Manic Weekend

Had one of those weekends :  no sleep, had to be everywhere and do everything at once, exhausted.  But we got through it together, and were blessed with glorious weather,  so no complaints can be made.  I am lucky to be in love with my best friend.

F21 Maxi Dress, Tiffany Earrings,  Kenneth Cole Bag, Old Navy Flip Flops.  Click on picture for detailed view.

Hong Kong, Cake

In a little makeshift shack on the corner of Mosco and Mott, there once was a Hong Kong Cake Lady, known to everyone who frequented New York City's Chinatown.  For close to two decades, Mrs. Tam worked under an awning that said only "Hong Kong Cake",  making mini custard cakes to order for a dollar per bag.   The cake batter made of humble ingredients like egg, sugar, and flour, was poured into a honeycomb shaped cast iron mold,  then baked on a tiny stove top burner.  The taste was a heavenly mix of fresh baked Madeleine, custard, and really great waffles.  Even in the deep freeze of winter, A and I would endure long lines, shivering while we deeply inhaled the sweet scent wafting from her shack.  We don't know exactly when she stopped showing up,  but the Hong Kong Cakes we grew up craving have not been made in that shack for years.  Imitators mushroomed all over Chinatown, but no one makes them as good as Mrs. Tam.

Fast forward to 2009, we land in Hong Kong.  Our first order of business?  To find Hong Kong Cakes.  Except, we weren't actually sure that Hong Kong even had Hong Kong Cakes. And if it did, surely they were not called Hong Kong Cakes?  Perhaps just,  Cakes? Some expert googling in our hotel lobby taught us that in Hong Kong, these snacks really do exist!  Locals call them Gai Dan Zai, or little eggs. Google also said that the most popular HK Cakes are made by North Point Gai Dan Zai. After trekking back and forth across town, and with help from newly made friends, we finally hunted down the infamous NP Gai Dan Zai in their only location with late night hours. Boy, they were worth the trouble.  Crispy outside, lightly sweet and tender inside, NP Gai Dan Zai were shaped and flavored a bit differently from New York HKCs, but scrumptious nonetheless.

The rest of our Hong Kong food binge :


From street food, to afternoon tea at the Peninsula.

Dim Sum,  of course.

Bar hopping in Knutsford Terrace.

Late night snack of Hong Kong style spaghetti, fish cake and rice noodle soup.

Neon and Black

F21 Grey & Lime Pocket Tanks,  Alice in the Eve High Waisted Skirt, J Crew Tights. 

This tank is actually a neon lime green color, but somehow looks yellow in these pics :(  It reminded me of Gatorade.   This weekend was finally warm enough for tank tops,  then the party ended when Monday came, I walked to work in forty degree weather, covered in wool... 

Don't think I can ever get sick of black dress and pearls.   This version was made Safe For Work by a crew neck cardigan.  The dress is actually big on me,  but I think it cost fifteen bucks so alterations are probably not worth it. 

F21 Shift Dress, Nine West Leopard Print Pumps, Ivory, Pink, and Peach Pearls - Can't remember where I got them.

Rediscovering

Trying to bring some pieces in my closet out of retirement.  I actually don't have much old clothing.  Since I loathe clutter,   clothes are rigorously donated each year.  Here are some remnants of wardrobes gone by.  

Warehouse of London Faux Fur Jacket ( circa 2001 ), Miss Sixty Boots ( circa 2005 )

F21 Slub Tunic, French Connection Wool Blend Tights.

Hong Kong, why don't we have this?

View from Victoria peek through dense fog.

Hong Kong had that urban, electric buzz I love.  We were surrounded by delectable food, beautiful views, vibrant night life...  But I really fell head over heels, for In Town Check-in.  

We saw some airline counters in a metro subway station and discovered to our amazement that we can check-in our bags in town, then be luggage free all the way back to New York!  A and I simultaneously said, "Why don't we have this?"  After a city check-in, we traveled to the airport without burdens.  Amazing.

Cafes and shops on Victoria Peak.

Bus ride to the tram for Victoria Peak.

Sobaya

Hot soba noodles with grilled duck slices ( Kamonan ).

Chef Morimoto once said that if he could pick his last meal on earth, it would be soba. I don't think buckwheat noodles would be my choice for a last meal, but when it snows in April, like today, I want something hot, comforting and delicious.  Sobaya never disappoints.

Our favorite Soba restaurant in New York used to be Honmura An on mercer.  We alternated between the two establishments for over five years.   Honmura An was pricier but served more al dente noodles;  Sobaya offers impeccable broth and better desert.  When Honmura An closed their doors two years ago, we were really glad to still have Sobaya to fall back on.  

Soba noodles hand made daily on-site.

Trio of simmered vegetables : squash, lotus root, Japanese yam.

Soba with fried tofu, spinach, and fish cake.

Milk tofu ( or what I call Japanese Panna Cotta ), black sesame Ice cream.

Sobaya is located on 9th between 2nd & 3rd.

Comfort Food, Comfort Outfit

What I wore for eating soup and dancing, because I like to be dressed comfortably for both activities. Tulip shaped skirt,  pleated waist, tieback ribbon; but basically a comfortable t-shirt with pockets. Gotta love that.

Silence & Noise Boatneck Tunic
Chinese Laundry Suede Boots
F21 Leggings
F21 Necklace

Just Woke Up From Nap Hair

Tulips of a different sort.  Got these pale pink beauties from A,  just to say that he loves me.  I'm happy.  

Hong Kong, a city lover's city

View of HK Island from Kowloon

We had a hotel room with pretty views in Hong Kong, but spent less than three hours in it. There was so much to explore, to taste, in a very short period of time. Sleeping was out of the question.

Hong Kong, is all about the view. It seems that every restaurant, every bar, even every washroom tries to outdo one another with breathtaking views, despite heavy fog and clouds.

Random Office Building


Ferry Ride to HK Island

Me likes pockets

Still battling temperatures in the forties and low fifties,  in April.   I'm sick of wearing a coat. And sick of complaining about wearing a coat. 

AE oversized cardigan

French Connection Dress

Barneys Co-op Pumps

Wore this dress with a button down shirt for work, then ditched the shirt for a cardigan to go out to dinner. Pockets are awesome, lately everything I'm buying has a pair.