Valerie Squared (or quadrupled!)

I had dinner this evening at a little Manhattan bistro called Bar Six in the West Village. This is not extraordinary, since eating out in Manhattan is a fairly regular event for most NYC residents. But at this table on this night sat four, count 'em, four Valeries - Valerie Block (that's me) Valerie Smaldone, Valerie Geller and Valerie Romanoff. Each of us career women in creative fields just sharing a meal and a name. Valerie Smaldone and I have been friends for years, and well, she thought it would fun to bring together all the Valeries in her life. I couldn't have agreed more. I'm always tickled when I meet another Valerie - maybe that's because when I was growing up I never ran into any Valeries. There were none in my schools, my family or among my friends. In fact I was in my 20s when I first met another Valerie. When I was in my 30s, a Valerie moved into my building on the West Side. And not just any other Valerie, but another Valerie Block! She's written novels, and people often think I wrote those books. I have to admit that I did not.
Anyway, I found it very amusing to break bread with four Valeries. I think we will do this again - and I'm hoping to bring more of my namesake into the group...so, if you know any cool Valeries in NYC, send them my way...