The deets- Jumper- HK boutique, Shorts- H&M, Coat- 7 Modifier, Shoes- Converse, Bag- Riverisland

A few weekends ago, Michelle and I went on an exploring food adventure amongst the Sheung Wan jungle hill landscapes. As per blogger style, we explored the best place to take outfit pictures. Sheung Wan is definitely hilly, we prepared for this, flat shoes at the ready.

Also, who knew blogging could be so dangerous ;) some of these pictures involved being taken from the middle of the road to capture the ‘best shot’, #bloggerproblems and behind the scenes tidbits for you guys.

For lunch, we settled down at Yonge Piggies for some delicious fusion Canadian hotdogs, I chose the smoked hot dog with grilled onions (the best topping ever), sauerkraut and relish, and shared some fries with Michelle.

Then later on, we wondered over to Central- LKF ;) (an area in Hong Kong known for it's clubbing/bars) as Michelle found this really nice American-Asian fushion restaurant 'street meat', I ordered the Lobster Roll with a Yoko Ono cocktail and it was divine. Michelle decided on the Beef Ramen burger and a Chuck Bass cocktail. Street Meat had an innovative design, you ate food next to the open kitchen, and through the doors (after you passed the staff's finger print security) a seperate bar and open seating area for some pre-drinks. I would definitely recommend this place for something a bit special and different.

pics taken by Michelle (thank you!)

Changes

'It is so hard to leave- until you leave. And then it is the easiest goddamned thing in the world.'- John Green, Paper Towns

I felt like I had to type up this post, and express some of my thoughts as of late. Change is difficult, it's scary too, but it's necessary. You have already changed, you're different from the person you were last year, it's pure hard fact. No one can stay the same fixed person, as much as we try.

I've realised, as terrifying this is, changes comes also with the good, we wouldn't have half the things we have now if someone didn't decide to fix it, upgrade it, alter it etc. We also need this, so embrace the change. If you hate your lifestyle, change it. Don't like your job, look for something else. The world is your oyster, and you can't be miserable for your whole life can you? Take risks, because I know I will take this approach with me.

If 2010 Sophia could see me now, she would already be in shock with how much she's changed within the last five years, grown up, got a job, started being more realistic and less naive. I even run now! So, if you think you need to do something in your life to make you happier, do it- change is good, remember that.

Guilin China Travel: Photo Diary 2014

 

Elephant Trunk Hill ( 象鼻山) the symbol of the city of Guilin. Doesn't it look like an elephant drinking water?

                              Locals keen on selling their photo-taking-on-the-raft service for RMB10

       

           

Melody in a beautiful traditional dress of the Zhuang people 

Mountains watching over Yangshuo (陽朔)

West Street (西街，陽朔）famous night life. This bar featured one of the best live bands i've ever heard in fact, along with some other surprisingly good entertainment like pole-dancing and almost naked women that you can't find in Hong Kong (or at least I've yet to have found one)

        

Fluffy & sweet flower-shaped cotton candies for only RMB5 - if only we could go back for more!

Seven Stars Cave （七星洞）- beautiful based on how far your imagination stretches (fyi the colors are produced by lights. We innocently thought mother nature did magic and made the rocks colorful)

Inside a park in Yangshuo

  

No mountain can stop us along Li River (漓江), where we flowed 83km in super cold weather from Guilin to Yangshuo 

Mountains are our friends in Yangshuo

Beer Fish (啤酒魚）is THE dish to get when you visit Yangshuo. Available in pretty much every restaurant, a whole fish costs only around RMB90-150 depending on your fish of choice, cooked with addictive flavoring that made us eat 2 bowls of rice each

Finally, this post-card worthy scene of our last day at Yangshuo.

This is what happiness looks like.

Fitness journey: Month One

To be honest we don't recall when we started exercising exactly, but it should be round about a month by now. We will try to update on the 8th of every month for the next 6 months, to see how far we go :) and we'd like to share our progress with you for two reasons. (1) a public declaration is far more powerful than a personal one (because it'll make us look like such losers if we didn't follow through)  (2) we hope that our progress will be a bit of inspiration for someone out there - to stay healthy and to put some effort into loving your body more. <3

source: http://zealousswimwear.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Exercise-Quotes-91.jpg

We started off with

• A feeling of heaviness and just general unfitness 
• A little bit of running (1km) would tire us both mentally and physically
• A lot of water retention in the body
• An unhealthy BMI and the depressing realization of being overweight
  -Sophia 61.7kg
• Apple: 67kg (how did i get here i don't know)

What we've done this month

• Maintained the oomph to gym twice a week. Once for cardio and the other for muscle building.
  The commitment is often the hardest part in the exercising routine, so if you do decide to start on one, grab a friend to do it with you! Working out together is fun and you can motivate each other to keep going.
• Planks
  -Daily planks for Sophia
  -2/3 times per week for Apple (because I suck that's why. Ok, this needs to change)
• Took the stairs instead of the escalator whenever we had the chance
• Running
• -Sophia: Around 4km per week- I find running so difficult, breathing difficulties, leg pains, dry throat
  -Apple: approximately 5km per week. It started off really hard, i experienced everything from cramps on my sides, ankle sores, running out of breathe easily, etc etc.

What we have achieved

•  Running
  -Apple: I can now do 3km at a good pace, without feeling exhausted and have no cramps either.
• -Soph: About 2km for me (a slow runner) but achievable for me

Useful motivators

• RunKeeper app
  IMO this app is a must-have for all serious runners. It's useful because it helps keep track of your running distance (via GPS), time and pace. It gives you a push when you run by reporting your running duration every 5 minutes, which makes me want to hit the next interval even more. It also has some useful training programs, but I've yet to explore them so can't comment much on that yet. Will get back to you when I do :)

• Spotify app
  Spotify's workout playlists has helped distract me from my own thoughts during the run (nudging me to stop running...so annoying), and also gave me a beat-pace to maintain.

• Heathly Instagrammers- this one sounds odd, but following people on instagram who post pictures of healthy eating or working out is so motivating, it makes you want to eat healthier and feel a bit more inspired. Ones I would recommend- blogilates, toneitup, wholelivinglauren
  

 Our aim for next month

•  Running
  -Apple: be able to cover at least 12km per week
  -Sophia: cover around 10km per week- running 3 times a week
• Weight
  -Apple: aiming for 64kg at least.
  -Sophia: Honestly, for this I would like to loose a few more kg, but I rarely weigh myself haha
• Strength 
  -Sophia- more weight training for me, I want to be able to achieve pull ups
• -Apple - to be able to do 45 seconds of plank without feeling like death is near
• Food
  -Apple: No snacking at work. Eat less carbs in general.
  -Sophia: Eat a bit healthier, stop snacking as much and as always, drink more water!

 *Don't aim to be someone else, instead aim to be a better version of yourself*

Kaleidoscope of loud heartbeats

I'm wearing shorts.. honest, also check out the mardy face (I still need to practice my poses, clearly).

Last weekend, we went to the AIA Carnival in Central, which is relatively new for Hong Kong. It boasts a selection of fun fair games, snacks, and rides. Apple won a lot of cuddly toys for Bailey, and I snacked on some delicious food (except the paella , walk away from the paella guys).

It's definitely a fun day out, and something different to do in HK, good for families, and even the more outgoing dates ;) saw a lot of guys winning toys for their dates, they were certainly brave ;)

I pieced this random outfit together- comfort is definitely a 100% priority for me and I adore this flannel shirt from Uniqlo, they have so many options to choose from as well. The side bag is super soft, and only cost me $110 from a boutique, absolute bargain!

Top- Uniqlo Flannel Shirt

Shorts- H&M Boyfriend Fit

Shoes-Converse

Scarf- Bossini

Bag-A boutique in HK

Coat-  7 Modifier

The AIA Carnival is in Central till Mid February 2015, more info here

Annie's Way Brightening Mask

Arbutin + Hyaluronic Acid Brighting Jelly Mask $129

So you may of heard of this brand "Annie's Way" and if not, well keep on reading ;). Annie's way is known for it's jelly masks and has a huge range of masks to choose from- aloe vera, camomile, etc. I went for this hydrating, brightening one because my skin requires some extra hydration during the winter months. Also the brightening effect is good for evening out skin tone colour. 

To apply, you scoop the product on a spatula or in my case, a free tea stirrer, and apply a thick layer all over your face (after your normal cleansing routine & apply toner)

Leave for around 45 minutes, then scrape off the excess off  with the spatula or a piece of tissue, rinse and voila!

I've used this mask several times now and each time my skin feels so much plumper and brighter after using. I would definitely recommend this if you feel you need some hydration.

Blushes- 8/10 as far as masks go.

Out of the Woods

But when the sun came up, I was lookin' at you

The rest of the world was black and white
But we were in screaming color

We were built to fall apart

But the monsters turned out to be just trees

Blouse-Vera Moda,

Blazer- H&M

Scarf- H&M

Skirt- Forever 21

Boots- Forever 21

Bag- Ans

Awkward posing- my own

Hey, a welcome to the New Year, these pictures were taken a while back ago, by the lovely Michelle where she took me down her neck of the woods (T Swift influenced). We had a full day of adventuring, from cat cuddles cafes (yes the best cafe invention ever) to giggling and laughing by the pier whilst I awkwardly posed for pictures (No 1 awkward person here).

We even bought T Swift inspired jumpers, really selling the 1989 vibe hard here guys, but a full day of fun. Hopefully you'll see some more outfit pictures on the blog too ;) but I ain't making any promises!

The thing about love.

The thing is, death itself is not scary. The question is, if today was your last, who would you miss the most? Think about it. Does the thought of leaving this person(s) put tears to your eyes? If you had the chance to love another day, to hold them for another day, what would you say? What would you do?

Never assume there is always a tomorrow.

RIP my lovely hamster who was always gentle and loving. If i could do it over again, I wish I wasn't so afraid of loving you towards the end. I wish I was not so afraid of losing that I didn't give as much as I could have. I wish I had a chance to say goodbye.

And with all my heart, I wish you are in a better place, with lots of sunflower seeds and nuts. And a warm place to sleep at night.

And thank you for being a part of my life. Thank you for the wake up call.

Our 2015 Goals

Sophia's 2015 Goals
1) Drink more water- this is so important and one I try to do everyday, I need to drink more water especially to keep my body healthy.

2) Write more- regardless of writing more blog posts, letters, emails etc. I just need to write more and express my thoughts through this good ol' fashioned way. 

 3) Learn- Learning is to do with self improvement so, I really want to improve my mandarin and other things such as learning to code, improve my photo taking skills etc.

4) Exercise- I feel like this is everyone's goal right? But I really want to keep healthy, I'm not that  young anymore, I need to start doing some more exercise, my metabolism isn't what it used to be.

5) Save Money- Another adult realisation, I want to save more of my money for experiences etc but also for those rainy days.  

6) Take more pictures- Believe it or not, I hate being in pictures, but I need to treasure the people around me and by doing that, documenting in pictures.

Hopefully by blogging about our goals, we can also give you updates with how we are progressing! Got to keep that motivation up ;)


Apple's 2015 Goals

1) To learn what's more important to me: standing up for myself or holding it in - I've never really learned how to handle the emotion of anger. Anger makes me shake incontrolably inside and it drives me to tears. As a result, most of the time when I see something that I feel with every cell of my body is wrong, I just watch and don't say anything. Because I'm afraid of the reaction - from the other person and of my own. If i spoke out, would he argue back? Would he say something mean? Would other people support him? And they all boil down to: would I feel embarrassed and even worse - angry? All these thoughts have stopped me from speaking out all my life. I need to find whether I prefer to voice it out and avoid the consequences, or hold it in and bear with the situation.

2) Practice long-term commitment in something
Whether it is exercising three times a week, blogging more often, or whether it is to finish that coding course I've started months ago. I want to aim to hold the passion/commitment for something I've started and actually get it done. Cos it's all or nothing, right?

3) Build some muscle, lose more fat
So that I can move lighter, faster, have a wider option of clothes, feel more confident, feel healthier. I'm aiming to drop a few kilos or a few inches - haven't decided which yet. 

4) Grow the business
I'm working on something small on the side of my day-time job. I'm not aiming to get rich & famous like Richard Branson level. But I do want to be financially free. By this, I mean not having to worry about the monthly bills, and to be able to afford the food, holidays and treats I want and my loved ones want, without being pulled back by the prices.

5) Be a better person
The last and the most important one, yet also the hardest to measure, I want be become a better person. A better version of me would be kinder, less calculative, more giving, more forgiving, more accepting, more humble, more patient, less self-centric.

Our top moments of 2014

Apple's Top Moments of 2014

1. Having Bailey join the family
Nothing beats this in 2014. Bailey entered into our lives halfway into the year, and she has brought so much laughter, love and warmth ever since.

2. Landing a good workplace
I've heard too much about the overwhelming work culture in Hong Kong - the long hours and the hierarchy. In comparison, my workplace is pleasant and fair. My colleagues make me laugh and hear out my frustrations. Our desks are spacious and comfortable, my managers are understanding and great teachers. I am very lucky.

3. Watching Tuesdays With Morrie
Because there's so much to learn about life from the book, and it was even more impactful when acted out. Thank you Mitch Albom, and thank you awesome actors.

4. Going out again
Kind of sad to admit, but at the age of 23, going out for late nights of drinking and clubbing is a thing of the past for me. I'm glad I had the chance to go out with my friends twice (yes only twice, i know) this year, it truly was a lot of fun as being drunk tipsy always is. Also, i've learned that it's quite entertaining being a wingwoman :)

5. Spending New Years eve with the boyfriend at the peak
Simply put, there's no simpler or nicer way to have spent this special evening. The weather was perfect that night, and the view was just amazing! Thank you, for being there throughout many wonderful moments of this year.

Sophia's Top Moments of 2014

1. Chinese New /Year
This was my first year in Hong Kong fully celebrating Chinese New Year, and I enjoyed every second of it, the atmosphere, seeing family- was so much fun! I can't wait to spend it in Hong Kong again!

2. Moving Jobs
This is similar to Apple (considering we work together :P) but I had a tough time finding a different job in Hong Kong, also it was a risk for me as I was so settled in my previous job- but it worked out for the best, and I've met some great people because of it. Taking risks for me so far is working out well.

3. Embracing my age
I can tell you now- I'm old at heart, I always tell people this, and they look at me with a puzzled expression, but this year I fully and am still trying to enjoy this time in my life, where I don't have any major responsibilities and have the freedom to do my own thing. Enjoy your twenties, because time really does fly by now.

4. Travelling
We literally got back from a trip to Guilin, and I had so much fun on it! I never had the opportunity to travel when I was younger, so now I'm enjoying this and felt really grateful that I got to go.

I'm looking forward to 2015- hopefully more travelling, more adventuring and also Ed Sheeran too!