#spillthebeansonlove - Chapter 40
We arrive at one of the top 5 hottest restaurants in Miami for a New Year’s Eve celebration. As we stroll up to the insanely chic restaurant, I can’t take my eyes off of all the glitz, glam and ridiculously beautiful people. It’s New Year’s Eve after all, which means the crowd is dressed to the nines and the restaurant is buzzing with excitement and palpable energy. It seems like we are walking down the red carpet and into a star studded Vanity Fair after party.
As we pass through the entrance, we slip into another dimension. The dimension of perfection and bliss. The music is bumping and the scene is sexy. I scan through the organized chaos to find the staff choreographed in their immense dance to make sure every guest is flush with champagne. There’s a buzz of excitement, wonder, and intrigue as we turn a corner into 2020. What would this new decade hold? Which dreams will be realized?
We are immediately greeted by name…my head whips around to look at Guapo. ‘How did they know your name, I ask?’ ‘They know me here, he says.’ I don’t ask anything else, but that has me intrigued.
They seat us in a huge booth, just the two of us. The booth is facing all the action. There are hundreds if not a thousand people out to celebrate the night. Scores of balloons are held by a net on the ceiling waiting for the midnight drop. The lights are low, the music is high, and the night is young.
I felt small amongst a massive energy. I was mesmerized, with my eyes open wide, my mouth closed shut. I was just soaking it all in.
I’ve been to incredible restaurants all over the world, but this vibe particularly on point especially for such a celebratory night. It was obvious that this restauranteur knew how to throw a party. Guapo caught wind that I was impressed. He watched me as I looked around. I scanned every inch of the place, from the ceiling to the art on the walls, to the fabulous live plants, to the deep sexy lighting, to the layout of the tables, to the insanely hot crowd. He woke me out of my daze, grabbed my hand, and said, ‘come with me, I want to show you around.’ Um, what? Does he own this place? What does he mean ‘show me around?’
We get up with Guapo leading the way. He takes me upstairs, nonchalantly says hi to the manager, and a few others on the way. I take notice. We get to the top floor and position ourselves by the railing so we can overlook the entire restaurant. He asks if I like it. ‘I LOVE it,’ I exclaim. Slight pause…
‘I built it,’ he says. I turn my eyes towards him in a slow and controlled manner. ‘Excuse me? You built THIS?’ He smiles. He laughs a bit. Perhaps it’s because this is normal for him, or maybe because he’s so modest and my dramatics make him slightly embarrassed? Either way, his humility was endearing as always.
I can’t believe this guy. I mean I knew that he built huge, amazing, incredible, aspirational homes and restaurants for a living. I had even toured some of the famous people’s homes that he built, but to be standing in one of the most extraordinary restaurants, in one of the most fabulous cities in the world watching hundreds of people celebrate the turn of the decade in a space he built was…surreal.
‘You must be so proud,’ I say. He nods and humbly says, ‘yeah, this one is beautiful. And the foods amazing too, let’s go eat!’
Right as we sit down the celebratory champagne starts to flow and the appetizers begin to load on to the table. We didn’t know what was on the NYE pre-fixe dinner, but we didn’t care, we knew it was going to be delicious.
We began to enjoy the most mouthwatering sushi, and sashimi, savory appetizers, warm noodle dishes, hot soups and cold salads.
It had only been a half hour and I was full, satisfied, impressed…I didn’t need a bit more of anything. Just as I had that thought, the main courses began to come out one after another after another. We looked at each other and began to laugh. How were we going to eat anymore, but how were we going to pass up such beautiful dishes? I was good for one more bite at best, yet an entire feast was sitting in front of us.
We did our best and nibbled our way through this meal fit for a king and yet somehow made room for more champagne and of course, dessert.
Just as our timing of meeting one another was perfect so was our timing for this evening. It was mere seconds after we finished our last bite of dessert, that we picked up our champagne flutes and began the countdown, 10, 9, 8…the crowd all joins in.
3, 2, 1…Happy New Year! The balloons drop, the noisemakers explode, the confetti swirls around us. We look each other in the eye, smile and kiss…2020 here we come…