10/18/2019
Hi All,
I hope this finds you and yours well. I know it seemed as if we fell off the map. Honestly, we did. Well, I did. I needed to regroup after closing Bar Sepia. I needed to mourn and be angry and messy and I was, fully. It was challenging not to have Bar Sepia in our lives. We felt the hole and our hearts ached. Elia and I miss it and miss you.
We can talk about it now and laugh and remember. Building it from scratch, the long nights and early morning chats, in-depth discussions and fleeting meetings, a simple pasta, Sunday Dinner, NYE, DJ in the kitchen, chalkboard in the men's room, ladies room necessities, early days with no heat and no AC and no sleep, wine tastings with five courses, Salsa Sunday's, Sepia Flea, loads of prosecco, the almonds, house rules, the occasional unruliness, warm summers sitting in the front window watching the sunset against the walls of Lincoln Place, 280/132 firemen, people watching, 11238, dogs out front and the occasional pet rabbit, hot cider & snow days, holiday tree trimming, THE HAM, live music, hurricane and earthquake benefits, driving Katrina donations to NOLA, sending supplies to PR, Trivia Tuesdays, tacos, scrabble & chess, the Underhill mural, powers for good,neighborhood kids in Halloween costumes, loads of candy, three rows of 10 dancing to Thriller on the sidewalk, the noise complaints, remembering the 2 Mohammads, Jon Gray & Johnny Irish, neighborhood meetings, movie shoots, everyone knowing your business, extended living room, extra sets of keys left underneath the bar just in case, backyard BBQ's, unexpected meetings, unlikely conversations, interesting introductions, first dates, heart wrenching break-ups, 86’d and then forgiven, late night trips to Popeye's or the dirty kitchen, being childish and having presence of mind, tornadoes and bike accidents, killer playlists, “The Wire”/“LOST”/“GOT” discussions, silly tiffs, hurts feelings, mending fences, the debates, election nights, Obama making history, that other painful night in 2016 staring blankly at the results, the World Cup, Jameson shots, story telling,1st Saturday's, engagements, weddings, anniversary’s, birthdays, funerals, standing on the bar, crawfish boils, J’Ouvert, before & After BBG, BPL, PP, BMA, best staff in all of NY, THE REGULARS, friends for life, the coldest freshest beer and lots and lots and lots of wine. It was salty and spicy and juicy and sweet, filling and subtle and intoxicatingly real. Seeing folks and sharing more than a cocktail. WE shared life. WE created a place and nurtured the value of community. WE are a true reflection of neighborhood with all the gritty, authentic, beautiful, complicated layers and at the bottom, loyalty and love. The wounds are deep but the memories are embedded in our DNA. Time heals and as the hurt fades our gratitude grows. We're ok…getting there, growing and redefining our lives. We are grateful, blessed & damn lucky. Elia and I are changed by your love and grateful for your support before during and after. So, here we are. A year and a half later and what better way to ease back than a block party. No remorse or sadness. Just a chance to check in and catch up and laugh and remember and eat and dance a little. Or a lot...who knows? So, break out your best old school style & lets show 'em how it's done. We’ll have story telling hosted by BPL & Angel Electra, KEO will be adding to the mural, Cheryl all be on the grill, DJ's Lord Samir, Flair and Mikey Palms & Friends will be on the decks, the beautiful Anna Tempte will face paint, pumpkin decorating, games and prizes and Double Dutch with Coach K’s Kids (yeah, I challenge y'all to jump with me!) and the famous Sepia Hot Cider and lots more. Even though Bar Sepia is gone, WE are here. WE are a community. WE are a neighborhood. WE are friends. WE define place. Lets celebrate and look forward to new beginnings.
We hope to see you there.
XOd&e
