BARS: Valentine's Day gets Russian

It seems like just yesterday Valentine's Day meant making cards for the whole class and getting a hug from your mom. Now it means drinking yourself into a stupor and/or spending upwards of $100 dollars on an overpriced dinner. Huh!

Anyway, the Russian Tea Room is the most recent arrival to the cash-in-on-Valentine's-Day table, with their mini-menu of glamourously named, vaguely historic cocktails. To wit:

The Ballet Russe ($16): "...inspired by and named in honor of The Russian Imperial Ballet members who founded The Russian Tea Room in 1927... The Ballet Russe is a contemporary version of the vodka cocktails favored by patrons of the restaurant 80+ years ago." Ingredients: Grey Goose Orange, Absolute Citron, Lychee Juice, Grand Marnier and Cherries.

Pink Mist ($16): "...a festive alternative to the classic vodka cranberry... the cocktail was named for the illusion of mist in the glass made by muddled strawberries, which liberate the freshness of the fruit and offer a sweet, yet subtle taste to your palate, balanced by the raspberry flavored vodka and Malibu Rum." Ingredients: Stoli Raspberry, Malibu Rum, Strawberries and Sprite.

Paris to Moscow ($18, pictured): "This champagne cocktail is complimented by St. Germain liquor, representing a neighborhood in Paris, and rose-infused caviar, a Russian touch and nod to a quintessential dining experience at the celebrated Russian Tea Room. 'Paris to Moscow' was specifically designed to be enjoyed at the beginning of the meal, as roses open your palate." Ingredients: Champagne, St. Germain liquor, and Rose Infusion Caviar.

1917 ($14): "The dark, mysterious color of this cocktail is intended to remind patrons of the year 1917 - which is the time of the Russian Revolution- a dark and cold period in Russian history. The Pomegranate Juice found in the cocktail is inspired by the 1986 Russian Tea Room menu, which saw an increase in the popularity of fruit juices, and the Bacardi Limon represents the ingredient lemon, which remained a staple on the cocktail menus from 1945 on." Ingredients: Bacardi, Bacardi Limon, Pomegranate Juice and Conitreau.

From Russia, With Love ($18): "This cocktail was created as an after-dinner drink, designed to complement any Russian dessert, such as blintzes. The luxuriousness and richness of the drink is consistent with the ambiance of The Russian Tea Room." Ingredients: Dark Godiva Chocolate Liquor, Chambord, Champagne and Coco Nibs.

So pretty. Pretty, pretty, pretty. They all sound like something Cinderella would drink at the ball.