Weekend Warrior: Keep Walking

Who wants to have some fun?

After all of this moving on business, I was in serious need of some fun. The Johnnie Walker taste testing event was uhh-may-zing. Meghan and I got to the auditorium and signed in to the event via one of the fifteen iPads set up on podiums. Too cool. LBD wearing girls handed out gold coins to exchange for a free drink during the reception and we were on our way.

My knowledge of whiskey is quite limited and by limited I mean Oscar started pouring Jameson awhile back and I got hooked. I also know that my mother loves scotch and that Johnnie Walker Blue Label is something serious. Other than that, I was pretty clueless until Friday night. Meghan and I walked in and saw that everyone was online at the bar and I asked her what she was going to get. We both realized that we had no clue how to order scotch and had no clue which label we wanted.

Me: "Can I phone a friend? I want to call my mom and ask her what to do."

Meghan: "Uhhhh vodka soda please?"

Me: "What do you think that the bar tender would say if I walked up and asked for a white wine spritzer?"

Luckily a waitress approached us before we got to the bar and I pulled a LuAnn.  Whenever my mother is in a new environment or at an event she has to "get the lay of the land" and figure out what's going on. I asked the waitress to shoot it to me straight about what to do and how to do it. She explained that there is a presentation where we would get to taste the Black, Red, Gold, and Blue labels but for now they are just serving Black and Red. So, we each got a Black Label on ze rocks. Mmmhmm that's nice stuff.

Taking a look around at the crowd of mostly tall, dark, and handsome men, I was immediately regretting my decision to not, at any cost, give my number out that night. I told Meghan in the cab that on the chance that a gentleman should attempt conversation that I could talk, be friendly, and have fun but that I am taking a break and giving my number out goes against taking a break. Here's the thing though - these were not just tall, dark, and handsome men but also men with high quality taste. Let's be serious, these are men at a by invitation only Johnnie Walker tasting event, not at a kegger.

Bless Meghan's soul for she actually listens and remembers most of the rambling crap that comes out of my mouth. In discussing this dilemma with her, she fires back, "Ok, so you're allowed to give your number out but only if he has a pee pee." It took me a hot second to comprehend what she meant but then I got it and could not stop laughing. The women of The Real Housewives of NYC refer to a Private Plane as a "PP". I obviously added that he not only had to have a "PP" but that it had better be a "Big PP". Yeah, I went there, get over it. We were giggling little school girls, it was amazing.

Finally it was time for the actual presentation to start. It was very interesting to learn about how the Johnnie Walker brand started, how the whiskey is blended, and how even adding a small ice cube can change the taste. The Blue Label was my favorite, obviously, but a close second was the Black Label. By itself I wasn't a big fan of the Red Label but after adding some ginger ale it was wonderful. However, me and Johnnie Walker Gold did not get along at all. I definitely made the "feh!" face.

I waited around for the guy who lead the presentation, the Johnnie Walker ambassador to the US, to ask him if they do the presentation in NYC because I knew my mom would love it. He spoke to Meghan and me for a few minutes, pulled out his business card, and told me to email him so he could get my family right in for the New York event. Love him. And in standard Sassarella form, I casually took a glance at that left ring finger....too bad there was a nice gold band wrapped around it. (I'm a joke, I know).

Meghan and I went from fancy shmancy ladies to '80s Night at The Whale. It was a great night and just what we both needed. With a little help from Trey, Oscar, Misty, this hot blonde chick I know, and the happy hour hero, we had a genuinely fun-filled time. The fun continued to Rhino with Jackie and Jordan where I gave the Rhino crew more reasons to make fun of me, my accent, and my absurdity.

Yes, I decorated my own '80s style cup.

Yes, I asked for any refills to be made in this cup.

And yes, Trey and Oscar humored me by doing so.

Saturday started in the library but I gave up on that rather quickly and decided to go to Surfside in Glover Park with Allie, Kevo, and Pete. I had heard of this place but had never been able to try it out. If you've been to Jetties, it is its Caribbean counterpart and owned by the same people. You feel like you're at a beach bar in the summer. The burritos, quesadillas, and even the salads were all really good. It is definitely on the expensive side, but what isn't expensive in this area? Allie and I want to go back when it gets warmer since they have a rooftop bar that would be perfect for a summer night.

Saturday night Meg, Allie, and I went to Paolo's for a drink before heading to Rhino. I like when we have a drink or two at a nicer place before we get crazy. We people-watched the plaid-filled room of young professionals and their belligerent girlfriends stumbling over each other in Lacoste polos and Marc Jacob dresses. As I sipped my Patron XO, aka heaven on ice, I kept thinking how this is going to be us in a few years. You could tell they were a few years into the working world by their material items and high tabs at the bar but were still young enough to want to relive those college days of getting stupidly drunk and silly with your friends. Time flies and soon we're going to be those people. Crazy.

Rhino was actually a really good time as well. I've been so hell-bent on avoiding it every weekend because I've spent so much time there but it was nice to feel at home again. I'm certain that there are some members of the "Rhino Family" that think I'm crazy for being so obsessed with it but when I can walk upstairs after-hours and hear my name being called by the people sitting up there counting money, it's a great feeling. I've always said that I can count my friends on one hand and I'd absolutely count "Rhino" as one of those people. We goof off and gossip but there is no way I would have survived the last four years without the people that occupy that place. It's always a good time and as much as we joke around, they always take care of me and make sure I am safe. For the most part, they don't even realize the impact they have each had on my life and who knows if they'll remember me when I'm gone but I'll never forget them or the time I've spent there.

And now it's "Sunday No More Funday" and I'm feeling like Lindsay Lohan in The Parent Trap: "I'm in so over my head here. I can't handle this alone. I can't. I'm only one kid." This is what I call my mom and say when I'm feeling work-related anxiety. Today, however, it was Meghan that nailed it on the head by quoting me in a text message she sent in response to my stress..."things always seem to work out, remember that" ... and in the words of Johnnie Walker, ya just gotta "keep walking"