It started with sashimi, miso soup (miso means water in Japanese) and a Kirin beer, a typical enough lunch if one does not have to go back to the office. And then I met Kong Ni the owner of Osaka's Japanese Steakhouse inCedar Rapids. We have shaken hands probably a thousand times now, a year and a half later. It always seems like the right thing to do, before, during and after anything. I lunch there two to three times a week and, one day last year, he confided his plans to build a new restuarant.
Kong masquerades under the name Michael. He was born in Canton, lived in Hong Kong as a young teen, immigrated to Canada, then New Jersey, then Nashville and finally to open his thriving and highly successful restaurant in CR.
His English teacher told him he couldn't go around under the name Kong in America. When he asked her what name he could go around under, she said, You look like a Michael. And that was it. Most of us are stuck with our parents' birthing kneejerk.
Must be fun to choose one's name. I would have chosen Dan for mine. My daughters have changed theirs from Cyndee to Cyd and Catherine to Cat. That and their hair color. It's a new age thing, I know. I'm comfortable with the name granddaughter Rachel gave me years ago: Schmidt-Dawg.
A year ago Michael confided he wanted to open another restuarant, an Asian-French restuarant. Somehow that strikes me as a conflict in terms. He showed me gorgeous pictures of elegant Chinese restaurants. We talked and soon it developed that I would build the shell and he would fill it with a Chinese restuarant. The French aspect soon melted when he couldn't persuade his uncle--who had a Chinese French restuarant in NYC--to come live in CR. Culture shock supreme, of course.
So the restuarant will be of the PF Chang persuasion, supremely upscale, modern, catering to a younger crowd. Interestingly, Michael's mother was Japanese and his father Chinese. And now he will own a Japanese restuarant and a Chinese restaurant. So we will bring back a picture of each of his (now deceased) parents and he will build a little shrine on a prominent wall dedicating each restaurant to his parent with that nationality. That's a ka-chung moment.
Michael said he had to go to NYC to order kitchen equipment. He went seven times and it's ordered. A few nickels short of a million dollars worth of it. Actually, his restuarnat will make PF Changs look like a China Buffet.
Last summer, I was nosing around on a Mayo Clinic computer (they have them, for use in reception areas) and ran onto a form of Chinese astrology called Purple Star. Michael said it was a lucky color and would make a lucky name. So, the Purple Star Bistro it is. None in the USA, one in London, but the TM will hold water. The A in star is a star symbol with a Nike-like swoosh coming down to it.
Then, Michael said he had to go to China to buy Terra Cotta warrior memorabilia to decorate his restuarant, plus glassware and, well, Chinaware, and chopsticks and whatever. Then, he said I must go, too. Then, I said yes.
So I went to Barnes & Noble and bought a CD, Chinese for Dummies, an investment only a dummy would make. I understand the name now. I could get more understanding from the noise of a chair sqeaking on a wooden floor than from the gutteral grunts on this CD. I took it back. B&N said I had opened it and they couldn't take it back. They need to talk to Wal-Mart to learn you can always take something back. Besides, how do you know it isn't right unless you open it? I gave it to the clerk and voted with my feet. Amazon.com will work fine for future books. For one thing, they take it back.
Then Banker Dolph said he had a bunch of Yuan, the Chinese version of the more familiar Japanese Yen. I could buy them without a fee, $637 and change worth. If I figure correctly a Yuan is about thirteen and a half cents, making ten of them worth 1.35 and a hundred...well, you get the idea.
Then again, the rule is: Never trust a decimal point to a dyslexic. A hundred of them are worth either $13.50 or $135. This knowledge gap will make shopping in China an interesting experience.
But, then, there's Michael who will not let me go astray.
As further prep, I read The China Road, a fascinating journey of a Brit PBS reporter stationed in China for 12 years, who was leaving and as his swan trip decided to hitchhike across China on Hiway 312, a road that bissects China from East to West. A speaker, there was no language problem. And his reports are intriguing as he chronicles the rapid changes coming into a country embracing capitalism under the Red Star.
My final prep is to read The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, by Jennifer 8. Lee. Her book began when the Powerball lottery results were reported one day and 110 people had the identical same 5 out of 6 numbers, meaning they each won $100,000. Astounded lottery officals checked and found that the people all got the numbers from a Chinese fortune cookie. And the book goes on from there with a wonderful expose' of Chinese culinary delights, with it's lack of sugar and minimal oil.
For example, there are more Chinese restuarants in America than there are KFCs, Burger Kings and MacDonalds combined. One chapter is the Chosen Food of the Chosen people, how Jews love Chinese almost over all other repasts. Chop Suey means 'odds and ends' or 'bits and pieces.' The Chinese don't know of it and fortune cookies were invented in America by a Japanese cook.
Did you know that the nationwide Powerball headquarters are located in Des Moines, housed in an innocuous building? I didn't, either.
We wanted to fly first class. Oh yeah. Julie, my T.A. reported that 1st class on UAL fcrom Chicago to Hong Kong is $28,000. The cattle car accomodations are $1,231. For that kind of difference, we'll tough out the 15-hour ride. Take an Ambien my barber advises.
So I guess I'm ready. Our good Vinton friends, Keith and Kathie Ervin, will be in Beijing the Wednesday of next week. We were headed to Xi'an (Terra Cotta Warriors) first but Michael switched our plans so we will be in Beijing and will see them and even stay in their hotel.
When I asked Michael what clothes to take, he said, Hardly anything. Buy it over there. it's cheaper. Hey, why not?
As I find Internet Cafes in the various cities, I'll Blog a daily diary. And if I truly have Photobucket.com in hand--not really sure there--I'll drop in pictures from different cities.
I have no idea how to say anything in Chinese. But, then, I've got Michael. Such a deal.
And I will miss most my MQB, Mama Queen Bee, Dianne, and wish she felt up to the journey.
Dawg
Kong masquerades under the name Michael. He was born in Canton, lived in Hong Kong as a young teen, immigrated to Canada, then New Jersey, then Nashville and finally to open his thriving and highly successful restaurant in CR.
His English teacher told him he couldn't go around under the name Kong in America. When he asked her what name he could go around under, she said, You look like a Michael. And that was it. Most of us are stuck with our parents' birthing kneejerk.
Must be fun to choose one's name. I would have chosen Dan for mine. My daughters have changed theirs from Cyndee to Cyd and Catherine to Cat. That and their hair color. It's a new age thing, I know. I'm comfortable with the name granddaughter Rachel gave me years ago: Schmidt-Dawg.
A year ago Michael confided he wanted to open another restuarant, an Asian-French restuarant. Somehow that strikes me as a conflict in terms. He showed me gorgeous pictures of elegant Chinese restaurants. We talked and soon it developed that I would build the shell and he would fill it with a Chinese restuarant. The French aspect soon melted when he couldn't persuade his uncle--who had a Chinese French restuarant in NYC--to come live in CR. Culture shock supreme, of course.
So the restuarant will be of the PF Chang persuasion, supremely upscale, modern, catering to a younger crowd. Interestingly, Michael's mother was Japanese and his father Chinese. And now he will own a Japanese restuarant and a Chinese restaurant. So we will bring back a picture of each of his (now deceased) parents and he will build a little shrine on a prominent wall dedicating each restaurant to his parent with that nationality. That's a ka-chung moment.
Michael said he had to go to NYC to order kitchen equipment. He went seven times and it's ordered. A few nickels short of a million dollars worth of it. Actually, his restuarnat will make PF Changs look like a China Buffet.
Last summer, I was nosing around on a Mayo Clinic computer (they have them, for use in reception areas) and ran onto a form of Chinese astrology called Purple Star. Michael said it was a lucky color and would make a lucky name. So, the Purple Star Bistro it is. None in the USA, one in London, but the TM will hold water. The A in star is a star symbol with a Nike-like swoosh coming down to it.
Then, Michael said he had to go to China to buy Terra Cotta warrior memorabilia to decorate his restuarant, plus glassware and, well, Chinaware, and chopsticks and whatever. Then, he said I must go, too. Then, I said yes.
So I went to Barnes & Noble and bought a CD, Chinese for Dummies, an investment only a dummy would make. I understand the name now. I could get more understanding from the noise of a chair sqeaking on a wooden floor than from the gutteral grunts on this CD. I took it back. B&N said I had opened it and they couldn't take it back. They need to talk to Wal-Mart to learn you can always take something back. Besides, how do you know it isn't right unless you open it? I gave it to the clerk and voted with my feet. Amazon.com will work fine for future books. For one thing, they take it back.
Then Banker Dolph said he had a bunch of Yuan, the Chinese version of the more familiar Japanese Yen. I could buy them without a fee, $637 and change worth. If I figure correctly a Yuan is about thirteen and a half cents, making ten of them worth 1.35 and a hundred...well, you get the idea.
Then again, the rule is: Never trust a decimal point to a dyslexic. A hundred of them are worth either $13.50 or $135. This knowledge gap will make shopping in China an interesting experience.
But, then, there's Michael who will not let me go astray.
As further prep, I read The China Road, a fascinating journey of a Brit PBS reporter stationed in China for 12 years, who was leaving and as his swan trip decided to hitchhike across China on Hiway 312, a road that bissects China from East to West. A speaker, there was no language problem. And his reports are intriguing as he chronicles the rapid changes coming into a country embracing capitalism under the Red Star.
My final prep is to read The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, by Jennifer 8. Lee. Her book began when the Powerball lottery results were reported one day and 110 people had the identical same 5 out of 6 numbers, meaning they each won $100,000. Astounded lottery officals checked and found that the people all got the numbers from a Chinese fortune cookie. And the book goes on from there with a wonderful expose' of Chinese culinary delights, with it's lack of sugar and minimal oil.
For example, there are more Chinese restuarants in America than there are KFCs, Burger Kings and MacDonalds combined. One chapter is the Chosen Food of the Chosen people, how Jews love Chinese almost over all other repasts. Chop Suey means 'odds and ends' or 'bits and pieces.' The Chinese don't know of it and fortune cookies were invented in America by a Japanese cook.
Did you know that the nationwide Powerball headquarters are located in Des Moines, housed in an innocuous building? I didn't, either.
We wanted to fly first class. Oh yeah. Julie, my T.A. reported that 1st class on UAL fcrom Chicago to Hong Kong is $28,000. The cattle car accomodations are $1,231. For that kind of difference, we'll tough out the 15-hour ride. Take an Ambien my barber advises.
So I guess I'm ready. Our good Vinton friends, Keith and Kathie Ervin, will be in Beijing the Wednesday of next week. We were headed to Xi'an (Terra Cotta Warriors) first but Michael switched our plans so we will be in Beijing and will see them and even stay in their hotel.
When I asked Michael what clothes to take, he said, Hardly anything. Buy it over there. it's cheaper. Hey, why not?
As I find Internet Cafes in the various cities, I'll Blog a daily diary. And if I truly have Photobucket.com in hand--not really sure there--I'll drop in pictures from different cities.
I have no idea how to say anything in Chinese. But, then, I've got Michael. Such a deal.
And I will miss most my MQB, Mama Queen Bee, Dianne, and wish she felt up to the journey.
Dawg
2 comments:
Great stuff! I'm very much looking forward to your blogs from China! Kewl! Hugs!
Pops, Bon Voyage, or, more correctly: Yi Lu ping an!
Enjoy the journey...
With Love, C&D XOXO
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