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| Jason Campbell |
A few years ago we started witnessing a growth in popularity and then size, of what we have now recognized and redefined as the lounge. There is the classic Lansky which is nowhere the hybrid that has become the lounge. Even though they are now charging at the door some nights, the once hard to get in to Spy Bar has managed a level of respect or at least business. Check it out on Wednesday the new home of Home Cookin’, Bill Spector, Mark Levanthal and set, music by Mark Ronson and Jules. Take a spin through the new Chaos at the old Bank space on East Houston, also happening on Wednesday and Sunday if you get in, life has no guarantees, you know.
Magnum at 357 W. Broadway does a cool Sunday night groove. Hosted and produced by Jacques and Pascal (Crème and Sugar) and Sorin, the party is described as a sing along attitude flavoured with some of those new faces. Music by Shorty, must be fun!
Looking ahead, club impresario Steve Lewis, is again set to do his thing. His latest project, Spa, attempts to inject more fire into the hotbed that is Union Square. Spa, known in the past as The Grand, System and most recently Ki Club might be about to witness its last incarnation. Scheduled to open this spring, we anticipate every square inch. Congratulations to Steve Lewis. If all goes well, we’ll prove that you can’t keep a good man down?
Moving west, Mark Baker and Jeffrey Jah have combined forces with Will and Dave of Union Bar to do a Meat District (downtown’s latest ironic oasis) venue to rival all venues, Lotus. Still left to be seen who’ll be handling the front and who’ll be handling the back end of things. With all the newness in the air, its too still left to be seen whether or not the Mayor relaxed and decided to bestow the kind people some cabaret licences.
Until such time Centro Fly is a hot destination, the kitchen might be still working out their kinks but the action on the dance floor is on, pick a night…any night. We favor Thursday, Subliminal, industry dance party presented by Rob Fernandez and Eric Morillo, hosted by Kevin Aviance – international roster of rotating house music dj’s. Centro Fly also happens on Friday when Erich Conrad does his thing. Start your night off there and end up at Vinyl where Danny Tenaglia keeps the tempo up till you cant take no more.
Saturdays are good for exploration. Rumor has it that Junior Vasquez has been experiencing moments of “sheer genius” at Twilo. Could it be magic? For something different find the G Train and ride it to Green Point Avenue, Brooklyn. Walk a few doors down to 132 Green Point Avenue and enjoy Splendid Bar. Definitely off the path of the madding crowd, this is a gem of a space. Unaffected and comfortable, it’s the same old concept, well priced drinks and a mix of Polish émigrés and loft living artists. The owners love the idea of using the space to showcase art. Check it out!
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| Foreground Sascha Lewis and Mark Mangan of Flavorpill |
Back on the island…there are all kinds of exciting conversations surrounding the endless possibilities that are imaginable with the advent of Digital Cameras and MP3’s and live broadcasts and behind the scenes access and downloading remixes that you dance to and spending time watching what other people do with their time, hey it worked as T.V. With enviable alliances between new media and public spaces we clue you in to a hot happening. Sponsored by netsetgoods.com, Krispy Cream happens at Parlay, Avenue A just off 12th. Every Wednesday. Eclectic sounds weaved by Netset vibrationist. Sascha, hosted quite aptly by Miss B.
To be sure your week is taken care of, suffice it to say that we went were at Sway dancing until 4:30 the other Monday after we left Lot 61 and the only reason we stopped was that the police came at which point all we could say was “please officer don’t shoot.”
As if there wasn’t enough to look forward to, word on a virtual merger of downtown personalities. Lesly Bernard, the face that helped make Pravda, proprietor at Clementine and man about town has got into bed with Michele Jean of Circa, Restaurant 147 and the ill-fated Orient. Their first project, a South African themed restaurant is primed to become a jewel in the Meat District crown, coming soon after the much anticipated reopening of Orient. Left to be seen what summer really means in the year 2000, all we can say is buy the clothes, they will throw the parties.
Note: Reproduced with permission of the author. Originally published on Netsetgoods.com. The e-commerce pioneers behind the venture Jason Campbell went to establish the jcreport while Sascha Lewis and Mark Mangan formed Flavorpill.
