Hotpot and yusheng (improv fishcake/abalone instead of raw fish) at home yesterday as it’s our family’s turn to host the annual gathering this year. Not surprisingly, I was quite the permanent fixture at the hotpot table.
Customs and traditions
Chinese New Year, fraught with customs and traditions, as it should be. Happy to be home spending precious time with my closest family, I’ve missed them so much. Here’s wishing you and your loved ones a fantastic year of the dragon ahead. 身体健康，心想事成！
French celebration
Part two of our wedding celebration took place in September last year, in the same arrondissement where maman lives and where we stay each time we make the trip back to Paris. Happy to have family and friends who traveled the distance for us and to finally meet some of J’s friends that he has always spoken fondly of. It was also the hottest autumn day in Paris that day, so warm the chefs couldn’t get the macarons to stick on our macaron tower wedding cake. A touch of Singapore left over from part one, I suppose.
As life flashes by
I can’t believe it’s 2012 already ! Where did my 2011 go ? Oh dear, and I still feel like a FOB in Hong Kong. On the bright side, this will mean more explorations in the new year (hurrah) ! Have a smooth-sailing merry year ahead as I leave you with two photos taken late November last year in Shanghai, the first from my old neighborhood and the second from a familiar bar now relocated in a new neighborhood.
Typography China #60
Still can’t figure out if the alphabets form any words, or mean anything.
Atop mini mountains a couple of days after Christmas
Following our Christmas binge gluttony over the weekend, we embarked on a hike for some fresh air and much needed exercise. Life is good with pepper jack cheese and ham sandwiches plus paper cups of rosé. Here’s to a wonderful new year ahead everyone !
On Lee Noodle Shop
We had noticed On Lee Noodle Shop on our way to the museum only because of the number of people queuing outside the eatery at (the awkward post-lunch pre-dinner hour of) 4pm. By the time we left the museum, we were craving ramen but decided to give On Lee Noodle Shop a try since the queue was gone.
Best decision ever, even if I had passed up on beef brisket the eatery is known for. This is probably the closest to fishball mee pok tah in Hong Kong. Gonna have to bring mom here the next time she is in town for her expert verdict. I’ll most definitely be back soon.
安利魚蛋粉麵 On Lee Noodle Shop
22 Shau Kei Wan Main Street East, Shau Kei Wan, Hong Kong
香港筲箕灣東大街22號
The Moustache Guide to Hong Kong
I had relied on the PDF version of this guide when I first moved to Hong Kong a year and a half ago. It was the perfect introduction to Hong Kong, with bite-sized anecdotes of charming little places to check out that makes for a good read even if one is not heading out to explore at all.
Was lucky to pop by Moustache last Saturday with J who needed to get a new suit made. Pick up your copy (HKD 100) at Moustache before it runs out !
Moustache
31 Aberdeen Street, Central, Hong Kong
香港中環鴨巴甸街31號
Food frenzy #37
This is about as hardcore as it gets. The first thing I did after I’d gotten off the plane in Shanghai was to head straight to my old neighborhood for the much-anticipated malatang and chuan’r fix, with luggage in tow.
Ordered lamian by mistake when I had actually wanted daoxiaomian. Good mistake though, I haven’t had lamian in ages.
Spin
I’ve said so much about this store I’m starting to sound like an annoying broken record player. Go here and here to read what I’ve written in the past and have been constantly telling my friends and family. Praises galore yes, so it’s no surprise that I made my way to their new location during my recent trip to Shanghai. They now have space for a teahouse/café on the third floor though it wasn’t open when I visited.
Spin
No. 360 Kangding Lu (near Shaanxi Bei Lu), Jing’an district, Shanghai, P.R. China
中国上海市静安区康定路360号（近陕西北路）