After Mint shut down it had me wondering about how Maneo was doing. However, after bumping into a jovial Brad Turley at the Jean-Georges fourth year anniversary party, seems all is chugging along well within the pristine white walls of Maneo. Well, almost.

Let's start with the good news. Brad tells me that the Mint space is going to be rolled in with the rest of Maneo but, in the form of a wine bar. "You look around now and everyone has a wine bar," jokes Brad, "but we want this one to help support the little guys." What does that mean? Focusing on the smaller, more independent suppliers rather than the big fish. It'll also be part cellar, a place where those who live way out in the boonies (for those of you who don't know, that means in the middle of nowhere, read: Pudong--kidding!) can store a few good bottles. "That way they don't have to run all the way home and back to have a glass of wine," says Brad. Sounds great.

Bad news? Brad's sous chef is in jail. Why? Bicycle altercation. Said sous chef, a native of Yangzhou, was involved in a late night bike collision with a Shanghainese resident. Now, here's where the story gets a little fuzzy. Apparently the Shanghai cyclist was let to go on his merry way, irritating our sous chef. After being a little belligerent (bad move, sous chefie), our friend from Maneo found himself in the lock-up. Police claim that he struck an officer. While the sous chef was a bit inebriated, he claims he did no such thing. Either way, he was apparently pretty roughed up by the police and has been in jail awaiting a trial date for over three weeks now.

So, do your friends a favor. If they're prone to a little back-talk after imbibing a few (many) choice cocktails, keep them off bicycles and away from police. No one wants to call home and explain to their parents why their stay in China has been extended ... indefinitely. Besides, if you get locked away, you won't be able to enjoy the fine pleasure of sipping a glass of wine at the new wine bar above Maneo.