Romantic Restaurant Proposals
A recent poll of married women revealed that almost a third regretted the manner in which their husbands proposed to them. Many expressed disappointment at the lack of romance and originality displayed at that critical and apparently memorable moment.
As I look back at my own proposal or lack thereof as it ultimately turned out (my wife actually gave me an ultimatum) I guess I could have manned up and given her the full Hollywood romantic comedy treatment. But how many 23-year-old guys are so inclined, either then or now for that matter? I think if they broke the responses down by the age of the proposer, you would have seen more thoughtful and memorable proposals by somewhat older men: guys who were more mature and who actually had regular incomes.
One of the best proposals I’ve seen in recent years was made to my daughter Jenn by my now son-in-law John. He reserved the intimate wine room at the Main Street Grill in Round Rock, ordered up a bottle of vintage Christal champagne, had two dozen roses on hand, and also arranged for all four parents to meet them at the end of the dinner. Jenn was blown away and said yes on the spot. They are coming up on their fifth anniversary and all is well. Of course John was in his mid-thirties at the time, lending credence to my thesis.
One of the couples in our Gonzo Gourmet Club combined a hot air balloon ride over the hill country and dinner at Hudson’s on the Bend complete with an on-site serenade of “Will You Still Love me Tomorrow” performed a cappella by a member of the Riverbend choir. Now that’s creative.
Yet another friend of mine had come to his senses by his third marriage proposal. After two uninspired proposals and relatively brief marriages, he hired Emeril Lagasse to come to his home on Lake Travis and prepare his girlfriend’s favorite dishes, Oysters Rockefeller and Coquille St. Jaques. They are going on 15 years now and are blissfully happy. OK guys, if you can’t afford Emeril you could call local culinary stars Tyson Cole or David Bull. It’s worth a shot.
Oh yeah, and as for me and my own non-proposal? Well we’re going on 38 years. When I ask her to stick around for the next 40, I’m going to order the most gigantic Maine lobster from McCormick and Schmick’s, write an original love poem, and have the chef hide it in one of the claws. A bottle of Veuve Cliquot (Yellow Label) will of course be on hand. It’s not that I was not romantic back then. I just lacked vision and perspective. As I said earlier, most guys need a little time.
What’s your best restaurant/food related proposal story? Share it with us here at Dining Out with Rob and we’ll publish the best letters. Send an email to info@diningoutwithrobbalon.com or Click Here.
