Alexander Chiu Tech, Food, and Everything In Between

My iPad Preview

As some of you may know, I'm quite a techie.  I'm a special type of techie though and that's the special and coveted (hopefully someone will hire me soon in HK ) business techie.  I wrote the Quintessential Guide to Exchange Server 2003-2007 connectivity, I was a Windows Mobile specialist for years, I practically coined the term Mobile Device back in the 1990s.  Those of you that have heard of any of those know that I'm all about real-world results so I'm going to cover Apple's latest device: the iPad.  I'm actually previewing it today because I wasn't really doing a whole lot except for follow ups for jobs.

First, you should know that the iPad is not a feminine hygiene product.  It's actually a pretty nifty looking slate of glass and metal.  My previews/reviews are normally based on real-world information and testing that I've done personally.  They are also highly opinionated so if you're expecting impartial reviews, you're not going to get one.  The other aspect that I cover in my reviews is one of a normal human being that actually uses technology on a day to day basis.  If you're a casual user, or a full blown techie, you may disagree with my opinion.  Lastly, I'm not an Apple fan boy so don't paint me as such.  I just believe in the best technology to either be efficient or to turn a profit.  Feel free to let me know your comments below.  I'm breaking up the preview into several logical parts since that's my MO and we'll start.

Physical Device:

Exterior:

The iPad has the dimensions of 243mm x 190mm x 13.4mm and is approximately 0.68kg.  While this may seem pretty light for a device such as this, compare it to similarly functioning items such as the Archos 5 Internet Tablet which runs Android OS and also a Viliv S7 which runs Windows 7.  The Archos 5 is 143mm x 79mm x 10.4mm and 0.182kg which is a much smaller 5 inch screen tablet that does almost everything that the iPad does.  This is close to a 0.5kg difference between the 2 products which puts usability and size comparisons a little off.  The iPad is nowhere near pocketable and the Archos 5 is nowhere near the capability of the iPad.  The Viliv S7 on the other hand is 230mm x 143mm x 26mm at approximately 0.83kg.  The size of the Viliv S7 is more similar to the iPad yet it's about twice the thickness.  The Viliv S7 is a full Windows 7 netbook which has a lot of capability but comes up slightly heavier than the iPad.  The iPad is pretty much a middle performer on the dimension and weight when compared with the Archos 5 internet tablet and the Viliv S7 netbook/UMD.

The iPad is made out of aluminum and glass.  While these materials are highly recyclable and the iPad is "green", both materials make up for the weight of the device.  This, I feel is a positive thing since the iPad will feel much more solid than the Viliv S7 which is primarily plastic.  The solid feel of 0.86kg in your hands will actually feel quite substantial without fatiguing your wrists since I remember using an OQO 02 which was at least 2.5lbs in my hands with the extended battery.  Anyone using an iPad will definitely feel that it's a good balance of weight.

Interior:

The iPad has an A4 ARM based processor clocked at about 1Ghz.  The A4 is actually a combination processor which not only provides core processing but also graphics processing as well as a memory controller.  In plain english, that means that it's essentially 3 processors in one.  This does not necessarily make it faster or slower than the 2 machines that I'm comparing it to.  You'll see this in my section on speed and performance.  One thing you'll notice immediately is the inclusion of only 2 ports: the 3.5mm headphone jack and the 30 pin connector slot.  If you're planning on charging anything via USB or connecting anything via USB to the iPad, you are SOL.  The iPad is a mobile device and is not meant to do that.  Only the Viliv S7 that I mentioned has 2 USB ports on it.  The iPad also comes with WiFi 802.11N as well as HSDPA if you spring for the 3G model.  This means that you'll be shelling out USD$130 extra just for the 3G hardware.  Most devices are WiFi now but not that many mobile devices are 3G unless they are smartphones.  The iPad also comes with a large 1024x768 pixel IPS multitouch display.  Jeez, Apple really turned on the marketing for these specs.  Basically, the screen is a standard LCD display with LED backlighting just like all the current laptops.  IPS stands for In-Plane Switching which is fancy talk for a double transistors per each pixel.  While this method costs a little more than standard TFT LCDs that you find in most pre 2009 screens, it gives wider viewing angles and overall less battery consumption (but not enough to really matter).  The resolution is what is called standard XGA resolution which is not even a wide screen format with a 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio.  This means that when you're watching wide screen movies, you won't be able to see FULLHD content the way it's meant to be seen and you'll see two black bars enveloping the movie.  Is this a bad thing?  Nope, not at all because both the Archos 5 and Viliv S7 sport lower resolution screens that are standard TFT LCDs.  You get a much better bang for your buck with the iPad.  Now compared with full laptop screens, you'll find that the resolution is considerably less but it's a mobile device.  You don't need the extra screen real estate.

Speed:

So here's the thing about speed: with a mobile device, the amount of time it takes for you to take out the device and boot to usable condition is the only thing that matters.  It doesn't matter if you're taking notes, in a meeting, checking your schedule, checking your e-mail, replying to e-mail, or making a business deal.  Time is money and that's what we're looking at here.  The Archos 5 uses an 800Mhz ARM A8 Cortex processor which is not by any means slow.  It's actually quite fast and allows for excellent processing capabilities.  The Viliv S7 uses an Intel Atom 1.33Mhz Z520 processor which is faster than the base clock speed of the iPad.  What you're not seeing here is overall speed.  It's great to see the clock speeds but what does it mean in real life?  Well, I'm about to reveal to you the secret of the tech industry.  The fastest device to usability wins in hardware but may not always win in the marketplace since there are so many products.  The definitive winner here is the iPad.  I'll explain why.  The Archos 5 is an Android device which has instant boot as well as a fast processor.  It does however have a graphics part on the chip it uses so it can really do some great speed when comparing it to the iPad.  In fact, it should be almost the same speed.  The iPad beats it in pure clock speed though so that's why the iPad will be faster to process a spreadsheet, calendar, or e-mail.  The Viliv S7 is a full Windows 7 device which means long normal boot times of over 2 minutes.  By the time you get it ready to take a note, you'll already have missed it.  Even if you're coming out of sleep mode, that still means a 25-45 second wait for the unit to warm up.  While overall processing speed is stronger, you'll end up not being able to use it since there is no instant boot.

Battery:

Battery life has always been a concern for mobile device users.  This has been true since the first laptop was invented.  Normally to get somewhat realistic battery life estimates, we take the listed battery life and multiply it by 75%.  In this case, we get about 7.5 hours for the iPad, 5.5 hours for the Archos 5, and about 7 hours for the Viliv S70.  Considering that netbooks and anything Windows 7, Windows XP, Ubuntu, or even Mac OSX based take boot time, the battery life for those devices get hammered pretty badly.

Overall, it still seems like the iPad makes much more sense for the average consumer since they can get through an entire 8 hour work day with it.  While it would need to be charged every night especially with WiFi use, it’s not such a big deal.  If you’re comparing it to a device such as the Kindle, while you do get substantially less battery life with an iPad, it’s overall less bulk to carry with you on a daily basis.  Alton Brown on the Food Network taught me that unitaskers are normally the first things you get rid of in your kitchen and the same applies to tech in your life.  The multitaskers will always be more effective in your life than a unitasker.

Screen:

This section will be short.  The screen of the iPad is definitely good bang for your buck compared to the prices of the Archos 5 and Viliv S7.  Not only are you getting an IPS screen which has double the capacitor count of a normal LCD, you also get a large high resolution multitouch screen which isn’t on the other units.  The multitouch screen is a double edged sword.  On one end, it’s a quick input device without the need for extra hardware, on the other end, it can be a pain to type on if you need tactile feedback.  As any typist knows: you NEED tactile feedback to know that you’ve typed the key.  This is something that Apple doesn’t seem to be very keen on.  I know for a fact that for touch typists, they can make do with haptic feedback on the multitouch keyboard.  This means that the device would vibrate a little every time you tap a key to let you know that you typed it.  Apple may want to follow suit since not everyone will buy a bulky keyboard dock to carry around with them.  I personally use a Bluetooth keyboard on my iPhone 3GS so it’s a breeze to touch type virtually anywhere.  In any case, the large multitouch screen is a good selling point and is worth the money.  You’ll get more done in less time with the screen.  Regarding movie playback, the screen is just adequate for watching movies and content but I feel that when compared to similar sized objects, it’s about as good as you’ll get right now for the price you’re paying for an iPad.

Connections:

Sammy asked me “what connections?” when I asked her about the connections on the iPad.  Apple has made the damn thing so close to an iPod Touch that there are very few connectors.  Honestly, not having USB on a product this size is a weakness because I could potentially charge or connect an iPhone, iPod, digital camera, digital camcorder, or thumbdrive to the iPad.  Yes, Apple made card reader adapters for the iPad but we don’t know how well they will work yet or how the implementation will be done.  I would have liked a replacement for my Macbook Air in the iPad but it may never get there.  We may have a new multitouchscreen Macbook Air before the iPad replaces it.  While this was a smart move on Apple’s part to not cannibalize the Macbook Air market, I think overall it will haunt them for the next 2-3 years.

Software:

One of the most important parts of the iPad is the software.  Yes, iPhone OS is pretty stable now and yes, all the apps for iPhone OS are great.  The iPad software is a derivation of the iPhone OS.  It’s simple, it’s easy, and with some jailbreaking, it will be more powerful.  Why not use a full OS such as OSX or Windows?  It comes down to battery life, speed, and usability.  The iPad OS is made for mobile use already.  It’s also not too taxing on the hardware which is important because you want your applications to tax the power of the iPad, not the main system.  Could it use a little bit more spit and polish?  I would say yes.  Put support for USB, a webcam, and a file system and you’ve got yourself a very powerful tablet that could beat out EVERY netbook and MID on the market today.  Does it matter that it’s not full laptop software?  I would say not really because the purpose of the iPad is a mobile system to do things quickly.  Core tasks in your day are mostly taken care of with the iPad and while you have tons of people bashing the OS on the iPad, I have to say it’s a better choice than a full laptop OS.

Conclusion:

To conclude my little preview of the Apple iPad, I have to say that it will be a great mobile device that will be out in 30-60 days.  I think it has potential to be so much more in the coming years.  I think that instead of waiting, people should use the technology that will be available this year.  It’s never too late to live life richer, faster, better, and greener.  Is it the tablet that will be the end all of end alls?  Nope, but I think people that end up with one will be very happy with the performance and the next models will build upon this year’s success.  I’ll update this preview later with a review when I get my unit.  I may be even more surprised with added functionality but if it doesn’t turn out well, you’ll also be hearing from me.

Saturday of new beginnings

Accounts are open finally

Friday January 29th:

So I finally opened up a new bank account with Hang Seng Bank in Central.  The process is actually not that bad for those that want to come to Hong Kong to work or start up a business.  The people at Hang Seng bank were very helpful in reducing fees for international transfers as well as getting my accounts set up properly.  They also took care of my online banking needs and had a new ATM card for me immediately.  One of the best things about Hang Seng bank are their ATMs which are conveniently located all over Hong Kong.  I found that their ATMs also allow foreign withdrawals as well which Bank of China did not.  Other than setting up my accounts, today was spent mostly applying to jobs and getting more electronic stuff organized and optimized.

Sophie’s Birthday Dinner

Sophie's Birthday Wednesday January 27th:

It's nearing the end of the 3rd week that Sammy and I are in Hong Kong. Last night, Wednesday the 27th, was one of my best friends from college's birthday. For those of you that don't know her yet, her name is Sophie. She's a crazy, fun-loving, party-hearty heck of a gal. Photo evidence is provided above ^_^. We had dinner at Frites which was a belgian moules frites place. I had a delicious deep fried Camembert to share with Sammy and also a steak tartare which was quite yummy. Sammy had half a kilo of mussels with tomatoes and cream which were also quite yummy. Surprising to me was my bucket O' beer which was a Hoegaarden and Sammy had a Leffe. Sophie ordered a giant roasted pork knuckle which looked amazing. We met so many new people at dinner which was very enjoyable. The evening was a blast as you can clearly see from the pictures. Happy Birthday Sophie!!!

The day was spent getting lunch at IFC's Cuisine Cuisine and also an attempt at finally opening my Hang Seng account.  Even for HKID card holders, you need a secondary ID that verifies you are in Hong Kong as well as a proof of residence.  Unfortunately, I brought neither and I now have to go back Friday morning to open the account.  Not bad but not good either in terms of quickly accessing money.  This does however protect the government from money launderers and other such elements from doing business in Hong Kong.  Lunch was dim sum style today and comprised of crunchy dough in rice flour roll, shrimp dumplings, vegetables dumplings, char siu (BBQ pork), suckling pig, deep fried eel rolls, deep fried frog legs, and a delicious dried fish fried rice.   Everything was delicious and again, I affirm that Hong Kong has some of the best food in the world.

Nighttime was spent teaching beginner and advanced lindy hop at DanzStage Tin Hau.  While we had a few new students, it was great to teach some real connection in beginner classes.  I think that it's very important for newer dancers to get a feel for the dance rather than learn moves.  Advanced lindy hop class was concentrated on the 2nd 4 8s of the california routine which focused on more connection and the beginnings of aerials and floorials.  I think the toughest part of teaching the advanced group is displaying my experience and footwork as something necessary to technical dancing instead of me just being picky.  I think about each step before I teach it and at times it seems like the advanced students are saying "I already know that move".  For me, when I went through similar training, I was already at the biggest plateau of my dancing life.  It was more frustrating for me to dance the way I normally danced rather than try new moves and techniques.  In a way, it's what shaped me into the dancer and that I am today: a little more humble and a lot more technical.  In the advanced lindy hop class, I try to open up everyone to what I saw as the most important tricks and parts of dancing.  I want people to really feel each other when they dance and communicate with their bodies on a new level that they haven't experienced before.  I'm glad that I get the opportunity to open up minds and show them what I figured out over my many years of dancing and training.  So the 2 people I need to really thank for this opportunity are Samantha Simmons, my partner in life, and Karen Tong, head of HKSwings and the provider of this awesome opportunity.  Of course, it takes people to make things happen in life so I am very thankful for all the students that enjoy learning from me.  I can't do these things alone so I'm really glad that there are people that want to connect with me on this level.

Catching up to current

Monday January 18th:

I'm playing a little catch-up and trying to get all my posts up to date.  I'm about a week behind so here I go.  Monday, Sammy and I tried to get her 6 month chinese visa.  Unfortunately, I forgot to bring her passport and we ended up going to the CMA building office in Central.  We ordered new simple business cards with our new HK numbers so people could contact us for jobs, interviews, etc...  After lunch I went with Sammy to the Wan Chai Computer Centre to shop for phones.  To my surprise, she purchased an HTC Hero before I even bought any electronics.  So now, she has an HTC Hero and it's working pretty well.  The evening was spent downloading applications and setting up the Hero.

Tuesday January 19th:

Tuesday morning, Sammy and I went to get her 6 month multi-entry chinese visa.  It was a success this time around.  The cost was around USD$140 but we didn't have to wait in line all day or fill out extra paperwork.  Not bad if you want to save time.  This week, I didn't carry around my camera that much since it totally did not occur to me that I would need to take pictures to blog.  The evening was spent dancing at Grappa's where I requested to DJ the next week.  Also an announcement was made that Sammy and I would be teaching classes on Thursday nights.

Wednesday January 20th:

Wow, it's all been a blur.  I wish I could remember what I did on Wednesday but I seriously don't remember O_o.

Thursday January 21st:

Again, it's all a blur until classes at night.  Sammy and I ended up being late for our first lesson due to traffic.  We had to take the 49m bus from North Point to Tin Hau and King's Road was flooded with cars.  We were about 10 minutes late but beginner class went well.  I think I may have gone a little too quickly through the beginner material for some of the leads in the class but overall, it wasn't bad.  For the advanced lindy class, it was all about swingouts and keeping good lines.  I showed basic footwork and body positioning for the swingouts as well as drilled the swingouts closer together so people would be more aware of their space usage.  This is a constant issue when social dancing here in Hong Kong so I figured the best way to get people aware of their space was to close them in.  As time progresses, I think some of the students should try to take some beginner and intermediate classes to further hone their techniques.  It's one of the things I did when I plateaued several years ago and went on a mad quest to refine and relearn.  With Sammy and me as instructors in Hong Kong, I'm hoping to get people past their current plateaus and get them to dance with more awareness and some great technique.  After teaching, we went to get dessert at a small local eatery.

Friday January 22nd:

We started our day late on Friday.  We went to eat lunch at The Burger Room in Causeway Bay.  The burgers there were AWESOME!!!  I had a foie burger and Sammy had a double burger.  These things were humongous.  It was so yummy but we just couldn't finish it all.  During lunch, we had a nice chat with our great friend and fellow dancer, Anna Reguero.  Since Hong Kong cellular plans can include international minutes, we called her to chat about how things were with her and also to see if she would come to Hong Kong in the near future.  If there is enough demand for West Coast Swing instruction in Hong Kong, Anna would be one of the best instructors I know to bring over since she's travelled to Asia before.  After lunch, we promptly made it over to Time Warner offices in Tai Koo where Sammy had a job interview.  After the interview, we went back home and hung out.

Saturday January 23rd:

Saturday afternoon was spent teaching beginner Balboa.  I quickly figured out that optimal time for classes was not during the weekend.  I should try to procure space at the studio during the week for balboa, fast lindy, and another course.  The other thing I figured out was that during the weekend the studio and also the dance scene here would benefit more from 1-2 hour special workshops.  Possibly for the 2nd semester, I could reschedule some things and get these changes in action.  Beginner balboa went decently well and the 3 students we had were able to do balboa basics by the end of the class.

Sunday January 24th:

Today we had Performance Team practices.  Basically we drilled the first 4 8s of the routine until our eyes started bleeding.  Overall, this was a great practice and the hours we put in really helped with development of the students.  Before, they couldn't do swingouts in unison but now, they can all do swingouts in unison with correct spacing.  I believe that with more practice and a new choreographed routine, they may even be able to compete in international competitions.  I have high hopes for them and I think that instructing the more advanced students will help bring more pride and more people to the swing dancing scene here.  I'm certain that this team will drive forward and get more recognition into what the HKSwings community is doing.

Monday January 25th:

Lunch at the American Club today.  Again, I wish I took pictures of the food.  The Carpaccio was sickeningly sweet but the pork chop was cooked perfectly and had a great jus to it.  I'll have to re-evaluate food more at certain restaurants and I think I now have a good eye for seeing restaurants as the businesses they are and how to differentiate between profit making operations and profit losing operations.  Who knows, I may be the next Gordon Ramsay ^_^.  Monday afternoon was spent getting Sammy's visa back with a fully approved 6 month multi-entry visa.  Things are looking up.  Maybe a trip to Shen Zhen next Friday maybe?  Monday night was spent relaxing at home.

Tuesday January 26th:

We had a leisurely lunch at Simply Life in the IFC Mall and then stopped off at Causeway Bay to do some window shopping in Sogo and some small shops while the traffic was light.  Tuesday night was spent DJing the night away at Grappa's where we got a lot of feedback on our music.  It seems like everyone liked the music and it was instantaneously recognized as something new and different.  We had a lot of people stay until the end where we wrapped things up around 11:30pm.  Definitely a great night for us.

Wednesday January 27th:

I'm sitting at home trying to be productive and currently blogging the entire last week.  It's been an interesting 2 weeks so far and we are in our 3rd week in Hong Kong without jobs right now.  We ordered McDonalds today to try out some of their stuff.  McDonalds in Hong Kong is different.  Sammy and I had Double Wasabi Fillet O' Fishes with fries, apple pie, and a coke.  Not only is McDonalds obligated to deliver your meal to you in Hong Kong, but they also serve really good food.  The Double Wasabi Fillet O' Fish was essentially a double Fillet O' Fish with a creamy wasabi mayo.  It was really yummy and the wasabi mayo really cleared out my sinuses.  The fries are just like the american ones except smaller in size.  The apple pie is different too.  The apple pie has the same filling as the american apple pie but the crust is a thin, extra-crispy crust that encases the molten apple filling.  So far, that's all we have done today since we slept in due to lack of sleep.

Hong Kong Swing Festival and the aftermath

Wednesday January 13th:

So we continue after the blogging to relax and prepare for the first crazy night of the Hong Kong Swing Festival organized by HKSwings! .  Sammy and I went to Grappa's Cellar that night to enjoy our first night of social dancing.  Already several of the swing dancing instructors had flown in and were enjoying some food.  The night ended spectacularly with Peter Vawter playing some jazz violin near Jardine House (the building of 1000 assholes).

Thursday January 14th:

A pretty uneventful day which turned out to be the calm before the storm.  We had a late lunch to ease into the weekend.  Dim sum in the afternoon is a great afternoon tea replacement in Hong Kong and it's half price after 2pm in Central.  You just can't beat the awesome food at affordable prices.  We had beef tripe in a brown sauce, braised fried tofu, ha gau (shrimp crystal dumplings), char siu bau (steamed pork buns), fish ball soup, shanghainese style dumplings, spare ribs in garlic sauce, and sticky rice.  With this kind of variety, it's tough to beat the bang per buck here in Hong Kong.  Not only is the food natural and fresh, it's also prepared in multiple ways.

Friday January 15th:

It's the first official day of the Hong Kong Swing Festival and Sammy and I are excited!  The event starts at night so we fast forward to dinner.  We ended up eating a simple dinner at the IFC Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao.  It's a simple dinner of Si Zi Tou (Lion's Head shanghainese meatballs in a brown sauce with cabbage), Xiao Long Bao (Little Dragon Buns dumplings with pork and ginger filling with a delicious soup in them), and a scallion cake.  It's pretty simple food that is absolutely delicious.  After some down time we walk over to City Hall in Central to watch the Big Band Show.  There, we were treated to a 3 hour show which included the Basic Notes Jazz Big Band led by Joe Chang, the Stray Katz Big Band led by Mike Legge (he was very comical), the Saturday Night Jazz Orchestra led by Taka Hirohama (the most danceable band of the show), and Lando Bernal's Big Broad Band.  During the show, performances were done by Max Pitruzella (Montpelier), Annie Trudeau (Montreal), Peter Vawter (Japan), Jandi Kim(Korea), Brian Ang(Singapore), Sing Lim(Singapore), Gianni Aprea, and Grace Leung.  Overall, it was a great show although I wish that Hong Kong would have given us a nice public space like the IFC Mall atrium with some wooden dance floors and a bandstand to create quite a spectacle.

After the Big Band Show, about 150 dancers from all over the world gathered to go to the late night party at DanzStage studios in Tin Hau.  DanzStage studios is large, spacious, and equipped with a great sound system so the late night dance went off without a hitch.  During the late night dance, a Jack & Jill was held where Mindy Chen and I won a ticket to The Exchange in Korea.  I was a little reluctant to compete but it felt good to perform for the crowd.  Unfortunately, I can't make it to the Exchange in Seoul so I hope someone else can make use of my space T_T.  Below is the video of the Jack & Jill for the Friday late night.  The dance lasted until 2:30am where Sammy and I promptly made our exit and collapsed back at home.

Saturday January 16th:

I'm actually really relieved that we didn't have to attend classes in the morning since we were wiped out from last night.  It had been at least 2 years since Sammy and I went to a competition or exchange.  We ended up eating some suckling pig for lunch before we proceeded to the IFC Mall to walk my grandfather.  The piggy was so delicious and crispy.  The skin had a distinct crunch when you bit into it and the flesh was soft and well seasoned.  It's possibly the most magical animal to eat.  In Hong Kong, the layer of fat between the skin and the meat is also less than other places so you get only a thin layer of fat between the crisp skin and the succulent meat.  OK, enough about the piggy.  At about 5pm, we proceeded to the roof garden of the IFC Mall to find........ Nothing.  Nobody was there yet and it wasn't until nearly 30 minutes later that reinforcements arrived with sound system in hand.  The dance slowly grew as more people came to the rooftops.  By evening, there were a lot more dancers on the floor so things progressed quite well.  Once 7pm came rolling around, we were off to the Jumbo Restaurant Top Deck.

For those of you looking to come visit Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Swing Festival is a great way to see Hong Kong as well as dance.  The Jumbo Top Deck is in a word: Sublime.  We all sat down to a nice buffet which included sushi. After filling our bellies, open dancing was available both inside and outside.  The cool night air was refreshing and the night was memorable for all who attended.  Nearing the peak of the evening, we held one last Jack & Jill contest.  Bags over heads were involved and the Jedi swingout was invented O_o.  It made for a comical night as well as a relaxed one.  The final day of dancing was nearing as we left around 12:30am.

Sunday January 17th:

The day started late again for Sammy and me since we weren't taking the classes.  To those taking the classes, I do recommend learning from lots of different instructors since it helps to see different dancing styles as well as teaching styles.  Overall, the more variety you pour into dance instruction, the more flexible your social dancing will be.  Sammy and I were a little nervous about teaching to beginners at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre at Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon today since it was a public event.  We had heard that we had 2 sessions of 15 minutes to teach beginners and that we were going to have a chinese translator: Kylie Choy.  What do you teach in 15 minutes?  Our lofty goal: basic dancing within 15 minutes or less.  Shave off 6-7 minutes for translation and we essentially had 8-9 minutes for actual instruction.  Surely, this was going to end poorly ROFL.  I ran through basics with Sammy in the morning in about 8 minutes which was about as fast as I could possibly make it.  Hopefully, it would suffice and people would get on the dance floor to learn and be somewhat danceable in the 8 minutes of actual instruction.  Finally, it was time to get over there.  We left a good 45 minutes to get there via mini-bus, then subway.  The trains here are clean, efficient, large, and profitable (everything that NYC MTA is not ;p).  Once we arrived we were quickly whisked away to backstage to be briefed on the schedule.  When it came time to teach, we were fast and furious.  Kylie introduced us really quickly and we were able to instruct some noobs quickly so that they were danceable within minutes.  My cantonese escapes me when I'm in public so it was a good thing I didn't have to translate myself.  Performances were once again done to live music and we all joined in on a Shim Sham on stage.  Special thanks go to the Hong Kong Big Band Jazz Federation, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the Hong Kong Leisure and Cultural Services Department, The Fringe Club, HKSwings, all the performers, all the bands, and Taka Hirohama for making Swing Party possible.  Later that night, the farewell dance took place at Grappa's Cellar.  Sammy and I were so tired by 10pm, we went back to sleep.  Meanwhile, the below group picture was taken T_T.  We'll have to get a big group photo of just HKSwings sometime.

The First 3 Days in Hong Kong

It's only been 3 days since I have arrived in Hong Kong. The flight was a grueling 15 hours with a 2 hour waiting period for the last 5 passengers on the plane. Total time on the plane: 17 hours. The first night in Hong Kong was the 11th. I spent it getting all of our luggage from the airport into Central on the train. Total weight of baggage: 300 lbs/136kg. Afterwards, I ate some food and went to sleep. Total sleep time during first night: 7 hours.

The first real day I was in Hong Kong it was the 12th already. I quickly went with Sammy to get back my lost HKID card. Total time at the Wan Chai Immigration Office: 1.5 hours. I have to say that people in Hong Kong are fast, courteous, and efficient. I was able to get my temporary ID card and then set up an appointment to pick up my full ID 2 weeks later. I also wasn't wasting time in line so much since they do a walk-in quota reservation time which expedites the process. I'm thoroughly impressed.

We then went to Central to pick up new annual cell phone contracts. Total time at 3HK: 1 hour. For people that have an address in HK, it's pretty easy to get cell phone service that is affordable and efficient. I signed up for a full Infinitum plan with unlimited internet service as well as IDD1966 for essentially international calling minutes on my plan. Total cost of cell phone service: HK$258/month. It wasn't bad especially compared with my AT&T plan in the USA which is now currently USD$130/HK$1010/month. Hong Kong is definitely cheaper than New York. We then ate a delicious lunch of Char Siu (BBQ chinese pork), crispy eel, and Dou Mieu (Chinese bean vegetables, very nummy ^_^). Food is great in Hong Kong and cost a fraction of the price of New York eateries in the same class. The afternoon was spent walking my grandfather around the IFC Mall: It's absolutely gorgeous (will post pics later). Hong Kong is ultra-modern and is a shopper's paradise. I wouldn't be surprised if some restaurant owners in NYC came to HK to open up shop. People spend money here and it shows. After walking the IFC mall, we were off to Dymock's bookstore to get Sammy some cantonese books. By nightfall, we were already back in North Point eating a delicious dinner. By 7pm, we were going down to Danzstage Studio at 148 Electric Rd, Tin Hau. I'm jetlagged as all hell and chug a RedBull inside the studio. 7:30pm, we meet with Conant and Georgette, the owners of Danzstage dance studio. The space is gorgeous with completely new floating floors, nice sound system, and excellent instructors. I can't help but think that the studio is in a slightly secluded location. They would definitely benefit by word of mouth exposure as well as some marketing in the local papers. Sammy and I are teaching there so I'm excited. We really want to get a larger group of students and teach some solid Lindy Hop. 8:00pm Karen Tong arrives at the studio. We go to a local fish ball eatery and have a snack. Again, it's delicious and cheap. We go back to the studio by 9pm. We meet up with Gianni Aprea and Grace Leung. They are working on their routine for the HK Swing Festival. A few days ago, we spoke with Heather Flock in NYC about their routine and agree to help explain the choreography trouble spots. Both Gianni and Grace look great running through the routine. I'll be posting their performance on YouTube after the HK Swing Festival. 10pm All of us discuss plans for a performance team/troupe. We are seriously jetlagged but our enthusiasm keeps our mouths running until almost 11:30pm. 12am, we get back to the apartment and sleep.

The second day in Hong Kong is a time to meet with family friends and eat some great seafood. By 12:30pm we arrive at the seafood market and Dragon Inn Seafood Restaurant. We buy our fresh seafood that is still alive and kicking. We see an oddity in the seafood market: it's a 120lbs Tiger Grouper in a tank. The thing is huge and can eat shrimp whole. The purveyor feeds the Tiger Grouper some shrimp and the snap of the jaws send water pouring out of the tank.  We buy a significantly smaller tiger grouper, 2 spiny lobsters, a few mantis prawns, fresh wild shrimp, and some fresh pacific abalone. The smell of the seafood market is fresh sea water, something that NYC lacks. The Dragon Inn Seafood Restaurant is located in New Territories and is a historic Inn/Restaurant. My father and his siblings have eaten here for years. The GM of the restaurant quickly takes our fresh seafood and brings it into the kitchen. Everything is prepared fresh (will post pictures shortly).  First is fresh boiled shrimp with soy sauce.  Second is lightly fried tiger grouper fillets.  Third is steamed abalone with fresh ginger and green scallions. Fourth is spiny lobster E-fu noodles.  Fifth is braised tiger grouper head in a traditional chinese red/brown sauce.  Sixth is sauteed dou mieu with dried shrimp.  Last is deep fried mantis prawns in chili sauce.  Overall it's a meal fit for an emperor.  We had lunch with my family and a family friend from Hawaii.  We all waddled away full and happy.  That afternoon I take a Benedryll since I am slightly allergic to HK shrimp and I pass out for 30 minutes.  We promptly have to wake up and eat before going to Grappa's Celler for dancing.  I'm disoriented and drink another RedBull before I hit the dance floor.  Karen Tong teaches beginner and intermediate lessons on the floor before we start social dancing.  I meet the crew while dancing and it seems like a very friendly scene.  Max Pitruzella and Annie Trudeau are in for the HK Swing Festival and they look jetlagged too(I'm not alone ^_^).  I'm very happy to dance the night away and meet all the new people.

The third day I'm sitting here writing this blog.  It's about noon time and I am enjoying archiving my pictures as well as some downtime for relaxation.  I'm wondering how some of the instructors for the HK Swing Festival are feeling and what they are doing.  I wish we could just spend some time to hang out.  After a little session of Guitar Hero, I'll be good as new.  More to follow in the coming days as well as video of the HK Swing Festival.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  It's now Friday, January 1st 2010 and the start of my adventure.  In 10 days, I am traveling to Hong Kong to create a new life.  I'm armed with only some clothes, my electronics, and this blog.  I will attempt to document my trip and details of moving to Hong Kong.  First some background information: I'm currently 30, a resident of New York City, gainfully unemployed, and have a technology side business which earns some minimal cash.  I wanted to move to Hong Kong for everything that New York City is not.  Hong Kong will be the gateway to the East for westerners and it's my destination since I'm an American Born Chinese (ABC for short) and a perfect bridge between the 2 worlds.  I'm currently at my girlfriend's parents house in Atlanta, Georgia for the holidays and will be returning to New York City on January 5th by car.  It's going to be an exciting ride and I'm packing my gear already.

So here is my progress currently: I have 3 friends in Hong Kong right now who are helping me out with networking and other details.  One of my friends, Karen Tong, is the head of the Hong Kong Swings, which is a Swing Dancing organization.  I am a swing dancer and a bit of an instructor from when I was in NYC.  She has kindly hooked me up with a dance studio named DanzsStage so I can teach Lindy Hop Swing Dance part-time.  So at least I will have some side income while I am in Hong Kong. I also booked my girlfriend's and my flight to Hong Kong about a month in advance.  It's not cheap since minimum fare is about USD$750 round trip.  The price for tickets can rocket to around USD$2000 if we didn't plan ahead.  We also booked a car from Atlanta to NYC for the 5th of January.  It will be an interesting trip to say the least.

One of the major goals I have while I am in Hong Kong will be to network with people and make some new friends.  I'm interested in creating new relationships that will benefit each other and allow some new possibilities take place.  I think it is important for people to connect with each other and use their imaginations to create new possibilities for their lives.  I want to bring the power of inspiration and imagination to Hong Kong to build a bridge between the East and the West.

So that's it for right now and for all my blog readers, Happy 2010!

Welcome Back!!!

Welcome back to my website!  It's been a while and I've been hiding from the world to bring you the next pieces of my life and the things that matter to me.  Who's going to stop me?  Feds, Communists, Zealots, and all sorts of people coming out of the woodwork will try to stop me but it's the dawn of a new age in tech and the rest of my life.  How much sense does that make?  Not a whole lot but that's not the point.  The point is, I'm back, I'm prepared, and I'm living a new life.

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