H A W A I I - O A H U

Hawaii is a place that we have been looking forward to go for a few years now. Friends and strangers have nothing but great things to say about the Islands only 5-6 hours away from us in Seattle but we never committed to a trip until this year. We really needed a break since the last one we had was during our wedding/honeymoon (close to a year ago). With the 1 year anniversary mark coming up, we thought, why not give Hawaii a try? Since this would be our first time in Hawaii, we thought we should go to Honolulu and Maui since they seem to be the most popular amongst tourists looking to do a bit of everything.  I will focus on Oahu for this post and do Maui separately. Oahu was our first stop on the trip and like many, we focused on finding a place to stay in Waikiki. We wanted to be close to the action and we had a recommendation from some friends on a hotel in the vicinity. We stayed at The Modern Honolulu - it was refreshed, modern, clean and located within close proximity to Waikiki Beach. Though, I am not going to lie, it also helped that we were placed in a room on the top floor with a partial ocean view.

We started the days very early (4-5am) but felt like we had done and accomplished so much by mid afternoon. Unlike how I travelled back when I lived in Europe, we were out for the night by about 10pm haha. During our stay in Honolulu, we focused on doing 2 things - eat and take photos. The latter required a car but it was great to get out of the crowded city center and head out to the more secluded beaches in the west and east coast. To be honest, we didn't even walk the strip and we barely set foot on Waikiki Beach. We had to see the city's beach but we agreed with the locals that there are far better beach options on the island. Here are some of the spots we visited:  Makua Beach This beach was well north west of Waikiki but it was worth visiting. There might have only been about 10 people on the beach at the time which is still surprising for us, given a beach like this would be packed with people in Vancouver/Seattle. We laid on the beach for about an hour before heading out. It was getting very hot!  What we did not realize was that you could not continue north from here. We wanted to go to the North Shore but the road stops and forces you back south before you can take another highway north. Oops! So for anyone looking to get to the North Shore via the west coast, keep in mind, you can't.

Electric Beach A quick stop on the way down south, this beach was definitely busier than Makua Beach by far. It is located across the way from a big industrial plant of some sort.  North Shore Having heard about the shrimp trucks and the shaved ice located in Northern Oahu, we knew we wanted to give this area a visit. It took a little while to get up here (a little more than an hour) from the Waikiki area but the drive was not without scenery. You get a glimpse of the countryside of Oahu that is missing from the city. The town was busy when we got there though - in particular, the parking lots where the food trucks were located were jammed. Trying to find a parking spot at Matsumoto's for shaved ice took about half an hour of circling the lot. Traffic aside, this was definitely a worthwhile visit.

Sandy Beach If you are a person like us who seeks out sun, you have to head out to one of the beaches on the eastern part of the island to catch the sunrise. Sandy Beach (the actual name) is only about 30 minutes away from Waikiki and not very big but if you enjoy taking photos, there are plenty of subjects to make the sunrise photo interesting.  This might have been our favorite beach in Oahu. The pictures below will tell the story but they don't do the sunrise justice. It was spectacular. Another thing you notice is that the neighborhoods get nicer as you drive out east as compared to the western part of the island. After this sunrise, I quickly realized how much I need a big/little stopper to get the photographs of the sunrises/sunsets that I wanted (I didn’t end up getting one until we arrived in Maui unfortunately).

Poor J... she was asked by another photographer at this spot that day to pose. What she thought would be a 30 second thing turned into a half hour photo session as a model. 

She was still in great spirits though :) 

Makapu’u Beach Another sunrise was had a little further east North from Sandy Beach, in Makapu’u Beach. Plenty of subjects for long exposure photos in the form of rocks and tide pools were there. We arrived just before 5:30am for sunrise and were surprised that we were not the only ones there (perhaps we really shouldn't have been surprised).

Food If you know us at all, you know that we are very food driven. Our entire itinerary was based on the places we wanted to eat (this is nothing new as we did the same for Japan, New York, etc). We were very excited for Hawaii simply because of the great things we had heard about the food. Needless to say, we were not disappointed. Here are some of the places we ate:  Sushi Sho Prior to arriving in Hawaii, we were excited to learn that Sushi Sho had moved from Tokyo, the location of its three michelin star restaurant, to start anew in Waikiki (in the Ritz Carlton). When we visited Tokyo back in 2013, we tried to book a reservation at Sushi Sho but it was already booked out. We came in with very high expectations but we left somewhat underwhelmed. There will be a separate blog post on Sushi Sho but I will say that the presentation was very impressive. The restaurant seats 10 and all guests are served omakase style. More than just sushi, Sushi Sho is very refined and shows incredible attention to details and the practices of old tradition. We recommend coming here if you can, open reservations are hard to come by so book very early.

Senia A fairly new restaurant in Waikiki (open about half a year), Senia is said to be an up and coming establishment in an already very saturated food scene. Modern take on Hawaiian ingredients is the specialty of Senia and they do not disappoint. We had multiple dishes that wowed us with their creativity. Most of their dishes are meant to be served family style so we ordered about 6 dishes and went at it. We were stuffed but it was one of the top meals we had in Hawaii. We really enjoyed the atmosphere in the restaurant as well - bustling with activity in an open environment.

Pig and the Lady Located right next door to Senia is Pig and the Lady. The menu was a bit of a mixed bag but modern Vietnamese cuisine is the feature here and they do it very well. J had the Pho Bac while I had a Mushroom Papperdelle. We also shared twice fried chicken wings that rivaled Phnom Penh's (in Vancouver). The space is huge but by lunch hour, the restaurant was packed and there was a line forming. The best part about this restaurant though was that I was able to meet Nikki in person for the first time. We had followed each other at the beginning of our photo journey about 8 years ago and we had talked numerous times about meeting each other but we finally did. She saw me move to London, go through tumultuous times, meet J, and on and on. I saw her photography develop as she documented her love for her two children (it practically felt like I saw them grow up) and now she's a full fledged, professional photographer. It was an honor to meet her in person and I'm so glad we had a chance to catch up.

Tonkatsu Tomafuji We love Tonkatsu and there are no restaurants in the Pacific Northwest that do it well (that we have found). So when we go to a city that has a restaurant specializing in this cuisine, we immediately added that to our itinerary. The menu was very reminiscent of our visits to restaurants in Tokyo and Kyoto. Though there was a bit of a wait to get in (about 45 minutes), the food was worth it. Extraordinarily crispy and light on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside, just what we look for in good tonkatsu. Fitted with thinly shredded cabbage and rice, this was the perfect meal to end the day.

Koko Head Cafe We came upon Koko Head Cafe by accident really - we were grabbing coffee at The Curb after watching the sunrise and we asked the barista where we should go for Breakfast. He mentioned that Koko Head Cafe was very close by and that it was opened by one of the Top Chef contestants a while back. That was all the convincing we needed. We were very pleasantly surprised by the food here. Easily the best breakfast/brunch we had all trip. If you go, get their take on the loco moco (Koko Moco) and their Kelogg crusted french toast.

It may not look like much from the outside but come here if you like breakfast! 

Izakaya Torae Torae Knowing that Honolulu had an abundance of authentic Japanese food, we set out to have as much of it as we could. Izakaya Torae Torae is set in a fairly inconspicuous location and does not look like much on the outside but the food was spot on (better in my mind than Guu or Suika in Vancouver). We ordered several dishes (as you would in any izakaya) but the standouts were surprisingly the sushi and sashimi. Very high quality fish that satisfied our craving for good sushi (even after eating at Sushi Sho). We also recommend trying the fried jidori chicken skin with teriyaki sauce.

Queen Street Cafe It was by chance that we landed at this spot for lunch. After the sunrise in Sandy Beach, I realized that I wanted to buy a Lee big/little stopper so that I could get those longer exposures. We drove to a camera store in the Pearl Harbour area where I was very disappointed to hear that the filter I wanted was not in stock. Since we were there already, we thought we would ask the store manager where we should go to eat around the area. He said quote, “if you want to go to a place that all the locals go, go across the street.” We were sold. Everything is made fresh there every day and while we were sat inside, we saw many people come in for take out. I had the bbq chicken with steak and J had the poke salad. Both were so good! The locals know where to eat, listen to them! Oahu was a great way to start our first trip to Hawaii. Honolulu has so many options for great food and if you are a shopper, this is the city you want to be in. The Ala Moana shopping center is huge! We ate so much we felt that we could burst but that was one of the objectives so… mission accomplished :)

P H U K E T

It has been a year since we vacationed in Bali, a vacation that was intended as a reward for having just found our apartment that would be our home for the next year in Melbourne. It was a fantastic break that made us yearn for another "resort-y" vacation where we can simply lazy about and worry about nothing other than what to eat and how early we should jump in the pool. Fast forward a year and a bit later and we are now planning our move back to the Pacific Northwest for a great opportunity so we thought we would commemorate it by going on another relaxing vacation - this time, to Phuket, Thailand. Having never been to Thailand, this seemed a good time to try. Phuket has great beaches, amazing food, and accommodations, so why not? We explored the islands surrounding Phuket by speedboat and it was incredible. The weather worked out for us despite it being the tail end of the rainy season. If you get a chance to visit Phuket, we highly recommend doing a speedboat tour. There are plenty of places to see close to Phuket and a company such as Phuket Sailing Tours will give you a great idea of what is nearby.

We were also taken to a floating village for lunch which was great cultural experience. The food was great too! 

We stayed at two places during our trip to Thailand. We will review both below:

Anantara Phuket Villas Our trip to Phuket started with a stay at the Anantara Phuket Villas. The resort is just 20 minutes from the airport so it was a relief to be able to relax so soon after our long flights. From the moment we arrived at the gates, we were treated like honored guests. We were served a refreshing drink and given jasmine bracelets (the smell is just heavenly) as we were checked in. The resort has a  traditional Thai feel to it, luxurious but not over the top. We rented a private villa with our very own pool and were we ever glad we did. The villa was beautiful and spacious. Everything about this villa oozed luxury but not in the cold, sterile, modern way. The pool was big enough for a nice swim to cool down during the day and attached to the pool was an outdoor bath. Our only complaint was that the outdoor bath took ages to fill up (you would need about an hour to fill it up so start drawing the bath early). There were a few options at the Anantara for food. La Sala is the venue for the buffet breakfast (quality Thai or western breakfast with lots of options, this was included in our room rate) but you could also come here for any other meal during the day. This is where you would want to go within the resort for a more traditional Thai meal. To be honest though, the food fell short of our expectations considering the price we paid for our meals ($30-40 per person). The other restaurant was Sea Fire Salt. More of a fine dining experience, your meals are served on hot blocks of Himalayan salt. It is a unique experience but again, the food was not exceptional. We paid almost $80 per person (keeping in mind that we are in Thailand and street food usually costs less than $5) and we were left feeling underwhelmed.  There were not too many local food options near the hotel, so we had to stick to what was available. Overall our stay at the Anantara was fantastic other than a few hiccups. If you want to experience staying in a resort that is more traditional, luxurious, and private, Anantara is a great option. However, don't expect great value for the food available at this resort.

Sri Panwa Well I will start off by saying that our stay at the Sri Panwa was the highlight of our trip.  The private ocean view villa with pool was everything you could ever want. The suite was enormous (over 1,000 square feet) and included two separate buildings - one for the bedroom and ensuite bathroom and a second one for a living area with a separate kitchen and bath. The views from our apartment were jaw dropping. Imagine a vacation where you have the choice to wake up to and/or swim in your very own infinity pool while overlooking the ocean from a view about 50 meters from sea level. You can expect the private ocean villas to all have fantastic views. The food at Sri Panwa was also really good. We found the food to be more authentically Thai and although much more expensive than the street food you could find in the city, still far better value than the food we had at our previous stay at the Anantara. The must-do at this hotel though, had to be the Baba Nest open air roof top bar. No pictures do this setting justice. Basically 360 degrees of unobstructed panaramic view of the ocean and islands in the vicinity, this is a setting that makes you feel like you're a million miles away from home and you're so content with that. Whether you're looking for a honey moon or just a vacation to really spoil yourself, the Sri Panwa was all that and more. We couldn't have asked for anything else here and we cannot wait to come back.

One of the highlights of Sri Panwa though... had to be the roof-top bar (below).

R I N G O F K E R R Y

Everyone who knows me knows how much I love Europe. When I dream about the next destination to travel, my mind inevitably goes to London, Italy, France, etc. I have extremely fond memories of traveling in 2011 and 2012 and I can’t wait to be back. I can’t wait to get back to road trips through the country side, the amazing food, and the incredible culture and architecture. This post on Ireland is from 2011, when I first visited this tiny country. Ireland was never one of the places that I sought to visit up until recently. It was always a place associated with that weird accent – or so I thought when I was in highschool. But when I arrived in London just over 3 months ago, I realized that it had everything that I now wanted to see: natural surroundings, ocean, great food, and a varied culture. That is when the research started. While it only begun with Dublin and Galway, I soon discovered through the wonders of Google that there was much more to be seen in Ireland. One of those things was the Ring of Kerry. As the control freak that I am, I had an itinerary in mind but what we saw in Ireland was far from what I expected. The first day began with us (Jennifer and me) spending a day in Dublin – Ireland’s capital. While Dublin was a place that you had to say that you at least saw, we were mildy disappointed by the city as it was just that, a big city. The architecture was not particularly unique to Europe but I have to confess, I don’t think I give Dublin enough credit. Well, this trip was more about the country side anyway. After spending a day in Dublin, we took the early train to Galway in western Ireland. It was a smooth train ride and only about 2.5 hours long. Since I don’t mind long trips (good earphones will do the trick), I actually enjoyed it! We didn’t spend any time in Galway though as we caught a taxi straight to the airport to pick up our car and headed off. The first thing I noticed about the roads in Ireland was how incredibly narrow some of them were. Lots of curves, narrow roads, blind corners, and lots of hills. That was essentially what we drove through. Some roads were so narrow that only 1 car could get through at a time yet the speed limit in both directions was 100km/h. Not surprisingly, people have been killed on this road. Driving around the Ring of Kerry, we were told by many to go counter clockwise but we went clockwise anyway because it was more convenient for us and we had a small car. The reason for this is that coaches and big buses go clockwise and well, if you went around a small bend with a coach in front of you, there is a danger you could be hit! For those of you who watch anime, it was like Initial D but with oncoming traffic lol. Eventually, when you got used to the speed and the curves though, it became a very fun drive!   When it comes down to it, the experience would not be the same if we had not driven. Those of you who are looking to visit the Ring of Kerry, you really should consider driving. Just rent a small car and drive carefully. People in Ireland are very nice and patient, they will just pass you if they get a chance but rarely do they honk on that road. By driving you can venture off into off paths and you can stop whenever you want! Plus, the drive along the coast of Ireland is incredible. There was stunning landscape after stunning landscape. We wanted to stop every chance we could get. P l a c e s V i s i t e d   The first stop along the way down south was the Cliff’s of Moher. Leading up to it, the landscape was gorgeous. Rolling green hills, stones, old houses, and lots and lots of ocean. It all looked so natural and untouched. The Cliff’s of Moher are a huge landmark in western Ireland. In fact, it is being lobbied for being named one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. The first thing I noticed was just how huge those cliffs were (over 200 meters high). The sheer scale of it was jaw dropping. The waves crashed up on the foot of the cliffs and the winds carried crisp, cold, fresh air. It was really a sight that takes your breath away. I came back again during sunset the next day to get some pictures in that lighting. Note that you can stay on the cliffs as long as you want or at any time.   We then drove about 3 hours further south to reach the town of Killarney where we stayed the second night. A great town where there are loads of nice restaurants, pubs, and scenery. It is also the home to Killarney National Park, which apparently has some incredible natural green hills and beautiful lakes, but unfortunately, we didn’t have time to go. I did have an amazing meal there though (see below on food).   The rest of it is history. Along the Ring of Kerry, we drove through many towns but made stops in Kenmare, Sneem, Waterville, Ballinskelligs (where you can catch a boat out to the Skellig Michael). All had different characteristics but they all had that small town feel to them. People knew each other and how could they not? The houses don’t even appear on the GPS and they don’t have house numbers in some of these towns. I loved how laid back and friendly the people were and it made me realize that this is the way it should be. We have it all wrong in the city sometimes. All in all, we saw so much while we drove around. Ireland is an incredibly beautiful country with so much to see. I might not have enjoyed this as a kid when I was less appreciative about scenery but this trip wow’d me. I will definitely be back to see the rest of Ireland sooner rather than later. A c c o m m o d a t i o n s We had a total of just 3 nights to complete what we had in our itinerary and we moved around quite a bit (being a road trip and all) but we ended up staying at some nice places that were not too expensive. Call me a snob but we did not stay in any hostels along the way. A big part of the experience in places like Ireland is the fact that you get to stay in just about any bed and breakfast and enjoy the home cooked meal, the homely hospital and comfort. Of course, while I say this, we ended up staying in a hotel in Dublin (haha). First Night - We stayed at the Central Hotel  (1-5 Exchequer Street, Dublin, Ireland) for our first night in Dublin. It was only €89 for the night and it was situated within the centre of the city so it was very convenient (ie. Temple Bar, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Christ’s Church were all within a 10 minute walking distance). The room was also very clean and lots of natural light came in as well. Wifi was also provided for free all over the hotel. Believe it or not, this is a huge benefit as you have to pay for this service in most metropolitan tourist hotspots such as London and New York for example. Overall, I would recommend this place for a short stay.  Second Night - By the second night, we had taken a 2.5 hour train ride to Galway and driven over 5 hours south so we were fairly tired. Eventually we made our way down to Killarney within the County of Kerry. We booked our stay at the Earls Court House (Woodlawn Road, Killarney, Ireland). From the outside, it looks like a very nice country style home. You could tell that they placed an enormous amount of attention to detail as it was very presentable both inside and out. The bedding and the room itself was spacious, clean, and in many ways, looked quite luxurious.  The great thing about a bed and breakfast is how there is a distinct lack of commercial feel to the surroundings. The lady we spoke to at the front desk (who, I’m not afraid to say was easily the prettiest girl I saw all trip long haha) gave us great advice for places to eat for dinner. The breakfast that was served at the B&B was also extremely tasty and very filling. Be sure to try their porridge! I highly recommend this B&B not only for value but for convenience as well. It was only €99 per night for our room and it was a 10 minute walk into the main road where a number of great restaurants are situated. Third Night – On the third evening, we chose to stay nearby Galway but out far enough that we could still enjoy the country side. We ended up booking a room at the Atlantic View B&B  (Pier Road, Doolin, Ireland) in Doolin (which was about an hour and a half drive from Galway). Situated right by the coast, you get a fantastic view of the coast straight out of the bedroom window and you can see the cliff’s that lead up to the Cliff’s of Moher (only a 10-15 minute drive). The other side of the house, you could see fields with cows grazing on the grass. You get the picture, this place is situated right in the midst of the country side and that in itself is the experience. The decor was very country style but again, very homey. It wasn’t quite as luxurious as the Killarney experience but it was a fine place for a one night stay. We were also provided with a decent breakfast before we headed back to Galway for our train ride. Overall, I would recommend this B&B for its location and simple hospitality.   F o o d Dublin. When I thought of Ireland, I did not originally think of the food as being a major highlight. I thought, bacon, sausages, poached egg and black pudding, but did not think about how good this food might be. In Dublin, we had quite simple meals such as Irish Fish and Chips at the Elixir (not too different from English fish and chips but the sauce was distinctly more citrusy than that of the regular tartar sauce we get). Not a place I would necessarily come back to.   We also found a cafe called Queen of Tarts which was packed with tourists. Providing caffeinated drinks as well as many different types of desserts and pastries was their specialty. I enjoyed a carrot cake (dubbed the best in Dublin) and double espresso for an afternoon snack here. Overall, nice out door setting and the food was quite decent.   Killarney. On the second day, we didn’t have a proper meal until dinner since we were driving around and did not have much time to waste but after we checked into our B&B, we asked for a recommendation for good ol’ Irish cuisine. The pretty lady suggested Bricin down in the heart of the town. It was only a 10 minute walk and when we arrived, we found the place was very busy (always a good sign). We ended up getting the 3 course set menu for €26 and enjoyed it thoroughly. The last time I had such a good meal was... probably back at Vij’s in Vancouver! The seafood chowder made me want to take my friend’s plate and finish it all off for her. I couldn’t put the spoon down it was so good. For the entree, I had the boxty (an Irish specialty that is essentially a potato omelette) filled with chicken and vegetables in cream sauce. Now, if that isn’t like a home cooked meal, I don’t know what is. It was delicious! Absolutely, I would recommend this restaurant to ANYONE in the area. Though, I heard that there are impressive restaurants all around Killarney, this one definitely stood out to me.   For breakfast the following day, we ate at the B&B (breakfast provided) and it was great. There is a self serve counter filled with all your essentials such as cereal, porridge, milk, coffee, tea, juice, fruits, etc. Their porridge had won awards in past years and it was indeed so good that I had to go back for seconds. They also serve a great Irish breakfast as well (consisting of sausage, bacon, poached egg and tomato). Doolin. By the time we checked into our B&B it was already 9:45pm and most restaurants in the small town of Doolin were closed or no longer serving. However, we were recommended to go to the O’Connors Pub just down the street and grab some grub there. Now, I don’t know about you but I have learned not to expect much from pub food. So we went there and noted right away how busy it was despite it being based in such a small town. It was loud in there but not in any way that would be obnoxious, people were greeting one another and they all knew each other it seemed (other than the tourists) and this made for a great atmosphere! We quickly ordered our meals (lamb stew with mash and baked salmon) and grabbed my first of a few pints of Guinness and sat down. The food came within 10 minutes and we were given a table even though it was packed with people (the waitress had taken the initiative to ask others to give way for us – talk about service!). Remember how I said that I don’t expect much from pub food? Well this was on a league of its own. The lamb stew was mouth wateringly good. The meat was tender and the stew had enormous flavour. It was the best meat stew I have ever had. I also then tried my friend’s salmon. If you are like me, I am always afraid that salmon would be overcooked. Well, we were very happily surprised. The salmon was delicious and very moist. Far above average... in fact, if this had come from a Michelin star restaurant, I would be surprised in terms of texture and overall flavour. Really great food and a great atmosphere, what more could one want from a neighbourhood pub? Sorry, no pictures of this since we were too hungry and forgot to take pictures before scarfing our food down haha. Guinness. Since this beer is world famous and is from the country of Ireland, it deserves a section of its own. I love my beer and Guinness is definitely high on the list. It doesn’t matter which country you are in, you can find some good Guinness wherever you go. However, it is different in Ireland. If you get a pint from the tap, you will taste the difference in that it is smoother and somehow seems more refreshing than compared to the other parts of the world. I m p r e s s i o n s Our impressions of Ireland were a surprise to us. When people ask me what my favorite country was, I have to say that Ireland is right up there. Maybe we got lucky with the weather but Ireland is truly an incredibly beautiful place that everyone should give a chance.

H O N G K O N G

Wow, has it already been a month now that we've been absent? Time really flies... it wasn't without cause though. We just returned from a 3 week trip back to Vancouver for one of my best friend's wedding. Between that, seeing friends and family, we were not left with much free time. 10 days at home isn't enough but we're already now looking forward to coming back. We snuck in a week long trip to Hong Kong too. It was a much needed break - work in a professional services firm is fast paced and sometimes you just need to have some time to yourself to slow down. This is going to be a heck of a long post but I please bare with us :) V A N C O U V E R  A K A  Home We will likely always call Vancouver our home. We love to travel and we likely won't be living in Vancouver for a while but our family and a lot of good friends still reside there. It is always a good time to be back. Visiting family, hanging out with good friends, having daily meals of sushi and wandering around old neighborhoods brings back a lot of memories and reminds us of what to be thankful for. My friend's wedding was beautiful and it was so cool to see one of my best friends get married to her husband, Bruce. Being back made us realize how much we love the Northwest Coast of NA. Just a couple of shots below - you know, since we were in the stunning Hycroft Mansion and all.

H O N G K O N G Janice was born in HK but I was born and raised in Vancouver. The last time I went to HK was back in 94 and to be quite honest, I don't remember much of it. My recollection was limited to my memory of how dirty it was haha. But understandably, this place has changed over completely. It was modern and much cleaner than I remembered. The bigger shock though? It was hot... and sticky. 32-34 degrees celsius with humidity that made it feel like 37-39 daily, we were constantly sweating. I was warned but being born in Vancouver, no words could have prepared me. It was bearable though so it wasn't all bad. Walking through the streets of HK, I was again amazed as to how different Asia is from the western world. The visual stimulants there are abundant, invasive even. But you have to appreciate it, it makes for some great pictures :)

Walking around the city Alright, so we knew Hong Kong had good shopping. But even with that expectation, the amount of malls surprised me. It wasn't just the sheer number of malls but the shops in each one. From Chanel, to Tiffany's to Celine, to whatever you want. If you have the money, this place could be your shopping haven but for me and J, it was just a place to escape the heat. Hong Kong can look a bit like a concrete jungle but from high up, there's no denying how cool a view the cityscape is.

Indulgences Food in HK. Pretty much everyone who thinks of this city thinks of it in conjunction with great food. It doesn't have to be fancy by any stretch of the imagination though. Some of the best food in the city is simply comfort food. Simple. Delicious. Cheap. We ventured to some local favorites including Australia Dairy Company, Tim Ho Wan, Tsim Chai Kee, Honey Moon Dessert, and others. What a vacation. Great food, great company. We were happy.

Impressions Hong Kong may not have always been at the top of my list for travel destinations but it sure shot right up there now. We had a great time roaming the city and enjoying all the good eats. It was great meeting some of J's friends and family too :)

H A M M E R & T O N G

This Easter weekend, our quest to find more great brunch spots in Melbourne took us to Hammer & Tong in Fitzroy. Fitzroy is one of those pockets in a city that is as creative as they come. A place where its age shows, this area of town is not lacking in character. Hammer & Tong sits just off of Brunswick Street (for people that live in Vancouver, it is much like Main Street or Commercial Drive) and is home to one of the more well known soft-shell crab burgers in the city. We arrived at the door at about 11am and was met with a lineup that took about 15 minutes to get in (not too shabby). Not surprisingly, the restaurant was bustling and very full. We were served some great coffee here in no time... what came after though, didn't come until almost 40 minutes later. Needless to say, we were starved by the time our food arrived. We get that the restaurant is busy but 2/3rds of an hour is too long. Having said that the food hit the spot and I suppose that was this experience's saving grace.

We ordered the smoked trout, kale, poached egg on a rye bagel with seaweed hollandaise along with the zucchini and corn fritters with poached egg. The smoked trout was good but maybe a little dry. The combination of the ingredients is what made this dish so memorable. It was delicious and we polished off that plate with ease. The fritters had a very mexican flare to it and it also had a great, crispy texture on the outside. To end our meal, we shared a soft shell crab burger since it was selling like hot cakes. Our conclusion? It was good - the bun was very soft and warm (I'm no good with descriptions as you can tell) and the flavor was distinctly asian - but it was a little too salty. Overall, we enjoyed it. We may have had better in Melbourne but this ranks right up there with the best. We'll be back. Hammer & Tong 412 Brunswick Street Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia