The first half of 2013 saw a lot of changes in the world of LGBTQ partying – or, for that matter, the maturity of gay spaces, to be more precise.
When O Bar decided to open a branch in Ortigas and leave its original space in Malate, so that the former LGBT center’s demise started. And though BED Bar and Chelu Bar – for a while – tried to augment and keep the flame of Malate as the LGBT center burning, even BED Bar decided it was time to give Malate up, also letting go of the place to transfer to Greenfield District, which is also in Ortigas, and not too far from the new O Bar.
Just as Malate started gasping for air to stay alive, numerous LGBT entrepreneurs and business owners ventured into the clubbing business. And so we now have a lot of new and unfamiliar bars and clubs opening left and right in the metro.
A BAR COMETH
It all started as one of the pioneers of the few (but notable) towel clubs in the Philippines. Located in Quezon City, Fahrenheit stood firm for many years as a go-to place for gays and bisexuals who are looking for quick hook-ups or for someone who is looking for a different scene while enjoying a bottle or two.
And then Fahrenheit saw the opportunity to open a place that will cater specifically to club goers, so it didn’t waste time and opened one – and “cleverly” named it as F Club.
The interior of the place looks nice, even if not impressive, at least particularly when compared with other clubs in Quezon City. The dance floor is very spacious, with cocktail tables strategically placed all over the area, making it easier for the club goers to move around whenever the place becomes crowded (though, that is, if it ever becomes crowded at all). The bar corner looks plain and simple – they just added blue lights around to make it more elegant-looking, though – for me – it doesn’t create that effect. It’s also a big turn off when they placed their humbly-sized bar beside the restrooms; aside from the obvious fact that the stench of the toilet would linger while you enjoy your cocktail, club goers usually line-up outside the toilet, thus adding to an already crowded bar area.
F Club’s bar menu, however, is impressive – arguably the only impressive element of the whole club. They offer signature cocktails with interesting names to go with them: Bel Ami – a mix of Skyy Raspberry, sour mix and soda; Foreplay – a mix of coconut rum, pineapple and orange; Mother F – a mix of run, gin, vodka, tequila, sour mix, soda and Blue Curacao; Quickie – a mix of Frangelico, lime wedges and sugar; Red Headed Slut – a mix of Jagermeister, Red Bull and cranberry; and War Whore – a mix of Bacardi Apple, lime wedges, sugar and cranberry. Their signature shooters include: F Me – a mix of Malibu, vodka, cranberry and orange; F You – a mix of Tequila Rose, crème de cacao; F Hard – a mix of Kahlua, Bailey’s, vodka and crème de menthe; and F Shooters Flight – a mix of F Me, F You and F Hard. And, of course, they offer the usual cocktail drinks, which use mid-range alcohol selection as its base liquor. The prices of each are very affordable; your P500 will go a long way.
CROWD-SEARCHING F
On a regular Friday or Saturday, it’s too much for someone to expect a really crowded dance floor. In fact, for me, one of the few times the place held a big number of club goers was during the grand finals of Mr. Fahrenheit 2013, when the place was close to being jam-packed. When the crowd gets THIS big, it should be a dream come true for someone who wants to spend his weekend cruising and checking out of the people who are walking around him; but most of the club goers who attended the coronation night were not type cruise-y type (or even cruise-worthy) that you’d see in the likes of BED Bar, UNO Bar or even in O Bar.
HANG-OUT VENUE
Overall, F Club is (only) a good place if you just want to hang out with your friends and catch up. It could serve as your opening salvo before you transfer to “better” clubs. But if you really want to cruise and want to get laid, go to their towel bar area, Fahrenheit, where it’s guaranteed you’re going to have a good time.
It’s really nice what entrepreneurs and business owners are doing – that is, giving the LGBT community options. But if you’re just going to put up a club just for the sake of competing with the already established clubs, just make sure you know what the community is looking for – truth is, it may always be about sex, but if you don’t have a good venue nor substantial happenings every time you’re open, then it may not be the next best cruising place for anyone.
F Club is located at E. Rodriguez Ave. cor. Hemady St., Quezon City, Metro Manila. For more information, call (+632) 474-6457. Or visit their Facebook page.
