Stuck On You

Lionel Richie came through Hong Kong and I really (secretly) wanted to go but didn't think I would get any takers on coming with me. To my surprise, two of my three "American Dream Team" girls were up for it so we went! The tall guy who joined us was Ann's friend from Atlanta (so the South was really representing that night). No pictures were allowed inside but it was an amazing show and Lionel hadn't been to Hong Kong to perform in 20 years (that's a true legend folks). He played everything and we danced (Brick House), cried (Stuck on You) and enjoyed the show immensely. It was a fun night.

We head to Boracay this weekend (which is in the Philippines. I'm not questioning your intelligence I only put that because I, upon hearing we were going there, had no idea where Boracay was) so I will post more pics upon our return home!

Lunch

I met Devin for lunch the other day and we went to a sushi restaurant which slightly resembled a Waffle House except with no rednecks or smoke or waffles. So, whatever, not like Waffle House but it housed a conveyor belt that rotated a BUNCH of sushi you just grabbed as it went by. It was really fun and REALLY good sushi...I got a few pics.

Wasabi anyone?

You put some green tea powder in your cup and then there's scalding hot water right by your place setting to pour in to the powdered tea. I thought that was super cool...sorry for my weird awkward fingers in this pic...

They charge you based on how many empty plates you end up with...we had A LOT of empty plates but I just couldn't get enough that day....

The Windows of Hong Kong

Sometimes the days go by and I forget that I'm living in this HUGE city and from my balcony, at night, I'm reminded when I turn and see all the little apartments all lit up just how many people are running around this place, calling it home. Surreal.

Mid Autumnal Festival

Tomorrow marks one of the most important holidays in the Chinese calendar, the Mid-Autumnal Festival. This festival brings families and friends together to admire the full moon (the date falls when the moon is supposedly at it's fullest and roundest) carry around lit lanterns and eat moon cakes (which are popular Chinese pastries). Schools and businesses are closed so Steph and Devin had the night to dink around with me since there's no work tomorrow. We went to a lantern festival near our house and horsed around after having some dim sum again (second night in a row).

I think it was a full moon behind the clouds

Being silly with the lantern fish

Didn't I tell you how cute the kids are?

Took this shot to show how CROWDED the streets were for the festival

Dim Sum

Our friend Steph spent some time in Australia and met some amazing people that when hearing she was in Hong Kong thought they would come visit her. So, we've spent the last 4 nights with those Aussies and they are FANTASTIC people! Some of the funnest people I have ever been around in my life. Tonight was their last night in Hong Kong so we went and got dim sum. I snapped some pictures for the memories.

Tales from our Marriage: International Edition

A conversation I had with Devin before leaving for Hong Kong:

Me: Babe, I bought a bunch of toiletries for myself that I'm worried they won't have over there. Do you want me to get you anything while I'm shopping?

Devin: No, no, I'd like to just get the local stuff (weird voice and hand gestures substantiating the point that he knows what "local stuff" entails)

Me: (eye roll) Whatever then.

Fast forward to this week when Devin says, "hey babe, can you pick me up some shampoo while you're out today."

Me: Sure thing. Local right?

Doesn't get much more local than Jackie Chan. Devin loves it by the way (he would).

Black and White Shots Around The Neighborhood

I know I've been slacking on this blog lately but I think it's just because life has sort of fallen into the ordinary day to day routine stuff and I know you are not interested in the "day to day" category. I had a little time this afternoon to go out and get some pics of the neighborhood and thought they might be cool to show you in black and white.

That is correct folks, 913 sq ft for 8.3 million Hong Kong roughly 1.1 million US

I can't help but say "letter box" in a British accent

There's a Pizza Hut right by our house....

The sign that leads you toward the escalators....

Mannequins outside a clothing store yet to be dressed....

Only 1 of a million 7 Elevens....

Justiss For All

August and September are Typhoon months in Hong Kong. Those months bring many storms and tons of rain. We were pretty lucky to have a very mild August but September has been crazy rainy. We've had some pretty hard core storms in which I was pretty sure our building would crumble down the mountain at one point (irrational fear, I know) and this weekend has rained non stop. BUT, my buddy, Nate Justiss from College of Charleston was here in Hong Kong and we were not about to let a little rain stop us! So, we started the day at a Vietnamese restaurant up the street where we enjoyed a good noodle lunch....

This is Nate, who I hadn't seen in 6 or 7 years before meeting up again here in HK. He was just as fun as I remembered, so that was a plus.

This sweet sweet old couple came in and sat at the same side of the table to eat their lunch and I just had to get a pic of them to show how awesome they were....

After our Vietnamese we decided to hike up to the Peak and the waterfall was splendid because of the rain....

Nate got this pic because my friend Gray always told me people like pics of scenery as long as people are in the picture. See, Gray, I haven't forgotten your life lessons....

The rain makes it so green and beautiful!

Some of the scenery on the hike up to the Peak....

A huge snail we saw on the way...

A hike in the rain wouldn't be as rewarding without a foot massage after. Nate is crazy ticklish so we didn't know how he'd do with the reflexologist (there was fear at one point that he might kick him/her in the face) but he was ok in the end

It was so fun to reconnect with my buddy and I can't wait till work brings him back!