On the town

Jeremy and I and Helen went out to dinner tonight. Someone from Jeremy's research group is leaving (another visiting scholar, returning to Germany after a 6-month stay) so about 20 people (grad students, post docs, visiting scholars, and a few significant others) went out to eat at a Tex-Mex / Lousiana Cajun place in Harvard Square (Cambridge).

As an aside...Quick review of the Border Cafe: Menu is interesting...a variety of choices that sounded interesting. Mostly TexMex (fajitas, burritos, fish tacos, empanadas) and Cajun (etouffee, blackened catfish) with some burgers and salads thrown in. Prices were surprisingly reasonable, particularly for being right in Cambridge. Most dinner entrees were $8-10, with burgers less and a few fish or steak entrees closer to $15. Kids' menu items for about $4. Food was fine - not amazing, but tasty. Definitely spicy.  Service was acceptable. Ambiance was pub-like; in particular, loud/grungy/garage-deco-theme: lots of wood, old machine parts. But fine to bring small children as they won't add to the din. Given the price, a place we could go back to with kids.

We didn't feel that James and Maggie were up to watching Helen, but thought they could handle a few hours at home with just John. Fortunately, that went very well.

We set off at 6, half an hour later than planned, because Jeremy was finishing up some work emails. (He had worked from home today so that he could go along in the afternoon to meet the kids' teachers at the school open house.) We ran into a traffic jam trying to get into the city on Route 2 (must have been a game or show?). We elected to get out of the traffic by turning off at Alewife Station, where we could park and ride the subway the rest of the way in. I think this was a wise decision, overall. We got to Alewife at 6:25 and found the restaurant right outside the T-stop at 6:50. I think we would have been much later driving the rest of the rest of the way and then searching for parking.

I was a bit ambivalent about the evening. It felt nice to be on a "date" of sorts with Jeremy (if it counts as that with a preschooler in tow). But, introvert that I am, I wasn't sure about meeting all of these new people at once. Fortunately for me, it turned out wonderfully. I kept thinking to myself throughout dinner how nice it was to be having lively conversation with a group of interesting adults. I guess I have been feeling more isolated than I realized this month.  My interactions with people in the last month have been mostly with the kids, some with strangers (cashiers, secretaries), and a bit with family. I certainly have loved all the time with the kids, and it has been a real treat to see extended family with whom I don't usually get to spend time. But tonight, I was really just enjoying getting to sit and get to know new, interesting people. I guess at some level, it affects my self-regard, to be able to interact with new people, take and interest in them and feel like they are taking an interest in me. In any case, I was glad that the group was friendly, outgoing, and interesting. I will have to find more ways to interact with adults this year.

We got home as the kids were getting ready for bed. Tomorrow is a "getting ready" day - preparing for some travels over the holiday weekend. More to come!