Pinky Swear is an immersive art bar that recently opened on the same block as Manhattan’s most famous sex show. Last week, I gathered with a group of friends who I knew would appreciate an unconventional experience, and it helped my cause that this new establishment had close proximity to The Box.
I didn’t really know what to expect, only that it would be different from the regular bars my friends and I rotate through every weekend. I’m not a part of NYC’s art scene but this seemed like a good excuse to break out of our nightly routine. Plus, who doesn’t like dinner and a show?
Entering Pinky Swear, there’s a bar to your right as you walk in, and a laid back host welcoming people. We sat among abstract art on the walls, on the tables, and even on our waiter’s body. The servers were clad in translucent jackets with neon outlines.
We paused our own colorful conversation to order chicken tenders and lemon bucatini from their menu then resumed our routine chatter.
We talked about all sorts of things—why the men in our lives choose to spend more nights with their financial models than us. Also, how they pinky swear they’re looking for something serious but go cold when the weather gets hot.
I figured that we would have an easier time interpreting the art around us rather than our boyfriends, so with perfect timing, our server gifted us tokens to play with Pinky Swear’s immersive exhibits. We got up, spilling our pastel colored martinis and followed each other into the back room.
We passed through a curtain into a room with a DJ spinning vinyls which then to an outdoor zen garden. The zen garden had a carousel ride with a production sized fan and light that made us roar with laughter when one of us climbed on.
We approached a lit up phone booth.
One by one, we took turns going inside and dropping our tokens into the coin slot.
“Once you pick up the phone,” Our server explained “dial the number that is assigned to your zodiac sign and listen”.
I picked up the clunky phone and pushed 5 with an unexplainable hopefulness in my heart. I won’t reveal what the woman on the other side of the phone said, but what I can tell you is that I was glowing from what she whispered… or maybe that feeling was from my pink martini.
Attempting to find the bathroom, I walked through mirrored walls and was reminded of why I stood in line at the fair’s fun house every summer as a kid.
Pinky Swear is ideal to break up your regular routine or to see the silly side of your date. We finally left when we were all out of tokens, but I’ll be back for more …I pinky swear…
