To read last week’s dining & nightlife guide click here.

It was a challenge, a challenge thrown out to me by a couple of my buddies. Should I dare go see live and nude strippers with them? Oh, how taboo of me right? How could a good, wholesome and somewhat shy girl be caught dead in a place like that?

Well going to see naked women walk around in next to nothing, degrading themselves in every way possible was the last thing I wanted to do on my Saturday night, but what can I say, I like a challenge.

After all, I have always been curious about what it’s really like in what my buddies like to call, “fantasy world.”

Before I knew it I was making my way down Folsom Blvd., to the spot that is known as the “best strip club in Sacramento,” Gold Club Centerfolds. Centerfold would be my testing ground of this intriguing sex world I knew nothing about, and I was surprised at what I found.

The closer we got to the strip club, the more nervous I became. Going into unknown territory is always scary, and I was trying to imagine what it would be like inside. Would it be creepy or sexy? Would it be like it is in the movies? Were women really walking around starch naked, and do they really pay more attention to female customers? Would I be safe in this world of sex?

Yes I know, silly of me to get so worked up over this, but to me, this was a big deal.

At first I was surprised by the location and even the innocent look of the building. Walking in the parking lot of the strip joint, I couldn’t help but notice all the expensive cars, and the limos parked outside. I couldn’t hear any music and the quietness made me nervous. I was expecting to see a tone of drunk and loud men brawling outside or something to that affect, you know like in the movies.

Finally we reach the entrance and come face to face with the biggest bouncer known to mankind. He was everything he should have been, big, bald, quiet and super buff, and all I could think was wow, this guy’s the gatekeeper to the “fantasy world,” good career choice.

So we made it in to the club and as soon as those doors opened and it was a whole new world, for me anyway. The music was blaring, it was dark and there were posters of naked women everywhere. The smell of peanuts filled the room, and for that I have no explanation.

The cover charge was $15, and this included unlimited drinks, of soda and juice. There is no alcohol served because it is a fully nude bar. No alcohol is unfortunate because a little alcohol would have relaxed me a bit-especially for my first encounter with a stripper.

Not paying attention to where I was going, too busy taking in all the visuals of this new world, I ran into a pair of very nice and not to mention firm, buttocks. I instantly flustered up as I apologized to the beautiful stranger. Instead of snapping at me, which would have been typical, the stripper was very sweet and polite. This is not exactly what I expected from a woman in a black leather bra, but she was completely understanding and I couldn’t help but blush.

I followed my buddies to the tables, to what are considered the “cheap seats” while being completely overwhelmed by the atmosphere.

It was dark, clean, candle lit, with really sophisticated decor and most essentially, filled with long legged women, in clad outfits, some in g-strings, all walking around with a kind of poise and confidence I’ve never seen before. They really were mesmerizing.

Almost immediately a very sweet young woman named Erin, fully clothed, offered to get us drinks. Erin provided us with excellent service and kept our drinks filled all night.

Centerfolds turned out to look like something out of a fantasy and every aspect of this world intrigued me. Trying to get the full experience and testing the whole concept of girl on girl action, I gathered up courage and went and sat front stage.

Literally 10 seconds later, I was standing up and letting a Jennifer Lopez look alike take a dollar bill out of my blouse with her teeth, and in an instant I think I understood the obsession with these exotic women.

After my first encounter with the dancer, I was passing out dollar bills like they had lost their significance and became part of the target audience for the dancers.

I had always thought of strippers as being degrading to women, giving us a bad name. I think I was wrong, seeing; these women of all shapes and sizes, some nearly perfect and others far from it, but still so confident. This was somehow admirable; most people couldn’t do what they do.

Overall I think my mission was complete. Challenges overcome. Centerfold was the right spot to see about this “fantasy world”, and I could see why it’s considered the “best strip club in Sacramento.” Very clean, well managed, and a very decent looking clientele.

Rating: 4.5 stars.

All of Jessica’s dining and nightlife reviews are held to this rating system :

1 Star : Stay at home.

2 Stars : Not worth the gas money.

3 Stars : If there’s nothing else to do –

4 Stars : Better than most.

5 Stars : Proves that Sacramento is more than just a cowtown.

Jessica Rojo can be reached at [email protected]