Monday, August 23, 2010

Seattle hospitality

If you are visiting Seattle -- or just someone looking for a good restaurant recommendation -- and you ask our friend Steve where to get the best food in the city, he will reply:
"At my house".
A former head chef at the Hilton (among many other things), Steve wouldn't be exaggerating. He is a great cook.

Dominic and I met Steve more than a year ago at Bethany's Wednesday Night dinner. He is a social butterfly and is always saving seats for his friends. He is stubborn, straight-forward, and he insists that I am too skinny.

We live across the street from Steve but not once did we have him over for a meal, or tea, or anything. I knew that I owed him at least one visit before I left for New York (see "lists" in previous post). It is something I had always wanted to do, but had never done. Why do those types of visits always seem to get pushed out of the way by other "stuff"?

Nonetheless, I went over tonight and Steve had a meal fit for a king on the stove: fried potatoes, mushrooms and a roasted chicken, salad and warm rolls. He taught me how to make gravy with the leftover chicken fat, soy sauce and cornmeal, he told me I needed to apologize less and relax more, and he sat me down at his newspaper-lined table. The newspaper is really an ingenious way to save on laundry. He takes the old community papers and uses them as place mats -- dirty one layer? There are plenty of pages left for the next meal!

Steve and I visited over the carefully planned meal. He told me I shouldn't ask why so much and I told him he should enjoy his view of downtown more often. We complimented the delicious food, discussed the similarities between Greek and Armenian culture (he was insisting I eat more to gain 10 pounds) and in the end started telling each other all the jokes we could remember.

I am certain I would never have met Steve if it weren't for Bethany. I am certain I would not have found Bethany if it weren't for Dominic. It is amazing how people come in and enrich our lives in ways we never knew possible.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hmmm. I'm thinking you can make some gravy for Thanksgiving. Always too bad that these things get left until the last minute before you enjoy people...i.e. before you move.