It will drive our kids insane

John and I have this habit.

We meet up after he's done with classes and decide to grab something to eat.

He asks where we should go, I suggest a place, he doesn't feel like it.

I then say that we can go anywhere he wants to eat as long as it isn't yada-yada place.

And of course it was exactly the place he was thinking of.

So instead of strapping down and deciding on a place before we set off

we throw opportunity to chance

and head out with a sparkle in our eyes.

We begin by enjoying the scenery and talking about our day.

We pass by familiar restaurants but decide to branch out.

We walk about twenty blocks finding plenty of restaurants but continue on in the fear

that we'll once again encounter mediocre food at a price normal for NYorkers, yet pricey for us.

After about an hour and a half into our walk

John becomes increasingly grumpy and me whiny.

We both begin to complain about aching backs, tired feet, and hungry bellies.

At this point we somehow end up walking ourselves down a dark alley or

into a residential neighborhood with only one ridiculously priced restaurant on the corner -

with no end in sight.

The desperation sets in.

After another half our of wandering

we magically we find a street filled with restaurants.

Past the brink of caring, we walk to the closest restaurant and take a peek at the menu.

This exact scenario played out on Valentine's Day.

Due to cold temperatures and an icy wind our

hunger induced delusional state was exacerbated past rationality.

So when we walked up to a menu at a cute looking place in Soho

we saw a Valentine menu that had a five course meal for $60.

We knew we had found the one.

We waltzed in with a tailwind of victory and relief and asked for a table.

Hey, they had one table available - we.were.ecstatic!

They said table for two and we jumped.

We sat. And then we looked.

Me: "Hey John, do you think they meant $60 per person?"

John: "Uhhhhh . . . ."

Me: "Oh no. How do we sneak out of here?"

We currently were sitting next to the host stand, the bar, and a line of waiting guests.

Defeated by our pride, but mostly our hunger, we decided to throw up the white flag.

We readied ourselves for a food-induced coma.

Now I realize that $120 plus tip for a two person meal is nothing but spare change in this city.

But we is poh people.

We is poh.

However, I had a wonderful bison rib-eye and a delicious starfruit flan.

And they gave each of us a little package of cookies when we left!

This scenario is typical of us.

There are many times where we will walk down a street.

After some time has passed I ask John where we are going.

He'll then informs me that I'm leading this expedition and is following me.

If we are lucky we'll come to a cross walk and run into one another

and ask the other where to go, thus saving more time.

So that was our Valentines.

I loved how low key everything was and that what we did was together.

I love how John and I fall into the same silly habits over and over again.

I imagine it'll be the kind of thing that will drive our kids insane.