Thinking Dining Out of the Box

Liesl and I had a very nice treat today (in more ways than one!) We joined a few of our fellow violin students and their moms, as well as Miss Sharon and her extremely patient and kind husband, David, for lunch at the Shangri-La in West Bloomfield. And what a lunch it was. It is the first time I have eaten dim sum, and under the advisement of Ann's mom, who is Chinese, we tried bites of little delicacies that I don't think I would have ordered on my own: pan-fried turnip cakes, shrimp rolls, Chinese vegetables, and one really delicious noodle dish with green onions and mung bean sprouts, as well as other ingredients. (I also ate some things that I am not exactly sure what they were...but I don't care!) And Liesl tried bites of many dishes--she even asked for tea, and had a 2nd cup. We MUST go back to that restaurant and take Daddy and Ava in the very near future. It was wonderful.

If the food was great, the company was better: Ann and Kelly are talented violinists, not to mention bright, fun, and witty young ladies. Their moms are wonderful people too. I was a bit nervous about taking Liesl to a "nice" restaurant--read: not Max and Erma's or Red Robin--but she couldn't have been more angelic. (I kept checking her for a pulse.) I am sure the novelty of going out to lunch with the big kids and Miss Sharon had something to do with that, but she really was on her very best behavior. We heard stories of Kelly's recent trip to Washington D.C., and Ann's 4-week class at the Interlochen Arts Camp's advanced violin program. And if you've never seen a 7 year-old and an 11 year-old give a 3 year-old a tutorial on how to use chopsticks...well, you haven't lived. Throughout the entire meal I was bemoaning the fact that I had forgotten my camera.

Ann is headed to China with her mom for several months, and we will miss her very much. (Who will pick on me about practicing my vibrato and make sure I don't eat too many cookies at chamber rehearsals?!?!?) But she is lucky to have this chance to live in another country for a few months, and we will look forward to her return in November.

Thank you all for a wonderful meal and a very pleasant afternoon!