On a recent Friday night, Sascha, a petite 25-year-old blonde in a $400 Donna Karan top, is parked in front of the velvet rope outside Pangea so the bouncer can get a better look at her. "I wouldn't date a guy who's unemployed right now, period," she says. "I won't just settle for a guy who's nice and treats me well -- I want to have a good life." Weekend after weekend, she pulls on her Sigerson Morrison boots, applies makeup between her breasts to enhance her cleavage, and hits upscale clubs like Bungalow 8 and Lotus. When a guy hits on her, the first thing she does is check out what he's wearing -- his shoes, his watch. Then maybe she'll allow him to buy her a drink, or else she'll give him the Look.
The last time Sascha was at Pangea, she stepped outside to check her voice mail and a tall, blond Italian guy told her she was beautiful. On the way back in, she gave him a playful tap with her handbag. They started to dance, and he asked her out. "Right away, I'm thinking, 'Who is this guy? What does he do?' " she says. "He wouldn't tell me, but I was like, 'F#ck it, he's cute, I'll go out with him.' " The next night, they returned to Pangea, where a friend of Sascha's recognized her date -- as a waiter at the Park. "I was like, 'It's over,' " says Sascha. "I went back to him and said, 'I know what you do.' I'm sorry, but I have ambitions in life. I can't date a f#ckiing waiter.