Saga of Seattle

Ladies Night
So after a slow start—both Jonathan and Johnno were a bit hung over—it was decided that we should head out on to the second street of Boys Town for brunch. Johnno was eager to show me one of his favorite bistros in the city as well as by tickets for a show at the club he used to work at back in the day.

See, Johnno had been a part of a popular Seattle drag show and wanted to hit the show while in town. It helped that his friend Loretta was making her last performance with the club and he wanted to be there to say good bye to her character ‘Tammy Whynot’. Johnno pointed out all the places he used to go for drinks and dinner, porn and groceries, old gyms and apartment buildings. I felt like I was learning more about him but with Jonathan’s snarky commentary track. It was fun.

Eventually we ended up at the brunch spot and Johnno did not lie. It was exactly like Stevie Nick’s closet but with food served instead. I was a bit freaked out—there were tables in closets with curtains that close, candles close to velvet drapes, and funky mismatched lamps, chandeliers and various other light sources.

(Seriously, grab some scarves, go in your bathroom and throw them up in the air. Then bring in three small tables—one for the tub, on at the sink and one that can fit in the cupboard under the sink and you will have the same effect.)

But the food was amazing and probably the best meal I had in a long time. We spent our time lingering over drinks and conversation as we debated our plans for later. Pikachu would not be able to joins us for the drag show but we planned on heading back to the big boy bar from the night before for drinks with him and Loretta post show then an early bed time. It promised to be an early night.

I was wrong.

Jonathan decided that we need to hit a thrift store on the way back to disco nap. Is there anything gayer? But I had fun as we made our way through racks of polyester blends, Precious moments figurines and oversized cat art for the walls but Johnno decided we needed to counter balance this with a stop at the local leather shop. It was fun to play around in Boys town and is something I think I should do more of. Either in LA or San Francisco or maybe another trip to Seattle.

Then it was nap time. The boys slept off the remainders of their hangovers while repacked the suitcase again—I wanted to be ready to get out of town by 6am the next morning. But I managed to get some sleep before Jonathan woke us up for a dinner of pork chops and wine on grandmother china. I was worried about what to wear out again but figured being dressed up would be nice for the ‘ladies’ we were about to see.

Eventually we made our way out into the cold and made the trek down to the club for the show. I planned to make sure I drank enough to warm up—a decision made possible by shots post dinner proceeded by glasses of wine. I should know better.

Now the show was amazing. I will admit I have never seen a live drag act and demanded we sit in the back of the show so as to not be ‘sang’ to or dragged up on stage in any way shape or form. But the costumes were amazing between the Brittney, the Gwen Stefani and the Liza—I was very impressed by the whole theatrics of it and could see why Johnno really missed the drag scene. I just wish the MC had been better—I don’t care if she was on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ because it was obvious why she didn’t win! But seeing Loretta doing the show was hysterical as the only really ‘lady’ of the show and I was excited to meet such a larger than life performance.

After the show wrapped up, the boys and I waited for Loretta to be done with her part of the MC responsibilities so we could get a move on to the next bar. Jonathan called Pikachu and told him the game plan as I once again felt cold and in need of some booze to warm me up. It was decided we should head off ahead while Loretta got out of her stage clothes and grab a table and some drinks.

This would be my downfall.

I don’t remember much of what happened after my first vodka tonic—I know that Loretta showed up and we made jokes about everything from bad drag, to being the ‘big’ girl at the bar, and all the way to Carol Channing impressions before Pikachu showed up and bought us all another round of drinks. I know that I had a good time making jokes and laughing with Johnno’s friends—I felt like he must with the LA gang when it comes to seeing and getting to know the people who love your boyfriend. It fleshes out your view of who you’re dating and what’s important to them.

In this cause-it was drinking.

I do remember that I was somehow convinced to buy another round of drinks at closing because I figured it would help me get some deep sleep in the four hours between then and our flight back to LA. We were almost chased out of the bar except for Johnno charming the bartender while I slammed my drink so we could be ready to go. The last thing I remember at the bar was Loretta making new friends with a group of Latina drag queens and posing in their pictures—just because.

The fact that I even remember saying good to Loretta in the parking lot and then the long walk back home is a testament to my memory more than anything. The boys all talked amongst themselves as I tried to keep myself together enough to not freeze to death—the Russians had tricked me into thinking vodka would keep me warm. Damn them.

But soon enough we were back at the boys’ place and into the warmth. They all made conversations and said good byes while I spent my time getting ‘things under control’. But I did still manage to repack Big Red one more time before passing out alone in bed. I was done with Seattle and ready to be home. It was a great trip and I was glad that I survived it. I’m just surprised I got sick to my stomach with his friends and not his family.

I’m joking. I would do it again.