Austin City Limits 2011

by Elizabeth Seward on


“We should make sure we go to at least one music festival a year for the rest of our lives”, I said to my fiance as TV on The Radio took the stage in front of me during Austin City Limits 2011. The sky in Texas is one of Texas’ best qualities. It seems to canopy the entire sphere of Earth sometimes, looking elastic and bright enough to make you squint. At sunset, pastel colors are strewn from the edges of the horizon, all collapsing in the straight-ahead center sky like cotton candy melting. One of the best parts about Austin City Limits is the opportunity to get lost in that sky all day long and all night long, and the gazing is weekend long. In fact, Zilker Park‘s sky is top notch for the city of Austin. Green trees are roped around the ring of the green park, which is green no matter the drought. From most directions, you’ll see just that: green. But from one direction, you’ll see the ever-expanding Austin skyline, dressed up in colorful shades at night, coming to life with those myriad shades just as the sky is doing the same. It’s an ethereal world there in Zilker Park during Austin City Limits and I’m happy to say I was there for it all this year.
%Gallery-135004%What makes the Austin City Limits experience so very ethereal moved beyond the velvety sky. I mean, it is that. But it is that combined with other elements, other equally powerful elements, which make ACL such a cool experience.

So, you have the sky. But you also have the music.

ACL draws in bona fide headlining acts each year. And for every well-known headlining act that appears as part of an ACL bill, there are several just as good, if not better, lesser-known acts that pour life onto the smaller stages. ACL 2011’s mainstream mascots were: Stevie Wonder, Kanye West, Arcade Fire, Coldplay, and My Morning Jacket. The artists on the roster thereafter were “smaller”, but, particularly in the world of music, smaller is oftentimes for the better. Outside of the huge acts, the ACL stages this year saw the likes of: Manu Chao La Ventura, Fleet Foxes, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Nas & Damien “Jr Gong” Marley, Cee Lo, Bright Eyes, Social Distortion, Empire of The Sun, Cut Copy, Ray LaMontagne, Santigold, Pretty Lights, TV on The Radio, Skrillex, Iron & Wine, Death From Above 1979, Broken Social Scene, Chromeo, Cold War Kids, Elbow, Gillian Welch, Delta Spirit, The Walkmen, Gomez, The Antlers, and, would you believe me if I said SO MANY MORE. Indeed, the large pool of artists each year at ACL and just another one of the main attractions to the festival. Not only are there always big names on the list, but there are also always so many names that any festival-goer will likely have a difficult time choosing which artists to see and which artists to forfeit seeing. Pair that luminous sky with the from-stage vibrations of your favorite music–it looks perfect, it sounds perfect.

Another undeniable draw to ACL was, and probably always will be, the people. Just like every other music festival I have been to, people tend to let their guards down when attending a music festival. And more than let their guards down, many people unleash their inner hippie, their inner lover. Utopia, most of us would agree, probably couldn’t work out practically on a long term scale. But it can sure work out for a weekend. It’s a wonderful reminder of the goodness in humanity to be hanging around outside for several consecutive days with well-wishers occupying themselves with hula-hooping, face-painting, hair-braiding, and groove-dancing.

Austin City Limits 2011 stood out in other ways still. The food was and is all locally sourced and, despite the long lines during regular ‘feeding’ times, still worth the wait. And, as I found out, if you hang around toward the end of the festival, food vendors will start giving you grub for dirt cheap or free. The art vendors have a decent sprawl in the park next to the food stands and there seems to always be good art for the viewing or purchasing around in this area. ACL also excels in the areas of free water, a multitude of portable toilets, numerous bike racks, nearly immediate trash pick-up and recycling, as well as various public transportation options.

All in all, it was a good year back at the fest–my second consecutive year attending. And my oh my, I sure do hope I achieve that one-festival-a-year goal for the rest of my years.

The Great British Beer Festival has more than 700 ways to quench your thirst

by Melanie Renzulli on

Finding a delicious brew in London is never hard, thanks to its thriving pub culture. But if you’re in London this week between August 2 and 6, you may want to head over to Earls Court for the Great British Beer Festival, which bills itself as the largest beer festival in Britain.

Organized by the Campaign for Real Ale, a lobbying group that “promotes the brewing, selling, and drinking of real ales,” the GBBF is set to have more than 700 varieties of real ales, ciders, and perries. The international section of the festival, cheekily called Bières San Frontières, features the best beers from Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Tempering all these brews is a pukka selection of pub foods, including fish and chips, Cornish pasties, sausages, crisps, and curries.

As for activities, planners of the Great British Beer Festival thought of almost everything. In addition to the usual festivities, such as beer judging contests and musical guests, the GBBF will have a Games Zone to “satisfy the urge to chuck or roll something.” GBBF also provides a family room, the “Half Pints Club,” where parents can accompany bored or overactive kids in between imbibing. God bless Britain for having a culture that allows a beer festival to be a family-friendly event.

If you’re not able to make it to the Great British Beer Festival this year, don’t worry. The 84-page GBBF program, which doubles as a handy reference to hundreds of beers, is available online. You can also follow the Great British Beer Festival on Twitter @gbbf and Facebook.

[Photo credit: Flickr user bods]

Ten iconic foods of summer, and where to find them

by Laurel Miller on

Aah, summer. A time for the beach, pool parties, lazy days…and sheep cheese? While many foods are undeniably the essence of summer–watermelon, peaches, and anything grilled come to mind–there are plenty of edibles not identified as seasonal foods.

Most of my favorite things to eat just happen to peak in summer, so I decided to compile a list of both the obvious and not-so. Even the most dedicated city-dweller can find these foods with minimal effort. Farmers markets abound in major metropolitan areas, as do specialty food shops and local produce-focused grocery stores and food co-ops. Just look for the most local product where things like tomatoes or corn are concerned; they degrade quickly, and summer produce is all about freshness.

1. Cherries
I used to work for an organic peach and cherry farmer at several Bay Area farmers markets. Each year around this time, customers would start getting antsy, wanting to know when the first cherries of the season were coming in.

I understood. I also eagerly await their all-too brief appearance. Sweet cherries have a wide growing range, from the Pacific Northwest and Southwest to the Rockies. But Traverse City, Michigan, gets the title of Cherry Capital of the World. Their famous National Cherry Festival is July 2-9th, but should you miss out, there are U-picks pretty much everywhere cherries are grown. FYI: Most tart (“pie”) cherries are grown in Michigan.

[Photo credit: Flickr user dr_knox]2. Copper River Salmon
The first shipment of this Alaskan treasure hit the tarmac at Seattle-Tacoma Airport on May 17th. While season and availability depend upon how stable the fishery is during a given year, May 15th to mid-June is when you can usually find this succulent, deeply-flavored species on menus and in the marketplace. If you’re feeling really motivated, take an Alaskan fishing expedition. However you procure it, treat it gently and prepare simply, so you can best enjoy this most fleeting and precious of wild ingredients.

3. Corn
“Knee-high by the Fourth of July.” The first time I heard that old-timey phrase, I was driving with a chef through the verdant farmland of Southern Wisconsin. As with cherries, people get really amped up over the imminent arrival of sweet corn. U-picks and farm stands are a way of life in Cape Cod and other parts of the Northeast (how can you have a clam bake without fresh corn?). And “fresh” is key. Corn starts to lose its delicate, milky sweetness the moment it’s picked; refrigeration converts the natural sugars into starch. Resist purchasing until the day you need it, and don’t shuck it prior (avoid purchasing pre-shucked ears, or those with dry, brown, or slimy tassels). For a real down-home corn hoe-down, check out the Olathe Corn Festival on Colorado’s Western Slope.

4. Blue crabs
A few years ago, I went crabbing for the first time in an estuary on the Florida Panhandle’s “Forgotten Coast.” Those blues tasted all the sweeter because I’d caught them myself (Equipment check list: string, bait, and a net. Go to this site to see what state permits are required, and double-check with local authorities). Alas, BP has utterly screwed the marine and estuary life and livelihood of the fishermen on parts of the Gulf Coast (word is the Apalachicola/Forgotten Coast was spared). An alternative are Chesapeake Bay blue crabs. While commercial harvests are in decline due to habitat loss, it’s still considered a “good alternative,” according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch. Just don’t be greedy.

5. Santa Barbara Spot Prawns
Spot prawns–actually a species of large shrimp– can be found throughout the North Pacific, but this fishery has a rep for being one of the most sustainable, due to it’s strict regulations, catch-method (traps), and the fact that the small fleet are all small, family-run vessels. Because the cold, deep waters of the nearby Channel Islands are so clean and nutrient-rich , SB spot prawns are revered for their sweet, lobster-like flesh. Supplies are limited, however, due to loss of habitat (if you need to purchase a large quantity, opt for British Columbia spot prawns). While technically available yearround if the fishery is stable, spot prawns are an iconic Santa Barbara summertime treat, especially grilled. You can purchase them from the fishermen at the farmer’s market; at the Santa Barbara Fish Market (live and frozen) or straight off the boat at the adjacent Saturday morning Fish Market at the Harbor (7-11am).

6. Wild mushrooms
The Rocky Mountains explode with edible fungi such as morels, chanterelles, and boletes (porcini) come early August, which is monsoon season. If you’re not an experienced forager, be sure to go with someone who is, or see if your local mycological society offers forages. Never eat a mushroom you’ve collected without having it identified by an expert, first. If you live in mushroom country, which also includes the Pacific Northwest, and parts of the South and Midwest, you’ll likely find foraged mushrooms at the farmers market. If you want to really geek-out, don’t miss the Telluride Mushroom Festival, August 18-21st. Seminars, forages, special dinners, and a truly, uh, trippy parade are the highlights.

7. Tomatoes
Sun-ripened. Just picked and still warm–preferably from your own garden or container planter. Or just check local farmers markets, farm stands, specialty food stores, and co-ops for local, sustainably-grown heirlooms or hybrids such as Early Girl. Tomato-lovers understand that there ain’t nothing like the real thing.

8. Watermelon
Few can resist a slice or three of icy-cold watermelon, followed by a long nap on a sweltering summer afternoon. Cordele, Georgia, declares itself the Watermelon Capital of the World (Watermelon Days Festival ion June 3rd!), but Arizona, Florida, and California’s Imperial and Riverside Counties are the other major growing regions. My personal favorites come from Northern California’s pastoral Capay Valley, located between Davis and Sacramento. The Valley’s dry, intense heat produces melons with a syrupy sweetness and perfume balanced by fine-textured flesh. Bonus: most of the farms in the area are small, organic or sustainable family operations; look for Capay or North Valley/Sacramento Delta melons at Bay Area farmers markets.

9. Honey
Most folks don’t realize honey is a seasonal food. But during the chilly, wet winter months, bees hunker down in the hive, feeding on honey. Come mid-to-late spring, they again venture out in search of pollen. Seasonal harvests depend upon location, climate, and food source (pollens) but on average, a beekeeper can expect two to four hauls between late spring and late summer/early fall.

If you’ve never tried local, raw (unheated; pasteurizing or heating destroys flavor compounds as well as health benefits), unfiltered honey, you’re in a for a big treat. Honey has proven anti-microbial properties, and studies show consuming local honey helps prevent seasonal allergies (by ingesting it, you’ll build up a tolerance to the allergens). The flavor complexities and textures in local honey are specific to microclimate, and what the bees are eating. Where I live, in Seattle, blackberry honey is treasured. But you can find great local honey anywhere: whenever I’m in New Mexico, for example, I’ll puchase a jar from a roadside stand.

10. Fresh goat and sheep’s milk cheeses
As with honey, our urban-dwelling culture has mostly lost touch with the concept of seasonality, especially as it pertains to certain crops and food products. Cheese is of an entirely seasonal nature, especially at the “artisan” level. A small-scale cheesemaker creates product as the milk supply waxes and wanes throughout the season(s). The flavor and chemical composition of the milk also changes, depending upon how lush the pasture, if the animal’s feed is supplemented by hay or grain, and what plants are indigenous to the region.

While cows produce milk for about 10 months of the year, sheep and goats lactate only during the spring, summer, and sometimes early fall months. That makes cheeses produced from sheep and goat’s milk a seasonal specialty, especially when they’re fresh varieties such as tangy chevre or fromage blanc, or sweet, milky ricotta. I know summer has arrived when the first deliveries of cloud-like sheep’s curd arrive at the cheese shop I work at.

We live in a time when we can get whatever ingredient or food product we want, when we want it (usually at the expense of massive fossil fuel consumption, environmental degradation, and pesticide use that affects the health of both consumer and farmworker). Some things are just worth waiting for.

What’s your favorite seasonal food of summer? We’d like to hear from you!

[Photo credits: corn, Flickr user agrilifetoday; all remaining photos, Laurel Miller]

A first-timer’s guide to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

by Gadling Staff on

The annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, or simply Jazz Fest, is a massive springtime music and cultural festival that takes place over two consecutive weekends in late April and early May. Many music lovers of all ilk consider it the country’s premier music festival and return year after year. Others have called it the best party in America.

The name Jazz Fest is somewhat misleading, as jazz is only one component of the festival’s musical offerings. Performers represent a wide range of genres including jazz, rock, blues, gospel, R & B, Cajun, zydeco, folk, bluegrass, African, Caribbean and Latin. Non-stop performances take place on a dozen stages scattered around the festival site. In addition to music, there’s a huge selection of regional cuisine, arts and crafts booths, second line parades and numerous other attractions.

Over its seven-day run, the festival typically attracts around 400,000 visitors. Jazz Fest is really big and big-time fun.

When and Where
Most people attend Jazz Fest for only one of two weekends, though some stay for the duration. The first weekend begins on the last Friday of April and runs through Sunday. After a three-day hiatus, festivities begin again on Thursday and conclude on Sunday. The dates for Jazz Fest 2011 are April 29-May 1 and May 5-8. The festival takes place at the Fair Grounds Race Course in the Mid-City section of New Orleans, about three miles from Downtown and the French Quarter. Daily hours are from 11am to 7pm which leaves fest-goers time in the evening to explore the city’s famous restaurants, bars and clubs.

%Gallery-121740%Jazz Fest through the Years
The first New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival took place in 1970 in Congo Square, at the edge of the French Quarter. The single-day event attracted 350 people. It was produced by George Wein, founder of the Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island. The lineup for the first Jazz Fest included Mahalia Jackson, Duke Ellington, Pete Fountain, Al Hirt, Clifton Chenier, Fats Domino, The Meters and others. It quickly outgrew its original location and moved to its current site at the race track.

In 1975, the first limited-edition silkscreen festival poster was produced. Today, the Jazzfest poster collection is considered the world’s most popular poster series (you can view and purchase posters at www.art4now.com). In 2001, the year of Louis Armstrong’s centennial celebration, Jazz Fest set an all-time attendance record with 650,000 attendees.

Getting to New Orleans
Unless a springtime road trip is on your agenda, you’ll probably be arriving in New Orleans by plane. Discounted flights for Jazz Fest travelers are offered by American Airlines (discount code 2341BT) and United Airlines (discount code 584EZ). Delta Vacations offers combination air/hotel packages. If you’re having trouble finding suitable last-minute flights, consider flying into Houston’s Hobby airport then connecting with Southwest Airlines. Southwest offers numerous daily flights to New Orleans.

Where to Stay
With hotel rooms in high demand during the festival, don’t expect to find a great deal on lodging. Some hotels do offer slightly-discounted Jazz Fest rates. Priceline or Hotwire sometimes have affordable last-minute deals. Most visitors opt to stay in Downtown New Orleans or the adjacent French Quarter where much of the city’s dining and entertainment venues are concentrated. Another option is to stay in the quieter leafy Garden District which connects by streetcar to Downtown and the Fair Grounds.

From the Airport into Town
A rental car will be an unnecessary and expensive burden unless you’re staying in an out-of-the-way location. From the airport, you can get to your Downtown or French Quarter hotel by taxi, airport shuttle or city bus. Taxi fare is $33 for up to two people and $14 per person for three or four people. The shuttle costs $20 one-way ($38 RT). For $2, the Airport-Downtown Express bus (E-2) takes riders to the intersection of Tulane and Loyola in Downtown New Orleans (weekdays only). Board the bus at Entrance #7 in the airport’s upper level.

Tickets
It’s more convenient to purchase tickets in advance than when you arrive at the fairgrounds. Single-day tickets are $45 in advance and $60 at the gate. Tickets for children age 2-10 are $5. Kids under 2 are free. A limited number of VIP tickets are sold which include perks such as parking privileges, access to private viewing areas at some stages, private restrooms and private beverage concessions.
Tickets are available online through Ticketmaster, by phone (800-745-3000) or in person at the New Orleans Arena Box Office. Service and handling fees are extra. Children’s tickets are not available in advance. You can also purchase a ticket when you book the Jazz Fest Express shuttle (see below).

Getting to the Fest
Even if you have a car, driving to the festival is not recommended. On-site parking is only available for those with disabilities or those who bought a VIP ticket with a parking option. Parking in the surrounding residential neighborhoods is not advisable. There are a variety of other transportation options to get to the fairgrounds.

Taxi: Expect to pay around $5 per person for a taxi from the French Quarter or Downtown. The queue for taxis leaving the fairgrounds at the end of the day can be quite long.

Express Bus: The Jazz Fest Express provides round-trip bus service from Downtown and City Park for $62-$77 with a festival ticket or $14-$17 without. It’s cheaper to book in advance, but not required.

Streetcar or City Bus: For cheap transportation, a streetcar or city bus costs $1.25 each way. Board the 47-48 Canal Street Streetcar marked City Park/Museum either along the river in the French Quarter or at any stop along the route and take it to the end of the line. From there, the festival entrance is eight blocks away. For bus transport, take the 91 Jackson/Esplanade line.

Bicycle: A great option, popular with many locals, is to bike to the Fest. Bike racks are available in a secure guarded location near the Gentilly entrance. Biking is also a convenient way to get around the French Quarter. Bicycle Michael’s, located on Frenchman Street, rents bikes for around $25-$35 per day depending on the length of rental.

What to Bring
Travel light but travel smart. Be prepared for hot weather. Shorts and short sleeves are de rigueur. So are sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen. Wear comfortable shoes or sandals as you’ll be doing a lot of walking. Walkways get muddy after rain showers so leave your sparkling white tennies at home. Carry a pocket-size disposable rain poncho. You can pick one up in the French Quarter for a buck or two. Earplugs are at your own discretion. Don’t forget cash and a camera.

You can bring in one sealed plastic water bottle and refill it throughout the day. Neighborhood entrepreneurs sell them for a dollar on the street near the entrance on Gentilly Boulevard or you can pay more inside. Bringing alcohol into the fairgrounds is not allowed. Packs and handbags are searched at the entrance. For a list of other prohibited items, see this pdf.

The Layout
There are a dozen stages scattered throughout the 145-acre festival site. Five of these are inside tents and offer seating and protection from the elements. At the other stages, be prepared to sit, stand or dance on grass, dirt or on a blanket if you have one. The Acura and Gentilly stages are the largest and are located at opposite ends of the infield. This is where the big-name headliners usually perform.

There are two main food areas and a smattering of other food and beverage concessions scattered around the grounds. There are also two main areas to purchase arts, crafts and souvenirs. Elsewhere, you’ll find a CD store, bookstore, T-Shirt booth, poster shop and a variety of other concessions.

If you need a break from the heat or crowds, head to the air-conditioned grandstand where you can get a refill of cold water, view a fascinating museum exhibit, take in a cooking demonstration and partake of indoor plumbing. The Lagniappe (Lan’-yap) stage, in the inner courtyard, is seldom crowded.

The Music
The quantity and variety of high-caliber musical performances that run continuously throughout the day is, quite simply, mind-boggling. It’s helpful to begin each day with a general plan, but keep in mind that flexibility and spontaneity are often rewarded.

Start by printing out a copy of “the cubes,” a graphic depiction of the musical line-up for each day from www.nojazzfest.com. Undoubtedly, you’ll discover that several of your “can’t-miss” bands are playing at the same time in different locations. Ah, life can be tough.

As you put together your daily Jazz Fest itinerary, be aware that good viewing real estate is in high demand for the big-name headliners, especially on Saturdays and Sundays at the Acura and Gentilly stages. Unless you’re willing to stake out a spot far in advance, you’ll likely end up viewing these high-profile bands from a different zip code.

No worries. Seasoned Jazz Fest aficionados will often tell you that their most memorable experiences took place seeing local, obscure or up-and-coming bands steps from the stage at the less populous venues.

With that in mind, the Fais Do-Do (Fay’ Dough-Dough) stage seldom has large crowds and often features foot-stomping, homegrown Cajun and zydeco music. In addition, the venue has a small grandstand where you can rest your feet or chow down on a po’boy in relative comfort.

For a unique Jazz Fest experience, take in a performance of Mardi Gras Indians at the Jazz & Heritage Stage. Make sure your camera battery is charged up. You haven’t really done Jazz Fest until you’ve experienced a set in the Gospel Tent. The vibe is otherworldly.

If the music isn’t doing it for you at one stage, don’t hesitate to move on. Another band is rockin’ it just a few minutes away.

Sustenance
While great music will feed your spirit throughout the weekend, you won’t be lacking for physical sustenance either. If the music was removed from Jazz Fest, it would still be a pretty damn good food festival. The plethora of food options are largely Southern-inspired with some international flavors thrown in the mix. You won’t find a corn dog at Jazz Fest, but you’ll find jambalaya, gumbo, po’ boys, crawfish, alligator pie, boudin balls and bread pudding.

There is very little turnover of food vendors from year to year, meaning the available choices are proven crowd-pleasers. While everyone has their favorites, dishes with especially large and vocal devotees include the pheasant, quail & andouille gumbo, soft shell crab po’ boy, cochon de lait po’ boy and crawfish Monica. In general, food is portioned and priced to allow you to do copious sampling throughout the weekend. Leave your diet at the gate. Indulge and enjoy.

A limited variety of alcoholic beverages is available. Beers of the standard light lager variety are sold throughout the site. For more discerning tastes, Pilsner Urquell and Blue Moon can be found near the Blues Tent and Gentilly Stage. Several booths sell wine and champagne. A few stands sell daiquiri-type drinks that come in colors that don’t occur in nature. Consume at your own risk.

The Post-Fest Party
If you intend to sample one of New Orleans’ well-known restaurants – and you should – make a reservation in advance. When Jazz Fest ends each day, the clubs fill up as festival performers descend on the city’s abundant music venues for evening gigs that continue well into the wee hours. If you have the stamina, you’ll have amazing options for an evening on the town. Some shows require you to purchase tickets in advance. The Jazz Fest Grids is a great resource for club listings.

Chinese New Year: Fun ways to celebrate the ancient tradition

by Melanie Nayer on

Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. Known as “Spring Festival,” the festival begins on the first day of the first month in the traditional Chinese calendar and ends with Lantern Festival, celebrated on the 15th day.

This year, the year of the Rabbit, is said to be a more peaceful and placid year offering a nice break from the fast-paced year of the Tiger in 2010. The year of the Rabbit is a good time to reflect, rest and plan for the coming year. Amid the lavish festivities and parties that take place around China and in Chinatowns around the world, the Chinese New Year also celebrates some fun and quirky traditions.

I caught up with my friends at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong to learn a little more about what the Chinese New Year means to them, and get some interesting facts and stats on how to properly celebrate Chinese New Year, no matter where you reside.

  • The most common term used over the Chinese New Year is “KUNG HEI FAT CHOY” which translates to “Congratulations and To Be Prosperous” in the coming year.
  • Traditional Chinese families and companies will invite in a Lion Dance Troupe as a symbolic ritual to usher in the Lunar New Year and remove any bad spirits. During the ‘Lion Dance’ performance, the Lion will perform the traditional custom of “Cai Ching”, meaning plucking a lettuce with his mouth, which is normally hung from the ceiling, which he will then chew and spit out at the end of the dance, meant to symbolize “More Prosperity” in the coming year. (The Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong will be hosting a Lion Dance performance on Feb. 3 in their lobby.)
  • Did you know that during the Chinese New Year celebrations you are supposed to arrange “New Year Visits” to close relatives and friends? During these visits the elders will give their younger guests, who are not married, a red packet with money inside. The red color of the envelope symbolizes good luck and is supposed to fight off evil spirits.
  • The God of Wealth plays a significant role during every Chinese New Year and will deliver Lai-See packets with money, or chocolate money, inside to promote Prosperity in the coming year.
  • Fireworks are an essential part of the Chinese New Year celebrations – in ancient China, it was believed these fireworks or firecrackers drove away evil spirits. The fireworks and firecrackers are rolled up in red paper – the color of luck. This year, a fireworks extravaganza will take place on Feb. 4 and will light the skies of Victoria Harbour.
  • Kumquat trees, narcissus and peonies are believed to bring prosperity; peach blossoms add fire to romance, while tangerine plants, with their leaves intact, help to ensure long-lasting relationships and ‘fruitful’ marriages. These plants are flowers are commonly distributed during Chinese New Year.
  • A Chinese Candy Box plays a significant role in the Chinese New Year. People prepare candy boxes with fruits and candies to offer good luck and good wishes to their loved ones. The Chinese Candy Box is filled with candy items such as Lotus root which represents strong family ties; Kumquats for prosperity; Coconut for friendship; Peanuts for longevity and Longan for happiness.
  • Red nail polish is very popular during the Chinese New Year because it symbolizes happiness and good luck.

Now that you’re armed with some of the favorite traditions of Chinese New Year, celebrate in style and enjoy the festivities, wherever in world you’re traveling.