Fight club gains momentum, Le Baron delays its opening, and J.D. Salinger proves a beast on the nightlife circuit. Also sexting as bait in a murder plot and Gossip Girl filming. It's all here in your nightlife round-up. Have at it!
1. Underground Boxing Gets Big Buzz [T Magazine]
The New York Times has finally discovered that an underground boxing event called Friday Night Throwdown exists.
"Friday Night Throwdown always takes place in a Manhattan warehouse space--this time, in one of the weird buildings under the Manhattan Bridge, in Chinatown. A regulation ring is built, elevated and roped off. A serious referee officiates..."
It's all about the hot people.
"It is all so model centric that people call it 'model boxing' or even 'the model fight club.' But despite the 'Zoolander' jokes, the fighting is very real. Competitors are serious: they have experience in everything from Golden Gloves to muay Thai, with the occasional legit street brawler in the mix."
And then get this:
"Once in a while, an effete runway boy boxes as a novelty. Some of the more serious competitors 'model on the side,' but they're fighters first."
2. Was J.D. Salinger A Beast On The Manhattan Nightlife Circuit:? [The Paris Review]
Given Holden Caufield's predilection for high balls or or Buddy Glass's preference for three fingers of Scotch, we could have told you that J.D. Salinger liked his drink. But did you know he also liked to party?
Apparently Blair Fuller, who attended a cocktail party at his parents' house on 38th Street in 1952, saw the Catcher in the Rye author hit on his married sister. According to the account, Salinger took Fuller's sister and her husband to his Uptown brownstone for a nightcap.
When the couple--perhaps not feeling the swinging vibe beat a path to the door of the author's abode and hailed a cab--Salinger chased after them, screaming, "No, no. Please don't go. Please stay and have another drink. Don't go now. Stop. Please come back!"
Maybe he was looking for a little inspiration for a work about the corruption of innocence?
3. Gossip Girl Filmed At Veselka [EV Grieve]
"Psst. Gossip Girl if [sic] filming at Veselka on Monday from 7am to 6 pm and we'll be closed - but only during the shoot!" Veselka tweeted.
[DNAinfo] has some great paparazzi shots.
As EV Grieve put it best,
"They'll reopen at 11 p.m....Can't wait to try their new menu item-the Chace Crawford beef stroganoff."
4. Restaurants Aren't The Only Ones Getting the A's [Jeremiah's Vanishing New York]
"Since the city Health Department started publicly grading restaurants in July, displaying letter grades in their windows, the blue letter A has become a seal of approval that every restaurant wants to obtain.Now non-food businesses are getting in on the action."
If you want to have a bottle at home for example and forgo the night on the town, rest assured your wine is certified.
"The Inspection placard at Philippe Liquors on 23rd Street in Chelsea...gives a solid A to Philippe for keeping all its wines 'in good shape' and the premises in 'clean sanitary condition.'"
I love that Three Lives & Co. bookshop gave itself an A+ Literary Inspection Grade.
5. Le Baron's Opening Delayed [NY Post]
[Andre Saraiva, Jefferson Hack via Olivier Zahm for Purple Diary]
"Graffiti artist/bar owner Andre Saraiva won't have his New York outpost of Le Baron open in time for Fashion Week. The Chinatown bar, which was due to open last fall, won't be ready until March. In the mean time, Saraiva will take over Le Bain at the top of the Standard Hotel to promote parties for clothing line/fashion label Kit sune and Purple Magazine during Fashion week."
The anticipation grows.
6. Brooklyn Man Accused In Sext Party Plot [Gothamist]
"The man who is accused of setting a plan in motion to kill his ex-friend last June was charged with murder and held without bail yesterday....Police have accused [Jimmy] Copeland who is already in custody, of getting his sister and her friend to sext nude photos to Burnett, inviting him to a threesome 'sex party,' as a set up for the murder."
Paradise lost?
7. Can We See Shia LaBeouf Get Punched On Tape [NYPost]
"The owner of a bar where Shia LaBeouf was punched in the face last Friday says he has it on tap--and he'll sell it if rumors continue to swirl about the incident. Richard Disisto, owner of Mad Bull's Tavern in Sherman Oaks, Calif, said, 'We have the entire thing on tape. I have been offered a lot of money for the footage. I am concerned about the integrity of the bar.'"
There's always a future for the bar to follow in the Fight Club trend.
Have anything that should be included in tomorrow's list? Email me at Ross.Kenneth.Urken@guestofaguest.com.