When I was little, my Aunt made Easter baskets for us by blowing up a balloon and wrapping it entirely with yarn that had been soaked in sugar water. When the concoction dried, she would pop the balloon, cut a hole in it and fill it with candy. It was a super cool idea and it looked like a retro mesh egg in a lattice motif. Clearly, my Aunt was ahead of her time. I was called back to that Easter basket when I stepped into Todd English’s new Chelsea supperclub, Juliet, with its clever lattice motif ceiling hovering high above the puffy banquettes below. There’s a savvy geometric covalence going on. This restaurant is no Easter basket but it will indeed be filled with (eye) candy when it officially opens - but the people behind it are still “determining” the menu.

Juliet made its entry into the world by throwing a few insider events to create maximum buzz - like the launch of Stolichnaya Vodka’s Gala Applik, with a performance by The Moskova Affair. I’d imagine it’s a good sign when members of the Gossip Girl cast - like Chace Crawford and Jessica Szohr - have been spotted here, along with Project Runway Winner Christian Siriano who’s about to have his own Bravo reality show. Throw in a few socially notorious New Yorkers and you have all the trappings of a new hot spot.

Juliet has the potential of doing well because of its clever design and location. The palm trees of Bungalow 8 are a little tired, and while fancy lattice work alone might not pull in the masses, attention to all other areas will surely help. Perhaps drawing inspiration from the Box, this nightclub comes equipped with a stage for avant-garde performances (sex shows?). Not only that, the floor is a mosaic of muted mirrored tiles (don’t forget your panties, girls) and the walls are peppered with (designer) graffiti – reminiscent of a good acid trip in your best friend’s basement in high school, but cooler. In many ways you are actually inside the disco ball - which will be ideal if Lady Gaga comes to town to do an impromptu performance at some point.

Whether Juliet becomes the new Studio 54 remains to be seen, but it is a strong contender among some stiff competition. The good news is that New York nightlife is making a big comeback – The Boom Boom Room at the Standard and the Ballroom at the Jane Hotel are currently hot NYC nightlife items, so people are indeed adapting to a new era of nightlife. - DM