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Sunday, February 21
Gung Haggis Fat Choy SEATTLE!!! Feb 21, 2010
by
Todd
on Sun 21 Feb 2010 12:18 PM PST
Gung Haggis Fat Choy in the USA
 Sunday, February 21st 2010 5-9pm
Ocean City Restaurant
609 S. Weller St.
Seattle Chinatown, WA
Ticket Price US$35
Reservations
required
Scottish Troubadour Red McWilliams Belltown Martial Arts Lion Dance Troop
Master, David Leong
Pipers Don Scobie & Paul Vegers
Drummers Thane Mitchell & Steven Wheel
Kenmore and District Pipeband
Pipe Major, Jim McGillivray
The Asian Youth Orchestra
Director, Warren Chang
Scottish Highland Fiddler Susan Burke with Bill Boyd
Here's the information from the Caledonians Website
Gung Haggis Fat Choy! Huh?! In 2007 Bill
McFadden, President of the Caledonian & St. Andrew's
Society, introduced Todd Wong's trademarked production of "Gung Haggis
Fat Choy" to Seattle. Billed as "A Celebration of Chinese New Year and
Robert Burns' Dinner", the laughter-filled evening included haggis, a
delicious Chinese dinner, Pipes & Drums (traditional and fusion
style), sing-alongs (including "When Asian/Scottish Eyes are Smiling"
and "My Haggis/Chow Mein Lies Over the Ocean"), Poems, The Address tae
the Haggis (delivered in rap to an enthusiastic and responsive crowd)
and Auld Lang Syne sung in both Mandarin Chinese and English.
For February 21st, 2010
BIll has worked out improvements, and Gung Haggis Fat
Choy IV will be the best year! We will celebrated the
251st Birthday of Robert Burns and Chinese Lunar New Year Year of the
Tiger with an 8 Course Chinese Dinner, Haggis, Raffle/Door Prize, and
musical entertainment featuring: Emcee "Toddish McWong" and
his inimitable "Address tae the Haggis Rap", "Red" McWilliams, Sifu
David F. Leong's Belltown Martial Arts, Kenmore & District Pipe
Band, Piper Don Scobie and Asian Youth Orchestra - Warren Chang, Director
Toddish
McWong's
2010 Gung Haggis Fat Choy IV (Seattle style)
Produced by Bill McFadden
The fourth
annual event has been scheduled for
Sunday, February 21st 2010 5-9pm
Ocean City Restaurant
609 S. Weller St.
Seattle, WA
Ticket Price US$35
Reservations
required
For tickets and additional information
please contact
Bill McFadden
(206) 364-6025
bill@gunghaggisfatchoy-seattle.com
Please click here to go to the gunghaggisfatchoy-seattle.com web site.
Todd
Wong (aka "Toddish McWong") of Vancouver, B.C., creator of Gung Haggis
Fat Choy. Recognized in the Scottish Parliament's exhibition: "This
is Who We Are: Scots in Canada". Photo taken in Edinburgh, October of
2009.
Please click here to view photos in our Gallery from the '07 event in Seattle.
Please click here for a sample of "Toddish McWong's" Haggis Rap!
Please click here for additional information on Todd Wong's annual Gung Haggis Fat Choy held in Vancouver, BC.
Saturday, January 30
Robbie Burns was born in the year of the Tiger.
by
Todd
on Sat 30 Jan 2010 04:38 PM PST
In 1759, a wee bairn of a boy named Robert was born in a cottage in the village of Alloway, in Ayrshire Scotlandm, on January 25th in the last days of the Chinese Lunar Year of the Tiger. Four days later on January 29th, Chinese New Year of the Rabbit occurred + pictures + more
more »
Friday, January 29
Program revealed for this Sunday's 2010 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner
by
Todd
on Fri 29 Jan 2010 11:41 PM PST
Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinners always emphasize BC's cultural and historical past and present. While we acknowledge the Scottish and Chinese pioneers that helped to shape this province of British Columbia, we also look to see where we are going and what kind of cultural fusion is happening. This year's program is amazing..... pictures + descriptions more »
Wednesday, January 27
Google News Alert for "Gung Haggis Fat Choy"
by
Todd
on Wed 27 Jan 2010 12:44 PM PST
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 »
Friday, January 22
77 pounds of haggis are ready for the 2010 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner
by
Todd
on Fri 22 Jan 2010 05:24 PM PST
There are 77 pounds of haggis that I have just picked up from Peter Black & Sons at Park Royal South in West Vancouver. + PICTURES + MORE more »
Monday, January 18
Cultural Connection interview: What is the connection between Chinese New Year and Robbie Burns Supper?
by
Todd
on Mon 18 Jan 2010 11:44 PM PST
Internet Radio blog link to Cultural Connects - Very interesting interview with Todd Wong, creator of Gung Haggis Fat Choy, by Gary Jarvis.Listen to Gary's interview of Todd Wong, creator of Gung Haggis Fat Choy, as he explains the Scottish and Chinese and BC roots of his brain child - a cultural fusion Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner.
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.vie...w&friendId=400868504&blogId=526013921 more »
Saturday, January 2
Toddish McWong goes to Vernon BC and meets Betty McChan and Dan McHuang.
by
Todd
on Sat 02 Jan 2010 11:54 PM PST
Todd goes to Vernon and meets Betty Chan, former Highland Dance champion of Canada, and Dan Huang drum sgt of Kelowna pipe band. more »
Thursday, December 31
2009 Year of Gung Haggis Fat Choy from Royal BC Museum in Victoria to Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh
by
Todd
on Thu 31 Dec 2009 01:42 PM PST
2009 featured photos in exhibits at Royal BC Museum and Scottish Parliament. Other highlights included the inaugural writer in residence program at Historic Joy Kogawa House, and Todd Wong's first visit to Scotland for the finale weekend of Homecoming Year. And there was the 250th anniversary of poet Robert Burns.
more »
Todd Wong on CBC Radio One December 31st - Traditions of singing Auld Lyne Syne for New Year's Eve.
by
Todd
on Thu 31 Dec 2009 01:10 PM PST
Why do we sing Auld Lang Syne at New Year's Eve?
Todd Wong
be heard today on CBC Radion One 690 AM - ON THE COAST. 3-6pm
They
asked me about the origins of singing "Auld Lang Syne" - the Robert
Burns lyrics connection and the proper way of holding hands while
singing. Of course I threw in similarities between Scottish Hogmannay
and Chinese New Year - such as making lots of noise and paying off your
debts.They asked if I will be with friends ringing in the New Year. I said I
am at Silver Star in Vernon, with good friends... including Craig Brown
who was at my 1st Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner, when the only "kilts" we
had were Canadian Mackinkaw lumberjack shirts tied around our waists... Origins of singing Auld Lang Syne in North America are traced back to a Scottish tradition that spread through Scottish and British emmigration. Wikipedia writes:
Singing the song on Hogmanay or New Year's Eve very quickly became a Scots custom
that soon spread to other parts of the British Isles. As Scots (and
other Britons) emigrated around the world, they took the song with them.
Canadian band leader Guy Lombardo
is often credited with popularising the use of the song at New Year’s
celebrations in America, through his annual broadcasts on radio and
television, beginning in 1929. The song became his trademark. In
addition to his live broadcasts, Lombardo recorded the song more than
once. His first recording was in 1939. A later recording on September
29, 1947 was issued as a single by Decca Records as catalog #24260 Wikipedia's entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auld_Lang_Synealso compares the 1711 version of Old Long Syne by James Watson to the 1788 version of Scots verse by Robert Burns.
Sunday, December 27
Olympic mascots go to Scotland with Toddish McWong
by
Todd
on Sun 27 Dec 2009 04:59 PM PST
Quatchi, Miga and Sumi go to Scotland with Toddish McWong and Quatchi brings back a kilt
2009 was Homecoming Year for Scotland. It was an invitation to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the birth of poet Robert Burns on January 25th, and went all through the year until November 30th St. Andrew's Day.
The year started with Visit Scotland CEO Philip Riddell bringing a special bottle of 37 year old Famous Grouse whisky to auction off at the 2009 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner. By November, there was a photo exhibit at Scottish Parliament titled This Is Who We Are: Scots in Canada. It featured many Canadians of Scottish ancestry including Todd Wong aka Toddish McWong, who is not Scottish, but hosts the largest Burns Supper in Vancouver.
Exhibit creator Harry McGrath invited Todd to come attend the Homecoming Scotland finale weekend events and attend the Closing Reception for the exhibition.
Todd decided in the last days to attend the event, and quickly invited his friends Quatchi, Miga and Sumi to visit Scotland with him.
They arrived in Scotland, late on Saturday night, November 29th in Glasgow. They traveled to Edinburgh and visited many Robert Burns displays in the museums - but had lots of fun at the Scottish Parliament reception on St. Andrew's Day. After the reception finished, they retired to a pub called Jenny Ha's - but Todd had to return to do a radio interview back to Vancouver BC on CBC Radio.
These pictures are their adventures exploring Scotland from Nov 29th to Dec 5th., 2009.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53803790@N00/sets/72157623081283070/ more »
Monday, December 7
Toddish McWong returns to Canada after 7 days in Scotland
by
Todd
on Mon 07 Dec 2009 01:37 PM PST
I am now back in Canada. It was an incredible learning experience for my first trip across the Atlantic to one of the most important cultural and historical ancestral homes for this country called Canada. Canada is probably the most Scottish nations outside of Scotland. Our first prime minister, many of our explorers, BC's first premier, Vancouver's first mayor - were all born in Scotland.
And yet... Scotland is a country that is learning from Canada.
My trip was initiated because a life-size picture and video-interview of me were used in the photo exhibit This is Who We Are: Scots in Canada. I have written about the exhibit here: Toddish McWong arrives in Scotland for inaugural visit and reception at Scottish Parliament for "This is Who We Are". Here are my pictures from the exhibit and the reception at the closing of the event on St. Andrew's Day more »
Tuesday, December 1
Toddish McWong arrives in Scotland for inaugural visit and reception at Scottish Parliament for "This is Who We Are"
by
Todd
on Tue 01 Dec 2009 10:53 AM PST
This is my first ever trip to Scotland... and I almost didn't make it.
It's the year of Scotland Homecoming, celebrating the 250th Anniversary of poet Robert Burns, and the 2009 version of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner was one of the listed events of Burns Suppers around the world.
Earlier this year, my photo was included in a web photo exhibit THIS IS WHO WE ARE, for Cultural Connect Scotland created by Harry McGrath - former director of the Centre for Scottish Studies at Simon Fraser University.
+ PICTURES more »
Saturday, October 31
Robert Burns and Halloween
by
Todd
on Sat 31 Oct 2009 04:21 PM PDT
Burns scholar Andrew Noble gave me a copy of his book "The Cannongate Burns." On page 74 he writes:
'To this headnote, Burns defines Halloween thus: Is thought to be a night when Witches, Devils, and other mischief-making beings, are all abroad on their baneful, midnight errands: particularly, those aerial people, the fairies, are said, on that night, to hold a grand anniversary.' more »
Wednesday, October 28
Johnny Cash is Scottish... "Because it's Burns, Burns Burns... It's Robbie Burns"
by
Todd
on Wed 28 Oct 2009 01:57 PM PDT
From Rosanne Cash website:
There are still a few things with the name of Cash scattered around this part of Fife: Cash Mill, Cash Farm, Cash Easter and Cash Wester, and this street, Cash Feus. It’s odd— and comforting— to know that my ancestors lived here for hundreds of years, until one of them decided to move to America in the 17th century. I don’t even know what they passed on to me— perhaps a love of melancholy, Celtic- rooted music? A love of rolling hills and crumbling stone walls? more »
Wednesday, July 22
Recognizing the 213th anniversary of the death of Robert Burns: we read poetry!
by
Todd
on Wed 22 Jul 2009 04:21 PM PDT
Robert Burns death acknowledged and remembered in Stanley Park Ian, Deb, Sarah, Robert and Lilias sit and read Burns poetry beneath the Robert Burns statue in Stanley Park. - photo Todd Wong
It was a unique event last night at the Robert Burns Statue
in Stanley Park. Several people met there to commemorate the death of
Robert Burns 213 years ago. Burns is the marshalling point for
Scotland's Homecoming year and we read some of his poetry and
reminisced about the big event back in 1996 in Stanley Park to commemorate the
bard's 200th anniversary, with the parade and the ceilidh after at the
Rowing Club. Robert Barr told us how pipe bands and people gathered at the parking lot of the Bayshore Inn, and paraded down Georgia Street to the Stanley Park Entrance. A ceremony was held at the Robert Burns statue that had been erected 81 years ago August 25th, 1928.
 Gerard, Deb, Sarah, Todd, Ian and Keng enjoyed good company, good food and good drink. A toast to Rabbie! It was a gathering of friends who enjoy Burns poetry and the
friendships of each other. We started off meeting at the Irish Heather
Pub, and were given the Shebeen Whiskey Tasting room for our group. We
tasted the Famous Grouse (official scotch for Homecoming 2009 and the
Burns Suppers 2009), the official Robert Burns scotch whiskey, and the
Jamieson Irish whiskey.
 Ray the bartender at the Shebeen, looked after us verrrry well.
Then off to Stanley Park for some poetry
readings. We had a moment of silence following the 9 O'Clock Gun. We
each took turns reading a Burns poem, and telling Burns stories, and
how Burns events had touched our lives. Robert Barr shared his
reminiscence about the big re-dedication event in Stanley Park to
commemorate the bard's 200th anniversary of his death, with the parade
and the ceilidh after at the Rowing Club.
It was wonderfully informal, yet still endearing. What a wonderful way to spend a
summer evening... reading Robert Burns poetry beside Coal Harbour at
sundown. I am grateful for both your friendship and Ian's, and the
mentorship in the ways of Burns dinners.
 Sarah read Ae Fond Kiss
Video http://www.flickr.com/photos/53803790@N00/3744995685/
Tuesday, July 21
Anniversary of death of Robert Burns - July 21st.
by
Todd
on Tue 21 Jul 2009 03:29 PM PDT
  Pipers Allan and Trish McMordie at Robert Burns Statue in Stanley Park on the 250th anniversary of his birth, January 25th, 2009.
The 213th anniversary of Robert Burns death is July 21st. He was 37 years old in 1796. He is one of the world's greatest and most recited poets. He wrote about equality of the sexes, and equality of station for men the whole world over. 2009 is the 250th anniversary of his birth. I've decided NOT to organize a dinner at the rowing club. This is easier.... Meet me at the Irish Heather for drinks, 7:45pm Then we will go toast Rabbie when the 9 o'clock gun goes off, at the statue in Stanley Park. We can read some poetry, tell some stories, and have a moment of silence.... I think we can arrive at the statue for 8:45pm or so... Wear your kilt or tartan....
Flowers, pictures of virtual statue and wreath + glass of scotch, all left at Robert Burns statue on January 25th, 2009.
Michael Jackson was a fan of Robert Burns: "King of Pop" loved "King O'Men"
by
Todd
on Tue 21 Jul 2009 03:17 PM PDT
  Michael Jackson was a fan of Rabbie Burns
- dinna ye ken?- The honest man, though e'er sae poor,
- Is king o' men for a' that.
Imagine comparisons between the poetry and songs of Robert Burns vs songs of Michael Jackson. Burns' "For A' That" vs Jackson's "We Are the World" - That man to man, the world o'er,
- Shall brothers be for a' that!
Burns' "Aye Fond Kiss" vs Jackson's "Remember the Time" - Never met -- or never parted --
- We had ne'er been broken-hearted.
Burns' Tam O'Shanter vs Jackson's "Thriller" Here is a news article sent to me by Ron Macleod:
Michael Jackson was a fan of Robert Burns and once recorded an album of the Bard’s poetry set to music.
The album plans were revealed by his friend, concert promoter and I’m a Celebrity… star David Gest, a year ago.
Gest, once married to Liza Minnelli, told the Daily Telegraph the disc would give a modern twist to the work of the Bard.
He said: "Our favourite poet in the world is Robbie Burns.
"Michael and I were originally going to do a musical on his life
with Gene Kelly directing and Anthony Perkins as executive producer -
but they both died.
"So Michael and I put all the poems to contemporary music in his studio in Encino.”
Gest went on to reveal that he and Jackson shared a profound fondness for Burns, both greatly admiring his “brilliant mind”.
Gest continued: "We did Ae Fond Kiss, Tam O'Shanter and all that. We
turned his work into show tunes. It is beautiful and I still have the
recordings.
"I am thinking more and more about bringing Red, Red Rose back to
life because I went on that bridge when I was last in Scotland looking
for Tam O'Shanter
http://entertainment.stv.tv/showbiz/105003-michael-jackson-recorded-robert-burns-album/
Saturday, May 16
Gung Haggis Fat Choy, a scholarly take as alternative to the "Scottish Discursive Unconsious"
by
Todd
on Sat 16 May 2009 03:16 PM PDT
A New Perspective on the Scottish Diaspora
Source: www.arts.gla.ac.uk
Dr. Leith Davis of SFU Centre of Scottish Studies, writes that "Gung Haggis Fat Choy" bucks the trend of "Scottish Discursive Unconscious."
She writes: "In his contribution to the recent volume on Transatlantic Scots, Colin McArthur comments on what he calls the "Scottish Discursive Unconscious," a restricted range of "images, tones, rhetorical tropes, and ideological tendencies, often within utterances promulgated decades (sometimes even a century or more) apart"...
"There are indeed traces of the Scottish Discursive Unconscious at work in Vancouver....
"Gung Haggis Fat Choy takes many of the features of traditional Burns nights and gives them a non-traditional twist...The "Address to the Haggis" morphs into the "Rap to the Haggis," featuring Joe MacDonald and Todd Wong with a synthesized beat maker in the background." more »
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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,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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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Sarah enjoys the potato fries with curry dipping sauce
Batter fried squid with diced chorizo and sunflower sprouts.
