I was cordially greeted with "Table for one?" Normally, that wouldn't sting. But, it did. Yes, table for one... for the last friggin' six years of my life, thank you very much! "Yes" I responded, with an equally cordial (but strained) smile and took my seat, quickly noticing that I was the only one dining alone. Thank god it was happy hour and Nero Doro has a delicious Montepulciano.
As much as I hate to admit it, my lifestyle seems to have become purely pragmatic and devoid of any feminine frill. All traces of girlishness seem to have sadly disappeared. I mean, what happened to the days of perusing NYC boutiques and creatively piecing outfits together as a form of personal expression? What happened to my fascination with glossy magazines to lap up the latest trends in fashion and beauty?
Who knew that Extra Fancy Memphis Fried Chicken and a plate of greens at Marietta's would bring me to this epiphany: I need to add a little Southern drawl to my life and stop trying to accomplish everything in a New York minute!
It had admittedly been a long time so maybe my expectations were too high. But it's hard to settle for anything less than ecstasy after knowing what real heat and pure chemistry feels like. The kind that permeates your body and transports your mind far beyone reality and into the ethereal. The kind that has you sweatin' and jonesin' for more.
This Indie Girl needed a bat cave. A sexy hideaway to swirl whiskey around my tongue, rendezvous with my thoughts and avail myself to coy flirtation. An unpretentious spot to reminisce over the curated sounds of old school hip-hop, soul and R&B; the unforgettable hits that served as the soundtrack of my life.
Sometimes you need a hole in the wall Cuban spot with Celia Cruz wailing "Guantanamera" like you need a big ol' hug from a barrel chested man. Lonely times call for community tables and comfort food to soothe the soul.
Six fearless and powerful dancers articulated my story with unflinching emotion through ingeniously conceived weavings of contemporary dance and the added element of four vertical poles which became animate representations of the dancer's own personal struggles, their source of longing, or their hope.
“Sorry, we’re staring at your taco” he said apologetically. “No apologies needed, my taco is delicious.” I responded with a wink. I only wish it had been a flirtatious come-on by some tall, dark and handsome dude but, just my singleitis-suffering IndieGirl luck, it was a gay couple salivating over my double decker broccoli taco.
This was definitely worth the $15 ticket price and the schlep to BAM Rose Cinemas in Fort Green, Brooklyn. It's elegant architecture, spotless theater and delicious popcorn offered a comfy and spohisticated IndieDate night for an indie film buff like myself. PINA, a feature-length dance film in 3D with the ensemble of the Tanztheater Wuppertal, created such a vivid experience of texture, color, emotion, feeling, facial expression, simple gesture and explosive movement. It was as if I were onstage with the dancers, feeling everything they were feeling. I experienced the intensity of their longing, sadness, anger, pain, joy and whimsy as much as the environmental props (water, dirt, grass) that were intricately weaved into their storytelling.
