NEW YORK CITY (SBG) — For nearly two decades, theWorld Monuments Fund has slowly chipped away at the painstakingly detailed renovation of a secret palace hidden withinBeijing's Forbidden City. The New York-based non-profit's anticipated completion date for the project coincided with the 600th anniversary of the Forbidden City, and a new visitor's center was primed to welcome the public to the site for the first time in its 250-year history. Architectural Digest named the Qianlong Garden as one of the most anticipated buildings of 2020, urging readers to visit the elaborate structures as soon as they were able to do so.
But instead, public access to this corner of theForbidden City remained just as restricted throughout 2020 as it has been since the garden's inception. In January of last year, restoration work at the site came to a halt as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. And although the World Monument Fund's efforts started up again last May, sweeping travel restrictions and health concerns have kept even domestic tourists from visiting Beijing and the Forbidden City. The garden had waited for the entirety of its existence to invite the public inside, and it would simply have to wait a bit longer.
Across the globe, an industrial Brooklyn building with faded signage advertising "lock cornered boxes and wood novelties" gives no clues from its outer appearance that it houses a speakeasy-type co*cktail experience inspired heavily by theQianlong Garden. But upon stepping into the exquisitely decorated private parlor, guests unable to actually travel to China at this time will find themselves in a garden world far removed from the concrete streets outside.
When Emperor Qianlong constructed his retirement complex within the northeast quadrant of Beijing's Forbidden City, he spared no expense in outfitting the nearly two-acre retreat with 27 opulent structures containing extravagant murals, lavish furnishings, and intricate carvings. With meticulously planned rock gardens throughout the four courtyards and a private theater decorated in such a way to evoke an endless summer, the oasis undoubtedly would have been a fine place forQianlong to live out his golden years, should he have decided that a proper retirement suited him after six decades of military campaigns and political leadership.
The emperor's 1796 retirement, however, was no more than an act of filial piety. By formally stepping down,Qianlong ensured that his own reign would not surpass that of his grandfather. But rather than retreating to the comfortable life of leisure he had so carefully designed within the Forbidden City, the emperor effectively remained in a position of power until his death three years later.
Before his death,Qianlong did ensure the protection of his awaited retirement palace with an imperial edict declaring that the site should remain unaltered by the generations to follow. And so the complex sat largely untouched throughout the duration of the Qing dynasty. When the last emperor of China was expelled from the Forbidden City in 1924, the gates of thePalace of Tranquillity and Longevity, as it's also been called, were shuttered, and the abandoned garden fell into a state of disrepair.
Even as the Forbidden City gained status as a world-famous tourist destination with millions of visitors exploring its sprawling gardens and pavilions each year, thePalace of Tranquillity and Longevity rested quietly out of the public eye. That was set to change in 2020, had 2020 not had other plans.
Larisa Fuchs, one-half of the creative brains behind the Brooklyn-based underground events newsletter Gemini & Scorpio and the DIY Gowanus venue by the same name, was killing time during the pandemic when she found out about the massive effort that had been made to restore and reopen the Palace of Tranquillity and Longevity. To hear her tell it, Fuchs was especially struck by the unfortunate timing that would delay the unveiling of a palace that had already lay dormant for the past century.
There was also a connection to be made, she noticed, between the remarkable Chinese artistry on display at the palace and the proliferation of xenophobic attitudes and anti-Asian racism accompanying the coronavirus outbreak. "I wanted to create something that felt like a faraway corner of the world and, in particular, something that felt like China, just to remind people that beautiful things come out of China," said Fuchs.
Taking New Yorkers to faraway corners of the world is one of the things that Fuchs does best. Depending on which of her parties you're attending, she'll also take you to a steampunk-inspired traveling circus of desert wanderers, a Victorian tea party with finger sandwiches and garden games, or a ghost town on the Oregon Trail where you're more likely than not to "die" of dysentery. From the over-the-top decorations that manage to transform the loft space into something entirely unrecognizable from its previous iterations to the strictly enforced dress codes with guidelines like "1960s Polynesian kitsch" and "outdo yourself at your most fabulous," each Gemini & Scorpio event is meant to provide an escape from everyday life in Brooklyn for those who attend.
In the same way that the pandemic had pushed back the public reveal of the long-hidden Palace of Tranquillity and Longevity, it had necessitated the indefinite closure of the Gemini & Scorpio loft space in March of last year and the cancellation of all upcoming in-person events. On March 7, there was a lively Mardi Gras celebration at the loft with king cake, gumbo, and a brass band. And then, nothing.
Like many in the event industry, Fuchs flirted with the idea of hosting virtual parties. But a true feeling of immersion is a heavy ask for a virtual event, and absent of a willingness or the capability to completely transform their apartment into a retrofuturistic arcade or a Parisian cabaret, a guest would miss out on what was perhaps the most essential component defining the typical, pre-COVID Gemini & Scorpio event.
"Because Gemini and Scorpio is so much about being there in person and dressing up and having this live entertainment experience, it’s been almost impossible to replicate that virtually," said Fuchs. "So I started thinking about what else might be possible."
With large events out of the question, Fuchs diverted her attention away from the empty loft to the two small soundproof music studios that she also rented on the ground floor of the same building. The studios, just large enough for an office and on-site prop storage, had been part of a residency program offered at the loft, but that too had ended when the current occupants from a Brooklyn theater company no longer had any use for a physical space. Previously, the size of the rooms, particularly in comparison to the spacious loft above, had kept Fuchs from considering the potential to use them as anything more.
But now, the rooms seemed perfectly suited to hold a single pod.
Unlike most of the vast Forbidden City, thePalace of Tranquillity and Longevity was fashioned with solitude in mind; many of the rooms and walkways are able to fit just a single person at a time. Juanqinzhai, the first of the pavilions to be fully refurbished after six years of work and $3 million, is notable for its strikingly decorated private theater chamber intended for the enjoyment of just one person. A second seat above, accessible only through a hidden doorway, was meant not for a second spectator but to allow the sole spectator for a different perspective of the opera.
It's fitting thatFuchs's homage to the palace is similarly intimate in scale. CalledPlum Blossom Parlor, the immersive experience invites pods of two to eight people to visit the indoor garden lodge for handcrafted libations in an environment unlike any other found in Brooklyn.
The room runs completely unstaffed, save for brief interactions with Fuchs at arrival and departure, so guests are able to safely remove their masks once their time slot has begun. With the booking comes access to a large cabinet housing pre-bottled co*cktails of all varieties, as well as an assortment of glassware, soft drinks, and a 13-piece bartender tool kit that allows guests to try their hand at mixology during the visit. Each co*cktail includes a tag with simple instructions outlining the correct preparation method and the suggested glassware for the drink. The Opium Daze co*cktail, made with poppy liqueur, should be shaken with ice, while the Prosperity cordial can be mixed with water or seltzer and stirred.
The tag of the latter also instructs you to "make a wish" and "imagine enjoying it" while consuming the beverage. "We’re definitely a witchy, woo-woo kind of spot," said Fuchs, who frequently enhances the intrigue of her co*cktails with specialty syrups not available to the general public.
From the exterior of the building on an industrial street in Brooklyn's Gowanus neighborhood, you would never imagine the luxurious garden-inspired room tucked away inside.
Upon arriving at the given address, not entirely hidden but unpublicized by Gemini & Scorpio until your booking is complete, you'll be instructed to ring the doorbell and wait outside the nondescript door. Through that door, Fuchs sometimes hears people unfamiliar with the neighborhood wondering aloud if they're actually about to enjoy a few drinks or if they're instead going to be lured inside and murdered. Once inside, although Fuchs's friendly attitude goes a long way in easing the worries of uncertain guests, the entranceway of the building is as unremarkable as its exterior. But the undistinguished nature of the building, as well as the purposeful concealment of the parlor's full appearance online, only serves to enhance the surprise of stepping into the extravagant space for the first time.
Every inch of the tiny room is deliberately decorated with hanging lanterns, depictions of birds, and faux foliage, a product of Fuchs's vision combined with the artistry of an all-women production crew called Dark Matter Immersive. It really does feel like your own private garden, with vines running up and down the walls and the glow of twinkling lights and flameless candles further bringing the windowless space to life.
"That moment of wonder walking in — because you didn’t know what you were walking into— is really worth it. And it’s those moments that we are most robbed of in this pandemic," said Fuchs.
While the Gemini & Scorpio name is now firmly linked with the Brooklyn underground events scene, the partnership was born out of two friends trying to write a book about online dating in 2002. From there, Fuchs, alongsideJamie Kiffell, began to publish an event list detailing the most interesting spots for creative people like themselves to take their dates, and as one thing led to another, the duo started hosting an annual Valentine's Day party for singles, hoping to attract those creative types. When the interest swelled far beyond singles, Fuchs and Kiffell, operating under the moniker of their respective astrological signs, expanded their event offerings to meet the demand.
It became eminently clear that a permanent event space was in order. In 2011, Fuchs depleted her savings account to dive headfirst into transforming a1970s woodworking shop in Gowanus into a venue that could accommodate hundreds of costumed guests seeking a more artistic adventure than the monotone club nights of pop music and stilettos that they could find elsewhere in the city. And as the decade that followed brought about the death of many of the beloved DIY venues that once gave New York its more eccentric character,Fuchs clung tightly to the loft.
"I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and a lot of the places and events and producers that I found most special are not around anymore. Change happens, but what I don’t see is this DIY aspect of things, because that really needs cheap real estate and hungry young artists and a community, and those things just can’t happen with the way New York is now," said Fuchs. " I don’t know how long we’re here for, but I’m just going to keep trying to preserve these beautiful magical New York experiences while I still can."
With the pandemic, Fuchs has found herself in the uncomfortably tight spot of still being responsible for overhead costs while navigating her venue's closure and the associated loss of income. "We strongly urge those of you who can afford it to use your previous 'going out' budget to support artists and venues you believe in. Most can’t make it beyond one month in the current situation," she wrote in a March 17 Instagram post.
Plum Blossom Parlor is, of course, an attempt to stay afloat in the absence of large-scale events, but the driving force behind the installation is far greater than the financial motivation alone. It's also a way for Fuchs to keep her creative spirit alive and to provide New Yorkers itching for a getaway with a place where they are able to safely escape, if only for a few hours, to a distant destination.
"I would like people to be able to have a lovely experience going out without risking the health of themselves and their loved ones. I think that we have to make the right choices. And I say this as a venue owner — I don’t think venues should be open right now. I don’t think we should have indoor drinking and dining. It’s terrible, because we’re not getting any help from the state really, but I’m just happy that I’m at least able to do something for people," Fuchs said.
The booking process is conducted via email, and the cost follows a structure of suggested donations, priced per person and dependent on the size of the group; you can rent the space outside of its public operating hours for a fixed fee. Your basic booking will get you two pre-bottled co*cktails of your choosing, an assortment of snacks, and soft drinks to either use as mixers or drink sans-alcohol. If you're looking for a more personalized experience, you can communicate with Gemini & Scorpio in advance of your booking date to set up the space for, say, a romantic Valentine's Day outing, as well as to order additional food items.
The bulk of the food menu, as described by Fuchs, is shareable finger foods that are tasty in small quantities— think air-fried dumplings, baked zucchini cakes, and cheese plates. But despite the priority on appetizer-like items, Fuchs will also provide main dishes upon request, like shrimp and grits and a slow-cooked short rib that she describes as "just falling off the bone." "My partner and I love to feed people, but with the pandemic, we can’t have people over and feed them like we normally would, so some of that energy gets channeled into feeding our guests," she said.
In the third courtyard of the Qianlong Garden is the Three Friends Bower, orSanyouxuan. The kiosk, like other examples of this common Chinese art motif, is made from pine, bamboo, and plum, a combination of three plants associated with the winter season; pine and bamboo remain green throughout difficult winters, while plum blossoms are typically the first flowers to bloom, often while there's still snow on the ground. Accordingly, these plants have come to represent longevity and resilience through tough times and unfavorable conditions.
The name that Fuchs has chosen for her installation is unquestionably appropriate, as the space has emerged, much like the plum blossoms throughout China, in the midst of winter as a sign of tenacity and determination within an industry that has struggled immensely over the course of the pandemic. It provides a place for friends to come together, perhaps even in groups of three, to safely enjoy one other's company. And by honoring the official city flower of Wuhan, the parlor's name serves as a reminder that there's no room for anti-Asian harassment or xenophobia in a world that must instead band together in the face of adversity.
If you're unable to make it to Plum Blossom Parlor, Fuchs has shared two of the venue's signature co*cktail recipes that can be created from within your own home. First up is theWassailing East, which Fuchs describes as "a seasonal punch with warming spices for cold nights." The recipe comes from local bartender and Fuchs's close collaborator Rebecca Silverman. Stir together 1.5 ounces of Laird's Applejack, .5 ounces of Wild Moon Chai Spice liqueur, .5 ounces of Becherovka herbal liqueur, .75 ounces of dry vermouth, and one to two dashes of black walnut bitters. Top it off with a cinnamon stick garnish.
The second co*cktail, called the Lusty Concubine, involves the nearly impossible to find "Lust Syrup" from the House of St. Eve, but Fuchs suggests usingany dark cherry vanilla syrup in its place. Combine 1 ounce of Gosling's Rum, 1 ounce of Ramazzotti Amaro, a half-ounce of Stolen Smoked Rum, a half-ounce of dark cherry vanilla syrup, one low bar spoon of allspice dram, and one low bar spoon lemon juice. Stir, garnish with ahigh-quality boozy sour cherry, and enjoy!
