The Gansevoort

 

Here in New York it’s that time of the year when the cocktail scene shifts from inside to outside. Take, for example, The Gansevoort, which opened in the Meatpacking District in 2004 and has been a sensation ever since due, in part, to its “place to be seen” rooftop pool. That rousing success will be recaptured, no doubt, at the new Gansevoort Park Avenue NYC’s tri-level pool and rooftop space (shown at left) opening in July. The hotel will be sure to attract a chic crowd with its wrap-around terraces, event spaces, transparent floors, fireplaces and views of the Empire State Building.

The hotel will be the site of Manhattan’s second Plunge Bar + Lounge, which, among other chic touches, will have a 40-foot-heated, indoor-outdoor swimming pool. A gourmet snack menu will feature lobster rolls. Note: The pool is for guests only during the day before opening to the public at night.

Uptown, we are sad that Rockefeller Center’s Ice Rink has closed for the winter, but we know that means that Rink Bar is open for business, featuring a newly expanded cocktail menu (think mojitos, specialty lemonades and martinis and frozen beverages). It also has some tasty barbecue, we hear, such as a decadent slow-roasted pork shoulder.

Back downtown, the SoHo House rooftop has fantastic views over the West Village and the Hudson River. Members and guests can lie out on loungers or sit tableside for breakfast, lunch, dinner—or just drinks.

The SoHo House also has one of the best brunches going in a city that is famous for the late-morning meal. Here you can brunch poolside next to an all-glass balcony while taking in panoramic city views. Tip: Try the strawberry lemonade cocktail. Made with fresh lemons, muddled strawberries and vodka, it’s a favorite of New York’s fab four: Sex and The City’s Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte. How more New York can you get?