Torn.

Do you ever have an experience that simultaneously makes you think, "I can't wait to tell the world about this!" and "I don't want to tell anyone lest it lose its charm"?

We had that experience today. Or perhaps I should say I did. Jeff is firmly in the "we must tell other people" camp. See, we found a new restuarant and that's kind of a big thing on our little island. And there's not actually a "we" to that. Jeff found this restaurant ages ago while he was riding, but it's pretty out of the way and the fact that it looked cute was really never quite enough reason for me to want to go. He's talked about it and talked about it so today, when he suggested it might be fun to try for lunch, I really had no reason to say no. AND I'M SO GLAD I DIDN'T!

This restaurant (which, for now, shall remain nameless) had the ideal blend of Japanese style - precise placement of all items on the table, perfectly garnished presentation, tasty set menus - and Americanisms - all you can drink teas, iced coffee or water, help yourself to the soup and salad - to make it perfect. It has lots of windows, no smoking (at least not today, since we were the only ones in there), cute decorations without being cutesy and the food. The FOOD! Was seriously good. Jeff had fried chicken and I had ahi with avocado and egg yolk. Don't scoff - it was tasty! Besides, didn't you see the orchid on the plate? That counts for something!

So that's my problem. I want to share this secret with all my friends, but if they didn't appreciate it then I would be disappointed. Because today, for us, it was perfect. What if we told someone about it and they didn't like it? And they told us why and that made us not like it? Or even worse, what if we tell someone and they tell someone and that person tells a couple someones? Then all of a sudden our cute, out of the way, secret, perfect, go-to lunch spot is too busy to enjoy and - horrors! - filled with Americans! It's not a risk I'm willing to take. Not yet anyway.

I hear you out there, saying I'm selfish. I know I am. But maybe you should go find an equally perfect new restaurant and then we can trade secrets. Better yet, just wait a few days. I'm not good at being a closed book so you'll know more than you care to in no time :)