lobster and laughs (lyn)

When David generously suggests going to the Palm before out date tonight to see The Book of Mormon, I say, “Great, when should we meet?” Then I hang up and immediately think, “What will I order?”  Last night Alexander and I went out to Rare Bar and Grill, an amazing (I’m told) hamburger place that also serves steak.  We ordered steak and the glaring difference between aged prime and choice was apparent.  So I won’t be ordering steak tonight, not two nights in a row, even if tonight's steak would have been prime.  

I’m meeting David at 5, since the play starts at 7.  I dress in a black Thakoon skirt, black boots (it’s about 30 degrees out, still), and a pink cashmere V-neck.  Then I think, “What did I wear last time I saw him in mid-February.”  I’m sure he would never remember (I don’t think men think like that), but I checked the blog and saw that I had worn another black skirt, but the same pink sweater.  I’m so glad I checked, and immediately feel like I’m sixteen.  I switch to a black cashmere little top and leave.

The President is in town so getting crosstown is impossible.  The bus I’m on needs to detour and the trip up Madison is agonizingly slow.  I switch over to the subway and end up being only five minutes late.

This menu, like Capital Grill, shows the calorie count of every item.  Surprisingly, the things I want have very low numbers next to them.  We split a half dozen oysters, then splurge on a mozzarella and tomato salad and another salad with shrimp and string beans.  I’m happy when David chooses the 4-pound lobster for us to split.  The menu says it’s only 120 calories per pound (without the melted butter).  That’s pretty good for one of my favorite foods.

David is an easy conversationalist and the talk stays light.  College is so much on my mind but I try hard to not dominate the conversation with my anxiety about tomorrow.  David orders a cheesecake for us to split for dessert, and despite my thinking I’ll only have a bite or two, I end up eating half.

I don’t let tomorrow’s weigh-in at Weight Watchers deter my eating tonight.

I’m not a big musical theater fan, but tonight’s play is an exception.  The Book of Mormon, written by the creators of the TV show South Park, is hilarious.  It’s clever, funny, and will, I suspect, be on Broadway for a very long time.  As Ben Brantley of The New York Times said in his review last week of the dance numbers, “They are witty, ridiculous, impeccably executed, genuinely stirring and-contrary to expectation-free of snark or satirical malice.” 

A near perfect way to spend five hours.  Perfect would have been no cheesecake!