We know that New York City has the best bars in the world, but when the world recognizes our faves, it feels pretty good.

The 50 Best Brand, which also names the 50 Best Restaurants in the world, has unveiled its list of the 50 Best Bars in North America for 2024.

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While the title of No. 1 went to a spot in Mexico City, Handshake Speakeasy, New York City was the most prominent city with a whopping 12 bars making the list: Superbueno (No. 2), Overstory (No. 3), Martiny’s (No. 4), Double Chicken Please (No. 7), Katana Kitten (No. 12), Employees Only (No. 15), Dante (No. 20), Attaboy (No. 31), The Dead Rabbit (No. 33), Maison Premiere (No. 41), Angel’s Share (No. 43) and Milady’s (No. 44).

Most of them have been spotlighted by ’50 Best’ before, but two took home specific honors this time. Martiny’s is the “Nikka Highest Climber Award” because it jumped 25 spots between 2023 and 2024, and Superbueno earned the “Disaronno Highest New Entry Award.”

“Each year, New York continues to excel in delivering the world’s most amazing craft cocktails. In 2024, New York holds 12 of the 26 U.S. listees, including the continent’s highest achievers,” the organization said in its press release.

Apparently, Mexico City is where it’s at right now for the best cocktails! The ’50 Best’ awards ceremony was held there again this year. The city “continues to platform the country’s place as a leader of the global cocktail scene.”

Below are the top 50 Best Bars in North America:

1. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
2. Superbueno, New York
3. Overstory, New York
4. Martiny’s, New York
5. Rayo, Mexico City
6. Jewel of the South, New Orleans
7. Double Chicken Please, New York
8. Thunderbolt, Los Angeles
9. Licorería Limantour, Mexico City
10. Tlecān, Mexico City
11. Zapote Bar, Playa del Carmen
12. Katana Kitten, New York
13. Café La Trova, Miami
14. El Gallo Altanero, Guadalajara
15. Employees Only, New York
16. Aruba Day Drink, Tijuana
17. Café de Nadie, Mexico City
18. La Factoría, San Juan
19. Kumiko, Chicago
20. Dante, New York
21. Civil Liberties, Toronto
22. Service Bar, Washington DC
23. Allegory, Washington DC
24. Botanist Bar, Vancouver
25. Herbs & Rye, Las Vegas
26. Baltra Bar, Mexico City
27. Bekeb, San Miguel de Allende
28. Kaito del Valle, Mexico City
29. Bar Pompette, Toronto
30. True Laurel, San Francisco
31. Attaboy, New York
32. Meadowlark, Chicago
33. The Dead Rabbit, New York
34. Selva, Oaxaca
35. Library by the Sea, Grand Cayman
36. Century Grand, Phoenix
37. Arca, Tulum
38. Pacific Cocktail Heaven, San Francisco
39. Cloakroom, Montreal
40. Bar Mordecai, Toronto
41. Maison Premiere, New York
42. Hanky Panky, Mexico City
43. Angel’s Share, New York
44. Milady’s, New York
45. Brujas, Mexico City
46. Mírate, Los Angeles
47. Cure, New Orleans
48. Best Intentions, Chicago
49. The Keefer Bar, Vancouver
50. Atwater Cocktail Club, Montreal

If you want more top-notch bars to drink at, don’t miss our very own list of the 50 Best Bars in NYC, which include other spots like the Long Island Bar, Bemelmans Bar, Sunken Harbor Club, and Dutch Kills.

* This article was originally published here

The MTV Video Music Awards, widely referred to as the VMAs, first aired from Radio City Music Hall in 1984, making this year’s festivities the program’s 40th. 

For the first time since 2018, the award show will take place in New York once again, this time at the UBS Arena in Queens on September 10.

“We are excited to welcome back the MTV Video Music Awards to New York State,” Governor Kathy Hochul said in an official statement. “From its origins at Radio City Music Hall in 1984 to this September’s event at the UBS Arena, the VMAs continue to captivate millions, showcasing the very best in music video artistry. As we prepare to host this 40th anniversary event, let’s embrace the spirit of creativity and innovation that defines our state’s cultural landscape.”

A confluence of factors make the 2024 iteration of the show super-exciting: not only is it the program’s 40th anniversary, but it’s the first time that the staff will venture out to Long Island. It’s also the first time that UBS Arena gets to host an awards show.

For the past two years, the VMAs have been held at the Prudential Center in New Jersey and, before that, the show had taken over both Manhattan and Brooklyn arenas in addition to spaces across Los Angeles. 

The host of the event and the list of nominees have yet to be announced but, if we may, we’d love to make a few suggestions that honor the event’s anniversary.

Back in 1984, the inaugural broadcast was led by Canadian actor and comedian Dan Aykroyd and the always-phenomenal, NYC resident Bette Midler. Why not call the two back for a second stab at hosting duties?

Performance wise, we know that the roster of acts is intricately connected to the popular songs of the day, but we’d love to see Cyndi Lauper, whose “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” won best female video of the year back then, take the stage to deliver her iconic track in her instantly recognizable tone once more. 

As for tickets, you’ll likely be able to snag some (at a price!) on TicketMaster and the likes but the outlets have not yet released any details about passes. Stay tuned for more news on that front.

* This article was originally published here

One of our favorite New York cocktail mavens is opening a new neighborhood wine bar in Brooklyn: Ivy Mix, co-owner of the great Leyenda over in Carroll Gardens, is part of the founding team behind Whoopsie Daisy, which is set to debut on Wednesday, May 1. A collaboration with Conor McKee and Piper Kristensen of Fiasco! Wine + Spirits, the casual, 35-seat Crown Heights den will be located less than a block from that sibling bottle shop and will spotlight both natural wines and local bites. 

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Aimed at serving “both local community members in need of a high-integrity hangout spot and visitors looking for their next favorite pour,” the beverage list will champion both natural and biodynamic wines, with a focus on diverse producers, low-intervention, and traditional production methods. The bar will work in tandem with Fiasco!, offering an overlapping drinks selection that guests can later find and purchase at the nearby wine and spirits shop to be enjoyed at home.

The drinks program at Whoopsie will be complemented by a similarly thoughtful snack menu: think bread and butter, tinned fish, cheese and charcuterie, and, for something a little sweet, chocolate chip cookies from Ridgewood’s L’imprimerie bakery with locally sourced milk. Food items will largely pull from boutique New York farmers and mongers including Blakesville Creamery, La Salumina, Churchill Creamery, C. Hesse Cheese, and Jake’s Gouda. 

Alongside that local ethos is a dedication to low-waste initiatives, such as the elimination of citrus garnishes for cocktails and reusing wine kegs to round out the wine program. The Whoopsie Daisy team is also aligning itself with partners that share its dedication to sustainability and will regularly host pop-up events featuring winemakers, craft spirit producers and other like-minded retailers. 

Check out some of the food-and-drink offerings, as well as Mix and the rest of the opening team from Whoopsie Daisy below: 

* This article was originally published here