Dim Sum

Years ago my dear friend Sandi took me to a little Dim Sum restaurant in an Atlanta suburb.  It was a little square stand alone building.  I was not impressed from the outside.  To this day I can't tell you where we were.  It was my first time having Dim Sum, I didn't even know what it was, but Sandi said "trust me".  So, I did, and I absolutely loved it.  I was amazed with the experience.  Servers came by rolling carts, they told you what was on your cart, and if you wanted it, you took a plate and they marked it on your tab. 

Each plate had three small pieces of Dim Sum on it.   Pot stickers, dumplings, etc. 

That memory is one of my favorite memories, and I'm not just talking about the food.  It was the experience of doing something new, and better yet with my friend Sandi.

Sandi has been gone 12 years now, and I still miss her.  She was killed in a horrible car accident.  I always think about her this time of year, the accident was on December 18, 1998, a week before Christmas. 

By some twist of fate, and being in my office at 11 pm that night, the back line was ringing which was odd, so I answered it.  It was someone looking for my old boss, Sandi's ex-husband.  They were recently divorced, but still cared about one another.  He'd moved out of state, but he and I were in contact.  I told her they weren't married anymore.  She didn't tell me it had anything to do with Sandi.  After several questions, I finally realized it was about Sandi, so I told her that I was one of her best friends and I could get a message to the ex.  I thought she'd just been admitted to the hospital, nothing was clicking for me.  I asked to speak to her, that's when I heard the phrase, "I'm sorry, she didn't survive the accident."

I think I hit my knees.  I began shaking all over.  I don't remember much after that, other than having to pull myself together enough to call her ex and tell him.  I remember the silence on the other end of the line as the news hit him.

But I don't like to think about those memories of Sandi.  I have others of course, but Dim Sum stands out as one of my favorites.  I've only had it one other time since that day, but I was very disappointed with the food and the experience.

Why Dim Sum now, on a Sunday morning?  How do some memories get evoked?  Why does our mind go to a memory like that one which sparks a series of memories?  For me today, it was while looking at the Venetian website.  We're going to Las Vegas, and are staying at the Venetian.  I happened to see one of the restaurants in the Palazzo, next to the Venetian - Zine Noodles Dim Sum.  The memories flooded back.

The website says it is voted one of the top 10 Chinese restaurants in the U.S. in the Chinese Restaurant News. Chris hasn't ever had Dim Sum, so he just did some googling.  We may put this on our list of things to do while we're in Las Vegas.

Maybe I'll have a new Dim Sum memory, but if not, then I have just the one that means so much to me.  And you know what?  That one memory is just fine with me.

This post dedicated to Sandi, the fun times, the fond memories and one of the best friendships of my life.