Scene and Heard

The host hotel and restaurant of the Rattlesnake Bar, a beloved watering hole and cougar habitat, have been honored by Zagat.

Body-painted "living statues" are starting to give Mr. Dallas the serious creeps. Especially when they're dung-colored and they've crawled up under a buffet table set with crudites, salmon dill sandwiches and shrimp gazpacho the way they were at the Hilton Anatole's V Spa party Tuesday evening. The few youngsters under foot at the party were fascinated by the inert, allegedly zebra-striped forms draped around the base of the table; me, it put me off my split of Piper Heidsieck.

Still, the $2.9 million renovation and expansion of the spa made for a good meet-and-greet, with hand massages and facials available to visitors. The crowd was mostly older, definitely in the market for the restorative effects of ointments, salves, rubs, scrubs and treatments. Everywhere smelled really, really good.

Alcohol and deep thoughts combine in one tidy package tonight when Park Cities Prime hosts its "Philosophy Hour." Paul Hunter of North Lake Community College will lead a discussion of Candide, the satiric novella by Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire. He used to do the same sort of thing at the storied Montaigne Club on Maple Avenue. (Hope things don't get too liquid -- "Diz is too da best of all possible worlds!") The event runs from 6 to 8 and features specially priced wines and complimentary hors d'oeuvres.

Here's video of Will Smith in Dallas for the premiere of his new movie, Seven Pounds.

The better-than-it-has-to-be Libertine Bar on Lower Greenville hosts its monthly beer-and-food pairing at 7 tonight. It costs $40 a person; call ahead for reservations at 214-824-7900. The details:

"1st course: Hoegaarden Mussels with Herb Garlic French Bread. Served with Hoegaarden

2nd course: Venison hutespot skewers. Served with Bass Ale

3rd course: Chervil goat cheese filled endive. Served with Stella Artois

4th course: Roasted pork loin with cherry lambic glaze served with broccoli timbales and mini gruyere croquettes. Served with Abbey de Leffe Blonde

5th course: Chocolate porter brownie with strawberry mousse. Served with Kone Pipeline Porter"

Some doings to be done. Meanwhile, Mr. Dallas will be drooling his way back to Loft 610.
Tonight: For those who prefer to watch disrobing accomplished with a patina of tattooed irony, the Lollie Bombs Burlesque Troupe takes the stage at 11:15 at Pocket Sandwich Theatre. $15.

Saturday: Ghostbar hosts the Ben Spies Superbike Championship Party and Sid Vicious (the Hard Rock in Las Vegas) DJs at Wish.

Sunday: Mantus and Four host their usual sexy parties.

The newly beloved lounge Loft 610 in Plano holds a reverse happy hour from 9 to 11 tonight. And the crew at D notes this event.

Before the Lakers game tonight, consider a drop-by to Havana Social Club in Victory Park. It's featuring $5 specialty cocktails from 4 to 7 p.m.

A pal who lives in McKinney had been lobbying for weeks for moi to make a trip to the north country, to Loft 610 in Plano. There, he attested, cougars roamed unfettered and voracious on the weekends -- a far better prospect, in his estimation, than the shiny young 'uns populating Joyce, Wish or Lotus.

Skepticism was overcome Saturday night. This is indeed a meet-and-mingle palace worth hitting the Tollway for. Loft 610 is reminiscent of Sambuca Addison in its late-'90s Budapest-above-LBJ heyday. They have little in common except one major attribute: a circular bar dropped in the middle of the room. Circular bar ... promotes flow, promotes stealthy glances or broad Sarah Palin winks from one single-and-looking to another single-and-looking, promotes elbowing up close amongst the single-and-looking.

Rainy and blustery ... happy hour possibilities include $3 margaritas all night at Knox Street Pub and $8 tequila flights at Strong's. This dedicated D tippler is advocating The Goat tavern at 7248 Gaston Ave.

There's a crisp in the air, finally, and there are things to do ....

Tonight: DJ Rev's CD release party at Wish Ultralounge.
Saturday: O'Neal McKnight and DJ Cassidy are at Suite.

Also, a comely D staffer has come up with this outstanding roundup of great hotel bars. Must do something similar soon. Meanwhile, will be checking out Loft 610 in the north country Saturday.

Politics and drinking have a
long history of association -- think "rum, Romanism and rebellion," FDR's cocktail hours (and hours) with Churchill, Sam Rayburn's cloakroom sessions, Wilbur Mills' embarrassing encounter with Fanny Foxe and the Tidal Basin. Some nightspots are accommodating tomorrow's big event with watching parties.

Dragonfly at Hotel ZaZa invites you to come "sip conservative concoctions and liberal libations" while watching the returns on the flat-screens. You can also gawk at Uncle Sam on stilts. Among the cocktails are the Obama Bahama Mama (Myer's Rum, Bacardi 151, coconut liqueur and pineapple juice) and John 10 Cane Punch (10 Cane Rum, pineapple juice, lime juice and Grenadine).

Victor Tango's (above) will have all its screens turned to the election, including the 8-footer.

Wine'tastic features 25 percent off all glasses of wine in honor of the occasion.

Some friends on the weekend and the Up All Nighter report that Obar has closed on Main Street after more than four years. No sooner does that word come down than this, about new clubs in the Ivy space and (way back when) Euphoria location.

Some happening happy hours to consider this week:

Today, Dragonfly at Hotel ZaZa starts a happy hour that features $5 specialty cocktails, wine and martinis and free hors d'oeuvres from chef Grant Morgan. ZaZa has been feeling the competitive tug of the Ritz-Carlton patio. Maybe this is one way to gin up the crowds.

Another possibility is the Grape, which has gotten a strong tout. Its happy hour is on the patio and in the bar, weekdays from 4:30 to 7.

The Up All Nighter endorses the Maple Avenue Lounge, on the frayed corner of Maple and Shelby, with $2 wells and domestics and $3 martinis and cosmos until 9.

Jeez, you'd think nobody on the club scene got the memo about the global economic meltdown and imminent End Times-y apocalypse.

First, there was the really big opening of the Joule hotel's delish PM Nightlife Lounge (right) discussed here and here. Then a flurry of openings, near-openings and future openings detailed by the Up All Nighter. They are the Liars Den and Madison Avenue on McKinney Avenue and the Vagabond mixology bar coming to Lowest Greenville.

Regarding PM, See after the jump a couple of verbatim testimonials from local night-life insiders.

Skittered into the long-in-the-making Victor Tango's right around the opening bell on Tuesday evening. May have found a new beloved, at least for that crucial after-work beverage with a bite to eat. Also, as steam control for late-night jaunts to Candleroom, cause the sentient can only stand about 20 minutes of all that Candleroom gelled hair and Ed Hardy T-shirts without a respite.

Early favorites among the $8 "fresh cocktails" are the Sazerac (made with Old Overholt rye whiskey) and the French 75. Also enjoyed a perfect Manhattan done with the rye. Informed bartenders -- got a brief lecture on Prohibition and its effects on cocktail artistry. Nice Reuben sandwich on pretzel roll for $11.

Admiring the get-up-and-get of the
promoters of One Arts Plaza -- they're always coming up with some new hustle (meant in a good way). Last night marked the launch of "Thursday Night Lights," an opportunity to gawp at the stratospheric lifestyles of Mr. Dallas' betters. The development and Briggs Freeman hosted an open house of several of the high-rise condos and threw in some wine-sipping to boot. Seethed with envy fueled by lukewarm chardonnay. Had eye on darling unit for a mere $895K. Go, Lucy. Go, Lionel.

Still-fairly-smokin' Lotus Lounge begins a round
of first anniversary parties tonight with an event for VIPs (you know who you are, and if you don't: "Do you feel lucky, punk?"). Snow Queen vodka ("peaty" ... "palate-forward" ...), which Lotus has been hawking very effectively, is the sponsor. Doors open at 9. Public parties follow Friday and Saturday, featuring discounts on Three Olives cocktails.

The opening of the febrile Victor Tango's has been delayed again. It's not this week, as reported here, because Tristan Simon is replacing some of the furniture, which one supposes, underperformed or over-upholstered at the pre-party.

At any rate, two of the sweetest words in the vocabulary, "model" and "party," conjoin tonight at Wish Ultralounge. Starting at 10, there's a charity fashion show featuring Kim Dawson models and estimable DJ Parker Lawson.

Looking for something earlier, consider the brand-new Boardroom at Victory Park. Went back again yesterday. Dug the jalapeno poppers ($6), not so much the routine Ketel One martini ($7). For the neighborhood, though -- and that's a big "though" -- you can't beat the prices. All the scions of Bartlesville, Okla., who moved into the Cirque upstairs for a taste of the cosmopolitan Dallas lifestyle, should be trooping in there.

These bits for tonight from the Up All Nighter, stuff at the Windmill Lounge and Martini Ranch.

Busy weekend for the liver. On Friday evening, peeped at The Boardroom, the cavernous (7,500 square feet), upscale sports bar/restaurant that's been open for all of a week on the ground floor of the Cirque apartment building in Victory Park. The place, from L.A.'s Dolce Group, is staying shy for now. Look for more and photos later.

Then at Victory on Saturday, fantastic time at Nove Italiano, which was hosting its first "after-hours" party, featuring DJ Kaskade. Ticketed event. Cleared out the furniture in the middle of the floor, set up bottle service (little used) in the banquettes on the perimeter and a DJ stand. Filled out nicely by the time Kaskade went on, about 11:30. Good-looking crowd -- a model bomb seemed to have exploded in the room. Outstanding set by Kaskade. Recommend this CD.

Checked out Victor Tango's, the new Consilient Restaurants effort in the former Sense space on Henderson Avenue, on Saturday. The occasion was a private birthday party and early look-see for night-life regulars andTristan Simonites.

It's a complete overhaul from Sense, this being a "gastro-pub" and "mixology bar" rather than full-on VIP nightclub. Didn't warm immediately to the look -- the place seems quite a bit contracted and not just because the kitchen has filled in where the back room was. Did warm to the mixology concept -- premium liquors, specialty cocktails done specially. That held up even as VT's filled in with 200 to 250 revelers, many of whom seemed to be selling past their expiration date.

Victor Tango's is set to open officially on Sept. 8. More details on the drinks served at the party follow from the publicist.

The Christopher Martin Gallery is inviting folks to "sip, shop and stroll" around Victory Park today from 5 to 9. A comp cocktail is available from the W's lobby lounge.

Also, Modern Luxury Dallas hosts a "Thursdays on the Terrace" party at 9:30 at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. DJ Face spins. RSVP here.

The new Joule hotel downtown held a well-coiffed dog-and-pony show Monday evening for some writers flown in from New York and local scribes, including the great and powerful moi. On tap: nibbles, wines and a kumquat cocktail that needed more work -- or else euthanasia. Also, the high-powered hospitality gurus involved with the Joule and its soon-to-open nightclub, including Adam Tihany, his rakish photographer son Bram and all-purpose lifestyle purveyor Todd Fiscus.

In brief remarks, Tihany senior praised the Joule as a "bespoke hotel where the owners care about every single detail." Mr. Fiscus provided enough detail ("rococo," '70s porn meets stalactites vibe) about the downstairs club, expected to open in late-September, to set Mr. Dallas to early pining. It'll be called PM, as in evening or "precious metals," which is related to the industrial/metallurgical theme of the Joule itself. About 1,500 square feet. Staff outfits by Abi Ferrin, shoes by Christian Louboutin, jewelry by Douglas Little. Fancy -- a bespoke staff. Bottle service, signature cocktails, the whole nine yards. Some more here from the Up All Nighter.

It'll be interesting to see how this older-demographic, really-hard-door club co-exists with the chucklehead factories all around it on Main Street.