champagne in a Styrofoam cup

The plan was to go to Jones Beach on Monday, but quite a few people just weren’t into it.  Most of the sun worshipers wanted to grab food at 7/11 and go, but I didn’t want to implode from junk food/not eating.  It turns out that I was the only one who wanted to sit and eat and go to the beach, so I settled for a wrap and some fruit from 7/11.

We get out to Jones Beach, and half the beach is under water.  The tide had come all the way up the beach, and a lot of water had gotten caught on the beach when the tide went back out.  This meant we had to pull an Old Negro Spiritual and “Wade in the Water”.  My favorite part was seeing the corner where all the Latino families BBQ all flooded out, but a few families were still there... letting their kids play in the water.  Guess y’all missed those half-submerged trash cans in the middle of that pond, huh.

Walking along the beach… oh, it’s Bro Vandecamp.  Oh, Poland Spring is back in the country! Be cool, D. Karrem.  I’m sure he forgot all about how you were supposed to call him before he left for the summer and blatantly neglected to do so.  As it turned out, things weren’t awkward at all.  He’d been in the country less than 24 hours and was already tipsy on the beach.  He showed me way too many pictures from his summer travels and informed me that he was staying temporarily in Park Slope.  Noted. 

Bologna: “So I get a call at like 2am from this one expecting him to be like *high pitched voice* ‘Hi,’ but he was asking me if the US had acquired Arizona in the Louisiana Purchase.”

ASFKAB: “Yeah, I’ve never been more grateful for your geography major.” 

So yes, Bologna went to a non-ivy (thank god) with a geography major, and now she goes to grad school for lip gloss.  Love her.

We decided to make it a wrap relatively early.  My uncle was having a BBQ, so I figured I’d score some brownie points (and free food) with the fam.  Once again, it was at least a half hour wait for a train, and I had to transfer.  Wow, the iPone is really fun.  I took so many funny pictures this weeken— Wait, what was that sound!

“Excuse me, did a west-bound train just pass?”

“Yup.”

“Fuck.”

Yes, I had missed the train that passed right behind me because I was playing with the goddamn iClone!  “Hey, Mom.  Can you pick me up at Lynbrook?... I don’t know, just follow the train tracks!” 

The family was fun as always.  I actually had a hard time leaving them to meet Bottomless Pitt in the city, but I wanted to see what this Monday open champagne bar was all about, so I made my way to Penn Station in Manhattan.  

One of the things I learned while living out in Hollis, Queens (and spending an inappropriate amount of time in Penn Station) is that one of the shops there sells small bottles of wine and champagne.  One particular vendor will pour champagne in a Styrofoam cup and give you a straw.  2 mini-bottles of champagne seemed appropriate as I would be arriving to the open bar about a half hour late.

Luckily, I called Bottomless Pitt as soon as I (broke my religion and) got in a cab.  He had somehow discovered that the bar in question was closed and made his way all the way across town to Gym bar in 15 minutes (as if I didn't get enough of the suburbs over the weekend, they had a special on Long Islands)!  We had a drink or two while ignoring whatever game was on. 

Me: “You know, Chi Chi’s has karaoke tonight.”

Bottomless Pitt: “Hold on, lemme…” *gulp gulp* “…okay, let’s go.”

Did I mention Sheridan Square is the most entertaining and (apparently) dangerous intersection in the city?  Can you hear me now?  Yeah.

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