Business Trip to Tokyo

After a whirlwind weekend of the 7s, I packed my bags and headed out on a red eye flight Sunday night, bound for Tokyo.  I was there for the week, touching down at 6:30 am Monday morning and flying out at 4:30pm Friday afternoon.

My red eye flight was harrowing, actually, because I forgot about the one hour time difference between Japan and Hong Kong, and how far away Narita airport is from the city center.  I basically needed every single thing to go right in order to make the meeting on time (and in Japan, that really means being there with a 10 minute cushion to ensure you really arrive on time) so it was nerve-wracking to say the least.

Thank goodness for the efficiency of the Hong Kong airport, Cathay's promptness, my APEC card, the efficiency of the Narita airport, the early hour, and the good traffic situation that morning.

We had a great bunch of meetings and every day was busy, tiring but productive and fun.  Some of the greatest joys I have in this profession at this point in my career is finding and connecting with kind, interesting, fun and nice colleagues and clients.

I had also forgotten how much I love Japan.  How lucky am I that I got to be there during sakura season.

In my spare moments between meetings and emails I managed to make it out to Otemesando to check out some stellar vintage stores (the Chanel bags on offer at Amore Vintage, omg) and the huge Toy Park store in Ginza near Shimbashi train stop.  I also went to a sushi restaurant at Tsukiji fish market at night.  I hadn't realized that they had moved the fish market out of the city center.  Contrasting the empty, somewhat desolate and depressed version of the fish market today with the heaving, bustling and frenetic pace of the market from 2007 when I first (and last) visited, I was moved by a bittersweet sense of the passage of time and how fleeting things can be. It makes our memories and part experiences so valuable, and sometimes all that we have!

I flew home Friday afternoon and was so eager to reconnect with Michael and the kids.  It has been a hard slog with how much travel I have been doing lately, and I am so appreciative of how the kids have been resilient and Michael and our staff have been able to keep our household going.

Rugby Fever - Attending the Hong Kong Rugby 7s

After our awesome time in Beijing, we returned home to an amazing weekend of HK Rugby 7s. It was so much fun and I was so glad to have the chance to take the kids to enjoy in person, for the last time that the event will be held in one of the most intimate and beautiful stadiums of all time, Hong Kong Stadium, nestled in the heart of Causeway Bay/Caroline Hill.  Next year the event is slated to move to Kai Tak Sports Park, which is just.... bleh in comparison.

I wasn't sure if the kids would like or understand the game, but turns out there really is something invigorating and arresting about the relentlessly fast 15 minutes tournaments (7 minutes for each half, and every time I find myself marveling that the clock did not stop and play was continuing!) that makes it irresistible to all.  Before we knew it, the kids were cheering, adding up the scores, and shouting "Try!" and waving the flag.  They all loved the festive spirit and music breaks.  It was quite hot at some points, but sitting in the upper east stands brought some more open air and quiet and relief.  The juice, sparkling water, outdoor arena, and beautiful backdrop of Hong Kong's mountains didn’t hurt either!

On the first night a group of us got together for a traditional Chiu Chow dinner at Pak Loh.  The food was salty and greasy and nothing to wrote home about, but the company (6 adults and 6 kids) was everything!

Happy Easter - Beijing Trip Part 3 (Test Drive, Forbidden City, Peking Duck)

And now for the final part of our trip! For our last full day in Beijing, we went to Li Auto to test drive their newest MPV.  It is a scarily "advanced" car with AI and all the features, many of which we were barely scratching the surface with our understanding. Motion activated commands, personalized voice recognition, an HUD personalized driver 3D experience that I didn't (and still don't) really understand, and Michael's explanations to me didn’t really help (he couldn't seem to get past, "WHOA!  This is crazy! This is so cool!  Are you seeing this? You sure you can't see this?" Etc.)  

The salespersons were sure we could drive the car into Hong Kong, but I am not sure of the practicalities of that.  We don't have a Chinese license or ID which would make purchasing difficult, not to mention the car probably charges with Chinese style adapters and the driver sits on the left side of the car.  Alas, sad, because the car was very reasonably priced for all the features it contains - a far cry from what is on offer in Hong Kong.  (Backstory: After a fruitless search to upgrade or trade in our current vehicle, we decided to keep our current beloved Mercedes people mover.  It is not electric, but it is the only 8 seater model that still allows bench seats to face each other - a beloved feature for us.)  What was really amazing about cars in China was the sheer variety - we couldn't get over how many different types of cars there were, and some very strange models we had never seen or heard of, which must have been developed for the China market.

We ate a casual lunch in a food hall of a shopping mall, drawing lots of eyes as we were definitely the only foreigners there.  I struggled a little bit to find shops that would take Alipay, as I never really succeeded in setting up my WeChat pay.  That helped me make the determination on where to order, though - all the spicy hotpots I wanted to try were off limits!  This cashless society of China's can be a real pain.

After lunch we rushed to the Forbidden City, or 故宮.  Along the way we were asked by a local family if their kids could take pictures with our kids.  That was slightly odd but flattering, and we acquiesced.  That was at least slightly better than another grandma that we met while inside, who stealthily told her daughter to take pictures while she was chatting us up.

Michael also got approached by a group of giggling teenagers from a local school, who asked if they could practice their English with him by giving him a tour / reading off of a script.  That was also fascinating - both by virtue of how bad the English was but also how sweet and awed the kids were, leading me to think that this was like a close ecounter with the third kind.

After our long day at the Forbidden City, we went home to shower, change, and headed to dinner with our friends.  There, the kids were fascinated by the robot that delivered dishes and took away dirty plates. We stuffed ourselves silly, then went to a nearby 7-Eleven, before heading home. 

The next morning, we were packed and headed back to the airport for our flight home. Unsurprisingly, our flight was delayed nearly 2 hours.  Lola was adorably aghast that she had enough time to finish an entire movie, Wish, before we took off.  Par for the course, Beijing, par for the course.  I think we would have been more surprised if our flight had departed on time!

Happy Easter - Beijing Trip Part 2 (Alleys and Great Wall)

We had an action packed third and fourth day in Beijing!

On day 3, we started off the day by heading to the alleys, known as Nanluogu hutong.  There we met with some of Lola's friends and classmates who were also visiting Beijing over spring break. I was shocked at how you could easily share your location with all the people in your WeChat group - makes finding each other in a crowd eerily easy.

This area is known for having beautiful, well preserved old shikumen, but the interiors have been upgraded to shops and otherwise equipped with electricity, heat, insulation, etc.

We checked out the Drum Tower which was one of my favorite parts of the trip.  Michael and Lola climbed the tower, but Al, Teo and I just enjoyed the quintessential Beijing park scene. With traditional toys, people milling about, and Chinese songs blaring from a boom box, it felt very different. 

After that very dusty and hot trek, we returned to our hotel for a swim. 

For dinner we went to a somewhat touristy but nonetheless enlightening dinner in a private room in a restaurant set within the walls of a former siheyuan, a very traditional type of courtyard.  The restaurant kept the interior courtyard and built around it, which was very cool.

We enjoyed various traditional Beijing dishes like Peking duck, zhajiang mian and scallion pancake dishes, and a really nice show.

On Easter Monday, our fourth day in Beijing, we headed to the Great Wall.  I was super excited about this aspect of our trip, and really this was the must-do for me.  We went to Mutianyu, the most beautiful and well-preserved of all the sections that have been restored and are open for public visitors.  There is also a really nice cable car that takes you up to the wall (key, especially with young kids) as well as some slides (but we didn't have time for that).

We were so lucky with the weather and the crowds.  The mountain was beautiful, cool and not too hot or packed.

Al was the epitome of brave and cheerful, trudging up the steps all the way to the top (and then back down again)!  Apparently when he made it every body on the steps, including the guard, cheered and clasped for him.  He was definitely the youngest one up there.  For his immense enthusiasm, effort and cheer, we bought him a personalized gold meal hung with rainbow ribbon. His expression when he got it and realized it was for him was priceless.  It brought tears to my eyes. In retrospect, I really wish we had bought medals for Lola and Teo too as nice souvenirs - I had been eyeing two others but we didn't end up getting it for them, because they didn't go all the way to the top. 

That stone Al is posing next to is called "Hero's Platform".

We finished off the day with some hilarious and endearing magic shows performed for me and Michael by the kids (..."close your eyes!" ...five seconds later.... "now open your eyes!") As well as turning off the lights so Lola could make her brothers disappear (by sitting in a suitcase).  The final shot is of the CCTV tower, which the kids had been taking excitedly about because of its unusual shape. 

Happy Easter - Our Beijing Trip Part 1

I am very behind on blog posts, but writing to you from Tokyo!

We decided to go to Beijing this year for Easter break!  I knew it wasn't going to be an easy trip.  Traveling in and around China is highly, highly stressful - and it is even if you can read and speak.  

As I so presciently told a college hallmate upon my return to the U.S. back in the day, "China was the usual morass of love and hate." Little did I know how much the sentiment would still ring true exactly the same 22 years later - though probably a little more love now than hate, despite the frustrations. 

But it was really important to me for the kids to see and partake actively in the local culture, to encourage and inspire them to be proud of their heritage, to appreciate their ethnic and cultural background, and, let's face it, to embrace learning thousands of Chinese words through simple rote memory....  I can't say we succeeded on every front, especially the last point, however, undeniably the trip was a success.

On this trip in 2024, the growing divide between China and the West seemed more palpable to me than ever.  I think Michael felt the same.  But that's not necessarily a bad thing, and I honestly walked away from Beijing loving it. I was and continue to be enthralled by the sprawl and immensity of the city - the sheer weight of its culture, history and presence seems to infuse every activity.  I found the people to be positive and optimistic, kind and curious to children, and very family orientated.  Most importantly, throughout all of our encounters, whether it was in ordering food, dealing with service people, or being out-bargained and out-manuevered left, right, and center at the local markets, I felt a steady, persistent thrum of conviction from the local populace, of the inevitability of the future of the Chinese people.  

Airport! Pickup from the airport by our friend's company's drivers. Quick dinner, shower and bedtime. The boys were so cute playing around before sleeping. After the kids were in bed, Michael and I went for a walk near the hotel.  

The next morning, we woke up to a phenomenal, beautiful day - bright blue skies, sunshine, no humidity, just perfect.  How beautiful are the parks?  We stumbled upon a group of couples dancing in the park, and a big flower festival celebrating spring.  The cherry and peach blossoms were in bloom, and we bought some pinwheels and ran around the park capturing the breeze.  One of my favorite moments was when I went to buy roasting seeet potatoes from an old man pulling a very traditional, old cart, and he had a brand new, snazzy WeChat QR code for mobile payment.  Even the most humble street vendor does not take cash.

On the second day in Beijing: the view from our fancy executive suite and adjoining room at the St. Regis (in the Chaoyang District near all the foreign embassies), the boys weighing themselves at the fitness center, and Michael and Lola swimming in the pool.  We then went to our friend's apartment for a playdate.  They used to be our neighbors in Hong Kong but have relocated to China for a period for work.  It was so lovely to see how the kids picked up seamlessly and played together as if they had never been separated.

For dinner that night, we went to a delicious lamb hotpot restaurant that also had hand pulled noodles and live opera singer performance.  We got our own private room.

How cute are these guys? We really enjoyed having the suite to run around.

My March Singapore Business Trip

Ahhh how am I almost a month behind on the blog!  We have just returned from an epic, cultural, interesting family trip to Beijing for Easter, only for me to realize that I hadn't even managed to blog about my business trip to Singapore from before Easter.  Whoops.  

So here we go!

I went for a few days in the third week of March with a couple of my colleagues and we managed to line up a great series of meetings with clients, intermediaries and advisers.  

I also got the chance to see some former colleagues and eat great food.  I loved the cultural diversity of Singapore's Arab Quarter, Kampong Glam.  The Sultan Mosque was beautiful, as well as all the street art and kitschy shops.  I went into a few stores, drawn by the beauty of the cloth and fabrics and veils, but was too intimidated to try to buy anything for myself.  I wandered out (of course) with outfits for the kids fashioned from traditional batik.

Among other tasty meals, I particularly enjoyed Native, a restaurant located on Amoy Street in one of my favorite new neighborhoods, Telok Ayer.  Pictured, our delicious and decadent dinner, along with one shot of a Turkish wrap and Turkish coffee from my lunch at Cappadocia Turkish and Mediterranean Cuisine in Kampong Glam:

I stayed at the Fullerton, which as a heritage hotel transformed from a former post office, definitely has its quirks.  But the convenience to my office can't be beat.  And the view at night is also pretty amazing.

While I am away I can't help but take endless pictures of the airport, the airplanes, the sky - all with Al and Teo in mind.  It really is true; after having children I have found myself even more attuned to the simple and the small details wherever I am, even when they are not with me.  Wherever I go, I carry them with me in my heart, and they are always on my mind!  For the first picture in the top left, I couldn't help but gasp when I saw the plane take off, and my immediate instinct was to reach for Al or Teo to jab excitedly for them to look! Look! LOOK!

While I was away the kids enjoyed FaceTime with their popo and yeye (my parents),  enjoyed FaceTime with me, and generally carried out their usual school activities.  I also sent them some pictures of me on the airport express (it's back!  And one of my favorite things about Hong Kong).  Michael got to take Al and Teo to school on Friday and enjoyed a special school tour/visit with them.  The kids also finished up their tennis lessons for the term, with Lola and Teo both winning in their age groups for most improved and best players.  We were very very proud!

Remember the batik print I mentioned?  Upon my return we rocked them loud and proud, including a fun trip to the first floor where the kids enjoyed their ride on vehicles (thank you Taobao, all purchased during the height of the pandemic) and then to Stanley where the main focus was on eating ice cream and less on riding bikes.  Speaking of riding bikes... the balance bikes are a godsend.  The boys hopped on their sister's regular two wheeler and within seconds were pedaling on their own with no issues whatsoever.  Amazing!!

But for now the boys still prefer their balance bikes, because they said they are lighter and they can go faster.  The two of them can really whiz around on those things...they are a joy to watch.

Happy Weekend!

We had a lovely weekend. The time is flying by so quickly and it's often hard to grasp how quickly the kids are growing up. I must say though, I am truly enjoying every second of it.  What an honor and privilege and responsibility it is to love these little ones.  I hope no matter what they do or don't remember from their childhood, they are left with an indelible sense of the love and delight that we all take in each other.

Saturday recap:

Lola and I worked on a school assignment to make a fruit platter.  She kept saying she didn't know who she would give it to, but then when it was done she promptly bequeathed it to me with a big teasing smile.  She had to write her remarks of gratitude in Chinese - what did she decide?  "Mom, thank you for earning money for us."  Well that is putting it rather baldly.  But I was very, very touched.

The boys built some really fun and colorful, creative Lego pieces.  We located tons of dismembered heads and various body parts and put them altogether. 

In the afternoon Lola and the boys got ready for her kuromi party, where she got to dress up and play with a couple of her school friends.  The boys decided to dress up like Romans.  Lola had been planning this party for ages and was super excited.  She really likes to perform and spends a lot of time thinking about how she wants things to go.  It can be a delicate balance because things easily go off plan, leading to searing disappointment - but over the years she has generally gotten better at handling these small setbacks.  The situation is still highly volatile sometimes and this party at one point was no different, but she can bounce back better.  I think Lola really has the ability and vision to be a director.  She loves recording on her ipad and, after learning a little about how movies are made, has been very focused on set design, direction and musical accompaniment.  One of the sweetest family playtime productions has been our performance troupe, where Lola and Al and Teo act out various roles that Lola has assigned them - and she "cues" me on piano with clicks of her tongue so I know when to play a quick musical riff, whether sad, happy, loud or soft, depending on what is happening in the play.  It is actually pretty sophisticated, if I say so myself!

After the party, the kids enjoyed a nice dinner at home and then movie night followed by bed.

Sunday recap:

The kids have been enjoying the first floor of our building more and more now, particularly during this period when the weather hasn't been too hot.  We have a bunch of cars down there, and a big open space for the kids to scooter, ride bikes, jump and run around.

We followed up the afternoon with a trip out to Stanley, where both Al and Teo got on a bike (without training wheels) for the first time, and both were pretty much off and pedaling quickly on their own on their first tries.  It was a huge moment in their childhood - they are really big kids now!  They still prefer their balance bikes for now - they are so comfortable on them they are speed demons and can run circles weaving around people and objects.  After Stanley, we headed to the American Club where we got to enjoy one of our last times in the (very dated, very old, and very much in need of repair) Eagle's Nest before it undergoes massive renovations for the next 3 months.

We enjoyed dinner al fresco next to another family friend and their young son.  We also bumped into and met one of Al and Teo's classmates - a very sweet and gentle boy!  After eating very well, the kids got to pick their dessert and they all opted for various forms of popsicles/ice cream.  Al enjoyed his so much he needed to close his eyes to savor it.  Dramatic much?? Cracked me up.  Then once home the kids all piled in the front seat and headed toward the garage with their dad.  They loved getting a whirl in the front!