Wasting Money

There is a restaurant sensation based out of Belgium. It can, however, for a small fee, be brought to you. The whole restaurant. Well, what there is of it.

Dinner in the Sky is a covered table and chair outfit that is hoisted by a crane to 150 feet in the air. At that height, you can see forever while you dine. If you aren't so frightened that you squeeze your eyes shut and start screaming in fear.

The crane and specially built table can travel for a small fee. For instance, moving the thing from Belgium to England would cost £10,000 and then you would have to purchase your dinner. It is scheduled to appear in New York and Niagara Falls. No word on the cost for getting it across the ocean.

The table itself seats 20 in chairs that resemble seats for sports cars, complete with racing style seat belts. The chairs tilt and swivel and are attached to the metal frame with solid bolts. The table is heavy plastic. There is no floor underneath your feet as the diner. However, there is a dropped or sunken floor in the center of the cut out table so that the waiter may serve you.

The table itself measures about 30 feet by 16 feet. The entire structure weighs 6 tons, or as much as an elephant. It is hoisted into the air by the attached cables when the crane operator flicks the switch.

Forbes magazine lists this as one of the top ten nifty ways to spend money when you have too much of it. The view is remarkable, a full 360 degrees. Nothing in your way.

On a calm sunny day, as you rise to new heights in dining pleasure, there are some drawbacks. As you soar into the sky, the winds aloft meet you, blowing away napkins from the unwary person not deft enough to hold on to them. And the wind doesn't actually whisper, making it difficult for conversation UNLESS YOU DON'T WHISPER EITHER. In fact, YOU SHOUT.

If your dining companion isn't much of a talker and you are waiting for the next course, it is impossible to roam the room, table hopping for better conversation. But the biggest drawback is that should you need to placate your nerves by drinking large quantities of alcohol, you better have an excessively large bladder because you will be unable to stroll to the Ladies or Gents.

It would seem that the rich and famous have to spend their money somehow or else why acquire it. Sometimes you just can't find enough $10,000 dresses or $5,000 shoes. Spending money on ridiculous items can be a way of life.

So, are you up for dinner?