A Week in Hong Kong- Where to Stay

We stayed at a lot of random places when I was younger but the Cordis Hotel is where we always stay since I started coming to Hong Kong as an adult. The rooms are a bit small by American standards; however, they're really well equipped and they feel bright and open because there are lots of mirrors and large windows. The service has always been great and the hotel itself has everything we look for in a comfortable place to stay. Also, those beds are awesome! 
Great for those awkward jet lag naps. 

The Cordis Hotel is in the Mong Kok area so it's not by the main tourist areas and nightlife. We love it because it's quieter and more local. On our first visit, there was a little wet market that our window faced (we were on a really high floor) so every morning, we would see the vendors setting up for the day. The views are really fun because they give you a look at everyday life in Hong Kong. 

One of my favorite things about the Cordis Hotel is the fact that there is a shopping center attached to it. The Langham Place Shopping Center is one of my favorite places to shop in Hong Kong. There are some of the standard western mall shops (like H&M) and then some really cool Asian stores. My mom and I love going to Log-On which is a really cool Asian store with all kinds of products- electronics, home goods, beauty, etc. I've gotten some fun Asian cosmetics and then some random things like socks and slippers. It's a store I could spend an hour in easily. 

Langham Place Shopping Center is also HUGE. There is a very very long (like mildly terrifying if you're afraid of heights) escalator from one of the levels all the way to the top. At the top, there's a movie theatre, a nice Thai restaurant, and shops. From there, the shopping center spirals all the way down. You can easily walk down and pass the coolest boutiques (with fun clothes, souvenirs, and weird items like Lilo and Stitch cookie cutters). There are a ton of great restaurants and the main level hosts a really great food court (more on that later). There are also some cool displays from time to time- on my last trip, there was a massive Hello Kitty installation with Hello Kitty in space, at a party, and in the Ice Age (also in a time machine). 

Last, below the shopping center is an MTR station. I can't tell you how convenient this is to have closeby! Not having to leave the air conditioning in the hot months made such a big difference, especially at the end of a long day!

A Week in Hong Kong- What to Pack

Hey guys! 

Okay, this Hong Kong guide was really tough for me to put together. I've been there probably about half a dozen times since I was a baby but I'm not going to lie, it's really difficult to put a legit guide together with everywhere I've eaten and stayed. I'm fairly certain the difficulty is mostly due to the fact that a lot of places aren't the most English speaker friendly and a lot of places we've frequented are very Chinese. Since I always come here with my mom, I've always had a personal translator! That said, avoid going to only places that are designed for Americans and make sure you branch out to a few more traditional places. You won't be sorry!

Like most of Asia, it's not safe to drink the water here. Always get bottled! We've had our Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccines already just as an extra precaution because you can never know where the ice came from or how clean it is! We usually avoid it unless it's already in the drink. 

We rarely take cabs in Hong Kong unless we are going somewhere that the MTR does not reach. Looking at their map, it looks like they've expanded since my last visit which is great! MTR really is the cheapest way to get around and once you get past the language barrier, it's really just like any other subway system! Buy your Octopus card at the airport and it will make your life way easier! They've extended the MTR lines since my last visit so getting around is now so much cheaper and easier than it was before!

When you need to exchange money, go to the banks. They're safer and you know they're giving you legitimate currency. We usually make a stop at Hang Seng bank early in our trip and only exchange the bare minimum at the airport to get us to the bank. We usually exchange some currency prior to leaving as well since Wells Fargo and Bank of America can give you foreign currency. I recommend Wells Fargo if you bank with them because they don't charge a service fee for any amount whereas Bank of America requires a certain minimum to avoid the fee.

Packing for Hong Kong can be a little rough. I remember being there at Christmas time when I was a child and being cold. I remember being there in early December as an adult and wearing a T-shirt and capri pants. It gets really really humid when it's not cold. Be prepared! Pack lightweight layers.

I always bring a pair of black cropped yoga pants with me on trips because they always come in handy. Sometimes on the plane, sometimes on a tour, sometimes in the hotel room. They're like leggings- you always need a pair!

A black cardigan is something I always bring and that's more of a personal preference. Because of my tattoos, I try to keep covered if I'm going to a more conservative area. It's funny because some of the young people would stare and give me weird looks when they weren't covered while some of the really old ladies in the bakeries would tell me how pretty they are. I'm never sure what kind of reaction I'll get so I tend to cover up a bit more. Also- in the summer, the air conditioning can be crazy cold inside so sweaters come in handy.

I always travel with a shopping bag for whatever goodies I pick up. I like to bring snacks back to the room and I usually try to find something local. Hong Kong is no exception! This is especially a good thing to have if you are planning on going to any of the markets or doing any shopping at all because Hong Kong has a lot of shopping. You'll want the bag when you're hopping on and off the MTR. 

Lightweight tops like this one are absolutely necessary for Hong Kong in the summer. There were a few days that I would change twice because the air was so heavy and damp. 

I know I always suggest a crossbody bag but it really is essential, especially when you travel in Asia! Be really careful in the markets or any tourist area that has a lot of people clustered together because pickpockets gravitate to them since there are usually large crowds in which to disappear. 

Comfortable walking shoes are really important in Hong Kong. While Hong Kong is somewhat fashion forward (especially the newer generation in the city), I usually just focus on comfort since you'll likely do a LOT of walking here. I wouldn't advise sandals downtown because the crowded areas get really crowded and you might risk some severely crushed toes!

Last, be careful when bringing valuable jewelry or designer bags with you to Asia. We usually carry the original receipt with us if we bring any handbags that have designer labels because when going through customs, they may inspect you if they suspect you bought any counterfeit items or exeeded your duty free spending limit. Proof that you purchased the items before your trip and where can make things go a lot smoother and quicker!

This post contains affiliate links; however, all opinions are my own!

My Favorite Drugstore Hair Brand- Herbal Essences Bio:Renew

This time of year, being in Las Vegas feels like you're living inside a giant hair dryer set to high. It's miserable! It's essential to have products in your beauty arsenal that don't feel heavy, absorb quickly, and don't weigh you down. 

I first heard about Herbal Essences Bio:Renew on One of my favorite blogs- Bows and Sequins. After reading this post, I wanted to try everything. I've been an Herbal Essences fan for years and I've always loved the scent and feel of their products. 

I started with the Naked Volume set because my hair has been pretty flat and I was worried anything heavier would weigh down my thick hair. The smell is amazing and the product left my hair feeling really clean and without product buildup. The volume was nice too and the conditioner felt great.

Kind of in love with this stuff! Gives me volume, doesn't weigh my hair down in the heat, and it smells amazing!!!!! 😍😍😍 #herbalessences #letlifein #cleanhair #healthyhair #budgetbeauty #shampoo #conditioner #hairgoals #haircare #pursuepretty

A post shared by Melanie L (@jetsettindaisy) on Jun 4, 2017 at 12:46pm PDT

Herbal Essences reached out and asked me to try out their Arabica Coffee Fruit collection and I'll be honest, I didn't think I would be as in love with it as the Naked Volume. I was wrong. Not only does the Arabica Coffee Fruit smell DELICIOUS, it actually felt really luxurious. The lather was amazing and the conditioner left my hair so soft. Now my hair is pretty desperately in need of a trim and it's not very easy to get a comb through it. The conditioner really made my hair smooth and easy to brush. This is no easy task!

I've been testing this new @herbalessences Bio:Renew Arabica Coffee Set and I really like it. I was worried it would be a bit heavy for the summer since I have super thick hair but that isn't the case at all. It smells amazing, provided the richest lather, and made my hair feel clean and soft without any extra product residue. My hair even dried smoothly despite being desperately in need of a trim. ✂️ Thank you for the goodies, @herbalessences! My shower is slowly building a great collection of Bio:Renew hair products and I love it. Even though the products were gifted, all opinions are my own! 😍😍😍⠀ #biorenew #herbalessences #haircare #healthyhair #stronghair #pursuepretty #bblogger #beautyblogger #honestreview #gifted #shampoo #softhair #cleanhair #letlifein #hairgoals #conditioner

A post shared by Melanie L (@jetsettindaisy) on Jul 2, 2017 at 5:36pm PDT

If you're concerned about conditioner buildup, here's my trick- I use an in-shower brush to distribute the product evenly. It also helps when rinsing; it gets all the excess conditioner out!

I've been using the new Arabica Coffee Fruit set for a couple of weeks and I'm still in love with them. For me, the best part is the price point- it's so hard to find an inexpensive haircare line that you can feel good about! I can't wait to try the rest of the Bio:Renew products next!

SaveSaveSaveSave

Springs Preserve

It may be a million degrees outside (okay fine, it's not really that hot) but when Springs Preserve had their birthday event last month, I made an exception to my "no outdoor activities in the summer" rule.

The last time I had visited was more than five years ago and it was around Christmas. My friend, Jadira, and I literally saw the Christmas lights and left because it was so crowded. My mom had never been so we stocked up on bottled water and sunblock and headed out.

I'm not going to lie, it was dead in there. Probably because it was so insanely hot. That said, we got to liesurely stroll through all of the exhibits at our own pace and take lots of photos.

I had no idea that there was a wildlife exhibit here!

Can you see the little gray fox? He was hiding from the kids!

The botanical gardens were pretty but those poor flowers looked like they were roasting! The cactus garden was gorgeous and those cacti looked like they were thriving!

Such a fun (but hot) way to spend an afternoon!

Vegas Lifestyle Influencers- KISS Monster Mini Golf

Hey guys!

So a couple months ago (almost exactly two months actually), I started a group here in Las Vegas for the lifestyle bloggers in town both big and small. We had our first event at Culinary Dropout last month and our second event last week!

It's been a real whirwind getting events planned for the group and seeing everything come together. I decided I really wanted us to explore Las Vegas and do things that we might not have done on our own. We live in one of the biggest tourist destinations in the world, we really ought to celebrate it! Our second outing was at KISS Monster Mini Golf and it really was the perfect kitschy Vegas activity in every single way!

I had reached out to the manager at KISS Monster Mini Golf a few weeks ago and they were super accommodating with hosting a small group of us. I've been trying to mix larger group events and some smaller ones so that everyone has the chance to participate and get to know one another. This was such a perfect "get to know each other" kind of activity! I already knew all the girls who attended but it was fun getting to chat more since the dinners don't allow for as much mingling!

I always supply the group with social media checklists for our events to make things easier for them and the venue. It's always got the Instagram handles, websites, and any hashtags that the venues like for us to use. For this event, I thought it would be fun to make them like VIP passes.

First of all, everything glows in the dark because the whole venue is lit with black light. It's so cool! All the paintings on the walls, every bit of art in the golf area, just everything glows. This made for some really cool photos!

How many people have gotten to putt through a giant platform shoe???

By the way, some of our shoes glowed in the dark too.

I got everyone glow bracelets and rings so we would stand out!

This was by far the coolest mini golf course I've ever seen! Bonus points because it's indoors and dark instead of outside in the heat!

Photo by Tyler Mills

Photo by Tyler Mills

We even got to tour the wedding chapel and look at all the cool KISS memorabilia on the walls!

Look at this cake!

Photo by Tyler Mills

We love our Boomerangs!

A post shared by Sabrina Costa (@docsabrina) on Jul 11, 2017 at 2:41pm PDT

Such a fun girls night out!!!

Photo by Tyler Mills

Thank you so much to KISS Monster Mini Golf and all the amazing staff (Michelle, Michelle, Melissa, Lisa) for such a fabulous group night! As always, all opinions are my own!