Harper’s Bazaar Red List 2015, Hong Kong

So January has come and gone and resolutions to religiously blogging has been off to a slow start. Admittedly, it’s only so because I have been busy tackling the brought forward resolutions from last year and that is to get my health into check. I can’t say that my schedule has eased up at all and as a matter of fact it’s getting busier. I am basically counting the hours till the Chinese New Year break and only because it means that it’s the holidays for me- THANK GOD!

The end and start of a year always means one thing, lists! Lists of resolutions, top 20s, best hits, top fashion trends and many more! All to pay homage to the best of the last year while setting the tone for the following year. Last week, I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Harper’s Bazaar Red List for 2015 lunch event held at the Four Season Hotel, Hong Kong.

At the event! Pardon the amateurish pics- I am not narcissistic enough yet to understand the concept of selfies! 

There I was faced with a wall of the top 20 picks of 2015, specially selected by movers and shakers in the Hong Kong social scene and seconded by the key opinion leaders of Harper's Bazaars, the items chosen ranged from your affordable everyday essentials to the somewhat overpriced (but sworn to work its magic) facial elixirs. Ranging from actresses to singers and models, the lifestyles of these ladies are hectic to say the least, but if your face is your money maker, then any effort made is an investment. Of course, not everyone has the luxury of time to be doing 3 facial masks a day as quoted by one of the actresses present that day.

The Top 20 wall...

After a half hour of mingling and photo taking, including making a mandatory mark on the red List Wall of Fame, guests were seated for lunch and the event commenced.

The whole point of the event- awards and food! Check out the dessert!

The “judges” were called up in batches to introduced the products and why they were chosen as well share their thoughts on what makes them beautiful. Following that, the awards were given out and the representatives of the winning companies were called up to receive their award. Lunch was served intermittently and while kudos to the chef and team of the Four Seasons Hotel for the entire meal, I would have to say that the highlight and biggest photo op moment of the entire event was the dessert. To think I had nearly missed it too if it wasn’t for the lovely hosts of Harper’s Bazaar magazine telling me that the best had yet to come. No regrets staying!

Congratulations to the team at Harper’s Bazaar Hong Kong and I look forward to next years’ event.

To share, the #HKRedList2015 top 20 picks are (in no particular order):

1. Cle De Peau Beaute, Radiant Fluid Foundation
2. Philips, Visapure Advance home facial device
3. Shisheido, Ultimate Power infusing concentrate
4. Clarins, Shaping Facial Lift Contour Serum
5. La Collline, Lip Shaper
6. SK-II, RNA Power Radical New Age Essence
7. Sulwhasoo, Time Treasure Renovating Cream EX
8. Nature Bisse, Diamond Extreme
9. Guerlain, Abeille Royale Face Treatment Oil
10. AmorePacific, Time Response Intensive Skin renewal Ampoule
11. Giorgio Armani, Luminous Silk Foundation
12. Dior, Miss Dior Eau De Parfum
13. Lancome, Absolue L’Extrait Cream
14. Valmont, Prime Renewing Pack
15. Urdan Decay, Naked 2 Eyeshadow Palette
16. Tom Ford, Eye Quad
17. La Prairie, Skin Caviar concealer Foundation
18. La Mer, Genaissance the Serum Essence
19. Fresh, Cream Ancienne Soft Cream
20. Estee Lauder, Nutritious Vitality Night Radiant Overnight Crème Mask

My personal take:

There were too many “repeated” products on the list- 3 foundations, 2 eyeshadow sets and several anti-aging products. I would have loved to see a bit more of a variety of items that would be able to constitute a skin care regime. The similarity of the function of the products limits me to being able to choose one for any particular period of time. 

While I did eventually check out some of the products to add on to my skincare regime, I ended up only buying the Guerlain, Abeille Royale Face Treatment Oil and this is only because every facial therapist who has been “fortunate” enough to treat me has complained excessively about my dry skin. I can't say I am seeing too much of a drastic improvement on my skin (yet) but I do love the lightness of the product and the subtle scent.

If anyone currently uses any one of the products above it would be nice to hear your take on it! Comment below.

PS: My next post will be MY top make up must haves for 2016! Subscribe to my blog to keep up on my latest updates.

October- another year older...

How many clicked in from Facebook to see how amazing I looked?
Sorry to disappoint but this is heavily edited!

And its exactly as it is, October has come and it's 2 weeks post birthday. Honestly, I don't feel any different. Perhaps its because I get panic attacks about getting older a week before my birthday and start to up the ante on my skincare regime, diet and lifestyle. Hah! Trying to cheat the system basically. Its probably more psychological than it is physical but I feel great so I must be doing something right.

This birthday I celebrated surrounded by new friends, old friends, family and too much cake!

Last year in the days leading up to my 30th birthday, I had mixed feelings of joy and excitement in looking forward to the next chapter in life and of sadness from kissing my 20's and all its chaotic activities goodbye. Looking back, I really did have the time of my life in my 20's and the 30's is a whole other ball game, there was this sense of responsibility and calm that settled over me. The things I used to enjoy just no longer appeal to me. Now if I get home, it's so hard to get me out because I enjoy the peace and solitude I get from being in my domain doing absolutely nothing.

This is life now...Its not always champagne and caviar but then again-
Life is what you make of it!

There were so many changes in the past year with the biggest one being my move to Hong Kong with the hubster. I think we have reached a plateau with bad situations that arose after the move and now we're really getting a grip on life and work...or work and life...or just work. I really love the vibe here in Hong Kong, the New York of Asia, but its being here that makes me pine for the energy and the frivolous and carefree attitude of the 20's. I feel like I am stuck in between- between being zen and adult and on the opposite end of the spectrum, throwing all caution to the wind and just doing whatever I want. I have no reason yet to "be responsible" so why restrict myself right? Or wrong?

I miss my network of friends the most, every single weekend and evening of most days. I should go out and make some new friends...how do I even classify myself? I'm not a "Single/ Asian/ Female looking to make friends" (we know what kind of attention this gets) and neither can I join, nor am I ready to join mummy groups. Would it be rude if I flat out said I'm looking for intellectual conversations about personal growth and the follies of life in general? No conversations which will make me roll my eyes or fall asleep? I love wine like a baby loves milk and i'm artsy-fartsy when time permits. I'll find any excuse not to exercise but I'll attempt to start a diet every week. Anyone else in the same boat can look me up...desperately seeking someone relate-able. Oh yea, I'm also allergic to bullshit like i'm allergic to fur. (I paint such a lovely picture of myself!)

Lucky for me, I've had different friends who have been visiting Hong Kong nearly every month. Otherwise, it's back to Singapore for me for a good dose of errands and dinner with the gals!

Anyways, another perk of getting older is the joys of watching your fine lines become not so fine and skin sagging everywhere. Your chin gets lonely and starts to have a double to keep it company and what used to  be smooth as a baby bottom skin now looks like the surface of the moon. (Did I mention I am dramatic too?) 

Thankfully I work in the cosmetics industry and sometimes I get to guinea pig technology! So for the first time ever in my life, I decided to zap my face into shape! I tried out the new HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) machine that we got at the facial outlets and that was an interesting experience! (I have a generally low tolerance for pain but I feel like pain gets more bearable with age. It's like life is preparing you for all the treatments that are to come!) What I'm getting at is, the treatment does not hurt in places which are firmer (forehead and cheeks) but in my saggy chin and jowl area, it felt like someone was stapling my fats into hiding. I did however notice a great difference after the treatment, when they did one side first, there was already an improved appearance! Immediately after treatment was easy but days 1 through 3 after the treatment was a bit tender around the jaw area- like a post stapled effect. (It helped me learn not to squirrel away food in my mouth when I eat and take smaller bites!)

As HIFU is supposed to stimulate the cells for collagen production and tissue rejuvenation, the effects of the treatment will only be visible after 1 month and a follow up treatment is recommended 3 months after your first. So far, I'm liking the effects and at least I manage to keep any needles AWAY from my face! Anyone who wants to try HIFU, DO IT! 

Right, so another year and thankful for the opportunities that have been blessed upon me. Thankful to have a husband which has signed on for another year of my nonsense. Thanks to the colleagues here  in Hong Kong who have been so welcoming and throwing me a surprise birthday celebration which threw a lot of the birthday wishes off kilter and some people into panic- don't worry, you didn't miss it!

Cheers to the next one!

PS: For anyone who does notice, this blog is work in progress...I am playing around with the colors and tones and I'm not quite happy with it yet. Bear with me!

PPS: The effects of the HIFU are really visible 4 weeks post treatment.

Tips on Flat-Hunting in Hong Kong

Week 5 in Hong Kong and we were no closer to finding a home. We hadn’t found what we were looking for and I was starting to fear that we never will and that we may just out of desperation pick something just for the sake of having a roof over our heads and regret it. Being a person who loves creating homes of any apartment we choose, I needed a place that I can sink my roots into and bloom. Living out of boxes and suitcases for the last 2 months (now entering the 3^rd) is really doing my head in. And the thought of having to repack and unpack again gives me a panic attacks (yes I am dramatic).

The good news is that we weren’t so pressed for time to find an apartment now, the bad?

Where do I begin?

I feel like apartment hunting in Hong Kong is like a real life version of the Hunger Games except that this time people are snapping up good apartments like there’s no tomorrow. We have been searching for a place to call home for the last 3 weeks and we are no closer to finding or choosing anything. We have had numerous near misses (apartments that we were supposed to view only to get a call 1 HOUR before the view saying it had been taken, WTF!), many epic fails (like what were the owners thinking), many nearly there but not quite (perfect apartment but the kitchen/toilet/something just didn’t feel right) and only 2 possibilities and that’s with exception.

Our agents have been very patient with us after we finally found some that understand exactly what we want. Most seem to think that we have given them the task of the century. Hence the reason why I have decided to write this post as these are the things that I wish someone had told me before I moved here.

1) Finding an agent

There are SO many agents here in Hong Kong and if your Company doesn’t provide you with an agent or you don’t have friends who can recommend you an agent, you’re pretty much left to figure things out for yourself. Most agents can speak English but for some, language can be a bit of an issue.

 

Also, because of the abundance of agents here, agents usually focus on their own areas of expertise. One way to ensure that the agent specializes in the area in which you would like to live in, you could chance walking into one of the travel agents in that particular area or contact a mainstream agency.

If you are looking in the Sai Ying Pun/ Sheung Wan area, I have left (at the end of this post) the contacts of 2 agents who really understood what we were looking for.

2) Have an idea of where you want to stay

This is where Google becomes your best friend. I truly wish I had done more research. A lot of times the places we choose depends on venue of workplace, social activities and convenience. While Hong Kong is broken down to 4 main areas- Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Territories and the outlying islands, there are so many suburbs in these different areas. This website does a great job of listing the different areas and what they have to offer. It can be really mind boggling and it is so important to decide what you and your spouse/family need. 

3) Budget, budget, budget!

Wow, this was a real pain in the butt. Everything that we saw and liked, was beyond our budget (we have high expectations and expensive taste apparently) and while it was a viable option, I wasn’t comfortable with spending so much on a place that didn’t even belong to us!

So we had to really sit down with a pen and paper and decide what we want. 

A few questions that could help you narrow down your choices are:

a) Are facilities important? Do you have kids that require the facilities? Are you both highly active individuals who need the facilities and will use them?

We decided to forego the facilities as we had ready gym memberships and would prefer to do our activities outside for the social aspect.

b) How many rooms do you NEED?

Based on Singapore, I really wanted to have a second room for guests/visitors and my junk is general. But when we did the math, it just wasn’t worth paying nearly 5K-10K HKD/month just to accommodate visitors who came twice a year.

c) Is a terrace/balcony/roof area important?

This was a huge factor in the difficulties in finding a place…most expats are also looking for a balcony so these apartments get snapped up really fast.

d) Will you be owning a car?

Because Hong Kong is so populated, not every apartment comes with car park facilities. If they do, you are looking to pay an extra 2-4K HKD/month just for the car park.

e) Will you be getting a helper?

We decided to get a helper that stayed outside because space constraints were a big issue.

f) Do you have pets and does your apartment allow pets?

Some apartments are not pet friendly so be very honest when telling your agent what you want as this will save a lot of time and effort.

So all these factors address, that leaves you with the rest of the criteria's you may want to fulfill: renovated, supermarket close by and close to the office. We wanted the ideal home but so did everybody else.

You can download the Squarefoot App or visit www.squarefoot.com.hk to check out whats on the market in the areas that you want.

Another things that helps is if you know exactly where your workplace will be and you intend to live nearby, open google maps and zoom in till you see the names of the apartments and check them on Squarefoot as well. It is extremely painstaking but I found that it helped me get a better idea of the areas I wanted to look into and more specifically the developments I wanted to consider. It also helped me to check off those that were beyond budget. 

4) Take note:

When you go for viewings, you will be the one paying for the transportation fee to/from the place even if you go with your agent. Most times, it is better to arrange viewings in one location and do a sort of walking tour.

5) If you like it, grab it! 

If you see a place you really like, don’t hesitate for even one second to tell your agent you’re interested. The agents will tell you to your face that good apartments get snapped up fast so if you “need time to consider” there is no guarantee that the apartments will be available when you want it. So it is cautious to ask how long the apartment has been on the market for, if it has been on the market for a while then you have nothing to be worried about if it has just come on the market and you are one of the first to view it and really like it. Jump on it!

Thankfully our search came to an end this mid-week, it has been tedious, tiring and frustrating and I am just so glad that this portion is over and done with so everyone can just get on with their lives. We found exactly what we were looking for in an apartment with the exception of the lack of second room and the fact that the distance from the bedroom to the toilet is about 10 meters AWAY! But with everything else being so perfect...we jumped!

I hope that this post is useful to others out there who may be facing the same predicament. If so, leave a comment below and your 2 cents worth! I'm sure there there are many others who will be facing the same issues down the line and would be thankful for some advice.

Property Agents in Hong Kong

Wendy Go – Land & Fortune Realty Ltd

Mobile: (852) 6939 9275

Henry Chui – Grand Pacific Property Limited

Mobile: (852) 94936574

Hong Kong here I come!

Well, this is it. Time for the next chapter in my life. I haven't been updating much but the past few weeks have been INSANE! As some of you may or may not know, my life path has decided to let me experience Hong Kong. All this was pretty much decided in 7 months and before I knew it, my entire home was being packed up and emptied out. Time taken from green light to go (Nov 2014) till flight time (July 2015) - too short.

L: All packed and ready to go, R: The empty house that was my home

It all started when the hubs started disappearing for longer periods and the business required him to be in Hong Kong more than it needed him to be in Singapore, newly married, it was the toughest thing that after our honeymoon month (Sept 2014) I started being able to count with my fingers and some toes, the number of days I would be able to see him in a month.

Well, he chose Hong Kong and I chose our marriage. It no longer made sense to stay in Singapore when my business partner and my partner in life was so far from me. I lost the motivation and enthusiasm for work because I always felt like I was alone. Once the hubs and I discovered that together we were a force to reckon with, a dynamic duo, the yin and yang solution to any problem, it was hard for either of us to go back to doing things solo. We could do it, this wasn't the problem- the problem was that it always felt that something was missing.

The months crept by slowly and before I knew it, everything was moving at warp speed. The packing, the goodbyes, EVERYTHING!

I leave with mixed feelings. I'm excited about this lucky chance I get to experience life somewhere else. I needed this push out of my comfort zone to allow me to grow more as an individual. I am also really sad about the things I leave behind- my friends mainly because they are my support network, a job which I love and felt like I was doing something amazing, my colleagues whom I value and have enjoy working with over the past years, all these amongst the other less important things. The funny thing about leaving is that in light of my departure, I got to see the side of people that I never got to see and it really wasn't pretty but it made me all the more thankful for the REAL friends I have.

Well my departure wasn't without mishap (of course!). But have been truly blessed at the way it turned out. After leaving some more stuff behind at friends houses for pick up at a later date, I still ended up at the airport trying to check in 62kgs of stuff! OMG...with only 20kgs of baggage allowance, I was looking at an overweight charge of at least $530! Deciding that it wasn't worth arguing about or even discussing, I decided to pay and not put up a fight. 

Fortunately the check in lady was looking for volunteers to get on the next flight (departing 2 hours later) in exchange for $15 meal voucher (yuck), $75USD cash voucher and an upgrade to a business class seat. Oh! This is something I could use. Unfortunately, baggage allowance remains the same (only 20kgs!). So I decided to try my luck and get some extra weight on. I ended up with business class seats AND baggage allowance (30kgs!) and $88 cash which I could use to offset the price of the overweight charges. Yay! I managed to get away with paying $270 in overweight of which $88 was offset so total for overweight costs were $180! As I sit here sipping my champagne on my lovely business class seats, I am thinking what a lucky biatch I am! Oh yes. My momma says I am blessed. 

Living the life...but not on my budget! Its the best.

Thanks to those friends (too many to name but you know who you are) who made the effort to meet up with me before my departure, those that didn't get the chance, I'll be back! Thanks so much to Maria who helped me sell most of my furniture 5days before I left! Thanks to Kelly for organizing my small company farewell and thanks to those that made it! Thanks to the steamboat dinner girls and especially Mary for hosting me in my last night in Singapore. I'm going to miss all of you! There are more people who have helped me so much in my last few days, one way or another and I really appreciate every single bit of it! 

Credits to Ina for the photos

I guess we never really say goodbye, just I'll see you again soon. I made the decision to go and I will be making the best of this! Matter of fact, I am planning to take Hong Kong by storm! Till we meet again! 

Reunited with the hubster!

Xoxo!