Saturday, March 31, 2012
That's where I'm headed in approximately six hours!
I'm such a worrier, I get this unshakeable feeling of uneasy anticipation in the hours ahead of a trip to somewhere I've never been... the older you get, the more you replay unlikely and scary scenarios in your head. What if the left falangee on the plane isn't working? What if I get robbed and I have no money and no identification and no phone and no friends and no idea where I am? What if it's really, really cold and I can't have fun because I'm succumbing to frostbite? The scenarios get stupider and stupider -- What if I can't find free Wi-fi anywhere? What if I eat too many pastries, I can't fit into my clothes at the end of the trip?
Anyway, I'm sure my fears will be allayed once the first pastry is spotted.
Earlier, I said to Loretta, "We have to eat reindeer in Helsinki." She replied, "Will Santa get mad?"
Images: here, here and here.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Geez, Zara footwear is looking really freaking good this season. Really regretting not indulging more when I was in Spain -- those plexi-heeled sandals were like, 70 Euros (so practically 60 after detaxing) and they're HK$999 here. Exchange rate is so good, too! But patience will pay off, because I'm Paris-bound this weekend! EEEEEK!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Apparently, Main St Deli at The Langham, Hong Kong, has become known for its big meals. Or so they say in their press release. I haven't been, so I can't confirm. But I'm a girl who likes it big. Size does matter. Big is always better. And now the New York deli is pandering to its reputation, and offering not just big dishes, but monstrous, gargantuan, ridiculously large portions: a 20-inch hot dog, a 12-inch burger, a 1kg reuben sandwich and a crazy huge lox & bagel.
Obviously, these are made for sharing... but I feel a strong urge to challenge one on my own...
They're available until the end of April, with 24 hours notice. For enquiries or reservations, please call 2132 7898.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
We complain about the lack of good vintage stores in Hong Kong... but it's not really "vintage" we care about (well, maybe only a little bit...), it's the prospect of acquiring fabulous designer goods at dirt-cheap prices. And then showing off to our friends about it.
I have long had the bad, bad habit of buying things that don't fit. You may think I'm crazy, but it's one of the hazards of attending press sales, time-short windows of opportunity that include ridiculous limited-edition items at super discounts. Well, now you'll have that opportunity this coming April. Come April 21, the Geeks and some of our super-stylish pals (including fellow blogger Elle Lee!) will be taking part in Preloved Fashion Hong Kong, a pop-up sale of goodies culled from our closets. Vintage? This is better than vintage.
Check out the Facebook page here for images of just some of the goodies you'll find -- including a brand-new pristine white Hermes Birkin, a few new Chanel 2.55s, a Bottega Veneta knot clutch, a tri-colour Celine Luggage tote... and that's just the bags! From the shoe archives of your own ShoeGeek (yes, I'm referring to myself in the third person, how very douchey, I'm sorry): the Loubies worn here, the Sergio Rossis worn here, the Balenciaga boots worn by Sea of Shoes' Jane Aldridge here and more! Go check out the Facebook page, and "Like" it for updates because we'll be adding more stuff as we photograph it (and collect it from friends!)
Disclosure: SEVVA is a client of FashionGeek’s day job. All views are presented by guest blogger LifestyleGeek
What is Canadian cuisine? Maple syrup, smoked salmon, and that artery-clogging poutine! But thankfully Vancouver chef David Hawksworth takes a more refined route when it comes to Canadian, or more precisely, west coast cuisine. And you can sample his creative offerings at SEVVA until Friday March 30. Set lunch tasting menus start at HK$460, dinner at HK$1,500.
Hawksworth made a name for himself at West restaurant in Vancouver and then last year struck out on his own with a place named after him where the former Hotel Georgia is located. The hostess with the mostess Bonnie Gokson met Hawksworth when she attended a wedding in Vancouver last year. That led to her bringing him and his team here to present some dishes for Hong Kong diners to try. The results are nothing short of amazing.
So if you have a chance, check out Hawksworth and his culinary prowess at SEVVA -- before Friday!
Your tastebuds will thank you.
25/F, Prince's Building
10 Chater Road
Monday, March 26, 2012
Ozone on the 118th floor of the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong is a great venue to impress guests in the evening with its jaw-dropping view, and now it also serves up gourmet brunch on Sundays from noon to 3pm. For HK$888 with free-flowing Veuve Clicquot Champagne (or HK$1,888 with free-flowing vintage 2002 Dom Perignon Champagne and 10g of Hybrid caviar) you can enjoy an extensive selection of appetisers, select a main course and then sample a variety of desserts all while enjoying the amazing view, subject to weather conditions of course.
The day we went was overcast from the ground floor, but when we got up to the highest floor in Hong Kong, all we could see were clouds below us and Hong Kong island was shrouded in the fog, kind of like a modern Chinese painting. Meanwhile we were surrounded by an amazing clear blue sky. But surely our stomachs were calling for a panoramic taste of the brunch and so we promptly checked out the goods.
Then we went to the other side of the dining area where the desserts and other starters were. If you must be decadent -- and why not -- you're at the Ritz -- you can have pan-fried foie gras cooked right in front of you at the cooking station, as well as savoury beef cubes teppanyaki style that were melt-in-the-mouth juicy.
And this was all before the main course.
Oh did we mention cocktails?
We chose the black cod and were not disappointed. The fish was cooked perfectly, flaking off the fork and was very tasty with the ponzu caramel sauce. It came with a grilled cherry tomato, carrots and asparagus as well as rice.
But you can't be too full yet -- there's still some desserts to go through!
For some opulence for your skin, try the vanilla creme with bird's nest, or how about the mini mango pudding, baked warm chocolate tart, pandan creme brulee, blueberry cheesecake or mini lemon and lime tartlets.
Did we mention there's also a cheese selection too?
There's many to choose from, ranging from hard to soft, including cow and goat cheeses.
And when you have brunch at Ozone you can get 15 percent off a treatment at The Ritz-Carlton Spa by ESPA. So the next time you have brunch there, schedule a spa treatment in the afternoon and your Sunday will definitely end on a high note.
118/F, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong
International Commerce Centre
1 Austin Road West
All these weddings exploding like land mines around me.... it's just that age, you know. The same hotel ballrooms, the same guestlists, the same music (hello, Bruno!) and even the same fake cake. If you're getting married soon, or have friends who are, then at least customize the five-layer sweet treat with an unusual cake topper.
Not that I'm headed altar-wards in the near future, but I've already picked mine out... either the corgi bride and groom, or Superman meets Wonder Woman (Lois Lane will be pissed, but whatevs.)
More after the jump!
Other panda topper.
sloth topper. She loves sloths (see this vid).
bride and groom.
Customisable letter topper -- write your names or a simple Mr and Mrs.
Puzzle people cake topper.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Katy Perry was spotted in a pair of these babies a while back, and even though they're a bit gimmicky for the average office lady, you have to admit, there's something kind of cute about that whole Minnie Mouse kind of sensibility. What's also kind of jazzy is that the shoe comes with an interchangeable lipstick colour, and the colours include purple, blue, gold and a chic understated black.
Get them at Alberto Guardiani.
Friday, March 23, 2012
I hear you ask which bag did I get? I got the amazing Beiruti clutch featured above. I love the contrast between the soft leather and the hard metal plate. And yes, even though I frequently lament that I don't have a use for clutches, this bag is just too amazing not to get. Stay tuned for a Geek Peek with Dareen coming soon!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Having been fully converted to ebooks with the Kindle, there are few books that I want to buy these days. The only exception are coffee table books which given the fact that my coffee table is actually a vintage wooden trunk from the 1950s, it doesn’t really have much space for books on top of it. However, that doesn’t deter me from lusting after Chanel’s latest coffee table book offering- The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s classic revisited by Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld.
Created during the 1950s by Coco, this jacket has been reinvented by Karl Lagerfeld since 1983. Check out the behind the scenes video which features numerous celebrities wearing the jacket in different ways. Images were shot in Cannes and then in New York, before finishing up in Paris in Karl Lagerfeld’s studio. Celebrities featured includes Sarah Jessica Parker, Georgia May Jagger, Alice Dellal, Maïwenn, Laetitia Casta, Virginie Ledoyen and Akuol de Mabior. Interested in how the little black jacket is made? Be sure to watch the second video.
And if you happen to be in Tokyo, there is an opening exhibition dedicated to the little black jacket from 24th March until 15th April 2012 at G-Bldg, Minami Aoyama,
Minami Aoyama 5-4-48, Minato Ku, Tokyo
The Little Black Jacket: Chanel's classic revisited by Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld, Steidl, Göttingen, 2012, 232 pages. Available in bookstores from autumn 2012.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
For the past year or so, I’ve been a tad sick of Mr Louboutin’s red soles feeling that it’s gotten a bit passé. Of course, just as I’m thinking this, along comes the capsule collection celebrating the 20th anniversary of the brand and I realize why I fell in love in the first place. From the Pensee to the La Pluminette, 20 iconic styles were revisited along with six one of a kind bags. I particularly loved that we were shown the sketches of the shoes along with the actual products. The collection launched in Hong Kong next Thursday and I can’t wait to check it out in person. Must remind myself though that I’m on a shoe embargo!