This Weekend

Spring has sprung here in NYC. As of the end of last week, you couldn't really tell. The ground was covered in snow and we were still all wearing our puffy coats. Alas, the equinox has noxed, and we are now beginning the "light" half of the year.

Speaking of the light half of the year, Daylight Savings Time really kicked my ass this year. I don't really know why. All of a sudden, the clocks sprang forward, and left me behind in the dust. I have slowly recouperated in the recent weeks, but it. was. a. bitch.


My friend from my previous life, Ashley, came in to town this weekend. He was here for a blogging convention. He is working in Marketing at PayPerPost, and was here for a BlogHer convention. Ashley and I were friends through a girl that I dated over 10 years ago. We eventually became roommates and had some great times. He has lived in Orlando for a while. Due to just plain life, distance, and my phone anxiety, we have been spotty about keeping in touch. This weekend was the first time that I had seen him in about 7 years.

Anyways, Friday night we decided to go out and get drunk. We started our night at VYNL, which is one of my favorite places in Hell's Kitchen. After eating a little dinner there and of course having a couple of their amazing martinis, we decided to start our night. That's me standing outside VYNL.

When we were leaving VYNL, we ran into Kacy, mine and Justen's roommate, and his friend Brad. We decided to all meet up at Phoenix in Alphabet City. (Justen was on the way). The Phoenix is a really cool place to start your night. It has the feeling of a pub and is quite laid back. The music is not loud. It's very much a hang-out place. There is a pool table there. The movie that I was just in, Skull and Bones used it as a location. We took a seat in the side room (which looks like a dungeon) and waited for Justen. We drank a couple of more beers while there, and Justen came and joined us. Every time I go to Phoenix, I see a celebrity. Well, I use the term celebrity loosely. I see someone who is on TV. Last time I was there I saw the guy who plays the forensic investigator on Law and Order SVU, and this time, we saw Jay McCarroll, who was the winner of Season 1 of Project Runway. He has finally released his ready-to-wear collection and was there at Phoenix with a small entourage. He was wasted. When we were outside about to leave, he came barrelling out the door slurring his words. Either that or he may have been completely sober and speaking in tongues. I'm just sayin'.

We left the Phoenix and decided to cab across town to Mr. Black. This hipster haunt on Friday nights sports waiters wearing only aprons. The cover charge was $10, but we thought it may be fun. On the way there, we saw Kacy stumbling down the roadside, so we did what any friend would do. We rolled down the cab window and heckled him. Priceless.

The line at Mr. Black was around the block, and we didn't feel like waiting, so we walked into the West Village to Pieces, which is a little dive bar. Its right there across from the gay pride statues. We stayed there about 1 beer's length and were deciding to call it a night.

As we were walking down the street to get to the train, I saw Marie's Crisis, and knew we had to stop in. Marie's Crisis is a little bar in a basement that is a piano bar. You can go there and get a drink from the bartender and sit at the piano and sing along with god only knows who. Last time I was there, Dawn Weiner from Welcome to the Dollhouse was there. She was apparently having a sapphic convention there, and was getting a lot of attention. We arrived late, and there were no notables there. We all decided to do a Lemon Drop shot. I did mine, but Justen and Ashley didnt like theirs, so I did theirs too. That was my mistake. I was fine until I drank 3 shots of cheap vodka.

We got in a cab headed back to Astoria. We took the Williamsburg Bridge, which was bumper to bumper at 4am, then came here and crashed. I managed to get the airbed blown up for Ash, allthough I don't remember.

The next morning I awoke at 3pm in a black haze.

Justen went to dance class. God. 31 sucks.