Hi, it's been a while, (hope you had a good Christmas!) I guess this is more of a reminder note to myself as I go forth next year. It's that time to start resolutions and goals, which I will do and hopefully stick to. However, I also wanted to write something quickly about decluttering. After chatting with the girls today, I realised, I have a lot stuff. Mostly because my friend had the smallest amount of clothing in her wardrobe and did she seem unhappier about it? No. In fact, I think she's pretty pleased that she can open her wardrobe and not feel overwhelmed with how many things are cluttering her life.

I know the book that has been going around 'the life changing magic of tidying' and I'm sure it is- life changing I mean. However, I think before this book came out, I already knew I needed to declutter. Sometimes having a lot of things is a good thing, but if you start to feel overwhelmed then it can be the usual struggle.

It's also circles back to the problems of having too much to choose from, the options are endless now, one example is what do I wear today? Once I spent a good half an hour just deciding what to wear. What an utter waste of my time! Mark Zuckerburg, CEO of Facebook has worn the same thing every day for so long because he knows that he doesn't have to waste his time thinking about it. I'm not going to declare that I will start wearing the same thing every day, but my aim will definitely to be streamline the wardrobe (maybe try the capsule wardrobe thang) and make life easier for myself.

Sometimes, less really is more.

Why I Love Christmas

I adore Christmas, it's one of my favourite holidays and now that I'm in Hong Kong, I have to say the Christmas spirit isn't as strong here. I do miss home most around this time, hearing Christmas songs and when you're buying Christmas presents everyone loves a good natter (also I hate small talk so even I get in the Christmas spirit!)

It might be odd that I love Christmas so much, over Chinese New Year as well (all those red pockets!) However, Christmas was always fun for me because my parents used to work non stop throughout the year, Christmas was their little holiday. My sister and I had our own routine, waking up and going downstairs in our pjs. Opening presents together and just binge watch all the Christmas films during the day with our hot chocolates and toffee popcorn. My favourite Christmas film is the Santa Clause, I absolutely adore it and can and will watch it on repeat. We're spoilt with other TV shows too from Doctor Who specials or Sherlock specials to other festive films.

My parents would wake up a little later and open up their presents too, then we would start making our Christmas dinner! Usually filled with chicken or duck, my dad isn't a fan of turkey as he thinks it's rather dry and I have to agree. Sneaking in a game of Mahjong then making some more hot chocolate, Christmas for me is really spending time with my family. If you can, appreciate the ones around you, and hope you have a lovely holiday! I'll spending mine with extended family and friends :)

Master of None Review

I have a new addiction and that is 'Master of None' starring Aziz Ansari (notable works- Parks and Recreation and his best selling book- Modern Romance) and now stars and writes his own Netflix exclusive TV show 'Master of None' to describe it in one word, I would say it's refreshing. So great to see a show like this and makes us question, why has it taken this long?

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Master of none deals with the complex ways of being an adult, from learning how to find your calling and way in life to the social issues that we face. One of social issues that it covers is mostly race but paints such a true and accurate portrayal of how society treats different ethnicities. Clearly exampled in episode 4, titled ‘Indians on TV’ where Dev has to face castings and put on the ever famously racially stereotyped “Indian accent’ and that each Indian actor or any other actor of colour has to be racially cast as the background actor. Repeatedly put into the boxes of the same rolls- store owner, taxi driver etc.

As a first generation born Brit, I definitely can relate to all the things that Aziz highlights in his show, he exemplifies how difficult our parents childhoods were compared to ours and that we shouldn’t take it for granted that they sacrificed their lifestyle so their own children could have a better one.

As for the casting of this show, it’s racially diverse too, expected when the show itself talks heavily about current race issues that underpin our society as of now. The show packs a lot of funny punches and comedic timings, as well as summing up the problems that no one really wants to talk about. Feminist issues, racial issues as well as societal pressures such as getting married and being expected to have children.

I’m looking forward to seeing another season of it, as I only have one more episode left to watch! I’m already anxiously hoping for its renewal. I highly, highly, highly recommend you to watch it.

Master of None, a Netflix series.

20 Things We've Learned From Working In An Office

1. Always keep a jacket at work.

2. Most meetings are a waste of time. If you are leading one, prepare a meeting agenda, and always send a meeting summary email afterwards.

3. You will grow fatter, very quickly.

4. There will be people who are very cool outside of work, but you just can't stand them as a colleague.

5. Sometimes you just have to learn to let shit go.

6. People know who performs and who doesn't.

7. Hard work isn't enough, sometimes to get noticed, you have to ask questions, you have to do more than was expected, you have to speak up.

8. Work smart, not just hard.

9. Take notes, find a good project management tool. I'd recommend Trello, Evernote and Wrike.

10. Who ends up being your manager says a lot about your future career path.

11. There will always be someone who shows up later than you for work.

12. Meetings will almost never start on time and will include some technical faults

13. If you have a Finance team, you can go to them for Excel help

14. Make friends with the IT staff, they are the best people and the most useful

15. Ask for things after 10am (when people have had their coffees)

16. If your office is cool and lets you listen to music while you work, bring headphones, and if you can't listen to music on your desktop, use your phone.

17. You'll be super grateful for the genuine people you meet at work.

18. Monday's are just the worse, but Fridays are the best day of the weekday.

19. If you have free time, you will never be more appreciative.

20.You really appreciate the people who have great work ethics.

Finally, and most importantly, eventhough this is said too often that it's a cliche - find what you love to do, and don't stop until you get there. Take classes outside of work time, read books, find your passion.

-Apple & Sophia

The Illusion of Perfection

Yes, that looks perfect! And other lies we tell ourselves.

 
We're all under this spell, that is there is something called perfection. We're surrounded by images of the idea of perfection, perfect bodies, people, cities and perfect instagram photos. However, you have to remember that all these pictures and things are faked, oh the wonders of photo editing. Also people only capture the good moments. They aren't real life. After 23 years of life, I've come to realise that nothing is perfect and everything is flawed in some way. Whether it's people, places or feelings, perfection is just an idea and it should stay this way.

Now I can't lie and say I wasn't a fool of chasing perfection, I thought that moving to another country would mean that I would find my idea of a perfect life, but it has been far from it. It hasn't been disappointing but it's definitely not perfect. Accept your flaws, they make you- you. Remember that no one is perfect. I've spent a lot of time watching interviews of people that have been titled 'the most sexiest person of 2015 etc' and none of them claimed they were perfect. In fact, they revelled in how far from it they were, listing each thing that they do that was considered wrong and disgraceful. This was eye opening, how do perfect people not see themselves as how we do? They look perfect and fit in this idea of perfection. It's because each person knows their own flaws, and I doubt anyone sees themselves as perfect. Therefore, highlighting that this notion does not exist.

I will put my hand up and admit it too, I am a flawed human being. I have my weaknesses, my own flaws but that's what makes me human. I get to learn from my flaws, try to improve on them and be a better person. I guess, if we were all perfect, we wouldn't have that wonderful journey of self- individualism and being able to realise what type of person we are. Accept that and you will have a happier non-perfect life.

We shouldn't live to chase perfection because it doesn't exist and that's okay, it's perfect to not be perfect.

-Sophia x

Cheung Chau (長洲)

On an island far away from the city, where pirates buried their treasure and the mango mochi was born. Welcome to Cheung Chau! Home of the famous pirate of Hong Kong Cheung Po Tsai (張保仔) and where he hid treasures in a tiny cave (oh hey, it rhymes). 

A few weeks ago on a spontaneous week off from work, we decided to go to Cheung Chau as I heard this was one of the islands you should visit whilst you're in Hong Kong and I have to agree! After reaching solid land from the 40 minute ferry journey, we were welcomed with Cheung Chau's famous mango mochi stalls, extra large fish balls and other street vendor snacks. However, I wouldn't recommend going for the mango mochi at the first stall you see. After wandering around for a little while, we came across the bike rentals. Being a nervous bike rider, I attempted to control the joint carriage bike but it was far too heavy for me to operate. So instead we rented two smaller bikes. 

We were so lucky that day, the weather was perfect for a bike ride and my soul felt so happy and content slowly cycling along the pier front. It reminded me to let go of my fears about balancing on the bike and just to ride as much as I could. We came across the famous cave of Cheung Po Tsai and decided to ditch the bikes (with the locks) and hiked up the mountains. I have to say though, if you're claustrophobic then these caves really aren't for you. You definitely need a flashlight or light from your phone and to carefully duck and crawl through the cave. It was definitely an interesting experience to wriggle through them and gain an understanding of what the pirates had to do to protect their wealth.

Because we ended up riding to the other end of Cheung Chau, we cycled past this bustling mochi shop and decided to give it a try after we gave back the bikes. After biting into the durian and mango mochi, we realised why people were queuing up and grabbing boxes of them. The mango was delicious and soft, with a light juice that flowed through it. The durian was so soft and was wrapped lovingly in the mochi pastry. If you're in Cheung Chau definitely try the ones where people are queuing because it will be worth it- sadly I didn't get a picture of the name of this shop. But when you're at the pier, turn left past McDonalds and walk for 5- 10 minutes.

After indulging in the mochi and having our tiring bike ride, we decided to fill up on food before we headed back to the city. We chose a quieter restaurant and decided on individual dishes, the whole dinner with two bowls of rice only cost us around 140ish HKD and tasted delicious! Pictured are- salt and chilli prawns, stir fried bitter melon and stewed aubergine in chilli bean sauce. I would definitely recommend Cheung Chau for a day out and a place to retreat to when the urban city gets too much.

-Sophia x

UN Global Goals

Recently I heard about the Global Goals, which was a list of 17 Global Goals to achieve these three aims:

• End extreme poverty
• Fight inequality & injustice
• Fix climate change

These 17 goals aimed to help the above three points, hoping to be able to improve it for the next 15 years time. I wrote a little post for my own Instagram & Facebook pages, sharing my main goal which is number 10- reduced inequalities.

 "I first heard about the UN Global Goals a few weeks ago, and loved the idea of it. But it's just an idea, people need to make it a reality. They asked which one you supported the most and although I like what all the goals aim to achieve, the one I relate to the most and feel strongest towards is number 10- reduced inequalities. As a female and also, if you haven't noticed, Chinese. I've faced a lot of inequalities throughout my life, and even now I still struggle with it. Life has definitely improved compared to how it used to be, but it hasn't fully changed. There are still barriers, so, no matter your sex, race, religion or sexual orientation. Everyone deserves to be treated equal. I hope I can make a small change towards this"

Number 10 means so much to me personally because I feel as though my race really impacted my life, when it shouldn't of. I don't want to focus too much on this, but I was bullied quite a bit during my primary and secondary school days. I would get teased and picked on, and even now I know that if I walk down a street there will most likely be a sly comment directed towards me. Stupid things like a crappy 'ni hao' or even some made up Chinese to try and belittle me. I don't know if they are doing it spitefully, but from the looks on these people's faces when they do it, it's not out of love.

It's a shame really, that as a society race/sex/sexual orientation/religion is still an issue. Sure, it's definitely improved, but not 100%, you are still disadvantaged because of the colour of your skin, how your hair is and if you look 'different', whether you follow a certain faith. You might think, oh I'm just one person, what on earth can I contribute? Then you're wrong, you can contribute everything, as one more voice can make such a difference. Look, I'm not forcing you to follow these rules and pick one, but realise that as a human being, you have a voice and can be heard. Use that power wisely. If you ever see someone else get picked on because of their race, sexual orientation, religion or sex, CALL IT OUT. You'll feel so much better and you will be doing the biggest favour for mankind. 

This is one world after all, we all have to live in it. Also it's 2015, we're inventing things like teleporters but people are still being treated unequal, how is this social justice?

-Sophia x

psst- find more info about the UN GLOBAL GOALS

The Triple Threat

Let's just say that I adore a good face mask, and these are my top of the bunch (yes they are all origins) but recently they were promoting their campaigns about combining their masks together so I thought I would have a try too. Previously, I used these masks on their own on seperate occasions but now I like to combine them together for better results.

Firstly, after washing my face and steaming it with a hot cloth, I apply the Clear Improvement Mask on my nose. Then, I use Out of Trouble for the rest of my face and wait for it all to dry. After using some warm water to wash the masks off. I apply the Drink up Intensive for an overnight use. This stuff smells delicious and leaves my skin feeling plump in the morning.

Both Clear improvement and Out of trouble are clay masks, I would also recommend Lush's Catastrophe Cosmetic face mask for giving your skin a good cleanse. For other hydrating masks, I also adore the Annie's Way Brightening Mask

If there are any other mask suggestions, please let me know!

-Sophia x

The Allure of Winter

Winter has finally arrived in Hong Kong! Albeit a few months later than I would of hoped, however Winter brings excitement and cosy times. Here's a few of my favourite things about Winter:

• Scarves! Nothing better than bundling up in several layers
• Hot chocolates
• Opening the windows so you have feel the cold breeze but wrapping up in dressing gowns
• Hot apple juice
• Breathing outside so you can see dragon's breath
• Being able to wear dark clothes and fit in
• Boots
• The cosiest socks, bed socks are the best
• The countdown to Christmas

What are yours?

-Sophia x

Tap Mun, HK (aka Grass Island)

Last Sunday, Hong Kong was blessed with beeeeautiful weather. And of course I took advantage of it by going on an island adventure with my boyfriend and Bailey! Both of them loved this day out, except for the part where my bf got a bit impatient when we had to wait for the ferry for an hour cos' we got there too early.

Yayy, Captain Tsoi Ying (that's the name of the ferry) is here! Off we gooooo!

Tap Mun (塔門) is located in the Northeast part of New Territories, and you can either get there via Wong Shek Pier or Ma Liu Shui Pier. We took a ferry from Ma Liu Shui  pier (to get to this pier, go to University MTR station, then take a taxi). It was a very full ferry, some people and dogs had to stand, but since we got there early, we had a seat and got to enjoy the nice sea breeze and view. The ferry stops at six islands (the third being Tap Mun) in one journey, so make sure you get off the right island! 

The ferry ride took a bit longer than one hour, and when we arrived, the pier was already very crowded and brimming with the salty smell of sea produce sold by the locals. The bottom part of this island is quite similar to Peng Chau, with the fishing village, narrow streets, and more tourists than locals.

We took the route up to the Balanced Rock, because that's where the famous Grasslands of Tap Mun is. The hike up was very easy because the entire path has been paved and is surprisingly clean except for the cow poop (the other thing that Tap Mun is famous for) which was scattered literally everywhere. But I like cows, so that's ok. :)

Look how happy Bailey is :)

The hike took around 20 minutes and we were welcomed by this:

Kites, friendly cows (except when they steal your food), grass, camping tents, picnics, more cow poop, blue sky, green sea. What's there not to love?

I think Bailey tried to smile here.

Doing the Simba.

There was this group of people doing Taichi at the peak, very cool.

We walked the entire path which goes around the island once, which took less than an hour. We then spent the rest of the afternoon sitting on the grass, eating chips and chasing grasshoppers (Bailey did, not me).

This cow saved my life, long story...let me know by commenting below if you're interested ;)

And we left this island with this gorgeous sunset ending our day. Would I visit Tap Mun again? Of course! But next time I'll bring more food, a picnic mat and a few more friends. :)

-Apple

Being Independent

There's a lot of things that I'm not good at, walking without tripping over, not wearing white because fear of food stains, I can write this list endlessly so I won't dither on it now. However, the thing that I'm great at is independence. I never really thought of myself as an independent individual till recently. I guess moving to the other side of the world and not having much of a social life at the beginning can do that to a girl.

Looking back at it now, I was quite independent whilst growing up too, I enjoyed being by myself and using any spare time with my own company. I recall once, I wanted to go into town for a spot of shopping and my flat mate asked me if I needed her to go with me, I replied quickly with a no and I think for a second she was taken aback. Who goes shopping alone? Lemme tell you- this girl does. Actually, I love shopping alone, you can take your time, fret about the purchase for an hour, go into shops that you have selected and not have to waste anyone's time but your own. 

Of course there are perks to being independent, sometimes my opinion is extremely strong about this. I'm quite a proud person and also I like to feel needed/ helpful. I'll usually be the first to ask if someone needs help or jump to carry something. Usually I get told off to not carry the heavy things, but c'mon if I don't do it who will? I think that's the biggest problem I face, I'm always hesitant that no one else will pick up the slack so I go with the definitive solution for myself which is- well I'll do it all by myself! This mindset is good, but it's also harmful. As a human, you can't do literally everything by yourself, it's okay to ask for help sometimes (this is currently a thing that I'm trying to do).

I guess people might pity those who look like they are doing things by themselves, but I'll tell you a secret- I love it, I love my own company, if I'm not happy firstly with being by myself, how can I be happy being with other people? Also, 'me time' is the perfect opportunity to recharge and gather your thoughts. It's okay to be independent and want to do things by yourself, at that moment I'm alone but I'm certainly not lonely. I've come to realise two things- being independent is great, but it's also necessary to be dependent. It is also endearing to have people and family around.

However, if you are someone who hates the idea of being alone, just think about it for a minute. You will have no one bothering you for a little time being. If you can, just take some time away to be by yourself, it can be from a few minutes to hours or a whole day, then you will get a feel for it and start to crave it. Try doing a small food shop or clothes shop by yourself, then you can move into the 'bigger things' such as ordering food by yourself, maybe go for a run or bike ride alone to clear your thoughts. Me time is a much needed thing, plus you need to be happy with your own company.

Something real, make it timeless

 

These pictures were taken at beautiful CUHK (Chinese University of Hong Kong) and it's been the third time that I've been here but I adore strolling through the grounds and pretending to be a student again (long gone are those days!)

Hong Kong is strange really, in such a city-scape, you get scenic places like this that you can spend three/ four years of your education here. A lot of people get their wedding pictures taken here too, which goes to show how popular of a location this place is!

My outfit is a tad University esque, going for the casual jeans and t-shirt look. The jeans are my first high waisted skinny ripped from H&M, and they are a perfect fit. I'm still debating whether to cut off the ends or just to keep them folded up- indecisions! The top is from Pull & Bear, and is a casual faint striped tee, also the sleeves are the perfect length too. I know there's only one 'outfit post' picture but I wanted this post to focus more on the University. I've made a goal to myself for next year too so maybe this University will feature more in this blog ;)

- Sophia x

Paper Towns - Thoughts

Paper Towns, a novel by John Green, seems like the coming of age, typical young unrequited teenage love kind of book, but in fact it's so much more than that. It centres around the main character- Q (Quentin) and his last high school days. He has been in love with the adventurous girl next door- Margo Roth Spiegelman- all his life and they spend one amazing night together pulling pranks and getting up to mischief. The next day, she leaves town and Q makes it his mission to find her again.

How did you feel after reading the book? 
I felt a sense of attachment to the characters, I could relate to both Q and Margo. As I've read this book a few times now, the first time was a few years ago and my opinion on the book has differed each time. This time as I'm at a different stage of my life, I agreed with Q- the sense of routine, going about things one day at a time and building for my future. However, as I'm quite a flighty person now, I really understood the feelings that Margo had, 'It is so hard to leave—until you leave. And then it is the easiest goddamned thing in the world.' Everytime I think of going to another place, this is what I feel like, moving from the UK to Hong Kong seemed difficult, but when it happened it felt like a piece of cake.

Another theme of the book was that people are complex, which really was something for me to accept. People are just as complex as I am, and the people that we adore the most are just people too, they are the same as you and me. If you idolise them, you're disappointed if they let you down or don't give you the response that you hoped they would do. 'What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person.' There are some people that I might imagine how I think they are, but I'm surprised when they reveal what they are like. At the end of the day, they are them and they are not some figment of your imagination.

Margo also emphasised another important point to me and that was we are slaves to routine and planning for the future. 'And now life has become the future. Every moment of your life is lived for the future' I'm a slave to this too, constantly thinking about the future, what can make us happy for it? We should really live in the moment, in case the future never arrives.

-Sophia

Paper Towns is a mix of romance, comedy and mystery.

What I liked about this book is that it's not your typical chick-flick romance, but rather it's a realistic reflection of what relationships are like in the most beautiful way and painful way. Beautiful because your world can be lit up by this one person, but painful because by mis-imagining them, this could all go away.

Paper Towns made me think about identity and how much we really know a person. Heck, maybe the question should be how much do we even know ourselves? How much of us are just paper-moulded - a creation of the expectations of the people and the society around us - much like a Paper Town on a map, and how much is what we really want.

Margo's character is quirky and daring, to the extent that she becomes the highlight in many people's eyes for living what seems like the perfect life. But I believe what her friends and readers find so magnetic about Margo was not her looks/popularity, but her authencity and how much she loved life. I think she loved life because she never stopped to try to find the meaning of hers.

One of my favourite quote in Paper Towns is "It is easy to forget how full the world is of people, full to bursting, and each of them imaginable and constantly mis-imagined." To me it means that more than one individual you  meet in your life can be fascinating, if you'd open your eyes and heart.

-Apple

Throwback Thursday: The Music Edition

I was having one of those flashback days to my 14/15 year old self, lemme tell you something- I may look like a type of girl that would obsess over boy bands, the new hip hop artists (basically me now) but back then, I was nothing like I am now. I adored classic rock, punk and indie music. YES, remember the category 'indie' which was basically the 2000s callback to 'hipster', can you imagine? (I know, I'm old)

Here are a few of my favourites, they take me back to days sitting on school benches with my best friends, sharing earphones, and slowly skipping songs on our Sony mp3 players- mine was a Sony Walkman, purple edition. I didn't want an i-pod because it was far too commercialised for me, yes I was one of those kids (also because my parents are Chinese so they were always too stingy to buy/ let me buy one).

Greenday- American Idiot. This song is a TUNE, I would later on go to buy a guitar themed tie to put around my neck on top of my t-shirts.

Taking back Sunday- Make Damn Sure, I still adore this song and love love love 'Divine Intervention' - best lyrics ever.

If you were ever into punk, then you have to know one of the greatest bands ever- The Ramones (I still have the band t-shirt)

Another punk rock band fave, is The Clash, I mean- I can't even, just please listen

I know I said I adored rock etc but I have to give a little shoutout to Miss Gwen Stefani, because she still looks and sounds amazing. Also this song, just gives me flashbacks of thinking I was cool. I wish I could be that sassy

There was that awkward period of time, let's keep it to us, that I was *kinda* obsessed with Pete Doherty, to the point where I even bought his auto-biography/ biography. How could you not though, especially with this song?

Last but by far not least, the Sex Pistols, because what other band would dare to go against old Queenie?

Yeah, not the kind of music taste you would expect from a self confessed Taylor Swift fan girl, am I right? Enjoy! Let me know if you used to listen to any of these songs too!

- Sophia x

The Lost Boys

During my trip in the Philippines there was one moment of awe, when we were waiting for the boat to depart from the docks. We saw a gaggle of boys aged from 7- 10 sailing in their little boats, paddling like there was no tomorrow, headed towards us. It was apparent that they made their boats from their bare hands too. At the time, they looked excited to see fresh faces.

They climbed onto our boat, as the sides had wooden stabilisers, and started to beg for change, my friend told me that this was a regular thing that they do, and some people would throw the money into the water so they would fish it out from the sea. From the sidelines, you could view them with pitying eyes, but to me, they also looked fearless. They climbed and walked around the boat with ease, as if they were going to be recruited as pirates. Yelling and edging each other on, even though they were doing this because of their circumstances, I could feel the aura of enjoyment from them too. Someone mentioned to me that when you grow up, you never will feel that same exhilaration that you get given a certain amount of money, so much that you think how do I even spend it.

Which is true, think about it now. Money nowadays feels like it's never enough, right? You always feel like it isn't enough, you want more and aren't quite happy with what you have.

I would never wish that lifestyle of those lost boys on anyone, I wanted to pick them up and hug them. But life isn't like that, it takes moments like these to make you think things through again, to understand the values of what you have and to realise that it may not be enough to you (so you think) it could be a ever lasting fortune for someone else. Be grateful for what you have, and try and remember what it was like to have that moment as a child.

A Foreigner's Guide To Hong Kong's Dim Sum

Welcome to Hong Kong, the homeland of DIM SIM, as all traditional dim sum restaurant menus are sadly in Cantonese (even Sophia can't read most of it) we thought that making a quick and easy guide to some popular choices would make life easier for you the next time you make an order!

To begin, Dim Sum (點心) is a mixture of steamed dishes cooked in bamboo crates. Bite sized pieces are made so you get to try a mixture of things, best enjoyed with some Chinese tea too. Chinese teas can range from Pu Erh Tea (普洱 pou nei), Jasmine Tea (香片 heong pin), to Oolong Tea (烏龍 wu long). 

Here are the top hits and our personal favourites:

Congee- aka 粥 (pronounced- juk) is made from rice, and the equivalent of porridge. It has many different flavours too, the most popular and one of my favourites is century old egg with pork. Aside from this, you can also have it with fish, shredded chicken and or even plain! 

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Steamed rice rolls aka  腸粉 (pronounced- cheung fun) are rice steamed rolls that are a classic in Hong Kong, you can get them on the side stalls too. But personally for me, they taste the silkiest at restaurants. With Cheung Fun you can choose fillings from plain all the way to king prawn. They taste best dipped with soya sauce, seafood sauce or peanut sauce.

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Steamed Prawn dumping aka 蝦餃 (pronounced- ha gao) these prawns are smooth and wrapped in a translucent parcel, filled with prawns. It tastes fresh and crunchy, and to know that you have a well made ha gao is when you should be able to pick it up with your chopsticks, and they shouldn't fall apart. I always order a portion of these whenever I have dim sum. If you like a bit of spice, they taste great with some chilli sauce. 

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Pork dumpling aka 燒賣 (pronounced- siu mai) filled with ground pork and mushrooms, they are held together with a yellow wonton pastry skin. These are so popular that street vendors will sell these as snacks. You will even see them in the snacks sections of cinemas! Perfect with soya sauce and some chilli sauce too.

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Steamed pork bun aka 叉燒包 (pronounced- cha siew bao) this is sweet roasted shredded pork, wrapped inside the steamed bun. The bun tastes like the traditional mantou too, soft and creamy when added with the pork. You can just eat these on their own, but don't have too many as they can fill you up.

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Spring rolls aka 春卷 (pronounced- chun guen) usually filled with shredded meats, carrots, beansprouts and wrapped in a delicate pastry that is lightly deep fried. Nothing beats these as they are crispy and leaves you wanting more. They are served with a vinegar dipping sauce. 

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Cantonese steamed sponge cake aka 馬來糕 (pronounced- ma lai go) a fluffy steamed cake with brown colouring that tastes light and gently of caramel. Best eaten hot and slowly rip into it so you can feel how bouncy it is!

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Glutinous steamed chicken rice aka 糯米雞 (pronounced- lor mai gai) is a savoury item of rice, chicken, mushrooms and chinese sausages, wrapped in a lotus leaf and steamed. This is so filling and perfect for the colder weather when you want something hot. 

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Chicken feet in black bean sauce aka 豉汁蒸鳯爪 (pronounced- si jup jing fung jao, or just 'fung jao') - this is not for everyone, so we talk about the famous but scary 'chicken feet' it is flavoured with a delicious black bean sauce and steamed to perfection. The meat should fall apart on the bones and even though it looks strange, you should try one piece. 

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Flowing custard buns aka 流沙包 (pronounced- lao sha bao) these are a different take on the original custard buns, now in Hong Kong these are the popular ones that people order instead. Filled with a custard filling, it is flowing compared to the previous firm filling. The custard is usually very sweet and creamy as some of it is made with coconut and evaporated milk. A sweeter choice to balance out the other savory dishes. 

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Beef balls with vegetables aka 時菜牛肉球 (pronounced- si choi ngao yuk kao) these are ground beef steamed with vegetables, taste very fresh especially if you like eating beef! Great dipped with some soya sauce too. 

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Pork ribs in black bean sauce aka. 豉汁蒸排骨 (pronounced- si jup jing pai guat) these are steamed pork ribs with a black bean sauce, paired with rice it's a great mixture. This dish is full of flavour as the steaming makes the meat very appetizing.

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Steamed beef tripe aka 薑蒽牛栢葉 (pronounced- giong chong ngao pak yip) another food item that might not be for everyone, tenderised beef tripe in oyster sauce. This dish has been described as a dim sum favourite in Hong Kong restaurants, with it's unique texture and taste. If you can stomach it, give it a try!

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Turnip cake aka 蘿蔔糕 (pronounced- lo baak go) is made with shredded radish and dried shrimps. As it is lightly fried, the outside is crispy then the middle is fluffy. As there are different variations of this, I personally prefer to the spicy version. 

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Steamed fish balls with vegetables aka 時菜鯪魚球 (pronounced- si choi ling yu kao)
these is made with a special type of fish- as it has no bones in it, dipped with soya sauce too. It is delicious to eat as it is with some steamed vegetables.

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Chiu Chow steamed dumplings aka 潮州蒸粉果 (pronounced- chiu jao jing fun guo) these are filled with vegetables and pork meat in a translucent pastry, the fresh vegetables and meat are the perfect combination.

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Some of our favourite Dim Sum restaurants that you should visit as per our recommendations are:

1. Tim Ho Wan

Known as the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant chain in the world, this is a must-try for locals and tourists alike.
Address: G/F, 9-11 Fuk Wing St., Sham Shui Po, 2788-1226.

2. Lung King Heen

The first Chinese restaurant in the world to be awarded 3 Michelin stars. Pricier and posher than the humble Tim Ho Wan. If you're looking for a more comfortable and grand dim sum experience, then this is a better choice.
Address: Lung King Heen, Level 4, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong, +852 3196 8880

3. One Dim Sum

The no-reservations no-frills all-day dim sum restaurant. A great overall dimsum experience, especially if you're on a budget.
Address: One Dim Sum, Shop 1 & 2, G/F, Kenwood Mansion, 15 Playing Field Road, Prince Edward, Hong Kong, +852 2789 2280


There are some other items that we might have missed off, so what might be some of your favourites? I hope this guide gives you some idea of what to order when you're next at a Dim Sum restaurant.