Miami Is Not So Pure

Based on their recent IRS troubles, PURE has had to rethink their pending expansion plans. How so? Well, according to our Little Beach Birdy in Miami, "PURE has killed their plans to open in South Beach. Their IRS problems has made it impossible to go through with the deal." So their planned Fountainbleau Hotel location will not happen. And that's why you never decide to skimp on your taxes. Allegedly.

La Esquina Making Its Miami Move

Another tidbit of information that bubbled to the surface during the Cordell Lochin legal tizzy was Serge Becker had plans to open a second La Esquina in Miami. So exciting. Well, DBTH has learned a bit more intel on the project, and it's shaping up to be a doozy. The word from South Beach is that Becker and his posse have signed a deal to open La Esquina in the soon to open Mondrian South Beach Hotel and Residences, and that Becker will operate not only a La Esquina lobby restaurant but also a roof top bar. Good deal for Becker, but will taking a restaurant that is known more for its basement than its food to the land of Latin cuisine be a success? Will it diminish the strong La Esquina brand here in New York City? Only time will tell, but as one wise operator told us, "your brand is your brand it's best not to fuck with it." Indeed.

[PhotoCredit]

Flyer Follies: Armani Exchange Does WMC

It's Winter Music Conference time in Miami, and the flyers are, well, flying in. Above is our invitation to the AX/Sirius Penthouse, which is pretty standard, except for the sheer volume of sponsors for this one event. We count 14, which may be a record for one little event. Strength in numbers, we suppose.

Flyer Follies: Miami Spring Break Edition

It's the middle of March. You know what that means? Spring mother effing break. That's what we're talking about dawg! Woof! So no matter where you are at right now, stop what you're doing and make plans to get your asses down to South Beach by tomorrow at 1:00. Why? Look at the damn flyer fool! Vanessa Manillo, Brody Jenner and Miranda Kerr are all going to be at the Raleigh Hotel for an afternoon extravangaza.

No invite? No problem! We bet if you drop our name at the door, they will let you in gratis. And as a bonus, we bet you get a hot Nick Lacey sighting. He loves him a Spring Break pool party.

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.

Royal Rumble Follow Up

More from the ongoing saga that is the Tenjune vs Stereo battle, with a Little Birdy saying "FYI....mark birnbaum had a restraining order against statsky. it was comical to see the riff in ny nightlife between the Raleigh (noah jason and statsky) and the Shore Club (tenjune). When will these two year olds grow up and run a company. I guess this is why stereo is no more." First, don't say FYI. Second, thanks for the tip. We have heard there was a major battle for Miami real estate for the annual Xmas/NYE pilgramage south. But it seems it all worked itself out. Or did it? This is so dramatic.

OMG! Mansion is Coming to NYC

Guess what everybody? Apparently the Opium Group has taken over the old Crobar space and is going to open an NYC outpost of Mansion, their still going Miami hotspot. At least that's what new to the game pagesix.com reported over the weekend. Too bad the yet to be relevant gossip site wasn't reading DBTH back in April and May, when we broke the news. We do give them props for the Eric Milon picture - he's looking fit.

Tao Heads South

Hypothetical. You own and operate the most successful restaurant and nightclub in the United States. Your New York City flagship is wildly popular with expense accounters and celebs. Your brand has broken through to become a hospitality institution. What is left for your to do? Head to Miami of course. That's what the folks at Tao are planning to do. According to a Little Birdy in the know, "they have signed a lease for a space on Lincoln Rd. off Washington somewhere. No timing yet, sounds like its going to take a while." South Beach get up! We asked our Miami Seagull, who isn't too surprised, saying, "big, open space that has been vacant for years. It was kiss steakhouse, which was 'owned' by Janet Jackson." And we all know how that worked out. Or maybe we all don't. No matter, sometime next year we will all be able to enjoy swordfish skewers by the beach. Delicious.

Chelsea Gets a Mansion

Despite our warnings, Eric Milon and his Opium Group minions have their hearts set on bringing one of their Miami venues to Chelsea's club graveyard. After our little birdy overheard Milon the model discussing the space, a second, more knowledgeable little birdy (we think Owl's are probably the smartest bird, so we shall call them Hooty the Birdy) confirmed that the Studio Mezmor space will be getting a makeover. Hooty says, "Milon and Opium Group are indeed coming to town. They are turning the old crobar into the New York outpost of Mansion. Look for a fall opening." First time/long time that someone from SoBe has tried to bring their act to New York, but give them credit for taking the risk. This also makes moving Cain and Sacco's decision to relocate Bungalow 8 seem that much smarter.

Thanks to mARky/Flickr!

Invasion From the South

Is New York ready for an invasion of Miami nightlife? Well, ready or not, here it comes. A little birdy checks in, saying "was eating lunch at Cirpriani Downtown and overheard Eric Milon discussing some available spaces in NYC. Specifically, he was discussing taking over the Studio Mezmor (formerly crobar)space." Interesting little birdy. Very interesting. Perhaps these Miami folks think they know something about the 27th Street area that NYC operators don't. For those who aren't familiar, Milon is a former model turned nightlife player who owns and operates the Opium Group in South Beach and is expanding into Vegas soon. Where have we heard that before? Will a New York version of a Miami nightclub fly? DBTH is betting on no. Unlike in Miami, we can't wear pastels all year long.

See Ya Sacco

Amy Sacco's grip on the NYC scene has been slipping. Lot 61 is gone and Bungalow may as well be. So what is the Queen of NYC nightlife to do? Sell out of course. After recently opening the London edition of Bungalow at St Martins Lane, a little birdy tells us "Amy Sacco has entered into a significant deal with Morgans Hotel Group. She will be opening and/or overseeing a number of venues in existing and future Morgan's Hotel deals. They just bought out the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas and the Mondrian and Delano are both opening at Echelon Place in Vegas in 2010 so expect her to make a big splash in the desert."

Interesting. But that isn't for 3 years. Seems like an awfully long time for Amy to sit on the sidelines. Oooh, what's this? A second little birdy tells us "expect something from her soon in the notoriously slimy Miami club market in one of the current Morgan's properties or perhaps the future Mondrian South Beach."

We better call our travel agent.

They Love Him Someplace

You would be hard pressed to have missed this week's shitstorm between Sir Chodorow and the Food Critic Establishment. But to us, a review of this type of establishment is worthless. These overpriced and overhyped Fusion/Theater/Rare Food establishments are not for city residents looking for a good meal. They are for the tourists and executives who are out for an evening and want to be wowed with fancy swords and overpriced beef. For proof, lets head to Miami, where an on-site tipster at the Food and Wine Expo reports "people were tripping over themselves to go to the Kobe Club booth at the burger bash. People here love Choderow, as opposed to his nosedive in NYC." So rest easy JC, there is love for you out there. Just not from critics (the same who didn't like Freeman's, but more on that later).