good day...

went to the Empress Seafood Restaurant on W. Alameda today. parents are celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary today. there were about 15 of us.

typical outing for my parents though. some weeks, they go the Empress three or four times. it's pretty much the Chinese restaurant standard for much of the Chinese community in Denver. although their regular menu food isn't stellar, the 'other' menu which offers banquet-style food, is really good. of course, some of the food would probably be alien to some, as the majority of Chinese people certainly didn't grow up eating Sweetnsour, chow mein, or egg rolls. i'm talking about Westlake Beef Soup...black mushrooms and baby bok choy in oyster sauce...honey walnut shrimp...chinese broccoli (gai lahn) and beef...soy sauce chicken...fatty roast pork... roast duck...steamed sea bass...and sliced oranges for dessert. and usually in that order ;) nine course meals are common in Chinese celebrations because it's considered a lucky number. wouldn't you want good luck for a couple who is getting married? or an anniversary/birth of a child?

if i would recommend anything at the restaurant, it would be their lobster and dim sum. the lobster is usually 20 oz. and can be prepared for you one of three ways (steamed whole, chopped up and cooked in black bean sauce, or chopped and cooked with green onion and ginger - the best way) and is $14.95...a killer deal for lobster.

now, the dim sum is usually good and consistent. their baked roast pork buns, custard tarts, and shu mai are among some of the best in town. dim sum is best shared amongst more than three people...in order to maximize the variety. you could probably eat quite well for less than $10/person and leave stuffed.

it's funny about the dim sum thing because as a kid, it was a special thing. there were few places that served dim sum and those that did, only served it on saturday and sunday (until 3PM). now, there are more restaurants and some serve it every day and even into the night...no longer is it an event to which i look forward. still, it's always a treat to take people who have never had it or not had it in years; i get to educate them in what they're eating and they get to nosh on something completely different than the 'Chinese food' that they're accustomed (to).

this day was extra special not only because of my parents' anniversary but because i saw someone that i hadn't seen in more than 20 years. this gal, Lu Ann, used to work for my parents in the early 80's. she was WAY cool; my sister and i worshipped her. she was just a really nice person who was kind of the rebel of her family. we had a great time working with her for those two or three years.

anyway, she had moved to the San Francisco area in 1982...and we actually saw her that summer in Oakland, but not since then. i always had wondered how/what she was doing... i had even attended three conferences in SFO in the last six years but never made the time to look her up...oops.

luckily, she and her husband moved here a couple months ago, so we can all catch up now! seeing her really made my day...yay!

i'm just a sentimental kind of guy. i guess my reminiscent feelings get stronger as i get older because those were such good times. i even try to relate some of the bad things to you guys in a funny recollection; self deprecating humor can be therapeutic. of all the painful (although funny) things that have happened in my life, i don't mind talking about it...i just don't wanna go through it again!!!