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Erin Lichy, the 37-year-old star of The Real Housewives of New York City, might have been the subject of a little playful teasing for claiming to have brought mezcal stateside on a recent episode of the hit Bravo show, but she’s clearly not missing a beat.
Capitalizing on the buzz, Lichy and her husband Abe, who launched their mezcal brand Mezcalum in 2023, are taking things to the next level. The couple has partnered with the innovative cocktail and mocktail maker Bartesian to launch the company’s first mezcal offering: the Mezcalita capsule collection, which whips up mezcal-based drinks at the click of a button.
Ahead of the product's launch, currently available in eight-packs for about $25, Lichy took the time to discuss her passion for the spirit with Time Out New York, also opening up about starring in Andy Cohen's hit reality show, listing her favorite family-friendly activities in NYC and more.
On what she loves about mezcal
"I am very health conscious and care about everything that I put in my body but I always had a blind spot when it came to alcohol. I discovered that tequila has a lot of additives so I started paying attention to mezcal and learned that it is cleaner."
On her favorite mezcal-serving bars around NYC
"Our mezcal brand is now served at the Plaza, at Cipriani and at Café Maud, for example. At Saint Theo's, they make this really awesome cocktail with the spirit that is so simple and delicious. I love that we are on menus in restaurants because people get to try it."
On her experience on the cast of The Real Housewives of New York
"I didn't know what to expect when I signed on. I just went into it blindly. The experience is interesting and unlike anything that I can compare it to. You have deep connections with people on the show and then they are broken down into pieces by episode. It's a very interesting environment that you have to live through to understand. All these things happen when you are face-to-face with someone but then they happen again when you re-watch the episodes and that factors into your friendships."
On her favorite date night restaurants in NYC
"We love Il Cantinori because it's a timeless Italian restaurant where the food is good. We go there quite a lot. We also love Via Carota and this place on the Upper West Side called Gennaro. It's been there for 30 years and serves simple Italian food."
On her go-to local bookstore
"I am an avid reader and always say I need to start a book club because I'm constantly reading. I love Shakespeare & Co. on the Upper West Side. They don't have everything but they curate their offerings very well."
On what she likes to do and where she likes to go with her kids
"In the winter it is kind of hard but we recently went ice skating with the kids and that was really fun. We've gone to Bryant Park but, this time, we went to Brookfield. They have so many things there: movies, lunch, ice skating.
In terms of family-friendly restaurants, we like JG Melon, Orsay and Dagon, where we eat absolutely delicious Mediterranean food."
On hosting friends and family in NYC apartments
"Do not be afraid to host because you have a small space. There are always ways to make it work: bring in a folding table or move a couch out of the way, for example. Sometimes, those intimate spaces are better."