the agenda revisited :: vma's :: russian vodka :: side show

ok so normally i'd like to place an agenda before my readers get to the revisited - simply put - i didn't - so sue me - but i feel it's only fair to recap my night - briefly - as it is nearing 2am.

so the crowds outside of work today were out of this world. the vma's really pulled in a lot of spectators. some of them were old enough to be my kids. i guess mtv has been able to get younger every year as i grow older - but goddammit - i was a member of the first mtv generation - so i outrank all those bitches. damn i just dated myself. regardless - i was there the day it launched and it was a moment in time that really defined a generation. i'm so out of touch with that world now. half of the people being honored i have never even heard of - most with one names spelled like a vanity plate on a souped-up yugo - those of you my age know what that is - for the children reading - look it up.

i met ames away from the crowd and headed west - our mission - dinner - followed by a show - 'side show.' dinner was at island burger - fantastic burgers if you are ever out on 9th avenue and wanting a side of beef and chips - but keep in mind that it's cash only - no credit cards allowed - well worth it - and pretty reasonable.

the show started at 8pm so we had a few minutes to spare so we popped into uncle vanyas across the street from the theatre for a drink. 2 choices - beer or vodka - i mean hell - what do you expect from an authentic russian eatery. it was like we had stepped completely out of nyc and landed somewhere outside of moscow. ames orders a cranberry vodka and sprite - you would have thought she killed the bartender's comrade. 'you don't mix vodka with sodas - you drink straight - like it supposed to be' says the bartender. he made the drink anyway - for fear of being pulled in by the kgb - i just ordered horseradish flavored vodka. don't ask - it was the first thing that came to mind and i feared to order anything else. i must say - it wasn't bad.

after our drinks - we paid the tab and headed across the street for 'side show.' 'side show' was originally produced for broadway in 1997. it's the story of a pair of conjoined twins who are pulled out of a side show act by a vaudeville producer named terry connor (played by my ex in this particular production.) classic story of love and betrayal and finding one's true self while looking beyond the 'freak' within.

the show was surprisingly good - a few technical flaws with the sound and ill fitting costumes - but on the whole - for a low budget - off off off off broadway show - not too bad at all. well it was about a million degrees in the theatre. evidently they can't run the a/c when the lights are on - it is after all a converted courthouse.

after the show we went back to uncle vanyas for another round of vodka (this time ames ordered her sprite on the side and i opted for garlic/dill - bad decision - should have stuck with horseradish) and waited for the ex to meet us. he did - he looked good - happy - and it was good to see him. we told him we enjoyed the show - hung out for a minute or two - and then he left to attend opening night party festivities.

ames and i finished our drinks - and then headed for home.

it was good to see that the ex is following his dream - i look forward to seeing him get better and better at his craft. it was good to discover horseradish vodka - even though i doubt i'll be rushing to get any of my own anytime soon - although i think it would make a hell of a bloody mary. it was good as always to hang out with ames. now it's late - time for bed.