A quarter of a century

25 years old...damn i'm getting up there. Whoever thought I would be 25, working in HR in education, and living in Shanghai? Definitely not me.

By the time my actual birthday rolled around, I was already burnt out from Oliver's birthday celebration, and a bit tired from the night before where my colleagues and I had an amazing dinner at Table #1 that consisted of sole with black squid ink risotto, amazing asparagus and some nice bubbly. However, my birthday sorrows of aging still had to be drowned in something so I went out with some friends Friday night to Mr. Willis, a solid upscale Italian/Australian/french/fusion restaurant where a few too many glasses of champagne were downed along side some good pate and salmon with leeks (I been eating good). Even though it was a Friday night and it was my actual birthday, we kept it fairly low key as the following eve, Oliver and I were holding a combined birthday bash in his and his roommates 3 story penthouse apartment with a roof terrace; not bad at all. About 50-100 people came, 20% of whom I knew but hey, thats what parties are for. The party started at 5 and ended after the cops and building management had to come a few too many times to keep down the noise. Yes, we were "those" people on Saturday night. The highlights of the evening were obviouslybeing around friends and seeing those I hadn't seen in a while, enjoying the city views from the roof terrace, and most importantly, eating the street food made by the street food guy we hired to BBQ meat, fish, and veggies on the roof terrace. For about the equivalent of 100 USD, we hired him and his wife to bring veggies, fish, and meat on a stick, along with their long BBQ grill, and set up shop on the roof and cook for 50+ people. Bring the heated A very China experience. All in all it was a pretty damn good party, done in style. Although Oliver and his roommates will got a stern warning from their landlord if any more parties are too be had, it was well worth it.