Back from the states...

where we both saw our sons, my husband Joseph's newly-married namesake with his lovely bride, Michelle and we attended my son's traditional but quirky wedding. Marin and Anna were married at Morrocco's dance studio decked out with diaphanous banners hung from the high ceiling, under a chupah made from Anna's recently departed mother's shawl. The ceremony was beautiful, Anna so lovely in her Erte-like white satin gown and Marin so proud and suave. Friends he's had from second grade to to college showed up, as well as some their parents who were like long lost family to me. Smiling relatives, a wonderful klezmer band (who could also kick booty on 'Honkey Tonk Women') played and the cake was my favorite: carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, done up in three tier glory. Suffice it to say tears (of joy) flowed freely from this new mother-in-law, wearing a delicately formal embroidered chi-pao.

The flight was, as always brutal and long. I love China, but it's so far away. I hear we missed a heat wave in Beijing, no sorrow there.

We did the tony restaurants in Gramercy Park, Katz's Deli in the Lower East Side and everything in between, variously savoring steaks, scotches and bagels. New York was mostly chilly, overcast and rain-ish except for the wedding day, which was a perfect clear sunny day in May, one which is engraved in my heart forever.