Merry Christmas! OK, now on to the next holiday. In these trying times, you’re probably still leery of dropping serious dough just to ring in the New Year. Well have I got some options for you — awesome shindigs for cheap!
South – Free
South in Santa Monica is doing it up N’Awlins style with a free Hurricane toast at 10pm to ring in the New Year with Bourbon Street. At midnight, there’s another toast, this one with free champagne. And if you want to buy bottles for you and your friends, South’s got the cheapest bubbly around for $40 a bottle all night. There are also bottles for $100 or $250 and from 8 to 10pm $125 for a bottle of Jett Energy Vodka. Raffle tickets are sold at the door and the winner will get a $20 bar tab every week for all of 2009.
The Abbey – Free for general/$125 open bar
Feel bad that L.A. doesn’t have its own ball drop to compete with New York City’s? Well, the Abbey in WeHo is dropping its own at midnight! There’s no cover to get into what’s sure to be a hoppin’ partay but if you want access to an open bar, appetizers and party favors that’ll be $125.
Bigfoot Lodge – $5 before 10pm, $10 before 11pm, $20 after 11pm
Say good-bye to the old year by grabbing a faux-warm seat next to Bigfoot’s faux fireplace. I love their flaming Toasted Marshmallow cocktail but for NYE drink specials include the $5 Sugar Plum Fairy shots. And at midnight, enjoy a free champagne toast. Get your groove on to the dj stylings of resident mixmaster DJ Lee.
Mountain Bar – $20 Presale, $30 door
It’s an artsy-fartsy new year at this Chinatown bar. Brought to you by the folks at ArtShowLA, this shindig gets you party favors and a champagne toast for only $20. No ball drop here but there will be a balloon drop and a slew of djs — DJs J-Heart, Randy Watson, Matt Respect + Laroj.
X Bar – $20 door
Considering this is a fancy-schmancy Century City hotel bar, $20 to count down here is quite the deal. Not to mention that you get free party favors and a champagne toast and can watch the ball drop on a 10-foot screen and nine large indoor plasma TVs. Dance to DJ Raymond Dominguez’s spun tunes indoors or under the stars on the patio.
Blue Velvet – $25
Count down poolside while knocking back comp’d Hennessey cocktails. Yep, free booze that’s not champagne! DJs Rashida and EQue provide the tunes. RSVP to honeycollective [at] yahoo.com.
Club 740 – $25
If you want your 2008 to go out with a bang, how’s about a three-story masquerade ball with glass walls, global dance music and laser lights? Here you get a massive balloon drop, appetizers and a champagne toast for only $25. And if you live in downtown, you get a $5 discount, just call ahead.
Standard Hollywood – $25 presale/$35 door
Make your reservations now to secure your spot at the scene-y Standard Hollywood. DJ Dirty Dave, Valida, C-Town and Cosmic Kids will warm up the festivities with pre-party spinning in the lobby from 6 to 9pm, and someone named Le Le will be performing during the party.
J Lounge – $30
With fire dancers, four bars, a 10,000-square-foot patio and even snow, you get a heck of a lot of shazam for your 30 bucks at this downtown nightclub’s celebration. Boogie on down to djs on the dance floor and on the patio.
Life on Wilshire – $30 general/$75 open bar
Sure, it’s $30 to get into this Mid-Wilshire club and celebrate NYE, but for $45 more (about the price of four cocktails here) you get an open bar all night long! Enjoy djs and dancing and a midnight champagne toast. Call Mike at (323) 651-5433 or lifeonwilshire [at] att.net for tickets.