Buddhattitude

I had a pleasant evening yesterday... Burlington man (the sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet boy I enjoy spending time with at the moment) took me out to see The Edge of Love (by the way, do you know Sienna Miller can act?! Singer, designer and actress, there are all-accomplished women on this planet...), and then we headed to Buddha Bar for a late Sunday night drink.

Yes, Buddha Bar has finally hit London, after Paris, New York and Dubai, and it is opening officially on Friday 8 August, at the end of the week. Located under Waterloo Bridge on the Embankment, by the Savoy Hotel, the bar opened its doors on Saturday to the first happy few, and as you can imagine, the hip London fashion crowd is already indoors.

However iconic, I had been really disappointed by my Parisian experience of Buddha Bar: I had found the place dark, crowded and touristy. Buddha Bar in London seems pleasantly more exclusive. Maurice, the host of the place, reflects its spirit with his opulent looks: dark skin, long brown dreadlocks, 18th century like shimmery pendant earrings (were these real diamonds?), shiny tailored jacket and skinny jeans, he looks esoterically stylish and elegantly quirky.

The space is grand: several floors with balconies are wrapped around a main room with very high ceilings. The gigantic golden Buddha holds court in the middle of the main room, shining in the dim light of massive crystal and brass convoluted chandeliers. Around and behind the stairs come semi-private and private areas, where the better known will be able to enjoy dinner in peace.

Seated at the first floor bar which pleasantly overlooks the restaurant, sipping my heartbeat cocktail, I let my thoughts wander at the relaxing rhythm of the music. Open until 6am, the place is going to be the new heaven of after-partiers who want something smooth to end the night.