Seoul

We came to Seoul in the bitter cold weather for a few reasons. First, Serina's family is visiting and she decided to take them on a trip somewhere. Second, I NEED to see Conrad Seoul. Lastly, certain someone is exploring the option to do some little nip and tuck to fix an imperfection. So, here we are in this bitter cold weather. 

The city is quite vast and spread out. The subway system is very extensive. It is easy to get around. There aren't a lot of interesting tourist attractions, except for shopping. 

The nip and tuck visit, on the other hand, was quite exciting and eye opening. The subway station Sinza basically is the stop for the best surgeons in town. The station map used the surgeon office locations as landmark. You won't miss it. 

The visit itself was funny. The doctor has a very clinical approach. The office is 16 stories of consultation rooms, operation rooms, separate floors for dental, recovery rooms, and a museum of plastic surgery. 

Other than this visit, we devoted a lot on food. We went local! With a language barrier, and menu without pictures, it makes ordering interesting. A couple of places have Mandarin speaking staff. These are China's Korean minority. They are extreme helpful in this cold weather. 

It looks like we will be coming back again for another visit pretty soon. I hope to do the tourist attraction then with warmer weather. 

Wow... It has been awhile...

Sorry guys... Completely dropped the ball since my 2 year anniversary. No... It wasn't supposed to stop. I have just been busy. 

Since I collected almost 200 boarding passes in the first 2 years working for Hilton, my work travel has substantially cut down. I have spent a lot more time in the office supporting the team. It is nice not having to biatch about the traveling. 

On the other hand, some more fun traveling personally.  We went to the Maldives and stopped in Singapore enroute in October. The Maldives is such heaven. I don't have enough words to describe how I loved the place. 

While stopping in Singapore, we visited a few new attractions. 

And then, I was in Cebu during the major destructive typhoon Haiyan attending a conference. We were safe and well looked after by the Shangri-la hotel team. It is heartbreaking to hear all the people affected. Feel so helpless...

I still went on a few business trips in between (I didn't say I don't have to travel for work...just limited...) I was in Xiamen and Chengdu. While in Chengdu, I visited the last project I did while I was still at BBG-BBGM. It turned out a great project. Glad to have experienced it. 

My department went to Beijing for a R&R and climbed the Great Wall again for the 5th time. We were there on this perfect fall day. We had a lot of fun. We went early...and missed the group. Awesome!

I will keep up and keep this journal going...you read it or not! 

2nd anniversary in SH and at Hilton

Time flies and we all get old so quickly. It is my 2 year anniversary working at Hilton. Of course I spent traveling. I am on a plane stuck on the runway of Shijiazhuang airport. It has been 2.5 hrs. Damn it!

What a 2 year! It was CRAZY in all areas. Personally and Professionally have both taken on some dramatic events. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?

Jim's 50th birthday in Pattaya

Who would have thought that Jim ended up with his 50th birthday in Asia and celebrate in Pattaya? Life is like a box of chocolate after all. Wish him good health,  lots of happiness and continue this adventure in style. Happy birthday!

Hot Hot Hot... But loving it

It is an unusually hot summer in Shanghai. In fact it is the hottest in 140 years. 11 people died. 

Yet, I am not complaining much. I spent the whole month without traveling. It is the best month of my 22 months in China. 

Jim hurt his back, on the other hand. He is recovering. But it is a nuisance for him. 

There is another round of changes at work again. My boss's boss, Stephen Holliday, is 'retiring'. My boss will report directly to the US instead of via Singapore. It doesn't affect us. But there will be good and bad for my boss. It is emotional, though, with mr Holliday's departure. He put the team in Shanghai together. He weathered a lot of storms for the team. He will be missed. 

Some pictures of the hot Shanghai summer here.

Beautiful Shanghai Summer.

Thank you lord for the clear air in Shanghai. I am not complaining! I won't and please stay this way. 

A couple of posts from June didn't get posted.

So, I just reported them. 

July has been peaceful. Since my passport was taken to renew Chinese visa, I can't travel for work! How wonderful. 

It has been hot. But Shanghai is beautiful this month. Let me post a few pictures to share. 

4000th Hotel

So, finally, a press release was issued yesterday to honor Shijiazhuang as the 4000th hotel. 

11th Anniversary

Today is the day Jim and I met 11 years ago. The very same day of the NYC gay pride parade. 11 years later, DOMA is strikes down by the Supreme Court. Gay couples can be treated more fairly. And in 11 years, we have experienced our fair share of ups and downs. The experience told me that bad days do go away. They will come back. But in the meantime enjoy the good days. 

Mom and Dad

I spent a couple of weeks with Mom and Dad in May and June. It was a milestone last week when my parents met Jim for the first time in 11 yrs. It was not an event I have envisioned. The ironic part was that after 11 yrs of never been introduced, we ended up having 3 meals together in a row. Lunch, lunch and dinner. I am grateful for my parents finally overcome the hurdles. I would rather I work like a dog and get a harmonious family life in return. Let my parents and Jim be healthy and well. I can handle the hard work! I can breath the polluted air! I can live with the noise pollution at every airports I visit! I can handle 5000 projects if I have to!

Oh! We saw the giant rubber duckie in HKG. 

Another milestone.

Just opened my 2nd hotel in China. It is also the 4000th Hilton hotels globally. God knows how this number is counted. And it turns out that the opening doesn't work with the company's leader traveling schedule, so no celebration on the milestone. In my humble opinion, it is an insult to our owner, to this country, to us.  Is it just lip service all these time claiming how important the China's market is? Is some failing European countries better than a capital of a Chinese province?

A couple of pictures from Shijiazhuang

Craziness is not enough to say it all.

Busy with additional responsibilities. Busy with another hotel opening. Busy with Jim almost died.
I am holding up just fine. I am amazed with how much I can shoulder and not crack.
While in New York checking on Jim's recovery, I went to Soul Cycle and Exhale Yoga to keep my sanity. Nick Pratley at Soul Cycle put in his signature inspiration talk during the class. I weeped during the ride. The class was such a release of energy and I am addicted. I decided that I am going to spin and yoga all the way to 65. And this morning, there were 2 guys in the class way into their 60s. I guess spinning at one's 70s is not so far fetch after all. It is something to look forward to.
A few pics from NY. What a glorious May time in NY. I miss it.

March madness

It was one busy month!
Work gave me added responsibility of looking after CapEx renovation projects. They used to be handled by Singapore. None of the procedure or protocols were followed by the hotels. It turns out all our key properties are doing CapEx renovation. I spent a couple of weeks to just get up to speed and wrap my head around it.
In addition, my regular job is still going in full bullet train speed. It is almost good that Jim is not around so that I don't feel like I abandon him. Tonny was at my place for 2 weeks when I returned from NY. He was amazed to find how busy I was.
The only funny thing during this month was my first taste of power. Long story short, I made a grown man tremble at a meeting. It was comical to see his hand shakes while speaking to me. Tonny was my witness and he can't believe that.
In addition to all these crazy work stuff, I had to stop back in New York for a few days to take a biometric for my green card re-entry visa. I left Shanghai on Saturday and return to Beijing by Wednesday. I will be in Beijing and Shijiazhuang for work immediately before going back to Shanghai. Seriously, do I really think I am Superman?! Why do I like to torture myself? The good things are that I get to briefly see Jim and went to 2 Soul Cycle spinning classes. I am obsessed with the spinning class. Thank god now I found a spinning studio in Shanghai bit is not Soul Cycle, but it does the job.
I was in Hainan Island last week for work. It is the Hawaii of China. It is actually quite nice. I managed to squeeze in 45 minutes to lounge in the chaise lounge.
I am looking forward to Easter Sunday when I can relax.
We are heading to Tokyo at the end of April. And just planned a trip to Maldives and KL this Oct. Very exciting, indeed.

Shijiazhuang

My 2nd project in China to be opened in May/June is a Hilton in Shijiazhuang. Surprisingly, being the 2nd most polluted city in China, today was a beautiful blue sky day. Sharing a picture before it gets all smoggy again.

Heading back to Shanghai.

I honestly can't tell if I am happy or sad to leave. Life is one f-king mess. In the meantime, maybe a nice blue sky picture and some dessert.

Home trip mark 3

This is the 3rd time I returned to NYC since working in Shanghai. Has the emotion changed? It certainly has changed. I changed. I come with more burdens. It tinted my experience.
I enjoyed the little things in life that I miss in Shanghai. Soulcycle kicked my ass, but I feel 100% better after spinning like a mad man for an hour.
I have a couple of days in DC and get to see some fun stuff at the Smithsonian and Hirshhorn Galley. The weather is beautiful and I had a great time catching up with Chris and Ari. A nice treat.
A few more days before heading back. Lets see...
A couple of pics from the Lincoln Ctr of NY and the National monument of DC. Love the blue sky in winter.

Chinese New Year 2013

I welcomed the Year of Snake in New York City.
Despite the delay due to the N-E snowstorm, I made it to NYC a day late. It is nice to be home. But I also strangely feel that I missed out on something from not spending CNY in Shanghai.
Honestly, if I have my pick, I may prefer a beach vocation.
Oh well...
Happy New Year!

Beijing

Last week I went to Beijing for some work stuff, and had the chance to stay at the new yet-to-open Conrad Beijing. Beijing were suffering from incredibly terrible pollution. Tree days before I arrived, the pm2.5 reading from the US Consulate was in the 700s. But The maximum reading was set only to 500. When we got off the plane, the smog was thick and it smelled like burning trash.
However, the day after we arrived, the sky cleared up. The reading went down to health level.
I wonder what was the magic?

Back to work

Back from Bangkok on the 6th, and jumped right into my new position on the 7th. Chaos! I miss Thailand. Why can't life be 1 long beach vacation?
The new position is challenging by the fact that I am still doing my projects, with added responsibility to managed a shamble team, fix the unresolved problems I inherited, start a new relationship within a political tug of war between 2 departments, and many more. I am exhausted already and it has only been 2 weeks.
Birthday was spent quietly. It was Jenny's 40th BD. I tagged along for the celebration. But Saturday, we had a group for dinner at Jesse and drinks at the Apartment. As you get older, that's all you need as birthday gift and celebration. A nice meal with some friends.
I was up north in Shijiazhuang last week during one of the worst pollution. Smog was so think. The pollution reading when off the chart literally. Beijing and surrounding areas were basically covered with a layer of thick particles. Disgusting!

Hua Hin Hyatt Regency

I know... But when I have 2 free nights and $200 bucks to spend, (thanks to Paul and Kirrily), who is Hilton again?
Just a couple of days to relax by the pool before heading into Bangkok. Made an appointment for my first Vichy shower experience tomorrow morning. So excited.