Wine and Dine Festival 2011

We were told to go to this annual Wine and Dine event because it was really popular in the past.
The festival started at 4PM today open to the public after yesterday invited only gala.
We went passing by all the booths. There are definitely more wine booths than food booths.
What did we eat? And how much?

Here we are at the entrance.

2 fois gras on baguette toast

X HKD 40 each ... 80

2 pork sausages

X HKD 10 each ... 20

This even just started about 3 hours in.

1 bag of chicken pastry

X HKD 20

The French with their cheese.

1 French cheese racelette dish

X HKD 100

Highlight with a salut of Mao.

1 Swiss cheese racelette dish

X HKD 85

2 bags of pistachio nuts
X HKD 50 ... 100

5 mini French pastry
X HKD 20

2 French smoked ham
X HKD 30 each ... 60

And we still ended up at McD for the cheapest meal at HKD 20 each. Which actually filled us up ... Not very healthy ... I know.

Overall I thought this event is overrated, but yet over crowded. When the crowd comes more follows.

Exploring the other side of town

We headed out to Kowloon City today just for the heck of it. And we ended up at Kowloon City Plaza. Not many people there at 1:30PM ish.

We ate at Gin Curry probably the cheapest fast food Japanese curry place in town. You can get HKD 17.00 for a plate of rice with curry sauce on top and add a drink + fries for additional HKD 4.00. Not necessary a healthy meal, but you will get stuffed nonetheless.

Then we headed to Jusco Living Plaza, I think the store used to be HKD 10.00 for everything, but prices went up by HKD 2.00. It used to be Jusco $10 Plaza. Well everything is rising except for a living pay check for people living day by day this store may be even too much. But then for those everyday items that you are going to use it maybe worth it. HKD 12.00 for a scrub vs HKD 18 - 24 for a scrub at your local supermarket is much of saving when things add up.

This was the press release of Jusco name change and price change:

23/09/2011

(HONG KONG, 23 September 2011) – AEON Stores (Hong Kong) Co., Limited (“AEON Stores” or the “Group”) (Stock code: 984) today announced that it will rename all of its “JUSCO $10 PLAZA” shops to “JUSCO Living PLAZA” starting from 1 October 2011. The selling price of all products priced at HK$10 will be adjusted to HK$12 effective on the same day.

Stepping into its 12th year of operation since the opening of the first shop on 15 September 2000, “JUSCO $10 PLAZA” has adhered to the principle of selling products at HK$10 to offer customers a variety of value-for-money merchandise. This extraordinary value explains the popularity of these stores among customers in Hong Kong.

To unify the new brand image, all “JUSCO $10 PLAZA” shops are to unveil a new facade featuring the changed name “JUSCO Living PLAZA” starting from 1 October this year while continuing to offer customers more diverse and unique merchandise. At the same time, due to the persistently rising exchange rate of the Japanese Yen in recent years, the Group’s operating costs have surged. In order to maintain the competitiveness and the flexibility of business operations, the selling price of all products priced at HK$10 is to be adjusted to HK$12 on the same day.

Mr. Lam Man Tin, Managing Director of AEON Stores, said, “We believe that the unified brand image and price adjustment will help to bring in more diversified, unique and quality merchandise to further satisfy the needs of our customers. We look forward to consumers’ continuous support and enjoyment of the brand new shopping experience provided by AEON Stores.”

There are a bunch of mom and pop stores at this plaza. You can find some nooks and crannies cheaper than what you can find at let say compared to store like Log On. I managed to put together two gift boxes for donation to Box of Hope for HKD 108.00 (under USD 15.00) at Jusco. A cute lunchbox set and an educational set with color pencils, sharpener and alphabet rulers.

Craft scene : Zoe Chan

I am into crafting and I love it. I actually start with purchasing groupon with teacher Zoe Chan who teaches paper clay craft. She makes delicate fake food but miniature. And the miniature looks good enough to eat. I have taken her cake class and bread class. She gives you all the raw materials you need to create your version in her 1 1/2 hour class.

This is Zoe Chan's miniature bread basket. So cute.

My version and I am getting the sizes all wrong.

The guru teaching her class how to go about designing a miniature cake.

Lok Fu Plaza yarn shop - World Hand Knit Yarns

I found a wonderful ma and pa shop of yarn. I finally got some yarns made in France.

But here is about this yarn shop on a youtube video I found awhile searching for other yarn shop in Hong Kong. I am a crocheter rather than a knitter, but I love to be good in both.

This shop is located at Lok Fu Plaza 3rd floor 3146A-B.

They also have classes available.

another post about American International School

This is via what I read on geoexpat from a mom who posted about what had happened to her with AIS:

She applied her child and her child was interviewed and she got a confirmation letter about paying her deposit within a week. She paid and then was told that she was on the waiting list because some other parents paid before her.

She was extremely worried, but then she has to secure a space for her child at another school which she did. And when she asked for her deposit back for securing a seat for her child at AIS, they refused to refund her regardless if her child was placed on a waiting list or not. Just to show you how BS this whole thing is makes you want to not even want to apply ... btw ... it is HKD $10,000 to apply.

This is the link to the whole thread:

http://www.geobaby.com/forum/thread153109.html

First of all no surprise to me that AIS would do such a thing.

I am glad she got all her deposit back. With persistence and getting the right people involved.

If it weren't a friend's recommendation I would not have applied to AIS. But of course there is a lot more to AIS than just what meets the eye.

I actually blogged this post in June but I am going to post it here:

C was very upset when I told her that my kiddies were rejected from American International School. I was relieved they were not accepted because of their failure, but because they simply have no room left. But then in a matter of decency they should have told us to put our interview on hold for next year instead. Most of the ESF schools here does that with their admission procedure. As for AIS they just want to generate the money. They are a private institution with no government funding nor support because according to C it is a family run school and the family has the land of the school and it is a business venture and stayed as the board of director of the school. In order to get any government subsidies from the Hong Kong government or the United States government the family member has to step down from the board. And of course they do not wish to do that and wants as much control and as much money then can devour from this illusion of a school from the general public. They do not have any special needs program nor gifted program.

Adding more:

My Clem interviewed with the teacher in EC2 class and they rejected her with no grounds. And besides that ... I mean no offense to any Indian teachers, but I really had a hard time listening to what she was saying in her very strong accent and teaching her students phonics. And this is suppose to be one of the top notch schools. I guess not anymore. Please do not waste your $10,000 on applications unless you have the money to throw, but then better yet you can apply to all the international schools in Hong Kong. I do not know about their middle school, but their primary school is a shame according to some review that I have read.

My son needs learning support. Even though the French International School doesn't have SEN, they do have a psychologist on board, occupational therapist and speech therapist to help the teacher and to help the parents to figure the child out. That is the least any school should have in place even if it isn't a full on learning support. And kudos for the schools that are out there with those supports available. French International School is pretty much straight forward, those people don't beat around the bush, my hubby spoke to a very concern teacher for 2 hours in regards to our son un progression but the teacher is willing to help with good faith. If my son is rejected the only reason would be that the school really doesn't have the resources to do so to help and they don't want to see any child fail because of that either.