Time to get that monkey on your back: It's the Lunar Year 4072, the Year of the Monkey, also known as Chinese New Year, as well as Korean, Vietnamese, and Malaysian New Year. Asian (and other) peoples will be celebrating tonight and for the next two weeks, eating, wearing red, eating, paying respect to their elders, eating, and eating some more. There are plenty of superstitions and traditions that take place, but the best one is when the married people give the single/young people lucky money. Take that, smug marrieds (hey, Mommy, Daddy)!
The Daily News has suggestions on where to go and celebrate (which means eat) the New Year: Bao 111 on Avenue C, Dim Sum Go-Go , Kuma Inn, Ocean Palace Restaurant in Brooklyn, and Taste Good Malaysian Cuisine in Elmhurst. Just make sure you have noodles (longevity), fish (prosperity), spring or egg roll (looks like gold ingot), and cake (something that rises - it's good).
The big Chinatown parade, complete with dragon and lion dances, will be this Sunday, January 25, starting at 1PM at Mott and Mulberry Streets. (Traffic note: If you're driving, you don't want to go anywhere near Chinatown tonight or Sunday.)
Learn more about the Chinese New Year, like what this year of the Monkey will bring for you.
Bluejake has photographs of some Chinese paying respect and giving offerings to the gods and goddesses right at the turn of the Lunar New Year.
Question: Is it a coincidence that President Bush, who looks like a monkey, proposes various moon plans with the Lunar Year of the Monkey so close? Gothamist thinks not.
