Ladies Night

On Saturday, September 18th, “a party for everyone regardless of your preference” was going on at Air Conditioned Lounge. Beginning at 9 PM, in2U Events presented Unity—an event taking Ladies Night to a whole new level. Gays and lesbians from all over San Diego came together and partied with us at AC Lounge. With $3 specialty shots and $4 Bud Light and Widmer Hefewiezen drafts until 10:30, there was really no excuse not to come out and have yourself a good time.

DJ dirtyKURTY and DJ HEABNASTY rocked the turn tables to nonstop jams that got everyone breaking out their best moves on the dance floor. To say the least, these ladies could drink. The AC bartenders were pouring drinks nonstop the entire night trying to keep up with this thirsty crowd.

On a not-so-unusual night at AC Lounge, there would most likely be a crowd favoring men, but last Saturday shook the men-to-women ratio up and let the ladies take the stage for the night. I am not saying that the few men who were present were disappointed in the eye-candy, but it might be safe to say they didn’t have a chance in making one of these unsuspecting women a potential date for next Friday night.

In2U Events was here to bring the community together through Unity, and that is exactly what they did. There wasn’t a Lone Ranger in sight as the night unfolded into a successful evening full of good times, drunken decadence, and a purpose for oneness.

Check out Facebook or in2Uevents.com for the next Unity event, so you don’t miss out again on, yet another night to remember at Air Conditioned Lounge.

All for one, and one for all!

~By Laura Canepa

The AC Time Warp

While the sun set on the rest of San Diego on August 25, 2010, the full moon shined its light upon Air Conditioned Lounge taking everyone and everything back to the early 1900s.  The Cherries Jubilee chorus dancers and the Olio Jazz Band spun our quaint little establishment back to the days when drinks required more than two ingredients and entertainment was more than a DJ spinning records to the latest trend in music.

If you haven’t guessed it by now, this was definitely a night not to miss at AC Lounge.  With a classic cocktail menu to boot, the sounds of shakers mixing drinks added to the soundtrack of the Olio Jazz Band.  From 9-10 PM customers had the AC bartenders working hard for their tips with a $3 drink special for all vintage cocktails.  Side Cars, Manhattans, Whiskey Sours, and much more were all made with fresh lemon juice and real sugar, which made these snazzy cocktails all the better to consume during the festivities.

The Olio Jazz Band kicked off the show with their four piece crew of musicians.  There is nothing like soft jazz with a hint of nostalgic eeriness to set the time period back to the early twentieth century.  This musical quartet turned AC Lounge into a twilight zone for a good portion of the night.  Although live jazz is definitely relevant in today’s music scene, the Olio Jazz Band definitely gave the feel that they were here first.

With an outgoing, entertaining host bellowing his words, he couldn’t help but emphasize how much he loves his girls—and he has good reason to.  Six dancers took the stage at 10. Feathers and fishnets fluttered amongst the dance floor with provocative moves appreciated by all.  Costume changes kept the girls on their toes, and even a solo tap dancer shuffled into the mix with shim sham shimmies and buffalo steps to add to the beats.

AC Lounge is bringing burlesque back every fourth Wednesday.  Such a shame that you had to miss this premier event, but now that you know where this blind pig lies once a month, there is no reason not to grab your zoot suit, smoking stick, and appetite for crafty cocktails and entertainment and mosey on down to Air Conditioned Lounge.

Be there or be square!

~By Laura Canepa

The Endless Pour

Drinking at Air Conditioned Lounge is more than just good times to be had on the dance floor while listening to the best party jams around. You won’t be dropping too many dimes and nickels at this joint. So when you check out your wallet the next morning, instead of saying, “where did all my fives go?” you will be saying “how did I get so drunk?” If you pay attention to the AC Lounge website, Facebook page, or the Twitter posts, then you would have known that on Friday, August 6, 2010, AC Lounge had a hosted bar from 9-11. That’s right—All. You. Can. Drink—for TWO hours.

Sandiego2night comes out to play with AC Lounge every once in a while, and helps put on this event. After paying only $10 at the door, for two hours well drinks and Bud Light draft—in the classic red party cup, of course—will be poured endlessly for anyone sporting a wristband until 11.

AC Lounge’s most notorious DJ, Junior The DiscoPunk, took over the turn tables while hipsters from all over North Park and Normal Heights made fashionably late entrances to dabble in the hosted bar. While drinks were slinging from left and right, the bartenders were hustling to make sure that everyone was getting served as fast as the customers were drinking down their cocktails.

When the clock struck 11, the party was definitely not over. The Freon VIP room was partying up a storm with one of AC Lounge’s own, Jeff Ladman, hosted his wife’s birthday party. On the other side of the bar Friday’s Happy Hour bartendress, Belin Rosadillo, took a night off to hang with the regulars. It is not often that the staff of AC Lounge is seen on the other side of the bar, and if you weren’t there to buy your favorite bartender a shot then you missed out.

For those of you spending a fortune in downtown clubs racking up tabs up to nearly $100 for just a few rounds amongst “friends,” AC Lounge was treating our friends to VIP service with tabs consisting of zero dollars, too much fun, and drinks galore—now that is what I call priceless.

Air Conditioned Lounge tends to host awesome specials throughout each month, so if you unfortunately missed out on sandiego2night’s hosted bar last Friday, don’t you worry, there will be more unforgettable times to come.

Befriend AC Lounge on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ACLounge to keep up with the happenings, so you will know exactly where to be this weekend.

~ By Laura Canepa

Now Presenting, For One Night Only. . .

When superheroes with capes, villains with a vengeance, and the cast of True Blood descend upon the streets of the Gaslamp District erasing any evidence that there might be a speck of humanity withinwalking distance, then it is safe to say it’s the weekend of Comic-Con. As for the rest of San Diego, where do you go to escape the madness of geeks galore? Air Conditioned Lounge—naturally.

While DJ Mike Czech revved up the crowd during his weekly Saturday night set on July 24th, things were about to get strange on the stroke of midnight. Rumors of a special guest were fluttering about the crowd, but if anyone checked the website,www.airconditionedbar.com, then you would have known that special guest, Daft Punk’d (DJ Nathan Black and Producer Ron DMC), would be appearing in the DJ booth at some point in the night after killing it at a Comic-Con after party at 4^th and B the night before.

As the music faded and the lights went down, the crowd began to turn restless. What’s going to happen next? Where’s the music? I just want to dance! Luckily, to fill the void while the suspense built, Mike Czech encouraged the crowd to sing him and the other birthday boys and girls on the dance floor “Happy Birthday.”

Soon enough the lights above the DJ booth lit up and Daft Punk’d appeared in all black leather and tinted black and gold helmets ready to rock the house—and that is exactly what they did. AC patrons whipped out their camera phones and crowded in front of the DJ booth snapping candids as the duo synchronized their moves to the beats of the music and each other.

For one hour the tribute to their predecessors caused a need to take a shot and start dancing like no one is watching. It was nearly impossible to take your eyes off of the DJ’s uncanny resemblance to Daft Punk. Between their helmets and their music booming through the amplifiers, it’s a shame if you left early let alone didn’t make it at all.

A little after one, the set was over and AC Lounge was back to its regularly scheduled playlist, but the energy kept going strong well after last call leaving “One More Time, We’re Going to Celebrate” echoing in all of our ears until the next morning. There is no question about it—Daft Punk’d made the evening a night to remember in the AC Lounge archive of You Had to Be There’s.

While we were all fist pumping to the electronic stylings of Daft Punk’d I hate to think what you were doing while missing out on a legendary night at Air Conditioned Lounge. Just don’t let it happen again.

One More Time!

~ By Laura Canepa

~ Photos By Royson Photography

Stripper Poles and Bottles and VIPs—OH MY!

When first walking into AC Lounge, one would never guess how many different places are possible to reserve for bottle service on a Friday or Saturday night. On Saturday, July 17^th, somehow the word got out, and our books were filled. There was a party in the Freon VIP room, the sunken living room, on the perch, and on the stage—yes we have a stage, and yes you will be the center of attention as long as you strut your stuff with the bottle of bubbly in your hands.

DJ Mike Czech’s JUICY Saturdays never fail to bring the party, but last Saturday the party came to him. DJ Royson got the party started early while the reservations trickled in. By 11 the place was packed with a tapped-out guest-list and walk-ins galore.

Everyone was here to celebrate whether they were drinking out of colorful cocktail cups in the VIP Room or a rookie customer on the dance floor for the first time. No matter what their poison of choice was, friends were quickly made when asked to join in on the bottle serviced parties.

Why would you want to miss out on the chance to bond over a bottle of Grey Goose while telling stories around the stripper pole? Ok, ok I know there probably weren’t too many stories heard over the awesome party jams blaring through the speakers, but I’m sure there were at least a few reasons to gather around the stripper pole.

Whether you liked it or not you missed out on the drunken, debauchery of Saturday night’s party-goers. So next time you even hear one syllable of DJ Mike Czech, JUICY, or—really you are going to make me say it again? AIR CONDITIONED LOUNGE—don’t think twice about going anywhere else.

Miss it once, shame on you! Miss it twice— well, let's just say that should be enough warning to get your booty shakin’ grooves down here on a Saturday night.

Don't hesitate to call up Frances to get your reservation on: 619.288.3778

Do it!

~By Laura Canepa

My Stomach Still Hurts From Laughing Too Much

For those of you who don’t know, Air Conditioned Lounge doesn’t do funny—until now. Known for always being the dance party of the neighborhood, AC Lounge has finally brought comedy to the table. Last Tuesday, July 13^th, Stand Up to Stand Up! took over the house. With comedians: Greg Santos, Jared Scooper, Feraz Ozel, Dallas McGlaughlin, and Billy Bonnell putting the crowd into a trance while listening to both appropriate and inappropriate jokes, there was not a person trying to prevent their cocktail from shooting out of their nostrils.

The laughter started at 9:30pm allowing ample time before the show to fill up their glasses with $5 You Call-It cocktails. It wasn’t hard for these modern day jesters to get the crowd going with their witty jokes, and off-set humor. I would tell one of their jokes myself, but why ruin the you-had-to-be-there moment when you should have been there!

The chuckles didn’t just stop with the line-up of comedians. House band, Fever Crotch, was also there to treat AC Lounge to covers from Weezer’s, “Say it Ain’t So” to Metallica’s, “Enter Sandman.” And not to mention their original, “The Coors Light Song,” which upon finishing someone did buy the band a Coors Light after their not-so-obvious lyric, “Somebody buy the band a Coors Light.”

Live music, hilarity, and stiff drinks, what more can you ask for on a Tuesday night out? Absolutely nothing. So next time while you are sitting on your caboose missing out on an amazing night at AC Lounge—don’t.

Every second Tuesday of the month come hang out at AC Lounge for Stand Up to Stand Up! There is really no legitimate excuse not to.

~ By Laura Canepa