Downtown Map Map Fun

A Little Birdy passed along a handy dandy Google Map which shows some of downtown's best eating and drinking establishments. Many of them happen to coincide with our favorites as well, so we figured we would share it with you. It is even updated to include the brand new Rusty Knot. Do take a look and ctrl+d for future reference.

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.

What a Wednesday

Two Little Birdy's with two tidbits from Wednesday night that we have to pass along.

1. LB numero uno reports, "I was walking along Bowery last night around 10:30 and noticed that the Bowery Hotel was having a party on it's roof space. There were no photographers, no grand rope scheme, just one blonde girl with a clipboard. I asked blondie who was throwing the event, and she told me it was a 'private event'. No shit."

2. LB numero two says, "I just passed by Cafe Bari and noticed that they had a velvet rope set up outside that second door leading to Upstairs. I didn't see a door man, but think there was one lurking behind the glass door. There was no crowd waiting to be let in either."

Let's digest. Noting the lack of event planny type staff and activity, The Bowery could very well be in soft open. Or it could have just been a private party since the space is available for anyone to rent for a one off. As for Upstairs, you didn't think a little publicity would shut the place down did you? Puhhlease.

On the Circuit: Burton 2008

Welcome to the first installment of a new DBTH series, On the Circuit, which chronicles a select few of the many sponsored events held in New York City on any given night. Books, fashion, music, movies or miscellaneous, if you can think of it, it's a pretty good bet that there is some kind of event happening. Usually, if you've been to one, you've been to em all. But some stand out, and DBTH will be On the Circuit to keep you informed. Because hey, free booze.

Our first installment: Burton 2008

We got word that LA DJ Steve Aoki had been booked to spin a Radar event at the Burton Snowboard Store in Soho to preview Burton's 2008 collection. After arriving at the store and finding it closed, a quick recheck of the invite showed that it was being held just down the street at the Burton showroom in a loft high above Broadway. Pass quickly through "security" (DBTH +1), we cram into the elevator to head upstairs and enter into the event that is already in full swing.

The skinny: The room was full to very full, and Aoki, most known for his weekly party with DJ AM in LA, was spinning to an enthusiastic crowd. The bars were plentiful, with a choice of jalapeno margs, vodka mixers and the like, while a kind wait staff passed out mini burgers and dessert to those who dig that kind of thing (No thanks, we already ate). Most fun: the instant photo booth in the corner. Most surprising: the event actually picked up steam as the night wore on, definately not the norm.

Instead of trying to pack the room with C listers and hired models, Burton et al put together a real party. Drinks, DJ and dancing, a tough combination to beat. If it wasn't for all the Burton gear on the wall that you couldn't try on, we could have been anywhere. But it was a showroom, and it wasn't a big deal. And we all got a new t-shirt to boot. How about that?

Be sure to check out some photos at our DBTH/Flickr page.

Psst...DBTH Has a Secret

We have a secret. It's a big one, but it should be alright if we tell you. You just have to promise not to tell anyone else, ok? Swear? If you don't swear, how can we tell you? Ok, now we can tell you. See, 150 Lafayette has been mysteriously wrapped up for a few months. The place is being gutted, and we know why. The building, which previously was the Chinatown Dialysis Center, is being converted into a luxury hotel. And this isn't just any luxury hotel. This is the widely anticipated Mondrian Hotel - NYC. That's right, the Mondrian is coming to Chinatown. The project represents Morgans Hotel Group's triumphant return to New York City. Crazy right? We know. The work is being overseen by the conversion experts at HTO. They even have a permit! The hotel will definately have some big name restaurant and nightlife establishments, but no contracts have been signed with anyone.

Now remember, you swore not to tell, and a promise is a promise. Otherwise, we may not be able to tell you anything ever again.

Bungalow 8 to Abandon 27th Street

There has been a lot of Amy Sacco news recently. We don't want to overdo it, but there is just a little bit more. Grab a seat because it's a whopper. Some nocturnal little birdys tell us, "Bungalow 8 will be shutting down on 27th Street and relocating downtown." HOLY MOLY! The 27th Street original and Bunaglow flagship is abandoning its roots, with Sacco leaving the hood for the B&T to run amok. Sounds fun. All kidding asisde, Bungalow 8 was an area pioneer. Accordingly, It seems logical that Sacco made plans to abandon 27th Street before Cain, but kudos to Cain for getting the news out first.

So what does this mean for NYC nightlife's bottom line? By now, it's obvious that 27th Street is officially dead and the the new trend is clear. Downtown baby! With Gold Bar, the Box, 205 and the new Scott Sartiano and Richie Akiva joint opening soon, downtown has its grimy grip firmly wrapped around the neck NYC nightlife, ready to choke those uptown players out of the game forever. That's why Bungalow and Cain are giving up on their original homes, ready to make a move to re-establish their brand names at a new venue. A bold and risky move by any means, but one that had to be done.

If you live above 14th Street, it may be time to call your realtor.

Photo courtesy of Lock/Flickr