Been in HKG nearly a week for the annual safety refresher training. And the company also announced the record high 2010 Financial Report on Wed, and all eligible staff will have a nearly 1 1/2 months extra bonus pay…..

I have already spent the bonus pay even before I receive it……

2 bags of skin care products and the iPad 1….yes finally I have the iPad though the iPad 2 will be on sale sometime next week, I think I’m quite happy with this one…..

Finally a mobile version from Xanga, and I’m trying it out……

http://m.xanga.com

Will be released by Mattel for sale between this Fall and Winter……
 

Kung Hei Fat Choi! Wishing everyone Good Health and a ver prosperous New Year!

It was a busy day for me on the first day of the CNY, though I woke up late at 1330 in the afternoon because of the CNY Eve’s party the night before.

Started at 1500 for my 3 New Year Visits (拜年)

Quite a lot of snacks prepared

Steamed egg custard,  fried taro nest, banana cake and the most insteresting New Year Cake Spring Roll, it was a pan fried  brown sugar rice cake wrapped with rice paper, yum!

my first dinner at 1730, inside the clay pot was one of the new year dishes braised seaweed with Chinese Mushroom and dried oyster

Second visit at 1830

Second dinner at 1915

a New Year mixed vegatable dish and the braised Fresh  Mexican Abalone

Third visit at 2100…hm…actually I was the one who’re receiving the ‘Lai See’ red packet!

Poon Choi and the home made osmanthus jelly (桂花糕)

What a Full Day!!

Well well well does it has to be that fast? January  2011 is going to an end…..and I just happen to have time to check on all the pictures that I have taken and prepare to have my first entry of 2011…….

Spending my New Year’s Eve inside the aircraft and greeting fellow co-workers for the New Year during the meal service was ….memorable indeed….too bad no time to capture the HAPPY moment onto the picture….

Arrived HKG on the frist morning of 2011, after recharging myself for a couple of hours. I headed to Wan Chai for an early dinner at the Tiffins Grand Hyatt Hotel I like the all day Buffet here, Brunch/Lunch, Tea, Dinner and Desserts. Comparatively they charge higher than lots of other hotels at the same level and have fewer choices on food selection,  however I just like the quality of the food and of course the higher level of service which is a bit hard to find in HKG nowadays

Frankly 2 helpings of Roast Beef and Pan -Fried Foie Gras have already pushed my cholesterol level to the limit.
and I just love those Foie Gras….

On the 2nd day had tea and macaroon at the IFC shopping mall’s LGB with one of our friends from Xanga….Gary!
 

Tried out a nice Hainan Chix Rice set and Pak Kut Teh  at the Hainan Shaoye

I was  actually pouring the Soup from the pot into the mug

Back home to Vancouver and I finially received a package of the the collectable items of Liza Minnelli’s Australian Tour 2009, well……. I placed the order back in mid-OCT….

No one would believe that a lazy jerk as I am would have helped out preparing the Hot-Pot stuff at a friend’s place…

Since I have never been to Vietnam, I am  not sure  if the people there will have a dinner which mainly with beef and  prepared in 7 different ways….and I had this dinner at the Rice Paper at the Harbour City HKG

Beef Congee, and a Beef  noodle

The remaining  5 other way of cooking…

However the desserts were the real winner……

Chocolate mousse cake and a chilled Chocolate Souflle, and the Coconut mangoes sticky rice with Caramel stick.

Last Fridday, had a lunch at a newly open restaurant near Soho HKG called Oolaa

While the food is general nice that the service even though they have more non Chinese servers there, was kind of hit and miss…therefore the overall experience was not too enjoyable…

We orderd a Bread Basket with Bread Rolls and eventully it came with a Breakfast Toast Basket: and the Carrot/Coriander soup which I was told to be a clear soup…?

Chicken Florentine and a Pan-fired Seabass

a Middle -east Mutton; desserts: Pineapple  Green tea cake.

and the Caramel Pudding….

I’m just testing the uploading function…..

wow wow wow…it’s been over a month since my last updates in NOV…….reason….? Don’t really know may be been spending too much time on FB….?

Anyway was in Hong Kong over Christmas, however since I had a very unstable roster this DEC, I was not able to plan how to spend my xmas either in Vancouver or Hong Kong ahead of time. On the night while I was preparing for the flight, one of my friends read my status on MSN  then messaged me, and eventually I was invited to join a mini xmas eve dinner at his place in Tai Po

It was a very nice home made dinner… a surprisingly good Fusion Paella  which a  famous Chinese style sausage from Vancouver Canada was used….and I didn’t bring it over, it’s my friend’s neighbour

Grilled Pork(actually from the neck) Thai style and the Fried seadfood noodle also Thai Style

Champagne or White Wine ………actually some sparkling grape juice……. 
 

actually there should be a total of  6 dogs, but the last one always hide away from us maybe too shy…?   and the dessert….Creme Brulee

on the Christmas morning………sending out greetings SMS though with quite a lot of replies,  only one was able to have lunch with me, and we ended up having the Christmas lunch at the  Brasserie Le Fauchon at SoHo

The set lunch was at HKD145/pp which was..quite reasonable….for a 5 courses..

The Baguette was served warm and crispy , while my friend was having the Parma Ham and melon with green salad, I had the Baked Escargots, follow with a Shrimp Bisque

 
We both chose the New Zealand Steak…….and my friend asked me what’s the difference between the Australia/New Zealand  beef and the North American, I said the latter one are fed with ‘Corn’ in stead of grass I guess….

Though either Creme Brulee or the Tiramisu were on the menu, I asked to change my dessert to a festive chocolate cake in stead……

Then we went to the Cyberport  and took my  only pic with a 2010 Christmas decor inside the mall, and walked around  the million dollars residential area

at last watched the movie Tron Legacy

Well the movie was not 100% with 3-D effects….however I love how they make Jeff  Bridges look so young

So this was my 2010 Christmas……..
 

  After a few days in Maldives, I spent 2 nights in Singapore, meeting up with few friends and most important visiting the new Universal Studio Singapore. Been to the LA one 3 times and the last time was about 9 years ago, don’t know if it has any changes these days.The   Singapore one is part a of the Resorts World of Sentosa  which includes Sentosa Park and other Hotels and Resorts. It’s size is a bit small when compare with the LA one, however it does offer some nice rides..

Book the ticket on-line, can collect the discount vouchers for food and  shop

The Shrek 4D experience is real fun, while  at the Jurassic Park, though more or less the same as the original one, the ride uses a round type of raft therefore it’s moving 360 and at last some of the players will get soaked in stead of wet…

The Mummy Ride is  also a must try……….

 Light, Camera, Action - The Back Draft Type of experience is also available at the New York area.

The only down side was one of the ride Battlestar Galactica was closed after some parts of the structures fell off, hopefully they could rectify the problem and reopen the ride soon…..

How can a Singapore trip be completed without some food….?

Flight arrived Singapore early in the moring, hop onto the Staff canteen at the Changi Airport T1 for breakfast

My favourite kaya toast with soft boiled eggs and the Roti with curry sauce

afternoon snack at the food stall at the china Town Market food centre

Laksa and char kway teow

Dinner  Food Republic at Wisma Centre..

Indian Nasi chmpur and Mee Siam

Love it love it the Swensen’s ice cream:

Chocolate Chunk and  the Topless Five

After the Universal Studio day dinner at the Katong area Kim Choo serves  Nonya food ..

Before leaving Singapore had lunch at the Raffles Hotel Empire Cafe

Hokkian Mee, Laksa and Chincken rice the Raffles Hotel’s version

 Just finished a 5 days trip to Maldives, enjoyed the Sun, the Sea…..since you will spend nearly 80% of the time at the resort, I eventually picked  and stayed at the Club Med at the Kani island, it’s a all inclusive package, including air fare from HKG to MLE, accomodation, all food(the buffet) and drinks(alcohol as well), sports(excludes diving)and recreational activities…..of course, you pay extra to join the excursion tour just as riding on a sea plane, snorkeling at further coral reef, diving, deep sea fishing…etc

It takes about 4 hours to fly from Singapore to Maldives direct

It was overcast around 0900 in the morning, however after a couple of hours the Sun fainlly came out..

Joined the water aerobic class at the pool, then a Balinese massage at the Spa

Enjoying the sunset before heading for dinner, the next day went for a brief tour at one of the islands

Afterwards went to  take pictures at one of the Sand Banks then snorkeling at a nearby coral reef….

At night their staff from the resort did a stage performance…

Since all my meals were Buffet…so there is not much to talk about, taste is  average,  though they try to set up the atmosphere on each meal specaily at dinner, and the most fun one was a beach side dinner…and a after dinner beach party

the instant Korean Noodle only served once during my stay and  was the most popular item for all those guests from Korean and China…….

Free drinks and snack throughout the day……

on the day of my departure, it was pouring……for 8 hours from mid-day…….quite surprised to see that, cos I only expect light showers during this very short monsoon season…..

gosh….it’s November!….2010 is approaching to its end…….all of us  can feel that time passes so fast….Have just got reconnect with some of my relatives in Australia, and surprised to know that one of my nephews is already 28 and just got married….. wow…….

Nov also means I’m going to have my 2 weeks holidays, this year it falls on the first 2 weeks of NOV, and I’m heading to Maldives at the Indian Ocean, hope I can prolong the Summer for just a bit( though it’s their Monsoon Season as well) and visit Singapore again during a 3 days stopover,