It had been way too long since Coco, J-Slaw and I got together for some come-what-may good times. The last time the three of us hung out was at a fashion week event back in the Fall. Too long.
What could be better than the trendy vibe of Elmo? Located in Chelsea, it's a hot spot filled with beautiful people. Named after the fabulous 1940's New York nightspot El Morocco, Elmo was thumping with the sounds of today's artists from Britney to Madonna and back again. We three sat down and I, of course, grabbed the wine list. It was quickly decided we would get a bottle. At $9 a glass or $38 a bottle, the bottle seemed the most beneficial. Being Winter, a red was appropriate. Being me, I suggested a Malbec. The boys agreed and the Malbec was ordered.
Before leaving our table to procure our bottle of wine, our waitress told us of the evening's specials. One was chicken and the other was lamb. Lamb shank to be precise with goat cheese polenta and baby spinach. Coco immediately wanted the lamb and I said, "She had me at goat cheese." J-Slaw chose the chicken.
We enjoyed the wine with the conversation. Lots of catching up and picking on. Actually, lots of picking on me. Specifically about writing my blog. It's all in fun though. Isn't being picked on a sign that you are liked? One thing I'm learning is that I'm not really offended when the boys use my blog as a punch line. They often read it themselves and know that anything and everything can be included in it. I also know that both of them are proud of me for writing it. It takes guts to put yourself out there in words. There is something very personal about writing. Whether it be a fictional story created in my head or these true experiences from my blog, putting words to paper and wanting the world to read them, except them, and even like them is nerve-racking.
The lamb and chicken arrived. The conversation turned from anything else to praising the food. The lamb, served in a fabulous, deep bowl, fell off of the bone. It was amazing. And that polenta - delicious goodness! We drained the bottle dry and ate every morsel. Eating slowly is the way to savor every bite and finish the meal.
Part of the reason we chose Elmo was because Coco had been invited to a launch party being held in the lounge downstairs. It was a launch party for a play. None of us were quite sure what that meant. It's a new play adaption of the novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde. However, we still weren't sure what they were launching. It wasn't like it was the launch of a new television series or even a new boat. It was a play. Maybe the point was just to get the word out and publicize the fact that performances were to begin January 22, 2010. It doesn't really matter. We had a good time. I even tried my first gin martini. I'm more of a dirty vodka martini man, but I'm glad to have tried the gin. Now I know I'm not missing anything and don't need to do it again.
I ran into two people that I knew and hadn't seen in a while. After introductions were made, I was able to catch up with each of them. One of them is writing about a specifice portion of his life. He doesn't know if it's for himself or public consumption. He's never written before. He told me about his fear of writing and from where that fear stemmed. I told him about my blog and about my initial fear of posting the link to it on Facebook. I do feel the fear of people reading my words every time I publish a new blog, but it's getting easier, in increments, each time I post the link on Facebook and Twitter. I just keep hoping that people will find joy in my words and enjoy reading the stories of my life as much as I love telling them. Our words are always out there. Spoken words that make us smile, angry, or hurt our feelings can linger until time helps them to fade, but these written words are there for all to see as long as the cyber ink is visible.
I love finding myself in a situation with good friends and good wine. It makes the writing easier and so much more interesting.
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