Another Sunny and Warm Day

Can you believe that ? I guess really last winter was really BAD !

I started my day today by not doing anything until like 11, went to gym for almost 1 hour and tried to pick up one of our bike that I parked close to Gramercy Park over the weekend and guess what ! somebody STOLE it ! such a bitttooocchhhh, whoever stole it, I hope that you will bike for the rest of your life anywhere you go !

This is the second bike that we lost, last year was at U-Square, I think I didn't lock it properly so I didn't feel as bad but this time I surely did lock it really well including the basket at the front of the bike but yet its still got stolen.
Oh well, I guess no biking at Spring this year :(

Got some stuffs from Urban Outfitters, they are having sale so its consider good deal although prices at this store are really 'not-worth-it'.

So tomorrow I will have another day off since I am between jobs now so I will make sure that I will enjoy it as much as I can. Supposedly windy and raining tomorrow so maybe catching movies would be the best bet, we'll see.

January is almost gone in 2006, isn't really fast ?

Doggie Year

Wishing everyone a Prosperous and Healthy New Year of the Dog!!

Of course, the Empire State Building is celebrating as well :-)

Happy Chinese New Year - Year of Dog

So today is the official first day of the year of dog and that means we are a year older.

I found a new job, for bigger and better and will start on Feb 1st which I like it a lot, its time to move on and its good to actually start a new job when its new year.
I feel definitely more professional in a way and really glad that got hired from the new company.

V had to work all weekend for the CNY and I voluntered a bit, bought some beautiful orchid and flowers from the Market, check it out.

(P.S. What an upbeat team at the Verizon booth!!) :-) ---- vt





Weather has been really weird, it was almost 60 degress yesterday but today is like barely even made it 50 degress.

We joined the gym by the way and can't wait to lose some pounds from the vacation that we took and also from the holiday and living healthy.

That is all for now folks !

Warmest Saturday made the new record !

So yes it was about 63 degress this past Saturday, its really rare in this time of year I think. It was so different than last year when the blizzard happened.

We didn't do much this weekend, just walk around the city and tried to get rid of the apple store gift xertificate and everything that they sell in the store are not attracted. Check out the cases that we found in HK below.















We finally ended the weekend watched Underworld and Walk The Line, Thought JP and RW were great and they deserved the globes.

Disney HK

Ok, so I know we've been back for a few days now (still a little jetlagged... whimp I know), but in a way we haven't really updated all there is to update from our trip, hence the continuing 'saga'...

The last night in HK was especially memorable. After we flew back from Bali, we had to stay one more night in HK (transit) before our flight the next morning. we made the lucky call to choose the new Disneyland Hollywood Hotel close to the airport, and I'm glad we did -- even just for the experience.



Disneyland opened back in Sept and it was amazing to see the investment into the, not just the park, but the extension OUTSIDE of the actual park itself.



I thought the most amazing was the "Disney Subway" train which is actually a subway car converted to the disney-themed - all the way from the Mickey Mouse windows to Mickey Mouse handles on the railings.



The seats were converts to 'loungy couches' and there were gold statuettes of Disney characters on the train! It was really amazing!



The hotel was quite nice as well, everything was 'Disney' from the toothbrush to the combs and laundry bags -- it was definitely nice.



Anyways, that's about it for me -- again Asia was definitely great and it was nicer because Francis and I experienced it together... by the way my parents love him alot, which is that much better.

First Day Back from Asia

It's been a little over two weeks that we have been gone. We finally back to NYC.
It was a great trip for both of us, its always nice to see and hang out with family after all.

HK is really amazing, I like it a lot there ! People move like ants like when they are rushing for sugar, especially when its rush hour, the trains run almost every minute and the buses make you don't want across the streets.

Love how you scan the train card (octopus) instead of putting it in like most of them operate.

Malls are everywhere from one building to another, don't see a lot of dogs though, think its because of the rule that can't bring animals inside the mall because definitely can't walk them around the city.

I was there almost 10 years ago and didn't really realized the buildings are back to back and they are mostly really tall ! And the '8P Light Show' ? It was a blast ! Imagine like all of those buildings between HK and Kowloon are talking to each other with the lights and sound/narrator for the good 15 minutes !





We are planning to move there maybe in the next 6 months and I am so ready for it !

Now let me tell you guys about how Jakarta had changed in the past decade. Money are like the monopoly ones. Even my sister sometimes can't tell which is which. They are very colorful and you just have to be careful with the 'zeros'.



I got to hang out with the whole family which is very nice and to see my nephew and the two nieces. Never met them by the way since they were born.

I still have the same feeling overall about the city, but it had growth so much, so many apartments had been built and also the freeways, Starbucks are everywhere but the polution will never dissapear there.

After a short 'long' stay in Jakarta, I finally met Vince in Bali. The weather was gourgeous in the first couple of days which was perfect since we did all the tour on the second day.

We went to everywhere as far as UBUD on the north part of the island and Tanjung Benoa on the south part of the island. Bali is very tropical and touristy. I was there almost about 12 years ago and can't remember since how it looked like. Its humid and the tropical rain comes in and out (Dec-Apr is the rainy season in Indonesia).

We did the gay massage, nothing really sexual of course but it was good and relaxing on the third day we were there.

The food was FAB. miss it already.

Below are some pics from the Floating Park, the tallest (in the process) statue of one of the Goddess and the Famous Sacred Tanah Lot Temple all in one Island of God, BALI !

Last Day In HK

So today marks the beginning of the END of our vacation :-) I'm leaving HK tomorrow morning for the last part of our vaca in Bali, I'll be meeting Francis there.

So far this trip has been quite a reflective one for me personally. Not only has my parents met (and love) Francis, I finally realized now that my ever-so-infrequent visits back home has become sooo much of a pattern that it's become almost pathetic that I haven't moved back.

Every time I visit, my mom keeps introducing me to the security people in the building because she's 'proud' of her grown-up son. The trip also involves lunching, meeting, and then finally saying 'bye bye' to my childhood cousins (how in their late 20s/30), and every time it is peppered with my emphatical promise that I will return to HK for good to be with home with my mom. But I often head back to the States, fall back into a routine, and then anxiously await and plan my next visit home...

I'm not sure, but this time it seems quite apparent that I will move back to HK soon (or perhaps this just might be another spout of 'guilt'). Maybe now that Francis is somewhat open to the idea of coming to HK to live, it just might push me over the edge. I know it's not fair for my parents that, as the only child, I'm gone for so long. But I also know there will be something I miss alot from the US, especially NY, if I move back here. I am torn, but I also have a feeling that things will resolve themselves very soon. Just look at how quickly it look F and I to make a decision to move from LA to NY...? It's entirely possible!

We look a bit of pics, and will update more when we get back. But here's a few,

Street food stalls in Mongkok... hard to resist...



View from buffet lunch at Hopewell -- an amazing revolving restaurant in WanChai



Goldfish stores in Mongkok

MTR _ Central

Ok, so how cool is this? Just went to tea dance at club 97 with Francis. It was cool, a bit smokey but was fun nonetheless. Very cool to hang at a club in ASIA where any non-Asian are actually the visitors and outsiders... vs. the U.S. Anyways, we also saw the cool 'light show' at the harbor tonite. It was nice, very romantic.

I'm actually updatin our blog from the Central subways station -- they actually have a free internet broadband kiosk at the station for anyone to use... how cool is THAT?? anyways, we'll update with pictures later. Ciao and have a great nite!!

VT

Hong kong here we are!!

So yes, we have been in HK for almost 5 days now and loving it !
Did some touristy stuff and just walk around the city. Met v's parents at the very first time, they live in the NEW Teritory which is very nice and quite and it is not too far away from the city with the KCR train takes about 20 minutes.

Love the MRT here, they are so clean and fast, especially when its rush hours, people are just so many everywhere you go. The best part is that it's sparkling clean and quiet and smooth, unlike NY's rickety rat-infested version.



Starbucks is everywhere here, we are now at the Pacific Coffee which obviously a competitor of Starbucks ! They have a free internet which is great ! The starbucks pastry case serves the most amazing looking baked goods, flaky ham and cheese/tuna stuffed croissants. But starbucks in HK is even more expensive than NYC!! Over $3 USD for a grande drip, can you believe that?? Here's a pic I took of their pastry case (got a little scolding on the side "no pictures sir..." heheh enjoy)



We are on our way to see the Peak and the weather has been really nice here around 60-65 f day time and around 50 f night time.

We are still getting over our jetlag so sometimes we had to sleep in the middle of the day and wake up in the middle of the night !

Food is great here ! Dimsums are everywhere ! LOVE IT !