Food + Philosophy = Foodilosophy (?)

It's interesting how some restaurants remind you of one specific instance-- your 21st birthday, a first date, a really awkward dinner with in-laws, etc. But then there are those places that you've gone so many times, they hold an assortment of memories from all different phases of your life.

One example for me is Trident Booksellers Cafe on Newbury St. It reminds me of the period of my life when I waitressed on Newbury St, of days when I was scheduled to work on the patio but due to rain would suddenly have the morning off. My fellow rained-out coworkers and I would scoot down Newbury, huddled under an umbrella, and find a safe haven at the warm and cozy tables in Trident. We'd order the decadent lemon ricotta french toast w/ blueberry sauce and sip cappuccinos and their assortment of specialty teas.

But it also reminds me of the time period when I first started seeing a certain someone special. While I could probably eat all day long, he could easily skip meal after meal, forgetting to eat. (This baffles me when people can do this. I can't wrap my head around people "forgetting to eat".) So of course in the beginning I pretended I was the same way. As my stomach growled and rumbled, I'd be slyly checking my watch--- 1 p.m. still no food. 3:30 p.m. still no food. Finally one day it had gotten to 4 p.m., and still...no food. When we parted ways, the closest restaurant was Trident, and I practically ran to their bar, sat myself down, and devoured the spinach and portobello quesadilla, complete with oozing cheddar cheese and fresh baby spinach.

Now, at a new job, once in awhile I get the chance to walk over to my "old-faithful" cafe and grab my favorite-- the Breakfast Burrito with fresh avocado -- and a cup o' joe during my lunch break. New friends, same ol' place.

We often get so caught up in looking at the new restaurants, new places to go, that we often forget to look at what can be gained from frequenting the same old places. The restaurant in those cases is the constant, while you are the variable. What an interesting tool for self-reflection and introspection. . .

Forgive me, Dish Gal was a Philosophy major in college =)