East Ville des Folies

Saturday, I went to East Ville des Folies, an incredible beer and whiskey tasting at Webster Hall. I haven't set foot in Webster Hall in about 3 years because I've always had drunk girls fall on me, but since this was a daytime event, and presumably classy. It was. Bravo, Webster Hall, bravo.
Admittedly, I got to the event a little late because, well, I had to pick my shirt up from the cleaners and I spent about 20 minutes alone tying my bow tie. So I think that's the reason I didn't see any of the promised burlesque, unfortunately. But my friend and I got right into the event, got our tasting glasses (a tiny beer stein) and got started.

We began tasting whiskeys on the ground floor in room of phonographs operated by M&M Phonograph Works. The perfectly tinny sound was amplified through two speakers in the room.

In that first room, I asked one of the vendors if she thought whiskey drinkers were born or made. I'm not a whiskey drinker, really, but I feel like it's more because I just haven't found the right whiskey yet. The woman I spoke to said it was a combination of being born a whiskey drinker and becoming one, so that gives me hope I can learn to enjoy it. I made the rounds of that room and there was only one whiskey that didn't make go down like kerosene. I gave up and went upstairs to try beer.

Ah, beer. What foamy deliciousness! I used to hate beer but I grew to love it, and I think this is why I keep trying to drink whiskey.

The balcony in the Grand Ballroom

Gelber & Manning

I found a few beers to love in the Grand Ballroom: Aguila from Colombia, Cristal from Peru, the Italian Moretti (original) and the Curious Traveler, a delicious shandy that is probably great during the summer.

I gave my liver a break while watching the amazing aerial performances:

And then I soaked up some of the liquor with crazy-rich macaroni and cheese from 'S Mac. I make a habit of eating no one's mac 'n cheese but my mom's, but their tomato-basil version was too much for me to resist.

My friend and I closed out the night by taking a portrait with Al Capone. Not a bad guy.

I like this bow tie. It's a pain in the ass to tie, though.

Jealous of our mustaches? You should be. 

I can't wait for this event to come around again. It wasn't a dancing crowd, which I always love to see and sometimes like to join, but it was fun nonetheless. Maybe next time I'll drink the whiskey and actually know what I'm tasting.

Disclosure: The event's organizers provided me with two complimentary tickets. But it was still fun.