The Triumph Of Multiculturalism

Melissa's mother is visiting this weekend. We made the mistake last night of trying to go out to dinner at Ichiban, a Japanese Steakhouse in Harrah's. This was a mistake because it brought us right into the heart of chaos that is Street Vibrations (an event which oh-by-the-way is already blamed for three deaths and numerous smaller accidents so far this year). We weren't able to get a table until about 9:30, after most of the accountants and dentists playing out biker fantasies had gone wherever it is they went for the night.

The chef who came to cook the meal at our table (you know, like they do at Benihana) was not actually Japanese, but a Mexican guy named Francisco. Is it wrong of me to have thought that this seemed unusual? For the record, it wasn't the fact that he was from Mexico, but the fact that he wasn't Japanese that seemed odd to me--I would have felt it to be just as strange if the guy had been Anglo. But I suppose neither situation should seem unusual. As a newly out-0f-the-closet Socialist (see the previous post), I do love the idea of multiculturalism. Heck, why not have a Hispanic chef at a Japanese Steakhouse? I mean, it's a big win for diversity in the workplace, isn't it? He kept jokingly referring to Sake as 'Tequila', which struck me as funny for some reason.

Anyway, today we're doing what you always do with a guest visiting Reno; driving up to Lake Tahoe. If the weather is nice (which looks doubtful right now) we'll have some pictures.