Cape cape cape

Last month my friend, Shana, held her annual birthday cape party bar crawl. This was the fifth time she’s held it and the second time I’ve attended.

Whenever I tell people I’m going to a cape party they are always perplexed. Which I don’t really understand. Who says only superheroes and children can wear capes? Why wouldn’t you want to gather a group of friends and day drink whilst wearing a cape?

It was so much fun. Even though I only made it for a few hours and 3 bars due to extreme exhaustion leftover from brother’s wedding festivities and travelling.

We started in the party room at Shana's apartment building for sandwiches, cupcakes, and drinks.

Then we walked to the first bar. Walking down the street, as a group, wearing capes, really should be experienced by every one at some point in life.

The first bar we attracted the attention of several kids, which is always fun.

Pit stop on the way to the second bar to pet the doggie. Such a good doggie.

At the second bar everyone engaged in some beer pong. I subbed in for a round and drank water.

The third bar was farther away so some raced and some, like those in high heels, ambled. As we got closer, one caper spotted a fellow caper dancing in the road, and skipped to join him. You just have to love it.

The third bar brought another drinking game which I was terrible at. Ping pong balls are just too light and too hard to aim.

The third bar is also where I became the Wearer of The Worst. Shana had buttons that we all put funny sayings and titles on and one was The Worst. Shana got it for buying a round of drinks, Christian got it for yawning, and I got it for being the last to walk in the bar.

My costume was one I had thought of in January: Superstorm Hurricane Sandy from Grease.

Sadly, pretty much no one got it without explanation. They thought I was a lego, a dice, or that I was just supporting equality. Which is ok, because I do support equality.

My hair was nuts to start and then feel steadily throughout the day, of course. Since it required me to sleep with my hair all pinned up, it also may have had something to do with my exhaustion.

I'm sad this is the last year Shana will be doing this, but have no doubt she'll have something equally if not more ridiculous and fun next year. As she said in her thank you email afterward, it's just so nice to have people in your life who will willingly and happily don capes for you. Friends are good like that.

Celebrate Good Times

Way back in November one of my best friends got engaged! So then way back in December we went out to hang out and celebrate, of course.

This is B with a glass of Prosecco and the engagement card I got her.

She liked that the card matched our drinks. I like that she let me try on her ring. So shiny!

Perhaps because we were celebrating such an important occasion. Perhaps because we hadn't hung out for a month. (Gasp!) Perhaps because we just tend to get a little silly when we go out. But whatever the reason, the night took us from a restaurant to a hotel to a bar, plotting and laughing and chatting (and drinking) all the way.

We ended up at Hotel Monaco, which for some reason we gravitate toward.

Where we like to take silly pictures in the bathroom mirror and anywhere else that strikes our fancy. (Like this chair.)

We were both hating life a bit the next day, but you only get engaged once, hopefully, so I think it was worth it.

Cape Party

About a month ago, my friend Shana held a cape party bar crawl for her birthday. She has done this for several years but this was the first year I've been able to attend. Why a cape party? In the words of Shana, "Why not?" And I have to say that I now agree. I generally despise anything that might attract attention, but this was so fun and so different, it was ok.

Work ladies: Shana the birthday girl, me, and Gloria.

Despite knowing about the party for months, I didn't make my cape until the night before. I already had the leopard fabric and Gloria -- the dachshund-becaped lady above -- got me bias tape for the binding. I added a ribbon drawstring and a brooch and voila.

Yes, I set the timer on my camera to get a pic of the cape.
And yes, I tipsily took a pic of my "bling" to
prove to one of my friends that I did indeed have "bling."

 Then I accessorized with some "bling" and heels and was good to go. (And despite walking and dancing for 8 hours in the heels, I was fine. And didn't fall once. Probably because in addition to the walking and dancing there was also ample drinking.)

We hit up five bars in Bethesda, attracting curious looks, yes, but also lots of smiles and fun questions. We talked, danced, played flip cup, broke some glasses, and just had a generally good time.

I don't feel right posting a lot of pictures since only one person in these reads my blog. But I'll post just a few.

A Viking, a Rage Against the Machine album cover,
Super Tuesday, Dachshund Lady, Horses Man, Blank Man,
Evel Knievel, Darkwing Duck, and Supergirl

Second bar

Flip cup

Yet another bar

Things That Happened in March

On Sunday afternoon, armed with iPhone photos and an actual desire to write, I flopped on the couch with my laptop ready to blog. And then that thing happened that I don't want to talk about. So instead I spent several hours in a depressive funk, stress-cleaning my apartment before attempting to forget about it entirely by watching "Mad Men." Which did work for a few hours and then it was back to trying not to think about that thing that happened that I don't want to talk about.

But now, several days later, again armed with iPhone photos and a desire to write, I'll post some thoughts and photos of my March happenings. All of which are things that happened before that thing that happened that I don't want to talk about.

March 13

I've been so lax about going to the theatre this year. As in, seeing "Spamalot" with my roommate the second week of March was my first show of 2012. Shameful. But what a good show to see! And my second time doing so. Unlike the last time I saw it in London, when my only Monty Python knowledge came from Wikipedia, I now know more about the group and have seen the "Holy Grail" movie, making the play all the more enjoyable. As was seeing it with the roomie, since I rarely seem to go to plays with others.

March 14

The officemates and I celebrated Pi Day by taking an afternoon trip to La Madeleine for some pie/mini-tarts. And why yes, we may have timed it so we ordered at 3:14. Because we are that cool. And also, as we're all writers, any time we can actually enjoy numbers, we pounce on it.

March 20

Grocery store blooms purchased to honor the first day of Spring. When will I stop forgetting how happy fresh flowers in the apartment make me?

March 22

 I try to get out and about during the day on Thursdays when I work from home. Last Thursday I had an appointment and took a different route home to my apartment. It was a route that happened to be flanked by flowering trees. Perfection.

March 23

Before that thing that happened that I don't want to talk about happened, there was still hope, fun, and a Friday in the office in which I wore a Carolina tshirt and a "5" on my wrist. And then there was Brandie and me at a sports bar for 4 hours talking, drinking, eating, watching, stressing, and then sighing. I also drew a "5" on her wrist and we think the waitress thought we were exchanging numbers. Oh well, we're both great catches.

My last post mentioned me trying to find something to wear for this game and I think Mom asked me what that ended up being. (And if she didn't just pretend she did to justify yet another lame bathroom mirror post.) So I went with this year's official student shirt. (Which prompted one of my coworker's to feign shock/concern and ask, "Wait, what? Together we are Carolina?") But since I'm such a diva who can't just wear a plain tshirt out and about, I cuffed the sleeves using hem tape and tied a knot in the back to make it fit better. We'll just call this tricks of the trade.  

March 25

My first pedicure of the season! I also splurged and got a manicure, only the fourth professional one I've ever had. But considering it started chipping the next day, there won't be a fifth one anytime soon.

 

Other things that happened this month: brunches with a friend, book club, Parks and Rec rerun watching, trans-continental Facetime with Jan, basketball, basketball, basketball, and a broken heart. The end.

Hanging around the Hotel Monaco

On Thursday I met Brandie at a nice hotel restaurant in D.C. for happy hour drinks and snacks. It was the first day of the heat wave and (several glasses of) chilled white wine and (two orders of) pommes frites were a great antidote. Of course, air conditioning would have also been a nice antidote, but the bar's did not seem to be working properly. Nevertheless, it's always a good time with Brandie as we drink, eat, talk, and drink. And then en route to the bathroom decide to have an impromptu photo shoot. 

Pretty flowers. In the bathroom.

My turn with the flowers.

B posing in front of the curtains that wouldn't open.
 (Clearly my phone camera doesn't do well in direct sunlight.)

Taking my turn in the window. (That doesn't sound right.)

We stumbled upon the Tokyo Boardroom.
Brandie had some very important business to attend to.

Signing papers because I'm terribly busy and important.

Making a move on TJ, of course.

B&B causing trouble, as usual.

My friends and I do group emails and recently Brandie wrote something about how when we have someone that is so comfortable and contributing in our lives, we should do what we can to keep them there. My instinct is to push people away so this really hit me and I've been repeating it daily. Not to get too mushy -- because B&B don't do emotional -- but she's definitely someone so comfortable and contributing that I must keep her in my life for a long time. Whether she wants me there or not.

Day 286: Sleep, where are you?

After the frenetic pace of the past few weeks, today was the first day in awhile I just got to sit and breathe. More or less. A houseful of family meant lots of talking and eating and fun times, more than worth my having to abandon my plan to sleep all day. And it ended with the brother, cousin, and I at a near-empty sports bar on a Sunday night, in downtown Goldsboro. Too much new in that sentence, that's for sure.