welcome (back) to the jungle, baby
my original plan was to start drinking again at midnight on saturday night at the brooklyn social. it would have been one year to the day that I had decided to stop drinking and, aside from a minor step back in japan last december, I held fast to that pledge. however, neither did I start drinking at that time, nor was it at the brooklyn social. instead, brian and I eloped, so to speak.
it's thursday night. my plane gets in waaay late and I don't roll into brooklyn until almost ten. we decide to still try and catch matt pond pa at the mercury lounge. a quick hop over to manhattan and we're standing outside in the freezing cold in this line outside the mercury, with no knowledge when we'll get in, if at all. I had naively only brought a thin jacket, and knew it was time to jet when brian's cigarettes started looking like they might be warming and lovely (I don't typically smoke). we decide to flee the cold for the warmth of a nearby blues bar. no cover, but two drink minimum. hmmm.....what to do. brian fully admitted he wasn't going to be my steeling influence to keep me dry through saturday. at that point it was all academic anyways and I decided it was enough that I was with Brian.
so we ordered martinis. cold and divine. and then scotch. and later to some other bar for a beer as a nightcap. all in all, the best way to start drinking again: hopping a few bars with your best and oldest friend. my tolerance was quite low and I was as giggly as a high school kid at his first party. it was great. of course, the next morning after a reasonable amount of liquor and no rehydrating water, I had a pretty brutal headache, tempered only by the knowledge that brian had to work that morning but I got to sleep in. ouch. which is a healthy reminder of the beauty of a true friend and the perils of drinking. I quickly re-evaluated what my new drinking habits would be.
friday night I laid low on the drinks because saturday night we were heading out with a big group (after the big kickball game, of course). so saturday night began with an excellent beer at bradley's place (rekindlking my love for a hoppy brew), some good sake at dinner, a fruity drink at some tiki bar, then off to karaoke at the carriage house (I sang "rock lobster" and "cracklin' rosie," a good drinking song if there ever was one). a little more beer there, and a vodka tonic, then finally ending up at the royale. now, we hit the royale about 1am and it was meant to be the cooldown. however, when we got there the dj was spinning some hardass funk and we started dancing like crazy. two hours later, the dance floor was empty, we were sweaty and somewhat disrobed (though nothing too risque) and it was time to go home and crash. when we got back to brian's apartment I discovered that drinking completely eliminates my self-control against eating sugar. I had the craving BAD and wolfed down two little debbie oatmeal creme pies as fast as I could tear them out of their cellophane wrappers. ouch times two. woke up at noon feeling much more spritely than the previous drinking episode. that night I was much better at pacing and rehydrating, so am feeling a little more confident about getting my sea legs back.
all in all, a great weekend and I managed to include most of the drinks that I had missed all year: martinis, scotch, good beer, sake, sangria, but no good wine, so I'm really looking forward to cracking into the wine cellar I've been stocking up. I am definitely going to miss saving fistfuls of money on bar tab, though. so alissa & evan--when are we going out for a stella?
it's thursday night. my plane gets in waaay late and I don't roll into brooklyn until almost ten. we decide to still try and catch matt pond pa at the mercury lounge. a quick hop over to manhattan and we're standing outside in the freezing cold in this line outside the mercury, with no knowledge when we'll get in, if at all. I had naively only brought a thin jacket, and knew it was time to jet when brian's cigarettes started looking like they might be warming and lovely (I don't typically smoke). we decide to flee the cold for the warmth of a nearby blues bar. no cover, but two drink minimum. hmmm.....what to do. brian fully admitted he wasn't going to be my steeling influence to keep me dry through saturday. at that point it was all academic anyways and I decided it was enough that I was with Brian.
so we ordered martinis. cold and divine. and then scotch. and later to some other bar for a beer as a nightcap. all in all, the best way to start drinking again: hopping a few bars with your best and oldest friend. my tolerance was quite low and I was as giggly as a high school kid at his first party. it was great. of course, the next morning after a reasonable amount of liquor and no rehydrating water, I had a pretty brutal headache, tempered only by the knowledge that brian had to work that morning but I got to sleep in. ouch. which is a healthy reminder of the beauty of a true friend and the perils of drinking. I quickly re-evaluated what my new drinking habits would be.
friday night I laid low on the drinks because saturday night we were heading out with a big group (after the big kickball game, of course). so saturday night began with an excellent beer at bradley's place (rekindlking my love for a hoppy brew), some good sake at dinner, a fruity drink at some tiki bar, then off to karaoke at the carriage house (I sang "rock lobster" and "cracklin' rosie," a good drinking song if there ever was one). a little more beer there, and a vodka tonic, then finally ending up at the royale. now, we hit the royale about 1am and it was meant to be the cooldown. however, when we got there the dj was spinning some hardass funk and we started dancing like crazy. two hours later, the dance floor was empty, we were sweaty and somewhat disrobed (though nothing too risque) and it was time to go home and crash. when we got back to brian's apartment I discovered that drinking completely eliminates my self-control against eating sugar. I had the craving BAD and wolfed down two little debbie oatmeal creme pies as fast as I could tear them out of their cellophane wrappers. ouch times two. woke up at noon feeling much more spritely than the previous drinking episode. that night I was much better at pacing and rehydrating, so am feeling a little more confident about getting my sea legs back.
all in all, a great weekend and I managed to include most of the drinks that I had missed all year: martinis, scotch, good beer, sake, sangria, but no good wine, so I'm really looking forward to cracking into the wine cellar I've been stocking up. I am definitely going to miss saving fistfuls of money on bar tab, though. so alissa & evan--when are we going out for a stella?
random bits cobbled together by j-dub
1 Comments:
Union Street and Stella are in order stat! We'll have to pick a night to "double date" after the holiday.
Glad you had such a good time! Stella is soooo anxious to meet you.
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