When CityGirl answered my craigslist ad, I should have known by the way she replied that we’d already met. My post said I was looking for an attractive, educated woman to meet for cocktails in Palo Alto. In her email reply she said she lived in San Francisco but frequently consulted on the peninsula, and she’d love to meet a handsome, athletic, educated, successful man that evening. (Cue the heart palpitations; what professional guy wouldn’t want to be described like that?) But, her email continued, why stop at drinks when dinner in a nice restaurant would be oodles more fun? She was a self-proclaimed foodie, and she knew of a cute little Japanese spot that had just opened in Menlo Park.
The summer before, I’d met a woman online through match.com who lived in the City and consulted on the peninsula. We met in person at University Café, a Palo Alto coffee house, presumably for cappuccino.
“Are you hungry?” she asked on that summer day.
No, not really, it was only 11:30, and I usually ate after a midday bike ride. I shrugged politely. “Are you?” I asked.
“I’m famished!” she said. “I was in a client meeting all morning. Mind if we grab a bite?”
Now, from my neck of the woods, a bite is just that – a small little something to tie you over. And I can always find room for a raspberry-apricot scone or a poppy-seed bagel. “Sure,” I said. I turned to the café, a spacious place with seating that spilled onto the sidewalk. It was a beautiful day, and a nearby table for two seemed ready-made for our date.
“Oh, not here,” she said. “The food’s terrible.”
I’d eaten here before, it wasn’t so bad. And this was about two strangers chatting and getting to know each other. Conversation would be first and foremost on the menu.
But she hooked her arm around mine and started us strolling down the street.
“I know this cute little Greek place nearby,” she said. “It’s got big shudder windows that I’m sure they’ve thrown open today. You’ll love it.”
The only Greek place I knew in Palo Alto was Evvia, a sister restaurant to San Francisco’s elegant Kokkari. Both were admired for their gourmet cuisine. A bit much for a coffee date, but I have to admit, strolling arm-in-arm in downtown Palo Alto with a beautiful woman on a bright summer day felt good. I could get used to this.
Lulled by the siren song, I followed her in.
We sat and the waiter came with a pitcher of tap water. She waved it off and asked for a bottle of sparkling. Then she proceeded to order soup, salad, an appetizer, and main course. A perfect little feast for two to share.
“And what are you having?” she asked me.
So much for sharing. I ordered a roasted lamb sandwich.
“You’re only having one course?” she asked.
The pretense was getting old, fast. We chatted over lunch, and it became clear that she was only interested in the food, and not in me. Plus, she didn’t visit the peninsula all that regularly; she usually stayed put in San Francisco. Long distance dating for a single dad like me.
When the bill came (after dessert and Greek coffee, of course), she didn’t flinch. She waited for me to pick it up. Now, if this had truly been a coffee date, I would have gladly paid for her grande-triple-mocha-caramel-skim-milk-latte-no-whip. And if we were boyfriend/girlfriend, I’d pick up the tab as well. But she’d turned our getting-to-know-you date into her personal banquet. No way I was paying.
“Did you need help with that?” she finally asked.
“Yes,” I said.
She was taken aback, but tossed a credit card onto the table. I have to admit, it felt weird. I was raised to never let a date pay. At least I split the bill equally; she’d ordered 80% of the food.
Now nine months later, it’s spring and I’m experiencing déjà vu all over again. CityGirl has got to be the same woman. The dating pool really is rather small. I emailed her: I think we’ve met. Lunch at Evvia last summer?
She sent back a pic. It was definitely her. She wrote: Oh, maybe! You sound familiar. I do so many lunches, I can’t be sure. At any rate, if we did meet, it’s been a long time. I’m sure we have a lot of catching up to do!
Catching up? Was she high?
I wrote back: on the other hand, the fact we never pursued a second date means maybe we didn’t hit it off too well in the first. As tempting as Japanese sounds, I’ll pass.
I’m guessing CityGirl found someone else. A foodie like her doesn’t seem the type to eat alone.
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