Tag: Cityscapes

Hong Kong: A Mini Dining Escapade

Hong Kong used to mean one thing to me in the past – shopping.  Not anymore.  Today, Hong Kong signifies food – delightful, glorious food.

Credits:  Papers by Nadi Designs, Art of Digital Design and Prairie Woman Design.  Flower by Moninda; Word art by Wimpy Chompers; Alpha by Denise Beatty Originals

Welcome to the culinary capital of Asia.  In this relatively small island, foodies can revel not only in an assortment of Chinese regional delicacies but also in a range of international cuisine – from food stalls to Michelin starred restaurants.  This has been the highlight of a very short trip to Hong Kong early this year.  By the end of this month, I will be back to sample more gastronomic delights so Hong Kong here I come… again.  But before that, allow me to reminisce a bit on that mini dining escapade.

I will begin with the customary dim sum.  How can you be in Hong Kong and not indulge in supposedly “the best dim sum in the world”?

Zen Chinese Cuisine

A long-standing casual Chinese Restaurant in Pacific Place.  Apart from serving a range of Cantonese specialties, they also serve an extensive and intricate range of dim sum for lunch.   Be warned though, they usually have a long line especially during lunchtime so be there early.

Hutong

Located on the 28th floor of One Peking in Tsim Sha Tsui.  This stunning restaurant with a fantastic view of the HK harbor serves authentic Northern Chinese cuisine with a contemporary twist.

Red lanterns, hanging birdcages, intricately carved wood panels, Chinese silk curtains — all add charm to the dark, muted interior giving off a traditional Chinese feel.

Clockwise:  “Red Lantern” Crispy chicken w/ Sichuan red chili; Lobsters fried w/ red pepper & sweet chili sauce; Cod fillet tossed with fermented bean & chilis; Chili-spiced bamboo clams

A must-try are their Chili-spiced bamboo clams steeped in Chinese rose wine & chili sauce, Cod fillet tossed with crispy fermented bean & chili, lobsters fried with red pepper & sweet chili sauce, “Red Lantern” Crispy chicken with Sichuan red chili and last but not the least (not in photo) is their Crispy de-boned lam ribs.

Yung Kee Restaurant

My absolute favorite restaurant in Hong Kong and I will almost always pay a visit when I’m in town.

More than Hong Kong’s dimsum, I must have a piece of that lovingly roasted goose.   Juicy, tender, rich meat with skin so crispy… To. Die. For.

Another house specialty that I take home with me is their century eggs oozing with sticky yolk.  Paired with pickled ginger… wicked!

Kee Wah Bakery

Right beside Yung Kee is a bakery called Kee Wah for some beautifully packed Chinese traditional pastries.  Beautiful packaging aside, their egg rolls and pineapple shortcakes are great pasalubongs (gifts) to take home.

Useful Info:

Zen Chinese Cuisine
One Pacific Place Mall
88 Queensway, HK
+852 2845-4555 / 2845-4377
Hutong
28th Floor, One Peking Road,
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
+852 3428-8342
Yung Kee Restaurant
32-40 Wellington Street
Central, HK
(5 minutes walk from MTR Central station , exit D2)
 
Posted on by Jenn 3

At the Wharf

If you don’t like crowds and all kinds of tourist traps, Fisherman’s Wharf is probably not the best place to be.  But if it is your first time in San Francisco, I would recommend an hour or two to wander around, sample some fresh sourdough bread and feast on Dungeness crabs.

And with a tourist in tow (a staff M came with us on this trip), we headed out to the Wharf the morning of our departure and spent our last few hours in SF doing just that.

Fisherman’s Wharf is best known for Pier 39, the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, Ghirardelli Square and a lot more, it is however most famous for (at least as far as I’m concerned) the restaurants and stands that serves fresh seafood, more notably its Dungeness Crabs and Clam Chowder on sourdough bread.  While you can actually get great tasting Dungeness crabs elsewhere like R&G in Chinatown and a favorite back then, Thanh Long at the Sunset district

and the sourdough bread over at Acme is, in my opinion, more superior, my brother always says that, “experiencing it where it all started is always more meaningful”.  I agree.

And Fisherman’s Wharf is the epicenter of San Francisco’s famed Dungeness crabs. The fresh street Dungeness crabs sold by vendors are expensive but very fresh – ask for fresh crabs and you’ll get one that is freshly cooked for you.

Even before there were sidewalk vendors and restaurants, some of the fishermen would set up cauldrons of boiling water and cook the freshly caught crabs, handing them out in paper cups as a crab cocktail.  Many restaurants and vendors today continue the tradition of steaming crab cauldrons in front of their place of business and still serve them on paper cups.  One may however opt to order a whole cooked crab to take home. Firm and sweet, this crustacean has played a significant role in defining San Francisco’s culture – from the boat docks of Fisherman’s Wharf and the Italian restaurants nearby to the Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants around the city today.

Clam Chowder on sourdough bread is my brother’s favorite and Boudin Café is where he usually goes to get them.  Born in the Gold Rush, Boudin Bakery is the oldest business in San Francisco.  Known for its sourdough bread, the bakery still uses the same starter yeast bacteria culture it developed in 1849.

Although their main bakery is in the Richmond district, their Baker’s Hall at the Wharf is their flagship place.  It may not be the best today; it surely is still a very decent piece of sourdough bread and is and will always be synonymous to San Francisco.

I love San Francisco and no matter how often I visit, I will never tire of it.  It is after all my favorite city.  So until next time…

Posted on by Jenn 3

Sean Lions and Pier 39

Credits:  Papers from Moninda’s Sea Memories;  Elements from PouYou and Me kit;  Journal Paper from Scrapmatter’s Life Little Surprises kit

California Sea Lions are found along the coast of eastern North Pacific from the coast of Vancouver all the way to Baja California in Mexico.  They are known to be the most intelligent of all sea lions.  These playful curious animals are highly social as well, which makes them adapt easily to artificial environments.  Because of this, California sea lions are commonly found in public displays in zoos and marine parks and are even trained by the US Navy for certain military operations hence.

Pier 39 is admittedly so touristy and is crowded with shoppers and souvenir seekers.  So why am I there, you might ask?  Wildlife fascinates me and one attraction that appealed to me lies just outside the shopping arcades, on the marina next door.  They are known as the Pier 39 sea lions.

Some of California sea lions took over the “K” dock of Pier 39 in 1989 becoming immediate tourists favorites.   They can be found sunbathing, barking and up to their old antics at the marina.  They showed up shortly after the 1989 earthquake arriving in droves probably chasing after an abundant run of herring in the area.  They soon took over the dock by January 1990 and since then been entertaining both visitors and locals alike.  During winter the population increases while it dwindles during the summer months, as many would migrate south to the Channel Islands to breed.  Outside of the breeding season, they often gather on marinas and wharves so they start coming back sometime around late July.

Today it is a far cry from the heyday when they reached over 1,700 at one point.   At the end of 2009, nearly all had left apparently for Oregon – again in search of food.  It was explained that the abrupt change in the classic upwelling pattern caused their food source to shift further offshore.  Good heavens, they slowly migrated back in February 2009, remained and hopefully increase again in population.

Posted on by Jenn 3

Reminiscing

Lombard Street overlooking Russian Hills

For a short while I called San Francisco home.  Straight from a pampered life, away from the watchful eyes of my parents, living (not exactly) alone in the Richmond District was uncharted territory (for us then).  Albeit a carefree time of my life, it was there that I learned independence and self-reliance.   It was one of the best times of my life.

I don’t return very often but I recently found myself back in San Francisco again and again.  Although our visit was mostly because of work, my brother and I managed to squeeze in some time for family, friends and some reminiscing.   I likewise seized the opportunity to spend precious time with my brothers – one arrived with me and was my roommate then, the other met us there from Louisiana where he now (temporarily) resides.

The bar escapes the need for reservations.

We met up with friends at the Slanted Door lounge bar no sooner than we landed.

Having Slanted Door’s signature drink:  Ginger Limeade with Hangar One Kaffir Lime Vodka.

The next day we decided to pay our old neighborhood a visit,

passed by our old apartment and had lunch at our favorite hangout.

Thai Cafe along Geary St. has good food at student-friendly prices thus a favorite hangout.

That weekend we spent a lot of time visiting old-time favorites.

Choco Fudge Sundae at The Ghirardelli Square

Breakfast at Mel’s Drive-in Diner.

Although many of those who stayed behind after school moved out of San Francisco, they remained within the Bay Area.  Some still lived in the same house we used to hangout in.  Once you’ve lived there, you can’t really shake San Francisco out of your system, can you?

Stockton St.  I used to walk this street a lot (in daytime, or course) to go to school.

It was an awesome weekend reminiscing about the juvenile things we’ve done and had gotten away with.  How we survived those reckless years was a miracle.  Ah to be young again… even for just a weekend.

Posted on by Jenn 1

The Marina Bay Sands


No I have not been there.  My trip to Singapore was mostly business with free time so limited; I opted to visit it some other time.  I vowed to return to the bustling multicultural land of hawker food and chili crabs to do more exploring, hopefully soon. More than the street food and the famous crab dish, Singapore has of late been in the spotlight for its fine cuisine and celebrity chef restaurants, and there are 7 at the Marina Bay Sands.

Fast becoming a unique icon, the MBS, which from afar looked to me like 3 towers with a cruise ship perched atop, is actually 3 cascading hotel towers connected by a skypark platform at the top.  I heard that the view is incredible at the platform.

Built and operated by the US gaming giant Las Vegas Sands, the entire entertainment complex obviously is centered on the casino, the 2nd integrated resort (or the IR) since Singapore gave the go signal for casino gambling in 2005.  But even if I have no interest in gambling whatsoever, the world-class restaurants and perhaps its famous infinity pool are good reason to go visit.

Posted on by Jenn 1

Bird’s Nest

I was glued to the set on August 8, 2008 as I watched in awe of the spectacle that Beijing presented to the thousands of spectators that streamed through the gates of the National Stadium and to millions of others that watched (like me) on television.  Amazed at how they could even begin to prepare for this night — the thousands of dancers, drummers, percussionists, martial art performers, musicians and various artists in full regalia, all performing to the hilt.  Put aside the performers, I was equally awed at the stunning latticework structure that lit beautifully and was made more arresting when the fireworks exploded in its midst.  I knew that one of these days; I will be looking at it up-close and personal.

Two years later, we were entering a structure that is a feast to the eyes not only from afar, on TV but up-close as well.  This elliptical latticework has become an architectural landmark and an Olympic legacy.

The latticework echoing even to the garden lights.

An aesthetic and engineering marvel.  We see as we enter that the grid-like framework serves as both façade and structure merging the walls and roof into one integrated system.

The Bird’s Nest, as it is has been fondly referred to, is the Beijing National Stadium.  Designed by Swiss architects Herzog and De Meuron, this futuristic stadium hosted (as the world knows) the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Today, aside from it being a tourist spot, it continues to host sport events and has become a large scale sports and entertainment facility for the Beijing residents.

Tired local tourists

There seemed to be a lot of activities going on that day.  Aside from the visitors that flock in on a daily basis, there were athletes and other performers either rehearsing or practicing.

There even was a tightrope walker sans a net for entertainment, I think.  As it turned out, the guy hailed from Xinjiang, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Xin for short) located in Northwest China.

Alongside the Bird’s Nest, an aquatic center was built for the swimming and other water sports competition.  Also known as the Water Cube, the unique and inspired design was based on the way soap bubbles come together.  Before it closed for renovations after the Olympics, it became a ballet theater to host Swan Lake.  Last August, it opened its doors once again to the public, this time transforming into a water park.  At the time of my visit, it was still closed for renovations.

 

Posted on by Jenn 8

The Art of Bargaining

All these name brands that you of course know are fake but sometimes wonder if they really are.  They look and feel like the real thing.  You make eye contact and hold that shirt and ask, “how much?” then she types a price on a calculator that can’t possibly be right but validates what you already know.  So you pretend disbelief, and show a “you must be kidding” face. She goes, “how much you want?”  Then you offer a price 70% lower than what she asked for.  And then she gives you the same look you just gave her and adds, “you joking!”  You look her straight in the eye, “no”, you say.  Then she brings down the price a bit while you do not budge.  The game goes on for a bit longer; by this time her price is about 30% lower than her original quote.  You walk away and she grabs your arm and asks you once more, “how much you want?” in a more irritated manner, you try to break free and walk away, she follows and continues to ask, “how much you want? enough joking.” you tell her your price, which by now is 20% higher than your first offer, sometimes she will offer to a price a tad higher than yours and you finally compromise and concede.   Everyone’s happy; the vendor will even praise your bargaining skills.   Sometimes though they will walk away grudgingly and call you crazy.  Don’t fret, there are at least 500 stalls (the whole building is reported to have 1,500 stalls) with more or less the same merchandise and if you really like it, you can repeat the same exercise with another vendor.   After a few hours of this, you feel exhausted but happy.  You feel like a cup of coffee or a bottle of beer to reward you for a job well done.

Many coffee shops and restaurant chains on the first floor

My mama always say, “They will never sell you anything at a loss, so don’t feel bad.”  You see she has been going back to the silk market and similar markets in Shanghai and Guangzhou for more than a decade.  She IS the expert when it comes to bargaining with the Chinese.  I take to heart her practical advice and oftentimes end up with a good bargain – that is if my impatience doesn’t get the better of me.  Here are some advices from the expert herself.

  1. Don’t want the item too much.  They are fakes after all.
  2. You will most likely find the same item in the stalls next door.
  3. Always start at least 70% below the asking price.
  4. Do not concede unless it is at least half the asking price.
  5. If you happen to break rule no. 1, then at least concede only if the price is 40% lower than their asking price.
  6. Bargain hard.
  7. Pretend to know what you’re doing, don’t be wishy-washy.
  8. Be prepared for some abuse, some will grab you and drag you back to their store, even if you’re already 3 stores down.

The Silk Market is a 5-story building that offers more than just silk.  There are garments, jackets, jeans, leather goods, shoes, bags, watches, handicrafts, jewelries, toys, you name it.  It opened its doors in 2005 replacing the original outdoor Xiu Shui Market.

Try it… it can be fun.  It’s a game not everyone can play well though but practice makes perfect.   😉

Useful Info:

The Silk Street Market
Chaoyang District, No 8 Xiu Shiu East Road
To get there: take the subway line 1 – Yong Anli Station
Posted on by Jenn 5

Beijing at Night

Credits:  Kitschy Digital (You are awesome kit) Chevron and Yellow Houndstooth papers, Knotty girl’s pp1 paper;  Caro 752 Marquee 1 & 2 brushes, KPertiet Grungy clusters and LivE Sing for Spring Page overlay;  LivE TW01 Tag;  K Pertiet Academic Alphas.

A “Snack Street” and a “Bar Street”, both alive till the wee hours of the morning, both swarming with street food – some made me squeamish while some whetted my appetite.  Two popular night scenes not to be missed when in Beijing.

Wangfujing Night Food Market

Just off Wangfujing St., located pretty much in the center of Beijing and a 10-minute walk from where we stayed.

After a hotpot dinner at a nearby mall, we walked along Wangfujing St., a portion of it is off limits to cars and other motor vehicles.

The food market was crowded with people, but they say this is quite normal as it is a famous snack street among locals and foreigners alike.  I was not prepared for what’s to come though.

The first few food stalls had as displays bugs and scorpions on a stick, bizarre foods that would probably delight Andrew Zimmern no end but not me.

Even beautiful sea creatures such as seahorses and starfishes.  I was horrified.  Poor creatures.  I now know that there are foods that I cannot eat, what a revelation!!  But not all food stalls are alike,

Candied fruits

there were others that had me wish we skipped the hotpot meal and went straight here.

Lamb Shawarma

There were wonderful smells of lamb kebabs, shawarmas, grilled meats, roasted chestnuts and many, many more.

A great place for a cheap sumptuous dinner, sans the bizarre foods of course.

Sanlitun Bar Street

One of the best known bar street in Beijing, Sanlitun is located in Eastern Beijing in the Chaoyung District.

Hidden away in the small alleys of Sanlitun are many small bars and cafes.

This has been one of the most popular entertainment area for foreign expats, recounts my brother who used to work in Beijing in the late ‘90s.  What used to be a small street with bars has turned into stretches of bars and trendy restaurants.  Hardly recognizable, he says, as we weave through the streets in search of his favorite hangout spot 12 years ago.

Before taking a cab back to our hotel, we came across this stall selling some sort of a wrap

made up of char siu pork and fried egg with some sort of sweet-savory sauce and lettuce to finish off.

Better then the breakfast offerings at the hotel.

Posted on by Jenn 6

The Best View in Seoul

From ancient to modern.  The Namsan Tower of Seoul was built in 1969 as a communications tower.  It is today also an observations tower known as the N Seoul Tower when it opened its doors to the public in 1980.  It has since then become a must-see destination for those visiting the city.  The N Seoul Tower lies atop Mt. Namsan (hence the name) and stands 479m above sea level at its peak.  This art and cultural multiplex commands a spectacular view of the city on a good day.

On a bad day such as the day we were there, the smog did not allow for clear view…   😦

For those residing in Seoul, it has turned into a trendy urban haven offering exciting things to do and see.   Imagine dining at a revolving 360˚ panoramic backdrop… ok it’s nothing new

but has anyone been to a toilet such as this?

On the same level, we admired the view while having our cuppa joe and this awesomely moist camembert muffin.  A two-thumbs up!!

Part of their effort to preserve the environment of Namsan is by banning private vehicles from entering the mountain since 2005.  One would have to walk up the hill, or take the cable car.  We opted to walk, which makes for a good exercise albeit pleasant due to the lush trees that shade the road ascending to the tower.

As you reach the entrance, a floating figure greets and on the side of the tower is a viewing deck or a terrace (as they call it)

with countless locks attached to the railing, conveying eternal love.

Supposedly an idea copied from the Tokyo Tower. Our guide disclosed that a friend of his has six padlocks going on seven attached on the many rails of the deck.

But… but…   😕  But I guess hope springs eternal.   😀

Posted on by Jenn 2

Sliding In Some Exploring

Credits:  Template by Crystal; Scratchy overlay from JSprague’s Thank Ya Kindly kit; Papers:  Brown Solid, Dark Blue Solid, Green Solid, Red Solid, Engraved Birds (JSprague’s TW Kits), Trish Jones’ Radiant Essence.

Oftentimes work gets in the way of my adventures – that is not a good thing.  But sometimes it brings me out of town, out of the country even – and THAT is a good thing. Even if I spend a lot of the time confined in a conference, I try to squeeze a day or two (say the weekend before or after the official business meetings) to explore the area.  There are times though that I skip exploring altogether due to time constraint.  Not this time… this time, work brought me to Seoul and the meeting started on a Monday so yeah…

I decided to take it easy because I wasn’t traveling with my usual set of travel buddies and lest they kill me, taking it easy was the route to take.  First order of the day was brunch at Apgujeong-dong.

A residential and shopping district in one of the most affluent areas of Seoul, Apgujeong has luxury brand stores, home grown boutiques,

new trendy eateries and open-air cafes lining its streets.  Most offer ritzy atmosphere and high quality goods and services.

We meandered through the streets in search for coffee.  It was still early and because it was a Sunday perhaps, stores and restaurants open later than we are used to so we wandered into a Starbucks, just for that coffee fix.

Homemade-style fresh organic food — B.B. Cafe by Hanskin

The organic café that first caught my fancy does not open till 12nn and when we went back (at 12nn), they weren’t serving the pizza we were eyeing earlier until 2… go figure!

We ended up satisfying our pizza craving at Schadheli, not as charming at first glance, but cozy enough for us to notice.  We ordered a good ol’ reliable Margherita and it was good so we tried another flavor, this time we were more more adventurous.

This one had spicy chicken topping drizzled in honey… yes honey.  It complimented well with the “Korean-style” spicy chicken and the cheese.

They make a mean Vongole too.

Koreans and their coffee, there must be something about it because coffee houses are seen in every corner, Starbucks and other international chains notwithstanding.  We walked into De Chocolate Coffee because we fancied the façade.

Coffee here was good, but the sweets… superb.

After that eating escapade interspersed with a little bit of shopping, we headed back to our hotel to get ready for the next order of the day… cocktails and then dinner.

Posted on by Jenn 12