Pride is over. Evenings are warm. The days are long and lazy. We are in the midst of summer and the post-Pride season is a time to relax and indulge. A couple of days ago, I looked through my calendar for the next couple of weeks and the various meetings and other commitments I normally have are fairly light. So I’m excited to spend more time than usual at some of my favorite summer hot spots!

While it is a fabulous place to be year round, Lei Lounge embodies summer! The tropical décor, complete with outdoor seating, cabanas, and fire pits make for a great hangout on a summer evening. The bar in the front section is also very nice, and LEI has some amazing specialty drinks. There is usually a DJ spinning cool tunes, and drink and food specials just about every day of the week. The servers are friendly and fun, including my absolute favorite, Richard, who is totally sweet and makes the whole experience a lot of fun. Champagne is my thing, so the Pink Diamond (p.i.n.k. vodka, champagne, cranberry, sugared rim) is one of my favorites. Lei Lounge is located at 4622 Park Blvd. in University Heights. Check out www.leilounge.com for more information.

Fiesta Cantina, which opened just a couple of months ago, is definitely the hottest new attraction this summer. In the space that was previously Hula’s, “Fiesta” is definitely a “fiesta” every day of the week. The food is good, the drinks are cheap, the staff is sexy, and it is just a great place to hang out. Some “critics” have little confidence in the place, thinking that it is going to go under like the many, many other businesses that have occupied what seems to be a “doomed” location. Fiesta however, is different, and I truly believe the place is going to continue to thrive and become a long-standing part of the “scene”! There is a happy hour seven days a week, along with other daily specials, including the awesome Taco Tuesday! Fiesta Cantina is located at 142 University Ave. in Hillcrest.

And of course, patio bars are the place to be during summer time. Even better is that during summer, there is no need to worry about being close to a heat lamp, or putting on a jacket. Some of my favorite bars and clubs with outdoor patios in town include Number One Fifth Avenue, Flicks, Rich’s, Universal, and Redwing. Number One’s patio is a hidden gem that many do not even realize is there. It includes a bar, a large video screen, raised seating, a pool table, and a festive atmosphere. Flicks is a great place to people watch, as it’s right on the sidewalk along the heavily trafficked University Avenue. By day, it’s a relaxing place to sit and talk with friends, and by night, especially Wednesdays, the bar and patio are packed with all kinds of hot guys. A few doors down, Rich’s recently built a sidewalk patio area. For years, Rich’s “smoking patio” was off to the side of the club, in a wooden-fenced area that had no visibility to the outside (unless you peered through the cracks in the fence). While this patio area was a lot of fun, and I have many memories of evenings out there, the new patio along the sidewalk is open, airy, and fun. Across the street, Universal Hillcrest has a small courtyard in between the club, and Dish Restaurant, which includes a bar, booth and table seating, and a fire pit. Down in North Park, Redwing, like Number One Fifth Avenue, also has a hidden, but nice back patio area. Redwing’s patio includes a bar, string lighting, some nice plants, and a fun, urban feel. Be sure to check out one or all of these bars and their patios to cool off on a hot summer evening! Number One Fifth Avenue is located at 3845 Fifth Ave.; Flick’s at 1017 University Ave.; Rich’s at 1051 University Ave.; Universal at 1202 University Ave.; and Redwing at 4012 30th St.

This Friday, July 24, Numbers is having a post-Pride pool party, combining its popular Strip and Ice Lounge events. The Ice Lounge will include the hottest hip-hop jams, and free shots from the ice-luge. You can also strip, jump in the pool and splash around with all of the other hotties. DJ Marcel Hetu will be spinning in his undies, and more than $500 in cash and prizes will be given away. The evening will also include hot dancers and drink specials all night long. Numbers is located at 3811 Park Blvd. in Hillcrest.

Be safe and enjoy!