Le weekend: Can you keep up?

Oh it was a busy, busy weekend, my darlings. Friday night was spent quietly at home, resting up in anticipation of the insanity to come, drinking gin & tonics and watching Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. I know, it came out last summer, but I wasn't sure then that I wanted to see it. I'd made plans to see Part 3 with The Artist and The Actor on Sunday, and they strongly recommended seeing 2 before 3.

Saturday morning I was up and in Soho for a 10:30 brunch at Balthazar with Josh Lyman, in town for the weekend. Our waitress was outstanding, having arrived six months prior from Portland, Oregon, seeking a better home to ply her trade as an architectural photographer. The bus staff seemed eager to flip the table, so we dawdled and asked for the dessert menu, as we were so enjoying ourselves. Then off for the long subway ride (made longer by accidentally boarding the express train) to the American Museum of Natural History. We explored the Fossil halls (where we saw Spike Lee with a group of kids), perused the Northwest Coast Indians Culture hall, and refused to pay additional fees for the Frogs exhibit, while we waited to see Dinosaurs Alive!, narrated by Michael Douglas (appropriate much?) . Then to NorthWest for mid-afternoon cocktails, a delish cheese plate, and more conversation. I think we could have sat there all evening

Josh grabbed a cab back to Columbus Circle and I headed to HiFi in the East Village to meet my former co-worker, Desperately Seeking NY (who's undergone a remarkable transformation in terms of facial hair), and his crazy friends for a drink (or three) before flying home, changing my shoes and top (in cactus, not espresso) and out AGAIN - this time to Blue Ribbon for the first time. I've been to their Brooklyn establishment (also with East Coast Guy, and also after a trip to a museum), but not to the Soho brasserie. Dinner was a delight - oysters, grilled fish over mashed potatoes and another cocktail (I think). But the night was young, so we wandered Soho (I love walking around New York on a warm summer evening) and dropped in at The Yard at the Soho Grand for fantastic people watching (tourists, bridal parties) and their refreshing cucumber and mint Spa martini. A dab of chocolate sorbet and I was off to try to stay awake through the last 45 minutes of Pirates and cat nap before it was Sunday.

Scheduled softball glove shopping and practice with The Lead Singer turned into coffee and conversation on her new Brooklyn front stoop (which was more than fine with me), followed by a midday dash from Park Slope to Chelsea to meet the boys for the movie. They'd been to another all-you-can-drink brunch, so my perennial lateness was less disturbing than it might have been. The movie was overstimulating, but it was what it was. As it started to rain, I made plans to meet DSNY at the bar again, and we all ran through the downpour to Cafe Mogador for a prosecco-laced dinner and unusual topics of conversation. Finally peeled myself away from the crew and home to bed much later than made any sense at all. I swear I'm going to bed at 10 tomorrow night, but oh it was fun!