My Weekender

with Benoit Thebaut - Aug 24, 07

Benoit Thebaut is the director of Riviera Events, the events agency behind the pool parties at Purple Mountain Hotel at the new Excusez-Moi party series at Bar Rouge.

As you read this you might wonder (for those who know me): "what is this guy doing except attending is own events?" Well it's true that apart from being a Bund birdie lately (as my friend Panthea called me in her last column) and literally flying from place to place on the west side of the Huang Pu, I have been missing out on a few places that I use to like a lot, and still do... Hopefully this week-end I'll manage to do something else than checking out the Waitan area for business reasons...

The weekend is here but when you're an event planner it doesn't mean work is over. Quite the contrary in fact, but for once let's not speak of which events I’m planning, let's forget this weekend's pool party that will kick ass yet again and focus on what I like to do, apart from attending my own parties.

Friday is almost over, I'm getting off work between 6 and 7pm with my biz partner Stephane to go for a short sports session in order to release the daily stress. Plaza 66’s Fitness Center is actually a good place to start your week-end. You get to see a lot of known faces, also planning their evening and a quick talk with them usually gives you very good hint on what’s going on. For instance the trio Leos’ birthday happening on Suzhou River’s side will most probably be a nice party to attend on Saturday night. But first let’s get back to what we are doing on Friday: After running, I'll go for a quick bite at Lynn restaurant on Xikang lu (the street between Plaza 66 and Portman). The food there is good, their fresh juices are nicely done and prices are affordable.

For a few weeks already and due to the fact that the pool-related issues require me to wake up at 8.30am, I have been keeping quite a low profile. But still it's Friday and I don't feel like staying home. I'm not one of those online chatting addicts or video game players. I need real interaction. So a drink in a nice environment that will not tempt me to push it to the limit will do perfectly. It could either be Jade 36, the Royal Meridien’s top floor, Visus, CJW or anywhere with a cozy atmosphere, good martinis and not so loud music otherwise I'll be tempted to shake it all night long.

I'll skip on what Saturday's going to look like because you all already received our last e-flyer and anyway what else could I be possibly doing to enjoy my week-end?? So let's go straight to Sunday...

Sunday is a chill day for me, the only day I actually try not to work on (try is the word) so if I'm lucky I get to go to RnR massage center straight after a brunch session.

So far I actually have not found a place that I really enjoy going to for brunch, it's all been done over and over again so if anyone have a little piece of paradise to point out to me, I'm all ears.

Once the massage is done and if the weather permits, I usually do some Shanghai walking through the French concession. I discovered the Fergusson lane a few months ago and I like to pass through there to quickly say hi to my good friend Franck who has opened a restaurant of the same name there which is worth going to (actually the place is re-opening in a few days)... Afterwards I usually continue my walk back home.

This week will be a bit different as Steve is having his Birthday in Mesa so I'll probably pass on the massage and definitely join him to celebrate with the P.I.M.P.s.

If I'm still in shape and want to meet some of my friends on Sunday night, two places come to my mind : the first and very well-known is JZ, the second that I discovered a few month ago is Logo, I kept promising Maxime and John to come for months on a Sunday night and finally made it a few weeks ago. I had incredible fun there which will push me to go back on this coming Sunday and hopefully Charly will be there to for a good jamming session.

As you can see my week-end looks like most of yours, that's why I chose to do my own events to make it spicier than what it used to be... Watch this space for what's coming next...

Yours, Ben

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