Everyone Deserves a Second Chance?

a few months back, i had been casually dating AwkwardGuy. AG is a really nice guy, with a great job and a great future. basically all the attributes that my mother keeps trying to pound into my head as the  makings of a great husband. we'd been seeing each other for about 2 months, but when the holidays came up, our schedules got extremely busy and, after a few missed connections, AG dropped off the face of the earth. i didn't really pursue it because my interest was lukewarm.  

until about 3 weeks ago, when i got a text from AG out of the blue.  i thought about just ignoring it, but, in the spirit of attempting to be more practical about my dating choices, i decided to give AG a second chance.

here's the thing about AG: he is a super awkward conversationalist. in this day and age, being a self-touted "dork" isn't necessarily a bad thing. in NY, it's almost a badge of honor. unless of course, you really are a dork. and not in the ironic sense.  AG isn't a lovable, endearing dork who might like some trivia and video games.  AG actually wouldn't be classified as a dork for all intents and purposes.  in fact, AG is actually a frat boy, through and through. likes to get wasted with his buddies at the Red Lion and hails from Villanova, one of the epicenters of the quintessential frat brother.

but AG is awkward. maybe it was our first date, when he started talking about us planning a weekend getaway together.  or on our first and second date when he talked about introducing me to his family. or maybe it's his awkward laugh: the kind that starts as a guffaw and then dies down to a whisper because you're laughing at your own joke. 

gentlemen, a word of caution: some self-deprecation can be endearing. it 's a sign of humbleness, a lack of arrogance, and a great way to put your date at ease. however, too much of it, and it becomes a red flag. your partner will start wondering whether you're not just being ironic, but are just attempting to put all your negative points on immediate display so you can say that you came with a disclaimer and that your partner had already been warned of all your faults before they began a relationship.

so then why would i give AG a second chance?

simple: AG always picks amazing places to meet for dinner and drinks. and he pays.

yes, it's completely shallow and horrible but it's the truth. or at least my truth. 

and that's how i found myself at The Shakespeare meeting AG after work on Friday. 

i'd never been to the Shakespeare, although it's relatively close to my office.  but having spent a year studying abroad in the UK, i'd been planning on going at some point. the place was crowded at 6:30 p.m., and if you listened closely, approximately 50% of the people there were definitely from across the sea. so if you have a hankering for the lilting tones of a British accent, get yourself to the Shakespeare.

the place is cozy, hovering between a local bar and a British bar (it really is a fine line, anyway). we ended up at a table on the first floor, tucked into a corner. the food is very traditional pub fare, but classier.  AG ordered the Roasted Bone Marrow ($15) to start, which was salty decadence, in a good way. the accompanying lemon zest and sweet and sour shallots were a nice balance to the richness of the marrow. In an attempt to lighten up our meal, i ordered the Woodland Mushroom Salad ($8).  the mushrooms were nicely sauteed/roasted and the rocket lettuce and shaved parmesan were a hearty pairing to add some depth and lightness to the appetizer.

as mains, AG ordered the Fish and Chips ($23). i ordered the House Blend Burger ($19), which consisted of aged NY strip, skirt, short rib and chuck topped with cheddar/stilton, smoked bacon, Brooklyn brine pickles and served with a small side of triple cooked thick cut chips. overall the burger was very good, although a little salty. i personally wasn't a fan of the fries. they have the 2 things that i'm not particularly fond of : triple fried (which is why i'm also not a fan of burger king and checkers fries) and thick cut (i'm a shoe string girl all the way). 

if you're an expat looking for a taste of home, or an American looking to pull a Brit, this is probably the place for you. otherwise, i'm not sure i'll be headed back any time soon.

as for AG and myself, the inevitable topic of conversation was why he had stopped contacting me. it turns out, one of his sisters (he comes from a family of 9 by the way), had told him that i didn't seem interested in him and that he should stop wasting his time on me.

so it seems that women really do have a good intuition when it comes to other women. AG probably should've listened to her. 

t-something

at this point, Williamsburg, or the 'burg as i affectionately/lazily call it, is old news as a bastion of up and coming restaurants and bars. i started travelling out there in order to attend Smorgasburg and then slowly traveled over more often to eat at the various bars and restaurants. but even so, i don't go as often as i would like. most likely because my home base is Brooklyn Heights, so in order to get to the 'burg i have to go into Manhattan to take the L train, or else take the G train, which runs less frequently at night, or a bus. these act as deterrents to any casual outing to the 'burg.

which is why i love it when others give me a reason to go out there.

PerfectHusband decided to celebrate his t-something birthday (at a certain point i think we should stop specifying what age we're turning) in the 'burg. and he decided to go old-school: the multi-location birthday party.

the first stop: The Ides Bar.  Located at the rooftop of the Wythe Hotel, the bar undoubtedly has a great view. best for night times and sunsets. unfortunately, the place oozes pretension. i arrived on a saturday night around 9 pm and was immediately turned off by the small line forming around the corner of the hotel. because it was PH's birthday, i braved the line and waited to get in. between the asinine conversations taking place around me and the ridiculous procedure to get in, my patience was slowly being worn thin.

Ides Bar has a dual check system before you can enter the bar. first there's the hostess on the 1st floor. who is preceded by a red carpet. yes, they are pretentious enough to have a red carpet-like the ones you see celebrity step onto when entering awards shows. if you are able to make it to the hostess and are permitted entry to the bar, you are directed to an elevator. where another bouncer waits to check your ID. hmm, think they should've checked that at the first checkpoint? you are then squished into the elevator and arrive at the top floor, where you are finally let into the bar. 

which is only 1/3 full. 

and that is the ultimate douchey thing to do. the bar was not full at all, yet they were "creating" a sense of occupancy with the false line outside and making constant announcements that the line was "closing" and anyone not inside would not make it in for the night. 

booooooo.

the only thing that saved this place was the view and the company. and 1 of those things i can have any time i want, without the douchery.

luckily, we moved onto the 2nd venue: Berry Park.

much more my speed. no lines, no pretensions (although still half hipster-packed, but i can forgive that). although much more packed than Ides Bar, the place is large enough, with an upstairs and downstairs, to accommodate large crowds. plus it played my favorite type of music: old school hip hop and top 40. drinks are well-priced and the crowd is definitely out to have fun. 

i mean, look at how much fun we're having.