New Gold Mountain - Melbourne |
Thursday, 12 April 2007 |
A new week, a hot new bar: Melbourne.
Some cities put their drinking holes on bold display. All glass
frontage and brazen invitation. Some don't. Melbourne is certainly in
the latter camp and, so not surprisingly, its latest bar offering, New
Gold Mountain - is a hole-in-the-wall affair found down a cobble-stoned
laneway and somewhat reminiscent of a womb. Or the inside of I Dream of
Jeannie's bottle.
New Gold Mountain,
is brought to us by a team of four locals who've worked in leading bars
in Melbourne and London. They've teamed with young Australian architect
Cassandra Fahey,
who for those who follow such things, designed the controversial house
for Australian football sensationalist Sam Newman back in 2000... the
one with the two story glass frontage imbedded with Pamela Anderson's
face. For this project, Fayey took the old tailor's studio on the
outskirts of the city's Chinatown district and created a space that
works to a distinct opium den theme. Downstairs speaks of colonial-era
Shanghai, with two fireplaces decorated with the Chinese zodiac.
Upstairs is the Poppy Room featuring plush pink fabrics suspended from
the ceiling. And nana-esque furniture. Pretty and comforting. Just as
Jeannie would like it.
And the drinks? They specialize in sours. The music? Something
described as "nouvelle-vague-Joy Division revisions". Which certainly
pegs the clientele into a certain age bracket. A space you might have
to track down yourself, but will certainly envelope you once you're in. Sarah W
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