A Taste of the Luxe Life

12 September, Wednesday.
I really forced myself to get some good deals at the Sogo 21st Floor Brand Name Sale. It started today and I wasn't able to go till alittle before lunch. Nonetheless, I was able to get a lot of deals on a lot of good brands. Some range from hkd100 to hkd1k but it's fine since I know if I don't like them or if they won't fit, I can sell them off easily since I got good brand names as a fail-safe approach. Check out my stash below!

L-R (top): Plenty silk dress (hkd100), JustCavalli jersey-like/lycra signature printed dress(hkd500), Plenty felt flowers dress (hkd300), D&G embroidered cardigan (hkd1k) and Nanette Lepore, mom's fav, ribbon skirt (hkd1k++)

The last one is the most expensive purchase but I love it. There are two more articles but those are pretty simple like a clubbing shirt by JustCavalli at hkd450 and a Sunday dress by Plenty at hkd100.
After my successful purchases and promised myself to maintain my figure since a lot of the dresses require me to be in the size I'm already in, if not try to lose "the pouch" in front, I realized that I can go into business with this sort of thing - buy&sell in Manila. We'll see. I don't know if I can part with these lovely items!

15 September, Saturday.
Got up early to run some errands around town plus have some r&r around CWB.

Star-sighting:
Guess who I bumped into at the D-Mop store...Joey Yung, the Canto singer. :P
She was shopping with her assistant. You just see the flock of salespersons that manage to emerge on a sleepy Saturday afternoon right after lunch. She looked bored and was rejecting all the suggestions that the sales people were giving her. I guess it's normal for her. :)

Around the afternoon, I caught two movies today with some friends:
1.) Disturbia: reminds me of the I Know What You Did Last Summer and Scream franchise flicks...a lot of teeners in the movie theater. It's a bit more serious than their former predecessors but still a "teen flick" through and through. It's funny since I know the actor, Shia LaBeouf, when he was still in Disney Channel's Even Stevens so it's a good serious acting from a goof-ball character that he started from.
2.) I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry: typical Adam Sandler movie but good and funny. Cute and light-hearted. Just what I need on a weekend. :)

16 September, Sunday.
My old highschool friend, Herman, came to visit. It's great to see old friends from back in the day. Being in HK enables me to get reconnected them since HK is the big hub of every travel itinerary here in Asia. Oh, it does help that

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19 Sept, Wednesday.
Today - they will be announcing the first challenge for the Stand Up & Scrap Contest. It's going to be intense. :)
On a lighter note, checked the image on the left.
I got freebee invites to this party and had the time to do it with my best pal, Swong.
We didn't get there too early but we were still able to get some goodie bags. No luck with the raffle though their prizes are pretty sweet ~ two night's stay at Shangri-La Thailand's special suite as the grand prize.
Maybe next year would be a better year for this. :P
Free drinks and snacks were good enough for us! We were able to catch up on some much need life-updates since she's been busy in the dating front. I'm so happy for her! :) Had some late lunch at Tsui Hua for some fish ball noodles before headed home.

*MUST SEE BMW SHORT FLICKS*
For all you car-chasing, Madonna-loving, Clive Owen-fans out there...
BMW Films.
The short films gave me an even bigger respect for Clive Owen though I love him in the 2004 movie, Closer. There is so much emotion in this man's eyes and words...amazing!

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23 Sept, Sunday
Finally finished my entry for the SUAS Challenge #1. It took a lot of braincell burning but I'm glad that it's done for now. Now, I'm bracing myself for the next challenge, this coming Wednesday (Sept 26) and this time, I'll be doing it in Manila. I hope I get to have time to think about it as much I had for the first challenge.
There are a lot of great entries to this contest ~ have a look here.

Sorry - can't post my layout for this since we post through assigned entry numbers. I'll post them all later after the contest. :)

Heading home for a week this Tuesday so won't be updating this till I get back...around the first week of October or so.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to you all!

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Kit Name: Newsletter Freebee - Vintage Dreams - Retro Diva (Little Dreamer Designs) by Lori Barnhurst and Michelle Coleman
Template: 12x12 Template #Fifteen - Getting Comical (ScrapOutsideOfTheBox) by Doodleboogs
Program: PS7.0
Font: Rage Italic
Journaling: Thank you for always knowing what to do and what to say. You are my sanity at the end of the day.
~excerpt from My Moon, My Sun, My Star, My Everything
by C. Blanco


Kit Name: Autumn Frolic (available at Scrapbook-Elements) by Mikki Livanos - coming soon!
Template Link: 12x12 Template #14 - Polaroidization by Doodleboogs
Program: PS7.0
Font: Rage Italic
Journaling: Make one of your favorite hobbies collecting friends. ~Life's Little Instruction Calendar Volume XI





Kit: Tiny Pilot by Mikki Livanos
Template: 12x12 Template #Fifteen - Getting Comical by Doodleboogs
Program: PS7.0
Font: Rage Italic
Journaling: Savour the moments that are warm and special and giggly. ~Sammy Davis Jr.






Kit Name: Autumn Frolic (coming soon) by Mikki Livanos (available at Scrapbook-Elements)
Template: September Template Challenge at SBE by Alice Koh
Program: PS7.0
Font: Times New Roman and CK Ranch
Journaling: You can't deny laughter; when it comes, it plops down in your favorite chair and stays as long as it wants. ~Stephen King

HMV CD Spree

Friday, August 10:
Typhoon #8.
My dinner appointment with Swong got canceled.
Stayed at home only and had a much needed rest and R&R with my hot tea while it was pouring outside. Perfect - if you ask me. :P

Saturday, August 11:
Had dimsum lunch with Swong at Man Ho...shopped around PP then was to head out to KC's place to maybe have an early start to playing "Big 2" though unexpectedly, Swong's car had a flat on her front left tire when we pulled out of the car park! This is already the 2nd incident in the span of three days.
Swong thus had to call the garage since she already used the spare to fix the most recent flat, back right tire. We waited for the "rescue team" to come at Citibank Tower, Garden Plaza.
When the service man came with the spare, he adviced Swong to change her whole tire set since she wouldn't be able to drive so far with the two spares. With Swong's important out-of-town appointment early tomorrow morning there was no way to ignore this heed. We then had to go Happy Valley, to the garage and have it changed. The garage only needed an hour to do the job. (Kindly note that during the flat, the first thing we did was to call for the Merc emergency hotline and do you know what they said? They can't bring a spare tire to us because they don't have but if we drive up there and leave it there, they can have one done in a few days. !!! How can we drive there when we already have a really bad flat...like the rims are already touching the street/ground?!? Plus, they don't have a spare to send to us?!? They are Merc - they have tons of cars...high priced ones for the matter and yet they can't give you any reasonable service. What do you call that?!?
While waiting for the tire change, Swong and I got a massage at Happy Foot (no, not the movie) around the area. She got a foot massage while I got a back massage, which was very much needed. The attendant that assisted me was quite good and helpful.
After we have been "relaxed" and picked up the car, we had dinner at Nanbantei-like resto near the area. It was very very good or maybe because I was so hungry - grilled Japanese food in a stick. Yum!
After dinner, we headed to KC's place to play Big 2 - a bit of a traffic jam when we reached Central since there were some protests along Wan Chai that was clogging the roads.
Ok - getting to KC's place...the games started after a few chit-chats. Note that KC and his wife are serious husslers...oooopppssss...players. I had to strategize well - I always learn to have a 5 card hand ready for release else I'd be stuck and never get to place my cards. stakes are high - fish ball noodle soup (late supper). It was all in good fun and it had been a long time since I played "Big 2" especially with these people...the last time was in 1999 with my brother still single and in HK. Oh, the snacks provided were nice- cheese & pate, crackers, fruit platter, wine...the good stuff! Man...been eating too much these days...really bad. :P
Man Ho is located at Level 3, JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong. Tel: 852.2841.3853/3938
Happy Foot in Happy Valley is at 1/F, Elegance Court, 2-4 Tsoi Tak Street, Happy Valley. (They also have branches in Central and Lan Kwai Fong - the center of business in HK. :P)
Tel: 852.2573.3438

Sunday, August 12:
Brunch/lunch at Café Causette, MOH. I had a big craving for pizza so off I went...though not wanting to go off to far due to the rains. I had my Asam tea and read my papers/magazines till around 3pm or past that since I didn't want to walk around too long.
After lunch, I walked around Central - Prince Building, Alexandra House then Landmark. I met up with Swong at HMV while she told me her day watching the Olympic horse on parade at the club house. :)

HMV rocks...yet again though - I bought too much. I think it's a sign that I've been HMV deprived. The last purchase I remember was early this year only. :P
My purchases goes...
Murder She Wrote DVD, 6th season (TV Series): big must since I have the collection!
Feist's The Reminder (CD): after giving this CD another try...I came to find other songs that were worth listening like My Moon, My Man...very nice! I really love her so gotta give her the chance she deserves. :)
Rachel Yamagata's Happenstance (CD): lovin' the album title...can anyone small blog title? :P I love everything about Rachael - from the wispy voice to the deep lyrics. It's amazing! I asked my brother to search it in Manila...and would you believe that no one has heard of it or have it on their system? The weird part is that I got to know her through a local Manila station! Man...so sad indeed.
Amel Larrieux's Lovely Standards (CD): great way to chill with a great powerful yet mystic voice, singing the standards. Oh, did I tell you that she's a fellow Canadian? Viva Canadien!
Missy Higgins' On A Clear Night (CD) : love the first and third songs upon first listening to this - Where I Stood & Steer, respectively. I also got her first CD, Sound of White - love Unbroken & Scar on that cd. :)
Six Feet Under Sdtk (CD): a chillout recommendation from Radio Beat IO...free radio that I used to listen to because now it's been cut off the air most recently. :(
Early dinner at HK Yacht Club (or Yachty) c/o Swong...since she was very hungry, even if she's totally sleep deprived! We had crispy chicken and some steamed fish and two bowls of rice. For the first time, Swong finished her white rice faster earlier than me. :P It was a really good dinner with a great pal/friend of mine here.
The HMV I went to is at Central Building, Suite 101, 1/F Central Building, 1-3 Pedder Street, Central. Tel:852.2739.0268 Store Hours: Mon - Sun 09:00 - 22:00

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Visitors News Front this weekend:
1.) Good friend, Otie & her mom are in-town. I was able to talk to them on a short trip to try on my ring mold just earlier this week. Have lunch with them a LIAN @ IFC - will tell you all about it on the next entry.

2.) Cha, Sten & friend are coming. Cha and friend are today, Friday - August 17 while Sten's coming tomorrow. Cha is my schoolmate from back the day - SJCS days. Sten & her friend are friends with Cha since Cha moved schools after elementary. While Sten's dad and my dad are good friends - really close - and we got to know each other better through there. Small small world indeed! They are all staying till Monday. It will be tons of shopping and eating galore! :P
Definitely to dimsum this Sunday...a must. :)

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Kit Name: Morning Room Page Kit by Mikki Livanos
Program: PS7.0
Font: Brush Script MT
Journaling: "a labor of love...by my sweet loving mother" August 2007
Notes: A hair trial done by my mom for a family affair that I went to recently. It's somewhat a good preview to see if I look good in an up-do. My mom isn't a professional hairdresser so all this was done because she loves me (there's not doubt of that) and she wanted me to look good for my relatives here in HK. :) I wanted to highlight the hairdo and the accessories that my mom got. She was awesome! That day felt so much like a rehearsal to the big day. I even got a flower bouquet prop also to see what it could be! I felt so much a bride that day. :D
Review: love the kit - got my creative juices flowing as fast and I can crank this out...the QP helped a lot. Thanks, Mikki!

Kit Name: Secret Garden by Mikki Livanos
Tags, Heart, Journaling Note: Betty Jo's Scrappers Toolbox Contribution (Scrapbook-Elements.com)
Font: Monotype Corsiva and ITC Garamond
Program: PS7.0
Journaling at top - complete quote: You were born to be together, and together you shall be forevermore. You shall be together when the wings of death scatter your days. Ay, you shall be together even in your silent memory. But let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heaven dance between you. Love one another, but make not a bondage of love. Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other's cup, but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread, but eat not of the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each of you be alone,Even as the strings of a lute are alone, though they quiver with the same music. Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping, For only the hand of life can contain your hearts. And stand together, yet not too near together, For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in shadow. - taken from Elegantvows.com

Top 7 List

FRIDAY, AUGUST 03:
~ dad arrived early in the morning today. mom was able to meet up with him and go shopping. they headed straight to Sogo before the weekend rush. met mom later for her dress fitting.

~ ed surprised visited me today at the office. good thing since i was about to head off to help mom go to TST (Tsim Sha Tsui) to have her dress fitted. i'm mom's translator. hahahaha!

~ in the evening, ed and i went to Kumatei for some all-you-can-eat japanese course. plus ed got to meet KW and WW who I hang out with most recently. It was massive (but tamed) eating. I love their green tea ice cream (no refillable...only one per person). Everything is by the piece when you order it. This resto times you since they only have a 2 hour sitting to eat as much as you can/want.

Kumatei Japanese Restaurant
2/F, Jade Centre,
98-102 Wellington Street
Central
Tel: 852.3579.2481
Cuisine: Japanese
Specialty/Highlight(s): eel fried rice, chicken soft bone in skewers, fried oysters, shrimp tempura (though the shrimps are so tiny!), beef with bone, ox tongue, salmon sashimi, sweet shrimp, green tea ice cream

SATURDAY, AUGUST 04:
~ had lunch with my brother, SIL, May & Wins at The Square for dimsum, which was great! I do miss this place. We booked an earlier time since my brother and SIL will be in the area early and can't check-in to their hotel till later in the afternoon. We ordered quite a spread - fried tofu coated with salted egg yellow power (very crispy and yummy - cook was in a good mood today - resto specialty), stir frieds rice roll (perfectly done, not soggy), "enhanced" garlic chicken wings (HK's chicken is known to be fat and juicybut this one is just enormous for the wing section only!), sticky glutinous rice with pork filling, vegetable dumplings, shrimp rice roll, radish cake with chili XO sauce, sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves (perfectly cute size), almond soup, sago & grapefruit on mango soup, mango pudding, coffee jelly.

The Square
4/F, Exchange Square Phase 2,
8 Connaught Place,
Central
Tel: 852.2525.1163
Cuisine: Cantonese / Dimsum
Specialty/Highlight(s): salted egg on fried tofu, chicken wings, rice roll

~Ed and i went to get our rings ordered up. We chose different styles since we want each to love their own ring without having to like the other partner's style. It will be on our ring finger for the rest of our lives so have to make sure we like seeing it everyday and won't go tired of it. It was something that required a bit of thinking.
**Some background for my ring: It required a bit of canvasing, researching and web-surfing early early on this year. I found a few designs and bounced ideas with a friend's jeweler, David, in HK. He gave me the pro's and con's of the three designs I chose and told me to think about it. Even before our meeting ended, I sort of already know what I wante but instead, didn't immediately ordered the ring since I wanted to make sure that Ed's okay with it and the design to sink in for a few months - to be very sure. So by the time Ed and I were ready to order our rings, I already know what and where to get it.
First was Ed's ring since he already knows from the very start what he wanted and know where to get it. We went to J's duets to got his "off-the-rack". Ed already did his research and the only dilemma for his ring was which ring size would be best. Since either big or small, his has to be specially ordered. The lady at the store said that Ed's choice is a very popular style thus mold is already part of the jeweler's in-demand style. Ed's ring will take about three weeks while mine might take a while since it's all customized. I'm excited to see the finish product...three weeks to go!
In my ring's case, I decided to just go with my friend's jeweler for my ring - a vintage/antique-like style as what I was informed. The jeweler was quite helpful and accommodating. I showed him what i wanted, he made a copy of the photo and told me that the ring's mold will be done in about 10 days. He would give me a call to give the ring size a try and see if the craftsmanship is fine then later place the stones. He told me that if there are any problems, we can always melt the metal and start over.
After placing our ring orders, Ed and I, both, were happy and contented with our choices. It was a good fulfilling day indeed. :D

~ ed was formally introduced to my hkg relatives through a wonderful banquet at West Villa. we had quite a few dishes since we ordered the set banquet menu to avoid having to worry about not having enough food. The menus have basically varying price levels. Each one of the dishes were good but Michelle
We got the following...
1: the appetizers: garlic beef cubes, roast pork (specialty), mushrooms wrapped in crispy tofu skin, sauteed mixed mushrooms
2: suckling pig
3: crab meat and shark's fin in crab roe soup
4: braised abalon and goose feet (very nice for both of them...especially for someone who doesn't eat goose feet)
5: lobster balls fried with black bean sauce (not that saucey...super nice though!)
6: steamed spotted garoupa in soy sauce
7: crispy fried chicken
8: lobsters with e-fu noodles in soup
9: steamed abalon rice wrapped in lotus leaves (very lovely)
10: fresh fruit platter
11: almond tea soup with egg white
12: sago with lotus paste filling
**unlimited soft drinks and orange juice for both tables

all of the dishes were really good...save and except for the crispy chicken since it wasn't crispy anymore. my parents were all happy with the choices that we end up getting. it was a tedious task of reviewing all the dishes in chinese but thanks to Michelle (see credit below), it all turned out well and good!
not a lot drank soft drinks...it was more of orange juice, which Michelle informed them early on so we didn't have any problems with the drinks.

i have to give credit to Michelle (MW) in helping me plan and choose the superb dishes. i'm eternally grateful for this woman/lady's help. :)

**NOTE: the resto's staff are friendly and great in recommending dishes to me BUT hardly anyone speaks one word of English so if you want to eat here, you have to either: (a) bring a local; (b) have someone who can speak the dialect to translate for you; or (c) be ready to test your Mandarin conversational skills.

West Villa Seafood Restaurant
1/F Lee Gardens Two,
28 Yun Ping Road
Causeway Bay
Tel: 852.2882.2110
Cuisine: CantoneseSpecialty/Highlight(s): suckling pig and roast pork (asado/cha xiu), stewed abalon with goose feet, almond tea with egg white for dessert

SUNDAY, AUGUST 05:
~ ed and i had lunch with his extended relatives here in hkg at Peking Garden, Central. we occupied only one table...of 16 people! food was good...like all restaurants in HK but my fav is still the peking duck. location is quite important since i have gone to the Peking Garden in Tai Koo Shing and the taste is not the same. i still love the Central branch most of all. we had some appetizers (lamb pate cold cuts, stir fried veggies), deep fried prawns in sweet-sour shili sauce, shark's fin soup, peking duck (two ways: 1-the typical wrap for the skin and 2-with lettuce wrap for the meat), two steam spotted garoupa, two types of friend rice, grapefruit in mango soup.

Peking Garden
Basement Level, Alexandra House
16-20 Chater Road
Central
Tel: 852.2526.6456
Cuisine: Northern China
Specialty/Highlight(s): peking duck, deep-fried prawns in sweet-sour chili sauce, lamb pate cold cuts

~ THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL...EVER!
ed and i had dinner at a really nice French resto at Landmark called L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon. it came highly highly recommended by Ali and Swong. The former told me that she can take me anywhere in HK that I wanted but this resto is reserved for extra extra special occasions...that she can't take me.
note that this place is expensive but worth every cent. there's the nice sit down couches or you can take the bar, where you can check out the chiefs at work. i was told to go for the "small portions menu" than going for the main so we can try as much as we can.

Our course went...
- freshly baked breads of all kinds: sweet, salty, etc...we had so many refills since the sizes are small and gives you more options to try as much as you want; no idea what the official names are to some; we got soft rolls, hard rolls, bacon bread, croissants, hazlenut breat, filo, etc...it was all delicious and we haven't started yet?
- "Iberian Bellota" ham served with toasted breat & tomato: recommended by Ali; i love this ham...cannot go wrong
- sea urchin in lobster jelly, topped with cauliflower cream: recommended by Ali; different and unique; need to try once only since it would shoot up anyone's uric acid count
- crispy langoustine papillote with basil: recommended by the server; langoustine was very fresh and the wrap was so light and crispy; simply delightful(!)
- delicate Amadai filet on crispy skin and aromatic champagne nectar: recommended by Swong; very crispy skin...unique
- free-range quail with foie gras (one of the tiny legs is stuff with this), served with mashed potatos and two thin slices of truffles on the sides!
- beef and foie gras burgers with lightly caramelized bell peppers;
- Grand Marnier souffle with rich dark chocolate ice cream: home-made dark choco ice cream that pleased ed; i love the lightness of the souffle...special light spoons for it too...locley...not burnt like the last souffle that I had at the Mandarin's (Manila's) Tivoli
Staff is wonderful...

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon
4th Floor
12-16 Les Voeux Rd, Landmark, Central
Tel: 852.2166.9000
Cuisine: French
Specialty/Highlight(s): "Iberian Bellota" ham; sea urchin in lobster jelly, crispy langoustine papillote, beef and foie gras burgers (of course!), the creamy buttery mash potatos and the souffles

Sharing some of our dishes' photos with you...



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Check this out - Top 20 Hong Kong Dishes by AziaCity.com
I have check out a few and have some side comments:

#19: Har gau (steamed shrimp dumpling)
...ed's favorite and i picked this so up when i got here...though i'm not verging to more tastier dimsum options like xiu mai. :)

#18: Stinky tofu
...ah...i remember the days when a particular stinky tofu vendor would position himself just outside my MTR stop...he would be there late in the evening and the stinky smell would drift into the first few steps as i get out from the B exit...i believe my dad and brother braved to buy from this guy in the past.

#14: Macaroni in soup with spam and fried egg
...don't diss this until you try it...it wouldn't be a popular dish this long if it wasn't good.

#10: Congee...
...the best i've had is by Yun Hing is what i order everyday - steamed rice rolls with peanut butter & hoissen sauce and soy sauce...congee by this place is just the right consistency...again though - not sure if they can speak english even if they are located in Central since i always ask someone to order for me...aside from the good congee, they have breakfast & lunch sets and serve a mean fried rice combinations (take the special fried rice or abalone & chicken fried rice) plus they deliver!
...i have tried so many Metropole, Mandarin, etc...the consistency is too watery that i feel like i'm drinking soup than "eating" congee.
Yun Hing
37 Gilman Street, Central
Take out #: 852.2545.2219 / 852.2854.2125

#9: Cha Xiu...West Villa, Tai Koo Shing
...as per my testimonial above...the best! i was just told by a lot of the locals here that the Causeway Bay branch is the best among their many branches...not only one or two guys but most of the ones i've spoken to...i'm still remember the cha xiu/roast pork as i type this up!
my mom wanted to order to bring back to Manila but due to time and translation constraints, this will just have to be deferred to her next trip

#8: Beef Brisket Noodles...Kau Kee, Central
...worth it! love it especially on a rainy cold day though be prepared for the long walk and/or the long line up...it's so worth it that i've seen lines form even before the store opens - doesn't matter if it's raining or sunny...everyone here loves their curry!

#7: Lap Mei Fan...Bo Innovation, Central
...still gotta give this guy a try. interesting character from what I have read about him

#5: Hightea...at the Peninsula Hotel, TST
...big fan of hightea but not of Penn's... just go once... still prefer the 4season's one instead - easier and more cozy/comfy
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I was tagged by Tiggerlily. Here goes...
Instructions: Each player starts with 7 random habits/facts about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. At the end of your blog, you need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!

A - Agnes b: big fan of the brand, store and its concepts
B - Bodum: hopping to get one for personal use...small one
C - Carebears: been a big fan for as long as I can remember
D - Drink Preference: currant7 or white wine
E - Eating quality over quantity
F - French Food: I'm getting to love this after my last trip with Ed to Robuchon
G - Grams: miss her...may her soul rest in peace
H - Hightea addict: big big one as per the past blog entries!
I - Infinity G20: the first real car that I love...my mom and I shared this but I get it on evenings...it was great and I really love that car (including the service that came with it)
J - Jem & The Holograms: I used to have a haircut that's similar to what A-ja had...one side long and one side short...I would have died my hair blue also, if my mom wouldn't kill me for it. :P
K - Kkangaroos: never seen on...only on discovery channel
L - Love...has too many meanings to different people
M - Movies: Serendipity...love this movie...2nd place is Love Actually
N - Nephew: yes, one - Jeremy!
O - Oprah: one influencial celebrity
P - Popcorn: salty please
Q - Questions: I ask too much and hardly get a lot of answers to them
R - Rest: yes...need lots of it these days...still recouping from all that partying
S - Scrapping Style: digital as of date since it's easier, given I'm in front of the computer most of the day...easy to slip it in
T - Tea Type (cole or hot): Pu Er; tea taken hot
U - UCC: where Ed proposed to me...well...its parking lot :)
V - Vellum: love 'em but sometimes hard to write on them without the proper pens
W - Wagyu: first time to try...burger style...worth every penny spent :D
X - X's: went through 2 before finding my "soulmate"
Y - Yoga: hoping to pick this up soon
Z - Zodiac Sign: Cancer

7 things about me:
#1 ...indulge on sweets these days.
#2 ...took equestrian lessons when I was a kid.
#3 ...have cooking skills - I believe I can cook a decent pasta dish (tomato based sauce) and chicken fingers. :)
#4 ...love congee and steamed rice roll with three sauces in one (hoissen, peanut butter and soy sauce - don't diss it till you taste it!), especially since moving to HK
#5 ...love everything shabby chic & vintage...the ornate and antique it is, the better!
#6 ...fast shopper- I know what I want and if that store doesn't have it, I leave. I shop a lot of stores than stay too long in one.
#7 ...became more critical of teas these days - the stronger, the better

**Tagging: MizzM, Malou, Steph, Hai, Dawn (in skip), Witty and DJ Rick Rude
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Big bad rains...Typhoon #8 hoisted as I type this, though I'm still in the office fixing some tradings. Oh well, at least i'm not the only here...most if not all are here especially both my bosses - Ali & KC.
#8 is what employees wish for like how kids wish for a "snow-in" (in North America) or "signal #3" (in Manila) since it's required by law for employers to send their employees home due to strong rains and winds. I guess no one in the office is worried about this. :P Any injury from the storm is not covered by any insurance. It's been three years since the #8 typhoon was hoisted.
Oddly enough, it wasn't bad...the rains that is. The people who are heading home at around 2.30pm after had trouble getting on buses and even on the MTR, where it was reported that people had to wait for more than an hour to get on the trains. It was mass pandemonium...so it was best for me to just stay in the office and wait for my trade confirms to come and then head home when no one else is heading home. I believe I'm safer in the big office building than outside in the rain or crowding with the people at the MTR.
By the time I got out it was - eerie calmness ... maybe it's the calm before the storm.
It's going to be a really wet weekend.
Everyone else in HK - be safe!
PS: I heard it's not any different with how people in Manila would react to heavy rains and thunder storm warnings...everyone books a kareoki room or go watch a movie in the evening. :P
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Kit Name: Pinky Green
(digishoptalk.com)
Kit Designer: Mikki Livanos
Program: PS7.0
Font: Brush Script MT
Journaling: What is it that you express in your eyes? It seems to me more than all the words I have read in my life. By Walt Whitman.
Note: Kit is for DST's birthday celebration

Let The Parties Begin...

Saturday, July 28:
- went to Whampoa (Hong Hum) hung out with friends to play billiards and build up my skills on it: KW & WW. Two really cool "bodyguards" of mine for that day. We played around 5 hours of billiards.
- simple dinner at Outback Steakhouse... good big portions with freebees as you wait! We got a chicken pasta dish, cheese fries, shrimp popcorn, and hot wings. yum!
- played a few more rounds - amazingly enough, I was able to win a round or two with luck :P

Sunday, July 29:
- booked family dinner resto for upcoming weekend...deciding the menu is tough since they all come in Chinese...tougher to communicate! :P Oh well...in the name of good family meal...
- bought some rubber stamps from City Super
- had my Agnes b moment: I had a big craving for croquette monsieur - see previous post and only Agnes b's le Pain Grille did the trick.

On a sad note, my good friend, Teddy, from Agnes b's Le Pain Grille resigned just last week. I found out about it when I went back for afternoon sandwich and tea. I felt really sad upon hearing the news. He will surely be missed. Ming told me that Teddy left for personal reasons. I called him up later in the evening to check on how he was doing. He told me that he was fine and was planning to go back to Manila for a short visit and come back after a week to start another job hunt. I wished him luck and told him to let me know if he needs help or anything.

To counter-balance the above news...on a lighter note: I'm excited about this weekend since my parents, brother & wife, and Eddie & his parents are coming over for some pre-wedding stuff like getting introduced to my relatives here and the same with Ed's side. It's going to be a lot of great eating and celebration. I am so preparing my stomach for left and right feastings. :)

No layouts this week since I'm also swamp with moving office and extra work before the big weekend celebrations...but as a teaser, I did get this cool kit, Pinky Green, from Mikki Livanos to play soon. :) This will soon be released at her store. I'll post up the link when it's up.

Happy Birthday, DST!

Home Shopping of a Homeless...

Saturday, July 21
CityGate Plaza Visit
~ checked out a far new place...all the way at Tung Chung. This is is somewhat end to end for me - cost was HKD23 (roughly USD3) or double that for both ways. Check the map on the right side - from right to left in direction.
~ A lot of the local flight stewardesses stay in the Tung Chung Area since it's just a stone throw away from the airport and the environment is quite nice. It's just a disadvantage for them to head to the city since travel time takes up a hour or so.
~ the plaza is marketing to be the outlet heaven in HK for top name brands with bargain basement prices like Nike, Reebox, Lanvin, Polo, Vivienne Tam, Beneton, Laura Ashley, etc
~ tons of things to see and look...lazy to try on the hundreds of nice pants at Esprit...rubber shoes at Nike...shirts from Sisley --> fairly cheap
~ I believe I went there with no expectations so it was okayf or me.
~ ended up getting a nice throw from Laura Ashley for the house. I love the pasley design of it and it's in beige. It's still in great condition and at half the price, a great steal! (FYI: a throw is a light coverlet/blanket, such as an afghan, that is thrown over something like sofas or some furnitures. I know ... I know...it's so girlie but hey - I want to have some civilized items at my "new home" when the time comes. This is coming from someone who is quite cultured in the art of "high tea". Hahahaha!) I'll post a photo of the throw later on...or I can scrap it sometime later.
~ Oh oh...have you met Bobo yet? I was able to pick up my free Bo keychain since I entered their contest to find how many Bo's are on the left photo...can't remember how many now since I had to submit it through their site. That's why I went to CityGate - to get my freebee and check out what's the fuss with the place. :)

Sunday, July 22
CWB shopping & Agnes b
~ woke up late and basically just had dimsum lunch around my area
~ walked around CWB later in the afternoon...plan to have tea at Agnes b...things changed due to time constraints
~ visited Vivienne Tam (to pick up my discount card and discount coupon), Giordano Ladies (everything was 50% off so tons of girls running around), Club8 (final sales going on)
~ got two Drifters shirts at Club8...crapper...not part of sale because it's a new arrival...darn!
~ got one shirt (office like shirt) from Agnes b and checked out its home store, Agnes b La Maison at Leighton Street. I got a few more things there - legitimately for the house. It's the home concept store of Agnes b and they have their ceramics and tablewares. The floral shop is also at the same location. It's pretty cool since there's an outdoor terrace that you can sit and be surrounded by these lovely flowers and plants with a fountain as you look out on the 2nd floor. So cool...wish I can just sit there with some tea. :P
~ visited and chatted up with Teddy of Le Pain Grille...he offered me his "allocation" to buy stuff from any Agnes b store since he hardly uses it...it's like 50% off of merchandizes and clothing (!) bonus!
~ got some desserts for some people in the office since I got the buy-one-get-one-free-desserts coupon the last time I went there for dinner.
~ tried one of the new desserts offered by the cafe now - Rasberry White Chocolate Cake...forgot to take a photo!

July Visitors Update:
5.) My Aunt and Godmother Clarita and her daughter, Richie
6.) Ed's Pit Crew - Marty, Yeki and their respective SOs (Significant Others)
~Both groups will be leaving by Friday so I get the weekend to myself again. :)

This July has really been an interesting month, I have to say - I do want July to end! I'm counting the days and can't wait for August to start then by mid-August, I want it all to end.
September is my last month with the company before I prepare to packup and go back to Manila. It's been a stressful week especially in dealing with a long distant relationship. Ed wants me back home ASAP while my mom would tell me to stay a bit longer so I wouldn't be doing nothing in Manila or be bored. Hay...I feel like I'm being pulled from all sides on this.

I stumbled to an interesting and popular blog recently. It's called EastSouthWestNorth by Ronald Soong. The site deals with translated Chinese news in English. You can know more about Ronald and this interesting yet sometimes controvercial site at Onmynews. Take note, a lot of important foreign journalists visit and read this guy's thoughts.

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Template: Doodleboog's 12x12 Template Fourteen - Polaroidization (ScrapOutsideOfTheBox.com)
Paper: Mikki Livanos' Let Freedom Ring Page Kit (available at Scrapbook-Elements.com)
Program: PS7.0
Font: Party Balloons
Journaling: Happy Bday Jeremy
Photos: my brother, Jay







Kit Name:
Tilly(available at DigizinesDigitalDen.com)
Kit Designer: Deanna Patterson (Shabby Scrap Designs)
Program: PS7.0
Font: Agency FB
Author: Tamika Roberson
Journaling:
Defining Soul...is the spiritual nature of woman
The initial process of I can
It’s created by your thoughts and emotion,
It’s symbolized with caring and the right potion.
Afton though of as immaterial entity
The fact that I exist should be my identity
The conscious of man is the very essence of purity.
The meaning of character and individuality
Defining Soul is what you are,
The heavens and the stars
This is easy for me,
It’s what I am, it’s what I see!
Notes: a layout about me

Kit Name: Tilly (available at DigizinesDigitalDen.com)
Kit Designer: Deanna Patterson
Program: PS7.0
Font: Maiandra GD
Journaling: Helen Steiner Rice, author
A wee bit of heaven
drifted down from above
A handful of happiness
a heart full of love.
The mystery of life
so sacred and sweet
The giver of joy, so deep and complete.
Precious and priceless, so lovable, too,
The world's sweetest miracle,
baby,
is you.
Notes: Congratulations to Jean and Tony for their new family addition, Gavin!

- These are times when I just love what I do...to scrap wonderful and endearing photos...oh and friends who share photos with me. Check out some of the most recent reviews on this particular layout...even got a comment from a Garden Girl, Joy. :)

Real Life (Live) Lotus Flowers/Buds!!!

Mandarin's Burger...

Verdict: SO-SO
Had a craving for good burgers around town and a quiet place for me to catch up on my newspapers and HK Magazines. Mandarin is always a good place for its service and I can stay there for as long as I want and still get quality food and tea. :)
The burger is quite pleasing to the sight but the taste was okay and the beef lack more marinade. I found the fries too salty for me...but then again, I can't take too much salt as it is.
I'm still testing around for some good burgers. I know Big O's is good...there's one called Mos Burger that I'm suppose to give it a go soon. :D

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New Installation at Cafe Causette

These are days that I'm so glad to have my camera with me...
It was a really cool installation indeed - a brass lotus display. Very Indian/Moroccan and yet still very Chinese with the Lotus, stand & bud. I have seen it in the past and always though of it as a fountain...how wrong I was. :P
About the actual installation that day - there was so much color and variety through the spices/ingredients laid out and around...interesting stuff!
Now, it's not only the cakes that I should check out but also this amazing arrangement. :D

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A Real Live LOTUS PLANT!!!!

What a lovely sight indeed! I thought these were fake when I first saw them...but then again, Mandarin wouldn't really bother with fake ones if it was to be in front of their restaurant. I knew it was a real when I saw the water drop on top of one of the buds...and of course, touched it! :P
It was just a lovely sight! I've never seen this in real life and so round and perfect! I normally catch a glimpse of something lotus-like during my golf rounds at Wack Wack but that was a long time ago.
Oh, plus this one had white lotus buds too!! Take a closer look!
I wonder if I can request my florist to have a lotus bouquet! :P Now let's see how much would all that cost me in the end?!? It's going to be one really heavy bouquet, if ever. Hahahahaha!

*****************
High Tea @ Le Goutier Bernardaud

Ali and I had first wanted to try out Crabtree & Evelyn's Tea Room in Wan Chai but upon calling to verify the time and location on Saturday, I found out that they are not open on the weekends - only Monday to Friday 9 to 6pm only! There is totally no way that I can check this place out till I end working at ASM and till I get the free time to just leisurely go! It's so annoying! Oh well...good that I did call to ask since it would surely be a waste of time for us to go to find out that the place is closed. :P
2nd try was to check out China Tea Club but when I tried calling Sunday lunch time, no one seems to be picking up...when it's suppose to be open for lunch then later for high tea. Ali and I met up then checked out the venue...closed!
Hay...strike three's coming and I felt it. I went for the most sure deal - Le Gourtier Bernandaud at IFC, which was also indicated as one to check out for high tea in the last the LIST's Pamper Me issue. :)
<--This is the biggest scone I have ever seen & tasted! I was a bit sad that it was all in one big chunk - which normally comes in two types: plain & raisins, so sharing was a bit harder but managable. Amazingly enough, it wasn't undercooked in the middle or tough, but instead was fluffy and good! This particular scone is cool...can't say that enough. I was just pleasantly surprised that it turned out very well. Too bad that the jam was from a can and that the butter was not whipped. That would have totally "wowed" me. :) ***************** I was fortunate enough to catch Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5) last week and it was so cool! It's a freebee given to me at the office - for a sponsorship night. There are tons of freebees - cocktails started at 3:45pm and movie started around 4:30pm. There were tons of food and we got drinks and popcorn (two types - salty & sweet kinds) for the movie. Itwa s great! The house as not as packed as normal free movies that I've been to since they reserved two movie theaters. It was roomy and gotta love the IFC movie house chairs. :)
I enjoyed this 5th installment of the series a lot since I read the book and found it so sad with Harry losing his godfather, his only ties to family. The movie is not as sad as how it was depicted! (I can't wait to see how they do the 6th book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blooded Prince - I got emotionally drained after that long read.) After the movie, I got the urge to see if I can get the upcoming book this weekend. :)
On a Harry Potter note: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) is coming out!!! Too many poilers and leaks online....I hope it's as good as the series...since it's th last one. One last "horah" if you will! See below for book 7 details.

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2nd round of visitors:
3) Angela Lauchengco of MyScrapWorks
Angela found my blog through her fellow scrappers and mentioned that I posted a link to their site - My Scrapworks - to help promote Filipino scrapping and basically emailed each other from there on end. She is here in HK but I'm sure she knows her way around since she visits HK often and scrapbook shops - she knows a lot more about getting scrapbook materials around HK than me! :) Do hope I get to meet her in-person someday...maybe when I go back to Manila for good.

4) Joshua (my hs pal and groupie), her sister & nephews/nieces
Though they basically know how to get around town and have a very short trip, we did manage to talk on the phone and got a few recommendations out with regards to HK Island highlights.

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Other announcements around town...

club.8
19 YUN PING ROAD
CAUSEWAY BAY
t: 2972 2680
Summer sales in coming, club.8 is working on a final sale up to 60% off original prices. Come and check out your favorite jeans and tops before stocks are running out!!

Mandarin Landmark is having unlimited wine paired with the special Iberico Ham dishes at Amber. This promo runs until the end of July. It's worth trying out. :)
FYI: Iberico Ham (Jamon Iberico) is a specific kind of serrano ham produced in the mountains of Andalucia, southern Spain. It is considered one of the best types of serrano, as it is produced only from Iberico pigs, a breed of small brown animals native to the region. The pigs have black hooves, leading to an alternative name for the ham of pata negra. The pigs' diet consists almost exclusively of acorns, giving the resulting meat a fine, nutty taste, along with the long maturation period of two years or so. Iberico ham is considered by Andalucians to be of such high quality that it is always served raw, finely sliced with bread, and is never cooked - lesser, more fatty variants of serrano ham are used for this.
Information taken from Recipedia.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7), the last of the Harry Potter series is coming out this weekend! For those you have not reserved their copy, good luck to us all! I'm going to try to do a "walk-in" this weekend, in the hopes of getting a copy for myself. Been debating on whether I would want to pre-order the book over here but I see no point since I can wait and just try my luck on the day itself. I hope it works...since HK is own for their favorite past time - "lining up". :)

MTR HK proudly presents - HELLO KITTY, The MTR Hello Kitty Heroes Collection
From 16 July to 2 September 2007, if you ride the MTR 10 times (except the Airport Express) using the same Adult / Concessionary Octopus card any time from Monday to Friday within any of the campaign weeks, you can get a "Hello Kitty" Hero for just $18. A new MTR "Hello Kitty" Hero will be released every week during the promotion so there will be a total of six for you to collect! A Limited Edition "Hello Kitty" MTR Train plus Theme Song* CD will also be available for redemption for just $30 from 27 August to 2 September. The MTR "Hello Kitty" Heroes and Limited Edition "Hello Kitty" MTR Train plus Theme Song* CD are only available while stock lasts. *Music is re-arranged from Hello Kitty's Fantastical Adventure - "Feeling as I Do". You can listen to the theme song and download the ringtone to your phone (for free) at MTR HK. Instructions are indicated. Not a big Hello Kitty fan but just curious on what these are compared to the photos. :P Expect me to take more MTR rides. :D

Another Hello Kitty promo around town (Hello Kitty OWNS Hong Kong) is with McDonalds HK and they have "Hello Kitty & Friends" - which I'm more inclined to get since they have KeroKeroKeroppi! I have bookmarked July 26 (Thursday) as the day I rush to have McDo and get my Keroppi head. :P Check out below!


Digizines Digital Den: Hooplah auction starts this weekend!!!
There are a good few of interesting kits that even I would like to get. :) Of course, I would rather give other bidders a chance at these "special limited edition kits" so go go and get registered!
Please visit Holiday Hoopla Auctions for further details or my previous posting on this.

For those who want to know dimsum, you can check Dimsum Finds.

PS: Still not feeling fully well...hopefully getting well soon!

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Kit: July 2006 TwoPeas - Perfect Pet
Designer: Rhonna Farrer
Alpha: Mikki Livanos' Sunflower Alpha (July 2007 Gift, Scrapbook-Elements.com)
Program: PS7.0
Font: Gill Sans MT
Journaling: woof woof . stars . giggles . laughter . cute . funny
Notes: One of my SIL's requests for my nephew's bday party...I'm cranking out as much layouts as I can for this little guy! SIL recently gave me a photo shoot of little Jeremy with all his doggie giveaways. He was just in doggie heaven!!! Can't wait to start scrapping that one. :D
Template: SOTB's Doodleboog's 12x12 Template #Fourteen - Polaroidization Paper: SBE's Mikki Livanos' Color My Summer Paper Pack
Ribbon Elements: SBE's Jan Hosford Designs' Scrapper's Toolbox Creative Team Gift December 2006 (Scrapbook-Elements.com)
Program: PS7.0
Font: Forte MT
Journaling: Thank you for making my party so doggone fun! July 28, 2007 Jeremy Jason Y. Chan
Notes: As per SIL's request for the last slide for my nephew's upcoming birthday party's AVP presentation. :D
FYI:
1) this is my nephew's photo shoot with his puppy giveaways for his up coming bday;
2) the puppies are to be his giveaways though i wonder if he would be willing to give it away to people since he seems so darn attached to them already (!); and
3) my nephew's experimenting with a new look - chinos and khaki pants attire. :)
Photos: c/o of my brother, Jay