Absolut Icebar!!! I've always been curious, i'm still dying to visit the Ice Hotel some day ~ and ironically, this little excursion wasn't even part of the official Absolut event/weekend. Apparently the Icebar changes its design twice a year, and it happened to be closed Oct 26 to Nov 1, so today was the first day it reopened, but, just barely! (Opening party is tomorrow night!) Luckily, i was able to stay an extra day, and they managed to get us in today. So here is a first look at the latest ~ "Factory" designed by Sofi Ruotsalainen and Nille Nilsson. Along with the completely new space, there is also a brand new menu! It's quite amazing, you enter through the little store passageway where you see racks of ponchos with gloves clipped on... then into the airlock... and into the ice bar! Within the ice bar (which is literally wall to wall ice) there are ice sculptures, an ice display (looking like an upright arcade game), the bar and more... the giant red "Don't Push" button - is totally ok to push. As long as you're cool with the light flashing! (So fun!) Also playful are some of the Icebar goods ~ you can buy a replica glass (that won't melt!), a puffy jacket of a laptop sleeve, matches, and other silliness... This is one of three Absolut Icebars ~ the first was in the Ice Hotel, this one is in the Nordic Sea Hotel and is open year round, as is the one in Below Zero London. See all the fun on the next page, as cold as my fingers got, i couldn't help taking a bunch of pics, and they even let me take pics from behind the bar!

TO PAGE 2 of "Absolut Icebar Stockholm: Factory"! ----->

Tags: absolut - bar - drinks - gifts - ice - liqurious - shopping - stockholm - travel

From Unica Home we made our way to Frankie's Tiki Room... and WOW. Seriously. While in Vegas, wtf are you doing on the strip? Go to Frankie's! It is dripping with tiki bar lore, and art works from many of our favorite contemporary tiki loving artists (so much SHAG-aliciousness!)... and even an exclusive set of custom Tiki Souvenir Mugs! Not to mention the awesome old school neon signage on the front of this 24 hour joint that just opened last month! Soooooo, there will be three posts on Frankie's since there was too much to show you in just one!

First up ~ photographic look at Frankie's and my very strong drinks and giddy view of the tiki wonders... so go see the pics on the next page, and i'll slip more info in there, but you really need to see more first!

TO PAGE 2 of "Frankie's Tiki Room Las Vegas"! ----->

Tags: art - bar - drinks - liqurious - travel

Crate and Barrel Taka Trunk - when i saw this over at Uncrate - all i could think was Pirate. Bar. Coffee Table! It has those great woody hinges, hides your loot, and even when open provides table space on the sides... Talk about the last place your guests would expect to find your bar... See more pics on the next page!

TO PAGE 2 of "Taka Trunk - Pirate Bar/Coffee Table"! ----->

Tags: bar - drinks - furniture - gifts - shopping - wood