Let Me Count the Ways: New Year + 2

As I've recently learned, the second day of the new year is traditionally reserved for having a meal with one's "niang", or wife's mother. (Hence, another round of traffic-beating.) This was originally going to be a down day for us, but then our collective mouths were called in to help eat at San YieYie's family dinner. The minimum sized table at this particular fancy Chinese-style (i.e. everyone squished together, talking and eating loudly) restaurant in the south gate district was for 10 people, and they had only 8 adults: San YY, San YeePoh, and my cousin Amber; San YY's older sister, her three children, and a son-in-law. In year's passed, San YP told me, the eating would progress rather slowly and then they would end up taking home a lot of leftovers; this year they were so pleased with the leftover status that we were invited back to help them eat next year's "niang meal".

There were so many dishes! A (fake) shark fin soup, which was rather tasty; a mung bean sprout stir-fry; bell peppers paired with real crab meat; sweet and sour chicken; a huge tray of pig knuckle, which I helped myself to a big fatty piece.

Then there was this bowl of huge shrimp the size of M's hand! I didn't partake because I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to them, but I know the girls enjoyed them.

The awesome seafood hot pot (above) that took forever to boil; a pretty tasty fish.

The waitress unveiling a savory zongzi-like thing with seasoned eel on top. Excellent. The last part of the meal consisted of a somewhat bitter greenery (name?) paired with scallops, the idea is that if you have your bitter (albeit in food form) at the start of the new year, the rest of the year will be sweet; a fruit plate; and a soup dessert called jiu niang. (Note: not the same word as "wife's mother".) My AhPoh was famous for her jiu niang as being some of the most alcoholic you'll ever taste, she would add rather large quantities of alcohol right before serving. This restaurant version was TAME in comparison.

As a kid, eating at these kind of restaurants, my favorite part of the meal was the guava juice, there was never enough, and someone would inevitably hide the carton in order to make room at the table. It was the same with the girls, always wanting more juice or some of the sour plum "tea".

The restaurant gave the girls little chocolates, Amber used the wrappers to make little dancing ladies.

And the girls received another hong bao.

Afterward we went driving around Taipei, which is eerily quiet during new year's. There are noticeably fewer cars, fewer people everywhere. The city is almost quiet. 

BB's drawing of me. Notice the tapes on my face where my moles used to be.

We stopped at a couple of chain coffee shops and finally found one that had a birthday cake available.

Amber turned 19 on the second day of the new year. I got her one of those trendy black leather strap charm bracelets.

San YP made paper fans for the girls, they were so excited about them.