Honest Abe

Honest Abe

Unlike many of my recent dating encounters, this one came along rather as they say so often in Berkeley, “Organically”. Berkeley being the setting of our chance encounter. After chatting briefly at a work-associated cocktail hour I was approached by this friendly 30 something as he placed an extra Speakeasy Prohibition Ale down on the table next me. No words, then he took a seat a few spots away. Tease. I’m in.

Was this handsome feller flirting? No profile pic to review first, no “about me” section to filter thru, no photos of him posing with his dog or on a hike at the peak. Instead, I knew right away with this sly beer drop gesture that he was right down my alley.

Organically the night moved into more libations with colleagues where emails and phones numbers were exchanged professionally with heavy date innuendo. The following few days were filled with silly phone calls and text messages as we set up our master date.

Honest Abe arrived 5 – 10 min late. Lucky for him parking is hard to come by on a sunny day on my street, so I let him slide.

I think because this was one of the few dates in the past year that was asked out on in “Real life” and not on match.com, I was particularly nervous. I must have changed outfits 3 or 4 times and even sought out male-roommate-cute-outfit advice. After settling on snug tan shorts, a tribal halter top, brown wedges and denim jacket I applied my reddest llip gloss, a few splashes of Betsy Johnson and I felt like the best datable form of myself.

Honest Abe is also Mr. Red shiny BMW, perhaps to match my lip gloss. Little did I know that aside from our kismet matching lip and lacquer colour, Honest Abe would then take me on the best AND worst first date ever.

I was greeted by a reassuring “O good I’m still attracted to you hug”. Nice. As we approached the shiny speedster, he tossed out a few suggestions for dinner, sushi, Indian, Chinese …. Or the Ben Harper concert in San Francisco. Utter shock took over my body. I’ll give you one guess as to what I chose. Be still my heart. First date – music – a GREAT band - cute/nice boy… o AND we went to a cute Mexican place that I have been dying to try with TEAL painted walls?! Delicious chili verde tacos were followed by greyhounds at a local favorite bar and then a quick trip on BART to the Warfield. I sweet talked the scalper, he bought the tics, and I bought the first round of drinks and we found our seats just as the honorable Mr. Harper took the stage. We were like an unstoppable team. He was energetic, gentlemanly, excitable, not boring, fun, silly … What could go wrong? You'll have to stay tuned for next time...this is long one...

To Be Continued.

Deep Thoughts by my Big Brother

Polly here! Thanks for viewing, I can't believe how many views I've had ... so I'm going to be selfish and ask you to share with friends so I can get more motivation. TY.

Today's entry will not be featuring a man NOT of the dating/partner/I like you more than a friend/boy variety. Instead I will be focusing in on words wisdom from a very deep brotha.

That would be my brother, my Big Brother, Tommy Boy, Bro, Brah. I thought it only fitting to name this post, "Deep Thoughts", after a favorite skit that I remember watching as a kid on SNL with my brother man. But really I was inspired to write this after a conversation with my him ... and lets just say ... it got deep.

Well as conversations often do with him we got off on some tangent where we were sure that our opinions would solve all of the worlds problems and that we of course know all.

If you know myself or my brother you know that we are not the preachy type, but honestly we were really onto something.

The topic ... of course. Dating and relationships.

At times it has felt that my brother and I have been under the proverbial magnifying glass about our relationship status. Me, single as usual. Him, in a long distance relationship.

The question that prompted this conversation was, "Why do we get into relationships?

Big Brother's answer - "Endorphin's,". His opinion, to which I agree slightly, (and the girl in me will keep me from agreeing completely) is that the reason we feel so strongly about the people we meet is really just a chemical reaction. The excitement is derived from a chemical reaction of something new, something different, mysterious, provoking, interesting - that ladies and gents is our endorphines according to this prophet.

Is that why so many of us end up in the wrong relationships? I'll be the first to admit, been there done that. As my brother makes this argument, I can agree that my endorphines or initial excitement about that person is primarily drew me like a laser beam to that relationship.

The "newness" of all it at first, swept me away and blinded me from the realities or the non-endorphine life that everyone else was living around me.

As I thought more and more about this, I saw a similar pattern with men that I just minorly dated and really only moderately liked.

So because I have not made it to the glorious land of monogamy I assume that maybe there is some truth in this.

So then how will I know if I really do meet someone ... someone that make me feel uncontrollably different that anyone else? OR will it just be the endorphins?

OR take this thought even deeper... Obviously these silly little intriguing tickling and teasing emotions have worn off in my past. I'm going to call my past or experience with men, "Man Time," from here on out.

So in my Man Time, this theory actually stands true. Yes, it is all endorphines and nothing else. My Man Time has brought me some not so great and some really good men. However, past that stage of excitement they haven't so much turned out...so I can't remember what my brothers conclusion was ... but mine is - this must be what all those love birds say, "You will know it when you meet them,"... jury is still out on that one.

Coming soon ...

-The big debate - to take match profile down or not?

- Anxious, Aggressive, ADD Andy

- Tales from my Single Sisters

With Love,

Polly

Whiskey or Gin or Neither?

Taking life by the Handle Bars I felt inspired a few months ago. So inspired the next date I went on was with a young chap from across the pond. Gareth. Yes, Gareth. Yes, it gets better.

Gareth is from England and lives in Sacramento but works in SF most work/weekdays. I thought … what an interesting situation that would be? I love Sac and SF. Enjoy a nice boy when I go to visit the Sac family? Why not? Right?

So Gareth and I did the standard Match Messaging Shuffle then traded numbers and picked a night to meet.

I was surprised when he actually called and didn't send a text message. (Thats a big one boys).

We planned on meeting up at some random restaurant near the Financial District.

Things went great, easy convo, some banter and an affinity for the brown gold. Whiskey, Scotch, Bourbon … whatev. But we both liked it.

This led to a 2nd bar and my first Double Malt Scotch tasting.

This then led to the turn off …

He shook hands with the bartender for giving us a free round and introduced himself as "Gaz". Apparently "Gaz" is the short for Gareth to the Brits. (?) I looked puzzled when he told me and then in efforts to convince me he pulled down his lower lip to reveal a tattoo of said nickname. Yes, he had his strange nickname tattooed on the inside of his mouth.

You all know that I find nothing wrong with tattoos and support them fully. But, seriously? Seriously? I mean really? Really?

Anyways … we wrapped the night well and had a great time with Gaz … however I think the state of utter shock resinated with the both of us and we did not met up again.

A few weeks later I went met up with a nice, cornfed, boy from the midwest by way of San Diego at the Gold Dust in Union Square. (The Gold Dust has seen Jen n Friends at some of our finest moments. So I was thrilled that he choose this as our starting spot.)

Patrick drank Gin because his grandmother always did. That was a first.

As restaurant opener in the bay area he knew of a lot of places to grab a bite so we headed to Anchor and Hope. Amazing Seafood. And that was it…thats all. No more. No less. Amazing Seafood and a few Gins for him and Whiskey for me. Great guy but didn't quite "fit". Cheers and Good luck to you!

Positive Play

The positive play on these scenarios is … well … it didn't hurt. Instead I met some nice people I wouldn't have met otherwise, had a good time, learned a few things … most importantly that I will aways enjoy Whiskey with Jen…not Gin.