Canadians Crowdfund to Pay for Living Expenses

Over 200,000 fundraising campaigns set up on GoFundMe

In a sign that average Canadians are struggling to get by with the increased cost of living, many are turning to crowdfunding to help pay for food and housing.

According to data from GoFundMe, over 200,000 fundraising campaigns were set up in the last three years raising more than C$480 million combined.

The fundraising platform says this is a 274 percent increase in campaigns that mention "cost-of-living" since 2020.

C$480M donated to pay for living expenses

Between 2020 and 2023, 214,912 campaigns were created, which raised C$480,212,706 to help pay for cost-of-living expenses, mostly food and housing.

Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver were the cities with the most cost-of-living campaigns during this period.

The GoFundMe data also shows that in 2023, around 35,500 campaigns solely focused on helping to pay rent.

Even the Parkdale Community Food Bank in Toronto has a GoFundMe campaign, in addition to collecting donations on its website and other charities. It has raised just under C$17,000 from 2020 to 2023.

It's a sad reality when people are virtually panhandling just so that they can pay basic living costs. There's not much relief in sight, though interest rates are expected to fall this year. 

But by the same token it's amazing there are others who have opened their wallets to donate to these people in need. C$480 million is not chump change. Every little bit helps.

Barbra Streisand Tribute

Streisand received Lifetime Achievement Award at the SAG

This evening VIFF, (the Greater Vancouver International Film Festival Society) had a tribute to Barbra Streisand running over 150 minutes long! It was a bit on the long side, but still enjoyable.

Classic film scholar Michael van den Bos showed off his knowledge and love of Babs by presenting a few clips of Streisand's musical and movie career that has stretched 60 years.

Streisand singing with Judy Garland

She was just honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and definitely well deserved.

Van den Bos described Streisand's childhood as tragic -- her father died when she was 15 months old and so she has no recollection of him at all. Her mother was a trained soprano but never put the talent to use. Because of her husband's death, Streisand's mother struggled financially and they lived in poverty, and Streisand felt she didn't get much attention.

Her mother later remarried, and Streisand's step-father was not nice to her. She was determined from a young age that she would do things her way. While her goal was to become an actress, it was her voice as a singer that made her famous. So she would "act" as she sang.

We saw a clip of her singing with Judy Garland, as if the latter passing on the metaphorical torch to Streisand, and of her singing in roles like Funny Girl, Hello Dolly and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.

Omar Sharif with Streisand in Funny Girl

The funniest clips were from What's Up Doc? as Streisand flirted with Ryan O'Neal playing an academic musicologist.

Other clips were of her with Robert Redford in The Way We Were, and with Kris Kristofferson in A Star is Born.

Van den Bos noted Streisand's directing talent, particularly with Yentl, showing an amazing clip of her singing Papa Can You Hear Me?, and also Prince of Tides with Nick Nolte.

However, van den Bos skipped over the other more recent films Streisand has made, like Meet the Fockers with Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Robert DeNiro and Blythe Danner, and Guilt Trip with Seth Rogen.

Singing her heart out in Yentl, which she directed

To end the tribute, van den Bos chose Funny Girl, with Streisand singing Don't Rain On My Parade, an apt finish about doing things her way.

I learned more about Streisand and more importantly how her voice is just, well, like buttah.

Charity Fundraiser with a CNY Theme

The lion made its way around the room

Last night we attended a fundraiser for the Alzheimers Society of BC, which raised almost C$150,000 from selling seats for a Chinese banquet, donations, and silent auction. 

Even though the last day of Chinese New Year was the day before, the event gave people one last chance to celebrate the Year of the Dragon, with a lively lion dance and the God of Wealth stopped by every table where people wanted to have selfies with him.

Our lo hei topped with truffle sauce

The dinner, held at the Continental Seafood Restaurant in Richmond, did a pretty good job of churning out food for over 400 people. The dishes were a bit different from the usual fare, starting with lo hei, a southeast Asian tradition of using chopsticks to throw ingredients up in the air for a chance at higher promotions or larger prosperity. Needless to say it was a messy start.

However, the salad made of vegetarian ingredients that were finely sliced was delicious when mixed with a truffle oil sauce. It was so good I had seconds.

Another dish we haven't eaten for a while was fat choy, or black moss. It was in a dish of braised sea cucumber, Japanese tofu and choy sum. 

There were other traditional banquet dishes like salt-baked chicken and steamed fish, but the carbohydrate was called ginger rice, made with wild rice and red rice for a healthier twist. In it were bits of vegetables and egg white. The older folks didn't like it so much, as they felt the wild rice wasn't cooked through enough and was hard on their teeth. The ginger flavour was quite prominent.

A healthier carb dish using red and wild rice

For dessert, we had osmanthus jelly with wolf berries, and of course sweet dumplings filled with black sesame in red bean soup. The red bean soup wasn't cloyingly sweet, thanks to the use of monk fruit as a sweetner. 

I put in bids for a few things in the silent auction, and was surprised to win two out of the three.

One was a Chinese restaurant coupon for four people to dine on a set menu, the other a gift box filled with snacks, jam, tea and chocolate sourced from BC companies. I definitely donated a lot this year for a good cause!

Shelling Out for Vanity Plates

The Transport Department holds auctions for vanity plates

How much is the letter "D" worth?

In Hong Kong it's HK$20.2 million (US$2.6 million) at a recent auction held by the Transport Department.

Apparently plates with a single letter or digit are highly sought after, and the final price proves it.

Single-digit or letter plates are highly sought after

Before the auction there was speculation the plate "D" would fetch HK$10 million, as it stood for "dragon" and "dollar".

On the auction date, the department set the reserve price at HK$5,000, but the first bidder's opening salvo was already HK$5 million.

That quickly escalated in increments of HK$50,000 when two parties duelled for the plate. In 74 rounds the winner finally emerged at HK$20.2 million in about half an hour.

Ringo Lee Yiu-pui, honorary life president of the recently renamed Hong Kong, China Automobile Association, said the single-digit number plates were particularly sought-after because of their rarity.

"There are only 23 English alphabet letters that can be used and Arabic numerals one to nine," he explained. "There cannot be repetitions. But there are a lot more combinations in two-digit or even three-digit number plates."

Some plates are fun to spot in Hong Kong

But the price for the "D" plate isn't the highest one -- that honour goes to "W" for HK$26 million in 2021, while "V" sold for HK$13 million in 2017. "R" was not red hot -- it only went for HK$5.3 million.

So if you see a car with the plate "D", you'll either think the person is "distinguished" or a "dork", depending on your view...

Luxury Brand Dior Postpones Fashion Show in HK

Dior has postponed a mega fashion show in Hong Kong

Uh-oh. Hong Kong's plans of hosting numerous mega events continues to deflate with French brand Christian Dior postponing its highly anticipated fashion show that was originally scheduled for March 23.

A source familiar with the company said the luxury brand decided to postpone the show due to China's economic uncertainties.

The show was to be at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal

The announcement was made on Friday, when invitations should have been sent out. Around 1,000 guests were expected to attend including VIPs from overseas, and the show was anticipated to cost about HK$100 million (US$12.8 million).

While the company claims the show is postponed indefinitely, Dior did not say when it would be rescheduled. 

Dior's artistic director Kim Jones was supposed to be in Hong Kong to present the men's autumn collection at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.

While the show was not going to get any government funding like the Lionel Messi debacle, the postponed fashion show doesn't look good.

Lawmaker Doreen Kong Yuk-foon was not impressed. "Why would there be a delay at such a critical moment?" she said of the last-minute delay.

"I hope the secretary of the [culture bureau] or Dior can give an explanation regarding the delay. The lack of an explanation is not good for Hong Kong. It's like Hong Kong is being fooled. This will generate a lot of speculation.

Dior's Kim Jones was to come to Hong Kong

"If Hong Kong wants to be a hub of mega events but they are all postponed or the stars don't make an appearance, who will visit Hong Kong for its events? It would be very uncertain for tourists," she said, referring to Messi's no-show on the football pitch.

Nevertheless, culture and tourism minister Kevin Yeung Yun-hung is trying to downplay the postponement.

"Large-scale events are postponed from time to time, and we continue to welcome large-scale events to take place in Hong Kong," a spokesperson for Yeung's office said.

So... what's next?

Remembering Terri Holladay

The gorgeous Holladay died in December at the age of 55

Hong Kong media just found out that former model and socialite Terri Holladay passed away at the age of 55 on December 27 in the city. An online memorial page was set up on February 5 with an obituary and condolence messages from friends, including from her son Roman Chao.

I did not know her personally, but a good friend of mine was in touch with her for several years. For us Holladay reminded us of 1990s Hong Kong. She was stunningly beautiful, and even her recent pictures revealed no signs of aging.

Chao with Holladay at a society event

The half-Vietnamese, half-American model was best known for being with tycoon playboy Cecil Chao Sze-tsung. They met in 1991 and were engaged the following year. They had a "ceremony" in Singapore before Roman was born, but when they broke up, Holladay discovered she and Chao were never legally married.

She fled Chao's compound on Victoria Road, and was chastised for not taking much of the jewellery he gave her. Many described her as very sweet, honest and naive, and they still do.

When Chao soon took on another lover, a mainland Chinese woman named Scarlett, Holladay tried to stay in Hong Kong. She tried to take Chao to court, and eventually settled out of court; she needed to stay in the city in order to see Roman.

Eventually she moved to the United States and met and married Italian businessman Paolo Durazzo in 2005, but he died in 2018 from cancer. 

Holladay told my friend during the pandemic that she was desperate to get back to Hong Kong to see her son, and she eventually moved back in late 2022.

Roman with his mother in an undated photo

In a news clip from a few years ago, she and Roman attended a society fundraiser in Hong Kong and he divulged that he was studying an MBA at City University.

His message on the online memorial page:

Hi Guys. Thanks for all the support and wishes for my family through these difficult times... To be honest, I'm still struggling with what to write about Mom. There's just too much to express and it's really hard to type out in feelings.

She and my late stepfather were the warmth and unconditional love that I wish I appreciated more. They were [the] kindest people I've ever met and having them gone, it's hard not to feel alone...

However, I know she'd want me and the family to move forward. Still in quite a bit of grief, so would appreciate everyone's prayers. Please help me pray for all our good memories to transition from sadness to strength. I love you Mom. I wish you and Paolo an eternity of happiness together in Heaven.

So tragic Holladay died so young, leaving behind a son who is practically orphaned. My friend had hoped that being back in Hong Kong she would be happy again, but her life was cut short.

Picture of the Day: Miniature Pony

Just a woman with mobility issues walking her pony

There was a curious sight in the neighbourhood the other day. A woman in a wheelchair was walking her miniature pony on the street. 

She saw three of us staring and quickly turned the corner trying to act like nothing was strange.

But actually about two months ago I had seen her and her partner take this miniature pony to the entrance to Pacific Spirit Park to let the animal feed on fresh grass. Hard to hide a pony that needs to exercise in an area bigger than a backyard.

Many questions! Hope to bump into her again and have a chat.

Housing Stresses Out Vancouver Renters

High rental rates have some people with lower life satisfaction

While Vancouver is a highly desired place to live with its westcoast vibe, lots of outdoor activities and vibrant dining scene, once people discover the rental housing situation, they get stressed out.

So much so they are more likely to have worse mental health and life satisfaction than other residents and in particular homeowners in British Columbia.

Eby has kicked in government land for housing

The survey by Statistics Canada sampled 20,000 households across the country from 2021 to 2023. It found those living in Metro Vancouver during that period reported lower life satisfaction and worse mental health than others in BC, and had a lower sense of "belonging to their community."

In Metro Vancouver, sense of belonging is at 45.2 percent compared to 47.8 percent in BC, and 46.9 percent in Canada.

Mariah Javadi, a volunteer with the Vancouver Tenants Union says renters' mental health is severely impacted due to housing instability. "[It's] to the point where they hear a knock at the door, they think it's their landlord, they immediately go into panic attack."

Cost of living is another worrying issue for Canadians. In 2021 Statistics Canada said fewer than 19 percent of Canadians reported difficulty making ends meet, but it rose to nearly 27 percent in the second quarter of 2023.

The agency added in 2021 nearly 30 percent of people in Metro Vancouver spent half their income on housing.

Vancouver has highest rental rates in Canada

In the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation's annual report, Metro Vancouver had the highest average rent for a two-bedroom place for C$2,181, and the highest price for a newly rented two-bedroom for C$2,601; the lower mainland also had the lowest vacancy rate among the country's major cities at 0.9 percent.

While all three levels of government are making housing a priority issue in BC by throwing money into the problem, they still need to be built and there's not enough labour to construct them all... a drop in the bucket but at least they're trying?

Seniors Who Must Keep Working

Not all seniors have any retirement and must continue working

On CBC Radio it was sad to hear 67-year-old seniors must continue to work in order to pay the bills.

The program The Current interviewed two people, Stephen Booth who is in Barrie, Ontario, and Janis Long in Langley, British Columbia.

Booth was thrown a curveball when he was 55 years old, his health got so bad that he was in a wheelchair, lost his driver's license and eventually had to quit his regular job, though he doesn't say what it was. As a result he and his wife had to sell their house and he now works part time at Walmart.

It's tough for him to work with a basket of illnesses, including being legally blind, deaf, and has Parkinson's.

As the deacon in the Catholic Church, he has some close friends in the parish who will drop off the occasional gift card to help him keep going financially.

Meanwhile Long says she's been by herself for the past 25 years and has always worked. She also took in her mother and looked after her for the last eight years of her life. Long had to quit working because her mother had dementia and had to look after her.

Her job is ironically looking after some 40 seniors in a day program. She finds it exhausting and has arthritis in her hands so she worries how much longer she can do the job. Luckily Long has a very affordable rent compared to her friends, but still finds it hard to afford basic necessities.

Long used to be a competitive bowler and wasn't able to afford continuing her favourite hobby until her son stepped up to pay for her year of bowling.

She feels bad that he does that, as she thinks her children shouldn't have to pay for that, that they should only treat her for Mother's Day, birthdays and Christmas.

Last January her car was carjacked while she was delivering the newspapers in the middle of the night. Her car was taken along with her purse with everything in it. She managed to get money to replace the car from her insurance, and around that time her friend stopped driving so she bought it for C$10,000. 

She says if she had car payments now Long half jokingly said she wouldn't be eating.

It's sad to hear seniors aren't able to enjoy the last decades of their lives. How did we get to this point? As a man who is around 35 pointed out last week on a radio call-in show about housing that he and his partner still don't have a home and wonder if they will ever be able to afford it. What are they going to do when they get into their 60s?

 

Messi's Explanation Fails to Sway Fans

Messi's video failed to change opinions

This morning my social media feed had a video of Argentine football star Lionel Messi trying to explain what happened in Hong Kong in his own words.

In the two-minute grainy video posted on Weibo, Messi explained in Spanish with English and Chinese subtitles he had an inflamed adductor [groin] muscle that prevented him from playing, and added that he did take part in a training session before the match.

HKers still bitter about his lack of enthusiasm

"I tried to train and made an effort for all those who'd come to watch training," he said. "I did all I could. I also went along to the football clinic with all the kids. But I really couldn't play. I felt discomfort and there was a risk it'd get worse."

But then a few days later he felt well enough to play in Japan, and Messi claimed there was no politics involved in the decision.

Finally he went on to express his affection for China and hoped to see his fans there again.

"Since the start of my career, I've had a very close and special relationship with China. I've done a lot of things in China -- interviews, games and events," he said.

"As always, I send good wishes to everyone in China who I've always had and continue to have special affection for. I hope to see you again soon. A big hug and take care. Ciao!"

The video message did not placate anyone.

Some commenters observed Messi didn't even apologise, and reiterated he could have done more interaction with the fans if he wasn't able to play on the pitch.

Messi has been shut out of games in China

Hongkongers were particularly irked the video was on Weibo, making it aimed towards a mainland Chinese audience. Did he not care about his Hong Kong fans... or are they just chopped liver?

Regardless, the damage is done. He and the Argentine national squad were scheduled to tour China March 18-26, but on February 10 the Beijing Football Association said it had "no plans at the moment to host any matches involving Messi".

Game over.

Are Sino-Canadian Relations Thawing?

Joly and Wang met in Munich

China seems to be extending Canada an olive branch, as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

Wang said the two countries were "not rivals, let alone enemies", an interesting development in the tense relationship between China and Canada particularly since the Meng Wanzhou incident that involved the incarceration of the two Michaels, Kovrig and Spavor.

Discussions between Joly (left) and Wang

In addition, Canada accuses China of meddling in its elections in 2019 and 2021, and Ottawa expelled Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei last May over allegations of intimidating Conservative MP Michael Chong. 

That then led Beijing to expel Jennifer Lynn Lalonde, a consul of the Consulate General of Canada in Shanghai.

Wang told Joly the "current difficult situation... is not what China wants to see", according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout released on Sunday.

"The two sides are not rivals, let alone enemies, and should become cooperative partners," he said.

Wang urged Canada to "stop hyping the 'China threat theory' and stop spreading false information about so-called China interference in domestic affairs".

Perhaps he's referring to the public inquiry into foreign interference by countries like China, India and Russia that started in September last year. In interim report is expected at the end of February, and a final report at the end of the year. 

While it's a positive sign to see China willing to restart relations with Canada again, it can't have its cake and eat it too.

Where is Navalny's Body?

Navalny is being remembered for his activism

People are mourning the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny around the world. Those in Russia are gathering and laying flowers but face the risk of being arrested. The 47-year-old who died in a penal colony in the Arctic circle will not be forgotten.

However, his body cannot be found, nor the cause of death.

His mother Lyudmila Navalnaya, together with members of Navalny's team made the trek to the town of Kharp, 1,900 kilometres northeast of Moscow where he died, but his body was not in the prison.

Lyudmila is escorted by Navalny's lawyer

They were told to go to the morgue in a nearby city of Salekhard, about over an hour's drive from Kharp.

But alas the morgue was closed. Navalny's lawyer called the morgue and was told his body was not there either.

She then went to Salekhard's Investigative Committee office, where she was told the exact cause of her son's death was not clear, and Lyudmila could not receive the body until an examination was completed.

"It is obvious that they are lying and doing everything they can to avoid handing over the body," said Kira Yarmysh, Navalny's spokesperson. She added Navalny's team "demand that Alexei Navalny's body be handed over to his family immediately."

It feels eerie similar to what happened to Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo after he died in 2017 of liver cancer. A funeral was hastily arranged with his wife and family in attendance though they were heavily surveilled. Then his body was cremated and his ashes were scattered at sea, apparently by the family's request.

Will Navalny's body turn up eventually? A grieving mother should not have to look for her son...

Remembering Navalny's Words

Navalny leaves a message for Russians in 2022 documentary

If Russian state media is to be believed, then Vladimir Putin's fiercest critic, Aleksei Navalny is dead at 47.

He was imprisoned in a penal colony in the Russian Arctic circle when Navalny apparently took a walk and collapsed; prison officials said they could not revive him.

Even Navalny's wife Yulia Navalnaya was not sure whether to believe the news or not, but made an impromptu statement in Munich, saying Putin's government would be "brought to justice".

While Navalny's spirit to keep fighting was still strong, perhaps his body could not physically continue. It's a shocking end to Putin's formidable opponent, who had survived an assassination attempt and numerous stints in jail. 

The Academy Award-winning documentary Navalny will surely be revived in theatres and in the film we are reminded of his message to the Russian people.

"If they decide to kill me, it means that we are incredibly strong. We need to utlize this power to not give up... We don't realise how strong we are. The only thing for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing. So don't be inactive."

Another leading Russian opposition activist and former oil tycoon is Mikhail B Khodorkovsky, who spent 10 years in prison. He says Putin's adversaries now need to unite and harness Navalny's legacy. Navalny's death, he said, showed that rather than consolidate around a single leader, Putin opponents needed to form a coalition to fight against the Kremlin.

"A coalition as a system is far more stable," Khodorkovsky said. "If one person goes, others will remain and new people will appear."

The fight continues...

Cha Chaan Teng Offers Taste of Home

A giant fluffy pineapple bun that's made on the premises

Hongkongers missing the taste of home can now to go to Ho Yuen Cafe, opened by the second-generation owner. The mural on the wall has Lion Rock in the centre, flanked by Hong Kong on the left and Vancouver on the right.

Over 60 years ago her father opened Ho Yuen, a cha chaan teng in Tsz Wan Shan, but in the 1980s the family immigrated to Vancouver and so he shut Ho Yuen. However, in Vancouver he opened two other Ho Yuen businesses in Richmond and Coquitlam. 

The interior is bright and cheery with Lion Rock

By 1996 her father retired, and the family returned to Hong Kong where she worked in marketing in the fitness industry. She met her husband, a personal trainer and they had a son.

She decided to go back to her cha chaan teng roots and in 2014 she revived the Ho Yuen brand by opening in Wong Tai Sin, and later Ho Yuen Bakery.

When Hong Kong invited tenders for food trucks, Ho Yuen Express was born and it was a baptism by fire, spending HK$1 million on the food truck and modifying it, and then quickly learning how some locations like Disneyland were better than others, like Kwun Tong.

In 2020 she moved back to Vancouver because of her special-needs son. And in the last few years she took her time looking at locations to open Ho Yuen Cafe.

The location is not high traffic at all -- it's in an industrial area near a park where people walk their dogs. Nevertheless, the bright cafe has large windows and a big kitchen where staff make everything in-house from the char siu to cookie-base egg tarts and pineapple buns. 

Satay beef noodles is another signature item here

One of the signature items is the pineapple bun which is really large and fluffy, complete with a giant slab of butter inside, and a cup of hot milk tea to wash it down.

If that's not enough carbs, a bowl of satay beef with instant noodles is delicious. The noodles have slices of tenderised beef and it's not too spicy, and the soup is comforting.

The owner is already thinking of expanding the brand down the west coast to Seattle and California, and it will be interesting to see if she can spread the culture of cha chaan tengs in North America.

Ho Yuen Cafe

113 - 1750 West 75th Avenue

Vancouver

Hello Hong Kong on a Budget

The Peak Tram welcomed guests at the party

Last night the Hong Kong Tourism Board and the Hong Kong Economic Office held at Chinese New Year party at the Shangri-La in Vancouver.

They invited about 60 people to the festivities, though there wasn't much action when I arrived after 6pm. It turns out everyone had flocked to eat food! The spread? Sushi, tacos, bites like beef nestled inside Yorkshire pudding, vegetarian samosas, deep-fried shrimp, and pork belly skewers.

What about serving things that are Hong Kong-related, like milk tea, char siu bao, spring rolls and malai goh or steamed Chinese cake? 

Mo and Lim with the kendama players

After people had eaten some food and imbibed some drinks, there was a speech from Emily Mo, director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Toronto. She spoke of how vibrant Hong Kong is, how 33 million people visited the city in the past year, and how it was holding mega events and mentioned sports first off. Everyone's minds must have probably thought of Messi right away. Guess she didn't think to modify her speech.

Mo also talked about how Hong Kong was busy doing business, particularly with the Middle East... 

Then Michael Lim, director, Americas for the HKTB spoke, trying really hard to sell Hong Kong as they destination to head to for 2024, and reiterated how there were over 80 events planned for the first few months of the year. 

A new "Hello Hong Kong" video was shown, a gweilo meeting up with a local girl and how they hang out in various places in the city. No words are said until the end when he says, "Hello". 

Lim also mentioned the "Night Vibes" campaign and said that if anyone was going to come to Hong Kong in the next few months should go get their free HK$100 coupon -- at the visitors centres. 

And what was the entertainment?

Hey use these props for Instagram pics!

The Hong Kong Freestyle Kendama Association!

Literally called "sword" and "ball", it's actually a Japanese game where players do different tricks with the ball and wooden piece that has a spike, and other carved areas to rest the ball on. 

The quartet of players showed off their talents, though one or two dropped the ball a few times. Probably nerves. Or jetlag.

And the lucky draw?

Kendama sets! And the other prizes? Macarons from Laduree! How Hong Kong!

Guess airlines like Cathay Pacific and Air Canada couldn't afford to spring any tickets... surely HKTB could have sprung some Night Vibes coupons?

As soon as the lucky draw was over, most people left. The swag handed out?

A beige piece of fabric that unfolded to reveal a set of wooden cutlery -- knife, fork, spoon, chopsticks, a straw and a straw pipe cleaner. 

Bamboo utensils, how useful...

How is this representative of the vibrant Hong Kong they had promoted? 

A totally lost opportunity to brand Hong Kong and make it a more memorable event from the food to the swag. 

Mini HK Foodie Enclave in Vancouver

Lobster bisque cappuccino was delish

I discovered a Hong Kong alumnae group in the wilds of East Vancouver today.

A friend who is studying hospitality and restaurant business management at La Salle Vancouver asked me to come dine at the Bistro, the student-run restaurant on campus.

Very tender duck breast as the main course

It's a small restaurant, but cosy, and I had a view of the kitchen where my friend prepared food.

She and her fellow students had to come up with a culinary concept, the menu and pricing. They designed a three-course menu for C$25, and an extra C$3 for a non-alcoholic drink.

When I walked in the door, a red head woman warmly greeted me and showed me to a table. We got to chatting and when she said she worked in Hong Kong for a long time, including a restaurant I knew, I realised I remembered her!

What a small world! She left Hong Kong in 2018 and was looking for a place to settle. She decided to be in a city where there were lots of Asian people and so it was Vancouver. 

Lunch was fantastic -- a citrusy refreshing drink, followed by lobster bisque cappuccino, served in a cup with a bit of froth on top and underneath the bisque had a lot of flavour, served hot and had perfectly cooked chunks of lobster in it.

Decadent chocolate pavlova and raspberry sorbet

Soon after the main course arrived, featuring two pieces of duck breast that were very tender, with an assortment of grilled vegetables, like Brussel sprouts, half a shallot, potato and segmented oranges in an orange sauce, and a squash puree. 

Finally for dessert, a first for me -- chocolate pavlova with a scoop of raspberry sorbet and strawberry, blueberry and raspberry. 

Afterwards the red head invited me into the kitchen to see my friend and she introduced me to her culinary instructor who had also worked in Hong Kong!

She had worked at a restaurant in the JW Marriott in Admiralty that I remembered and it was so nice to meet people with these Hong Kong connections!

While La Salle Vancouver is a bit far to drive to, it isn't when you're meeting like-minded people! 

AG Finds ArriveCan App a Waste of Money

Hogan could not find out the true cost of the ArriveCan app

Remember during the Covid-19 pandemic when some governments developed apps for displaying your vaccination status and for travel?

It turns out the ArriveCan app was not only full of holes in terms of being easily hacked into, but also its true cost is not clear because of the Canadian government's poor record keeping.

In a scathing report out today, Auditor General Karen Hogan found the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), and Public Services and Procurement Canada "repeatedly failed to follow good management practices in the contracting, development and implementation of the ArriveCan application."

All travellers to Canada had to use the app

"This is probably the first example that I've seen such a glaring disregard for some of the most basic and fundamental policies and rules," Hogan told the House public accounts committee today.

She said there were many omissions in record keeping and said she was "deeply concerned".

"We didn't find records to accurately show how much was spent on what, who did the work, or how and why contracting decisions were made -- and that paper trail should have existed," Hogan said.

While CBSA said developing the app cost around C$54 million, the auditor general estimates it was possibly higher at C$59.5 million -- based on the information she was given.

"We found that financial records were not well-maintained by the Canadian Border Services Agency. We were unable to determine a precise cost for the ArriveCan application because of [the agency's] poor documentation and weak controls," the report said.

In addition, C$12.2 million of the estimated C$54 million could have been spent on something other than the app, so the actual cost of developing the app could be lower.

Poilievre blasted the Trudeau government

Part of the reason for the ballooned costs is that CBSA relied on third-party contractors, and the auditor general's report says if there was less reliance on them then the app would have cost much less. 

However, the agency defended its move, saying the app needed to be rolled out as soon as possible during the pandemic.

"The CBSA was working as quickly as possible to replace a paper process that was not meeting public health needs and was also impacting the border with significant wait times that disrupted the essential flow of people and goods," the statement said.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticised the government over the app's cost and blamed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of "wasting [taxpayers'] money." He promised to cut back on third-party outsourcing if his party formed the next government after the next election.

"Public servants do the work more accountably and they do it more affordably," Poilievre told the media outside the House of Commons on Monday.

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said ArriveCan's "contracting process was unacceptable" and said the government had already taken corrective measures.

"The Trudeau government accepts that taxpayers' money needs to be treated with the utmost respect. in no way are we going to defend this particular contracting process," he said. 

Another white elephant that was a waste of money that the government won't get back... I used the app when I moved back in April 2022 and then it was unnecessary to use it again the next time I traveled the month after!

Chinese New Year Italian Style

Roasted beet salad at Fiore Famiglia in Vancouver

For Chinese New Year we decided to ring in the Year of the Dragon by eating Italian food! 

With three of us we thought it would be easier to eat Western food than Chinese, and besides the Chinese restaurants would be so busy.

Lovely plating of roasted butternut squash salad

We went to a neighbourhood restaurant that we haven't been to, called Fiore Famiglia on Trafalgar Street and 16th Avenue. 

It was previously Sweet Obsession serving savoury food as well as its signature desserts. But then the restaurant closed down and just served desserts next door.

I had no problems booking a table and when we arrived, Fiore Famiglia was already bustling inside. The restaurant had a bar area in another room, while the dining room is just as I had remembered it, and the kitchen to the right of the entrance. 

We were soon seated and the waitress asked if we'd like water or hot water. Someone knows their clientele.

For Lunar New Year the restaurant even created a special menu featuring dishes like Calabrian chilli dan dan noodles with eggplant, pine nuts and balsamic vinegar, braised Taiwanese beef ravioli, and shredded hoisin duck pizza with fermented black bean sauce, tomato sauce, mozzarella, scallions and crispy garlic.

Enjoyed the springy crust of this pizza!

As it was our first time here, we opted to stick with the regular menu.

The roasted beet salad tempted me, and I enjoyed the pickled yellow and red beets mixed with arugula, whipped ricotta, and chopped pistachios for a crunchy texture. 

Another salad featured roasted butternut squash, combined with mixed greens, pickled apple slices, and goat cheese, with some squash cream. 

Meanwhile the generous portion of artichoke dip was a bit on the bland side, which we could spread on floppy bread slices that were soaked in butter. It would have been better if they were toasted.

As we waited for our mains we were impressed to see a constant stream of people coming in. A couple was turned away because the restaurant was booked full for the evening, others were ushered into the bar area to wait for their tables.

A hearty portion of bolognese pasta

The waitress had recommended some dishes so I tried the Rossa pizza with a topping of homemade Italian sausage, artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, mozzarella and gremolata. 

I really liked the crust -- springy and yet it held up the topping, and you could taste the bits of salt. Even reheating the pizza the next day, the crust kept its moisture.

Caesarecce bolognese was very hearty, with veal, beef and pork ragu, grana padano, and gremolata, while the linguine al pesto had artichoke hearts as well -- there's a theme here -- and sundried tomatoes and grana padano.

Although we were full, we couldn't resist trying dessert!

The olive oil cake featured four small slices of the moist cake with dollops of meringue, while the classic Italian pudding with housemade caramel was a sweet finish. I liked the lemon meringue because it had a crunchy texture on the bottom from the short bread crumble, then a thick layer of lemon curd, and then topped with torched meringue. 

Great to know Fiore Famiglia is a great place to eat and we'll be back again. Ciao!

Deliciously tart lemon meringue dessert

Fiore Famiglia

2603 West 16th Avenue

Vancouver, BC

604 558 2603

Hong Kong's Fortunes in Neutral Position

Lau holding fortune No. 15, a neutral one for the sixth year

Hong Kong's Year of the Dragon will not be a good one, according to the fortune Heung Yee Kuk Chairman Kenneth Lau Ip-keung picked out on Sunday, the second day of Chinese New Year.

The "neutral" No. 15 stick reads: "Holding an axe and entering a forest, looking for something not yet obtained. Wasting good material and losing one's strength, offering oneself and waiting for the arrival of spring."

Lau drew the stick at Che Kung Temple

In other words: "When you're in the forest with an axe, there are many trees to chop down. This is exactly what the government has to do, to choose appropriate policies," said Lau. "Spring will come but the government should not waste time and resources."

Or maybe it's time someone else shakes the cylinder full of bamboo fortune sticks and shakes a better one out? Lau has drawn "neutral" sticks in the past six years.