Yao is in the house

A college friend was in town from Texas this weekend with his girlfriend, who hadn't been up this way. We met for a VERY excellent (though not inexpensive) dinner at Mickey Mantle's Steakhouse in Bricktown, OKC. That place has it all (except, as I mentioned, a thrifty menu)... ambiance, good food, location. If you don't mind paying extra, you won't be disappointed.

So while we were eating, my friend noticed that Yao Ming, of the Houston Rockets, was among the restaurant's other patrons (the Rockets play the Hornets tomorrow -- and I've got tickets!). He was there pretty much the entire time we were, and though I had my digital camera handy, I couldn't bring myself to take a picture. The restaurant was VERY dim, and so the camera flash would have been extremely obvious and generally distracting for pretty much EVERYone in the place (and I'm not entirely certain they wouldn't have kicked me out or something). A few people did approach him for autographs, which he seemed to sign graciously, but we just watched him go, a few minutes before we left ourselves.

Just outside the restaurant, the Bricktown canal water-taxi tour guides were pointing out the fact that they, too, had seen Yao. And they were using it to their business advantage. "Have you seen Yao Ming?" "Yao Ming is in Bricktown!" "Yao is in the house!" "Yao knows where to be!"


After dinner, I gave my friends the "grand tour". While we never saw Yao again, we walked a good portion of the canal, and also from Bricktown all the way through downtown OKC to the Oklahoma City National Memorial (that's about a mile and a half long walk). It was a good time in general. We made our way back to Bricktown (yes, another mile and a half plus) and then caught a movie at the Bricktown theater. Reign Over Me was the selection.

This movie is not for the impatient. But if you can appreciate a complex story that needs very detailed and careful construction, you will enjoy this movie. Or maybe not. It is quite sad. VERY sad at times. But in the end, while there is not happiness, there is hope. Be forewarned.