Bad Car Day

Last Sunday Manolito (my car has a name, and that name is Manolito) decided to pull a stunt on us. We were doing the usual going to Safeway to pick up groceries for the Argentine and for a pumpkin pie I had requested. We left the grocery store get in the car and it refuses to start. We try one more time, it refuses to start again. I start to panic, but the Argentine starts thinking, he thinks it is the battery, and that all we need is for someone to jump start the car. We call Geico and we wait [this post now goes into a linear mode to fully express what happened]

3:30 pm we waiting for Geico tow truck
4:30 pm no truck in site, luckily for us a AAA truck just came into the shopping center, so I go flag it down, he jumpstarts the car. Yay !! all is good, he tells us drive for 20 minutes or so, until the battery recharges
4:50 pm we drive, drive a little more, we even go to Autozone, where they tell us we need to bring the battery in for them to check it
5:00 pm we go back to the Argentine’s
5:01 pm try to start the car, and it died again
5:10 pm decide to check the battery at Autozone, we start by tacking it out of the car, well the Argentine does all the work, I look and cheer and bring the tools (ha,ha,ha). No seriously he is the butch one.
5:30 pm get to Autozone, where they tell us the battery is not charged. Decide on buying a new one, they do not have the one that my car needs, so they tell us they will charge the battery for 30 mins. We wait, and wait and wait
6:00 pm leave Autozone and go try the battery, guess? Yes the battery did not charge.
6:15 pm Drive to my place to get my jumper cables
6:45 pm Try to jump start the car in the hope of driving it to my place where it can be parked and not moved for a week, the Argentine’s street is cleaned Tuesdays and Wednesdays so the car could not be just left there.
6:50 pm Manolito’s electrical system is fine, the windows and the lights turn on and function but the engine is just not starting.
6:53 pm Call Geico to get another person to come help
6:55 pm Eat dinner chez Paradigm, the stew was really good
7:30 pm Tow truck person calls, only he is not in a tow truck he is in a green Cadillac,
7:45 pm we loose all hopes, even after jump starting again, Manolito shuts down within 2 minutes
7:46 pm I freak out
7:47 pm the Argentine helps me keep it all under control and we decide to leave the car there and he will try and get a new battery Monday

… (this means 16 hours go by)

11:00 am the Argentine suggests we call VW Road Side Assistance, since he car is under guarantee.
11:10 am I call and presto, they will take the car to a dealership in the DC Area for free
11:20 am I call the dealership in Tysons Corner, the car is under guarantee
11:30 am try the dealership in Friendship Heights and see if they will take my car, since I usually go to the one in Tysons, they say Yes
11:40 am call VW Road Side, tell them to take the car to the DC Dealership, they say the tow truck will be there within an hour. Give them the Argentine’s number (no silly thoughts, this was all business) and since he is home it should not be a problem.
12:40 pm No sign of the tow truck (actually a flat bed one)
1:00 pm VW called the Argentine to say they had sent another one since the first company had not dispatched the driver
1:10 pm I call VW to get the information on this new company and email it to the Argentine
2:20 pm the first company shows up and they pick up Manolito and take him to the dealership

End of the ordeal, so as you can see it took a full day to resolve the issue. To say I was nervous, anxious and worried sick is an understatement. Then to top it all off I had to travel, so Monday was all done via phone, email and good vibes sent back and forth between DC and the corner of Broadway and 38th. I know it can be much worse, so I am just stating the facts and thanking my man, for helping me out.

Two Different Cities

Last Tuesday I had to dramatically opposite experiences, both here, and both tell plenty about this city. The first one was a farewell for one of our team mates, and for some bizarre reason the people at the office decided to take her to Dave and Busters. I have never been a fan of arcades, or video games, probably my lack of grace, equilibrium and a long attention span, I have just never been able to play arcade games. Not me, not ever. I went to the place located in 42nd Street, right just west of 7th Avenue. It is probably the most horrid space in the entire island. You walk half a block full of LCD displays, adds, lights and bulbs that flash in every imaginable hue. The Red Lobster is right in the intersection of 42nd and 7th, and the one thing that kept capturing my attention was this huge lobster in the facade, like the Earth it kept turning on an axis and opening and closing its claws.

To get into D&b you pass all this horridness and walk into an empty lobby, go up a couple flight of stairs, pass a Ruby Tuesday's and finally you enter the Dave and Busters. It is at that time that you leave Manhattan and you enter America, this generic America where everything everywhere looks exactly the same. The drinks, the space, the people, the menus and the food. For the 2 hours I stayed there, talking to the customers and making nice, I could have been in Fargo, or Atlanta. The place was so generic that the only thing that kept me thinking I was in NY was that I had passed the New Victory Theater on my way into the space. It was horrible, the food was bad, the drinks were weak. I even played some of the games and made enough points to exchange for something at the end of the night. When I walked into the little store where you choose your price I saw some Care Bears, and knowing that there is a Mexican Care bear, called Amigo Care Bear, I thought i will get the Argentine one. They did not have it, so I gave my points to L and she got herself a little cute blue thingy for her desk.

Finally at 9 we all left D&B, I was not very hungry, but needed some chow before going to bed. M decided to take me to this sushi place he likes which happened to be somewhere in the path to my hotel - on the other side of town. We walked to Korea Town, on 32nd and Broadway and made our way East on 32nd. It is a strip full of Asian places, so I thought,we are going into one of these. No, it was not to be, we walked into building in the middle of the street and take the elevator to the 3rd floor. As the doors opened, we reach a second lobby and we open the only door there, and as by magic we were transported into one of those uber cool bars/restaurants/Karaoke place( this was Korea town after all) you see in the movies.

The space was all white and grey, the booths were not booths but benches separated by white drapes that created and defined the tables and the spaces, the bar as long and sleek. Every single kind of alcohol you could wish for was offered, and in the middle of the room, a huge Buddhist bell, and a transparent floor. Everyone there was Asian, everyone, I stuck out like an alien. Anyhow we sit down, they bring us the many menus, we order 4 rolls and some drinks, me being the non Asian, they forget to bring my drink, but they make up my bringing a couple 20 minutes later and they most weird sushi I have ever had was served. The rice was red, M said that red rice is the rice of the poor, but that it makes really good sushi,and each roll had more ingredients than I an remember. It was all good, even the one that was flamed on its way to the table. We ate the sushi and after a admiring the space, we paid the bill and I headed back to my hotel.

These are the 2 New Yorks, the one of the tourists who know no better, and the one of the locals who maybe know a little too much.

The worst bed in the bed ... not

After three nights at the Hotel in the East Side (a Ramada) which was not as bad as they reputation puts them, I can now say that the worst bed in the world, is that bed that they advertise everywhere the Tempur-pedic bed. Let me explain it feels like a block of foam, and you just kinda lay there and it does mold to the body shape and all that, but I can still not get out of my head the fact that I feel like I am sleeping in a foam mattress and that just doesn't suit me. My bed back home is firm, and no pun intended, i like firm beds. So this whole being absorbed in to the bed felt so unnatural to me, also I read at night just before bed - do not listen to the Argentine who will say that is not the case - when I am traveling it is nice to read before bed, cuz it relaxes my otherwise high strung mind and allows me to sleep without the aid of Tylenol PM. Anyhow so this is the main problem with this bed, it is just designed to sleep, not to read on it.
Because the mattress adopts your body form it is hard to read, because there is no support, so I ended up rolling around, and moving this way and that way and finally had to lay on my back and read with the book above my head, but then my arms get tired of holding the book, it doesn't help that I am reading a hard cover. So yes this bed is not made for reading, that is for sure.
On the other hand as weird and alien as the material seemed to me, at first I thought what kind of cheap ass bed is this, one does really sleep in it well. Even today I managed to sleep in till 7, decided to skip the gym, since I have a 20 block walk to the office and hauled my sorry ass and my bags to the office in the middle of the rain and the wind.

East Side Story

How funny of me to name this entry East Side Story, but that is because for the last two weeks I stayed in Chelsea and Mid town West, which were nice. But I knew the areas so there was little surprise, I knew what to expect of the barren that is the Garment district next to Penn Station and was entertained in the streets of Chelsea by the gym, the stores, the restaurant and the passers by. This week, I had to find a cheap but good hotel and they only thing that look right was on the East Side, to be more precise at the corner of Lexington and 30Th.

After work, I walked through Midtown until I found Lexington (It was a heck of a walk, like 6 huge blocks) and then walked down to 30th. I was not sure what I was going to find, I am not even sure the neighborhood has a name, but it is lovely. I was won over when i saw no less than 3 sushi restaurants by the hotel, and what seems like an upscale American dinner thing called Penelope across the street. The neighborhood feels quite like a neighborhood, a lot of brownstones and apartment building - with door mans of course - a lot of little stores, and dry cleaners and things like that.

The hotel this week is fine, the bed is a total disaster - that is worth another entry though. The carpets could use a change, and the furniture is circa 1984, but other than that the room is spacious (I am not saying big, I am saying spacious),clean and the bathroom is enough. It is lacking some space for my toiletries, but hey the entire La Prairie collection of potions doesn't fit in most places. So far so good, they even have complimentary breakfast, but I woke up too late today to make use of it.

If I have to walk one more block

NY is a city of pedestrians, and I had always thought that I was a walker. I like to walk and I am infamous for parking far away from my destination and walk around an entire neighborhood. But NY is different. Last week, I was going out with the co-workers to dinner and we walked here and there, and back and then we walked some more and finally got to the restaurant. Of course after dinner there was some more walking.

When I got back to the hotel and called the Argentine, it finally struck me. I was tired of walking - I have been tired for 2 weeks now. It was like a rebellious stance, where the driver in me, worse the commuter in me, had just decided that there was no way I could walk another block. Of course the next morning I walked to work and walked to a show and even walked back to the hotel, but that was cuz I had no cash to pay for the cabs, and because I had dessert with my dinner and thought it better to just walk and at least burn some calories.

I never thought I would say this, but I miss my car and I miss not having to walk everywhere, specially where there are all these slow tourists and people everywhere crowding the sidewalks and walking like they were on a a procession or something, instead of late for work.

There I said it, aghh I became an angry New York pedestrian in all of 2 days. Hey at least it will help me no gain more weight ? Maybe,please,,,

Back to DC

Been busy at work this past 2 days, I get to go back home soon ... Yay !!!

The Brooklyn Follies a Review

Another Book Review at the Argentine's

The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster

I actually liked it quite a bit, even if it took me only 1 month to read.

Starting at 6 am

For the first time in my life I woke up at 6, not be at work at 7, but to hit the gym before work. Somehow I feel invigorated but my legs are about to "give". One of the problems faced by social people like myself is that after work, we want to go socialize, and when you are in a little town like Wilkesboro, well its easy to go the gym, cuz there is nothing really to do. NYC on the other hand is completely different proposition all together and the two coworkers love to go out and they do not have to do much to convince me to just tag along. So workouts in the morning - tripple yawn - here I come.

Next on the list

Today as I browse the NYT, found this (see the above picture) so I guess that is one of the things I will try and do this week. The following is from the article and links to it:

The shark has landed. On Tuesday Damien Hirst’s killing-machine-in-a-box begins its three-year stay at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It lies in wait on the second floor, close to a bank of south-facing windows, entombed in a steel-and-glass tank that suggests a collaboration between Donald Judd and Sol LeWitt. On sunny days the light should intensify the azure cast of the 4,360 gallons of formaldehyde. After dusk, when I saw it, the window reflects the tank back at you, doubling the piece into a shark gantlet.

Vegan and drinks

I will start by saying that I am not a vegetarian, never been, probably never will, but I am open to try anything, at least once. Last night, the coworkers took me out to Gobo, a strict vegetarian place in the East Village, where there was not even butter to spread on the bread. The location is beautiful, an open kitchen, a long communal table in the center and sets of tables all around. The restaurant is all in blond wood, and the china is Asian inspired. One of those places with real pretty silverware.

But enough of the decor, we reviewed the wine list and chose a Spanish White, Albarinio, from North Western Spain and ordered 5 small dishes to share. And they were all very good, the best of all a set of soy cutlets grilled in a teriyaki sauce. They were yummy, I mean they were "meat like", they were crispy, they sauce was not too sweet. Just perfect. Then we also had some spinach dumplings, that were terrific and some fried rolls all using tofu or soy one way or another. Finally, I had order sweet potato and yuka fries - I was good and did not eat them all, actually was too full so only had 1/4 of the order - but they were perfect. Crispy and not greasy, just perfect. Then the coworkers guilted me about eating fries, and hence my good behavior.

After Gobo we visited a couple of bars in the Village, I sticked to water until we stumbled upon this little bar, Massif Central, a charming little restaurant with a terrific bartender who made the most complicated cocktails I have ever had. There I had a Barbelle, a champagne cocktail, with bitters, and different citrus juices, raspberry liquor, too many ingredients too mention, but it was one of those drinks that is pretty to look at and great to drink. So that was my evening, NYC, like the Argentinian says has the best restaurants in America because there is a culture around food, and enough people and money to keep all these unique 40 people places running. Coming from DC, where we rarely eat out of the norm, last night was refreshing and exciting.

Friday

Today is my 5Th day here, and its all been good, still have no desk, but I have gotten my work done, have enrolled at a Gym, have explored Chinatown, the East Village and even - gasp - visited Alphabet city. Yeps, it helps to work with two young straight coworkers that make a ton of money, so been whisked away to many new and exotic places. For some reason when I was told I was coming here I never thought about the garment district - do they really need another gay - or the East Village, but that is where the Girl resides, and you know how girls make the world go round.

Today the Argentine is coming, and that thought alone makes me smile. He is not coming alone, the Diplomat and one of the Architects are also coming. With the Diplomat we are going to see Spring Awakening which won the Tony, and they say it is one of the best musicals to hit the big white way in a while, I will report next week.

Today seems like Fall is on its way, me thinks this will be a year with a quick fall and a very prompt winter. Lets hope not, but that is what my instincts tell me.

Have a great weekend y'all.

Cold and gray

Incredibly, sometimes even NY can get boring and depressing. Today it is overcast and rainy and it seems that this is the way it is going to be for a couple more days.It is one of those days where all I want to do is get in bed and curl up, or just fall asleep. On of the problems I have been facing here is that I have no access to chat, so I feel completely disconnected, and I know that is bullshit, but when you are sitting on a training room waiting for a desk and equipment and have no one to talk to, that is the way I feel. I do not want to sound whiney, but I am just struggling today, maybe it is the weather. I think I am going to go with that, and blame it for my mindset.

Today I am thinking of going and watching a movie or just walking around a bit after work, need to find a cute place to sit down and finish "The Brooklyn Follies" which is this month's book club selection and send an email with my review, since I will miss the discussion.

Estrogen filled

This last weekend was full of it, it was Miss Adams Morgan. And as you know I do drag sometimes, so I had the dress, the belt, the handbag and everything, and Saturday, I ran around in the morning with the Rhody trying to get things at the last minute. After a quick nap not for me, but I showered and shaved, and had the Diplomat do my make up – which was flawless let me tell ya, flawless – we went off and got ready at the House of Drag, where the magic happens year after year.

The dress, the wig, the accessories all came together, and after 2 hours of primping, we went to the Hilton where we enjoyed a great night. As usual it is mostly about socializing and seeing and being seen than about the show or the contestants or what ever was happening on stage. I had a great time, Chantilly one of our leaders, gave a great show and was a hoot. Finally after 4 hours we decided to move to JR’s and then off to Annie’s for a traditional Miss Adams Morgan Bfast, at 1 am. It worked I was tired and so was the Argentine, so finally we left got the car and managed to get in bed at 3. I was weary and tired, and managed to fall asleep almost immediately.

Sunday, by accident mostly we saw “The Jane Austen’s Book Club”, a chick flick, about this 5 women and 1 man who read in 6 months all of Austen’s books, and in a clever plot twist, each book was reflected on what happened leading up to the meeting when the book club happened. The movie was fun, great one-liners and very cute, of course all the problems were resolved and in the end they all lived happily ever after. Which to me was its weakest point, I had assumed they would leave some conflicts unresolved or some hard situations they way they were, but even the Lesbian daughter shacks up with a doctor. I would give the movie a B, a solid B, it was entertaining and poignant, and it kinda makes me want to go read some of the other books I have not read from Austen, but at this rate with all the books I have I have not read, I am not sure that is going to happen. What to do after such a movie, we went to JR’s to say farewell to the Cowboy, who moved to Atlanta and was visiting. JR’s was uber packed, to the point where one could not move on inch. So I guess we got some testosterone too.

Changes ... yet again

NB. I wrote this post on Monday, but the internet connection at the hotel has been crappy and have not been able to post.

I am typing this as I ride the train to NYC, yes NYC, the city that never sleeps, they say that if you make it there you will make it any where. Enough with the tired clichés, I am a bit tired myself and on a train headed for a office I have never been and not sure what to expect. I know this is the life of the consultant, one day you are here next day you are not. What unsettles me the most is the fact that I was sent with three days notice, and barely anytime to properly plan anything, but oh well, we will approach this with a Mexican sensibility that allows me to try and operate under unplanned conditions.

Wish my luck, I love NY, I do, but I have always visited, never really lived there. I am sure that the hotel hopping alone will provide me with endless tails of horror to delight you or bore you, depending on the day. Yesterday while at dinner I made a promise to myself that I will enjoy it, it will only last a month, or so I have been told and this is an opportunity that does not come by often. Stay tuned cuz I have a feeling this will be a bumpy ride.

New York City

For all you out there, I have not disappeared, I am in NY for 1 month working for a retailer,known to y'all. I still have no puter at work, so using a training one hence the lack of posts. Everything is fine, a bit stressed, and all that, but you know me.

I have two posts written in the work laptop, but I can not use it here, so tonite I will post a bit.

Bag and belt

It is hump day and I am still in getting ready mode, I will be in this mood until Saturday, when it turns into scrambling and grabbing eyeliner mode. Of course I am not even half way done, and today I have given myself 2 tasks:
Find a bag I like
Find a belt to synch the dress

Let’s start with the bag, it is a necessity but it needs to fit the dress and the shows. This year because the dress is multicolor and I always g for tacky the shoes are gold, yes, gold. The bag must be gold, and I have a yellow bag that could be used, but nah, it doesn’t really go well with the ensemble. Also the Argentine, who is my personal Stylist/Coco Chanel, thought that one of the big bags now in vogue would be a good idea. The bag would carry the camera, cell phones, wallets, keys and other accoutrements required. Yesterday on my way home from the gym I checked out all the stores in Mt Pleasant Avenue and came out empty handed. Next stop is Payless and I am guessing Target. If all else fails the Argentine will have to carry all the junk.

Then there is the belt to consider, the dress is so busy that I am not sure what to do, been thinking something white or black, but know that it sound be gold, if the shows are gold. Also been thinking of reusing the strips of clothing that they are going to cut to shorten the dress and make something out of that. Decision, decisions, decisions. I am going to go to Michael’s, and see that they have. There is one by the office.

So that is the update for the day, will keep keeping you posted.

PS. I am fully back into the gym routine, I managed to do 1 hr of Stairmaster yesterday, hopefully I wont faint anytime soon.

Getting Ready

The “high heel” holidays are fast approaching my dear Fags, and non-fag readers. It is that time when one pilgrimages to Baltimore in search for couture and then goes back to DC to get a wig and the rest of the accessories that will mark this year’s October. Why? well because October is the month for the High Heel Race and Miss Adams Morgan. This year because MAM is this Saturday in October, but September was soo busy, we barely had time to get our outfits. Last Saturday we went to Baltimore, and got dresses. We were a party of 4, and I got the ugliest dress, I know, but it is a practical dress that fits and that will not require me to shave my legs, not for the pageant at least, later on the dress will be altered, but right now long is fine. The other three finds were spectacular, a purple and turquoise dream, a little black dress and a great red halter number ideal for a lounge chanteuse.

The first step had been taken, the dress is the basis of the whole outfit, it is the starting point and from there one builds both the rest of the look. The dress mandates the shoes, and the accessories and the wig. This year I will try a brunette wig, something that goes better with my coloring. I need a bag, to carry camera, wallet, cell phone, mini’s, keys and make up for touch ups. I am wearing long gloves to avoid shaving my arms. For us hairy men, it is all about minimizing the plucking, because trust me it takes time and it is painful. So once the dress was chosen I was lucky enough to find a pair of golden sandals that goes well with my multicolor dress (a wild pattern, in red, blue, yellow and green, lets just say no one is going to miss it) and a three stand pearl necklace, cuz I am a classy gal and I like my jewelry chunky.

The second step was shortening the dress, it was a bit long, and so I took 3 inches of the dress yesterday, and later on will turn it into a much shorter one, but that will be for the race. I need to get a belt or something to generate the illusion of a waist, that is today and tomorrow’s task.

Will keep u posted as the progress continues …