AsianWeek » Much to be Thankful For

Much to be Thankful For

Uniting two cultures with love and honor were Scott Louie and Herna Cruz, who married in a small private garden wedding in Nicasio, Calif., in late summer.

A celebration of their marriage, joining two young people, two loving families and two great cultures (Chinese and Filipino), took place at the Silver Dragon Restaurant in Oakland in September.

A pre-dinner champagne reception featured a colorful lion dance and skillful martial arts demonstration, and a performance by Filipino folk ensemble LIKHA demonstrated the grace and disciplined arts of Filipino culture.

Both Herna and Scott work for nonprofits: Scott works at 826 Valencia, an organization that helps students improve their writing skills. Herna volunteers as the executive director of LIKHA, and works at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of San Francisco.

LIKHA, which means creation or creativity, is a dance company founded 15 years ago by a group of 12 people. The talented dance company now numbers 50 members who performed admirably at a show at the Cowell Theatre at Fort Mason on Oct. 20.

Thrilling and exciting were their many different dances and costumes to enhance their expressions of joy, sadness, love, hatred, hunting, and luck and skill in fishing and courtship. LIKHA truly educates its own community, as well as outside communities, on the beauty of Philippine culture.

*****

Internationally recognized master chef Martin Yan will add yet another dimension to his stellar career when he opens the brand-new Martin Yan Culinary Arts Center in Shenzhen, China, in 2008.

Speaking at a press conference held at the Koi Palace Restaurant in Daly City recently, Yan demonstrated his exceptional skills in handling the Chinese cleaver, slicing beef and chicken miraculously paper-thin.

The recipient of numerous awards and honors, Yan has hosted over 2,000 cooking shows and authored 26 cookbooks, as well as served as an instructor at top culinary institutions.

Pioneer of the now classic Yan Can Cook and So Can You shows, his latest book is titled Martin Yan’s Quick and Easy!.

Without question, Yan teaches Chinese cuisine with humor and vitality.

On a local note, Doris Lum is the president of the Association of Chinese Cooking teachers.

*****

“Thanks for the Memories” was the theme of Arthur Tom’s mini-reunion of nearly 90 Cal classmates, preceding the Cal Alumni Association Chinese Chapter’s Big Game Dinner-Dance and Reunion on Oct. 11.

Friends who bonded together in the graduating classes of the mid-1950s experienced nostalgic moments of school days and enjoyed a special seafood dinner in Cupertino, followed by desserts and drinks at Art’s home.

Six alumni speakers articulated their fondest memories and the warm friendships developed from U.C. college days: Chadwick Woo from Los Angeles; George Lee from Vancouver, Canada; Muriel Kao from the South Bay; Suit Jew from Hawai‘i; Bernard Lew from Sacramento; and Carolyn Gan from the East Bay.

*****

Calling all Bears! The Cal Alumni Association Chinese Chapter Big Game Dinner-Dance will take place this year at Oakland’s Silver Dragon Restaurant on Nov. 30 at 6 p.m.

Scholarships, auction, raffle prizes, hors d’oeuvres, a Chinese banquet, the Cal Marching Band, singing, dancing and program, for $50 per person.

For inquiries, call Victor Chan at (415) 794-1053 or e-mail victorchanhw@hotmail.com. For reservations, send check to Big Game Dinner-Dance, 480 Pinewood Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903, by Nov. 19.

And truly, thanks for the memories.

Comments

Folks:
I apologize upfront for my lack of manners herein, but our friendly foes out there in the ethers and here online appear reluctant to engage in smalltalk
First, let me congratulate Arthur Tom, one of my own bro’s best friends of yore, and that exemplary Filipina/Chinese couple, CONGRATS! and GANBEI!, and, very especially, to that new? Filipino dance troupe, did you know Lester Horton made an obeisance to “Tinnikaling,” the “bamboo” dance? way back in 1951? , and, of course, “creativity” is the name of the only game that is “timeless.”
But, curmudgeon that I am, the real reason I am butting in here is what I learned today from Wikiedia, to wit
As a freshman journalist back midcentury, the Beltway byline of Evans and Novak inspired, at the least, respect.
but last week’s Robert Novak exploit marks the nadir? of at least half of said byline.
Plamegate was beneath contempt, but tossing a live grenade, authentic “dirt”-”dishing” to rival the “blind” “items” that were Walter Winchell’s stock in trade anent celebs of his day, into the Democratic primaries was, to one observer at any rate, the work of a journalist beyond comprehension.
But, wait, that’s only the beginning.
Wikipedia, and is that not a GREAT manifestation of fact-from-fiction?, avers:
Robert Novak and son are the heart and soul of the ongoing bullyings and provocations of the so-called Swift Boaters.
Sleaze is sleaze and profiteers are, to me, a profoundly unfathomable lot, and if you accuse me of sneaking this one in, at least I’m not being paid for it.
Besides, I am truly proud of the ABOVE lot, not to mention the fact more people are beginning to make their own “comments” out loud and in public on AsianWeek..
Frank Eng
P.S.: Today, Scott McClellan gave the lie to his erstwhile bosses, both of them, even as Mike Whitney’s long-forecast bubble-burst is even now arriving and the theoneocon dream, nightmare?, dissolving in the daylight of events “on the ground.”

–Frank Eng on Nov 20, 2007

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