Happy New Year

Happy New Year!  Of course, I mean Happy Chinese New Year.  Or for all the many non-Chinese people who celebrate it, Happy Lunar New Year!  I celebrated it by going out for lunch yesterday with some of my Chinese work colleagues.  Of the about 20 that went, I was 1 of the 2 non-Chinese.  So naturally, I had absolutely no say about what was ordered or indeed what most of the conversation (conducted in Chinese) was about.  We went to a place called the Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot.  Got to be honest, and say it's not the kind of place I'd go back to.  I think I've been to a hot pot kind of place before, but not for a long time.  And much the same as Korean BBQ, I do not particularly care for going to a restaurant where I have to cook my own food.  Part of the restaurant experience is about having the food cooked for you, at least in my opinion, so I do not like having to pay a premium to do it yourself.  Naturally, most of the cuts of meat and vegetables were totally unfamiliar to me - so that's always an adventure!  I also made the mistake of taking advantage of free doughnuts at work for breakfast - somewhat ruining my appetite for lunch!