Pearl of the Orient

My first meal in Hong Kong was on Gough St. at Kau Kee Restaurant (九記牛腩 ). They are famous for the beef brisket noodles, and for good reason!The place gets a line about 45 minutes before they open, but the wait is well worth it. You and your friends won't be getting a table all to yourself because the owners fill every seat to make sure that they can serve as many people in there as possible. Not a bad system if I do say so myself. Pretty sure the two people we had to share with were calling me an obnoxious gweilo the whole time considering how many pictures I was taking. Luckily, I had my friend Christy to guide the way. She was so great getting me set up in Hong Kong; she hooked me up with an amazing apartment in Central and turned me on to a new company called Handy, which is a must if you are visiting Hong Kong! For about $10 (US) a day you get unlimited 3G and international calling. You can also set up the phone as a WiFi hotspot so you can blog, work, or cruise the internet wherever you are! Each Handy device comes with a built-in city guide, with categories covering restaurants, shops, experiences, bars, and attractions. With just a few clicks, you can pinpoint your exact location on a map, reserve a table at a waterfront restaurant, or navigate your way to the nearest attraction. Genius!

After lunch, one of Christy's friends took me over to Kowloon (or more commonly known in Hong Kong as TST). While he was getting a suit tailored, I walked the Avenue of Stars which is their version of the Walk of Fame. There are a couple of fun statues, but the real treat is the view of the city!

After taking in the views, I grabbed an egg custard (a HK staple) and stook the Star Ferry, which is the oldest form of public transportation in the city, back over to Central. 

Later that night, Christy and her boyfriend, Ben, took me up to the Peak to see one of the best views of the city. After walking around for a bit, we cabbed back down to Duddell's where we shared a few delicious cocktails. 

That first day really set me up to fall in the love with the city. While it's not so big in size, there was so much to explore and experience. Can't wait to share my adventures from the days to follow.

Kick ass view from my apartment (Precinct Serviced Apartments) in Central HK. 

On a separate note, here's to the Red Sox demolishing the first game of the World Series! I was that weird American cheering at 8AM down at the breakfast buffet. It was a little reminder that while I am having a blast on the other side of the world, there are still some things I miss about home. 

Get the Look: Shirt, Joie // Scarf, Old Navy