God help us, the always social Mrs. E. and I have been invited to a “club” this evening. Well it ought to be interesting. And it does sound like it has that James Bond “Die Another Day” vibe thanks to the ice room. I will have to wear jeans, I suppose. I do own a pair.
Thankfully the young’un’s who so thoughtfully invited us have promised to end the evening at Bogart’s, one of the last true speakeasys, for some jazz from a fellow faculty member.
It promises to be an eclectic evening. Which brings up the subject of this post.
The ever-charming Mrs. E. and I have moved around quite a bit, at least until we hit Richmond and stuck. And even here we’ve lived in three places (not counting the dreaded Mogadishu apartment.) Each time we move I’ve been too wiped out from the experience to do much cooking. So we order out — pizza usually — and have the food delivered to the new address. We eat on the floor, by candlelight (I never remember to have the electric turned on), listen to a battery operated radio and pop open a very good bottle of champagne to celebrate our good fortune (or ease the pain….) I call this meal “The Sacred and the Profane.”
It works with many combinations: great reds and Five Guys Hamburgers. Champagne and Mary Angela’s pizza, Stirfried Green Beans with Chicken and .. you get the idea. So, tonight, if you’re not feeling up to it, light the candles, buy a great bottle of wine and order in.
So you do, in fact, own a pair of jeans?
That was the burning question in the minds of all your loyal readers, but they were too polite to admit it.
We eagerly await an essay on denim~was it the end of civilization, as
a French woman friend of mine attests, when Mrs Vreeland gave denim
her thumbs up? She was an Oracle you know, and when that Oracle spoke,
the world trembled.
One pair desinger jeans that make me feel like Mick Jagger and rarely get worn, one pair blue Levi’s, one pair natural linen (featured in a casual clothing post.)
I’ve seen jeans worn well. I grew up hearing them called “dungarees” and for a while at college wore them almost exclusively. Excepting for dinner dates and the like. {There was a guy, William (Blake? I think), in the class below me who had the most amazing style. I believe he wore a lot of vintage suits. If I knew then…} These days I just feel that I look better in tailored clothing. I cut the grass in khakis or corduroys (depending on the season.)
The trouble with blue jeans is the way that most people wear them. Or the fact that some people do, who really should stick with tailored clothing — especially after a certain age. It takes something from an elegant appearance, as will any article of clothing that is not properly fitted to one’s frame.
That having been said, my friend the architect mixes jeans with a colourful checked shirt, blazer (with pocket square) and Belgian slippers, and he always looks well-dressed.
Whoops, this should be a soapbox post, sorry.
One of my best meals was after driving with a friend from Baltimore to Northern AZ, moving her to a new job. After 2500 miles and five days of driving, we arrived at a small cabin with scant supplies. We did manage to have a fine supper of Champagne and Poptarts, lit by an improvised chandelier of a tumbleweed twined with little white fairy lights. Great adventure!
P-D, great adventure, indeed. It sounds like quite a trip. I hope the poptarts were strawberry to go with the wine.
raspberry, when you could still get them.
it was only later when i learned to shake my shoes to dislodge the scorpions, and wear the mask to ward off the hanta virus.
Ah yes, the glamourous life of the road.
I have to give a big thumbs for Five Guys. As a New Haven, CT, native, I am genetically predisposed to both hamburgers from Louis Lunch (where the hamburger sandwich was invented – don’t argue with me) and Pepe’s Pizza. However, and this is big for me, Five Guys burgers are pretty darn close. Adding a good bottle of Cote de Rhone, doesn’t hurt of course.
I’m dying to know how the night at the club went . . . Did you don the denim and more importantly, did you and Mrs. E enjoy yourselves? (As an aside, I do love your description of “The Sacred and the Profane”–it’s quite romantic, actually.
Good Morning TIG,
I was pleasantly surprised. The “Dining room” (it was all kind of lounge-y) had a great jazz combo playing. We were admitted to the “club” for free since we were there before 9 PM for dinner. (We didn’t stay as the music wasn’t my cuppa.) Unfortunately, the ice room ($15 cover gets you one drink, a photo and use of a parka for 15 minutes) wasn’t quite ready (it opened Saturday.) The tapas menu was very good (mini beef wellingtons, etc.) and with two bottles of wine, a cocktail apiece and plenty of food, the bill for four of us (with tip) was under USD$125. And the combo played “The Girl from Ipanema” (a favourite.) Also met a jewelery designer — will try and post about her today.
I tried, but couldn’t bring myself to wear my jeans… flat front trousers, venetian slip-ons with a chiseled toe, black cashmere turtleneck.
Bogart’s was a lot of fun, too. Mrs. E’s colleague is tremendously talented — think Chet Baker playing Thelonious Monk.
I have an affinity for dives and low-rent restaurants. I’m skeptical of burger places, because I grew up in Tulsa, and Goldie’s is the best there is. But, my sister-in-law took me to 5 guys in D.C. Oh, my. And the fries. Swoon. All that and champagne and I would be over the moon.