Sour and Sweet

I visited Kitten’s Cabaret Thursday evening last week for the first time in a couple of years, arriving a little after 7 p.m. (during a shift change from the daytime dancers to the night-time crew I later learned). The bar adjacent to Kittens seemed fairly active for a weekday night and there was no parking available in the lot behind the two establishments. Fortunately, parallel parking was available on one of the side streets next to Kittens. I entered the club, paying the $10 cover (not $11 as shown on the club page on the TUCSL website), and then went to find a place to sit – not too difficult a task, as I seemed to be the only patron in the place.

The club appeared to be configured differently from the last time I was there – again, it’s been two years, and my memory is not exactly a steel trap. The stage was situated against the far wall from the entry way with the bar opposite and nearest to the entry way. Although there was plenty of space, there seemed to be relatively few places to sit, but seating availability was certainly not an issue on this night. Most of the “sitting” in Kittens no doubt occurs away from the main floor in a dimly-lit corner of the club where a large number of high-backed oversized armchairs are arrayed in a maze-like formation to provide a certain amount of individual privacy (and efficient use of space). This is where one goes with the girl of his choice for lap dances and other standard club “fare”.

The waitress took my drink order ($6) as I was on my way to find a seat, and my sprite (no alcohol served here – if you need some, you should pay a visit next door prior to coming into the club) arrived within a minute after I sat down. A quick glance around seemed to reveal (my eyes were still adjusting to the dark) about 5 or 6 ladies on the floor, including a long-haired brunette dancing on the stage about 15 feet to my left. Seconds after paying for my drink and before I had fully gotten my bearings, I was descended upon by a very generously proportioned and attractive African-American gal in a black fishnet body stocking. She informed me that she was a porn star from Las Vegas who was visiting Seattle and “appearing” at Kittens through Saturday. She said that the VIP area (a row of curtained-off private rooms beyond the high-backed armchair area and behind the bar) had recently been upgraded to provide more privacy and comfort, and offered to give me the proverbial “club tour.” I typically don’t hook up immediately upon arrival in a club – I like to get acclimated and check out the various options available to me first, but I felt a certain chemistry with her and agreed to take the so-called “club tour.” We went to the armchair area, where we were immediately joined by a “more” than full-figured (not my preferred body type) girl – I think she was Hispanic; I’m not entirely sure given the dim lighting in that area, although it doesn’t really matter. My “tour guide” explained that this was her friend and that they worked as a team. From that point on they were literally all over me trying to cajole me into one of the VIP rooms, $1200 for an hour or $700 for 30 minutes + the cost of the room and whatever else. I was not ready to spend that kind of money, especially on the second girl (who did not appeal to me at all), and their overly aggressive, high-pressure “sales” approach was a complete turn-off.