will i am's delayed diary

Once in a while, mum would get hold of some random charity dinner tickets due to her connections with people who have close ties to Chinese-based associations in town. This time round, someone passed her a couple of tickets to Persatuan Kebajikan Yee Aik Sungai Buloh's charity dinner. According to their Facebook page, their focus is on filial piety, Chinese culture, and charity work. The dinner brought us to an unfamiliar part of Klang Valley~ Kampung Baru Sungai Buloh, some 30 KM from home. On the way there, I drove past the spanking new Menara EPF. The dinner was held at the event hall of SJKC Sungai Buloh, and the sheer number of guests that were invited practically choked the small new village roads. I parked my car at the nearby market square and walked over. Every guest was welcomed with a lion dance. They had the familiar Southern style and the more unique Hakka lion which looks like something out of Minecraft with its square jaw, and a Flower Horn forehead.  The event was g...

Every year, the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall's Women's Division would either organize a cultural event for the Winter Solstice or the Lunar New Year. The Winter Solstice event didn't happen, so they organized the 11th "Love the Lunar New Year and Reunion" Cultural Carnival  instead. As usual, my mum's society was invited to take part. We had a stall to decorate and a themed dish to prepare. Our chosen dish was a lotus seed and lily bulb tong sui . As with all the other participants, we also made enough for a public tasting. In addition to all the member Chinese associations, several other regulars were also there, namely MySkills Foundation ( representing the Indians ), Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association (MACMA), and IKRAM ( representing the Malays ). Other than food, other important cultural aspects were highlighted, like dance, percussion, Chinese calligraphy, lantern riddles, Chinese paper cutting, origami, flower arrangement, and a d...

Sunday was hazy and hot. Mum and I were supposed to go to Jejak Purnama in the evening, so we gave the malls a miss. Hopped over to Origins Cafe for a simple lunch thanks to their B1F1 promo on Entertainer App. My first time there although its so close to my church. A no frills cafe that seems to have its regulars. The whole time we were there, a guy was giving chemistry tuition to a couple of teenagers at the adjacent table. It helps that they use canteen-like tables. Both the chicken chop and cajun pasta were decent in terms of taste and portion. But the flat white was weak. At around 5 PM, mum and I left home and headed for KLSCAH. Jejak Purnama is a cultural event in conjunction with the Mid-autumn Festival. According to the schedule, there would be a lantern procession from KLSCAH to the Guan Di Temple at Petaling Street. The rest of the cultural performances would take place there. Mum and I were among the earliest to arrive. Thought that we would have to do the lanter...

The Lunar Chinese New Year Mass at my parish is a major affair that involves many ministries working together. Planning started months ago. Kudos to the altar ladies for their beautiful centerpiece at the altar. Gratitude to the volunteers who had unpacked and washed all the mandarin oranges before the big day. And also gratitude to the kulis who came early to move the few kilograms of mandarin oranges into position ( never fails to work up a sweat! ). This guy even had to climb so high to hang the 'green' ( Chinese lettuce ) for the lion dance. And there were many, many, many, many chairs to be arranged outside the church. The liturgy was led by the Chinese-speaking congregation, but they also roped in the English-speaking congregation for added hands. Setting up the table for commemoration of ancestors also takes special know-how by the liturgy group. And look at the special offerings just for the occasion. So pretty! And at the end, mandarin oranges an...

Even before my Colombo trip , I was feeling unwell. A lingering illness deep inside my torso that couldn't quite manifest. Like an annoying piece of meat stuck between your teeth, that you can feel with the tip of your tongue, but can't quite dislodge. Couldn't take it anymore, so I decided to see the TCM practitioner at Happy Garden after mum's trip to the wet market. After a long wait, it was finally my turn. Her diagnosis after feeling pulse and sticking a tongue depressor down my throat : heat and wind. She diagnosed me three doses herbal soup with complicated cooking instructions. And while I was taking the herbal soups, I had certain dietary restrictions. In general, eat pork ( yay! ), and avoid white vegetables. A truly nasty concoction with a whole lot of dregs which I had to swallow as well. Once I was done, it was time for lunch. Mum and I ate at Wonton and Pho, just a short walk away from the TCM. Between us, we had a banh mi , and a plate of wantan noo...

When I heard that the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall was having a Winter Solstice event, I just expected that several of their participating member associations would set up some decorated stalls, and there would be tang yuan to sample. When I arrived there ( lugging pots, pans, tang yuan, sweet ginger soup, decorative knick-knacks, bowls, and plates ), I was shocked to find the main hall conquered droves of school children. Turns out that the major event for the day was "Zhang Yuan : 19th Assessment of Classics Recitation". Zhang yuan translates to scholar, and the event mirrors the public examinations of ancient China. They even had a giant banner of Confucious up on stage. Some very young kids were also taking part. They clung to their mothers, and they would whisper recitations of Chinese classics into the ears of examiners ( recognizable from their bright vests ). A voting was supposed to take place for the best decorated stall and most delicious ...