Bridgette

Good luck traveling on $100/day in Sweden or really any of Scandinavia! If you have someone to stay with and are cool with not eating out often, you can certainly do it and I would really recommend it. I visited Stockholm and Uppsala and really enjoyed both. Berlin is also wonderful, so much to see and do there. You could probably easily spend most of your free days there and not get bored! How are you planning on getting around? Both flying and taking the train can be done for cheap, though generally the further in advance you book the cheaper. The train might make more sense if you'll be backpacking with a huge pack, as cheap flights generally mean no checked luggage and strict limits on carry-on. You can of course pay for checked luggage, but the train may end up cheaper. As for cities west of Germany/Sweden... Amsterdam is always a good time, though more fun if you're traveling with or visiting someone than alone. I really like Bruges in Belgium, very lovely medieval town. Lyon, France is a bit south but truly lovely. Paris is expensive and accommodation can be hard to find, so if you have someone to stay with, it's worth a visit. If you catch a ferry into England, the south is great - Bristol especially. As for places that aren't quite on the way between Malmo/Berlin and London but could be worth popping into: anywhere in Norway. I am in love with this country, though it's also quite expensive. Edinburgh is just fantastic. Prague/Krakow are both beautiful and cheap and well worth a visit if you don't mind going even more out of your way. You will be fine as a single young woman pretty much anywhere in western Europe. I never encountered any problems or felt unsafe, though of course, always be aware of your surroundings and be smart. If you want to visit a particular city and don't know anyone there, I recommend checking out couchsurfing.org. You can use it to find a free place to stay or even just find people to meet up with. Nice way to see the city through a local's eyes or even find a fellow travel buddy to explore with.

I think I've only seen Jenny in on a Tuesday once and she almost always takes them off, so they're not the best day to try and catch her. You can always give Barb's a call and ask if she's on schedule so you don't have to sit around wondering if she's in. Totally not a bother either - the DJ is usually the one to answer the phone and they don't mind answering that kind of question. As for dealing with dancers you're not interested in, I find it best to be upfront. If you're not interested, just say 'no thank you.' There's a fine line between being polite and indirectly encouraging her to sit or come back and try again, and it's certainly not impolite to be upfront. We're big girls and most of us don't take it personally and actually appreciate it!

Fall and winter, at least here in Ottawa. There's nothing less motivating to me than a warm sunny warm day! I'd much rather spend it outdoors (patio beers ftw) than inside the club.

I think it really depends on the dancer. I know a few dancers who are anxious only working part-time and enjoy it much more when doing it full-time - they just need to be in the club more often to get into the groove, I guess. Others are more like me, more relaxed and happy with dancing as a part-time gig. I think having another income source is the bigger factor, and while often that's divided into part-timers with another source and full-timers without, that's of course not always the case.

That's actually a pretty interesting theory since I've always found dancing to be much more fun when doing it part-time and just sort of on the side of other things.

I think your questions is totally fine. When you first meet a dancer, it's not like you know a lot about her, and so those are good questions to get to know her in the context of the club. Even asking what she does when she's not at work is totally fine, again just to get to know each other and continue the conversation, maybe find a common interest. This is a bit off topic but I'm really curious as to why you think a dancer being part-time or full-time has any bearing on her experience in the CR. I've seen many part-timers spend a lot more time in the CR than some full-timers.

For those of you who I haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Bridgette, and I'm an exotic dancer at Barbarella's. You might recognize me by my long auburn hair that grazes the curve of my back and leads to my toned and perky bum - or perhaps by the black thigh highs that show off my long and shapely legs. I'm a sensual rocker, and I can't wait to rock your afternoon in the Champagne Room. You can sit back and get comfortable in a plush leather seat while I slowly strip down for you. I'll heat things up by getting close, stealing eskimo kisses and massaging your shoulders. I love to touch and be touched, and intimate dances with me are an afternoon you won't soon forget. You can find me at Barb's on Tuesday afternoons, noon until 6-7pm, and Saturday afternoons, 2-7pm. Take a break from the office or a busy day and let me tantalize you. XO

I haven't seen her since that Saturday and I've been in every Saturday since. No idea where she's disappeared off to though!

Jenny and Valaska are day girls so while they're (well, Jenny at least. not sure about Valaska lately) usually in on Fridays, they're usually gone by 5-6pm.

The Senate Club actually already exists in Ottawa at Scotiabank Place. Of course, it's not quite the same establishment as is being discussed here. ;)

Hello! My name is Bridgette and I am an exotic dancer at Barbarella's. I'm an avid hockey fan and love swapping travel stories. The Champagne Room is my favourite playground, and intimate dances with me are a playdate you'll never forget. We can start your visit off by enjoying beauty after beauty grace the stage. Then, we can escape to the Champagne Room. While you sit back and make yourself comfortable in a plush leather seat, I'll heat things up by getting close and sensual. As I curl up in your lap and we share eskimo kisses under the cover of my long auburn hair, the rest of the club will feel like it's a million miles away. I'm always up for some frisky fun at Barb's on Saturday afternoons, 1:30pm until 7:00pm. Don't be shy about coming to saying hi! XO

While you may not ask or even find justification necessary, I have encountered patrons who have been... Judgmental, at best, with regards to dancers not having anything else "going on" (be it schooling, another job, or a child). Of course, there are also those dancers who use the justification as a hustle, or simply come up with wild cover stories out of boredom because they also want some entertainment. As with most things that come out of a dancer's mouth during your time in the club, you shouldn't read too much into them. ;) Just enjoy the interaction or thank her for her time and let her move on if you can't.

Yes and no. The thing with Vegas and other American clubs is that they have actual VIP rooms, so you're paying more for the experience of having a different/private room and often a host or even waitress as well. Sometimes there are even different (more relaxed) rules in VIP that there aren't in regular lap dances. If you're just after lap dances, it could certainly be viewed as a "rip off" since you're not getting as much dance time for your money, but it's just a different experience in Vegas and clubs with VIP, so it's important to consider it as such.

I've had a few clients suggest or ask about doing a block of time instead of going song by song. I have no qualms about the suggestion coming from their end as long as they are fair about it. Like, as long as you don't ask for a long block of time for a very low price, I think no reasonable dancer would take it badly. In my experience, it's not an overly popular option. For one thing, the majority of clubs don't actually have VIP rooms to go to where it looks like a different experience. Because of that, many dancers simply don't know about it, and neither do many patrons. I find many patrons can be a bit apprehensive and worry over getting ripped off or perhaps not enjoying the experience and feeling like they wasted $x, which leads me to not bring it up unless I feel there's a strong rapport there. It's also a bit tricky to orchestrate with stage rotations as you don't really want to interrupt someone you've never danced for before.

Chanel/Channel is a very common stage name. Could you describe her a bit more? It would also help narrow it down if you could share what club(s) you saw her at.

Hello! My name is Bridgette and I am an exotic dancer at Barbarella's. I'm an avid hockey fan and love swapping travel stories. The Champagne Room is my favourite playground, and intimate dances with me are a playdate you'll never forget. Come and unwind with me after a long day this hump day! We can start your visit off by enjoying beauty after beauty grace the stage. Then, we can escape to the Champagne Room. While you sit back and make yourself comfortable in a plush leather seat, I'll heat things up by getting close and sensual. As I curl up in your lap and we share eskimo kisses under the cover of my long auburn hair, the rest of the club will feel like it's a million miles away. You can normally find me at Barb's on Saturday afternoons, but I'll be away for the next few, so let's play this Wednesday, March 20th between 4:30 and 9:30pm. Come April 6th, I'll be back every Saturday, 1:30 to 7:00pm. XO

Most cell phones have timer/alarm options, and mine has yet to let me down!

This is a very good point! If there aren't many dancers, the few that are there will have to go up on stage often (and the DJ probably won't let them skip when the roster is that sparse), so it may not even be possible to spend a block of time together based on your timing. Personally, I always like to start a block of time right after I get off stage since I know it'll be a long while before my next time up there. However, dancers usually have a general idea of how long until they're up on stage next (and can always check with the DJ to be sure), so it can still work otherwise. It can also be fun to splice a block of time in half to allow for a stage break since the stage dance heats things up in a different way!

This generally varies by club (some don't cut song lengths, others cut them at 3.5 minutes, others at 4, etc.) and, to a greater extent, by dancer. Some dancers will offer you more of a "deal" than others, so unless there is a posted price (like at Pigale and Barefax as mistert mentioned), you'll just have to work it out with her. Still, even at clubs with a posted price, you'll encounter girls charging more or less for various reasons. Actually, some girls may not even offer a block of time and simply prefer to charge by song. Personally, I prefer it (for the reasons outlined in the post mistert linked to), but not all dancers do! Now, whether you get a "deal" in terms of amount of time for money largely depends on the length of songs at that club. You can always ask the DJ, though IME clubs tend to cut them in the range of 3.5-4.5 minutes. In an hour, that's 13-17 songs or $260-$340 when paying by song, so let that be your guide, so to speak. Of course, a "deal" is also incredibly subjective... More bang for your buck is often synonymous with a dirtier dance, but it can mean different things for different people, like getting undivided attention, spending time with an in-demand dancer, feeling unrushed, not having to worry about being overcharged or losing count of songs, getting a less repetitive experience because the dancer knows how much time she has to work with, having a more intimate dance since there's time to get to know each other's likes, etc., etc. So, as with everything in the club, YMMV! I'd always recommend getting a lap dance or two by song before committing to a block of time with a dancer, just so you know you're on the same page and will enjoy yourself.

Last I heard, she was returning around Easter.

^Not new rules, just the same official bylaw Ottawa has had for ages! Toronto is also no contact, though they recently relaxed their bylaws to allows "innocuous" contact between dancers and customers, like handshakes and hugs. ;)

If we haven't yet had the chance to meet, my name is Bridgette and I am an exotic dancer at Barbarella's. The Champagne Room is my favourite playground, and intimate dances with me are a playdate you'll never forget. I am a tall and slim redhead that's all legs, with soft porcelain skin and perky natural breasts. I'm a cuddler who enjoys being caressed and giving massages. I am an easy-going woman and enjoy chatting about a variety of topics, from hockey to travel. You can find me at Barb's on Saturday afternoons from 1:30 pm until 7:00 pm. That's Retro Day, so we can start your visit off by enjoying beauty after beauty grace the stage to classic 70s and 80s tunes. If that kind of music isn't your thing, we can hide out in the Champagne Room. While you sit back and make yourself comfortable in a plush leather seat, I'll heat things up by getting close and sensual. As I curl up in your lap and we share eskimo kisses under the cover of my long auburn hair, Retro Day will feel like it's a million miles away. If you don't want to worry about losing count of how many songs have passed, I can offer you my undivided attention for one hour at $300, with other blocks of time also possible.

5:00pm, actually! Though girls (1 to maaaybe 3) don't generally get onto the floor until 5:15ishand stage shows don't start until 6:00pm or so.

For those of you who I haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Bridgette and I'm an exotic dancer at Barbarella's. While I am certainly not a big fan of the cold winter days ahead, I sure know how to heat things up and turn the Champagne Room into our very own winter getaway. We can get to know each other or reconnect over drinks and sexy stage shows before ducking into our winter hideout. While you sit back and make yourself comfortable in a plush leather seat, I'll heat things up by getting close and sensual. My soft porcelain skin may be as white as snow, but it will be warm under your fingertips as you caress me. As I curl up in your lap and we share eskimo kisses under the cover of my long auburn hair, you'll forget all about the cold outdoors. Then, when my long auburn hair brushes up against your face, the rest of the room will simply disappear. I am currently engaged in an internship, so you can only find me at Barbarella's on Saturday afternoons from 1:30PM until 7:00PM. I'm rarely in a rush to leave, so if you'd like to see me a bit later in the evening, don't be shy about shooting me a PM. If you prefer to enjoy an unrushed experience without having to count songs, I can offer you my undivided attention for one hour at $300, with other blocks of time also possible. I can't wait spend a sensual afternoon with you! XO Please note that I am strictly a club dancer and do not offer encounters outside the club.

I'm going to assume that this is becoming increasingly common as management recently posted little signs all over the club (by the coat check, by the door to the CR, and by the ATM in the CR) saying that dances are $20 per song. I'm also going to assume that because of this, they will take complaints about girls overcharging very seriously, so it's definitely the avenue I'd recommend taking.