In The Dark

This past Saturday night we spent in the dark - both literally and figuratively that is.

It was a double date that my sister-in-law, Sarah and I chose to keep our husbands "in the dark" about our specific plans for the evening. And of course we spent the evening, literally, in the dark.

We did this:


Sarah is always good at inspiring us to do the very un-typical dates of dinner/movie...which is what we fall back on most times we actually make it out on a date. But this time definitely spiced it up and gave us memories to last a lifetime.

We showed up at the restaurant and were immediately given the instructions. No removing our blindfolds at any point whatsoever. I realized how serious they were when they explained the process of if/when we had to use the restroom and how we would be assisted. Luckily they did let us remove them once we got to the actual toilet but then and only then.

After putting our blindfolds on in the lobby, we all formed a train and followed the waitress to our table. We were a bit tense and nervous but since we were only the 2nd party to be seated, we had time to acclimate to our environment. That is, until the rest of the groups came and the noise level reached an all new decibel. Apparently, everyone feels the need to overcompensate vocally when they lose their sense of sight. Can I tell you how much more uptight I felt when I couldn't HEAR my table on top of not being able to SEE?

The experience was great....the food....eh not so much. They served everyone the same meal and that also was kept a secret until afterward. I did eat duck and elk - two items I would NOT have consumed had I known. The first course was delicious, whatever it was. It could be that it seemed to take FOREVER before they fed us and I was starving enough to like anything. However, the remaining courses were....interesting. It's "froo froo food" which isn't always my strong suit. Which means small portions and a long time until you get them. At one point I was about to gnaw off a table leg for my 2nd appetizer. I was STARVING! The duck was bland and sat atop some STRONG tasting lettuce bed. The elk wouldn't have been so bad....had it been cooked! I knew it tasted mushy and slightly warm but I polished it off anyway (remember I was starving). While eating, I kept telling myself, surely they cooked it at least medium, surely right? Nope, the pics on facebook prove otherwise. It was next to raw - apparently fancy schmancy folks like raw game? I'll just stick to my chicken strips next time thank ya.

But again, the experience was hilarious and memorable. Our waitress sounded like Gayle King with her soothing voice and descriptive actions as she placed our hands on our water, fork, etc. My bathroom guide was just as kind explaining every step, movement, as we made our way to the facilities. Our dining comrades, although loud, were hilarious to listen to. And we managed to make the best of it as well.

Of course, following our "Dark" theme our next activity consisted of this:


It also was fun even though I spent half the time unknowingly shooting the gun at myself (yep, it was backwards). I'm not the most skilled when it comes to games. Plus, we were beat by small children who just walked and shot at us at point blank range - no fear. And of course, somewhere along the way our team didn't scan right and thus we ranked w/zero points after it was all over. Luckily we laughed enough to make it all worth our while.

Overall, it was a fun night that I won't be forgetting anytime soon! Definitely better than the usual dinner and a movie. Just next time, I'd like to view/approve the menu. :D