For most of us, life is not like a sitcom. We don’t meet up with our friends every single day at Central Perk or MacLaren’s or Cheers, but we do have our spots that we prefer over all others. We may not go there all the time, but we feel most comfortable there. It is where we are in our element, where we invite everyone to join us. It is our home field, as it were.
Mine was Memphis Taproom.
So I was quite dismayed a few weeks ago when I read the news that it would be closing its doors for good.
Cross another off the concert bucket list.
“When foodies hear ‘tough reservation,’ they generally think French Laundry in Napa or Le Cirque in New York — both known for their six-month waiting lists. That’s a snap compared with a spot at Talula’s Table.”
— NPR
Back when we lived in Philly, I kept seeing news items and breathless reports about Talula’s Table, the gourmet market in Kennet Square, a historic borough about 40 miles southwest of the city, that closed every evening to transform into a cozy spot that served dinner to one group at the lone table in the center of the market.
I dreamed of sitting at that mythical Farm Table, surrounded by close friends, door locked, the only people able to eat there that night.
The email came while I was nearing the end of my weekly trip to the supermarket, standing in the organic dairy section deciding what kind of yogurt to buy the kid:
If you are in NYC TODAY or can be, we had some seats become available to Last Week Tonight with John Oliver for Today/Sunday’s show — Sunday, September 30th.
It was December, 2013. A Tuesday morning.
We weren’t going to go.
The Wu-Tang Clan backed by The Legendary Roots Crew?! I was not going to miss it.
They are the NBA’s version of the Super Friends.
Unlike many of my fellow suburban high school students, I didn’t attend concerts.
The Passion of Christopher Pierznik 