This is Sedona. Beautiful red rocks, clean air, mesas, yuccas, cacti, pine trees and spirituality.
When I caught my first glimpse of the majestic red rocks of Sedona, I knew this trip would be different. Gray clouds hugged the rocks like giant cloaks allowing the mind to “see” ghosts. This was the perfect location for a scary movie. Red mud flowed down the mountains puddling onto the one lane road. Cars crawled flinging bloody water onto the empty sidewalks.
This was the start of our two night stay in Sedona. My German friend, Inge, invited me on this trip, and our goal was to have fun and relax. After a lovely, “expensive” seabass dinner–I know, why order fish when you’re in the middle of the desert?– Inge and I were in the mood to listen to music. With the rental car’s windshield wipers in full swing–driving well below the speed limit–we squinted along highway 89A to
The Olde Sedona Bar and Grill supposedly the best night spot in town. The outside reminded me of an old western saloon, not exactly the techno-style night club, I prefer. A small group of heavy duty smokers leaned against an outside patio wall, puffing away as the rain pelted down.
Inge and I headed straight to the bar area where an alternative rock band was scheduled to play that evening. A little ill at ease with so many eyes scanning the room for the “catch” of the evening, I felt relieved when a couple of women joined our table for some lively conversation. Our waiter, an older version of Antonio Banderas with a tiny gray pony-tail, seemed to attract all three women at our table, except me. I haven’t been in a night club without my husband since we married 22 years ago, and I soon realized how alien I felt. Scared to look at men, I took every opportunity to latch onto one woman, and whenever she needed to smoke, followed her out to the patio smokers club. I hate smoke, but this was better than avoiding eye contact with the younger men sitting at the table, three feet away from ours.
The rock band started and my friends were in dancing mode. I froze. I pretended I needed the restroom and then followed the smokers outside for my third exposure to rain and coughing.
I could see Inge through the window, dancing and laughing, and wanted her to have some fun. She is single after all, as were the other women. I never expected to react this way.
It was then that I decided to…. (NEXT POST) Don’t want to bore you with too much text.
What about you married ladies. Have you felt uncomfortable in a bar with single people?
Ooooh! A cliffhanger…
I don’t go to nightclubs as my kids are only 6 and 7. Also, I crash around 9 pm so wouldn’t be able to keep awake! LOL!
‘Have you felt uncomfortable in a bar with single people?’
Yes and no, normally no.
My single friends are normally with me when we go out, not looking for men company…
Sometimes mixed singles together one gets wild…and you know the rest.
I feel ok going out alone. But not night club world…don’t need that right now in my life…
I rather eat well in a nice restaurant with pleasant music (not too loud!) in background…
“techno-style night club, I prefer.”
You go clubbing a lot? I’m boring and prefer places I can hear myself think. As my husband likes to complain, I’m old and boring well before my time. 🙂
Sounds like you had a fun time! 🙂 🙂
Those first few pictures were beautiful. I love road trips and I want to know what you did–guess I’ll have to wait for the next post!
I got married real young so this used to happen to me a lot in my younger days when I went out with my friends. Now I have very few single friends.
I was never comfortable in clubs, even when I was young and single. I only went then because all my friends were single and they wanted to dance, so I went along. I always felt like a fish out of water. I was shy and introverted and not at my best in a crowded, noisy place.
Many years ago, I once, inadvisedly but in an effort to be supportive, accompanied two friends who had recently been divorced to a “singles” type bar in Orange County called the Firefox or some such name and it was THE most horrible experience. We’d met for dinner at a restaurant and then afterwards they wanted to stop by this place, so I went too. Thank heaven, we’d taken our own cars and I could leave. As I was trying to negotiate my way through the packed crowd to the exit door, some fellow swigging a beer, said to me, “What, leaving already? What you gonna do? Just go home and read a book?” I just turned around and said, “You betcha! and I can get there quick enough.”
Wow, a cliffhanger! Post soon! I’m glad you had a great time. Sorry about the bar experience, though. I know I would feel pretty uncomfortable, too. I’m married and I don’t drink… kind of takes all the fun out of that. LOL.
Thank you so much for those beautiful pictures!
I don’t usually go to bars unless it’s a dancehall or I’m doing a story.
Beautiful picture. Can hardly wait for part 2!
no, I don’t think I feel uncomfortable in clubs with single people, but that’s hard to answer as I haven’t been out with single people in a long time, mostly due to having a 4 year old!
I love Sedona, but I never got to see the bar scene there. How interesting. I’m pretty sure I’d react much the same as you. I haven’t done the bar/disco scene since my husband and I got married. Weird how that goes away, but it does.
Haven’t been clubbing for the past 5 years – don’t have the energy anymore. But it never bothered me when I did no.
Still love having dinner with the girls. Now and then a brave warrior will approach me for a chat. No problem with a little conversation but I make it very clear where I am in my life. Don’t have the time or patience for little games.
Mmm..well, I’m not married, but I can understand how that must feel. Being so used to having a husband and for so long, and during that time not paying attention at no one else ’cause no one was important, it must feel a bit strange.
The place you visited looks very nice and peaceful, even though it would be perfect for a horror movie haha. Hope you had a nice time beside the awkwardness of the club 🙂
Mmm..well, I’m not married, but I can understand how that must feel. Being so used to having a husband and for so long, and during that time not paying attention at no one else ’cause no one was important, it must feel a bit strange.
The place you visited looks very nice and peaceful, even though it would be perfect for a horror movie haha. Hope you had a nice time beside the awkwardness of the club 🙂
You decided to what…get in there and dance?? 🙂
I have a few friends I round up for Moms Night Out every other month or so and it’s always fun. We’ve been to restaurant/bars and none of us have felt uncomfortable…just the opposite, maybe TOO comfortable without our hubbies. 😉
I can honestly say I haven’t been to a bar with single friends since I’ve been married. Peter and I drink at home. 🙂
But I would definitely be uncomfortable, because I know how guys are in clubs….I went with friends as a single lady. I would NOT want to dance like that with anyone other than Peter!
Not being female, this Bear has to be careful.
That said, I find clubs way too noisy for intelligent conversation or reading a book. Wasn’t my kind of place when I was single; still isn’t.
And if you’re not comfortable where you are, you really can change your location. With explanation to your friend.