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GALAXY MACAU RESORT HOTEL: OPENING OF ASIAN LUXURY HOTELS & CASINOS. CHINA TRAVEL, BEST ASIA RESORTS.
Did Seba and I get beamed up to a spaceship? Not quite, but close: we were invited to stay overnight at the new Asia resort, Galaxy Macau, before it opened to the public!
The 2 billion dollar vacation paradise has three hotels, an artificial beach, wave pool, more than 50 restaurants and 450 gambling tables. As you can imagine, we were like kids in a candy store — and even got into a spot of trouble. Read on to see what went down.
Macau’s an hour from Hong Kong, if you take the iconic red Turbojet. The former Portuguese colony (handed back to China in 1997) has become Asia’s Las Vegas, with a similar Strip of mega hotels and casinos.
The word “pandemonium” was invented to describe the ferry port — what a lineup. Seba’s shirt and scandaloso white pants are from Mongkok, Hong Kong (our favorite district for inexpensive fashion).
A shuttle whisked us to the gargantuan, gold-plated Galaxy Macau — wow!
After the media check-in, we raced through the hallways to our room (there are 2200 in total). Seba’s undies and my dress are gifted from Iron Fist.
The first event: test-driving the Chinese food at Laurel Restaurant. Can you guess what was in the soup?
Chicken feet! For those who found it too hardcore, there was a wide sampling of Cantonese specialities.
Sebastiano and I forgot to wear our media badges, and got lectured. We went back to our room to put on our passes. Now, I’m prepared when someone asks to see my media pass!
Do you dare to look closely at Seba’s badge?
The Grand Resort Deck had a man made beach and the world’s largest skywave pool (with pulsating waves).
Alone in a golden, tropical paradise.
The resort has three hotels, each with a different theme and staff greetings. As you can tell from the first photo, Galaxy Hotel is all about intergalactic indulgence. The Thai-themed Banyan Tree was possibly my favorite. The lobby’s sweet scent and the nature-infused spa made me feel Zen calm.
In the Banyan Tree lounge, we nommed on sweets and grappa (a grape-based liquor from Seba’s region in Italy). My silver crucifix necklace is gifted from CB Designs — New York designer Chelsea makes eye-catching jewelry.
Slightly tipsy, we resumed our explorations. The Japanese Hotel Okura has a tea ceremony pod, where guests are guided by an expert. (Seba, a Toni & Guy model, shows off his chic Galaxy Macau photographer’s vest.)
We ate yummy bits of bread, meat and cheese at Terrazza Mediterranean Ristorante (you can reserve the outdoor glass box for special occasions). Then we sampled a drink from the whiskey bar.
Dinner was served at Festiva, a glutton’s paradise with every type of food imaginable (fresh juice bar, Indian naan, sushi, gelato, you get the idea). Seba and I always get in trouble… when we tried to have breakfast in our bathrobes, we were denied entry!
We wrapped up the media preview with a laser light show and cocktails outdoors. I did an interview for TV, and then we retired to our 5-star room. (What happens in Macau stays in Macau…)
With Galaxy Macau, the Chinese gambling-town has expanded into a ritzy resort destination. There’s something for every vacationer, whether you’re a bambino (kid’s water park) or a Sebastiano (full gym and sauna). Thank you to the organizers for taking us on this interstellar journey!
What are your impressions of the new resort? Do you think Macau will reach and surpass Las Vegas as a casino/tourist destination? Asia’s booming, my friends…
PS: Seba and I were on Italian TV news show TG2! They did a story about Luisaviaroma Firenze4Ever. Will blog pics soon. Til then, here’s a pic of us, Bryanboy and Nitrolicious at the special dinner, surrounded by animal bones!
Song of the Day: Emilie Autumn – Ophiliac (Here, you can stream her entire album. You’re welcome.)
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HONG KONG & MACAU, MAY 2011! GALAXY MACAU HOTEL RESORT GRAND OPENING, ROOMORAMA ASIA APARTMENT RENTALS.
Ai-yah, fei maoo. Sebastiano and La Carmina will be in Hong Kong and Macau for the month of May! (Time to unpack my Cantonese 101 books…)
We’ve got a full schedule of journalism and TV work. Get ready for coverage of Hong Kong’s alternative, kawaii and pop culture scene. How about panda and toilet theme restaurants, Victorian boudoir bars, and cute food cooking lessons?
We’ll be staying in a modern apartment in Causeway Bay, thanks to the lovely folk at Roomorama. Like Tokyo’s Shibuya, this chic district is loaded with cafes and boutiques, and the SOGO Japanese department store. Seba and I will show you what it’s like to stay in one of Roomorama’s short-term rentals (they have locations all over the world, so you can live like a local wherever you go). Perhaps you’ll try out their apartment rental service on your next trip.
Seba and I will also take the short ferry ride to Macau… for the media and VIP-only preview of Galaxy Macau, a giant 2 billion dollar hotel-resort opening this month! We’ll be staying there before it opens to the public — test-driving the 50 restaurants, 2,200 hotel rooms, spa, sky top wave pool, and man-made beach (perhaps we’ll build a sand castle?).
Macau is in boom-mode. Gambling was its lifeblood for decades, but now, entrepreneurs are setting up lux hotels that make Las Vegas look like a pile of pennies. And I’m dying to see how the Rococo-spirited Galaxy Macau will raise the bar.
I haven’t been to Hong Kong in over 3 years, but I went yearly when I was a munchkin, to visit relatives. Creepy-cute characters have always haunted my life.
Here I am on a Cathay Pacific plane ride. In those days, my favorite stuffed toy was a round bear that I insisted that it was a cat. It was my fate to wind up with a earless teddy bear…
Sebastiano also has a Hong Kong history: he was a model there before moving to Japan.
Where in the world is Sebastiano Serafini? Milan, and now Tokyo. Above are images from the Stand Up! The Fragile launch party, featuring him as main model.
If Seba’s Paint drawing is any indication, our Chinese adventure will be full of 8-bit action! (Only his brain could conceive of us as Tanooki Mario and Goth Princess Peach.)
Have you been to Hong Kong or Macau? We’d love to hear your recommendations — please leave us a comment. And tell me what you’d like me to blog about (Hong Kong fashion? Theme restaurants?).
PS: I previously wrote about Gothic Lolita shopping in Hong Kong.
Song of the Day: Joy – Lost in Hong Kong (12″ Italo Disco, ai-yah!)
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LA CARMINA
