Cinco de Mayo Denied-O
Dan and I celebrate every holiday in some way, and Cinco de Mayo is no different. We went to the Y for Dan’s yoga class this evening, and had planned to try a trendy new Mexican restaurant afterwards- time to shake things up and do something different. We finished the class, exhausted (okay, I was exhausted), and headed to the showers, meeting up afterwards to set out on our quest of good Mexican food and maybe a Negro Modelo. We got to the posh restaurant only to find that there was a two and a half hour wait. We were both hungry, so it was time for plan B. Dan suggested picking up some Negro Modelo and going home to enjoy the decks and make tacos. That sounded like a plan to me, so we headed toward the store.
On the way, Dan said, “I know this is totally out there and not at all what we’d planned, but what would you think about going to Taj India instead? We’ve talked about a date night there for about a year now, and it’s right on the way.” I wasn’t always easy going about a complete change in plans at the last second, but I’ve learned in my years with Dan that it always leads to something even better. Along the way we saw several packed out restaurants with people waiting in long lines, loud, boisterous celebratory groups…just not our style. We are such homebodies- we go out for lunch often, but dinner is most always in the peace of home.
We walked into Taj India and were greeted warmly by the owners, friends of Dan’s. Dan wished everyone ‘Happy Cinco de Mayo!’, and the room erupted in laughter from the others who had come here to escape the zaniness of the holiday. The dimly-lit restaurant was fairly quiet, and the gentle strains of Indian music filled the air. We ordered the vegetarian platter for two and a crisp Gewürztraminer to accompany the meal- absolute perfection with the rich spices. As the courses were brought to the table, we enjoyed catching up on our day- we’ve both been busy with our own projects, running in different directions. I leave for Chicago tomorrow to do some clinics and a recital, and this date night was the perfect send-off. Dan always knows just what to do to make any occasion special, even the most humble ones.
I looked across the table at this wonderful man who has brought so much beauty and love into my life, and I felt like my heart would burst from gratitude. I was glad that our original plans didn’t work out, as this was a magical meal in a peaceful place away from the craziness of the Cinco de Mayo revelers. A good reminder for me to be flexible in other areas of my life, as often the fork in the road provides adventures that are well worth the detour if we will only be open to them. This one sure was…and I didn’t even blow my diet. Everything in moderation…except for love. Full steam ahead there.
The View from Here 