A look back into 2013…

Time awaits for nobody and with that, 2 months passed by me in the blink of an eye since my last blog post. As we enter the second month of 2014, i thought it was about time to get back into blogging before my laziness got the best of me.

Looking back, 2013 was indeed a great year, filled with both good and bad times, a balance much needed in order to appreciate even the simplest of things in life. Great adventures took place such as discovering new eateries in the city, spending quality time with loved ones over family gatherings, catching up with friends over coffee by day, and cocktail by night, and spending some alone time by myself to do things i enjoy. Celebrations were in full swing with Chinese New Year, Mid Autumn festival, birthdays, and friends from across the globe coming to visit. Of course, a trip back home to Denmark to see my friends and family over Christmas and New Year, was the best and perfect way to end the year.

I am grateful for every moment shared with my nearest and dearest, as well as every single new friend i befriended, and new experiences that i encountered over the year. Here’s a quick glimpse into my 2013.

My first experience of indulging in a box of macarons from Laduree in Hong Kong, as my BFF knew my love for these gems and gave them to me as a surprise. Trying on my new American Apparel nail polishes and kicking the new year in style with some glitter. As every year, there were gorgeous flower decorated at home to welcome the Chinese New Year. It was also another year of festive Chinese decorations and flowers seen everywhere in the city, and firecrackers could be heard from a distant in our village back in Shenzhen, China. A free heart shaped cookie gifted to me from a staff at Pret A Manger, upon my routine morning coffee run there, really touched my heart and it’s such small gestures that really gets to me. The perks of living in a small city like Hong Kong, are discovering new bars, such as the recent Lily & Bloom, in Lan Kwai Fong, which serves absolutely divine cocktails. The bartender was ever as friendly and surprised me with a cocktail that wasn’t on the menu, when i asked for what cocktails to recommend. My all time fave Japanese Pop singer, Namie Amuro, who i have adored since high school, was finally coming to Hong Kong for her ever first concert, for her 20th anniversary Asia Tour 2013. I was standing and dancing, and singing all the night long to her good old 90s songs, such as Body Feels Exit, Can you celebrate, Dont wanna cry, and many more.

Audrey Hepburn fever in full swing after watching her movie, Sabrina, and spontaneously bought her book “How to be lovely”. The book  is an easy read and great way to look into the life of this stunning and iconic lady during her time. Furniture and home decor shopping is one of my fave past times and i was beyond excited when i spotted these wooden alphabets in the home section of Cotton On. I am still deciding what alphabet to get and in what color. One of my good old friend from Canada was in town, which offered the perfect opportunity to take her around the city, which we both grew up in. A visit to the Man Mo temple seemed like the ideal thing to do after brunch’ing in the area. It was truly fun to rediscover Hong Kong and explore around like a proper tourist. Mothers day was celebrated over steak for dinner and some lovely flowers to surprise her. Topshop had finally come to Hong Kong, where i received their goodie bag with a lipgloss, leaflet, and a magazine. Getting all dressed up in my LBD (little black dress) with cute ruffles and a red clutch, to meet some friends to try out this new Italian restaurant on a Saturday night.

Getting into healthy mode and enjoying my morning hikes again, where my surroundings consist of  lovely flowers and a beautiful scenic view of Hong Kong. That very moment of reaching the top, and breathing in all the fresh air and having the sun beam on my face is priceless. One random trip to Starbucks for my cold lemonade and i met a complete stranger, whom i disguise as Mr. A here, happened to be from my home town, Denmark, and the rest was history. I arranged for a trip up to the peak with Mr. A, upon his request,  and it was an experience that was absolutely unforgettable and worthwhile. We had some delicious steak over red wine, where the night ended with this breath taking night view of Hong Kong, with all the sky scrapers lit up in unison from afar. Celebration for my birthday with close friends over a nice meal and great company, and a surprise of two mini birthday cakes, which just completed this special day of mine. One of my good friend from high school, being as thoughtful as she always is, got me a Tiffany jewelry bowl for my belated birthday. It’s a perfect storage space for my precious Tiffany necklace and bracelet. During the mid September month, along with the moon being fully rounded in shape, it was blatant that Mid Autumn festival was upon us. With my sister and her boyfriend in town, we decided to visit the local Mid Autumn Festival market in Causeway Bay. A market packed with people taking photos everywhere, we patiently savored the moment and enjoyed the sight  of beautiful lanterns designed in all sorts of form, such as dim sum, lotus flowers, Chinese goddesses, and etc. A weekend getaway from the busy city to Lamma island. The peaceful and scenic view of this island, which is only an hour away by boat, never fails to refresh my mind and soul.

Stashing up on my fashion magazines to stay updated on the current fashion trends. Enjoying a quiet weekend on my own over brunch at this new restaurant i discovered, with my fave eggs benedicts and a cup of cappuccino.  I always think that “me time” are very vital and precious, and it’s a good time to reflect on myself. Lying in on a lazy weekend and catching up on my fave old American series, Sex and the City, is the best way to combat the cold winter season. Doing research at home for my up coming Europe trip with a friend, to London and my home town, Copenhagen. Started my health morning breakie at work again, where i have oatmeal topped with a lot of fruits and sunflower seeds. At the Christmas market in Tivoli in Copenhagen, where i was in awe by the sight of this tree filled with hearts and this Christmas tree behind it.

May this year bring everyone even more happy memories and fulfilling experiences to live by. Happy New Year and welcome to 2014!!!

Photo credits: all photos by me

My birthday celebration (part 2)

It was a beautiful and sunny day and as i dashed out on the street and hailed a cab to my next destination, i already couldn’t wait to meet my dear friend, Karen. Karen had planned a birthday brunch for me at my fave brunch spot, “Wagyu Lounge”, a place that never fails to play the best music along with delish food whenever i go.

It was a relaxing birthday weekend where we were chit chatting over brunch, and enjoying each other’s company. I ordered the Wagyu Lounge big breakfast, which had my fave scrambled eggs, bacons, sausages, mushrooms, baked beans, and buttered toast. It was simply divine! After a very filling brunch, we decided for a get away from the busy city and took the ferry to Lamma island for the afternoon. Upon arriving to Lamma island, along with other tourists that flooded the island with us that day, we were greeted by the lovely scenery of calm water waves, light brown sand, and a lot of  friendly locals that lived in the area.

As we roamed the small pavements of Lamma island, we discovered a few local bars and pubs, and some touristy shops selling local souvenirs. A slow walk to the beach was a great way to end our excursion on the island as we saw the sun setting in, and we made our way back to the ferry. Around 15 minutes into our walk, we passed by this British themed bar and decided to have a pint of beer to end our day. Of course, i had my good old Danish Carlsberg beer.

After arriving back into the busy city of Hong Kong, we decided to have dinner at “Numero 15”, a Spanish restaurant that Karen had tried before and highly recommended their signature Sangria. It was a cosy night filled with fun, laughter, delicious tapas and sangria, and of course, lovely company. One of my fave tapas was the scallop carpaccio with shallot and pine nuts. It was so yummy and with such exotic flavors and different textures. My second fave was the scrambled eggs and potato with foie gras. I never used to like foie gras before but ever since Karen introduced it to me a few years ago, i’ve started to develop a love for this dish.

The night ended with a round of Sangria on the house as the friendly waiter found out it was my birthday. And what birthday would it be without a birthday dessert? The waiter recommended the Banana toffee baileys frappe with Greek yogurt foam for dessert. It was nice but it failed to give me the “WOW” factor. Nonetheless, it was a lovely way to end the evening and it was one of my best birthday weekends ever.

  

The week after my birthday was followed by a few lovely birthday dinner with some of my other  friends. One of those great night was over fresh Japanese sushi and sashmi. The sushi chefs made sushi at the sushi bar in front of us and made small casual talks regarding how some of the dishes were made. It was a chilled yet enjoyable night, just what i needed on a Tuesday night.

Another good old friend of mine also invited me to this fine dining place called “The Parlour”, where we were seated outside the patio with a lovely view of Tsim Sha Tsui, nearby the Victoria harbour. For starters, we had their complimentary bread, followed by lobster soup, iberico ham with figs, and strawberry & Basil cocktail. The cocktail was very exotic and had an interesting twist to its taste. I definitely will recommend this place for their cocktails.

I’ve not seen this friend for almost over year so we chatted the night away and to my surprise,  she presented me with a birthday gift. I was asked to open it then and there and so i did. As I slowly opened this big white box with the Franc Franc logo, my excitement was gradually building up.  I’ve always loved Franc Franc, a Japanese shop that sells the most stylish and cute home decor products, and i couldn’t wait to see what was in the box. As I lifted the lid of the box, a cute tea set with polka dot design on it appeared. It was such a cute gift and being the tea lover that i am, i knew my friend had thought this gift through and it was so sweet of her.

I also received another really sweet birthday gift from my two BFFS this year, where they got my a leopard print scarf from Marc by Marc Jacobs. Leopard print is one of my fave prints and so i am not surprised at all that they chose this print for me. I’ve been using it a lot at work as the air conditioner is always blasting up and whenever i use this scarf, a small smile just naturally shines through my face. I have to say, i am truly blessed for each and every birthday celebration with lovely food, gifts, and great company that i had this year. I could not have asked for more and i know i am a very lucky lady.

Once again, thank you to all my friends and families out there, you guys made my birthday a memorable one, as always. I love you guys!!!

All photos accredited to me

September Love 2013

Catching up with an old friend over red wine at Al Pasha, while I watched the sparkling lights decorated on the trees from a distance, just like small shiny stars smiling back at me.  BFF being ever as sweet and surprised me with a birthday cake during our afternoon brunch at the Cafe Gray Deluxe Hong Kong. A sunny day was the start to a lovely lunch buffet with the family at the Royal Garden Hotel, as my brother and sister were in town. The endless row of delicious blueberry cheesecake, mousse cake, hazelnut chocolate cake, pies, mochis, ice cream, and chocolate fondue was enough to get me hyped up.

Taking the ferry from Central Star Ferry to lamma island with a friend for a short get away from the busy city. The trees, beaches, ocean, and slow walks around the island are some of the favored activities whenever i go to this island. Mid Autumn festival had arrived, where beautiful lanterns were displayed across the city and moon cakes were visible everywhere. My gorgeous and stylish birthday gift from my two BFFs,  a Marc by Marc Jacobs leopard print scarf, is surely to keep me warm throughout the winter days.

Discovering a new Italian restaurant with my brother, sister, and some friends in Tsim Sha Tsui. The night was filled with endless laughters as red wine was poured into the glasses, and it almost felt like everything was singing in a symphony. A cross over between Garfield and Panda figures caught my attention in the shopping mall and it’s such random creative things that brings out the character of this city. Going on an adventure after work and changed to a new route to the train station, and only to find what beauty that awaited me. The night view of Hong Kong seen from another angle. Sometimes change can be good after all.

I am blessed for each and every day that was filled with love, fun, laughters, and sharing special moments with people i love and care for. You are my September Love 2013.

My birthday celebration

Birthdays are always one of my favorite celebrations in the year, both for loved ones and myself. It’s a time where friends and families are gathered together over delicious food, drinks, and a lot of laughters. It is also special moments like these that reminds us of how grateful we are for what we have.

This year i have been very blessed to have yet another lovely birthday celebration with my dear friends and families, where the celebration took place over the entire month with great food, company, and a lot of great memories. There was a mix cuisine of American, Italian, Japanese, British, Spanish, and some lovely birthday surprises in between. I’m sooooo thankful for everyone that is in my life right here right now, and i’m truly touched by my dear friends who know me so well, and purposely prepared the surprises with birthday cakesand gifts. I know it sounds cheesy with the birthday surprises and all but i just can’t help it, lol.

It was a chilled Friday night on September 6, just a day before my special day, where a sleep over at BFF’s place was organized so we could kick start my birthday in style the next day. As BFF took an early morning hike up to the peak, i lied in bed until the warm sun from the window beamed in and touched my face. It was a beautiful day and i couldn’t have asked for anything else better that morning. BFF and i both quickly got dressed and went downstairs and hopped into the closes cab within our sight. I asked “where are we going?” and she replied with a smiling face “it’s a surprise”, and i couldn’t help but feeling all giddy inside. As we approached Admiralty and drove up to the JW Marriott Hotel, i had a good feeling we were headed to Cafe Gray Deluxe Hong Kong, and i was right. We were greeted by a smiling receptionist who got our names down and ushered us to a table in the middle of the restaurant.

Cafe Gray had a cosy ambiance with wooden decor against the lovely dangling chandeliers high above us, and the magnificent window view of the Kowloon area and ocean from a distant. I ordered one of my fave dishes, the Cafe Gray Black Angus burger in caramelized onions, gruyere cheese, tomato confit and some batter diped fries, and BFF had her fave eggs benedicts. It was a really relaxing afternoon where there was not a care in the world or a rush to go anywhere. We finished the meal by having a cuppa cappuccino where complimentary chocolates were given as well, much to my surprise. We slowly gobbled down the chocolates and without any warning, a waiter appeared from behind me holding a plate with a dessert on it that had “happy birthday skat” written in chocolate sauce. I was beyond speechless and the only visible sign I had was this big happy smile and touched look on my face. It was a delicious banoffee cake with rum raisin ice cream and it was orgasmic, to say the least, lol. My BFF has always been there for me and she’s just the sweetest and most understanding friend one can ask for. She’s been there for my good times and bad times and vice versa of course, and it’s truly a blessing to have her there celebrating my special day with me.

The rest of the afternoon was spent over some retail therapy where I went to Calvin Klein for some long due new lingeries, and a quick stop over to Zara and H&M for some light shopping spree. Following that night, dinner was arranged at this steak house called “Steik World Meats” in Tsim Sha Tsui, where BFF had invited Ben to come along. Ben was such a sweet heart and got me a box of my fave Laduree macarons and i just couldn’t wait to get my hands on those delicious and beautiful looking sweet treats. We spent the entire night just slowing savoring our food and sipping on red wine, where the night gradually ended at Vibes over more wine and some birthday shots.

As we entered the door to BFF’s flat, i quickly kicked off my 4 inch heels and jumped onto her bed and was falling asleep. Little did i know, another surprise was coming my way. BFF told me to come to the living room and there she stood with her slightly tipsy face, and was holding these two mini but oh so cute birthday cakes, a tiramisu and mango/strawberry flavored one. With the appetite of a horse at such late hours, most likely due to the slight over drinking, we finished the cakes rather quickly. To end the night, i finally got to open my present and it was this lovely Marc by Marc Jacobs scarf with leopard print that my two BFFs had gotten me. I would say it was the perfect ending to the night for my birthday.

Surprises were definitely up in the air for my birthday this year. Mr. A just happened to be in town on the week of my birthday and offered to take me to the peak. His big and friendly smile was just the same as i last remembered, and it was really nice to see him again.

It was a sunny weekend where the day started with some delicious Japanese ramen and gyoza (pan fried dumplings) before we started our journey to the peak. After a much fulfilled lunch, we slowly paced ourselves to the Tsim Sha Tsui star ferry where we would take the ferry to cross over to HK island. Upon arrival, we caught the bus 15C that did not have a roof, which made it a fun and touristy ride for me, as i looked high above the sky scrapers and scenic view of Hong Kong. A walk around the peak whilst enjoying the greenery and sipping on coffee over chit chats at the local cafe, while overseeing the view of Hong Kong, made me remember what it was like to enjoy the moment.

We decided to have dinner at Pearl on the Peak, especially as i’ve heard quite good reviews of this restaurant. As we arrived to the front door, we were quickly escorted by a friendly staff who seated us to a table that was facing the entire view of Hong Kong. We both ordered the wagyu steak as we are such steak lovers, along with two glasses of red wine. The red wine was completely divine and complimented just right with the juicy steak. I ordered the organy flavored crepe with orange ice cream for dessert, where the chef made it live, right in front of my very own eyes. It was an interesting and different experience to see how my dessert came into fruition, where flames came into vision after the cognac was gently poured over the orange, and slowly simmered on the pan.

The night ended with a quiet stroll around the peak where we embraced all that the nature had to offer. There was also this cute giant heart stand where lovers would write messages on this heart paper provided for free, and they would eternalize their love by hanging the message on the heart. One could say it’s a cheesy doing but i kinda think it’s a sweet gesture if you’ve found the one.

As the time ticked away and it got closer to closing time, we took the next peak tram and headed back down, where we took one more glance of the beautiful Hong Kong night view. It was a very cosy, or as the Danes say it, “hyggeligt” night, and a nice way to end my birthday at the peak.

All photos accredited to me

Blogcation…

Just a quick note that i’ll be taking a break from blogging (aka blogcation/blog vacation) for about two weeks as my brother and sister, and her boyfriend, will be in town visiting. I actually just picked up my sister and her boyfriend from the airport this afternoon and it was sooo nice to see them again!!!

I will be taking 4 days off from work during their stay here and the upcoming schedule already looks like it will be a fun filled adventure, with a lot of site seeing and eating!

In the mean time, hope everyone is doing great and i’ll be back real soon…

 Photo source: weheartit

June Love 2013

Enjoyed a relaxing Saturday night out while Ms. C was in town visiting, where the taste of fresh and delicious sashimi and sushi was slowly savored and plum wine was infused to sweeten our taste buds. Fathers day was played low key where we had steak down our local restaurant. Following the last few years, I would always get dad a cake and this year was no exception. I got him a strawberry mousse cake, where the taste of the sweetness and sourness was just right. Pampering time where BFFs and I went to the “feel good factor” to get our manicure and pedicure done. The barbie pink feet of mine was just perfect to greet the summery days, while my funky two color toned nails in bright yellow and orange, expressed the fun side of me.

Girls night out with my BFFs, Ms.S and Ms. C, at our good old fave shisha bar, Sahara, where I sipped on my strawberry martini and moved my body along to the rhythm of the music. Received a postcard from a dear friend who was in San Fran and traveling around in the states. This reminded me of how little people do snail mails nowadays and that I always cherish each and every mail I get in the post. The taste of my sweet and chilly strawberry margarita at Harlan’s with an old friend from London visiting, whilst overlooking the night view of Hong Kong from the 19th floor, was beyond breath taking.

Spent the night at Ms. S’s flat where I was greeted by her beautiful white roses in the living room as I headed off to work. Beauty in such a simple form is all you need at times to brighten your morning. Got a Topshop goodie bag with a leaflet, magazine, and hot red lipgloss to promote their grand opening in Hong Kong. New metallic heels and printed harem pants purchased for no reason because spontaneous shopping once in a while makes it that much more unexpected and fun.

I am blessed for each and every day that was filled with love fun, laughters, and sharing special moments with people i love and care for. You are my June Love 2013.

Topshop has landed to Hong Kong!!!

Just a quick update to let you all know, Topshop is finally arriving to Hong Kong today, with its grand opening at local time 17:00!!! I am really excited about this news and i can’t wait to see what goodies i will find there. I also saw this super cute Topshop promotional truck down my home over the weekend, that was blasting out some up beat English music, and of course, i went to check it out. The public were invited to go inside the truck to write messages on these neon colored post it notes to send a little loving to Topshop. I thought that was super cute idea.

They also gave out freebies where i got a Topshop magazine, leaflet, and a lipgloss in deep red, called “FOX”. It’s a bit too dark of a red for my daily wear for work but i’m sure i’ll make some use of it during my night outs.

I was reading inside the leaflet and apparently a lot of fun stuff will be going on. I’m really looking forward to the complimentary make overs and styling your own outfit and take a photo in their photo booth, which you can upload onto Facebook and Twitter. But i’m pretty sure i won’t be part of the first 200 people in que to receive their goodie bags because i can’t imagine staying over night on the streets to fight the crowd and oh yes, i got work today! But Topshop, I still want to give you warm welcome to Hong Kong!!!

May Love 2013

Walked by a local flower shop and stood for minutes in admiration of these beautiful and colorful flowers, and made my way home with a smile. Enjoyed a lovely weekend with an old middle school friend who was in town from Canada, where delish brunch with my fave roasted potatoes and scrambled eggs with peppers were gobbled down, and served with a latte. Definitely a good way to freshen up after a late night out partying. Discovered some funky wall art exhibiting Hong Kong with images of endless rows of tall buildings, a distinctive trait of this compact city.

Old fashion magazines discovered during room cleaning, and made into good use, as a temporary stand for my random nick nacks. The infamous giant 16.5 meter rubber duck , an inflatable art piece by Dutch artist, Florentijin Hofman finally arrived to Hong Kong, and will be floating around Victoria Harbour for a month. Apparently this rubber duck has visited different waters across the world, including Osaka, Sydney, Sao Paolo, Amsterdam, and many more. The purpose for this rubber duck is to spread the joy around the world and put smiles on people’s faces, and has been doing so since 2007. Being a tourist for a day in my own city and rediscovered some old temples, such as the infamous Man Mo Temple, located in Central.

BFF and i tried a new brunch place, Cafe inside, around her neighborhood in Sai Ying Pun. The art decor, stylish furnishes, friendly service definitely won us over. Oh and their blueberry toast was simply orgasmically divine! A walk around Gold Coast to enjoy the nature side of Hong Kong, followed by seafood dinner in celebration for my uncle’s birthday with the family. Mothers day spent on a calm Sunday evening over steak, papaya chicken salad, and hot lemon tea at Dan Ryans, and a yummy raspberry soft cheese cake i got from Agnes b. The sweetness and softness of the cake was just perfect.

I am blessed for each and every day that was filled with love fun, laughters, and sharing special moments with people i love and care for. You are my May Love 2013.

February Love 2013

Chinese New Year celebration was in full swing with colorful flowers and kum quat trees being decorated around the house. Lovely afternoon chill time with friends over cake and tea at the cosy “Zelo” located in Pacific Place Shopping mall, which has a really modern and stylish design to its interior.  Painted my nails in green with some glitter to add some fun as we entered the year of the snake!

Ms. C was in town visiting and had arranged a lovely evening for Ms. S’s birthday and also for my belated 30th, at the Domani Ristorante. She had some contacts and managed to get us a lovely table with the view of Hong Kong island, where drinks were prepared in advance. Drinking the night away with champagne, red wine, and dessert wine, while catching up like old times, was definitely a  great way to spend a joint birthday together. Valentines Day came before i knew it, and being still single, i was really touched when i went to Pret A Manger for my morning coffee and salmon/cucumber bun, and  found a small heart shaped short bread placed inside the paper bag along with my breakie. It is these small gestures that really gets to my heart at times.  Quiet stroll along the Victoria Harbour after a filling meal to burn off some excess calories, whilst taking in the beautiful night view of Hong Kong, never fails to impress me.

Spent a relaxing Sunday evening over a friend’s house party where the fabulous host had prepared delicious food and desserts. A pot of hot lychee and rose tea was served into these lovely looking Wedgwood tea cups, which complemented well with the home made chocolate cake, to neutralize the overall sweetness. Regular visits to the Vibe bar at the Mira hotel as of lately, has proved to be an enjoyable experience where my friends and I sit and talk for hours over wine and cocktails. The circular chandelier at its lobby entrance manages to fascinate me every time i go there and i think i’ve fallen in love with it. Lovely daffodils were welcomed into the house to welcome the Chinese new year and to hope for a fresh and better start.

I am blessed for each and every day that was filled with love, fun, laughters, and sharing special moments with people i love and care for. You are my February Love 2013.

Hong Kong International Art Fair 2009

I was going through my old photo albums tonight and that was when i came across this fabulous album that i completed forgot about. It was the Hong Kong International Art Fair that i attended back in May 2009.  I still remember my friend was in town for a business trip for promotional purposes for this event. We had arranged for a quick lunch nearby due to her tight work schedule and quite unexpectedly, she welcomed me to check out the art fair whilst she went back to work.

I did not think much about the fair and i thought i would be leaving in no time. How wrong i was!!!! The art pieces in the art fair really took my breath and mind away, and i recall staying there for 2 hours and just snapping away in admiration. This should really be a reminder for myself that i need to attend the next Hong Kong Art Fair.