There’s Lots of ‘New’ News on the Ever-Changing Scene

Pay close attention to this week’s Buzz, because we’re offering a veritable map to what’s new and improved in L.A.

Popped into the C Bar on Wilshire last week, which was packed to the rafters with sophisticates--and what a great rafter it has. Partner Johnny Camacho had the caviar club’s tin ceiling trucked out from the East Coast, and decided to paint it a cool amber orange, which at night looks pink and red, adding the perfect plush touch to the very New York-styled bar. . . .

If you got in a traffic jam Thursday night on Sunset Boulevard, it was probably due to the opening of Barfly, a new French-owned restaurant and bar located at the old Nicky Blair’s. The elegant West Hollywood nightspot is modeled after Paris’ Barfly, and the operators plan to open its sister club, the Buddha Bar, when they find the appropriate space. . . .

In more “new” news, Small’s K.O. has been christened Kane, after its new owners, the husband-and-wife team of Ivan and Suzy Sharp-Kane, and the seminal Hollywood bar has been restyled by designer Fred Sutherland (the Olive, Red, Dominick’s) to suit the mood of ‘60s soulers and Rat Pack loungers. . . .

At the former location of the Vine St. Bar & Grill, Lucky 7 is quietly opening its doors this week, debuting its ‘50s-style quality American supper club and bar motif. This roll of the dice is a dynamic partnership between caterers extraordinaire Jeffrey Best and Craig Trager, with the Viper Room’s Sultan of Swing, Mr. Phat--a.k.a. deejay Dean R. Miller--bringing plenty of uptown attitude. . . .

In Santa Monica news, another caviar club just made its debut, this one titled Boda (to this bit of news, C Bar’s owners say, “The more, the merrier”). . . .

Perhaps the best news of all is the debut of Third Street’s El Carmen, a tequila and taco bar created by H-Town’s very own boy wonder, Sean MacPherson, who knows a good trend when he sets one (Swinger’s, Good Luck, Bar Marmont, Small’s, and on and on to the break of dawn). The aptly titled venue is a hip, kitschy ode to a dive bar in Tijuana. Rock on, Sean.