Tango Alpha: Going Bagdhad at Glen

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

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

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!

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

Champagne Wishes & Chanukah Dreams From W4

Truffles On The Brain

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"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

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

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.