The Sushi Set Up

Sushi is a great place for a date. I can't tell you the number of dates that I have been on at a sushi spot. Usually the second date, although I don't know why. Here in New York, there is a sushi restaurant on every corner, and most of them are pretty damn good. This weekend, I ventured more towards midtown, entering into an Asian oasis on 49th Street with my cousin, for a quiet evening with some raw fish.

After walking into the zen like space, I quickly noticed there was a particular seating scheme. Families filled the front, mostly booths, with small children and many bowls of edamame and tempura. In the middle, were dozens of tables for two, with what looked like second dates all around. In the back, were the single people. Tables of women, two by two, capped on the end by two tables of three men. I was instantly intrigued.

One set of three men looked like the Jewish version of the Jonas Brothers, a little more gel for the Jew 'fro, lots of chest hair, and a love for the Jappy Jersey girls sitting next to them. How did I know they were from Jersey, well, my cousin and I were lucky enough to hear the whole conversation. Jersey and Long Island were both represented, and a conversation about Jew camp was included as well. I felt pangs of jealousy over my spicy tuna roll and special number 5 roll that I wasn't the one getting hit on. Maybe it was just a twinge of indigestion.

As I pondered this, three men sat down next to us, two with wedding bands, and one who was loud, sweaty, overweight and balding - and of course single. Thanks sushi people! Although I can appreciate your relationship feng shui, and actually can respect it, felt a little insulting with what you provided on our side. At least the sushi was good!

The Netflix Boyfriend

So I finally have joined the Netflix revolution. It's been a few months now and we couldn't be happier. So many evenings and long luxurious weekends have been spent together,laughing, crying, and smiling from ear to ear. Don't get me started on the discussions that have surfaced as a result, I could talk about it for hours!

It's so dependable, I know it will be around from the middle of the week through Sunday, waiting for me. It knows just what I like, whether it's something a little more serious, or light hearted to de-stress me from my week. It gets better with a good bottle of wine or even a slice from the Gotham Pizza on the corner.

It doesn't talk back and totally there for me, entertaining me, taking me to foreign lands or allowing me time with some of the hottest movie stars around.

Now, if only I can find a person who can do the same, we'd really be in business. Until then, I will wait with anticipation for the next red envelope to come...

New York's Finest?!?

As I walked home on this cold and rainy evening, a bright spot appeared! A very cute man walked past me in midtown, nicely dressed and looking good! Gotta love a man in a suit.

After taking a closer look, I realized he was blowing spit bubbles. For real - spit bubbles! Clearly not New York's finest. And so I continued through the masses, head down, pushing forward to home.

Irish Goodbye

This weekend, a good friend of mine brought me a boy for my birthday party. Initially I was intrigued. Sadly, it didn't last long. After some strange comments and clear continued anger and homicidal ideation towards his recent ex, I was done with my new toy.

He must have sensed my boredom. After buying shots for me and all my friends (solid attempt at buying back my affection), he let me know he was heading to the bathroom. We never saw him again.

And so is the story of the Irish goodbye... At least he had enough sense to pay his bar tab before leaving!

The Benefits of Aging Jewish Parents...

Having aging Jewish parents has some benefits that I continually reap...

Recently, I have received an email from my mom letting me know that there is a free movie screening in NYC. Yay! This could be something good! The movie is Lord of the Dance - 3D! Apparently this is not a joke and is coming to a theater near you soon!

I also tend to get mail from my parents. Mail is always a good thing. These days, all the postmaster brings me are bills, catalogs, and Netflix. So a personalized letter with stickers on it is fun. That is until I open it up, to see some article sent from the Sun-Sentinel by my Dad, or coupons from my mom, usually for tampons, Pepto, or Lactaid Pills. No note.

With all their aging quirks, the best is getting to hear the weather report for New York City, messages about how cold Matt Lauer looks on the today show so I should dress warmly, or the latest fad by Oprah.

Gotta love em!

There once was a lady who lived in a...

How is it that NYC girls can fit their entire apartments in a bag. The other day, I went from work, to the gym, to a date. I had two pairs of underwear, three pairs of shoes, makeup, and three different outfits all in one small tote! Not to mention a few things for work, my Smart Water and a lunch container.

Instead of the old lady who lived in a shoe, I may just be the 30 something who lives out of her Longchamp bag...

Birthday Wishes

Ah, the birthday wishes to a single girl, courtesy of the online dating companies.

From Match.com - Today's your birthday, spend it with someone special! Take 25% off our services. Thanks for reminding me that I'm without that "someone special" today and offer me money off your services that did diddly in helping me find that "someone special".

From OKCupid - Happy 31st Birthday! Are you still single? Come check out your matches and find the men who want to meet you for your birthday! Versus the losers that just want to contact me ever other day of the year?

Do they really consider this positive marketing? I consider this more reasons to leave work and get a giant dirty martini with the ladies...

Cheers to me!

The Abyss

Birthdays bring a lot of things up for a lot of people. I've always enjoyed my birthday. Usually, I'm not working, on vacation, in college it was always spring break, but as I am getting older, I see nothing more than this abyss, deep and dark, with no way out.


It's tricky at 31, what else is left? There are many milestones that have passed - turning 5 and starting school, turning 10 and getting into the all so important double digits. At thirteen I had my bat mitzvah, at 16 I got a driver's license, 18 I got freedom, 21 came with legal drinking. Then it gets a little dodgy. Twenty-five was kind of cool, I was at some disco in the Caribbean, and at thirty, I was feeling pretty confident and playing beer pong. I feel that I gained some ground in this past year, setting (and achieving) some incredible goals and feeling as though I was living my life for the first time in a while.

Tomorrow I will turn 31. Now is the time when there are less significant age milestones and more of the life milestones. These just don't seem to be coming, here lies the abyss - dark and deep, a little scary, and all unknown.

It's a good think I'm on this adventure kick lately, because it will really help me as I dive, head first, into this abyss...

A strange version of a biological clock...

It's strange to me, over the past few months in particular, I have had this incredible ability to stay out until 4 in the morning. Now, that's not saying I am all that productive the next day, but it has been done, and done quite often.

The problem is, that although I can stay up until the wee hours of the morning over the weekend, I always wake up early! No matter how hard I try, I'm awake by 7am, sometimes 8am if I'm lucky. I HATE THIS! I truly believe it is a strange version of a biological clock.

Some say it's the way your body is trained. Wake up for work each morning at 7am, the body will do the same on the weekend. Here is where I dispute, I can't seem to get up on time for work. I can hardly stay awake for work.

Yet I'll stay out until 4am, and like clock work, wake at 8am on Sunday. Kinda wish I could get this clock onto a better schedule...

A hug, really?

I made some strides today as I lay extremely hung over, cursing tequila once again. I turn over, with the spins and a dry mouth to see my ex there. Ugh, tequila leads to such poor decision making. I have to take some responsibility however, as I have been dancing around shutting the door on what I know is not a good situation for a while now. My ex (the class ring guy) and I stopped dating a while back, but keep gravitating towards each other for pockets of what I consider fun, but self-destructive behavior.

This weekend, after a lot of tequila and his roommate hitting on me (for real - his words, we can hang out and he doesn't need to know), we went home together. Waking up in the morning, I knew this dance had to end. I told him no more, no hanging out as friends or dating, what was the point? We'd been down that road before and it's not going anywhere. After all, why should I spend time in something that goes no where?

He looks at me, as his eyes begin to water (seriously - looked like he was about to cry) and told me that he was so happy to have known me. Weird! I make no effort to keep him there, telling him he needs to go. He stands up, looks at me and turns to hug me. I didn't a hug, really just wanted to have him leave and get back into bed alone, but apparently he did...