Wednesday 29 September 2010

When Will They Ever Learn?

The banking industry is definitely in dire need of new and stringent regulations in order to prevent another recession from reoccurring. But are the new financial rules sufficient? Yes, Basel II has been upgraded to Basel III, but so what?

Rules certainly play a major role in the preservation of the banking industry’s integrity and goodwill. But, what actually plays an even more important role in ensuring that the set of new regulations will work are the “attitudes” of bankers.

If rotten apples are still prevalent in the industry, then I’ll ensure you, another recession is bound to happen. Greed-driven bankers, in one way or another, will find other ways to seek profit.

In the following news article, JP Morgan seeks to “shift” its proprietary trading desk out of its investment banking arm and into its asset management arm. I personally feel that “shifting” the prop trading desk is not going to make a drastic difference and is definitely not going to meet the requirements of the initial Volcker Rule “a ban on proprietary trading”.

http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/27/jpmorgan-is-shifting-its-prop-trading-desk/?scp=1&sq=proprietary%20trading&st=cse

Here’s another interesting read on the Volcker Rule’s “approved final version” from the New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/26/us/politics/26regulate.html

“…the bill does not include the tough restrictions on derivatives trading championed by Senator Blanche L. Lincoln, Democrat of Arkansas, which would have forced banks to jettison their most lucrative dealings in this area.”

“…banks will be required to segregate their dealings only in the riskiest categories of derivatives, including the highly structured products like credit-default swaps based on bundles of mortgage loans, and in certain types of derivatives that are based on commodities that banks are already prohibited from investing in, like precious metals, agricultural products and energy.”

It appears that derivatives are still tradable. Only a certain few are banned. I believe that bankers will be smart enough to design and churn out more incomprehensible derivatives to fool innocent and non-investment savvy investors that would lead to another crisis in no time.

Time will tell whether another set of new regulations will be needed.

Wednesday 22 September 2010

A Fetish For Leather


I just purchased this, BCBG Max Azria's Tejus embossed leather satchel from http://www.outnet.com/ for GBP138.00! It's guaranteed to become a new-season wardrobe staple!

Medium-brown crocodile-stamped leather satchel. BCBG Max Azria satchel has two handles, two detachable press-stud fastening shoulder straps, leather and gold designer plaque at handle, gold zip fastening at top with logo pull, designer-stamped studs at sides, gold curved bars at front, designer label at back, inner zip pocket, pouch pocket and mobile phone pocket, inner leather designer tag and is fully lined in antique-rose fabric.

Friday 10 September 2010

Aqua Roma, Aqua Tokyo & Aqua Spirit

Aqua, Hong Kong, Beijing and London's most exclusive dining and socialising venue never fails to replenish our palates with gastronomical fusion delights and quench our thirst with its innovative combination of tantalizing cocktails. All is this made possible thanks to Aqua Restaurant Group.

Upon my arrival in the vibrant cosmopolitan of Hong Kong, I was introduced to this sublime and chic venue, where I had the chance to appreciate haute Japanese (Aqua Tokyo) and Italian (Aqua Roma) cuisine, a good conversation, whilst admiring  the breathtaking view of the Hong Kong harbour and city; a truly magnificent dancing kaleidoscope of lights.

Aqua provides one of the best night views of Hong Kong.

Voted as one of Conde Nast Traveller's Top 100 New Restaurants, trendy and posey bar known as Aqua Spirit does not only provide the best ambiance for mingling with moneyed bankers, expats and newfangled media folk, but it is also the prime area to get your groove on and let your hair down, especially when the DJ spins hot couture house music on weekends.

The restaurant downstairs, however, is littered with couples - dim lights, picturesque skyline, soothing lounge music, good food, what more could you ask for? Aqua is the perfect destination for love birds as well as those who is in dire need of unwinding and taking the edge off a stressful day at work.

Here are some pictorial delights of the food after having spent 20 minutes perusing through the extensive food menu.

Aqua Tokyo Sushi Platter - 12 different pieces of innovative sushi ingredients. 
I personally wasn't very fond of the sushi platter as I felt that the ingredients used were not very fresh neither was it intriguing. It's just your average sushi platter, if you know what I mean.

 
I, on the other hand, fell head over heels in love with the Ravioli al fegato grasso con porcini e tartufo nero, which translates into veal and foie gras stuffed ravioli with porcini mushroom sauce and shaved black truffle, and their signature Tiramisu cake.

At a hefty price of HKD108 and the need to satisfy my penchant for Vodka based cocktails, the Porn Star Martini is definitely the highlight of the night. This is an orgasmic concoction of Absolut Vanilla, passion fruit liquer, Vanilla sugar and bubbles; a cocktail not to be missed along with other contemporary classics.

There's only one thing to worry about when hitting the ultra-stylish Aqua, do ensure your pockets are deep enough. :)

Aqua Roma, Aqua Tokyo & Aqua Spirit
29 & 30 Floors
One Peking Road
Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
T:     +852 3427 2288
E: aqua@aqua.com.hk

Wednesday 8 September 2010

Message from The Vice-Chancellor of HKU

Dear Colleagues, Students, Alumni and Friends,

You may not be at all surprised that the University has again been ranked among the best universities globally – this time, 23rd amongst the top 200 by the World University Rankings of Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) – because you know that HKU has been doing well in the past.

We should be cognisant, however, that rankings typically assess a number of different performance indicators at a university, each carrying a specific weight, and that there are different emphases in the choice of data and methodologies used in different analyses.

The QS rankings, previously published as the QS Times Higher Education World University Rankings, have used the same methodology now for the past five years or so. It is therefore possible to compare HKU year on year. One conclusion we can draw from this longitudinal analysis is the consistency that HKU shows in its high scores on those criteria chosen by QS as important for the best universities worldwide.

While we know that the success of a university cannot be solely judged by league tables and rankings, certain performance indicators used in the QS rankings also happen to have been areas in which HKU has traditionally been strong, such as academic peer review and internationalisation. We particularly value the respect of academic peers from around the world, because they are in the best position to understand the complexity of universities and their activities and goals.

As the QS rankings measure research quality, graduate employability, teaching commitment and internationalisation, it is really the hard work and dedication of the entire HKU community, including all staff, students, alumni and friends, that have helped bring HKU to what it is today. Our strong standing and reputation are without a doubt the result of your commitment and contributions in the past many years. My sincere thanks to you all!

Last but not the least, it is of course gratifying for us to see other Hong Kong universities in top rankings as well. This is encouraging news for Hong Kong and, particularly, our Higher Education sector.

Lap-Chee Tsui
Vice-Chancellor

Further details about the QS rankings can be found at http://www.topuniversities.com/.

Information on how HKU is ranked in various exercises can be found at http://www.hku.hk/cpao/Urankings/. 

Monday 30 August 2010

Price Discrimination

It was the first time I experienced a "live" demonstration of price discrimination; a literal face-to-face encounter between the salesperson and I. Price discrimination exists when the sale of identical goods or services are transacted at different prices from the same provider. Price discrimination is practiced in many industries on a daily basis, ranging from airlines companies, mobile phone network companies to even restaurants. However, with the prominence of perfect information or perfect substitutes, the pure existence of price discrimination falters. It can on be a feature in monopolistic and oligopolistic (a few competitors) markets, where market power can be exercise.

This unethical practice took place when I was hunting around for the perfect yoga package at a particular yoga centre here in Hong Kong yesterday. Yes, the market was oligopolistic, where there are currently two major players in the yoga industry. Nonetheless, the centre I approached had a competitive edge; not only did they offer yoga classes but pilates, spinning and dance classes as well. I was, indeed, thoroughly impressed.

But, what majorly put me off was the salesperson and the fact that the yoga centre did not have a proper price chart for various packages. Towards the end, she was pushy, a complete boot licker, annoying (because Carl and I had to rush off for dinner and she did not let us leave by stalling us with more codswollop = sales pitches) and had the audacity to change the price and the duration of the Unlimited Package THREE times:

a) HKD1,288 for 12 months (I was not interested as it was too costly)
b) HKD899 for 18 months 12 months (Duration of 18 months was too long, she changed it to 12)
c) HKD699 for 18 months (Price was reasonable but duration was too long)

At that point in time, I was extremely disgruntled, frustrated and desperately wanting to leave. Her manager even had to "dramatically" interject to offer the last price. "Why dramatic?", you might ask. Well, it is because it was all an act and I felt like my precious pennies were being cheated by crooks like them! Plus, they wanted me to sign up with their package there and then! Who would have known that the price and duration of packages were negotiable? Probably most, if not, all of their customers have been blindly cheated. Is this practice even legal?

Hence, from what I can decipher, there are a few determining price factors which the salesperson will take into consideration:

1) Appearance
2) Background
3) Contact with competitors i.e. what I love/hate about their competitors

This is one yoga centre, which I have lost all faith and trust in even though they offer awesome facilities and an amazing array classes. Perhaps they might call me in a few days to built rapport and to reinstill that sense of trust? Perhaps they might call me to offer an even more attractive package? Who knows? There is a lot of calculated malice and shoddy workmanship in the history of marketing. I am most definitely keeping my options open.

Thursday 19 August 2010

Moving Forward


 Friday, 13th August 2010, marks the end of a one year long nightmare and a truly unforgettable one. Coincidentally it had to fall on such a jinxed date/day too. Anyway, tomorrow marks the start of a new life filled with new challenges and friends in the new vibrant cosmopolitan of Hong Kong.

Here's a Carpe Diem quote: And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. ~ Abraham Lincoln. 

It's definitely time for me to seize the day, or year in my case. Wish me luck! :)

Saturday 7 August 2010

Tofu Box

It's unbelievable how our fellow Hong Kong-ers can survive living in such a small, compact space. And how might one define "small space" you might ask? Well, by putting it simply, a 2-bedroom apartment compressed into a 400+ square feet space. Yes, one might agree that even the little fishes that live within the vicinity of an aquarium might possibly lead a better life.

Not only do flats in Hong Kong come in small sizes, they also come in big extortionate prices. A 400+ square feet, 2-bedroom apartment that is located in the neck of the woods of Hong Kong Island, might cost up to HKD2.8 million and above. Hence, it is evident that space is a scarce resource and if you have managed to secure/inherit yourself a decent living space in Hong Kong, please treat it like gold. Hong Kong, where East truly meets West, is an island of only 76 sq.km. with much of that being mountainous rock. Land for development is therefore at an absolute premium and must be used to its fullest advantage.

I do admit that we, Malaysians, do take space for granted.

However, I happen to stumble onto an interesting short and sweet excerpt from Design Tavern and a video from Youtube. The following links will give you some insight to how the architect, Gary Chang, craftily used his designing skills to fully utilise and maximize the space in his Hong Kong 32 square meter apartment.  Implementing the idea of sliding walls, Chang is able to convert his little apartment into a transforming domicile capable of changing into 24 different rooms. What a genius. I would definitely hire him to design my Hong Kong home in the future. :)




Saturday 31 July 2010

WAO

Friends, the best kind of support. They share, talk and listen. So, break the silence on domestic violence, talk to a friend.

In order to carry out our company's Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, the Treasury Sales & Marketing department made a courtesy visit to the Women's Aid Organization (WAO) yesterday to learn more about their operations as well as to provide some funding. It's nice to know that our philanthropic exercise was positively received by the organization and our company.

The WAO Refuge in Kuala Lumpur shelters an average of 100 women and 100 children per year (the children usually come with their mothers). The background of these women ranges from being battered wives, unwed mothers to abused foreign domestic workers and trafficked women. These women usually come to seek shelter for a period of one to three months.

During their stay at the Refuge, these women receive counselling, legal advice and help in restarting their lives. The WAO social workers occasionally organize weekly programmes and sessions that will impart to the residents not only legal advice but self-confidence, self-worth and job skills to help them lead better lives independently.

I am writing this post to raise awareness to those women who are exposed to such acts of violence. This organization will offer a safe haven and counselling to women in crisis as well as their children. If you need more details or would like to help someone who is suffering from abuse, please call (03) 7956 3488.

 The spirit of giving continues for Treasury Sales and Marketing. :)

Monday 26 July 2010

A Cry For Help

Malaysia is in dire need of an effective way to eliminate crime as crime is perceived to be one of the most pressing problems in society nowadays. Currently, Malaysia is the preferred destination for tourists and unfortunately, criminals. And it definitely does not help when feebleminded policemen, instead of carrying out their lawful duties to mitigate crime, set up unnecessary road blocks in order to make a living by blatantly demanding the public to contribute to corruption through paying bribes.

It does not help either if the government permits the employment of cheap, foreign labour, which also partially contributes to simple thefts, physical injuries caused by direct confrontation and simple wayward robbery. However, I suppose criminals have recently managed to take the progressive road to enhance themselves with investigative knowledge thus making the work of the police more arduous and difficult.

The reason why I decided to highlight this issue is because my boss just recently encountered an unfortunate theft episode in broad daylight, which involved two men on a motorcycle and herself, in her BMW. She happened to be stationary at the traffic lights of a busy crossroad in central Kuala Lumpur, when two men on a motorcycle casually approached the passenger side of her vehicle. Without warning, the backseat rider repeatedly thrust his elbow forcefully against the front passenger window until it shattered. And within the blink of an eye, he skillfully and swiftly grabbed her MYR8,000.00 Louis Vuitton handbag (the bag of course, costing more than its contents) and sped off instantaneously without even showing any signs of remorse. My boss was, of course, too stunned and petrified to react. If I am not mistaken, his arm was probably sheathed in something solid and strong enough to break the window of a BMW, some kind of tool.

Even though she was surrounded by other vehicles and onlookers, nobody was willing to help. Typical Malaysian mentality. Anyway, how can one ever expect lowlife criminals to show pangs of conscience? I suppose it does not take much effort to separate criminals from animals.

The moral of the story is anyhow: Ladies, do not leave your handbags on the passenger seat EVER and always be vigilant of your surroundings wherever you are.

Sunday 18 July 2010

Singapore Sling


Am currently basking in the glory of good ol' Singaporean sun with my old peers. Random walks and random chats with affable companions ignite the whole sense of familiarity and comfort despite the fact that I am on foreign shores. It's amazing how some have matured like fine wine into affluent individuals. Conversations like these are worth a king's ransom and I like this feeling of pure contentment; where people just laugh about silly things they did in the past without having to worry about being judged. Yes, humans do eventually learn to forgive, forget and move on. :)

Perhaps this complacent state of mind is also due to the fact that I just tendered my resignation and will soon feel absolutely liberalised from the overly-political and tiresome corporate world. As a result, I am now gradually acclimatizing myself to the long-forgotten days of being a student.

Hence, the oldfangled Summer days have now returned and am mentally, physically and spiritually ready to embark on another exciting journey to Hong Kong come August pronto!

 Sex On The Beach shots. Taken in Butter, Singapore on Friday, 16th July 2010.

Monday 28 June 2010

Paradise Perhentian


 Exactly one month ago, my girlfriends and I ventured to the timeless island located along east Peninsular Malaysia, called Perhentian Island. This island hideaway offers beaches with stunning rock formations and fascinating caves and lush green forests. Let me highlight what makes this luscious island so irresistible.

The amazing crystal clear water.

Bubu Long Beach Resort, the resort which contributed to one of our comfortable hideouts for deep slumbers.
 

The perfect getaway for swimming, water sports and tanning. The setting was perfect - a little cabana on the beach, sand between our toes and cool breeze upon our faces.

  And of course, hilly hikes to the top most point of the island for a breathtaking view of the surroundings and neighbouring islands.

Jumping jacks during sunset.

Our fantastic barbeque seafood dinner.

The Sex and The City cast is complete. :) Just the girls and cocktails were sufficient to make this escapade a holiday to remember. Loving the homemade Caipirinhas, courtesy of Miss Cai Mei Khoo.

We met some backpackers along the way and had some memorable conversations/ humourous tales of their journeys around the globe. One British bloke had his belongings stolen from his shady accommodation on Perhentian Island, at least they had the courtesy to compensate him with several nights of free lodging and food. From Day I, luck was never on his side as this young chap even managed to run into several pickpockets at his other destinations around Asia, losing his camera twice and money thrice. Poor fella. 

Mysterious midnight sightings, ranging from turtles nesting by the sandy shores of Perhentian Island to tantalizing fire-breathing performances.

This island paradise is a perfect mix of simple, modern luxury with the great outdoors. Then there's the rustic charm of the timber villas within lush tropical greenery and secluded inlets that offer absolute privacy. Perhentian Island is definitely an island worth visiting.

Malaysia, truly Asia. :)

Sunday 20 June 2010

Malaysian Polo Open 2010

Yesterday, Miss Cai Mei Khoo, the Fashion and Features Writer of Harper's Bazaar, invited Mandy and I to the Malaysian Polo Open 2010 held at the Putrajaya Equestrian Park.

Surrounded by enthusiastic polo fanatics, scrumptious array of local Malaysian delights, free flow of Veuve Cliquot bubbly and accompanied by my awesome girlfriends was the beginning to an eventful Saturday afternoon. We even manage to catch glimpse of the Sultan of Pahang, who glamourously arrived in his private helicopter and was immediately ushered up to his VIP podium.

It's interesting how global Malaysia is becoming day by day. The expat community has been rapidly growing and is evident at yesterday's event as many of the supporters were primarily expats. Well, I suppose it's also because polo is more of white-man's game. Moreover, I even had a chance to chat to some who were very fond of living in Malaysia because of the lovely weather (Really? In this humidity?) and the fact that the standard of living is relatively inexpensive compared to their country of origin (Well, of course, cause they're earning expat wages!).


My highlight of the day was getting the opportunity to try out the awesome Segway i2. The Segway is a two-wheeled self-balancing electric vehicle invented by Dean Kamen. My original perception of steering the Segway would somewhat be similar to the steering of a motorcycle. Boy, was I wrong when I found out that all you had to do to steer is to merely lean forward to go forward, lean back to go backward and turn by using the "lean steer" handlebar, leaning it left or right.

If I recall correctly, the salesperson mentioned the price of one unit is approximately MYR33,700.00. Segways have success in niche markets such as transportation for police departments, military bases, warehouses, corporate campuses or industrial sites. The legal road worthiness of the Segway varies with different jurisdictions' classifications of the device as a motor vehicle.

However, as a warning to females, please do not try this vehicle in 5-inch heels. :)

Sunday 13 June 2010

The Pampered Princess

There are two important bags that one, who is literate to the world of fashion, must be aware of - the Birken by Hermes and the other, the Chanel 2.55. The iconic Chanel 2.55 was made known to the world when Coco Chanel introduced this bag in February 1955 (hence, the 2.55). The quilts were inspired by jackets work by jockeys. For the collectors out there, this classic bag of all time is definitely a MUST. 

 

Mummy pleasantly surprised me with a black Chanel 2.55 when I returned home from work on a tormenting and tiring Tuesday. She definitely made my day, no wait, my year!

The Chanel 2.55 features have all a piece of tale to tell. From the inside out:

• The lining – The lining’s brown colour represents the colour of the uniforms from the convent where she grew up.
• The inside compartment – there’s a zippered compartment at the inside of the front flap. That’s where Coco Chanel hid her love letters (from her lover at the time).
• The backside – there’s a back outside flap on the handbag – that’s where Ms Chanel stashed extra money.
• The shoulder strap – as I said before, Coco Chanel grew up in an convent, at the orphanage. The caretakers hold the keys at their waist dangling from the same type of chains as the 2.55 shoulder strap chains.
• The front lock – the 2.55 front lock is different from the classic double CC logo. It’s logo is called “the Mademoiselle Lock” (because Ms Chanel was never married).

How fascinating, yes?

Sunday 6 June 2010

Scarred For Life?

So, I have had several conversations with those who have been emotionally hurt from previous relationships and a small number remains or prefers to stay emotionally detached from their new encounters, considering them as pawns for fun OR perhaps they might be constantly questioning the other party's motives once they have proceeded past the first stage of the relationship - are they treating me genuinely or are they merely taking me for a joy ride?

These insecurities originate from the failed relationships of the past and they fear the recurrence of such hurtful events. They say they will never love again, nor trust again, yet they end up with many new situations. Hence, the question is - Does bitterness or hate really change someone?

Personally, I feel that it's all part of a learning curve. Each experience teaches somebody something different. Bitterness develops because the person cannot comprehend the reason behind why the relationship has failed - we were so happy, why did it end? And the feeling usually persists for a while. Nonetheless, you will eventually realise that the experience has taught you something and you can put it to use in your next relationship. Bitterness should not last forever.

Hence, you have to learn how to:

1) ACCEPT. Promises have been broken, marriages dissolve and friends disappear. This is all part and parcel of life and life is too short. It is not worth mourning over a breakup, wallowing in self pity or living in memories of the past for an extended period of time.

2) FORGIVE. Sometimes it’s difficult to forgive if you feel that forgiveness leaves you vulnerable to future repeats of the same negative treatment. But learning how to gives one the sense of dignity and emotional liberation.

3) WRITE. Writing about a situation where you were hurt or wronged can help you process what happened and move on; however, the way you write about it and what you choose to focus on can make all the difference in how easy it becomes to forgive.

4) OCCUPY YOURSELF. The solution is to change your focus of attention - physical activities, hanging out with friends, getting a job or in my case, it would be retail therapy.

I love to shop after a bad relationship. I don't know. I buy a new outfit and it makes me feel better. It just does. Sometimes I see a really great outfit, I'll break up with someone on purpose. - Rita Rudner.

Wednesday 2 June 2010

Birthday Wishes

These four and a half years spent together has come and gone so quickly. Within the blink of an eye we are now the 24-year old adults who yearn to make living for ourselves, to vanquish the onerous obstacles of life and to fulfill our necessary responsibilities as competent and conscientious individuals who add value to society.

Nonetheless, this shall not be our last special occasion and we will still strive to overcome the distance between us no matter how perilous the journey may be. The moments we spent together I will deeply cherish and the moments we laughed together I will forever treasure. I'd like to apologize for not being physically present on a day as special as this, but be rest assured, I am definitely there with you spiritually. :)

To my very special someone, Carlton Lee, Happy Birthday!


22 May : Pre-birthday dinner do at The Pressroom, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong with most of Carl's colleagues and some of my girlfriends who traveled from Singapore.

 Followed by an after-party which was held at Volar, Lan Kwai Fong, Central, Hong Kong. It was indeed an absolutely wicked night out. :)

Thursday 27 May 2010

Beach Holiday



Am off again for another long weekend. But this time I will be making my way, for the very first time, to Perhentian Island with my beloved girlfriends (Cai Mei, Mandy and Kimberly) for some sand, sea, sun and snorkeling.

See you on Sunday! :)

Wednesday 26 May 2010

Food Adventure

Hong Kong is a city of lights, a dancing kaleidoscope of neon effulgence; a city which only recognizes those who are well-equipped with copious amounts of dough; a city that inhibits a diverse range of individuals, from those who are absolutely down-to-earth and humble to those pretentious kind who yearn to be in the limelight of the upper class society as well as those who have, of course, actually "made it" and deserve to parade/flaunt their wealth around like nobody's business (flashy cars, designer goods, high tea sessions, etc).

It is interesting. Every nook and corner of the city has a different vibe.

I have experienced dining in the shadows of dim streets, surrounded by some sort of foul cesspool odour which mildly penetrates the highly polluted air of Hong Kong...to exquisite fine-dining sessions surrounded by candlelight, complemented by the complex harmonies and less percussive melody of bossa nova music that subtly serenades us in the background; these restaurants are usually located in the upmarket streets of Soho. Nonetheless, it is the bedraggled places that serve the most flavoursome and palatable food at such a bargain. In lament terms, such places would be known to us, Malaysians, as hawker centres and in the local Hong Kong dialect, Cantonese, as "dai pai dong".


The above photos highlight the interesting attributes to why Hong Kong is a country that is rich in history and culture. The left image was taken at a local coffee shop tucked away in the nook and corners of Mong Kok (right image). I was consuming what is known to the locals as "chi faan" - meat floss and deep fried flour sticks wrapped in glutinous rice accompanied with a bowl of warm soya bean milk.


 At the corner of Argyle Street, a shop that sells an assortment of finger food, even the infamous "smelly tofu". My favourite is the spicy fish balls, "laat yu daan".

 Besides immersing myself in the tasty delights of Hong Kong, it was also a great opportunity to catch up with the boyfriend. There was, however, this amaaazing place we dined at for dinner called Inaniwa Udon - Nabe Japanese Restaurant, which is located at the spanking new mall known as Elements at the International Commerce Centre, Kowloon side.


Inaniwa Udon noodles boast an impressive history dating all the way back to 1665. Uncompromising when it comes to taste, these noodles are prepared to a time-honored secret recipe, passed down from generation to generation for more than 300 years. The result is a superb tasting, smooth textured noodle that maintains just the right amount of firmness.

We also ordered a delectable fresh platter of pork and wagyu beef strips for our shabu shabu.

Our shabu shabu.

Our shabu shabu condiments and my delightful order of cold udon. My anticipation was running abnormally high as this eating method of dipping cold noodles into cold soup is the epitome of eating noodles, which was craftily handmade by a noodle artisan. Indeed, ice-bathed to perfection.

Finally, something that is NOT TO BE MISSED whilst in Hong Kong.

  New York Fries

New York Fries is a Canadian fast food restaurant that mainly serves french fries and hot dogs. They also serve poutine, The Works (with chili, cheese sauce, sour cream, bacon bits and green onions) like the above, Veggie Works (with cheese sauce, sour cream, tomatoes and green onions), and Pepsi-Cola brand beverages. 

However, Ireland's Potatoes is still the better bet. Here’s their slogan: 

“There are two things in the world that can’t be joked: 1) Marriage and 2) Potato”
  
Oh, don't you simply ♥ the wide spectrum of food that is available in Hong Kong?