JJ, Chance, Peach Snapps and Patti

That about somes up the roommate adventures lastnight. After a rough week at the Heartbreak Hotel, aka The Terrace, we decided a Thursday night outing was in store. All we knew it would entail was margaritas and cheese dip. Little did we know it would turn into a whirlwind night of new friends - young and old- and a little star performance by Katherine, the next Patti Griffin. We don't need to go into detail about the heartaches. Bottom line: most boys are thoroughly confused and get in way over their head before they realize that some girl may actually fall for their mindless charming plots to woo the (temporary) object of their affection. I don't want to hear of anymore of these terrible scenarios. I have been a victim myself before and though the lessons learned are insurmountable - the idea alone that some pretty amazing girls I know walk around with a tough guard up for way too long after they were asked to believe some silly boy's emotions who doesn't even know what to do with them - makes me nauseous. These are the all-to-familiar situations of smitten.... to..... freaked out all in 48 hour periods (or less).

Anyway, this may be a little heated subject for me so we'll carry on....Kat and Catie and I venture to the other side of the tracks to the greatest little whole in the wall in Atlanta, Nuevo Laredo Cantina. It was our destiny that we would meet our newest of favorite charcters, JJ.
JJ is much more of a regular than we are and it seems that everyone around him knew JJ's story and wanted to play a part in it. Kat just wanted a margarita. JJ and friend, JR (or was it JT??? I just realized that JJ's sidekick was named J-something...interesting) ordered some margaritas and cheese dip and we could have been happy for the rest of the night. JJ tucked his tie into his shirt (I love it when boys do that - weird. And, really, he is not a boy) and proceeded to eat what looked like a usual meal at the bar while we chowed down on the greatest salsa and cheese dip in Atlanta. About an hour later and 1 pitcher later we realize our name still wasnt called so JJ sent over some kind of secret note to the hostess to get us a table. Really, our name was called 30 minutes prior but we were too interested in JJ's trips to Costa Rica, desires to ride a white horse to Cowboy's and his strong-affinity to fine dining in the Atlanta area that we missed it. JR -JT, whatever, was really the sidekick and eventually he took interest in a died-blonde girl (though he had just flattered us with the thought that he only likes brunettes and red-heads, go figure)...Soon enough we sit at the most perfect table right in the middle of the dining room. There were 3 of us at a 4 person table so naturally JJ joined the festivities. I was a bad DD. I made Katherine finish the margaritas in a timely manner as to not let them get watered down - I hate to waste things and after this week at the HH - a little margaritas and comeraderie were just what the psychiatrist would have ordered. Thus leading to random conversation about Peach Snapps, ( we never partook (is that a word - I think not) in any but we all found it hysterical, including JJ, when we said the word), The Citadel, dead Mexican's and bareback horseback riding to say the least. JJ invites a friend on the phone to come meet up with us. Chance joins us and tells stories of his brushings with the stars. Brad Pitt to say the least.....
I think I know, but I wasn't sure that I had seen Chance before. And JJ for that matter. They are those older men that seem to always be single, have a smile and a beer and great conversation to offer wherever you go. Innocent -really and altogether pleasant company. Chance, we discover, after asking if he had ever eaten at Nuevo Laredo, is the same man in all the pictures on the wall of the Cantina. Oops....
Chance orders a special from the kitchen and we engage half the dining room in our random, playful conversation. Good stuff. With pictures and kisses and promises to meet again we head out the door thankful that we were not stupid enough to give out any contact numbers. (Good moves, girls.)
So, the talk of Peach Snapps and superstars lands us at Park Bench in Buckhead. Kat, Catie and I and about 3 other raving fans crowd into Park Bench and listen to the artists on what seems to be a rotating night where each singer plays a song or two. We tend to take over wherever we go so soon enough we were causing a little too much comotion to pay attention to the background music. Then we meet new favorite friend #2, Fransisco. Fransisco seems like a local unknown legend. Actually, he is probably really known but I am just not in the Atlanta music scene. Francisco owns Park Bench and seems to be a mentor to a bunch of up and coming artists like our super star friend, Cory. Francisco then takes the mike and Kat's confidence starts to swell up. It may have been the long island tea's but whatever it was it doesnt matter. Kat joins Fransisco on the stage for a few Patti Griffin selections. Catie and I have tried to sneak a peek at Kat's shower performances but we can never get the full effect. What a treat lastnight was to have Katherine, smiling if only temporary and singing like she was a RockStar.
Then Cory takes the stage and we all sing along and giggle and talk about Peach Snapps and giggle some more and smile at the new friends we made on a random rainy Thursday night.

Thursday night's will become a staple in the Terrace household. I love Thursday's and I love meeting random new friends and entertaining the idea of flying to Costa Rica and riding to Cowboys on a white horse. Why? Just cause. Great answer, JJ, just so you could say you did.

What a beautiful time in our young lives....to be young, to be foolish (or to pretend to be foolish), to eat good food, to engage in some pretty entertaining conversation, to be a light in the world just by the smiles on our faces, to be entertained by wealthy older men (innocently), to sing like no one is listening and to allow our hearts to be vulnerable even if it means heartache. There is no joy when there is no risk and yes, we are all learning - to let your heart go is to risk but the true joy really comes in just taking the risk, whether or not the heart part ever works out.

Thanks JJ, Chance, Kat, Catie, Cory, Stephen and Francisco for an enjoyable, theraputic Thursday night.