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For entertainment lovers who live in Los Angeles, a well-known perk besides mostly amazing weather is that you have access to live music and shows almost 24-7 (We’re spoiled like that. Sorry,haters). Making it even easier for fans here and across other U.S. cities to attend their favorite late night shows, special award and music events, 1iota.com has been a godsend. Blowing up since I first started using their site several years ago, it seems like everyone’s been put onto it because (well, duh) it provides tix for free. As in get a ticket and just show up to see your favorite actor or artist for free. Sweet.

When I heard about their 10th anniversary party at Playhouse Nightclub, I suspected it’d be a good time and it was free to get in with an unwrapped gift for Toys for Tots (props to the boy or girl who gets my Hot Wheels car present). Getting media access which included access to their VIP lounge, I arrived to find a comfortable room with a private bar, couches and DJ Jon Reach in the lounge playing my favorite old school hip-hop and pop songs like Nas’ “Hip-Hop is Dead” and Prince’s “Kiss”. Ladies decked the halls in their finest dresses and sparkly 5-inch heels and guys did as well in their casual “I spent hours on this outfit but wanted to look like I didn’t try too hard” ensembles.

A pleasant surprise soon followed in that I discovered Taye Diggs was mingling in the lounge a few feet away. I, being a NY born and raised Rent enthusiast (he’ll forever be “Benny” and Idina, his wife, “Maureen”), took the unexpected opportunity to express my fandom and he graciously obliged. What a very humble and cool dude.

Next, making my way down to the main floor downstairs to continue hearing DJ Reach spin, he switched gears, playing EDM and got the crowd hype for the rest of his set. Around 11:45 PM, the king of Crunk, Lil Jon, flanked by bikini clad women on either side onstage and one in a cage-like structure on top of the bar, cranked the hype level even more. Never seeing him live before but not surprisingly, he was def high-energy and played songs like Ludacris’ “Move (Bitch)” and Ying Yang Twins’ “Wait (The Whisper Song)”, keeping the crowd dancing with rainbow glowsticks, amped up. Was it confirmed I had a good time at this party? “Yeahhhhhh”.