Day 1 in Hong Kong and already a couple of funny things have happened:

#1 - I'm living temporary on the 13th floor of a building in Soho. There is one flat per floor. After unpacking I go dressed and ready to go out for the day. I took the stairs down to the ground level only to find myself trapped outside in an interior courtyard. It was hot, I was confused, I was waiting for a ninja to jump out at me. After a confusing few minutes I found the door to the building staff breakroom that has access into the lobby. Imagine the surprise of the front desk people when the new girl in the building popped out of their break room.

#2 - Once I made my way back into the building I composed myself, found the correct exit and made my way downstairs to go outside. I'm about to set outside when I feel SMACK! I ran right into the floor to ceiling glass wall that looks out onto the street. The noise reverberated through the lobby and my tinted moisturizer left a forehead print on the glass. A group of elementary school kids saw the whole thing and the front desk guy came running downstairs asking if I was ok. I was wishing someone else was there to laugh at it with me.

#3 - I went to what's called a Japanese Home store to buy some essentials - hangers, paper towels, adapters. These places are packed from wall to wall, floor to ceiling with stuff. I spent 20 minuted just looking around the 400 sq foot store before finding anything I needed. I did finally find adapters to convert my US appliances into a compatible plug for the HK outlets. I bought 5 thinking I was going to be all prepared. Well, I get home with my 5 adapters to realize I bought the completely wrong kind, I bought what would convert an HK plug into an Italian plug. Sono stupido. So I go back to the store. The people don't speak English but were very nice and let me do an exchange even though my new adapters were less expensive. I get back home with my 5 new adapters, go to plug one in and they are the wrong size too! They are too narrow for the plug. So here I am with 5 adapters, not sure when I can even use them. At least with the others I would be totally set next time I'm in Italy.

-CD

My Love Affair with San Francisco

First post, better make it a good one which is why I decided to focus on San Francisco, the amazing place I've called home for the past 4 years and the next 5 day. Being the lover of adventure that I am San Francisco is the perfect location. The weekends bring days at the beach, lounging with friends in the park, wine soaked Saturday's in Napa or just your good old dance party on Polk Street. The weather is perfect, always between 60-70 degrees, days of porcelain blue skies, evenings almost sure to be blustery with fog. The city where the perfect wardrobe is a cute print dress (ala Anthropology or Forever 21), leggings, killer boots, grandpa cardigan and a bright scarf twice wrapped around your neck.





And don't even get me started on how amazing the food is. Or, do get me started because, among many things, this blog is about food. Sunday morning farmers markets, gourmet restaurants like Gary Danko, Zuni and Town Hall, enjoying a burrito from the Mission taquerias, I could go on and on. San Francisco is blessed with an abundance of local produce and a community that respects that and seeks out all things fresh and local. Just the other day I went to the farmers market and picked up some summer fruit (cherries, peaches, figs). The trip in itself inspired my meals for the week - fresh fruit salad, Easy Fig and Rosemary Caramelized Onion Pizza, Fig and Goat Cheese Bruschetta. There was a fig tree growing in my stomach by Wednesday which was totally ok with me.



In a few days I pack up my life and move across the world to Hong Kong, another amazing city but in a completely different way. I'll replace cherries with lychee, sunshine with smog, Victorian flats with 100 floor buildings, my sometimes hipster San Francisco uniform with chic sundresses and sandals.




While I can't begin to conceptualize how much my day to day will change I say bring it on Asia! Can't wait to explore all the amazing things that side of the world has to offer.