A Sunday with Corey

I have known Corey for 9 years. We met when he was working briefly at Capezio. As a dancer just graduating from NYU Tish he worked part time. Charming and sweet and 20 going on 45. I had an extra ticket to the Gay Pride Pier Party and someone suggested I ask Corey, young gay man. He said yes and that was our first date. We began an amazing relationship that is stronger than boyfriends, husbands, etc.
Corey had been on tour with Radio City Xmas show this past Holiday season and then upon returning to NYC decided to join the ranks of many performers...the service industry. Yes, Corey is a proud server at Planet Hollywood in Times Square. I hadn't seen Corey since last January. So here it is the first week of March and we met for a long awaited Brunch.
Queens is an amazing place to me. I've lived in Queens for 2 years now and when I make new discoveries I marvel. Why didn't I know about this ?
Astoria was the meeting place. 30th and 38th. Mexi Q. I live in Sunnyside. Left my place and thought what a beautiful day, I'll just walk over. A nice little walk across Northern Blvd, I would do this walk to my bank last summer and it would be about 20 min. 3 mi. round trip. Piece of cake. It was a little further and the Avenues seem to get further and wider as the walk got longer. But made it and yes, unlimited mimosa's !! Great brunch, we both had the Hangover cure. 2 over easy eggs on top of beans, beef, chicken salsa and some spicy magical mixture on top of tortilla chips. I didn't even have a hangover, yet it cured anything I might have had.
After about maybe 5 or 6 refills and a yummy meal we traveled down 30th to have another cocktail. It was about 2 and peak brunch time so bar stool space was limited. We found a new place on 30th and 36th, Via Trenta. A nice little Italian place with 6 bar stools at the small intimate bar with a line of perfect mason jars filled with Basil, lemons, bourbon marinated cherries and jalepeno peppers. Greeted nicely by Andrew. As we found out later, a Canadian with a great taste for music. I started with a basil jalepeno milagro tequila cocktail. Yup, Andrew is a mixologist but in a good way and not douchey.
John the owner started chatting us up about cocktails and then the bartender's challenge was offered and accepted.
5 or 6 specialty cocktails later and a complimentary pizza (John's lovely papa brought it over after saying we have been there for 4 hours of drinking, we should eat) we said our goodbyes and went across the street for dinner. Jen met us. My former room mate as of Monday morning and the other girl from the original 2 girls from a bar.
We had started out at noon and it was nightfall.
Sugar Freek was our next stop. A New Orleans style place designed like my grandma's kitchen. Mismatched chairs and a lot of floral prints and gingham.
I had the Jambalya. Jen had the chicken and probably the best collard greens I've ever had.Corey did a po boy. We ended with coffee and chocolate bread pudding. The milk came in a tiny pig that vomits milk. $3...Jen bought it. Cause its a pig that vomits milk.
We left and went for another cocktail at Olivira. Great Greek place on the next street. We're still on 30th Ave. Andrea the bartender was a sassy gal from Philly and fell in love with Corey. She seemed to like us all but I understand. Many have fallen in love with Corey right in front of me. I don't mind.
We ordered oysters...it was happy hour $1 an oyster. we ended up having 18...spanakopita and chocolate peanut butter banana cake and yes, many more cocktails.
Jen went home, the movers were coming at 9 AM but Corey and I had another.
I should remember the last bar but I can't. It was cute and busy. We shared a table with Chris and Vivian. We bought them a round of Abita beer and Marisela our waitress seemed a little scared of us. But she said she liked us. We tipped her heavily.
We stayed for 2 and decided 14 ours of drinking and eating was perhaps enough to call it a night.
But it wasn't just a night...it was AHHHHmazing.
Good food. Good friends. Good times.