Hot Spots for the Young Urban Professional

If you're like me, you have no shortage of dreams and fantasies about exotic places that serve up the best drinks and the best foods; places where you can dance until you drop, see and be seen with the most interesting people and literally lose yourself in the decadence of it all, if only for a little while. Fortunately for us, the world has no shortage of such hideaways if you know where to find them. I'm sharing a few ideas for a fun night out. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, check these places out!

Proof (Chicago)

1045 N. Rush Street

Proof is a new nightclub is located in the swanky area of downtown Chicago, where Rush and State Streets meet along the Gold Coast. The building overlooks Rush Street through expansive floor to ceiling windows and the upper and lower floors are connected via winding glass staircase. Before it was transformed into Proof, this club was known at Level. Proof is intended to be another late night hot spot, one that remains open long after others have closed. The only difference is that Proof caters to a bit more upscale crowd than Level did.

The drinks are the focus of this club that features specialty cocktails, fruit and herb martinis and other drinks.

The club also features special events such as Naked Sushi, also known as Body Sushi, or Nyotaimori, an event during which sushi chefs create gorgeous works of art with sushi meats and vegetables and display them on the naked bodes of beautiful women. In fact, the Japanese word nyataimori means adorned body of a woman. Then the patrons get to eat hte sushi right off of the models! Now that’s hot!

The Darby (New York - MePa)

246 w. 14^th Street

The Darby has the feel of a secret hideaway, the kind that is currently only open for private events, but soon will be featuring dinner and dancing. The Darby is a curious cross between restaurant and theater, a real cabaret, lit only my dim silver chandeliers and machine-gun shaped golden floor lamps. Patrons can dine on such delicacies as oyster-stuffed filets and steak tartare covered in warm bone marrow while funk and jazz thump seductively in the background. Other features are a raw bar, small plates and a seafood menu. This club is so chic that Jay-Z held Beyonce’s birthday there in early 2010, before the club was even open to the public! 

Zumanity by Cirque du Soleil at the Hotel New York New York (Las Vegas)

Experience the sensual side of Cirque du Soleil. This show is a decadent, rich, theatrical performance, steeped in the exotic. This adults-only show features acrobats, dancers, and a large water-filled martini glass full of deliciously naughty fun. Zumanity itself is worth a trip to Sin City. Before the show, enjoy a delectable steak dinner at the hotel’s Gallagher Steakhouse or ride the famous rollercoaster around the hotel’s exterior. Whatever you choose to do in Vegas, do NOT miss Zumanity!

Salon Millesme (Manhattan - NoMad)

92 Madison Avenue

Millesime is French for vintage, and this club, located on a quiet stretch of Madison Avenue was designed as the regal rumpus room that entertained the likes of Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. It features tightly assigned seating in tiger print chairs and leather group seating areas, a grand piano and an area for live bands and a DJ. 

The menu features such unique delicacies as Pork Belly Lollipops, lamb brochette and croque monsieurs between $14 and $16. They also serve up signature cocktails such as the Train Wreck (a mixture of Absolut vodka, kurant vodka, citron vodka and cranberry juice) and the French 75 (gin, champagne, lemon juice and sugar). 

Aria Wine Bar (New York City, West Village)

117 Perry Street

The Aria Wine Bar is a new establishment that just opened in the West Village featuring a wine list with selections exclusively by female vintners. I first read about Aria Wine Bar on UrbanDaddy.com. Here’s what they had to say, “When you have a wine list exclusively from women, everything changes: somehow the reds seem more sumptuous, the rose’s more playful, and the whites – well, they’re more playful too. The end result is a prime opportunity for you to say, “You know, I know this little place where the wine flows like women,” and have it mean something more literal than it usually does.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. 

Element Lounge (San Francisco)

1028 Geary Blvd. 

This club is a unique blend of nature meets urban chic. The decor features river rock, water, aged wood, steel and Akasha. Hip-hop music thumps and pulses and club-goers are inundated with live performances and provocative art as well as delicious signature cocktails. Described as "warm, chic, vibrant and musically charged - The Element Lounge awaits you." This is one San Francisco hot spot that the young, urban professional will not want to miss.

The Aqua Lounge (Minneapolis)

400 First Avenue N.

Located in the trendy Warehouse District, amidst chic restaurants, clubs and galleries, this "dress-to-impress" lounge, a place to see and be seen, is an upscale establishment with a strict dress code. Casual chic attire is expected. Don't even think about coming in sportswear, baseball caps, sandals or baggy clothing. You'll be turned away at the door. Complete with limo service and VIP bottle service for special events, this bar clearly caters to a crowd that is accustomed to and expects the best. Featuring two stories and a sizeable hardwood dance floor, the club is bathed in blue light and features plenty of comfortable leather seating. Private party areas are cordoned off with velvet rope and glass partitions. There are special nights 5 days per week including Latin Heat Mondays and Ladies' Night Fridays. Don't miss out on this incredible club if you're in the twin cities!