Monday Perspectives

Checking in to say hello to you guys. Work is going well so far--I'm working hard and learning all the time. Especially glad to have had a few months to enjoy Asia at a leisurely pace.

I have been learning the most from the people around me. Getting to know them has opened my eyes to view my Asian world in completely new ways.  I have new perspectives and insights into my experience in Asia. This a huge, unexpected perk of my new position. The people around me come from almost every continent of the world, and getting to know them has been fun, challenging at times and infinitely rewarding.

I've got to get back to studying, but thank you for the e-mails! It takes away from the distance. xo

Have a great Monday. It was a beautiful 72 degrees here.

-Leaping Lizard

Hello and Hail to the Chief

Hello on this glorious (rainy) Presidents Day. Thank you, George Washington for doing all that you did. Today is not a holiday in Hong Kong, which I can prove by the amount of work I have. Hong Kong is meant to be a learning experience for me, so lots of work is a good thing. I hope all of you enjoy the day off and have had a great weekend.

Hong Kong at Night. Looks foggy like this right now.

I am super busy these days in Hong Kong, so my posting will probably trail off for the next 8 weeks. All is well, but I would love to hear from you. What did you guys do for President's Day weekend? Promise to respond if you write me an e-mail...hopefully, you know the e-address :)
x,
busy lizard

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day from Hong Kong. Here are some Chinese peeps in traditional clothing on Valentine's Day.

Love,

Leaping Lizard

Poppit

This has nothing to do with Hong Kong, but I cannot stop playing the game Poppit. It just came out in Google, and it is addicting. Here's the link, so give it a try and let me know what you think!

Poppit

Enjoy :)

Apartment: After!

Mostly finished, but holding out for some decorative pillows and art for the walls.
*Let me know if you have ideas!

That's the orange tree I bought for Chinese New Year. They looked SO pretty lining the sidewalks of the neighborhood. My cleaning lady laughed when she saw it and told me I need to water it more.  I want to keep you alive, plant!

Bathtub!

See, they do have everyday American items in HK. Pantene Pro V! Unfort. I can't read what type of Pantene this is!

Handy bathroom telephone. Who uses these? (if you're a doctor on-call, I understand)

Searched HK high and low for a jewelry tree and finally found this one at a store called Homeless. My Grandmother's "Save the Bay" calendar is in the background.

Found this handy jewelry organizer for $1.50 USD at a Japanese Home Store. I think the tray is made for kitchen cutlery but whatevs. Sterling Silver must be stored in air-tight bags here, otherwise it will tarnish very quickly.

Traces of British colonialism in the 'hood.

All the shops and people go away during Chinese New Year. This is what my neighborhood looked like!

Apartment Pictures: Before

Entry way

balcony view

Rock Out With Your Wok Out

I decided to do some Superbowl cooking Sunday night even though the Superbowl airs Monday morning (at 7 a.m.!) here in Hong Kong. I had been dying to make stir fry in a WOK, so last night I did. It is a ton of fun to cook with a wok--you get to use high heat, everything cooks quickly, and it's easy to improvise on your favorite ingredients. I ordered the veggies in the photo below and then went to the market to buy sprouts and flank steak. I used seasonings we already had to flavor the 'fry. I also bought Thai, long grain rice online so that I could start attempting to make rice in the Chinese style--aka sticky! Here's what happened:

 Rob sweetly chopped the veggies for me. 

Heating the wok and adding peanut oil! Vinegar, soy sauce and chili oil on the sidelines, ready for action. Computer and recipe on the dish drying rack.

sizzling steak and veggies

Yum!

Stir fry with sticky rice! It was delicious and fun. I will definitely do it again.

Recipe for Stir Fry and Rice here. Note, I did not have all of the stir fry ingredients, so I subbed peanut oil, white wine and vinegar for canola oil, sake and hoisin sauce. I also did not put the stir fry "in a bun" or add cornstarch as the recipe calls for...improvising worked well!

Lazy Sunday. Reading.

To me Sundays mean sleeping late, fixing pancakes and reading. I like to read books, blogs and favorite news web sites...perhaps write a blog post and a few e-mails. After that, the day is up in the air.

I'm doubly thrilled this morning because one of the blogs I read, BlackEiffel, did a post about the book I am reading right now, Cutting for Stone. My mom gave the book to me for Christmas, and I am loving it so far. While the link above gives a more in-depth summary of the novel, I will give you a little glimmer, too. The novel's namesake "Stone" is a surgeon, Dr. Stone. He is the only surgeon at a mission hospital in mid-century Ethiopia. When Stone's nun-assistant of seven years dies giving birth to twins, he flees, leaving two babies to be raised in the remaining wake at "Missing Hospital." I'm only 200 pages in, but so far I am hooked to this smart, contemporary novel.

Have you guys read anything good recently?

Friday!

Good Morning, and Happy Friday to you all. I hope you have great plans this weekend, even if that means lying low and relaxing! I am finally feeling much better and have a rather nifty link to share with you today. A few friends passed it on to me, and I have copied and pasted the content here for you. It comes from Gwyneth Paltrow's Web site "GOOP," in which she chronicles her life and offers some fresh advice for yours. In this case, she advises all to visit Liz and Rob in Hong Kong :)

Hong Kong

I spent just a few days in Hong Kong in October while on set for a film. The city is frenetic and crazy but has an incredible energy. It’s a magical place and I hope to visit again sometime soon. In the meantime, here’s my list of great spots for a whirlwind visit.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Love,
gp

The view from one of Hong Kong’s many highrises

Hotels:

Upper House Pacific Place, 88 Queensway + (852) 2918 1838 www.upperhouse.com

The Upper House was recommended to me when I was looking for places to stay in Hong Kong. It is definitely the most contemporary of the luxury hotels there, with a minimalist, Japanese look. After an incredibly long day on set, I had their Turkey Club Sandwich with fries at the hotel’s Café Gray Deluxe—another place where you’ll find a great view of the harbor.

 

We arrived on National Day and there were some spectacular fireworks.

The Four Seasons 8 Finance St +852 3196 8888 www.fourseasons.com

I went to the Four Seasons which is located right on the water’s edge with amazing views of Kowloon. It houses 3 Three Star Michelin restaurants, including the Caprice, a French restaurant, if you’re in the mood for something different. The Four Seasons also has great central location, being right inside of the International Finance Center mall which houses all the good shops like Lane Crawford, etc.

Mandarin Oriental 5 Connaught Road, Hong Kong +852 2522 0111 www.mandarinoriental.com

I wanted to check out the famous Mandarin Oriental for my GOOP readers, and a friend of mine arranged for me to visit the presidential suite ... Why not start at the top? The suite has an elegant and modern Chinese look to it with huge windows that open up onto a balcony that surrounds the entire suite. The views from all the way up there are incredible. The bathroom had both a huge jacuzzi and a steam room. I am told that the other rooms in the hotel are all similarly decorated with Chinese antiques and modern furniture. There are 10 restaurants and bars in the Mandarin Hotel including the M Bar, which seems to be one of the more trendy places to go to for a night out.

Hong Kong hosts a pretty major lightshow on the buildings facing the harbor every single night.
Credit: Scott Thistlehwaite

Restaurants:

China Club Old Bank of China Bldg. Bank St., 13th & 14th fls. + (852) 2521-8888

David Tang’s classic member’s club, China Club, is one of the most beautifully decorated spaces I’ve encountered. The feel is Shanghai circa 1930, with all the furnishings hand-selected by David himself. The China Club is also a gallery, packed with art by some of the most outstanding Chinese artists today. The dining room has a great vibe, with a woman singing standards by the piano; it’s like you might run into a movie star from the 1940s. The club also has a Mahjong room upstairs if you want to make an afternoon of your visit. Though it’s members only, a great hotel concierge can definitely pull some strings.

Dim Sum 63 Sing Wood Road, Happy Valley + (852) 2834-8893

My friend Ellana took me for brunch at Dim Sum in the Happy Valley section of Hong Kong. As its name suggests, it serves up just this. If you want to have an authentic Chinese dining experience, Dim Sum is a good place to start.

Jumbo Kingdom Aberdeen Harbor + (853) 2553-9111 www.jumbo.com.hk/eng

As I was filming a scene for a movie set partially in Hong Kong, I ended up spending a lot of time on the Jumbo, which is a floating restaurant on Aberdeen Harbor. It is a major tourist attraction, with 5 floors of restaurants floating on this big boat. It is also a self-proclaimed “theme park”—just so you’re warned. All this taken into account, it’s pretty fun in the end and the food is not half bad.

Zuma Levels 5 + 6 The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road + (852) 3657 6388 www.zumarestaurant.com

Zuma is one of my favorite restaurants in London, and its Hong Kong branch does not disappoint.

Nightlife:

Kee Club 6/F 32 Wellington St. + (852) 2810 9000 www.keeclub.com

The Kee Club is another worthwhile members club to visit. Try to go with a friend who is a member, or twist a concierge’s arm. The club is like an elegant old house with a lounge, game room, library, dining room and salon. The night I went, I had a great time dancing in their club.

Drop 39-43 Hollywood Road + (852) 2543 8856 www.drophk.com

I ended up at this teeny club late one night and had a great time. The club has a great vibe, a long and fun list of cocktails, and the dance floor is always packed.

Sevva Prince’s Building, 25th floor 10 Chater Road + (852) 2537 1388

After going to the China Club, I got after dinner drinks at the Terrace at Sevva with my friend Ellana. It has a great view, and it’s the perfect place to have a drink in Hong Kong’s balmy weather.

A boat ride is a wonderful way to see Hong Kong and get away from the city—it’s so busy it almost vibrates. I was lucky to catch a ride on a friend’s boat.

  

Shopping:

Red Lanterns in a street-side marketplace.

International Finance Center 1 Harbour View St. www.ifc.com.hk/en

The IFC, which is right on the water and also houses The Four Seasons (if you’re in for a luxury shopping trip), is the best place to go shopping in HK. It has all the basic, big name brands plus every single luxury brand you can think of. It can be dangerous if you’re a serious shopper … You could spend an entire weekend here without seeing the light of day.

Lane Crawford IFC www.lanecrawford.com

Lane Crawford is a beautifully decorated, incredibly well-selected specialty store. It’s the only place in HK where you’ll find varied brands like Acne, Elizabeth and James, Moncler, Vanessa Bruno, etc. It was definitely my favorite find at the IFC with its beautiful displays of contemporary art and huge and equally well-edited homeware department.

William Cheng & Son 8/F, Han Hing Mansion 38 Hankow Road, TST + 1 (852) 2739 7888

This workwear tailor has been around for more than 50 years, making and copying bespoke suits for clients all over the world. A friend of mine bought a suit there while we were visiting and they did a great job, and very quickly. William Cheng & Son have an international following and make yearly trips to London and Australia for their customers.

Toys Club 13/F 1 Duddell Street + (852) 2167 8474 stores.itoysclub.com

Whenever I’m away from my kids, I always check out the toy stores for a little memento to bring back. The Toys Club is the local mega-store in Hong Kong—absolutely everything a child would ever wish for. It also has a huge books department.