death in the afternoon

So it turns out that the idea of a cocktail combining champagne and absinthe was much better in theory than in reality.

I had been bugging Zoe about going to White Star, Sasha Petraske's "sipping spirits bar" on the Lower East Side, after reading about the Hemingway-inspired cocktail called Death in the Afternoon. I've had fun times with absinthe in Germany and in Prague, so I have a lot of love for the green liquid. And champagne—come on, what girl doesn't love bubbly? It seemed like the perfect drink. Until it wasn't.

Oh dear ... it was not at all the yummiest drink I've ever had. Absinthe without the caramelized sugar was just overpowering to me. I've never liked anise flavor in the first place, so I guess dunking the Green Fairy in my champagne was never going to be pleasant for me. And the resulting hangover was not pleasant. I found myself wishing for death at about 5AM curled up on my bed. Champagne hangovers are not wonderful to begin with but add the little green monster and you'll be crying for mommy.

Not to say I'd never come back to White Star. I would. I'd just steer clear of Death in the Afternoon.

Where: White Star is located at 21 Essex Street, New York, NY 10002 near Hester Street