Fresh, Hot Wastes of Time

I recommend that everyone should go out to eat by themselves at least once. Since hub and the kids are in Houston tonight, I took myself to Jeffrey’s. The food was so good that I could hardly stand it. If it were not so uncouth to gnaw on bones and lick plates, I’d have done it. I ordered myself the 5 course tasting menu, which is 5 smallish courses rather than full sized ones. The meal started out with caviar on chive blinis with a vodka creme fraiche, then a seared scallop with a sort of a cheesy corn fritter and garlic cream, then seared foie gras with orange rosemary pound cake and pomegranite sauce, then a lamb t-bone with a sweet potato and wild mushroom tart, and last but not least, gingerbread with eggnog ice cream.

It was most interesting to eavesdrop on my neighbors. At one table were a man and woman, married I think, who seemed a little overwhelmed by the restaurant but seemed very down to earth and friendly.

Another table were a man and woman, and the man spent a good amount of time being a Trent Lott apologetic (“He was just trying to make the old guy feel good” – maybe so, but when you’re in a high position like that you simply must watch what you say in public). It seems to me as well that there’s no need to say that “this black guy” did such and so. You wouldn’t say that “this white guy” did it, would you? Why can’t he just be “this guy”?

Last but not least were a man and woman who seemed to have completely lost that lovin’ feelin. The woman spent a good 5 minutes straight harranguing the man – “You’re negative, you have a bad attitude about everything, and that’s why we never have any fun”, and so on. The man didn’t have a lot to say, and what little he did say was very quiet. I’m amazed that they were able to eat. How can anyone eat at such an unhappy table?

Still, I had a very enjoyable meal. It’s nice to go to a place where people know you. Hub and I do some work for the restaurant so we’ve gotten to know some of the people who work there. Made me feel like a minor star when I was greeted by name by several people – although I’m sure that George W. gets a more effusive greeting when he stops in to dine.

Get this – I got all my Christmas shopping done today. Tonight I’m addressing cards, and tomorrow I’ll probably wrap all day. Riddle me this – is it bad form to use a return address sticker with just my name on it, and no mention of hub, on Christmas cards?

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