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Lava Gina's name refers not to volcanoes but to... well, use your imagination. But the scene inside this late-comer to the Avenue C bar crawl is nothing if not red hot. D.J.'s spin eclectic, electric world-beat mixes weekends for a multiracial crowd attired in slick (guys) or scanty (gals) Donna Karan-type ensembles. Scruffy, however, is nowhere to be found. The martinis, architecturally breathtaking triangular bar, and heavy velvet curtains shielding the windows should send hipsters, rockers and other gentrification holdouts fleeing up the street to old-school dive 9C. But for those who prefer their cutting-edge on the smoother side (and who don't mind bad puns), this is the place. — Jenifer Van Vleck

You're not really living large until you've polished off a Giant Gina, Lava Gina's 48-ounce martini, $75.

Note
Sundays and Mondays the space is available for private parties and events.