Citrus Martini - The First Solo Date Night.

For the past couple of weeks, I have been psyching myself up for going out by myself. Last night, I finally did it. I was terrified. Indeed, hours before, I started sweating uncontrollably. Repeat applications of deoderant were NOT helping. I put up a post on my facebook page, basically saying "Help me facebook friends! I need moral support!". My plan was to use my smart phone to message back and forth with my far away friends while I braved the humiliating aspect of being out alone.


I had the location picked out: a nice restaurant with great food that also has a hip bar area that serves an extensive list of martinis. I had been there before, back in my non-single days. And I REALLY wanted their seared tuna entre and a fancy drink. It had been TOO long. So I alerted my faithful FB friends, and headed out.

First off, I was worried about finding parking. I headed out relatively late, wanting to avoid the crush of dining couples that eat out at normal hours. True enough, there were only a couple spaces available in the one downtown (yes, it's a small downtown) parking lot. Walked to the restuarant, went in. Turned into the bar, and IT WAS FULL. I thought my plans were foiled, I turned to leave, looking to my phone as if to text/call a friend, when the host spotted me.

"Looking for a table? Are you meeting someone?" Oh, the most dreaded of questions which I was not strong enough to face. So I um, told the man I may be meeting a friend later, but wanted to get a seat at the bar so I could get something to eat first. He recommended that I get myself a drink, hover, join other people's conversations, or wait in the waiting area. I got the drink and went to the "waiting for a table" area. Unfortunately, there was a group of men standing there....so back to the phone I went. Hoping I didn't look like a deer in headlights. The host checked up on me a couple times, then told me had a couple seats opening up at the bar, and made sure to tell the bartender I was coming for one of them. I really feel like he was putting himself out there for me. Perhaps I did look scared, and maybe he knew that I WASN'T really meeting someone later. The host placed my drink next to where the couple was vacating, while I waited, and pretended to be busy with my phone. I may have updated my facebook status.

FINALLY, I have a seat. I turn to sit, and my 1/4 full citrus martini was GONE!!!!!! The bartender tossed it out (thinking it had been abandonned). So, he graciously made me a new one. Now, one martini would have been enough for me. The first one was just right, and the second one was STRONG. Ordered the sesame encrusted pan seared tuna with Wasabi potatos (Yay! So exciting!).

I became truly aware of the number of people around me, as I buried my head in my phone...typing updates and pretending I was actually talking to someone. Young men would come up to the space next to me to order drinks. A girl said to me "how do you like your phone? I ask because I'm a Verizon customer support representative". Now that was funny. I told her I LOVED my phone.

There was a couple next to me, apparently on a date. He was younger and she was older (cougar - I thought!). They were in that "getting to know more about you" stage. He did all the talking, about how often he goes to gym, and what his first job was after college and why. It was horrible and hilarious. When she asked him how old he was, and she responded with "I feel like a cougar", and he countered with "oh, you don't look like that at all", I nearly laughed out loud.

Eventually, I finished eating, had had several glasses of water, and had finished my martini.....and I was getting bored. And antsy, and self conscious. It was 10:00 and the place was getting more bar like. EXODUS. First I walked around a little bit - had a look at the outsides of some of the other downtown spots. It was cold and I didn't want to go in any of them. Home I went.

The result of the experiment? I CAN DO this. I survived. And it wasn't horrible. And I will do it again. But next time maybe I will be braver.