Hong Kong : understanding the food culture before eating

Wonder why the waitress often provide you with a pot of hot water and tea with a large bowl?

It's for washing your plates, cups and utensils before eating!

Do it the Hk style! With seh...

Hong Kong: a new chic cafe to chill and enjoy artisan coffee and pasta

Enjoy ovo cafe @ one wanchai

Breathe in the coffee aroma and the luxurious green and wonderful scent from the "flower" garden

A true blue indulgence for all senses!

Take a stroll and buy back a pretty decorative item thereafter!

Hong Kong : where to stay in wan chai Hong Kong island

Here's a recommended hotel- hotel indigo by IHG. 

It's a gem in the heart of wan chai.

Here's the pool on 27floor.

Now into the room. Luxurious!!!

A huge room by Hk standards. Cost about sgd$280/ day on average. Looks like a studio with a study, the bedroom and living room. Toilet and showers by the side.

Come take a look!

The "living room" with all things chic pretty!

A well served "pantry" with Nespresso.

The full length view 

The gorgeous colour scheme 

Adorable and unique goldfish mat 

Rainforest shower 

Separate toilet 

Rating: superb, value for money and great location

Nearest mtr: wan chai (Hk island)

Near where all the good food is! 

Hong Kong : cheap and good dim sum in a fancy restaurant at fortress hill

Fancy a prettier restaurant rather than the usual?

Then here's choi Fook for you! 

Ba zang (or some call it Zhong zi)

Comes with yellow Mung beans and sugar by the side. But I will keep the sugar at bay.

And of course the essential HA GAO (imagine 2 prawns in each wrap) its jumbo size too! 

All for just hkd168! That's like sgd$27 in a fancy place like this? What a steal!

Here's the prices on the menu for reference!

Hong Kong: what to eat for breakfast at wan chai capital cafe?

Capital cafe at heard street in wanchai Hong Kong has been highly raved.

Capital Cafe (華星冰室) in Wan Chai (灣仔) 

1. Shop B1, G/F, Kwong Sang Hong Building, 6 Heard Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
2. +852 2666 7766

   7am-11pm 

   
   

 Do you know what to eat when you get there?

Here's the inside scoop on my favourites.

Here's the menu! I don't know about you, but I've always wished that bloggers would include the menu too. 

Reason being I can take a look at options  and prices, without getting a rude shock when I get there.

So here's the menu for your convenience! 

Relatively reasonable price for a Hk CHa chan ting. The nutritious breakfast set consist of a butter toast, to die for scrambled eggs and ham. Oh and of course a nice cup of milk for calcium! Always order set meals in Hk. They work out cheaper this way. This is hkd32.

Light, fluffy and melts in your mouth. This is the sheer estacy I'd when eating the scrambled eggs from capital cafe.

And another yummy (but so sinful) unhealthy option? 

The peanut butter toast that melts in your mouth too. Don't know how they do it, but it rocks!

Oh and for those who are in the know, there's truffle scrambled eggs!

This will set you about hkd99.

Well, not exactly the cheapest breakfast, but worth every penny.

Check out capital cafe at heard street. Opens at 7am, closes at 11pm. 

Enjoy! :)

Los cabos : a gorgeous paradise on earth in Mexico

Secrets 

Technically a 2h trip, but a 3h due to time difference from San Francisco

The view that welcomes you

The gradient azure blue and green sea 

The precious treasures of the earth bestowed by God

Enjoy!

Unlimited luxury! 

San Fran : ideas from hotel G

Lombard Street/Cable Cars/Coit Tower

Three Bay Area classics you must experience. First off, we never get tired of driving downLombard Street. It’s a crazy crooked street and most definitely worth checking out. Next, ride the cable car. Cliché? Sure. But even though it’s a cliché, it’s still awesome. After that, head to Coit Tower, where you get an incredible 360-degree view of the city. See why we think it’s the most beautiful city in the world. Take someone you love with you.

Yerba Buena Arts Center

In search of culture? You’re in the right place. The Yerba Buena Arts Center is devoted to contemporary visual art, performance, and film/video representing diverse cultural and artistic perspectives, and supports contemporary artists from around the world. Super cutting edge. Super local. Super activist. Even its corporate-sponsored activities are mind-blowing, turning the YBAC into a hub of innovative thought. One of our favorites.

The Ferry Building

Okay, local food movements seem to be, um, sprouting up everywhere, but the Ferry Building hosts an incredible marketplace that is the place to go if you want to be in on the San Francisco culinary scene. Tons of local artisans with homemade cheeses, cured meats, herbs, pastry and spices. The farmers market is renowned as being one of the best in the US. Massively impressive.

(Personal note: this is at the embarcado area. Check this out when you are going to pier 39, fisherman's wharf and the Alcatraz. Do note that there is a lot of organic food. Doesn't come cheap though. Do enjoy the wonderful performances too.)

Hearts of San Francisco

This is a cool way to see what local artists are doing. The “Hearts of San Francisco” is a project inspired by the International Cowparade Exhibit in which heart sculptures are designed by different artists and installed at different locations throughout the city. The sculptures are auctioned at year end by the “Heroes and Hearts” organization to benefit San Francisco General Hospital.

Off the Grid

Yum. Yum. Off the Grid is a series of traveling food trucks that hook up at 23 weekly markets. Think of it as a roaming food extravaganza. The idea: a shared food experience as a way to connect communities. So share a bao. Sample a chocolate taco. Try the Huli Huli Chicken or Kalua Pork and get transported to Hawaii. (Well, not, literally. But the food’s that good.) And you’re not going to find anything like it in any restaurant, so chow down.

Precita Eyes Muralists

We love the fact that San Francisco is a virtual outdoor art gallery. Streets and alleys become more than just a way to get somewhere. City walls turn into canvases. Graffiti makes the ordinary extraordinary. Our recommendation? Take an organized or self-guided, curated outdoor mural tour. Don’t miss an eyeful.

Golden Gate Park

Here’s the lowdown. Golden Gate Park is one of the most beautiful, amazing parks you’ve ever seen. Hands down. Gardens in every flavor: the Japanese Tea Garden, the Botanical Garden, the Rose Garden, Tulip Gardens. The DeYoung Museum. You could spend days at the California Academy of Sciences. And if you’re traveling with kids, Golden Gate Park is perfect for families. Incredible. Amazing. Must go.

Hong Kong : On Lee noodles at shau kei wan good food

Figuring out what good food to eat in Hong Kong? 

You know the simple broth is the bomb when famous people eat here!

On Lee Noodle (安利大排檔)
Who doesn’t want to hit the spot where CY and his wife enjoy dining?

 First glance at the windows of On Lee and you’ll see plenty of newspaper clippings of the incumbent Chief Executive and his missus slurping on some of the cha chaan teng’s famous beef brisket noodles and fish ball soups. 

Though there’s always a crowd here, the service is brisk and the food is heartwarmingly satisfying. 

But seriously, all that is moot when you can sit right next to CY for dinner, right? 57 Shau Kei Wan Main St E; 2567 7122. $100.

Here's the shopfront. Don't miss it!

;) 

Hong Kong : What to see, do and eat attractions in Hong Kong (HK) 4 days 3 nights tour itenary

Day 1

Reach airport at 2pm

Take airport express (buy from the counter 2 pax group tic cheaper than buying 1 by 1 card from the machine)

Alight at Kowloon (for Kowloon) / Hong Kong station (Hk island)

Assuming Hk island, walk from Hong Kong station to central station and take mtr / taxi to location (approx 1h)

Bathe and settle in, eat a light snack dim sum

Awarded Newsweek 101 best places to eat in the world 

Dinner: Thai food 

Night attraction: the peak 

Day 2- nature's glory 

Start at 8am

Shek O beach - refer to Shek o beach post for details.

Dragon's back - refer to other dragon's back post for more details.

Eat lunch (approx 2pm) 

Tip in HK: Hk often have hearty tea set. If you can eat around 2 or 2.30pm, go for it. Now don't let the name mislead you... It's not just scones and tea. It usually has noodles, drinks and soup - just like lunch, albeit at discounted price at stores. Pricing: instead of hkd60, it can be hkd30 (so you save hkd30, around sgd$6 for each set)

Highly recommended eating spot 

Lazy to walk too much since you have paid your dues?

Take a tram (Hk has fantastic and cheap transport) it costs only hkd2.5 and it's a flat fee. Only pay when alighting. Use an octopus card, just tap and go. This saves you the trouble from finding change and all.

You can just anyhow take a tram and explore the places. The tram goes to places like north point, causeway bay, sheung wan etc

For sheung wan, check out Hollywood road for old school charm. It's also a good place for brunch and chill in the cafe. Happy people watching! Having a good book in help will be awesome too!

Go nuts shopping @ sogo causeway bay if you enjoy. Skincare products are usually cheaper in Hong Kong then Singapore. I would suppose its due to Hk being a tax free city. 

Dinner and party 

Soho @ central to chill and party the night away 

Day 3- museum day 

Breakfast: eat dim sum @ Tim Ho Wan

Favourite outlet near fortress hill (residential area) ; use Olympia plaza and city garden hotel as your landmark. It's opposite a primary school at wharf road.

Weekday - typically no queue; expect queues at weekend 

Go to a history museum to learn more about Hk, art or how about the science centre? They are mainly located at Kowloon. 

Go crazy at the museums and learn something to impress your friends!

Take a star ferry if keen. If not, take mtr. Interchange station at admiralty mtr station.

Enjoy!

Dinner : lee gong guan

Day 4: It's a green green day

It's a day to the gardens. Personally like the one at admiralty. You can just follow the shangrila escalator and you will arrive at Hk park.

There's a free aviary there where you can enjoy the birds, fresh air (wanting in Hk) and just enjoy God's creation!

I know the Hk tourism board promotes the ngong ping 360 and the big Buddha.

But I find it a waste of time, thus I didn't recommend.

As for theme parks... Now, other alternatives for the previous days include theme parks. Choose from ocean park or Disneyland. Have yet to go to Disneyland in Hk.

Note: Ocean park rides are quite scary, so not entirely for kids. 

Most of all, enjoy Hong Kong! :)