You know what Friday night means for me.....Cindy and I are going to Willhoites! We always have a great time. Last night, a band we hadn't seen before, Railhead was playing. The name of the band caught my attention immediately because it's also the name of a very good Bar-B-Que restaurant here in DFW.
Once I got a gander at the lead singer, all thoughts of BBQ were out the window (although I could think of a few things to do with some sauce and the lead singer, but I digress).
I found some pics online and had to share with you because.... hubba, hubba!
There's just something about a guy in a cowboy hat!
Yummy!
Yes, they sounded good for a cover band, but I was all about the scenery. I'd like to hear some original music (if you know what I mean, and I think you do) though! I guess Cindy and I will just have to keep going to Willhoites and work our way up from table dancers to Railhead Groupie!
Haven't had time to post anything all week (except for my awesome brisket recipe). Thankfully, it is finally the weekend and time to go blow off some steam. You know what that means....it's Girls Night Out!! Here's hoping I'll have lots of fun stories to post about tomorrow....Cheers!
Amy was kind enough to invite me to the Dallas Maverick's game last night, and even though I hate Mark Cuban and everything he stands for, I agreed because a night out with Amy is always a fun time (plus I do love basketball)! It was my first NBA game.
Click here to see why Mark Cuban is on my shit list! It starts at 2:34.
The arena was sooooo freakin' far away, so having gone 45 minutes in the car without a cocktail, we decided to go to the W hotel for a pre-game "warm up." I've been to a lot of hotels in my day, but this is truely one of the most gorgeous I have ever laid eyes on!
After downing a couple of vodka tonics at the lobby bar, we walked across the street to the arena.
I've lived in Texas for almost 3 years and this was my first night out in Dallas (I usually head to Fort Worth to get my downtown groove on) and I was really impressed with Victory Park where the arena is located. Very cool shops, condos, eateries, bars, etc.
We had great seats, but my camera doesn't zoom so well!
The game was great and seeing Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd play was an amazing sight. I could not get over how HUGE these players are. I mean they are seriously ENORMOUS!! We cheered, we laughed, we cheered some more, but decided to leave a bit early to beat the crowd over to Ghost Bar located on the top of the W hotel (plus we were kicking Indiana's ass and was obvious the Mavs would win). This is suppossed to be THE place to see and be seen in Dallas.
The outdoor terrace at Ghost Bar! What an amazing view of the city!
Cheers on the terrace!
So many people I know have totally overhyped the Ghost Bar. Yes, it was beautiful; an architectural masterpiece. Yes, there were lots of pretty people there, but the biggest thing I noticed about them is they were always looking out of the corner of their eye to see if someone was watching them. Can't you just sit and enjoy, people? Anyway, I put my time in at the she-she-poo-poo bar of all bars (whatever), but we quickly decided that perhaps we should move on and go somewhere that was more our speed.
Here's me rolling my eyes at the "I have no self-esteem so buy me a drink and validate me" crowd!
So, Amy re-applied her lip gloss and we said, "Adios" to the Ghost Bar!
After a quick stop for a gourmet meal at What-a-Burger (it's the buttered buns), we headed for a good, old fashioned, down and dirty tavern: The Tapp Inn in Grapevine! Good beer, great service, always good live music (no DJ here) and there never fails to be at least one table left when we walk in....it's as if the walls know we're coming!
Amy and I with our server-extraordinaire!
So, I learned a couple of things last night:
1. NBA games are the shiz-ney (even if Mark Cuban is an ass)
2. The best place to hang with friends is the place you can be your silly, loud, obnoxious self and not care what the guy next to you thinks!
3. Amy is super-fun and likes buttered buns as much as I do!
Sidebar: Have a great spring break, everyone! I'm taking the kids camping for 5 days at Possum Kingdom Lake. I'll have a new post about our trip late next week!
Two weeks ago, my friend C. called to ask me if I wanted to go out for a Girls Night. No, I said...It had been a rough week and I was more down with a quiet dinner, maybe a little wine then home early to get to bed. Well, she was having none of that! While she did humor me with a very proper dinner at the country club, she made sure to plow me with a few extra glasses of Cabernet so it would be easier for me to fall under her spell. Before I knew it, we were at Willhoite's in Grapevine, and at the beginning of what will surely be our new Friday night tradition!
We had so much fun that it would have been a shame not to share it. Thus began another Friday night tradition: drunk dialing!
You remember this wonderful pass time from our high school days!?! Yes, I have discovered it's joys again, and apparently I'm so good at it that my good friend Jules had to get a special new telephone number just to upload my voice mails on to her blog. Really Jules, you should just stay home every Friday, pop some corn and wait 'cause you know the calls-a-comin'!
Then there's my very patient friend from weird-ville who, while simultaneously driving home at 2 a.m., smoking a cigarette and managing the cell phone will toss personal safety aside, and drop everything just to sing to me like a Lady (even though we both know I'm no where close, but bless his heart he tries so hard to convince me otherwise)! It just wouldn't be a Friday night without a serenade from my favorite singer!
You know, a woman of my age should be embarrassed to resort to such child-like antics. Now that I think about it, there's a lot of things I do that a woman my age should feel embarrassed about, but that's another story for another day! I spend hundreds of dollars every month on face creams, gym memberships and magic potions to keep me "younger," when all I really have to do is go to Willhoite's on a Friday night, drink too much, dance my ass off, then start drunk dialing! I may not feel young the next morning, but that night I'm a teenager all over again!
C "cheers" to another successful Friday night at Willhoite's!
***Special Thanks to my Nanny-extraordinaire for making these nights possible!***
I have to apologize to my special friends that received a drunk dialing call from me last night. C and I were having a little too much fun (and by "fun" I mean beer) in Grapevine listening to some great live music and making sure that the staff at two local watering holes closed down their bars properly. Someone has to do it.
To my out-of-state BFF: I promise to stop pimping you out to random men that are in TX on business, but live in your city! Please note, I didn't say I'd stop pimping you out....just to guys that are in TX on business! He did smell good, though!
Ah...there we were. A gorgeous bunch of thirty (cough) somethings out on the town to see Rick Springfield live and in person! He was playing at Billy Bob's Texas, the world's largest honkey tonk! I'm assuming in the world of honkey tonk's that is pretty significant. We started off at my house for pre-concert cocktails and munchies. Then, in an act of pure suburban domesticity, we hopped into D's mini-van and headed to Fort Worth to see our 80's idol.
Once we arrived, all bets were off.....we headed inside, secured our spot in the viewing bar and waited, waited, waited for the show to begin. The downside to musicians being late for their show-times is it gives the audience too much time to drink!
If I recall correctly, my ass even hit the floor at one point, but my memory of the evening is slightly fuzzy. I do know I watched Rick on the big screen to get a better view and drank waaaaaaaay too many beers....and yes, I sang Jessie's Girl at the top of my lungs (much to the dismay of the neighboring table).
Once the show was over, the girls piled back into the mini-van and bee-lined it to What-a-Burger for post-show greasy grub (this bad habit is becoming quite a tradition after a rockin' Girls Night Out).
D....you ROCK for driving! Thank you so much! We all owe you one, girlfriend!!
I spent the weekend with my entire in-law clan in Austin, TX to celebrate the 90th birthday of my kid's great-grandmother! 90!! It was amazing to see all her friends and family turn out to wish her well. There had to have been 100 people at her party!
I made a point of taking my 9-year-old daugher aside and discussing all the major things her Nanny has seen in her life. Two World Wars, the Depression, Kennedy, first trip to the moon, Vietnam, the evolution of the automobile, computers....the list goes on and on. I wanted my baby girl to know that people shouln't be dismissed because they are elderly. We should celebrate their wisdom, seek their guidance and appreciate the advice they offer. I love talking to the "old folks" about their memories and life experiences. One of my fondest memories is listening to my Grandma's (who is now deceased) stories about what she was doing when she heard that Pearl Harbor had been bombed by the Japanese. For the record, she was a newlywed, standing on a ladder, painting her new kitchen yellow.
Personally, I am proud to call Nanny my friend. She is an amazing lady....funny, strong, wise, and the only Grandma I have left. I would consider myself lucky to make it as far in life as she has. While she is suffering from dimentia and the pains that come with age, she is still a wonderfully viable woman. To see so many people turn out for her party was a testament to the life she's lead. I am privledged to be a part of her life!
Now, on the completely selfish side......my sista's-in-law decided to make a night of it in Austin after Nanny's party and head out to 6th Street for a serious Girls Night Out! Man, did we have a good time! We hit Maggie Mae's, listened to some great music, hung out with the band, and woke up with a huge hangover (but that's to be expected when the 3 of us are together)!! By the way, thanks Lynn for babysitting!
My sista's-in-law!
This pretty much sums up our night! The obligatory self-portrait gone awry!
C "cheers" to another successful Friday night at Willhoite's!
Once we arrived, all bets were off.....we headed inside, secured our spot in the viewing bar and waited, waited, waited for the show to begin. The downside to musicians being late for their show-times is it gives the audience too much time to drink! 
