Everybody had been talking about this new Tuesday night
party at Le Bain in the Standard Hotel NYC called On Top. From what I'd gathered from photos and general buzz,
it was opulent, edgy and (with that huge hot tub) not unlike DR!P. I'm really
not the type to pay $14 for a drink, which is pretty much what one should
expect at an NYC hotel bar, but I had to at least check out the scene.
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| image from citytour.porhomme.com |
One thing that everyone I asked seemed to agree on was that
it was a hard door. If you aren't dressed a certain way (either chic as hell or
over the top glam), you won't get in easily. I went with a plaid bolero, a
lace-up tank top and slim-fit, non-skinny jeans. Imagine my disappointment when
I got to the pre-game at Frat Boy's penthouse to find everyone dressed like
they'd just come from work.
Of course, most of the people I knew at the pre-game weren't
headed to Le Bain, which left me with Frat Boy, Rosebud and a few of Frat Boy's
straight friends (one of whom had an 18-year-old girl with him).
When we arrived at Le Bain around 11:15, we found Daddy
Bartender from View Bar (now closed) working the door. There were maybe 20
people in line, and we didn't even wait 10 minutes. Then maybe another 5
minutes inside for the elevator. Of course, there was an issue at the door with
the 18-year-old (because this was neither an NYU dive bar nor 1996), but I know
nothing of the details because I made sure to distance myself from the
situation before it happened.
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| image from newyork.metromix.com |
The interior of Le Bain feels tres chic. Floor-to-ceiling
windows with fabulous views, well-appointed fixtures. And then there's that hot
tub, which, by the way, no one was in.
We went through a graffiti-covered stairwell to the roof
deck, which was packed and allowed smoking (boo). But the views were
impressive, and there were a couple of small hot tubs that a few people had
stripped down for. There seemed to be a Nutella bar, too, but I'm not sure it was open.
To tell you the truth, I was bored out of my mind until I
ran into a twitter buddy and some of his friends. I hung out with them
for a while before I ran into a foreign friend who was with drag-queen-legend
Shequida. They had just come from Lee Chapelle's Café Panache, a burlesque show
at Griffin. A shot and a drink later (thank you, 'Quida!), I was being getting told to strip down and to get in the interior hot tub, which was now filled with bespeedoed boys
and topless girls.
Of course I didn't get in that damn hot tub! Did you not hear about that nasty-ass water in the Gansevoort Hotel
pool? These were probably those same nasty-ass, peeing-in-the-water,
not-showering-beforehand skanks in this scene. My ass was "watching the
iPhones" on the side.
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| image from nytimes.com |
. o (Hold up, is that a flesh-colored speedo? Oh, no. That's
definitely not.)
By this time both the hot tub and the surrounding party was
packed. People were buzzed, and there was a lot more of that edgy,
fashion-forward and club-kid presence I was looking for. And I'm sure by this
point it was hell trying to get in the door.
Shequida and I walked out together and had a nice little
chat as actual people (and not our nightlife personas... not that I really have one, but whatever) as we walked back towards
Griffin.
"You know I was hear in drag earlier. I want to drop by dressed as a boy and have them tell us we
can't get in. I'll be like, 'You idiot, I'm the host of this party!'"
*Shequida laugh* (and if you've ever heard Shequida's laugh you know it’s a
major part of quoting her)
Did I mention it was like 3:15am and Griffin was closed?
Yeah.
Click here to check out last year's Crew invasion of trip to Philadelphia.
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