W4

Tango Alpha: Going Bagdhad at Glen

2009-02-09T14:30:00.007Z

T.A. continues his Far East journey amidst the fireworks to find the ultimate cocktailing experience:

"Upon my return to Beijing to what is typically known as Chinese New Year (I refer to it as little Baghdad week), I was astounded not only by the fireworks and other subversive explosives going off on the sidewalks, but also the wonderful drink haven I've found called Glen. Glen is located in the south Sanlitun Area and is definitely the premiere place to acquire the best single malt scotches (not to mention the best martini I've ever had in my life). The bartender (Iida San) was hired directly from Ginza, Japan where the owner of Glen (Wilfred or should we say Mr. Whiskey) was astounded by his mixing talent. I must say I have never experienced such an amazingly professional bartender that does not measure the drinks, but rather eyes each pour. Great drinks start from great ingredients and Glen has their own supply of bottled mineral water and purification system in addition to a special Japanese slow high freeze ice maker which creates exceptionally clear ice. All accessories from Reidel scotch glasses, to the hand carved ice balls, to your own custom crystal cocktail glasses are on point. The atmosphere of the place is a mix of NYC, Tokyo, and Beijing aesthetic with a touch of the moderne. A large humidor is always filled with an array of Cuban cigars for the particular connoisseur and there are always a few professional local BJ escorts or Japanese Mama Sans available at the bar for your entertainment requirements. Tango Alpha OUT>"

+Glen, 203 Taiyue Suites, 16 Sanlitun Nanlu, Sanlitun, Beijing +86 10 010 6591 1191

Tango Alpha: Keeping Busy at Yotsuba

2008-06-09T19:07:00.009Z

Tango Alpha reports to us on the latest sushi hut he's found in the Middle Kingdom:

"When in Beijing don't just go to your average commoner Japanese restaurant which is probably operated by some Chinese comrades. Go to one place and one place only: Yotsuba. Yotsuba is the best sushi restaurant in Beijing and some people will even go so far as to proclaim it's the best sushi this side of the East Sea. Granted I'm sure once I get my feet in Shanghai and Hong Kong there will be some serious on-point sushi over there as well. Nevertheless, our emergent city of Beijing does have this one gem which I might add will take any NYC sushi restaurant to the test. The owner is the sushi chef and a fish importer much like at Kuruma in NYC. His omakase is quite spectacular and for around 400rmb including two bottles of sake you just can't go wrong! Once again we are getting ripped off in NYC like a Broadway show in Vegas! Keep in mind reservations are a must since this joint only has 7 seats at the sushi bar and one tatami room for private dining which seats about 6. When in doubt kick it to China and watch out since this epicenter of sushi might knock you out of your capitalist delirium and back to your senses!"

-TANGO ALPHA OUT

+Yotsuba, 2 Xinyuan Xili Zhongjie, Beijing +86 10 010 6467 1837

Boris: Binging at Benoit

2008-05-05T19:27:00.007Z

Boris reports to us on his initial findings of the Parisian to New York transplant, Benoit:

"On a recent evening, my gullet and my gout led me to try out Benoit. Located in the former Cote Basque space, I immediately liked the bistro-style feel to the place The accoustics seemed messy however. Waiters cackled while the murmur of convo went on, making it hard to hear either. The crowd was so-so, nothing exciting. We were seated next to some cute but trashy Long Island chickadee and her comely friend. Cute But Trashy kept writing notes on her phone about the meal (she was some food blogger or something). Furthermore, she was too skinny--purging good food is unacceptable. I was happy however, when on our other side a table of Frenchies arrived, drinking and gallavanting the way it's supposed to be done. The restaurant doesn't yet have its liquor license so I had to bring my own wine, which was fine by me, although the staff was a bit pushy in serving it. Speaking of the staff, my waiter was quite an amusing character--a little flaming Latin gent who reminded me of Hank Azaria as Agador Spartacus in 'The Birdcage'. Anyway, on to the meal. I started with an amuse of egg mayo (because I'm a fat kid and you can't go wrong with that mini dish). This was the standard hardboiled egg (one with hard yoke, one with an egg salad innard) with a mustard mayonaisse--always a crowd pleaser. Then I continued with the escargot which was mighty fucking fine! I liked that they serve the garlic-soaked toast points on top of the little buggers, making for an excellent mouthful. I paired the S cars go with a bottle of Corton Charlemegne which went together fluidly. My next course was the Duck a L'Orange which was well done, most and rich just as I like it, while the portion was not overwhelming. The duck was consumed with a Cos d'Estournel--always a winner in my liver. The strange but significant drawbacks of the meal were the small points, such as the fact that the bread on the table was stale as were the profiteroles we had for dessert (a shame because the chocolate sauce was delicious). These overlookings will most likely be repaired as time goes on, so I will not dwell for the time-being. Overall a solid new spot definitely worth trying out. When they do get their bar all sorted out, I may set up a new HQ there.

All my warmest wishes,
Boris"

+Benoit, 60 West 55th Street, New York +1 646 943 7373
+Gout: Symptoms, Causes, Triggers, & Treatment

Tango Alpha Finds The Promise Land!

2008-04-24T14:13:00.004Z

Our high impact persona Tango Alpha reports from our Beijing HQ on the emergent city and pleasure dome.

I did not expect China to be as full-on as NYC, but I must say it has been a non-stop circus ride since I got to this place. From super-sized bars like Block 8 and trendy restaurants like Lan, this place does not stop at normal spacial or conceptual boundaries to proclaim it's the next country to conquer the jetset party scene. I can not explain in words the impact this place has had on my development as a human being with all it's very humane ways. What pollution? Just shoot a couple of cloudseeding silver nitrate rockets above the city to create some rain and clear the sky for the next week and a half! You can find anything here for seven times less than what we pay in the states, so wake up America and take the great leap forward into the regime of change! A particular favorite of mine which everyone who visits Beijing should know about is a little Japanese watering hole called Bar Promise located on the 2nd floor in the back of Tower 15 in Jianwai SOHO. The bar has a midget bartender and a full size bartender (sex and sexual orientation of both just too difficult for me to discern) It seats about 10 and makes some of the best mixed drinks this side of the Pacific! Their quality is supreme and the martinis are neatly clean and dry. They have the best single malt scotches to choose from and of course the place is loaded with geishas to entertain the lonely traveler. This is just the tip of the iceberg here, more reports to follow.

T.A. over and out

+Block 8, 8 Chaoyang Xi Lu,
Chaoyang Park, Beijing
+8610 010 6508 8585

LAN, LG Twin Towers, 4th Floor
Chaoyang, Beijing
+8610 010 5109 6103

+Bar Promise, Building 15, Suite 1537, Level 2
Jianwai SOHO
Dongsanhuan, Beijing
+8610 010 5900 0151

Happy New Year From W4

2008-01-07T15:44:00.000Z

Champagne Wishes & Chanukah Dreams From W4

2007-12-07T15:42:00.000Z

Truffles On The Brain

2007-11-16T20:31:00.000Z

The W4 Council recently celebrated their hedonistic existences at a spectacular white truffle tasting dinner at Cru in NYC coordinated by the Editor in Chief: Dr. Boris. Some highlights of the 9-course meal were a langoustine hamachi topped with Sevruga and shaved white truffle, a wonderful veal in lavender which took perfectly to the fungus that was shaved on it, a duo of pappardele in a cream sauce and oxtail ravioli, and above all--an apple-rosemary tarte tatin paired with white truffle ice cream (we're actually not kidding) with further truffle placed on top. The wines paired with this festive feast ran the gammot and included a 1979 Gaja Barbaresco, a 1992 Laville-Haut Brion, and an amazing 1971 Grands Eschezeaux Giroud. There are only a few good restaurants in Manhattan that have wine cellars comparable to those in France and Cru is among the top 3 for sure. One of our senior correspondents Tango Alpha was in a rarefied state of humble yet obnoxious behavior we at W4 so admire. He proclaimed at the beginning of the meal that toasts would follow a pattern of equal parts of these two traits (quite frankly after the 10th fuckin glass we lost count). The service needless to say was perfect, a veritable whirlpool of pampering. Our special guest was a cheerful Italian construction leader who made this culinary circus event complete with his old school New York manners and charm. Finishing off the evening at the bar with a couple rounds of Stingers, we realized that circles had become squares and squares circles, and the Dream Team would continue on to another great day.

+Cru, 24 Fifth Avenue, New York, +1 212 529 1700
+White Truffle Auction
+How To Make a Stinger
+Lipitor

Tango Alpha: Hut of Lux

2007-10-02T19:11:00.000Z

While stuck in traffic from the fallout of this damn UN week here in Manhattan, Tango Alpha was pondering the idea of what the next post-nuclear family dwelling will be. The future palaces and homes for the elite will not be within the realm of material culture locale per se, but in remote highly-controlled privatized areas with off the grid technology for total freedom. We have seen these private “NEO-MANORS” arriving in major metropolitan areas and in the peripheral nodes of civilization. Why not omit your guilt when you can recycle the biggest tragedy of mankind’s history, missile silos, for your ultimate uncensored pleasure. We guarantee the local police organization will think twice before breaking up your parties when you are at the helm of your underground launch control center monitoring their every move (not to mention the place is only accessible via private plane). We like to think of ourselves here at W4 as being hedonistic venture capitalists with a little green passion to balance out our most unhumble lifestyles. Owning one of these silo homes will surely bring you back in touch with nature through the technology of our most developed mode of destruction. Only through the rabbit hole can Alice find her way back to paradise!

+Silo Homes
+Secure Transport: Jankel Armoured Vehicles

Boris: Fusilli to Frauleins

2007-09-04T18:14:00.000Z

Roughly a month ago, I embarked on a trip for a wedding in Austria. I needed a worthwhile hub on my way to the land of fraulines and schnitzel, which is how I found Lake Garda and the Villa Feltrinelli-one of the most phenomenal hotels I have ever had the pleasure of staying at. As many of you know, your fearless editor-in-chief is not easily impressed, but this place was perfect. The staff and the service were seamless. All my wants and desires were forecasted and sorted out without any sort of frill or pomp. The grounds and the villa are excellently designed: attractive but not vulgar (not often you'll hear this Russian saying something like that). The food at Feltrinelli is delicious and plentiful. My favorites were the pre-appetizer appetizers such as chunky fried zucchini and prosciutto and foie gras on toast served during cocktails on the terrace. A great day excursion is to get a Riva with driver and cruise the lake and the crazy villas (many of which are privately owned) and stop for lunch at San Vigilio for a little pasta with bottarga and cream and a bottle of Antinori white. Also dinner at Lido is excellent. Its a mom and son operation serving among other dishes the best beef carpaccio I've ever had (generally I find this plate as interesting as egg whites but this really peaked my fancy). Last but not least choppering in from Milan is the way to arrive, landing on the villa's croquet course.
Continued on to Salzburg afterwards, but not much of interest there. None of the expected petite Austrian beauties just bloated patatas. Of note, authentic garb from Stassny and a very good schnitzel with curry (aka a #2) at Balkan Grill in the Old City.
Over and Out,
Boris

+Villa Feltrinelli, Via Rimembranze 38-40, Gargnano, +39(0365)79-8000

+San Vigilio, Localita San Vigilio, Lago di Garda, +39(045)725-6688

+Lido, Via Colleta 64, Gargnano

+Stassny, Getreidegasse 35, Salzburg, +43(0)662-842-357

+Balkan Grill, Getreidegasse 33, Salzburg

Money Never Sleeps: SoSoLimited: Boston

2007-07-18T20:12:00.001Z

Boston nightlife is about as exciting as eating dirt. At first it tastes nice and nutritious and then you realize you are just another sucker who has been hypnotized by some gorgeous vegan goddess at an LA organic smoothy bar. Nevertheless pockets of dirty hipness exist in the city famous for little more than its big dig construction project.

The monthly SoSoLimited residency at the Middlesex Lounge is one of these pockets. Backed by MIT's media lab programmers the monthly residency features awe inspiring graphics synchronized to a musical theme. It's so nerdy in its conception that it is actually amazingly cool. With night's like "Money Never Sleeps" and "Burn Hollywood Burn" the visual artists weave an intricate web of pixilated madness played to as 'downtown' a crowd as Boston can hope for. The vibe is downtown academic-hipster but worth a visit if you find yourself digging around Beantown.

+SoSoLimited.

Stockholm: Josefina: Whiskey Alpha

2007-07-12T15:14:00.001Z

Our Northern Soul correspondent Whisky Alpha gives us a few updates from his Swedish summer:

The new hot spot in Stockholm is Josefina. They have an outdoor lounge overlooking the water and the city. Stockholm’s version of the French Riviera with plenty of plastic and not just in the wallets! You’ll be sure to see Sweden’s A-List, B-List, and C-List celebs there…and trust me, there’s no difference between the classes. Drink of the summer is still the St. Tropez (Rosé on ice with orange Fanta) and if you are hob-nobbing with the real estate crowd someone is sure to holla for a “mäklare plika” (“the broker’s tray”), silver tray with enough booze and mixer’s on it to make even the most seasoned Irishman proud. If you order this late night at the China Theater (Stockholm’s newest house club) don’t be surprised to find a few other party favors on board to compliment the spirits.

Best,
Whiskey Alpha

+Josefina, Djurgårdsrestauranger AB, Galärvarvsvägen 10, Stockholm.
+China Theater, Stockholm

Rose and Russkies: Boris: Paris: Tropez

2007-07-10T20:16:00.000Z

Too sun tanned to call and too drunk to write, W4's most notorious correspondent, Boris sends in some chicken scratch notes from Paris and the South of France where he remains inebriated on Pampelonne surrounded by Rose and Russkie Women:

"Notes from recent travels. I may have gout and am under legal constraints to stay out of trouble (or at least keep it out of print for the time being) so here's a rough but clean rundown of my calmer consumption activities:

Paris
-Sole Meuniere and bottle of gran cru of Chablis @ Le Dome for dinner
-Grand Vefour: The 10-course tasting menu for lunch. Highlight foie gras ravioli with black truffle and cream. Pair with half bottle of Puligny Montrachet then a Bourgogne.
-La Cigalle: Fashiony crowd now. Camembert souffle to start, then the turbot, then the Rothschild souffle for dessert (involved vanilla souffle, candied fruits, ice cream, and Grand Marnier). Solid tasty meal, don't stray. Get table bordering outside but not on street.
-Carre des Feuillants: Happily surprised. Delicious fried grenouilles w/ cepes then a milk-fed veal with artichokes and morels. Excellent food paired with 2002 Perrot Munir Gevrey-Chambertin. Nightcap at Hemingway Bar.
George: (purely for the view), drinks/ a bottle of JW with a couple of my Argentinos at Le Who's Bar singing along to the French band attempting to do U2

Tourista Activities
-Jacquemart Andre Museum
-Musee de les Arts Decoratifs
-Walkthrough at Bagatelle

St. Tropez
-Going to the market (early)
-Dinner at one of the cafes around the Place des Lices
-Table du Marche: Sole meuniere but most importantly the mashed potatoes
-Club 55: Lunch. Always a fun classic, aside from some creepy black guy who is for some reason allowed by the club to roam the beach offering sexually aggressive footrubs. Crudites followed by the Pamplone salad then the sole (good because it's strangely light) dessert of Tarte Tropeziene w/ raspberries
-Les Palmiers: Less of a zoo than 55, kind of nice change of pace. Food not earth-shattering but not bad.

Chateau Saint Martin
A bit of a hike from St. Tropez but always worth it. Just such a beautiful spot and such a beautiful place. Overlooking Vence fromthe terrace. Having massive lumps of foie gras and then a delicious chicken served in two courses, one involving marination in fat and a Bouchard et Fils '96 Chevalier Montrachet. Sitting by the pool relaxing-so beautiful, may have to take up residence here.

Chaumiere: Amazing as usual! Crudites, potatoesque salad, cote des beauf and a baked muthafuckin potato. Paired with 98 Lynch Bages, chocolate mousse w/ homemade creme fraiche for dessert. Maybe a couple of whores from Nice for a dessert dessert?"

+Le Dome, 108 Boulevard du Montparnasse, Paris + 33 1 43 35 3482
+Le Grand Vefour, 17 Rue Beaujolais, Paris +33 1 42 96 5627
+La Cigale, 4 Rue Recamier, Paris +33 1 45 48 8658
+Carre des Feuillants, 14 Rue de Castiglione, Paris +33 1 42 86 8282
+Georges, Place Centre Pompidou, 19 Rue Beauborg, Paris +33 1 44 78 4795
+Le Who's Bar, 13 Rue de Petit Pont, Paris +33 1 43 25 1314
+Table du Marche, 38 Rue Georges Clemenceau, St. Tropez +33 4 94 97 8520
+Club 55, Plage de Pampelone, Ramatuelle +33 4 94 55 5555
+Les Palmiers, Rue de L'Epi, Ramatuelle +33 4 94 79 8270
+Chateau Saint Martin, Avenue des Tempiers, Vence +33 4 93 58 0202
+Restaurant La Chaumiere, 384 Boulevard de L'Observatoire, Nice +33 4 93 01 7768

A Floor For Every Season: Bricks: India

2007-06-07T14:34:00.000Z

Family comes first, especially when it comes to our W4 Family at large. What better way to keep the family close knit (and under full control) than to build your own skyscraper for those who bare your similar DNA (or similar debaucheries). Forget the Rennert Hamptons monstrosity or the now seemingly petite Updown Court. India's wealthiest man, Mukesh Ambani has decided to build himself and his famiglia their very own 170 meter high building for a private residence. Each floor of his 27-story pad, to be named Antilla, will have enough space for half of India to live in for Christ or Allah's sake. The $1billion Antilla will feature 3 helipads, a full-floor health club, a full theater, and 6 floors of garage amongst many other goodies. We hope the peripheral zones of the building will contain the shadier activities of its architectural program, such as a fully-equipped opium den and at least one floor for a harem. The only downside we're pondering for Mr. Ambani is that with a proposed staff of 600 in this thing, he may have a mutiny to fear. Notwithstanding, we are looking forward to this type of residential hedonism on the island of Manhattan soon for we believe vulgarluxe architecture is just coming of age. Only the future knows who will be the first to construct their own skyscraper in the US. Maybe they should include a private airport. Who knows, the sky is quite literally the limit!

+Dream Home of India's Richest Man, BBC News 5 June 2007.
+Ira Rennert's Bridgehampton Home.
+Updown Court.
+Bovis Lend Lease.
+Hampton Domestics.

Dita: Eyewear: Los Angles: Suncrawler

2007-06-06T19:15:00.001Z

There is a new lady in town and she is very naughty girl. Her name is Dita and she sells her wares with names such as Pusher, Drifter, Scandal, Wanderlust, and Bullet. As the new girl on the eyewear block Dita takes the place of the now mainstream Blinde as the lenses of choice for rockers and the flash bulb set. Thankfully Dita keeps her wares close and only has two locations (LA and Tokyo). A late morning visit to the sleek LA location (set on scruffy Melrose) had "Welcome to the Jungle" playing at full volume. It was unclear if the party had just started or if it was still going on from the night before. Either way, Dita is our kind of girl.

+Dita, 7625 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles +1 323 658-7078.

Damien's Diamond Death: Tango Alpha

2007-06-04T20:20:00.000Z

Tango Alpha reflects on the $100,000,000 polished skull of death which has the London art world keenly awaiting the identity of its buyer:

"We here at W4 don’t like to talk about mainstream issues, but this diamond skull named “For The Love of God” by Damien Hirst needed to be posted. This piece links directly to our previous Vanitas article we posted in April (did W4 know of the skull’s arrival beforehand?). For those of you obsessed with death within a veil of hedonism like most of us here are, this one is a keeper. This will be the most expensive piece of art ever made as we are told by the NY Times and the Guiness Book of World Records. In addition to the roughly 8,600 diamonds embedded in this puppy and the 52-carat rock on his forehead, we would like to praise the guy for polishing the damn teeth and re-inserting them in his work o’ art. After all, who would want an 18th century man’s skull covered in diamonds with dirty teeth? We are waiting to see who is going to dump some coin on acquiring this one. We forsee a resident of Dubai or Russia as the purchaser of this piece de vulgarity, but you never know in this shady art trade world. Next up, a black diamond penis?"

+Bloomberg News: Damien Hirst Says $100 Million Diamond Skull Is `Almost' Sold (4 June 2007).
+BriteSmile

Suncrawler: Paris: Relax: Mika: Take It Easy

2007-05-26T16:27:00.001Z

Suncrawler reports from Paris that the latest track making the rounds in the Parisian discos is Mika's Relax. While we here at W4 HQ think Mika is nothing more than a cheap rip off of Queen this track somehow works. A fitting tune for this Bank Holiday / Memorial Day weekend.

+Suncrawler Also Suggest: France: Cinema: UV.

Mr. Mass Takes Communion: Oronoco

2007-05-26T14:30:00.000Z

We here at W4 aren't experts regarding rums (since we prefer our single malts and traditional martinis) but when our latest correspondent Mr. Mass kindly offered to send us a bottle of Oronoco we became connoisseurs on this premium Brazilian gift from the Amazon Gods. Distilled of fresh Brazilian mountain cane juice from the lush slopes of Fazenda Soledade, Oronoco contains flavors of subtle vanilla with hints of pineapple and coconut, like a cool breeze or a soft breast on a beautiful Carribean morning. The rest from south of the equator seem like soft drink residuals in comparison. Cocktail options are numerous although we personally like the Paulistano preparation or just consuming it straight from the bottle. The bottle design is perfectly reminiscent of our favorite scotches and we expect with the help of Mr. Mass it will be marketed much better on the global scale in the upcoming months. The producer, Bastos Ribeiros seems to be focused on becoming the new Lafite of the rum world and they encourage supporting local growers and sustainable farming practices which makes us want to get assed out on this stuff even more, guilt free that is. This is not a marketing ploy, just a call to drink some quality shit.

Saúde! Happy Memorial Day Weekend.

+Rum Reading: The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson
+Purveyors of Soft Breasts for Carribean Mornings: Azzura Premiere Companion Agency

Vanitas and the Codognato: Tango Alpha

2007-04-19T13:24:00.000Z

There are so many jewelry lines out there, but there are only a few which are legends of grandeur that last throughout the generations. While planning my summer trip to the art events in Europe, I was informed from one of our insiders at Connaissance des Arts Magazine of the small Codognata family-owned jewelry business in Venice. This operation makes some of the most over-the-top Vanitas pieces out there. Jean Cocteau, Miucca Prada, Nureyev, and a select group of others have all acquired custom items from the Codognato family. In brief summation these jewels remind the wealthy folk of their own feeble mortality while still maintaining hedonistic materialism through exclusive designs. Why not? I'd love to have a skull ring with diamond eyes and teeth to help me take on the face of death. Beautify the morbid and life seems even more luxurious! Never mind the “innovative” pseudo-punk skull and cross bones that we see in the NYC club scene, go to Venice and get the real bling from one of the true originators.

In Love & Memories
-TANGO ALPHA

+Gioielleria Attilio Codognato, 1295 San Marco, Venice +39 041 522 5042
+Vanitas-Inspired Artwork: Angelo Filomeno: Galerie Lelong: New York/Zurich

Suncrawler: London: Mark Ronson: Stop Me

2007-04-05T00:11:00.001Z

Suncrawler reports from London that former NYC-er Mark Ronson has conquered the charts with his new track Stop Me.

Mexico: Playa Del Carmen: Suncrawler

2007-04-03T01:58:00.000Z

While our correspondent Boris has been enjoying the flesh peddling wares of The Box in Manhattan celebrating his 30th, Suncrawler sends in this SPF coated report from the self-proclaimed 'Mexican Riveria' with some surprising discoveries:

"Upon arrival at Cancun airport all of our worst fears were realized -- drunken midwesterns doing tequila shots in the departure lounge, overweight mammas in far too revealing shirts which read Spring Break 2007, and more than a few passed out high school kids who looked like they needed medical attention after doing too many Jello shots at Wet Willies. Good Samaritans are overrated - we quickly headed for the arrivals hall.

After escaping the Mexican airport hell we jetted an hour South to Playa Del Carmen on the advice of some euro hippies. We were told that Playa was a good party spot to stop over in on our way to Tulum, the supposedly once hidden beach paradise. We were skeptical and our expectations were low but we looked forward to being proven wrong.

And wrong we were. Cancun this is not. After pulling into one of the cooler hotels we have seen in recent months, The hotel Basico, we were greeted with a chilled out - dare we say - even Mediterranean vibe? The hotel is the sister hotel to Mexico City's uber trendy Habita Hotel and features an elaborate rooftop pool / lounge area. Playa itself: tacky - kinda; Americans - not too many; cocktails - strong; women - topless; vibe - relaxed.

By the middle of the next day Sienna and I found ourselves lying on a seaside bed at Mamitas Beach Club Lounge where the capahrinas were flowing and the Eurotrash music was plusing. Spring Break Mexico this was not. That night we ate at a restaurant which could easily pass in any Eurobeach town dining on incredibly fresh sashimi and samba sounds. The town is filled with open air trendy chilled out bars and lounges with contemporary design and good music. However, avoid the nightclubs which air a bit on the cheesy side. The only club worth going to is La Santanera which has Mexican wrestling masks on the ceiling and is owned by the Theivery Corporation. Overall, Playa lives up to its reputation as a haven for Euros and Mexican Jet Set. Just don't be distracted by the occasional static of the American touristos.

Playa Del Carmen
+Hotel Basico, Playa Del Carmen.
+Hotel Deseo, Playa Del Carmen.
+La Santanera, Playa Del Carmen.
+Mamitas Beach Club / Lounge, Playa Del Carmen.
+W4 Photog: Basico Hotel, Playa Del Carmen, March 2007.

Boris Box B-Day Bash: New York

2007-03-23T13:40:00.000Z

You know when our W4 correspondents are laying low something shady is going down. We all were quite honored when our Editor in Chief Boris decided to create a modern day pow-wow for our New York agents for his birthday. First, he locked us in at Le Bilboquet for some Cajun chicken, Puligny, and organizational meetings on counteracting the vanilla urban experience with mindless debauchery. Boris rented out the whole place so as not to be interrupted by the Eurotrash regulars. Post-dinner, our insider W4 correspondent Mr. Mass was dispatched to do a little reconnaissance work at The Box (our final destination) to ensure that the place was warmed up prior to our arrival. We were certainly not disappointed when we arrived at the former vaudeville theater on Chrystie. Once inside we delighted in the crowd, which ran the gamot from street culture and subculture to international chic and was truly refreshing. The girl to guy ratio was 3:1 making even the B-rate models suitable for a fun game of grabass. Our W4 dream team enjoyed amazing performances by a group of Double Dutch jumpropers, flapper girl strippers, a steel drum band playing Mozart, and a body-building gent who stripped down to reveal he had a vagina (we shit you not). We took the front balcony table because it allows a great view down to the Plebeians' chambers while keeping us hidden for intimate interaction (the balcony curtains can be drawn around you making it your own private fantasy cocoon). Downing magnums of Perrier Jouet and a couple bottellas of Macallan, Boris was regaled with a chorus of "Happy Birthday" from the entire population of the venue and a wonderful lapdance/head mounting from one of the randy flapper girls. The Box was outrageous and definitely could be one of the best things to happen to New York nightlife since the days of bingo at Bungalow, karaoke nights at Moomba, Russian Sundays at Au Bar (a Boris favorite). and early morning baccarat at The Galaxy (another Boris favorite but we digress). the place is already booked up a month out, so get in while it's hot!

Three decades of depraved hedonism and we fear the mad Russian is just getting warmed up...

Update: W4's Highball provides video of some box performing at The Box. The New York Times follows up with this article on the LES Pleasuredome.

+Le Bilboquet, 25 East 63rd Street, New York +1 212 751 3036
+The Galaxy (R.I.P.), 336 West 37th Street, New York
+The Box, 189 Chrystie Street, New York +1 212 982 9301

Tango Alpha Reports: Krakow Is Now

2007-02-18T16:37:00.001Z

Tango Alpha reports from Warsaw's younger and more attractive cousin, Krakow:

"Krakow is now! Hurry before the Euro becomes fully acclimated! This place is beautiful albeit a little remote on the jet-set itinerary, but a nice quick fix for a weekend getaway.

The food at the restaurant Wierzynek was great, and was like having a $400 per person meal in New York for $60, including some top-notch French wines! Actually, this was the best restaurant in Krakow by far. I might add that it seemed like the only restaurant in Krakow. The rest were all typical smoky Euro-style cafes with trashy food. The Grand Hotel was the best hotel I could find but most of the hotels seem to be a little on the low-end side when it comes to full service activities. Overall it's a quaint beautiful medieval town ripe for more capitalistic exploitation. Have a few strolls on a horseback carriage, drink as many different types of Polish vodka (this is an important ingredient to ensure pure lover manipulation), overindulge yourself on the best duck and venison dishes, and most important of all smoke as many Cuban cigars as you want. There are a couple of excellent cigar stores located in the center square of the Medieval town which have all the Cubans you'll need. Krakow is a nice surprise for a quick winter break when you are bored with the typical winter weekend expectations of NYC."

+Grand Hotel, Krakow Poland.
+Wierzynek, Rynek Glowny 15, Krakow Poland.
+Previous W4: Warsaw: Resturant: Kilimanjaro.
+W4 Photog: Warsaw Poland, 2006.

Worn Women, Wealthy Men: Pocket Change: NYC

2007-01-29T18:32:00.000Z

Now, we here at W4 have always understood and frankly promoted the concept of wealthy men and extremely attractive women, but we take it seriously, unlike others. Pocket Change has organized an evening of "speed-dating" between supposedly wealthy gents and attractive sluts. Initially we were excited that someone was following through with such a decadent concept, but then we saw the nominees. The guys consist mostly of token i-bankers with not enough financials to be taken seriously by our standards (but maybe we'll let you chaps intern at W4 HQ making sure Boris' IV is kept filled with Black Label). Especially amusing is the "Entrusted Assets" section of their profiles.

The ladies are an amusing lot too (click above photo for more detail). The wet one named Gilda isn't bad looking although probably because she's wet. One of our constituents remembers partaking of the doublemint twins at the old American Beauties 60th street den of sin. And the Angelina Jolie lookalike has actually presented a photo of Angelina Jolie, which we thought was an interesting tactic. Regardless, to all the hombres y mujeres involved in this event, Good Luck and Good Hunting!

+Pocket Change Speed Dating, 7 February 2007, Bruno Jamais, New York City.
+Bruno Jamais, 24 East 81st Street, New York +1 212 396 3444.
+American Beauties (R.I.P.), 242 East 60th Street, New York.

Farmer's Market: Fuel: Charlottesville

2007-01-29T03:29:00.000Z

Farmer's Market reports from the backwaters of Virginia where gas, food and liquor seem to intercept:

Gas stations are generally dirty places full of overpriced oil, junk food, cigarettes and obnoxious vagrants. However, leaved it some crazed monied Virginians to help you drink and drive your luxury SUV in style. Fuel, a gas station located in deep in the comfortable hills of Charlottesville is worth refilling at. Owned by the Kluge Estate Vineyard, the station fronts as a gas station but is in fact the town's equivalent of New York's E.A.T. or Dean and Deluca. Part coffee bar, part prepared food store, part liquor store, and part restaurant, Fuel serves some of the best eggs benedict we've had south of DC. Weekly wine tastings from the Kluge estate help to ensure that your engine is well lubricated for the drive through the rolling Blue Mountains on your way to Monticello.

+Fuel Co., 901 E Market St, Charlottesville, 22902 +1 434 220-3700
+DC Update From El Captain: Disco: Lima, 1401 K Street Washington DC, +1 202 789 2800

Boris Gets Kobe at Kai: New York

2007-01-27T17:34:00.000Z

On a recent Friday night, after a long Thursday night of debauchery at one of my shady favorites Bruno on 58th (not to be confused with Bruno Jamais on 81st) with a cast of some of my favorite heavyweight Italian compadres involving an imperial of Brunello del Montelpuciano, plates of pasta, veal, countless Blue Labels, and some amazing handrolled Graycliffs, I decided to attempt to dine light and searched for some solid Japanese on the Upper East Side. What I found was beyond phenomenal. I went to dine at an institution named KAI. It's located on Madison above the rarely frequented Itoen teahouse. All black and very sleek, it looks like a set from "Black Rain". Sat at the bar (always a must if one hopes to get the best). Ordered the chef's omakase and let me tell you as a complete sushi/Japanese food snob I found it to be fucking incredible! The meal seemed to go on forever with countless innovative courses. First a sampling of mostly vegetable-based amuses, followed by a soup filled with grilled crab, then a leg of succulent King Crab, some sashimi (the Toro was perfect), then a seared cod, followed by sushi (specifically the eel was delicious and there are quite a few who screw that fish up), then a perfectly-done Wagyu steak paired with a smoked salt (seriously fuck off Kobe Club you have no idea), then a rice dish with chopped Toro and scallions as a "palate cleanser", and finally a Bento Box of varied desserts among which the cheesecake especially struck my fancy. This place definitely gives Kuruma a run for their money although it's a bit apples to oranges as Kuruma is strictly sushi and sashimi. A minor downside was some annoying couple harassing some seemingly pleasant Japanese man and going on and on about how they were such hot shit, buy everything Japanese, and have warehouses filled with Japanese fashion. I had a warehouse full of Matsuda at age 12, but those were the 80s so it was acceptable. Nevermind the irritating Japanophiles, KAI is definitely one to try.

Still shady, just flying under the radar baby,
Boris

+KAI, 822 Madison Avenue, New York +1 212 988 7277
+Kuruma Zushi, 7 East 47th Street, New York +1 212 317 2802
+Bruno Ristorante, 240 East 58th Street, New York +1 212 688 4190

JAPs Can Yap: Prada Phone Unleashed

2007-01-24T00:38:00.000Z

Tango Alpha reports that obnoxious women can now yap on their Pradas:

"Bonjour Victims! Comrades! Allies!

How many phones do we really need?? With the anthem of New Years releases like the I-Phone and others Miuccia sent us a press release on her new phone. Let’s face it, nothing right now has the drama of the old army of messengers like the pony express running around delivering your every worthless thought. How many Prada logos can they put on this thing anyway? I’d rather have TANGO ALPHA tattooed all over it instead of some brand name or at least they could put their bling on the backside of the contraption rather than on the front. The touch screen doesn't have the sensitivity that the Apple products do, but the design overall isn't bad. There are always more of these damn gadgets coming out every month which are more hi-tech then previous versions which makes me want to wait until they come out with the implants. Give me some nanotechnology inside my immortal flesh and I will be quite pleased! In the meantime, check out the phone, add it to your globe-trotting luggage and call it a day.

-TANGO ALPHA OUT"

LG Prada Phone

Post Punta Party Wrap Up: Boris

2007-01-17T00:33:00.000Z

Boris sends in his final notes from Punta Del Este:

"Senoras and Senores,

It's Boris and I just thought I'd elaborate on our team's Punta Del Este intel.

La Huella:
Beach club in Jose Ignacio. Nouveau but more attractive Club 55 style crowd. Fun place, lots of lovely chickarooroos. The thing to eat here is the mussells and a bottle of Clerico and one of their special Dulce de Leche Volcans for dessert.

El Palenque:
Excellent steakhouse in Punta. The vibe kind of feels like a Dave & Buster's or some sort of family bullshit restaurant, but the meat is really good. Go for the baby beef (basically a prime cut of ribeye) and a nice cold cerveza.

Sioux:
Fun little bar in La Barra. Sleek. Costes style decor in this spot. Avoid the inside though, it's claustrophobic and the house music's too loud. Get a table outside and hunker down with a scotch or 10 to watch the pretty chicas walking by and in and out, specifically one beauty wearing a short striped getup that my team noticed DECORUM! DECORUM!

Still running shit in '07
Boris"

+La Huella, Playa Brava Jose Ignacio, Maldonado, Uruguay +598 0486 2279.
+El Palenque,Avenida Roosevelt y Parada 6, Punta Del Este, Uruguay +598 042 494257.
+Sioux, La Barra, Uruguay.

Boris: Kobe Club: NYC

2007-01-15T19:56:00.000Z

"On a recent evening, in an effort to escape my new Upper East den of insanity, I ventured out to the newly-opened Jeffrey Chodorow steakhouse Kobe Club. Located in the old location of Mix on 58th, the place has been transformed into what looks like an S & M club. It's dark everywhere and there are hundreds of samurai swords hanging from the ceiling, which is an interesting concept but kind of anxiety-causing in reality. The crowd was fairly Jersey/trashy but not terribly so. There were only a handful of gents wearing loud cheap wannabe Etro shirts with unpleasantly wide collars. In terms of the food, some of it was excellent and some of it was extremely mediocre. To start we were presented with a Kobe hot dog as an amuse bouche (that was when this fat Russian knew he was in the right place). Following said Japanese perro caliente, I consumed the fried oysters prepared with creamed spinach, lobster bernaise, and a dollop of caviar which were fucking delicious although rich enough to kill a herd of goats. Now down to business--the meats. I tried all different types of their Kobe and its derivatives and to be quite honest the most tender and flavorful was the Australian. The Japanese was too bland and the American shit almost tasted like cheese it was so gamey. On a happier note, two excellent side dishes we included in our meal were the Kobe bacon (I guess you can't really go wrong with that) and an unbelievable white truffle creamed corn. For beverages, I was saddened to find what looked like a bottle menu from a nightclub including Kobe punches which tasted like bubble gum. I stuck with the house Pinot Noir and I was perfectly happy. All in all, Kobe Club is a good new find but mostly it made me want to take a trip to Aussieland and bring myself home a new beer-rubbed bovine buddy to gnaw on."

+Kobe Club, 68 West 58th Street New York, NY +1 212 644-5623.

Party in Punta: Punta Del Este: Uruguay

2007-01-02T23:11:00.000Z

The W4 team washes ashore in South American playpen of Punta Del Este to celebrate New Years and sends back these updates:

Los Negros
Very pleasant lunch spot by the water in Jose Ignacio, which is about a 20 minute drive from La Barra. Honestly felt like The Lafayette Club minus the annoying New Yorkers. Make sure to sit outside overlooking the water, because the heat inside is overwhelming. French-style red and white striped awnings keep the sun out of your eyes. The place is a large cottage with red doors everywhere, one of which is the loo that took forever to find (I almost locked this woman and I into the anti room much to her horror). Things to eat at Los Negros: a delicious beef carpaccio, a grilled baby octopus, the fresh figs and mozarella, and the chicken which was massive but extremely tasty. Cocktails Cocktails! A Superb fresh peach juice and vodka concoction to start followed by a perfect white wine sangriam The crowd: think old-guard Brazilians and Argentines a la vintage St. Tropez.
+Los Negros, Faro Jose Ignacio, Punta Del Este, +598 0486 2091

Tequila
Disco baby! A solid nightspot in Las Barras to get your groove on. Fairly tough door, mostly to keep out the vulgar and badly-dressed. After some discussion with a burly doorman and an attractive hostess about my need for alcohol, my green Kiton jeans, and oh yes about 1,000 USD in cash I was granted admission. Inside the decor was lots of red and black with booths scattered about-a bit like my teenage memories of my beloved Au Bar back when it opened. The crowd was good-looking and sharply dressed. The beats were good, albeit a year old (this is better than the rest of town which varies between 5 and 10-year old vintage music). Cash (lots of it) and dress code are king here. With that equation in mind, everyone will play nice.
Ed. note: Sister club to the famed Tequilla in Beunos Aires.
+Tequila, La Barra, Punta Del Este, +598 098 950960

+W4 Photog: Caneel Bay, St. John, 22 November 2006.

Bicostal Boris: New York and LA

2006-12-30T18:28:00.000Z

Two coasts, two religions, two holidays to celebrate. Updates from Boris from both coasts:

15 East
Excellent new sushi joint in the former Tocqueville space. Decor kind of lame but not terrible. Definitely get the omakase, its fantastic. Some highlights were a delicious octopus,a bowl of soy-infused salmon roe, and chopped mackarel wrapped in Japanese mint among many other tasties. They also have an extensive sake list. Not at Kuruma quality but very damn good and much lower-priced.
+15 East, 15 East 15th Street +1 212-647-0015

Kinara
Great place for a hot stone massage in LA. Left feeling fucking amazing! Masseuses there aren't super hot but definitely get the job done.
+Kinara, 656 North Robertson Boulevard Los Angeles +13106579188.

Hatfield's
A good new American bistro type spot in LA. Hit it for dinner. The layout's kind of weird so get one of the 3 front tables. My suggestions the smoked trout salad, the pan- seared sea bass, and a bottle of Chambolle Musigny.
+Hatfield's, 7458 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, 90036 - (323) 935-2977.

Cheers,
Boris

+W4 Vintage Photog: Poolside: Chateau Marmont, 2005.

Tango Alpha: Parkas For Buddhas

2006-12-22T16:34:00.000Z

Back from his European excursions, Tango Alpha reports from the streets on Manhattan on what's got his goose this holiday season:

"Tis the season…blah, blah, blah. Let’s face it, what else do we really need? Another diamond ring, a new Ferrari, another yacht? On my long journey home from Union Square to Irving Place I came across, excuse me, I almost tripped over a homeless person who looked like Jack Nicholson in the last scene of "The Shining". If it wasn’t for the frozen pool of urine that was gluing this sitting Buddha to the sidewalk, I would have probably kept moving onward but something triggered compassion in me for this crackhead. What did this guy really need to free himself from his misery? Without another moment of deliberation, an image of Canada Goose’s limited edition silver expedition parka came to mind. No more freezing your ass to the concrete if you have one these parkas! It's like being in your warm living room without experiencing the blizzard outside. They are the warmest parkas on the market and make all the others like North Face, Patagonia and the rest of the commercial crap look like child’s play in comparison. So I figured giving a crackhead Buddha a Christmas present was just what the hell we need as a little random act of kindness to brighten the holiday spirit and make our scotch hangovers worth it. Anything else would be just another predictable boring short-lived sensation of happiness. Amen."

+Canada Goose Limited Edition.

Highball: W4 Playboy Handbook: Part II

2006-12-11T23:45:00.000Z

The final chapter of Highball's Playboy Handbook. Highball may have an MBA but she still prefers the men who play. Excellent pre-reading for the holiday cocktail circuit:

"6)Don’t return her phone calls too soon. Make her sweat. Get her used to a long response time early on. But NEVER let a call go unreturned. Then you are mannerless jackass and you deserve to get dumped.

7)A free night does not mean you call her. Make her curious as to with whom you spend your evenings.

8)Minimize bootie calls. The occasional 2am text message is fine but after too many, she will realize she is your weekend whore. You must balance her status as your sex object and a potential girlfriend (in her mind) without tipping her to either side. If she feels like your default slut, you’ll get dumped.

9)Minimize your response to her bootie calls. Make her wonder where you are no matter how badly you want to fire up the sheets.

10) Never admit you are dating other women unless she has started naming your children. She must believe she is your desired prize even with all your aforementioned Brazilian models on the side. She can be suspicious but can never know about the other ladies vying for your affection.

11) Avoid pillow talk after sex. Fake sleep after engaging in a basic conversation (you still must be civil!). Male chatter in bed is rare outside a relationship and leads a woman to believe you actually care. You don’t. Don’t forget that.

12) Only stick around into the late morning for sex. If you aren’t up for it, bolt as soon as the birdies chirp. Stay too long and you are boyfriend material.

13) Playboys hunt. Playboys pursue. There is nothing sexier than a good chase after a woman initially turns you down. We women love it. Very hot. If a woman doesn’t, then she should not be dating a playboy and should instead find a MIT PhD ripe for some bland missionary sex after an alcohol-free date at the Coffee Shop."

+Previous Highball: W4 Playboy Handbook: Part I.

Le Baron Goes Tokyo: Paris

2006-12-11T23:23:00.000Z

It was only a matter of time before some crazy Japanese person - depressed after getting kicked out Louis Vuitton and onto the Champs Elysee - wandered on over to that former brothel turned dirty hipster crack den, Le Baron, and decided to bribe the owners to open a Toyko outpost. Well that day has come and the Parisains have moved East and just opened an outpost of Paris hippest nightspot Tokyo central. Interestingly enough, the owners also hosted parties at Art Basel in Miami. Viva globalization and avoiding French taxes!

+Le Baron, Tokyo +81 3 3478 1107 (see map).
+Other Outposts Gone East: New York: Via Quadronno: Hong Kong / Tokyo.

Getting Cozy at the Connaught: London: OLB

2006-11-30T22:27:00.000Z

The Connaught Hotel has been open for nearly 110 years but it is taking a breather this winter and closing for renovations. While maybe you've been putting off a trip to Angela Hartnett at the Connaught, do not wait any longer or you will miss your chance at some of the most sumptuous dining in London. Overdue Library Book and her English gent took Thursday night off from Annabel's and checked themselves into the Connaught Hotel for a romantic evening:

"After champagne in the hotel bar (go to the American Bar and not just to support your country) surrounded self congratulatory leering bankers who have been too busy working on that deal to pay a visit to their wives/mistresses/concubines, we were seated in the dining room. The room is unremarkable, hence the renovation, but it is a wide open space with cosy banquettes and high ceilings. The soft lull of conversation gives it an intimate feel and after a second glass of champagne, one can't hear anyone else anyway. Our first course was our most memorable, and not only because of the alcohol consumption that followed. The foie gras starter features three different varieties, each more smooth and rich than the previous one, and when paired with a sauterne (traditionally a dessert wine) it was too sweet to resist and I had to eat the whole plate. Following up the foie gras with venison is not for the faint of heart but do try it for the cranberry relish. This of course required a bottle of red. By dessert, my Oscar de la Renta no longer resembled a slinky number to seduce my companion but instead was tightly stretched over a protruding tummy. After (more) wine, cheese and chocolates, we realized why one must also stay at the Connaught - we would not have been able to make it the 10 minutes home! The quick trip upstairs was a blessing and of course after a good night's sleep we were ready for the full english breakfast from room service in the morning."
+The Connaught, Carlos Place, Mayfair, London W1K 2AL, +44 20 7499 7070.
+Oscar De La Renta.
+W4 Suggests: London: New Boogie Spot: Mahiki, 1 Dover Street, London.

Highball: W4 Playboy Handbook: Part I

2006-11-28T04:35:00.000Z

Highball remerges from South America with her martini still firmly in hand and sends us Part I of her W4 Playboy Handbook:

"As an experienced dater of jet setting playboys, here is a detailed primer for you W4 men on how to walk that fine line between a committed romance and a fling. These rules will keep the hot sex flowing with minimal emotional investment. You all know how to wine and dine your women but sometimes you need a reminder on how the true game is played. This is how the “gents who jet” roll when sex is the only goal and a real relationship is as desirable as grabbing a red-hot poker.

1) Flowers are for emergency only. They are a great and easy way to keep her interested, but if you send too many (or too soon), you signal a relationship. Instead, only send them after a) you blatantly cheated b) you are sleeping with one, or multiple, Brazilian models thus you must ensure that your current fling thinks she is your number one love interest c) you suspect your fling knows you don’t remember her full name d) you have spent too much time partying in Paris and need to prove that she is your primary concern as you cross international borders on your G-V.

2) Need I say that you NEVER sign any card with “Love”? Don’t be stupid.

3) Make her work for a primetime date spot. A few Tuesday night cocktails will drive her to win your weekend affection. Toss her a weekend date bone early on to keep her engaged and to ensure steamy sex in the near-term. But you must make her ponder her official status by scheduling cocktails during the early week. Intrigue fuels her desire for you.

4) Pop up randomly. Let her think you are out of town so when you phone last minute for an impromptu date (“because your travels plans changed unexpectedly”), she will feel like a queen.

5) Refrain from daytime activities. If she is lucky enough to make your weekend dance card, by no means let her slip onto your more public daylight schedule by latching on after the standard issue morning-after-sex brunch. Daytime weekend bonding is seen as a step towards a relationship."

Whiskey Alpha: Lost in Rioja

2006-11-28T04:29:00.000Z

While America gets fat over the Thanksgiving holiday W4's dutiful correspondent Whiskey Alpha sends in this dispatch from the shores of Mallorca:

"I know, I know, I said in my last report that the Ibiza parties were over and the Swedish soul was taking over, but guess what? I lied. Mallorca has drawn me back to those irresistible hot parties under the Spanish sun. Our present global warming has created this temperate climate to extend the roof parties and prolong the muff diving.

For a weekend getaway Mallorca is a nice retreat from the Swedish snow bunnies (I do love a'lil Dr. Zhivago under the midnight sun), but the hot Spanish mamis were calling this Northern papi back down for some more Rioja and punta! Hotel Tres was a really spectacular and perfect place to chill while keeping a low profile during the late night binges. If you want to meet a hot Bulgarian or Yugoslavian chica hang out at the Puro Beach Club. Some may actually want to meet you, others are trying to get the Ben Franklin's they can smell in your pocket. Be sure to stay out of the low-baller casinos since they don't have many tables and won't let you throw down any monster bets."

+Hotel Tres, Mallorca.

Barcelona: Swedish Soul: Whiskey Alpha

2006-11-01T23:24:00.000Z

With the Ibiza closing parties sealed up for the season, Whiskey Alpha, W4's globe-trotting architect heads for the mainland for a little “Grip it and Rip it.” As always, he managed to transcend the Northern Swedish Soul for a little weekend buster at Barcelona’s Pacha:

"It is a must to wear sunglasses on the dance floor because everyone will ask if you're on little helpers (which of course we all are). The fashion is getting more top-notch in this Spanish city so don’t forget the Slimane suit and the old school Ray Bans. When your being called Papi till a quarter to 5, there is no better finale than taking her to the Hotel Barcelona Princess to ease the hangover and extend the layover. The rooftop pool is a good deal and a morning swim at the nearby beach finishes this journey before heading back to the Northern front for some oncoming snow."

Whiskey Alpa's Barcelona
Clubs: Pacha, Av. Gregorio Maranon 17, Barcelona, +34 93-334-3233.
Hotel: Barcelona Princess.
Eurotrash Video: "Same Man," Till West & DJ Delicious.

Marrakech Express: Tango Alpha

2006-10-25T16:03:00.000Z

Tango Alpha reports from adventures with the Berbers of North Africa:

"What does an American Indian do when the summer is starting to come to a close?

He goes to the lands where Indian summers never end. Marrakech, where rich Berber tribal culture meets French-European decadence. Tango Alpha recommends relaxing at the hammam after your 100+ degree excursion.

Marrakechian daylight tours are essential as are nightly soirées at Le Palais Rhoul.

A private tent in the luxe gardens and late night drinks at the outdoor L’Abyssen club make this spot a must for any modern nomad to purge his sins in the midst of the traditional Gnawa music. If you want a desert tent journey on camelback or a mid-Atlas mountain Berber trek you must have a guide who speaks a minimum of four languages and has a 2nd degree black belt to be safe and comfortable, and Mohamed Chaaouane is the man for this job. Never mind the Souk owners haggling you for more cash or any corrupt police trying to detain your from your journey if Mr. Chaaouane is with you. If your desert oasis of nightly hedonism isn't enough try handing out some Ben Franklins to the kids working amongst the Souks and watch the bright sun get brighter in their faces."

+Le Palais Rhoul, Marrakech + 212 24 32 94 94 95.
+La Maison Arabe, 1, Derb Assehbe- Bab Doukkala, Marrakech Médina, +212 24 38 70 10.
+There's Always: La Mamounia, Avenue Bab Jdid 40 000 Marrakech, +212 24 38 86 00.
+W4 Suggests: Marrakech: Guide: Mohamed Chaaouane : +212 61.60.1149.
+W4 Photog: Marrakech.

Boris, Beck and the Bayou: New Orleans

2006-10-07T20:01:00.001Z

Boris escapes the Northeast and floats down the Bayou to New Orleans. While Boris was in the Big Easy, Beck's new album which dropped early this week was playing in the W4 music department. The above video for "Cellphone's Dead" features the always necessary fur hat wearing girl doing aerobics accompanied by a spaced-out looking man playing drums in brightly colored poncho - ideal party companions. Beck, Boris and the Big Easy - here you go:

"Accomodations: The Windsor Court is pretty good, but needs some TLC. I reccommend getting a 1 bedroom suite.

Breakfast: Cafe Du Monde serves excellent fried beignets covered in powdered sugar and very good coffee (the secret is supposedly the use of chickory).

Lunch: Zara's, which is a shady supermarket selling absolutely nothing healthy produces delicious roast beef Po Boys. The roast beef is homemade and served on a baguette and covered in mayo, gravy, pickles, mustard, and just about everything else one could imagine. A reccommended lunch from here is one of said roast beef Po Boys, a package of Zapps sour cream & creole onion chips, and a Long Boys coconut candy.

Dinner:

Cochon is an excellent dining spot although super casual. The best items on the menu were the fried boudin (deep-fried sausage balls) with pickled peppers; the pork rillette (an amazing liverwurst meets pate creation) with mustard and pickles; and then either the rabbit and dumplings or the Lousiana cochon (that's pig to you cityfolk) with turnips, cabbage, and cracklins. I also admired the fact that one can smoke in the restaurant in-between courses of this mighty fine food.

Clancy's was a more elegant dinner destination with as good or better food. Go for the fried oysters with melted brie, the smoked soft shell crab with crabmeat, topped off by a bowl of peppermint ice cream with homemade chocolate sauce.

Drinking:

Pat O' Brien's: this was a college bar near Bourbon Street I attended with one of our younger guides. It was a little odd: not too many college kids but plenty of creepy middle-aged men looking to attack college girls. I downed a few Hurricanes here (these are similar to a deadly sort of cherry slurpy).

Mayfair: a delightfully sleazy little bar. You get buzzed in and enter a lounge filled with stuffed alligators, christmas lights, and Mardi Gras beads. The owner is Ms. May who's a hard-living 75 year-old woman who has an apartment above the bar and doesn't take shit from anyone.

St. Joe's Bar: another shady little watering hole. There are pictures over the bar of the Baby Jesus and Moses flanked by Halloween-style severed heads and other body parts. The back room which is not air-conditioned is done up in a strange Middle-Eastern style.

All in all, I'd say I could really spend some time in New Orleans. My only reccommendations would be to upgrade the hotels, bring in some Napolitan clothing outposts, import some attractive Brazilian and Russian pros, and open a couple of high-end hotel bars serving vintage scotches. Other than that I'm sold.

Mimi, Dito, y familia,

Gracias por todo su bondad y generosidad.

Besos y abrazos,
Boris

+Windsor Court Hotel, 300 Gravier Street, New Orleans, +1 504 523-6000.
+Cafe du Monde, 1039 Decatur Street, New Orleans, +1 504 587-0835.
+Zara's, 2042 Prytania Street, New Orleans, +1 504 523-3658.
+Cochon, 930 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans, +1 504 588-2123.
+Clancy's, 6100 Annunciation Street, New Orleans, +1 504 895-1111.
+Pat O' Brien's, 718 St. Peter Street, New Orleans, +1 504 525-4823.
+Mayfair, 1505 Amelia Street, New Orleans, +1 504 895-9163.
+St. Joe's Bar, 5535 Magazine Street, New Orleans +1 504 899-3744.

Boris Interrupted: Connecticut: Mayflower Inn

2006-09-24T19:45:00.000Z

When Boris told us he was going out to the wilderness of Connecticut, we assumed he was taking some "relaxation" at Silver Hill - of course we were wrong:

"Headed to glorious Washington, Connecticut for a relaxing weekend at the Mayflower Inn with the lovely Natasha.

Having never been to this out of the way area of CT, I was concerned about the quality of the establishment. Driving through small towns filled with shitty cars and ugly people, I grew even more concerned. These concerns were alleviated as soon as we drove up the Mayflower driveway to see the elegant Connecticut cottage and beautiful grounds, and a driveway filled with serious sports cars and only a couple of SUVs, but at least they were Range Rovers.

The staff was extremely attentive and kind right off the bat. Most of the staffmembers were young white redheads with freckles, but nevertheless very sweet. Personally, I prefer the staff at The Wheatleigh but mostly because they are European and therefore more attractive and better at ass-kissing, but I digress. The manager at the Mayflower, Wade (also apparently known as
"Mr. Mayflower") was great. He was kind enough to bring me
Alka-Seltzer at 1:30am as I was having some sort of heartburn attack (the country air makes me crazy) looking bright-eyed and perky.

There is a little hotel shop run by a funny badly-dressed Latino flamer who sells all sorts of overpriced Loro Piana getups. After a boozie dinner one night, I purchased a set of cocktail napkins that I thought were hankerchiefs. Fuck it, I'll use them as hankerchiefs--the WASP set in Palm Beach will never know the difference.

Off of the staff and onto the rest of the joint. One should definitely stay in the Eaton Suite (Room 22). It's the nicest room by far. The suite has a terrace, which is important so one can smoke. However since the whole place is non-smoking I had to make due with a converted water bottle for an ashtray. Also, the terrace was off of the bedroom which was not so great as it stunk up the sleeping quarters when I smoked my Marlboros. The minibar had very sparse offerings. I had to summon up a bottle of Black Label for the weekend, which I think may have upset the staff's small-town sensibilities but who gives a shit I've got to feel at home if I'm this far away from a big city.

I attempted to go running (supposedly this is going to improve my health but I'm still waiting to see that happen) on the hotel grounds but there apparently is no track and I was instead sent into the forest, and that was no fun.

The food was very tasty at the good ol' Mayflower. The hamburger was excellent for lunch, and dinner highlights included a delicious fried soft shell crab with barbecued bacon (thick and short ribesque just how I like it), a pampano in a beurre blanc sauce (I'm fat and I like butter) topped with morels, and I also consumed a very good steak. The quality about all these dishes which I most admired was that none of them needed additional salting or any other seasoning, something quite rare even in the best establishments. The dining room also had a proper wine list which I was pleased with. They had my Natasha's favorite 2001 Chevalier Montrachet, and a 1999 Nuit St. Georges for the night I consumed the steak.

Now onto the spa: This was a large, attractive and very white building, much more modern than the main cottage of The Mayflower. There were large comfortable chairs with throws on them all over the place to lounge on while waiting to be served. The massage was very very good--no kung fu deep tissue crap, just really talented masseuses who left me feeling like butter. The masseuses were older but decent-looking women, not butch. I tried to restrain myself from getting an erection during my massage but no luck (always happens, I'm too used to the shady Russian massage parlors of my youth). Anyway, no happy ending but a happily-massaged fat Russian.

In terms of other activiites up here in sunny Washington, CT there weren't too many except for antique shopping. This actually was more enjoyable than I expected especially as I have a new apartment on the Upper East which has nothing in it. We found one place called G. Sergeant which had some good French antique pieces. I picked up some Louis XVI bergere (that's armchair in bullshit speak).

Ta ta my babies!

Aint a damn thing changed,
Boris

+Mayflower Inn and Spa, 118 Woodbury Rd, Washington Depot, CT, +1 860 868-9466.
+Silver Hill Hospital, New Canaan, CT.
+Recommended Viewing: CT: Strange Suburbia: The Ice Storm.

Gastronomic: Spain: Elbulli

2006-09-20T22:22:00.000Z

The W4 gastromic department, consisting of Boris and Tango Alpha, brings us word of the finest resturaunt on the planet:

"When it comes to the best don't settle for less. Get on a plane and reach for paradise at the best restaurant in the world: Elbulli. There are no limits, no rules, just imaginative intuitive creations. Eating becomes art and exclusivity becomes the jewel of life experience. The philosophy of this gastronomic adventure will turn your world upside down and make you kneel to the power of this food religion. Jesus would have thought twice about breaking bread if this place existed during his time."

+Elbulli, Calle Puertaferrisa 7 -9 Prin. 2a. Barcelona Spain Phone: +34 932703700.
+Wikipedia: "Ferran Adria."

Highball: Southern Delight: Buenos Aires

2006-09-10T20:46:00.000Z

Just back from a siesta in the Pampas, Highball sends in her latest intoxicating discoveries from Buenos Aires:

"As the summer is soon to dawn the sexy playground of Buenos Aires, its time to start planning your getaway. One of the most enjoyable restaurants is the Green Bamboo, a Vietamese delight that is a short cab from Recoleta in Palermo. It is a small spot that doesn’t take reservations but has some of the best food in town. Although we waited until 11PM to eat because it was so packed, it was absolutely worth the wait. Also try the nearby Olsen and snag a table outside. The food is Scandinavian, the cocktail menu is pretty good and the outdoor tables are a must have. The crowd is composed of standard issue yuppies and isn’t much of a scene but it’s a good place for dinner if you are with a couple others.

No trip to BA is complete without your late night dive and the tackiest one possible is Solid Gold in Recoleta. Evidently this spot has sister locations dotting the globe and I am almost certain is a tourist trap. But no matter. It is a strip club and discoteque which are the cover for its true identity: a brothel. Porn plays on the screens throughout the building while the music blares. It is sketchy but does not close. So if you are drunk enough, entertainment abounds but you probably wont want to admit you darkened their door the next day.

After you wake up with a killer hangover, head over to Aqua Vita, a “medical” spa in Recoleta that looks to please its clients. The steam bath nearly melted my skin but sobered me up in minutes. This spa was not only relaxing and intimate but the masseuses were extremely hot. And let’s just say, the fine line was nearly crossed for all who attended. A happy ending is no doubt part of the package upon request."

+Green Bamboo, Costa Rica 5802, Buenos Aires +11 4775 7050.
+Olsen, Gorriti 5870, Buenos Aires +11 4776 7677.
+Aqua Vita, Arenales 1965, Buenos Aires +11 4812 5989.
+Previous W4: Highball Reports.

Bad Girls of Boading School: Detox Edition

2006-09-08T21:17:00.000Z

Now back on terra firma and detoxing at the Upper East Side AA meeting in their newest pair of Tod's driving shoes, The Bad Girls of Boarding School send in their final thoughts on Capri:

"The first is Panta Rei – it’s a fairly new nightclub/spa and a really neat concept. You descend about 100 feet by steep steps into a cliff overlooking the gulf of Capri until you arrive in an enormous indoor/outdoor club filled with futon mattresses and hanging sheets – reminiscent of the Mondrian in LA - but with an indoor pool instead. The hook is that you can get massage treatments on beds while sipping Dona Lucia’s amongst an uber attractive Italian jet set, not tourists. The DJ spins different tunes in each of 5 rooms. Flat TV screens with tranquil landscape images abound – lots of water – and there are dry steam rooms and wet steam showers available to the ambitious. Because of its anonymity, Panta Rei has maintained a hyper cool feel and is quite sensual. Added bonus: all the furniture is waterproof which matters to the third of the sexy crowd that is wet and sparsely dressed. Don’t arrive before midnight.

The second is an authentic Capri experience, a restaurant called Da Paolino. It’s a tourist trap but worth the visit. The taxi drops you at the bottom of a dark, long, narrow, winding driveway. When you finally arrive at the top, huffing and puffing, you’re immersed in a lush lemon grove – huge lemons hanging from trees everywhere as well as bright fish tanks amply filled with exotic creatures of the sea. The friendly wait staff keep the Kir Royals flowing. The style is buffet and the antipasti bar and desserts (highly affected by lemon) are exquisite. Try the octopus, salmon and prosciutto. Get there before 11pm though as the buffet shuts down at 11:30pm and it’s strictly ‘a la carte’ from then on. Yet another romantic evening for the team as the Vegas style couple at the table next to us got engaged (surely not a first at Da Paolino) and passionately shared one chair for the next 30 minutes. The cherry on top was two glasses of limoncello to cap off a delightful culinary experience in spite of the unsolicited peep show.

The third place is a crazy tavern near the Qvisisana called Anema e Core. All ages are welcome and everyone drinks peach sangria in excess. The allure is the live band and open microphones. Basically, Anema e Core is a giant karaoke bar with no screen, no words and no standards. The result, a debaucherous crew of 20 to 70 somethings belting out everything from Michael Jackson to Andrea Bocelli and dancing shamelessly on wooden tables. You can hear the raucous all the way at the piazetta 3 blocks away. It’s impossible not to get sucked in and well worth it. When you enter, the walls and ceilings are covered in photos of celebrities (from Neil Diamond to Princes William & Harry and Demi & Ashton) who have all come to participate in the outrageous sing-a-long. Be careful: several photographers wander the premises incognito to capture candid shots for display. It’s a must see, a lot of fun and truly hilarious. That’s all for now. Ciao bello!"

+Tods.
+Small Rooms: Hotels: Mondrain, 8440 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, +1 323 650-8999.
+Panta Rei, Capri.
+Da Paolino, Capri.
+Anema e Core, Capri.

Papi to La Plage Non-Stop: St. Barths Direct

2006-09-07T18:29:00.000Z

With summer now behind us it is time to look forward to the fall and yes, the dreaded winter - prepare the prozac, uncork the Whiskey - it will be here soon. With that in mind we bring you an update from the W4 Tropics desk:

"First there was Ron Perlman, then there was Puffy, now there are cruiseships in the harbor. What is next step in the slow demise of the tropical paradise that is St. Barths you ask? Direct flights from San Juan, Peurto Rico of course! Tradewind Aviation has launched a new direct service from San Juan straight into St. Barths. As an introductory fare they are offering seats for $350 each way. While this may make the trip to St. Barths easier we cannot imagine it will make the crowd at high season any pleasanter."

+Tradewind Avaition.
+Wimco: Offer.

Overdue Library Book: Gramercy Park Hotel

2006-09-07T18:00:00.000Z

Before leaving for her tutorial on Ibiza closing parties, Overdue Library Book goes on an expedition to the new Gramercy Park Hotel to research the state of libations at exhaustingly trendy hotels. Clearly she has yet to return her book to the Library Bar at Schrager's older hotel, The Hudson:

"Hot night spots long ago migrated downtown. Now, one need not evern bother venturing to midtown for the Museum of Modern Art. Instead, the Jade and Rose Bars at the Gramercy Park Hotel host Basquiats, Twomblys and Warhols to rival any museum collection. Interview and Art in America Publisher Peter Brandt and artist Julian Schnabel have teamed up with hotelier Ian Schrager for this enterprise, and have loaned works from their private collections. The Jade and Rose Bars are cheekily named for their wall colors, one would have thought the aesthetes could have been more creative? The vanilla martini is not to be missed, however, the more spacious Rose Bar closes to the public nightly at 9 pm for private functions. Patrons are then crowded into the Jade Bar, which is too narrow for mingling. The banquettes on the side offer sufficient space to finish your martini and to view the breathtaking lobby of the hotel. The elusive restaurant, to be run by Mr. Yau of Wagamama/Hakkasan success in London, opens shortly on the ground floor, while the private members' club with roofdeck opens in November, just in time for the snow."

+Jade and Rose Bars, Gramercy Park Hote l, 2 Lexington Ave, New York +1 212 475-4320.

Lucy In The Sky (TV) With Diamonds:Yalos Diamonds

2006-09-05T20:29:00.000Z

For those of us who truly can't get enough of the gaudiest of everything, Keymat Industrie has introduced the Yalos Diamonds LCD television set. That's right, for $130,000 you can have your very own 20-carat diamond-studded LCD TV. While we quickly grew tired of the concept of other diamond-studded electronics, such as the Goldvish cell phones, the idea of a diamond TV is almost so over-the-top that you kind of have to love it. It's hard to break, it's relatively undesirable to steal, and it's one of the biggest fuck you toys anyone could possibly own. So the next time you're looking for a gift for your favorite Saudi or Kimora Lee Simmons, the Yalos Diamonds is the answer.
+Yalos Diamonds LCD Television, Keymat Industrie.
+Goldvish.
+Kimora Lee Simmons.
+England: Sky TV.

The Sun Sets On the Summer of 2006

2006-09-04T20:43:00.000Z

W4 hopes you had a wonderful summer.

We now return you to our irregularly scheduled and offensively tan programming.

+Summer 2006: Track: Acoustic: World Hold On: Live Ibiza: Cafe Mambo [megaupload].
+Related: Coming Soon on W4: Ibiza Closing Parties Report.
+W4 Photog: London, 11 February 2006.

Bad Girls of Boarding School Go To Italy

2006-08-31T18:27:00.000Z

Having ventured well away from their comfort zone of Madison Avenue between 60th and 72nd Street, W4's newest correspondents, The Bad Girls of Boarding School, have filed this report from the Italian coast:

"Sardinia was fab! The Billionaire Club is very cool although a few too many guido italians north of 40. Flavio [Briatori] has live movies of himself playing on flat screens throughout the club, as well as on the walls by the pool. The music was St. Tropez style - "Love Generation" and that sort. Sparklers and champagne were also everywhere. The VIP room was the way to go at this spot. Also, some of the outfits were super out of control. We had an excellent meal at Pedro Gianelli: amazing figs and lobster. They say its the best place in Sardinia and I agree. The service was wonderful. The Italian men were very aggressive but gentlemen. Clipper is a great local eatery and the Porto Cervo Yacht Club is a very classy place for drinks pre-dins to sip on bellinis with fresh peach juice and hot yachtsmen, all the while listening to live music around a beautifully-lit pool. Cala di Volpe is amazing! You literally pull your boat up to your room, although it's extremely overpriced. We were in heaven at Long Beach on the water trampoline and bargaining for leather bags while tanning. Mistral winds (35 knots) were super strong so we declined sailing invites which are not hard to come by for two American girls. Capri and the Quisisana are our favs so far. Capri is such a beautiful, charming place. There are attractive peeps everywhere and it's super romantic [ed: as we can see above]. The shopping and the views are amazing. The hotel rocks: dreamy pool and spa, and drinks right outside the entrance is the place to be pre-dins. Restaurants so far in Capri: Aurora - good ambience, but the food was so-so, although I enjoyed the caprese salad, which was born here. Ciao bello!"

+Billionaire Club, Loc Piccolo Pevero, Porto Cervo, Sardinia, +39 0789 94192.
+Clipper, just off the main road that runs down into Porto Cervo marina, Sardinia.
+Porto Cervo Yacht Club.
+Hotel Cala di Volpe Costa Smeralda, Porto Cervo, Italy +390789 976111.
+Quisisana, Via Camerelle 2, Capri, +39 081 8370788.
+W4 Prefers: La Scalinatella, Capri.
+Aurora, Via Fuorlovado, Capri +39 081 8370181.

Borscht and Kisses: Boris: NYC

2006-08-23T19:53:00.000Z

Boris finds a bit of his mother Russia in the center of NYC:

"The Russian Samovar is an overlooked Russian spot in the heart of the theater district. The vibe was so shady it brought tears of joy to my eyes. In attendance were a gaggle of hardened Russian working girls at the bar, disgruntled Russian businessmen drowning their sorrows in carafes of vodka, some chubby underworld character in a guayabera sitting at a corner table downing vodka and bowls of borscht in between getting kisses from all the pretty professionals in the house, and a beautiful blonde bartendress. It was excellent! Shamus (my comrade in enterprise) and I dined on blinis with smoked salmon and creme fraiche, meat blintzes, Chicken Kiev, Beef Stroganoff, washed down with plentiful amounts of wodka--all of which was delicious albeit heart attack inducing. Adding to the lovely food and crowd was a delightful piano player who was taking breaks every half hour to go outside and chain smoke and looked as though he hadn't slept in weeks. I tipped him a 20 hoping that might buy him a little yayo, No-Doze, or at least a pillow. Granted there were a couple tables of random tourists but not too many to ruin the evening. I must say the only thing I would do to this spot would be to convert the upstairs dining room into boom-boom rooms for after-dinner interludes with the in-house ladies of the night."

+The Russian Samovar, 256 West 52nd Street, New York +1 212 757-0168.
+Vodka: London: Borscht and Tears, 46 Beauchamp Place, SW3 1NX. [square meal].

Goldeluxx: EuroBabes and Stripper Perfume

2006-08-23T14:24:00.000Z

Goldeluxx, bannana boat driver loving, blond co-ed, recently phoned W4's beachside summer hideaway to discuss that mysterious fragrance called Stripper Perfume. After recounting her recent dinner at the Upper East side eurohaunt 212, conversation inevitably turned to discussing the attractive +7 country code female waitstaff. Goldeluxx agreed with W4 HQ that the EuroBabes at 212 were quite hot but she remarked that they smelled of an odor she referred to as Stripper Perfume. It was later revealed that the so called smell of Stripper Perfume is a creamy, lotiony smell. We promised to do some investigative research for her to confirm the existance of this so called fragrance. On a related note, word also crossed our desk that the Hustler Club on the West Side of NYC may or may night have a rooftop where girls dance - naked women and a view of the Empire State Building - Happy Labor Day come early indeed!

+212, 133 East 65th Street, New York. +1 212 249 6565.
+Hustler Club, 641 W 51st St, New York.
+Previous W4: Goldeluxx.
+Watch: Kate Moss Speaks and Smokes.

Blondie Says: Fuck Me I'm Famous: Stockholm

2006-08-22T19:04:00.000Z

It’s easy to imagine what Swedes do in the dead of winter, but where do they spend their mild summers besides the island of Phuket in between tsunamis? Our Lux correspondent Whiskey Alpha has informed us of a nighttime gem within Stockholm’s party walls. The Café Opera always turns out a consistent blanket of Swedish babes ready to envelope your late-night safari. The usual aquavits are a must but the “Fuck Me I'm Famous” cocktail is one that will drop your date to the floor with a mere 48-hour recovery time. That being said, never proceed alone or with a girl to guy ratio less than 3 to 1.

+Café Opera, Gustav Adolfs torg 111 52, Stockholm +46-8 791 43 00.

UK: Eurotrash: Love Don't Let Me Go

2006-08-19T00:17:00.000Z

Our weekend Eurotrash pick for this week is the David Guetta Vs The Egg remix of "Love Don't Let Me Go." The original song was a hit a few years back and this version adds a litte more guitar ripping thump to it. The remix is set to become number one on the UK Charts this week (update 8/22: It charted #3 so we weren't that far off) and the video features the hottest council flat residents we have ever encountered. Clearly our experiences in Hackney with the toothless gold-plated pikeys was just an anomaly. Check out these gravity defying dance moves.

+Yo, where my crack at? Hackney, East London [google maps].
+I've seen this jumping in the ghetto before. But where? Nike "Presto Ad", circa early 2000s.
+Doesn't David Guetta also own a Parisian strip club / after hours club? Mais Oui, Pink Paradise, rue Ponthieu, Paris. [W4 Paris]
+But W4, where are the Eurotrash videos with girls in thongs dancing to repetitive beats? Here: Loleatta Holloway - Love Sensation [YouTube].

Degustation: Boris: NYC

2006-08-16T17:12:00.000Z

Boris ventures to the newest outpost of the Jewel Bako family where the food is good, the liquor is scare, and the crowd is dispensable:

"On a recent evening, I ventured out with my beautiful Natasha to dine at the latest outpost of the Jewel Bako family: Degustation. I'd been off of Jack's group of restaurants recently as I don't care for the schlep to 5th Street & Nowheresville, the very very mediocre sushi at Jewel Bako, and the fact that my French amigo Denis from Bruno's is no longer maitre'd at Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar (although I still enjoy the food there). Nevertheless, I wanted to give their new restaurant a shot and I had a pleasant experience for the most part. Degustation is tiny as are its siblings. The only seating is around the bar/kitchen which is a fun concept if you enjoy roughing it--I don't, but it was nice to be able to see the chefs preparing our food and see that they weren't spitting in it. There is no hard alcohol served here, not that this is different from the other two neighboring restaurants but still I hate not having my 2 pre-dinner scotches. On a happier note, the food was quite good. Natasha and I had the 5-course tasting menu which was interesting and fairly tasty. The dishes I most enjoyed were the grilled squid stuffed with short ribs which came with chorizo-seasoned lentils, an egg dish with prosciutto and a crusted asparagus, and spiced strawberries which I consumed for dessert. Things I did not like so much were the scallops: tasty but should have been served hot, and the lamb which was okay but I wasn't fond of the chlorophyll sauce it was accompanied by. As for ambience, Degustation is definitely lacking. There were two couples of foodies at the far end of the bar who were completely annoying and unattractive. Toward the end of their meal they were practically quacking. I really dislike the concept of the foodie character. At the other end of the bar we're two random Asian girls who were fairly boring-looking. Right next to us was a Bob Sagat look-alike with a semi-attractive light-skinned black girl.

Did I drink enough? No
Did I have a good meal? Yes
Was the crowd fun? No

And I may be a degenerate, an alcoholic, and a lunatic, but don't ever call me a goddamn foodie!

Besos y Abrazos,
Boris"

+Degustation, 239 East Fifth Street, New York, +1 212 979-1012.
+Previous W4: Boris Articles.

Smoking Hot: NYC: Tango Alpha: Zero Halliburton

2006-08-08T04:08:00.000Z

This just in from our man in New York where the heat is driving people to sniff cleaning products and smoke Cubans:

"Upon leaving his humble Gramercy abode at 1:07am during the hottest day of this year, Tango Alpha was pleasantly surprised by a crackhead carelessly lounging upon the doorstep sniffing a one pint can of Minwax ebony wood stain. The stain was abundantly applied to the individual's clothing and face (since he was pressing the can around his mouth) with motifs of Miro and Picassoesque markings. This left a wonderful aroma of gaseous fumes which inspired Tango Alpha to light a Cuban cigar in honor of this ceremonial event. But where does Tango Alpha keep his treasure of Cubans for these precious NYC moments? Where else but within a Zero Halliburton travel humidor: the best solution for keeping your quality cigars pristine during trips to the U.S. No more worries about impact resistance or quality aesthetics, this case is the sleekest humidor on the market."
+Black Ambassador Cigar Case, Zero Halliburton $499.99.
+Crackheads Prefer: Minwax.

Eurotrash: Voodoo Child: Rogue Traders

2006-08-02T05:23:00.000Z

Many of our readers have apparently been missing our weekly Eurotrash music post so back by popular demand here it is. This week's horribly trashy song comes to us from the Australian band Rogue Traders (Australlian, yes we know, not technically Eurotrash but as the EU continues to expand we'll take a liberal definition of the term). Regardless, their infectious rock / electro-pop anthem 'Voodoo Child' is blasting through the summer airwaves and the band's video complete with skulls, red lips and a sexy lead singer ain't bad either.

+Rogue Traders, 'Voodoo Child' [video].

Summer Summer Summertime: Nello: Southampton

2006-08-02T01:01:00.000Z

Nello Summertimes in Southampton appears to be the undiscovered gem of the summer. This year the restaurant, located just a block from the center of town, has added an indoor/outdoor 100 person lounge. On a recent Friday night when our global W4 correspondents Boris, Hunter S. Texas, and El Capitan gathered for the requisite Black Label, vodka and champagne it was discovered that the lounge is perfect place to go if you hope to dance a little, drink alot, and shamelessly attempt to seduce the occasional Latvian model even if she has absolutely no intention of talking to anyone other than your wallet. After a respectable alfresco dinner, the Euro/WASP-y set ambles towards the rear of the restaurant and into the newly minted lounge where a request-friendly British DJ spins uplifting house music and crowdpleasers guilt-free of any hip hop garbage--the only downside of his playlist being that Love Generation might be spun more than a couple of times in an evening. The place is run right and there is no haggling at Nellos about how much your party needs to spend on its liquor allowence in order to have a good time or gain entry. The mixed age dual passport crowd is there to unwind and let loose. It is a welcome refuge from the North Jersey accents and share house crowd that seem to have overrun the nightspots of Eastern Long Island. Summertime and Nellos is easy.

N.B. As we went to press we have sadly received word that the Nello lounge has now been invaded by the aforementioned undesirables and that the service staff have not been able to keep up with the overwhelming crowds.

+Nello Summertimes, 136 Main Street, Southampton.
+Track: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Summertime [lyrics].
+W4 Photog: 15 July 2006.

Champagne Ponies: Cartier International Polo

2006-07-31T16:02:00.000Z

In our ongoing coverage of champagne swilling social events that masquerade as sporting events we bring you summer polo season. In our first installment we receive this report just in from Booze Island [England]. Next week if we can find a correspondent to muster up the courage we slum it with the American version at Bridgehampton Polo:

"Overdue Library Book took advantage of London's unusually bright steamy summer to venture out of the stacks and to the Guards Polo Club in Windsor for the not-to-be-missed annual Cartier International Polo Match. Those eager enough to leave Volstead Saturday night before four am managed to alight in Windsor early Sunday and witness Prince Harry on his steed in the morning match. The rest of us rolled in around two for the main event of the day, if one was there for polo and not the China White afterparty or cement-roller shopping, the England - New Zealand match. New Zealand, the favoured squad, began the match with a two point handicap, which meant that the English were able to overcome their lack of athleticism and win 9-7. In the meantime, crowds of well-heeled Sloanes, black leather-clad Euros, and sun-kissed South Americans dined on succulent Argentinian steaks and shamelessly overpriced bottles of warm champagne. There was no lack of Pimms flowing either, which no doubt contributed to the general aura of happiness and sun stroke, which resulted in a few accidental Audi purchases. This all meant that by six o'clock, when the China White party opened its doors, most partygoers were already too drunk to be able to sort out their tickets and a mob scene ensued. Hot aristos like TB Darbyshire turned on their heels and skipped off to Annabel's in London instead, where they were joined by a hummer limousine of leggy Argentines."
+Cartier Polo, Gaurd's Polo Club.
+Previous W4: Volestead: London: Prior Engagements.

W4 Goes on Holiday: Shadow Boat

2006-07-26T18:08:00.000Z

For those of you interested in purchasing a yacht, you will need to consider whether the boat can accommodate all of your needs. Granted if you purchase what is by Abramovich standard's a "real" boat (roughly 300' and up) you will most likely have many of your entertainment and leisure wants taken care of. Rising Sun, Al Salamah, Octopus, and Platinum all have amentities such as helipads, private submarines, movie theaters, onboard discotheques, and all sorts of other goodies. However, we would like to propose something that will take you one step further: the shadow boat. Shadow boats are vessels intended to tail the main yacht and are designed to house helicopters, speed or sailboats, cars, SUVs, motorcycles, submarines, and even sleep your personal security team (personal SWAT team was how it was mentioned somewhere--very chic). This way, your main boat doesn't get cluttered and you have easy access to anything and everything you could possibly want to bring with you from the shadow behind you. Shadow Marines range from 110 to 280' and the prices start at around $5,000,000.

Looking forward to seeing you on the high seas,
The W4 Nautical Team

+Shadow Marine.

Tango Alpha: All Is Spendito In Portofino

2006-07-25T17:34:00.000Z

Our newest correspondent, the architect of many a good thing is the ever dapper Tango Alpha. He reports from the cliffs of Italy:

"During the occasional excursion to a Portofino wedding it is always recommended to
allow for maximum diversity among party-going individuals. A gay prodigy virtuoso violinist is always the necessary wild card that will offset the economic and social differences among a cross-cultural wedding. The usual La Cervara setting, exquisite food, and designer Italian attire are the givens in this equation of debauchery which left of us thirsting for more. Finalizing the evening at the cliffside discotechque Mako in Genoa for late-night adventures, having breakfast on the terrace of Hotel Splendido, then an outdoor massage made the U.S. seem like a dismal wet dream of material culture without the happy ending."

+Mako, Corso Italia 28/R, Genoa. +39 010 367 652.
+Hotel Splendido, Salita Baratta, 16, Portofino. +39 0185 267 801.
+Tango Alpha Also Prefers: Terme Vals, Switerland.
+W4 Photog: CYJO: Portofino, Italy, 10 July 2006.

Mr. Jenkins No Happy: Japonais: New York

2006-07-13T14:49:00.000Z

Boris reports from Japonais in New York:

"Went to the opening of this new locale last night located in the old Stone Crab space off of Park Avenue South. The crowd was very mediocre consisting of wannabe hipsters who were actually ad execs, too many fat girls, badly-dressed gay guys, an Isaac Mizrahi imposter, and some gent who looked like a bloated Mr. Bean in a bowtie. The decor of Japonais is kind of sleek, kind of Japanese whorehouse but the lighting was too high and no whores. I sampled a couple of dishes from their menu which included a salmon and shrimp tempura roll that was decent but smothered in way too much sauce (I really feel like Americans love mayo much more than they actually enjoy raw fish), a duck pancake with an interesting chutney: passable but no Mr. Chow, and a rock-seared sliced steak which was actually the tastiest item at Japonichnich. Overall, the experience at this new restaurant/lounge felt like one of those Tanqueray ads with the suave British guy but they weren't even serving Tanqueray. Japonono will most likely turn into one of those tried-to-be-trendy after-work places along the sad no-man's land of Park South between 14th and 23rd. On a side note, I hate the concept of after-work drinks. People should go home after work, take a nap, get dressed properly, and then go out."

+Japonais: 111 East 18th Street, New York, +1 212 260 2020

Suncrawler: Koi Pond Full of Bad Elements: Hollywood

2006-07-06T01:48:00.000Z

Suncrawler reports back from the LA basin where things have taken a nasty turn:

"Koi used to be the best fish in the pond - and it still may be serving them up nightly however the crowd has turned valley porn star / hooker to the point that even the LA natives find the crowd disgusting. A recent dinner in the celebrity infused fish pond had our table of ten, which you would think would provide ample insulation, seated between a group of escorts and their madam and either a fallen hip hop star or hustler and his apple bottom coochies. After the porn star / escort table began arguing over the bill and one older Botox-ed one ran off attempting to cry (if that is physically possible given the plasticity of her face) we quickly lost our appetite and any desire to ever swim again in this pond. It's back to our good ol' sushi mainstay, Hirozen.

On the nightlife front, add another horrible club to the list of L.A. nightlife disasters. Element, a converted warehouse in Hollywood with a smoking corral in the rear is something out of a bad teen sitcom. The club is a bit like the 90210 episode where everyone takes ecstasy and nothing good transpires. Except no one here is on ecstasy.

On a recent Saturday night - which we will concede is possible the worst night to go out in LA - the only element one could hope to be floating around this place was radon. It would make the world a better place. The only saving grace of this place are the incredibly attractive and fun waitresses who do their best to endure this nightly disaster. The music rotates through that slow grind of crap hip hop tracks with no surprises and only post 1:15am-ish does it get into some more movable beats. But soon after they are raising the lights on sadly you find yourself sadly still stuck in a warehouse with some of the worst elements of Southern California. Our South American Man of Mystery who directed us to this place because he partied with Jessica Simpson there a week earlier should have his visa revolked. It is back to ordering in a handle of Jack from the Liquor Locker to my room at the Chateau."

+Koi, 30 N La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, +1 310 659-9449.
+W4 Suggests: Hirozen, 8385 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, +1 323 653-0470.
+Element, 642 N Las Palmas, Hollywood, +1 323 460 4632.
+Guilty Pleasure TV: 90210.
+Free Delivery: Liquor Locker, 8161 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, +1 323 656-1140.
+Photog: Streets of Dresden.

Boris: Titanium Is The New Plastic: AMEX Titanium

2006-06-25T23:50:00.000Z

Boris reports on the latest AMEX allowed to grace the confines of his French leather wallet:

"What for years was rumored to be the higher level credit card than the American Express Centurion (Black to the laymen) Card, the Titanium has made its appearance in my Goyard wallet. The Titanium is actually the Centurion but now is crafted out of pure titanium instead of plastic giving it a matte and more stealth look (the sheen of plastic is so vulgar). Supposedly, the new material makes it harder for the card to be fraudulently reproduced, but as far as I can tell it just makes for a better chopper of the old Colombian marching powder. Expect to see the Titanium in New York, St. Tropez, Sardinia, or wherever else I may wind up blacked out and ordering a couple of methusalems. Next up: the American Express White Card: rumored to exist in the pockets of certain Saudis and requiring an annual expenditure with AmEx of over
$1 million."

+Goyard.
+American Express.
+Previous W4: Selfish is Good: AMEX RED Card.

W4: First To Say Ciao To Chows

2006-06-20T23:14:00.000Z

W4's Miss Dirty Martini Reports on the 'casting disaster' at Mr. Chow's Tribeca:
Reported: 17 June 2006.

NY Magazine awards zero stars to Mr. Chow's Tribeca:
Reported: 27 June 2006 Edition.

NY Times says Mr. Chow's Tribeca is Satisfactory:
Reported: 28 June 2006 Edition.

W4 - Always Keeping Your Chow Fresh - We Don't Ask Why.

Ciao Chow: Mr. Chow Tribeca: New York

2006-06-17T20:36:00.000Z

Our newest tantastic corespondent, Miss Dirty Martini, recently was sent to Mr. Chow's new outpost in Tribeca. Here is what came back:

"You know it's the kind of place a Toby Maguire would hang out at" said a friend of a friend - which I guess is true if you are into short, slightly overweight balding guys and their silicone enhanced mistresses supplemented by groups of cougars on the prowl and 'So You Wanna Be a Rap Star (or at least see one a dinner)' contestants. This is why friends of friends should never be fully trusted.

The new Mr. Chow's is situated in that desolate area called Tribeca where mid-thirty year old west coast transplant types dwell with their Hudson Street mothers and their Toyota Prius parked in front of their sparsely decorated lofts (they keep their gas guzzlers hidden deep in a overpriced parking garage for fear of offending the neighbors who are doing exactly the same thing). Interestingly though, the restaurant itself actually isn't all that bad. As with the other Mr. Chow's there is no menu and the pre fixe is remarkably reasonable at $50 and is actually quite good. Additionaly, the photos of the ever eery Christopher Walken on the wall add a nice touch and remind us that we all have a bit of the devil inside. However, any culinary pleasure you might encounter at Chows becomes a bit negated when you realize that you can also order a Red Bull vodka with your meal which makes you wonder - are we here to chow to chug? The answer is still unclear. Meanwhile, the bar area remained crowded with a group of thirty and single (for good reason) women and a group of guys wearing t-shirts that say things like "Sit On It" - no thank you. To escape this casting disaster you might be fortunate to sit outside at a table where you can have the vilified pleasure of a cigarette without having to get up. Ciao Chow - the food isn't worth the crowd that surrounds it. "

+Mr Chow Tribeca, 121 Hudson Street, New York +1 212 965 9500.
+Toyota Prisus. If you must: W4 Prefers: Lexus RX Hybrid.
+Photo: Rome Fiumicino, 2005.

No More Conversation: Beats: Black Calvados

2006-06-14T01:55:00.000Z

Although the food at the black walled Parisain spot of the moment, the aptly named Black Calvados (BC), could not have been worse and the service untippable, the sole redeeming feature of this new boite its sleek downstairs lounge. As one South American diplomat put it to us at three in the morning, "I felt as though I was in a glass full of ice cubes". And yes, after a more than a few cocktails we can report it is true - the place is one giant mixed drink. The small room has the feeling of a steel walled meat locker lit soley by flashing white strips of frosted neon lights. The tables are neon encrusted glass ice cubes. The place clearly is begging to be in a music video. After stiring up a few drinks one can let loose with a Parisian hipster / model crowd that smokes more than they speak - which is good thing as vertical small talk with models is never recommended.

As we predicted in one of our earlier Eurotrash music posts, 'World Hold On' by Bob Sinclair was going to do well. Our W4 late night spies have tracked it as it moved across the globe and reported hearing it in Paris, London, Miami, Boston and other EU Passport sanctuaries around the globe.

This week's Eurotrash pick this week is the No More Conversation remix by Mylo. Whether you are driving across the Siene, attempting to escape from Chateau Marmont, or sitting in the Black Calvados ice cooler in Paris we agree - no more conversation, s.v.p.

+Eurotrash Pick: EZ-Files: No More Conversation - Mylo Remix.
+Black Calvados, 40 avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, Paris +33 1 47 20 77 77.
+W4 Prefers: Bungalow 1 and 82 at: Chateau Marmont, 8221 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, +1 323 656-1010.
+W4 Photog: Budapest Grafitti, 22 May 2006.

Buda-Bar: Gresham Palace: Communist Winter: Budapest

2006-06-13T21:40:00.000Z

Communist Winter reports on where to grab a digestif in the city where East meets West:

"If you find yourself passing through Budapest the best cocktail in the city certainly does not lie in the west. The Four Season's Gresham Palace is without contest Hungray's best hotel and contains one of the more striking architectural interiors in the region. Located on the Pest side of the river, the Gresham Palace hotel bar is the perfect spot to stop by for a finely mixed cocktail after watching the sunset over the Danube. As Hungary inches closer to adopting the Euro as their currency it is good to see them adopting a healthy western attitude towards overpriced cocktails as well."

+Four Seasons Gresham Palace, Roosevelt TÃ©r 5-6. 1051, Budapest, +36 (1) 268-6000.
+W4 Also Suggets: Rooms overlooking the Danube at: Art'otel, bem rakpart 16-19, h Â 1011 Budapest +36 (0) 1 487 94 87.

Highball: Smoking with Fidel in Sao Paulo

2006-06-13T05:50:00.000Z

Highball reports from her South American quest to find a polo player, cabana boy or kept man:

"Although I failed in my quest to find a sexy Latin lover in Sao Paulo, I did discover some fantastic spots in this city that rocks at night. You must head to Figueira Rubaiyat for dinner which boasts an enormous fig in the restaurant’s center (for which it is of course famous). Most of the restaurant is outdoors and you are seated around the sprawling century old fig tree. If you can bear the odd scent and falling leaves, request the table at the tree’s base. The food and service are incredible (we had 4 waiters ensuring our wine classes were always full) but dining inside tree branches is the main selling point.

Afterward, head to Fidels, a small, dark, chill live music venue that hosts impressive bands and few tourists. The music is primarily Brazilian with some American soul occasionally tossed in. And of course, don’t go to Fidel’s without lighting up a Cuban cigar from their extensive cigar “club”.

+Figueira Rubaiyat, Rua Haddock Lobo, 1738 Jardin Paulista, Sao Paulo, +55 11 306 3888. +Fidel, Rua Girassol 398 Villa Madalena, Sao Paulo, +55 11 212 4225.

Boris in Mexico: Zihuatanejo:Amuletto

2006-06-12T19:47:00.000Z

Boris writes in from the shores of North America's Thailand, Mexico, with this culinary report:

Great restaurant: Amuletto -unbelievable view and attentive service. I dined on chilled carrot and orange soup followed by sweet and sour shrimp with a mango and ginger sauce, all of which was fantastic. Dessert was a brownie with a Kahlua and vanilla ice cream sauce. Also partook in a Mexican coffee: coffee, tequila, Kahlua, and whipped cream and set on fire, which was fucking fantastic. Only downside was some LA peasant on his cellphone and a laptop (it is truly amazing how revolting people's manners can be) throughout dinner while his brainless girlfriend looked on.

Next morning, said Mexicant coffee had me feeling not so snappy so I counteracted with a Boris breakfast du championes: 2 Klonopin, chilaquiles with salsa verde and black beans, a pot of coffee, and a Marlboro Light followed an hour later by a Pina Colada. Neither Moctezuma nor his revenge will break me.

Besos,
Boris

+Amuletto, Villa Del Sol, Playa La Ropa S N, Zihuatanejo, Mexico +52 (755) 55 5 55 00.
+Where is Zihuatanejo?
+Previous W4: Boris.
+Previous W4: Titties Out: Acapulo: Golddeluxx.

Warsaw: Resturant: Kilimanjaro

2006-05-25T11:22:00.000Z

Communist Winter reports from Warsaw where the Pope is on a visit and the party rocks on Eastern Bloc Style:

"Next time you are passing through Warsaw on your way to Krakow or deep into the former Russian states on some shady business be sure and check out the new resturant Kilimanjaro. Reminiscent of a colonial hill station, Kilimanjaro features vaulted ceilings with a dimly lit lounge area on one side where you could idle away an evening with a bottle of wine and a eastern european finacee. The wood floors, bookcases and maps on the wall add to the relaxed library style feeling. The menu featuers a variety of tasty dishes including one of the best ducks I've had in this part of the world and a prison soup (ask the owner for the story behind it). It's worth a climb up this mountain."

+Kilimanjaro, ul. Bednarska 30, Warsaw +48 22 828 88 61.
+Warsaw Radio Plays: Retro: Ez-Files: Taylor Dayne - Tell It To My Heart.
+Yahoo News: Pope Arrives in Poland for 4-Day Visit, 25 May 2006.
+W4 Photog: Center of Culture, Warsaw, 23 May 2006.

Le Weekend Europe: Beats: Fitzroy: Supermode

2006-05-20T13:32:00.000Z

With the Cannes Film Festival under way and tonight's Vanity Fair party about to kick off on the croisette we figured there was no better time to bring you more superficial, repetitive, and mindless entertainment - our latest eurotrash pick.

This weeks pick comes from a group called Supermode. Don't worry as with any eurotrash one hit wonder you will never hear from them again. Although the track can be found on the latest Ministry of (Commercial) Sound compilation we think its worth a few spins. It reminds us that the 80s are back and that crack is wack.

And in other musical news Seashell and the Tanorexic send in this report from our Miami bureau:

"As Barbados born, Jay Z discovered, hip hop star Rhianna heats up the charts with her latest track 'SOS' another Rum Island export is making waves along Ocean Drive in South Beach - Fitzroy. Unfortunately, we were too busy ingesting UVB rays, mojitos, and topless beach action make it to his recent show at Jazid but we did find this great track 'Her' on his MySpace webpage. Check it out. "

+Le Festival International du Film, Cannes.
+EZ-Files: Supermode - Tell Me Why (Axwell & Steve Angello Remix).
+Fitzroy [myspace].
+Jazid, 1342 Washington Ave., Miami Beach +1 305 673-9372.
+New York City Department of Parks: 80s: Crack is Wack Playground.
+Previous W4: World Hold On: Beats: Bob Sinclair.

Mullet City: Santiago: Agua: Highball

2006-05-18T15:28:00.000Z

In anticipation of her upcoming staffing needs in the Northern Hemisphere during the summer months, Highball, our favorite high heeled martini swilling lass has fled to South America to hire herself a Brazilian pool boy and Argentinean polo player. Although the currency exchange is working in her favor she sends this disgruntled dispatch from Santiago, Chile:

“Next time you find yourself in Santiago, the city of ratty stray dogs and an endless sea of mullets, head directly for Agua for dinner. Although boring is not a strong enough word to describe the nightlife here and food is generally bland and subpar, Agua offers a fantastic menu difficult to find in this city. The Easter Island tuna tartare was among the best I have ever had (its topped with mango sorbet which made it near perfect) and the ostrich was quite tasty as well. Once considered one of the top 50 restaurants in the world (which I find a stretch), Agua´s minimalist interior a la Morimoto now only hosts a small crowd. Don´t let this scare you. It was hands down the best meal available in Chile.”

+Agua, Nueva Costanera 3467, Santiago, +56 2 263 0008.
+Morimoto, 88 10th Avenue, New York, +1 212 989 8883.
+Previous W4: Highball.
+w4 Photog: West Village 'Stray' Dog: New York City, 1 March 2006.

Kill Trees, Save Lives: London: Bono: The Independent

2006-05-05T11:49:00.000Z

Earlier we reported on the launch of the Bono endorsed American Express RED card where a percentage of cardholders purchases goes to support the Global Fund. Today word comes from Booze Island that Bono, one of the RED campaigns founders, will be editing an edition of Britain's The Independent Newspaper - jokingly referred to as the red daily for its hammer and sickle poltical coverage. The edition, to hit newstands on Tuesday May 16th, will no doubt draw on Bono's rolodex of political, economic, and cultural power players. Half of the revenues from the edition will be donated to the RED campaign. We now return you back to your reguarly scheduled content of self indulgence and duty free excess.
+Previous W4: Selfish is Good: AMEX: Red Card.
+The Global Fund.
+Get ready for Bono, the editor, The Independent, 5 May.

Volstead: London: Prior Engagements

2006-05-04T10:45:00.000Z

Prior Engagements drops us a line on the opening of hyped hotspot Volstead in London. Meanwhile, yesterday's Daily "Marketing" Candy email highlighted the spot which cannot bode well for any speakeasy:

“Volstead is much smaller than sibling Boujis and has no dance floor. The theme is speakeasy with a mix of lively jazz music playing on the opening night. It is the kind of place that you might head for dinner or some drinks before heading over to Cuckoo Club next door to really let loose. The club is clearly still in early days and has a few things to work out. I have a feeling though that after the economics of running a more relaxed jazz club in London’s West End come into play the music will either get turned up, the skirts will get shorter, and Volestead will turn prohibition on its head or it will fade away just like the law its' namesake is based on was.”

+Volstead, 9 Swallow Street, London +44 207 287 1919.
+Previous W4: Volstead: Weekend: Desert Heat: London Dubai, Las Vegas.
+W4 Photog: London, July 2005.

Dirty Dirhams: Dubai: Sho Cho: Boudoir

2006-05-04T10:16:00.000Z

When the sun sets over the Arabian Peninsula, the future of Dubai shines bright as Hong Kong of the Middle East. Sheikh Mohammed has done an excellent job of creating one of the most tolerant and free-wheeling locals in the Middle East while regulating all liquor serving establishments and 'western excess' to the confines of hotels. Which is great because it means all the party people are confirmed to be a set number of locals. More intel comes in from Suncrawler in the UAE:

"Sunday night at Sho Cho is about as good as it gets. The outdoor seaside sushi bar with excellent rock shrimp turns into a packed dancing frenzy as the night develops with the sexy eye candy ex-pat crowd. The deeply tanned and well dressed westerners let loose and ocassionally someone falls overboard and into the surf but that's Dubai - a drunken camel at an oasis in the desert.

Upstairs from Sho Cho is Boudoir. The club is reminiscent of La Suite in Paris but is stocked with Russian women who are clearly looking to bill your expense account. The music though is on point as some of the best in Dubai and the magnums are flowing. Head hear if you miss London, New York or Paris."

+Sho Cho, Dubai Marine Beach Resort, Dubai +971 (0)4 346 1111.
+Boudoir, Dubai Marine Beach Resort, Dubai Tel +971 4 345 5995.
+La Suite, 40 avenue Georges V, Paris +33 1 53 57 49 49.
+Education Station: What is a Dirham?
+W4 Photog: Sho Chu, Dubai, 30 April 2006.

Freaki Tiki : London Luau

2006-05-04T08:55:00.000Z

When we came across the invitation for the upcoming London Luau we have to say we were more than a bit intrigued. Billed as a, "Weekend of Sophisticated Savagery Dedicated to the Worship of Tiki and Exotica" and sponored by Polynesian good time spot Trader Vics and an art gallery named Cheeky Tiki, the London Luau aims to bring a bit of sun to often cloudy Booze Island. The Tiki weekend will be spread across London's Polynesian drinking spots including Trailer Happiness, the South London Pacific and Trader Vics. With scorpion bowls abound and with bands with names such as King Kululele & the Friki Tikis from California and Terrii Nui from Tahiti set to perform it should be one not to miss if only for the irreverent nature of it all. And after a more than a few Puka Puka drinks you may even find yourself looking forward to some 'worship of exotica'.

+The London Luau, 9 June to 11 June.
+Trader Vics, 22 Park Lane, London, +44 20 7208 4113.
+Trailer Happiness, 177 Portobello Rd, London, +44 20 7727 2700.
+South London Pacific, 340 Kennington Rd, London, +44 20 7820 9189.
+W4 Suggests: Scorpian Bowls: Harvard Square: Hong Kong, 1236 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, +1 617 864-5311.

Karokee Libanais: Dubai: Nightlife: C Bar

2006-05-04T08:54:00.000Z

From Suncrawler in our SPF 30 divsion in the UAE:

"Lebanese Karokee Night at C Bar is worth sing a few bars about. Sister bar to Crystal in Beirut, the Sunday night party at C bar draws a Leb heavy crowd and features a Lebanese celebrity that is flown in to sing or lip synch a song or two. Although magnums of champagne and vodka are strewn about like candy this is not drunken amateur night on the mic and a recent redintion of Ice Ice Baby was by far one of the best we've seen since Rip Van Winkle retired. The Karokee is a multilingual affair with songs done in English, French, and Arabic. Plus all of the waiters wear Mr. T style C medalions that are made to be flashed."

+C Bar, Al Murooj Rotana Hotel & Suites, Dubai +971 4 307 3482.
+Crystal, 243 Monot Street, Beirut +961 (0) 1 332 523.
+W4 Photog: C Bar, 30 April 2006.

Boris is Bored: Las Vegas

2006-05-04T06:01:00.000Z

Boris sends us a brief dispatch from Sin City where he finds that "What Happens in Vegas between overweight Midwesterners stays in Vegas":

Restaurants

Joel Robuchon is fantastic. Beautifully designed dining room and secluded enough that one doesn't realize you're in the middle of the massive MGM Grand. Among the favorites was a foie gras napolean with layers of grilled eel. The 16 course dinner is a bit much but totally worth it with much more exciting offerings than the 8 course.

Il Mulino: Same food and massive portions as its New York outpost but it has no character which is a key component to the mother restaurant.

Mix: Nicely designed although they could use some more windows. The food was tasty, specifically the Kobe duo consisting of one part Kobe Shabu Shabu which was quite interesting.

Nightlife

Tryst: The club used to be called La Bete but someone actually La Mort at the club so they decided on a revamp. The club is mildly cool-looking as it looks onto a giant waterfall but the crowd is complete dog shit and the nonsense at the door is unacceptable. The only way to roll here (and we don't recommend you do) is to hire a VIP host to deal with the staff and getting in. Las Vegas nightlife is completely uninspired and requires either large quantities of alcohol to be fun or some mild form of peyote.

Playing the slot machines in the smoking lounge @ Las Vegas Airport--fantastic.

Boris Loves You.

+Mix, TheHotel, 3950 Las vegas Boulevard Las Vegas +1 702 632-9500.
+Previous W4: Trix in the Mix.
+Joel Robuchon at the Mansion, MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas +1 702 891-7925.
+Il Mulino, Caesars Palace, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, +1 702 492-6000.
+Il Mulino, 86 W 3rd St, New York +1 212 673-3783.
+Tryst, Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, +1 702 770-3375.

Arabian Nights: Dubai: Trilogy Rooftop: Suncrawler

2006-05-03T08:59:00.000Z

As the heat in the Middle Eastern pleasure emporium of Dubai begins to reach unhealthy levels we recieved this dispatch out of the UAE from Suncrawler:

"Last night I partied over at Trilogy Rooftop which is in the Madinat Jumeirah hotel complex. The club is set below the Burj Al Arab in a resort that feels a bit like a high end version of the Venetian in Las Vegas complete with fake canals, gondola rides and a contrived set of souks. Thankfully the trilevel house heavy club draws a toned crowd that is one sexiest in Dubai and really up for it. While the bottom two levels of the club are ok head straight up to the more exclusive rooftop where the real action happens and you can lounge around on outdoor beds and smoke shisha. The crowd is a mix of flashy Middle East meets West and one of the best places in town to let loose under the desert stars and a perfect view of the Burj Al Arab. Definitely worth checking out."

+Trilogy Rooftop, Madinat Jumeirah Jumeirah, Dubai, +971 4 366 6917.
+Also worth a visit: Peppermint Club, The Fairmont Dubai, +971 4 332 0037.
+Burj Al Arab, Dubai.
+Venetian, 355 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas +1
+W4 Photog: Trilogy Rooftop, Dubai, 28 April 2006.
+Previous W4: Suncrawler postings.

Weekend: Desert Heat: London Dubai, Las Vegas

2006-04-27T08:48:00.000Z

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

2006-04-25T11:18:00.000Z

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

2006-04-25T08:50:00.000Z

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

2006-04-18T15:24:00.000Z

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

2006-04-10T19:13:00.000Z

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

2006-04-07T11:23:00.000Z

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.

Dailymotion blogged video

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

2006-04-06T08:58:00.000Z

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

2006-04-05T10:11:00.000Z

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 wasnÂt 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

2006-04-03T14:45:00.000Z

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

2006-04-03T08:36:00.000Z

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.

Titties Out: Acapulco: Goldeluxx

2006-03-30T12:53:00.000Z

We sent our co-ed correspondent Goldeluxx and her tempress team down to Acapulco for a little springtime R&R. When we asked for an update from the former jet set colony we first received reports of possible Mexican jail time, girls jumping off 45ft cliffs into pools and then this "Titties Out - Spring Break 2000!" response:

"We are going to a crazy girls party tonight who has invited the Mexican paparazzi and hired midgets wearing sombreros to pass out hors d'oeuvres on the rims of their hats. I hope we survive!"

We're not quite sure which is scarier, the thought of Mexican paparazzi or midgets in sombreros.

+Goldeluxx prefers her body shots mixed with: Patron Silver.
+Also in Aca-P: MTV: Undercover: Stephen (Laguna) & Tyson's (All American Rejects) 24 Hour Spring Breakout.
+Also in Aca-P: Bullets and Babes: ABC News: Drug Violence Hits Tourist-Heavy Acapulco, 18 March 2006.

Suiting Up: Threads: Boris: New York

2006-03-30T12:50:00.000Z

As you probably know by now, we here at W4 have very high standards when it comes to personal apparel. The proper cut is something which seemingly fewer and fewer designers seem to understand. Prada, Gucci, and Jil Sander are obviously for middle management and not nearly up to par unless you do the door at a nightclub on West 27th Street. Borrelli is still the benchmark and a classic for suits as their's is a beautiful Napolitan cut, slim but not too slim trousers, and perfectly tailored jackets without the traditional American shoulder pads. However much we may love Borrelli and we assure you we do, and that many of our team members purchase suits from there, their look is a little too old-fashioned. So we ventured elsewhere, and what we've found did not disappoint.

On a quiet strip of Lexington Avenue on the second floor of a run-down brownstone, there lies the shop of one of the most talented and also most innovative suitmakers we've found to date. Bruce Cameron Clark, a mildly eccentric shaggy-haired bespectacled English gent who used to practice his craft on Saville Row at Nutter's among other locales, creates bespoke suits for the who's who of New York and elsewhere. The cut is perfect and his extreme attention to detail is what makes the experience so worthwhile. He carries all sorts of both old-school and new wave/wacky fabrics. Our late night correspondent Boris was spotted contemplating the purchase of a sequin dinner jacket at Mr. Clark's shop (we all know of Boris' admiration for the late great Liberace). Mr. Clark also will custom-make shirts, trousers, and overcoats. One of our favorite get-ups was a three-piece plaid suit with matching overcoat--achter chic! Additionally for his faithful patrons, Mr. Clark will take badly-cut pieces one may have purchased elsewhere and recut them.

Make sure you look smart (and don't smoke beforehand, he hates cigarettes – which is a valid stance but quite odd coming from a European from the still smoky Booze Island if we must say) and go see this talented man who will keep you perfectly clothed and maybe just make you a little more crazy.

+Previous W4: Boris.
+Bruce Cameron Clark Bespoke Clothier, 968 Lexington Avenue New York, New York +1 212 772-7701.
+Liberace Museum, 1775 E Tropicana Ave, Las Vegas, +1 702 798-5595.

Escapism: WFour and Kayak: Airfare Search Engine

2006-03-30T12:40:00.000Z

W4 has teamed up with airfare search engine Kayak to help get you out of town and out of your clothes as quickly as possible. Just enter your departure city and view airfare rates to what we consider to be essential stopovers on the world tour of one's life. And don't worry about packing much - most of these places seem to adhere to the less is more theory.
+WFour's Guide To Where You Want to Be - Kayak.com.

Hideaway in LA: Suncrawler: The Ambrose

2006-03-30T11:28:00.000Z

Discretion is always important and Suncrawler let’s us know about his latest Los Angeles hideaway, The Ambrose in Santa Monica:

"Set back from the Pacific Ocean in a residential neighborhood the Ambrose is a oasis created a California-Japanese Zen style. Unlike at other more marquee named LA hotels located on the West Side of LA, where overzealous actors seem to play the part (and badly I might add) of concierge, bellhop and bartender, one can stay at the Ambrose unfettered. The staff at the hotel are professional, courteous and most importantly discreet. Given its location and small 77 room atmosphere, the Ambrose has more of a residential feel and is ideal for longer stays or trips that need to stay off the radar. Rooms 304 and 305 have outdoor balconies with fireplaces. My tables of the moment are listed below."

+The Ambrose, 1255 20th Street, at Arizona, Santa Monica, +1 310 315-1555.
+L'Orangerie, 903 N La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, +1 310 652-9770.
+Lucques, 8474 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, +1 323 655-6277.
+Campanile, 624 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, +1 323 938-1447.

Threads: Rogan Store: NYC

2006-03-27T12:54:00.000Z

We've been longtime fans of NYC-based Rogan and it seems the brand is slowly expanding beyond its initial downtown following. The company, which sells upmarket jeans expensively crafted to have that downmarket look, has just opened their first retail location in downtown New York. The Rogie shop features not only their trademark jeans with rotating seam lines but also the usual assortment of rockstar-junkie type t-shirts and all of the other necessities needed to instantly morph into a Yuppie-Hipster-LA producer-type. A feature in this week's New York Magazine will no doubt help drive sales with the distressed/despressed denim set.
Next Up: We suggest checking out R by 45rpm.
+Rogan, 91 Franklin Street, New York +1 646 827-7554.
+NY Mag: Rogan Opens in Tribeca, 27 March 2006.
+NY Mag: Rogan: Up With The Gups, 2 April 2006.
+R by 45rpm, 169 Mercer St, New York +1 917 237-0045. And because uptown is the new downtown also at: 17 East 71st.

Weekend: London, New York, Shanghai, Miami

2006-03-24T12:30:00.000Z

This weekend if you find yourself in . . .

+London: See: The Michelangelo Drawings Exhibit at the British Museum. Tickets.
+Update: NY Times Article: British Museum Shows Works Michelangelo Wanted to Hide, 29 March 2006.

+New York: Eat: At the ex-Pastis' chef, Sascha Lyon's new restaurant , SASCHA, 55 Gansevoort St, +1 212 989 1920.

+Shanghai: Drink: Check Out Newly Opened: Velvet, Bldg 3-4, 1F, 913 Julu Lu, Shanghai.

+Miami: Beat: Hear this summer's Ibiza eurotrash tracks first at The Miami Winter Music Conference.

+Colorado: Spring Ski In The Best Snow in 20 Years: Vail, Aspen, Telluride. Colorado Ski Report.

Lost in Iceland 2: Land of Dreams

2006-03-21T15:59:00.000Z

Iceland is a sparsely populated untouched paradise. Driving through the countryside of this mid-Atlantic country, which sits atop the two tectonic plates that connect North America and Europe, one is immediately hit by the vastness of the landscape and one's minuscule presence amongst the moon like topography. The fog drifts around in a hazy dreamscape sequence. This daily sense of mystic isolation perhaps explains why when Icelanders convene in the city's capital, Reykjavik, at night they immediately proceed to drink to excess and get as frisky and possible with the first person they may have seen all day if only to reaffirm that they are not alone on this giant tundra. The Icelanders mix between celebration and natural beauty is what makes the country a visitors paradise.

The W4 team ventured to the semi-Artic tundra looking for just that: relaxation and cold WASP-y isolation by day, and wild nights filled with heavy petting. Fortunately for us since it was mid winter, the sun rose at 10 and set at 5 so there was no need to remain too coherent or wake up at an unreasonable hour. Although Iceland has been on the hipster-trendster radar now for about five years, few people still realize just how modern, funky, and sleek the country is. Iceland is incredibly design conscious and the hotels, bars, clubs, and restaurants could easily be in the middle of London or New York - possessed full of sleek Nordic construction.

The Icelanders are also very much into the music and everywhere you go there are different styles of music playing - rock, hip hop, metal, eurotrash - and the capital is one of the best music scenes we have come across in recent memory and minus any of the additude. With house bands saying things like, “We Heard this last night in Swedish motherfuckers!” before launching into La Bamaba and then into a cover of a Rammstein song you cannot help but dive head first into the irreverence of it all. And the morning after or on your way out of town, head to the Blue Lagoon to recharge in the geothermal waters. Our suggestions for an excellent time are listed below.
+Best Hotel Beds in the World: 101 Hotel, Hverfisgata 10, Reykjavik, +354 580 0101.
+Lesbians Lock Lips at: Pravda, Austurstræti 22, 101 Reykjavik.
+Dance Until Dawn:NASA, 4 Thorvaldsenstraeti, Reykjavik +354 511 1313.
+Paris in Iceland: Rex Bar, Austurstraeti, Reykjavik, +354 5519111.
+Sjávarkjallarinn (Seafood Cellar), Aðalstræti 2, +354 511 1212.
+Best Pancakes: Vegamot, Vegamotastig 4, Reykjavik, +354 511 3040.
+Recharge at: Blue Lagoon, IS-240 Grindavik Iceland Tel. + 354 420 8800.
+Nature Is Cool: Gulfoss Waterfall [our beautiful world]
+Previous W4: Lost in Iceland 1: Found: Silvia Nott.
+W4 Photog Credit: Reykjavik Harbour, 5 February 2006.

Not So Suite: Miami: Bejewelled

2006-03-21T11:58:00.000Z

With the Winter Music Conference this weekend in Miami, our crack team of W4 sunseekers and assorted lushes descended on the sun-drenched city well ahead of the pill-popping techno set to update you on the latest from the isle of shady palms. In the first of our incoming reports, wild child Bejewelled sends this dispatch on the new late night spot Snatch and its supposed high class sister club above, Suite:
"When in Miami, do your best to steer clear of the disaster area filled with sweaty, greasy Eastern Europeans and their trashy escorts that goes by the name of Suite. The volume of the music is at a level that hurts your ears, the women are reminiscent of early 90s Sir Mix-a-Lot videos, and the men push you over like bowling pins unless you flash your tatas at them, in which case they begin drooling on you, adding to the amassing beads of sweat that have already formed due to the 150 degree temperature and lack of any ventilation. Sound fun?"
+Suite / Snatch, 1248 Washington Avenue, Miami +1 305 674 4464.
+Winter Music Conference, Miami, 24 to 28 March.
+On A Positive Note: Fun Beach Bar: Raleigh Hotel, 1775 Collins Ave., Miami Beach +1 305-534-6300.
+Photog: W4: Miami, 18 March 2006.

Selfish is Good: AMEX: Red Card

2006-03-02T02:28:00.000Z

Being selfish can be good. At least that is the thesis behind the new American Express Red Card which recently launched in the UK and is being pushed by Bono. Every time you charge something a percentage of your purchases goes to the Global Fund. If you spend up to £5,000 in any year, Amex transfers, on your behalf, 1% of that spend to Global Fund − financed programs in Africa which positively impact the lives of women and children affected by HIV/AIDS. Over £5,000 of spend a year and that percentage increases to 1.25%. Now the question is, can your recent dinner at Le Caprice now be considered tax deductable?
+American Express: RED.
+The Global Fund.
+Red Tune: Red Red Wine: UB40 [ITunes]
+Red Meat: Le Relais de Venise, 120 Marylebone Ln. London, +44 207 486 0878.
+Le Caprice, Arlington St. London, +44 207 629 2239.

Match Disappoint: Philippe: New York

2006-02-24T16:00:00.000Z

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

2006-02-24T10:47:00.000Z

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

2006-02-22T09:38:00.000Z

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.