1001 -hang out day and night

Every one is complaining about brick lane now. "It's not what it used to be", "it's too close to the City and attracts all the bankers", "it's too hip", "it's too expensive" ... And they're right, but a city is all about changes, isn't it. 1001, in the middle of brick lane hasn't changed that much and the reason is that those city folks would never dare come in, let alone pass by it. Those who do believe the only thing to it is that small cafeteria at the entrance that serves decent coffees and pastries. But walk up the stairs and it's a different Universe. DJ every night, more couches than you could dream of and always a couple Jamaicans ready to sort you out. Full of the local artsy crowd, from noon to midnight. On a luck night, the back room is open. More couches, more DJs, another bars and more Jamaicans. And there's ample space to dance to. Space is the keyword here. Imaging a wharehouse in the middle of brick lane, one of the densest roads in London; a place never too full, where you have space to relax, move around and chit chat. A place where you can fall asleep on the sofa. A place that's seen more drugs than Woodstock. A place that's blessed for closing at midnight, otherwise we'd all be out of our minds.

1001 // 101 Brick Lane // London E1 6SE // UK

Asylum, a different bar

The United States, especially its capital, isn't quite renowned for alternative nightlife nowadays, less so for an eccentric bar. Not too fast. Asylum is set in Adam's Morgan, Washington's hip neighbourhood, lined up with ubiquitus and boring hip hop clubs and pizza parlours. And Asylum is in the middle of that, passed by thousands of times every day without ever being noticed. Good for them. A fetish bar on top, a gothic bar underground - and nothing on the ground floor. Not to worry, no need to be into these electronic impulses they try out on the front of the bar in order to get in. We're respectful of others and can do as they wish. It's an explosian in Washington's conservatism although by speaking with the folks doing their stuff on the small stage at the front of the bar, we learn that Washington is the biggest swinger city in the country. The clientele, fetish and goth...but what do you want, it's a change from those hip hop kids accross the street. An interesting experience guaranteed.

Asylum // 2471 18th Street, NW // Washington, DC // USA

blind eye

"a shady little corner dive in a shady little corner of the world". that's one of those bars you can't really put in a categoy, one very special bar, that perectly fits into the Zizkov setting. The crowd, a mix of american and european expats stuck forever in Prague for no apparent reason, local czechs and a handful of tourists staying at the hostel accross the street. The music is no less ecclectic. Panthera is followed by the beach boys and David Bowie. It won't take long before you'll find someone to speak to, whether around the fussball table, in the chill out room or around the bar. Discuss your travels or philosophise. Say who you are, we're all equal here. On a party night, anything can happen. Now you're warned. Long life to the eye.
Blind eye // Vlkova 26 // Praha 3 - Zizko // Czech Republic
www.blindeye.cz

More to come

Sorry no time right now but you'll see those in the weeks to come :
- Fred's in the Bronx
- Asylum in Washington
- Bling eye in Prague
- 1001 in London

an underworld maze @ the Cross Club

Lost in Prague's Hoeslovice (sub)urban chaos, the cross club is like an oasis in the desert. Uncommon and desperately needed, and unless you know where you're going, you need a miracle to find it. The outdoor beergard and "bus bar" leave way to an underground maze of over 10 rooms, each with a different vibe, size and color. Because that's precisely what the cross is about. The club is entirely made up of vintage chairs and electronic components found throughout the country. Sowing machines above the tables, computer membranes turning around, ventilators going sideways and more lights than you thought existed. Dancing is now on the first floor and as for seating you have many options from DC-3 aircraft, old Cesky Drahi train to traditional US school bus seats. And yes, you do see all of that sober !

Cross Club // Plynarni 23, P7 – Holesovice // Tram / Metro / Bus Nadr. Holesovice
Open 14 - ?? (late) M - F and 16 - ?? (late) S & S.

Raw Tempel

Berlin is contrast a paradox. Europe's progressive locality, emulating with life. Berlin is also Germany's capital, hosting thousands of Germans in the capital for jobs-not life. The latter is best characterised through Simon Dach Strasse in Friederischain, a street lined up with the same cocktail bars you find in every other capital city. Raw Tempel is a couple blocks away but world's away from the Simon Dach Strasse crowd. This old raiway station and mainenance yard is now what is commonly (especially in Berlin) reffered to as a squat bar or a "non profit community organization" to state their words. What it is has no importance. The effect it produced on body and soul as you enter is experienced nowhere else. A screen projecting berlin's most progressive contemporary art, short films or music, couches of all sizes and shapes throughout the old station. Wander through the space and make new acquaintances... all different but with one common point : they've necer been to Simon Dach Strasse. In the wee hours in the morning, a local can show you the last piece of the Berlin wall, a few blocks away. Who you know and who you don't makes no difference. We all live once and appreciate what we have...at least in the raw tempel.
Raw tempel // Revaler Strasse 99 // Berlin

Budapest in Kuplung

Or is it the other way around ?Kuplung sums up best what Budapest has to offer. Invisible to the unattentive eye, Kuplung opens up a whole parallel world. The street is empty and grey, like most streets in Budapest. Light, colors and the beauty and the beast come out through the little hallway that leads to an outdoor squat-beergarden like an indoor wharehouse-bar that attracts the city's alternative crowd. like the city it asks to be discovered, at the bar, around the fussball table, along the walls filled with evolutive street art and at the bar. It's a cosmopolitan vibe and we're all welcome, students, rastas, foreigners, starving artists, journalists and office workers. And it's these people that make Kuplung so special, a grown up "Kultiplex", hidden right in the greyish centre of Budapest.
Kuplung // Kiraly Utca 46 // Budapest

La fleche d'or, half way between Paris and London

No better place than la Fleche d'or symbolizes change in urban nightlife. In a precedent world, this former train station in the outskirts of Paris was a rough, down-to-earth bar, sponsoring gigs, joints and local far-left come togethers. From one day to the next, the fleche d'or closed, a blow to the local vibe. Two years later, this same former train station re-opens, keeping nothing but the name. If you look scruffy at the door, the doormen tell you 'forget the old fleche d'or, this is something totally different'. And it is ! Not as rough, but with much more class, this is the only venue where you can get daily free pop-rock concerts, many groups coming straight from Shoreditch. And all that above urban railways. You won't find the crowd elsewhere in Paris - most of them regulars since the bar re-opened. It's a new hip Paris hadn't known about; something Kreuzberg, Brick Lane and Friedierischain have known for years, an east-end hip far from the central crowds and western snobiness. The only problem is that it's a first try for Paris and who knows where this will lead. The owner is a bar owner in the Marais and building a hotel accross from the fleche d'or which may become a new Murano or Kube like hotel. And then the venue may become too selective and exorbitantly priced evolving from hip to fashionesta. In the meantime, come along, if you're the right person you'll have the right fun. Just remember, it ain't no dive anymore.
La fleche d'or // Rue de Bagnolet, Paris, 20 // Open daily 20 - 06 (or 04) // Metro Gambetta or Buzenval

Paris - La feline at last

At last a different bar in Paris, where there's not much left apart from the ubiquitous counter cafes, uber-trendy nighstops and conventional bars you find in every other city.La feline sets a different scene. Set in what used to be Paris east headquarters for hash and crak dealers and street hip hop wannabees, La feline says no to drugs (inside at least) but yes to rock'n'roll. We're talking '50s, '60s, '70s records (no CDs) in what could look be a retro american diner. The beach boys could be followed by Pink Floyd and Paul William's rare phantom of the Paradise soundtrack. And if you start talking music with the owner and bartender, you'll spend the night learning about all the underground record shops in Paris. The crowd is cool - a mix of neighbourhood folks -still arguably the coolest in paris, and east-london like trendy kids who know the owner from back when he was bartender in Paris' hip bars. Come alone, you'll have a blast. The rare parisians open enough to speak to a stranger are here (yep -even the pretty girls have that east-london like openness). And if you're hungry in the wee hours, the carribean dive next door will make you great food that they even bring to the bar. It's not dodgy or too trendy but just like it's supposed to be.
La Feline bar // 6 rue Victor Letalle, Metro Ménilmontant // 18-2 daily except Monday
opened since July 2006

What it's about

Granted. I'm not the first one with this idea -and probably not the last. But what the hell, ideas are there to be refined and to evolve; a constant change that leads one idea to the next. There are two things I'm good at : interpreting networks (no worries, there's a blog for that too) and finding a city's alternative spots (bars, restaurants, sights...). So that's what this blog does. In some ways it may appear like another gridskipper-like blog. But you can't blame me for it. I'll post my findings in all cities I go to. Alternative guide book, urban bible or useless blog. Take is as you wish but I will be unapologetic.