Element

Between "Fly Girl" Sunday's, B-girls spinning on an illuminated disco floor (with In Living Color's namesake J.Lo and crew screened above), and a mix of early-'90s classics by Black Sheep and A Tribe Called Quest, it's apparent that Element's gatekeepers sweat the technique down to the very last detail. With glass brick walls, leather chairs, and spit-shined stainless tables, the 12,000-square-foot Lower Queen Anne nightclub (formerly the franchise Polly Esther's) is straight out of a Bret Easton Ellis novel: studied modern down to streams flowing beneath the bar in "Water," one of the four elementally inspired areas. Element has hosted house and techno standard-bearers John Digweed, Paul Van Dyk, and the Crystal Method. Resident DJs rock Tuesday's "Fiesta Tropical" (featuring free salsa lessons), Saturday's "Urban Atmosphere" (hip-hop and R&B), and Wednesday's "VIP Bracelet Party" (house)—bringing out your inner celebutante even if the velvet ropes are beyond reach. 332 Fifth Ave. N., 206-441-7479, www.elementseattle.com.