Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Taxi!

Tonight, I was standing on the corner trying to hail a cab after I got off work just like I do every other night. I always walk the few blocks to Larimer to clear my head and shake off the day. Seven cabs just drove on past, one right after another. They were either in the wrong lane or going the wrong direction, or simply driving too fast to stop once they saw me. It was bitter cold, and the sky was hanging full of stars against a blackness that only comes in the dead of winter.

Across the street, parked in front of the Capital Grille restaurant, there was a beautiful, shiny, white, town car with a driver wearing a fedora. It was the kind of car that is for hire from a car service if you have cash or clout. The driver rolled down the window and gave me a smile. I smiled back and continued my search for a cab. Finally the driver yelled out to me, “Lady, do you need a ride?” I smiled and nodded my head yes. I asked him if he could leave his patron for a few minutes and what his fare was. He said, “On a night like tonight you’ll be trying to get a cab all night long, so get in.”

He was from Washington D.C. and recently moved to Denver to open his own car service company. He has a fleet of 30 cars ranging from Town Cars to Limos. He asked me where I was from. He said I didn’t look like a Denver girl and if he had to guess I was from the Big Apple. He said I had a certain style that you don’t see in Denver very often. I took that as a compliment. He said a big city girl in a small town needed a touch of the east coast now and then…He didn’t even charge me for the ride.

There are gentlemen in this city after all and the kindness of a stranger on a cold night can bring hope to a slightly cynical small town lady with a big city soul.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Pink champagne and gray skies

It’s Thanksgiving 2008, and I am pondering my luck and my life. I feel incredibly thankful today. I have a wonderful little dog and cat whom I completely adore. I have a sound and supportive relationship with both of my parents. My mom spent the afternoon with me and my dad dropped by for a nice glass of wine and a chat. They got along….
I made a wonderful dinner. I made turkey breast and duck rolls stuffed with gorgonzola, chanterelle mushrooms, shallots, and wrapped in smoky bacon. I served them over fresh spinach and with fingerling potatoes drizzled with white truffle oil. I also served whipped yams with fresh ginger and coconut milk, spicy cranberries, and a lovely little cheese plate with a goat chevre and a smoked sheep san simon. My mom brought this amazing walnut and chocolate cake and pots au crème chocolat…delicious. We had this most amazing bottle of Gosset Reserve Rosé Champagne. Possibly one of the most fabulous wines I have ever had….mmmmm.
It was a beautiful day today. The kind I crave…the sky was hazy and gray diffusing the light in such a way that made everything look slightly violet and luminous. The air was cool and slightly humid. I imagine Paris looks and feels like this in late autumn. Oscar and I walked around for hours this morning. We met a new friend of mine for coffee on Larimer. He is a bit older than me, but a lot of fun. He grew up in Manhattan but likes living in Denver. He loves Clapton, traveling, fantastic cuisine, and pop culture. He walked with us and I could tell he just wanted to spend time with me. He seems a little bit sheepish and bashful which is unusual in a man of his age and stature. He seems like a really nice guy, and he has treated me like a lady, like a woman. I like it. It feels great.
I was telling my mom a little bit about him and mentioned that I am not really physically attracted to him and she said the most brilliant thing. “Maybe you should just forget about that physical thing, the gorgeous men you have dated have been nothing but trouble, and shallow, and it never works out anyway…maybe it is time to date a nice, and successful older man that adores you.”
Maybe she is right..(she is always right)..and I think I will consider it. He is really into me, thoughtful, considerate, and generous. Let’s see where it goes.