Going Out 101

By René Pacheco

The Nightlife scene is intoxicating (pun intended), its adventurous; its an escape. Going out to a bar or a club to enjoy the night, weekend or to celebrate a milestone, is a great way to let loose. Everyone out is in search to achieve one thing, to have fun. Tucson has a great selection of places to enjoy the night with friends and great places to meet new ones. Nightlife Tucson has a few easy tips to consider when enjoying your night out:

1.    “Dress the part”: depending your choice in location, try to look your best. A bar should be reserved for kickback gear to accompany the kickback atmosphere. If you are headed to the Club, lets clean it up a bit. Guys, dust off the dress shoes, iron that shirt and leave the shorts at home, lets pull up the jeans and tighten that belt. Ladies, if you can barely walk, you shouldn’t be wearing it, try to look classy not trashy. Finally, and I can’t strongly urge this enough, unless the Bar/Club you’re at is on the sun, LOOSE THE SUNGLASSES.

2.    “Pre-drinking”: Drinking before you go out is a pre-social lubricant, but keep in mind pre-drinking doesn’t mean getting “obliterated” if you are planning to head out, and want to take a few shots or down a beer, remember that you’re not at the party yet, and the night is still young. If you show up at your party destination hammered, chances are, they won’t let you in or you will get kicked out. Most importantly, if you are drinking before you go out, you SHOULD NOT DRIVE! Again, DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE!

3.    “The Line”: If the Bar/Club you go to has a line, don’t cut. The most irritating thing to do while waiting in line is cut. If you have a friend that finds you in line and cuts with you, don’t think that others haven’t noticed. Don’t like waiting in line? Buy a VIP table, or get there early. Your tardiness shouldn’t be an excuse for you to cut, you will eventually get inside.

4.    The Bar: the bar is crowded, there is a line, bartenders are busy as hell, and you want another drink. There are four simple tips that will make everyone happy when ordering  drinks at the bar:

A. Know what you want. If there is a long line, you probably have enough time to know what you want while you wait. Don’t make the bartender wait on you while you decide you want, when he/she points at you make sure you clearly say what you want and how many; if you don’t know what you want, move out the way.

B. Have cash or put it on a tab. If you are ordering one drink, and you hand over plastic, you better open a tab. Bartenders hate running debit/credit cards for one drink when they are in a rush. If you will be coming back for another drink, open a tab, this way the bartender doesn’t have to stop in his/her track to run your card.

C. knowing the bartender. This is for both the patron and the bartender. Bartenders, if you know someone in line to get a drink, great! Preferential treatment is expected, but remember outside of your friend there is still that long line of “other” people that need drinks. To the “friend” of the bartender, there are a ton of other people that want drinks too, just because you know the bartender, doesn’t entitle you to go to the side of the bar and bypass the crowd.

D. Loitering. Unless you are sitting at the bar having a conversation, get your drink and move. Don’t loiter and chill out by the bar, there are people behind you that want a drink.

5.    Check your attitude at the door. Remember, every place in town has a different vibe, if you are not comfortable being in a certain place, don’t try to make it your own. Bars and clubs in Tucson are eclectic. Don’t be “that guy” or “girl” and start trouble, getting into a fight at a bar is never necessary.

Like I mentioned earlier, we are all out to achieve one thing and that is to have fun. Remember that everyone that is out is there for the same reason as you, to have a great time and enjoy the company of everyone else. If you have other suggestions for your fellow partygoers, let me know, email me at rene@nightlifetucson.com.