Hooking Up

So, are you feeling a little naughty tonight? You wanna dance, and then turn those moves into romance? You wanna chill, and then maybe indulge in a steamy new thrill? We can’t guarantee you’ll achieve your passionate fantasies, and we’re definitely not going to order up brazen behavior, but here’s a tip: Your perfect nightlife experience, whether it results in meeting a match or going home alone, may not necessarily be about your game but more about where you play it.

Here are some suggestions based on location. It’s up to you to use them as you will. ~Krisha Chachra

SkylineTwo: Casual conversation gets you nowhere in this upscale lounge party, every first and third Saturday of the month at The Hanohano Room of the Sheraton Waikiki. This celebration sizzles on top of Waikiki, so it is only fitting that you be on top of your game. Here, beautiful people carefully choose accessories that dazzle as brilliantly as the skyline outside, so it’s important to be just as selective when you approach someone. This is not the best place to get to know someone but a great place to find someone to get to know. The sophisticated crowd is tight, and everyone is attractive enough to be watched, so don’t fire before you aim. No one coming to this party is getting dolled up just to be second fiddle. Find someone and focus in. If you strike out, enjoy the view and dance with your friends. But if you strike gold, reserve a table for two, or take off and get to know your hook-up someplace more intimate. After all, the romance of the beach is right below.

Lewers Lounge: The perfect spot for early evening cocktails or after-dinner drinks, Lewers Lounge makes gazing into each other’s eyes possible. Designed like the backdrop of the classic show “Masterpiece Theatre,” Lewers at the Halekulani is an intimate club setting with live music nightly from resident artists performing smooth jazz on keys or brass. The signature drinks, elegant appetizers and oversized couches set the stage for one-on-one intimacy. Not a late-night joint, the entertainment lasts until 12:30 a.m. on weekends and will inspire you to make your own sweet music with someone else. Most people show up in couples, so once you hook your choice, come to Lewers to hear their voice. Easy on conversation, this swanky cocktail bar compels couples to get to know each other better and helps to furnish the finer points of a relationship: good communication.

Pearl: Former Ocean Club partner Beau Mohr and Alvin Yeh created a lustrous location in the Ala Moana Center; it has quickly become one of the city’s hot spots. The spacious nightclub has plenty of everything — dancing, drinks, seating, standing room, locals and tourists. With three fully loaded circular bars, two offset from the music and dance floor, Pearl is glamorous like Las Vegas, without the airs. The crowd is filled with energetic people who are there to talk to you, even if it’s only to tell you where to go. It is easy to make eye contact with prospects under the gigantic shimmering chandelier, and even easier to get to know them in the seclusion of a corner booth. Take a chance on someone; if your natural charm doesn’t work, get lost in the dance floor crowd. Surely someone will appreciate your moves there.

Aaron’s: A new Friday and Saturday nightclub at Aaron’s Atop the Ala Moana serves drinks, dinner and lighter fare all the way to 4 a.m. With Aaron’s we have a new player on the scene — and no, we are not talking about you. Aaron Placourakis and former Maharaja club owner Peter Maharaj (whose middle name happens to be Aaron) have teamed up to produce an experience that coaxes lip-locking and romance. With a spectacular night view of Honolulu, the Friday fireworks show and high-rise condos where people are doing what you hope to be at the end of the evening, Aaron’s has plenty of cozy, intimate booths offering bottle service that will uncork inhibitions and keep the conversation flowing. The music and the trendy scene will be background to your hook-up, who will be eager to spend some alone time with you.

Originally published in the Honolulu Advertiser