Tag: Bronx bars

Summer Cocktails with Bronxmama at the Hot House

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Last week, BronxMama and I teamed up with Ice House Cafe’s new beer garden, nicknamed the HotHouse for a summer soiree. With hammocks, lawn games, and frozen drinks, it’s the perfect location to spend a summer day. My personal favorite are the frosés, which come in a bunch of different flavors including peach and strawberry.  Because there’s so much space, parents can enjoy a refreshing cocktails while kids play games and socialize.

We ordered a special rosé bucket and played corn hole and ring toss (which is way harder than it looks btw). The kids had fun blowing bubbles, coloring, and getting their faces painted by Rocky the magician, who also hosted a very competitive game of limbo assisted by yours truly.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Eli, of Things by Eli. Guys. This is a 12-year-old business owner who donates a portion of his profits to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. I was sitting in my room in the dark listening to Linkin Park at 12.

The Hot House has tons of events coming up including a salsa night, line dancing, and musical bingo. Be sure to follow Ice House Cafe on Instagram to keep up with all of their events!

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Photo by Bronxmama

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Photo by Bronxmama

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New Year’s Eve Brunch at Acri Cafe

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New Year’s Eve has always been a very important day for me. For longer than I’d like to admit, I thought that New Year’s Eve was an indication of how your year would go, so, if you had really crappy or blah NYE your upcoming year would follow suit. Thankfully, I’ve grown out of that for the most part (that’s a lot of pressure to put on one day!) but it’s still one of my favorite holidays to celebrate (maybe it’s all that food and drink I love so much…)

Because I knew I’d be spending the night with my friends, I made sure to schedule time to hang out with my mother and sister for brunch. I’ve been dying to try out the brunch at Acri Cafe for the longest, so we drove over and were so pleasantly surprised.

Acri Cafe is THE definition of a hidden gem. Located on Commerce Ave. in an unassuming building by the UFT and DMV, inside lies a vast, welcoming space to gather with friends and family. As soon as you enter, you can’t miss the large wood fire oven, which adds a cozy vibe to the restaurant.

The staff was friendly and attentive. Though our food came out quickly, we got to munch on some delicious fresh bread with olive oil while we waited, to hold us over while waiting for our orders.

The brunch menu featured items including eggs benedict, the Acri burger (topped with goat cheese and mushrooms), and churrasco steak and eggs. One of the best features of Acri Cafe’s brunch is the $10  2 hour unlimited drinks, which include brunch staples such as mimosas. I, unfortunately, could not partake because I was nursing a mild hangover and of course had to prepare for NYE festivities. This just means I’ll have to return soon…for research purposes, of course.

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Holiday Happy Hours

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Aside from all the delicious food we get to enjoy during the holiday season (and of course the presence of our friends and family) , one of the best parts of the holidays are the libations. From coquito to peppermint martinis, there’s something for everyone this holiday season.

This past week, I was able to check out two Bronx bars while catching up with friends. First, I swung by Step In Restaurant for a quick drink before heading to Sancocho at Bronx Art Space. A longtime cranberry and vodka enthusiast, I ordered the Caribbean Mule, which is gives a tropical flair to the familiar Moscow Mule. Some slices of fresh ginger give the cocktail a nice kick and I promptly ordered a second. 🙂 Step In has been there for what seems like forever, yet this was my first time actually….stepping in…..(sorry, I had to.) They recently renovated the place and gave the outside a bit of a facelift, giving it a much more modern and inviting appearance.

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This past Tuesday, I had a chance to check out one of the newcomers to the borough- Bronx Drafthouse . As always, I’m happy to check out any place that doesn’t require going past Harlem, but still gives an air of sophistication while serving up great food and drinks. Bronx Drafthouse meets all of those requirements. Boasting 20 beers on tap and almost 30 canned varieties, I appreciated that they also had cider and even wine on tap for us non-beer drinkers. I love ciders, so I decided to try out the Doc’s Cranberry cider. So good. We both ordered the Drafthouse burger, a behemoth consisting of a beef patty topped with pulled pork, plantains, cheddar, lettuce, and tomato. I wish I had fasted before eating it!

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Hopefully, you’re partaking in some partying this holiday season. Good riddance to 2016 and here’s to a better 2017!

 

Happy Hours on Happy Hours

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This week I found myself at two beautiful Bronx bars for happy hour.

Tuesday, I met up with a friend to catch up at Pine Bar & Grill on Eastchester Rd. Every time I come here and see the elegant decor, I always wonder why I don’t come here more often. They have a really great rooftop as well, perfect for enjoying a cocktail on a summer night. But, alas, it wasn’t open when we were there. We ordered the mango mojitos, which were delicious and not too minty. My friend ordered the fish tacos, while I had the Po’ Boy pulled pork sliders. Both of our dishes were flavorful and affordable, my favorite combination.

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Last night, I caught up with another friend and we decided to check out the newest bar in Norwood, Lexa Bar.  With exposed brick walls, the wall adorned with the names of Bronx neighborhoods, I think I’ve finally found my local go-to bar. The bartender was super sweet and attentive. We started off with mojitos (….lot of mojitos this week!) which are $5 on Thursdays and ordered cheeseburgers. To be honest, I didn’t love the burger as it was a bit too salty, but they have a bunch of other items on their menu I’d love to try, from flatbread pizzas to salads and wraps. Best of all, I was able to stroll back home in ten minutes.

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Brunch at Bronx Ale House

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It was crazy hot today, you guys. My friends and I played our 5th annual kickball game in Van Cortlandt Park and I thought I was going to melt. 😦 Luckily, I knew that Bronx Ale House was not too far and we headed there to recharge. I had no concept of time, so I didn’t realize it was still brunch time – much to my delight.

My friend and I shared the smoked brisket hash and the braised pork. The brisket came with eggs and was shredded with potatoes and vegetables. The braised pork also came with eggs, cheddar toast and potatoes.

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Happy Birthday

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So my birthday (and coincidentally the 1 year anniversary of The Bronx Socialite) was late May on a Wednesday of all days. And for the record, Wednesday birthdays kinda suck because you can’t really do it justice, so I had two birthday celebrations. One on my actual birthday, which was spent at EL Habanero (43 Bruckner Blvd.) Mexican is my favorite cuisine, so it was only fitting that I have some on my birthday. Now, instead of going to my favorite Taqueria Tlaxicali or even Estrellita Poblana, I decided to try somewhere new.

I went for an early dinner, a.k.a we just missed the lunch special 😦 . The place is medium-sized and our waitress was very nice and attentive. When you order the guacamole, they actually come out next to your table and make it in front of you.  I ordered the quesadillas, which come with a side of rice and beans. I could barely finish it, I was so full.

That Sunday, I invited my friends (there were 15 of us!) to The Clock Bar for brunch. I’d been to this space before back when it was an art gallery and I was practically drooling over how awesome the pictures looked on the bar’s website. If I were to ever own my own bar, it would look just like The Clock Bar. Our host Roger (I forgot to ask if he was the owner or manager) was AWESOME. By far, one of, if the, best service experiences I’ve ever had at a restaurant. He put together a prix fixe menu for us featuring the breakfast pizza, poached eggs with hollandaise sauce (photo below), and a belini or mimosa and was just generally a very cool dude. The place totally captured my heart and quite possibly can give the Bruckner Bar and Grill a run for its money as my favorite Bronx bar. We’ll see.

Check out the photos from my birthdays at El Habanero and The Clock Bar:

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