Beantown Bachelorette Bash

So, I'm giving this a shot for December. I hope I can keep up with the daily posts, but I'm not going to commit to anything, no need for that disappointment!

Today's post: The Best Night Out
Wow, when you really start to think about these prompts you realize how difficult it can be to go back through an entire year, and by difficult I mean remember the entire year. I guess the point is that it should really stick out though, right?
This past year there were two fantastic weddings that I was in and thinking back it would have to be the nights out for those. Since I have to pick one- here goes.

My return to Boston
Since leaving in 2007, I admittedly haven't been very good about going back to visit Boston, my home of 3 years. I miss it. But enough about me, let's talk about the night. Kate and I rented a hotel room, which was plush and comfy and right near all the action. The restaurant had been booked, the supplies bought, and the bars scoped. The bachelorette bash in Beantown was looking good.
Helena (the bride to be), Kate, Robin, Jen, Laura and I all met in the room and put on our beads and penis paraphernalia. We were ready to go. After some Champagne in the hotel bar to loosen us up, we were a mixed group of friends, we headed to a funky new bar, Drink. We hunkered up in a spot that fit our group and watched the magic happen. The bartenders here just want to know what you enjoy and then they, using classic bar-tending skills, mix up something that's better than you'd ever imagine. They have many tricks up their sleeves and our minds were getting foggier and our laughs louder. After a few delicious beverages we headed to dinner at Joe's on the water. The waiter was young and funny, and we were getting more and more giggly. Perfect. It was time to break out the big guns.
We walked quickly to our next destination, the club. The penis pops came out, the penis necklaces were finally adorned. The bachelorette tiara went on. It was time to break this party wide open.
We found a great spot in the basement where the music was pumping and people dancing, to top it off there was a poll to dance on. This party was getting good! We danced, sweated, had some shots, and explored the 3 floors of the bar before deciding to call it a night, just in time. We'd done it up right in honor of our bachelorette.
We're not the 23 year olds we used to be, and we know when it is time to just cozy up in a feather bed and talk about the excitement of getting married, which is just how the night ended.
So why was this the best night out of '09? I was with my best friends, in a city i love, living it up in the perfect style. Fantastic.

Vacation

We drove on tight curvy roads a bit too fast
We tasted glass after glass of good wine and found it hard to believe it was all really that good
We ran along the Russian River
We bickered and laughed and poked fun at each other like good families do
We met the man whose Grandfather illegitimately fathered Ted Williams
We saw the Golden Gate up close and from Land's End
We walked the tiny cramped streets of China town
We walked and ran the long steep hills of the city
We took in a game
We went to where the city ends at the ocean and just drove
We marveled at mansions
We saw the Pacific, and wound along it through small towns with big fields
We saw large redwoods that rose infinitely in to the sky and then turned a bend in the road and found hills upon hills of golden grass that clung to our clothes after laying in it.
We had meal after meal placed in front of us and it was all good, and sometimes of our own making.

And it was good.

A little bit of this, and a little bit of that

This year was so much better than last. I was in the moment, I was enjoying each moment, I was loving it for me and for Dad like I wanted. Friday, our last full day, it was rainy most of the morning and when the sun finally popped out around 2 I hurried into my bathing suit and down to the dock for sunning. I wanted those last few rays to warm my skin, I wanted to be able to hold the feeling, the warmth and color on me for weeks after I'd left.
There was a family with an infant playing in the water and as I lay, eyes closed and face up I smiled and laughed along with them. It was just the four of us and it was great. The sun started to move behind the trees surrounding the dock and I kept moving my lounge chair further and further to the edge of the dock to keep the sun on me. At one point, when there was no one there, I just stood on the furtherest edge and basked in the light. I was craving it and didn't want to give in and head back up to the cabin. When it finally moved well beyond where I could reach it, I turned and gazed out at the lake. The sun was still sparkling magically on the eerily calm water and I thought, "Why don't I just get in the kayak?" So I did. It was a total Dad move. Decide you want to get out there and just go. Normally I may have just paddled to the middle of our part of the lake and lounged, but instead I kept paddling, even beyond the edge of Great Island that marked our entrance to the rest of the lake. I saw Sunset Rock in front of me on another Island, a place we'd stopped at during many family kayaking trips. I hadn't gone all last year, and now was the perfect time.
I felt great as I glided through the water. I let the sadness I had been feeling all week flow through me and pass over me and release. My arms, my shoulders, my body were in rhythm and I hummed the song that Dad would always reference as he explained the best speed of your paddles, "A little bit of this, a little bit of that, a little bit of this, a little bit of that."
As I reached the rock, I saw there was a young girl laying on a blanket reading near the water. Someone like me, I thought. Looking for somewhere to get away and just be.
As I glided to a stop and pulled the kayak up onto the rocky edge I realized I hadn't brought a towel, or anything to lean on, or lay on. Oh well. I immediately jumped into the clean, clear water and let myself slip into the cool comfort I feel when being underwater. I came up for air and swam a little bit further out before coming back and climbing onto the rock hot with the days sun.
I leaned back on my hands, closed my eyes and tilted my head up. It felt great to just sit there and be bathed in late day sun. I tried mediating, just breathing deeply and clearing my mind. I was able to for a bit, and then more people started to gather on the popular rock. I thought, if I had brought a towel I probably would have stayed for hours.
I climbed back into the kayak and began paddling back towards the tip of Great Island and then back. As I neared the Island, I slowed down my stroke debating whether to stop at some other rocks I had seen. I heard a splashing to my left and looked over as a loon emerged from the water about a paddles length away from me. I was frozen for a second as I looked at the large black and white bird and his, or her, red eye fixed on me. Loons are beautiful creatures, and large when you're as close to them as I was. I wish I didn't get scared and paddle a bit more quickly away, but I did and as I turned to look at the bird again I saw him, or her, rise a little ways out of the water and flap his, or her, wings. Territorial, I thought. Good thing I paddled away.
As I made my way back to the cabin, I felt happy and proud. I had gone into the week wanting to be able to let myself just take in and enjoy where I was, do things for Dad, and myself. And I had, and this kayak gave me a renewed since of, I'm okay. And, after a week of being in a small house with lots of people coming in and out it was nice to have some alone time too, although I didn't feel totally alone.


Too see them all

Week on Squam

Sparkling light on water
Pre-storm breezes
Post-rain steam lifting above fields
Rays of sun through clouds
Deep late light on plush green hills
Loon calls
The white of a loon's belly
Lake air wiping around and through me on the boat
Sun
Raft wood against my breasts and stomach
The clicking of my camera

Car Talk

"Hold on."
"What?"
"I want to write down our conversations on the trip."
"It'll be a short list" snicker
"Whaaat?!"

"Isn't that a little weird?"
"What?"
"Colbat SS"
"What does it stand for?"
"I don't know, but isn't it a little weird?"
"Why?"
"Cause of the Gestapo?"
"Oh..."

"I want one of those watches you slap on."
"A slap bracelet watch?"
"Yeah! Slap bracelets were awesome!"
"Totally."
"Whatever happened to them? Didn't someone get hurt?"
"I think so, yeah"
"That's one of the problems with our litigious society. Someone gets hurt by something and then it's gone. Why can't they just put it out there that someone got hurt and then have a little fun with it?"
"Yeah, I don't know. How do you spell litigious?"

"NJ revolves around the turnpike- that's the truth. A fun game to play is looking at all the stupid town names. Maybe we'll get to see my least favorite town name."
"Yeah, I think I remember this."
"Mmhmm."
"So what is it?"
"Well, I don't know if we're going to pass it or not."
"Just tell me the name."
"Lodi New Jersey."
"Right, I remember now."
"I haven't seen the name of every town across the US but that is definitely low on my list of good names."
"I like the name Lodi."
"Maybe if there was a town like Matt Sucks, I'd like that less."
"Yeah, Mattsucks New Jersey."

"What are you thinking about?"
"I don't know. What are you thinking about?"
"What you're thinking about."
"You're thinking about what I'm thinking about?"
"Uh-huh."
"Okay."
"This was a good conversation."
"It doesn't have to be over."
"Mmhmm."
"I'm thinking about passing this guy," Said as he passes a guy.

"Is that the moon?"
"That red light?"
"NO!" pause, "That!"
"Woah, it is red."
"Yeah, it's on the horizon."
"Woah"
"(mocking) That red light."
"I was gonna say, if you thought that was the moon you're way off and we're about to pass it."

Savannah

Slowly

People move more slowly here. I'm moving a bit more slowly.
We stay up late and sleep late, we move through the day at our own speed. Having lunch at 3 and dinner at 9.

We sit in air conditioned rooms and talk, we walk through hazy hot streets and comment on the Spanish moss trees. We grill every night and comment on how good it tastes, how Kate and Eric are going to grill every night even after we leave.











We stood and watched the fireworks over a crowd of people and drank beer out of plastic cups, our own beer, it's allowed here. I put $1 into a juke box and we didn't hear my songs, but it didn't matter. We walked three blocks too far in the heat only to find what we were looking for across the street from where we started, but it didn't matter.


We sit in Adirondack chairs under the shade of old trees while we watch dogs play in wood-chips. Everyone knows each other via the dogs and all watch throughly entertained as two bigger ones wrestle. Its enough amusement to fill a lazy afternoon.





I move more slowly here.

Before I get in the car for 13 hours

I'm off to Savannah- to see
Kate- the bestest
Eric- The boyfriend, and also awesome

Looking forward to:

Funny conversations with Matt
Seeing beautiful landscapes
Writing in the car
Having an excuse to eat bad food
Watching the types of people at rest stops change
Getting to Kate's front door
An open stretch of road
The adventure

Not looking forward to:

Driving in a car for 13+ hours
Being nervous that if I fall asleep Matt will get sleepy
Criticizing Matt's driving (Doing it doesn't mean I like it!)
Eating bad food because we're on the road
My totally anxiety and pushiness about "just getting there"
Traffic

Look for:

Updates from Savannah to come, and lots and lots of pictures

Real Rome

I was drawn to the people- the realness of Rome, perhaps because it was the realness of life that brought to Rome.

Lucky Star Bus

I went to NYC over the long weekend to visit the boy- unfortunately the way I get there is via the lucky star bus. This is a true trip into a microchosim of society that few get to visit- so let me help you through this post.
I usually try to get to South Station to board at least 30 minutes before departure time. They don't let you board until about 5 minutes before they are scheduled to leave, but I like to be one of the first in line so I can get a seat near the front (anyone who has taken busses frequently in the pass knows if you sit near the front you won't have to share the seat since people always head to the back to find seats). I suppose that makes me a special part of the social scene as well.
Anyway- a line inevitably forms behind me of other mute bus riders who just want to get on and get where they are going. For this reason I usually start using my IPod as I'm waiting, however this past time I didn't. This exposed me to the lovely woman who stood behind me and started chatting. She was clearly a bit of an odd duck. Started right in about how she does the bus trip every week from VT to NYC to go see some movies and sneaks food in? So odd. I just stood there nodding as she talked to my back.
So, because I'm first in line I get a seat right in the front of the bus, sweet. Loads of people pile on all heading to the back, just as I'd planned. About 2/3 of the way through the bus filling up- the odd duck from earlier- runs off yelling about there being too many people and she needs her ticket back, this isn't what she paid for- she can't ride with this many people. I watch as the young asian man who's "heading up" the operations that night try to handle her and think, for someone who rides this weekly- wouldn't you 1. expect it to be full (it always is) and 2. be used to it by now?
Anyway- although this is a little out of the usual for the Lucky Star- it was so worth pointing out.
Unfortunately someone sits next to me, just as we're getting ready to leave. She's skinny- so its okay and I settle in. As we head down the expressways- I notice the driver creeping closer to closer to cars in front of her. I can hardly ever read on the Lucky Star due to the constant braking and jerking from lane to lane. They do however avoid the furtherest left lane, so corteious.
The Lucky Star always stops at Roy Rogers on 84. There was one trip where I got fried chicken on the way down and back- it was good- but I can never do it again. It is always a mad rush off to the bus to get to the bathrooms- and the counter. I wouldn't trust the one of the bus, I've actually never had to use it- knock on wood. You would think the Roy Rogers staff would be prepared for the bus that seems to always stop on their many trips the time of which could be easily predcted and tracked.
It is during this stop that I always get to see the real demographic of who is on the bus. There is always a handful of Asian men and women making the trip to the city- you usually see them on the way back with bags and bags of cheap goods they've amassed over the weekend. There are usually a group or two of college freshman getting away for the weekend, they giggle a lot towards the back of the bus. I often see pairs of African American women and at least one African American family with their children. The rest are a smattering of young adults like myself- visiting friends, etc. This time there was a large group of seniors in highschool that looked like they were heading into the city to rave- I didn't know raving was still in.
Anyway- its always somewhat upsetting to have to climb back on the bus- by this point there is trash collecting and it is starting to smell a bit.
When you finally arrive on Chrystie St. its exciting that you've reached your destination- but it is still a bit of a trip to get to where you need considering the Train is a good walk away. I had to wait longer than usual for the boy to get me so I got to see who left with who and where they want. A lot of people walked off to find the Train, a few lucky ones got rides and others hailed cabs. And, lucky for me I saw the odd duck get off the fung wah and walk by me muttering to herself- thank god she didn't recognize me.
I've never really talked to anyone on the Lucky Star- I've oohed an awwed at babys and smiled at people if we both saw something funny. My streak broke on the way home. The girl sitting next to me started up after we boarded post roy rogers- it was actually really nice. Maybe I'll try it next time too. Here's to Presidents Day weekend and my next Lucky Star trip.