I apologize to all of my avid followers out there…all two of
you…that I haven’t written in a long while. To renew my blogging energy, I
thought I would write about the pool as that seems to be my main activity these
days. More specifically, the Vida Penthouse Pool on the roof of my gym where,
since April, I have spent almost every Saturday and Sunday. Needless to say I
am the tannest I have EVER been and August is about to begin. When I look back
and say, how in the heck did I get skin cancer? I will have to remember that I
did this to myself the summer of 2012 in Washington, DC of all places. So let’s
dive in to the main elements of the pool and what makes is so ridiculously
incredible and kinda pretentious….
THE SCENE:
PEOPLE WATCHING: The pool deck is amazing for people
watching. It reminds me of Miami or some all-inclusive place in the Caribbean
with lots of European tourists. The men’s bathing suit options are board
shorts, trunks (slightly shorter), briefs and bikini briefs (see also: speedo).
The majority of men at this pool are in the two latter options. And even better
are the ones that look like they would NEVER wear such suit i.e. the larger,
tatted up man that is walking around in a pink speedo. FABULOUS. I’ve noticed
that these men have started accessorizing too…parasols, conical Asian hats, one
guy even whipped out a fan…literally opened it like you would expect a proper
English woman who was feeling faint to do so.
THE MUSIC: I think they throw on the same play list every single
weekend day and holiday. It starts out quiet and you may here a monk chant here
or there and then around 12pm it turns into a pop rap/techno club music.
Occasionally they will forget that they just played Kelly Clarkson’s Since
You’ve Been Gone, which you got very excited about the first time out as you
haven’t heard it in years. Eventually you realize that they just played it for
the third time that day and sometimes even in a row. THE BATHROOM/NEGATIVES: There is only one bathroom on the pool level—MEN. I think it is because they realize that if the bathroom is any further away they would all be peeing in the pool. Us ladies have to trek down a flight of stairs to go enjoy some very weird chime/chant music (not sure “music” is best descriptor) while using the facilities.
SERVANTS (I mean) WAITSTAFF: So yes, there are waiters and
waitresses that come to your chair or king-sized daybed to take your drink/food
orders and to make sure that you are never without a pitcher of skinny
lemonade. They even deliver to the pool. When you think about it, it is all
quite ridiculous.
COMMUNICATION: My favorite part of this pool membership is
that you get an email from the gym telling you to eat healthy and come exercise
more…sign up for classes, boot camp, training sessions etc. and then not even
ten minutes later you get an email from the pool promoting a food and drink
special for that day or upcoming event while encouraging you lay all day—seems very contradictory.
Yet AMAZING.
With all that said, if you need me, NOW you all know where to look...