looks a little feminine because of the decor.  You come inside and it's a man's world, baby.  On the first floor is The Taproom.  You have a choice of many different beers as well as cocktails.  

The back shelf of the bar is creaking from the many bottles and knickknacks it holds.  If you look around there's plenty of wood panels and if you look up there's a lot of old-fashioned postcards sticking to the wooden beams.

When it comes to beers, you can choose from a list of beers on tap on bottled beers.  However, liquid nourishment is not the only things offered at this pub, it has a very solid bar menu.  I tried the fish and chips and it was very tasty.  My friend ordered the Dead Rabbit Burger (she was assured that it came from ground beef) and found it to be tasty.  They both came with a side of Belgian-style fries.  Yummy!

However, the real action is on  the 2nd floor, The Parlor, and that floor is where all the mixologists can be seen at work.  When you sit at the bar you are handed this menu of cocktails grouped around the life and times of John Morrissey.  You can take your pick from the extensive list and all the cocktails are $14.

Once you have picked a cocktail you are treated to the sight of an artisan creating a masterpiece.  I'm not sure how they can keep track of all the different ingredients that goes into a cocktail but the mixologists are doing a damn good job of it.  I tried the Port of New York.  Its base is Mezcal with several types of juices and a lot of other things for a very savory  drink with heat on ice.  I say with heat because it's not a spiced cocktail.

While you are enjoying your drink, they also offer you a wee sample of the house punch.  In addition to the house punch, the pub offers homemade meat pies.  On certain days of the week you can order $1 oysters during Happy Hour, or as they prefer it L'Heure Verte (The Green Hour).

The pub is located at 30 Water Street, not far from the Staten Island Ferry terminal.  If you take the R to Whitehall, the pub is just a few blocks away.