The second day of the Lunar New Year was all about FOOD.

Lunch at my uncle’s was gut-busting. My aunt cooks really, really well so you can imagine how tormenting it was to have to control my intake. It wasn’t the most elaborate of meals but everything tasted of perfection.

Naturally, we started off with Yusheng:

Following that, we indulged in a very delectable spread featuring Fried Bee Hoon (Vermicelli), Broccoli with Abalone & Mushrooms, Kong Bak Pau (Chinese Braised Pork with Buns) and Tom Yum Soup.

Bloated from all that, I lumbered through the next couple of houses and struggled to strike conversations. It wasn’t until the second last house that I regained my bearings and managed to stomach a few more snacks.

The buddies then came over for dinner and we finalised plans for Dia’s 30th. We realised how it wasn’t going to be a cheap affair, but neither were we going to scrimp on our own 30th birthday celebrations. As much as it’s just another number, there’s no denying (for us at least) that 30 is a landmark age. So we settled on a staycation at Capella (because the girl doesn’t do cheap) after plenty of deliberation. It may not exactly be a weekend getaway at a nearby resort, but it’s certainly fancy enough. ;)

And because it’s not a festive season without some alcohol (I think?), Min brought a bottle of Baileys to share with us:

A toast to all of us, and all our other girls who turn 30 this year!

Here’s to another 16 years of friendship, and even more to come!

*clinks*

. . . . .

Song of the Day

More Today Than Yesterday, by Goldfinger

Did everyone have a great first day of the Lunar New Year? I spent all day at home entertaining guests, discussing aquariums (I’m thinking of getting a new pet fish) and babysitting in between.

Lunch was a scrumptious bowl of Chicken Curry with 3 slices of bread.

The parents had Ayam Pongteh.

And that was my only meal of the day, no thanks to the incessant snacking while waiting for guests to arrive. Yikes.

When evening came, I immediately assumed babysitting duties, as I am wont to do each year. To my credit, I am a terrific babysitter. How do I know? My four-year-old nephew Elijah was extremely upset when it was time to leave. Everyone wondered if I had some kinda special game that got him so hooked. All I had was a Magna Doodle board and plenty of imagination as I played along in his constant “killing” and “reviving” of a certain Jango Fett. I know right. BOYS.

It also helps that the cheeky fella was adorable.

Dad was mesmerised by my other nephew, Rafel, and couldn’t stop cuddling him. But really, the kid was that huggable.

My family and I are heading out to visit the rellies tomorrow. That means more food, and more trouble for my waistline. The gym is gonna appear extra laborious this week.

. . . . .

Song of the Day

If This City Never Sleeps, by Rosie Thomas

I’m not the biggest fan of the Lunar New Year. Believe it or not, there’s too much fanfare for my liking, not to mention the garish decor, and don’t even get me started on the music (wayyy too over-the-top cheerful for my liking). Yes, it’s festive and there’s always good food and good company, but because we all have so many other homes to visit, everything becomes rushed and quality time is compromised.

My dad loves it heaps though, and never fails to decorate the lobby right outside our apartment.

It’s become a bit of a highlight for our neighbours (and their visitors) who actually look forward to it each year. No kidding.

We get a fairly large number of visitors each festive season, and we usually have a good assortment of goodies awaiting them. This year, though, I think we might have outdone ourselves with 11 different types of snacks, including three variations of pineapple tarts:

I can only think of one other household (the Gohs) that serves more food.

Reunion dinner at our place is usually quite low-key with only our immediate family members. As such, we don’t typically have a huge spread, serving only four dishes: Ayam Pongteh (Braised Chicken with Salted Bean Paste), Chicken Curry, and my two favourites – Hee Peow Soup (Fish Maw Soup with Cabbage, Fishballs, Prawn balls and Meatballs) & Ngoh Hiang (Pork & Water Chestnut Rolls with Beancurd Skin).

This year, we opted to save the Ayam Pongteh and Chicken Curry for the extended family who usually come over for lunch or dinner, thus explaining the lack of photographic evidence.

As much as I love that we have Monday & Tuesday off, I’m well aware that I’m gonna have trouble adjusting back to the daily grind right after all this. Oh well. Here’s to a prosperous and joyous long weekend!

Happy Year of the Dragon! :)