January 25, 2020

San Francisco

Happy Lunar New Year! Emmy-award winners Ben Fong-Torres broadcasts live with co-host Julie Haener the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco broadcast on television and streaming on KTVU - TV. 

In 2020, Chinese New Year begins on January 25 and ends on February 8. 

Ben Fong-Torres and Julie Haener co-host Southwest Airlines® Chinese New Year Parade on February 8, 2020 in San Francisco beginning at 5:15pm PST. Organizers expect 1.2 million people will be attending in person.

The Parade will be broadcast live on KTVU Fox 2 or KTSF Channel 26 Saturday February 8, 2020 on television! Watch the Parade live from the streets in San Francisco - the largest of its kind outside of Asia! 

Named one of the top ten Parades in the world by International Festivals & Events Association, this is truly a sight to see.

The parade began in San Francisco more than one hundred years ago, and is one of the few remaining night illuminated parades in North America.

This year the Southwest Airlines® 2020 Chinese New Year festivities range from the great Chinese New Year parade, to street fairs, a fashion show, and many other events. Bobo the parrot says Gung Hay Fat Choy!

This Lunar year marks the Year of the Rat. Here is a beautiful watercolor rendition of the Rat, as painted by the late, great former US Ambassador and former longtime Secretary of State of California March Fong Eu. 

The Chinese zodiac is in a...

September 11, 2013 - Hairy crabs are a popular delicacy in China. They are in season from August to October. A new vending machine has popped up in Hangshou, China reported by writer Gwynn Guilford of The Atlantic.com similar to this live hairy crab vending machine which debuted in a subway station in Nanjing, Jiangsu province December 17, 2010. The crab dispenser was designed by Shi Tuanjie, Chairman of the Nanjing Shuanghu Crab Industrial Company  Photo Credit by Sean Yong Reuters

Hangshou, China

The owner of the vending machine which just opened in Hangshou in September, 2013 is Mr. Liu who owns a live crab shop. He hopes to cater to crab buyers who come after hours when his crab shop is closed for the night.

11pm at night and hungry for live hairy crab? No problem, just head over to Mr. Liu's live crab vending machine!

February 15, 2018

San Francisco

Happy Lunar New Year! The Lunar New Year begins Friday, February 16, 2018!

Ben Fong-Torres and Julie Haener co-host Southwest Airlines® Chinese New Year Parade on February 24 in San Francisco beginning at 5:15pm PST. Organizers expect 1.2 million people will be attending in person.

The Parade will be broadcast live on KTVU Fox 2 or KTSF Channel 26 6:00-8:00pm Saturday February 24, 2018 on television! Watch the Parade live from the streets in San Francisco - the largest of its kind outside of Asia! It will weave its way through San Francisco Chinatown and ends at Jackson and Kearny Streets. Here's a report which includes comments on the 60-year parade tradition from Ben Fong-Torres on NBCNews.com. 

Named one of the top ten Parades in the world by International Festivals & Events Association, this is truly a sight to see.

The parade began in San Francisco more than one hundred years ago, and is one of the few remaining night illuminated parades in North America.

This year the Southwest Airlines® 2018 Chinese New Year festivities range from the great Chinese New Year parade, to street fairs, a fashion show, and many other events beginning February 10 and run through the month of February and into early March. Bobo the parrot says Gung Hay Fat Choy!

This Lunar year marks the Year of the Dog. Here is a beautiful watercolor rendition of the Dog, as painted by the late, great former US Ambassador...

October, 2012

This month food blogger and recent law school grad Sarah Woo shares the many tastes and sights as she travels through Spain. Here are her photos of some of her most memorable meals so far.

For her full story on her food adventures in Spain go to her delicious food blog at www.winnercelebrationparty.com 

Excerpts from Sarah's blog: "I watched carefully as Oscar, the owner and my waiter, held a kettle of mint tea high in the air, pouring the tea into a glass, pouring the tea back into the kettle,

and repeating the process several times. Para mezclar, he said."

"I dropped into a chair in a nondescript place where a few Spanish men were chatting with the female owner behind the bar. She walked me over to the bar and showed me some of the hot tapas available: Albondigas, mushrooms, pork in tomato sauce. I got it all, with some cheap white wine. It was a perfect meal-the closest I’ve felt to “homemade” since coming to Spain."

 The best albondigas dish Sarah had ever tasted was at this Tapas bar in Spain. A perfect meal on a rainy day.

 For more of Sarah's travels in Spain go to her official website: www.winnercelebrationparty.com
 Sarah also is a contributing food writer for www.seriouseats.com

Hot Mint Tea with Fresh Mint in Arcos, Spain  Photo by Sarah Woo 

Best...

Manu Narayan Photo by Lia Chang

After much-acclaimed success with Varli Magazine, the Varli Food Festival, and the Varli Cook-Off, the Varli brand continues to expand its reach with the first annual Varli Culinary Awards on November 15, 2012, at The Altman Building, 135 W. 18th St. in New York.

The evening will be hosted by internationally acclaimed Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, along with Bombay Dream star Manu Narayan (The Love Guru), fresh from his electrifying turn as Richard Roma in La Jolla Playhouse’s revival of Glengarry Glen Ross, and Pooja Kumar (Vishwaroop, Man on A Ledge).

Vikas Khanna (Photo by Lia Chang)

The highly esteemed panel of judges includes celebrity judges, renowned food correspondents, and culinary experts such as Vikas Khanna, Jehangir Mehta, Monica Bhide, Rajesh Bhardwaj, Prasad Chirnomula, Hari Nayak.

This revolutionary concept will be the first global awards event honoring the best culinary talent in an array of categories related to Indian cuisine. “It was time to give credit where credit’s due. We really wanted to recognize and applaud the contributions and amazing achievements of Indian chefs, restaurateurs, and key influencers on the international culinary stage,” says Varli Singh, founder of the Varli brand.

In continuation of Varli’s mission to universally promote Indian cuisine, contestants spaning the U.S., India, Middle East, and Europe will compete in numerous categories including “Best Chef...