The Glamorous Life

On Saturday, I was planning to spend a "hip evening" with my friend Greg (who is a devoted organizer on the John Kerry campaign, and whom I met at the California Democratic Convention in San Jose in January) ~ I figured we'd maybe shoot some pool down at the über-hip Mallard, gabbing over cocktails, maybe my mooching a complimentary Maker's Mark~neat. But he called me early in the day, and asked if I wanted to go to an Oakland A's game that afternoon instead ~ with some of his friends....and he added, with a pause, "my...Republican friends.......but they're wonderful people...and they're gonna tailgate!" So, my "glamorous evening," was about to turn into an afternoon spent sitting on a tailgate, sippin' a Bud.....watching a baseball game with, gulp, non-Democrats. Oooh, this would be interesting.....

Before I left for the game, my glamorous friends D1, D2, and D3 came over (for reals, they all have "D" names). I had planned to go "antiquing" with them at Ohmega Salvage and Urban Ore in Berkeley, but then had to tell them of my change in plans. The conversation went something like this:

Me: yeah, so, I'm going to an A's game instead.
D1: (grimace) But you don't even like football!
D2 (visiting from Paris and looking fabulous in hip capri pants): Well, can you join us for Brunch tomorrow?
D3: What's tailgating?

:) ~~ For reals. My friends are awesome. I 'splained that there would probably be no Mimosas out at the parking lot at the Coliseum....and that I was going to take BART to the game, too. Oh yeah, I love Oakland. The game was great, except we spent most of the time waiting in line for drinks, and beers, and nachos, and Atomic Hot Links ~ but that's part of the fun in enjoying America's Favorite Pastime. All the junk food, and doing the wave in a stadium full of people, and heckling the other team, and sitting out in the sun with your friends. The best part (besides the fact that the A's beat Tampa Bay, 5-4) was the fireworks show ~ they let us take over the outfield ! We kicked off our shoes, lay back on the grass, gazed up at the nearly-full moon, and then shouted and clapped and oooed and aaahhed at the amazing fireworks show. I do love the glamorous parts of my life, but I also cherish the evenings spent making "grass angels" in the outfield after an A's game!

The funny conversation with my "D" friends reminded me of the party I went to in July ~ a few weeks before my birthday. I was explaining to one of my glamorous friends what my plans were to celebrate my birthday:

Me: Yeah, my birthday falls on a Tuesday ~ so, the weekend before my birthday, I am going to go spend the weekend with a friend in Fresno....
Glamorous Friend: Um, Fresno?
Me: Yeah! And I'm gonna take Amtrack, too, since I've never been on Amtrack.
G.F.: so, ...from Oakland, to Fresno....on a train....in the middle of summer?
Me: Oh yeah! Isn't that great!? And then the weekend after my birthday, I am so excited because I am gonna go camping....
G.F.: camping? you mean, like in the wilderness?
Me: Yeah! In Big Sur, and I want to do two nights in my favorite spot in Ventana Wilderness ~ it's a 5-mile hike in, the final mile straight down, sliding on dirt mostly.
G.F. ~ Girl, the glamour does not end for you, does it?
Me: Well, what did you do for your Big Birthday?
G.F.: (straight face) ~ A week in Paris.

Sigh ~ I am such a country mouse.........

:)

Comments

[elenamary]

Ay Marisa,

I went to my second baseball game ever, in April. (The first time I was ten and spent the whole time eating dime-dogs (10cent hot dogs) until I was sick.)

It was AAA game and a friend of mine was playing. When he scored a home run I screamed "GOOOOOAL". I kept trying to figure out where the 5th base was, as I had understood that there was a 1st,2nd,3rd,4th, and home run base. I still think that having the coachs on the field is cheating. eh Baseball.

[DailyTexican]

I once rode the train w/ the chickens from Reynosa to Monterrey. No Coors for me.

[glo]

the glamorous life? isn't that sort of 1986?
i like oso. he is faceted and sounds fun-- coors on amtrak-- now THAT is americana!!
mari, sweetie, remember we used to have mary lee donuts after dancing till we were DRENCHED at club soda or 'scumbers'-- and we drove to those clubs in BLAINE. roots, darling, roots.

[oso]

Those whose names begin with D tend to be incredibe. I haven't figured it out. I took the train from Oakland to Fresno last year. Twas 4 hours late so I chowed on the greasiest and tastiest eggs and hashbrowns of my life at a diner across from Yoshis. Ethiopian owned, red-neck clientele.

Then finally hopped on the train and watta ya know - an old buddy from high school just happened to be heading back to SD. He had a 12 pack of Coors with him and we split it, stumbling off laughing and lost in Fresno.

Ventana Wilderness - very well might be my favorite place in the lower 48. Big Sur - a piece of heaven for any naturalist who loves 20th century American lit. Cafe Kevah right below the nepenthe is absolutely the only place I'm willing to spend $10 for an espresso and granola.

Amtrack here I come.