Tag: meeting people in NYC

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Drinks at the Hotel Chelsea

Old friends come to visit

Him: Hey Logan! I’m in town for work again. I’m with distillery and distributor partners but if you wanted to join us for a drink, let me know.
Me: Where and when!?

The Firecracker and I have a strange little artifact from when we were younger.

She met one of her oldest friends online via a chatroom while I have a solid amount of friends that I still keep from my Livejournal days – I’ve literally got too many to mention.

That’s the kinda stuff I don’t think is really all that common anymore.

Anywho, one such friend is my buddy Paul N, not to be confused with my old drinking buddy Paul.

The last time I saw him was back in 2018, when I visited my brother and met up with him as well.

When we first “met” online, he was a marketing guy and a wannabe writer whereas I was a lawyer and a wannabe writer.

But since then, he launched the award-winning – seriously award-winning, check out all the awards below – Japanese spirit Nankai Shochu.

So, he’s now the owner of a liquor company with staff and inventory, jetting around the world, hustling to get his premium hooch all over the place.

I’m still just a lawyer and wannabe writer but that’s neither here nor there.

He was in town so the Firecracker and I went down to the Hotel Chelsea – a joint I’ve walked past a million times but never went in – and met up with him and some of his work colleagues.

There was a huge line and waiting list to get into the private sitting area but one of his friends, the lady in orange below, is a bit of celebrity bartender and she managed to float us all in.

Me: Killer! See, this is what you pay for – not having people on top of you.
Firecracker: And quiet, I swear, every bar in the city is a sports bar.

There’s nothing quite like ordering drinks with people that spend their lives thinking about and working with drinks.

I told Paul’s bartender friend to just order me rum drinks she enjoyed, and she did. They were all delish.

Now, his particular brand of shochu is very similar to rum, something I’ve pointed out to him numerous times.

This time, however, he told me that he was launching a rhum agricole, something I’ve never particularly liked.

Him: Just try it. It’s very different from other types of that rum. Our distiller is a mad scientist. (pours me some, surreptitiously)
Me: (trying it) Whoa, that’s the best one I’ve ever had.

That wasn’t a lie.

Normally, you can’t drink rhum agricole neat but this one I could definitely see myself sipping in the future.

Me: On that note, have I ever told you my rum story?
Him: You may have, tell it again and I’ll tell you if I heard it before.
Me: OK, so the story of rum is really the story of us…

It was definitely a fun night…

Him: You know what Korean (Americans) do when they’re drunk?
Me: No…?
Him: They argue about who’s more Korean. So, one night, Jo and Man…

…and, afterward, they went off to another bar.

But the Firecracker and I are on full-time parenting duties as the school year winds down.

So, we made our goodbyes and our way home.

Her: You always have such nice friends.
Me: I know. It’s a wonder why they chose to hang out with a fella like me. (later) It’s always nice when old friends come by for a visit.

Location: in front of my computer, all damn day
Mood: groggy
Music: I don’t want to be the villain all the time (Spotify)
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The exciting UWS

Deer, water, and the UWS

I like my neighborhood precisely because it isn’t exciting – at all.

There are cool things like the Beacon Theatre and Lincoln Center but it’s still relatively quiet around here.

Well, last week was a doozy of a week for the UWS for a number of reasons.

Me: What’s going on?
Buddy: A deer got hit by a car.
Me: No, seriously, what happened?
Him: That’s what happened!

Didn’t believe my friend I ran into around it when he told but it seems that a deer that somehow ended up in the Upper West Side and got hit by a car.

It then sought shelter in a townhouse courtyard that I regularly walk past on the way to/from my gym.

The cops shoo-ed me away when I tried to take some pics…

…but a fella I didn’t know came up to me.

Him: Hey, I got some pics if you want to see what’s going on.
Me: That’d be great, thanks!

He ended up sending them to me so I could show the Firecracker, who was definitely not gonna believe me because I could barely believe it myself.

He was definitely wounded and bleeding profusely.

Yes, that’s the deer’s blood. It was really that colour.

They shot it with a tranq but had to put it down, I heard.

NYC’s a rough place if you’re not used it to.

Poor guy.

The other thing that’s been happening is that my tiny building is dealing with more water issues.

Couldn’t, for the life of me, figure out where it was coming in from so, I hired a pro, whom I’d worked with in the past.

Damn if he didn’t go to the other side of the guardrail – the side where you fall to your death – hold onto the potentially unstable guardrail with his left hand…

…balance on one lege, and dangle OVER the gutter and take a picture of a 25 foot long, one inch gash underneath my gutter.

Him: I think I found your problem. There’s…
Me: Come back first!

He survived and I definitely needed a drink after all that.

Like I said, I like living where I live precisely because it isn’t exciting.

Here’s hoping things go back to being boring next week.

The X is where his foot was and the dot is where his head was.

Location: Not dangling over my roof, I can tell ya that
Mood: insanely busy
Music: standing ’round this corner, tall enough to touch the New York sky (Spotify)
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Another Love Cover

Japanese BBQ in the UWS

The kid had his second recital the other day and played Tom Odell’s Another Love.

This is him playing in his first, if you never saw it.

I’d never heard of the song before and there’s on expletive in the original, but he really wanted to play it and his music teacher felt it was a good choice.

So, I let him do it.

Think it turned out pretty well, actually.

Afterward, we ended up having dinner at the same joint that the Firecracker and I went to a year-and-a-half ago.

And, we ended up going with the same family we went with the last time, except that they also brought a family friend along – who just happened to be Japanese.

Me: (to my friend) You could have mentioned that she was Japanese! That’s like me bringing a Scottish person to McDonalds and calling it Scottish food.
Her: (laughing) It’s fine! Actually, this food is pretty good Japanese food.
Me: You’re being nice, but I’ll take it.

The woman actually spoke perfect English; I woulda thought she was from NYC if she didn’t say that she was originally from Tokyo and lived there still.

We got onto the topic of alla useless facts rattling around in my head.

Her: Like what?
Me: Well, I see you’re wearing a Columbia jacket. That company was founded by this German family that fled the Nazis and left behind their successful clothing company. When they got here, the found someone selling a clothing company, immediately bought it, and renamed it after the Columbia River.
Her: (laughing) How do you know all that?
Me: I have no idea.

This is true.

The vast majority of facts I know are (a) useless and (b) of completely unknown origins.

Somehow, these interesting stories stick around in my brain.

And now, maybe it’ll stick in yours?

Location: Early morning, upstairs, trying to replace a shower door
Mood: groggy
Music: Words, they always win, but I know I’ll lose (Spotify)
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Three holiday parties in one day, Pt 2

Still crashing parties

After I left the previous party, I hopped onto the train to head to the Lower East Side.

Got off at the wrong stop so I had to high-tail it about a half-mile in the freezing cold.

Kept marveling how much that part of the city had changed since my old days of hanging out in Rain’s pad downtown.

Some things don’t change, though. Like these people playing ping pong outside despite the absolutely frigid weather.

I was the third guy to arrive; it was just five of us because others in the group already had other plans.

It was still nice to see everyone.

We ordered a buncha dishes…

…but didn’t get the King Crab – which started at $500.

Luckily, the table next to us did:

Speaking of the table next to us, I ended up chatting up with some of them because they had more wine bottles on their table than I’d ever seen in the past.

Him: Try some (of our wine).
Me: Well, I’m not saying no to alcohol.

As for us, my buddy SJ’s been playing prank on our buddy Gar for years – years – now, where he tells the waitstaff that it’s Gar’s birthday.

Afterward, we hit up my fourth spot for the night, a dive bar right next door.

Me: What is that?
Him: A pickle martini.
Me: A pickle martini?!
Him: (shrugging) I like martinis. I like pickles.
Me: (nodding) Fair.

Stayed for just a single drink before I left to make the long trek home.

Slipped into the kid’s room and he stirred.

Him: (sleepily) You’re home.
Me: (whispering) See, I told you I’d come home and see you.
Him: (nodding)

By the time you read this, it should be 2025 – blows the mind, really.

I’m super behind with entries just because I’ve been so active lately and there’s so much going on.

Bear with me as I try and catch up?

Location: The aft of a ship, watching Miami go by
Mood: a little under the weather
Music: Every time you smell sunscreen baby, do you see me (Spotify)
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Three holiday parties in one day, Pt 1

Crashing parties

Like I said, it’s been a while but I’m slowly getting back to my old rhythm after close to a decade of madness.

Remember telling Alison that the holidays, I’d be out almost every night for parties to hand out business cards and meet new clients.

These days, I’m just out at parties trying to remember what it was like to be me without the crazy and the sadness again.

Just before Xmas, I crashed the Firecracker’s office party for the second year in a row.

Her: My coworker wants to buy you a drink.
Me: Sweeeeeeeet.

Woulda stayed longer but I had to dash because I also had to head to the annual Xmas party in my next-door building.

Me: I’m always so grateful that you think to invite us.
Him: Of course! Wouldn’t have it any other way.

The kids were having a grand time there with some cool magicians and endless carbs.

But, once again, I couldn’t stay long because I was supposed to meet up with my college buddies downtown at Wu’s Wonton King.

Me: I gotta run, kiddo.
Him: Already?!
Me: Sorry, but I should be back before you go to bed.
Him: Promise.
Me: (nodding) I’ll do my best.

Location: The aft of a ship, watching Miami go by
Mood: a little under the weather
Music: We go back to the start when you’re back (Spotify)
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My annual office party

Sweet enough

Despite my not being regularly in the office since just before Alison got sick, I still get an invite to the law firm office party every single year.

Just like with my college buddies, I’m just happy to be invited.

This year, we went to Rossini’s, which was like stepping into a Mad Men restaurant in the 50s.

Waiter: Would you like some wine?
Me: I’ll have an Old Fashioned with rye, not very sweet if you got it.
Him: Not very sweet?
Me: Nah, I’m sweet enough.

There was a new paralegal who was originally from Texas that just started at the office.

Me: So, if one of us were to visit you in your small town, what would be the one place we’d have to go?
Her: (laughing) No place.
Me: None? There’s gotta be someplace.
Her: I’d have to bring you to Austin – cause there’s nothing to see where I’m from.

She’s going to law school at some point, so we got to talking about law school.

Me: Never thought I’d ever say this but, I look back fondly at law school.
Young Associate: Me too. It was a while ago. I graduated in 2015.
Me: Jesus, I graduated in 1998.
Another Associate: I wasn’t born yet.
Me: (nodding) Well, this party’s going well.

We also got to discussing some of the more interesting cases and clients we have. Because I’ve not been around the office as much, it was nice to feel back in the mix of things, however briefly.

Because of attorney-client privilege I can discuss any of the things we discussed but…man, I wish I could.

Me: Honestly, the law is great – both the practice and the mindset. The issue is always the client.
Partner: That is so true.

Afterward, we all parted ways outside of Grand Central.

Boss: No matter how many times I’ve been here, it’s always impressive. New York is always impressive.
Me: It is. That’s why I’m not sure I could ever leave.

Went through Grand Central to make it home.

There was a Christmas Market going on.

Gotta remember to bring the kid here to check it all out one of these days.

There really isn’t anyplace like NYC during the holidays.

The holidays are getting better for me, slowly but surely.

I still miss Alison terribly, but time makes things bearable.

Editor’s Note: I may or not post for Friday.

Hope you have a wonderful holiday, and I’ll see you soon.

Location: NJ, having dinner with the fam
Mood: caffeinated and egg-nogged, all at once
Music: I think I’m over thinking (Spotify)
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It started off all so well

Anything from Bibigo is solid

We were supposed to meet up with the Surgeon and his family for some hot pot the other night but that shifted to a party at their pad, which was actually even better since the kids could play.

Wanted to bring something so I asked Pac if he could recommend something to buy at H Mart now that it was in the UWS.

Me: Heading to a dinner party tomorrow and don’t wanna schlepp alla way to Chinatown for Chinese dumplings.
Him: Anything from Bibigo is solid.

So, we went and got a bag of beef dumplings and a bag of pork ones.

While the pork was definitely good, the beef was killer and we chowed through a lotta that before the other guests even came.

The Surgeon was mixing drinks all night and said – at the end of the night – that we kicked an entire bottle of mezcal with the four of us (him, his wife, me, and the Firecracker).

I didn’t think that it would affect me the same way as tequila does, but it turns out, it’s much, much, much worse on me than tequila is, which is saying a lot.

More on that in the next entry.

You may wanna skip that one.

In any case, the Surgeon and I popped out so he could pick up some sushi for everyone as well.

When we got back, more people were there, including a student of the Surgeon’s wife, who’s a professor of music and pretty talented in her own right.

Somehow, we got onto the topic of Scenic Fights and he immediately connected that I was the Logan from it.

After we posted the below pic on IG, his friend wrote him and said, “What?! How!?”

I’m regularly legit shocked at how much I get recognized these days.

Anywho, the party was great but we had to leave early(ish).

We were catching a ship to Bermuda early in the AM.

That’s where the mezcal makes another appearance.

Repeatedly.

I’ll fill you in alla the grossness in the next entry.

It started off all so well but, after all these years, I have to remind myself that tequila/mezcal, is not my friend…

Location: Back in the UWS
Mood: hangry
Music: Now I’m taking sips of your potion (Spotify)
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Just a little bit longer

Doing a good deed

My fave local dive bar put in a kitchen not that long ago – I think they did it over COVID, maybe?

But it really doesn’t offer much. Historically, it was a BYO food joint, with a ton of people, myself included, that used to order pizzas and stuff to the bar itself.

Well, the Firecracker wanted to hang out at a bar the other night, but she also wanted a banh mi while I was kinda in the mood for a gyro.

Me: I know! We can each get exactly what we want and bring it over to the dive bar.
Her: That works for me as long as we get to sit outside and enjoy the weather.
Me: Done!

So, we did just that.

Ended up sitting next to these three young British sailors that were in town until 3AM.

Me: Oh, fellas, you’re in the wrong bar. You should be at Tiki Chik or someplace like that.
Her: Yeah, there are no women here, but there’s definitely gonna be girls there.

They appreciated the suggestion and left.

We were happy to have done a good deed and had a nice dinner with drinks for ourselves.

There’s a lot to be said for a simple life.

On that note, the kid just got back to start school.

I’m super excited but also a bit sad in that the years seem to be sprinting by.

If only I could keep him my little boy just a little bit longer.

Location: the start of a new school year
Mood: anxious but hopeful
Music: don’t know if this is real life – what happens if I open my eyes? (Spotify)
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A Bohemian Dinner Rapsody

Not having an internal monologue

For some 18 months, I’d been trying to get a triple date lined up with Bryson and his wife, The Frenchman and his wife, and me and the Firecracker.

Bryson and the Frenchman were friends first, with the Frenchman being a white belt in BJJ when Bryson was a purple belt.

But, because life gets in the way, Bryson’s now a brown belt (4th level) but the Frenchman’s a black belt (5th level) and I’m still – laughably after over 20 years on-and-off – a blue (2nd level).

Like I said, life gets in the way.

Only found out through social media that they knew each other and, after we got together last time around, we’d been trying to do it again with no luck.

This past week, we’d finally arranged something – or so we thought.

Bryson: Hey guys I did not read the calendar right. We are [away next week after all]. We can do this Thursday or Friday.
Me: I’m putting this on your list.
Frenchman: Argh…that’s July 4th…sorry got a plan already.
Me: Is tomorrow out?
Bryson: We can do tomorrow.
Frenchman: Tomorrow 6:30-7pm would be the earliest.
Me: Wait, that works for us as well. 7PM tomorrow?
Frenchman: Oh, wow it’s happening.

So, after months of trying to plan something, we just randomly decided to meet up around the Frenchman’s pad within 24 hours.

The Firecracker suggested Bohemian Spirit as she knows I like Slavic food and the other fellas were game so off we went.

The Firecracker and I got there first.

Me: Oh man, this place is super cute.
Her: I figured you’d want to be able to take pics.
Me: (later, to waitress) Hey, do the chairs on the wall/ceiling mean something?
Waitress: (laughing) It means my boss was bored during COVID.

After a while, everyone else showed up.

While the Firecracker had met the Frenchman’s wife, Tess, before, and briefly met Bryson’s wife, Nikki, the two wives hadn’t met each other yet.

But, since everyone’s so chill, we all fell into a really easy conversation pretty quickly.

The food was killer to boot.

Me: Did you know that about 30% – or something – of people don’t have an internal monologue?
Frenchman: Wait, what does that mean? You have conversations with yourselves?
Firecracker: What? You don’t?
Me: You don’t talk to yourself?!
Nikki: I don’t talk to myself either.
Me: Whoa, is that 30%?
Firecracker: Your math is off.
Me: Asians are not known for their math skills.

Turns out that the Frenchman – and possibly Nikki but she was sitting farther from me – don’t have internal monologues.

Evidently, he thinks in images and concepts but doesn’t actually have a conversation with himself.

This was a pretty hot-button topic for us to end out the night but that’s more their story than mine, so I’ll stop here.

The Firecracker and I were stupid full, and she suggested that we walk home from the Upper East Side to the Upper West Side.

Her: It’s just like a mile. We can do that easy.
Me: Fine, but you’ll have to protect me if someone attacks us.

Can’t remember the last time that I walked across the park at night.

It was nice.

Actually, the whole evening was nice.

I’d do it again. Although, hopefully, earlier than 18 months.

Location: at another bar, limiting myself to a single burger
Mood: hot
Music: Will you let me go? بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ! (Spotify)
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Meeting friends

My brain just glitched

Him: Hey! Any chance we could meet up a little earlier tomorrow? Say 10 vs 11?
Me: Sure!
Him: Perfect, see you then! I’ll be the gray-haired guy with the 6’ tall sixteen-year-old.

My buddy Danny came by with his kid the other day. He moved to Texas ages ago.

Don’t think I’ve seen him since this entry waaaay back in 2007, far before his daughter was born and before he had grey hair.

I gave them a quick tour of the Upper West Side before I had to run back for some zoom meetings.

Gotta say, I think about stopping this blog alla time but then I’m reminded how nice it is to have a place I can just remember things.

Me: His daughter really was six-foot tall.
Her: You know, one of these days, the kid and all his friends are gonna be taller than you.
Me: (…)
Her: (laughing) You ok?
Me: My brain just glitched.

Him: I’m glad we could meet up! And you’re right by my sister.
Me: It is the upper BEST side, after all. (stopping in the middle of the street) Hold on…
Him: Everything ok?
Me: Yeah. (pointing down) That’s a baseball imbedded into the street and thought it was interesting enough to take a pic of. (shrugging) It’s kinda what I do.

I’ve also been having some zoom classes for a physcian that lives in Pittsburg. He’s also a former boxer that’s gotten really into kali and reached out to me to see if we could do private zoom classes.

So, for the past few months, I’ve been teaching him here and there.

He randomly ended up like two blocks from my home the other day so we met up for a cuppa joe.

Whenever possible, I always try to make time for people if they’re willing to head up to where I am.

After all, I never know when – or even if – I’ll ever see them again.

Location: watching Rob and Andy sing in Newark
Mood: entertained
Music: If you would leave it’d be a crying shame (Spotify)
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