New York Nights

Tiesto’s New Video Series, Garza’s Killer Confesses and Drinking with Your Eyeball

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:21:00 +0000

Nightlife News for January 25th, 2012

Nightlife Culture

The Nightlife Cultural Initiative attempts to bring more life to nightlife. http://t.co/3qAQMcp7

An architectural firm in Hong Kong has designed a nightclub that isn’t connected to the ground. It stays up by hanging from surrounding buildings. http://t.co/9cId6IIz

Drinking

An in depth essay on the Social and Psychological Benefits of Pre-gaming. http://t.co/0Edm5Uky

Is the CDC exaggerating the rates of binge drinking in the US? http://t.co/8raHzxNA

More female sommeliers are becoming prominent in New York nightlife. http://t.co/sljz6oIn

Eater offers some good advice on how to order a drink based on the type of bar you visit. http://t.co/BkRFu28d

Are you bored with just drinking your drink? If so, check out these eight strange new ways of ingesting alcohol. http://t.co/kcU6tv4A

Crime

Michael Mele admits to killing Laura Garza after taking her out pf Marquee in 2008. http://t.co/DtANKybC

Politics

Brooklyn NIMBYs attack rooftop and outdoor bars. http://t.co/ZhYDLjwf

Are anti-nightlife sentiments rising in Hells Kitchen? http://t.co/4XDPn469

Music

A new university course explores hip hop as a teaching tool. http://t.co/u1uc7LBB

Tiësto launches a new web series to document the life of the DJ. http://t.co/SGi8ExCu

Live Music Apps, Pitch Black Dining Rooms and Whiskey in a Can

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:06:00 +0000

The Nightlife Culture Review for January 11, 2012

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Prince of the City

How to Find Live Music in 2012: There are hundreds of live musicians playing in New York nightlife every week. Here are a few apps to help you find the ones that are right for you.

New Elite Yelp reviews for 2012: including UCB Theater, Henrietta Hudson, Sons of Essex and Cellar 58.

Culture

‎(From @DNAinfo) A landmark Harlem firehouse is going to be reborn as Afro-Caribbean Cultural Institute. Hopefully it will include exhibits on the contributions jazz, reggae, salsa and other art forms had on nightlife and New York in general.

(From @nightculturenyc) One photographer documents how social media has impacted nightlife.

Crime

(From @VoiceStreet) A cab driver was recently arrested for the rape of an early morning passenger. There is no indication from this story that the alleged victim was coming from a club, but it is a scenario that could easily involve nightlife patrons so awareness is key, even after you leave the club.

(From @nightculturenyc) Michael Mele: The alleged murderer of Laura Garza goes on trial this week. Garza was last seen leaving Marquee.

Drinking

(From @nightculturenyc) Is a can of whiskey (that holds 8 shots) for $5 a great idea or a disaster waiting to happen? You can’t close a can once you open it, so the incentive to drink all 8 shots at once will be very strong. Who knows what your incentive might be after that…

Music

(From @nightculturenyc) Hip hop: Emerging artists from NJ prove that local artists continue to influence East Coast rap.

(From @nightculturenyc) DJing: The Respect the DJ movement brings the spotlight back to the people behind the decks.

(From @CMJnetwork): Artist submissions for CMJ 2012 are open now via @Sonicbids

Venues

(From @EaterNY) A new high end spot called Dans Le Noir offers patrons the chance to dine in a pitch black room. Candle lit tables are romantic and sexy, but how dark is too dark?

(From @nightculturenyc) Is the case against Escuelita bar about public safety or anti-gay bias?

(From @nightculturenyc) This recent retrospective looks at the historic evolution of Julius, one of New York's oldest gay bars.

Have fun.

AeroShot, Angry Drunks and the Worst New Year’s Eve Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:12:00 +0000

The Last Nightlife Culture News for 2011

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Nightlife Culture Year in Review: The Twelve Major Stories in Nightlife Culture for 2011

Nightlife Industry Year in Review: From the fine folks at Eater.

Humor: Do you want to have your worst New Year’s Eve ever. Here's how to so it.

Drinking: Hangover Patches: Do They Work?

Drinking: Here’s how to spot an angry drunk before the fists start flying.

Drugs: Is AeroShot going to be the club drug of 2012?

Venue Reviews: I've finished 101 nightlife reviews covering three cities in 2011. That should be enough drinking for one year, right?

Trends: The busiest (and most amateur) nightlife nights of the year.

Beyond New York: The New York Times looks at the underground nightlife scene in Los Angeles.

Music

Hip Hop: Is hip hop finally ready to shed its homophobic image?

Hip Hop: A compelling argument that New York hip hop isn't real hip hop.

Hip Hop: How do racial and gender diversity in hip hop performers impact the musical form?

Comedy: Why is the open mic scene so dead for aspiring New York comedians?

Have fun.

Champagne Bars, Fireplace Hideaways, Fashion’s Night Out and New Orleans Nightlife

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 04:38:00 +0000

Nightlife News for December 20^th 2011

Complied by Gamal Hennessy

Prince of the City

‎Reviews: I’ve put up the first set of reviews from my trip to New Orleans. There is plenty of stuff down there to make a New York nightlife native happy. gamalhennessy.yelp.com

Last minute Gift Idea: Looking for something to give the person who loves nightlife? Give them my book Seize the Night. http://amzn.to/rONKHy

Culture: NYC had 50 million visitors on 2011. No doubt many of them came here to sample our nightlife culture. Hopefully our next mayor will see the connection in ways that Bloomberg doesn’t. http://t.co/RaEhUWgA

Fashion: Fashion Night Out is coming back in 2012 in spite of very little popular demand from fashion retailers. http://t.co/BZjb3eMo

Drinking: Discover the allure of luxury champagne bars. http://t.co/nbyAjnrF

Interior Design: NYC has plenty of fireplace bars to help you escape the cold this winter. Find some with this list. http://t.co/FSiVgVP2

Politics: Harlem community boards consider attempt to close bars at 2 a.m. Hopefully they will fail like many of their colleagues downtown. http://t.co/QPHVnQOv

Sex: How often do men and women really think about sex? The answer may surprise you. http://t.co/RYZ5isBh

Have fun.

Gamal

Madison Moore, Larry Levan, Don Hill and Parisian Nightlife Culture

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:57:00 +0000

Nightlife Culture News for December 13, 2011

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Prince of the City: Review: On the Make: Nightlife as a Lifeless Sham: http://t.co/WChaVBLg

Academics: NYU takes a long hard look at Madison Moore and his nightlife culture course at Yale. http://t.co/FA9lDQgK

Culture: A comparison of nightlife culture in New York and Paris. http://t.co/ShHQBrLm

Sex: A swingers party pops up at Pop Burger. http://t.co/xR586zbz

Health: Would NYC be better off with public toilets in nightlife areas? http://t.co/UP8Jfh8U

Health: Journalists put three hangover cures to the test http://t.co/FWTsOj5x

Graphic Arts: A collection of art dedicated to hip hop pioneers has just been released. http://t.co/frt4DlkO

Music

Hip Hop: Members of Black Sheep and A Tribe Called Quest form a group to produce a song dedicated to Occupy Wall Street. http://t.co/2vM95r3y

House: NPR remembers the DJ pioneer Larry Levan. http://t.co/e3NQ8qHf

Rock: Irving Plaza plans a memorial concert for legendary nightlife operator Don Hill. http://t.co/inCmiTt6

Drinking: Bartenders offer good drinking advice. Read this to improve your holiday experience. http://t.co/EdT0H7p4

Drinking: Barstool Prophets tell the story of #nightlife from serving behind the bar. http://t.co/xKI8mjMZ

Crime: FBI makes several arrests linking organized crime to NYC strip clubs. http://t.co/75TnEeAH

Tourism: ‎Closing the Tavern on the Green was a multi-million dollar mistake for NYC. http://t.co/oduEyawi

Have fun.

Sex Lies and Holiday Parities

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 04:06:00 +0000

Nightlife Culture News for December 7, 2011

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Prince of the City: A holiday gift idea for the nightlife native; Notes from the Night. http://bit.ly/uog9OO

Dancing: An argument for the artistic merits of lap dancing is going to court in New York. http://t.co/cdtWLNbj

Dating: Tips on how to get back into the dating life after being out of the game for 5, 10 or even 20 years. http://t.co/NfFcJVmB

Dating: Is online dating just for free meals the best way to deal with a bad economy? http://t.co/A4l1A1v9

Fashion: Do we judge a girl's intelligence and sexual experience based on how short her skirt is? http://t.co/VqXndzjs

Health: New survey from condom maker Durex points to a high degree of risky sexual behavior in the US. http://t.co/mFfnp6Fv

Health: Will the FDA approved hangover cure Blowfish change the way we drink? http://t.co/5xa5ecT1

Sex: People can accept the idea of comfort food. Can they accept the idea of comfort sex? http://t.co/LeNhxUc2

Trends: The rough economy has taken the extravagance out of holiday parties recently, but they are making a comeback this year. http://t.co/RT5hdTUt

Have fun.

Arab Hip Hop, Jewish Hip Hop and the Importance of Nightlife Culture

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 04:29:00 +0000

Nightlife News for November 29^th 2011

Complied by Gamal Hennessy

Prince of the City

‎A new essay from @NightCultureNYC explains Why Should You Care about Nightlife Culture? http://t.co/cKRIwtLV

Culture

Academics: I gave you a link on the various classes universities are developing about nightlife culture. Here is a feature story on Yale University's course. http://t.co/oPpcVLDH

Nightclubs: There are many misconceptions about what nightlife is really like. @clubplanet runs down the list of nightlife myths that need to be busted. http://t.co/54gcb8wP

Reviews: Over 85 Yelp Elite reviews of local nightlife venues including new reviews of Double Seven, the Night Hotel and Elsa gamalhennessy.yelp.com

Music

DJing: A few tips for breaking into the DJ industry. http://t.co/q1IWEBA5

Hip Hop: Arab American hip hop artists create political rap inspired by the Arab Spring. http://t.co/hTdqfiQz

Hip Hop: Are we currently experiencing a Golden Age of Jewish hip hop? http://t.co/Z6ELtqxA

Rock: We like to think that the indie rock scene and the hip hop nation are completely separate, but @SPINmagazine provides a timeline that shows the creative crossover between the two genres. http://t.co/eEktwl2x

Have fun.

Gamal

Juliet, Fire Island and How to Stand in Line at the Club

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 04:58:00 +0000

Nightlife Culture News for November 16^th 2011

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Prince of the City: Nightlife as a Marketplace of Transgression: http://bit.ly/rvb6Cm

Drinking: Experts suggest that women should drink more whiskey. Of course the experts are selling whiskey, but that is beside the point… http://bit.ly/vb1UHg

Nightlife Rituals: We don’t endorse standing in line, but if you have to do it. @clubplanet: offers some Do's and Don'ts of the Nightclub Line - http://ht.ly/7vyGf

Music

Hip Hop: @villagevoice: profiles Ralph McDaniels one of the pioneering figures in New York hip hop culture bit.ly/uuIWV6

House: 2011 was the year when EDM took over the American music scene. http://bit.ly/vv3lBs

Opinion: The lounges in New York according to @clubplanet: ht.ly/7sU3l

Crime: People were shot and one man was killed in Juliet this week. Will the supperclub survive? http://bit.ly/tmHblU (Note: Anyone with information about this crime can contact the 10th precinct at 212-741-8245)

Disaster: The center of gay nightlife on Fire Island was destroyed in a fire. No one was injured. http://bit.ly/uIWeTc

Have fun.
G

Heavy D, Jay-Z, Kascade and Living with Your Hangover

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:50:00 +0000

Nightlife Cultural News for 11.11.11

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Prince of the City

Sutra: Seven Years as a Hip Hop Icon: http://bit.ly/skg1WD

Nightlife Culture Initiative: NCI is a nonprofit company founded to elevate nightlife culture. Find out more here. http://t.co/lEGG2eTq

The definition of nightlife culture: http://bit.ly/ttrMKK

New Reviews from Yelp Elite: gamalhennessy.yelp.com

Dating

A recent program to combat dating violence has cut instances of abuse by 50%.http://t.co/AP03pFTV

‎In support of the single guy from @PsychToday http://t.co/iWaHj1VW

Dancing

Burlesque: Can burlesque performances be a form of feminist expression? http://t.co/EJySsfCM

Burlesque: Is Red Hook's Paris Cabaret a burlesque lounge or just a plain old strip club? from "@Gothamist http://t.co/Fp3tnddj

Events

New Year’s Eve: Club Planet offers four tips for having a successful New Year’s Eve. Remember Tip #5 kids: Don't be an amateur. http://t.co/33HEpa0E

Humor

A good life lesson, brought to you by @ThoughtCatalog: A Conversation With Your Hangover http://t.co/YMjDXnnh

Music

Hip Hop: A new documentary called Rubble Kings explores the origins of hip hop. http://t.co/1CNfVJpN

Hip Hop: Jay-Z Talks About Hip-Hop's Impact on Culture from @vibemagazine. http://t.co/nMljnP2q

House: An in depth look at the mega DJ named Kascade from ‎@nytimesstyle. http://t.co/HScjTk4k

Jazz: 1959: Documentary revisits Miles Davis & Mingus from @openculture. http://t.co/9FjNrPdN

Rock: Rolex donates $3.5 million to bring rock music to the New York Public Library. http://t.co/yVGlxiex

Obituary

Heavy D: One of the most exuberant MC’s from the Golden Age passed away earlier this week. http://t.co/jhQIgw8C

Have fun

Sugar Daddys, Humor Boom and Hip Hop as a College Major

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 03:52:00 +0000

Nightlife News for October 20^th 2011

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Events

CMJ 2011: Visiting artists who are performing at this year’s indie music marathon compile a list of the best venues, snack joints and hangout spots in NYC: http://bit.ly/nV35uJ

Music

Hip Hop Higher Education: Last year I did an article about the erosion of hip hop heritage (http://bit.ly/br15tn ). This year, America’s dominant music form is being recognized by prestigious institutions. Georgetown is now offering a course on Jay-Z and the sociology of hip hop (http://bit.ly/rmGEWn). Not to be outdone, NYU is attempting to create a hip hop studies minor: (http://bit.ly/n2IqLH). Maybe hip hop history is safe after all.

Frankie Knuckles: The Guardian talks to the DJ icon about pioneering house music, having a street in Chicago named after him and losing his foot. http://bit.ly/oGah04

Erick Morillo: Pacha interviews this leading DJ about his new projects, his collaborations with Pitbull and Busta Rhymes and America’s new interest in house fb.me/1888qKF1S

Drinking

Wine: Are you thinking about going back to school? Are you thinking about getting a degree in wine? Eater asks the experts if all that education is really necessary. eater.cc/op5vIA

Tequila: If you are in the mood for tequila (and I know you usually are) check out this list of the NYC tequila offerings from Guest of a Guest: ow.ly/6VkBh

Sexuality

Sugar Daddys: Time Out New York explores the sugar daddy subculture in New York nightlife: tmout.us/nnqVFv

Communidating: Guest of a Guest offers modern ladies some tips for dating in a digital world: http://bit.ly/qXXfqC

Sex Trends: Time magazine reports on a recent survey that shows decrease in teen sex, increase in condom use http://ow.ly/6ZEw5

New Venues

Humor Boom: First we had underground cocktail lounges, now Thrillist brings us a secret underground comedy club. ow.ly/70VvS

Opinion

Michael Musto: The Village Voice’s resident nightlife icon picks The Best of NYC Nightlife http://bit.ly/pqmfLR

Have fun.

Diplo, Def Jam at 25, and One Night Stands

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 03:34:00 +0000

Nightlife News for October 11, 2011

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Crime: Gothamist writes about a bartender who is stabbed by a fanatic patron on the Upper East Side http://bit.ly/oqa9AL"

Customs: Clubplanet tries to explain why some people dislike the nightclub scene. http://ht.ly/6S14F

Customs: Live the Lush Life and the New York Times offer tips to get a bartender's attention without getting on their nerves. http://nyti.ms/pQQaUR.

Drinking: New York City Sidewalker showcases the Ultimate Blast cocktail event going on this Friday. Oct 14^th: tinyurl.com/3mfhsu4

Interview: GQ offers an interview and photo shoot with international DJ Diplo http://gqm.ag/ni8wqW

Music: NPR introduces a new book that looks at the first 25 years of Def Jam music and its impact on hip hop. http://bit.ly/qjtvTr

Music: The CMJ 2011 performance schedule is out. Plan your week accordingly: http://cmj2011.sched.org/venues

Music: On the Eve of CMJ. Spin publishes an article on the state of homophobia in indie rock. http://bit.ly/qdzXQV

Reviews: Gothamist offers a list of the 10 Best Beer Bars In NYC bit.ly/mZPGVk

Reviews: Prince of the City offers new venue reviews including Winston's Champagne Bar, Marble Lane, SoHo House, Fontana's, and B.B. Kings: http://bit.ly/nt4iwG

Sex: Clubplanet offers ladies in nightlife tips on how to turn the tables on men and enjoy a one night stand; http://ht.ly/6S16N

Venues: Urban Daddy previews The Fulton, opening in the Financial District this week. http://bit.ly/nDtLfb

Have fun.
G

Burlesque, Prohibition, Club Culture and Culture Club

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 04:31:00 +0000

Nightlife News for October 5, 2011

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Prince of the City: The Art of the Nipple Pasties: Burlesque in New York Nightlife http://bit.ly/prmtmr

Literature: Societe Perrier lists the 10 Best Books about DJ/Club Culture http://t.co/MxXpIGNI

Social Interaction: Club Planet offers some advice for meeting ladies on the dance floor. http://t.co/E3XLZ2CL

Television: The famous documentary director Ken Burns turns his lens on the origins of modern nightlife: Prohibition http://t.co/SKqt4eic

Opinion: GoG provides a guide to speakeasies In New York City: http://t.co/kjiRcZd8

New Venues: Culture Club tries to bring us back to the 1980’s http://t.co/5FIB3B5B

Health: Can a "Stay Sober" pill give us the ability to drink and never get drunk? http://t.co/WARR7vFg

Have fun.

CMJ, David Guetta and the Toughest Doors in New York

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 04:05:00 +0000

Nightlife News for September 29, 2011

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Prince of the City

Tough Doors: The Most Dangerous Place in Nightlife http://bit.ly/oMJjRi

Music

America's top live music venues, as picked by musicians: http://t.co/alT4gBwY"
An open house is coming up at the DJ school Scratch Academy www.scratch.com
Nearsay looks at the resurgence of burlesque in New York nightlife.http://t.co/ePKJCKrV
An interview with David Guetta, the house DJ who took over mainstream pop music http://t.co/otAy1Bno

Events

CMJ: Almost 900 acts added to this year’s show: http://t.co/MZlhji9E
The Ultimate Blast cocktail, beer and wine show hits NYC on October 14^th: http://t.co/ZOQWqWd6

Opinion

Everything NYC offers a list of The 50 Best Dive Bars in NYC http://t.co/GUpU96LY"

New Venues

Salon Hecho brings a little bit of Mexico to the East Village http://t.co/08B5fIu1

Have fun.

Sports Bars, Craft Beer and Fashion Week Fallout

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 03:26:00 +0000

Nightlife News for September 20, 2011
Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

New Reviews:
Read the five new reviews on my Yelp page including Cibar, Cienfuegos, East End Tavern, Public House and Summit http://bit.ly/oWv7rS

Prince of the City:
The Import Lesson of Fashion's Night Out and Fashion Week.http://bit.ly/qhxvUr

Events:
NY Craft Beer Week 9/16-25. http://bit.ly/reHP5k

New York Fashion Week: D.J.’s Make the Music to Move Fashion Shows http://nyti.ms/qCHSPf"

Fashion's Night Out: Was 2011 the last year for FNO? If so, the city wide party burned out in only three years. http://bit.ly/poxMXj

Health: Smoking in NYC is down to 14%, but the remaining smokers are using different tactics to keep their habit. http://bit.ly/nsxImg

Music: Def Jam Records has been around for 25 years. So much for hip hop being a passing fad. http://ti.me/n0WktV

Politics: NIMBYs sue Liquor Authority for renewing a license. Instead of filing a lawsuit, why don't you just move? http://bit.ly/owO92T

Sports Bars: Sheckys offers a list of NYC home team sports bars for every NFL franchise. http://bit.ly/rhUDHP

Have fun
Gamal

South Beach, Fashion’s Night Out and the Sex Lives of Bartenders

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 03:18:00 +0000

Nightlife News for September 6, 2011

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Events

Fashion’s Night Out (Thursday, Sept. 8^th)

For the third year in a row, fashion destinations throw parties to celebrate Fashion Week and start the fall season.

Prince of the City

South Beach Nightlife Review

I’m back from summer vacation with a nightlife travelogue for our sister city down south.

Opinion

Measure Twice, Cut Once

Paul Seres, the head of NYNA and a prominent member of community board 4, speaks out on the relationship between City Hall and nightlife.

Culture

Working While Others Play

A recent column looks at the sexual benefits and liabilities that come with being a bartender.

New Grading System Bans Dogs from Bars

The new restaurant/ bar health grading system put into place earlier this year prohibits dogs from venues, even the ones with outdoor space.

Crime
Bathroom molester sentenced
A fanatic who sexually attacked a young woman in a bar for refusing to dance with him was recently sentenced to 16 years in prison. Now he will be the one molested in the bathroom.

Obituary

Nick Ashford

The Motown songwriter, signer in the classic group Ashford and Simpson and owner of New York’s Sugar Bar passed away over the summer after a battle with throat cancer.

Have fun

Measure Twice Cut Once

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 02:45:00 +0000

By Paul Seres

The following is an op-ed piece from an operator, community board member and leader in the nightlife industry about the way local government relates to nightlife.

Growing up I’d be at my father’s side on any household project he felt like undertaking. Helping where I could, I found my place learning the basics of simple carpentry by observing him. Until I was old enough, the closest I got to power tools was helping him measure before work could begin. “Measure twice, cut once” was drilled into my brain to insure we could be as efficient as possible.

Somehow, many of the powers that be that run this City never learned that lesson when it comes to nightlife. The nighttime economy of New York, or as we like to call it, the "Other Nine to Five", is a powerful economic engine that provides more jobs and revenues to the State and the City than any other form of entertainment, including Broadway and all of the sports teams combined. And yet with all of that economic activity, the industry as a whole is often treated like a red headed stepchild when it comes to meaningful planning for nightlife activity.

In the never-ending cycle of gentrification, nightlife establishments play an important role in becoming a catalyst for future real estate development. In most instances it works likes this… In areas with warehouses or commercial or manufacturing zoning, one or two brave nightlife entrepreneurs will set up shop, hoping to attract the trendy and the elite. Next comes a few more nightlife establishments followed by restaurants who come in to capitalize on this new found flow of foot traffic. The galleries begin to move in followed by the trendy retail shops. Finally, the new residential development arrives cashing in on the newest trendy area. And that’s when the quality of life complaints begin, even though the nightlife establishments were there first.

For the better part of 20 years, Jim Peters of the Responsible Hospitality Institute has been dealing with this very issue in other municipalities who welcome a strong and burgeoning nighttime economy. His teachings are simple, almost obvious practices that are seldom ever followed, Plan, Manage and Police. If a city plans for the late night businesses, and sets up proper infrastructure to better help them manage, then the easy part becomes policing.

New York has become such a vast and expensive treasure trove of real estate valuations that not many people are thinking past tomorrow. New York just doesn’t plan and has no system of managing nighttime businesses. So it is left up to police to function in a way that is not productive as policing cannot make up for the lack of prior planning and managing by City government. This is exactly what is currently happening in the Lower East Side.

Cities such as Seattle and San Francisco, who recognize the importance of a vibrant nighttime economy, have set up governmental agencies to act as a liaison to these businesses. New York has an office for the film and television industry, offering tax incentives to attract productions of a variety of types and formats. So why can’t New York City, “the city that never sleeps” have someone representing the thousands of employees, business owners, and the millions of patrons who travel not only from other states but from all over the world to experience New York City when the sun goes down and the lights come up. This is something the New York Nightlife Association has advocated for years now.

New Yorkers are forced to deal with an ever increasing amount of issues that affect their daily lives, so wouldn’t it be in the city planner’s interest to measure twice and cut once? Shouldn’t there be designated nightlife districts that would make planning, managing and ultimately policing these areas so much easier so there wouldn’t be these constant clashes with quality of life issues. If my father was smart enough to impart the wisdom of measure twice and cut once, I think those that we select to represent our interests should do the same.

Paul Seres is the President of the New York Nightlife Association as well as being on Manhattan Community Board 4 where he co-chairs the business licensing and permit’s committee for licensed establishments. He is also a Partner in Patuá, a roof top restaurant lounge in the Fashion District set to open in 2012

Culture Fix, Pop Up Clubs, Rebel Art, and Nightlife Culture

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 02:38:00 +0000

Prince of the City
Defining Nightlife Culture
The bars and clubs that you go into are more than watering holes and meat markets. They are one of the sources of modern art and culture. Exploring this world makes you more than a consumer or a clubber. It gives you a chance to alter society and the way it sees itself. All that, and you get to have fun too!

Politics
Culture Fix
The story of a little bar that stood up against NIMBY’s and the NYPD…and won.

Culture
The Rebel Art Collective
A pair of brothers from the South Bronx attempts to rekindle the social activism that was entrenched in the origins of hip hop but has faded with the rise of commercial music.

Are Pop up Clubs the Next Big Thing?
In a response to both NIMBY community boards and fickle patrons, operators are taking the pop up model that has worked for retail stores and translated it into nightlife. Now dim sum parlors, strip clubs, Midtown offices, vacant warehouses, waterfront parks, and school playgrounds could be your next venue. Is this a sign of things to come, or is it Rave 2.0?

Tech
Scene Tap shows you where the ladies at.
Making a love connection is one of the reasons we go out, so it makes sense that you want to know if there are a lot of boys or girls in a club before you go in. Well, there is an app for that. Scene Tap claims to use face recognition technology to tell you how many boys or girls are in any given venue. It’s unclear if this technology works in dark rooms or how much of a time delay exists between the app update and the time the people are actually in the room. It probably can’t tell you if anyone inside is cute or not, or get you into the club or tell you what to say when you are surrounded by the gender of your choice. You’ll need to get a different app for that…

New Venues
Pour George
A new gastropub drops into the Village

Maison Premiere
Williamsburg gets all the absinthe it can handle

Have fun.
G

The Eagle, The Westway, Rakim and Marriage Equality

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:19:00 +0000

Nightlife News for June 30, 2011
Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Prince of the City
What role did nightlife play in marriage equality?
Saying marriage equality came about because of nightlife might be going too far. But nightlife is a part of that story, so it is a part of our story as a society.

Rakim and the birth of modern hip hop
Twenty five years ago, people who thought they knew music decided hip hop was a fad. They wouldn’t support it on mainstream radio because it was going to die out in a few months. Hip hop has clearly lasted longer than a few months.

Yelp
I’ve recently started developing a list of reviews on the popular venue site. Take a look at my new listings and let me know what you think…

Drinking
East Side seeks to ban pub crawls
Following the lead of NIMBYs in the Lower East Side, residents in Midtown are trying to ban the organization of pub crawls in their neighborhoods

Opinion
Rooftop Bars
Steven Lewis offers a list of the best rooftop bars for the Financial Times crowd in time for the 4th of July. Unfortunately, most people who read FT will probably be celebrating American independence in the Hamptons or Dubai.

Personalities
Anthony Herbert
A discussion with one of the few politicians running for office that isn’t totally against New York nightlife

Music
A Tribe Called Quest
Beats Rhymes and Life Documentary showcases the rise and fall of a pivotal hip hop group

Politics
The Eagle
On the Price weekend that saw the Marriage Equality Act pass in New York, police raided the West Chelsea gay bar.

Tech
Poggled
In the wake of Drink the Deal and Living Social, a new nightlife discount service called Poggled is launching in New York.

New Venues
The Westway
The old peep show parlor and erotica shop gets a nightlife make over from the people who brought you the Jane Ballroom.

Have fun
G

The Dream Hotel, Hip Hop Art. Drink the Deal, and Pride 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:51:00 +0000

Nightlife News for June 24, 2011

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Events
Pride 2011 (June 24-26)
The last weekend of June is the annual celebration of LGBT culture in New York City. There will be parades, parties and special events all over the city. Click this link for an introduction into the various events.

Fundraising Fashion Show for Life Preservers (June 28)
Next week B Discovery and Nikki Midtown will host an event for Life Preservers Inc. Life Preservers is an organization that helps victims of sex trafficking in the New York City area. The party will include a runway show, product discounts and giveaways.

Culture
Hip Hop Art Exhibit
Fab Five Freddy, a hip hop personality since the 1980s, recently opened up an art exhibit at Gallery 151. The exhibit featured crystal encrusted digital photos of models and boxers and was inspired by graffiti styles of early hip hop. The continued emergence of this kind of nightlife culture in established museums and galleries is a welcomed recognition its artistic merits.

The Business of a Beer Sommelier
A lot of people like beer, but Matt Simpson has become a self taught expert. Because beer can be as complex and varied as wine or whiskey, he spent years developing a deep knowledge about the subject. This probably included a lot of drinking. Now he travels the country doing seminars, consulting on restaurant menus and hosting parties for wealthy clients. Why didn’t you think of that?

New Venues
Nights and Weekends
Williamsburg will get a rum based venue from the operators who brought you the successful Five Leaves restaurant.
PH-D in the Dream Hotel
One of the major venue openings of the summer inside the Dream Hotel had all the requisite A-List personalities, scene seeking crowds and high end opulence.

Tech
Drink the Deal Site Launches
A new nightlife centered discount group has launched to compete in the Groupon/ Living Social market.

Have fun
G

NYC Cocktail Week, Gun Bar, Club Scanners and Lap Dance Lawsuits

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:36:00 +0000

Nightlife News for June 15th, 2011
Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Events
NYC Cocktail Week (June 15-29)
Liquor.com is partnering with more than a dozen cocktail lounges in NYC to provide a special menu for the end of June. Proceeds go to City Harvest

Culture
The Non Art of the Lap Dance
A court in Albany recently ruled that a strip club has to tax patrons who receive lap dances. This tax will increase the cost of a $20 lap dance to $22, excluding the tip. The court rejected the idea that a lap dance is a form of art that is exempt from taxation. While the tax on lap dances might not affect you, the ruling does because it implies that dancing, all forms of dancing, is not art and can be regulated by the government. This idea is central to the cabaret laws that currently prohibit dancing in venues that don’t have a cabaret license. Dancing is art and should be treated that way whether you are talking about ballet dancing, belly dancing, break dancing or even lap dancing.

Business
ID Scanners
The NYPD is pushing a proposal to operators to install ID scanners at venues. The measure is being marketed as a deterrent from everything to underage drinking to terrorism. Opponents of the measure, including civil rights groups claim that privacy rights would be violated by the collection of these databases. The underlying issue revolves around what happens to the names, addresses and social security numbers of patrons. Will operators be able to sell those databases to promoters, marketers and other corporations? Will security people like Darryl Littlejohn be able to use it to find potential victims? Will cops like Kenneth Moreno be able to use it to find potential women to abuse? The scanners might curb underage drinking, but they could also open up a completely different set of problems.

Economic slowdown doesn’t hurt liquor sales.
The latest figure show what operators have known for a long time; regardless of the economy, people will drink. In good times they drink higher priced options to celebrate their success. In bad times they drink lower priced options to forget their problems. While venues are clearly fighting for business harder than ever based on sites like Groupon and Living Social, high price cocktail lounges are still opening on a regular basis. Drinking might be one of the few recession proof industries we have left.

New Venues
Gun Bar
The Meatpacking District opens its own version of the LES dive bar, complete with bottle service and tattoo parlor (two things that probably shouldn’t be in the same building)

Lot on Tap
The new extension to the High Line has added gold to the end of the redesigned railroad. A beer garden has been placed on the north end of the park for the summer of 2011. Now you can start your Highline stroll with a beer at the Standard beer hall and end your stroll with a beer at Lot on Tap. If you are a beer lover, what could be better?

The Terrace at Yotel
The new rooftop bar in Times Square claims to be the biggest, but can it be the best in a market that has more rooftop options than ever before?

Have fun.
G

Brooklyn Hip Hop, NYPD Rape, Beer Gardens, Concert Tickets and the Dream Hotel

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 22:46:00 +0000

Nightlife News for June 7, 2011
Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Events
The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival (July 11-16)
Tribe Called Quest front man and prominent DJ Q-Tip is hosting a celebration of hip hop culture this summer.

Crime
The NYPD Rape Case
While the incident and the details of the 2009 attack have been in the news for several months. The verdict has been handed down by the court. The aftermath is still in the news. But the important lesson from the NYPD rape case deserves more attention. As nightlife patrons, we ultimately have to protect ourselves from predatory behavior. We can’t get drunk and assume that a bouncer, a cab driver or a police officer is going to get us home. They might, since New York is full of decent people. Then again, they might break into our apartments and abuse us. If you are outraged at the cops, remember that anger when you go drinking. That way, you’ll make sure you can go home without them.

Health
Lowering the Drinking Age
Last week I posted a piece about the motivations for underage drinking. Now a new report from the American Council on Science and Health released a study arguing that the legal drinking age of 21 might create more social problems than it solves. At the heart of this argument is the concept that increased enforcement stringent will merely drive it into the shadows instead of stopping it. The author recommends removing the mystique around drinking through sensible exposure. While it is political suicide for anyone to suggest reducing the drinking age, the idea that responsible indulgence can be tied to age is a weak one at best.

Trends
Beer Gardens
Along with rooftop bars, tiki bars and speakeasies, the beer Garden has been a growing trend in New York nightlife for the past three years. This summer is starting off with six new locations in spots as diverse as Chelsea, Harlem, Grand Central and Midtown West. Brooklyn is probably still the king of the beer garden boroughs, but who knows how long that will last.

Concert Tickets
Real time price chances could make concert ticket prices resemble the stock market
Concert sites like Live Nation and Ticket Master have seen their profits go down in the face of competition from companies like Stub Hub. In an effort to reclaim some of that lost revenue, Live Nation is testing a system that would increase or decrease the price of tickets based on demand. This could lead to a chaotic system where two people could both buy their tickets online and be sitting next to each other at a show but one paid two or three times as much for their ticket. Secondary businesses are sure to pop up as a result when speculators buy tickets in bulk when they are first issued then sell them at a mark up when those tickets become scarce.

New Venues
Dream Hotel
The newest entrant into the rooftop bar market is opening in the Dream Hotel Downtown this month, complete with a private entrance, a mini beach and a bottomless pool that can be seen from the lobby below.

Have fun.
Gamal

Gil Scott Heron, Hookah Bans, La Birreria and Why Kids Drink

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Tue, 31 May 2011 21:14:00 +0000

Nightlife News for June 1, 2011

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Prince of the City
Yelp

I’ve recently started developing a list of reviews on the popular venue site. Take a look at my new listings for Les Enfants, Pravda, SubMercer and assorted SoHo venues. Let me know what you think…

Liquor as a Rite of Passage
There is a direct relationship between the rules for drinking and people’s relationship to alcohol. Until we understand and deal with that relationship, we can’t deal with underage drinking on any meaningful level.

The Private Lounge
My new residency at one of Esquire’s top clubs of the year. Stop by tonight to experience a unique blend of music and spirits created to help you look forward to Wednesdays.

Culture
DJ Qu
The Village Voice sat down with a DJ who has seen the evolution of the house scene from Zanzibar to Limelight to the House Dance Conference. His interview reveals a strong connection between West Indian and urban dance culture. It also hints at a tradition that has developed over the past 30 years not just for DJs, but for music, dancing and technology in general.

Gil Scott Heron
While he never took any credit for his influence on hip hop, Gil Scott Heron is recognized by many successful artists as the person who took spoken word, urban anger and music and combined them into a new form of expression. While drugs and overconsumption crippled him for several years, Heron had recently released an album and return from a European tour when he died last Friday. Anyone who listens to funk, hip hop or neo-soul today has heard Heron’s influence in the samples and lyrics of the artists who came after him.

Business
Is hookah the target of the next smoking ban?
Now that New York and several other cities have banned smoking in restaurants, bars, parks, beaches and other public areas, it appears that hookah might be on the radar of the anti-smoking lobby. Unlike most smoking, hookah is allowed indoors in New York City under for an exemption for “tobacco specialty shops.” This is one of the reasons that hookah bars came into prominence in the Lower East Side in the days after normal smoking was banned in local bars. While the health information contained in the report is accurate, it is not coincidental that this report comes out a week after the park ban on smoking went into effect…

New Venues
La Birreria
Eataly opens a rooftop beer garden on the top of its Chelsea venue

Have fun.
G

The Manhattan Cocktail Classic, Kool Herc, Binge Drinking and the Private Lounge

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Tue, 24 May 2011 16:41:00 +0000

Nightlife News for May 24, 2011
Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Prince of the City
Yelp
I’ve recently started developing a list of reviews on the popular venue site. Take a look at my new listings for Greenhouse, Santos and District 36 and assorted Tribeca venues. Let me know what you think…

The Private Lounge
My new residency at one of Esquire’s top clubs of the year. Stop by on June 1st to experience a unique blend of music and spirits created to help you look forward to Wednesdays.

Events
The Manhattan Cocktail Classic
One of the City’s major events on all aspects of drinking took place last week with an assortment of seminars, demonstrations and plenty of high end drinking. Here’s a rundown of the week’s events.

Culture
Kool Herc Honored at a Special Ceremony
Before Drake and Kanye, before Jay-Z and Diddy, before Biggie and Tupac, before Rakim and Run DMC, there was a man named Kool Herc who mixed dancehall toasting with funk and soul beats to create rap music. While mainstream media and much of the hip hop industry has forgotten him, several prominent hip hop artists including the Roots and Big Daddy Kane came together in honor of this musical pioneer. We can only hope the money from this tribute went to pay Herc’s ongoing medical bills.

Business
Nightlife and the Living Wage Debate
There is a bill moving through the New York City Council that would require businesses that get bonuses from the city to pay their workers a higher hourly salary than the minimum wage set out by Federal law. While operators in the nightlife industry often aren’t direct recipients of public funding, there are various loopholes in the law that could trigger this law if passed. That’s why members of NYNA came out against the proposed legislation at a hearing early this week. The debate will continue into the next political season and the economic effect it could have on the city could directly impact who becomes mayor of New York once Bloomberg is gone.

Health
Substance Abuse Grows Among the Older Generation
Mainstream media usually associates alcohol and drug abuse with nightlife and young people, but according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Between 1992 and 2008, treatment admissions for those 50 and older more than doubled in the U.S. There are now more than 230,000 Americans over 50 in treatment for substance abuse. While the study concludes that the baby boomer generation has a historically high rate of substance abuse, this is study indicates that 1) substance abuse is a national issue that goes far beyond nightlife and 2) many of the fanatics and amateurs in nightlife now who think they will grow out of this behavior might find themselves facing their grandchildren as addicts.

Binge Drinking Increases Memory Loss
How many times have you gone out drinking and forgotten everything that happened the night before? Researchers for Health Day News conducted a study on the memory of binge drinkers and found that the binge drinkers scored lower on the test than non drinkers. The researchers also found that binge drinkers scored well on visual tests and they admitted that the test didn’t prove the direct effect of binge drinking on memory loss. In spite of this, anecdotal evidence suggests that responsible indulgence with liquor will help you have fun at night without forgetting the good time you had when you wake up the next day.

Have fun
G

Afrika Bambaatta, Closing the Beer Gardens, the CBGB Film, Tenjune, Venugo and Yelp

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Tue, 17 May 2011 22:53:00 +0000

Nightlife News for May 17, 2011
Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Prince of the City
Venugo
A new nightlife site wants to be all things to all patrons, but do they want too much from you?

Yelp
I’ve recently started developing a list of reviews on the popular venue site. Take a look at my first 25 listings, including Lambs Club, Milleseme, Painkiller and about 20 venues in the Financial District. Let me know what you think…

Business
Anti Beer Garden Law
A measure has been introduced in Brooklyn that would shut down beer gardens or any outdoor drinking space by midnight, even on the weekends. The proposed law would also require a special outdoor drinking permit for these spaces. While the sponsor of this bill claims that she is not trying to put anyone out of business, it is clear that this type of legislation favors NIMBY elements of her constituency at the expense of operators and patrons. While almost 80 percent of Gothamist readers don’t think outdoor spaces should close by midnight, those people don’t vote and it is the voters (in this case the NIMBYs) that the politicians will cater to.

Club Scents
A recent study suggests that operators who want people to stay in their venue and spend more money need to install fragrance machines instead of smoke machines. The Netherlands study showed that by pumping a venue with orange or peppermint smells, patrons danced more, drank more and had a much better opinion of a club.

Culture
Afrika Bambaatta
The Museum of Modern Art is currently celebrating Bambaatta and his seminal hit Planet Rock as a part of its Looking at Music 3.0 exhibit. Along with Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash, Bamtaatta gave birth to a form of musical expression that went from an underground “fad” to the dominant music form of the last 30 years. The exhibit will show how Bambaataa and hip hop itself moved from nightlife culture to mainstream culture.

CBGB
There is a film being developed about the story of the iconic CBGB. Produced by Lisa Kristal Bergman (daughter of CBGB owner Hilly Kristal), the film will focus on the development of punk rock in New York nightlife and the pivotal role the Bowery club played in the development of that music. The only outstanding question now revolves around the infamous bathroom. Will they actually recreate it or will it all be just special effects?

Crime
Tenjune
A lawsuit has been filed against Mark Birnbaum, owner of high profile venues. While the case is still pending and no allegations have been proven the complaint claims that "Birnbaum made unwelcome sexual advances, requested sexual favors and engaged in inappropriate and illegal verbal and physical conduct of a sexual nature with plaintiffs.” While it isn’t as high profile as the IMF President’s alleged rape, this doesn’t do anything to improve the image of nightlife in New York. Unfortunately, the negative image of the industry is so rampant that many patrons aren’t even surprised anymore.

Have fun.
Gamal

Groupon, Martinis, Patua, Rock and Roll Tours and How You Failed Nightlife

noreply@blogger.com (Gamal Hennessy) — Wed, 11 May 2011 04:46:00 +0000

Nightlife News for May 11, 2011
Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Culture
Drinking
Mastering the Martini
Long before Mad Men made the drink famous among 21st century drinkers, luminaries like Dorothy Parker, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway were sipping martinis at the Knickerbocker. Today, bartenders as close as Pegu and PDT and as far away as the M Bar in Hong Kong and the Plaza Bar in Buenos Aires

Rock and Roll Tours
A new tour will trace the history of rock music in New York City with stops at venues like CBGB, Don Hills, Max’s Kansas City, and the Mudd Club.

Business
Groupon/ Live Nation Deal
The mega online discount site and the mega live concert promoter are in talks to create a double mega summer concert deal.

Patua
Paul Seres will bring a 3 floor rooftop/ restaurant/event space to the prime space between the Port Authority and Penn Station.

Opinion
Are You the Problem with New York Nightlife?
There is a certain type of nightlife patron that tries to prove his superiority by expressing a disdain for modern nightlife. I wrote about this type of patron in my 2009 piece If Nightlife is Dead, then You Killed It. Late last year, I described them in my series On Retros, Realists, and Rebels. This week, Good Night Mr. Lewis confirms some of the same ideas. Nightlife has definitely changed. But if you can’t find a place or a party that you like in 2011, maybe its not nightlife’s fault. Maybe its you…

Summer Bar List
Guest of a Guest offers its list of the top summer bars to compete with Urban Daddy’s outdoor venues from two weeks ago.

Have fun.
G