Check out the trailer for, Brosephs, an "episodic web series about three strangers who become unlikely roommates and friends as they navigate relationships, feelings, family, mob bosses, and the rent," brought to you by talented and hilarious F&B industry superstar, Kevin Coyle.
Yay, hooray!
Last night, Chelsea newcomer Hotel Americano hosted a preview cocktail party for a "small gathering" of 20 40 180 260 or so of its closest friends. Although it has several private events lined up over the next few weeks, it is not slated to open to the public until July. The Mexico-based Grupo Habita Hotel Americano will house a French-inspired Latin restaurant with outdoor patio space on the main level, two indoor bar/lounges, and an additional restaurant/lounge on the roof (along with a lap swimming pool).
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Have you heard?
Until the release of PX Me- The Sequel to PX This (Spring 2012), this website will henceforth be updated only intermittently (approximately once or twice a week).
Abbe Diaz’s new (daily) blog is now at: abbediaz.com
• This just in: The awesome team behind Miss Lily’s has beaten Subway® Sandwiches to the punch, and have taken over the corner storefront next door. The commodious adjacent space will house an extension of Miss Lily’s fresh juice bar, a record store, and Miss Lily’s To-Go. It is expected to be in operation by late Summer / early Autumn of this year.
• Longtime F&Bulous operator Jean-Marc Houmard (Indochine, Bond St, Kittichai, Republic) has joined forces with former BlackBook magazine publisher and Black Book List author Evanly Schindler to open a new eatery in the former Acme Bar & Grill location at 9 Great Jones St just west of Lafayette St.
We’d tell you more, but then we’d have to… oh for fuck’s sake you know how it goes. I dunno— maybe try checking the The Post tomorrow or something.
Let’s just leave it at: we know all about the food (not Italian, thank gawd), the tentative name (not complicated/exotic), and the anticipated opening (not until maybe at least the Fall) but as usual, we’re not allowed to say anything about it. Why mention it all then, you ask? Ha ha aha hah duh, are you kidding? P X THIS 4 EVA BITCHEZ
(Sigh, now we’re in trouble.)
• Here’s a blind item for you: What "very private" hospitality executive allegedly very quietly gave birth to her second child at 3AM on a weekend morning at The Standard Hotel? Sssh, you didn’t hear that from us.
PX Me is BEHIND SCHEDULE
Sorry, but the release of PX Me – The Sequel to PX This [How I Became a Published Author, Got Micro-Famous, and Married a Millionaire] is officially behind schedule. I know I promised an Autumn 2010 Spring 2011 Summer 2011 release, but… ya know… shit happens. Sigh.
There’s a distinct possibility the book may actually be finished by late Autumn of this year, but— who the hell wants to have a launch party in the dead of winter? That’s just bogus. Okay, I’m only half-kidding; you know I’m definitely not fond of winter, but also some very smart PR peoples and whatnot have advised me that waiting until the following Spring is a much better idea— something about a "summer reading cycle" (that’s book marketing jargon) or something. Considering how fast the last six months have gone by, I’m pretty grateful for the extra time to prepare, truth be told.
In any case, thank you so much for all encouragement, patience, and support. Really truly.
In the meantime, if you’re totally yeeearning for the "how I… married a millionaire" part, here’s a little teaser maybe?
http://www.alphanista.com/real-women-of-leisure-abbe-diaz.html
Ha ha ha ha ha ahaa haaah oh man, I almost can’t wait to see the Haterade pour in on this mutherfukker. To which I say in advance:
[ To everyone else: thank you so much again. xoxo, abbe ]
Hey, did you hear about Mark Birnbaum getting sued for sexual harrassament? [No? Oh, you must live in a fucking cave.]
Discuss.
Cuz you knooow you want to.
COMMENTS ARE OPEN.
How’s this, I’ll start— maybe I’ll just fill in some of the ones I’ve heard out and about so far (jump on in anytime) :
[ Keep scrolling... ]
Following relatively recent news of shakeups at The Box, EMM, and Bagatelle, PX This has learned that Managing Director Ian Nicholson is the latest executive to decamp The Standard Hotel here in NYC. Following the earlier but unrelated departure of F&B Director of Operations Lana Trevisan (currently GM of soon-to-open Hotel Americano), Nicholson resigned from Hotels AB to forge a partnership deal with hotelier Alan Faena, most notably of Philippe Starck designed Faena Hotel+Universe in Buenos Aires.
Prospective projects of Faena and Nicholson include the somewhat beleaguered Cipriani Ocean Resort & Club location at 3201 Collins Ave in Miami Beach, as well as a future NYC site, currently still in its early stages of development. They are backed by Russian-American billionaire, Len Blavatnik who also, mere weeks ago, purchased Warner Music Group for a reported $3.3 billion.
Nicholson has served as The Standard’s Managing Director since May 2007 and as Vice President – Hotel Operations of Andre Balazs Properties since January 2010. Prior, he maintained the General Manager position at The SoHo Grand, Tribeca Grand, and The Hudson Hotel.
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of luck[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
Cute. Kinda typical…
Please rate the Bar:
Smaller than you’d expect for such a large space. And pretty cramped. Not so comfortable either. But the bartender’s nice.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Good quality, decent selections, reasonable prices. But again, kinda typical (see: Balthazar, Pastis, The Waverly Inn, The Lion, Minetta Tavern, East Side Social Club, The Lambs Club, The Standard Grill, DBGB, Freemans, Peels, Burger & Barrel… you get the picture).
Please rate the Dining Room:
Ugh christ. See above.
Please rate the BOH:
Pretty good. I mean, let’s face it— I wasn’t very impressed with Chef Carmellini at A Voce, and even less so at Locanda Verde. So it’s safe to say I had low expectations. But I dunno, this food was pretty good— so maybe he’s just overrated at Italian (?), the fuck I know.
How was the staff?
Good. Friendly, knowledgeable, proficient. Maybe just a wee on the jaded side, but that happens sometimes when staffers are highly experienced. Whatever, they "fit."
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Asian White Boy Rib : Haa, I mean, rilly? Kinda stupid name ("mother-in-law’s kimchee" has a tad better sense of humor), but pretty tasty. Fall-off-the-bone tender.
Oysters : Super fresh and delicious. Very nice. Pretty plump actually, for East Coasters.
Fried chicken : Very good. Crisp, hearty, delectable. Wish the white meat (there’s plenty of it) could have been a bit more juicy, but oh well. The house-bottled hot sauce made up for it. The side of mashed potatoes with gravy was good too, as was the cole slaw. Whatever was in the middle dish though (kale with bacon bits?) was pretty awful. Overcooked and tortured— southern style, I guess? I don’t get down with emaciated greens, sorry. Never have, never will.
A different side of green (ordered separately), oh shoot I forget now. Not spinach. What was it again? Ugh, I can’t remember : But that was good. Perfectly sauteed and flavorful.
The corn bread that comes with the meal : Just wanted to mention it, because it was darned tasty. Just a touch of spice (jalapeño?) in there.
What did you like?
Call me crazy, but I particularly liked how the bartender graciously informed me that mashed potatoes comes with the fried chicken when I’d originally tried to order a side of it separately. You would be amazed (or maybe not) how many times people overlook that kind of stuff.
What did you dislike?
It really is pretty cramped. Personally I don’t get why the adjacent oyster bar just isn’t more liquor bar (clearly, they need it) or why the room with the bar isn’t actually just a bar room. Liquor profits are… oh forget it never mind.
What was your last impression?
Well, I still prefer Shorty’s (up the block). Hopefully, this all works out for them too.
Would you come back?
Maybe after it settles in? Or down (?), whatever.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thanks.
* * * * *
Have you heard?
Until the release of PX Me (Summer 2011), this website will henceforth be updated only intermittently (approximately once or twice a week).
Abbe Diaz’s new (daily) blog is now at: abbediaz.com
"… Rest peacefully, my Brother, I just came back from a 3 yr long assignment in Iraq, and I dare to say that Justice has been served. Farewell, my Friend, Farewell…" – Damir [Palladium, Tunnel, Club USA]
The following is an excerpt from PX This:
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2001. 12:15PM
We got terrible news. A friend that B used to work with, “Big Keith,” is missing.
Such a nice guy, big and friendly and cute and good natured and happy. He’s a firefighter and I think nearly his entire squad is gone.
The last time I saw Big Keith was at Sugar in December, and I remember I asked him if he was still thinking about joining the fire department and he replied “I’m IN the fire department!”— so we chatted like wow how fast time flies, the last time I had seen him he was just talking about thinking about joining.
And he bought me a cup of coffee another night too and I felt weird, I wasn’t sure which was more insulting— to offer him money for it or not. I didn’t know the protocol, back at the Gatien’s nobody offered money, they just went and got it the next time.
Big Keith was in the movie The Professional and he was great in it really, even though it was a small role. He played Benny (one of the corrupt cops) and he has one awesome scene where he is standing in the hallway with his gun drawn, nervous and shaking and sweating.
Actually he is so remarkable I mentioned him in “The Ministry of Speed” too, and I guess it’s silly but I liked to imagine my film would actually get made one day and Keith could play one of the doormen and it would actually be the real him they were referring to in the dialogue. Something like that.
I remember one time Keith and I were chatting outside Naked Lunch and I was recounting to him how I’d taped The Professional on the VCR and then I realized “oh whoops you probably don’t want to hear that do you?” thinking it was bad I had videotaped it instead of paying to see it in a theatre. And eeheee he was cute he insisted “No! HBO is good, I’ll take HBO!”
And B says his wife is in denial like she just expects him to come walking in the door any second and my God who can blame her? Because he was just so big and able and strong it seemed like nothing could ever take him down.
Oh my God knock on wood but if something like that were to happen to B, I would be the exact same way, I would have to see it with my own two eyes.
It’s just not the way things are supposed to be.
B was really upset when he told me.
I remember all the funny stories he used to tell about working the door at Naked Lunch how Keith would just make him laugh and laugh all night long.
Even though B hated doorkeeping so much I know he looks back fondly and proudly because of all the good guys he knows because of it.
And even though I don’t really want to share this with those people, I feel like I want to say something to the Project Greenlighters, all those movie lovers, like they should go out and buy The Professional and tell all their friends, I just want everyone to know when they watch that movie they should look out for him and they can see how great he was and be proud for him he is such a hero.
But I am afraid it will just come out stupid or corny or something.
= "personne extraordinaire"