asian food: GET A TASTE OF ASIA! CELEBRATE ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH BY CHECKING OUT THESE FAVOURITES OF YORK RESIDENTS May 25, 2006 Simone Joseph, Staff Writer More from this author For Joanna Wong, the best of Asia is a restaurant in Richmond Hill. For Shirley To, it is a Markham school where she learns about applying make-up for Chinese operas. For Samia Chishti, it's a one-day South Asian fun fare held annually at the Markham Fairgrounds. To commemorate Asian Heritage Month, we asked several residents to select York Region's best places for savouring Asian culture. The history of Asian Heritage Month dates back to 2001 when Senator Vivienne Poy introduced a motion in Canada's senate. For Ms Chishti, the annual South Asian mela (fare) is the place to go for South Asian food, dancers and music. "The singers come from back home," she said. Ms Chishti left Pakistan and moved to Canada about 10 years ago and has attended the fare every year since, enjoying the folk and rock music. Her favourite part of the festival is clothing booths offering Indian saris and the Pakistani shelwarqumiz (dress). Attending the fare brings a sense of nostalgia that comes with indulging in a taste of Ms Chishti's homeland. "You miss your community. Whenever you see your own food and people, you like it," she said. The fare features stalls offering food and clothing as well as inflatable rides for children, electronic games and an evening concert. While Shirley To is a professional makeup artist, she takes classes at Canada KW Music & Art Centre in Markham to learn how to apply Chinese opera make-up because it is quite different than other kinds of make-up, she said. For Chinese opera, you are limited to a maximum of four colours: the base, red, white and black. The operas are fun to perform and watch, according to Ms To, since the majority focus on the history of China. "It's a very traditional Chinese art. Each play is telling a history story. It is entertaining. The ward-robe is glamorous," said Ms To, who lives in Thornhill. Each play depicts a different dynasty's story. But be warned: Most operas are sung in Cantonese with no English subtitles. However, the program for an opera sometimes has the story translated into English. An opera is planned for the end of August. Like her friend Ms Tao, Joanna Wong loves Chinese opera. She makes sure to watch a production at the Markham Theatre several times each year. "It's pretty unique. It's a Chinese custom. Fancy eyes, fancy make-up, Asian costumes." One of the places Ms Wong considers to be the best of Asia in York Region is a restaurant called Dun Huang, named after a city in China. The restaurant is in an area of Richmond Hill with very obvious Asian influences -- Hwy. 7 and Leslie Street. Surprisingly, when Ms Wong describes her love of this restaurant, the food is an afterthought. "The decorations are very unique and oriental. It has a good decor. The food is really good, too. It's a high class restaurant," said Ms Wong, who works in Markham and lives in Richmond Hill. Or, if you are looking for a new hobby, take lessons in everything from Chinese opera singing to Chinese classical and folk dancing. Dr. Ken Ng's pick for the best of Asian culture is The Federation of Chinese Canadians in Markham's cultural centre. Dr. Ng is the federation's chairperson. The centre offers everything from the craft of Chinese knotting to Children's kung fu on the second floor of Market Village in Milliken. To comment on this story, e-mail sjoseph@yrng.com ························································································ YOUR GUIDE TO THEIR PICKS Canada KW Music & Art Centre The majority of the Chinese opera classes taught here are in Cantonese, but arrangements can be made for non-Cantonese speakers. Classes are open to the public and some of the Chinese operas performed are translated and performed in English. Courses in opera are offered in singing, performance fundamentals, performance on stage, make-up fundamentals, make-up and hair basics. The school produces two operas annually. Tickets range from $30 to $170. In the past, these performances have been at Markham Theatre for Performing Arts, Ryerson University Theatre in downtown Toronto and the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre in North York. For more information, call 905-470-8283.This school is at 20 Crown Steele Dr., Unit 4 in Markham. South Asian Mela (fare) This year marks the fourteenth annual fare at Markham Fairgrounds. This year's event is July 16 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The evening concert lasts from 3 to 11 p.m. For more information, e-mail malik52@hotmail. com or call 416-274-4364. Taste of Asia The Chinese, Tamil and Muslim communities have come together to participate in the Taste of Asia festival, June 24 and 25. The event is a street festival of musical and cultural performances. It highlights food, colour, customs, art, music, dance and fashion unique to various Asian backgrounds. The festival is at Kennedy Road and Steeles Avenue adjacent to Market Village. Kennedy will be shut down just north of Steeles to one traffic light south of Clayton Avenue. For more information, go to www. culturecanada.ca/events_toa_2006. html Dun Huang The restaurant, which serves Cantonese food, is at 550 Hwy. 7 E in Richmond Hill. Call 905-707-8338. The Markham Chinese Cultural Centre The centre offers classes on everything from the craft of Chinese knotting to children's kung fu on the second floor of Market Village at 4350 Steeles Avenue E. For more information, go to www.fccm.ca/cultural.html