CDBF News -- Happy New Year!

News from the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival

January 2011

On February 3rd the Year of the Golden Rabbit begins. Hopefully this will mean an economic recovery. Until then, scroll down to see a list of LNY celebrations in Colorado...some are free or at low cost.

According to Chinese tradition, the Rabbit year is a time to catch your breath and calm your nerves. During this time, you'll gain the greatest benefits by focusing on home, family, diplomacy and your relationships with women and children.

I couldn't create a better marketing pitch for you to attend the 11th Annual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival!

The Operations Committee is busy planning the 11th annual festival with a few new features this year that we hope you'll enjoy. Be sure to mark your calendars for the last full weekend in July....July 30-31 at Sloan's Lake Park.

We'll start taking Race registration in early February and applications for vendors and performers on March 1st.

Below you'll find a mouth-watering dish generously shared by Bam-Bu, one of our food vendors last year. Enjoy!

Best,

Erin Yoshimura
Executive Director

Meet the Gateway to Asia Co-Chairs!

Gateway to Asia is a major part of CDBF's mission to promote cultural education, which also includes the Opening Ceremony's Dragon Dance and Eye-Dotting Ceremony, as well as the Dragonland children's area.

Gateway to Asia covers a stage that is more intimate than the main Performing Arts Stage for featuring martial arts and small dance groups; a tent for cultural demonstrations such as calligraphy or flower arranging; and focused exhibits that feature specific Asian communities. Last year, Gateway focused on South Korea and Taiwan, with representatives from both countries welcoming visitors to tents filled with information, exhibits and even food. In 2010 we also introduced "Find Zen," area devoted to meditation, massage, yoga and other ways that Asian cultures promote healthy and stress-free living.

You'll be able to Find Zen again in 2011! We're proud thrilled to welcome back last year's Gateway to Asia co-chairs, Sachie Ninomiya (above) and Sherry Peng (left).

Like last year, Sachie is also going to lead the Opening Ceremony team.

"I am happy to volunteer again for the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival because I feel it represents the uniqueness of our Asian cultures here in Colorado, and is an enjoyable weekend activity to spend with your friends and family," Sachie says. "This festival allows an opportunity for us to share our history, arts, traditions, and cuisine with others. We hope to make the experience entertaining, educational, fun-filled, and memorable."

"I am very excited to continue with CDBF for the second year," Sherry adds. "Last year, I had so much fun working with the Operations Committee! I can't wait to see what the festival will look like this year!"

If last year is any indication, we're breathless with anticipation to see what these two very creative women have planned for the 2011 Gateway To Asia!

Happy (LUNAR) New Year!

Asians get to celebrate the new year twice -- once on Jan.1 and again when the Lunar New Year arrives. For this year of the Golden Rabbit, Lunar New Year falls on Feb. 3, and the annual wave of Asian community New Year celebrations will be soon upon us.

The rabbit is a lucky sign, and people born in the year of the Rabbit are private but friendly, with a close circle of good friends. This will be a year for all of us catch our breath and calm down. (In Vietnamese culture, the fourth sign of the lunar zodiac is represented by the Cat instead of the Rabbit.)

Here's a list of several of the Lunar New Year celebrations coming up in the next month (scroll down below for other Asian community event listings):

Vietnamese New Year Banquet

Date: Sun., Jan. 23

Contact Col. Sum Nguyen: 303-632-1983, scn1693@comcast.net

Denver Chinese School Colorado Chinese New Year Celebration
Date: Sunday, Jan. 30 noon-4 pm
Place: Richie Center/Magness Arena, University of Denver, 2240 E. Buchtel Blvd.
Cost: $12 (children & seniors $10)
This is the area's largest New Year Celebration every year, with food, exhibits and entertainment. More information: 720-270-7032 or http://www.denverchineseschool.org

Denver Public Schools Asian Education Advisory Council Chinese New Year Celebration

Date: Tues. Feb. 1, 6:30-7:30 pm

Place: George Washington High School, 655 S. Monaco Pkwy

Cost: Free

Check out the changes to GW High School's Asian Studies Program -- entertainment provided for this event!

OCA-JACL Lunar New Year Celebration

Date: Sat. Feb. 5, 6 pm

Place: Palace Seafood, 6525 E. Evans Ave

Cost: $45

MSNBC anchor RIchard Lui will be the emcee for this annual banquet, with a Lion Dance from the Shaolin Hug Mei King Fu Academy and singing by Cassandra Chanthavong. Senc checks by Jan. 31 to Benny Chang, 9199 Lark Sparrow Trail, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126. Call Benny for more information: 303-888-0777

APDC Year of the Rabbit Celebration
Date: Sat. Feb. 12, 5 pm
Place: Palace Seafood, 6525 E. Evans Ave
Call the Asian Pacific Development Center to receive an invitation: 303-365-2959

Lunar New Year's Lion Dances

Lion Dance

Boulder's Shaolin Hung Mei Kung Fu Academy has been performing Kung Fu, Lion Dances and the colorful Dragon Dances ever since the very first Colorado Dragon Boat Festival -- the group is dedicated to traditional Chinese culture and values!

They're also a popular attraction during the Lunar New Year, with its Lion Dances at area restaurants and businesses throughout the area. Here's a list of some of their upcoming free appearances:

Empress Restaurant in Denver
Saturday, February 5 - 11 am

Far East Center Celebration, Denver
Saturday, February 5 - 12 Noon

Chinese Cultural Center of Colorado Springs
Saturday, February 5 - 3 pm

Imperial Restaurant in Denver
Saturday, February 5 - 5:30 pm

Red Coral Restaurant in Denver
Saturday, February 5 - 6:15 pm

Palace Restaurant in Denver
Sunday, February 13 - 12:30 pm

Isle Casino, Blackhawk Chinese New Year Celebration
Sunday, February 13 - 5:30 pm

You can contact Shaolin Hung Mei Kung Fu for a full schedule at (303) 507-3800.

Recipe: Shaken Beef Rice Bowl from Bam-Bu

If you attended the 2010 CDBF and tasted your way through the Taste of Asia food court, you may have stopped by a new vendor, Bam-Bu, a casual Tech Center eatery that serves a unique mix of pan-Asian cuisine and wonderful, tangy Lym Lyt frozen yogurt -- a perfect treat on a hot July weekend!

Owners Tae and Thy Hong work hard to serve tasty dishes from across Asia. He's of Korean heritage, and she's of Vietnamese heritage. But they also serve Chinese, Thai and Japanese items on their menu.

Here's Thy's recipe for a dish that was popular at CDBF last year, Shaken Beef Rice Bowl:

2 1/2 lb. of beef
2 tbs soy sauce

2 tbs of vegetable oil

2 tbs dark soy sauce

1 tsp garlic

1 tsp shallots

     1 tbs butter
     2 tbs brown sugar or honey
     1 tbs oyster sauce

1 tsp white pepper

1 tsp blk pepper

1 tsp pepperika

1/2 tbs lime juice

1/2 onion

1 bell pepper

Cilantro for garnish (optional)

Salad (optional) w/ 1tbsp vinegar

Brown or White rice (optional)

Cut beef into 1" cubes. After combining and mixing all ingredients (except the veggies), allow to sit and marinade for 30 minutes. Prepare a basic salad of your choice (Lettuce, cucumber, shredded carrots, etc.) and drizzle the vinegar over the salad. Heat oil in a sauce pan with garlic and shallots. Add marinaded beef to oil for approximately 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add onion and bell pepper 30 seconds before finishing the beef. The beef can then be prepared over a salad and served with rice or served over just rice.

Upcoming Asian Community Events

calendar 2 For the most complete calendar of events happening in Colorado's APA community visit asiaxpress.com.

Do you have an upcoming event that you want to share with the local APA community? If you would like your event listed in the next CDBF monthly newsletter, please email a brief description to media@cdbf.org.

Aziz Ansari
Date: Friday, Jan. 15
Place: Paramount Theater, 1621 Glenarm Pl, Denver
Cost: $36
Actor/comedian Aziz Ansari plays the part of To Haverford on "Parks and Recreation." He comes to Denver for his Dangerously Delicious tour. For more infomration visit his blog.

Wendy Woo Band

Date: Friday-Saturday, Jan. 14-15

Place: The Exchange Tavern, 11940 Bradburn Blvd., Westminster

Cost: Free

Wendy Woo is a favorite performer at the Colorado Dragon Bat Festival. An award-winning singer-songwriter and a talented guitarist, she'll be performing her folk, rock and funk with her band.

For more information, check out her

website