No matter what the New York Post says, the smoking ban didn't really matter to bar-goers in its first, warm-weather months, when ducking outside for a butt was no big deal. With the advent of winter, however, it's a whole different proposition—unless you find yourself at the High Bar atop the Gramercy Park Hotel. Mobbed all summer long by a rotating cast of celebrities, from Sofia Coppola to the White Stripes, the Gramercy has already put in place outdoor patio heaters to keep tipplers toasty under the stars. The wintry bar menu will keep you warm in other ways, especially its extensive selection of hot toddies, from the Harvest Moon Brew to the Hot Apple Pie to the hot buttered rum, which comes topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 2 Lexington Avenue, at 21st Street (212-475-4320).

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• Archive: “Best of New York Weekly”
• Articles by Sarah Bernard
• Table of Contents: October 20, 2003 issue of New York | Subscribe!