THE NIGHT STUFF
Bliss a good spot to get mellow

Patrons at Bliss seemed to be into good conversation with friends. Photos by Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Staff Writer

Jay Pascual and Shell Redoble take part in the Bliss-ful atmosphere.

Its calling card is a rotating DJ lineup. Turntablists from collectives Stone Groove Family, Nocturnal Sound Krew, Architechs and Positive Regime take their turns at hourlong sets throughout the night.

Music choices were at times hit or miss (if I never hear Mario's "Just a Friend" again in my lifetime, I'll die a happy camper), but generally interesting. The DJs from Architechs and NSK occupying the turntables on our watch managed a mostly-sweet mix of criminally underplayed R&B and hip-hop, familiar and unfamiliar.

Grumpy's was nicely populated. But lukewarm dance-floor reaction to the smooth blend was sad proof of Honolulu's lack of a real urban groove radio station that might have actually made the music more familiar.

Bliss achieved a vibe that was decidedly loungelike, with patrons mostly chatting comfortably over the beats while taking up booth space or sinking deeply into sofas upstairs.

The crowd was mostly twentysomethings, many of them (despite the casuals sported in the photo above) genuinely well-dressed. There were enough people wearing hats — berets, beach hats, visors and even one Stetson — to make us wonder if Grumpy's was offering free cover for headgear.

A cadre of female friends (celebrating the fact that the last of 'em had just turned 21) carried on near our upstairs perch like out-of-place nightclub newbies in need of a mainline of Ritalin.

"The dad on '8 Simple Rules'" is kind of cute," said one, when their conversation touched on the topic of fantasy sexual conquests. They eventually distinguished themselves among Bliss patrons by constantly cruising upstairs and downstairs like teenagers roaming the gym at a freshman-class dance in search of the football boys.

A monitor screening what looked like "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo" captured the attention of a smartly-suited male who studied it as if it were a Kurosawa film.

His buds, meanwhile, seemed happy enough comparing and contrasting their cell phones.

Table service was nonexistent during our first hour, but the Bombay Sapphire martini I eventually ordered was wickedly strong enough to significantly mess with my equilibrium during our last. Bliss indeed.

Got a night spot or club event we should check out? Reach Derek Paiva at dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8005.

What: Bliss

Where: Grumpy's, 327 Keawe St., 528-4911.

When: 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Fridays.

Cover: $5.

Younger than 21 OK?: No.

Age of crowd: twentysomething.

Dress code: No slippers or shorts.

Attire we saw: Casual and dressy. On women: cocktail dresses, blouse/pants combos, tank tops, camisoles, jeans. On men: dress shirts/pants, solid tees, polos, jeans, khakis.

On both: a variety of hats.

Our arrival/departure: 11 p.m/1 a.m.

What we drank: Bombay Sapphire martini, Stolichnaya Vanilla & Coke ($10).

Peak crowd while there: About 200.

Queue?: No.

Sample music: "The Message" (Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five), "Ready Or Not" (Fugees), "Feels Good" (Naughty By Nature featuring 3LW).

Dancing?: Yes.

Overheard line of the night: "Yeah, bro, Robin's gonna be reeeaal happy you bought her a freakin' Cuisinart." — One guy commenting sarcastically to his friend about said friend's selection of a Williams-Sonoma gift certificate as his girlfriend's Christmas present.