Cher2: nail polish heaven

I've been away from here for the past little while, having traded Sydney for a fast paced Hong Konger's life (thank god for university breaks) and shopping to my heart's content. Back now and I must introduce everyone to one of my favorite shops- Cher2, a discount nail polish retailer (did a google search a while ago and couldn't believe the lack of results that came back). The range is amazing and bargain hunting (OPI for less than 10AUD!) could just be my middle name, so what not to love?

Look at the website for the store list- it might involve navigating dark old elevators but the result is well worth it.

Hong Kong x Tokyo. A recap. Part II.

OK. Onto the Tokyo part of my trip. I stayed in Shinjuku, so I was in the Ginza/ Shinjuku/ Harajuku area quite a bit. And then, I went to the other shopping hot spot Shibuya as well. Akihabara for all my electronic/ techno needs (massive massive stores), sight seeing at Asakusa and a day trip to Yokohama. I won't bore you with the details, but it consisted of a whole lot of shopping, walking around and eating. You know- ramen and sushi and all that good authentic Japanese food. A special mention must be made for the Tsukiji fish market as the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. A tourist area for sure, but the food was fantastic. Long lines for a sushi breakfast- impossibly fresh and the best sushi I've ever tasted.

On the fashion front, Harajuku had these grand flagships so I went snap happy:
The signature black and white Chanel look reflected in the color scheme of the store. I love the color blocking and it's style is classic with a twist- an embodiment of the Chanel design principles.
The Louis Vuitton store, in my mind, takes its inspiration from domestic architecture. The roof of the building looks like the modern house and whilst I don't think it's the most glamorous Louis flagship in the whole of Tokyo (the one at Roppongi beats this in terms of design hands down)... I sure won't mind living here.

This next one was snapped at Ginza. The Lanvin store. It's quirky and I like that. It stands out from your standard store fronts because of the black. I don't really know what else to write so I'll leave it at that (I think it's because I've been here quite a few times already). Preview: the next holiday recap post goes to my shopping loot!
Photo cred: myself

Hong Kong x Tokyo. A recap. Part I.

So, let's see. Where to start... (I've got so much to say!) I traveled over to Hong Kong for approximately one month/ month and a half, from the start of February to early/mid March... as well as going to Tokyo from the 21st to the 26th. It was cold- around 9°C when I arrived in HK. I know that's probably nothing to most of you considering that it probably snows in winter wherever you are, but for someone like me (who was traveling super light) it's bad. Especially since HKers walk everywhere and there's no adequate heating system in place in the shopping centers.
The shopping was, of course, heavenly. I bought so much- lots of jeans, shorts, shoes, makeup (I went CRAZY!), scarves, coats, a few electronic items... you name it, I probably got it! If you ask me to name some shopping hot spots in HK, I'll definitely have to say:
Causeway Bay- it's a smörgåsbord of the high and low. You'll find the Lane Crawfords and Louis Vuittons alongside local fashion boutiques in the shopping arcades. This is definitely my personal favorite, along with...
Mongkok- which is completely packed neighborhood and has lots more little arcades. I recommend the Argyle Center- a 4 level something with lots lots of stores selling a variety of goods from jewelry to fashion, hosiery and shoes at affordable prices(The con is that you cannot try on any items of clothing). The shopping center Langham Place is also worth going to- take the long escalator up to the very top and you can wander back down through the little lanes and "cobblestone" paths.
Admiralty /Central / Tsim Sa Tsui- all the brand names you could ever ask for (along with the staples). These districts have a stronger Western influence and it really shows in the culture of the area. Lang kwai Fong / Soho area at Central is a definite mention for bar-hopping

One of the places I was looking forward to going was Elements, HK's newest shopping mall, which opened in October last year. Developed by the MTR corporation, it's situated right above the Kowloon MTR station. The concept of the mall revolves around the five elements of nature- metal, wood, water, fire and earth . Take a look at the interiors here.

Elements houses all your favorite luxury brands. Prada, Lanvin, Cartier, Valentino, Fendi, Gucci, Vivienne Westwood, Jill Stuart and Versace just to name a few. Here- I took a few photos of the Lanvin store display- the warped design of the balcony railings on its second storey (it's a 2 level store).
Doesn't everyone wish they live in a fantasy like this? I sure do... I've been staring at the picture for the last few weeks and I'm still not over the beauty of it. It's clean vintage and just major!

I think that's about it on the HK front. Look out for my Tokyo recap
Photo cred: myself

Gone for a month.

I'll try to update if I can get my hands on a computer, but otherwise... I will be taking a one month hiatus from now until early March. This time tomorrow, I'll be arriving into Hong Kong- which is where I'll be spending most of my time (with a mini trip to Tokyo thrown in for good measure).
I'm going to take lots and lots of pictures of just about anything and everything, from lovely store displays to elegant architecture to my own purchases, to show you girls.
Until then... I'll miss you all dearly.
Au Revoir!
Photo cred: Hong Kong- The City of Nights (Lights) Photo Gallery