This was also a special afternoon to head over to DBay, as there was an Arts & Crafts fair taking place – And one of our Plus group members; B, was setting up a stall at this fair.

The square at DBay lined with tiny colorful tents which housed really creative vendors – Wow, I was indeed blown away with all the creative juices flowing in this one place!

The Pluster gals – including H (right hand side of photo) who was kind of in the frame as well

Pluster gals got held up at the first stall we stopped by!

Ok, maybe you can tell that I fell in love with this clutch by angeew.com because I just couldn’t tear my eyes away from the feathers!

This was our expression the second we stopped by B’s stall! We were just in awe by how amazing her work is!!! *WOOOOOOWWWWWWW!*

All eleven of us then had lunch at Zaks – an award-winning restaurant listed on the famous openrice.com; that serves an array of International food from pita wraps, pasta and even Singapore fried noodle!

The amazing part about Zaks is being able to sit our in the open air, with a sea view! The weather was perfect – breezy, misty and cool; although it did drizzle at the beginning.

It was also quite a pleasant surprise to find out that dining at Zaks’ entitled each of us to a complementary ferry pass back to Central Pier. So if you’re heading over to DBay, make sure you dine at Zaks’ or any other participating eateries which would entitle you to the same benefit.

ZAKS
Shop 4, G/F, D Deck,
Discovery Bay
Average spending per person: HKD200

Getting to Discovery Bay:
Take a ferry from Central Pier 3/Discovery Bay Ferry Pier (Hong Kong station Exit F)
Duration: 25 minutes
Ticket Fare: HKD27

We all are suckers for good deals – I mean, who isn’t, right? But perhaps in certain scenarios, Irwin is a bigger sucker than I am. HAHA! So it was no surprise when he stumbled upon Groupon HK – very loosely put, an online coupon-selling store; and started tempting me with daily deals.

“Eh, how about a facial in Causeway Bay for HKD149? You’ll be saving 90% if you purchase this coupon from Groupon today, you know!”

And on other days, he’d find a manicure spa package, “Eh, you should give this place a try! Only HKD99 at Groupon today. Maybe you can become a regular here after this first try.”

And such would be the everyday temptations he’d put me through.

One weekend, Irwin excitedly came to report that Raja Fashions, a renowned bespoke tailor in Tsim Sha Tsui was offering up to 78% discount on their custom made suits. For only HKD888, you’d now be able to make a suit worth HKD4000!

Wow~ It did sound like a steal!

And such was how Irwin (and Vanessa) officially made his first purchase at www.groupon.hk.

But alas, when we got to Raja Fashions to utilize our Groupon, we found ourselves spun into a web of up-selling!

Two hours later, we walked out paying HKD2000 extra, on top of the purchased HKD888 groupon, for better quality material. The material offered under the basic HKD888 package was really crap, and since Irwin wanted to make a new work suit, we decided that it would be best to upgrade. After all, nobody wants to look like a cheap suit at work, right? *turns on brainwash mode.

There really isn’t such thing as a free lunch. Well, in this case, a cheap lunch. And for a week after that first visit, we waited anxiously for a call back for fitting.

Sure enough, less than a week later, Irwin received a call to go by for a fitting. We really were keeping our fingers crossed all the way, just expecting the worst out of this whole marketing gimmick!

First fitting at Raja Fashions

Irwin scrutinizing the half-completed suite. I thought it looked really OK despite this being his 1st fitting… (I’ve seen him at worse fittings!)

Oops! I guess they missed out sewing on the right arm!

I thought the initial fitting went really well – The trousers sat well on his lower waist; its cutting neither too carrot-cut nor baggy; The length and cut of the jacket didn’t make him look short and stout, and there weren’t any ugly, unwanted folds and creases along the shoulders and the back of the jacket. Even without an arm, it did look rather promising!

TADA~ Three days after his fitting, it was ready for collection. (Poor quality photo taken from my iPhone *heh)

I thought the outcome was quite pleasing. I can safely say, its one of Irwin’s best bespoke suites, and yes – I’d definitely recommend Raja Fashions to all the guys coming by HK who are interested to get a fine suite custom made! But of course, it would only be a STEAL of a deal with the Groupon So yes – We are both officially Groupon junkies now!!!

Raja Fashions Hong Kong
34-C Cameron Road, G/F,
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

Ranging from baked oysters to sushi, sashimi and a hot-pot area, it completely skipped my mind that I was at Neway CEO to karaoke, rather than to dive into the sumptuous spread laid before me.

Best way to nip Monday blues in the bud would definitely be to hit the karaoke lounge and bellow out some numbers from the 80′s! – And I guess it worked for Irwin and his team mates. I was fortunate enough to tag along to equally enjoy the de-stress session with “I’m on the… TOP OF THE WORLDDDD lookin’…. Down on CREAAAATIONNN and the only explanation I can findddd…”

Neway CEO Karaoke
2-8 Sugar Street, Causeway Bay

But because we missed out on the coffee bit, I was determined to re-visit the place soon….

And here we are again, barely 24 hours later — this time though at The One shopping mall on Nathan Road.

As it turns out, I realized from the website that there are quite a few branches located in the vicinity of where we would usually frequent. Caffe Habitu started out as a boutique coffee place, serving the best of Italian coffee and lifestyle. The funniest part is, there is even one downstairs of our apartment at the Elements Mall!

An afternoon snack of Pizza Margherita~ And coffee, of course.

This is definitely going to be my favorite coffee place from now on. I can finally bid farewell to Pacific Coffee and Starbucks!

Adios from Caffee HABITU! ~

It was really nice having both our families join us in HK for a week to celebrate the Christmas season last December — And one of the places we managed to visit together, other than Noah’s Ark was Ocean Park!

Getting to Ocean Park located at Aberdeen, which is on the Southwestern part of Hong Kong island didn’t require much effort because the Citybus #629 takes you directly to its doorstep! Catch this ride from Admiralty station Exit B. Tickets for both the 40-minute ride as well as theme park can be purchased together at a booth just before boarding the bus. You won’t miss this booth!

Together with me, were 2 avid photographers – My husband and my mama. Below are some of the moments they managed to capture through their view finders that day~

There are 2 iconic animals found at Ocean Park – One being the sea lion, also found as a mascot on their logo; and the other the dolphin.

Here’s a really cute story of a few sea lions out and about on this sunny December afternoon…

This is Girlfriend; she was enjoying her afternoon siesta on her day bed when suddenly, she hears the sound of familiar whistling…

She jolts up from her daybed and looks around, wondering if perhaps Boyfriend was in the vicinity and calling out to her. (Note the blurry spot on the left) The whistling is so persistent, yet Boyfriend is no where in sight – So she continues searching…

And oh!!! Out of no where, Boyfriend magically appears from the water and pecks her lovingly on her lips! *aww… Boy, that made her day alright.

But little did Girlfriend suspect that the calls for mating was from…

(It was the blurry spot on the left of the previous photo) Isn’t God so amazing that He created love not just for us human beings, but also for animals?

We also managed to catch the show at Ocean Theater, showcasing more cute sea lions and smart dolphins!

Here’s another amazing creation – The jellyfish! Made up of 90% liquid, without bones or any of our 5 primary senses, I still have yet to figure out the purpose of life for these creatures… Other than the fact that they look pretty in the neon lights!

And finally, to complete our Ocean Park experience, we took the cable car ride back down to the Entrance/Exit.

Noah’s Ark is this incredible place where a small part of the Bible comes to life for me. Built as a theme-park concept, some may be of the opinion that it lacks in many ways. Admittedly, it really is a far cry from what is offered at Ocean’s Park or Disneyland; yet for me, meaningful enough to encourage people to visit at least once.

So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.” Genesis 6

How many times have we read this portion of scripture telling about Noah’s great adventure, yet not really realizing the magnitude of the task he was assigned with – until we are face to face with an exhibit of that size. And being retold, in detail, of how Noah was instructed to build this place of refuge for his family and all the living creatures of the earth at that time.

Simply amazing.

This particular replica of Noah’s Ark was built based on the findings of a group of evangelical explorers from HK who were assigned to study the relics found on Mount Ararat in Eastern Turkey, at 11,000 feet above sea level.

All on board the ark!

Noah’s Ark is situated in the New Territories – on a secluded and serene island of Ma Wan, also known as Park Island. Interestingly, despite being about an hour away from the city, there are people who still choose to live here and commute to work on the HK island! Perhaps this is the best way to leverage the best of both the exciting city life as well as an enriching family life.

Photo of the Day would have to be the one featured below – Faith Avenue, because this season has taught Irwin and I so many valuable lessons about our faith in God, and what it truly means to walk by faith.

How we found our way to Noah’s Ark: We took the MTR to Hong Kong station Exit F and headed toward Central Pier No.2, bound for Ma Wan. Travel time on the ferry approximately 25 minutes.

I’d always imagined Stanley to be pretty, but seeing is believing; as people often say. And so when our rumbling bus rattled along the coastal roads of Repulse Bay, the sparkling sea and beautiful white sandy beach that greeted us through the slightly scratched bus windows was indeed a reinforcing testament for my imagination.

Stanley is situated on a peninsula, on the Southeastern part of Hong Kong island. (Tiny red dot on the map! HAHA)

There are quite a few ways to get to Stanley via the bus or mini bus. We opted to take the Citybus #6 from the Exchange Square bus terminus — which is located across the road from Central station Exit B.

I thought this would be the best route to travel as tourists, as it would take a very scenic route along Happy Valley, and through the coastal roads of Repulse Bay. The hour-long bus journey was well its worth when the view of Repulse Bay came into sight as we descended from Wong Nai Chung Gap road. It was simply spectacular!

We found Stanley to be such a great getaway from the hustle of everyday Hong Kong life. Walking along the boardwalk lined with trees and benches, one can easily forget that you’re in HK!

Along this very same boardwalk, there is also a large selection of bars, cafes and restaurants to choose from. You’d notice that the best seats of the house are the alfresco dining ones – Open air, sea facing; with the occasional cool breeze blowing your way. The perfect setting for a relaxing afternoon!

I had read some reviews about The Boathouse and decided to make reservations to dine there on the top most floor – with views of the glassy sea!

We had a bruschetta to start with, followed BBQ baby-back ribs and a real cheesy ravioli as entrees. This of course was complemented with some white wine.

Bruschetta

Ravioli

BBQ Baby-back Ribs

The bill came up to be about HKD700+ . I would opt for good peking duck at Lei Garden any time with the same money! Anyhow, this place would deserve perhaps 7/10 for the overall experience.

Irwin experimenting with his flash lights (and me – Not ready for the camera!)

Blake Pier by the Murray House

Beautiful shot of the sunset captured by Irwin by Blake Pier

Some other things to do around the vicinity include taking a stroll along the Stanley Ma Hang Park which will also lead you to the Pak Tai Temple which is perched on a cliff-edge, Stanley Plaza which unfortunately is still under renovation till the end of 2011, and of course the Stanley Market which sells a host of touristy things.

Stanley Market

With that, I end with the Photo of the Day! — Taken against a backdrop of colonial pillars at the Murray House.

I thought only smaller companies (like the ones I work at) do that. Oh, and I also thought that it was because CEOs (like the one I work for) at smaller companies are nicer. *TEE HEE*

I must tell you, that if you’re an aspiring CEO or is already one, it is crucial to include your employees’ spouse in your corporate social activities, lest you want your bowling tournament to only be attended by your (old & boring) senior management.

At Circus in de Town, we ran into quite a few interesting animals, clowns, magicians and au naturale-s. *WINKS* (those who didn’t feel the need to dress up)

Girlfriends Ashwini and Sze Min came to visit!!! Our 3-day itinerary included shopping, eating, shopping and more shopping.

Ashwini was dead impressed with Hong Kong as soon as she arrived at HK International Airport and kept raving that everything is so neat, orderly and efficient. And because of that, she apparently had decided that she’d like to move here even before stepping out of the airport! I guess that really explains the huge grin she was wearing despite having been up since 330am that morning to catch the earliest flight out of KL.

Sze Min on the other hand was particularly excited about our siu-ba (mini bus) rides to and from the malls because it made her feel like a typical local HK person shopping moving about town. She was so excited to a point that she needed to capture the moment as soon as we got onto the bus! …

On our first afternoon out together, we took the opportunity to meet up with another high school friend of ours who has since moved to HK and settled down. She brought her cute 4-month old out to meet us at Yung Kee Restaurant in Central to indulge in some famous HK roast goose and dim-sum.

Seeing that it had already been a long day for the girls, we decided to cut our shopping expedition around SoHo short, and went for happy hour drinks instead at Peak Bar.

With 12 million people living in this small city, there were some things the girls weren’t used to though… *HAHA*…

#1. Riding the MTR with the rush hour traffic.

#2: Perpetually needing to share our tiny table with total strangers at meal times.

Their expressions were priceless when this lady dropped herself onto the stool a few minutes after we placed our orders here at the Australia Dairy Company They were beyond shocked that she didn’t even ask us if the seat was still vacant. Hilarious.

Personally, the best part of the weekend was preparing breakfast early Sunday morning whilst sipping coffee and yakking with Ashwini; and eating in our pajamas afterward!

Oh, I miss them already… *SIGH*…

To kick start the last calendar month of 2010, I was quite adamant about putting up a Christmas tree at our apartment here in HK despite the ever-occurring issue of space constraint. Irwin even suggested shipping our 6-foot tree from KL!!! *FAINTS*

But of course when our logical minds took over, we realized it wouldn’t be such a bright idea, unless we’re planning to have our parents sleep underneath the Christmas tree when they come to spend Christmas with us.

Two trips to Fa Yuen kai (Flower Market) was what it took to source everything I wanted needed to make sure my plans materialized as I had imagined.

3-Cheers for Irwin for being my resource person (as always), my navigator and most importantly for patiently waiting on me amongst the throng of people flocking the flower market. *WINKS* If given a choice, I’m pretty sure he’d have given the whole we-must-have-a-Christmas-tree project a miss after seeing the mass of humans swarming that area.

Trip #1: Spent buying ornaments. The selection of trees were still rather limited at that time as it was only mid November!

Trip #2: We found this multi-storey building selling all types of lovely Christmas decorations. *EXCITED* I was so tempted to lug home a Reindeer made of twigs and painted in gold for HKD1,200.

But I did not.

Because Irwin was with me.

So I settled for a 3-feet tree. Honey, I Shrunk the Christmas Tree.

December 2009: Home in KL

December 2010: Home away from home in HK. *TADA~

In seeking for some appreciation, I pried Irwin away from his (boring) process flow charts to proudly show him my completed project!

I had spent the whole night meticulously and strategically placing each ornament and LED light bulb in its right position, angle and elevation. *BEAMS*

Here’s to a blessed Christmas!