I'd been asking Kris to take me to River House for most of the duration of our relationship. I'd had my sights on a visit there since I moved to Fort Lauderdale from Lakeland in 1999. But that kind of high-end dining isn't likely as a broke college student.

Finally, on New Year's Eve 2005, he sent me to a spa for the day with the promise of River House that night. I figured we were just going to celebrate the new year. We took a stroll down Riverwalk with the white lights sparkling along the path -- very romance movie-esque. I pointedly asked him if this was "the moment," and he dismissed it, saying it would probably be close to my birthday in April.

We had a delicious dinner, including the most tender prime rib I've

ever tasted. The service was outstanding. After dinner, on our walk

over to Revolution to see the Roots, he got down on one knee.

The

Restaurant People, the company that runs the River House, announced

this week that it would close. And there's probably lots of people like

me who were disappointed with the news, thinking back to a great night

there.