May 25, 2007

One of my professors is letting me housesit for a couple of weeks, and we thought a night out for dinner and drinks was in order. It had been a long week, and we wanted to stay local, so despite misgivings about the Larg’s Pier Restaurant and Hotel (and Casino), we decided it was the most convenient place to meet. When I arrived Ruth was already sitting at the bar enjoying a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. I ordered a Dry Dam Riesling, and we chatted about life, the universe, and everything. Ruth is in her late 30’s, single, and recently bought her home a few blocks from the beach in Semaphore. She is an Australian citizen from Detroit, making her an ex-pat. Her PHD is in science, but her life-long passion for food led her to the master’s in gastronomy, and eventually into the LCB classroom. She speaks several languages (“well enough to get by”), and when not in lecture travels the globe giving talks, racking up frequent flier miles and experiencing new places. She drives a cantankerous old car that folks make fun of her for, but she thinks it fits her Australian lifestyle. She’d like to have a boyfriend, but likes her independence and puts her career first. She has a background in improv, and as a result thinks my dissertation idea is fantastic.

Huh.

PS: we got the pizza margarita and it was actually quite good.