High on Swing

For John Q. Public, the best thing about the Sky Room in Long Beach is the spectacular view, Queen Mary included. For East Coast swing dancers, its greatest asset is an undiscovered dance floor.

At least that’s how it looked on a recent Saturday. Even by 11 p.m., only two couples at a time were taking advantage of the Skyroom Orchestra, which plays Wednesday through Sunday at the fancy, 13th-story restaurant atop the gracious Breakers, a retirement home now, a hotel for years before that.

The room, which opened in February, does have drawbacks. Its floor is small, and you can’t get away with dancing for hours and drinking soda. Patrons have to order dessert or an appetizer. Prices are high, and, catering to an older crowd, the band often stalls momentum with slow standards to dine by. Expect such songs as “What a Difference a Day Makes.”

Still, leader Barry Anthony, late of the Rhino Room in Huntington Beach and the Derby in L.A., kicks up the tempo in the shank of the evening; plus, management plans to bring in an East Coast swing teacher one Wednesday a month for a night heavy on Cab Calloway tunes. Also, at least for now, there’s a ton o’ space to rock step, and the band is cheek by jowl with the floor, which makes for a loud, blood-pumping beat to swing by.

And for special occasions, or a romantic, go-all-out date, this is where to be, if an overly solicitous service crew doesn’t bother you. I left with three business cards, all deposited on the table by the maitre d, the chef and our waiter, Sterling--no last name.

The place is positively 1930s swank, with nostalgic Deco-style curves and angles everywhere. The china’s trimmed in gold, your Caesar is tossed at the table, and guests are escorted up the elevator by a gentleman in top hat and tails carrying a cane. Darling! You shouldn’t have. The food, meanwhile, is to die for, if very expensive (a “shellfish extravaganza” appetizer for two goes for $38), and a small outdoor patio with heat lamps is perfect for necking. Did I say that?

* The Sky Room, atop the Breakers Hotel, 40 S. Locust Ave., Long Beach. (562) 983-2703. Wed.-Sun., 5:30-11 p.m.; until midnight on Fri. and Sat. Cover: None, but patrons must order dinner or dessert or appetizer. Reservations recommended.

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Summer’s comin’, and the local club scene’s preparing to accommodate all those students without class. On Saturday, Unity Productions starts up its new Red Velvet Lounge in Fullerton at the Velvet Lounge. Unity’s Altan Aksu stages Status nearby at In Cahoots on Thursdays, and the nights will share deejays Daniel Park, Mike Simms and others. But Red Velvet, running from 9 p.m.-2 a.m., will be 18 and older.

* Red Velvet, 904 W. Orangethorpe Ave., Fullerton. Cover: $10 for 18-21, $5 for 21 and older. (714) 502-TRIP.

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More Unity: Unity, meanwhile, will be reopening its Doll House at Huntington’s Old World Restaurant on June 26. That club recently left Anaheim’s Cowboy Boogie mainly because Caltrans construction in the parking lot left too little space to park, Aksu said. He hopes to go back to the Boogie, but for now, he promises the same alternative, hip-hop and house sounds plus live bands and an additional deejay, Eric Cubiche of KKBT-FM (92.3 the Beat).

* Old World Restaurant, 7561 Center Ave., Huntington Beach. Cover: $10 for 18-21, $5 for 21 and over. Fridays, 9 p.m.-1:30 a.m.

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Old World Redux: And . . . the Old World also will once again play host to the Wreck Room, tentatively set to launch its third consecutive summer season there June 29. Promoter Jonah Miller plans the same troika of fun: live bands, dancing to deejays and skateboarding demos. For ages 15 and older; cover ranges from $10 to $13; Mondays, 5:30 p.m.-1 a.m. (714) 570-8687.