【67】First Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner @ Leechburg, Home 2014

Before I first came to the U.S.in 2009, I knew of Thanksgiving Holiday only through brief readings. The Native Indians treated those newly arrived immigrants a great feast to welcome them to the Land of Freedom in 1620. Because of the kindness of the Indians, the newcomers escaped starvation and death in consequence. However, the newcomers brought many urban virus along with them and a lot of natives died of the diseases that they previously had no immune to. It seems that the Holiday is a sad occasion for those who lived here way before those European immigrants. But as many things in history, some of them is easy to change faces as it involves along with people's lives and traditions. Just like who would normally think Halloween was a most historical holiday long celebrated in Western culture for harvest rather than ghosts?

Well, anyways. The first Thanksgiving I had in the U.S. was in a good friend, Michelle, Mother's house. Traditional dishes were cooked. Family time was much cherished. I remember that I loved the biscuits, pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes, and cranberry desert a lot. The turkey was good too, but for some reason, it made me feel very sleepy afterwards. I guess it was because the stomach was working aggressively to digest the food and consumed too much blood that the brain just decided to lay back let the rest of the body take care of itself.

The year of 2010, I was back in China preparing GRE and TOEFL test for graduate school application during the Thanksgiving. Then came back in 2011. The school was tough and the stress from Matt's family was so overwhelming that I don't remember what happened in those two Thanksgivings. Vaguely remember we might have cooked in Mother Morgan's place for a Thanksgiving meal, but that may not be accurate at all. That's 2012 Matt moved back to work in PA.  2013, I graduated, Family situation was so tough that I started to worry Matt's safety living with his Mother during weekdays. So Matt put out a mortgage, we got our first house. Friends from North Carolina, DC, New York, and Pittsburgh drove to the almost empty house to celebrate Thanksgiving. I cooked a mixture of American food and Chinese food. We had a good time. Almost zero balance in the bank account, but we managed to share the joy with those who we care as we started out.

This year, in the glorious year of 2014, we start to feel a little bit more composed and comfortable. Our careers are getting started and we both are doing meaningful work in our own industry. We are still not very social in our spare time, rather like to stay home reading. We got couple of friends and liked to share the holiday spirits with so we invited a group of people to our house. This time, I proudly cooked my first traditional Thanksgiving Dinner ever, with all the traditional dishes: Turkey, Gravy, Mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, and sweet potatoes. The only thing being forgotten was Cranberry dishes. Well, that means next year, I have room to improve tremendously. Always a good thing.

Five Chinese friends and an American friend. Eight people, a good number. May everybody have a wonderful year ahead. Thank you for all the relationships in this world. We have much to be grateful for. Counting those blessings, I know how Lucky I have been. Like Grandma Donna said, "Lingling, we are all blessed lucky ones, for we have a healthy body, a sharp mind, a normal life, and some happiness there and here. We need to pass on our kindness to others."

Now, looking forward to the Christmas. ....... Just like this, I have started to build a life, with so many memories, here in Pittsburgh, my adopted home.

【66】A hidden Gem of real Pittsburgh @ Tic Toc Restaurant, Macy's Downtown

You know when you find something good. It just makes you happy. In the case of a restaurant, if you want to go back and share it with others, let it be your friends or strangers you just meet for the first time, you know you like it.

My boss Mike, who is a proud Pittsburgher and has a great deal of knowledge and affection to his city, introduced me to Tic Toc when we were at Downtown meeting a business associate. It is a restaurant tucked in the first floor of Macy's Department Store on the 400 Fifth Avenue. The food there was great and the waitresses were very friendly. I noticed that they were elder women, not too many younger ones. It reminded me of a diner a friend took me close to Oakland several times in the attempt to allow me to experience something America.

Anyway, when I came back from my month-long trip in China. +Rachel Szewczyk and I went there to grab a lunch. I told her that she had to experience this Cafe, it is such a neat place. So together we went and had a good time. She is now a decision-scientist at Highmark. We talked about this and that and then she shared this big idea of hers to organize some sort of Women society, in which women professionals or women in general can inspire and empower one another. 

It was such an enjoyable occasion, and she paid the bill. It is even better! Well, next time it would be my turn, I am thinking to go back there with her again. What would you say Rachel?