Carolyn Dilena is not only beautiful; she's a genius.

The San Francisco family businesswoman and mother of three asked one hundred and twenty girlfriends from each of her kids' classes if they might be interested in turning Mom's Night Out this year into five in Hong Kong.

Of all the adventuresome women in Carolyn's world, at least two-dozen said count me in.

On April 7th, the day the "ship set sail" on Cathay Pacific Airlines, seventeen San Francisco Bay Area women were able to make it work.

Let The Adventure Begin

There is nothing I enjoy more than exploring a part of the world I've never been to before.

So, when Carolyn, the mother of one of my daughter's best buddies suggested that, in addition to going to the Tonga Room for Mom's Night Out, we could pull off her proposed five night outing in Hong Kong for under $1,400, it was a no-brainer.

No kidding; A round trip ticket and five nights at a four star hotel for $1,392.53.

Who wouldn't pass this up, especially with a supportive man and great childcare at home willing to love the kids twice as much while I'm gone?!

Personally, this trip ranks right up there with my:

six month Solo Cross-Country Menlo Park to Boston Journey (January - June 1985),

my solo America's Cup Double Adventure to Sydney, Perth and Fremantle Australia (in 1986 and again in January 1987 for the final yachting races), and

my three-week Cross-Country San Francisco to Maine Trip with my four month-old, my three year-old, and my eighteen year-old Swedish au pair in tow in June 1998.

Previously, I was averaging this type of trip maybe every five years.

Now, I'm ready to reserve one week a year for "this type of girl's night out."

Carolyn Dilena & Evie Buckley

One of the best parts about this first adventure to Asia is that Carolyn and her girlfriend, Evelyn Buckley, who both grew up in Hong Kong, organized nearly the whole trip.

Carolyn Dilena

Carolyn took charge of finding the amazing deal on Expedia. She saw to it that we all received the required one-day visas to China. She arranged our guided half-day tour throughout Hong Kong. And, of course, she added her own personal spice to the weeklong indulgence.

It's no wonder -- because at home she is often the mom who takes charge of selecting the classy, appropriate gifts for our kids' soccer and basketball coaches.

She is always the one who coordinates "Mom's Night Out." Every time, her invitations are done with panache. Her venue selections, from The Tonga Room at The Fairmont Hotel to Don Johnson's Ana Mandara at Ghirardelli Square, are inevitably the best. You can count on Carolyn to choose "places of taste" that Rugged Elegance often recommends to both locals and out-of-town visitors.

Five years ago, I got my first dose of Carolyn when she invited a group of Kindergarten moms to San Francisco's exotic AsiaSF. For those who are not familiar with this he/she nightclub, you should be. If you like offbeat entertainment, AsiaSF is the place to go. The food is fabulous and the entertainment is astonishing.

This is a place where men dress up as women and then succeed at making straight women envious. Boy, do these teasing transvestites know how to work it.

Not only do AsiaSF's "gender illusionists" serve you delicious Cal Asian cuisine, they dress up in the leggiest attire and dance, dance, dance.

Carolyn Dilena at The Peak in Hong Kong

Carolyn could definitely give the "guys" from AsiaSF a run for their money.

Often dressed in slim-fitting jeans or black leather pants and a textured, rugged elegant top, Carolyn Dilena defines "Hottie Mama."

Evie with Our Macau Hosts

Evelyn Buckley

Carolyn, who grew up with Evelyn - known as "Evie" to her friends - said this about her childhood classmate and teammate:

Evelyn Buckley was born and raised in Hong Kong.

She was a star athlete, competing at all levels -- school, club, national and international -- in field hockey as well as track and filed. Evie has a room full of medals and trophies. She and I were both competitors and team-mates all through our school years.

Evie left Hong Kong and came to San Francisco in the early 80's and is now married and a successful mortgage broker.

Evie and I still play field hockey here in Northern California, as well as for Hong Kong in the Golden Oldies World Hockey Festival.

Additionally, Evie plays for a local softball team.

Not only are sports an important part of Evie's life, she also loves to travel.

She takes at least 4 to 6 trips a year to destinations as close as Canada, and as distant as New Zealand and Asia.

She has school friends in almost every country in the world and wastes no time in looking them up!

Evie is the idyllic travel companion -- fun yet responsible, easy-going and flexible, intelligent and positive. We all need an Evie in our lives!

I couldn't agree more!

In preparation for the trip, Evie set up a welcome lunch the day we arrived at one of her friends' restaurants in Macau. Once in Macau, she identified and led us to one of the best tailors in the country. She lined up two Hong Kong friends, Mary and Theresa, who know ShenZhen China like the back of their hands. She led us to Stanley Market and Stink Market, two of the best shopping areas in Hong Kong. (Don't let names deceive you.) And she bought us Octopus cards (like a FastPass) to ride the MTR & KCR transportation system. This card got us on the underground railway, as well as a double-decker bus and the tram to The Peak.

An unexpected treat during our five day adventure ... Evie's friend's friend, Justin Channe, the manager of the InterContinental Hotel treated six of us to a Cosmopolitan in the lounge of the Intercontinental. The hotel's spectacular first floor bar area offers one of the most dramatic window views in the world. This is a must for anyone traveling to Hong Kong, especially for those who have never been to this large, illuminated city before.

Patricia Schultz, who wrote 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, definitely got it right when she suggested having tea at The Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong.

In her next edition, Schultz would do well to add a 97th page to her list -- "Cosmos at The InterContinental" was one of my Top Twelve highlights of the whole trip.

With Patricia's journal coming out on June 6th, perhaps it's not too late!

Certainly, when Tim and I begin to profile Rugged Elegance Hong Kong, the InterContinental will definitely be on our list of selected Places of Taste.

In fact, I am inclined to book lodging at the hotel as well, especially after hearing that Justin is spearheading an interior remodel which is expected to be complete by Fall 2005.

Cathay Flight #873 Non-Stop: San Francisco to Hong Kong

The biggest thing I needed to get over was that my husband would be in charge of late night blood checks, five nights in a row, as both of our kids have Type 1 Diabetes. With the help of our live-in au pair I was confident he could survive.

The next question of survival was "How do I make it through fifteen hours in an Economy seat?"

Here's my list of In Flight Must-Haves:

1) Comfortable lounge clothes - For the plane I chose my favorite black velvet pants (the same pair I had made in Macau in black, purple and red velvet for $15 a pair), a Ralph Lauren silk/cashmere sweater that, surprise-surprise was made in Hong Kong, and my favorite Oriental slippers;

2) At least two airline pillows (others smartly brought their own neck pillow);

3) An eye mask - to avoid the bathroom light shining on your face every time it gets opened or closed. This is a relatively inexpensive splurge.

If you're like me who would just as soon avoid taking a sleeping pill on such a long flight, a pillow, a blanket, an eye mask and either warm socks or slippers set the stage to help me sleep at least four of the fifteen hours in the air;

4) Airborne - to prevent colds before they happen, I hear people swear by this product made by a teacher who was "sick" of getting colds all the time from her students;

5) A fully loaded iPod - the Apple iPod photo I gave to my husband for Valentine's Day and am now borrowing for the trip has over 700 songs on it;

6) A laptop computer (ideally a PowerBook) - The one that came two days before my departure is twice as fast as my previous PowerBook G4. This brief experience of increased speed has me now convinced to upgrade more often than every 3-4 years;

7) a set of Bose Triport Headphones;

8) Water, water and more water - I filled my Tumi backpack with my new PowerBook G4 and eight 34 oz. bottles of Smart Water from Trader Joe's. The only challenge here is learning how to gracefully climb over the other two sleeping people next to me every time I needed to get up;

9) A handful of Zone Bars (Chocolate Mint is my favorite) and LemonZest Luna Bars. I figure if I bring five of each, I'll either make a friend faster if I offer to share, or I'll have something to survive on if we make an unexpected stop in the middle of the trip;

10) A great book.

Typically. I read with my nine year-old daughter.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke will have to wait until my return.

In the meantime, I'm thrilled to finally be reading Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, especially before Ron Howard turns it into a movie.

One thing I would add to my "next time" list is:

The Altec Lansing inMotion iM3 Portable Audio System for my iPod.

For whatever reason, I did not find myself -- other than on the plane -- listening to music in the privacy of my room. If I had a portable sound system I would have plugged my iPod into this device, so that I could listen to tunes the minute I'd walk in my room.

Hong Kong Here We Come

At 6:30am -- after 16+ hours on the plane -- we successfully arrived in Hong Kong.

Next up ... Hong Kong Hottie Mama profiles, their in flight reading recommendations and our first day in Macau - with antique shop and tailor recommendations.

For all the women who have only dreamed of taking an adventure like this one, this is for you.

Inspire & Be Inspired.

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful, "makin' it happen" living!

~ Jennifer Carolyn King, Rugged Elegance, LLC

Takin' It To The Streets of San Francisco in Style ... Hot Pink Hottie Mama Style