A while ago, the editorial staff at OnMilwaukeee.com discussed the idea of running an article featuring our writers' first published works. The concept fell apart, unfortunately, because most of us could either not remember the first essay, poem or submission we had entered into some school contest or journal -- or if we could recall it, we certainly couldn't find it.

I'm not positive what my first published piece was, but I think it was a poem I wrote about the old Club Marilyn in 10th grade. It detailed a night at that already outdated underage club, with its bright lights, pumping music and a soundtrack supplied by EMF and Jesus Jones. And, while I don't remember every word of the "award-winning" poem, I certainly remember the experience. At age 16, going to "Club" (or perhaps the now razed Bailey's) was about the most fun a teenager in Milwaukee could legally have.

Wednesday night, we held a client and reader appreciation party at the new Whiskey Bar to belatedly celebrate OnMilwaukee.com 11th anniversary. To readers of a certain age, you'll recall that the Whiskey Bar, 788 N. Jackson St., is the same building that once housed Club Marilyn. After that, it became Metropolis, where I visited a few times, then Park Bar, where I went perhaps once. I can't exactly remember when Park Bar closed, but it's been several years, and the spot has sat vacant until Whiskey Bar opened a few months ago.

Obviously, Wednesday night's event was a far more formal and professional affair than what we used to dress up for on those Wednesday nights all summer long. But, while the Whiskey Bar is throughly modern and well-decorated, I just had to close my eyes for a moment to remember where I was. Parts of the space have long since been closed off, but the bathrooms are in the same spot, as is the bar. When one of my oldest friends, Eron, showed up for our party, he, too, couldn't believe how the times have changed. "Can you believe this?" he said, pulling me aside.

"Well, it has been about 19 years," I said, myself barely believing the words coming out of my mouth.

And so it goes. A great Milwaukee spot has born and reborn and reborn again. And for all I know, it was something before Club Marilyn, but that's before my time.

I'm fairly used to watching the Milwaukee nightlife scene change and evolve by now, but at age 35, that puts my maximum frame of reference around 14 years. The added bonus of "teen night" at a club I visited as early as 1990 opens that window up another five years -- to a time when Club Marilyn might as well have been Studio 54, and my adoloscent self was so inspired I wrote a poem paying homage to it.