Celebrate the Year of the Tiger in Reading
Sunday 14 February is not only a day for lovers, but the first day of the Year of the Tiger on the Chinese Lunar Calendar.
London offers the best Chinese New Year celebrations in the South-East, but if you’re inclined to stay in Reading, here are several ways of getting the Year of the Tiger off to a roaring start locally:
- Feast on Chinese food with friends or family. Popular restaurants in the Reading area include China Palace (Oxford Rd), Furama (Friar St), Peking Palace (Caversham) and Peking Garden (Pangbourne). In addition, pan-Asian restaurant Glo offers Chinese food in the form of Dim Sum. Alternatively, shop for ingredients at See Woo and cook for guests at home.
- Sink a Tiger (or several) with friends. The marketing whizzes behind Singaporean brand Tiger want consumers to associate the Year of the Tiger with their beer. Fair enough, I say. You can drink Tiger in a number of venues across town. If Tiger isn’t your thing, how about a swig of Lucky , brewed and bottled in China? Lucky is available from JD Wetherspoon pubs (there are several in Reading, including The Back of Beyond, The Monk’s Retreat and The Hope Tap).
- Learn how to write your name in Chinese characters at Reading Central Library (for children aged 4-12 only), between 10.30am and 12pm on Friday 19 February. No booking is required. This might be a good first step to learning Mandarin.
- Attend a martial arts class and kick off the New Year in style. In Reading, it’s possible to learn various styles of Kung Fu (Wing Chun , Fujian White Crane and Jade Dragon are just three examples).
Gong Xi Fa Cai!
What will you be doing to mark CNY in Reading?