This afternoon is the long-anticipated “coming out” gathering. Well, maybe that is overstating it, but Swan has select family members and friends coming to the house to eat, drink, and meet me. I know it is a big deal to her, and culturally speaking, being introduced to the family is an important step on the relationship ladder. I’m not sure if this is a test I could potentially fail, but all I can do is be my usual charming self, and they can love me or leave me. I’m curious to see if today’s get-together means that Swan will be more open about our relationship status. I hope so; this pretending we are not a couple is beyond tiresome. Next week, we’ll be living under the same roof. As roommates or lovers remains to be seen.
Swan is preparing a feast for the family, including fish and pork in Filipino fashion. I’m contributing a pot of chili with cornbread. I’m also baking brownies for dessert. At least no one will go home hungry.
Since I will be otherwise occupied this evening, I did my Hideaway feeding last night.
With my duty done at Hideaway, I headed back to my side of town. Last night was the 15th anniversary of the opening of Wet Spot, so I popped in to say congrats.
I wasn’t quite ready to go home just yet, though. I’d heard Barretto’s newest drinking establishment was having its soft opening last night. It’s only a block away on the highway from Wet Spot, and I wanted to see what it was all about.
So, as I’m sitting at the bar, taking it all in, I hear a voice from the dance floor calling out to me. Well, I’ll be. It was Tin-Tin, formerly a waitress at Queen Victoria, now dancing for Red Bar. I hadn’t seen her for a couple of years, so I invited her down to say hello and buy her a drink.
A couple of hiking buddies, Troy and Ric, also showed up, so it was good to share the opening experience with them. But as always seems to happen, time passed, and I knew I should be making my way home, and that’s just what I did.
It was a good night out, though. Let’s hope things go well at my meet-the-family event today.
Good luck with the coming-out event. I think you’ll do fine as long as you don’t arrive drunk or pantomime dry-humping Swan in front of the relatives.
Chili in the crockpot
What a coincidence! I’m making chili, too, for our team’s pre-Chuseok celebration this coming week. (We’re off on Chuseok break starting on Thursday, and we won’t be back in the office until the following Wednesday.)
The bar also has several of these couch seating setups that look quite comfortable.
Interesting clash of motifs in the design. On one wall, you’ve got the Swiss flag. On another wall, you’ve got a local flag saying “Freistaat Bayern,” i.e., Bavaria, which is in Germany. Maybe the interior designer was like, “Meh… it’s all Teutonic, anyway.” Switzerland has (in order of size and population) German-speaking, French-speaking, Italian-speaking, and Romansch-speaking regions, but it’s true that Teutonic culture heavily influences all of the regions.
Let’s hope things go well at my meet-the-family event today.
I’m sure it’ll be fine, but good luck all the same.
I understand the owner is of German extraction, which may explain the decorative touches. I enjoyed my visit to Red Bar and will definitely be back.
Everything went well yesterday. I was the only foreigner amongst a dozen or so Filipinos and twenty or more kids. I don’t tend to hang out or party with the natives, so it was interesting to observe some of the cultural aspects of this kind of gathering first-hand. After a few beers, I let loose with some of my cleaner jokes and got a few laughs. Swan seemed to be having a good time, too, so in that respect, it was a successful afternoon.
Is she close to allowing herself to be photographed?
I did take one yesterday and she asked me not post it on Facebook. I’m thinking about putting it on the blog today–after all, no one will see it there! 🙂