BY COLLEEN LUTOLF
Staff Writer
JEFF GRANIT staff Waitresses Nicole Serafin (l) and Andrea Sisolak discuss how to tackle the crowd present at Friday’s grand opening of Sleep.
WOODBRIDGE — Those who like to end the long work week with a Friday night of clubbing can now go to Sleep.
Sleep is the area’s newest nightclub — with a twist. Instead of a server delivering drinks to your table, partygoers imbibe in bed.
The requisite tables, chairs and barstools are absent, but Sleep boasts "beds," which seat up to 10 people, in the club’s VIP room in the back.
The "beds" are not really beds at all, but large, round, cushioned seats with pillows on them.
Sleep is co-owned by Andrew Adelman, a Woodbridge native. He and his partner, Robert Watman, also own two Manhattan clubs, PolyEsther’s and The Culture Club.
"We’ll be putting Woodbridge on the map with this club," Adelman said. "It’s definitely different and it will expose a lot of people to a little New York atmosphere in Woodbridge."
At Friday’s grand opening, most patrons weren’t lounging in bed, but were sitting around enjoying their drinks.
If you reserve a "bed" in the back room, you get bottle service — which means drinks must be bought by the bottle, not the glass. The cost of bottle service runs from $40 to $300 per bottle.
Those who would like to rent a "suite" in the VIP area need to make a reservation.
The club also boasts models in aquarium-style glass tanks pretending to sleep.
How exactly does one get a job being paid to sleep?
Katie Everhard of Woodbridge is one of the sleepers.
"I was at the club opening weekend, and I was commenting on the girl in the glass aquarium. I said to my friend, ‘I would love to get paid to sleep,’" Everhard said. "The manager overheard me and asked if I was serious. I said sure, and he gave me the job."
But looking good while you sleep isn’t the only requirement for the job.
Everhard, a sales representative by day, is a dancer at night. After a half-hour in the sleep tank, she dances on stage for a half-hour shift. Then it’s back to bed.
So are the girls actually sleeping?
"Well, that’s part of the allure. Some people don’t even realize we’re real people, they think we’re mannequins. Or they’ll tap on the glass, and try and get us to interact with them."
Sleep is located at 349 Main St., on the corner of Route 9. It is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
The club features contemporary dance music and hopes in the future to book special guest DJs, Diane Fortier, Sleep’s public relations representative, said.
There is also a 1,300-square-foot dance floor, and lounge areas to hang out in for those who want to socialize instead of dance.
Some New Jersey clubgoers loved the idea of having a New York City-styled club in their back yard.
"I like it," Vinny Tennero, of Parsippany, said. "I like the vibe and the decor, and the crowd looks good."
Others weren’t so quick to agree.
"I go to clubs all over," Sonny Gambino, 26, of Belleville, said. "It’s not really the vibe of a New York club, it’s too accessible. It’s not bad, though."
"It’s different," Woodbridge resident José Cruz said. "Everybody’s friendly — it’s a great atmosphere. I’m glad they finally have something like this in Jersey. It definitely has a similar vibe to a New York club."
What does Cruz think about the sleeping model in the aquarium?
"I want to give her a cup of coffee and wake her up," he said.