Saturday, February 9, 2013

Chinese New Year in Chinatown

 

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Mom has been bugging me to go to Ongpin with her for 3 days now.

She said there are sooooo many nice and interesting things to see as Chinatown prepares for the Chinese New Year. 

That day has arrived. She has turned into Gwama!!! 

 

 

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Check out the crowd at Eng Bee Tin. You have to queue just to get in!

 

 

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Mountains and mountains of tikoy

 

 

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So many flavors - white, brown, muscovado, butterscotch, ube, pandan, sweet corn...

 

 

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My favorite in Eng Bee Tin is still their ube hopia. The new custard version is so yummy, too!

 

 

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Couldn't resist fresh-off-the-griddle hopia dice from Baker's Fair

 

 

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And also a three-peso fresh-off-the-oven pandesal. Hee hee.

 

 

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I thought I'd be seeing dragons dancing, but all I saw were horses working :P

 

 

The nice and interesting things Mom wanted me to see:

 

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Lucky charms

 

 

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Pineapple wreath

 

 

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Bundled palay

 

 

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Fruits and vegetables vendor

 

 

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Lucky fruit rings

 

 

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Vendor of all things lucky

 

 

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Charms, coins, trinkets, gold ingots, plastic fruits...

 

 

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Lucky cats 

 

 

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Money baskets

 

 

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More lucky charms

 

 

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Kiat kiat plant

 

 

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Ampaw

 

 

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Palay bundles

 

 

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Gabi

 

 

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Ginger

 

 

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Pineapple tower

 

 

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Pineapple skyscrapers

 

 

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Fu Lu Shou

 

 

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Money pouches

 

 

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Welcome plant to welcome the new year

 

 

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Firecrackers

 

 

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Lucky display items

 

 

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Fish jello from Diao Eng Chay

 

 

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More welcome plants with blue and green stones, said to be the lucky colors 
of the Year of the Snake 

 

 

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Ribboned fruits

 

 

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OMG! I didn't know Mom is so famous in Chinatown! She is first name basis with everyone!
They are all her sukis!

 

 

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More golds and reds

 

 

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People getting confused with all the choices

 

 

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I find this pechay bracelet kinda cute :)

 

 

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This guy, too! I want to pinch those cheeks!

 

 

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My favorite finds are these giant lollipops. Totally un-Chinese-New-Year-related, but
I love my sweets! 

 

 

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Stopped by President Teahouse for a light merienda before going home

 

 

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When in Chinatown, Mom does as the Chinese do. That means having her own dishwashing
station at our table. She pours some hot tea on our plates, spoons, and forks.

 

 

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Empties the liquid into an extra tea cup.
She makes sure to put the cup away so she won't accidentally drink from it. Lol!

 

 

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Then she wipes dry everything with her own tissue

 

 

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Hay salamat, pwede na kumain.