2016 :: Year of the
Red Fire Monkey ::
Will you be turning 12
// 24 // 36 // 48 // 60 // 72 // 84 // 96 or 108 from Feb 2016 until Feb
2017? If so, you’re a lil monkey,
according to the Chinese lunar horoscope.
This year is a fire year, so we’ll be dealing with a vivacious, but
capricious red fire monkey.
February 4th is the first day of the red monkey year, but
Chinese New Years Day is not until 2/8!
As you might assume, the monkey is an intelligent, social and witty
beast. The life of the zodiac
party. It’s a year to toss away
inhibitions and guilt and to test theories. Possibilities are expanded. New ideas take hold.
Progress is made.
But, as
with all the animals of the Chinese zodiac, monkeys have their dark side. They can be tricky pranksters, at times
even untrustworthy. So let the
buyer (and voter) beware. This is
a year to do your own homework, make your own decisions and not to take people
and politicians at their word.
Delve deep, make innovative changes. Think like a monkey in the best possible way.
Be clever, courageous and enthusiastic
in taking those risks that have been yapping at your prehensile tail. The ones you know you need to tackle,
but just don’t have the chutzpah to ignite. Be impetuous, not impulsive, take action, but be vigilant. In this monkey year, use energy to your
advantage, while you make sure to watch out for the wily tricksters around you
on the paths and in the trees.
Everyone loves the monkeys & so it’s a year for flirtation, romance
and free spirited social fun. Since
it’s the red fire monkey, look for birth rates to rise later in the year. Interestingly enough, monkey years are
always leap years and often plenty w/ blue moons. This year we have one on May 21. It’s a social year, full of stimulating conversations, but
quarrels can quickly arise too.
Good luck to us as the election ‘conversations’ escalate. One caution in a monkey year is to
remember to relax, breathe and take a time out from the frenetic pace of the
manic monkey. She can leap from
tree to tree chasing one banana at a time, but we humans are only her distant
cousin. Let’s remember to admire
& learn and not be overly influenced in our emulations. After all, it was from the mighty simian
that we learned to Hear no evil, See no evil, Speak no evil
While the predictions
and personality of each year are fun to explore, it’s the celebration that
rings truest of all. Chinese New
Year is festival of food, color, tradition and experiences. Red is the color of celebration in
China, so get out your red decorations and dinnerware. Festoon the abode with culinary &
decorative creations that symbolize gold coins, bars & ingots.
Steamed fish is an auspicious must have
since the Chinese word for fish, yu,
is synonymous w/ ‘surplus’ thus echoing wealth and prosperity for the entire
year.
Long long noodles are on the
table to remind the heavens above how we humans desire long and healthy lives. Pomelos bring prosperity and status;
golden citrus such as tangerine and orange attract wealth and luck. Look for citrus w/ a stem and a few
green leaves attached, the leaves are a symbol for life. Oh, and never forget those greens. Everyone is Chinese on lunar New Year
and all human cultures revere the mighty vegetable as a potent symbol for the
health of the miraculous physical body we inhabit from the moment we are born,
until the day we shed our mortal coil.
Make up some Jai; add in some mushrooms to encourage wishes to come
true. Be careful what you wish for
during this dreamy holiday filled w/ the mystic symbolism of the ages. Dumplings are made by the family group,
much as tamales are crafted for the Latino Christmas feast. Long leafy greens prepared in ways that
keep their crunch and enhance their bright green color are served with pride to
wish our parents a long long life.
Make a trip to a local Chinese or Asian neighborhood to find
Nian gao. These glutinous sticky
rice cakes, often flavored with chestnuts and Chinese dates powerfully
symbolize life getting better and better, year after year. With a few clicks you’ll find all sorts of lists of food symbolism for Chinese New Year.
Eating
Healthy & Delicious is a Win Win Win Situation!
Eat, Live
& Party Well
Blog post
by Chef Mark Cleveland
Avanti is
the longstanding leader in organic, sustainable, local, flavorful cuisine in
Orange County, CA.
Meaning
'forward' in Italian, Avanti Natural is a culinary philosophy that integrates
the best of traditional European and Asian healthful eating with the latest
nutritional information for optimum health.
At Avanti
Natural, we believe that you don't have to sacrifice taste to eat healthy. You can Eat Well & Live Well. Follow us on social media to see what
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