LAX

With its "modern, aero-chic decor" (including industrial cement floors and stretch bar with underside red lights akin to a runway), privacy-enhancing table/bottle service, and overall hit atmosphere, LAX has definitely arrived - on time and on all wheels - since opening its hydraulics-raised front door August 17. Catering to a young, sophisticated Hollywood crowd, the venue has become an engine-hot destination for discriminating clubgoers including A-list celebrities and L.A.'s social jet set.

LAX is the brainchild of clubmeister Loyal Pennings, vinylist DJ AM (Adam Goldstein) and their partners Jackson James and Chris Pike. Seeking to reinvent Pennings' five-year-old Hollywood club Las Palmas, the partners sought to create a modern space with a vintage feel. They began by bringing in Alejandro Rivera, a novice to nightclub design, but well regarded for his design work for the Grammys, MTV Awards and the Motorola Lodge At Sundance. In tandem with the partners, Rivera created a sleek airport theme marked by bold red-and-silver hues and elements both intrinsic and whimsical: from a prominent world clock at the entrance to a circular tank of glowing jellyfish. The club's moniker came near the end of renovations, when DJ AM's finace Nicole Richie saw it and said, "Hey, this looks like the airport!" With that keen observation, LAX was born...

Along with its 5,000-sq. ft. interior with distinct dance floor, bar and DJ booth areas, LAX boasts two spacious outdoor patios serviced by separate bars. Accomodating up to 400 guests, it can also transform some or all of its dance floor into a stage, whether for live bands or special events. The nightclub owes its sonic appeal to a custom-designed Avalon Series system from premier sound designer John Lyons, a frequent collaborator with DJ AM.

Tempting club hoppers to make a night of it through table/bottle service, LAX offers a fleet eceltic, imaginative cocktails based on an airport theme (its house signature drink is the "Red Eye," a blend of strawberry-infused Agua Luca rum and champagne). Its food menu is also airport-inspired, with a simple yet diverse selection of items brought in from local restaurants and national brands: from Wolfgang Puck to Cinnabon.

With the success of LAX, which has been featured in myriad entertainment magazines as a coveted hotspot for Hollywood elite, the partners look to eventually open airport-themed bars in major markets.