Sometimes people come into your life and bring radical change with them. It's funny to look back and see the surrounding circumstances that made a specific meeting between two people happen in the first place, and where that initial meeting has lead. Such a friendship has been forged with one Australian former roommate.
This girl has an amazing way of experiencing life to the fullest - often bringing me along for the welcome wild ride. She's sampled more of NYC living in just a few months than I have in almost four years. I suppose she sees it all differently, and is here specifically to immerse herself in American life for a year. Whether she's extraordinarily lucky or simply knows how to ferret out adventure, there's never a dull moment in her company.
Case in point: I just had a night out on the town like you see in the movies (minus the drug use in a seedy bathroom). We were out celebrating her birthday a few days early, starting with a few "sneakys" at her apartment.
-Side note: I have become infatuated with Aussie slang. I should compile a list; I think I will be using it all the time. Sneakys are a drink or two before heading out for the night - I guess it'd be like pre-gaming. We also took a "roadie" with us (a drink for the road). Is there anything better than drinking alcohol from a water bottle in public? It brings back fond memories of college days with friends in the park. -
We make our way downtown to Lead Belly's. I'm always keen to try new places, but have a devil of a time finding out good spots for myself. This girl always somehow finds the cutest places with fantastic ambiance. Lead Belly's was no exception. Super adorable inside, with live piano player and saxophone background music. The food was delicious (albeit a bit pricey for the tiny portions), and we quite enjoyed ourselves. It was here we were met by another Aussie friend of hers, a most agreeable young woman.
This girl has an amazing way of experiencing life to the fullest - often bringing me along for the welcome wild ride. She's sampled more of NYC living in just a few months than I have in almost four years. I suppose she sees it all differently, and is here specifically to immerse herself in American life for a year. Whether she's extraordinarily lucky or simply knows how to ferret out adventure, there's never a dull moment in her company.
Case in point: I just had a night out on the town like you see in the movies (minus the drug use in a seedy bathroom). We were out celebrating her birthday a few days early, starting with a few "sneakys" at her apartment.
-Side note: I have become infatuated with Aussie slang. I should compile a list; I think I will be using it all the time. Sneakys are a drink or two before heading out for the night - I guess it'd be like pre-gaming. We also took a "roadie" with us (a drink for the road). Is there anything better than drinking alcohol from a water bottle in public? It brings back fond memories of college days with friends in the park. -
We make our way downtown to Lead Belly's. I'm always keen to try new places, but have a devil of a time finding out good spots for myself. This girl always somehow finds the cutest places with fantastic ambiance. Lead Belly's was no exception. Super adorable inside, with live piano player and saxophone background music. The food was delicious (albeit a bit pricey for the tiny portions), and we quite enjoyed ourselves. It was here we were met by another Aussie friend of hers, a most agreeable young woman.
Lead Belly's
Two blondes and a redhead. Friday night in New York City. You know we were looking for a good time...
We walk over to another cool joint I'd been to before, Hotel Chantelle. Outside we're approached by a club promoter, who gives us his name and says we should go to his club across the street. We say we'll be by later.
There's a line to get into Hotel Chantelle, but right as we join the back of the queue, the bouncer waves us forward (since we're hot young women ;) and lets us go right in. Score! Right up the stairs we march to the rooftop bar. Nearly immediately, some fellow zeros in on my friend and starts chatting her up, then buys us all a round. His four friends join him and they try and guess where my friends are from. Not wanting to be the boring American, I put on an Irish accent, my favorite and easiest accent. -Putting $60,000+ in college education to GREAT use -
I have a lot of hair. One meaning of my name is actually "beautiful hair" - an apt moniker. 85% of the time I have it up in some capacity, and tonight was no exception. However, the Asian fellow with the group became fixated with wanting to see it down, and before I could protest, the Aussies were on me and had my hair ties out in a trice. The damage done, nothing to do but give the full effect. I bend over, shake and fluff it out, and whip back up - always a stunning effect as it cascades down my back in beautiful ripples, and remains breathtaking for about 10 minutes, where it then becomes hot and ratty and an absolute mess :P
Well, it had the desired effect and got all the guys looking, but none so keenly as the Asian. He was fawning all over me and plying me with such compliments it was really quite flattering. Ego boost for the evening? Check!
Not long after, we take our leave and head across the street to the club, DL. We go to the front of that line, as well, and say we're on Yan's list. Apparently, what is best is if the promoter has his own table, in which case we'd get free booze all night. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case this time. But it was still an awesome venue.
As this girl has never been to a proper NYC club, I was suitably impressed. Top floor, palm trees and foliage, changing lights, a fountain/pool, and tons of people.
We drank. We danced. We had a right good ol' time. And apparently this cracker brings the black boys to the yard! Ow Ow! I don't recall ever having such a carefree, and just fun, time.
We walk over to another cool joint I'd been to before, Hotel Chantelle. Outside we're approached by a club promoter, who gives us his name and says we should go to his club across the street. We say we'll be by later.
There's a line to get into Hotel Chantelle, but right as we join the back of the queue, the bouncer waves us forward (since we're hot young women ;) and lets us go right in. Score! Right up the stairs we march to the rooftop bar. Nearly immediately, some fellow zeros in on my friend and starts chatting her up, then buys us all a round. His four friends join him and they try and guess where my friends are from. Not wanting to be the boring American, I put on an Irish accent, my favorite and easiest accent. -Putting $60,000+ in college education to GREAT use -
I have a lot of hair. One meaning of my name is actually "beautiful hair" - an apt moniker. 85% of the time I have it up in some capacity, and tonight was no exception. However, the Asian fellow with the group became fixated with wanting to see it down, and before I could protest, the Aussies were on me and had my hair ties out in a trice. The damage done, nothing to do but give the full effect. I bend over, shake and fluff it out, and whip back up - always a stunning effect as it cascades down my back in beautiful ripples, and remains breathtaking for about 10 minutes, where it then becomes hot and ratty and an absolute mess :P
Well, it had the desired effect and got all the guys looking, but none so keenly as the Asian. He was fawning all over me and plying me with such compliments it was really quite flattering. Ego boost for the evening? Check!
Not long after, we take our leave and head across the street to the club, DL. We go to the front of that line, as well, and say we're on Yan's list. Apparently, what is best is if the promoter has his own table, in which case we'd get free booze all night. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case this time. But it was still an awesome venue.
As this girl has never been to a proper NYC club, I was suitably impressed. Top floor, palm trees and foliage, changing lights, a fountain/pool, and tons of people.
We drank. We danced. We had a right good ol' time. And apparently this cracker brings the black boys to the yard! Ow Ow! I don't recall ever having such a carefree, and just fun, time.
DL
As all we'd had to eat were some shared plates at Lead Belly's several hours before, we were pretty well famished. Thankfully (and New York, I love you for this - knowing the needs of your young citizens and catering to their drunken whims), there was a 24hr Macca's (well, I pronounce it "Mackers" - another Aussie idiom - this meaning McDonalds) right across the street. Now, I haven't eaten McD's since 7th grade. I only feel justified in eating it when I'm drunk because 1. It's cheap, 2. It's usually available (though why the one by my apt isn't 24hrs is beyond me), and 3. It brings back the taste of my childhood. I'm sure if I ate it when I was sober, I wouldn't be able to abide it, but as it is, it tasted pretty damn delicious.
Eat that thang! We be hangry! What better way to end the night?
Going out with good friends, starting classy and ending most decidedly NOT, getting to the front of lines at clubs because we are hot young women, being fawned over and admired, free drinks, dancing, it was definitely a night to remember, and repeat. Soon.
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