Still raining

Just in case you were wondering.

Post China Recap

Since China I've been soaking in all HK has to offer.  But when isn't that true.



House warming at Matt's.  Katie, Sarah, Nina, Paul, Kenny and Will

I had my wine test a week ago which I'm hoping went alright.  One portion was blind tasting 3 fortifieds.  There are 25 points; some for appearance, nose, palate, grape (only 2pts), and quality assessment.  Of the 3 I got 2 grapes right.  Who's ever had a Sercial Madeira before!??  Not this kid.

7 hours and 15 wines between Jean and I.  Well done!

Anyway, rest of the week was filled with free Foodie happy hours at Sal Curiousio, followed by Flying Winemaker tasting, Pier Bar tastings, Tastings Wine Bar date night.

Bon voyage duck!  It's off to Pittsburgh!

Saturday we head up to Sai Kung to drop off some books with Ian, then back to TST for an 'Old World Gems' tasting, which was just lovely.  Later on that very same day, we met back up with Csilla and Ian.  Csilla is my Hungarian friend who is just a doll.  She had her own Hungarian wine company and is pretty much the sweetest lady there is.  Her husband Ian is from New York and is equally as awesome.  We've gone out to dinner with them before, and then met up with some of their friends for a Shanghainese meal on Saturday.

Woman drying egg yolks in Sai Kung

Honestly, I wasn't looking forward to it after being inundated with Chinese food the weekend before, but hey.  Turns out Shanghainese is totally better (read less greasy) than Guangzhou food.  We had veg and pork dumplings, tofu green stuff that was amazing, tofu and cashews which was my favorite of the night, stinky tofu which no one really got into except Ian and it actually almost ruined Paul's meal who thought it smelled like 'poop'.  His words.  There was also some sliced pork, which I didn't try but everyone else was super into, and a pork rice noodle thing that was good. The noodles at least.  And it was all super cheap to boot.

Sunday I went dress shopping!!!!  After a super long much needed run.  I always quit my morning workouts before tests in favor of Starbuck's cramming, and it felt sooooo good to get out there again, despite the 8000 percent humidity. 

Looooove this.  Too bad it's blue

Then I met Jackie for some shoppppppping!  The place we initially planned to go turned out to be closed (when does that happen in HK?) so we hit Harvey Nichols instead.  HV is the ultra luxury store, and it was kind of more for shits and giggles than seriously trying to find a dress, until I found a dress!  A Monique Lhullier dress called my name from the rack.  I knew I would love it before trying it on, so I tried it last of 3, and it was totally it.  Just my size, white, fitted, elegant, simple, and would look awesome with a headband, which I am totally into right now.  I'm talking across the forehead headband, not kindergarten girl headband fyi.

Squeezing into Oscar de La Renta. 

Absolutely love this dress.  For the Oscars, not a wedding. 



Then I had found this random wedding place in some magazine so we made a quick appointment and went in.  Woah Chinese wedding shop.  This place was a factory.  You walk in and are 'greeted' and ushered to a chair.  "Which is bride."  me! 'Congrats- now pick what you like from this iPad and I pull for you.'  Ok and we were left to ourselves.

snuck photo.  It was worse than it looks

Woah Chinese wedding gowns.  They were full, sparkley, pink, blue, and all sorts of crazy in between.  It was pretty clear early on that there was nothing here for me, so we picked some of the most ridiculous ones they had.  She came back and pulled them and informed us that these were only for rent.  ~$1,000usd to rent a gown (a ridiculous gown) and tux for 3 days.  What?  Why not just buy  a dres??  Anyway, we weren't allowed to take pictures, because obviously you'd steal their couture designs and run to Shenzen (really, you'd be silly not to), so Jackie snuck a few.  Ferry godmother blue?  Check.  Fake feathers, feather dress?  Double check.  We wanted to try on more but were sternly told that it would cost $500 ($65usd)  per 2 dresses.  Um no thank you.

Not real feathers. I kid not.

Next we hit another high end department store Joyce.  Ohh the dresses!  And the service!  I tried on Oscar de La Renta (beautiful green dress!), Giamberto Valle (Ohhh my favorite red dress ever- $58,000hkd!) and some others, but nothing was really talking to me.

Then went outside and it was pouring.  Again.  We called it a day feeling pretty successful and celebrated with a lovely Jaspas lunch.  I'm going back to Harvey tomorrow after work to try it on one last time and make a decision.  I love it and it's on sale.  What more can you ask?

Today I had lunch with the China crew.  Sean and I met Andy and Anita and her son for a catch up lunch at Oolaa.  I've been dying to go to Oolaa (it's THE Sunday brunch place), and I can see why.  You walk in and your in hipster New York.  Seirously, all white dudes with big rimmed glasses, graphic tees, and women with funky lipstick and hair.  Awesome.  My fish was good, but the salad bar, ooooh the salad bar.  Anyway, we got our salads, and then everyone sat down and got on their phones.  No talking, just eat, text, email, eat.  I don't think I'll get used to this....

Tonight we're having Kina over for BBQ sans BBQ.  We're cooking up Paul's own specially marinated burgers, watermelon feta salad, potato salad, with chocolate chip cookies and Madeira for dessert.   Tuesday is the new Friday because Wednesday is a public holiday for dragon boating.  Who knows?  But it means I can go to the beach and not work so I'm all for it. 

The spiders are back!

Happy Monday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, China!

What a strange, interesting, and slightly alarming trip to Guangzhou!  It was like seeing all of the clichés I've been hearing over the past couple years come true. 

Enormous booth

We left Hong Kong Wednesday evening with the big boss herself, Anita, her driver, Sean, and Iris, one of Anita's employees.  We get to the border where I am removed from the car and led into a concrete room to wait while I am processed.  My name is Lauren and I am an overstayer.  A quick 3p minute fine and some paperwork later (paid for by Anita thank you) and I am allowed to return to the vehicle. 

SIDENOTE: So I guess I haven't been in a non-taxi/van car for a while and I was super impressed with Anita's car.  It was an Audi SUV and had little trays on the back of the front seats, blinds that you pulled up the windows, and the softest leather I have ever felt in a car. 

cartoons to market wine.  great

Anyway, we finally pull in at 12:30 to middle of nowhere China to this humungo hotel.  I was pleasantly surprised at my room.  Large, clean (although the ashtrays everywhere made me a little nervous), and a huge bathroom with tub.  Well done, Grandly Pacific (my client). 

Wake up ridic early the next day, have a 'Western' breakfast in the 'Western' hotel (I've never seen congee in the breakfast buffet in Gladstone) and were off for the 40 minute drive to the expo centre.  I should note at this point that there are roughly 10 of us.  Sean and myself, Anita, Andy (my client), Darren, Karen, Iris, Michelle, and some other people whos names I never caught from Grandly, and 2 Spanish guys- one a winemaker and one a supplier to Anita's other business, recyclables (that's where all the $$ is from- def not from the wine). 

In casual conversation it comes up that Anita has purchased the dress that Iris is wearing.  Strange.  And then in the car it gets even weirder.  Anita starts talking about how her son (19) asked her for makeup one day for 'Cos Play.'  For those of you not familiar, cos play is when boys and girls (men and women) get dressed up like anime characters, run around the streets, and have other people take their pictures.  I kid you not. Some dude got the idea when he went to a Star Wars movie in the US and saw people in the audience dressed up.  Brought it over to Asia and obviously manifested it x 1,000,000.  You see these people running around Stanley on Sundays....

Anyway, so she didn't know which color foundation to buy for her eldest son, so she just bought one of each, and then gave the leftovers to the Michelle and Iris who are in their early 20s.  I passed piles of makeup from Anita's bag to the girls in the back.  Piles.   I'm beginning to sense an almost Godfather-ness here.

Just one tiny piece of the massive expo conplex

The expo was ridiculous.  This convention plaza has got to be the largest in the world.  It's the size of Giants Stadium x 15.  We finally find our way to the right hall and to the booth, which again is ridiculous.  It's by far the largest booth in the expo, complete with full bar, tables, VIP room, 2 men dressed up in inflatable wine bottles, and 6 models, oh and I should mention like 20 staff in varying outfits from uniforms to truck driver hats and tanks (on the men). 

Me, winebottle man, Sean

No one at this expo except the winemakers and export managers speak English.  None of the people know a thing about wine, and no one wants to stop and talk to me.  I got the occasional photo request, but that was it.  I sort of wandered from the front to the back of the booth about 400 times, and finally Anita told me to either walk around, take a rest, or just take pictures with people.



Whole fish

I walked around and discovered that the level of wines present was very low.  Mass produced bulk wine :(  I had fun talking to the winemakers, even found some Marsala and Sherries, but was overall disappointed at the selection. 

Felix and advertising for his wine at the 'office'



This makes me laugh

Darren, Andy, Sean, Anita

Apparently we did ok.  10 containers sold in one day!  Apparently.  You can never tell who's telling the truth, or what version of the truth is being told.  I should mention we went to get lunch late and as a consequence were left with the shit rice lunchboxes.  Rice.  Slime.  Pork.  I had about 3 bites of rice and quit.  We left the expo at 6, totally starving, and then were told to reconvene in the hotel lobby at 8.  We FINALLY went to dinner, where Anita dictated where we all sat.  Then the food started coming as it was ready.  A soup here, a soup there (to Anita first of course) and then silence except for slurping.  Slurp, slurp, slurp. All I could think the whole time was that my mom would be horrified.  I can't tell you how many times I heard 'stop slurping' growing up.   Then mid-meal, which is a free for all, spin the lazy susan left, then right, then back, etc.  Anita stands up and declares 'Gambe' to which everyone stand up and chugs their beer.  Not a full mug, but a full cup for sure.  Are we at a frat party? PS is this not a wine company?  Why are we drinking 50 cent TsingTao and not wine?  There's a winemaker at our table for crying out loud!

The big bosses 'office'

More office

These are all things I had heard go on in China, but thought were exaggerated and maybe only once in a while things.  No, these are everyday things that happen at every dinner, especially when the big boss is involved.

Fancy dinner

Special Eggplant

Filet cooked in Sake

Don't be fooled, that's beer in my wine glass

The next night was more of the same.  Although first we were made to go on a tour of the 'office' of the local Chinese company's business.  This place was ridiculous.  Marble, gold, ivory, this looked more like a music video than an office.  Once everyone was convinced that we were all impressed we were ushered to dinner.  Same restaurant as the night before, but upstairs to a private room,.  We all had tea and then sat down to an incredible meal.  One thing I will say about Chinese that I don't like is that it all comes at once.  Everything is loaded onto the table and you just go at it.  I kind of like the idea of courses where there's a build up.  What's coming next!? 

The food was all great, but nothing I would really want to eat again except for the salmon sashimi.  Yum.  3 or 4 beer chugs later and it was time to head next door to the kareoke.  This was a first for me in HK/China, and wow.  Everyone was just so happy and relaxed and was genuinely enjoying this totally weird to me environment. 

We're brought to this hige room with chandaliers and big sofas, and we have our own staff who keep refilling the chicken feet (seriously), Budweisers, and screwdrivers.  All the meanwhile people are playing dice and singing to the TV.  Me and the Spanish dudes sat together in awe, and I just kept thinking, 'where is the wine!?'

My new friends who spoke 0 english

Eventually the singing stopped, the music became a little louder, and the lights were dimmed.  Everyone jumped up on a table and started dancing.  Everyone.  Boys with boys. Boys with girls.  Boss with minions.  We had our own private Grandly Pacific club going until the ripe old hour of 1am.  This is a school night!

Karen was the sweetest!  Want to put her in my pocket

 

7:45 we all meet up the next morning as per the request of big boss.  Why, I'm not sure.  We all sat at breakfast tired.  And sat and sat until about 9:15 when we finally left for the last day of the expo.  Saturday at the expo was dead.  Half the vendors had packed up, so Andy the girls and I walked around trying whatever was left.  Finally we were off to the trainstation for the 3 hour journey home.  One hour to Shenzen. Through customs and onto the MTR for another hour and half until I was back.

Til next time!  Me, Andy, Karen, Michelle

Back in sunny Hong Kong.  How I missed thee,  the land of sandwiches, salads, and good wine. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lessons

A very important thing to remember when living abroad is to check your visa status.  Perhaps because I was so back and forth (literally to Macau) when unemployed, it did not occur to me that my work visa was up for expiry.  Yup, realized it 7 days past.

Here's how it works in HK.  You're getting close to expiry and you go onto this very easy website, enter your info, and request to make an appointment at your convenience. 

You go over expiry and you are not allowed to make an appointment, you have to go in person.  So I did just that this AM.  Line up at 7am hoping to in early when they open.  Only did I realize at 8:30 when the man came out with a megaphone yelling in Chinese, that there are only a certain amount of people allowed in a day.  I did not make this quota and was told by my new friend 'people get here the night before.'  For real?

Not to believe this, I head down to Wan Chai, the central immigration office where I was told basically the same thing.  She suggested I show up before 6am tomorrow to get a spot.  Awesome, thanks.

Lessons.  It's all about the lessons.

Anyway, cancelled my pho dinner plans and plan on sleeping at 8pm. 

But last night Paul and I had the best little date night.  We've been all about Spain recently and so have been stocking up on our Spanish tapas.  I made some guac (I know it's not Spanish), we opened up some spicy canned sardines, canned clams, and I brought home from work goose terrine and our newest awesome product; cod/prawn stuffed peppers from Spain.  Amazing.  We washed it all down with some Tio Pepe Sherry, and wrapped it up with Bottle Shock.  Have you seen this movie?  Totally cheesy, but perfect for a Monday night with Sherry :)  And I talked to my mom.  Best. Night. Ever.

2 days til China!

Seriously, enough with the rain!

After the last post, I kid you not the day after the last post it rained so hard that HK declared a 'black rain emergency' and we (as a country) were advised to stay indoors.  School was cancelled for the day.  Work was delayed until after 10pm when the Black Rain advisory was lifted.  This kid played tough and braved the waterfall rain and was in the office by 8:30.  Someone's got to hold it down. 


Patrick and I at the Pier Bar

The rain finally subsided late afternoon and everyone else strolled into work.  We've had a T10 and Black Rain in the past year, what's next?



Thursday evening I had another successful (one terrine sold-ha) tasting at the Pier Bar.  We had a nice little crowd, some tasty Cali wines, and of course foie gras and truffles! 


Cheese and foie gras bacon toasts

Friday was fantastic.  I left early for a 3pm Amarone tasting with Amorosso Fine Wines at Stone Nullah Tavern.  My biggest gripe with SNT is the price.  It's way expensive for what it is (read small portions) but when you're at a free event, it's totally amazing.  A beautiful cheese plate, duck liver and home cured bacon toasts, and grilled veg followed by a vertical tasting of Amarone.  2007->2006->2004->1999->1998->1996. I preferred the 1998 and 2004; the sweetest and most concentrated of the bunch.

Through the vintages

After the tasting I met Paul, Laura and Derek for a quick drink at the Globe, where I tried watermelon beer.  Fantastic for summer and really tasting like watermelon and beer.  One was enough.  Post Globe Paul and I head over to Catharine's for her going away party.  Boo!  Catharine always throws amazing rooftop parties, and this was no exception.  Great people, great view, great goodbye.  See you at Christmas, Catharine!  And we stayed out til 2am!

Bowling

Saturday we had a proper lay in as Sarah would say. 11:30!  Then due to the rain (of course it's raining on Saturday), beach birthday plans diverted to bowling birthday plans.  I was not looking forward to this as my last little bowling round got a bit tedious and I don't believe I ever even broke 60, but things fared differently this go round.  We had a big group, cupcakes, beer tours, Champagne, and I even managed a few strikes here and there.  66, and get this, 94 my second round!!  Paul had a 100 and 98 for the record.

Happy Birthday Matt and Hailey!

Beer, cake, Champers and boys

Then we did what everyone should go on their birthday.  We rolled over to Linguini Fini for a feast.  Bottomless wine, seemingly bottomless food, things got silly around cake time when the birthday boy decided to start throwing things.  In proper LF fashion, all was all right.  No complaints about us.  Just great food, wines, and service.  Meat plate followed by homemade sausage, then caprese salad (to die for!), eggplant parm, super moist chicken, gooey banana chocolate cake and cookies.  Well done!


Happy Birthday, Sarah!

No birthday is complete without a night out to LKF.  So we went.  Jello shots.  Tallboys from 711.  The typical LKF experience.

 

Welcome to LKF

Sunday, fun productive, tasty delicious day.  After a lovely Korean lunch, we hit the local Starbuck's for a couple of hours with Sherry (me) and grading (not me).  Then off to cook up some cauliflower to bring to an amazing dinner party at Kina's.  They never disappoint, and this was no exception.  It felt like Thanksgiving.  There must have been 15 or so of us including new friends, old friends, and home friends.   And always (always!) a fantastic spread. 

Hailey and figgy toasts!

Duck confit with mash. Fried chicken.  Fennel citus salad.  Quinoa/lentil salad.  Roasted cauliflower (a feat with no oven-ahem).  Brussel sprouts.  Corn salad.    Oh and I can't forget the amazing hors d'oeuvres; fig, ricotta and honey bruschetta, and feta mushroom toasts.  Delish.  All of this followed by homemade cake and massive cookies.

The spread

The desserts

And am totally exhausted in the best possible way today!



Korbin Kameron 2004- amazing!

Oh and did I mention?  I'm off to CHINA!  My first ever client, Andy, asked Sean and I to join him for a wine expo in Guangzhou Thursday through Saturday.  We'll be pouring his wines and chatting amongst his customers to solidify our base in China.  Super pumped to go to China with people who actually know China!  Woot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HK Hearts Rain

All it's done for the past several months has been to rain.  And be miserable.  And then rain some more.  If it's not 99% humidity, it's because it's raining.  And not like a little bit of rain, like India during monsoon rain.  It wasn't this bad last year!

Other than getting wet, there hasn't been a whole lot going on.  We had a 3 day weekend (thank you, Buddha) so Paul and I did a wee bit of travelling.  Friday we got some studying in and then went over to Jackie and Justin's for a lovely rooftop BBQ.  Luckily no rain!

Then Saturday we got up fairly early, MTRed it to the Macau Ferry Pier in Sheung Wan, and wow is it soooo much easier going to Macau from the Island than it was from Kowloon.  From Kowloon you had to MTR to TST, then walk through the swarms of 20000 mainland tourists, then hope to get the next boat.

From the island you go right up from the MTR to the ferry pier, there's some dude at the top of the escalator selling discount tickets and you walk right in and onto your boat.  Waaaay less people, waaay less hassle.  An hour ferry later and we're in a new country.  Amazing.

First we hit up the Macau Wine Museum.  Since I'm studying Port and Madeira, and since Macau is an ex-Portuguese colony, it seemed only right to make this a scholarly excursion.  The museum itself was pretty small and not too informative (well not at this level, I spose) but had some interesting vines, barrel, and bottles to look at. But the best part was for sure the wine tasting at the end.  For ~$5usd you can taste 6 of the wines; 3 of which were fortified.  They were all of acceptable (not good) quality and it good practice for me to lead Paul in a very formal tasting :)

We then went for lunch and found this cute little place, Escada.   Octopus salad, croquettes, whole sardines, and some cod veggies.  <3 Portuguese food. 

To continue with the studies, I had read that there would be a New Zealand wine tasting at the Galaxy, Macau's newest casino, so we hoofed it all the way to Cotai (South Macau island) only to find out the tasting was the day before.  Whatever.  We walked around the casino, oohing and awing at the ridiculousness, had some milk tea on the floor, and decided to hit the Venetian. 

We quickly lost our $100 each allotment (I didn't realize my first bet was $50- Chinese slot machines!!!), and decided we'd had enough with the casino.  We walked from the Venetian down these super cute cobblestone roads, and found the sweetest little road of amazing little restaurants.  Who knew Macau had so much character!?

Ham and cheese plates served alongside port and wine.  I will never go to the casinos again, these restaurants are way more fun (and probably cheaper!) and have so much personality.  After eating entirely too much, we head home on the 9:30 ferry.  Although barely because most of the ferries had sold out-aye.

Sunday Funday.  We did absolutely nothing.  Nada. Not one thing all day except catch up on shows and bad TV.  It was amazing, and needs not to be repeated for a while.  I hate feeling like you've wasted a day.  I did wake up totally fresh on Monday though....

and now it's raining. 

Distinction

 



Fortified tasting



 

I passed my first WSET exam (unit 2 viticulture and vinification) with distinction, which is the highest you can get.  Woot!  One down 7 to go....

 

The Pier Bar

I went on to celebrate at Central Pier 3 with a foie gras tasting where no one was too interested in trying foie gras.  Perhaps Tuesday isn't the best day to expect people to be boozing it pierside.  Giving it another shot this Thursday...

 

 

Wednesday I got to go to HOFEX!  For the second half of the afternoon at least, and immediately after walking in Greg and I go to a led Austrian tasting.  He has to leave for 'business' but I got to stay all hour and a half (and 15 wines) of it.  Austrian wines aren't my favorite, but they aren't horrible either.  I think a little too $$ for what they are....

 

There were a bunch of people at HOFEX, but a bunch of us working a small booth, too.  It was fun to go around and see my wine friends, see new vendors, and talk to some of the F&B guys.  I love expos, but man are they exhausting.  Standing on your feet all day, talking all day, and tasting wines all day, is definitely taxing.  The vendor next to us was a Russian vodka company.  I managed to avoid them.

Breakfast beer from NZ!

HOFEX day 4 and I was back in the office.  It pretty much rained and poured all day, and come 4:30 when I needed a van to my event, it poured even harder.  Took forever to get a van and when he finally dropped me off, it was a block from the venue.  Poor me pushing a trolley of wine in heels down the street :) 

 

The event was the launch of the new pent house suites at the Lanson Place hotel (5 star long term hotel).  I thought it was more of an all night thing, but was only a couple hours which was nice.  We had some really nice wines (Champagne, Pouilly Fuisse, Chateaueneuf du Pape 2003, Brunello di Montalcino 2007, and Echo Lynch Bage 2007) which was exciting for me as I hadn't tried the Brunello or Echo before.   Swank.

Salmon Rillettes

Saturday a tad tired (loved the Echo and Champagne!) and I head to Causeway Bay for a quick study and massage.  Then Paul and I met for an amazing French lunch complete with French 'natural' wines.  Don't get me started, but the lunch was delish.  Then we met Courtney and Patrick for some bayside beers, and called it quits early for we both had to work the next day.

 

Potatoes n tomatoes n sour cream n homemade bread...

 

We hit up Taverna del Mar for some tapas, and holy oh my dear love of all things tapas, we decided right there and then when we could realistically move to Spain.  The decision was 5 years.  It will take me 1.5 more to finish my WSET diploma, and figure 3 for the MW.  Paul still needs to find a school (again, don't get me started), apply, and do it...so we're looking at least 5 years.  Then it's anchovies and sherry galore.....



 

Pork loin, anchovies, Iberico ham, baby eels on cod toasts, and chorizo.  <3 Spain.

Sunday Paul took an English test, turns out he knows it, and I worked the Island East Market where it rained all. day. long. Julia and I had fun anyway, and ended almost selling out. 

 

 

IEM in the rain

Quite Monday, quiet Tuesday (both with awesome new track workouts), and tis Wednesday.  Off for the end of season Island East Market hh, followed by NZ wine tasting with Paul and Derek, followed by Thursday which is full of meetings and tastings.  Followed by 3 day weekend.  Happy hump day!



 

Greg made Julia and I do a tasting with this guy.....