Shopping with Kate

Tuesday we went to the #2 Fabric Market with my friend, Theresa DeVito and Jill, Katherine and Jonathan Fung (their husband and father, Raymond is Chinese working with Westinghouse and they are from Charlotte, North Carolina where Jill plays in the Charlotte Symphony and teaches cello and Jonathan will be transferring to UNC Greensboro for music. Katharine will be a junior in high school this Fall.) We had a great time - I picked up one blouse and Kate had 3 more made and a skirt by a lovely woman named Geng. I'll show my new items soon. We had such a great time. Her daughter designed a beautiful qinpao on a mannequin and Kate tried it on. I think I'll buy one for her for Christmas. Then, we were on our way to the 3rd floor to pick up my slacks and never got there because Kate found two - count them - TWO - 2 - cashmere coats she just fell in love with and we ordered them both. Both for about US $114. We'll pick them all up on Sunday after Mass. Many thanks to Theresa for her bargaining lessons - Kate is now ruthless and won't even talk to people who don't come near her offer price.

We had lunch at a very famous Dim Sum restaurant in Yuan Garden called the Hanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant. Bill Clinton and many other famous people have eaten Dim Sum there. This restaurant has been in operation for over 107 years. They even have other restaurants in Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. It is so popular that people come from kilometers around to sample the steamed dumplings which are sort of like pierogi or ravioli. We ordered some with shrimp and some with vegetables and spring rolls that weren't rolls at all but came in a triangle shape - something like a spanikopita. Very tasty and very interesting.

Tuesday night we went to the USA Men's Basketball game - USA versus Australia - we left at the beginning of the 4th period so we don't know who won. It was a great time. They did the wave and the arena was filled. The Chinese LOVE NBA basketball - they LOVE Yao Ming and they LOVE Kobe Bryant. He had his own cheering section right down in front of us.