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So you're finding that all the cute champagne brunch spots are already booked up for Mother's Day. What's the next best option? No, after that. No, after that one ... and that one ... and that one, too.

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The Sticky Pig

If you haven't booked something by now, you're screwed. At least, that's what most people think. If you believe there needs to be roses and grand gestures of champagne and caviar on Thursday, you're wrong. Unless your someone special is that high maintenance, and then it's a Catch-22. Instead of the usual suspects, we're branching out for some nontraditional options. Call it creative or other colorful words in your vocabulary. It sure beats standing around on the 14th with nothing.
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Ching He-Huang may be a self-taught chef but she was taught by some of the best, her very own family. With a long line of traditional heritage, Taiwanese-born Ching helped out with a lot of the cooking growing up and moves to South Africa and later to London helped mold her tastes and styles but luckily for us (and our taste buds), she came back to her roots which included dishing up delicious Chinese cuisine. These days Ching has a plethora of bestselling cookbooks under her belt, well-loved cooking shows in the UK and the US, a line of utensils and tableware, and even her own mushrooms! Talk about giving Rachel Ray a real run for the money!

Just in time for the big festivities, Ching's Chinese New Year will be premiering February 10th at 5pm on the Cooking Channel offering up simple and tasty recipes, decoration ideas, and backstories on traditions all from beautiful Chinatown in San Francisco. Ching has the scoop on how to accomplish it all and since she is the pro, we had the chance to ask her all about it and then some.

See Also:
*Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos Are Extra Spicy on Their Cooking Channel Show Extra Virgin
*Geeta Bansal Interviews Albert Adria, Pastry Genius
*New Little Saigon Restaurant Serves Rolls And Only Rolls

OC Weekly (Ali Lerman): For those unaware, OK, I'm talking about me, how do the animals come into play with the Chinese calendar?

Ching He-Huang: Well in the Chinese calendar there are twelve animals in the year and they go around in a cycle. None of the animals have a bad meaning so if you are that animal, you take on the characteristics of it. They're all positive traits. Like if you are born in the year of the dragon it means you are powerful and strong, the tiger is one of the luckiest signs, and the rat is very clever and homely and so on. Also right now we are coming into the year of the snake and they have really charming features. They're really social, clever, quick, you know, just like the animal. They're all good things!

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Laissez les bon temps rouler! Mardi Gras is already a few weeks away, but our friends at Surfas are getting ready now with a little drama. If you're looking for ways to dodge the rain, head over to SoCo for this ditty.

Have a piping hot cuppa chicory coffee while Peggy Sweeny-McDonald and her crew bring to life excerpts from her book, Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde, a collection of monologues from her much-acclaimed traveling show. All the collected stories sharing the common thread of food loved and lost, expect as much laughter as tears. Her show has been on the road since 2010, but the written collection of stories debuted last September. More »

While not available in all their US markets, The Automobile Club of Southern California will be sponsoring a complimentary Tipsy Tow service New Year's Eve. Also offered on the Fourth of July, non-members can participate.

The ride and vehicle tow is up to seven miles from the point of pickup for those individuals who've consumed alcohol. Take advantage of this complimentary service by phoning 1-800-400-4222.


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You say you were too busy to plan anything? Did your significant other drop the ball (pun intended)? Sure, you can stay in and watch people freeze their asses off. Or you can frantically call around for availability. Here's a handy dandy reference for some of the more popular (read: pricy) venues.

OC Fair New Year's Eve Block Party
Back for a third year, the venue that brought you deep fried everything will host four stages of flashback bands from the 60s through today. This is also your final luxe lonchera roundup at the fairgrounds for 2012. Fireworks, casino gaming and a demolition derby round out the festivities. The box office is open on Monday, but you can click here for more information.
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Photo by Meranda Carter/OC Weekly

Chef Sea Kyeong Kim of Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale's

Let's talk this through, shall we? Forkers might be curious about who's cooking this holiday. Some may have no plans. And there are those who'd rather not cook (or prefer to avoid their dysfunctional family). Unless you're an Asian restaurant, most mom-and-pop places will be closed. Loftier dining rooms will capitalize on your hunger. If you know another option, get that comment down. For optimal scanning, we're listing alphabetically. FYI--Monday was the last day to place to-go orders for AnQi and Clay Oven, so call them maybe next year.

Brasserie Pascal
11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; $35 per person; gratuity will be added to parties of 6 or more. (949) 640-2700.
The first of many three-course menus, options include escargot, herbs of Provence crusted prime rib, Callebaut chocolate souffle with Cointreau cream and sides like sweet corn bread.

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CSUF News

It used to be that dropping an egg from great heights was a test of skill. These days, it's  practical to find competitive use for that leftover jack-o-lantern. If you're looking for family activities this holiday weekend (or inspiring the mind of that future mechanical engineer), look no further than Cal State Fullerton.

For the fifth annual Pumpkin Launch, sixteen teams are registered to compete. Sponsored by Discovery Science Center, Future Scientists and Engineers of America, and Cal State Fullerton, the day's festivities include additional opportunities for children to learn about science.
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We're not Jewish, but we have friends who are celebrating Jewish New Year right now. One of them shared how she learned to shape her own bread. Symbolizing the continuity of life, the author of this pictorial explains how they dip challah in honey with hopes for a sweet year.

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bartb_pt/Flickr Creative Commons

Ramadan's date is set by the moon's first visible crescent in the Islamic calendar.

Ramadan--the holy month where Muslims forgo food and drink, including water, from sunup to sundown--is here. One of the five pillars in Islam, this month is one of spiritual discipline and renewal, as Muslims are instructed to spend extra time in worship and try to cut back on bad habits. The fast this year is more rigorous than previous years, because it falls in midsummer; add to that traffic, work, meetings, picking up kids from their summer camp, and it becomes difficult to find ample time to prepare iftar--the post-fast meal. Below are a few ways to make a Ramadan-efficient kitchen.
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