BINGO, Booze, and Food… 6/11/16

I’ve really managed to put together an interesting mix of activities this week.  Trust… next week will be tamer.  But let’s cross that bridge then… because this week isn’t quite done.

First BINGO! I convince a co-worker to go play bingo in Bryant Park last Thursday.  Mind you, I’m still kinda tired from the BEYONCE concert, but I’ve made a commitment, so I MUST go.  Glad I did, first stop Sinigual for Happy Hour margaritas, for the bargain price of $7 (American $$$) a pop.  I must say though… WORTH iT!!! Those were some good margaritas.  (Strawberry and yes I’d go back there) After food and drinks, we’re ready for what is now known as “drunken” BINGO!  And 5 city blocks later, we’ve arrived, but wait… They started already???  What time is it???  I thought this started at 7???

Guess those margaritas were better than we thought…

The weather is beautiful and the park is packed.  As the guy continues to call the numbers, we figure out BINGO boards, chairs, and crash some random table (hope those people didn’t mind) and get in the game.  We’re off to a great start, because after a few minutes, my friend leans over and tells me she’s about to get BINGO.  I took a look at her board and she’s right, all she needs is one more number – now I’m playing for both of us… when it happens N44 and I yell BIINGOOO!!!  Pointing to my friend singing and chair dancing… she got BINGO, she got BINGO.  The number caller guy stops the game announcing there’s a possible BINGO and I could almost see the WTF in his face when he turns to see who called BINGO and realizes it’s us.  Let’s just say, after a few margaritas, we didn’t enter quietly so he knows we just got there and there is no way either of us could possibly have BINGO.  He proceeds to explain that for this game you gotta get some sorta pattern to win, not the typical across, up & down, or diagonal.  Needless to say, we – well she – didn’t have BINGO, and neither of us did all night.  Bummer, I really wanted to win one of those t-shirts.

Friday, I signed up for the Brick City Bar Crawl.  Let me just give KUDOS to the organizers of this Bar Crawl for taking me to places for drinks in my city I would have never considered.  (I really need to give new things a chance) We start at a place called RIO at 7pm with actual Happy Hour prices.  I ordered the $1 sangria – red.  Problem with $1 sangria is it taste like $1 sangria so… I order a few $3 shots to enhance the $1 sangria experience, and guess what… it worked! (That’s cause I know what I’m doing) Right away I’m talking to people. (Figured I should before I have too many because these people should know the real me) They all seem nice enough and before long we’re off to the next spot, (I forgot the name of it) where there’s more (you guessed it) drinks!  This is only the second place so the entire time I’m thinking to myself an old adage taught to me by my cousin Nina B… it’s pace not race, don’t get s**t faced – we’ve got two more places to go.

A burger joint, with more drinks, and then to a disco, with (of course) MORE drinks!  Both were a good time, and the entire group has more drinks, so everyone is more friendly and we began to hang out as an actual group.  There were photos, shots, and at the last place… dancing.  I can’t remember the last time I actually danced at a club.  Like foreal-foreal dis my song dancing.  (Sigh) Good times…

This morning I planned to grab breakfast with a former work buddy from PS, so imagine my disdain when I get a text at 8:30 this morning.  I was pissed but realized I did have plans so I needed to get up.  We decide on 11am and instead of breakfast, we head out to Livingston High School for the food truck festival.  There were lots of interesting choices, but after a quick walk around I decide on the Maryland crab cakes.  We wait in line for about 10 minutes only to find out, this guy is so ill prepared for this.  I ask about the wait time when he tells me the orders are all backed up, but he has more crab cakes in the oven.  I look behind him and see about nine tickets of orders waiting to be filled and the people waiting are now standing right next to me complaining to each other.  So I ask the guy – well how many crab cakes are in the oven.  This guy says (are you ready for this?) about a dozen. (all super casual like) Me giving this guy the benefit of the doubt because he is in a food truck, I say – cause that’s all the oven will hold? (you know big food truck small oven, right) He’s like – naw, it’ll hold way more than that. I summon my work self (you know – helping small businesses) and I politely tell the guy that unless he wants to take those crab cakes back home with him, he should probably put more in the oven and I walk away. (deuces) I then decide on the lobster roll with a super long line.  I wait and wait and wait thinking to myself, this better be worth it… Finally it’s my turn so I get two – and yes they were worth the wait.  Good buttery bread, lots of lobster meat, and barely any mayo, perfection.

Anywho… I’m on my way to the Portuguese Festival here in Newark.  More food, more booze, but no BINGO.  I guess two outta three ain’t bad.