Belle & the Brit

The early fall thunderstorm raged on, rain slipping down the red bricks of my building, sliding off the windows, pooling around my cheap patio furniture outside. What was I supposed to do? Thursday night and I knew that I had to get out of the apartment—I’d been cooped up all day with my computer and Indian takeout. My studio apartment smelled like curry and I looked like Eileen Wurnos (the Florida serial killer as played by Charlize Theron in “Monster”) in flannel pyjamas.

Someone to cheer me up… someone with a sharp wit and a love of wine…someone to be my partner in crime … Mimi!

Mimi (of Mimi New York blog fame) and I decided to finally meet face-to-face and go out for a few glasses of vino and a plate of antipasti. She’s a tough-as-nails broad from England and I’m a sugary sweet girl from the South—or so we thought on our respective taxi rides over to the restaurant. Once we’d had a glass of wine and discussed the New York media scene, men and rent below 14th Street, though, we laughed at how different we were in person than on our sites. Yes, some of the preconceived notions were true. But, who’d have known that Mimi speaks in such a soft, sweet tone that I had to lean into her glass of Pinot Grigio to hear her latest disastrous dating story? Or, that her big, blue eyes would gently encourage me to talk about my life when surely her travails as a stripper were much more interesting cocktail fodder?

Four hours later, and I couldn’t afford any more Sauvignon Blanc. I had to go home even if I wanted to tuck into another bar, order a dirty martini. But, I have a feeling we’ll be going out again. After all of our terrible evenings with Manhattan men, I think Mimi and I deserve some fabulous nights on the town—just us girls.