Home is where my books are....

Ben's mother flew me in to Minneapolis this past weekend to surprise him for his birthday. It was overall a good weekend, and I am glad I was able to spend more time with him before he takes off to the UN, and since we met at my MPLS goign away party and have only become good friends a traves de cyberspace.

When I first arrived, we drove by the new theater, the new Guthrie I mean; granted, it's hard to miss with its big blue panes and light sticks and that bridge portruding over the Mississippi River. I didn't want to look at it though for fear it would make me reconsider my decision to stay in LA for November/December. Turning my head to the Guthrie, however, would not be the only thing making me into a pillar of salt. After a morning nap, Ben and I headed to Barbette (one of my favorite cafes in the city). Barbette, like the rest of the city was just as I left it, complete with Chad my favorite way who is now sporting a mohawk. Though it feels like I have been in LA FOREVER, it felt like I had never left the cities.

The Twin Cities....
Living in LALA land had definitely given me a new perspective on teh city. People in Minnepolis, at least at Barbette, seemes more comfortable, as I watched groups of friends sharing brunch, girls unafraid to have messy hair and no makeup, a writer in the corner, and an overall feeling of "C'est la vie." Near the bathroom I picked up fliers for some of the shows in town....Matt Jenczzeski has got a show at the Southern, The Guthrie, Pillsbury, THe Jungle, Penumbra, Nautlis...so much theatre and dance and work beign produced.

At Barbette Nate met up with us, and he brought along his new Boyfriend who I happen to adore. he seems an almost perfect balance to his ethereal and free spirited nature. Later we had a bday dinner with Ben's family and friends at Azia(another one of my faves.) and then hung out at his place, drank wine, and smoked shisha(flavored tobacco, nothing legal, and mom it's filtered and contains no nicotine, i think you should try it.) Since BJ happens to be me and Ben's mutual friend(who knew?!) we saw him, and hung with a group of his brazilian lady friends...and then I got to meet Ben's friend Sean who I also adored (gee, meeting all these fabu-people and I dont even get to spend time with them...yeegods.)


A good day with good people. Which left me thinking.....see no matter how quirky or wierd or crazy my friends in the TC are...theyre all jsut wonderful people that I miss having in my life. And it seemed like the city was constantly creating, and moving, and growing, andlife was simple, and spontaneous and what have I done?

Sunday we had breakfast at another favorite -French Meadow- (see Glenn this is why I detox so often, all this eating out..) where Peter, Nate and Ben met us. Then we headed over to the Tea Garden to hang out, and there I got to see Christina (Tea Garden's managaer/owner) and Bach-DJ extraordinaire who also hooks me up with free tea.









There i looked down around my neck and noticed that my "thing", my heart and ket necklace, was ruined. I bought it right before I moved from MPLS as a symbol (lately I have a hard time wearing jewelry that doesnt mean something or have significance.) I bought is as a symbol, a reminder to myself that I had been too generous of spirit and that I needed to be more protective of my heart. SO looking down at the lacklucster charm I realized it was time to change it...it's significance was no more.

People would ask me- did someone buy that for you?does it mean you're taken? is that the key to your heart?

The truth is...no one has the key to my heart. I will never "belong" to anyone, and wearing that symbol around my neck apparaently made me....made the symbol so vulnerable, It implied my heart was a thing that could be taken. So with the company of Nate, Ben, and Ben...we headed to Patina and I bought a new one pictured below. Veyr similar only sans heart and key.

At the end of the weekend I realized what I missed about Minneapolis was really that it felt like home (well duh I lived there for five years) and places seemed so familiar and comforable, and I ran into people I knew everywhere. And that's it. Because in the end, though it was sad to leave my friends again, and Ben of course, I was happy to know I was returning to my little home in West hollywood. And I know that eventually this place will feel like home. But there was a time when Minneapolis was where I kept all my books. Now they are here, crowding our living room, but reminding me that I am starting life, er uh, continuing life here.

Happy Birthday Ben!