Having a meal out when you are single ...especially a widow, as once you had a rock to sit by and aimlessly chat to ... can be a difficult experience. Waiters quickly pounce ... in order to get you served and away as soon as possible ...after all you are using up a space that could seat two and thus produce twice the cash.
Of course if you are under a certain age and 'eye candy' to those serving, you might not be rushed .... if you take the waiters fancy.
I am naturally a fast eater... main and a dessert could be completed in less than 30 mins so something had to be done. I began to create a plan of action to enable me to enjoy at least an hour in a restaurant and I thought I would share it with you.
Firstly ...read the menu slowly ...at least twice ...but do not catch the waiters eye until you are really ready. I find a rummage in my handbag a useful delay....a little note book and pen might be useful later... a book tends to suggest you are often alone...place it in full view, before you order
.When appraoched to make your order, be ready to ask questions ....sensible informed ones.
While waiting for your meal to be served take in the surroundings and those around you ... observations fill in time without you looking like a spare part. ....as long as you dont stare too hard or look as though you are listening in on some ones conversation... I love being secretly nosey though.
Learn to eat slowly if you are a fast eater normally ....you can actually put your knife and fork down during the course!!. Always have a drink there, even if its water ...gives a reason to slow the intake of food, as one sips at the liquid on and off.
When the meal is over it is useful to partake in a coffee to delay the bill paying and susequent departure. This however may not be required so this is when the note book comes into play. If you enjoy writing, jot down any observations that might be useful in the future ...if not, jot down the meal you had and your favourite bits. I find that while you are writing, waiters steer clear ....after all you could be a critic and they really wouldn't want to rush you.!
Must get back to posting more often ...some of our felines have not been well which has delayed things. Did you know cats get IBS? well I didn't ....or that they rush into dangerously tiny spaces when having a feline epileptic seizure ...to escape the fit.? ....more about this on a later post
Take Care xx
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6 comments:
First love your observations and the note book idea. Pseudo food critic would definitely improve service.
As for the cat's seizures, this worked for Mighty dog. He had frequent idiopathic seizures for ten years when I discovered by accident that he was having a reaction to gluten. This post discussed it.
http://thenewsixty.blogspot.com/2009/10/gluten-and-seizures.html
Since he has gone gluten free, he has not had one seizure since mid 2009. Hope this helps your cats.
Angie, since I'm a typically slow eater (who many times just quits eating when others have finished so as not to keep them), it takes me a while to finish a meal... and love to have coffee after a meal in a restaurant (although don't do this at home anymore). But I still loved your ideas. There is no reason you can't take your time to enjoy a leisurely meal even when alone (a good tip might be conducive to future long meals without interruption??)
As for the cats, they basically can have 'almost' any ailment... altho it may have a different name than the human form. And 'the rush into tiny spaces' happens here too with my Jack. It's a neurological episode and they can hurt themselves trying to hide...
Hi Shozzy
do hope the cats problems aren't too serious, I know how worrying it is when they aren't well.
Good to see a post from you.
Briony
x
I'm told slowing down is good if you are trying to lose weight too - I'm a fast eater and have got even faster since bubba as he usually picks meal time to demand his own.
I love the idea of being a pretend food critic. Ha!
p.s hope the kitties are OK.
Ha! I'd never given any thought I gave to delaying tactics when I eat out alone. But yes, I always have a book with me. And I do eat more slowly to prolong the experience. I love the fact that you were able to put it all into words!
Will be waiting to hear about the kitty ailments and what you've done about them.
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