Cupcake Burlesque at Five Points Lounge - Fort Lauderdale

Five Points Lounge

Everyone who knows me and anyone who has followed my blog for more than the last two months knows that for me "Burlesque" and "Lounge" is the equivalent of saying I went for a weekend camping trip to the moon. Just wouldn't happen. So how did I wind up in this place for this event?? A little mermaid invited me to the show and under some spell she cast over me - I agreed.

My blog is based on me trailblazing new adventures for my friends. It has also been a personal diary of me pushing myself to experience life with a little more color and flavor, but this was something way outside my comfort zone. As much as I wanted to change my mind about going, I could not disappoint the little mermaid. I ocean kayak regularly and I hear mermaids can get pretty nasty when crossed. Not to mention, this one dries off and grows legs. Best to play it safe, do as I was told, and hope for the best.

Let's build the anticipation by describing the venue. Parking was a challenge so let me save you a ton of frustration. Just south of the lounge is a very sketch alley. Turn down there and find plenty of fenced-in parking behind the building. Took me a pass or two to figure it out.

The Five Points Lounge is connected to the Kreepy Tiki Tattoo shop and the entire place looks like a 1950's tiki bar straight from the South Pacific. I grabbed one of the few tables and camped the entire night watching the patrons arrive and mingle. I have one tattoo which made me practically naked compared to the inked beauties passing by. A good number of them dressed and quaffed in the vintage style of the '50s that my aunts and uncles maintained throughout the 60's and 70's. None of these outfits came from Granny's closet or a third hand store. They were fine new works of art with plenty of views of the best tattoos I've ever seen all in one place.

Jenna Smith

The band Askultura took the stage and played for about an hour. The sound system could have been a bit more crisp and the stage more brightly lit. The music did however fit the room and the mood. I can't even remember the last time I saw a band with a wailing trombone that didn't involve uniforms and marching.

Finally, it was time for the  Cupcake Burlesque to take the stage somewhere close to the midnight hour. I managed to be standing in the front row with my big camera and blasted away till my flash overheated. I should apologize to everyone around me for blinding them. I was hoping to have more to show for my efforts but I am not a professional.  If you head over to Jenna Smith's Facebook, you will find plenty of really good photos from the event.  If you want to see more, and believe me they show a lot more..... you are going to have to attend one of their many performances around South Florida.

This is not my regular type of thing but all in all I enjoyed it and highly recommend it. I was left with the impression that a whole room full of people time-traveled from the simpler life of the 1950's with a quick stopover in the 90's for some ink and piercings. I appreciate that the performers and the crowd are reviving that simpler time in this modern, crazy world. While I was there I spotted a vintage mermaid tat at the Kreepy Tiki that would have made my merchant marine Grandpa and uncles proud to display.

I'm thinking about it.

I may not be doing this again but I do have friends that love this era and will no doubt be checking it out (if they have not already).