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Archive for the ‘Grin’ Category

Spending Spree Anyone?

Posted in Grin, tagged on February 1, 2011| Leave a Comment »

So I was accompanying a friend who was in town for a few days.  We met for lunch and then went for a walk solely meant to kill time and lounge around casually.  This Friday afternoon was packed with customers shopping for the upcoming Chinese New Year, as well as the ever so aggressive mainland Chinese tourists who were fanatically running around name brand stores before closing time.  We couldn’t resist the wave, and so we joined in the crowds to do some window shopping ourselves.

Little did I expect that this was no window shopping at all.  My friend went to Bottega Veneta to check out the limited edition snakeskin duffle bag, and while I was answering a long distance call from my ex-colleague, he had picked out a silver / leather bracelet for himself.  We then headed to Yves Saint Laurent next door though my friend had already gotten the new black clutch bag the week ago.   At Paul Smith upstairs, he got a slim fitted check shirt, a pair of check pants, a colorful knit cardigan, and 10 pairs of Paul Smith signature socks. 

I was already exhausted from the crowds, so we had to sit down for tea at a nearby coffee shop.  After an hour of recharging over dessert and coffee, we moved on to I.T., the local fashion store that brings in a number of foreign designer brands goodies.  We spent literally three hours there where I was joined by one of the store sales associate friend of mine, dressing my friend up and offering our comments and advice.  He was walking back and forth, picking everything up and trying on everything.  No colors were off-limits.  He even went to the women’s section to look for items that matched his fair skin tone and slim waist line.  With enough commotion involving half a dozen other sales associates looking for sizes and colors, he left with 2 large bags of goodies, on top of what he already got earlier in the afternoon.

This is what I like doing on a lazy afternoon.  I got the rush of shopping without having the need to spend a penny myself.  I didn’t feel empty that I was not getting anything for myself, and I was psyched that my friend was happy with his achievement.   I enjoy shopping with people who know what they want, while at the same time open enough for experimentation.

I advocate being passionate in everything we do, whether it’s work, relationships, food, shopping, and friendships.  Being passionate means to devote your entire self in the moment of whatever you are doing in a responsible way, but without creating too much undue stress.  Some people, however, place judgements without knowing it.  “How does he get the money?”  “What does he need to proof?” “I bet he is a slob.”

Some people automatically jump on the dollar figure, but I’d rather place emphasis on the journey.  Getting something that truly fits you is worth celebrating even if it costs only ten dollars.  Getting something pricey solely on basis of the brand name is not my cup of tea.

Like this Friday for instance, if you believe you will enjoy a spending spree like my friend’s, give it a go.  You will have the time of your life looking for something you want.  However, if you know you will regret this apparent short-term therapy (for no apparent reason), stay away from it.  We can all co-exist, and there is always something for everyone.

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Self-Mockery (Part One)

Posted in Grin, tagged on January 31, 2011| Leave a Comment »

If the above is what you are witnessing in your work place, call me, and send your colleagues the link of this blog. 

I will surely enjoy my chats with them.

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The Joy of Laziness

Posted in Grin, tagged on January 26, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Turns out I don’t need this book to know how to slow down and live longer.  When I buy books I usually keep the cashier’s receipt out of habit.  Tonight when I picked out this unread book from my bookshelf, I shockingly discovered that I bought it in March 2005 – almost 6 years ago!  I am too lazy to read a book I purchased that talks about the joy and benefits of laziness!

The book is an easy read.  The authors Dr. Peter Axt and Dr. Michaela Axt-Gadermann finds a solution to combat our daily demands on our energy, which is hurry, frustration, sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, work stress etc..  To feel good we engage in intensive fitness regimes, competitive sports, and radical diets.  These activities actually take a toll on our health, accelerating the ageing process, making us more susceptible to illness, and shortening our lives.   What’s the solution? Laziness.

According to scientific research, the authors list out actions that have a positive effect on our health indicators.  Namely:

  • Moderation in eating (weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, blood cholesterol, uric acid)
  • Relaxation and calmness (blood pressure, blood sugar, antibodies, stress-hormone levels)
  • Moderate exercise (weight, stress-hormone levels, blood pressure, antibodies)
  • Warmth and sunlight (blood sugar level, blood pressure, weight)
  • Sufficient sleep (cortisol level, antibodies, blood sugar level)

The authors talk about conserving energy by doing nothing.  Eating less will make us live longer because food costs us energy.  In fact, fasting delays the ageing process and lengthens life.  Relaxing makes us more intelligent.  Laughter is the number one stress fighter.   And we all know that lack of sleep makes us old, stupid, cranky, ill, and fat, so the authors believe that we can all become younger in our sleep, since it affects body temperature, stress level, and metabolism.

It surely doesn’t sound like anything you haven’t heard of before, but think about it, if we can all learn how to manage our stress level  by being more relaxed and composed, that is already a big step towards a younger looking and longer life!

I recommend this book to my ex-colleagues and bosses, for reasons known only to themselves.

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Paragon Scrapbook

Posted in Grin, tagged , on January 25, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Aside from the super hospitable and friendly people, great cuisine, relatively inexpensive hotels & apartments, natural remedies in terms of herbal products & massages, and gorgeous sunny weather, I have to keep reminding everyone that Bangkok is just beautiful.  No, not only the obvious natural beauties of beaches, landscape, the Palace as well as temples, but Bangkok’s design scene that is both innovative and mind-boggling.  I am no expert in interior design, but I just learn to be thankful and appreciative in everything that brings pleasure and enjoyment to my eyes.

And there is plenty to be thankful for, even if it means confining to one shopping mall for a day.

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THANN Addict

Posted in Grin, tagged , , on January 24, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Ok I just have to write this when I am physically still in heaven.  This afternoon I had my forth massage / spa treatment on my fifth day in Bangkok this week.  Amazingly, the four treatments so far are all focused on different problematic areas, and every single one of them works its wonders.  Some people may think it’s a lame excuse, but I always believe that we need to treat our bodies right, whether it is eating tasty food, or better yet eating the right and nutritious food,  exercising, and relieving all its aches and pains from the daily chores and pressures of life itself.  Without a fit body, even the brightest mind can’t do anything.  Not anyone can be Stephen Hawking, period.

Among a million other reasons, having the luxury and professional resources to pamper my own physical and mental wellbeing is what I love about Thailand.  The Thais truly understand how important it really is to revitalize our bodies using the most basic herbs and the art of natural therapy.   Aside from traditional Thai massages, aroma massages, and healing stone massages, there are tons of personal products containing the best herbs and essential oils you can find on the planet.  Lemongrass, lavender, rosemary, shiso, peppermint, eucalyptus, and the list goes on. 

I have been a fan of the Thann brand for a long time. Every time I am in Thailand I will stock up on supplies.  I know there is now Thann in Hong Kong, but there is just no comparison visiting the holy temple from where this all originates.  Even though I just bought a load in my last trip here in November last year, I still found myself hypnotized to visit its store on my second day in the city.  In the new arrivals section, I found this cutest little electric incense diffuser that I couldn’t say no to.  I haven’t used my incense burner for some time, probably due to the mess of candles and the scary thought of burning my apartment down in the middle of the night.  Now with this unit that diffuses aroma by ultrasonic oscillation without heating or burning the essential oils, it feels safer and also maintains the original effects of the oils at the same time.

Alright, with the new diffuser, comes a replenished supply of large size (50ml) essential oils.  I picked their Flower & Vanilla blend oil (lavender, rosemary, geranium), Enigmar blend oil (rosewood, rosemary, marjoram), Mediterranean Floral oil (lavender and rosemary), Sea Foam oil (peppermint, thyme, rosemary and eucalyptus), and Woody Floral blend oil (orange, cedarwood, ylang ylang, tangerine, bergamot, clove, sandalwood), enough to make my whole apartment floor smell like a spa center.  In addition, I also bought a gift set that contains three small size (10ml) oils of Sea Form, Oriental Essence (lemongrass) and Aromatic Wood with potpourri.  One more Mediterranean Floral Natural Flax Seed eye mask and essential oil that offers heated pressure relief on the eyes, all added up to a huge heavy bag of soothing goodies for me to bring home and indulge in the next few months. 

No that’s not enough.  To thank my apparently generous patronage, the store gave me two huge sets of gift boxes that contains at least a dozen samples of body gel, shampoo, conditioner, lotions and soaps in each.  I don’t think I will ever finish it all, but it will be welcoming gifts for just about everybody.  The storekeeper asked me when I would be leaving Thailand, which was a question I did not expect.  Turned out he gave me two gift vouchers to their renowned Thann Sanctuary which is worth any spa treatment of THB2,200 each.  That is good for a 2-hour spa treatment of just about anything.  I didn’t expect this.  What a pleasant surprise.   For a spa and massage maniac like I am, this is literally like a further 30% off my entire purchase.

It was indeed marketing investment well spent on their part.  After enjoying the 2-hour Thann Sanctuary Signature Massage with my local friend,  I have to admit it is by far the best spa treatments I have ever had, and that includes 5-star hotel spa experiences.   I think aside from the massage techniques, the fact that they couple with their signature oils and products, and that its small establishment provides the coziness that no fancy grand hotel spas can compete with.  While I am wholeheartedly recommending the place to my friends, I hope that it will forever remain to be a small-sized hidden gem that provides individualistic services to its customers.

And I also just found out that they have a Thann  Tea Cafe in both Gaysorn and Paragon, as well as a florist.  What a great lifestyle brand.  If they continue to offer sincere marketing promotions to its customers, I am sure it will convert many more of them, not that they have not already, into loyals, like I do.

A healthy and balanced body brings a healthy mind.  And a healthy mind brings fortune in life.  Not a great saying perhaps, but it’s my saying.

 

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Best Reason to Learn Chinese

Posted in Grin on January 21, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Chinese President Hu Jintao is in the United States this week and it’s all over the news on CNN, NBC, ABC and CBS.  Many nightly news programs are using the opportunity to present news features comparing the 2 superpowers.  Last night, CBS talked about how few American students  (around 50,000) are learning Chinese at schools while 200 million Chinese are learning English since young. 

That former figure is certainly climbing.  In America, the number of schools offering Chinese as part of their curriculum has climbed from 300 in Year 2000 to over 1,600 in 2010.  An 8-year old boy answered CBS reporter that he believes he might get a better job and a raise when he grows up, knowing Chinese.

I just can’t help but burst out to laughter when the same question was raised to Natalie Love, a student at City Terrace Elementary.  In the most adorable and innocent manner, she replied “I think they (her parents) wanted me to learn Chinese because they like to go to Chinese restaurants“.

How cute is that?  Go Natalie!

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Battle Hymn Of The Tiger Mother

Posted in Grin on January 19, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I was watching NBC’s Nightly News today with a feature on “Tiger Moms”.  Apparently, Amy Chua, a Yale Law School professor and an American-born Chinese, wrote an essay in the Wall Street Journal on Saturday, titled “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior.”  The essay was an excerpt from her new book, “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,” which will be released Tuesday in the United States.  The essay has striked up very heated debates since Monday, together with over 284,000 “likes” on Facebook so far.

In the essay Chua writes about her personal account of Chinese parenting and to many westerners, the term should be “extreme parenting”.  Chua identifies three key qualities in Chinese parents that enable “success”, namely:

  • a lack of fussing over their children’s self-esteem;
  • a belief that kids owe their parents everything; and
  • an unshakeable belief that the parents know what’s best.

Chua cited examples that her two daughters were never allowed to do:

  • attend a sleepover
  • have a playdate
  • be in a school play
  • complain about not being in a school play
  • watch TV or play computer games
  • choose their own extracurricular activities
  • get any grades less than A
  • not be the No. 1 student in every subject except gym and drama
  • play any instrument other than the piano or violin
  • not play the piano or violin

According to NBC, “…the article sounds so incredible to Western readers – and many Asian ones, too – that many people thought the whole thing was satire.”

What do I think?  Well I am eternally grateful for the wonderful job that my parents had done raising me and my sister, and honestly I do think my Mom was pretty strict with us.  However I’d like to think that she tried her hardest to ignite that fire and passion within us that triggered ourselves to not take second place as an option, in everything we do.  I do remember I was soon put on autopilot because I myself was worried about my own grades, my performance in school, and how I fared in my extracurricular activities.

Not allowed to be in a school play?  Never, and I really don’t see the relevance here.  My Mom only cared about my grades, and I remember there was only one time in my entire school life that I got an “F” in Math, and I was truly devastated.  I really meant it.  I thought my whole life was coming to an end.  That summer, I worked so hard that I got full marks the next term.  I don’t think it was the pressure from my parents.  Instead, it was me who had been pressuring myself all along.  I could join all the extracurricular activities I wanted, but the few I took already occupied all of my free time other than studying at home.  Again it wasn’t because of my Mom, but rather my school.  The school required every student to pick up a musical instrument, and yes for me it was the violin, picked by my parents.  The school was ambitious to have a strong musical track record in the inter-school open competition every year, and all those who could carry a tune was automatically enrolled to be a chorus member.  Same thing with school orchestras.  It was hard work.  We were required to attend trainings and rehearsals almost every day, after school, including weekends and holidays.  Though for us kids at the time, it was really an honor to be picked to represent the school in the first place.

So in a nutshell I think it was the combined surrounding that made us the way we are now.  My sister and I had been quite mature since we were small, because we had lots of grown-ups coaching us to do “grown-up things” early on.  Getting good grades, enlisted as school prefects, representing the school in open competitions, really got to you in many ways.  What I really appreciate about my parents, in much less superficial ways than no watching TV or not getting straight As, was how they taught us through practicing the very principles themselves.

Don’t you hate it when grown-ups used double standards when they preached?  Not with my parents.  When we were supposed to study, everyone went silent.  No one watched TV or listened to the radio.  When we went out, my parents were polite, courteous and well-mannered to everyone so as to teach us social responsibility.  We were taught about manners and posture like how to stand up straight and  how to eat with others at the dining table.  My parents were not highly educated elites, but they truly made an effort to instill the very best of human values for their children. 

I can’t help to shake my head whenever I see parents yelling at their foreign domestic helpers in front of their kids, screaming at the school teachers that their children are less favorably treated, or barking disrespectful orders at service people in restaurants as teaching material for their 5 year-olds. 

It’s these values training that I would focus on, rather than not getting any extracurricular activities or sleepovers.   For the former, I would opt to bring back the “Tiger Moms” any time!

 

 

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Honesty and Vulnerability – Eat, Pray, Love… in Taipei (Part Four)

Posted in Grin, Hope, tagged , , on January 14, 2011| 1 Comment »

We so-called city folks are full of ourselves.  We think we are street-smarts and hence we are constantly guarded against everyone around us.  Indeed there are loads of crooks out there prying on the least prepared and the most gullible.  Though as residents of almost every fast-paced city, we should all learn to be a bit more accepting, and a bit more compassionate to people around us. 

We never want to lose out, so when we interact with people, a mental calculator surfaces that shows us what potential benefits, or trouble, we can get from the other party.  Shall we be friendly, or shall we just nod along politely?  What are the odds that we will be taken advantage by him or her?  What do they want from me? 

Not until I left the city and entered into a new surrounding did I realize how ridiculous our behavior could be.  I came into contact with all kinds of people in Taipei, and I received a lot of friendly treatments from all of them.   The people I met genuinely wanted to share life stories with me.  They opened up, and they took the time to invest in conversations. 

And I don’t mean hollow conversations where people only talk about what food they have eaten, cars they drive, or how much money they make.  I don’t think people should need these topics to justify their existence or value on the planet. 

I was greeted by very sincere folks in Taipei who were genuinely interested in knowing about each other.  I met people who openly shared their darkest secrets and insecurities with me, a stranger from Hong Kong whom they had never met before.  Though I cannot recall the last time I experienced it here at home, I didn’t find that odd at all.  It should be human nature.  The conversations I was engaged in were always candid, honest and at times vulnerable.  I like that on people.

In my mind, everyone should possess a certain level of confidence.  Showing your vulnerabilities is not a sign of weakness.  If you have inner qualities that excel amongst others, people will feel it without you needing to flaunt it.  Confident people, as long as they are not cocky, are incredibly attractive.  Insecure people, on the other hand, are usually despised and almost hated by others.  When I see people who are humble and willing to improve upon themselves, you will see me throwing myself at them like a moth to a flame.

Sounds like a bunch of random thoughts, but I owe it to Taipei who reaffirmed me on the goodness of people in the start of 2011.  Thank you.

 

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Intoxicated by Tranquility – Eat, Pray, Love… in Taipei (Part Two)

Posted in Grin, tagged , on January 12, 2011| Leave a Comment »

When I stepped into this hidden villa less than an hour away from the city, I was already impressed.  Listed as the “Hot List of The Year’s Top New Hotels” by Conde Nast Traveler in 2006, and rated as one of Asia’s best spas by CNNGo this year, one has to see it to believe it.  The villa used to be reserved for private members only and now it’s available through advance reservations.  Amazingly, the moment I entered the villa, all their staff, including their security guards out front, greeted me by my surname.   How do they do it?  I have only experienced similar treatments in Mandarin Oriental and Trident Gurgaon, India, which costs a whole lot more fortune to say the least.

 

The villa has 5 suites for overnight stays, and that screams exclusivity.  There are 5 other private rooms for hot springs, public pools separated between male and female, one Italian restaurant, and a spa catered for everything in between Chinese meridien treatments, skin care, and toxin relief programs. 

I signed myself up for the public pool access so that I can make it a grand finale of my Taipei getaway trip.  Like hot springs developments in Japan, there are a number of similar establishments in Beitou.  I was recommended by a good friend of mine to experience this villa due to its exclusiveness and tranquility amongst the neighbors.  The reason why advance reservations are required is for the villa to manage no more than 30 guests in the public pool area at any one time.  Yes, 30.  The result?  I hardly saw more than 10 guests during my 4-hour stay.  No kids under 16 years of age are allowed, and the facilities are all top-notch.  I can really tell that the owner has put in tons of money designing, building, and maintaining the property similar to a Bali-like facility.  There are lots of wood, stone, fountain and greenery everywhere. 

 

 

There is nothing better than soaking yourself in 42.5 degrees outdoor baths on a chilly drizzling day.  Since there were hardly anyone around other than the super attentive and courteous staff,  I could hear the natural hot springs bubbling underneath the property, and I could witness the sky filled with hot springs steam, so much like I was in heaven.  Indeed I really thought I had gone to heaven.

 

There were altogether 4 outdoor and 4 indoor pools, and I concentrated on soaking between the 2 hotter outdoor pools.  My neck and shoulder pains were simply gone.  The hot springs made my heart beat really fast, and for every 15 minutes or so I had to get up and lay down in comfortable lounges out on the porch.  No doubt I was feeling a bit dizzy and pumped from all the blood circulation, and then I realized I was drunk!  Not by alcohol, but by hot springs and the picturesque harmony of sounds and nature.

 

There was a meditation room upstairs, and a resting area for guests to take a nap.  When my hangover has slightly subsided, I made myself a cup of tea and relaxed myself in the cozy lounge area.  Again, I hardly saw anyone else.

I left with the biggest grin on my face, and the biggest weight off my shoulders.  Though I hardly ate at all the whole day prior to the bath, I felt relieved, nurtured, pampered, and recharged.   I would definitely visit again.  Well, as if I need any more excuse to come back to beautiful Taipei.

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Eat, Pray, Love… in Taipei (Part One)

Posted in Grin, tagged , on January 10, 2011| 2 Comments »

Taipei is a destination where I don’t mind traveling alone, similar to Bangkok.  The two cities however are very different in the most obvious ways.  Although I have been to Taipei both for business and leisure countless number of times, it’s been a year since my last visit to the city.  I am here for 6 days which I think is the longest consecutive period that I have spent, and hence I have a lot of time to re-acquaint, chill, and take in what the city can offer.

Though it’s always more enjoyable to savor a city’s cuisine with good friends, sometimes I just need to make do when the circumstances don’t allow this to happen.  This time, I have skipped all the sightseeing activities and shopping.  I have done my more than fair share of supporting our economy back home in the last 2 months, and the weak Hong Kong dollar is not making it much fun either.  Instead, I am focusing all my energy in finding local food which I can sample myself, alone.  And it’s not difficult at all, here in Taipei.

There are plenty of street side stores serving the most mouth-watering local delicacies, and I am not even talking about the ever delightable night markets.  I can’t help but notice that none of these eateries operate like what we have in Hong Kong.  They don’t serve 158 different dishes and 37 beverages.  They hardly charge service fees, and they seldom change hands.  Many stores have been in the same business and location for the past 40 years or more.  Most of them stick to the same menu and sometimes even prices.  They always sell what they are specialized in, and very often work on complementing their neighbors.  I find it very refreshing, and at the same time sorry about the depressing food scene at home mainly due to exorbitant rental prices.  I love to return to a simpler time when I can go back to the same place, eat the same food, meet the same owner, and be consistently satisfied in the same way. One dish, is all I need to remember them and to go back again and again.

Maybe it’s a sign that I am really getting old, but I am always thankful to a city which has given me so much joy and comfort, both spiritually and gastronomically.

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