Where the Boys Are

In celebration of presidents, we went to gay night at Avalon with our friends Matt and Allan.

Brian had been to straight night at a gay club in Houston. I had been to SoCo, an LGBT club in Columbia. Neither experience prepared us for last night. A club full of cute men mostly without shirts (and some also sans pants) shaking it for all the world to see on the dance floor and five dry bars.

Even though most shirts were off, some that were on I thoroughly enjoyed.

The Greek lettered: I Phelta Thi
The Latino inspired: 100 % guapo

My trip to the bathroom was also unprecedented. On gay night, the women's restroom is for anyone who feels as though he or she belongs in that room. This particular washroom happens to have couches, its own window to the bar, and floating sinks that reminded me of gang showers. It is a somewhat of a destination, you might say.

It is a decidedly strange experience to feel out of place as one of the only women in the women's restroom. My fellow pottiers were quite gentlemanly, however. I was given priority at the hand dryer as well as when making my way to the exit.

And people say Boston is still a Puritan town.

Bring it

The heat is on. Too good to be true at Mizzou?

Continental Dining

Our Valentine's dinner date turned out to be much more romantic than expected. It was the restaurant. It had terrible service.

Just like most dinners during our honeymoon, we got great food at a snail's pace from people whose speech we couldn't quite understand. Ah, Europe.

Don Michele Caruso, the proprietor, was our server and entertainer. I say entertainer for two reasons.

One: He alternately bullied and charmed the customers. To the woman who asked his opinion on whether to get the ziti or the eggplant parm, he said:

"Lady, I don't know what you want!"

To the daughter and elderly mother behind us, he brought complimentary glasses of house wine with a Valentine's greeting.

Two: He was everywhere. By this I mean on the walls.

A sampling:

Don and a buddy wearing sombreros smoking cigars. Don and his family with the Vatican in the background. Don in a powder blue suite and bow tie with former Mass governor Cellucci. Don with a cowboy hat signed by George Dub. Bush was in the background of this photo. We knew the he had signed the hat because the caption Bush Signed the Hat! was screened across the image. We couldn't decide if the president had been photoshopped in or not. Don was the dominant element. Obviously, he's the man.

Did I mention his Zazza pizza is patented?

Needless to say, we will be back to Caruso's. There's another dining room to take in. I know there will be plenty of time until the food comes.

On Valentine's Day, five firemen around a pole

Unfortunately, the firemen were in full fire gear and clustered around a crosswalk signal pole. However, this pole dance did happen to be occuring right in front of a flower stand.

I'm not sure why it took the aforementioned contingent and two engines with lights flashing to deal with this pole. Maybe it was just a V Day public service act to provide some eye candy for the commuters streaming past en route to Back Bay station.

Regardless, it made me smile.

Ain't Our Cup of Meat

The Mighty Quin has fallen. Everybody's gonna jump for joy?

I love how the Missourian went with the worst picture they had of him. He looks like he just lost a fist fight. So much for all those stories about how cute he is and his wonderful hair.

Katie always knew he was no good. It's those crazy eyes!

Kind of convenient that a former Big XII coach was waiting in the wings. Not that the Aggies are really a men's bball powerhouse. Was Melvin the backup plan all along?

Since we're cleaning house, I know someone else who should meet Quin's fate. His initials are Mike Alden.

Then maybe Mizzou could truly begin to recover its athletic dignity. I can take losing. It's the phone calls from jail, drug busts and arena naming scandals that shame me. Tigers fans have been through enough.

THE REASONS

REASON NO. 88 (to read Esquire)

In Chuck Klosterman's March 2006 review of the documentary Our Brand Is Crisis about American political consultants working on the Bolivian presidential election:

"It shows that the tricks that work in American politics can work anywhere, but it also shows how dangerous it is to assume that impoverished South Americans will respond to being tricked in the same way North Americans do. These people don't shrug and blog; these people throw rocks."

Lost

earrings recently lost while being worn: 3
months of said losing streak: 3
lost earrings that are turquoise: 2
states of the union I have been in during losses: 2
times I immediately realized the loss and attempted a search: 1
lost earrings that DO NOT perfectly match a necklace that isn't lost: 1
lost earrings that make a matched pair: 0
patience I have left for this trend: 0

If there's a pirate or someone else out there looking to start a stylish collection of single earrings, I can hook you up.

Maybe Peter SARsgaARd knows someone.

At least SNL seems to be making me laugh lately.