What’s the most spontaneous party you’ve ever been to? Here is a story about one that tops my list from last month. I received an invite for a party in a tattoo shop with Kyra Khalidi and Jennifer Cardini on the lineup, so I instantly thought: Yes! I love dancing in random locations, especially intimate venues. I was pretty excited but had no idea what to expect!
Photo credit: @workbyphotofelix
I rounded up some friends, and we got to the Antiek Tattoo shop in Amsterdam that Thursday night for a dance and some post-work drinks, which were sponsored by El Tony Mate. The first drink we had was the Turbo Tony, which is El Tony Mate spiked with vodka, a great party drink! El Tony mate is an all-natural energy drink made from cold brew mate, a touch of guarana, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of cane sugar. I have had other mate drinks before, but this is definitely the best one I’ve tasted!
The tattoo shop was nice and bright and more spacious than I expected, with skylights over the dance floor which let the sun shine in. The crowd was getting into the vibe with Kyra Khalidi warming us up, and then we noticed that people were actually getting tattoos behind the DJ booth. I didn’t know that free tattoos were on the menu for the night, but the more I pondered the idea, the more I thought that getting a little rocket was a great idea. What started off as a joke eventually became a reality. What better way to get a tattoo than surrounded by friends, amazing music playing, and a dance floor of people to watch while getting tattooed! This would now become a party that will last with me forever!
There was a list of people ahead of me, and as the party was coming to an end, I wasn’t sure that I was going to get my chance. Luckily, I was the last person on the list to get a tattoo, and then Jennifer got one after she finished playing. As my tattoo artist etched my little rocket onto the back of my arm, it was hard to keep still as Jennifer played an amazing closing track, ‘Le Voie Le Soleil’ by Dutch producer Patrick Prins aka Subliminal Cuts. I fist-pumped with my left hand while I kept my right arm still, and a big smile spread across my face. This was the perfect ending to an unforgettable night!
A big thank you to the El Tony Mate Netherlands crew for being so welcoming. I would be happy to join another Collective Culture event soon!
