January 02, 2002 9:36 pm
Back to New Year's Eve
I guess I can backtrack and relate the events of New Year's Eve since I was pretty pooped last night. We had a lovely night, better than I anticipated. I worked that morning and we drove to Dallas in the cold that Monday afternoon. Paul, the sax player, went with us and I let him have the front seat so he could stay awake and talk with Mark, I crashed fast in the crowded back seat. When we pack for a gig I always feel like the episode of I Love Lucy where they take off for California and they've got the car loaded on the hood and the trunk with only a small place to peek through to drive. That's about how loaded the truck is with all of Mark's drum gear, our suitcases, Paul's saxes and suitcases. So when I say "back seat" I'm in about the size of an airline seat.
Mark had called the manager of Sullivan's Steakhouse (where they play at their lounge Ringside) and asked if he could get a reservation for dinner, seeing as how it was New Year's Eve. Ray said he would book a table for us at 7:30. We got there and the hostess immediately took us to a booth in the beautifully decorated for New Year Sulliavan's dining room. I had only been in the room once and that was long after closing. We'd never eaten in the dining room.
I was already mightily impressed that my sweet husband wanted to do this. I've written before how I enjoy an occassional nice dinner out that goes beyond Mexican food or the usual places. But, even considering this was New Year's Eve, I didn't expect this since it was a gig night, a work night. I had told Mark McDonald's would be fine. We've never had a big night on New Year's Eve before and I didn't really need it this time.
The waitress brought us a menu with our choices for appetizer and entree and side dishes, salad and dessert. There were no prices on the menu but we couldn't imagine that it was a price fixe menu since the options had such variance. We asked her and she nervously said she didn't know if she was supposed to be the one to tell us but that the meal would be on Ray, the manager, and we could have anything we wanted. Wow! As cheap, er, uh, frugal as I am, that was the nicest way I could spend a New Year's Eve! We had wonderful shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, salmon and steak, creamed spinach and au gratin potatoes and cheesecake with berries in Grand Marnier sauce. It couldn't have been more lovely and so special in so many ways.
Mark is a tremendously thoughtful person (despite what you read here!) and I think one of the reasons Ray was so generous was because of something Mark did several years ago. We rented the movie "20 Dates." It was a small indie film about a guy that is sure that if he has 20 dates with 20 women he'll find Miss Right. He makes a documentary about these 20 dates. It is a cute little movie. I read about it and rented it and we watched it halfway through the guy and his date and his camera crew are trying to get into Spago in Los Angeles. The manager refuses to let them come in with the camera crew. At that point Mark sat up and said, "That's Ray from Sullivan's!" There was no doubt that it was Ray and when Mark asked him about it he said he knew about the movie but he hadn't seen it. Mark immediately went to BlockBuster and bought it and took it Ray at their next gig. That is the kind of guy Mark is and his good karma benefited me, big time, New Year's Eve.
The gig itself was a typical gig. I enjoyed the company of the other "band wives" and the guys during breaks. We drank champagne, but not much, and took it easy this year. They played until almost one and we packed up and got out on that cold night.
They say whatever you are doing at midnight on New Year's Eve you will be doing all year long. Last year I was sick sick sick so I'm glad I could change the pattern this year. At midnight I was simply listening to the band with the girls. The girls were my first New Year's kisses until the gig ended. I didn't hold money in my hand (like I have in the past) and I wasn't holding a glass of champagne either. We'll see if this means I'll have a sober year of listening to music. I didn't hold money because I don't want money to be important to me. I want it to just always be there when I need it (don't we all?).
For New Year's Day we had gumbo with the in-laws in Dallas while Mark put in new track lighting for them in their kitchen. No black-eyed peas there so I was glad I had wisely bought a package at Whole Foods Saturday. When we got home and settled I heated them and we had black-eyed peas for dinner. Yes, just black-eyed peas. It would have been nice if I had thought far enough ahead to make cornbread but I didn't. I did make an apple crisp for dessert too. We had an exciting evening of watching the Behind the Music on Weird Al Yankovic and a documentary on Who Wrote the Bible.
I'm glad I didn't make any resolutions this year, especially about dieting or losing weight. I'm starting this year 10 pounds lighter than I started 2001 and I would like to see that trend continue but I know I didn't lose that weight in the dead of winter last year so I don't think this is a good time to start a diet. Also good when there were Krispy Kremes at work this morning and still plenty of chocolate and cookies in the house tonight.
The dogs are in the house again tonight and all is quiet and peaceful. I will let them out in a bit before I go to bed. They are smart dogs. They happily go outside when I let them out the front door to roam the neighborhood but refuse to go out the backdoor to the backyard. They know that the front yard is only temporary and I will be waiting patiently for them to come back in, the backyard can mean banishment from the house and they aren't going to risk that. It is a cold night ahead and I'm so glad they are good and know how to stay inside.