Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Jimmy at the James Hotel is my Bar of the week



From the looks of the James Hotel's barren marble slab lobby, one would might not have much hope for the rooftop bar's scene. But that would be a mistake. It may not be your scene, but Jimmy certainly isn't lacking its own semblance of scenery. The lofty, lowly lit space has the usual loungey chaises covered in luxe material and a perky fire licking electrically at a mini-hearth. Unlike its clubby penthouse counterparts, Jimmy is intimate (as far as rooftop bars go) and accessible (as far as we know). Hidden corners and huge dance floors can be hot, but unabridged voyeurism is better. The tiled and mirrored bar provides a perch for those lurking or lording and sleek cocktail waitresses sashay between it and guests drinking Mexican Honey Bees (Reposado tequila, organic orange flower, honey, mezcal, lavender bitters and lemon, $18). One evening, a couple caught in languid flirtations leaned along the windows sipping Dutch Pilots (Bols Genever, aquavit, maraschino, Crème de Violette, lemon and sugar, $17) and sweeping looks over Manhattan's flickering windowpanes. Another group of fashionably shabby 20-somethings ordered beers and rested elbows on the bar. A bit mellow during the last weeks of winter, Jimmy will be prime territory come June for sunbathers and scenesters having moved on from the Boom Boom Room seeking relative solitude. Best to make it your scene before they do.
Jimmy at the James Hotel
15 Thompson St.
(212)201-9118
Photo via: Nymag.com 

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