Coming from the Ad Industry, I can definitely appreciate this….

So after working Daniel Nardicio’s Fairy Home Companion Show at LPR, I decided to swing by Cafe Select and visit some friends I haven’t seen in a while. Well… what was only supposed to be a quick drop in turned in to me being out until the wee hours of the morning and then wanting to kill myself the moment my alarm went off a few hours later. Let me back it up real quick and tell you about Cafe Select. Cafe Select is a standard Soho restaurant opened by Byron Bates. On Tuesdays (other nights as well, but I always end up there on Tuesdays for some odd reason) if you walk through the kitchen and and go through another back door, you reach “the back room.” The Back Room looks and feels almost like storage closest lit up with Christmas lights. It can hold about 40 heads comfortably and is split in to two levels (via a very steep and dinky staircase.) There is a bar and music back there – and you can pretty much do whatever you please. It is def not as pretentious as you would expect a “secret” place to be.
(img Via NY Mag)

Anyways…. this night was different. I show up and head to the back room only to find my friends weren’t there. I go back out into the dining area to find a little dinner party going on. I don’t really know anyone at the table and felt almost a bit awkward at first, but I sit down, have a cocktail, and join in the conversation…aka debate… on US History and whether or not Baseball should be considered a sport or a game. PS I do consider it a SPORT.

One thing lead to another and all 15 of us headed over to Above Allen for a party thrown by Jamie Biden. I love AA by the way. Love the vibe there – it’s a great space with a beautiful terrace and open-air feel to it. You should all def check it out. The Thompson LES Hotel – 7th Floor. We get to AA and who is there…none other than Stu Bradley. I hate the Eagles, but I don’t mind Stu. He is actually a pretty normal guy who just happens to be a professional athlete. This was the second time I ran in to him at random in the city. I don’t find this to be a big deal, but being a West Chester grad, my friends do.

Around 3:00 the party moved over to Gold Bar, but being a responsible individual I decided to call it a night. I mean… I wasn’t even planning on going out and all the sudden its poppin’ bottles on a Tuesday night… but that’s the story of my life. Overall a fun night, met a lot of new people- good people -who I hope to see again.

In addition to Steven Starr’s Chelsea Prime and current lounge, the Living Room, Atlantic City’s the Chelsea opened up C5 and the Cabana Club this weekend. Peep the flier for an idea of the weekend line ups underway this summer.

The Cabana Club is Atlantic City’s answer to the Vegas style pool scene and the only open air nightlife experience in the city. The Cabana Club will feature DJ’s, performances, and events weekly on Fridays and Saturday nights from 10 PM – 4 AM, as well as on daytime pool parties on Saturdays and Sundays from 2 PM – 8 PM. Access to Cabana Club will be guaranteed for hotel guests and based upon door policy and time of day for non-hotel guests. Stephen Starr has worked with Matt Abramcyk of NY’s Smith & Mills and The Beatrice Inn to create an extensive cocktail list including handcrafted cocktails and a bottle menu focused on Rose, Champagne, and premium liquors. Also available are pitchers of fresh sangrias, daiquiris, and margaritas. YUMMMM.

C5, the inside of Cabana Club, is the Chelsea’s “club within the club.” Designed by Shaun Hausman whose projects include The Standard Hotels in LA, Sub-Mercer NY, and Continental Midtown in Philadelphia, C5 is an exclusive lounge with a glamorous rock-n-roll edge. Despite the classic cocktail lounge décor, C5′s state of the art sound system and boutique stage will play host to the special guest DJ’s and performers all throughout the summer.

I can’t wait to hit this place up. I wonder how long until The Borgata’s Water Club starts throwing parties by the pool. Let’s bring REHAB to AC!

For those of you not familiar with the wild antics of Daniel Nardicio, often referred to as the “Gay Howard Stern,” prepare yourself. In just 7 years Daniel has managed to create an empire that includes Radio, Online TV, Social Networking, Parties and soon to be Apparel. In 2004 Time Out NY named him one of the 50 reasons to love New York. In 2002 Daniel opened the now notorious Slide Bar on the Bowery, and made it into one of NYC’s top ten gay destinations (according to Village Voice’s Best Of Issue, 2004) and recreated that online when he started Dlist.com, which, at it’s heyday, was the 6, 000 most popular site on the web. His newest creation, TheDshop, an online merchandising shop, launched in March 2009. Since 2007, Daniel has been working at Playgirl.com as gay marketing consultant, where he came up with the now-infamous idea of creating the Playgirl “Shaggin’ Wagon” and his weekly podcast Dlist Radio has over 40,000 downloads on iTunes and is tied with Kathy Griffin’s downloads for listeners- plus, it was voted “Best Party Posing as an Internet Radio Show” in 2008’s Village Voice Best Of Issue.

If you have been a follower of Nardicio, or just lucky enough to stumble upon his absurdities, you know that DN has been broadcasting his show live from random NYC locations aka the last card of the D Train and the display window at Patricia Fields. Daniel is taking it even further and is now hosting a late night talk show described as “Party Monsters Meets the View” (also dubbed Daniel Nardicio’s Miracle Hour and Daniel Nardicio’s Fairy Home Companion.)

Here are the deets…
What happens when NYC’s “shock jock promoter” Daniel Nardicio brings together all of his nightlife favorites to turn late night talk-shows on their ear? Daniel Nardicio’s Miracle Hour is what happens!
Described as “Party Monster Meets The View” his raunchy, riotous and sometimes inspirational show is part talk-show, part tent revival, part variety show, part nightclub hijinks but all kinds of crazy!
Starring your host Daniel Nardicio and the Krewe of Priapus Players: “Mouth of the South” Bianca Del Rio, “Soul Sister” Robbyne Kaamil, Aaron E. James and Ben Lerman.
Featuring Amber Martin, The World Famous *BOB*, Michael Musto, an international roster of go go boys, musical guests, porn stars dancing to the sounds of Scissor Sister Tour DJ Sammy Jo on the decks!

Part nightclub, Part radio show, but all crazy!
Tuesday, May 26th @ 10pm-12am
$15 in advance
La Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street
Tickets are available HERE

My friends over at A Coterie are busting out the big guns and playing at Santos Party House tonight. This will be the kickoff of a 3 week long series. Standard Electro Dance Party tonight – start warming up your arm now.

Stay tuned for “American Idol: Band Edition” party and DJ Wars….

If you live in the Burg and want to catch some music that will make ya feel good…. you can head over to Zebulon around 9 PM to catch the Beyondo show – the Pavones will be playing at 10. Then you walk, skip, run, over to Black Betty to catch the Thought show. Thought has recently been experimenting with some new sounds and switching things up a bit with their lives shows. You should peep both bands for real. Its a guaranteed dance party.

If this song doesn’t get stuck in your head, I don’t know what will….

I met the Vicio crew at Justin Tranter’s Fetty Vamp Launch Party a month or so ago and I am officially a fan. The band consists of Samira Ashley, Rickardo Diniz, Matthew Rullo, Corey Hanna, Jonathan Kapps, and they are slowly starting to hit the scene in a big way. With an emphasis on story-telling crossed with accessible lyrics, their music continually tries to marry beautiful melodies with hypnotic beats. Paired up with Samira’s intense vocals it is easy to see why Vicio is a band that has “combined the last 30 years of hit music into one addicting sound” (George Pettignano, CBS Television). Not to mention, Samira always wears the dopest outfits!

Check out the music video for their latest single, Strangers….

For RSVP CLICK HERE!

SOUL MUSIC ICON BILAL TO HEADLINE LADIES LOVE NYC’S FIRST ANNUAL TRIBUTE TO

HIP-HOP AND AUTISM AWARENESS FUNDRAISER

All Female Talent Collective Collaborates with World Renowned Artists to Serve as a Catalyst for Change

New York, NY (May 19, 2009) – Statistics now point to one in 150 children, or one child every 20 minutes, being diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, making it more prevalent than pediatric cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined. The exact numbers of those diagnosed are uncalculated. However, Ladies Love NYC is determined to reach each and every local individual who is living with Autism, to ensure that those affected by ASD are receiving the support and education they need to thrive.

In partnership with Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, Ladies Love NYC is hosting its First Annual Tribute to Hip-Hop and Autism Awareness Fundraiser on Thursday, June 4^th, 2009 from 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. at Brooklyn’s South Paw, 125 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217. Admission is $8 in advance with RSVP and $12 at the door.

“It seems that only families with high incomes get an opportunity to really help their autistic kids,” said independent recording artist, Bilal. “Resources are needed that are accessible to everyone regardless of income levels and status,” he continued.

The evening will include a high-energy b-girl and house battle/dance performance judged by Renegade (RSC) and FlyLadyDi. Guests will enjoy a DJ exhibition, and The Igmar Thomas & The Cypher featuring Bilal, US Hip-Hop Ambassador Toni Blackman, Invincible, and Nicki Guiland (Heavy) performing old school hip-hop and break classics. Art enthusiasts will have an opportunity to participate in the highly anticipated silent auction of graffiti and Hip-Hop inspired art and photography by internationally recognized talents like MarthAlicia, Mike Schreiber, and Noelle Theard. Ladies Love NYC will donate a portion of the door’s proceeds and 30% of the auction’s final bid to Autism Speaks.

“Autism Speaks NYC Walk is excited that Ladies Love NYC are promoting autism awareness in the New York City communities through music. Music of any kind; classical, hip-hop, rock, jazz can get anyone in a happy mood but for those that are on the autism spectrum, it can be a way to communicate and learn,” said Jena Greco, Autism Speaks NYC/NNJ Walk Director.

About Ladies Love NYC:

A collective of women in the arts raising awareness of issues affecting our communities and lives while creating a positive platform for other females.

Ladies Love NYC is an all female collective founded by Mary Pryor of We Fancy Agency that currently consists of: Laurie Markiewicz (Event Producer, Arise Collective), Tchaiko Omawale (My Fave Things), Meghan Stabile (Revive Da Live), DJ Brina Payne (GakCity), Lauren Lissette, Kristina Marino (Vibe), Nakia Booth (Sugatreats Radio/DMS Country) and Boyuan Gao (Beyond Race Magazine/Arise Collective).

About Autism:

Autism is a complex brain disorder that inhibits a person’s ability to communicate and develop social relationships, and is often accompanied by behavioral challenges. Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in one in 150 children in the United States, affecting four times as many boys as girls. The prevalence of autism has increased tenfold in the last decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a national public health crisis whose cause and cure remain unknown.

About Autism Speaks:

Autism Speaks is the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. Autism Speaks funds more than $30 million each year in new autism research, in addition to supporting the Autism Treatment Network, Autism Genetic Resource Exchange, Autism Clinical Trials Network, Autism Tissue Program and a range of other scientific and medical programs. Notable awareness initiatives include the establishment of the annual United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day on April 2 and an award-winning, multi-year national public service advertising campaign with the Ad Council. Autism Speaks’ family services efforts include the Autism Video Glossary, a 100 Day Kit for newly-diagnosed families, a School Community Tool Kit and the distribution of community grants to local service providers. Its government relations department, through its Autism Votes initiative, has played a critical role in securing federal legislation to advance the federal government’s response to autism, and has successfully advocated for insurance reform to require insurers to cover medically necessary autism therapies. Each year, Walk Now for Autism Speaks fundraising events are held in more than 70 cities across the country, as well as Canada and the United Kingdom. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit www.autismspeaks.org.

I know, I know. I started this effing blog and then did not follow through with the updating. I had a major migraine that prevented me from doing so… but have no fear, I am back.

Sooo… my weekend.

Friday night, I headed over to the Izzy Gold New Headquarters Party. I get to 95 Morton around 9PM and was expecting it to be a little crazier than it was. BUT as the night went on, things definitely loosened up. Fast forward to engaging in unnamed activities with Liam McMullan (probably not what you are thinking,) and my friends and I putting on a legit shadow dancing show in front of everyone, and I think it’s pretty self explanatory. In the time I was there, however, I did not see any of the “guest appearances” that were scheduled to show – besides that snider kid and alex young. I left around 2:30 and there was no DJ Messkid in sight… which made me sad. But apparently he showed up there late night, which also made me sad. You can catch pics over at Guest of a Guest.

My friends, old and new, and I headed over to The Box – my home away from home. Unfortunately that dbag Gans is still at the door. Really – that guys has seen me every other weekend for the past two years and is still a major douche. Someone needs to deport his ass back to Albania. Anyways… the night ended with an impromptu pole dance competition in which I learned that men are actually better pole dancers than girls. Fun was had by all and I will leave it at that.

Saturday I tried my hardest to make it over to the Bowery Hotel for Alex Pall’s Bday Bash -but unfortunately my migraine was in a severe state and I could barely get out of bed. BUT I did happen to mosey on down to the end of my street to The Flying Cow, where I came across Stumblebum. A crazy, Jazz/ Blues/ Brassband that thrives on ambushing streets, bars, subways, younameit. This is what I encountered.

Saturday night in Brooklyn from alfred broadbent on Vimeo.

I was thankful I just happened to hear them from my apt and wandered downstairs to scope out the scene. There was a straight up party going on down there. I am talking about sweaty girls dancing on tables, people hanging out the windows, a guy randomly tossing pizza, a crowd of about 20 people just standing outside the place just wondering WTF was going on, drinking, dancing, and this band was just straight going to towwwwnnnn… singing on that bullhorn! I mean it was pretty ridiculous, everyone was having a really great time, and it was so, so random.

Welp, until next time friends….

MDW is quickly approaching, and you know what that means… ITS SUMMERTIME! For all of you who aren’t heading down the shore or to the Hamptons this weekend, here is a list of something you can do to pretend you are away.

Manhattan:
Hudson Terrace: Haven’t heard one bad thing about this rooftop garden lounge yet. Head over for a little drunk brunch this weekend.

Plunge @ the Gansevoort: Rooftop pool anyone? Richie Romero is throwing a all day Sat & Sun Brunch party there starting next weekend.

GBH is also hosting some great events this weekend. You can peep the schedule HERE.

Brooklyn:

Studio B/ Friday: Converse and Death + Taxes are throwing a prom. Finger on the Pulse is djing. Sounds like a pretty good plan to me. Open bar Hornitos Tequila and PBR 9pm-11pm.

Brooklyn Yard: The Yard is back in action! You can party it up there all weekend. Check the line up here and here. Quentin Harris kicks of the Sunday’s Best Soulful House Series.

Huckleberry Bar: Huckleberry is having their second annual MDW BBQ on Monday. They will be grilling up some burgers, bratwurst and veggies, with some “very yummy” traditional sides.

Stay tuned for the latest scoop on the “new” pool parties….coming soon.

Queens:

Water Taxi Beach: Ah Water Taxi Beach, one of my most fav places in the summer. WTB is a man made beach/ bar made for dancing, tanning, and drinking. Complete with picnic tables, full bar and restaurant, and live DJ’s, this place is a best bet for a good times this summer. Louie Vega will be kicking the summer off May 23rd. And for all you Manhattenites that dont want to make the schlep ( c’mon is a boat ride away!) Water Taxi Beach South Street Seaport premiers this weekend. Resident DJ Victor Franco will show you how it’s done.

Studio Square Beer Gardens: There is a new biergarten in town! and this one looks dope. Studio Square is an 18,000 square foot indoor/outdoor beer mecca, and is the largest biergarten in NYC to date!