$1200 later...
Jan. 8th, 2005 11:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
verbicideGoddamn that was a good dinner. But a loooooooooooooooooooooong one. J and CS picked me up around 6:30 and we set off for downtown. They are hilarious together and they banter pretty incessantly. Reminds me of my big brother and me, really. J was disregarding CS's suggestions for how to get to Belltown but he listened to meeeee *preen* and then he said I was smart, so that made my night. J is the CEO. He is an incredibly nice guy and an incredibly considerate boss (or boss's boss) but initially he comes across as terrifyingly intimidating. So this was a big step for me. Actually joking around with him.
We made it to El Gaucho alive. Whether we would accomplish this was in question a few times as J has a tendency to think road signs are for other people and has no problem entering an onramp clearly marked DO NOT ENTER. CS's shriek made it kinda worth it. Hee. Anyhow. El Gaucho. Valet parking. We strolled inside and J led us around for a quick tour. He was very excited about the place, which I think is sweet. He loves their cigar room. Though I don't think he actually smokes cigars.
We sat and had drinks waiting for the others to arrive. Sarah came in with her cousin Kt and that was very yay. We all proceeded to get hammered. I had a lemon drop and an apple martini and they were both excellent. I was drunk before finishing the lemon drop. Some guys game from our partner company and finally another Seattle-person, C, and his girlfriend. A few more drinks and we were led to our table. Okay, we got the Mink Booth. I kept praying that it wasn't really mink, but it was. *shudder* I really hate fur, so sitting with my back pressed against it was a little horrifying, but it did feel very soft, like Sarah's cat Boo actually. Dis-tur-bing. Side note, Kt is a vegetarian. In a steakhouse. In a mink booth. She handled it very well. Kt is also, I'd like to note fucking hilarious.
The table was set with individual little Godiva gold boxes. We started with wine and appetizers: crabcakes, wicked shrimp, tuna tartare and garlic bread. It was all very delicious. Next, salad course. Caesar salad --prepared tableside by our funny waiter, David. A few people ordered the beefsteak tomato, red onion and blue cheese salad which I think I would order next time. It had a balsamic vinegar dressing was really amazing. I think I'd like to try to duplicate it at home, too, actually.
Next, steak and potatoes. Sarah and I ordered 8oz filet mignon's. The guy across from us ordered a porterhouse. Yeah, it was 28fuckingounces. It came on a platter. Good. Lord. And he ate every bite of it. They fluffed our potatoes for us individually with butter and a cheddar sauce, topped with green onions. I haven't had steak in a very long time. This was worth the wait. It was fabulous. J had ordered plates of side dishes for us all--sautéed spinach, asparagus, mushroom risotto (which was just ok--Jeff has raised the standard for how good I find risotto to be.)
And after the meal, when we were all stuffed into agony, they brought out a complimentary fruit, nut and cheese platter. I was drunk, slightly sleepy, so I leaned over to Sarah and asked after awhile (since everyone was just eating the grapes and cheese) if she thought anyone really fisted an apple off the tray and sliced into it. It just looked too pretty to disturb. Sarah started laughing and put her hand on top of my head and turned it to the table next to us. They were slicing into one with gusto. For some reason this was hilarious at the time. You know that happy point when you're drunk and full and tired and content? Yeah. Everything's funny.
Also, a girl sitting at a table across from us looked a lot like Sarah's college friend and another family member....except with big, floofy hair and um looked like a hooker so it was disturbing. We were transfixed. Hopefully she didn't notice the three of us staring at her.
And one of my favorite parts of the night was when R, this guy from the partner company, thought I was the same age as Sarah and Kt. Woo hoo! Hi, no. Ten years older. Ahh to be twenty-something again.
Sarah and I quietly gaped at the bill. Sarah's eyes were huge as she said, "That's like... THREE IPODS." Hee. If I am every very rich I will have to buy her one. It's been her obsession this past year.
For a group of mostly strangers, we got along famously. Everyone was very nice and very adept at making conversation and it was fun. But holy god did it last forever. I was soooo tired. I was slouched down in my seat and I kept thinking people were just about to get up, but no. I was looking forward to bed. And eventually we did get up. And slowly make our way to the leather studded front of the restaurant. Final bathroom calls. Then J and CS drove me back home. J was so nice. He'd been sitting on the other end of the table so we really didn't get to talk and we talked about my new job.
It was such a nice thing... to take us out for such a lavish dinner. And it made it especially nice because J was so excited about it. Excited to show his appreciation of our hard work this past year. It was a terrific experience working for him and CS. I hope I have the chance to work for them again in the future.
We made it to El Gaucho alive. Whether we would accomplish this was in question a few times as J has a tendency to think road signs are for other people and has no problem entering an onramp clearly marked DO NOT ENTER. CS's shriek made it kinda worth it. Hee. Anyhow. El Gaucho. Valet parking. We strolled inside and J led us around for a quick tour. He was very excited about the place, which I think is sweet. He loves their cigar room. Though I don't think he actually smokes cigars.
We sat and had drinks waiting for the others to arrive. Sarah came in with her cousin Kt and that was very yay. We all proceeded to get hammered. I had a lemon drop and an apple martini and they were both excellent. I was drunk before finishing the lemon drop. Some guys game from our partner company and finally another Seattle-person, C, and his girlfriend. A few more drinks and we were led to our table. Okay, we got the Mink Booth. I kept praying that it wasn't really mink, but it was. *shudder* I really hate fur, so sitting with my back pressed against it was a little horrifying, but it did feel very soft, like Sarah's cat Boo actually. Dis-tur-bing. Side note, Kt is a vegetarian. In a steakhouse. In a mink booth. She handled it very well. Kt is also, I'd like to note fucking hilarious.
The table was set with individual little Godiva gold boxes. We started with wine and appetizers: crabcakes, wicked shrimp, tuna tartare and garlic bread. It was all very delicious. Next, salad course. Caesar salad --prepared tableside by our funny waiter, David. A few people ordered the beefsteak tomato, red onion and blue cheese salad which I think I would order next time. It had a balsamic vinegar dressing was really amazing. I think I'd like to try to duplicate it at home, too, actually.
Next, steak and potatoes. Sarah and I ordered 8oz filet mignon's. The guy across from us ordered a porterhouse. Yeah, it was 28fuckingounces. It came on a platter. Good. Lord. And he ate every bite of it. They fluffed our potatoes for us individually with butter and a cheddar sauce, topped with green onions. I haven't had steak in a very long time. This was worth the wait. It was fabulous. J had ordered plates of side dishes for us all--sautéed spinach, asparagus, mushroom risotto (which was just ok--Jeff has raised the standard for how good I find risotto to be.)
And after the meal, when we were all stuffed into agony, they brought out a complimentary fruit, nut and cheese platter. I was drunk, slightly sleepy, so I leaned over to Sarah and asked after awhile (since everyone was just eating the grapes and cheese) if she thought anyone really fisted an apple off the tray and sliced into it. It just looked too pretty to disturb. Sarah started laughing and put her hand on top of my head and turned it to the table next to us. They were slicing into one with gusto. For some reason this was hilarious at the time. You know that happy point when you're drunk and full and tired and content? Yeah. Everything's funny.
Also, a girl sitting at a table across from us looked a lot like Sarah's college friend and another family member....except with big, floofy hair and um looked like a hooker so it was disturbing. We were transfixed. Hopefully she didn't notice the three of us staring at her.
And one of my favorite parts of the night was when R, this guy from the partner company, thought I was the same age as Sarah and Kt. Woo hoo! Hi, no. Ten years older. Ahh to be twenty-something again.
Sarah and I quietly gaped at the bill. Sarah's eyes were huge as she said, "That's like... THREE IPODS." Hee. If I am every very rich I will have to buy her one. It's been her obsession this past year.
For a group of mostly strangers, we got along famously. Everyone was very nice and very adept at making conversation and it was fun. But holy god did it last forever. I was soooo tired. I was slouched down in my seat and I kept thinking people were just about to get up, but no. I was looking forward to bed. And eventually we did get up. And slowly make our way to the leather studded front of the restaurant. Final bathroom calls. Then J and CS drove me back home. J was so nice. He'd been sitting on the other end of the table so we really didn't get to talk and we talked about my new job.
It was such a nice thing... to take us out for such a lavish dinner. And it made it especially nice because J was so excited about it. Excited to show his appreciation of our hard work this past year. It was a terrific experience working for him and CS. I hope I have the chance to work for them again in the future.
