birthday olympics

The thing about costume parties is that regardless of the company, the costumes always set the tone of the night.

I attended a theme-party for my friend's birthday last night - she wanted us to dress as olympic athletes. I was a rhythmic gymnast. I planned to wear warm-ups all night (like the rhythmic gymnast getting ready for a performance), but it was uncharacteristically like 80 degrees at night. So I was that girl. I was powerless against the costume. Even with the reasonable subtext going in my head, I still posed for costume-appropriate photographs I hope will never surface.

The rest of the night spiraled out control accordingly - in the manner of being completely aware of the ridiculous situation but being powerless to stop it. The costumes just won.

We ended up at Steps of Rome at 2 am for pizza. After dinner I asked my friend if she wanted a candle and singing, or if it would embarrass her - she said she wouldn't mind a candle. I told the waiter it was my friend's birthday and could he put a candle in something. Of course! he says.

So apparently at Steps of Rome when it's a girl's birthday they finish singing happy birthday and the two waiters perform intense lapdances on the birthday girl. She took it like a champ - even we were blushing. When it was all over another friend at the table said, "yeah, didn't you know they did that here?"

But really, when you're in a leotard and sweats out in North Beach in the middle of the night, there's really no other reasonable expectation.