In the mood for ‘spooning’

It’s not exactly a hole-in-the-wall, what with its extensive caviar menu and vodka offerings from around the world. But Voda, a cozy and convivial restaurant and bar in Santa Monica, sneaks up on you with no signage or fanfare.

Located subtly next to the Hotel Carmel near Promenade, the 6-year-old sister of Lounge 217 attracts tourists and locals who savor killer martinis in its dark, intimate setting.

Now, twice a month, there’s a couple of other good reasons to stop in: DJs Wendy Moore and Mimi Chung, who promote “Spooning,” a night of music including old-school hip-hop, house, drum and bass, jazz and down tempo.

“The selection of music is very good,” said Piotr Karwas, 29, who lives in Santa Monica and tries to stop in on Wednesdays when Moore and Chung are spinning. “You don’t really dance here, but you get to listen to something that’s interesting and be around people who are more relaxed.

“In all of L.A., you have that standard of people who come here for a particular reason -- for a career in the entertainment industry -- and everywhere you go, you get the same feeling. The music, I think, helps to change that mood.”

Moore, 27, and Chung, 29, who live together in Venice, decided to turn their passion for music into a moneymaking hobby earlier this year. Moore, an environmental scientist, and Chung, an art director, pooled their financial resources to buy turntables, other sound equipment and lots of records. Then they met Voda manager Brian Dougherty on a vacation, and he gave them a shot at being the first DJs to play at the 2nd Street venue.

“We both had been thinking about spinning for a long time, but we finally decided to do it because nobody plays the kind of music we like to hear,” Chung said. “Out here in Los Angeles, unless you travel or go underground, you get the same type of music everywhere you go. Lately, we’ve been wondering if it should be more than a hobby because we’ve been getting more gigs, but when we first started we didn’t expect much.”

“Spooning,” which Chung coined, began as a semimonthly party five months ago and has nearly outgrown the space. Now music lovers are forced to stand around the DJs or pile up around the bar to avoid disturbing diners.

The crowd, mostly a Venice and Santa Monica artistic set, also has produced guest spinners, which allows Moore and Chung to mingle and relax. Impressed by their rapid success, Dougherty is hoping Moore and Chung will take their talent and tables next door to Lounge 217 on Thursday nights.

“We’d never had DJs here before and decided to try it out on a night when business is normally slow,” Dougherty said. “The girls have brought their own crowd in here, which has been great for business. But they’re getting big enough and good enough that I want to get them into an actual club where they don’t have to worry about people having dinner and their supporters can actually dance.”

Maria Elena Fernandez can be contacted at maria.elena.fernandez@latimes.com.

*

‘Spooning’

Where: Voda, 1449 2nd St., Santa Monica

When: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Next: Nov. 12.

Cost: No cover

Info: (310) 394-9774