AER 409 W. 13th St. Cross Street: 9th Ave. Written By Stephanie Alberico
Stephanie Alberico

On a chilly Thursday night, my sister and I hit the streets to check out the grand opening of the new Meatpacking District club, Aer. We were especially motivated by the promised open bar from 11:00 p.m. till midnight. As usual, we were fashionably late and made it there around 11:30 p.m. We walked briskly past Spice Market and were greeted by a long line of supposed “VIP’s,” all of whom claimed to be “on the list.” Although we too were allegedly on one of those anonymous lists, we opted to jump in at the back of the crowd. We looked at each other and debated whether or not it was worth our while to stay.

Suddenly, as our good luck would have it, someone started sneaking people in through a nearby back door. With my quick reflexes, I grabbed my sister and we squeezed in right before the door slammed shut. We made it to the open bar in time to enjoy two complimentary glasses of champagne, which made all the hassle worth our time. Cheers!

The lounge at the front of the club had a relaxed feel—people sipped their drinks and chatted. At the unusually large dance floor at the back, we found some friends crowded around one of the small surrounding tables. The dance floor was packed with the usual New York crowd: models, businessmen and celebrities alike (at one point during the night, I was dancing next to Robert Iler, aka A.J. Soprano, from the hit HBO series, THE SOPRANOS).

The club was hot and happenin’, a crowded mass of sweating bodies all moving to the same beat. An aroma of alcohol, sweat, and designer cologne and perfume filled the air. Fashion statements were intriguingly varied. A number of suit-clad guys tried desperately to pick up the beautiful, super-skinny women that surrounded me. However, I also saw many people dressed casually in trendy T-shirts and leather wristbands. The girls waxed hotter in their tight pants and revealing tops. Good thing they were sporting less clothing, though, because by this time everyone was dripping with sweat from the heat of the dancing and grinding bodies. The whole club seemed to vibrate from the bass of the speakers. And then magically the room started spinning! No, I’m only kidding—I wasn’t that drunk.

As the night rolled on, I wandered around and eventually ended up in the middle of the teeming dance floor, where friends were handing me drinks right and left. I gulped and rocked the night away. I finally ended up back at the table, where the waitress seemed to be bringing another bottle of Grey Goose every time I turned around.

The entire scene was mesmerizing, the dance floor surrounded by wavelike structures infused with illuminating purple and blue lights. I felt like I was floating in an ocean of lights. The ceiling also featured glowing spotlights. Behind the large bar in the middle of the club were hung circular light fixtures filled with colorful butterflies.

The bartenders were dressed in all-black shirts and skirts, boots and Dominatrix-inspired get-up. The gigantic unisex bathroom was separated from the rest of the club by chain curtains. The atmosphere there was shimmery and decadent, with mirrors lining the walls and serving as mounts for the ultra-cool black fixtures. This writer had to wonder what other types of flashing and mounting might occur there.

The deejay played a mix of mainstream Rap, Hip-Hop, and R&B. However, to my delight, he also threw in some 80’s tunes. A pleasant surprise was the smoking porch positioned behind the deejay booth and distinguished by large glass doors and walls. Finally, a club that recognizes smokers and offers an outdoor, atrium-like deck to feed my habit!

All in all the night was a success. When we stumbled out around 3:00 a.m., the joint was still rocking.

Check out this perfect little club nestled into the corner of 9th Avenue. You deserve it. But be prepared to fight a couple of bouncers outside and the crowd inside. All this trouble is worth it, though, just to dance the night away in this scintillating atmosphere. I must say it was as refreshing as a breath of fresh “aer.”