Well, GR has done it again.  He has once more stepped foot across the county-line.  And into Atlanta, no less.  And not only into Atlanta, but into a bar in Atlanta.  And not just any bar, but a tea bar.  You heard me people, I said a tea bar.  A bit dainty and pinkie-fingered for GR, you say?  Oh no, not for GR.  He even wore a blazer.

Uh huh.  GR is getting a little crazy.  And I will attempt to explain this phenomenon, but I must first give background information.

My friend and former co-worker, Valarie, has just cashed in on the “we wish you luck in your future endeavors” farewell handed to her by her former employer (my current employer) when she gave them the big kiss-off.  However, luck is really something that Valarie does not need wished upon her.  Because it’s typically just lurking around her waiting to rear it’s lucky little head.  In my nine or so years of working with her, she has won countless company prizes and football and basketball pools, had a couple of this close chances at being picked for not one, but two, reality television shows, and was even offered a business opportunity that transpired from a wildly popular daytime talk show (that she eventually turned down).  So, I’m thinking—maybe it’s not so much luck, but more like—the girl’s got charisma!

Okay, so you’re probably thinking, what does GR sipping tea have to do with any of this?  Lulu will explain.  The tea bar that we visited on Saturday evening is one of Valarie’s “future endeavors”—the MindSpace Tea Bar & Lounge.  GR and I attended the grand opening of the tea bar, which is located on North Highland Avenue in Atlanta…a real fancy-pants part of town.  The tea bar is actually right next door to Usher’s wine bar—The Grape—and across from some intimate, schmooze-y looking restaurant called Fritti that I so wanted to go to.  However, I refrained from mentioning it to GR.  After all, he agreed to put on his big-boy clothes and go to a tea bar all in the same night, and no further than that can I test the limits of his fashion and societal acumen.

Anyway, Valarie’s tea bar is a beautiful, Zen-like place (yes, there’s an outdoor Zen garden).  She sells over 80 types of imported teas, candles, tea pots, and whatnot.  She even hosts an open-mic night on Monday nights.  So, if you’re in the Inman Park area, go visit her!

Here’s a picture of Valarie and me having a spot of Shangri-La tea (my favorite!)…

And here’s the sign outside the tea bar so that you can locate the place…

And finally, here’s the entrance to the bar…(love the shade of green!)

Now back to GR for a moment.  You’re probably wondering how I coerced him into leaving the boundaries of his comfort zone once again—for a second weekend in a row.  In a blazer, no less.  I know, I know.  Y’all, I’m sorry to disappoint.  I have no crazy or exciting explanation.  I’d like to think that he just simply caved to my wit and charm.  However, it is a wit and charm that he does not understand, so I’m guessing that he just had a momentary lapse in “GR” judgment.  

So, shortly after I took the picture of GR drinking tea, he had this to say.

• GR:  I feel woozy.
• Me:  Maybe it’s those couple of beers you had before we left home.
• GR:  No.  It’s the tea.
• Me:  It’s not the tea.
• GR:  Didn’t you say they put herbs in the tea?
• Me:  It’s herbal tea.
• GR:  What kind of herbs did they use?  Special herbs?
• Me:  What do you mean—special herbs?  It’s herbal tea.
• GR:  I’m thinking there might be more than just regular herbs in there.
• Me:  <blank stare>
• GR:  I think they used…herbal essences.
• Me:  Uh hum.  Explain to me, because what?
• GR:  I’m just saying.  Herbal essences.
• Me:  You have no idea what you’re talking about.  Herbal Essences is a shampoo.
• GR:  Well, there’s some kind of herbs in there, because I feel woozy.  

So, Val, just so you know, GR caught a tea buzz from “herbal essences,” which I’m guessing explains why he hounded you to pick lottery numbers for him.  And don’t worry, oh Charismatic Lucky One, I will not allow him to use the numbers and will e-mail them to you as soon as I can find what he did with them.   

Thank you so very much for inviting us to your grand opening!

And finally, I leave you with this quote.

“Tea tempers the spirit and harmonizes the mind; dispels lassitude and relieves fatigue, awakens thought and prevents drowsiness.” –Lu Yu “the Sage of Tea”

And in GR’s case, makes you woozy.

Disclaimer:  Gosh, y’all.  I wrote this late into the night last night while I was trying to watch the Oscars.  After reading it again this morning, please know that I am a flake, and I’m warning that if you read any further you will either be bored to tears, scared, or think…hmm, Lulu’s really grasping at straws for a story today, because what’s the point?  So, that’s my disclaimer.

Man Abducted By Aliens; Found Alive in Pool Hall

Yeah, well, kind of.  Let me explain.  

Late last week, Big H (wife of my step-brother, Phoo, who by the way, is not in any way “Big”) asked if GR and I wanted to hang out on Saturday night.  Here’s our conversation.  Or something like it. 

• Big H:  So, is GR interested in leaving the compound this weekend?

• Me:  Hmm…depends on his state of boredom.  I’ll have to check.

• Big H:  Do you think there’s any chance of him going to 5 Seasons Brewing in Roswell?

• Me:  Eh, doubtful.  Roswell, Georgia may as well be Roswell, New Mexico as far as GR is concerned. 

• Big H:  *sigh*

• Me:  You know, because he might have to come into contact with people in Roswell.  And maybe some aliens.

• Big H:  Whatever.  Why don’t you just tell him that we’re going to some local place to get pizza, and we’ll take him to 5 Seasons instead?

• Me:  You mean like an abduction?  Because I’m all up for that.

And so begins the abduction.  Although truthfully, it’s almost impossible to go through with an all-out abduction of GR.  And mainly because 5 Seasons Brewing is a bit on the upscale side of things (as opposed to the regular taco hut or hot wings cafe that GR is accustomed to), and it’s imperative that I deliver my “be-on-your-best-behavior-because-we’re-going-to-a-fancy-pants-kind-of-restaurant” speech to GR before we go anywhere like this.  Otherwise, he’ll end up eating off someone else’s plate or forgetting to use the silverware.  So, against my better judgment, we take GR to a restaurant beyond the borders of his comfort zone. 

And before my weak attempt at explaining the abduction to which I’m referring, here’s a picture of me, Phoo, and Big H all happy that we are not at home eating meatloaf.  And we’re standing beside…an alien?

And here we are having dinner.  Aren’t we all pretty?

So, after we get through with dinner, GR must smoke.  Because God forbid the man goes a few minutes without a cigarette.  But, it’s a habit of which he is not proud, and he often threatens that he’s this close to quitting.  But for now, GR must smoke, so off he goes to the little bar at the front of the restaurant to commiserate with similar creatures of bad habits and other such maladies. 

And after 20 minutes, GR has not returned.  Big H and Phoo become concerned.  Has he truly been abducted?  The waiter also becomes concerned and offers us dessert.  I order bread pudding, because I, too, am concerned.  And bread pudding is a form of hot-buttered bread, right? 

So, after I order, I go on a search to the Land of Smoke and Malady to find out what happened to GR.  And I find him there…with people.  From Roswell.  Of whom he is supposedly scared.  And he’s clutching a pool cue.  And here is our conversation.

• Me:  What are you doing?
• GR:  Um, smoking a cigarette.
• Me:  Why do you have a pool cue in your hand?
• GR:  Um, I’m shooting pool?
• Me:  <evil death glare>  We just ordered dessert. 
• GR:  Hmm.
• Me:  Can you please come back to the table, oh rude one?  I see that this game is almost over.
• GR:  Okay.  But there might be a tie-breaker.
• Me:  What?
• GR:  There…might…be…a tie-breaker?
• Me:  <mumbling> Oh, they’ll be a tie-breaker, alright.

So, I beamed GR to the mothership (our car) and propeled him back to the planet from which he came (the compound).  That is, after I ate my hot-buttered bread pudding. 

And that, people, is my feabled attempt at recapping our weekend outing.  

But, I’ll leave you with this little tidbit of information.  If you go to 5 Seasons and sit in the biergarten area, be sure to request a table beside the precious fountain.  Because there’s nothing cuter than watching a little cherub pee while you eat.  And he’s wearing a glittery bow.  Nice and fancy-pants, huh?