Gung Hay Fat Choy!

After her Dog Day Afternoon, Miss Kitty was intent upon seeing the Chinese New Year Parade, as she was convinced it would bring her luck for the new year, the year of the pig!

And being a monkey under the Chinese Zodiac, Miss Kitty spent the entire day monkeying around and chasing the red and white lions whilst they danced down smokey alleyways that were eventually cordoned off by police officers.
The crowd was immoveable, but MK still found a way to get close to the two lions and almost feel their breath, whilst the drummers beat out that hypnotic rhythm which has stayed in heart ever since.

The lion dancers would go from shop to shop in China Town to "choy chang" (採青 lit. picking the greens), as the business is suuposed to tie a red envelope filled with money to a head of lettuce and hang it high above the front door. The lion would then approach the lettuce like a curious cat, consume the lettuce and spit out the leaves but not the money. The lion dance is supposed to bring good luck and fortune to the business and the dancers receive the money as reward.

It was all great fun, and Miss Kitty enjoyed it very much. She finisehed off the day by eating a Chocolate Brownie Sundae and then proceeded to spend lots of money on Chinese plastic charms: a blue glass pig, a wooden pink pig, a dragon lantern with a pearl in it's mouth, a goat shaped lantern and a Hello Kitty-imitation wall charm which has light and sound effects! All now adorn Miss Kitty's walls, so that she can remember the day with warm fondness...until the next Chinese New Year!