Thursday, December 25, 2008
Life Waiting for Santa at Shanghai Garden
Posted by Eli Sanders on Thu, Dec 25, 2008 at 11:27 AM
As is tradition—TRADITION!—certain gay Jews, and certain non-Jews without Christmas Eve obligations, arrived at Shanghai Garden last night around 7 p.m.
Every Christmas Eve at this restaurant is Jewy. But, relative to previous years, last night was outrageously Jewy. One rather bold table brought its own menorah, lit the candles (it was night number four of Hanukkah after all), and sang a prayer. Jokes were made about how many minyans were present—at least enough, it was thought, for a bris, a bar mitzvah, and the blessing of a new shul (with a cantonese cantor). In among the Jews and Buddhists: two writers for the Seattle P-I, King County Councilman Dow Constantine, and those same fish that have been swimming in Shanghai Garden's giant aquarium for all eternity. On our table: salt-and-pepper squid, shrimp with black bean sauce, high nutrition hand-shaved barley green noodles, Szechuan beef in garlic sauce, dried green beans, and eggplant in garlic sauce.
Sound delicious? It's not too late to get on the Chinese-food-on-Christmas bandwagon. Last year, Angela Garbes offered a list of places that tend to be open and serving Peking Duck over the holiday.
Photo by Ruby Re-Usable in the Strangr Flickr pool.
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As we were leaving the restaurant, i overheard someone comment about "Jews proselytizing," referring to my party of loud and joyous jews. Was it because we were also handing out postcards -- to folks who came up to talk to us -- to support some Israeli high school kids who are in jail for refusing to serve in the military or support the occupation of Palestine? (see: http://december18th.org/) Was it because we were just being loud? Was it because we brought a menorah & candles and sang a hanukah prayer/song?
Why is that all called "proselytizing," when every fucking day of the year, I and my Jewish friends have to put up with calendars that follow Christian holidays, government & business closures on said Christian holidays, and a million other forms of Christian-centrism?
fucking OY.
Come to the Olympia Film Society/Capitol Theater for the 4th annual Fiddler on the Roof sing-a-along.
Temple Beth Hatfiloh will be collecting donations of food, blankets and coats for charity; costumes are encouraged, popcorn will be consumed, more info HERE
we have had some fun costumes, the winner one year came dressed as a roof (with roofing shingles draped all over her), one of our board members came as the Russian non-Jew who wooed Chava (can't remember that character's name right now), Tevye is always a favorite, as well as the butcher's dead wife (my PEARLS!)
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