My Momma's Fierce

Have you ever seen those little old Chinese ladies that walk around with purple hair, skin tight leopard leotards (possibly glittery), a monstrous piece of jade, and a Gucci handbag and act like they own the place? Hubby thinks I might become one of those "ci lais" in my old age and I say please kill me if I do. Lainey's mom, or "Chinese Squaking Chicken", seems to fit this description, and thankfully my momma isn't as extreme as that. No doubt she is fierce; like the time she rocked the skinny leather jeans way better than me at Teenflo. I'm stealing those back.

Another item I'm pilfering from mom is her Italian red, gold, and grey silk scarf, shown above.

Surviving Expat Party Inferno in Style

No better way to get over jet lag than to hit up party central and stay up late. Who needs sleep anyways? I met up with a girlfriend from uni and went bar and club hopping in the infamous Lan Kwai Fong cauldron of expats and tourist party goers - a bubbling vat of drunken louts, goddesses teetering up and down the hilly streets with skyscraper heels, and leering, cigar-smoking business gentlemen sorts. Music of all types blasted out onto the streets and into the glitzy Hong Kong skies from the open-air cafes, bars, clubs and lounges. Party people of all ages melded into one big, sweaty crowd happily singing, dancing, and drinking in the cobble stone square. Lan Kwai Fong has an interesting history: prior to becoming an expat playground, it served as an area for hawkers and for Mui Yans, or matchmakers. Some things don't change, and Lan Kwai Fong still happily serves as a pick-up spot for the expat and tourist population.

Above: Road heading up to Lan Kwai Fong.
Below: Calm before the storm at the underground station.


Below: Studded mini hobo bag from Hugo Boss and olive patent flats with sparkly bows, both courtesy of my mom.


Below: at Hotel LFK, going up to FINDS Lounge (acronym for Finland, Iceland, Norway, Denmark and Sweden - an ode to the Scandinavian style tapas and vodka served), a sleek and sexy lounge decked out with crystal chandelier curtains and teal and white banquettes.


Below: Throngs of party goers living it up.

First Hit - Fox Opticals

After sleeping in a comfy bed in the sky courtesy of Cathay Pacific, I arrived on Saturday morning in Hong Kong. After a short refresh and dim sum, I headed out to my favorite and only choice for eyewear: Fox Opticals (12 Cochrane Street in Central, Hong Kong). I have been coming here for years, and these guys know how to do it right. Highly attentive service, a wide array of designer brands (Marc by Marc Jacobs, Dior, Prada, Oliver Peoples to name a few), and the very best in lens technology (thinner and lighter than anything you'll be able to find in Vancouver) are their trademarks, and locals and tourists alike climb the steep narrow steps to find this tiny shop for top quality eyewear. What I really love about Fox, is their expertise in finding you that perfect pair. Instead of having to pore through all countless pairs beneath the glass counter, these guys will pull out the best fitting pairs for you based on your prescription, face shape and personal style. They understand lenses, and how various prescriptions will affect the end result of how a pair of glasses might look.

I picked out a cotton candy pink titanium frame as my new pair of glasses, plus two pairs of shades. One for me and one for hubby. Modeling both pairs below.

Blue and Cream Wayfarers by RayBan.


Black aviators for hubby by Police. As hubby and I have the same face shape, in general shades that look good on me also work on him.

I did also try the Sofiane from Oliver Peoples but they were too big.

HK Hit List #4

Nearly done packing now and anticipation is building for the flight tomorrow.   #4 on the HK Hit List is a pair of soft, worn, vintagey feel shoes.  Whether they be platform sandals, laced up ankle boots, or flat nerdy chic oxfords, these all inspire a part hippie, part grandpa feeling vibe, and each pair is the perfectly laid-back cool.

Top: Rachel Comey Ackee wooden heel platform sandals from Sotto Boutique.

Middle: Devotte ankle boots from One of a Few.

Bottom: Oxfords from Top Shop.

Midnight Blues On the Town

Attended a stagette last weekend and had no clue what to wear since I had spent all my time last week obsessing about what to wear to the Juno after party.  Finally pulled out a metallic bubble dress, a navy blue shrunken tuxedo jacket, and my prized midnight blue round-toe pumps (Marc by Marc Jacobs).  My favourite item though, is my art deco-inspired sapphire ring, which used to belong to my mom.

Seafood Spectacular at Coast Restaurant

Seafood is one of my favorite things to eat and as far as seafood platters go, they can be hit or miss.  Freshness is obviously key, but equally important is delicate preparation.  I can't stand rubbery crustacians and chewy bivalve mollusks, and once over cooked, there's no going back.  

I was at Coast Restaurant on the weekend, and I had one of the most impressively prepared and presented seafood platters in a long time.   We ordered three of these gigantic platters between 12 of us, and the whole table oohed and aahed when they arrived.  Complete with smoking dry ice underneath the platters, the arrangement consisted of prawns larger than my hand span, a lobster, Alaskan king crab, Dungeness crab, mussells, clams, oysters, and a tempura tuna roll.  We girls wasted no time polishing the plates clean!  I think I was more than half full before I started the main course.

A sampling for dessert followed: a baked banana pudding with creme anglais, a peanut butter bar (tasted like a fancy Reese's peanut butter!), mini sweet crepe, and a molten chocolate brownie.   Everyone had a bite of each, and a perfect way to finish up a very fine meal.

HK Hit List #5

I'm only days away from departure, and I can't wait to look for this next Hit List Item. I've always loved the look of a slouchy blazer, and it's never been more hip than now with the whole "boyfriend" trend - jeans, sweaters and cardigans. Named as one of the top Spring 2009 trends to AVOID this year by this article, I can't disagree more. Number 5 on my HK Hit List, The Boyfriend Blazer.

I'll look for one in a bright or more feminine colour, and in a light weight material, as to avoid excessive drabiness. Below is a pretty linen one from Top Shop.

This beautiful salmon pink slouchy from Stella McCartney is a great spring addition to any wardrobe. Maybe with white bubble shorts or a slim pair of distressed jeans?

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