Sleep with an Italian named Frette

Mark your calenders because this is one for the books:

Up to 70% off retail on Frette linens, 6/3-6/7 -- Sun-Wed, 9am-6:30pm, Thurs, 9am-5pm at Soiffer Haskin, 317 West 33rd [8th/9th]. CC only, no strollers, no kids under 12.

Buena Vista Socialist Club

The always chic and cutting edge Urbandaddy got the scoop on this new hot spot....

Buena Vista Socialist Club

Inside the West Village's New Cuban Spot

At heart, you're a person of the people.
Which is why we're rather excited to bring you a first look inside the finished $2 million West Village "peasant" saloon, Socialista.

Opening over the weekend to friends and family, Socialista is your chance to live and lounge like the common folk of Havana circa 1940. The vision of former Bungalow 8 doorman Armin Amiri—and the investment of restaurateur Giuseppe Cipriani, Trudie Styler and Sting—Socialista is modeled after a Cuban pharmacy bar and other dusky habitats from the pages of Havana by photographer Robert Polidori.

So if you make the trek to the Hudson and step inside Socialista (we can tell you it's worth the trip), you'll find colonial-architecture-in-decay touches like peeling green-sherbet walls, slowly circulating ceiling fans, rickety wooden shutters and distressed leather Ralph Lauren couches. (A perfect match for your pre-ventilated jeans.) You'll also hear world music—no hip hop—and live three- and four-piece Cuban bands.

Staying with the old-school socialist motif, champagne and wine bottles will be lowered from a hole in the third floor storage area by a rope and basket, and Amiri says his space will serve only those celebs "who don’t want their asses kissed." So don't cut in line when ordering one of Cyrus Kehyari's (Double Seven) freshly squeezed cocktails—we recommend the white-rummed Hemingway—or even a steak sandwich from the downstairs cafe that's opening in a couple of weeks.

Remember, everyone's equal around here.

Socialista, 505 West St (between Jane and Horatio), 212-929-4303

"Papito"

Miguel Bose's latest genius musical creation, "Papito" duets featuring hits from his 30 year career is a must, must have in your collection.

1. Morena mia -- w/ Julieta Venegas Listen
2. Si tu no vuelves -- w/ Shakira Listen
3. Bambu -- w/ Ricky Martin Listen
4. Nada particular -- w/ Juanes Listen
5. Amante bandido -- w/ Olvido Listen
6. Sevilla -- w/ Amaia Montero Listen
7. Nena -- w/ Paulina Rubio Listen
8. Te amare -- w/ Laura Pausini Listen
9. Los chicos no lloran -- w/ David Summers Listen
10. Como un lobo -- w/ Bimba Bose Listen
11. Olvidame tu -- w/ Ivete Sangalo Listen
12. Este mundo va -- w/ Leonor Watling Listen
13. No encuentro un momento -- w/ Sasha Sokol Listen
14. Hay dias -- w/ Alejandro Sanz Listen
15. Lo que hay es lo que ves -- w/ Michael Stipe Listen

Get your Samba On

Bebel Gilberto will be performing at the Gramercy Theatre, on May 22 and May 23!
Purchase your tickets at Ticketmaster

Bebel Gilberto, whose third album momento is hotter than hot, will be heating up NYC in late May; it’s her last tour stop of the year.

Bebel, whose musical stylings express her individual talents, also has genes on her side. Her father, João, was one of the original Kings of Bossa.

Nuevo-Edge

NUEVOEDGE.COM

TASTE THE MEXICO YOU DON'T KNOW

Sponsored by Tequila Don Julio, Nuevo-Edge offers a new way to find contemporary Mexican culture each month in a city near you. Find the latest screenings, exhibitions, and parties, plus monthly video magazines, interviews, and profiles of Mexican artists. Learn More >

East Village Heats Things Up, Tipo Brazil!

Our dear friends at Fast Metropolis have been out and about and providing extra credit work on whats hot and what's not:

The somewhat new (4 months) East Village hot spot, Carne Vale, is launching an outside garden along with a Spring / Summer menu. Brought to you from the owner of Le Souk, Marcus Jabob, brings a Brazilian menu to the East Village. The newly launched a la carte menu features South American appetizers such as San Jacques (seared diver sea scallops with sweet plantain coconut cream) and Costelas de Pacu (regulars call it Fish Ribs). Samba, bossa nova and sexy world beats will reign as the music of choice for the DJ's who are stationed in the outside shack. On the weekends, the Carne Vale plans to celebrate the summer with Brazilian barbeques and live samba dancers! Also, a delicious cocktail menu is being introduced featuring caipirinas, flavored rums and fruit filled sangria - and you can take them outside. Sounds like paradise in the East Village, something we're tucking under our hat to ride the summer on.

Spanish Invasion

We couldn't have written or reported it better ourselves, from fashion geek:

Have you noticed the New York City buzz about Spanish culture? Whether it's talking about the latest Spanish tapas, the tastiest sangria, or the endless hours of stalking Expedia for the cheapest flight to Barcelona, Spain is invading New York through the art and fashion.

If you missed Guggenheim's recent exhibit on Spanish Painting from El Greco to Picasso, don't worry, head uptown to see Barcelona and Modernity: Gaudi to Dali at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Surveying art and design in Barcelona from 1888 to 1939, the MET offers up 300 works from superstars such as Antoni Gaudi, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. Have an art-seeing-day while you're uptown and drop in at the Museum of the City of New York, which coincidently offers an exhibit on New York and the Spanish Civil War.

Want to add a bit of Spanish flare to your monotone wardrobe? Check out Barcelona designer, Custo-Barcelona at his store in Soho. Inspired by a motorcycle road trip, the Barcelona brothers returned to Spain and started their fashion house. Built on fusing the culture of Spain with a sportswear aesthetic, the Barcelona clothing line features multi-colored, multi-patterned ready-to-wear pieces for the city girl dying to be a globe trotter.

(Photo courtesy of The MET and Custo-Barcelona)