If you're white and you've ever wondered what it's like to feel
extremely Caucasian, look no further than the dance floor at 8.0
Retro, a McClub that's a part of Drink Houston(7620 Katy Fwy.,
713-290-0041). I'm meeting up here on a Saturday night with two
friends, Craig and Dorothy, who bring along a PhD student friend
of theirs who I'll call Dr. Hotness. She's way out of my league
in terms of both looks and education, but I'm smitten
nonetheless. I ask the Dr. if she wants a drink. "I'll take a
Blue Hawaiian," she says with a wink and a smile. Perhaps I
won't strike out after all. 8.0 Retro, along with Rain, Center
Stage and Drink, makes up Drink Houston, a Voltron-esque mega-
club. For a $16 cover, you get to barhop between four clubs
without having to drive. Noble as it may be, the attempt to
provide a variety of styles and experiences all under the same
roof just ends up giving me musical vertigo. Like Michael
Richards giving the keynote at an NAACP convention, the mixture
of '80s hits, Latin salsa and kar