Friday, December 24, 2010

Another Geeky Xmas


Fellow geeks and geek-lovers (you know you're one or you wouldn't be reading this...), it's come that time of year for us to eat, drink, be merry and not spend our days and nights thinking of blog posts to entertain you all. Today marks our final day of blogging for 2010, and we wish you the best holiday season ever, one that is filled with good cheer, close family, copious amounts of food and drink and, of course, unlimited bags and shoes.

So farewell until next year, and may the force be with you. On a side note, "The Force" would be a great rapper name. Way better than "The Game." Okay, that was the final lame comment of the year, we promise.

Image: kaosradioaustin.org

Read More...

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Dior's Blooming Roses



Food and travel guest blogger hkLifestyleGeek gives us her take on Dior’s upcoming high jewellery. Contact her at hklifestylegeek@hkfashiongeek.com 

After Christmas and New Years there's something to look forward to next month -- Dior fans will be pleased to know the Parisien boutique will be reopening its doors on Peking Road in late January.

And to mark the event, Dior has released a limited edition -- like seriously limited -- jewellery pieces called Rose Dior Pre Catalan.

Designer extraordinaire Victoire de Castellane has recreated these special items featuring Dior's favourite flower, the rose.

In a deep burgundy colour, the rose-shaped rings and pendants are made using ornamental ruby, diamonds and pink gold.

There are only 10 pieces of the small ring ($50,000), five of the ring with two roses ($160,000), and five of the pendant ($44,000). So that's what I mean by seriously limited edition.

Will de Castellane show up at the store's reopening? That would be tres cool. She's got a really funky sense of fashion, creating huge and colourful jewellery pieces that are definitely eye-catching. Her love of jewellery goes back to when she was a child playing with her grandmother's jewellery when she thought everything looked so big. But maybe her grandma's rocks really were big with her aristocratic background.

In the meantime, if you so desire, snap up one of these limited edition pieces for your bling collection.

Read More...

SHOErotica: Sergio Rossi Talisman Gladiator Sandals



This year-end spending binge needs to stop. Scored these sandals last week, perfect with tights for a new year's eve party, no?

Read More...

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Outta Hear

We’ve all been there. That annoying song that won’t leave your head. In fact, much as I am a fan of Christmas, Santa Claus is coming to town has been playing nonstop in my head for the past two days. Another one that really gets to me is the Nobody song from Korean pop group Wondergirls. Well, a new venture from Washington-based startup Liftoff Media is looking to change the game with the aptly named website Unhearit. What essentially is a free music streaming website (with download and purchase capabilities of course) is being cleverly marketed as a website that plays equally catchy songs to erase that song currently stuck in your head. How’s that for clever marketing?

Read More...

Bling on the Rocks

Food and travel guest blogger hkLifestyleGeek gives us her take on food inspired jewellery. Contact her at hklifestylegeek@hkfashiongeek.com 

A few months ago Piaget released its Limelight collection which was a cross between Art Deco and a music theme, with many pieces featuring a black and white colour scheme of black onyx and diamonds that were quite tasteful and elegant. If not they were an interesting contrast to the candy-coloured diamonds and stones that everyone else is pushing.

But now the Swiss jewellery and watch line is adding to its Limelight catalogue with cocktail rings -- that almost literally look like drinks.

For example, there's the "Mojito Inspiration", with a giant cushion-cut green tourmaline set on a white gold ring with lots of tiny diamonds, but on the edge of the stone is a small lemon wedge that is actually a citrine.


Another is "Whisky on the Rocks Inspiration", presenting another giant cushion-cut citrine in a wonderful golden brown colour, but on one of the corners are two small frosted cubes made of quartz to look like ice.

Or what about "Cosmopolitan Inspiration"? There's a large pink rubellite stone surrounded by diamonds but then there's a star fruit wedge made of citrine.

What would Carrie and her Sex in the City gal pals think? We all know cocktail rings are in -- they're fun, fashionable and add bling to our outfits. But do we really need to literally say "drink me"?

Read More...

Geek Peek: Pacino Wan for Playboy


While the opening of Playboy Club at Sands Macau is good news for boys with a taste for a lil bit o' T&A, we here at Geek headquarters are obviously more interested in the costumes. Hugh Hefner conceived and designed the original Playboy Bunny costume, essentially a modified one-piece swimsuit, but costume duties transferred hands in 2006 when Roberto Cavalli gave his Italian sex appeal to the uniform. For the launch in this Asian outpost, the brand tapped local designer Pacino Wan to give us his spin. We threw five questions at the fashionable and funny guy, who shared with us his original costume sketches for four versions of the va-va-voom Asian-fetish Bunny Costume.

HKFG: What was your inspiration when it came to designing the Playboy bunny costume?
PW: I was inspired by the heritage and craftsmanship of traditional Chinese garments and I wanted to create Eastern inspired Playboy Bunny costumes with a modern edge that compliments the delicate frame of Asian women. My inspiration comes from the Cheongsam, Chinese Kungfu suits, traditional embroidery and Chinese undergarment - bodice (肚兜). I infused the contemporary Western silhouette with traditional Chinese elements in my designs for the new Playboy Bunny costumes because I wanted to create designs that blend both Eastern and Western culture.


HKFG: Why do you think you were selected to design the Playboy bunny costume for its Asia outlet?
PW: Playboy was looking for a well-known local Hong Kong designer whose designs reflect Asia’s contemporary lifestyle. Playboy wanted to collaborate with a talented designer who is passionate, experienced, and has a track record of bringing originality to his works. Also, they are looking for a designer who takes his personal cultural background as iconic design themes, and handsome… hmm…I think that’s me!

HKFG: Which of your celebrity clients would you love to see in your Playboy Bunny costume, maybe for Halloween?
PW: Shu Qi (舒淇), Lin Chi-ling (林志玲), Chrissie Chau (周秀娜), Lynn Xiong (熊黛林)…are just some of the names that come to mind. For special occasion like Halloween, I believe that these stunning celebrities and beauties can all carry off the new Bunny Costume that is tailored to compliment the attractive Asian female figure! I think a Halloween Playboy Bunny Party sounds fabulous!


HKFG: What elements make your costume special? How have you put your own mark on the Playboy bunny costume?
PW: My designs are special in that they infuse Chinese heritage and craftsmanship with contemporary Western silhouette. I used a lot of red in my reinterpretation of the Playboy Bunny costume because red is an auspicious color in Chinese culture which represents joy, celebration and prosperity. Red is glamorous, seductive, sexy, feminine and a great look for any special parties and occasions. If you like to stand out from the crowd, then a red party dress or evening couture will definitely help you to achieve this.


The design brief called for a reinterpretation of the Playboy Bunny Costume to embody Asian influences. My appreciation of the lines and curves of the female body is clearly reflected in my pieces and this emphasis on the female contour is exactly my signature design style.

HKFG: Do you have a favourite Playboy bunny costume? Which one and why?
PW: I adore the classic Bunny Costume created in 1960 by Hugh Hefner. It is really a classic, original, and iconic costume.

Read More...

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Show Off


Laura sent me some photos yesterday of Gizzy & Nacho's new showroom right across the street from Republik and Press Room. As Andrea and I discovered, it's the perfect location to grab happy hour at Republik and then do some tipsy shopping. Because we all know that drunk shopping is the best kind -- we all have lowered inhibitions and really good taste at that point...

Because G&N is mainly an online boutique, there's not much street traffic, so going up there to hang out is a pretty cozy experience -- I would compare it to hanging out in the personal shopping section of any high-end department store, like Neiman's or Lane Crawford, but with the vibe of a cool Soho boutique (that's Soho, New York, not Soho here). The new showroom is decked out in a sort of industrial-meets-living room pop chic, with racks of clothing from the retailer's expanding brand lines, which now vary from the very coveted Stylestalker, to delicate bling from ByBoe, to the easy style of new local label Hanalie, to the downtown street appeal of PlayMe by blogger Christeric. Plus all of our old favourites like Naven, MinkPink, Brian Lichtenberg, etc etc.

Shop online OR at the showroom before Friday December 24 and you get a special Christmas discount of 15% with the code XMAS15, plus free goodies from the spa brand Bliss.


Read More...

Animal Planet



Maybe I'm crazy but I really, really want these altered antique plates from Beat Up Creations. So surreal, so ridiculous, so perfect! You must click on to see the rest of the Banksy-esque cast, which include the likes of George W (the original one) with Mickey Mouse ears and lots more funny characters with funny heads wearing funny clothes. And even more on their blog here.








Read More...

Geek Spy: SushiSamba Cocktail Tree


Can’t make your way to SushiSamba in NYC? How bout ordering a piece of their iconic décor for your home? Check out this hand-made, one of a kind wrought-iron cocktail tree made expressly for SushiSamba by Brooklyn-based artisans. Perfect for the holiday season, I’m only sorry I didn’t see this earlier. Available online for US$250 at SushiSamba

Read More...

Monday, December 20, 2010

Private Eyes


It's my rule not to spend too much on designer sunnies, because I'm a bad and careless person who throws them into the depths of my carryall until they are mangled beyond recognition. Bad habits die hard. For those of you who exhibit more loving behaviour towards your possessions, Prada's new "Private" glasses are pretty awesome.

The earpieces of the glasses are customizable with letters and symbols that allow you to express yourself at whim -- thanks to an easy system of screws and bars, you can easily switch out parts as often as you want. You can buy letters individually or in a full set (of course, if your initials are duplicates that might present a problem -- sorry, Willy Wonka, Tila Tequila and Donald Duck). The glasses come in black, white and tortoiseshell and are available in Prada stores in select regions around the world -- and guess what, Hong Kong is one of them. Hallelujah to our power-spending ability!


The default initials are PR, so if those happen to me your initials, good for you.



Read More...

Memorable Retreat: Encore


Food and travel guest blogger hkLifestyleGeek gives us her next scoop on fantastic restaurants around town and travel tips. Contact her at hklifestylegeek@hkfashiongeek.com 

Looking for a way to pamper yourself over the holidays? A fabulous quick getaway to make you feel like a star is Wynn Encore,

Next door to Wynn Towers, Wynn Encore is where luxury really begins. The lobby is very fancy with high ceilings and marble floors. And when you check in and see 1,000 moon jellyfish floating around in the tank above the service desk instead of a flower arrangement, you know you're in for a memorable stay.

And the rooms are unforgettable. All 369 Wynn Encore Deluxe Suites are red -- floor-to-ceiling red -- which could either entice you to be very passionate with your significant other or very hungry. It's a bold colour choice for a hotel, and it's paired well with gold accents, from gold-framed mirrors and marble floors. There's a giant flat-screen LCD TV that swings back and forth between the bedroom and the living room, and don't forget the amazing view of the Macau skyline outside the window.

The bathroom is large, with a separate shower and bathtub complete with a small TV screen. There are also two large sinks and a vanity mirror so you will be sure you look your best once you walk out the door. The bath products are exclusive Desert Bambu, and the slippers are fancy too, with padded soles.

The uber rich can stay in one of the four villas divided into two floors. Over 7,000 square feet each, they have three bedrooms, private gym, dining room and 24-hour butler service. If you need to ask how much the villas cost, then you shouldn't be staying there.

But we can always dream, right?

If you're feeling lucky, the casino isn't far from the lobby. But for those wanting an entertaining gourmet experience at night should head to Ristorante Il Teatro for some contemporary fine-dining Italian. Make sure you get a table near the main window that overlooks Performance Lake for some dancing water action accompanied by familiar tunes like Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas, Bonnie Tyler with Holding Out for A Hero, Luck Be A Lady by Frank Sinatra and most appropriately, Money Makes the World Go Round from Cabaret.

The service here is impeccable, the food -- especially the seafood dishes -- is excellent. Chef de Cuisine Anthony Alaimo creates artistic designs on the plate, making them almost too pretty to eat, especially the desserts.
For breakfast in the morning head to Cafe Encore, which has a lime green and black colour scheme that goes well with Asian complexions. The Baroque-style interior is over-the-top, but the food is down-to-earth. If you've indulged too much the night before, there's lots of healthy options like homemade granola, yogurt and cut fresh fruit.

More pampering can be found at The Spa Encore, and leave yourself plenty of time to enjoy the facilities here. The spa suites include a hydrotherapy bath where you can soak in some essential oils before your treatment. The room also includes a steam room and sauna as well as shower. Staff will gently knead your sore muscles and leave you in a state of bliss.

Sounds like the perfect weekend, no?

Wynn Encore
Rue Cidade de Sintra, Nape
Macau
(853) 2888 9966
www.wynnmacau.com

Read More...

Bag Lady: Mulberry Bayswater patent-leather bag

It....is....so...PINK. I can't stop looking at it. At Net a Porter

Read More...

Friday, December 17, 2010

Going for Gold


For those of you who follow me on twitter, you will know that I’ve been spending a lot of time at Gold by Harlan Goldstein lately as the day job is doing the PR for that restaurant. And one of the perks of the job is that I get to take media out to try the food. And when you’re dining at the same restaurant five times a week, it really only is a perk when the food is fantastic so it’s much kudos to Chef Harlan and his team that we’ve managed to have impeccable meals pretty much every time we’ve been there (which is pretty amazing as every restaurant is bound to have teething issues.)


Of course, Gold by Harlan Goldstein is no ordinary restaurant and this is not the PR Geek in me talking, the restaurant opened to a full house on the first night and had everything go smoothly so it really is quite remarkable. Gold by Harlan Goldstein also transforms into a chill out lounge after dinner hours which is quite a nice idea considering it has an awesome terrace. I can go on and on about the design of the restaurant, the private room with its own wine cellar, the HK$2.38 million dollar bottle of wine and the philosophy behind Chef Harlan’s cooking (slow cooking, smoking and the freshest ingredients by the way) but the food is the definite highlight here and so rather than natter on, let’s get to the dishes. I apologise in advance for the photos. It’s awfully hard to whip out the iPhone and take images when the media are raring to try the food so it’s a combination of press shots, some done by Alex (one of the journos at a media tasting) and moi.


Up first, the foie gras with green apple ice and black fig jus. Call me jaded but I’m a little bored of the usual foie gras with the fruits by now. This dish however, with the apple ice, was a nice twist to the usual. The combination of the cold and the hot made the taste pop out quite a bit.


Hokkaido sea scallop carpaccio with slowed cooked Japanese organic egg and white truffle dressing. I didn’t get to try this as I’m allergic but judging from the orgasmic faces that the journalists made while consuming this, I would definitely recommend to those scallop loving folks.


Giant Portobello mushroom with black truffle crust and porchini fondue. If you love mushrooms, look no further than this. It’s like a trio of mushroomy goodness combined to create the ultimate shroom experience.


Crispy oysters with piquillo pepper salsa, creole remoulade and crumbled chorizo. Again, didn’t try it, damn me and my aversion to shell food. However, to quote a journo who is in love with oysters, “it doesn’t get much better than this.”


The pastas I’d say are really Chef Harlan’s forte. His homemade pastas have consistently been the perfect amount of al dente and are chockfull of flavour. There’s the signature wagyu beef cheek ravioli which ShoeGeek and I both fell in love with when we reviewed his former restaurant Tuscany by H and is a must try.


Then the truffle papardella with wild forest mushrooms, black truffle and smoked organic egg is extremely filling but that food coma you get after consuming this dish is well worth it.


The amazing seafood spinobelli pasta with vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, basil, roasted garlic and a touch of chili is great for someone who want something that has that oomph of seafood taste combined with that fresh tomato sensation.


While the US Manila clam linguine has super fat clams (conjuring up the scene in Alice in Wonderland in my head somehow even tho I know those should be oysters right?) and the linguine was simply infused with the taste of clam.


There was one dish that drew a collective gasp from the table every time we order it and that’s the 35oz The Big G wagyu fiorentina served with crispy rocket, rosemary garlic potatoes, white truffle dressing and a touch of aged balsamic. Yes you read it correctly, it’s 35 whopping ounces. That’s over two pounds. Be sure to order this steak medium rare or even rare if you are the type that loves your meat. In fact, if I weren’t hosting media lunches, I would happily take that bone and pick at it for the rest of the afternoon.


The melt in your mouth Scottish salmon does just that. It’s prepared to the perfect temperature which I’m grateful for as overcooked salmon is just gross.


If after all that, you are in the mood for dessert, well there’s a plethora of desserts to choose such as the frozen yoghurt that is touted as healthy, light and golden (which Chef Harlan always gives an ironic chuckle when introducing it) and gives you the option to spike it up with Baileys, Grand Marnier, Kahlua etc.


Other options include the chocolate macaroon which was fairly pleasant and the Berry-berry fantastic cheese cake. ShoeGeek loved the cheese cake as it has an unique mango foam around its edge and the Tahitian vanilla and orange flavoured crème brulee might just be my favourite with its light texture but rich taste.

So yes, after almost a thousand words describing the food that I’ve had in the past week, I shall leave you with this tip. Lunch at Gold by Harlan Goldstein is an absolute steal. Lunch sets are priced at HK$218 + 10% for an appetizer buffet that includes seafood and parma ham, a choice of five mains, dessert and coffee and tea.

Level 2 LKF Tower
33 Wyndham Street
Central
Kong.
+852 2869 9986
dine@gold-dining.com

Read More...