Just Some Odds And Ends, Girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darlings, can you believe we have already arrived at January 30????? The slowest month, and least favorite of mine, is at an end. As of tomorrow we are officially 1/12 through 2012.

What a weekend of ups and downs it has been. If you were suburban raised, like me, I am sure your mothers got "Woman's Day" magazine (is it even still published???), which had that famous column, "It's All In A Woman's Day." Well, honey, with me, "It's All In The Life Of The Raving Queen."

We--Monsieur and I--spent the entire weekend in town. What did we do Friday night? I am not even sure. Saturday, we dined at Mappomondo, a small, nice Italian restaurant near Monsieur, which has fabulous Bruschetta, and the most fabulous salad, called, appropriately enough, the Mappomondo. Endives, artichokes, celery, apples, a delicious dressing...we always scrape the plate over this one. Monsieur had a special veal dish, while I had a wonderful pasta with Lamb ragout!!!!! Luscious! And wine, of course, darlings; after the day I had, where, at work, I felt like I was Anne Bancroft playing Annie Sullivan in "The Miracle Worker," I was drained. And at least Anne got an Oscar AND a TONY for her efforts!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday, we had to get up and at 'em, because Monsieur's cousin, Jodie, was coming in from Connecticut, with her daughter, Mia!!!!!! Wouldn't you know I awoke with what turned out to be a migraine?????? Thanks to Excedrin Migraine, it turned out to be a very mild one, which enabled me to make it through the visit with Jodie and Mia, which included lunch at the Chelsea Diner, where I had the broccoli quiche, with rice, peas and carrots, and a salad. Hold that thought, for the future, darlings. After the meal, we strolled along 14th Street, going in and out of shops, making a stop at Whole Foods, where Monsieur brought some items, and then, since we were not that far, making a beeline for the Strand Bookstore. Mia made for the Children's Section, which I approved of, while I hunted for something. I hardly ever come out of the Strand empty handed, and yesterday was no exception--a hard-back copy of "In The Garden Of Beasts," by Erik Larson (author of "The Devil In The White City," which I simply adored!!!!!!!!!!!) and a paperback of "The Emigrants" by W. G.Sebald, which is highly thought of in the realm of literary fiction. Plus, years before, I had read Sebalds's "Austerlitz" so I think I know what I am in for.

After that, honey, things just caught up with me. We walked back to Monsieur's street, bidding Jodie and Mia farewell, and we went to D'Agostino's for some staples. Then we settled in for the night, when I could finally crash into bed with my migraine, while watching the "USA Law And Order SVU ADA Marathon," which featured plenty of our favorite ADA, and legal glam role model, Alex Cabot, played by Stephanie March!!!!!!!!! Girls, I am telling you, if I ever need a lawyer, and they do not look like Stephanie, that is IT!!!!!!!!!!

But it wasn't so much what happened on screen, as what happened off. Monsieur made a lovely at home dinner, which included his famous salad, cream of carrot soup (which was yummy!) chicken cutlets, couscous, and this ugly looking thing, resembling a horror movie monstrosity--a cross between "The Tingler", and one of those bat things that flew out from beneath Cucumbo in "It Conquered The World," bit them on the neck, died, but consigned their victims to alien domination. It was something called Celery Root, and,at first, I refused to eat it. But, it turned out to be edible, bland though it was.

And that was that, I thought.

But then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No sooner had I gone back to the bedroom, cozied up, and settled in, to watch more of the 'SVU' Marathon, than my stomach began to cramp up like it was nobody's business, and I curled up into a fetal position. It passed, so I thought it was just some lingering gas, but when it happened again, and I felt like an "accident" was about to happen, I made a beeline for the bathroom, and, by the time I got situated there, I was not sure if I was going to throw up, or void at the other end. The latter decided for me, and there I was, doubled over, as wave after wave of cramping and diarrhea hit me. Though I have to admit, when it was done, I felt much better, I took some Pepto before bed, and here I am today, writing to all my girls. But no Mexican tonight!!!!!!!!!

I still maintain it was that ugly Celery Root. But Monsieur ate everything I did, and not a reaction from him. On which he concluded it was the quiche, earlier in the day. But that was seven hours ago. Considering Monsieur ate the same meal and did not get ill, I have to conclude the same.

Social gallivanting, migraines, stomach attacks--it is all part of being the Raving Queen. Guess my constitution is still strong and healthy, as I am here, upright, to tell you all about it.

I also want to go back to some earlier points in January, to tell you about some equally interesting adventures (though not nearly as hazardous) which I have not yet had a chance to report.

Several Saturdays back, Monsieur and I, with the honorable Herb, dined at a fairly new nightspot, Donatella's. The cuisine was excellent--the salad delicious, the appetizers tasty, and the pizzas various, and meals in themselves. This was no street corner pizzeria, honey!!!!!!! And it was filled with trendy sorts, wannabes and hangers-on, whom this Raving Queen could not help but notice were striving to get somewhere, but, of course, were getting Nowhere fast!!!!!!!!! And while the staff steadfastly denied their Donatella was NOT Miss Versace, lambs, how many Donatellas do you know??????????? Not too many from my end, I can tell you. So I would not be a bit surprised if Miss Versace is branching out. But whomever is the real Donatella, the restaurant visit was a success.

Then there was our visit to the Hurricane Club, several Thursdays back(a really cold January night!!!!!!!) an elegant looking, Polynesian (so we were led to believe, though it seemed more to me like Pan Asian) place that was visually impressive in several ways. The subdued lighting and walled elegance, gave it a look
of depth and palatial splendor; it actually seemed larger on the inside than the outside. The crowd was young and trendy; like casting types at a cattle call for "Sex And The City." Darlings, I think we were the most mature, and sophisticated there. So, of course, the atmosphere was loud and raucous, which, with the sylph like waitresses, still managed to keep it all withing the context of "Flower Drum Song," where I expected Nancy Kwan, as Linda Lo, at any second, to walk over and pop her "evil spirits" in my face!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our hosts was this charming and quite happy gay couple--a testament to the joys of male domesticity, darlings!!!!!--whom I shall call......Mame and Vera!!!!!! Mame, whom Monsieur had known for awhile, is a good natured, ranconteurish record exec, with an outgoing personality. Vera, his partner, is equally good natured, but a bit more the passive, pensive, poet soul. Maybe this is why I cottoned to him. Imagine my amazement, once I discovered we were both writers, of a sort--he has published, online a collection of short stories, and is now working on a gay mystery novel. which I, for one, cannot wait to read. He also maintains several blogs, all of which seem to stem out of something called lgbtSr (at lgbtsr.com) which I urge you to look at. It is obvious he cares about the gay community and what is going on in the world around him, and I applaud him heartily. True, I had my reservations about whether the blog sphere was big enough for two such keyboard divas as us, BUT, hey, we each care and observe in our own distinctly different ways. Put it this way--we are as different as Hedda (Hopper, not Gabler) and Louella (Parsons). With me being Hedda, and he Louella. I can picture him on a radio show, going "Mah first excluuuuuuusive..."

But, as I said, they are a charming pair, and a good time was had by all, especially with that strawberry martini and those Samoan deviled eggs. So a good time was had by all, and I urge you to visit lgbtsr. com.

So, for such a blase month, January was hopping more than I would expect. No wonder I was felled yesterday; when you are on the social schedule I am, darlings, sooner or later, something has to give!!!!!!!!!!!

Meanwhile check out Donatella's and The Hurricane Club. Yummy, yummy, loves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!