Wednesday, 12 March 2008 |
Everybody is going crazy about Mumbai's Blue Frog,
opened earlier this year. It's a 1,000-square-meter complex that
includes a club, restaurant, lounge, sound stage, recording studio and
sound lab, all encased within the massive walls of an old warehouse in
Mumbai's mill district. The Blue Frog Club interior may remind you of
those delirious nights at the end-of-summer Exhibition with its midway
games, roller coasters and dizzy-making rides. Or you may suddenly
start channeling Queen Amidala, addressing the StarWarsian Senate from
her floating pod. Luckily, Blue Frog does its dizzying job in a way
that is totally stylish - not a tacky thing or overdone costume in
sight. And everyone's table is definitely on level ground, although it
does not appear so first.
Designers Chris Lee and Kapil Gupta formerly of Chris Lee Architects and Contemporary Urban, and now of Serie
(London and Mumbai) have managed to create a cohesive yet exciting
space by stripping the visual cues down to a only a few very strong
ones.
The equilibrium-challenging effect is achieved by the clever
surround-millwork that uses a circle as its main form. The
mahogany-paneled millwork circles each round table, forming circular
booths or pods in somewhat varying shapes at various levels,
guaranteeing great sightlines for all. Not wanting to compete with the
lighting or other embellishments of the stage acts, the interior is
dark except for the top surface of the booths.
The glowing back-lit resin surfaces tie the seating area together even
when a stage show is on, and make it a bit easier to gain one's
bearings in the otherwise dark space. Like seating in a Roman
amphitheatre, the pods circle and rise from a stage area that can also
double as standing room or dance floor in a club set-up. Acts from
India and from around the world are starting to make Blue Frog Mumbai's
hottest club. By Tuija Seipell
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Tuesday, 15 January 2008 |
Opened in late fall 2007, Electric Birdcage at Haymarket in the
heart of London’s West End, has been receiving mixed reviews. One thing
is certain, though, it IS getting a reaction from everyone who visits.
Electric Birdcage is a magnificently weird combination of Alice in
Wonderland and Russian Aristocrat, dim sum parlor and late-night
cocktail bar, sophisticated party venue and silly funhouse.
The owners, brothers Richard and Anthony Traviss, knew where to go for
eccentric and totally extravagant interiors: to London’s beloved venue
designer Shaun Clarkson. His handiwork can be seen, for example, at La
Pigalle, Covent Garden's Denim, Play Room, Profile, Power's Acoustic
Room, The Bloomsbury Ballroom, Atlantic Bar & Grill and Jerusalem.
Electric Birdcage’s surrealistic interior includes a Fibonacci-style
patterned floor, tables made of tree roots, gigantic pink hands for
chairs, lavish Vegas-style mirrors, imposing black stallions, two
snarling black polymer panthers, a carousel bar and iron birdcage
chandeliers dangling from a pink ceiling. Even the DJ operates from a
birdcage.
Capacity crowd of 300, served by cute staff in retro airline get-up,
can order Pan-Asian fare by head chef Somporn Khamsaenphan all day, and
stay until 4 am enjoying cocktails by mixologist Chad Shields. You and
seven friends can share the signature Electric Birdcage bowl filled
with a mix of champagne, Absolut Raspberri peach schnapps, Cointreau,
Absolut Citron, strawberry puree, gomme syrup, orange juice, fresh
raspberries and blueberries. That should elicit a reaction, if nothing
else will. By Tuija Seipell
Random Archive
Huvafen
Fushi
Jason Mark
Karen
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Car
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Monday, 22 October 2007 |
Say "Brazil" and most of us think of Rio, carnival, party and beach.
But those who for some reason end up in the central Brazilian state of
Minas Gerais, that has neither beach nor Rio, will be glad to know that
party is alive and well here, too. In the state's party-crazy capital
of Belo Horizonte, the swankiest neighborhood is Savassi. And there, Roxy is making itself famous as the top chic night-club - not an easy feat in this city of bars and clubs.
Roxy owners Robert Marent and Jajá Jácome gave local architect and DJ Fred Mafra
creative freedom and he came up with a retro-futuristic madhouse. Enter
the check-in tunnel, ask permission to enter, and you'll half expect
HAL's "I'm afraid I can't do that." Luckily, HAL doesn't work here and
so the city's sexy crowd is allowed into the naughty Red Lounge
wallpapered in graphic designer Dinah Verleun's crazy work, and into
the eerily sterile Green Lounge that is more space ship than anything
HAL ever controlled. The focal point of the circular main dance floor
is the DJ's preaching pulpit made of acrylic rock that pulses and
changes color with the beat of the music. This is Discovery all over
again. By Tuija Seipell.
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Thursday, 20 September 2007 |
You are in Stuttgart and in need of a cool party space. Or maybe you just don’t know what to do with your spare old house. Either way, you’ll want to connect with the Berlin-based trio of architects —Thorsten Blatter, Andreas Blödow and Georg Schmidthals — at and off . These guys have just reclaimed an old house in Stuttgart and created Die Blaue Caro (German for Blue Diamond), an ever-changing temporary club.
They call it a kitchen club and, on last look, it did indeed resemble a kitchen slightly. Here’s how it’s done: Use blue and white tile samples for wall and floor coverings, position cool objects on tiny shelves jutting off the tile walls, crank up the superior sound system (by Logitech) and invite some fun people to your funky kitchen, which of course is the place where all good parties start and end anyways. Each event alters Die Blaue Caro space, an idea that is typical of and off. They use found objects and eclectic combinations of styles, and they want the spaces constantly converted and rearranged. So, check out Die Blaue Caro now, while it’s still a kitchen. By Tuija Seipell
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Saturday, 19 May 2007 |
Yes, we all saw Lost In Translation and thought, ‘hang on a minute, if
Bill Murray can seduce Scarlett Johansson by singing ‘More Than This’
then maybe we could too!’
Let’s face it, karaoke has always been the butt of bad movies, and its
reputation is currently languishing somewhere between Japanese
businessmen necking methylated spirit and hen parties ‘cutting loose’.
But recently, it has started to reclaim its cult status from
half-tanked brides-to-be, and become a little bit more palatable.
This new karaoke bar has been quietly, or rather, loudly,
winning acclaim for its alternative approach to the nation’s favourite
pastime.
Rather than the dark booths of your standard karaoke club, this
new private members’ sing-along has incorporated young artists to help
liven up the interior. Think Manga cartoons but with a
Lichtenstein edge.
Each booth has its own distinctive decor, and every surface has a
graphic to reflect the spaces they fill. Which is a far cry from
the matted walls and vinyl floors some bars choose. And most of
all, it’s members only, so there’s no need to worry about being
harassed by a woman with oversized fairy wings stuck to her back. By Matt Hussey. See also - WALL ART
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Monday, 14 May 2007 |
Every city craves what it ain’t got. In Sydney, where much salt-crusted
fun can be had during the day, the nightlife is a little wanting. Met a
Sydney-sider lately? Yeah, we’re sure you’ve heard the lament. Sure
there are clubs. And pubs. But as far as sophisticated establishments
go, where one will happily pay handsomely for a drink in the knowledge
that a percentage of said drink goes toward paying for the ambiance and
the privilege of flattering lighting, well the options are thin on the
ground.
So no big surprise that the latest drinking hole to hit the Emerald
City has attracted A-list buzz. Will and Toby's Talor Square on the
notorious Oxford Street strip can be best described as a gentleman’s
club, very much derivative of the bars in London’s Mayfair and New
York’s Upper East Side…and the late night venues that
Melbourne does so well. The interior is positively dapper – parquetry
floors, black chesterfields that extend for five metres (!), art-deco
flourishes and a spectacular baroque-esque fresco in the stairwell.
Fittingly, the first floor - The Supper Club – is a late-night jazz and
cabaret venue that can seat 250 guests, run by Sydney jazz stalwart
Paul Misbrener. Upstairs is the Club Lounge – the kind of place that
makes you want to drink your Martini’s very very dry. It features luxe
leather couches and perfect lighting, and a cute smokers balcony,
overlooking Taylor Square. It’s also one of the few places in town
where a corporate type in good suiting can get something to eat after
10pm at night. Oysters, club sandwiches etc are available until 1am.
This establishment is a very long time coming. Brothers Will and Toby
Osmond – who pushed Sydney’s rather conservative dining and drinking
parameters several years ago when they launched their original
late-night bar/eatery up the road – have been working on the project
for four years. Sydney, however, has been waiting forever for a
grown-up place where you can actually dress-up in finery, get a feed at
an unconventional hour and not feel like you’re the oldest person in
the room because you just want to be able to go out for once without
sitting in a beer-drenched couch. By Sarah W via TCH Australia
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Wednesday, 09 May 2007 |
There aren’t likely to be many eating or drinking establishments that can offer the star power of Spotlight Live, located right at New York’s Times Square. This jumbo karaoke
emporium on something much stronger than steroids is a 23,000
square-foot, four-story potential nightmare for anyone but those with a
craving for the limelight.
With fake paparazzi waiting at the door (your mug will show up
everywhere), and your record contract waiting to be signed
inside, you are in for a real expose. Once you’ve selected your song,
you are whisked to the VIP green room (with white leather couches
of course) where you and your performance are polished and perfected
(if possible) with the help of choreographers and make-up artists. Off
you go on to the massive stage where a professional band and back-up
singers are ready to make you sound like a star (again, if possible) as
your stellar performance is streamed live to the web and onto a
25-by-40-foot Jumbotron in Times Square.
With the five recording booths, seemingly hundreds of flat screens and
constant instant messaging between tables, you may forget that there is
food, too. Mini gourmet burgers, cotton candy and crispy rock shrimp
will keep you happy as you ogle and critique those braver than you on
the stage.
The concept has more star power behind it than most places with the
joint efforts of three serial hospitality entrepreneurs: Elisabeth Blau
with serious Las Vegas experience, Kerry Simon of Las Vegas and Iron
Chef fame, and former Jerry Bruckheimer production V.P. Jennifer
Worthington. By Tuija Seipell
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Monday, 16 April 2007 |
A new week, a hot new bar: Melbourne.
Some cities put their drinking holes on bold display, all glass
frontage and brazen invitation. Some don't. Melbourne is certainly in
the latter camp, and, not surprisingly, its latest bar offering, New
Gold Mountain, is a hole-in-the-wall affair found down a cobble-stoned
lane way and somewhat reminiscent of a womb. Or the inside of 'I Dream
of Jeannie's bottle.
New Gold Mountain,
is brought to us by a team of four locals who've worked in leading bars
in Melbourne and London. They've teamed with young Australian architect
Cassandra Fahey,
who (for those who follow such things) designed the controversial house
for Australian football sensationalist Sam Newman back in 2000 (the one
with the two story glass frontage embedded with Pamela Anderson's
face). For this project, Fahey took the old tailor's studio on the
outskirts of the city's Chinatown district and created a space that
works to a distinct opium-den theme. Downstairs speaks of colonial-era
Shanghai, with two fireplaces decorated with the Chinese zodiac.
Upstairs is the Poppy Room featuring plush pink fabrics suspended from
the ceiling. And nana-esque furniture. Pretty and comforting. Just as
Jeannie would like it.
And the drinks? They specialize in sours. The music? Something
described as "nouvelle-vague Joy Division revisions". Which certainly
pegs the clientèle into a certain age bracket. A space you might have
to track down yourself, but will certainly envelop you once you're in. Sarah W
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Wednesday, 05 April 2006 |
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The trend for private "boutique rooms" has spread from bars to all
sorts of high end entertainment establishments. As we reported last
month, the quirkiest of the current crop lot is London's, 'All Star Lanes'
where patrons can enjoy a game of bowls in a private lane decked out
like a super stylish bar. Set to topple All Star Lanes from its throne
is the fabulous new Lucky Voice Private Karaoke.
As the name suggests, the London establishment offers nine private
rooms where patrons can sing their hearts out in a sleek space while
sipping equally sleek cocktails. Go forth and live out your pop star
dreams. by Lisa Evans
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Monday, 13 March 2006 |
Traditionally reserved for drug deals and
kidnapping plots, the old lane way is being looked at in a whole new
light thanks to the folks at the St Jerome's Laneway Festival
in Australia. The concept is as simple as it is cool. Find a great lane
way, spread the word and hold a party. Boutique laneway parties have
become the venue de jour as they are temporary and provide a fresh
approach to outdoor parties.
Equally as popular are the Silent Disco
parties. Originally developed in the Netherlands, the concept involves
a DJ, numerous sets of wireless headphones and a huge number of people
who are not afraid to look stupid. The concept is very unique and
pretty funky, however if you happen to not be wearing a headset, you
may think someone spiked your drink as you witness a lot of dancing and
no music. The DJs tunes are broadcast on a particular frequency that
only the party goers headsets can pick up. The company known as
433fm.com, came up with the concept in 2002 and say the aim is for
people "to go off in silence".
If you slept in during Whams 'wake me up before you go go' neon phase, then Neon Disco
(pictured above) in Canada will give you the glo-fix you've been
looking for. Neon is the clubbing brain child of four friends who
had grown tired of the same old styles and approach that clubs had to
offer. Eliminating the standard issue club furnishings, such as
smoke machines and lasers, Neon ties in its interior with the music
from which it is best known for. Housing a great line up of D.J's
and live bands, the clubs future is as bright as the neon lights it
emits.
Cool Club Concepts is an area which will be featured in
the upcoming Cool Hunter T.V show. If you know of a new club or great
club concept, let us know. It could be an underground club that is
pushing the clubbing boundaries, or a concept that has never been
seen before. Unleash your cool hunting skills and let us know. By Billy T
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Friday, 27 January 2006 |
Illuminated dance floors are
nothing new. In the seventies they where all the rage, the problem was
that dancers flared hot pants would cover the floor panels and kill the
effect. Now, flares or not, the illuminated dance floor is back, this
time in LED form. Using the latest in pressure sensitive LED
technology, these panels are designed to interact with club goers
moves as well as D.J's sets. Special plug ins can be downloaded into
the D.Js computer equipment allowing an entire set to be pre programmed
where the music and lights work together. The panels are not restricted
to work only on dance floors and can be fitted to walls, bar tops and
Lionel Ritchie's favorite place to dance, ceilings. by Billy T
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Tuesday, 25 January 2005 |
It's not exactly up there with the coolest cities
on earth but Bangkok is home to what could be one of the world's
coolest bars. More Manhattan than, well, Manhattan, Bed Supper Club is
a designer watering hole with a capital D. The ultra futuristic fit out
cost millions and it shows. An all white interior is softened by the
warm glow of blue neon lights, while silent movies and videos are
projected onto the walls. The effect is out of this world, as in,
outer space - but still cosy. With futon-like chairs on the floors and
day beds suspended from the walls it feels as though you are lounging
in the living room of some 21st century billionaire playboy who keeps
his space shuttle parked in the garage. Take it all in while
model-look-alike staff bring you lusty cocktails and exotic Thai
inspired food. Get to Bed, now.
www.bedsupperclub.com
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