Pack your bags and get ready to drink, a martini retreat has landed on the Upper East Side. 

The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel at 76th Street and Madison Avenue and home to the iconic Bemelmans Bar, just announced a new two-day getaway inspired by the iconic cocktail. In fact, 75-year-old Bemelmans serves over 1,000 martinis each night, and you’re invited to drink several of them on a cultural tasting tour. 

The Martini Retreat includes two nights in The Carlyle’s Madison Room or Premier Suite, exquisitely decorated by designers Tony Chi and Thierry Despont. When you check in, a martini kit will await in the room with everything needed to recreate the famous Bemelmans Classic Martini: two martini glasses, a mixing glass, stirrer, strainer, jigger, cocktail picks, a jar of olives, a recipe card and Bemelmans cocktail napkins, plus ice, of course.

The experience continues with a 45-minute Bemelmans Master Martini Class, in which the talented red jacketed team will teach guests how to make variations of the venerable Martini-gin or vodka, dry, shaken, stirred, olives, twisty, dirty, filthy, etc. Students will also learn new and popular iterations such as Madeline’s Vesper Martini Lunch served at Dowling’s at The Carlyle.

Soak up all that booze with a two-course lunch showcasing chef Sylvain Delpique’s new interpretations of classic New York in the charming Dowling’s dining room accompanied by miniature versions of contemporary and nostalgic martinis.

Guests will also be gifted a Master Martini Recommendation List, a guide to Manhattan bars serving the city’s best martinis curated by Bemelmans Bar Manager, Dimitrios Michalopoulos.

“The martini undoubtedly defines the zeitgeist of cocktail culture and nowhere more so than in our home of New York City,” says Marlene Poynder, Managing Director at The Carlyle. “We are thrilled to specially create this exclusive, authentic experience for our guests curated by our talented team and delivered with The Carlyle’s renowned and exceptional service.”

The Martini Retreat is available to book beginning Tuesday, May 30, starting at $4,895.00 for two people, based on availability. For a more low key experience, Bemelmans Bar Martini Boxes are available for $395 via The Carlyle’s online boutique and available for shipping via FedEx.

* This article was originally published here

Looking for breezy palm trees, tropical cocktails, and the perfect place to hang loose?! Then look no further than one of NYC’s many picturesque tiki bars! With all the paradise vibes of a tropical island without having to step foot out of NYC, these tiki bars make for the best place to live on that island time.

Here are the best tiki bars in NYC that you should visit this summer:

1. Tiki Chick, Upper West Side

From the team behind Jacob’s Pickles–THE place to go for Southern comfort food like fried chicken and biscuits–comes Tiki Chick–the place to go for a good tiki time. This retro tiki bar bringing all the tropical vibes and fun to the UWS, complete with a tiki torch-adorned patio, a jungle lounge, and lush decor throughout. As for the cocktails, they’re split into three categories–classics, originals, and frozens–and are all equally as good. Read more about Tiki Chick here.

517 Amsterdam Ave

2. Zombie Hut, Carroll Gardens

Stylish, tropical, and serving up all the authentic tiki bar vibes, Zombie Hut is a go-to for tasty cocktails and a good time. They’re the perfect go-to in the summertime if you’d like to sip your drink al fresco on their heavenly back patio and feel as if you’ve been whisked away straight to paradise.

273 Smith St #4739, Brooklyn

3. Otto’s Shrunken Head, East Village

A bit more on the unusual spectrum, Otto’s Shrunken Head gives the perfect Polynesian-esque tiki vibe while also pairing it with rock bands–but don’t worry, all the delicious cocktails are still there as well! The goal of this spot is to bring the laid back island vibe of the South Pacific to NYC–and they definitely did a good job of it.

538 E 14th St

4. The Friki Tiki, Hell’s Kitchen

Serving up “abundant pleasure, big climaxes, and encores,” The Friki Tiki is a little bit of island paradise nestled right in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen. Every night, we transform into an rowdy entertainment venue featuring some of NYC’s hottest players–with a showtune singalong every Wednesday–and their menu has a whole bunch of goodness, from pork tacos and kimchi hot dogs to Aloha-Ritas and Sneaky Pete’s Frozen Painkiller.

357 W 44th St

5. Broken Shaker, Gramercy

Broken Shaker is a tropical, rooftop oasis whose stunning NYC skyline views are the only thing that hint at the fact you’re not actually in paradise. Offering an eclectic menu of delicious cocktails and tasty bites, this James Beard Award finalist is a must-visit for the ultimate staycation and one of NYC’s best tiki bars.

 23 Lexington Ave

6. Gitano, Governors Island

NYC’s beloved seasonal restaurant and beach club Gitano whisks New Yorkers away to Tulum for the ultimate paradise vibes–making it way more than just one of NYC’s best tiki bars. This 27,000-square-foot waterfront restaurant and beach lounge features sand to dig your toes in and 500 tropical plants and palm trees, plus sun beds, cabanas, and a giant disco ball reflecting the New York Harbor! Read more about Gitano here.

125 Carder Rd, Governors Island

7. The Highwater, Astoria

Taste the flavors of island life at The Highwater, serving a menu inspired by tropical islands around the world. They offer tons of great deals, such as Taco Tuesday and Wednesday Wing Night, and their cocktails are absolutely out of this world–may we suggest the Cereal Killer, a blend of Jamaican rums, Batavia Arrack, Nixta, Licor 43, Wild Strawberry Tea, pineapple juice, lemon juice, and cereal infused milk. Plus their outdoor seating area is brand new and gorgeous!

 34-20 Broadway, Queens

8. Happiest Hour, West Village

This whimsical cocktail bar and full-service restaurant offers a breezy space adorned with cartoon palm trees that evokes Californian and Floridian resorts. The space makes more the perfect spot to relax with a drink in hand and, if you listen close enough, you may just hear the sound of ocean waves crashing along the shore.

121 W 10th St

9. Rockaway Tiki Bar, Rockaway

This funky beach bar serves up the most delicious tiki-inspired drinks that showcase flavors straight from the Caribbean. From their Mai Tai and Passionfruit Margarita to their new drink The Twister, made with Caribbean dark rum and white rum, passionfruit syrup, orange juice, lemon juice, and grenadine, you really can’t go wrong. Plus you can make a day of it and head here after enjoying a sunny day at Rockaway Beach!

6720 Rockaway Beach Blvd

10. Pineapple Club, East Village

One of NYC’s more upscale tiki bars, this tropical speakeasy serves the ultimate Caribbean drinks, food, and vibes in a more sophisticated setting. Between their frozen piña coladas and I’ll Never Lychee Go to their tropical bites like avocado fries, tuna tartare, jerk chicken, and sesame seared ahi tuna, regardless of what your sipping and munching on it’s too good to not try.

509 E 6th St

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* This article was originally published here