iPod Touch

After months and months of contemplating, I was finally convinced (coerced, is a more appropriate word, I think) into purchasing my first iPod Touch. Why coerced? Well, on my last visit to Hong Kong, I was torn between buying an iPhone4 or a camera. I ended up buying the camera since I thought this would be a more useful gadget for me. I also made up my mind that an iPhone is not for me since:

a. everyone already has one and I'm quite happy with my BB

b. I was one of the first to have the iPhone1 back in 2007 and that was enough to satiate my iPhone craving.

'nude' ipod Touch

But I wanted to try facetime. I also wanted to be able to upload photos instantly to my facebook account like my friend Kim does. I know I already have an iPad but iPads don't have cameras (iPad2 has it) and the iPad isn't really one of the handiest gadgets to lug around specially when you're travelling. So what's the next best alternative to an iPhone that will not break the bank? An Ipod Touch! I checked out the prices in Hong Kong and with the exchange rate, I figured it would still be cheaper to buy my iPod Touch here in the Phils. What I did was buy a case in Hong Kong from an Apple store as there were more choices and the prices were more favorable in Hong Kong.

Beside the iPod Touch case I bought in Hong Kong for only HKD139 (Php 795) which comes with screen protector and earphone detangler

I also already have an iPod Shuffle which I bought last December and its really been super handy whenever I use it to go jogging around Luneta Park. But lately, outside of jogging, it's been frustrating not being able to select the music that you want to hear. I wasn't really in a rush to buy an iPod Touch but at the back of my mind, I kept on thinking about the case that I bought in Hong Kong that is just gathering dust in my cabinet (here's where the 'coercing' part comes in and a poor excuse to purchase something,but I couldn't help it! hehehe). So, before I could stop myself, I ended up buying my iPod Touch!

Beside my iPad and iPod Shuffle

I bought the cheapest entry level model which is just 8gb. I haven't really toyed with it yet as I only plan on using it as a music player. The apps I have in my iPad are already enough for me and I could see the advantage of having a huge screen such as the iPad's. The case from Hong Kong though is now hugging my iPod Touch so I guess everyone is happy (except my wallet). How much was it? P10800 or US$ 245.

Color me red! My iPad, iPod Touch and Blackberry Torch. Red is actually not my favorite color, it just so happen that most cases that are available are either in black or red and I didn't want to go black.

Behind the scene.

Kaos

Instead of spending the whole of yesterday at home just lazing around, I had to drag myself to watch Kaos at Resorts World with my 2 cousins and their 4 kids and husband since we had already purchased the tickets since last February.


"Kaos with The Manila Symphony Orchestra. A classic adventure of a handsome prince, a beautiful maiden and an interfering advisor. A never ending search for true love...Las Vegas meets Broadway in a one-of-a-kind musical spectacle never before seen in the Philippines.

The Story In a medieval kingdom, a lonely prince peers into a magical mirror and falls in love with a beautiful maiden from the future. As the past and the future converge, the two discover a love that transcends time and overcomes seemingly impossible odds.

This is the story of KAOS, a visual and musical spectacle unlike anything Manila has ever seen" as per the official website of Kaos at www.rwmanila.com/kaos

Plus: The whole stage was spectacular and to quote them, it is really a stage unlike anything I have ever seen. The stunts and acrobats were likewise breath-taking. Even if you know that the clumsiness of the performers were all part of the act, the people in the audience could not help but loudly gasp as death defying scenes unfolded on the stage. The live animals, a white lion and tiger (first time I've seen them live) were a thrill to watch as you wonder if they would suddenly attack the audience (I was seated at the balcony so I wasn't really worried about myself hehe)

Minus: The storyline was a bit on the boring side. Its the usual prince who goes looking for the love of his life with an antagonist trying to prevent him from doing so. Maybe the show is really targeted for the children who wouldn't really care about the storyline but instead focus on the death defying stunts. I did ask the kids who were with us on how they felt about the show and most of them said they almost fell asleep in the middle of the show. The music selection was also so-so although the female lead did have a powerful and enchanting voice. The male lead's voice (not Gian Magdangal but his alternate) was not as good and powerful as I expected it to be. Plus, I didn't feel whatever feelings he wanted to convey to the audience...feelings such as love, desperation, etc.

Overall, I didn't mind having to spend Php 1,100 for the ticket as it was entertaining in most ways but its not a show that I would want to come back to watch again.

Photographs are not allowed to be taken during the entire show so I didn't get the chance to take any photos although towards the end of the show, I did manage to take a shot, afterwhich, security personnel approached us to tell us that taking photos is still not allowed even after the show.

Ticket prices:
Upper Balcony P988
Balcony P1,188
Deluxe P1,888
Premiere P2,688
VIP P2,888

The theatre is not that huge so the Balcony tickets were adequate as long as you get the center seats.

Lumix LX5

One of my recent purchases from my Hong Kong is this Panasonic Lumix LX5 camera, a successor of the Lumix LX3 which my cousins and friend have been raving about. I was choosing between a Canon S95, a Panasonic Lumix LX5 and an Olympus XZ1. The first off my list was the S95. Although this is the smallest and lightest of the bunch, its also the weakest in my opinion. I was torn between a LX5 and a XZ1 but the decision was actually taken out of my hand as the XZ1 was not yet available in Hong Kong (it was only launched in January 2011 in the US). And besides, I'm sure the price would still be the sticker price if its that new. So I guess its the LX5 for me then.

First off, I would only settle for the white version of the LX5. Black colored cameras are too common in Manila (or elsewhere for that matter) so a white one was the only one that appealed to me. Fortunately, white colored ones are as easy to find as the black colored ones in Hong Kong.

Second was finding a shop that had the best price and/or deal. In Hong Kong, I only purchase my electronic stuff/gadgets at either Fortress or Broadway. Both shops are littered all over in Hong Kong. They may not be as cheap as the shops in Sham Shui Po or the other smaller shops but I am assured of no monkey business (eg batteries, memory card and other accessories sold separately) when I purchase from Fortress or Broadway. I was adviced by my friend to scout each and every Broadway and Fortress shop in Mongkok. Although they are practically beside each other, they might differ in freebies or even prices at times. I patiently did the rounds and eventually found the best deal. At HKD 3900 or Php 22,230 (others were selling the LX5 at HKD4390 or Php 25,023), the Fortress dealer threw in a camera case (ugly as hell but its free), a memory card reader (very handy), a tripod (an@l bead looking), a screen protector for the camera screen, and (the best part that sweetened the deal and no other dealer was willing to throw in) an extra battery.

Here are the specs of the camera: (I'm no camera expert so these are just the basic specs)
10.1 mega pixels
4.5x digital zoom
3.8x optical zoom
F2.0-3.3
3.0 TFT LCD Display
40MB internal memory
271 g with battery

I'm not a camera connoisseur which is why I always opt for a point-and-shoot and will never convert to a dSLR. Auto settings are fine with me and I rarely tinker with the manual settings. The camera has so far been churning out perfect pictures. I couldn't be happier with my new camera, in short...I just love it!

Hui Lau Shan

Dessert lovers who happen to pass by Hong Kong should not miss out on Hui Lau Shan. Touted as healthy dessert, most of its base fruit selection is mango. (My friend and I were actually kind of surprised that nobody in the Philippines thought of opening something like this specially since the Philippines is known for producing excellent mangoes as well as other tropical fruits! And Hong Kong doesn't even have an agricultural sector to speak of). Most of the branches, which are scattered around Hong Kong, are actually just food stands/stalls and have no tables to speak of. The one we visited though along Cameron Road in TST is located in a basement space and has a few tables for patrons to enjoy their dessert selection.

Anyway, I decided to order the mango dish with ice cream, tapioca and coconut milk sprinkled with (i forgot what kind of fruit that is!!!!...help! (it's called Pomelo...thanks Perks)). Cost about HKD 33 (Php 188.10)

My friend on the hand, ordered the platter. Cost about HKD 50 (Php 285)

I am undeniably born with a sweet tooth and although the above desserts are not as sweet as what I expected, it was totally good. I now understand why a lot of my friends and cousins always rave about Hui Lau Shan and their mango desserts.

Hong Kong Bargain Hunting

If you happen to be in Hong Kong and you're looking to buy some toiletries and/or beauty products, then I suggest you immediately head to Lung Shing Dispensary. This is one of the most popular places for both locals and some in-the-know tourists on where to buy the cheapest toiletry stuff and beauty products.

Eg. a nioxin shampoo that a friend was asking me to buy costs only HKD175 (Php 997.50) at Lung Shing, while in other stores, it will cost you HKD 250 (Php 1425.00)

Gatsby anti-oil facial blotter costs HKD 13.00 (Php 74.10) at Lung Shing. On the other hand, you can buy this at Watsons Manila for Php 109

Expect to find Lancome, Revlon, Biore, Dove, Kerastase, Gatsby and a lot more at Lung Shing

Lung Shing Dispensary is located along Granville Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong