PM and Stereo Guys Fail Upwards in HamptonsUnik Ernest, of shuttered PM (and Merkato 55), is teaming up with Mike Satsky, of shuttered Stereo, to open Lily Pond — near a helicopter pad.
Meatpacking Makeover: Pizza Bar to Go Dry; Gin Lane to Make Way for a RestaurantWe’ve learned from nightlife broker Alex Picken that Pizza Bar has been bought out by its landlord and is likely to be repurposed for dry use. “Meatpacking rents have gone up,” says Picken. “You’ve got guys paying peanuts, and you’ve got fashion stores paying the cheese.” (Landlords are asking as high as $300 a square foot, we hear.) Picken has also heard that the space that recently housed Gin Lane is acquiring a new lease holder who will turn it into more of a restaurant. Picken, a meatpacking expert of sorts, is unfamiliar with the operators, so we probably aren’t talking about Kyky and Unik, who were recently bought out of PM and are experiencing delays with Merkato 55. More meatpacking movement: UrbanDaddy has the scoop on a new French restaurant operated by the owners of new club Kiss & Fly. It’s called Bagatelle — that’s a French word, not a portmanteau meaning “douche-bag clientele.”
Related: In the Bag [UrbanDaddy]
Meatpacking Rent Party: Lotus and Pizza Bar for Sale
Breaking: Avalon Closed ‘For Reservations,’ Other Clubs Bite the Bullet
NewsFeed
Breaking: Avalon Closed ‘For Renovations,’ Other Clubs Bite the
When we walked by Avalon on Saturday night, we saw this “important notice” (important to fans of pecsibitionism, anyway) that Hunk-O-Mania is no longer in the house. A call to Hunk-O-Mania reveals that the former Limelight is “closed for renovations,” possibly for a couple of months. The State Liquor Authority’s Website indicates the club’s liquor license expired on January 1 (although it is apparently free to sell booze under a SAPA letter while the authority considers a renewal), but we’ve been told that the closure might have more to do with a possible change in ownership. The club’s financial woes and its landlord’s desire to turn it into a retail space (perhaps with a restaurant) were well documented in a Villager article about a year ago, so this doesn’t come as a huge shock. In fact, if indeed it does get a new owner capable of restoring it to its Limelight-era glory (hey, a clubber can dream), it could be welcome news.
Mediavore
Demi and Ashton Not the Box’s Favorite Patrons; PM Closing for JanuaryBox owner Simon Hammerstein is happy one of his performers spilled a drink on Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher this week. [NYP]
2008 probably won’t be the year that sees the establishment of a large, indoor public market along the lines of London’s Borough Market or San Francisco’s farmer’s market. [NYT]
Related: Batali Shows a Little Leg to Sex Up New Amsterdam Public
Gael Greene puts forth her list of culinary predictions for the New Year, including this gem: “Jeffrey Chodorow and Frank Bruni will have a food fight in Madison Square Park televised by the Food Network. If Bruni loses he will be required to review restaurants in Des Moines for six months. If Chodorow is the loser he will be forbidden to open a new restaurant for three weeks.” [Insatiable Critic]
NewsFeed
SLA Tells PM to Take the Month OffDown by the Hipster brings news that the State Liquor Authority will suspend PM’s liquor license for 30 days in January owing to a history of underage drinking, disorderly conduct, physical altercations, and yadda yadda. We’re not sure how this will affect Kyky and Unik’s plan to do something in the Sascha space (assuming they still have a claim on it), but it should make them even more eager to get their hands on 1 OAK (assuming they are indeed partnering with Emilio Barletta, the restaurateur who is suing for the space). We just called Kyky, and he says he knows nothing about the ruling, despite the documentation on DBTH — a shout-out to that site for being ahead of the curve?
Related: Breaking News: PM Lounge Shut Down [Down by the Hipster]
Earlier: PM Owners to Open Harlem Restaurant, Bistro-Bakery-Club in Sascha Space
Richie Akiva and Scott Sartiano War With “Jealous Competitors” Kyky and Unik of PM
NewsFeed
Richie Akiva and Scott Sartiano War With ‘Jealous Competitors’ KykyLast week the Daily News brought word that Richie Akiva and Scott Sartiano are being sued for $120 million by developer Emilio Barletta, who claims he’s the rightful lease holder of the space that houses the Butter boys’ club 1 OAK. What the News doesn’t mention, but our inside sources do, is that Barletta, owner of Zanzibar, was planning to partner in the space with PM owners Kyky and Unik, last seen plotting a now-abandoned Italian bistro in the Sascha space.
Neighborhood Watch
Chelsea Nightclubs Not Yet a Thing of the PastBoerum Hill: Backyard garden at Donna da Vine is now open. [Eater]
Chelsea: PM owners Kiki and Unik look to expand into the old XL space, and perhaps continue the trend of naming clubs after abbreviations. [Down by the Hipster]
Clinton Hill: A house installs its own fast-food-dining terrace. [Clinton Hill Blog]
Soho: Crack nuts in style with the Nusskubus from Germany in limited release at the MoMA Design Store; slam any size nuts between the two carved cubes, and you guessed it: They crack. [The Food Section]
Upper West Side: Grom lines persist, but a sign says delivery to Central Park West is coming soon. [What I See] Big Nick’s Pizza has been closed by the Department of Health; a little yellow sticker washes away claims that it’s because of a flood. [What I See]
NewsFeed
PM Owners to Open Harlem Restaurant, Bistro-Bakery-Club in Sascha SpacePM owners (and brothers) Kyky and Unik are poised to increase their footprint on the meatpacking district: They’ve acquired the space that formerly housed Sascha and plan to reopen it in June as an as-yet-unnamed three-part venue that’ll include a 24-hour sandwich spot with bakery, a casual Italian bistro, and an exclusive lounge with black-on-black décor that will host D.J.’s and live music.
