A Night Out At SD26

Wednesday night, I headed down to SD26 in NYC’s Flatiron District for galpal Rachel’s 29th birthday celebration.

Cheers: Rach and me at SD26

Located opposite Madison Square Park, SD26 is the perfect combination of swank and low-key friendly charm -- as Rach and I discovered when we informed affable bartender Renato it was her birthday.

He immediately concocted a round of delicious Bailey’s and vodka-infused shots, insisting they were on the house. Nice.

After a celebratory toast, Rachel and I joined about a dozen of her friends in a cozy anteroom.

IT trainer Angela told me how envious her friends are that she resides in New York, that she has to disabuse them of the notion that life in Gotham is always as it appears in “Sex And The City.”

I also chatted with Noam, a friendly environmental lobbyist-turned-physics professor. We talked about our respective stints in small town USA -- Noam spent years in Maryland while I’ve lived in Bangor, Maine and Southern Illinois. We agreed that New York tends to spoil you for living anywhere else.

There’s still nowhere else I would rather be.

Reconnecting at Christmastime

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is reconnecting with loved ones who, for whatever reason, I’ve fallen out of touch with. This year, I’ve been blessed to do that with three men who each hold a special place in my heart.

BFFs: Morty and me at our friend Cristina’s wedding in Boston

The bonding began at my friend Cristina’s fabulous recent wedding, where I caught up with former work husband and dear friend Morty. We hadn’t seen each other in months, but quickly picked up right where we left off -- talking about life, love and the pursuit of professional bliss.

Earlier this week, old flame Steve comforted me with a thoughtful email on the anniversary of my beloved dad’s passing. And made me smile when he asked if my diary entries from our time together will make it onto the blog.

“Do you think you will ever let some of that out of 'The Vault?' ” he wrote. “I will always cherish those memories.”

The feeling is mutual.

Speaking of past loves, the most surprising reconnection happened with California-based ex Mark (a.k.a Sparky). For the first time ever, he posted a comment on Single Gal In The City (click here and scroll down to see our exchange) -- which led to our first conversation in many months.

Up next…more about this latest chapter in the Sparky saga and a festive night out in the Flatiron District.

Merry Christmas All!

Singles Event Pick: New Year's Eve At Stitch

When you live in the Big Apple, finding a New Year’s event that won’t set you back at least $100 is no easy feat. Thankfully, the folks at Professionals In The City have the answer, with a Singles New Year’s Eve Party that’s only $50 per person.

The party kicks off at 8pm at Stitch, a lively lounge in NYC's Garment District. Ticket price includes light hors d’oeuvres, champagne toast at midnight, party favors, cash bar, creative and interactive activities, DJ & dancing.

There will also be door prizes, along with chances to win free adventures as well as private golf lessons, ski packages and a complete home theatre system.

“Dress to impress,” says the website.

Tickets are $50 if purchased by tomorrow (Friday) at 5pm, and sales for the event will close at 11am on Thursday, December 31st. Click here for more info.

Friends Night Out: T-Bar

Last night, I caught up with my friend P at trendy T-Bar Steak & Lounge on NYC’s Upper East Side.

T-Bar: This lively, hip eatery is a great spot for drinks or dinner

Over cocktails that included a round of Kamikaze shots, we talked at length about our parents. Yesterday marked the third anniversary of my beloved father’s passing.

Having lost his mother years ago, P understood exactly how I was feeling – and managed to bring a much-needed smile to my face. Raising his glass in a toast, he said--

“To our parents.”

“To our parents,” I repeated.

In talking about my mother and father’s enduring relationship, we eventually got onto the subject of marriage and how we’ve both had opportunities to go down that road with previous significant others – but have no regrets about choosing not to.

P also had me giggling when he mentioned a business meeting that took a most unexpected turn. The reason? His female colleague suddenly went off on a tangent about her affinity for gay porn.

Speaking of surprises, it turned out that my brother Andrew’s former flame, adorable Reese Witherspoon-lookalike Julie, was sitting at the next table. We exchanged pleasantries and Julie said she has a couple of male friends she would like to introduce me to.

That’s the kind of offer that doesn’t seem to come along very often these days, so I happily told her – sign me up!

Up next…when inappropriate advances derail romance and a big love resurfaces.