In Da Club

Achieving a truly exquisite aesthetic involves mastering space, shape and lines -- and when Lotus UltraNightlifeopened its doors at 1701 Wynkoop Street this past weekend, it definitely had the lines. A mack-daddy monstrosity of twisting, wriggling striped shirts and short skirts with two velvet-roped heads, the queue separated the VIPs from the ten-dollar-cover-shleppin' shmoes so eager to test Denver's latest ride that they resembled a crowd at Disneyland -- minus the Mouse ears. Inside Lotus's minimalist shui of orange blossom, sapphire and crimson hues, everyone was drippin' with chic. Noticeably absent, however, was any kind of stool or sofa where you could take a load off your Aldo stilettos -- except for the plush burgundy benches reserved for those fashionable enough to book a bottle-service table. Even more exclusive is Karma, the VIP-restricted lounge with its own bar and more bottle-serviced booths that's fenced off by a giant glass wall stretching up to the vaulted ceilings of Union Station. Plastered patrons can grudgingly gawk at the fitted suits trolling through this elite fishbowl, making Karma a scene to be seen. Open Tuesday, Fridays and Saturdays, Lotus is a grand-scale club alternative provided by the folks who brought you Blue 67 and Mynt. Quote of the night: "All these beautiful girls are walking by, and everyone is looking at their tits -- but I'm just checking out their tattoos."