More than sixty of New York City’s bars and restaurants have signed on to serve three delicious seasonal cocktails as a fundraiser for local nonprofit organization City Harvest. “Cocktails For A Cause” will officially run all over town from Monday, March 23rd through Monday, March 30th and to celebrate the program’s launch, the Meatpacking District would play host to a special kickoff party on Thursday night.  Sponsored by Bacardi, Grey Goose and Bombay Sapphire, the Thrillist led showcase would emanate inside of The Standard Downtown’s famed High Line Room. A few hundred guests would revel in the philanthropy of the evening with unlimited drinks, light passed around fare and a wacky photo booth to capture the night’s particularly memorable (or forgettable) moments.

The tasteful three hour affair kicked off just as the sun was setting over the Hudson River, with picturesque views of the surrounding neighborhood aided by the music being pumped out by DJ duo Jonathan Keyes and Yehuda and enhanced by live roaming sax player Kareem Wilkes. Guests sauntered in at their leisure, sipping on each of the three handcrafted cocktails. The “Bacardi 8 Old Fashioned” was our favorite of the trio (an old fashioned with rum, you ask?) though the “Grey Goose Martini” and the “Bombay Sapphire Bramble” were certainly tasty in their own right. Deliciously authentic without being overly strong, the “Old Fashioned” was the perfect comfort cocktail given the wintry weather outside.

 

Weaving through groups of attendees, the wait staff doled out the likes of “Mini Truffled Grilled Cheese,” “Wagyu Beef Skewers” and “Pulled Pork Sliders” into the vulturing hands of guests scattered throughout the space. Though the food was meant to be paired specifically with each drink, most in the house just grabbed at whatever was nearby and washed it down accordingly. The evening certainly was focused on the refreshing drinks being poured- and the stunning models that served as eye candy at each cocktail table- but Thrillist’s pledge of $5 donations per social media upload with hashtag #SipForACause left just about all of the scenesters inside reaching for their phones all evening long.

For a full list of participating restaurants and to learn more about how ordering a single cocktail can mean you doing the right thing for once, check out Thrillist now.

- Dave Gendelson