$5 cover

You know I'm not given to gushing but as holidays go, this one was pretty damn amazing. It has been a solidly good, if chaotic summer, and going into the long weekend I felt unsettled, lots of tentative plans and maybes but nothing really for sure. Well, I'm here to testify. I had a great time.

• Cocktails Friday night with a good pal at Cicchetti, served up by amazing bartender Seth
• A motorcycle ride to Ballard followed by fish and chips, beer and pool, and then a nightcap at Shelter with a cute boy and his anxious friend
• Pre-birthday cupcakes Saturday morning with Hammy Smackbooty (HBD darlin', see you soon!)
  
• Martinis, dinner and gossip with a handsome pal at Queen City Grill
  
• At the Grotto in Belltown later on, I worked the door at a fundraiser for the Gulf: a $5 cover scored performances by Tulsi, Rory Gannon, Kelly Castle Scott, Thad Wenatchee, and late night beats by DJ Limerence
• Afterward, hashbrowns and crayola art at Beth's on Aurora
  
• Sunday was the Evergreen State Fair, a day of horses and piglets, prize canned beets, dog obedience trials (including one over-excited escapee), alpacas in costume, elephant ears + Lopez Island ice cream, and a Ferris Wheel ride with the cute boy
• Later on, a Negroni at re:public
• Caught a friend's band, We Say Bang! at the Comet
• And then came church: dancing at Rebar, kicked off by wickedly talented DJ Brian Lyons, followed by Lawnchair Generals (and heard a rumor Mark Farina peeked in quite late)
• Monday...a lovely lazy morning, then kicking it over Negro Modelo and spinach pizza with another good pal
• A friend treated me to the Supremes costume collection at EMP
• And finally, segue into the evening, gin and tonic, ramen and a valiant waitress at Kushibar
• Then I went home, did laundry, and pondered my good fortune