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Happenings & Events STUFF TO KNOW IN APRIL!
THE SILVERI HONG KONG – MGALLERY LIVES UP TO ITS NAME
Launched in March, The Silveri Hong Kong – MGallery perches high atop Citygate Outlets’ new extension, and it is Accor Hotel’s first MGallery by Sofitel in the city. The new five-star boutique hotel comprises 206 rooms and suites, an executive lounge with outdoor terrace, two meeting rooms, a 24-hour gym and a 25-metre outdoor swimming pool. Islanders will also be interested to note that the hotel’s modern bistro, The Enclave, and its deli/ coffee shop, Fresh, are open all day for dine-in or takeout.
MGallery hotels typically combine a cutting-edge look with a design that’s steeped in the story and culture of their location, and the Lantau property is no exception. As interior designer and lighting designer of its lobby and other common areas, LWK + PARTNERS has created a series of refined, inspiring spaces that celebrate Lantau’s past, specifically its once rich silver mines. References to silver are achieved not only through the hotel’s gleaming glass cladding, but also in the interior’s recurring silver-moon design motif and imagery of silver talismans. The silver accents stand in contrast to the natural tones of wood and leather that are used throughout, as well as the verdant hills that surround the property.
MGallery Hotel Collection is a brand to watch, with not one, but two hotels opening in Hong Kong this year. Following hot on the heels of The Silveri Hong Kong – MGallery, AKI Hong Kong – MGallery is set to open in Wanchai in just a few months’ time. Upcoming MGallery destinations in Greater China include Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Wuxi Dangkou Ancient Town. For more on The Silveri Hong Kong – MGallery, visit www.thesilveri-hongkong.com. [PHOTO BY Sarin Ale.]
Second-hand furniture supplier 2nd Chance’s Mui Wo store is jam-packed with pre-loved furnishings, accessories, artworks and collectibles, so much so that many pieces have overflowed into Baan Rao Thai Restaurant downstairs. The store is open daily from 11am to 7pm (closed Tuesdays) for browsing and purchasing, and you can also pick up select pieces from the restaurant should you spot something you like as you eat.
2nd Chance homes Hong Kong’s largest collection of pre-loved furnishings at its 10,000 square-foot warehouse store in Tuen Mun. Once its Lantau Closed Road Permit is issued, 2nd Chance aims to change all items at the Mui Wo store monthly, and provide a full delivery service. Until then, purchases are discounted for selfcollect customers. To find out more, visit www.2ndchance.com.hk. [PHOTO COURTESY OF 2nd Chance.]
Struggling to imagine how to quarantine for 21 days (or even seven) with a young child? Be inspired by Francisco Garcia and his 11-yearold son Francisco Alessandro, and make music.
“My son and I were required to do the 21 days quarantine on our return from Spain,” Francisco explains. “So my wife, who had stayed in Hong Kong with our two-year-old daughter, prepared a mini music studio for us at our hotel with a few of my synthesisers, a drum machine and a microphone. After three days in the room, I was playing on the drum machine and I told my son to grab the mic and sing, which he did. What came out was amazing, so we continued our jam sessions and ended up creating a song, which we named 21 Days.” Have a listen on Spotify. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Francisco Garcia.]
What better way to mark Earth Day on April 23, than by taking part in Plastic Free Sea’s (PFS) Plastic Footprint Investigation. The challenge gives you a real understanding of the size of your plastic footprint, and therefore of the impact your lifestyle has on the planet.
How does it work? Firstly, you have to commit to cleaning and keeping all the throw-away plastic you use for one week. On the eighth day, make a list of everything you’ve accumulated and record your findings with a photo. Share your results with PFS.
Then the real challenge begins! Ask yourself: How can I use less plastic? What plastic habits can I change? Which company will I contact first to request that they reduce their packaging? To find out more and share your findings, head to www.plasticfreeseas.org. [PHOTO COURTESY OF PFS.]
A SECOND CHANCE FOR FURNISHINGS
MAKING SWEET MUSIC IN QUARANTINE
21 DAYS IN HARMONY
PLASTIC FOOTPRINT INVESTIGATION
Looking for a way to keep the kids entertained while they’re still stuck at home? Sign them up to study magic @oceanpark, and performance @faust – classes are being held via Zoom in real time through April 15.
Ocean Park’s nature-themed online magic workshop series, Mali Mali @Home, sees kids aged five to eight learn from the park’s professional magicians. The series brings children four classes of magic tricks themed on terrestrial and aquatic animals, elements of nature and the reuse of domestic waste. Register at www.oceanpark.com.hk. Faust International Youth Theatre, meanwhile, is offering a variety of online courses and one-day workshops for kids aged four to 17. Classes are designed to give students an opportunity to delve into a specific aspect of performance, writing and/ or creative skill. Register at www.faustworld.com.
Mui Wo-based speech therapist Imogen Dean’s first children’s storybook, Easy for You to Say, is a vibrant and engaging read which doubles as a speech-sound guide for parents and educators. While children discover a strange land full of chatty animal friends, parents track their children’s productions of the nonsense words, supported by an evidence-based guide at the back of the book. This guide explains which errors are developmentally appropriate for children at different stages between the ages of three and four years old.
“My goal is to empower parents, caregivers and educators, and to ensure that children are given the best support for their developing communication.” Imogen says. Easy for You to Say is available at Bookazine and through the Imogen Dean Speech Language Pathology practice, visit www.imogendeanslp.com. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Imogen Dean.]
Black Velvet Collective’s long-awaited first album, Sunset Peak, launched in February and is available now on Spotify. The band – core members long-time DB residents (and Picnic in the Park founders) Mark Rawson, Mark Basford and Jim Alba-Duignan – has been actively gigging in Hong Kong since 2020 and has built up a loyal following. Fans love the unique sound, which draws on British, Canadian and Irish folk music.
OCEAN PARK’S ECO-FRIENDLY MAGICIANS
IMOGEN’S BOOK DOUBLES AS A SPEECH-SOUND GUIDE
STORYBOOK BY LANTAU SPEECH THERAPIST
SUNSET PEAK: THE ALBUM
“Sunset Peak features songs both light and happy plus a few more reflective ones,” says Mark Rawson. “The lead track Take a Moment is a song of hope in difficult times; it’s a song of inspiration.” The Collective habitually collaborates with other leading Hong Kong-based musicians, and Take a Moment features Sarah Johnson of The 852, on vocals. It’s based on a traditional Irish tune with words by Mark. Catch the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKK8Lx0uNRk. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Black Velvet Collective.]
