Task 8/30: Multi-course dinner
Complete: February 23, 2008
Home to "World Famous Gender Illusionists" and yummy food,
AsiaSF sits in San Francisco night after night packed and pounding with performances for birthdays, bachelorettes and more. Getting a prime reservation after calling on a whim, our group descended into the best seats in the house due to a late party. As the host put it "You snooze, you lose" and well, we won, unfolding our menus to gaze at the menage a trois menu - 3 courses of rich selections paired with fun flare on the runway in front of us.
This isn't exactly what I had planned for the project, but I've never had a meal like this before and I've wanted to go to this particular restaurant since it opened 10 years ago and the opportunity fell into my lap. Especially since some things aren't shaping out exactly how they were originally imagined, and since I declared my rules flexible, I've decided that this qualifies and that later, if I want to do this or something else bigger or again, well then I can. But it took me this long to do even a meal with courses, and this had them, and it was cool, and my project, so it counts.
The food was yummilicious and our waiters were the bartenders, as the tables all around us were filled with large parties celebrating their Saturday nights. It was neat being on the inside of the circle, often staring up, center stage at the girls. I did my research before, so I knew what to stear us towards and away from and I'd say we were spot on. The chicken satay was the serious mmm-y. For my main course I had the filet, which was delicious, though came right as the first show was on, so I was a bit distracted taking pictures and whispering with the guys I was with. We had some delicious sake and for dessert, I split a yummy banana split that had deep fried bananas on top. It was delish. I gorged, we had a late reservation and the food paced out a bit slow for our appetites and obviously designed to encourage more drinking, but I was happy anyway.
The show was awesome, and the ladies were drop dead gorgeous, all of us definitely surprised. There were some girls who did the show part better, some people who just seemed to not be so into the dancing and performing, but all still did an amazing job. There was the country, pop, hip hop and burlesque, something for everyone as 2 rounds of performances showcased multiple ladies of all different types. It was actually nice to see that they had really done such a great job of focusing on diversity in promoting their diversity. At the end, the emcee made sure to say that she was proud to share the stage with ladies who were standing up as themselves and living their lives, I think really to send home that this wasn't a freak show, this was living...and did it in a really empowering way.
To a great night full of fun, food and lots of laughter, I have to call this Mission COMPLETE.
