Friday, February 29, 2008

Flyer Follies: Dominican Independence Day

Celebrating Dominican Independence Day at the always rocking LQ Club, with Oro Solido doing all his hits Live. Happy Independence Day DR.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Catfight at Beatrice

Here's the most blatant example of why hipsters may not be so bad. Captain Nick Denton has the scoop on a super catty cat fight from the Beatrice Inn, featuring Hud Morgan of Men's Vogue and Spencer Morgan of the Observer. According to Nickita, the argument went like this:

Spencer: "Dude, why didn't you respond to my email?" (He had apologized for the insult to Hud's teen girlfriend.)

Hud: "Do you want me to drop you?"

Spencer: "Yeah, sure. That's a good idea."

Hud walks down the stairs. Spencer follows, slaps him, later telling friends: "He needed a dose of reality."

Hud: "He punched me!"

Bouncers escort Spencer to the side room to the right of the entrance, with the couches. Close scene.
How utterly lame! So when you see a group of tight pants'd, blow dried, parakeet toting hipsters drinking a West 12th and dancing to Hall and Oates, remember, anything's better than uppity journalists.

[Photo Credit]

Belgium Room

Underage kids are suffering these days. The Belgium Room on St Marks has been closed for 15 days after being caught letting in minors. This is their second such violation in the last 3 months, and comes with a hefty fine. That's no good. The temporary closing is scheduled to end sometime next week, at which time the party shall resume.

Nail in the Coffin

On the wrapping of the soon to be Pinkberry on St. Marks poses the ultimate question.

Indeed.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Knitting Factory Heading East?


With it's lease expiring in 2009, it's liquor license set to expire in October, and it's building for sale, the Knitting Factory is in need of a new home. Brooklyn Vegan is reporting that the folks behind the "Knitting Factory have applied for a liquor license at 504-508 E 14th St." PaperMag got in touch with Gene from TKF, who says “it’s one of the many places we’re looking at.”

Considering that CB 3 hates to give out liquor licenses to just about everyone, and that they will be hosting live music 7 nights a week, we can't forsee them getting approved for this space. We hold out hopes that they do though. DBTH prayers are with you.

[Photo Credit]

Mansion: Not so Terrible?

Hold the phones! Has everything we've heard so far about Mansion been wrong? Can it possibly be the "force capable of leading clubdom to a new era." A Little Birdy reports:

I went on Saturday night, in short it was not as horrible as I might have otherwise thought. Due to the sheer size of the space to fill it up they cannot be particularly discerning with who they let in so it ended up being a mix of a reasonably good crowd combined with a lot of bridge and tunnel. Seemed like two worlds clashing, but everyone was in good spirits and the somewhat silly decor was easy to overlook. The venue did eventually get packed circa 1 - 2 AM. I think the place will do well enough, (it's an upgrade from the sad state Crobar was in anyhow) if only as a fall-back for people who cannot get into the smaller venues on club row.
Well, that's the best independent review we've seen so far, and it still doesn't come across as the Per Se of nightclubs. Maybe given some time, this puppy has a chance at success.

Strategic's Horizontal Integration

GNML sits down with Noah Tepperberg (Strategic Group, Marquee) for another magical interview. What did we find most interesting? Noah and Jason's ability to horizontally integrate clients into their properties across the country, saying

Every client counts. To build a business that will sustain itself over a few years you have to have a loyal customer base that will come every week or every month or every six months and support your venue. If our customers are loyal and good, we make it a point to cater to them and bring them into this Marquee, Tao, Strategic, Dune, network. They have access to the network and can use it when they need to entertain clients or to travel. It’s a very key part to why our business works.
12 months a year in every large US city, Noah and Jason are able to plug you in to a Strategic related property. This in turn gives them longevity. This is why you see a place like Marquee remain open and going strong this far into it's lifetime.

Glassing Up Grand Street

Grand Street is definitely getting glassed. Brack Capital has thrown up the first rendering of its Grand Street Hotel and we are happy to share it with you. The project will bring an additional 114 rooms to the neighborhoods, complete with restaurant, bar and space space. If you would please direct your attention to the roof, you can clearly see a space designed for the rooftop pool. All righty then.

Bonus Tip: Brack has recently signed a deal to do a second downtown hotel project. More details to follow.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Danny A Pleads His Case

Gossip sites are going gaga over Leo DiCaprio riding shotgun in a car that was pulled over by the NYPD. What everyone has missed is that the driver who was yanked out of the car to talk is a celebrity in his own right. Well kind of. We'll let our Little Birdy explain, "did you know that the photos in the post of leo dicaprio's driver are of Danny A? I guess he has another title besides the worlds longest running club promoter!" There is no shame in showing a visiting friend a good time, as long as it doesn't end up with all of you getting interrogated by Johnny 5. Just proves no one is above the traffic law here. The power couple was allowed to leave after 20 minutes.

Happy Birthday Sixpoint

Red Hook's own Sixpoint Craft Ales is turning 3 this month. Huzzah! DBTH loves them some Sixpoint, so we want to wish the entire team a hearty congrats and best of luck as their dominance of the local microbrew scene continues.

Village Innsanity

We love to talk Manhattan hotels around here, with their numerous roof bars, glitzy restuarants, spas, and over the top design. But all that luxury comes with a steep price. Today, we take you in a different direction. Behold the Village Inn, a brand spanking new hostel on East 7th Street, just a few doors down from McSorley's. Hostels.net has the intel:

The Village Inn is a totally renovated 5 story walk-up building that can comfortably accommodate travelers looking for the fun and history of the neighborhood. The dormitory rooms can sleep 8 to 12 people, and they all have private facilities. Private rooms are also available for those who demand a little more privacy. Next to our fully equipped kitchen, a flat screen TV entertains our guests in a large common area. Here, guests wake up to our well known "two thumbs up" free continental breakfast, an assortment of bagels, muffins, fruits, cereal, coffee, milk and orange juice. In our lounge, you can watch TV while you check your emails, lock up your luggage, wash your clothes, or just chill with other fellow travelers.
Prices range from about $40 - $50 a night, depending on if you go private suite or dorm room. Since you are going hostel, we suggest going whole ham and shacking up with the rest of your new friends from Belgium. Happy hosteling.

Flyer Follies: Ashlee Is Gonna Sing


Care to be amazed? Please make your way to Ashlee Simpson's oh so hot record release party tonight at Marquee. Lady Simpson will not only be there herself (androgynous partner Pete will probably be there too), but she will even please your ears with a two song performance. That's 200% more than we can take, but whatever, she's nice to look at.

Monday, February 25, 2008

The Estate

We don't know how we missed this, but EuEu and BirBir got their little pad in the Hamptons, ingeniously named the Estate, a spiffy little write up in February. Makes sense to us. The 8 bedroom Sag Harbor estate isn't a party house, but a place to relax. And despite operating Tenjune and all that goes along with the EM Group, EuEu explains that they "get to be here all the time." So it makes sense that the authors describe the house as feeling "largely unlived in" and "lots of space waiting to be filled." Because that's what happens when you get Pottery Barn to decorate the whole place for free. Well boys, you know where to send our invitation for the summer.


On a side note. Shame. Shame on all of your faithful readers for not sending this our way last week. It took 10 days for us to see it, and now we seem behind. SHAME.

Chelsea vs. Chelsea

A warning to those interested in visiting the new Chelsea Hotel in Atlantic City. It seems there already is a Chelsea Hotel in Atlantic City, except this one doesn't feature Stephen Starr restaurants or a super happening swimming pool. So what does it have? "The Chelsea Pub and Hotel is an eclectic Victorian located a block from the Atlantic City boardwalk and 1/4 block form the Tropicana Casino. The property features large rooms with private baths that sleep up to four people. A friendly pub is located on site with knowledgeable local bartenders and great food. The Chelsea has free lighted parking adjacent to the property." While the friendly pub doesn't seem to compare to the Fifth Floor, we do like the sound of free lighted parking, which is especially key in Atlantic City at night. Please double confirm that you choose the proper Chelsea Hotel before booking.

Turf War: MPD vs 27th Street

Run to the store and gather the bare necessities. Put bars on the windows, add another dead bolt to the door and perhaps look into hiring some private security. Apparently, there's a turf war that has broken out between New York City's most important nightlife characters, and they are taking no prisoners! It's 27th Street vs. Meatpacking District, and the winner will take all. How do we know all this? New nightlife blog Goodnight Mr. Lewis brings us this breaking news in an interview with Carlo Seneca, co-owner of Prime and Suzie Wong. Let's go to the transcript:

Steve Lewis: Your competition is really the Meatpacking District. It’s the clash of the titans: Chelsea against Meatpacking

Carlo Seneca: Exactly, we wanna pull as many people as we can out of there. I believe that Meatpacking is becoming too commercialized. The revitalization of this neighborhood is happening with Mansion and us at Suzie Wong and Prime leading the way.
Wow. Thanks for pointing that out. Who knew that the Meatpacking District had become so mersh that 27th Street would be able to bring some real authenticity back? Certainly not us. Probably not anyone. With re-zonings, rising rents, and a general lack of interest, both of these areas will be virtually nightlife free within 5 years.

But for now, please choose a side and keep your head on a swivel for flying lemon drop shots.

[Photo Credit]

Friday, February 22, 2008

Flyer Follies: Room Service Goes All Out

To every single promoter who is involved with the Room Service DJ AM Steve Aoki oh my god it's going to be so crazy that if you are not there then you will certainly be missing out on the most important thing of all time and you may as well cut off your own foot and let the blood ruin all your shoes because you certainly won't need them again because you obviously don't know how to have fun because if you did than you know you would be going to Room Service.

We know already. Stop sending us the flyer. Just go and be crazy. And make sure you say hi to Mr. Lewis for us.

Chelsea Hotel Goes Live

So maybe the Hamptons aren't your scene. Believe us, we understand. Perhaps Atlantic City is more your scene? If so, may we direct you to the newly launched website of the Chelsea Atlantic City - the first boutique hotel without gaming to open in AC. Featuring two Steven Starr restaurants, party pool and kitschy design, the real summer draw will be the Fifth Floor, described as

Like a delightfully unpredictable house party, guests can roam from room to room endlessly exploring a flowing space punctuated with nooks, crannies, and hotspots such as the Terrace Lounge, the “must go” location for the over-21 crowd on the lookout for a sophisticated, hip experience outside of the casinos, the Living Room, the Bar, and the Game Room.
Very interesting concept - but is it enough to bring guests to a hotel that lacks a gaming floor? We say yes - as AC suffers from a lack of quality hotel space to draw weekend guests. The Chelsea positions itself as a serious contender for the young and affluent who are more than willing to hop in a cab and pop over to the Borgata for gambling, MurMur, and Mixx.

Apparently opens for Memorial Day. Book now!

Hamptons Hamptons Hamptons

Haven't locked up your summer share in the Hamptons yet? Don't sweat it. DBTH has a deal for you. And it's a doozy. For a small fee, you the get the house, the sun, the pool, the people, and the fun. Standard stuff. The real kicker? The party tent. That's right, this share includes a permanent party tent (pictured above). It's the summer share that you never have to leave, skipping the club life for the house club life. Thankfully, our faithful house organizers have included several action shots of last summer's housemates living it up - Acapulco steez.

We highly recommend clicking through to the full flash presentation. Quarter and half shares available, but please act soon.

A Pure Bust

Big news from the desert. Pure Management Group managing partners Steve Davidovici and Robert Frey homes and corporate offices were raided by the IRS. According to reports, the bust went down just hours before a party for Bette Midler (tragic!), and the focus is apparently on the huge tips that the doormen collect from tourists who are beyond desperate to get inside Las Vegas's biggest club. There are rumors that doormen are making between $8 - $10 grand a night, which is some serious cake. Man about town Robin Leach also reports that the club owners are willing to cooperate in order to protect their celebrity investors (Shaq, Celine Dion), but investigators are also going to be looking into the large appearance fees paid to Hollywood "celebs" to show up at the club. But don't worry - the club is still open for business.

Photo Credit

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Hep A @ Socialista

Look out! NY1 is reporting that people who went to Socialista on certain nights were possibly exposed to Hepatitis A and should get vaccinated. Apparently, a bartender came down with the disease and health officials are worried that the disease may have spread to some 600-800 patients. Yummy. Our Little Birdy who passed along the news notes, "Somewhere, a bunch of guys who got denied at the door are having the last laugh. And yet no one has (reportedly) contracted anything from the cross-dressing midget at The Box, who 'jizzes' 'semen' on random patrons... Madness." Oh how true.

Maybe Sophia should reconsider her choice of locales. But hey, what's a little Hep between friends?

Sunday Bloody Socialista

Straight out of the Inbox, a Little Birdy tells us:

"Sophia Lamar is hosting Sundays at Socialista and it started last night:

I JUST WANT.................
Body: TO THANK EVERY BODY THAT CAME LAST NIGHT TO SOCIALISTA AND MADE IT POSIBLE, SUCCESSFUL AND FUN. I CAN WAIT FOR NEXT SUNDAY.THANK YOU.

That's the bulletin she posted on myspace last night [Monday] and everyone that went said it was a great time.. i'll have to check it out next week!"

Everyone knows Sunday's are the night to really throw down and here goes Socialista, tossing it's Cuban hat into the ring. Thankfully, our Little Birdy will be there to let us know if Sophia and Armin can pull it off. We'll be waiting with baited breath.

Light Group Cashes Out

We want to offer a hearty congratulations to Andrew Sasson, who has just sold off a 50% stake of the Light Group to the Dubai-based Zabeel Investments, who seem to have fallen head over heels over the upcoming Harmon Hotel project. According to the press release, Zabeel's "goal is to develop the hospitality industry in the UAE and across the region - an aim which encompasses all areas of this sector from food and beverage to hotels and restaurants. In addition, The Light Group can tap our UAE hospitality expertise, and evolve that to other developments around the world." We commend your selection. Say what you will about Sasson et al, but the group has been wildly successful as hospitality operator in Vegas. Selling a 50% stake to Zabeel is only going to raise their bar, infusing them with a huge chunk of capital to allow them to take their operation global. Exciting stuff.

I Am Not a Bar

We pity poor David Kaplan, the young up and comer who's Death and Co. has gone to battle with the fearsome fogies of Community Board 3. It seems his cocktail restaurant lounge type thing is going to be bullied by his neighbors right out of business. How bad have things gotten? So bad that Kaplan has to take umbrage with the author of a recent sympathy piece that labeled Death and Co. as a bar.

The madness has got to stop. While we support a neighbor's right to relative quiet, New York as a city must make it possible to open and operate a business. With the pending economic issues, this will become even more evident, as potential entrepreneurs (David Kaplan) who are hoping to pour their heart and soul into opening a restaurant, lounge or bar will look at the neighborhood, the high rent, the fees, taxes and regulatory BS and run the other way. Add an onerous community board to the mix and opening an interesting place to have a cocktail is nearly impossible.

Death and Co. is a bar! Their drinks are good, their food is passable. Give them a damn liquor license and let's wrap this shenanigan up.

[Photo Credit]

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Ahoy Mr. Lewis

We would like to give a hearty welcome to Goonight Mr. Lewis, a new nightlife blog run by nightlife guru Steve Lewis. You know, the guy that ran Life back in the day. Anyway, Stevie says "I will tell you what happened then, what's happening now, and what will happen tomorrow. I will make sure your night is done right." Fascinating. He is off to a huge start, running some sort of interview with the folks behind the already ous't Mansion, saying "This crew has enough energy to ensure success. In my humble opinion they are a force capable of leading clubdom to a new era."

Well, according to a Little Birdy who was there this weekend, this new era is going to be defined by lameness. Our LB says, "Was at Mansion over the weekend. The place is poorly designed, 75% empty, filled with ugly talent, and has fat girls in spandex hanging off the ceiling. Mark Baker himself came by our table to chat us up. Very creepy. I give this place 4 months." And that's that.

Back to the point, we welcome Steve Lewis into our realm. May the best blog win.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Flyer Follies: Lonely Hearts Club

Flyer Follies is quickly becoming our favorite feature. Why? Because we said so. One of our favorite forwarders comes through with a special Valentines flyer and comments:

(1) Man that makes me want to go out and get some on valentine's day; and
(2) Isn't DJ Suss One the dj that Satsky blindsided Birnbaum over while eating artichoke dip?

Indeed it was flyer dude. Unfortunately, Satsky won't be holding any party because his club is no longer open, leaving DJ Suss available to do Cain dirty tomorrow. Lucky Cain. Lucky lucky Cain.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Riverview Getting It's Demo On

Courtesy of our friends at HotelChatter, things are moving right along at Eric Goode and Sean MacPherson's newest hotel venture, the Riverview. Interior demolition has begun, and we have to believe they are making moves to try and clear the remaining tenants. We have also come to learn that the dynamic duo is going to turn the magnificent tower overlooking the water into a lounge. Very cool, if they decide to let anyone in or serve non-guests drinks. But we also wonder what their tenants at Socialista are feeling? More on this to come.

The Shoolbred Shill

We love all of our readers and welcome any and all comments. But we don't appreciate when interested parties anonymously drop glowing praises of their own venues. What is this - yelp? So it is with great sadness that we call out Shoolbred's for breaking this rule. After running a short item on the new East Village bar/resty, a commenter says:

I was there this past weekend for a friend's birthday and we had a great time. Shoolbreds has everything from comfortable leather chairs around a fire place (it's like drinking in your living room but you don't have to clean up the mess...and there's a fireplace!) to a hidden hangout nook in the back. It has an heir of sophistication but can also be a place you go to to do Jager shots with your friends without being surrounded by college kids (although, what are you doing Jager shots for if you're out of college?!) Crowd was mostly in their 20's & 30's and the bartenders treated us great. I would say it's pretty much the full package. I'll go back.
Well, our living room has windows and no fireplace, so it isn't exactly the same. But a few hours later, another commenter follows with:
This place has a great atmosphere - love the leather chairs by the fireplace and the stained glass. It's definitely the kind of place you want to go to if you want to chill, throw back a few drinks, and hang out with your friends. My favorite parts: you don't have to stand there for 20 minutes waiting for a drink because there is ample staff and they're very good about taking care of you, and the music is not so obnoxiously loud that you are hoarse for 3 days after going out and screaming all night to someone who is standing right next to you. You can't beat that.
Well, we were there when it was pretty dead and did wait 10 minutes for a drink. And frankly, the drink wasn't that good. We suggest running your own shop, rather than interfering in ours.

Quick Hits: Marquee, Myst and Amy Sacco

Time for a Wednesday edition of Quick Hits, where we just give you some really quick stories that we don't feel like using our wit and brain cells to expand upon. How many Q's in Quick Hits? Quick Hits!

Today, we feature one Little Birdy sharing 3 stories. How lovely of you LB. Here we go.

· The old Quo, or Myst, is re-opening very soon as either "Aces N Spades" or "Prime".
· Marquee just re-opened their remodeled Red Room last night weekend.
· I just heard a rumor that Bungalow is moving to Wall St. Could be cool.

Interesting stuff LB, but we beg to differ on bullet 3. As bad as 27th Street has become, we don't think Sacco is repackaging Bungalow 8 to head down to Wall Street. As Eater has reported, the space below her real estate venture is going to probably be a large restaurant. Eventually, opening clubs becomes rather boring, and the folks like Miss Sacco look to passively make money. Nightclubs ain't passive kiddies. Unless you are the money and you are using it as a tax write off. Which you know we are.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Ins't or Ous't: Mansion Part II

The exciting conclusion of our very special 2 part series, Ins't or Ous't. Well, what are waiting for? Nothing.

So our first few Little Birdies really didn't have much fun at Mansion. But maybe the crowd was super exclusive and made you feel privileged to be inside? Or maybe not. According to our final Little Birdy, "This is perhaps redundant, but the "private party" was no more than an invitation to anyone on the not so exclusive asmallworld. With over 300,000 members now that is hardly what constitutes a private party (although probably a more reliable way to entice us banker types, if only marginally more so than MySpace)." We know that the space is huge, but having to sell your exclusive opening weekend, during Fashion Week no less, is simply bad news. If this were publicly listed, we would be dumping shares like crazy. But it's just a club, so expect the vulture promoters to step in and fill this place with _______ (fill in blank).

That's why we can officially stamp Mansion: Ous't.

Ins't or Ous't: Mansion

It's the return of everyone's favorite feature Ins't or Ous't, where we tackle the state of New York City nightlife establishments and decide whether they are worth your time. It's about effing time.

Place: Mansion
Neighborhood: Chelsea
Status: Ous't

It's only been three days since this club opened, not even to the public mind you, and we are already declaring it dunzo. Why? First of all, it's open in a dying nightlife neighborhood. And second, we have still not heard one positive thing about it. So today, we bring you 2 reports that re-confirm that this place is over and ous't. According to Little Birdy #1,

Two rooms. Smaller one in baroque styling, pool table?!!, carpeted- waiting to envelope the smell of spilt, sticky drinks in weeks to come. Glass enclosed walls of flame, one located in the passageway between the two rooms which makes for an overheated tunnel. Notice the flames unevenly tempering off ? That’s what happens when you use those gel cans. The upstairs library is weird- the books look out of place. Can you tell it’s too many unfocused ideas implemented into one place? The random acts were, well, random. The choir throws off the mood. You half expect a kanye-like perfomance, but then again, this isn’t the Natural History Museum, haha. There were sheet acrobats in Britney wigs and a girl dressed in lights and spewing sparks into the crowd. These random acts are nothing like the tricks at The Box. It seemed circa 1999. But hey, I enjoyed the top-shelf open bar!
If this is as good as you can get for your opening talent line up, then we thinks there be a problem. Stay tuned for Part II.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Alert: I Am Not DBTH

Over the weekend, we received the following email request:

I am an avid fan of your blog. We both share an affinity for the nightlife industry, and I often am aware of some of your stories before they are posted. Hence, my friends have speculated that I am, in fact, the Hipster. They became especially suspicious after the Tom Arnold Sundance posting because I was one of few people outside. However, as you know this obviously is a case of mistaken identity. At first it was funny but now it has become an issue for me as the word has spread, with people wary having the “Hipster” around.
That was the both the short and long of it, and we still don't know who sent it to us. But we do know something - whoever did write it certainly is not DBTH. So please, people who are associated with the author, stop being wary of having them around. They are still down. Just not BTH.

First Responder: Mansion Pt II

Now, the exciting conclusion of our First Responder report from Mansion, the Opium Group's newest club built right here in our fair City.

After getting the first update from our Little Birdy, we couldn't help but wonder why they were sellin bottle services when we had been hearing all week that the club wasn't open to the public this weekend? We posed the question to our LB, who quickly responded:

I thought about that one too. Obviously, they played it up as a private event, saw some people w invites who got right in, but inside were some familiar faces who I knew that also got in via the line. I had 12 ppl w me and the bottle prices were in the ice buckets. . . it is not the intimate ultra lounge they say it is. The cocktail waitresses were overwhelmed covering, 5-6 tbls and they clearly packed in as many ppl as they could. The "upstairs vip" area was no more exclusive than the rest of the place. All in my group felt the sheer size of the place will dissuade people who attend places like Gold Bar, Pink, Cain etc. Truth be told, other than the ball-like chandeleirs and some fire flames burning behind glass (like a miami club I forget) it isn't much different than Crobar was.
Well, that's not a good sign. First weekends and soft opens are never easy, but we assumed that these folks would be able to hit the ground running. Guess not.

First Responder: Mansion

Below, Part I of our First Responder report from Mansion.One of our more frequent Little Birdy's was on hand for Mansion's big opening weekend and reports:

Was at mansion last night for their " private " party. Took a table with some friends and a slew of girls. They seemed to be allowing people in w/o invites but I could be wrong. Never saw spice girls, but they did have a gospel choir at 1230. Made no sense. Sat in upstairs VIP area, 8 ppl, 3 btl minimum. Place is too cavernous, lacks the vip area that Mansion Miami has and the crowd was not as exclusive. I guess you have to compromise to fill a space this large. Music was not great, place was empty by 3am. Lots of available tables.
A 3 bottle minimum in this economic climate is bold. Maybe 3 bottles of Amstel Light? Heh.

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Want a Link?

We have given in to the pressure and created a link list. If you are interested in being listed, please drop the URL in the comments or via email.

DBTH

Friday, February 08, 2008

Gawker Catches Up

Hats off to one of Gawker's many new editors Hamilton Nolan for understanding the PR game. Amazingly, Mr. Nolan discovered that Scores treats the Post reporters nicely, and in turn, Page Six gives out favorable coverage. Now of course, we already have told you that Lonnie Hanover, the man behind the Quid Pro Quo, recently alligned himself with Rick's Cabaret. Thus, we said that we expect Rick's to become the most discussed strip club in the press, especially Page Six. Amazingly, it only took 2 days for Lonnie's hire to put Rick's all over the news map. Maybe it will help that stock price tick even further upward Monday morning.

Developing: Beatrice Inn Raided

Hot off the rumor mill, we are hearing that the Beatrice Inn was raided last night and shut down. We are still trying to get 100% confirmation.

UPDATE:The Bea was closed down from Midnight until 2:00 AM last night, and was allowed to reopen. Everything is back to normal and you can now come down off the ledge.

Told Ya

Now that didn't take long. Just one day after telling you Skin Man Lonnie Hanover had joined Rick's Cabaret, the Sixers spread the word to their $0.25 mafia. We set our way back machine to yesterday, when we said "Lonnie will repeatedly pimp the club on Howard Stern's Sirius Sattelite Radio show and in Page Six, and play host to celebrities of all sorts." Amazing how that works. Word is that Lonnie has already planned his first Howard Stern Show bonanza party for the weekend, so if you are into that sorta thing, we suggest heading over to W. 33rd.

Lenny Kravitz: Bullish on GoldBar

In the current edition of Spin Magazine, writer Jonathan Ames, gets to spend an evening with Lenny Kravitz at GoldBar. Ames, probably the only music writer who does not know who John Mayer is, is the ultimate fish out of water. He describes himself as "a journalist with bad breath, bad teeth, bad hair, and bad debt", but for one night, he gets to be Lenny's wing man. Hilarity ensues, including Ames blowing his chance to dance with Cameron Diaz, imagining a favorite author writing a murder scene in the lounge, and generally creeping his interview subject and every female out. Good stuff Ames. But the piece does give those not in the know a glimpse into the life of the true GoldBar elite. European models, celebs, bankers and oh those sweet truffle fries. Enjoy.

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Keys to the Mansion

Get ready everyone, Mansion is set to open with a weekend full of Fashion Week parties to get your Chelsea nightclub juices flowing again. A Little Birdy provides a bit of intel, saying "seems fridays opening is by invite only....public opening feb 14..how romantic" Romantic indeed. UrbanDaddy provides some additional color, saying "The real show, however, goes down in the main room, dubbed The Grand Ballroom. To add a jolt of fun and spontaneity to the big bottle-box formula, random acts will be brought in from all corners of the globe for spontaneous send-ups. " Wow, random acts! We love it. Excuse while we go get in line for opening night.

Rick's Cabaret Makes Its Move

Big news from the world of gentleman's clubs. Lonnie Hanover, the man who made Scores New York's go to gentleman's club, has recently been hired by Rick's Cabaret as a "publicity consultant". Translation? Lonnie will repeatedly pimp the club on Howard Stern's Sirius Sattelite Radio show and in Page Six, and play host to celebrities of all sorts. Rick's, which is one of the few publicly traded gentleman's club chains, has been quietly trying to establish itself in the crowded NYC market. Expect this hire to solidify them among the upper echelon. Maybe Mr. Bruni will review their restaurant, but we doubt it.

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Rose Bar Reject

When it comes to getting into Rose Bar, one of our intrepid commenters was 100% correct: "Some places are not meant for everyone. Welcome to the world people." Unfortunately, Nicky Hilton learned this the hard way. Page Six reports, "it seems Ian Schrager's ban on Paris Hilton at his Gramercy Park Hotel also applies to her sister Nicky. Spies outside spotted her 'desperately trying to get in' to the hip hotel's Rose Bar . . ., 'Nicky was texting Andy Valmorbida to come out and get her,' said the spy. But we hear the billionaire art dealer was too busy canoodling with Lenny Kravitz's ex, Sandy Meyer, to lend the Hilton sister a hand." Needless to say, the Hilton's could probably use a large dose of reality. But so can Rose Bar. Don't get us wrong, we love the place. But either you are open to the public or you aren't, and if you aren't, just be honest about it. It's really not that big a deal. But to ban someone because of their sister, or allow someone to pass doorman #1 without then letting them past doorman #2, or telling respected restauranters that they "should shave and dress better" if they want to come again is ludicrous. Consider us (gasp!) on Nicky's side.

Photo Credit

The Ultimate Super Bowl Party

Everyone tries to do something special for the Super Bowl, but the folks at the Spotted Pig really do take things to the next level. Being that Super Bowl Sunday is one of the slowest days of the year, owners Ken Friedman and April Bloomfield use it as a chance to throw their hard working staff a little party. Last year, they rocked Del Posto. This year, we hear that they took over La Esquina for the whole night. The menu is above, and it looks pretty darn tasty. Music was supplied by a couple of local DJ's, Mark Ronson and Moby. You may have heard of them. Apparently Jay-Z and Mike D. had to cancel at the last minute and they called them out of the bullpen. And for those staffers who wanted to watch the game, there was a big screen set up in their after-party suite at the Bowery Hotel, the big ass one with the balcony. That's what we call a Super Sunday. Please add us to next year's guest list.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

On the Circuit: Chloe Sevigny

More coverage from Fashion Week, with a guest LB from the This Is The Sweetest Dream blog supplying the coverage, saying "went to the chloe sevigny for opening ceremony party last night at webster hall. it was a complete scene outside. williamsburg was probably empty last night - it was wayy hipster overload. the line was down the block and the cops showed up to clear the street. the snl crew (andy sanberg and seth meyers) even had to wait to get in. once in, it was insanely packed and the new wave music was taking over - "the slits" finally came on after 12. the beautiful margherita missoni showed up at one point - so gorgeous." Great stuff LB. Why don't y'all click on through for more great pics and coverage. Thanks TITSD.

Interested in being a Little Birdy? Applications are being accepted here.

On the Circuit: Charlotte Ronson

Fashion Week. It's back. It really felt like it never left. Anyway, somehow we wound up at Butter last night for the oh so spectacular afterparty for Charlotte Ronson. Fabulous! Seriously though, we want to thank Richie and Scott, Blue and Cream, the Ronson girls (Sammy Sam Dee Jayed of course) for being such gracious hosts. Except for all the smoke, we actually had a great time. There isn't much else to comment on: most of the people were cleared out at midnight to make way for the Monday night Butter elite, and that was the perfect time for us to exit stage left. Next.

Monday, February 04, 2008

Introducing Shoolbred's

We'd like to extend a hearty welcome to Shoolbred's, the new restaurant and lounge in the former Jade Mountain Chow Mein space, at 197 Second Avenue in the Upper East Village. Well, it's just a lounge for now, as the kitchen is not quite ready to go yet. After being jammed on Friday night, DBTH returned on Saturday to enjoy a drink and survey the scene. The bar, backed by colorful stained glass, is tastefully decorated, with a working gas fireplace in the back and a few booths and leather chairs. Space is otherwise tight. There are several choice beers on tap, but we weren't made aware of any specialty cocktail list. Maybe that's coming though. Go in and say hello, then let us know what you think.

Friday, February 01, 2008

The Mansion is Built


It looks like the finishing touches are being put on Mansion, Chelsea's newest clubtacular, from Miami's Opium Group. Our friends at Grub Street have the press release details, saying:

It will have the feel of forties Hollywood, with personal granite dance platforms at each Pucci-fabric sofa, a 20-foot enclosed fireplace, and three separate lounge areas. The interior isn’t yet photo-ready (we’re the first to run this rendering), but we’re dying to see the “Cougar Room,” a chicks-only den with hairdressers, makeup artists, sex toys, and girlie drinks by mixologist Gregory Selder.
How over the top! How gimmicky! How Clubtacular! It looks like the even included those tables they require for success. We look forward to opening night.

The Gold Standard


Some people love to hate on the state of nightlife in New York City. Not us of course, but some people. But the City is still very fun, and it is possible to have a great time going out. On that note, a Little Birdy filed this report after what seems to be a lonnnnnnng night out, saying:

u know gold bar? place is pretty serious stuff. degenerates of nyc in full swing at gold bar. 19 yr old brazilians having makeshift photoshoots as the party floods into the dj booth to play with the new mac computers. bottles of goose everywhere. i have 2 brain cells right now. give me some verbs.
Was that English? Our Little Birdy's goose is done and done dirty. But you all get the drift. It seems that they had a killer time, and so can all of you.

Keep sharing those stories everybody. We love em.

Oooh, Fashion

For those who like dress fancy, a retail update for you. Taavo Somer and his band of bespoked fellas from Freemans Sporting Club may be opening up a West Coast joint. A little birdy fills us in, saying "they are looking at spaces to open a FSC in Los Angeles. It would have a different vibe than the LES branch, less old world feel and more of an LA, art deco type feel. Apparently this branch took a ton of time and money to create the feel they achieved." Very cool LB. So get ready all you LA kids. Classic rugged men's wear and accessories are coming your way.