Match Disappoint: Philippe: New York

Our crack NYC team has been postponing reviewing the new Upper East Side restaurant Philippe in the hopes that the initial opening gliches would be corrected. They sent in this report:
"We've ventured a couple of times to Philippe, the new restaurant opened by Philippe Chow of Mr. Chow's fame. Housed in the former Match space on 60th, the restaurant is an interesting attempt at an excellent restaurant and a bad nightclub. The decor is minimal: white walls, dark floors and furniture, and a couple of flower arrangements smattered about. The crowd is a mixture of attractive well-dressed Upper East young socialite types (specifically on Thursday nights when there is a promoted late-night party at the venue) and horribly-dressed Jersey garbage. The food is excellent Chinese: our gang dined on the chicken satay, the lobster spring rolls, the squab lettuce wraps, the Nine Seasons prawns, the crispy beef, and finally the Peking duck (a must) and we were quite pleased with all that we consumed.

The service however, remains awful. The aspiring models they've hired to do the seating and reservations are completely retarded. They're unable to manage the booking computer and jumble all the reservations, and with an attitude to boot. The waitstaff are incompetent as well, screwing up orders and dropping dishes all over the place. There is also a team of Albanian thugs in cheap suits and ties who may or may not be managers wandering around the establishment to make sure "everything's okay" when nothing is okay and they do nothing to change that. Even the goddamn coatcheck girls are mentally disabled! They were unable to figure out the super complicated system of ticket corresponding to coat and lost gloves and scarves in the process.

The only reccommendation we can give to have a less disorganized and more relaxing meal is to sit upstairs preferably in the room on the left. The servers seemed slightly more experienced as no duck was dropped on Boris' Borrelli seven-ply cashmere. Also, the room was infinitely quieter. The underlying problem is that although Philippe is the cook (and an excellent one) the real owners are goons who've owned a multitude of good nightspots which they've managed to destroy. So please messieurs, let Mr. Chow do his job and keep people happily fed, and get a competent staff."

+Philippe, 33 East 60th Street New York, New York +1 212 644 8885.

+Mr. Chow, 324 E 57th St, New York, +1 212 751 9030.
+Borrelli.
+Where is: Albania?
+Match Point.
+Previous W4: Suncrawler Reports: Burbank Blue With Flames.

Friday Diverson: Music: Pitchfork

Music Junkies: Pitchfork is your fix. For those not already aware of this growing internet site, Pitchfork is becoming the destination of choice for up and coming musicians. Having brought attention to bands such as Arcade Fire and Clap You Hands and Say Yeah, the ladder of which went on to sell 10,000 records after a review on the site, Pitchfork is for acoustic early adopters. Thankfully, they also know how to knock'em down with features such as "Worst Record Covers of All Time" and "15 Worst Releases of 2005." The site is a good way to see what music is coming out of fungus encrusted hipster dens such as Brooklyn without actually having to go there.
+Pitchfork: "Pitchfork is a website dedicated to music and the discussion thereof. And we rule."
+Arcade Fire.
+Clap You Hands And Say Yeah.
+Fork: W4 Suggests: Los Angeles: Lucques, 8474 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, +1 323 655-6277.
+Fork: W4 Suggests: London: Sushi: Toku is No Tofu.

Casa Casuarina: Miami: Overdue Library Book

In pursuit of 'research' for her upcoming dissertation on the implications of silicone and short skirts on the native Phoenicopterus population, Overdue Library Book ventured to Miami where, she stumbled upon Casa Casuarina, the private members club in what was once Gianni Versace's Ocean Drive mansion:
"Seated in an intimate, tiled dining room right on the ocean, the scene was slightly reminiscent of The Bird Cage, but that sense was quickly replaced as the wine flowed and the meal took form. The menu was exquisite and one must devour the dover sole. And throughout the meal there was the constant feeling that some A-Lister (or crazed gunman) was lurking around the corner. For the South Beach-bound jetsetter, the fee for Quintessentially is likely worth it given their relationship with the club which allows their members special access to it. They also host weekly parties at the casa. Casa Casuarina, designed to resemble the oldest house in the New World, built by Columbus's son, offers exclusive guest rooms just off the courtyard, a spa, and space for private parties."
+Casa Casuarina, 1116 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, +1 305 672-6604.
+Overdue Library Book: Relative of: Buster: Arrested Development [fox].
+The Birdcage, [imdb].
+Quintessentially, membership starts at $1500 US/year.
+Previous W4: Overdue Library Book: Jungle Fever: Costa Rica.
+Previous W4: Miami Guide: Part One: Hotels.
+Previous W4: Miami Guide: Part Two: Shops.
+Previous W4: Miami Guide: Part Three: Restaurants.
+Previous W4: Miami Guide: Part Four: Noche.

CobraStyle: TeddyBears: Beat: Stockholm

The Swedish Connection recently introduced us to the Stockholm based group The Teddybears and their infectious single, "CobraSnake." With it's speedy reggae beat and machine gun lyrics it is sure to bite even the biggest intovert and send them into a epileptic fit. The antidote to any lacking scene.
+The Teddybears, Cobrasnake, watch.
+Bad Beer, Great Ad: 'CobraStyle' Heineken.
+Previous W4: Nordic: Lost in Iceland 1: Found: Beat: Silvia Nott.

Secret Lover: Faceless Diaries: London

A London DJ has created the latest Bridget Jones type sensation for the Podcast set. The Faceless Diaries which air every morning on Kiss 100 and via ITunes Podcast are the secret diaries of an anonymous London University student. The girl calls into a voicemail and leaves messages which are then transcribed and read by a synthetic voice. Speaking about her deepest thoughts, intimate relationships, dieting, and desires, the girl at first sounds a bit like R2-D2. Listen to her confessions for about 2 minutes though and you'll be hooked.
+Faceless Diaries: The Show.
+R2D2: Profile [starwars.com].
+Kiss FM diary that's become Bridget Jones for podcasters, Guardian 21 February 2006.
+Update: Is 'Faceless' the Belle de Jour of Podcasts?, Independent 22 February 2006.
+Booze Island Intel: London's Answer to Marquee: Cukoo Club, Swallow Street, London +44207 287 4300.
+Marquee, 289 10th Ave, New York, +1 646 473 0202.

Idle Moments: Wedding Band Reviews

With our depraved correspondent Boris going soft, our W4 global entertainment team has been looking for new and exciting ways to pass their idle evenings. The latest outing: wedding band reviews. Our team investigates from the conga line:

"If you're looking for some seriously bad wedding bands for your upcoming nuptials, look no farther than Cutting Edge Orchestras. I couldn't resist an invitation to a recent showcase of their three bands from a prominent New York wedding planner to help a friend, but I could never imagine how entertainingly painful wedding bands could be. While listening to one, I was serenaded by the greasy singer to "Lets Get It On" after he jumped off the stage and ran to me -- a man who I would have otherwise maced in the street. For another, the trombone player actually doubled as a singer and used the mic at the end of his instrument to sing along with the aforementioned greasy man when he was not playing. And my favorite part was listening to early Michael Jackson tunes being sung by an overweight female. These guys are a best bet if you are looking to traumatize your new in-laws and bring a smoky, low rent nightclub touch to your country club wedding."
+Cutting Edge Orchestras.

Boris Loves You: Valentine's Day Edition

Because Valentine's Day is better celebrated on your own terms, Boris sent in his recipe for a romantic evening - two days after the fact:

Valentine's Day

1 Bottle of 1986 Krug Clos des Mesnil
4 ounces of Tsar Imperial Sevruga (the only Iranian caviar not yet on the endangered list and therefore still fresh and delicious)
3 dozen pink peonies
1 pair of Mish chrysoprase earrings

And let the evening take you where it will from there. . .

Boris Prefers:
+Mish, 131 E 70th St, New York, +1 212 734 3500.
+Flowers: New York: Plaza Flowers, New York.
+Flowers: London: The Flower Stand, Fulham Road.
+Petrossian, 182 W. 58th St., New York, +1 212 245 2214.
+Park Avenue Liquor Shop, 292 Madison Avenue, New York +1 685 2442.
+Previous Boris: Boozing with Boris: Cisco.

Jungle Fever: Costa Rica: Overdue Library Book

Overdue Library Book, our eternally enrolled correspondent, who somehow manages to vacation on a banker's salary, sends us this brief report from the sanatized confines of the Four Seasons' Costa Rican jungle:
"Waylaid on her way to joining the Sandinistas, the Imelda Marxist decided not to forsake capitalism after five nights in the lap of luxury at the Four Seasons Papagayo Gulf Costa Rica. The resort, situated on its own peninsula on the Pacific side of Costa Rica, has stunning views of the ocean on all sides, with three beautiful swimming pools, soft white sand beaches, four restaurants, and an Arnold Palmer- designed golf course that it is also the host to many wild animals from the neighborhood monkeys swing in the trees above, iguanas sun themselves on the cart path. After a twilight sail, Imelda treated her very own Ferdinand to a couples massage at the spa, rated #7 in the world by Travel & Leisure in 2005. The resort is not for the glo-stick wielding Ibiza crowd, however, as the place shuts down by 10 pm."
+W4 Photog: Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica, 2 February.
+Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica, Peninsula Papagayo, Guanacaste Costa Rica, +50 66 96 0000.
+Previous W4: Costa Rica: Surf's Up Mal Pais.
+Related W4: Modern Gentlemen's Guide: Napping.
+Bad PR: Your Fellow Guests: MTV: Pink Marries Carey Hart In Costa Rica.

Birds Eye Travel: Google Earth: Travel Leisure 500

Travel and Leisure US has teamed up with Google Earth to create a T&L Top 500 Hotels of the World overlay which will give you a birds eye view of many of the worlds top resorts. Complete with scores and reviews of the featured hotels, it is a comprehensive guide to many of the world's top (predictable) resorts. Given T&L's readership demographics and editorial coverage you may find intel on the ostentatious Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai but you certainly wont find anything on the more discreet resort of Kauri Cliffs in New Zealand or other similar type properties. Regardless, it is an innovative use of Google Earth and one we hope to see more of in the future.
+Travel and Leisure Top 500 Hotels (top hotels around the world) [Google Earth].
+Jumeirah Beach Hotel, PO BOX 11416, Dubai, UAE +971 4 3480000.
+Kauri Cliffs, Matauri Bay Road, Matauri Bay, Northland, New Zealand, +64 9 407 0010.

Holographic Transport: Chicago: Highball

Highball borrows the super glue from the office supply cabinet and sends us this vision quest from Chicago:
"Holographic advertising has hit the Chicago transit system and is a very cool example of the future of billboards. While the Blue Line train is underground in between two downtown stops, a startling image of a Nissan sports car randomly appears outside the window along the otherwise pitch black tunnel wall. At first you think you are creating it in your mind or that it is instead simply a reflection of an advertisement on board the train. But it is in fact an image that floats along the wall with you as the train zooms along. The ad is clear but yet faint enough that you may not see it if you are not looking out the window."
+Zebra Imaging.
+W4 Photog: U2, Twickenham, London, 18 June 2005.

Tie Me Up, Tune Me Out: Thomas Pink: Threads

We first heard about the unlikely paring of a Thomas Pink tie and this nifty Ipod Nano holder a couple of months back. Then a mention appeard in this month's British GQ. Now we have recieved an email from company HQ that the Thomas Pink tunes tie is on sale at their flagship Jermyn Street store in 3 different colors. It will also be available on the company's website within the week. The tie looks to be a great way to drowned out that dreary conference call, presentation, or dinner with your overbearing parents.
+Thomas Pink Ipod Nano Tie, 25 Jermyn Street, London +44 20 7930 6364.
+Quote: Lacey: Would you like to tie me up with some of your ties, Ty?, Caddyshack [imdb].

Lost in Iceland 1: Found: Beat: Silvia Nott

The first of many dispatches comes in from the W4 Icelandic Winter Conference. This one from Goldeluxx:

"Iceland is a vast land with many natural treasures - Geyers, Waterfalls, Glaciers - so it was little surprise to the W4 Team to witness 22 year-old Icelandic Pop Star Silvia Nott jump on top of her table at the Apotek restaurant Saturday night and lip synch her latest single which requires her to dance like a puppy on its hind legs. Regardless it was incredible performance from the mink coat clad, starry eyed artist. Maybe you had to be there, maybe we were. Either way after a few repetitions her song becomes a catchy addition to any February 2006 playlist. To Icelanders, however, "Til Hamingju Island" (which means "Congratulations Iceland") is more than just a song that Swedish witch-doctors concocted for Britney to gyrate to. It is a stand-up routine set to a sexy beat in which Silvia Nott, originally a comedian, tells the story of her conquering Eurovision.

We are converts, and not the only ones who think this is likely to happen. She is more than just a pretty, glittered face. As she put it herself on her myspace.com profile, "You know...most buety queens are drug addicts and bitches...not me, Im as buetyfull on the inside as one the outside...okey?"
+Silvia Nott, [listen] [watch].
+Apotek Bar/Grill, Reykjavik.
+Also on W4: Lost in Iceland 2: Land of Dreams.
+Related: Showtime Synergy: Jem & The Holograms.
+W4 Photog Taken: 4 February 2006, Reykjavik.

The Air Up There: In Flight Bar Reviews

By far one of the more amusing travel websites that we have come across (besides our irreverent own) is Air Review: Online and Uncensored. The website gives an incredibly detailed write up on a number of international airlines with the data more or less up to data but with some minor glitches. But the most amusing part of the this in-flight diarist is his review of the flying airline bars around the globe. Not only does he provide a photo but also a write up of each drink and the alcohol content percentage. Whatever passes the time.
+Air Review: Icelandair.

Threads: Loft Design By: Paris

Bejewelled sends us this report from her louche estate sur La Seine:
"Well dressed Parisians and their followers have long known about Paris' Loft Design by. Les vêtements sont availible seulement dans la république et soyez très simple mais sophistiqué. Le concepteur, Patrick Freche, fait des vêtements dans les couleurs foncées qui peuvent être portées dans un arrangement formel ou sans cérémonie. Non chemises britanniques colorées folles ici! We can only hope that the company doesn't expand too far beyond the lights of the city. Bien Sur!"
+Loft Design by, 12 rue du Fbg-St-Honoré, 8th +33 1 42 65 59 65. Also 12 rue de Sévigné and 56 rue de Rennes.
+Previous W4: Threads: Paris: Hobbs the Only Name Worth Knowing.
+Previous Bejewelled: W4: London: Eight Over Eight.
+Previous Bejewelled: W4: MusicBoxx: Verve Remixed, Vol. 3.

Tumany Cords: Nifty: Tech

Tumi has done it again. The leading luggage maker has untangled all of the plugs and cords that plague today's international traveller. These compact adapters allow you to recharge your phone, digital camera or plug in your laptop most anywhere in the wired world. The electric adaptor helps you recharge your electric gizmos in 150 countries and the modem/phone adaptor helps your stay digitized in 80 countries. The best feature of this duo is that the electric adapter works with any mix of input/output combos so you can take your UK cell phone to the US and take your US Blackberry to Europe all with one device. Tu cool.
+Tumi, Deluxe Modem and Adaptor Kit, Style: 14361.
+ACDC, official site.
+Stereo MCs, Connected. Itunes.