Lobster Feed report

The Lobster Feed absolutely rocked. It was an epic birthday celebration!

I was in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park with my parents last weekend when a banner at the entrance caught our eye. Given that the park is one of our favorite destinations, my father immediately bought tickets. The fact that the event was on my 24th birthday was a deciding factor. :-)

Dad invited his cousin Susan and her husband Tony to join us after finding out they were visiting from China. Mom prepared some tea before we left our house. We also took the couple to Santana Row in San Jose so they could see what it's like, although there wasn't anything they needed.

The five of us then headed to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and made our way to the event venue. There was a problem: Dad didn't know about Tony and Susan's visit and had only bought three tickets. It looked like two of us would have to miss out. However, luck was on our side: my parents were about to give up their spots when a volunteer found two more tickets at the last minute - and only because two people didn't show up. That was a close call.

Due to our early arrival, there was plenty of time for a hike. The timing couldn't have been better: all of us got back to the picnic area just as the feast started. Had we returned a few minutes later, the lines would have been much longer.

At any rate, the lobsters were delicious. I was surprised at how fresh they tasted, considering that they were shipped from Maine. Though we enjoyed the meal, the food selection was limited. Aside from the corn, garlic bread and salad, there wasn't much else except ice cream and cookies for dessert.

A local band called Highway One played bluegrass after dinner. Some people got up to dance; there was an Irish couple who knew how to bust a move. Dad also asked the band to give me a birthday shout-out, to which they obliged. That was awesome and awkward at the same time. ^_^

I also couldn't resist the opportunity to show off my new 200 mW green laser. The steam from the pots made the beam highly visible. People definitely thought it was cool.

On the whole, the Lobster Feed was awesome. Besides the small selection of food, the only downside is that the music was limited to bluegrass. Don't get me wrong - bluegrass is one of our favorite genres - but too much of the same stuff makes it repetitive. Other than that, I don't have any complaints.

While the tickets were $50 each, the proceeds go towards the park through the Mountain Parks Foundation. It's certainly nice to eat good food for a good cause. All of us were more than happy to give back to the place we love so much. I've posted some pictures from the event. Please excuse the quality as I forgot to turn on flash.