Some people say you’re supposed to drink scotch with ice. They claim it brings the beverage closer to the temperature at which it had been stored for years before it reached the glass. Others find the mix of frozen water and scotch sacrilege. John Dewar and his brother Tommy were happy so long as the drink was making its way to someone’s gullet, and when Sam Ross invented the Penicillin at Milk and Honey in 2005, it introduced the brand to a new demographic.

Milk and Honey was ahead of its time when it opened on Eldridge Street in January 2000. The low lights, pristine cocktails, big band soundtrack, and entrance by referral and appointment only laid the foundation for many a speakeasy to come. The bar will close at the end of the month and reopen early next year under Ross’s direction as Atta Boy. Milk and Honey will move uptown, but before it does, Dewar’s wanted to host an event where the Penicillin was invented.

Complex, the magazine geared towards the urban set, launched by Marc Ecko in 2002 is broadening its coverage and sharpening its taste while still grounded in its schoolboy antics. This year saw the introduction of their #menswear site, Four Pins and more recently the launch of their food site, First We Feast. It’s as if the personality of Complex refocused its attention from the latest denim and sneakers to wine pairing and pork. They do a hilarious job at bridging the two cultures together bringing in the always entertaining Eddie Huang, a list of food memes, and a gif gallery of the “o” faces of food television. The success of the site remains to be seen, the shift from Dunks to double monks was already in place before Four Pins started, but this appears to be uncharted territories. Nonetheless their flair for comedy and urban culture has proven itself well so far. It’s only a matter of time before Complex launches a travel site.

Kings County Distillery is no joke. After years of operating in a small space in East Williamsburg the distiller moved into their new home inside the Brooklyn Navy Yard on April 1st. Their story has been one of incredible growth, much like many Brooklyn up starts in the food and beverage world. From their living room to a legitimately thriving business. KCD has taken advantage of the bountiful resources in the borough working with Oliver and Evan Haslegrave from hOmE for interior design, Annie Novak from Eagle Street Rooftop Farm to consult on the garden, and the Mast Brothers to produce a small run of chocolate flavored whiskey. We visited co-founder Colin Spoelman recently to tour their new facilities and to see first hand the operation behind Kings County Distillery.

What if you were given the opportunity to open a restaurant? What would you want it to be? How will it look? What kind of cuisine would you be serving? Well, Restaurant Day has provided a forum for wannabe chefs and food enthusiasts the ability to market their food in the most unique way. Your way. What started off as an event in Helsinki has gone global with 12 countries participating, from Brazil to Iceland. Restaurant Day is a food carnival that occurs once every three months where amateur cooks and bartenders are invited to open their own restaurant. Whether it be in your home, a warehouse, an art gallery, or even inside a semi truck, it’s all up to you. Given the loose health codes in other countries it’s easy to see how quickly this has grown. Even though there’s a NY Facebook page for Restaurant Day it’s uncertain how this will progress with the restrictive health codes. We can certainly see a discrete version, much in the way that supper clubs have grown in popularity. Nonetheless it’s exciting how food events are evolving around the world giving amateurs the opportunity to share their creations to the public. Who knows how many David Changs or Rene Redzepis this event will spawn.

Alison Schneider is on a mission to spread the gospel on food sustainability in the most inviting way. She’s not doing it on a soap box. Rather, she’s converted a carriage house and created an environment that is so enticing you welcome what she has to say. Haven’s Kitchen is the first of its kind. The first floor is a shop offering small local goods with a coffee and pastry counter. In the back is a commercial kitchen where cooking classes are taught. The second and third floors are made for events ranging from dinners and brunches to private parties. A rooftop garden is in the works and will open by next summer. We wondered what the impetus for Alison to open Haven’s Kitchen was. So we visited the space a few weeks back to discover her love of teaching and passion for sustainability. Read more about Haven’s Kitchen now.

There’s no shortage of restaurants, food carts, markets, or events in NYC, especially in the summer. So what does one need to do to stand out from the glut of food events? Bring in the big guns. PAPER magazine takes a stab at the scene with their interpretation. Super (Duper) Market is a three day event in Chelsea that will include East and West Coast purveyors along with big names like Mario Batali and Andre Balazs. He’ll be selling eggs from his upstate farm according to Grubstreet. The extravaganza will include some familiar vendors and restaurants like Red Rooster, Mile End, Ovenly, Empire Mayo and the famed bakery from San Francisco, Tartine. Food won’t be the only focus, PAPER has invited Maira Kalman, an artist and champion of slow food, as well as Artware Editions. This all takes place next Friday, July 13th to Sunday July 15th. Have a look at Super (Duper) Market for a list of more vendors, time, and location.