Born and raised on Guam, JD left for the bright lights of LA after finishing school, and spent the next 20 years or so developing a successful career as a club owner, personal manager for several big names in Hollywood, and event planner.
While he still goes back to LA to organize charity events, JD now spends most of his time here on Guam, and last Friday hosted a party to commemorate the formal opening of the Zen Ultra Lounge.
While the décor of the lounge owes a lot to Zen sensibilities, according to JD, the name doesn’t have any religious connotations. Rather, he was aiming to create a space where the patrons could feel at one with the elements and their environment. Located on the top floor of the Royal Orchid Hotel, Zen commands a truly spectacular view of Tumon Bay; one that transforms itself over the course of an evening from a lovely overlook of the late afternoon waters of the lagoon, to a great spot to watch the sunset, and finally into a night view over the bay that is reminiscent of Santa Monica or maybe even Hong Kong Harbor. The mood is completed by glass doors which open completely along the length of the establishment, allowing the ocean breeze to be part of the ambiance.
JD says that he’s is aiming to serve a niche of sophisticated guests who would like to relax after work in a quieter and somewhat more upscale atmosphere than is usually found. The music will be cool, but not too loud, and while the dress code won’t be so strict, guests would definitely feel more comfortable in a cocktail dress, nice work clothes or a good island shirt than in zories, shorts or jeans.
One notable thing about Zen is that it was recovered from a space that had been abandoned since the early 2000s after having been decimated by a typhoon. Before JD’s crew set to work, the clean and elegant space we see now was full of glass shards, broken concrete and wild plants.
JD might not be a Zen master, but he certainly is a master of working a room, greeting everyone who comes in as a friend and making them feel welcome and relaxed. His staff also seemed attractive, attentive without being overbearing, and well trained. We look forward to seeing how well they will succeed in the years to come.
