Hong Kong Shopping: Horizon Plaza

What's a girl to do when she finds herself in Hong Kong mid-season, and sales are nowhere to be found?  Outlet shopping, that's what!  While some of you might be familiar with Horizon Plaza, others have yet to discover this gem of a building.  Yes, you read that right.  BUILDING.  And I'm not talking 4-5 floors either.  Try 20-something?  Yes!  But before you start hyperventilating, keep in mind that not all floors are occupied and the stores are a mix of clothing, kids stuff and furniture.  But still.  Ok ok let me shorten the suspense.  Scroll on to see the photos!

Listing of stores at the lobby

I.T

The I.T Outlet is a mix of different brands ranging from Fred Perry to Comme des Garcons.  Some items go for up to 80% off!

J. Journey

J. Journey carries brands like DKNY, Repetto, Cath Kidston, UGG and Rockport.  There's even a buy 2-and-get-additional-15%-off promo!

Bluebell Fashion Warehouse

Bluebell Fashion Warehouse houses brands like Moschino, Blumarine, Carven, Anya Hindmarch and Alessi.

Replay

Famous denim house Replay has jeans going for around HKD300++.  What a steal!  Hubby was able to snag a leather messenger bag for 50% off!

Fairton Fashion Group

7 for All Mankind, Jean Paul Gaultier and Kookai are just some of the brand that can be found at the Fairton Fashion Group outlet.

ImagineXGroup

Fancy Paul & Shark?  How about 3.1 Phillip Lim?  There's also Tumi, Club Monaco and BCBG Max Azria inside the ImagineXGroup outlet.

Marc by Marc Jacobs

If you're a fan of Marc Jacobs then you'll have a grand time here.  Countless selections ranging from bags, sunglasses and clothing are waiting!

YSL

NOW we're talking.  Truth be told, this was one of the main reasons why I trooped over to the Horizon Plaza.  What you are looking at right now is a heaven of HKD1800 Tribtoos and YSL BDJ clutches at 30-40% off! 

Another ImagineXGroup outlet

Salvatore Ferragamos at 50% off?  Yes please!  Finding your size might be a challenge though.  Sizes are limited, so if you manage to find one that you like AND in your size, you lucky duck!  Grab it before someone else does!

HitGallery Warehouse

If you're looking for the following: CoSTUME NATIONAL, Galliano, and Fiorucci, then HitGallery Warehouse is the place to be.

Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren.  I think this one needs no explanation.

Pompei Warehouse

Craving for brands like Gucci, D&G, Armani, Bally, Burberry, Prada, Fendi, Versace, Givenchy and the like?  Look no more!  

Lane Crawford

And here's the other reason why I wanted to go to Horizon Plaza: Lane Crawford outlet!  The sheer size of the place and the assortment of things on sale will leave you in awe.  Some of the items are still priced on the high side, but if you dig deep enough, you might just come up with a winner!  Tip for the ladies:  don't (and I really mean it, DO NOT) miss the shoe section!

Joyce Warehouse

The Joyce Warehouse pales in comparison to Lane Crawford's, but it's still worth going and checking out.  

Sift

Hungry after all that shopping?  Have a break and try out Sift.  They specialize in cupcakes and other drool worthy desserts!

Cupcakes at Sift

Desserts/Macarons

See the Sift Chocolate Cake above?  Absolutely divine!  Couldn't say the same for the Red Velvet Cupcake though.  It was a bit dry.

Tree

And on the top floor, you will find Tree.  Tree is a furniture company that specializes in everything wood.  They have the whole floor to themselves!  If only I could, I would've brought some furnitures home!

An assortment of tables, chairs at Tree

Wood racks and whatnots

Tree Cafe

Hungry or tired?  Or just waiting for your companion to finish with the furniture shopping?  You can hang out at Tree Cafe.   

So... curious about what i ended up with?   I was able to score a pair of Repetto flats at 50% off, Comme des Garcons skirt for 70% off,  and get this:  YSL smoking slippers for 75% off!  Craaaaazyyyy!  How's that for a shopping accomplishment?  I was on a delirious high after scoring on some major goods.  Seriously, where else can you find such awesome deals, right?!  My wallet might have not been so happy, but I surely was!  

Suggestions:

a.  Allot the whole day for shopping at the Horizon Plaza.  Aside from the fact that the place is HUGE, there is also some distance between Horizon Plaza and the city.  You'll need about an hour to and hour and a half for travel.

b.  Not all shops are open every day.  From what I heard, Joyce is closed on Mondays.

c.  There is also a Prada outlet about 10 minutes walk from Horizon Plaza.  If you're a Prada fan, then you might want to check it out.  But if you're looking for great markdowns, you're in for a disappointment.  the last time I went, they were only offering about 20% off the original price.

d.  Shop starting from the top floor first.  That way, if you get tired waiting for the elevator, you can just walk down the stairs to the next floor.

Horizon Plaza is at 2 Lee Wing St. Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong

Directions:  from Causeway Bay, take city bus 592 to South Horizons.  Get off at South Horizons (last stop), and take a short taxi ride (about 5 minutes) to Horizon Plaza.  You can try walking but I would advise against it.  We tried it and went around in circles because the people around the area do not seem to know about Horizon Plaza.  We ended up taking a taxi and got there in 5 minutes.  Remember:  the less time you spend traveling, the more time you have for shopping! LOL!

Hong Kong Eats: Ichiran

On our trip to Japan last year, one of the restaurants on our list was Ichiran.  Sadly, they were under renovation when we got there.  Boo!  And from the moment I found out that Ichiran has already opened an outlet in Hong Kong, I made sure we had time to try them out on our most recent trip there.  So on our second day, using the ever trusty Google Map, we were able to navigate our way to the famed ramen joint.  We got there fairly early at 11am, but there was already a short line forming.  Good thing the people there eat fast; we were seated in no time.

Guide

My order list

My cubicle

Each cubicle has its own water dispenser!

No cheating!  LOL!

Need anything?  Just push the button.

My classic tonkotsu ramen

Hubby's classic tonkotsu ramen with a hint of spicy

Half-boiled salted egg

Look at the line!

So how was it?  Unlike other ramen joints, Ichiran's ramen only has one kind of broth and one flavor.  The only thing you need to worry about is how strong or how mild you want the flavors to be, and the add-ons you want to include.  Though Ichiran's ramen is decidedly simple and no-frills, I'm happy to say that the broth is extra rich and extra delicious!  No wonder it's the number one ramen house in Japan.  Will definitely be back for more!  5 out of 5 stars!

Ichiran is at Shop H ＆ I, Ground Floor, Lockhart House, Block A, 440 Jaffe Road,Causeway Bay 

Outfit of the Week: Denim on Denim

Been wanting to try out the denim on denim trend for a while now, but I just couldn't find the right denim combination.  Good thing I found these acid-wash button downs in Topman, of all places!  On sale at 50% off too!  What a steal!  The pair of shorts, on the other hand, are part of an online splurge at asos.com.  I swear, if I browse through that site every single day, I'd go broke in about a week!  They have the best and widest selection of pieces that are unique and on-trend.  Boo for my wallet, yay for my closet!  LOL!  Goin back, glad I was able to get the look together in sunny Hong Kong!  We were actually hoping that there would be a little cold left, but were surprised to find out that the weather there is almost as hot as Manila!  Almost.  Because nothing can compare to the heat we're experiencing in Manila now.  Gaaahhh bring back the cold please!!!  LOL.  Like my look?  Sound off at the comments section please!

Top:  Topman
Shorts and Belt:  New Look
Bag:  Givenchy
Shoes:  Sperry Top-Sider

Make Your Own Havaianas (MYOH) 2014

Hey guys!  Interrupting my Hong Kong posts with an important PSA (public service announcement).  Are you feeling the heat yet?  It's summer!  I'm not one to welcome the hot and humid weather, but if there's something that I look forward to every summer, it's the annual Make Your Own Havaianas event!  Yes, it's that time of the year again!  This year's theme:  Brazil, where our beloved Havaianas originated from.  So expect all things Brazil!  I was lucky enough to be invited to the private event yesterday, so I took lots of photos to share (and guide!)  Scroll down to take a look!

Photo wall, anyone?

A panoramic view of the Glorietta Activity Center

Price list

Choices, choices, choices

The mix and match wheel

A closer look at this year's MYOH pins

Say hello to the guys and girls who will be making your dream pair come to life!

Step 1:  Putting together the sole and the straps

Step 2:  Punching holes and assembling of your pins

Step 3:  Locking your pins into place

And voila!  So many pairs, but only one is mine.  Can you guess which one?

Neon yellow for the win!

Schedule.  Plan ahead now!

MYOH 2014 is happening now till Sunday.  So hurry off to the Glorietta Activity Center to make your own customized pair! 

Cosmo Hotel, Hong Kong

So how did everyone's Holy Week turn out?  Oops.  Should I have asked about Labor Day instead?  Sorry!  Been meaning to blog ever since I came back but was too swamped with work.  Girl's gotta earn some moolah!  Anyway, I mentioned in my previous post that I am off to somewhere for Holy Week.  And as you guys can probably guess from the title of this post, I was in Hong Kong.  Yes, again.  I swear, judging from the number of times I go there in a year, they should make me an honorary citizen.  LOL.

Our trip was actually a last minute thing.  A few weeks before Holy Week, Dad suddenly asked if everyone would like to spend it out of the country.  What the heck, who'd say no, right?!  So off we scrambled to make last minute plans of where to eat, and what to do (who am I kidding?  It's more of where to shop!)  

First up, where we stayed.  Dad made all the flight and travel arrangements, and since it's peak season, he wasn't able to book us a room at our usual hotel.  All we knew was that we were going to stay at a hotel called Cosmo and that it's quite near the Causeway Bay shopping area.  Great!

Fast forward to Holy Friday, we arrived in Hong Kong early in the morning.  We took a cab to the hotel, and were surprised to find out that the hotel was situated near a temple, a hospital and the cemetery.  You could say that Mom was not pleased.  Oops.  The only hope that we had was that the hotel rooms are going to be nice and cozy.  Well was it?  Scroll down to see!

First glimpse of the room

Wall mounted TV and working area

The room at another angle

Side table

Closet, safe and mini fridge

Bathroom

Tub

Sink

So... how was it?  Initial reaction:  the room is so tiny!  Even smaller than the already tiny room we stayed in at the Butterfly on Victoria Boutique Hotel the last time we were in Hong Kong.  And no free in-room wifi.  You'd have to hang out in the lobby if you want to go online.  Oh dear.  On the first night, we didn't have any hotel toiletries either.  We thought they really do not provide, but were surprised on the second day to see that everything from the shampoo down to the cotton buds were there.  In addition to the scary location, there seems to be no MTR station nearby.  And the "near Causeway Bay shopping area" remark?  You'd have to walk about 20 minutes to get there.  I think it's safe to say that we won't be staying in this hotel in the future.  Oh Dad, thanks for trying anyway.  1.5 out of 5 stars.

Cosmo Hotel is at 375-377 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Outfit of the Week: Jazz It Up

Just a typical outfit at the mall.  LOL.  I'm kidding.  Well, sort of.  Because I really did wear this to the mall, BUT, I went on to an event afterwards.  If you've read about my past outfit posts on how much I love kimonos, this just goes to show that I'm still not over them.  I love how just throwing a kimono over a casual dress and adding some accessories immediately jazzes up an outfit.  Which reminds me, I have to stock up on accessories!  Gah!  No worries though.. as of writing, I am on foreign land.  So expect another travel post coming up real soon!  Oh and by the way, Happy Easter!

Kimono:  Forever 21
Dress:  Zara TRF
Necklace:  from the bazaar
Bracelet:  from the bazaar
Ring:  from Joyce Hong Kong
Clutch:  Prada
Shoes:  Forever 21