Frolik, on the fifth floor of the downtown Red Lion, resembles a combination of a bowling alley, a high-budget production of Alice in Wonderland, and LA as imagined by someone who has never been there. Indoors, angular vinyl furniture surrounds a bar with a ceiling-height glowing blue backdrop; on the patio, stools made of varnished logs dot squares of Astroturf. The first thing I asked Carrie Dietz, Frolik's "director of fun," was, "Are those giant porcelain floor lamps on the patio?" In fact, they are lamp-shaped heaters. Next, of course: "What is a director of fun?" "I create ways for people to have fun at Frolik, whatever they may be," she replied. She challenges guests to games of ping-pong—Frolik has several ping-pong tables, plus shuffleboard—and plans to start presenting frequent diners with purple keys to boxes containing surprises.

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