The Eve of Chinese New Year - Reunion Dinner

Today is the eve of Chinese New Year (chu xi). It is also a very important day to all chinese.

This is the day where everyone in the family gather together and have dinner together. There will be lots of food including chicken, pork, fish, etc. But in Singapore most of us have steamboat for dinner.My foreign friends thought we are going on a steamboat to have our reunion dinner...lol.

Steamboat actually meant a hotpot. It is actually a pot (powered by charcoal or electric) and we cooked a good soup base and then we just throw in all sort of ingredients. The ingredients will be added only when we wanted to eat. It could be all sorts of meat cut thinly, fish slices, fish ball, yong tau fu (all sorts of fresh produces like tofu, chilli, okra/ladies fingers filled with some fish paste into them), vegetables, prawns, mushroom, etc

I will have a busy time later preparing the dinner.

Meanwhile I have already wrapped my angpows (red packets containing gift of money), making sure that I remember different angpow patterns containing different amount of money..lol. For family members, the gift of money will be more while friends will have lesser (normally about $8).

Here wishing all GONG XI FA CAI, GOOD HEALTH, GOOD FORTUNE AND GOOD LUCK in the year of the Tiger.

Chinatown - Chinese New Year 2010 Decorations at Chinatown Point

Decorations at Chinatown Point in Chinatown. Being year of the Tiger, Tigers are part of the decorations. These tigers looked so cute playing chinese instruments.

Today is the day, where many chinese and non - chinese will start going to the market and buy food. For the chinese , most bought it for tomorrow Reunion Dinner for Chinese New Year and also to stock up food as markets will be closed during the first few days of Chinese New Year. Non-Chinese also had to stock up their food too. Even malls and supermarkets are closed during the first two days of Chinese New Year.

Oh I am so happy and all ready to receive the Year of the Tiger. I am done with the spring cleaning of the house, baked all my cookies, bought my new dress/new shoes and marketing...hahaha. Oh the most important part was that I also wrapped all my angpows (red packets containing gifts of money) to be distributed during the Chinese New Year for the youngsters and those not married.

Year of the Tiger seems promising and good for Singapore. Read in the papers that flights to Singapore during this weekend are all fully booked. I guess it is partly due to the newly open Integrated Resort in Sentosa.

Universal Studio will be open in March. You can keep track of the opening date in their official website.

Chinese New Year Decorations - Suntec City

Beautiful Decorations in Suntec City. The chinese word in the above word reads "Fu" meaning blessing or Good Fortune.

Chinatown - Chinese New Year 2010 Shopping Part 4

This will be my final posting on shopping in Chinatown for Chinese New Year 2010. This year I did not take much photo of the food, etc cause it would be a repeat of last year's photos.

These little oriental dresses are so cute. This year, my friends and I are wearing something oriental too. Mine will be a mix of chinese/japanese, a kind of kimono blouse with chinese buttons. :)



These cushion covers are so cheap but I prefer those sold in Robinsons, the designs are prettier.

Flowers and plants are favourties during Chinese New Year.

Durians for chinese new year? Nah, they seems to be around all year through.

Pomelo are also favourites with the chinese because Pomelo in chinese sounds like "to have".

My World Tuesday - Chinatown - Chinese New Year 2010 - Long Queue at Bak Kwa Store

Bakkwa, or rougan is a Chinese salty-sweet dried meat product similar to jerky, made in the form of flat thin sheets. It is normally made from pork. (You can read more about it from wikipedia.

It is a very popular snack especially during Chinese New Year. People can queue for hours just to buy them. It dont come cheap and can cost from S$45 per kg. Although it is a snack, people do eat them with rice and even pizza now comes with BakKwa toppings.

Lim Chee Guan Bak Kwa Stall is very popular, every year during Chinese New Year, queues are formed and they can numbered more than 50 people. Lim Chee Guan Bak Kwa has a long history since 1938. My late mother in law is a loyal customer of his stall ever since the stall started...lol.

I have no idea why people would queue at the head office of the bak kwa stall. Lim Chee Guan has two other outlets, one opposite this head office i.e. People's Park Complex #01-25 (Chinatown MRT Exit C) - that's where I got my bak kwa without queuing. The other outlet is at ION Orchard #B4-37 (Orchard MRT).

You can visit his website.

A short video of the queue. Those at the front of the queue seems so happy that their turn is coming soon to purchase the Bak Kwa...hahaha.



Please visit "That's my World" for other parts of the world.