Notable Speakeasy: Raines Law Room, Chelsea, NYC
Raines Law Room owes its name to an 1896 law authored by John Raines that said only hotels could serve liquor on Sundays. And only to the guests. Lawmakers designed this law to curtail alcoholic consumption by working men who spent Sundays drinking in saloons. Many places became hotels with "rooms" to sell liquor on Sundays. Speakeasies are having a resurrection in New York. These somewhat hidden bars are popping up, some attempting to recreate the hide-from-the-cops-and-drink-bootleg-whiskey thing. They all have great cocktails to enjoy. After a visit to the Rubin—a Himalayan art museum up the street—we stopped at this hot Chelsea speakeasy for one of their unusual cocktails. We [...]