Eleven Times Bliss
by Steve West on November 8, 2009

To celebrate our anniversary, Brenda and I decided to keep things simple. Kids with a trusted sitter, she and I would do the dinner and a movie thing. A romantic movie with not a thing being blown up, i.e. a chick flick. Fine. But first:dinner. Because she picked the movie, I got to pick the restaurant. Local hole-in-the-wall restaurants are my favorites. If I like them, I hope they succeed and then be able to say, "I knew them when..." I liked this place. Allison's is a casual fine dining experience. I was kinda hoping that, like Elaine's, Allison would be wandering around, greeting regulars and wannabe regulars. But alas, no Allison. The hostess was one of the wait staff and our waiter was a sluggard named Bobby. What kind of name is Bobby for a waiter in a classy restaurant? This place was small. How small was it, Steve? It was so small, the munchkins were screaming for elbow room. It was so small, we shared a table with the bartender. It was so small, a table for six would have extended out into the street. Cozy small, though. The food was fabulous. The first thing I ordered was coffee and keep it coming please. We shared an appetizer of portobello mushroom raviolis and fresh baked herb bread and sweet cornbread. Brenda had a New York strip steak and basil redskin mashed potatoes. Big shocker there; Brenda gets meat and potatoes. I had the shrimp and scallop brochette, which Bobby very overtly corrected my pronunciation when repeating my order. Sorry Bobby, it's pronounced like bro-shet. Bruschetta is pronounced with an ending vowel sound. Snobby sluggard. We shared a home-made strawberry shortcake with hand-whipped cream. Wow! Bobby only asked twice if I wanted a coffee refill and was really slow about it, too. I take these things in stride and don't become a jerk about it but things like that seriously affect the tip I leave. I leave 20% almost always and frequently leave 30%. Bobby's tip was closer to 20. Snobby, close to being broke, sluggard. Still, I'd reccomend this place to my friends and add that to my list of things to do before I die: meet Allison.

I won free movie tickets earlier this year and was waiting for the right time to use them. Brenda resisted all attempts to see any other movie at the Bowie Megatron Cineplex (fourteen theaters and counting!). 13 theaters showing films where things get blown up and she wants to see the kissy one. Fine. I got a few laughs from it (three but who's counting) and Vince Vaughn is still the coolest actor in Hollywood. I even laughed at Fred Claus, truth be told. Overall, a wonderful celebration. Next year we're going back to live theater. One where something, anything, gets blown up.

Two Replies to Eleven Times Bliss

Scott Hardie | November 8, 2009
Sounds like a great evening. Too bad I couldn't recommend The Time Traveler's Wife to you in time; it's all kissy and things blow up.

Jackie Mason | November 8, 2009
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