Mission Accomplished

Several years ago I started collecting menus from some of our favorite restaurants.  My collection includes menus from fancy places and hole in the wall kind of places.  Many times I have asked the chef to sign the menu.  So I started framing the menus and hanging them in our dining room.  When I look at the menus, I don't remember what I had that night but remember a fun time out with my hubby.  

One of our favorite places is in San Francisco.  It has the best Chinese food you will ever taste.  It is definitely a local place and people wait outside in the rain to get in.  The tables are very close together and you usually end up sitting with other people.  The owner (we will call him Mr. Nanking) runs a tight ship.  There is NOTHING fancy about it.

The first time we ate there was about 11 years ago.  We walked in and Mr. Nanking would not give us a menu and basically told us what we were going to eat.  We loved it so much that we ate there the next night.

Through out the years, we periodically would say "I would love to have some Chinese food from House of Nanking."  It is so yummy!  Last year we were in San Fran and House of Nanking was on the top of the list.  At this point, my menu collection was underway.  A menu from House of Nanking would be perfect on the wall!  So as we were ordering, I put on my southern charm and asked Mr. Nanking if I could have a menu.  I explained to him that I collect menus and hang them on my wall.  He simply looked at me and shook his head NO, took the menu and walked away.  I was speechless!  This menu us nothing fancy and was in a page protector.   I was heartbroken...well not really but you know what I mean.  So my little collection would not have a menu from one of our favorite restaurants.  

We recently took a trip to Napa Valley.  We drove back to San Fran the last day and ate at House of Nanking.  So what was I to do?  Do I ask for permission or forgiveness? I could not take the menu since Mr. Nanking had told me a year ago a big fat NO.   Let me remind you that this menu is nothing special....photo copied, prices are hand written in Chinese, stapled in a 5 cent page protector!  So I had to change my approach.  Instead of turning on my southern charm and giving too many details of why I wanted it, I simply looked at him and said, "Can I have this?"  He asked my why.  Instead of telling him about a collection, I said "To put on my wall."  He smiled and said yes.  I was grinning from ear to ear.  My hubby gave me the high five across the table.  I actually got Mr. Nanking to smile!  I thought I would be pushing it if I asked him to sign the menu.  One little bonus was a picture with Mr. Nanking.  He was standing outside as we were leaving.  I asked him since we were friends now could I have my picture taken with him.  He even suggested for us to get under the Nanking sign.

Like I said the collection is not about the menu itself or the food....it is about a fun time to remember.  What are some ways you remember your fun times?

Thanks for sticking with the long story.

Me and Mr. Nanking....pic taken with a phone camera!  Can you believe I did not have my camera with me!!!  

My collection.  As you can see I hung the pics.  My hubby would have hung them much better and would have measured everything out.  Me on the other hand....well let's just say I am not a perfectionist.  

My menu proudly displayed on the wall.