The City Named Twice - Part One

Lovely New York. So much good food, so much great company. Here's a start, I'll take it day-by-day:

SATURDAY
2:30 PM: Took the train which I rarely do. So much better than the bus.

6:18 PM: Got in a touch late, met (former) speechwriter boy here for a lovely Italian dinner.

6:48 PM: Got a call on my phone as dinner started from L, whose play we were on our way to see in the next hour. Called her back concerned that something was wrong. "Look to your left" she said. L was at a table eight feet away from us with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. H.

6:55 PM: The tuna sashimi appetizer was wonderful.

7:45 PM: Headed here to see L's play. It was closing night so the energy was really positive and excited to see the play. The writer is super young (twenty-four maybe) and the director not much older (yes, younger than thirty) so both have really bright futures, we can be assured. I liked a whole lot about the play, had a few questions about shape and direction, but really enjoyed the evening. L was fabulous.

7:53 PM: Sitting down in the audience I started talking (loudly, I'm sure, as usual) to Mr. and Mrs. H about DC, where they lived for many years. I hear someone behind me "blah, blah, blah" and think "wow, do I sound that obnoxious?" because it wouldn't really surprise me if I did. Turned around and Louisville Playwright (wrote the ten-minute play) was there. What a wonderful surprise. He said he just happened to be in town and it wasn't until the next day that I found out he was receiving an obie award. Hoorah for Louisville Playwright who I think is talented and deserving.

9:25 PM: Told L she was fabulous, found myself slightly overwhelmed and intimidated by the "we are young hip new yorkers in the downtown theater scene" vibe and escaped here for a drink. Which was a little bit obnoxious and model-y, but fun for people watching and tasty sidecars (the drink).

10:55 PM: So, the Soho Grand is known for their generous pet policy. Pets can stay there and if you don't have a pet but want some pet love you can actually borrow a "gold fish companion" (sic) from the hotel.

I love rich people.

But the hotel makes it explicitly clear that furry things (and presumably scaled things ) are not welcome in the bars or restaurants because, you know, we are not in France and we have health codes and shit. So, this woman in a god-awful but probably very expensive flower print dress comes in with an adorable but furry black lab puppy. She looked a little like a Bush twin. Her fellow looked like someone a Bush twin would date. Little puppy is on a leash but has some room to wander, so he comes over to us and starts sniffing at our feet. I'm a little confused that he is there in the first place but it is not really a concern to me until little puppy pees at our feet.

Pees. At our feet.

Henry Hager look-a-like comes up and says, "Well, that means he likes you!"

Fuck you rich people.

Flower print comes up and says, "Oh, I'll clean it up, I promise, I'm so sorry...!" She disappears with the puppy and is never heard from again. About fifteen minutes later a short mexican man emerges from behind the bar (where he probably stays now so that we don't deport him away from his job where he gets to clean up the piss of rich people's dogs, yes, American-dream-on short mexican man!) and kneels down to clean up the pee, which is already pretty much soaked into the floor, scrubbing away with his busboy's rag.

Yeah. I love America too, don't you?