The lion won't sleep tonight

Last night's Chinese New Year's Eve on Gouger Street was fun - a hearty dinner with live entertainment and friendly service. What more could one ask? I missed last year's celebrations and was determined that this year would be different. So I rounded up near and dear ones, and headed for China Town.

The buffet menu was 'interesting' with some delectable delights I'd heard of, but never actually been offered in a restaurant. So we skipped the esoteric menu in favour of more tried-and-true morsels. Ooooh they were tasty treats that we scored, let me tell you. Yummo.

In terms of the entertainment, I always thought the smiley-faced animal that dances around at Chinese New Year celebrations was a dragon. But it's a lion - who knew? Okay everyone else except me, probably. All the colour, enthusiasm, and good humour was there, it's just I screwed up a little on the animal. Oh well.

When the lion dancers emerged to shimmy their way around the restaurant, collecting cash from patrons trying to buy themselves good luck for the New Year, I participated. I deposited a little red envelope into the lion's mouth, which will hopefully be enough to secure some good fortune this year.

But something tells me from the energy expended at last night's performance alone, and knowing that New Year celebrations will continue into this week, there is no rest in sight for that dancing lion.