It's very light, compact, versatile (over 1000 percussion sounds), and perhaps most importantly, quiet (I can plug in headphones so that the rest of the hall doesn't have to listen to me). It also makes a nice conversation piece - and might let some of the residents (including Katherine!) get the drumming experience they've always wanted. ;>
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Quiet drumming...
Now that we have a bit of space, I've been wanting to return to my percussive roots, so this week I picked up a Roland electronic drumkit...
It's very light, compact, versatile (over 1000 percussion sounds), and perhaps most importantly, quiet (I can plug in headphones so that the rest of the hall doesn't have to listen to me). It also makes a nice conversation piece - and might let some of the residents (including Katherine!) get the drumming experience they've always wanted. ;>
It's very light, compact, versatile (over 1000 percussion sounds), and perhaps most importantly, quiet (I can plug in headphones so that the rest of the hall doesn't have to listen to me). It also makes a nice conversation piece - and might let some of the residents (including Katherine!) get the drumming experience they've always wanted. ;>
Haunting of the 10th Floor!
The 10th floor of our residence hall was haunted last night and its occupants gave tours, two people at a time, to all who dared enter....
We were shown out of the elevator into seemingly endless dark corridors...
...before my camera mysteriously went haywire, refusing to capture any of the horrors that lurked within. Fortunately, though, everyone made it out alive, and my camera returned to normal.
Halloween isn't something that has been historically celebrated in Hong Kong, but in recent years it has become more popular with certain parts of the community. Decorations, costume parties, and a haunted version of Ocean Park (Hong Kong's most popular theme park) are highlights, but trick-or-treating is very rare. It is pretty difficult, since almost everyone lives in an apartment with a locked security gate on the ground floor. So, if there's going to be any trick-or-treating, it would be confined to the complex you live in.
As such, Katherine and I stocked up our candy and hung a "trick or treat" sign just in case anyone wanted to give it a shot...
(Our colors are Halloeen-themed, but we're not really dressed up as anything...except head-wounded versions of ourselves. ;>)
In the end, though, we had to go outside and push candy on whomever we could find, no one came a-knockin'. Perhaps though our years here we will train them better. ;>
Happy Halloween!
We were shown out of the elevator into seemingly endless dark corridors...
...before my camera mysteriously went haywire, refusing to capture any of the horrors that lurked within. Fortunately, though, everyone made it out alive, and my camera returned to normal.Halloween isn't something that has been historically celebrated in Hong Kong, but in recent years it has become more popular with certain parts of the community. Decorations, costume parties, and a haunted version of Ocean Park (Hong Kong's most popular theme park) are highlights, but trick-or-treating is very rare. It is pretty difficult, since almost everyone lives in an apartment with a locked security gate on the ground floor. So, if there's going to be any trick-or-treating, it would be confined to the complex you live in.
As such, Katherine and I stocked up our candy and hung a "trick or treat" sign just in case anyone wanted to give it a shot...
(Our colors are Halloeen-themed, but we're not really dressed up as anything...except head-wounded versions of ourselves. ;>)
In the end, though, we had to go outside and push candy on whomever we could find, no one came a-knockin'. Perhaps though our years here we will train them better. ;>
Happy Halloween!
Monday, October 20, 2008
A visit from Mary and Larry!
Mary (a colleague of mine at Michigan) passed through Hong Kong this weekend with her husband Larry, so I spent the whole of Sunday whisking them around town...
We started at their hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui and...
Quite a full and fun day!
We started at their hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui and...
- strolled down the Victoria harbor front
- crossed the harbor on Star Ferry
- passed through the weekly farmer's market in Star Ferry pier
- canvased Central, witnessing the amazing congregation of Filipinos in one of Hong Kong's great Sunday traditions
- explored SoHo, making sure to take a turn around Lan Kwai Fong
- rode up the mid-levels escalators, taking a break for a light snack at the Hang Fa Lau dessert shop branch found Wellington Street
- hopped on a minibus, which took us close to the University of Hong Kong
- carefully walked a ways down steep Centre Street and then hung a left onto High Street to see where Katherine and I lived when we first arrived
- snuck up Hing Hong Street, leading us to the University of Hong Kong main entrance
- meandered around the campus, seeing "Happy Square", the library, the lotus pond, Chong Yuet Ming complex, the (closed) bookstore, Main Building, and Katherine's office
- hopped on a bus which took us directly to where Katherine and I live
- gave the apartment tour, relaxed and chatted for awhile
- set off for Causeway Bay, passing through Admiralty and Wan Chai on the way
- crisscrossed through the shopper-packed streets, sighting Sogo and Times Square before having both hot and cold turtle pudding
- hopped aboard the MTR and zipped back to Tsim Sha Tsui for a delicious hot pot dinner at Yau Gwat Hei
- saddled up again on the MTR bound for Mong Kok, where we ducked down Tung Choi Street (for the Ladies' Market) and had some mango desserts
- used the MTR to get us to Jordan so we could run the length of Temple Street (to see the Night Market)
- rode the MTR once more back to Tsim Sha Tsui and their hotel
Quite a full and fun day!
University of Hong Kong Open Day....
Hong Kong U held it's "Open Day" this Saturday, inviting the public to come on by and meet students/faculty/staff, learn about student life and academic programs, etc. Our residence hall, among others, also participated by setting up an information booth, giving hall tours, and performing in the day's opening ceremonies...
Katherine and I went over to spend some time with folks from the hall, as well as the School of English, spreading cheer (and carbs) with a few snacks and drinks. It was a great time.
Katherine and I went over to spend some time with folks from the hall, as well as the School of English, spreading cheer (and carbs) with a few snacks and drinks. It was a great time.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
An night on the town...
The past few weeks have been so busy for us that we really haven't been able to venture beyond our little corner of Hong Kong Island. On Friday, though, we decided to put everything on hold, take a breather, and spend some time in Causeway Bay. Inevitably, that means food!
We decided to head to a place, just behind the SOGO department store, famous for its buffalo milk desserts. We'd been there once before, and quite enjoyed it, but neglected to photograph the event. We wouldn't make the same mistake twice. :>
Katherine dives in to her bowl of soup noodles, which look like...
On the left you see tender beef brisket, in the center you see a few tiny abalone, and on the right you can see the ho fun noodles peeking out from the broth.
My bowl consisted of goose liver dumplings (right) and balls made from beef tendon (left). Both were delicious, despite what you might be thinking. ;>
After dinner, we did a bit of shopping in Times Square and then visited a dessert shop we'd been eying (but had never set foot in before)...
Sometimes I get so excited that I skip the spoon and just plant my face right in the food. I'm sure you understand, especially since we shared...
A special variation of yeung zi gum lo, my favorite Hong Kong dessert, which contained iced mango pulp in addition to the standard chunks of mango, pomelo, and sago in a coconut milk + mango juice soup.
After dessert, we went to IKEA and picked up a coconut tree (yes, IKEA sells plants too :>) for our living room. As soon as we got it in the door, Fui Fui became very excited, lunging at the broad leaves...
Through the eyes of Fui Fui, all things are toys. :>
We decided to head to a place, just behind the SOGO department store, famous for its buffalo milk desserts. We'd been there once before, and quite enjoyed it, but neglected to photograph the event. We wouldn't make the same mistake twice. :>
Katherine dives in to her bowl of soup noodles, which look like...
On the left you see tender beef brisket, in the center you see a few tiny abalone, and on the right you can see the ho fun noodles peeking out from the broth.
My bowl consisted of goose liver dumplings (right) and balls made from beef tendon (left). Both were delicious, despite what you might be thinking. ;>
After dinner, we did a bit of shopping in Times Square and then visited a dessert shop we'd been eying (but had never set foot in before)...
Sometimes I get so excited that I skip the spoon and just plant my face right in the food. I'm sure you understand, especially since we shared...
A special variation of yeung zi gum lo, my favorite Hong Kong dessert, which contained iced mango pulp in addition to the standard chunks of mango, pomelo, and sago in a coconut milk + mango juice soup.
Bananas rolled in pastry shells and baked, then sprinkled with powdered sugar.
After dessert, we went to IKEA and picked up a coconut tree (yes, IKEA sells plants too :>) for our living room. As soon as we got it in the door, Fui Fui became very excited, lunging at the broad leaves...
Through the eyes of Fui Fui, all things are toys. :>
Thursday, October 9, 2008
The Hong Kong lobby...
My Michigan absentee ballot just arrived in the mail so I ripped that baby open and started to fill in the little ovals...
...but it would be unlawful for me to show you my ovals, so you just get a "before" picture. :> Once all the ovals I liked were filled, I stuffed the ballot in its security envelop, signed it, and sealed it...
Now I just have to hop down to the post office, stick some stamps on it, and slip it into the collection bin. Democracy at work!
...but it would be unlawful for me to show you my ovals, so you just get a "before" picture. :> Once all the ovals I liked were filled, I stuffed the ballot in its security envelop, signed it, and sealed it...
Now I just have to hop down to the post office, stick some stamps on it, and slip it into the collection bin. Democracy at work!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
A beautiful wedding banquet!
A good friend of ours, Janice, got a good dose of Holy Matrimony this weekend and she, along with her new husband Thomas, very kindly invited us to join them for their wedding banquet celebration.
When we arrived, we met with some mutual friends and then hopped in line for a group photo with the happy couple. Here's what we could see from the line...
After posing, we found our table (#21) in the back corner of the room. Seeing how we're pretty serious troublemakers, I wasn't surprised. ;> Our table, though, gave a very good of the whole setting...
Lots of people, as you can see, and there were even more tables-ful just around the corner to the left.
Later in the evening, after changing her attire a few times, the bride brought her husband over to visit us...
They are in the center back row, just to my left. (In the front left, you may recognize Ronald, a good friend of ours who has appeared a few times in the blog. :>)
Note that wedding banquets are full of great food, and this one was no exception, but I'm sparing you most of it. One thing, however, I just couldn't resist taking a picture of...
Homemade marshmallow peeps (except, instead of being coated with colored sugar, they used grated coconut)! These were delicious!
It was a great time, full of great eats and great people. And it was timed just right - we finished up just before midnight, which meant that I could get home just in time to watch VT beat Western Kentucky. ;> Quite a nice Saturday.
When we arrived, we met with some mutual friends and then hopped in line for a group photo with the happy couple. Here's what we could see from the line...
After posing, we found our table (#21) in the back corner of the room. Seeing how we're pretty serious troublemakers, I wasn't surprised. ;> Our table, though, gave a very good of the whole setting...
Lots of people, as you can see, and there were even more tables-ful just around the corner to the left.Later in the evening, after changing her attire a few times, the bride brought her husband over to visit us...
They are in the center back row, just to my left. (In the front left, you may recognize Ronald, a good friend of ours who has appeared a few times in the blog. :>)Note that wedding banquets are full of great food, and this one was no exception, but I'm sparing you most of it. One thing, however, I just couldn't resist taking a picture of...
Homemade marshmallow peeps (except, instead of being coated with colored sugar, they used grated coconut)! These were delicious!It was a great time, full of great eats and great people. And it was timed just right - we finished up just before midnight, which meant that I could get home just in time to watch VT beat Western Kentucky. ;> Quite a nice Saturday.
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