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CONFESSION: So much! (Such words.) The new hair! The new boots! The never-seen-before couch that so many beloved friends have slept upon! The under-appreciated brown suede tote bag from a Banana Republic sale years and years ago, and still it serves me well! Come in, sit down, have a drink. I’ve got so much news.

First things first, the holiday party I threw last night for work went swimmingly. (If you’re ever in town and want to grab a cocktail at a bar that perfectly melds art with liquor, please visit Madrone. Don’t forget to call me so that I can join you!)

On a whim, I popped into Buffalo Exchange and found not just one but two pairs of fantastical brown boots – a dark chocolate pair of riding boots ($16) in lovingly worn leather and these nutmeg suede, pointy-toed wonders. Love. I still have the gorgeous, supple, high-heeled Donald J. Pliners, but these are great for day-to-day traipsing around.

I wore them tonight to a very special scotch tasting, hosted by Glenrothes at Foreign Cinema (which had even MORE great art). It was great! In addition to the awesomely themed Blood & Sand cocktail, they had tastings of the 1991, 1985, 1975 and Special Reserve, and after a few brief and entertaining speeches and a few rounds of hip-hip-hooray, they cracked open an exceptional bottle of 1979 Single Cask (No. 3808, I think, but I could be wrong) and it was well worth the wait. M said she wouldn’t pay $1,000 (the asking price for one of the remaining 13 bottles left in the world – we drank the 14th tonight!), but could see how one very expensive bottle would last one a very long time. My search for the perfect Lowlands scotch marches on with just 29 days left in the year…

After saying goodbye to some fresh new friends, we popped into the adjacent Laszslo for a round of cocktails (M with her Bulleit on the rocks and me with my favorite, Grey Gardens), and I was suddenly STARVING despite an early dinner, so we popped into a taqueria on the way home for some much-needed Mexican fare.

By far the most incredible news of all is that I will be participating in the Impact Self-Defense Basics Course for Women this weekend. My friend is assisting the instructor and I couldn’t be more thrilled to finally, finally be taking this. (I believe an old therapist of mine suggested it way back in 2000-2001, I think, so it’s been a very long time coming.) Of course, y’all won’t judge me if my first thought upon confirmation was, “ZOMG, must go out and get new workout outfits ASAP!” It’s the one weak point in my entire wardrobe! So much to do before classes begin on Friday!

Hope y’all are surviving this freakishly long week after the long holiday weekend! XO!

Here are some pics from earlier tonight – look at that moon…

PS. Also?! THE CURE TRIBUTE AT NEW WAVE CITY THIS SATURDAY NIGHT! Most excellent. I can’t wait.

CONFESSION I: Let’s start with this bit for a change! For weeks, I’ve been threatening to make some homemade simple syrup in delicious flavors using fresh produce. On Monday night, M & I took one of our lovely, meandering evening walks into the Mission to Mission Pie and a Mexican market and bakery for some goodies. We got peaches, nectarines, plums, strawberries, mangoes, oranges, lemons and limes. Because I found a set of three of these darling baby pitchers at the Community Thrift Store, I decided on the following three types of simple syrup: Peach, Strawberry and Citrus (made from the zest of lemons, oranges and limes). So far, I’ve just tackled the peach, but it’s delicious! We had sparkling strawberry lemonade cocktails last night, so I’ll do strawberry next, then citrus! It’s very exciting.

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It’s become a sort of tradition to post this photo of M in honor of Cinco de Mayo every year. After all, who do you think put the sex in Sexican, or the Mm in Mexican? Exactly. Since I’ve the great fortune of being her honorary Mexican wife – adept now at making the homemade chilaquiles she likes better than any she’s tried before, making sure there are always lemons in the house, taking her dutifully to the Laney Flea or Int’l for her frequent and dire need to consume massive bags of mango, cucumber or watermelon slices drenched in chili powder and lemon, or to Tamarind or El Pollo Loco or anyplace with a mole that won’t make her scoff (the list is LONG, yo) – and because I’ve been temporarily, let’s hope, kicked off Facebook, let’s start celebrating here.

Lousy weather or not, it’s Cinco de Mayo, damn it and we won’t be deterred!

Let’s all raise our boozy tequila shots or bottles of delicious Mexican beer to Mexico and our favorite Sexican ever: