So here it is Xanga 2.0……tried to leave comments on others’ blogs  however it didn’t show up…..I counldn’t log into my new WP account…..

Seems like have to wait for a few days and see…..

here it is: agmhkg

ciao ciao

 

 

I did have a good time here, communicating with people from all around and explored a lot through their blogs, sharing our experiences ….and made some friends too.

I will not disappear, you can still catch me if you like…through Facebook, Google +(which I don’t really like), and Instagram!

Well Well Well, I hope this will not be my last entry on Xanga, though I have not been posting as frequently as before, I do like to come here on and off browsing the posts from the people I have known for years from Xanga, or reading posts from other sub xanga community….the feeling just like visiting a community , a place after I have moved out…

on the Flight to Osaka Japan and back to Hong Kong

CX506 JUN2013 Hong Kong to Osaka, after all these years, I finally have this chance to try out the Frist Class experience

First Classs Check-in Podium

The Wing – First Class Lounge

The Free Flow Champagne Bar

The Heaven – Dining  Area Buffet Counter of Salad/ Appetizer/ Dessert and a A La Carte Menu for Entree

My breakfast before

The Cabanas – Personal Resting and Showers area…

onboard: The B744 First Class Cabin

 

A Welcome drink Champagne Amour de Deutz Blanc de Blancs 2005, and the after take off drinks

Japanese Kaiseki style meal only available on Japan route

Canapes: Eel jelly cake, salted entrails and ayu fish roe, deep-fried river shrimp,

broiled fish, beef tataki, pickled louts root roll

that little basket is edible…….cos it’s actually seaweed

Appetizer: Red tuna tataki, marline fish, shell slice with wasabi

served with Choya Plum Liqueur

Braised Dish with Clear Soup:

Bean curd skin tofu with soya bean paste sauce and octopus , Clear soup with fish dumpling, grape seaweed, arrow root

 

Main Course:

side Dish: Conger fish, plum and shiso dressing

Noodle: Maten noodle

Hot Dish: Broiled seafood with onion pepper miso sauce in abalone

Rice served with assorted pickles and miso soup

 

 

 

 

 

Fresh seasonal Fruit

Pralines….

 

on the returning sector though everything was quite good, it was some how disappointing from the ground to the air.

maybe everything has not been done in details…..anyway

CX507/JUN2013 Osaka/ Hong kong

The Pacific Lounge for First/Business and Tier members, nice and simple….

 

On day my seat is one the other side…

Champagne then after take off drinks

I chose the normal dinner because I deliberately want to see how the others   are doing……

I think you don’t have to be a frequent First Class traveler to  notice what has gone wrong in this setting……

Starter: Loch Fyne salmon with potato and dill salad and

Leek and potato soup

Main Course: Chinese Style Spicy and sour chicken fillet, steamed Jasmine rice and stir-fried choy sum with garlic

hm…….. this is a big no no especially in First Class, if no extra at least apologize then offer other alternatives 

 

Cheese Stitlton, Pecorino, St Paulin, Camembert, Fruits which should be served separately………unless being requested to do so which in this case I didn’t….

isn’t it a bit messy……..I can’t see the full picture of the main stuff – the Cheese……

Fruits..one piece of strawberries is going to fall down…….

Peanut butter cake with mixed berries compote

Finally Pralines and Coffee

for this First Experience I will rate four out of five……

Out of Hong Kong everything was near perfect from the Lounge to the cabin, crew members work was professional, courteous, efficient, friendly but not to causal( in term of body languages, verbal and non verbal). However returning from Osaka, the lounge was really really too simple I think it’s  just on par with the refreshment counter of Bangkok Airways  at Koh Samui Airport.  And the crew members though very polite, could not deliver a Fine dining experience , the whole service was quite  slow and seemed disorganized, and no intention to work in details….

No matter how good  the hardware, food and beverage, and the all the amenities  are being offered, the lack of the professionalism by the people who deliver them, it really gives a very bad impression..

I have to bear this min my mind every time I go to work, I can not let. anyone especially myself down…

a nice song and clip, however it’s heart breaking to hear the line: Sorry his family members said ‘No Visitors’

 

My first holiday trip in 2013 I went to Koh Samui in  the mid of April. A place which  according to my old school mate I should have visited in 1989 when we joined a Thailand 7 days group tour including Bangkok, Phuket …I really cannot recall anything, except he did mention about  there was a Gun Club we visited Samui……anyway all I want from this trip is having a relaxing time with the Sun and Sands and the purpose achieved!!   My stay is very relaxing, calm and stress free, the island is actually with  tourists mostly   European plus  SE Asian and some English Speakers, as far as I can see…lots of the European do stay in Samui and run their business like hotel/resorts, restaurants….etc. A small tropical Thai island with a European touch…hm..I’m loving it….Samui just keep it that way.

Breakfast at the Traveler’s Lounge aka Plaza premium lounge at the HK International Airport

Enjoying their signature  HK styleFish Ball/sliced Fish Cake Vermicelli

 Taking a bus to the Satellite Terminal, and traveling on the Bangkok Airways PG

 surprised to see that there are more male crew members on this flight……hm….Full Lunch service..

 Green Curry Chix with rice

 and a pre-landing sweets

 after about 3 hrs….. arrived at the Samui Airport

 A welcome drinks a the Muang Samui Villas and Suites resort, the detached balcony of my suites

 

After finished with the money exchange, a light lunch at the Charlie Chaplin Restaurant opposite to the resort

 after an hour intense swimming at the pool, walked down to the beach( The Choeng Mon )and rest…….

 at night went to the main town area Chaweng Beach area

 Having dinner at this Piri Piri  Grill Chicken

a Caesar’s Salad

 Spaghetti Bolognese

Piri Piri Grilled Chicken – a kind of Portuguese grilled chicken with Piri Piri Sauce

 at the end went to the Movenpick for a dessert

 the weather has been good to us…so another moring under the Sun

 had lunch at this beach side restaurant cooling off with a chilled young Coconut juice

 hm……Burger

 Fish and Chips

 

 Then Spa Time….!!

 Dinner back at the Chaweng Beach for some street side foodie…

 lots of good coffee shop……Chocolate Fudge cake

 Chocolate layer cake

 The Third day having the Thai Massage at the Beach….

 No lunch today, but snacks by the beach hawkers

 

 went to this Fisherman’s Village for dinner……

 Lost of other than the usual Thai, Seafood restaurants, you can also find many French, Italian cuisines

Eventually I went to the French Crepe shop for dinner…….55 Crepe Bar & Kitchen

 ooops forgot the name of the Salads, but they are heavenly….

 

 Beef and Potatoe Crepe

Thai Brown Curry Prawn Crepe

 Riding on the Samui Tuk Tuk, I think it’s more like a the Jeepney in Manila without the fancy decoration..

 another thai light lunch before leaving Pad See Ew, Pad Thai

 

we waited quite long for this, cos I guess they had to cook the sticky rice…so at last a chilled big piece of Mango on the steaming hot sticky rice…so yummy….

 

 

 quite a long walk from the check-in area to the gate…therefore need to chill off again at the Swensen’s

 

 though there is no air-con at thew aiting area….free refreshments and snack available

 Finally have to leave…..hm watching Life of Pi at last…

 very concentrate….. and a full dinner

 sometimes it good to seat at the back , Biz class entree over flow……..

 

 

 

 

 

Time flies, 2012 is closing to end….. for me it started out with a very Sad beginning Passing of my Best Friend, and over the year things been going smoothly, towards the end on 01DEC I had my second concert with a group of friends whom I’ve know for 24 years.

This concert was planned to take place in late April but postponed to Dec since  we could not get a place to perform, you will be amazed that in Hong Kong though  there are quite a lot of venues for performing, there are more and more people love to perform: either, singing, dancing, stage plays, Chinese Opera…..etc, the demand for all these are extremely high. And we thought we might not be able to do it…..anyway it was a sweet and memorable experience of 2012!

In this concert we all agreed to perform oldies which we like most, and I chose those performers who had the biggest influence to me……

Part I  At the opening medley, I performed  part of  翁倩玉 ジュディオング Judy Ongg‘s  1979 signature tune ‘Miserarete’ 愛的迷戀 in English(the song was original in Japanese and translated into  both Mandarin and English, title Love is Calling Me)

and I specially wore this costume in Memory of my best friend who passed away earlier this year, cos this was a gift from him  in 2004 when I was performing at a company’s function

 

 

Part II  Performing the Cabaret  1972 version  by my Ultimate Idol Liza….

 

 

Then a cantonese  performer Roman Tam 羅文‘s 讓我奔放

Part III a Dancing Medley with 2 others at first I did Disco Queen Donna Summer’s Last Dance

then Denise Williams’s Let’s Hear It For The Boys, and Deanie Yip 葉德嫻‘s version of 我要.

Part IV Closing with Micheal Jackson’s  Heal The World

 

 

Spending my last 2 weeks of leave this  year in both Hong Kong and Singapore and actually was quite busy……

First of all my annual Singapore trip, this year I spent most of the time around Marina Bay area staying at 2 different Hotels, ..and redemption ticket on CX Regional Business Class quite a vintage product….

Luckily I have reserved the bulk head seat months ago……really after traveling with the non-AVOD inflight entertainment on this, I miss you a lot SQ Economy…….

ok…use my own……

A boring Salad, and the appetizer was quite blend in taste….

both main courses were quite good in taste , it would have been better if they’re not under heat….

Cheese and fruits….ooops forgot to take the pic of the fruits,  Banana Chocolate cake

 

It was Down Pouring  with countless Lightning and Thunder when we arrived Singapore Down town.. …..it actually looked like a scene from the movie “Day After Tomorrow’ or  ’2012′

The Fullerton Bay Hotel Reception area

The room is equipped with nearly everything…….

After a couple of  hours  down pouring, I managed to take a picture under a clear sky…..

A light supper at the People’s Park Hawker Food Centre in China town

I just love those fish balls stuff with minced pork, a typical SIN style Laksa

Satay and a different kind of Carrot cake…..

Then went to a Gay Bar ‘DYMK‘ to meet up with friends….

Following late night snack  with Congee  at Tiong Shian Porridge, Chinatown Street

2nd day having breakfast

Though the  selection of Buffet breakfast was simple, the quality of the food  and service were real good…

Even at the Conrad, Grand Hyatt, Mandarin Oriental, Four Season, InterCon in Hong Kong  I haven’t seen the staff replacing your used cutlery sets each time they come to clear you plate, but here at the Fullerton they serve in details….

 

just too bad they cannot choose their clientele

The pool is actually not a bad one…

Meeting up with friends for a late lunch….hahahah I didn’t eat much on this round just accompanied them

Mee Siam, the Carrot cake which is to my taste….

forgot the actual name of the noddle and the Kaya Toast with Soft Boiled eggs

Surprisingly it’s cool and comfy without an air-con….!

Just loving this home made dinner

 

Tomatoe Rice, Chicken Curry

Gado Gado(ooops which the sauce) stir-fried veggie

Asam Prawn

Back to the hotel and pampering myself  with a hot bath while watching TV….

 

A small snack before heading to our next hotel , and please don’t ask me why, I just love KFC within SE Asia

Then the Marina Bay Sands, while they charge more than the Fullerton, I’m sorry to say they could not offer what they should be offering a Luxury Service, to me it’s big, just like one of those Las Vegas or even Macau  Casino/Hotels, no personal touch, the staff just want to finish their job and get rid of you, that’s why you have all those in-room check out, express check out kind of service. you have to tell them to come to make up your room, because they don’t even bother to check whether you Make Up the room light is on or not if you have passed their schedule. During breakfast, since they have too many guests and they cannot accommodate all with teir 3 restaurants/cafe , table sharing is the only option, and the food is  just like those Cheap  Mr Foodie Buffet outlet -  Starch  in different forms are the main offerings, while the protein you can find are usually those thin sliced meat…….while the fruit, you can find the taste of stale……what’s more I can say the experience is  totally a disappointment….ok be fair the one and only reason to be here is the Infinity Pool on the 57 floor….

I miss you The Fullerton Bay Hotel……

The pool , the one and only reason to be here…..

 

Dinner at the Marche I just love the food at this Swiss style restaurant

Seafood Paella, and the famous  Swiss Crispy Rosti

Sauteed mushroom with cognac, Roasted Pig Knuckle 

Bouillabaisse

A a fattening dessert at the Swensen’s

The EarthQuake

ok Here the breakfast at the Marina Bay Sands

Though the the breakfast is included with the room rate, after such a bad experience, I decided not to have it the next morning….

Light snack after spending over an hour at the pool

coffee from The Coffee Bean  and Tea, and a local Chee Cheong Fun

 a rather new attraction Garden by the Bay

 

Flower Dome

Dinner with another group of friends at the Strait Kitchen Grand Hyatt

A local food Buffet, is like a fine dinning Hawker food but the quality  is a much more better…..

 

This Roasted goose is really good…..and lots of tropical fruit

 

last but not least….bought some pork jerky b4 leaving….

As I have mentioned before, I have given up the breakfast at the Marina Bay Sands  to the food court with some simple Pinoy food

 Heading to the airport on the MRT

 the Skyview Lounge, actually an ex- CX Lounge which  she has decided to let others to take over

 on the way back to Hong Kong on semi vintage  Regional Business Class product

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ten Bigger than Forty Concert

01DEC2012

Venue: Tsuen Wan Town Hall, Hong Kong

online ticketing Urbtix

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m thrilled, because I have never thought, after the reunion concert with my friends 4 years ago, I have another chance to perform with them again this year on 01DEC at the Tsuen Wan Town Hall Hong Kong

Ten Bigger than Forty