Up the Hill & Back

01 June, Friday
~ Went around on my lunch break for some white/beige dresses that could be used for the civil event as per my mom's instruction since she said that I don't have anything white or beige to use that's appropriate for the event. It was good timing since spring sales are up and new summer stuff are available too. It's shopping time...a justified shopping spree. :P I ended up with a nice wrap-around dress in Vivianne Tam though not for the civil wedding...oh well. My discount card has already expired and I couldn't find anything else there to renew the card...since I had to purchase more. I was able to avail 10% off though since it's private sale weekend. :)

~ Dinner was at Jo&KC's place for Jac-jac's birthday. Thai home-cooked food (Yati's back & I'm sure they are all happy!) and company was great just the experience of getting to the venue and how I got to the venue was just troubling.
Damn taxi lines and limited taxis on Fridays! In a city that supposedly never sleeps, HK didn't have enough taxis to sustain the people living in it!
Swong was too tired out of her mind to come and join us. It was a sad. Also Ali just had her tooth taken out by the dentist so she hardly ate since I know she's feeling tons of pain. At least the kids were all in good spirit with all this and Jac-jac was happy. :)
Happy Birthday, KC & Jac-jac!

02 June, Saturday

~ Visited Agnes b for new stock, deals or just plain browsing. Found out that they have a promo - buy a certain amount and get the limited edition wallet chain, which reminds me of the 90's belt chain that I had in high school that was the coolest things around to hang on your jeans. See...only a woman will fall something like this...not for a man. :P It's the same case for getting a discount card and/or free gifts, etc.
Yes, this won me over & I gotta have that chain!

I am still searching for the B&W stripe t-shirt/blouse but couldn't find it on this trip. Instead, I got some good polo shirts and one "rock n'roll is not dead" punker t-shirt that matches the wallet chain's theme quite well! BONUS!

~ Visa errands in the morning...enough said. After getting the documents straightened out and paid the fees, I felt better after seeing them and paying the full payment for my wedding date. All the stress of the week has somehow melted away. I rewarded myself with a high tea set at 4 Seasons IFC again. I didn't mind the wait since I was in no real hurry and didn't really want to go home just yet. Check out my previous rave about high tea at 4seasons.
Cora was there and was really nice to give me priority seating at a really nice area and the staff seems to be more attentive again to me due to my connections. Love the stuff...relaxing and definitely a nice place to just "chill". As per Cora's recommendation, I love the passion fruit chocolate tart...totally not very chocolatey but nice! You can see what it looks like on the left photo below and it's the chocolate dessert on the left side of the top most plate. It has a raspberry on top. Yummy!
--> refilling station for high tea set (right)...not sure if the cakes on display on the other side is available. The ones that was normally offered to other people are on the silver tray on the right. I will have to ask Cora about that. I love the tea box that technically everytime a customer comes and orders the high tea set, you are entitled to get the "spiel" of knowing the types of teas that 4Seasons offers. :) You gotta smell the tea leaves...so nice! And yes, to promote again - it's Tea Leaves from Vancouver! :) On this trip, I got to try the Hong Kong Shangri-la Tea Blend, which is suppose to be green tea
My verdict: nice but still lovin' the Harmony blend. Too bad that the gift shop doesn't have it offered for purchase.

<--my high tea set in detail (left) - the usual savory petite fours, scones (yey!) and sweet tarts & desserts (tiramisu) at the top section. For HKD190 for high tea set that entitles you to the the food and one coffee/tea, this is a real steal for me since it somehow caps my expenses and let me stop from running and rushing around all over the place. Oh, plus I get to catch up on some news and good light reading. :) I was seated by the window so I had the couches and a great view of the city. What a rewarding day after all the effort. :) I enjoyed this a lot...this is my type of R&R. I'm surely going to miss this sort of "loungin' weekends" when I move back since I won't have the luxury or the food options for these small pleasures. I better get as much out of these things as possible. ~ Upon getting home, I didn't have dinner anymore since the high tea was more than ample to keep me happy for the night already. Good that it did since I just learned around 11pm that I need to physically go back and fix something again!?!

03 June, Sunday

~ I had to go back to fix some visa paperwork again though it was quicker now since I just needed to show my passport and change some things on the form. By the time I was out, I was hungry since I dashed out of the house early for a Sunday and forgot to have breakfast. I wanted to check out lunch at 4seasons but it was so far away...instead, I opted for brunch at Mandarin's Cafe Causette. Got the Chinese Breakfast set - included soya bean milk, dimsum selections like steamed BBQ buns, veggie/shrimp/pork dumplings, friend noodles, chicken & abalone congee, and Chinese tea. I don't know but I only liked the soya bean milk that came with the set and the noodles...the latter one was the clincher for me to even order this set. I wouldn't order this again...maybe I'll try to order just the soy milk. It was nice since it was not too sweet but very smooth. :)

~ I love passing by Armani Fiori (AF), Armani label's florist store at Chater House. The arrangements/bouquets created by this store oozes variety and imaginative creativity through flowers. :) The cool thing about this store is that their decor/arrangements changes every few days. All of which are well-thought of and totally never the same thing. I always try to make my way there just to see what new arrangements are on display.
**Note that I'm not really a flower sort of person but seeing these lovely arrangements just puts a smile on my face, no matter how bad my day turns out to be. :)
Gary Kwok, gifted HK-based florist, was invited by Armani Group to be the store director in AF and to create the first Armani Fiori in Asia-Hong Kong 2002. Subsequently, she was requested by Mr. Giorgio Armani himself to be the Floral Consultant of Armani Fiori Milan and Armani Casa beginning 2006. More on Gary Kwok can be read on her website.

~ After shopping like there's no tomorrow yet again, I wanted to head to Agnes b Cafe to see friends (Ming & Teddy); but because I got there too late and the cafe was already preparing for their dinner guests, I wasn't accommodated anymore. With such a disappointment (I was already picturing my Monsiour Croquette and Moroccan Mint Tea), I was walking and wondering if I should just cook dinner and save some money for another day. Well...guess not since I passed by Lee Gardens, and remembered that there's a Cova Resto there...basically checked their menu since I wanted some pasta. The rest was history as pictured. :P I ordered the Spaghetti with Sea Bass in Dill Sauce. Love the sea bass and the pasta was cooked well...but the sauce...hmm...still puzzles me up to today.

~ Damage done for today: 1 VT dress, 1 VT t-shirt, 1 VT chinese knitted sleeveless top, 1 VT gold leather pouch, 4 RY shirts...all on discounted prices due to the seasonal sales. :)

Random Thoughts...
~ 天下烏鴉一般黑 (Tianxia wuya yiban hei)
"All crows under heaven are of the same black color."
Everyone is guilty of the same in iniquities - be they be corrupt, collusion, oppression or violence. No one, save the thickest of hides, can take the moral high ground. This saying was taken from Chapter 57 of the Chinese novel, "Dream of the Red Mansions", which is used to describe the idential nature of pawnshop receipts wherever they were issued. It is interpreted to be taken in negative overtones and is not used to refer to things or people tarred with the same unsavoury brush.
This was in an article I read at South China Morning Post this Sunday morning about a writer conversing with a Taiwan cab driver on his way to the hotel. The discussion revolved around colonization and Taiwan-China / Taiwan-Fuk Yuen Tribe.
I would like to think that a normal person would be good but then again, it's like everyone thinking that they the "right". It's a one-sided thinking. Sad at times especially when it's not only one type of people that makes up this world. Opinions and tolerance are key.
Only the Almighty can be the judge to anyone.

~ HK Magazine...my favorite weekend read. :) I always make sure that I get the latests one every Friday/Saturday so I can chill at a coffeeshop and just no have to worry about no reading material. :) I enjoy the articles and features...definitely read this inside out and sometimes dictates how next weekend's schedule is. :)
The issue pictured isn't the latest one this week nor is it last week's issue, but is significant to me. This was the issue that a friend of mine who was interning at the magazine at that time, requested me to wrote something on a particular section...my favorite section actually - Top 10 Picks. :) I have attached some photos below that you can click and see what I had to say for this article. My topic was Top 5 Business Lunches. :) The photo I provided is also the photo that MizzM did a layout of and used to be a photo on my old blog banner.


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Kit Name: Sent From Above (available at SBE)
Kit Designer: Sweet Sodypop Designs (Brenda Johnson)
Program: PS7.0
Font: Script MT Bold
For: SBE's Blue Moon Challenge

Journaling: Jeremy Eddie ...2...of the most important people in my life are Ed and Jj Jr. Before them, I was the independent and “baby” in the family. With the addition of a partern and a new member in our ever-growing family, I learned to open my heart to these changes and embrace life’s beauty even more!

Notes: for the Blue Moon Challenge at SBE, which is to scrap a major change or impact to you. :) It was a fun challenge. Thanks, Brenda!
TYFL!


Got Digizines Boutique Layout Feature for one of my recent layouts. For a better picture, please check out the entry.