Last night (the 22nd) we had a birthday banquet for my mom at the Bai Family Courtyard Restaurant. It was originally a palace for a Qing Dynasty prince, but is a delightful place to get a taste of Qing food and culture.
Because of a scheduling conflict by the restaurant, they put us into a private room for no charge, which was a big deal since the cost of the private room is normally $1500 and there is a requirement to spend a minimum of $900 per table (yes, those figures are USD). Being in a private room also meant that we had a private performance — Beijing Opera, traditional music, dancing, and mask-changing.
The food was fantastic, and, of course, Gracie got the royal treatment!
UPDATE/CLARIFICATION: Just want to make something clear here…..WE DID NOT PAY THOSE PRICES (OR ANYTHING CLOSE TO THEM) FOR THE DINNER. That’s what made it so fun!
Oh what Royal Fun!
The party was surely pre-planned and prepared by Someone!