The decor is shabby chic.
The food is new american.
The crowd was Capitol Hill eclectic.
I will be back to check out what Oddfellow is like during the evening but I can guarantee that I will be walking here from work for a quick cup of coffee and biscuit with jam asap.
As much as I LOVE going out... dinner and a movie, either in or out, may be one of my favorite things to do ever. This night was especially great with dinner at Local 360, which I would say is sustainable southern home cooking, a movie I already want to see again, and then drinks/dessert at my new favorite spot, Lloyd Martin.
The movie? Well, I saw the Vow. And loved it. I am a total sucker for those types of movies BUT guys weren't groaning the whole time either. It is completely manageable if your wife/girlfriend/lady friend drag you out. It may even score you some major points.
And Ladies, it resurrects Scott Speedman looking better than ever and reminding us of the man we all fell in love with 12 years ago in Felicity. (The real question... Noel vs. Ben.)
A few years back I worked for a nightlife dot com and ran it's San Francisco division. I worked with an amazing team of photographers, DJs, promoters and venues. But I had a favorite: AplusD of BootieSF fame.
Their bi-monthly event was one of the best dance parties I had ever experienced.
Their music was exquisitely crafted and the crowd was there to strictly dance.
Their parties were one of the few that I myself would go out to cover just so I could work for a bit then spend the rest of the evening dancing.
As soon as I learned that they had a Bootie Seattle, I started planning.
A group formed and the night arrived.
We got there at 10pm... which is early in my nightlife book... and the venue was already full. By 10:30 it was shoulder to shoulder dancing and when the clock hit 2am and the last song was played the floor was still lively.
They are coming back on March 2nd for a Mardi Gras event. I'll be there. Will you?
Special thanks to AplusD for hosting me that night.
On Friday night I went dancing. It is an event that had been on my calendar for over a month and I spent that entire month talking to everyone who would listen... accumulating and convincing a group.
The week of the event I narrowed down my outfit options to two:
The Party Dress The Party Romper
At the time, my outfit was determined on the group that would come. It was a simple if/then situation.
If my crush came, then I would wear my party dress.
If my crush did not come, then I would wear my party romper.
A few days prior to Friday, I accepted that my crush would not be there and would wear the party romper. My romper had not seen the daylight since my mother labeled it as atrocious. It was time.
Like most plans: they changed. As soon as Friday arrived, the decision came down to a vote.
One shoulder romper // Cinches at waist, one shoulder... wait for it.... with shoulder pad!
Black dress // Exposed back with bows.
And the decision:
The Party Dress
Looks like my Mom won this round and she wasn't even around to vote.
I ended up pairing the outfit with minimal jewelry and flats. I love giving myself some extra height in heels but at the end of the day, I would much rather dance until close then care if my legs look a few inches longer. I'm short. I've accepted it.
I was sitting on my bed in a hostel in the middle of Paris when I learned that Michael Jackson had died. I received a text from sister and I thought it was a joke. Later that day, there was a psuedo parade of people dressed in his iconic looks blasting his music as they walked the Tuileries Garden.
I was sad. He was an icon and an influence into pop culture.
But when I learned Whitney Houston died, I was heartbroken.
Growing up my older sister loved Whitney Houston which of course meant that I did also.
It wasn't just her music... or The Bodyguard (amazing movie!)... or the fact that my sister thought she was cool... there was just something about Whitney.
But mostly, "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" was my anthem growing up and one of the biggest influencers into my love life.
I remember sneaking this song onto a church trip and listening to it on repeat.
I burned the words into my head.
I took every lyric to heart and I took it literally.
And now... in my late 20's, when I'm no longer just dreaming about dating and finding someone to dance with I still haven't let go of this song.
Instead:
I date.
Find ways to have my date dance.
Look for "the heat" like she croons.
And ask myself, "Is this a man who'll take a chance on a love that burns hot enough to last?"
My 10 year old self is proud. She can't figure out why I'm single.
When Vik first asked Ashley to marry him, I don't think he realized I would be coming along with the package. He was relatively safe until I moved half a mile away.
Ashley was lucky to find an amazing man but I was just as lucky to gain such a brother. Vik puts up with a lot... but he has stepped into his big brother role like he was born for the job.
After spending most of this day with them, I couldn't help but go home and watch their wedding video again...
I'm a little pitbull.
Defender of the little man.
Advocate for the underdog.
Which is why on Saturday I took on a 6'2 "Bro".
It was girls night. We started with dinner and drinks, drove back to my place for freshening up, then walked down the hill for a lively scene and more drinks.
I was set on perfecting my "Have you met Ted?" line. It's a simple wingman move... Tap on the shoulder of the guy standing next to you, ask him if he has met one of my beautiful friends and then turn around to continue my conversations with other friends.
Saturday night: 75% success rate... That is if you define success as meeting a guy at a bar.
Let's roll with it.
One of my girlfriends ended up connecting with a guy and they talked for nearly the entire time we were there. As we kept checking in on her, they were hitting it off... flirting, exchanging numbers, inching closer and closer together. But after an hour our friend came back upset... "he has a girlfriend."
Five minutes later he came over to apologize and ask for his coat back. She said she didn't have his jacket.
Bro: "I know you have it, I saw you leave with it." Friend: "I don't have it."
Pitbull Little Noah steps in.
Me: "E, do you have his jacket?" Friend: "No." Bro: "I saw her pick it up." Me: "She doesn't have your jacket." Bro: "She took it." Me: "As you can see, she isn't wearing a jacket and it's not in her hand." Bro: "I want my jacket back." Me: "It isn't here" Bro: "I saw her."Me: "She says she doesn't have it so back off!"
Bro leaves. Bro's friend comes over heated. Demanding the jacket.
Me: "She didn't take his jacket!"
It was clearly time for us to go. These guys were only going to keep coming back and I, along with a few other girls, were over the scene.
All of the girls grabbed their jackets and purses.
