Did I Thank You Already?

Old friends, new friends, good food, interesting music, and all in a mere six hours. I

 think this has happened before, but with a few twists this time.

I got things rolling at my neighborhood joint, Bistro 27, and, after a warm welcome upon arrival, was reminded that it had been too long since I'd been in.

It was sort of a good cop/bad cop greeting, but totally deserved.

As a matter of fact, there had been a couple of modifications to the room since my last visit; curving saloon-style doors now lead to the hall where the restrooms are and the glass panels that used to divide the room are now gone, significantly opening up the space.

Okay, maybe it had been a while. Where does the time go?

The visiting friend from NYC whom I'd seen at Amuse last night was there, so he moved over next to me so we could do some real catching up.

He's now working at that venerable kosher Jewish institution, Second Avenue Deli.

Naturally I asked about the brisket (his favorite, too), which he described as, "Bread, meat, bread, that's it. And $15!"

He was ordering dessert and suggested we share a chocolate mousse, and although I'd not yet eaten, what could be more to my taste than a first course of dessert?

We savored it slowly while he told me his plans for his love life (still young enough to think planning is possible) and about the inconvenience of sleeping through his bus/subway stops after a long night of carousing.

Because I eat at 27 so much, there isn't much on the menu I haven't had, but after Friend recommended the ahi tuna salad (thinly sliced like carpaccio, under a bed of arugula with Kalamata olives and orange segments and dressed in red wine vinaigrette), I was sold.

Bring it on.

The sweet/salty combination of flavors over all the perfectly dressed tuna and peppery arugula was divine and it wasn't long before the couple behind me admired mine and ordered their own.

When I asked for my check, bartender Ron asked me where I was going next since I wasn't lingering.

I told him Ipanema for music and one of the trio next to me said, "Music tonight? Good for you!"

Obviously this guy didn't know me or he'd have known that this was hardly praise-worthy news for someone like me.

Ipanema was going for something different tonight, with swing/blues band Kurt Crandall and True Story as well as debuting their new cocktail menu.

I met friends there for an evening unlike the usual Ipanema experience.

There were a lot of new faces in the crowd (one guy with a warm-up jacket, cap and a porn 'stache looked like something straight out of the '70s) and fewer champagne of bottled beer drinkers, it should be noted.

Bartender Brandon's new signature cocktails had clever names (Jinx Remover with tequila and Stars and Sons with Hendrick's), but the ones we tasted were the Velouria (gin and Chambord over boysenberry syrup with champagne) and the Two-Headed Boy (rye, Grand Marnier, Orange Curacao, apple and brown sugar simple syrup).

Yummy indeed.

Kurt Crandall played a variety of harmonicas and sang in a voice a friend said should have been coming out of an old blind man and was backed by an excellent group of musicians: Ivan Appelrouth on guitar, Teddy Phelps on upright and electric bass and the inimitable Johnny Hott on drums (introduced by Crandall to the crowd as "one of the founding fathers").

They played a variety of classic blues by the likes of Smiley Lewis, T Bone Walker and Muddy Waters ("I Just Wanna Make Love to You").

As a matter of fact, just about every song, classic or original was about sex, not that I noticed.

My friend said "We may have to leave early" pointing at her main squeeze after yet another sex song.

Original material showed a decided sense of humor.

Introducing "Marinara Mambo," Crandall said it was written in Kansas City as a result of a large pepperoni pizza and two consenting adults.

"I Won't Quibble with a Nibble, but Biting Ain't No Good" seemed to have some history behind it and "Self-Serving Woman" was dedicated all the selfish lovers in the room.

I assume they knew who they were.

Favorite lyric (courtesy of Muddy Waters): "Ah, you know everybody tell me, you 'bout the most elevating woman in town."

Among the various musicians in the room was sax player Roger Carroll, whose foot never stopped tapping while part of the audience.

Eventually he went out to his car and brought in his instrument so that he could play along for a handful of songs.

After the first set, the bass and guitar players came over to the bar near where I was sitting.

The bass player Ted looked at me and said, "Thank you," to which I responded, "For what?"

Grinning, he said, "For those fishnets. I've been admiring them all night."

I explained that they were just a signature item for me, but took the unexpected compliment anyway.

The crowd thinned somewhat during the break (including my friends), but the musicians asked me if I was going to stay, so stay I did.

There were several other good shows going on tonight, but by then it was going on 1, and I was enjoying what I was hearing.

And who knows what the compliments might be like at the other places?

Just before the band's last song, the guy sitting next to me leaned over and asked what the name of the band was.

I'd noticed that he and his friends had been in and out of Ipanema all evening, so I was surprised he was showing so much interest now.

I told him what he wanted to know and he promptly pulled out his Moleskin and made a note of it.

I hope he wrote "Note to self: stay and listen to music I like."

Probably not.

And then they left just as the band was starting their last song. Go figure.

But this couple did provide the best overheard exchange of the evening.

She finished texting and he asked what was up. "2K. He's just asking me to have sex with him for a lot of money."

Him: "Again?"

Her: "He never gives up."

What world is this?

That left just me and one couple at the far end of the bar and they had been making goo-goo eyes at each other for the past hour, oblivious to the music.

Since I was the only real audience at that point, Ted brought his bass over and began playing it directly in front of me.

Before long, Kurt and his harmonica were wailing on the barstool to my immediate right.

Ivan, behind Kurt, started playing his guitar behind his head and Johnny brought his brushes and snare drum over and sat on the bench at my feet.

It was my first command performance and I have to say that I liked having four talented and enthusiastic musicians playing within two feet of me...and for me exclusively.

I'm quite sure this wouldn't have happened to me at any other show tonight and I personally know people in three of the bands that were performing.

I gave them a standing ovation and the bass player looked at me and said, "Did I thank you already?"

I told him he had, but that he could feel free to do so again.

The guitar player asked if he could walk me to my car to save me dealing with the mean (Grace) streets and since I'd never once, despite the thousand-plus shows I've been to, had such an offer (okay there was the guitarist from Twin Tigers, but that was an offer of a different color entirely), I took him up on it.

New dish, new band, new drinks, and a couple of firsts.

Not bad for an evening's play.