Banquets and Babies

It's been another weekend of bountiful food, and, while I indulged in some contraband, I did so in small portions. Portions, portions, portions! Think one or two bites of everything. It's a somewhat tortured existence, but I'd be stupid to blow my progress now.

Mr. Monkey's family friends from Taiwan are in town, and Mr. Monkey's father has been playing host all weekend. I didn't capture yesterday's dim sum foodfest, but today's multi-course meal is well-documented.

Little Monkey Niece met another baby today. [Aside: I don't know why these parents keep cutting their daughters' hair so short. Personally, I think they would be much cuter with longer hair, pigtails, barrettes, etc. I'm really not diggin' the unflattering boy cuts. I don't get it. Yes, I judge babies' hairdos. Evil, I know.]

First Course: Chilled Lobster With Fruit.
Second Course: Crispy Duck.

Third Course: Fried Chicken Rolls With Spring Rolls.
Fourth Course: Mini Pork Spareribs.

Fifth Course: Shrimp Two Ways.
Sixth Course: Giant Clam.

Seventh Course: Crab With Garlic.
Eighth Course: Bitter Melon Soup.

Ninth Course: Fried Pork.
Tenth Course: Pork and Vegetable Soup.

Mr. Monkey's Apple Sidra.
Duck says, "I see you."

Dessert was tang yuan, which are delicious glutinous rice balls with a sweet paste inside (these had sweet black sesame in them). SO GOOD. The soup, however, was sort of a waste -- overly sweet and gooey and totally useless calories without much tastebud reward. I just ate the tang yuan.

Mr. Monkey's father saw my careful isolation of the tang yuan and offered me more, saying, "Just eat balls! Eat more balls!" Mr. Monkey and I couldn't stop laughing, which made my father-in-law repeat his ball-eating demands more. Ha!

Only a few hours later, I went to Wan's 7,483rd baby shower, which was hosted by her darling mother-in-law at the Altadena Town and Country Club. Most invitees were friends of Wan's mother-in-law, but Wan asked a handful of us to come to keep things a little more lively. We laughed and noshed and drank mermosas [sic] and even won the "baby animals" game -- easy peasy! (For the record, I ate only one little chicken salad finger sandwich and a few pieces of fruit, but I'm told the petit fours were delicious!)

The award for Recipient of Service From Dumb Overzealous Waiter goes to Jen, whose teacup was filled with...ice water.

Most Mysterious Gift of the Day was this hexagonal offering below. Nanette posited that it was a Baby in a Box, in light of the cut-out. That way the baby can breathe and look outside the box!

Good times.