Author Archives: allancho

$75 for your Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner for 2

Happy New Year!   Let’s start off the Lunar New Year with a Scottish-Chinese Robbie Burns fusion feast!     Just like last year’s celebration, a very Special Gung Haggis Fat Choy Box Dinner for Two is available for purchase at Floata Restaurant in Vancouver Chinatown.  Celebrating safely and responsibly, we plan to create something special that you can eat at home, and that we can perform and celebrate together at our Livestream event!

It will contain almost all the food that we normally serve at a GHFC Banquet Dinner.

Menu

  • Corn soup with “egg clouds”
  • spicy jelly fish
  • turnip cake appetizer
  • haggis dumpling appetizer
  • special lettuce wrap
  • slice of haggis
  • salt & pepper fish
  • Capital pork loin
  • Buddhist feast
  • Long life e-fu noodles

Price is $75. Please call Floata to pre-order by Saturday 1.00pm. Pick-up will be approximately 1.00-5.00pm on Sunday. Please call 604 602 0368 or email info@floata.com – ask for Brian.

** Sorry no special GHFC dinner orders will be taken on Sunday – but you could order from their regular Take-Out Menu. 


About Gung Haggis:

It was 1998 and as the Chinese Lunar New Year fell only two days away from Robbie Burns Day, which is always January 25, Todd decided to celebrate the Scottish Bard’s birthday along with the Lunar New Year. “Gung Haggis Fat Choy!” said Wong, “I can celebrate two cultures at the same time.” And thus was born the Vancouver cultural premiere that culinary and media personalities have come to celebrate this cultural mashup that features deep-fried haggis wontons, haggis dim sum, and haggis lettuce wrap with a glass of scotch each year.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy started out as a small fundraiser of 16 people in 1998 in a crowded living room. Twenty years later it serves dinner at the biggest Chinese Restaurant in North America, and has spun off a CBC television performance special, and the SFU Gung Haggis Fat Choy Canadian Games.

“Gung Haggis Fat Choy is the ultimate fusion feast.” – Georgia Straight

“Haggis wontons? Robbie Burns Night meets Chinese New Year.” – Globe & Mail

“Gung Haggis Fat Choy: This Canadian Celebration Combines Robert Burns Night and Chinese New Year.” – Smithsonian

“Haggis and Chow Mein Collide at Seattle’s Gung Haggis Fat Choy.” – Vice

“Hold the sheep’s stomach lining.” – MacLean’s Magazine

Ricepaper Interviews Todd Wong, founder of Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Dinner.” — Ricepaper Magazine 

Gung Haggis Fat Choy 2021 – A Scottish-Chinese Celebration – Watch it again!


It was 1998 and as the Chinese Lunar New Year fell only two days away from Robbie Burns Day, which is always January 25, Todd decided to celebrate the Scottish Bard’s birthday along with the Lunar New Year. “Gung Haggis Fat Choy!” said Wong, “I can celebrate two cultures at the same time.” And thus was born the Vancouver cultural premiere that culinary and media personalities have come to celebrate this cultural mashup that features deep-fried haggis wontons, haggis dim sum, and haggis lettuce wrap with a glass of scotch each year.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy started out as a small fundraiser of 16 people in 1998 in a crowded living room. Twenty years later it serves dinner at the biggest Chinese Restaurant in North America and has spun off a CBC television performance special, and the SFU Gung Haggis Fat Choy Canadian Games. in almost all the food that we normally serve at a GHFC Banquet Dinner.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy 2021 – A Scottish-Chinese Tradition Returns! on February 21, 2021

A Special Gung Haggis Fat Choy Box Dinner for Two will be available for purchase at Floata Restaurant in Vancouver Chinatown. We wanted to make something special that you can eat at home, and that we can describe at our Livestream event!

It will contain almost all the food that we normally serve at a GHFC Banquet Dinner.

 Corn soup with “egg clouds”, spicy jelly fish, turnip cake appetizer, haggis dumpling appetizer, special lettuce wrap, slice of haggis, sauteed sole, Mongolian beef, Buddhist feast and long life e-fu noodles. Price is $$65. Please call Floata to pre-order by Saturday 1.00pm. Pick-up will be aprox 1.00-5.00pm on Sunday. Please call 604 602 0368 or email info@floata.com – ask for Brian.

Confirmed musicians:

Simon Kempston – Edinburgh Scotland
singer-songwriter in folk tradition and trained in classical guitar, I have hosted house concerts when he comes to Vancouver. We first met at the Railray Club in Vancouver when I was wearing a kilt. https://simonkempston.co.uk/
 
Dr. Leith Davis Burnaby BC
English Professor and Director of Center of Scottish Studies at SFU – She writes and lectures about the global Burns diaspora, plays fiddle and piano. She created the SFU Burns poetry reading marathon event.
 
 
Paul Yee – Toronto ON
author/historian – writer of youth, adult & juvenile fiction, poetry and books about Chinatowns – I first met Paul when he chaired the 1986 Saltwater City exhibit about 100 years of Chinese history in Vancouver.
 
 
Ken McGoogan – Toronto ON
Author of 15 books about the Scottish & Celtic diaspora in Canada + Franklin’s journey in Northwest Passage. Introduced to me via email by CBC Radio’s Shelagh Rogers. I’ve promised Ken to visit the Actic someday soon. https://kenmcgoogan.blogspot.com/p/home_11.html
 
 
Fiona Tinwei Lam – Vancouver BC
Born in Scotland – Poet and Creative writing teacher and author of three poetry books and a children’s book, editor/co-editor of three anthologies. Her poetry, fiction, and nonfiction have been published in over forty anthologies. Her sister Shona once paddled on our Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team.

** Sorry no special GHFC dinner orders will be taken on Sunday – but you could order from their regular Take-Out Menu. Or if you live farther away from Vancouver Chinatown — order from your Favourite Chinese Restaurant or Scottish Restaurant, or cook up your own special meal.    We had to make it a pre-order by Saturday 1.00pm – so that the restaurant can go shopping for enough fresh ingredients, have the chefs prepare on Sunday morning by noon-time so that people can pick up between 1.00-5.00pm, and take home to be in front of their computer or TV screens by 5.00pm.

LiterASIAN 2020 is Here! For Asian Heritage Month

Proud be part of LiterASIAN 2020

LiterASIAN Festival is the first of its kind within Canada, the purpose to promote and celebrate the works of Asian Canadian writers and artists through author readings, panel discussions, and workshop events.  We create important and unique networking opportunities between professional and emerging writers, students, and members of the broader public to learn and discuss topics of importance to Asian Canadian writing.

In 2013 . . . we featured C.X. Cheng, Terry Watada, Sarah Ling, Larry Grant, Ann Shin, Larry Wong, Janie Chang, Denise Chong, Laara Ong, David H.T. Wong, Julia Lin, Terry Woo, May Yan, Ann Marie Fleming.

In 2014 . . . we featured  invited Lily Chow, Edwin Lee, Amanda Wan, Souvankham Thammavongsa, Doretta Lau, Fred Wah, Tom Cho, Louise Bak, Elsie Sze, Raymond Nakamura, Corinna Chong, Kim Fu, Yasuko Thanh

In 2015 . . . we featured Derwin Mak, Tony Pi, Eric Choi, JF Garrard, Wesley Lowe, David Ng, Shirley Camia, Holman Wang, and Christina Park.

In 2016 . . . we featured Paul Yee, Denise Chong, SKY Lee, JJ Lee, Simon Choa Johnston, Jean Barman, C. Fong Hsiung, Edwin Lee, Larry Wong, Joy Kogawa, Judy Hanazawa, Larry Grant, Sarah Ling, Dan Seto, David Wong, Cheuk Kwan, Kwoi Gin, and Anna Wang Yuan 

In 2017 . . . we featured Jen Sookfong Lee, Julia Lin, Janie Chang, Terry Watada, Leslie Shimotakahara, Eleanor Guerrero-Campbell, Catherine Hernandez, Leanne Dunic

In 2018 . . . we featured Madeleine Thien, Kevin Chong, Evelyn Lau, Michael Kaan, Michelle Kim, Carrianne Leung, Vincent Ternida, Alice Poon, Cheuk Kwan, Katherine Luo

In 2019 . . . we featured Rita Wong, Fred Wah, Sally Ito, May Q. Wong, C.E. Gatchalian, Philip Huynh

In 2020 . . . we do it all again!  

Canada’s First Asian Canadian Writers Festival, September 21 to 25

LiterAsian poster5.6 print-page-001 copy

Our Theme – History and Memory
As Canada nears its 150 celebration of Confederation, it is timely for the Asian Canadian community to gather to reflect on its history.
Festival Pass
This year we are launching a festival pass. This $20 festival pass will allow the purchaser unlimited access to all five of our workshops and three panels as well as an annual membership to ACWW which includes subscription to the online version of Ricepaper magazine and discounts to some community partnership events. A good deal plus a great way to show your support to the Asian Canadian writing community.
Opening Event

Panel Discussion: Searching the Past – Locating History and Memory 
Vancouver Public Library, 350 W Georgia Street
Wednesday, September 21, 6.00pm

Our opening event will be hosted jointly by the Vancouver Public Library on Wednesday, Sept 21, 6pm at the Central Branch lower level, Alice MacKay Room. The panel will explore the different ways we chose to gather and record the past and illuminate the deeds of earlier generations. The panel will include Award-winning authors and editors, Paul Yee, Denise Chong, SKY Lee, JJ Lee, Simon Choa Johnston, Jean Barman and Judy Hanazawa.

Additional Panels

Crossing Boundaries: Writing the Diaspora
Chinese Cultural Centre Museum 555 Columbia Street
Friday, September 23, 6.00pm

Aside from the opening event panel at VPL, we have a Friday evening 6pm panel “Crossing Boundaries: Writing the Diaspora” at the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum (555 Columbia Street). The panel will look at History and Memory from the perspective of diasporic writing when our writers situate their stories beyond Canadian shores. Panelists, Simon Choa Johnston’s new publication, The House of Two Wives begin his story in Calcutta by way of Bagdad and eventually end up in Hong Kong. C. Fong Hsiung traces the plight of the Hakka community following the India-China war of 1962, the Chinese Indians (the Hakka), fearing suspicion and hostility, begin to emigrate. Fong Hsiung’s main character, Jillian Wu was sent to Canada as a picture bride to marry a man she had never met. Filmmaker and director, Cheuk Kwan and cinematographer, Kwoi Jin are partners in a 15 part documentary series “Chinese Restaurants” that tells the stories of the diasporic Chinese from such places such as Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, India, Israel, Madagascar, Mauritius , Norway, Peru, South Africa, Trinidad, Turkey and Canada. They will discuss their new book project to further elaborate on what didn’t ‘make it” into the film. Anna Wang Yuan is a Canadian novelist currently living in California. She edited an anthology “The Strangers” a short story collection by nine new generation ethnic Chinese writers, mostly immigrants who reflect the alienation of being a stranger in a strange land.

The Medium as the Message: Telling Stories Beyond the Written Word

Chinese Cultural Centre Museum 555 Columbia Street, Vancouver, BC
Saturday, September 24, 3.00pm

The written word is not the only way we can communicate our idea. This panel brings together storytellers, filmmakers and those who use other creative means to create effective content. Sarah Ling is a part of a team of producers, writers and filmmakers that are based in U.B.C. and together with elder Larry grant has chronicled Larry dual native aboriginal/Chinese heritage on film. Dan Seto uses youtube as a vehicle for his “Chinese Canadian Roots TV” to explore and chronicling his roots through cooking, culture, travel, history and events. 1985 to 1987, Paul Yee served as Chairman of the Saltwater City Exhibition Committee of the Chinese Cultural Centre and along with David Wong, help put together this seminal Exhibition about the Chinese in Vancouver. David Wong also published an acclaimed graphic novel,”Escape from Gold Mountain”. Filmmaker and director, Cheuk Kwan and cinematographer, Kwoi Jin are partners in a 15 part documentary series “Chinese Restaurants” that tells the stories of the diasporic Chinese from such places such as Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, India, Israel, Madagascar, Mauritius , Norway, Peru, South Africa, Trinidad, Turkey and Canada.  This is a multi-media panel where each panelist will showcase some of their activities and discuss the creative process behind work.

Workshops
Location for all workshops – UBC Learning Centre (612 Main Street)

1. The Self-Publishing Process (September 24, 11.00AM-12.30PM) – Workshop leader – Edwin Lee

2. Writing A Reflective Memoir: Telling a Great Story from Beginning to End (September 24, 1.00PM-2.30PM) Workshop leader – J.J. Lee

3. Literature and Rendering Memory (September 25, 11.00AM-12.30PM)Workshop leader – Denise Chong

4. Food and Inspiration of Storytelling from Memory (September 25, 1.00PM-2.30PM) Workshop leader – Larry Wong

5. Writing Effectively Using a ‘Trace’ and a ‘Hook’ (September 25, 3.00PM-4.30PM) – Workshop leader – Jean Barman

Book Launches

Book Launch: “Gently to Nagasaki” by Joy Kogawa 

Vancouver Public library, Central Branch, Lower floor, Alice MacKay Room
September 22, 6:30pmJoy Kogawa’s new memoir, “Gently to Nagasaki” is presented in partnership with the Historic Joy Kogawa House, the Vancouver Public Library, and Caitlin Press. This intimate exploration, both communal and intensely personal, invites you on a spiritual pilgrimage of forgiveness and resilience. Set in Vancouver and Toronto, the outposts of Slocan and Coaldale, the streets of Nagasaki and the high mountains of Shikoku, Japan, it is also an account of a remarkable life.
Book Launch: Picture Bride by C. Fong Hsiung Chinese Cultural Centre Museum, 555 Columbia Street, Vancouver,
Saturday, September 24, 2.00pm
Following the India-China war of 1962, the Chinese Indians (the Hakka), fearing suspicion and hostility, begin to emigrate. In Picture Bride, set during a period of changing times and changing values, twenty-year-old Jillian Wu leaves Calcutta to marry a man she has never met—Peter Chou, also a Hakka—with much anticipation, only to discover that he is gay. Forced by her husband to keep up the charade of a “normal” marriage, and pressured by her in-laws to have a child, she flees back to Calcutta, only to be disowned by her conservative family. A moving story with political overtones, Picture Bride confronts the politics of family, culture, and women’s rights.
Book Launch: The Strangers edited by Anna Wang Yuan

Chinese Cultural Centre Museum, 555 Columbia Street, Vancouver, BC., Saturday,

September 24, 4.00pm

What kind of images does “Chinese” stir up in your mind? Do you think of strange-looking workers who built the railroads before 1900? Or the quiet math genius from your high school whose strange-sounding name you’ve long forgotten? Perhaps you recall the mysterious man who brought bags of cash to pay for a car or even a house. In a time of globalization, you’ve learned to work with strangers and live amongst strangers, yet you’ve probably only read books written by familiar names. Anna Wang Yuan compiled the nine stories and written the foreword.
LiterASIAN at WORD Vancouver (11.00am to 5.00pm Library Square)

Come join us at the annual Word Vancouver, down at Library Square and meet our featured writers, Paul Yee, Simon Choa Johnston, JJ Lee and Joy Kogawa.  Come and say Hello at the Ricepaper Magazine/literasian table  Word Vancouver is Western Canada’s largest celebration of literacy and reading event. Book and magazine fair celebrating literacy and the printed word. (http://wordvancouver.ca/2016-festival/)

Closing Event

Gala Dinner $50 per person 

Sunday September 25, 6pm

Golden Phoenix Restaurant 2425 Nanaimo StreetCome join in to share a meal that includes a 10-course Peking Duck dinner and have a chance to meet and talk to and get your books signed by the featured writers, in our 2016 program. Our Gala dinner is a fun-filled event which includes celebrity MCs and music from our literASIAN house band with lots of prizes and of course, a ten course Chinese meal.

The $50 ticket also offers a one-year membership to the ACWW as well as a one-year subscription to Ricepaper Magazine (online version) and discounts and special opportunities to community partner events. So come and support the creation of new writers and readers in our community and celebrate the end of another successful festival.

LiterASIAN 2015 Arrives!

Thursday October 8, 2015

6:00PM-7:30PM        Book Launch of Shirley Camia’s The Significance of Moths [Link]


Friday October 9, 2015

1:00PM-2:30PM        The Dreaded Query Letter with Christina Park [Link]

2:30PM-4:00PMA Publishing Career: Breaking In and Staying In with Holman Wang [Link]

6:00PM-9:00PM Opening Gala at Jade Dynasty Restaurant [Link]


Saturday October 10, 2015

10:00AM-11:30AM          Write What You Know Even in a Fantasy World with Derwin Mak [Link]

12:00PM-1:30PMTake Control of Your Writing and Self Publish in Canada! with JF Garrard [Link]

2:00PM-3:00PMThe Making of a Science Fiction and Fantasy Anthology with Derwin Mak and Eric Choi [Link]

2:00PM-3:30PMThe Art of Combining Research into your Writing Practice with Shirley Camia [Link]

3:30PM-5:00PMThe Art and Craft of Science & Speculative Fiction with Industry Experts [Link]

4:00PM-5:30PMOn Scientific Literacy, Unicorns, and Whether Good Science Fiction can Influence Good Science Policy with David Ng [Link]


Sunday October 11, 2015

10:00AM-11:30AM        Putting the Science in Science Fiction with Eric Choi [Link]

12:00PM-1:30PMA Riddle, Wrapped in a Mystery, Inside A Story with Tony Pi [Link]

2:00PM-3:30PMWrite What You Know Even in a Fantasy World with Wesley Lowe [Link]

10:00AM-4:00PMAuthor readings and book signings [Link]

12:00PM-4:00PM3rd annual Asian Canadian book fair [Link]

 


AlliterAsian Twenty Years of Ricepaper Magazine

alliterasianA wide-ranging anthology of Asian Canadian literature to celebrate 20 years of Ricepaper.

2015 marks the 20th anniversary of Ricepaper magazine, a pioneering periodical devoted to Asian-Canadian writing. Over the years, Ricepaper‘s focus has shifted from predominantly arts and culture reporting to the publication of original literature; as such, it has both witnessed and cultivated the maturation of an Asian-Canadian literary tradition; indeed, many of today’s most acclaimed Asian-Canadian writers were first published in the pages of Ricepaper.

This celebratory anthology features exclusive interviews first published in Ricepaperwith David Suzuki, Tobias Wong, Ruth Ozeki, Evelyn Lau, Denise Chong, and Madeleine Thien. In addition, exciting voices in Canadian literature are represented by Kim Fu, Doretta Lau, Corinna Chong, Terry Watada, Derwin Mak, Eric Choi, and C.E. Gatchalian. Established and emerging poets such as Fred Wah, Evelyn Lau, Rita Wong, Souvankham Thammavongsa, and Michael Prior also grace the anthology with their work. Finally, three award-winning authors have given permission for excerpts of their works-in-progress to be included: Joy Kogawa (Gently to Nagasaki, a new memoir about Japanese atrocities during World War II), Yasuko Thanh (“Lucky in Saigon,” a novel soon to be published as Mysterious Fragrance of the Yellow Mountains), and SKY Lee (Progress in Process).

AlliterAsian is an intriguing and multi-faceted record of Asian-Canadian writing that pays homage to the legacy of Ricepaper and its contribution to the evolving and increasingly diverse landscape of Canadian literature.

Think it would make a great present for yourself and your library?   Order a copy today.