Starbucks CNY Piggy

Ever since I bought the CNY merchandise from Starbucks for Juliane in 2016, I kept an eye out for this year's. I managed to get most of what I wanted except for the piggy bank. 

The piggy which looks more like a rabbit

My piggy with Juliane's monkey

SCGS Annual CNY Gathering 2017

Once a year, we gather together to celebrate CNY and our long-lasting friendship with great company and food. 

We are planning to meet a little more often than once a year, maybe twice a year haha. :D

Camaraderie

A symbol of camaraderie and CNY cheer from my colleagues in RSU. Thank you. :)

First in 2017

My first illness in 2017! :(
I started having sore throat yesterday during the afternoon of Day 2 CNY. Took manuka honey but it was too late. I must have caught it from my older daughter who was ill since CNY eve. 

2nd Day of CNY 2017

Other than the tradition of visiting during CNY, family and friends visit us on the 2nd day of CNY 2017 for two other things:
Eat - Hockchew red wine chicken soup with me sua & Taiwanese braised pork bun (扣肉包)
Drink - Pu'er tea

Us on 1st day of CNY (Marieann is down with flu)

Happy Chinese New Year 2017

Here is wishing all my family and my friends (both in Singapore and overseas), my students and my colleagues (both present and past, in Singapore and overseas) a Happy Chinese New Year. May all enjoy good health, prosperity, success and great happiness!!

Happy Chinese New Year 2017!

祝新年快乐，万事如意!

(Image credit to dreamstime.com)

Chinese New Year's Eve 2017

It is the eve of Chinese New Year 2017. 
Time for our steamboat reunion dinner. :) 

Our own version of Lo Hei (seasoned seaweed, jellyfish and scallops) 

CNY Goodies 2017

I have been receiving CNY goodies from colleagues and friends. Feeling much loved. :)

Yuan Xiao Festival 2016 元宵节

Yuan Xiao Festival is celebrated on the last day of Chinese New Year (15th day of the first month in the lunar calendar). It is also known as the Chinese Valentine's Day. :)
Tang yuan (湯圓 rice balls) is usually eaten on Yuan Xiao Festival as the Chinese people believe the round shape of the rice balls symbolises togetherness and eating tang yuan will bring happiness and good luck in the new year. 

(Source: www.visitourchina.com) 

Thanks to my lovely colleagues and friends who surprised me with a bowl of tang yuan in the office! Love it! :)

SCGS Annual CNY Gathering 2016

It's that favourite time of ours during CNY again - our annual SCGS CNY gathering! As usual, we are surrounded by good food (lo hei, mee siam, kuah pi tie, fish cutlet, chicken wings, mutton curry, roast pork, home-made ice cream, ondeh ondeh, cake), good wine and great friends! 
Lots of food and laughter. :D  

Lo Hei! 

The famous Mee Siam cooked by Karen! YUM!

Kuah Pie Ti by Karen too! :)

Delicious Fish Cutlets cooked by Hsiao! :)

New in 2016. Roast Pork cooked by Navin! 2017 please! :)

Laksa Ice Cream made by Peng Han! Love it :)

Beetroot Ondeh Ondeh made by Karen. Sweet! :)

Blackforest Cake brought by us and Juliane cutting it. 

All of us (watching Forzen - Let it Go!) Lol

Can't wait for next CNY gathering! Actually we don't have to wait till CNY to have Karen's mee siam, right?! Hahaha. :P 

CNY Family Dinner

My mother never fails to invite my cousins and their families over for dinner within the CNY period to celebrate CNY with them. The chicken rice, braised pork bun and the soup are always a huge hit. :)

Chicken Rice, Braised Pork Bun, Fruit Salad, Soup with Fish and assorted vegetables

Happy Valentine's Day 2016 & Happy Ren Ri (人日) 2016

This year's Valentine's Day and Ren Ri (7th Day of CNY) happens to fall on the same day, 14 February 2016. Double celebrations! :) 

Happy Valentine's Day 2016

(Source: www.fluentu.com)

and Happy Ren Ri (人日) 2016

(Source: www.coachdennistan.com)

Holiday NOT Enough

Assigning the first two days of Chinese New Year "holiday" to be holiday is NOT enough. It is definitely NOT a holiday for the Chinese who celebrates CNY as we were busy preparing food, visiting family and friends, catching up, ... How is that holiday?! 
There should be another day assigned as holiday, the third day of CNY as Chinese believes this day is not a good day to socialise or visit relatives and friends because it is "Chi Kou Ri" (Day of Red Mouth) and in Chinese culture, red mouth means easy to cause quarrels and fights. The 3rd day of CNY will be the perfect holiday! 

Happy Chinese New Year 2016: Day 2

On the second day of CNY, visitors usually come to our place for these two dishes which are available for the whole day from late morning to night - Taiwanese style Braised Pork Bun and Hockchew Red Wine Chicken Mee Sua! 
大年初二，客人特地上我家来吃这两道菜 - 台式割包（新加坡所谓的扣肉包）和福州红糟酒鸡肉面线！

Taiwanese style braised pork bun (台式割包)

Hockchew Red Wine Chicken Mee Sua (福州红糟酒鸡肉面线)

The second day of CNY at our place is open house. My mother loves having guests over. She loves cooking for and feeding family and friends, not just during CNY, all the time! Feel free to come! :) 
My mother loves having guests over, she loves cooking for and feeding family and friends, not just during CNY, all the time! Feel free to com

Happy Chinese New Year 2016: Day 1

Happy Chinese New Year! 新年快乐! From the ladies of my family - my mother, Juliane and I (Marieann is at that awkward age where she doesn't want to be in photos.) 

Finally persuaded Marieann to take the annual CNY family photo in the afternoon lol. Happy Chinese New Year from all of us! 

Happy Chinese New Year 2016!!

To all my family, friends, students and colleagues (both overseas and in Singapore): 
May the Year of the Monkey bring opportunities your way, and may all your dreams turn into reality and all your efforts into great achievements!! 
Happy Chinese New Year 2016!! 

smile emoticon
祝大家猴年行大运，事事如意，身心安康！

CNY Reunion Dinner 2016

Simple dinner, happy reunion.
It is our tradition to have steam boat for CNY reunion dinner.

Last Minute Resting

This is the last time I can rest plenty before Chinese New Year starts on Monday 8 February 2016. Unless you are overseas, most Chinese will be busy visiting family and friends over the two days of CNY public holiday. There will hardly be any rest time... 

Time for Fortune Cookies!

I bought fortune cookies and gave to most of the assistant and associate researchers I know in the research centre. So far, the feedback to me has been the fortune cookie messages are quite accurate. 
I am curious to know what are the best fortune cookie messages they have gotten haha. 

Red Packets

Another 1.5 weeks and it will be Chinese New Year 2016. 
To date, I haven't seen a lot of red packets around, except for Starbucks (because I bought something for someone for her March birthday) and DBS. I have also yet to see the red packets from my work place, always thought they would have been given out to staff by now...