In 1968, when Jimmy Hendrix sang "Have you ever been to Electric Ladyland?/The magic carpet waits for you so don't you be late...", we didn't know we'd be hanging a good 40 years to enjoy the place - but settle in for a cocktail or five at this enticing Chapel Street bar and you'll discover it's definitely been worth the wait.
Electric Ladyland is a mellow, spacious multi-level cocktail bar open until 3am from Monday to Sunday, making it the ideal destination for a mid-week after-dinner nightcap or pre-drinks on a weekend bender. The namesake ladies will be delighted to discover that the bathrooms are a veritable boudoir, complete with salon mirrors, comfortable settees and more than ample cubicles, meaning less waiting in lines and more time for martinis.
Pick from a selection of fine local wines, boutique bottled beers or pop the cork on piccolo Mumm champagnes available at the bar for $25 a piece. If cocktails are more your flavour, try the signature chilled sensation of exotic tropical fusions in the Pashin' Your Mama: vanilla and passionfruit vodka, orange juice, passionfruit pulp and fresh raspberries splashed over ice. The room is furnished with red lounges in diner-style rows, lending a locomotive feel fit for the hip clientele and alt-house DJs - all the kind of crowd who are definitely going places. The long central bar of polished marble, raised lounge section, creamy archways and breezy balcony overlooking Chapel Street make for a vibe that is at once welcoming and elegant.
The walls are decked with nouveau-psychedelic paintings and striking '80s vinyl cover montages, plus a showcase of retro photography by renowned celeb snapper, Rennie Ellis, meaning there's as much to feed the eyes here as quench the thirst. Chic, friendly bar staff make service a pleasure and the venue is completed by an ultra-private VIP room with a sensual, curvaceous design and one-way glass window overlooking the main hub to secure complete exclusivity and anonymity for the AAA-list.
Maya Linden
