Yet Another Cocktail Party

I’m no stranger to the annual late-October pilgrimage to St. Simons Island. It’s mine and many other people’s favorite weekend of the year, the Georgia-Florida game, better known to its fans as The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.

The weekend follows the same basic formula every year, yet it’s unpredictability is a huge part of the appeal. We arrive late Thursday (or Wednesday for those die hard fans or college students), party on frat beach (more on this later) on Friday, gameday on Saturday, and finally a hungover drive home on Sunday while reminiscing about Georgia-Florida weekends past and planning cocktail parties future.

My crowd this year was a mix of college friends, past roommates, a first time GA/FL friend from NYC, and my current roommate who was kind enough to let us all stay at her beach house. The Atlanta crew picked up the New Yorkers from the airport Thursday evening, and we arrived sometime after 1 a.m. We stayed up late sharing memories, but have learned over the years to save up for what is to come.

Frat beach. How else can I explain it other than to show it to you:

If you’ve never been there before, start making plans to attend next year. It’s hundreds upon hundreds of people united by their allegiance to the Georgia Bulldogs and their love for day drinking on the beach who come together once a year to blow it out Georgia-Florida style.

But more than that, it’s a day where everyone arrives with one goal, and that is to have a great time. Remembering the day places a distant second.

The night gets hazy from here, but the pictures and flashes of memory compiled from the group tell the story...

Backbends, boxed wine, porch drinking, cab rides, tequila shots, dancing on tables, skinny dipping, climbing trees and sleeping in wet clothes.

Oh, and we’re all 26+ years old.

While the game may not have turned out how we had hoped, the weekend delivered on every expectation. I only hope that next year can top it.

JLH

It's My Blog and I'll Vent if I Want To

It's cold and raining in New York, and the forecast for the remainder of the weekend shows no relief. I'm taking that as sign of my divine right to bitch in a public forum.

• Texting is an unacceptable way to ask me out on a date.
• The Dawgs have gone beyond their normal course of ruining my Saturdays and have really started ruining my fall. Willie Martinez, I'm specifically talking to you.
• The more I fly with Delta, the more opportunities they have to make me hate them.
• Getting under someone else is not necessarily the best way to get over someone, but it is the most fun.
• Just because we used to date does not mean I want to receive drunken texts from you in the middle of the night. Or at least have some dignity and wait until the weekend.
• Doing a keg stand while watching football in the afternoon = good. Not realizing that someone took a picture and immediately uploaded it to facebook = not good. Forgetting about it and leaving the picture up and tagged for a couple days = FML.
• Yes, I'm wearing the clothes I went out in last night. No, I don't care for the judgmental looks you're slinging my way, doorman.

Ok that's enough for today. No one likes a whiner.

JLH

Gridiron Dreams

When I moved to New York, there were certain things I knew I’d have to give up. Driving a car. Being there for every shower/engagement party/wedding. Going to all of the UGA football games.

Yet on Tuesday night last week, I realized I had a burning, deep desire to be at the Dawgs’ season opener. I just couldn’t miss it.

So, I did what any reasonable person would do and booked the first flight I could find to Dallas, Texas. Never mind that the game was four hours away in Stillwater, Oklahoma. My friends had thought of everything and secured a place to crash and a party bus bound for gameday glory.

I arrived on Friday and found my friend Colin’s apartment full of some of my favorite people and a few already empty cases of beer. I mentally prepared for the bender ahead and joined them in a few libations. We went through several rounds of pitchers over dinner, but generally took it easy in preparation for the big day.

Even though 6:30 came early, I literally sprung out of bed at the first sound of my alarm. GAMEDAY. Even with a full house of 14 sharing just 2 bathrooms, we were out the door and on the road promptly at 8 a.m. with the first round of beers, mimosas and bourbon and cokes poured at 8:01.

Our DJ Kevin kept us entertained with a solid playlist, and bartender Colin kept the cocktails flowing. Even a double tire blowout on the party bus didn’t slow us down, and in fact, it was more of a contributing factor to the fun.

The ladies smuggled airplane bottles in their bras, à la freshman year, and the party continued throughout the game.

We’re just going to pretend that nothing at all happened for the next three and a half hours or so. NOTHING. No embarrassing offense. No lack of defense. No absurd play calling. NADA.

The ride back was more somber, but truly not even a disappointing game outcome could ruin the weekend. There may not be that many more years when all of us can drop everything for a bender weekend of college football, but I plan to stretch it along as far as I can.

JLH

It's That Time Again!

6 days... SIX DAYS PEOPLE....

until it's COLLEGE FOOTBALL season!

Tailgating, red and black, Firefly vodka, Beam and cokes, Red Coat Band, GLORY GLORY, sundresses and flip flops, road trips, Arch Bar shenanigans and all of the other many reasons to celebrate the fall are upon us. I can hardly wait.

There are so many questions about the season and the team and our tough schedule both SEC and non-conference, but none of that really matters anymore. In six days the Dawgs will take the field in Stillwater, Oklahoma and I will officially be unable to think or speak about anything else, and I like it that way.

For the next three months if you want to find me, I'll be at Firefly in NYC or in Athens or on the road following my Bulldogs. Anything else? I'll talk to you after the last bowl game is played.

JLH

The City, My City

I am reaffirming my long held belief that everyone should live in the city at some point, at least for a little while.

In a few weeks, I will have lived here for an entire year, and I still feel like a NYC rookie.  After moving to a new neighborhood, a decidedly more quiet/family/practically suburban area better known as the Upper West Side, I feel like I am experiencing the city for the first time again. Everything around me is new!

For instance, I'm going on a first date later tonight, meeting only for drinks.  The idea of meeting just for drinks before I moved here seemed like a cop out,  but now it seems like the best, and only, appropriate option.  I can no longer imagine the horror, HORROR, of sitting through an entire meal with someone until after pre-screening them in a commitment-free, drinks-only meeting.  

Should the initial date lead to dinner later on tonight or otherwise, then so be it.  Who buys before they test drive anyway?

But when this guy asked where in my neighborhood we should meet for drinks, he was greeted with a less than sexy and smooth, Ughhhh... Well.... I did mention I JUST moved here, right?  That's what google is for!  Luckily he's practically a professional Manhattanite with a full 3 years experience in the city, so within seconds he was able to pluck the name of a date worthy wine bar that happens to be only blocks from my new place.

With enough restaurants and bars to try, not even mentioning the endless options for concerts, shows, museum exhibits and other activities, it's a wonder that I ever even spend time at my insanely overpriced apartment.  Yet strangely, that's all just part of the allure that is this great, wonderful, center-of-the-universe city.  For now, there isn't anywhere I'd rather be.

JLH

La La Bomba!

Another friend assumed her place in the ranks of married life this weekend, and I was happy to be on hand to share in her joy by drinking too much in the best town in America.  

 

While I've known for many years that Athens is a special place, it's true that absence makes the heart grow fonder and after many months of missing it, I was so happy to have a non football season excuse to go back.  I've always believed that life is a series of lessons, and we're here to collect what we can from every experience, so the following are a few things that Athens taught me or reminded me this weekend.

1.  Booze really does taste better when it is Athens priced.

2.  Sundresses and flip flops are appropriate attire for all situations.

3.  A meal with my girls at Last Resort can make me happy no matter what else is going on in life.

4.  Weddings are better with mariachi bands and sombreros.

5.  Arranging for transportation to the church, reception and back down town so you don't have to have to go back to get your car in the morning = priceless.  Three cheers for the Game Day shuttle!

6.  Going to a wedding without a date almost always ends up being more fun.

7.  Having pokey sticks delivered after last call is the stuff dreams are made of. 

8.  I should never challenge groomsmen's fathers to tequila shot taking contests, as evidenced by this photograph.

Congrats to the newlyweds, Mr. & Mrs. Noah Goodwin.  Special high fives and winks to the bride whose new monogram, V.A.G., will give us a supply of jokes that should last at least until we celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary.

JLH

Infinite Road Trip

My life of late feels like a jumbled mess of changing itineraries, carry on baggage requirements, delayed flights and all of the other joys that come with frequent travel.  I know I'm not even in the same league as many road warriors who take weekly trips and sometimes more than one per week.

Even so, I have been in 6 states in the last 7 days, including connecting flights through random airports, which is quite a whirlwind even for me.  I've come to appreciate the little things in air travel that really do keep you sane.

*Medallion Status-  I had never understood the allure of occasional upgrades and the relative few other benefits the airlines afford to its best customers.  Now, even as a lowly silver medallion member on Delta, I can finally say that I get it.  Just the free checked luggage and premium security and check in lines make it worth it.  For me though, the benefit I appreciate most is speaking to a customer service agent on the phone who is in the US and goes out of their way to accommodate me as an "elite" customer.

*Sky Clubs-  This has long been a favorite part of travel for me (See this trip),  I have come to appreciate it even more this summer as airlines have started overbooking flights more and more frequently and the terminals have become unbearable oases of pedestrian travelers.  If not for the relative calmness and free pre-flight cocktails, I'm not sure I could bear spending countless hours in airports.

*Taken just this morning in the crown room, approx 6 a.m.  Woof!

*Routine-  It's strangely comforting for the LGA Sky Club bartender to recognize you and start pouring your preferred cocktail before you even reach the front of the line.  What's more is my now uncanny ability to time my departure from Manhattan nearly to the minute to allow for travel time to get to the airport (in a black car, obviously), then adequate time to pass through security, pop by the crown room to have a cocktail and check last minute emails, and finally arrive at my gate just in time to check the upgrade board and cross my fingers that I have cleared.

Life on the road is more good than bad for me, at least for now.  I've had the chance to see some very cool places, and getting away from the concrete jungle every now and then is good for my sanity.  For those brave road warriors out there, hopefully I'll run into you at an airline lounge or security line along the way.

JLH

City Livin'

I just thought y'all would enjoy a glimpse of what living in NYC is really like.  I bought this retro style chair on Craigslist from a guy who lives on a 5th floor walk up.  This is what I went through (with help from my awesome roommates, thankfully) to get this into a cab and to our apartment in Chelsea....

Moving on Up!

For those who have never had the pleasure, allow me to explain the exhilarating process that is renting an apartment in Manhattan.

First, you have to learn the lingo. Pre-war or post-war? Walk up or elevator? Brownstone or luxury high rise? Fee or no fee?

Then you have to navigate the complicated web of craigslist and brokers to find someone who will even show you an apartment. There are scarcely few buildings that you can even see without a broker. Whether or not you have to pay the broker for their services depends on how desperate the building management company is to rent the apartment, because sometimes when times are tough (like now), the management company will pay the broker so you don’t have to.

After spending an entire day apartment searching this weekend, Mary Logan and I had narrowed it to two beautiful apartments, either of which we felt were appropriate choices for us. The first was an elegant townhouse building with fifteen foot ceilings, closet space galore and an exquisitely renovated interior. We put in our offer only to find out the apartment would not be available in time for our mid August move in date.

So, over a glass of rosé on the Upper West side we debated our second choice apartment. It featured a beautiful pre-war building in possibly the most ladylike building I’ve ever encountered in Manhattan. It also had a doorman, elevator, incredible kitchen and every charming detail for which we had been searching. As luck would have it, the apartment also carried a broker’s fee of one month rent that our broker called non-negotiable.

Defeated, we started from scratch and began calling brokers from craigslist. Just as our disappointment was setting in that both of these apartments were out of reach, our broker called and said the management company had agreed to one month free rent to offset the broker fee!

Then the fun part began. New York apartments are so fiercely competitive that you have to prove your worth to the management company. They require no less than the following: employment letter stating compensation and length of employment, bank statements, tax returns, an application fee and a credit check. Even after proving that we could afford the apartment several times over, they still wanted more. As of Monday night, we are still waiting to hear from above if we are worthy enough to rent this apartment. I am inclined to believe it would be easier to buy a home in most areas of the country.

Now we wait. Hopefully our dreams of living in a lovely apartment near Central Park will soon be reality.



JLH

Back in the Saddle

It had finally happened. The commitment-phobic, party-hard, good times girl found a great guy and fell for him. However, as a lot of you already know, I am single once again, and this weekend I am getting back in the saddle both figuratively and literally.

The fiercely independent part of me wishes I could say that I haven’t had any contact with my ex and I’ve been on so many dates that I can’t keep their names straight. But the past few weeks since we broke up have been tough. I have always had a profound sense of pride, so is difficult to admit just how heartbroken and lost I felt after we said our goodbyes.

I’ve done all those things girls do when relationships end including having my fair share of ice cream, crying to my friends on the phone and going through more bottles of wine than is even typical for me. I also cut 7 inches off my long hair and bought a few cute new dresses just to bring myself a little bit of change and to get a little control back in my life.

And as hard as it has been to let go, it’s also strangely freeing. Here I am once again a single lady in this big city, and it feels good.

A big step in the right direction is my good friend and soon to be new roommate, Mary Logan. She and I have known each other since we went to pre-school together at Northside Methodist, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be moving in with her in a few weeks.

She has been away from NYC for most of the summer and is returning today. In celebration, our closest NYC crew is getting together for a Western themed outing including dinner at Ted’s Montana Grill and bucking bull rides at Johnny Utah’s.

After an especially emotional past few days as I’ve tried to let go, I made the decision to make tonight my true return to Manhattan style single life. Hopefully my bull riding skills and my finest cowgirl attire will be so impressive that the cowboys won’t be able to resist.

And as for the kind of New York experience that I moved here to have, I’m back, and all I have to say is giddy up and hold on tight!

JLH