Bring on the Weekend

Last night I dashed over to Lord & Taylor after work to be slathered up one side and down the other with products from Chanel's new summer line. My makeup guy there had BEGGED me to come for the event...so, not wanting to leave a fab-u makeup guy in a lurch...I did. I usually HATE these things! But -- the makeup artists that were there giving the facials (they don't call them makeovers) were wonderful. Every woman that I saw walk away looked AMAZING! Not coated, not plastered - but beautiful! It was the first time that I didn't race for the nearest bathroom to wipe it off...and since I was going out with my friend Morgan (a model) for a show -- I figured - why not keep it on!
I highly reccomend:
Their new eye shadow palette called: Dreams
Lipstick: Yucatan
Lip Gloss: Satinette (it's very sheer not PINK like it looks)
Their sheer foundations and the bronzing powder: Toundra are light and easy to wear.
It is $$ - so I only picked up an item or two...but my makeup stash needs a complete renewal (much of mine is so old I'd probably have a reaction if I used it!)...so I'll pick some of these up over time I think.
Sadly, Morgan had to cancel at the last minute, but THEN, in a stunning turn of events, Dmitri didn't have to work late after all and came to join me.

Before meeting at the theater, I swung by 42nd Street to see my good friend Jim who is Front-of-house manager for the New Victory Theater (specializing in Children's theater). We stood up on the stairs and looked down upon the Red Carpet opening of Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang. Red Carpet openings on broadway are interesting. There are stars (hollywood) and stars (Broadway) alike that arrive...some you know, some you THINK you know, others you have NO idea who they are. The only person that I saw that made me smile was Millicent Martin (most recently seen as Daphne Moon's mother in Fraiser). Sadly, the paprazzi didn't fawn over her at all, but jumped all over a busty/blonde-pony-tailed/short-dressed young thing (who NONE of us had any idea who she was.) Then just as fast as it began, the doors close, the show starts and the staff wrips up red carpet and voila, things are back to normal.

The show was funny (Cast photo to the left.) If you are familiar with the musicals they spoof you catch more of their subtleties -- but even Dmitri who has not seen many of the shows, he chuckled and even laughed out loud a bit!






After the show we went to Blockheads (right behind the Dodger Stages) for Mexican Food and $3 frozen Margaritas! I love their collection of whacky sock-toy mascots (check out their website!) This is Claire...she was once a model...a sock model I guess! LOL!
Here we see me (new makeup - now windblown and 4+ hours after the application mind you!) and my raspberry treat! It was JUST what the doctor ordered. Their food it plentiful and tasty! Yum yummy yum!

I spent the BULK of my morning at the Chinese Consulate...waited in this line, then that line...forked over the (gulp) $170 to get my Visa'd-passort back (I had to have it rushed since they aren't open next week) and voila - I'm A-OK to return to China.

Tonight I'll meet friends out at Big Nick's Pizza and Burger Joint...a New York City Institution! (That's Nick in the photo - left.) It's been open since 1962 -- That's FOREVER in a city where restaurants turn over weekly it seems. The food is GOOD and affordable (not saying it's the healthiest mind you...we're talking Pizza, burgers and fries here although they do have salads etc.!) Then, if I have my way we'll stop across the street at Beard Papa's - fresh'n'natural cream puffs. Ooooooh BABY They are THE BEST (see this great bloggers review here!) YUMMMMMMY! Described as "A Cream Puff To Make New York Go All Soft At the Center" in a NY Times Review last spring. There are 4 locations in NYC -- if you come for a visit -- it's a MUST VISIT for your to-do list!
All this followed by some board gaming at the local dive bar...aptly called Dive 75.
Happy Friday All!

Witty and Entertaining - go Martha

Met the girls between raindrops at Republic (of noodles) for a coconut martinin and ayummy bowl of beef cold noodle salad. Then we dashed over to the theatre to see The False Servant...being that I grew up without cable (and still don't have it) I've missed the years of HBO reruns of movies from the 80s and 90s. Thus missing many of Martha's past pictures...Martha Plimpton has come a long way since her run as the gal in Goonies! She was great in this fun show! Every charater was a character...sly, spunky, evil, silly, plotting and numb. The Classic Stage Company presents to you "theatre in the round." Something you don't get to much of here in NYC. It was an enjoyable evening. Set was intereting -- loads of old trunks, and the costumes were nicely done (18th century.)

I finished up the first sock of a new pair of baby socks on teh subway ride home from the show. I'll hopefully find time tonight to cast on it's pair. When I got home last night I spent about an hour working on the beading/sequining of the skirt I'm making. So relaxing.

I spent 3+ hours today at the Chinese Consolate (over in East Ja-bip Manhattan) filing for another Chinese Visa. It's amazing how this place works. I had hoped to pick it up next week, but -- they're closed until Thursday... why you may ask? Holiday. What holiday you may ask? Well - since they take Chinese, Jewish, American and Canadian holidays off...your guess is as good as mine! So...we have to pay a "rush" fee and I'll get it tomorrow.

I'll be meeting with my good friend Morgan tonight for another show (yes - I'm squeezing them all in before I take off again for Asia 12 days and counting!) Gotta love this crazy club I belong to where you can get super-cheap tickets ($3 each!) Tonight we'll see a show that I've been wanting to see for a while...The Musical of Musicals! It's a musical that spoofs 5 musicals...in the sounds of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Kander and Ebb. I'll be sure to let you know tomorrow how it all turns out! I've seen SOME musicals...hopefully enough to be chuckling my way through the show!

A moment of rest...to blog...

I thought I'd drop a note before jetting home! Phew - been a busy few days with my friend Jan visiting. I had orginally hoped to take the off during her visit, but with my Asst having left, I really needed to work them.

We had a fun weekend!
Firstly -- DO NOT BOTHER SEEING: Orgasms - the show. It's so bad that I won't even give it a link nor a photo. Bad...and I got the tickets for $3 each (down from $45!)...and I still would rather have had coffee! It DID,however, make me feel happy that my relationship is not like that of the those with the "average" male in the show...what an awful thought.
Dinner at AlmaBlu afterwards was tasty though!

Play time!
Tomorrow night I go to see The False Servant. (Sorry - this is the only photo I can seem to find! Marth Plimpton was just nominated for a DRAMA LEAGUE DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE AWARD for her role in this!
It's described as a "sly 18th Century romp"...I'm up for that! LOL! Two of my girlfriends that I haven't been able to meet up with in a while will be joining me! FUN FUN FUN!

BLOG QUESTION!
Can anyone out there pass along the script for a "WIP" (work in progress) chart for my sidebar? I've seen the one with the cute hat, glove, sweater, bag etc cutouts and the ones with the bars...HELP! (Thanks!)

The UFOs are taking over my apartment!
As for projects... I've got TOO MANY!
Reading: STIFF (enjoying it too!)
Knitting: Petite Chic (got the needed yarn to finish), baby socks (on the second of 9 pairs needed), fingerless gloves (they're 3/4 done...yes -- from MONTHS AGO!)
Beading: 2 skirts that I made from fabric that i bought in the market in China.
SP4: Making/Packing the final Secret Pal package!

Oh I could go on and on!!
I should go...gotta get home and grill up dinner!

Can't we all use a Quickie?

Today was damned looong (was out late last night and up super early for another funeral (1.5 hours from here)...and I've a TON to do before my College Sidekick rolls into town tomorrow...so here's a quickie list to catch you all up!

1. For Lolly (and anyone else who cares)in answer to your question if the play is related to the book of the same title: "The journalist Geraldine Brooks unearthed the hadith while seeking a title for her 1995 book about the daily lives of Muslim women, and was stunned to learn recently that Ms. Raffo had co-opted it for the play. (The play takes nothing else from the book.) But when Ms. Brooks read the play, she was so impressed by the material that her initial dismay melted away, she said. "It is resonant," she wrote in an e-mail message. "It unpeels layer upon layer of the characters' lives, never reaching for the easy or simple assumptions about who or what is to blame for their predicaments."" I cut this directly from the NY Times feature article posted on the theater's website (see the link to the theater listed in next point.) The reviews of Ms. Brook's book are most-often scathing...she seems to have either offended or just plain-ole ticked off a number of folks! Do let me know what you think of the book!

2. If you go to see 9 Parts of Desire check out Cendrillon (212.343.9012)Southeast Asian (including the Philippines); 45 Mercer (btw. Broome and Grand) located 2 doors down from the Manhattan Ensemble Theater. To the left we see Dmitri enjoying Chicken Adobo and that's my pot-o-black rice with seafood.


3. If you are in NYC and want a YUMMY MEAL...check out PUBLIC...ate there last night! We had Kangaroo, snail & Wild Boar ravioli, duck, snapper, venison (the best I've ever tasted!) and a YUMMY WINE:
2004 Sauvignon Blanc - Martinborough
Te Muna Road Vineyard
Craggy Range - New Zealand

4. In honor of the casho-la that I forked out today at the Notions/thread/oooh - look-at-that sale at JoAnn's today (since I was in the burbs and there was a sale...),
I signed up for: Back-Tack

BEWARE - Sign up ends TOMORROW (April 24th, Midnight in your own timezone!) Go - run & sign-up - it'll be fun!

5. Justine --- got your meme...I haven't gotten it before...I'll get to it soon (by Wednesday hopefully!)

6. Assistant update...interviews continue.

7. I'll be away from email (yeah!) and having fun until Monday/Tuesday... see you then!

I'm off --- I've "I can't believe you were gone all day and that you can't make that water falling from the sky stop so that I can go outside and not get wet" Kitty - HOWLING at me!
ciao ciao!

9 Parts of Desire - WOW!

Wow. WOW WOW WOW.
I'm torn if 9 Parts of Desire is the best show I've seen in years or if it's tied for first place with Golda's Balcony. Parts of Golda's Balcony still stick with me...but I can't picture 9 Parts of Desire ever leaving me. I feel so strongly about it...it's a show that every woman should see and every man should accompany her to.
Ms. Raffo pours her heart and soul into this part and into the story which she, as a journalist, researched for years. As the lights rose and the audience rose to its feet, you see that she's crying...REALLY crying. Looking around the audience you see so many of the faces in the room with tear striped faces. It's not "political" as you would think. It's deeper, better - profound. Disturbing, riveting, amazing, moving...

I cannot recommend it highly enough.
There's good reason why Heather Raffo just got the 2005 Lucielle Lortel Nomination for best solo show. I'd go see it again in a heartbeat!

more later...off to dinner!

Brutus goodus? Well...

As I had forewarned yesterday, I saw Julius Caesar on Broadway liast night with Denzel Washington playing Brutus. He was good. Good. I have to heartily admit that the actor playing Casius, Colm Feore, stole the show. He has many seasons of Shakespeare's plays under his belt from a theatre in Canada...and it shows! The set was MAGNIFICENT! It was so rich and thick. WELL DONE! The costumes...I'm still not sure how I feel about them. The costumes, as shown in the photo to the left, are modern...the set...semi modern. Dmitri made a good point last night in telling me he found the set, although wonderful to look at, too modern as it looks OLD...and it wouldn't yet BE OLD if it was in Ancient Rome.
It's worth seeing. Be aware that you may want to spend a bit more on tickets and get floor seats then balcony...not due to the view. The view is fine...it's the audience. I think for many of the the members of the audience, this was their first Shakespeare production, possibly their first Broadway show. This is a great thing...however...their behavior was like that of being at home in front of a DVD. The talking, cell phone ringing and giggling (and giggling and giggling) at the sight of a naked man getting from the massage table into his robe...it often over shadowed the dialog. It was often very distracting. All-in-all it was a lovely night.

Let me roll back a few hours...to dinner...
I arrived at the Jewel of India ready to order and have food waiting when Dmitri joined me. I presented the $25 certificate that I'd bought (per their rule to present it prior to ordering) and was told that this promotion had been discontinued...even though I had just 30 minutes prior been on the website where they were still being sold. The waiter was nasty...the manager even more rude. Then, they were shocked and nastier YET when I decided to get up and leave without eatting there. The waiter chased me to the door and asked me to stay. I asked him to honor his certificate. He told me "I cannot." So I left. It wasn't the $25, but the principle. A good experience would have led us to return on another occasion. A bad one...well...voila.
We went to the dinner across from the theatre and I had a VERY TASTY Buffalo burger...at less than half the $$ I would have spent at the Indian restaurant. YUMMY!


Building the Library a bit more
I bought 2 books today which hopefully will arrive tomorrow (yeah for intown free delivery in NYC from Barnes and Noble.com!) After reading Naive Knitting's wonderful review of Domino Knitting by Vivian Hoxbro, I scooped it up. I also picked up Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet.



Tonight I'm off to see Nine Parts of Desire. As posted on my ticket club, "Heather Raffo's solo work NINE PARTS OF DESIRE offers a look into the ordinary yet extraordinary lives of a cross-section of Iraqi women, lifting the veil on exactly what it means to be a woman in the age-old war zone. Directed by Joanna Settle, the play is a meditation on the oppression of women in a country overshadowed by war."
It won the 2005 Lucille Lortel Nomination for Best Solo Show.
I'll let you know how it is!

Knitty and the Kitty!

I finished the pair of sage green cotton socks and have begun another pair from the same set of patterns from Interweave (online free pattern.) This one, the Ruffle Ribs...I've needed to adjust a little to accomidate the fact that I'm using cotton yarn (little give) for the wool yarn that the pattern is made for. Thus --- I frogged the 1 x 1 rib and am simply doing it in stockinette. Otherwise it looked all too loosey-goosey. I did keep the "ruffley bits" and eyelet at the top.

Pttern: Better-Than-Booties Baby Socks, Ruffle Ribs (clicking on link brings up the free PDF pattern.)
Yarn: Mandarin Petite (from Norway)
Color: 5200 4125
Content: 100% Egyptian Cotton
Bought at: Flying Fingers store

Spent last night with my good friend Morgan, breaking in her new apartment which is in my neighborhood! LOVE THAT! Her kitty, Mr. King -- curled up and is now very comfy in their new digs for a belly scratching session! He fell asleep with his head and paw on my lap as I worked on the Ruffle Ribs. :-) (Yes, those are my hot pink trousers...I just CAN'T seem to be in all black! I know, I know, BAD New Yorker!)

Heading off to Jewel of India and a show....Julius Caesar (with Denzel Washington as Brutus) with friends. We bought tickets what seems like a dogs year ago! Yeah!!!

I'll report tomorrow!

CARE FOR A CURL-UP?

This is not only where I wish I was (getting a few more winks), but the perfect photo to share with you of my little (eh right) Loco. I mean...this is a comfy loungey chair and he fairly well takes it over!

Weekend Round-up!

LYS...er Legal
I know I said I was on my way to Soho... but that would have entailed racing to the train and dashing full-speed back into NYC...and it was my FIRST SUNDAY in MONTHS where I wasn't expected to be anywhere at any time! SO plans changed (because they could!!! Yippee!) I grabbed my knitting and hopped on down to the sunny entry and knit on the matching sock while he went on his maiden voyage for the season.

Then we popped on over to Legal Seafood for a late brunch under an umbrella on the sidewalk. People are often so surprised to see KIP...why? Yes, I knit while waiting for my meal. What a perfect day!

After Walking all over White Plains, lunching and training it home I was greated by a lovely RAOK from Cindy! 3 fun stitchmarkers on large rings! I didn't have any stitchmarkers that fit large needles! Thanks a BUNCH Cindy!!! She posted a photo of the lot she made! WOW!!! Thanks again for thinking of me!




Movie time:
I watched two DVDs this weekend! (Thank you Netflix!)
It was a tribute to film in Italy...
Pane e Tulipani (Bread and Tulips) and Il Postino (The Postman)
I enjoyed them both for very different reasons. Bread and Tulips is fairly new and, of course, Il Postino was nominated aplenty in 1995.



Here is a promised photo of the view from our walk on Saturday! Just beautiful!!! Stuck between the dreariness of winter and the excitement of spring...a close look shows the Weeping Willows already showing their green! I can't WAIT to see it when all of the different trees are showing their leaves...a view like that always reminds me of a crazy quilt! :-)

INTERWEAVE PATTERN ERROR
Firstly, yes, I emailed to Interweave.

I finished the first sock!!! Yippee...but beware - thre is an error in the free pattern on the BETTER-THAN-BOOTIES BABY SOCKS pattern for the Cable Rib version!

HOW THE PATTERN SHOULD BE!!
Foot: Cont working one cable patt along each side of foot as foll: K11, p1, work 2 sts in cable patt as established, p1, k16, p1, work 2sts in cable patt as establishes, P1, knit to end.

This will give you the purl stitch on either side of the cable that runs down the foot (see photo left)...it clearly defines your cable.
That gives you 44 sts...without it your cable won't look right and you will only have 43 sts!

And to the question posed to me...nope, not my first sock...but a good beginner sock I think!

Saturday Stampede

Yesterday was FUN FUN FUN!

I got up early and packed up lunch (Friday night I'd cooked up this great tomatoy-shredded chicken stuff that you add cold with avacado, cucumber & cilantro too in a wrap...oh and my mango salsa) and jetted out of town to meet up with a friend in his town. We jetted over to Flying Fingers to get that missing skein of yarn to finish the dress...and yes, I picked up a few more skeins of cotton in BRIGHT FUN COLORS to make baby socks with (since I plan to make 9 pairs...so many babies on the way!!!)

Then after a quick coffee we drove over Bear Mountain and up to his Mom's house for lunch and a nice long walk in the beautiful weather. (I'll post photos of the scenery when I get to my computer since there's no way to get the photos off of MY camera onto his laptop.) Not thinking that we'd be out that long...DUH...I forgot a hat AND sunscreen...and am now nursing SUNBURNED LIPS! Yes...lips! I ALWAYS put on suncreen -- every morning all year long...well, except yesterday when I skipped putting on any makeup etc. because I was afraid I'd miss my train ...! (Which I DID anyway due to getting stuck behind a trash truck that had a street blocked...but it did enable me to have a wonderful conversaion with the cab driver about food...Indian spices as opposed to Morroccan spices/food...oh, and Greek food!)

I'm about to head home...I've some walking around Soho in my future today! Happy Sunday All!

Yarn Over

Knitting News...
I printed out the Better-Than-Booties Baby Socks pattern from Interweave online and dashed to the Yarn Connection after work last night to buy some bamboo size "0" (zero) dpns to dive in.
I'm using Dalegarn 100% Cotton "Stork" in color 4 (sagey green.)
I'll keep you posted!

As for the Lace Wrap (Pattern (#13) from Spring/Summer 2005 Vogue Knitting International) that I've been knitting...I finished it...well...I cast off and now have decided to un-cast off and make it longer. So...that'll be picked up again!

Date Night!
After getting the dpns last night I met Dmitri for dinner at the Croton Resevoir Tavern. The photo is the actual seat we were in, weird. YUMMY YUMY FOOD. I had the pork chop (super think and so nicely marinaded! Super tender) with the orzo/tomato/feta side...my BF had the steak with sweet p frys. My only suggestion is when making a reservation, find out if there are parties happening...it was LOUD. But...good wine (A reisling of course!), great food and wonderful company. I'm not complaining. Check out their site...they have some interesting NYC history (see the photo to the right of the old Reservoir that is now the home of the New York Public Library and Bryant Park.)
We also used up a Dining Certificate that I'd bought at Restaurant.com. I LOVE that site. You can buy coupons for various amounts for restaurants at discounted prices. (ie: This was a $25 cert with the stipulation that we had to spend $35 min...but the certificate costs $10, not $25...and I had a 50% off code (CODE:83570
which expires today!) when I ordered a bunch of them...so it was $5!)
Check out the site...they have participating restaurants all over the US. Just be aware of the possible "stipulations." They are clearly written. You print the certificates on your own computer, so you can buy and use that day! OK OK - enough free advertising for this service.
After dinner we dashed to the Dodger Stages to see Modern Orthodox. The cast changed recently and we got to see a wonderful cast (John Cariani, Sarah Chalke (Elliot from SCRUBS), Hunter Foster and Jenn Harris!) I found it very funny...having been called a Shiksa (sp?) a time or two in my dating past...it made me laugh a lot!

The search for an asst goes on...a few interviews have been scheduled for next week. May it be an easy search...PUH-LEEEEASE! Back to work I go.

MY SECRET PAL ROCKS!

Today is my first day in the office in nearly a month---which means boxes and piles of things that need my attention "RIGHT NOW" are covering my desk.

On the very very - OMG have I finally reached the bottom - BOTTOM was the much anticipated package from my Secret Pal that had arrived the day AFTER I left on my world wind tour.

Drumroll PUH-LEASE...
She sent this GREAT CARD (who knew there were Secret Pal CARDS out there?)and...she sent my THE BOOK...the book I have had in my "I WANT" listing in my sidebar for months!!! YEAH! YIPPEE!!!






It's a Wellie Thing
How do I love my niece...let me count the ways...
She knows that you are supposed to tear the paper to get to the gift (none of this saving the paper stuff here!) Although she tears each piece off and hands it to you as not to make a mess (did not get that from my gene pool!) She's ALREADY a shoe-a-holic at age 2...largely prompted by yours truely. After she opened the pink wellies she danced around and had to go NOW to get dressed so she could try the on. As you can see here...she was very happy to show off her new shoes. :-) Later on in the day when the guests arrived, there were more presents to be opened...and of course...the hit of the moment? Learning how to pop the bubbles on bubble wrap! :-) It took a few moments of assisted popping before she pushed my hand out of the way and she was off on a popping rampage! YEAH! Finally it was time for the cake...and who doesn't like CAKE? She puckered up and blew...isn't she just adorable? The party was a success and fun was had by all!
Now I just have to secure the last ball of yarn (again) for her dress. That's tomorrow's job.

BACK...BACK in the USA

Thanks for all of your well-wishes as I traveled...I landed last night from my many-a-week business trip. Got most everything done...and got the least amount of sleep ever recorded on one of these trips so far. (PSST...Still looking for a new assistant...resumes should start rolling in this week!)

It's already been a crazy CRAZY weekend...it will round out like this: wake (NY), birthday party (MA), funeral (NY)...and me passing out of exhaustion by Tuesday.

KNITTING NEWS:
Ever had one of those - how the heck did THAT happen - days?
That was me yesterday...call it a mix of sleepless nights, jetlag and bouncing from one car/plain/train to the next... I LOST A BALL OF YARN somewhere between China and Taiwan!!! (Tahki Cotton Classic Hot Pink (#3450).) How? Who knows!
So what does this mean???
This means that I was NOT able to finish the Petite Chic (from Minnow Knits by Jill Eaton ~ p. 73) dress for my Niece's birthday party tomorrow (which I have flown to to attend between the wake and funeral back in NY...) so...I'll have to mail it up (definately NOT as fun because I will likely NEVER see her in it after all of that work.) I mean, I'll see a photo...but you all know it's not the same. I finished the skirt and have 1/2 of the front done -- and am stopped in my tracks until probably Wednesday this week when I can hopefully get a new ball. That's not to say I'm empty-handed -- I bought her a ton of fun "chooos" (shoes) on my trip to the UK in February -- such DARN CUTE SHOES! I'm STILL wishing that the hot pink wellies with the white polka-dots were available in my size!

So...I'm working on finishing the scarf for my coat.

Yes...this is the same photo that I posted before...I'll post a new one (hopefully modeling it with the coat) in these next few days!

TIME FOR A DONATION? SPONSERSHIP?
Kirsten Jones of Domesticgirl along with JenLa and others (see the sidebar on JenLa's blog) are doing the Revlon Run/Walk for Women...and they need your donation!!!
Yes, this is, once again, a shameless plug hoping that you will click and donate for such a worthy cause as the research for a cure for breast cancer.
We all know the stats...it's either touched your family or someone you know.
Having walked the Avon 3-Day a few years ago myself, I know what it's like to raise the funds for this type of event (We each had to raise a $$$$ to participate!) It was SO WORTH IT...were I to live in LA I would have joined you ladies!!!
Instead...you'll have to settle with a donation and a BIG THANK YOU HUG from New York!

Gonna Take a Sentimental Journey
Fortune Telling in HK

If you are in Hong Kong, head to Wan Chai and be sure to visit the temple just at the top of the steps from the Wan Chei MTR station. It's breathtaking.


This is the entrance to the temple that is closest to to the MTR. Not the direct entrance to the grounds, but the entrance to the actual temple. A pair of very beautiful Totems protects this entrance.

This (right) is one of the entrances to the actual Temple area. I chose not to take any photos of the actual temple area. I could have, but there were so many people there. Tomorrow is a national holiday, Tomb Sweeping Day, on which you pay respect and honor to your ancestors. It seemed that there were many people at the temple lighting the incense and doing prayers and prostrations while placing offereings of food to their ancestors. I didn't want to intrude on this with my camera.


The other entrance to the temple is guarded by a pair of Fu Dogs. To the left you see the Female...she's got a child under her paw showing that she is in charge of the family. To the right you see the Male, who has the world under his paw...showing that he is in charge of the world.
Aside: I was in a store in China and was looking for a set of Fu Dogs to give as a gift. There were only Male Fu Dogs? When I asked for a pair, nobody working there knew that there was a Male and Female Fu Dog...apparently they'd mistakenly sold all of the Females.

After walking thru the temple, we went to the building at the edge of the temple grounds. It houses a two floors containing around 150 individual stalls of fortune tellers. You bring your Birth date, and they read your face and hands (in exchange for about 500 HK$.) Some speak English...mine did...and I wrote down her predictions/suggestions. They are given to you folded up in either a gold or red envelope. It was interesting to hear some of the same (odd) information that the fortune teller of 5 years ago had said.
I'll just say that if she's right, I'll live a mostly happy life.

If you're in Hong Kong -- go to see the Fortune Tellers...it's a lot of fun!