The older I get, the fewer drinks I like

It’s not a “bad experience on vacation that one time” kind of thing – I think I’m just getting pickier.

These days I pretty much only drink gin or wine (red October-February, rosé the rest of the year).

That said, I’m a sucker for a fancy cocktail and my sister has even gotten me into mezcal. And while I used to love a good dirty martini, these days I’m all about sweet drinks.

Specifically, negronis. I’m negroni obsessed. They’re painful when they’re too sweet but a cocktail that gets the perfect ratio of Campari to gin and vermouth – that’s where it’s at.

My favorite negroni- and current favorite cocktail – is only available during the summer at a small outdoor Italian small plates restaurant on a quiet corner in Chelsea.

It’s the frozen negroni at Alta Linea at the High Line Hotel, and you need to get yourself one ASAP.

I mean, just look at it! It’s beautiful! It has a boozy frozen core with a Campari floater that melts into the ideal ratios.

It’s definitely on the sweet side but it’s frozen which makes everything ok. The food at Alta Linea is also good, although I haven’t been since last summer so I can’t do a proper review.

Yesterday my boyfriend and I stopped by for a perfect (albeit windy) cocktail hour and then attempted to go to Tia Pol for dinner, which was closed for a private party. So instead we went to Pastai, an Italian place with homemade pasta that wasn’t as good as I remembered.

We started with a shaved kale salad with apples and goat cheese which was pretty good.

Then my boyfriend got the shrimp scampi and I got the torchio alla Genovese with flank steak ragu. For all its meatiness, it wasn’t very flavorful but the pasta was clearly fresh and made from scratch so I’ll give them that.

Anyway, point is, next time you’re in Chelsea, hit up Alta Linea for the best summer cocktail NYC has to offer. Then, follow it up with Cookshop,  Westville, Tia Pol – or another negroni.