Next stop was Tremont’s Southside with the gleeful hugging/kissing/catching-up of boyfriends past. I was hoping for a live band or something “different” in the action department, but chalking another dead bar to the mix, we continued to the Treehouse. Wait for it… we squeezed to the bar to wait (rather impatiently) for a drink order reception in yet ANOTHER bar with an absence of life, and proceed to meet the SAME previously-mentioned ex-boyfriend and promptly exit. Sad when the highlight of the night is three guys on the smoking porch giving us a “woo-ish” catcall en route to the vehicle.
NEXT! Ohio City’s Garage Bar. *sigh* When are they going to fix the fucking toilets? Potentially enjoyment at the Garage: an enclosed/wrapped outdoor smoking area, Melissa behind the bar, drunks, and ALWAYS an awesome music sing-a-long. I realize that Friday is a normally slow night out in Cleveland, but this night was pathetic. Around our departure at midnight, we soon realized where all the party people were at: waiting in line at Ultra Lounge. Depressingly, Liquid and Ultra Lounge were packed. (Is there really nowhere else that nightlifers will venture?) Okay, few things to mention about Ultra: First of all, the club is reminiscent of former drunk days at the (old) Funky Buddha and with most of the same everyone-is-dancing crowd. I love it. Moving along, is the entrance to Ultra one of the most (expletive deleted) up ideas you’ve ever heard/seen/experienced? My suggestion is to either make a separate entrance off Lakeside somewhere — or extend a velvet rope around the VIP area leading back towards the bathroom. It’s such a cluster (you-know-what) to work your way between Liquid and Fusion — and you all know how we love doing our “bar laps.” The pushing and cramming of 300 moshers in front of the DJ booth is insane. I have a better idea: Get a bouncer with a clipboard, write down name reservations, and when they’re space in line is ready, have the DJ announce. Think about it, while the respective party is waiting for their “space” in the club area, what will they most likely be doing? PURCHASING more drinks at the bar… What are we doing while waiting in line? Getting pissed… and more likely to say “outta here” while wasting our precious drinking hours.
Oooh, there’s another smoker! While the smoky cigarette haze was dramatically cut back, there was no attempt of authority in stomping out the cancer sticks. A question for your panel discussion: who is at fault when a smoker DOES light up where the ban is enforced, the bar or the patron? Can a smoker be individually fined or the bar itself for not following and enforcing the rules?The health department is meeting this morning to discuss rules and subsequent punishment. This could get interesting for Cleveland smokers.
Words describing Bier Markt Friday night via cell phone a day late and a dollar short: Wall-to-wall dudes.
(Shit! Sorry Vanessa, we should have made an appearance!)
Saturdays were intended for road trips, I gather, for a 1920s themed birthday party in Columbus. The feather-frocked friends brought their sassiness to dinner at Z Cucina and BoMA for other non-related drinking and dancing activities. BoMA inspires me to buy an old church and turn it into a club. Another moment in “Why didn’t I think of that?” The drinks at BoMA are heavy on the alcohol and light on the bar tab. Remarkably, I bought 7 shots and 2 drinks and the total was around $45. Word? Awesome. Standing on its own in this dance club world was Nelly Furtado’s new song “Say it Right.” Way to get lost in this moment in new club music. I’m sure MySpace pages around the country will be blowing up quickly on a monitor near you. The choir lofts could use some air conditioning and the bouncers could use some pennance. Soon thereafter, some Columbus clubber found their own way to induce last call by pilfering my purple feather boa. Dammit!
