Easter 2018

When we first lived in Beijing we would occasionally go as a family for a traditional American breakfast. A place called “Paul’s Steak and Eggs”. It was a place tucked behind the Friendship Store and felt comfortable, like a jet lagged Denny's. I’d get a denver omelette and fret over the pile of hash browns that I’d eat. The kids, just Aidan and Lydia then, would get attention and we would feed on that too. The place was populated mostly by expats, none to rich and none to poor.
Over the years the traditional American breakfast stopped being a regular family outing except for on Easter. We even kept the tradition going in the years after the nuclear family went nuclear. The other part of the Easter tradition we kept going was the easter egg hunt, where we’d hide candy in the bushes of the apartment common area and the kids would frantically race each other to collect the candy.
This year on Easter, it was my week with the kids, and I thought Elisa as the main candy hunter and one nostalgic nine year old would want the hunt back at her mom’s apartment. But she surprised me, and wanted to do it at my place, so that’s what we did.
But first was Easter breakfast. Paul’s Steak and Eggs is long gone so we went to a place in Sanlitun called The Rug, It is like the version of Denny’s that flew first class to Beijing. Thier brunch menu is vast, subtle, and well executed. It was a place that one would think would only appear to well to do expats instead it appealed to well to do locals with few foreigners to be found. It is a far cry from Paul’s.
Yang joined, with hard boiled eggs she made for the kids to paint. In fact it was the first time she’s ever made hard boiled eggs and I had to send her the instructions. Sabrina was next to me and the kids scattered about. Did I also mention it was April Fool’s day?
After breakfast came the gathering back at my complex. Kids upstairs while the adults hit the Candies. I assumed Lydia and Aidan would be too cool at 13 and 15 to run for candy. But no, never underestimate the power of a snickers in the grass to an Allio. The kids ran and excitedly collected their candy and the showed the spoils. It was a repeat of a scene we’ve played over the years. One that always hit my human bone.  
After dinner, I had the uncomfortable feeling. The need to move. So I went for a walk. Into the polluted Beijing night.