Weekend: Desert Heat: London Dubai, Las Vegas

This weekend the ever-expanding W4 team brings you group coverage from global hotspots London, Dubai and Las Vegas. Spanning twelve steamy times zones of Arabian /Anglo-American drunken desert pleasure our rogue correspondents misadventures will certainly end up with something to report - or at the least a large hospital or legal bill.

In London this weekend, the team behind Boujis opens their newest venture, Volstead, in Mayfair adjacent to the quickly fading Cuckoo Club. Billed as, “London's most opulent boutique lounge will rekindle the atmosphere of our most socially hedonistic times . . . Volstead will provide an oasis of elegance in London's Mayfair.” Cheeky irony considering that the Volstead Act of 1920 established prohibition. Volstead declares that, "sobriety has its place" and we can only hope it is nowhere near Swallow Street. The The hedonistic playpen will be open Tuesday to Saturday from 7pm - 3am.

Meanwhile out at Heathrow, Snoop Dogg was arrested last night for having a 30 person riot in the business class lounge after being denied boarding on a flight to South Africa. Fo Shizzle My Nizzle these bizzcits in the lounge are the grizzle - yo, let's fizzle. W4 supports Snoop's business class liberation army. We agree that the quality of the pre-flight experience has gone down hill in recent years and would lead any man to riot for a decent bellini.

+Volstead, 9 Swallow Street, London +44 207 287 1919.
+Cuckoo Club, Swallow Street, London, +44 20 7287 4300.
+Volstead Act of 1920 [history central].
+Boujis, 43 Thurloe St, London, +44 20 7584 2000.
+BBC News: Snoop Arrested in Airport Farcas, 27 April 2006.
+Previous W4: Las Vegas: Trix in the Mix.
+Previous W4: Dubai: Sheiks on Skis.
+W4 Photog: London, 23 April, 2006.

Modern Gentlemen's Guide: Boris: Flying

Boris on Flying: "Generally, travelling on a commercial airplane anywhere is a horribly unpleasant experience. The planes are usually in Baghdad condition and the seats in First are never comfortable enough to truly get sleep, however I've found Virgin Upper Class to be extremely comfortable and was actually able to get some shut-eye in their bed/cocoons. Also, their free ground limousine transfers and in-car check-in make the entire process incredibly smooth.

The food on commercial airlines is always disgusting and actually gets worse the more exotic they try to get (the filet usually tastes like shoe leather covered in varnish sauce, and the pasta with cream sauce--well I won't go there). Any fish dishes are to be avoided at all costs. Private air travel is far superior because one can avoid going through the revolting experience of check-in, unacceptably poorly stocked first class lounges (Virgin, Cathay, and British Airways First being the exceptions) and most of all the security checkpoints where rent-a-cops give you the once over even though they have no idea what they're looking for. Taking off ones shoes is the most aggravating. I carry a shoe horn with me so as to not damage my Berlutis (we all know how often they are custom-fit with ball bearings and explosives in the heels). Lighters although confiscated if exposed should just be carried through in a pocket as they don't go off in the metal detector and the concept of not being able to light up after a long flight is just intolerable. For domestic US flights, we’ve found the United transcontinental P.S. service to be the only tolerable option with its’ smaller planes and lie flat seats.

Private air: the benchmark is really the G4. The food on private air tends to be fairly mediocre unless you are the type that has a private chef that trails you everywhere - which most likely means you are anorexic anyway so it translates to one expensive carrot peeler in your entourage. Again fish is to be avoided as is meat on private flights. When ordering the cuisine, I recommend a simple tuna sandwich or bagel and cream cheese, and try not to pig out on all the candy and junk food."

W4 Advice: If one must take to the skies - and it is highly recommended that you do if only to avoid unnecessary telephonic and electronic interruptions into your daily life - it is best to be the man that is on the first flight of the morning or last flight of the day. There are many benefits to this early bird / nightcrawler flightstyle: the ability to sleep in late or sneak out early, avoiding delays at the airport and on the tarmac waiting to take off, minimzing your time spent in terminals full of disastrous accents and bad behavior, and making the most of one's day on terra firma. Each of these should be a worthy priority in one's life. Fly when you must but remember its always best to be early to the party or late. Either way you can make a speedy exit without anybody noticing.

+Virgin Atlantic Upper Class.
+United P.S.
+Cathay Pacific.
+Previous W4: Travel: P.S. Forget Paying Our Staff, Let's Party.
+Previous W4: Travel: Tumany Cords: Nifty: Tech.
+W4 Photog: Dallas to Miami, 10 March 2006.

Favela Chic: Booze Island: Paris

When W4's Booze Island heard that Paris' Favela Chic had opened up in London the expectations level was set high. The London location of the Brazilian party den is situated in what used to be the Grand Central bar in Shoreditch, East London. The Favela workers have done an excellent job converting the space from a cold, modern lounge into a wood floored, caparinha swilling, Brazilian jungle with two storey high ceilings a finely tuned soundtrack. By far, the highlight of the ironically named Favela Chic is the music - as just about everywhere in London nowadays can now make a decent mojito or caparinha. The DJ who sits perched 15 feet above the restaurant/bar spins a mix of Brazilian sounds, rock, and funk which draws a bar owner's treasured demographic mix of attractive artsy types, potentially a couple of dancing models, and a few frustrated bankers who throw enough money around to make everyone happy except themselves. Unfortunately on a recent Saturday evening we spotted only a handful of Cariocas. Either way, Brazil is always worth the trip if not only to enjoy the scenery.

+Wikipedia: Cariocas.
+Favela Chic London, 91- 93 Great Eastern Street, London +44 207 613 5228.
+W4 Suggests: Caparinha's poolside at: Copacabana Palace, Avenida Atlântica 1702, Rio de Janeiro, +55 21 2548 7070.
+W4 Suggests: Brazil NYC: Churrascaria Plataforma, 316 W 49th St, New York +1 212 245-0505. Also with Tribeca location.
+W4 Suggests: Brazil: Porcao, various locations worldwide.

Emergency Drink: Go Wodka: Europe: Asia

There are many reasons one would need a shot in a tube - a day of forced marching through packed isles of Le Bon Marche in central Paris, a disagreement with a lover, inadvertently coming across American spring break girls gone wild who are just so ‘thirsty’ they need a shot, or just to help you through the shakes after last night's wild bender. With smoking bans in force in much of the civilized world all that is left to reach in times of emotional distress or existential crisis without recieving self-righetous glares is a drink.

Thankfully the new Go Wodka pocket shot is there for you when you are on the go and in need of alcholic releif. The Go Wodka shots come in four different flavors: Lemon, Energy, Strawberry and our personal favorite Pure Energy.

+Go Wodka, available in Europe and Asia, where people drink at lunch.
+Le Bon Marche, Paris.
+Previous W4: Hangover 911: Emergen-C, Beroca.

115 Meters Below: Tunnel of Love: Eurostar

PAGODA, our French-Canadian sherpa reports on some action going on down below the Chunnel:

"Unbeknownst to Eurostar, they have facilitated the start of a brand new, totally racy and very exclusive club that only exists for 20 minutes every 2 hours. During this window of opportunity, couples are lined up trying to get access to the facilities. While sitting in between the cars riding between London and Paris I came across a few newly anointed members and they seemed very pleased with their decision to join. This club does not advertise, it does not discriminate and it does not exist anywhere else in the world.

I had a regular club seat for my weekend trip to Paris but was trapped on a late afternoon conference call so I figured I would be courteous and sit between the cars so as not to disturb the other passengers. As we approached the Chunnel, I disconnected from the call but figured I would just wait the 20 minutes in between the cars before we emerged in France and I could reconnect.

Almost immediately after the conductor announced that we were entering the Chunnel, a short queue formed outside the toilets. I couldn’t help but watch with intense curiosity as couples filed into the toilet like Noah’s arc – two-by-two. First a boy and a girl, then two girls, then again another boy and girl. As an admission of my own innocence, I was stunned and confused. Then it dawned on me. These were mile-highers searching for new and exciting ways to express their love for each other. I had discovered the 115 Meters Below Club. Sadly I had no one with whom I could complete the membership qualifications and by the time the third couple came out we were racing across France. Perhaps on my next trip in late April.

So, the word is out but don’t tell too many people as this truly is an exclusive and unique experience – capacity is limited (approximately 6 toilets per train X 3 couples per trip X 2 people per membership = 36 new members per crossing)."

+Eurostar, 18 frisky departures a day between London and Paris.
+Previous W4: Trains: Underwater Champagning Serving Trains.

Because It Is Friday: Paris: Eurotrash: Beats

Because it is Friday and.. well it is Friday we bring you men with unruley hair in headbands, a lead singer that resembles James Brown and even a few sedated backup singers to top it all off. All of this can only mean one thing - Eurotrash Friday.

French DJ Martin Solveig has released his latest Parisain groove 'Jealousy' featuring the vocals of American blues musician Elmer Fields. The track's horn section will keep you swaying until the early hours. Et si vous êtes à Paris pour une boisson check out Le Paris Paris for some good times and dirty looks from the unwashed well off hipsters. The club, which is basically the new Le Baron but friendlier, has late 70s/80s New York disco vibe. Ah Le week-end!

+Track: Upload2Net: Jealousy - Martin Solveig.
+Visuals: Video: Martin Solveig - Jealousy.
+Le Paris Paris, 5 avenue de l'Opéra 75001 Paris M° Pyramides.
+NYC and Miami: Eurotrash fix: French Tuesdays.

Steaks and Pitbulls: Buen Ayre: London: Restaurant

When an Italian stockbroker, whose screensaver is a photo of his Porsche, gives you restaurant advice you've either got to be incredibly brave or quite stupid. Thankfully in this case it was the former. Booze Island reports:

"Set in the middle of what some people might call an 'up and coming' neighborhood but we would just call the thug ass ghetto is the Argentinean steakhouse Buen Ayre. The restaurant is located in East Hackney, a borough of London that is more closely associated with packs of white British thugs in hoodies equipped with rabid pitbulls on chain leases than with quality cuisine. However, while the restaurant may only be accessible by armour reinforced SUV it is possibly one of the better low key steakhouses in London. This small ten to fifteen table restaurant has a very simple formula: wooden tables, a simple menu, and an accessible Argentinean wine list all at reasonable prices. Our group started with a selection of freshly made empanadas and then moved straight into some 10oz and 14oz fillets. The meat is cooked on a wood burning grill located in the back of the restaurant next to the small bar and it tasted as though it came straight from Las Pamapas – fresh, tender and full of flavor. Much of the wine list comes from the famed Mendoza region and our waiter selected the perfect bottle to compliment our meal. Unfortunately, the name of the wine escapes me because while incredibly smooth it also packed a Hackney worthy punch. Buen Ayre is a welcome addition to the casual London dining scene and is worth the journey."

Location Note: Don’t be fooled by the pleasantly downtown New York sounding address of ‘Broadway Market’, take Sao Paulo level precautions to get to this place as walking down the wrong street at night you may find yourself with a bulldog gnawing on your leg as you are being happy slapped. There is no tube station nearby. The exception might be on Saturday's when Broadway Market is actually a market.

+Buen Ayre, 50 Broadway Market, London +44 20 7275 9900.
+Closer to Civilization: Smiths of Smithfield, 67-77 Charterhouse Street, London +44 20 7251 7997.
+Track: Flashback: Party In De Ghetto - David Morales and The Bad Yard Club feat. Crystal Waters.

Stale Crackers: Ritz Battery Park: Highball: New York

Highball reports from lower Manhattan and the view ain't pretty. What she was doing at the off the beaten track / dirty weekend / affair friendly Ritz at Battery Park we don't want to know:

"The Ritz-Carlton Battery Park should be avoided at all costs even if there is nowhere else to house visiting friends and family. I am still troubled by my recent stay which turned out to be a regrettable and sizable error in judgment. Clearly, the most obvious weakness is the unbelievably inconvenient location which is smack in the middle of a loud and messy construction zone. The hotel is impossible to reach and there are zero cabs available at any time. To even get away from the place, guests have to line up outside near a construction site and wait endlessly for a trickle of arriving cabs. It becomes a zoo of impatient businessmen and annoying tourists that the Ritz staff is simply unable to manage. The rooms are standard new construction issues thus my suite was less than impressive (although the master bathroom wasn’t too bad). My "“sweeping"” view of the Statue of Liberty was instead interrupted by construction cranes and bright construction lights down below. To add insult to injury, the Ritz overcharged my credit card by $400 and their inept and unhelpful staff has still been unable to resolve my conflict two months later. My stay at this Ritz can only be described as a headache that no one else should ever have to endure. This Ritz Battery Park: truly a stale cracker."

+The Ritz-Carlton Battery Park, 25 Battery Pl, New York, +1 212 344-0800.
+W4 Photog: Triborough Bridge at The Ichan Stadium, 7 March 2006.

Sip Sip: Beach Bar: Harbour Island: Seashell

Seashell, our surfside correspondent, washes ashore in Harbour Island, Bahamas:
"The quiet northern end of Harbour Island is a picture-perfect retreat of purity. No cars, no televisons, no radio, and thankfully no crazy bass-thumping night clubs. Just pristine beaches and crystal blue waters, and a landscape sprinkled with beach bungalows painted in cheerful colors. All entirely satisfying for about five hours until the transcontinental Ambien wears off and the booze shakes set in. At this stage in the trip, we discovered, not one, but two Bahamian-style watering holes perched along the beautiful Pink Sands Beach.

At one end of the beach, the errant beachcomber is conveniently directed to the “Steps to Sip Sip” via a brightly painted neon-colored sign. After climbing the steps to this two-story beach shack bar and café, one is rewarded with amazing views of the surrounding island and the most perfect breeze rolling in off the ocean. Not to mention a drinks list that would make any high-school Cancun spring-breaker drool with envy. “Kylien’s Special Colada” boasts a secret blend of speciality rums mixed with piña colada and topped with a dark rum floater. Make sure to avoid the lunch-time tourist rush and opt for a late afternoon cocktail around 2pm or so. You’ll be sure to score a table on the outside deck and the servers are much more efficient at accommodating your drink orders without that pesky “food” business in the way.

For a more dramatic setting, trek about a quarter mile down the beach to the Pink Sands Resort’s lunchtime spot, the Blue Bar. No you are not in London at the Berkeley so leave the catwalk clothes back in your cabana. Painted in a bright blue, almost identical to the Bahamanian sky that serves as its backdrop, Blue Bar is the place to be and be seen, if there is such a spot on this remote island. Make sure to ask for Pete, the bartender, to add his speciality touch to the infamous “Pinky” drinks here. We’re fairly certain that Pete’s only “magic touch” is four extra shots of rum in the mix, but we loved it when Pete made our drinks all the same."
+Sip Sip, Court St (on the beach), Harbour Island, Bahamas +242 333-3316.
+Blue Bar at Pink Sands (on the beach), Harbour Island, Bahamas +242 333-2030
+Blue Bar, Berkeley Hotel, Wilton Place, London, +44 207235 6000.
+When in Harbour Island, W4 stays at: The Landing.

World Hold On: Beats: Bob Sinclair

After his infectious feel good track Love Generation dominated the globe one would think that Bob Sinclair would be leading some sort of save the world kumbaya workshop. Instead the mixologist has released another addicitive track, "World Hold On (Children of the Sky)" which is in heavy rotation across Europe and wherever EU passports, brightly colored shirts, and the scent of Gauloise smoke can be found. The song's hook is a whistle which sounds strikingly familiar to that of Elle Driver, the deadly nurse in Kill Bill. This site does not host illegal tracks but we did find the link below to download the song. Also, we can also tell you where in Kowloon, Hong Kong to get exact replicas of just about everything - Such bastards we are!
+Upload2.net: Bob Sinclair - World Hold On (Children of the Sky).
+IMDB: Kill Bill.
+Tell me W4, where is Kowloon? I want cheap desinger handbags! [lonelyplanet].
+When in HK we prefer: The Star Ferry.