1. Dress sharp.
2. Dress sharp.
3. If there is a valet service right at the door, it is best to use it
(although not strictly necessary). The valet will never refuse your
car (he wants his tip) and once he takes it away, you have already been
"accepted". If the valet is further away, taking a taxi to
the door might be worthwhile because once it's gone, you are more or
less stranded at the club.
4. Smile, act confident but not pushy. The doorman is a mini-dictator.
The only power he has is to stop people getting in and he enjoys
wielding it, but he has to let some people in.
Don't try to stroll in like you own the place. Don't pretend to
know the doorman straight away just 'cos you heard some one saying
his name. He'll know you're full of shit and will screw you over.
However when you see him screwing over other obnoxious people you
can grin colludingly ;)
5. Call ahead (if you don't have the number ask the doorman for a card).
They will tell you not to come if there's a private function, and
what time it gets busy otherwise (come half an hour before that).
If they don't specifically tell you not to come, you can say you
called and "Janet told me there would be no problem, I came over
from Pasadena on that basis" or whatever. That's how I got into a
party at the Viper Room with that Page dude, that Applegate chick,
a-NoCal-band-that-was-cool-at-the-time-but-I've-forgotten-now etc.
6. Once you've gotten in two or three times, it's a cinch.
There are a few places where you are supposed to kiss the doorman! I
never have though. When Rohit was in Paris we tried to get into a
club like that with a raving gay door-dude. He turned us away on
the pretense that we weren't gay enough (there was some girl with us)
but I'm sure he just wanted his kiss. Gay/mixed clubs don't turn away
heteros as a rule, AFAIK.
Anyhow, that's my worthless opinion on the subject. Your mileage may
vary. Improvise!
Over and out.
.-. Robert.Harley@inria.fr .-.
/ \ .-. "Dances with bits" .-. / \
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`-' Hit me with those laser beams. `-'