Dennis & Aimee's Big Gay Paris Adventure

I won't tell you about how Norwalk, CT was, because it's not worth the wear on my fingers. The work was successful, I'm glad I went, it was totally worth the trip. Now, for the good part.

The Wednesday morning I left Paris, in the airport, I had Asiette du Fromage for breakfast (plate of cheese). When I got to Philly 8 hours later, I had steamed clams and a Philly Cheesesteak for dinner. It was outstanding. At LGA, I got a car and drove the 1.5 hours north to Norwalk.

Thursday night I drove down to NY for dinner at a restaurant in Brooklyn near Pete's house called Blue Ribbon with Pete, Urcella, Amy, Nick, and Sarah. (You guys are so awesome for coming out for me -- I had such a great time both days. Also, Nick, you're cool. And Urcella, I'm *so* glad to meet you.)

Here's a picture of Pete and Urcella. Cute, huh? She's awesome.


So, I drove back to Norwalk after dinner (I took it easy on the wine, as you can imagine) and did more work on Friday. After work, back to NYC where I was spending the night. I had a meal at Macy's Cellar, went to Nat Sherman's (click here for website) on 5th Avenue and 42nd Street and bought some of the best cigarettes ever made by human hands. (The Naturals Mint are really astoundingly good -- instead of polluting the tobacco with mint or menthol flavoring, they add flavor to the paper, so you taste it on your lips, not as you smoke. Excellent and subtle.) Anyone looking for a gift idea, there it is.

Anyway, then I met Pete and Urcella, we had some dinner and some drinks, and went to Sarah's apartment, where I finally got to meet Linnea (Hi Linnea! Nice to meet you!). Sarah publishes a dance magazine for budding teen ballerinas which I finally got to see. Our pals do some of the writing. It's good! After our initial plans fell through, we went to a bar called, ironically, Plan B(!) and danced and drank the night away. What great fun.

I stayed at Pete's house (thanks again Pete), got up at 6 for my flight, and then spent 24 hours with my dad. It was great to see him -- it's been quite some time. He was patient with my desire to visit Wal-Mart for socks, A-1 sauce, Chipotle Tabasco, Pepto Bismol, cold medicine, q-tips, cosmetics and liquid smoke. It was great to see his dogs, though MarLynn is old and seems to have had a stroke. It will almost definitely be the last time I see her -- she's always been my favorite of his dogs -- she was most willing to lie on the floor next to the fire with me and doze. But it looks like it's her time. Tough time for my dad -- I don't envy him.

Dad also helped me make an anti-suicide screen for my fishes, which I fitted today, since my luggage got lost and I didn't get it until yesterday. It works perfectly, and looks great. Thanks dad!

At DCA airport I went to Legal Sea Food with my 45 minutes before the flight left, and I ate one of the best MD crabcake sandwiches I've ever had. It was spectacular. I got two seats together (2-4-2 configuration Airbus 330) from Philly to CDG, so I got a good four hours of sleep before I arrived Monday morning for work.

I've worked my butt off this week capturing all of the data I collected in Norwalk, plus doing two classes worth of French homework. I can't wait for the weekend!

So, that's the trip. Whew! Thanks to all of you for making it happen! It was about as much fun as I could have had without my husband in a super-compressed time. Woo!

--Aimee