SCV: How’d you find this spot?
Dan: This actually used to be a gay bar called “Boys Room.” It was disgusting inside. Everything was blacked out, it was so gross. They closed the bar and left all the alcohol inside at the bar. The actually bar we kept because it’s so cool but we totally re-finished it. We signed the lease and applied for licenses in mid-April and it just took off.
(He pointed out the finishing and said that he and his partners did much of it by hand it by hand. Pictures of all the work can be found on their Destination’s website and blog, www.destinationbarnyc.com/)
SCV: Is the alcohol being served tonight the alcohol that the last owners left behind?
Dan: No, no! This is all brand new alcohol.
SCV: Just checking. So, what is your main goal with Destination?
Dan: I like to look at this as a marrying of the old guard and new guard to create a place that anyone would want to spend time in.
I congratulated him again and continued to take all that Destination had to offer. Dan & Co. had definitely succeeded in brightening up the venue. The walls were brightly painted and the front doors were completely open, eventually allowing for passer-bys to wander in from off the street. Around seven, the servers passed canapies – the owners very own creation of whiskey-laced rice crispy treats. (One could smell the aroma of whiskey before the servers even passed you by).
Dan also noted that the kitchen is not fully functioning yet but should be in about 2 weeks, at which point Destination will live up to the latter part of it’s name (the Grille part).
But wait! The owners of Destination one more treat in store for its inaugural attendees: Jell-O shots! Who doesn’t love Jell-O shots? (Don’t lie, you know you still do them.) These were not ordinary Jell-O shots either, they had names, such as the Jello-rita, Jello-politan, Jello-Fuzzy-Navel, did I mention the embedded tequila?
Needless to say, it was excellent, assuming one is into Jello shots.
Other attendees included cNet staff writer Caroline McCarthy, comedy and Huffington Post writer Caroline Waxler, and Silicon Valley Insider’s senior editor Dan Fromer, as well as countless others who were long-time friends of Dan’s and his partners.
Friends and partners from what I could tell whom had an affinity for the occasional Jello shot…
Destination Bar and Grille, 211 Avenue A (at 13th Street), http://destinationbarnyc.com/
Keith Lew’s link and photo gallery can also be found here. Much thanks to Keith for his generosity.
