I Love Me a Random Night Out

Especially on a Monday night.

It started out as an ordinary excursion in to DC, to meet my drinking/eating/blogging/we-just-want-out-of-the-house-every-once-in-a-while partner in crime, Darcy.   I took public transportation all the way downtown (walk to bus stop, bus to metro, then metro), and felt all city-ish non-suburban-like.

We went to  to Zaytinya, a Jose Andres staple, which I hadn't been to since 2006.  We were seated quickly, and got down to business.  Drinks.  The drink of evening?  A "Clean Monday" - cucumber and mint infused Plymouth Gin with St. Germain, Cava.

Clean.  On a Monday.

We both ordered one, but I retained the wine list, thinking I would switch to wine for my second drink.  It wasn't to be.

We chatted.  We ate crispy brussel sprouts.  We were brought some lamb dish by accident that we only later realized we didn't order, but it was FABULOUS.  And even checking the menu today, I still can't figure out what it was to order again.

We ordered at second Clean Monday.

As we were eating, I noticed a couple of women at the table next to us.  They were a little loud.  A little festive.  They asked us to take a picture of them.  I told them they lucked out because Darcy was a photographer, and we all got to talking.  And then the night took a fabulous turn.

Turns out, these two women are about 60 (though they both looked much younger).  They were from Florida and in town for a few days.  I pegged them both from New York from their accents, and I was half right (Long Island and New Jersey).  They both had a son and a daughter not that much younger than me.

We started talking.  A LOT.  About God knows what.  Family, kids, work, vacations...  The waiter came over and joked that since we were getting along so well, we should push our tables together.

So we pushed our tables together and ordered dessert.  And another round of Clean Mondays.

The night turned from a party of two to a party of four.  And it was FUN!  I love meeting and learning about new people.  Especially when they are also the type of person who loves meeting and learning about new people.  We laughed, we told personal stories (some way too personal, no doubt fueled by the Clean Mondays), and we enjoyed the new company.

I never did get either of their names.

But we did give them our blog addresses.  So if either of you two awesome women are reading this, drop me a line!  We should all do it again some time!

Not a bad way to spend a Monday.