Basket Case

Are you okay? You seem quiet. Why are you just staring at me? Did I do something wrong?

Nope, you’re just on a date and trying to repress your psycho girl tendencies just… this… once… because it’s off to a great start. In fact, this could be the best date you’ve ever been on.

The setting is romantic: a picnic lunch underneath a mango tree in the Nu`umealani Gardens at the Contemporary Art Museum. You sit on the complimentary lauhala mat, staring into each others eyes and …. hope to Jesus he’s the first to break this awkward silence.

So you dive — maybe a little too lustily — into your custom-made picnic lunch. You clumsily gnaw at your Waldorf salad, he goes for his Hawaiian chicken wrap (and you think, pineapple chutney is so sexy). You notice that you both ordered mango Waialua sodas, and while your forks touch sharing the Chef’s Choice dessert — a fudgy brownie — you begin mentally designing your wedding dress.

Caught in this fantasy, the words “how many children do you want?” are halfway out of your mouth before you catch yourself and say, stupidly, “how many children do … you think Angelina wants, anyway?”

He smiles. You appear hilarious. Crisis averted. And you allow yourself to hope that this time, this guy won’t think you're two sandwiches short of a picnic.

"Lauhala and Lunch" picnic lunch for two at the Honolulu Contemporary Museum, $30. Includes choice of sandwiches or salads, two beverages and dessert to share. Call 808.523.3362 to order. Menu online at http://www.tcmhi.org/mi_cafe_menu.htm.

Photo credit: Mark Arbeit