Summer Cocktails: NYC, LA, Miami, Chicago

It's easy enough to ignore the avalanche of press releases one receives on a daily basis, but there are often gemstones among the rough. For example -- a branded "hot list" collection of summer cocktails may be refined and expanded, since it happens to include some our favorite places (and beverages) in four cities nationwide. Check it out, and chillax.

Hennessy Fire-Five, Rooftop Lounge of the Empire Hotel
Manhattanites can sip the Hennessy Fire-Five martini while absorbing floor-to-ceiling views of Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Central Park, and Lincoln Center. With alleged frequenters such as Kim Cattrall, Kelly Ripa, Jimmy Fallon, Teri Hatcher, A-Rod, Kim Raver, and Lindsay Price, the luxurious rooftop lounge and outdoor patio is the perfect setting to watch a summer evening sunset while sipping perfection.

• 1.5 oz. Hennessy V.S
• 0.75 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 0.5 oz. agave nectar
• 2 dashes Chipotle Tabasco
• 1 oz. Moët Brut Champagne
Combine all ingredients except champagne; add ice, shake, and strain into a martini glass. Top with champagne, garnish with an aurora pepper.

Ginger Cucumber Martini, Bungalow Club
Enjoy this signature cocktail from the scencester Los Angeles nightspot.

• 1 oz. Canton Ginger Liqueur
• 3 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. triple sec
• 1 oz. Lemon and lime juices
• 1-2 fresh organic cucumbers
• 1-2 lemons
Muddle cucumber and lemons; shake with canton, vodka, triple sec, lemon and lime juices. Pour into martini glass. Garnish with sliced cucumber.

Oronoco Rum Mojito, Kobe Club
Get wild in the madness of Miami with the Oronoco Rum Mojito; fans reportedly include Jennifer Lopez, Lance Bass, Jamie Foxx, and Maria Bello. Available at Jeffrey Chodorow’s posh Japanese-inspired steakhouse, revelers can mix and mingle at the high-end eatery and enjoy the Miami sunset in the outdoor dining garden.

• 1 oz. Oronoco Rum
• 3 fresh-cut lime wedges
• 8 fresh-cut mint leaves
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 oz. fresh lime juice
• 2 oz. soda water
• sugar cane
In a tall glass, muddle mint leaves, 2 lime wedges, and sugar. Fill glass with cracked ice. Pour in Oronoco Rum, lime juice, and soda. Stir gently. Garnish with a lime wedge and sugar cane.

Lemonade Martini, Martini Park
Make lemonade grown-up style with this Lemonade Martini recipe from Chicago’s Near North Side.

• 1 oz. Bacardi Limón
• 0.5 oz. limoncello
• 0.5 oz Navan Van Cognac
• 1 oz. lemonade
• lemon slice
Sugar the rim of a martini glass, shake mixture, pour into chilled martini glass, and add a lemon wheel for garnish.