A couple of weeks ago, I stopped through one of our favorite New York drink joints (and 2008 Hot Lister), the golden-era throwback PDT, where I found Don Lee manning the bar. Computer scientist by day, cocktailian by night, he mixed me and my date some Staggeracs (George T. Stagg bourbon, Angostura and Peychaud's bitters and Absinthe Edouard) and demonstrated an impressive array of pocket square folds. The night finally ended with a Mt. Vernon (Clear Creek Kirschwasser, Gran Duque d'Alba Brandy de Jerez, Toro Albala 1979 PX Sherry, Cherry Heering, and grapefruit juice) and a fuzzy cab ride home.

[Note: PDT's spring menu kicks in soon--bar manager Jim Meehan says he hopes this Sunday--so hop to if you want to sip on any leftover winter wonders.]

Fast forward to the release of Conde Nast Traveler's May Hot List issue. Another of our favorite guys behind blurry cab rides: Tailor's Eben Freeman. A man after our own hearts, Freeman is quite the globe-trotter. This February, he was in London to carbonate, vaporize--create--the Mojito of the Future. For a little while, he's sticking around Tailor, playing with beet sangria and huitalacoche mescal. But Freeman's next trip will roll around soon enough, when he's off to New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail, where it seems like everyone in the spirits world will be mixing, lecturing, and sipping. Freeman will lead a seminar on molecular mixology, during which Tales-goers can munch on his Ramos Gin Fizz marshmallows. Cocktail in a bite; why not?

More reading:
* Video: Hot List: New York
* Don Lee's all over the place!
* Please don't tell...but we will
* Check out Tailor's bar menu