The Price of Beauty

{Perfect match: my new cardigan from Gap, and OPI's "Red Lights Ahead... Where?"}

A good friend of mine, Sthephany (who lived in Sweden for almost two years and has since returned to Canada), recently wrote a post on her blog about the price of beauty which I completely related to, after having shopped around Hong Kong for beauty products. When I used to work as a public servant, I got comments from my female co-workers all of the time on my nails since I took very good care of them, mostly with the help of my extensive OPI nail polish collection. I took doing my nails very seriously, so much so that I used to often tell my fiancé that I couldn't spend time with him because I had a date with my nail polish. When I moved to Hong Kong, I was able to pack a small fraction of my nail polish collection but the inner, obsessive me was itching for more. So, off I went to search for new colours that I could purchase to appease my need to have pretty, glossy nails. Finding OPI was not a problem, at all, but the price, on the other hand, was less than ideal (for me). 

{Pictured: Essie's "Mint Candy Apple" looking very much like Tiffany blue. Essie is a brand of nail polish that I have yet to find in Hong Kong}

One thing about me is that although I love to shop, I also love deals (I always first make a beeline towards the sale section in stores). Back home, I took advantage of Trade Secrets and their offer to subtract 15% from your purchase should you buy two or more OPI products. The only deal that I could find on OPI products in Hong Kong, which cost $132 HKD each (this translates to $16.92 CDN at the current exchange rate), was Mannings' offer to "Buy 2, Get 1 Free". With this, I would have had to buy three products for the price of $264 HKD which, after being divided by three ($88 HKD/product), and then divided by 7.8 (every $1 CDN = ~$7.8 HKD) still meant that I was paying $11.28 CDN for each bottle of polish when the original MRP at Trade Secrets is only $9.95 CDN. Although it's only a couple of dollars' difference, with the amount of nail polish that I buy, those couple of dollars will eventually add up. As my friend Sthephany suggested, I will just have to stock up when I am home in Canada (or have a care package of beauty products sent to me in Hong Kong). 

The Search for Authentic Vietnamese Food

{My bowl of rare beef pho and rice wraps}

One thing I can say that I miss about Ottawa was being in close proximity to my mom's amazing cooking. I grew up on a mix of Vietnamese and Chinese food at home, with some Western food here and there, and do I ever miss home-cooked meals made by my mom! Since moving here, I have been craving proper Vietnamese food, and so far, to my utter disappointment, I've yet to find an authentic (authentic!) Vietnamese restaurant. Most of the restaurants I've come upon that claim to serve Vietnamese food are Chinese-owned and therefore only serve their version of "Vietnamese" food. 

{Iced, milk tea - a Hong Kong staple that the restaurant at least was able to execute properly}

Earlier this week, after returning from my afternoon in Mong Kok at the Full Cup Café, my fiancé and I decided to go out for dinner at a restaurant not too far away from us (by bus, of course) called 1941 Vietnam Cuisine. I pass by this restaurant on a daily basis during my morning and afternoon commutes, and have noticed that it is quite busy so I thought to give it a try. The items on the menu looked authentic, "looked" being the operative word, here. There was not any Vietnamese writing to be seen, and when I asked the server if anyone spoke Vietnamese in the restaurant, the answer was "No." 

We decided to stick to the basics and ordered two bowls of rare beef pho at $37 HKD each, and a plate of rice wraps to share. Although looking very appetising, our meal was quite the opposite. The rice wraps were passable, but the pho was unacceptable by my standards. Perhaps I have been spoiled over the years, not only by my mother's Vietnamese cooking, but also by the plethora of authentic Vietnamese restaurants that can be found in Ottawa's Chinatown (the number of Pho Bo Ga locations is overwhelming). The worst part about my pho was that not even the hoisin sauce (it was rather tasteless) could alter the quality of my soup. How can anyone get hoisin sauce wrong, in Hong Kong, of all places?? Gah! Needless to say, my love of food and my determination to find good food will not stop my search for an authentic Vietnamese restaurant.

Some Much Needed TLC

{The hair that I came to Hong Kong with}

My poor hair has been suffering as a result of the sweltering heat and extreme humidity here in Hong Kong, but also because of my fear of getting my hair done by someone that I do not trust. I am quite averse to change (hence why it is taking me so long to truly embrace my new home), so I have been getting relatively the same haircut since the age of twelve, and I've been seeing the same hairdresser for over six years. Before I left for Hong Kong, I made sure to get my hair cut nice and comfortably short so that I could avoid having unfamiliar pairs of scissors going anywhere near my head before I (hopefully) go home for Christmas. My hair colour, however, was another issue. Hair can grow out and look wonderful (for girls, only, as my fiancé figured out with his own hair growing too long), but coloured hair does not work out so well. 

{I love my new, but subtle highlights from Hipp.Fish. My hairdresser mixed up and applied three different tones to accomplish the look}

We have been researching online in forums and asked around for a good hair salon to go to that could remedy our less than spectacular manes of hair. The result: Hipp.Fish, a salon found at 32 Staunton Street in the trendy and fun SoHo district, whose employees all come from New Zealand. The main factor in us choosing Hipp.Fish was because we needed someone with experience cutting wavy/curly hair like my fiancé's without butchering it (he's had some bad haircuts). The hairdressers we had were very friendly (as Kiwis are known to be), extremely professional and experienced, and they gave us the TLC that we needed. We loved our experience there, me with my highlights, and my fiancé with his haircut, and will definitely be returning for future maintenance of our locks.

Indie Folk Scene in Hong Kong

{Noughts and Exes live at the Full Cup Café}

I was invited by a friend of my fiancé's (who is now also my friend) this past weekend to check out an indie folk band, Noughts and Exes, that she once interviewed and is now friends with. Arriving in Mong Kok on a Sunday, which was sure to be busy, we made our way through the streets and found ourselves in an alleyway off of Portland Street, at Dundas (definitely made me think of Toronto), and entered into a cozy little café a couple of floors up from the ground floor. Since the show did not begin until 3:00, and the band was still conducting their sound check, we decided to have a bite to eat in the café area which was one floor above where the band would be playing. The decorations in the café were a mix of Christmas (the ornaments and baubles on the ceiling seemed to be a permanent installation) and of Halloween (which seemed to only be temporary). Although we enjoyed our meals (my friend ordered their shrimp and mango salad, while I had the smoked duck breast pizza - both delicious), we unfortunately missed the call for audience members to come and find a seat in the venue, so we ended up staying where we were to watch the band from a TV feed.

{Joshua, the lead singer and guitarist of Noughts and Exes}

Not knowing what kind of music I would be hearing beforehand (my friend didn't really say what genre of music the band plays), I was pleasantly surprised to hear their first song and realise that they are an indie folk band. The songs they were playing were filled with interesting instruments such as the glockenspiel (and sometimes the violin as my friend informed me) which was interspersed with the beautiful vocals of Josh, the lead singer, and Alix, whose voice complemented Josh's very well.

I could barely tear my eyes away from the screen, nor my ears from the music as the band's songs and dynamic performance really drew me in, and made me an instant fan. Immediately after their final song, my friend and I headed down where I was introduced to Gideon, originally from Hamilton, Ontario, master of the keyboards, melodica and glockenspiel. Genuinely enjoying the show, I came away from the Full Cup Café not only with Noughts and Exes' latest EP (The Start of Us), but also with a deep appreciation for their wonderful music and the indie folk music scene.

{The backdrop for the many bands that play at the café} 

{Alex, the drummer who was also celebrating his birthday that day}

{Meeting Gideon (who mans the keyboards, melodica and glockenspiel) and taking a picture with him}

Hong Kong Street Food

{Street food in Mong Kok}

I have been posting about other types of ethnic food (okay, mainly Mexican), but have yet to write anything on local food here in Hong Kong. To say that the part I was most excited about upon my move to Hong Kong was the food... is... absolutely true! Honestly, the idea of Hong Kong really made me nervous, at first, because I wasn't sure what to expect. As the saying goes, you can take the girl out of Ottawa, but you can't take Ottawa out of the girl. Moving away from Ottawa for the first time in my life, I was afraid that Hong Kong was going to be very crowded (true), busy (true), possibly dirty (not true: it is actually surprisingly clean on the island), and that my living standards were going to have be lowered (true: no oven, no central heating/air, small living space, etc). However, the glitter (please refer to this for my choice of the word "glitter"), so to speak, was the plethora of amazing food that I knew I was going to be able to find here.

{The stinky tofu being picked for me}

Yesterday, after a wonderful afternoon of live music with a Canadian friend (who also lives in Hong Kong) at the Full Cup Café in Mong Kok (to be blogged about in a future post), we decided to stay and hang out in the area for a bit. Some productive shopping later (I hate dilly-dallying when I shop), we stopped for some sustenance in the form of street food. 

As much as I love food, one thing that I have been afraid to try since coming to Hong Kong is also one of the stinkiest foods that I have ever had the displeasure of smelling - stinky tofu. However, I finally overcame my fear yesterday in Mong Kok. Being careful not to take any big breaths at the food stall, I bravely ordered the stinky tofu. Having the paper bag in my hands, I took a whiff of the deep fried cubes of bean curd and felt that it didn't smell as horrible up close. Passing the sniff test, it was time for a taste, and... I didn't hate it! This is the best that I can say about it because even though it was not as offensive tasting as it smelled, I am not sure that I would order it again. The main accomplishment is that I am now able to say that I have faced my fears and eaten stinky tofu here in Hong Kong!

{I've got my stinky tofu!} 

{My bag of "street food", in all of its stinky gloriousness, which I proudly finished}

Olé! Fajitas

And we finally made fajitas... Olé! Here are some pictures from our second "Mexican" dinner night at home.

{Heating up the skillet for the chicken, peppers and onions}

{After tossing in the seasoning, I let the chicken, peppers and onions get coated and cooked}

{The soft, flour tortillas and guacamole that I searched high and low for}

{Ready to be folded into a delicious fajita}

Autumn from Hong Kong

{A gorgeous tree that I used to often walk or drive by, in Ottawa}

I didn't realise how much I loved Autumn in Canada until I started seeing it from others' point of view, as an outsider currently living in Hong Kong. Reading everyone's posts on Facebook and Twitter about hiking amongst the colourful foliage in Gatineau Park, pumpkin spice lattés everything, the need for layering on sweaters and wearing boots because of the temperature dropping to the single digits, even the complaints about first snowfalls - it makes me miss being home in Canada all that much more. What Autumn used to mean to me were all those things that I mentioned, but it also meant enjoying some traditions such as multiple Thanksgiving dinners (I always spent the day with my fiancé's family and then with my own), and taking my little cousins out on Halloween night for trick-or-treating. 

{I loved putting on my trench coat and throwing on a scarf to keep warm while picking my own apples near my parents' home}

Autumn in Hong Kong is nothing like what I am used to experiencing back home. The temperature is still in the mid-twenties range, and I have yet to even bother with sweaters unless I am in one of the many frigidly air-conditioned buildings and buses. The temperature recently dropped to just under 25 degrees Celsius and I received a message from our landlord informing us that our air conditioning unit also doubles as a heater if we needed to warm up the apartment... Let's just say that we have our A/C on at all times when we are home and it has definitely not been switched over to the heat setting, yet.

Although I am trying as hard as I can to be happy about what is supposed to be a very exciting adventure and amazing life experience, I can't help but feel that I left my heart back at home with my friends and family. Until I can see them again, though, I will just have to "make do" and reminisce over the memories which I also thankfully have in photographic form. To look on the brighter side of things, I suppose that I will also have new memories of Autumn after my year in Hong Kong is complete, too...

{A picture sent to me from Ottawa of my little cousin's new costume as Iron Man for Halloween this year}

{My little cousin (aka Batman) on Halloween night in 2010}

{A snowy Halloween night, two years ago}

Current Obsession

My fiancé and I recently started watching an HBO show called "How to Make It in America" that follows two characters, Ben Epstein and Cam Calderon, who try to make it in New York City's fashion scene. I was really drawn in to the show not only by the amazing hip-hop music that is featured throughout, but also by the glimpses of the culture and the wide range in socio-economic backgrounds that is offered by its New York setting. Although I am disappointed that the series has been cancelled after only two seasons, I am thankful for the great music that "How to Make It in America" has exposed me to, such as the above song which is used in the opening title sequence (that I am currently obsessed with).

{Photo source here}

Nothing but Glitter

{The view that I stopped to take in during our hike to Tai Long Wan beach}

Looks too beautiful to be a real photograph, non? I would be thinking the same thing if I hadn't witnessed that view myself while hiking to Tai Long Wan beach in Hong Kong last month. What was first sold to my fiancé, our friends and me as a "leisurely, 45-minute walk" to the beach, ended up being a gruelling hike that lasted approximately two hours (not including the the long taxi ride to the hiking trail). The sun was beating down on us, the heat was overwhelming and the hills we climbed were very steep, but our sore feet and sweat-drenched clothes (I felt like I was going to die!) ended up being well worth it after finally making it to Tai Long Wan beach. The beautiful warm sea water, the smooth white sand, and the small amount of people on the beach made for the best day that I've had so far in Hong Kong. 

{All photos by me for Glitter and Grey}

Tacos, At Last

{This little surprise find in an international grocery store inspired an impromptu, but tasty taco dinner}

Since arriving in Hong Kong, we have mostly been eating Asian food but recently, we have been craving a Tex Mex favourite - fajitas. The challenge, however, was finding the proper ingredients in order to produce such a dish. After some trips to a number of grocery stores, I have determined that finding sour cream, guacamole, and the most important ingredient of all: soft, flour tortillas, is a nearly impossible feat. Imagine our pleasant surprise, though, when we came upon the above box of corn taco shells. "Bingo!", we thought. "Let's make tacos instead!" 

We purchased the necessary ingredients: taco shells, taco seasoning mix, ground beef, cheese and lettuce. Also spotted in the store were tortilla chips and salsa which we, of course, had to pick up, too. Although we were very much lacking in the sour cream and guacamole department, what we did end up coming home with made for a pretty satisfying and delicious change to our now mostly Asian palette.

 {Browning of the ground beef}

 {The minimal spread, ready for the assemblage of our tacos}

{The finished, delicious product}

**Update: I have since located both guacamole and soft flour tortillas! I picked up some chicken breast from the grocery store which were purchased with my coveted Mexican ingredients, plus, we already have peppers and onions in the fridge -- it will be another Tex Mex night sometime this week but with fajitas, instead. Yum!

East Meets West

{Ryan Emond's "Moments in China"}

Alright, so I guess that I am kind of a fan of Ryan Emond (he is awesome!)... Here is a video that he shot of numerous locations in China. It made me appreciate my new home all that much more, and has inspired, perhaps, some future trips around the country!

{Toronto}

We recently had some of my fiancé's classmates over at our flat and decided to show the video of Ottawa that we loved so much. Afterwards, someone requested to see this one of Toronto. While watching what my fiancé and I knew to be footage of the CN Tower, one of his classmates mistook it to be a tower in her hometown of Shanghai! It was very interesting to hear from some of my fiancé's friends that Toronto reminded them a lot of Hong Kong and Shanghai, the cities that they are from. It was odd to hear someone make such a remark about Toronto, a city that I feel is completely different from Hong Kong (I've never been to Shanghai). The similarities between Toronto and Hong Kong that our friends listed were: the amount of tall buildings and their close proximity with each other, and the waterfront. I have to admit, some of the footage did remind me of some views that I see everyday here which made our Western city very comparable to the Eastern one that we are currently living in. One thing that will always remain different about the two cities, though: crossing the street in Toronto is a lot easier than it is in Hong Kong!

I Love Ottawa

{Some love for Ottawa!}

I had previously seen this video (shot and edited by Ryan Emond) last summer when it was featured on OpenFile Ottawa's website but was reminded of it recently when a good friend posted it to Facebook and tagged my fiancé and I. We once again hooked up my MacBook to our TV, watched it in 1080p HD, and truly appreciated our hometown, Ottawa, in all of its amazingness (not a word, I realise, but I like adding "ness" to everything). Being able to see footage of home again was such a welcome treat for these sore eyes (there are far too many skyscrapers in Hong Kong). It really made me miss Ottawa and all of the lovely people in it, not to mention the bit of wondrous footage of the Queensway where cars drive on the right side of the road (I miss knowing which way to look when I cross the street). 

We are especially missing Ottawa this weekend since it is Thanksgiving back in Canada. While we will not be able to enjoy any delicious turkey and pumpkin pie, and the subsequent coma after such a meal, we will be thinking of our friends and family back home, and will remember how thankful we are to have them in our lives. My fiancé and I hope to be home for Christmas when the city will be blanketed in fluffy, white snow, but until then, we will just enjoy this great and beautiful video of Ottawa.

{My own photo (run through Instagram, of course) of the Rideau Canal, Parliament buildings and the Château Laurier from MacKenzie King Bridge. Who wouldn't miss a city this beautiful?}

{I miss the beauty that is Canada in the Fall: the sound of fallen leaves crunching under my feet, pumpkin spice lattes & sweater weather, but most of all, I miss giving thanks with my family and friends over a great meal}

Sick At Home

{Currently living in my pink, polka dot slippers from UNIQLO}

What began as an annoying sore throat last Friday developed in to a head cold over the long weekend (we had a four-day weekend for the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day), and has now become "early bronchitis", or so I was told by a doctor yesterday. I began working as an English kindergarten teacher last Monday, and from my experience during teacher's college, last year (I became ill four times in less than a year, two of the instances were bronchitis), I am not surprised to have fallen ill (again!). I have been told by senior teachers that it is common for many young teachers, especially ones without children, to often be sick within the first couple of years of work. I suppose that I will eventually develop some sort of immunity to most illnesses by then... At least, I sure hope so.

{My new favourite mug which will be housing hot milk tea while I am home, sick}

Luckily for me, my fiancé has been wonderful this week, despite my extreme crankiness (I was super cranky!). He ran many errands this week, including some late-night trips to the pharmacy near our apartment for some cold/flu medicine for me, and has just been a sweetheart in general. I have officially been prescribed some rest, and I mustn't forget to mention that I also have four (yes, four) different types of pills that I must ingest at least 2-3 times daily. 

As I sit at home this weekend, curled up in my pj's and pink, polka dot slippers, I will be thinking of my Canadian friends and family who are celebrating Thanksgiving on Monday. I envy each and every one of you back home who will be lucky enough to be in a turkey coma while I suffer from a non-food related one. Okay, so I'm being a little dramatic, but still - turkey! Gah! Most apartments/homes in Hong Kong do not come with an oven, so turkey will have to wait until I am home in Canada.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, friends (and family)!

--Ivy

National Day Fireworks

My fiancé, some friends and I went to Wan Chai on October 1st and watched the (Chinese) National Day fireworks display from the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. With fireworks originating from China, we almost expected to see a moving dragon across the sky (there wasn't one), but what we did see was pretty impressive, too! The finale was booming and spectacular, and made for a beautiful night with friends.

** My condolences go to the victims of the tragic ferry crash that happened the night of the National Day fireworks near Lamma island. I hope that the families will receive the peace that they need after the completion of the incident's investigation.