Lunch in Dahlingshan
I went out for lunch the other day. Now that doesn’t seem like a big deal, but I can probably count on one hand the number of times I’ve gone out for lunch when I’ve been working in Dahlingshan at the factory. When I’m served such great meals in the best little VIP dining room in China (at our factory), why do I need to go out.
My friend Mitchell had stopped by with his associate Joe, and we took the opportunity to get together for lunch at the Grand Oriental Hotel. That’s one of those big new hotels I’ve featured here in past postings. On this occasion, we opted for the Western buffet restaurant.
Well, I found out a lot of other associates opt for the Western buffet too. I had no idea. I felt like I was at an AFMA (American Furniture Manufacturers Association) luncheon in High Point. As soon as I walked in, I ran into friends and neighbors in the industry. There was Mike from Outlook, and over there is Johnny from Thomasville. There’s Craig from Bernhardt. Then we spied Mark from Kimball. I recognized one lady from the industry, but for the life of me, I still haven’t connected her association yet – but I’m sure it’s furniture.
But of all things, after sitting down with one round of food, this shadow suddenly overtook my food. It was someone standing next to me, but in the glare from the window beside me, all I could see was a dark silhouette. Then a voice beckoned: “You remember me don’t ya Gene?” ………….. Here I am staring at this black shadow, and I start bouncing right and left to get a better view………. When somehow my mind registered something and said, “Rick? Is that you?”
Sure enough, it was Rick from Pennsylvania House. Let’s see, I probably haven’t seen him in close to twenty years. He’s been here for 12 years now, and learned the language and ropes pretty well.
You really realize the impact of furniture in Dahlingshan by a little stop for lunch like that. Here I ran into almost a dozen associates that I work with regularly or have known for years. And caught up with one associate I haven’t seen in some time. Amazing every time, but it gets downright commonplace here.
Chris, Jamie, and I with Vicky at her birthday dinner.
More Decca Birthday Parties
As I’ve often said, this Decca bunch sure loves to party. Well, it seems to be
birthday season, and the celebrations have been in earnest. In fact, we’ve been to the same restaurant for birthday parties for three weeks in a row!
The first started with Vicky’s birthday a few weeks ago. Now, this one had to be special. You see, believe it or not folks…… Vicky is leaving Decca!! Yes, my first translator and confidant, since I’ve been here at Decca is leaving at the end of the month.
So when this birthday chance came along, we all jumped at the chance for a grand celebration. It started with dinner at the East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Dongguan City and continued into the night with karaoke at the LV, or SLV or whatever they want to call that club.
Our first dinner at the East Ocean was indeed very special. Chris was on hand from the US, and Tony took us on a brief driving tour through the Dongguan City square. [
I’ll post more about that later.] Arriving at the East Ocean, we were met by another Hickory, NC resident, Jamie, who was visiting factories for HBF. As Decca is a licensee of HBF, he stopped in to see us, and we had his driver drop him at the East Ocean enroute from another factory, where he was to join our festivities. He was more than a little relieved to see our faces, having endured a long wait at the entrance of the restaurant. I think he felt a little lost in this big country with no one to assure him he was in the right place.
Oh, what a dinner! The East Ocean has quickly endeared itself with our contingent as a special restaurant. The meals are fabulous. Even the steaks are some of the best I’ve had in China. And the Alaskan king crab is divine! You better hope the 20’ foot turntable gets to you soon when that plate lands, because it is picked clean before it makes a complete spin of the massive table. Buns for dessert top off a great meal.
For Vicky’s night, we went over to a major Chinese bar, known as LV, or SLV. The “S” does not light up at night, and they suspiciously have made the signage similar to the more famous LV slogan….. but, that’s China for you. We had a private room for karaoke, and sang well into the night, before World Cup semifinals started. That turned attention to soccer and birthday cake. Of course, there was one of the famous flower candles that sparkled, sizzled, and then spread its petals. Always beautiful!
Tony’s night was a little more subdued, in that we didn’t go to the karaoke. I understand the party did move to the Decca “Hotel”, but I didn’t make the trek back to Dahlingshan. I retreated to my home since it was closer to the restaurant. But the food was pretty much the same great East Ocean feast. We had around 20 people in the massive room each time, all seated around one table. They have some pretty grand dining setups here!
Nothing like a good birthday party!!
Photos can be seen for each at the party from links on the right column.
Dining room featuring table for 20 at East Ocean Seafood for Tony's birthday dinner.
Chris and I taking our turn at karaoke!
Our group gathering for cake at LV Club.
One for the Road Grand Opening
I thought my golfing buddy Lucas had lost it. He had just told me he was opening a new bar in Dongguan. Sure I was glad to hear it would be an English-style pub with restaurant featuring good American and English dishes. But why would someone else open a Western bar in an area where at least three have opened in the last month?!?!
Well, Lucas at least did it right! Saturday night was the Grand Opening of
One for the Road, and although the weather wasn’t cooperative it was still a great event. Folks enjoyed the beer garden despite the high humidity; and inside, guests packed all corners of the vast bar space enjoying dinner, pool, darts, and good dinners.
Jason and Lucas even made it a special weekend of events with golf on Friday too. Jason moved over from another local establishment to manage the new pub, and he brought with him a “golf society” or league of local ex-pats. We played all the holes we could get in on Friday before a major storm blew us off the course. I even found strength enough to win two of the main prizes for Long Drive and Closest to Pin on a couple of holes. (
Thank you to all those long hitters that put ‘em in the rough!) Nice prizes of a putter and golf shoes. We may be a small group of ex-pats, but we’re well connected in golf equipment suppliers amongst our group. Makes for good prizes!!
But back to the Grand Opening of
One for the Road: What a night? A full house of guests enjoyed fish & chips and American burgers, as well as steaks, and even some local Chinese dishes. Service still has to improve, but the dishes are some of the best Western food to be found in Dongguan. They’ve been serving for a couple of weeks now, and I’ve had several good meals there, even though construction was going on in the background. The beer batter cod is the best fish & chips to be found. With limitations in England, it just might be the best in the …………. Well, let’s not go that far.
Beer and English whiskey were flowing between the patrons. A few tried darts for the fun of it. Some serious pool players took to the tables and had some long standing runs against many a taker. The golf simulator broke a week ago, so a new one is in route. In the interim a PlayStation soccer game sufficed for those interested.
The big screen TVs were showing some serious rugby from New Zealand or Australia. One large table of interested fans lined up in front of the biggest screen to catch the match over dinner earlier in the evening. With no other English style sporting events, some smaller league games of rugby were shown after the major contest. But by then most guests were more interested in mingling and sharing tales.
As mentioned, there have been many major bars open in the last month in the area.
One for the Road seems to have found a good niche though. Conveniently located just across from New World Garden, the biggest ex-pat living area, it has the size for comfort, yet small enough areas to still be able to gather your own group for some privacy. And the food……….. Oh, I just can’t say how good it is to find a good burger and fish & chips in China!!
Congratulations Lucas & Jason!!
More pictures available from link at right.
A Kidney Transplant Story
On my last trip to the US, I had an unusual reunion with a colleague of the furniture industry. Getting out of a car in High Point, I ran into a former planner for Baker High Point, Burke Ivey. It was good to see Burke, as I immediately chided him about how life must be tough at home, remember that his wife had given birth to triplets while having another young one in arms at home, along about the time I left Baker.
To my utter surprise, particularly with the thoughts of my predicament entrenched in my mind, he told me that his wife had recently given a kidney to one of their sons! When he told me, he had no idea about my situation. I had not gone public at that time. But I was glad to know of his experience, and I used the next hour or two to garner all the information I could about what they had been through.
It was great relief and comforting to hear the medical attention that had been given to his wife and son. It was then that I knew that I needed to go forward publicly in hopes of finding the match I needed, and to obtain more information from friends like Burke.
Please read this heartwarming article from a Jamestown newspaper about the experience of Burke and his family:
http://jamestownnews.womacknewspapers.com/articles/2006/06/21/news/features/features18.txtAnd remember to check the links: United Network of Organ Sharing; Coalition on Donation; and Signup as a Donor.
July Health Update
All right, I know I’ve not been keeping up with my postings to my blog lately. I’ll try to catch up. So here is a little of an update:
I’m doing fine. Doctors tell me I am fairly stable. But that doesn’t take away from the need for a new kidney. I still need a new one!
In the meantime, I still go on with life. I have few side effects. My mouth tastes like I’ve been chewing metal from time to time. And I never even “spit nails” in an upholstery plant! [
Inside joke for furniture friends.] I play golf from time to time. Work is still about the same. I do tire very easily up stairs or hills, but other than that, I’m doing pretty well.
Since I posted the notice about my situation, I’ve heard from many of you from around the world. The emails have been very rewarding. I really appreciate the outpouring of support and kindness. It has been good to hear of the prayers and concerns from all over the globe. I know the spirit of all of you with God’s help will get me through this. But it will still take a new kidney.
So far, one relative is being tested for a match, and I know of one friend that may be tested. Another friend who was so gracious to step forward with an offer had a history of diabetes that negated him as a candidate.
Still the offer alone by someone to consider such a thing has been almost too much to handle. I really don’t know what to say to someone who has even given it a thought. It is a lot to ask of anyone. But then again, I know I still need a new kidney, and one from a friend or relative is my best bet. I have to keep reminding myself that I do need to put someone through this, and that the risks have now been greatly minimized.
As I mentioned in one posting, the numbers of patients awaiting transplant are rather daunting and frightening. At this time, I am not even really on the waiting list for a cadaver kidney. I am listed, but somewhat in absentee. Being in China puts me too far away to get one if it came available with a match for me, but there are so many other patients ahead of me right now, that that is really a mute point.
If I get to the point of a cadaver kidney being the best option, I will be back in the USA. But as I’ve mentioned before, a living kidney donation is still my best bet right now.
If you are considering or will consider, please read the posting from my sister of a few weeks ago and contact her or the University of Colorado, Denver Hospital.
Forgive the poor quality of my cell phone camera, but I think most of you can recognize the unmistakable Krispy Kreme logo!!
New store coming here at this site in Times Square area of Causeway Bay, Hong Kong in August.
HOT Sign .... .Coming Soon!!
I couldn’t believe my eyes!! Here I was in Hong Kong and there it was: the
HOT sign!! Okay, so it wasn’t really a “
HOT" sign, but it was a sign for
Krispy Kreme!! And announcing a new store in Times Square area of Causeway Bay!!
YES!! YIPPEE!! Yes sirree…. Opening soon in Hong Kong is
Krispy Kreme! In fact there may be up to 20 stores. They just hit Tokyo last week, and in August, Hong Kong!! ♫
Sunny days are here again!!!! ♫I’m not so sure Hong Kong is ready for our glazed treat of treats! But I am. They are not big sweet lovers here. And they are pretty conscious about fattening type foods. I was pretty excited to find a
Aunt Annie’s pretzel stand a few months ago in a supermarket in Hong Kong. It’s already gone.
And in Dongguan, they have a sign for
Cinnabon coming soon. Now I really can’t expect it to do so good here. Most bakeries here have breads with tuna fish fillings. Yuch! Not exactly what I call tasty.
Me, I’m just anxious to get that first …. hot…. glazed…..
Krispy Kreme….. doughnut ……. right off the conveyor in Hong Kong!! More soon!
