Two Michelin Star Dining: Amber

Whenever I have the opportunity to go travelling, I will always try to find a nice restaurant to visit. In Hong Kong last year, I took the opportunity to make a reservation at french restaurant Amber, a two michelin star restaurant (apologies as I thought I had written a post on this but it turns out I had completely forgot... oops).

Amber is located at the Landmark, Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong and is listed as number 24 on the world's top 50 restaurants to visit. Although known for Chef Richard Ekkebus' inventive and iconic Hokkaido Sea Urchin with Lobster Jelly and Caviar, the restaurant also boasts ceiling to floor windows and amazing architecture.   

Unfortunately Chef Richard Ekkebus removed his signature iconic sea urchin dish in 2016, but you can try this dish if you decide to order the degustation.

We made a lunch reservation a month before visiting Hong Kong. I would highly recommend booking restaurants in advance to avoid disappointment (especially if they are popular).

We opted for a three course lunch and started with 4 different amuse bouche. The amuse bouche consisted of four different flavours which comprised of salty, sour, bitter and sweet.

For our entree's we had the duck foie gras with brioche and scallops with a butter sauce.

For our mains we ordered a line caught brill and red amadai (crispy roasted on the scales with pointed cabbage, seaweed puree and ginger broth) accompanied with home-made bread with a choice of salted and unsalted butter.

And of course, for dessert we ordered the Ethiopian Coffee (coffee flavoured ice-cream in a chocolate cage, topped with vanilla ice-cream and salted caramel) and 'Gala' apple (baked tatin with grey seasalt as a sorbet, creme fraiche caramel mousseline and salted caramel). 

We were also provided with petit fours and a complimentary chocolate cake from the restaurant. This was my first experience at a two michelin star restaurant and I was not disappointed. The lunch menu is relatively cheaper than the dinner menu and I would recommend eating at this restaurant if you're looking to try good food with amazing service!

Postcards from Paris

"Actually, Paris is the most beautiful in the rain" - Midnight in Paris

(Above: Pont Alexandre III)

The first time I went to Paris, I fell in love with the city and discovered that I had a sweet tooth for macarons. On this second trip, I got to explore the city slowly, learn and adapt to the Parisian life and appreciate parisian fashion.

(Above: Galeries Lafayette)

This was my first time travelling to Europe in winter and during the festive season. I have to admit, although the weather was gloomy, it was actually really beautiful. I think Paris has its own charm during winter and the fashion is amazing. I appreciated and observed how people dressed and it made me wish we had more of a fashion scene here back at home.

During the first week in Paris, we stayed close to Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann. It was the perfect location close to food, shopping and the Opera. If you're looking for places to shop, here are my top places to visit:

• Galeries Lafayette or Printemps: both of these department stores house all the fashion brands as well as local fashion brands. Even if you're not there to shop, the display windows are amazing and well put together. There's a rooftop at the top level which has a nice view of Paris from above and they have all sorts of pastries, macarons and dessert in their food hall.

• Le Marais: A chic neighbourhood with local brands and a great place to find vintage and boutique french stores.

• Avenue Des Champ Elysées: a well known and iconic shopping promenade which has a range of shops from Zara to Ladurée to local souvenirs. 

• Outlet shopping: if you're after a good bargain, the outlet shopping centres are just a 45 min bus ride away and has a range of fashion brands for everyone. 10/10 would recommend. If you're going there, I'd recommend staying a full day at the outlet to maximise all shopping time!

Also don't forget that you can claim up to 13% tax back for all tourists (more incentive to spend hehehe).

(Above: Eiffel Tower)

(Above: Palais Royal)

(Above: Lunch at Le George) 

Pastries and dessert in Paris is amazing. Whether its starting the day with a pain au chocolat or having lunch whilst people watching, the food is delicious. Paris has many michelin star restaurants and if you enjoy food, I would recommend at least trying one.

We went to the one michelin star restaurant, Le George which was located at the Four Seasons Hotel. The restaurant specialised in Italian food. For starters we had bread and shredded crab, vervena and red peppers. For mains we had the Guinea fowl ravioli Del Plin with truffle, Veal agnolotti and mushroom cream and Baked sea bream with white wine sauce. For dessert we ordered the Shades of Hazelnut and crispy mocha to share!

(Above: Laduree)

(Above: Place Vendome)

(Above: The Louvre)

(Above: Hot chocolate and lunch at Angelina)

(Above: Flagship Chanel store at 31 Rue Cambon)

(Above: High Tea at the Peninsula)

The best way to beat the weather and stay warm is to eat more food and sip on a hot drink. We tried the signature high tea at the Peninsula Hotel. Other great places include Angelina (best hot chocolate tbh) and macarons at Ladurée or Pierre Hermé.

Or even escape the cold by visiting museums or the opera. We visited the Musee D'Orsay and waited 2 hours to get in (so if you're going in winter, make sure you layer up). We also visited the Palais Garnier which was the inspiration for the Phantom of the Opera. The architecture is amazing and I would recommend visiting if you're a Phantom fan!

(Above: Palais Garnier)

(Above: Musee D'orsay)

(Above: Palace of Versailles)

During the second part of our trip, we stayed at Madeleine which was close to the shops located at Madeleine and Champ Elysee. Every morning we were greeted with a sunrise and the eiffel tower on our balcony and at night, we would watch the eiffel tower sparkle and do its magic through the window.

(Above: View of the Eiffel Tower from our room)

(Above: Dior store)

It's so easy to fall in love with Paris. The food, architecture and the history is amazing. I hope this has inspired you for your next trip!

All photos taken by iPhone X and FujiFilm x 100.

Autumn/Winter Trends

Although we are still amidst summer and high UV rays, Autumn is just around the corner (yay!). Spending winter in Paris in December/January really makes me wish winter was here. Here's my take on the trends that you might be wearing for the 2019 AW season.

Layering

Layering is all about playing with volume and textures and something everyone can easily do. Pair similar knits and colours for a classic look or patterns for a contrasting look. Balenciaga's 2018 Ready to Wear collection showed us how everyone should be layering their clothes this winter.

Above: Look 67 from Balenciaga Fall 2018 Ready to Wear (Image from Vogue)

Tweed 

The House of Chanel is the bible to how tweed should be worn. It's such a versatile material as it could be a Tweed skirt, tweed jacket, tweed top, tweed bag - the list goes on.

Knee boots

Put your best foot forward with a pair of knee boots. Whether its flat or has a slight heel, it can instantly make your outfit go from casual to going out. If you haven't invested in a pair already, I'd recommend getting one to add to your shoe collection.

One-tone dressing

Although it may take a few outfit changes to get it right, the best way to master one-tone dressing is to do it with tailored pieces - such as a matching jacket and trouser. Using layers of the same colour can create texture and a bold statement.


Right: Look 12 from Chanel Fall 2018 Ready to Wear (Image from Vogue)

The Trench
A timeless classic which gives just the right amount of warmth during Autumn and great for layering during the colder months. Burberry is an expert in this department and I think it's something that will always be used in your wardrobe!

Above: Look 7 from Burberry Pre-Fall 2019 show (Image from Vogue/Burberry)

Note: All images do not belong to me and have been credited and linked.