Rick's Little Brother (Sister?)

Tried out Vivid for the first time in the early part of the afternoon on a Friday. The club is small and quite narrow. After the coat check and ATM at the entrance, you pass by the small main stage. There are at most two rows of small tables around the stage and a long banquette where dances can be had (even though it's essentially right at the stage). Further on is the tiny bar which includes a tiny ancillary stage. Seating is very limited, but there's a couch set up across from the bar, presumably for more dances. Like the affiliated Rick's, there is an upstairs area with the private dance areas and a second bar with a humidor and a smoking area. Private dances are (surprise, surprise) expensive. Something in the neighborhood of $500 for the half and $1k for the hour. The daytime shift offers the additional option of 15 minutes for $240.

It was a quiet afternoon (dancers complained that it had been very dead lately) with only three dancers working and perhaps 8-10 patrons. I couldn't get a seat at the bar and dancers hadn't taken to the main stage yet, so I posted up awkwardly agains the wall by the bar to get a drink and watch the bar mini-stage. Girls where attractive, one stunning, and they danced with a pretty polished style. To my surprise, I actually got a fair amount of attention even though the girls were outnumbered, and I was able to have a long, relaxed back-and-forth with one of the dancers despite the tight dancing rotation with only three on shift. Pressure for dances was minimal, and even the drink hustle wasn't in high gear. The scene eventually shifted (maybe around 3:00 or 3:30) to the main stage area, and more patrons trickled in. I had had a nice, long time with this one particular dancer, so we went for a few dances. Contact, commitment, and intimacy was pretty good, I must say, especially for what one might expect out of a glitzy midtown place.

Dance-wise spent more than I intended, but got more than I expected, so I can't really complain. I was hustled the way I would prefer to be hustled: with sustained attention and realistic charm (and with plenty of reward for my investment). I can't feel bad about the way it went down.