asian avenue magazine - december 2015
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Cover: Best of 2015TRANSCRIPT
magazine
December 2015Volume 10 Issue 12
2015Best of
Connecting CulturesLinking Lives
asian avenue
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OPENING APRIL 2016
Dear Asian Avenue readers,
We are excited to bring you our annual “Best of” issue! This year we added several more categories including best Thai food, best Filipino food and best Asian bakery! Congratulations to our friends at Thai House, A Taste of the Philippines and New Saigon Bakery for winning those honors! Each year, we poll our readers to find their favorites of the year. Thank you to many of you that completed our survey. As a community magazine, our #1 priority is to make sure our readers’ voices are heard!
We hope you continue to reach out to us and connect with us while we head into 2016—our 10th year! It is hard to believe that Asian Avenue magazine was founded in 2006. 10 years and many white hairs later, I am
happy to say we are doing very well! We have an amazing staff and group of contributors. We have featured important news and cultural tidbits, as well as highlighted more than a hun-dred Asian restaurants in Colorado! We will be celebrating with a banquet dinner in July 2016 and also planning an Asian night market for June. Stay tuned for more information about these exciting events!
If you’d like to hang out with us before then, you are invited to our New Year’s Eve party. We took a break last year and didn’t host an NYE party, but back by popular demand, we will be throwing The Final Countdown: Black & White Ball on Dec. 31 at The Living Room in Denver. Say goodbye to 2015 and get those 2016 resolutions ready!
Along the holiday theme, check out our staff writer Patricia’s family recipe for holiday hotpot, including her hot-and-zesty dipping sauce made of Thai chilies. Also, read Tom’s tips on ways to thrive during the holidays. Lastly, we recommend getting your gifts at local businesses including The Gift House, Happy Bakeshop and Ku Cha House of Tea. Don’t miss Colorado Budokan’s annual holiday boutique on Dec. 5-6.
Happy holidays, friends!
Annie Guo, PresidentAsian Avenue magazine
staff & supportPublisher & Founder: Christina Yutai Guo
President: Annie GuoEditorial and Marketing Manager: Sarah Shirazi
Senior Designer: C.G. YaoGraphic Designer/Photographer: Anastasia Yagolnik
Copy Editor: Jaime Marston Cook Staff Writer: Patricia KaowthumrongStaff Writer: Mary Jeneverre Schultz
Staff Writer: Brenda VelasquezMarketing Coordinator: Chun Guo
Marketing Coordinator: Mai Choua LeePhotographer: Trang Luong
Intern: Akemi Tsutsui
advisors groupGeneral Counsel: Michael C. Song
Patty Coutts, Donna LaVigne, Nestor J. Mercado,Sum C. Nguyen, Alok Sarwal, Tom Shieh,John Yee, Nai-Li Yee, George N. Yoshida
contributing writers Asian Pacific Development Center, Minister Kuo-Yen Wei, Tom Shieh
contributing photographers Quyen Hart
on the coverWe love the cover art this month for our Best of 2015 issue! Local artist Akemi Tsutsui drew the
various categories of our “best of” edition. Can you guess what foods are featured in her artwork? Enjoy
this month’s issue as we take a look at our readers’ favorites of the year.
subscriptions To subscribe, e-mail [email protected]. A one-year subscription is $25 for 12 issues, a two-year subscription is 40 for 24 issues. Please make checks or money orders payable to Asian Avenue magazine. For details about special corporate or group rates, please call during business hours: Monday - Friday, 9am to 5pm. Shipping/handling included.
advertisingAsian Avenue magazine offers businesses the most cost-effective way to reach consumers in the Denver/Boulder metro areas and beyond. For more information, call during business hours or e-mail us at [email protected] for our media kit and ad rates.
editorialTo submit story ideas, letters to the editor or calendar events, e-mail [email protected]. Asian Avenue magazine (ISSN 1932-1449) reserves all copyrights to this issue. No parts of this edition can be reproduced in any manner without written permission. The views expressed in articles are the authors’ and not necessarily those of Asian Avenue magazine. Authors may have consulting or other business relationships with the companies they discuss.
Published by Asian Avenue Magazine, Inc.P.O. Box 221748 Denver, CO 80222-1748
Tel: 303.937.6888 | Fax: 303.750.8488www.asianavenuemagazine.com
Asian Avenue magazine is in association with the Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network.
asian avenuemagazine
December 2015 | President’s Note4
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40
} {3 markets in one place
BakeryTO Go
BBQ
Meat
Int’l MArket
Our locations
POM & European & International Market
2200 West Alameda AveDenver, CO 80223(303) 936-4845HOURS: 9 am – 8 pm
12303 East Mississippi AveAurora, CO 80012(720) 858-8818HOURS: 9 am – 9 pm
6600 West 120th AveBroomfield, CO 80020(303) 410-8168HOURS: 9 am – 8 pm
NEWLoca
tion
We have a selection of more than 200,000 international products!
Seafood
Always
fresh food
Deliveries weekly for the freshest products!
Joi n us fo r free food an d prizes to celebrate ou r Au rora location!
POM AU RORA12303 E. M ISSISSI PPI AVE. #135
AU RORA, CO 80012
PRIZES: TV's, I pad M i n is, Rice Cookers, Gi ft Cards an d 5lbs Rice!
our new location in aurora
come celebrate our
1stanniversary
Saturday, Dec. 5th, 2015 12PM - 2pm
19
COVER STORYNow in our fifth year, we bring you the Best of
2015! We polled our AAm readers and the votes are in! See the best Asian restaurants, best place to study and best supermarket of the year. As we welcome 2016 with open arms, we reflect
on the things we enjoyed most in 2015!
December 2015 | Table of Contents6
upcomingcontentsEVENTS
7 Event Calendar
BOOK REVIEW
8 Sword of Honor by David Kirk
SPOTLIGHT
11 Astrophysicist Quyen Hart, Ph.D, is an assistant professor at Regis University on a personal mission to make science fun for everyone.
FEATURE
18 It was a good year for Asian Americans on TV, from Fresh Off the Boat to Aziz Ansari’s Master of None.
CHEF’S MENU
22 Enjoy our staff writer Patricia Kaowthumrong’s family recipe for holiday hotpot
ADVICE COLUMN
24 From contributor Tom Shieh, 5 ways to thrive during the holidays.
NATIONAL & INTERNATiONAL NEWS
26 Majority of Asian-American lawmakers condemn vote to halt resettling of Syrian refugees.
27 Taiwan, as a part of Gaia, will work towards a new climate change agreement with other countries.
ON SCENE
28 History Colorado hosts a program on the Anti-Chinese Riot of 1880.
9
12
21
25
NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHTThe Spring Institute’s Colorado Welcome Back
Program helps foreign medical professionals reestablish their careers. The program also offers career planning and development, employment services, networking development and resume
building classes at no cost to its participants.
FEATURECongratulations to Lily Shen, who received the
Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council’s 2015 Board Member Lifetime Achievement Award. Asian Pacific Development Center is honored
to share the news for her exemplary work and service on a board for a behavioral health center.
RESTAURANT PEEkAt Uoki Restaurant, located in Capitol Hill,
there’s something for everyone, from traditional Korean food to Japanese favorites like sushi, teriyaki, katsu and udon noodle bowls. And,
with friendly service that feels like family at affordable prices, what more could you ask for?
HOLIDAY FEATUREWith the holiday season coming up, we wanted
to give you some gift ideas! Support local artists and businesses by shopping at some of Colorado’s best gift markets and shops. Be sure to stop by Colorado Budokan’s annual holiday
boutique on Dec. 5-6.
Asian Avenue Magazine, Inc.P.O. Box 221748 Denver, CO 80222-1748
Tel: 303.937.6888 | Fax: 303.750.8488www.asianavenuemagazine.com
Find us @AsianAveMag
#AsianAveMag
upcomingTheatre Esprit Asia presents
Coming To AmericaNov. 21st – Dec. 6th
Fridays & Saturdays 7:30pm, Sundays 3pmACAD Gallery Theatre
1400 Dallas St., Aurora CO 80010Tickets: $26 at door | $23 adult with reservations
$20 students, seniors, groups 6+ with reservations.For more info, visit www.theatre-esprit-asia.org.
Three One-Acts: stories of immigration to the US from
Vietnam, Iran and China. Peter Trinh’s Boat Person recounts the harrowing fall of Saigon, escaping to freedom against the perils of the high seas - facing storms, pirates and starvation. Jon Vogels’ Founda-
tions tells of a brave young woman who survives the fall of the Shah and fundamental Islam, to become
a successful architect in the US. Maria Cheng’s Antecedents recollects with humor and grace the
Americanization of a precocious Chinese teenager as she embraces football, celebritydom and her ances-tors. This work features excerpts from Cheng’s award
winning Spirit & Sworded Treks and new writings.
Colorado Budokan’s Holiday Boutique and Annual Fundraiser
Saturday, Dec. 5th, 4pm - 8pmSunday, Dec. 6th, 10am - 6pm
Colorado Budokan 3547 S. Monaco Pkwy. Denver, CO 80237
Cost: FreeFor more info, call 720-253-7473.
Support local karate athletes at Colorado Budokan’s Holiday Boutique and Annual Fundraiser. Local artists
display their original Asian-inspired embroidered clothing and home furnishings, handcrafted cards
and candles, organic bath and body products, artisan jewelry, quilted and crocheted winter items, home-baked goods, martial arts supplies, gift certificates,
and so much more!
The Cancer of Extremism:A Muslim journalist’s reflections
in the wake of Paris attacksSaturday, Dec. 12th, 5pm - 7:15pm
Multicultural Mosaic Foundation
10855 E. Bethany Dr. Ste 100 Aurora, CO 80014
Cost: Free, RSVP required.For more info, visit
www.mosaicfoundation.org.
Join the Multicultural Kerim Balci and the Multicultural
Mosaic foundation for a dinner and talk about Kerim’s reflections in the wake of the Paris attacks. Kerim Balci is a Turkish writer, journalist and academic. Balci is the editor in chief of Turkish Review, a bimonthly journal
published by Zaman Media Group of Turkey. Balci has published several articles in academic and popular books and encyclopedias, mainly about the Middle
East, Turkish Politics, US Policy in the Middle East, and interfaith dialogue.
Philippine-American Society of Colorado 31st New Year’s Eve Gala
Thursday, December 31, 6pm-1amDouble Tree Hilton Stapleton
4040 Quebec St, Denver CO 80216 Cost: $60 adult, $25 children, $25 after dinner
Tickets: www.coloradopasco.org.
Join PASCO for their 31st Anniversary New Year’s Eve Gala. The evening will include dinner and
dance, silence auction, entertainment, party favors, champagne toast, and more. Since 1984, PASCO’s
mission has been to cultivate, preserve, promote, and share the Philippine culture and heritage through
educational and cultural opportunities to enrich and enhance the lives of its members and the residents
of Colorado.
Asian Avenue’s The Final Countdown - Black & White Ball
Thursday, December 31, 10pm - 2amThe Living Room
1055 Broadway St, Denver, CO 80203Tickets: $40 | $30 each for a group of 6+
RSVP on Asian Avenue Magazine’s Facebook event.For more info, visit asianavemag.ticketleap.com/nye.
Celebrate with Asian Avenue magazine and DJ Guest as we count down to 2016 and say goodbye to 2015.Dress to impress in black and white attire and enjoy
drink specials all night long! Bottle service is also available. The party is for those 21 and up. Get
tickets soon, this event has limited capacity and will sell out! Happy new year to all!
events
7Upcoming Events | asian avenue magazine
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POinTSAsian Avenue Magazine, Inc.P.O. Box 221748 Denver, CO 80222-1748
Tel: 303.937.6888 | Fax: 303.750.8488www.asianavenuemagazine.com
#AsianAveMag
December 2015 | Book Review8
Book Review Sword of Honor
David Kirk, author of the epic debut historical novel Child of Vengeance, returns this fall with Sword of Hon-
or (Doubleday; November 3, 2015; $26.95). Sword of Honor stands tall as the next chapter in the saga of Musashi Miya-moto, the greatest Samurai in Japanese history. Kirk takes each reader on Miyamoto’s journey to the ancient city of Kyo-to, where he finds that war has destroyed everything famil-iar. Now Miyamoto must fight for his life, and his ideals, as he finds a new way to live.
Known as the greatest warrior of all time, Musashi Miyamo-to’s reputation is challenged when Miyamoto and his men are defeated in the great battle of Sekigahara. Tens of thousands of men lie dead and the Armies of the East have claimed a glori-ous victory. Alone but alive, Miyamoto contemplates his future.
Until this moment Miyamoto has lived and fought as a Sa-murai, proud of its ancient tradition, following “The Way” with honor. In defeat, he questions everything, knowing his tradi-tions are strong, yet feeling weak.
Though he seeks to throw off the past, the past will not let him go. His name is on a list of those who have dishonored the Yoshioka warriors, and a man has been sent to claim his head in their name. Though he renounces violence, Miyamo-to must protect himself and plot his revenge against those who seek his demise.
David Kirk shares:
AAm: What inspired you to write book?Dk: I have been interested in Samurai culture since I was
young and my father gave me a copy of James Clavell’s Sho-gun. It is such a fascinating way of life, much more than men extremely skilled with swords. Can you imagine being expect-ed to be entirely selfless and obedient to somebody else, and also maintain a proud individual identity? I wanted to explore this deeper psychology, the human experience of being a Sa-murai, and to go beyond the martial arts.
I could not present that world simply for what it was - the average western reader would likely be confused about or unsympathetic toward a character that behaved as the ideal Samurai. I needed a character as powerful as Musashi Miya-moto, the archetypal lone wolf swordsman. He is both the
embodiment of the Samurai way, and the complete rejection of it. Throughout his life, he killed over sixty men in duels, became a master painter, a skilled sculptor, a famed architect and blacksmith. Miyamoto also wrote The Book of Five Rings, a tract on philosophy that is studied today all over the world. His refusal to follow any particular dogma makes him an ex-cellent vessel for the western reader to explore and experi-ence feudal Japan.
AAm: What do you want readers to feel and remember after reading your book?
Dk: We are fortunate to live in the 21st century. This is not a romantic look at a vanished golden age. I do not pretend that the novel is 100% historically accurate; I am more concerned with character development than with veracity. I have tried to create as much insight into Kyoto in 1604 as I could with a compelling story relevant to an audience in 2015. I live in Sen-dai in the north of Japan, sadly known for the 2011 tsunami, and have ventured to Kyoto to visit many of the sites men-tioned in the book. My wife helped me to translate Japanese sources into English. Our research was intended to provide a personal, sensory experience for readers.
AAm: Who is your primary audience?Dk: I wrote both books primarily for my own satisfaction,
yet I have been surprised to find that the most fan mail has been from elderly women. In general, I hope that more peo-ple are interested than those who are passionate about Japan or the martial arts. Sword of Honor is a character study with sword fights, ideal for people who want a simple, exciting ad-venture as well as those who favor more cerebral works.
AAm: What are your future plans?Dk: The Musashi series is not yet complete. Sword of Hon-
or is only Chapter Two in what I see as the whole story. I am working on the third book in the series now, tentatively ti-tled Hell and Silence. In it, Miyamoto reaches the age of 30 and survives the most famous duel in Japanese history. I am also working on a book about the Shinsengumi, the most ul-tra-zealous band of Samurai ever assembled. After that, I want to move into writing contemporary literary fiction.
Book Title: Sword of Honorauthor: David kirk
PAGES: 464Publisher: Doubleday
isbn:9780385536653online: www.davidkirkfiction.com/
swordofhonour
Book ReviewBy David kirk
Reviewed by Mary Jeneverre Schultz
WWW.DAVIDKIRKFICTION.COM
9Nonprofit Spotlight | asian avenue magazine
Book Review
Esther Tagorda emigrated from the Philippines to the United States with hopes, dreams and a nursing degree. But when she arrived in the land of milk and honey, she could not find a job as a nurse. She did not want to be a cab driv-er nor did she want to settle for working as a store clerk. Her future, once bright seemed uncertain. Enter Colorado Wel-come Back, a program that helps for-eign-trained medical professionals re-es-tablish their careers in the United States.
Tagorda believed her degree would
land her in a well-paying career but sometimes a little push is needed to move to the next level.
As of November 2015, the Colorado Welcome Back program has served more than 550 participants from 85 countries, representing more than 40 different healthcare careers, according to Ben Har-ris, Program Manager of Colorado Wel-come Back program. The program works with a full spectrum of foreign-trained medical professionals, from homecare providers and medical assistants, to nurs-es, dentists, veterinarians and doctors.
The Colorado chapter of the Welcome Back program was started in 2010 as part of a national Welcome Back Initiative to help foreign-trained medical profession-als reestablish their careers in the US.
Colorado Welcome Back is a program of the Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning in Denver, and is funded by the Colorado Refugee Services Program as well as a grant from the Colorado Health Foundation.
The overarching mission for the pro-gram is to help participants set realistic goals for entering the Colorado health-care sector, and then provide the sup-port and services needed to achieve those goals.
Colorado Welcome Back services are offered at no cost to participants, and include:
Career Planning and Development• Employment Services• Job/Education Application Guidance• Job Search Coaching• Networking Development• Resume and Cover Letter help• MD Residency Preparation• Professional Development• Exam Preparation Planning• Introduction to Alternative Careers
Workshops Offered• Professional Communication• Interview Skills• Building a Healthcare Resume• MD Residency Application• MD Residency Interviewing• MD Residency Personal Statement• Medical Careers• Test Preparation Strategies• Entry Level Healthcare Careers• Introduction to US Healthcare System
For further details on the program, visit www.coloradowelcomeback.org or contact Benjamin Harris, Program Manager at [email protected] or 303-569-8634.
Are you an internationally trained
healthcare professional? Do you want to get back into the healthcare field?
Colorado Welcome Back can help!
No cost to you! Colorado Welcome Back by Spring Institute helps foreign-trained healthcare professionals
reestablish healthcare careers in the U.S.
To get started call (303) 569-8634
Colorado Welcome Back CenterSpring Institute for Intercultural Learning1373 Grant St. Denver, CO 80203www.springinstitute.org
Colorado Welcome Back Program Helps Foreign medical professionals reestablish their careers
By Mary Jeneverre Schultz
Fri. 7:30pmSat. 2:00pm Sat. 7:30pmSun. 2:00pm
Prices$64.99 $84.99 $99.99 $119.99 $149.99
1-888-316-4234 www.ShenYun.com/Denver
TICKETS
Perfect Holiday Gift
MARCH 4–6 THE BUELL THEATRE
Experience a Divine Culture— ABC
“Awe-Inspiring Sensation!”
Is it possible for the disparate sounds of East and West to find harmony? Many have tried and failed. But the ability to seamless-ly blend these two systems to create one fresh, harmonious sound is what makes the Shen Yun Performing Arts Orchestra unique.
ENTER THE LAND OF THE DIVINETHERE WAS A TIME when the world was full of splendor, as if everything on earth was inspired by the heavens. You could feel it in the arts. And hear it in the music.
It was a time when emperors ruled with wisdom and divine beings walked among men. People lived in harmony with the universe and believed in a connection between all things.
What if we could return?
Shen Yun brings this lost world to life with unrivaled mastery. Every gesture, every musical note, makes this a stunning visual and emotional experience you won’t find anywhere else.
“An amazing experience! Exciting to watch and really inspirational!”
— Stewart F. Lane, Six-time Tony Award–winning producer
“An extraordinary experience...The level of skill, but also the power of archetypes and narratives were startling.”
— Cate Blanchett, Academy Award–winning actress
“The waves of memory Shen Yun evokes from the deep sea of my mind shake my inner world...”
— Choi Jong-won, Actor
According to Quyen Hart, Ph.D, Assistant Professor at Regis
University, science is not difficult. She is on a personal mission to reimagine the possibilities of making science fun and easy for everyone.
Like many children of first-generation Asian families, Hart’s parents encouraged her to become a medical doctor. Her family immigrated to the US in the1970s during the Vietnam War, initially living in a refugee camp in Guam before settling in Philadelphia. Hart remembers staring at the night sky often as a child; studying Astronomy and Astrophysics was a natural next step for her.
After completing her bachelor’s degree at Villanova University, Hart then moved to San Diego where she worked briefly in the corporate world before starting her master’s degree in astronomy. Hart taught classes at local community col-leges in the evenings and worked as a science analyst during the day. Hart and her husband moved to Colorado 12 years ago so she could work towards obtaining her PhD in astrophysics at CU Boulder.
More recently, Hart has taught at Regis for six years. In addition to teaching ad-vanced science courses like Physics, Hart also teaches Astronomy for non-science majors. In the spring she looks forward to teaching Multicultural Cosmology, focusing on how the night sky has influ-enced life in various cultures. Hart says “I enjoy teaching these classes for the
powerful human connection to science.” Together with her colleague Trisha
Litz, Quyen Hart started a summer camp at Regis for girls who want to learn about science and technology. Faculty and stu-dents learned to build telescopes, how to do basic computer programming, and how to safely perform chemistry and physics experiments.
Last year Hart headed efforts to seek funding for the camp so participants could attend for free. Recruitment ef-forts are currently focused on female students, grades 6-8, from low socioeco-nomic backgrounds. Hart beams when she says, “We help these girls learn to love science.”
Through a new collaboration between Regis and University of Denver, next year’s camp will last five days and include computer workshops, lessons in insect biodiversity, dissection of sheep brains, experience with 3-D printing and more.
Teaching science and STEM education is important for Hart, and that is why she is so committed to her work both as a professor and as a catalyst for the girls’ science camp. She closes with, “Our world today is driven by innovative tech-nology: smart phones, fiber optics, sat-ellites and GPS. Tools like these provide solutions for real world problems.”
Clearly, Quyen Hart is fulfilling her mis-sion and making an impact in Denver with her knowledge, her passion, and her work.
Fri. 7:30pmSat. 2:00pm Sat. 7:30pmSun. 2:00pm
Prices$64.99 $84.99 $99.99 $119.99 $149.99
1-888-316-4234 www.ShenYun.com/Denver
TICKETS
Perfect Holiday Gift
MARCH 4–6 THE BUELL THEATRE
Experience a Divine Culture— ABC
“Awe-Inspiring Sensation!”
Is it possible for the disparate sounds of East and West to find harmony? Many have tried and failed. But the ability to seamless-ly blend these two systems to create one fresh, harmonious sound is what makes the Shen Yun Performing Arts Orchestra unique.
ENTER THE LAND OF THE DIVINETHERE WAS A TIME when the world was full of splendor, as if everything on earth was inspired by the heavens. You could feel it in the arts. And hear it in the music.
It was a time when emperors ruled with wisdom and divine beings walked among men. People lived in harmony with the universe and believed in a connection between all things.
What if we could return?
Shen Yun brings this lost world to life with unrivaled mastery. Every gesture, every musical note, makes this a stunning visual and emotional experience you won’t find anywhere else.
“An amazing experience! Exciting to watch and really inspirational!”
— Stewart F. Lane, Six-time Tony Award–winning producer
“An extraordinary experience...The level of skill, but also the power of archetypes and narratives were startling.”
— Cate Blanchett, Academy Award–winning actress
“The waves of memory Shen Yun evokes from the deep sea of my mind shake my inner world...”
— Choi Jong-won, Actor
11Spotlight | asian avenue magazine
Quyen Hart Science Spotlight:
For more information about the Regis University Science and Technology Camp, please contact Quyen Hart at 303-458-4974 or email her at [email protected].
We are always looking for community partners who are passionate about STEM education.
By Sarah Shirazi photo CrEDit: rEgiS UnivErSity
photo By QUyEn hart
December 2015 | Cover Story 12
2015Best of Our readers’ votes are in for
the Best of 2015. Cheers!
JOHN HOLLY’S ASIAN BISTRO9232 Park Meadows Drive, Lone Tree, CO 80124Tel: 303-768-9088www.johnhollysasianbistro.com Chef and owner John Ye delights guests with his innova-tive cuisine at John Holly’s Asian Bistro, featuring Chi-nese and Thai dishes as well as a full sushi bar. Using only the finest and freshest ingredients available, this creative Asian menu provides the culinary equivalent of an exotic adventure. John Ye and his courteous staff invite you to join them in a casual yet elegant setting for a wonderful dining experience.
When Katsu Ramen opened earlier this year in Au-rora, ramen lovers from near and far lined up outside the small restaurant. The restaurant was packed sol-id for weeks, dishing out bowl after bowl. The most popular ramen bowl is their Shoyu Ramen with soy sauce, bok choy, green onions, a hard-boiled egg, a
fish ball, and generous cuts of pork belly. This dish is so tender and perfect, it literally melts in your mouth. It is no surprise that Katsu Ramen stole the hearts of our readers. The charming staff, comfort-able atmosphere and delicious varieties of ramen indicate that Katsu Ramen has it all.
Best Ramen
Katsu ramen
kATSU RAMEN1930 S. Havana St. #4, Aurora, CO 80014Tel: 303-751-2222www.ramendenver.com
Best Asian Fusion
John holly's
13Best of 2015 | asian avenue magazine
kATSU RAMEN1930 S. Havana St. #4, Aurora, CO 80014Tel: 303-751-2222www.ramendenver.com
Here, diners will find a festive atmosphere at this buzzing strip mall Sichuan Chi-nese restaurant in Aurora. Patrons have their choice of three menus: an Amer-icanized Chinese option (forgo it), a terrific traditional Chinese board (whole-heartedly embrace it), and a third tick-off sheet that is strictly devoted to Chinese
hot pot (dive in!). Just about every table orders hot pot, especially during the winter months. Among the many other highlights are the boiled pork
wontons pooled in a crimson chili oil feared and revered for its heat, twice-cooked pork, and cumin-dusted lamb.
STAR kITCHEN2917 West Mississippi Ave, Denver, CO 80219
Tel: 303-936-0089www.starkitchendenver.com
It is no surprise that Star Kitchen has once again
won the best of dim sum in Denver. Many patrons come for the dim sum, yet Star Kitchen is known for much more: traditional Chinese seafood and family-style dishes, for example. It is easy to see
why the tables and seats are in high demand on Sunday mornings when there is a line out the
door and often an hour-long wait, so plan ahead! The late-night crowd will be happy to know that
this Denver favorite stays open until midnight.
PHO DUY 66600 W. 120th Ave. Broomfield, CO 80020Tel: 303-438-7197www.phoduy6.com Pho Duy has once again defended the title of the Best Pho for the third consecutive year, this time with special recognition for its Broomfield location. The ultra-appealing Vietnamese dish has become popular among the masses and is drawing new fans with every bowl. This is also one of the few pho spots that
offers a version of the traditional Vietnamese dish with a vegetar-ian broth. Both locations in Denver and in Broomfield consistently provide patrons with generous portions of noodles and meat.
Best Chinese
China Jade
CHINA JADE12203 E Iliff Ave, Aurora, CO 80014Tel: 303-755-8518
Best Pho
pho Duy 6
Best Dim Sum
Star Kitchen
December 2015 | Cover Story14
TANDOORI GRILL619 S. Broadway St. Boulder, CO 80305
Tel: 303-543-7339www.tandoorigrillcolorado.com
A favorite Indian dine-in or take-out in Boulder, Tandoori Grill is both affordable and dependable. Offering quality food and service, time and again Tandoori Grill provides only the best of an Indian dining experience. Master chefs showcase their effortless combinations of established curry classics as well as the finest of modern Indian cuisine. Tandoori Grill creates mouth-watering Indian dishes using the freshest ingredients while offering the perfect balance of flavors and textures that ensure an unforgettable Indian meal.
DAE GEE kOREAN BBQ827 Colorado Blvd. Denver, CO 80206
Tel: 720-639-9986www.daegee.com Dae Gee (which means “pig” in Korean) is a newcomer to Colorado’s Korean BBQ restau-rant scene. Providing fresh and dynamic food, Dae Gee believes in progressive thoughtful-
ness: they are always willing to educate their guests about Korean food. There is something
for everyone on the menu, including vegetarian dishes like zucchini pancakes and tofu soup. For
meat lovers, the barbecue special is delicious.
GO FISH SUSHI1 Broadway B108, Denver, CO 80203Tel: 303-733-8881www.gofishdenver.com Go Fish first unleashed its fresh fish fare in the heart of Den-ver over seven years ago. This restaurant is a South Broadway favorite because of its affordable happy hour specials and its comfortable atmosphere. Go Fish also has a great lounge with a full service bar where you can find locals drinking their fa-mous sake bomb trains. Go Fish is the perfect spot for a Friday night out on the town, happy hour, date night, or any night you just feel like fresh sushi and fantastic Japanese food.
Best Sushi
go Fish
Best Korean
DaE gEE
Best Indiantandoori
grill
15Best of 2015 | asian avenue magazine
THAI HOUSE8025 Sheridan Blvd. #Q, Arvada, CO 80003Tel: 303-430-8424www.mythaihouse.org
Located in Arvada, the bold and authentic Thai flavors of Thai House draw crowds from all over the Denver metro
area. The fried dumplings are a must, and the Panang curry will bring visitors back over and over again. Of special note are the noodle dishes such as the Pad Thai, as well as the Sen Lek Tom Yam, a delicious rice noodle soup served with shrimp, ground pork, fish
balls, onions, bean sprouts and ground peanuts. Thai House deserves this award for its delicious and authen-
tic Thai food, friendly service and affordable prices.
NEW SAIGON BAkERY635 S Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80219
Tel: 303-935-7859www.facebook.com/NewSaigonBakeryDeli
New Saigon Bakery opened over two years ago, next door to the New Saigon Restaurant, one of Denver’s first authentic Vietnamese restaurants. This fami-ly-owned bakery offers everything from boba and
Vietnamese coffee to banh mi sandwiches, as well as a variety of French and Vietnamese desserts. The
star at New Saigon is definitely the banh mi sandwich. Try the combo, stuffed with a variety of Vietnamese cold
cuts in fresh baked bread, house-made garlic butter mayo, and the crisp crunch of pickled daikon and carrots, cilantro and cucumbers. Fresh and savory!
A TASTE OF THE PHILIPPINESLocated inside Finn’s Manor 2927 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205Tel: 720-746-8880www.atasteofthephilippines.com Chef and owner Kathy Poland’s passion for Filipino food is infectious. Kathy earned her reputation for making the best hand-rolled lumpias served with homemade sweet and sour sauce. Lumpias come in a variety of op-tions including ground beef and vegetarian, complete with cheese and jalapeños! A Taste of the Philippines opened its “window” a few years ago in what began as a food cart. Now Kathy’s busi-ness is a flourishing catering company and maintains a second food stand inside Finn’s Manor in the popular RiNo Art District.
Best Bakery
new SaigonBakery
Best T hai
thai house
Best F ilipino
a taStE oF thEphiLippinES
December 2015 | Cover Story16
The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival is the largest pan-Asian festival between the Midwest and West Coast and is the premiere summertime family event in the region, attracting over 100,000 guests every year. The festival features dragon boat racing, cultural performances, educational exhibits and demonstra-tions, a hip-hop showcase, as well as fun shopping and authentic dining at the Asian Marketplace and Taste of Asia Food Court. Check it out this summer as the festival celebrates its 16th year!
Best Place to
Study/WorkLollicup
LOLLICUP DENVER TEA ZONE1589 S. Colorado Blvd. Denver, CO 80222Tel: 303-504-6022www.lollicupdenver.com First things first, the best places to study or work must have free wi-fi. And it’s even better, if they have plenty of tables and drinks! Lollicup Denver is known for its bubble tea, either snow bubble style which is a blended creamy smoothie or slush which is icy like a Slurpee. Lollicup also offers milk tea, iced tea and snacks like Chinese steamed buns. The space is not only great for studying, but it is a fun hangout spot to play board games or to have group meetings.
Best Asian
Supermarketh-Mart
H-MART2751 S. Parker Rd. Aurora, CO 80014
Tel: 303-745-4592 www.hmart.com
H-Mart has been a Colorado favorite supermarket for pro-duce, meats and rice cookers since its Aurora location opened in 2004. Headquartered in New Jersey, the Kore-an-owned supermarket offers products from around the world. H-Mart takes pride in serving fresh vegetables and
fish with shipments made from California three times a week. The giant supermarket has aisles of dried snacks and noodles, a
wide section for its health and beauty products, and a variety of appliances and kitchenware. See for yourself, if you haven’t already!
COLORADO DRAGON BOAT FESTIVALSloan’s Lake in Edgewater, CO
An annual weekend festival in Julywww.cdbf.org
Best Asian
OrganizationColorado Dragon
Boat festival
Best of 2015 | asian avenue magazine 17
WONG FU PRODUCTIONSASIAN-AMERICAN YOUTUBE CHANNELwww.wongfuproductions.com
The Three Amigos of the American filmmaking group, Wong Fu Productions is composed of Wesley Chan, Ted Fu, and Philip Wang. Since their first major short film, “Yellow Fever,” in January of 2006 they have produced a whirlwind of productions and gained global popularity. The group has produced full length films and hundreds of shorts and music videos for artists like David Choi. They also organize events and concerts and tour the country speaking to stu-dents. A few months ago, they released their latest movie, “Everything Before Us.”
STEVEN YEUN - AMC’s The Walking Dead ASIAN AMERICAN IN A TV SERIESWho better to watch your back during the zombie apocalypse than Steven Yeun? Yeun, better known as Glenn Rhee—his character
on the hit TV show The Walking Dead, has become an icon in zombie fandom. The South Korean-born American is now on his sixth season of The Walking Dead and spoiler alert: Glenn is alive! Fans were excited to find that the beloved Glenn made it alive from his dumpster incident after a few episodes of disbelief.
DENVER BRONCOSwww.denverbroncos.com
No surprise here! Our readers are a bunch of orange and blue wearing fans, rooting for #18 and #17! Our quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler bring fans to roaring cheer every Sunday. The Denver Broncos are members of the West division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL) and began playing at Mile High Stadium in 1960. Since 2001, the Broncos have played at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Recently, Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning be-came the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards surpassing former Green Bay Packers’ quarterback Brett Favre. Man-ning is in his fourth season with the Broncos. Whether you are watching the games at the stadium, at home with your family or on your phone while commuting, Broncos fans from across the nation are dedicated to our mile-high team! #BroncosNation!
PANDAFAVORITE ASIAN ANIMALOur readers love the panda and so do we! Giant pandas live in the mountains of cen-tral China, in Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces. They once lived in lowland areas,
but farming, forest clearing, and other
development now restrict giant pandas to the mountains. They are easily
recognized by the large,
distinctive black patches around
their eyes, over the ears, and across its round body.
Best Sports Team
DEnvErBronCoS
Best in a TV Series
Stevenyeun
Best YouTube Channel
Wong Fuproductions
Favorite Asian Animal
panda
December 2015 | Feature18
Fresh Off the Boat is a comedy series starring Randall Park, Constance Wu, and Hudson Yang that is loosely inspired by the life of chef and food personality Eddie Huang and his book Fresh Off the Boat: A Memoir. Its style has been compared to the comedy series Everybody Hates Chris. The show debuted on ABC with two preview episodes on February 4, 2015. The first of the two preview episodes garnered 7.94 million viewers, becoming the second highest rated comedy premiere that season. On May 7, 2015, Fresh off the Boat renewed for a second season. Watch and enjoy the Huang family’s rendition of Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road” at the dinner table!
Dr. Ken, the new ABC sitcom, stars Ken Jeong as a dour, quirky doctor who juggles his workplace life with keeping up with his family. Dr. Ken is an American multi-camera sitcom created, written and co-executive produced by Ken Jeong, who based the concept on his experience as a doctor prior to becoming a stand-up comedian. The series debuted on ABC on October 2, 2015. On October 20, 2015, ABC ordered a full season of 22 episodes for the first season. The series chronicles the daily life of a brilliant physician who tries to balance his career with his family life, which can be difficult on both fronts, especially with having a therapist for a wife. Get the popcorn ready for some good family fun laughs!
A good year for Asian Americans on TVIt is Asian Americans time to shine on the TV screen. This year,
Fresh Off the Boat, Dr. Ken and Master of None debuted with lead-ing Asian-American roles and stories about the Asian-American experience. Fresh Off the Boat is the first American television situation comedy starring an Asian-American family as pro-tagonists to air on network primetime since Margaret Cho’s All American Girl, which aired for one season in 1994. And before that, there was Mr. T and Tina in 1976, a family sitcom starring
Pat Morita (you may know him as Mr. Miyagi).“Culturally, we are in an ice age,” celebrity chef Eddie Huang
said in a recent New York Times profile. Huang’s memoir of the same name inspired the show. “We don’t even have fire. We don’t even have the wheel,” he wrote. “If this can be the first wheel, maybe others can make three more.”
We encourage our readers to watch these comedic shows in support of getting more Asian-American faces on television.
Master of None is an American comedy television series, creat-ed by Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang. The series premiered on Nov. 6, 2015 on Netflix and stars Ansari in the lead role of Dev, a 32-year-old actor who attempts to make his way through life in New York City. Dev has a charming personality which makes him an enjoyable focus. Ansari even casts his own parents to play his television parents, which feels genuine. The show has already won many viewers over for a lot of reasons: its brave tackling of casual racism and sexism, its throughly modern de-piction of dating and relationships, and its dialogue. Highly rec-ommended if you are looking for a new show to get enthralled in on Netflix!
Master of NoNeoN NETFlix
Dr. KeNoN ABC
fresH off tHe BoatoN ABC
Feature | asian avenue magazine 19
Congratulations to LILY SHEN, who received the Colorado Be-havioral Healthcare Council’s 2015 Board Member Lifetime Achievement Award, in Brecken-ridge, CO on Friday, Oct. 2.
Asian Pacific Development Cen-ter (APDC) is honored to share the news of this prestigious award that is given to one nominee, for exemplary work and service on a board for a behavioral health cen-ter. APDC is a specialty behavioral health clinic and this statewide recognition is an honor.
Shen has been an outstanding vice chair of the APDC Board of Directors for the past two years and has a respected track record, serving for a collective total of over 15 years. Shen continues this year to be an active and enthusi-astic member of the fundraising committee and has successfully brought new donors and support-ers to APDC throughout the years.
It is the welfare of others in the Asian communities that drives Shen’s passion. She wholeheart-edly believes in APDC’s mission to advance the well-being of our cli-ents, both youth and adults, and provides much needed support in many ways. Shen’s dedication,
expertise, energy and program leadership makes a difference in the lives of individuals with be-havioral health disorders.
Beyond APDC, Shen has re-ceived recognition for her volun-teer involvement and achieve-ments, including an Activist Award as part of the 21st annual Human Rights Campaign’s Martin Luther King, Jr. commemoration; Wom-an of Distinction from the Mile High Girl Scouts Council; Colora-do Women Pioneers Award from the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women (NO-BEL) and Community Service Award from Denver Public Schools’ Asian Education Advisory Council.
APDC provides an integrated sys-tem of care for Asian refugees and immigrants including behavioral health, primary healthcare, victim assistance, adult education pro-grams, youth mentoring and lead-ership, elder wellness programs and offers interpretation and trans-lation services through the Colora-do Language Connection.
APDC will celebrate the Asian New Year and its 35th anniversa-ry on Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Ca-ble Center. For more information, please visit www.apdc.org.
Prestigious award honors Lily Shen,
Vice Chair of Asian Pacific Development
Center Board
Front (left to right): Rudy Lie (Founding Board Member), Lily Shen, Tony Oum (Board President) and Christine
Wanifuchi (CEO and President of APDC).Back (left to right): Dr. Geri Tien, Dr. Eri Asano, Thanh Pham, Peter Cukale (Board of Directors), Eugene Yom,
Myoung Ah Holm and MyThanh Nguyen.
LILY SHEN receives the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council’s Board Lifetime Achievement Award, for her
dedication and service as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors at Asian Pacific Development Center (APDC).
2016 Asian New Year and 35 Year Anniversary CelebrationCome ring in the Year of the Fire Red Monkey
Saturday, February 6, 2016The Cable Center | 2000 Buchtel Blvd. | Denver, CO 80210
Individual Tickets: $75 per personTable Sponsorships (Table of 10) Gold -$3,500; Silver - $2,500; Bronze - $1,500
For more information, please contact Jane Lundwall at 303.923.6517 or email [email protected]. Visit www.apdc.org to reserve tickets today!
EvEning AgEnDAEmcee - Adele Arakawa, 9News Anchor5:30 – Cocktails and Silent Auction6:30 – Welcome and Dinner 7:30 – Entertainment – “Evening of Song” with Juliet Petrus and Yunpeng Wang, an exclusive duet performance by two rising vocal stars, who will share a unique musical panorama, combining musical favorites and a few emerging new works.8:00 – Drawing and Live Auction
Golden ShanghaiAsian Restaurant
● The Best Chinese Restaurant by 710 AM Restaurant Show● The Best Chinese Restaurant by the 1430 KEZW Restaurant Show● Voted 2007 Top 100 Chinese Restaurant in the US
1412 S. Parker Rd. A-134 Denver, CO 80231(303) 743-7666 (303)743-9079 (303)743-8210
One of the best things about living near Capitol Hill is stumbling upon a restaurant that does something dif-ferent, one that has retained its loyal-ty to traditional cuisine but embraced the American emphasis on—surprise, surprise—the customer.
The experience at Uoki is better than most restaurants on Capitol Hill because of the hospitality. They treat customers like family and are patient with newcomers to Korean and Japa-nese food.
For example, the owner, Mark Park came to greet us, and from there we ended up talking for a while about different things, from the ingredients in certain dishes to how he came to own the restaurant 11 years ago and how it’s always been his dream to open a restaurant of his own. His passion to share his love for Korean and Japanese food became more and more evident as we talked and each time he left the table, I looked forward to chatting with Mr. Park more.
Park named his restaurant “Uoki,” which means happy fish in Japanese, and happiness is exactly what Park found when he began to train as a su-shi chef over twenty years ago. Park is originally from South Korea, so it felt natural to include Korean favorites near and dear to his heart like bibim-bap, bulgogi, and a variety of Korean
soups, among others. Of special note is the beef bulgogi,
which is served on a cast iron skillet. The thin slices of rib-eye steak were tender and seasoned to perfection. The dish is served with grilled zuc-chini, broccoli, onions and a side of rice. The kimchi soup is also not to
be missed, made with Napa cabbage kimchi, pork, tofu, and Korean rice cake; the broth is luxurious both in taste and color due to the chili paste used to make the kimchi.
On the other spectrum you will find an impressive list of sashimi and sushi rolls that gives Uoki its name. The cherry blossom roll is a must try. The roll comes topped with tobiko fish eggs, ginger sauce, and fresh lem-on. The ginger sauce and lemon pro-vide an acidic finish— a nice contrast to the amazingly tender tuna. Anoth-er favorite was the amigo roll, a nod to Southwestern flavors; this roll is on the spicier side with roasted green chilies, though, the combination of crab, avocado, and wasabi mayo, bal-ances out the heat.
If you feel like having a little Seoul food and Japanese food, all in one plate, the combination plate, which comes with choice of two or three items, is your best bet. For instance, you can have bulgogi, tempura, and chicken teriyaki, all in one plate, which makes foodies like me very happy.
At Uoki, there’s something for ev-eryone, from traditional Korean food to Japanese favorites like sushi, teri-yaki, katsu and udon noodle bowls. And, with friendly service that feels like family at affordable prices, what more could you ask for?
BiBiMBap LUnCh, $9.50
DinnEr, $13.00six different vegetables prepared over steamed
rice, served with a choice of beef, chicken or tofu.
agEDaShi, $4.75deep fried tofu with light
soy sauce.
BEEF BULgogi LUnCh, $9.50
DinnEr, $14.00thinly sliced rib eye beef marinated in flavorful
Seoul sauce.
vEggiE tEMpUra, $13.00onion, sweet potato,
zucchini, broccoli, carrot and mushroom.
Sang-Choo-SaM, $14.50a traditional dish from
the Korean countryside, served after a full day of work under the hot
sun. Delectable pieces of marinated beef, onion,
and rice. Wrap it yourself in lettuce leaves and season
w/ spicy Go-Choo-Jang sauce.
Spicy ramen, $10.00Korean home-style favorite
noodles with onions, carrots, mushrooms and egg; served in a spicy red
pepper broth.
goon-Man-Du (5 pcs), $5.75
mouth watering Korean dumplings stuffed with
beef and Napa cabbage - served with zesty vinegar
dipping sauce.
Uoki
701 E. 6th ave. Denver, Co 80203
303.837.4380
uokirestaurant.com
hours:Mon- Sat: 11am -10pm
Sun: closed
MenU HigHligHts
By Sarah Shirazi | photoS By anaStaSia yagoLniK
Restaurant Peek | asian avenue magazine 21
(serves 4-6; double for additional guests)
• 10 cups chicken stock or any broth of your choice• 1 or 2 lumps of Chinese rock sugar or 1 tbsp. regular sugar • 4 oz. dried cellophane noodles, soaked and cut in half• 1 lb. leafy Asian greens, cut into bite-sized pieces (we use bok choy or cabbage)• 1/2 lb. thinly sliced chicken, marinated with soy sauce and black pepper• 1/2 lb. thinly sliced beef or lamb (or both!), marinated with soy sauce and black pepper• 1/2 lb. thinly sliced pork, marinated with soy sauce and black pepper• 4–6 small squids, cut into bite-sized pieces• 12 shrimp, peeled, deveined and butterflied• 4–6 eggs, depending on how many people are eating• Hot-and-zesty dipping sauce (recipe below)
Arrange the meats, seafood, vegetables and noo-dles on platters. Place an electric wok, Mongo-
lian hot pot or Chinese firepot in the center of your table, fill it with broth and bring it to a boil with the sugar. Once you’re ready to eat, reduce the broth to a simmer. Give each guest an egg with a bowl to scram-ble it in and start dipping. My family always puts all of the noodles and vegetables in at once to season the broth and share, but guests can do that individually, as well.
Holiday Hot Pot
• Make sure you provide a large ladle so guests can dish up the savory broth (along with any ingredients that get lost at sea) and provide ramekins for the hot-and-zesty dipping sauce.• H-Mart (locations in Aurora and Westminster) has an amazing variety of pre-sliced meats and poultry, so you can pick up anything from beef tongue to sliced lamb — all ready to marinade for your hot-pot party. And if you have another favorite marinade in mind, use it. • H-Mart and other Asian markets often also carry Chi-nese soupspoons and wire strainers, perfect for fishing for hot-pot delights.• The ingredients in this recipe are in no way a exhaus-tive list of what you can use; other tasty options in-clude tofu, mushrooms, baby corn, store-bought fish balls and cakes, sliced liver or kidney (a favorite in our family), wontons and pork belly. • This is an incredibly versatile recipe. Please adjust it as you wish; it’s just all about enjoying the experience with friends and family.
C rush together 2 minced Thai chilies, 5 cloves of garlic and 1/8 cup of minced ci-
lantro (stems included). Add the juice of one lime, 1 tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 tbsp. Sriracha, 1 tbsp. sugar and 1 tsp. sesame oil. Mix it all to-gether and adjust to your personal taste (add more lime, sugar, Sriracha, etc.).
Hot-and-Zesty Dipping Sauce
December 2015 | Chef’s Menu 22
Helpful T ips
By Patricia Kaowthumrong
Ingredients
Every Christmas, my family skips the tradition-al American prime-rib, turkey or ham dinner for a hot-pot meal. Dubbed “suki” in Thailand after “sukiyaki,” the name of the dish’s Japanese varia-tion, our hot pot typically encompasses a simmer-ing pot of stock (or two, if we have more than five guests) surrounded by platters overflowing with thinly sliced meats and poultry, seafood, leafy vegetables, wontons and cellophane noodles.
Participants — armed with chopsticks, small plates, bowls and Chi-nese soup spoons and wire strainers — immerse the ingredients of their choice into the broth and cook it to their liking.
Everyone also receives a beaten egg to dip their ingredients in before im-mersing them in broth. My family serves an addi-tional hot-and-zesty sauce on the side, reminiscent of hot pot restaurants in Thailand.
Try your own holiday hot pot with this recipe; it could become a tradition!
Method
Holiday Hot Pot OPEN Mon-Thu & Sat: 5pm - 1am Fri: 5pm - 2am | Sun: 4pm - 9pm48 parking spots available behind the building!
Double Happy Hours! (Dine in only)Daily 5pm to 6pm | 10pm to closeSushi $2Hakushika Hot Sake (sm) $2Japanese Beer (sm) $3Selected Hand Roll $3Selected Hand Roll $3and more!
2907 Huron St. Unit 103 | Denver, CO 80202 | Tel: 720.639.2911 www.mytok io . com
RAMEN YAKITORI SUSHIBringing the ramen culture to Denver!
1 Let go of your idea of perfection.Simple fact: families don’t always get along perfectly and holiday events don’t always go smoothly. You can expect that decorations may not be magazine-worthy, travel may have some glitches, food may not taste exactly the way you intended, you may not be able to attend every fam-ily gathering, or you may not be able to find the perfect gift for everyone. Set prac-tical expectations for yourself and others. When your expectations are more realistic and attainable, it will foster a healthier at-titude toward the holiday season.
2 Don’t romanticize past holidays.Focus on today, not yesterday. When you focus on the present moment, you won’t fall into the trap of comparing past holi-days to current ones. Don’t waste your en-ergy by dwelling on good times from the past that cannot be recaptured. The past is in the past. Be fully in the moment and embrace it. Create new traditions as your network of family and friends change. Ac-cept that every year will be different and celebrate that diversity.
3 Don’t lose sight of the true message of the holidays.Many of us end up “hating” the holidays and getting so stressed partly because we forget the true nature of the season. In actuality, the holiday season is really more about re-connecting with friends and family and be-ing good to each other. When we forget this fundamental detail, the holidays become a stressful, expensive, obligatory exercise we all have to grudgingly plow through every year. Instead, let’s set our focus on gratitude, contribution, love, and creating magic mo-ments this holiday season.
4 Worry less about others. In our quest to make everyone happy around us, we can often end up in disap-pointment. That’s because it’s not possible to make everyone happy. Don’t allow the emotions and mood swings of others to rob you of your personal joy. You are not responsible for everyone else’s happiness. You are responsible for your own happi-ness. Focus on being joyful yourself and let that naturally radiate towards others.
5 Ask for help.Holidays are often a time people attempt to take on too much, or do too much on their own. It’s perfectly fine to ask for and accept help from family and friends. Don’t be pride-ful that you’re afraid to ask. For example, if you’re preparing a meal, ask your guests to bring something to share. Let others be involved. So whether it’s decorating, shop-ping, cooking, or just being a shoulder to lean on, if you need help… just ask.
ways to thrive during the holidays
By Tom Shieh
December 2015 | Advice Column 24
ToM ShiEh has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and master’s degree in telecommu-nications. He took a leap of faith and left a well-paying job environment to pursue his entrepreneurial passions. During this journey, he’s started 14 different companies and developed, managed and acquired over 150 websites. Through his successes and failures in business and life, he loves sharing his experience in a truthful and relevant manner as a national speaker, best-selling author and in-dustry leader and has been featured on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and Forbes. He is blissfully married to his high-school sweetheart; they’ve been to-gether for over 21 years. Originally from Taiwan, they have three joyful children together and currently re-side in beautiful Denver.
Connect with Tom at www.linkedin.com/in/tomshieh
or www.facebook.com/tomshieh.
5
holiday Feature | asian avenue magazine 25
GiFt ideASfor the Holidays
This holiday season, support local artists and businesses by shopping
at some of Colorado’s best gift markets and shops.
Support local karate athletes at Colorado Budokan’s Holiday Boutique and Annual Fundraiser on Dec. 5-6. Local artists display their original Asian-inspired embroidered clothing and home furnishings, handcrafted cards and candles, organic bath and body products, artisan jewelry, quilted and crocheted winter items, home-baked goods, martial arts supplies, gift certificates, and so much more!
Head to Denver’s original gourmet cupcake bakery, Happy Bakeshop. And with more than cupcakes, they’ll make you REALLY happy. You will find French macaroons, cookies, bars, cakes, pies, and more. Decadence from scratch, and so many to choose from! Happy Bakeshop treats will make an excellent addition to your holiday parties. They also offer gluten-free and vegan sweet treats.
Visit Ku Cha House of Tea at Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall. Ku Cha offers more than 170 quality loose-leaf teas from around the world. A traditional Chinese teahouse, Ku Cha also features a serenity tearoom to relax alone or gather among friends.
www.kuchatea.com
Walk into The Gift House and you will step into a world of specialty gifts
and collectible treasures. You will be instantly greeted by
one of the family members from this quaint family-owned business,
established in 1989. A few of the wonderful collectibles that
await you include Broncos items, Disney, Department 56, Hummel, Heartwood Creek by Jim Shore, Precious Moments, Swarovski and
much more! Enjoy $5 off any in-store purchase of $25
or more through Dec. 24, 2015 when you mention this article!
Buy custom made jewelry by local artist Candice Rei Tsutsui. Candice Rei Tsutsui’s designs are completely original and draw in-spiration from her interest in anthropology, a family history of min-ing and assaying, her ethnic background as well as today’s fashions. Each piece is designed with attention to form, texture, color, and intent to convey the wearer’s personality. She works mainly with semiprecious and precious stone beads, sterling silver and gold ver-meil. C REI’s techniques involve beading and wiring, dichroic glass, metalworking and sculpting precious metal clay.
Find her inspiring work at the Holiday Boutique at Colorado Budokan3547 S. Monaco Pkwy.Denver, CO 80237Sat. Dec. 5, 4pm - 8pm Sun. Dec. 6, 10am - 6pmCall 720-253-7473 for more information.
THE GIFT HOUSE98 N. Wadsworth Blvd. Lakewood, CO 80226Tel: 303.922.7279Open 7 days a week during the holidayswww.the-gifthouse.com
Denver Highlands 3434 W. 32nd Ave.Tel: 303-477-3556Mon - Sat: 10am - 6pm
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December 2015 | National and international News 26
Fans vote Filipina-American Amy Vachal into top 11 of The Voice
Majority of Asian-American lawmakers condemn vote to halt resettling of Syrian refugees
Despite lawmakers’ 289-137 vote in the House in favor of halting a pro-
gram aimed at resettling Syrian refugees, a vast majority of Asian-American mem-bers of Congress voted against the bill, arguing that the measure went against basic American values.
“No refugees on American soil have committed a terrorist act,” California Con-gressman Ted Lieu said.
“If you look at what happened in Par-is, those attacks were committed by French nationals and Belgian citizens. So by the Republican logic you should be banning travel to the US by French and Belgians. And if that sounds ridicu-
lous, so should the idea of scapegoating Syrian orphans, widows, and senior citi-zens fleeing persecution.”
“We should make our intelligence gath-ering better and that would prevent a Paris-style attack,” Lieu said. “The bill gives terrorists exactly what they want... What they want is Islamophobia. They want the US and Western nations to take ridiculous actions that are anti-refugee, anti-immi-grant, and anti-Muslim because it helps recruit even more terrorists.”
“We should be doing what France is doing. France suffered these horrific ter-rorist attacks last week and are letting in tens of thousands of Syrian refugees.”
As it turns out, there wasn’t that much to worry about. Amy Vachal is returning to The Voice after
getting enough votes from the public. On Nov. 16, Amy took a risk and did a cover of Drake’s
Hotline Bling. Her version of Drake’s song finished No. 6 among iTunes downloads during the 14-hour voting peri-od after the eastern timezone airing of The Voice. The vot-ing result will let Amy compete with the rest of the Top 11 until the Dec. 15 show, when one is named The Voice and receives a recording contract as the grand prize.
“it’s OK. they might have guns, but
we have flowers.”A father’s heartwarming explanation
to his son about the Paris terror attacks is electrifying social media, with more than 27 million views on Facebook alone.
The video shows an interview conduct-ed by a reporter for France’s Le Petit Jour-nal in a Paris square where people are lay-ing flowers and lighting candles to honor the 129 victims killed in the attacks.
The child tells the reporter the attacks were conducted by “bad guys” who were “not very nice.” He then expresses fear that his family will be forced to move, although his father reassures him they won’t be-cause there are “bad guys everywhere.”
With his arm around his son, the father refers to the crowd at the square, and says, “It’s OK. They might have guns, but we have flowers.”
Bruce Lee & Kristi Yamaguchi to be inducted to the California Hall of Fame
Asian-American icons Bruce Lee and Kristi Yamaguchi will join six other
new inductees Wednesday into the Cali-fornia Hall of Fame.
Yamaguchi’s contributions to the skat-ing world are legendary. Born in Hay-ward, California and raised in nearby Fre-mont, Yamaguchi won the gold medal in women’s figure skating at the 1992 Win-ter Olympics in Albertville, France.
Bruce Lee was born in San Francis-co and raised in Hong Kong. He gained recognition for his role as Kato in the series The Green Hornet in 1966. Starting in 1971, he starred in five major martial arts films which made him an interna-tional sensation. His most popular, Enter the Dragon, was released shortly after his death in 1973 due to a cerebral edema caused by an allergic reaction to pain medication. He was only 32.
international News | asian avenue magazine 27
During the 1970s, British scholar James Lovelock put forward the Gaia hypothesis, which propos-
es that the Earth is a self-regulating, complex system, and that human beings constitute one organ of this entity. The well-be-ing of the planet is thus dependent on humankind’s ability to achieve an appropriate balance between economic and social development and environmental protection.
Taiwan has long been committed and proactive in its efforts to tackle climate change and ensure ecological sustainability. In just the past year, the government has put into law its long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target, which is a testament to Taiwan’s willingness to contribute to global ef-forts toward carbon reduction. Its measures in this regard have been recognized by European nations, the United States, and other advanced countries.
On July 1, 2015, the government promulgated the Green-house Gas Emission Reduction and Management Act, the pur-poses of which are to provide a legal foundation for Taiwan’s long-term efforts to combat climate change, respond to the call for global measures on carbon reduction, and pave the way for policy planning and the investment of resources so as to expedite economic transformation and the development of a low-carbon society.
The act empowers the government to take action on the im-plementation of national mitigation and adaptation strategies. By clearly articulating Taiwan’s long-term emissions reduction goal, defining the responsibilities of the central and local gov-ernments, laying out GHG targets over successive five-year peri-ods, and providing a legal basis for the establishment of a GHG reduction and management fund, the law enables Taiwan to progressively build its emissions-cutting capacity so it can better respond to climate change and move into a low-carbon era.
In response to the Lima Call for Climate Action of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Taiwan has taken the initiative to publish its Intended National-ly Determined Contribution (INDC), in accordance with its Basic Environment Act and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction and Management Act. As indicated in its INDC, Taiwan’s target is to achieve a 50 percent reduction from the business-as-usual sce-nario by 2030, which is equivalent to lowering GHG emissions to 20 percent below 2005 levels. The long-term target stipulated in the Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction and Management Act is to reduce emissions to 50 percent of 2005 levels by 2050.
The long-term goal is ambitious yet achievable. Taiwan has already taken substantial actions to meet its mitigation com-mitments. These include the promulgation of the Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction and Management Act, Energy Ad-ministration Act, and Renewable Energy Development Act, as
well as relevant policies, projects and programs implemented in accordance with these laws. These measures have been in-troduced to help businesses reduce emissions, accelerate the development of renewable energy and promote sustainable growth. In order to maintain national competitiveness, the government also plans to participate in international market mechanisms.
After years of efforts, international climate change negoti-ations have arrived at a critical juncture. At the 21st meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in Paris from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11, talks are expected to lead to a new climate change agreement that will encompass all signatories to the convention. The measures that Taiwan, as a part of Gaia, has thus far enacted underscore its commitment to meeting its ob-ligations as a responsible global citizen, achieving meaningful participation in climate change accords, and creating a pros-perous and sustainable world for future generations.
Kuo-Yen Wei is Minister of the Environment Protection Admin-istration in the Executive Yuan for the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Because Taiwan is a part of GaiaBy Minister Kuo-Yen WeiEnvironmental Protection AdministrationExecutive Yuan, Republic of China (Taiwan)
December 2015 | on Scene 28
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On Oct. 31, History Colorado welcomed Professor Zhu Liping of Eastern Washington University to lead a special program on the Anti-Chinese Riot of 1880. The professor reconstructed the drama of the riot and explained how mobs ransacked Chinatown while other citizens took pain to protect their Asian neighbors. After the lecture, Profes-sor Liping led a tour around the areas of downtown Denver tracing the history of the riot.
The Anti-Chinese Riot of 1880 was sparked by resent-ment at the encroachment of Chinese immigrants who had crossed the Pacific Ocean and journeyed overland in response to an expanding labor market. It would have re-percussions into the next century as the precursor to the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. For more information about History Colorado, visit www.historycolorado.org.
Wenjunhan Huang, age 2, originally from China, was the young-est of 26 children to receive a citizenship certificate at a special Hal-loween-themed ceremony Oct. 30. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ employees treated children ages 2 to 16 from 13 countries to a party after the ceremony. The children were from Belarus, China, the Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, India, Iraq, Jor-dan, Kenya, Mexico, South Korea and Vietnam.
This ceremony is in recognition of children and youths who have obtained citizenship through their parents. Some were adopted by U.S.citizen parents; others derived citizenship when their immigrant parents became naturalized citizens.
For more information about USCIS, visit www.uscis.gov.
The Asian Chamber of Commerce (ACC) welcomed guests to its annual dinner and gala on Nov. 13 at King’s Land Chinese Seafood Restaurant.
ACC President Clarence Low spoke to the audience about the chamber’s accomplishments for the year and goals for 2016, including the foundation of a scholarship program for University of Colorado Denver students.
The keynote speaker was Bill Imada, founder of IW Group, an multicultural marketing agency with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City. Imada is also a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. As the leading expert of the Asian-American market, Imada spoke about Asian-American buying power and influence. In addition to the banquet dinner, ACC had both a silent and live auc-tion and gave away raffle prizes.
ACC’s mission is to support and promote Asian-owned businesses, as well as providing information, resources, training, exposure, networking opportunities, monthly events and two major annual events. For more informa-tion about ACC, visit www.asianchambercommerce.org.
Asian Chamber of Commerce ends the year with annual dinner
two-year-old from China receives citizenship certificate at Halloween-theme ceremony
History Colorado hosts a special program on the Anti-Chinese Riot in 1880
ACC President Clarence Low Keynote Speaker Bill Imada
University of Colorado Denver students at the ACC Dinner
Ryan Huang, Wenjunhan’s dad repeated the Oath of Allegiance and recited the Pledge of Allegiance, for his son.
Professor Zhu Liping of Eastern Washington University presented about the anti-Chinese riot that occured 135 years ago in Denver.
Mile-high Events | asian avenue magazine 29
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2nd
3rd
Congratulations to the Asian Avenue magazine Halloween costume contest winners!
Mad Max emojis South ParkCanadian
thank you to everyone who came out to our annual Halloween party at Funky Buddha Lounge on Oct. 30. Great costumes and music by dJ Guest! (Photos above).
We also had a great turnout for the sixth annual Asian Avenue meet and mingle mixer on Nov. 4 at Go Fish Sushi and Lounge. thank you to all the singles who came to meet new friends and play games with us. (Photos to the left).
More photos: facebook.com/asianavemag
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