Late Bird Missed Block Party

SCOOP: Jimmy's Seaside's block party looked fun but I missed it. I'm bitter.
MY TAKE: I had friends to see, but I did a drive-by of Jimmy's 3:30. There was a band setting up in the small lot beside J's and a few guys milling about with beers. I thought about stopping to take some photos and ask some questions, but I was wearing a low-cut top and would have felt conspicuous among the guys in jeans and black t-shirts. After circling the block to get one more look, I decided to check back in a couple hours.
I drove by at 5:45 and the place was jamming. Loud rock music, people joyfully playing beer pong with red cups... just what I'd imagined. Don't ask me why I didn't stop. The light was beautiful and I would have gotten some freaking great photos. Knowing what I know now, I hate myself.
I sped home to get the husband for dinner, and I took few minutes to read the papers I'd missed when I was in Maine. That half-hour was a fatal delay. We ate at Post Corner Pizza in Darien since it's kinda close to J's and I wanted chicken souvlaki. We took a stroll at Cove Beach at dusk (so lovely, but another fatal error), assuming the block party would be rolling even harder at night when the crowds arrived.
We drove up to Jimmy's at 8... to a silent, almost empty lot. The band was packing up and the beer pongers were pretty drunk. We walked in, thinking maybe there was a crowd indoors, and we’d have a drink and play a little pool. "Five dollar cover," said a very pleasant man.
Me: "What! I thought the Block Party was free!" I pointed to the notorious flyer on the wall.
"It is, but there's a cover for the band."
"Who's the band?" A name I'd never heard of. "I thought the block party was until two am."
"It is, but we're sort of moving it indoors." I told him I'd call the friend we were meeting and get back to him.
"Five dollar cover?" I said as we walked out.
"Yeah, and ten for guys," my husband added.
"What?"
"Didn't you see the sign?" No, I didn’t. Our friend suggested Tigin so we met her out there and had a good evening.
Looking back, I should have asked to talk to the manager. Maybe he or she would have let me in for free when I explained the situation and maybe cried a little. I'm disappointed, because it was my fault I missed the party. I should have stopped the second time when there was beautiful light. I just have to forget this, move on, and take it as a lesson learned: DON'T WAIT TO DO YOUR STAMFORD TALK JOB. DINNER CAN WAIT. KEEP YOUR MIND IN THE GAME. DON’T LET YOUR LOW-CUT SHIRT STOP YOU. And, 8 pm is probably the wrong time to arrive at any bar.
VERDICT: Carpe freakin'diem.