Josephine Chow

I love first day of the month cos it’s pay day! AT LAST!!

I needed the money as I have decided to treat myself after completion of 6 months probation, unfortunately, I have spent (much) quicker than I can earn so I doubt there will be much left once I have paid all the bills & mortgage… oh well, just another 31 days to go before the next pay day!! and by then, we are off to Bali for some decent sunshine! I’m counting down…

Must get back in shape though or I won’t fit into my new bikinis (yes, I have bought two new sets this year) I’m lacking abit of motivation lately, plus all the indulgences of comfort eating didn’t help (all those pastry, coffee, wine, crisps…) Need to get my ass back in the gym!

Oh yeah, took my niece out for dinner last Saturday for the first time but I doubt she’s enjoyed her first restaurant experience. She spent majority of the evening screaming & crying, I guess all those people and noises must be quite scary for her, but at least she enjoyed checking out the bartenders and she love sucking her whole fist.. aii baby!

WWWHHHHHAAAAAAAA WAAAAAAAAAAA~ WHERE’S MY PRADA BIB MUMMY?!

This is a present I’ve received today from my baby niece..

Yesterday, I had a work meeting in West End, a really shitty meeting but I won’t bored you with the details. Since I’m in town I thought I do some work shopping (which involves looking at shops ‘aimlessly’ for some new ideas for our customers to work on product development) Wrong idea! It’s Thursday late night shopping at the world’s busiest street and worse thing is.. Sales is on! I hate shops full of people fighting for over-priced sales items, I’m tired and not in the mood, so I decided to call it a day at 4pm. Another wrong idea! Stupid Northern line was suspended and I end up stranded in ‘lovely’ Stockwell… exactly what I needed when I already had a long work day! Anwyay, got out of the station not have a clue what to do next, seeing all these people running around the station/bus stop/ street desperately trying to get to wherever they are supposed to get to, I thought.. sod it, let’s just get a drink and wait for the tube to resume to work! Conveniently, there’s a decent outdoor pub right opposite.

So there I was.. enjoying a glass of wine (large glass) in a cool sunny afternoon, sorting out some work emails on my blackberry, I would definitely enjoy work more if everyday is like this.

But unfortunately, the tube’s still suspected after my drink and it took me another two and half hours to get home, a jounery normally takes 30 minutes!!

I’m sure you are all aware - according to Mercer’s 2007 survey which published over week ago, the world’s most expensive city to live is once again Moscow, and London takes the number 2 spot up 3 places compare with last year! Don’t you just wish to be somewhere else now?? I’m surprised things are pricer here than Tokyo! In case you wonder, here the list:

1. Moscow

2. London

3. Seoul

4. Tokyo

5. Hong Kong

6. Copenhagen

7. Geneva

8. Osaka

9. Zurich

10. Oslo

11. Milan

12. St Petersburg (Russia)

13. Paris

14. Singapore

15. New York City

16. Dublin

17. Tel Aviv

18. Rome

19. Vienna

20. Beijing

(and if you want to know the rest, look it up yourself)

Here are some interesting facts

- the world’s least expensive city is still Asuncion in Paraguay for past 5 years

- four of the world’s top 10 cities are in Asia

- within North America cities, only New York and LA are the only two to rank the top 50

- Toronto being the most expensive in Canada but only takes number 82 place worldwide

I don’t know how accurate this survey is but the report measures the cost of 200 items such as housing, clothing, transport and food etc in 143 cities worldwide, to help global companies/governments to work out compensation & allowance for expatriate their employees, so income has not been taken into consideration. I have come across with this Big Mac article, to help determine the relationship between wages & prices - The world’s average worker needs to work 35 minutes to buy a Big Mac, and apparently, it takes one and half hours’ work to buy a burger in Nairobi. In the US cities like NY, LA and Chicago a maximum of 13 mins is needed, compares with Swiss & Scandinavian cities, 15-20 minutes as the production costs are higher. How much is a Big Mac in London (sorry not had one for ages) I guess £2.50?? It will take 10.8 minutes for me.. (after lots of my hard earn money is taken away by those ugly tax man…) I have earned myself two free burgers with the time it has taken to write this blog entry!! cool stuff!!

Looks what I have received again today.. I’m sure pure white flowers are requested (as flower should only be white!!) although the florist have replaced with pink roses I’m still smiling!

I’m pretty confident that no other girl in this planet would have received more flower than ME.. wuuhahhahha..

It’s strange that bottom part of my last entry has disappeared but I can’t remember what I was moaning about, anyway..

I’m back now if anyone even noticed I have gone.. managed to spend a small fortune even it was such a short trip, left with one suitcase but back with two, Biff’s big bag of sweet taken up alot of space I tell you (Biff if you are reading this I hope you are sharing that with Karen)

On Sunday afternoon after my 6 hours meeting, I can’t even keep my eyes open but I was wandering along Nathan Road on my own, tasted mango pudding (Biff asked me to have that on his behalf so I did), had my haircut for HK$79 which work out about a fiver, it isn’t any old scummy barber shop neither, its a proper hair salon down Nathan Road!! unbelievable!!

I’m pleased that I can ‘work from home’ today, I’m absolutely shattered and was sleeping till 2pm.. I have to say there no place like home, even though I was upgraded to exceutive room with a massive bed, it’s still not comfy as my own bed.

Sitting here in the office in Hong Kong.. head hurts, eyes are sore and red, just give me a pillow and blanket I can sleep the floor..haven’t had proper night’s sleep for days now and I’m heading back to London tonight so probably no sleep tonight neither.. I’m only hoping I can work from home on Tuesday if there’s no meetings scheduled *fingers crossed*

This trip is rather rushed and I had to work throughout the weekend (no over time pay of course!!) but it’s nice to meet with the team out here and had a fairly productive meeting yesterday, client booked 300k pieces with us and more styles & qaunitty to come so I guess its all worth it.

Hong Kong is such a funny place, I love it but hate it at the same time. I hate the crowds the traffic and the entire city is so polluted, I can’t recall seeing the sun and blue sky, ever! BUT.. everything is so convinent everything is by your door step

I was feeling pretty misable lately.. having nothing to look forward to and nothing to get excited about, just work, work, work and work but no HOLIDAY!!

But within a week we have had two holidays booked, suddely life is fun again!!

Off to Bali for two weeks then at Christmas spending another two weeks in Malaysia & Thailand (KL, Penang and Koh Samui) Unfortunately not going to be in the country again this Christmas, I wish I could celebrate Chloe’s first Chirstmas with her… well, will have to make it up with a nice big Chirstmas gift!

Ok, Chi & Sabina’s wedding pics are up - http://josephinecwchow.blogs.friendster.com/photos/chi_sabinas_wedding_may_2/

It’s been fairly hectic the past few weeks, two birthday parties and two weddings so been partying every weekend, my alcohol consumption has gone sky high (it’s pretty difficult to keep to maximum of 10 units per week when one glass of wine is already 3 units!!) Decided to detox for two weeks, but 5 days into the challenge and I have failed already, am I an addict or what? But I’m starting again this week so no alkie for me till 7th June.

The weddings were fun though, especially Maresk’s Polish wedding as I have never been to one before, the church ceremony was in Polish we have no idea what’s going on.. lots of singing and dancing after the reception, the highlight is of course bottle after bottle of vodka!! Look at the photo of Mike the morning after you will have a good idea how much fun we’ve had! http://josephinecwchow.blogs.friendster.com/photos/mareks_wedding_may_2007/index.html

Photos from Chi & Sabina’s wedding to follow shortly..

Went to see my niece last Sunday she’s getting more adorable by the day!

So what’s happening this coming weeks - Going to see Beauty and the beast in couple of days time with Helen & Anthony. Swan Lake Ballet in mid-June. BBQ at Biff & Karen’s this weekend. I’m also in process of arranging a summer party to celebrate hmm.. summer! Really just an excuse to get together with a few friends and have fun! Venue to be confirmed but I’m thinking of The Trafalgar www.thetrafalgar.com a roof garden bar in an unbranded Hilton hotel. (Well, it’s in fact Biff’s idea. If anyone is interested email me I will confirm date on email)
Finally have my two weeks holiday signed off. Yippee!! Bali here I come… well, soon enough, will happen at the beginning of September.