by Marlene Graham, Naples, Florida marlenegraham@earthlink.net
MostInterestingWomanInTheWorld.com
Tropics Real Estate Naples Tourist Center
We all would like to be VIPs and in some ways we are. Depending on our jobs or our social connections we often get behind the velvet rope (imaginary or not) for special occasions or events. And what a thrill we get from that feeling of special access. A free drink here or there, not having to stand in line for hours, a special company function with access to a VIP room ...
On this site tell us your stories of special access, your choices for great VIP Nightlife (Nightclubs or otherwise) ... where you might not really be a VIP, but you feel (or have felt) like one. No doubt celebrity helps, but we don't have to be celebrities to enjoy the VIP Nightlife. Sometimes all it takes to feel special is for a bartender to know your name ... right?
And if you are a VIP all the time. Good for you. We'll take your stories as well.
Here are my personal picks so far and hopefully I will be adding to the list.
As a writer, I admit that I have been the recipient of many encounters and invitations which left me feeling like a VIP for the evening. Among those are places are:
LAS VEGAS
GhostBar (GhostBar, Palms Las Vegas)
Moon (Moon, Palms Las Vegas)
Rain (Rain, Palms Las Vegas) Wow! It was thrilling to dance there. Every now and then a wheel of fire comes down over the dancers and there is that feeling of warmth, combined with the fear that the wheel might land on top of you! Ironically I was dancing with a firefighter. Might have come in handy.
Playboy Club (Playboy Club, Palms Las Vegas)
They were having auditions for Playboy bunnies during my visit to this club with a boyfriend at the time. Because we were late invitees, we had no place to sit and so we were told we could sit on two high backed animal print chairs until the guests assigned to those chairs arrived. At the time we didn't realize there were auditions going on, but found it interesting that girls dressed up like bunnies would be sure to talk with us and leave with a wiggle. We thought they were being friendly, but later we learned from one of the employees that they thought we were probably judges or VIPs being in such throne-like chairs and so they wanted to make a good impression on us. Such a waste of a bunch of wiggles, but that story has been good for a lot of cocktail party giggles!
Nightclubs and Restaurants in my home town of NAPLES FLORIDA:
These are nightclubs and restaurants that I frequent day and/or night when I get the chance, so I guess in a way they provide daylife for the me as well. However, they do have great nightlife.
And to add a little uumph to my theory that you can feel like a VIP in many different circumstances ...
I was at a restaurant/bar named Campiello's (Third Street South, Naples Florida) a few weeks before Christmas in 2010 and as I was leaving from dining alone (when I'm alone I like to dine at the bar to chat up the other barfront diners), a bartender by the name of Christine gave me an envelope out of which was spilling some chocolate chip cookies. Now cookies are not a big thing to me since I am always trying to lose some weight. But I have to say that it was kind of cool to get a little care package like that. Inside I found a Christmas Card and a scratch off lottery ticket. All very simple, but it still made me feel like a VIP. Granted I do eat at Campiellos' quite a lot because it is a great place to meet people which works well for me because in addition to being a writer/journalist, I am also a real estate agent with company owner of TROPICS REAL ESTATE. I also love the indoor/outdoor bar when I want to relax, stare aimlessly at a television, and contemplate the meaning of life with a vodka martini in hand. And so consequently, semi-regular status, does earn you a little extra "good" attention, as long as you are behaving of course ...
As for the scratch off. I looked at that card for several days. I didn't want to scratch it because until you actually do the deed and know the truth, there is always hope ... right? Well finally I could take it no longer. Yep. You guessed it. Now it is just a worthless piece of thin cardboard, but hey the thought of riches -- even small riches -- was fun while it lasted. And then again it is the thought that counts. Christine has ensured herself another year of tips ahead!
More Naples Florida NightLife favorites:
Yabba Island Grill (Yabba Island Grill, Fifth Avenue Naples Florida)
NEW YORK NIGHTLIFE
I did have an interesting evening a few years back at the China Club in NYC. It had been a celebrity nightlife hangout with two floors of dancing: Salsa on the first level, hip-hop on the second. The second level was the packed level as you might expect. But now I understand it is closed an that there is a restaurant dining place there called Opera? I've not been there, but if you have let me know if you enjoyed it.
I want to mention a night club in Long Island that markets itself as Long Island's #1 Latin Source. I haven't been to this club, but it should get special recognition because of its name. Have you been here? Again let me know if you enjoyed it.
You can contact me with your suggestions for VIP Nightlife spots by writing to marlenegraham@earthlink.net