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“Being the only one sober among 80 drunk people is fascinating from an observational point of view,” says Jennifer Barrick, who tends bar at the Drawing Room in Los Feliz. A native of Kansas (“Land of corn, wheat and Bob Dole”) whose natural assets had to be toned down for family-newspaper purposes, Barrick points to a loyal customer: “Just when you think you’ve seen it all, Marty happens.”

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“Models, studio heads, agents,” says Ivan Kane, owner of Deep about his preferred clientele. In two cages above the bar, bored dancers move glacially. After a moment deep in thought, he describes his admission standards: “You’ve gotta look good to get in.” That’s deep, man.

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“I guess the 200 bars I reviewed in my book were not enough for me. I had to open my own,” says Rommelmann, laughing. She has turned her home into Stumble Inn, a no-fee watering hole for friends only. She’d like to hang a sign out, “but I wouldn’t be able to keep the neighbors away.”

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Lava Lounge bouncer Christopher Neal, described in the book as “the nicest door guy in town” recounts a conversation he had recently with a drunken Hollywood wannabe: “What do you mean we can’t get in? I have Ben Affleck and his producer on the phone! Do you know what’s gonna happen if this gets into the tabloids?”

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