Men's Wear on a Budget

 First published in Elysiants on 25 November 2011.


The girls and I have sat down for another session of budget luxury, this time for their other half. Let's see what value for money options they have picked for the boys.

Jasmine chose an amazing pair of Bottega Veneta brown leather shoes for her significant other, and found a close lookalike of it from ASOS.

Hip and Happening - New Attractions in Singapore

First published in Elysiants on 6 November 2011.

Haven't been to ol' S'pore for a while? It has changed so much you probably can't recognise it anymore. With the airfares so low nowadays, it is worth a trip to check out the new Singapore.

Fire Fighters on Board - Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery

First published in Elysiants on 11 November 2011.

A few Sundays ago, Rebecca and I ventured out to the Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery at Quarry Bay Park. Neither of us has been there before, so geared up with the Google Map, we explored the unchartered territories.

The Royal We - Hosting the Royal Wedding Celebration

First Published in Lifestyle Asia on 26 April 2011.

You may not have been a British royalty fanatic, but a proper royal wedding only comes by once a blue moon, so let's bring out all our Ascot hats, and enjoy a cuppa while spotting who's who on telly.


Wanna know what I recommend drinking, eating, wearing and watching on the wedding day? Read the rest of the article at Lifestyle Asia!

SCAD Gallery

First published in Elysiants on 14 January 2012.

Keely and I followed the advertisement in the HK Magazine to the SCAD Gallery on Wyndham Street. When they say Wyndham Street, what they really meant was an obscure back door on the Glenealy. We went to see the exhibition, A Fine Line, which jointly displayed the works of Gyun Hur and Hilary White, both alums of SCAD. Obviously, their works involved lots of lines in bold and primary colors, which were placed in rather unexpected places. The exhibition will be on till 16 May 2011, so seize the opportunity to check it out on Labour Day or Buddha's Birthday.

Hola México Kaleidoscope - Mexican Film Festival 2011

Published exclusively in this site on 24 April 2011.

While we are all raving about Le French May, what we don't realise is that the Mexican Film Festival 2011 is also around the corner.

Luxury on a Budget - Net-a-Porter vs ASOS

First published in Elysiants on 24 November 2011.

I was just sharing this amazing eye candy with Jessie on Net-a-Porter, when Jasmine came along with a fabulous lookalike of it on ASOS. It was so much fun we started bouncing cheap knockoff designs of high-end luxuries around, like Rachel Zoe with her Parallel Universe.


I thought we might share our ideas with you. Let me know if you like it, we can put our heads together for more sessions like this.

In Memory of the Late Kowloon King

Published exclusively in this site on 20 April 2011.

The latest exhibition ArtisTree is hosting will be on the life and works of Tsang Tsou-choi, aka His Late Majesty King of Kowloon.

The Resurrection - King Yin Lei Open Day

First published in Elysiants on 14 November 2011.

The yellow thunderstorm warning last Sunday didn't deter my family from our trip to King Yin Lei, a Chinese temple looking mansion on Stubbs Road. The complex was vastly damaged a while back, and after years of restoration, it is now hosting an Open Day for the public. After the end of the exhibition on 25 April 2011, a suitable owner will be found for the Declared Monument through the Revitalisation Scheme, turning it into rather different use than before, like the North Kowloon Magistrate, which is now the SCAD Hong Kong Campus.

Row Your Boat - Necessities for Dragon Boat Rookies

First published in Elysiants on 5 December 2011.  

This is my second year participating in the Dragon Boat Race held on Tuen Ng Festival. I am no expert, but I have gathered a paddlers' shopping list through experience and advice from fellow paddlers, which I hope would be useful for you as well.

FourSquare Day at W52

First published in Elysiants on 15 January 2012.

In celebration of the FourSquare Day, a huge crowd gathered in W52 this evening for exotic drinks and inspiring chats with a friendly bunch.

To the Stars - International Ballet Gala 2011

First Published in Hong Kong Fashion Geek on 15 April 2011.

Arts and culture guest blogger hkCultureGeek, Gillian Chu, is a Hong Kong raised Canadian who enjoys exploring the secret cultural spots around town. You can contact her at mailto:hkCultureGeek@hkFashionGeek.com..

Every girl, at some point, has taken a few classes of ballet. In cultivating your inner ballerina, you can go to the Galaxy: International Ballet Gala 2011, and enjoy a spectacular performance by international ballet stars along with the Hong Kong Ballet dancers.

Party Time - Foursquare Cocktail at W52

Published exclusively in this site on 15 April 2011.

Can it get any better than a free drink before some hardcore clubbing on a Saturday night?

Foursquare, a Smartphone App that shares user experience of restaurants and clubs, is hosting a celebration at W52 tomorrow, 16 April 2011.

Workwear Inspirations from Morning Glory

First published in Elysiants on 23 November 2011.  


Every working girl will have been, at some point, in the position of Becky, Rachel McAdams' character in Morning Glory. Dressing to meet both your professional and aesthetic needs is not easy. Let us pick up some ideas from Rachel McAdams and Diane Keaton from the movie.


Trousers

If work requires of you to be running around, your best friend would be a pair of Uniqlo Boyfriend Fit Straight Jeans.

What it was like - Hong Kong Museum of History

Published in Hong Kong Fashion Geek on 13 April 2011.

Arts and culture guest blogger hkCultureGeek, Gillian Chu, is a Hong Kong raised Canadian who enjoys exploring the secret cultural spots around town. You can contact her at hkCultureGeek@hkFashionGeek.com.

For Audrey, the Hong Kong Museum of History is one of those often seen but never entered buildings in Tsim Sha Tsui, so a few weeks back, I decided to take her along to show her that it is worth checking out.

Singapore - What to Wear

First published in Wearever the Weather on 13 April 2011.

Singapore has two seasons: hot/humid and hot/dry. Everything you pack should be sleeveless and short to suit the heat. Bringing an umbrella along is also a good idea, since you never know when it would start to drizzle.

Singapore is a big melting pot, mixing Chinese, Malaysian, and Indian together. In such a compact city, you will gain access to different cultural digs. You can definitely look forward to great finds for ethnic wear.

Free Flow of Music

First published in Elysiants on 24 January 2012.

On the Sunday before, I went for the Sound of Art, which is the free Sunday concert series held in the lobby of the Museum of Art. When I arrived promptly at 3:30pm, most of the seats were already filled, with many others standing at the back, eagerly awaiting. It was nice to see many parents taking their toddlers along to enjoy some quality time together and appreciate a great musical performance.

The one hour concert, sponsored by the Friends of Hong Kong Museum of Art, aims to feature local musicians performing classical music. The performance in April presented soprano Colette Lam, tenor Marcus Choy, and baritone Gerald Hon, accompanied by pianist Nicolette Wong.

Shang-HIGH - Weekend Getaway

First published in Elysiants on 9 November 2011.

Shanghai is the perfect place for a short trip out of town. Not only is it close by, it also offers an amazing social scene. Whether you are a hard core foodie or a clubbing junkie, there is something for everyone.

HKG to BKK - A Girls' Trip to the Hottest Shopping Destination

First Published in Lifestyle Asia on 8 April 2011.


Lifestyle Asia has a dedicated Bangkok site, so it will be silly of me to be posing as a Bangkok expert. Instead, I shall tell you about my idea of a girls' trip to Bangkok, plus all the luxuries and pampering available there.


Hotel

Obviously staying in Centara Grand has its perks, being conveniently located above Central World, which is the hub of shopping in Bangkok. However, if you and the girls plan to sunbathe near the riverside on top of crazy shopping, Chatrium Suites would be an ideal choice. They offer their guests regular scheduled ferries to the city centre, so you can skip the chaotic traffic and enjoy the sea breeze. If you are a culinary whiz, they have kitchens inside each room as well, so you could easily prepare a quick snack for the girls.

Wanna check out where to eat like a pig and shop till you drop in Bangkok? Read the rest of the article at Lifestyle Asia!

Conserving Heritage - Dr. Sun Yat-sen Museum

First published in Elysiants on 18 November 2011.

I reckon my itch for exploring around town came from my Mom. On a lazy Saturday afternoon, she suggested that we pay the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Museum a visit. So there we were.

Spring in Office

Published exclusively in this site on 6 April 2011.

Running dry with ideas on what to wear to work? Then you should visit Cityplaza's exhibition on 2011 Spring/Summer Fashion between 25 March 2011 to 10 April 2011.

Artistic Exposure - The Golden Lotus

First Published in Hong Kong Fashion Geek on 4 April 2011.

Arts and culture guest blogger hkCultureGeek, Gillian Chu, is a Hong Kong raised Canadian who enjoys exploring the secret cultural spots around town. You can contact her at hkCultureGeek@hkFashionGeek.com.

Jasmine, Audrey and I went to the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts (HKAPA) on a Saturday afternoon to watch a 2011 Hong Kong Arts Festival Programme - the Golden Lotus. None of us knew anything about modern ballet, but there were promises of nudity and explicit sexual scenes, so it looked interesting enough for a try.

Shanghai - What to Wear

First published in Wearever the Weather on 2 April 2011.

Shanghai is like a fashion model. She has her glamorous catwalk days and days off where she is in sweats. On any given day in Shanghai, you are bound to bump into fashionistas strolling along in their Louboutin heels and Hermes bags, and factory girls lingering about in their T-shirts and knee length shorts.

Shanghai is boiling hot in summer and freezing cold in winter, so what you pack really depends on when you are going. Since summer is coming up, I will talk a bit more about the summer fashion in Shanghai.