Girls' Night Out

A night out with the girls is as important to our inner harmony as date nights with, well, our dates. We giggle just a little harder, gossip (perhaps) too much, and actually admit that we’ve been keeping track of who’s dating whom in Hollywood. Here are some of our favorite spots to huddle with our best friends.

If you’re in charge of the bachelorette party, but you want something that's more class than crass, Lili’s Burlesque Revue offers just enough risqué business. The vaudeville-style show combines burlesque and cabaret. Singers and dancers are sultry, and the vintage entertainment is a smorgasbord of music, juggling, fire-dancing, bullwhip artistry, and, of course, a bit of the classic striptease. Monthly performances at Trocaderos, 107 3rd Ave. N., Mpls., 612-465-0440; visit lilisburlesque.com for an events calendar.

When the gang’s all in town, Solera’s deep selection of Spanish wines and its menu of more than fifty tapas plates make for a great evening of dining, drinking, and dishing. It’s also big with the after-work and theater crowds (the Orpheum is next door). Really wow the group and reserve the Alhambra Room, full of Moroccan flavor and flattering lighting, where you can sit on oversized pillows at a lowered table. 900 Hennepin Ave., Mpls., 612-338-0062

There is no better chick outing than a night of discounted shopping and dining, and Girl’s Night Out in Excelsior is just that every Thursday night in the summer and fall. Mothers, daughters, and girlfriends come for the deals and giveaways—who’s participating is a weekly surprise, so it never gets old. Some of our past favorites are half-price appetizers at Biella, a complimentary haircut with a color service at Beehive Salon, and trunk shows with pajamas by Frankie & Johnny at Gifted Baskets Gift Emporium. 952-474-2400

For a night of respite, Yarn Café blends the neighborhood yarn shop with an eclectic wine-and-coffee bar. Ladies in jeans and ballet flats lunch while their yarns spool, and groups of women circle around cheese plates and drink wine while finishing up their knitting or crocheting project. The café offers knitting and crocheting classes as well as Friday happy hours featuring half-priced wine and beer. 12688 Bass Lake Rd., Maple Grove, 763-478-2899

It’s no secret that women love primping for a good gala more than most men. The dress, the shoes, the accessories. Our favorite fundraisers for leaving the guys at home include next month’s annual Diva and, of course, Glamorama—both put fashion in the spotlight with killer fashion shows and an audience that’s all dressed to impress. Super Divas, a benefit to impact HIV/AIDS, is March 3; Glamorama, a benefit for Children’s Cancer Research Fund, is August 17.

Though a book club is technically about reading, it’s really a front for female bonding and camaraderie. Every now and then, it’s great to take the gang to a restaurant and discuss your tome over dinner prepared by someone else. Our pick is the female-owned Sapor Café and Bar in the North Loop. Ask to be tucked along one of the long tables in the back and order what we call the Ginger and Mary Ann: miso-baked salmon with a wasabi potato cake and gingered vegetables with peanuts, followed by a divine coconut cream pie topped with banana brulée and caramel sauce. 428 Washington Ave. N., Mpls., 612-375-1971

A ladies’ night out doesn’t have to be about food—but it doesn’t hurt. Raise your own game by signing up for a cooking class at Let’s Cook. You might like March’s Spring Vegetarian Appetizer Party. Let’s Cook even coordinates monthly book-themed sessions—this month’s is based on Julie and Julia, about Julie Powell’s quest to make every recipe in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. 330 Hennepin Ave. E., Mpls., 612-623-9700

If an in-town getaway is all the calendar will allow, grab your best friends and head to the Graves 601. Use the hotel as base camp for a twenty-four-hour spree. Since you’ve saved on airfare, splurge on an Encore, Pinnacle, or Citron deluxe suite ($975–$2,500 a night). You’ll be a minutes away from great dining, shopping, and Block E’s Jewel Spa, Gaviidae’s Juut Salonspa, and the new Premier Spa Salon at Macy’s. 601 1st Ave. N., Mpls., 612-677-1100

Where do you take your über-stylish friend from Manhattan in a place she still views as fly-over land? Start your progressive night at the toniest of all lounges—La Belle Vie (510 Groveland Ave., Mpls., 612-874-6440 ). The bartender mixes martinis to perfection while the suits mingle with foodies and glitterati under the dimly lit crystal chandeliers. Without ever stepping foot into the dining room, you can nosh on exquisite appetizers, including hand-cut potato chips with truffle oil and grilled bread with foie gras and bitter orange marmalade . . . . On the other side of Loring Park, Café Lurçat (1624 Harmon Place, Mpls., 612-486-5500) is equally stylish, but the crowd includes a mix of artists and hipsters. The ethereal view makes a breathtaking backdrop for the live music, which ranges from saxophonists and jazz acts to DJs spinning. The bar menu is a grazer’s paradise with to-die-for sliders, French fries and béarnaise, and well-priced wine pours . . . . Still up for more? Head to Chamber’s Rooftop Lounge (901 Hennepin Ave., Mpls., 612-767-6900) on the fifth floor of Ralph Burnet’s contemporary art–filled hotel. The lounge has possibly the most coastal vibe in town, with a minimalist backdrop of sleek, low-set sofas and floor-to-ceiling windows, and the less-is-more theory also translates to the ladies’ dress code. The unconventional neon “Red, White and [expletive] Blue” sign by British artist Tracey Emin hangs some attitude on the wall, and the spacious patio offers an expansive view of downtown Minneapolis as well-established and moneyed yuppies sip designer cocktails and nibble on Jean-Georges’s gourmet bar fare and desserts.