Last Wednesday, WT and I glided through the revolving doors of the Shangri La Hotel inhaling deeply. If you’ve ventured inside this luxury hotel, you’ll know that the first thing you notice is the calming scent unique to the lobby. I just can’t get enough.

We were there for the launch of Xi Shi (pronounced Shee Shee), the revamped lobby lounge. If there’s one thing we love, it’s hotel bars. With an endless stream of international visitors combined with business men and fashionable locals, they’re the perfect spot for people watching. And that’s exactly what I was in the mood for on Wednesday.

After obtaining a deliciously mixed Iron Lotus martini from talented barman Jay Jones, we scanned the room and drank it all. Setting the scene was The Max Zipursky Trio mesmerizing guests with seductive jazz. The handsome Max Zipursky was on the piano, accompanied by a beautifully exotic woman on vocals and a spicy sax player. They were phenomenal. Live music is always exponentially better than a DJ.

Servers were milling about the lavish room wearing chic traditional Asian dress inspired by 1930’s Shanghai. There was a buzz throughout as guests chatted and mingled. I was pleasantly surprised to see that people were circulating and not just staying within their social circles. Friendships were being made, and perhaps romances were blossoming like a Lotus.

While WT initiated a conversation with another guest who had an eerily similar life story to hers, my eyes landed on a table occupied by two intriguing characters. They were dressed with the kind of flare one does not ordinarily see in Vancouver. The older gentleman had on a perfectly tailored suit, extravagant pocket square, colourful shirt and red Panama hat; while the younger had an air about him that whispered sophistication and worldliness. They looked fantastic and were the kind of men who you instantly wonder about. What do they do? What’s their story? Before I could muster the courage to join their table, my thoughts were interrupted by a lone man.

He was a friend who kept surprising me. My initial impression of him had quickly been replaced by a much deeper analysis. Each moment I spent with him made me want more. He had a depth and soul that I hadn’t seen in the beginning. It’s funny how people reveal themselves in stages. How they have an initial façade before allowing anyone to see who they really are. It’s like peeling away the layers of an onion.

We dissected the crowd together and spoke about the psychology of perception, first impressions and image. We discussed how we allow others to see us, how everyone has a choice to stand out or blend in. I told him who I had initially thought he was, and he was well aware of the image he showed the world, yet wasn’t ready to reveal his true self from the get go. It was not the kind of conversation one usually has at a cocktail party, and I became so lost in the moment that I forgot about the people around me and just focused on him.

What seemed like hours later, but in reality was merely 20 minutes, I was jolted back to the party as WT motioned that it was time to go. We had another party to attend. Wednesday nights are quickly filling up our social calendars. My friend and I embraced and kissed cheeks, strands of my hair getting caught in his stubble. We made plans to meet again soon in a more intimate setting to continue our conversation. I had peeled yet another layer away that night at the Xi Shi Lounge.

Lessons I learned from the launch of Xi Shi Lounge:

1. Everything old is new again. The past feeds the present with inspiration and ideas.

2. Never judge a book by its cover. Perception can be manipulated and distorted so that it is sometimes the exact opposite of truth.

3. The Xi Shi Lounge is sure to be one of the hottest hotel bars in town. Perhaps we will see you there…

~SA

Xi Shi Lounge
1128 West Georgia Street

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