Life Begins at 40; so they say. Perhaps for others, after all the
years they’ve been accountable for and committed to something else as much as they've been absorbed by ‘self-establishment’ and fulfillment, life at 40 is a manifestation
of having gone full-circle. I guess a new life or meaning to it is it for me or
perchance a moment of realization.
I’ve just realized that 40 couldn’t be the points I could be scoring
in basketball after playing the game quite recently. I suppose 40 is the combined
number of aching bones and muscles I felt afterwards. The timeliest awareness though
was upon leaving the court. From the gym we played on just right across the
street is a familiar image. As if it was really reminding me of the many season
changes before me, there was a recollection-of-memories; a prominent name stood
there calling: Mario’s
We just had dinner there a few nights back and have been acquainted
with Mario’s 40th year. Back in the day, along Session Road where it
1st stood, I remember how Mario’s conveyed such sophistication as
you walk-through the facade. There was that feeling of rousing aspiration for an
elegant experience. It was after-all the
only known proximate fine dining back then. As such, it has benchmarked for
others to tag along; in a way it likewise cooked and served inspiration…
4 decades and counting is motivating indeed. It’s a milestone and a
celebration of having made it. Similarly, it’s a concoction of the learning experiences
as base ingredient for a new chapter.
I’ll be 40 this year. Beginning the subsequent episode of my life is
beyond proving anything… Accordingly, it’s a thanksgiving commemoration of what
I have lived through that molded my character. And what better way to celebrate
than to relive and relish the flavorful attainment through reminiscent food and
place:
For the mixture of occurrences throughout the years: Paella – It’s not
how “yellow” we express our potential or how piquantly varied our elements are
but how we set our complementing factors for a unified zest.
Remember how your 1st kiss felt? There was that tingling
feeling that somehow felt “Whoa!” ironically floating deep within. Evocative of
this is “Italian linguine” (little tongues)… Thus the meeting of tongues would duly
be best described through (t)supping of linguini – Mario’s Seafood Linguini
that is. Tsup tsup!
At 40 and speaking of seafood, “going deep sea diving” isn’t a
problem. So it’s not for its aphrodisiac property why I enjoy Mario’s succulent
cheesy mussels for an appetizer. (“Mussels for your Muscles” perhaps) Dig in!
How could we better manifest the essence of looking back than immortalizing
what initiated our being – the appetizer for our essence so to speak – Unlike
any other prepared vegetable salad with immensely overwhelming vinaigrette, with
their “down-to-earth blend of dressing”, Mario’s Ceasar Salad is the best I’ve
tasted so far!
Yup, so far… still a long way… just 40; Like wine that’s seasoned to
perfection… Like Mario’s, I’ll top 40… CHEERS!
