Day 6: Lessons in "Clubbing"

Before I got here, I was really worried that all they would play here was techno or Australian pop or something that I hate. But I have good news, even as I sit here in this café they’re playing that You Spin My Head Right ‘Round song. Britney even came on a little while ago, it was beautiful. Arin is working on getting us tickets for her concert here in November, the dream of seeing Britney twice in one year on different continents may yet come to be a reality.

I went out for the first time Monday night to this place called Sidebar with Helen, my roommate Violetta, and two kids from Scotland. Prepare to have your mind blown: they serve “jugs” here which are pitchers, not of beer, but of mixed drinks! So I bought a jug of some horribly sweet/weak-sauce drink, and it was awesome. Also mindblowing to me, everyone here drinks wine – in bars. They order wine and it comes in wine glasses and people are walking around with their wine glasses. They don’t have happy hour specials with liquor, or spirits (the more popular name), but rather with beer, wine, and champagne. Yes, champagne. The bar was very clean and the closest thing I can liken it to would be Phillips. It was pleasantly chill and I met a lot of Europeans who I am fascinated by and I’m sure they think I’m very boring, unsophisticated, and don’t have nearly as beautiful hair as they do.

Eventually Helen and Vi got bored and wanted to go down the street to Scubar which apparently is good on Mondays. So walked over there and there was this massive line outside the front door, which I was not about to wait in. Vi went up to the bouncer and asked how long the wait was. Just then, this little woman who was the manager walked out and told us to wait over on the side and she would let us in in 5 minutes. I have no idea why, we weren’t dressed horribly nicely and I for one looked like crap. Could it be the magic of Americana? Who knows. So we got in 5 min later and this place is my idea of NUTS. Really, its absolutely packed, blasting decent music (at first..), flashing lights overload by the dance floor, and to top it off there was a smoke machine. I, being used to the New Orleans bar scene, was somewhat overwhelmed haha. You know, even when you’re going to F&Ms and its clearly a dancing place, its still a bar. These are all out clubs. Fascinating.

So at Scubar, there are plenty of attractive guys around so its only fitting that this unattractive one latches onto me. He pulls up a chair next to me at a table and starts talking to me and I’m like, fine I’ll allow it, but only because he’s Australian. He talks to me awhile and tries to buy me a drink, I say no, but eventually cave under his persistence. Then he tries to get my number. I give him a fake one. That should be the end of it right? No, he calls my phone and sees that it doesn’t ring. Busted. So I’m like, “oohh sorry, I just got the phone, haven’t quite learned my number. “ I switch the digits around and give him the wrong number again. He calls me, AGAIN. And then he’s like, “Here, just give me your phone and I’ll call mine from it.” And I’m kind of seething and yelling “take a stinkin’ hint!” at him in my mind. But he succeeded in getting my digits, so kudos for him I guess. Naturally, I ignored his texts the next day. And, off topic, but I forgot to mention that they started playing techno later, ew.

Ended up going out again last night too even though we did NOT mean to. I was at Arin and Tracey’s we were drinking a bottle of wine and sharing our life stories and that’s all we meant to do. We went back to my apartment, end up at a party next door and then go with the pack when everyone heads to Scruffy Murphys. And bam, I find myself “clubbing” again, haha. On the ground floor was a band covering all kinds of old American pop/rock and down in the basement was this nasty clubby place where we kept getting attacked by drunk sweaty guys, haha. Another successful night. We cab back to UniLodge and then I walk back to my apartment with my new Australian friend, Greer. She is fabulous.

This morning I got up and went to orientation for this internship program I’m hoping to take part in, as its great experience and counts as a class. I should be interviewing for some positions next week and I’m really excited about it. In about half an hour we’re going on a walking tour to Darling Harbor. It couldn’t be a better day for it. Its unusually warm, feels like its in the mid 70s and so sunny. I’m getting more and more comfortable here and absolutely loving it!