As birthdays go, possibly greatest EVS
So, Sunday was my 22nd birthday, otherwise known as the final milestone of becoming an adult and seriously not giving a shit anymore. I was kind of freaking out, for various reasons, BUT all that changed when eight of my favorite people joined me for birthday brunch at La Palette, now officially my favorite franco-brazilian fusion eatery in the West Village. BAGUETTE FRENCH TOAST! Onika brought Magnolia cupcakes too. Bliss.
Afterward, O. came up to the Boogie Down to check out my new digs, and was suitably impressed. Then, in a very close game, sat back and watched her ass get whupped at Scrabble! My best play: FLITTERS on a TWS, 86 points. You thought this day couldn't get any better, could it? WELL YOU ARE SO WRONG MY FRIEND.
I headed down to Zen Palate for birthday dinner with Nicole and Leslie, my very, very favorite workin' girls. I stuffed my face with battered sweet 'n' sour soy protein (for those of you who don't live in NYC, Zen Palate is a vegan pan-Asian place by Union Square, and the only vegan place I will ever eat from). After dinner, Leslie suggested we run around the corner to the Nitzer Ebb show and watch the goths. We did for a while... and then I was like wait up, except for one little mimosa at brunch I have had no alcohol all day! Let's hit up the bar bitches!
Ran upstairs just in time to meet Eric, Nitzer's manager, who is all shades of awesome and hooked up the drinkies. Motor went on next, and I must say, every time I see them it just gets better and better. When they played "King of USA", everyone in my immediate entourage joined in on the chorus "I'M BLACK!/I'M GAY!/I'M KING OF USA!". It was a moment.
Then... NITZER. OMG. The second best show I've ever seen at Irving (in case you're wondering, the breakdown is 1. Erasure, 2. Nitzer, 3. Mogwai). My friend Than showed up just as they were going on, and he is a MEGA FAN. Seeing the show with him was half the fun. The band were on the top of their form, every song sounded amazing, and fucking hell, sexiest show I have ever seen. The highlights were "Join in the Chant", "Lightening Man", "Murderous", "Fun to be Had"... I could go on and on. They have a female percussionist on this tour named Kourtney, who was the fiercest bitch I have possibly ever laid eyes on... blonde pompadour and all. Douglas and Bon (who composes music for Project Runway... I know, how could it get any better) were like two giants onstage, D. prowling and running around. After the show, did some shots with the band (photographic evidence of aftermath ABOVE!) and slurred as many compliments as possible.
At this point walking is kind of a challenge, but Than got a text from the sound guy at Rodeo Bar saying that Jeff Tweedy was playing a secret show there at 2am. So we jump in a cab and go... and after that it's all kind fo a blur. I remember eating nachos, taking a bus (in Manhattan? WTF?) and getting home (kind of). The next morning it took me four hours to brush my teeth and shower. AWESOME!