Love it or loathe it, this is the month when romance with a capital “Valentine’s” takes center stage. My take? Whether you’re comfortably coupled up, looking for love or solo-sassy, everyone can use a little more romance in their lives. I don’t mean the commercially driven, schmaltzy greeting card stuff. I’m talking “romance” defined as “a quality or feeling of mystery, excitement, and remoteness from everyday life.” We all deserve a thrilling detour from our daily grind.
With that in mind, this month we’re slipping into someplace that hearkens back to a more stylish and sophisticated era: Club RaYé. This romantic jazz club and piano bar with its striking black and white décor recalls the bygone glamour of the 30’s. Order up a Neg Marron cocktail and lose yourself in the live music.
If you can’t manage to escape the warmth of your apartment, make one at home for a mini mental break. At the club, they pair the cocktail with Roquefort tartlets, but for the no-stress home version, opt for a few simple slices of whatever blue cheese you have on hand.
Ingredients
- 4,5cl Legendario (rum liqueur)
- 2cl Haiti rum
- .75cl Amaro
- 2cl lime juice
- 6cl apple juice
- 1 barspoon fig marmalade
Instructions
- Shake and serve over ice.
- Garnish with apple slices.
- Should you wish to replicate the full bar experience, go all out with additional garnishes of fig caramelized in Angostura bitters, mint sprig and grated nutmeg.
Address
26, rue Dussoubs, Paris 75002
LES LOLOS Tip: Head back again in early March when they launch midnight weekend burlesque performances at the downstairs Kafka lounge. For more fun, ask nicely at the bar for the location of the hidden door to their secret upstairs speakeasy, “L’Appartement.”
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