A Tale of two Hong Kong Hotels : Part 2 Harbor Grand Hong Kong

I was lucky this last trip to Hong Kong to have experienced two hotels in the time that I was there. 

J + Boutique Hotel was a treasure that I unearthed and it was hard to tear myself away from her cocooning embrace. 

But I was here for work and was officially booked at the Harbor Grand in Fortress Hill, two subway stops away.  So after just one night in Causeway Bay, I reluctantly packed my suitcase and moved ...

It was a complete 180 degree turn.  If J + was cool, trendy, hip, small and chic -- well, Harbor Grand was exactly as its name implied -- a grand ... no, a grandiose hotel right along the harbor in the residential North Point area.

Good bye, small and fascinatingly quirky J + Hotel lobby ... look at the sweep of the marble staircase at the lobby of the Harbor Grand.  The lobby was huge specially for Hong Kong where hotels tend to maximize every inch of usable space. But I hear the Harbor Grand is owned by Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong billionaire and reputedly the richest man in Asia.  He certainly spared no expense for his hotel.

While impressively spacious, I thought it was not as tasteful as it could have been.  After all, size doesn't matter every time.  The three sparkling chandeliers suspended from the ceiling were pretty but too showy for my taste.  The entire lobby of the J + Hotel could have fit under one of these large chandeliers.

The hotel is just four years old and already very popular with conventions, meetings and events.  

Thus the red velvet chairs, tacky and odd, that were scattered throughout the lobby were already showing signs of wear and tear.  

Our room was every inch a traditional hotel room.  Thankfully no red velvet plush chairs here.  The decor was muted and quite refined, much more so than the public areas.

The bathroom was well equipped with a glassed off shower and bath area, a rain shower and a deep and spacious tub.  I looked forward to long soaks after long meetings.

The best part of the room was the view from the corner windows!

Our room looked out over the harbor and the wharf, with nothing to obstruct the wide expansive view of water, ships and the Kowloon skyline.

The other window looked out on the mainly residential and quiet area of North Point.  Harbor Grand is situated on Oil Street and down below was Electric Road -- where I was told there were lots of good, local restaurants to be discovered and enjoyed.
Aside from the view, that was the main attraction and benefit  of staying at the Harbor Grand Hotel!

A Tale of Two Hong Kong Hotels : Part 1 J Plus Hotel Causeway Bay

I had a meeting scheduled for Monday and Tuesday in Hong Kong which brought me to such a state of euphoria and glee -- I would be back in my second favorite city in the world!  

I decided to fly in early, on a Saturday to give myself more time for solo wandering and to indulge in what I love to do best, in Hong Kong or any other destination -- to walk alone and to eat by myself.

Kowloon has always been my favorite stomping grounds but it was time to explore other places.

The internet, that wonderful resource, led me to  J + Hotel in Causeway Bay.  

Their web page claimed that this was the first boutique hotel in Hong Kong designed by Philippe Starck and boldly challenged the reader to "dream and be inspired".  

I was taken in -- that was just what I wanted on my extra day alone!

J + Hotel is at the corner of Irving and Pennington Street, right across the bigger and more traditional Regal Hotel.  It's in an old building, tucked discreetly at the corner with no signage at all save for a small sign at the door.

Don't be put off by the building's exterior and facade because you'll be charmed the minute you walk in.  The front desk where you check in is literally that, an antique, ornate desk.  The floors are wood and they gleam, a sheer curtain separates the front desk  from the rest of the small lobby.

The chairs and the sofas are deliberately stylish and eclectic and it's all just a shade away from being too frou-frou for me. There are different sizes and shapes of small footstools which can double as trays that you can perch your coffee cup on.

Off to the side is where one can enjoy the continental buffet breakfast in the morning.  Even the breakfast is studiedly chic -- warm croissants, artfully cut fresh fruits and homemade yoghurt and jams.

Surprise, surprise!  I was upgraded from my regular room to a one bedroom suite!  Must have been a slow week-end.  I was completely enchanted by my room -- all 780 sleek square feet of it!  This is the view as you enter the room.  Note the writing desk conveniently positioned behind the sofa, the comfortable looking day bed that separates the living area from the small dining nook.  The coffee table is in bright green and red and is actually a large poster converted to a small table.  It makes for a bright pop of color in an otherwise all white room.
I was suitably impressed!  White flowing sheer curtains block out the light but not the noise -- this is right in Causeway Bay after all so I can hear the traffic down below.

Behind the flat screen tv and the sheer curtains is this hidden, wall to wall divan where you can sit, dream, read and yes, be inspired as their web page says.  The footstools with the dwarves are such an eye catching touch that I am momentarily swept with thoughts of how to smuggle one out in my suitcase.

Since J + Hotel touts itself not just as a boutique hotel but also as service apartments, it comes equipped with the amenities of home, if your home had been designed by Philippe Starck.
The dining area has a faux marble top table for four with the requisite statement seat made of fiber and wood.

The service apartment feel is carried over in the generous storage space.  One wall is lined with cabinets    with more than enough space for a long staying guest.

The bedroom makes me feel so cosseted and pampered.  A small flat screen tv mounted on the wall is just right for spending the whole day in bed. This room speaks to my inner slothful self.

 While small, the bathroom is complete and has a rain shower for good measure. The small footstool is a thoughtful and useful touch.

I just had to take a photo of the "statement seat" which surprisingly was quite comfortable to sit on.

A small kitchenette is just as elegant as the rest of the room.  To save on space, the microwave is mounted and recessed into the wall.

The fridge is not just a small hotel bar but a full sized cooler complete with freezer.  I am happy to see that San Miguel beer is their beer of choice.

Should you wish to cook and eat in, the modern four burner smooth top range is there for your use.  Complete cutlery, plates and other utensils are also provided.

Even the door knob and the door signs are so contemporary and humorous!  Should you wish your room to be made up, please hang this sign on the door.
Choosing the J+ Hotel for my extra night in Hong Kong was definitely a great decision.
And one that I seriously did not mess up, no matter what the sign on my door said.

Lantaw in Cordova, Cebu ... the light at the Edge of the World

With apologies to Jules Verne.  

I was in Cebu for holiday last week and stayed at my favorite hotel, the Mactan Shangrila.  

Long time friends from Cebu invited me out for dinner and suggested that I take a break from my usual gorging at Golden Cowrie and discover another restaurant, Lantaw in Cordova.

Why go all the way to the city they said, when Lantaw was right in Mactan Island, where I was staying?  And why not, I said. So I agreed to take a cab from the hotel to meet up with them in Lantaw for dinner.

Little did I realize that Lantaw is at the edge of the island of Mactan, right on the pier in Cordova City. It was a good 30 minute cab ride from Shangrila, this on roads that had very little traffic.  

The taxi driver was quite apologetic when he explained that my destination was literally at the end of the road.

And true enough -- Lantaw's parking area is at the very edge of the old pier of Barangay Day-as, Cordova City.  Right across the expanse of dark water are the twinkling lights of Cebu City.  

Such a pretty sight -- it certainly was worth it after the long ride.

Lantaw calls itself a "floating restaurant" since it sits right on top of the water.   You walk across a wooden bridge to reach the first dining area.  The thatched roof is lit up and looks golden,  like a beacon in the evening darkness.
For atmosphere and ambience alone, it already scored high points with me.  However, I am sure it is much more attractive and comfortable  at night but horribly hot and humid during the day.

From the main entrance, a large open dining area is already full of diners.  While we had no reservations, we were lucky  enough to find one of the last empty tables for ourselves.

Beyond the open dining area is another large floating platform, this time covered with a canvas tent. More brightly lit and with bigger tables, it looked ideal for big groups.

The beer was extra cold!  More points for Lantaw on my list!  With its casual, convivial feel, soft mood lighting from the native lamps and the panorama of Cebu City's lights in the background, Lantaw also feels more like a huge open air bar rather than the  restaurant that it really is.

Because it is where it is, Lantaw is essentially a seafood place.  Crabs, shrimps, native clams, scallops and fish dominate the menu.

Naturally, the ubiquitous crispy pata, lechon kawali, inihaw na liempo were also available.  It wouldn't be a Pinoy restaurant without these favorites.

I really wanted to try the house specialty -- saang or spider shells which I had never tried before. Unfortunately, they had run out so I made do with the tried and tested baked scallops.
On the plus side, they were fat and fresh -- however, the heavy hand the chef had with the cheese and garlic drowned out their delicate taste.

Since I couldn't get the saang, the waiter suggested I try their other specialty -- bakasi or small eels which are found in the waters of Cebu but are particularly plentiful in the Cordova area, which is where Lantaw is situated.
These are eels  grow to 6 to 8 inches in length and Lantaw serves them fried or in a sour, sinigang style soup which they call nilarang.
We ordered bakasi both fried and nilarang and I can't say I became an instant fan.
It's too spiny,  not so fleshy and has a slightly bitter aftertaste.
However, my bigger issue  was the thought that I was probably eating something that is not sustainable and that by ordering bakasi, I was perhaps adding to the depletion of this species.
In any case, I don't think I will be having this again.

A grilled boneless milkfish is at least something I know is completely farmed and therefore not in any danger of being endangered.

We also ordered calamares which was crisp and a good match with my second bottle of cold San Miguel beer.

Our very efficient and attentive waiter suggested the Lantaw special which is much like Bicol express although they use seafood instead of pork bits.  It came in a coconut half shell and was creamy with just the right spice and kick.  Great for eating with the pandan flavored rice.

All in all,  Lantaw ... the light at the edge of Mactan Island was a good discovery on this Cebu trip.
While the food was not spectacular or even memorable, the native hut, the open air setting, the cool sea breeze and most specially, the vista of Cebu City's lights and skyline spread out before you as you drink a cold bottle of beer ... these  definitely make it worth a visit!

Golden Cowrie in Cebu -- familiar favorite

Cebu is my happy stomping ground for food -- local restaurants abound, big or small, old or newly opened, hole in the wall or fine dining place ... you are sure to discover delicious meals.

An old favorite of mine is Golden Cowrie, a well known institution in the Cebu restaurant scene. Today it's been overtaken by all the new places that have opened and have generated a lot of buzz.

But as it is with restaurants that take genuine pride in what they do -- Golden Cowrie may not be the latest hotspot but they have been consistent with both food and (very friendly)  service through the years.

I was in Cebu for a quick working trip two weeks ago and I was with someone who loved to eat but admittedly had very little knowledge of the Cebu dining scene.  Finding ourselves with free time at dinner -- away from the clients --  I decided to take her to Golden Cowrie -- at its original site in Lahug.

My friend does not eat meat but we both found this sign for the famous Cebu lechon so amusing. Pinoys really have a way with words!  Unfortunately, since I'm vegetarian -- I guess I can't vouch if the lechon at Golden Cowrie is indeed "unbelibaboy".

Golden Cowrie serves traditional Filipino food -- a mix of both Tagalog and Cebuano favorites.  The place setting is a banana leaf on a wooden tray. Rice is "eat-all-you-can" ... someone comes around to ladle as much (or as little) as you want on your banana leaf plate.

It's hard to be go strictly vegetarian when out of town, specially as I cannot resist Golden Cowrie's famous baked scallops.  So we order that plus boneless daing na bangus ... and another Golden Cowrie specialty ... fried tuna fingers.
Don't laugh  -- but this is a very good dish.  The tuna is fresh and there is no oily after taste at all.
I had to convince my friend to order it since it seemed so incongruous with the rest of the "native" offerings.
And just as I thought, after she tried it, she agreed that it was a great choice.

Imbao is a type of clam which is very popular in the south.  The clams are a bit bigger and very flavorful.  In a simple broth -- the sweet freshness of the imbao is just heavenly!  

For all that we ordered (which we finished, not a fish finger nor a scallop wasted) our bill came to just P900!  Such an abundance of good and fresh food for a very reasonable cost.  

It's just one reason why after all these years, Golden Cowrie continues to hold its own among the many restaurant choices in Cebu.

Duck and Yam Rice at Yu Kee and other pleasures of Liang Seah Street

I was in Singapore for a meeting two weeks ago and as meetings go, it had been a long day.

It was 9 pm and I had yet to have dinner.  I was meeting an ex-colleague  who was sitting patiently in the lobby of the Stamford Hotel about to have a lackluster sandwich.  Snatching it out of his hands, I marched him out of hotel food hell and out into the humid Singapore evening.

Down by North Beach Road, just a ten minute walk away is Liang Seah street.  Right across Bugis Junction mall, this short alley has become a favorite late night destination for locals who want good, fast, cheap meals.  The street is lined with restaurants on both left and right sides but since we are both famished, we settle on the first one we see.
Right at the corner is Yu Kee Duck Rice, my Singaporean friend says it's been around since the 60's and is a very popular place.

Since it's way past 9 pm, duck aficionados have come and gone and we have the restaurant pretty much to ourselves.  There are no menus save for a well lit board that lists the specialties -- basically, it's just duck, duck and more duck.  I mentally say a temporary good bye to sticking to my vegetarian diet for tonight.  

The tables at Yu Kee practically hog the sidewalk -- the formica tables are sticky from accumulated duck grease.  Plastic stools are perched precariously at the edge of the sidewalk.   I must be careful or I'll fall right into the street.

The duck kway teow and the mixed plate of duck, tofu and boiled peanuts are all awash in a dark sweetish gravy.  I was expecting a drier cantonese roast ala Hong Kong and was not prepared
for duck soup!  Perhaps I should have asked for the sauce on the side.

My friend  ordered yam rice for me and it was perfectly color matched with the rest of the food.  Steamed, sticky rice with bits of yam and minced duck mixed in, it was surprisingly good.   I could have stayed on course with my vegetarian diet if I had just eaten this.  Such a savory treat -- so yammy! I finished every last grain on the plate!

This was our mixed duck plate -- according to the menu board, this is meant for sharing but it wasn't really a lot of food.  I could barely tell which was the chopped duck and which were the tofu skins since they were all awash in the dark gravy.  Boiled eggs and peanuts and cucumber slices came along with the dish.

I thought the duck kway teow would be a version of char kway teow, oily but dry.  

This seemed more like maki when I saw it in the bowl.  Sliced duck breast and flat noodles along with bean sprouts were floating in the same dark soy sauce based gravy.  

Across Yu Kee is the Tong Seng Coffehouse directly underneath the Ah Chew ( bless you!) Hotel where I've enjoyed nasi lemak breakfasts on previous trips.  

There is a good sized crowd at 10 pm, still chowing down on such favorites as fishball soup, laksa, hainanese chicken rice, lor mee, prawn mee, sliced fish noodles.  

Shall we have some late night laksa after that duck, I ask my friend and he laughs because he thinks I'm joking. He obviously doesn't know me very well.

We need to walk off the duck and take the long way back to Stamford.  We go from one end of Liang Seah street to the other -- the coffee shops and small restaurants are still brightly lit and the food scene is very much hopping at 10 pm!

An interesting name for a chicken rice place -- Fat Bird!  I can imagine how plump and juicy the chicken must be!

Ah Chew again -- and bless you!  This is a famous place for chinese cold and hot desserts.  The line is always long and we don't feel like queuing up just to indulge in some pomelo mango sago -- their best seller and best tasting dessert.
We walk past temptation and out onto Beach Road.
See you next trip, Liang Seah!
I have found my perfect place for late night hunger attacks!

My Top 5 Paris Tips

Paris is my favorite city in the world and there are millions of ways to enjoy it.  

I thought I would choose the top 5 tips that I hope can greatly enhance your visit.

1. The churches of Paris are not to be missed.

Go to church!  Not just for you to go down on your knees and thank the Lord for your great good luck to  be in Paris but to marvel and enjoy the rich and glorious architecture and treasures that each church offers.  

My very favorite is Notre Dame de Paris, which for me is the symbol of Paris. 

But there is a gorgeous church in every corner, like towering and majestic St. Sulpice (pictured above), historic St. Germain, the imposing St. Eustache, Eglise de Madeleine which doesn't look like a church at all, the baroque St. Gervais et St Protase, delicate St. Etienne du Mont,  the glorious 

Sacre Couer at Montmartre, the tiny jewel known as St. Ephraim, the grand and historic Basilica of St. Denis, the quiet and serene Church of the Miraculous Medal, the surprising and hidden Jesuit church Eglise St. Ignace, my "neighborhood" church of St. Medard ... I could go on and on. 

Most of these churches come with magnificent art works so take time to look around!

2. Shop in a flea market.

Go shopping at a Marche aux Puces literally, a market of fleas.  There are quite a number of good ones in Paris. The most famous is the gigantic one at Porte de Clignancourt simply called Les Puces but I prefer the smaller and more eclectic and studiedly cluttered one at Vanves.
The streets are lined with an assortment of treasures and junk, so look closely.
When you find something you like, snatch it up because if you don't, someone behind you will.
And oh yes, don't be afraid to bargain, just smile when you do so!

3. Go for an iconic Paris cultural experience.

And what can be more iconic and cultural than an opera or ballet at the Palais Garnier,  the official home of the Paris Opera that dates back to the 1800s.  The grand staircase, the velvet chairs, the gold decorations,  the trompe l' oeil curtain and that ceiling painted by Marc Chagall ... it's an experience you should not  miss.  

4. Paris is a walking city so... be a flaneur and walk.

And the best place for a stroll is  by the Seine.   This beautiful river separates the left and right banks and flows through the prettiest and most historic areas of Paris.  From the Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower is just a manageable 4.5 kilometer meander.
Browse through the bouquinistes or book stalls that line the sidewalks -- they've been fixtures since the 1500s. Who knows, you may find a valuable first edition!

5. Get a 360 degree view of Paris. 

A lot of people have scoffed at the Tour Montparnasse or the Montparnasse Tower, calling it an eyesore and a blight.  Standing at 56 stories tall and soaring above Hausmann's orderly and historic neighborhoods,  it has one redeeming feature that no other building in Paris has ... an open air deck  that affords you the best view of the city... 360 degrees all around.
The Eiffel Tower, Sacre Couer, the Pantheon, the Louvre, the gold domed Invalides,  the Luxembourg Gardens, the Seine ... you can see them all.
Don't leave Paris without seeing her from the top of the Tour Montparnasse. 
It gives you a perspective of the city,  her architecture and planning which you cannot see from the ground.

P.S.  Try and learn to speak a little French!

Tourists who go to Paris sometimes leave disappointed -- "the French people are so rude!" "the streets are so dirty!" I have read so many comments like these on the internet.  While I can't do anything about the latter, perhaps I can offer a suggestion about the former.
Yes,  the French can be a bit stand-offish.  They are generally nice folks but ...  you have to be nice to them first.
Through all these years of going to Paris, I have never once had an unpleasant encounter with the French.
One of the reasons why I think I have been so lucky is because I try my best to speak a little french whenever possible.
The French, a very proud and nationalistic people,  appreciate it when you make that effort --
I think it signifies to them that you don't think english is the language of the civilised world.
So, when you enter a store or a restaurant, you will always be greeted with a "Bon jour" or "Bon soir" (good morning or good evening).  Please, don't just stand there -- say "Bon jour" or "Bon soir" back and smile,  before you go about your business like lining up for those delectable macarons, s'il vous plait (macarons, please).
That little greeting will tell the shopkeeper that you are a polite and polished individual.
And when you leave, you will inevitably be told "Au revoir" or good - bye -- and again, don't just walk out with your box of macarons, please do reply in the same manner. And don't forget to say "Merci beaucoup, Monsieur / Madame / Mademoiselle" whichever the case may be.
Let me tell you my little secret ... my go - to phrase whenever I am in Paris is "Je suis desole, je ne parle pas Francais",  said in my most amiable and humble tone.  I also throw in an embarrassed smile or a small (hopefully Gallic) shrug.  What the person I am speaking to gets is ... please pardon this uneducated but polite idiot who cannot speak the language of love.
The shop keeper / waiter / cashier / vendor / ticket agent / French person will invariably  smile, chuckle and answer  back with whatever English he or she knows.   Works like a charm every time!
Et voila, tout le monde es content! And there it is, everyone is happy.

Bon Voyage!