WC Came to Visit and So I Experienced NYC - Part III

WC wanted to go to dim sum. I didn't want to, because from what I've been told dim sum isn't as awesome an experience for those of us with meatless diets. He finally coerced me into joining him. D and his friends go often, so we were scheduled to just tag along with them.

Except that Brother needed to drop some books off for the MoCCA convention next weekend, and we didn't plan it, so I had to wait for him instead of going to dim sum.

It was nice to see Brother. He made a sandwich and we talked about simple sugars and The Parents, and mused over how bizarre this whole cruise event is.

When he left, I waited on the 1 platform for ages and finally jumped on a train to head downtown to meet D and WC for a ride on the Staten Island Ferry. WC also wanted to go to Liberty Island, but no way. The lines, the tourists, etc. D suggested the Staten Island Ferry because it is free and provides a lovely view of The Statue. I have never been on the Ferry, so I was pretty psyched.

Until, of course, the 1 train started going backwards at 14th Street. I was sitting there listening to my Ipod, ho hum, when all of a sudden the train started going backwards. My instinct was that I was going completely insane. "Is it possible I just didn't realize in what direction the train was going?" I tried looking at other people on the train, and soon sensed global confusion. Some girls motioned to me and said "IS THIS TRAIN GOING UPTOWN!?" "Ummm..." I said. "I think so...."

So yeah. The 1 apparently stops at 14th Street on the weekends. Awesome. I took it back up to 23rd Street and called D. They had just missed the ferry. "When's the next one?" I asked. "In half an hour." I didn't know if I could make it. D suggested taking a cab, so I did and met them in Battery Park like three minutes before the ferry was leaving.

We hauled it to the ferry, only to hear the announcement that the ferry was cancelled.

Bastards!

We gave up and had Mr. Softee's and stared at buildings downtown for a bit. WC saw a store that sells fancy chocolates that he likes but it was closed. I google texted and found another one uptown that was allegedly open. We headed up and WC bought an assortment of allegedly yummy chocolates. Then we looked at Grand Central. We had planned to grab a drink at The Oyster Bar but of course it was closed.

WC, who is a bit of a foodie, wanted to go to Balthazar. It's very very very fancy and very very very good. Attentive and professional waiters, water constantly, amazing food. Actually, probably best meal ever. I had a carmelized onion/goat cheese tart with salad as an appetizer, fennel ravioli with garlic and pesto and pine nuts and tomatoes for dinner, meringue with warm berries for dessert, and a glass of wine. Fabulous experience. I love to have visitors.

Anyway, the culmination of the weekend occurred while dining at Balthazar.

Picture it:

Small table in the corner in the back of the restaurant, awesome because it was quiet. I am sitting against the wall on a booth bench that stretches three tables to me to the right. I'm looking out at the rest of the restaurant. D is sitting next to me on my left, in the corner. WC is sitting at a right angle to me (against the other wall) to D's left. So WC is facing the table across from us, which is empty.

Like ten minutes after we sit down Laura Dern comes in and sits directly across from WC at the table opposite us! So WC was basically staring at Laura Dern for the next two hours. And then we realized that Laura Dern was having dinner with Meg Ryan!!! I was sitting on the booth bench with Meg Ryan!!!!

We tried to play it cool. We tried to talk to each other. We tried not to gawk. But dear god WC was looking right at Laura Dern and I was basically sitting with Meg Ryan.

Every now and then D would mention how he was trying so hard not to look. "This is really difficult for me," I said, "since Laura Dern is in one of my favorite movies of all time... like seriously... she's had such an effect on me... I saw Jurassic Park like 7 times in the theater! How am I supposed to deal with this?" And then "Would it be inappropriate for me to fake an orgasm right now?"

I couldn't eavesdrop. The restaurant was too loud, and it also would have been extremely obvious if I was listening in. They sounded like two girls out for dinner. I think Meg Ryan said "Blah blah blah... and then he said blah blah blah and I couldn't believe it!" and Laura Dern was all shocked and horrified.

Laura Dern is gorgeous. Meg Ryan has had too much plastic surgery. They ate french fries. Awesome.

We left Balthazar, star-struck, and just headed home because, really, what could we have done that night to beat that?

I ate Cheez-It's while we watched the remainder of Shopgirl, which remained creepy but was also superficial and just generally detestable (bad). Yes, I read the novella and it was mostly forgettable, but I didn't feel dirty after reading it as I felt after watching the movie. There wasn't one flattering thing about women in that movie. It was gross. Jason Schwartzmann, however, was magnificent in it, so if you must see it, it won't be a complete waste.

D and I went to bed and WC somehow managed to make it to his 3:00 am shuttle. Bless him.

We had a good time and now I am looking forward to next weekend, when I will be alone at last. I am looking forward to quiet. I think I am going to be alone tonight as well for the first time in about three weeks. I am going to bust out the exer-DVD's and move my ass, and do laundry, and watch the rest of The King and I which I have been trying to watch for like two weeks. The rest of the week is mayhem. I ate lame pizza last night with MF but was buzzed from one glass of wine over conversation about how absolutely splendid therapy is. Tomorrow night will be my first experience with Etiopian food with TE. Thursday is class. And then... the weekend. Only three more days. Woo!