Happy New Year Everyone!

My father side of the family, or at least part of us, gathered for lunch today and it's so good to see each other again. 

Let me wish you:

恭祝大家新年快乐

身手灵活犹如松鼠

比天竺鼠人见人爱

幸福健康机会平安

数不尽，有的藏

In Cantonese:

zuk1 daai6 gaa1 san1 nin4 faai3 lok6

san1 sau2 ling4 wut6 jau4 jyu4 cung4 syu2

bei2 tin1 zuk1 syu2 jan4 gin3 jan4 ngoi3

hang6 fuk1 gin6 hong1 gei7 wui6 ping4 ngon1

sou3 bat1 zeon6 jau5 dik1 cong4

In literal translation!

Wishing everybody a Happy New Year

Body and hands lively like the squirrels

Compared to guinea pigs people see people love

Happiness, health, opportunity, peace

Counting unexhausted there is to keep

Gong Hei Fatt Choy! Wishing all of you the best of the new year!!! May we all be blessed and happy all year long!

pearlie

Chinese New Year Eve Reunion Dinner

It has been many years since we've gathered for a reunion dinner at my mother-in-law's home. She has been away most of these years but she's home now and it's nice to gather again as a family.

She cooked such a delicious spread and we really missed her cooking!!!

Oh so yummy...

Gong Xi Fa Cai everyone!

pearlie

Wonderful Things of the World #7: Loong Yuk Gon

Here is my 7th entry of what I think is one of the wonderful things of the world but I don’t know why so far they are all in the food category. 

Books are wonderful too but I would blog them as book reviews. 

Anyway, the Chinese New Year is fast approaching and it is only during the CNY that I allow myself to eat Loong Yuk Gon. 

Its name in Cantonese obviously belies itself. Loong (dragon) Yuk (meat) Gon (dried/jerky) is of course no dragon meat. It’s pork and there is the chicken version too. Not too sure about beef though. 

Which is your favourite?

We just bought some from Bee Cheng Hiang today, but my hubby likes those from Oloiya and my mom’s favourite is from Hock Seng Guan. 

The reason why I’m limiting myself to have this only during the CNY is that even though it’s yummy, it’s not healthy. 

But when are tasty stuff ever healthy?!

pearlie

Why do we lou sang when it’s not even the Chinese New Year yet?

I remember we used to only lou sang during the Chinese New Year proper, which is only right because we lou sang to the New Year and not the old. 

So why do we do it now before the New Year?

What I can deduce is that the restaurants want to make more bucks with it since there is a high demand and I believe their profit margin is very lucrative. And for us consumers, we have more opportunities to eat it. 

We just had it for dinner today and it was really good. 

pearlie

Our Annual Chinese New Year Family Gathering

Like every year, my relatives from my mom's side gathered in my uncle's house for the Chinese New Year to 拜年 baì nián and to enjoy each other's company, my one uncle, three aunts, cousins, nephews and nieces. 

My cousin brother organized a gift exchange amongst us beginning with a lucky draw and here are the shots we took of the lucky ones. The prizes are small but fun and useful stuff.

I hate my picture to be taken but I kinda like this shot where I picked up the lucky prize of a toothpaste and toothbrush travel set. Very useful but amusing as well. 

Then it was time for the gift exchange. The gifts ranges from Kit Kat chocolates to bunny pillows and Hello Panda cookies to Spotify gift cards:

And here are the happy people...

...and the three pretty girls. 

pearlie 

Restaurant hunting for reunion dinner

 

My mom and I were planning for this year's reunion dinner. She used to cook and have the dinner at home but in recent years, we decided to eat out and not slog so much in the kitchen. 

However, my mom kept changing her mind. We first wanted to just pre-order and take-away poon-choi and yee sang and have it at home. 

But before I could do that, she made a booking in a restaurant near home for a Chinese set dinner. 

That's not the end of it, we were having lunch in a western dining restaurant this afternoon and suddenly she said we should have it here and that there is no reason why we should only have Chinese food. 

I am flexible myself and said, why not. Well, she might change her mind again. We'll see where we finally end up in. 

pearlie