The Very Last Minute Gathering of the NE American Chapter of OCICBW (Be afraid, be very afraid)

Blame it all on Shelly.

She's in the general vicinity for a bit of a lark she's having. So, she called Allie and they contacted me, and pretty soon (thanks to the miracle, such as it is, of FaceBook), everything was out of control.

At last count, and with a little more than a week's notice, there are eight of us gathering in the Ironbound section of Newark to feast on Portuguese food, tell stories, laugh uproareously oh, and of course, to raise a glass or cuppa in honor our leader, The Mad One, himself.

I have a table for 10 (and, if you find at the last minute you can still come, we'll simply make room) at Seabra's Marisqueria, a wonderful, fairly new restaurant I've been dying to try. If you click on the link, you'll find directions, a menu and even a review by the New York Times.

I understand there is already a conspiracy to get a certain heterosexual woman to kiss a certain non-heterosexual woman and to get the act on film so as to incite jealousy in a certain heterosexual grandmother from Louisiana and further madness in a certain chain-smoking heterosexual priest of the Church of England.

Film, as they say, at eleven.

The reservations are for 6 PM. Do be aware that "Ms. Thang," Celine Dion, herself, is performing at NJPAC (New Jersey Performing Arts Center), so there will be more traffic madness than is absolutely necessary.

There is a free parking lot directly across from the restaurant.

Madison Street is right off Ferry Street (I kid you not) which is the "main drag" (as it were) in the Iron Bound Section. Madison is right after Jefferson Street, and about a 10 minute walk from Newark Penn Station.

I know it's quite last minute and total and complete madness, but if you can be with us, we'd love to see you there.