Shopping Hong Kong: Laduree Pop-up Shop at Joyce

In honor of Joyce boutique's fortieth anniversary, Laduree set up a pop-up shop at the boutique's main location in Central.

I was so incredibly giddy to get my hands on bona fide Laduree macarons and confections that I totally neglected to take photos of the shop and cart set-up at Joyce.  Suffice to say, it was tres adorable: the rainbow macarons were displayed in a pistachio green cart, imported from France, and with the shelves filled with Laduree tea canisters, boxes, and bags, Joyce's foyer looked like a mini version of the real thing.

My extravagant purchases -- a box of fresh macarons, a box of chocolate-covered macarons, and a tiny box of nougats -- were packaged for transport in special "Laduree for Joyce" bags.

Cedric Rivrain created the ethereal, whimsical illustrations for the carry-out boxes.

The boutique was out of chocolate-flavored macarons, but I got an array of the others, including citron, raspberry, rose ginger, praline, pistachio, and my favorite, salted caramel.

Thanks to the kindness of my friend Martha, I've had Laduree's macarons before, but there's something about a fresh macaron that is transcendent.

The shells were so, so crisp and airy, and the fillings were perfect: intensely flavored and with just the right amount in each one.

But the boxes . . . oh the boxes are what I love most.  I can't wait to repurpose them for jewelry and other knick-knacks.

If you're in Hong Kong for the holidays, make sure to drop by the Joyce boutique in Central for the Laduree experience.  Unfortunately, the pop-up shop is only open until the end of December, so you'll have to dash there asap.  And while you're there, pick me up a few extra salted caramel macarons, please.  They are heavenly.

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Chic DSLR Camera Bags (and Accessories!), Pt. 3

Greetings from Hong Kong!  I just landed last night, and of course the first thing I had to do this morning was to go to CitySuper, my favorite shopping destination in Hong Kong.  Along with an extensive collection of stationery, pens of all colors and types, and Japanese washi tape, CitySuper also carries an amazing array of DSLR camera accessories, mainly sourced from Hong Kong and Japanese manufacturers.

Since I'm tired of wearing a giant advertisement for Canon around my neck, I got my grubby little hands on a silver camera strap from Coucou Bebe.  Not only is the strap quite darling in its own right, it's padded and lined for comfort.

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I chose the silver since it complements the gray of my Kelly Moore B-Hobo bag, but the line offers eight colors/patterns to choose from, each of which is inspired by a French dessert.  Sweet, no?

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Also at Citysuper were a number of straps from Vlashor, including this sweet floral patterned one that reminded me of a Liberty print.

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They also carry the Tokyo Dreamer strap, which I've had my eye on for years (way before I even thought of purchasing a DSLR).

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I adore my Kelly Moore bag -- a full review to come later -- but if I didn't have a camera bag, I'd be all over the sophisticated options offered by Zkin, another Hong Kong-based company.

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Their bags have a vintage appeal that belies their well-designed (and well-padded) insides.  My favorites from their collection includes "Champ" (above) and "Ropen" (below); they seem like the kinds of bags you'd carry if you were the type to cruise cobblestone streets in a Dutch bike with a bouquet of flowers and a baguette in your bike basket.

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I also like "Kraken," which is a messenger-style bag.

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Zkin also offers a number of leather camera straps that complement the bags.  I loved the Anthropologie-esque lines of the "Chessie" strap, though I'm not sure a leather strap would be all that comfortable.

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Zkin sells its products through an online store, so if you are a Dutch-bike-riding, baguette-and-flower-toting hipster, you need not travel all the way to Hong Kong to find the perfect camera accessories.

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On the opposite end of the style and formality spectrum are the bright and fun nylon camera bags from Hello Lulu.  I'm a sucker for a contrasting lining, so I totally dig the insides of these bags.

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The Hello Lulu bags only come in four styles (two small, two large), but each style has three or four colorways, so there is still quite a bit of variety.

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It's funny -- I don't see a lot of people walking around Hong Kong with DSLRs, but from the looks of the stock selection at Citysuper, it seems like there must be some huge network of fashionista photogs in Hong Kong.

Did any of these items catch your eye?

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Shopping Hong Kong: Shanghai Street

While in Hong Kong, we took a visit to Shanghai Street in Kowloon, which is essentially restaurant supply row.  Given my love for all things food-related, of course it was like paradise. 

Every single store down this street sells restaurant supplies.  Some sold large-scale furnishings, such as bakery display cases or fryers.  Others sold surprisingly odd (but still restaurant-related) items, such as the small Buddhist altars that almost every Chinese restaurant has.  (It's important to pray for good business, after all.)

My favorite, however, was a store that seemed like it came straight out of Diagon Alley: it had HUGE cauldrons (well, soup pots) and a vast array of woks of all sizes.  You can't really tell from the photo, but their largest woks were so huge I could have comfortably been pan-fried in them.

And how cool is this wall o' barbecue hooks?  

Since a 5-ft.-diameter wok wasn't going to fit in my suitcase, I ended up just purchasing this sweet little teak dim sum container from a store that carried all types of fancy Chinese and Japanese-style serving containers.  (Ever wanted one of the boats that are ubiquitous in Japanese restaurants? They got those.)

Oh how I love cooking supplies!  What are your favorite things to shop for while on vacation?

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Shopping Hong Kong: G.O.D.

Among my favorite places to go for decor inspiration is a store called G.O.D. in Hong Kong.  G.O.D. has nothing to do with religion, unless you also worship at the altar of American Express; rather, the letters stand for Goods of Desire and happen to be a homophone for the phrase "to live better" in Cantonese (ju ho dee).

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G.O.D. is first and foremost a furnishings store, but in recent years they've become just as well known for creating a housewares, accessories, and clothing line that takes retro icons of colonial Hong Kong and updates them in a poppish, cheeky way.

Longevity Teapot via Pearl River; Mousepad, shorts, and bedding via G.O.D.

For example, I love their new line that is based around the patterns of the "longevity" style of ceramics that was ubiquitous in Hong Kong restaurants when I was a kid.  I've always loved the aesthetics of those old-fashioned bowls and cups: they came in delicious colors like bright canary yellow, turquoise, and pink.  G.O.D. has picked up the patterns and colors and put them onto mousepads, aprons, bedding, and clothing.  I picked up a pair of the yellow boxer shorts today!

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G.O.D. has "remixed" other classic Hong Kong iconography, including the colorful mail boxes of 60s Hong Kong (seen on the messenger bag above); the Hong Kong passport as it looked under colonial rule (now on the notebooks above); the teeming, tottering tenements -- now demolished -- of Yau Ma Tei (seen on the boxers above); and the red, blue, and white bags that Mainland Chinese immigrants once used to tote their belongings (remixed as a totebag above).

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As Hong Kong's old cafes get increasingly squeezed out by Starbucks, KFCs, and McDonalds, for example, it's kind of lovely (albeit in a sad way) that G.O.D. has come out with a line of coasters with images of classic Hong Kong cafe specialties, such as milk tea, lemon Coke, and French toast.  Sure, it's simulacra.  But it captures an illusion of authenticity for which I'm so nostalgic.

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I love the saucy and a tongue-in-cheek vibe of the store.  (Their fashion line, for example, is called "Delay No More," which is a homophone for "motherfucker" in Cantonese!)  But I love more that the store, by remixing the icons of old Hong Kong, has in a way preserved them for prosperity.  Hong Kong loves progress, modernization, speed . . . and in building higher, running faster, getting shinier it's left behind so many beautiful items worth preserving.  G.O.D. captures the nostalgia for the Hong Kong I grew up in, the Hong Kong of dai pai dongs (alleyway cafes), clothesline-heavy three-floor tenements, and green electric streetcars.

Double Happiness Dinnerware via G.O.D.

If you get a chance to visit Hong Kong, you should definitely drop by G.O.D.  I really don't think any other store captures so well the essence of modern Hong Kong: forward and backward-looking, naughty and respectful, East and West.

The G.O.D. in Causeway Bay via NYT

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Shopping Hong Kong: City Super

During my visit to CitySuper the other day, I picked up a few other goodies in addition to my fabulous new iPhone case.

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CitySuper has the widest selection of Japanese masking tape, or washi tape, I've ever come across.  Naturally, I had to pick up a few rolls.  I have no idea what I'm going to do with them, but I'll think of something.

Because they're awesome.

In fact, I might just sit and look at them -- that's how awesome they are.

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Hong Kong is also on a big recycling streak, and most markets, including CitySuper, no longer supply free plastic or paper bags.  So I purchased two delightfully mod Envirosax bags.  They're super light, and can be folded into a compact little roll.

Envirosax "Origami Bag 2"

Envirosax "Origami 3"

Finally, as a belated birthday present for my sister, I got a colorful laptop bag from Hellolulu for her new 13-inch MacBook.

Hello Lulu

The bags come in a variety of fun colors and styles, and I like them even more than the Casauri bag my laptop lives in.  Hellolulu is a Hong Kong-based company, but a store is opening up in New York.

Nylon Laptop Shoulder Bag

Nylon Laptop Tote

Nylon Laptop Case

I'm aware that some people do something called "relaxing" while on vacation.  I, on the other hand, shop.  Very busily, seriously, and intently.

What's your vacation style?

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