New Alexander Wang

So.... ummm.... we know he's an avante-garde genius and everything, but we're a little lost on the new Alexander Wang Spring/Summer 2010 collection. Thoughts???

Sassy Launch Party: Just One Week Away!

The Sassy Launch Party is coming up fast, and we're sooo excited for it. Make sure you make a note in your diary as it's next Wednesday 23rd September at M1NT. We'll be toasting to our 1,000 members and thanking all the great businesses we've worked with over the past 6 months since we started Sassy.

You can email rsvp@sassyhongkong.com to inquire about getting on the Guest List. Hope to see you there!

Restaurant Review: Angelini at Kowloon Shangri-La

Last Friday lunchtime saw us heading over to TST for lunch at Angelini restaurant at the Kowloon Shangri-La. We were invited to try their special tasting menu to celebrate the 4th Anniversary of the restaurant and were very excited. We have to admit, we are very bad girls when it comes to leaving Hong Kong Island - we tend to view "the other side" as halfway across the world, rather than the 10 minute MTR journey it is in reality. Because of this, we had a vacation-like feeling as we took the Star Ferry over.

Angelini's is on the first floor of the hotel, and is one of an amazing seven restaurants on the premises. Lunch-time trade was booming, and the tables lining the windows which offer a stunning view of Victoria Harbour were all packed. We briefly met Italian Chef Vittorio, who reassured us that he would make all the portions small for us, probably assuming we are the perma-diet kind of girls. As we're definitely not, we asked him please not to shrink our food!

We started the meal with a Carpaccio of Bluefin Tuna, Salmon and Sea Bass which was heavenly and the perfect light way to begin a heavy lunch. When the pasta course arrived afterwards, we knew we were really in for the full Italian experience. The home-made Torcetti Pasta was unfortunately a little over-cooked, as I like my pasta al dente. Accompanied by Sardinian Shrimp and a Saffron and Parsley Purée, it was nevertheless delicious.

We then moved onto a fish course, which was a perfectly sautéed piece of Sea Bass sitting on a ratatouille-style sauce of Courgette, Aubergine and Sea Urchin. I have to admit, I'm not sure I would ever be able to identify the taste of Sea Urchin! The sauce was the ideal tangy compliment to the soft, subtle flavours of the Sea Bass.

We finished our savoury courses by sharing a New Zealand Lamb Rack with Pistachio Crust and White Polenta, and a Braised Pork Short Ribs with a Green Apple and Cucumber Salad. It was a tough call, but we think the Pork may have just beaten the Lamb Rack (top image) by an inch. This is great hearty autumnal food, and watching the rain lash down outside made me feel like we were actually going to step out into a brisk, cold day.

Finally came the piece de resistance - a Moscato Wine Cream with Blueberry Sorbet and Meringue that was like eating sweet, creamy air. This was definitely the absolute highlight of the meal and being so light, didn't give us the bloated feeling one can get from too much food at lunchtime.

We particularly recommend Angelini for a great business lunch or dinner option on Kowloon side. The service is impeccable and the food quality very high. Until the end of September, the set dinner is available at HK$680 per person.

Angelini at the Kowloon Shangri-La - 2733 8750

64 Mody Road, East TST

The Secret Is Out: Mandarin Orange

Whether you're going on holiday to tropical destinations like Bali and Phuket, or just heading out to CitySuper to pick up some groceries, being dressed in Mandarin Orange's resort wear will leave you feeling comfortable and relaxed!

Mandarin Orange is the creation of one Sassy lady named Louise. When Louise moved to Hong Kong in 1997, she quickly realized that there was a need for western sized clothing, which was her inspiration and led her to create her first line here in Hong Kong.

Most of the Mandarin Orange line is focused on resort wear that can be dressed up to wear around town or dressed down to lounge by the pool. The line includes all kinds of fabulous dresses, colourful tops, detailed kaftans, and comfy beachy/yoga pants. Girls at our Chic Boutique couldn't get enough of the versatile wrap dresses !

Visit Louise at the Mandarin Orange showroom or shop from the comfort of home through their online boutique.

Mandarin Orange

Unit 3C, Third Floor

Grand Progress Building

15-16 LKF

Central

2525-8275

RIP Patrick Swayze

Sassy Sundays: Bollywood Dancing!

Our latest Sassy Sunday was the most fun class yet - Bollywood Dancing. With lots of hip swirling and hand twirling, it needed all our concentration to make sure we were moving in the right direction and pretending to be Bollywood stars at the same time! Our instructor Cristo made this a class to remember, singing along with all the songs and making sure to count out loud for us to follow along.

After class we headed to Red SoHo to enjoy our complimentary glass of Champagne, and where we also indulged in some fries and the most amazing mac n' cheese we've ever tasted. The perfect post-workout diet!

Our next Sassy Sunday we will be trying NYC Hiphop at Pure Fitness in ifc. We've heard the teacher, Alfred, is amazing, so we're excited to try it. You can sign up online here. Look forward to seeing you there!

Looking Cute in the Rain

With a typhoon on the way and torrential rain likely over the next couple of days, our thoughts turn to what we should wear to keep dry while still looking appropriate for meetings etc. I came across these photos from Teen Vogue, and loved the styles, from the black wellington boots and gloves in the top photo, to the casually draped scarf in the middle one, to the wet-look leggings in the last. Seems a black classic umbrella is a style must-have - my frilly polka-dotted SaSa last-minute buy must just be killing my look!

Happy Anniversary RED Bar + Restaurant

At Sassy we love a celebration and this week we will be toasting RED Bar + Restaurant as they celebrate their 5-year Anniversary! RED Bar + Restaurant is one of our favourite places in town and we have had many days which end by enjoying the restaurants amazing panoramic views while we nibble on the delicious quesadillas (our absolute fav!) and a glass (or two, or three!) of wine.

While we should be gifting RED Bar + Restaurant for all the amazing dinners and drinks they have served us over the past years they are actually giving us a gift! From September 14-20th RED Bar + Restaurant will be giving 25% off all food and drinks. This gift is available to everyone, which means whether you are a Pure Cardholder or not you can enjoy this great discount. Just thinking about RED Bar + Restaurant already has us craving the amazing California cuisine that is their signature style.

We totally enjoy the chilled out vibe that RED has the majority of the time but we also love it when the DJs come out and work their magic to create a party like atmosphere. There is nothing like sitting outside and having a drink while listening to the hottest DJs in town. To further celebrate their anniversary RED will have a special DJ evening on Friday September 18th. Leading DJs, DJ Gruv and DJ Dim Sum will be spinning all evening long and help us all thank RED for a great 5 years. Happy Anniversary RED!

PS: Stop by RED SoHo on September 22nd at 7pm for a fabulous Wine Pairing Dinner with The Schiopetto Family Winery. For one night only join the estate for their most renowned vintage paired with the eclectic New York cuisine of RED SoHo. Spaces are limited so call 8199 8189 for reservations.

RED Bar + Restaurant

4/f, Two ifc

8 Finance Street

Central, Hong Kong

8129 8882

www.pure-dining.com

Bird by Juicy Couture

Last week we popped by Juicy Couture to check out their new Bird line, which is according to Juicy a "...Different take on the juicy girl. She is more like your well-travelled sister with the impeccably tailored wardrobe". There were perhaps around 15 sample pieces which we were invited to view, all arranged at the front of the store surrounded by a flock of black taxidermy crows. Some of the pieces really stood out, like the cute furry bolero above with sequin straps which was one of our favourites, a grey silk jumpsuit and a sequined racer-back vest, but the rest of the collection was a bit of a blur of various black separates.

We were pretty surprised when we looked at some of the prices too, like the sequined vest which was USD$400, or a pair of leather leggings for almost USD$900... Can't help but wonder if the average Juicy shopper would be prepared to pony up that kind of cash? Or if they're hoping to attract shoppers who would generally be shopping other designer labels elsewhere? If the latter then I certainly think it's a carefully edited offering, but the contrast between the small selection of dark, cool edgy looks and the huge variety of candy-coloured delights of the Juicy main line may just be too big to attract a different customer into the store.

The Bird Collection is now on sale at the ifc Mall branch of Juicy Couture. Take a look and let us know what you think!

The Secret Is Out: Chic Infinity

One of our favourite Chic Boutique vendors was Chic Infinity, and not just because she has the word "Chic" in her brand name! Virginia's pieces are delicate, dainty and fashion-forward - I think they all have a little dark side to them that makes them perfect with this season's black and edgy styles. Pearls are a big feature of many of Chic Infinity's designs, whether coloured or swathed in white or black tube netting, so you can channel a modern-day Audrey Hepburn.

I am having a bit of a ring "moment" these days (as I imagine Rachel Zoe would say), so the brass filigree cocktail ring above, which is one of a series, is my current item of lust. Statement rings are such an easy way to look more polished - you can find bolder versions at Chic Infinity's Etsy store.

You can also find the cutest little lego piece cufflinks that would make great fun gifts as Chic Infinity's sister (or should I say brother) store, Quirky Infinity.

The Cold Shoulder

It has taken us a while to warm up to the big shoulder trend - I think for me, memories of family photos of my mum and my aunt rocking the style with frosted hair in the eighties were enough to make me shudder at the thought of a revival! Then I read an article which showed how to see the trend as having more of a 1940s influence, and as I LOVE vintage, that turned the whole thing around for me. Adding to this new slant, is the plus that wider shoulders make little nipped in waists look tinier, and hips look smaller. A winner all round!

You also don't have to necessarily wear garments with shoulder pads to buy into the trend. As these images from Michael Kors show, by adding shoulder embellishments, a puffy sleeve, or even by exposing your shoulders in an cutaway dress, you're still drawing attention to fashion's new erogenous zone.

A belt is an absolute must to draw attention to your new hour-glass silhouette, and as this is the ultimate lady-like look, the highest heels should be worn so that you look tall and curvy, rather than squat and stocky!

Hurray for Michael Kors to make the big shoulder trend wearable! I just love him on Project Runway, and now I love his designs too.

Sassy Sundays: Bollywood Dance

Back in July Sassy went Belly Dancing at Oasis Dance Centre. We had such a fabulous time reaching our Inner - Goddesses by learning sultry moves like hip bumps and snake arms. This totally inspired us to venture out and try more classes. Next up for Sassy---Bollywood Dance at Pure!

If you're looking to escape the stresses of reality and enter the glamorous dream world of Bollywood, then Bollywood Dance is the class for you!

Bollywood is located in the center of India: Mumbai. This Mumbai Film Industry is actually the largest in the world....producing nearly double the amount of movies and selling a billion more tickets each year than Hollywood! Most movies are typically romantic comedy musicals, where the girl always gets her guy!

Bollywood Dancing is one of the hottest dances around! The style is a a fusion of Bhangra Dancing, East Indian Classical with the added spice of Hip-Hop, Jazz, and Salsa. Wow! Hopefully the hip shaking, hand twirling moves we'll learn at Bollywood Dance will leave us looking like Indian Goddesses!

Join us this Sunday at Pure for a special Sassy Girls Only Bollywood Dance Class where we'll burn those calories and learn to dance like the top stars of India (or at least try)! Check out all the details on our main-site.

Oh, and after our class we will be heading to Red SoHo for a Champagne Brunch!

Indian Summer

As it looks we have a whole week of rain ahead of us (thanks Tropical Depression #21!), we thought we'd bring you a ray of sunshine with this beautiful fashion spread from Vogue India, featuring the beautiful Lakshmi Menon.

The Secret Is Out: Raaga Chic

Another one of our fabulous Chic Boutique vendors was Raaga Chic, which is created by the ever-so-stylish Karishma McGregor. Growing up, Karishma was inspired when watching her mother dress in beautiful clothes, her aunt who dabbled in design in Mumbai and watching fashion shows on TV. The result of these diverse influences is a sophisticated jewellery line full of bold colour and statement pieces that have a young, fresh feel.

You can find Raaga Chic on Etsy, and the talented Karishma also offers personal styling services as part of her repertoire... With her infectious enthusiasm and happy smile, we'd gladly put ourselves in her capable hands at any time! You can contact Karishma at info@raagachic.com for more information.

A pale grey moment...

Love pale grey and silver right now... especially in these super-dreamy Bersa images.

The Secret Is Out: Bejewelled Bespoke

Continuing our series of posts about the vendors we found for our Chic Boutique event, today we're talking about one of our absolute Sassy faves, and a girl who, arriving with only seconds to spare before the event started (poor girl was stuck at the office, on a Saturday!), soon had a crowd buzzing around her table.

Trish's designs are incredibly of-the-moment, and all work to enhance whatever outfit you are wearing... most of the pieces would work beautifully against a plain black or white tank, and instantly give you a put-together look. Unashamedly feminine, using chiffon, lace, sparkles and fine chain, her work is attracting a lot of attention on Etsy where you can buy her jewellery. With enough orders, who knows, she might even be able to give up the day job. We're excited to put our orders in...

Chiang Mai and the Dhara Dhevi Mandarin

I've just come back from the most wonderful vacation in Chiang Mai, so just wanted to share a little about where my husband and I were lucky enough to be able to stay: The Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi. We booked the vacation at the very last minute and had explored all the usual beachy options such as Phuket, Cebu etc., but just weren't finding anything that felt terribly exciting. I had always wanted to go to Chiang Mai, as it sounds so mysterious, and I loved the idea of escaping to somewhere cooler from the Hong Kong heat. We stumbled across the Mandarin Dhara Dhevi, and were initially a little wary, as we generally try to choose small hotels rather than big resorts. Then we realized that even though the resort is spread over an incredible 60 acres, the hotel actually only has 90 rooms, so isn't enormous.

When we arrived at the hotel, we had read some reviews on Tripadvisor that accuse the place of being a little Disney-fied, as it was only built 3 years ago, but made to look old, e.g. fake rice paddies, imitation temples, over-the-top theme park-sized dragons. We did see that point of view, but also fell in love with the huge pool, our incredible villa and the amazing service. The fact that the resort has been created to be larger-than-life just made it feel more fun for us, and more of a contrast with Hong Kong aesthetics. It felt like a vacation for the eyes to be surrounded by so much beauty. The current financial climate also means that you should be able to get a great deal - free nights, spa packages and room upgrades are all among the extra perks you can negotiate.

Our trip to Chiang Mai ended up being our most relaxing vacation for years - now we're hooked on countryside rather than beach holidays!

The Secret Is Out: Fang Fong

The streets of SoHo are lined with posh bars like the Varga Lounge and delicious restaurants with cuisine from every corner of the world! Scattered throughout SoHo you will also find many charming little boutiques.

Sassy often visits Fang Fong on Staunton Street and thought they would be a fabulous addition to Sassy's Chic Boutique. Fang Fong is a fantastic little shop filled with designer dresses priced for the recessionista's budget, one of a kind clutches, and trendy accessories. With new arrivals weekly, it is always fun to visit Fang Fong to see their latest pieces. A lot of the girls who visited Chic Boutique mentioned that they loved the belts that Fang Fong was displaying. Next time you make plans to meet your friends in SoHo for a glass of wine or brunch on a Sunday, be sure to save yourself some time to visit Fang Fong!

Fang Fong, 47 Staunton Street, SoHo, 2857 2057

The Secret Is Out: Flip Style

So if you were to ask me what type of girl I am I would 100% say that I am a shoe girl. With that being said it makes me sad I don't treat my shoes as nicely as they deserve to be treated. They always seem to be scattered throughout my house (or under my bed!) and when they are in my closet they are hardly ever organized. I admit it, I need help in organization and I am lucky that we discovered Flip Style because they can make organizing your life and your loved possessions (aka shoes!) a cinch. For shoe lovers Flip offers the Flip Box which "brings order to your shoes and accessories while keeping them beautiful, protected and always available". Flip also has two great products for bag lovers. If you are a bag girl then you must check out their Flip Pouch and Flip Clip! More information can be found on their website and you can even order online!

Sassy Sundays at PURE, JUKARI Fit To Fly

JUKARI Fit to Fly at Pure Fitness is such a fantastic and whimsical class. As part of Sassy Sundays with Pure we were able to try out JUKARI, and we had such a blast! Definitely an experience to remember, and a super fun way to burn those calories. Our instructor Fabio was hilarious and kept the class upbeat and entertaining. Next week we are doing Bollywood Dance at Pure Yoga Central, and we can't wait for Sunday to get here. After the class we will be heading to Red SoHo for brunch. Check out www.sassyhongkong.com for all the details and to reserve your spot.

Sassy Addresses: Assaf Lebanese Cuisine

The other night at Sassy Hour I was talking to one of our Sassy members about the Sassy Belly Dance class we had at the end of July. We talked about how fun the class was and we remembered how delicious the wonderful Lebanese appetizers were from Assaf Lebanese Cuisine. Well, that was on Thursday night and all weekend long I could not get Assaf's out of my mind. The plan was to go for lunch after Pilates on Saturday but my husband and I arrived a little too early and realized that it didn't open until 12pm. We were starving so we ventured off to somewhere else to feed our empty stomachs with the promise to ourselves that we would go back on Sunday.

We did return and we are so happy we went back because the food was so yummy. We decided to have an early dinner and because of this we were lucky enough to have the whole place to ourselves. The restaurant is so cozy and the music they play really made me feel as if I were on holiday in Lebanon. We ordered the hummous to start and basically devoured it. We then moved on to the Sujuk (spicy Lebanese sausages), which was our absolute favorite part of the meal. For our main course we both had kebabs and I honestly didn't think I could put another thing into my stomach but then the opportunity to have some baklava presented itself and we could not resist!

Also, for you night owls out there...I have heard from many people over the past few months that Beyrouth Cafe (which is right next to Assaf and owned by the Assaf brothers) is the place to go for a late night kebab. I know I will be going here the next time I am out late and need a little something before heading home!

Assaf Lebanese Cuisine

G/F Lyndhurst Building

37B Lyndhurst Terrace

Central

2851 6550

The Secret Is Out: Fiona's Collection

Luxurious bags and clutches made from fine leather are Fiona's specialty. Every girl is always in search of a beautiful timeless bag that will last forever. When we discovered Fiona's Collection tucked beneath MIX on Hollywood Road and the Mid-levels Escalators, we knew she had to be part of Chic Boutique. Fiona has a passion for bags to the point that she quit her office desk job to pursue her love of leather. Not only does Fiona's Collection carry handbags, briefcases, purses, wallets and belts, but if you're looking for something not on the shelves, you can simply have a piece custom made. In less than 3 weeks your vision can become an affordable handbag reality! Her leathers come in gorgeous bright colours and edgy metallics, and sizes range from small clutches to large Hobos and Satchels.

Fiona's Collection, G/F Amber Lodge, 23 Hollywood Road, Central, 2581 3968

The Secret Is Out: Divalicious

When I was young my mother told me never to leave the house with my bra strap showing and up until now I have faithfully followed her advice like a nice girl should. Well now that I am all grown up it's time to make decisions on my own and I am ready to show off my bra strap with a blinged out creation from Divalicious. When we first saw Candace (the lovely girl behind Divalicious) wearing one of her bra straps we talked for days about how stylish and unique she looked. Her straps come in a wide variety of styles so whether you are feeling flirty or edgy there is sure to be a style that is right for you. Contact Candace at divalicious.cc@gmail.com to learn more about her fab designs (she also sells blinged out earrings too!)

The Secret Is Out: Handmade by Amy

I have known Amy from Handmade by Amy since I moved to HK and she makes the most beautiful sterling silver jewelry. Her pieces are the kind that you wear everyday and they go with mostly everything in your wardrobe. One of my favorite pieces in her collection is the Black Onyx fancy bezel ring and I am happy to say that it has had a spot in my jewelry collection for quite some time now. While jewelry has always been a passion for Amy she recently started another business, GreenSeam, making hand painted organic baby clothes. The onesies are just precious and they are the perfect gift for a new mom-to-be! Check out Amy's websites for more information on her jewelry and baby clothing lines.

The Secret Is Out: Kanchan Couture

One of our favorite parts about Sassy is meeting so many fabulous girls and we feel so lucky to have met Kanch (and Sharon too!) from Kanchan Couture. The first time we met her was in her studio and upon entering it we felt like we had been transformed into another world. We were greeted by beautiful bright colors and our eyes couldn't help but dart from one amazing piece to the next. Kanch's designs are heavily influenced by India and she puts her own modern twist to the Indian textiles to make it her own.

At our Chic Boutique event Kanch was showcasing her screen print t-shirts which are so cool. She uses black and white pictures of her family and screen prints them on t-shirts which creates a very modern design that is perfect for a day when you just want to wear jeans and a t-shirt but look stylish at the same time! Stop by Kanchan Couture and meet the lovely Kanch and we promise you will be blown away by her designs!