The first time I realized Neil was interested in me (and when I allowed myself to see him as more than just a friendly acquaintance) was after he, our friend Vibha and I had dinner at San Marco, an Italian place. (This, by the way, was back when we had a bottle of wine with every meal. Little did I know that that was only part of the wooing stage.) Vibha conveniently had an event to attend after the check arrived, so for the first time it was just the two of us.He walked me the few blocks home to my apartment off U Street, and as we reach the corner where we'd normally part ways, I said, "Well, see ya later!" and prepared to call it a night. He stood there and sort of shufffled, as if he was thinking of something to say. I can still see him, all bundled up because it was February, though I don't remember the cold.
"We should get coffee.""Oh! Okay!"
He suggested Sparky's (CLOSED), a few blocks south on 14th Street, an independent cafe that looked straight out of any college town. We ordered two hot cocoas ("Whipped cream?" "Oh, yes."), sat in a booth and chatted, me flush with the excitement of "omigosh he likes me!" We ended up setting a brunch date for that Sunday (this was back when I worked nights and weekends).
So on our official first date, we ate at Busboys and Poets (still open, whew), then proceeded to walk all the way down 14th Street to the Mall. On the way, we stopped at Candida's World of Books (CLOSED), a travel bookstore -- partly to escape the cold, partly because it was such a cool little independent shop. I remember looking out the front windows and seeing the snow come down.First Sparky's, then Candida's, now San Marco. I don't think Busboys is in trouble, but it's sad that all those spots that I think of so fondly are gone. Okay, that's enough sentimentality for one post. Hey, I can't help it: Having this ring on my finger, plus attending a wedding this weekend, has brought out the squishy side in me. Sigh.
