oh the places i've been

The first Saturday night in a new place can be kinda daunting. There can be a great deal of ambiguous social pressure, as everyone else is going out (and in New York, you can hear them going at it). And if you are lucky enough to find plans, you run the risk of being "that new guy who doesn't know a soul and ends up pounding gin and tonics in the corner."
I lucked out, and was able to have a fun evening with a few people I already know. It started on the Lower East Side at Fat Baby, a great name for a bar, I think. I had heard that the LES had popped, and now I can safely say it has. It is not what it was, say, last year when I had a friend who lived on Ludlow. The scene I saw Saturday night was pretty fratty and involved a line around the block to get into a bar that used to be known for its laid back, hip charm. Any time you wander around a bar wondering if Miami Vice-style blazers are making a comeback, it's time to leave.
And so I did. The next stop was Sugarland in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a recently-opened gay bar with a killer roof porch. The drinks were cheap and strong, the music was fun and a little unexpected (anytime Fleetwood Mac makes an appearance, I can't help but smile), and the guys were unpretentious, stylish and a fair bit grungy (which totally works for me). The night ended with pizza on a street corner with a group of friends. Hard to beat.