The music was loud, the lights were pulsing and the sweat was spilling off my back. Cool beads of condensation rolled off the plastic cup between my fingers, splattering sugary sweet soda and vodka right between the exposed pink-polished toes peeking out of my strappy black heels.If it wasn't for the fact that even the well drinks cost upwards of $10 a pop, I could have been back at a college party. A college party where the banquets were leather, the bars were expensive hardwood and the men were actually -- well, men. Other than the polished suits and propecia'd hairlines though, the scene at J Lounge last Saturday night was your pretty typical dance party, complete with all the fine musical stylings the Black Eyed Peas have to offer.
Of course, that's not what I was expecting when I scoped the place out beforehand.
After receiving an invitation to attend a birthday party there, I did the first thing any sane person would do. I googled the place. What I found was an obnoxiously vague 'downtown chic' dress code, a cigar menu and enough slideshows of cherry wood and leather to make Gordon Gekko swoon. Add that to the fact that the place was downtown, and this strictly West Hollywood hotspot hopper was officially intimidated.But, being a good friend (and being in need of another thing to try for my 365 Days of Different), I strapped on the big girl heels, threw together my best approximation of downtown chic (a vest, a push-up bra and a pair of nice black slacks), and made my way to the corner of Olive and 11th street.
What I found when I got there was a large line, a sprawling patio of awkwardly socializing neo-yuppies and a large flight of shady looking stairs that were clearly not designed with ladies in heels in mind. Fortunately, the pain in my pinky toes proved to be totally worth it, since it turned out that the stairs actually lead to an upper level loft with sprawling city views, a packed dance floor and plenty of pe
rches to people watch from. From the corporate kens in their suits and ties to the slinky sistahs in minidresses and maximum height heels, it was definitely a different crowd from the more laidback west la scene I usually frequent.If my dating desires were centered around finding me a sugar daddy, I would definitely have been in the right place. But even without any desire to climb the social ladder by climbing on top of the nearest guy in Ed Hardy, I still managed to have a good time. The DJ was pretty good for what he was, the music was just loud enough to dance to without being too loud to talk over and the bathroom line wasn't nearly as bad as it looked from the outside.
All in all, it was certainly a great place for a girls' night out, not to mention the perfect place to take a date for dancing, drinking and the requisite romantic moment in front of the sparkling city skyline. I would certainly recommend it as a nice addition to your revelry repertoire. Just don't forget to specify that you want your cocktails made with well liquor -- unless of course $20 vodka tonics are your preferred way to accessorize that downtown chic ensemble of yours.
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