Deck the deck with boughs of beer

Sunday was spent in a mixture of sunshine and rain out on the deck drinking beers and smoking cigarettes. Was my first opportunity to meet the heavenly host associated with the Saint (including upstairs neighbour, bridal handmaidens and their relatives) and it was a fantastic day. highlight was the food ... delicious Cuban pork and a great leek risotto to go with it. Beer, jet lag and sunshine got to me and I was in bed by 11.

Mermaids and sleep

Saturday I went for breakfast/lunch with James and then headed to Union Square to pick up Drury. 6 years since I'd seen her. We all headed down to Coney Island to see the Mermaid Parade. Missed most of the parade but it was great to be in place that is mentioned in every New York based movie/sit-com ever made. Wanted to go on the rollercoaster but the line was too long. Perhaps a return visit is in order. Walked along a surprisingly nice beach and then came back into town. On the way back to James' we stoppped at Chipotle and got burritos. Words cannot describe the glory of Chipotle .. spicy, healthy, voluminous - I'll be going back post haste. The idea was then to go back and have beers before heading out for Jenny's birthday. While James went out to get beer I decided to take a quick disco nap, it was 9 ... thought I could sleep to ten and be ready for a long night out. Instead I slept til 7:30 and was ready for breakfast.

The city so good they named it twice

I'm in New York! I'd never understood the 'named it twice' moniker for New York until someone I knew moved here and told me their address. Silly me. Decided I need to blog before I forget everything I've done and when people ask me what I did on my trip I look blank and say 'Went for drinks?'. Flew in on Friday after enduring 8 hours of stress and fear. Neither of which was relieved by the in flight movie selection of the Spyderwyck Chronicles, Horton Hears a Hoo and 27 Dresses. Had the traditional NY taxi greeting of man who didn't know where I was going and didn't know what anti-perspirant was. It was hot, hot, hot ... humid and sticky. Nice change from London, feels like I'm enjoying a city break while at the same time having the benefits of a beach holiday.

Arrived at the Saint's abode and as befits someone so cannonized it is heavenly. Leather couches, wooden floors and a glorious deck. Within 3 minutes of arrival I was on the deck with a beer, on my 5th cigaretteand the flight began to seem like a very long time ago. Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to tarry as my prescence was requested downtown. Got a local cab company to drive me down which meant I rode down in a giant blacked out SUV decorated with crucifixes. Went round to Foxley's place. first time I'd seen him in four years. Met his boyfriend and two of his boyfriend's friends before heading out to James' place. Had drinks there with Jenny and a Canadian guy and waited for Noods to arrive. When she got in we all headed out for drinks on the town. one short drink later that was abandoned and I headed back with Foxley to smoke pot and watch TV. Saw a great reality show about people auditioning to be presenters on the food network. I use the word 'people' loosely. James came over and I crashed at his about 6 am ... which was 11 am London time!

Houston, we have no problem

Mission achieved as far as Friday night was concerned, Rowley was drunker than Lindsay Lohan and I wasn't far behind. Saturday night was Amy's farewell drinks as she's off to Brazil for 2 months (must try not to hate her). So basically the entire weekend was a blur of alcohol and hangovers. Ugh. There must be more to life than this. Although if there was you'd think I'd have discovered it by now, so maybe I'll just go on with the booze. Was great to see Rowley, seems being at war agrees with him - he was looking tan and skinny. Guess that proves how misplaced the beauty industry's focus is. He got some weird stomach bug and lost 14lbs in 4 days and has been at war in a desert. Don't see that making it way into any 'Editor recommends' columns any time soon. Should probably not underestimate the fashion industry though.

My office is freezing. FREEZING! Its sunny outside and I'm sitting here in three layers wishing I'd packed my jumper this morning, but since my cycling outfit was shorts and t-shirt you can see why I thought it'd be OK to leave it at home. Stupid air-conditioning.

On a lighter note

Went round to Henry's last night and ate potato wedges and watched the Apprentice final. Was nice. Wasn't so nice trying to cycle into work this morning after all the vodka and wine I had to drink last night. Mmmmmm wine. Rowley returns from Afghanistan tomorrow with the intention of 'drinking an amount that would make Shane McGowan blush'. I'm going to be HAMMERED.

Slave labour

I've been working ALL day today. ALL DAY. Out of a possible 3.5 hours of work 3.3 of it has been charged to clients. I only did 8 hours of billable work in January. Its almost like I've got a job. The lawyer I share an office with started at 4am. Urgh.

Date night

Met up for a second date with the guy I went shopping in Tesco with. I'm officially going to have to stop using the word 'date' as neither night could've been further from a date. I guess last night sounds like a date ... we got coffee at Whole Foods, took them to Hyde Park and then went back to his place and watched a movie. But in terms of conversation (hot guys, random internet sex he had two days ago) it was most definitely not a date. Think that's a good thing as it seems to me he needs friends more than he needs a boyfriend at the moment and I'm so emotionally retarded that the whole idea of being something other than friends with someone fills me with nameless dread and overwhelming panic. Really nice evening though ... we watched White Chicks! It was OK, he's a big fan and as a result had quoted most of the funny lines by the time they came round so all I could muster was a gentle chuckle of recognition rather than guffaws of merriment, but I've definitely seen worse. The last 30mins I could've lived without (in fact I do live without the last 15mins as it was late and his DVD was scratched).

Its good to be out there though ... actually meeting new people and acting like a person. Its a step forward. All I've got to do now is have two surgeries, loose weight, have therapy and I'll be ready for a relationship. Yay me.