Sunday Brunch: A Date With My Thoughts

2017 is almost over and this is my first post of the year. I ought to be 'shamed!

I took myself out on a date recently. Wanted to celebrate wrapping my short film Critical Missing, regroup, and tap into my inner thoughts. 

To keep it real, I just wanted a cocktail (or 3) with fresh watermelon chunks in it. 

Yea, its a beautiful thing, trust me. I called my boo Google for some recommendations on good brunch places to go to.



It's Sunday.
It's hot.
Your toes are safe to expose.
You put oil on the heels of your feet. You smell shower fresh.

Sundays are made for being Black and brunchn'.
Let's do it!

I was already out in the streets so I pulled my car over and began searching on my phone for some place to go. Up popped the restaurant, Diet Starts Monday.

Story of my life.
Your diet plan starts repeatedly on a Monday!
Diet goin' up on a Monday!
That's corny.
Sorry.

Oh, this is the restaurant that caught backlash for having a drink called "Pill Cosby..."

Intrigued, I rolled around to 14th and found a parking spot with ease.

Oh, this brunch must be meant to be chile cause parking over here is always tragic.

I got out, walked down to the restaurant, got inside and realized:

This used to be a club back in the day and a BBQ joint and it still looks the same. 

Interesting.

It's so much wide open space should I go upstairs or something?

I walked over to the bar area and asked, "Where do I sit down and order?" The bartender said, "You can place your order here and sit anywhere." I looked around and there were a couple high stools with small high tables. 

I'm sure Ikea sponsored this decor. 

I'm too FAT to sit on plastic chile.

Oh, there's some plywood structure against the wall. That should be sturdy enough.

"Oh...ok..." I confusingly uttered. She slid the menu to me and I began to look it over. 

Drink menu first of course!

There's nothing with fresh watermelon in it. 

Oooh this cucumber jalapeno thing is intriguing!

As I was scoping out the food menu the bartender leans over and interrupts, "Before you make your decision, let me tell you what we don't have." 

Girl, what?  

Out of like 10 menu items they didn't have like 5. With my awkward Black girl self I pretended to take a call and inch my way out of the restaurant. Its cool because if you know the area you know its tons of places to get a drink. I went right next door to Marvins and they had a sign that the downstairs area was closed. At the top of the stairs I saw people showing their IDs and I could hear trap music and good time sounds. I walked up the stairs.

Lord please let this be the not-really-millennials-they-mislabeled-us-crowd...

I handed security my ID, and went on in. 

Its packed. 

No room at the bar. 

It smells like ganja, Hennessey, and yesterday's mistake. 

This is not the not-really-millennials-they-mislabeled-us-crowd...

Look down at your phone girl, look down!

The same person who called me at Diet Starts Monday called back so I had to take the call. I'm a good friend. 

Let me inch my ass on up out of here.

I saw a place called Provisions across the street so I walked over. It was empty except the group of 4 that walked in in front of me.

It's kind of cool in here.

This is giving me rustic, cowboyish, boom boom room.
Weird but posh, I guess.

"You can sit anywhere but the tables," the bartender smiled.

Ummm so like where sis?

I guess she means only the bar is open?

"Oh...ok..." I confusingly uttered.

She handed me the menus and said, "Just so you know you can only order drinks and small bites."

So this ain't no brunch then, sis.

This is appetizer Sunday.

Where are the watermelon drinks?!?!?

I got up and creeped on out the door.

"Um, hey, bye-bye..." the bartender said.

I smiled and waved...very socially awkwardly.

I had given up on Sunday brunch. 

Let's go home, eat some multigrain tortilla chips, drink some Crystal Light with a shot of whatever your brother got and binge watch something on Netflix.

No! Let's just go to Busboys or Mulebone.

Eeenie...Meenie...

We always go to Busboys. Let's just go to Mulebone.

You know they are owned by the same person right, so either way you are doing the right thing.

I walked in Mulbone and as always greeted by my favorite Zora Neal Hurston quote.

Yasssss Zora!

E. Badu was melodically whining on the track filling the restaurant with Neo Soul vibes.

Yasssss Erykah!

The host wasn't at the stand but I could see her seating another party. She walked over towards me snapping and singing Badu chords with multi colored fur flip flops, a blonde wig, and bright pink lips.

She snapping hard as shit.
Or maybe its those flip flops

I wonder if that's Nicki Minaj's MAC Pink Friday on her lips?

I'm here for the platinum blonde pixie cut wig sis.

Yasssss strong fingers!

After our brief discussion on the bar vs. a table she sat me at a booth.

Yassss self date! We boothn' it!

I looked at the menu.

NO. WATERMELON. DRINKS.

Ugh!!!

My waitress came over, "Hi sweetie, my name is Indigo and I will be taking care of you today, can I get you something other than water to drink?"

Indigo...I like that.

Green hair.

Blue top.

& plushy just like me!

Today is gonna be a great day!

Yasssss Indi-go-go!

"Um yes, can I have something with elderflower in it?" I said.

Since there ain't no fresh watermelon drinks on the menu.

"Let me see what I can do for you...what did you want your base to be, vodka...?" she inquired.

"Um...how about rum?" I said.

"Got it! Be right back sweetie." she said.

Indigo brought back the drink and it was FIY!!!! 

Ahhh...everything!

I ordered corn and crab soup and some biscuits.

My trainer would kill me...ahhhh welp!

My diet starts Monday.

The restaurant was moderately busy. There was a table of four girlfriends and one of the ladies brought her daughter to lunch. She had to be all of 3 years old and Mom was getting frustrated as she was trying to maintain her child's behavior and a conversation with her friends. Baby girl kept spinning and spinning and spinning around the restaurant and dancing to the music. "Amara, be still! Stop it right now! Listen to Mommy!" her mother proclaimed.

If this ain't enough birth control chile, I don't know what is?

Aweee she's so cute though and carefree.

Look at her hair in those four pune-pune ponys.

Go Amara, get it gurl!

Uh..oh...don't fall into the table Amara boo!
She's down.
She's crying.

In walked a girl with her fro poppin' and t-shirt that read, Legally Trappin'.

I need that shirt!

I should take my braids out and rock my fro for the rest of the summer.

Naaaah...nevamind...

Indigo came back with the dessert menu and recommended the peach cobbler.

Oh, Indigo-go the pressure chile!

I can't.

I shouldn't.

Don't do it Cyn!

But I did. And it was love and impeccable plating. Warm and delightful and a la mode. Coupled with Outkast's "Sorry Ms. Jackson" driving me down nostalgia lane.

We need another Outkast album.

Where are they at?

I paid the bill. 

Drove home.

Told her I loved her.

I am proud of her.

Keep persevering.

Thank you. 

I still ain't get my drink with fresh watermelon chunks in it though!