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Truth from Dare: Devising a game plan

BY DERIN DEREGO / Special to the Star-Advertiser

On Friday, March 1, I got the chance to hang out with some friends from high school I haven’t seen in a while. They are definitely part of my inner circle, but aren’t regulars on the social scene and have families of their own, so meeting up takes some coordination.

At first, I thought they should choose where we’d head to since they don’t go out often, but quickly realized I was expecting everyone to know where the hotspots are. After some discussion, we decided on meeting up for First Friday in Chinatown. This way, my friends could experience a lot of different spaces and parties in a relatively short amount of time.

The night was a blast and everyone had a great time as we bar hopped from Rakuen Sushi to thirtyninehotel to Nextdoor and a few other places throughout the evening. My friends had such a great time, the next day I awoke to an abundance of texts thanking me. Then it dawned on me — the majority of people don’t go out nearly as often as I do.

I had, as Oprah would say, an “a-ha moment.” The reason I see the same people out all the time is because they go out that often. A larger percentage of the population saves going out for once or twice a month. Their priorities are different.

Being that I’m a huge advocate for balance and not neglecting your social life, here are a few things to do for those who haven’t made it out in a while.

If your group decides to go out on a Monday, head to RumFire early for “Industry Night.” They have an awesome location, great music, and amazing drink specials. Afterward, make the trek to Lulu’s Waikiki for another industry night called “In.” They feature half-off food and drinks for anyone with a valid Honolulu Liquor Commission card.

Wednesdays are another great night to go out. I usually start downtown at a restaurant like Du Vin or HASR Bistro for dinner and wine. Then I’ll pop in to Lotus Downtown or bambuTwo for an after-dinner cocktail. Later on, I’ll usually head to Manifest for “Get Right,” which features some of the best hip-hop DJs in Honolulu. After that, late night party people head to Bar Seven or V-Lounge for a nightcap.

Thursdays have recently seen new parties begin to take off. The Safehouse at The Republik launched a ’90s party that keeps people dancing until about midnight; after that, most of the crowd heads to Addiction Nightclub at the Modern Honolulu for “Ladies Night.” Personally, I think it’s the best night to head to Addiction because it isn’t overcrowded and bottle service is less expensive. (When visiting Addiction, bottle service is key as it guarantees your group a place to sit.)

There is so much going on over the weekend, I can’t suggest just one game plan. I would check out this site for ideas, as a lot of parties happen on the first or last Friday or Saturday of the month. The best parties on the weekends are the monthlies; my favorites are the aforementioned First Friday, “ARTafterDARK” at the Honolulu Museum of Art every last Friday, first Saturdays at Bar 35 and “Shake-n-Pop” at thirtyninehotel.

So even if you’re not a regular on the party circuit and only enjoy going out occasionally, now you can sound like someone in-the-know when your crew decides to get together for a night out in Honolulu. You might want to stay tuned though, as some of these parties often fade faster than store-bought hair color.
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When he’s not out and about at the hottest parties and other events in Honolulu, Derin “Dare” Derego works as an account executive at a local radio station group. Reach him via email at derinderego@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter.