It’s been a busy, busy few weeks with work @ AT, the “real job” hunt, the podcast & lots of crazy adventures. It’ll be a massively long post if I talked about everything at once, so I’ll just go in order over the next few days.

First weekend in Jan., as mentioned in “Don’t go across the tracks,” Allison, Amanda, Julia & I met up at Ali’s apartment in Chelsea for a little diva reunion. (After I finally got there,) we (sadly) skipped the tree in Rockefeller Center in favor of dinner bc we were all starving. Julia took us to this place called Gingerman’s on 34th that had beer from around the world. If you ever go, get one of the hot dogs. They’re faaaabulous. We went back to change & decided to go to Marquee around 11:30pm. Ali lives just a few blocks from all those “trendy celeb” hangouts so it was lovely to not have to walk far. It was also ridiculously warm for Jan., as we were wearing short sleeves/tank tops without jackets. The club is pretty sick nasty, but you can only sit down if you buy a bottle of wine or Grey Goose or Cristal for $250, minimum. We were not all about that. However, we had a secret weapon: Ali’s freaking hot. She’s “that blonde girl” that everyone always stops to hit on, no matter where you are. Ali took care of finding boys to let us sit down & share their Grey Goose. But I get ahead of myself.

So, no matter where I go, I’m always all about exploring the joint. I have to know everything about everywhere & what the deal is. It’s the reporter in me. After quizzing one of the bouncers near the bar, I decide the place for us to be is upstairs. At some point, Ali asks – and I quote – “Coll, what shot can I get that will get us the most fucked up?”

Never ask me that question.

I’m trying to figure out what level of inebriation that everyone’s at (which at 11-f’ing-dollars a drink really wasn’t that high at all), combine it with what time of night it was, divide it by number of non-sketchy hot dudes in the place who I’d trust buying one of us a drink (I’m picky & judgemental so that number was also very low) & then multiply that whole equation by just how nice I’m feeling at the moment. I consider going for Rumplemintz…because who doesn’t like 150-proof toothpaste? But I can’t do that to the girls. So I opt for 151. Yeah, I don’t know why either. I think I was bitter that I’d been there for 2 hours, only had like 2.5 drinks & getting another would cost another $11. So I rationalized that I was doing everyone a favor.

No one threw up, but no one could quite breathe for a good minute afterwards. I’ve done 151 with Frankie & Brian at home and it’s never seemed quite as evil as it did at that moment. Luckily, I came to my senses quick enough to ask for a glass of water for everyone to chase with.

So Ali finds some dudes to let us sit at their table. I become bored with them very quickly & turn to my left and make friends with these 2 gay guys, Mark & Lee, who lived in Canada & Michigan and had just spent New Years in Egypt. I’m fascinated by people’s travel stories & quickly ignore the girls & the table of dudes and talk to my new BFF’s for the next hour & a half. At some point, they start pouring me Grey Goose & tonic. OH – Dennis Rodman was at the club but I’m surprised I even remember the entire night. I didn’t realize how much overpriced vodka I drank until after we got home. Ugh. It was not fun.

The next morning, we all woke up & I had the hangover that lasted the entire day. I’m talking I felt like shit until I got off the train at 8pm. I’ve only been hungover 3 times in my entire life – that being the third. Now I remember why I usually cut myself off & start drinking water about an hour before I leave a bar even if I’m not driving. We walked around, got bagels, went to see the tree (hooray!), went to Central Park & then got dinner. Ali got hit on a bunch more times. I don’t know how she deals with it. Frankly, if someone had tried to hit on me in the middle of Jamba Juice at noon while hungover, I’d probably have to have a very intense inner dialogue to keep myself from dumping my drink on their head. It was overall a very pleasant day. I had an awesome time, we’re going to all meet up again soon, maybe around my birthday (Feb. 8). Hopefully Meagan can come this time.