Unvarnished Truth Pt 2

 Sunday May 26, 2024:

Today went a little better.  I'd received a text the night before, saying a group was going to Central Park, and if anyone wanted to join in, be downstairs by 8:30.

Honestly, after the stress of Saturday, I needed a relaxing morning before our rehearsal at 2pm.  I didn't set my alarm; slept soundly until 9:30, then climbed in the shower.  By 11, my hair was dry; my QT (Quiet Time devotions) was finished for the day; I was feeling less stressed.  Best of all, if Nan was ticked off at me, for abandoning her at the restaurant, she didn't let on!

We went downstairs and investigated the bagel shop across the street.  Upon entering and looking at the delicious pastries, we observed one of the workers behind the counter telling a woman sitting at a table to leave, because she didn't have an order in.  She tried to explain she was waiting for her sister, but he was having none of it, and told her to leave.  Nan and I made a loop around, gawking at the price of everything, and left.  I had a delicious hot dog from the street vendor, then we took pictures of the HOPE sculpture and the Big Man on the opposite corner before deciding that's all the exploring we wanted to do for the moment and returned to the hotel. We finished unpacking, and at 1:45, took our music and went downstairs to find our rehearsal room, receive our badges from Joyce, and our seats.  I knew I was in the front row, and ended up being in the 2nd chair, next to lovely Bette from Honolulu, HI and Kathleen from up near Chicago. Practice went well; our group wore our SWICC tees and gave Pepper one during the break.  The Hawaii group passed out macadamia snacks:)

Afterward, we went upstairs to get ready for the dinner cruise.  It was supposed to be semi-formal, and slightly chilly, so I wore my black leggings under my long black skirt, my sleeveless maroon top, and black cardigan.  Natalie ordered two Lyft drivers (Natalie and Armand), and we drove to Chelsea Piers, where we boarded the boat. There was one guest we dubbed The Boobs, since she was wearing a gorgeous slinky silver evening gown with her boobs pushed up to THERE, and the bodice barely covered them!  The woman behind her had on an asymetrical dress, and I wondered how she kept the top up!  Wish I'd gotten both their pictures.....Anyway, once we were seated at our tables (I was with Nan, Natalie, Jonathan, Anne, Aaron, and Amy), I discovered as I was looking one way, THE BOOBS walked around the entire dining room before finding their table at the back.  Whaaat?

I'd love to tell you dinner was delicious and we danced and took pictures......but I'd be lying.

We ordered drinks, and Jonathan had a Long Island.  Thankfully, I wanted a White Russian, but with dessert.  The 1st course took so long to arrive, J got tipsy. We were begging Bryan, our server, to bring him rolls, crackers....ANYTHING to absorb the alcohol in his system!  He kept telling Natalie, "I wat some beans with peanut butter...what are those called?"

"PEANUT BUTTER M&MS!"  (I will never again call them that, lol!  Well, okay....give me a few months?)

FINALLY our appetizers arrived.  I'd ordered the sausage-stuffed ravioli, and it was delicious!  I was also finally (sort of!) getting my sea legs (not really!) and taking pics of the NJ shoreline.  I did get adventurous and went out on the bow of the boat when we were near the Statue of Liberty.

Main course arrived MUCH later; I'd ordered the chicken breast with potatoes and zucchini.  Talk about a tiny chicken breast....two tiny potatoes.....one thin zucchini.  Nan had to Gnocci, and here's where things got a little dicey.  I see nothing wrong with people sharing food off their plates; my sister and I did it all the time; I always did it with b/friends and my spouse.....but Nan freaked out when I asked if I could try her gnocci, then speared a piece of squash instead....then pulled out my fork and speared the gnocci.  She picked up that tiny piece of squash that ONLY MY FORK had touched, and put it on my plate.  WTH?????

Earlier, when discussing dessert, I mentioned wanting both the chocolate mousse cake AND the cheesecake, and asked if we could split the two, but she refused; she only wanted the chocolate cake. Natalie was also going back and forth, so she got the cheesecake and I got the chocolate, and offered to let each other taste it.  No problem....both were YUMMY!!!  More on this later.

At one point, we actually got a little closer to the Statue of Liberty, when she was all lit up.  Nan and I happened to be in bow again, and another member of our group, John M joined us.  The boat's music played Ray Charles' God Bless America....and John and I started singing it just like Ray.  Nan looked over at us as if 'WTH are you doing?" We laughed and told her you HAVE to sing it like he does!  That's when I knew John and I were going to get along well; we have the same sense of humor!

Back to dessert.  It arrives.....as we're DOCKING! We'd gone upstairs to the top deck as we were passing the Brooklyn Bridge, then gone back downstairs and found the dance floor, but apparently the female vocalist hadn't shown up.  So there was no dancing, but that's all right; I was having so much fun taking pictures!  So dessert arrives; I told Bryan to bring me my White Russian. Nat and I each try a bite of each other's dessert, then I think I even finished off Nan's.  Downed my White Russian ($19!) in the 10-15 mins it took to dock, and I'm surprised I wasn't more tipsy myself!  

We had to wait for our Lyft drivers to arrive, and then drove back to the hotel.  Fell into bed again, since we had to be downstairs on Mon before 8:30 for another rehearsal.

Tomorrow:  It Rains, and Another Very Relaxing Day!