Il Bachio Delray, An All In One Restaurant and Lounge

Il Bacio is an Italian restaurant located in Downtown Delray. Located East of Swinton at 29 South East 2nd Avenue, Il Bacio has something special to offer. With a full service restaurant the location offers up great treats, especially it's deserts.
Il Bacio is also a lounge by night. The venue hosts DJs and bands. Starting Thursdays Djs play 80s and Disco. On Friday live bands perform Billboard top forty music. The weekends are capped off with a regae band on Sunday.
Il Bacio is very trendy and is a hit Thursday through Sunday. Attractive and young people inhabit the space that is this little restaurant/lounge.
There haven't been any big name performers here, but it gives locals in the area a place to go that is new and edgy. After all not all the places I go to can keep up with the likes of me.
If you are single this is definetly a good place to go. If you want to go on a date this would be a great place to go. Great food, good energy, and a nice local ambience, make Il Bachio a nice place to get out and be seen.

Dream Night Club Offers Up Sophistication, Miami Style

Dream located at 1532 Washington Ave. on Miami Beach offers up a level of sophistication. From it decor to the crowd that is at the club.

The club is pricey, my vodka drink ran me $15, but didn't phase me. It was expected. Alot of good looking people here, including your run of the muck Miami cheeseball.

The music at dream is your less sophisticated house, mixed with dance remixes of top forty songs. The DJs here are doing absolutley nothing new.

The ambiance really didn't keep me, it was more or less the group I was with. I would come back here, I have been here several times, it's just not the whole package I look for. Maybe I have been spoiled with great club tracks and great clubbing environments. Whatever it is I just feel like this is just another "Hey I am in Miami, look at me," nightclubs.

Tiesto Coming to LIV Miami

On April 24, Tiesto will be spinning at LIV located at the Fountainbleu. Although I am not a fan of Tiesto, LIV will make for a great place to enjoy his Trance music. The ultra modern decor combined with its sound system will make for a good party.
I can only image that the event will turn into a standing room only one. The ticket price is $200 with a $12 handling fee. The price in all reality is a joke. I guess it has to pay for the venue. Tiesto who has been spinning his unevolved Trance for the past twelve years is rolling in money.
I have seen Tiesto and can remember when he had trouble selling out the original Club Space. I guess good for him. Expect the crowd to be alot of uninformed, poser tech heads, the kind of which I would not want to rub shoulders with. What has Teisto done that is new? $200? The money went to that guys head.

Violence, On The Rise At South Florida Night Clubs

According to a recent Miami New Times article by Natalie O'Neil, 12 club patrons have been killed while leaving lounges in the past two years. The most famous of which was former Playboy playmate Paula Sladewski who was found burned and mutilated in a North Miami dumpster.

The former playmate was at Club Space for a new years celebration when she vanished. Security cameras show her leaving the club with a black male who is yet to be identified. The Sladewski had also stated in text messages that evening that her boyfriend was trying to kill her. Some how the model wound up dead.

Shows like America's Most Wanted aired a segment devoted to finding her killer, but like many other homicides plaguing Miami, it is still under investigation. This is not isloated and seems to be happening more frequently.

The reason I am posting this is to raise awareness. As Miami's downtown spreads into lower income neighborhoods and more people move into the expanding city crime seems to be on the rise. Be aware and be careful. Party responsibly and know who you are with. Always keep an eye open for suspicious behaviour.

The Shore Club hosts the Beats For Life Party

The Beats For Life Party was held at the Shore Club on Miami Beach. The event had headliners like the Crystal Method and DJ Rap. The Shore Club which has nice little lounges and Nobu, turned the outside pool area into one giant lounge party. Different areas of the pool and patio played different types of electronic music. From break beats to house the Shore Club was definitely a place to be.
I was fortunate to known one of the producers of the event and was able to spend time in the VIP suite where the artists were shooting video promotions for Love Fatigues, a clothing line that promises to donate to the needy in the world.
The highlight of the evening was brought on by the Crystal Method, who spun a mixture of their classic songs and new ones. The party ended around three in the morning and moved into a side pool lounge where OM Records was sponsoring an after party.
I didn't attend the OM party because I had a prior engagement. The drinks were priced well for a Hotel of this Caliber. $12 seems to be the magic number because that's what my drink cost. The Shore Club does have weekend parties at the pool, but I have never been to one as charged as this one was. Tickets were $20. Proceeds were supposed to go to charity. The Shore Club has alot to offer, from lounges to great restaurants.

Sunday School for Degenerates at the Ice Palace West

Sunday School for Degenerates was the best way to close out the Winter Music Conference. My favorite DJs Lee Burridge and Danny Howells ended up closing out the event in the evening on Sunday night. The event was put together by Made productions.
The Ice Palace is locateed in downtown Miami at 59 NW 14th Street. The Venue itself was once a mega club known as Karu and Y. Karu and Y was supposed to be an ultralounge that boasted a five star restaurant, a great wine cellar, and a huge club. It was supposed to be an all in one party place. Unfortunately for the owners they were too ambitous and after a couple of years found themselves bankrupt.
The club was taken over by investors and was turned into the Ice Palace. The Ice Palace is used as a movie and photo studio. Remnants of the club still exist and is rented out for events. The art deco styling of the buildings stands out in the downtown neighborhood.
The draw back from this place is that it practically sits in overtown. Five years ago I would have been very hesitant to go out around here. Word of advice, be alert. Miami is a city.
The positive note is that an event like Sunday School for Degenerates deserves a venue with the open spaces that the Ice Palace has.

Listed Productions and Resident Advisor invade Hotel Victor roof top pool bar

The Hotel Victor located on Ocean Drive, plays host to many events on its rooftop. althought the Hotel Victor has a lobby lounge, it is the roof top where many a party takes place. With a nice pool and an expansive roof deck, it is no wonder why one would choose to throw a party here.

Listed Productions and Resident Advisor both hosted events here. I attended both. Good times, great music, awesome crowd. I happened to be "listed" for both events. That means I was on the guest list. The cover charge for both events I attended was $20. Well worth the show that awaited upstairs.

On the roof people were in the swimming pool, some fully clothed, others not so clothed. Couples were seen dancing and making out in the swimming pool. The music was loud enough to enjoy, but still low enough to talk to friends or network.

The price for drinks at the bar was something to laugh at. A Grey Goose on the rocks was $17, they also tacked on a 20% gratuity which was definitely not justified. I would expect that at a hotel if I was also factoring in good service. The bartenders were slow to make drinks and could not handle the crowd that they had. Two of the bar tenders appeared to not have any clue as to what they were doing, both with their guests and with the computer system that they used. Being that this was an industry party that I was at, most people complained at the lack of urgency the bartenders had for people wanting drinks.

I had to tell myself several times that I was there for the music and not the drinks. I did enjoy myself, but it was more due to the DJs and the setting.

Aerobar hosts Lee Burridge, Danny Howells, and Cassie

Aerobar is located at 247 23rd street in Miami Beach. The venue itself has a great sound system with two rooms. Each room is independent from the other in the aspect that the music stays in each room with out it lapping over.
I definitely experienced aural pleasure at this venue. Resident Advisor, held an event this evening with some of the best names in house music. Danny Howells, Lee Burridge, and Cassie all threw down awesome sets. The club was packed with party goers dancing till seven in the morning. As with most clubs you get the mixed crowd of those who just go to clubs to go out, those that hear there will be a great party and just arrive without even knowing anything about the music, and those you are there to listen to their favorite artists throw down.
There are two artists that always play in my car and on my music device, they are Danny Howells and Lee Burridge. What a treat it was to experience them in a small ultralounge setting with a great sound system.
My vodka drinks were $12, standard for Miami, my cover charge was $50 not so standard, but well worth the experience. The club closed at 7 in the morning, but the DJs allowed me to hang out and talk with them till nine.
Aerobar is definitely a place to feel high energy in your face house music. On this particular night I heard some of the deepest and darkest house I could ever dream off. Warning! Aerobar is not for sensitive ears. I know that i don't have the best hearing sometimes, I did leave the club with my ears ringing.

Sasha found a way to Shine at the Shelbourne.

Shine is a lounge located in the Shelbourne Hotel in Miami's South Beach. The club is very well layed out with the emphasis on the DJ. Once you enter the main doors you are able to look straight across a VIP area past a dance floor at one of the largest DJ booths in South Florida. The design of the club is pure energy fed soley by the man behind the turn tables.

The night that I arrived at Shine, legendary British DJ Sasha was headlining the party. Other greats like Lee Burridge were in the DJ booth mixing it up with the likes of Jon Cowan. I did as I always do when I enter a club and ordered a drink. "Grey Goose on the rocks, lime please!" I stated. The bar tender filled an 8 ounce glass with ice and vodka for $12. I was happy with the pour and how quickly I was attended to all night.

The crowd shared the same taste in music, you could feel the energy once inside. I am sure that on any other night, when not so many people were there for the artists, you would feel the kind of snobbery that Miami can deal. Not this night!

On this night mingling from other clubs paid off. People I had met at other club events were here and willing to buy drinks and share in the experience. As Jon Cowan closed out the club reached capacity. People were paying $60 dollars a piece for the cover charge. A day earlier, presale tickets were $20.

The crowd cheered sometime around 1 in the morning as Cowan gave the turn tables over to Sasha. The sound system in the club was pumping louder than most clubs I have been in. One could feel themselves immersed in the sounds of deep, dark, intelligent house music. Sasha spun music that would give a house aficionado goose bumps and make a house hater fall in love.

The music drove the party to about six in the morning, when at that faithful minute, the house lights came on and the turn tables slowed down. Leaving the only sounds to be that of cheers, conversations, and the relentless ringing of my ears. All in all I was impressed with this lounge located in a hotel.

A three hour tour! More like a seven hour cruise on the Tikki Beach in Miami.

The Tikki Beach is a hundred foot, two story yacht that is definetly unique. From it's second story beach deck to it's Funktion 1 soundsytem, the yacht is a mobile party. The upper deck has two bars and a sugar sand deck. Tiki huts and tables are spread out on the upper deck to give passengers the feeling that they are on a moving island. I had the opportunity to cruise during a record industry party for Listed Productions out of San Francisco, California. Fliers for the cruises can be found on http://www.listedproductions.com/. The cruise started at ten at night and returned around five in the morning.

The ship cruised around the bay in Miami with the sound system exceeding 100 decibels. West coast house music rocked the party all night long. DJs such as Nikita, Marc Pierce, and Barem rocked the evening. The night cruise was entitled "Moonlight on the Tiki." Tickets were going for $200 a person and included all you can drink (full liquor bar) and all you can eat sushi bar and pizza.

The passengers on the yacht were all dressed the part. Women were dressed in bikinis and sarongs while men had beach gear on. The beats and the booze kept the audience dancing and networking. I was able to meet several people on this cruise whom I am certain will cross paths with me again.

I enjoyed every minute of this cruise. From the mingling and dancing, to the great atmosphere fueled by positive energy and a great ambiance. I give one word of warning to those who get too wasted on the cruise. Always know which direction the boat is moving and where you are located. The thrusters on this yacht allow it to spin in place on the water. This may cause disorientation as it did for my buddy Mike, who walked into a bar instead of walking into a stair well.

Kahuna

Kahuna Bar is an excellent place to hang out and lounge when on the beach in Deerfield. Day or night this bar caters to the locals and tourists. A wide variety of frozen drinks are offered. A band plays every night after 10 p.m.. When at Kahuna's be sure to ask for Amanda.

249 North East 21st Avenue
Deerfield Beach, FL. 33441
954-725-0244
www.myspace.com/kahuna_deerfield

Gryphon

Grypon is a dance club at the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood. The club is upscale and has many special guest DJs that spin at the club. It would be wise to check them out online if you are looking for a specific artist. When a guest DJ spins here it is guaranteed to be standing room only. Here is another place where it would be wise with a few friends to purchase a bottle.

5707 Seminole Way
Hollywood, FL. 33314
954-581-5454
www.gryphon-club.com

Pangaea - The Lost Continent

Pangaea is a very upscale lounge located at the Hardrock Hotel and Casino. The party is always raging here. The crowd is kept moving with a mix of hip hop and dance music. The club offers many bottle specials. This is the kind of place that it is worth getting a bottle at. The owners and promoters are always having parties hosted by celebrities here.

5707 Seminole Way

Hollywood, FL. 33314

954-581-5454

http://www.pangaea-lounge.com/

The Hurricane Bar & Lounge

The Hurricane is located in Downtown Delray Beach. A very friendly, casual place with a very young crowd. Prices are on drinks are reasonable. Inside you have a beach atmosphere with surf boards and fishing poles on the wall. Check with the Hurricane for special events, like their monthly costume party. When at the Hurricane be sure to order the Johnny Mac special, the "Victor".

640-7 East Atlantic Ave.

Delray Beach, FL. 33444

561-278-0282

http://www.hurricanelounge.com/

Blue Martini

Blue Martini, need I say more? A great place to gather and enjoy drinks with friends. Blue Martini is very trendy and offers events throughout the week. Blue Martini is almost always busy. The Boca Raton location at the Town Center mall attracts alot of business. If you are not on the guest list or buying a bottle be prepared to wait in line. Blue Martini is a chain and does offer a somewhat generic lounge ambiance.

6000 Glades Rd. Suite C-1380

Boca Raton, FL. 33431

561-300-2433

http://www.bluemartinilounge.com/

Time to grab the bull by the horn! - Bull Bar

Bull Bar in Delray Beach seems like just another bar, but is the local hangout for many in the surf crowd. Young and trendy, the crowd here can get rambunctious. This is a laid back casual bar that has a live band. A good place to start an evening before doing a pub crawl in Delray.

2 East Atlantic Ave.
Delray Beach, FL. 33444

Dada

Dada, a hip lounge and restaurant in Delray Beach, lives up to it's eclectic name. The bar is modeled in a beat nick tradition, that has many different types of live performances. One could catch spoken word one evening, while on another watching a magician perform, and yet still on another night a local band could be heard. Dada is also unique in it's appearance. The venue is built out of an old Florida two story home. The menu has great entrees and deserts, while the drink list is long and extensive with attention to mojitos and martini's.

52 N. Swinton Ave.

Delray Beach, FL. 33444

http://www.dada.closermagazine.com/

Delux

Delux is a lounge/nightclub in Delray Beach. Delux attracts a good crowd with it's house music and hip hop DJs. Different nights do have different events. Delux every now and then hosts some big DJs. The ambiance at the club is nice, the guest never feels overwhelmed or claustrophobic. Definetly a place to check out.

16 East Atlantic Ave.

Delray Beach, FL. 33444

561-279-4792

Chow, Baby!

Chow, located at Royal Palm Plaza is another trendy restaurant that also acts as a lounge. Chow, with it's eclectic mix of Asian and western foods, tries to do something new in downtown Boca Raton. Chow is really an ultra lounge after 10 p.m. Chow has special events on certain nights and does have a DJ. One of the best things Chow has going for it is it's martini and wine list. I do have to warn you, drinks can get very pricey.

400 S.E. Federal Hwy.

Royal Palm Place

Boca Raton, FL. 33432

http://www.chowboca.com/

Vino

Vino is a very upscale wine bar. Vino boasts an excellent collection of wine along with a real gourmet Italian menu. The staff is beautiful, the place is charming, and the ambiance is very conducive for a date. Vino can be a bit pricey, but is definetly worth every penny.

114 NE Second Street
Boca Raton, FL. 33432
561-869-0030
www.vinoofboca.com

The Dubliner

The Dubliner or better yet the "Dub," is located in Mizner Park. The Dubliner is a more trendy Irish pub that has alot going on. This pub cater's to more middle aged adults and exhibits a level of sophistication that a commercial venue would. The "Dub" does have live acts nightly. The Dubliner delivers quality food as well as quality drinks.

435 Plaza Real
Boca Raton, FL 33432-3942
561-620-2540
www.dublinerboca.com

Soba Lounge

This is one killer sushi lounge. There is always somethign going on here. From live music to drink specials all week, there is something for everyone. This place is a sushi restaurant by day and a ultra lounge by night. The band the Feedback Kings plays every monday, while guests to the lounge enjoy $25 all you can drink and eat sushi buffet till 10 p.m. The quality of the sushi here is high caliber and lives up to its cost even at non specialty pricing. This place is located just across from Royal Palm Plaza and is within walking distance of many other bars and pubs.

415 Plaza Real
Boca Raton, FL 33432
561-620-0606
www.sobalounge.com

Irishmen

A seemingly quiet bar, the Irishmen is hardly that. A local hang out near FAU in Boca Raton, it is primarly inhabited by college kids and locals. It is so to speak, a "Cheers" for it's patrons. The Staff is very people friendly and do a great job of getting to know you. The management at the Irishmen is also very friendly and are always trying to plan new events for this pub. Live music can be witnessed through out the week as well as viewings for sporting events. The lounge it's self is ringed with HD tvs and actually has them tuned to HD channels. For anyone visiting Boca Raton or any locals who are looking for a casual pub setting with a bit of a wild side this is the place to be.

1745 Northwest Boca Raton Boulevard
Boca Raton, FL 33432-1617
561-368-1129
www.irishmen.com

Holloway's

Another stop on the downtown Boca Raton pub crawl is Holloway's located in Royal Palm plaza. This place is small, what else can I say? Small bar, small venue, means it could get crowded real fast, which it does. Sill it is a great neighborhood pub. Holloway's does have happy hour specials and allows smoking inside.

504 Via De Palmas
Boca Raton, FL 33432-6012
www.frank-e-oke.com

The WIshing Well

Another local staple of Boca Raton, the Well, as locals call it is another true Irish pub. The Well features live music and many weekly happy hour drink specials. Martini Mondays for example, offers up $5.00 martini drinks. Located in the heart of Boca Raton, it is conveniently located for anyone planning a pub crawl.

111 Southeast Mizner Boulevard,
Boca Raton, FL 33432-5007
(561) 750-5208‎