The Accidental VIP

Full service, special treatment, free stuff...there's nothing like being a VIP, especially when it happens completely (and maybe half-completely) by accident!

For some reason, I have a tendency to wind up in these VIP situations without explicitly trying to. Somehow, I need to figure this tendency out and exploit it for permanent VIP status!

So I know you're all wondering, "what is this VIP stuff you speak of Arun?" Allow me to share a few episodes:

Episode 1:
The first time I went to Las Vegas we ended up going to this amazing lounge at the top of Mandalay Bay. As you can see, the view was incredible. Well I end up talking to this attractive girl for a long time. It turns out she's some fancy schmancy VIP coordinator at the hotel!

Cha-Ching!

Naturally, she didn't reveal this to me until some time later, after she had fallen under my mystical charm.

Her: "Let's get out of here and go to some more places!"
Me: "Are you sure? It's getting late, and it's gonna cost---"
Her: "Don't worry about cost!! We're not paying for ANYTHING...trust me!"
Me thinking: "Jackpot! Time to release "Smooth Arun!"


We left and went and partied at another lounge, and a crazy club. No lines, no wait, nothing! We went into the club 'Rumjungle' and met up with the President of some company called Apex International whom she somehow new. Suffice to say, drinks were on him for the rest of the night.

Somehow, free drinks taste soooo much sweeter!

There's nothing like cruising around Vegas, with a pretty lady who happens to know everyone significant, drinking for free, and getting extra special treatment. And while we're on the topic of Vegas, lets visit the next episode.

Episode 2:
Well, on this most recent Vegas trip, Aaron and I were cruising around club 'Tao' in the Venetian. In the process of cruising, we found an interesting staircase which we decided to ascend. We went up, enjoyed the awesome view overlooking the packed club, and turned to go back down.

All of a sudden, there was a nice velvet rope in front of the landing at the top of the stairs! Yes, we happened to be on the VIP side. Somehow when we were obliviously walking up, we happened to pass into the VIP section without anyone, ourselves included, noticing!

Now we were standing next to the rope, and a group of beautiful women were hollering at us.

Beautiful Women: "Hey can you guys get us in, plleeeeeaaaase!!!"
Me: "Oh, I don't know...this is pretty exclusive. What do you think Aaron?"
Aaron: "Hmmmm, do you girls promise to behave?"
Beautiful Women: "Well, most of us do!"
Me (to Aaron): "Good enough for me!"
Me (to big VIP security guard): "It's cool man, these ladies are with us"

Everything was all fine and dandy until security started getting a little suspicious. I was acting like the ringleader back there, but we had no VIP booth (nor did we have the special wristbands).

As soon as I saw them approaching, we sneakily exited our VIP section and disappeared into the crowd.

Episode 3:
On an adventure up in Orange County a few months ago, a big group of somehow ended up going to some joint called "Club Detroit." I trust from the name, you can ascertain just how classy an establishment this was. Upon entering the hostess informed me (the one leading the herd) that the cover charge was fifteen dollars.

Now normally I'd be ok with this, however this was Club Detroit and there was no way we were each shelling out fifteen hard earned Washingtons to get in. How did I solve this problem? I got social.

Me: "Awe common Alison! (She had a name tag on). We're celebrating a birthday and we all just want to come in and drink a lot and have a good time!
Hostess: "Well....I don't know..."

At this point I saw in the distance a VIP area surrounded by a velvet rope. Sure, the difference between the "normal" and VIP area at this place was about equivalent to the difference between sitting on a pine cone or a peanut, but hey, as long as I'm bargaining, I might as well start at the best they have!

Me: "How about we each pay five bucks and we get that VIP area over there, but only if you come and party with us Alison!"
Alison: "Well let me go talk to the manager."
Alison: "Ok, JUST THIS ONCE I can do it for you."
Arun: "Alison you're the best!"

The rest of the night, we were the royalty of Club Detroit. We had security guarding our entrance, discounted Champagne service, the works!

Episode 4:
Ever since the VIP treatment we got during the Model Photo Shoot Jeff and I did, he's been milking the whole "model" title.

So we were at the mall in La Jolla this weekend feeling parched and hungry. What food offers BOTH hunger and thirst satisfaction??? That's right, a SMOOTHY! So we found a smoothy stand and the conversation went like this:

Jeff: "Do you guys have free samples?"
Smoothy Lady: "No, sorry...wait, you guys look familiar, do you work at the mall?"
Jeff: "We're models"
Smoothy Lady: "Really? Where do you model?"
Jeff: "Banana Republic" (now lying).
Smoothy Lady: "You model for the one in the mall? What exactly do you guys do?"
Me: "Well, we don't really work for the mall. We are contracted and do some photos for San Diego Coupon magazines"

Now this was the truth, albeit presented at an angle making us appear more accomplished than we may otherwise be.

Me: "We also do some runway stuff here and there"

Again the truth. See The Great San Diego Walkoff and I'm Too Sexy For This Club.

Smoothy Lady: "Cool! And what do guys do for Banana?"

Me (now forced to fib and cover Jeff's fiblet): "We wear the clothes and do some photo work."
Smoothy Lady: "Well I'll tell you what! I'll give you guys two free smoothies if you promise to walk around the mall with them!
Jeff: "Ah you don't have to do that."
Smoothy Lady: "No, its advertising for me to have you two walk around with them!"

We didn't want to take advantage of her generosity, so we ordered one smoothy and were going to share. We were soon countered.

Smoothy Lady: "No! You each have to have your own! I'll tell you what. Any Saturday you guys come in, stop by here and I'll give you a free smoothy if you promise to walk around the mall drinking it!"

Us: "Uh...OK!"

Yes, Jeff and I are now VIP status at the smoothy stand in the mall! Apparently our good looks gave away our "profession." Actually, I'm not sure if I'm going to try and get any more free smoothies because I feel a little guilty about the whole Banana Republic thing.

Yes, living life on "the other side" is nice! I think I'm just going to have become ridiculously famous now to maintain this life of luxury! The Accident VIP is going to become no accident!