Casino Cocktail Friday -- North East Winter Storm Edition

Has the big north east ice-out got you down? Don't fight it, just take it as a cue to turn up the fun and turn down the temperature on your weekend out!

Today's Casino Cocktail Friday is not one drink, but a class of drinks. Those drinks served with the flair of Ice! We're not talking about ice *in* the drink, we're talking about the over-the-top ways that ice can be Incorporated into the drink!

Read on to learn more about ice-drinks and the many creative ways you can try them!

A shot of vodka, or any other beverage is cool, but its a whole lot cooler when ice is involved.

Top of the chain in both visual splendor, and simplicity, is the ice luge. This is simply an ice carving with a chute embedded in it. You, the imbiber, open your mouth at the bottom of the luge, and a bartender pours some vodka (or other spirit) down the luge. All you have to do is catch your prize as it chilled on its way to your throat!

Because this item is temporary, we can't tell you what bars are likely to have them, but in the winter time especially, these things spring up all over. Call your favorite casino clubs and ask around, we are sure you can find one around. If you're a bit higher on the style food-chain than most of us, you can even talk to your favorite club, about ordering bottle service, and trying to get the sculpture brought in for you. In most major casino areas, there are ice sculpting companies to accommodate the needs of the casinos. With some kind words from Mr. Franklin, you may be able to convince your club manager to allow a smaller sized luge to be brought in to your table for that special night.

If you seek a little more regular ice-entertainment, you can try something cool, like ice-glasses. 32 Degrees, a lounge at the Tropicana in Atlantic City offers shots served in glasses made of solid ice! The night won't be cheap, but it will be worth it. Here's a snip from their website:

Philadelphia's hip nightlife ascends to a new level with 32º. The sizzling lounge bar offers Philadelphia's chic elite a place to experience luxury, style and decadence, complemented by the hospitable tradition of European bottle service - a first for Philadelphia!

Like attending a private club, guests enter through an inconspicuous doorway on South Second Street and walk up a darkened flight of stairs to reach the lavish 32º. Only the most stylish are invited to chill out in the VIP lounge or mingle around the two bars. To add to the continental ambiance, the lounge accepts Euro dollars interchangeably with US dollars.

Our final suggestion for bringing the chill to a cool evening, is visiting the much more common Ice-bar. These can be in permanent locations, such as Harrah's New Orleans' own club Masquerade, or they can be found setup for certain high-rolling events. We recommend checking the casino location you intend to visit, and do a quick search on the web for any ice-bars in the area, as well as any events that are upcoming. We have found that with a little persistence, you can usually find some bar in the region that has this particular form of ice-entertainment.

We hope we have given you some ideas of what to look for in your next night out! Don't fight winter's chilly grasp, embrace it!

P.S. More ice Luges like the one pictured above at Martin King's Ice Carving Page

February 16, 2007

Casino Cocktail Friday -- North East Winter Storm Edition