My Best Girls

I finally got to spend some time with my best girls this weekend, and let me tell you, it was long overdue. I met the ladies at Vessel on Saturday night for a cocktail before we headed across the street to Benihana for dinner. I think I’m one of the only people who has never been there before, and I can’t believe I’ve been missing out… This restaurant is so fun! It was the perfect venue for a Girl’s Night.

I ordered some delicious yakisoba and splurged on a couple mango mojitos. We caught up on a lot of chick chat while the chef prepared everything right in front of us. I felt like a kid at Chuck E Cheese – there was so much going on I couldn’t even concentrate on eating my food. I ended up taking a pretty hefty doggie bag home with me.
Afterward, we headed back to Ballard to end the night at a dive bar down the street from my house.

The Ick Factor: This was my first time drinking in any significant amounts since the year began, and the results were no bueno. After two glasses of wine, two mojitos, several Bud Lights and a shot of something that tasted like coffee, all on top of Japanese cuisine, I was not feeling so hot. (Although I did eat my leftovers for lunch and they were still delicious). I spent the entire day on Sunday in bed with my boyfriend, who was in the same sorry state from his night out with the boys. I’ll say it again… God I’m old.

But thanks again ladies for a wonderful evening!

The Happiest Hour

Since I’ve been on Spring Break this week, I’ve been able to indulge in some social activities like HAPPY HOUR. And let me tell you, since I’ve been off the radar, some very fantastic new opportunities for after work socializing have come up.

Last night, I went to one of my company’s local haunts, Troiani, with some of my co-workers. Since this is my boss’s favorite restaurant and it's a block down the street from my building, we tend to go here a lot for birthday lunches, holiday dinners, and after-work drinks. And until recently, we were usually the only people in the mostly empty restaurant or bar.

Boy, have things changed.

Troiani has now extended happy hour to closing time, and the happy hour crowd can spill over to the dining area when the bar gets packed. Not only did we not have to rush down there by 4:30pm to get a seat at the bar, we could take our time ordering delectable appetizers and delicious cocktails… because it’s happy hour all night, my friends!

Talk about a genius marketing tactic in a tough economy. The entire restaurant and bar were completely packed. I get extremely sick of practically running down the street after work to try and get a seat at a bar for happy hour, and then only being able to order one round before the cheap prices expire. So basically, this is a dream come true for me.

In addition, I also recently read an article in The Stranger that outlined several Seattle happy hours with complimentary food. No gimmicks, just free. These include:

• Morton’s Steakhouse: Free mini steak sandwiches, even if you just order water, from 5 to 6:30pm M-F. Drink specials start at $4.
• The lounge at Il Fornaio: Free snacks like pizza, chicken wings and bruschetta from 4:30 to 6:30pm M-F with no drink minimum. Draft beer is $3, wine $4.
• Oliver’s Lounge in the Mayflower Park Hotel: Free foods like spinach dip, pita and potstickers as long as you purchase something (drinks are a little pricier, $9.75 martinis, but you can always order a soda). 4:30 to 6:30pm daily.
• Bernard’s in the basement of the Hotel Seattle: No-cost snacks like taquitos and mozzarella sticks as long as you order a drink – strong wells start at $2. 4:30 to 7pm M-F.

The greatest part of all? I can walk to every single one of these places from my office! My guess is that the food might not be all that amazing, but hey, free is free, right?

Give me a call so we can go check it out!

Seattle Bar Scene Threats - Be Safe Out There!

One of my bosses came into work this morning extremely distressed. Her daughter’s best friend died last night after a night of drinking at a Seattle bar. I don’t really have any more details at the moment, except the girl became separated from her friends at the bar. By the time they located her, she was exhibiting signs that she may have been given some form of a date rape drug. She was rushed to a local hospital and died sometime during the night.

I am completely freaked out. Especially considering the Seattle Times article I read yesterday afternoon warning that 11 Seattle gay bars have received letters threatening ricin attacks. A 12th letter was also sent to an alternative weekly newspaper, saying that the paper should be “prepared to announce the deaths of approximately 55 individuals.” Creepy, creepy, creepy!

Of course this article was the first thing that came to mind when my boss came in and told the story of her daughter’s friend this morning. This particular situation might have nothing to do with the threatening ricin attack letters, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. The Seattle Police Department is taking the threat seriously, and I urge all my friends and fellow Seattle bar hoppers to do the same. Please be safe out there this weekend and, as we always should, KEEP AN EYE YOUR DRINKS.

The letter lists specifically targeted bars as: The Elite, Neighbours, The Wildrose Bar, The Cuff, Purr, The Seattle Eagle, R Place, Re-bar, C.C.Attle's, Madison Pub and The Crescent, and implies that the attacks will take place one Saturday this month. Might be locations to avoid for the time being…

Pure Romance For Tara

Last weekend I was charged with hosting a crazy night-on-the-town bachelorette party for my good friend and bride-to-be, Tara Wooden, soon-to-be Tara Evans. To mix it up, I tried to combine a proper party with a risqué night on the town. That is, if you can consider a Pure Romance / Sex Toy Party “proper.”

But I mean, come on. After all, men have far raunchier parties that could lead to major catastrophes if things get out of control, so if the groom, Winston, gets to celebrate bachelordom’s end, I figured why shouldn’t the lovely bride, Tara, celebrate in a similar fashion? She’s rapidly approaching a major turning point in her life – which to me was every reason for her to spend an evening with her best friends for one last blast.

All Tara’s best gal pals met at my apartment around 6:30 p.m. for champagne, wine and appetizers before the “show” started. I had hired a woman from a company called Pure Romance to give a presentation on the products her company sells. And whether you’re engaged, attached or single, the Pure Romance catalog has something for every woman. And for this part of the evening, all the ladies were provided with an explanation of the products, and even a chance to taste, smell and touch them!

Afterward, we all got a chance to order what we wanted (did anyone get the Beginner Bondage Kit?) while Tara opened her gifts. We had a few more drinks and then headed out on the town!

I had reserved a room at Belltown Bistro, a swanky little restaurant / bar on First Avenue. Here the shenanigans really began. Drinks, shots, shooters, wonderful food and fabulous friends – all for Tara! At some point a few random guys joined our party and insisted that Tara participate in some “Crotch Shots.” Hmmm… See pictures for clarification. As the night got rowdier I managed to drink just a teensy bit too much and ended up going home slightly early in a cab with Jeanna. Tara rocked it out for a while longer before heading home to crash.

We all survived and had a fantastic time. I hope Tara’s bachelorette party was everything she dreamed it would be. I paid for it with the hangover of a lifetime, but it was all worth it to throw a fabulous bash for one of my best friends. Now we just have to get through the wedding!

Happy Birthday, Jeanna...

As each year passes, Jeanna seems to outdo herself with a fabulously themed birthday party. This year, she asked all her friends to come and celebrate her birthday in their swankiest, sparkliest, shiniest cocktail attire at Solo, a small, intimate new bar in lower Queen Anne on Roy Street. She had the majority of the bar reserved for the festivities, and provided hors d’oeuvres trays for the party-goers. So after a day of snowboarding, I dragged my sore self into the shower and mentally prepared myself for a night of partying and celebrating Jeanna’s fabulous life!

I had never been to Solo before, and was very impressed when I walked in. The bar is pretty swanky but still has a casual feel, and there were couches and chairs around coffee tables that made it easy to sit and gossip with friends. There were also tall bistro tables that of course Jeanna decorated in red, the party’s theme color. (Did you really think she wouldn’t have a theme, complete with decorations that matched her sparkly red outfit?)

Once I arrived (already a glass of wine deep) I checked out the drink menu and decided to order a “Ruby Red Cosmopolitan.” Yum. I basically then spent the rest of the evening socializing and going back and forth from the bar to order more of those fabulously yummy, slightly sweet, slightly sour drinks. I lost count, but I think I had about six or seven of them. By the end of the night I was feeling more than a little drunk, but continued to socialize with Jeanna’s many guests and even her parents (sheesh, I hope I didn’t say anything too embarrassing)!

The last ones standing, Jeanna, Mike and I finally decided to head home. We packed up Jeanna’s many gifts and decorations and as a birthday treat Mike paid $20 for a five block cab ride home. Of course I tagged along.

So HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEANNA – You are one of my best friends and the most fabulous person I have ever met! I can only hope the next year of your life is just as amazing as the last. Cheers!

Quarter Century

Well, I certainly have nothing to complain about – my 25th birthday weekend was a fantastic success! After a small letdown upon finding out that turning 25 effectively bans me from ever applying to be on MTV’s The Real World, I got over it and celebrated.

Festivities began Friday night at Vessel with my co-worker, Heather. Since her birthday is one day before mine, she invited me to share drinks with her friends after work to celebrate. Located downtown next to the Fifth Avenue Theatre, Vessel defines itself as a “modern and elegant Seattle bar.” Unfortunately, Jeanna and I were not impressed by the tiny venue or the cold, rigid atmosphere. We were crammed into an upstairs room filled with people from a drunken Christmas party. This, combined with vodka and flat diet coke, immediately gave me a headache. We didn’t stay long, but I appreciated the invite.

Saturday morning I got up early to prepare for my Grandma’s birthday, which is also the day before mine. My grandparents, parents, cousin, brother and sister arrived at noon for lunch. Then the girls headed down to McCaw Hall, because we had purchased tickets to The Nutcracker for Grandma’s birthday. I love going to the ballet, and the show was fantastic. I think seeing the Nutcracker every year is a must-have holiday experience, it always puts me in the mood for Christmas. However, the second act was almost completely ruined as the child behind me began to incessantly kick my chair, and a few rows back two sisters started to screech and bicker, which started more of them off. It was hard to concentrate on the show and not all the royal brats who were ruining it for me. I will never understand parents who think a 5-year-old can sit through a two and a half hour ballet.

Cake and ice cream at my house with the family was fun, and I even got some nice gifts, although I didn’t expect any. Since it was my Grandma’s 70th birthday I really wanted it to be her special day, and I think she felt loved and appreciated. After their departure I decided it was absolutely necessary to wear something new on the eve of my birth, so I dragged my cousin Tara up to the Alderwood Mall for shopping. After a frantic trip through Forever 21, we headed back home, where I rushed to get ready for the evening.

The drinking commenced at 8 p.m. with white wine, followed by champagne with Jeanna, Shannon, Jenny and Tara. Shannon and Jenny were sweet enough to give me a very thoughful and fabulous birthday gift. Then we headed down to Twist, where we met up with Vanessa, Lacey, Jillian, Stacy, Mike and Steve. (Crap, did I forget anyone?) Several tall vodka diets and one strawberry champagne later, we proceeded to the bar for birthday shots. I can't remember how many. Eventually we decided to follow Shannon and Jenny down to Sonya’s, and it was apparently my brilliant idea to walk all the way there -- Pioneer Square from Belltown is apparently pretty far, but in hindsight was probably good -- the fresh air may have helped keep me upright.
At this point I have absolutely no sense of time. But the girls had apparently already given up and headed for home, so we decided to go next door to the Starlight Lounge. After running into Jesse Martinez Jr. outside, I attempted to order more drinks, and was immediately cut off by Jeanna. Doug conversed with the two of us, trying to figure out who the hell out of the drunken crazy group would be important enough to remember later on. Shortly thereafter, we decided to walk back nine blocks in the direction we had come from to meet more friends at Del Rey. The following is a little hazy, and was mostly pieced back together by Jeanna and I on Saturday afternoon…

As more and more friends gave up and went home, Jeanna and I eventually were left on our own. We left Del Rey and presumably entered a convenience store somewhere in Belltown. Jeanna bought one of those disgusting frosted individual 99 cent apple pies, and while standing in line to pay noticed that the guy in front of her had two cans of Sparks in his hands. She immediately snatched one, popped the top, and took a gulp. I think I did too. From there, we either walked or took a cab to the Five Point Café on Denny. You always know it’s been a good night when you’re in the mood for macaroni and cheese triangles. They’re pretty much the best drunken food ever.
Sitting at the bar, someone took the mood lighting candle out of its holder and Jeanna conveniently dug a hole in the middle of the apple pie and stuck the candle in. I think people sang “Happy Birthday.” After being thoroughly freaked out by a crazy woman in the bathroom, Jeanna called it a night and headed home. Damn, I don’t remember eating those mac n cheese triangles, but I bet they were fantastic. I think I ate the whole apple pie, too.

I opened my eyes Saturday morning, moaned and held my head as my cell phone began to ring. Happy birthday to me. Thanks Mom. In an attempt to kick the hangover, we headed down to Pesos for breakfast and the football game. After my first bloody Mary, I began to feel better. Someone conveniently told the bartender it was my birthday, which resulted in a yellow, fruity shot. And then another. So I ordered a vodka diet. HEY, the hangover seemed to be gone! The girl next to me ordered a shot. Mimosa. Another vodka diet. 4 p.m. Game over. Back to my apartment. More wine.

6 p.m. Late for my birthday dinner on Capitol Hill. Picked up Jillian before realizing I was too drunk to drive. Switch. Arrived at Mamounia Restaurant where the girls were already seated. Tried to pull it together. The restaurant was gorgeous and exactly what I had anticipated. I received a fantastic gift from Kelly, and was super excited about the authentic Moroccan cuisine we were going to consume.
Dinner was fantastic, although I can’t remember what I ordered. There was rice, meat, and I think some veggies. We sat on floor pillows and ate with our fingers while watching the belly dancer. When she discovered it was my birthday, she tied a silk scarf around my waist, pulled me up and I became part of the show. Good thing I had had all those drinks after all. After paying for my own dinner and the rest of the tab that is always inevitably left over when a group of people share one bill, I was incredibly disappointed that no one wanted to go for drinks. The food had sobered me up and since it was technically my real birthday, I wanted to celebrate. Luckily, I discovered that some friends were still on the hill.

I met them at Bleu Bistro on Broadway, which is by far the strangest bar I have ever been in. The interior was dark and elusive, with hanging colored cloths that provided private little nooks and corridors everywhere. I felt vaguely claustrophobic, kind of like being inside a honeycomb. However, the fact that the bar served Olympia Beer immediately distracted me – finding bars that serve my hometown brew is definitely one of my favorite things. Finally, we decided to head out… to a karaoke bar in Madison Park which I unfortunately cannot remember the name of.
However, once we got to the bar to order drinks my night got even better. The bartender found out it was my birthday, and immediately began mixing the “birthday drink.” The glass was as big as my head, and I can only assume its original purpose was as a fish bowl or something. He grabbed six bottles of god knows what and started dumping them together. The pink concoction was topped with olives, cherries and other garnishes, and then the kicker… PLOP! You guessed it: An Olympia Beer right in the center!

We sat at a table in the middle of the bar with before someone decided they were drunk enough to sing. I can’t remember for the life of me what song it was, but I knew the words and sang along… loudly. I think we might have danced. At one point I realized my entire drink was gone. We stumbled out of the bar and somehow made our way to Jack in the Box, where I conveniently forgot that I am supposed to be on Phase 2 of SBD. I think I had a Jumbo Jack. It was probably fantastic.
I woke up on Monday morning with the worst hangover of my life, and immediately called in sick to work. I had drank for 14 hours straight, which I think rivals the Sand Dunes. I spent the rest of the day napping and getting sick. It had been a fantastic birthday weekend.
THANK YOU SO MUCH to all of you who came and celebrated with me, at whatever point. I appreciate and love all of you, and it means so much to me that you came out to party and observe my quarter century of life. I’ll see you all soon! Ahh... what a fabulous way to turn 25 years old...!