Its raining right now here in sunny southern California. I really do enjoy when it rains. I’ve got the patio door flung all the way open just so I can hear the splash of the water and take in that wonderful smell of rain-wet concrete. That sounds a little smart assish… but really I do love the rain.

The sky has been threatening all day with dark grey clouds and cold breezes. Then finally around 6:30 it started to spit, and now it’s turned into a full on rain storm. It just puts me in such a relaxed state. It really makes me want to sit back and be creative. Make something, or write something. I figured the next best thing to something really creative was to post a little entry on this blog. 🙂

So lets see… what do I have to talk about today. Oh! I know: This last Sunday Janey and I were invited to a little brunch. I’m still a little fuzzy on the actual purpose for the get-together. I think it started out as a thing between some work friends but since one work friend (who is sort of one of those ‘fringe’ friends anyway) is moving away from Disneyland to go back to school to study to be a who-knows-what, it turned into a bit of a “I’ll invite myself to someone else’s brunch and make it a going away party for me me me” sort of deal. If that last sentence felt a bit cumbersome and forced… well then it’s just echoing the feeling in the room when the above mentioned fringe friend took the microphone for a goodbye serenade. Thats right folks, she got up and talked to the piano player, got on the mic and butchard at least three wonderful peices of music. There was quite a bit of skipping around as she seemed only to know the chorus of each song. But at least the piano player was a sport, and quite talented to boot! And what a perfect segue to describe the fantastic establishment where we dined.

It was a little spot down in Long Beach called “Paradise”. It was a very clean place with a very eclectic sense of style. It has a mirrored bar trimmed with blue rope lights. In the back of the room there was a huge bronze eagle suspended from the ceiling. It looked like it had been plucked from atop a buttress on some gothic styled skyscraper. Directly across from the bar there was a black baby grand piano. Behind it sat a stylish, slick haired man crooning out back-to-back show tunes. All around the dining room were well dressed men sitting in pairs or foursomes smiling at each other as they clinked their mimosas and laughed.

If you haven’t made the connection yet friends… this was a very happy place. Throughout the meal I kept thinking of the Blue Oyster from the Police Academy movies. (if you started humming that calypso-tango song that always played when the door slammed behind Mahony’s unsuspecting victims you are my new best friend)

To make a long story just a little bit longer. We really did have a good time. The food wasn’t great. The company was alright. But I was with my girl on a sunny sunday afternoon in Long Beach so I was happy.

Alright kids. That will have to do for now. Have a great night, and I’ll see you soon.