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In preparation for tonight' Whiskey Fest 2008, the folks from Woodford Reserve Bourbon's hosted a little shimmy at Apotheke to show off their Master's Collection. We chatted, we laughed, we learned. Most importantly, we slurped down a few Fallen Leaves, a delicious cocktail made with Woodford infused with bay leaves, house bitters, agave nectar, fresh lime and a bay leaf-rubbed rim. The recipe just worked. More...

Courtesy of NY Times What do you do with a roof bar once the weather turns cold? Greg Brieris dealing with this very problem at Highbar, a smash success this summer. But, you know, it like doesn't have a roof, so the changing seasons are going to have a direct impact on Greg's business model. Not to worry, the roof will remain open through the winter, covered by a "a transparent tent with heat lamps". In addition, guests will have access to a "sleek penthouse lounge one level below the rooftop, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Eighth Avenue". It onbiously won't be the same, but the Highbar folks hope it will sustain them until the warm weather returns. [NY Times] A Little Birdy was in Soho Thursday night and walked upon the scene that is Origine. The report? Shit show. According to our LB, "there was an overflow crowd pouring onto Spring Street, and you could hear Naughty By Nature at level 11. Heavy B&T." Well, everyone needs to have fun, but we can't imagine the residents appreciate a full fledged nightclub operating in what was meant to be a restaurant. We give this one 3 months before the community crushes it out of existence. [DBTH] Winter means cocktails to warm the spirit. The back bar at Freemans whpped us up a Dark Rum Mojito, which did indeed give us a warm, tingly feeling inside after just coming in from the cold. Delicious. Just in time for Veteran's Day, two versions of the MacArthur cocktail. One is rum based, the other made with brandy. There really are cocktails for every occassion. More...

The Place: The Hill, a new sports bar in Murray Hill. The Time: A recent Saturday night, 8:36. The Mission: Talk to every college-football obsessive in the house. More...

David Jaffee wears many hats. Banker, promoter, ladies man. And just like you, he is susceptible to the dips in the economy. Steve Lewis caught up with the Jaff, who seems to be a bit confused over which of his two chosen professions, Banking or Nightlife, offers him the most lucrative opportunity in this crazy world. Jaff says there are positives and negatives to both, but to him "nightlife is more reliable. You get paid in seven days or just close shop and move the party to one of a hundred competitors. It’s easy to move around, and there are no human resource department bureaucracies or entanglements. It’s OK, let’s try it; bang—it works, we do it again, or else I move on.” So will he move on? The Jaff worries that an Obama administration will make London and Dubai even stronger against the US, but that doesn't mean he is giving up. He will just keep trying to make it happen here, and we heart him for it. More...

Congratulations to Gradient Magazine on their recent launch. They celebrate tonight at the Citrine with something called Inocente tequila, which to us sounds just a wee bit creepy. Can you imagine ordering a shot of this stuff? "Give me 2 shots of chilled Inocente". Shudder. More...

The changing leaves means its time for PDT's Jim Meehan to roll out the Fall edition of his ever changing cocktail menu. We spent some time with Jim earlier this year and had a chance to discuss the increased use of absinthe in the City's cocktail dens, and as you can see above, the spirit is prevelant in the new drinks. We are particulary intrigued by the Mean Green Deacon. Looks like we need to get our 4:00 dialing fingers ready. [via Grub Street] More...

"] You may be sick of voting. Or you may just think DBTH sucks. No matter, DBTH has been nominated by PAPER Magazine as the Best Nightlife Blog of 2008, and we are asking for your support. If we don't win, we just don't know what we would do. Probably cry. A lot. So please vote. Please. For us. OK? OK. More...

No one enjoyed the construction boom more than the hotel industry. Cheap loans and an influx of tourists taking advantage of a weak dollar created a hotel construction bonanza that may never be seen here again, with visitors barely batting an eye at room prices pushing $500 a night. But the pending recession and expected drop off of international visitors will probably end the construction boom, and the number of glitzy hotel openings is about to wrap up. So is there anything left to be excited for? Our friends at Curbed tackled the soon to open Cooper Square and semi-opened Thompson LES this week (complete with Andy Warhol pool). Then there is the still under construction Mondrian NYC, Gansevoort Park Ave, and the star studded Ace Hotel, which is gunning for a February 1st unveiling. But after that, the good times may indeed be over. Industry experts tell us that City has never had so much inventory, which was great when every Irish person with a passport was willing to shell out $400 a night. But expect rates to soften and vacancies and weekend specials to increase, as operators hope to generate enough revenue to pay off their debt load. And if that happens, expect developers to unload property or hold off until the residential market strengthens, at which time they can make a move to greener and more lucrative pastures. More...

Far from the flyer peddlers and the two-drink minimums are some of the city's best indie-comedy shows. More...

Our good friends at Urban Daddy provide the scoop on RDV (short for Rendevouz), a new lounge which has opened beneath Bagatelle on 13th Street in the Meatpacking District. According to the Daddy, "breeze into RDV and you'll feel like you've walked into an elegant turn-of-the-century European hotel. Mismatched antique couches abound for you to pick your seating poison—leather, cow fur, velvet or Thai silk ... Potted green palm trees and golden framed mirrors set the mood for late-night candlelit debauchery... and maybe a game of chess. Better yet, make that foosball—they've got an antique table awaiting your sensitive touch." The best part could be ordering Dom by the glass. The worst part (for you at least) is it's still only open for private parties and you have to call Kiss and Fly to Make one. Boo hoo. But they will be letting you in soon enough - unless the Community Board finds out about it first. More...

At just 28, Daniel Squadron is one of the youngest candidates ever elected to the New York State Senate. So why is this young buck considered to be the greatest threat to New York City nightlife since Prohibition? Squadron's has proposed numerous changes to the current the liquor license application process, and seeks to make local Community Board's reccomendations a binding judgement on applications as well as create "SLA Community Enforcement Teams" for new "High Density Residential Zones" to keep nightlife's impact on residents to a minimum. Despite what you think of these ideas, the question now is what chances do a Junior State Senator from Brooklyn have of getting this legislation passed? Since the State is about to go through another painful round of budget cuts, and property owners are going to continue looking for tenants to fill empty retail spaces, it seems that this may not be a top priority for veteran legislators. But if somehow it does pass, we only hope that the Senator, who we know and like, makes himself available to attend each and every meeting of his local Community Board to make sure that potential operators are given a fair shake. More...

Last night's City wide street party wasn't pleasant for everyone. Apparently, the NYPD had some fun roughing up the tight pants revelers on Beford Avenue. This is the most violence the Billyburg crowd has experienced since the Kickball Wars of Summer 08. More...

Well, it's finally over and there was no shortage of election viewing parties all over the city. CNN called it early at 11pm meaning most of us who were out could celebrate confidently. A little birdy checked in from Brooklyn reporting that 'Flatbush was off the chain'. Awesome. We ended up right in the middle of the Meat at Tenjune. Interestingly, Chicago's third biggest celebrity behing the two O's was not at Grant Park, but holding down the fort at Tenjune. That's right- His Royal Airness was in the house. God bless America! More...

If only behaviour were as civilised on 27th St [Urbanite] Where to watch tonight (the sequel) [Metromix via GoaG] Same old, same old [NYM] If you can't stand the heat, don't live at the Caledonia [Curbed] More...

AvroKo's Double Crown and Madam Geneva opened to great fanfare in September of this year, but could this project be the first miss after the design firm's lengthy string of extra base hits? Double Crown has been rocked with several bad reviews, and it appears to have taken a toll on business. A Little Birdy snapped this photo of the space last night, saying "this is the back room at Double Crown last night at 7:00. Empty. The main room had a few tables eating, but it was basically dead." Our LB goes on to say that the restaurants across the street (Quartino, Bianca, Von) and Gemma were fairly crowded, leading us to believe that Double Crown's concept has not caught on, and we could see an overhaul soon. Double Crown Coverage [DBTH] More...

On Election Day 2008, this country will either elect its first African American president or its first female vice-president. This momentous occasion celebrates and reinforces the amazing diversity of the American population. Following this theme, Michelob's subway advertising campaing reminds us that their brew masters also celebrate diversity, offering Americans a variety pack of 4 craft beers, in addition to the classic recipe. Huzzah for Michelob! Huzzah for Diversity! Huzzah for America! More...

It's still Halloween in Dubai [HC] We get it, you need a job [GoaG] Parties for political animals [Racked and Gothamist] Recession now hitting our drunk food [NYM] More...

Cocktails are one area in which we are firm believers that "less is more". But in today's high stakes world of mixology, cockatil chefs are constantly striving to one up each other, using exotic ingredients and wild combinations to create a signature drink menus to put their bar or name on the map. But are the results worth the effort? In NoCal, Scott Beattie of Cyprus felt a need to push the limits of his cocktail menu to compete with the chef's award winning dishes. The result is visually stunning cocktails made with ingredients ranging from shredded dianthus petals, pickled fennel and shiso leaves. But does it all amount to putting lipstick on a pig? The beauty of a drink is most often in it's simplicity, a simple shot (or two) of a quality spirit in a glass. Classic cocktails often invovle less than 5 ingredients, and the best have remained popular with revelers for centuries. We admire Beattie's creativity, and would love to saddle up to a pitcher of his Painful Punch, but we long for simpler times when we could get a rum punch without having to wait for someone to toast spices and simmer with fresh squeezed fruit juices for 30 minutes. If it does tickle your fancy, then you should check out Beattie's new book Artisinal Cocktails and spend an evening making them for yourself at home. Garden Shrubbery in a Glass [WSJ] Cocktail Coverage [DBTH] More...

Den (of iniquity) mother. More...

Must you sometimes pay a lot to be entertained? Absolutely. Must you always? Absolutely not. A week’s worth of high-end entertainment, and low-cost alternatives. More...

Bob Cenedella has been warming the same stool at Nancy Whiskey for the past two decades. What makes it the best cheap bar in the city? We asked Bob. More...

It's Halloween and... Cops are robbers [Gothamist] Even in that slutty outfit, you can't get in [NYM] There are some new kiddies on the block [Papermag] We're back in the 80s [Gothamist] More...

If you don't have plans yet for tonight... you're fucked. Guess you can probably watch the parade. Who are we kidding. It's shaping up to be an epic shitshow, so just about anywhere with booze is going to be nuttier than chinese chicken salad. If you are looking for something, check out our list of event compiled by DBTH readers here. More...

Halloween isn't even over and the birdy wire is already heating up with New Year's event info. Ah, that annual pilgrimage to South Beach for $500 open bar hotel parties. One early announcement of note is at the new Fontainebleu. The setting for James Bond's Goldfinger has undergone a $1 billion transformation and is ready for its coming out party. Now featuring a restaurant lineup with Hakkasan and Scarpetta among others and a new nightclub Liv, run by Dave Grutman's MMG, NYE at the Fontianebleu will feature Adam Levine of Maroon 5 doing a poolside show at midnight. More...

Got your plans set yet? This little birdy will be at the MGMT show in Brooknam. We hear the after party is at Southside. So here is one last flyer follies for Halloween. There has been a lot of chatter about this one. With Noah, Jason and Upstairs czar Danny A promoting this, I htink we all know how it will end up. Interesting turn that Lucky Strike has taken (and probably a smart one) to get nightlife promoters on their new venues. Tommy Pooch did a weekly at Lucky Strink in Miami and now this. I guess they're hoping the Strategic crew can do to Lucky Strike what they did for Tao. More...