Experiencing Atlanta: Assignment I

The Copywriters! (*After three attemps, I think the first group shot was the best!)


It’s 3(ish) Saturday morning and I just returned from a night full of
excitement! I’m still under the influence at this point so I’ll be editing
before posting, but Tania recommends “getting things down” and then
editing so I’ll follow her expert advice.

First of all, I would like to say my copywriters are fabulous! You know
who you are -- all five of you -- y’all are great! This was such a fun
first night out in Atlanta, (strange, but fun)! I’m looking forward to
the next two years!

I really had no idea what to expect getting ready for this evening. Tania
could have mentioned this was a strip club. Here I am thinking it’s a
regular club. My designation of a “club” was dancing and a bar. Clermont
Lounge fit into that broad category, but come on; it’s not the same at all.
I had no idea that the dancing would be taking place ON the bar. When I
got into the car I told everyone, “I brought my camera so I can get some
good pics for our blogs!” Chrissy asked if we were allowed to bring in
cameras. That’s when Meredith admitted it was a strip club. She had
mentioned she’d been there before, but definitely didn’t mention that!

There were signs all over the bar and outside at the entrance that no
cameras were allowed. If she hadn’t have told me this was a strip club, I think I probably would have caught on when I saw those. (Adrian actually almost got kicked out by attempting to take a picture of the Clermon Lounge T-shirts pinned on wall.) The exterior of the building also foreshadowed what awaited us inside. We parked next door and someone shouted to us from another bar that the lot was for their bar only, so Mer went to move her car while the rest of us waited. She parked in the front without noticing towing signs for that lot, and was asked by a man sitting in a car by the hotel entrance if she was there to work upstairs!

Being as this was my first strip club experience, it wasn’t even what I
expected a strip club to be. In the basement of the shady-looking
Clermont Hotel, a different culture exists. One where people pay to see
old women -- or men in some case (I’m really not clear on that) –strip. I
was shocked when I walked in the dingy bar to see what appeared to be
either a very skinny man or a very unattractive woman in a curly brunette
wig dancing on top of a moderately crowded bar. I wouldn’t even call it
dancing really; it was more like pacing and posing. I don’t understand
why people would go to this place regularly. Adrian pointed out their
“Best Club” certificates on the wall from the city of Atlanta. We
laughed.

After detouring our little group to a table because we appeared to be in
the way on the left side of the bar, we found two tables in the corner to
survey the scene. Meredith looked to be enjoying the show going on two
tables down; and by that I mean she was getting a kick out of it. I think
the rest of us were a little more surprised by the entertainment but we
were all laughing. Adrian turned to me and said, “I want to buy Tyrese a
lap dance.” I agreed that was a fun plan so when the opportunity
appeared, and she asked if our table wanted a lap dance, Adrian pointed
at Tyrese and we all said, “…but he does.” He was a great sport but it
couldn’t have ended sooner for him. At least she hadn’t been as violent
as the first stripper we watching give a lap dance. She was slapping her
breasts on the guy’s face. (I wonder if he paid extra for that.) Tyrese’s
woman just encouraged him to spank her, which he obeyed. I couldn’t help but wonder during all of this, why had this person decided to become a stripper? Is it because they need the money or because they enjoy it, or
some of both? And once again, why do people find this entertaining? I’m a
romantic; therefore, even if there were male strippers at this place I
don’t think I would have been turned on or anything. What brings people
back here week after week- because I could tell there were many return
visitors by the looks we received when walking in.

At that point we were all on our second round of drinks- or maybe only
Adrian and I were…not sure about that. Meredith decided we needed to do a round of shots and toast to being the five copywriters of 1st quarter. Tic-tacs are my new favorite shot. I could barely taste the vodka. I began to feel the buzz. (A month without drinking at all does that.)

Our next adventure at the Clermont took place in the bathroom. I don’t
know why I thought it would be like any other bathroom with actual stalls.
There is no shame at this place. The stall was a thin curtain separating
the “lounge” section from the toilet. If you aren’t careful closing the
curtain, it would be easy to become the center of attention. Strange but I
couldn’t hold it so I took the chance. I had Mer and Chrissy in there to
keep a lookout. They were busy writing something about copywriters from
Portfolio Center on the wall. The second time in the ladies lounge, a
boxy blond stripper was changing from her French maid costume into her
Little Red Riding Hood getup. She asked Mer which way she should put the sleeves- on or off the shoulder. Why that mattered is beyond me; she was about to take it off anyway.

After a couple games of pinball and a brief flirting with German business
interns, we concluded our visit to the Clermont. We went to Hole in the
Wall for what was left of the night. I was very surprised by the guy/girl
ratio, intrigued actually. Being a recently
single-the-first-time-in-a-long-time girl, I took notice. I also couldn’t
help but realize I was being noticed. With my current circumstances that
was nice. I had the urge to dance all night; I’m pretty sure that is what
alcohol does to me, so Adrian joined me on the dance floor for a couple
songs before “The Last Dance.” We got everyone on the dance floor and
enjoyed the cheesy song that signaled the end of such an eye-opening
night.