Category Archives: Travel

2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa

30 Thursday Apr 2009

Posted by in Random Musings, Travel

≈ 6 Comments

At the persuasion of a friend, I bidded for 2010 FIFA World Cup tickets back in March. It was the first phase of ticket sales, and tickets are selected on a lottery basis. I figured that I’d have nothing to lose. In the unlikely chance that I get good tickets, I can just resell them and earn a hefty profit on Ebay. It is the World Cup after all, the number one sport everywhere besides the US. There are bound to be lots of wealthy individuals eager for some good tickets. And if I do happen to get finals tickets…. well maybe then I’d consider trekking all the way to South Africa. As luck would have it….

Product Category No of Tickets Status Amount to Pay
Match 60, QF – W55 v W56 – 3 July, Johannesburg 20.30 CAT1 4 Successful 1,200.00
Match 58, QF – W49 v W50 – 2 July, Johannesburg 20.30 CAT1 4 Successful 1,200.00
Match 56, R16 – 1H v 2G – 29 June, Cape Town 20.30 CAT1 4 Successful 800.00
Match 62, SF – W59 v W60 – 7 July, Durban 20.30 CAT1 4 Successful 2,400.00

…. I did get pretty decent tickets. Out of the 7 requests I could make, I got 4 of them. I didn’t get the finals, but I did get 4 first class tickets to see the semi finals. And another 8 to see the quarter finals. That’s pretty good!

In case you’re wondering though, no, I have not forked out $5600 for these yet. Now that I have them, all my daydreaming about reselling them for a ridiculous amount has become a possibility and I’m chickening out. I’m getting worried about the reselling policies. I don’t want to fork out $5600 right now, just in case I can’t resell them (I don’t like soccer that much). Also, what if no one WANTS it? It IS the recession and it IS in South Africa. I’m sure that it is very civilized there now and they will clean it up even more before the World Cup (just like they did in Beijing), but still it’s hard to get the image of the apartheid and the stories you’ve heard over the years out of your head. I don’t mean to be small minded, but I’m sure I’m not the only one thinking this…….. which will definitely affect the resell value! And I checked, I don’t think I can just buy the semi final tickets. I have to buy them all. What to do…

I wonder why I’m  “lucky” enough to get a bunch of World Cup tickets and yet I’ve never gotten even one number in the lottery.

New York, New York II

29 Wednesday Apr 2009

Posted by in Dining, Fashion, Lifestyle, Travel

≈ 4 Comments

I’m baaaack! Besides my flight home being delayed by 2 hours even though the sky was clear on both ends (I’m baffled), I had a wonderful time. Some highlights/conclusions:

  1. Hair Kuwayama: I got the straight fringe! It’s a bit strange, but I’m starting to get used to it. So far the feedback has been mostly positive. Nari my hairstylist was also very cute, Japanese and careful. At first she chopped my hair off completely horizontally *which freaked me out no end*, but once she was done she did the side thing and layered it right *phew*
  2. Battery Park: I stopped by to visit a friend. It is SUCH a nice neighborhood. There is a harbor front that faces the Statue of Liberty. It totally doesn’t feel like New York, and yet it is super close to Wall Street!
  3. Peter Lugers: Out of the 365 days in a year it is opened, I picked the one evening when it catches on FIRE. I trudged ALL the way to Brooklyn in my heels (the subway station exit was kind of sketchy!) and arrived to two fire trucks parked outside and all the staff and customers sitting on the steps opposite the restaurant. It took us half an hour to figure out what was happening (it was definitely not going back to business that evening) and then another 15 minutes to figure out how to get a cab in the middle of nowhere- with a LOT of luck. Clearly Peter and I are just not meant to be. We ended up at BLT steaks. If you ever need a quick reservation on a Friday night at 8pm, this is a good place to go….

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  4. Maru: This place has gone downhill since the last time I visited (maybe a year or so ago?), but it still has the best lychee soju in town!
  5. Pastis: We got a table outdoors and I loved the atmosphere. The cobblestones, the open space, it felt like I was back in Paris again! It is also close to the DVF headquarters, so it’s super convenient 😛
  6. Top Shop: The line has abated. But it was not that great. Like Anthropologie, the website is better than the actual store. My experience there was exactly as I remembered it when I first went to the TopShop at Oxford Circus. I tried on a lot of things that I liked, some fit well, but then the price didn’t seem to correlate with the quality.
  7. Baked by Melissa: A little cupcake store just off Broadway near TopShop. They are seriously tiny for $1, but they are a tiny bite of heaven.
  8. Bloomingdales: The sales was not that great… I feel like it can be better. I did spotted a pair of Tory Burch thongs I now have my eye on!
  9. Marc by MJ: Seems like it has become more of a tourist destination if anything. The store was tiny, hot and crowded… I couldn’t wait to get out. The stuff were not worth it.
  10. Sweet Revenge: A delightful little dessert/wine bar in a quiet quaint area. The perfect spot to catch up with your girlfriends for a bit of afternoon gossip with some sweets and booze.
  11. Mara Hoffman Sample Sale: I didn’t think I’d find anything, because prints is not usually my thing. But I was pleasantly surprised. More on this later 🙂
  12. Dessert Truck: It’s a cute concept, but maybe fine dining just isn’t my thing. I tried the chocolate molten cake and while the texture was awesome, I found the salt on the cake really strange. I half wondered if they accidentally sprinkled on salt instead of sugar… but then the menu does mention sea salt.
  13. Ippudo: The wait was a hour, but you can always stop by the Dessert Truck while you wait (it’s right around the corner). The fried chicken thing was quite good and the ramen was very interesting too. The ramen didn’t look like regular ramen, but it tasted quite good!
  14. Chikalicious: I didn’t end up trying the tasting menu (long line and that place is TINY), but I did try a few cupcakes at the dessert bar across the street. Don’t like the s’mores one, but the triple chocolate is quite good.
  15. Joe’s Shanghai: I miss Shanhainese food because we don’t have any in Chicago, so I came here (I think this is the website). I’m not sure it compares to Hong Kong, but it’s definitely quite decent and satisfied my craving. They don’t have the traditional Shanghainese noodles though… what they do have is like udon.
  16. The Frick Collection: A beautiful collection. For a Sunday, it was not too crowded (at least not as crowded as the Met!). The atmosphere was peaceful, soothing and intimate. It really achieved it’s goal of putting art in the surroundings it was meant to be enjoyed in. There was also an interesting documentary about Mr. Frick, another admirable man.
  17. Crumbs: The verdict is out. I think I’m a convert to Crumbs. The cupcakes are HUGE (it’s really a small cake) and even after a day, the cake is moist. The icing is decent (not as sweet as Magnolia) and I liked the variety it offered. Also love how there’s stuff in the middle. So far the chocolate and the cookie dough is pretty good.
  18. Lady M: I’m officially OVER cupcakes and the likes and have converted to everything Lady M. Located in a quiet street on the upper east side, this small cake shop is elegant and chic. The staff were super professional and the decor was clean and elegant, with gorgeous displays of white calla lilies. But most of all, the cakes were simply divine. I tried the original Mille Crepes (SO GOOD) and the checker cake. Made of at least 20 layers of crepes in between cream, it was absolutely mouthwatering. You’d think the checker cake would be waay too sweet and dry, but it was perfect. It was not too sweet and it had just the right texture- light and fluffy. I’ve had a LOT of sweets and cakes in my 20 odd years, and seriously, these were one of the best. Even though they’re a bit pricier at $8 a piece, it is totally worth it. An absolute MUST go. Who needs Magnolia when there is Lady M?

Yes, it was a very sweet trip indeed.

New York, New York!

23 Thursday Apr 2009

Posted by in Dining, Fashion, Lifestyle, Travel

≈ 6 Comments

So I’m heading for New York this weekend (tomorrow!) and here is my list of places I hope to hit while I’m there (in no particular order):

  1. Hair Kuwayama: I haven’t tried it, but I’ve heard great thing about this salon on Yelp. I have a mind to try this hairstyle… but we’ll see how it goes and I’ll report back!
  2. Peter Lugers: Since steak is one of my all time favourite savory food, I simply must pay my respects to this legendary steak house! This trip, I finally managed to get a reservation!
  3. Chikalicious: The latest hotspot for dessert I’m told.
  4. Dessert Truck: Fining dining desserts on a truck. This is my kind of street food!
  5. Sweet Revenge: Just because the DABA girls said so.
  6. Pastis: A NYC experience wouldn’t be the same without brunch.
  7. Bloomingdales: Just because of the F&F event this weekend and there’s less sales tax in NYC compared to Chicago
  8. Top Shop: Even though there aren’t any great sample sales this weekend, I will hopefully be able to pick something up here- given that there’s no longer a line getting in!
  9. Lady M: The Mille Crepes look divine…..
  10. The Frick Collection: Since I’m sure the Met would be packed, I thought the Frick will be a bit different. Plus, the garden looks amazing.
  11. Ippudo: I’m not sure why Japanese ramen and yakitori is so popular in NYC, but I heard it’s worth the wait in line!
  12. K Town: For some lychee soju (at this bar you have to go up the elevator for, but I forgot the name) and maybe some Pink Berry? I still have not tried the magic of Pink Berry yet!
  13. Crumbs: Better than Magnolia? We’ll see….
  14. Magnolia: Just for old times sake, I think the icing is a tiniest bit too sweet! Maybe this time I’ll try the banana pudding instead.
  15. WD-50: According to Tina over at Fashion Prospectress, they have an impressive 5 course dessert tasting menu there

I fear my stomach stomach will not be able to handle all this!

Vegas and our Inner Sluts

01 Sunday Feb 2009

Posted by in Fashion, Travel

≈ 3 Comments

The other weekend I went to Vegas. I haven’t been since I was 10. It really is different when you’re going with friends and you’re actually legal to participate in all that Vegas has to offer: namely the gambling, the drinking and the clubbing. Not that I’m super into any of these three things- my primary vice is shopping- but when in Rome, you do what the Romans do.

Compared to the sub zero temperature back in Chicago, stepping out of the Las Vegas airport and into the warm sunny breeze, felt a little like stepping into Saks after a jaunt at Marshalls. Everything just seems brighter and better. I immediately discarded my bulky layers for a bright breezy top and a leather biker jacket (yes, I finally found the perfect one!), and whipped out my big shades.

The Strip was a hodgepodge of fashion. It was as if they picked a few representatives from all around and put them in Vegas.  There was the west coast girl from next door in her shorts, spaghetti straps and flip flops. There was the woman from the suburbs somewhere in the light washed denim jacket and matching jeans.  And the teenager in her UGGs. Basically anything goes. There is no local dress mode or concept of weather, which I guess makes sense since everyone on the strip are tourists. That is only in the day time though.

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As the sun goes down, the crowd starts to change. You start seeing flocks of girls walking around all dressed in black. Waiting in line at Tao, the night club located at the Venetian, I got a better look. The dress code seems to be skanky black dresses with ridiculously high heels. Indeed, if you look up the dance floor onto the balcony above where the ladies bathroom is located (I’m convinced that they deliberately designed it that way so people below can look up their skirts!), you will see a line of similarly dressed girls waiting, forming a fashion show of scanty black dresses. Perhaps there is a store in Vegas that specializes in variations of the barely-there black dresses. They were all very low cut and super short too. I knew that the Vegas style is all about the bling, the sparkly and the obvious, but this was a bit beyond my imagination. I have seen my share of scanty outfits, but never in such a big concentration. Most vividly, I remember seeing a girl in a super short black dress that was completely backless……. some girls may be able to carry this off, but in this case (as with most) it was waay too much skin- even for the boys!  I wish I’d taken a quick picture, but alas, even if I had it will probably not be appropriate to post. I wonder why everyone dresses so. To compete with the almost naked girls frolicking in the famous tubs of Tao? Or maybe Vegas is the just place where everyone lets their inner sluts out.

mango-top

As for me, I wore this black sequins top that I’d recently bought at Mango just for this occasion, with jeans and heels. I figured it would go with the whole glittery, glam theme. Obviously I don’t have much of an inner slut in me. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against showing a little skin. I get that it is the thing to do in Vegas. I just cannot let go of a lifetime of a certain type of style by just being in Vegas. Call me conventional, but no matter where I am, I still believe that skin should be tastefully shown. i.e. one at a time. This is probably why I like the uniform of the waitresses at the Bellagio best. While all the dealers/waitresses at other casino hotels wear outfits that leaves little to the imagination, the waitresses at the Bellagio pairs their short shorts that shows off their incredible legs, with a long sleeved black blazer, which balances it out.

Having said all that, the next morning I pulled out black lace tights from my suitcase and paired it with my mini sweater dress and bejeweled belt. One of my guy friends threw me weird look and told me I looked like a slut. That’s what my family told me too when I modeled my outfit for them (I guess they didn’t see the Chanel FW08 runway). But what the hell, I’m in Vegas.