Don't Be Blue

The Harbour City Mall has been taken over. It's all about the Smurfs recently.

Inside there are crazy large Smurfs!

And outsidethere is a whole village!

I am considering to go chill with the Smurf in the lounge chair.

Kids at Work

Friday was Bring Your Kid to Work Day. Our office isn't that big and was taken over by 160+ kids (plus nannies).

Calm before the storm.

Balloon animals.

And of course plenty of props to take pictures with.

After I went back to my desk to get work done, I was regularly visited by these darlings who wanted to say hi every 2 minutes and check out all the toys in my office. "My Little Pony" was popular.

I let them play with a toy piano I have that has electronics and says numbers and colors each time you press buttons. The people around my office were not a fan of all the noise. Oops!

Hong Kong New Habits

After living in a new country with a new culture and methods, you develop new habits and terminology.

1. One must push buttons to exit doors. Doors that need a code or badge to enter then must have a button pushed to exit. This happens both at home and work. Don't ask how many times I have run into the door forgetting to push the button...

2. I have am learning to decipher the British influence on the language:

• I use the lift to get to another floor in a building.
• I bring a jumper with me when it's cold inside. It's not often cold outside.
• I use the loo or washroom. Not many baths in this region.
• I wait in a queue (not a line).

3. To that point, I actually wait in line (queue) to get on escalators. There are so many people here.

4.  I do push my way through crowds. I know I am supposed to keep my hands to myself, Mom, but if I didn't push I would never got on and off the train.

5. Almost at all times in my purse is an umbrella, a fan, and at least re-usable shopping bag.

6. Heels and dress shoes in addition to suit jackets are left at work. I commute in flat shoes and change at work. Suit jackets are not needed outside of the office so they just live here. I wonder if I should have a small closet installed in my office....

Crazy Weather Lately

Hong Kong weather recently has been crazy. Crazy hot and then with a typhoon passing off near Taiwan we have had incredible thunderstorms.


Hong Kong was struck by the hottest July day in 48 years over the weekend, with temperatures of 37 degrees Celsius and higher recorded in multiple districts on Saturday. Then there were these crazy storms.

I didn't take any pictures but check out this article. I used some of the pictures from the article so you can see below. My apartment was totally lit up with all of the lightening.

http://hongkong.coconuts.co/2016/07/11/10000-bolts-lightning-strike-hong-kong-after-hottest-july-day-48-years-seen-through

US Visit June 2016 - New England

I took my summer holiday in June to visit the US. I was in the US for 3 weeks, spending 1 week working in Hasbro office and the other time enjoying time off or traveling between places.

Second stop: New England.

Sunday I flew from LA to Boston. I stayed at my parents house and unfortunately missed father's day by 5 minutes, arriving at 12:05 am.

I worked the first week and stayed at my aunt and uncle's house. One night my cousins and their kids came to visit. I had a full evening full of cuddles.

Thursday I had dinner with Ashley and Danielle. We were missing Ceileidh and Jen.

Saturday Justin and I went to a car show.

Justin's Camaro.

Sunday I had brunch with my HK family members who have moved back to the US. Including the newest addition to the family.

  

Tuesday I went to visit Grandma again (no pictures allowed). After our visit, I went to Kacey's softball game.

Wednesday, Justin and I hiked Purgatory Chasm in Sutton. 

Wednesday night, Justin and I took our parents to a Chinese dim sum dinner. Dumplings, dumplings, dumplings. We bribed my dad by promising him ice cream after.

Thursday night, Mom, Dad and I played mini golf.  And then we met my cousins from the other side for ice cream at our favorite Rota Springs. Yes, there is a theme of ice cream.

Friday night I had dinner with my friends Jaime, Rachel and Erin. We forgot to take a picture (again)!


Saturday I went to visit Jen who had a baby 4 days before and had just gotten home. She lives near Chick Fil A so I had to stop! Yum!

This is Jen's newest addition. She slept almost my entire visit. What a gorgeous little bundle of joy!

Sunday we had family lunch and then went to visit grandma. We picked up ice cream for her (which she loved).

Monday, I was on a plane back to Hong Kong... what a great visit home!

US Visit June 2016 - Los Angeles

I took my summer holiday in June to visit the US. I was in the US for 3 weeks, spending 1 week working in Hasbro office and the other time enjoying time off or traveling between places.

First stop: LA!

I flew from HK to Los Angeles and spent 5 days there. I arrived Wednesday and expored Manhattan Beach before settling into my rental in Santa Monica.

Thursday Carol arrived in Burbank to spend the weekend with me!

Hasbro office - Burbank!

Major task in LA area was to eat as much Mexican as possible. Washed down by margaritas of course.

 Friday we drove to Hollywood and saw

I have star on the Walk of Fame! Only slight editing needed.

If you don't want to have your picture taken don't stand on the street in a Mickey costume.

The Hollywood sign off in the distance.

From Hollywood we drove down Sunset through Beverly Hills, down Rodeo Drive


The Getty is a large amazing museum up on a hillside with great views, architecture, and gardens and oh yeah, there is some great art there too!

Sunset in Santa Monica.

Saturday we spent in Santa Monica checking out the pier and beach.

More Mexican!

On the pier!

Water was cold but we at least put our feet in the Pacific!

Amazing the cliff at the end of the beach with the city up above.

Unique houses along the beach.

Farmer's Market!

Saturday night we went out to dinner and to a comedy show in West Hollywood.

What a great long weekend!!!