End of 2014

Summery of 2014

7am at Big Wave Bay in the Mid-December, my wake up view.

1. In March, spent 3 days with Mom in Singapore to walk, taste the old and new Singas. Pampering ourselves at Mandarin is the best birthday gift without phone call, emails! 
2. Taken up 2 new projects in Kau To Shatin, worked with the famous designer in the world is my pleasure and learn alot from them. Still, the feeling of great presentation after having toughest process amongst the team debate, struggling, coordinating with everything for the design is the best. 
3. April, i have conquer a Half Ironman Race 70.3 miles distance consist of 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21km run in beautiful Tai Tung. Finish at 6 hours 13 mins for a second place at my age group. Feeling pumped and always believe Science and consistency training is the key of success. 
4. Spent 10 days in Osaka, Kaga and Kanazawa, where we hide at the 800 years old Araya Totoan and Beniya Mukayu is the best Kaiseki and Hot tub experience! 
5. July, i promoted from Project Manager to Senior Design Manager. Ok, more responsibility and now a Design team is being structure. I'm proud to work with AY, my boss who taught me to what i am today, really thankful to have a boss like him. 
6. Thyroid is over, stopped medicine from Sept. and doctor confirm it is in good condition! Way to Go!! 
7. Pass my Part 1 driving licence test on Sep. and will have real road driving exam on 6th Feb. Never too old to have driving licence. 
8. 5 family trips for travel this year and glad not so much business trip this year which really improves my health. The Phuket trip in summer with 3 kids and 8 adults is the highlight, never stay with kids for 6 days together and is a kinda nightmare to me. Never got chance to read my books and sun bathing by my pool.
9. Best movie of 2014: The secret life of Walter Mitty *** , The Grand Budapest Hotel *, Interstellar ***, Fading Gigolo **, Blue Jasmine*, Adore (Perfect Mothers)**, Gravity*, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes**, Before Midnight**, 
10. Charity, i have done 2 charity this year. The first one i did to help the Sedan Chair Charity to raised $3,415.4 by  joining one of the off road race for an open water swim and 15km trail run. The second i joined the Heifer charity run! Feeling great! 
11. I'm glad i'm still live the life what i like and enjoy my freedom everyday, To live the moment is priceless! Still, dream big and shoot to the moon is my destiny! 

I think that is it. Blown away 2014, ready your bubble with your loved one for a better 2015! 

loves,

Gigi xx 

Nothing to beat me

The wind is blowing fiece over my body, the rain is pouring over my face, the darkness is asking me to stop. I stopped and pick it up again and finish till the end. That's the season to testing our motivation to overcome, to overcome something we don't expect. The tougher it goes, the tougher mind to built. Glad I did it! 3x1.4 km+2x1.4km+1x1.4km! Finish the last set at 6mins. 37sec. 

Insterstellar

Great movie, it worth to sit down for two and half hours in cinema with our red, cheese and salami (Perfect for 2.5 hours)

This movie is exactly saying my believe for ghost for over 10 years when i share with Charles and some friends, as i don't believe this kind of things and i never scare about. All this what you feel, seen or heard is something that exist at the other dimension which does not live at our time. The magnetic field, wavelength just hit us in the same time and connected to us and that is why we can feel it, but untouchable because of

Some quote i really love from this movie:
“Maybe we’ve spent too long trying to figure all this out with theory. Love is the one thing that transcends time and space.”

Company Group Run for Heifer Charity

Joined my company charity group run this year for #heifer #racetofeed, the total of 6 of us have to run 5km individually and counted the total time we cross the line for each. We come back with 9th runner up! What a day to gain some fresh air, joined with company colleagues with some outdoor fun and gained some of my confident for sprint run! In the same time, i have to bust tracking my hubby who starts the same time with me for his 3rd Half Ironman race in Taiwan, Kenting! I wish i can be with him and may my force be with him:) 

Lined up at the Starts, to be honest i'm a bit nervous and thinking my strategy how to sprint out the first until i reach the famous first 400m steep climb. 

After the race with the Wing Tai Asia Team! 

i just simplest need this.....to remind

“Watch your thoughts for they become words.
Watch your words for they become actions.
Watch your actions for they become habits.
Watch your habits for they become your character.
And watch your character for it becomes your destiny.
What we think, we become." 

by Margaret Thatcher

Hong Kong My home

After lunch, i walked up to Connaught Road where the #occuppycentral protesters is there for the third day.  What I can see and hear after lunch hours, peaceful and quite. I'm emotional, and feeling not comfortable. Please don't share the news which is not rectify, I saw so many deviated, rotten news which is steering peoples mind. Be judgmental and find the truth by you own, know that this will be part of your memory and make no one regret! I'm in real concern of the kids. 我好擔心！連日媒體，FB上太多不實的報道，無知的人每一秒都Share,導致大家確信太多不真不實。不要被人利用，你一個Like/share 已傷害很多。用自己的心同眼去找尋真相，分析為何有這樣的報道。用和平不非法去抗命。找尋真理是最痛苦的。

Sonic Sports: South Bay Training

Team Sonic: South Bay training, clear water, bumpy road and hilly run! Love it! 

The first time trail is set today however due to the serious traffic accident in ShekO this am, no one can make it to ShekO, Plan B of South Bay training is ON!  What a lovely day!

South Bay in Hong Kong

In search for balance

In search for balance: 無喜無悲 無功無過 無得無失

Meaning that everything so exciting, exaggerate to a state cannot last for long. Only if you living in a normal, balance life can be lived.  

Our new ideas about temporary homes and contemporary living?

Burning Man is set in the inhospitable Black Rock desert of Neveda 2014

New Mary Jane

My 3rd pairs of Tabitha Simmons, always provide me comforts and versatile look!

Purchase here:

Tabitha Simmons, Hermione velvet point toe flat 

Life is a risk. Make the best out of it and enjoy!

Quote of today: "Life is a risk. Make the best out of it and enjoy!" Angelo Tang 

Challenge Taiwan Half 2014 | My Photos | FinisherPix

Challenge Taiwan Half 2014 | My Photos | FinisherPix

August: Osage County (film)

Pathetic Family, everyone have problem. Bu in fact, this is so true to everyone!

京都「七運」食材

2013-1-15

日本的新年是西曆一月一日，稱為「お正月」。但一切年中行事卻依照中國舊曆二十四節氣。日本人準備迎接新年，由冬至開始。京都這個千年古都，更有其獨特的傳統習俗。

「冬至」據說是一年中太陽最弱的一天，亦即最寒冷的日子。曰本人傳統相信「湯」（音：yu, 即温泉、熱水）能治病，故有「湯治」一詞。由此伸延到以「柚子」入浴，取其 yuzu 之音，亦與「融通」同音。故於冬至來個柚子浴，除了增強血液循環、驅除一年疲勞外，也有盼望來年財源資金順暢的意思。

京都人對食物非常嚴謹，也有很特別的風俗習慣。例如在冬天吃南瓜，彌補冬日野菜不足，是營養補給食品，前人的智慧。另有所謂「七運」食材，據說是冬至過後日照時間較長，人們的運勢亦開始上昇，吃七運食材有助催運之說。

日本人鍾情於數字「七」，常説 lucky seven。所謂「七運」，即：天、地、人、外、社會、家庭和總合運。七運食材取自尾音「n」的食物，因為跟「運」字尾音相同。七種食材分別是：人參（音：nin-jin,即紅蘿蔔）、南瓜 (nan-kin)、金柑 (kin-kan)、蓮根 (ren-kon)、銀杏(gin-nan)、寒天(kan-ten)、烏冬 (udon)。日本人相信成功之道，要有運氣加根氣（即堅持）加鈍感（即不要太敏感），所謂運、根、鈍，正好迎合以上食材的諧音，亦稱為「冬至七草」。把以上食材切成幼絲，配合鰹節、昆布為主的清淡湯底，加入適量調味，便是京都人冬至暖在心頭的一品料理。是否真的帶來好運，也許是心理多於現實吧！

Japan Travel

葉一南

2013-1-15 10:09:19

很多年前，我問日本朋友，東京附近最好的温泉區在那裏？她說，去草津温泉吧。果然精彩，一幢幢和式舊旅館，江户年代的氣氛，還有那開揚濶大的公眾露天温泉，流水淙淙，漫山飄雪，真令人懷念。

又很多年前，我又問這位朋友，日本那裏滑雪最好？她說，一月份的二世古，下的雪又乾又厚，北海道第一。那時互聯網剛興起不久，只得一個非常原始的英文網站介紹這地方，由澳洲人建立，他們兼做導遊，整個滑雪區，就只得他們幾個人會說英語。今天草津温泉已成為旅遊熱點，而二世古，開始有點插針不下。

這位朋友說，不怕，清靜又好玩的地方，日本多著呢。於是指引我們去了知床吃喜之次一夜干，一人一條，吃飽為止，然後再去了羅臼試一試傳聞中的紫色葡萄蝦。想重訪京都？也行，避開寺院名勝的人羣，走到「夷川通」看和式書桌及京衣櫃，或者去「舊屋花町通」看佛具地藏王，實在有趣。

我想說的是，日本人注重傳统，對保留本地產品及本地手藝有堅韌的執著，懂得去找，一個小鎮一條舊街，滿有驚喜。不過，要發掘這些地方，只得看日文資料，或者要有日本通朋友，如果依靠香港的一般旅遊指南，摸來摸去，還只是表皮。

回憶良久，就讓我先介紹這位日本通朋友：Samantha Horie-Lam，其實不是日本人，是香港人。我們識於微時，我讀男校，她讀附近女校。中學之後她輾轉去了日本著名大學讀政治學，後來結識了現在的日本丈夫，在東京住了下來，在大學工作。一有假期，她們夫婦倆駕著車在日本跑來跑去，秘湯古地名物，一處一處的去看，看了這麼多年，Samantha 說，總算看到一點大概。我每次去日本，吃的住的，都問她。

本地人的介紹與旅遊書介紹，質素有天淵之別，這情況很普遍，就如我們看外國雜誌，介紹香港餐廳，大部份我們香港人不會去吃，我們喜歡的地方，旅遊雜誌卻不懂得介紹，情形一樣。

因為太多朋友找 Samantha 問意見買日本產品，於是她最近索性大開門户，在她的 Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/samanthaselect ) 內列出她認為價錢合理又有特色的日本精品。我剛收到京印花的 iPhone 5 外套，很有型，愛不釋手。那支特別版有田燒三得利威士忌 (Suntory )，外觀精美，放在酒櫃正中，亦非常醒目。

《主場》著我找人寫飲食文章，我找上她， Samantha，「未寫過喎」。我說，處女下海，好得不能再好。隔了幾天，老朋友的文章如雪片飛來，寫的是地道日本生活，極妙。今天Samantha首次在「主場」亮相，我全力推介。