Andy Lau and Jacky Cheung

Look at this:



It is my ticket to Jacky Cheung (Truong Hoc Huu)'s 1/2 Century Tour concert in Singapore this August. And I can't wait until then.

My affair with Hong Kong TV series/movies started early. I first watched HK TV kungfu series when I was about 8 years old. Pretty young, right? Like reading books, I watch movies and TV series very fast. I could finish one series in 2 or 3 days, given that all the episodes had been released. As I'm Vietnamese, I had to wait for the distributors to have all these series voiced over. Therefore, I didn't really know what Cantonese sounded like until much later.

And it was no wonder that my idols at the time were Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Ekin Cheng, Dicky Cheung, Louis Koo, etc. As long as they were in the cast, I would rent the video tapes to bring home and watch. There are some certain series that I keep watching until now (more than 10 times, I lost count after 5 times). From TV series to movies was a logical sequence and before I knew, I was listening to Cantopop daily. And the Four Heavenly Kings were my favourite singers. Why? Cos Andy Lau is one of them.

Lucky for me, it was easy to get Cantopop in Vietnam at the time, not so hard as Western music. Since then, I got to know about Jacky Cheung, Aaron Kwok and Leon Lai. Surprisingly, I didn't and still don't like Aaron Kwok and Leon Lai. Don't ask me why? I just feel unconnected with those two. But two out of four was enough. Andy Lau and Jacky Cheung's music was and still is my most favourite. And I promised myself that I would go to Hong Kong to watch them sing live.

Well, I haven't visited Hong Kong yet. It may be a surprise for you but I just don't have the mood to visit Asian countries. Europe and the States still call to me. Maybe I might go this year, since I only have small budget for travel this year. Either Hong Kong or Taiwan. Or even China (if Tracy decides to go, I don't think I can travel to China alone). Anyway, back to Andy Lau and Jacky Cheung. I haven't been to Hong Kong but I have watched Andy singing live. And soon Jacky.

I watched Andy Lau's concert 3 years ago. That was his Wonderful World 2008 tour and I never regretted paying around 180 bucks for the show. The concert was magnificent and mesmerizing. Andy Lau is a great performer and his voice isn't that bad either. I had a very good time listening and watching him on stage. In fact, I'm waiting for him to come back to Singapore. I will definitely buy a 1st or 2nd class ticket this time. Until then, I have Jacky Cheung's live show to look forward to.

Here are some shots I managed to take in Andy's Wonderful World 2008 tour.

Brugge eats - Bistro den Huzaar

This restaurant always came up when I searched for some good meals in Brugge. So I made a point to come here for a dinner, when I was around Markt. And of course, I was always around Markt at the end of the day because Markt is the easiest place to start your navigation around Brugge and it was on the way to go back to my hotel.

Now thinking about restaurants, Brugge was the place I ate in restaurants the most. Almost every lunch and dinner, and it was worth the money. And like I said before, I don't think about money when travelling. It's my comfort and enjoyment that count.

Back to Bistro den Huzaar. Even though it's near to Markt, it isn't very touristy or overpriced like the rest of the restaurants located at and around the square. Sure, it was expensive (the price is in Euro after all), but the food was great and the service was impeccable. The waitress was professional and she served me with a hint of warmness which I feel it often lacking in Singapore. No wonder it's so popular with tourists and locals alike.

I didn't make a reservation in advance, but I went there a little early. After 6pm, when every shops and museums close for the day. Maybe that was why I managed to get a table. During this trip, I had a tendency to have dinner early, in Strasbourg and Brugge. The reason is both places are small towns/cities, and after 6pm, there seems to be nobody on the street. And for a petite girl, that is quite scary sometimes. Paris is a different story. It's big city and I can handle big cities anytime, with caution of course.

Again, I couldn't remember the exact names of the dishes I ordered for that dinner. But there were raw oyster, wild boar cooked with cherry in a pot and some local beer. I definitely enjoy my meal a whole lot for I finished almost everything. That really says something as I didn't have much appetite during the trip. Something about my upset stomach. Proof is I didn't eat a slice of cake when I was in Paris.

Last but not least, some pictures to whet your taste buds and motivate you to visit Brugge.

Interior of the restaurant, very European and warm decoration

Fresh oysters to start a good meal

Complimentary appetizers to settle the stomach after that fresh but dangerous oysters

Brugge local bear, Zot (I think)

Wild boar cooked in cherry sauce. Yum!!!

Brugge - Window displays of chocolate shops

One thing about Brugge that always amazes me is the number of chocolate shops. For such a small city, there are so many chocolate shops which sell decent chocolate at a reasonable price. Well, we are talking about Belgium after all.

Price and taste aside, window displays of these stores were what made me having so much fun walking around those touristy streets. Once again, I was reminded that I was in Europe due to the liberation of the decoration. Designs based on seasons and holidays were quite normal to me. What was unusual was the variety of males and females' private parts on display. I am from Asia, and this is definitely a taboo to show anything even remotely related to those. That was why I was having so much fun taking photos and eating them. I didn't bring back home any though, too bad!

Here are some interesting window displays when I was there in Oct.


It was around mid Oct and Halloween was coming


An Asian-themed window display




Boobs for sale, anyone?


A picture says a thousand words


A dragon made of pure chocolate which had been shown in World Expo (in Shanghai) previously

Brugge eats - Oud Handbogenhof

I arrived to Brugge with an relief, after a tiring day of travelling from Strasbourg to Brugge with the French railway strike affecting my train schedule. But it was late in the afternoon, around 6pm, and the sky was getting darker, which made me feel a little forlorn. Luckily I had called the hotel manager in advance for late check-in. If not, it would be quite dangerous for me.

After unpacking and changing my clothes to a more comfortable outfit, I went out for dinner. At the time, I didn't really care how much I had to spend on a meal in Brugge. After a whole day of just eating sandwiches and drinking bottled water, I just wanted to have a good meal to mark my first night in Belgium. The hotel manager had kindly shown me a good restaurant near there. Remember, I didn't have many choices because I didn't want to go too far and get lost. So I followed his recommendation to Oud Handbogenhof.

The restaurant is literally around the corner. But as I followed the map (it has street names and I'm quite good at reading maps), I took a longer route. I only realized that there was a shorter route, after I finished my meal and walked back to the hotel.

Oud Handbogenhof has no outer decoration. Outside, it looks like any other residence houses. There is just a small signboard, and I had to squint to be able to read it. If not for the address and the name, I had missed it completely. However, once I walked inside, the atmosphere has totally changed. Very European decoration with wooden table and chairs and warm lighting. The restaurant is small, with about 5 or 6 tables, catering to a maximum of 20 guests in a go. This is a perfect place to have your dinner in autumn.

Small but busy restaurant

Lovely interior

I remember ordering a set dinner as I knew next to nothing about Belgian cuisine. It was a very good deal with an appetizer, a main course and a dessert. I asked for a mineral water to go with my meal as I wasn't in the mood for beer. Well, I didn't know about Kriek at the time so yeah... water was my first choice.

After this dinner, I realized that I have fallen in love with Belgian food. I prefer it to French cuisine. Maybe because I'm not a cheese person and the French really loves putting cheese in their cooking. For most of Belgian meals I had in Brugge, there were always hints of fruits in their main course, and this made the food more delicious. But, French foie gras and pate are always the best.

Simple but elegant table decoration

Mineral water in a posh bottle (didn't I look like I was drinking white wine?)

Yummy appetizer

Delicious main course (sorry I couldn't remember what it was)

Dessert: Strawberry sorbet (a perfect end for a great meal)

Paris shopping - Chanel 2.55 classic flap bag

I have been so behind my travel blogging that I don't know where to start again. Then I realized that what better gives me the writing muse than my favorite past time, shopping. So yes, this post is dedicated to my first Chanel bag (and hopefully not the only).

There is no question on why I decided to buy this bag. It should be more of the question: Why should I NOT buy it when I was in France? From all the information I had gathered, it would be very unwise not to buy a Chanel bag (or any Chanel stuff for that matter) when I was in Europe. The tax refund alone could justify the reason. And given the weak Euro when I went there, I would definitely regret not buying anything. Now, think about it, I feel quite sad not buying a pair of Chanel shoes. But Lanvin won at the end.

Anyway, with this in mind, I gave myself no limit for my shopping budget. Just what I should buy. How could I give myself a limit when I was in the land of Chanel, Hermes and Lanvin? But I gave myself a goal. No looking at other bag designs from other brands. And it was really a challenge as I fell in love with Delvaux. Its bag structure is so beautiful that I was literally forced myself to walk away, after purchasing a wallet from the boutique in Brugge. I felt it was time to have the first Chanel in my collection.

Also, I had made a point getting my 2.55 at the 31 Rue Cambon boutique. A lot of people said the experience itself was worth of the effort getting there. And was it really? Yes, the novelty of stepping into the store overshadowed the not-so-great service I got there. I'm not saying the service was bad. After all, I helped to increase that SA's income so she had to be nice to me. But I didn't feel the genuine happiness of giving a good service to her customers from her. Again, better her than her colleague, who didn't even have the necessary product knowledge.

Even though I had wanted a Jumbo flap bag, there was no stock at the time. And I wanted to buy the bag THERE and AT THE TIME. Yep, that's me! Impulsive with my instinct. So I settled for a Medium 2.55. But now, looking at it, I feel it is the perfect first Chanel bag to get. Beautiful and just the right size to go with any outfit.

About the price, yes, it is expensive but in comparison with how much they are selling it here in Singapore, I saved quite a nice sum actually. More than SGD1k. With this amount, I could buy a LV Neverfull PM in Singapore. And the price always goes up, never goes down for Chanel, or any branded bags for the matter.

Nothing fills the blank better than a couple of pictures.

Chanel store @ 31 Rue Cambon, Paris

In front of 31 Rue Cambon boutique with my new purchase

Unwrapping my new love

A gorgeous Medium Chanel 2.55 classic caviar flap bag

Singapore shopping - First pair of shoes for 2011

It's Salvatore Ferragamo Spiffy flats in silver. This design is so great that this pair is, in fact, my second purchase. My previous pair was bought last year for the rain season. After 6 months which I had worn it almost every other day, it had given out and broken. Even if the price is a little high for jelly flats, my cost per wear is very low.

And believe me, investing on day shoes is a must. Your health is affected partially by your posture, either walking or standing. And shoes contribute a big part in it. Again, my reason is: it is better to buy one pair of good shoes, than buy ten pairs of cheap but badly made shoes.

Shopping wish list for 2011

About 3 months have gone by and I seem to be right on track of some of my resolutions, which I hadn't written down at all. Sometimes I wonder if it is that necessary, but if I have the mood, I guess I will make that list (maybe in June... lol).

Anyway, this wish list might have its pros and cons. Pros is that I have some focuses to spend my hard-earned money on, instead of buying mindlessly and the whole damage is still the same. Cons is, well, it makes me more determined to get those. But still, sooner or later, I will have to buy some of these, can't really resist the temptation.

- Shoes: Maybe 2 pairs. I'm looking at these at the moment: YSL patent 'Love' ballerina flats, YSL Tribtoo pumps, Salvatore Ferragamo heels or flats, Christian Louboutin Pigalle pumps.

- Clothes: Dresses, skirts and jackets/cardigans are the focus. A pair of nicely cut pants should be great too. The brands should be DvF, Massimo Dutti and Zara. Again, I dun really wanna invest too much in clothes. Not a wise choice for me.

- Accessories: I'm changing my mind about belts. I guess I should have a few basic designs to go with my clothes. It really makes a difference. That is when I dun wear my empire-waist dresses. For scarves, Hermes is the only brand I will pay most attention to. Call me a snob but once you wear a Hermes scarf, you dun really want to buy another brand. Unless it's a gift, of course. Finally, sunglasses. A pair of Chanel sunglasses is all I want for this year. I have had Mont Blanc, Fendi, YSL and LV pairs. It's time to get Chanel for my collection. The big question is whether they have the design I like.

- Jewelry: Either fine or costume jewelry, I dun really care. If something catches my eyes and within my budget, I guess I will buy it. But I will try to avoid clip-on earrings. I have a pair of clip-on Chanel earrings and it's painful to wear it. Le sigh... Semi-precious stone jewelry is also my love of the moment.

- There will be NO budget for bag or wallet this year. I can say I'm quite content with what I'm having now. Next year will be another game though.

Happy 2011

It is officially 2011 today and a new decade has also started. A year has passed so fast that I feel like just a blink of eyes. Hopefully this year will be better than last year.

Happy New Year!!!

Season's greetings

This year I'm spending my Christmas weekend in Singapore. My plan was very clear, to sleep and clean/clear my stuff. But an unexpected decision made by an inconsiderate person has shot those to hell. Gosh, I dislike selfish AND inconsiderate people. Anyway, I am enjoying my holidays by lazing around the house and cooking Vietnamese meals. I don't even have the mood to go to the gym, geezzz...

Well, happy holidays to everyone. Here is a big Christmas tree in front of New York Stock Exchange last year.

2010 Year In Review

Another 9 days and this year will come to an end. How time flies... And it is time to do a year in review, just to see what have happened to me this year, good and bad alike.

- Travelling: 3 continents and 4 countries, not bad at all. Spending my new year count-down in New York (albeit in a hotel, mind you!), experience a Hanoi winter (which I didn't like at all) and enjoying an European autumn, I guess I have achieved part of my travel dream. Now I just wish I could strike some lottery and I could spend a whole year to travel the rest of the world.

- Shopping: Less than 10 pairs of shoes which I could proudly say I have successfully followed my plan from last year. A whole lot more accessories were acquired so that I could utilized all the clothes I am having without feeling being repeated. And the biggest achievement of all? My first ever Chanel 2.55, lovingly bought from 31 Rue Cambon store in Paris. Hopefully I will be able to showcase it this Christmas. Now my big question: What to buy next year for bag, after I had bought my dream bag? And no, I won't buy Hermes until I earn double what I am earning now. That is my motivation. Maybe I will not buy any bag next year. Saving for a Delvaux or Celine on my next Europe trip.

- Work: Many changes and no change at the same time. I've learnt quite a bit this year, in terms of corporate politics and other nonsenses. I am feeling content right now, knowing what I should and want to do next year.

- Relationship: I'm still single, if you are wondering. But I believe in fate. Also, marriage doesn't always equal to happiness. I'm glad if my friends find their halves, but if I am content and happy with my current status, I think being single is great in its own way.

- Family: This is one aspect of my life that I don't want to write down. So let's just leave it blank for now. But I think I am a good daughter and sister this year.

- Friends: They are always there when I need them. And I am when they need me. With my friends scattering all over the world, this is the best way to describe our great friendships.

- Health: Not my best year. I think I'm gaining weight and my ankle is preventing me to exercise. I really need to be more serious in my attempt of slimming down. And yes, I will try to watch my diet.

What else to reminisce? If there is, I will just add on later. Next post will be my resolutions for next year, which I never manage to finish all (even half is great). But the point is to have some goals to look up to, ne?

Another ankle sprain (I think) after 2 years

It's the 7th month. Call me superstitious but I feel it was bound to happen one way or another. I did all the things I would never do normally.

First, wearing high heels when it was raining. If you meet me often, you would know that I even bought a pair of jelly shoes to wear during this rain season. And today, I ignored my common sense, or something made me ignorant. I had picked up my jelly shoes, and then put it down, just to pick another pair of high heels.

Second, chasing after a bus. Well, I stopped doing that for a long time, whenver I have to go to that bus stop. Why? Cos I need to cross over an overhead bridge. And the stair going down to the bus stop is very steep. I didn't know why but when I saw the bus today, I ran for it. And I still had two third of the bridge to cross over, plus the staircase. How the hell did I think I could catch the bus? But no, I had to run.

When I ran down the stairs, the heels of my shoes caught the step, I slipped. I dropped for a few more steps before I settled myself. My shoes fell a few more steps further. I just sat there, on a staircase, feeling so painful. One kind uncle picked up my shoes and asked me if I needed any help. I could only say thanks and asked him to continue on his way.

I sat there for about 5 mins when the rain was so heavy. The wind blew the water into my face and clothes. But I couldn't move at all. After a while, I tentatively tried to see if I could stand and walk. Yes (Thank God), but not with my shoes. So I decided to go back to my house, bare-footed. It was raining so it wasn't that dirty. But it was a painful walk.

A fortune teller told me earlier this year: I would have some accident with my limbs. I thought I had had that with my arms burnt by josh sticks during CNY. But apparently, I still had another accident await (hopefully, the last one of this year). And it's the 7th month. I'm not surprised but of course, I'm not happy.

I have to laugh at myself though. Cos the first thing after I feel less painful that I think about is: Thank God! It's this month, not next month. I still have time to recover before my France trip. So yeah, let's cross fingers that it's just a mild ankle sprain.

New York attractions - St. Patrick's Cathedral

There is one established fact that I am a city gal. There, I've said that. When talking about travelling, I always think about big cities with interesting architecture. Natural scenery doesn't appeal much to me. I like my trip well-planned, even down to which directions to take. I don't like the surprised elements, especially when I travel alone. You might think this is not a right way to travel, but I prefer being safe and knowing what might happen.

As a result, I love visiting buildings, i.e. castles, churches, skyscrapers, etc. That was why Chicago really fascinated me with its old but charming buildings. New York was no difference. Even the atmosphere seemed colder than Chicago, I love walking along Fifth Avenue, not shopping (I know what you are thinking), but looking at different architectures. Very lovely and also vibrant.

St. Patrick's Cathedral captivated me with its beautiful design and old charms. I'm not a church goer but I used to dream to get married in a church. And St. Patrick's Cathedral is exactly where I wish my wedding would be. However, that dream is still very far away, at the moment (at least).

One thing I really regretted was I didn't have time to go inside the church. Just to sit down and listen to the choir would be a great experience.

New York eats - Bouchon Bakery

After an interesting but tiring city tour around Manhattan, it was time for us to fill our stomach. We didn't even have lunch, just a big breakfast at Kitchenette. I was amazed that I could still manage to fool around in Columbus Circle. Cold and hungry but we still tried to take as many photos as we could. Oh... the length we could go for our passion/obsession.

Talking about breakfast, I always try to have a good meal to start a day when travelling. Experience has proven that it is a very good strategy. Good breakfast means you have plenty of energy to spend on exploring new places. You cannot always manage to eat lunch on time, sometimes your next meal after breakfast is served as half lunch and half dinner. That is why breakfast is very important.

Back to Bouchon Bakery. This is a small coffee house located inside Time Warner Center. I chose to come here for lunch/dinner for one reason, there is a Borders bookstore within the building. And why Borders? Because I need to buy a book which I have been pinning for a few months. Which book, you might ask? I will show you at the end of this post.

Time Warner Center is located on Columbus Circle and was decorated beautifully during Christmas. A lot of people were enchanted by the mirage of lights when stepping into the building. I was glad to come here, after all!



Bouchon Bakery has an open-space concept. Even there were not many choices, the cafe was still very crowded when I was there. Tracy and I had to wait for more than half an hour to be seated. In the meanwhile, we went to Borders, for Tracy to surf around, and for me to buy my book.

After a good 40 minutes of waiting, we were finally seated. Here is the only picture I have of the cafe:



And the meals we had there:











And here is the book I had to cross half the globe to get my hands on it. Especially on its paperback release date. Yay!!!

New York attractions - Staten Island Ferry

It is said that Staten Island Ferry is one of the must-do when you visit in New York. Part of the reason is that the ferry is free of charge. So instead of paying for some cruise tours, you could just take the ferry. You could get a glimpse of Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyline. Not bad at all!

To take this ferry, you just need to get to Staten Island Ferry Terminal at Lower Manhattan (if you get off from Manhattan). This terminal is very near to Battery Park, where you take a cruise to Statue of Liberty Island. Here is the terminal building:



The building has a very big signboard. You can't miss it.



I took the "Spirit of America" ferry:



I also saw another Staten Island Ferry when I was on board one.



You could see Statue of Liberty from the ferry:



And here was I, with Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge (not sure) in the back:

Winter 2009 - Upper West Side Manhattan

I really need to finish writing about New York trip before embarking on a trip to France. That gives me less than 2 months.

Here was I, in Upper West Side Manhattan, in a sunny winter day. There was something very interesting about beautiful old buildings and leafless trees.