“It was maybe all worth it,” said John, when we were finally served a porchetta sandwich a few hours into the debut of new nightclub Johnny’s food menu. I was feeling guilty for bringing him to what I thought would be a real restaurant opening but was possibly turning out to be an open bar with, eventually, some crudités and shrimp cocktail.
This, after a reminder that I will show up to the opening of a can (or something sponsored by The Can—thank you The Can!), during a phone call I took on the way to 327 Bowery, where a PR girl wearing the sheerest of dresses and a black thong was positioned, clipboard up, in broad daylight.
Johnny is a newly renovated space that shares its address with music venue The Bowery Electric (a place I’ve never been) and is decidedly not dive-y. I was invited to the soft launch by East Village nightlife star Laura Stemmer, who has had a heavy hand in many a nearby club, is a mother of two, and continuously declares her dedication to the lifestyle of rock ‘n’ roll, which is, according to herself ten years ago, “throwing a cigarette into a drink and then walking off,” and who somehow still looks 25. On Tuesday, Laura was wearing a backless dress with not much more in front and greeting guests with a hug, which, if you ask me, is also rock ‘n’ roll.
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