Writes of Passage

1441 E Fletcher Ave, Ste 115,
Tampa, FL 33612

… more pix on google maps, Yelp, TA, FB

Will return, especially when I want a quick meal.

A minute does make a difference.

Unaware they open at 5, when the door is locked, we decided to go to the Cantonese restaurant a few doors to the left. Unfortunately it closes on Tuesdays. So we turned around, heading to the Beijing House, which is to Red Bowl’s right. As we’re passing by RB, a couple goes in. Guess were we a few seconds early or late, would have missed their grand entrance, and our opportunity. A few seconds make a difference.

Good service and delicious food. We’ve mapo tofu and Dan Dan noodle.

One young girl is serving, who suggested to me to order mild for my noodles, even I told her that I enjoy jalapeño and wanted the medium. As it turned out, ‘mild’ degree tastes like no spicy at all; so the server brought me a little chilly powder.

The Dandan noodle, is delicious but it’s not authentic one I remembered. To be fair, theirs is like nearly all other restaurants, with soup, veggies … I thought it should be dry like Alfredo. Maybe what I remembered wasn’t the right way to do it due to lack of ingredients in Beijing at the time.

A Chinese lady (owner? Chef?) came out to social. She hugged the woman who came in first. Then came to our table, said “I heard your noodle isn’t spicy enough.” I told her that the powder works fine and thank her for taking the time to check on us. She then moves to the table behind us and chats in Mandarin with the young couple.

By the time we left, one more young Chinese couple came.

Off to the author talk – Jamie Ford @ the library

HCPLC
2902 W Bearss Ave
Tampa, FL 33618

Novalist Jamie Ford @ Jimmie B Keel Regional Library, Tampa.

Mr. Ford is here to take about his book/novel, The Many Daughters of Afong Moy (2022).

Afong Moy (1815/20-?) was from Guangzhou, the first Chinese woman to immigrate to US, in 1834. She became a prop, an curiosity,  being exhibited across the U.S., especially her bounded feet. She was ‘famous’ and was even summoned to White House to meet President Andrew Jackson (in office 1829-37). However, by 1850, news about her was all vanished. Rumor had it that she died on the street in Guangzhou (?).

This, perhaps is my first author meet. There are about 40 or so people attending, mostly women and mostly white. Three Chinese, two are, perhaps ABCs.

Ford is a very engaging presenter, precise and clear. He first talks about himself (4 daughters, etc.), his books (him in Henry… aims to entertain and educate), and this book (all about inherit traumas; Dorothy 2043 is the main character ), read a paragraph of this book (perhaps readers want to listen how the author read with own work, as concert goers would love to listen to composer plays their own work – how to interpret …), then Q&A.

• being banned: collateral damage – from 2010 to 2017 his book was banned in Arizona due to ban on ethnic study – not to incite resentment. He said “meaning make white people uncomfortable.”
• Norway 100% literacy
• Sparknote – summer reading.
• this book translated into 35 languages
• China Shanghai publisher gave him a great deal that he wondered if it’s a typo; but took 18 months to go through sensor. It’s a best seller in Taiwan and HK, in traditional characters. 中国 以繁体字出版 是台湾和香港的畅销书. 上海一出版社给了他很棒的合同, 好到他怀疑人生 – 是不是打错字; 但花了18 个月才通过了审查. 可能马上会出版 说是又在/还在 嚼文咽字ing.