...ever I saw his face

The Roberta Flack version, in case you're humming it.

First, I forgot my concert ticket.

In spite of trying really hard to remember it.

Problem was, I switched purses.

Luckily, Nicole was being a smart-alec (I think) and worrying over hers, so we were only 15 minutes from home when I discovered the loss. Jeff was sweet and drove halfway to meet us. 

Then off to the mall, where Nicole and Karen had make-up appointments. I felt no such inclination, but ended up with a Bare Escentuals touch-up anyway.

Our night-on-the-town faces.

Wondrous, is all I have to say.

That, and Why is my face so round?
Like a full moon.
Oh, I know, it's because I have no willpower!
On to Dantes, in downtown Portland. As in Inferno. Which is an apt moniker, as it turns out. So, Nicole, didya check out the website before you dragged us in there. Didya, huh, didya? The first bad sign was when we arrived at 7:30 for a 9:30 concert, expecting to get a table and dinner. It was not to be. The word on the street was they would open the doors at 8:30. So, I hopped on over to Voodoo Doughnuts, another reason why Portland is weird. 
Are we seeing a theme here?
There is always a line outside Voodoo.  Luckily, it wasn't very long on this drizzly Saturday night, and before you know it I had gathered a couple of bags of delicious doughnuts. Voodoo is internationally known, believe it or not, yet it  is a real hole-in-the-wall. I suppose if they moved to a better location, (or even cleaned this one) it would lose some of its.....ambience? But their doughnuts are kooky and wondrous.
Second "first".
Voodoo doughnuts.

We were finally let into Dantes and headed straight for a table in the annex.
Check out the wondrous ambience.

While we sat and squinted in the dim light, we ate doughnuts and pizza.
Karen and her Voodoo doll.
She said, I suppose all these pictures are going to be on your blog.

Good to the last lick.

Things were looking distinctly better after a doughnut or three.
And a cup of Coke.

Or, in my case, a glass of righteous Sprite.

Here I am, trying to look sultry.

Didn't quite pull it off, did I?

What about the concert, you ask?

Yes, there was a concert.

Christian Kane.

Nicole was a big fan.

I say BIG!

And that's not a statement on her height.

And I say WAS.

Let's just say that the music stank and the musician was rude.

Nicole was shattered.

But I did take this cool pic of her with the other guys from Leverage.

That Nicole, she's nervy when she's motivated.

And Karen snapped this one of me, taking the photo. Which was an embarrassing situation because my flash wasn't turned on and it took me four or five tries before I figured it out. Timothy Hutton was "less than amused".

I was [that close].

To famous people.

Oh, and did I mention the elevated almost-naked dancers?

Trust me, you don't want to know.

Although, I must say that there were a few times I thought they might dislocate something.

Like a hip.

Third "first".

I'm pretty sure they were strippers from upstairs.

We headed home around midnight.

Nicole was sadder, but wiser.

Karen and I were slightly glad that she had given up on dragging us back to Dantes in June for another concert.

Pop! 

That was Nicole's bubble bursting on the way home.

She said I suppose you are going to write everything we say on your blog.

Well, I have to admit, I was mentally editing the conversation as it happened.

Shame on me.

I just can't help it.

But Nicole said that I can choose the venue for our next outing.

Wanna come?

P.S. How's that "wondrous" working out for ya? Not sure I like it.