Bringing the Flirt Early

The other night, my college roommate Marabeth and her friend Teri were in town from Wyoming and they wanted some fun Middle Eastern food. I said – well… how about fun Moroccan?

So we did the experience that is Mataam Fez, a restaurant that is inside an unassuming building that looks like it could have been a car parts store in past life but has been transporting people to far away lands for at least as long as we have lived here (13 years). It ain’t cheap – but it’s all about the experience. There are 5 courses, hand washing and spritzings, fantastical tea pourings… and Declan’s favorite: belly dancing. He charmed the socks off that belly dancer when she was supposed to be charming the socks off of us. He stood mesmerized as she worked in other parts of the restaurant and ran back to our squat table on the floor to report on her activities like a super-spy: “She’s shaking her booty now!” “She’s got a sword on her head now!” “She’s bent over backwards! …I want to do that!”

When she came to our section, she kept stopping her dancing and talking to her “little friend” and Declan was so proud to give her our tip (although I must admit that part felt a bit bizarre to me – too much like a 4 year old at a Bachelor Party about 20 years too early).

And he’s been talking about her non-stop ever since.