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I have something to admit: sometimes, the holiday season turns me into the Grinch. That's what endless playbacks of "Last Christmas" on various radio stations can do to you. I even end up feeling like the Rockettes have not stopped kicking since last Christmas.
And so, I was shocked to find myself actually cheerful at Mariah Carey's new holiday pop-up bar, now open on the fourth floor of Virgin Hotels at 1227 Broadway near 30th Street.
On a frigid Thursday afternoon, one of the first days in Manhattan that truly felt like winter, I arrived at the destination unsure of what would greet me, only aware of the fact that the holiday bar was going to open properly to the general public the next day. As I took off a red and black scarf, I asked myself the obvious question: what is a Mariah Carey holiday bar?
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My question was answered quickly as I was greeted by a Christmas tree made out of bottles of Black Irish cream, Carey's liqueur brand that comes in three flavors: original, white chocolate and salted caramel. Behind the liqueur tree, a red curtain adorned with ornaments and paper snowflakes led us back to a bar showcasing the most seasonal spirit.
Upon walking in, I was handed a “Make My Wish Come True” espresso martini, which went down easily thanks to a smooth combination of peppermint, Black Irish cream and coffee. I stepped back, looped up and took in the space in all of its glory: the high ceilings were adorned with red wrapping paper, while silver tinsel hung from the walls, reminiscent of an all-out-there birthday celebration.
It was fitting, too, because Carey's iconic Christmas album Merry Christmas turned 30 years old in October. Her Yuletide classics have taken on a life of their own, a fact made clear by the man-sized cutout of the “All I Want For Christmas Is You” sheet music on display. I started to reflect on the sneaky difficulty of making holiday music.
We all love “All I Want For Christmas Is You” because it expertly splits the difference between the artist's pop-soul strengths and the familiar sounds of the holiday, like backing choirs and sleigh bells. As I reached for another drink, the mix of Christmas songs over the speakers spoke to this tough balance: “Run Rudolph Run” makes good use of Chuck Berry’s iconic guitar lick, for example, while “Father Christmas” by The Kinks is still still as punchy as any of the band's classics. It's no surprise that only a handful of Christmas songs by popular artists actually stick with us every holiday season.
But back to the extravaganza at hand: with fake snow, disco balls and stuffed penguins all around me, I was spirited by the fact that Carey and Walter Afanasieff had written a Christmas hit so good that it elevated her to holiday royalty, turning Carey into the forever-reigning Queen of Christmas—a superlative that the Mariah Carey Black Irish Holiday Bar (the activation's official moniker) is very well aware of. Let's put it this way: there is an on-site postcard station that encourages attendees to write letters to Carey to tell her what they want for Christmas.
After two martinis, I ended up talking to Black Irish’s CEO, John Herzog, who told me the goal of the pop-up was getting people to “feel the holiday spirit the way they should. It’s all about being festive. On our bottles, we say [it’s] cause for celebration because we believe in celebration, bringing people together, family together, celebrating together, uniting people. That’s what we’re all about.” Whether because of the booze or the obvious holiday cheer around me, my usual Grinch was nowhere to be found.
While I didn’t get snap a photo next to the cardboard cutout of Carey, I left thinking about just how good “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is. Perhaps, I could take a stab at writing my very own Christmas song as well.