Part 1 of 9. How I fell in love with my wife. A paid series from the 365 collection. This first post is available to free subscribers. Subsequent posts will be subscriber only.
“…and the command of details lent us an illusory, brief edge-of-table power. We could explain both with words and subtle hand movements how the parts and techniques comprised the sublime culinary whole – gesticulating “smoothing” and “sprinkling” and “gently folding” like auditioning hand models.”
Olfactory senses on overload. Even the nocturnal bouquet of expensive perfumes permeates the air.
Writing so descriptive it’s palpable. I’m in the theatre , watching the movie . Pass the popcorn.
(P.S. On a personal note ,thank you for letting me in the side door…)
Delicious. Extravagant. Thank you for the secret passage through the back door to the invisible spot behind the potted fern, where I'm standing very still, inhaling the privileged spices and watching the line of heat vibrate between the smart staff and the tippling clientele. It's dizzying. How to come back to plain earth?
Tara said it well. This is delicious and extravagant writing Adam. It does not surprise me at all that you were a waiter at such a restaurant and I sense that’s where the first shoots of your gift for exquisite detail poked through the soil. Bravo on this first piece in your great love story.
Thanks, Ben. (Weird, I'm having deja vu just now. No, really. 😀) However, I can't remember what I wrote the last time so it is of very little help to me.
Pages and pages of this thrown out, btw, for what that's worth. I had to climb Mt. Discard to get here.
“We could explain both with words and subtle hand movements how the parts and techniques comprised the sublime culinary whole – gesticulating “smoothing” and “sprinkling” and “gently folding” like auditioning hand models.” Sublime. Decadent. I’m hungry.
Spago was the big rival that Maple Drive never surpassed, but probably stole some business from early on. For about a year the restaurant was pretty amazing. Oddly enough, it was best pre-Grammys and Oscars.
Brilliant. I too have worked service in some great restaurants and am familiar with that invisible line from the table to the kitchen. It was always difficult to walk if you knew the message you were delivering was going to be poorly received so working in an establishment that was open to all requests would have been refreshing (I'm not saying easy!).
Riveting. Felt like I was there. Your command of details is so entertaining. Besides “ walking her miniature dog collection,” my favorites are “adrenaline burst of flame from a sauté pan; the gravel buzz of metal scooping into crushed ice” - never has that ice-scoop sound been better described. 🙃🧊
“…and the command of details lent us an illusory, brief edge-of-table power. We could explain both with words and subtle hand movements how the parts and techniques comprised the sublime culinary whole – gesticulating “smoothing” and “sprinkling” and “gently folding” like auditioning hand models.”
Olfactory senses on overload. Even the nocturnal bouquet of expensive perfumes permeates the air.
Writing so descriptive it’s palpable. I’m in the theatre , watching the movie . Pass the popcorn.
(P.S. On a personal note ,thank you for letting me in the side door…)
I can't believe I let so much time pass here. It's been a massive catch-up to get through so many wonderful comments! Apologies for the delay.
Someone else, btw, liked this paragraph, too. Yay, me.
There were, no doubt, expensive perfumes on expensive plastic surgery.
Seriously! Never feel like you have to apologize. Who has time for writing, comments and, LIFE.
PS. I think the new DMs is a lousy idea. Letting people send you personal messages seems a great path to ‘time sucking’ agony.
Delicious. Extravagant. Thank you for the secret passage through the back door to the invisible spot behind the potted fern, where I'm standing very still, inhaling the privileged spices and watching the line of heat vibrate between the smart staff and the tippling clientele. It's dizzying. How to come back to plain earth?
Tara, your comment captures all--beautifully written.
Tara said it well. This is delicious and extravagant writing Adam. It does not surprise me at all that you were a waiter at such a restaurant and I sense that’s where the first shoots of your gift for exquisite detail poked through the soil. Bravo on this first piece in your great love story.
Thanks, Ben. (Weird, I'm having deja vu just now. No, really. 😀) However, I can't remember what I wrote the last time so it is of very little help to me.
Pages and pages of this thrown out, btw, for what that's worth. I had to climb Mt. Discard to get here.
I’ve just stepped into another dimension so far removed from my own, but damn I want more! Hooked!
Ha! Thanks, Susie. May I hold up my end of the bargain here. 😀
Je suis sans doute! BTW, on the other subject - all is sorted !
“We could explain both with words and subtle hand movements how the parts and techniques comprised the sublime culinary whole – gesticulating “smoothing” and “sprinkling” and “gently folding” like auditioning hand models.” Sublime. Decadent. I’m hungry.
Thanks, Kimberly! Imagine hand movement with raised thumb and clenched fingers, but not one that you would use at a table at Maple Drive. 🤣
Genius foundation for meeting Mel, I’m so looking forward to the rest. David also just gave me all his Spago stories, so thank you for prompting that
Spago was the big rival that Maple Drive never surpassed, but probably stole some business from early on. For about a year the restaurant was pretty amazing. Oddly enough, it was best pre-Grammys and Oscars.
Remind me to one day tell you about the Grammys party that David got fired for throwing
You had me at Dudley Moore playing a white piano.
He was crazy talented and a showman. (And not a bad restaurateur)
Brilliant. I too have worked service in some great restaurants and am familiar with that invisible line from the table to the kitchen. It was always difficult to walk if you knew the message you were delivering was going to be poorly received so working in an establishment that was open to all requests would have been refreshing (I'm not saying easy!).
The customer was always right. The messenger less so. 😂
Right!!
Riveting. Felt like I was there. Your command of details is so entertaining. Besides “ walking her miniature dog collection,” my favorites are “adrenaline burst of flame from a sauté pan; the gravel buzz of metal scooping into crushed ice” - never has that ice-scoop sound been better described. 🙃🧊
Agreed! I heard and felt those lines, too!