Wednesday, October 5, 12:30 a.m. It's chilly outside; almost time for those tall space heaters to crop up, the ones that keep my eyebrows properly singed and my toes sufficiently frostbitten. Temperature aside, how can anyone resist a trip out to the balcony at Mix? High enough to look down upon the Foundation Room and eye level with some real nightlife: the bats that chase the bugs attracted to the Luxor's lightsaber beam. I hear tell its Vegas' best buffet.
I'm especially fond of the newly installed light strips on the balcony stairs, which ensure I won't take a header onto Frank Sinatra Boulevard 64 stories below. A cluster of businessmen are having tremendous difficulty with gravity; every few minutes a plastic tumbler clatters to the ground, the precious contents streaming away. Further away, a young lady has a similar issue with a martini glass that is far too heavy for her stalk-like arm.
From inside, a beautiful blonde emerges, swish-swishing a long, black fishtail of a dress in time with her slow gait. On her tray, complimentary Grey Goose shots that taste like fresh caramel apples coated with toasted almonds. That's a lot of flavor for two measly ounces. Like her bosom, her tip cup overfloweth and my companions take on round two, not ready to part with her just yet.
Recently I visited V Bar, an older lounge by four years but one that, as with Mix, requires media attention and marketing efforts to keep pace with the competition.
When Mix opened about a year ago, how Wednesday, still billed as Industry Night, was simply not to be missed. Then slowly it was missed more often then made. And then not at all. The death of a party? More like the changing of the guard. As with V Bar, the club's success was tied closely to the staff, and when Mix's head VIP man, Pavlos Michael Francis, departed, the lounge's Wednesday marketing push, in itself laissez-faire, fizzled.
As with anywhere, Friday and Saturday are givens, especially when paired with the formidable Alain Ducasse's Mix Restaurant. What a pleasure it was in February to dine with a view to eternity from our table, have drinks in the lounge and then go to hear Sandra Collins spin at Ice for my first article for the Las Vegas Weekly. But that was the time of Francis' departure and one of the last nights I would venture here for my Wednesday Mix fix.
A glass barrier stands between us and oblivion. Little is obscured from view as we delve into the things that matter most: relationships, Vegas trivia and Canadian tax rebates. Someone has leaned forward into the barrier, leaving us his oily head-prints. Behind us is a long, low, chocolate-colored foam couch, broken up by tiny tables for bottle service. Us girls lounged like felines there once, trying not to trip servers with our outstretched legs. "Mix is not a memory; it's a work in progress," I assert to mostly just myself. The room's upkeep has been impeccable, from the towering strawberry bar to the bubblicious countertop. According to General Manager Steve Moberly, Mix will soon begin a bold marketing push and renovation, starting with the removal of the champagne bar in favor of a dance floor. "When a beautiful woman sits at that bar, it's packed, but if not ...." he says.
When my companions finally take off, I am left to my own devices, sitting in a squat, low-backed leather chair that is surprisingly comfortable, jotting down notes, and staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the balcony. This too will receive some renovation attention. Jim and Rob, water-park designers from Minnesota, are in town for a convention and it looks as if I have just made myself the only unescorted female in the place. Prey! A thumbs-up is his come-on. Now I'm in serious trouble. When my bartender comes by for our last-call orders, I try to thwart every attempt to get me a second glass of champagne. When it arrives, I look pleadingly at him. "Relax," he winks and whispers, "It's just club soda!" And so it is.
"Cheers!" I offer a watery toast to my aquatic friends, scanning the beautiful, empty room for just one familiar face, and eager for Mix's phoenix to rise again soon.
Xania Woodman thinks globally and parties locally. And frequently. E-mail her at
[email protected].
Xania's Hot Spots for October 13 – October 19
Thursday, October 13
Voodoo Lounge: Voodoo Risin'
Tao: Worship Thursdays and Domino after-screening party with DJs Scooter, Reach and Galleano
Ra: Exotique
Friday, October 14
Ice: Thank Glaude It's Friday with DJ Donald Glaude
Saturday, October 15
Empire Ballroom: UBid star-studded Hurricane Katrina benefit and auction
Ice: DJ Icey
Tangerine: 2004 Playboy Playmate Carmella DeCesare
Sunday, October 16
Body English: Sunday School with DJs Vice and Dig Dug
Light: Industry night with the Beastie Boys' DJ Mix Master Mike
Monday, October 17
Foundation Room: Godspeed Mondays
Tuesday, October 18
Ra Sushi: House Of Geisha with DJs Royce Ramirez, Carlos Sanches, Kris Nilsson and KC Ray
Tabú: Guest DJ Chris Garcia of Drai's
Wednesday, October 19
Ra: Exotique
Tabú: Boutique fashion show with Glam Clothing
For more Hot Spots and weekly parties visit
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