Food for Thought: Celebrating Culture

Every culture has its own traditions for celebrating a new year, and more often than not, these traditions center around food. Here’s a list of popular Lunar New Year treats and the fortunes they symbolize:

• Steamed fish bring an increase in prosperity

• Dumplings and spring rolls lead to wealth

• Tangyuan rice balls signify family and togetherness

• Fruit like tangerines, oranges, and pomelos are considered good fortune

• Round and golden fruit typically symbolize fullness and wealth

• Niangao rice cakes will lead to a higher income or higher position at work

• And longevity noodles signal happiness and, you guessed it, longevity

Some of our favorite foods around this time of year come from Vietnamese kitchens. Here’s a handy guide:

• Bánh chưng: Square shaped sticky rice cake

• Bánh tét: Cylindrical steamed sticky rice cake

• Thịt kho tàu: Braised pork with eggs

• ‘Mứt: Dried candied fruits

• Canh bóng: Vegetable soup with pork skin

• Thịt Gà: Boiled chicken

• Mâm Ngũ Quả: Five-fruit tray

We wish you a very Happy (and full) Lunar New Year!

Shop Small

While the holidays might look a little different this year, it's more important than ever to support our local communities and small business owners. This year, I'm looking forward to shopping small. Here are some of my favorite local vendors:

Therapy Stores – Let your favorites do the choosing! Send a gift card to a loved one that they can redeem for whatever strikes their fancy at this SF online boutique.

Present – A friendly store in Downtown Los Altos featuring gifts, gift baskets, and gift boxes of artisanal food, chocolates, beauty and spa products, candles, mugs and vases.

Sugar Butter Flour – You can get any kind of cake or dessert you can imagine at this Sunnyvale staple. My favorite is the Princess Cake. It melts in your mouth!

Chic vs. Geek: Halloween Lives!

Halloween may have passed, but the spooky spirit lives on throughout the autumn season, and there’s still time for a little style and celebration! Here’s how we like to party:

CHIC (PEARL)

I like to express my artistic side and create crafty things. From decorating pumpkins to coloring sheets, there are tons of fun and productive ways to spend time at home (or on Zoom with friends and family) without crashing Halloween parties or trick-or-treating. Here are a few ideas for the kids to enjoy.

GEEK (KEVIN)

As you might’ve guessed, my favorite way to celebrate any holiday — and especially Halloween — is with food and drinks. With that in mind, I found some amazing autumn-inspired treats, savory dishes, coffee creations, and Halloween cocktails that you can sample at home in your pod. Let me know how it goes!