Saw this last night on a restaurant's sidewalk specials board on Fifth Ave. in Brooklyn:
Brooklyn reflects on the loss of a very talented actor and friend.
Our hearts go out to his family and friends.
May the light always find you on a dreary day.
Wasn't that nice?
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
I'm all class
My work holiday party (which is always held in January) was Friday night in Boston. It was quite the event, and I'll try to post more later about it because it was really, really fucking funny.
However, I'm slammed right now with work, so you'll all just have to deal with this graphic representation of my night.
I think it nicely sums up the evening for me.
(By the way, I have no clue who the champagne hog is - which probably explains the look on my face.)
However, I'm slammed right now with work, so you'll all just have to deal with this graphic representation of my night.
I think it nicely sums up the evening for me.
(By the way, I have no clue who the champagne hog is - which probably explains the look on my face.)
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Crash and burn
Saturday night, about 10:45pm. I’m sitting alone at the bar at XES in Chelsea, killing time until I meet up with Keebler and his girlfriend. I’m sipping a vodka martini and watching the finale of the most recent “Top Model” cycle on the plasma over the bar. It’s busy, but not overly so, and I’ve already scanned the bar for anything interesting. There’s a black guy in a blazer standing a few feet away who I think is cute, but he’s completely engaged in talking to another guy and some girl. He’s telling them a story; he keeps laughing and moving his arms around. I like his watch.
Two thuggy-looking guys walk up to the bar next to me and try to get the bartender’s attention. As they wait, the shorter one (he looks like a cute version of Nelly) surveys the bar.
“Look, they have all this wood paneling and the expensive drinks, but this place is definitely a dive,” he says, and I have to agree with him.
His friend (boyfriend, maybe? I can’t tell) nods absently; he’s watching Top Model on the TV as well. Nelly notices this, and when he asks the friend what it is, I smirk a little bit.
The friend says only, “It’s Tyra,” and this seems to satisfy Nelly. Just then, the blonde (Chantal?) trips one of the performers on the catwalk and freezes, horrified. I’ve seen it before, but I still snort a little bit, and Nelly does too. He’s hooked, I can already tell.
The two guys get their drinks and move away, and a few minutes later, I see them kissing, so my suspicions are confirmed…they’re more than friends. I go back to watching Tyra and company.
A minute later, someone walks over to the empty stool next to me and says, “Can I sit here?”
I glance up, wary, and see that he’s probably late thirties, not very cute, not very great skin.
“Yeah, sure,” I say, waving my arm at the stool, and I go back to watching Tyra.
“I’m Doug,” the guys says to me.
“Hi, Doug,” I say in return. I don’t offer my name. I’m not going to make this easy for him.
He gives in and asks me for my name, and even as I say it, I know what’s next – he’s going to make me repeat it. They always do, and this one is no exception.
I sip my vodka martini and check my phone again. Keebler told me he’d call when they were out of their cooking class, but so far, nothing.
Doug speaks. “Are you having a good time tonight?”
I smile slightly. “Oh…okay, I guess.” And then, to prevent further questioning, I say, “I’m actually just killing time – some friends of mine are a block away; I’m meeting them at 11 and I was early, so I decided to duck in here for a drink.”
As I say this, I check my phone again. It’s 10:56pm, and I tilt the phone slightly toward Doug so he can see the display.
“So what are you drinking?” he asks.
“Vodka martini, twist,” I reply. I’m still watching Tyra.
“What kind of vodka?” he asks, and I’m not sure whether he wants to order one for himself (he doesn’t have a drink) or buy me one. I don’t want to be rude (well, any more so than I’ve already been), so I tell him, “Ketel One.”
He nods and doesn’t say anything else. Just then, my phone rings. It’s Keebler, and he tells me that they’re out of cooking class and are a block and a half away. As he’s talking, I hear Doug order my same drink and I know that he’s buying me another one.
I hang up with Keebler, finish the last of my drink, and grab my umbrella and coat. “Nice to meet you, Doug,” I say.
He looks startled. “I just ordered you another drink.”
Ugh. “Well, as I said, I’m meeting my friends at 11, and that was them just now on the phone, so I have to go.”
“Better put the ixnay on that drink,” I say as I pull on my coat, and he looks disgusted.
I smile as I walk over to 6th Ave and see Keebler and his girlfriend. “You just saved my life,” I say, and they’re amused as I tell them the story. Gay socializing is a mystery to them, but I can’t imagine that this scenario doesn’t happen in bars all over, regardless of sexuality.
Every bar always has a Doug, doesn't it?
Two thuggy-looking guys walk up to the bar next to me and try to get the bartender’s attention. As they wait, the shorter one (he looks like a cute version of Nelly) surveys the bar.
“Look, they have all this wood paneling and the expensive drinks, but this place is definitely a dive,” he says, and I have to agree with him.
His friend (boyfriend, maybe? I can’t tell) nods absently; he’s watching Top Model on the TV as well. Nelly notices this, and when he asks the friend what it is, I smirk a little bit.
The friend says only, “It’s Tyra,” and this seems to satisfy Nelly. Just then, the blonde (Chantal?) trips one of the performers on the catwalk and freezes, horrified. I’ve seen it before, but I still snort a little bit, and Nelly does too. He’s hooked, I can already tell.
The two guys get their drinks and move away, and a few minutes later, I see them kissing, so my suspicions are confirmed…they’re more than friends. I go back to watching Tyra and company.
A minute later, someone walks over to the empty stool next to me and says, “Can I sit here?”
I glance up, wary, and see that he’s probably late thirties, not very cute, not very great skin.
“Yeah, sure,” I say, waving my arm at the stool, and I go back to watching Tyra.
“I’m Doug,” the guys says to me.
“Hi, Doug,” I say in return. I don’t offer my name. I’m not going to make this easy for him.
He gives in and asks me for my name, and even as I say it, I know what’s next – he’s going to make me repeat it. They always do, and this one is no exception.
I sip my vodka martini and check my phone again. Keebler told me he’d call when they were out of their cooking class, but so far, nothing.
Doug speaks. “Are you having a good time tonight?”
I smile slightly. “Oh…okay, I guess.” And then, to prevent further questioning, I say, “I’m actually just killing time – some friends of mine are a block away; I’m meeting them at 11 and I was early, so I decided to duck in here for a drink.”
As I say this, I check my phone again. It’s 10:56pm, and I tilt the phone slightly toward Doug so he can see the display.
“So what are you drinking?” he asks.
“Vodka martini, twist,” I reply. I’m still watching Tyra.
“What kind of vodka?” he asks, and I’m not sure whether he wants to order one for himself (he doesn’t have a drink) or buy me one. I don’t want to be rude (well, any more so than I’ve already been), so I tell him, “Ketel One.”
He nods and doesn’t say anything else. Just then, my phone rings. It’s Keebler, and he tells me that they’re out of cooking class and are a block and a half away. As he’s talking, I hear Doug order my same drink and I know that he’s buying me another one.
I hang up with Keebler, finish the last of my drink, and grab my umbrella and coat. “Nice to meet you, Doug,” I say.
He looks startled. “I just ordered you another drink.”
Ugh. “Well, as I said, I’m meeting my friends at 11, and that was them just now on the phone, so I have to go.”
“Better put the ixnay on that drink,” I say as I pull on my coat, and he looks disgusted.
I smile as I walk over to 6th Ave and see Keebler and his girlfriend. “You just saved my life,” I say, and they’re amused as I tell them the story. Gay socializing is a mystery to them, but I can’t imagine that this scenario doesn’t happen in bars all over, regardless of sexuality.
Every bar always has a Doug, doesn't it?
Friday, January 04, 2008
And you know, it's Friday too
Benjie and I have 9:45pm reservations tonight at Nobu, courtesy of my employer. It's a combination of a reward for my hard work during our company launch and a holiday present from New Boss.
She started off by asking me what my favorite restaurant was, but she quickly changed her mind and brought up Nobu. When I confirmed that I hadn't been but always wanted to go, she sent the following email:
I highly recommend it. You should go there. The sauces are amazing!
Make sure you try at least 5 or 6 dishes. Take the server’s recommendations. Don’t just order sushi. Get a mix of cold and hot dishes.
Order the pineapple martini. It’s the perfect accompaniment to the food.
Take a really good friend, and have a great time.
Send me the bill.
As you can see, she's not a control freak at all...heh.
Afterwards, we're meeting up with No Dice Joe and a few others for a big gay night out - hopefully there will be stories.
She started off by asking me what my favorite restaurant was, but she quickly changed her mind and brought up Nobu. When I confirmed that I hadn't been but always wanted to go, she sent the following email:
I highly recommend it. You should go there. The sauces are amazing!
Make sure you try at least 5 or 6 dishes. Take the server’s recommendations. Don’t just order sushi. Get a mix of cold and hot dishes.
Order the pineapple martini. It’s the perfect accompaniment to the food.
Take a really good friend, and have a great time.
Send me the bill.
As you can see, she's not a control freak at all...heh.
Afterwards, we're meeting up with No Dice Joe and a few others for a big gay night out - hopefully there will be stories.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
And I cannot wait another year
I always thought January 2nd was the most depressing day of the year. The holidays are over, I feel bloated and gross from drinking too much every day, not going to the gym consistently, and shoveling all kinds of wonderful, terrible foods into my maw for the last two weeks; the days are short and cold, it's back to work, and the only thing I have to look forward to is the acknowledgement in a few weeks that I'm now another year older.
Perfect.
Oh, and I gained 4 lbs over the holidays.
But all whining aside, I think 2008 is going to be a good year. Maybe even a great year. I don't know why this is; it might be something as simple as the fact that it's an even year. (I highly doubt that it has anything to do with the fact that I turn - shudder - 31 in a few weeks.) There's good stuff in the works, though: I'm working on being more financially responsible. I've been thinking more and more about writing a book. I've settled into an acceptable rhythm at work, but I'm becoming increasingly drawn to the idea of leaving my company and ditching this nuthouse, though I know in my heart that I'll only be trading one form of crazy for another.
Just like I do every year, I drew up a set of New Year's resolutions. They include everything from the staggeringly cliched (cut back on drinking, drop 15 lbs, and hit the gym more regularly) to the mindnumbing minutiae of everyday life (get new glasses; go for a physical; cancel the MasterCard that I never use).
The one thing I didn't mention was love. I'm certainly not giving up on the idea, but I think I'm finally beginning to realize that it just might not be in the cards for me, at least not now, and that's okay. While the romantic side of me likes to think that there really is a lid for every pot, the jaded realist is quietly pointing out that there are people all over the world who never find love.
Bad Robot posted something recently that I thought was really great and insightful; he was talking to his mom and she said...well, I'll just quote it directly instead of trying to paraphrase poorly:
I think that's perfect. And a great way to put 2008 resolutions in perspective.
Happy New Year, all.
Perfect.
Then I woke up this morning on my first official day back to work (I took yesterday off; I needed the extra day to brace myself for the onslaught) and discovered that January 3rd was really going to be the bitch, because it was 10 degrees outside. And now, a few hours later, it's a whopping 14.
Oh, and I gained 4 lbs over the holidays.
But all whining aside, I think 2008 is going to be a good year. Maybe even a great year. I don't know why this is; it might be something as simple as the fact that it's an even year. (I highly doubt that it has anything to do with the fact that I turn - shudder - 31 in a few weeks.) There's good stuff in the works, though: I'm working on being more financially responsible. I've been thinking more and more about writing a book. I've settled into an acceptable rhythm at work, but I'm becoming increasingly drawn to the idea of leaving my company and ditching this nuthouse, though I know in my heart that I'll only be trading one form of crazy for another.
Just like I do every year, I drew up a set of New Year's resolutions. They include everything from the staggeringly cliched (cut back on drinking, drop 15 lbs, and hit the gym more regularly) to the mindnumbing minutiae of everyday life (get new glasses; go for a physical; cancel the MasterCard that I never use).
The one thing I didn't mention was love. I'm certainly not giving up on the idea, but I think I'm finally beginning to realize that it just might not be in the cards for me, at least not now, and that's okay. While the romantic side of me likes to think that there really is a lid for every pot, the jaded realist is quietly pointing out that there are people all over the world who never find love.
Bad Robot posted something recently that I thought was really great and insightful; he was talking to his mom and she said...well, I'll just quote it directly instead of trying to paraphrase poorly:
One thing my mom said to me the other night, as I was talking with her about
some of the stuff going on in my life, was about how people perceive you (or,
me, in this case). And she pointed out how valuable it is to just be a strong,
healthy person, as often what people are looking for is not so much what you
give them, but what you can be for them. And if I am a strong, healthy person,
that makes me reliable and dependable and desirable to be with and around. I
think I've focused so much on what I wanted or needed or what I could
specifically give or provide to others that I overlooked the ephemeral nature of
all those things.
I think that's perfect. And a great way to put 2008 resolutions in perspective.
Happy New Year, all.
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