Neighborhood Bars are Overtaking Nightclubs
By
Relationship Advice Expert April Masini
Q: Dear April Masini,
For our first couple of years out of college, my friends and I would get all dressed up every weekend and head over to the hottest clubs in our city. We'd wait in lines behind the velvet rope and had a great time. Lately, though, I've noticed everyone wants to skip that scene and head over to our neighborhood dives in jeans and flip flops.
What's changed?
Sincerely,
The Glitter is Gone
A:
Dear The Glitter is Gone,
More than likely, your friends got tired of the big bouncers, the long waits and the rejection. The velvet rope creates a competition and in every competition there are winners -- and losers.
Who skips the velvet rope?
Those people who fear being losers don't even want to play the game. They'll skip the chi-chi clubs for the neighborhood bar. These people may see themselves as underdogs and insecure. They'd rather quit than play and risk losing.
Those people who don't want to hang or even associate with people who want to play the game. They'll skip the velvet rope and head for the neighborhood bar. Why bother? It's great to know who you are and who you want to hang out with. Competitive people who like other competitive people will relish the velvet rope. People who are so secure they're just not interested in the competition or who are turned off by blatantly competitive people will skip the rope.
Competition is great at work and the gym, but there are people who don't want to compete on their down time -- and they don't want to hang out with people who are competing -- it's exhausting. Many young adults work so hard that they just want to relax -- completely -- on their off work time. The velvet rope game is the opposite of relaxing. It's exhilarating or exhausting or stressful. These people who don't want those feelings will head for the neighborhood hangout.
April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas,
and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.
© 2004-2009 AskApril.com, LLC. All rights reserved. AskApril®, AskApril.com®, and Ask April® are registered trademarks owned by Masini Enterprises, Inc. This material can only be republished and redistributed if it is kept in it's original form, including, but not limited to, all AskApril branding, banners, links, books, and credits.
