AFTERglow Lounge in the top 100

[Daddy-A]

From the Vancouver Sun:

The AFTERglow Lounge in Yaletown has earned a spot in Images Publishing Group's book 100 of The World's Best Bar's.  The book features the best designed bars found the world over including those in major nightlife capitals - Milan, London, Berlin, Los Angeles and. yes. Vancouver.

Owners Emad Yacoub and Shannon Bosa-Yacoub opened AFTERglow in 2003 on Hamilton Street and it has since attracted celebrities such as Avril Lvigne, Kevin Spacey and Robin Williams.  Its distinctive look was created by Vancouver-based Evoke International Design Inc.

Link to the BOOK

Link to Evoke ID

Link to AFTERglow

A.

Edited April 13, 2005 by Daddy-A (log)

[Ling]

I'm interested to know what a pro designer thinks of that lounge!

[Xando Head]

I'm interested to know what a pro designer thinks of that lounge! 

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I can tell you from a non-designer perspective, I find it incredibly uncomfortable ... especially in a skirt (!).

[Keith Talent]

I'm interested to know what a pro designer thinks of that lounge! 

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I can tell you from a non-designer perspective, I find it incredibly uncomfortable ... especially in a skirt (!).

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Don't forget, the satay is dry/flavourless and drinks expensive.

[*Deborah*]

They have incredibly unflattering lighting with those lit-from-below tables...your're crouching on an ottoman in your stilettos (so your tummy sticks out) and look like a vampire or something (with extra chins, always so attractive, and jowls too!). Well, this was the loungey part at the Hamilton Street entrance...it didn't make me want to try the even hipper, cooler, Homer Street entrance, I must say.

(Presumably if I were built anything like Avril Lavigne, I would appear to be in my element in such a milieu *unsure as has never been built anything like Avril Lavigne*)

Edited April 13, 2005 by *Deborah* (log)

[surfer_dream]

Kudos to Yacoub and Bosa!!

I have been to this lounge many a time with many a film personalities and wow I must say that they do it right... I do find however the lounge to be a bit too small as the crowd there keeps growing and growing. Where else can one go in this city to enjoy themselves in that kind of atmosphere without being rangled by a non-intimidating door man, ultra hip and cool atmosphere and most importantly everyone is just having a great time. Glowbal on the other hand I cannot imagine what they must go through on weekend nights - I have ventured there a couple of times on a Thursday and this place is just packed and I mean packed... we wanted a few bites and a bottle of wine after being out with friends at Chamber last Thursday and we were told we had to wait at least 35 minutes for a table at 11pm. Needless to say we did not wait! Now I really think Glowbal Satay bar is the hottest spot in Yaletown - can anyone help me out here as where else to go?

Thanks Muchly,

surfer_dream

[nwyles]

I certainly would not know about the difficulties of skirts, stilletos and the like but congrats to Emad and his gang. They have had the staying power to remain hotter for longer than anyone I can recall. As for where to go after 11:00, man, those days are so far behind me, the list of suggestions I would make would make me out to be the old geezer I am !

Keith - As to the satays, it is the only thing I have ever eaten there and I have always found them good - esp. the short rib one. As to the price, I will trust you one that as quite often I don't pay ! Although I am subjected to scorn and ridicule when I am there - " Who is the loser in the cape and what is egullet ?" , the benefits outweigh the mean words. Tuesday is 2 for one satay day for anyone in a cape !

[surfer_dream]

They have incredibly unflattering lighting with those lit-from-below tables...your're crouching on an ottoman in your stilettos (so your tummy sticks out) and look like a vampire or something (with extra chins, always so attractive, and jowls too!). Well, this was the loungey part at the Hamilton Street entrance...it didn't make me want to try the even hipper, cooler, Homer Street entrance, I must say.

(Presumably if I were built anything like Avril Lavigne, I would appear to be in my element in such a milieu *unsure as has never been built anything like Avril Lavigne*)

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[surfer_dream]

I must say one thing that really irratates me is when people blantly ridicule or mock if I may a certain premise and not get the story straight!! First of all I believe that the Afterglow lounge has a Hamilton Street entrance and definitely not Homer thought I believe the owner would love to take over right beside Bluewater. In a professional business world one can judge ones success by the business it holds not to mention the revenues$$$$ the latter speaks for itself doesn't it? I agree with Neil here that they have attracted a crowd that not only attracts the celebrity list but they have turned into an institution in Yaletown.... perhaps we should take notes on how to be successful - needless to say with critics or no critics scowling advice - THEY GOT IT!! AND WE ALL WANT IT!!!!

[*Deborah*]

I must say one thing that really irratates me is when people blantly ridicule or mock if I may a certain premise and not get the story straight!!  First of all I believe that the Afterglow lounge has a Hamilton Street entrance and definitely not Homer thought I believe the owner would love to take over right beside Bluewater.  In a professional business world one can judge ones success by the business it holds not to mention the revenues$$$$  the latter speaks for itself doesn't it?  I agree with Neil here that they have attracted a crowd that not only attracts the celebrity list but they have turned into an institution in Yaletown.... perhaps we should take notes on how to be successful - needless to say with critics or no critics scowling advice - THEY GOT IT!! AND WE ALL WANT IT!!!!

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I was in the Glowbal lounge area, you're right, my bad, the entrance must be on Mainland?? I always get those Homer and Hamilton Streets mixed up, in spite of crossing them both twice daily. I have not been through to the Afterglow side (entrance on Hamilton), as I was uncomfortable as I described in the Glowbal side.

I do ridicule, and mock. I am an equal opportunity ridiculer and mocker...

I think it's fairly clear to most people around here that there is no malice in my posts, however, unlike some others'. If not, perhaps I am underutilizing available emoticons I have no quarrel with Glowbal's/Afterglow's success...but my chins do have a quarrel with their lighting.

And while I may well eat at Glowbal, I do not expect to go to the Glowbal side or the Afterglow side for drinks.

It seems that my lack of attendance is not hurting their business, which is exactly as it should be.

[3WholeCardamoms]

  In a professional business world one can judge ones success by the business it holds not to mention the revenues$$$$  the latter speaks for itself doesn't it?  I agree with Neil here that they have attracted a crowd that not only attracts the celebrity list but they have turned into an institution in Yaletown.... perhaps we should take notes on how to be successful - needless to say with critics or no critics scowling advice - THEY GOT IT!! AND WE ALL WANT IT!!!!

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maybe i should limit my posts to topics i really care about. maybe i should be more cheerful.

i just feel like registering my dissent in regards to your (surfer...) generalization. that no, i don't want that success. yaletown success, to me, is like hives. (sorry to those who have made their biz down there - it has obviously been good to you. well done.) some people love peanuts, some are allergic.

maybe you were just writing really quikfast. so maybe you would agree that there are other standards for success besides a full lounge in this [professional business] world.

3dblc

[Vancouver Lee]

...In a professional business world one can judge ones success by the business it holds not to mention the revenues$$$$  the latter speaks for itself doesn't it?... 

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I disagree. Revenue and market share (which is what you meant by "the business it holds", I assume) is just one way to measure success. Otherwise, it would be like saying the measure of a successful person is their income...

Kudos to Afterglow!

[Xando Head]

The original post in this thread and follow-up question was about the DESIGN of Afterglow. Not the food or the drinks or the service or the popularity.

And to me, the low seats and tight spaces around the tiny tables are indeed very uncomfortable. While the space may look nice, I do not like to have a cocktail there because it is so uncomfortable ...

So while this is obviously a matter of taste, the DESIGN of the seating doesn't work for me. But like someone else said, they're busy enough. They don't need me :)

[Daddy-A]

The original post in this thread and follow-up question was about the DESIGN of Afterglow.  Not the food or the drinks or the service or the popularity.

And to me, the low seats and tight spaces around the tiny tables are indeed very uncomfortable.  While the space may look nice, I do not like to have a cocktail there because it is so uncomfortable ...

So while this is obviously a matter of taste, the DESIGN of the seating doesn't work for me.  But like someone else said, they're busy enough.  They don't need me :)

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Thanks for bringing things back OT Xando ... and your points are excellent. I often wonder what exactly qualifies as "good design" sometimes. To me it has as much to do with funtionality as it does with aethetics. Case in point - Rangoli. For the record, I LOVE THIS PLACE. Design wise, it is eye-barfi indeed, but my ass in forever numb when I lunch there (I'm also on the record as stating the seats at Rangoli are the most uncomforatble in Vancouver -sorry Vikram ).

Having said that, congrats are still in order to AFTERglow ... success-laden as they are.

A.