A scant three months and change since my first visit to the Palomar in Philly, I am back near town giving a talk at Swarthmore (in combination with Bryn Mawr and Haverford with just a smidgen of UPenn thrown in for good measure). The drive to Philly was awful on a foggy, rainy day. I-95 was overcrowded. All was well with the world when a way too early to be possible checkin was facilitated by Abby Raymond (Concierge) and her fellow staff members at the Palomar. I dumped off my bag and scooted over to Bryn Mawr in the rain.
After the talk, a group of professors (two of whom I went to grad school with) drove back in to Philly for a raucous and yummy dinner at Tria. Dinner was great, but Tria needs either more space or less popularity. Fitting 5 people around a table there is a stretch. Also it seems like their demographic is 30-somethings. Am I getting old??! My favorite part of dinner was the way we ordered…in three big swaths “all the snacks, all the crostini, and all desserts.”
After dinner, those of us still standing walked two blocks down to Village Whiskey to visit Keith and witness his mixological magic. We started with my old faithfuls the Liberal and a Corpse Reviver #2. Then Keith made us a no-name Bourbon based concoction whose ingredients escape me now (for probably obvious reasons). There was some kind of Amaro with a red label which was neither Averna or Ramazotti. Must return and find out.
On review of previous entries, it appears I have been remiss in my duties to explain how to concoct my two favorite drinks. Without further ado:
The Liberal
.75 oz Bourbon (I like to use Pappy van Winkle 20 when I am feeling adventurous, but definitely something cask strength
.75 oz Sweet vermouth
.3 oz Amer Picon (or Torani Amer if you live in the states and always run out of Amer Picon. Add a dash of Orange Bitters if you go the Torani route, either Fee Brothers or Regans #6)
Stir over ice, serve up with a cherry.
Corpse Reviver #2
1 oz gin (I usually use either Hendricks or Leopold’s)
1 oz Lillet Blanc
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 oz Cointreau
1 drop absinthe
Shake with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass with a cherry.
Anyway, dinner and drinks could not be beat. And then when I got back to the Palomar (room 1610 this time), Abby had gathered the very best welcoming package I have ever experienced…all of the makings for a Picon Punch or two. Amazing.
See my previous entry on the Philly Palomar for pictures of the room and the all important shower. (Didn’t use the huge bathtub this time either!)
The Philly Palomar is great and so is Abby. Five shower heads. Looks like I’ll need to concoct some more reasons to get to Philly!