These mobile bar systems are always interesting to me because everything is so condensed and cute, and I think if I had one I'd be having outdoor parties every weekend just so I'd have an excuse to wheel it out. This Drink Station by Opulent Items is imported from Germany and has features including a refrigerator, ice machine, flute holders, bottle bins, and wooden serving shelf. It comes pre-assembled (except for some of the minor side attachments) but heads up, the ice machine reservoir doesn't fill itself (you can't hook it up to a water source to fill automatically) and although you can wheel it around wherever you want, you'll have to stay close to a power outlet if you want the fridge to stay cold. It sells for $10,000.
Belvedere Vodka has been trying to go for the cutting edge lately. First there was the racy ad campaign with art photographer Terry Richardson, shown at left, now the company is launching a new branded gift card program with BuyYourFriendADrink.com. This is the first time that a spirits brand has offered a branded gift card for on-premise purchase through the company. The way it works is that you visit the BuyYourFriendABelvedere.com website and purchase a gift card for any dollar amount. The recipient can redeem the gift card or a Belvedere drink at participating bars and restaurants. Of course it does require knowing the email of the person you want to give the drink to so it's not so great for sending a drink to that hot stranger across the room.
Waterford Crystal has created the ultimate bar in a box. Their bar trunk has brass latches, leather trim and a rosewood interior with drawers for your tools and racks for both wine and spirits. Inside the trunk is stocked with crystal stemware, barware, canape plates and sterling silver bar tools. The trunk sells for $16,000.
Here's what might be the ultimate gadget for your home bar. The My Fountain can store and dispense 16 chilled liquids. Put in your mixers, liquors and other beverages and the machine can dole out both single liquids or drinks based on recipes. The machine can also be password protected for different users. The machine sells for $2,500 and is available for pre-order now although it won't be out until next year. Combine this with an Enomatic for your wine and you could open your own automated bar.
If you have reason to trolley your bar goods around, the Leonardo Bar Trolley will provide a uniquely stylish way to do it. Although it's not shiny or glitzy, this trolley definitely doesn't strike the eye as particularly simple either. Two storage surfaces of phenolic plywood are surrounded by concentric elliptical shapes on a stainless steel frame, with a result looking somewhat like the rings of a planet hovering around your glassware. And although the one wheel on the front and single T leg on the back design makes me think of a wheel barrow, this trolley is anything but farmy.
The bar briefcase by Carl Mertens can make you the McGyver of the bar. The James Bond-like aluminum case can work as a briefcase and has compartments for files, business cards, pens and a cell phone but in a flash it can also function as a portable bar. It comes with a 14-piece bar set that includes a strainer, ice tongs, jigger, cocktail shakers, a knife, cutting board and even a pestle. The briefcase also has two combination locks. It sells for $650.
The omission of words can be just as powerful as the addition of them. So when I say that I'm going to go enjoy a cocktail at a bar while the college superbowl whatever-it's-called is going on, I mean exactly that. What a perfect time to go out and enjoy a nice glass of scotch and a cigar; the bars won't be crowded because Johnny Sportsfan will be watching some team that isn't UT play some other team. Meanwhile, it's the perfect time for me to sip a glass of Johnnie Blue Label and not be bothered. While it may seem like a superficial semantic argument, it also reflects on our society turning away from classic bars to hybrid drinking establishments - some with their 60" plasma TVs with the ESPN logo burned in to them, and others filled with loud techno music and females who apparently haven't paid for a drink in their life. Though the cocktail was born in either Boston or New Orleans (I'd prefer to think Boston) and was perfected in the time of prohibition, it's hard to find a quality bar in America these days. I can think of two (VBar, Cohiba) in this city, maybe a half dozen in the metropolitan area I'm originally from (the bar at Mac's is a personal favorite), but that doesn't really count for much. Sure, there are plenty of real bars in New York, but The City has plenty of everything. I was in Paris a couple of years ago, and it was hard to not find a nice bar. I just think it's sad that the place where the cocktail was born no longer honors it, and those who truly take pleasure in what they drink are forced to do so with people who drink for sport. So, do any Luxist readers care to share what real bars still exist that they frequent?
I suppose that the purpose of an inflatable bar is so that you don't have to commit a lot of room to storing a more solid piece of furniture year-round when you really only need something to use every few months. Bubble Miami makes inflatable bars, buffets and coffee tables in a number of different sizes, shapes and colors. They can hold a substantial amount of weight, certainly enough for the bottles, glasses and any hors d'oeuvres that you might put on them, and are quite sturdy, too. The company both sells and rents the units, but you'll have to call for pricing information and to find the one that will best suit your needs.
These unique metal carts are hospital carts that have been rehabbed into bar carts. The carts, which were never used and were designed to hold medical charts now hold your alcohol. The carts measure 45"H X 28"W X 24"D and have enough room for plenty of bottles for your holiday party. The carts are stainless steel with their original black casters. The heavy carts (they weigh over 200 lbs.) sell for $1,490.
Speaking of exclusive and members' only bars in Sydney, De Nom is another one that Sydneysiders looking for luxury might by interested in checking out. It is located on the third floor of Ruby Rabbit in Darlinghurst and it "represents a new era of decadence for Sydney." The room is modeled after the Palace of Versailles and has a capacity of only 80 people, who will be attended by "bartenders in bow ties" and "waitresses in ball gowns" while they lounge on gilded furniture. Only 100 memberships were made available at $10,000AUD each. They're probably sold out by now, but the lucky members receive wait-free entrance to the club, a private car and driver to take them to and from the venue, access to a members' only wine list, and use of the room for one private function each year on top of other benefits, not to mention that the membership card is solid gold and encrusted with rubies.
This Melrose Bar is a neat little bar that is perfect for parties, whether indoors or out, since it is mounted on wheels and can easily be transported anywhere you need it to go. It is cylindrical and made from metal, with cutouts to reveal shelves for glasses, wines, liquors and any accessories you might want. The top of the bar is mirrored, but the two lower shelves are made of wood veneer, and the bottom even has built-in holders for bottles, which not only keeps things organized during a party, but means that you can use the bar for storage when it's not actively in use. Price: $998.
While the iBar isn't something that many people are likely to have installed in their homes, it may just be the next big design trend for upscale eateries and nightclubs. iBar is an interactive surface system on which any visual content can be projected, including still images and videos. More interesting than that is the fact that the surface uses an intelligent tracking system to digitally keep track of objects on the bar and their position and movements can be tracked with colored lights. The virtual objects can even be interacted with, which would give bar patrons yet another way to entertain themselves.
The ultra-sleek Quench Bar gives the impression that it was wheeled out of a hip nightclub and brought straight home. Made of brushed and polished stainless steel, the bar's most stunning aspect is the placement of two UV-sensitive panels on the front, which glow under the black light that is hidden just under the bar top. It is set on wheels, with castors to prevent unwanted movement, so it is fully mobile. It has a professional layout, stainless steel sink and a removable drip try in the counter, in case any of your friends are a bit clumsy with their cups. A fridge that is designed to fit behind the bar is included, but it will not travel quite as easily as the rest of the bar, which can be disassembled and reassembled in less than 60 minutes. Price: £4,195.
It's hard not to love a good contest, no matter how slim your chances of winning might be, especially when the prize is a good one. In this case, the prize is a custom-built $20,000 home bar from Guinness. The contest is one of design, not merely pure chance. Guinness wants your to submit your own vision of the ultimate home bar, whether built to scale from 2x4's in your yard or sketched on the back of a cocktail napkin. Don't worry if you aren't the greatest artist, though, because after uploading a picture of your creation, you have the chance to describe it. The best bar wins.
You have until July 31st to create your winning design and, since there is only one entry per person, you may as well take your time thinking about it. We'll keep our fingers crossed for all the Luxist readers who decide to enter - and don't hesitate to invite us to the the unveiling of your dream bar.
There was a time when having a home bar meant only one of two things: either you had a full, wet bar or you had a wooden cabinet with some wine, a bottle of whisky and a few glasses stacked on top. Now, there are many non-permanent bars to choose from, like the stylish and modern Amisco Manhattan Bar. The bar is built on a metal frame and has a front panel of stainless steel. Behind the bar, there are three frosted-glass shelves, one of which is actually a workspace for the bartender, and plenty of room for a large collection of drink mixers and glasses. The colors for the bar are not limited to black and silver, as pictured, and can be custom finished with a non-toxic glaze to match the colors of the room you would like to keep it in. For an even more unique look, if you have enough room, two Manhattan bars can be combined to make one large semicircular bar. Price: $1020.
The omission of words can be just as powerful as the addition of them. So when I say that I'm going to go enjoy a cocktail at a bar while the college superbowl whatever-it's-called is going on, I mean exactly that. What a perfect time to go out and enjoy a nice glass of scotch and a cigar; the bars won't be crowded because Johnny Sportsfan will be watching some team that isn't UT play some other team. Meanwhile, it's the perfect time for me to sip a glass of Johnnie Blue Label and not be bothered. While it may seem like a superficial semantic argument, it also reflects on our society turning away from classic bars to hybrid drinking establishments - some with their 60" plasma TVs with the ESPN logo burned in to them, and others filled with loud techno music and females who apparently haven't paid for a drink in their life. Though the cocktail was born in either Boston or New Orleans (I'd prefer to think Boston) and was perfected in the time of prohibition, it's hard to find a quality bar in America these days. I can think of two (
