JUST THE PERFECT BLENDSHIP
One of the unanticipated effects of the ban on smoking in bars in New York State was that people forced outside to smoke began to develop new friendships. Out of a bad habit comes some good, I suppose.

Which is how I've become close friends with a few guys who, two years ago, might have only been nodding acquaintances. I met them on the front porch at Posh (of course), and as the months passed, a friendship slowly grew.

This past weekend, we tested that friendship.

Because Steven, Greg, Craig and Rob went on a road trip to Cape May, New Jersey.

To fully grasp the significance of this, you have to understand a few things. We have never seen each other the first thing in the morning. We have never shared a bedroom. We have never traveled together. And while we e-mail throughout the day and socialize together a lot -- maybe too much, according to the respective boyfriends -- 98% of our activities have been at bars or dinner parties. We have never been together for extended periods of sobriety.

And let me add that we range in age from 28 to 46, our backgrounds and careers have little in common, and one of us even lives in Queens!

So... spending a weekend together? Total recipe for disaster.

But it wasn't. Yes, we learned that Craig likes to fling change at the toll booths while he barrels through at 50 miles per hour, and Greg can be quite the little rule-maker, and Steven is addicted to Diet Coke, and Rob is definitely not a pretty sight in the morning after a night of drinking. But we can mock all of that, so it's all good.

We also learned that we travel well together without getting on each other's nerves... and, most importantly, we enjoy each other's company. Even while sober.

Here are the boys (from the left: Steven, Greg, me, Craig, and our host, Bobby):


Here I am (with Greg and company) in a pose much more familiar to TRL readers:


And beach weather in New Jersey in October? It was a great weekend to ease into autumn...


Now, if you see any of these guys, don't let them know I had a good time and enjoy their friendship, okay? I have a reputation to uphold. Thanks.