Chinese Halloween

Hong Kong Resorts, the Chinese corporation that owns our town (not kidding), is organizing a haunted house in our town center for Halloween.  They did it last year and I'm pretty sure it was a hit.

I was talking to an HKR employee (a sweetheart named Pearl) and asked her if they were doing a haunted house again this year:

PEARL (very excited): Oh yes, except this year the haunted house is going to be Chinese.

ME: Really - what does that mean?

PEARL: There is a bridge and on the bridge there's an old lady who will give the kids poison soup.  Then the kids will fall off the bridge.

ME (not sure what to say): Oh, okay.

I've walked around for the last week wondering what in the hell she was talking about.  Then today, a friend of a friend on Facebook wrote this:

I know this story!! It's believed that when everyone dies, the spirit will have to pass the 'bridge', at the end of it, this old lady will make you drink that soup... after the sip, you will FORGET everything, everyone of your life and move on to wherever you are suppose to go.... sob sob...

I have two thoughts on this subject: 1) Are kids going to understand what is going on inside that haunted house?! 2) This whole thing is VEEEERY creepy.


Have I mentioned that these Halloween festivities -- all geared towards kids - are called "Journey to Hell"?!  Slightly inappropriate, wouldn't you say?!

Hoppy New Year -- Long Live the Rabbit!

I'm a rabbit and it's the Year of the Rabbit so I'm expecting BIG THINGS in 2011.  (Do you hear me, God/gods/powers-that-be??)  Since most of you don't celebrate the lunar new year, I thought you'd like to know what's in store for 2011.  I "borrowed" this from another site:

The year of the Rabbit is traditionally associated with home and family, artistic pursuits, diplomacy, and keeping the peace. Therefore, 2011 is very likely to be a relatively calmer one than 2010 both on the world scene, as well as on a personal level.

Conversely, nations will also become more insular and increasingly lock down their borders to protect against the "other". However, 2011 will also see new art movements projecting a distinct national identity taking the world by storm. Shrewd and creative new business partnerships will also form to the benefit of all.

Rabbits who thrive on delicate business dealings are best suited to navigating the year ahead. Those compatible with the Rabbit — the Sheep,Dog and Pig in particular — will also find 2011's circumstances inspiring them to greater personal happiness and professional success.

Others will suffer, by degree, depending on how flexible they are to the world mood. Those who have cultivated careful negotiation skills (or, perhaps more importantly, can sniff-out and swiftly dodge dangerous situations!), may attain similar good luck enjoyed by rabbits and those compatible with them in 2011.

Bunny-licious display at Chater House (mall)

Now here's where I have a big issue with Chinese astrology - I know maaaany people born in the Year of the Rabbit and we all don't fall into this category.  Regardless, here's what us Rabbits are supposedly all about:

Characteristics of The Rabbit
The three words that best describe the rabbit? Calm and gentle, but persistent.

Quietly charismatic, thoughtful and calm, rabbits are admired for their tactful and considerate dealings with all who know them. As such, they are most often depended upon for their wise counsel, or as someone in which to put valued trust in a personal friendship or a business dealing.

One of the most cautious signs in the Chinese zodiac, they are the chess players who take their sweet time before making a move. Yet, they are also the ones most likely to win any intricate game of strategy!

This most obvious of rabbit personality traits also spills into their romantic dealings, and rabbits will not commit to any one person right away.

Once they are settled down in a domestic relationship, however, no truer or more sweeter spouse is likely to be found.

In dealings with family and friendships, they can always be counted upon for a sympathetic ear or a gentle hand to hold.

Their highly developed natures can also be found in artistic pursuits. They have an impeccable eye for color and line that is evident in their thoughtful fashion sense. The rabbit is usually on anyone's Best Dressed list.

Despite (or because of) their outwardly calm demeanors, rabbits are extremely shrewd In business dealings and may never show their hand until just the right moment. They are also quick to bolt from any perceived danger and intuitively know when to fold - and run!

While I would classify myself as a sharp dresser, I don't think I've ever been called patient. In fact, it's usually my impatience that people comment on.  Nor have I ever been called "calm" and "gentle".  Must be the other bunnies.


We are celebrating Chinese New Year by jetting off to a beach in the Philippines -- a nation where Catholicism rules.  Makes sense, right?!  

Kung Hey Fat Choy (Happy New Year in Cantonese) to you all!  

Happy Merry Happy!

Three days before Christmas and it's 80 and sunny here.  I'm sure many of you are buried under snow and thinking "smug bitch," but I honestly don't like this weather around the holidays.  It's weird (unless you're Aussie).

Today, we decided to have lunch outdoors and I took this shot of V.  Note the large Poinsetta on our table and the Christmas trees lining the sidewalk.  Also note the blazing sunshine.

If you're interested, you can check out our holiday card blog at: www.birardi2011.blogspot.com.

Happy Hannukah (a week late)!
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Happy New Year!
[I can't bring myself to say Happy Kwanka as I know no one who celebrates it.]

To a Grrrrrrrrreat 2010

The first day of Chinese New Year (Year of the Tiger) coincides with Valentine's Day this year, which has created quite the conundrum for the Discovery Bay decorating committee.  In the end, they went with some pagoda looking love-themed display with red chinese lanterns hanging in the background.  I want to meet the person who designs these vomitous, illogical things.  I would've gone with something more daring -- like Cupid riding a Tiger or something.

 

As with most major holidays, the malls have gotten in on the action.  The mall closest to us -- IFC -- decided to go with what I can only interpret is a Three Chinese Wisemen approach.  You can't tell from the photos, but these cherubic figures actually sway in sync!

Strangely, Alexandra House (another mall) is the only one to actually incorporate a tiger into their displays.  It looks a little cheesy, but the tiger is made up entirely of flowers, which I'm guessing have been spray-painted...

Oh and here's what we can expect during the Year of the Tiger:

Drama, intensity, change and travel will be the keywords for 2010. Unfortunately, world conflicts and disasters tend to feature during Tiger years also, so it won’t be a dull 12 months for anyone. The Year of the Tiger will bring far reaching changes for everyone. New inventions and incredible technological advances have a good chance of occurring. For all of the Chinese horoscope signs, this year is one to be active – seizing opportunities and making the most of our personal and very individual talents. Everything happens quickly and dramatically in a Tiger year – blink and you could miss an important chance of a lifetime!


Here's hoping you live up to your potential in 2010!

Dragon Boating

Dragon Boating is a huge sport here. It's so popular they've dedicated an entire public holiday to it.

Let's start with the basics. What is a dragon boat and what is dragon boat racing? Dragon boating is a sprint race involving large 22-person boats (canoes on crack, really) in the water. The second photo was taken from our bedroom window and is an actual race.



While Stanley is the main dragon boating hub, Discovery Bay was one of only a few other HK spots that held races. In true DB form, the town got decked out in Dragon Boat fever. Here's a view of the D Deck (where lots of our restaurants are) with the beach (starting line) in the background.


Here's the beach where each team had their own tent:


In the heart of the plaza were booths selling everything from ice cream to oriental rugs and a huge stage, where I'm guessing they presented the winners with trophies. New Balance saw a good marketing opportunity and asked some employees to hand out fliers. Anyone else thinking Halloween 2009?!


The beauty of dragon boating is that people of all ages, sizes and skill levels can participate. Usually, dragon boaters break down into 2 groups -- serious competitors and people who want to do something funny when they're wasted. We have friends who are serious competitors and who trained for a good 6 weeks leading up to the day (they came in 2nd overall!) Then there are these people, whose boats I'd rather be on any day!


We had a great first Dragon Boating holiday -- spent the day at Zak's with friends, drinking beer, eating calamari and enjoying the decent weather. Unfortunately things didn't stay that way. We came home to find Victor a little out of sorts and after taking him to the vet, on our way back home he proceeded to have cluster seizures. Vin and I literally thought he was dying. It was awful. After spending the night in the animal emergency room on HK Island, Victor was diagnosed with epilepsy. The good news is that it's a livable condition; the bad news (or good news for Victor) is that we'll have to give him valium up the pooper shooter during his next seizure to keep things under control. Now THAT should be a good time.

Here's a picture of our epileptic pug the when he got home from the hospital.

Kung Hei Fat Choy

I just cursed you out in Cantonese. Actually, no, I wished you Happy New Year, but would you really know the difference?!

So, I've really let you down. Chinese New Year - the biggest holiday this side of the globe and a 15-day celebration no less - ended yesterday and I'm only blogging about it now. I could blame it on our Phuket holiday, but that would be a blatant lie since I had 10 whole additional days to get something about it online. Oh well, I hope you'll still enjoy reading about what is really a fascinating holiday even if it's already over.

First things first, each calendar year is dedicated to a different animal and each year/animal brings with it unique characteristics. The Year of the Ox is supposed to bring prosperity through hard work and fortitude. I was born in the Year of the Rabbit and am therefore articulate, talented and ambitious. Spot on, right?

The former Christmas exhibit-cum-Chinese New Year exhibit in DB Plaza:

Next -- and probably hardest for westerners to grasp, the Chinese New Year doesn't start on the same day every year. It starts on the first full moon of the year (which varies each year) and ends on the following full moon. This year's holiday started on January 26th and ended on February 9th.

Every day during this 15-day period between full moons has a specific meaning and tradition. I won't get into all of them, but one that we chose to celebrate was the 2nd day, also known as the Day of the Dog. This is a day when Chinese people treat dogs with extra care and respect, lavishing attention and treats on them. As we were in Phuket on this day, we asked our helper Lyn to give Victor an extra big crack bone. If you want to read more on the days, this website is chock full of info: http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/chinese_new_year.html.

In addition to the various days, there are certain customs that everyone abides by throughout the holiday. Many of them center around giving people money. Married people are supposed to give non-married people money, as this can somehow help them become un-single. (I don't think Bridget Jones would approve.) Oh and the money has to be crisp, new bills and must be held within a small, decorative red envelope. Interesting side note: all the stores here, from Ikea to McDonalds, gave away free packets of these red envelopes, all emblazoned with their logos of course.

You're also supposed to get your house and yourself nice and clean before the first full moon as this sets the tone for the rest of the year. Dirty house = dirty 2009. It's considered very bad luck if you wash or cut your hair during the Chinese New Year (as you were supposed to have taken care of this before that full moon.) While I didn't cut my hair, I certainly washed it. Sometimes luck has to take a backseat to hygeine. Like your hair, your house is supposed to be spic-and-span so you're not allowed to clean it during the holiday. In fact, they say that using a broom during this period will "sweep the luck right out the door" for the year. This one was markedly easier for me.

As for iconic symbols, the kumquat tree is the poinsetta of Chinese New Year. They are EVERYWHERE and even I decided to pick one up when I saw them in our local supermarket. They're really gorgeous and the orange worked perfectly with the color scheme in my dining room!


However, I began to panic when the leaves started falling off after only a few days. It's not like I could sweep them up... Plus, I don't want to read into what a dying kumquat tree means for my 2009.

Hong Kong Holidays

I'm sure as you were opening presents or yammering with relatives on Christmas Eve, part of you was secretly wondering, "What are the Birardis doing for the holidays in Hong Kong?" Are they laying on the beach with sunblock slathered all over the bodies? Are they trying to go out to dinner and only finding bird's nest and fish balls on the menu? Did some Christian missionaries invite them into their compound to celebrate Christ's birthday (a la Harrison Ford in Mosquito Coast)?

Here's how crazy it got:

1. We wished people "Merry Christmas" and they responded in kind. All the locals on Disco Bay, from the people behind the counter at our grocery story to the ferry operators to random men on the street -- cheerfully chirped "Merry Christmas" as I walked by on Christmas Eve day.

2. We ate a traditional Christmas Eve dinner. I got all Martha Stewart and made a big meal that consisted of beef burgundy, mashed potatoes, haricots verts and pumpkin pie (after I learned how to turn on the oven, that is).



3. Then we really shook things up and exchanged presents! I got a gorgeous red gown and Vin got a silver money clip. Victor got lots of a attention and an extra crack bone.


4. On Christmas Day we went to Ikea to get a chair for our office. Okay, so maybe this one actually is a little odd, but why not take advantage of the stores being open? It's a good-looking chair, right?!


5. Since we were so wackadoo with Christmas, we opted to be very traditional for New Year's Eve and celebrate with copious amounts of alcohol and friends. Why mess with a winning formula?! With equal parts pride and arrogance, I've reveled in being able to say that after only 3 weeks in town, we hosted our first HK dinner party...on New Year's Eve, no less! Even more impressive, the guestlist had people other than Vin and me on it. I can't really take all the credit; the expat community here is so inviting and inclusive that we've had an easy go of making friends.

I know you're dying to hear the menu (heavy sarcasm), so here you go: mushrooms stuffed with prosciutto and parm, toasted rosemary walnuts, salmon sushi, chips and salsa and sesame peanut noodles. I pondered deviled eggs, but feel that's more of a second date, er dinner party, move. :)


The guests included Elizabeth (Brit), Carl (Kiwi) and their dog Douglas as well as Justin (Aussie), Erin (Aussie) and their dog Pico. Both couples are married and live in our building. Justin just so happens to be Disco Bay's vet, too!

(L-R: Vin, Carl, Justin)

(L-R: Erin, Liz)

Me and Pico (I've never been into chihuahuas but this little man will melt your heart!)

Victor trying to make out with Justin. We hope this bodes well for his next vet visit (e.g. no screeching like a parrot!)

Vin and Carl watching ultimate fighting championship -- an appropriate way to ring in 2009, no?!

It was a great night...at least the parts I remember were.

Santa Comes to Hong Kong

Maybe, like me, you weren't sure if they celebrated Christian holidays here in Hong Kong. Or maybe you're a smarty pants and knew this city went hog wild for Christmas. Either way, I still think you'll be blown away by the following pictures which capture just how much pageantry goes into the holiday season here. They don't let a little thing like snow (or lack thereof) slow them down.

I'm sure I've mentioned that Hong Kong is a huge mall fest and that these malls are basically enclosed Rodeo Drives and Fifth Avenues. Well, the malls here are D-E-C-K-E-D for the big day early in November...

Here's IFC -- check out the tiny carolers and monster holiday ferris wheel:





Here's a traditional one from another mall in Central, whose name is escaping me:


Then there's my favorite display from Elements, the mall underneath Vin's office in Kowloon. They went with a French boudoir can-can theme, which I'm sure all you Bible beaters out there love to hear! I actually like it -- just from an aesthetics perspective. (Kate Reilly, this is what the DKO Road Show should look like this year -- it's fierce!)




And then there's Discovery Bay, which appears to have the lion's share of all Hong Kong children. You knew they weren't going to be outdone. You can't walk 5 paces in DB without running into a Christmas decoration. And it's not just the town -- I cracked up when I was walking along the beach in 80 degree weather and saw a beachfront house who had a commercial-sized blow-up Frosty the Snowman figurine in its backyard! This thing should've been outside of a Wal-Mart...




They also celebrate New Years Eve here, but it's not as big as the Chinese New Year, which is January 26-28 this year. Everyone gets like 3-5 days off work and the city erupts into this big party. Vin and I are hoping to get away to Thailand for the long weekend during the new year.

Little Known HK Fact #613 -- They celebrate Valentine's Day here on both Feb 14 (the western V-Day) and on Feb 9 (the Chinese Valentine's Day). I don't know the background on this holiday, but will certainly milk two Valentine's Days out of Vin.