Travel Diaries: Colors of Hong Kong

 

Hello all!

It's time to share some of my current travels with you.  I have been enjoying my first few days in Hong Kong this past week.  I haven't been back here in seven years, so there is plenty to see and do that is fresh and new to me.  It's actually been nearly a week here, but the flight is so long that the jetlag takes quite some time to adjust to. 

As you may know, Hong Kong is a huge city, bustling with people and sometimes even more crowded than New York City.  The food is certainly a main highlight, as well as rich history and culture.  I do have some relatives and friends of family here, so we started the first couple of days having meals together and catching up.  On our third day, we visited a great island called Lai Chi Wo, more about which I will write about below.  Enjoy part I of my Hong Kong travel diary.
 

Victoria Peak

A must when visiting HK.  The tallest peak in Hong Kong, naturally you will enjoy the best views in the city, with options of doing so by hiking up to panoramic views, or sitting at restaurants for dinner and dessert, or, like I did, visiting the renowned Tsui Wah for traditional breakfast toast and milk tea.

Pottinger Street

One of the oldest streets in the Wan Chai area, you enter by walking up centuries-old stone steps, and pass the many stands selling everything ranging from threads & ribbons to Halloween costumes and shoes as you ascend.

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The Look

As for what I'm wearing: the weather here is still quite hot, but luckily when we arrived, the rain cooled things down a bit.  However this time of year here, it still feels like summer.
Knowing this, I had to pull my sandals and shorts back out from my summer clothes, which was something I was happy to do.  Also, in case you were wondering, the sleeve trend is not going anywhere anytime soon, so you might as well embrace it.  There really are some great options though, take a look at some I've listed below, and let me know if you don't find one that you like :)

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The Island: Lai Chi Wo

This 400-year old UNESCO Heritage site is an island off the coast of Hong Kong and closer to China where the ancient Hakka people chose to settle, and somehow to this date have been able to preserve their land and culture with minimal outside disturbance.  A total of 20 people live on this entire island.
The only time visitors are allowed typically is on weekends.  It's amazing to see how they continue to get along without the disturbances of the technology and noise the rest of the world has developed in efforts of becoming more efficient with time.

Living Quarters

They do have electricity, but after dark still rely on gaslamps if they need to get up in the middle of the night when nature calls.  And I do literally mean "nature," if you catch my drift.

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The Meal

An incredible lunch prepared by the local chef, consisting of the locally and organically farmed ingredients they typically consume.  The dishes were cooked in sauces similar to what we often use in Chinese cuisine, but with the chef's own style, and much lighter than what is typical.  The meats and vegetables were so fresh that the quality minimized the need for further seasoning.
Afterwards he came out to talk with his satisfied patrons, and to answer the many questions people had about his ingredients and preparation methods.

Getting to the island required a ferry ride that took an hour-and-a-half each way.  Though as you can see, the views were lush and scenic, and the destination was well worth the time.

More to come, stay tuned.

x

Beautyphyle: Travel Essentials

Left to Right:

  1. Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask
  2. Ponds Facial Wipes
  3. BareMinerals Complexion Rescue
  4. By Terry Baume de Rose
  5. Ren Global Protection Day Cream
  6. Clinique High Impact Mascara
  7. Josie Maran Argan Oil Hair Serum

Hello all!  If you've been following me on Instagram, you know that I've been traveling around Italy for the past two weeks.  I'm about to head back to New York and share all of my travel adventures with you, but first, as I prepare for my flight, I'm going to share some beauty intel for my fellow travel-fiends.  Share your thoughts in the comments and we'll chat when I get back! x

When you're packing for travel, some of your most important beauty items should be aimed to protect your skin for the flight over, where the air is super drying and without ventilation.

  1.  The #1 key to staying fresh on a long flight: Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!  I use an intense night formula on the plane, because really, you can't overdo it.
  2. You can't moisturize until your face is fresh and clean.  Quick and convenient facial wipes are my savior both on the plane and anywhere on-the-go.  Ideal for lazy girls.  Don't worry, no one will see you without your makeup while you're on the long plane ride!
  3. This CC cream slash tinted moisturizer has taken me from the winter through to my warm-weather travels.  It really is super hydrating, and makes me feel less guilty than putting on regular makeup after my skin has been sitting in the stagnant in-flight air.
  4. Dry lips can be guaranteed if you don't apply something proactively, and if you forget to bring something for them, it's the worst!  Bonus for its multi-purpose use on cuticles and touching up brows and dry patches.  See how small mine is?  A little goes a long way.
  5. Did I mention moisturize?  I love Ren because it's free of harsh chemicals and- a personal priority- fragrance-free.
  6. Because we all need a quick touch-up after that rough ride and broken intervals of sleep.
  7. A touch of this puts life back into the ends of my hair (don't apply oil to the roots), and it smells fantastic.

Ps - people forget this- drink plenty of water!  Super important.  None of these products will do you any good if you don't hydrate.  Your body needs it.

What are your travel essentials?  Similar, or completely different? Would love to hear. 
Also, I will give away the pictured Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask and Clinique High Impact Mascara to one random commenter!

x
Sabrina
 

Get-Away with Style

When I travel, I like to bring pieces that are versatile, and also outfits that require minimal thinking or fuss.  For this reason, I'm a big fan of one-pieces.  Not only is it an instant outfit without having to think of what to match it with... It makes for lighter luggage to haul around airports as well.  This pretty little corset one-piece from Haute Hippie is one of these said pieces, and I brought with me to Curacao for just that reason.  Well, that and the fact that I was packing last minute and this was easy to throw into my luggage at 3am, mere hours before my  international flight. 

See more of my travel style and tips discussed on www.hautehippie.com, and if you have any travel style tricks of your own, please share them in the comments!


 

Photos by Tony Yang

Welcome to Japan

Konnichiwa, from Japan! I have been traveling around the land of the rising sun for my very first time, and this place is just magical.  It's another world in so many ways, it's hard to find a place to begin.  Why not start with the street style?  As soon as I arrived here, I could see the colorful, light, and animated character in everything- their environment, their personalities, and especially the way they dress.  The biggest compliment you can get is for someone to tell you that you are "kawaii".  The word means "cute", and cute is big in Japan.  Basically they substitute the word for everything that we would describe as "cool", "awesome", or "beautiful".  Check out some of my first shots of Japan street style below.  These photos are from Kyoto, the old city, where people are a bit more conservative and traditional, wearing many pale neutrals and flat shoes and wedges, but still cute, or "kawaii".

Top - H&M//Shorts - Rag&bone//Sneakers - Converse
Tote - Lowry's Farm

I tend to keep my travel style basic, as I am always doing tons of walking, especially when I am going out to sites in a place like an old city.  The sheer tank helps me stay cool in this hot and humid climate.  And sneakers are an obvious choice for me to prepare for climbing many temple steps and walking many streets.  Though I often see girls in heels at the sites; I don't know how they do it.

The tote was a gift-with-purchase from a popular clothing store here in Japan.  More on that later.

Another thing I love about this place is the abundance of beautiful and exotic looking flowers everywhere, lining the streets, outside small shops, even on busy roads where you wouldn't expect it.  Some are intoxicatingly fragrant and just add to the senses which cumulatively are almost overwhelming to take in all at once.  Yet they complete the experience and bring to you the happy peacefulness that is Japan.

More to come.  Stay tuned!