Sonia rides the T

Friday I tried to reproduce my record quick route to Sisters but failed miserably. The bus arrived at the orange line station just as the train was leaving, and the orange line runs so infrequently, that by the time the next train came, I had missed the bus for the third leg of the journey. I skipped Sisters and just went home.

Candy Encore

Monday no notes, Tuesday Natick, Wednesday Daphne.

Thursday: Stacy called again in the afternoon but I had plans already. Steffi was coming down again because one of the blues singers from last Saturday, Nicole Nelson, was at Johnny D’s, right there in Davis Square again. She got us in on her guest list and we got seated at “table #1″, right in front of the stage. Music was great, of course, and she was was appreciative of us being there. I don’t remember her exact words, but she was happy that we were obviously engaged in the music and displaying a little animation there in the front of the crowd. We both ordered a little food. I had one drink, an Old Fashioned. Johnny D’s rendition was pretty clean. Bourbon, sweet, a smashed maraschino cherry in the bottom, and that was it.

Bad Sonia

Sunday I slept late and had a lazy day in general. Stacy called in the evening and I went to visit her. It turned out that Jessica wasn’t there, but Kate was, and the three of us had nice conversation. Stacy went to work then, and I went…to Charlie’s. Bad Sonia.

Eye Candy

Saturday was Steffi’s. The main event for the day was a blues festival in the evening, but this was also the day for me to make up for the day I sent Steffi home early when she had wanted to go sailing with me. This turned out to be a perfect day for sailing. Red flag, strong enough wind to keep most people off the water, but still not too wet or scary. So, sailing was fast, the temperature was perfect, the day was just beautiful. Steffi said it was her best day of the entire summer. Really! I think she was just kind of caught up in the moment but she was completely sincere as she said this.We were short on time for dinner between sailing and the blues festival so I took her to Anna’s Taqueria for dinner. We had college student on the run burritos and Steffi loved that too.The festival itself was so cool. Steffi had complimentary tickets from her radio show in New Hampshire. She was boy mode, by the way, because people in her blues circle of friends only know her as Steve. And know her, they did. So many people, both performers and attendees, recognized her and wanted to talk to her. I don’t know my blues, but apparently these were some very accomplished performers, and so I felt like the eye candy on the arm of a celebrity. The music was awesome. We had seats in the balcony, but we could see there was a lively dance party going on downstairs in front of the stage. A New Orleans style brass band played in the lobby as we exited. Fun, fun, night. Thank you Steffi.

Wendy birthday party

Sisters on Friday was a good one. I left home at 7:30, caught the 90 bus, the orange line, the 137 bus, in quick succession and was making record time. Not wanting to walk the last leg, I started calling people at random to see who could pick me up. Dina. She was just leaving her house to pick up Danielle. Negotiated in a flurry of phone conversations, Wendy ended up picking up Danielle, Dina scooped up me, and we all arrived at the hotel by 9:00. The crowd turned out to be the biggest one since our opening night in January. One special attraction was that Wendy had invited people to come and share her birthday cake. The cake was fun, and furthering the reverse giving, Wendy also brought little presents for everybody. I got a little bottle of red nail polish. Girls kind of went in different directions at the end of the night and six of us stayed to close down the hotel bar. 11:30 they were kind of shooing us out, and Daphne and I drove home.

Combat zone

After the movie, I wanted to check in with Heather and see how her evening had gone. Not well, was the answer. Her plans had all fallen through, she’d been alone in the hotel room, and was just headed out the door to go to a random bar. I couldn’t resist joining her. I met her at the Tam, her choice. It turns out that she had tried the Tam just at random the night before after saying goodbye to me. Adventurous little thing, isn’t she? The Tam, for being in the middle of the theater district and surely a popular way station for theater goers, is pretty much a local dive bar, and not exactly trans-friendly. Heather had stories of how she had been carded, told that she must use the men’s room, and had her male name read out loud in a loud voice. Pretty harassing, I’d say. When I found her already at the bar with a rum and coke, there was an empty stool next to her, but an unattended half-full glass of beer there. Pretty sure that someone would be back for the beer, I stood rather than sit. The bartender saw me and told me that the person there was outside smoking and would be back. Hmm, not harassing, but not exactly friendly either. Just kind of neutral. I ordered a diet coke, still not winning any points with him, but tipped him a dollar and he finally relaxed and smiled and said thank you. The guy came back from smoking and offered his seat, happy to go wander elsewhere in the bar. Later, a girl came and chatted with us, talked purses and stuff. So, overall, I was happy with the experience. Some people might be upset at the treatment we got, but really, we went, asserted our right to be there, diffused any confrontational scene, bought drinks, had friendly interactions with the other patrons, and left. I thought it would be good to leave while we were ahead and go to a different bar. I took Heather down to Flash’s next. The bartender there (Patty, is that her name?) remembered me and was happy to see me. Heather got a wonderful chocolate cocktail, I had a raspberry lemonade and a chicken salad wrap, and we closed the bar. I was showing Heather how gay-friendly Flash’s is, but she wasn’t impressed. She likes to be out and blending with mainstream society and resists “hiding” in gay clubs. I walked her back to her hotel, we started to say goodbye, and then…we didn’t. Omg, we’re both bad. And omg, we’re both good.

I am Ferris Beuhler

Thursday I was home eating dinner when Lisa (from work) called. She and her daughter were wandering around Davis Square and wondered if I could come and meet them. Of course! I shovelled the rest of my dinner and dashed out the door. We hade a nice little visit in the plaza, but Lisa wasn’t feeling well and I couldn’t talk her into staying for the movie. See, on Thursdays they’ve been showing a free movie in the little park behind the train station. I was trying to talk her into sitting on a blanket and watching the movie with me, but no, they left. I had not quite enough time then to run home and get a blanket for myself, stop in Store 24 and get a soda, before Ferris Beuhler’s Day Off started. Fun movie, you know, and I had a new thought while watching it. I thought, “I am Ferris Beuhler.” In the movie he has an incredible string of experiences, just by taking the initiative to get off his ass and go do stuff. That’s been me, Sonia, for like the last year.

You make me smile

Wednesday was way cool. A girl named Heather had posted to Sisters of Boston saying that she was in town on business and was looking for some fun evening activities. Surprise, surprise, I turned out to be the one to help her. After trading a couple of emails, I picked a club called Les Zygomates for our destination. It turned out perfect for both of us. I’d walked by this place on South Street lots of times and knew from the crowds that it was popular, but just hadn’t had the excuse to go there yet. Heather said she’d like live jazz, and by googling around a bit, this looked like a good pick. No expensive tickets or cover charge, but still some of Boston’s top talent. The staff treated us perfectly there. I told the hostess that it was our first time there and that we were there for the music, and she seated us against the front window and right in front of stage. It was beautiful. Heather and I shared a bottle of Vidal Blanc, listened to great music, and talked the night away.