OYE! John Varvatos' Bowery Store.

Now admittedly, I haven't set foot in New York City since I left there 5 years ago, So I have no idea how long it's actually been open, but the other day, while I was getting my weekly fashion lesson from the Jedi Master of Fashion bloggers, Fashion Sensi, this caught my eye. I had heard about the legal battle being waged by thew owners of the legendary punk nightclub, CBGB's to keep their venue. The landlord wanted them out move in tenants that were more in line with the gentrified Bowery developers had envisioned.

I had heard last year they lost their court battle and were given the heave-ho, sadly. What I didn't know until Fashion Sensei posted this bit of information was that John Varvatos open a boutique at the historic address. Flashback: in 1994, while I was a hotshot New York nightlife promotor, my office was around the corner from CB's on King St. between 3rd & Bowery. Never in my life could I have imagined the punk rockers, winos and homeless of Bowery would give way to fashionistas.

I'm sure the two flop houses, heroin spot and bodega that smelled like cat litter which used to be next door are all gone as well. I have a feeling that would be something of an uneasy mix. In any case, as I have said time and time again, if you want a lesson on what's cool in the fashion world check out Fashion Sensei. While you're there you can read more on the Varvatos shop, it's worth a read and I don't want to spoil the reading experience.

Fashion Sensei.

Jay-Z And Beyonce Get Married.

People.com, MTV and TMZ are all reporting that Jay-Z and Beyonce got married yesterday. Finally. After approximately two years of rumors and hearsay they couple are finally Mr. & Mrs. Carter, tying the knot before a small group of family and friends under a tent on the roof of their Manhattan residence. Further adding to the speculation, People.com said DJ Cassidy, who reportedly played the reception, let it fly a week ago that he was "really excited" about Jay-Z and Beyonce's impending wedding.

The super-private couple even tried to throw fans & media off their trail by writing songs and verses about their break-up, see Lost One from Jay-Z if you don't know. On Tuesday, April Fool's Day, they got a marriage license in Scarsdale NY., by sunrise Friday morning a tent was up on their building's roof and then Jay-Z's mom showed up, as did Beyonce's family, Chris Martin & Gwenyth Paltrow, KanYe West and Beyonce's former Destiny's Child bandmates, Kelly Rowland & Michelle Williams.

Presumably, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were there since N.E.R.D. has been in New York all week and Jay-Z's protege, Rihanna, since they are a very tight knit group. Pictures of flowers, 5,000 wild orchids imported from Thailand, AV equipment and candelabras showing up also appear on the people.com website. TMZ has photographs of the waitstaff on the roof of the building as well as of Beyonce's parents arriving at the Tribeca residence of the two pop music icons and right now MTV is reporting the wedding news on-air.

Fists Fly on The Set of N.E.R.D. Video Shoot.

Things got rough when a fight broke out during the video shoot for N.E.R.D.'s new single "Everybody Nose" this week in New York City. The video co-stars Lindsey Lohan and Kanye West, neither of whom were around when cats started throwing blows.

The new N.E.R.D. long play, Seeing Sounds is due out later this month and is the long awaited follow up to their huge sophomore release, Fly of Die which featured ?uestlove from The Roots, Lenny Kravitz and the Madden brothers from Good Charlotte, an array of guests as diverse as The Neptunes sound.

Guys started wildin' out at around 9:30PM, according to a report on MTV, and it involved two extras who apparently, just weren't getting along while the video was being filmed on location inside the Madison Club. Yet another bourgeois manhattan nightclub. One of the props broke, one of the brawlers got cut and needed medical attention.

Fortunately, none of the band members were hurt, which may have resulted in them missing some dates on the Glow In The Dark Tour which, beside N.E.R.D., features Kanye West, Rihanna and Lupe Fiasco. That would have been a very bad thing.

Harold Hunter: Two years Gone, Not Forgotten.

When we met, Harold was a 16 years old Skater who lived with a relative three blocks from my East Village apartment. Over the years we had many little urban, nightlife adventures together. He put a lot of trust in me and I feel that as a friend I proved worthy of his trust. We drifted in different directions a bit later on but frequently crossed paths on the lower east side. Strangely, one of my last nights in New York City, I ran into Harold and then later, his Kids co-star, Chloe Sevigny about 20 minutes later.

When I left New York City I knew he wasn’t in a good place but I always held out hope for him. When a mutual friend hit me on myspace and told me of his sudden death in ‘06, I was stunned. The scene stealer from Kids did a lot, seen a lot and traveled coast-to-coast in his short life. He inspired thousands of young skateboarders, had a clothing line, a skateboards line and fans around the globe. His viewing lasted 5 days. He was loved that much. Two years gone but not forgotten, rest in peace Harold.

Primal parties.

This is another small glimpse into my nightlife past. After my bit as a doorman at New York nightclubs like The Limelight, The Bank, The Palladium, Webster Hall and The Pyramid, I decided to start throwing parties instead of just working for people that threw them. The first party I ever threw was a one-off. It was an after hours on a rooftop in midtown, about four blocks south of Macy’s; Primal was my first weekly and although I never made much doing it, it will always be close to my heart. I had no clue, really, what I was doing. I was ignorant, innocent and blissful. I started Primal in a little bar in the East Village close to the NYU & Parson’s dorms. Probably the only smart thing I did back then. Eventually, we got to move it into the back room at Limelight. After that, as a promoter I started to, as they say, blow up. At that point, the innocence would forever fade away.

Baby Phat/Kimora lee Simmons New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2008-09.

I think Kimora Lee Simmons’ Men & Women’s wear show during New York Fashion week was very impressive. The former Karl Lagerfeld model and current ex wife of music & fashion mogul Russell Simmons, took her inspiration from 1930s & 40s Hollywood, infusing her lines with a classic sense of style and glamour. Check this out.

Natural Selection Speed Date II: Sugar Mamas and Boy Toys.

What is this world coming to? We have all heard of Speed Dating parties. Basically, a live action match.com session for professionals who don’t do the internet. On the one hand it’s kinda cool because people can’t B.S. you. You know how women say stuff like “I’m full figured” when they mean I’m bigger than Mo’Nique Imes or us guys say stuff like “I’m rich and successful”, when in reality, we drive an ‘87 Ford and flip burgers. Nothing against big girls, flipping burgers or ‘87 Fords (well… there’s actually not a lot of good that can be said about an ‘87 ford), but you get my point, people tend to camouflage whatever perceived flaws the have on cyberspace.

So that’s why we have speed dating in the world. Enter Jeremy Abelson of Pocket Change. Mr. Abelson has been throwing, and taking a lot of heat for, his Natural Selection Speed Date: Rich Guys & Hot Girls events that pair wealthy geezers with Supermodel-type gold diggers. I mean wealthy like “Forbes list” wealthy. Old guys sitting on millions who dream of sticking it to Scarlett Johansson. Hey, this type of thing happens all the time, just look at Jack Nicholson or the President of France.

Exactly what I’m talking about. I mean, we even have ish like The Millionaire Matchmaker on TV (which I am simultaneously addicted to and repulsed by). There’s just no two ways about it, if you’re a rich guy, culturally speaking, it’s alright for you to do a woman half your age. Double standard? No question.

Now I can’t say if it’s in the essence of fair play or that he realizes he can double his money, but Mr. Abelson has turned the tables. He’s holding a Natural Selection Speed Date II: Sugar mamas and Boy Toys event to pair rich broads how are probably the divorced wives of his male clients, with guys that are just one bad break away from hustling Midnight Cowboy style. The ladies start at 35 and go up to 60, and are sitting on a minimum $4 million in assets and bring in $500,000 annually. For them this is really well-timed, with fashion week and all, it’s great for the ladies. It’s almost like one stop shopping. You just can’t beat that.

The big sale, uhh… I mean event will be on February 7th at 230 Fifth avenue from 8Pm - 10PM. Already 5,000 boy toys have signed up and the weeding process has begun. So fellas, if you want in you’ll have to wait until next time, or better yet, get a job. Sorry.

For more on this check out The Gothamist, which is fast becoming my favorite read and Jeremy Abelson’s Pocket Change. Hit this link for an application if you’re a rich mama or a boy toy, some more details or to get a look at some of the Sugar Mamas attending. Get your groove on Mrs. Robinson, I’m not mad at you.

Blood On The Dancefloor: NYC's Stereo Nightclub Closed Down.

I was just reading in the Gothamist that NYC nightclub, Stereo has been shut down by the NYPD. I had been hoping to check it out one day since it has had a variety of old friend’s names attached to it. From DJ/producer Angel Moraes who designed the sound system to Mark Ronson’s kid sister, fashion designer Samantha Ronson who had a hand in designing the interior, to Matteo and Jus Ske who frequently manned the decks. According to news reports there was a shooting death there two days ago and that was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.

There were the obvious drug violations (duh, New York City, nightclub…), you’ve heard it all before - busted coke dealers, owed taxes, violated ordinances, quality of life, blah, blah, blah. Same old song and dance. I want to cue up Mark’s Smith’s cover, “Stop Me (if You Think that you’ve Heard This One Before)”. It’s like a Peter Gatien/Twilo/Sound Factory/Studio 54 merry-go-round. That is the one constant in New York Nightlife; old clubs close, new ones open. However, it’s quite the buzz kill when they close prematurely like this. There are only two things people ever notice in nightclubs, when the record skips a beat or when someone dies. Same cycle in all aspects of life. The only difference is this one has a soundtrack.

It’s a shame, though. It always is when someone loses their life, and when it happens in a world that tries to cut itself off from all of life’s harsh realities, it can be particularly stunning. Clubland is where people go to lose themselves and disconnect from pain and sorrow and the harsh reality that this could be their last night on earth. When that facade is pulled away and the illusion shattered, just as it was when club promotor Michael Alig murdered Angel, a nice kid who got involved with drug dealing, back in 1996. Unfortunately, when the shock fades away and the disturbance becomes a faded memory, everyone just slips back into their trance. Lessons go unlearned and history repeats itself. Another one of life’s little cycles.

Stereo.

Source: The Gothamist.