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For over a century, the St. Regis New York has stood as an emblem of style and sophistication in the heart of Manhattan and the hotel's famous King Cole Bar remains one of the city's most stately cocktail lounges, nightly drawing the city's elite.

The King Cole Bar has delighted patrons for decades and watched over many an important event, including the birth of the Bloody Mary. The Bloody Mary has been a part of St. Regis history since 1934 when bartender Fernand Petiot perfected the recipe for the cocktail, which has since become the signature cocktail of the King Cole Bar. The famed cocktail was created when Serge Obolensky, a well known man about town whose penchant for vodka was in keeping with his aristocratic Russian background, asked Petiot to make the vodka cocktail he had in Paris. The formula was spiced up with salt, pepper, lemon and Worcestershire Sauce, but since “Bloody Mary” was deemed too vulgar for the hotel’s elegant King Cole Bar, it was rechristened the “Red Snapper.” While the name may not have caught on, the spicy drink most certainly did and has been imitated and adapted endlessly by others throughout the years. The original recipe is still served in the King Cole Bar today and stands as one of the most beloved cocktails ever created.

The Red Snapper Original Recipe:
1 oz. vodka
2 oz. Tomato juice
1 dash lemon juice
2 dashes salt
2 dashes black pepper
2 dashes cayenne pepper
3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

The King Cole Bar is also home to the Old King Cole Mural. The puckish mural, painted by Maxfield Parrish in 1906, recently received a $100,000 cleaning which completely restored the beloved masterpiece to its original splendor. In 1906, Colonel John Jacob Astor commissioned Maxfield Parrish to paint the mural for his 42nd Street hotel, The Knickerbocker. Hesitant to accept the commission, Parrish finally agreed to paint the mural after being offered the “kingly sum” of $5,000 for his work. However, the Knickerbocker was short-lived and not long after the mural was installed at the 42nd Street location, there were plans to turn the Knickerbocker into an office building. After leaving the Knickerbocker, the mural made a few stops throughout the City before coming to rest at its home in The St. Regis. Adored by generations of New Yorkers and the hotel’s patrons worldwide, Old King Cole now looks out on visitors with a restored brilliance.

The legendary King Cole Bar is open daily at noon and is in the heart of the legendary landmark hotel at 2 East 55th Street.

The St. Regis New York, originally founded by John Jacob Astor over a century ago, is revered as one of the finest addresses in the world. Astor’s vision was to create a hotel, which rivaled the finest hotels in Europe, where friends and family would feel as if they were guests in a private home. The majestic Beaux Arts exterior, elegant public spaces, 229 richly designed guest rooms and suites and unparalleled, bespoke service create a luxurious, residential environment. Personalized service and amenities, with St. Regis butlers attending to guests’ every wish and desire are hallmarks of the St. Regis experience.

About St. Regis Hotels & Resorts
Combining classic sophistication and modern luxury, the St. Regis brand remains faithful to its commitment to excellence. Founded by John Jacob Astor IV, with the opening of the first St. Regis Hotel in New York City over a century ago, The St. Regis brand of hotels is known for its unique luxury dimension, customized service and refined elegance in the best destinations worldwide. Plans for this brand to globally continue its legacy include long-awaited St. Regis properties in Bahia Beach, Puerto Rico, and Bal Harbour in the US. In Latin America, St. Regis will unveil new hotels and resorts in Buenos Aires and the Riviera Maya. In Asia, St. Regis has also announced plans to open properties in Bangkok, Chengdu, Kuala Lumpur, Lhasa, Osaka, Sanya Yalong Bay and Tianjin. In Africa and the Middle East, the St. Regis brand will continue to expand in Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Doha and Mauritius. The distinctive trait of the St. Regis experience is customized service and attention, coveted locations and luxurious design. For more information on St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, please visit the new www.stregis.com.