I hopped on Facebook last Thursday for my usual end-of-workday routine of vegging out on my phone while “catching up” on posts I missed throughout the day.
This time, however, as I scrolled to the top I was greeted by a good ol’ #tbt in the form of a Facebook banner featuring “2015: Ay’s Year in Review.” (Yes, I said “Ay” because I still haven’t change my Facebook name since the post-college fear of not finding a job.) With only a couple of weeks left before the new year, even Facebook wants to remind me that yet another year has passed.
I don’t know about you, but ever since turning 21, New Year’s Eve celebrations have become more and more disappointing each year.
From pinning down the venue and finding the perfect dress, to coordinating who isn’t going to bail and making sure you have someone to kiss when the ball drops, NYE is often more stress than it’s worth.
Last year, I spent the night at L4 Lounge with my cousin on Central Ave. While I always feel at home at this venue, the night was kind of a bummer since I didn’t have anyone to kiss when the ball dropped — yeah, me and the cousin weren’t trying to get weird. And L4 isn’t the type of place to jack up their prices, so I ended up drinking way too much.
This year, I’ve left the plans up to the boyfriend — if we haven’t bickered ourselves out of a relationship by then. He wants to ring the New Year by going in on a table with friends. At what venue? He has no clue.
So, personally, I won’t be disappointed if plans fall through and we end up getting wasted at the house watching movies back to back.
But if you’re one of the ones looking to get dressed up and pop bottles when the clock strikes midnight, there are plenty of places for you to consider.
And even if you’re a procrastinator and behind on planning, from browsing Eventbrite and social media, it looks like you still can snag tickets and a table (keep in mind, though, most of the early bird specials are sold out).
To get the most bang for your buck, here are three areas I would consider.
EpiCentre
Situated in the middle of Uptown, the EpiCentre is always a favorite for New Year’s Eve celebrations in the Queen City. Last year, my Partner in Crime (P.I.C.) and a few of her friends decided to spend the night at Rooftop 210. At the time, it was one of the newer spots to the multilevel venue. Available tickets are starting at $94 to “spend the night under the stars” with friends including apps and unlimited drinks. Other venues in the vicinity I would consider are Suite and Bubble for a comparable level of upscale NYE excitement. But there are also other bars that I’m sure you can slide into for good hole-in-the-wall fun.
South End
No matter where you’re planning on going in this neighborhood area, there are many other spots within walking distance which makes for an eventful night. But if I were in the area, I would consider going to 200 E. Bland Street. Right off the light rail is the perfect combination of experiences at Oak Room, All American Pub and Slate Billiards. Depending on the kind of atmosphere you’re interested in, you’re sure to have a blast going between all three if you make it all night long.
NC Music Factory
This is yet another venue where you could possibly end up getting into multiple venues after scoring a ticket to one of the parties. Two years ago, I went to Label for a Gatsby-themed NYE party which was awesome! Granted, I ended up pregaming too hard and had to race in to toast to 2013 while running in the venue and straight to a glass of champagne. There’s also VBGB and Wet Willie’s, both of which I would have ventured to had we not arrived two hours before the club closed. Oh and I can’t fail to mention, we ended up having to wait for transportation in the freezing cold for over an hour because an Uber was going to cost over $200 to South Charlotte. So, keep that in mind when you’re planning out your night.
Well there’s my take. Whatever you’re planning, whether you’re going in on a table with friends or buying an all-inclusive ticket, try to get there early so you can ACTUALLY get your money’s worth.
I’d love to hear what you ended up doing and your experience celebrating New Years in the Q.C.!
This article appears in Dec 16-22, 2015.
