I have always dreamed of spending a night at a famed jazz club, and if there's something to blame for this whim of mine, it's the iconic, largely secretive portrayal of this sort of music venue in films as varied as A Complete Unknown, La La Land, and Eyes Wide Shut.
Last week, when Upstairs at Ronnie's — the first floor of legendary Frith Street jazz club Ronnie Scott's, located just opposite London's beloved hangout Bar Italia — reopened its doors to the public after a major refurbishment, I finally got my one shot at sipping white wine and eating fish, fries on the side, while tuning into live performances by rising R&B star Nao, British singer-songwriter Vula, and friends. If the experience was, in itself, priceless, the plush transformation of the space, led by Archer Humphryes Architects as principal architects, with the interiors of the Greene Rooms, the destination's private members' lounge and artist space, designed by Pirajean Lees, was just as inspiring.
