The past couple months the girls and I have been dining out weekly with our good friend Jean Marie. Jean Marie is a very dear friend of Eva, with a wallet of green and a heart of gold. He loves to dine out with 5 or 6 girls at a time and let us entertain him with our stories of non-sense and our funny and romantic flirtations. Most recently we joined JM with 2 of his friends Ludovig and Christophe at one of my new favorite restaurants, Orient Extreme. This restaurant is my favorite for 3 reasons. The food, the drink and the staff. The first time I dined at Orient Extreme the high pitched waiter was trying to speak English to me and I didnt really understand him over over his French, Korean accent.I was smiling at him and looking a bit puzzled, when finally he stops and says, "I speak English like a bitch, I know." And it was there and then that I fell in love with the wait staff.Orient Extreme also happens to have fantastic sushi and a black cod that I loooove, but more importantly they have a beautiful Rose that is to die for. Obviously I love it so much, I can never remember the name. Normally on these dining adventures we end up getting pretty drunk by the end of the night, but on this particular night I was going to remain sober. Well fairly sober anyway. The next day I had a high profile video interview with one of the biggest Rock stars in Europe right now, Keziah Jones. I needed to look my best the next day and be in top form. Eva was going to sleep at my house so we could do hair and make up for me in the morning and choose outfits accordingly. I needed to play it safe. Calm, cool and collected.
Sadly, these deams of sobriety were quickly smashed when I got seated next to Ludovig at dinner. Easily one of the most charismatic men I have ever met, he could make you do just about anything even before you realize your pants are down and youve got a clown hat taped to your ass. He's just like that.
So you take a cross of Ludo and 7 bottles of Rose for 4 people and voila. We all leave the restaurant and decide its a very good idea to go to another bar for cocktails. Im pretty sure I was leading this charge but cant be sure. Mojitos, margaritas, and a few glasses of champagne several hours later, Eva and I end up back at my house completely smashed and decide its best to just pass out. Actually I dont know if it was a conscious decision as much as it just organically happened.
Fast forward to my alarm beep beep beeping at 7am. I force my eyes open only to see my half dressed, make up on from the night before, disheveled self. I sadly moan "No No No!!!!"
What had I done? How could I do that? I hadnt been drinking like that in months and why on the night I decide not to drink do I go out and get completely blotto?
My head was pounding beyond belief and awake for only a mere matter of minutes I was already fighting the urge to vomit. Saliva building up, head in my chest and really really hurting, I just needed more sleep. I beg Eva to make the coffee so I could rest my eyes for a few more necessary minutes. What else can you do?
Finally I drag myself up, shower, sit in a coma like state while Eva tirelessly straightens my hair. I chain-smoke and drink my coffee while my faithful friend helps to beautify me. We make it out the door a couple short hours later and off to work I go. Well dressed, looking pretty (I think) and yes, of course sweating. It was coming out my pores and I was sure I wasnt going to make it all the way to Levallois on the Metro without dry heaving a couple times. Just as Im about to resign to my ailment, a beggar man gets on my metty car and begins to play his accordion. Normally this everyday occurrence of beggars on the metty bugs the shit out of me, but today was different. I was so in the zone, so focused, that my only thought for this man was, "wow, synthesizers are totally underused."
So I make it to Levallois and to my interview. I had a crazy long day of running around being a famous press journalist- very circa Bridget Jones. Ill post my interview with Keziah Jones tomorrow for your viewing pleasure. The bright side of this day though was that I think the interview went really well. I was so focused on appearing professional and beautiful, that it didnt even occur to me to hit on Keziah Jones or mess up questions. I just went with it and kept reminding myself not to speak English like a bitch.
