Lions Club CNY charity dinner

On the 18^th day of CNY, we attended a charity dinner for the underprivileged (children and old folks) organized by hubby’s Lions Club.

Members of the lion dance troupe arranging Mandarin oranges for the dance later

The night started with Lions dignitaries and sponsors officiating the event with the cutting of roast pork - yummy

Besides the customary speeches by the Lions dignitaries, there was a lion dance and various performances - stand-up comedy, a duo who made music and various sounds with their mouths, magic show and songs by local artistes.

God of Prosperity making his round around the hall

Stand-up comedian

The duo who made various sounds with just a mic in hand

Magic show

(L) Kids are enthralled by the magician (R) Yiu Yiu was spotted carrying Yan Yan on piggy back so Yan Yan could have a better view...sweet

Performance by local artistes - apparently they were contestants from previous Astro Talent Quest (Astro新秀大赛)

A photo with the cousins

CNY 2015 mall decoration

We didn’t get the chance for much mall hopping this year, and managed to visit only Curve and Mid Valley Megamall (and Gardens Mall).

The centerpiece at the Curve was the reconstruction of a Chinese fishing village and seafood restaurant, with wooden platforms and houses with zinc roofs, similar to that of a typical Chinese fishing village like Pulau Ketam.  Red lanterns are hung all around the village to welcome the Chinese New Year.

 

The theme at Midvalley Megamall was Blooming in Abundance, with plenty of spring flowers and red cloth and lanterns everywhere.
 

 

 

 

Over at the Gardens Mall, wisteria was blooming in its full glory for the Under the Wisteria Spell theme this year.

Touristy Ipoh Old Town

During last year CNY when we were back in Ipoh, we visited the street art at the back alley between Jalan Masjid (Hume Street) and Jalan Sultan Iskandar Shah (Hugh Low Street).  This time around, more street arts have sprouted, particularly around Ipoh Old Town.  I’ve also heard about the transformations of Ipoh Old Town with development like Sekeping Kong Heng and all the nice cafes and restaurants, so we decided to play tourist when we went back for CNY.

We started our day with breakfast at the famous Kong Heng coffeeshop.  I was also pleasantly surprised to bump into my university coursemate, who was also playing tourist J 

Surprise encounter with Yee Kuan and Ming Chong

After breakfast, we went camwhoring aroung Sekeping Kong Heng before heading to the Concubine’s Lane, where old shops are rejuvenated with a new lease of life, while still maintaining that old world charm.

Girls making their own cotton candy



We also went hunting for several street arts around Ipoh Old Town, drawn by renowned artist, Ernest Zacharevic as part of the Art of Old Town project.
 

Evolution - depicts the evolution of Ipoh from a tin mining town to what it is today

Kopi O - enjoying white coffee is part of Old Town culture and heritage

Old Uncle with coffee cup

Hummingbird

Paper plane - children enjoying their care-free childhood

Girl - tiptoeing on plastic chair to reach the forbidden bird cage

These are not part of Ernest's project but still nice.

 

Another pack of kopi O

Chinese New Year 2015

CNY is a time for gathering with family, relatives and friends, with lots and lots of food.  As usual, we headed back to Kuantan first.  On CNY eve, we headed out for our keropok lekor fix, followed by the beach.  I was walking ahead of the girls in the carpark and in an attempt to catch up with me, Yan Yan ran and fell, resulting in bad scrapes on both her knees.  So the beach plan was abandoned, and the poor girl celebrated her CNY with injured knees.  Luckily it dried up pretty quickly and she was up to her usual mischief the next day.

Her scraped knees 

First day of CNY was spent visiting a temple, followed by cendol and rojak as the famous Mustafa Cendol. 

 

Assortment of cookies and snacks prepared by MIL 

In the evening, the girls went out with their cousins for another round of keropok, and a short visit to the Teruntum Zoo, leaving mummy to enjoy a short siesta J 

 CNY will not be complete for the kids without fireworks, and we bought some just because.

 
On the morning of the second day, their 叔叔 took them on a walk around the kampong and the girls enjoyed themselves looking at a variety of plants and insects (pictures below taken by Yiu Yiu). 

They even spotted a crocodile 

As the cousins were due to return to Singapore the next morning, the kids wanted to go to the beach together so off we went.  The girls just LOOOVVVEEE the beach and sea.

After dinner, we celebrated MIL’s birthday with a cake at home.

 

We attended a friend’s open house on the third day and I saw my first lion dance for the year.

 

On the fourth day we made the long journey back to Ipoh, and had dinner with my side of the family, followed by more fireworks.

 

We went back to KL on the fifth day, after making a visit to the now touristy Ipoh Old Town and Concubine’s Street (details coming up in the next post).