Sky 100 and Disneyland HK

Hi guys!  I'm alive!  I'm sorry I was gone so long.  It was a very very busy past few weeks for me.  Anyways, let me just blog about my experience in HK (recent trip last June 1-5).  Let's start with SKY 100...

Sky 100 is the observational deck of HK's tallest building, the International Commerce Center (ICC).  Situated in West Kowloon, the ICC was opened to the public last 2010 and is the 6th tallest building in the world.  The views from the observation deck was breathtaking.  HongKong looked better from this view.

That day, we also went to the happiest place on earth...Disneyland!  I was fortunate enough to be with fun, funny new-found friends during this visit.  Even if our stay was just for less than 6 hours and I was able to ride in 2 rides, see 3 shows and 1 parade, I had lots of fun!

My ticket

My snack...it was Mickey Mouse waffle...yummy!

Main street station

Sleeping Beauty's Castle

Hello Mickey in flowers!

We didn't wait for the fireworks (we left early to try to get some more shopping done before we left for Manila the next day).  That was good decision since the management cancelled the fireworks display a few minutes before the schedule due to inclement weather (it started to rain when we were leaving the park).

I've always liked going to HongKong since it's very near (only 1 hour 30 minute plane ride), it has Disneyland and the shopping is really good (good deals and good brands).

Until next time.  Thank you very much for dropping by!

Agnes B and Black Burger

Hi guys!  Let me share with you 2 dining establishments that I ate in when I was on a recent trip to Hongkong.  I ate at Agnes B Le Pain Grille Cafe in World Trade Center, Causeway bay.  This was my first time to eat in this cafe although I've heard rave reviews from it from other bloggers.  This was what I ordered:

Delices - chocolate mousse, chocolate ganache, chocolate sponge cake, raspberry feuilletine

Vanille - walnut, vanilla custard, puff pastry



Iced latte

All the mini patisserie looked delicious.  They just don't look delicious, they were also really yummy!  Both the delices and vanille were extremely good.  They were not very sweet and very very tasty.  As for the iced coffee, it was a little bland but a little sugar made it better.

I really liked my dining experience at Agnes B.  Maybe I need to save money for their leather goods.  Hihihi...

Now let's go to the other establishment...the beloved McDo.  I specifically wanted to eat at Mc Donald's just to try their Black Burger.  And here it is...

I liked this one too!  There were 2 beef patties, lettuce, a small amount of mashed potatoes and dressing that tasted like mayonnase with ketchup.  All in all, the taste was really good.  It was yummy!

 

If ever you are in Hongkong, I highly recommend the Black Burger from Mc Donald's and patisserie from Agnes B.

 

That's it for today.  Thank you so much for dropping by!

Madeleine Wickham

Hi everyone!  I've been gone so long...busy, busy.  Anyways, let me just share to you 2 books that I have read recently.  These are...

I know these books have been published a few years back, but it was only a month ago that I stumbled upon these books.  These are actually my sister's books.  She is an avid and voracious reader.  So, I snuck in her room and got these 2.  I'm sure she's read them, but I couldn't ask because I'll be discovered (she'll discover that I "nenocked" aka stole/borrowed these books).

Let's start with the first book, A Desirable Residence.  There are many subplots in the story but the main one is about a family who were supposed to sell their house but got into another arrangement.  There are other characters that come into the picture and all of them are inter-connected to each other.  It would be hard to believe the consequences and the inter-"connectedness" of one another in this story.  But maybe this really happens in a small place where people know each other.  Anyways, it's a good read but not really a great one.  It gets boring from time to time and the ending leaves much to be desired.

As for the second book, Sleeping Arrangements, the story line is plausible but hard to believe.  As in Philippine movies, there's too much coincidence.  But unlike Philippine movies, the ending is what it should be.  This book is a good read and kept me intrested the whole time I was reading it.

All in all, these 2 books are easy reads.  I recommend these books especially for those who have time on their hands and would like to read something light and funny (books to read when you are: waiting for your turn at the doctor's office, waiting in the airport, or any other forms of waiting).

That's it for now.  I'll be posting/blogging about a recent trip to Hong Kong in the next few days (hopefully, if I have time).  Thanks for dropping by!

River Safari

There's a new "safari" in Singapore.  Let me present to you the "River Safari".  I went to Singapore last week and visitd the newly opened River Safari.  This attraction is between the famous Night Safari and the Singapore Zoo.  The 12-ha attraction is the newest addition to Singapore's Wildlife Reserves.  It opened last April 3, 2013 and the river cruise attraction is yet to open (late June 2013).  In here you will find lots of aquatic and terrestrial creatures that are found in the different famous rivers of the world.  Each part of the River Safari features a different iconic river and its creatures.  These are: Mississippi, Congo, Mekong, Nile, Ganges, Murray and Yangtze.  Here are some photos I took using my trusty old iphone 4S.

 

 

Inside the River Safari there are lots of aquariums where all the aquatic creatures are housed.

 

 

In the middle of the attraction, this expansive space awaits you...

 

 

 

This area is where they will hold the river crusies which will start by late June 2013.

 

There are lots of other spaces that I wasn't able to take pictures of.  The attraction even boasts a Panda Forest.  But this is worth blogging...

 

"The world’s largest freshwater aquarium at the Amazon Flooded Forest showcases a surreal world of manatees, fishes and other creatures swimming amongst giant trees, created every year during the rainy season when the river rises 30 to 40 feet." - taken from their website

 

Sleeping manatees

Swimming manatees

 I love these manatees.  They are so graceful and can be very mesmerizing.

 

All in all, I loved my experience at the River Safari.  Next time you are in Singapore, drop by the Wildlife Reserves and visit the River Safari, Night Safari and the Singapore Zoo.

 

That's it for now.  Thanks for dropping by!

 

Andre Piasso

I was on a trip a few days back and during that trip, I wasn't able to buy anything nice for me.  And so, on the plane ride going home, I flipped through the in-flight shopping guide and chanced upon these...

Andre Piasso bracelets

This set contains 2 rhodium-plated bracelets and was priced at $ 25.  I wasn't sure what rhodium was but the picture in the catalog was really nice, hence I bought it.  When I opened the package, I was in love with both the bracelets.  They look and feel really expensive (it definitely felt and looked more than the $ 25 I paid for them).

First bracelet, the gems are not real diamonds.

Second bracelet with charms

I have been wearing the bracelets ever since I got back.  I really really like them.  By the way, a quick search in Wikipedia revealed that...
"Rhodium is a chemical element that is a rare, silvery-white, hard, and chemically inerttransition metal and a member of the platinum group. It is one of the rarest and most valuable precious metals.

Rhodium is a so-called noble metal, resistant to corrosion, found in platinum- or nickel ores together with the other members of the platinum group metals."

Wow!  Good thing I chanced upon these bracelets.  I <3 these!

If you are flying with Philippine Airlines in one of their international flights, get your hands on the Andre Piasso 2-set bracelets.  I highly recommend it.

Thanks for reading!

Zalora update

Hi everyone!  I'm sorry about the long absence.  I just got back from a trip.  More on that in the next blog posts.  Anyways, here's the update on my last Zalora on-line shopping experience (read about it here) which was not very pleasant.  I returned a few items from my last order (sandals, mustard blouse and the white shorts) and asked Zalora to give me store credits in return.  Returning stuff from Zalora was easy.  You contact them thru e-mail and they will send an e-mail with details on the date of pick-up.  Their courier got the items from my house on the said date.  A few days later (less than 5 days), I got an e-mail that they have gotten and checked the items.  They gave me a code to input in their on-line shopping platform so I can use my credits.  Easy peasy.  So, I chose the following...

 

These are the items that I got in exchange of my returned purchases.

Printed blouse (dark green and blush)

Bayo dark blue shorts

I was satisfied with the items I picked.  I wasn't able to take a picture of the belt, but it was of fair quality.  The printed blouse had tucks in them, hence creating a shape, sort of cinching in the waist.  It had a weird shape when worn tucked into bottoms though because it's tapered at the waist.  But aside from that, I still like it.  As for the shorts, haaay...the measurements at Zalora is not entirely correct.  I got the medium size for the shorts since the measurement said that it was for waist that is 27".  But boy was it big!  I have a waistline of 28" and this shorts was around 1" bigger.  The style doesn't allow for belt loops, hence I had to pull up the shorts every so often when I wore it.  Another haaaay...I'll try to sew 1 side of the shorts (the other side has a zipper) to make it smaller.  It will not look even but I think it will work.  I hope it does because I really like the material of the shorts and the over-all fit (minus the big waist).  The belt is okay.  Not too striking, just okay.

My final verdict on Zalora?  I don't think I'll ever shop in this site again.  I'll be sticking with Mango.com because the quality of their clothes are better and more constant.  Also, their website gives you a description of the clothes (materials used and correct measurements).

That's it for now.  Thanks for dropping by!

Zalora 4

I have ordered at zalora.com.ph thrice already.  I have gotten a few items that were reasonably priced and of good quality.  Although some of the items I've ordered were of average quality but overpriced.  You may read my reviews here, here, and here.  My overall opinion of Zalora is that it has a good number of items that you can choose from but the style and quality of the items are not that good.  Finding something really nice at a reasonable price on Zalora is a little like finding a needle in a haystack.  But I guess that's the joy of online shopping.  Looking for that speical piece amongst many other items.  Hence, here's my fourth foray into Zalora.  These were the peices that I got...

 



These sandals from Ylla looked really nice in the site but looked really awful in "person".  The band across the feet was too tight as well as the bands across the legs.  Tsk, tsk, tsk...it made my feet and legs look like longganisa.  At PhP 995, I expected more from these sandals.

Audrina Flat Sandals

The sole doesn't even have grooves...you will definitely slip and slide when you wear these indoors.

And here are the shorts that I abhor.  Again, it looked nice on the picture (model wearing the shorts) but not nice when I got it.  The material was flimsy (very thin cloth).  At PhP 549, I expected so much more from these shorts.

Picture from www.zalora.com.ph

Chictees Joanna Garterized Shorts

The third item that I don't like was the mustard colored blouse.  I wasn't able to take a picture of it because the moment I saw how mustardy the color of the blouse was, I decided to return it.  I can't download the picture from www.zalora.com.ph since it comes out too small.

The redeeming items in these order are the following:

COLLECTIVE.COM Structured color-blocked blouse

COLLECTIVE.COM Kyla Sleeveless plain crepe blouse

I wore the color-block blouse already and it was easy-breezy-comfy.  I have yet to wear the violet blouse.  But I tried it on and it looks nice.  The violet blouse is PhP 495, which is a good deal.  The color-block blouse is PhP 695, not really dirt-cheap but decently priced.

All in all, I was disappointed in the quality of items I bought from zalora (well, the first 3 pieces).  I plan to return the sandals, the shorts and the mustard blouse.  I'll blog about it next time.

I don't think I'll buy from Zalora anymore.  The quality of their products are not consistent.  The website does not give you actual measurements of the garments and the materials used.  It's very hard to determine if a certain piece is of good quality or if it's nice based on the photo.  My suggestion to Zalora is to put in actual measurements of the garments and put in the composition of the items (ala Mango.com).

Thank you very much for dropping by!