A day late, but Happy Chinese New Year! It’s the Year of Dog, or bingxu (the 7th year of a 60-year cycle), or 4703*.

The Chinese calendar is a combination of lunar and solar calendars, with a whole leap-month inserted periodically to keep things in sync (the last one was in 2004 and the next one will be in 2033). So New Year’s Day isn’t on the same day every year — it’s the day of the second new moon after the winter solstice. Mark your calendars — next year it’ll be February 18. That also means that those “Chinese zodiac” calendars on your Chinese restaurant placemat aren’t 100% accurate if you have a January or February birthday.

Chinatown had a parade this weekend, but the Hip Sing Association will be having another this Saturday, February 4, at noon on Argyle Street, down Sheridan to Lawrence, and back up Broadway to Argyle.

And speaking of Argyle, Chúc mừng năm mới!

* or 4704. And I can’t figure out why there’s a question.