One SixtyBlue and ..hormones.
Last night was filled with excellent food and drink at One SixtyBlue. I had been invited as a guest to celebrate the restaurant’s tenth anniversary and the very good food of Martial Noeguier. The restaurant (former best restaurant of Chicago 2006) was filled with women in cocktail dresses and men with suits. I had the signature ‘bluetini’ made with blueberry syrup, vodka, champagne…and something else I can not recall. The food was incredible. My date and I enjoyed an excellent amuse bouche or two and dined on a rare lamb with rosemary sauce and an excellent beef tenderloin, along with a variety of seasonal baby vegetables, all expertly prepared.
We sat next to two women (Nancy and Josephine) who were around the age of 70-75 or so, both wearing hats. We’d met them earlier when I noticed Josephine holding two drinks, her own and Nancy’s. I teased her gently about having two drinks at a time. They both belong to a hat club in Chicago. Josephine told me tales of her five weeks in Italy and how, now that she’s back, she’s been having to work out much more – including weights and cardio. Get down with your bad self, Josephine.
At one point, I glanced at my phone and saw that my sister had left me a voice mail and a text message. Her text said, “Hope u aren’t angry with me.”
I honestly can not remember the last time I was angry with my sister and we speak a few times a week, and more or less daily since her baby was born. I don’t think we’ve exchanged a harsh word in….years. I sent her a text back and said, “Did you mean this for someone else?”
She responded, “No, I am a paranoid hormone wreck. Just was afraid that you hated me. Realized that you are at your dinner party.”
Did I mention that my sister just had a baby? It some ways, it made me laugh because she must really be upside down to ever think I could hate her but it also almost made me mist up just a little to think she spent more than half a second feeling that way. I gave her a call as soon as I left the party and spoke with her briefly before she tried get some valuable sleep time.
Here’s the party favor from last night. Mmmm,…Illy espresso.
Just a random attorney writing about daily life with Little Filthy, my rotten dog.
March 28th, 2008 at 7:27 am
Pregnancy and even post-preggo hormones are frightening. Sometimes they just overpower you. I was naive and thought the hormones would go away post-birth…but no, they stick around for a good 5-6 months. Which means one minute you’re fine and the next…well, you could easily kill someone or chew their head off to a stub.
Cheers to your sister and to your wonderful friendship with her Random!
March 28th, 2008 at 7:58 am
That meal sounds beyond fabulous.
What is it with old ladies and hat clubs? I see them all the time. it’s like, some women hit menopause and suddenly are all like, “ZOMG! Must wear GIANT HAT!”
March 28th, 2008 at 8:01 am
How come I never get invited to swanky parties.
I’m jealous but glad you had fun. And good food.
March 28th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Your sister was just wanting some soothing, comforting, awwww dontcha know I love you kinda talk from you. I doubt she really thought you were angry – she just wanted you to say nice stuff to her. Which I’m sure you did.
I have stated on more than one occasion that when I get old I am going to be a bats**t crazy old lady who wears colorful hats. But I never knew there were actual CLUBS for this. Awesome!
March 28th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Your party sounds like an evening full of amuse-bouches. What a treat.
Bluetini sounds like major danger to me.
Have you relegated yourself to only flirting with women over 70? Probably safer.
I hope your sis gets some sleep soon. My post-partum problem was always severe sleep deprivation, which can drive a new mom crazy.
March 28th, 2008 at 11:11 am
My heart goes out to your sister. Those hormones are out of control. If you wanted to do something nice for her, you could arrange maid service for a month, or have some healthy dinners delivered. Those things are so helpful when you have an infant.
March 28th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Holy shit you have your own blog site.
(loyolajd)
March 28th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
First send the coffe to your sister (even though they say your not supposed to drink it when breast feeding….yeah I would have a cup a day when I was pregnant and afterwards …are they kidding me something has to keep you up 24/7!)
Second I didn’t know about older ladies and hats….until the cataloguer I work with kept me in her office showing me all her cat trinket collection and told me the story about the Red Hat Society and read me part of this poem http://www.wheniamanoldwoman.com/pages/348544/index.htm and I thought I want to be like that when I grow up
March 28th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Begijn – Holy shit is right. See what kind of trouble it has gotten me into?
March 28th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Ms. Single Mama – My sister is pretty cool. She made a baby out of food and the experience has left her an emotional wreck.
March 28th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Avitania – They were telling me they spend upwards of $200 – $800 on these hats.
Start saving now.
March 28th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Bev, would you like to come as my date to my next swanky party? You can. I think LynchSeattle will allow it. Come be the MILF in my peanutbutter-choco-sandwich.
Sincerely,
-R.
March 28th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Instigator – You. Funniest person I know right now.
March 28th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Angie – I think I am going to come visit Seattle in June. I’ll bring the bluetinis.
And I had not considered it prior to your comment, but yes, perhaps I should relegate my flirting to the 70 and older set. This way I can be fairly confident to out-run their spouses.
You hit the nail on the head with my sister – she gets no sleep and I can see the toll it is taking.
March 28th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Krystie Lee – I would be incredibly happy to do those things if she did not have more money than God and have those things already taken care of. Instead, I’m going to visit and kidnap my niece to go do fun things.
March 28th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Hi, Ladyfox – there was a slight kink in the link so I edited your comment just enough to make the link work. Cool poem – one of the benefits of age and experience, huh? Not caring what people think and enjoying what you enjoy so completely.
And yes – I’m sure she could use the coffee.
-R.
March 28th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Only if I can be the chocolate.
Peanut butter is nasty.
March 28th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Have I told you yet how I wish I lived in Chicago so that we could drink Bluetinis together? HAHA. I love that the hat club was all about you. We get them in the restaurant now and again and they crack me up. I’m pretty positive I’ll be one some day… mostly because it’s hilarious!
March 29th, 2008 at 4:15 am
PUBLIC APOLOGY
Esquire, I thought about what you said during our last chat and I am here to make a public apology and explain why I wrote what I wrote about you not being good looking here:
http://mssinglemama.wordpress.com/2008/03/24/
can-he-really-drop-his-little-black-book-for-a-family/
I read some of your old blog entries when you were together with Boss and basically some of your sentiments (genuine gushing of course) reminded me of similar things that average looking guys say. I went back to find an example and this is one them: “Somehow, someone, somewhere imagined me worthy of a hot, leggy kindergarten teacher. It is one of those things that makes me pause and envy my own life.”
Okay, yes, I admit, my assumptions were based on the stereotype of handsome men being full of themselves and not really feeling grateful if they attract hot, leggy women. For them, it is usually a given. Hot women throw themselves at handsome men left right and centre. For them, its no big deal. They don’t have to question whether they are “worthy” of hot, leggy women. They KNOW they are because they’re used to it. So to see you envying your own life for having a hot, leggy woman, made me think perhaps you are one of those average looking guys who punched above his weight and scored…yay!
Don’t blame me exclusively though, blame the men in male forums who freely admit such things. They say things like: “Lookswise I’m a 4, so the kind of women I attract are usually between a 3 and 5. If a 9 ever asked me out, gosh, I would just faint in ecstasy!”
Anyway, here is an apology treat for you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD3sa-YJATY
Enjoy!
x
Cara
PS: I did the apology in public because the comment I made about your looks was in public.
March 29th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Cara,
Thanks, but truly – not required.
I know what I look like.
I don’t mind the speculation.
March 29th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Mmmmmmm… fooooooood! With both Bev and I being foodies, we can appreciate some wonderful nummies to chow down on. I hope you get out here to Seattle so we can wine and dine you at some of the incredible places we have to eat at here! Even though Seattle is a small city, it’s got a high foodie-quotient.
Yum!