PAMPERED AT PROFILE – SAT 30TH JAN & FRI 5TH FEB
REVIEW FOR SEENQUEEN
It is no secret that we love a good old jaunt around Soho, in fact having spent most of our working career in London, touching on this most cosmopolitan district of the capital, we have hardly failed to end our week anywhere else or indeed get drawn into its activity across a weekend of clubbing warm up or otherwise. Having seen the area change over the years, new bars spring up and existing ones fight off the ravages of changing times, we are spoilt for choice & variety, although many rarely get a look in on the pick of our favourite haunts, Rupert Street, Barcode & The Box, all three playing their part in making our weekend trips to Soho superbly special and for us very much gAylist venues in every respect.
But in recent times, one pretender to our tip top choices in the capital’s most recognised gay village, has muscled in on the action, drawing us in and treating us to some special evenings, whether it be a Friday, a Saturday, or indeed during the week, being conveniently located on Wardour Street right above its bigger sister club, having moved from its original location four blocks away. Following a spectacular launch back in July, Profile bar has become more & more a feature of our Soho socialising, also a favoured haunt of our clubbing pal Joel, who has tempted us out on midweek jaunts, sampling cocktails & the like, as well as adding the bar to our regular crawl, following a tough week on London’s roads. Having been one of those venues that hardly got a look in when it was based on Frith Street, there is something about the new place that really attracts, so what is it? And how come it has become so popular? Well, sit back as we take you on our journey spread across a week in which we sampled some magnificent music, superb service and really charismatic crowds that definitely set our Profile experience aside from some of its peers.
It all started very innocently (as all things do!) following a far too long bout of illness that left us depraved of social intercourse and not least our hair as long as “goldilocks”, so our first proper Saturday out in the real world since the turn of the year was destined to be a quiet affair, just a simple haircut & quick whizz around Soho. But just before we left for town, our favourite online gay rag & our compulsive social networking site was giving lots of hints of activity on Wardour Street and with the Seenqueen 2009 poll awards results not long released, there was clearly cause for celebration at a certain bar, so we thought it a little rude to miss out. With the haircut task achieved (we love our latest look!) and re-connecting with the team in Rupert Street ticked off, there was only one other destination in mind, a hop skip & jump finding us in the grip of Profile bar, which at our 8 p.m. ish arrival was already buzzing with a smart, sophisticated & sexy selection of gAylisters, filling out the American style diner booths fuelling up on the extensive food offering, as well as hanging out at the bar, sipping cocktails and in continual conversation, uninterrupted by overpowering music which can plague some other places we could mention.
Our attention was grabbed by the gorgeous Philippe behind the bar, who was mixing drinks but was keen to serve us and was just the start to a perfect evening having also been greeted by the wonderful floor host who was managing the food service with absolute precision. Then, as we turned toward our favourite corner, who was there, but none other than Brent Nicholls, behind the D.J. decks & dishing up his own delightful recipe of music to fully compliment the feel of the evening. Complimenting us on our fresh look (it was probably the haircut) we caught up on news of the last few weeks, including our premature return to the clubbing scene a week before, the freshly released 2009 awards & lots more besides, Brent very much in holiday mood but not before entertaining us here and then heading off to Hard On!
Looking around, the crowd was very much the gAylisters we have come to expect at Profile and there was definitely a celebration of some sort going on, as more & more familiar faces appeared to join Luke Hope & his boyfriend, some known to Brent, some to us and we were thrilled to see fellow fierce partner in crime Lexi, who was clearly in party mood and in the thick of the action, but took time to pop over to say hello. By now, we could see our evening of restraint slipping away before our eyes, with the enigmatic charm of Philippe continually drawing us back to the bar and Mr Nicholls selecting some superb sounds, we simply couldn’t resist spending the rest our time in Soho in the hands of this sumptuous & happening hang out, not least made more special by fabulous General Manager Rozella who was delighted to see us.
And so the evening wore onto the night, as Brent continued to entertain with impeccable music, enchanting conversation & all in the superb surroundings of a Profile bar that was well & truly swinging, there being something quite magical by the place, which continued to fill with gorgeous looking guys and their party girlfriends, the food still flowing to the in demand tables and more & more familiar scene faces arriving, including the lovely Jamie Head & Andre Che Neill, both remarking on our new look in gushing tones (twice in one night fab!), rounding off a superb evening & a brilliant welcome back to our Soho socialising. So, it was inevitable that a return the following Friday was going to be on the cards, having planned to hook up with Phil Marriot ever since sampling his scintillating set at Onyx’s NYD afterparty, although that inconvenient illness has precluded us from doing so until now.
So, having finished with an arduous day on the roads, mapping out in our minds what our plans for Friday evening would be, as usual, they were laid to waste, as once again Profile was hitting the spot more than any other of our favourite haunts, it every bit as busy as the previous Saturday and clearly on the up & up from visits back in the summer. Yet again we were warmly greeted on the door, not really dressed for the occasion (cycling gear! oops) but even the red carpet treatment we receive at Rupert Street was surpassed, as Philippe, once again spotting us & beaming from behind the bar, prepared our favourite tipple, before we headed back to that corner we love, this time with the figure of Mr Phil engrossed in mixing music. As he raised his head, we made over introductory move and with the welcome coming warmly back, the conversation then flowed as though we had been long lost pals.
In an instant we went into socialising mode, being spotted by D.J. Phil Hewson across the other side of the bar, so bounding up, we embraced in a huge hug and immediately talked all things Lovechild, with Phil part of the amazing line up at the 1st birthday party coming up, as well as touching on some new music of his. Then with Rozella approaching, greeting us first and then delivering Mr Hewson some fantastic news, our night looked like becoming one of those again, as we headed back to our corner, our glass having been charged by a very generous G.M. and talk of Gaydar Radio, Onyx, D.J’s, facebook updates, music & much more was the epitome of the evening with Mr Marriot, Profile proving yet again the perfect place to spend Friday night (any night in fact). We could have stayed right till closing but were it for the need to get our two wheels & ourselves home in one piece for then onward partying plans in Vauxhall, with the offer of Onyx & then A.M.’s birthday on our radar, so waved goodbye to Profile, for sure to return very soon.
So, in answering the question, what is so attractive about Profile Bar?, well, there is a certain charm, a certain style & definitely a certain sophistication about this superb Wardour Street spot that makes every visit special. It would be fair to say that having been enchanted by the new Profile bar right since its re-opening, the place has grown on us like no other and the teething problems with slow service at the bar have been completely overcome, the food service having gone from strength to strength, clearly being a dining option of choice for many and the clue to its increasing popularity. Then there is the music, delivered to top notch scene D.J.’s four nights a week, we having enjoyed prolific performances from Jamie Head, Paul Heron & D’Johnny, as well as both Brent & Phil, the sounds never overpowering enough to disturb good conversation, but pitched perfectly to pamper. And yes, each & every time we visit Profile bar, we feel absolutely pampered, by the D.J.’s, by the team, by Philippe, by Rozella and by Profile and we couldn’t be more pleased for its fantastic showing in the Seenqueen poll coming a close & yet respectable second in the best bar vote, an accolade well deserved. So, if you want to feel pampered too, get down to Profile Bar very soon and find out what all the magic is about. (DISCO MATT)
REVIEW FOR SEENQUEEN
It is no secret that we love a good old jaunt around Soho, in fact having spent most of our working career in London, touching on this most cosmopolitan district of the capital, we have hardly failed to end our week anywhere else or indeed get drawn into its activity across a weekend of clubbing warm up or otherwise. Having seen the area change over the years, new bars spring up and existing ones fight off the ravages of changing times, we are spoilt for choice & variety, although many rarely get a look in on the pick of our favourite haunts, Rupert Street, Barcode & The Box, all three playing their part in making our weekend trips to Soho superbly special and for us very much gAylist venues in every respect.
But in recent times, one pretender to our tip top choices in the capital’s most recognised gay village, has muscled in on the action, drawing us in and treating us to some special evenings, whether it be a Friday, a Saturday, or indeed during the week, being conveniently located on Wardour Street right above its bigger sister club, having moved from its original location four blocks away. Following a spectacular launch back in July, Profile bar has become more & more a feature of our Soho socialising, also a favoured haunt of our clubbing pal Joel, who has tempted us out on midweek jaunts, sampling cocktails & the like, as well as adding the bar to our regular crawl, following a tough week on London’s roads. Having been one of those venues that hardly got a look in when it was based on Frith Street, there is something about the new place that really attracts, so what is it? And how come it has become so popular? Well, sit back as we take you on our journey spread across a week in which we sampled some magnificent music, superb service and really charismatic crowds that definitely set our Profile experience aside from some of its peers.
It all started very innocently (as all things do!) following a far too long bout of illness that left us depraved of social intercourse and not least our hair as long as “goldilocks”, so our first proper Saturday out in the real world since the turn of the year was destined to be a quiet affair, just a simple haircut & quick whizz around Soho. But just before we left for town, our favourite online gay rag & our compulsive social networking site was giving lots of hints of activity on Wardour Street and with the Seenqueen 2009 poll awards results not long released, there was clearly cause for celebration at a certain bar, so we thought it a little rude to miss out. With the haircut task achieved (we love our latest look!) and re-connecting with the team in Rupert Street ticked off, there was only one other destination in mind, a hop skip & jump finding us in the grip of Profile bar, which at our 8 p.m. ish arrival was already buzzing with a smart, sophisticated & sexy selection of gAylisters, filling out the American style diner booths fuelling up on the extensive food offering, as well as hanging out at the bar, sipping cocktails and in continual conversation, uninterrupted by overpowering music which can plague some other places we could mention.
Our attention was grabbed by the gorgeous Philippe behind the bar, who was mixing drinks but was keen to serve us and was just the start to a perfect evening having also been greeted by the wonderful floor host who was managing the food service with absolute precision. Then, as we turned toward our favourite corner, who was there, but none other than Brent Nicholls, behind the D.J. decks & dishing up his own delightful recipe of music to fully compliment the feel of the evening. Complimenting us on our fresh look (it was probably the haircut) we caught up on news of the last few weeks, including our premature return to the clubbing scene a week before, the freshly released 2009 awards & lots more besides, Brent very much in holiday mood but not before entertaining us here and then heading off to Hard On!
Looking around, the crowd was very much the gAylisters we have come to expect at Profile and there was definitely a celebration of some sort going on, as more & more familiar faces appeared to join Luke Hope & his boyfriend, some known to Brent, some to us and we were thrilled to see fellow fierce partner in crime Lexi, who was clearly in party mood and in the thick of the action, but took time to pop over to say hello. By now, we could see our evening of restraint slipping away before our eyes, with the enigmatic charm of Philippe continually drawing us back to the bar and Mr Nicholls selecting some superb sounds, we simply couldn’t resist spending the rest our time in Soho in the hands of this sumptuous & happening hang out, not least made more special by fabulous General Manager Rozella who was delighted to see us.
And so the evening wore onto the night, as Brent continued to entertain with impeccable music, enchanting conversation & all in the superb surroundings of a Profile bar that was well & truly swinging, there being something quite magical by the place, which continued to fill with gorgeous looking guys and their party girlfriends, the food still flowing to the in demand tables and more & more familiar scene faces arriving, including the lovely Jamie Head & Andre Che Neill, both remarking on our new look in gushing tones (twice in one night fab!), rounding off a superb evening & a brilliant welcome back to our Soho socialising. So, it was inevitable that a return the following Friday was going to be on the cards, having planned to hook up with Phil Marriot ever since sampling his scintillating set at Onyx’s NYD afterparty, although that inconvenient illness has precluded us from doing so until now.
So, having finished with an arduous day on the roads, mapping out in our minds what our plans for Friday evening would be, as usual, they were laid to waste, as once again Profile was hitting the spot more than any other of our favourite haunts, it every bit as busy as the previous Saturday and clearly on the up & up from visits back in the summer. Yet again we were warmly greeted on the door, not really dressed for the occasion (cycling gear! oops) but even the red carpet treatment we receive at Rupert Street was surpassed, as Philippe, once again spotting us & beaming from behind the bar, prepared our favourite tipple, before we headed back to that corner we love, this time with the figure of Mr Phil engrossed in mixing music. As he raised his head, we made over introductory move and with the welcome coming warmly back, the conversation then flowed as though we had been long lost pals.
In an instant we went into socialising mode, being spotted by D.J. Phil Hewson across the other side of the bar, so bounding up, we embraced in a huge hug and immediately talked all things Lovechild, with Phil part of the amazing line up at the 1st birthday party coming up, as well as touching on some new music of his. Then with Rozella approaching, greeting us first and then delivering Mr Hewson some fantastic news, our night looked like becoming one of those again, as we headed back to our corner, our glass having been charged by a very generous G.M. and talk of Gaydar Radio, Onyx, D.J’s, facebook updates, music & much more was the epitome of the evening with Mr Marriot, Profile proving yet again the perfect place to spend Friday night (any night in fact). We could have stayed right till closing but were it for the need to get our two wheels & ourselves home in one piece for then onward partying plans in Vauxhall, with the offer of Onyx & then A.M.’s birthday on our radar, so waved goodbye to Profile, for sure to return very soon.
So, in answering the question, what is so attractive about Profile Bar?, well, there is a certain charm, a certain style & definitely a certain sophistication about this superb Wardour Street spot that makes every visit special. It would be fair to say that having been enchanted by the new Profile bar right since its re-opening, the place has grown on us like no other and the teething problems with slow service at the bar have been completely overcome, the food service having gone from strength to strength, clearly being a dining option of choice for many and the clue to its increasing popularity. Then there is the music, delivered to top notch scene D.J.’s four nights a week, we having enjoyed prolific performances from Jamie Head, Paul Heron & D’Johnny, as well as both Brent & Phil, the sounds never overpowering enough to disturb good conversation, but pitched perfectly to pamper. And yes, each & every time we visit Profile bar, we feel absolutely pampered, by the D.J.’s, by the team, by Philippe, by Rozella and by Profile and we couldn’t be more pleased for its fantastic showing in the Seenqueen poll coming a close & yet respectable second in the best bar vote, an accolade well deserved. So, if you want to feel pampered too, get down to Profile Bar very soon and find out what all the magic is about. (DISCO MATT)
No comments:
Post a Comment