As we get older certain dates explode off the calendar with a vengeance. For those that follow the lunar calendar -- like the older generation in Beijing -- dates appear like clowns in a funhouse, you never know which corner they are around. This year, my father in law's birthday was announced just days before the actual day, making a near orbital collision with Yang's bday and Thanksgiving.
What does this all mean?
Party!
Well, parties. Let's see, first was our family Thanksgiving dinner for which I left work early. Which is to say I left when most normal people normally leave work. We ate turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce, had pumpkin pie, and for good measure had chicken enchiladas Chinese style. Regarding this latter and I must say delicious entry, one needs to understand that our ayi repertoire of western dishes is a wee bit limited so when any western holiday shows up so does the enchiladas.
Thursday night was more then just a family dinner. After the kids had settled down, Yang and I dashed out to meet friends a Russian restaurant in time for the floor show. This place serves a buffer dinner every night for 75 kuai (about $10) which includes a wide assortment of russian food, all you can eat sashimi, two draft beers, and just for good measure all you can drink vodka. Go figure.
The next night we launched Yang's birthday party in earnest. First up was a Sichuan style restaurant with about 15 of Yang's close friends (except for that guy who she hadn't seen in 25 years, more on this later). Good, spicy but not too spicy food. And cake server with a really large knife.
The cake has no chance
Most of the gang wandered over to a club called China Doll which is 2007's version of Browns. If you don't know what Browns was, it was the 2006 version of China Doll. Also, Browns is now defunct. Most of the men in our party were there to impress a common woman friend visiting from the US (now you know why the long lost friend was found). She was considered the beauty not just of her class, not just of her grade, but of the entire school. Yang said every boy had a crush on her. It seems they still do. Of course I was totally obvious to it all and only concentrated on my beautiful wife.
The next day we co-celebrated Yang and Yang's father's birthday with a hot pot lunch in Wangjing. The restaurant in question had good food and really great service. For example, I asked for bottled water which they didn't carry but they send someone to the local market to fetch some for me. When we ordered noodle for the Hot Pot, a noodle guy came to our table and did the noodle stretch thing. It was quite a show and all for the cost of the noodles (3 kuai, do the math if you dare). Circa Silicon Valley 1999, the restaurant plans on going IPO.
Noodle Wrestling
Aidan and Lydia holding court at lunch
Yang's celebration continued with hours of Mahjong, which I passed on. Instead, I went to a friend's house who actually cooked a turkey with all the fixings. It was delish. We finished the evening by watching "Going South" which may be the worst movie ever made and is a personal favorite of his.
Where are we, oh, Sunday. Sunday found us having a birthday lunch for Yang at Yang's Mom's place. The traditional birthday noodles along with a really fantastic beef stew. The lean beef put aside specifically for me (yes, we are that spoiled). Sunday afternoon found us walking around the 798 art district and followed by a hosted birthday dumpling dinner for Yang.
So, enough, right? No, because Monday was Yang's actual birthday. I took her to Capone's, an upscale Italian restaurant in our neighborhood. It wasn't very crowded and wasn't very cheap, but is was quite good. We topped off the evening and the five days of parties, with chocolate cake. Aidan and Lydia leading the way in their own version of Happy Birthday!
I could say we have a lot to be thankful but that is such an understatement that I'll settle for humility.