On Saturday July 18 the best cocktail bars in the world were judged at the Tales of the Cocktail Annual Spirited Awards in New Orleans. New York City was well represented. The Dead Rabbit took home awards for the World’s Best Cocktail Bar and Menu.  Employees Only was awarded the Best American Bar Team and High Volume Bar. Ivy Mix, of Leyenda in Brooklyn which opened in May, was named American Bartender of the Year.  Jim Meehan, founder and partner of Please Don’t Tell, won the award for Best Bar Mentor.

One of the most ridiculous things about the modern age, according to the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, is that people are so busy that they never stop to reflect on their lives. He was writing in the 1800s and lives are no less busy now. Cocktail bars offer a space to call a time-out from routines and habits and to savor time with others.

Read more on The Huffington Post here.