Shredded White Coconut is one of the few Chinese New Year items I like to eat. It seems that a lot of the CNY things available in Asian markets right now (the holiday falls on February 14-16 this year)—the candied/dried fruits, cakes, biscuits, and candies, etc.—look better than they taste.

So I usually skip over a lot of the CNY selection and grab a container of this.

What’s beyond the gold tape?

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Sorry, King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, but this milk chocolate bar is more my idea of how paradise tastes. Happy Valentine’s Day to those who celebrate it.

I was looking for something to dress-up a present for a friend, and found this Tesuki Japanese Paper at the dollar store I bought the ice cream notebooks.

I can’t read Japanese, but the paper looks like it can be used to make wreathes, wrap bottles, and bundle flowers. I’ll be using it to wrap…something.

Red envelopes/lucky envelopes (lai see) filled with money are traditionally given to children and unmarried adults on Chinese New Year (and special occasions). Although what’s inside the envelopes is always great, the envelopes themselves can be attractive with their festive colors and designs.

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