My friend Ashley and I went out Friday night with two separate hopes in mind. One; that our respective basketball teams (she, the Rockets and I, the Lakers) would win game 3. And of course two; to have fun after the game.
After hitting up the Daily Grill at the Galleria, we went back to a spot we'd already established to be sufficiently chill, Uptown Hookah. Despite the fact that the name makes it sound like it's sponsored by Wal-Mart. Despite the fact that the inside has been virtually EMPTY both times we've gone. Despite the fact that the only place you can actually smoke is outside, where the sweltering humidity and heat practically take your breath away....where was I? Anyway, the hookah part was cool and so was our waiter, Jason, who was a thick mess of muscles, dread locks, tattoos and boyish grins.... Needless to say Uptown was deserving of a second trip.
After ordering two shots of Patron and a bubblegum & blueberry Rum hookah, Ash and I wandered into the back patio to find some seats. The only spot available was an unnecessarily large gazebo area with two couches and a few chairs placed around marble tables. Even though it was far too large for just the two of us, it was the only spot outside with it's own private fan, so I quickly scooped it up.
20 minutes or so after our hookah arrived, Ashley left to go to the restroom and a kid who looked no older than 18 came by and asked me who else we were waiting for. He said he had a whole party of people and no where to sit. I looked over his "party"....they all looked like a bunch of youngsters. But instead of being a grump about it, I told him my friend went to the restroom and I'd let her decide. When she came back they followed, so I assumed she'd said "yes".
At first it was cool. Even though they were all a bit rowdy. I found out the guy who had asked me if they could join was D. Lee, and even though I can't stand it when people introduce themselves with nicknames, I smiled and said nice to meet you. The only reason I remember his name, is because he was "from Oakland". Although I doubted whether of not he was actually from there. He claimed to have been in Houston for 8 years, but also claimed to have attended Skyline High. Unless he was my age (doubtful) or started high school at the age of 12, I highly doubted that could be true. He also "tested" my Oakland roots by saying, "Yahdiddahh"....which is something I was never in the habit of saying regardless of the fact that Oakland is my hometown. I assessed that he'd listened to way too much Mac Dre and Too Short and that he'd probably only spent a few years in the Bay and it rubbed off too much. The rest of his friend's names I don't recall.
Before two of them departed, a guy who claimed to be an actor but who I assumed was just behind on his Ritalin and his girlfriend, Jasmine stopped in the middle of the outside patio. The guy went down on one knee and mumbled inaudible things that caused the girl to blush. Suddenly I heard, "Will you marry me" and everyone outside cheered and clapped. I was wondering what kind of an asshole proposes to his girlfriend at Uptown Hookah, without a ring...?
I kept drinking...
Before the night was through I'd secured two numbers for future references, should I have a need for whatever Houston considers to be "fire". I left that night feeling like I'd definitely past the point of being in the rowdy group. I had fun. The kind of fun you don't expect but go along with because you need to relax and laugh. Maybe it was a little embarrassing to have the entire restaurant's attention be turned to our table while the kids whooped and hollered over- I forget what. I'm glad I'm past that age of needless attention grabbing, but it was fun to re-visit it. All in all, I'm a little done with the consistently empty Uptown Hookah spot, but at least I know there is more to do in Houston than cow-tip and watch the sorry ass Rockets scramble for a second win. *Ha ha*
I still miss NYC.
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