Viva Macau!

This weekend, my little Hong Kong group took a side trip to a nearby island called Macau. Like Hong Kong, Macau is a special administrative region of China with its own government and currency. We were told that Macau was the “Las Vegas of China,” and we were so excited to find out if the rumors were true! I packed up my most “Vegasy” outfit and a pair of black heels, and hit the road with nothing more than my means of transportation to the island planned out.


Bad news first. Macao didn’t even compare to Vegas. NOT EVEN CLOSE. I’ve decided that there really is no place like the strip. But that’s ok…thanks to USC frat life I get to live it up in Vegas multiple times a year!! Who could complain?!

Good news. Aside from the fact that Macao was not what we had expected, I had an INCREDIBLE weekend of food, friends, and much needed relaxation. This weekend provided some of my favorite memories so far, and I can't wait to go back!!

Saturday morning, Margaux and I woke up early to catch the 9 am ferry in Kowloon. We grabbed a quick coffee and we were on our way! Thank goodness for Margaux’s coworker Meiling, who met us at the dock that morning. Meiling and her friend Emily decided to take a day trip to Macau to celebrate Meiling’s birthday, and we were so lucky to be in the company of the two girls! Meiling knew exactly where to take us for lunch and the best ways to get around the city. 

On the ferry to Macau!

I learned that Macau used to be a Portuguese colony. Most of the locals spoke Portuguese even better than Cantonese, which was a bit of a surprise. I found that I could understand a few words here and there with my small knowledge of Spanish. It was so fun!

We tasted all the traditional Macao dishes and had a great time walking through the streets of Taipa! Then we ventured to the other side of the island to see the ruins of St. Paul and the old cannons. We walked and walked and walked but there was so much to see!

Here’s a taste of the incredible things I got to see in Macau:



The Venetian in Macau!



It looked exactly the same!! Copy cats...



A traditional Macanese desert. It tasted like frozen cool whip and graham cracker crumbs...yum!



Having fun in the gardens of Taipa!



The line to get a pork chop sandwhich...they were popular!



After waiting for nearly 30minutes, I present to you....The Famous Macanese Sandwhich.

Walking the streets.

The beautiful Ruins of St. Paul's.



I LOVED looking at the ruins! So much history...



At the Fortaleza do Monte.



"Why would they point the cannons at the hotels?!"- Margaux suffering from heat craze
(It happens to us a lot...)



The historical Museum of Macau.



Exploring the museum!



The beginning of the "strip" of Macau!



Fight on!

 Side note: So everyone knows I'm obsessed with weddings. Surprise, surprise...nothing's changed over here in Asia!! And it just so happens that I happened to see FOUR different brides on Saturday!! So of course I had to take photos. I thought they were pretty funny...I think you'll like them. :)

Bride #1
Say yes to the dress right?! (My futile attempt at sarcasm...)

Bride #2

Bride #3

And Bride #4!!

Around 7:00 Margaux and I returned to the City of Dreams. Back in the hotel room (or should I say suite?!) we finally met up with the rest of the group to get ready to go out for Jamie’s 21st birthday!

I love suites.

The living room!

The night was perfect. We had such a wonderful dinner at a Portuguese restaurant called Fernando’s. I WAS SO FULL. But it was so worth it.

All the girls before dinner <3

Jamie's Birthday cake!

The Portuguese version of the egg tart. Flakey and delicious. YUM!

Finallyyyy we got to experience a little bit of that Vegas feel people had warned us about. But just a little. Macao is a cleaner, quieter version of Sin City, complete with grand casinos and elaborate architecture. We had a great time walking through all the hotels and taking photos with all the rest of the tourists. Unfortunately there was no M&M factory…

Macau at night!

After dinner we continued celebrating in the Venetian before calling it a night and heading back to the hotel. We were all exhausted from our very long day of exploration and fun!



Drinks at the Venetian.



Happy Birthday Jamie!!!

The end of the night...pure exhaustion!

Sunday was absolutely unreal. I know that every day of my summer is like a vacation, but this was a REAL vacation, and I loved every minute. We woke up and immediately went to the pool to soak up some sun and relax. After 3 solid weeks of working and adventure, it felt so good. We ordered smoothies and salads (YUM!) and stayed by the pool until it was time to get on the ferry back to HK. The breeze was beautiful and the sun was shining; I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect morning! I was very sad when I had to leave.

The best day ever.

BUT…my fun wasn’t over yet!! As soon as I returned to HK, I had to get ready to go to a dinner at my boss’s house in Kowloon Tong. He invited me to his family dinner on Father’s Day Sunday! It was so sweet! His “house” was just a tad bigger than I expected…

This is only HALF of his house.

I was spoiled with a delicious Indian dinner in a beautiful home of caring and generous people. What more could I ask for?

All in all, this weekend was amazing, and I must say, returning to work this morning was a little difficult. Good thing I still have 5 more weekends of fun to look forward to!!

Only bitter note in my mess of happy comments and exclamation points (sorry, I know I tend to overdo it a little!!) – this week my baby sister graduates from High School. I’m so so so so sad that I can’t be there, and so far that is the only negative thing I can think of regarding my time in HK. Devin – I love you so much and you make me so proud! I think about you all the time and I know you’re going to have a wonderful week filled with lots of laughter and great memories. I miss you Devi! CONGRATS ON GRADUATING LIL SIS!

Now that I’ve written another novel (I doubt anyone even makes it down this far), I guess I should get some sleep... Until next time! xo



And The Adventures Continue

First I have to apologize for taking forever to post a new blog. I’m the worst!!

Week 2 in Hong Kong was a blur of food, drinks, shopping, exploring, and MORE FOOD! Whoever told me that I’d lose weight over here in HK (cough cough my favorite little twins), you were so wrong!! It’s ok I still love you. I think you underestimated my passion for eating.

Everyday my coworkers take me to a new place for lunch – Hong Kong style, Shanghai style, Thai, Indian, Japanese, Singapore, French, Italian, I’m not kidding we do it all. And they always order for me. Half the time I don’t even know what’s coming since they order in Cantonese. (They teach me new Cantonese words every day! I just learned how to order “iced tea with lemon less sugar” yaay!) Good news: I’ve had 2 weeks of experiencing the culture through incredible food. Bad news: My body is not used to eating so many Carbs!!! My diet now consists of raw fish and Carbs. Oh and an occasional apple or bite of warm lettuce. Great. How are Asian people so skinny?!

Here are some highlights from Week 2 in HK:

On Monday (my first HK holiday!) we went into Stanley to watch the Dragon Boat Races! This was something I had been looking forward to for weeks, and I was so excited!! I was completely prepared for the large crowds, noisy bystanders, and lots of excitement, but I was NOT prepared for the extreme heat. Hong Kong is hot during the summer, and humid. I know that. But for some reason this day was different. I was dripping in sweat after watching the races for 5 minutes!! Good thing we were on the beach!

So many people!

We managed to push our way to the front of the crowd so we could watch with our feet in the ocean water. The races were so fun to watch, and the teams were hilarious! There were groups of men and women wearing crazy costumes and masks and tutus and even panda hats! They sat in their dragon boats waiting for the final race to begin screaming at each other and starting water fights. It was definitely not as serious as I had expected, but that made it so much more entertaining!

One of the competing teams!

Water fight time!

Our new friends!

After the races we explored the shops in Stanley and walked out onto the pier with snacks and drinks. The sky was beautiful and we got to watch the sunset as we made our way back to the bus. It was such a great day!

Beautiful sunset in Stanley.

Tuesday after work I met the girls in Soho (the cute area in Central) for Happy Hour. Of course, HK does everything better, and Happy Hour meant FREE for ladies. It’s great to be a girl in HK! We had delicious Lychee Martinis with strawberries and whip cream on the side. They were amazing, and completely free!! Every Tuesday they feature a different martini, so we’ll have to go back again sometime soon.

Lychee Martini time!

On Thursday I met up with Margaux and her coworker Meiling straight after work. They came to meet me in TST, and we went to a bar with the most beautiful view of Kowloon Bay and Hong Kong Island. We stayed for hours (way longer than we planned), laughing and chatting about our different cultures, admiring the view, and watching the light show. By time we left around 9:30 pm, Margaux and I were starving!! Late night sushi anyone?

The view from our rooftop bar!

Such a fun night!

Friday night was a girls night out. Once again, we had a great night and didn’t have to pay for a thing! We explored new areas and celebrated the end of our second week together. I loved getting the opportunity to meet up and hang out with Stephanie and Vanessa from Hong Kong University. They were the sweetest!

The girls with Steph and Vanessa at our "Red Hot" party.

Our "gift" from the Soso Club!

Blue champagne!

Can you spot our new friends?! Cheers to Week 2!

Saturday we took the MTR into Shenzhen, which is sort of like the Mexican Tijuana of Mainland China. I got to test out my Chinese visa and took my first step into a Communist nation!! We spent the day shopping (I bartered for a purse) and then went to a Chinese spa. For around $15 USD we got 2 hour full-body massages!! So cheap right? They made us wear these strange silk pajama-type things while we got our massages. They were hilarious! Halfway through the massage, it started POURING. The thunder was so loud! But I thought it added to the experience.

Saturday night we went to Dragon i in LKF to see Afrojack. It was so amazing. And very crowded. Did I mention amazing? We made friends with some very wealthy Asian guys with a table RIGHT IN FRONT of Afrojack!! Let’s just say it was a night I won’t forget.

Afrojack!!

And then on Sunday we had our first real HK Dim Sum experience!! We went into central around noon and found the most authentic little place we could find. We were the only white people in room of about 200 Asians. It was great. It took us a little while to get used to how it worked (We had to run up to carts as they were wheeled out with a bunch of other pushing, hungry people and point to what we wanted before they ran out.) Even though we accidently picked a dessert dish first, we had so much fun, and left feeling happy and full.

Sticky rice wrapped in tea leaves!

So now do you see why I have NO time to blog?! I always want to and then I get swept up into another HK adventure. Not that I’m complaining. :) Well, here’s to the beginning of Week 3!

I miss everyone back at home like crazy! Soak up that CA sun for me! xo

I'm Starting to Feel Like a Rockstar...

And here's why.

The nightlife in Hong Kong is crazy. Absolutely INSANE. And I'm having a blast!

Combine the craziness of HK with all the incredible connections provided by the Trojan family and our Global Fellows program, and basically I turn into a celebrity.

Let's start with introductions...

The two main party scenes in Hong Kong can basically be compared to the party scenes in Los Angeles for SC students. Except HK parties are LA parties ON STEROIDS.

Wan Chai is a lot like partying on the row...

Kind of dirty and seedy.

Girls wearing next to nothing on street corners.

Plenty of opportunities to dance on bars.

Bathrooms without toilet paper.

And LOTS of free drinks for girls.

Instead of Campus Cruiser, we take the MTR!

My beautiful roomie and I at our first Wan Chai Ladies' Night!

There's even a Wan Chai 9 Holeee! 901...109...same thing right?

And now for Lan Kwai Fong. Also known as the infamous LKF here in the city, and the main reason I now feel like a rockstar. (I mean lets be real...the row doesn't make anyone feel like a celebrity, and neither does Wan Chai.)

LKF is like the Hollywood of LA, except everything is crammed into 2 main streets, which makes it very convenient for people like me who like to see and do it all!

There are bars and clubs and beautiful skyscraper hotels with bars overlooking the incredible HK skyline.

Like Hollywood, LKF has bouncers and guest lists and exclusive VIP rooms for those who have connections.

There are fancy drinks and crazy dance floors filled with well-dressed people from all over the world.

The main difference? LKF is absolutely packed. And I mean PACKED. I have never seen so many people all jammed into one street like this in my life. But I've now decided that lots of people = lots of fun.

See all those specks behind the taxis? THOSE ARE ALL PEOPLE at the bottom of the first street.

One of our first nights in LKF, we were taken to Club 97 by a fellow Trojan we met in HK! He grew up in the city and knew of all the fun places to go. Without hesitation he bought "Flaming Lamborghinis" for everyone in our group. They were INSANE! You drink immediately after the bartenders light them on fire. Then he casually bought us "chasers" aka Kamikaze shots and led us on to our next stop, which happened to be a very exclusive club that you can't get into without being on the list. Unlike bars and clubs in LA, HK parties until the sun comes up, and I didn't get back to my apartment with Claire and Margaux until 5:00 am! Thanks Trojan family!

My first Flaming Lamborghini!

Our new HK friends!

 On Saturday night, we had another amazing experience when Claire's boss, USC Alum Steven Lee, decided to put together a "cultural experience" for the Global Fellows. This cultural experience consisted of Steven providing us with a private room in an elite bar called Azure situated on top of a beautiful hotel in LKF. We started out the night with 3 very expensive bottles of Dom to toast to the night, but Steven told us we could order anything we liked. He also invited student leaders from HK University to come meet us, and we spent the night talking and dancing and having a wonderful time! I casually met and exchanged business cards with the Editor-in-Chief for Hong Kong's most popular newspaper, who later invited us to join him next week at the club he OWNS in LKF down the street. It was so much fun! And only the beginning, seeing as we once again returned to Kornhill around 5:30 am. When Margaux and I finally went to bed, the sun was shining like it was noon on a summer day! I think I'm going to like living here.

Here's to USC in Hong Kong! And Steven Lee of course...

The incredible view from the balcony in Azure. It was so beautiful!

 So now you know why I'm starting to feel like a rockstar. It could become a problem when I have to return to my normal status back at home. But for now, I must say I'm perfectly content. I love HK!

One Week Down

I have successfully made it through my first week in Hong Kong!

So many stories to tell and so little time! This is the first chance I’ve had to sit down since work on Friday, and it’s currently 1:30 am Monday morning. Sleeping’s overrated right?!

BUT GOOD NEWS! Tomorrow’s a national HK holiday and we all have the day off from work. We’ll be traveling to Stanley to watch the famous Dragon Boat Races (supposedly one big beach celebration?!), so I might be able to catch a few extra hours of sleep tomorrow before we leave…

Here’s a summary of some of the incredible things I’ve experienced during my first week! (Aside from working of course!) I wish I could give every detail, but after having NO sleep for the past 3 days, my rock of a bed is calling my name…

On Tuesday after work the rest of the Global Fellows came to meet me in Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) to watch the HK light show! While the rest of the group works on HK Island where we live, I travel underwater every morning to work on Kowloon, the part of HK that's attached to mainland China. Kowloon is so cool! Kind of like the Times Square of HK. And I get to explore the area everyday during my lunch break!! How lucky am I?!

The show was a little touristy...but we had to do it. For those of you who enjoy colored laser beams shooting out of giant skyscrapers to the beat of Chinese techno music, this is your show. Of course, I loved it!

The view of HK Island during the light show!

 Wednesday night we went into Wan Chai to experience our first Ladies' Night. We had a blast dancing to the music and making new friends!

Making friends in Wan Chai....

On Thursday my coworkers took me to lunch at a Japanese restaurant. My first sushi experience in Asia! First let me say that my sushi background stems mostly from Zip Fusion and Octopus... (2 SC favorites!) You know, those yummy shrimp tempura rolls and fancy garlic edamame? Maybe a sake bomb thrown in here and there?! I was not properly prepared for authentic Japanese...

Our appetizer....yes those are eyes!!

 On Thursday night the group went to Central for a traditional Shanghai dinner. We met Claire's adorable co-workers, who ordered for us and helped explain each dish. They were so cute and sweet and wanted to know everything we could tell them about America!  One of the girls told me that I looked like I came straight out of Gossip Girl!! (A favorite shows in HK, even though they're a season behind the US) I am now friends with all of them on facebook. :)

Our beautiful table!

Blair Waldorf and her two minions...
Hehe I wish!! Such a sweet compliment none the less.

Shanghai tea. That's a full flower inside! I kept accidentally swallowing little leaves with each sip...

These were so cute! :)

 After dinner, two of Claire's coworkers decided to come out with us!! It was Ladies' Night in LKF...and once again, the city didn't disappoint.

All the girls at Club 97!

I finally got to see Geoff!!

 On Saturday we took the MTR into Soho, an area in Central. Soho is home to the world's longest escalator. Who knew?! I insisted on riding the entire thing, even though it took us high up into the hills...and then we had to walk ALL the way down...on stairs. Oops! We spent the day shopping and exploring through all the little shops and markets. Soho is so cute! I can't wait to go back at nighttime.

About to get on the escalator!

Street view in Soho.

My first egg tart!! A traditional HK treat...

It was DELICIOUS! The inside was actually eggy!! I don't know why I was so surprised...

And our latest adventure just happened today when we took a ferry over to Lamma Island!! (Sadly, this has nothing to do with actual llamas. I asked, which did nothing but lead to an hour long discussion about llamas at work. Not one of my coworkers had ever heard of a llama. NOT ONE! I happily took a break from my Exel work to show them pictures.)

We spent the day hiking and enjoying the beautiful sun (which doesn't appear often in the city). The views were absolutely incredible! We ended the trip with a very authentic and very fresh seafood dinner. I was sooo nervous. Salmon and tuna make up the extent of my seafood experience. But I've been so brave about trying everything HK has to offer!! I wasn't about to let a little seafood scare me...

I tried EVERYTHING. The shrimp, the oysters, the fish balls, the squid, the abalone, you name it! And you know what....I liked it! Dad, you would have been proud.

Coming into Lamma Island!

Welcome to Lamma!

We made it to the top!

The girls enjoying the first viewpoint.

Beautiful Hong Kong!

I actually ate this! Still in shock...

I ate this too!

And this too. What has HK done to me?!

Goodbye Lamma Island!

So that's all for now!! As you can probably guess, I've left out most of the night life....but don't worry those stories are still to come. :)

One week down, seven more to go.