“It’s been a long time since we’ve had so much fun in Nice.” Cheerful voices reluctantly drift away from 29 Alphonse Karr street and disperse into the still warm early morning. The party is over. The group separates and everyone returns to their individual fate.
The human hand always delights in altering the purpose of an object. Originally a cinema, the Grand Escurial remained devoted to night culture for a long time. But when, a few months ago, Jean-Pierre Costa, freshly rejuvenated in his native Balagne, “the garden of Corsica,” decided to take the reins of this mythical place, he intended to give this space an even more personal touch. The challenge matches the size. Rather than trying to artificially camouflage the vastness of the place, the host strives to enhance it. Based on a simple idea: an evolving dynamic, a journey accompanied by Ced, one of the client’s “guardian angels,” to guide them from one bar to another, personalized lounges where you dine (Chef Bruno Sohn’s menu) to a central dance floor, from where you take off for this evening’s adventure at the VIP area where you are, in every sense of the word, well-seated. All punctuated by unexpected and far-from-unpleasant encounters between two stair railings. Suffice it to say, you won’t be bored. If by chance you feel lonely—surely temporarily—then you’ll retreat for a few moments into an inner silence, studying, under this starry dome, the endless walls where entire families of Buddha nest, free to leave you inspired by an Oriental-Asian “zenitude” or not. For the more Cartesian, giant plasma screens will do the trick. Philosophy is good, but partying is even better!
The artistic director Patrick Pozuelos announces the dominant theme of the program. It will be multicolored or it won’t be. The considerable success of the Dolly Party, which he is the designer of, invites to repeat the operation: this will take place on February 17th, coinciding with the Chinese New Year, more exotic and less particular about gay orientation than its Christian counterpart. Everyone will once more be invited with their clone, “same sex, same look.” However, Ôdace won’t adopt a dry Lent regime in the meantime: January will see the Fashion Physical Awards! a contest for men and women aiming to reward the new trends in fashion and the ideals of physical beauty. After several preliminaries, a jury of professionals will award two prizes of 3000 Euros each for the best presentation, one with clothing, the other without! Rest assured, fans, it’s all about democracy here, and the final score will depend on the jury’s ratings and the audience applause. On December 1st, another themed evening will be organized to raise funds in support of various charitable or humanitarian associations (Secours Populaire, Aides, Amnesty International…). All this while waiting for a Bollywood Party. As varied as the colors of the rainbow, the music (Electro, Tek, House) would rather be blue “Baie des Anges” to allow the emergence of local DJs: Carlo Mora, Anorak, or Vedreen. With a Corsican touch added by Jean-Pierre Costa and his DJ Casa straight from Acapulco de Calenzana, near Calvi.
A rich yet incomplete tableau if it didn’t mention Céline Grimaldi…the hostess who well epitomizes the warm welcome of the island of beauty, marked both by character and a maternal generosity. She discreetly signals to the waiters, then suddenly disappears into the kitchen, before returning to warmly embrace her friends. Jean-Pierre Costa may have made Ôdace her place. She is determined to make it everyone’s place.
Next event: Tuesday, October 31st, Halloween Night “Vampire Ball”.
Ôdace, 29 Alphonse Karr street in Nice. Tel: 04 93 823 766. Website: www.odace-club.com
