I need to add one more blog so 2011 volume is at least equal to my 2010 blog frequency (never mind its 12 months versus 4 month last year)....!
And why am I still sitting at my work desk at 4pm Friday Dec 23rd? Oh ya, 3+ months of expense reports piling up at year end.... I. WILL. FINISH. THESE. Or never see the money reimbursed.
Happy Christmas!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Winter Solstice bigger than Chinese New Year?
Apparently Winter Solstice holiday (shortest daylight of year, Dec 22, 2011) is more important to Chinese people than Spring Festival (Chinese New Year). Not sure I believed this when my Aunt mentioned it. However they do let us out of work by 4pm that day (of course, I left at 6pm:( )
Anyway, Stephen and I were invited to join the Tsang-Ho clan from my dad's cousin's side in Po Lam for Winter Solstice dinner. The food was fabulous, from a roast pig, to all variants of pork chops, veggies, mushrooms and rice options. All of this only a few short hours after my Office Christmas Lunch at Langham Hotel - The Bostonian (Seafood buffet with amazing salmon, fresh crab, lamb chop, etc). Damn it was a rough eating day yesterday!
On a more sombre note, my other aunt and my grandma's sister need your prayers as both have health challenges at the moment.
As we look back on 2011, we have been really blessed with countless trips around Asia and North America, new jobs and good friends, and a conveniently located and comfortable home. Most recently, we went to Sanya (Yalong Bay) in Hainan Island of South China. It was a good, warm get-away not too far from Hong Kong. Look forward to flying to Toronto tomorrow for a week then to heaven-on-earth - Whistler Blackcomb !
Wish you all a very happy and wonderful holidays!
Anyway, Stephen and I were invited to join the Tsang-Ho clan from my dad's cousin's side in Po Lam for Winter Solstice dinner. The food was fabulous, from a roast pig, to all variants of pork chops, veggies, mushrooms and rice options. All of this only a few short hours after my Office Christmas Lunch at Langham Hotel - The Bostonian (Seafood buffet with amazing salmon, fresh crab, lamb chop, etc). Damn it was a rough eating day yesterday!
On a more sombre note, my other aunt and my grandma's sister need your prayers as both have health challenges at the moment.
As we look back on 2011, we have been really blessed with countless trips around Asia and North America, new jobs and good friends, and a conveniently located and comfortable home. Most recently, we went to Sanya (Yalong Bay) in Hainan Island of South China. It was a good, warm get-away not too far from Hong Kong. Look forward to flying to Toronto tomorrow for a week then to heaven-on-earth - Whistler Blackcomb !
Wish you all a very happy and wonderful holidays!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
SMOG: To Beijing... and straight back!
Beijing pollution is so bad unless there is strong wind. Last Tuesday, Dec 6, as CNN reported, hundreds of planes including my own, flew into Beijing airport airspace, but then turned back (mine all the way back to Hong Kong!). We simply could not land due to severe smog and pollution. Wow - in all my years of flying, I've never gone there and back (total 10 hours) in one go. It scares me when the pilot announces he's "going to go for it" despite being warned to turn back to HK mid way...
I made it there on Wednesday eventually, had several meetings then went to Spice Spirit (a Sichuan food chain) with colleagues. They didn't serve any beer besides Bud Light (I'm serious), so we gave them some cash to go outside to buy Tsingtao :) On Thursday, again more meetings followed by dinner at Banana Leaf Thai in Zhongguancun. At -10C, my hands almost froze off but thankfully I wore boots and heattech top. I wandered around aimlessly in circles after eventually making it to the restaurant (it turned out behind a mall with which I am most familiar). The food was so-so but there was a live filipino band that comes around singing to each table -- in any language too! Impressive.
Back in Hong Kong life, we are thinking about our first year and starting to relax more. We also may move homes if the right unit comes available in Kowloon - where the food is more plentiful, better tasting and faaar cheaper. For example, we had (reverse) sticker shock after a hearty dim sum lunch at a pretty nice restaurant in TST for only $108HKD (about $13 USD)! When you dine with locals once, your standards are higher on taste and much lower on price. I like that! In fact we often travel "across the water" to TST and Mongkok for meals and food because the taste is simply better (at least for Asian fare).
This weekend, we're planning to hit Sanya (Hainan Island, China), which is China's Hawaii. The latitude is near tropical and its the southern most point in China. Maybe some golf, swimming, R&R and resort-ing. I really wanted to do Chengdu but time just isn't enough.
On a personal front, my friend is moving back to NYC from Hong Kong soon so we had a good bye Korean BBQ for her :-( Also I've been matched with an MBA student from Russia in the Women's Foundation Mentoring Program, and meeting wonderfully accomplished women along the networking journey. Truly humbled. Finally, we look forward to seeing some friends and family before flying to Toronto for Christmas on Dec 24 then off to Whistler on Jan 1. Can't wait!
Have a wonderful mid Dec week everybody!
I made it there on Wednesday eventually, had several meetings then went to Spice Spirit (a Sichuan food chain) with colleagues. They didn't serve any beer besides Bud Light (I'm serious), so we gave them some cash to go outside to buy Tsingtao :) On Thursday, again more meetings followed by dinner at Banana Leaf Thai in Zhongguancun. At -10C, my hands almost froze off but thankfully I wore boots and heattech top. I wandered around aimlessly in circles after eventually making it to the restaurant (it turned out behind a mall with which I am most familiar). The food was so-so but there was a live filipino band that comes around singing to each table -- in any language too! Impressive.
Back in Hong Kong life, we are thinking about our first year and starting to relax more. We also may move homes if the right unit comes available in Kowloon - where the food is more plentiful, better tasting and faaar cheaper. For example, we had (reverse) sticker shock after a hearty dim sum lunch at a pretty nice restaurant in TST for only $108HKD (about $13 USD)! When you dine with locals once, your standards are higher on taste and much lower on price. I like that! In fact we often travel "across the water" to TST and Mongkok for meals and food because the taste is simply better (at least for Asian fare).
This weekend, we're planning to hit Sanya (Hainan Island, China), which is China's Hawaii. The latitude is near tropical and its the southern most point in China. Maybe some golf, swimming, R&R and resort-ing. I really wanted to do Chengdu but time just isn't enough.
On a personal front, my friend is moving back to NYC from Hong Kong soon so we had a good bye Korean BBQ for her :-( Also I've been matched with an MBA student from Russia in the Women's Foundation Mentoring Program, and meeting wonderfully accomplished women along the networking journey. Truly humbled. Finally, we look forward to seeing some friends and family before flying to Toronto for Christmas on Dec 24 then off to Whistler on Jan 1. Can't wait!
Have a wonderful mid Dec week everybody!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
JETLAG & CHEAP Austin buffets
Hi again everybody... i'm getting old. My ability to fly overseas and back in one week has declined significantly. I'm encountering serious jetlag after a week in Austin and Toronto. Its probably my 7th trip (i lost count) in this year alone.
On a sad note, my company had layoffs a few weeks ago so it was critical that I fly back to HQ to check-in with friends and colleagues.
Getting to Austin is a pain, via LAX, where they simply don't welcome foreigners. And the connections require you to walk outside to another terminal. But I caught up before U.S. Thanksgiving holiday with colleagues in Austin. They took me to a much better Vietnamese restaurant near the old office/airport.... with great pho, broken rice and bun. However we opted out of the all you can eat (stir fried) buffet...which was only $6.99US! (can you believe how cheap that is??). Dallas airport was a zoo on the way to Toronto as well.
In Toronto, I stayed with my parents for a few days which was nice. Had to work the first few days but then caught up with old friends, new babies and attended my nephew Adam's baptism.
Also, there is almost 10ft of snow at Whistler Blackcomb, and the mountains are open! Can't wait to go there after New Year!
On a sad note, my company had layoffs a few weeks ago so it was critical that I fly back to HQ to check-in with friends and colleagues.
Getting to Austin is a pain, via LAX, where they simply don't welcome foreigners. And the connections require you to walk outside to another terminal. But I caught up before U.S. Thanksgiving holiday with colleagues in Austin. They took me to a much better Vietnamese restaurant near the old office/airport.... with great pho, broken rice and bun. However we opted out of the all you can eat (stir fried) buffet...which was only $6.99US! (can you believe how cheap that is??). Dallas airport was a zoo on the way to Toronto as well.
In Toronto, I stayed with my parents for a few days which was nice. Had to work the first few days but then caught up with old friends, new babies and attended my nephew Adam's baptism.
Also, there is almost 10ft of snow at Whistler Blackcomb, and the mountains are open! Can't wait to go there after New Year!
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