Food of Love

Suddenly I was this obscure fish, lost in the rear of the spawning run, scrambling amongst millions to find a spot for my mate and I. All I needed now was some hungry grizzly to snatch me from the water and make me his dinner for my fate to be complete.

But I remained undaunted in the face of adversity. That means that I had to lower my standards. The four star places would all be booked by now. Not that my sweetie is that superficial.

She's satisfied knowing it's my heart, and not the table for two, that's in the right place. And that's one of the reasons I love her. But I'm still a man and thus, I have this primordial, evolutionary need to impress her.

Male doves flap their wings and coo, male frogs croak, male peacocks exhibit their plumage and I wine and dine my partner in romantic settings. There's something to be said for good old-fashioned courtship.

So with my Time Out New York restaurant guide, my outdated but still serviceable 1998 Wine Spectator New York issue, and the Internet, I began calling restaurants. Some were out of business, some were booked, some had inhospitable menus, and some were just simply not romantic.

But I was intent on finding a tributary to swim up. Too much of the pack was ahead of me in the main stream. If I was going to find a mating ground, i.e., a table for two, I'd have to make my own path.

They say fortune favors the foolish but for me it's just simple willfulness and determination. Or maybe it's both. Maybe fate smiled on me as a reward for my resourcefulness.

Either way, I finally found this cozy and highly rated Italian restaurant, with a good menu, in the same neighborhood as our later show plans. Apparently I got one of the last reservations. And with a huge sigh of relief, I nestled into my little cove, safe from the grizzlies and the rest of the competition.

Food may feed our bodies but love is what feeds our souls. Sharing a meal together is merely a vehicle for expressing that love. It's not the pricey food, the best bottle of wine, or the grandeur of the ambiance that ultimately matters.

It's showing our partner that he or she is special, and deserving of all we have to give. That can be done in the best four-star restaurant or right in your own kitchen. And if you can do that, then you have truly captured the spirit of Valentine's Day.

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