Creamy on Sunday

And it was.  Brunch #26 was off to a relaxing start.  I think we were still recovering from the last two weekends, and I had a feeling this one would be a bit chill and it was so needed.  I spent the past week in NH with the parents, and back home on Friday just in time for Improv Class then a classic sleepover, spent all of Saturday with friends, a moment in Bryant Park, then back home for a much needed snooze.
11 hours later, I was awake, it was Sunday, and the restaurant we chose was Crema.  Pretty decent Mexican fare, but the selling point was the unlimited mimosas, natch.

I will say this, we are some lucky ladies, though the luck came by way of a shaky hand.  Let me explain.  We'd just sat down, Toni was introducing us to a new Bruncher, and the waiter was bringing us the first round, when trip! bang! boom! Down came four classes of mosas, all over the very chic dress of said new person.  At first we were horrified, I tell you, just horrified (please use Southern accent for that word). Then, we realized that we had entered the most blessed circle of "They-will-do-anything-for-us-now".  This sacred realm is often not realised in restaurants, however, when it happens, we must not let it go.  We must indulge our every whim and gestating fancy, and we did. 

Let's just say, we got alota drinks...kahlua-based delishousness mixed with coconut rum flair and topped off with Jimmy, our handsome and contrite waiter.  So, yes, we were quite pleased with the result.

The food btw, was extraordinarily good, some of the best Mexican food I've had here in awhile.  I indulged in the baked tortilla casserole no meat, with green and red salsa, Chihuahua cheese with poached eggs. Divine.  The mexican-style eggs bene also got thumbs up.  I'd def go back, if only to flirt with Jimmy some more, but I digress.

And so it was, that we finally left the restaurant on Sunday afternoon, completely bombed out of our minds.  I think it was the kahlua-mixed danger delish that we kept being served.  Anyhow, what's four lovely ladies supposed to do now?  Yes, Mr Sunday in Gowanus, again.   As Christine says, that party Mr Sunday is her boyfriend, and she's willing to share him with us, and how can you say no to that?

So, we were off like dirty underwear, to Gowanus for some serious get-down.  It really is a great party, man.  And yes, a mini-reunion with the crew, dancing and shaking IT till the sun went away again.  No worries, it will be back again.

All in all, a very fine mid-point brunch.

BRUNCH #26 - Union Square

PLACE: Crema Restaurant

TRACKS:  Biz Markie - Just a Friend

EATS: Baked tortilla casserole green and red salsa, Chihuahua cheese, crema, red onions, fresh cilantro. Topped with poached eggs. MIMOSAS!
OUTSTANDING QUOTES: 'I might vomit on you"  
"I'm wearing yesterday's glitter." Christine

Bubbles in the middle

It just keeps going and going, byatches! I honestly don't know where this project will end up, or how the finale may present itself.  I might become one with an egg, or develop into an egg expert as it were, sharing best egg practices to anyone who will listen.  Maybe I'll take the Bloody Mary to a new level and invent a new one, created with aged smoked tomatoes, 1939 Vodka and Lea and Perrin sauce.     I may be caught up more in the actual weekend,  the crew,  nuanced NY experiences and adventures more than the actual brunch.

However, the brunch is always present and this weekend was no different.  Summer has kicked off hard, where I had two events of mine on Friday and Saturday, FOUND LOVE, and Mosaic Lounge "Dirty Looks" ,  a balls-out party on Saturday at Cielo, then four events on Sunday - yeah, that's right. FOUR.  There were more happenings at  PS-1, Poisson Rouge, on and on and freaking ON!  But, again, I digress.

 Our brunch this Sunday was at an event. Bubbles and Bass, an amazing Burning Man community held their fundraiser at Bar 13, where the deal included free champagne, burgers and hot dogs - including veggie burgers - from 2 - 3 pm, great DJS and a roof-top.  We were there, and it became Brunch #25.

However, before the Bass-bubbledown,  my good friend was in town, and after a Saturday nite of dancing to Marques Wyatt for five hours at Cielo, the morning was a bit....rough.  Brooke was on her way back to LA that Sunday,  and we had an hour to catch up, so we had a pre-brunch at GMT Tavern, at the corner of Bleecker and La Guardia, in the Village.  I definitely DIDN'T need the bloodys, but the vegetarian omelet (does that make sense?) with oregano and goat cheese hit the spot, two times.

Then, it was on to the marathon.  Bubbles and Bass for an hour, where the sun was present, front and center.  Jason blessed us with enough glitter that I looked like an aging Porn Star.  The glitter was gold.  We were covered in so much glitter that we started riffing on Burners who burp glitter, and fart glitter, among other things.   Let's just say there was alaaaat a glitter. 

Then it was on to the fancier Verboten Party at another roof top blow-out at XVI, to check out WiseAcre and John Dill dropping the tracks.  Stayed there till sunset, then back to Bubbles and Bass, where Neil Kurland was on.   Hung out 'till ten, and this is where Poisson Rouge was to enter, to check out Black Coffee and another moment with Marques Wyatt.  But, I think  what happened to me, is what they describe as the wall, a large object placed just in front of your eyes, making it impossible to see, and the need to sleep becomes not a necessity but a great desire.

And so it was, that another freaking amazing weekend ended, filled with dancing, friends, dancing, ONE bloody, a burger on the roof, more dancing, more friends, then sleep, glorious sleep.

BRUNCH #25 -Greenwich Village

PLACE: GMT Tavern 

PLACE: Bar 13

TRACKS:  Christian Martin - Elephant Fight

Lovebirds - Want you in my Soul

EATS: vege omelette with goat cheese and oregano, veggie burgers, hamburgers, hot dogs, champagne, champagne, gin and ginger, more champagne, please.
OUTSTANDING QUOTES:"ashes to ashes, glitter to glitter"

Summer camp for boys and girls

It's taken me some time to write this entry.  How to explain the amazing weekend over the July 4th celebration. To describe what happens when you bring 2000 fun-loving, ever-dancing, costume-changing, big-hugging peeps to a secluded Boy Scouts Campgrounds settled among the rolling hills of Maryland.

Photo by Michelle O'Brien

The summer outdoors kicks off with a wonderful art and music festival at Camp Ramblewood; nestled between farmhouses, children-of-the-corn style fields, and lots and lots o trees.  This was the setting of Brunch #24, and it was on this weekend, that the crew came together to experience radical self-expression, amazing art installations, workshops, and yes, balls-out music. 

Debi Surprize

 And what a dancathon it was! Fourteen close friends in two cabins, with a porch straight out of any horror-film, set the stage for meeting up with more close friends on the dance floor, around the pool, among the tents, the trees, and by the lake. It was a good weekend.

$65 gets you this

But, yes we are here to talk about brunch. So, several of us bought the 65$ weekend plan which includes breakfast and dinner.  We quickly realised that this was probably not the best plan, since it meant waking up in time to eat breakfast or leaving a slamming pool party to enjoy dinner, and ultimately, actually BEING hungry.  Needless to say, the golden band circling our wrists became more of a piece of jewelry than actually partaking in the cafeteria-style blandness being offered.  So, meal plan, GREAT IDEA!

and this

When Sunday finally arrived after two marathon days, the idea of food was not really on my mind, but onward to the brunch/lunch cafeteria, where we were told that it was 12:15, and food ended at 12:00.  Now, I'm sure there were still egg-like scrambled and bread-like bread on tables, but obviously the fifteen minutes were very necessary for the Kitchen to begin preparing for the tacos, nachos and herd food later on.

No worries, we have VENDORS! So, off to the other side of the grounds, where Des and I bellied up to the Burrito Stand, and Mama made me the most delicious black bean burrito with cheese, lettuce, sauce, flat tortilla and tomatoes.  I realised then that I was very hungry, and devoured said burrito very quickly, sitting under a tree overlooking the lake.  Fantastic.  Wish I had a picture to share, however, my hard drive crashed, and so went the only pic of this delightful meal.

After brunch was over, it was back to the pool to listen to Rich Medina throw down some records - not literally - and dance until the sun disappeared, then danced some more until the sun came up. 

And I have to say this, of all my favorite things to do in the Summer,  there is nothing better then being a kid again, if only for a weekend, surrounded by good friends and good beats. 

Photo by Timothy Egan

If there were highlights, it would have to be:
Listening to SEE-I Saturday nite. Nothing like reggae beats to put a smile on this Jamaican girl's face.
Giggling hysterically with Des on Friday nite - by the Pavillion.
Watching Jessica levitate with that magical smile.
Morning porch time with Des, Danielle, and Gunkle.
Black and White nite.
Marques Wyatt - his set was otherworldly.
Watching the clouds with Steveie
All the DJS at the Pavillion Sunday Nite making it impossible for Jessica, Chuki and I to stop dancing.

I just realised that I could go on and on about the weekend, so I'll just end it with the hopes that we can do it all again next year. And we will.

BRUNCH #24 -Maryland

PLACE: Camp Ramblewood

EATS: Vegetable Burritto with black beans, cheese, tomatoes, sauce and lots o everything else.
TRACKS :
OUTSTANDING QUOTES:"I'm fifth element right now." "It goes both ways!"
OUTSTANDING WORD: "Meal Plan." "GFF" Gay Friend Forever, of Girlfriend Forever!