tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018223998177397672024-03-13T14:23:34.841-04:00FashionTraveledKatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06808948868350166083noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3701822399817739767.post-32668091313874300382019-01-31T23:51:00.000-05:002019-02-04T10:25:28.451-05:00Johannesburg & Swakopmund - Entry 007<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A happy new year to all from FashionTraveled! A little update: Last year was a diminished year for blog posts, thus we [the royal "we"] are looking forward to providing more reviews on menswear [domestic and international] and some tidbits of travel here and there. Occasionally, I shall review a product of travel [flights, accommodation, and so on - Like this post] because of a unique opportunity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had the chance to visit Swakopmund, Namibia. The invitation was from a work interaction, and I was invited for two nights at the <a href="http://www.atlantic-villa.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Atlantic Villa</span></a>. This allowed for a gorgeous backdrop to display a new belt I acquired from a friend at <a href="https://www.gucci.com/us/en/pr/men/mens-accessories/mens-belts/mens-casual/leather-belt-with-interlocking-g-buckle-p-474345CAO0T1000?position=3&listName=ProductGrid&categoryPath=Men/Mens-Accessories/Mens-Belts" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Gucci</span></a> for the holidays.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Fashion</u>: Belt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Destination</u>: Johannesburg, South Africa & Swakopmund, Namibia</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was fortunate that my friend's family from Johannesburg was available to host me during my three day and two night stay. South Africa was my first stop because it is an easy hub to access at a reasonable cost. This allows to easy access to other southern African nations. As it turns out, this was my second time in Johannesburg, and I spent more time with my friend's family. However, I did take a couple of pictures of the wonderful summer the southern hemisphere had to offer:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKBR3H1s4bqYj3lSAIiuFyn3HIY7DWIegcFOno1jSewCxc-XW4RwuyZH5jyUr9kKSMPAsNpymXT5SSSP8NgeVlrjjD5OBB3T1iqp7u5oL9CLZSl5-V4NcOte_25bY6wN7rwin7kx9LGY/s1600/Joburg00.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKBR3H1s4bqYj3lSAIiuFyn3HIY7DWIegcFOno1jSewCxc-XW4RwuyZH5jyUr9kKSMPAsNpymXT5SSSP8NgeVlrjjD5OBB3T1iqp7u5oL9CLZSl5-V4NcOte_25bY6wN7rwin7kx9LGY/s400/Joburg00.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Host's Backyard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT96re3eLeanlQt7uaouFVssb__y_ogHxs2U-ri32-aRBthJJfnf5VbiIWKJo-0HTGmjlGUlQOamJFnHTx7m5pVWjpDqtWIayjnm9cdbq068VW1_SIRTdf1WFSVfVvD2jLsIAxUn8WapU/s1600/Joburg01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT96re3eLeanlQt7uaouFVssb__y_ogHxs2U-ri32-aRBthJJfnf5VbiIWKJo-0HTGmjlGUlQOamJFnHTx7m5pVWjpDqtWIayjnm9cdbq068VW1_SIRTdf1WFSVfVvD2jLsIAxUn8WapU/s400/Joburg01.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nelson Mandela's Family Home</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbryG9Un1f95UXvftglTgE6FUcELjucjxk8vqt4PEzxr01_XMG3BeA8vfoDKO5yPbTXoTqBvW-6lEMafSha3QjxJNiOJD6uucMFq8WZI-PHooXG_AbX9e0xL_1m2rCdf8yF87zZQWKiw/s1600/Joburg02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbryG9Un1f95UXvftglTgE6FUcELjucjxk8vqt4PEzxr01_XMG3BeA8vfoDKO5yPbTXoTqBvW-6lEMafSha3QjxJNiOJD6uucMFq8WZI-PHooXG_AbX9e0xL_1m2rCdf8yF87zZQWKiw/s400/Joburg02.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Messages to Mandela via Stones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After my stay in Johannesburg, I headed to the airport to fly to Walvis Bay, which is about 40 minutes driving to my destination city - Swakopmund, Namibia. This costal city was colonized by the Germans, and was renamed as such, because the local language required a click in the original city name the Germans could not pronounce.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the many juxtapositions in life I witnessed was the natural geography of Swakopmund. Specifically, how I saw coastline, sandy beach, and across the road - undisturbed sand dunes. Despite seeing sand on both sides of the road, it was bizarre seeing beach, sand, and desert. All at once! I was hoping to catch a nice sunrise encompassing all aspects, yet it was quite foggy because of the marine layer that is involved with many coastline cities. Yet here is a panoramic from the dunes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-K7ZlUFGmENk3PTXa5zY-7MuVnrLAsIDPIQ_3oQfNFBYjjUfng1CSvUZNGnRIbDOGjB3KoZ5dL0KSiDo-n1_r_K-B9k0frwni2O5Z90tKwhyphenhyphenXfZj7viB9y-MShdHptjvG0gTJAwGNR8/s1600/Beach%252BDesert.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-K7ZlUFGmENk3PTXa5zY-7MuVnrLAsIDPIQ_3oQfNFBYjjUfng1CSvUZNGnRIbDOGjB3KoZ5dL0KSiDo-n1_r_K-B9k0frwni2O5Z90tKwhyphenhyphenXfZj7viB9y-MShdHptjvG0gTJAwGNR8/s400/Beach%252BDesert.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beach in the Distance from the Dunes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had a tour by <a href="http://www.africanrainbow.com.na/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Rainbow African Tours</span></a> arranged by the lovely ladies of Atlantic Villa, more on them in a moment. My tour guide was Eddie, a tour-guide-in-training, and a driver. So there was a total of four of us heading towards Dune 27, the largest sand dune in the desert, but not all of Namibia. Since I was the only person on tour, I had to be charged at the higher rate of 500$N, but know the cost is lower, in the 300$N range. I was able to ultimately get some pictures with the breathtaking dunes in the background as well as a nice backdrop where I am sporting the Gucci belt nicely.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFISSmJjOPgSTq0RK_zR4151h27dkrZ4-3PWllb9R1lbdQ7uJ5gLE3VwobIeRCZmthQR4pXzO85WIVlqPCXdlW1LJUZrFeFmxjE5ekqBo809SLwEdWNsQ47cIUM16CH5IeIAugM_YVZY/s1600/Pose00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFISSmJjOPgSTq0RK_zR4151h27dkrZ4-3PWllb9R1lbdQ7uJ5gLE3VwobIeRCZmthQR4pXzO85WIVlqPCXdlW1LJUZrFeFmxjE5ekqBo809SLwEdWNsQ47cIUM16CH5IeIAugM_YVZY/s640/Pose00.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caught in the Dune Winds<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoT9nTKfn79SlZ41oZHC1Ltb9pVYW_kiI-NFGKnLorqxj1DlavxAhVPQWlv8b-_ze8JsZR4yLbFfPZHtjHWbDb4WyzYMOz9bJzzyoGm6iwLdLO9FEyoG-ioISTk6ZTCG-6B25O4z6T4I/s1600/Pose01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoT9nTKfn79SlZ41oZHC1Ltb9pVYW_kiI-NFGKnLorqxj1DlavxAhVPQWlv8b-_ze8JsZR4yLbFfPZHtjHWbDb4WyzYMOz9bJzzyoGm6iwLdLO9FEyoG-ioISTk6ZTCG-6B25O4z6T4I/s640/Pose01.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Candid in the Wind - Close Up of Gucci Belt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Tk606xgo41Of-e0PEfHGGi5M4h1x8RzESJPCRI-MaXObVH_3cgGxpYsvWQkMpw9Hg0LpvPDyMxd9PIwa8iPtrZbe1JzUTk-iEbGDcYieg8nUh9jCiMO0Noyd6q52kKCypN2ErhGrED4/s1600/Pose02.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Tk606xgo41Of-e0PEfHGGi5M4h1x8RzESJPCRI-MaXObVH_3cgGxpYsvWQkMpw9Hg0LpvPDyMxd9PIwa8iPtrZbe1JzUTk-iEbGDcYieg8nUh9jCiMO0Noyd6q52kKCypN2ErhGrED4/s400/Pose02.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset on the Dunes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Flights</u>: Newark>Porto>Amsterdam>London>Johannesburg>Walvis Bay</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Accommodation</u>: CouchSurfing & Atlantic Villa</span>Katohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06808948868350166083noreply@blogger.com0Swakopmund, Namibia-22.6467427 14.6004911-22.7639852 14.4391296 -22.5295002 14.7618526tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3701822399817739767.post-18096039773580142172018-01-11T08:44:00.000-05:002019-01-31T13:39:15.070-05:00Hong Kong - Entry 006<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Greetings from Hong Kong! I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and I hope the holidays were well. For the new year, I want to be consistent in sharing my experiences and give more tips and walkthroughs on my trips. As per usual, I shall preface if this is something abnormally wild, or something I would recommend people partaking. As stated before, any links provided are <b><i>direct links</i></b> to websites, social media accounts, and so on. It would be quite the dream to be sponsored by an entity I would be proud to represent, but until that fateful day, I can promise no links that incentivize me for personal gain [unless stated otherwise] and no ads!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Fashion</u></b>: Grooming</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Destination</u></b>: Hong Kong</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #454545;">This trip, I partook in a usual activity I have done strictly in the United States, as absurd as it seems - getting a haircut. There are certain things we feel comfortable doing and conveying in our home countries respectively. Then again…it is just hair! It grows back, rather quickly for me…for now. I was recommended by a friend's husband's colleague to </span><a href="http://miguelsindj.wixsite.com/rawhairsalon" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">RAW Hair Salon</span></a><span style="color: #454545;"> on the Hong Kong Island side. I read a couple of reviews on Google and it seemed rather consistent, especially for those that do not speak Cantonese. </span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For those unfamiliar with Hong Kong, most locals split the small Special Administrative Region [SAR] to three parts: Kowloon [north of the bay] and Hong Kong Island [south of the bay], and New Territories. On the island side, there are a lot stairs and the occasional escalator to assist with the steepness, so watch out! Upon arriving, there was sadly a massive delivery truck blocking the storefront. It was still there after I had left!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWzghMQupEyC05pyHxGx9kEC4A4B7FHOuUWt5behGwIcahmJGtxZo5NhiNF5GzXJQ7tme8yBdKEemzbi-Tt8umYdpdHDeSW37bNVcXiPrL-TTYN53BnjlnffSdmyaxjiu5qtJ62oI9TfM/s1600/External.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWzghMQupEyC05pyHxGx9kEC4A4B7FHOuUWt5behGwIcahmJGtxZo5NhiNF5GzXJQ7tme8yBdKEemzbi-Tt8umYdpdHDeSW37bNVcXiPrL-TTYN53BnjlnffSdmyaxjiu5qtJ62oI9TfM/s640/External.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sign hanging on the upper left-hand corner</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Upon entry one can see the venue is small. There is a sofa to the right, and the cash register is to the left. I wanted to capture the center upon entry, since it reflects what one would see initially.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAES5C059Uq9R16-GQYpuOz-9SjygCkpTkvNURSgQjRisnV9l8v8ZixHMRUygy8OdM2iTZfU5DKba8XGVIU-xckkh68b1ONCb3A_wQC3gkpZixfpzh2x8WEWghBGnzA3BxfLnzVZ1fOzI/s1600/Internal.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAES5C059Uq9R16-GQYpuOz-9SjygCkpTkvNURSgQjRisnV9l8v8ZixHMRUygy8OdM2iTZfU5DKba8XGVIU-xckkh68b1ONCb3A_wQC3gkpZixfpzh2x8WEWghBGnzA3BxfLnzVZ1fOzI/s640/Internal.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">RAW Hair Salon</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had Andrew, who is actually depicted right in front above! He is off on Tuesday's. He spoke English, which was great. He asked what I wanted and of course, I had no idea. He basically cut it shorter such that the top of my hair was sufficiently long to still style with wax. My cut included shampoo, cut, rinse, and wax - All for 258$ HKD [≈ 30$ USD]. Not too shabby and hell of a lot less than what I pay in the city. Check out on Instagram for the actual haircut!</span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u style="color: #454545;"><b>Travel</b></u><span style="color: #454545;"><span style="color: #454545;">: I booked </span><a href="https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/premium-fare-deals/1879011-cx-pe-sfo-nyc-lax-bos-ord-hkg-1185-a.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">this deal</span></a></span><span style="color: #454545;"> per FlyerTalk member <b>olouie</b> on Premium Economy on Cathay Pacific to assist me to re-qualify for the 2018 calendar year for American Airlines’s top status: Executive Platinum. It is also the first time I completed two transpacific flights return tickets in the same week. I alluded earlier on Facebook the benefits of having the top tier status publicly available for any given airline, and it paid off. As of typing this report [I am still in the middle of the first return ticket in Vancouver], I was upgraded to business class on the outbound from JFK to HKG on <b><i>both</i></b> itineraries! How did this happen? In short, I had a few things going for me:</span></span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Top tier status with a partnering airline with Cathay Pacific, American Airline's Executive Platinum;</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Open availability in business class;</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Loading [capacity] status for other cabins; and</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A little luck</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There has only been one significant time where I booked a flight intended to fly in the cabin I paid for, and got upgraded. It was a one-way Emirates Business class ticket from Dubai to Bangkok, and they upgraded me to First Class without any notice. That was December 2016. Actually, it happened when I was flying economy with Japan Airlines, and was upgraded to Premium Economy back in April 2016.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Luck, or specifically, "it depends" as I was told by the desk agent, plays a factor here. Only <i style="font-weight: bold;">after</i> all the Cathay Pacific member upgrades were exhausted [the usual instruments to upgrade are status, voucher, miles, or purchase], <i style="font-weight: bold;">and</i> there are open business seats remaining, <i style="font-weight: bold;">then</i> there would be <i style="font-weight: bold;">the opportunity</i> for any remaining partnered members could be upgraded. And that is with the knowledge I currently have learned, who knows what other variables come into play!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #454545;">In any event, I am about to catch the second return itinerary. For all the trips I missed to post last calendar year, I may use them as content for throwback or the uniqueness aspect of the post. I want to thank everyone for their support as I progress in this </span>entrepreneurial<span style="color: #454545;"> journey and here is to the next year.</span></span></div>
</div>
Katohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06808948868350166083noreply@blogger.com2Hong Kong22.396428 114.1094970000000321.9264945 113.46405000000003 22.8663615 114.75494400000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3701822399817739767.post-38462920202097908192017-11-23T22:20:00.000-05:002018-01-10T23:41:59.350-05:00Gili Air - Entry 005<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Greetings from the skies! I am in transit from Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo. Finishing up this nice little report on an old birthday gift I finally got to strut. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><b>Fashion</b></u>: I was fortunate for last year's birthday, a close mate and colleague bought me a shirt from <a href="https://jaredlangcollection.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Jared Lang</span></a>, a luxury brand based out of Miami. I had never heard of the brand before, and was more than shocked and grateful for the gift. The sad part is, since it is such a bright color, I could not wear it during mid-autumn, let alone the winter. Over a year later, it is nearly winter again, so I thought sporting it at an international locale was a brilliant idea...more so I did not have a chance to wear it altogether. I wanted to save it for a special occasion.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVeVC4lJ7Gs2TYamRj8ToxqWY9wW780IK1nwrjJk6UHVax4nKHe-L4FufNDE0ZZ7Ygs5r3JYJ1CDhz5hwQ8t36zm58Ddg7Hz0X-e0yjdYRiQXQYhVFeO3ZzlZH-2l_j3znFrZuTdPVl4/s1600/Jared+Lang+Design+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1538" data-original-width="1152" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVeVC4lJ7Gs2TYamRj8ToxqWY9wW780IK1nwrjJk6UHVax4nKHe-L4FufNDE0ZZ7Ygs5r3JYJ1CDhz5hwQ8t36zm58Ddg7Hz0X-e0yjdYRiQXQYhVFeO3ZzlZH-2l_j3znFrZuTdPVl4/s400/Jared+Lang+Design+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="298" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jared Lang design</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The colors are quite loud, which I enjoy! If one would have met me five to six years ago, they would have never caught me in this shirt. Let alone seven years ago when I first moved to New York City, and definitely never before that in California. Those with a conservative appeal may look elsewhere, yet do not completely dismiss it! I suppose the moral is this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>One's style builds over time, and that was one of the best aspects I love about starting this business. To properly research, document, and showcase for anyone that is finding their own style and needs a little guidance or push along the way.</b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Anyhow, behind the cuffs and the collar, are contrasting black designs. I love this particular detail as it gives depth to the shirt. I am happy to see more customization among off-the-peg clothing that normally would be offered as additional complimentary customization on a shirt. Some examples are cuff and collar design, buttonhole threading, and so on.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXMUU6X77jaZUnU3Ngca9UgFk8-ykz4WZmeM9yk7QIDPMGAZmozK3MY9nbfZQGCCDXaJKXwdPgIgZLUirn8wRG5wol8z6UNruefkHJaW8yLmIfu8x3dUDKj3HfkyRuBwSqGmZW7B7BFA/s1600/IMG_1427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXMUU6X77jaZUnU3Ngca9UgFk8-ykz4WZmeM9yk7QIDPMGAZmozK3MY9nbfZQGCCDXaJKXwdPgIgZLUirn8wRG5wol8z6UNruefkHJaW8yLmIfu8x3dUDKj3HfkyRuBwSqGmZW7B7BFA/s640/IMG_1427.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jared Lang shirt, Versace sunglasses, and swim trunks from Thailand</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><b><br /></b></u></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><b>Travel</b></u>: The point-of-interest for me was one of three islands off of Lombok island, all east of Bali, Indonesia. Specifically, Gili Air - the middle sized island of the three, closest to Lombok, and overall appealing to all types travelers looking to "get away." The other two islands are known for partying [<i>Gili Trawangan</i>], and living the local life in a small and quaint manner [<i>Gili Meno</i>], though all three generate profits via tourism.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTrscF_HBkageNwIZeILEpLbkERTM3NmtB7buJBpe-7xM45NJgR5xFutiDijeE2e9OHNHSgaNhUb2A4D82ylpDSNf5Zai0yQkOjLSGTNTHhAZ0SSyjDifeaue0ZJHL38XaECSgARbc3Q/s1600/IMG_1385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTrscF_HBkageNwIZeILEpLbkERTM3NmtB7buJBpe-7xM45NJgR5xFutiDijeE2e9OHNHSgaNhUb2A4D82ylpDSNf5Zai0yQkOjLSGTNTHhAZ0SSyjDifeaue0ZJHL38XaECSgARbc3Q/s400/IMG_1385.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">View of the beach during a morning run</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The biggest tip I can give about getting to the islands is time tables. Though it may seem apparent, are the different time tables for going to and from the islands. The time frame of the time tables, however, is quite limited. That is, people can come from Bali [as I did] or Lombok. Yet the boats leaving from Bali <i><b>only</b></i> depart in the mornings. Coming back is different too, thus, one may consider to cushion a day for departure from the islands. The boat company I took and was quite pleased with was <a href="https://www.bluewater-express.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Blue Water Express</span></a>. The company picks up from your location in Bali; however, the reservation <i><b>must have been made </b></i></span><i><b>before 18:00 that day</b></i>. They provide complimentary water on the boat and sell beer as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dycizHAUO15ufecJeitlQMVdstodQ-RtrF_vMgjFFigPHmNVw69HgM1hTa2eTwQo0rZHb_KaEqZvJ6B4wtIRQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Uniqueness</u></b>: An unfortunate turn of event is one of the businesses, <a href="http://www.h2oyogaandmeditation.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">H<span style="font-size: xx-small;">2</span>O Yoga & Meditation Center</span></a>, caught on fire my last night there as of 2017 November 17. Thankfully, it was only a single building, and the fire appeared to not have spread elsewhere. Since I departed so early the next morning, I was unable to ask precisely what happened, yet their healthy bowls are really good! Definitely try them out if in town, though they take a moment to prepare. You can blame the island lifestyle if anything [insert witty comment here].</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JMdxkq4AodxNsELZkjF1iVXHxQYehEgxEOd9wOpZq_YmdkqbrTp9HfWoSVAPjvazPoxbkRXj9aKUS82TMj2ODaDu_xTwW_6uLYEXpoDq6QH_HyPkn8xrHryfFXRxiGHTjl1AefZC5y0/s1600/IMG_2075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JMdxkq4AodxNsELZkjF1iVXHxQYehEgxEOd9wOpZq_YmdkqbrTp9HfWoSVAPjvazPoxbkRXj9aKUS82TMj2ODaDu_xTwW_6uLYEXpoDq6QH_HyPkn8xrHryfFXRxiGHTjl1AefZC5y0/s400/IMG_2075.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Building the morning after</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2f3xXsR7HXu7wZWJNhoGObl7eyBeEU4-KdNa014whDB3zw2a5FOWdRZTHtqF1AzgsQRKNUPRmoSx2WI4FvCnEpeS-AHyJQaG-DS20kTlffn0zNUfSi6k0syLFrfi-_dRbl6B8GoiDZM/s1600/IMG_1374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2f3xXsR7HXu7wZWJNhoGObl7eyBeEU4-KdNa014whDB3zw2a5FOWdRZTHtqF1AzgsQRKNUPRmoSx2WI4FvCnEpeS-AHyJQaG-DS20kTlffn0zNUfSi6k0syLFrfi-_dRbl6B8GoiDZM/s400/IMG_1374.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dragonfruit bowl!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Katohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06808948868350166083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3701822399817739767.post-90131176214480843002017-11-20T21:01:00.002-05:002017-11-21T02:04:44.276-05:00Singapore - Entry 004<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Good morning from Saigon!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I know there has been quite the hiatus here on FashionTraveled, so I appreciate the readers' patience as we, some readers and I, have discussed my strive for consistency in this aspect of life. Without further ado, here I go.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><b>Fashion</b></u>: I am fortunate to have found a seat during <span style="color: purple;"><a href="http://singaporefashionweek.com.sg/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Singapore Fashion Week 2017</span></a> </span>[SGFW]. Granted, the show I attended was women's fashion, I believe as a true connoisseur, one would be supportive in nearly all aspe</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">cts of fashion. A little history, Singapore Fashion Week has been around since 2001, yet only since 2015 it has returned with a larger scope and scale to have a broader reach.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtsThxaxTpOX3A5HRhZf84N2MWRx3lDpEYFxIKR6kQbjF62cbzVG4Q9ZCsGU-GrR0gjcNrloRlSt-MUL1gurZdrbrljGXP0pjCX1NGT6Vd8aE-MEg_P6cSbGh-NLFWtlF6762OTov5J4/s1600/IMG_0843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtsThxaxTpOX3A5HRhZf84N2MWRx3lDpEYFxIKR6kQbjF62cbzVG4Q9ZCsGU-GrR0gjcNrloRlSt-MUL1gurZdrbrljGXP0pjCX1NGT6Vd8aE-MEg_P6cSbGh-NLFWtlF6762OTov5J4/s400/IMG_0843.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sporting the following legacy* wear:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Jacket</u>: <a href="http://www.tedbaker.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Ted Baker</span></a> - I was fortunate to buy the blazer as a standalone at the <a href="http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlet/camarillo" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Camarillo Outlet</span></a> in Camarillo, California.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Shirt & Trousers</u>: Uniqlo - Generally my go-to when I need something slim-fitting and <i>extremely</i> affordable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Tie</u>: Indochino</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Pocket Square</u>: <a href="https://instagram.com/coutourist" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Coutourist</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Shoes</u>: Paul Stuart</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">*Note that if I stated "legacy," by any piece of menswear or outfit, the company no longer sells it sadly. There may be things that come close, yet nothing replicated I have seen in recent years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The show I saw featured two designers as a two-segment: </span><a href="http://singaporefashionweek.com.sg/designer/ling-wu/" style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">LING WU</span></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="http://singaporefashionweek.com.sg/designer/ginlee/" style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">GINLEE</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some unique details I noticed in my first southeast fashion week:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As stated above, SGFW recently received a facelift only as of 2015. Thus, when discussing with locals, they were unaware of the ongoing show, or reported the show caters towards a niche of an audience;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The venue was at the National Gallery Singapore, a massive display of art, the fourth floor was makeshift to be a runaway with bleacher-like seating for the audience. As a logistical observation, it was a pity how narrow the runway was because the models themselves were poised and professional. Yet at the turn of the catwalk, they constantly had to avoid bumping each other which broke the natural flow of the show. Again, a logistical point, yet quite obvious;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Though my time was limited in Singapore, I wanted to bring attention to the menswear designer, <a href="http://singaporefashionweek.com.sg/designer/deboneire/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">DEBONEIRE</span></a>, showcasing during SGFW. I had already departed the country before the show respectively, but I still wanted to acknowledge as this is one of the primary focuses I search for in my posts - Menswear.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxjvfX3hdqb3WnEqR_jcU4c2xlmWycLsEA19NTdLmhDCCOdJ4M7Zk_C3oLc2vlaxxTCVYkFA8XlCzGWWPRKynML97kLqqdMLOGQIDaHIJiPu9KYtZBKuaSEfP_kcOHOYqeWYVloW5Ers/s1600/IMG_0839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxjvfX3hdqb3WnEqR_jcU4c2xlmWycLsEA19NTdLmhDCCOdJ4M7Zk_C3oLc2vlaxxTCVYkFA8XlCzGWWPRKynML97kLqqdMLOGQIDaHIJiPu9KYtZBKuaSEfP_kcOHOYqeWYVloW5Ers/s400/IMG_0839.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: start;">The National Gallery Singapore - Altered for the Event</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwRhGNt1sMHAz8hPR5KNnS-R-pc8jtLWpcjOrj8nPOR57Qso4LYkVHJl18Ovu1clX0DYx56rR4yQiXxNXfn6Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">GINLEE final run through</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><b>Travel</b></u>: In terms of Singapore itself - Arriving is quite easy. The country is known for its strict laws, the most pressing on my mind as I am writing this, is the need for <i>at least six months of validity on any given passport</i>. This is a requirement of Singapore as a nation. My mate traveling with me was shy of being at six months, and let's say he got in and out successfully without any fines. In short, do not risk it and check your passport's validity. For whatever it is worth, it was the first time traveling with someone with limited experience traveler and I knew my passport was valid! Now I know to check <i>everyone else</i> if ever with others. You live, you learn.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Arriving late at night [01:00 in the morning], the best option and most economical to get into the city, is the city shuttle. It is only 9$ SGD per person, they drop off at major hotels downtown which a list could be found <span style="color: purple;"><a href="http://www.changiairport.com/content/dam/cag/5-airport-experience/3-services-facilities/groundtransportdesk-hotel-list/Airport%20Shuttle%20Hotel%20List%20(updated%20as%20of%2024%20March%202015).pdf" target="_blank">here</a></span>, and they take credit card! If one does take the city shuttle - Either remember to ask where the shuttle is, or when reaching one end of terminal 1, you shall see a small booth describing transportation options and kiosks in front of two sets of lift. Both are on the right side. Beyond the lifts, is a sliding automatic door, and outside is where the city shuttle meets. Do not be fooled like I was! Downstairs are different types of bus services, such as public, shuttles, and service vehicles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This wraps up my brief report on SGFW. I hope by the event, I will have more menswear opportunity and options. Currently in Saigon, there are many tailors that can create custom-made clothing; however, I have too little time this trip. In fact, I should have still made the clothes, and came back eventually since I have family here. Until next time!</span>Katohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06808948868350166083noreply@blogger.com0Saigon, Vietnam10.8230989 106.62966389.8247624 105.33877030000001 11.8214354 107.9205573tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3701822399817739767.post-23597364005734870852017-06-16T06:19:00.000-04:002017-11-21T02:07:16.082-05:00東京 [Tokyo], Zagreb, and Paris - Entry 003<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Greetings from Boracay in the Philippines!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I want to first and foremost give thanks and appreciation to all those that have viewed, read, shared, even glanced or skimmed my website!!! It means a lot to me, and I want to continue to turnout great material that is worth reading and valuable to others.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have concluded thus far, that between my trips, I shall develop posts that are catered to answering Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs] about fashion, travel, and so on. These shall supplement the actual trips since I am far from being sponsored of the sort.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another point I would like to add is all the hyperlinked website are <i style="font-weight: bold;">directly to explained websites respectively</i>. There are no ads, nor do I feel I shall ever allow them to be here. I do not make any money from your clicking on the links, so please click away! If anything changes, I shall absolutely state and share for transparency purposes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I decided to include a map of the crazy flight path of what I took during Spring Break 2017. Map is courtesy of <a href="http://www.gcmap.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Great Circle Mapper</span></a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgardt9lyTCcEOtb7xse6Msklc9BxZ8KKwq_ci9j7RWyru0N2ukyjS30OGqmBX_GeeqVdm2lkt7wf_fnSWMr7IJgMUgugqM7xTWI4yr0lgSDUFLkmz-R7LUrPeNsgooju8i7JcoBtfbMdA/s1600/map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgardt9lyTCcEOtb7xse6Msklc9BxZ8KKwq_ci9j7RWyru0N2ukyjS30OGqmBX_GeeqVdm2lkt7wf_fnSWMr7IJgMUgugqM7xTWI4yr0lgSDUFLkmz-R7LUrPeNsgooju8i7JcoBtfbMdA/s400/map.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JFK>NRT>DOH>ZAG>IST>CAI>CDG>JFK</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What I have learned [and knew in the back of my head], is <i>I talk <b>way</b> too much</i>. Therefore, I am working on getting to the heart of these posts - The content. Therefore, the trip reports will be a bit longer, but the posts in between shall be sweet and concise.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In terms of Japan, it is my favorite country to re-visit. It definitely has a lot of "playback value" not for only Tokyo; moreover, the country as a whole. Thus, you can find me in Japan every year, and potentially multiple times in any given year!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Fashion</u></b>: The every day menswear is actually quite conservative, especially business attire. Black is the way to go, and they are simple suits. Two to three buttons, single-breasted, white shirts, very little color in the tie, and black dress shoes. Coming from the United States where navy has become a conservative palette that allows some color, it was quite boring! However, blending in, I found ways to make the seemingly typical Japanese style of suiting up - In my case, a black double-breast suit by <a href="http://www.indochino.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Indochino</span></a>, black double monk strap shoes by <a href="https://www.paulstuart.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Paul Stuart</span></a>, and of course, colored socks, tie, and pocket square. Blending in while still standing out!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0aN87-ZQNJKI-41Ztr4do43eXgswQhQbLo_U9I8M1A88vz0zSoD5xhT4qL6GOwPcxQJfsZWTGBNk_wP1KPH2_ZUFTbJqoYG-FDotjnt3wdfMYWAqwYASvB0Zxf2rKQvV1DRsBbqWUko/s1600/Japan+2017+April.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0aN87-ZQNJKI-41Ztr4do43eXgswQhQbLo_U9I8M1A88vz0zSoD5xhT4qL6GOwPcxQJfsZWTGBNk_wP1KPH2_ZUFTbJqoYG-FDotjnt3wdfMYWAqwYASvB0Zxf2rKQvV1DRsBbqWUko/s640/Japan+2017+April.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/traveling_bunniee/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Maggie</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Flights</u></b>: In terms of the flights, I was fortunate that I had a majority of points to utilize, yet I paid for some of the flights as well! Since some of the flights were last-minute, they were as "good" as they could be. When contemplating whether to use miles or points verses purchasing, one needs to see if the routing and time spent is any better. In short, if miles do not get you where and when you need to be - It is probably better to buy a more direct path. With that being said, the following are the costs in terms of miles and money:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">John F. Kennedy to Narita; in Japan Airlines first class; one-way - 80,000 American Airlines [AA] miles and 5,00$ USD in taxes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Narita to Doha to Zagreb; in Qatar Airways business class; one-way - </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">75,000 American Airlines [AA] miles and 37,30$ USD in taxes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Zagreb to Istanbul to Cairo; in Turkish Airlines economy class; one-way - 303,32€</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cairo to Charles de Gaulle/Orly to John F. Kennedy; in Air France business class; return ticket [round trip] - 1.381,67$ USD</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Uniqueness</u></b>: What I wanted to start doing was offering my experiences on approaching airports and where to go. I can only imagine countless times from asking for assistance and being strong-headed, attempting to winging it on my own - We need guidance sometimes! Therefore, if given the opportunity [preferably rehearsed - though I suppose I can edit], I shall add videos of airport walkthroughs. In this case, flying into Zagreb!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nXwvUVAOYbQ/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nXwvUVAOYbQ?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Arrivals Edition: Zagreb Airport [ZAG]</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Anyhow, that wraps up this trip back in April 2017!</span>Katohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06808948868350166083noreply@blogger.com3Boracay, Malay, Philippines11.9804331 121.9188659999999811.9182991 121.83818499999998 12.042567100000001 121.99954699999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3701822399817739767.post-31554611857144751412017-06-01T18:00:00.001-04:002017-11-21T02:04:44.259-05:00Question & Answers - Entry 002<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Greetings from Southern California!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Since introduced to traveling in a loyal manner, my obsession for flying has taken off exponentially. Whether it is for holiday, academics, or the seldom business trip - People notice! Once people notice, they consider you a <i>resource</i>. This is not only pertaining to travel, but anything that takes form in one's life, and observable by others.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With that being said, I have decided [for now] to posts between my trip experiences answering the most important questions: <i style="font-weight: bold;">Your </i>questions! My beloved audience and will remind myself that I am always writing for my audience - The every day person that wants to travel more, and for those of the menswear persuasion, how to do so in a fashionable sense. As of now, here are the following questions I have received recently:</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Question, do you have experience with those online custom dress shirts?</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-Mark 2017 May 06</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Which travel credit card would you recommend to have for earn[ing] miles as well as to have?</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-Anonymous 2017 May 08</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Why [would I want to hold off on using credit card points to purchase a desired flight, as oppose to transferring to] who is their partnered compan[ies, or something else altogether]?</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-Jeanne 2017 May 07</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All excellent questions with varying degrees of answers and segue into deeper aspects respectively. Let's jump right in:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Answering Mark's question - I was first referred to Indochino by a close colleague [and grateful to call a friend] <a href="https://www.instagram.com/heisenboggs/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Boggs</span></a>. A scholar and gentlemen, his style exudes truly of an English gentlemen. He turned me onto <a href="http://www.indochino.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Indochino</span></a>, a Canadian-based company in making made-to-measure (MTM) suits. Personally, I have turned over a leaf to a New York City-based company called <a href="https://blacklapel.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Black Lapel</span></a>. In either case, <b><i>my experience was exponentially better once I was measured with one of their personnel</i></b>. Exceptionally difficult if one lives outside a city where a pop up shop resides; however, this is far from the only companies that offer such services. In fact, if one has ample time, they could have the entire process done in a foreign country, and a lot quicker as well! One example was in Shanghai, China. I had <i>two two-piece suits</i> done in <i>two days</i>! Personally, I think the best aspect is to be measured by said company's employees; otherwise, grab known good measurements from a tailor you do have, and apply appropriately. Of course, results may vary, yet it was monumentally better than taking a tape measurer, fooling and convincing myself I knew precisely what I was doing.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCgp8DA2SfpuVZdII4XC0nwCPEFfzyO4sKIuTvFUL-9zfsfsxuNRK7LZoWOc9ES4HK_SCZc5bBJsKcMLcuyF9gUngELSTwotvhgv3kZJFKITojRLX-AdB9BSUMB8fkn7cCwqtYUpnkw0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-06-01+at+4.10.58+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1332" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCgp8DA2SfpuVZdII4XC0nwCPEFfzyO4sKIuTvFUL-9zfsfsxuNRK7LZoWOc9ES4HK_SCZc5bBJsKcMLcuyF9gUngELSTwotvhgv3kZJFKITojRLX-AdB9BSUMB8fkn7cCwqtYUpnkw0/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-06-01+at+4.10.58+PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Lapel's Customization Options</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Before diving into answering our anonymous person's question, I first want to admit - Yes, I do have a plethora of credit cards. In fact, I have the following:</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Three [3] business cards;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Four [4] regular or consumer cards;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Two [2] cards where I am an authorized user; and</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Three [3] checking accounts</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The biggest takeaway is - What do you want or expect out of your credit card?</i> </div>
<br />For </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">people starting out in credit card game, <b><i>I think generic points provided by the card's program is the most flexible</i></b>. The reason is, if anyone gets an airline's credit card, <i>they can earn miles only with that airline</i>! Granted there are exceptions of how these airline miles can be utilized, yet we shall save that for another time. My favorite to discuss are the following cards in alphabetical order and their reward programs respectively:</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://creditcards.chase.com/a1/sapphire/compare2?CELL=64DW&SP4R=FH24R8" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Chase Sapphire Preferred</span></a> [Visa] - Chase Ultimate Rewards - 99$ USD annual fee; and</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><a href="https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/card/premier-rewards-gold/" target="_blank">Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express</a></span> - Membership Rewards - 195$ USD annual fee</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Now do not go applying for these cards immediately! <i>Please research and ask questions beforehand</i>, and avoid rushing into things. Also, it should be mentioned that the above cards are issued in the United States. As I have learned recently from international sources - International credit card programs are far <i>less</i> lucrative compared to those of the United States. Therefore, </span><b style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I promise to do my best to balance out the content and not go "credit card crazy" as this is the purpose and uniqueness for this information</i></b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> - For the </span><i style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">every day</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> person! People that may not have an abundance of credit utilization to apply for cards. Instead, to strategically go about different methodologies to find those desired flights, deals, and trips we want.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehw6f6jNIHkxEW5_1q1Gzx1FRa7-CZaHqNMBgjog_38c37n82PsGbpPZdTzy5JdEntody9MCaRu_qrqbEbxaDgeDsfIVPGKRcfyckyyDt2osWiUCXDepdb_Yi-JS34DyUcsCwU3ZGdC4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-06-01+at+4.31.46+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1020" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehw6f6jNIHkxEW5_1q1Gzx1FRa7-CZaHqNMBgjog_38c37n82PsGbpPZdTzy5JdEntody9MCaRu_qrqbEbxaDgeDsfIVPGKRcfyckyyDt2osWiUCXDepdb_Yi-JS34DyUcsCwU3ZGdC4/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-06-01+at+4.31.46+PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using Membership Reward Points to Transfer to a Partner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlg0YurRpxHQ2pa7wju0wWN5YMEkOzDOi8b4pwJvw8mgu7JGXr5Zneiy0cgpU9cT-ryGI3VoU1CC6XamFwAV1N3nzqWZaM1iTatsaxm0y6puw4EYKA9wjQ4g2PYgxVRP8PUvV64Uh_6c/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-06-01+at+4.35.30+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="1002" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlg0YurRpxHQ2pa7wju0wWN5YMEkOzDOi8b4pwJvw8mgu7JGXr5Zneiy0cgpU9cT-ryGI3VoU1CC6XamFwAV1N3nzqWZaM1iTatsaxm0y6puw4EYKA9wjQ4g2PYgxVRP8PUvV64Uh_6c/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-06-01+at+4.35.30+PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using Membership Rewards to Purchase a Flight Directly</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lastly, this ties in with what was mentioned earlier. Jeanne was inquiring about whether to use her points on her Chase Sapphire Preferred to purchase the flight or not. Or at the very least, an explanation why. In short, the dollar value the program reports it gains an "extra value," is marginally worth it. In fact, the actual dollar value verses the points used to pay through the program's flight portal </span><i style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">is less at times</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">! Therefore, it ultimately depends on what is the objective or goal one wants to attempt with said credit cards. Most people, including yours truly, transfer points from a card's program to a desired airline partner.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZZDU_lSGWR1dr1JqXrdHvsjcV24XJtcp1Q6zIxsTgIHWJQ7nGKG6sA7aHZzP5090a2pK2pQHETVSdEBy9-g7vvoOLhazI4pZbrLZ2yQusyzFJBqwgjh_HFKf-t4jJYxU7TIR-NjGsrk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-06-01+at+4.34.14+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="1000" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZZDU_lSGWR1dr1JqXrdHvsjcV24XJtcp1Q6zIxsTgIHWJQ7nGKG6sA7aHZzP5090a2pK2pQHETVSdEBy9-g7vvoOLhazI4pZbrLZ2yQusyzFJBqwgjh_HFKf-t4jJYxU7TIR-NjGsrk/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-06-01+at+4.34.14+PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Ultimate Rewards Dashboard upon Login</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I want to thank everyone for this terribly long post! Much appreciation for those that made it to the end. I shall mention it again, yet all the links are the public versions of the websites discussed respectively. It shall always be in the interest of the audience when they are clicking on something that garners an advantage over everyone else. Otherwise, stay tuned to the next post, as it shall be about my crazy flights back in April to Asia and back from New York City using a combination of points and money! As per usual, please feel free to ask questions in the comments section.</span><br />
<ul>
<ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
Katohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06808948868350166083noreply@blogger.com0Ontario, CA, USA34.0633443 -117.6508876000000333.9580743 -117.81224910000003 34.168614299999994 -117.48952610000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3701822399817739767.post-26272902824207129492017-05-01T07:31:00.003-04:002017-11-21T02:09:33.770-05:00Madrid - Entry 001<div style="line-height: normal;">
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Greetings from Japan! Welcome to the inaugural post of a blog centered around fashion (menswear specifically), travel, and other tidbits that assist the every day traveler, in a meaningful way.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As of now, we shall discuss the topics in the following manner:</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;">Fashion</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - What is being brought, and trends are at the destination. If fortunate, some of the local menswear may be featured if I can get my hands on them!</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;">Travel</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - Methodologies as to how I got about searching/booking flights, accommodations, and so on.</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">A note on flights - In my limited experience thus far, there is no "<i>secret</i>" to finding, and not limited to the following:</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Cheap, last-minute flights;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">A particular day to buy flights; or</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A flight from point </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">A</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> to point </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">B</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> at the precise time and price desired.</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
</span><br />
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The take away - My life is incredibly <b><i>flexible</i></b> to travel the way I do. If your life is unable to accommodate the strategies discussed here, that is okay! Perhaps something you read shall trigger an idea elsewhere or for something else. Or you may dislike what is written altogether. Regardless, this has to do with what pieces of wisdom I can provide from my experiences. With that being said, let's move onto the first destination!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"><b>Destination</b>: Madrid, Spain - Kudos to </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/techdesco/" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: purple;">Andy</span></i></a><span style="color: #454545;"> for all the recommendations!</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Outbound</b>: 31 March 2017</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Return</b>: 03 April 2017</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Cost of Flight</b>: 430,86$ USD with American Airlines</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #454545;"><b>Accommodations</b>: </span><a href="http://www.hostelworld.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">HostelWorld</span></a><span style="color: #454545;">; </span><a href="https://www.couchsurfing.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">CouchSurfing</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #454545;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="color: #454545;"><u>Packed</u></b><span style="color: #454545;">: As of now, I travel with strictly carry-on luggage. It is the only way to fly! Passing through immigration, and walking right out of the airport, who wouldn't want that?! In any event, I carry </span><a href="https://www.ghurka.com/express-no-2-vintage-chestnut-leather-weekender" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Ghurka's Express No. 2</span></a><span style="color: #454545;"> and </span><a href="https://www.vocier.com/product/c38/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Vocier's C38</span></a><span style="color: #454545;">. I normally carry at least one two-piece suit, or a combination of a blazer and two different pants. My dress shirts are generally custom made, with some off-the-peg. When I am lazy and need something last-minute, </span><a href="https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/home/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Uniqlo</span></a><span style="color: #454545;"> is my go-to. I have slim fitting clothing at my disposal.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545;"><u style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Flights</u><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">: </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #454545;">Since I knew I had only the weekend, Europe was my plan of action since there are more frequent flights there, a shorter flight time that Asia, and more desirable than anything in the Caribbean [because I was feeling more adventure than beach] and South America [because of excessive connections]. I looked for flights the night of Monday, March 27th using </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.google.com/flights/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Flights </span></a><span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="https://www.google.com/flights/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Google</span></a><span style="color: #454545;">. </span></span></span><span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">What did I do? Under the "Where to?" section, I simply typed "Europe." [You can be more specific by typing "Western Europe"]. I looked at the results, and noticed Madrid and Barcelona had sub 450$ fares, so I further changed the search from "Europe" to "Spain," and viola, I found multiple destinations within Spain that were of the similar pricing of 450$ return ticket [I shall always describe flights as "return" or "round trip" unless stated otherwise]. It was a matter of finding the dates and flights that best fit my schedule. And that was it? Hardly! My</span><span style="font-size: 12px;"> </span></span><i style="color: #454545; font-weight: bold;">personal preference</i><span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> is always to find the flights via Google Flights, and then book flights </span></span></span><span style="color: #454545;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">directly </span></i><span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">with the airline carrier.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> Why? If there is ever a hiccup in travel scheduling, the airline is responsible [to a certain degree] to ensure you get where you need to go. When booking through an Online Travel Agency [OTA] such as </span></span><a href="https://www.expedia.com/" style="font-family: helvetica;" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Expedia</span></a><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica";"> or </span><a href="https://www.orbitz.com/" style="font-family: helvetica;" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Orbitz</span></a><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica";">, there could potentially be a back-and-forth of contacting the OTA, the airline, and possibly more when your travels face unforeseen circumstances.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<div style="color: #454545;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Fashion</u></b>: Upon arriving, I was fortunate that I had a non-native local,<i> </i></span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/julianne.hall/" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: purple;">Julianne</span></i></a><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">, show me around. It was interesting to note, that she stated how obvious it was Madrid's current fashion is stuck in an 1980s, grunge, leather facade. We are talking leather jackets with spikes, tight jeans or leather pants even.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>"Circular sunglasses new big, it's kind of a mix of 1980s and hipster. Malasaña is like the center for that kind of style, but you can find it all over the city" - Julianne</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now, </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">is this the statement Madrid, let alone Spain has to make in 2017? Who knows. It was worth mentioning as it was an observation made and noticed quickly if you find yourself wanting to settle or live in Madrid. In terms of the fashion opportunities to buy in Madrid, the central area where I was, </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Sol</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> [which is "sun" in English], has all the typical shops originating from the United States and other countries in Europe. What was more interesting are the smaller shops and boutiques that Madrid had to offer. As it turns out, there was insufficient time to visit. </span>The good news is, I can report where some of them are thanks to Julianne! If it were me personally, I would have looked in the neighborhood of </span><i style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Salamanca</i><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, as that is "the more upscale neighborhood that tends to be a bit more posh" since it matches my style. The streets we passed by quickly with such boutiques are <i>Calle de la Palma</i> and <i>Calle Espíritu Santo</i>.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><b><u>
Accommodations</u></b>: Lastly, I have a little sequence of how I got about finding accommodations to the destinations I visit. In general, I check on CouchSurfing - Think a combination of AirBnb and Craigslist with an eBay rating system, HostelWorld - What feels like an amalgamation of every hostel that exists in the world, and a series of hotel chains, depending on status, credit cards, deals, and so on. I was fortunate to book a good deal via HostelWorld, but then last-minute, someone was willing to host me on CouchSurfing, which I was, and always eternally grateful. At a later date, I shall go into the details of accommodations.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<div style="color: #454545;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><u>Shoutouts</u></b>:</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #454545;">Andy - </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/techdesco/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">@techdesco</span></a><span style="color: #454545;">: For giving me tips for my first time it in Madrid. Loved the food recommendations!</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #454545;">Julianne - </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/julianne.hall/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">@julianne.hall</span></a><span style="color: #454545;">: For being a fantastic guide to her beloved city and what she calls home. To give the local experience and simply incorporate me into her every day life...when she is not busy!</span></span></li>
</ul>
<div style="color: #454545;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Cheers for reading my first post! There shall be more to come as the weeks go by, as I feel I should write them when abroad, or when there is a nice little lull in time. Please post comments or questions below, as I want to get a feel to write to <i style="font-weight: bold;">you all</i>, the audience! Sure, there are some aspects I maintain because I have a particular vision. At the end, I am writing to get the details out there to my audience and people that inquire about my travels!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
</span></div>
<a name='more'></a></div>
</div>
Katohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06808948868350166083noreply@blogger.com2Japan, 〒131-0045 Tokyo, Sumida, Oshiage, 一丁目1番2号 TOKYO Solamachi35.7099449 139.8096299999999711.323086400000005 98.501035999999971 60.0968034 -178.88177600000006