Xintiandi

Sorry for the lack of updates these days. I've been so busy with midterms :(

Here are some pictures of Xintiandi, one of my favorite places in Shanghai. It's very touristy though and everything is pretty expensive.

A mini waterfall/water fountain at the edge of Xintiandi

A view of the shopping mall

Water fountain in front of "Fountain", a dessert/wine bar

My spring break is coming up! I'll be going to Phuket and Ko Samui in Thailand... so excited! (:

Hong Kong pictures

Some pictures from Hong Kong...

1881 Heritage - a beautiful shopping/dining center

Modern Toilet restaurant - where everything is toilet themed! This is Korean-style pork served in a toilet bowl. Also had ice green tea served in a urinal... haha

A view of Hong Kong island from a terrace at Harbor City

Venetian Hotel & Casino in Macau. It's huge! This is just one small part of it. 

Back to Shanghai

Finally back from Hong Kong!

I must say, Hong Kong is definitely more of my taste than Shanghai.

Why HK is better than Shanghai:
1. CLEANER!
2. People speak English
3. Shopping is much better
4. More diverse
5. People don't drive as crazily... aka I don't feel like I will die every time I cross the street

Why Shanghai is better than HK:
1. Nightlife is much better
2. Everything is cheaper!

We also visited Guangzhou and Shenzhen in China. In HK, we visited some companies and had lectures, but during our free time, I did some sightseeing, eating, shopping, and met some friends who live there. I definitely miss Hong Kong, but it's good to be back.

Will post pictures soon!

Hong Kong

In case you guys have been wondering why I haven't posted recently, I'm in Hong Kong until Saturday. I have no computer here so I'll update with a real post when I get back to Shanghai!

Sparkly pink nails

Got my nails done here (:

It's sparkly pink gradient... the gradient is very light though. I love the sparkly pink! It was 88RMB which is about $13USD. It's not a bad price considering they do a better job than any manicure I've gotten in the states.

New discovery: massages

Good news! My dorm room internet is fixed. Bad news: Blogger is still extremely slow. That's why I haven't been able to blog recently! I'm still working on the getting the camera/computer setup fixed... hopefully soon!

I recently discovered just how wonderful massages are. It's cheap (cheaper than US), relaxing, and addicting! I'm definitely going at least once a week. I've only been to Apsara and Dragonfly so far.

Apsara is definitely a great looking place. The atmosphere is amazing. Each bed is in a separate room complete with a shower, tub, and all amenities like hairdryer, shampoo, lotion, bathrobe, etc. Service is also excellent. During the massage they turn off almost all the lights, play very soft and smoothing music, and let you choose your oil scent (if you get a oil massage). The massage itself is just okay though. It felt like she wasn't putting enough pressure on me! The price is around $35USD for 1 hour. 

I think there are two Apsaras in Shanghai. I went to the one in Century Park. The area there looks very new, but it was a quiet neighborhood. 

Dragonfly was pretty much the opposite of Apsara. It's a great massage but the atmosphere is just okay. There are several Dragonfly spas all over China but I went to one inside an upscale mall/building. The place was kind of small. Each bed is not in an individual room, but rather there's just one hallway that has a bunch of beds separated by curtains. Each individual area is kind of small. The massage is great though. It feels better and is cheaper than Apsara! I heard Dragonfly is known to have very good foot massages, so I need to try that the next time I go there!

Beauty Review: Skinfood Banana Yogurt Mask

I just recently started using Skinfood banana yogurt mask. It smells delicious! Just like the Korean banana milk hehe (:

It's very gentle and made for sensitive skin, so it will not cause any breakouts or redness. I use it about twice a week. It's a creamy texture with little exfoliating beads. I apply, massage the beads into my face, and wash off after 15 minutes.

It really gives you very smooth skin! Just after one use, I can already feel my skin texture becoming much smoother. It doesn't do much for blemishes, so if you're looking for a blemish-clearing mask, this is not it. This is more just a gentle mask to help smooth your skin texture. I think it's even gentle enough for everyday use. Skinfood products are all good prices, so that's also another advantage to this product.

Rating: 4/5.
The sweet smell, easy application, smooth skin are all pros, but I feel that I can find a better weekly mask.

I also have samples of rice wash off mask and black sesame mask. After I use those, I'll do more reviews and a comparison.