HKG: Top 10 Kids' Bookstores: Favorite Reading Rooms

by Little Steps Asia Aug 28, 2014

A good bookstore is a destination for the imagination! From storytelling magic to the best deals on used books for kids, Little Steps has put together the top recommendations for exploring kid-friendly bookstores in the city. Pick up your kiddo’s next bedtime story at one of these top picks and enjoy!

ESLITE BOOKSTORE

A big box bookstore from Taiwan, Eslite’s stunning space in Hysan Place isn’t just a retail space but a megastore with a cafe and restaurant. There are books on virtually every subject, and there’s a good selection of English books for kids, too. If your wee ones need to stock up on school supplies, make a beeline to their stationary department for cutesy pens and notepads, and anything else they may need.
Eslite, 8/F-10/F, Hysan Place, 500 Hennessy Rd, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, +852 3419 6789

FLOW BOOKSHOP

When you teach your kids the “3Rs”, make sure you set an example on reduce, reuse, recycle by bringing their unloved books, DVDs, CDs and games to Flow Bookshop. The store has a special kid’s section - two, giant, floor-to-ceiling shelves stocked with everything that suitable for kids under 12. Let them run wild, while you sort through the latest arrivals.
Flow Bookshop, 1A Wing On Bldg, 38 Hollywood Rd, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2964 9483

POLLUX BOOKS

Take the whole gang over to Ap Lei Chau and spend a few hours sorting through the vast collection at Pollux Books. Unlike other big box stores, here, they focus on your kids first with wall-to-wall shelves stocked full of picture books, educational booklets and audio books. There’s plenty fun reads that your little ones will love and cherish for years to come, the difficulty lies in choosing!
Pollux Books, Rm 2101, 21/F, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing St, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong, +852 2873 6962

LEISURE BOOKSHOP

There’s lots and lots to browse through at this Saikung secondhand bookshop, and if you feel at a loss for choosing, take a break and hangout with the store’s pet calico cat. They have a vast collection of youth fiction, as well as a good selection of illustrated books for kids. The best part is, you never really know what you’re going to get because new donations arrive daily. It’s also a good place to bring your unwanted books or simply add to your library.
Leisure Bookshop, 32A, G/F, Po Tung Rd, Saikung, Hong Kong, +852 2791 9629

BOOK and CO.

A relaxing little enclave for book lovers of all sorts, Book and Co is conveniently located in the Mid-Levels and is chock-a-block stuffed with books for every age. There’s plenty of books for adults, teens and ‘tweens and a limited selection for your mini bookworms. Plus, there’s a cute and cosy cafe to tuck into cake with a cuppa tea for a much needed break from all that shopping!
Book & Co., 10 Park Rd, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong, +852 2559 5199

SWINDON BOOKS

There’s something truly wonderful about Swindon Books, and it’s hard to put a finger on the reason. It may be because of its well organised and easy to navigate aisles, or the it’s laid back vibe that invites you to flip through and read a few pages... The selection of books isn’t huge, but it’s carefully chosen and it spans many subjects. The ground floor has English books while the upstairs has English and Chinese.
Swindon Books, 13-15 Lock Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, +852 2366 8001

BOOKAZINE PRINCE'S BUILDING

This bookstore chain needs little introduction, and if you’re a parent and isn’t familiar with their location in the Prince’s Building, you really need to acquaint yourself. That particular branch does regular story time, book launches and all sorts of dandy events that inspire your child’s love for reading. Visit their website and see what are their upcoming events.

Bookazine Prince’s Building, Shop 309, Prince's Building, 10 Chater Rd, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2522 1785

BOOKSMART

If your Lord of the Rings trilogy is collecting dust and you’re looking for more updated reads, trade them in to BooksMart in Sheung Wan, a shop tucked away on the upper floor of an office building, which carries new and old books in English. There are books on virtually anything, including audio books, parenting, young adult novels and more.

BooksMart, Rm 1604, 16/F, Western Centre, 48 Des Voeux Rd West, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, +852 2630 5035

MIRTH HOME

Located in an industrial building in Wong Chuk Hang, Mirth is a one-stop shop for all of your needs from cutesy outfits and accessories to home wares for the perfect childhood room. They also have a small but well edited selection of books, with a great selection of beautifully illustrated books that junior will love, and also other coffee table books for mom.
Mirth Home, 23 Wong Chuk Hang Rd, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong, +852 2553 9811

BASHEER DESIGN BOOKS

Bring your budding picassos to Basheer Books for a vast collection of art and design books. This is a bookstore for ‘tweens and teens interested in architecture, design, art and comics, or mommas and pappas looking for interesting reads or just beautifully bound coffee table books to show off your highbrow interests. There’s also nicenotebooks and stationary to stock up on.
Basheer Design Books, 1/F, Flat A, Island Building 439-441 Hennessy Rd, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, +852 2126 7533

HKG: Order-In Food Delivery

by Appetite Urgency published on 04 September 2014

Too busy to whip up something in the kitchen but you can’t stomach another cup-a-noodle? Let these delivery services come to the rescue! Little Steps has compiled a list of our favorite food delivery options around town. Sit back, relax and let the food come to you!

FOOD BY WEB

With over 300 eatery listings complete with menus, you can now weigh your lunch or dinner options with this easy-to-use website. Select from cuisines spanning the globe, from Chinese, Indian and Thai to Western favorites. There are plenty of well-known restaurants linked to the site, including Soho Spice, Pizza Express and Mr Taco Truck.
Food By Web, +852 2805 1131

FOODPANDA

The leading global food delivery service with its fleet of zippy mopeds brings dinner straight to your door. It has signed up a large selection of restaurants including MANA!, eat Right, Maya Cafe, K-Roll, Sugo Sushi, and Bao Wow, to name a few. Foodpanda delivers straight to the office or direct to your door at home. They also have a mobile app that makes ordering food as streamlined as possible for Hong Kong locals and expats alike.
Food Panda, +852 3051 9292

DELIVERY HK

Bringing everything edible from desserts, detox & juices, groceries, meals from restaurants, and even wine & spirits all under one roof, this visually-appealing website with beautiful photography makes browsing a breeze. Top picks include Chef Patrick Deli, Just Green, Kelly's Cape Bop, and Happy Cow. They currently deliver to offices only but is looking to deliver to homes starting next year.
Delivery, +852 3477 7777

CUISINE COURIER

A great online ordering service that allows you to pick your location - Hong Kong or Kowloon side from the get-go. Restaurants are clearly listed with the type of cuisine they serve, while the selection of restaurants they have on hand promises a great meal - selection includes BLT Burger, Dressed Salads, El Taco Loco and Ayuthaiya.
Cuisine Courier, +852 2596 0000

DIAL-A-DINNER

Dial-a-Dinner delivers to most areas in Hong Kong Island, the Southside, and Kowloon with a minimum order for lunch and dinnertime deliveries ranging from HK$100 to HK$150. Restaurants on their roster includes everything from Grappa’s Cellar and Habibi Cafe, to Malaymama and Mr Bing. It also delivers emergency items such as batteries, toiletries and ice from its online convenience store and wine from its online wine cellar.
Dial-a-Dinner, +852 2598 1718

FOOD BY FONE

With a whole host of restaurants covering all the bases, from Sichuan at Chili Fagara, to Chicken on the Run and Kyoto Jo, Food Fone can deliver to just about everywhere in Hong Kong. You can even order a whole host of different dishes to suit every palate in the family - junior can tuck into a burger from Caliburger while mom and dad start with ahealthy salad from Life Cafe.
Food By Fone, +852 2868 6969, info@foodbyfone.net

SAV'S COOKING

Fancy a home-cooked Indian meal without all the fuss? Every Sunday, Sav Sinslow prepares and delivers a set menu of meat or vegetarian dishes using only the best organic ingredients from her home kitchen. Sav also runs private and group cooking classes. Check on her Facebook page for more info.
Sav’s Cooking, +852 9311 9273

PIZZERIA ITALIA

Skip Pizza Hut and get Pizzeria Italia on your speed dial for a yummy pizza pie in under 30 minutes. Their 33 pizzas made fresh-to-order, including specialities like their Gamberoni - a thin-crusted margherita pizza with fresh prawns or Fior di Latte with fresh mozzarella cheese are must-tries. Complete the meal with soups, salads, ribs and chicken. Their deliveries by FoodXpress promises no detours, bringing the pies straight to you.
Pizzeria Italia, 43 High Street, Sai Ying Pun, +852 2525 2519


WE ALSO LIKE
* Invisible Kitchen - By the people behind Hong Kong Personal Chef, this is your answer to hosting at home a fresh wholesome dinner without lifting a finger.

* Food Happy - Groovy new snack boxes delivered weekly.

* Koziness - By the people from Dial-A-Dinner and Soho Delivery, this app & site is a trusty ordering-in staple.

* Secret Ingredient - Fresh ingredients chopped and prepared so you can whip-up a meal in no time.

* Don't forget, it's always worth asking your favorite neighborhood restaurant if they deliver!

Paris, France: Where to Find Bargains in Paris--Designer Discount Stores and Depot-Ventes

If strolling amongst the designer boutiques on the rue Faubourg Saint-Honore or Champs Elysees tugs at your heartstrings but would break your purse strings, don’t settle for cheap goods or knock-offs—there is another way. You simply have to know where to get those coveted designer brands at a discount. Yes, even Paris has discount malls and stores throughout the city. There are two ways to get the bling without the bang—know where the designer outlet stores are for new things, and discover the wonderful world of depot-vente shopping for barely worn haute couture for a fraction of the price.

DISCOUNT MALLS - Outside Paris
If you’re looking for Paris styles at a discount, you’ll want to plan to visit the best outlet malls outside of the city. If your time is limited, visit the websites for the outlet malls below to find the one with the most brand names of interest and plan a day trip accordingly.

1.) LA VALLEE VILLAGE
Basically, La Vallee Village is heaven on earth for designer goods bargain hunters. It is located at the stop just before Paris’ Euro Disneyland. You purchase your ticket in the appropriate train station, and then carefully figure out which platform on which to wait. The trains come about every 10 minutes. You want to go to the Val d’Europe/Serris Montevrain station. It is the next to the last stop, the last being Disney. Once you exit, you literally walk out of the train station and go directly across into a large covered 2-floor shopping mall. This is not La Vallee Village, but it is a lovely mall where you can get most anything, including groceries.

La Vallee Village—Designer Discount Mall
This 90-store mall is designed with a village setting and has more high-end brands than its competitors. You walk all the way straight through this mall and arrive at the picturesque outdoor designer discount mall, La Vallee Village. Everything from Longchamp, Dior, Givenchy, Burberry, Lancel, Armani, Diane Von Furstenberg, Valentino, Missoni, Versace, Furla, Lacoste and many, many more iconic designers have outlet boutiques in this delightful designer discount village. Remember to ask for the detaxe forms if you spend more than about $500 in any one store. It is a perfect place to buy holiday gifts or stock up on gifts for the year. Often you save 50% or more on last season’s clothing and accessories, which is a bargain. I always load up at the Longchamp store and buy the foldable, packable, indestructible bags for everyone I know (men and women). You can even get a discount on your train ticket by going to the welcome center. It is truly one of the best-kept Paris shopping secrets!

Getting there. There is a huge and marvelous discount mall just minutes from the center of Paris, and easily accessible by train—La Vallee Village (http://www.lavalleevillage.com). The RER is basically the Metro; only it goes farther outside the city, so you can only catch it at certain larger stations. Any Metro station will connect you with a station to catch the train—such as Gare de Lyon.

La Vallée Village offers a Shopping Express bus service with departures two times per day from Place des Pyramides near the Louvre Museum in the 1st arrondissement. To book your tickets, visit the La Vallée Village website below. For a day of shopping without the hassle of figuring out transportation, contact the Paris Perfect office and to put you in touch with our favorite driver who offers a fixed price service to La Vallée Village.

To get there by RER, TGV, Thalys or Eurostar train: get off at the Marne-la-Vallée Chessy / Parc Disneyland station. Then take the RER A4, towards Paris, exit at Val d'Europe / Serris Montévrain station (only one stop away).
Website: www.lavalleevillage.com
Address: 3 Cours de la Garonne, 77700, Serris
Opening Hours: Daily (except Christmas Day, New Year's Day and May 1st) from 10am to 7pm

2.) TROYES (McArthur-Glen Troyes)
This is France's largest outlet-mall hub, just outside the medieval town of Troyes in the province of Champagne. There are other large outlet malls a bit farther outside of the city, most notably in Troyes, with both huge individual outlet stores for brands such as Lacoste, as well a combined in large malls; but they are harder to reach by public transportation. Troyes is a charming old town with half-timbered buildings and a delightful history, and the best way to get there is to rent a car, then spend some time in the ancient town, as well as the outlet malls. Shoppers have three malls to choose from, the biggest and best being home to 84 stores, including Lacoste, Kookai and Calvin Klein. From Paris' Gare de l'Est, it's about 1.5 hours by train to Troyes. But if your plan is to power-shop your way through all three Troyes outlet centers, it's much more practical to rent a car.
Website: www.mcarthurglen.fr
Address: Voie du Bois, Pont-Sainte Marie, Troyes
Opening Hours: Monday - Friday from 10am to 7pm and Saturday from 9:30am to 7pm





Marques Avenue: Troyes

The large outlet mall includes Hugo Boss, Etam, Naf-Naf and outlet shops for many trendy French chain stores.
Website : www.marquesavenue.com
Address: 114 blvd. de Dijon, St-Julien les Villas, Troyes

3.) MARQUES AVENUE: L'ILE SAINT DENIS
This popular mall has mainly mid-priced labels with familiar names you’ll recognize. To get there, take the Métro Line 13 to Mairie de Saint-Ouen, then take Bus No. 166 towards Saint-Ouen and get off at the Marcel Paul stop (at the corner of platform Châtelier).
Website: www.marquesavenue.com
Address: 8/9 quai du Châtelier 93450 L'Ile-Saint-Denis
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday from 10 am to 7 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 8 pm.

Discount Stores within Paris
1.) RUE D'ALESSIA
All it takes is the Metro to get to an area within Paris with an entire street of outlet stores, rue d’Alessia. Here you can find a wide variety of very high end and some lower end designer outlet shops—such as Sonia Rykiel and other iconic French labels. It isn’t the greatest of areas; so don’t plan to be there alone after dark. On the Left Bank, there are several “Filene’s Basement” types of grab and scramble shops such as Le Mouton a Cinq Pattes (the 5-footed sheep). These have bits and pieces of very high-end brands, but it is catch as catch can. There is also a street (Saint Placide) quite near the very pricey Left Bank department store Bon Marche that is filled with discount stores. One of my favorites in all of Paris is Le Clef (the key), which is located within walking distance of the back entrance to the Luxembourg Gardens. It, too, is often a jumble, but carries a huge variety of very high-end goods for children, men, women, luggage, shoes, handbags, sunglasses, lingerie, etc. I once got a $4000 leather jacket there (Lanvin)—original Lanvin price tag still on it—for $150! My husband has had similar luck, and we always go back there.

2.) CHANEL OUTLET
Chanel
42 Avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris, France
PH: +33 1 47 23 74 12
OR
25 Rue Royale, 75008 Paris, France
PH: +33 1 44 51 92 93

Biggest Chanel Branches -
Chanel Paris, 31 rue Cambon 75001 Paris 1er
AND
40 avenue Montaigne 75008 Zip: 75001 and 75008 Paris - France
Hours : M-Sat 10am-7pm T: +33-1- 42 86 28 00

Depot-Ventes within Paris
But, probably my very favorite way to shop in Paris is to go to depot-vente stores. These are usually very high-end consignment shops for designer wear. Parisian women often wear $6000 Chanel jackets once or twice, and then consign them. The better shops take designer buttons off so they can’t be stolen, and give them to you when you purchase. You will get a minimum of 50% off last year’s runway fashions (usually a LOT more), which look brand new. I once did get a $6000 Chanel jacket for $300. It is my pride and joy, and I have several other treasures obtained this way, including vintage but spectacular Hermes scarves, Louis Vuitton and Chanel handbags, Burberry coats, Chanel belts—amazing buys on things in perfect condition that I only dreamed of owning.

Throughout the years, I have probably been to most of the known and tripped-over depot-vente stores in Paris. Even given the unpredictable supply situation in any consignment or “recycled” boutiques, which is totally dependent on when something is consigned and the size of the person consigning (most stylish French women seem to wear the equivalent of our sizes 2-4), I have written several off, due to being uninteresting or too high-priced after my repeated visits. There is usually no room to bargain in these shops, as the consignee is contracted to receive a certain amount of the sale price.

1.) ANNA LOWE
Probably the best known and certainly the most prominently located Depot-Ventes is Anna Lowe, easily located just as you enter the chic rue Faubourg Saint-Honore (104) from the Champs Elysees. Her shop is quite upscale, and the price tags reflect the high overhead for such a well-placed shop. I have never bought anything there, and have always done much better elsewhere. I was extremely disappointed when one year I saw her capitalizing on tourist greed by selling knock-offs of Hermes’ iconic Birkin bag for about 600 Euro. That (selling knockoffs), is unforgivable, and belies the moneymaking nature of this particular depot-vente. Most others, especially little “hole in the wall” places, take great pride in presenting only the authentic article. In general, the higher-rent the boutique, the worse the bargains. But, if you really want something you see there, better grab it, as it will still be a bargain.

2.) RECIPROQUE
Certainly the largest of the depot-vente stores is really a group of stores, divided into shops by category. Reciproque is in an elegant area of Paris, and is easily reached by Metro. It actually takes up both sides of nearly an entire block. This is the mother of all depot-ventes, and tends to have more of everything. There is a shop for vintage jewelry, one for designer scarves and umbrellas, another for luggage, one for designer handbags, the largest for women’s designer clothing and shoes, and an entire large store dedicated to men—designer jackets, pants, accessories, ties, shoes, coats, shirts, briefcases—plenty for the men to do while the women work their way through the many other Reciproque shops. Bargains are definitely to be had, and they are very particular about the quality and condition of the goods they accept and sell; but, the prices may not be the very best you will find. However, the selection is the most vast; and, bargains are fleeting, so if you see something you want, you are unlikely to find it elsewhere. I have bought $6000 Chanel jackets for $300, vintage gold lockets and silver chains for a bargain, Hermes scarves for less than half of their original price (but look new, and even come with the box!), designer handbags, wallets, accessories; and my husband bought a great Burberry raincoat and several designer jackets. We never go to Paris without at least one trip to Reciproque. Here, however, as in most depot-ventes, there is no bargaining—the price is what it is, and it is a bargain. The clothing generally looks new, as do the scarves. The designer handbags may show some wear, but they are still a bargain, as well.

So, before you plunge yourself into debt on the pricey streets of Paris, look at the many other less expensive options open to you, if you know where to look!

************************************************************************
Credits: Judith Nelson , Denver Travel Examiner (via Examiner.com's posting dated July 19, 2012), ParisPerfect.com

Paris, France: Where to stay in Paris and other attractions

by Jane Atkin, part of Lonely Planet's online editorial team.
This article was first published in February 2012 and was updated in July 2012.

Paris is a very compact city, so no matter where you decide to stay you’ll be able to get around the rest of town without too much trouble.

The rive gauche or left bank generally refers to the Paris south of the Seine. Some of its most famous streets are the Boulevard Saint-Germain, the Boulevard Saint-Michel and the Rue de Rennes. The left bank is associated with Bohemia and creativity.

North of the Seine, the rive droit or right bank is associated with elegance and sophistication. The right bank's most famous street is the Champs-Élysées, but there are others of prominence, such as Rue de la Paix, Rue de Rivoli and Avenue Montaigne.

Starting at Kilometre Zero in front of Notre Dame, Paris is divided into 20 arondissements (districts). The numbering spirals from 1 to 20 in a clockwise direction from the front of the cathedral. The usual French notation is 1er for premier (1st), 2e for deuxieme (2nd), 3e for troisieme (3rd) and so on.

Each arondissement has a distinct personality. The 1er is full of sights but few residents; the 5th is studenty; the 7e full of ministries and embassies; the 10e was traditionally working-class but has succumbed to gentrification; the 16th is the bastion of the well-heeled.

Louvre & Les Halles (1er and 2e) is the district for museum lovers and the very heart of Paris. Île de la Cité (4e and 1er) is the site of the first settlement in Paris (c 3rd century BC) and home to Notre Dame. Île de St-Louis (4e) is an oasis of calm away from the din of the city.

The Latin Quarter (5e) is known for its literary heritage (being favoured by Hemingway, Fitzgerald and other members of the creative community) and continues to provide a lively backdrop to city life. St-Germain (6e) & Invalides (7e) oozes panache and is the best district for those that have shopping at the top of their list of things to do in Paris.

Once you’ve climbed the Eiffel Tower (16e), you might like to get away from the crowds by taking a stroll through the gardens nearby at the Bois de Boulogne (or go rowing on the lakes). To get a view of the Champs-Élysées (8e) & Grand Boulevards (8e and 9e) climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe.

For picture postcard Paris, where everyone paints, wears a beret and sings to accordion music, head up to Montmartre (18e). Head to the Marais (4e) & Ménilmontant for the city’s hip drinking scene and fun for night owls. The area around the Bastille (11e) & Gare de Lyon used to be notorious for its high crime rate, but today you can spend time browsing the flea markets and people watching.

Avoid Montparnasse (14e) with its pricey eating establishments. Head eastwards to Chinatown (13e) for a colourful, multiracial taste of Paris today.

The table below will guide you through the sights, shopping, museum and galleries on offer in each distinct district of Paris.

Area	Sights	Museums & galleries	Shopping
Louvre & Les Halles	Centre Pompidou Église St-Eustache Passages Couverts	Musée du Louvre Les Art Décoratifs Musée de l’Orangerie	L’Ecritoire E Dehillerin Boîtes à Musique Anna Joliet
Latin Quarter	Panthéon Mosquée de Paris Sorbonne	Institut du Monde Arabe Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle Musée National du Moyen Age	Shakespeare & Company Magie
St-Germain & Invalides	Église St-Sulpice Église St-Germain des Pres Institute de France	Foundation Dubuffet Musée National Eugene Delacroix Pièce Unique Variations	Pâtisserie Sadaharu Aoki Bonton Bazat La Dernière Goutte Le Dépôt-Vente de Buci
Eiffel Tower &16e	Eiffel Tower Bois de Boulogne CinéAqua	Musée du Quai Branly Musée Marmotta-Monet Cite de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine
Champs-Elysees & Grands Boulevards	Arc de Triomphe Av des Champs-Élysées Palais Garnier	Grand Palais Musée National Gustave Moreau La Pinacothèque	Galeries Lafayette Place de la Madeleine Guerlain
Montmartre, Pigalle & 17e	Basilique du Sacre Cœur Place du Tertre Cimetière de Montmartre	Musée de la Vie Romantique Musée Jacquemart-André Musée Nissim de Camondo	Ets Lion La Citadelle
Marais & Ménilmontant	Place des Vosges Pletzl Cimetière du Père Lachaise	Musée Carnavalet Musée des Arts et Métiers Maison de Victor Hugo	Sic Amor CSAO Boutique & Gallery Red Wheelbarrow Bookstore
Bastille & Gare de Lyon	Cinémathèque Française Viaduc des Arts Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir	Maison Rouge Cite Nationale de l’Histoire de l’Immigration Maison de Jardinage	Marche aux Puce d’Aligre La Maison du Cerf-Volant Fermob

Want a bit more detail on the City of Light? Look no further:

• Paris highlights
• A perfect day in Paris
• Hidden flavours of Paris
• A shopper’s guide to Paris
• Travelling with children?

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/france/paris/travel-tips-and-articles/77000#ixzz2u9rk2EFn