Chinese New Year 2014

The year of Horse has finally arrived after 12-year cycle, the horse has galloped its way here to usher Chinese New Year (CNY) 2014.

Here are some of my happenings during this CNY:

Passed by Chinatown and the festive decorations have caught my attention. I took this shot while I was on a bus.

Tuesday 28/1/14

I made my first visit to StraitsKitchen @ Grand Hyatt Singapore for CNY lunch gathering.

StraitsKitchen is a Singapore-inspired restaurant presenting the best of local cuisine in a contemporary marketplace setting. If you love eating local food, you will love this place.

Jolene was already hungry.

StraitsKitchen has Yu Sheng promotion going on, so we ordered it for lo hei. 

Welcoming the new year with prosperity toss. 

Different ingredient symbolises different meanning, let us take a look at it:

Raw Fish – symbolizes excess throughout the New Year - 年年有余 

Pomelo – symbolizes luck and auspicious value - 大吉大利

Pepper – symbolizes attract money and valuables - 招财进宝

Oil – symbolizes money flowing in from all directions - 一本万利

Shredded Carrots – symbolizes blessings of good luck - 鸿运当头

Shredded Green Radish – symbolizes eternal youth - 青春常驻

Shredded White Radish – symbolizes prosperity in business and promotion at work - 风生水起

Peanut Crumbs – symbolizes a household filled with gold and silver - 金银满屋

Sesame Seeds – symbolizes a flourishing business - 生意兴隆

Deep-fried Flour Crisp – symbolizes gold - 满地黄金

Hope that 2014 will bring us good fortune. Huat ah!

I love the Deep-fried Flour Crisp. It is really addicting, couldn't stop eating it.

After walking round and round, here was what I got for my first plate. Initially I was trying to find what is the corner for sashimi, but there isn't any. I forgot that this was a local cuisine buffet. You could find some of the popular local favorites such as Satay, Beef Rendang, Hainanese Chicken Rice, Laksa, Tandoori Chicken and Naan.

By the second plate, I was already full. Prata will make you full, I have 3 pieces of prata!!! Usually for buffet, I could go like 3-4 rounds before proceeding for dessert. This was so bo hua!

Popiah. Too full for it.

Unique flavour of ice-cream - horlicks and coconut. Of all things I ate for lunch, ice-cream was mt favourite.

Thursday 30/1/14

Happy lunar new year to everyone. May 2014 be a prosperous year for all of us.

祝大家新年快乐, 馬年行大運:

馬上有錢

龍馬精神

一馬當先

馬到成功

Friday 31/1/14

Here comes the first day on lunar new year. On this important day, every household will visit the elders or the most senior members of the family to bai nian, wishing each other "happy new year".

New year sweet treats were placed on table for guests who came to visit us.

Chap Chai was prepared early in the  morning which we have for our brunch. 

Shark's fin soup is a must have for us for every CNY. We actually had the vegetarian shark's fin soup in order to protect the ocean environment. Hehe.

Vegetarian shark's fin soup was equally nice as well. The soup was rich was savoury, every mouth tasted so flavourful.

What is Donald so engrossed in?

Wow, now still have Ah Beng's phone (da ge da). A super exotic phone with the antenna. Super retro sia!

Comparing the size with iphone.

The Ah Beng's phone is like the size of a water bottle. Interesting.

Our yearly dinner affair on CNY - steamboat.

It is a preferred choice as it is easy to prepare while dining with a group of people.

My second yu sheng. 

Hope that 2014 will be an abundance and prosperity year for all of us. Huat ar!

Saturday 8/2/14

I was at Great World City the other day and saw there was lion dance performance going on at Level 1 atrium.

Watching the performance reminded me of Jack Neo's movie "The Lion Men", have you guys watch it?

Omg, this little boy was so cute. While watching the performance halfway, he came out with his own lion dance costume out and dance together with the music. Oh, what an adorable kid, so cute.

大头娃娃 came to distribute red packet to the audience.He gave it to the kids mostly.

Omg, the 2 boys under the lion dance costume seems only 10 years old. At such a young age, they were already so capable. They made me feel so ashamed. What am I doing when I was 10 years old?

Well, that pretty much sum up what I did during CNY, what about you? How did you spend your CNY?