Huat came early!

Huat ah (Prosperity) came early this year.

This year, Huat came earlier. Well, as early as on 25 Jan 2014 when yt, 小tz and I celebrated grandma's birthday.

Huat = 鱼生 = Yu Sheng = Lou Hei

Equal to prosperity, luck, wealth and everything good for the coming lunar year after eating the dish. Haha...

Unlike other uniquely Singapore culture, Yu Sheng aka. Lou Hei is unlikely to disappear due to the commercial motivation behind the dish. Which restaurant or eatery would want a profitable dish selling anything from $28 to as high as $128 to disappear?

On 6 January 2014, I chatted with 小tz while accompanying her to wait for her school bus.

小tz: "Daddy, are you working today?"

Me: "Yes dear."

小tz: "Then why are you wearing your home clothes?"

Me: "I am starting work at 12:30PM today. After you board your school bus, I am going for my Tai Chi then eat my breakfast."

小tz: "Then order your 钓鱼 (fishing) right? Hee hee..."

Me: "So clever huh."

Patting her shoulder, I smiled and nodded my head.

In case you are wondering, 钓鱼 or the direct translation - fishing, is the way the coffee shop aunties labelled Chinese Tea. 小tz ever asked me and I told her that the way we handle the tea bag gave Chinese Tea this name. A name that likely to disappear among the young ones with more of them going to McDonald's and Starbuck often than their coffee shop downstairs.

Is there any other coffee shop terms that will be forgotten soon too? Well... "Ta Kui" (kick ball),  Clementi and "hor li", just to name some I remember. Do you know what they are and  the reason behind those names? Haha...

Sad to see the erosion of the unique Singaporeans culture.

Anyway, Happy Chinese New Year!!!