Cantina Dos Segundos

Last night we went to an awesome Chinese restaurant called Handy-Nasty, okay it's really called Han Dynasty.  It this great spicy Chinese food place, and we then went out for some drinks after.  Of course this after included a trip to the Spruce Street Harbor.  Wow, talk about pretty, very pretty, with beer stalls, foods, hammocks, and hanging lights, lots of lights.  Of course there was a trip to the Franklin Fountain, and of course a drink at the Gaslight.  Man we went to a ton of places last night, but the last and final stop was at Dos Segundos.  My all time favorite bar in the city.

So some background, I've started going to Dos Segundos for almost two years now.  The first time I ever went, I believe it was August 31st of 2012, and it was a half day man day.  I went with Brandon and Jason.  It was a magical day.  Cheesesteaks, drinks, great day.  Then Jaypo took me to this magical bar, and well, that's where I got the huge crush on the wonderful bartender at this bar.  At this point I knew her as the girl with the yellow shirt, and she was the sweetest bartender I met in NoLibs that day.

A couple of weeks after, I went back again, and there she was again.  The best part is, once she remembers you, you'll be remember forever.  I guess that's the best thing about her.  Since then I've always been known as the birthday boy, and whenever she's at the bar, that's where I want to sit.  Oh, and why birthday boy you ask?  Well, that's Dave's fault.  He told her it was my birthday and I wasn't allowed to pay.  As I was leaving, I told her it wasn't my birthday, we had a giggle after that.  Man, she saw me drunk a lot in the beginning.

Since then Segundos became one of my favorite bars in the city to go to for the last 2 years.  Well lets be honest, it's always going to be one of my favorite bars, but this bartender made this bar for me.  With her friendly attitude and demeanor, to her witty comments, and to her attention to details to all of her customers.  Okay, and I'll admit it again, I had a huge crush on her too, but then again who in this city didn't have a huge crush on her?  I don't know, I read somewhere she was Philly's best bartender or something or another.  So, she's earned it.

Now it's an odd thing when you become a regular at a bar.  It either means you are extremely friendly and likable person, or you just drink way too much for any human being.  Knowing myself, it may be a little from column A and a little from column B.  I've had a few bars that I became regulars at.  First being Clancy's Bar and Pub in Sewell, NJ, the next one being Stone Grill in Blackwood, NJ.  Since then, I've bar hopped to a lot of different places.  I skipped out from clubs and going to the bar just made my life so much easier.

Those two bars above I had regular bartenders/waitresses that took care of me and my friends.  Clancy's I had Jill, she was amazing, and sweet as a pie.  Stone Grill, I knew so many bartenders it lost all meaning.  I'm actually still friends with two of them today.  Hey Kamila, hey Casey, what's up?  They were awesome bars, I actually kinda miss Stone Grill a lot.  It was close to my house, cheap, and everyone was awesome and nice.  Free drinks were always a plus too.

Dos Segundos, my most recent and latest place to be a regular for me.  Their bartender made it great for me, and I came back week after week.  Oh, and their pitchers of margaritas, mojitos, and food did too.  For a while there I was traveling to Philly every week for their beverages and food, and as always, the girl in the yellow shirt…

Yesterday though was kind of a sad day.  As I approached the bar with Jarret, Rachel, and Cara I saw the girl in the yellow shirt working the bar as always.  We made our greeting, and right on cue she already knew the usual order.  However, tonight was different I told her, and it was just going to be a night cap, and we were all going to just get separate items.  She made our drinks, with her friendly smile, and great bartending skills.  Once we got our drinks we socialized for a bit, I talked to Jarret about our future options, his future possibilities, and my future possibilities.  I watched her defuse a drunk gentleman looking for, "The dustiest bottle of whiskey on her shelf," by stating, "Well we dust our bottles ever 2 weeks, and gave her signature smile.  As she turned away from the gentleman and looked at me, I gave her the grin, and she knew the inside joke we were both thinking about this guy and we both giggled.  That's what made her great.  We finished our drinks, I paid up, and began walking away.  I gave her a wave to let her knew we were leaving, and as I did so she waved me back to come back.  Of course I did, and that's when she told me, "Today's my last day."  As soon as the words were uttered out of her mouth, I don't know why, it felt like someone punched me in the stomach.  It came as a shock, and I was seriously sad.  I didn't know this girl that long, I don't know a ton about her, but her smile and sweet personality made me wish I did.  All I can do was hold and shake her hand, wish her nothing but the best in the new city she was heading off too and congratulate her on her new epic journey.  Still in shock, we said our goodnights, and I couldn't utter anything else.  I should've asked for her number or at least a social media thing where we could stay in contact.  I just couldn't believe a person that I kinda saw on a regular basis on the weekends was no longer going to be there any more.

I know she may never see this, or she even know my name, but birthday boy will always remember hers, just like everyone else that has slung me drinks in my lifetime.  You will forever be ingrained in my brain and stitched in a place in my heart, not only because you gave me alcoholic beverages, but also because you were someone I wish I could have known more, someone I knew who would lead an interesting life that I'm attempting to lead.  Someone who I think has no fear of change, since she can just uproot everything and move all the way across the country, someone whom I actually inspire to be like.  Here's to the girl in the yellow shirt, here is to Marie Rodriguez.

O Captain! My Captain!

I honestly wasn't going to write this blog tonight.  However after constantly hearing story after story, I'm just going to throw in my two cents, and my feelings towards the death of a man we should all know.  If you have no idea who I'm talking about by now, the answer is Robin Williams.

We've had a lot of celebrity deaths this year, from Phillip Seymour Hoffman to our very own Ghostbuster Harold Ramis.  However, it's Robin Williams death that just felt like someone punched us in the gut.  No one expected this, no one even knew.  I think the worst part is that everyone thought he was okay, and nothing even close to the idea of depression was seen. 

Depression is a hell of an illness.  Everyone deals with it in a certain way.  Some people don't deal with it at all, and they just live with it.  I remember when I was going through a tough time in my life, and my way to deal it?  Alcohol, and a lot of it.  Not one or two or three drinks a night, more of a bottle a night.  This is how I dealt with my depression, but I got out, from the love of my friends and my own realization that drinking my depression and sorrow away would solve anything.  I think it's when you have that realization, that's when you can reach your first steps of getting out of depression.  However it looks as though for Robin, he never was able to reach that realization, and he never got that help he may have needed.  

But let's discuss Mr. Williams.  His standup was hilarious, he had this energy and craziness that made him stand out, he had the stylings of Jonathan Winters, and well you either loved his standup or you didn't.  I for one loved it.  Like I said, he was crazy, wild, eccentric, and hilarious. 

However, it was not just Mr. Williams comedic sense that was amazing, but Robin Williams was also an amazing actor.  You saw Robin Williams caring and nurturing side in Dead Poet's Society and Good Will Hunting, to his crazy and fun side in Aladdin and Mrs. Doubtfire, to even his psychotic crazy side in One Hour Photo. The range on this man is amazing, he has it all.  It's seriously a crazy how good this guy was at acting, everyone thought he was straight up comedic, however Williams have so much range, and he deserved his Academy Award.  

Look, I'm not going to lie, get the message out, if you know someone that has mentioned being depressed, or just seems down in general.  Give them a shoulder, get them some help, let them talk it out.  It sucks, and being depressed happens, but not being able to talk about it, and not being able to discuss it sucks even worse.  It's getting out there to help someone sometimes.  You know, Williams spent his entire life making people happy and laughing, but in the end Robin Williams last final scene, has made us all cry just a little bit deep down inside.  We'll miss you forever Robin, I hope you finally found peace at last.  We're already missing you already.

Here's to George and Suzanne

I would have really loved to have posted this on Sunday, but definitely way too tired and possibly still inebriated from Saturday's amazing wedding.  I'll get to that, but for now, lets talk about the amazingness that was George and Suzanne's wedding.

August 8, 2014 started off like any other morning.  But this morning was going to be different, that night I was going to my friends' rehearsal dinner.  Picked up my tux, saw George and Tom, and then had a lovely lunch.  Thanks again George, and then finally meet up with Dave, Jay, Steffie, and Jillian. Head on over to the church on 5th and Girard and began the wedding rehearsal.  Let me tell you this by the way, this church.  This church was amazing.  I've seen a lot of churches.  I've been to Notre Dame in Paris, and well, honestly this church is impressive.  http://360.io/P5AnK2 Check it out, it's really an amazing church, coming from the Buddhist by the way.

Next, we were off to dinner at the Tower, a fantastic and lovely dinner.  However it was the heartfelt message that was given by Georgie's parents and George and Suzanne themselves.  It was amazing, just how much love was in this thing I knew George and Suzanne's family were all extremely close, and this dinner made me feel nothing but that love in the room.  It was honestly a great evening, but it definitely was not the big day.  The big day was going to happen within 10-12 hours from now.

August 9, 2014 - The day started at roughly around 8:00 a.m. for me.  I was extremely excited, like it was going to be my day.  However, it wasn't me that I was excited for, but for the lovely couple that were going to become man and wife that day.  Steffie dropped me and Dave off at George's house.  From there, me and Dave had a scotch and waited for the photographer to drop on by.  Helped Georgie with his tux and waited for the limo to come by as well.  The photographer made us take some great pictures, and it was definitely a great time.  Best part though, George not wanting to do the Dutch rudder with me.  Damn it George, damn it…hahaha just kidding buddy, just kidding.  After a few rounds of PS2 and a few rounds of pool, the groomsmen were on there way to the church to see George get married.

As we quietly ushered all the guest into the church, and the church quickly filled up, I could see George and Andy across the way.  You can tell the nerves behind George was finally growing and getting bigger inside him.  I thought the feeling was that point where you're going up on the roller coaster before the big hill down.  The rise just kept coming, in a few we would all be standing by Georgie's side.

This may have been my favorite part of the day.  As we all waited for Suzanne's arrival and her being walked down by her father.  The look in George's eyes, the fidgetiness like it was Christmas morning for this man, was up and down all over his body.  This may have been one of the most amazing thing to see, this is what love is like, this is what love is suppose to be.  To be extremely excited, even after years of being together, but on this day you can weep, and get so excited that for that one moment in time, nothing else matter, nothing in the world will ever be as important as this moment in time, and for that one moment in time, I saw all of this on Georgie's face.  The face of pure joy and love.

Suzanne, looked gorgeous, Georgie looked so handsome, and the entire wedding/mass was amazing.  I learned a ton that day, and I watched two friends get married.  After the incredible wedding, we took amazing pictures, both in the church and somewhere near Independence Hall area.  Afterwards we headed towards the reception.

At the reception, it was nothing but amazingness.  Cocktail hour was great, and the food was even better…however this is where everything goes a little dark for Wei.  I drank way too much in an extremely short amount of time.  At this point, the only thing I remember was tangoing with Marissa as our entrance theme, and more continuous drinking.  Yup…amazing.

George and Suzanne, I wish you nothing but the best and an amazing future.  Currently you're on your honeymoon, and I'm hoping you guys are having the time of your lives.  But remember it's not all fun and games, you guys are going to be on a long and loving journey.  For you both, I raise a glass and wish you all the love that you both have been giving each other for years.

"Salut!"

OOoo…Tinder

As you may or may not know about me, I'm an old school guy.  I believe guys should do the asking out, guys should take care of the woman, and on a first date, you pamper a lady to no end.  I'm a firm believer of not using dating websites and believe when you fall in love with someone, it's going to be a person you see across the room and your eyes lock, and then the music builds to a crescendo, and fireworks begin.  That's what finding your significant other should be like.  Well in Wei's mind and crazy thoughts, that's what dating is like for me.  Hahaha, pure delusion.

Now, since July 4th, I've been hooked on a little app though called…wait for it…Tinder.  Now, trust me, it's not something I wanted to have or download, it was purely for my friends' benefits.  They've heard nothing but awesome things about this app, and after a month of coaxing and extreme night of drinking, f*ck it I'm in I said.  Forewarning everyone, this is the most shallow app you will ever have or see.  However just like in anything else in life though, it's extremely true to meeting the opposite sex.

What does that even mean?  Well, when you see that person across the room, you have no idea who that person is, but you are extremely attracted to them because of their looks no?  I feel Tinder is the same thing, by frankly it's exactly the same thing.  Deep down inside, we are shallow human beings, but you know what, that's what makes us all human.  It is what it is.  Okay anyway…on to the app.

Okay so Tinder, if you don't know by now, here's the basic gist.  You see the picture of the opposite sex, or if you swing the other way the same sex, and if you like them and you find them attractive you either hit the Yes button or the No button, all in all you are just basically looking for love by their looks.  Some say this thing is for people hooking up.  Some say it's for meeting new people and making friends.  Some say you're hooking up with a tons of escorts, some may even say you're a space cowboy…sorry lost my train of thought.  Well whatever you are looking for, it's on here.  I find it pretty funny actually, and you know what, somewhat addictive.  There are a ton of girls out there, I honestly find it hard to believe that a ton of them are single.  However, you know what, good for everyone looking for that significant other or that one night stand I guess.  As for me, we match, I'm just going to say something nice, maybe talk to you for a bit, and I'm on my way out.  At the end of the day.  I'm still old fashion, and how do you explain to people how you meet?  We met on Tinder…seems awkward as a conversation.  Or maybe I'm just being dumb about the entire situation.

Anyway, so this has been my Tinder experience.  If you're trying to meet new people, go out there and download that app people.  It's fun and happening.  Enjoy friends!  ^___^

Happy Tindering folks.  It's fun and shallow at the same time.  Enjoy!