best. solo. birthday. dinner. in savannah

I was just a few minutes late for my reservation, but I had walked the six blocks rather briskly.
Amazingly, I had actually procured parking on River Street, so that was good, but the crowds meant I walked in the street on the cobblestones.
Thank God I was wearing my dancing sandals!
Nice to sit for a moment and cool down.
(smile!)

I started with an unsweet tea - ah! what a special treat! - and a lovely assortment of breads with an even lovelier Chopped Salad!
Just the right amount of Balsamic Vinaigette, too.
I was ravenous, having eaten lightly for a late lunch -
I wanted to make sure I brought my appetite.
I did, too, eating every last bite - so good to have veggies that someone else prepared!

Rodney was the perfect waiter, making sure I had
a little time to sit between courses to enjoy the
lovely view - ah!!!
That also gave me a chance to listen in as the two
couples a few tables from me, one local and the other
from Alabama, opined on the merits of Fairhope, the tourists' home.

When my entree arrived, all thought vanished and all I could do was admire the food before me.
I do so very much love food that's prettier than it needs to be... and this was every bit of that!
Hence the close-up, to well and truly document the chef's rendition of Ahi Tuna Pasta
How sad that the peanut-based sauce cannot be smelled through the photo!

Such a happy and werene girl I was after that oh-so-fine birthday62 meal!
I only ate half of the entree, though, as I would soon have dessert on its way... and I intended to eat every last morsel of it!
The tuna pasta would be an excellent 'reminder' of this special affair tomorrow!
(smile!)

So glad I had left room for a rare dessert!
This mini Lava Cake may look like its just the right size for one, but it was so rich and full of chocolate that it almost did me in!
Seriously! But I ate every bite and would have licked the plate if at home instead of The Chart House.
(smile!)

And as I dined, I noticed that I was not alone.
Even though the two other tables had finally been vacated before the Lava flowed, I knew I had company.
See the two wide, gentle eyes and the soft, demure smile in that azure setting?
Yes, I am loved, now, still, always.
(smile!)

As I sat, I was treated to that special time of dusk that I love so well, that special deepening of the sky's hue toward purple against the dark green of the trees...
the trees at Grayson Stadium in so many years past...
the trees here along the Savannah River this cloudless summer evening...
and I realized I was breathing again.
i thank You, God.