At Hong Kong Supermarket, we resisted the fresh, fresh, fresh mackerel that were selling like crazy, in favor the traditional New Year’s pork spareribs. I love the fish and butcher counter at Hong Kong Supermarket because, no matter what music is being played in the rest of the store, behind that counter people are listening to music that is definitely not Asian: today among the voices recognized were those of Jorge Negrete, Pedro Infante, and Vincente Fernandez.

As is customary, a purchase of ten dollars or more gets the buyer a free calendar. They’re not as wonderful as the extremely handsome 2005 Year of the Rooster ones this time around, though. These have all twelve months on one bamboo scroll and the artwork varies considerably in subject matter. I’m happy that my calendar shows the twelve-year lunar cycle and not the insipid illustration of children against a pink sky. There’s just no accounting for tastes and the calendars, in many designs, are given at random. The calendars may be going even faster than the mackerel.

Those who collect those toothpick shaker containers found at various Asian groceries around town may like to know that there appears to be a recent shipment of a variety new to me. Pick the color of the top and the preferred size of the shaker cutout.