new: tanzanite and beets

when I graduated from high school, my parents bought me a beautiful tanzanite and diamond ring. time dulled the white gold and thickened my finger; I wore it less and less. I decided to resize my ring up half a size and wear it on my right hand ring finger (instead of my left hand where I wore it before). the ring is newly plated and cleaned-- so shiny!











since I was heading to the mall to pick up my ring, I decided to dine at the Cheesecake Factory. I have been craving their endive salad and determined that eating at a real restaurant alone was something new. I've eaten lunch alone countless times but never at a restaurant where I leave a tip and such.

I approached the hostess and immediately became self-conscious.

"how many?" she asked.

"one," I replied.

"oh! how's your day going?"

"good. yours?"

she smiled and said, "oh you know!"

I really didn't know, but at this point she began conferring with another man who was pouring over the table chart.

"she's alone," the hostess reminded him. "here?" she asked him as she pointed to something on the map.

"no, 35," he said, "so she won't be alone."

perhaps eating out alone on a Sunday night is sadder than I thought. really, my intentions were to enjoy a good meal without relying on a friend to accompany me. I grow increasingly annoyed with feeling held back because of other people.

so table 35 was a table for 2 right next to a table for 6. its occupants turned out to be a fairly prominent Boise surgeon and his wife and kids; they also happen to fill at my pharmacy. after the somewhat awkward smiles of acknowledgement, I looke over the small bites appetizer section. in addition to the endive salad, I ordered beets with apples and gorgonzola cheese.






i had never eaten beets before. they taste nothing like they look; I was expecting somethig sweet but was pleasantly surprised by their earthy flavor (kind of mirroring the musky flavor of the cheese). I like my new vegetable friend.

my server asked me three times how I was doing. not "how's the food?" but "are you ok? how are you? things ok? you doing all right?" and what if they weren't? would she have listened? I suppose her questions were asked with good intentions, which brings me to believe people are not as cold and selfish as I sometimes think.

three girls ate dessert at the table across from me. they appeared to be looking for someone, and I heard one of the girls say, "we could ask her? she's alone." but then my server walked by their table, and one girl asked her to take their photo.

i don't really know what I expected from my solo dining experience other than good food. I did not enjoy the anonymity I would have appreciated; however, I ate faster (the lack of conversing with a table partner probably contributed to this) and felt more aware of my surroundings-- like noticing the mural on the ceiling of the CF and being able to study the details of the tile pattern on the floor.

not a bad way to spend a Sunday night.