BEIJING, Jan. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ — Tomorrow (23 January, 2012) is the first day of the lunar new year in China. When you see your Chinese friends, please remember to wish them a “Happy Chinese New Year”. “Happy Chinese New Year” is a fun, free, interactive application for the iPad that has been available at the Apple Store online since 29 December, 2011.

This App has five components: “Happy Chinese New Year”, “Chinese Shows in the World”, “Greeting”, “Cultures” and “Link”. With multimedia texts, images, video, animation, sound files, and other media, the application introduces Overseas “Happy Chinese New Year” festivities of the Ministry of Culture, P. R. China, and offers information about Chinese performing arts troupes entertaining across the world during the first half of 2012, as well as introductions to Chinese traditions and customs for celebrating the Spring Festival. Each interface can toggle instantly between Chinese and English languages. The App also provides a Chinese New Year electronic greeting card that users can send to friends by email or via social networking sites. By sharing the application, you can also help others learn about China’s wonderful traditional culture, understand the aspirations of the Chinese people to strive for harmonious living, and appreciate China’s development and progress.

Overseas “Happy Chinese New Year” is an important trademark cultural activity organized by the Chinese government abroad. Programs include temple fairs, parades, song and dance entertainment, handicraft demonstrations, special exhibitions, film screenings, cultural lectures, and more. In 2011, “Happy Chinese New Year” cultural events such as the Empire State Building showcase, the San Francisco grand Spring Festival parade, the Washington Sino-American culinary night, and the Silicon Valley temple fair for the Year of the Tiger, among others , attracted the participation of Americans from all walks of life and were welcomed with great enthusiasm. When the “Happy Chinese New Year” App was released at the App Store online, the schedules of all programs of 2012 “Happy Chinese New Year” around the world as well as Chinese performing arts programs worldwide during the first half of 2012 became available, making it easier for the peoples of the world to join us. For program details, please check “Happy Chinese New Year”.

We bring you the good wishes, joy and jubilation of Chinese New Year. We hope that this App will bring you delight, and that you will celebrate this great holiday, which belongs to the world, with all of us.

“Happy Chinese New Year” is developed by CAV Television Production Co., Ltd.

SOURCE CAV Television Production Co., Ltd.

GFBC NEWS NETWORK

Etta James

Etta James, the revered blues and jazz singer whose signature tune “At Last” ushered in the age of Obama and has probably been played at more weddings than the wedding march, died early this morning, about two weeks after her doctor revealed that she was terminally ill. She was 73.

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten (Jan. 19, 2012) – The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau (www.VacationStMaarten.com) and The Daily Herald (www.thedailyherald.com) have announced that solo teenage circumnavigator Laura Dekker is approaching St. Maarten and was located at 13.00N and 53.00W as of 11:00 am Tuesday, with 600 miles remaining before completing her year-long, around-the-world journey, as reported by the St. Maarten Yacht Club (SMYC).

The 16-year-old’s average speed has been 7.1 knots per hour (170 miles per day) over the last few days, which is very fast for a 38-foot boat. The wind died down over the last 24 hours and the sea became friendlier. After a few days of experiencing water coming over-deck, Dekker now enjoys sitting in the cockpit in a moderate breeze. The St. Maarten Yacht Club had the following interview with Dekker (LD) on Tuesday morning (interview taken from The Daily Herald, the St. Maarten local daily newspaper):

LAURA DEKKER

SMYC: “How is the weather forecast for the coming days?”

LD: “The weather forecast for the coming days looks promising and I expect to maintain at least 140 miles per 24 hours for the next days.”

SMYC: “You have chosen to complete your circumnavigation in St. Maarten. Why?”

LD: “I had a very good time in St. Maarten last year and for me it’s a logical choice to complete my voyage.”

SMYC: “So you have good memories of St. Maarten?”

LD: “Yes.”

SMYC: “You’re now about six weeks at sea. Do you feel lonely?”

LD: “I never feel lonely at all.”

SMYC: “What will be the first thing you do when you step on land again?”

LD: “Normally I start cleaning up the mess aboard, while at sea I can’t do so. I would love to take a warm shower and fresh food. But I think this time everything will be different, I assume.”

In St. Maarten, a team is preparing to welcome Dekker and her boat, the 38-foot Jeanneau Ginfizz ketch “Guppy.” The St. Maarten Yacht Club, the St. Maarten Marine Trades Association (SMMTA), the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA) and the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau are all working together to celebrate Dekker’s return.

Dekker will tie-up Guppy at the dock at the St. Maarten Yacht Club from where she started her solo circumnavigation almost exactly a year ago. She will have a slip at the Simpson Bay Marina compliments of Island Global Yachting (IGY) while she stays in St. Maarten. IGY also donated a slip while she was in St. Maarten before.

Dekker’s parents, grandparents and sister will be present to welcome her when she docks Guppy at the St. Maarten Yacht Club. Royal Palm Beach Resort has given a complimentary suite to the family for their stay in St. Maarten.

Tune in for all-new restaurant reviews…and a fresh new look on Check, Please! South Florida, beginning January 23rd on WPBT2. This season, WPBT2’s popular restaurant review show will sport an updated graphic open, revamped logo, and even new theme music!

Host Michelle Bernstein returns to the Emmy-nominated series, along with fifteen opinionated guest reviewers from all across South Florida. Their dining picks run the gamut, from a colorful Colombian spot in South Miami to the chic and trendy Bistro Chez Jean-Pierre in Palm Beach. Guest reviewers include a South Beach model, Hollywood golf caddy, and Palm Beach financial advisor. One episode features local female impersonator, Miss Finesse, as one of the guest reviewers.

Chef, restaurant owner, culinary consultant, author, TV personality

The fun begins Monday, January 23, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. Episodes repeat on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 5:30 p.m.

Season 7 is made possible by the generous support of Badia Spices, Whole Foods Market, Johnson & Wales University, and George & Helen Weaver.

SEASON 7 EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS:

Show #701- Premiere 1/23
Featuring La Brochette Bistro in Cooper City, Lifefood Gourmet in Miami, and Macita’s Colombian Restaurant in Miami.

Show #702- Premiere 1/30
Featuring 32 East in Delray Beach, Snapper’s Seafood & Wine Bar in Boynton Beach, and Taqueria Doña Raquel in Pompano Beach.

Show #703- Premiere 2/6
Featuring Hakkasan in Miami Beach, Ristorante Sapori in Boca Raton, and Candela Restaurant in Wilton Manors.

Show #704 – Premiere 2/13
Featuring Darbster in West Palm Beach, Bistro Chez Jean-Pierre in Palm Beach, and Geronimo’s Bar & Grill in Davie.

Show #705 – Premiere 2/20
Featuring Hy Vong in Miami, Café Seville in Ft. Lauderdale, and Lorna’s Caribbean & American Restaurant in Miami Gardens.

SAN MATEO, Calif., Jan. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Foodily(TM), where people curate and share the food they love, announced today that it people can now add their app to their Facebook Timeline to express their love of food. As one the first few companies to launch apps for Facebook Tmeline, now when people favorite food on Foodily, post food photos on Foodily or say they’ve made something on Foodily their friends can see these updates right in their Facebook Ticker. In the same way friends see the music people are listening to on Spotify, now they can also discover food friends have “craved”, “made” or “recommend.”

In addition to seeing the foods people love, when people favorite anything on Foodily after adding the Foodily app, what they like will show up as part of their history in their Timeline. This way people can tie food to their life story. With Foodily favorites in their Timeline, it’s easy to discover foods friends were into at different points in time, see what they’ve been making recently and get new ideas.

“This type of social food discovery between friends hadn’t been possible before – it’s the first recipe newsfeed that curates foods you and your friends love,” Said Andrea Cutright, CEO of Foodily. “Now those 44 minutes a day people spend thinking about food can be a shared experience where ideas from friends can inspire your next meal.”

To have favorite recipes or foods appear in the Facebook ticker and saved to their personal timeline, people simply ‘fave’ a recipe in Foodily, from Foodily.com, the Foodily app on Facebook, or the free Foodily app for iPhone.

About Foodily:

Foodily makes it easy to find, curate and share the food you love. Use Foodily to find out what friends want to eat, discover and save foods that meet your eating style or follow friends and food experts that inspire you. Based in San Mateo, CA, the company is backed by leading venture capital firm Index Ventures. Visit www.foodily.com and share what you love to eat.

Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.