Salmon with a tomato reduction on a bed of
shredded Brussel sprouts, cannoli beans and
bits of prosciutto. Amazing.
Since the beginning of the pandemic we've shied away completely from going to eat at restaurants. Neither of us has gone to eat inside a "sit down" restaurant to dine in over a year. I guess we still haven't. But last night we had something to celebrate and we headed to our favorite Austin restaurant; Asti. They have a beautiful outside patio and their service and attention to detail is impeccable. The restaurant is owned by a close friend of ours named Emmett Fox. He swims with me in our masters program and he's been running wonderful restaurants for the 30 years that I've known him.
It felt strange after 12 months of curbside pick-up, and hundreds and hundreds of home cooked meals, to actually go out to a restaurant, to sit down at a well set table and be waited on by professional restaurant staff. It's something we very much missed.
As I said, we did reserve our table on the outside patio and not the interior. We would not have broken our restaurant quarantine in the recent past but we were, in part, celebrating that both B. and I have gotten our vaccines and gotten past the two week "afterburner" period during which one ascends to full immunity. Or as full of immunity as any vaccine has the potential to impart. That, in itself, was something to celebrate.
The experience could not have been more pleasant. We arrived during the last light of the day and were seated at a corner table with a nice view. The temperature was perfect and the waning light, sliding into twilight, felt as though Roger Deakins had lit the set for us.
There was a gentle breeze slow dancing around the tables and no one seemed to be in a rush. The diners nearest us (at socially responsible distances) were happy, calm and quiet.
I brought along a camera so I could take a photo of B. for my personal scrapbook but I also snapped a photo of my entrée just for fun.
Two hours of pure pleasure. Life how it used to be.
36.
5 comments:
Yes, you took a camera.
You are a photographer.
Years ago Jay Maisel appeared at an event to give a talk and presentation on Photography. Packed venue. He asked how many had a camera with them. No one did.
He left and did not give the talk.
Happy anniversary Mr. Tuck!
Anonymous. I FREAKIN LOVE that story about Jay Maisel. He got it exactly right.
ZetiX, thank you. 36 years of wedded bliss. And a partner who never flinches when I splash out for camera... even just for fun.
Happy anniversary Kirk. I get my first shot next week but I don't get the second until August. Just in time for the start of school, whatever that looks like in September. Ascending to full immunity...catchy phrase for a new cult. I've been enjoying my iPhone camera lately. I tend to use it in fits and spurts. It makes photography fun, at least for me. In good light, the image quality is quite acceptable.
Pure bliss then :) You're really lucky!
Kind regards
Piotr
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