a) NYC
b) Vegas
c) Man Jose
d) Miami
e) All of the above
I went out the other night for the first time since moving back to the Bay Area. Solmaz dragged me to Santana Row in Man Jose, which is sort of a glorified strip mall filled with 5th Avenue-esque shops, restaurants and bars. We ended up at Sino, a Chinese "fusion" place, above. I suppose it's a good a place as any for my introductory course on the men of Man Jose.
I've been vehemently against going out in Santana Row- Solmaz thinks it's because I'm being pretentious, but it's just really meatmarket-ish and not my scene at all- there were lots of big boobs and guys with stiff hair. Funny thing: the second the guys walked in, they sized up every girl, one by one- especially the dudes with the wedding rings!!! What's up with that?
I had a tough time leaving NY for so long, simply out of fear that the Bay Area's fun factor wouldn't live up. There's such a premium on living in NY, but while I was out in Santana Row, I realized that we could have been anywhere in the US. The place reminded me of clubs I've been to in Vegas and NYC. The people could have been from Jersey- the guys in the button up shirt (3 buttons undone), frayed jeans and black shiny shoes; the girls in the brightly colored polyester tops, push-up bras and tight expensive jeans. Makeout Vegas clothes.
On Saturday night, I went out in San Francisco for my friend's bday. We went to this huge Stevie Wonder dance party- packed with hip, good looking people, all with the requisite cool haircut, the vest, the skinny jeans, the tattoos, the golf caps with the perfectly rounded bills. We could have just been on Ludlow in the Lower East Side, or Williamsburg, any night of the week.
So I ask you: could Man Jose be the next NYC?? Uhhh...
Is this a very generalized, shallow assessment? Maybe. But really, I'm not sure if location matters so much any more, especially in this internet age. Solmaz disagrees with me, but I'm starting to think that people are people everywhere- at least they all look the same.
And the clubs and bars where you go out, well, they're all the same too. I mean, how many times have you been in a bar that looks exactly like the picture above? It's just all so standardized now. I thought about this in Tokyo too- it's getting harder to find an authentic, unique experience anywhere in the world.
And what does this all mean for me, in terms of dating? It's too soon to tell, but I think it's time to invest in some Makeout Man Jose clothes, if you will.
oh man, is the investment in makeout clothes inevitable??? what's wrong with corduroy jumpers and thick tights anyway?
ReplyDeletei've been to santana row for a wedding reception at the hotel there. i won't say anything more about that. i feel your push-up bra pain. you should just start your own underground party. after-hours at sushi kuni. it'll be sushi house by day, party house by night. i'd be down for that.
I don't like going to Santana Row either, so you're not alone in that :)
ReplyDeleteKiwa- as long as you've got a pushup bra underneath the corduroy jumper, you're good to go in Man Jose.
ReplyDeleteI would first like to ask the question, who gave San Jose the title 'Man' Jose? No, seriously, who? I have never in my eniter life heard the term Man Jose or ever thought of the city San Jose as a hot bed for hot men activity. So I ask, Kayoko, are you having a Field of Dreams moment...if you build it they will come?
ReplyDeleteSan Jose was NOT built on rock and roll. It was built on computer chips and Micorsoft Cool, yes. Known for it's hot men, no.
I don't agree with you that your picture is anywhere USA. There would be a lot less clothes and a lot more cuban in Miami. There would be a lot more metallic materials in Vegas. There would be better looking people in NY...sorry but true and the people in LA would be a lot more tan, skinny and cracked-out...sorry but also true.
People suck wherever you go. It's what you make of the situation that is going to determing whether you are going to have a good time or not....or you can just drink...a lot.
dude, have you seriously not ever heard of Man Jose??? it was coined Man Jose a few years ago cause of the ridiculous amount of males per females in San Jose.
ReplyDeletei never said anything about the men being hot, however.
come on, Sol- don't you remember the ridiculous amount of single ladies in NYC, compared to single men?? it was RIDICULOUS!!! at least the odds are friggin higher here, is how i see it.