Weekend Recap: Juro’s Birthday In Hong Kong

The only time we threw our kids a birthday party was when they celebrated their first birthday. When our firstborn Gabbie turned 7, she asked to celebrate it at Hong Kong Disneyland. Last year, when Juro turned five he already told us he wanted to celebrate it at Legoland. But for some reason Jago, the original spoiler (yup he is) in our family decided to go to Hong Kong during the long weekend of August to celebrate Juro’s 6th birthday.

All smiles for the birthday boy 🙂

I CAN’T BELIEVE I PACKED LIGHT!

This trip is by far the lightest I’ve packed. I only brought a medium sized luggage for me and the kids. While Jago brought his own luggage so we can stash half of it with our shopping finds. Heehee.

Meet the Delsey Montrouge (mon-rooj)

This Delsey suitcase is made of sturdy nylon material and ZIP SECURITECH®. This technology is the best anti theft zip in the world, guaranteeing one’s personal belongings to be completely safe. Love that it has a zippered inner lining perfect for those who love to do last minute shopping at the airport because people won’t get to see everything in your suitcase once you open it! Did I mention the inner lining is removable and washable too? Yes! I’m very partial to black or navy blue suitcases but this Delsey Montrouge in red with gold highlights really made me love color.

KIT Name Packing Cubes with Mesh available at kit.com.ph

Packing has kinda grown on me and I don’t mind that I’m officially the mother packer in our home. Hahaha. Thankfully the husband likes to take charge of his suitcase so I only have myself & my kids to think about.

quick tip: use packing cubes! Whether we’re traveling domestic or international (sometimes even on staycations) I always use packing cubes because it lets me be organize.

 

Pac & Go Cubes available at pacandgoshop.com

I use these Pac & Go cubes for my kids stuff. The colored zipper lets me know whose cube is whose. I also like the transparent plastic cover which makes it easier to see the contents.

Everything fit inside this Delsey Montrouge–our clothes, toiletries, shoes & a few other travel essentials. Kinda proud of myself for packing light (or was it also because the Delsey Montrouge is spacious? Heehee) This suitcase has a TSA combination lock, a 4-double silent wheels (plus points because my kids love helping us hold our suitcase) and is expandable (yes there’s a zipper you can unzip so you get an extra inch or two of space, going!). Perfect to bring with you on a shopping trip! I’m very partial to black or navy blue suitcases but this Delsey Montrouge in red with gold highlights really made me love color.

Is it just my kids or do your kids also do this to your suitcase? This is why we gotta make sure our luggage is heavy duty! We used both Delsey luggage during this trip. The Montrouge is the medium one (68 cm) and Jago’s large suitcase (77 cm) which he’s been using for his business trips.

Off to check in to our hotel.

I take tons of photos every trip because a lot can change in a year or even in a few months. If you check my other Hong Kong post which was just February 2017, my kids have grown so much! Hahahuhu.

LUNCH AT HO HUNG KEE

Established for seventy years, Ho Hung Kee has always been reputable for its high quality service and food. In 2012, it was awarded a star in Michelin Guide, making it the first wonton-noodles restaurant that is awarded one star.

what we ordered:

Rice Noodle Rolls filled with Shrimp $66,  Barbecue Pork Bun with Saucy Filling $38, Pork & Shrimp in Bean Curd Sheet Rolls $42, House Specialty Wonton Noodles in Soup $58, and Noodles in Soup with Chu Hau Brisket of Beef $58.

It was a delicious meal but I find it too pricey for the serving. Maybe because its a Michelin star restaurant?

My kids are wanton noodle monsters! It’s their default dish to order!

After checking in and having lunch we decided to go back to our hotel. It was too hot to explore Tsim Sha Tsui so off we lounged and swam at our hotel’s rooftop pool.

I’m gonna carry this little boy for as long as he wants to because he’s growing up too fast!

Had I known that we’ll stay under the sun I would’ve brought my tanning lotion!

All that noodles & dimsum weren’t as obvious in my Nekid Swimwear suit!

One of the things we love to do when we’re in a different country is immerse ourselves using public transportation, Hong Kong’s train system will always be one of the easiest to follow. Even our kids understand the map & system.

OFF TO EXPLORE CAUSEWAY BAY

photo taken by my Instagram daughter, Gabbie.

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So I returned the favor and took her picture. She’s currently loving rompers as much as I do! She even styled it with the cute bag Holiday Inn gave to them upon checking it. Sya talaga young effortless e!

This little lady prefers looking at stationaries and the like more than toys. So here she was going gaga at the Smiggle store!

DINNER AT NHA TRANG

We wanted to try something new so we ended up choosing Nha Trang, a Vietnamese restaurant with over 15 years of culinary experience. They import rice, fish sauce and other essential ingredients direct from the source to bring a taste of culinary traditions from across Vietnam.

 

what we ordered:

Hanoi Fish Cake $78, Soft Shell Crab Rolls $80, Pork and Shrimp Spring Rolls $70, Pomelo & Grilled Prawn Salad $98, House Fried Rice $96, Pho with Thin Sliced Beef $72

Even though I was so full from dinner (imagine we ordered good enough for 4 adults and 2 kids! that’s why people on other tables kept looking at us! hahaha) there will always be room for dessert! So I treated my kids to a scoop of ice cream. When it comes to dessert, I’m the enabler!

These two had fun shopping! They got what’s on their wish list, Juro his Lego sets and Gabbie her Smiggle bag.

HELLO HONG KONG DISNEYLAND 

On our second day in Hong Kong, this boy celebrated his 6th birthday in Hong Kong Disneyland!

He is crazy obsessed with Lego sets particularly Jurassic World and Avengers so he’s happy to get a set for his birthday. He also got a birthday cake from the hotel. Thank you Holiday Inn!

Happy birthday to my baby boy! We love you to the moon and back!

I’m that mom who takes random photos of my kids whenever, wherever. Heeheehee.

We’re so excited to explore Hong Kong Disneyland even though we’ve been here last year, the feeling of excitement is equally the same!

Though we didn’t anticipate the hot humid weather! The weather forecast before we left said it’s going to be cloudy with rain come late in the afternoon. Hahahuhu.

This birthday boy requested for Ironman to be his first ride. Thank goodness for fast pass!

quick tip: get fast pass if you’re going on a weekend so you won’t waste time lining up for the top attractions. 

Another ride we enjoyed: Hyperspace Mountain.

Warning tons of Hong Kong Disneyland photos as you scroll down.

This little guy isn’t tall enough to ride the Big Grizzly Mountain ride so he & I ended up waling around the old looking town while his Achi & dad rode the attraction.

One of the fun things to do inside Disneyland! Pull the rope and wait for the water to fall!

More water games!

Taking a break from all the rides so we went shopping for head gear! 

Minnie Mouse for Halloween?

We watched The Lion King again even though we’ve watched it before. The show is just too good to miss!

There’s also a new attraction, as I mentioned before Moana: A Homecoming Celebration at Adventureland is already at Hong Kong Disneyland! This 20-minute live show with music,dance, puppetry and immersive storytelling is such a hit not just for kids but for adults too!

Twinning with my little lady

on her: top, Everyday Casuals Kids| skorts, Zara| sneakers, Adidas Stan Smith| bow, Jojo Bow

on me: top, Everyday Casuals| shorts, Zara| sneakers, Adidas Stan Smith| bag, Travelon

I got a few comments on how I managed to look fresh (even my kids) while we were at Hong Kong Disneyland. Truth be told we look like we were but we were very sweaty! AS IN! Good thing we wore white (it expels heat so best to wear light colored clothes if it’s hot) and I brought wipes, facial mists and a lot of towels and extra shirt so we can all change afterwards. Every now and then we’d stop to wipe sweat and spray on refreshing mist! It’s a factor too that we weren’t in a hurry to go from one attraction to another this way our kids were in a good throughout the day. #disneylandtips heehee

It also helped that I used this Travelon anti-theft backpack, it’s one less thing I had to worry about during this trip. I was basically hands-free so I was able to hold both my kids tight and enjoy moments walking around the park. Thank you Instagram husband for capturing our candid moments! 🙂

Because it was too hot we had an ice cream break!

Quick OOTD while the kids are enjoy some downtime.

Of course my kids had to get a Mickey waffle!

Hashtag we brought a tripod so we can take a decent family photo! Heehee. Thank you timer!

All sweaty and smelling like the sun but all smiles coz we had tons of fun! Truly Disneyland is the happiest place on earth!

Their chosen souvenir from Hong Kong Disneyland: these cute caps! Minnie Mouse for Gabbie, Avengers for Juro.

 

DINNER AT M&C DUCK

So were thinking on where to have dinner and decide to go to Harbour City to enjoy the rest of the night.  We couldn’t decide on where to eat but we know for sure that we want to try something new and we want to get our fix of roasted duck so we tried M&C Duck. A restaurant by Maxims Group that is located inside Harbourcity shopping mall, it offers modern twist to Shanghainese cuisine. Their peking duck is of course one of the restaurant’s must try.

M&C Duck gets booked fast and it’ll normally takes 30 minutes to an hour or more before you get a table if you’re walking in but for some reason, Jago managed to get us a table outside. We didn’t mind because it was the perfect excuse to enjoy the view of the harbour.

what we ordered:

Sliced Duck with Osmanthus Pudding $88, Stir-fried Shanghai Noodles with Shredded Pork and Cabbage $108, Steamed Minced Pork Dumplings Stuffed with Supreme Soup $78, Braised Rice with Diced Taro and Seafood in Casserole $138, Sautéed Diced Chicken with Asparagus, Lily Bulb and Child in Truffle Sauce $128.

This appetiser is so good, I could finish all four! I’ve tried something similar before but I cannot remember what restaurant that was.

the beautiful and delicious Sliced Duck with Osmanthus Pudding.

Again we don’t over order, my husband & I just like to eat. Heehee.

Such a delicious dumpling!

The star of our dinner, M&C Duck’s Peking Duck. It’s crispy skin and tender meat is one of the best ones I’ve tried!

This Braised Rice with Diced Taro and Seafood in Casserole was a dish my kids enjoyed! They asked for second serving and practically ate the entire dish by themselves.

If there’s one thing that’s just so-so it would have to be this Stir-fried Shanghai Noodles with Shredded Pork and Cabbage. It’s nothing special and for me I find it bland for my palette.

So busy enjoying their casserole.

After dinner we walked around the mall. As we were about to walk back to the hotel, it started to rain! Good thing I packed their rain coats but Jago had to buy $150 umbrella at Muji because we didn’t bother to bring the hotel’s umbrella heehee.

Harbourcity’s view never gets old.

LAST DAY IN HONG KONG

Our last day in Hong Kong was spent roaming around Tsim Sha Tsui before we head back home. We didn’t go to any other tourist spot because we wanted to enjoy seeing Hong Kong in a leisurely pace. We woke up a little late (around 9 in the morning) got ready and ate brunch before checking out and doing last minute shopping.

I cannot believe my baby boy is now 6!

I’m a sucker for breakfast buffets and I love taking my time checking out every counter and getting everything I like before I eat. Do you do the same? #thisiswhyworkout

While waiting for the husband to finish shopping (yes man madami sya nabili than me) I asked my Instagram daughter to take my photo.

This guy’s motto in school! Heehee.

There are only two things I splurged on in this trip: Aesop skin care and Sugarfina gummies and chocolates!

And because my boy wanted to take my photo as well, here’s his snaps of me.

And because I wanted a photo crossing the street, my Instagram husband in training happily obliged.

 

This little cutie knows how to dress up for traveling. She chose her outfits for this trip. I couldn’t be more proud! Heehee.

As we were roaming around the airport, Juro spotted our suitcase and quickly informed me. Look, it’s the Delsey Montrogue suitcases in small, medium and large!

This little guy spotted a Kinder Joy Star Wars edition. I too were excited to see the toys so I got it for him right away. Heehee.

Getting a quick snack while waiting for out flight back home. Is it just me or do you also like trying fast food in another country and choosing a dish that’s not locally available in the menu?

I got the Garden Fresh Angus Burger from the Signature Collection. It comes with a Shake Shake fries too! YUM!

Thankful for this cutie who plans spontaneous long weekends like this. Looking forward to more adventures with him and our kids.

My anxiety when flying dissipates whenever I’m seated next to my favourite people.

This was a tiring yet fun & memorable long weekend. And I wouldn’t want it any other way. Happiest birthday again to my baby boy! ❤️