You heard it before you saw it. Welcome to Club Anabel, where the beat goes on. The newest nite-club in Dublin hosted a preview party on Wednesday night for over 600 friends. It was too dark and jam-packed to check out the "smooth oak wood floors" or the "muted, earthy tones with bold, strong colours" used in the interior mixes, but if the PR people say so, it must be true.
Julian Benson, an Australian choreographer, who has worked with groups like B*Witched and OTT, was there. The champion Latin dancer from Bunburi outside Perth in Western Australia is going to start salsa classes in Dublin soon. He was wearing a white tunic and pants, looking like a young curate home on a short break from Africa. "It's designed by Danny Kearns," he boasted. And up steps Danny who is just back from a term working with Dolce & Gabanna in Milan. He explained the look. "It's trying to get back to traditional tailoring... It's about getting back to the classic man". Ah. OTT didn't like to tell him there's no such thing. Found dancing in the aisle was a lively Conac Breslin, of RGB Records and her boyfriend Simon Stokes, whose Danish mother is Pia Bang, owner of the eponymous shop on Grafton Street. His father is Jeff Stokes who runs The Unicorn. Simon and his twin brother, Chris, are planning to open a new restaurant, Bang, shortly.
There were some rugby players there too. "It's absolutely different," said international player Victor Costello,, on being asked to compare the new look Club Anabel with the old Anabelle's. "I come here too much," he said despairingly, smiling all the while. "I'm getting older," said the 27-year-old forward.