Cielo Continues to Give NYC Its House Fix

There are numerous dance clubs in and around New York City, but few have the vibe of what has become one of the city’s best kept secret, Cielo. This venue has quietly made a name for itself as the premier house club in the United States and has a slew of awards to prove it. In 2008 alone, the club nabbed “Best Club” from the Club World Awards and it has previously won accolades such as “Best USA Venue” and “Best Resident DJ” (Francois K.).

Having hosted some of the biggest musical names in dance world like Deep Dish, Victor Calderone, and Seamus Haji, Cielo is committed to bringing top-flight talent to the “Big Crapple,” and gives its patrons an up close look at the world’s DJ elite.

 

I worked in the dance music/nightclub industry for a few years a ways back, so I’m a tough sell when it comes to clubs, but I was pleasantly surprised to find this little dance paradise hidden in the city’s Meat Packing District.

 Although I am not a big fan of waiting in line to get into a club, Cielo’s people were pleasant and made the wait go by quickly. Once inside, within moments, you realize that true house music not only lives on, but is thriving in this soulful venture from club co-owner and former Ibiza DJ, Nicolas Matar.

 

The club holds 250 at maximum capacity, making it a snug fit for dancers and for people who are just listening to the beautiful mix of sounds coming from the club’s state-of-the-art sound system. Due to its size, Cielo is one of the few small venues in the US that allows fans such remarkable chance to get to hear the planets best DJ talent.

 

Open most nights until four in the morning, this hotspot combines the exclusivity of a trendy club with the come-as-you are vibe found in dance mecca, Ibiza. You can’t go wrong with this club. They knew that they were building a place that would appeal to serious music fans as well as those who like to hit the nightclubs.

 

It doesn’t matter what night you go out to the club either. With a resident DJ line-up that includes Matar, Willie Graff, Francois K., Carl Craig, Roger Sanchez, and Marques Wyatt, Cielo has a different sound for all kinds of house fans.

 

If you’re coming to New York City, make sure to check out this venue if you like to get your groove on and appreciate the best the nightclub industry has to offer.  If you live close to New York City, you have no excuse for not hitting this place up. You now know where a diamond-in-the-rough is located. Search for it and you’ll find a treasure of stimulus delights that will make you feel like music royalty.

 

Cielo is located at: 18 Little West 12^th Street, New York City

World Series of Poker Quickie: 6/4/08

Do Athletes Do It Better?

When most people think of poker players, the image comes to mind is typically one of an over-weight person who does little to keep in shape. Despite the common stereotype, a number of today’s top poker players have strong exercise regimens that keep them sharp at the tables.

 

Players such as Patrik Antonius, Erick Lindgren, and Brian “sbrugby” Townsend have come into this year’s WSOP in great physical shape and all of them have credited their workouts for helping them at the tables in the past. “I am a much better player because (of exercise),” said Townsend in a recent PokerListings.com article.

 

I have personally seen several poker pros sweating out their toxins at the Las Vegas Bikram Yoga studio. Doyle’s Room pro Hoyt Corkins and two-time WSOP bracelet winner Bill Chen have attended classed there and rumor has it Jamie Gold and Isabelle Mercier are going try a class or two.

 

With some tournaments grinding on for several days, one has to think that these players have an advantage over the average poker player whose idea of exercise is reaching for his pocket cards.

 

Respect Your Bloggers

Although poker players get a lot of credit for being able to withstand ridiculous amounts of time at the table, few people talk about the resiliency of the people behind the scenes that are bringing them the action. Often going unnoticed, these people also deserve some props, because it is no easy job to do.

 

Fortunately I do not having tournament blogging responsibilities during the WSOP and I am grateful for this fact. It is a thankless job that literally drains you day by day. The bloggers of this year’s WSOP should be commended (already) for their efforts and in my opinion, they all deserve a raise.

 

If you want to talk about the WSOP, don’t forget to mention the folks at websites such as Pokernews.com and the Tao of Poker. These guys and gals deserve a lot of credit for working sick hours and surviving the rigors of daily tournament reporting at the WSOP. They have done a great job of bringing tournament floor action to poker fans and I hope they continue to keep up the great work.

 

Multiple O’s

If you are a poker fan and you can’t get your poker fix at the 2008 WSOP, then there is something wrong with you. Yesterday’s action was a literal buffet of poker madness as five different bracelet events took to the felt at different locations throughout the Rio.

 

With the $5,000 Mixed Hold’em, the $1,000 No Limit (with rebuys), the $1,500 Pot Limit, the $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo Split, and the $1,500 No Limit tournaments all seeing action at one time, it was almost impossible to find a tournament area that didn’t have at least two top-flight pros seeing action. Although yesterday could be considered what some might call “the perfect storm scenario,” poker fans can still expect at least three bracelet events each day from this point on.

 

If you’ve never had a chance to come watch a poker tournament or railbird your favorite pro, the WSOP is the perfect event and it is probably your best chance to see them live.

Will Slick Rick Ever Be Free?

Image details: BET 106 & Park Presents Chamillionaire served by picapp.com

Back in the day, one of the most influential hip hop songs to make it to wax was “The Great Adventures of Slick Rick,” by Rickey Walters, a.k.a. Slick Rick. Unfortunately for the Britain native, who was living in the Bronx in New York at the time, he ran into trouble with the law and was convicted of attempted murder and possession of deadly weapons in 1991.

 

The story behind Walter’s conviction was a bizarre one. He pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder and eight weapons offenses, stemming from a fight where Walters shot his cousin and an innocent bystander. Both survived the shooting. Apparently Walters’ cousin had threatened him and Walters believed that his cousin had made an attempt to take the hip hop legends life. Walters ended up serving six years before he was released and put on parole.

 

Fast forward to May of 2008. Slick Rick is once again in trouble with the authorities, this time it is the Feds who are after him. They are trying to deport him under a statute that requires the removal of a lawful resident alien upon conviction of an aggravated felony or a weapon offense.

 

This is where things get even more interesting. Current New York state governor David A. Paterson has fully pardoned Walters in hopes of allowing him to fight his possible deportation. Paterson cited Walters’ exemplary disciplinary records in prison and while on parole, the fact that he has lived in the community for ten years without a problem, and Walters’ work with youth outreach programs as reasons for his pardon.

 

Walters had originally received a waiver of inadmissibility in 1995 and was allowed to stay in the United States. Later that year, it was repealed by the Board of Immigration on the grounds that it had been filed 33 days past the required deadline. So far, Walters’ legal efforts to stop this process have failed and he could soon be deported.

 

Walters, now 43, has a wife and two children, all of which are U.S. citizens.

 

One has to wonder if Slick Rick will find true freedom soon. It has to be horrible to live in a box for six years, then come out and try to live life right, and still get screwed by the government.