so beautifully arranged on a plate

Confession: I don't like rice. And yes, I purposely waited to post this until the end of my trip. For years, people have been baffled by my adamant disgust with the grain. "Hope you never plan to go to Asia!" they'd say. Or when finding out, why yes, I did plan to go to Asia, …

you have to leave to really miss a place

If Seattle and I could make a deal that it always be 80 degrees and gorgeous when I get back into town, that'd be great. It's no surprise I wasn't ready to come home this weekend. My three-and-a-half weeks away were a whirlwind of awesome, and I felt like I didn't even get close to …

i want to feel the thunder, i want to scream

A very brief update: - I've been in Thailand since Sunday. Phuket and the Phi Phi Islands were lovely, picturesque and relaxing. Bangkok is lovely, lively and crazy. I think I'll need to go back to the islands to recover from my three days here. - I love the chaos. I feel like the Bangkok …

when can i see you again?

As soon as I hit publish on this post, I'm heading to the airport. My trip is not quite over, but the Hong Kong portion is. And yes, I've cried about it. If you know much about me, you know I cry a lot. At the drop of a hat. When someone spills milk. Hell, …

was it everything you wanted to find?

As I settle in for my last few days in Hong Kong, I realize I've accomplished quite a bit. But not enough. (Says the girl who just ate chicken feet for lunch.) This country offers so many different cultural adventures that two weeks now seems like an impossibly short time to be here. I'm already a …

i walked a million miles while everyone was asleep

(I'm overwhelmed by the amount of emails and messages I've received about yesterday's post. Thank you all for your kind words, and I'm passing the good wishes onto my friends who need support and love right now.) My trip to Hong Kong has been filled with work, typhoons and sightseeing. Many of you know I've always been a …

…let it wash away my sanity

Just a brief update: That T3 warning I mentioned yesterday? Turns out it became a T10 overnight! I didn't even realize the warning system went that high. No wonder I couldn't sleep through all that wind and rain. In all seriousness, this storm was a big deal. It was the worst Hong Kong has seen …

fierce and love

This city is even more incredible than I could have imagined. My hotel's internet is not cooperating with me, though, so actual updates will have to wait. For now, enjoy the view I experienced from the Peak this morning. My camera phone absolutely cannot capture the beauty I saw from the top of Hong Kong …

she was…an American girl

I made it! After a 15-ish-hour long flight across the globe (with a brief happy hour break in Tokyo), I landed much earlier than expected in Hong Kong at 8:45 p.m. July 19. Even though my guidebooks all say that's what time the city really comes to life, this party animal went straight to her …

i’m here but i’m really gone