Twice as Nice Dice

by A.D. Amorosi

Everybody in Philadelphia is dreaming of the devil-may-care dare of gambling, and the va-va-voom of showgirls and champagne. Guys are opening their collars and blowing on imaginary dice. Women are practicing yanking on slot machines and blowing on imaginary dice. But with no one-armed bandits or "racinos" in sight for at least a year, you'll get a chance to start popping your cork — early, no doubt — with Denim Dollars, faux-blackjacks and jazzy showgirls dealing it out at Denim Lounge. With its dinner-and-a-show vibe at full swerve and a knack for hosting dancing-Rockette types (at its fall reopening the girls of New York City's "Rouge: The New Bohemia" starred), Denim Lounge is the perfect place to properly kick-start phony gambling. Denim's Vegas Strip will be a night of showgals, craps tables, blackjack dealers, roulette wheels and more. Rather than think of this as a plusher, lusher version of those casino-night functions at your mom's church, this evening out will see its proceeds forked over to MANNA — the Metropolitan AIDS Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance. While you leave the serious business of organizing and providing direct nutritional support and education to persons living with HIV/AIDS in Philadelphia and surrounding areas to MANNA, you can win Denim Dollars (instead of real money), good toward the price of rare thick steaks, trendy vodkas and liquor lockers. Just don't try handing one of the showgirls any Denim Dollars and expect to get anyplace, big spender.

Vegas at Denim for MANNA, Fri., July 23, 8 p.m., Denim Lounge, 1712 Walnut St., 215-496-2662, www.denimlounge.com.