Keeping us in the dark...

Tonight, my parents decided to try something different. We went to a restaurant downtown with my brother and my aunt. So far, pretty normal, right? But wait! The restaurant is called O Noir (noir means black or dark for those who don't know.) You absolutely need reservations to go there. But it's worth it. The menu is short and simple. You decide what you'll have as soon as you walk in, place your order while you're still in the entrance. Then you meet your waiter. He (or she) is blind or visually impaired. Everyone in your group gets in line, touching the shoulder of the person in front. And then you walk in. It's COMPLETELY dark! You are brought to your table and you have to feel for your chair. The whole meal is spent in total darkness. The idea is to experience what blind people live everyday. It's very different. I loved it. The food was amazing (I had the shrimp platter while everyone else had steak) and the ambiance is indescribable. You really have to live it to understand. I'm definitely willing to go again. When you walk out, almost 2 hours later, everything seems surreal. It was a wonderful experience. If you can't make it to such a restaurant, try the experience in your own home, wearing a blindfold. You might want to start with something simple at first, like toast! Just spreading something on bread can be quite a task!