June 29--Of course, the weather was perfect. Abundant sunshine, 70 degrees and a soft breeze that gently carried the smell of hot cheese across the patio.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Geja's Caf鬠the famously intimate fondue restaurant in Lincoln Park, about 50 couples who had gotten engaged at the place turned up Saturday afternoon for champagne, fondue and, naturally, romantic stories.
"Geja's has meant a lot to an awful lot of people,'' said founder John Davis, who just this month sold Geja's to his longtime managing partner, Jeff Lawler. "We've had thousands of first dates, thousands of engagements, weddings and special occasions.
"I can't go anywhere -- even in Europe when I travel -- and not find people who have been to Geja's and have a great, memorable story," Davis said.
Many of those engagement stories involve elaborate production, the conspiratorial cooperation of Geja's staff and shameless subterfuge to maintain the element of surprise.
Lawler, who accepted the passing of the proverbial baton from Davis on Saturday (literally, it was something they called the "Golden Fondue Fork"), expects the romance to continue.
"It's all going to stay the same," Lawler said of the caf頨340 W. Armitage Ave., 773-281-9101). "Hopefully the experience will grow to be richer and warmer for everybody -- more birthdays, more anniversaries and more engagements."
cmcmahon@chicagotribune.com
