Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2010
Where are you from and what brought you to Tokyo?
I’m originally from Buffalo, New York. My mom is from Tokyo and she had to come back for work, so my sister and I came with her. That was at the end of high school.
You describe yourself as “party girl extraordinaire”—what exactly do you do?
I actually say I am a “Tokyo Twilighter”—it sounds better than socialite or party girl, don’t you think? I used to be very shy, and like many people that move to a new place, I capitalized on the opportunity to re-invent myself when I moved to Japan. I made a conscious decision to speak up more and say yes when invited out. Little by little, I carved out a good corner of the party/entertainment/club scene with contacts that would hook me up. Now I use these relationships that I’ve built over the years to do marketing, PR, help with booking—I’m a kind of all-around “make it happen” person, I suppose.
Who’s the most fantastic person you know?
Crystal Kay’s mom. I went to school with Crystal, and over the years we became friends. Her mother is a strong, ambitious, passionate person who’s a pioneer in so many ways—not just for entertainment, but socially as well.
What are your criteria for a great night out?
The most important factor is attitude. You need to be mentally prepared to leave whatever you have going on in your life right now to just enjoy a night. Good sound is also important: there’s nothing worse than spending the whole time feeling like your eardrums are in pain, or having to keep asking what a song is because the music is too low. Lastly, the outfit: you need to feel comfortable and sexy in whatever you wear—confidence will help you vibe, especially if you’re flying solo or trying out a spot you’ve never been to before.
What’s your favorite place in Tokyo?
It isn’t a club, but I love the Metropolitan Government buildings in Nishi-Shinjuku. The observatory is free, and being up there has such a calming effect as you look over Tokyo. I wish I could throw a party up there! To party, it really depends. I think Warehouse702 (www.warehouse702.com) is a great space and Ibex (http://ibex-tokyo.com) has the best staff anywhere—it’s like a hip-hop Cheers, the place where you go and everyone knows your name.
What’s the one must-have Tokyo experience?
Throw a launch party! If you’re starting a new blog or starting a new life, have a favorite product you want to introduce people to, or a restaurant you think that everyone needs to know about, throw a launch party. You’ll never enter an event space without analyzing its “party potential” ever again, and you’ll meet people you never thought you’d meet through the experience. I think that everyone should be a Tokyo Twilighter for at least one night.
Mariko Lochridge tweets at @TokyoTwilighter.
