Crystal Jade' s La Mian noodles with Pork Dumplings

This is one of my favorite meals in Hong Kong - Crystal Jade's hand pulled noodle soup with Pork Dumplings. Crystal Jade restaurants are in most Hong Kong shopping malls and I often go there when I've got a full day of chores to do and don't feel like grabbing a sandwich. Prince and Princess PTT also like Crystal Jade so its a good Sunday dinner destination. 

Hungry yet?

Yours, 

Pseudo Tai Tai xx

Causeway Bay Christmas 2012

I went to Causeway Bay today to start getting some Christmas gift ideas. 

Franc Franc (Japanese mini department store) was offering its usual 'more is more' display. 

I was quite taken by these little chaps but had to resist as PTT's Hong Kong Headquarters has officially run out of surfaces.

The Times Square Shopping Mall has a massive life size lego display. As i've said before, you wouldn't know there is a recession going on with what Hong Kong drags out for the festive season! I must take Prince and Princess PTT back for a look.

Hong Kong adults love to photograph each other with cutesy things. Often, Prince and Princess PTT have to wait their turn for a line of adults to strike a pose. I normally give up at Disney. There was a pushy shovey line of about 10 adults behind this woman. I often wonder what they do with the photos later?

I've got the humidifiers out. The PTT HK Headquarters feels like living in a greenhouse at the moment.

Yours,

Pseudo Tai Tai

Blinging up Casa HK for Christmas 2012

Pseudo Tai Tai's Hong Kong Headquarters has been officially gussied up for the Christmas Season! 

This handsome Santa chap is Prince and Princess PTT's advent calendar. We started it on November 20 as we use it as a 'count down to Australia' calendar.

Here's Princess PTT enjoying what can now be described as a 'festive luncheon'.

The two outer friends in this shot were given to Prince and Princess PTT by Great Aunty S last year.

Everyone looks happy to be released from their boxes, don't you think? Princess PTT is convinced that the boy and girl are holding donuts. I beg to differ..

The front door.... Management will probably ask me to take it down before too long.

The hall way door inside the apartment...

Don't think the bathroom remained untouched. Prince and Princess PTT now brush their teeth unti the dancing Christmas tree stops its routine. I always think a little naff is necessary at Christmas.  

Here's a vignette in Princess PTT's room.

Even Tom our Monk is embracing the season!

I'm on the fence as to if we get a real tree or not. They aren't available until December 1 and we leave on the 14 but Prince and Princess PTT keep asking. Not sure where we'd put it though...

Have you started decking the halls yet?

Yours

Pseudo Tai Tai xx

Ballerina Princess PTT

I went to Princess PTT's Ballet open class this afternoon. One word... adorable! She's been doing it for a year now. I love their old school kitchen curtain skirts, don't you?

This posse says 'Nei ho'

Yours, 

Pseudo Tai Tai xx

IFC Mall Christmas 2012

Princess PTT and I had a mother daughter lunch at her favourite cafe. Don't think she shared...

After lunch, I had a few jobs to do in Central and we decided to check out IFC's Christmas display for 2012. Hong Kong malls really embrace Christmas and the IFC display is one of the best. In past years, the displays were more 'cutesy' however, for 2012, they obviously had something more sophisticated in mind. Here's a display of dresses made of different materials including wool, silk and Christmas tree graphic prints.

Princess PTT obviously couldn't read all the 'do not touch' signs for the removable squirrels and rabbits hopping around the display.

Down the mall, there are huge 'sinking' chairs with more woodland critters.... Princess PTT"s first question: "Can I sit on that?". Pseudo Tai Tai: "No"

They always push the boat out in the central part of IFC. Here's the main display and they actually still haven't finished it yet! The trees here are made of balls of wool, knitting and pom poms. My photos don't do it justice. I'll take more when its actually finished,

Yours,

Pseudo Tai Tai xx

It's the small things...

When you tell people that you live in Hong Kong, their common response is "the shopping must be amazing". Well frankly, its horrendous. I crave a good department store. I crave catalogues that you can casually flick through on weekend mornings. I crave online shopping from local stores. I crave online shopping from supermarkets where you get what you order and not substitutes, milk that will expire in a day, rock hard fruit and a list of products that were unavailable after you have placed and paid for your order. I crave more middle market variety. Everything here either falls into the category of high-end deluxe or market garbage.

With only four weeks to go until our annual Australian Christmas pilgrimage, our toaster has decided to kick the bucket. It was on the cards as it kept tripping the electrics but I thought it could last another four weeks.

   

Its had a good life and has served us well but do you know how hard it is to get a four slice toaster in Hong Kong? My only choice is a Dualit which retails a little shy of HKD$4000 (nearly AUD$500). Don't get me wrong, I love high-end products but toast is toast - wouldn't you agree? I'd rather spend that amount of money on something pretty.

I tried to dry-fry my bread this morning with little success so I think we're going to invest in a 2 slot toaster and the PPT family will just have to take turns in the morning like some sort of Dickenson boarding school.

Shopping shouldn't be this hard for products MADE IN CHINA!

In cheerier news, here's some vignettes...

Still gloomy outside...

Yours,

Pseudo Tai Tai xx

Vistas

I was on WhatsApp with my gorgeous Sister in Law, M, last night. (I have a lot of M's in my life)

She lives in country Australia so we compared views out our windows.

Here's Hong Kong at 8:00pm...

 Here's Armidale...

Spot the difference!

Yours,

Pseudo Tai Tai xxx