I hadn’t been to NYC in a year and it felt so good! That may not seem like a long time, but I used to visit pretty much every other month when Dan and I were long distance, so I got used to seeing all my east coast friends more regularly. The trip was planned to see my brother’s grad school showcase. He’s a composer in NYU Tisch’s Musical Theatre Writing grad program, and he’s spent the last year working on a musical with his writing partner. I had heard bits and pieces of the process from my brother and via my mom, and I’m so thrilled I was there with my parents to see his gorgeous work. Communicating how people feel and love with humor through music is so mature and wise. AND he’s only 25!! The audience was clearly moved by his show, and I couldn’t have been more proud to be his sister. I’m always in awe.
I dragged my family all over downtown for dinner and cocktails. Freemans is a favorite spot that Dan and I fell in love with on an impromptu date years ago in NYC. I love how each room is different, and it always feels comforting and hip. Mission Chinese totally lived up to all the awesome things I had heard! The front looks like a classic, hole in the wall, Chinese joint, but in the back is a full restaurant. Flavor explosion! My friend Aubrey (we worked together at Son of a Gun in LA) is the manager there. It was such a delight to see him, and we tried so many yummy dishes including the thrice cooked bacon with rice cakes, and super spicy chonqing chicken wings. I was so full, but I couldn’t stop eating. Then we all walked down to Painkiller, a tiki bar on the LES. My mom was ready to kill me when we showed up to an unmarked door with only a bouncer. Sorry, Mom!
How gorgeous are all those blooming trees? I had the most delightful coffee catch up with my dear friend, Jeremy, in the West Village before heading back up to see a matinee of Matilda. I adored the show! The kids in the show were incredible, so committed and strong. Super funny. 
Amazing, so far, right? And that’s only half way through! Part 2 coming up.
Tag Archives: cocktails
the whaling club VI
Since April is the beginning of Spring, Dan chose cocktails that highlighted floral and fresh notes for The Whaling Club this month. The Croquet Cup was the perfect easy drinking cocktail to start the night with mint, cucumber, and Pimm’s No. 1. Plus, it’s gorgeous to look at. The Royal Daiquiri featured creme de violette, which is floral in taste and color. And the grapefruit and Peychaud’s bitters in an otherwise classic gin rickey added just the right about of bitterness and rounded out the drink. It was my favorite blush color and looked beautiful over Dan’s hand cut ice spears.
Chef Frank Anderson killed it again by shucking oysters, and brought it to the next level with chilled mussels, aioli, and breadcrumbs. Addictive! I love how Frank prepped three mussels (and oysters) for us to cheers to before everyone arrived (he also saved me a few oysters for the end–what a guy). 
Such a fun a night! We loved having a bunch of new guests, and celebrating the simple but perfect things we love about The Whaling Club. How awesome is that whale? We found it at New Stone Age and knew we had it to have it for the bar! It lives on our mantel in between. And did you catch us on Eater LA? So cool! Special thanks to Kat Odell for that! 
To join our mailing list and receive invites for future events, email reservations@thewhalingclub.com.
The Whaling Club on Instagram.
(Menu logo and artwork by Sarah Mullin.)
the whaling club V
Gin! Oysters! Yum! Chef Frank Anderson joined us at The Whaling Club this month, shucking Buckley Bay oysters alongside Dan’s gin cocktails. We set Frank up in the kitchen with Dan, and guests could pass by and kick back an oyster while watching the two in action. They work together at Son of a Gun restaurant, Dan in the front of house and Frank running the back of house, so it was fun seeing them side by side doing their thing. It’s so interesting to observe how everyone eats their oysters! I love just mignonette on mine, Frank recommends lemon and little horseradish, and our friend Noah likes a little bit of everything. Our friend, Mesch, tried his very first oyster and loved it! How do you like yours?
Dan’s drinks were spot on. The Southside Royale served in a coupe felt like a celebratory way to kick off the evening. The Nagami Swizzle was such a gorgeous looking drink with layers of color and the pop of kumquat on the top. But the White Negroni was definitely a (surprise) favorite of the night. If you’re not familiar with Suze, it’s a French, bitter apertif that’s a little bit sweet and herbal. Dan hand cut all the ice used for serving and shaking.
As always, guests were given their own copy of the menu to take home, with Sarah Mullin’s perfect drawings and logo design. I wanted to reach through my computer and squeeze that oyster drawing it was so adorably accurate. Thank you to all our stylish and festive guests who joined us! If you’d like to be added to our mailing and invite list, comment below or shoot us an email at reservations@thewhalingclub.com.
Special thanks to Pour Vous for the crushed ice!
the whaling club IV
This was possibly my favorite Whaling Club yet (although I’m sure I say that every time)! We had a really special mix of people who’ve joined us before (thank you!!), as well as new faces. Dan and I were talking about the night a few days later, and he said this thing that I’ve been thinking about ever since: he analyzes and rethinks the cocktail menu over and over, so that the people drinking the cocktails don’t have to. I thought that was such a perfect way of describing what we hope to create with The Whaling Club; an evening with cocktails that are simple, delicious, but executed as perfectly as possible. And, hey, I certainly don’t complain about being a taste tester along the way.
There was a touch of romance in the air, and we tried to embrace a little bit of that in our photo booth, flowers, and cocktail selection. Sarah Mullin’s drawings for the menu were incredible and detailed as always, and my two best friends flew in Manhattan for the weekend and got to experience their very first Whaling Club.
Next month is sure to be extra special (hint: oysters…Frank Anderson…), so if you’re not on our mailing list and would like to receive invites, comment below or send an email to reservations@thewhalingclub.com.
the whaling club III
Thank you to all who came out for the third installment of The Whaling Club over the weekend! I was having such a chatty time with everyone I forgot to take any candid photos. Luckily we had another photo booth set up to look over the day after and remember all the fun we had. Dan’s “sparkling” menu was a nod to the New Year, so we started off with the Saint Hilaire. The Silver Barbados Fizz was shaken with an egg white (I thought Dan’s arms were going to fall off!). Dan told me that people used to go to their local pharmacy and drink a fizz as a medicinal breakfast cocktail–pretty sure the only healthy part of that drink is the egg white! Once again, Dan hand cut the ice for the Northside Special in spears from a 25 pound block of ice, and we sipped through metal straws that keep your drink cold until it touches your tongue. We’re already brainstorming for next month… If you’d like to be added to the invite list, please email reservations@thewhalingclub.com.
Thanks again to Sarah Mullin for her perfect artwork on the menu! You can see previous posts about The Whaling Club here and here.
the whaling club II
Dan and I hosted a second round of The Whaling Club last weekend, and had such a wonderful time! Thank you so much to everyone who joined us. It was on a rainy Sunday this time, and felt very intimate and cozy. Dan’s mulled wine was a favorite for sure. All the artwork was created by Sarah Mullin for the The Whaling Club (she’s amazing, right!?). I created a backdrop of streamers and set up a photo booth. Dan and I loved looking through these photos the next morning! 
If you’d like to be added to our email list, please send an email to reservations@thewhalingclub.com, and look out for our January date!
the whaling club
This weekend, Dan and I hosted a cocktail event at our apartment that we named The Whaling Club. We had the best time! Thank you to all who came out for the first run. We hope it was the beginning of many social evenings, enjoying fine cocktails with old and new friends. How cool is that ice? Dan hand cut it all himself out of twenty-five pound blocks! He’s a dedicated gentleman, that’s for sure.
Perhaps you’ll join us for the next one? Leave a comment if you’d like to be added to our mailing list. Cheers!
*special thanks to our friends Sarah + Noah for helping us plan and fine tune everything.
*whaling club logo and menu artwork by Sarah Mullin
the coupe
Dan and I have been prepping for an intimate cocktail event we’re hosting at our place this weekend, and it’s got me romanticizing about Speakeasys and classic cocktails. There really is something so special about sipping a well made drink, the weight or delicacy of the glass in your hand, while surrounded by friends, interesting strangers, or just that certain someone. My favorite end of summer drink was a shaken fresh mint daiquiri served in a coupe glass…and lots of champagne!
(all photos found on Pinterest)
a cozy boat 
