Monday, May 01, 2006

Best Other

I'm not a big fan of outdoor dining. Alfresco, that is.

It's not any more complicated than this: I don't want food trying to eat my food.

Gloria loves it, though, so I'll smile and wade through twigs, leaves, and other dinner detritus with my left hand as I wave threateningly at birds and squirrels with my right.

The restaurant we went to Saturday night was South American, and as we walked past the patio we saw a huge sign reading Voted Best Other Ethnic Restaurant in the Austin Chronicle. “Now that’s an award with some other meat on its bones,” I said.

We sat on the patio and the food turned out to be quite good. After dinner, we walked down to Town Lake, past the gazebo where we got married.

I mentioned that I hoped I got some points in the world's most complex barter system: marriage.

“You ate a meal outdoors on a patio. Did you bring any gear from R.E.I. to help you make it through?” Gloria asked.

"Only a flare," I said. "I’m lighting it if we’re still outside when it gets dark.”

When we reached the lake, we saw a big sign: “CAUTION: REGATTA IN PROGRESS.” There was a viewing stand on the wooden dock where we had planned to sit (where we took some of our wedding photographs), and the stand was filled with people, eagerly scanning the water.

We took our place on the platform, and shaded our eyes against the sun, scanning the horizon with newfound boating enthusiasm.

Our enthusiasm, however, was not rewarded with a single boat. After a few minutes, we left and resumed our walk down the shoreline.

“I must say, this regatta is very calming, given the complete absence of boats of any kind.”

“Not a lotta regatta,” Gloria said.

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