Saturday, April 9, 10:01 p.m. "I'm sorry, no cell phones."
"Huh?" I reply (I'm so articulate).
"$1,500."
"So, you'll give me $1,500?" I smile. Ms. Security Guard doesn't. I stow my contraband and go about locating my wingmen the old-fashioned way: I stand expectantly in front of Pure trying not to look like a prostitute. Wingman No. 1 approaches, chatting away on his cell with Wingman No. 2. "No cell phones near the sports book." OK, but we're also right outside a nightclub. The guard shrugs her final word on the matter. It's the first of many times tonight I will want to kill the architect of this 4-month-old labyrinthine nightclub, of which I am a confirmed Tuesday night regular.
When all are present and accounted for, we slip past the lines and head straight for the Pussycat Dolls Lounge, which officially debuted at Pure this past weekend. Again, we are nearly Heismaned by security. We can go right into Pure, but not the lounge. The private party, which featured a 27-minute performance by Desperate Housewives' Eva Longoria, the LA Dolls troupe and rapper Busta Rhymes, ended just moments ago but the small lounge will remain on lockdown. Of the celebs (who included Andre Agassi, Steffi Graff, Mark McGrath, Dr. Dre, and Mary J. Blige) only Rhymes is left; he looks relieved when the doors open to the public at 11 p.m.
Killing time, we stroll through the White Room, Red Room and Roof that make up Pure's remaining three quadrants. I had wanted to interview someone from Pure but my requests were lost and tonight I am left to my own devices. Though officious and obliging, the managers and staff are rarely available for more than the briefest exchange of niceties. In their defense, they are operating a beast of a nightclub, and a wildly popular one, at that: Tuesdays continue to score record locals attendance, and the weekends pack in tourists like pickles.
In the Red Room, I rock out to Stevie Wonder's "Superstition." Until the Pussycat Lounge opened Thursday, the Red Room was my favorite for its '80s and '90s hits, and in particular, for those songs so good—or so bad—that you slap the person next to you and say, "Wow! I was like 11 when this came out!"
Amy, 28, from Las Vegas, has gathered a flock of 20 ladies from Vegas, LA and San Diego for her bachelorette party. They flutter about her, fixing her veil and fixing her drinks. They swarm around a large VIP table with two bottles of vodka and one of rum, hammered and loving every minute of it. "We're here to dance, baby!" she calls behind her as they conga to the dance floor. There are many such groups scattered around the club, engaging in the time-honored, premarital rite of drunk and disorderly behavior.
I spend an eternity maneuvering my way upstream in the White Room through an endless river of bodies. The area immediately in front of the dance floor is a perpetual war zone, thanks to the necessity of passing through it to access the only restroom on the ground floor. Again, I want to kill the designer for this faux pas de pee pee. But I am pleased to notice a copy of the Weekly poking out of goodie bags on every seat in the VIP booths.
In the Pussycat Dolls Lounge at last, I pull up to the bar where I meet Rachel, one of the beautiful new bartenders. She recently moved over from the Michael Mina's Seablue restaurant at MGM. "It's a definite transition from restaurant to club, but I like it!" Cool, so when do we get to see the girls? "They're done for the night," says Lounge General Manager Matt Minichino. Luckily, at Thursday's locals appreciation night, we saw a few routines, hot as their outfits, with bows, glitter, and grommets in all the right places. The performances are short 'n' sweet—about three to five minutes each, occurring every 30 minutes from 8 p.m. to midnight—just enough to tease and titillate.
"I don't think I'm gonna remember today tomorrow ..." At least that's what the Camel Riders have to say about it in their song, "So High." Up on the roof, DJ Frank Richards is spinning away, diving into his LP collection, shivering slightly in his thin cotton T-shirt. It is definitely not a summer night, but just imagining how the balcony will look and feel on a hot, dry Vegas night in July is enough to warm me. As does dancing and rubbing against strangers, but since I rarely do that, I choose booze. We descend back into the melée on our way to the next hot spot, cell phones well concealed as we pass the sports book.
Xania Woodman thinks globally and parties locally. And frequently. E-mail her at
[email protected].
Friday, April 15
Plush Lounge at the JW Marriott in Summerlin launches Tequila Sunset Happy Hour, Fridays 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Welcome the summer season, longer days and gorgeous sunsets on the Lagoon Terrace with drink specials, complimentary grill fare and plenty of outdoor patio seating. Entertainment will be provided by DJ Chris Garcia and the beautiful ladies of Strings of Ivie. Opening night, a fashion show will present the latest in swimwear by Everything But Water. For more info, call 869-2335
Mashups with Inhumanz at Ra
Saturday, April 16
Paul Oakenfold at Ice
Monday, April 18
Happy Hour at the Luxor's Fusia
SIN at Rumjungle
For more Hot Spots and weekly parties visit
www.TheCircuitLV.com and sign up for Xania's free weekly newsletter.