Lunar New Year Celebrations Part 4

More pictures from the dinner...The dinner featured performers from Tiong Bahru and outside - our MC was the lively and funny Er Gu!





Our brave lions from Boon Tiong RC Lion and Dragon Dance Troupe... and their big drums...







Er Gu with one of Seng Poh's resident expert crooners...



This gentleman from China was so lively in sharing his tunes from Northern China that we could not get him in focus! He really livened up with his belting out of Northern Chinese folk tunes! Hope to see more of him too.



There were also the wushu experts from Boon Tiong RC's wushu classes (and yes, they are welcoming students to join)- they may be young, but some of them are National Schools' Champions...







An integral part of the event was of course, the presence of our Advisor, MP A/P Khoo Tsai Kee, who graced the event for the entire night..



Giving out awards...





And Lucky Ang Pows to the tables of Senior Citizens, whose tables were kindly paid for by anonymous sponsors... and who also sponsored the Ang Pows for the needy old folks - THANK YOU TO YOU KIND HEARTED SOULS.... they really did enjoy themselves...




Furthermore, our Advisor also got to meet some folks from the British Council who were running a community workshop - WORKLIFE - at the Society of the Physically Disabled near by, and whose participants from the UK wanted to experience a real Singaporean neighbourhood event....and so they bought a table too!



They tried out Yum Sengs and Yu Sang.... very unique for them.



Another group of guests were the table from the Friends of the Museum - who also wanted to better understand Singaporean community events.

Another uniquely Singapore event is how Belly Dancing has taken off here... and we have a resident sharing her skills on stage for the dinner... and yep, New Year Dinner entertainment need not always be 'traditional'... we can invent our own new traditions!





Maybe Boon Tiong RC may also start Belly Dancing classes for our residents...which by the way... to be a good dancer...


you need to have a belly.... one potential student here....

Then there was the all important lucky draw...



Prizes in all shapes and sizes... sponsored by Boon Tiong RC and Seng Poh RC, as well as from Eu Yan Sang, Estee Lauder, and Khong Guan... Thank you for supporting our event! These 3 brands are also cherished heritage brands of our country...



A little girl with her prize of an electric fan...







More pictures from the dinner tables! Do you spot yourself?












Until Next Year .... HUAT AH!

In the meantime, both RC's look forward to your continued support of our events for you.... look out for something BIG soon.....

Are you into sketching? Come join us!

A local group that is focussed on sketching the city that they live in, will be organizing a 'sketch walk' in our neighbourhood.

27 March 2010, Saturday, 9am.



More details below.

Check out their blog!
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The upcoming sketchwalk will be around Tiong Bahru, one of the older neighbourhoods in Singapore and also a place where good food abound! Meeting point will be Tiong Bahru Market (a short walk from Tiong Bahru MRT station). Starting off time will be 9am sharp! Those interested in joining us for a leisurely breakfast, please meet at 8:15am instead. Please call Andrew 91070735 if you can’t find us. No need to sign up, just show up if you are attending.

Lunar New Year Celebrations Part 3

On the 6th of March, Boon Tiong RC and Seng Poh RC got together to organize the annual Lunar New Year Dinner for residents of these two parts of Tiong Bahru Estate.

We had over 50 tables, a fantastic host, resident talent in various forms performing, lucky draw, residents (old and new) and friends from here and afar - including guests from Britain and a table from the Friends of the Museum group, joining us all in a very lively dinner.

Here are the pictures of the event - they will be posted over a few installments.
Many thanks to all the hard work by the RC members, and equally, many thanks to the residents and friends who supported the event by buying the tickets and turning up to ‘HUAT’ with everyone!


















It was more fun than a wedding dinner.

Till the next year!

HUAT AH!

Continuing celebrations in Tiong Bahru – Part 2:

The Lunar New Year period is always an occasion for the appearance of Lion Dances… Do you know that the Lion is not native to China, but was first introduced to China during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) by emissaries from Greece to the Chinese court. And since that time, they have been a favourite animal of the Han Chinese!


Here in Tiong Bahru, our Market is a great place to observe the appearance of the Southern Lions (characterized by a body made of layered fabric, unlike the Northern Lions – whose bodies are made of layered ‘hair’) who are engaged by businesses to ‘open’ their premises in a most auspicious way in the New Year. Today and Tomorrow, as well as next weekend, would be a good chance to come by and see the Lions.


Here are some lions from Boon Tiong RC Lion Dance Troupe that were performing at the Market today. Its a special version where by the Lions must break a set of 8 'sar po' or Chinese earthen ware brewing pots, to get to the plate of lucky greens.



Setting out the sar po pots.



Discussing the strategy...







Now that the pots have been overcome by the powerful lion's paws... time to tackle the greens!











After the lucky mandarin orange peel has been scattered towards the shop and the boss.... its the tricky task of arranging the rest of the greens....






Just what is going on in the Lion's belly?







And finally, what do we have? Lucky Greens and Lucky Golds (pun on the Hokkien/Cantonese/Mandarin term for Mandarin Oranges), spelling out: Forune!
Great Auspiciousness! and Great Prosperity!, and a lucky number for you to buy at 4D this week!



HUAT AH!

That's Hokkien for 'To Prosper and to Strike it Big!'