Asia Killed My Run

But I am determined to get it back.  Today I finished my first 10k in definitely way over a year and it took me one hour and one minute.  10k in 1:01!!!  What is this nonsense?  In my running hay day, now 4 years ago, I could kill a 10k in 46 minutes. 

Post run breakfast

 

Asia has also aged me.  Since when am I almost 30!?  And it's also added this ring of little squigginess around my middle.  This is no way has anything to do with the wine I drink every night, and the cake I often have for breakfast dessert.  I think it's just being in Asia. 

Paul and his colleague who got the axe

 

In order to finally combat this ring round the middle, and perhaps shave a few years off my age (if I increase my likelihood of living longer, really I'm younger, % wise, in my life) I'm going to run a half marathon.  And I'm going to do it in less than 2 hours.  13 miles in 104 minutes.  Boom.

 

 

I've been meaning to run the Standard Chartered race since I've been in Hong Kong, but somehow keep missing the deadline.  This year it's mine. With my new 10am start I have plenty of time to squeeze in 8-10 k before work, and I just got some fly new Mizunos (don't even get me started on my sneaker saga), so it's on.  168 days of training to go....

Happy birthday, David!

Last Saturday we had the lovliest day with Nina and Kenny.  I went over to their apartment early to drop off my wedding dress.  I decided that it would probably not be the wisest idea to leave it at home where I would have direct access.   Thank you guys for holding it!! xox

 

 

Then Paul came and met, Nina, Kenny, David (English friend), and Linda for an American breakfast at the Green Waffle.  Twas delish and then we decided it was imperative that we get Ms. B's cakes to celebrate David's birthday.  In fact, there is never an occasion that doesn't warrant Ms. B's crack cake.  Seriously the best cake I have ever had (more on cake later.  We schlepped back up to Kina's for cake, bacon donut beer, and best of all Sharknado.  I wasn't expecting much, and yet somehow it managed to under deliver.  A perfect afternoon followed by a little run and then more eating.  We met Nina, Kenny, Will, Michael, Lisa and Jeff for some Korean BBQ.  I had never been to this one and it's definitely top 2 for Korean places in HK.  Amaze. 

Caroline, Tom, Kenny, Nina, Lauren, Paul, Captain

 

Last Sunday found Paul and I on yet another junk, the difference this time was that the weather finally worked with us.  It was absolutely gorgeous out!  Our English friend David organized this awesome little boat for 20 of us.  The boat was different than a normal junk in that it was a little smaller, but nicer and definitely more intimate.  Also different about this junk was that we had 2 masseuses on board.  Paul and I both utilized this.   We cruised down to Po Toi which was a stunning ride, and then we parked, swam, and ate ourselves silly. 

 

My local and favorite wine guy Kevin hooked up an impromptu Friday evening tasting.

Monday I met with the ladies, Simone and Csilla, to discuss our upcoming project!  We're making some headway and will have our first official meeting next week, and then we should be set to go live.  More on that later....

 

Tuesday Simone and I met for a pre-wine auction tasting.  We kept looking around trying to figure out what the catch was, but decided it was just a reception to get people excited about the auction which is tomorrow.  This free tasting offer up quite a few lovely wines, cheese and ham, and Simone and I were definitely the only guillos (non-Chinese) there, and two of very very few women.  We tasted a reallly nice Vouvray, a really really nice Chablis, 3 Burgundy Pinots, 2 reds from the Langedoc, a Chateauneuf du Pape and finally a Brunello.  My favorite of the night was one of the reds from the South of France.  So full of strange flavors, and if I remember correctly it was Carignan heavy.  Very interesting indeed.

Soave, pork rinds, and Champer notes

 

Wednesday I met Allison and Julia at Stone Nullah Tavern.  I love Stone Nullah Tavern and the whole IHM group (Linguini Fini!).  Everything they do, they do with passion and love and it just makes you want to keep going back.  As I was studying and waiting for the ladies to show up, Chef Vinnie came over introduced himself and started telling me more about the new menu and what's been going on.  Then he send over some amazing pork rinds, which aren't my thing but these were addictive.  It was great to have a ladies night to catch up and swap stories with Julia about wedding planning.  She has less than a month to go!

China's smallest wine expo

deliciously old rum

 

 

Thursday found me back in China.  Man that's three trips within the past 6 months.  My colleague Joe and I MTRed up to the Convention Centre to check out the Beverage Expo.  A bit of a misnomer because it was more of a medium sized tasting.  This place was tiny (by expo standards) and there were probably equal amounts tea/non-booze beverages as there were wine.  We tried a few Champagnes, some Muscadet from the Loire, a really delicious 10 and 20 year rum, and then pretty much decided we'd seen it.  We wrapped up the day with a pretty horrible lunch (chicken feet, seriously!?) and then a really wonderful head/shoulder/foot massage.  That's what I call a Thursday. 

Icky lunch.  Check on the chicken feet (bottom right in the big dish)  Joe, my colleague on the right.

 

Yesterday was wine day at work!  Yey.  We opened up a 2009 Saint Emilion Grand Cru.  Not my favourite wine, but certainly drinkable.  Especially at 3pm at work.  Then Paul and I had a nice night in.  I (lightly) cooked up some tuna steaks, put em over a rocket salad for me and pasta for Paul, opened a bottle of German fizz (meh) and watched a pretty horrible movie.  Bad Marriage or something.  It was pretty absurd.  And by absurd, I mean the ex-wife slept with her ex-husband who's been with her best friend for 20 years, and all is forgiven immediatley.  What!?  Lesson learned- go ahead and sleep with married men (or whoever) as long as there are no feelings involved.  No one gets hurt.

** out of *****

And then run today!  I will leave soon for a blow out at the Blow Dry Bar.  Apparently this is all the rage in the US, and now HK has finally caught on. Laura got a free one and passed it to me.  I have a pretty horrid hair cut, so I don't think any amount of blow out will help.  There is Prosecco from what I hear....then I NEED NEED NEED to get my paper started.  I meant to have it finished by the end of July.  Here is is September and I haven't started...hmm..

 

<3 Friday

Paul's at school.  hahahah poor Paul.  xo