MACI MILLER:
JAZZ AT THE PLAZA ATHENEE BANGKOK
There was a time when
the old Imperial Hotel on Wireless Road
was one of the most prestigious hotels
in town frequented by diplomats, generals,
cabinet members, the flashy glitterati
and the twittering classes of high society
– the in-place for high tea and the place
to be seen, replete with big hair and
diamonds. Then to everyone's surprise,
they tore the sprawling hotel down and
built a new one with less gardens and
more rooms. And they christened it the
Plaza Athenee.
It
has taken a few years for the hotel to
re-establish itself as the centre it once
was, but after a succession of managers,
the hotel – a Royal Meridien and Nikko
Hotels property - is finally up where
it belongs, and packed once again. Little
more than a cold and glamorous design
triumph when it first opened, here's a
hotel which has passed the brand new baby
stage and now has the ritzy swagger the
architects and owners had in mind when
it left the drawing board.
Thus it is that the
visit to the Glaz Bar to ‘see the jazz'
was a lot less dull and featureless this
time as the hotel is now populated with
guests, some of whom were quite happy
to head for the classy lobby facility
and in the company of this writer and
his lady, catch the jazz which kicks off
from 9 pm.
However it has to be
said that My Girl was not there for the
jazz. She likes a tipple and generously
volunteers to ride shotgun and sample
the drinks on offer so that I can stay
sober and remember precisely what happened.
Thus when we arrived, her face lit up
to see a very well-constructed list of
bouquet wines from around the world –
Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Australia
and California. And what an elegant list
it is with great wines described and catalogued
so that you can choose the wine that best
suits your mood and taste. A bottle of
what you fancy varies from 1,750 baht
a bottle with a few ranging up to 3,950
a bottle, and the list topping off with
the 2000 Pago La Jara Telmo Rodriguez
from Toro , Spain at 7,200 baht a pop.
So off My Girl went
with glass of Circus Vignier 2000 at 300
baht a glass, and me ordering a snifter
of Californian 2002 Domaine St George
at a mere 280 baht a glass. This is not
a place you eat as there are wonderful
dining facilities throughout the hotel,
so this then was to be all about the jazz
and the wine.
The hotel has a reputation
for its wines and for hosting some of
the most glorious wine dinners. There
is a Louis Latour wine dinner scheduled
for November 12, but most interestingly,
the hotel will host a wine dinner featuring
the locally perfected Chateau Des Brumes
wines from the upcountry Village
Farm Estate . Situated on the Kao
Yai, this estate is one of Thailand 's
leading wine producers. The dinner at
2,500 ++ baht a head on Thursday the 15
th December, will feature Village Farm
2005 Nouveau, Village Farm 2003 Chenin
Blanc, Chateau Des Brumes 2003 Prestige
and the Chateau Des Brumes 2003 La Fleur.
What a treat for such a friendly price.
See you there!
It's a nice feature
of the Glaz Bar that it is simply that
- a bar – a place where you can enjoy
a drink, relax and wonder what to do next.
And if you fancy a scotch they have the
Chivas 12 Years at 3,500 a bottle, Johnny
Walker Pure Malt at a very reasonable
4,800 baht, and the 21-Year-Old Chivas
Royal Salute at 9,800 baht. But if you
fancy a Thai snifter instead, they hold
local ‘whisky' favourites Maekhong and
Sangsom by the bottle for a modest 1,900
each.
But rather than be there
‘to wonder what to do next', we were there
to catch the impeccable Maci Miller doing
her thing, filling the bar with the sound
of music to accompany the tinkling of
glasses. This is the perfect act to complement
the development of the hotel – a classy,
warm and stunningly attractive chanteuse
who obviously enjoys every minute on stage,
and who has a voice which keeps you riveted
as she works her way through the song
book of modern American jazz and rhythm
and blues standards, backed by a trio
of local musicians perfectly matched to
suit this singer's style and delivery.
Maci comes from Philadelphia
and has guested already in Bangkok on
a couple of occasions previous to her
residency here which has just got underway.
A bubbly, graceful lady she is the perfect
foil to the comfortable armchairs and
relaxing ambience – no danger of falling
asleep when Maci is on stage!
And like the fine wine,
she helped cap the day in style at one
of the city's better jazz venues.
http://www.villagefarm.co.th/index2.html
GLAZ BAR
Plaza Athenee
Wireless Road
Bangkok 10330
(66) 02 650 8800 ext 4324
Jazz from 9pm to 1am
Monday to Saturday
