The Last Post

Yesterday marked my last day with the HOFWs and my last day in Kwun Tong, Kowloon.  As such, the Kowloon blog has come to an end point.  But first, let me bring it up to speed.

After the amazing Domani wine dinner, Wednesday was filled with an interview and an awesome port tasting. Johnny Symington, part of the 13th generation of family owners for brands like Dow's, Grahams, Warre's, Qutina do Bomfim to name a few, was in town and was going to lead a tasting through some of his Dow's ports.  Unfortunately he had to go home for a family emergency, but the tasting went on.

Jorge telling us about Dow's

The Asian brand manager (obviously he's not Asian) led the tasting of some really delicious ports.  We had a white mixed with tonic (Portonic, cleverly), then a Ruby Reserve made specifically to pair with chocolate, brilliant.  Then a 10 and 20 year Tawny (divine), a Quinta vintage port (2010 I think) and finally a 1994 Dow's vintage port.   If you're not into Port, you're not a real person. They are so deliciously warming, sweet, and full of fire.  Get into it.

Then Paul and I met for a lovely sushi date at a sushi place we never noticed in our hood.  And it twas delicious.   Then more interviews Thursday followed by some wineing and dining.  This woman I interviewed the previous week invited me out for a drink at one of her customer's places; Armani Aqua.  I cannot believe I haven't been here before.  Although with $150 cocktails, I guess yes I can.

Egg, tuna and salmon rolls

It's an amazing outdoor bar in the heart of Central, and had I not known which country I was in, I would have sworn I was in New York.  Lounge-y with loud music and beautiful people and fancy cocktails.  I could get used to this.

Courtney at the Phoenix 

Then Paul and I went over to Courtney and Patrick's for some wine and chatting.  I love summer.

Friday I worked allllllll day at a wedding expo and then met Allison and Kass (new Canadian friend who is super sweet) for some natural wines in Soho.  I actually have a lunch meeting with the owners of the natural wine bar tomorrow, La Cabane a Vin.  Amazing natural wines from France (soon to cover more countries), girl talk, and North American friends.  Get better.

Last HOFWs event.  Me, Phil and Sean

Saturday worked alllllll day at the stupid wedding expo, and then Paul and I went out for some lovely cocktails at the Pawn, followed by a going away party for Kelcy.  Another one bites the dust.

Birthday cocktails with Paul at the Pawn

Sunday was my last birthday in my 20s and my last birthday as a McPhate.  And it was an awesome birthday!!  22 of my most favorite Hong Kongers came out to help me celebrate with bottomless Champers, oysters, crab, sushi, Indian, Thai, and much much more.  Jumbo Floating restaurant is a perennial favorite (we've been 4/5 times now) and it was fun to introduce it to several people who hadn't been.  If you come to HK, it's a must.

Will, Sarah and Jackie

Justin

Me and Julia

Court, Patrick and Alicia

Sarah and I

Paul knows me.  Chocolate cake covered in chocolate adorned with chocolate (and wine bottle)  Well done, Paul, and well done Ms. B!

Brunch on a giant boat (you ferry to it from Aberdeen), sitting outside, with fantastic service that doesn't allow your drink to get dry.  Perfect.

Js.  Jackie, Justin, Joey and Julia

<3

And to make it even better, I got to go home and chat with my best friend from high school.  So great to catch up with Kati, and to begin a big year of firsts.

So there you have it.

Kowloon, it's been a good run, but this kid is on to bigger and better.  xo

And the Hunt Continues

This week and last have been all about the interview.  First, second, and even third round interviews, and thankfully one offer has come in already.  I should let you know that this blog, in all its Kowloon fine-ness, will be shut down after next Friday, my last day in Kowloon ever (until Owl City comes in August).  But don't worry, my blogging journey will continue!

This gem has been going for a solid 2 years now, and now that we've moved out of Kowloon, and my new job will not be in Kowloon (everywhere I've interviewed is on the island), I think it's only right to close out my Kowloon Dreams.  New blog title suggestions welcome. 

The new blog will be more focused on my journey in Hong Kong as told through my wine-ing.  The WSET diploma is no joke, and from what I gather year 2 is taste, taste, taste, and this will serve as one of my memory aids.  If I start getting boring/losing you, please just give a shout. 

Anyway, yes, the job search continues.  Two second round interviews tonight, one of which is super interesting but could be a super terrible or super lucrative and challenging decision (I hope to figure out which tonight), and the other another sales job.  Lots of sales jobs available in HK. 

Anyway, what have we been up to this week....

Oh yeah, totally rad events, dinners and, meh, work.  One more week of work.... (did you know in Europe they teach not to use the Oxford comma?  It just looks wrong without)

Monday I skipped outta work early for the first ever in HK Guild Somm event.  The Guild is a US organization of, you guessed it, sommeliers.  Hands down, this was the single best event in terms of wine studying helpfulness, I have ever been to.  I walked in at 2:45 sharp, which was the beginning time, to realize I was the last one there, which never ever ever happens.  People in HK make it a habit to always show up at least 10 minutes late.  And it's usually much more.

Anyway, walk into to a roundtable of Somms and Somm-pretend to bes (me, Ian, and Louis).  For those of you not in the know, there's this new movie out call 'Somm' and it's sweeping the wine world.  It's a fantastic look into what it takes to become a Master Sommelier (similar-ish to becoming an MW).  I highly recommend you give it a watch.  So one of the people in the movie is Geoff Kruth MS.  And that's precisely who led our seminar.

This was a class on how to improve your blind tasting skills.  Geoff outlined several key aspects of wine that if present, make it easier to deduce which wine you are drinking.  For example, if you detect pyrazines (herbal/green bell pepper flavours), there's a good chance you're looking at Sauv Blanc, Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Carmenere or Merlot.  Just one thing detected and you can narrow down your choices from hundreds (thousands really) to just a few.  Other examples were botrytis (noble rot usually in sweet wines), Terpenes (aromatic compounds), Rotundone (black/white pepper flavours), new oak (used for expensive wines), raisination. high volatile acidity (associated with high booze count), Brett, oxidation, lees contact, and carbonic maceration.

Then to highlight this point, we tasted 4 whites and 4 reds blind.  We methodically went through to see if any of the above were present, and if yes, then move onto flavors, alcohol, body, and acidity to figure out what we were probably looking at.  I can't say enough how helpful it is to have this list and to think of it in this way. 

We all walked out totally pleased and I'm really looking forward to seeing a Guild presence in HK!  Thanks, Geoff!

This was followed by an interview and then my first paid model/acting (and probably only) gig.  This woman, Jolene, who organized bazaars here, asked if I would be in her friend's advertisement.  I met her and the crew at the Airport Express train where we were let in.  Her friend did my makeup (to erase my black circles) and then we shot.  I was a tourist who was very frustrated that I could not get Wi-Fi on the train!  In total Asian humor, I shook the ipad around, made an angry face, and acted like a spoiled child.  Did this for several angles, various degrees of shaking, and I was done and a few bills richer.   This is way more fun than tutoring.   I have to go next Tuesday to do a quick voice over and then hopefully I will get a copy of the commercial to post.

Then Tuesday was a full day of work followed by 2 back to back interviews, and then the most amazing wine dinner I have ever been to.  I may have mentioned a while back that I took some wine tasting classes with JC who is going for his MW.  Well, he just saw mid-August for the test, and this was a 'Thank god it's over' dinner. 

Thank you, Roland!

There were a solid 21 of us and everyone was required to bring one bottle.  After a Prosecco reception with amazing homemade bread covered in amazing meat, we sat down, new friends and old to begin the meal.   It was pretty amazing that I was a part of this group, and amazing to me, that after a year in the wine I know so many talented and successful people in the industry.

JC

JC started bottles at various people around the table and instructed us to pass the bottles in one direction or another.  We were each armed with 2 glasses, and managed to try every single one of those 21 bottles.  Impressive, no!?  There was an amazing Rioja white and the most interesting of the reds was for sure a 1967 Barolo.  And the food.  The food, the food.  Caprese salad made from the freshest mozzarella,  a cheesy risotto covered in foie gras and figs, ulta rare filet with eggplant mash (brillant), completed with creme brulee.  Lovely.

And that was just Tuesday.

Flying Curious

Sometimes Paul and I sit back and have a chuckle about how silly and amazing our lives are here.  Today was one of those days.  But we'll get to that when we get to that.

Thursday I left work early for a French wine tasting at the Mira hotel.  I only had time to try a few of the hundred or so wines offered, but a couple of the Muscadet Sur Lies from the Loire stood out and stuck on my tongue for hours.  Wonderful and not your everyday wines, and if you haven't had one, I totally suggest you seek one out for summer. 

Grabbed a handful of cheese on the way out to 4 back to back interviews.  They were all very positive for very different companies, and 2 of which are very very interesting to me.  Hopefully I'll hear something soon.

Louis de Sacy Champagne at the American Club

Then ran out of the last one after an hour and a half of chatting to hit up BFelix for a wine pop up shop with one of my favorite wine companies, Amorosso Fine Wines.  Brilliant idea.  Wine shop in a furniture shop for a limited time only.  Alison was there pouring our some lovely Rioja whites and reds, and my Spanish wine friend from the Island East Market was serving some amazing Spanish ham.  Paul was there chatting with Ali (WineTimesHK) and Alison, and new friends who have just left Korea to travel the world.

Red Head's Barrel Monkeys

Friday ran out of work for a Cru Magazine/Bacchus wine tasting at the American Club.  I got to catch up with my wine friends, Gerrie, Stephen, Jon, and Simon, and met some new wine enthusiasts and negociants.  There were some amazing Champagnes, great young Bordeauxs, but my favorites of the night were, for sure, the Red Head wines from Australia (Whip Hand- aaahhhhmazing), and the Barbera, Nebbiolos, and Barolos from Pelassa.  Divine.

View from the American Club

Saturday Paul worked in the morning while I went to the pool for some laps, the library for some research for my diploma case study (if anyone has any insight into the convergence of supply and demand for wine using the 2012 harvest as evidence, contact me!), had an interview, then met Paul for an Indian buffet lunch. 

We head home to unload before hiking and it dumped rain.  Dumped dumped dumped. And then all of the sudden the sun shone and life was good again.  So we head to the Dragon's Back for a wonderful hike with Nina, Kenny, Katie and Lisa.  Nice breeze, clear blue sky, and a non-strenuous workout.  Totally typical day that couldn't possibly be recreated anywhere else.

View from the trail post storm

Post hike Nina and Kenny introduced us all to a new favorite; Ben's Back Beach Bar in Shek O.  We've been coming to Shek O for 2 years and had never been to the back beach.  How could this be!?   It's quiet and has this islandy-almost-Thailand feeling bar, Ben's, where you can chill and have a Brooklyn Beer!!!  Or two.  And some yellow, two blue, and a  black, if you know what I mean.  If you don't know what I mean, I mean Lays chips.  But seriously, how did we not know about this sooner?

Paul, Kenny, Nina, Lisa, Me, Katie at Ben's

Post brews we went through some creepy alleyways, which again, we had never ventured down before, past some cats, a lot of cats, to Black Sheep.  This is a place I'd been hearing about, but the one time previous Paul and I attempted in, it twas full.  This time it was not.  At all. 

Sarong covered tables.  Disco Ball solar systems.  Fish tanks.  Awesome.  We had a fantastic pizza dinner and made it home at the ripe old hour of 11 on a Saturday night.  Perfect!

And now the clencher parte uno to The Best Week Ever.  We went flying with Kenny!!!  In a tiny little Cessna that seats 4.  I don't think I've ever seen a plane this small, much less been in and flown (for like a second with Kenny's hands still firmly on his control).  We flew out of a Chinese air force base, through the New Territories, down by Sai Kung, through the Harbour right by the ICC (right by!), around the Southside, back through the NT to the base. 

So small

Captain Kenny

Greenery

ICC

Totally surreal, and totally amazing, and totally made our week/day/month!  We hit some bumps coming through the mountains but had an ultra smooth landing.   Kenny is an amazing pilot and made us feel totally comfortable the entire time despite the fact that half an inch of 30 year old tin stood between us and the Pacific Ocean.  Well done, Kenny, well done, indeed.

Foodie Event at Sal

We topped the day off with brunch at Sal Curiouso.  Paul and I went to a Foodie event last month at SC and had some truly clever and tasty cocktails, which resulted in us walking away with a buy one get one brunch coupon.  Sarah, Will, Nina and Lisa joined us for what turned out to a totally tasty Sunday afternoon.

Buffet

Starts with a coffee/tea and a buffet; hummus/guac/salsa, squid salad, tortas, Iberco ham, salmon, chorizo and sardine salad, gazpacho panzanella salad, cured duck, tuna, and I'm sure much more I'm forgetting. 

Then the chef himself, Chris Woodyard, (who turns out to be the father of one of Paul's students from Tutor Time!) came and presented us with course after course of absolute deliciousness.  Lisa our resident veg, made vocal her contraints, and Chris was all too accommodating.  Started with a Turkish egg dish, followed by pork sliders, followed by suckling pig and pears, followed by tuna and squid over chorizo deliciousness, followed by Portabello over curry-ish chickpeas and peas, followed by scallops over avocado salasa, lamb meatballs, veg and non veg jumbalayas, and finally ribs.  Every single thing that came before us was delectable.  There was no 'meh' in the entire (ridiculously massive) menagerie of courses. 

Food.

To really finish it off right the dessert course was comprised of 2 dishes.  One with churros, cheesecake, chocolate crumbs, rockyroad fudge and chocolate whip cream.  The other with grapes, fruit rope, mango sorbet, and a rocky crumb cookie-ish thing.  Amaze. Amaze. Amaze.  2 and a half hours later and we were finished. 

Chris came back at the end with his son and daughter who said a very polite and heart melting, 'Hi Mr. Paul' and twas time to go.  I should mention Chris is also the owner and chef of Madam Sixty Ate, and it's no surprise as they are both spot on fantastic.

Now time to blog, answer emails, pretend to wedding plan, and finally watch SOMM.  Life is beautiful.

2 weeks til freedom-> Shanghai->Seoul->new job, I hope. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 Years

I forgot to mention THE best thing about last week in the last post.  Paul and I just celebrated our 3 year anniversary on July 3rd.  Woot. 

With interviews and end of school, we celebrated a day early with dinner at Madam Sixty Ate.  I've been hearing for months and months about how creative and tasty the Madam is, but just hadn't had a chance to check it out yet.  It was superb!!  If you haven't been you absolutely must.  I've been pretty disappointed in some of the restaurants we've been to recently, and Madam made me excited about going out again. 

bad picture- It was really pretty in person

We started with fantastic cocktails, a dark and stormy and a twist on the classic martini, then ordered the meal of the day.  Everyday there is a new plate offered at a spectacular price given the quality and location, and we lucked out with a fish course.  Sole filet with pink grapefruit, delicious chunky mashed potatoes, with a complementary sweet pink foam.  Twas as pretty as twas tasty.  I suppose the restaurants we've been to recently have either slacked on quality of product or on inventiveness of the dish, but this had both, and to top it off the service was right on.  Oh and the dinner was served with a paired glass of wine which happened to be a New Zealand Pinot Noir., which was just the perfect weight and fruitiness to match the sweetness and the fishiness. 

Just a quick cab home and we were home early on a school night.  It was a perfect evening to catch up on the craziness that surrounds our urban lives, with just the right cocktail, right dish, right wine, right service, right ambiance, and Mr. Right.

Happy Anniversary, P <3

Sun Shine Fun Week

This past weekend the sun actually managed to show its face more than once!  Although a tropical storm did blow through...

New co-worker Florian

Friday night after a great interview Paul and I went to our friend's happy hour.  Mingled a bit and called it an early night as Paul had to work.  I had a super successful Saturday am filled with hiking, gym, and shopping.   In the afternoon we met Peenalope (Justin's) ex girl friend Shannon in Central.  We met last year at Chetta's wedding and she mentioned she's out here every quarter or so.

Shannon and Cider.  PS am I the last to learn about Snapchat!?

She'd been before but never seen Central!!  We all had a tasty Thai lunch, refreshing cider's at the Globe, followed by some frosty brews with Court and Patrick at Beer Bay, which happens to be Paul's most happy place in the world. 

Jackie and Justin

Again called it an early night (like 7pm) so we
could go home and get ready for the 'Merica junk!  This is our third year running and we didn't want to disappoint.  I made amazing Japanese Miso noodles, recipe below, and Paul made and then I made a 7 layer dip.  USA.  If you've never cooked with soba (buckwheat) noodles, you absolutely must.  Not only are they tasty, but after a quick google search found out they're pretty amazing for you too.  Full of Omega-3s and B2s and junk.

Miso Amazeball Noodles:

400 grams soba (1lb)
Carrot slices/peels
Raw cabbage (I used purple and green)
Lightly cooked broccoli

For dressing:
big tablespoon of miso paste
1 raw egg
some cut up raw ginger
squirt of wasabi
1/2 cup olive oil
splash of sesame oil

Blend it all together and you've got a dressing.  You could totally throw any veg in there and have an amazing Japanese meal in less than 15 minutes. 

Me and Shannon

Anyway, the junk was amazing!!  Super sunny weather, amazing people that we've known for 2 years now (crazy!) and probably too much booze.  Oh and a serious lack of utensils.   Patrick made some amazing pulled pork, and Kelcy made some amazing pies, but other than that no one really brought any food.  There were 30 of us. 

But it was so much fun chatting and swimming, and chatting and swimming, that it always seems to fly by!

America! (my shady hallway)

Monday (SAR Establishment day!) we got up and head to Cheung Chau with Will and Sarah.  We've been trying to go for weeks, but the rain had kept us away.  We arrive at noon and it's gorgeous and sunny.

noon

Derek and Laura and Sam and Zara arrive at 1:30 and it's starting to look a little shaky.  Then totally black.  Then we run for cover as we're pretty sure the zombie apocalypse is upon us.  Nope just some violent tropical storm rain which served as a lovely soundtrack to our South African lunch at the Stoep. 

1:30

Twas a lovely long weekend! This week has been equally as lovely so far.  I took off at 3 yesterday for 2 interviews, I have one and wine tasting tonight, leaving at noon tomorrow for a tasting with my new friend Simone, followed by 3 interviews and a glass of wine with a friend (which hopefully leads to more interviews), followed by Friday and a wine tasting with said friend above.  Woot.

Finding jobs is so fun and I have recently decided that once I leave HOFWs on the 19th, I'm not going to start my new (hypothetical) job until August 12th, which gives me a lovely 3 week break to play. 

I <3 Summer!


 

 

 

 

 

Apparently I am Moving On

I have been trying to write this post for a week now, but somehow I keep getting sidetracked.  So here it goes...

Do you have the same routine every morning?  I pretty much do.  Wake up with Paul at 6:30.  Actually, let me rephrase.  Paul's alarm goes off at 6:30, Lauren drags Paul out of bed by 6:40.  Semantics.  I used to go running, but with this ungodly heat and foot/shoulder pain I have kept my exercise to a minimum; doing sit ups and pushups with Anderson Cooper.  Then off around 8am, 30 minutes earlier than necessary because I CANNOT STAND the MTR at 8:30. 

Anywho, get my paper from the same smiley dude with a big 'Josan!', head town and push through the crowds to the MTR.  Try to ignore the masses, make my way out in Kwun Tong where I try not to get in a fist fight with the swarms of idiots trying to smoosh my lunch bag. Down to escalator, give my paper to this cute old lady with a smile and a 'Josan' and then make my way through the APM mall to the street. I'm not joking when I tell you that people queue up for the escalator.  There are stairs next to the escalator.  It's one flight and it's down.  Come on people! 

Anywho, get my $8 water from my newsstand guy who knows I like the warm one out of the box, not the cold one from the fridge (makes my hands cold!) and mosey on through the sport court to my warehouse building.

You know what I'm going to miss about this?  Not a g*#)d)(^& thing.  F-off, Kwun Tong!!

So I guess I should have prefaced all of this with I accidentally quit my job.  I had my 'annual' (one an half years in?) review and as I sat down Greg says, 'We're going to change it up this time, you speak first.' 

So I spoke, 'I think I'm ready to start looking around.'

Blank face.  'Well I think if that's the case, we shouldn't drag it out.  How bout 30 days?'

Wha!?  But in the end it's all positive.  There are no hard feelings and Greg and Sean are understanding and supportive.  This week I met with two companies, one of which has a job ready for me now in Shanghai (with apartment!), but Paul just put his deposit in for school, so we're locked to HK for at least the next 2 years.  Not ready to leave anyway, especially if I never have to come back to Kwun Tong again. 

The other woman is leaving her company for Pernod Ricard (dream job!) and is really pushing for me to be her replacement.  My fingers are crossed because it would be a wonderful opportunity.  I have an interview tonight with a big company, and then 2 Tuesday and one next Thursday.  Also have some other promising leads, so it's looking like I won't starve.  Hopefully.

Last night was my last wine tasting with the HOFWs.  Good times, but definitely makes me realize it's time to move to greener pastures.  Better wine lists.  Wine mentors.  Bigger clients.  Let's hope.

In other fantastic news, I bought my dress!!!!  It went on 50% off, and after trying a myriad of wedding dresses, I decided that a Monique Lhullier evening gown is the one for me!!  I love the simplicity because it means I can get a sick headband.  An across the forehead headband.  Please keep your eyes out!

3 day weekend here!  Saturday some wedding errands and a hike with Peen's ex-gf who's in town for business, followed by a Sunday America junk, followed by Monday beach BBQ.  I shouldn't even mention this but, the sun is shining and forecasted to shine til Sunday!!!!  Bring it!

It Stopped

The rain finally subsided yesterday.  I'm not convinced it won't start again soon....

So much to catch up on.  Here's the not cool things:

I ran last week in my super old sneakers (like 2 years with no soles), was trying on super high heels with wedding dresses, and took one ill fated step at the MTR on one of the blind people bumps on the sidewalk and bruised my Metatarsals bone.  Poor foot.  Read more here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metatarsalgia

Then Friday I had to say goodbye to Julia, my colleague and friend for the past year :(  She came as an intern only for 6 months and ended up staying one full year.  But now she's off home to attend to some family matters and figure out what it is she wants to do next.  She thinks South America, but I suspect she'll be back here....I do have a wonderful new colleague from the same Masters program Julia did.  Florian is 24 (babies, the lot of em!) energetic, full of passion and enthusiasm, and I think will make a great addition to the HOFWs team.  Picture coming soon...

So I hobbled around for a couple days and then picked up this lovely sinus infection, to which I will say I had the most pleasant and efficient doctor's visit I have ever had. 

Stupid health expo

Worked all rainy Sunday at a stupid health expo only to wake up with tense and sore shoulders, neck and back.  I feel like I'm 1,000 years old this week!

After chatting with various people I have decided to slow down, relax, and just take it easy for a while, and I must say that today I am feeling much much better.  Although this could also be due to the fact that the sun in finally shining!!!  How do people in Seattle do it?

JUNK.  Sarah, new friend Cass, Me

Onto more fun news.  I've been trying on more and more dresses, and I still keep coming back to the Monique.  I'm hitting an Oscar de La Renta bridal trunk show Saturday morning, and if there's nothing there I'm making a decision.  It's either Monique or get one made.  But I must say I have the sweetest girlfriends here who have been helping me out so much!! Big thanks to Jackie, Laura and Sarah, who come to watch me as I dismiss dress after dress without even a drop of bubbles.  Hong Kong really doesn't know how to do bridal!

Ok la

Last Wednesday we had a public holiday for the Dragon Boat Festival.  It of course rained, and we obviously didn't dragon boat (never again), so we head over to Brad's house with Kenny for a rooftop semi-dry BBQ.  Kenny grilled up some amazing rack of lamb and burgers and then we moseyed over to Central to meet up with Sarah and Will for a pint of cider. 

Pup eyeing Kenny's rack of lamb

So I hear from my favorite bar owner, Toby of the Globe, that cider is all the rage now. He says even in the US everyone's all about the boozy apple punch.  I'm totally into it.  I love me a nice dry cider.   Thoughts?

Happy Birthday, Allison!

Last Saturday we had an awesome birthday junk for Allison's 26th!  We knew a few people (Will and Sarah) and met a bunch of cool new people.  It obviously rained the whole time, so I didn't make it into the water, but it was super nice being out of the city for a day. 

We followed up with a fantastic dinner on Monday.  We met Allison and Michael at Mayta, the newest restaurant from Dining Concepts. It's a Peruvian restaurant which was totally new to me.   Although I don't think the quality of the ingredients was the highest (for the price) the food was still all good.  The service spotty, but food good.  We haven't been out on a proper couple nice dinner date in a while, and we decided we need to go it more often!

ha just for fun

Last night after dress shopping with Sarah, I met Paul and we picked up some new books from a craigslist ad and then cabbed it home.  As we're walking from the cab I realize that my phone had fallen out of my pocket.  Cab gone.  Ahhhhh!  I should mention that the cab was getting a ticket while we walked away for an illegal stop, so we totally booked it feeling at least partially responsible. 

We definitely thought there was no way he would return it, but lo and behold one hour later I had that phone back in my hand.  God bless you nice taxi man!!!  It was just the icing on an already sick/sore/sick of how f8(##(08 crowded Kwun Tong is day.

my nice taxi <3

I've been on leave of all physical activities and decided my body needs some alignment so I hit up a yoga class at a studio that's 2 minutes walking from my door.  I have been toying with the idea of yoga classes for a while, I just can't bring myself to get a membership.  I hate feeling obligated.  Physical, my current gym, would ague that I do not in fact feel obligated- I think I've been once in 2 months.  Worst. Gym. Ever.

Anyway, this was my first hot yoga class and it was surprisingly difficult and hot!  I was sweating like a pig, and so was everyone else!  But it felt so good and my neck has zero pain since. The facilities are amazing as well.   Something to think about....

NOTHING on schedule tonight.  My friend Jon at Cru magazine traded me a wine documentary DVD (Cannubi di Barolo if you're interested) for a truffle oil while I was in a wedding dress (true story), so I think I may cozy up on the couch with a glass of Barolo and watch it as Paul grades.  Grades due Monday!!!

Oh did I mention we're going to Seoul???  August 2-6th! Pajeon.  Galbi. Soondoobu.  Magkeolli.  Daegutong.  Al Tong.  Ms. Han!!