Ending the Year with a Bang

I felt the itch to hit a club one last time for 2025. After some thought I decided to make the drive to Vivide rather than exploring another option. I arrived shortly before 5:00 PM. There were a few more cars in the parking lot than I anticipated. However, considering it is the period between Christmas and New Year's, it was understandable. I parked along the fence in the gravel area to avoid paying an additional $10 at the door. After reaching the door I received a light pat down and paid the $10 admission.

The upstairs bar was closed but there were a couple of dancers and guest upstairs. Upon heading downstairs I made a stop by the restroom. The restroom attendant generally attempts to keep the restroom clean and isn’t pushy about tips. The dancers were probably about 85% Latinas and 15% Black. I don’t recall seeing any other ethnicities on this visit. However, the guest makeup was more diverse.

With no seats available along the wall, I found an empty seat on the end of a booth where I tried to scope out a little bit of the scene and settle in. As I waiting a Black dancer who appeared to be in her late 30s approached me. I wasn’t ready for a dance just yet, but she asked for a birthday tip. I declined. She made it a point to say that the Black men were refusing to give her tips while all of the others did it with no problem and that we needed to do better.