Next time I'll just have some Vodka

So the other night I went out to dinner with a few people to a fabulous Georgian (as in south of Russia, not OUR South) restaurant in North Park, San Diego called "Pomegranate". In one aspect I had no idea what I was getting myself into as I don't eat meat and had no idea what the menu would be like besides vodka.

Anyhow, it was a pleasant time out at a very cool place (but extremely loud), complete with real Russian (hey can I call the migra on them, too???) waiter and waitress (man, her voice was so low and sexy) and an old, grumpy Russian man who sat in a corner by a bunch of wine and glared at all of us as he opened any bottles of wine as anyone would order some. We never really knew what his deal was - he looked like he hated us and he didn't move from there - maybe he was the owner??

There was an old piano in the middle of the restaurant that some of us tinkered on - it was so loud in this small place that it actually didn't even bother the tables right next to us who were yelling to be heard anyway. The decor was very interesting - a combination of cool Russian artwork and trinkets but then set off by mood lighting created by (a la trailer park) a hung light string of plastic jalapeno different colored lights. Also, one was able to write and scribble on pen ANYWHERE in the restaurant - walls, the ceiling fan, (gasp!) the wooden grey upright piano - some of the writing was in Russian, we saw Chinese characters, Spanish, English - some were jokes, some were crude, some were complimentary. Favorite examples: by the metal rooster artwork someone commented, "Nice Cock!" Also, "Stomach full, everyone's happy, now time to go home and take a Nappy". There also was a dare I say - worn - pair of tighty whiteys pinned up on the wall and scribbled on but being a lady I diverted my eyes, of course.

I had never had Russian wine before and, in fact, don't really like wine at all. But the group, of course, ordered a bottle and I was obliged at the toast to try a little bit. It was... utterly DELICIOUS!! Sweet, dark cherry and grape juice-tasting - I had never had anything like it. Everyone was impressed and another bottle was promptly ordered by someone with a big mouth and opened by the Grumpy man in the corner. The downside of it being so juice-like and sweet was that it was a quick drink - like punch - and then it crept on you since it is alcohol after all. I had only about 2 real swallows of it and was decidedly more relaxed after a rough week. But then of course the bill came. Hence the title of this blog. Why the heck is it that when you go out with a group of people you get stuck putting in a crap load of money when you just had the equivalent of a salad and water??? Sheet!!!

God Bless them - but some people had an appetizer or 2 and an entree. I had an appetizer only. Now, even though I only had a couple sips of wine compared to others who had 2 small tumblers of it, I wasn't NOT going to put in for the wine. Well, my appetizer was $9.50, tip it 2 more bucks is plenty, right? I'm thinking I'll be a big spender and put in the whole $20 dollar bill I just got out of the ATM earlier that day. Meanwhile, one gal got up and left early to 'get to her dog' and threw an indeterminate couple bills down. (When I saw her leave, I knew what what up - the sneaky devil). Translate: she probably got off not paying what she should - oldest trick in the book..

Meanwhile, everyone else is digging in pockets and then we count up. We are, OF COURSE, totally short. I ain't budging. I put in plenty and I had nothing else on me, truthfully. That is when it happened, and I saw it coming a mile away: someone suggested easily, "Well, there were 8 of us, divide it and everyone owes 40 bucks."

**Sound of the needle scratching the record**

"What the???!!!" I am thinking inside to myself. 40 bucks for a small appetizer less than 10 bucks and a couple sips of wine, when others ate their fill - oh hell, no!!!

Alas, and it has always happened in the past, and always will in the future when one goes out in a big group of people to eat - best start asking to try everyone's else food as well cus you gonna end up paying for it!!