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Tuesday, March 9
"CHINESE VANCOUVER THEN AND NOW: 1972-2010" - Vancouver Opera Speaks
by
Todd
on Tue 09 Mar 2010 01:58 AM PST
"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
Wednesday, March 3
Vancouver Olympic Ceremonies: Where was the cultural diversity?
by
Todd
on Wed 03 Mar 2010 04:31 PM PST
Winter Olympics invited countries from around to the world to multicultural Vancouver, but cultural diversity was missing in the Opening and Closing ceremonies.
Apparently the opening ceremonies did feature performers of cultural diversity. But we missed it.
Only
before the televised official opening... ("Miss Jully Black to the back
of the bus please")... not "Canadian" enough to be televised.... and
February is Black History month in Canada!Read Vancouver Sun Pete McMartin's review of the opening ceremonieshttp
http://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=195883fa-d774-4385-9365-2cda2e55e631
The Closing Ceremonies were promised to include more French content,
and to feature Canadian humour and myth-busting of Canadian stereotypes.
Vancouver's cultural diversity was represented in the hundreds of
jumping Grade 9ers holding snowboards in the opening sequence. My
First Nations 2nd cousin was there - his mother was very proud. But
all the featured performers were White - with the exception of K-OS.
And most of the volunteer performers of colour were dressed as hip-hop
dancers, instead mounties, lumberjacks and hockey players. Because
there are no Asian hockey players in the NHL - but that's another
Canadian Myth that's been busted since Larry Kwong played one game in
the NHL in 1948, 10 years before Willie O'Ree became the first black
hockey player in 1958.
A Few days later the same Pete McMartin quoted Tung Chan in an opinion piece -
Opinion - An Olympic Games as white as snow
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/2010wintergames/Opinion+Olympic+Games+white+snow/2620782/story.html
But read the comments to the above piece, or to Craig Takeuchi's pieces in the Georgia Straight.
2010 Olympic closing ceremony: Why wasn't there any aboriginal content?
or
Vancouver 2010 Olympics: The Great White, er, Multicultural North?
Despite all the crowd cheering, street filling patriotism, when Canada
wins a gold medal hockey game, there is still a dark anonymous racism
that haunts all the internet comments, and rears its head at any hint
of "affirmative action" or ethnic inclusion.
This is the next story. This is the next stage of insight.
The aim of the Closing ceremonies was to have some fun, poking fun at
Canadian stereotypes, and doing some "myth busting." But one of the
myths that got reinforced is that Canada is White. Despite generations
of immigration from all around the world, Canada cannot find a
performer of colour good enough to speak at or perform at and during
the Closing ceremonies.
Would it have hurt Canadians if one of the chorus line lumberjacks,
mounties, or hockey players had been a shade of colour other than
white? Would we have heard a chorus of boos, if one of the mounties
had worn a turban?
We know that racial discrimination in sports can be cruel to kids growing up, so it can't be
a wonder why our top athletes are mostly White. But we have succeeded in
the Arts.
Where was Indo-Canadian comedian Russell Peters?
Canadians of multi-ethnicity are cool and sexy. What better examples
do we have than actors Kristin Kreuk of Smallville? or Lisa Ray of
Bollywood? Even Keanu Reeves primarily grew up in Toronto, despite
being born in Lebanon - but we didn't hold Steve Nash's birthplace of
South Africa against him.
First Nations actors Graham Green and Tantoo Cardinal were good enough
for "Dances with Wolves" but not for the Closing Ceremonies? And
Tantoo just received her Order of Canada too...
Our authors Joy Kogawa, Thomas King are amongst the most studied
authors in our Canadian high schools, colleges and universities. Wayson Choy and 7th generation descendant of Black Loyalists
George Elliot Clarke are also amongst our most loved - these four authors also are Order of Canada recipients.
We are not saying that Canada should enforce racial inclusivity
guidelines for its sports teams. But we are saying that the closing
ceremonies lacked the representation of Canada's population, and it
reinforced every sad stereotype of Canada. Alongside the Mounties,
lumberjacks, beavers and moose was the sad realization that Canada is
only populated by White people, despite multi-generations of accepting
people from all over the world.
And where are the bagpipes?
Canada's first Prime Minister, BC's first Premier, and Vancouver's
first mayor were all born in Scotland. Has the former largest ethnic
group of Vancouver so much assimilated into mainstream culture, that
they have forgotten their ethnic roots?
The SFU Pipes and Drums is the six time and current World Champion pipe
band. There are more bagpipers in Canada then there are in Scotland -
or is this a Canadian myth that we are not proud of?
Bagpipers have performed with Uzume Taiko, and Delhi 2 Dublin, - two
internationally recognized examples of cultural fusion music happening
in Vancouver. To me, these are the examples of performers that should
have been featured at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, demonstrating
how Canadians have come from all over the world, put aside our racial
differences, and blend our cultures, and our shared our histories
together.
This is the Canada that I am proud of - not the beer swigging garage
band party music that was featured - without any relevance to the
historic Olympic successes that we witnessed over the past 17 days
Monday, February 15
Chinese New Year welcomes Year of the Tiger in Vancouver Chinatown
by
Todd
on Mon 15 Feb 2010 10:01 PM PST
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
 Lions were everywhere in Vancouver Chinatown, celebrating the Year of the Tiger.
 All the celebrities, politicians and VIP's walk at the beginning of the parade.
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!
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!
 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.
 Here I am with my friend Georgia, who paddles with us on the Gung Haggis dragon boat team.
 The Carnival band all tried to dress up as Tigers....
City Councilor Kerry Jang hands out lucky red envelopes called "li-see" for good luck!
 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.
Wednesday, February 3
Olympic Torch to be carried by dragon boat in its final journey to Opening Ceremonies
by
Todd
on Wed 03 Feb 2010 11:36 AM PST
Dragon boat to carry the Olympic Torch!
The last day of the Olympic Torch Relay Feb 12th will feature Dragon Boats and Canoes as Olympic gold medalist Hugh Fisher, from a dragonboat, will hand off the torch to Kamini Jain, in a voyageur canoe, in the middle of False Creek. This event will take place on February 12th in Vancouver BC. Details and exact times will be released soon.  Fisher won Olympic Gold and Bronze with Kayak partner Alwyn Morris at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Kamini Jain competed in K-1 single kayak events in 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Games. Fisher is one of the founders of the False Creek Racing Canoe Club which has helped to shape dragon boat racing in Canada and also influence it's development in North America.  Kamini is the current head coach of the FCRCC, and took the Mixed team to gold and silver in Sydney Australia for the 2007 IDBF World Championships. FCRCC-cored Premier Mixed: 2nd at 500m (by 0.51 secs!), 4th at 200, 1st at 2K It's going to be exciting as 6 dragon boats (20 paddlers) and 6 outrigger canoes (6 paddlers) make up the escort flotilla, that will accompany the torch bearing boats. It will bring back memories of the torch first arriving in Canada after landing at the airfield, and then arriving to BC's Provincial Legislature Building in Victoria, carried by First Nations cedar canoes. And I will be one of the paddlers in the flotilla! Yippee! 
Here's the Gung Haggis Fat Choy
dragon boat team at the 2009 Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival. One
of these BuK boats will probably be used to transport the Olympic Torch
in the final legs of the relay to the Opening Ceremonies at BC Place
Stadium.The six dragon boats and outrigger canoes will be paddled by False Creek Racing Canoe Club, and some other clubs. I think I will be on a boat where paddlers from different teams have been invited to participate. I am very excited at being invited. Back in the summer, I did a video audition to be a torch bearer for the City of Vancouver, as two library workers would be included amongst the selected workers from police, firemen, city workers and parks workers. Sadly, I wasn't chosen - but I know our library workers are deserving and wonderful people, especially my friend Judy Caldwell, who is a librarian, and dragon boater. Judy is one of the founders of the Abreast in a Boat dragon boat team of breast cancer survivors, and we were both awarded the 2008 BC Community Achievement Award. I've been involved with dragon boats in Vancouver for many years. I attended the first dragon boat races on False Creek in 1986 during Expo 86. I joined my first team in 1993. Soon I was coaching other teams, and competed in Victoria races in 1997 and San Francisco in 1999. I was invited to join the Alcan Dragon Boat Festival Race Committee in 2000. In 2003 I helped to found the Vancouver International Taiwanese Dragon Boat Race, as board member of the CCC Dragon Boat Association. The Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team has been active since 2002, and dedicated to promoting multiculturalism through dragon boat paddling. We have put Taiwanese dragon boats into the St. Patrick's Day parade in 2004 and 2005. The team has been filmed for tv documentaries for French, German and Canadian television, and also for an upcoming documentary movie. 
This is one of my favorite pictures of the Gung Haggis team, at the 2007 Vancouver International Taiwanese Dragon Boat race! Imagine holdin the Olympic Torch from the head of the dragon - but these Taiwanese boats won't be used for the Olympic Torch Relay.
Here is information about viewing the Olympic Torch on False Creek from the False Creek Racing Canoe Club Website: After covering 45,000 Km across Canada, the Olympic flame will be crossing the waters of False Creek on its final
journey to BC Place for the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter
Olympics ...
... the next-to-last leg of the Torch Relay, on February 12th, will be from Granville Island to Yaletown!
That a final-day leg is on the water - really, it's a bit odd when you think in terms of Winter in Canada
- is a recognition of the importance which paddle sports have in many
parts of Canada, especially in & around Vancouver and the Lower
Mainland ... even in Winter!
That the
leg is on False Creek is recognition of how many people see the Creek
as the central hub of their training & racing & simple
recreational-paddling activites - not just FCRRC, but all the other
clubs & groups & individuals using it too.
And too, of
how much the Creek has changed since it was primarily a very
unfriendly-to-recreation beehive of industrial activities, before Expo 86 -
when the first Dragon Boat events took place there.
Key details (there might be more to come a bit later in the week - stay tuned):
- on February 12th, departing from the FC Ferry dock at
the West end of Granville Island, the Torch will be carried in a Dragon
Boat and a Voyageur Canoe to the Yaletown dock at the Quayside Marina. Full details & map here, and in the Vancouver2010 Interactive map (go to Day 106 & select Vancouver)
- Kamini Jain, FCRCC's Head Coach, and Hugh Fisher, one of FCRCC's founders, both of whom have competed in paddling events at the Summer Olympics for Canada, have been honoured by being chosen as Torch Bearers for the False Creek leg
So let's all get out to watch the Torch's voyage, and cheer Kamini & Hugh.
- Suggested viewing points are Granville Island, the Granville Street
Bridge, the Seawall either side of David Lam Park and the Cambie Street
Bridge
- Eager to absorb all the Olympic spirit of the final day? Come down
to Granville Island earlier, and follow the torch as it makes its way
through the streets before crossing the water (see the map for full
details of the two days - 105 & 106 - that the Torch is in
the city)
Two cautions:
- Boat traffic (including canoes, kayaks, etc.) will be extremely restricted
during this time!
... taking out your own boat (or one of the Club's OCs or Marathons or K/C-1s) to view the Torch Relay will
likely result in being turned away and missing the view you can get
from on-land viewpoints
- Make sure you allow yourself lots of time to get there, and don't plan on parking on or anywhere near GI either (see News item for more on those topics)
For more information on the Torch Relay and other Olympic events visit vancouver2010.com http://www.fcrcc.com/events/olympic-torch-relay
http://www.canadianoutrigger.com/messsubj.cfm?pid=2721http://www.vancouver2010.com/more-2010-information/olympic-torch-relay/olympic-torch-relay-interactive-map/http://www.vancouver2010.com/more-2010-information/olympic-torch-relay/stories-from-the-road/day-106---alternative-modes-of-transportation-in-vancouver_236610kB.html
Wednesday, January 27
Daniel Lee Rest in Peace, 1920 - January 26, 2010
by
Todd
on Wed 27 Jan 2010 11:42 PM PST
Daniel Lee 1920 - January 26, 2010  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.
 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.
 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
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.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53803790@N00/sets/72157623292987932/
Saturday, January 9
Kilts Night report for January 7 2010
by
Todd
on Sat 09 Jan 2010 12:54 PM PST
report and pictures from January 7th Kilts Night. 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 »
Tuesday, November 17
Todd Wong writes "Chinatown" section in new "Vancouver, Victoria & Whistler Colourguide"
by
Todd
on Tue 17 Nov 2009 01:41 AM PST
I wrote the section on Vancouver Chinatown. The book is edited by Gail Buente, my coworker friend at the Vancouver Library. Back in May I sent her my final draft which she edited. The book has just been released now in November in time for the anticipated visitors for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. Maybe some of them will find their way into Vancouver Chinatown. more »
Thursday, November 12
Stanley Park Remembrance Day ceremonies at Japanese Canadian War Memorial
by
Todd
on Thu 12 Nov 2009 01:14 AM PST
"the JC volunteers from BC had been unable to enlist in this province. They marched, paraded and trained, hoping that their demonstrations of patriotism would win public sympathy for giving them the vote. They were ignored. (Less than a decade earlier, they had been forced to defend their Powell St. community from a racist mob.) Undeterred, they travelled to Alberta, then short of its quota of volunteers, and won admission to the war in that province." more »
Wednesday, November 11
Chinese Canadian veterans lead Remembrance Day ceremony in Vancouver Chinatown
by
Todd
on Wed 11 Nov 2009 11:58 PM PST
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 »
Wednesday, September 9
Foo's Ho Ho is open again... and only Chinese restaurant serving old-style Cantonese food
by
Todd
on Wed 09 Sep 2009 11:25 PM PDT
Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant is a landmark in Vancouver Chinatown... and open again!
Where can you get good old-style Cantonese food in
Vancouver? Today, there are many styles of Chinese food from Hong
Kong, Beijing, Hunan, Shanghai, even Vietnamese, Cambodian, Korean and
Japanese. The new immigrants that speak mandarin now out-number the
Cantonese speaking pioneer immigrants and their descendants.
Many many years ago, all the best restaurants in
Chintown all had neon lights. The Ho Ho Restaurant at the corner of
Pender and Columbia St. had a long tall vertical neon sign that
featured a hot steaming bowl of rice
. Keith McKellar's book "Neon Eulogy: Vancouver Cafe and Street" writes and interesting description of the Ho Ho Restaurant.
Back in the 1950's, 60's and 70's... Vancouver Chinatown was the place
to go for late night eats, Chinese banquets, and you could see the 5th
Dimension, The Platters and many other great performers at the Marco
Polo Restaurant and Night Club - which was across the street from the
former Ho Ho Restaurant.
I grew up during the late 60's and 70's. Our family used to sit in the
upstairs window booth seat, where we could look outside at all the
pedestrians. I remember buying Bruce Lee posters from the many stores
on Pender St. Sadly, this era of Chinatown is now long gone. Ethnic
Chinese have moved out to the suburbs and the restaurants and stores
followed them. New immigrants no longer came to Strathcona or
Chinatown as the first stop, many move straight to Richmond, Coquitlam,
Shaughnessey and even North Vancouver. Times
changed, and restaurants closed. The Ho Inn had a fire. Foo's
Restaurant closed. The Ho Ho closed. I remember sitting in the The
Marco Polo when owner Victor Louie was closing down and offering my dad
some of pictures on the wall. My father was a sign writer, and he used
to do all the show cards and other signwork for The Marco Polo. Awhile
back James Sam, known as "Sam" re-opened the Ho Ho Restaurant site,
renaming it Foo's Ho Ho in recognition of these by-gone restaurants.
Sam had formerly worked at WK Gardens, Marco Polo
and Best Wun Tun House. Foo's Ho Ho became the place to go when you
wanted old-style Cantonese cuisine, or to reminesce about the good old
days of Vancouver Chinatown. I have had many memorable visits to Foo's Ho Ho:
But in July 2009, it was announced that chef Sam was
in the hospital with cancer, and that Foo's Ho Ho would soon close. My
friend Jim Wong-Chu organized a dinner for a "last night dinner" at
Foo's Ho Ho, and invited lots of our friends who enjoy Chinese Canadian
history, and its food.  see my July 12th blog story:
Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant to close in Vancouver Chinatown: It's the end of an era for Cantonese restaurants
It
was a great dinner, and good to see old friends and talk about the
foods and dishes that we love to eat. Sam's wife Joanne was in the
kitchen cooking up many of Sam's signature dishes for us.
A week later, Chef Sam, of Foo's Ho Ho, passes on the the Great Kitchen in the Heavens. A memorial was held for Sam on July 30. After a grieving period, Joanne decided to re-open.
On
August 20th, we were back at Foo's Ho Ho
Restaurant. Jim Wong-Chu invited some friends to again talk about
food, and how we can highlight it's connections to Vancouver Chinese
history. The dinner was attended by: Col. Howe Lee and Judy Maxwell of
the Chinese Canadian Military Museum; my mother's cousin Gary Lee -
who's interview for the CBC documentary Generations: The Chan Legacy
had been filmed at Foo's Ho Ho; media artist Ray Mah - who had designed
the Saltwater City logos for the 1986 exhibition; and Dr. Jan Walls. We hope to have more dinners to highlight the food and Vancouver Chinatown history. Stay tuned... Oh... but what did we eat? Feast your eyes on these pictures!
Free soup that comes with our meal: meat and melon with vegetables
Special order: Garlic Chicken!
My favorite: Chicken stuffed with sticky rice
Egg Foo Yung, a trade
Bitter Melon with Beef and black bean sauce
Another favorite! Curried potato slices with beef.
Taro with pork
Tofu and Fish!
Dr. Jan Walls, our chef Joanne, and Jim Wong-Chu
See my pictures:
Friday, August 7
Vancouver vs San Diego? vs Logan Lake?
by
Todd
on Fri 07 Aug 2009 01:01 PM PDT
I think the key to Vancouver is its inclusion of diversity. Whether it is the architectural concept of Vancouverism incorporating mixed use development, of community and industrial and business needs, - or the cultural diversity of its population. Vancouver is many things to many people. This is both it's strength and weakness. Here are some links and quotes about Vancouverism:
“Vancouverism is characterized by tall, but widely separated,
slender towers interspersed with low-rise buildings, public spaces,
small parks and pedestrian-friendly streetscapes and facades to
minimize the impact of a high density population.”
-The New York Times, December 28, 2005
The word first entered the argot of American architects and city
planners over the past decade, who began speaking of “Vancouverizing”
their under-populated, un-loved urban cores, seeking inspiration from
Canada’s Pacific portal’s re-development successes. Our city has become
first a verb, and now, an ideology promoting an urbanism of density and
public amenity. Vancouverism at its best brings together a deep respect
for the natural environment with high concentrations of residents.
Within condominium residential towers downtown and courtyard and
boulevard-edging mid-rise buildings elsewhere in the city,
Vancouverites are learning to live tightly together; a healthy,
engaging - even thrilling place.
Not Asia, not Europe, not even North America, but a new kind of city
living with elements from all of these - a hybrid that now demands to
be taken on its own terms. In the language of city-building,
“Vancouverism” is fast replacing “Manhattanism” as the maximum power
setting for shaping the humane mixed-use city, important ideas for a
new era of scarce energy and diminished natural resources.
Sunday, August 2
Blackthorn celtic music band at Fort Langley for BC Day!
by
Todd
on Sun 02 Aug 2009 02:51 PM PDT
Blackthorn is playing at Historic Fort Langley.
Blackthorn is comprised of some of my favorite musicians: Michael on guitar/vocals, Michelle on flute/pennywhistle/vocals, Tim on bass/bodrana and Rosie on fiddle/vocals. Blackthorn was our featured band at the 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year dinner.
Historic Fort Langley is the birthplace of BC, where Gov. James Douglas signed the proclamation almost 150 years and 9 months ago.
Monday,
Aug 03 | 6:30pm | Brigade Days
Fort Langley National Historic Site of Canada, BCBrigade
Days is held every year over the BC Day long weekend in August.
Historically, Brigade was when the fur trappers came down from their
trap lines to the fort, to trade, some took their annual baths and
looked for a new spouse, and in general caught up with friends they
hadn't seen since the year before. Blackthorn will be bathed and on stage Monday evening. |
AND NOW WE HAVE OUR OWN CHANNEL ON YOUTUBE...
Saturday, July 25
Chef Sam, of Foo's Ho Ho, passes on the the Great Kitchen in the Heavens.
by
Todd
on Sat 25 Jul 2009 04:55 PM PDT
  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
Sunday, July 12
Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant to close in Vancouver Chinatown: It's the end of an era for Cantonese restaurants
by
Todd
on Sun 12 Jul 2009 11:21 PM PDT
Friends, Todd Wong and Jim Wong Chu, standing outside Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant after eating there for the last time.
Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant to close in Vancouver Chinatown: It's the end of an era for Cantonese restaurants(please note that due to popular demand - Foo's Ho Ho did re-open. Open Wednesday to Sunday, Closed Monday and Tuesday - 102 East Pender Street Vancouver, BC V6A 1T3 - (604) 609-2889 - editor Todd Wong January 2010)
On Friday, I received notice that Foo's Ho Ho restaurant was going to close on Saturday July 11th.
On July 9th Friday, several friends sent out emails to me about Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant, including Wesley Lowe, Larry Wong, Bob Sung and Jim Wong Chu. Larry wrote:
"Sam, the cook and proprietor of Foo’s Ho Ho has liver cancer and is
currently in VGH pallative care. At most he has 2 months left to live.
His partner, Joanne has been keeping the landmark restaurant open and
continuing cooking the delicious dishes you’ve enjoyed and remembered
throughout the years.
Going back and forth between the hospital and the restaurant has
taken a toil on her and she has reluctantly decided to close Foo’s Ho
Ho indefinitely after this coming Saturday. The famous neon sign will
dim one last time. So it’s last call for those who wish to have one
more lunch or dinner for old times sake and it’s also a way to support
Joanne and Sam financially. An opportunity to re-live a part of
old-time Chinatown, round up some friends and book your table.
604.609.2889"
The first Chinese pioneers to Canada were Cantonese speakers, and they brought Cantonese styled Chinese food with them. As the pioneers spread across North America, so did Chinese restaurants.
During the 1960's and 1970's, my father would often stop at the Ho Ho Restaurant in Vancouver Chinatown and bring back chow mein or deep-fried won ton, as a late night snack. I can remember many friday nights, when we would meet our family friends at the Ho Ho restaurant, then either go swimming at Father & Son nights at the YMCA, or shopping at Army & Navy and Woodwards along Hastings St. 
During the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's, Chinatown's neon was the place to be, and the place to eat!
Larry also is a local Chinatown historian and he wrote: "Foo’s Ho Ho is the last of the “village-style” Cantonese restaurants
from the late 1940s. establishments in Vancouver’s Chinatown that does
the original home-style cooking. Many of the older generation remembers
it well. Sam who first gain his cooking chops at the WK Restaurant and
later at the Famous Marco Polo and others before he resurrected the Ho
Ho which had been left vacant for a number of years and renamed it
Foo’s Ho Ho." In recent years, I have attended many dinners at Foo's Ho Ho with the Chinese Canadian Miltary Museum, Pacific Unit 280, and also with Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC, as well as with our Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team after Tuesday night practices.
My friend David Wong wrote on his blog: At one time, the Ho Ho graced one of the city’s most familiar neon
landmarks - a stylized bowl of rice with steam rising up 3 1/2 stories.
Within this neon rise, alternated the Chinese characters for “Ho
Ho”…and her English words – both in flashing neon glory.
The restaurant once hosted many of Chinatown establishment’s major
events – weddings, Clan society dinners, cultural and festival dinners,
etc. The enterprise occupied the lower two floors of an old 8 storey
brick building that contained a once thriving rooming house / hotel,
the “Sun Ah”.
At one time, another old favourite restaurant existed a block away. Foo’s restaurant. When old Foo’s restaurant closed shop, the Ho
Ho became “Foo’s Ho Ho” From serving tourists to locals, there are regular groups of
customers who return to enjoy the authentic ciusine that faithfully
maintained Chinatown’s history. Each year, the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of British Columbia hosts its Annual General Meeting dinner at Foo’s Ho Ho in honour of the tradition and history that it represents. What did we eat for our "Last Night at Foo's Ho Ho"?
 Sticky Rice w/chicken - one of my Favorites!
 Ox Tail with Black Bean sauce
 Curried potato with beef slices - Another Favorite!
 Egg Foo Yung - Sam's signature dish.
Who was eating at Foo's Ho Ho on the last night?
 Peter Wong, Kwoi Gee, Annie, and Opal. Peter is the brother of Steven Wong, one of our paddlers on the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team. Steven tells us that their family often goes to Foo's Ho Ho restaurant. Their father Bill Wong runs Modernize Tailors, another landmark institution in Vancouver Chinatown.
 Our table with (standing) Jim Wong Chu, Marlene, Bev and Ken (visiting from the next table), sitting: Todd, Deb, Dan, Sandy, Al and Stuart Mackinnon. Deb, Dan, Stuart and myself have shared many dinners at Foo's Ho Ho, following dragon boat practices. Jim and Bev are Chinatown institutions themselves, having grown up in the area, then working hard as board members to develop Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society into a major Vancouver festival.
 My mom's cousin Gary Lee, a friend, Tina, Gary's wife Josie, Bev and Ken. Gary filmed his interview for the CBC documentary Generations: The Chan Legacy, upstairs at the Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant. Gary's a real Chinatown veteran. His father Gordie Lee helpd develop Lee's Taxi - Vancouver's first Chinese-Canadian owned taxi service. Gary also used to sing in local night clubs - he was called "the Chinese Sinatra."
 Ron, George, Sid, Fanna, Elwin and Mary, were all active compatriots during the Chinese Head Tax Redress campaign of 05-06. We are all pioneer Chinese head tax descendents. Sid has carried the torch for many years, and promises to keep carrying it until all the head tax certificates are recognized - not just the less than 1% of surviving head tax payers and spouses.
 Bob Lee and Family had the largest gathering at Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant. Bob was the first Chinese-Canadian chancellor of UBC, and his daughter Carole recently organized the Chinatown and Beyond conference.
At the end of the meal, Todd and Jim went to say thank you to the chef, Joanne. By the end of the evening, there was a rumour going around that Joanne was so touched by the turnout for "Last Night at Foo's Ho Ho" that she might keep the restaurant going... or re-open in a month...
In any case, we wish the best for Sam and Joanne. They've earned a place in Vancouver's culinary and cultural history.
Behind the cashier desk at Foo's Ho Ho, is this picture taken last November following the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Canadian Chinese Pioneer Monument in Keefer Square. The Hon. Lt. Gov. Steven Point spontaneously decided to attend the ceremonies and gave a very heartfelt speech. The veterans of Pacific Unit 280 always go to Foo's Ho Ho for lunch afterwards. After the lunch, Lt. Gov. Steven Point asked to meet the cook, and honoured Joanne with a "Thank You Song" which he and his wife Gwen sang in their First Nations Sto:lo language. Itw as a wonderful and proud moment for all who attended.
Saturday, June 13
Vancouver Storytelling at Main St. Car Free Days - with Toddish McWong
by
Todd
on Sat 13 Jun 2009 11:25 PM PDT
Toddish McWong, telling stories at 2008 Celtic Fest for the Battle of the Bards, and reading Robert Burns poetry - photo D. Martin.
Vancouver Storytelling at Main St. Car Free Days, with Todd Wong
I have been asked by Vancouver Storytellers, to give a storytelling performance
Location: located on the West Side at 18th.; on a grassy
island set back from Main Street. We are beside a tiny mall with
a Pizza Hut.
It is Car Free Days starts at 12 noon at the following locations.Commercial Drive (between Venables and 1st Ave.)Denman St. (between Davie and Robson)Main St. (between 12th and 25th)Kitsilano (various neighborhood block parties)
http://www.carfreevancouver.org/
I will tell stories of early Chinese & Scottish pioneers in BC, I will look down Main Street towards Chinatown and tell stories about my
great-great-grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan, who came to Canada in 1896 as a lay preacher for
the Chinese Methodist Church.... I will tell stories about how James Douglas was born in Guyana to a Scottish father and a Creole mother, and came to BC to become the first governor of BC.I will look south to the Fraser River, and recount how Simon Fraser was born in the United States, came to Canada with his Loyalist mother, and travelled through Western Canada, to explore this Westernmost land and named it New Caledonia.
I will the origins of Gung Haggis Fat Choy:
- in 1993, when I first wore a kilt for the SFU, Robbie Burns Day celebrations
- in 1998, with a small private dinner for 16 people in a living room
- how it has grown into an annual Robbie Burns Chinese New Year dinner serving 550 people
- and spun off a CBC TV performance special
- The SFU Gung Haggis Fat Choy Festival, by SFU Recreation department.
|
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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Vancouver is called one of the "most livable cities"
“Vancouverism is evolving a second and more interesting sense: that of the latent character, the subjective quirks of urban identity hidden behind these shiny façades. Call it the theory, or the legacy, or the idea of Vancouver, but increasingly our writers are producing books that capture this precious moment of self-knowledge, as this good-looking adolescent of a city enters a more complicated young adulthood.
Meredith Quartermain’s new collection of poetry, Vancouver Walking, deals with this latter sense of Vancouverism, her word-images evoking our hidden histories and the textures of our streets, especially on the East Side.
Lance Berelowitz’s Dream City: Vancouver and the Global Imagination deals with the bricks and mortar and geographies of this town, a rah-rah appreciation of our downtown and our more officially sanctioned westerly zones.
Lance Berelowitz is a consultant to the urban development industry who came to Vancouver from his native South Africa in 1985, after a decade studying architecture and working in Europe... The first half of Dream City, in particular has a “Gee whiz, aren’t we bloody marvelous” tone, no doubt born of these prior commissions. “Vancouver is the poster child of urbanism in North America” is his opening sentence, and too much of the book varnishes over that poster with multiple coats of gloss.