sweet sixteen, only double the age

The evening prior poured into the night as I decided to pick up a serving shift. I shared a cab home with Betsy and made it to bed around 0230. While jotting out my day I planned to sleep in, as sleep is one of my favorite things these days. I think it is a sign I am getting old! I drank some tea jacked off my HKG flight and mossied about getting ready. Finally I descended downstairs to get my hair done. I figured my best bet would be to take the subway down to around 81st Street and then find a salon on Columbus or Amsterdam. Even though there are salons in my neighborhood, I wasn’t feeling up to experimenting. I walked north for seven blocks and didn’t see anything other than restaurants and bodegas. Finally I spotted a Cozy Cuts for Kids and popped in to see if they had a recommendation for an adult salon in the area. The gay boy asked me what I needed; I said just a blow out. “We do that here!” he said a little too excited. “Really, I am an adult (I pretended)”. So under the precedence of getting a good story out of this, I followed him back. Maria was the lady who helped me and who had to remove the boosters out of the shampoo chair before I could sit down and get my hair washed with grape shampoo. I followed her to her chair next to the jeep chair where she once again had to remove extra cushions. I am feeling like a real jackass at this point. So here I sit as she blow-dries my hair looking at all the toys and watching a two year old next to me in the jeep chair getting his hair cut. He is quite but you can tell he is totally not into it. When I go to pay they ask me the name of my child.
Thankfully it is a gorgeous spring day with no forecast for rain, just a bit of wind. I walk over to Broadway and have some lunch and then find a place for a manicure. I made it back home at 1601 and just missed picking up a trip. Instead I hopped in the shower and got ready. Then the pink, fabulous party dress was ready for me, I slipped it on and twirled around for a bit. My first stop was the Oak Bar at The Plaza so I jumped on the subway and after a couple wrong stop choices made my way to the bar. I sat up at the bar and took in the gorgeous room with all of its history and struck up a few conversations over my one cocktail. When I asked the way to the ladies room I was instructed to follow one of the ZZ Top boys downstairs.
Next stop was 21 Club, it’s that place on 52nd with all the little jockey statues outside. I have always wanted to go there and thought tonight would be ideal. They sat me next to a couple and we struck up a conversation after me having to explain why I was dining alone. David and Wendy were from Long Island and so sweet. They were out celebrating her birthday as well. I dined on mixed greens, delightful red snapper and treated myself to a soufflé with berries. I have never had a soufflé; it was good but tasted a little like corn bread to me. I was able to make a wish this year. Graciously the couple bought me dinner, it was so sweet and I hope to pay it forward some day.
The next stop was the Hudson Bar at the Hudson Hotel. I had been there a couple of times prior and since it was right around the corner, it seemed like a good spot to ask friends to meet up for a drink. I invited my NY girls, Beth, Carrie, and Lauren and much to my delight they all showed up and got along famously. My friend Paul from the couv also joined us later on.
We hit Tao next as it was close as well and stayed for one drink while chatting away. It was the nice mellow evening I had in mind. Good friends, great food, and fantastic cocktails.
After our exit, it was down to Lauren and I and we just had to give each other the look to know we were headed to Cafeteria. I asked for my friend Paul and sat in his section. We ordered the usual and made friends with the party next door who was also having a birthday. Paul then brought out deep friend Oreos and a candle. A wish for my arteries not to get clogged was in order but I repeated the previous wish just to make sure the universe got it.