A Holiday Gift Idea
Historical Chinatown Tours
December 2023 Newsletter
The Holiday Season is almost here! If you are looking for a thoughtful gift for that special person, try gifting one of my experiences like a Historical Chinatown Tour or a tour plus Dim Sum or my Masterclass Dumplings or Dumpling Hop & Cocktails.
Contact judy@chinatowngirl.ca about my holiday season gift certificates. Redeemable anytime!
DESTINATION BC & DESTINATION VANCOUVER
TRAVEL CLASSICS MARKETPLACE
This was a very successful media event with more than 50 journalists and editors. They all gave very positive feedback.
There were nine tables with wonderful Vancouver and British Columbia tour and food businesses. People loved my banners and they were all able to sample my freshly-made dumplings.
A big shout out to Christine Jones, Destination BC and Destination Vancouver, and the staff at the JW Marriott Parq Hotel for making this such an enjoyable and successful experience for everyone.
DUMPLING DIVA inspired by Flavours
I love to cook. My close friends and clients know this.
After more than a decade into my career as a dumpling chef, I still feel compelled to learn from others. The reward I get from taking culinary classes is being able to create fancy dishes at home and for my growing circle of friends. The classes also give me ideas for creating new dumpling recipes.
In October and December, I took classes at The Dirty Apron (photos above are, from left to right, Tomato Coconut Mussels, Maple-seared Scallops on Warm Chorizo with Kalamata Olives and Pea Coulis, and Pan-roasted Halibut with Lemon and Olive oil-infused Crushed Potatoes). I will be taking more classes at a few different cooking schools in the Spring.
RECONNECTIONS with MANY CHINATOWNS IN 2023
VANCOUVER
This year, I had the good fortune of visiting many Chinatowns to reconnect with colleagues and organizations and eat great food.
We started 2023 with a fabulous Year of the Rabbit Chinese Lunar New Year parade on January 22 (view from Pender Street). It was the first parade post-Covid.
I estimate that there were close to 200,000 people that showed up.
The 2024 Year of the Dragon parade will be fantastic!
HONOLULU
I love visiting Honolulu’s Chinatown where there are many clan societies. There is also a Tsung Tsin Hakka Society, the Hawai’i Heritage Center, and many great restaurants.
In April, I also attended the annual Ching Ming Festival with my clan association (photo on the left) and in May, I returned for their anniversary celebration (photo on the right).
VICTORIA
This year, I went to Victoria’s Chinatown three times:
To visit my friend Gordie Quan, a Chinese Canadian veteran from the Second World War;
To attend the Chinese Lunar New Year Parade in late January and to visit Charlayne Thorton-Joe on her lunch break at the Chinese Canadian Museum (photo on the left);
And to attend a fundraiser for the Kam Tung Temple hosted by the Victoria Chinatown Lions Lioness Club at Don Mee’s, the oldest Chinese temple in Canada which was established by Hakka speakers in 1905 (photo on the right).
I will be returning to Victoria in early 2024 for Gordie’s 98th birthday and for the Year of the Dragon Lunar New Year Parade.
SEATTLE
In June, I took the Amtrak to Seattle, en route to Portland. I was only in Seattle for 1 night, but I had the chance to visit the CID (Chinatown International District) and The Wing Luke Asian Pacific American Museum, Hing Hay Park, the Panama Hotel, and eat at a James Beard Restaurant.
(Photos courtesy of The Wing Luke Asian American Pacific Islander Museum)
PORTLAND
Portland, Oregon is a wonderful city with historical buildings, museums, an eclectic restaurant scene, and Chinese history. When there, you must visit the Lan Su Chinese Garden.
The Lan Su Chinese Garden was built in 2000 by Chinese artisans from Suzhou, Portland’s sister city in China. This is the second Ming Dynasty-style Suzhou garden in North America. (The first Chinese Garden was built in Vancouver, British Columbia in time for Expo 86.) Both are spectacular.
The Lan Su Garden and the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Garden are beautiful, serene places to soak up the peaceful surroundings and decompress, even on an overcast day. The Lan Su Garden has a wonderful tea house, too.
I visited Portland twice this year to spend time with my amazing friends Suenn, John, and their adult kids and partners (aka “The Auspicious Flynns”) …. which coincided with the National CAPCD conference (National Coalition for the Asian Pacific American Community Development) in June and included a tour of the Portland Chinese Museum and the Lan Su Garden. The second visit in November was to spend American Thanksgiving with The Auspicious Flynns, visit Portland’s Chinatown, and to enjoy dining together at James Beard restaurants in such a great food city.
THE GOLDEN GATE CITY INVITES FUCHSIA
On October 30th, I received an e-invitation from Mister Jiu’s, a Michelin-star James Beard restaurant located in San Francisco’s Chinatown, to attend the launch of Fuschia Dunlop’s eighth book, Invitation to a Banquet: The Story of Chinese Food (2023). I immediately bought tickets.
FYI: Fuchsia is a James Beard Award-winning author! She is a marvelous writer and a lovely personality. (Check out The New York Times review of her latest book.)
After buying tickets for the Mister Jiu’s-Fuschia Dunlop event, I could not find a hotel room. After a bit of research, I found out that San Francisco was hosting the APEC Summit during my brief visit so I consulted with my San Francisco cousin and found a fabulous hotel in Nob Hill that was kitty-corner from the Fairmont [where I believe the Secret Service were staying]. The sidewalks in the area were barricaded, no vehicles were permitted, and I had to put my purse through an x-ray machine just to cross the street. It is an understatement to say that I felt extremely safe!
Fuchsia is a Chinese food specialist and documentarian with over 30 years of research and experience in Chinese dining and cooking. In her latest book, she “explores the history, philosophy, and techniques of Chinese culinary culture.” (quoted from her book summary)
This was my second dining experience at Mister Jiu’s, this time hosted in the Moongate Lounge. This experience was more sophisticated than the newly-opened restaurant in 2016, and the experience was very informative. In addition, the food was amazing. My cousin, Andrea Young, and friends, sisters Lisa and Chalida Anusasananan, joined us. And Amy Tan was there! (Joy Luck Club)
What a wonderful evening!
Thank You to Fuchsia for signing copies of her fabulous book for me and our friend Cheuk Kwan, and Thank You to Brandon Jew and Erin Klenow of Omnivore Books for hosting this wonderful event.
While in San Francisco’s Chinatown, I also visited my clan association and went to the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, among other places. Everyone was extremely nice.
BTW: San Francisco has the largest Chinatown in North America. It is very impressive.
That’s the update!
Stay in Touch – Follow Historical Chinatown Tours on Social Media
Get the latest insights, news, and developments on my social media channels. This is a great time to connect/re-connect since I my Historical Chinatown Tours website has been updated. (Thank you so much to my web developer Wai Yung Vuong!)
HAPPY HOLIDAYS to Everyone!
Judy Lam Maxwell
Historical Chinatown Tours & Masterclass Dumplings
