by Cliff Glatz on I'm really not a house music person, but my friend, Sandy, tricked me into coming here to help her check out this guy she met on the Internet. They were meeting face to face for the first time, both love house music, and Sandy brought a second friend and I to do the friend-once-over. I've had a blast screening her dates, checking out their gentlemanly simplicities (i.e, do they pull the chair out, offer to buy even the friends a drink, etc.). This one was a gentleman. And, my other friend and I also met other guys there who were generous and fun to talk to. Except, my other friend drank WAY TO MUCH and had to be walked to her car to sleep after hacking up a bit. Good times. But, people... if I have said this once, I have said this a million times... please head these words of wisdom - Mixing = a date bowing to the porcelain god. Just say no! On a Saturday, we arrived around 10. I hate paying for parking, but the $10 fee was about my only choice. The club had a good vibe, I liked the red brick decor, people were pretty cool, DJ played to a packed dance floor all night, drinks were decent, plenty of rollers there. But, alcohol's about my only substance of choice, so when someone handed me a lollipop and 10 people asked me if I was rolling, I realized this club has quite a few people who were MORE than touchy feely by nature. Personally, no matter how often I go to see a house DJ spin, I can't get used to everyone dancing facing the DJ and not with a partner. It's not really my scene, but my friend is a house fan, and she loved it.
by elaine t. on My boyfriend and I, along with a gathering of friends, met this past Saturday at Vessel to celebrate his birthday. It was my first time there, and I loved it!! I'm originally from LA, so I understand what some of the other reviewers were referring to when they said that this lounge was on the exclusive/high-end side. Sure the bouncers were selective, but this is not always a bad thing- the ambiance was kept at a nicer (read: less rowdy) crowd, and the lounge didn't become a messy mob of people bumping drinks into each other. I would suggest that if you are meeting a larger group of friends, book a half or full table. This allows you to add whomever you wish to the guest list to ensure that they get in (8 ppl for half table, 15 for full). Saturday nights get pretty crowded around midnight, so plan to arrive early to avoid the long lines. Now for the decor: the lighting was perfect- not so dim that you can't see the person next to you, yet just bright enough that it felt like you could see the full array of the entire lounge- all the way to the bar! The reserved tables were very comfy. The suede sofas were HUGE and the tables were sturdy (sounds silly, but some clubs have the most awful flimsy tables that can't even hold more than three drinks, which takes away from the overall convenience of the place). Overall, as trendy and modern as the furnishings were, Vessel also had a cosiness about the place. The staff was EXCELLENT! I cannot say enough about our awesome hostess who was very professional and helpful, the cleanup crew who came to our table to tidy up nearly every half hour, and even the very pleasant coat-checker (who offered us champagne at the door!). Arrive early and enjoy the Saturday house music (Hip-Hop on Fridays)!
by Sarah H. on I believe Europa is a Polish dance club that is trying to become more hipster-friendly, as there is a decent sized hipster contingent living in the neighborhood. The actual space itself is a good size - there is a small bar downstairs with a pool table, and a large space upstairs for the DJs/bands/performers. There is also a small room off to the side called the "gallery", filled with lots of couches. The interior is done up to look like a castle, but it's pretty cheesy with painted stone walls and faux stained glass. The thing that bothered me the most about this place other than the band's music being WAAAY too loud (maybe I'm just getting old) was that they had these cheap ass red candles burning all over the place that smelled horrible. They were not supposed to be scented, but they gave off this rubbery odor that made me wonder how long it will take the toxins to give me a tumor. Europa is ok. I'd go back if a friend's band were playing, but I don't think I'd go just to hang out - there are better places in the area where you can chat without screaming.
