Local Charities to Reap the Rewards of Le Méridien's New $1k Cocktail

 

Posh jewelry and cut lead glass concern Swarovski has teamed up with Le Méridien Philadelphia’s bar Amuse to ply the well-heeled this holiday season with The Getaway, a cocktail for two that comes with a hefty $1,000 price tag. 

 

The tony tipple combines citrus vodka, Crème de Violette, and sparkling wine that according to a prepared statement comes “kissed with edible flowers.” But that’s hardly enough to justify the stack of Benjamins it will set you back just to get a sip.  

 

That tidy sum, it it turns out, also covers the cost of the set of custom-crystalized Swarovski martini glasses and matching bling that the Randolph and Mortimer Dukes of the world get to take with them after gulping down the highfalutin firewater. 

 

Such grandiose gimmickry seemed the norm in the last days of the pre- Great Recession boom years. Those flush times brought us a $120 burger at DB Bistro Moderne, $200 baked potato at Four Seasons, a $1,000 omelette at Norma’s, and of course here in the City of Brotherly Love, a $100 cheesesteak at Stephen Starr’s Barclay Prime.   

 

But in the years following 2009’s devastating economic meltdown, and the still tenuous recovery that followed and continues to keep millions of Americans struggling to pay the rent, keep the lights on, and make sure their kids get enough to eat, such frivolous and extravagant indulgences tend toward poor taste. 

 

But before you get your back up about the Getaway at Amuse, consider that proceeds from each one sold are being used to give those less fortunate in our community a leg up. Swarovski and Le Méridien Philadelphia are donating the full $1000 from each one sold to local charities chosen by those who order the drink. And if that’s not in tune with the spirit of the season, we don’t know what is.