12/17/2004: "Love, Dinner, Chaos"

music: dodgeball the movie
mood: reflective, quasi serene... a bit chilly

Had a wonderful evening of extravagance last night courtesy of my good friend and former roommate Brian Dodge. As per tradition, third year in a row, I accompanied him to his company’s Holiday party. First year was great, a dinner and dance formal at the mountain winery in the Saratoga where we helped ourselves to a centerpiece. Last year, an amazing seafood tower buffet at a fancy hotel with plenty of music and the filching of not only centerpieces but “leftover” wine. This year it was beyond decadent. Teatro Zinzanni. A show, nay, an experience in San Francisco I have had the pleasure of attending twice in the last 5 years. It has been three years though since I have gone, but I often check the website to see who is performing and to drool at the menu. Yeah. It’s my kind of porn. Check it out.
This entire event from show to food, to cab, to after dinner drinks (not to mention the wine with dinner) was paid for. I even got my face painted and jeweled for free. A $9 Caramel apple Martini….on the house. Dressed to the nines, sitting with great young people all having a superb time, taking in and being overwhelmed by every aspect of this show, every detail was just what I needed, and I wager what everyone needs every now and then. I appreciate it as an artist but it’s hard with so much going on, sensory overload to the extreme, to even critique as you are inclined to do in my “profession”. Every where you look there are extravagant costumes, glitter, sparkles, feathers. A tactile feast, with a slightly sensual and definitely a bit naughty theme. Lace, velvet, and other flirting fabrics revealing but tasteful, dashing but quirky. Detail and surprises in every corner. Every bit of music is live from the crazy clowning band, to the soultry jazz and stunningly controlled arias, to electric guitar and show tunes. The exotic smells from the food, not to mention the tastes, the mood lighting that changes quicker than even my moods, the spectacle and diversity, the spontaneous adlibbing and perfect timing an temperature of everything perfect and breathtaking. This is as close to magic as I have ever gotten to in my adult life I think. Non natural magic. Such a treat, I forgot for 4 hours everything I have ever been sad about this past week and the timing could not have been more suitable. We laughed and we gasped. Yodeling, tango, acrobatics, theatrics, tap dancing, singing, magic, and things I have never seen done with hula hoops. Juggling (my favorite) with a ball of wonder bread, a whole chicken and a handful or margarine, audience participation…..absolute entertainment. Splendor. Absolute ecstasy. If you ever get the chance, or ever want to impress the crap out of someone, plan ahead, save your money, and go all the way. Ask for the center seats, don’t eat breakfast of lunch that day to make room for the delights, and find space in your brain for the memory you won’t ever want to lose. It truly lives up to its title. Love, Dinner and Chaos. I felt lost in a good way for the first time in a long time. Like Cinderella without all the baggage.

And speaking of Cinderella, I have been writing and watching A Cinderella Story, with Hillary Duff. From the Sublime to the ridiculous I tell you. A couple of classic teen scenes, and an upgrade on the regular teen flick with the introduction of a major plot motivator….text messages. Overall though can’t hold a candle to classics like the breakfast club and great guilty pleasures like She’s all that and jawbreaker. Points for having a powder blue vintage mustang convertible, points for the geeks walking around like the neo and morpheus from the Matrix but over all…barely a Rutger. Good background noise for a silly girl home alone, shaking off the week. The Hot tub, beer and tater tots for dinner didn’t hurt much either. I like my adventure and hedonism, but I really am content being a simple girl as long as I know the champagne is in the fridge should I need it.

Today’s highlights are two fold and included: 1) taking Bear to work (he LOVES all the attention and sleeps under the conference table when he isn’t being talked to in annoying baby voices, greeting the executive director with sniffs and woofs, and staring at the watercooler thinking how cool it is to be on the second floor, closer to the squirrels if he could just open the windows.Thinking makes him thirsty)

2) Taking said doggy down to the farmers market in Down town San Jose, with my sister Brette and her husband Jason. We had a nice sunny lunch outside at the Sonoma chicken Coop. Bear was ( And brette and Jason for that matter) very well behaved. I however was laughed at for wearing my fuzzy leopard slippers out. I say, it is better to feel good than to look good, and dammit, I look good anyway, I can totally pull off the slipper look. I am Americas next top model. And after a night in heels, being a foot plagued pisces it was slippers or nothing, and I do have to remind myself it’s still winter technically. Bear liked the fat little finches that sadistically watch us eat their distant cousins. By the end of the day he was a spaz and like his present mistress with the bladder of steel he had the LONGEST pee ever when we left this evening. Pretty impressive, must have tuckered him out since he’s been asleep on the couch with me since we got home. But I digress.

Laurina (friends since 3rd grade) awaits me at the airport at 10:30 in the morning, so I’ll no doubt head to bed before watchin’ many more of the other videos I picked up. Dodge Ball, to make me laugh, Spiderman for a little action, though the expectations are low, and Elf, cause Will Farrell (no relation to Colin, thank you) is hot. Okay not. But there is something appealing about him. I think it’s because he’s just retarded, and enthusiastically so. He was me like 3 years ago. And he’s married, and I think married comics are the penultimate, cause they are immature by profession, but mature by choice. E for effort I guess. Erin (Friends since she moved here in 6th grade) arrives on Sunday as does my Older Sister and hubby, so it’s a full weekend of visiting and socializing to be sure. And house managing, box office too. Hardly enough time to do any packing….what did she just say…ah…another night when I don’t feel so at home where (and when) I am.