The problem with dating a multifaceted, multilingual, jet setting entrepreneur is that they work…a lot.
So it was no surprise when my newest paramour called me Valentines eve and told me, ‘darling j’ai tellement de boulot’ (I have so much work to do) with a very sweet promise to make it up to me (he always does). Before disappointment could even set in I get a text only a moment later from another French man, my friend Manu, who I haven’t seen in many months, but somehow his timing is always perfect.
“Sweet Maya, come have a drink with me at Amalia, and let’s see where the night takes us.” He texts me.
I meet him at Amalia, a beautiful restaurant located by the Dream hotel on 55th by 7th Ave. It’s a beautiful spot, almost Louvre looking in the basement. Manu hands me a glass champagne when I arrive and we listen to our friend DJ Life spin. Life is a very chill person, with some sweet DJ gigs around town. He spins Thursdays at Amalia, Fridays at Aspen, and Saturdays at Soho House. He greets me with a warm hug “Where have you been stranger?” He says.
“In, and in-between love affairs.” I answer.
Life laughs “What’s new.” He says teasingly with a smile.
Manu and I leave to head down to La Esquina. If you haven’t been there, go immediately! It is a night club/restaurant located on the boarder of Soho and Nolita in the basement of what appears to be a coffee take out shop. You walk through the kitchen (very ‘Goodfellas’) to get into the nightclub. The walls are stacked with the best tequila, one of the best margaritas I've had in this town, and the crowd is utterly cute.
The beautiful Ebony was Djing (she also works the door at 205). An old friend Walter (booking agent for Joe’s Pub) was hanging out both greeting me with the obligatory double kiss and a nice squeeze. My favorite promoter Christian was there and greeted me with a shot of Patron, and invited me to The Box’s One Year Anniversary party, “I’ll get you a table in VIP” he tells me. “It will be a good time. Bring your friend.”
After snapping few Polaroid’s (I can’t believe they are discontinuing The Polaroid camera!!!!) Manu and I cab it over to The Box. As per usually the line is LARGE and growing by the second; Luckily Christian was there to greet us at the door. We walked upstairs to VIP with a table all set with a dozen bottles of beer and a bottle of Greygoose and all the fixings.
The stage show (which The Box is famous for) was LEDGENDARY this night! From Reggie Watt’s performing tripped out BEATBOX, to a sexy choreographed (yet lip-synced) version of ‘Totally Eclipse of the Heart’ with flashlights, a naked women and a life-sized Teddy Bear (don’t ask, ok, go ahead and ask but it will take me a moment to explain) to smoking midgets, a lingerie cabaret number, and a very classy ode to the Harlem Renaissance by “The James Gang.”
Many, many scandulust things were a foot this night…but if you want to know…you will have to ask…xox- Maya Contreras
