The Spirit World

The Bar Room at The Modern, at The Museum of Modern Art, is a study on how to place the Bauhaus and twenty-first century Danish design pieces found in the museum in a contemporary, chic, and comfortable setting. 

Several doors east of MoMA on East Fifty-Third Street in New York, a serene white curving tunnel leads you to a metallic reception podium within a large open room bordered by the breathtaking bar and translucent white glass partitions, beyond which are The Modern Restaurant and The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden. 

Sit on the black leather banquette at a high round white marble cocktail table opposite the row of red leather Lotus chairs by Stephan Borgen Hertzog and Flemming Busk, facing the white marble bar, glowing white behind a series of black Mark Albrecht Woven Bar Stools.  The back of the bar consists of floor to ceiling glass curios filled with spa-like decanters and bottles of boutique wines and liquors.  To your right is a wall sized photograph of leaves, both relaxing and unique, entitled “Clearing” by Thomas Demand. 

Two Original Contrasting Cocktails: 

Consisting of St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Hendrick’s Gin and Champagne, the iconic cocktail of the moment is the St. Germain 75. 

I first encountered Hendrick’s Gin at Appellation Wine and Spirits in West Chelsea, New York, and shortly thereafter, much to my surprise, at the bookstore within The Tate Britain, London.  Infused with Bulgarian rose petals and cucumber, distilled, or rather “bathed in vapor” in Scotland, Hendrick’s comes in a perfect black glass bottle that’s a cross between medicinal and poisonous. 

St. Germain is made from elderflowers hand picked over the course of only a few days a year and delivered by bicycle to the specifically invented secretly designed distillery.  The flavor is complicated, but confidently described as sweet, in a sophisticated and subtle manner. 

Champagne is simply always a good choice. 

Served in a highball glass by Erik Bagger, curving at the top, filled with small bits of ice, accompanied by a black straw – the presentation is disappointing.  The more celebratory champagne flute is preferred.  With its witchy stem – thin, thick, and thin again – meeting at the traditional Tiffany shaped stem mirroring bowl, Erik Bagger’s champagne glass is the perfect replacement. 

Derived from the French 75, a pre-prohibition cocktail, the St. Germain 75 could be served in this way without compromising its inspirational accuracy.  Alternating versions of the French 75 recipe call for either crushed ice in a highball or neat in a champagne flute. 

In the cocktails present form the ice melts before a third of the glass is consumed, drowning the flavor and temperature.  The initial taste, however, brings forth an ecstatic, somewhat childlike smile, and the effect is one not dissimilar from good absinthe. 

For a less flirty contrast, the Cucumber Caipiroska, made of Hanger One Buddha’s Hand Vodka and Fresh English Cucumber Juice, requires a more mature palette. 

Infused with the whole Buddha’s Hand Citron, a citrus fruit, Hanger One has an unusual and complex flavor, which adds a slight layer to the smart and detoxifying taste of the cucumber juice.  Presented with integrity in Erik Bagger’s lowball glass, this is the more successful cocktail.  The lowball glass has a thick heavy base and the signature proportion of that series: Erik Bagger designed for The Copenhagen Opera Restaurants.  In this case the effect is one of solidity.  The choice of glass matches the personality of the cocktail. 

The staff at The Bar Room are lovely.  The hostesses are marked by their kindness, and the waiters are enthusiastically accommodating. 

The Bar Room has a chic colorful flowery atmosphere and I recommend either the traditional black or a risky original ensemble – be brave, the visionaries who inspired the decor certainly were. 

As an experience living within a vibrant combination of Bauhaus and twenty-first century Danish design, The Bar Room is exquisite.  It demonstrates that these functional art pieces work – to improve life through beauty, intelligence, and performance.  As an art instillation within the museum it should inspire you to make visits to MoMA a regular aspect of your life. 

To read more on the designers and artist: 

Lotus chairs by Stephan Borgen Hertzog and Flemming Busk

• http://www.globefurniture.net/pdf/47900-Chair.pdf 
• http://www.skypadfurniture.com/busk.html 

Mark Albrecht Woven Bar Stools

• http://momastore.org/museum/moma/ProductDisplay_Woven%20Bar%20Stool_10451_10001_17374_-1_11461_11467_null_shop_ 
• http://www.markalbrechtstudio.com/ 

“Clearing” by Thomas Demand

• http://thomasdemand.de/ 

Erik Bagger designed for The Copenhagen Opera Restaurants

• http://www.erikbagger.dk/

Recipes sent from The Bar Room at The Modern at MoMA: 

St. Germain 75 

Fill highball ¾ full of ice 
2 oz.    Hendricks Gin 
2 oz.    St. Germain Elderflower Liquor 
½ oz.   Lemon Juice 
½ oz.   Simple Syrup 
2 oz.    Sparkling Wine 

Add each ingredient in the order listed.  Simply stir (no need for shaking) before adding the sparkling wine!  (If possible, crushed ice makes a better drink) 

Note: This is a take on a classic drink, the French 75.  Originally it was served with crushed ice.  We add a very new limited liquor that uses fresh elderflower blossoms.  It is the first of its kind to use fresh blossoms.  It took the company four years to perfect it.  

Cucumber Caipiroska by Fionn Knyper

1 oz.    English Cucumber Juice
2          English Cucumber Wheels
2          Lemons
½ oz.   Simple Syrup
Splash Lemon Juice
1½ oz.  Hanger One Buddha’s Hand
Splash  Soda Water

Muddle Cucumber Wheels, Lemons, and Simple Syrup
Add Ice
Add remaining ingredients except Soda Water
Shake and serve in a Highball Glass
Top with Soda Water

The Modern
The Museum of Modern Art
9 West 53rd Street
(between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
New York, NY 10019
http://www.themodernnyc.com/