CALIFORNIA – To some, the train is one of the most enjoyable modes of travel.  To others it’s archaic, a thing of the past.  For me, it seemed an interesting way to spend some of my newfound, Cali-based free time and what I hoped would be a great way to a see a bit of the US. I [...]

  HONG KONG – They’re old-style, double-decker, eco-friendly and come in multiple, cute colors.  They’re called street trams and Hong Kong is one of a few cities to still use the double-decker version.  It’s also my preferred way to get-around the city. Yes, the double-decker street trams…possibly the slowest way to transverse Hong Kong, but also one of the most [...]

  MACAU, CHINA – If you’ve spent any time in Hong Kong, then you know how bloody crowded and claustrophobic it can feel.  If you’ve actually lived there, you also know that there’s only one way to deal with all that craziness – the weekend getaway, the key to making HK living bearable. It seemed like everyone I knew in [...]

    By GARY FONG So, I was having drinks with a few friends the other day and somehow we got on the subject of cities when one of them posed this question:  what makes a great city, truly great?  In other words, if you set aside the obvious things that make a city just great – e.g, fab restaurants [...]

    LOS ANGELES – While most visitors to LA flock to the renowned Getty Museum, they often forget about the city’s first major museum dedicated solely to art:  the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Granted, LACMA may not be housed in a beautiful, mountain-perched Richard Meier-designed building (like the Getty) and can’t boast an unrivaled collection of [...]

  BANGKOK – It seems like every country in Asia has their own version of a hot pot, that communal dining experience where a pot of simmering soup is used to cook fresh pieces of meat, seafood and vegetables which are in turned dipped in different kinds of sauces before being consumed.  At the more refined end of the spectrum, [...]

  HONG KONG – Back in my corporate days, when I was constantly on the go traveling from one city to the next, the airport often became my temporary home, a place where I would eat, drink, shop, shit, work, sleep and even shower, while waiting for my flight onward.  It’s not something I particularly enjoyed (because, like it or [...]

    CHIANG MAI, THAILAND – Working crazy hours?  In the initial stages of career burn out?  Need a life re-charge/re-eval?  If any of these answers is “yes”, this resort tucked away in the mountains of Northern Thailand might be just what you need to de-stress and get your so-called life back on track. Located on the outskirts of Chiang [...]

  HONG KONG – This strange, yet wonderful, example of the West’s lasting influence on Hong Kong is considered by many to be an integral part of the city’s heritage. Known as the Cha Chaan Teng (CCT), these old-style eateries – which can be found on practically every street corner (or skyscraper as the case may be) – serve up [...]

  BANGKOK – Beach, Singhas, massage and go-go bars?  Is that all you have planned for your Thai holiday?  Like to make a bit of difference while you’re there?  Then think about making a donation – large or small – to any one of Thailand’s amazing temples. These so-called “offerings” are the lifeblood of Thailand’s temples, and are essential to [...]