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By Gamal Hennessy
The Amethyst Initiative released a statement recently calling for a discussion on the drinking age in America. Battle lines were drawn immediately between the college students who felt that the current law led to dangerous binge drinking and the opponents who claim lowering the drinking law will increase binge drinking. The debate has focused on college campuses, but nightlife has a stake in this debate as well. Does it make sense to set the drinking age at 21? Should it be lowered? Should it be raised? Should drinking be based on age at all?
The Problem
The Amethyst Initiative, which is made up of college presidents and chancellors from around the country, claims that the current drinking age creates segregated communities on campus. The 21-25 group drinks on a regular basis in bars, restaurants and other places liquor is served. Since the 18-20 group can’t legally drink they pre-party heavily to compensate. This binge drinking leads to a host of problems. It promotes to criminal activity to get liquor to causes alcohol poisoning and other health problems once the liquor is consumed.
Officials from various government and civic organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) claim that the Amethyst Initiative ignores proven data on the benefits of legal drinking at 21. They say a lower drinking age will lead to more alcohol related fatalities and simply push the age of binge drinking down to the high school level. They have also exerted pressure on members of the initiative to withdraw their support.
The Nightlife Impact
Nightclubs and bars have a vested interest in the drinking age law. Once schools open again for the fall semester, the clubs will be teeming with drinkers. Some of them won’t be 21. These are the places that underage drinkers try to get into after the pre-party. These are the places that have to deal with fake IDs. Would it be easier for everyone if the same person who can go to college, get a license, and drive to the club also be allowed to drink there?
From an economic standpoint, there might be short term gains for nightclubs. There would be more potential people coming in and drinking, which means more money for the club. There would be less need for security to check ID’s at the door, which would free them up for other tasks (like dealing with the drunks who are already inside). There would be fewer violations for serving underage patrons, which could lead to fewer threats to liquor licenses since every violation goes on record against the club when it wants to renew its license.
However, the public relations impact outweighs the economic benefit. New York nightlife is already under attack in various parts of the city by community boards, police and possibly real estate interests. It doesn’t need to draw additional fire from MADD or other politically influential groups. It might take just one incident of a 20 year old girl being injured or killed to spark a new crusade against clubs. It probably wouldn’t matter if she was drunk before she got to the club or if she was even in or near the club when the incident occurred. The story would be about a young girl killed after going to a nightclub. The details would probably be missed.
New York Nights supports debate on issues like the relationship between age and drinking, but we don’t feel that lowering the drinking age would benefit New York Nightlife.
Have fun.
Gamal
By Gamal Hennessy
There are several new buildings going up in areas that were once very hospitable for nightlife. From the Lower East Side to the Meatpacking District to Grammercy Park to West Chelsea, new buildings are rising every month. Even though the prices for New York real estate are extreme, we’ve largely been spared from the effects of the national housing slump up to now. Some have tied the increase in luxury residences to increased conflict between residents and certain clubs. But the money for condos and co-ops is starting to dry up. Does this mean that there will be fewer calls for nightclub closures and more opportunity for nightlife real estate?
Background
The amount of residential real estate in New York has risen steadily since 2001 when commercial firms moved out of the city following the terrorist attacks. More demand led to increase desire for space. The weakening of the national housing market as a result of the sub prime crisis did little to decrease demand in New York, primarily because financial professionals and foreign buyers taking advantage of the weak dollar continued to buy. As real estate developers looked for more space to build, nightlife venues became attractive targets and the nightlife community became an obstacle to their growth. Some nightlife professionals have suggested that the influx of upscale residents has created an oppressive atmosphere for clubs.
The struggle between residents and nightlife wasn’t created by the housing boom. Clubs can contribute to traffic, noise and incidents requiring a police presence. Previous residents have been vocal about their needs in the past. The difference between the previous situation and the current one is that some luxury residents actively attempt to change the nature of the neighborhoods that they have paid so much to live in. Using the liquor licensing process as a tool, nightclubs and bars have been closed, forced to operate with reduced hours, or they haven’t been able to open at all.
New Situation
But the residential real estate market in New York might be following the rest of the country. Sales to foreign buyers, which recently accounted for up to 33% of new condo sales, is falling. Hedge fund managers and other financial professionals aren’t getting the bonuses that traditionally spurred purchasing. This means that many of the buildings going up today might not have a long list of buyers when they are finished.
What does this mean for New York nightlife? The results might not be immediately apparent. Clubs will still have to work with community boards and current residents who have moved into club neighborhoods. The rents that bars and clubs have to pay will continue to eat up a significant chunk of revenue, which means bottle service and other things we pay for will reflect those prices. But it could mean that there is less desire to convert club spaces into condos and an increased recognition of the continuing economic strength of clubs. Unlike most other types of commercial activity, New York nightlife attracts visitors and money from all over the world and will continue to do so even as the housing market dries up.
Have fun.
Gamal
By Gamal Hennessy
In spite of the fact that condoms have been around since 1350 B.C. not everyone trusts them. In spite of the fact that condoms are the most successful method of preventing unwanted pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted disease not everyone thinks they are worth the trouble. In spite of the fact that condoms can be purchased in every Duane Reade, bodega and pharmacy from South Ferry to Yonkers, some people don’t have any. If they work and they are easy to get, what reason can someone have for not using them? Understanding the thought process might help you recognize these people when you go out so you have a chance to avoid them.
The New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene randomly sampled 10,000 adults New Yorkers about their sexual history. According to their study, 1 in 4 New Yorkers do not use condoms as part of their sexual practice. Yvonne Fulbright, a columnist for Fox News has put together a list of reasons some of these people for their choice.
· “Condoms dull the sensation of sexual intercourse.”
· “Other people get STD’s, not me.”
· “I’m usually drunk or high when I have sex, so I don’t remember to use a condom.”
· “I’m on the pill, so I don’t need a condom.”
· “She was ready to go, we didn’t have one and I didn’t want to kill the mood going to the store.”
· “I wanted to, but my partner didn’t and I didn’t want to disappoint them.”
· “I was in love and people in love don’t use condoms.”
· “I wanted him to get me pregnant so he would stay.”
· “I feel guilty about carrying one around.”
Sex is an integral part of nightlife. It is often sublimated in almost every aspect of the experience. That means that STD’s are a potential problem for all of us. During the AIDS outbreak, nightlife and the arts were the hardest hit communities. Consider this, if you go out this weekend and get 8 phone numbers (because you’re so damn sexy), 2 of those people don’t use condoms or have had sex with someone who doesn’t use condoms if the Department of Health is accurate. HIV cases are on the rise again in certain segments of the population. Herpes cases are also on the rise. If you go out at night and sex is part of the equation, then that risk is also part of the equation. Most of that risk goes away when the condom comes out.
Some people might decide that sex without a condom is more desirable than life itself. Despite what we might think, people have a right to make that choice, even if their reasons for that choice lack reason, judgment and common sense. What they can’t do is make that choice for you. If you think sex with a condom (which is pretty hot by the way) is a small price to pay for living, don’t let someone else take your choice away. Guys and girls can walk around with condoms. You can speak up for yourself when clothes are flying off. And although it might be annoying, painful and mess up an entire night you can walk away from someone who doesn’t want to use one. You might be walking away from more painful consequences.
Have fun.
Gamal
By Gamal Hennessy
Every social situation has a set of guidelines to help things run smoothly. The dinner table, the classroom, the office and the locker room inside the gym each has its own customs to keep people from throwing food around, throwing a tantrum or crossing swords. People who know these rules often get ahead, even if they don’t always follow them. People who don’t know the rules often suffer. The nightclub is no different than any other social environment, there’s a certain way to do things. Common sense will make most of these rules obvious, but common sense isn’t that common so read this just to make sure…
Keep in mind that this advice can be used by anyone, but it is focused toward men, because I have don’t have the experience to know the nuances of female clubbing and I didn’t have time before this piece was due to ask them (I’m sure it will be a follow up article).
Before you hit the club, it pays to be prepared:
1. Decide where you’re going and have a couple of back up plans.
2. Find out how you need to dress to get in and respond accordingly.
3. Figure out how you’re getting in whether it’s reservations, connections or just standing in line.
4. Don’t travel with people who are going to sabotage your fun, unless its part of your hustle.
5. Decide if you’re buying bottle service (and who is paying for it) before you get there. This might not be the time to make a $1,000 decision.
6. When you get there be nice to the bouncer whether you are on the list, ordered bottle service or just standing on line. Giving them a hard time won’t get you in faster. It could ruin your night.
Once you’re inside the main goal is having fun. Just remember these simple tips:
7. You can have a good time without giving the club staff a hard time. It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.
8. Unless your express goal is getting a hangover, it is always wise to drink and do something else (dance, flirt, eat, talk, whatever)
9. The key to meeting people is helping them feel good about themselves while you’re around, not using them to help you feel better about yourself.
10. You don’t have to get drunk just because you drink.
When its time to go there are a few things you can do to cap off a good night.
11. If you can catch the attention of the staff that served you, thank them on the way out. They don’t get much of that and some of them will remember you if you come back.
12. If you leave with your people, make sure everyone gets to their chosen transportation. Put ladies in cabs before you jump into one.
13. Before you pass out on the short road to hangover, try to make sure your people actually got home. New York is safer than it has been in decades, but it shows you care. Ask them for a quick ‘I’m alive’ text when they get in the door. This is especially true of your female company even if you just met them (it’s also a good way to confirm her phone number is real, but that’s beside the point).
Now that you have tips on nightlife behavior, you can have a good time without crossing swords.
Have Fun.
Gamal
By Gamal Hennessy
It appears that all the ads of bikini clad women sipping vodka, new brands infusing exotic fruits or caffeine (or both) into our drinks, and hip hop videos worshiping Courvoisier have been in vain. A new medical study has found that liquor consumption is down across the United States. Is this good for nightlife or are we becoming a bedroom community?
“Secular Trends in Alcohol Consumption” is the article that Dr. Yuqing Zhang has published in the August 2008 American Journal of Medicine. Dr. Zhang analyzed the liquor consumption of 8,000 Americans from 1948-2003. He has concluded that while hard liquor rates have remained constant, drinking rates of beer have decreased significantly and wine drinking has increased. He has also found that moderate drinking is more likely in individuals born later in the 20th century. There is also a major increase in the number of people who identify themselves as non drinkers. While Dr. Zhang’s findings show a decline in national consumption, other studies have shown that binge consumption in New York is even lower than the rest of the country.
This move towards a healthier relationship with alcohol comes at a time when medical research is finding benefits in the bottle. Recent studies have shown that moderate drinking reduces your chance of stroke and heart disease, can increase your levels of good cholesterol and reduce the chance of breast cancer in women. The health benefits, combined with its use as a social lubricant and relaxation tool raise the positive profile of drinking…as if you needed another reason to drink.
It is amazing that in a city of bottle service, open bars, and endless launch parties that studies show us drinking less than ever before. It might be hard to believe when you frequently see smashed lightweights being pushed into a cab by their friends. But maybe the drunks are just the ones we remember. The thousands of other people out every night drinking without getting drunk don’t leave a lasting image.
While there are some raging alcoholics in our city, the idea that nightlife is nothing but an army of drunks is clearly unfounded. We go out, we drink, we have a good time and we go home. We’re at work the next day. Sometimes we have a hangover, sometimes we come out with just a leanover but overall we can still function as the center of the universe. New Yorkers balance work and play and playing is often more fun with a cocktail. Remember that the next time someone tries to criticize your three cosmo a day habit.
Have fun.
Gamal
Source: Press Release
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By Gamal Hennessy
News wires, newspapers and blogs all over the world ran last week’s story of Ingrid Rivera’s murder at the hands of a bar back. The combination of celebrity association (Lil’ Kim wasn’t involved), sex (reports say there wasn’t any) and violence makes this story titillating and easy to add to the universal gossip mill of the internet. It is also very easy to use this incident as an example of the threat nightlife poses to society at large. What might be lost in the overall discussion is that while Ingrid Rivera’s murder was tragic, death inside a New York nightclub or bar is very rare.
The consensus among media outlets is that Syed Rahman, an employee of Spotlight Live, lured Ms. Rivera to the roof of the club during a birthday party for rapper Lil’ Kim. He tried to make sexual advances towards her that she rejected. At that point, Syed attacked her, killing her with a blow to the head. Her body was found two days later in a utility shed on the roof. Syed was arrested that same day and reportedly confessed to the crime.
An associated story detailed the deaths associated with New York nightlife over the past 20 years. While there were little over 100 people killed between 1988 and this point in 2008, there are three things that are worth noting. First, an unusual number of incidents involve club security or other worker inside the club. Second of the 100 people killed, 87 of them died in the Happy Land fire of 1990, which means the other 13-25 deaths accounted for all the murders that took place in more than 1,000 local nightlife establishments. Finally, there is an estimated 65,000,000 entries into New York bars, lounges and nightclubs every year in New York, which means while there have literally been millions of people in New York nightlife almost every one of them makes it back home.
We are not saying that Ms. Rivera’s death or any of the deaths associated with nightlife are an acceptable part of the industry. We are not saying that initiatives like the recent nightlife security plan are not necessary. What we are saying is that while murder in nightclubs is abhorrent, it is also very rare. We don’t want opponents of our nightlife to use this crime as ammunition to close clubs down.
Have fun.
Gamal
By Gamal Hennessy
New York has never been known for being cheap. Our nightlife can be especially expensive. The $30 cover, the $9 pack of cigarettes, the $15 cocktail, and the $700 bottle are not uncommon. As Wall Street falters and gas prices rise, some New Yorkers have less and less disposable income. All of a sudden, a $15 margarita seems a little pricey. This situation can become even more stressful when you look across the bar and tourists of every stripe seem to be buying bottles of Grey Goose and then giving it away. Tourists are using their economic power to wine, dine and pay for all the things we can’t afford this summer…
New York City nightlife has always included a considerable amount of tourists. This year the numbers are expected to rise. NYC Company expects tourism to increase 20% from the same period in 2006, which means almost 3.3 million tourists will descend on New York this summer. A large reason for the increase is money. The U.S. Dollars is currently weaker than currencies in Europe and Asia. When tourist exchange their euros, yen and pounds for dollars it turns normal, middle class people into extravagant VIP’s who are willing to make it rain from SoHo to Central Park.
If you’ve ever taken a trip to the Caribbean or to Mexico, you’ve probably lived through this experience before, just on the other side. We show up with our American dollars and we can get into clubs where the locals can only work. We can easily afford things that we couldn’t afford back home. The people who lived in the places we visit probably feel a mix of appreciation and envy. They wanted us to spend money…that’s how their clubs stayed open. They just wanted to be able to have fun too. New York hasn’t become Cancun just yet, but experiencing the feeling from their point of view can be a little disturbing.
A savvy New Yorker will see this cash invasion as an opportunity, not a problem. If you have European friends, invite them to New York, all of them. Offer to take them to the best spots. When they bring you along, you’ve got a built in sponsor. If you don’t have international friends, now is a good time to make some. As a native, you know the best spots to party, now they have money to party. It’s a win win situation.
And if you want to find out more about what's going on in New York nightlife, sign up for NYN Insider. It's free.
Money and status are obvious assets when it comes to dating in New York nightlife. The prominent titles have changed over the years, but the basic concept has remained constant. Doctors and lawyers always have a certain degree of cache. Internet executives got a lot of play before their bubble burst in the mid 90’s. Investment bankers had the expense accounts to order bottle service and even buy out certain venues for the past several years. But now that the economy is faltering, can people in these industries have a successful dating life? And what does that mean to the rest of us who didn’t have Wall Street hustle? Can dating get better as the stock market collapses?
The answer might seem obvious on the surface, but the deeper answer depends on if your potential dating pool looks for money or time. If people are looking to date someone who has money or status, then a bad economy will have a negative effect on dating. If last week you were a I banker for Bear Sterns and this week you’re living with your mom, your dating potential has decreased drastically. However, successful financial types are very similar to other successful professionals. The higher up you go, the more time you devote to your job and the less time you devote to your social life. Even going to the club and buying bottle service becomes an exercise in work. Clients, associates and potential vendors take up more time than actual dating. As more financial types find themselves with more free time, they might be able to spend more time actually meeting people outside your industry.
Of course, depending on the type of person you’re looking for and where you spend your time looking, the loss of a high profile job could cripple your dating life. Men and ladies who need you to buy a bottle before they say hello aren’t going to suddenly gush over your sudden increase of free time. They are going to go after the people who have what they are looking for. And with everyone suing each other in a down market, things look good for lawyers…
Now what if you didn’t have a Wall Street job to begin with? How will the down market affect your dating potential? Well, a bad economy is only bad for your bed room if money was your main tool of attraction. If you rely on looks, charm, artistic talent, or a combination of seductive tools, then your opportunities can rise in a down market. Speaking purely on competitive terms, if the influence of the finance types goes down, the influence of the rest of us goes up. Of course, you have to look outside of the VIP area, but there is opportunity in chaotic times….
Source: John Carney: Deal Breaker
And if you want to find out more about what's going on in New York nightlife, sign up for NYN Insider. It's free.
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