When I was in my early 20s I was fresh out of art school and working my first job in my chosen profession (fashion design) and suddenly had much disposable income. I used to dress myself
unforgivingly deadly in designer clothers from head to toe - Jean-Paul Gaultier, Armani, Matsuda, Comme des Carçons, Yohji Yamamoto, agnés b., Romeo Gigli, and Dolci e Gabbana. Then I'd meet my friends at the bars and order silly drinks and dance to stupid circuit music (which I hated). It was really funny watching the designer queens ruthlessly studying me, and I knew they were trying to identify my outfits. Meanwhile I was too busy enjoying myself, and then someone would start 'cruising' me and I'd turn the other way and my friend would get upset because I wouldn't take advantage of it.
I'm old now and have outgrown the 'swanking up'. My idea of a wonderful evening is to simply go to my usual bar after work on payday Friday, find a seat at the bar, and have a wonderful martini all by myself. I don't dress up any more, I let my martini 'formalize' me aesthetically. I just sit there and reflect, give my favourite bartenders their customary chocolate truffles (which I always bring for them), look at other people and study them and wonder what kind of stories they have. I often get flashes of ideas or observations and have to write them down before I lose track, so it's convenient to use the thoughtfully laid out cards and pencils at the bar. And as usually is the case someone tries to get my attention but I pretend I didn't see them. It makes me feel awkward, because they're sometimes there again the next time I am and I have to deal with it once more.
But yeah, my idea of a good time is having a drink out alone. But that's not to say that I wouldn't enjoy company. I think people like emma, Kingz, Tamzilla, and Jamesie would make excellent bar friends. A stipulation: you
must know how to drink a cocktail if you want to join me.
