Le Reve

About mid-summer, post Calvary Camp, pre-family vacation, and right about when my world-traveling friends would start jetting-setting to Latin America, the Far East, and Europe, I would find myself in a familiar scenario: My brother would be playing in the street with other neighborhood boys (one of which was my grades 6 through 8, blond haired, blue-eyed crush); my sister would be at smart camp, and I would be in and around the house using my imagination to the max. To be fair, my elderly babysitter, Edy would occasionally wake up from her cookie-induced coma to provide companionship and play a couple rounds of 500 Rummy with me, but mostly the middle of my middle school summers were spent with me, myself and my vivid and dramatic imagination.

One of the routine acts within my portfolio of solitary imaginary dramas, was a walk alone in the park with my imaginary boyfriend (AKA my next-door neighbor crush.) I would walk from my House into the grounds of the Mellon estate where there were lush, romantic gardens and create dialogues and blocking for the relationship of my dreams – One that involved smelling the roses in the tiered garden and chasing each other through trellises. To put this odd vision into perspective, I believe I had consumed one too many accounts of the Secret Garden growing up, and was most influenced at the time by the musical version.

I had fun in what I like to call la-la land, and I believe that nurturing my imagination from a young age has made me more creative today. However, I look back and wonder what would have happened if I was a confident, much less awkward seventh grader. Would I have been able to go outside, take part in the boys-only street hockey game, and nab my crush? I might even have had the summer fling and first kiss a la Sandra Dee that I had always dreamed of. I also wonder though, if any middle or high school crush would have fulfilled my Mayberryesque imagination.

In past entries, I have pointed out some of the benefits of going it alone in this day and age, especially when venturing out on the town. I have witnessed the ease, with which one can form an introduction, conversation, and relationship when not surrounded by an intimidating pack of female clones. For one, my relationship is a product of an introduction made while I was sitting alone at a bar.

I just got back from Las Vegas - essentially a fantasy land for adults. I spent eight nights there, the first half of which were spent alone. In this solitary set-up I had ample time to test my theory of going out alone and evaluate if it is well worth a woman's time. Though I thought my theory was full-proof, I noticed something not too distant from the bizarre solo jaunts of my youth. In this city of reverie, where everyone's imagination is going wild, I found it near impossible to create a real and lasting connection with anyone that I had just met.

Night 1: Sage, The Aria
This was my first experiment in going out alone, confident, and well-dressed on the strip. I had decided that I would go to the newest of Vegas' offerings and the 2nd highest rated restaurant opening of the year. I had grand visions of this night out. I imagined moseying up to the bar, resting my pink clutch on the table, removing my black and white checked cloak, and ordering a martini. Two minutes later, George Clooney or someone of his ilk would ask if the seat next to me was taken, we would hit it off, I would tell him about the wonderful work of my Charity. He would immediately express that he wanted to be our premier celebrity friend - he wanted to do events, PSAs, and media releases to spread the word of our unique programs and services. I would come home triumphantly as the girl who snagged THE celebrity-friend relationship of the century.

Instead, the reality was bleak. An odd, creepy couple from Colorado abruptly sat right next to me within the virtually empty bar. They asked what I did, realized a connection, and asked if I could assist in their pursuit to be the sole supplier of billboard ads for McDonald's Brazil. Not the work relationship I was looking for.

Night 2: Craft Steak, MGM Grand
Refreshed, renewed and revved up after being Googlized on the second day of my seminar, I decided to try to form a different set of relationships on the second evening out. I was about to go to the man cave - one of THE steak houses in Vegas, and I was going to conquer and convert the high rolling men into ultimate donors. I was going to insert my business persona into their golf club-swinging, cigar smoking, ribeye consuming conversations. I was going to be the it-girl in a sea of men ... and yet again, reality struck. I was sitting alone focused on consuming the most amazing piece of salmon, in a sea of tech geeks who had absolutely no interest in my presence. My friends for the night - the water boy and my blackberry.

Night 3: Tao, The Venetian
At this point, I was just looking for a friend. I stopped by Restaurant Charlie first to say hi to two old friends from my restaurant management days, and then with a craving for sushi and a familiar atmosphere, I set my sights on TAO. I had been there three times in the past, late at night, with some of my best friends. I sat at the bar, ordered some maki and imagined that suddenly they appeared behind me, we opened the rope to the upstairs club, and we partied all night long. Obviously, it never happened. Rather, I was greeted by a friendly ex-actor from Holland and had a decent conversation about my blog of all things. He was amazed that I had the confidence and courage to go out alone in Vegas. I was amazed that the only valid connection I made on these three days, was with a guy who used to make a living off of dramatic scenarios and role-playing.

Night 4: Wing Lei, The Wynn
Night four was supposed to be in line with nights one through three, but I got tired of my imagination not meeting the reality I encountered. So I called one of the most fun people that I know, Cinderella. Yes, I have a friend who used to be the premier princess at Disney World. And we had a good time dining and dancing in one of the most fantastic spots in town - the Wynn.

Night 5: Red Square and Foundation Room, Mandalay Bay and Il Fornaio, New York, New York
On night five, my single streak came to an end with the best reality of all - my boyfriend. He brought me back down to earth and reinstated my big smile and belly laugh. There he was: my real-life blond-haired, blue eyed crush. Better than any imaginary iteration through my school days. There were whimsical moments of course- Champagne toasts at the Bellagio overlooking the illuminated fountain show, vodka toasts in the vodka vault of Red Square, martini toasts at the members-only Fountain Room on the tip-top of Mandalay Bay, and a roller coaster ride over the strip in my gold Missoni dress. The dips, loops, and giggles were the perfect way to jolt my imaginary wanderings back to my wonderful reality.

I think I will forever be a bit dramatic, and I think my imagination will always run wild. However, more and more I realize that the reality I have every day doesn't need embellishment - it's amazing. When you go out whether solo or en masse, meet a guy for the first time, or find yourself in a serious relationship, make sure that you are capturing the essence and reality of the present. Have a fantastic Friday!

Lo