Thursday night, the Young Associates program at the Chelsea Art Museum held their second annual Winter Wickedness party at the museum. Keeping the party in full swing from 8 to midnight were three floors of museum mayhem, including an all-night open bar sponsored by Tanqueray Gin. The crowded first floor featured several bars and dance-inducing art projections, while artists from Sound of Art painted on the walls. The third floor offered a less hectic environment with a performance art piece featuring a homemade paint depositing machine, an art exhibition by Sobin Park, and some sweet photo ops courtesy of a shadow-casting light projector. Shannon Gulliver, the co-chair of the Young Associates program, spoke to Joonbug just before the party at CAM was getting ready to head to its after party at Marquee.  

What is the mission of the Young Associates program?

Our mission is to gather young people in the city who are enthusiastic about art in any capacity, whether they are collectors, artists, or people who don't know anything about art but want to learn a little more, and show them the art establishment in both a social and educational context.

Who do the Young Associates seek to target?

Our target it to not have a target. We want lawyers, doctors, businessmen, artists, musicians and dancers. We want everyone. We do a lot of recruiting by word of mouth, by inviting friends. We also offer discounts to students and artists, because we want everyone to be able to afford memebership.

How is the Young Associates program at the Chelsea Art Museum different from similar young adult programs at other museums?

First of all, it's more accessible because it's cheaper than many other museum memberships. I guess what separates us is that we provide very intimate settings that aren't necessarily about art. This is a huge event - there are a thousand people here and obviously it's not intimate at all. We do these types of parties several times a year, but we also offer monthly, tiny, more intimate events. Usually we'll either visit a studio, where we can speak with the artist and they show us some of their process, or we'll go to a gallery after hours and have a tour of their shows. It's very informal. For example we've taken a tour of the Guggenheim after hours, and there were only 20 of us with a curator going around the museum at night. Our goal is to be small, intimate, and make people feel comfortable talking about art, even if they don't know much about it.

What does a membership with the Young Associates provide that regular museum membership doesn't?

The Young Associates is a higher membership level, in that you get all the regular museum membership benefits, but then you also get to come to the tiny events and can attend parties like this one for free. Regular members pay to come to these parties.

Is there anything you'd like to change about the New York art scene?

I'm excited by how much happens online now. For example, there's a girl here that deals in emerging art online only, and doesn't have a gallery space at all. I think that's great, but at the same time, I don't want to see spaces get lost. I believe that having galleries, and physically being in a room with the art, is so important. So that's something that I'd really like to see preserved.

Why was the YA program started?

It was founded to bring a younger market into the museum, and get the word out about the museum. CAM is a fairly young museum; it's only 7 or 8 years old. So the founders of the museum wanted a younger crowd. One thing that's different about YA is that we are completely independent. We are not funded by the museum, we are not staffed by the museum; it's totally a volunteer organization. Luckily, we ended up bringing in a lot of revenue, mostly through these parties, but we're completely independent, and the museum pretty much lets us have free reign. One exception is that, now that our parties are so big, we're not allowed to have them when there is art on the walls. So that's why all the art tonight was curated specifically for this event. Now that the parties are so big, it's become a liability for the art. For example, for Fashion Week next week, all the walls need to be stripped. We have the entire museum to curate, which is really fun, but none of us on the board are trained as curators. So we're just going at it like art enthusiasts.

How did you get involved in the Young Associates program?

I was asked to join about 5 years ago, was when it was just a year old. I had done a master's degree in art history, and then I came back to the city and I was in medical school. Then someone who was on the Young Associates board asked me if I wanted to join. I guess they just thought I was organized and knew I had a background in art. Now this program is like my baby. I love the museum. I love the staff here. The people that run this place are amazing. Some are European, and they're really fun to work with, and all the volunteers are great. So I've just stuck with it. I'm a doctor, so I'm not working here daily, and I don't maintain my art scene connection except through YA. So for me, it's a way to stay involved with art and make it accessible for those who aren't artists or dealers or curators, but just want to understand it.

What is next for the Young Associates program?

Our next party will either be in the spring or summer, when it's warm enough to use our roof. We have an amazing rooftop that offers insane views, so when the weather is warm, we'll open the roof so the party spans all four floors. We try to bring something new in for every party. For example, this is the first time we've had graffiti artists painting on the walls, and next time we're talking about doing a sort of interactive dance thing on the roof. We need to be a little crazier each event.

You put the work of Sobin Park on your event flyer for this party. Why was this chosen to represent the Winter Wickedness event?

Sobin Park is the only currently installed artist. We were allowed to keep that show because it's on the third floor. They are gorgeous, beautiful drawings, and we're very happy to present it tonight. It's not that her work is particularly wicked at all. We started the "wickedness" theme last year. Since we were serving absinthe at the party, we were counting on things getting kind of insane. We all love this museum, but we're not involved in helping to curate the exhibits. But it's all international artists, so there aren't very many American artists in out shows. We've had a lot of East Asian and European shows, and we just had an Iranian one. This year we're doing a Native American exhibit, and although that's obviously American, it's not really mainstream American art. The Whitney is the museum of American art, right? The Chelsea Art Museum is the museum of international art.

Check out photos of the event at Guest of a Guest.

For more information on becoming a Young Associate, click here.

It's a blustery Saturday night in December and there's only one thing on my mind. Ok, maybe more than one thing, but my most pressing concern happens to be finding a hot slice of pizza. Pepperoni with black olive, to be precise. Nothing better than that. I'm in luck because I'm at Cabin Down Below, the "secret" basement bar beneath the pizzeria that has become such a popular destination for the black clad army that is the under 30 demographic of the LES. As I begin to ascend the golden stairs to pizza heaven, a hand the size of a catcher's mitt grabs my arm.

"Can't go up there, man."

"Oh, I'm just going to grab a slice real quick."

"Pizza Shop is closed."

"The Pizza Shop is WHAT?"

And so I sulk/stumble back downstairs to drown my sorrows.

Of course, this tragic story could have been avoided if I'd remembered Joonbug's last post about Cabin and its pizza slinging counterpart, but what can you do? Sometimes the urge for pizza overwhelms sense.

Anyway, there's a new tenant (popular opinion says Jesse Malin of Niagara and Bowery Electric is behind the conversion) upstairs and they're replacing the mozzarella/sauce/bread combinations of the previous tenant with burgers, oysters, alcohol, and plenty of plush booths and exposed brick. Dive bar? No. Scruffy enough to not be boring? Yes. I'd love to tell you the name of this place, but that's a little tricky since it doesn't actually have one yet. For now, feel free to either make up a name you like or just call it "that bar above the secret bar" like everyone else is doing. Now you know.

I'm not sure exactly where to start. I haven't written in a long time, and I am not sure why. It definitely isn't due to a lack of things happening. I haven't fallen into a pit of self-loathing or been sitting at home for days on end watching Rock Of Love reruns on VH1 while testing out various kinds of microwave popcorn, convinced the next one may really taste exactly like Movie Theater Popcorn...ok well the second scenario may have been true, but alas, I just haven't been inspired to write.

They say some things are better left to memory, and while I wish I could say this was the reasoning behind my absence, those that know me, and how many pictures I like to take, will call my bluff. So yeah, this blog could just be the ramblings of another flight to Los Angeles with nothing to do but try and stretch in a cramped seat and read countless gossip mags about Kim Kardashian's new bikini body and her diet secrets. If there is one thing I have learned from my years of pitiful airport consumption of trashy tabloids, it is that no diet secret actually exists and that cellulite is simply genetic. So here is Lindsay Luv's secret to dieting, one that I rarely adhere to yet feel is foolproof in theory: Stop EATING Everything. It truly is that simple. A colonic is a just an especially big shit, and diet pills are a just fancy speed. If your heart is faster than a speeding bullet or your shit is on fire, then chances are you will either die from a heart attack or sheer embarrassment.

So, I've trailed off, but I warned you that I wasn't sure where I would begin or what I had to say, and apparently that led to colonics, which is a procedure I haven't tried but can live surely live without. And all this body talk leads finally to a topic of interest which would be my recent experience as Lady Gaga's fit model. 

It is widely known that I am avid enthusiast of the wild and endangered species that is Miss Lady Gaga. In one daring fete of romantic endeavors, one of my past potential suitors went on a hot pursuit of a signed Lady Gaga CD for my wall. While our love lasted only 3 dates and endured an awkward kiss on the cheek and duck maneuver, Romeo was almost successful in his attempt to win my heart with my very own personally signed CD. He was, alas, very disappointed that I was only googoo for Gaga, so while our budding romance crashed and burned, my CD will last forever. He told me to call him and she told me to "Enjoy the Fame"...

While Romeo and I have since lost contact, my career has made a nice little climb, and I might say that I am indeed enjoying my newfound fame, even if it is simply a creepy guy from Myspace "recognizing" me at one of my DJ gigs. But hey, it's a start.

So anyways, one day I was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, hand deep inside a bag of my latest buttery delight, Pop Secret's "Homestyle" blend, thinking about how I might one day get my own show on Oxygen creatively titled "Rock of LUV," when my iPhone lit up with a message that changed the course of life as I knew it. Mike Furey, one half of hot Warner Bros record band Dangerous Muse, was curious if I would be up for meeting with Lady Gaga's head tour costume designer to stand-in as her fit model. He believed we had the same body measurements and that I would be a perfect "fit" - no pun intended. I threw the popcorn across the room in disgust. How dare I continue to savor those buttery little delights when I had the chance to be the human mannequin for the most talked about and biggest pop star today?!?! Visions of corsets, Kermit the Frog and fake blood danced in my head. I had 24 hours to meet with legendary designer Zaldy to see if I indeed would be the perfect mold for ass and titties that sold 5 hit singles to date. 

Some might say this wasn't that big of a deal. Those people would be dumb. Imagine being the fit model for Madonna or Michael Jackson for the costumes of their first solo tour, Imagine being the hand that tested out the first silver glove or the tit that held the first cone...Exactly. 

As I approached the studio, I realized I would be meeting with the same Zaldy who created LAMB alongside Gwen Stefani and was designing the costumes for Michael Jackson's last tour before his untimely death. Zaldy is one of the top names for cutting edge design, and also the head designer for Gaga's first solo tour. As I entered the stark white room, with one big wooden table full of fabric slabs and a wall filled with thousands of inspiration magazine cutouts, I realized I was about to be part of history. This was not the time to be shy, so with everyone eagerly looking at me to remove my clothes I realized I should've been running all these months instead of contemplating Brett Michael's mullet. I threw my shirt to the floor and let the design team drape me in corsets and measuring tape. Phrases like "You have a 26 inch waist and Lady Gaga has 25" were thrown around and I was a little bit surprised when they even measured my ankles. I felt like fashion cattle. I was pretty darn close and was proud of my ability to hold my breath without dying in a corset when, just as I was feeling ready to take on a new side job as Lady Gaga's fit model, they had me remove my heels and exclaimed, "Wait, you are too tall!"

Damn you, Dad, and all the tall people in my family who have cursed me with this 5'6" frame! How dare they? All my life I had wanted to reach my full capacity of 5'9" as predicted by my pediatrician and wondered why God wouldn't let me reach my full potential, and here I was in one minute cursing my mere towering frame to the tiny miss Gaga. The corset was ripped from my chest and suddenly I felt like I just had a one night stand and was rushing to grab my stuff off the floor and escape without any awkward goodbyes. At least that's the way it looks in the movies, I wouldn't know.

I threw on my clothes as the design team lamented how they thought "I was going to be perfect" and ushered me to the door. Later that night, I received a text message from Mike Furey simply saying, "You are special, be glad you are no one else's mold."

And as I sat with a half smile on my face and a freshly popped bag of Newman's Own Ultra Butter, I looked up at Gaga's signed CD on my wall and told her, "I will enjoy my fame, it's all mine, and there is a better view up here."

What walks like a Macbook, jams like and iPod, smells like uh, no news on how it smells, starts at $499, and looks like a giant iPhone? That would be the iPad, Apple's effort to bridge the gap between the smart phone and the laptop.

With its focus on graphics, multimedia, and wi-fi connectivity, the touch screen device is intended to become the premier way to navigate the increasingly multimedia web experience. From the demo videos floating around, the multi-touch screen seems well suited to that task. On top of that, a 10 hour battery life makes the device supremely mobile. The large HD display lends the device to gaming and ebooks, two things that Apple has had its sights on for awhile now.

Not everyone was thrilled with the announcement. #iTampon and #iMaxipad quickly became two of the most popular tags on Twitter. Most of the negative reaction seems to stem from the fact that many of the primary features of the iPad would seem pretty familiar to anyone that's used an iPhone or iPod Touch, leading to questions about just how "revolutionary" the new device is. Unconfirmed Flash support and the omission of a multi-tasking feature have also raised eyebrows (see Spock above).

Once the public gets their hands on the device, plays around with it awhile, and gets to make up their own minds, the fate of the iPad will become clearer. If nothing else, this is a powerful demonstartion of a new type of device that nobody knew they needed yet. Some may still need a bit more convincing.

Bar Seven Five
72 Wall Street
Andaz Hotel
New York, NY 10005
(212) 590-1234

With a seasonal cocktail menu that's heavy on style, not to mention Scotch, Bar Seven Five is already carving out a niche for itself in the Financial District. This is by no means your standard hotel bar.

Clusters of bare tungsten bulbs hung from the ceiling bring out the hues of the wood-paneled walls, lending a sense of warmth to the bar's modern design. Instead of a standard long bar, the pros at Alchemy Consulting opted for several smaller bars, avoiding the all-too-common traffic jam effect [insert Wall Street/Ayn Rand/rat race joke here] that plagues more traditional layouts. There's also ample room for cocktail carts to make the rounds, delivering drinks, cheese plates, shepherd's pies, and other assorted delicacies. The signature 57 Smash (applejack, maple syrup, bitters, mint, lemon and just the right amount of ice) rounds out an impressive cocktail list that is traditional, but full of surprises designed to impress.

Ever left your credit card at the bar? Of course not. Well for that friend of yours that's always doing that, the makers of the TabbedOut app want to help.

This new app is poised to change the way you pay for drinks. The application syncs up directly with the computer system at the participating bar or restaurant you're patronizing, making it possible to view your bill, pay, and tip through your phone. How handy is that? Still in its testing stages, the app isn't available in NYC quite yet. Yet. But this means we can all look forward to a future free of squinting at faintly printed receipts in dim bar light. Progress, indeed.

This Sunday upwards of 1,000 people will board the subway, look around, and quietly remove their pants. No, this isn't the annual March of the Perverts (that's the next Sunday), it's the 9th Annual No Pants Subway Ride. Doubling as social experiment and chance for hilarity, this event has become a January tradition for many, with attendance increasing exponentially each year.

This event is organized by Improv Everywhere, which you may remember from I Love Lunch! The Musical, and they have been so kind as to set up meeting points and a list of guidelines to ensure you have both a safe and fun pantsless ride. Be sure to read them, if you plan on attending. They've really put alot of thought into riding the subway sans pants. After the success of last year's event, they're expecting this to be the biggest year ever, even though the temperature might not rise above freezing. That's true dedication.

2009 was a banner year for buzzwords. After 365 days of "tweeting," "Obamacising" (?) "sexting," and "bromancing," the word police at Lake Superior University (I've totally heard of it before, too) concocted a list of popular words and phrases from 2009 they would like to eliminate from the common lexicon.

The words and phrases that inspired their ire seem split evenly among bro talk ("chillaxin"), brand coding ("app"), and the economic crisis ("toxic assets"). The use of "friend" as a verb also made the list. I appreciate the sentiment, but "befriended" just doesn't have the same ring to it. Notable nominations for the chopping block from last year include "maverick," appending the work monkey to the end of an internet screen name, and... "first dude." That one may be a Michigan thing. Who knows?

It goes without saying that unlike most of the word banning crusades of the last few years, this list is mainly for giggles, so Orwellian watchdogs, the purposefully offensive, and middle schoolers shouldn't be worried. There's no predicting what new nonsense words 2010 will bring. In the mean time, you might try adopting an old word that's fallen out of use. You never know, it could become the next "green."

Tradition can be used to hide many things. Chief among them is madness. Every Sunday from November through April, the thick-skinned individuals of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club take to the sea in search of... cold water. They find plenty.

This New Year's Day, this intrepid group is inviting the public to join them in raising support for Camp Sunshine, an organization devoted to supporting children with life threatening diseases. Swimming starts at 1 PM, but participants and observers are encouraged to arrive early. Directions can be found here.

Asked about tips for first timers, one Polar Bear said, "It's a unique rush; hard to explain, but very cold. I take cold showers for a few days before to get myself ready. It'll make you forget about your hangover."

Susannah Perlman and her troop of international (as far reaching as Canada) Jews hit the boards at the Bleecker Street Theater this Christmas for a rendition of their 7-year running play "Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad."

Before we discuss the play, we must discuss the notion of a nice Jewish girl gone bad. This could be so many things. Perhaps a girl who finally lost her matzah balls, or one too dosed up on valium? I thought perhaps it could refer to that period in most Jewish girls' lives when they subtly, yet irrevocably morph from sweet, lovely and well-mannered to unhinged, constantly in need of attention and validation, drama-loving women. Rumor has it, the proceeds from Perlman's play are currently funding research to ascertain which strand of DNA causes this transformation, and to remove it for the sake of future generations.

The play itself is as brief as most Jewish coital episodes, with a running time of only 80 minutes (and no intervals). Susannah Perlman dominates the performance with her own sarcastic, sharp-witted views on the quirks and oddities that pepper the Jewish religion.

While the play's introduction promises a performance that, like many schools these days, can be accepted by a multi-faith audience, I feel this claim is unsubstantiated. Perlman does her best to integrate her take on Judaism with a possibly non-Jewish audience, but the message throughout is to address the difficulties of living as a Jew in today's society, searching for their identity. The play seems stuck between a rock and a hard place. The perfect audience is the late 20s to mid 30s Jewish audience, a demographic with a typical ‘been there, done that, tagged it' attitude, and who are notoriously difficult to impress. The performance I saw, while definitely wacky, entertaining and colorful, was somewhat let down by an uninspired audience.

This is not an off-Broadway show, nor is it even an off-off-Broadway show, yet it is entertaining and amusing. Credit must also be given not only for Susannah's epic choice of costumes, but the speed and frequency with which she circulates through them.

I leave you with a tantalizing teaser: never have Jews, pasties, and Velcro stitching ever been combined to such wonderful success.

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings of my last quarter of college, you could find me slumped in my chair, glowering, and thoroughly hating every moment of the Philosophy of Language class I was forced to take. And if it weren't for unlimited text messaging, I don't think I could have made it through. Without fail, I'd spend each class texting different friends, telling them to meet me at the campus pub after class. (So what if it was only 11:30am. That's what campus pubs are for). The ability to communicate silently, thumbs clicking away under my desk or behind my stack of books, kept me sane throughout my professor's infuriating discourse on the dialectical tension between Wittgenstein and Bleak House. Text messaging is an invaluable tool that, for this reason alone, I'm forever grateful for. Now, TellMyCell is taking advantage of the popularity of, and people's reliance on, text messaging.

More and more, SMS Marketing helps clubs, bars, and restaurants get the word out about upcoming events. Mobile coupons build customer loyalty and last minute, instantly sent and delivered text message blasts can bring in patrons on slow night.

A lot of companies offer text message marketing services, but we really like what TellMyCell has to offer. They call themselves ‘The Mobile Marketing Company' and we agree. If you own a bar, restaurant, club, or any other business you need to check out their SMS marketing solutions.

Since coming to the United States in 1992 and revolutionizing the New York City nightlife scene with the legendary Tuesday Baby Tuesday party, Alon Jibli has been one of the most influential people in the industry for almost twenty years. Unlike too many people in his profession, Jibli stands out as a genuinely nice and gracious guy in a sea of sleazy promoters. We split a delicious asparagus and mushroom pizza, a favorite item at his latest business venture, Barbounia (and "very bad for his diet"), and spoke about the ins and outs of New York nightlife and his plans for the future.

A member of the club scene since the age of 15, Jibli quickly learned the ropes and began running nightclubs by the time he turned 18. He moved to New York City when he was 21 and began promoting for Tatou. "What brought me here is what's been bringing everybody here for the last 300 years," he says, "the American dream." Like many people who come to New York City for the first time, Jibli was overwhelmed by the city's sheer size: "I thought New York was too big. Massive. Fast and big." Most of us can relate.

But despite New York's titanic size and speed, Jibli has called the city home for close to 20 years. "The best thing about New York is the fact that you can be anybody you want to be, regardless of color, sex, or religion, and be accepted. I think it's the only city in the world that you can be really comfortable with whoever you are." It's a reminder that although it's relatively easy to feel alienated in a city like New York, everyone has a niche here. It's a place where, literally, there's something for everyone. "It's only a matter of crossing a bridge or tunnel that everything changes all of a sudden, and you won't be accepted for who you are," Jibli explains. "The whole city was built by immigrants and is constantly being driven by combinations of locals and immigrants. It's amazing that everybody can be comfortable."

Even though he was a newcomer in a different country and culture (and living in one of the biggest, busiest cities in the world, no less), Jibli got straight to work. He spent four years (quite a long time, actually, for the nightlife industry) at Tatou working tirelessly on Tuesday Baby Tuesday, a weeknight party that's still going strong 17 years after it began, making it one of the most successful and long-running parties in New York. These days, it's at Marquee. "Rain or shine," Jibli says, "we have hundreds of people in the club. Anywhere from 500 to 800 people." Quite an accomplishment, especially for a Tuesday night. But Jibli saw Tuesdays as both a challenge and an opportunity for big business. "I think one of the reasons why it became so successful is the fact that no one really wanted to deal with doing something on a Tuesday night. It's a very difficult night to produce." Jibli also attributes the success of Tuesday Baby Tuesday to "a combination of a little bit of everything. Hard work. And you had people from all walks of life coming together. A little bit from the fashion industry and a little bit from entertainment. A little bit of young folks coming from colleges...It was everything that came together and made perfect sense."

Despite the ongoing popularity of Tuesday Baby Tuesday, Jibli believes that the nightlife scene in New York has taken a turn for the worse since the 90s. "New York in the 90s was what nightlife should be," he says. "It was fun. There was no bottle service. It was very real. It was about pleasing the customer in terms of entertainment. The appearance of bottle service, which actually improved nightlife in terms of income, kind of changed the attitude. It wasn't about quality or the customer any more. A customer was only valued based on how much money was in their pocket. So it made the club a pretty boring place in terms of nightlife. It was very awkward."

I read once that Mark "the godfather" Baker had called promoting an "art form." I asked Jibli for his thoughts on the comment, and while he did say "he's probably right," he was much more effusive about the man himself. "I love Mark," he said. "When I moved to the country almost 20 years ago, he was my role model. He's probably the nicest, most elegant person in the industry. He will treat you, no matter who you are, with nothing but respect." His approbation of Baker aside, Jibli is generally disillusioned with most people in the entertainment industry, saying "I don't admire people in our industry, although I think some of my friends in the industry are brilliant people. Scientists and people who spend their entire day, for literally no money, trying find a cure for disease, or people that spend most of their day volunteering; those are the people I admire. I don't admire people like me."

His feelings toward the current club scene being what they are, he warns those aspiring to become promoters about the perils of jumping headfirst into the industry. "Don't start," he advises. However, Jibli is every bit appreciative of the platform that promoting has given him, and the opportunities and friendships that have come his way as a result. "Take it as a business. It's not a matter of having fun, it's a matter of running a business. Promoting is an amazing stage because you get to know so many people, and you can promote yourself and learn to do other things in the business. For example, I have a restaurant. And I'm building another restaurant. And I'm talking to people about starting a consulting company. I would not be able to do all this if I were not a promoter.  Even as a restaurant owner, or a consulting company owner, I'm still a promoter. I'm always going to be a promoter. I don't think you can succeed in life without the ability to promote yourself and your business."

While one might think that promulgating typically hedonistic clubs and events probably isn't the most morally edifying profession, he speaks sincerely about its rewards. Jibli is both grateful for and humbled by the love and support that he has received from the friends he's made throughout his career. Such support has enabled him to "open a business such as Barbounia. I told everybody that I opened a restaurant, and so many people were so supportive. To see that you've made all these connections throughout the years and that you've met so many people from all walks of life...You'd been nice to them once or twice and they've never stopped giving back to you. It's really beautiful to see happen, and I'm nothing but thankful to all the people that have supported me and Barbounia and many other things that I've done. It brings me so much joy."

As for Barbounia, the charmingly chic and impressively sweeping pan-Mediterranean restaurant in Flatiron, Jibli's enthusiasm for it is almost preciously apparent. "The opportunity [to get involved] came my way about a year ago. I loved the room, and I had really wanted to work with [Executive Chef Efraim Naon] for some time." Chef Naon is the first Israeli chef in New York City to be awarded 2 stars by the New York Times, "a massive achievement," as Jibli puts it. "He is definitely the most gifted chef that I've come across in my life. I knew that I could bring a lot of people into the restaurant, but what brings them back is the quality of the food and the service." His philosophy as a restaurateur revolves around the customer's experience: "You have to be in your restaurant. You have to be in touch with your customers. They're your friends."

Barbounia, named for the small red mullet fish known for being one of the best tasting fish in the sea, offers diners a menu that takes "a little bit from everywhere: Turkey, Greece, Morocco, France, Israel, and Italy," Chef Naon says. The restaurant serves barbounia "sometimes, when it's available. But it's difficult to find, they're really small. The big ones you can find, but we won't eat those. We're trying to stay authentic."

Barbounia's success and Jibli's entrepreneurial instinct are keeping him busier than ever and looking for new ways to expand his business. In addition to the aforementioned consulting company, Jibli says that he is working on another restaurant for summer 2010. "I'm working with my partnership [at Barbounia]. We're looking at a spot on the Lower East Side, which we believe is an amazing area." Also, "if I can get the right location, and a bit more time on my hands, I'm thinking of doing a club. But extremely different from what New York has to offer now." If all goes as planned, Jibli will be able to transport NYC club goers back to a better time; specifically, back to the 90s. Jibli is also exploring scenes and neighborhoods across the bridge: "There are plenty of things going on in Brooklyn and Williamsburg. I went to a loft party a month ago in Williamsburg. I don't know where but it was, but it was probably the best party I've been to in the last 6 months, the best scene I've seen under one roof in a long long time."

Jibli likes to start his day with "a little bit of water,a double cappuccino, and little bit of House music to wake [him] up." And although I expected his (or any promoter's) personal soundtrack to consist mainly of the latest House tracks, he "hasn't stopped listening to Pink Floyd for the last 35 years. Pink Floyd is in a league of its own. Everything else is just there." When he's not working (which is a very, very rare occurrence), Jibli is most likely either asleep or performing his routine one hour of cardio per day. On a recent trip to Australia, where his cell phone was conveniently out of commission, Jibli finally had the opportunity to relax. He finished In The Blink Of An Eye, which he says "has been sitting on my shelf for I think three years now. I read it on the airplane back from Australia. I find a bit of a truth in his theory. But it's arguable." He also went to see Inglourious Basterds, but "really did not like it."

Jibli knows that New Year's Eve, despite the hype, isn't really about tables or bottle service, but the people you spend it with. This year, he's going to be celebrating at one of his favorite spots in the city: his own restaurant. "We are having 2 seatings. The second is at 8:30, and we're having an after party at 11. At 11 I'll probably have more friends with me, like a couple of hundred of my friends that have ended up staying in the city. And we're going to have a party until 3 or 4." Wherever 2010 takes him, we're sure Jibli is going to be doing what he does best: bringing people together for a good time.

Photos courtesy of Barbounia.com

Eamon Harkin and Justin Carter aren't having any problem keeping themselves occupied these days. Their parties, Mr. Saturday Night (featuring "consistently epic" guest DJs) and Sunday Best (on hold ‘til warmer weather rolls around), have gone beyond simple popular dance parties, to become events that people plan their whole weekend around. Meanwhile, New Release, their blog of sorts, has quietly become somewhat of a to do list for those in the know. I was lucky enough to grab these two for a few questions about their upcoming New Year's Eve party.

Joonbug: Obviously, you guys know how to keep a weekly party fresh. Have you been saving anything special for New Year's Eve at the Market Hotel?

Justin: Well, beyond the fact that we're running an open bar all night, we're keeping things as we normally keep them at Mister Saturday Night. We'll probably do a countdown or something, but really, I feel like New Year's Eve gets too much pomp and circumstance sometimes, and the best parties I've ever been a part of on New Year's were good because they were good -- not because of something specifically New Year's related. That's not to say we won't make it special -- we're hosting Omar S, playing really good music ourselves, using our full Turbosound sound system and stocking the bar with drinks that are made with quality -- it's just to say that we try to make every one of our parties special.

Eamon: We're actually trying to make New Years Eve really simple for our audience this year. A very affordable ticket gets you a great party, with one of the world's best DJs and a full open bar. You really can't do much better than that!

Is there a New Year's Eve that stands out in your memory or lackthereof?

J: The first New Year's Eve party I ever threw was probably my favorite. It was at Asterisk, a now gone Brooklyn spot where I threw my first loft parties. I think it was 2004 going into 2005, and we had a few bands on the bill. I think Kudu, The Epochs and a few others. Roy Dank and Brennan Green played in the back room, I played in the front room, and there was free beer for everyone who came, and it was just generally a big, crazy party.

E: A couple of years ago I played a 5 hour set in the basement of 205. It was packed and, strangely for NYE, felt very spontaneous. It was the only time I played there and I had a blast.

2009, a good year for New Release and its various incarnations. Any grand visions for 2010? The new decade in general?

J: 2009 was really our first year! I mean, I started writing the New Release Weekly Selections (the one about events going on every week in New York) about five years ago, and Eamon and I have both been doing events and DJing for a while now; but this was the first year that Eamon and I worked together constantly as a team, and it was the year that we gave a lot of our past endeavors real focus and direction. As an individual it's really nice to step back and see that the partnership has taken me forward. There are a lot of ideas floating around up there, but without the right partner, those ideas often don't take shape, and with Eamon, things really have gelled.

As for the future, there are lots of grand ideas that we have cooking. But for right now, Mister Saturday Night, Sunday Best and our Weekly Selections will keep us plenty busy.

E: We're delighted with the success of Mister Saturday Night and Sunday Best in 2009 and New Release is really finding it's voice as a credible music editorial site now. We plan to build those brands in 2010 and to continue to challenge ourselves and do new things. Justin and I have really hit our stride as a DJ pairing, which I'm really happy about. We definitely want to build on that and find some time to do gigs in Europe and throughout the US. I also have some productions coming out with my production partner Steve Raney, which I'll be happy to see get released.

Sunday: traditionally a day of rest and contemplation. According to Steve Aoki and Hornitos Tequila, that might not cut it anymore. With some help from Jesse Marco and Holy Ghost!, this crew transformed Sunday at the Bowery Ballroom  into a Friday night. Neither Chris Tucker nor Ice Cube were in attendance, except perhaps in spirit.

Friday, like the movie. See what I did there? Remember 1995, anyone? Hm, ok then, moving on.

The Times Square New Year's Eve Ball was also in attendance, wowing revellers. No, I'm not kidding. It was there. Here's Party video. I wouldn't lie to you. New York New Year's Eve can't come soon enough.

Photos courtesty of Marion Curtis/Startrak

There’s no denying it, New Yorkers are a cynical bunch. What is a child to do after seeing thousands upon thousands of the inebriated and dejected masqueraders roaming the streets dressed in ironic Santa suits? So it’s no surprise that one of childhood’s greatest heroes, the venerable Santa Claus, is always heart wrenchingly ripped away at an early age from the children of this fine city.

A comic lecture by Jamie Hooks entitled, “Beyond Belief: A Philosophical Proof of Santa Claus” hopes to be one of the few revelatory sessions hashing out all possible truths behind Santa in organized discussion. The lecture is part of the Open City Dialogue series of short lectures held at Pete’s Candy Store bi-monthly on 709 Lorimer St. at 7:30pm.

It is claimed that by the end of the lecture, “we will prove the existence of Santa Claus in a non-denominational passion play for the disbeliever.” I’m not entirely sure what that means, but it sounds like a fun time when coupled with the proposition of craft beers in hand and straddling hipsters ready to argue the depths of existential existence.

GROOVALOO is a dance theater performance currently being held at the Union Square Theater at 100 E 17th street. But that simply signifies where it is, what Groovaloo means is an entirely different matter. In essence it is a dance troupe, a hodgepodge of dancers from different backgrounds, both in their personalities and technical styles.

The performance of Groovaloo tracks the lives of the performers, letting the audience see into the hearts and minds of these dancers, most often revolving around how they found the stage. These stories display the courage to pursue a creative lifestyle, even if their families said it was a foolish choice.

A prime example is co-creator Bradley “Shooz” Rapier’s story. He was in medical school when he won first place in a talent competition in Canada, and had to make a choice, doctor or dancer. Another prevalent character, Al Star, played by Caity Lotz in the performance this past Sunday, is a former ballet dancer that couldn’t break free of routine and improvise. Her character in the show is someone who loves dance but is scared of not knowing what to do.

Often a sense of personal empowerment could be felt through the dancer's exotic and precise movements. The Groovaloos threaded intricate seat pieces with other dance numbers that appeared improvised. While the more structured sections have the voiceover stories, it is often in the dancer’s freestyle moments that why they chose a life of dance is most apparent.

In 1999 the Groovaloos were created by dancer/choreographer, Rapier, and with the help of director/co-creator, Danny Cistone, this show based on their lives was born. At first a loose collection of freestyle dancers, the Grooveloos vast accomplishments in all aspects of dancing and acting have pushed the troupe to the forefront of freestyle dance. Charlie “Vzion” Schmidt, who delivered the spoken-word portions in the show, has danced with Michael Jackson, Usher, and as an Ipod dancer. Teresa “Rag Doll” Espinosa has choreographed for Missy Eliot, Rihanna, and Miley Cyrus. These are just a few examples of the troupe’s impressive body of work.

Another persistent theme in the show revolves around the older dancer, Steven “Boogieman” Stanton who dances across the stage with a cane for most of the performance. Stanton was a innocent bystander shot in the back at a nightclub shootout. He was told he might never walk again. Stanton struggles to reclaim movement, and his ultimate victory over adversity bookends the performance.

As a theater performance about dance, Groovaloo was spectacular. Every number, and there were 29 of them, was perfectly executed. From an assembly line of metal-face robots pulling one dancer into the world of routines, to two dancers looking through a mock mirror and portraying each other with near perfection. The performer’s natural skill pulsates in every set piece in the show, and the mashup beats and mixes are all fitting and well integrated.

How much a viewer enjoys Groovaloo really depends on one’s expectations before walking through the door. If you love the b-boy culture, freestyle dance, and hip hop, then this show is a must see. It contains moments of genius at every turn, and never feels repetitive for the entirety of the show. However, if you walk in expecting a complicated story with twisting drama, you may be disappointed. Every story the characters told are of reality, these are the stories of the performers lives. When they are shown through dance with a voice-over spoken narrative they can feel one-dimensional. What the stories do excellently however is allow the performers to put their lives on display with the movements of their bodies, and the audience can feel the sincerity behind each story of progression, acceptance, and courage.

Groovaloo is playing regularly through Jan. 3rd. Tickets can be purchased here. The troupe will also be performing as a special guest on FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance on Dec 16th.

The finest in neighborhood bloggery, Fucked In Park Slope, is co-hosting its second Meatup this Wednesday with partner Brooklyn Based. Held at the Bell House in Brooklyn, it's a Naughty Holiday Office Party for singles that promises free massages, hot Santas, an hour of free drinks, and ultimately an opportunity to get laid. What the heck is a Meatup? And who's going to be there? Joonbug spoke with Erica from FIPS to get the inside scoop on the party.

A Meatup is a combination of a meat market and a meet up.  For those of us that can't muster the social fortitude it takes to brave the NYC club scene on a Saturday night, the Meatup is a singles event the likes of which you've never seen. Following the success of their first Meatup in October (featuring a very successful wet t-shirt contest), FIPS is cordially inviting "all of your single-n-ready to mingle asses" to their Naughty Holiday Office Party to have a go at finding true love, hooking up, or just making new friends. But before you start raising the hem on your pencil skirt, here's what you can expect from the Meatup.

The Meatup is for those of us who are disenchanted with the lame/awkward/excruciating traditional singles events and are looking for another "fun alternative way to meet other people." Erica hopes that the Meatup is a "more casual event for likeminded singles to meet each other," and if their widespread requests for naughty photocopies to decorate the party are any indication of what's to come, the Meatup is an event for singles unlike any other that you've probably been to.

Unlike a lot of other neighborhoods, Park Slope is affected by a particularly high prevalence of families. In a land where baby slings, strollers, and wedding rings abound, singles in Park Slope often encounter difficulty trying to meet each other. However, Erica believes diversity is on its way to the neighborhood. "It's a unique neighborhood in that there's a couple different things going on," she says "The family theme is super duper prevalent here, but a lot of people are moving into the neighborhood. There's restaurants, shops, Prospect Park...More and more people are moving in, different sorts of people and couples." And FIPS is playing a big role in the development of the changing scene.

The idea for the Meatup comes from a comment left on one of their blog posts. Erica tells me that the comment came from a lamenting single from Park Slope who, despite living in a fabulous neighborhood, was frustrated by the difficulty of meeting other single people in such a family-oriented neighborhood. So FIPS set out to "start getting all these people together" and provide them with a "fun easy means of hooking up with other people." FIPS knows that people come to a singles event looking for a lot of different things. "Not everyone is looking for a long term relationship," says Erica. "Some are literally looking to hook up." And Brooklyn, being the haven for smart, interesting, good-looking people that it is, is a great place to start.

What: The BK Holiday Meatup
Where: The Bell House
              147 7th St.
              Brooklyn, NY 11215
When: Wednesday, Dec 9
            7pm
Price: $10 advance, $15 at door

Theatre 80 St. Marks

East Village
80 St. Marks Place
New York, NY 10003
(212) 353-3321
theatre80stmarks.com

Call them movies, flickers, кино, or whatever--they’re back at Theatre 80 St. Marks. Director Julian Kheel’s Brooklyn Heist marks the return of film to this well loved East Village venue. Well, not exactly film per se. Rear projectors have been replaced by a HD digital projector mounted on the ceiling. Celluloid die-hards take heart, vintage projection equipment on display in the lobby is available for gawking purposes.

Over the years, Theater 80 has done well for itself by keeping with the times. This space has transitioned from speakeasy (we’re not talking the kind beneath a pizzeria here), to theater, to movie house, and back to theater again. Following the departure of the successful Pearl Theatre Company last summer, the fate of this storied venue was in question. Owner Lorcan Otlay, son of previous owner and jack of all trades Howard Otlay, eventually stepped in, yielding the mixed used space that exists today.

Lorcan Otlay takes obvious pride in his theater. He should. After all, he and his dad are the ones who dug out the basement with shovels, creating the space for the theater itself. In a time when independent theaters of both the film and stage varieties are closing their doors, the perseverance of this family run theater is truly an amazing thing. Schmaltzy? For sure, but once you tuck yourself into one of those red velvet seats, you'll start to get the idea.

Brooklyn Fire Proof
119 Ingraham St
(at Porter Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11237
(718) 456-7570

In addition to a schedule of weekly community events, Brooklyn Fire Proof is doing its part to distract the huddled dwellers of Brooklyn from the grim prospect of winter by throwing a birthday party for everyone’s favorite jolly, irresponsible philosophers. That’s right, next Friday night (December 18th) is a special celebration of Sagittarians. Oh don't worry, all signs are invited to partake of the $1 whiskey shots and birthday cake. This is planned to be a monthly event, which means Capricorns are up next time. All you Scorpios will have to wait another 11 months for your turn to come around, but don’t feel too beat up about it. Who wants to get another year older, anyway? Only 20 year olds.

As one of Brooklyn's pioneering cultural powerhouses, Brooklyn Fire Proof is no stranger to a little DIY spirit. That’s why they’re inviting one and all to come craft their hearts out every Wednesday at their café/bar space. It’s a great chance to work on that tea cozy you’ve been knitting for the last four months, rebind that journal you keep losing pages out of, or work on a few holiday knick knacks for your loved ones. $4 Hot Toddys and $1 whiskey shots are sure to keep the creativity flowing. Just be careful with those knitting needles.

Oh, you don’t know what crafting is? Crafting is what happens whenever you make something. Broad definition, I know, but this goes way beyond macaroni art. Crafting can be jewelry making, stencil making, drawing, painting, making fancy paper bags to ripen avocados in, or yes, almost anything. It’s a good outlet for creativity, actually useful, and hey, it’s a lot of fun. If nothing else, you can learn by watching and bring your inspiration back again next week. Happy crafting! Please leave the power tools at home.