{"id":553,"date":"2018-02-20T20:30:17","date_gmt":"2018-02-21T03:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rissarenae.com\/blog\/?p=553"},"modified":"2018-02-20T20:30:17","modified_gmt":"2018-02-21T03:30:17","slug":"happy-happy-cny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rissarenae.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/happy-happy-cny\/","title":{"rendered":"Happy, Happy CNY"},"content":{"rendered":"

This weekend we ushered in the Year of the Dog the only two ways we know how: eating lots of food and gambling.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The yee sang (the prosperity toss) in the shape of a dog (if you look really hard)<\/p><\/div>\n

(small gambling, at least).<\/p>\n

I love Peking Duck, but it’s a not-so-healthy dish full of those horrid trans and saturated fats. But I think once a year, it’s okay to indulge. It’s usually it’s eaten in a wrap (like a small tortilla) with cucumber, duck sauce, and green onion. Since I can’t eat the flour-based wrap, I go for the low-carb option. I could eat an entire plate myself, but I remind myself I must share with others if I want to invite the good luck and prosperity of Chinese New Year.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Peking duck sans wrap<\/p><\/div>\n

So on evening #1, we stuffed ourselves silly on traditional Chinese dishes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

I don’t remember what it’s called, but it was yummy!<\/p><\/div>\n

On evening #2, the family stays home, cooks up a storm, and eats it all in front of the TV while watching the Olympics in Pyeongchang. Once again, we stuff ourselves.<\/p>\n

On evening #3, we had a potluck full of all kinds of yummy foods and far too much chocolate. To wash down the noodles and chocolate, we play a rip-roaring game of Texus Hold’em until the kids get tired and we must pack up for the evening. For the third time, we’ve stuffed ourselves.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

What new year is complete without choco?<\/p><\/div>\n

It’s -24 outside when we leave; this is the coldest Chinese New Year and Family Day long weekend I can remember. Even our frosted car has troubles turning over.<\/p>\n

It seems like the long weekend is over just as quickly as it begins, and I’m up at the crack of dawn to go to work. At least this time of the year, the days are getting longer. The sun is just peaking over the horizon as I get into work, snow pants and all. Unfortunately, there are still pinks and purples in the sky, which means spring is nowhere near coming<\/a>. (Sigh.) I watch the forecast eagerly waiting for seasonal temperatures.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Pinks and purples in the sunrise\/sunset means winter’s still hanging on<\/p><\/div>\n

Hopefully next weekend I’ll get to pack the snowpants for good until next winter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This weekend we ushered in the Year of the Dog the only two ways we know how: eating lots of food and gambling. (small gambling, at least). I love Peking Duck, but it’s a not-so-healthy dish full of those horrid trans and saturated fats. But I think once a year, it’s okay to indulge. It’s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[60],"tags":[63,62,61],"class_list":["post-553","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-food","tag-chinese","tag-food","tag-lunar-new-year","post-preview"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6odz9-8V","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":526,"url":"https:\/\/www.rissarenae.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/no-more-snow\/","url_meta":{"origin":553,"position":0},"title":"No More Snow!","author":"Rissa Renae","date":"February 6, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"That's it! 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We're situated near the base of one of the mountains here in the Lower Mainland with a nice view of the river valley and the occasional sighting of Mt. Baker in Washington State. I didn't realize how much my\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "British Columbia"","block_context":{"text":"British Columbia","link":"https:\/\/www.rissarenae.com\/blog\/category\/british-columbia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rissarenae.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/BlogHead_MountainLife.jpg?fit=500%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":98,"url":"https:\/\/www.rissarenae.com\/blog\/2015\/10\/ten-things-youll-hear-when-you-tell-friends-youre-a-writer\/","url_meta":{"origin":553,"position":2},"title":"Ten Things You\u2019ll Hear When You Tell Friends You\u2019re a Writer","author":"Rissa Renae","date":"October 22, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"(As illustrated with gif\u2019s. Cuz apparently that\u2019s the hip thing to do) Mention to someone you're a computer programmer and no one bats an eye. Bus driver? Ah, no big deal. How about a professional lion tamer? Meh, I saw one at the circus last year. But mention you're a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Writers are Weird"","block_context":{"text":"Writers are Weird","link":"https:\/\/www.rissarenae.com\/blog\/category\/writers-are-weird\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rissarenae.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/TenTHings.jpg?fit=540%2C358&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rissarenae.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/TenTHings.jpg?fit=540%2C358&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rissarenae.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/TenTHings.jpg?fit=540%2C358&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1083,"url":"https:\/\/www.rissarenae.com\/blog\/2021\/02\/i-wrote-everyday\/","url_meta":{"origin":553,"position":3},"title":"I wrote everyday in January. Here’s what happened.","author":"Rissa Renae","date":"February 4, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Strange things happen when you make a goal and stick with it. I can't believe it took me ten years to figure this out! The Backstory When I set my New Year\u2019s writing resolution for 2021, I vowed to write every day this year. 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