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May 10, 2006

Interview of Interest: Paul Kermizian

Paul Kermizian is a filmmaker - but he's also owner of Barcade, a cool bar near my apartment that is loaded with tons of old arcade video games (and quality beer too). There's a good interview with him at Gothamist:

Paul Kermizian, filmmaker and owner of Barcade

How did you and your partners come up with the idea for Barcade?
I think it probably comes from parties I used to have in my apartment. I had 4 arcade games – Tetris, Mappy, Zaxxon and a Ms.Pac Man/Pac Man combo. The games were wildly popular with my drunk friends, except for Mappy. No one remembers that game. Anyway, it just seemed like a good match.

It also seems that he's done a cool mini-photowebsite on how they put together the bar:

The Making of Barcade

Barcade is located at 388 Union Ave. in Brooklyn. Their first ever video game tournament is tomorrow night (Tuesday) from 6-9 PM.

May 18, 2006

Barcade Beer Alert

Being a nerd I prefer the old school video games over the beer, but that said the beer is always great at Barcade:

This Friday Barcade we will be tapping some brews from the Southampton Publick House. On tap will be May Bock, Abbey Double, Belgian Golden, Foreign Extra Stout, Secret Ale and Old Herb Barleywine.

Barcade is located at 388 Union Ave. in Brooklyn.

June 18, 2006

Williamsburg Trendspotting: Dinner Parties

I just spotted this Williamsburg item in the New York Post:

Sick Of Clubs, Hipsters Revive Old-Style Dinner Parties

Involving a strict yet mixed guest list, a non-negotiable dress code, an adherence to rules of outdated etiquette, and forcible socializing with a roomful of strangers - some famous, some poor, all fascinating - the new happening known as "The Dinner Club" has become an underground phenomenon.

Inspired by similar happenings in London and Argentina, Jaksic - a self-described "food history dork" - and her equally dispirited pal Amy Burgess became obsessed with the idea of restoring the right mix of grandeur and frivolity to New York City nightlife. Because, as Burgess puts it, "Right now it's all about drunk girls throwing up. Everything's too loud. And I hate being pushed by people. Literally, pushed."

They describe their mission as an attempt "to revitalize the dispassionate New York social scene." It's fair to say this is an understatement.

Their first event, thrown a few months ago in Burgess' 3,000-square-foot Williamsburg loft, was a literal, deeply researched recreation of a 1920s New York high society bash. Hard invites were sent to a carefully cultivated guest list of 20 (total attendance was 40, with plus-1s).

Those invited were directed to the Web site, dinnerclubnyc.com, where Jaksic and Burgess posted images from books and fashion magazines so guests would have reference points for the evening's dress code. "We didn't want it to be a hipster event," Jaksic says. "We wanted to get the message across that it isn't a bubble-gummy dress-up party. It's based on history, it's very detail-oriented, and we expected our guests to put in the effort."

So I visited the Diner Club website and found this:

The Dinner Club is a monthly gathering of those in search of a unique social experience. Offering food and knowledge within a formal atmosphere, the Dinner Club strives to create an authentic ambiance from times past. Each event features a period specific three course meal accompanied by beverage and entertainment. The success of each event depends on the participation of each guest, through attire and attitude relevant to each time period.

The creation of Dinner Club was conceived by Miss Amy and Miss Julia in attempts to revitalize the dispassionate New York social scene.

It's very cool to see somebody doings omething that's new - at long last we are getting over the mindset of forever trying to re-create Studio 54. My top hat is off to Miss Amy and Miss Julia...

September 29, 2006

NYC Nightlife Summit

On paper it looks like Quinn is trying to play nice with the nightclub owners:


The NYC Council introduces new rules for bars and clubs

"The New York City Council will convene the first-ever "nightlife summit" today at John Jay College, a day after introducing a slew of bills aimed at improving safety at bars and nightclubs. "The point of [the summit] is to come up with best practices for this industry and come up with additional ideas and suggestions for how we can combat this problem and not crack down on the entirety of the industry," Council spokeswoman Christine Quinn said yesterday to NYPost."

...but this doesn't reflect the reality that I read about elsewhere:

All new bar applications are bounced for 4 months

"The State Liquor Authority, long blamed by critics for the overconcentration of liquor licenses in Manhattan, declared a moratorium last week on new licenses for Manhattan bars, clubs and cabarets subject to the 500-foot rule. The surprise Sept. 6 announcement came the day before a State Senate hearing on underage drinking and two weeks after the City Council passed the “Bouncer Law” making it easier for the city to close bars and clubs that violate rules on security guard qualifications.

The moratorium applies to applications for all new bars or clubs within 500 feet of three other licensed premises. Under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law, such applications may only be approved if the S.L.A., after a hearing, finds the new license is “in the public interest.” The moratorium — which will last from September to the end of the year — does not affect new liquor-license applications for restaurants."

Nighclubs are good for the economy of New York City, yet the last two mayors have had an anti-business mindset about clubs because they don't fit into a Disneyesque marketing plan for the city. Even a a certified tourist spot like CBGBs is closing soon and shipping off to Las Vegas. The fact is that when you over-regulate nightclubs they go underground, which results in disasters like the Happy Land Social Club fire in which 87 people lost their lives.

July 7, 2007

Librarians Invade the Burg

Librarians Invade the Burg

Of course the article never addresses how Librarians afford to live in the Burg:

A Hipper Crowd of Shushers

"ON a Sunday night last month at Daddy’s, a bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, more than a dozen people in their 20s and 30s gathered at a professional soiree, drinking frozen margaritas and nibbling store-bought cookies. With their thrift-store inspired clothes and abundant tattoos, they looked as if they could be filmmakers, Web designers, coffee shop purveyors or artists. When talk turned to a dance party the group had recently given at a nearby restaurant, their profession became clearer.

“Did you try the special drinks?” Sarah Gentile, 29, asked Jennifer Yao, 31, referring to the colorfully named cocktails. “I got the Joy of Sex,” Ms. Yao replied. “I thought for sure it was French Women Don’t Get Fat.” Ms. Yao could be forgiven for being confused: the drink was numbered and the guests had to guess the name. “613.96 C,” said Ms. Yao, cryptically, then apologized: “Sorry if I talk in Dewey.” That would be the Dewey Decimal System. The groups’ members were librarians. Or, in some cases, guybrarians."

May 26, 2008

Sex Madness and Great Typography

Aren't the opening titles on this ancient educational film great! Sadly it looks like the nightlife in NYC was much more fun in 1938 than in 2008...

About Nightlife

This page contains an archive of all entries posted to The Williamsburg Nerd in the Nightlife category. They are listed from oldest to newest.

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