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Welcome to GungHaggisFatChoy.com
Home to my passions for my inter-cultural adventures, Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner event. Save Kogawa House campaign, Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dragon Boat team, Find what you are looking for by 1) scroll the topics links, 2) use the search function ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Join the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dragon Boat team for lots of summer fun, fitness and friendship. We are a social team full of cultural vigor, that likes to eat. We have been featured on television, local, national and international. We have a unique and internationally famous fundraiser dinner event. We practice Sunday 1:30 pm -3:30 pm Tuesday 6pm-7:45pm Wednesday 6pm - 7:45 pm We meet at Dragon Zone clubhouse - just south of Science World in Creekside Park above the Aquabus and dragon boat docks. Our coach Todd Wong has 15+ years of experience including novice, recreational and competitive levels, and both community and corporate teams. Our 2005 Season brought us the David Lam Award for being the team that best represented the multicultural spirit of the Alcan Dragon Boat Festival, and Bronze medals at the Vancouver International Taiwanese Dragon Boat Race. In 2007, we won Gold in B Division at Vernon Races. For more information: Click on Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dragon Boat team information phone: 604-987-7124- e-mail: gunghaggis at yahoo dot ca ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2009 TICKETS Available in October 2008 WHAT: GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY: Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner - 12th Annual Dinner, celebrating 250th Anniversary of Robert Burns' birth + Chinese New Year's Eve. WHEN: 6PM January 25 2009, SUNDAY doors open 5pm WHERE: Floata Chinese Restaurant, #400-180 Keefer St. CULTURE: Our Performers create something special for us every year with traditional and contemporary performances featuring everything in-between and beyond! FOOD: A quirky fusion/mix/buffet of Scottish Canadian and Chinese Canadian culture 10 course Chinese banguet dinner 2004 - The debut of Gung Haggis Won-Ton 2005 - Haggis lettuce wrap! 2007 - Haggis dim sum appetizer buffet 2008 - Scotch tastings! Watch for more surprises in 2008! Description of 2006 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner featuring performers: Rick Scott & Harry Wong, The Shirleys, Joe McDonald & Brave Waves, Sean Gunn, author Joy Kogawa, with co-host Prem Gill . Media Inquiries Call Gung Haggis Productions 604-987-7124 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sponsors
Month Archive
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Chinese Canadian History
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Thursday, January 26
Gung Haggis Fat Choy goes Montreal via Maisoneuve Magazine/website
by
Todd
on Thu 26 Jan 2006 08:57 PM PST
PIPING IN THE (CHINESE) NEW YEAR
HOW VANCOUVER’S CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION IS PROMOTING INTERCULTURALISM IN CANADA’S WESTERN METROPOLIS
http://www.maisonneuve.org/index.php?&page_id=12&article_id=2030
Christopher DeWolf writes about the different ways Chinese New Year is being celebrated in Vancouver - but I will just get to the good stuff here. Click on the links to visit the full article at Maisoneuve Magazine. GOOD ARTICLE!
more »
Does Robbie Burns have Chinese descendants? What would he think of Gung Haggis Fat Choy?
by
Todd
on Thu 26 Jan 2006 01:46 PM PST
People have often asked "What would Robbie Burns think about Gung Haggis Fat Choy?"
I am pleased to share that the Burns Club of Vancouver definitely approves of my combined
Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner.
In 2006, Dr. Ian Mason of the Burns Club of Vancouver spoke at Gung Haggis Fat Choy World
Poetry Night at the Vancouver Public Library, January 16th 2006. As well Ian also came to
the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner event at the Floata Restaurant on January 22nd, bringing with
him his wife and Burns scholar Dr. Andrew Noble. more »
Monday, January 23
2006 - Best Gung Haggis Fat Choy ever! with Prem Gill, Joy Kogawa, Rick Scott & Harry Wong
by
Todd
on Mon 23 Jan 2006 12:41 PM PST
Last was indeed the best ever Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner. Every year has a different quality, different performers, different guests, different co-hosts and different suprises... We celebrate the diversity of a "gung haggis" world - full of intercultural fusion, no longer confined to self-contained boxes of multiculturalism. Max Wyman, one of Canada's leading cultural advocates and critics, as well as head of Canada's UNESCO program, was very excited about last night's dinner event. He first told me, then shared with the audience, that it was wonderful to see Canada's amazing cultural diversity expressed through the arts. All the hard work setting the ground work helps to make it possible for us to show case our Asian Canadian and cultural fusion artists. PICTURES of Rick Scott, Harry Wong, LaLa, No Shit Shirleys, Joe McDonald & Bravewaves, Prem Gill, Mayor Sam Sullivan, Joy Kogawa, Faye Leung... LOTS of PICTURES! more »
Sunday, January 22
Getting Ready for Gung Haggis Fat Choy 2006 - the morning of...
by
Todd
on Sun 22 Jan 2006 01:20 PM PST
This is going to be the most exciting Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner yet.
We have people travelling from Seattle, Vernon, Victoria, and Kelowna, specifically to attend. We have people who are in town from Toronto, Edmonton, and Scotland and specifically want to be at our dinner.
For the first time - we are going to integrate video with the dinner's events...
From the CBC Gung Haggis Fat Choy tv performance special, and the Jeff Chiba Stearns animated film What Are You Anyways?
The program is jam-packed... more »
GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY 2006 - Seating plan for Jan 22, 2006 at Floata Restaurant "subject to change"
by
Todd
on Sun 22 Jan 2006 01:49 AM PST
This seating plan has changed!!!
We are now using only the left (north) side of the restaurant. The tables have been re-aligned and recognized according to purchase order.
Here is the revised seating plan for the GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY dinner at the Floata Restaurant, January 22, 2006. Premium tables are in PINK - they are closer and two bottles of wine are served at the table. REGULAR tables are uncoloured. YELLOW tables are for Head Tables, Performer tables, sponsoring and beneficiary organizations such as Save Kogawa House committee, Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop and Gung Haggis dragon boat team. more »
Tickets to Gung Haggis Fat Choy - if you are buying on the weekend
by
Todd
on Sun 22 Jan 2006 01:37 AM PST
For people wishing to come to Gung Haggis Fat Choy... there are still tickets available at the door.
The Firehall Arts Centre has now finished their part in handling advance sales. We thank them for graciously handling advance sales for us.
There will be tickets at the door. But there are only about 30 seats left more »
Thursday, January 19
What to expect at the Gung Haggis Fat Choy 2005 Dinner
by
Todd
on Thu 19 Jan 2006 11:08 PM PST
Arrive Early: The doors will open by 5:15 pm. All seating is reserved, and all tables are placed in the order that they were ordered.... Expect the unexpected... more »
Win Tickets to Gung Haggis Fat Choy - listen to CBC Radio 690 Early Edition
by
Todd
on Thu 19 Jan 2006 01:52 AM PST
Listen on Friday, Thursday Jan 19th, somewhere between 7am and 9am on 690 AM CBC Radio One for co-host Margaret Gallagher to give away tix as part of "690 to Go" as she gives away tickets to the "city's hottest events." This will be the third year Margaret has given away GHFC tickets to CBC listeners. We must be hot! We think Margaret is hot. Margaret has both performed and co-hosted for Gung Haggis Fat Choy in past years. Margaret guest paddled in our dragon boat entry in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in 2005. We always sing "When Chi-rish Eyes Are Smiling" - only for Margaret. more »
Wednesday, January 18
Interviews, Kogawa House, Gung Haggis Fat Choy taste testing, Bryan Adams
by
Todd
on Wed 18 Jan 2006 11:58 PM PST
Busy busy days leading up to Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner event now. CBC Radio Freestyle called in the morning to find out more about the dinner and to set up an interview for Friday morning to be broadcast on Friday afternoon, January 20th. ~~~ We had taste-testing at the Floata Restaurant for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner tonight. Attending was Roland Tanglao of www.vaneats.com, chef Stephen Wong, dragon boat team members Dave Samis, Daming and Deb Martin. CBC radio reporter Margaret Gallagher also dropped in to pick up some haggis won ton to use in an on-air segment of "What's going on" and to give away 2 tickets for Gung Haggis Fat Choy on 690 to Go! More on our taste testing tomorrow. more »
Tuesday, January 17
The Scotsman: Burns meets the dragon in a Chinese Canadian feast
by
Todd
on Tue 17 Jan 2006 10:09 PM PST
The Scotsman, international journal for the Scottish diaspora has published a story about Gung Haggis Fat Choy. Journalist Christina Harper interviewed myself and bagpiper Joe MacDonald. GOOD STORY with PICTURES! more »
Monday, January 16
Sunday, January 15
Toddish McWong about town - Jan 15, 16, 18, 22, 2006
by
Todd
on Sun 15 Jan 2006 05:57 PM PST
Todd Wong appears in 4 different events listed this week in the Georgia Straight's Time Out section. 1) HAGGIS AND CHOPSTICKS, 2)
GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY WORLD POETRY NIGHT 3) JANICE WONG + panel discussion
Author reads from her book Chow From China to Canada: Tales of Food and Family,
4) GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY: Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner
more »
Monday, January 9
Sunday, January 8
Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan to attend Gung Haggis Fat Choy 2006 - will read poem in Cantonese?
by
Todd
on Sun 08 Jan 2006 10:58 AM PST
 Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan to attend Gung Haggis Fat Choy 2006 - will read poem in Cantonese? It's official! Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan will be attending the 2006 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner event at Floata Restaurant on January 22nd. But will Mayor Sullivan wear a kilt? Will he wear the Sullivan tartan? Or will he be stylishly attired in a Chinese jacket? Will he read a Robbie Burns poem, or a Chinese poem? After all, this mayor is known for his fluency in Cantonese - the same language as the early Chinese Canadian pioneers, many of home all paid the Chinese head tax to enter the country. I have known Sam Sullivan for a number of years. We first got to know each other when he visited the BC History and Genealogy Day fair at the Vancouver Public Library back in 2001 or 2002. Since then, we have bumped into each other many times at the Central Branch Library where I work, as well as the Yaletown neighborhood where he lives. We initially had a great talk about our family histories in Vancouver, and we discussed how we both grew up in Vancouver's East Side. My father had a signwriting shop on Venables St between Clark Drive and Commercial Drive, called Hopp Signs. Sam's father ran "Sully's Autoparts" on Hastings Street, between Clark Dr. and Commercial Dr. As a councillor, Sam Sullivan has also attended a number of events for Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop. At our 2003 ACWW dinner, he gave a welcome as deputy Mayor. At the recent Ricepaper 10th Anniversary dinner in September 2005, he surprised people by showing up after a long hard day, which saw him victorious over Christy Clark for the NPA position of mayoralty candidate. This morning, I learned that my Sam and I were both attending Vancouver Technical Highschool at the same time. I was in grade 8 at Van Tech when the young Sullivan was in grade 9. Then I moved to North Vancouver. Sam will probably see some his old Vancouver Tech school mates as some of my Laura Secord Elementary School classmates are planning to have Laura Secord alumni table for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner. I hope they invite Howard Jang, who is now general manager for the Arts Club Theatre. Sam went to the other feeder school, Chief Maquinna. Last year we started the tradition of inviting the Mayor of Vancouver with Larry Campbell - now Senator Campbell. Mayor Campbell showed up wearing a brightly coloured Chinese jacket over his mult-coloured kilt. And we had him on stage reading the Burns poem "A Man's A Man for All That A' That" along with MLA's Joy McPhail and Jenny Kwan, along with myself and co-host Shelagh Rogers.    Mayor Larry Campbell at the 2006 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner: 1) reading Burns poetry in his brightly coloured Chinese jacket 2) having a slice of the haggis with host Todd Wong 3) reading Burns poetry "A Man's A Man For All That and All That" with MLA's Joy McPhail, Jenny Kwan, and hosts Todd Wong and Shelagh Rogers. photos by Ray Shum - Tempest Photography Saturday, January 7
GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY 2006: Dinner update
by
Todd
on Sat 07 Jan 2006 06:28 PM PST
GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY 2006: Dinner update The tickets sales are picking up, and the media calls are coming in. One Wednesday night, I bumped into Max Wyman and his wife Susan Mendelson. Max is the new mayor of Lion's Bay, and is excited to be coming as one of my special guests at the head table. He told arts curator Tom Graff that he will be reading some Burns poetry. Susan asked about what to wear, and we told her that ethnic-chic was very very cool.... City Councilor Suzanne Anton confirmed she is coming, and thanked me for making Kogawa House one of the beneficiaries of the fund raising dinner. I replied that the decision was a no-brainer and that I really appreciate what Joy has done for the Asian Canadian literary and arts community and it is very important to save her childhood home. Last year city councilors Ellen Woodsworth, Anne Roberts, Sam Sullivan and Peter Ladner attended, along with Mayor Larry Campbell. Sandee Wong of the Calgary Herald called me for a short interview, asking what the special surprise for 2006 was going to be. I said I couldn't tell her - it would ruin the surprise. Christina Harper who lives in Everett WA, is hoping to come across the border to attend the dinner with friends. Christina writes for The Scotsman, an international newspaper for the Scots diaspora around the world. I am looking forward to the January 16th GHFC World Poetry Night. I talked to bagpiper Joe McDonald the other day. He is readying the pipes for our annual free event, and he will be bringing some of his self-penned songs to perform. On the cover of the January Events for the Vancouver Public Library is my cousin Janice Wong on the cover - because her book reading/presentation for CHOW: memories of food and family, is being presented at the Central Library with a panel discussion on January 18. Chef Steven Wong is joining us, Janice, historian Larry Wong and myself. That makes it 4 Wongs or Quad Wongs says Janice. Earlier this week, I also confirmed my participation for the SFU Gung Haggis Fat Choy Canadian Games 3-day festival. On January 25th, there will be opening ceremonies with Lion Dance, and a rice and chopsticks relay. On January 26th, there will be the Dragon Carts races, and on January 27th, there will be a brand new world's first - "Human Curling." I can't believe how my simple idea of Gung Haggis Fat Choy is morphing into such crazy and unbelievable permutations. But I love it. Wednesday, January 4
Hey Mom! They printed a picture of me in Shared Vision magazine...
by
Todd
on Wed 04 Jan 2006 01:37 AM PST
GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY
For most of the year, Todd Wong is a community activist who works on issues such as Chinese head-tax redress and the preservation of the childhood home of author Joy Kogawa. Once a year, however, the mild-mannered Wong transforms into Toddish McWong, the host and organizer of Gung Haggis Fat Choy, a celebration of Chinese and Scottish culture in honour of Chinese New Year and Robbie Burns Day, which occur a few days apart. PICTURE + Short Story... more »
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