Mini Vegas Article 7

Try to guess the best block in all of New York City. Nope, its not Bond Street with its cute quant cobblestone road, or Park Avenue and 72nd Street with its famed 740 residence, nor is it Central Park West and 61st Street with the most expensive square foot coop in 15 Central Park West. The correct answer is this little street I like to call Mini Vegas. Located on 58th Street between Madison and Park avenues this is the closest you''ll ever get to Vegas without leaving your back yard. Literally within half a block you have the Four Season Hotel, Tao and Lavo. The latter two transplants from Vegas. Tao and Four Seasons are old staples to this fabulous block but Lavo, opening last September really got me wanting to scope out the scene. Just typing Lavo brings chills down my back.

I went on a lazy Friday afternoon around 5pm back in October. Was greeted warmly by the hostess who I found out just moved here from LA and was a Laker Girl, as in a Los Angles Laker cheerleader. No biggie, its just Lavo. Very cool space with round bar in the front and dining room in the back. Behind a secret door is the entrance to the club. Also found out later there is an entrance through the kitchen but I'll get to that later. Peaking into the dining room from the bar I saw two very famous basketball players who were in town to play the Knicks the following night and were staying at the Four Season (it's not like I followed them out of the restaurant or anything stalker-ish like that...). No need to say their names as I'm friends with them now and don't want to blow their cover. After I embarrassed myself trying to talk to them I left to meet up with some friends a few blocks away. Had a gut feeling this place was something very very cool and needed to come back ASAP in a more prime time. Came back three hours later with my friend Eric and boy was I right. This place was absolutely roaring. Athlete celebrities everywhere, models everywhere, rich people everywhere and then Eric and I. Whatever, I think thats when we thrive the most. Ended up sitting down with these two women who somehow knew the owner and mentioned there was a way to the club through the kitchen. Wish this story had a better ending but let's just say Lavo has some pretty strong security....