Hostylefax: Bloggers Converge on Brooklyn
Last night was Rich's 25th birthday (Friday, technically), so a collection of us gathered at his and Adele's apartment to celebrate. Of the eight of us who went out to dinner, at least four blogs were represented: 34, Brooklyn: A Lawyer's Life, Chimpy's, plus FFH. Later Adam (Jeff's roommate, not No-Veg Adam) and his brother Josh turned up to represent Tales of a 25th-Grade Nothing, and I think I overheard Shiny saying she had posted about her and Scotto's engagement on a blog, which may have implied the existance of a sixth. If you count the now-defunct Sevilla: A Writer's Life, that makes seven. Perhaps all of this means there will be a Rashoman-style rendering of Rich's birthday available soon to those who care to learn the Modernist truth. Or maybe they'll just link to this one for an instant blog posting.
Anyway, we ate at an Italian restaurant whose name I forgot to notice down the street from their new apartment in Cobble Hill. I met Rich's old friend Carol for the first time, who informed me that his high school running buddies used to call him Chard, and that it drives Adele crazy. It had been many years since I'd seen Scotto or Shiny, whom I knew in college through Rich, and I don't think I'd seen Jimmy since my wedding, so it was very nice and reassuring for my frame of reference to know that everyone was exactly how I had imagined. In fact, when I came in, Jimmy was already turning scarlet from drinking a Mike's lemonade, just like the old days.
I ordered a Risotto con Funghi Porcini, but only after securing Jeff's approval because I knew it was kind of heavy for an August evening outdoors, but it was yummy and totally hit the spot. Adele ordered Rich a plain risotto that did not exist on the menu--it seems Rich objected to seafood, mushrooms and primavera vegetables, so she specified that she wanted it prepared like regular risotto just without Stuff. When it arrived Scotto asked him how he liked his Cheese Grits. A lot, it turned out. Our waitress overheard me describing my master's program and told me she thought that would be really interesting, describing a lecture she'd been to on the Influenza epidemic at the Natural History Museum. I love New York.
After dinner it was cake time. Adele didn't really want us to eat the cake. There had been an incident last year on Rich's birthday in which he and another party became ill after eating a cake Adele had prepared (the Vomitous Cake Incident), and she was nervous. It turned out to be delicious, but Adele felt personally cursed by it. The candles sank into the cake and were only precariously shepherded into the living room where they were promptly extinguished by the air conditioner and had to be relit on the stove. Then the icing that she didn't like spilled on her shirt. Jeff took the above picture of the cake with his nerd phone and had it posted before the cake made it to the living room. I know he also took a picture of Rich blowing out the electronic version of his candles, which stayed lit somewhat better, but I don't know where that is this morning.
Dessert was followed by video games which I studiously ignored except for the part when a giant turtle came out of the sea. Oh, and I noticed that Jimmy hadn't typed in a name for himself, so he corrected that and played the rest of the game with an arrow labeled "Sexy" pointing to his character. Rich displayed his newly acquired skills at the Spanish guitar, and I actually was really impressed. I attempted some Spanish improv in the way of lyrics, but it all quickly descended into "Tengo Una Vaca Lechera," gracias por Jeffy. Then we played Risk because, according to Scotto, we're so cool. I was holding the line against his incursion into Europe when we took pity on Adele and decided to let her go to sleep so she could catch her plane to California in the morning.
I spent the night on Jeff and Adam's air mattress in complete comfort, and am now typing on Adam's computer having helped myself to one of his sweatshirts because they have a truly impressive air conditioner here. Jeff's alarm is set for 8:34 Eastern ever morning, and since I have been waking up at 5:34 Pacific every morning, it turns out we've been waking up at the same minute. In fact I hear the pitter-patter of huge feet in the next room, so I think he's up.
I have less than 48 hours left here, so I will try to make the most of it. Stay tuned to find out what the most entails.
Anyway, we ate at an Italian restaurant whose name I forgot to notice down the street from their new apartment in Cobble Hill. I met Rich's old friend Carol for the first time, who informed me that his high school running buddies used to call him Chard, and that it drives Adele crazy. It had been many years since I'd seen Scotto or Shiny, whom I knew in college through Rich, and I don't think I'd seen Jimmy since my wedding, so it was very nice and reassuring for my frame of reference to know that everyone was exactly how I had imagined. In fact, when I came in, Jimmy was already turning scarlet from drinking a Mike's lemonade, just like the old days.
I ordered a Risotto con Funghi Porcini, but only after securing Jeff's approval because I knew it was kind of heavy for an August evening outdoors, but it was yummy and totally hit the spot. Adele ordered Rich a plain risotto that did not exist on the menu--it seems Rich objected to seafood, mushrooms and primavera vegetables, so she specified that she wanted it prepared like regular risotto just without Stuff. When it arrived Scotto asked him how he liked his Cheese Grits. A lot, it turned out. Our waitress overheard me describing my master's program and told me she thought that would be really interesting, describing a lecture she'd been to on the Influenza epidemic at the Natural History Museum. I love New York.
After dinner it was cake time. Adele didn't really want us to eat the cake. There had been an incident last year on Rich's birthday in which he and another party became ill after eating a cake Adele had prepared (the Vomitous Cake Incident), and she was nervous. It turned out to be delicious, but Adele felt personally cursed by it. The candles sank into the cake and were only precariously shepherded into the living room where they were promptly extinguished by the air conditioner and had to be relit on the stove. Then the icing that she didn't like spilled on her shirt. Jeff took the above picture of the cake with his nerd phone and had it posted before the cake made it to the living room. I know he also took a picture of Rich blowing out the electronic version of his candles, which stayed lit somewhat better, but I don't know where that is this morning.
Dessert was followed by video games which I studiously ignored except for the part when a giant turtle came out of the sea. Oh, and I noticed that Jimmy hadn't typed in a name for himself, so he corrected that and played the rest of the game with an arrow labeled "Sexy" pointing to his character. Rich displayed his newly acquired skills at the Spanish guitar, and I actually was really impressed. I attempted some Spanish improv in the way of lyrics, but it all quickly descended into "Tengo Una Vaca Lechera," gracias por Jeffy. Then we played Risk because, according to Scotto, we're so cool. I was holding the line against his incursion into Europe when we took pity on Adele and decided to let her go to sleep so she could catch her plane to California in the morning.
I spent the night on Jeff and Adam's air mattress in complete comfort, and am now typing on Adam's computer having helped myself to one of his sweatshirts because they have a truly impressive air conditioner here. Jeff's alarm is set for 8:34 Eastern ever morning, and since I have been waking up at 5:34 Pacific every morning, it turns out we've been waking up at the same minute. In fact I hear the pitter-patter of huge feet in the next room, so I think he's up.
I have less than 48 hours left here, so I will try to make the most of it. Stay tuned to find out what the most entails.
3 Comment(s):
- Posted by
Jeff'y at August 21, 2005 7:34 AM |
Permanent Link to this Comment - Posted by Rich at August 21, 2005 8:19 AM |
Permanent Link to this Comment
- Posted by Jeff'y at August 21, 2005 8:20 PM |
Permanent Link to this Comment
Before any gets too impressed by Banana's ability to be awake early, you should know that she is now asleep on the futon in my living room, having passed out 50 minutes into Big Night. The afore-blogged risotto (Natalie) imbroglio led to Banananapper saying that she wanted to watch it, but apparently she did not want to watch it all the way through. It is a shame though, because it's one of my favourites, and she's never seen it all.
I am impressed by Banana's blogging punctuality. I might have something up later after my orientation party. Blah.
Oh, and I got Bananaphax to explain what the heck "Hostylefax" means. So now I know.
