Happy Year of the Horse

We always celebrated Chinese New Year in New York and when Vince had his apartment there, we celebrated it in San Francisco too. Two American cities with two great Chinatowns.

Of course we do not follow the Chinese calendar. It was just another excuse to get some friends together and go out and eat Chinese food. And most of the time that was the extent of our celebrations.

In fact, I only went to one street celebration in New York and it was pretty scary actually. There were explosions going off everywhere. People were just throwing long strings of  firecrackers out into the streets willy nilly from out of their third and fourth floor windows. Firecrackers were going off in the air on their way down and all over the ground wherever they landed. You were literally running through explosions. It reminded me of the fall of Saigon scene in Miss Saigon.

Well Johannesburg celebrates Chinese New Year in a big way too and there is no shortage of events over the 15 days of the New Year season. You see, Joburg has an old Chinatown and a new Chinatown and each is having their own celebration. Old Chinatown in the CBD is celebrating on February 1 with fireworks and a dragon dance down Commissioner Street. New Chinatown in Cyrildene is celebrating on February 8 with a street party.

Then there is the Chinese New Year Culture Festival on February 2 at the biggest Buddhist temple and seminary in Africa, the Nan Hua Temple in Bronkhorstspruit. They will have displays of martial arts, Indian dancing, Buddhist-related displays, lantern painting and more. There will also be different Chinese, Cantonese and Taiwanese food on offer.

And in addition to all the street parties and festivals, there is the food. We are going out tonight for a first night hot pot at The Little Sheep in Rivonia. And next week there is an invitation-only banquet at the Red Chamber restaurant in Hyde Park. We were invited and we are going! The menu is festive and the dress code is "Happy Colors."

Gong Hey Fat Choy. Happy Year of the Horse 2014!