Maple Leaf on the Rocks

To all you nightcrawlers, I have a follow up to my recent post about The Inn LW12's late night Tuck Menu ("Tucked Inn" - Monday, March 19th) which serves until close to 4 A.M. In case you missed it, the New York Times featured the restaurant's signature cocktail, the Maple Leaf, in the Shaken and Stirred column in today's Sunday Styles ("Part Tux, Part Pajamas" - Sunday, April 1st).

Jonathan Miles writes, "The Maple Leaf is more refreshing than its autumnal, smoky-sweet ingredients might suggest. The taste evokes a crisp spring morning in Canada, befitting the InnLW12’s Canadian motif."

So, whether you are winding down or waking up....raise your glass to the Great White North.

Maple Leaf, Adapted from the InnLW12

1 ½ounces Canadian Club whiskey

½ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ounce maple syrup

Lemon twist, for garnish.

Shake liquid ingredients with ice and pour into a rocks glass. Garnish with the lemon and serve.

Yield: 1 serving

A Memorable Moment

I love parties. But, not for the reasons you may think.

The invitation, the venue, the music, the decor, the flowers, the food.....All of those wonderful details (that have been painstakingly orchestrated) do not make a great event - they simply set the stage. And, with every event, the stage is different.

What makes an event memorable is what happens on that stage. Parties give us unique opportunities to create memories with family, friends or even with strangers.

This photo taken by Ben Watts reminds me of why I love parties. It is from an editorial in Style & Entertaining (New York Times, Spring 2004) and it captures beautifully what I know was a memorable moment.