kowloon tang

We're going back to Hong Kong! This year's travel plans had been up in the air until a few weeks ago: It's a bit of a crazy plan, but I can't wait! We'll be flying to HK in June to meet up with my parents, then hopping over to Eastern Europe for a 10-day tour, then back to HK for a few days. Then it's over to Chiang Mai, Thailand (a place I've been dying to go to for some time) and then back to HK and back to Vancouver. Whew! Crazy, huh?

Anyway, all this impending travel got me thinking of all the wonderful trips to HK and elsewhere in Asia we've taken over the past few years, but haven't written about. So, time to start! When we were in HK last Feburary, my dad took us for dim sum at Kowloon Tang. I have an obsession with Shanghai Tang, founded by businessman David Tang, and Kowloon Tang is his foray into the restaurant biz. As you can see, it's got the same beautiful Chinese aesthetic that's signature Shanghai Tang.

crispy noodles, yum!

The decor is totally reminiscent of an older, bygone era. It's what I imagine old, colonial Hong Kong or 1930s Shanghai might look like (at least for the upper classes). The cuisine is Cantonese and while the food was good and tasted really clean (dim sum can be a bit greasy sometimes) really, you're coming here for the total package.

Soft pineapple buns (left) and almond "tea" for dessert. So good!

Lunch for four people came to a little more than HK$1,000, roughly $130-140 CDN (ouch!). It's definitely pricey for dim sum, but for a special treat, it's worth the experience.

Getting there: Kowloon Tang is located on the roof deck of Elements mall in Tsim Sha Tsui, accessible by MTR. (Shop R002-003, 3/F Roof Deck, Elements, Kowloon Station, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui.) It also has a sister restaurant Island Tang in Central, which my dad noted is larger and feels more luxe, but is also the kind of place that definitely caters to the upper echelons of society (think tai tais and power meetings among business men/women), which I don't know about you, would make me feel a little out of my zone.

top 5 seattle restaurants

Seattle is such a good eating city. On our last weekend there we managed to find even more restos to love. Here are some of the highlights as we present to you our Top 5 Seattle restaurants! (Best part is, they're all located in downtown or Capitol Hill for easy access!)

1. Terra Plata (Capitol Hill, Melrose Ave. between Pine and Pike): We were looking for an Italian restaurant in Capitol Hill...but were so hungry and tired we just couldn't hike it uphill anymore. We passed by Terra Plata, which looked good from the outside and decided to stop in. Holy cow! Such a good find! Turns out it's a hotspot of locavore dining. The food is best shared so good thing we had a couple friends with us. All the impressive sounding stuff was really good (duck confit, pork belly, beef cheeks) but I couldn't stop eating the roasted beets and brussel sprouts. Seriously delicious vegetables! With drinks, it worked out to be $56/person, incl. tip and tax.

2. Le Pichet (Pike Place Market): We've mentioned this one before. It's the one restaurant we always return to. An awesome little French cafe/bistro/bar for a charcuterie or cheese plate, quiche or croque monsieur. It's got that bit of je ne sais quois about the decor and the food is seriously so satifsfying (and affordable!). Lunch for two around $25 incl. tip and tax.

3. Lola (Downtown, 4th Ave. at Virginia): We've heard so much about Seattle celebrity chef Tom Douglas that we really wanted to try one of his restaurants. We stopped by Lola for lunch, a casual spot located inside the Hotel Andra. The menu is Mediterranean-inspired: Nick ordered squid kebabs and I had a lamb/beef burger. The burger was yum, but Nick's squid kebabs (pictured) was what made us really fall for the place. So light, so flavourful. Delish. Lunch for two around $32 incl. tip and tax.

4. Etta's (Pike Place Market): Since we were on a Tom Douglas kick, we also stopped by Etta's near Pike Place Market. It's another casual spot, this one specializing in seafood. I had a dungenous crab salad with grapefruit and avocado while Nick had salmon cakes. It was so fresh and light...just what we were looking for. Lunch for two around $40 with tip and tax.

5. Caffe Ladro (Downtown, Pine St. at 8th): Ok, so technically not a restaurant, but how can you go to Seattle without drinking a good cup of coffee? Even though I'm not much of a coffee drinker, I made it a point to have a really good latte. Caffe Ladro was recommended by the concierge at the Hyatt Olive 8, where we were staying. It's kitty corner to the hotel and I spent a glorious Sunday morning there sipping a lovely latte, nibbling on an oat bar and reading the NYTimes. It's a lovely, sun-drenched spot to spend a morning, or stop by for an afternoon cuppa when you get tired of all that shopping. 

pike place, seattle

We've just come back from a weekend in Seattle. Three days, two nights, it was the perfect spring mini-break. Of course, we were just there in August, but this was my favourite trip yet.The more I get to know Seattle, the more I appreciate it. We ate unbelievably well, had spring-like weather and on Saturday morning found oursevles wandering Pike Place Market where it was a happy, bustling scene of weekend wanderers, lovely aromas (think freshly baked bread and strong coffee) and incredible music. This one busker (above) stopped us in our tracks with his husky voice and Bruce Springsteen covers. We bought his CD for 10 bucks (all original songs) and as I listen to it now, I can't help but wonder, why is he not famous yet? His name is James Coates, and if you ever find yourself in Seattle and so lucky to see him stationed outside the world's first Starbucks at Pike Place, strumming his guitar and singing with his eyes closed, then please stop and have a listen. He'll make you smile and remind you that gosh, this world is full of such talented people.

hong kong, perpetually on the go

I love this quote by Jan Morris. . .I felt a flash of both pride and recognition reading it as I think it so perfectly captures Hong Kong. I think that's the joy of travel writing, it just captures an emotion that can be hard to articulate when you're actually experiencing a place. 

P.S. If you have yet to read anything by Jan Morris, she is well worth looking up! I read her book, A Writer's House in Wales, a few years ago and thorougly enjoyed it. She has an incredible gift for describing things in detail.

mystery trip: lighthouse park, west van

Last weekend I was feeling a mixture of malaise and restlesness. I needed to kickstart myself out of it so I decided to surprise Nick and our friend Tony with a mystery trip! The idea is to gather your friends and family, tell them only the basics (time, cost, what to wear etc.) then take them out somewhere special for a surprise.

I decided the destination of this particular mystery trip, taken on the first day of Chinese New Year, would be Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver. I'd never been, and apparently neither had they! From what I'd read, old growth forests and a lighthouse would await us. It was a beautiful sunny day and the scenary was breathtaking. We walked down trails to the shoreline, then back up again, perched on some giant rocks, saw the lighthouse and as a bonus, watched these absolutely majestic eagles soar above us (funny thing about eagles though...they have surprisingly chirpy voices). It was a great mystery trip and it did the trick..playing tourist in your own backyard can be just what you need to feel excited about life again!

I'm now making a list of all the places around Vancouver I've never been to and will be taking some more mystery trips this year to get me through soggy, bleary months like the one we're having now!

P.S. The mystery trip was supposed to end with lunch at the Savary Island Pie Company. It ended up being packed so we had an Indian lunch buffet at the Maurya Bistro instead. For $10.95 it was a steal and delicious..one of the best Indian food I've had in Vancouver!

year of the snake

The year of the snake will soon be upon us. . .which has me wondering, why was the snake included in the Chinese zodiac? Admittedly, I'm prejudiced. It's not my favourite animal in the world, but, according to Vancouver feng shui master Sherman Tai, it's just one big 'ole misunderstanding:

"The Snake is an aloof, cool, agile, mysterious and intelligent animal. People born under the sign are very ambitious, full of fighting spirit and possess exceptional abilities," he writes.

Not to mention witty, adaptable and able to get along with just about everyone, he adds. Clearly, the snake just has a PR problem. So, with that in mind, may all Snakes enjoy this lunar new year in your honour! We'll be celebrating with a big family feast this weekend, which is the next best thing to a big family feast in Hong Kong right now.

Gung Hei Fat Choy!

Image: Hand cut paper snake bought from the Chinese Commercial Centre (395 King’s Rd., North Point, HK) in Hong Kong last year.

hawaiian sunsets & other musings

I had not anticipated just how spectacular Hawaiian sunsets were going to be. I was totally, utterly gobsmacked...like something out of a children's drawing, this giant, golden orb sinking into the horizon. It was one of the few, take-my-breath-away surprises of Oahu.

Going to Oahu doesn't feel terribly exotic for us North American folk...you travel on American-style freeways, passing familiar names like Costco, Safeway and Macy's. Yes, it's beautiful but you never feel disoriented. Which, I've come to conclude, is more than a-ok with me. Hawaii was very much about the company, and what a special reason that is for travel. I think when people say they love Hawaii, this must be what they're talking about. Just park your worries behind for warm, endless summer days with family, friends, or perhaps even yourself. This is pure, unadulterated pleasure in paradise — with those we love most. And then, of course, there are those sunsets.   

hanauma bay, oahu

After the North Shore, my favourite part of Hawaii was spending time at Hanauma Bay. Snorkeling with a parade of tropical  fish — and a sea turtle! — was awesome. I named him Norm.

If you go: From everything we'd heard, Hanauma Bay is a tourist magnet and it was essential to arrive early. Once the parking lot fills up, the bay is closed. We arrived around 8:00 a.m. and there was already a lineup outside. Bring water, snacks and lunch, although there's a food stand outside (where I had a delicious fish burger!). The only hassle is it requires leaving the beach and a hike back up the hill. While loading up on snacks at your nearest ABC Store, buy some snorkel gear as well for under $20. It's less icky than renting! For those with valuables, small lockers are available at the bay. This is a great stop for budget travellers — just $7.50 US gets you into the park all day!