Category Archives: Lifestyle

Happy Birthday to me

28 Sunday Oct 2012

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Another year, another birthday. This was one of my best birthdays yet. Thank you for all the love!

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Amazing acupuncture!

18 Tuesday Sep 2012

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I twisted my ankle a few weeks ago while training for the 10k. Ironic, since I was consciously trying to correct my running posture (landing on the ball of my foot with a slight hunch, and pretending that the wind is in my back). I thought I’d just let it rest for a few days, elevating it whenever possible (a girl cannot do without her heels for long!). But it was clearly not working after two weeks, as the same area kept  bothering me when I trained.

Since I was pretty sure that all my family doctor was going to do was tell me to continue elevating my foot  (and potentially giving me a Hurodoid-like ointment), I decided to try my luck with a Chinese doctor. Apparently, I had a swollen tendon that was slowly extending up the small of my leg. She initially rubbed some ointment on me, and tried to massage it out (and by massage, I mean violently rubbing, pushing and turning my foot here and there). When that did not work to ease my discomfort (and indeed, may have added to it), she resorted to acupuncture. I was freaked out! The idea of having needle stuck in my foot (or anywhere on my person for that matter) just doesn’t sit well with me. When I was a little girl, I had to be held down to get a shot. To this day, one of my primary school friends still love talking about the time I ran and hid from a shot at school once (I so do not recall this). So you can imagine how I feel about  needles being stuck in my foot for an indefinite period of time *swoon*.

But since I’ve already come so far, I couldn’t let the violent shaking be for nothing. So, I forged ahead, clutching my Kindle in front of my face. If you can’t see, then it won’t hurt as much right? As I felt the needle penetrate my skin, I braced myself for excruciating pain… but instead, it felt a little less than getting a blood sample. I kept expecting more pain to come, as the needles “settle in,” but it was blessedly numb.

When I put my foot down to test the results afterwards, it was incredible. It was as if the needles have indeed “released” the swelling from my foot, and the discomfort that has been bothering me for weeks have magically disappeared! Barring a delicate sensation, which I think it purely psychological, I was as good as new and ready to jump. Who knew that acupuncture is so amazing???

My ribs are bruised

27 Monday Aug 2012

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That’s how it feels like anyway. I know that it is likely the after shock of utilizing dormant muscles, but I went to the bathroom to check anyway. Just to be sure I didn’t actually bruised my ribs – I didn’t. It is indeed just the by product of doing crunches correctly.

After much consideration and empty talking, I finally joint the gym a few weeks ago. Mostly because one of the things on my list of  30 things to do before I’m 30 is to run a half marathon (and time is starting to run out!). I thought I was already being realistic to my level doing half, but when I told my boss (who is a runner) that I wanted to run a half marathon he laughed and asked me if I knew how far that was. Apparently it is 21K. I immediately flashed back to the time when I walked a 10K in Auckland and how afterwards my friend and I laid paralyzed on her couch for the remainder of the day… ok so maybe a half marathon in 3 months is pushing it. So I signed up for the 10K race in November (in about 2.5 months time). It’s all about setting realistic goals for yourself, and building up to it right?

Well, turns out after the initial assessment, my trainer doesn’t even think I can finish running a 10K race. Probably because I feel lightheaded and super out of breath after a 20 minute run at a moderate rate (she calls it, fast walking). It’s not even because I don’t eat or am dehydrated. It just happens as I cool down. Probably because of all the blood rushing into my head afterwards. Supposedly it gets better with time… though I have my doubts.

Anyway, in addition to all that, I also have no muscle strength … well anywhere on my physique. When I try to do sit ups, I end up tiring out my neck, cause I have no strength in my abdomen to execute the task. The other day, after doing some weight lifting, my arms were so weak that while I was in the shower, I dropped my huge bottle of Aveda conditioner onto my foot and bruised myself (for real). My trainer was kind enough not to tell me my assessment score… but judging from my screaming muscles (I finally know what they mean by that!), I’m pretty sure it is close to 0. Looks like I have a long way to go………

On the plus side, to encourage myself in this new endeavor, I bought myself a lovely layered Adidas black tank with pink highlights, which is super chic!

Another Happy Happy Birthday

23 Sunday Oct 2011

Posted by in Hong Kong, Lifestyle, Random Musings

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I was just looking through this blog, and realized that a few years ago, I’d written a piece freaking out about turning a quarter of a century old. Now that I have actually reached this milestone however, I feel surprisingly fine. Obviously there are still a lot of things to figure out and areas to improve in. But I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead. A little like the anticipation and apprehension I felt right before college.

Thank you again to everyone who has made it yet another happy happy birthday this year. I feel loved. Hopefully all my birthdays ahead will be the same 🙂

I finally got my long time wish of getting a cupcake tower this year!

I even got a floating balloon, which I’ve been thinking about for this year!

We’re still trying to figure out what the bottom part says… because it is definitely not my name.

Hydrangeas and roses.

And a taste of all my favourite desserts in Hong Kong! From Sift (for the cupcakes), to Zoe (above)..

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..to Cova….

..to Vero. A joint birthday celebration with a very old friend. First time in over 2 decades!

And lets not forget the delicious homemade carrot cake from S!

Pole dancing: an art and a sport

20 Thursday Oct 2011

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Ever since college, and we saw Jolin (the Taiwanese version of Britney) do it in her MV, HG and I have always been very intrigued by pole dancing. Not in the strip tease way, but by how incredibly cool Jolin looks effortlessly twirling and whirling on that pole as if she had wings, like a fairy.

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So when I saw that our gym was offering members a 6-class pole dancing course at $360 HKD ($46 USD – it’s like Groupon cheap!), HG and I immediately signed up. Our instructor, Tessa (a competition winning pole dancer) is seriously impressive. She’s so fluid and elegant, it’s mesmerizing to watch (again, not in the creepy strip tease way, but the same way one is drawn to staring at art). In comparison, Jolin  is clearly still a student.

I’m not sure what possessed us to think we can be fairies as well. I guess we figured that it was only a matter of the right instructions and learning, and we are nothing if not astute students. But alas, we forgot that some things simply cannot be learnt. We’ve just had our 4th lesson over the weekend, and so far we’ve tried an array of moves, from the figure 8, the body role, fireman, pretzel & single-leg pretzel, the carousel to the fan. Frankly, we’ve made a muck out of all of them. Our body simply does not move/work that way. The first time we tried to slide down the pole, we ended up a heap on the floor. When we tried to stay hooked onto the pole (hands off! it is all in the thigh and pelvic muscles), we didn’t even manage a second (let alone climb upwards, which is the next step). When we tried to follow her step by step instructions to do the body roll, we looked like we were trying to metamorphose. She even slides up the floor elegantly, while we struggle (it’s really more like a push up in disguise). Let’s not get into the carousel (the fairy-like swirl on the pole, where you are held up with one arm while your legs are elegantly sprawled out in 90 degree angles to your side). This one is like a single hand lift up, except you have to do it horizontally keeping your body off the floor. Needless to say, HG and I have no physical strength to perfect any of these, except maybe the head flick. So we just tried and had a good laugh.

It may not be an Olympic event (though if it were, I’m sure there would be a packed stadium), but it is most definitely a sport. The physical strength, stamina and agility that goes into perfecting the moves is nothing short ofwhat you’d expect of a gymnast.

Cruisin’

11 Sunday Jul 2010

Posted by in Hong Kong, Lifestyle

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Boat trips are a huge pain to organize. Finding enough people to commit, making sure that everyone is fed and hydrated- all within budget- and hoping that the weather will be clear, is no easy feat.

But when you’re lounging on the deck, staring up at the clear blue sky and drifting in and out of a nap, it makes it all worth it. There is just something so soothing about the open space of nature, especially when you’ve been cooped up in the city for the last many months. Just remember to slather on loads of sunscreen and reapply frequently.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Swept Away

08 Thursday Jul 2010

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Following the footsteps of the Sassy Girls, my girlfriends and I went to the Victorian Spa at the Disneyland Hotel yesterday to enjoy an afternoon of pampering. The special Girl’s Day Out Package was just too good to resist!

“If  3 or more friends book together you can indulge in the the Elemis Dream Journey massage and facial plus a one way transfer to the spa with a car picking you up in Central!  The Girls Day Out Package is available for $930 each Sunday to Thursday and $980 if booked for a Friday or Saturday.” (original text from SassyHongKong)

We were immediately swept away with an efficiently arranged car pick up at Pacific Place 1. The car ride  there was so smooth and comfortable that it barely felt like it took 20 minutes. When we arrived at the Disneyland Hotel, the driveway was immaculately lined with palm trees and the sky was blue. We felt like we were on a vacation and we didn’t even have to go through customs!

We were warmly welcomed at the reception and given a tour of the facilities. The staff was very friendly and even offered to share their mosquito repellent with me when we decided to take lunch outside at the poolside bar. After a simple lunch, we grabbed our drinks and enjoyed ourselves on the lounge chairs by the poolside.  Oh how I miss staring into the empty blue sky without trying to peak behind skyscrapers. It’s a good thing we went on a weekday, because the pool was relatively empty save a few children, so it was nice and peaceful (or as peaceful as a Disney themed pool can be). We even took a dip in the pool and tried out the water slide. The water slide was surprisingly long. This is my first time back in the water since the fitness swim test I had freshman year, so it’s a good thing that the pool was relatively shallow. I accidentally tripped over myself twice attempting to swim with my head above water and effectively defeated the purpose of it when I went “overboard.” Sorry I forgot to take pictures of the pool side. I was too busy just being in the moment of it.

Then we changed into our robes (they were rather thin and not as plush and princessy as I’d hoped) and headed off for our treatments. I love how the luxuriously decorated waiting room has girly refreshments, like lemon honey ginger water, and the Disney channel on. The treatment was heavenly. I felt so refreshed afterwards! I especially loved the  cooling gel she put on my shoulder to “de-stress” towards the end. It felt so tingly! The only problem I had was that I had difficulty breathing through my nose when I was facing down, even though there was already a hole in the chair. I guess it is not their fault though. It happened to me before at my last massage too. It’s as if the position blocks off my airway. Does anyone else have this problem??

After our treatment, we tried out the steam room (to open our pores and better absorb the oil), sauna and the jacuzzi. It was fun to have it all to ourselves. The changing room itself was really well equipped, though the bath products felt a bit watered down. Once we were all showered and dressed, we took a leisurely walk into the hotel’s hedge maze. Since reading a book in high school that featured a hedge maze, my friend and I have been oddly enamored of them. This maze is  actually quite sophisticated and you can indeed take a wrong turn. It’s a good thing that we were tall enough to see over the hedge! But alas, we did not find a prince at the end of the maze. The picture posted of it is kind of small, but can you see the Mickey head in it?

We were sad to leave and kicked ourselves for not making arrangements to spend the night. Though I’m already making plans in my head to visit again soon. I can really get used to this on a more regular basis………….

Art HK 10: Part III

04 Friday Jun 2010

Posted by in Art, Hong Kong, Lifestyle

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The final post on Art HK 10 features a series of paintings that are both cute and eerie, which is a surprisingly powerful combination. When I first passed them, I thought it was just another picture of a cute anime girl with a really big head. But then I did a double take as I noticed odd little things that I didn’t expect to be there. First it was pills as toppings on a sundae.

Then it was a girl knitting a dress for her doll from the wool of the dress of a lifeless unseen form hanging above her. How incredibly creepy is that? Innocent everyday scenes suddenly took on a new meaning!

There was even a fairy tale themed series that was interesting since it provided another perspective to the classics. A little bit like Gregory Maguire books which totally changed my perspective of Cinderella and the Wizard of Oz forever. There was Snow White and her poisoned apples. It seems to be suggesting that she poisoned herself. Notice the little can of spilled arsenal on the ground?

The same was going on for Sleeping Beauty and the poisonous needle point.

Then there was Cinderella, where she has trapped all the things that had helped set her free i.e. the mice and the glass slipper. It seems as if in each case they’re inflicting pain upon themselves instead of being victimized by others. I haven’t quite figured out what message the paintings are trying to convey yet, but it is all very ominous and thought provoking. It makes one just want to stare and wonder.

Ps. There’s nothing quite like procrastination to keep the blogs coming. Good luck to all CFA candidates this weekend!

Art HK 10: Part II

02 Wednesday Jun 2010

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One of my favourite things about modern contemporary art is how it is open to interpretation.

Sometimes it may just look like a blob of paint, but if you look closer, it is actually something more. Can you tell what this painting is?

It is an lady sitting sideways on the left, facing a window! The blob on the upper left is her head (tied up in a bun), followed by her body. If you look closer, you can even see her hands with five fingers at the lower center of the canvas.

This painting is one of my absolute favourites! From this angle, you can see a nude lady standing up proud on the left and another clothed lady kneeling down on the right. It’s a bit faded in this photo, but she’s there inside the third arch on the right in the background.

From another angle, their status of clothing is exchanged and the lady on the left is clothed, while the kneeling lady on the right is nude. How cool is that? I believe the message here is that clothing does not define a woman. The woman herself and how she carries herself is what defines her. The positioning of the audience is also an interesting choice.

From a distant, it looked like a regular portrait of a girl with a black background. But if you step closer, it is actually a black canvas made out of lots and lots of tiny holes! Pretty neat!

A photo of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange from back in the days. There’s nothing very artistically intriguing about it besides the perfectly symmetrical diamond shape it creates. But the subject matter just warms my heart- probably because I grew up seeing this image everyday on TV and it brings back childhood memories!

It’s a fairly simple portrait, but clearly this is Karl Lagerfeld. It’s the suit with the skinny tie, the shades and the white hair. It’s always amazing to realize how iconic one man has become.

Drawings of a cute little Japanese girl with a message. Isn’t she adorable?

Hmm… I think I need another post to show you everything I loved about the HK Art Fair.

Art HK 10: Part I

31 Monday May 2010

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This weekend, I stopped by the Art HK 10 fair at the convention center. It is an annual 4 day event, showcasing pieces from modern and contemporary art galleries all over Asia. The pieces ranged from $1000USD to $10 million USD. Though I reckon most people were just there to absorb the cultural atmosphere, which is soarly lacking in Hong Kong.

One of my favourite things about Hong Kong is that no one is camera shy- even when there are “no photography” signs all over the place. So here are a few pieces that caught my eye:

This interactive piece is a glass platform that viewers are invited to stand upon. Taking a closer look, this platform is supported tonnes by identical little figurines with their hands raised above their heads. Maybe it is demonstrating the power of the many? It is pretty cool.

On a side note, I’ve still not managed to get the mark off my shoes, but from a distance it still looks pretty!

Sweet and simple. Though I’m not sure I’d want it in my apartment. Maybe a restaurant.

We couldn’t find the descriptions, but from the smell of it, it appears to be a car made of flour! I wonder how they got it here………

A plastic black dog at the entrance. See all those cameras in the background? It really wasn’t just me!

Can you see the owl? The stripes of color also reminds me Paul Smith!

A rather disturbing bronze sculpture of Mickey Mouse/Jesus Christ. The only thing that would make it even more disturbing is if  the water squirting out of the body was blood red. I wonder what the artist is trying to say…….. that Mickey is humanity’s new salvation? Or perhaps it is another message about society’s idolization of pop culture taking over good old Christian faith.
I just cant get over how smart and neat this armor/dress made of Chinese ceramics is! Can you see the bowls and plates? To top it off, this is a well made dress with a design too. There’s a defined bodice, a waist and little frills at the hem. Isn’t it absolutely awesome?
Stay tune for more on the exhibit later this week!