A good birthday week all around, with lunches and dinners all week. It started with lunch with colleague Paul, his treat, on account of it being my birthday week and all. He is a much more adventurous eater than I; on Monday, we tried what, in effect, was an Asian fusion diner. Food was only so-so, but it was lots of fun to try (as usual in Richmond, we were the only round-eyes in the place; Richmond is now over 80% Asian).
Tuesday, friend Deirdre came over from Victoria for some "one-on-one" birthday time. In a departure from our usual ethnic fare, we walked over to my local pub. Romers, for some good old pub fare, for Deirdre, fish and chips, and for me, a hamburger (something I eat about once a year). Oh, and I got to have a drink too, as, for a change, I wasn't driving, and I do love Romer's peach bellinis!
Wednesday, the actual birthday. was marked by the traditional dim sum at the Victoria with friend Richard....
As careful followers of these pages will remember, Richard and I went to law school together, briefly practiced law together, and have been friends for over 40 years. In recent years, we have taken to celebrating our respective birthdays with dim sum at Victoria. We never seem to tire of it, nor do we ever seem to run out of things to talk about. (I guess that's not so surprising, since we only see each other twice a year....)
Oh, and thanks to Facebook, my day was also filled with good wishes from totally unexpected people, friends and family alike, and even a call from Brother Bobbie (from Puerto Vallarta by way of Palm Springs). And no, he's not really my brother, or Mariah's either, but she has always called him that, and I got in the habit.
And, in the interest of full disclosure, I should say that, in spite of the fact that we have barely spoken for almost nine months, Mariah acknowledged my birthday with a brief text. (I was not as gracious, I am afraid, having ignored her birthday two weeks earlier). I responded, but the whole thing felt - yucky. I am not unhappy that I have chosen not to have her in my life any more - she was behaving too much like my mother - dismissive, judgmental and controlling - but still, it is a loss.
Thursday continued the annual traditions; for a number of years now, Bea and I have celebrated our joint July birthdays with dinner and an outing at Bard on the Beach. This year, we returned to the high end Japanese restaurant - I never remember the name -
...we even ordered saki.....
....and oysters...
.... and, in the interest of trying something new, a seafood shooter (the taste wasn't bad, but the consistency made me gag) (note to self; remember not to order next year. At least not for me. Bea, however, loved it...)
The Bard on the Beach offering was As you Like It, set in the Okanagen in the 60's, accompanied by a trove of songs from the Beatles. Much as I pride myself on being a grinch, and much as I like my Shakespeare straight, even I was captivated (although I tried not to show it). Part of it, I am sure, was Bea's unabashed delight - her enthusiasm was catching. A lovely evening.
Friday was a different matter altogether. Not that the company wasn't great - I always enjoy Arlene's visits from Seattle . Dinner was good. Arlene has become a real foodie, and had several eating agenda items, including Rangoli, a "new style" Indian restaurant we had tried the last time she was here.
I include this food shot only in contrast with the Japanese restaurant the night before. Japanese food presents so much better....
Then we headed off to the theater, to see Aristophanes' Lysistrata. That's where we went wrong. We should have quit while we were ahead. What an awful play. It is bawdy and vulgar and not at all subtle. (for those of you who don't know, the plot revolves around the women of Athens and Sparta going on a sex strike until the men conclude the war). To add insult to injury, Christopher Gaze, the artistic director, wrapped it all in a play within a play, in his usual habit of not trusting his audience to understand the modern connection unless they are beaten over the head with it.
Suffice it to say that we left at intermission. At home, I found that I had a copy of the play (why is no one surprised?) and read it. It was every bit as vulgar as it was on stage, with enormous penises, shaved pudenda, farts and belches. Who knew?
The interesting thing happened the next day. We had signed up for a seminar on the play, and, in the interest of enlightenment, decided to go, in spite of the fact that we hated the play. We were, indeed, enlightened. The lecturer was both a performer and extremely knowledgeable, and while we agreed that we were never going to like the play, we understood the context, political and social, and to me that is key - to just about everything.
We were still talking about it hours later at dim sum at Fisherman's Terrace (another culinary repeat from last year requested by Arlene)....
a
....as much as you can talk about anything in the din of that restaurant.
We capped the day with yet another theater outing, going to see Repertory Theater's version of The Beauty Queen of Leelane, by Martin McDonagh. If the name sounds familiar, it should; he apparently wrote the screen play for Three Billboards. This was every bit as violent, and dark as only the Irish (and maybe the Russians) can be dark. Nonetheless, it met our criteria for good theater - we cared about these people - although we agreed that the production could have been better. Still, a good night at the theater - marred only by the fact that Arlene requested that I put the top up on the way home!
Arlene left Sunday morning, and we agreed that it had been a great weekend; good weather, good food, good, intelligent conversation. a learning opportunity, and, of course, theater.
But the festivities continued. No sooner was Arlene on the road then I was too (top down now, of course), on the way to friend Debbie's house. Debbie, Robin and I went to law school together, many moons ago, and have been celebrating our birthdays jointly ever since.
......so Robin (left) and Debbie (right) started in her lovely yard....
.....and ended up in Sun Sui Wah for dim sum.
Yes, I know I had dim sum the day before, but Robin hasn't had it for decades (literally - maybe 4?) and it was her year to chose. Another great restaurant - I swear, there are no grade b Chinese restaurants in Vancouver - and another great tradition carried forward!
You'll be happy to hear that is the end of the birthday celebrations. Well, I kind of missed the 70th, so I had to milk 72 for all it was worth. And let me say it again; if I would have known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself...
Spoiler alert: Monday (i.e., yesterday) was a downer, so I will leave it for next time, and close on the high note of friends, food and fun. More anon.
Tuesday, friend Deirdre came over from Victoria for some "one-on-one" birthday time. In a departure from our usual ethnic fare, we walked over to my local pub. Romers, for some good old pub fare, for Deirdre, fish and chips, and for me, a hamburger (something I eat about once a year). Oh, and I got to have a drink too, as, for a change, I wasn't driving, and I do love Romer's peach bellinis!
Wednesday, the actual birthday. was marked by the traditional dim sum at the Victoria with friend Richard....
As careful followers of these pages will remember, Richard and I went to law school together, briefly practiced law together, and have been friends for over 40 years. In recent years, we have taken to celebrating our respective birthdays with dim sum at Victoria. We never seem to tire of it, nor do we ever seem to run out of things to talk about. (I guess that's not so surprising, since we only see each other twice a year....)
Oh, and thanks to Facebook, my day was also filled with good wishes from totally unexpected people, friends and family alike, and even a call from Brother Bobbie (from Puerto Vallarta by way of Palm Springs). And no, he's not really my brother, or Mariah's either, but she has always called him that, and I got in the habit.
And, in the interest of full disclosure, I should say that, in spite of the fact that we have barely spoken for almost nine months, Mariah acknowledged my birthday with a brief text. (I was not as gracious, I am afraid, having ignored her birthday two weeks earlier). I responded, but the whole thing felt - yucky. I am not unhappy that I have chosen not to have her in my life any more - she was behaving too much like my mother - dismissive, judgmental and controlling - but still, it is a loss.
Thursday continued the annual traditions; for a number of years now, Bea and I have celebrated our joint July birthdays with dinner and an outing at Bard on the Beach. This year, we returned to the high end Japanese restaurant - I never remember the name -
...we even ordered saki.....
....and oysters...
The Bard on the Beach offering was As you Like It, set in the Okanagen in the 60's, accompanied by a trove of songs from the Beatles. Much as I pride myself on being a grinch, and much as I like my Shakespeare straight, even I was captivated (although I tried not to show it). Part of it, I am sure, was Bea's unabashed delight - her enthusiasm was catching. A lovely evening.
Friday was a different matter altogether. Not that the company wasn't great - I always enjoy Arlene's visits from Seattle . Dinner was good. Arlene has become a real foodie, and had several eating agenda items, including Rangoli, a "new style" Indian restaurant we had tried the last time she was here.
I include this food shot only in contrast with the Japanese restaurant the night before. Japanese food presents so much better....
Then we headed off to the theater, to see Aristophanes' Lysistrata. That's where we went wrong. We should have quit while we were ahead. What an awful play. It is bawdy and vulgar and not at all subtle. (for those of you who don't know, the plot revolves around the women of Athens and Sparta going on a sex strike until the men conclude the war). To add insult to injury, Christopher Gaze, the artistic director, wrapped it all in a play within a play, in his usual habit of not trusting his audience to understand the modern connection unless they are beaten over the head with it.
Suffice it to say that we left at intermission. At home, I found that I had a copy of the play (why is no one surprised?) and read it. It was every bit as vulgar as it was on stage, with enormous penises, shaved pudenda, farts and belches. Who knew?
The interesting thing happened the next day. We had signed up for a seminar on the play, and, in the interest of enlightenment, decided to go, in spite of the fact that we hated the play. We were, indeed, enlightened. The lecturer was both a performer and extremely knowledgeable, and while we agreed that we were never going to like the play, we understood the context, political and social, and to me that is key - to just about everything.
We were still talking about it hours later at dim sum at Fisherman's Terrace (another culinary repeat from last year requested by Arlene)....
a....as much as you can talk about anything in the din of that restaurant.
We capped the day with yet another theater outing, going to see Repertory Theater's version of The Beauty Queen of Leelane, by Martin McDonagh. If the name sounds familiar, it should; he apparently wrote the screen play for Three Billboards. This was every bit as violent, and dark as only the Irish (and maybe the Russians) can be dark. Nonetheless, it met our criteria for good theater - we cared about these people - although we agreed that the production could have been better. Still, a good night at the theater - marred only by the fact that Arlene requested that I put the top up on the way home!
Arlene left Sunday morning, and we agreed that it had been a great weekend; good weather, good food, good, intelligent conversation. a learning opportunity, and, of course, theater.
But the festivities continued. No sooner was Arlene on the road then I was too (top down now, of course), on the way to friend Debbie's house. Debbie, Robin and I went to law school together, many moons ago, and have been celebrating our birthdays jointly ever since.
......so Robin (left) and Debbie (right) started in her lovely yard....
.....and ended up in Sun Sui Wah for dim sum.
Yes, I know I had dim sum the day before, but Robin hasn't had it for decades (literally - maybe 4?) and it was her year to chose. Another great restaurant - I swear, there are no grade b Chinese restaurants in Vancouver - and another great tradition carried forward!
You'll be happy to hear that is the end of the birthday celebrations. Well, I kind of missed the 70th, so I had to milk 72 for all it was worth. And let me say it again; if I would have known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself...
Spoiler alert: Monday (i.e., yesterday) was a downer, so I will leave it for next time, and close on the high note of friends, food and fun. More anon.
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