The King of Swords
The King of Swords, traditionally, when understood as a person in your life is a mature, intelligent, art and science aficionado. He’s the handsome professor, the frighteningly smart and intelligent father figure, and a man wielding great power.
The thing that always grabs me about both the King and Queen of Swords is the specificity their Swords contain. In other words, the King of Swords knows exactly what he wants, exactly how to say it, can convey his thoughts clearly and concisely. He’s a very specific man.
Anyone who watches “The Girls Next Door” has seen Hugh Heffner’s eye for specifics and it pertains not only to women. He is so particular; in fact, he’ll bring his own chef with him to a restaurant to prepare exactly what he likes to eat. Now, this may be taking things a bit far but I think there is something to be said for knowing exactly what you want and making sure you get it. It is a very King of Swords quality.
I met my friend Kelly for lunch the other day and we ate at Terrace 5, a café in The Museum of Modern Art. Terrace 5 is one of my favorite places in all of New York. The dishes, flat wear and wineglasses are created by fabulous designers. Waiters dressed head to toe in black run to fetch your drinks and the menu is glorious! Not to mention, sitting on the same floor as over forty million dollars worth of priceless art makes me a little dizzy. Dining in Terrace 5, you become part of its simple, modern perfection. And where else can you dine with Picasso?
Kelly and I are both self-described foodies. Much of our conversation was devoted to the selecting and deconstruction of our meal. We began with a cheese plate and each settled on a Duck, Fig and Prosciutto Quiche for our entrée, paired with a spicy Pinot Noir.
I was tickled me when I realized how King of Swords, my card of the day, we were being. We sat there, “This Stravecchio cheese is salty, with a nutty finish. The quiche could be a little more room temperature, but the richness of the duck is balanced by the mascarpone, etc.”
There was a time in my early twenties where all I cared to eat where cheese burgers. I thought being choosy about wine was for snotty a-holes. It took years for me to become adventurous in my eating and arm myself with culinary knowledge. Being married to a food photographer has certainly helped. Not only in considering the ingredients of my food but also its presentation.
The King of Swords knows what he likes, can defend his position and gets what he wants. One of the greatest gifts of getting older and embracing maturity is cultivating your taste. This is not to say become a snob but get serious about what you like and don’t like. Put your tastes to the test.
The fun thing about cultivating your culinary tastes is that often times it is the simplest food, a ripe tomato, a perfectly poached egg nestled of a pile of wilted greens topped with a few crushed peppercorns that can be a source of pure enjoyment and divine pleasure. The cultivation of taste has lead to a life, in my eyes, that is richer and infinitely more complex. I implore you to cultivate yours!