Milan Ice Bar Gives Vodka on the Rocks New Meaning



By Jane Barrett

MILAN - It's vodka on the rocks at its most literal.






Forget clinking ice into your glass. The newest arrival on Milan's vibrant bar scene serves up the whole evening on ice -- ice walls, ice tables, ice sofas, an ice bar, even ice glasses.


"It's just like being in Lapland. Apart from the rain and taxis outside, that is," said Daniele Gattino, a guest at the opening party.


A franchise of Sweden's Ice Hotel, where dog sleds are more the norm than taxis, Milan's Ice Bar was sculpted from 50 tons of crystal clear ice carried almost to the Mediterranean from the river Torne, 125 miles north of the Arctic Circle.


The Ice Bar glimmers blue as Milan's fashion set lumber around in the padded silver ponchos which they must put on before treading into the 23-degree Fahrenheit chamber.


Barmen in thick boots, fleeces and fur hats serve colorful vodka cocktails in shot glasses made from fist-sized ice cubes and slide them down the smooth ice bar.


"A lot of people worry their lips are going to stick to the glass but I've never seen that happen," said barmaid Mia Nilsson, who has come south from Sweden to teach the Milanese the joy of ice and flavored vodkas.


"Aperitivo" evening drinks are almost a religious ritual in Milan, where trend-setters slip into their latest designer garb to sashay through sleek bars or street-side cafes.


Anyone stepping out to the Ice Bar gets a good dose of fashion reality with their vodka as the staff hand them a pair of white rubber boots.


"It's a very dry cold but we're limiting visits to half an hour. That's about enough for most people," said Alessandro Rosso, the owner of the new luxury Town House hotel which houses the Ice Bar.


"Besides, we only let 60 people in at a time so they can really enjoy the place, so we need to keep rotating," he added.


SIX-MONTH CYCLES


The knee-length capes are not just protection against the cold but also look after the ice, limiting scratches from people's clothing and stopping too much body heat escaping, which would melt the pillars and bar in weeks.


As it is, Rosso expects the bar, which took three months to build, to last a maximum six months before the ice wears thin.


"Probably in April we will remake the bar for the first time. It's great because we can design it completely new every time, putting in new ideas and Italian style, maybe working with our top designers," he said.


The concept is the same as the Ice Hotel, a glorified igloo which is carved from blocks of ice and packed snow every November and melts back into the river Torne every May.


Because the Torne is so unpolluted and runs so fast, little air gets caught in the ice, leaving it so clear people can easily lip read through the columns.





"It's a natural cycle of life -- it comes, it goes," said Yngve Bergquist, head of the Ice Hotel.

"But we wanted to extend the pleasure throughout the year so we opened a bar in Stockholm and now in Milan. It's perfect because we want to push the boundaries of ice design and this is a city of art."

The Ice Hotel plans at least another 15 franchises for ice bars around the world.

"We have plenty enough ice up there," Bergquist smiled.

We have a bar made of ice in a hotel here in Stockholm as well

Ice is COLD, people, it's no fun!!

Teacher said:

It is to throw at people!

JDINTERACTIVE said:

We do that every winter anyway

I am on my third glass of Malibu and Pepsi....and they are not those short pussy glasses they are tall pint size beer glasses.

MostBeautifulGrlNTheWorld said:

Wooooowwwwwooooo!!!!!

althom said:

Glass numebr 5