Monday, June 30, 2008

29/06/08 Blue Marlin Sunday Sessions

To be honest, though the opening parties are over, Miss W is (shhhhhh!) absolutely shattered. Tired. Needs some time to escape. Wants some secret hours in the sun. So the minute the wonderful team at Blue Marlin mentioned that there was a vacant sun bed on a Sunday, I literally leaped at the offer!

And considering the fact Miss W was responsible for entertaining a couple of Australian journalists for the weekend, it seemed there was no better place to pull up pew (and show off just a little) than Blue Marlin - it’s like maximum effort minimum gain - fun, sun and games all round. So to speak!

Today, Miss W and her crew couldn’t have been more impressed - Ibiza turned on her charm, to incorporate crystal clear warm waters and the sunniest skies imaginable, not to mention the most attentive service from the Blue Marlin crew… all the way down to ensuring my beach umbrella covered my face but not my shoulders. Way to tan guys, thank you!

With a new menu courtesy of Planet Sushi, Miss W was in heaven - sushi is my favourite food in the world you know - and continued to graze all day on the tuna and salmon sashimi on offer, whether in a roll, as part of a tartar salad or simply raw. There’s just something about the beach that pairs so well with sushi, no? Not too heavy, not too light… I almost felt like the Ibiza Goldilocks… juuuuuust right!

Of course, once the sun goes down, Blue Marlin starts to heat up - many of Miss W’s friends seemed to be arriving by the minute to sample the delectable dinner menu, while others were taking note of the Balearic beats supplied courtesy of none other than island Flamenco fave Paco Fernandez - joined on the PA by his son, an experience Miss W was ever-so-happy to have witnessed - make sure you head down there and check it out for yourself next week!

For me, Blue Marlin is the ultimate day out - beach, sunbathing, dining, dancing - what else could a girl want? My journalist friends left the venue with raving reviews (and in fact, one of them was contemplating changing their flight just to come back the next day) and I am 100% in agreeance - this my friends, is A-list Ibiza at its best.

THE GOOD: Location, location, location. Need we say more?
THE BAD: The number of girls who think it’s appropriate to dance topless at a beach restaurant. Maybe Miss W is too much of a prude, but while I’m all for no tan lines, there’s something about jiggling breasts on a dance floor (complete with long beaded necklaces as an accessory) that doesn’t agree with my sangria. Bikinis are a fabulous tw- piece fashion item after all…
THE GOSSIP: There were whispers that a ‘very famous international DJ’ was going to grace the decks today, however it was not to be. Perhaps the PR staff need to tone it down just a notch?

Thursday, June 26, 2008

The PBF, shopping and the new addition to Miss W's family

So…. Miss W has been sooooo busy of late heading to all the club openings that she’d almost forgotten to blog about anything other than a dance floor - my most sincere apologies! However a certain White-ette made a point of pointing out - so to speak - that my Potential Boyfriend seems to have escalated up the ranks to be officially a Boyfriend (ahhh - the term makes me so nervous) and that I seem to have spent my entire salary on fashion items between Vara De Rey and the Croissant Show - which basically mean I’ve got some explaining to do!

Right. Well. Where do I start? The PBF? Well, yes, it seems since the special secret Azuli Beach Party a few weeks ago that we have indeed been seeing a lot more of each other exclusively. Dinners, drinks, VIP rendezvous at club openings, strolls along the beach - aaaah! Yes folks, I think it is time to finally admit that Miss W is off the market. Though I cannot reveal the name of my beloved - you’ll find some subtle references to him in some past entries and I’ll give a prize to anyone who can guess his identity, I can say that I am liking the transition thus far. Keep you posted, I promise!

But apart from that HUGE announcement, the only other thing that seems to been occupying my time between 'actual' boyfriend and club openings is… well… shopping! Well, with this many opening parties, I couldn’t possibly be seen in last season’s frocks!

Speaking of which, but have you checked out Ibiza town lately? Fringed suede sandals, cheesecloth white playsuits, denim vests - it’s like Kate Moss came into town and emptied out her wardrobe. By the way, did you hear that Kate was here last week? In the Rock Bar no less, holding court at the bar with fabbo owners Nick and Bev all night. Why she didn’t call me to catch up for a drink I’ll never know!

Oh that’s right - there’s just one more thing. Miss W has become the proud parent of a 12-week old Ibicencan kitten. She looks like a miniature white tiger, with the most amazing blue eyes - ALMOST enough to make me stay home at night. I’m sure you’ll be hearing more of her…

But then again…. You know Miss W! So what are we doing tomorrow night?

Saturday, June 21, 2008

20/06/08: MANUMISSION OPENING PARTY

Manumission has long been considered a bit of a travelling sideshow - though they’ve never really strayed far from the fair shores of our island - so this year’s theme of Coney Island Review seems rather apt, considering team Manumission is made up of a cast of the weird and wonderful. Not my words by the way, that’s how they describe themselves.

It was also the first party Miss W ever attended when she arrived in Ibiza many years ago, so she has a bit of a soft spot for the antics of Mike and Claire - not to mention a not-so-secret desire to become a Manumission girl (a goal that is very unlikely to be fulfilled in this lifetime)! Which meant there was no way she was going to miss a minute of the 2008 debut.

Having made the permanent and official move to Amnesia and with the terrace being reconstructed over the winter in order to accommodate the spectacular shows, all eyes were on the stripey circus style posters that kept popping up all over town to try and decipher just what tricks Mike and Claire would pull out of the bag this year.

Of course, we weren’t disappointed with four acts telling a tale of Coney Island and it’s fabulous freaks and misfits set in the ‘20s with a modern Manumission twist. As per usual, Mike and Claire were kidnapped - this time with the intent to be cloned by the evil Fraudster and the Dandy Doctor, while they were trapped in a dangerous drag room full of transvestites.

Sound confusing? Miss W has to admit that she was glad she’d read the press release before watching the shows, as the relevance of some characters may have been lost on her otherwise. While the sets, costumes, styling, make-up and dancing were - as always - amazing, Miss W couldn’t help but wonder if the audience missed the point.

But does it really matter? By all accounts, everyone in the venue had a fabulous time, particularly those being entertained by the Jezebel clad hostesses in the VIP area, and even moreso, those lucky enough to still be on the terrace towards the very tail end of the night when Mylo dropped his Ibiza classic anthem, Drop The Pressure.

The fact that Manumission is and always will be one of my favourite parties means I’ll be going back week after week - stay tuned for further reports of the Coney Island ‘Freak Of The Week’ a band of guests including Lucky, the World’s Most Tattooed Man, Baby with her Extraordinary Acrobatic Vagina (yes, you read correctly), The Amazing Sculpted Bodies of the Dynamite Boys and many many more.

See you at the front of the stage next Friday!

THE GOOD: It was goodbye Pacha and hello Amnesia for Jade Jagger and her Jezebel brand, who played host on the exclusive VIP area on the terrace, giving Manumission an extra burst of Ibiza cool factor.
THE BAD: While the new home of Amnesia is more than adequate for the Manumission girls (and boys!) it’s sad to see the end of the infamous Coco Loco room and legendary back room sets from the much-loved resident Colin Peters.
THE GOSSIP: Sir Richard Branson’s name was at the very top of the guest list, but it remained questionable as to whether he actually came to the club - Amnesia is notorious for it’s secret VIP entrances and mirrored private VIP rooms, and not even Miss W could find out the answer to this one!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

18/06/08: EL AYOUN 10TH BIRTHDAY

Nothing beats an invite to an exclusive birthday bash in Miss W’s book, and when the exclusive birthday bash takes place at El Ayoun - nothing less than their very own tenth birthday soiree thank you very much - well, this means a new outfit and hairstyle are in order for the occasion.

No sooner had I finished at the salon (boho-style wavy locks courtesy of the ultra cool Antonio B in Ibiza’s old town if you must know) than I was whisked off to San Rafael for the amazing invitation only dinner at El Ayoun - and boy was I glad I’d made that early appointment, because I would not have missed a minute of this event, even if you had paid me!

I must admit that even I had to gasp as I walked through the infamous entrance, as the legendary bronze camel on the red carpet had been replaced by THE REAL THING (yes folks, I mean real live camel), flown into Ibiza specially for the occasion (and yes I pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming!). It seems all the stops were pulled out for this auspicious occasion.

The theme for guests was to wear black and white, so the restaurant, bar and dance floor were a veritable stylish chess board of monochrome - Miss W would like to note that most of the (über-tanned) female guests had opted for an LWD (yes, that’s little white dress as opposed to little black dress) and the guys were feeling very comfortable with their choice of open necked white shirts.

But down to business… Each time one of exceptional wait staff lingered by my seat with a tray of delectable entrees, I had to hold myself back from helping myself to more than one - no this is not a Miss W weird diet tip, it’s simply a manners thing. This is how good the new El Ayoun sushi lounge really is - proof is in the pudding as they say… or sashimi as the case may be.

But it wasn’t just the entrees that tickled my tastebuds - Moroccan flavoured lamb chops, chicken cous cous and sensational desserts were an also an absolute hit. After a very cold spell in spring, El Ayoun finally threw open the doors to their divine terrace - alfresco is back baby!

THE GOOD: Angel Cielo - can the ever-faithful El Ayoun resident DJ put a foot wrong? We think not.
THE BAD: A huge birthday cake was wheeled out into the club however it seemed revellers were slightly too self-involved to sing the obligatory ‘cumpleanos feliz’ to El Ayoun’s Charles and crew. Hmmmm….
THE GOSSIP: For VVVIPs (and yes, this includes Miss Miss W) a special wristband meant drinks were free flowing and a plenty all night… and special privileges like these aren’t to be abused - you know who you are!

Monday, June 16, 2008

16/06/08: COCOON OPENING PARTY

‘This is the year 2008, and what once was called Science Fiction has now arrived in the present. The Amnesia pyramid continues sending out its signal, and the signal says Disco Invasion! We will travel through the Techno universe, in order to bring you the revolution - the Disco Invasion, that blends everything together and leaves behind old categories. 'The sky is the limit' on planet Minimal Techno Funk, Ibiza is our International Spaceport and Sven gives us the command for take-off!’

At least, that’s how the promotional material described it to Miss W, and when that much effort goes into hyping up what was easily last year’s techno success story’s return to the island, well it would be rude not to slip into my disco shoes, sequinned hotpants and get into the spirit right?

While DJs Sven Vath and Ricardo Villalobos (aka Commander Darth Vather and DJ Chebaca) weren’t in their Disco Invaders finery (to be fair, those head pieces would make DJing just a little difficult) as seen in the promotional trailer, there were plenty of stunning Cocoon dancers - complete with amazing diamante encrusted face paint and Barbarella style ponytails - on hand to wield Light sabers a lá Star Wars as they grooved to the decidedly non-disco sounds of Cocoon!

The Cocoon terrace has long been the place where the island comes together after a long week of work, play and anything in between and the opening party was no exception. With a decidedly Spanish and Italian crowd on the terrace, while the club kids stuck to the thumping laser-filled main room, Miss W was happy to bump into old friends, new acquaintances, visiting DJs and ex-workers who’d made the trek back to the island specifically for this party.

My favourite element of the evening though? Checking out the amazing costumes worn by the dancers, mainly the platform sequinned 70s style knee high boots. For next week’s disco extravaganza, I plan to get myself a pair somehow! While they’re not exactly the type of thing you can pick up at Las Dalias, I’m thinking I might be able to customise something from the Sant Jordi car boot sale on Saturday morning!

It might not be very techno, but if Sven and co can get into the spirit then Miss W doesn’t see why she shouldn’t be allowed to sparkle too!

THE GOOD: The way the Cocoon crew throw themselves wholeheartedly into their Disco Invader theme - who’d have thought the über serious German techno brigade had a sense of humour like this? To get a glimpse behind the scenes, check out this clip before heading to the club next week!
THE BAD: The guest list queue. While Miss W is lucky enough to be on a first name basis with the door staff and can waltz straight to the front of the queue, many of her friends were stuck in a pushing, heaving queue and waited for up to an hour to get inside. Surely VIPs and invited guests are entitled to a speedy and trouble free entrance?
THE GOSSIP: The renovations to the Amnesia terrace have certainly opened up the area and allowed plenty more room to manoeuvre the floor - and dance of course - but we couldn’t help but notice the many people - including one famous DJ and a costumed-up Cocoon dancer - tripping over the large bronzed camel statue sitting on the floor. In a darkened club environment, surely this is a bit of a hazard?

Sunday, June 15, 2008

15/06/08: WE LOVE OPENING PARTY

Celebrating their tenth year this year are Ibiza stalwarts We Love… And the team behind the island’s most successful party have asked themselves why throw one birthday party when you can throw 16? That’s one per week for the duration of the season and today marks the beginning of the festivities - and Miss W plans to be on hand for each and every one of them so she doesn’t miss a second of the action.

Gone was the car park arena and stilt-walking entertainers of the Space opening party and in their place, a plethora of acid house themed décor adorning the club, from enormous oversized smiley face balls hanging from the roof to illuminated flashing fluoro lights and even t-shirts declaring ‘We Love… Acid House’. We Love… have been notorious for steering clear of pomp and ceremony over the years and focusing solely on the music, but when thousands of smiley faced yellow balloons were dropped from the ceiling, we couldn’t help but get even more carried away in the moment.

For Miss W, again it was all about the Discotek. With house-master DJ Pierre at the helm of the DJ booth, banging out an amazing two-hour set packed with acid house classics, rave anthems and futuristic techno beats, it was no surprise that the room was packed to the rafters - one entire corner was packed full of the island’s finest DJ talent paying homage to the legend - from We Love’s very own David Phillips to Manumission’s Colin Peters and the Underground’s Justin Field, plus a posse of the Ibiza Rocks crew and local audio visual producers FR4M3 and last but not least, a handful of influential bar, restaurant and local business owners from across the island, it felt like the whole population was feeling the ‘We Love…’

In the new terrace (also packed to the rafters by all accounts) however, Miss W heard whispers that Ben Watt was giving DJ Pierre a run for his money, with those on hand to witness his set calling it awe-inspiring. Followed by mash-up heroes 2ManyDJs, it definitely felt like no one was using the exit doors until the lights went up at 6am,

But for Miss W, it was fantastic to note a lot of up and coming talent being given a chance to shine - the funky El Salon room was treated to an amazing two hours of funk-house meets percussion with Mr Doris, the rooftop Premier Etage played host to local deep house legend Jon Howell, the Sunset Terrace moved to the beat of Café Mambo’s own Andy Baxter and London’s Chew The Fat! crew returned to give the Red Box and injection of their classic breakbeat sound - all in all, combined with the masters working the two main arenas, the perfect mix of music across all six rooms, with something to suit everyone. Which is what We Love are renowned for really… We’ll be seeing you again next weekend!

THE GOOD: This year sees We Love… go green. Using recycled paper for all of their promotional flyers, posters and even CD covers, along with vegetable based ink to reduce their impact on the Ibizan environment. Miss W encourages other clubs on the island follow suit so our beautiful island can continue to be enjoyed for many years to come.
THE BAD: Everyone’s favourite 22-hour party marathon has now been cut to 13.5 thanks to the new laws regarding daytime clubbing. When a promoter such as We Love… have successfully been running daytime parties for ten years, surely there should be some exceptions to the rule?
THE GOSSIP: After the DC10 terrace being incredibly empty upon opening at 4.30pm the previous week, many speculated that the Space Sunset Terrace would suffer a similar blow. With queues outside before the club had opened, this proved not to be the case and it was business as usual, with Andy Baxter delivering a superb set that got punters straight onto the dance floor the minute they stepped through the doors.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

13/06/08: WONDERLAND OPENING PARTY

It’s been hyped up for months, and to Miss W, the Wonderland opening party couldn’t have come any sooner. I’d seen the posters around town, I’d glimpsed the all-new Eden at the opening party and I’d even been chatting to Mr Tong himself throughout the week about what to expect from his new extravaganza. And finally, the big night had rolled around.

Starting with a swish press dinner at the Eden-owned Kanya with visiting journalists from the UK, Miss W was wined and dined by the fabulous crew at The Shop, who have been responsible for making the Wonderland concept come to life. Complete with a performance from the Burlesque themed Wonderland dancers and a fireworks display from an almost sinister sequin-clad warrior by the sparkling pool just after sunset, it gave us an alternative - and entirely pleasant - start to our night in San Antonio.

Miss W has to admit she had just a teensy little bit of trepidation regarding the crowd heading into Eden, but from the minute she was whisked through the fairy light studded VIP entrance (complete with enormous framed pictures of Pete from the Wonderland artwork) and into the exclusive candlelit area behind the DJ booth, she knew that this wasn’t just another night at Eden.

As I sipped on chilled Moet - thanks Pete, you do know Miss W loves a glass of bubbles or two - Rob Marmot warmed up the rapidly expanding crowd in the main room, followed by a classic set from Groove Armada, who were broadcasting live for BBC Radio 1. Then it was time for the man of the hour to step up and show the world just exactly what he’d been plotting and planning for the majority of the year.

It was now that the crowd seemed to literally erupt - throngs of younger, clubby types swarmed the front of the DJ booth making it almost like a mosh pit, while the beautiful people in the VIP area - including Pete’s stunningly gorgeous wife Carolina - all got out of their seats to start dancing - a true party atmosphere.

The most amazing element of Eden’s revamp for Wonderland was the installation of a multi-million dollar visual displays, thanks to acclaimed production company Microchunk. With huge curtains made up of LED balls - which looked a little like oversized light globes to Miss W - and enormous almost cinema-like screens beaming with colourful lights, laser beams and moving projections that morphed and made the inside of the club like a giant video game, this was a whole new ball gamer for the club and certainly made it stand out from its competitors in terms of modernity and ‘wow’ factor.

Best of all, for The Looking Glass upstairs, the room hosted by local favourite promoter and DJ duo Charlie Chester and Jo Mills, these visual displays were hung from the roof of the club and backed onto the glass encased room - which meant the DJs playing in the third room had their very own visual showcase going on behind them the entire night, adding a whole new dimension to the room - in fact, we think the visuals were even more spectacular when viewed from this height - on the main dancefloor you had to crane your neck to look up at them!

THE GOOD: ‘The Looking Glass’ was jam packed all night. If they weren’t behind the DJ booth, VIPs were sneaking up here to hang out and dance with the many island faces on hand show support to Jo and Charlie - we think the old school ‘back room’ party vibe will be making a comeback in this room.
THE BAD: There’s been a lot of talk about Groove Armada making the transition from their coveted We Love Space Sundays slot to their own personal ‘Lovebox’ in the Funky Room at Eden on Fridays - sadly, the room remained quite empty for the majority of the night - we think this may have been due to the fact they also played the main room and then started in the Lovebox time as Pete hit the main floor - just a glitch in the programming, we hope!
THE GOSSIP: Apparently the VIP area behind the DJ booth wasn’t quite ready by the time the club threw open it’s doors for the 11pm curtain call, due to the fact that the über chic - and some might say very expensive - new furniture ordered especially for Friday nights had arrived in the wrong colour scheme and needed to be re-covered. So simple deck chairs stayed in place - not that anyone actually sat in them anyway, as most people were mingling and dancing!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

12/06/08: JASON BULL’S BIRTHDAY PARTY

When a local taxi driver WON’T take you to a venue because it’s too off the beaten track, you instantly get the feeling that the destination is DEFINITELY worth the trip, no matter how complicated the journey.

At least, that’s how Miss W feels, and when she discovered the location of Es Vive and Base Bar main man Jason Bull’s annual birthday bash - S’Estanyol - she quickly roped in the assistance of a friend with a jeep and hot-footed it to the hills behind Talamanca to get in the thick of the action.

PK2, the restaurant perched on the edge of the tiny beach cove only accessible by a dirt track has long been a favourite of in-the-know islanders, party promoters and after-hours aficionados - as much for its seclusion as its stunning surroundings. With a camouflage-net covered terrace accessorised with draping white curtains, rustic wooden furniture and amazing home-cooked food along with a powerful Funktion 1 sound system, it’s the ideal place to throw a party for a few hundred of your closest friends.

For the effervescent Mr Bull, an enormous paella was lovingly crafted to feed the masses - a predominantly English crew Miss W was quick to note - who mainly chose to linger on the sands while the sun was still high in the sky before milling onto the terrace after dark. Despite opening party week work commitments for many of the invited guests, the 4pm kick-off time was definitely not too early, and before we even knew it, it was time to relocate the party to none other than the infamous Es Vive hotel.

Who was still on hand to keep the fire burning? The who’s who of Ibiza’s party scene of course - while we won’t spill the beans on who was still hard at play once the rest of us had arrived in the office the following morning, we will say that the party lived up to its wild reputation as one of Ibiza’s finest non-clubbing social events of the year.

THE GOOD: The birthday boy of course! With that much charisma and energy to spare, it’s no surprise that guests flew in from all over the world to help celebrate Jason’s big day.
THE BAD: We love S’Estanyol but have to admit it is an absolute nightmare for transport. It’s all well and good if you have a designated driver, but when a party of this magnitude happens, we’d like the option of leaving the car behind.
THE GOSSIP: When you’re the owner of one of the island’s coolest party hotels, it’s only natural that the party kicks on in the ‘privacy’ of your establishment long after all other venues on the island have closed for the night. Miss W heard reports that a certain well known island DJ was still MIA at 4pm the following afternoon… lost in the depths of Es Vive we expect!

Thursday, June 5, 2008

05/06/08: F**K ME I’M FAMOUS AT PACHA OPENING PARTY

The runaway success story of last year, F**k Me I’m Famous - the French party de jour - has returned to Pacha and this year, we’re lucky enough to get the chance to head to the tongue in cheek soiree every week! Tonight, marked the official opening party and Miss W wasn’t going to miss a single minute of the action.

In order to get the full opening party experience, I decided to start the evening at the exclusive Café Mambo pre-party. As Miss W and her companions discovered, the sunset strip doesn’t exactly flourish in the rain - there wasn’t even a hope of seeing the sunset through those heavy clouds and the crowded terrace quickly cleared when the downpour eventually hit.

For those who managed to secure some Space inside Mambo, a further disappointment came with the news that David Guetta’s flight was delayed and he wouldn’t be able to play his pre-party slot - trying to use her ‘glass half full’ perspective, Miss W thought it was just all the more reason to visit the club later!

And visit the club she did - after numerous costume changes, finally settling on the all-purpose weather-proof option of skinny jeans and a camisole top - thankfully Pacha -unlike many of the other clubs - has a great cloakroom for storing those jackets and brollies (and at this stage I’m wondering if I can include wellies!)

The club was absolutely heaving to capacity, and Miss W had to admit that even though she loved the main room - particularly the performances and the décor - it was nice to take a breather on the roof (when the rain finally stopped of course). Those in the know understand that this is where a lot of the real Pacha action takes place, with the head honchos spending a lot of time up here, shaking hands, signing deals, and doling out the drink tickets - Ibiza’s very own ‘How to win friends and influence people’ type currency!

THE LOWDOWN
THE GOOD: The Pacha dancers. There’s hot and there’s smoking, but these guys are steaming!
THE BAD: Maybe it’s just me, but are the FMIF billboards featuring a smooching David and Cathy Guetta just a little too OTT?
THE GOSSIP: Ticket sellers were suggesting the rain actually would keep people away from this party - but Miss W can tell you that was not the case at all.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

04/06/08: BEACH AZULI AT SOL DEN SERRA

Being the Ibiza social butterfly that she is, Miss W is privy to a lot of ‘classified’ information about top-secret parties, very special guest DJs and stylish island locations and today saw all three elements come together to create an amazing event that we think will be talked about for years to come.

Sol Den Serra played host to Beach Azuli, for the first in a series of four secret summer parties and you couldn’t have asked for a more stylish location if you ask Miss W! The entire lower level, complete with day beds and deck chairs was transformed into a seaside dance floor, with beautiful pink feathers suspended from the roof and blowing delicately in the breeze to set the scene.

Those lucky enough to have received one of the exclusive pink invites - which were distributed by some of the island’s most well connected social types - were treated to smooth grooves courtesy of international guests Andy Cato of Groove Armada and Crazy P, along with Azuli head honcho David Piccioni. A troupe of amazingly fit Brazilian Capoeira dancers provided a visual feast for our entertainment before the sun went down

With a mouth watering barbeque sizzling away all afternoon and jugs of icy cold mojitos making the rounds of the smiley-faced and stylishly attired crowd, it felt like every need was catered to before we had a chance to contemplate it. Miss W and her Potential Boyfriend enjoyed lazing on the exclusive VIP day beds, giving the White-ettes plenty of opportunities to meet and greet the man in question - their verdict? Well, I’ll share that with you when they spill the beans!

THE LOWDOWN
THE GOOD: Who said dancing in the daytime couldn’t be done in Ibiza anymore? This was the party to prove to authorities that private open-air events can be done, and can be done very well indeed.
THE BAD: The giant rain cloud that threatened to ruin the day! While it conveniently stayed away from Cala Llonga, we think it may have deterred a few guests from heading to the party.
THE GOSSIP: Miss W spied the police having a walk through the venue, however the rumours that the party would be closed down soon proved to be false - it was simply a routine sound check!

Sunday, June 1, 2008

01/06/08: SPACE OPENING PARTY

It’s the party that ‘officially’ kicks off the summer season and the one that Miss W has been eagerly counting down the days to!

Thankfully for the 18 000 plus clubbers who flocked to Playa Den Bossa for the long-awaited Space Opening Fiesta, Ibiza turned on her famous sunshine and blue skies. The car park - which was turned into a huge festival style arena for the occasion - was awash with glorious warm rays of sunlight while dancers in futuristic air hostess costumes entertained the masses by performing inside a giant clear ball, to the soundtrack of Fatboy Slim and as the sun began to set, Steve Lawler.

While the addition of the outdoor area is a novelty, I have to admit I just absolutely adore the inside of the club, so I was eager to get back in there and out onto the dance floor - it’s been almost eight months since Space and I were last together you know! Plus, I have learned from previous year’s experience that when the car park arena closes and you have around 10 000 or so eager clubbers all trying to get inside it’s a squishy situation (that really doesn’t go with my footwear) that can easily be avoided by heading inside before that happens!

Inside the club was every bit as amazing as I’d remembered - better in fact! The biggest problem was trying to decide which room to spend most of my time in - with the world’s best DJs holding court in every room, it was an extremely difficult choice.

Thankfully Miss W has very special access privileges at Space, which meant I could use the secret ‘staff only’ back passageways to manoeuvre my way through the labyrinth of a club and check out the action in every room before settling in behind the DJ booth in the Discotek for Sasha - where every experience I have ever had in a club in my life was eclipsed. From a laser show so amazing you felt like you could feel one of the thousands of streams of light filling the club to acrobats and stilt performers dressed as giant butterflies dropping from the roof to an amazed audience, this was a visual display like none other.

Of course, an opening party wouldn’t be complete without the obligatory start of season catch-up conversations and Space was no exception. Miss W spotted the ever-so-lovely manager of Space, Juan Arenas cruising around the club with none other than Danny Tenaglia while Erick Morillo was schmoozing David and Cathy Guetta, not to mention the many familiar island faces crowding the most of the free flowing drinks supplies and the air conditioning surrounding the DJ booth. The club’s name seemed to be quite ironic really, given there certainly wasn’t any space on the night!

THE LOWDOWN
THE GOOD: What an amazing party! Space once again proved why they are leading the way for the world’s clubbing elite. If only it was open all year round…
THE BAD: The sheer volume of people - while the numbers were certainly good for Space, it made queuing up for the bathroom a nightmare!
THE GOSSIP: The large area to the right of the DJ booth in the terraza was roped off to accommodate a very small group of about six people, who paid a premium sum to secure the space as the original VIP area was completely booked out. Miss W thinks it’s tacky to talk about money but she did hear a figure whispered that wouldn’t get you much change from 100K - wow!