A Midtown business owner is looking to add a second-floor patio area to her combination restaurant and lounge, but as the plans go to the Planning Commission for review Thursday, some neighbors say it will present a noise problem. Suleka Sun-Lindley owns Thai Basil and Level Up Lounge at 2431 J St., and with the lounge – which opened in 2007 – not making money, she said she hopes the addition of an open-air balcony will help it become profitable. “Thai Basil is doing well, but Level Up has been costing us money,” she said Tuesday afternoon. “I’m hoping that adding an area where people can go outside and smoke will make more people want to come.” The Thai restaurant, which opened in May

Level Up Lounge attracted a large crowd to “shoe” its support for Haiti Friday night. Jasmine Wong, creator of Midtown Triathlon Club, partnered with Soles4Souls to hold a shoe drive to benefit Haiti. Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based charity, collects shoes from footwear companies and people’s closets and distributes them free of charge to people in need. They have distributed in more than 125 countries. A year ago, Wong began building a free-of-charge co-op-style workout club. Open to members with any type of background, the Midtown Triathlon Club is active in the community and raises funds for charity. In the midst of creating the club, Jasmine was inspired by a story of a triathlete w

Looking to dance to the beat of a different drummer? Sacramento's DJ Rock Bottom strives to enable you to do just that. The first and third Friday of every month, Rock Bottom spins a dance party called "Hot Pants" at Level Up Lounge. Whether it's Prince, Black Star or remixes of old-school Motown, Rock Bottom said his goal is to "challenge people to push the envelope, get outside of their box and let go musically." Rock Bottom, born John Word, grew up in Gary, Ind., about 25 miles from downtown Chicago. He recalls as a child listening religiously to Common Sense (now Common), perhaps Chicago's most innovative emcee. He also emulated a cousin's musical taste by listening to Afrika Bambaat

Level Up Lounge felt like more of a housewarming party than a bar on a Thursday night. The crowd had settled into the chairs and couches as if their body imprint had stayed waiting for them to nestle back into the nook from the last PK Night. Excited chatter filled every corner, wine swirled in glasses as Gloria Taylor from Todd Taylor Wines gave tastings, Suleka Sun-Lindley made her way around the lounge greeting and entertaining her guests before the show started. The anticipation reached a crescendo as the clock neared 20:20 and the lights went off. The first presentation had some technical difficulties, but the rest of the night went smoothly. Aaron Young, R&B and hip hop artist, pu

Please see the articles, "Pecha Kucha Night" and "What's it like to present at Pecha Kucha Night?" if you are interested in further information on this event. How do you make Pecha Kucha Night — which is already filled with live music, short films, artwork and buzzing with energy — better? Make a stellar drink, and name it after it. That is exactly how the PK Night drink came about. Suleka Sun-Lindley, owner of Level Up Lounge, wanted to concoct a drink that represented the event well. The P stands for peppermint and the K stands for Kahlua, but the presentation is what really makes it stand out. Kimmie Phan, the bartender at Level Up Lounge, has mastered the art of making the PK drink.