The Port O' Call came to Brooklyn!

My friends Alabama Slamma and Uptown Girl came to visit New York this weekend to see Radiohead at the All Points West festival and to take in the sights a bit. It was so good to have a little slice of my old NOLA scene come see me here in the King of Boroughs.

Uptown Girl and I share a best friend in New Orleans and have always gotten along almost better than we do with her, since of takes a particular kind of person to put up with her idiosynchrasies. Shortly before I left my old life behind I spent two magical days on the beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama with said best friend and the two dear ones who are now staying a stone's throw away in Queens.

Short as it was, that vacation was the most fun I had had in years. The three of them had gone on a whim and invited me, but I declined in deference to my work ethic. The same Sunday night they left I had one of a series of massive fights with JH. I had to get the hell out of there, so I hopped in my car without telling him where I was going and drove until I got there, leaving a voice mail with my boss to say I was taking a personal day.

Four hours later I pulled my little Nissan into the parking lot of a shady little hotel across the street from the beach, my cheeks still stained from salty tears. I was welcomed by the girls with open arms and no questions asked. Uptown Girl poured some combination of liquor and juice into an impossibly tall plastic cup and we retired to the beach.

For the next day and a half we spoke almost exclusively in ridiculous Alabama Twang. We bitched about the men in our lives, played drinking games like it was going out of style and flirted with teenaged boys on the beach. We barely swam, much preferring the sun to the surf. Although I never really talked about it with the other girls, I decided then that it was over between me and JH. I realized that I would be far better off without him. I knew I had to follow my dream and come to New York.

Uptown doesn't know it (and may never) but it was her example of inependence and self assuredness that made me realize I could do it. And for her to be here now and see me thriving and happy.... Well I can't think of one person from my old life that I'd rather see!

The little picture is dark, but it's all I got, and I'm okay with that. The night was so dark and drizzly, it captures the mood pretty well.