Narcisse Champagne and Tea Lounge put on what is sure be regarded as one of the biggest and best parties of 2011 last Thursday night.  The Grand Opening Celebration was an all out extravaganza.

I arrived a little before 9 p.m. and the lineup was huge to say the least.  So thought I’d try the VIP side entrance.  There was a security door and a little velvet rope section with two security men in suits with ear pieces.  There were people attempting to bribe, con or name drop their way in.  These guys were professionals, they didn’t even look at the list and politely informed them that the entrance is around the other side.  I gave them my name and for once in my life I was “on the list” !

A packed house

Security escorted me in the building, down a utility hallway to an elevator.  He swiped a card, the door opened, he punched in some numbers, the doors closed and the elevator rose.  The doors on the other side opened into a small room with a black door.  I could hear the music thumping.  I opened the door.

The VIP entrance is at the end of a little hallway next to the DJ stage, as I walked in I was hit by a wall of sound.  The music was loud, but appropriately so.  I finally entered into the massive main room.  Narcisse is a 6,500 square foot rectangular shaped room with massive windows on 3 sides.  There are two balconies overlooking the über fashionable Scottsdale Quarter.

The Bar

This party was packed!  Shoulder to shoulder wall to wall.  There were photographers flashing away, there were party goers dancing all over.  It felt like New Year’s Eve, or an Oscar after party.

The Dancers

Then there were the go go dancers.  They were dressed edgy and just classy enough to make it appropriate.  There’s a lot to be said for a gal dancing in lingerie with feathery wings and a masquerade.

I wandered around and found some champagne and quickly began recognizing faces from the social media/public relations scene.    Narcisse promotional strategy was second to none.  They managed to invite pretty much every Twitter personality, blogger, PR firm in the metro Phoenix area.  The tweets and retweets and the facebook albums should keep the initial buzz going for quite some time.