We recently went to the Toast of the Townhouse 2012 drag pageant. The Townhouse has a reputation as a dive bar, but the drag can be surprisingly good. The roster at the Gay 90’s is more static, so the new talent tends to appear at the Townhouse first.
This year’s winner was Brandonna Dupri. Pictures!
The first group of people is staying in the bar scene and going out as usual. The second group is getting into serious relationships, buying houses, and exchanging the tequila shots for Home Depot charge cards.
I’m part of the third (and smallest) subset – doubling-down at work, scoping out MBA programs, and plotting the next promotion. There’s a new satisfaction in my work since I was promoted six months ago, and things are going well.
Dating has grown awkward. I’m attracting college seniors and guys who have kids older than I am.
The upshot of my arid dating life is that I have far fewer distractions from work. I’m actually too busy to worry about finding a relationship – that’s a crisis for 36, not 26.
The Aquatennial fireworks started as I took off for St. Paul.
Grimes’ Oblivion played on the radio.
What a perfect way to begin a night.
It’s July 4th and I am on a dirt road in the middle of freaking nowhere.
This is on the tail end of a journey that started five hours earlier in Minneapolis.
I was thrilled to finally get asked on a date. We agree to meet at the Bulldog Bar for a drink. I text my date when I park, and he tells me that he got a table outside.
My date is sitting by himself when I get to the side of restaurant. I say hi and sit down. He lights a cigar.
It’s intimidating because my date is a former New York investment banker and a bit intense. The conversation was alright, but after about 45 minutes my date tells me that he has movie tickets and has to run.
I say goodbye, go home, and walk my dogs.
So the group went to the 331 Club, which is right down the street from my apartment in Northeast Minneapolis.
It’s a very claustrophobic place. Hipsters are everywhere with crazy tattoos, backpacks, and scruff. I was surprised by how loud the music was and how pushy the people were. The hipsters just shoved their way through the crowd in a manner that would cause some Basketball Wives drink throwing at the Gay 90’s.
I’m intrigued by the pioneers statue at Boom Island Park.
The statue is a reminder that there are many people have greater problems and challenges than I do. It also reminds me that I have opportunities which others don’t have and that there is no excuse not be great. I think it’s time to get an inspirational poster and an Oprah bob. Hallaleu.
Kristin and I had brunch at the Lowry Diner, which is a new-ish restaurant near the Scottish Rite Temple.
I had my very first bloody Mary at brunch, which was way too spicy for me. Kristin had to finish it.
So I recently discovered that buying a mint plant is cheaper than buying the pre-packaged mint from the grocery store. So I bought one (or nine) mint plants.
I got the mint plants at Home Depot. They just happened to be running a crazy 50% off sale on all herbs, so I picked up a few plants.
Another night at the Gay 90’s in downtown Minneapolis. Lawd. Paul got a workout when they played the Macarena.
We recently went to the Lyn Lake festival in Uptown Minneapolis.
The bands were fun, albeit way too loud, and I made friends with a charming bartender at the Herkimer. I also had my first Arepa, which is like a Venezuelan gordita. Oh, and chips. Lots of chips.
So HLP invited Eric and I to Mac’s Industrial Sports Bar in Northeast. It was my first time there and I was not prepared for the bathroom:
Yes, that is a Hello Kitty shower curtain as a stall door in the men’s bathroom. What the fresh hell?
Oh, and let’s not overlook the fact that someone took the time out of their day to scrawl graffiti on the underside of the toilet seat. Stay classy, Minneapolis.
I get to work remotely about four days a week, which is fabulous.
One of my favorite cafes to work from is the Freight House Dunn Brothers. This is the view from my table:
I’ve been taking the dogs to Boom Island Park more frequently now. It’s a newly renovated park in Northeast Minneapolis and it’s sparse enough that I don’t have to worry about too many other dogs.
The weather this Memorial Day Weekend consists of torrential downpours and uncomfortable heat. Harley is so over the heat.
I just took the dogs on a five mile dog walk. I think we spent about half of the time allowing Harley to cool down as I played Angry Birds.
It has been an exhausting month since my last update. My social schedule is hectic which I think is in part to make up for the Superfund site that is my dating life.
Single life is hilarious and many of my friends think that I should turn this into a Sex in the City-style blog about the scandalous situations we find ourselves in.
The problem is that Minneapolis has a small gay community and I’m going to see the wackadoodles again. I don’t want this blog to turn my adventures into scenes from Basketball Wives…although I may sprinkle some details here and there.
I know it’s time to post when I get the concerned “are you alive?” emails from readers. Well, I’m still here, and it has been a hilarious couple of weeks.
Let’s start with the most cliché shot of Minneapolis ever: the stone arch bridge:
Cee Cee Russell at the Gay 90’s:
There are some hardcore bikers at LA Fitness. I want to buy a vintage canary yellow moped and park it next to this:
