Some people are saying now that the current state of our economy is helping the nightlife industry.
The one good thing about bars and nightclubs is that people always need a release. And essentially, going out for a couple of drinks is a relatively inexpensive way to forget about your life for a couple of hours—depending on how many drinks.
Does that have anything to do with the size of one’s pocketbook?
I think what has happened is that people save up the big blow-out days for the weekend. So instead of going out every day of the week, and especially in the summertime, the early days of the week are very popular … people are blowing it out on Friday and Saturday, and in the city on Thursday. The concept of bottle service has taken a bit of a beating.
You once said that you hated the direction bottle service was taking the club industry.
Yes, and so for me, Avenue is a step back to a time in the nightclub industry—nightlife industry, lets not say nightclub—that I loved and which is kind of representative here. It’s a step back to the lounge times.
I’m not sure if many people know that Avenue is a restaurant.
I think the term we’ve been using is gastrolounge. We have a full menu, and it’s kind of smaller portions. I’m very pleased that we were able to step back into that kind of time where it was not specifically about how much you could spend in a place and that gets you entry … but more about what you brought to the overall vibe of the room. You know you don’t have to be a black-card-toting person to really create or help a room—most of the time those people don’t anyways. It’s good to have a place for people who are just artists and may be struggling and just really cool people. And so it’s easier when you’re not as focused on generating bottle service to have that type of mélange.
But this is going to be quite a bottle service-type place, no?
Well, you know one of my specialties, as I’ve said before, is I kind of adjust as the business adjusts, to perfect what is necessary. I am very good at generating table and bottle sales; I don’t mind that it’s not the main purpose of this place. And there are still plenty of people who are appropriate for a room like this, which is very, very difficult. The door policy’s very difficult.
What do you mean by “difficult”?
It means that it’s very difficult to get in. This is not an “I’m buying two bottles, let me get in” kind of place. This is a place where if you can get in then maybe you can get a table. But it’s not about how much you’re going to spend first; it’s about how much we want you in the place. At Marquee we kept the door policy very rigid as well … it still is … I mean, I’m still there two days a week, as well as here. But a lot of places had a door policy that was solely, you buy two bottles, then you’re in. I would never be affiliated with that … that’s not what I would want to have anything to do with.
You’ve become known as having impeccable taste. Is this sort of costuming for your job, or is your sense of fashion apparent all of the time?
There are certain sides. There are certain things that I think a man should do as far as personal style, and so I live by those rules that I have set for myself. There’s a consistency to the different genres. For instance, I’ll never leave the house without a pocket square if I’m wearing a sport coat. I like very high collars on my shirts, so I have them all made. I like French cuffs, and I like monograms. Every shirt I own has a monogram, and every shirt has French cuffs.
What are some brands that you like? Where do you shop?
I like YSL suits, and Paul Smith all of the sudden is a newfound love of mine, which I’ve been buying up like crazy. I love Brioni sport coats.
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA GFK, Jr.
AKA The Sly, Slick and the Wicked
AKA The Voodoo Child
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com
Over the last six months or so, people have been constantly asking me things like: “Michael, what’s your thoughts on Facebook and Game?” and “Yo, G what is your take on the iPhone?” and drivel like, “Does an International Playboy Twitter?”
Here is my take:
Facebook
Admittedly, I am a very low-tech person. Call me Miguel Analog instead of Michael Digital. But I do keep up with tech trends because I am friends with some Tech Crim Crews and they tell me I should open accounts on these things. (Here is my Facebook and Twitter)
In fact, I was happy with the days of pay phones.
Facebook, however has completely taken over nightlife with the rise of the Beta Male, Hipster and Wimpsters.
Every time you enter the club, cameras are going off like crazy. I have mentioned before how I always avoid “Party Pics”. For no other reason, that I cannot be placed in a certain place and a certain time. I may need to “snuff” someone after all. Or pull a Heist.
It is getting so ridiculous that the other night, I went to a wine bar opening and some “legendary” (I am using that term loosely here) Nightlife Photographer was trying to take a snap of me while I was trying to “Vicky Christina” these two fly girls. I quickly covered his lens and “accidentally” pushed the digi cam into his eye socket possibly a little too hard. (An accident, I swear).
Young girls these days are snapping non-stop pictures in the club destined for Facebook. It seems like today’s youth is more concerned with documenting the night than actually enjoying it.
I have said it before, and I will say it again, the most popular drug this decade: Celebrity.
I wish we would go back to beeks and beans.
Young girls also can’t seem to shut up about Facebook. I swooped this ideal girl on paper (parents with long dough, half-latina, close to beautiful, feminine, crib on a cliff overlooking the beach in one of Southern California’s most exclusive beach towns etc), but I had to 86 her after hearing her and her friends yap about “de-friending” and “friending” and crap for an hour. It was painful. If I had some heron I would have snorted it.
Facebook has also given rise to a “Facebook Player” of sorts. Typically, some young Hipster/Wimpster that pitches girls all day long on Facebook while wearing a fedora.
Every time you have some kind of sitdown or meal with a bunch of cats, trying to conduct some biz, there is always at least one f$ckhead going on and on about how much he loves his iPhone.
And it is always an unsolicited conversation. “I love how functional the iPhone is!”, and “Check out this new app!” or “This touch screen is so responsive!”
Look you nonce, first of all, I didn’t ask you about your iPhone. Second, I change cell phones every month, so I typically buy some weesh one I can toss. And third, I don’t even really know what an “app” is.
Girls are always flicking around on their iPhone screen trying to show you some “Party Pics”, that I have no interest in.
I still don’t really understand Twitter. The way I look at it is if you were having a great time, you have no time to “tweat” or whatever it is called.
I am always busy and pulling dope moves, hence my minimal “tweatering”.
“If you’re a square then Medellin has nothing for you to worry about. But if you have some vices then you could get sucked in.
Hookers – A bang in a whorehouse is $13. You can get a threesome for $25. I heard of a whorehouse that had an anal special for May. It’s no surprise that a lot of gringos come to Colombia just to frequent the whorehouses.
Drugs – A gram of cocaine is about $5, but if you got a guy then $2.50. A fifth of an ounce of marijuana is $5 (I’m guessing the weight but it’s good for about 20 cigarette-sized joints). Pharmaceuticals are also cheap.
Casinos – There are a handful of clean casinos that have the usual games including hold ‘em poker. The blackjack tables allow surrender which improves your odds somewhat. I have found $1 blackjack tables. People play like fucking idiots (I saw a guy split 6’s against a dealer face) but it’s fun if you have a friend.
Alcohol – Many clubs offer all-you-can-drink specials that start at $15. Domestic beer, rum, and aguaardiente are dirt cheap.
Silicone– More fake breasts than any city in the United States. Really adds to the overall ambiance.
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA GFK, Jr.
AKA The Sly, Slick and the Wicked
AKA The Voodoo Child
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com
Here is an article by Dean Cortez Strip Club Game: 10 Tips For Picking Up Strippers:
(My comments in Bold)
Here are ten of my tips for strip club success:
1. Go in with the right mindset: when you’ve got game, you know you’re way more interesting and confident than 99% of the customers who come to this place. Strippers spend most of their shift having tedious conversations with lame, predictable men. Once you’ve demonstrated otherwise, she’ll be pleasantly surprised to meet you.
Excellent Advice. Only I go into a Gentleman’s Club knowing I am way more interesting and confident than 99.99999999% to 100% of the customers.
2. When you enter the club, walk around with your head held high, like you are totally familiar with this environment. Never lurk or mill around as if you’re unsure of where to sit. Find a seat and settle in, preferably near a speaker. (I’ll explain why in a moment.) Do not sit on “pervert row” (this is what the girls call the seats in front of the stage.)
Always enter with mad swag. And Dolo. I prefer sitting near the bar.
3. When a stripper you like approaches you, don’t let her sit on your lap. Make her sit beside you. (”Whoa, easy there! Have a seat next to me until we get to know each other a little better.”) Having a cocky, playful attitude goes a long way in the strip club. It conveys confidence and establishes that you understand her “game”-and aren’t going to follow her script.
I don’t mind if an Exotic Dancer sits on my lap in an outdoor smoking area. But never in the club.
Also, don’t agree if she immediately offers a dance. Pretend like you didn’t hear her correctly-act like you think she asked YOU to dance for HER.
Never get dances unless it is your only opportunity to isolate a girl ie a no-alcohol grind spot. And then, just have her sit next to you while you pitch. Or if you are looking for a “Buzzer Beater”.
Say something like, “Are you sure you can afford me? I charge $100 for three songs, and no touching below the belt.”
Not sure about this line. A little goofy. But the “spin” is correct.
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Get her to sit down next to you, and ask her name. She’ll tell you her “dancer name.” (Mercedes, Porsche, Destiny, etc.) To this, give another playful response: “My dancer name is Hercules. I dance on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the club down the road. But I’ll tell you what if you tell me your real name, I’ll tell you mine. Just promise me you won’t stalk me or do anything weird.”
Again a little goofy. I typically have no issues with getting a Dancers real name. But I typically am wearing custom suits from Savile Row, so that may play a factor.
Say this playfully, and you’ll get her to laugh and tell her your real name. Now you’re starting the interaction on a genuine level, and you’re breaking her out of her “work” mind frame. Strippers, like salesmen, have a canned “script” that they use on every customer; when you control the interaction instead of answering her questions, she is unable to use her script and has no choice but to be real with you.
Pole Dancing
Preferably you’ll be sitting with her near a speaker (I suggested you choose this area to sit in), because now you can say “let’s move somewhere quieter, I want to be able to hear you.” This shows you value what she has to say, and gives it the feel like a “mini date”: you’re taking her somewhere, even if it’s just to the other side of the room. Physically leading a woman to another area is a great way to convey masculinity and confidence.
I like this theory. I do the same thing only chill at the bar and take an Exotic to go smoke. Builds rapport.
4. Keep your eyes off of her body and maintain eye contact. Never comment on how good she looks; if anything, call her “cute.”
“You’re cute, but I can tell there’s more to you than meets the eye. So tell me something about yourself that none of these customers would ever guess about you.” (Again, you’re framing yourself as not being a customer.)
Excellent technique. Never be like “regular guy”.
5. Be respectful of her profession. Never refer to it as “stripping”; the term to use for her is “dancer.” Say (or imply) that you’ve dated dancers before and demonstrate familiarity with her profession. Then I’ll say, “It’s too bad I swore off dating dancers, because I can tell you and I would get along.” (If she asks you “why you don’t date dancers,” be vague-just tell her, “It’s a long story, I’ll tell you about it sometime.” Then ask her another question that prompts her to keep thinking and sharing.
Another good line to use: “I know you must have some funny stories from working here. My friend is a dancer in Las Vegas, and she told me some hilarious stories about the customers who come in these places”
Too standardized. Every girl has heard this one a million times.
6. Befriend the staff: bouncers, coat check, bus boys, DJs, managers, the owner, etc. When you visit, staff members should know and greet you. This gives you high social value (or “social proof”) in the eyes of the dancers; again, you’re not a typical customer.
Again, straight out The G Manifesto Playbook. Lock the spot down.
Befriending male staff members is easy: I’ll bring a can of Red Bull over to the doorman and say, “Here, I thought you could use this,” and give him the drink. Then tell him, “you must be the envy of all your friends-hanging out in a club full of beautiful, half-naked women every night and getting paid for it. By the way, my name’s Dean.”
Nine times out of ten, the doorman will proceed to tell you why working at a strip club is anything but exciting and glamorous. Have a few laughs with him; chat for a few minutes, then head back to your seat. He knows you now, and he’ll appreciate the gesture. Every time you return from now on, he’ll give you a warm welcome.
Befriending the manager or owner will give you even greater social proof. To do this, I’ll ask my waitress to point out the person who is running the place. Then I’ll walk up to the manager/owner, introduce myself, and tell them this is one of my favorite clubs. Then, I’ll say that I’m trying to find a good location for my buddy’s upcoming bachelor party and I think this place would be perfect. I’ll ask how much it would cost to reserve a VIP room and several dancers for a few hours.
(I never actually come back for any bachelor party; I just use this as an “ice breaker” to get to know the manager/owner. They’re happy to talk to me about this. When I return in the future, if they ever ask me about the bachelor party plans, I say with a smile, “well actually, it looks like we’ll be throwing him a divorce party pretty soon. Do you do those, too?”
7. Don’t forget, the girls are there to make money. Go on slow nights when there aren’t a lot of customers vying for their attention. When you sit down with a girl and you’ve been chatting for a little while, it’s okay to buy a dance from her-but a minute or two into the song, tell her she can sit back down, and resume the conversation. (Again, always behave like a non-customer.)
Weeknights are always best at The Gentleman’s Club. Weekend nights are only if you have the spot on lock.
8. During the conversation, apply the same tactics you would use on women in a bar. Use techniques like Cold Reads and Hypotheticals. Many examples of these are explained in the “Secrets Of Strip Club Seduction” book. At all times, you will control the direction of the conversation and keep taking it to a deeper level, instead of trying to fill the time with pointless small talk.
9. One of the most effective ways to bond with a stripper is to get her to reveal her hidden talent and or/ambition. They’ve all got one. Strippers are used to customers treating them like brainless sex objects, and deeply appreciate it when a guy recognizes them for being more than that. This conversational thread also gives you the opportunity to reveal YOUR talent/ambition to her. (To women, a guy with passion and ambition is often MORE attractive than the guy who already has a lot of money.)
True. But having tons of CASH never hurts.
10. As far as “closing” with the dancer you like, the “Secrets Of Strip Club Seduction” program contains some very clever (and effective) methods for scoring her phone number and getting her to agree to meet you after her shift ends. (Special tactics are necessary here, because strippers normally have a tendency to be flakes.)
Meeting up with that same night needs to be your primary goal. This is why an essential part of seducing strippers is knowing two or three “go-to” spots that are within easy driving distance of the club, where you can meet and chill with her when she gets off work.
Always have the “after hours” spots on lock.
Always “oversell” these places to her. Instead of asking her to meet you at a bar (which sounds boring and ordinary), tell her that the bar has “the most amazing appetizers” or “the most incredible jukebox” or that “your buddy Mike the bartender makes the best margaritas you’ve ever tasted.” This provides additional motivation and frames you as a guy who is “in the know” and is going to turn her onto something cool.
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA GFK, Jr.
AKA The Sly, Slick and the Wicked
AKA The Voodoo Child
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com
Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc. intends to forfeit the 258-room W San Diego to its lenders after its efforts to reach a compromise on the luxury hotel’s $65 million securitized mortgage failed.
Sunstone, a real-estate investment trust that owns 43 hotels, bought the W for $96 million in 2006 from a group led by developer Gatehouse Capital Corp. Since then, the slumping performance of the W San Diego and the broader hotel market has made supporting that mortgage a challenge for Sunstone.
Foreclosures and forfeitures of hotels are becoming commonplace in this recession, though a public REIT turning over a high-profile, luxury property still is rare. Default rates on securitized mortgages backed by hotels have risen sharply as travelers have cut back, occupancies and revenues have tanked and, subsequently, hotel owners have run into difficulty making their debt payments. To wit, 3.16% of securitized mortgages backed by hotels now are delinquent on payments as compared to just 0.44% at this time last year, according to Trepp LLC.
A recent report by the special servicer of the W’s mortgage, Centerline Serving Inc., noted that the W San Diego since 2007 has failed to generate enough monthly income to cover both its operating costs and its interest payments. Sunstone has been covering the shortfall since 2007 to keep the loan out of default, but it opted this month to stop doing so.
The W San Diego has suffered partly because of the national decline in business and leisure travel. Additionally, in its downtown location it isn’t within convenient walking distance from San Diego’s Gaslamp District or the San Diego Convention Center, . said John Arabia, an analyst with real estate research company Green Street Advisors Inc.
The whole Hotel Industry is going to reel from this.
The more I think about this, these “boutique party hotels” (mostly phony and corporate anyways) are really in trouble.
Their target demographic 25-39 or so, is really hurting of liquid cash these days. Striped shirts are toe tagged. Plastic tiaras and lame “girls nights out” aren’t going to cut it.
The 40 to 50 monied crowd, or older couples with money won’t go to these places (too loud, too frugal etc).
Any 25 to 39 year olds with half a brain are going to skip eating and partying at these places because the food quality and girl quality is so low and price points are so high. (You can’t drag me there unless it’s a special event or they start importing Eastern Block and South American Models).
I think its game over for the ubiquitous “Corporate Cool” of the last 6 years. (Thank Goodness). Unless they decide to legalize prostitution and turn these things into High-End Brothels.
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA GFK, Jr.
AKA The Sly, Slick and the Wicked
AKA The Voodoo Child
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com
Mickey Factz featuring The Cool Kids “Rockin N Rollin”
