Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/188061
A LONE STAR LIFE From Dallas with Love JUST LIKE DIAMONDS, THE LIBRARY BAR IS FOREVER by Anthony Head / photos by Kirk Weddle I f I were a secret agent (and I'm not, as far as you're concerned), when a mission takes me to Dallas, I would always meet up with my contact from the "other side" at the Library Bar at the Warwick Melrose Hotel. Yes, Dallas boasts many of the world's über-stylish hotels, but the Warwick Melrose is stylish and historic (built in 1924) and grand—and the Library is a destination bar that's not to be missed. So, if my contact is a man (shudder—I mean, why the hell would I get into this spying business to meet men?), we'd exchange information at the long, marbletopped bar with comfy stools and a brass foot-rail. Classy. Perhaps Dawn Proper, Bar Manager, would pour us a drink (Louis XIII naturally—$185 per, so try to get him to pay). We'd quickly exchange intelligence and then our business would be concluded. He'd walk away knowing that I clearly had fantastic taste in bars and would report back to his superiors that I'm not a man to be trifled with. If my contact is a woman (now we're talking), then I'd take my time. First, we'd stroll through the high-ceilinged, dark paneled room to absorb the timeless, romantic ambiance. I'd make a Bar Manager Dawn Proper watches as bartender Blake Morgan shakes a Wedding Cake cocktail at the Library Bar at the Warwick joke about having read all the books on the Melrose Hotel in Dallas. shelves. Maybe I'd play a quick tune on the piano in the corner. Eventually, we'd choose a pair of plush leather chairs, or, even better, we settle into the sumptuous leather sofa. When Dawn approached, I'd order the Wedding Cake for the lady—a bright, shiny cocktail with the kind of sweetness that sends the right kind of signals. (I'm not to be trifled with, but I have a playful side). A Louis XIII for me. (Try to get her to pay.) Then, we'd get down to "business." Alas, I'm not a secret agent*. But whenever I'm in the Uptown district of Dallas, I can always drop by the swanky Library and feel confident that at least the NSA is spying on me. *Still, this magazine will self-destruct in 60 seconds. The Wedding Cake recipe courtesy of the Library Bar at the Warwick Melrose Hotel, Dallas ◗ 2 oz. Pinnacle Whipped ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ Vodka ½ oz. Frangelico 1 oz. pineapple juice Splash of grenadine Maraschino cherry ◗ Combine all ingredients in shaker full of ice. Shake and strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with a Maraschino cherry. 44 / the tasting panel / october 2013 TP1013_034-65.indd 44 9/23/13 10:33 PM