Giftwell recently let me take over their blog to showcase some of my fave finds in the Kong! Here is where you will find me when out and about! Check out Giftwell and their amazing gifting options here!
We are so excited to hand the reins to The Little Black Book over to Sabrina Sikora aka the insanely talented and down-to-earth model-turned-photographer and Sassy Girl. Sabrina shares with us her favorite things in Hong Kong – yes that means, bookmark this page! And be sure to check out her amazing photos for inspiration.
Without further ado, here’s Sabrina . . .
I’ve said it before and I will say it again, Hong Kong is a place that has to be discovered. It can take years to do this properly and even when you think you know the city, it can turn around and change just like that! July 1st marks my sixth anniversary in this fine metropolis and I feel like I have only begun to get to know her! It has literally taken years of wandering down hills and up alleys, all the while toting a camera or three, but I’ve found a few gems that I’d like to share with you! Meet my Hong Kong!
Eat:
The restaurants in this city come and go like I have never seen before. Just when you start to crave a food, the menu and venue have changed! One classic that I frequent, maybe a bit too often, is Tokio Joe in LKF. The spicy tuna can turn even the most trying day into a victory! For dim sum Sunday’s, I love The Square (below) where I always order two portions of char siu bao, much to my better half’s chagrin!
When I am looking to carbo load, I hit up Posto Pubblico (below) and eat anything and everything they offer that is covered in their incredible homemade red sauce.
There is something to be said for great grab and go healthy food, which is why I turn up at Mana (below) ordering my usual 4-topping flat at least once a week!
Once I’ve had my veggies it’s time for dessert! Those who know me know I never turn down sweets! This was a sticking point with my agency in my modeling days but I would rather put in more time on the treadmill then give up sugar! My treat of choice is the red velvet cupcake from Sift. I’m a long way from my hometown of Macon, Georgia but with just one bite and I’m home!
Shop:
Life as Sassy’s style blogger has me flitting from shop to shop all day long- a task I take great delight in! A few of the standouts for me are off street level so they take a bit more effort to get to. Polkadot (picture below) is a one-stop shop for dresses that are perfect for HK’s heat! I love the colors and prints from Cameo and the versatility of What the Frock?! They also have the Bejewelled Bespoke line, which makes for a fantastic gift.
For something to wear under it all, I head to Sheer (below) and stock up on little lacey luxuries. To top the look, a trip to The9thMuse is necessary and also happens to be my kryptonite. I am simply powerless against the draw of sparkling gems and jewels and the call of the vintage clutches.
For an endless array of vintage dresses, I scour the racks of Me&Gee in Central. Ellermann,Loveramics (first picture below), and Kapok (second below) are my go-to’s for all those hard to buy gifts, though I usually end up leaving with something for myself. Once you see the cake pedestals and floral teapots on display at Ellermann, I bet you won’t leave empty handed either!
Perhaps it would be best for my wallet if I just did my gift shopping through Giftwell. It would surely keep me focused and I could just order the gift card and skip the whole “but wouldn’t it look great in my house too” debacle that happens every time!
Do:
My time is usually spent on set shooting, retouching the photos that were just shot, or writing about what is in those photos for my blog, or Sassy, or both! It is such a joy to really love what I do and not have it feel like work. This is why I am typically working on something either photography or Sassy related in my spare time. When I do chose to put down the camera and step away from the screen I can typically be found reading fashion mags at a café or the rare alfresco lunch spot.
Two personal faves include Agnes B. on Gough Street and the Dead End Cafe (below) on Po Hing Fong. Order the iced chocolate and the hot chocolate, respectively.
I also thoroughly love a little pampering and indulge at, well, Indulgence (below)!
Speaking of pampering, there is nothing better than slipping into a late night foot rub at Gao’s (below) after a Saturday night dinner. The sound of those fake little birdies chirping is oddly enchanting!
But all this unwinding must have some sort of physical counterpart which is why on the weekends I head to the American Club to do just enough exercise to keep me in my favorite skinny jeans! But my favorite way to burn the cals is just to walk endlessly around Hong Kong. Those staggered stairs offer quite the cardio!
There is something so incredibly magical about this ever-changing city that I can’t seem to get over. New neighborhoods coming to life, alleys that lead to secret parks, the street art that begs to be instagrammed, and the foods that need to be tasted all keep me coming back for more year after year. This, along with the immeasurable other secluded offerings that are just begging to be uncovered, is why I love Hong Kong and why I am proud to tell her story though photos and words to all those who have yet to fall head over teeteringly high heels for her!
Lead Image: Romain Jacquet-Lagreze; All images courtesy of respective establishments social media pages.
