AAnd so it begins.

ADANAI is about having fun. Through economic downturn, technological change and shifts in cultural mores, one thing has been a constant: people are always looking for new and interesting ways to have fun. How do we have fun? Often we spend time with friends and play games. It is actually quite simple—we work hard so we can get enough money together to play hard. Specifically, what do we do when we are having fun? We go out to clubs, bars and restaurants; we listen to music; we take trips to party all over the globe; we play video games; we play social games; and we gamble. Basically, we try to have fun in as many different ways as we can.

ADANAI is something that has been percolating in my head for years. Those that know me well know the topics we will cover here are not just pastimes for me – they are obsessions.

As a native New Yorker, I got my first taste of the nightlife in New York back in the mid to late ‘80s when, as a teenager, I somehow found my way into famous nightclubs like Studio 54, Nell’s, Palladium and The Saint. Since then, if you name the establishment, I have been there. I was always obsessed with great music and the impact great music has on people. This led me to DJing (at my peak I had the top rated hip-hop and house music shows in Boston…to be fair they were the only hip-hop and house shows in Boston at the time but I was still #1!). My love for the nightlife continued into adulthood. As soon as I had the opportunity, I started investing in bars, nightclubs and restaurants. I have traveled the globe to find the perfect party and have seen many come close in places like Brazil, Sweden, Iceland, Australia, Dubai, Ibiza, Mykonos, and St. Tropez.

On the gaming side, I once owned or currently own pretty much every video game console going back to my original Pong machine. Growing up, I was an arcade denizen. If any pizza shop within 3 miles of my house had a pinball machine or arcade game, I knew about it (and probably had the high score). While video games will always be my first love, my interests have evolved and broadened into poker and social games (I had my first cash in the World Series of Poker this past summer and I challenge anyone to beat me in Scramble with Friends).

Because friends, family and colleagues know I harbor these passions, I find myself in an inordinate number of deep conversations about them (most times over a glass or two of nice red wine). One night I’ll be debating whether or not Las Vegas has taken over Ibiza as the DJ center of the world and the next night I‘ll find myself in deep conversation about New York’s underground poker culture. I remember a few years back when the Harvard Business School case study on Marquee went viral; it was the talk of New York. People were fascinated to read about how the most popular nightclub in New York made its money. Then a few years later, there were several articles published in the midst of the Tiger Woods scandal about the role of club VIP hostesses and what they were really doing for their clients. These stories were cocktail party fodder for months.

In today’s 140-character world, it is rare that anyone ever addresses such topics in any depth. Well, ADANAI hopes to change that. There is no question as to the numerous publications that touch these topics but none of them focus on them 100% with a lens that errs on the side of being analytic, thoughtful and humorous. ADANAI is not a guide site, nor a promotional vehicle. As you will notice, there are no advertisements on ADANAI. ADANAI is not about making money – this is about those of us who love this stuff and want a place where we can go to read about it.

Enjoy!

Your Founder,

Ki

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