It was 7 degrees, without the wind chill. It snowed. The heat in my living room isn't working. It was reported that officials received more than 2,000 heating-related complaints, hundreds of people sought refuge in homeless shelters, and about two dozen people were treated at emergency rooms for cold-related ailments. Last Friday it was the coldest day in four years, but this coming Friday it is supposed to be the coldest day in a decade with temperatures forecasted for below zero. While I should have stayed home this entire weekend, I dared to go out on Friday night, to a new place nonetheless. And I hate going to new places.

The Tribeca Grand was hosting the “cool culture” Flyer magazine’s national launch party. Me, Damian, Jesse, and Chiara headed into the city from Brooklyn at about 11 p.m. Temperature: 6 degrees. We had to transfer from our beloved F train (which usually takes us to all our favorite bars) to the A train. We got off at Chambers Street and walked four blocks in the blistering cold – the wind whipping past the buildings even colder after blowing in off the Hudson River – before we realized we were going the wrong way. We were right in front of the World Trade Center site, and the Tribeca Grand was at least six blocks North. I hailed a cab. We all filed in and managed to defrost slightly before entering the Flyer party.

I was already annoyed, and being in the presence of the “trying to be trendy” people at the Flyer party just deepened my annoyance. I know I sound so mean, some of the people were cool, and I did hang out at the main section of the bar, which allowed anyone in, not just Flyer invites. Maybe it’s that I just don’t like hotel bars in NYC. Besides, it was 8 bucks for a pint of beer and $10 for a Kettle One and 7Up. (I have been living on a very tight budget since Christmas, so this was completely unacceptable.) After having my personal space invaded by a girl attempting to dance and having my tolerance threshold tested, we managed to find a seat, and waited for more of our friends to arrive. Leila and Jen got there and even though they were just in the freezing temperatures, they looked as hot as ever in their fur jackets. After smelling something rancid, Leila realized her fur purse had caught fire from one of the table candles. We all toyed with leaving Tribeca Grand and heading to Patio, our favorite bar on the Lower East Side, but Jesse drank a little too much (he was drinking the cocktails that people left half empty on tables). So Damian, Chiara, Primetime (as Jesse likes to call himself, especially after throwing back a few), and I got in a cab and went home. Maybe we should have never gone out in the first place.

So Saturday night Damian and I stayed in.
On Sunday, I was forced to do my own laundry at a new Laundromat. (If you read my previous column, you would know why. Keep up, people.) It was humbling and I got to catch up on the book I am reading, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People by Toby Young. Chiara and Jesse invited Damian and I over for some Frito pies (with the most delicious chili ever) and the tastiest guacamole dip. Chiara even made chocolate chip cookies (my weakness). After dinner and some drinks at their house, we all went to Sunday’s best Brooklyn bargain: Hank’s Saloon, which featured cheap drinks, great honky-tonk music from Sean Kershaw & the New Jack Ramblers, and good people. I had five layers of clothes on and after two minutes inside Hank’s I was already sweating, but I am not complaining. Even though it was well below freezing outside and snow was beginning to fall, Hank’s kept up their Sunday tradition of barbecuing burgers and sausages outside for all the “Saloonatics” inside. (Thanks Jesse for coining that term.) Since there was work the next day, Damian and I went home early. And even through the snow was falling and the wind coming off the East River made our cheeks freeze, it didn't feel as cold as Friday night’s fiasco. Maybe being surrounded by good people really does warm your heart and your soul.