Radio Room at The Edison Downtown. 4 Mixmasters + 1 Night = Big Blur.

Green Fairy caught on camera perpetrating her delicious evil.

It oozes through you like a bucket of engine oil. Senses becoming compromised one after the next. Motor functions sliced at the Achilles tendon. Then a blur.

The blur wasn't there before but just like that it appears. It's green, a warm green (or could that be wormwood green?). The details are fuzzy but there were silken wings in a constant flitter that added to this blurry vision of her ― the Green Fairy.

Her pineapple and pomegranate elixirs spiked with absinthe go down much too easily. Your inhibitions go down just as easily. It's futile to fight it. The Edison's Radio Room and all its devices (including the Green Fairy) have snared yet another hipster. The mantra now: "Give in and Party on."


The Don of drinks.

First stop is in front of the dark lumber ruled by Don Lee, mixologist extraordinaire for David Chang's Momofuku kingdom of cuisine. Lee spins a remix of the classic Gibson he dubs "Rite of Spring". It has a bite of something that a vampire or a five year-old would spew right out. It's heavily flavored with ramp, a plant from the onion family sometimes called a spring onion but tastes a lot like garlic. Lee says it's in peak season for only a month and a half and that's what makes his version a stand out.


Simon Ford, the gentleman bartender.

Next, Simon Ford (Pernod Ricard, London and New York) either pays homage to Robin Williams or an all-night binger in Saigon with a libation cheekily called "Good Morning, Vietnam", a citrusy burst of booze blended with gin, ginger and a gitchi-gitchi ya-ya dollop of orange marmalade. It's refreshing and inebriant at the same time.


Christophe Happillon gets his claws on you.

Making a brief pit stop to block some of the booze from marinating too much of my gut, I load up on crab claws and freshly shucked oysters on the half shell thanks to the handy work of Christophe Happillon.


Zane Harris, inzanely talented mixologist.

Moving on to the dapper bartender that is Zane Harris of Seattle's Rob Roy. Harris rocks not one but two specialty beverages for the night. Numero uno is "Globo Rojo #2", a blending of strawberries, mezcal, Tawny Port and bitters. Garnished with a slender slice of strawberry, it may look dainty but will kick you in the balls (if you got 'em).

Mixmaster Harris really puts on a show with his "Vieux Cerde" as this very alcoholic bevvy blend of 12 year-old Irish whisky and VSOP Cognac cascade down a block of ice as big as a fist, chilling it out as it hits the bottom of the glass. It's finished off with gentle dribble of Elisir M.P. Roux and bitters. I wish I had a stogie for this one.


Giuseppe Gonzalez, the killer of pain.

He's the wild man mixologist with a refined touch. Hailing from NYC, Guiseppe Gonzalez, bartender at Dutch Kills and soon to open Painkiller, knows how to fix, yes, killer cocktails. Gonzalez served up two that night, starting with the "Wild Orchid", a gin drink with a touch of red wine and wisps of almond and elderflower, refined yet wild.

One of my favorites at this booze bacchanalia was Gonzalez's "Infante", a concoction of tequila, lime and Orgeat syrup splashing about in orange blossom water and gracefully topped with grated nutmeg. It's a margarita ballet on the rocks.

Since 3 of the 4 guest bartenders are New Yorkers, the big announcement was fitting that The Edison Downtown is expanding to the East Coast opening up The Edison New York. From the East to the Left, now I'll never be too far away from one of my favorite lounges in town. That's certainly something to drink an "Infante" to.

(This evening was a complimentary press preview.)


The Edison
108 W 2nd St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-0000
edisondowntown.com