Despite the most humbling, horrifyingly asinine car accident of my life (involving me, a grass highway divider, and a sign) doing easily $1,500 in damage to my car.... I went to New York. Why? Well, why not. If there's one thing I learned, it's that sometimes you have to be nice to yourself. As long as you can still be nice to others, too.
I needed this vacation as work is more and more stressful of late.
So my buddy and I go to New York and usually stay at his baby sister's in Astoria, Queens. And that is just what we did this time, too. Leaving last Thursday afternoon, returning this past Monday night, we had a blast. Not a loud, mushroom cloud inspiring blast...more of a rowdy string of firecrackers blast...but a blast nonetheless....
Of course, first I had to navigate the ice patches in the Blue Deck of Metro's parking garage.... Yep, ass over tit I went down, lucky I didn't break my leg.
When I got to Queens, they'd already been to Manhattan and gone to the top of Rockefeller Plaza. Oh, and my buddy's baby sister's friend was there, too. And it was his first time to New York, I'm fairly certain he had a great time. The four of us met two other friends at Duke's BBQ for supper. Much, much too much food later, we city-pace-walked to the Comedy Cellar. After standing outside for an hour and taking bets on whether the drunk woman across the street would actually remain on her feet (asleep) or fall to the ground (yes, I was urged by my buddy to ask her if she was OK, and she insisted she was, so I let her alone)....
On the way to and at Duke's we were told my buddy's baby sister's friend's wallet had been "stolen" three times in his young life. One of those times he just gave it away, basically. Another two hookers in Vegas rubbed his butt as he walked and lifted it.... So all weekend, we would randomly yell his name, followed by "WALLET!!! WALLET CHECK!!!" And he made it, no theft happened.
So many, many laughs were had at the Comedy Cellar. Despite being dog tired, we went from there to another bar, then another. Then, thankfully, back to Astoria for sleep around 4:30am. The last bar had some serious septic issues as it smelled like an open sewer. EXACTLY like an open sewer. I couldn't get out fast enough.
The next day began in the early afternoon, after a blissful sleep on an air mattress. Air mattresses are a mix of hammock and waterbed...when properly inflated. This one was so all was well.
There was more booze at a couple more bars, excellent Mexican food with margaritas and a bowl of guacamole the size of my head...and I have a melon, lemme tell ya. Then, yes, another bar. After this one, I requested a quieter bar. I don't hear as well as I used to, and if people want conversation it helps if I can hear them. I can't recall if this was the night I had to put tissue in my ears to muffle my buddy's snoring or not, but that was done two nights. Booze snores are the worst in small apartments.
The next day was more low-key. Good food and a horrible Knicks game. Holeee, do they suck this year. So glad I'm a Detroiter...Pistons fan, to be sure. Saturday's bar night was the best...a decent jukebox, a quiet back of a bar, and good double-poured Guinness. Sadly I became embroiled in a debate on the positives / negatives of the "soft touch." A rather stongly held position by the women of the group, that a man should never touch a woman's face softly, carressing lightly.... I disagreed, stating that every person is different. And while those particular women felt it was contrived, I maintained it wasn't always. This was after I asked the question "clothed or unclothed" because I'd missed the fact they were talking only about the face. I mentioned the hearing thing, right? But despite my smile and laughing, they didn't know me very well and thought I was much more serious than I was. Oh well. HA!
Sunday was the Broadway show. Rock N Roll with Brian Cox. Excellent. Followed by a trip to Chinatown for some perfect Chinese food. Then an early night as my buddy's flight was an early one.
I spent Monday walking Manhattan with my duffle (one of my favorite places to just wander). I had breakfast at Rockefeller Plaza...and then did many miles on the hoof criss-crossing and up-and-down town. Rested at a bookstore, a library, and then Grand Central watching their holiday light show
Long story short...too late.... Then home by 10pm Monday.
Some pictures are in the picture section if you're really curious. Taken by various members of our drunken gaggle of fools.
I needed this vacation as work is more and more stressful of late.
So my buddy and I go to New York and usually stay at his baby sister's in Astoria, Queens. And that is just what we did this time, too. Leaving last Thursday afternoon, returning this past Monday night, we had a blast. Not a loud, mushroom cloud inspiring blast...more of a rowdy string of firecrackers blast...but a blast nonetheless....
Of course, first I had to navigate the ice patches in the Blue Deck of Metro's parking garage.... Yep, ass over tit I went down, lucky I didn't break my leg.
When I got to Queens, they'd already been to Manhattan and gone to the top of Rockefeller Plaza. Oh, and my buddy's baby sister's friend was there, too. And it was his first time to New York, I'm fairly certain he had a great time. The four of us met two other friends at Duke's BBQ for supper. Much, much too much food later, we city-pace-walked to the Comedy Cellar. After standing outside for an hour and taking bets on whether the drunk woman across the street would actually remain on her feet (asleep) or fall to the ground (yes, I was urged by my buddy to ask her if she was OK, and she insisted she was, so I let her alone)....
On the way to and at Duke's we were told my buddy's baby sister's friend's wallet had been "stolen" three times in his young life. One of those times he just gave it away, basically. Another two hookers in Vegas rubbed his butt as he walked and lifted it.... So all weekend, we would randomly yell his name, followed by "WALLET!!! WALLET CHECK!!!" And he made it, no theft happened.
So many, many laughs were had at the Comedy Cellar. Despite being dog tired, we went from there to another bar, then another. Then, thankfully, back to Astoria for sleep around 4:30am. The last bar had some serious septic issues as it smelled like an open sewer. EXACTLY like an open sewer. I couldn't get out fast enough.
The next day began in the early afternoon, after a blissful sleep on an air mattress. Air mattresses are a mix of hammock and waterbed...when properly inflated. This one was so all was well.
There was more booze at a couple more bars, excellent Mexican food with margaritas and a bowl of guacamole the size of my head...and I have a melon, lemme tell ya. Then, yes, another bar. After this one, I requested a quieter bar. I don't hear as well as I used to, and if people want conversation it helps if I can hear them.
I can't recall if this was the night I had to put tissue in my ears to muffle my buddy's snoring or not, but that was done two nights. Booze snores are the worst in small apartments.
The next day was more low-key. Good food and a horrible Knicks game. Holeee, do they suck this year. So glad I'm a Detroiter...Pistons fan, to be sure. Saturday's bar night was the best...a decent jukebox, a quiet back of a bar, and good double-poured Guinness. Sadly I became embroiled in a debate on the positives / negatives of the "soft touch." A rather stongly held position by the women of the group, that a man should never touch a woman's face softly, carressing lightly.... I disagreed, stating that every person is different. And while those particular women felt it was contrived, I maintained it wasn't always. This was after I asked the question "clothed or unclothed" because I'd missed the fact they were talking only about the face. I mentioned the hearing thing, right?
But despite my smile and laughing, they didn't know me very well and thought I was much more serious than I was. Oh well. HA!
Sunday was the Broadway show. Rock N Roll with Brian Cox. Excellent. Followed by a trip to Chinatown for some perfect Chinese food. Then an early night as my buddy's flight was an early one.
I spent Monday walking Manhattan with my duffle (one of my favorite places to just wander). I had breakfast at Rockefeller Plaza...and then did many miles on the hoof criss-crossing and up-and-down town. Rested at a bookstore, a library, and then Grand Central watching their holiday light show
Long story short...too late.... Then home by 10pm Monday.
Some pictures are in the picture section if you're really curious.
Taken by various members of our drunken gaggle of fools.
annisa:
sounds like a great time!