(First, no pictures in this post. Sorry to disappoint, but Blanden is sound asleep. We'll try to post a pic. tomorrow.)
Tonight, Blanden had his first fine-dining experience. (Well, excepting the few times we went out while Blanden was a newborn, sound asleep in his sling, but I'm not sure that really counts.)
As Italian food is my favorite, we had planned on trying a family-friendly, deli-style Italian restaurant in the Highlands, my old neighborhood, for something new. But when we arrived, of course Ed and I couldn't help but at least look over the menu for the establishment downstairs, Firenze, which has just been voted the best Italian restaurant in Denver by 5280's (Denver's magazine) annual Top of the Town poll. Curious to see more (maybe next time, we thought), we ventured downstairs -- and saw that the venue was empty. Ed looked at me, I looked at him, and we decided, what the heck?, let's give it a shot.
The host was a bit taken aback when we asked to be seated, and he looked askance at Blanden when we asked for a high chair (although he did immediately get one from the deli upstairs), but our waiter could not have been kinder. He shook Blanden's hand, brought him a tray full of complimentary assorted pieces of focaccia topped with tomatoes, olive oil, and pesto to keep him occupied, and repeatedly throughout the evening asked Blanden how he was enjoying his meal.
Blanden did so well! When we began, we were both a nervous, scrutinizing Blanden's every move to be sure he didn't toss his food to the floor, and holding on to the plate he was eating from to be sure he didn't toss that to the floor. But in the end, Ed and I were practically bursting with pride by how well Blanden behaved. He only tossed one piece of bread overboard, but we quickly realized that that was because the piece of spaghetti I had given him from my plate was hot -- as in quite spicy hot (not temperature hot), which I hadn't tasted first, only felt (oops! the poor guy!), and all he really wanted was a quick drink of his milk!
When we walked in, the restaurant was empty -- hence our bravado in trying this place with Blanden in tow. But diners quickly began arriving to fill their reservations. No sooner had we sat down when the chief juvenile judge for Denver arrived, whom Ed knows well as he serves on several committees with her so they chatted for a moment, accompanied by her family as well as the Denver district attorney.
And then, about halfway through dinner, and entourage arrived -- with Governor Bill Ritter (whom Ed has met a few times -- although we certainly didn't talk to him tonight -- and little does the governor know that the essay he just got back today for review from his staff was edited by me, for a forthcoming book we are publishing on climate change).
It was quite the night!
