Dinner at La Folie

My dad and I were so excited for the dinner that we showered and dressed as fast as we could. We arrived at the El Cerrito Plaza half an hour early.

Eventually we saw other Yalies and familiar faces, and soon we were riding BART into the city. After a brief cab ride, we were at the restaurant. We walked in and a man asked us "Yale?" We said yes, and he led us to a hidden back room. It was like something out of a movie, where the super-important guests are brought to a super-important room, away from "civilians" like my father and I. However, now the roles had changed, and we were loving it.

We listened to words from the creators and supporters of the Ivy League Connection. It was inspiring to hear what we could expect this summer. They told us about the other people we'd meet who would have servants helping them unpack their luggage, but in the classroom, we would all be on the same level. We would be reading the same books and doing the same assignments. Though we are from humble backgrounds, we are going to be just as qualified as everyone else in the program.

Then, we had dinner. I remember having a large bowl in front of me with two mushrooms and a small piece of bread resting at the bottom. It looked rather naked, but I thought maybe it was just fancy. I was about to eat when a hand reached over and poured soup into my bowl. It made sense.

We talked and ate the rest of the evening and we left full and happy. My dad and I arrived home at 11:30 p.m. which was two hours before my dad had to wake up for work. He didn't mind, he said, because he had such a good time at the dinner.

At work, he told his co-workers about the experience. One of his friends stopped him when he said "La Folie".

"La Folie?" His co-worker asked, eyes bulging. "What were you doing there?" Apparently La Folie is the #1 French restaurant in San Francisco, and very close to being the best restaurant hands-down in the city. My dad shrugged and said, "Well, my son's going to Yale. Have you heard of it?"

We are very thankful for the dinner, but more importantly the opportunity of going to Yale. Thank you Ivy League Connection!