LIFE/Life on the rocks
Icebar Milan

Stoli on the rocks? Sure. The new Icebar at Town House 12, Milan, is chock full of rocks; the entire bar is made of ice, right down to the artwork, the cocktail glasses, and the ice cubes for that perfectly chilled vodkatini. Ciao, regazzi! Brrr...

All the ice is imported from the Torne river, in northern Sweden, which is the source for the Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, which first 'opened’ in 1989.

The Icehotel is re-built from scratch every November. Weird? Well, consider what there is to do in northern Sweden during the ramp-up to the next long, brutal, depressing winter. Makes sense now, eh?

Haute couture patrons of the new Milan bar, beware: due to the temperature of the bar
(-5°C/23°F), everyone stopping by for a swig is handed a pair of ice boots and a padded cape with attached gloves. The accoutrements keep the chill off while you chill out.

The cape also deflects the effect of body heat in the aggregate. Otherwise the central seating would go into quick meltdown:

“I thought you were gonna save me a seat.”
“I was, until it...melted.”

There’s also an Icebar in Stockholm -- as if what they need up there is more ice.

Shown above: Icebar, Stockholm. (l.) The Icebar features walls, artwork, seats and even cocktail glasses made of ice; (r.) Visitors cape up for happy hour.
Photo: Icehotel.com

Read more real-life odd news, in the OCT/NOV issue of "Arte Six".