Happy Chinese New Year!

So as it turned out, I had the best Chinese New Year in a long time. 

Zach and I ate a gigantic steamboat (hotpot) meal comprising of lots of different smaller bites, which included dumplings, shrimp, rice, and noodles for luck and longevity. We were so stuffed afterwards we sat around for a half hour before we could get up and clear the table. But the reason for the food overload is not so much because of greed. The Chinese believe in having leftovers as a symbol of abundance for the upcoming year so we really were just complying with the tradition!  Of course we also made sure we had plenty of oranges ...

and pistachios (for wealth and happiness) in the house.

But the best part of the night came in the form of chatting with my cousin Gillian, who lives in Princeton, NJ with her husband and 2 year-old son, Russel. We stayed up till past 4 in the morning just catching up with each other. I didn't mind one bit that I was tired when I finally crawled into bed. In my opinion, this is the best way to usher in the new year!

hi Russel!