Lincoln Center Memories with Lil Benny

Me and 3 incredibly fun new friends - if only for the night.

I wanted to write about one of my favorite date nights in NY.  I ended up meeting 3 amazing women, a famous musician, and having the time of my life.
I love that in NY there are so many cultural events you can go to for free, or for a pretty inexpensive cost. Yes, there are many cultural events to attend that will cost you an arm and a leg, but remember, I'm dating myself, and sometimes I can be cheap.
Anyhow, I am from Silver Spring, MD and if you know anything about that area, then you should know about Go-Go music.  If not, well, it is a genre of music that is very near and dear to my heart.  Mostly people from MD, D.C., or Northern VA know, understand and LOVE it, like myself.  I saw that the Godfather of Go-Go, Chuck Brown, was going to be playing at Lincoln Center (this was two summers ago).  I quickly bought a ticket and figured out what cute dress I wanted to wear.  I knew I was going to be dancing the night away so I had to be comfortable, but of course, when dating yourself, must look cute (my opinion of course).
I showed up at Lincoln Center at 6:30 and went inside the dance area.  The music was playing and I immediately just felt my heart smile.  You see, this music is also very nostalgic for me.  It reminds of my youth and especially of my trips home from college with my brothers.  The second we were able to get Go-Go music on the radio we KNEW we weren't far from home.   I began dancing and within an hour I had met Keisha, Nya, and Deandra - all from the DMV (D.C., MD, VA) area - so they completely "got" me and my love for Chuck.
Then, a little bit later a guy tried to be slick and started dancing with me while my back was turned.  He kept saying, "Go ahead girl in white!! - work it!" I turned around.  I was nice.  He asked me my name. "Megan."  "And yours?" "Benny."  "Nice to meet you Benny."  And I turned back around.  Then it HIT me - AAAGGHHH!!! It's Lil' Benny from Lil' Benny and the Masters!!! (Yes another Go-Go group from the area).  I turned back around and explained how I knew who he was and I loved his music especially "Cat in the Hat", and I loved his voice, and...yeah, I talked for a bit.  We had the best time dancing (even when he stepped on my toenail - ouch!).
So then he had to go back on stage to perform with Chuck.  And that's when it happened...MY name was yelled at a concert:-)  He kept saying, "Come on Megan!  Work it!! You're looking good Megan, I see you!!"  Glad I looked cute:-)
Later that night, when the concert was over, I met with Benny, we talked, we took a picture, I gave him my card and we parted.  Now here's the beautiful part, the next summer I saw him again at another Chuck Brown concert.  I assumed he wouldn't remember me.  Wouldn't you know it, he went in his trailer and pulled out a wrinkled old  card with my name on it (he kept it:-)  from his wallet.  He remembered what I did for a living and everything.
I share this date story to show how amazing of a time you can have by yourself and how you can meet some amazing people as well.

Lil Benny died earlier this year.  I will miss his voice and his talent, but mostly I will miss being his dance partner.

Lil Benny and me, "the girl in white".

Creating my own France

Here's an example of my date last Saturday with NY.  Although it was a beautiful day, I wasn't planning on doing anything in particular.  (This is my first summer not working and at times I've spent days just being a bum - and loving it - I digress).  But, I saw an open casting call which I decided to go to because you know what?  You just never know.  So, I took the book that I was reading at the time, This is a Soul (great read by the way), got on the train and headed towards Manhattan.  I get to the casting call, ugg, something just did not feel right, so I left my headshot and resume and left.  Then I realized it was 5pm and beautiful outside and I didn't want to go home just yet.  I was near one of my favorite places in NY - Bryant Park www.bryantpark.org so I decided to head there, knowing that I intended to do what I usually do there, create my own France.

Quick piece of background info about me; I studied abroad junior year of college in Cannes, France.  Ever since, I have loved French culture, food, language, etc. and visit France often.  I actually think I used to be French or West African in another lifetime.  So, every now and then I like to remind myself of the wonderful times I've spent in France.

I first go to Pret a Manger to grab a pan au chocolat, and a ham and cheese sandwich, with some kind of healthy drink.  I get to the Petanque www.petanque.org/ section of the park, where the old men are throwing their Petanque boules and judging with a tape measure to see who REALLY got the closest.  I find a bench that gives me a good enough view to watch this competitive, yet calm activity, but also allows my to read my book in peace.  So there I am enjoying my pan au chocolat, eating my jambon and fromage sandwich - watching the men play Petanque and enjoying My France.  Later, I hear noises and singing at the other end of the park.  I finish up my chapter and go see what's going on.  Oh, it's free theater in the park!! I grab a seat amongst the other New Yorkers and tourists and watch these amazingly wonderful actors perform to our delight.  Once the show was over, I made sure I donated money to continue to have free theater in the park, and was off to find dinner (I told you I was a foodie).  I was really in the mood for Cod fish so my search began in Union Square.

After looking at several menus in the area and viewing their bar situation (number of people, no crazy drunk people, cute guys to flirt with, atmosphere, etc) I ended up choosing Punch punchrestaurant.com/.  Punch ended being a great restaurant (located at Broadway btw 20th and 21st), with a great bar and a more fabulous bartender.  I realize another rule that I should add - rule number 5) Find a good seat at the bar.  We talked about speech and language, acting, where we grew up, relationships (I know I can be a cliche - but, I mean he IS a bartender, lol!).   After my roasted cod fish dinner, I had another glass of wine, he poured a little extra for me, told the bartender I'd be back another day and went home satisfied with my date with NY.

Free theater in Bryant Park

MB's "rules" to going out by yourself

This is pretty exciting for me...my first blog.  I feel so "in" now:-)  Since this is my first blog I feel obligated to just give you a little background on why I decided to write this blog.  I've always been a pretty independent person.  I grew up being two extremes - I LOVED to play by myself, be it with my Barbies or with my pets, but I also enjoyed being around others, like my brothers and my friends.  But one thing I did understand was that I never minded when I WAS by myself.  This being said, I've always enjoyed going out by myself in my adulthood.  I could be going to see a movie, taking myself out to breakfast, or lunch, or dinner (I'm a bit of a foodie), or going to the park, seeing a concert, or - and here's the big one for some of you, going to a bar or club by myself.   I've actually met some very cool people when I'm out by myself. People (male and female) just feel more comfortable approaching someone who is alone - less intimidation and judgement from her/his crew.

Now, the real reason I started this blog...yes, I, Megan-Brette, recently went through an ugly "break-up" (can you call it a break-up if you weren't REALLY BF and GF?).  Usually, when I stop dating a guy it ends amicably; we realize we are spending less time together, less time communicating and I start spending more time dating NY.  Not this time.  It just wasn't nice.  So, I'm back to dating NY, not because I want to stop dating altogether (I AM 32 and the clock is a-tickin'), but because I just needed a break, some time, some space.

There are a few rules though that I have when I do go out on a date with NY:
1) Always look good - this way no one assumes as to WHY you actually are by yourself (and "good" here is subjective - I'm not saying you should do the whole make-up and fancy clothes, whatever makes you look confident, makes you look good).
2) Don't be stupid, always go somewhere you feel safe.
3) Let someone know where you are.  Sadly, I don't really follow this rule all too well.  I'm getting better at it, but sometimes I just go and no one knows where I've been until AFTER the fact.  Tsk, tsk, tsk Megan - I'll get better.
4) Be open to being social.  You are out by yourself, therefore more people will approach you, be open to this.  Shunning them away is just rude (unless they were rude first, then by all means - curse them out:-)  You really do end up meeting some pretty cool people in NY.

Hopefully, you'll read my blog and realize, OMG, it's really NOT hard to go out by yourself.  We'll see!
~MB