It is a rare year when Ryan and I have big plans for New Years Eve. We tend to be early risers by nature, and by the time the holidays are winding down, we are generally over all the big nights out. But this year was a little different.
Prague is, apparently, one of the biggest destinations for New Years in all of Europe. The main square was filled with shoulder to shoulder people, Times Square New York style. Roman candles were being set off left and right, bottles smashed... so not our scene.
So thank goodness we know how to do research. Ryan found that Prague’s famous Hemingway Bar hosts a pretty festive and special New Year’s event. For the equivalent of $40 USD, paid for at least a month in advance, you are guaranteed a table and treated to two glasses of good champagne accompanied by a bevy of apps. And the cocktails were amazing. Ryan ordered a Manhattan which came with a sugared mint leaf to offset the sweet tartness of the drink, in the vein of how salt complements chocolate or caramel. Our server was delightfully knowledgeable on both liquor and champagne. She knew the exact flavor notes of the two champagnes I tried and she could describe the differences between various types of whiskey. And she reveled in the telling--not in a manner of showing off, but in genuinely wanting to provide the best service possible. It was a magnificent experience and I can see why the Hemingway Bar is a "must do" in Prague. I’m glad we didn’t pass it up this time around!
When New Years hit at midnight, the sky became a flurry of fireworks, and from inside the bar and our hotel it sounded like a war of celebration was occurring outside. As we stood on the steps of the hotel to watch the last of the fireworks across the sky before retiring for the night, we marveled how we were the only two people out on the quiet street in front of the Carlo IV, a stark contrast to the bustle and pandemonium of Old Town Prague, we knew this was the start of a New Year that we would never forget. Cheers to making memories in 2019!
Prague is, apparently, one of the biggest destinations for New Years in all of Europe. The main square was filled with shoulder to shoulder people, Times Square New York style. Roman candles were being set off left and right, bottles smashed... so not our scene.
So thank goodness we know how to do research. Ryan found that Prague’s famous Hemingway Bar hosts a pretty festive and special New Year’s event. For the equivalent of $40 USD, paid for at least a month in advance, you are guaranteed a table and treated to two glasses of good champagne accompanied by a bevy of apps. And the cocktails were amazing. Ryan ordered a Manhattan which came with a sugared mint leaf to offset the sweet tartness of the drink, in the vein of how salt complements chocolate or caramel. Our server was delightfully knowledgeable on both liquor and champagne. She knew the exact flavor notes of the two champagnes I tried and she could describe the differences between various types of whiskey. And she reveled in the telling--not in a manner of showing off, but in genuinely wanting to provide the best service possible. It was a magnificent experience and I can see why the Hemingway Bar is a "must do" in Prague. I’m glad we didn’t pass it up this time around!
When New Years hit at midnight, the sky became a flurry of fireworks, and from inside the bar and our hotel it sounded like a war of celebration was occurring outside. As we stood on the steps of the hotel to watch the last of the fireworks across the sky before retiring for the night, we marveled how we were the only two people out on the quiet street in front of the Carlo IV, a stark contrast to the bustle and pandemonium of Old Town Prague, we knew this was the start of a New Year that we would never forget. Cheers to making memories in 2019!
