Bemelmans Bar
A classic Upper East Side institution drawing celebrities, presidents, and socialites, the Carlyle Hotel’s beloved bar is as good today as ever. Its namesake Ludwig Bemelmans, author of the Madeline children’s book series and illustrator for the New Yorker, painted the whimsical murals on the bar’s walls in 1947 in exchange for room and board. These days, a well-heeled crowd gathers after work around the tables for martinis and other classic cocktails (the Gin-Gin Mule is a favorite) accompanied by live jazz.
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