An Even Dozen

Well, one of the most important dates of my personal annual calendar has come and gone: November 9th. It is, of course, the anniversary of my arrival in Hong Kong, way back in 2009. It's a date that inspires in me feelings of nostalgia, motivation and gratitude, and I usually try to arrange some manner of celebration to duly mark its significance in my life. 

Alas, a couple of days ago, for only the second time in the dozen years that have come and gone since I stepped off that plane, I was not in Hong Kong, the city that has truly made me into the man I've become, on our anniversary. And so I had to put in a little extra effort to pull this one off. 

Never fear, I managed to do it, and when I went to sleep in the wee small hours of the morning, I rested easy, having had a full-fledged day that reminded me exactly why, no matter what happens, I'll forever be grateful that Hong Kong has played such a major role in my life. 

Chinatown was the natural location for the celebration. And I assembled an elite, killer crowd to join me for the feast. Youngest of the bunch, and the only one among us who could lay claim to actually having been born in Asia, was two-and-a-half year old Zoey. Her proud parents, Maxime and Celine, also came along for the ride. You probably remember these guys, Max being one of my closest roomies and his lovely wife also becoming a very close friend after they met. Rounding out the bunch was one of my best friends from Villanova, Rusty, who came to visit me not only in Hong Kong but also in Singapore back in 2013. So it was an appropriate crew for such an affair! 

Now how about the venue? 

Well, on an iconic, atmospheric bend of Doyer's Street, just off bustling Mott Street, there sits a restaurant called Chinese Tuxedo. It's not strictly authentic, not by a long shot. But it's housed in an old opera house, and its interior design is simply stunning. They dish out killer riffs on Chinese classics, incorporating strange but wonderful combinations of tastes and flavors. Think sesame buratta and sweet potato curry spring rolls. Even the cod was prepared in a char siu-style, a technique more commonly applied to roast pork than flakey white fish in Asia. 

Chinese Tuxedo also serves bottled Young Master, one of the most popular beers in Hong Kong. You can bet your sweet life I didn't even consider another beverage. And all the over-twenty-ones at the table indulged as well. 

I was on a such a high after dinner ended, that I convinced Rusty to squeeze in one extra drink in neighboring Little Italy. And, still, after that, I just didn't want to sleep. I slowly strolled from Mulberry Street all the way up to Heidi's apartment, where I was staying, on 70th Street. In case you are wondering, that's a five mile journey, probably about as close to actually completing the New York City Marathon as I'll ever get! (Smirk.)

So, yes, you can take me out of Hong Kong, at least temporarily, but you can't take Hong Kong out of me! Happy anniversary, babe, and sorry we couldn't celebrate together on our special day. But rest assured, we'll make up for lost time when I get back, and while I'm away, you're always on my mind!