Hed Kandi Lounge Opens in Panama |
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| Written by Matt |
| Thursday, 02 October 2008 08:57 |
 It wasn't long ago that I followed a group of friends to a new club called Hed Kandi located at the mouth of Punta Paitilla off Avenida Balboa. It was located in an office building-like block: the only entrance with a red carpet, music spilling from the doorway and two big black guys in suits. Despite all theirs advertisements displaying sexy cartoon women, the club is actually for real humans.
When I first went to do some research on Hed Kandi, I found a wonderful story about a young girl who, after spending weeks searching for her beloved lost pooch, was sickened to find its severed head delivered on her doorstep in a box of Valentine's Day candy. While this would have made a far more interesting review, I've decided to stick to the nightlife scene in Panama.Upon arriving, we were greeted by a bubbly English woman in a tight black dress whose in-your-face social skills made me feel like I was being interviewed for a British tabloid. "Oh, we've notched a group of six now have we then?" she said. "Jolly good, the more the merrier! Follow me!" Inside, Hed Kandi is refreshingly different from the generic club scene in Panama City. It more resembles a New York City club in that the majority of the ground floor is booths and tables, as opposed to one big open space occupied by the dancing freaks of the night. These areas are by reservation only or first-come-first-serve on slow nights, and other than a small bar near the entrance, the wait staff serves drinks. Hed Kandi's strongpoint is their music with live DJs a fixture. It was originally a UK disco house label, which then produced a record store, radio show, set of famed mix albums, and now a club franchise. I personally just like the name; saying that I'm going to dance in Hed Kandi sounds almost anatomically grotesque. Speaking of dancing, there are ample hiding spots for people like me, for whom dancing should be considered lewd public conduct. While partiers do shake their hips quite a bit, Hed Kandi isn't centered around the "I just want to dance" mentality but rather relaxed intimate social groups. There's a small upstairs lounge that has couches and a private bar, offering a nice view out over the rest of the club for those who want to feel like Hed Kandi kings. Service is pretty good, bottles run a little more expensive than the other clubs here (though nothing compared to home), and the crowd is Panama's elite combined with awkward foreigners. Cover charge is pretty steep so see if you can get on a list before arriving and individual drinks are around four to six dollars. While it's not exactly in the "walking district" of being able to hop from one bar to the next, Hed Kandi is a good destination spot: go there on Thursday or Friday and make a night of it. It's also adjacent to Viso 52 Restaurant and Swig Bar and Lounge if you get really Hed Kandi bored.
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| Last Updated on Thursday, 02 October 2008 09:01 |
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