Firsts

Today I had my "city fix". The community organized a bus ride into the city. It's a great arrangement. We get there around 11:00 and have time to do whatever we want as long as we meet the bus by 5:00.

I made arrangements to meet a friend downtown for lunch. I had hoped that we could have a longish lunch, but she had to get back to the office (poor working girl who's too young to retire). It was raining and I had forgotten how windy it gets downtown. The wind was so strong, even I had trouble walking and at one point, it even nudged me a little. Anyway, we had a very pleasant lunch, I caught up on the latest office gossip and her family.

After lunch, I had about three hours to kill. If it had been a nicer day I would have wandered over to Zucotti Park to see the protesters, but by then I was a little wet and my hair had been blown straight by the wind.

I went back to midtown to kill the time for the bus. There's a nice hotel in the area, so I decided to go and sit in the lobby for a little while and maybe get a cup of coffee. Well, there were seats, but no coffee. I sat for a little while and then I saw the bar and decided to get a glass of wine.

Here's where the firsts come in. I had never in my long lifetime sat at a bar by myself. Whenever I've gone to a bar, it's always been in a group and usually, we get a table. Today was different. I got up my nerve and ordered a glass of wine which I didn't pay for right away (I don't know the proper protocol, probably should have paid as soon as I got my glass). I soon realized I was in trouble when a man came up and ordered two beers and paid $20. I then paid my bill and stayed a while eating the complimentary peanuts. I don't want to say how much my wine cost, but I will say I could have bought a good bottle of wine for less than the cost of the glass. Needless to say I only had one glass.

So there you have it. For the first time in my life I went into a bar (although at those prices, it's probable more of a cocktail lounge) by myself and the first time I ever paid more for a glass of wine that I would pay for a good bottle of the same thing.

I don't think I'll be doing that again any time soon. But I do love to get my "city fix".