Watch What You Say in Elevators

Reading some post HK Art Fair reviews, I came across this article on ArtInter.Net. Paragraph two mentions some ladies from Los Angeles discussing their wardrobe while riding an elevator up to the Richard Prince opening at Gagosian Gallery. I seem to remember us discussing wardrobe while riding in the elevator up to the Gagosian opening, specifically Karen's three new dresses. I think she's talking about us...here's the article. You do the math.

http://en.artintern.net/index.php/news/main/html/1/1650

PS. Art Girls Rock

Just a note to my fellow Art Girls to say thank you for a fantastic trip. To my fellow Rats, thank you for your joie de vivre, your endless enthusiasm and curiosity, and for being such great travel companions. To my favorite Goat, I am forever in your debt for suggesting, "hey, why don't we go to Hong Kong." I don't think I would have made it there without you. To Tracy, Kristen, and Amy, thank you for the hospitality, shopping tips and wonderful company. The 5 action-packed, art-filled days and 6 nights of delicious meals (except for those chicken feet), cocktails, and adventure in Hong Kong were absolutely once in a lifetime. Now that my jet lag has worn off and the swelling in my legs as gone down, I just want to say Art Girls Rock!

For more info, check out the New York Times report from the HK Art Fair:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/arts/26iht-Hkartfair26.html

Goodbye, Hong Kong

We spent our last evening in HK across the bay in Kowloon. We rode the Star Ferry, had cocktails at two rooftop bars and enjoyed a traditional Chinese dinner. Goodbye, Hong Kong. We look forward to our next visit.

Shanghai Tang Karen

Karen looking fly "souvenier" shopping at the very chic, Shanghai Tang (our favorite store in HK).

One The Street - Part 2

Shutter Bugs

Trains, Trams, Taxis & Ferries

We definitely took a wide variety of public transportation. Here is a sample:

Aqua Luna sunset harbor cruise

The cheap, red taxis of HK island.

Vintage, double-decker trams

Gondolas

Beautiful Harbor Boat

Famous Star Ferry to Kowloon side

Karen mastering the subway system

Tram to the Peak

Double decker sight-seeing bus.

We never did find Mr. Hung but we liked his Rickshaw.

Pandas!!!!!

On our last morning in HK, and at the recommendation of Adam Scheffer at Cheim & Read (a gallery in NYC), we ventured to Ocean Park, "the Disneyland of Hong Kong" before there actually was a Disneyland in Hong Kong. We rode a cable car and would have had a fantastic view of the ocean were it not for the horrible pollution haze. The highlight of the morning by far were the pandas.

Room Service - Sonja Style!

After discovering the great street food a couple of blocks from our hotel, our young rat Sonja got up to get us shumai (dumplings), assorted buns (pineapple being the fav), fruit, barbecue pork bao and youtiao (a Chinese fried bread that you dip in warm milk or coffee/tea) for breakfast. YUMM!!! We love room service - Sonja style!!

Things We've Learned about Hong Kong

1. Octopus cards rule!
2. Taxis are cheap but the drivers are...UGH!
3. All the photos you've seen of HK lie...pollution rules the sky.
4. Know your elevated and subterranean pedestrian walkways (it helps to avoid the taxi drivers)
5. You can commute to work on an escalator.
6. Public exercise is a great thing!
7. Food in HK is scrumptious, all sorts of food (well, maybe NOT the chicken feet).
8. Karen will eat anything on vacation.
9. Chicken feet taste like chicken feet.
10. Pineapple buns are a delicious breakfast treat.
11. Butter and spinach make great ice-cream flavors.
12. The rents REALLY are too damn high!
13. Reflexology should be a weekly ritual.
14. Citi-wide Wi-Fi is a myth.
15. Bamboo = scaffolding.
16. The ladies floor is the place to be.
17. There are a lot of strange smells in HK.
18. Always bring toilet paper into the stall BEFORE you start your business.
19. For a city of 7 million people, HK is very clean.
20. Shopping malls are everywhere. How many Swarovski stores does one city need?

Long Live the King (introduction)

We visited an exhibition of social activist and graffiti artist Tsou-choi (1921-2007) aka King Kowloon. Considered a bit insane, he lived a pauper's life despite his belief that his birthright made him the King of Kowloon. His street graffiti was a life long expression that HE was the true monarch and not the Queen of England. His unwavering conviction in this belief and courage to make these very public statements was quite moving and inspiring.

Long Live the King!