But you haven’t had fun ‘til you’ve had lunch at Benihana!

See, aren't I having fun?

Lest you think that all I do is work and ski, I have made an effort this week to expand my social calendar. So much so that I haven’t yet seen this weeks episode of Veronica Mars… so keep your comments on that to yo’self lady!

Wednesday night I went to Sala with Tamara and a HK. You remember my climbing ladies. Right? HK is preggers with her first baby and as cute as ever!

Tamara is havig a very successful freelance writing career – including a blog about her own precocious baby, Sophie, on the website if Cookie Magazine, you know… The magazine for hip parents.

We had tapas… which were okay. No Boqueria, but okay nonetheless. Of course, tapas without wine is kind of sad, but somehow we persevered.

Thursday I went out to dinner at Freemans with my friends Kim, Jen, and Holly. You remember them from the wedding? There’s nothing like being out to dinner with three chicks who are at least 4 inches taller and twenty pounds lighter than you! Hee, I do love them.

Freemans was funny. I think you’d like it. It’s at the end of an alley on the Lower East Side and has a very rural Victorian New England feel about it. At least that's the idea, I think.

And all the waiters are dressed like they think they are Vermont lumberjacks from the 1880’s. Big moustaches and all. And, of course, the hipsters who come in are all sporting stovepipe pants and full bushy beards.

This city cracks me up.

Today was my friend Patty’s birthday. Since Patty is a work friend we all went out to lunch. To Benihana.

Doesn't Patty look excited!

Ah, what an experience.

Now, I don’t know if you remember the Benihana that used to be up on Broadway. Heck, it may even still be on Broadway… but I walked past it about a billion times and, I can tell you, I always secretly wanted to go there.

Badly.

But this was my first Benihana experience and it was fun.

First Margaret gave Patty and Michael a little tutorial in “How to properly fold your chopstick wrapper into a chopstick stand”



It took them a bit of effort to meet her exacting standards. I, on the other hand, learned the trick from her long ago. Mine wasn’t as perfect as hers, but I think it looked pretty good.

Then our chef came out and introduced himself to us. His name was Roy. I don’t think he was Japanese. And his knife seems kind of small.



Then the slicing and flipping and pepper shaking commenced. There was food flipped into his chef’s hat, there was an onion volcano.


Need I say more?

The food was even pretty good. But, really the satisfaction lies in the realization of a dream.



Finally, I have eaten at Benihana. Just not in Rocky’s Special Room.