A first Friday tradition?
It’s the first Friday of January, therefore the first Friday of the New Year. And a new year is an opportunity for a new start. So, I’ve decided to take advantage of this fact and start a new tradition for myself, since my partner-in-crime has moved away, thus ending the Friday Night Cocktails tradition.
The new tradition? Dinner out. Either alone or with friends. (Alone this time. But maybe some will join me in February.)
I hate dining alone – I always have – but I realise that I am alone now and I have to get used to that fact. Yes, I could just stay home and hide away from the world, but sometimes I feel that I need to face the world with bravery, despite my solitude. It was a bit awkward at first, as dining alone often is, but I was prepared with a positive attitude and a fully charged Kindle, complete with a trashy novel that I found for free on Amazon.
I think the hardest part of the evening was deciding where to go. I’d thought about going to a really nice place for a bit of fine dining, but that would have been the most difficult choice – especially since that’s where the happy, lovey-dovey couples were most likely to be. And I thought about going to a family dining place or maybe out for a nice curry, but that seemed a bit weird, too.
In the end, I decided to go to The City Walls. Its friendly atmosphere with little nooks-and-crannies seemed like the perfect place for my first foray into First Friday dinners. And it was OK. I sat in a wee corner, in a comfy chair near the fire, and I read my book whilst drinking a pint of Belhaven Best and munching on a plate of nachos. And I enjoyed myself.
More importantly, I didn’t feel awkward or out of place; which means that I’ll be more likely to go out for dinner on the first Friday in February, too. And I imagine that I might spend most of these dinners alone, but I hope that I can talk friends into joining me sometimes, too.
How about you? Are you starting any new traditions this year?
Eating out alone is a strange one. I’d never done it really until I lived away from home last year during the week. Living in a hotel there was no real choice but to eat out. I can’t say I ever learnt to enjoy it really, like you I would rather socialise with other people at dinner if I eat out. But like you found, it doesn’t have to be a horrible experience, and if you look around a lot of people do it either out of necessity or choice.
I think that having the book/Kindle helps. And having a bit of confidence (even if it’s fake) helps, too. That way, I can at least *pretend* that I’m dining alone 100% by choice. I took myself out for a really nice dinner on my birthday last year–made easier by the Kindle–so maybe I just need to carry a book at all times so that I can dine out on the spot!
A book or a newspaper, or even a sketchbook, really helps when dining alone. and Yes, I do still dine out alone on a regular basis – mr ebb doesn’t always share my interests, and it’s difficult organising friends these days. Eating out alone is just a normal part of adult life, partnered or single, so it’s worthwhile finding out how to do it comfortably. However, good luck with finding some dining companions for a wonderful new tradition (are lunches easier for companions perhaps?), and enjoy your start to the month whatever.