Last night I left work a little late and went running for home, to get my car and head for East Falls. I was meeting up with some friends to head for Phoenixville to have dinner at Majolica for Erin’s birthday. I thought that we were getting picked up at 5:45 pm (five in a car to save gas) so I was rushing like crazy to get there. Turns out I could have taken my time, everybody was running late. It was nice though, I had ten minutes where I got to sit on a couch with my friend Ingrid, both of staring into space and not thinking. It was fun to share a spacey moment with her.

So, when I first moved to Philadelphia, I didn’t have a car. I lived and worked in Center City, and so I really didn’t need it, except for those rare instances when parties were happening in East Falls or there were concerts to attend at the Keswick or weddings to attend in Williamsport, PA. Jamie and Scott didn’t live far from me (and still don’t) and when I fell into their social group a couple months after to moving to Philly, I could typically count on them for a ride to wherever the party was happening. I really got to know these two from the back seat of their car, and became privy to their couple-quirks and loving bickering while sitting back there. At their wedding, they announced that if people wanted them to kiss during dinner, that instead of clinking glasses, we would have to get up and tell a story about them. I got up and told a story about sitting in the back of their car on the way to an Allison Krauss concert the second month I lived in Philly. I was a little drunk when I spoke, so I don’t think I managed to nearly as funny as I thought I was being, but since Jamie remembers it fondly, I’m not going to argue with her recall.

Anyway, we took their car last night, and while there were two other people in the backseat with me, I felt nostalgically transported back to those days, when I had a little window onto their coupled life.

I was really impressed with Majolica (they got a review in the Inquirer last weekend, which of course I didn’t read, because I thought “when am I going to go to Phoenixville for dinner?”). When it came to ordering, I followed my cousin Mike rule, which is, “If there’s duck on the menu, you always go with the duck.” I have to say, I’ve never been disappointed with my meal when following his rule and have had moments when I sad that I hadn’t listened to his wisdom. Erin got a lobster appetizer, it was really beautiful to look at, and from the speed with which she ate it, I have to guess that it was pretty darn terrific. There was also wine. Mediocre rolls with really amazingly creamy, whipped butter (I could have eaten it with a spoon. But I didn’t.) Passing of plates in a circle to better shares bites and tastes. Figs with honey/lavender ice cream. A home-made raspberry napoleon.

And that folks, was the evening. Nice, mellow, good people, terrific food. Not bad for a Wednesday.