Heart2Heart | Heart-2-Heart-Online.com

April 15, 2010

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Touring Beijing, China

By Heart2Heart | Arts and Culture, Travel | 2 Comments

We did not go to Beijing this year, but five years ago, we did with our good friends, Suharto and Rina. I did not take as many photos but am glad I still have them.

We got a package tour for only US$ 800.00 which included airfare, hotel and food to Shanghai and Beijing for a week. WHAT A GREAT DEAL! I do not know if you can still get something like that now. It was a smart way to go because we had a tour guide and we did not have to worry about how to communicate- where to go- what to eat etc etc.

Beijing is definitely a place to go to- very rich in history and culture!

Tiananmen Square

Forbidden City- I wish I had taken more photos. This was beautiful!

Summer Palace

The only photo I have of the Beijing Zoo, I love Panda bears!!

The Great Wall

We could not imagine ourselves climbing that but if many others were doing it, why can’t we? And we were already there so might as well make the most out of it 🙂

Suharto climbing up – tired but smiling 🙂

WE MADE IT!

“The GREAT Wall with GREAT friends!” as captioned by my best friend, Rina 🙂

They even sell certificates at the top of the mountain as proof that you actually climbed the wall 🙂

Previous Entries:

Touring Xian, China

Sofitel, Xian

Breakfast Buffet at Sofitel

Touring Beijing, China

88 Xintiandi

Din Tai Fung

Shanghai Antique Market

Whampoa Club at 3 On the Bund

8 On The Bund

Yuyuan Market, Shanghai

Era,Intersection of Time

Breakfast at 88 Xintiandi

Chinese Silk

The Kitchen Salvatore Cuomo

Touring Shanghai

The YongFoo Elite

Yi Long Court

The Peninsula Shanghai

Good Hot Pot

Taikang Lu Street

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April 15, 2010

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Love the Life You Live with Redfoot Shoes

By Heart2Heart | Fashion, What's New at Rustan's | One Comment

There’s a new British footwear brand on the scene embracing the concept of Love the Life you Live. Redfoot Shoes are set to unveil their S/S 2010 range following an incredible 18 months in the retail sector.

With a celebrity following, fashion specialists are predicting that Redfoot will be the “it” shoe. Understanding the female mind and working to provide a fashion shoe for all ages that has the added benefit of folding away in a small bag is what has made Redfoot so successful. Providing an element of luxury and individuality, the range will make any woman feel beautiful and special.

Redfoot shoes are different because they are designed to fold up. Unlike all the shoes that try to copy them, the Redfoot soles are highly durable and protect your feet. The split sole sole design is so unique that it is patented worldwide. The design enables them to fold away into a tiny bag of their own and re-emerge again in perfect shape. Created and tested by a team of footwear experts and top podiatrists, the Redfoot range represents a stylish, sexy, yet deceptively comfortable shoe.

Founder and Director Steven Smith is understandably excited by the new range. “Redfoot has been under careful development for the past two years and we are immensely excited and proud that UK consumers will soon be able to get their hands on and continue to experience the new Redfoot range, he says.

‘Each style of Redfoot is unique and made up of superior components that will truly deliver whatever your lifestyle and motivation dictates – be it style, quality, durability or price but preferably a combination of all four.’

Redfoot is exclusively distributed by Rustan Commercial Corporation and is available at Rustan’s Makati, Shangri-la and Alabang Town Center.

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April 14, 2010

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Top Pot Doughnuts at Starbucks

By Heart2Heart | What's New at Starbucks?, Yummy! | 4 Comments

This is Heart2Heart’s favorite – the Apple Fritter!!

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April 14, 2010

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Le Chinois

By Heart2Heart | Foodie, Travel | One Comment

So when in Xian, maybe best to stick to the restaurants in the hotel ( Renmin Square Hotels ) 🙂 Unless you have other recommendations from friends. We enjoyed our meals here

The kids love the dimsum, they can eat many siomai and dumplings 🙂

They had Beijing duck instead of Peking duck which is not the crispy type

This was something new to see, they had a warmer for the wrapped duck

They use a different wrapper

Second way of the duck and they only served the breast part, it was really good

And they make an effort for presentation which is not always at Chinese restaurants, so Heart2Heart likes it 🙂

Previous Entries: ( Click on them to go to them )

Touring Xian, China

Sofitel, Xian

Breakfast Buffet at Sofitel

Terra-cotta Warriors

Terra-cotta Factory

Eating in Xian

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April 14, 2010

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Eating in Xian

By Heart2Heart | Foodie, Travel | No Comments

We were not able to get any restaurant recommendations for Xian…so we just asked the concierge and the tour guide where to go. The Chinese food was okay but not spectacular, maybe also because we did not know what to order also.

This restaurant was near the hotel. They had a wide variety to choose from but we stuck to the basic Chinese food we normally order like Roast duck, sweet and sour pork, siomai

We did not know what this was, but it looked interesting so i took photos 🙂

This was a restaurant near the Terra-cotta warriors. It seemed like all the tourists and tour groups were going here. It was a big place! But we did not really like the food and it took some time for the food to come out. We also had a hard time communicating with the servers. I think that the tour groups that come here reserve in advance and have a set meal whereas we just walked in and tried to order from the menu

I actually liked this – chinese french fries 🙂

This was a chicken dish which I also liked

Oh my gosh!!!!! KFC!!!! by the Terracotta soldiers! Our savior! 🙂

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April 14, 2010

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Terra-cotta Factory

By Heart2Heart | Travel | No Comments

We went to the Terra Cotta factory since this is the place that is recommended to buy all your souvenirs as it is owned by the government. You will be assured you are not being over charged. And even after their price, you can still bargain depending on what you are getting. You can even buy life size warriors and they will have it delivered to you wherever you are in the world.

The soldiers are actually bigger than life size!

When they make the soldiers, they are hollow inside and then they put the head after. And they can make the head look like anyone! So if you want, they can make your head/face 🙂 I think it takes 3 months.

WOW!! Here is the shop where you can buy all kinds of terra cotta soldiers!

And they have other Chinese items

Lacquer furniture

and even carpets! The Chinese can make anything!

Previous Entries: ( Click on them to go to them )

Touring Xian, China

Sofitel, Xian

Breakfast Buffet at Sofitel

Terra-cotta Warriors

Eating in Xian

Le Chinois

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April 13, 2010

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Terra-cotta Warriors

By Heart2Heart | Arts and Culture, Travel | 3 Comments

Our main purpose for our visit to Xian was to see the Terracotta soldiers. And WOW! We read and see a lot of photos about them but to be actually there and absorb the history surrounding them and how they preserved it. And for my two sons, they are awed as they are studying it and when they see it in person, they are more amazed!

Continuing their excavations

There was only one soldier that was intact when they excavated and it was the kneeling archer. All the others were already in pieces and they had to put them together one by one to rebuild the soldiers and put them into one piece

Javier was so excited to see one of the farmers there

and he made sure he bought a book so he could get an autograph

They normally do not allow photos but the farmer was probably happy that the kids wanted to meet him so he allowed it

Previous Entries: ( Click on them to go to them )

Touring Xian, China

Sofitel, Xian

Breakfast Buffet at Sofitel

Terra-cotta Factory

Eating in Xian

Le Chinois

[email_link]

April 13, 2010

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Breakfast Buffet at Sofitel

By Heart2Heart | Foodie, Travel | 2 Comments

When travelling, this is one of Heart2Heart’s favorites. Just like a bath tub, we can only have breakfast buffets and tub baths when staying in hotels. Wherelse can you wake up to a breakfast buffet?:-) We came already late so the buffet was almost closed, which explains why it’s a bit messy already and little food left in containers. It’s a good thing I was able to take photos still and we were able to eat a bit. It’s not included in the room, only kids eat for free. But they did not charge us anyway, maybe because we came so late already.

Previous Entries: ( Click on them to go to them )

Sofitel, Xian

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April 13, 2010

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Sofitel, Xian

By Heart2Heart | Travel | No Comments

We stayed in Sofitel hotel which was located at Renmin Square. It was perfect for us as it was peaceful and relaxing and away from the usual city crowd. You would imagine Xian being “probinsya” but we did not feel it at all in this hotel, which is very up to date and refurbished yet the rates are 1/4 of the bigger cities.