After evaluating the LA Lesbian Nightlife situation for a hot second, the women of PYT [People You Trust] decided it was time for something new: a girl party that would reflect their many interests, such as crazysexycool people, costumes of the day, fancy cocktails, danceable music and a good excuse to wear a flapper dress or feather earring every once in a while. It was time for L.A. Lesbian Nightlife to grow up and these scene veterans know exactly what they’re doing, from the bottle service to the carefully-chosen special guests.
Above: Sara (Autostraddle Photoshoot Stylist) & Carly, Julie & Brandy, and the girls of PYT at the "Black & GOLD-man" Party September 10, 2010
Some of these faces might ring a bell or several, like The Real L Word‘s Romi, Gimme Sugar’s Charlene (Gimme Sugar) or L.A’s super-popular well-stickered DJ Saratonin (who DJ’ed Autostraddle’s own Rodeo Disco 2 pride party). Uh-huh, per ushe, reality TV didn’t tell the whole story of how precisely kickass these girls are in real life.
PYT BRINGS ALL THE CELESBIANS TO THE YARD
PYT Happens:
Friday nights at H.Wood (N. Orange St at Hollywood Blvd) are for theme parties! Each week, PYT decides on a theme and the ladies roll up dressed to impress. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from working at Autostraddle, it’s that everyone loves a Costume of the Day. Initially making their way through the decades (1922, 1962, 1982), recent Friday night PYT themes have included the Eyes Wide Shut Masquerade, Studio 54, and Mad Hatter. Other times they bring in a special host for the evening, like our very own Julie Goldman & Brandy Howard!
Wednesday nights at Haute (N. Robertson at Santa Monica Blvd.) are “SEXT YOUR X,” where the girls showcase an up and coming band at 8pm, before the night gets into full swing (like Real L Word theme songers Love Darling) which is ideal for those of us who can’t stay out past midnight on a school night.
1922 THEME NIGHT
What makes PYT different?
Romi: Most of us are either in our late twenties or early thirties and we didn’t have a place to go. We wanted to throw a party for people looking for a good time without the naked girls and thumping club music. We felt the lesbian scene in LA needed something new, so we started off by moving out of West Hollywood, away from the strip where all the bars are. We wanted people to get excited about dressing for a theme, although everyone is welcome, even if they don’t dress up! But it’s really fun when people connect to the theme and have fun with it.”
Holiday events are also in the PYT calendar. They’ve already thrown a big Pride party fundraiser for the Harvey Milk Foundation and coincided their theme nights with the Fourth of July and Labor Day. Obviously everyone’s looking forward to Halloween.
Meet the ladies of PYT
Will PYT move out of LA?
Romi: Yes! In fact, PYT will be coming to Boston in October and we hope to come to New York City very soon. We’re still new and expanding within LA, but we hope to do parties all over the country next year.
What do each of the PYT girls bring to the table?
Romi: There are a lot of us, which isn’t common for a promotion company nowadays, but we each bring something different to the group.
+ Charlene had a following from Gimme Sugar and from her Truck Stop days, so she acts as our host, gets on the mic and runs the party. She also does all of our verbiage, writing all of the copy on our posters and our catchphrases.
+ DJ Saratonin is our resident DJ and in charge of bringing in guest DJs for all of our events.
+ Dawnita is a full-time event promoter and was the one who brought the idea for PYT to our attention last year. Dawnita and Sara are kind of the “mamas” of the company and take care of all our financial responsibilities, like booking the venues and handling the business side of things.
+ Raynee is our graphic designer and in charge of the visual media.
+ Wendy and I and came into this without any promotions background, unlike the rest of the girls who had experience throwing girl parties. Wendy has worked for Olivia Cruises, so she had experience with marketing and PR. She reaches out to potential sponsors for our events.
+ My job is to host the parties and interact with all the girls, hand out shots. I get on the bar at 11:30 hand out free shots. I also dress to the theme and walk around handing out whatever swag (candy, etc) from the company sponsoring us for the night. I’m making sure you’re getting whatever free stuff we’re handing out that night, engaging with the crowd and taking pictures of everyone.
Real L Worders Whitney, Romi & Alyssa with Wendy & Kelsey
Six women running a girl party business. That’s a lot of feelings in the mix.
Romi: It’s like a relationship! Six ideas, six opinions for one thing. We love each other and we’re so proud of what we’ve accomplished so far. I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else. We all have other careers and lives going on, but we come together for this and we don’t want to let our friends and the community down. We want to be proud of what we do.
Email [email protected] for theme ideas. PYT aims to give the people what they want!
Visit & friend PYT on Facebook
way to turn your infamous celesbian status made by IFC into a real fab celesbian status. go girl.
I’d like to add that although I’m not a huge club-goer I did check out PYT last week while in LA and it was a lot of fun, chill and they played Britney Spears which caused great excitement. Also, Romi held court and entertained each of our inane Real L Word questions and remained supercute & bubbly while doing so. Highly recommend!
Jessica you are the best! come back soon!!!!!!! I will have a bird for you to hang from you ear I promise!
Wait back up… PYT is coming to Boston?! Do you have any more details available? Where are my other east coast/New England ladies who can help me out!
I love the idea of a themed party every week and I think PYT looks like a lot of fun. However, I have yet to check it out because it happens to be on the same nights of the week as other lesbian club nights…which brings me to my question…
When PYT opened on Friday nights, I was like, okay cool…I get that its not really the same crowd as Truck Stop, and Friday is the best night to have a clubbing event. But now the other PYT night is Wednesday night, the same night as The Betty, and the Betty has opened up a Friday night too, which makes 3 choices on Fridays. It made me ponder… Does it make sense to have different lesbian events competing with each other for a pretty limited population of women, or to instead share that population by having different nights for different events? I’m not saying competition isn’t normal, or that there aren’t different demographics or “types” of lesbian clubgoers, I just find it a bit curious as a strategy…maybe those really are the only nights of the week that pay?
I feel like as an LA based lesbian I should have known about this but since I got cable I rarely leave my house. This lesbian night looks like a great reason to leave seclusion.
i am really, really into theme nights. can there be a Friday Night Lights theme night so the butches can wear football jerseys b/c i just realized this morning that this is my new fantasy.
LOVE THIS IDEA
if you have idea for parties write to us at people u trust on facebook! We would love to see everyone there and Sara and I will be in Boston october 11th and 12th!
@Melanie
I hear you lady. However there are only 7 nights in a week. Some things are bound to overlap
Much success to PYT. But why you’re not posting pictures from parties lately?
We do! We post them as soon as we can.. add us on facebook :)
i like costume parties
At first I read your name as “lesbiantheater.”
Either way, how entertaining!
I’m so honored to be in that little photo collage up there, goodness!
True fact about me: regardless of what I am doing when I am in LA (it’s usually work), I make it a point to go to any PYT events I can (and I usually have to get up early the next day).
They are the most fun, srsly. Love those girls!! Let’s get some NYC action going, I wanna help!
this is true, Carly had to be up at the 7am the morning after that pic, but she wasn’t about to miss that party!
PYT ladies, thank you for the great time! I’ll see you all again very soon!
Thanks Carly!! and thanks for the great interview.. we all appreciate it.
Are there any girls in the New York (Westchester/Putnam) and Connecticut areas that are interested in events and activities for women?! There are virtually no options and I want to bring it to our area. enterthetribe[@]gmail.com if this is something that sounds juicy to you! Also, does anyone know any female DJs in CT/NY?
I live in LA and this night really is a blast, and nice if you’re an Eastside girl like me…esp since Booby Trap on Weds. nights shut down.
Pros: hot girls, areas to chill and talk, fun costume opportunities, all your friends go.
Cons: Running into every girl I’ve ever kissed/dated/fooled around in a bathroom with. Awkwardness ensues.
Solutions: Rein in general slutty behavior…hmm, tricky.
Also, Raynee is awesome. Get to know her.