Year of the Horse

KUNG HEI FAT CHOY

Chinese New Year Sheffield Style

Friday 31st saw us at a wonderful Chinese New Year dinner Kiwi style at Tamper Coffee, Sellers Wheel.

Candlelit and romantic and oh, so tasty and colourful

Incredible food and the finale with the chocolate sauce to die for . . .

Our fortune cookie mottos were a bit on the serious side though . . .

In the intervening days, we've cooked Ken Hom's delicious Chow Mein and other favourites from our much loved and be-splattered copy of his 1984 Chinese Cookery.

Then last night it was the Sheffield Chinese New Year Celebrations at the City Hall along with Margaret and Steve.

first it was food and junior entertainment in the ballroom

and learning about how wonderful those born in the Year of the Rabbit are

and modest too ofcourse, as it says!!

Then up to the packed and buzzing Oval Hall for the main show

Dignitaries and dancing, starting off with a sad lonely Dragon

until thankfully a friend sloped up from the audience

and soon they were three!

painters and pandas

Dare devil feats of contorsion and juggling

music and dancing and beautiful glittery costumes

 the grand finale

 and finally a lovely smiling line up to see us out into the wet Sheffield night

and I have to finish with this - just LOVED the motto from the fortune cookie I was given

HaPpY yEaR oF tHe HoRsE eVeRyOnE

footloose

Seems I need to get this onto the blog before it's ridiculously out of date - so just sneaking it into January!

It was the gloriously sunny winter's day of the Grenoside Sword Dancer's annual traipse around the village back in early January.

Gathered with friends, we watched them perform on the village green with the world (well South Yorkshire anyway) spread out below and beyond

took a brief sortee into the woods while they lunched in the Old Harrow

Caught up with them again after the pub - ruddy of face, oblivious of the freezing temperature and still dancing (them not us!)

Never heard of the Grenoside Sword Dance?  Well you can read more of their long history on the webpage below - even see a video of the dance, buy a Grenoside Sword Dance board game. . . .
Grenoside Sword Dance webpage

So there you have it - I can move on into February now with a clear conscience! 

Chinese New Year celebrations to come next ..........................

cup of kindness

We'll never forget the happy end to the year as 2013 spun into 2014 in a rush of laughter, love and fun that was Rachel and Ben's wonderful sparkly wedding.

New Year's Eve has always been one of my favourite nights of the year and this ranked amongst the best.  The fun started as soon as we arrived at the Malmaison on the beautifully revamped Prince's Dock, right in the shadow of the mighty Royal Liver Building

Now I do regret not taking my camera along, but I thought my iphone would be up to the job.  Sadly the pics are all a bit fuzzy - so sorry about that.  But the evening was amazing and I hope this captures the fizz and fun despite the fuzz!!

order of the night

sweet music as we supped arrival champers . . .

the best man and the groom await the bride

there are readings

and the knot is tied

then the bride and groom lead us all out with an amazing Conga line - to the utter delight of all assembled

glamourous new mums-in-law

generations of family

the new Mr and Mrs Giles arrive for the wedding dinner, to much applause and cheering

then the brilliant speeches full of love and fun under fabulous pink lighting

with a rapt audience

followed by a wonderful live band and plenty of crazy dancing, as it said on the card!!

then all too quickly the midnight hour was upon us.  Onto the balcony for fireworks and ships sirens over the mighty Mersey as the Liver clock struck twelve.   Auld Lang's Syne, hugs and kisses and a sprinkle of that magic that heralds the start of a New Year . . .

So thanks Ben and Rachel for giving everyone such a fabulous, fantastic and fun night and here's wishing you buckets full of love for your life together.

What music clip to play - well of course it had to be the Conga . . .take it away Black Lace