Lavender and Green

An eloquent bartender named Elliott explains that the building currently occupied by the Hotel Biba was built in 1939, in the “Bermuda vernacular” architectural style, which reminds this writer of a manor house on an especially verdant tropical slave plantation. It probably never occurred to the architect who designed it, the 36-year-old Belford Shoumate, that at the age of 73 his building would be a sanctuary for drunken Palm Beach sodomites. But it is. From now until the Bibans have a better idea, Tuesday evenings will be given over to the electro-clashtastic DJ Zero-z (check out his MySpace page for a wicked rewiring of Robert Plant’s wailing intro to “Immigrant Song”), for his new gay and lesbian evening, Secrets. Stop in, listen to some tunes, and grab a drink from bartenders such as Elliot, who will serve up $4 martinis and $3 well drinks and Coronas. Biba, by the way, is a green hotel, which means the bar is full of weirdly healthy-sounding liquors that you’ve never heard of before: organic Gaya Rum, sake-infused Wasabi Vodka, Juniper Green Gin, etc. What’s so damned gay about Robert Plant and juniper? It's a secret to everyone. Secrets runs on Tuesdays from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Hotel Biba, found at 320 Belvedere Rd. in West Palm Beach. There's no cover, and valet is free courtesy of Expose Entertainment. Call Biba at 561-832-0094, or visit DJ Zero-z at myspace.com/zerozbeats.
Tue., March 3, 8 p.m., 2009