Message Board Celebrity Of The Day (Part I) - papalovesmambo- Page 85

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 10:43pm

Work, I posted a whole saga on it. It is on the Board somewhere.

But, if you have any suggestions or pointers (presuming your family is from HK and not the Mainland or Taiwan, and has not been here for 3 generations) I would love to take what ever info I can get!

BTW - Chinese guilt, Jewish Guilt aided by a lazy susan!

[Chloe]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 10:46pm

Congratulations, Tiff, and good luck with law school.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 10:54pm

Thanks Chloe!

YWIW, my parents are actually from Malaysia (in terms of nationality), and Chinese is their race. But we've been to HK before so what can I advise you...

Have lots of money for living expenses, and expect a shoebox for a flat. Like, it'll make a studio in Manhattan look like MaraLago. Get used to eating "authentic" Chinese food (none of that sweet and sour chicken ball crap) - the hawker stands on the streets will be ridiculously cheap and tasty. In fact, I think most Chinese food in HK is quite cheap because of the exchange rate. And no, we don't really eat dog (much).

HK's also a good place to buy designer names (real or faux), and less expensive than the States.

Don't drive there unless you've got a death wish. Sometimes, unfortunately, the stereotypes are true. But in this case, I blame it more on the general environment and the congestion that's inevitable with extremely crowded cities. It was nearly as death-defying as Rome.

Updated On: 1/27/06 at 10:54 PM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 11:03pm

SmartPenguin asked what's my favorite thing to do off of BWW. (What? No BWW? You crazy!)

Hmm. Well, believe it or not I'm only on here for extended periods of time when I've got other business to do at the computer - this entire month has been dedicated to my law school documents. I DO have a life (sometimesokaynotreally).

I'm passionate about travel and food, in case it hasn't been made abundantly clear. I spent a lot of last year - my year in between my BA and law school - travelling to Europe, the US and the Caribbean. My dream job would be something that would allow me to travel a lot (like a travel critic!). This time of year is "Dine Out Vancouver", where the top restaurants in Vancouver offer $15, $25 and $35 3-course prix-fixe menus - I was at Mi Bar & Grill and Gotham Steakhouse last week. I was supposed to go to a few more but a sudden loss of finances (that would've been easily helped if I'd taken the movie job tonight) meant I had to cancel.

I also really like watching movies when I can afford it, reading, watching loads more TV than I'd care to admit, and going for coffee or bubble tea with friends.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 11:06pm

Oh Tiff, a really good Chinese girl would forgo New Year pleasures in favour of working for big bucks.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 11:11pm

Thanks.

BTW - Malaysia is supposed to be beautiful. I may actually get to see it for myself during the year.

My company will be renting me a corporate apartment, so at least that will be covered. I think between me and the two cats, it will be hard to fit all of the friends that have threatened to visit. I will be lucky if I get 450-500 SF. I will also be taking occasional trips to Singapore.

I will not drive there unless forced by gunpoint! I have lived in Taipei for 2 months, and that was nuts, and I know that HK is even worse. And they think LA has traffic!

I can expense most everything. Which leads me to one question about the street vendors: Do they have the same issues with digestive reactions for bland, white folks like me as the mainland? When I was in China in late 2004 on a trip, we were told to never eat from the street vendors because we have basically destroyed our abililty to handle anything that has any sort of bug.

When I was in Taipei and the Mainland I got my share of the authentic food. I just have to watch out for fish head and I think I will be OK. Also, I speak some Mandarin, which may not help, but hopefully, my "wo bu gan" will be understood.

Anyway, enought HK advice - go use that gold card while there is still time!

I may PM you as it gets closer and I start freaking out.

Oh yea, HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and your family. (Gong Hey Fa Choi?"

[Marlene]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 11:14pm

werd up to singapore. <3

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 11:23pm

Yup, Gong Hay Fat Choi, YWIW! (Which reminds me, I'll have to do a Chinese New Year Eve thread tomorrow as well, like I did last year.) What do you do for a living, if I may ask? Feel free to PM me about your trip. You're so fortunate to work for a company that expenses your travels to exotic destinations - I would love to do that!

Malaysia is wonderful - Kuala Lumpur is very, very developed and the food there, in my opinion, is even better than HK food because the 3 most prominent cultures are Malay, Chinese and Indian, so you can IMAGINE what the dining is like. You can get an enormous bowl of spicy shrimp and noodles in soup for
And I don't think you'll have as many problems with your digestive system as you would in the mainland. I was born and raised in Canada, and didn't have a problem when I ate there. (I would worry more about the spices and maybe the MSG more than immunity to higher bacteria levels.) BlueWiz, if you're still reading this, any suggestions? You were in HK last year, weren't you? (Or was it just mainland?)

Mandarin might help you a bit - it'll obviously help you if you can read the characters - but Cantonese is more widely spoken.

Running out for a half hour. Then back to finish off these questions! (A whole weekend of this, huh? I love it!)

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 11:26pm

Hi Tiff! Yes, I was in Hong Kong and Beijing last fall.

WYTW, I think your tummy will be fine. The street vendors in Hong Kong are much, much cleaner than those found in Mainland China. And there are sooo many ex-pats in HK (it's such a cosmopolitan, East-Meets-West city) that the food is prepared with international tastebuds in mind.

Word to the wise: if you're shopping in the street markets like "Woman's Street" or Stanley Market, you might want to take a local with you to help you bargain -- or else you'll get the foreigner prices.

People in Hong Kong usually also know Mandarin, so I'm sure your knowledge will be helpful.

Updated On: 1/27/06 at 11:26 PM

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 11:32pm

I PM'd you - I figure I would not bore the rest of the folks with the details.

Off on your jet for a half hour I presume!

And Blue Wizard - yep, I know, they see a "wai guo ren" and they see sucker across the forehead. I am going to have to brush up on my bargaining lingo!

[Plum]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 12:27am

Tiff, take the damn job. I'm Jewish; I know all about parental guilt. :)

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 12:38am

Take the job, you dumb ho.

I'll go to your Chinese New Year dinner.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 12:44am

ShbrtAlley asked me what's my favorite genre of music to sing in the shower.

I don't sing in the shower because I don't want the mirror and tiling to crack. But when I wail along in the car by myself, Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason" and anything from Gwen Stefani or Alicia Keys will usually be playing.

Boobs asked what my most memorable birthday was.

It was by far my past birthday in New York. I had been going through a lull for most of the years, and decided I needed to do something daring, like dropping a lot of money I don't have on a one week trip, staying with Internet friends I hadn't met before. And while a lot of it was hell (Yes, Rath, partially because of yoy. And partially because it was the ONE WEEK where New York got torrential rains around Columbus Day), I had a great time, went on a productive job interview, ate well, saw a bunch of shows and attended 3 U2 concerts. What more could I ask for?

Shameless asked me how my best friend would describe me and if it's accurate.

Wow. My best friend would say that I'm loyal, energetic, sensitive, with a zeal for travel, food and intense discussions. And that I love film work way too much. And to an extent she's right, but she also doesn't see the amount of time I spend on here, vegging unattractively while wolfing down chips. As Shrek would say, I'm like an onion! I make people cry? Yes, that. And I've got "layers".

Shameless also asked which four people I would like to have dinner with.

1. Bono - I love his music. They've got great melodies, but more importantly, they're relevant. He's relevant. And in an age of Britney and Paris, it's so refreshing to have a celebrity who's earned his status and tries to DO SOMETHING GOOD with his high profile. Plus he's sexy.

2. Oprah - Don't judge. While I find her show tiresome at times and I don't always agree with her, I think she's a shrewd business woman who made something of herself after starting with nothing, and has done more good than bad with her empire. I think she probably means well with things she does, i.e. the Book Club, her advocacy, etc. (and - no doubt - profits immensely from it) and while it can get a bit self-righteous, she's inspired people.

3. Jesus - But I hear he's booked up solid.

4. Bill Gates - Harvard drop-out? Self-made multibillionaire who helped change communication as we know it? Philanthropist? Hell yes! PLUS he'd pick up the bill.

(ETA: If #3 doesn't count, I would choose Jon Stewart as my fourth dinner guest - he's smart, funny, attractive and knows his politics. I love him.)

Updated On: 1/28/06 at 12:44 AM

[theatrebabe]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 12:46am

Congradulations, Tiff! *hugs* Enjoy your day!

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 12:48am

And JFTR, since Rath's in a snit over my reference to her on my New York trip ("(9:48:04 PM): umm, as i recall there were other people who didn't help make your week perfect either.") - that's true, too.

ETA: Thanks TB!

Updated On: 1/28/06 at 12:48 AM

[Plum]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 12:51am

Okay, being completely random:

Tiff, what did you think of high school?

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 12:56am

HATED IT. Every moment of grades 8-10 sucks. Grades 11 and 12 were marginally better since I was in the IB Program and were surrounded by other nerds, but even then, there was mild drama. But grades 9 and 10 were the worst of my life and gave me isseues about my looks and weight that still haunt me today. When I'm in a PMSy over-emotional, self-loathing mood, I still think about those comments and experiences and it upsets me for the rest of the night.

How about a fun question?

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 1:00am

How is this for random:

Who is your favorite teletubby?

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 1:14am

The purple one, Tinkywinky. Because anyone who can piss off Jerry Falwell is probably okay with me!

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 1:21am

two snaps and double paws from Gorky and Stoli =

Long live to pissing off Freaky Falwell.


EDIT - it must have been late, but Gorky has been gone for almost two years now, so two snaps, and double paws from Stoli and Zorra, and a psychich meow from Goky!


<------- Stoli and Zorra, sitting on a tree, kissing. Updated On: 1/28/06 at 01:21 AM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 1:26am

two snaps and double paws from Gorky and Stoli

What the hell? All I picked up from that was, "Oh! Stoli!"

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 1:29am

It means her cats love you too.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:37am

Well then, I like her cats! (Little hive-inducing runts that they may be...)

BTW, https://thewb.warnerbros.com/web/show_episode.jsp?id=SN112

I scouted and negotiated a bunch of these locations on my first time out. So watch and go, "Oooh, what an appropriately spooky location - I bet a lot of work went into that!" and then give me MAJOR props for it. I'm so pleased with myself, I gotta say.

So much fun to work that hard, but the Supernatural folks fly by the seats of their pants for every episode and wind up over-budget and barely on-time. So I done good!

[Plum]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:40am

Wow. I know some Supernatural fans, and now I feel all connected. :)

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:43am

Now you're two degrees of separation from Jensen Ackles! I choose to tell people that we dated during my time at Supernatural. In reality, we ate within 5 feet of each other at a long table with 6 other people. But dammit, it's MY day, and we dated and slept together in his trailer in between set-ups, GOT IT??