catch Up!

Oh I am so far behind on this!  No posts in 3 days.  I'm telling ya, there's something in the water.  Laziness water.

Paul in our new fav restaurant

Friday evening was bike night!  Paul and I took the MTR all the way up to the second to last stop (in Hong Kong) on the East Rail Line to Yan's house to pick up our brand new (to us) bikes.  They're super old with no gears, but they're awesome florescent colors and both have bells!!  And mine has a basket!   While out in almost China  we popped into the only restaurant nearby.  The place was awesome!  It was filled with families who all sat around big circular tables that were filled with awesome looking soups, hot pots, and meat.  Of course the menu was all in Chinese, but based on the food on our neighbors tables we figured we couldn't go wrong.  We had picked two random things on the menu when a woman came over to us and asked if we needed help.  How sweet is that?  She got us a seafood soup with vermicelli and a chicken noodley soup.  Both were awesome and the whole experience was just really  cool.  It kind of reminded me of being back in Korea where I always felt like such the outsider (in a good way).  You don't really feel that when you're sipping European beers at a pub filled with Aussies, English, Americans and a couple locals...

The scene

Yummo seafood mushroom soup

chicken noodley soup

Post dinner we bring our brank spanking new bikes to the MTR where we are immediately informed we cannot bring bikes without removing the front tires.  How are we going to get it off?  With our hands?  The MTR man tells us to take a cab.  We're not taking a cab from almost China and PS our bikes probably wouldn't fit.  The man tells us to wait, and returns a minute later with a borrowed wrench from a convenience store!!  People are so nice here!  We got the wheels off, MTRed it the hour+ to Kowloon Tong, hand screwed the wheels back on, then rode 3km in the dark.  But we made it!!

Paul on the new (mini) bike to the MTR

Saturday I decided that I didn't want to go to the MBA program, but I did get back into running!  It was a beautiful day so I went out for a lovely 8k run.  Not bad.  I officially quit for two days.  Cathy informs me that's not quitting, but I can't remember the last time I went two whole days without a run.  ha.  I have to do a post on the perils of running aka Can't-ever-get-full-ness.   Another day.  Later I met up with Cathy in Soho for a shopping event.  We bought our tickets and then walked all around Soho from boutique to boutique shopping and sipping on wine which was provided.  The boutiques ranged from home goods to clothes to jewelry and we discovered some really cool streets and stores we had never noticed before, my favorites being General Store and Homeless.  Who knew about Gage and Gough Streets???  They're amazing!

Paul had his Christmas dinner with all billion of the Tutor Time employees.  It's their ten year anniversary being open, so of course they had a James Bond style dinner.  Weird, I know.  Paul said it was OK, but still kind of like work.  And hey, can we please invite the significant others next time!?  We met up afterward in Soho for a flight of wine at Hong Kong's only winery Portrait.  I was informed 8th estate doesn't count because they're grapes are procured elsewhere.  I started chatting with the owner Steve and told them I was interested in getting into the industry. Steve told me they're always looking for help, so fingers crossed he writes back to the email I sent to remind him today!！

Waiting for the boat to go to Top Deck

Sunday was Funday with Nina and Kenny!!  They're our new Sunday brunch go tos.  Last week helicopters and this week boats.  Jumbo Floating Restaurant is a notorious place here in the SAR. Everyone knows it's the place to go on a beautiful day for a free flow champagne brunch.  Despite it's proximity to Ap Le Chau (remember the 8th estate fail?), the place is amazing.  It is literally a jumbo floating restaurant.  We hit up Top Deck for a 4 spot on the water.  We had amazing views of the marina and all of the insane boats docked there.  Reminds you of how much money there is to be had here.  If only I knew where it was hiding... And then the food.  There was a cold buffet and a hot buffet.  Cold buffet boasted crabs legs, sashimi salmon and octopus, a bunch of salads including a delicious pumpkin one, and oysters!! I couldn't begin to count the amount of oysters we ate during our 4 hour brunch.  Then the hot bar had eggs Benedict (awesome), naan, curries (both Thai and India), veel, chicken skewers, make your own pita sandwiches, and a bunch of other stuff I can't remember.  Then there was a dessert bar with a crepe making dude, ice cream, and cheese (but only 2).  The food isn't the best I've had, it is a buffet afterall, but the whole set up is perfect for an all day occasion.  You get to sit outside on the water as boat float by (you actually have to take a boat to get onto the island), get to munch on endless food all day, and to top it off waiters never let your glass even get near empty! We're glad we got it in now because it'll probably be a touch too cold for the next couple months.

Plate1: salmon, octopus, crabs legs, pumpkin salad, oysters, artichoke hearts

Plate 2: boa, tuna salad, eggs benedict, naan, brussel sprouts, cheese pasta, thai green curry cauliflower

One of many oyster plates

A few glasses of champagne later and I got better at plating; oysters, salmon, tuna pomegranate salad, parma ham, pumpkin salad

Monday Monday Monday.  Slept in til the nice hour os 9:30 this am.  Biked over to have lunch with Paul, then spent the entire afternoon sipping coffee, catching up on my magazines, and hitting the bookstore.   Tonight Paul and I are celebrating (2 days late) our 17 month anniversary.  Big one I know.  I had picked up some duck pate and a wheel of brie a few weeks ago, and Paul surprised me with a bottle of Baileys (how sweet is that!?) , so we're going to party tonight.  I also picked up a block of sage cheese, foie gras, and a couple other cheeses.  Should be a rager!

Meet Boo, the cutest dog in the world (according to the title).  I <3 bookstores..