Cheers, It's The Year Of The Ox

Also: How Boston's Chinatown is celebrating the new year amid the pandemic; ways to celebrate Valentine's Day during COVID ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [View in Browser]( | [Donate]( [WBUR] [WBUR]( The WBUR Weekender February 13, 2021 🏂 Weekend Weather: Saturday is partly sunny, with a high near 27. Sunday there may be some snow (less than an inch) before 8 a.m. High of 32. Good morning, This weekend, we're celebrating two holidays: Lunar New Year, which started yesterday and runs through Feb. 26, and Valentine's Day, which is tomorrow. There are quite a few ideas and Valentine's Day stories to share with your partner or loved ones scattered throughout today's newsletter, so first let's talk about ringing in the year of the ox. Some background: [Lunar New Year]( is the most important holiday in China. It’s also celebrated in Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. It's also known as Spring Festival and typically coincides with the first new moon of the unisolar calendar. Every year, a new era is welcomed based on an animal zodiac sign – this year, it's the year of the Metal Ox – and believers think you can [predict what luck (or misfortune) the year will bring]( based partly on how it interacts with your birth year zodiac sign. Lunar New Year celebrations are usually quite the ordeal in Chinatowns across the U.S., including Boston. Picture colorful lion dance parades, drums and massive feasts. But, like almost all holidays in the last year, this time celebrations will look different because of the pandemic. Don't fret; some events are going virtual, so there are ways to still celebrate and support local businesses. ([The Boston Globe]( together this short list.) But this year's Lunar New Year celebrations are bittersweet. Chinatown businesses have been hit especially hard [since the onset of the pandemic]( due to both COVID restrictions and, sadly, enduring racism. Nearly 2,000 hate crimes against Asian Americans were reported since the outbreak began through last August across 46 states, and as many as one in three Asian Americans reported witnessing individuals blame Asian Americans for the pandemic, according to consulting company [McKinsey](. WBUR's [Quincy Walters went down to Boston's Chinatown]( to discuss the new year amid the pandemic, this tension and a [recent string of attacks]( against elderly Asian residents in Oakland, California. His story, featured below, is powerful and important. P.S.– What says happy new year better than pork dumplings? I made them for the first time this month, and found the experience as relaxing as it was tasty. The repetitive nature of folding the wonton paper was exactly what I needed to unwind. Plus, it's a fun, at-home winter activity. I tried [this easy recipe]( – big fan! If you're a newbie to dumpling making as well, you can check out [this 2019 video from Here & Now]( for a quick tutorial on how to fold and cook them. (FWIW: Mine were definitely not that pretty, but it's the effort that counts, right?) — Meagan McGinnes @meaganmcginnes newsletters@wbur.org This Week's Must Reads ['It's Quiet Right Now': Typically Bustling Before Lunar New Year, Boston's Chinatown Remains Emptier Amid Pandemic](url) Boston's Chinatown — like other Chinatowns across the country --- has been racked by a constellation of economic slowdown and ramped up racism and xenophobia. And for the first time anyone can remember, no one’s expecting to see parading troupes of dancing dragons and lions ringing in the new year. [Read more.]( Support the news [On Valentine's Day, A Doo-Wop Zoom That Goes Straight For The Heart]( Songs tend to reflect the times in which they’re written. With the passage of time, they often come to mean new things. In honor of Valentine’s Day, let’s considers two 1950s doo-wop songs with an oddly contemporary motif. [Read more.]( - Related: ['Just The Two Of Us' Songwriter Found His Sound In Solitude]( [ICA Aims To Provide Kids With Creative Nourishment Amid Pandemic]( “Before the pandemic, of course, we would see children during their school hours visiting our exhibitions and looking at art. And since the closure we've really had to rethink our work and how we can fulfill our mission in different ways for children.” [Read more.]( [Hip-Hop Broke $ean Wire's Heart, And Healed It]( The Boston rapper is an artist at once tormented by and in love with the act of self-expression. “Music was always the medicine to what I was feeling," Wire says. "Music broke my heart so much.” This story is part of The ARTery’s recently revamped [Sound On series]( highlighting rising local musicians. [Read more.]( [When You've Been Vaccinated Against COVID, But The People You Live With Have Not]( “Part of me feels like I’ve been through all of this, I’ve been vaccinated, I should be able to let my guard down. But I could still transmit it so I need to be cautious." [Read more.]( Time For A Break Get crafty: Make valentines and drop them off at loved ones homes. We made these [Boston-specific cards last year]( and we think they're still a fun and funny way to show others you care. Take in a concert: Conductor Keith Lockhart will lead the Boston Pops Orchestra in its first live virtual concert with a program of music for Valentine’s Day. Streaming from Boston’s Symphony Hall, the show will feature music by Georges Bizet, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin and Rodgers and Hammerstein. Dancers from several Boston-based companies will also take part in the performance. [Learn more here.]( Whip up something nice: If you're staying in with a partner or a friend for Valentine's Day, these local restaurants are [offering meal kits]( to bring the restaurant home, and the fare ranges from American and Eastern Mediterranean, to European-inspired cuisine. Not into Valentine's Day? These [sheet pan dinner recipes]( are good for any day of the week. Listen: The [latest episode of "Anything For Selena"]( had me feeling all sorts of emotions this week. Maria explores why Selena’s Spanglish seemed so revolutionary for its time, and yet so familiar to many fans. Share: Are you looking for love in lockdown? Here & Now [wants to know]( the good, the bad and the ugly about your in-person or virtual dating experiences during the pandemic. Catch Up On Coronavirus What To Know: The state's COVID-19 vaccine website now lists available appointments for some locations, part of a new platform the Baker administration launched Friday to smooth the sometimes-challenging process of securing doses. [Read more.]( By The Numbers: Cases and hospitalizations continue to drop and are now finally back under the totals from April's surge. The seven-day average in COVID-related deaths is starting to drop, as well. And the seven-day average positive test rate is now at 2.6%, half of what it was three weeks ago. ([See our latest COVID charts and maps here.]( Share: What do you want to know about vaccines? You can [ask your questions here]( and a WBUR reporter could work to answer them for you. Before you go: Nothing to see [here](. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📨 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. 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