KRISTEN ENGLART
Life and Arts Assistant
Being minutes away from Los Angeles makes hitting the club scene quite easy for Pepperdine students. The list of popular nightclubs is endless. From Villa and Crown Bar to Area and especially Les Deux, there is always a venue nearby in which to get one’s groove on.
Until recently, Les Deux has been the place to be seen. With constant paparazzi and celebrity sightings, everyone wants to be there — that is, until the recent rape charge.
This past season got a little messy. According to the L.A. Times, owner Lonnie Moore was slapped with a criminal complaint from an underage patron claiming he got her drunk and then raped her in the break room. Not only was a rape charge filed against Les Deux, but in November of last year it was also the sight of a double-shooting.
After all the recent happenings, relocating was a must. Luckily, there is a new hotspot in town ready and willing to take the place of Les Deux.
Welcome, Apple Restaurant and Lounge, the newest wannabe disco to hit the ever-popular Robertson Boulevard since the opening of The Ivy. With a sneak peak opening in August and an official grand opening after Labor Day, Apple Restaurant and Lounge is conveniently located where former nightclub Pearl.
“Opening night was fun, but I think they need to fix a lot of the kinks first,” sophomore Kelsey Grubb said about Apple. “The décor was modern and cool, but there were a lot of older men.”
The club features a three-level, laid-back atmosphere. An outside lounge makes enjoying the fresh, non-smoky air possible, while debuting the latest rap and hip hop jams.
If a 1970s and 1980s vibe is a little more appealing, the bottom floor welcomes oldies Madonna and Robin fans alike. The main feature is a giant apple disco ball tying the together.
The club does its best at attempting to secure a spot in the Hollywood night scene, but all-in-all it doesn’t quite make the cut.
“Everyone was dancing on the top floor, but everyone was sitting on the two others,” freshman Carson Byrd said. “The separately themed rooms weren’t cohesive — I have a feeling Les Deux is on a much higher rung than Apple.”
While the multi-themed rooms may not be a hit, the food is fantastic, yet extremely pricey. Executive chef Bryan Ogden heads it up. With an ever-changing menu, complimented by organic produce and seafood, Ogden is changing the face of Hollywood nightclubs. He is known for his infamous room at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, as well as bringing a little New York to Hollywood.
He uses his creative genius and applies it to his menu to bring a different flavor to the average nightclub. Be sure to bring along at least $70 because, otherwise, all that’s affordable is the bread (which is free).
Ogden is partnering with actress Allison Melnick, as well as Pussycat Dolls founder Robin Antin, to create a new, seductive and exotic feel.
According to the club’s Web site, “The main goal is to create an exclusive VIP nightclub in LA, serving up the most original concoctions, top-shelf bottles and, of course, letting only the most beautiful people past the velvet rope.”
Another ploy at making this club exclusive — no table without a reservation, and without the table there’s no real point in attending.
Soon, this nightclub should reach the fame intended for it. Celebrity sightings will be posted on Perezhilton.com daily, and, who knows — maybe sooner than later Apple will be making headline news like Les Deux used to back in the day.
Make sure to hit this nightclub while the fruit is still ripe, because who knows when something bigger and better will come along — if it hasn’t already.
Submitted 10-02-2008
