Little Ms. Popular

About three weeks ago was trying to find the time to write a posting on how I was starting to feel like one of those bad parents that you see in the movies. You know the ones that are always calling up the kid on their birthday (right when they are about to blow out the candles on their cake) and telling them, “Sorry honey. Mommy can’t make it to your birthday party because work/forgetfulness/drug addiction came up.” That was me. Except I was telling friends that I couldn’t make it to their event that they were promoting, their concert, or their poetry reading because I was tied up with something else.

I was always running late! Either I was jetting from one event to another, or being held up by a friend before I could even get out the door. All the while I would be scrambling to make it before the guest list cut off. However, it’s dreadfully tacky at the same time to be furiously texting your host as you stomp down Orange Ave. begging them to make sure you can still get in for free at 11:40p when the list stops at 11:30p. It’s also shameful to tell your host that you can’t make it at all since you missed the cut-off. I try to do both as little as possible.

Events aside, I feel as though I’ve also been the crutch for my friends as well. Maybe something is in the water here, but it seems as though everyone is going through some major issues, and they all seem to want to resolve them downtown. I’m pulled in a million directions via texts and Facebook status updates that I’ve been tagged in. I’ve looked at my notifications to see that apparently I’m slated to be at Independent Bar on a Tuesday night for Grits and Gravy, even though I have work the next morning and Diana Ross makes me want to slit my wrists. As much as I’d like to say no thanks, it’s a little hard to do so when you’ve got five people who have already started posting comments that they can’t wait to see you out… Even though I just saw many of them the night before, and the night before that one, and have already had two conversations via text with them that same day. And then there is my favorite line: “It’s not like you have to drive 45 minutes home anymore. You live downtown now!”

I’ve never been the ‘popular’ girl my entire life. It’s quite flattering to me that someone thinks that my presence will make or break their night out on the town. It’s fun to walk up to a group of people and hear one of them squeal, “Bougie’s here!” But here is the true reason why it’s all irritating me so: Surprise, surprise- I’m going through a lot, too. I’m trying to tackle issues that come with being an adult- bills, work, and attempting something called ‘dating’ but I have long since given up on that. I live in a shell of an apartment that I’ve barely felt connected to since I moved in nearly two months ago, because guess what? I’m never here. When I’m out, I’m not allowed to have feelings either. I’m not allowed to just sit back and take in the scenery with a water in my hand. Someone is always coming up to me shoving a drink to my lips, or asking me why I look melancholy. Yet before I can answer, I’m being told that I’m not allowed to be- not tonight, because Bougie is needed.

All I’ve wanted to do for the last few weeks is go home (wherever that is), throw on my NOFX t-shirt and a pair of boxers, crank the Greeley Estates on my iPod and relax on the couch after I organize more of the things I need to unpack around the apartment. I just want to be Heather.

Tonight I hit up Shari’s sushi happy hour (try saying that one five times fast) in Thornton Park with my good friend Dru. Over $3.75 cocktails and sushi rolls, I described how two weekends ago I lost my iPhone at Back Booth. I’ve broken down into tears over it several times since then, as well as nearly pulling a Naomi Campbell by smashing my previous BlackBerry into a million pieces because it won’t receive text messages or show me calls I’ve missed. Although my perfectionism is numero uno on the list of why I’m so distraught over losing my phone (I’ve never lost a phone- ever- let alone anything worth more than a few dollars) , the second reason I’ve been so torn up is because I feel completely disconnected from the world. When I’m bored at work, I can’t just shoot a text to my friend Lauren and have some of her wit hold me over for a few more hours. I can’t catch up with people via Facebook chat while I’m walking down Central Boulevard. I can’t watch a movie and IMDB it when I have an inquiry.

My friends have treaded lightly around this topic with me, but all have stated clearly that this is a good thing for me. They, as well as any guy that I’ve attempted to have a relationship with in the last 2 years, will say that I was always on my phone. Always. By now I’ve finally gotten over most of the anxiety associated with me losing it, and I’m agreeing and seeing this as one of those funny coincidences that makes you scratch your head and trust that things really do happen for a reason. Its funny how when you're least connected to everyone around you, it makes shutting the world down so much easier. Fancy that.

So here I sit, wearing my Devil Wears Prada t-shirt and A Day to Remember on the iPod, typing away from my favorite spot on the couch. I feel like I have finally come back to my center. Heather finally feels at home.

Oh, and my closet looks fabulous now that it’s not filled with random bags.

Brunch at HUE- Believe the hype!

I was chatting it up with one of my best friends Cara during the nightly commute home. She lives in her hometown of Boston, so we’ve been keeping in touch through regular phone calls while we’re stuck in the car (on speakerphone, of course!) The other day I said, “Remember that time I came to Boston, and we were eating at Legal Seafood and those guys came for brunch? They were sipping mimosas and we said, ‘One day, that’s going to be us!’” That was us when we were 19… Now that we’re ‘grown ups’, we can do that! …So why haven’t I?

I finally got to partake in an Orlando tradition: Sunday brunch! It just seems like the ‘It’ thing to do around here… Nearly all of my friends are ‘doing brunch’ somewhere on a Sunday. Me being the uncool kid that I am, I wanted in! Since it was my birthday last week on top of a 3-day weekend thanks to Labor Day, I turned it in to a Birthday Weekend and did a little splurging. Sunday was no exception! I packed up my laptop, a good book, and made a reservation at HUE in Thornton Park for 12:30p.

I’ve always heard that HUE is the ‘It’ place for brunch- the rumors of their Bloody Mary buffet were tempting enough for me to try drinking them again (I once took a sip of a friend’s one night, but Cara and I have since deducted that it was a 2-4-1 well and that might be why it tasted like crap). When I made the reservation, I left them know I was bringing a laptop and would need an outlet. They were more than happy to accommodate me, and I had a nice little table that was quiet enough to work but I was still able to take in the happenings of the place. With all of the hype of the Thornton Park area, I was caught off guard when I saw the prices of the food! Everything was modestly priced, even the mimosas and trips to the Bloody Mary bar!

I decided to take the ‘go big or go home’ approach and treated myself to one of my favorite things, which is eggs benedict. The Eggs Benedict HUE Style comes with 2 amazing crab cakes that left me wondering where the ‘cake’ was. There was also an amazing flavor to them that reminded me of Thai food. I also took advantage of the $4 Bloody Mary made with Absolut Peppar. At the ‘buffet’, you can choose from a few bottled selections of mixers, but why do that when you can take advantage of their house mix? You can also go crazy with the garnishes! They had everything from chilled shrimp and pepperoni cubes to blue cheese stuffed olives and peppers. Needless to say, I’ve found my newest drink addiction and had 2.

The one thing that I did really enjoy at HUE was the service! I was there for a good two and a half hours, and at no point did I feel rushed to turn the table over. My waiter was very nice, and took the time to explain the concept of the Bloody Mary bar to me. Any of you who waited tables will agree with me that service is a biggie when dining out, and I’ll even watch other tables to see how their service is. I know- weird habit LOL The servers at HUE work as a team- everyone is cleaning off tables, even if they are not in their section, as soon as someone is done eating. Fresh coffee was always being offered, waters were being filled before my glass was even half-empty. All those little things make big impressions on me! I was reading Atonement, and one of the waiters politely stopped by to ask if I was enjoying the book more than the movie, since he had just seen it and wanted to read the novel as well. We ended up swapping a few of our favorite selections (as us bookworms like to do).

I’m glad I’m finally getting back in to ‘single mode’ and trying out different places around town, even if it is just myself and a book. Cara and I were saying that you never really start to appreciate the city you’re living in until you start getting out there and taking advantage of the places and traditions that are known around town. I think Sunday brunch at HUE just might have to be my own little tradition…