Todd Wong with Lion Head

Asian Canadian adventures in inter-cultural Vancouver
and home of Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner.

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Home to my passions for my inter-cultural adventures,

Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Robbie Burns
Chinese New Year Dinner event.


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Year Archive
View Article  National Post: Museum probes link between Chinese Restaurants and small-town Canada
Chinese Restaurants and small-town Canada exhibit at Royal Alberta Museum

My friend Linda Tzang, cultural curator at the Royal Alberta Museum is responsible for this: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/Museum+probes+link+between+Chinese+restaurants+small+town+Canada/3360480/story.html

Way back in 2002, Linda had initiated a project proposal on the Three Canadian Chinese Pioneer Families at the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum and Archives - but had moved to Alberta, before the project really started.  Linda was also a guest speaker at our 2nd Rev. Chan Legacy Family Reunion dinner in 2000.  In 2002, she was also part of our board for Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop that created the 1st ACWW Community Builders Dinner that honoured Roy Mah, Paul Yee and Wayson Choy.

Back on April 6th, Linda wrote to me:

Hello Toddish,

I guess the guy who came up with the idea of ‘six degrees of separation’ was right – the world is much smaller than we think.

Now that you’ve written, I’m going to hit you up for some help.  I have almost accomplished the impossible - the museum is on the brink of giving me permission to do my Chinese Restaurant project.  It doesn’t look anything like the project I was working on at the CCCMA – I think it’s a better version.  I was wondering though if you knew anyone with memorabilia related to Chinese restaurants – ideally someone with a menu collection.    I don’t need a huge number of them but a few would be nice.

If you had any leads it would be appreciated.  Maybe one day I’ll be able to attend another Gunghaggis banquet but I always just seem to miss the date.

Linda


www.nationalpost.com
There’s one in nearly every Canadian city and town. And yet some argue the Chinese landmarks,
View Article  Courier article on Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant: History Ho Ho

Courier article on Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant - one of my favorite restaurants in Chinatown
Features interviews with our "Friends of Foo's Ho Ho" main organizers Jim Wong-Chu, chef Joanne Sam, celebrities Tommy Chong, Red Robinson, and Chinatown Lions Club Robbie Burns Dinner organizer Chuck Lew.
http://www.vancourier.com/li...fe/History/3341852/story.html


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I had lunch today at Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant with friends from Heart of the City Festival: Terry, Theresa and Celia.  We talked about my family's historical connections to Chinatown, Strathcona, and DTES.

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Theresa really liked the House Special Chow Mein - photo Todd Wong

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Celia was very impressed by the curried beef and potatoes.  It's one of my favorite dishes. - photo Todd Wong

We ate: BBQ Pork Egg Foo Yung, Curried Beef & Potatoes, House Special Chow Mein on Crispy Noodles + Gai-Lan.  Yum yum yum... It was crowded.  Maybe the Courier article is to blame.

Vancouver Courier is your online source of local news on Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Find the latest breaking news from Vancouver, as well as local sports, opinion, letters, entertainment, lifestyles, community, events, TV listings, movie guide and reviews, community photos, jobs, cars, and...
View Article  My Grandmother turns 100 years old today.

My grandmother turns 100 years old today.

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Mabel Lee was born July 4th, 1910, in Victoria BC.  Her grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan came to Canada in 1896 to serve at the Chinese Methodist Church, which had been co-founded by his elder brother Rev. Chan Sing Kai in 1888.

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Granny with our family:
Me Todd, Dad Bill, Mom Betty, Granny Mabel, brother Marke, niece Chloe, sis-in-law Shanda, nephew Cohen

My grandmother has lived through two world wars. She lived through the Chinese Head Tax era, and the1923 Chinese Exclusion Act.

She welcomed 3 brothers and a cousin home who served in WW2, who were first not allowed to join the Canadian Forces, even though they wanted to fight for the country they were born in.

She couldn't vote in the country she was born in until she was 37 years old, after the Exclusion Act was appealed in 1947 - because up until then, she was considered a resident alien.

She has watched her grand-children become: Miss Canada runner-up, TV news reporter, BC Lions Cheerleader, lawyer, RCMP officer, Calgary city councilor, killer-whale habitat warden, mining environment consultant, and then there's me... Toddish McWong,

One niece is Chief of the Qayqayt First Nations.  And my Granny was interviewed for the the NFB film documentary Tribe of One, about Rhonda Larrabee.

My Grandmother had 3 siblings... 4 sisters and 2 brothers are still very much alive.

She has 22 great-grand-children, and 4 great-great-grandchildren...

She appeared with me in the 2004 CBC television performance special Gung Haggis Fat Choy, along with my parents, girlfriend and friends. 

In 2007, CBC created a TV documentary about her grandfather and family descendant history titled Generations: The Chan Legacy.  We used family home movies that showed my grand mother and her siblings at their mother Kate Lee's 75th birthday party.

Granny was always an inspiration and very encouraging of me for playing my accordion. She would even listen to me on the phone, while I practiced.

For Granny's 90th birthday, I organized a Rev. Chan Family Reunion in 2000. She joined our simulated Chinese Robbie Burns Day Dinner in the 2004 CBC television performance special: Gung Haggis Fat Choy... See more. I wrote about her influence on my cooking and heritage in the 2007 book Eating Stories: Chinese Canadian and Aboriginal Pot Luck.
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2007/11/21/3367190.html


View Article  Chinese Laundry Kids @ Friends of Foo's Ho Ho dinner event

Chinese Laundry Kids grow up to be writers, professors and community activists:

Friends of Foo's Ho Ho launches another successful event combining Chinese Canadian history with local cuisine and issues of the global Chinese diaspora.  When Committee member Elwin Xie discovered that author Judy Fong Bates was coming to speak at UBC, and that she was reading from her memoir about growing up in a chinese laundry - a light must have gone off.

Elwin quickly remembered that retired psychology professor Dr. John Jung had expressed interest in coming to speak to the Friends of Foo's Ho Ho committee, after learning about their effort to save Vancouver Chinatown's last restaurant serving pioneer style Cantonese cuisine.  A community activist with an interest in Vancouver's Chinese Canadian history, Elwin had also ordered books by Dr. Jung about Chinese restaurants and laundries.  It turned out that like Judy Fong Bates, Dr. Jung had also grown up in a Chinese laundry - but instead of Canada, Dr. Jung had grown up in Macon, Georgia - deep in the American South.  Elwin's interest was keen, because he had grown up at the Union Laundry, owned and operated by his parents in Vancouver.

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Event host Todd Wong, with featured guests Dr. John Jung, Judy Fong Bates and Elwin Xie.

Guests began arriving at the 6pm reception time. Books by Dr. Jung and Ms. Bates were for sale, and the authors were set up to sign copies for the evening's patrons.

The event started off with a 10 minute film about Chinese laundries in the United States.  This really helped set the tone for the evening, showing pictures of laundries, the laundry machines, and even some of the racist cartoons and songs of the times.  

Soon the first appetizer dish of deep-fried squid, pork and chicken wings arrived. Yum Yum, some good food to accompany the hearty conversations that filled the upstairs banquet hall.

Elwin Xie was the first speaker.  He gave a power point presentation with pictures of his family's laundry that included himself as a little child.  He described how he was encouraged to climb into the giant washing machines to find coins, only to figure out many years later that he was "exploited" because of his small size.

Dr. John Jung was the second speaker.  He also had a power point presentation that featured pictures of both Chinese laundries and restaurants from across North America. It was really interesting to hear how he grew up in the only Chinese family in Macon Georgia.  An especially amusing story was how the family became media stars one day.  In 1943, they were asked to come out and attend a media photo opportunity with Madame Chiang Kai Shek, the First Lady of China, came to visit Macon.  As the only Chinese family, they had been invited to help welcome the wife of the Taiwanese leader, who had grown up and attended Wesleyan women's college in Macon, before marrying Chiang Kai Shek.

My role as the evening's emcee, was to make sure the presentations flowed smoothly and try to keep the evening running on time.  With John's stories, it was a good way to illustrate that no matter where Chinese had settled in Canada, USA or even Scotland, their stories all had universal themes.  As John had talked about the influence of the Church during his growing up, I shared that my own family was descended from two Chinese Methodist missionaries Rev. Chan Sing Kai and Rev. Chan Yu Tan.  While Yu Tan stayed in Canada and ministered in Vancouver, New Westminster, Victoria and Nanaimo, his elder brother had ministered in Oregon and Nevada, before settling in the Los Angeles area.  Similar to John discovering that he had distant relatives operating a Chinese restaurant in Sasketchewan, my grand mother's cousin Dennis ran a restaurant in Prince Albert SK.  John had even seen the CBC documentary about Dennis' daughter Janice Wong, returning to Prince Albert to sign copies of her book CHOW, about growing up in the restaurant.

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Judy Fong Bates reads from her memoir "The Year of Finding Memory"

Judy Fong Bates was the final speaker of the evening.  She remarked how a friend had described the evening's program as "sexy"!  Judy read from her memoir about how her family had come to Canada, and how she had grown up.  Like John and Elwin before her, she also commented about the racism against Chinese that had permeated the social issues of the day, and how growing up in a laundry also had a stigmatism.

It was a wonderful evening with an appreciative audience.  The evening had unfolded with discovered stories that one attendee had had his wedding banquet at Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant 38 years ago.  Another woman, my Aunty Sue, was also a Chinese Laundry Kid, with her family involved with Keefer Laundry in Vancouver.


View Article  "CHINESE VANCOUVER THEN AND NOW: 1972-2010" - Vancouver Opera Speaks

"CHINESE VANCOUVER THEN AND NOW: 1972-2010"

Tuesday, March 9, 2010
7-9 pm
Alice MacKay Room, Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch
OPERA SPEAKS @ VPL -


Admission is free.

An eminent panel explores the history of Chinese in Vancouver, with
emphasis on the Chinese communities' emergence and development since
1972, the year of Nixon's momentous trip to China. Discover how our
city has been shaped and transformed by Chinese culture over the past
38 years. This will be a fascinating evening. Speakers include eminent
architect Bing Thom, UBC historian Henry Yu, and filmmaker and writer Colleen Leung.

Presented in partnership with the Vancouver Public Library.
Opera Speaks @ VPL is sponsored by Omni BC Diversity Television.

http://www.vancouveropera.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=255&Itemid=15
View Article  Chinese New Year welcomes Year of the Tiger in Vancouver Chinatown

It looks like a Tiger of a year... with the Olympics in town, and lions running everywhere at Vancouver's Chinatown Chinese New Year Parade

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Lions were everywhere in Vancouver Chinatown, celebrating the Year of the Tiger.

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All the celebrities, politicians and VIP's walk at the beginning of the parade. 

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Next come the Chinese Canadian veterans of Pacific Unit 280 (minus my uncle Dan, who passed away less than a month ago).  But the veterans all wore red Olympic mittens!

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Here's a Chinese parade dragon.  How to tell a dragon from a lion?  You wear the lion costume over your body, while the dragon is always held up on poles!

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The Kitchen God always marches in the parade.  The trick is to put honey on the Kitchen God's lips before he makes his report to heaven about your kitchen, so he can only say sweet things with honey on his lips.

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Here I am with my friend Georgia, who paddles with us on the Gung Haggis dragon boat team.

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The Carnival band all tried to dress up as Tigers....

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City Councilor Kerry Jang hands out lucky red envelopes called "li-see" for good luck!

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Here I am dressed in my kilt and red Chinese dragon vest.  I met this fellow in his black utility kilt outside the skytrain stop at The Bay.  Kilters greet each other, and I invited him to join us for the next kilts night.  Since it was Chinese New Year we took a picture of him waring my Chinese jacket.  Very cool.


View Article  Todd Wong appearance on CTV Canada AM for Sunday Feb 14th
Todd will be on Canada AM on CTV, Sunday morning

- must be there at 5am so Toronto people can see a brief interview between 8 and 9am.. I will do the interview at Robson Square, which is part of the the BC Canada Pavillion.

Then will do an interview and filming at Chinese New Year parade with ZDF tv from Germany.  We will meet at 8:30am, as the parade starts at 9:30am in Vancouver Chinatown.

Now....Must get ready to attend the Women's hockey Canada vs Slovakia today at 5pm

View Article  Gung Haggis dragon boat team paddle on Sunday Feb 7th
Gung Haggis dragon boat team paddles False Creek and takes in pre-Olympic sight-seeing.


We have a dragon boat team of keeners.... who wanted to paddle in February.  It was our first paddling practice since early November, when we had a few practices after paddling in the Ft. Langley Cranberry Festival Canoe Regatta.  Fifteen people jumped into the dragon boat for 11am practice on Sunday Feb 7th,

And... I think... I really needed to paddle to get myself warmed up for paddling in the dragon boat flotilla that will accompany the Olympic Torch Relay on Feb 12th, for when Gold medalist Olympian Hugh Fisher will pass off the Olympic Torch from a dragon boat to Olympian Kamini Jain in a voyageur canoe.

I only paddled for half the practice. if that... I also coached some of the paddlers a bit for some 1-on-1 coaching  for only half the time.   I steered for the remaining half, after switching with Stephen Wong, who started off steering for the team.

The team met at the parking lot for False Creek Yacht Club for 11am, then had a quick warm-up, then headed to the boat for 11:15am, headed over to Alder Bay to pick up Debbie, then back to FC Yacht Club to pick up a paddler named Tony who arrived late after his morning meeting.  Next we paddled towards and past the Burrard St. Bridge to show paddlers where the lights are for the from the nightly spectacular light show.

I pointed out where the boat launch for the Burrard Marina is, where dragon boat paddlers for the flotilla that will accompany the Olympic Torch Relay will organize.

Next we paddled Eastward to Granville Island to identify the Ferry dock at West Side of Granville Island, where the torch will be handed to torchbearer Olympian Hugh Fisher.  We looked over at the bright yellow building, formerly known as Bridges Restaurant, that is now being transformed into the Swiss Pavillion.  At the North end of the Granville St. Bridge is a floating hotel lodge that has been towed down from Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) that is normally lodged at Langara Island.

We took a little stretch, then switched sides.  I took a turn at steering, and let veteran paddlers Stephen Wong take his turn for paddling.  Just East of Granville Island is the Spruce Harbour Marina, where nearby, is the area where Hugh will pass the torch to Kamini Jain in the middle of False Creek.    Hugh will be in the dragon boat, and pass the torch to Kamini in the voyageur canoe.  There are great viewing areas from both the North and South sides of False Creek, so it is perfect for cameras and television crews to set up for a unique photo opportunity.

We spotted the big black pontoon floats that are being used for security to block off the boat traffic in the East Bay, that are positioned along Cambie St. Bridge.  We paddled along beside it and waved to the officers in the Police Boat, guarding the perimeter, that includes the Olympic Village.

Next we paddled near the Yaletown ferry dock, where Kamini will hand the torch to a runner, after she climbs out of the voyageur canoe.   The torch will then proceed up the streets towards Georgia Street, where it will arrive at the First Nations Aboriginal Pavillion where there will be a blessing ceremony.  This will be one of the final stops of the Olympic Torch before it travels to the Opening Ceremonies about 2 blocks down the street to BC Place Stadium, later in the evening.

It was a good paddle, and our paddlers were happy and pleased that I would be a part of the dragon boat flotilla accompanying the Olympic Torch Relay.  But most of all, the paddlers were all happy to be paddling again, and in friendly company.  Many times I heard somebody say, "I'm just here for the social aspects" as we paddled back to FC Yacht Club.... by about 12:30pm.

The next plan was to have lunch.  I promised that I would treat everybody to dim sum lunch, if they came paddling.

We were at Floata Restaurant for dim sum, at 1pm, at least my car was.  Other people got re-routed by traffic diversions.  By the time they arrived, there were lots of dim sum selections on the table.  Haw-gow shrimp dumplings, Siu-mai pork dumplings, Lo-bak-goh pan-fried turnip cake.  We also tried a special appetizer plate that included jelly fish,  crispy pork skin and bbq pork.  There was also shanghai style dumpling with shrimp meat and green vegetable, steamed pork bun, sliced-almond covered shrimp balls, fish cakes, and more!  I also ordered house special chow mein with crispy noodles, and Geurng-chow-ngor-hah flat rice noodles with sliced beef.

This was Katie's first time having dim sum in Vancouver.  She's originally from Ontario, and only been in Vancouver almost a year.... and somehow never found her way to dim sum yet.

Georgia pronounced that the meal was "heaven"

GREAT LUNCH!!!  and we finished off with Chinese egg tarts for dessert.
View Article  Lan Tung erhu virtuoso is bringing her trio Birds of Paradox to Gung Haggis Fat Choy
Ron Samworth, Lan Tung and Nealamjit Dhillon make up the cultural fusion trio of Birds of Paradox . Lan Tung is a fantastic virtuoso erhu player who has recently toured across Europe and was just in Halifax with Symphony Nova Scotia for a January 7th concert of new music. + PICTURES + MORE   more »
View Article  Daniel Lee Rest in Peace, 1920 - January 26, 2010

Daniel Lee 1920 - January 26, 2010 

2009_Nov_Remembrance_Day 087 by you.
Daniel Lee saluting at the November 11, 2009 Remembrance Day ceremony in Vancouver Chinatown.  The Chinese Canadian veterans always attended the Victory Square Cenotaph ceremonies, which Dan Lee also helped to organize, then they would go to Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant to stay warm, before organizing the Chinatown ceremonies at 12:30pm - photo Todd Wong

"To be a good citizen you got to start at home. Otherwise, a nation is just like a family.
Everybody got to be happy at home otherwise the nation would be in trouble."

- Daniel Lee

With sorrow... we share the news that Grand-Uncle Daniel Lee passed away this morning of January 26th, 2010.  He had been in the Burnaby Hospital since Wednesday.  His daughter Grace,  she said it was quite sudden - his going into the hospital.  I had been receiving reports from my mother Betty, as her mother Mabel (Dan's oldest sister at 99 years old) was visiting the hospital each day.

Uncle Dan was born the 11th child of 14, the 5th son of seven to jeweler Ernest Lee, and Kate Chan Lee - the 2nd child, and 1st daughter of Rev. Chan Yu Tan.  As a young child he spent some time living in Nanaimo with his grandparents Rev. and Mrs. Chan Yu Tan, after the early death of his father.

When Dan was 20 years old he tried to enlist in the Canadian Army, but was turned away because at that time they did not allow any Chinese Canadians.  Instead, he went to aircraft mechanics school in Toronto and graduated two years later.  By 1942, Chinese were allowed into the Army due to pressure from Great Britain.  Dan Lee was one of the the first Chinese-Canadians accepted into the Canadian Air Force.  Soon, he was joined in England, by his brothers Howard and Leonard, plus cousin Victor Wong, who were enroute to the Pacific Theatre to serve with the Army special forces.

In the years after WW2, Dan Lee and his fellow Canadian born veterans would continue to face racial discrimination and prejudice.  The were not allowed to join any of the existing Canadian Legions for veteran soldiers.  They turned to the oldest veteran organization, the Army, Navy, Air Force Vets of Canada and were accepted to form their own unit - Pacific Unit 280.  After WW2, he and his fellow veterans and good friend Roy Mah, petitioned the Canadian Government to gain voting rights for Chinese Canadians, and also to repeal the Chinese Exclusion Act.  This was accomplished in 1947.

  Generations Chan Legacy 161 by you.

But the challenges weren't over yet.  Every year Uncle Dan would write a letter to Ottawa asking for an apology for the Chinese head tax and exclusion act.  The Chinese head tax redress movement took on a larger significance after MP Margaret Mitchell brought the issue up in Parliament in 1984, and also when Prime Minister Mulroney apologized to Japanese Canadians in 1988 for the the government's interning of them during WW2.

In the 1980's, Dan Lee would continue to work head tax apology issue.  With Douglas Jung, a former veteran, lawyer, Member of Parliament, and the Chinese Benevolent Association, they proposed that a national organization be formed to deal with the Head Tax issue.  Dan Lee became one of the founders of the National Congress of Chinese Canadians(NCCC) and a national conference was held.  After many years, an apology was finally made in Canadian Parliament by Prime Minister Harper in 2006.

In 1998, the Chinese Canadian Military Museum was founded.  Dan Lee's air force uniform was one of the first displays.

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Chinese Canadian Military Museum Dinner November 7, 2009
top row: Bryan Larrabee, grand-nephew Todd Wong, Padre Wesley Lowe
bottom row: niece Rhonda Larrabee, Daniel Lee, sister Mabel Mar

In 1999, we held the first Rev. Chan Legacy Family Reunion.  Uncle Dan was a consultant for the committee.  At the reunion, it was Dan Lee who gave the Elder Address, as he talked about his grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan. 

In 2002, the Rev. Chan Yu Tan family was featured in the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum exhibit "Three Canadian Chinese Pioneer Families"  - pictures of Uncle Dan and the contributions of himself and his brothers and cousin were included.  

In 2007, Dan Lee is one of the lead stories in the film documentary Heroes Remember, produced by the Chinese Canadian Military Museum.

Dan Lee's dedication to community service is exemplary.  In 2004, Dan Lee received the Award of  Merit from Dominion Command.  It is one of the highest honours a veteran can receive.  Uncle Dan told me that to receive an Award of Merit, you must first receive the Medal for Appreciation, which he received in 1987.  In 1999 he next received the Award for Service.

And through all these years, Uncle Dan would sell poppies in downtown Vancouver for Remembrance Day, and help organize the Poppy Drive every November.  He was one of the best sellers.  He was also one of the organizers of the Victory Square Cenotaph Remembrance Day ceremonies.  In 2004, Remembrance Day ceremonies began at the Canadian Chinese Pioneer Monument in Chinatown.  The veterans of Unit 280 would attend both Victory Square and Chinatown ceremonies, even if it was raining and cold.

The contributions that Dan Lee made, will last and be remembered, while he will be missed.

We offer support and love to Uncle Dan, his wife Irene, and their children Vincent and Grace.

Peace & Blessings to all, Todd Wong - Vancouver

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Chinese Canadian Military Museum Dinner November 7, 2009
with fellow veterans of Pacific Unit 280 + Ujjal Dosanjh MP.


REST IN PEACE - GRAND-UNCLE DAN

As part of his commitment to community, Dan annually organized the poppy campaign in Vancouver. It's not surprising he was a top-seller. For his community efforts Dan has received many veteran honours, such as the Award of Appreciation, and Award for Service - but none higher than the Award of Merit from Dominion Command in 2004. It's a fitting tribute to the grandson who evidently learned his values and strong faith in community from his Methodist Church pioneer, Grandfather Chan Yu Tan.

See VIDEO of Daniel Lee from the Chinese Canadian Military Museum
www.vac-acc.gc.ca
Daniel Lee, one of three brothers to join the war effort, worked as an aircraft mechanic and went on to a career of dedicated community service in Canada.

Daniel Lee 1920-2010

Daniel Lee 1920-2010  - picture album on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53803790@N00/sets/72157623292987932/

View Article  Google News Alert for "Gung Haggis Fat Choy"
Every year I do media interviews. On Robbie Burns Day, I was woken up at 7am by a request from BBC Radio Scotland. Yesterday, I did an interview for French CBC television. Monday was Epoch Times. Last week the Georgia Straight did a food feature article. Somewhere in Scotland there is an interview in the Sunday Post. Even SFU, Seattle and North Shore News have stories about Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner this year. Check out the links:   more »
View Article  Menu revealed for 2010 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner to welcome Year of the Tiger
There are some changes for the dinner menu for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner. We try to vary the dinner items from year to year, add some new surprises, take out items we are bored with. This is a draft menu - subject to change. See if you can spot the new additions - not repeated from last year. 1. Floata Appetizer Platter a. Haggis Pork dumpling (Shiu Mai) b. turnip cake (Lo-bak-goh) c. Honey BBQ Pork d. Jelly Fish 2. Deep fried haggis won ton + PICTURES + MORE   more »
View Article  Winter Solstice in Vancouver - Devon is fire-tossing at the Roundhouse
I usually help organize a team social for attending the Winter Solstice events at Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens - but this year I must attend AGM and Christmas Party at Joy Kogawa House. Check out my past stories about attending Winter Solstice events here: http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog?cmd=search&keywords=winter+solstice Check out the official Winter Solstice events here: http://www.secretlantern.org/ My friend Devon Cooke is performing "Fire tossing" at the Round House Community Centre. Devon loves being involved in many cultural activities and also paddles on the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team.   more »
View Article  Chinese Canadian veterans lead Remembrance Day ceremony in Vancouver Chinatown
Uncle Daniel Lee is colour guard for Pacific Unit 280 at the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Chinese Canadian Pioneer Monument in Vancouver Chinatown   more »
View Article  Remembrance Day ceremonies in Vancouver Chinatown and Victory Square
Last year, Lt. Gov. Steven Point attended the Chinatown ceremonies following the Victory Square ceremonies. http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2008/11/12/3973947.html This article has a picture of last year's event + lists 2009 events in Vancouver.   more »
View Article  2 more concerts of Enchanted evenings at Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Gardens - featuring Silk Road and Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble

The final 3 Enchanted Evenings concerts at Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens all feature musicians that have performed at past Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinners.

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Silk Road duo Qiu Xia and Andrew performed last year with African dancer Jackie Esombe and percussionist Pepe Danza - photo T. Wong

Last week celtic ensemble Blackthorn performed August 21.  This Friday Aug. 28, Erhu specialist Ji-Rong Huang artistic director of Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble takes stage.  On Sept 4, Silk Road Music performs as a quartet, led by Qiu Xia He and Andre Thibault.

Qiu Xia and Andre have performed many times at Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinners since 2004.  Silk Road Music Ensemble was featured in the 2004 CBC television performance special "Gung Haggis Fat Choy".

Blackthorn and Ji-Rong both came to the 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner.  Blackthorn has an incredible repertoire of Celtic songs that they kept pulling out of their hats.  Ji-Rong and I performed 2 songs on accordion and erhu - Galloping Horse and Hungarian Dance No. 5 - which he also plays solo.

Summer Concert Series

Doors open at 7:00pm, and all shows begin at 7:30pm

Tickets $18 for non-members,

$15 for Garden Society Members

 

VANCOUVER CHINESE MUSIC ENSEMBLE- August 28

A rich showcase of traditional Chinese instruments

 

 

SILK ROAD- September 4

World Music with a Chinese flair

 

 

Tickets and info, contact 604.662.3207 ext. 208 or

email assistant@vancouverchinesegarden.com

reservations are recommended


View Article  Celtic band Blackthorn playing Enchanted Evenings concert in Vancouver's Chinese Classical Garden
This will be tres cool!   My favorite Celtic band in my favorite Classical Chinese garden!

Back in 2003, we filmed the CBC television performance special "Gung Haggis Fat Choy" in the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens.  It was the very first music video ever filmed at the garden, and it featured The Paper Boys with a Chinese flautist Jing Min Pan.

Blackthorn is a wonder celtic music ensemble led by Michael Viens on guitar, Michelle Carlisle on flute, Rosy Carver on fiddle and Tim Reading on bass and bodran.  Blackthorn was featured at the 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner, and brought a real lively presence to the dinner event.

I spoke with Michelle in the first week of August, and she says that Blackthorn is really looking forward to performing at Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens.  She was even more interested, when I told her that the gardens was designed by my architect cousin Joe Wai.

The Enchanted Gardens Music series often features different multicultural music ensembles.  It was initially started by my friends Qiu Xia He and Andre Thibault of Silk Road Music.  They always create something different for their annual concert.



www.blackthornband.com.jpg

Enchanted Evening Concert Series
Friday, Aug 21
Doors: 7pm, Show: 7:30pm
Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens, 578 Carrall Street, Vancouver, BC
Ticket Prices: $18.00 (non Garden members) and $15.00 for members.
Call 604-662-3207 ext 208 for tickets or email 
assistant@vancouverchinesegarden.com
We recommend pre-purchasing your tickets as these popular concerts are often sell-outs!
Also available at the door.


Musical Expressions Summer Concert Series
Saturday, Aug 22
6:30pm,  Britannia Heritage Shipyard, 5180 Westwater, Steveston BC

Musical Expressions presents this 2009 Concert Season at Britannia features the artistry of prominent local groups in a magnificent setting. Imagine a Fraser River sunset as a backdrop to a concert!

Tickets: $20 including appetizers, on sale at the venue, or by calling 604-718-8050.
View Article  Chef Sam, of Foo's Ho Ho, passes on the the Great Kitchen in the Heavens.
2009_July_Foos_Ho_Ho 030 by Toddish McWong.Chef Sam, of Foo's Ho Ho, passes on the the Great Kitchen in the Heavens.

Here is the Obituary:

SAM James "Sam"

Born on April 8, 1942 in Sun Wui, China. He peacefully passed away on July 19, 2009 after a short battle with cancer. Predeceased by his first wife, Shirley, James will always be alive in the happy memories of his family: wife, Joanne, children, Joseph (Yasuko), Helen (Rod), and Lily and grandson, Ryan, and extended family: Bruce, Phong, Yvonne, Tony, Jimmy, Liz, Rita, Belinda and Brandon. Having immigrated to Canada in his teens, he worked diligently in many kitchens including: WK Gardens, Marco Polo and Best Wun Tun House and he also established his own restaurants including Foo's Ho Ho. Throughout the years, he has served many faithful friends and customers. We thank you so much for your patronage and loyalty! We know he will miss you all dearly as it was his life's passion to serve great original home-style Chinese food! The family would like to extend sincere thanks to the staff and especially Sarah at the Palliative Care Unit at VGH. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2009 at 10:00 am at the First Memorial Funeral Chapel, 602 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC. Reception to follow. A viewing will also take place on Friday, July 31, 2009 from 6:30pm - 8:30pm.

See my article

Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant to close in Vancouver Chinatown: It's the end of an era for Cantonese restaurants
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2009/7/12/4253641.html
2010 GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY Dinner

January 31, 2010

Contact Firehall Arts Centre: phone 604.689.0926

2010 prices
SINGLE TICKET
$60 + $5 service charge = $65
Student price is $50 + $4.50 = $54.50 (must show student high school or university ID)
Children's price is $40 + $4.00 = $44 (ages 13 and under).

Reservations for tables of 10
$600 + lower service charge

WHAT: GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY: Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner - 12th Annversary Dinner, celebrating 251st Anniversary of Robert Burns' birth + incoming Chinese New Year of the Tiger.

WHEN: 6PM January 31 2010, SUNDAY
doors open 5pm, Dinner 6pm


WHERE: Floata Chinese Restaurant,
#400-180 Keefer St.


Media Inquiries
Call Gung Haggis Productions / Todd Wong
direct: 778-846-7090
email: gunghaggis at yahoo dot ca

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! + debut of Gung Haggis parade dragon!
2009 - debut of Gung Haggis Fat Choy Pipes & Drums band + auction of 37 year old special edition Famous Grouse whisky + scotch tastings of Famous Grouse, The Macallan and Highland Park.
Watch for more surprises in 2010!



Description of 2009 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner
co-hosted with CBC News anchor Gloria Macarenko and Media colunist Catherine Barr
featuring performers: bagpiper Joe McDonald and Mad Celts, Silk Road Music's Qiu Xia He and Andre Thibault, Opera Soprano Heather Pawsey and DJ Timothy Wisdom, BC Book Prize winner Vancouver poet Rita Wong + poet traslator Tommy Tao, Playwright Adrienne Wong and a scene from "Mixie and The Half-Breeds"

Description of 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner
co-hosted with Media colunist Catherine Barr
featuring performers: , celtic band Blackthorn, bagpiper Joe McDonald and Brave Waves, Ji-Rong Huang on erhu, Film maker Ann-Marie Fleming, Vancouver poet laureate George McWhirter, Playwright Grace Chin and a scene from "The Quickie"

Description of 2007 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner
co-hosted with CBC Radio's Priya Ramu,
featuring performers:
Silk Road Music, Heather Pawsey, Brave Waves, Leora Cashe, No Luck Club, Dr. Ian Mason (Burns Club of Vancouver) Lensey Namioka - Author "Half and Half" Margaret Gallagher, "Twisting Fortunes" (sneak preview of play)

Description of 2006 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner
with co-host with CityTV's Prem Gill
featuring performers:
Rick Scott & Harry Wong, The Shirleys, Joe McDonald & Brave Waves, Sean Gunn, author Joy Kogawa,

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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 starting March Sunday 1:30 pm -3:30 pm Tuesday 6pm-7:45pm

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 2008 season took us to races in Burnaby, Vancouver, Vernon, Vancouver Taiwanese race, UBC, Ft. Langley. It was our strongest team ever and we are proud of our race performances.

For more information:
Click on Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dragon Boat team information
phone: 778-846-7090
e-mail: gunghaggis at yahoo dot ca

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