Diva-tini

I'm running late and while this story may start like many others, it's definitely it's own unique adventure. I drive through the city rain sprinkling my windshield, coordinating the dream team. C and AA are the players tonight, I've got AA on the phone and I'm getting text from C all while putting out timing and locations...oh and driving pesky driving. AA is in need of serious motivation, after selecting her outfit via photographic memory and giving a good pep-talk she's on her way. C was already in the city so she is ready to p.a.r.t.y however the text I get from her tells me she is not in the 'kick ass' mind set I need from her. After I beep over to another line on the phone and say goodbye to AA I check the text from C.
"I'm here, but this place is packed."
When ever I'm the first there, I secure seats and have every ones drinks waiting for them. So my reply,
Better get some seats.
Simple and to the point. While I continue my conversation on the phone, I grumble something about seats. When asked to repeat I say 'She never gets seats, well I'm gonna scare some outta her.' Few moments later I'm downtown looking for parking, with my new little car I score a nice spot close to the meet. Convenient cause it's still sprinkling a little and I don't have an umbrella. I finish my phone call, make promises to bring the dream team around to visit a few mentioned venues.
I step out into a surprisingly cold night for as early in the season as it is, the rain promising to make my hair wild. A cute couple sits on a the stairs close to my car enjoying the rain from under their umbrella, I smile to myself as the scene brings me back to my own memories. Once inside the deep red velvet curtains are up, which tells me the cold seasons are upon us, rounding the corner and stripping off my scarf I realize it is indeed very busy. But to my delight C has successfully gotten us two seats up front and personal at the bar. I laugh as I glide into my seat and she looks immediately protective, as she assumes I'm some whore trying to steal the seat she has worked oh so hard for. She recognizes me and laughs with me as the comfort sinks back into her shoulders. "Good job." I tel her, she says back in her dramatic tone. "When I saw that text, I started pushing bitches off the bar!" I crack up laughing, which simultaneous announces my arrival, heads turn and I'm quickly served with my favorite sparkling shiraz...the night has officially begun. I relay to C the few stops we have to make and that we're waiting for AA as usual. Meeting and greeting, C and I make all kinds of new friends, some nice and some creepy. When out of no where a 'random' latches on to C, she is buzzed therefore amused, so the shots start and while I have no patience for him, a shot seems to hit my seat every time. By the time I'm able to guide AA, C and I are toastie, very-very toastie. AA arrives we do one last shot to get us through the walk down to Midtown and we're out the door.

The rain has eased up a little making it a much less pain filled walk. As we walk three in a row, a group of four in a row approaches. In passing my shoulder is clipped, being the irritable one of the bunch I would generally never let an opportunity like that go, but being pre-occupied on my phone I keep walking. AA notices and decides a comment is in need "Drunk bitches!" she screams down the sidewalk and at that moment all the background noise of the street dies out, so the comments targets hear it loud and clear. One girl twirls around with an always classy "I know you're not talking to us!" . That was all C and AA needed to dive in angry clawing fist first, I grab AA around the waist as she twirls past my side and effectively hold back the first wave of attacks, while clearly struggling in my four inch heels I see C go for the girls and the girls coming back towards us. All the while thinking to myself, this is how the night ends we're all going to jail, cause there is no way I'm letting these bitches get a heads up on us! Right where I'm still trying to stop AA a few bouncers in a nearby stoop notice my struggle, they hop up to stop C with the convincing line of "You're too pretty to fight, look at that cute face!" The hilarity in the line is enough to get the girls to settle, but they still want to fight. We keep walking, the trash talk continues...but all the same we're on our way again. As we walk I'm still on the phone and the only line that comes to mind is the one that I have to tweet out immediately
"My bitches were going to kick those bitches ass! There were going to fight for me!"
While there were a few more stops in the night, nothing can top that...so I save the rest for another time.

-n

Comfort Found Next Door

'Don't mind her, she's grumpy'.

I'm running late, I hate running late. My last tweet for the night says it all 'grumpy and hungry'. The nights plan is to pickup C after she has a drink with the sinnersaint, he is my male counter part. C will go through two levels of checks and balances mainly he and I. While he means well and tries to be nice ::don't we all:: he is really bad, not in the worst way, but bad enough...thus the sinnersaint is born. She calls with an update on my way, you almost ready? I lie, uhhuh picking out my outfit now. My hair is soaking wet and I don't have a lick of an idea what I'm going to wear. Going with curly hair tonight so that is not a biggie, an outfit...something that everyone will see, remember and talk about behind my back. No pressure at all, guys have no idea how lucky they are, jeans and button-down...spoiled is what. As per my usual my outfits start with the shoes, tonight I choose Patent Grey, Black piping and Black stiletto. The outfit black on black, short skirt of offset the long legs, backless blouse ::yes, backless is a fav of mine::
Jewelry on, quick spritz of 'lure them in' and I'm out the door. Twenty minutes after I told C that I was twenty minutes away. Luckily when I call her she is still looking for parking, I give a dramatic huff and tell her I am looking as well, even though I am still clearly on the highway. She calls when she finds parking and ask if she should wait for me, I tell her to go on in...as I'm still blocks away.
A shot later I meet C inside our second home, we call it that cause everyone there is like family, dis functional and we wish it was home cause the booze is always flowing. Also, who doesn't like walking into a place where when there are no seats, they make them appear for us. She is laughing and flirting as I walk in, I'm handed a shot and it's followed up with a glass of wine. As I look around the place is packed. Too packed to be able to get something to eat, and I've yet to eat today. Before the drinking rolls into full force I decide we need to eat, also I can feel myself getting grumpy. While I'm generally a perky little thing, you catch me with an empty stomach and I'll rip yours out. So I suggest we move to another venue, the move is prompted by a text that promises good dinner.
As we walk through the doors of Next Door we're greeted by a more than packed bar and a Hostess that is more than a little confused or bitchy I'm too hungry to care. I ask about seating in the dining room and we're told the kitchen has closed for the night. I've heard rumor of Next Door doing this often lately so I'm not surprised, but still a little doubtful of the Hostesses ability to make the call. I smile and nod as we move past the host stand to the bar...I need a drink stat to deal with this craziness. The bar like the dining room is packed with patrons loving the new upscale spot gem on U street. C and I find a spot at the bar...I take it upon myself to start us off with two Vodka martinis. By the time I turn around C has already started a conversation with some Random, she takes her martini with excitement, while I give him a less than excited look and turn back around. My attention has switched to my phones I'm working on getting us a table and double checking the status of the kitchen. I find yes the tables are pretty full, but no the kitchen is not closed ::stupid hostess whore:: He asked us to wait ten minutes for the table to clear out, I agree...but inpatients is written all over my face, when is it not? Over my shoulder I hear C excuse my less than sweet demeanor with "Don't mind her, she's grumpy and hungry." No truer words have been said all night, C does at least understand that when I'm hungry that is it, I must be fed. He tries to engage me in the conversation, as if the look on my face doesn't tell him that I don't give a fuck. I decline and turn back to the bar, check my watch and notice ten minutes is about up and rescue is nowhere in sight. Quit play on one phone and I've got us new dinner reservations across town, play on the other phone and the driver is on his way. I down more than half of my martini and tell C to can the Random and finish her drink. She sees the look in my eyes and drinks without a question. I tell her we're leaving and after a short look of surprise she nods, as I take steps to leave he's there hands up to stop me from getting any farther.
"Table is ready!"he says.
I give him a 'You better not be bullshitting me look' and he gestures over my shoulder where a server is rapidly cleaning the table. I agree to sit and C is all too happy as she will get prime view of the kitchen, the better to eye up the Chef you see. We sit at a small two-top and do a full on sampler menu, started with
Rock's Signature Crab Cake
Vanilla Scented Sweet Potatoes (cause I love sweet potatoes)
Crispy Salmon
Roasted Rosemary Chicken
Ended with Coconut Cake

While the food was soul comforting, the company perfect, the service left more than something to be desired. I will put that on the year grace period, any new place has to get past the growing pains. With calls from the driver, we hug our goodbyes a little later than expected.
My phone is already filled with the text from our next location, my response 'C had to eat' ::that's right I blamed it on her, she's tipsy what does she know::

We've never been to Ibiza and now I can say for good reason. We are prompted to pay twenty at the door, but once I see my contact we're ushered in but not after being thoroughly search by a woman security guard that enjoyed it a little too much, we walk into a humid warehouse covered in carpet. The space is broken into a series of large rooms, each with a bar and different music genre. We coast through the main room and one through a series of halls find ourselves in a packed Latin music room, hard to walk kinda packed. A sudden understanding come over me of why we were frisked so thoroughly at the door, such an open space, so many people, one bad fight, one person with a knife, one person with a gun could go really bad really fast in here. We meet up with our group and are greeted with shots, just as quickly as we're being ushered into another room. An even larger room than the last two, there is a large dance floor in the middle, and a perimeter of tables some elevated on a step and some not. Two stories up Ibiza had flown in a great DJ mixing house music for us the rest of the night. We settle into our table and take turns dancing it up with a perfect group of gays we found. I turn to find C and see that she has been distracted by some guy and from where I stand I'm pretty sure one of the compliments was "You're soft like a stripper" What?! Really? I roll my eyes and focus my attention else where. Which just happens to be the part of our group that is so done, and I see this going down hill fast. Which means one thing, C and I have to leave before that happens which means now. I peel her suitor off of her and get our coats, we kiss our goodbyes to every ones drunken dismay and make our way outside.
Stepping into a very cool, rainy night...we catch eye contact while standing on the sidewalk and start laughing uncontrollably. We climb into the car, and get dropped off a few blocks from our cars...as we walk linked arm in arm she mentions Empanadas and I give her a look that clearly says 'I remember the last time we tried this one.' the compromise is stopping back at our second home for a quick pizza.
With full bellies, and cloudy minds we hug out our goodbyes and each walk that half block alone. That eerie hour in DC when you see people, but not a lot of people, the birds are chirping, but the street lamps are still glowing, most peaceful you'll see it, right before the start of a new day.
-n

Take That x 3

We're laid out on the guests bed trying to get the energy to do something. How about one drink then a movie? or Start with a drink and some dinner, then go dance? I suggest, as C is in a close to comatose state next to me at this point shes all but drooling on the pillow. I know if we don't go out we'll be disappointed in the morning.

An hour later the debating on what to do is done, I turn the music up and we dance during getting wardrobe and makeup on. Quick shot and we're on our way ::destination still unknown:: We walk to a familiar spot, where we know friends will be, text in advance have guaranteed us a good crowd and once we're inside we find it was busy. Which is great for people watching, conveniently what we're in the mood for. We nestle in at the bar with two Organic Pomegranate Martinis, complete with Blueberry garnish ::going for the full anti-oxidant effect::

A couple moves in next to the right of us, dressed to the nines this is not their first stop. She's in love, the get a room kind, light kisses on the cheek here and there become a nibble on the ear, soon to be a suck on the neck. When they first arrive he's just as into her, but then he looks over his shoulder and gets a glance of me... The double take tells me he's looking for more than a glance. No polite smile is given from my side, normally the accidental eye contact is always greeted with a smile, but not when your with someone. One look fine, but don't have mind sex with me, while your women is dry humping your leg.

To our left are a couple of guys, commenting on how great it is to get out, 'It's been so long.' Followed by what are we getting into tonight, I don't know man I'm up for anything.

The conversation took a strange turn into how's your fiance? This only after the first couple of girls they tried to buy drinks turned them down. C and I look at each other, we're having our own conversation but are both listening to theirs, a quick laugh is exchanged. Guys can be such jerks, operative word can be not always are. I'm not a guys basher don't worry, actually quite the opposite I hate nothing more than to see a poor guy get taken advantage of ::unless he's really asking for it::

Our second round we switch it up, Tall White Russian for me, Vodka Tonic for C. After last weeks episode, light chiding was expected from the guys. We took it and gave just as bad. Out of nowhere a tap on the shoulder ::who the hell is in my personal bubble:: Instead of a pickup line, we received an invitation. Your friend, he points, wants to invite you out I'll be your driver, another point, but this time its in the direction of Excursion limo, but the the hitch. We're going to the Russia House. Oh, zing I felt that one right down my spine... 'Thanks, but we're not going to the Russia House tonight.' Laughs erupt from my friend, and he gets the evil eye from me across the room. Every ones a f*cking comedian, after a few laughs at my expense. I notice C has taken special interest in a particular Bartender, a surprising choice to me. But she takes it a step further to prove how hot she finds him,

'I would eat him up, I'd pull his pants off and say take that, take that, take that!'

The shock of the words hit me so fast I was cracking up, of course multiple people around heard her going on, including a fellow bartender. His puzzled look said he was scared yet intrigued all the same shot. Just then the 'Chosen' bartender comes to find out what the sudden laughter is all about. With a devilish need to rock the boat, I tell him C was expressing her feeling about your sexiness. With out skipping a beat he picks up a piece of Mango garnish and take the most seductive bite I've seen all night. Then C serves up her own punishment asking for a tour of his tattoos, most of which are not visible unless clothing is removed. Hot and bothered she decides she needs a break. Back to us and our plans to take over the world. Well maybe just Miami or NYC we can't quite decide where we want to go.

C takes her leave but only after making a close friend promise to walk me to my car. This place is like a second home, I could be content there alone or with fifty of my closest. I finish the night with a spicy glass of red and a chocolate croissant and smile to myself what a silly night, we could have stayed home and had the same fun, but at this moment I'm content with the choice.

The night will always be worth the tag line of the week, Take that x 3.

-n

Photo of the Washington Monument from the Lincoln

Girls In The City

More often than not you see a group, we'll call that four or more of girls out in the city and it's always the same thing "Woooo hooo! Shots! Where doin' it up!" But if you really listen to the message it's 'Yes, there are only girls in our group, but we wish there were guys and hopefully we'll get picked up tonight.'

When did this happen?!
When did the time of women going out to have a chill time end?

Of course there is always the group that is attempting to have a 'Girls Night' that is always spoiled by some guys who insist that this is what you're out for ::Paper bag please::

We started our night at Circa in Dupont, the crowed is always pretty good, good looking at least. Even mix of guys and girls which is always a plus, there is nothing worst than walking into a big ol' sausage fest for girls or guys. Circa, relatively new to the Dupont scene, has quickly become a neighborhood favorite. The bartenders are friendly, approachable and quick to remember a regular face. The restaurant itself not very large, but if you are lucky enough to snag a spot at the bar it is definitely worth it. Circa has a elaborate wine list with favorites such as Sparkling Shiraz and fun infused vodkas for their specialty cocktails. Large TVs adorn both main walls playing news, and sports during happy hour and correlating music videos later in the evening.

I'm greeted by one of the many favorite bartenders, this time instead of being late I arrive ahead of C he sees me and points to two seats in the middle of the bar ::my lucky night:: Another nice thing about a seat at the bar oppose to the middle table is the staff behind the bar doubles as a show. Hellos aside, everyone is interested in who I might be saving the seat for, their happy as long as its not a guy. I start with a Lattetini, might as well get my caffeine fix right away. To my left are a couple of guys kind of quite, my first thought is gay but who knows. If they are gay I'm immediately excited, maybe my search for a GBF is over?! To my right is a larger group of young people, they've been here for a while or maybe they're loud all the time who knows. C arrives after forty-five minutes of trying to park and one martini for me.

'Better catch up, it's no fun being tipsy alone.'

She starts with my normal trade mark of Sparkling Shiraz

::one try you're addicted::
and a specialty pizza, Chicken and Artichoke heart I believe. C, a vibrant and confident women takes the attention of the bar upon entrance and to my surprise the once assumed couple to my left takes notice as well. Who would have thought? Greetings are exchanged and possibly a shot, but let's not get hung up on details. We speak of DC vs. VA vs. MD, each claiming home town as our favorites. Out number by residence of the newly donned Blue state of VA wins the conversation. A surprisingly witty banter is exchanged, in which we all take part more or less. One of the guys could definitely be consider the 'quite' one, but that's not a problem the two of us speak enough for everyone. Our girls night plan was to start at Circa for a drink and move on, but as the lights are turned up and everyone is forced to shield their eyes we realize the night, at this location at least, is over.

So the logical next step, go home. ::never::

On my bright suggestion the group moves to another venue, a later night, much darker venue.

The Russia House, also in Dupont is the destination now. The guys go ahead of us, so we say our goodbyes. With lite objections from some, 'You're meeting up with those guys?'. The statement was really made with more surprise than anything, the normally unbreakable duo, meeting up? What was happening? We were bored, a boredom that doesn't come along all the time but when it does something better entertain us!

Our unlikely new friends are placed expectantly in a dark corner of the main floor bar. Russia House is a row house converted into a modern day Russian Mafia hang out. With a not to disappoint Vodka list and very authentic Russian staff, heavy dark drapes on the windows and heavy antique furniture to go with, you take a step back in time. This is also one of my favorite winter spots because all of the walls have fireplaces, cozy and dark what more could you want on a cold Dec night, oh yes the Vodka ::complete::

So my bold and beautiful C has picked quite guy, and boy has he risen to the occasion. By the time I order our drinks Starka on the rocks, his tongue has manged to get all the way down her throat. Guy number 1, looks to me 'Now I know why the waitress gave me such a weird look, we didn't order our Vodka straight.' Yup that's why, at the Russia house if you brave the Vodka list there is only one way to do it... We chat the night away, C is given a though oral check and I have had almost all the complements I can take on my favorite green stilettos.

Not keeping up with the others, my haze is not quite as thick and I see the need to end the night. C its late we should go, don't you think? When really I mean this guys is sooo boring lets find something different to play with. Panic reaches the guys faces, as we stand. We'll go too ::great:: As we step out of the Russia house we're met with a brisk fall night and somehow in that night C has decided to drop her new 'friend' off at his house. Which, of course leaves me to drop of friend number 1 at his house. You have never seen a better use of divide and conquer. As I use the whole walk to the car to convince her that his house is out of her way, she hops in her car and the famous last words of the night are...

'Don't worry I got this!'

My mind races for a way to stop this, but then the thought comes to me. She is a big girl and we were bored... Everyone deserves a pass. Luckily for me guy 1 lives a couple of blocks away and his sad attempt to find a reason that I should see his headboard don't have time to get worse. I stop the car oppose to parking it and say goodbye. One last attempt, 'I really enjoyed tonight, this was so much fun we should as least trade numbers.' Sure sounds great whats your number I will put it right in my phone, with all the other numbers that I don't plan on saving once you step out of my car. ::girls are so cruel:: Finally home, I call C to make sure her drop went as planned, of course not... 'What you're changing?! Changing into what?! He's there?!'. After that the drunken slurs were to much to sift through. I fall asleep...

Ugh, clock 9:30a no wait damn time change 8:30a must call C. I dial and hold my breath as I wait, she answers and the breath is let out into uncontrollable laughter. Are you alive?! A tandem question. I'm home and well behaved, what happened to you? I'll save the real grit and give the review. C took home 'quite guy' after lots of kissing they fell asleep, well she fell asleep. And it seems quite guy had a sweet streak, he got her a blanket, put a pillow under her head and tucked her in. Then left...well we don't really know what happened but he wasn't there.

We met later for lunch and the uncontrollable laughter continued, a night that well what can I say. Definitely blog worthy.

-n