"The happiest place on Earth isn't Disney"

It's easy to over-romaticize the unspoiled...moments taken or stolen, arrested in time, immaculate forever. Basically, unf***ed. On any given day, there's not much to say about a typical lunch ranging anywhere from fifteen minutes to two hours. Some grab a bag of chips and call it a day, while others pick and choose between salads, dressings on the side, and bottled highly marketable green teas. Thankfully, neither of those is me and thankfully ,there is way too much to say about a lunch that still has me daydreaming of that day, of that meal, in times where I shouldn't. Just yesterday, I was doing an interview for a highly acclaimed Spanish magazine, and honestly, while the lady interveiwing me was bouncing back and forth between questions I've answered a million times (how did you do all this? etc, etc,) I was completely taken by my thoughts of this lunch. All of a sudden she became mute, and I was reliving every bite- every minute. I felt like I was an awkward teenager thinking dirty thoughts, or like having a crush on my gym teacher at 14, or reading my older cousin's diary. Lingering mental pictures of this lunch pierced through any concentration I could gather up. So what is this place you might ask...

It all began in a perfect corner table with a view of the cityscape cut by the river letting out into the ocean, dotted by multi million-dollar yatchs, and two champagne glasses that meant we were toasting to everything, or without any ellaboration - just being there. After dining all around town unfettered and largely without constraint throughout the years, this place truly deserves a toast.

The servers greeted us in a friendly tone, and quickly explained new menu items, and touched on our favorites. However, as they spoke, it was as if a beautiful exotic country was speaking, as they described ingredients and how they were put together. When the dishes came out, you'd assume they came with their own theme song, atleast some fireworks. Because that is indeed what happened as we tasted dish after dish - fireworks...Another round of champagne had us gitty, but one could easily question if it was the bubbly or was it the symphony of flavors? Thrilled with the moment, we eagerly talked about each bite, making it difficult for any other kind of conversation. After the third dish came out, I was told "The happiest place on Earth isn't Disney..it's here." So what is this place you might ask...

I for one have to admit that towards the end of the meal, I was purposely eating slower because I didn't want it to end. I wanted that lunch to go on as far as I could stretch it.

It is my wish that everyone take the time to experience one of these incredible lunches once in a while. Take out somebody you love, submerge yourself in their company, enjoy some champagne, allow for some of life's fireworks to happen. Exchange the bag of chips for some magnificent pork belly, trade the stiff salads with the dressing on the side for some vibrant sashimi, and sip the good bubbly instead of the plastic bottled drinks. It is these unspoiled moments that stay arrested in our memory, immaculate forever. So what is this place you might ask...

"It's not Disney, but it is the happiest place on Earth" ....I guess it is easy to over-romanticize the unspoiled.