I'm backkkkkkkkkk!!!

Ok, it’s been awhile.

Just haven’t been in the mood to write. But now I have a little bit of time. Here’s what we’ve been up to.

After getting back from my Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Los Angeles trip Dave and I had a pretty quite two weeks at home. Always nice because it doesn’t happen often. We then headed off to London in November, me the 22nd and Dave the weekend before. We had Daniel come along too. It was a real whirlwind of activity. Daniel and I get off the plan and decide to take the tube into town instead of my usual (and much favored) Heathrow Express to Padington and taxi to SOHO.

I don’t think I want to do that again.

The tube took over an hour to get to Lechster Square. After being on a plane for 8 hours I was ready to be there. Once we got there we get out to the street and I’m completely lost. Mind you, I know London so this surprised me. We were staying on Old Compton street and I started us in the direction I thought it was but got confused when we ended up in China town. I didn’t remember there being a China town there. So I stopped and called Dave. He walked me the long way around to the flat.

I was headed in the right direction but had only seen those streets in the dark and with most of the Chinese stores closed with no lights on. That’s where I got confused.

We go up to the flat, take a shower and then head out for lunch. I’ve been in London for two hours at this point. We meet up with our friend Derek who lives in DC and is extremely British and was in town visiting the same time we where and Diago, another friend that lives in London. After our quick lunch we realize we need to make it to the train station to go visit mum.

We’re running late.

We still decided to get some beautiful flowers on the way. It takes forever for the girl to arrange them, but it’s well worth it. We finally get a cab and make it to the train station on time to sit down and leave. Luckily we had assigned seat as the train was packed.

We make it to Bedford and Dave’s mum is waiting for us. Off to the house we go. Auntie and Uncle show up and we have a great meal. Decide to go back to the flat at around 10ish. We get there and for some reason I now have energy. We go out to G-A-Y late until about one. I don’t know how I did it but I did.

I did get some sleep that night.

The next day is Friday and we have a party at Ian and Darryl’s that evening. They have this great place near ST Pancreas that they purchased three years ago. What planning! They now have the Euro Star a 15 minute walk away from the house. Did I mention it’s a penthouse with great views of the city? We’ll it is.

We stayed there until about 11, around 20 people showed up by the time we left. We then cabed to the last ever night of Fiction nearby. What a fun night. We stayed until 3ish. We more or less just stood around and talked, not really dancing at all. The funny thing is that as the night went on the more I talked to people. By the end of the night I decided to chat up this guy that had looked at me a couple of times. I go over and introduce myself, bring him and his friend over to say hi to Dave and chat for a bit only to find out, get this, that he was

Straight!!!!!

Just my luck, picking up the one bloke in the place that wasn’t really interested. Oh well.

Saturday wasn’t really that eventfull. We did end up staying up in our flat until 3ish with some friends. But that was about it.

Sunday was another clubbing night. We got invited to a 60th birthday party by Diago and Mark. I don’t remember the name of the venue but it was cool. We had the whole place to ourselves and it was right down the road from DTPM so after the party we all walked there. Daniel and I didn’t stay very long as Daniel picked up. We went back to the flat and Dave stayed for a bit and danced with our UK Daniel friend. It was a good thing to do because Dave could relax at that point and not worry about US Daniel so he could dance.

About 3am Dave shows up back at the flat, we’re all still awake and end up staying awake talking. Dave and I end up getting breakfast at Balains’s café that morning because neither of us was sleepy. Daniel had already taken his boy back into the bedroom.

So that’s Monday morning. Here’s when I get a little bit confused. We had dinner with Andy either on that night or the next. When we did have dinner with Andy, Paul came by after buying 25 pounds (UK Money not weight) of grapes at Harrod’s. It wasn’t that big of a bag either. That’s some expensive grapes. We ate at Balain’s.

At some point we had dinner with Laurence at Caffe Bohim, I don’t remember if it was Saturday or Tuesday night or maybe both. It all runs together. I did work on the later bit of Monday and all of Tuesday, travel home on Wednesday.

We always leave wanting more, that’s a good thing.

We get home, poor Dave has a cold/flu and I’m just worn out. I go to the office the next day. I might as well not been here I was that out of it.

Butt….

I still had the strength to meet Kiat out for drinks and dinner, (just because I don’t think I spent enough money in London$$$$) I meet him at Halo for happy hour at 6ish, Dave had a networking thing in Tyson’s that night. We stayed there waiting for some of Kiat’s coworkers that never showed up. Finally we take a cab (it’s Kiat, remember) and high tail it to this new restaurant that opened in the Ritz on 24th and M streets, the Blue Duck Tavern.

Us- Do you have a table for two walk-ins?

Lady Hostess – (Looks us up and Down) No reservation, I’m so sorry, we can’t seat you without a reservation.

Kiat- Sweet talking- Awww, come on. You don’t look that busy.

Lady Hostess –No!

So we leave and go to another new restaurant down the road at 22nd and M. Just opened up and took over where David Gregory was.

See conversation above but replace lady with man.

So we end up going to Pesce on P street near the house, we meet Tony there and proceed to have a really good meal. As consolation prizes go we did ok. I had Scallops in the shell with spinach and garlic butter to start and for the main I had tuna encrusted in pepper with slices of Grapefruit and a passion fruit sorbet. Very scrummy.

So remember, this is the day after I got back from London. The day before I was eating at Zuni fish with Dave in Soho. I mention this and Kiat reminds me that he had been in Sydney the Sunday before. Too funny.

Ok, Friday at home with my man watching an Italian movie where I understood about half of what was being said. The movie wasn’t so good, Dave fell asleep.

Saturday we had the most productive day. Up early because we had stayed home the night before. ( I think that will become our date night from now on) We went to Home depot and finished getting things for the New bathroom that Dave is having put in his rental. We then went to Harris Teater(Tosco for you brits) and purchased $500 in groceries. We hadn’t been in a long time. We helped our friend Brett pick up some art that he had framed. Cool Stuff.

We then had a party at Rob and Mikko’s. We all know how those go.

Sunday was brunch at the house with some friends over.

Monday was work and then an event for the Williams Institute. Dinner after at Hank’s oyster bar. Bed by 11, which is one hour later than normal for me.

Work today, Dave’s brother, sister-in-law and niece are coming over for dinner. I’m cooking. I need to get home early to do that. Going to stop by trader Joe’s on the way home.

Anyway, that’s what’s been going on in my life. Never a dull moment for the wicked.