Vitra Singh's Blog, page 6

Hong Kong’s Symphony of Lights

Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong Harbor is one of those must-do activities when visiting the city – at least according to every article I read before going this past weekend.

There’s definitely a reason it is the ”Largest Permanent Light and Sound Show” by Guinness World Records. Given the impressive Hong Kong skyline, the light show is a feast for the eyes. Lasting 13 minutes (according to my count), the background music syncs with light of various colors. Forty-six buildings partake in the show making it a joint effort by some of the city’s most impressive structures.

I saw the show on a cold and drizzly evening. My advice is that if you are in Hong Kong for a few days, do it on a night that has pleasant or warm weather. Arriving around 7:15pm, I was 45 minutes early. When the weather is that chilly, it feels much longer!

Those who don’t want to stand outside can try to reserve a window seat at one of the Harbor-facing restaurants along the promenade in Tsim Sha Tsui.

H&M is currently running an ad with David Beckham in his underwear (see image below.) It was an interesting sight to see over and over again in the context of “Symphony of Lights.”

While every traveler is going to want to capture the images of the display, take the time to stop for a few minutes and soak it all in. My favorite part of the whole experience (other than sharing the memory with my husband) was seeing the different colors reflecting so vibrantly in the water.

Here are some images:

Becks played an integral part of the show :-)

 

Colors!

 

Beauty!

 

What’s the best skyline you’ve experience so far?

Singapore in Photos – Weeks 1 through 3

This week is the start of Week #4 in Singapore. There will be many stories and adventures to share in the coming weeks, but for now, I’ll whet your appetite with some of my images from the first few weeks!

Singapore Skyline from Gardens by the Bay:

View of Singapore from the top of Marina Bay Sands

Ahhh – Life is Good!

Colorful Bridge in Robertson Quay, Singapore

Pink Windows at Shophouse in Clarke Quay

Goodbye 2013, Hello 2014!!

Happy 2014!

In 2014, I’m looking forward to moving to Singapore with my wonderful husband! In three weeks, we will be embarking on our first big adventure since our marriage. It’s only been six months (seven by the time we go), so it’s going to allow us to really get a taste of how the other reacts to various out-of-the-box situations.

In looking back at 2013, it was probably the best and most important year thus far – got married, got a whole new family, and started my first home with my hubby.

Now that wedding planning, our mini “settling down” phase, and most of our stress is out the window – I’m looking forward to making sure that 2014 turns out to be a year of uninhibited fun.

Wishing you and yours a prosperous, healthy, and passionate 2014!!

Goodbye San Francisco. New adventures, here we come!! (Image by Nami Dadlani)

Photo Post: Galapagos Islands, Part 1

As I think back to my time in the Galapagos Islands, what I miss the most is nature. I am terrified (TERRIFIED!!!) of lizards and iguanas, but these days – I actually miss the creepy little buggers. Here are just a few of our images from an amazing place!

Smile!
Copyright 2013 La Dolce Vitra

 

14 day old sea lion!
Copyright 2013 La Dolce Vitra

 

Marina Iguana Floating along…San Cruz, Puerto Ayora
Copyright 2013 La Dolce Vitra

 

Blue-Footed Boobie with two babies
Copyright 2013 La Dolce Vitra

 

Sea Lion
Copyright 2013 La Dolce Vitra

One Month of Marriage

I know – I’m awful. It’s been MONTHS since I have posted to my beloved blog and that’s been primarily because of my wedding. With work, wedding planning, and side projects looming over the past two to three months, I made a conscious decision to get through that important time in my life – and then write about it all afterwards, of course!

Just a quick update now, but more to come later:

Married one month today!! Woohoo
Had an amazing 10 days in the Galapagos Islands…completely life changing
I’m back to work and completely loving it
I even have side writing gigs that are coming my way – awesome!
While I still don’t love the chilly San Francisco weather, I’m warming up (no pun intended) to this city more and more
Now that I’m back – I will be updating my editorial calendar to post more frequently.

I can’t wait to share all I’ve seen, heard, and done!

-Vitra

Golden View of San Francisco

I took advantage of being in town this past weekend to visit a new site in the Bay Area – Hawk Hills. The Hills are those you see on the left hand side when going over the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco into Marin.

It was a beautiful day and the Fiancé and I made some sandwiches, bought snacks, packed a blanket and figured we would do a picnic once we got there. About a 20-minute drive from Union Square, the anticipation of seeing the city and the bridge from a new perspective gave me a mini-thrill as we drove across.

Following signs to the left for Hawk Hill, the car ascended smoothly as we observed bikers giving it their best fight to make it up the hill. Luckily, parking was easy – the Travel Gods seemed to be aligned with our plans!

Here’s the view from Hawk Hill:

It was mesmerizing. I have lived in San Francisco for almost a year and seen the Golden Gate from many different places. But there’s something about having an elevated view that makes the experience different.

Here I am, taking in the experience – Oh, yes – that IS the fog rolling in:

As a (temporary) San Franciscan, what I loved about Hawk Hill was the fact that many tourists do not know about it. Most of the people there seemed to be spending a nice Sunday afternoon with their family and friends – parents walking the trail with their kids, and couples soaking up the weather and admiring the view, for example:

I would highly recommend a visit – pack a lunch, drive or bike (or the bus stops close by, as well.) Go early on a clear day though, because we did get there when it was clear, then the fog rolled in, and by the time we left a few hours later, the view was clear of fog once again!

What’s one of your most memorable views? What made it special?

*All images by Vitra Singh on iPhone. Please do not use without permission.*

Clips and Pieces Written by Vitra

Travel:
TheBestBeach.net - Love Note to Montego Bay
Career/Business:
Duct Tape Marketing - 5 Lessons From a Failed Business
 
Work At Home Adventures - 5 Tips For A Successful Career Change
 
Mommy Perks - Are You Seeking A Career Change? 

 

To Pay, or Not to Pay – For the Space Needle, That is!

Even after traveling to twenty-plus countries, I still get a thrill out of seeing sights a city is known for – Tower Bridge in London, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, South Beach in Miami, and on my recent trip to Seattle, THE SPACE NEEDLE!!

As a sight shown in 90% of the images I’ve seen of Seattle, I was excited at the prospect of going being a part of it – that is, actually **inside** the Space Needle.

Fiance was somewhat mystified with this intense desire of mine. Why the obsession?  I think a large part of it has to do with feeling I’m not missing out on something.  Would me taking a trip to Seattle and not visiting the iconic landmark make me a bad traveler?  The last thing I want to be is a bad traveler.

On my first morning there, between rain and light flurries, I captured this image of the Space Needle – as you can imagine, it was very exciting for me:

The Infamous Space Needle

 

As the morning progressed, I realized everywhere I went, the Space Needle was within my zone. Even this cafe had a mock Space Needle (I actually liked the quirkiness of this much more than the “real” structure.)

The Space Needle where you least expect it

 

As I thought more about it, I found myself debating if it was really worth the $20 -ish to go to the top. What is Washington State known for? Starbucks, Microsoft, The Space Needle.  But if I’m inside the landmark, would my outlook be that exciting?  Shouldn’t I instead go to a place where I could actually get a panoramic view of the beautiful skyline?

 

Olympic Sculpture Park with the Space Needle in the background (of course!)

 

As I drove right under the towering figure – it appeared to need a face lift. Would it be worth it? Would it not?

(I’m hoping some of my fellow travelers out there can relate to this internal struggle.)

I think the main factor in my final decision came down to budget. I was doing a little experiment during my time in Seattle to see how I could make the most of a day without spending more than about $100 on food and activities. As much as I enjoy paying a sight what it’s worth for an authentic experience, I also enjoy eating – like, a lot. I had a feeling, my $100 would be taken up by the foodie in me, so I made a mature decision to forgo the trip up and enjoy the views from various parts of the city.

 

Shenanigans!

 

So my dear SN – it was not meant to be this time around. Maybe next time, when I’ve had my fill of enjoying your stature from afar, I will make my way to your top. For now, I do not have any regrets as I embraced every view of you, from each opportunity that came my way.

Now it’s your turn. Have you traveled to a place and had an internal debate (or external debate with companions) about going somewhere or doing something? Do share!

Three Hour Restaurant Wait…Worth It?

When searching for seafood in Seattle, one establishment comes up time and time again – Walrus and the Carpenter.

Staying in Seattle for only two full days, the Fiance and I decided to save what we thought would be the best meal as the last meal of our trip.  Fiance had been looking forward to sucking down some oysters  for weeks leading up to the trip.  We were aware the restaurant gets packed, yet does not take reservations based on information we read online.

No problem – we’ll just go and wait.  How long could it possibly be?

Entering the restaurant after walking through an eery, wooden hallway I waited patiently to put my name on the list.  The small restaurant was dimly lit with an exposed kitchen allowing diners to observe all the chefs at work.  When it was my turn, I informed the balding host with an upturned, French-style mustache that it would be a table for two.  He looked at his list of 6 parties ahead of me, and told me it would be a three hour wait.  He said it with a straight face so I thought he was pulling a fast one on me.  Except when I repeated “three hours?” he looked at me like I was completely oblivious to the obvious norm of waiting three hours for a table.

He nonchalantly gave  suggestions of nearby bars where we could get a drink  while we waited for the next three hours.  My mind could not align with the idea of a six party wait being three hours.

Admittedly, the THREE HOUR WAIT flashed in my mind like a flickering neon sign, and part of me already disliked Walrus and the Carpenter.  So, Fiance and I, tummies rumbling in the cold Seattle night, walked down a few blocks and ended up at a wine bar called Portalis.  We sat at the bar and enjoyed some wine (I got my Reisling for $5 because the bottle had been opened the night before at a tasting – woohoo for frugality.)

After about two and a half hours we returned.  The restaurant was still packed but this time at least there were other diners waiting in a corner inside.  Mr. Mustache enthusiastically said “Don’t worry, we have a space for you to stand for a few minutes while we wait to get you seated.”

Gee thanks mister – I feel so privileged.

Upon being seated at the bar, we decided since we had waited so long, we would treat ourselves to whatever dishes we wanted.  Heck, there’s got to be a reason sane people would wait on this place for three hours, so why not try a nice mix of what the menu offers.

We tried six different types of clams/oysters – which were the best thing I tasted that night.

Among of dishes we ordered:

Smoked Trout  with Lentil, walnut, creme fraiche, pickled onion

Grilled Sardines (Shallots, walnut, parsley)

Avocado Tartine (Baby carrot, cinnamon, whole grain toast)

Bread and Butter (C’mon – $4 for bread and butter? Seriously? After a three hour wait?)

Fiance enjoyed the smoked trout the best.  I did not really fancy any of them…so we put in another order for a few oysters so end on a high note.

As an aside – at one point we put in an order of shrimp but it was somehow forgotten as it was never made, brought to us, nor put on the bill. Probably for the best.

Am I bias and slightly bitter that we had to wait three hours to suck down some oysters, so to speak?  Yes.

If I had a fantastic experience would I go back because the food was so darn good? No.

People-Watching in Seattle

One of my favorite things to do when traveling is to people-watch.  It is usually an entertaining way to pass time, but it also gives travelers a true taste of a location’s sense and sensibilities.

What are locals talking about? How are personalities when their guards are down? And what about that recluse in the corner who also seems to have the same idea as me – what is he doing here? Where is he from? What book is he reading?

I have been in Seattle for a total of about 14 hours, and I have already spent three of them in an edgy/artistic/chill cafe in the Belltown area this morning.

People-watching in Belltown, (and getting lost in my own thoughts!)

 

I am working remotely today so I can’t be out and about exploring the city – yet!  But having been stationed at my brown wooden high-table in the corner and utilizing the free wifi, Seattle has already grown on me.  I can already tell you – the locals are friendly, people really enjoy the experience of sitting down over a good cup of coffee or tea, and there is a true sense of community in this particular cafe.

Have you been to Seattle?  If so, take a gander of what this location might be:

Yes, this is a skeleton riding a bike–on the walls no less!  Highly appropriate that the subject of the painting in the background has a look that says, ‘This silly skeleton is riding the wall again?‘”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who doesn’t love an imitation Space Needle where animals can “hang out” too?