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HK M AGA ZINE NO. 1094 FRIDAY, M ay 1, 2015 w w w.hk-magazine.com
party e h t w Thro mer! m u s e of th
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SCAD HONG KONG AND
RENAISSANCE
COLLEGE IBCP
OPEN DAY Saturday, May 9
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Renaissance College
Earn university credit in art and design before
5 Hang Ming Street
you graduate by enrolling in the International
Ma On Shan, N.T., Hong Kong
Baccalaureate Career-related Programme offered
RSVP Susie Lau at slau@rchk.edu.hk or 3556.3451
jointly by Renaissance College and SCAD. The programme is open to post-16 students with a passion for art and design and desire to engage in exciting career paths from animation to industrial design. Visit renaissance.edu.hk/content/ibcp
薩 凡 納 藝 術 設計 大學
scad.edu.hk Courses of study are registered with the Hong Kong Education Bureau, registration numbers 261958-261971 and 262196-262202. It is a matter of discretion for individual employers to recognize any qualification to which these courses may lead.
PAGE 3 8 COVER STORY
Lawmaker and ex-railway boss Michael Tien has
A Better Budget
Lay on the best junk trip ever laid
warned that the cost of the already late, already overbudget Hong Kong to Guangzhou high-speed rail link is set to rise to $85 billion, putting it 30 percent over budget. We’ve got some ideas for more effective uses of all that cash.
Investment.
Throw It All Down The Third Runway Hole.
We should have plunged all of this money into the development of a pre-1840s “factory” trading system by which foreign companies and governments would only be able to occupy and trade on a small piece of land in the middle of Guangzhou, thus negating the need for a railway system at all. This would have the added benefit of keeping parallel traders within mainland Chinese borders, and all those nasty gweilos at arm’s length. Unless they have any opium.
Chek Lap Kok’s third runway is gonna need way, way more money before all this is over. Maybe earmark the $85 billion to go towards the families of pink dolphins who have been tragically displaced by the construction and now have to perform in Dubai amusement parks to make ends meet. A Bigger, Better Ferris Wheel. From which to look down on the small, pathetic ferris wheel that’s currently such a blight on our skyline.
Political Development. A cool $85 bill should be enough to bribe everyone in charge or getting in the way of an equitable solution to the universal suffrage problem, right? Either we pay off all the pan-dems to stand down, or we pay off all the pro-Beijingers to remove those rods they’ve got stuck up their asses. Either way, we’ve brokered a solution. Peace in our time! Paying Manny Pacquiao to Punch a Hole in the Ground So Huge That It Reaches Guangzhou.
Giving it to Financial Secretary John Tsang, Who Will Snatch it From Your Hands and Hide It Under A Mattress or Something.
12
Take that $85 billion in government money and do the prudent thing: give it back to John Tsang, who will hoard it alongside the other $60 billion we have in surplus just in case one day Hong Kong’s economy collapses and we all need some paper to burn to stay warm.
The Filipino congressman and boxer is so mighty that this would be a negligible feat for the man. If he does it pointedly enough, it might stop Hongkongers treating their domestic helpers like shit, too. Win-win!
le french may
Les artes, le théâtre, la danse… zut alors!
15 escape routes
Diving into Singapore’s best speakeasies
18
Who’s in charge? Editor-in-Chief Luisa Tam Managing Editor Daniel Creffield Editor Adam White Features Editor Kate Springer Senior Associate Editor Adele Wong Online & Social Media Manager Katie Kenny Staff Writers Andrea Lo, Charlotte Mulliner,
Evelyn Lok, Isabelle Hon Contributing Photographer Kirk Kenny
Director of Sales Gary Wong Strategic Sales Director Jan Cheng Senior Sales Manager Joyce Wu Senior Advertising Manager Kent Ma Advertising Managers Dominic Lucien Brettell Advertising Executives Bonita Yung, Celia Wong,
Harriette Cheung, Lamy Lam Advertising & Marketing Coordinator Yan Man
upclose
Director Jonathan Holloway transforms “Jekyll & Hyde”
Ryan Chan, Tammy Tan Production Supervisor Kelly Cheung
Where to find us! 302 Hollywood Centre 233 Hollywood Road, Hong Kong Tel: 852-2850-5065 Fax: 852-2543-1880 E-mail: hk@hkmagmedia.com Before you decide to purchase or use the products and/or services that our magazine introduces, you should gather further information about the same in addition to the representations or advertising content in our magazine. The content in articles by guest authors are the author’s personal views only and do not represent the position of our magazine or our company. Please gather further information about the products and/or services before you decide to purchase or use the same.
Get your junk trip bites with these awesome caterers
21
Production Manager Blackie Hui Art Director Pierre Pang Senior Graphic Designer Mike Hung Graphic Designers Elaine Tang,
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HK Magazine is published 52 times a year by HK Magazine Media Ltd., GPO Box 12618, Hong Kong. Copyright 2015 HK Magazine Media Ltd. The title “HK Magazine,” its associated logos or devices, and the content of HK Magazine are the property of HK Magazine Media Ltd. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is strictly prohibited. Article reprints are available for HK$30 each. HK Magazine may not be distributed without the express written consent of HK Magazine Media Ltd. Contact the Advertising Director for ad rates and specifications. All advertising in HK Magazine must comply with the Publisher’s terms of business, copies of which are available upon request. Printed by Apex Print Limited, 11-13 Dai Kwai Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, N.T.
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HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, may 1, 2015 3
mailbag Mr. Know-It-All’s Guide to Life Dear Mr. Know-It-All, What’s the correct way of writing Cantonese with letters? It seems so inconsistent! – Letter Lad Putonghua has its well codified
That’s why you’ll go to Tai Tam but
romanization system of pinyin: with four
Dai Kwai Street—it’s the same word. You’ll
tones and an internationally accepted
head to Sa Po Road in Kowloon City, but to
system (except for Taiwan, which prefers
the north lies Sha Tin; you can cross the
the “bopomofo” system), it’s pretty easy
bridge to Tsing Yi Island but head up Mong
to pick up and learn. Cantonese, which
Kok’s Sai Yee Street; and take Shum Wan
is almost exclusively conversational and
Road… to Sham Wan.
boasts six or nine tones, depending on
Want to eat poon choi? Sai Ying Pun
who’s counting, is much harder to write
might have some. Or a dai pai dong in Tai
down—although many have tried.
Hang. Hong Kong, of course, should be
What Cantonese romanization
Know your junks
Our tablet app: Out Now!
written heung gong. Kowloon should be
systems are there? Well, for starters there’s
gau long. That’s before you get other
the Yale system often taught to American
dialects involved: so you’ll travel to
learners, the Sidney Lau system taught to
Guangdong not Gwongdung or Kwangtung
civil servants in colonial-era Hong Kong (and
or Canton, Shenzhen not Shumzun. You
broadcast also in radio lessons) and the
might even see former Chief Executive Tung
Barnett–Chao and Meyer–Wempe systems,
Chee-hwa on the train, not Tung Kin-wah:
both now in disfavor. All of these take
the romanization of his name has retained
varying approaches to marking the various
its Shanghainese roots.
Your humor, love, happiness:
“HK people are not superior beings.” Ip to be Square
The Bloody Best
on the tricky sounds: “Tsim Sha Tsui” or
romanization system is probably Jyutping,
In our satirical Page 3 article “Racial
Our resident Bloody Mary addict rounded
“Chim Sa Chui”? “Kweilin Street” or
a system developed by the Linguistic
Sensitivity with Regina Ip” [April 24, issue 1093],
up the best in town in a recent web article.
“Gwuilum Street”?
Society of Hong Kong as late as 1993. Its
we suggested possible Regina Ip-style talking
Apparently, (almost) all of our Facebook
virtues lie in the fact that you don’t need
points. One reader misinterpreted our jokes,
readers love Bloody Marys.
romanization systems is that everyone
special accents or characters to write it:
while others offered their own opinions.
uses something different. It would be
numbers denote tones. But will it ever be
simpler to pick one system and stick to
universally used? Probably not. The very
it, as mainland China did. But as always,
way Hong Kong writes names of places is
things aren’t that simple. For the Hong Kong
symbolic of the nature of the place,
Chan. There are many Hong Kong people
government uses a modified version of
a constant confusion of systems and
who dislike her for traveling to London to
what’s known as the Eitel/Dyer-Ball system,
cultures. Time has made Hong Kong the
beg for political help. Like an “Uncle Tom”.
itself filtered through the froth of history,
way it is, and romanization—as they say—
with all its inconvenient developments.
wasn’t built in a day…
tones of Cantonese, but they also differ
The upshot of all these different
The most effective Cantonese
Mr. Know-It-All answers your questions and quells your urban concerns. Send queries, troubles or problems to mrkia@hkmagmedia.com.
#PrivateEyeHK
I cannot believe how western culture To the Editor: You claim everyone loves Anson
As for your silly comment concerning
can invent such awful names Tamn Yausi Lets go for one (or two ) soon x Laura Reeves
mainlanders, most mainlanders are OK. HK people are not superior beings.
We are gonna try them all
Jim Robinson
Kelsy Li
Via email Since we’re playing the race card...
Coffee Catchup
aren’t Filipinos, Indonesians, and Chinese
We ran around town In a caffeine-induced
the same race?
frenzy trying all the new coffee shops [April 24,
文昭明 Via Facebook No one “played the race card” until Regina Ip’s dumb insensitive ass did. Charmaine Mirandilla Via Facebook
issue 1093]. Our Facebook readers (and one spam bot) are all wound up about it too. How is it that we haven’t been to all these places yet YoYo Shiu Survival guide good to know ;p Boyang Li I can resist anything but temptation. Make Big Money From Home
Write in and Win!
Hong Kong Songkran
Photo by Matthew Casey
4 HK MAGAZINE
FRIDAY, may 1, 2015
Got something to say? Write us! Our letter of the week gets an HK Magazine notebook, umbrella (pictured) and copy of “Historical Hong Kong Hikes,” total value $470.
Let t the er of We ek
THE WEEK sun 5/3
sat 5/9
Photo: Cavalia
wed 5/6
Friday 5/1
Monday 5/4
Le French GourMay is the foodie arm of the cultural festival bringing us all things Gallic. It’s recreating France’s weekend bazaars in the form of a traditional French market, with food and wine from the Midi-Pyrénées region plus exhibitions, film screenings and games. Wine and cheese? Allons-y! May 1-3, 11am-7pm. PMQ, 35 Aberdeen St., Central.
Looking for a new happy hour spot? Hit up Zafran for freeflow tapas and cold beer. Stuff your face with serrano ham, homemade Catalan-style chorizo, patatas bravas, croquetas and Padron peppers. You had us at hola. Mon-Thu, 5-7:30pm. B/F, 43-55 Wyndham St., Central, 2116-8855. $350, including free-flow tapas and one Estrella beer.
I’m So France-y
Saturday 5/2
Eat, Shop, Love
The Dine and Design Festival features the best food and indie designers the city has to offer, throughout the weekend. May 1-2, 11am-9pm; May 3, 11am-8pm. Central Harbourfront, 9 Lung Wo Rd., Central. Free.
Sunday 5/3
Pacman Returns
You know it’s a fight worth watching when it has a Wiki page before a date is even set. Catch the “Fight of the Century” between octuple champion Manny Pacquiao and undefeated five-division winner Floyd Mayweather live on TV. 8am. The Tavern, 16A Elgin St., Central, 2526-7737, $350 for two drinks; $500 for free-flow drinks for six hours, both include breakfast burrito. Rude, UB/F, 79 Wyndham St., Central, 2950-9608, $300 for breakfast and a drink.
Thursday 5/7
Tap That Tapas
The Made in Hong Kong Music Mini Gig brings different bands together to promote indie music. Tonight at Backstage Live, it’s jazz and bossa nova four-piece Zooooom, alt-rockers Eli, and Canto hip-hop group Kwokkin Kwokkin. 8-10pm. 1/F, Somptueux Central, 52-54 Wellington St., Central. $160 at the door.
Friday 5/8
Tuesday 5/5
Ceroc the Casbah
Save Room
Showing off your knowledge and supporting global literacy at the same time? Not a bad way to spend a Tuesday evening. Charity Room to Read is doing a pub quiz at Delaney’s. Register as a group or go stag if you don’t want your ignorant friends to bring you down. 7pm. 18 Luard Rd., Wan Chai. $110 from eventbrite.com.
Fix your two left feet at Ceroc Party Night—it’s a dance that mixes salsa and jive. Taking place upstairs at Six Degrees, there’s a beginners’ class to start off with, then show-offs can take to the main bar area later for a freestyle dance session. G-1/F, 55 Wyndham St., Central. $75 from eventbrite.com.
Saturday 5/9
Howie Do You Do
Wednesday 5/6
Galloping Away
Genre Bending
This week is your last chance to go see “Cavalia,” the equine circus show that brings its signature mix of stunning aerial acrobatics and equestrian stunts to town. Through May 10. New Central Harbourfront. $395-1,195 from www.hkticketing.com.
Sick of Central, but love DJ beats? Love Da Records is bringing in EDM DJ Howie B to its underground music venue in San Po Kong. B lots of YOB. 8-10pm. Unit A, 14/F, Chiap King Industrial Building, 114 King Fuk St., San Po Kong. $220 at the door.
coming up
The Writing’s On the Wall With humble beginnings in an East London bar, Secret Walls is now a worldwide live art event. This time, it’s joining forces with Havaianas to hold a live art battle at Backstage Live. There are eight artists fighting it out to vinyl tunes from hip-hop, funk and house DJs, including Jay Pelmet—that’s Clockenflap founder Jay Forster to you plebs. Grab your tickets now for the hipster-filled affair. May 15, 7:30pm-midnight. 1/F, Somptueux Central, 52-54 Wellington St., Central. $150 from www.ticketflap.com.
HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, may 1, 2015 5
NEWS Last Week In Reality
Talking Points We read the news, so you don’t have to.
Sun 19
Sat 18 Doctor Who A 24-year-old man appears in
A Bridge Too Far In the early hours, a
court charged with impersonating a doctor at
bridge in Sham Shui Po containing about
the United Christian Hospital for more than
20 illegal structures used as shelters is
two weeks. It’s said he repeatedly interacted
set on fire. Firemen find circumstances to
with patients while wearing a white coat stolen
be suspicious, and the police investigate.
from the changing room and was only found
A woman who was seen holding a
out after a suspicious nurse reported him. He
lighter at the scene is later arrested. A
apparently tells police that he studied for a
homeless person who lives on the bridge
degree in medicine in Australia but failed to
tells reporters that each shelter is about
pass his exams. Further investigation reveals
80 square feet and most “residents” of
that he had lied: allegedly he’s an ex-convict
the illegal structures have full-time jobs
working as a mobile phone salesman.
during the day.
Mon 20 Missing in Action A 19-year-old video game
addict texts his father to say that he is on his way home, but fails to show up. His father goes looking for him in seven internet cafés in Yuen Long to no avail. After failing to locate
Women Post Anti-Cop Boob Selfies
his son for three days, the father asks Apple Daily for help. The teen turns up after the
A Facebook group called “Say No To Dirty Cops” has gained more than 15,000 likes
newspaper publishes a notice, but offers no explanation as to where he was. This is
in a month. The page encourages Hong Kong girls who believe in democracy not to date
the second time he has gone missing: he
policemen. It underlines the message by posting photos of women posing in lacy lingerie
disappeared for 45 days back in 2013.
and holding up anti-police slogans. The reputation of the police force took a hit following their response to the Occupy protests. Check out the page at facebook.com/nodirtycops. Our take: Boobs for justice? There are worse things.
Tue 21 Sleazy Banking A link on HSBC Hong
Kong’s website is found to lead to pornographic content. The link is found on a page on the bank’s now-defunct Young Entrepreneur Awards. A porn site had reportedly taken over the web address. HSBC removes the link from the website and issues an apology.
Tutorial Center Uses Crying Little Girl in Ad The Ever Learning Educational Center has fallen under heavy scrutiny online for promoting a kindergarten interview preparation course with a picture of a crying girl, paired with the slogan “Don’t like competition? But competition will find you!” Aimed at kindergarten students, the program touts that it will make any 2-year-old an “interview king.” Tutorial center founder Amanda Tann claimed that the theme of the advertisement is “how to make her not cry,” saying that the children at the center are actually very happy in class. A new, “happier advertisement” will be unveiled on May 7.
Wed 22
Our take: Cram schools: stressing out kids from the womb onwards!
Water Works Following flooding in HKU
MTR station, Apple Daily discovers that
“Tree Gun”: Buy Mainland-Made Water Cannons
the other stops on the West Island Line extension—Kennedy Town and Sai Ying
Christopher “Tree Gun” Chung Shu-kun of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment
Pun—are also leaking. MTR management
and Progress of Hong Kong continues to voice his support for the government’s plans to
says the water rises from the ground and
purchase water cannons for crowd management during protests. At a Legco meeting, Chung
is a normal occurrence, stating that it is
suggested that the government should purchase water cannons produced in China,
“not possible to prevent leaking completely.”
because they are “cheap, good and quick.” He also says that if the government chose to buy
It denies that the incident is to do with
water cannons from abroad, it would take too long and he is “worried” that protesters might
the MTR extension being rushed through.
not be able to “enjoy” them. Our take: It’s not a real Legco meeting until someone from the DAB wades in
Thu 23 Hong Kong Hostage A 22-year-old man enters a building in Sham Shui Po and burgles
with something stupid.
several homes in the early hours. Police arrive to arrest him, and he attempts to escape by climbing down the bamboo scaffolding outside the building. He trips and falls, landing on the fifth floor, then breaks into an apartment which holds a family of three, grabbing a knife and threatening them into silence. He helps himself to eight packets of lemon tea and has a shower. The family tries to keep him calm by talking to him and offering him cigarettes. He surrenders a few hours later.
Quote of the Week “Many of these students… are not particularly academically gifted, and they like to be heroes
Fri 24 Running Wild A 47-year-old woman becomes ill after putting together a medley of Chinese
medicine to treat diarrhea, allegedly using a recipe from a book by former Ming Pao editor “Ah Lok” Wong Sai-yu. After cooking and consuming the medicine, her limbs and lips become numb, and she feels dizzy and nauseous. She goes to the hospital and is kept overnight for observation before
to their girlfriends.” In an interview on TVB’s “Straight Talk,” ExCo member “King” Arthur Li
being released. The Centre For Health Protection sends out a reminder urging people to adhere to
Kwok-cheung criticizes HKU students and faculty for taking part in political
advice from Chinese medicine practitioners rather than recipe books.
activities rather than focusing on academia. Scholarism leader Joshua Illustrations: Ryan Chan
6 HK MAGAZINE
FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015
Wong hit back on Facebook, calling it “very shallow reasoning.”
UPFront HongKabulary
Double Junk (dʌbl jʌnk), v. To go on a junk trip on both Saturday and Sunday. “Wow, you look rough! Big night last night?” “Big DAY. I’m double junking this weekend.”
Caption This HONG KONG—Legislator Ronny Tong sits next to signs left by pan-democrats who have walked out of Legco. (Sam Tsang/SCMP)
Street Talk
Full of wanderlust but can’t afford the plane fare? Try “Postcrossing”—swapping postcards with random strangers from all over the world. Ivan Wong owns PostCollectionhk, a postcard-themed café in Causeway Bay. He tells Beatrice Wong all about vicarious travel and turning your hobby into a job. HK Magazine: Where did the idea for the café come from? Ivan Wong: There was a local postcrossing gathering, where I met people with the same interests. We came up with the idea of promoting the culture, and propagating Hong Kong-style postcards. At first, we sold postcards in a consignment store. Then we opened a café, because it’s pretty hard to run a store solely selling postcards. Besides, owning a café seems to be many Hongkongers’ dream, doesn’t it? We aim to provide a platform where local art students and designers showcase their works. At the same time, we get more cool designs too. It’s a win-win situation. HK: How many postcards have you collected so far? IW: Over three years I have collected more than 1,000 postcards from over 50 countries. Postcard collecting is a low-cost hobby, because postage in Hong Kong is relatively cheap. The postcards used to decorate the café are only the tip of the iceberg of my whole collection.
X Day” Tong: “Oh Man, I Totally Forgot It Was Dress Like A Giant Yellow
Effective Cardboard Signs Legco Pan-Dems Replaced By Equally
Ronny Tong Not Very Good at Tic Tac Toe
Fast Facts
Junk Puns Ahoy! What are we calling our junk trips on Facebook?
➢ “My Junk Is Spectacular.” ➢ “Uptown Junk You Up, Uptown Junk You Up” ➢ “Junk and Disorderly” ➢ “Being Junk Malkovich, starring Junk Cusack” ➢ “Kelvin’s 32nd Birthday Boat (Invite Hot Chicks!)”
HK: Have you received any funny stuff from postcrossers? IW: After all these years, some postcard receivers have become my pen pals. It feels great! Sometimes we send each other local snacks. They usually send me chocolate, tea bags and coffee, and I send them cup noodles, Mama Noodles and Vitasoy. I once received a train ticket and a maple leaf too! HK: What’s the best thing about postcrossing? IW: It’s the quickest way to collect postcards from all over the world. Some foreigners even attempted to write Chinese with a little help from Google. It’s funny to see how they put so much effort into trying to handwrite Chinese—It’s very sweet too. What’s more, I made some Taiwanese friends via postcrossing. I made them act as my tour guides when I visited Taiwan!
HK: Only two people work in the café. How does that work? IW: Help yourself—It’s the objective of our café. Everyone takes part in constructing this place. Some customers even bring quirky stuff here. It’s also a hot spot for students. Many of them come to our café after school to spend a few hours here doing homework and chilling out with friends. Sometimes they help serve the customers during rush hour as well. We occasionally prepare food and have dinner with them, like a family. HK: Don’t people complain about the service? IW: Downshifting is what we advocate. Come on: you go to a café because you want to relax. We want our customers to make themselves at home, so there is not much service here. We want people to roam and explore this cozy little place. We have two red mailboxes here with postcards and stationery provided, and customers can actually put letters in it. We collect the postcards and help post them every day. HK: What’s the hardest thing about running a business? IW: I think the hardest part is you have no holiday or personal time at all. We want to establish a real Hong Kong postcard store in the near future. It may turn into a new tourist spot, who knows? HK: How do you see Hong Kong? IW: Hong Kong is a cultural melting pot. Yet that may not be a good thing when there are too many elements in one place, since some will be eliminated because of economic development—especially the traditional things. Postcards will become our memory cards. Grab a bite and a postcard at Postcollectionhk: 3/F, 501-503, Lockhart Rd., Causeway Bay, 5181-8232.
HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 7
The
Junk season is upon us, but you don’t know how to throw together the perfect junk trip. Let HK Staff guide you towards junk victory…
1 Get Your Ship Straight First things first: you’re going to need a boat.
Jas Right Jaspa’s Junks are the big junks with the huge sound systems. Prices start at $700 per head, and include a buffetstyle lunch and free-flow drinks—including cocktails in little floating pouches. Don’t make plans for the next day. 2792-6001, www.casteloconcepts.com.
A Hint of Saffron Saffron Cruises has a huge fleet of junks, red-sailed boats, luxury boats and even a three-masted sailing ship. Prices range from $8,000-60,000, with food from $300 per head. 2857-1311, www.saffron-cruises.com.
Win the Yachtery Hong Kong Yachting charters boats from $8,500. You’ve probably seen the Jungle Jane ($19,800)—a 70-foot boat with a huge swimming platform, slide, lounge and bean bags. Have a gazillion friends? Upgrade to the all-new Tarzan (from $25,000), which can host up to 60 on its two decks. 2526-0151, www.hongkongyachting.com.
Happy Jubilee Jubilee has more than 30 leisure vessels, with prices from $3,980 on weekdays. Food packages start at $80 per head, with supplementary drink packages from $68. Firework tours, squid fishing and even onboard pet parties are catered for.
Laze About Lazydays’ luxury junks kick off with a round of warm cinnamon buns and actually decent coffee, and the touches continue all day. Pick from the all-inclusive packages (from $890 per person) or customize your own outing. 3488-1534, www.lazydays.com.hk.
Boating 101 Boat and Boating has a wide range of boats and luxury yachts, from $3,000 for weekday hire (weekends from $3,500). Speedboat hire is $2,600 for two hours on weekdays. Food options range between $123 and $168 per person. 2154-1320, www.boatandboating.com.
Charlie’s Angelo The classy 80-foot cruiser Michelangelo (from $24,000) rolls out the red carpet for well-heeled seafarers. The gleaming teak and mahogany boat hosts up to 59 passengers on three decks. 6621-1691, www.luxuryjunk.com.hk.
Charter New Territory With junks starting at $3,000 for weekdays ($4,500 on weekends), Vikings Charter puts also puts together cheaper weekday packages including two hours of speedboating, banana boating, water skiing and wakeboarding for $5,200. 2576-8992, www.vikingscharters.com.hk.
3555-5533, www.jubilee.hk.
Thai it Up There’s something magical about a spread of pad Thai and satay after a few hours of day drinking, and Koh Thai delivers. There’s also an idiot-proof online booking system: Keep it as simple with an all-inclusive deal from $600 per person. Do your friends a favor and book an on-board masseuse ($1,500) too. Sail off on the Bounty with Saffron
8 HK MAGAZINE
FRIDAY, May 1, 2015
2840-0041, www.kohthai.com.hk.
Three Tip Top Junk Tips Tip Top Junk Trip Tip One When booking, always ask for drinking ice. The standard ice they provide isn’t potable, so you can’t drop handfuls into your drinks. Tip Top Junk Trip Tip Two Get money up front or risk being $1,500 in the red when “friends” bail on the day. Tip Top Junk Trip Tip Three Remember, junk toilets flush straight into the ocean. Save the No. 2s for dry land.
20150427_HarlansCakeShop_MothersDay.pdf
1
27/4/15
3:55 pm
2 Get Your Booze Right Either you’ve gone fully catered or it’s a BYOB junk. In that case, you’re going to need alcohol. And by alcohol we mean lots of beer.
Hound Dog Craft beer distributors Beerhound do a special junk deal which delivers straight to Central Pier 9 on the day. Prices start at $288 for a case of 12 beers. www.beerhound.com.hk.
Bottle Pop While beer importer the Bottle Shop can’t deliver to the piers, its shop front is right by the water in Sai Kung. Junkers can stop by the pier, pick up the alcohol and get back on the boat. 114 Man Nin St., Sai Kung, 2791-1600, thebottleshop.hk.
Hone Your Craft For a $250 delivery charge, Americraft can get your beers to the boat before your junk sets sail. One box has 24 bottles, and if you order eight cases or more, the delivery charge is negotiable. Hope you’re ready to power through some craft brews… americraftimports.com.
C
M
Y
CM
MY
Sai Kung
CY
Hap Mun Bay Hong Kong Island
CMY
Tseung Kwan O Ham Tin Wan
Turtle Cove Beach
K
Little and Big Millionaires Beach
N Po Toi
3 Chart Your Destination You’ve got the boat, the booze and the people. Now you’ll need to work out where to sail. Plot your course to one of these lesser-visited beautiful bays.
Turtle Cove Beach Not to be confused with Turtle Beach on Lamma—the sea turtle nesting ground that’s closed from June to October—Turtle Cove Beach on the Southside is a small secluded bay with great water quality and mild waves.
Little and Big Millionaires Beach Are you a big millionaire or a little one? BMB offers a decent stretch of sand with a streamfed lagoon, while the smaller LMB is popular with junk trips looking to barbecue up a storm.
Hap Mun Bay On the southern side of Sai Kung’s Sharp Island, Hap Mun Bay boasts lush green forested hills running to the beach. Want crystal blue waters in Hong Kong? This is where it’s at.
Ham Tin Wan Located in Sai Kung’s picturesque Tai Long Wan, Ham Tin Wan has fine, silky white sand.
Po Toi Super secluded and hard to get to—if you’re stuck to the ferry schedule, that is. It’s a quiet alternative to an outlying island excursion, but the seafood restaurant on the beach is well known. Plan ahead, as it gets busy.
HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, May 1, 2015 9
4 Work Out the Guest List Remember, you will be stuck for a whole day on a boat with these people, so you want to choose people you like. Here’s how to whittle down the list.
Start here Have you slept with them?
No!
Hellz no! They’re flakier than Yes, of course!
Yes!
Nothing could have ended worse.
the paint on a 1930s tong lau.
Do you like this person?
Eh.
Did it end well?
Are they reliable?
I’m pretty sure I can prevail on them to show up…
Not at all, but I can’t disinvite Sure, we’re going out.
them without rupturing my whole friendship group.
They’ll show up at 9:45am on the dot with a jug of Bloody Marys for the ride out.
What would they bring?
I don’t even know them! A typhoon of vapid Hot single friends and
conversation and a
a case of Tsing Tao.
drought of dance skills.
That’s OK. Every junk has someone nobody else knows.
GET OFF MY BOAT! YOU’RE INVITED! 5 Sort the Tunes
6 Pick a New Ride
Serious thought has to go into the music of a junk. Every junk trip boils down to three phases, and your music should too.
Bored of junks? Check out these aquatic alternatives.
The Way Out: Turn it up (slowly) “Shut Up and Dance”—Walk the Moon “Problem”—Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea “King”—Years & Years
When You’re Anchored: Party time! “Uptown Funk”—Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars “All About That Bass”—Meghan Trainor “I Really Like You”—Carly Rae Jepsen “Shake it Off”—Taylor Swift
On the Way Back: Chilled-out sleepy-drunk “Somebody”—Natalie La Rose ft. Jeremih “Hearts”—Noughts and Exes
Booze on the High Seas From $988 per person, sail out into international waters on one of Star Cruises’ one-night trips. The SuperStar Virgo ship boasts nine dining outlets as well as a poolside bar and a dedicated gelato joint. Other than wining and dining yourself on the high seas, there’s also onboard diversions such as a private karaoke room, game arcade and two show lounges. It’s better than banana boating and projectile vomit any day… isn’t it? www.starcruises.com.
Book a Superyacht For a cool $98,000, spend the night on the Hip Nautist, a 78foot luxury cruiser. Do some serious lounging on the spacious sunbed area, then catch a film with the outdoor cinema. The boat sleeps up to eight and a team of three staff will cater to your every whim. Dinner and breakfast included. www.rivieraorientale.com.
Grab a Boat and Breakfast For more humble seafaring abodes, Airbnb has a wealth of choices. Spend the night on a teakwood boat (tiny.cc/hkteakboat) or tastefully converted junk (tiny.cc/hk-junkstay). Love luxury? Check out a 2,500-square-foot houseboat with full access to the DB Marina Club: tiny.cc/hk-houseboat.
Head Out in a Catamaran Aquatic adventure-seekers should check out the 36-foot WildKat: the catamaran’s equipped with boogie boards, SUP boards and fishing gear. As the WildKat can pull up directly on to the beach, staff can also help set up tables and chairs for a fully catered feast. From $8,500 for four hours. wildkat.org.
Ride the Star Ferry with Bubbly No further explanation needed. For an upgrade, strap in for an evening harbor cruise instead—$170 gets you a round-trip ticket for a one-hour evening cruise. 6:55-8:55pm. Star Ferry piers, 2118-6201.
“Elastic Heart”—Sia “Go Out”—Blur
And when a playlist nazi unplugs your iPhone and puts on their crappy dubstep instead: You’ll just have to go with it. Should have used the flowchart…
Take the Wildkat to new shores
10 HK MAGAZINE
FRIDAY, May 1, 2015
May,Oui Dan Creffield picks the best of the city’s French culture festival.
The 23rd edition of Le French May takes place May 1 through summer. What’s on? Over 120 events ranging from dance to design, cinema to contemporary tunes, all bring worldclass performers, art and music to the city. Grab a ticket and dive into les beaux arts…
Exhibitions French Invasion
The Porcelain Throne
When French artist Invader first daubed the city 13 years ago with his trademark pixelated cartoon characters, the city’s efficient cleaning crews almost immediately removed 90 percent of them. When he came back for the third time in January last year, you guessed it—the same thing happened again. This exhibition of his works will hopefully last longer, and is paired with all-new video, LED and sculpture work.
The Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres is a legendary porcelain workshop, founded more than three centuries ago. Sèvres: Porcelain of the Kings displays more than 120 porcelain pieces from the factory’s collection. You’ll see remarkable craftsmanship in each and every piece, no matter if it was made in 1738 or last month.
May 2-17. PMQ, 35 Aberdeen St., Central.
If You Build It… Hmm, Needs More Gallic Need your foodie fix? You’ll get it in the form of F&B offshoot Le French GourMay. More than 80 restaurants, shops and importers are running special French F&B promotions for the whole month. www.frenchgourmay.com.
Theater Petite Bourgeoisie A comedy-ballet masterpiece (yes, they do exist) by legendary playwright Molière, The Bourgeois Gentleman is a satire encompassing theater, music and dance, with costumes by Christian Lacroix. Starring 12 comedians, six musicians, four singers and three dancers, the show pokes fun at the snobbish rich and pretentious social climbers alike. June 4-5, 7:30pm. Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2734-2009. $80-480 from www.urbtix.hk. In French with Chinese and English surtitles.
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FRIDAY, may 1, 2015
Le Corbusier—Modern Architectural Giant is the first major Hong Kong retrospective on Charles-Édouard JeanneretGris, better known as Le Corbusier—the Swiss-French architect, urban planner, designer, painter and pioneer of modern architecture. The exhibition covers the full range of Le Corbusier’s oeuvre, from his pioneering modernism to his seminal impact on cities and 20th-century life. May 5-28. Exhibition Hall, City Hall, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central, 2921-2840. Free.
Jun 10-Aug 16. Hong Kong University Museum and Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam Road, Shek Tong Tsui. Free.
Musée de Macau Macau didn’t become a money center just in the last two decades. In the 18th century, Macau was an essential stoppingoff point of the trade routes between east and west. The city’s history is being commemorated in From Lorient to the Orient at the Museum of Macau. Check out textiles, costumes, oil paintings, prints and porcelain that show how the French East India Company and the port of Lorient in southern Brittany contributed to our sister SAR’s rise. May 30-Aug 30 (closed Mon). Museum of Macao, 112 Praceta do Museu de Macau, (+853) 2835-7911, www.macaumuseum.gov.mo. $15.
Photo: Joao Garcia
Music & Dance Back to the Roots Hip hop ballet The Roots stars 11 dancers who form Compagnie Accrorap. With a background in street dance, circus performance and theater work, the group merges street culture with fine arts into a single performance.
CHEAP GIGS! Short a few centimes but craving a soupçon of French culture? A series of free (French) street music performances is taking place around the city. See www.frenchmay.com for more shows.
Jo Bithume Company Big brass tunes mixed with electronic beats that will get you rocking out like it’s Bastille Day. May 1-3, all day. PMQ, 35 Aberdeen St., Central; May 6, 7:15pm. Happy Valley Racecourse. $10 at the door.
May 16-17, 8:15pm. Grand Theatre, Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2734-2009. $80-380 from www.urbtix.hk.
Les Gromechkos Quelle Surprise! Dancer and choregrapher Thomas Lebrun is a regular collaborator with overseas dance companies and dancers— including the Chinese National Ballet of Liaonning. For Tel Quel! he’s created a five-person piece to speak to all ages about accepting and embracing our differences.
The Roots of arty hand signs
Hong Kong six-piece Les Gromechkos describe their lives through a unique blend of ska, rock, gypsy-punk and French musette. May 3 and 10, 2pm. K11 Piazza, 18 Hanoi Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui.
Jun 16-17, 8pm. Y-Theatre, Youth Square, 238 Chai Wan Rd., Chai Wan. $80-280 from www.urbtix.hk.
Gadjo Station
A Night at the Opera
May 20, 7:15pm, Happy Valley Racecourse, $10 at the door.
Hong Kong gipsy-jazz group Gadjo Station brings a touch of the Rive Gauche to the races.
Award-winning baroque ensemble Amarillis presents the world premiere of La Double Coquette, a comic chamber opera that combines composer Antoine Dauvergne’s 1753 score with modern-day “additions” by composer Gérard Pesson and an updated libretto by poet Pierre Alferi. Most modern of all, the singers will be wearing exaggerated, stylized costumes designed by visual artist Annette Messager. May 2, 8pm. Concert Hall, City Hall, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central. $180-380 from www.urbtix.hk.
Circa Tsuica company This circus comedy and brass band offers music, acrobatics and burlesque— all at the same time.
More than two chicks in La Double Coquette
May 17, 2:30pm, K11 Piazza, 18 Hanoi Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui.
Django unchained with Gadjo Station LB_HKMagazineQP_20150424A_OUTPUT.pdf
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PERKS
Hong Kong’s First Indian Vegetarian Restaurant & Bar
“Khana Khazana, Hong Kong’s First Indian Vegetarian Restaurant & Bar invites you to try our home styled food in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. We serve a wide array of authentic North-Indian, South -Indian vegetarian cuisines and Indian street food options prepared by renowned Indian chefs. Most of our dishes can be prepared in a Vegan style and we also serve Jain food on request. Its spacious layout, friendly staff and a wide menu selection makes it a perfect dining spot.”
1/F, Dannies House, 20 Luard Road, Wan Chai, Wan Chai
Sponsored Feature
Power couple no more? As Claire’s peacekeeping resolution unravels, Francis heads to the Middle East to negotiate with President Petrov in person. Francis is presented with an option that may hurt Claire and their relationship but strengthen his chances in re-election. “Sometimes I think the Presidency is the illusion of choice.” - Francis Underwood
2520 5308
House Of Cards Chapter 36 airs on Wed at 9:55pm RTL CBS Entertainment HD (nowTV Ch 517)
CELEBRITY GUEST CHEF SCOTT WEBSTER RETURNS!
European Meat – Tradition, Quality and Taste at HOFEX 2015
Returning to Hong Kong after his successful run at The Park Lane Hong Kong, a Pullman Hotel last year, Scott Webster will showcase his memorably delicious cuisine once more during May 6th – 10th at RIVA and The Deck. Chef Webster had combined his native Australian “bush food” with a touch of Asian flavours to create a unique experience for guests.
Promotional program entitled “European Meat – Tradition Quality and Taste” will be presented at booth 5E-600 during HOFEX 2015. The Program encompasses the promotion of the European fresh, chilled or frozen beef and pork, as well as processed meat products alongside with high quality poultry.
Address: RIVA and The Deck, 27/F, The Parklane Hotel, a Pullman Hotel, 310 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay Tel. and Reservation: 2839 3327
For more information visit www.eu-meat.eu
NATURAL HEALTH PRACTICE: THE ROUND CLINIC
SPICE SPICE BABY Spice up your kid’s life!
Catering to young mums and mums-to-be, a family oriented natural health center opens its doors on May 4th in One Island South, Aberdeen. The center offers natural fertility, maternity and child related treatments. Whether you’re dealing with nausea during pregnancy or a crying infant with stomach cramps, the clinic offers a natural solution by Hong Kong’s leading natural healthcare therapists.
Learn about the health benefits of ancient spices as validated by modern science and get inspired to use these magical ingredients in food for your babies, kids and entire family! Science, nutrition, food, family and love are all topics of conversation at www.spicespicebaby.net.
12/F, One Island South, Suite 1227-28, 2 Heung Yip Road, Aberdeen, HK. +852 26482612, www.theroundclinic.com.
www.spicespicebaby.net
Paperclip Serviced Office & Startup Academy
Kids Land Mandarin Playgroup @ Central
The future of workspaces has arrived in Hong Kong with the launch of Paperclip Hong Kong’s newest Serviced Office with a dedicated Co-work space and a Startup Academy.
We teach children Mandarin from 18 months – 5 years old. Our program includes: Songs, Rhymes, Puzzles, Educational Toys, Games, Snack Time, Arts and Crafts, Storytelling and Music Movement. Throughout group activities, children will develop their social skills and enhance their ability to communicate and interact with others. This also promotes their confidence, independence, and creativity.
Office spaces don’t have to be boring or lonely. Come find out why we’re so special. We also look forward to seeing you at our many workshops and events.
3/F, Nam Wo Hong Building, 148 Wing Lok Street,
info@kidslandhk.com / 6112-2675
Sheung Wan, www.papercliphk.com
Follow us on www.facebook.com/kidslandhk
Get more out of HK | SHOPPING + TRAVEL + DINING
Tipple the Iceberg Singapore’s nightlife scene is boiling over with cool new bars, and among them is a handful of blink-and-miss-it speakeasystyle spaces helmed by award-winning bartenders with one thing on their minds: high-quality cocktails. One of the latest to open its classy doors is D.Bespoke, headed by Daiki Kanetaka (pictured)— who launched Beijing’s beloved Glen and Glen Classic bars. The sophisticated space is a knockout option for Japanese-inspired cocktails, rare whiskies and fine sherry. Check out D.Bespoke and more Singapore speakeasies over the page!
HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, may 1, 2015 15
travel Escape Routes
Singapore speakeasy special!
with Kate Springer
28 Hong Kong Street: Home away from home
Singapore's sophisticated craft cocktail scene isn't exactly a secret, but recently a string of covert bars have layered on the mystery. With unmarked doors and need-to-know passwords, going out just got a little more exciting.
Dapper Drinks Originally a tiny upstairs bar in Boat Quay, Spiffy Dapper has just expanded into a bigger space. It’s still just as hidden, though, thanks to a second-floor location, no signage and blackout curtains all around. The team built almost everything from scratch, including all the furniture and even the hand-beaten copper bar. The same care goes into the bespoke cocktails. “We are very serious about the craft, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously,” says owner George Abhishek Cherian. Order this: Just sit back and relax—the bartenders will suggest a cocktail based on your favorite spirits (SG$18-24 ($103-138)). Find it: Look up when you get to the address and climb the stairs. 73 Amoy St., Singapore, (+65) 8233-9810.
Love at First Sight A low-key, open-air restaurant by day, Bitters & Love opens via a sliding door to become a hidden bar come nightfall. The bar is all about bespoke cocktails—you tell the server your favorite spirit and flavor profile: bitter, sweet, spicy, savory—and they make you a personalized drink. Our table of six received wildly different cocktails: one came out on a tiered tea tray and another in a smoking glass jar. Order this: Go bespoke or try the Kaya Toast (SG$19 ($109)): a mix of Earl Grey tea, lemon, honey, kaya and Mount Gay rum.
Staring Daggers
D Day
Despite the grungy exterior, venturing down the dark, dilapidated stairs leading into Operation Dagger soon gets very Scandinavian-cool. When you walk in, you’ll immediately notice the huge cloud-like light installation—6,000 light bulbs that were hung by hand. This molecular cocktail bar serves up refined, adventurously technical concoctions, so expect some experimental flavors and funky presentations.
New-to-town DBespoke’s shop front sells ceramics and handcut barware. Once you’re in, it’s total Ginza-style elegance: A long wooden bar, big leather couches and a wall full of esoteric bottles. Every time you get up to do anything the server scurries over with a brand-new warm towel to clean your hands. It’s pure luxury and totally worth the SG$60 ($345) minimum-spend, which buys you about two drinks: Head bartender and owner Daiki Kanetaka will steer you towards something to swoon over.
Order this: Sip on a house-made mead or go for a ManhattanMexico (SG$23 ($132)), a mix of coffee, cherry and tequila. Find it: The door's marked with a rectangle and an upside-down crown. 7 Ann Siang Hill, Singapore, (+65) 9296-4704.
When 28 Hong Kong Street entered the circuit three years ago, the Singapore cocktail scene was just percolating. “There were only a handful of quality bars here at the time,” says co-founder Spencer Forhart. “Now there are 20, maybe 30. We built 28 Hong Kong Street just to have a great place for our friends and to do something we love. We were in the right place at the right time— it’s like a bubble popped.” Since then, 28 Hong Kong Street has earned street cred around the world thanks to its impeccable cocktails and neighborhood atmosphere. Order this: Try the Hulk Smash (SG$21 ($121)), a refreshing mix of Old Tom gin and mint served in a smashed tin cup. Find it: No password needed. Look for an unassuming beige door. 28 Hongkong St., Singapore, (+65) 6533-2001.
Spiffy Dapper, looking good
FRIDAY, may 1, 2015
Find it: The shop makes it easy to find, but do come prepared with a reservation. 2 Bukit Pasoh Rd., (+65) 8141-5741.
28 Drinks Later
Where to Stay Balance out all those basement bars and hidden gems with a stay at the Parkroyal on Pickering. The hotel’s uniquely wavy exterior is accented by hanging gardens for a jungle effect. Eco-friendly efforts continue inside, where there are planter walls, lots of woodwork, a nature trail, and even a water recycling program. Though the see-through glass bathrooms may nod towards solo business travelers, the hotel is a great location for bar hoppers since it’s just a few minutes’ walk from Chinatown and Club Street. From SG$300 ($1,700) per night. 3 Upper Pickering St., Singapore, (+65) 6809-8888, www.parkroyalhotels.com.
Find it: 36 North Canal Rd., Singapore, (+65) 6438-1836.
16 HK MAGAZINE
Order this: The standout of the night was a Hakushu whisky cocktail smoked with Japanese wood chips.
Bitters & Love serves up both of them
Have a query you need answered or a travel tip you’re keen to share? Email me at kate.springer@hkmagmedia.com or tweet @KateSpringer and #hktravels.
DINING
Naval Grazing Can you feel that? It’s the the sunshine coming out and the humidity creeping in. You know what that means: junk season’s coming around again. Get the food sorted and the party started with a hand from one of these quality caterers. By Beatrice Wong
Invisible Kitchen makes visibly delicious food
Live a Little Burro
What’s all the Chatté about?
Go Gourmet or go home
Saucy salsa from Little Burro
Run for It
Take a Bite
The Little Things
Chicken on the Run has been serving homemade Aussie grub from its little home in Mid-Levels for the past 12 years. Taking pride in its quality meat, Chicken on the Run sources its birds from Australia: they’re flown in daily and roasted in-store. In addition to its takeout and dine-in options, the deli also offers a catering service for parties and junks. The junk boat packages (from $1,590, 12 people) include trays of tender salt-pepper chicken, salad, bread rolls, brownies and cutlery but you’ll have to source your own booze... or face a boat full of angry, thirsty, former friends.
Want a little bit of everything? Bite Me! cooks three options for junk boat catering, including a dedicated vegetarian menu ($320 per person) and a Light and Healthy buffet ($330 per person)—think pita bread, savory chicken, salad, and apple crumble for dessert. If you’re up for a splurge, you can plump for the fancy deluxe set ($370 per head) and dig into chicken quesadillas, grilled salmon, a Greek salad and more. And great news for cheese lovers: a cheese platter comes with every menu. Tack on beverages, cutlery and waiter service as needed. Delivery to Central can be arranged for $200.
You know life is good when you’re anchored in the sun, beer in one hand and big-ass burrito in the other. And that life can be yours: Little Burro throws together the most authentic Mission-style burrito in town, which you can also pre-order for your junk. The catering platters run from $88-130 per person and include everything from burritos and tacos, to fresh guac and salad. You’ll have to give at least one full day’s notice, and the delivery cost is $150.
2537-4563, www.chickenontherun.com.
Time to Chatté More of a Francophile? Order all the quiches and French cheeses you can stomach from Monsieur Chatté’s catering arm. The quality gourmet grub comes at a surprisingly fair price, with fiesta platters starting at $150 per person and going up to $350. The basic menu includes cold cuts, quiche, fruit tarts, as well as bread, cutlery and napkins, with an option to add on beverages and desserts. It’ll also please the health-conscious, as the all-natural menu comes free of preservatives and coloring agents. The company needs three days’ notice, but good news: delivery to Central Pier is free of charge. 3105-8432, www.mrchatte.com.hk.
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FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015
2302-0097, biteme.com.hk.
Gourmet All Day The Creole specialists at Magnolia Private Kitchen have their own party planning and catering arm: Go Gourmet, which serves up the same New Orleans-style Cajun food for parties and junk trips. Order à la carte or go for the “Full Magnolia Meal” ($400 per person) which, as you’d imagine, is all about the gumbo, Louisiana crab cakes, Cajun hot wings, fried green tomatoes—and of course the restaurant’s unforgettable pecan pie for dessert. Give the team three days’ notice and you’re good to go. 2530-3880, www.go-gourmet.com.
2336-0505, www.little-burro.com.
Invisible Hand Not every junk is about binge eating and drinking: keep things classy with a healthy and light menu from Invisible Kitchen. Starting from $195 per head, Invisible Kitchen prepares fresh deli sandwiches, pasta salads, colorful salads and desserts that’ll have you drooling: like the apple tart, or the chocolate and cranberry brownies. You can upgrade to the deluxe menu ($295 per person) if you’d prefer warm dishes such as lasagna or shepherd’s pie. Custom menus are also available, and the chef or a waiter will join you at sea on request. 6227-5730, invisiblekitchen.com.
DINING NEW AND NOTED with Adele Wong
You lucky urchins: Benu comes to town
Two Venues for Benu
Guest chef alert: Korean-American Corey Lee, chef-owner of three-Michelin-starred San Francisco establishment Benu, will be headed to Yardbird (May 10, 2-5pm, $900) and Amber (May 11, dinner, $3,488) to show off his cooking skills to Hong Kong foodies. The Yardbird event will be a casual barbecue with sake and beer, hosted by chef-owner Matt Abergel; while the Amber dinner will be a serious 10-course affair: tickets are already sold out. Lee will be giving out free copies of his cookbook, “Benu,” at both sessions.
Tongue Thai-ed
Get a taste of Thailand at Yamm
Songkran might be over but Yamm (G/F, The Mira, 118 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2315-5111) will still be offering an exclusive spread of Thai specialties created by sous-chef Danita Srisuwan until May 17. For $668 (weeknight) to $698 per head, diners can head straight to the Thai station for pad Thai, larb moo, papaya salad and tom yum goong—all freshly made to order. For dessert, there are the usual suspects like mango sticky rice and lots of coconut-flavored things, as well as a tom yum goong-flavored cake, which I assure you is nowhere near as awful as it sounds. Patrons who are especially inspired by the dinner buffet can also sign up for a cooking
Benu’s Corey Lee will work his magic in the SAR
class with chef Danita on May 15, from 4-5:15pm, at $1,088 per person.
A Grand Plan
Hopefully you don’t need to be asset-rich to eat at Tycoon Tann (G-2/F, 74 Wellington St., Central, 3125-3228), the latest fancy Chinese concept by BMA group, the folks behind Loyal Dining and The Tonno. The three-story space on Wellington Street comes with a cocktail bar on the ground and two floors reserved for dining. TT has gone full-on with the Chinese touches, using Traditional Chinese Medicine herb drawers as well as Chinese poems and paintings for wall decor. Food-wise, we’re looking at fusion-y baked crab with truffle, spring rolls with cheese, and trusty classics such as Peking duck and crispy chicken. Email me at adele.wong@hkmagmedia.com or follow me on Twitter: @adelewong_hk.
RESTAURANT REVIEWS
All of our reviews are independent and anonymous!
Sohofama ★★★★★
Crafty Cow ★★★★★
Cantonese. Shop G09-G14, G/F, Block A, PMQ, 35 Aberdeen St., Central, 2858-8238.
Fusion. 3 Upper Station St., Sheung Wan, 2915-8988.
clams ($218) and the succulent half-cooked Bellota pork slabs ($238), to the sweet and filling flower crab with sticky rice ($398). We’ve been more than once and never really encountered a dish we didn’t like. Service was friendly, and we we were able to snag a table (albeit only on the outdoor terrace) without a reservation, despite the restaurant’s popularity.
Sohofama is a collaboration between concept store G.O.D. and the guys behind Locofama in Sai Ying Pun. Sohofama’s emphasis is on MSG-free food made from locally sourced ingredients. HIT “MSG-free” sometimes implies “bland” when it comes to Cantonese cuisine—but at Sohofama the dishes were all delectable and flavorful, from the lipsmacking chili sauce
MISS Sure, you’re paying a premium for supposedly premium ingredients, but the bill still hurts—with an average spend of at least $500 per head for dinner. BOTTOM LINE Sohofama is a shining example of responsibly prepared food that doesn’t sacrifice taste. Open daily noon-11pm. $$$-$$$$
Ratings ★ Don’t go ★★ Disappointing ★★★ We’ll be back ★★★★ We’ll be back—with friends ★★★★★ You MUST go
Price Guide $ Less than $200
$$ $200-$399
$$$ $400-$599
$$$$ $600-$799
$$$$$ $800 and up
mix of flavors, with the spice offsetting the rich, buttery texture of the bone marrow. The ox tongue and kimchi ($128) had a delicious contrast of textures. Khmer hamachi salad ($148) was also good—the clean bite of the vegetables balanced the creamy tuna.
Crafty Cow presents a 2015 update to the familiar concept of fusion dining, blending the trendiest ingredients together for an unusual take on classic dishes. HIT Our favorite was the numbing bone marrow ($98), grilled with Sichuan pepperinfused butter and served with a liberal sprinkling of chili, garlic and herbs. It was an unconventional but surprisingly effective
MISS We had high expectations for the duck poutine, but in the end we weren’t huge fans. A bowl of fries swimming in cheese was presented with pieces of duck confit in between—unfortunately, the cheese tasted a little plastic. BOTTOM LINE A mish-mash of flavors done right in a hip location that’s not too overcrowded: Crafty Cow wins big points. Props to the well-curated beer and cider selection, as well as the attentive yet non-intrusive service. Open Tue-Sat noon-late, Sun 11am-7pm. $$-$$$
Our Policy Reviews are based on actual visits to the establishments listed by our super-sneaky team of hungry reviewers, without the knowledge of the restaurants. Reviews are included at the discretion of the editors and are not paid for by the restaurants. Menus, opening hours and prices change and should be checked. New restaurants are not reviewed within one month of their opening. Reviews are written from a typical diner’s perspective. Ratings are awarded in accordance with the type of restaurant reviewed, so the city’s best wonton noodle stall could earn five stars while a fancy French restaurant could be a one-star disaster.
HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 19
Culture + nightlife + film
Empire of the Sun Sunny Luk and Longman Leung—the creative duo behind 2012’s award-winning film “Cold War”—are back again with Hong Kong crime flick “Helios.” It stars an ensemble cast from China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan, with the likes of Shawn Yue, Nick Cheung, Chang Chen (“The Grandmaster”) and K-pop heartthrob Choi Si-won. Jacky Cheung (pictured) plays a physics professor scrambling to defuse a terrorist plot to sell stolen nukes in Hong Kong. Bring on the popcorn. Opens May 1. See Film, p.26 for more.
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FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015
ARTS
Need to Know
Theater & Arts
Urbtix (credit cards) Urbtix (enquiries) HK Ticketing HK Arts Centre Fringe Club HK Cultural Centre
Edited by Evelyn Lok evelyn.lok@hkmagmedia.com
2111-5999 2734-9009 3128-8288 2582-0200 2521-7251 2734-2009
HK City Hall HK Academy for Performing Arts Kwai Tsing Theatre LCSD Music Programme Office LCSD Dance/Multi-Arts Office LCSD Theatre Office
2921-2840 2584-8500 2408-0128 2268-7321 2268-7323 2268-7323
UPCLOSE Jonathan Holloway HK Magazine: How do you feel about the collaboration with Chung Ying Theatre? Jonathan Holloway: It’s been an incredibly positive experience: Coming here with a bunch of British artists and integrating into Chung Ying in order to create the production, but to also generate debate on the kinds of artistic decisions we make. One of the reasons why I’m here is to make a contribution towards delivering theater which makes demands on its audience and shifts from being “service industry” to being an art form.
Jonathan Holloway is an English playwright and director. Founder of the venerable Red Shift Theatre Company, he’s also turned his hand to writing original BBC productions such as “Big Time”—an imagined meeting between Shakespeare and Cervantes. He’s in Hong Kong in collaboration with local mainstay the Chung Ying Theatre Company, to stage a new adaptation of “Jekyll and Hyde.” Evelyn Lok speaks to the director ahead of the show.
HK: What do you mean by that? JH: There’s an old saying in theater: audiences think they know what they want, but what they really want is to be taken by surprise. I think it’s what produces a viable theater ecology—by which I mean money has to flow through it, to enable the work to be made. And so you need a mixed economy of entertainment-orientated commercial theater, and also theater which makes demands— and isn’t necessarily for everyone. HK: How are you adapting the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to stage? JH: Doing a straight adaptation actually doesn’t serve the original piece of work. The original was written in its time and place. You need to provide a conceit; something that unlocks a piece of work so people will look at it differently. In this case, it’s the idea of casting a woman as Dr. Jekyll. It introduces a
Improv at TakeOut Comedy Feel like a little quick wit and a whole load of chaos? Asia’s only full-time comedy club hosts the monthly appearance of People’s Liberation Improv, with regulars Pete Grella, Chris Carmon, Kay Ross and Sean Coleman. Performers present games in the style of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” where everything’s made up on the spot, based on audience suggestions. Reserve tickets on the website and as always, BYOB. May 7, 9pm. TakeOut Comedy, B/F, 34 Elgin St., Central, 6220-4436. $150 from www.takeoutcomedy.com.
HK: Do you prefer adapting from classic literature, or penning your own works? JH: What’s nice about adapting is that you live in company with the world’s greatest writers. Also, you find out what’s wrong with the books. When I adapted “Crime and Punishment” I discovered the points where he’d forgotten the names of characters—because they were written for publication in episodes. But once I’ve done it, I’ll never be able to read it again. I know where the skeletons are hidden. [Penning] new work is far more interesting. You’ve only got one source of material—yourself. All the characters are different sides of yourself. That can be quite tricky really, because you don’t keep anything secret.
HK: After working with so many difficult emotions and drama, how easy is it for you to go about a regular day after work? JH: I’m bad at holidays, because I’m very lucky: what I do for my job is my life. I don’t have that separation. I’m not sure that many people have a regular day. Everyday life is dramatic. [Every story is] about reconciling things that are actually irreconcilable—like love versus duty. Those kinds of things are what ordinary people wrestle with in everyday life. I sometimes think the more unpleasant theater is, the more comforting audiences find it. “Jekyll and Hyde” opens tonight. May 1-2, 7-9, 8pm; May 2-3, 10, 3pm. Amphitheatre, Academy for Performing Arts, 1 Gloucester Rd., Wan Chai. $160-420 from www.hkticketing.com.
Special Project: 20th Century Masterpieces and Hong Kong Composer Showcase
Paquita. Bolero. Carnival+
The TakeOut Comedy legend returns (yet again!). The Asian American comedian has been a TOC fan favorite and top headliner for all of the club’s major celebratory events, including its 1,000th show in 2013. He’ll talk about societal observations, his parents’ wise words, dating, and living up to Asian expectations: he’ll certainly surpass yours. See him at Champs bar (209-219 Wan Chai Rd.) on opening night, and TakeOut Comedy thereafter. May 14-16, 8pm; May 15-16, 10pm. TakeOut Comedy, B/F, 34 Elgin St., Central, 6220-4436. $250-300 from www. takeoutcomedy.com.
The Hong Kong Ballet’s season finale is a seamless showcase of five different pieces performed by five guest principal dancers from all over the world. The pieces range from the much-adored classic “Paquita,” the first ballet by “the father of classical ballet” Marius Petipa; to the world première of “Bolero”— an intense, introspective piece about the emotional struggle of the lead female dancer, set to Ravel’s composition of the same name. The performance wraps up with the Hong Kong debut of “Le Carnival des Animaux,” where dancers will enact animals such as elephants and jellyfish against a playful, 14-movement-long score by Saint-Saëns. May 29-30, 7:30pm; May 30-31, 2:30pm. Grand Theatre, Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. $140-1,000 from www.urbtix.hk.
Dance
Classical
TakeOut Comedy Presents: Paul Ogata
HK: You often go for a dark, unsettling aesthetic in your work—what is it about the gloomier side of things that fascinates you? JH: In a lot of advertising around me, I see a lot of laughing smiling people and up-tempo stuff… but that’s not the whole story, is it? Theater has to reflect all aspects of the human experience, not just happiness, jollity and contentment.
Photo: Cheung Chi Wai
Comedy
lot of issues to do with gender politics: Why would she want to change herself profoundly? What is there that she feels threatened by? In terms of aesthetics, it’s very much a Gothic show. It uses a style you’ll be familiar with, sort of German cabaret of the 1920s and 30s.
David Greilsammer: Imaginary Bridges Israeli pianist David Greilsammer takes to the stage as part of the music program at Le French May. He’s known for his knack in juxtaposing Baroque and contemporary music—his 2012 recording “Baroque Conversations” was applauded by the New York Times as one of the best recordings of the year. You can look forward to these gems at his Hong Kong recital. May 4, 8pm. Concert Hall, City Hall, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central. $80-480 from pphk.org.
Following a week-long program of public masterclasses, composer and pianist Bright Sheng has curated two special chamber music programs featuring leading young Hong Kong composers and established greats. On May 8, catch a performance of gems from the past centenary, featuring French composer Olivier Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time.” On the 9th, it’ll be a program of new material by the next-gen composers themselves. May 8-9, 8pm. Tsuen Wan Town Hall Auditorium, 72 Tai Ho Rd., Tsuen Wan. $120-320 from www.urbtix.hk.
The Pentatonic Jazz Fusion Band: Cross-Culture Journey
On & On & Turn Turn Turn Victor Ma and Mandy Yim make up one of Hong Kong’s longest-established contemporary dance groups, Y-Space, which celebrates its 20th birthday this year. Never seen any of their shows? Catch this dizzying retrospective of the past 20 years of its work, all in one go—from its inaugural 1995 classic, “None of Your Business,” to several improvised pieces throughout the years and its latest choreographies, all blended with video and installation art. May 2, 8pm; May 3, 3pm. Kwai Tsing Theatre, 12 Hing Ning Rd., Kwai Fong. $120-200 from www.urbtix.hk.
Pentatonic western jazz is paired with Chinese instruments in this evening’s bill. Expect western-style improvisation to funk up traditional Chinese folk songs. May 2, 9:30pm. Fringe Club, 2 Lower Albert Rd., Central, 2521-7251. $140-180 from Fringe Club. Includes one drink.
Mahler Chamber Orchestra: The Beethoven Journey Soothe your Sunday night woes with an allBeethoven program performed by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. Yes, the names don’t make sense at all. Praised for their sound dynamics and crisp, musical alertness, and led by master Beethoven interpreter Leif Ove Andsnes on the piano, classical fiends won’t want to miss this one-night-only concert. May 3, 8pm. Concert Hall, Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. $200-600 from www.urbtix.hk.
CCOHK: Lise de la Salle The Land of Smiles The HK Sinfonietta sets the musical scene for a staging of “The Land of Smiles,” a three-act German operetta about the disparate views of love and duty between the East and West: a Viennese aristocrat is married to a Chinese prince, but her affection soon turns into hate when she follows him back to his home country. Maybe she wasn’t ready for all the particulates. The show will feature an international cast recruited by the Opera Hong Kong Chorus. May 7-9, 7:45pm. Grand Theatre, Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. $100-680 from www.urbtix.hk.
The City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong’s take on Le French May brings the French piano virtuoso Lise de la Salle to the SAR for the first time. The pianist will be playing three charming tunes: from Mozart’s playful piano concerto No. 23, to Saint-Saëns’ cabaret-style second piano concerto, to Fauré’s “Masques et Bergamasques.” Budding pianists can check out a masterclass by de la Salle on May 9, 3pm (CR2, 7/F, Concert Hall Backstage, Hong Kong Cultural Centre). The pianist will also play a solo recital on the 11th (Jockey Club Auditorium, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University). May 10-11, 8pm. Concert Hall, City Hall, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central. $100-400 from www.urbtix.hk, Register for the masterclass at www.ccohk.com. HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 21
ARTS Exhibitions © Rainer Torrado
DRKRMS Launched in March as a photography platform aiming to bring amateur Hong Kong photographers into the limelight, DRKRMS (or “Darkrooms”) held a one-day showcase of 10 finalists on April 18, all works themed around after-hours life in Hong Kong. The works were chosen by the likes of God-level Hong Kong photogs such as Wing Shya and Michael Wolf. Missed the event? You’re still able to check out the works online: don’t miss Rainer Torrado’s super cool abstract shots of Hong Kong neon signs from underneath and gloomy, sexy mood shots by Sham Shui Po native Kwan Kam-cheong. DRKRMS holds regular workshops and gettogethers, so check the website regularly for updates. www.drkrms.com.
Fong Chung Ray Retrospective Chinese ink art extraordinaire Fong Chung Ray played a pivotal role in modernizing the medium. At this large-scale retrospective, you’ll get a chance to see the trajectory of his evolving style, spanning a 50-year career. Fong was always at the forefront of Chinese abstraction, beginning in the 50s to deviate creatively from traditional landscape ink styles. After he was invited to join the Taiwanese Fifth Moon Group by fellow artist Liu Kuo-song, he soon stopped depicting the earthly world and began to paint an “inner reality” instead— something that set the stage for contemporary art in Taiwan. May 7-10. Galerie du Monde, Room 108, 1/F, Ruttonjee Centre, 11 Duddell St., Central, 2525-0529.
Angela Glajcar and Michal Macku°: A Touch of Glass This dual show features two gallery artists who create what you’d least expect from glass. Angela Glajcar, known for her paper sculptures, has recently adopted the material of “glass fabric,” continuing to create transparent, fragile works—seemingly frayed panels of paper-thin material. On the flip side, Michel Macku˚’s works are solid blocks that seem to trap outlines of nude bodies within. Through May 9. Karin Weber Gallery, G/F, 20 Aberdeen St., Central, 2544-5004.
John Thomson: Past and Present Works by 19th Century photographer John Thomson make an appearance at this exhibition at The Kinnet—a wellness center for the over-50s in the middle of Sheung Wan. Twelve of Thomson’s photos will be on show, featuring Hong Kong as a still-developing colonial trading port. These are paired with recently commissioned photographs at the very same sites, showing the same location but 150 years apart. Turns out, things have kind of changed since then… Through June 8. The Kinnet, 33 Hillier St., Sheung Wan, 3968-7600.
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nightlife hk picks
Katy Perry in Macau Your prayers have been answered: the reigning queen of pop herself will be gracing the stage at The Venetian Macao’s Cotai Arena in May. From humble beginnings as a gospel singer, Katy Perry hit the big time with 2008 single “I Kissed a Girl.” Since then, she’s dropped more mega hits than you can count: think “Teenage Dream,” “California Gurls” and “Roar.” Fresh from her Superbowl halftime show she’s hitting up Macau. It really does seem like Perry can’t possibly put a foot wrong. Except for marrying Russell Brand, of course. May 1-2, 8pm. The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, Estrada da Baía de N. Senhora da Esperança, Taipa, Macau, (853) 2882-8877. $380-1,680 from www.hkticketing.com.
Clubs Janette Slack Janette Slack celebrates one year of DJing at Fly. Come dance to her signature tunes: she throws rock, funk and swing into a big blender marked “dance music” and serves it all up with a side order of block-rockin’ beats. The gig’s theme is 1930s gangster— don’t show up in your usual lazy hipster gear, please. Unless you’re a 1930s gangster hipster, in which case: carry on. Those dressed in fedoras and trilby hats get in for free. May 2, 10pm. Fly, G/F, 24-30 Ice House St., Central, 2810-9902. $200 at the door, including two drinks and two shots. Dyro Privé Group is celebrating its eighth birthday by bringing house DJ Dyro to the latest establishment under its roster, nightclub Bungalow. He was selected as No. 27 in DJ Mag’s Top 100 last year. That’s higher than you’re ranked in anything, isn’t it? May 7, 10:30pm. Bungalow, Shop 2, G/F, The Centrium, 60 Wyndham St., Central, 2623-7868. $350 from www.eventbrite.hk; $500 at the door.
Ozone 4th Anniversary Party With Flying Colors The highest bar in the world is celebrating its anniversary in style—a colorful night featuring an “interactive” graffiti wall and cocktails crafted by the bar’s own mixologists, plus of course beats from the bar’s resident DJs. Who’s gonna be there? Mistrezz C, Rifain (pictured), Tai Pan Dan and Mike Wolf, among other local mainstays. Dress code is “bright colors,” so don’t turn up in a business suit, unless you’re in the business of being fabulous. May 9, 10pm. Ozone, 118/F, The Ritz-Carlton, 1 Austin Rd. West, West Kowloon, 2263-2263. Free.
Gigs
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The Observatory The Singaporean experimental rock band is gracing Hidden Agenda for a gig. They’re supported by fellow Singaporean experimental instrumental three-piece SA Trio and local alternative experimental band Heroses. May 2, 8:30pm. Hidden Agenda, Unit 2A, Wing Fu Industrial Building, 15-17 Tai Yip St., Ngau Tau Kok. $180 at the door.
Uncovered: Not Your Usual Cover Bands The Underground normally hosts gigs featuring original tunes, but this time, it’s doing things a little differently. At Uncovered, you’ll see four cover bands take to the stage. The lineup: acoustic duo SPAM, or Solomon’s Porch Awesome Musicians, who do chart hits; Banyan Bay Ensembles, who bring everything from bluegrass and country blues to delta and swing to the table; Champs Band, performing covers of hits from the 60s to 80s; and Revolution, formed in Mainland China. May 9, 9:30pm. Backstage Live, 1/F, Somptueux Central, 52-54 Wellington St., Central, 2167-8985. $120 from www.tickets.undergroundhk.com; $150 at the door, both including a drink. HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, may 1, 2015 23
nightlife Photo: Linda Brownlee
hk picks
Blur Attention Britpop fans: Blur is coming back to Hong Kong. Last time Albarn, Coxon et al. were here, they were inspired by the city to make their latest album, “the Magic Whip,” released on April 27. Start listening to it on loop now, so you can sing along to all the lyrics. Jul 22, 8pm. Grand Hall, HKCEC, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai. $480-880 from www.hkticketing.com.
Nightlife Events
Noughts and Exes: The Final Show Hong Kong’s indie darlings Noughts and Exes are disbanding! The indie folk-pop band originally burst on to the scene in 2007, gaining traction in 2011 with a second album “The Start of Us.” Two years later they became the first Hong Kong band to release an album through a Kickstarter campaign. Over the years, they became mainstays on the scene, turning into one of the city’s bestloved indie bands. Sadly, they’re now saying goodbye. Luckily for fans—or maybe just to prove this isn’t a Yoko situation—they’re coming together for one last hurrah at the Vine Centre. See them now, or never. Jun 6, 8pm. Vine Centre 2, 29 Burrows St., Wan Chai, 2573-0793. $180 from www.ticketflap.com; $220 at the door. Robbie Williams Unless you’ve pulled a Walden and confined yourself to a wooden cabin on Po Toi, then you’ve probably heard of ex-Take That mischiefmaker Robbie Williams, and his string of pop hits including “Angels” and “Let Me Entertain You.” He may be better known for his antics than his actual pipes, but the singer is returning to Hong Kong for a one-night concert this September. Fans, jump on tickets quick. Sep 23, 8pm. AsiaWorld-Arena, Sky Plaza Rd., Chek Lap Kok, 3606-8828. $880-1,480 from www.hkticketing.com.
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Ladies Who Whisky Hullett House’s Whisky@Stables bar plays host to Ladies Who Whisky, a series of 90-minute classes covering everything from food pairings to tasting techniques. There are different workshops taking place, each bringing something new to the table. On May 7, it’s a whisky and oyster class that will teach you the characteristics of a dram and how it pairs with everyone’s favorite aphrodisiac ($350). On May 14, Jasmine Smith of fashion blog Dress Me will be on hand to talk about whisky and fashion ($398). On May 21, reps from Pierre Hermé will take you through a tasting of chocolates paired with whiskies ($500). On May 28, learn exactly how floral arrangements and whiskies go hand-in-hand with pros from Oulala Flower ($398). Finally, on June 4, the class’s theme is “the Nordic whisky experience,” helmed by chef Jaakko Sorsa of Scandinavian restaurant FINDS ($350). May 7; May 14; May 21; May 28; Jun 4, 7pm. Whisky@Stables, Hullett House, 1881 Heritage, 2A Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 3988-0104. Electric Wonderland Combining a pool party with EDM beats and the Hong Kong summer always works, so get excited for Electric Wonderland, a two-day pool party at the W. Dutch DJs and producers R3hab (ugh) and Dannic will hit the decks, plus other DJs dropping EDM, electro, deep house and progressive beats. May 8-9, 9pm. W Hotel, 1 Austin Rd. West, West Kowloon, 3717-2222. $380 including a drink; $580 including a glass of champagne. Tickets from www.eventbrite. hk. www.electricwonderland.com. White Party No, it’s not a party for gweilos. The annual White Party is now in its 10th year, and it’s going to be bigger than ever—it’s taking place at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. On the cards: DJs Thomas Gold and Spencer Tarring. VIP tickets ($1,080) will get you all kinds of extras, such as access to the VIP lounge and outdoor terrace, a drink voucher, and fast queue for the bathrooms. You know it’s gonna be a messy one when they offer the VIPs a different line for bathrooms. What is this, the Sevens? May 30, 10pm. Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Kowloon Bay. $480-1,080 from www.hkticketing.com, www.whitepartyhk.com.
SPORTS
Edited by
Charley Mulliner charlotte.mulliner@ hkmagmedia.com
hk picks
2015 Ride of Silence Get your bikes in working order for Hong Kong’s 2015 Ride of Silence—an international event to commemorate cyclists who have lost their lives on the road. Organized by the Hong Kong Alliance, this annual circular night ride starts in Tsim Sha Tsui and loops up to Sham Shui Po. This year the silent, slow-paced circuit remembers the seven cyclists who died and the more than 2,300 injured in the city in 2014. Please note that police will be checking participants for lights (front and rear), plus reflectors and bells. Meeting point: Tsim Sha Tsui clock tower. May 20, 7:15pm. Free. hkcyclingalliance.org.
Sports Mega Ice Hockey 5s Taking over Kowloon Bay’s skate rink for two weeks, the Mega Ice Hockey 5s is one of the biggest ice hockey tournaments in Asia. Over 1,000 players from around the world come to compete, so it’s quite the spectacle. Will there be fights and hockey pucks to the face? That’s what we want to see! Apr 27-May 9. Mega Ice, Unit 1, 10/F, Megabox, 38 Wang Chiu Rd., Kowloon Bay, 2709-4023. Free. www.megaice.com.hk.
Splash ‘n’ Dash It’s that time of year again: enrolment has started for the annual Splash ‘n’ Dash Aquathon Series, which features a race on May 10 in Repulse Bay, and another on May 31 in South Bay. With both adult categories and heats for teens and kids, the races are suitable for athletes of all ages and abilities. The first race in Repulse Bay has teamed up with new shopping center The Pulse, so you can expect a host of food and drink on offer all day. Some 800 participants and spectators are expected for each event, so come and test the waters for yourselves. See website for more information on different race categories. May 10, 8:30am, Repulse Bay; May 31, 8:30am, South Bay. $300-500. www.revolution-asia.com. Asia Rugby Championship The Sevens may be a distant memory, but that can’t be said for all rugby in Hong Kong: enter the Asian Rugby Championship. Matches are being played throughout the year across Asia, but it’s rare that the matches are held right here in the city. See Hong Kong’s men and women’s teams take on Japan at the Aberdeen Stadium on May 23. Fancy dress not obligatory. May 23, 1pm. Aberdeen Sports Ground, 108 Wong Chuk Hang Rd., Aberdeen. Free. www.arfu.com.
Events
Soccer Sevens Hong Kong’s soccer scene is gearing up for one of the city’s biggest tournaments on the calendar: the 2015 HKFC Soccer Sevens. This year it celebrates its 16th edition, with big hitters Aston Villa, West Ham United and Atlético Madrid arriving in the SAR to take on Hong Kong teams. A quick beginners’ lowdown: there are two seven-a-side competitions held over three days—an all-ages Main tournament plus a Masters competition for players aged 35 and over. Famous faces who’ve previously featured in the Masters include former England player Peter Beardsley and player/manager turned commentator John Barnes. Are we rooting for last year’s finalists Kitchee? Of course! In a group including West Ham? Well, you never know. May 29-31. Hong Kong Football Club, 1 Sports Rd., Causeway Bay. $160-300 from www.cityline.com. www.hksoccersevens.com.
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NING Pure Fitness Pure Fitness’ empire just keeps expanding: this time with a six-floor, 25,000-square-foot gym in the new California Tower. The space will feature the 270-degree Immersive Fitness studio—a cycling and workout concept— with floor-to-ceiling screens for its Les Mills classes. It also includes a rotating climbing wall trainer, a boxing training station and kickboxing zone, the fun yet intense sounding “Gladiator Wall,” TRX training equipment and more. This outlet is also going techy: you’ll be able to sync your phone or fitness app to some of the equipment so you can get health overviews straight to your device, personalize your workout or (don’t actually do this) share your workout results on Facebook. 18/F California Tower, 32 D’Aguilar St., Central, 8200-0032. From $1,199 per month, plus $1,999 joining fee. www.pure-fitness.com.
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E-mail: reservation@thegreatindiankebabfactory.com HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, may 1, 2015 25
FILM
Edited by Evelyn Lok evelyn.lok@hkmagmedia.com
The Avengers: Age of Ultron
PPPPP
(USA) Action. Directed by Joss Whedon. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner. Category IIA. 141 minutes. Opened Apr 23.
Marvel Studios’ approach to its superhero movies has been a long, deliberate one. It’s steadily ramped up its production, starting with its best known heroes—Iron Man, Captain America, Thor— and then filling in the gaps with its lesser known characters—last year’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” say, or this year’s “Ant Man.” That slow build is really paying off now, and “Avengers: Age of Ultron” might be the best Marvel film to date. The film opens with the superhero team recovering Loki’s scepter from the previous “Avengers” flick. Back at base, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr., as if you didn’t know) examines the scepter and discovers something hidden inside: a jewel which appears to include some kind of hyper-advanced artificial intelligence. It’s exactly what Stark needs to complete his Ultron program, a global defense system which will protect the earth from all comers, terrestrial or alien alike. But, as you’d expect from a creepy evil artifact of alien origin, things don’t quite go to plan. Ultron awakes fully sentient… and quite a bit insane. He’s been given the prime directive of world peace, but he sees only one way to achieve it: the total annihilation of humanity. So the Avengers must (re)assemble to take down Ultron, but they’ve got two problems in the form of twin mutants Pietro and Wanda Maximoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen). Pietro can move at super speeds, but it’s Wanda who’s truly deadly: with her mind control powers she can get into the Avengers’ brains, playing their worst fears back to them. And when your worst fear is that you turn into an enormous unstoppable green rage monster and destroy the earth, it’s probably not a good idea to have people poking around inside your head. Joss Whedon is a sure hand on the tiller, delivering thrill after thrill. But as it’s Whedon, there’s also enough time spent on snappy one-liners and character development to keep us interested. Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) in particular gets plenty of time as the decidedly unsuper superhero: he’s a sober, logical touchstone for the audience. Robert Downey Jr. slides into his Tony Stark persona as easily as Stark slides into his Iron Man suit, and it’s great to have a performance guaranteed like that. Chris Evans’ charisma is more introverted and self-contained: over his several movies he’s become increasingly good as the hope-filled, slightly too naïve Captain America, awkward until the action begins. Mark Ruffalo is again great as Bruce Banner, and it’s fun to see his genius side play off against Stark. The developing flirtation between Black Widow (an unassailable Scarlett Johansson) and Banner is great fun to watch, their romance impeded only by the fact that… well, the whole enormous unstoppable green rage monster thing again. And of course there’s Chris Hemsworth as Thor, all muscles and cocky grin. He’s a tricky character to use in a movie on account of the fact that he’s essentially an immortal god, but the story does a good job of getting him out of the way when it has to. That allows Hemsworth to shine at the silly downtime banter that makes him such an effective character. But your superheroes are only half of a movie like this. You also need to be able to deliver a great supervillain, and that’s where “Age of Ultron” has the edge over its predecessor. Tom Hiddleston’s Loki of the previous film was a campy, entertaining baddie, but the alien Chitauri invasion force he pulled in for the final act came off flat. “Age of Ultron” fixes that with Ultron, voiced by James Spader. The genocidal robot is an intimidating presence and Spader gives him an extraordinary charisma: wry and dry but manic and insane. Ultron builds thousands of other Ultron robots to provide us with plenty of Avenger fodder, so we’re never stiffed for straightforward exploding robot fun, either. Instead we get setpiece after setpiece that doesn’t drag much when you’re in the middle of the action. What more could you want from a Marvel flick? Adam White
Coming Soon
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Citizenfour
Full Strike
(USA) It’s 114 minutes of intrepid journalism behind one of the biggest scandals ever to emerge from the US. “Citizenfour” follows documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras and reporter Glenn Greenwald after they received encrypted emails revealing the American government’s top secret surveillance program. They fly to Hong Kong to meet the mysterious sender: Edward Snowden. Opens May 7.
(Hong Kong/China) Director Derek Kwok returns after his mega box office hit just last year, “As the Light Goes Out.” It sounds like a pretty big artistic jump: from intense firefighting epic to action comedy romp about a jaded former badminton star (Josie Ho) who rediscovers a thirst for the sport and her life— thanks to a ragtag team of newfound ex-con friends. Awww! Opens May 7.
Need to Know AMC Cinema, 2265-8933 www.amccinemas.com.hk Broadway Circuit, 2388-3188 www.cinema.com.hk
Golden Harvest Cinema, 2622-6688 www.goldenharvest.com
UA Cinema, 3516-8811 www.uacinemas.com.hk
MCL Cinema, 3413-6688 www.mclcinema.com
The Metroplex, 2620-2200 www.metroplex.com.hk
Spandau Ballet: Soul Boys of the Western World (UK) Up for mainstream cinema release now: 155 minutes of “True” “Gold” about the princes of the New Romantic movement, from the band’s inception, to the peak of their fame, to their 1990 breakup and recent comeback. A must-see for any Spandau Ballet fan, as there’s a 45-minutelong concert at the end of the movie that’s accompanied by lyrics in case you feel like crooning along. Opens May 7.
Opening
in her pet. The rest of the artily shot movie follows her search for Hagen and the dog’s unlikely search for revenge. While “White God” boasts some stunning cinematography (recognized by its winning the Un Certain Regard Prize at last year’s Cannes Film Festival), there are too many unanswered questions here to provide a satisfying experience. Dan Creffield Opened Apr 30. PP
Continuing Angel Whispers
Dior and I (France) In this documentary about the legendary house of Christian Dior, director Frédéric Tcheng managed to get a rare insider’s look at Raf Simons’ first couture collection for the brand as artistic director. Opened Apr 30.
Helios (Hong Kong) This Hong Kong crime thriller stars an ensemble cast. In the good guy corner: Shawn Yue and Nick Cheung. In the opposing corner: Chang Chen as the titular baddie Helios, who helps a terrorist group forge weapons of mass destruction. And caught in the middle? Jacky Cheung, as a physics professor who’s working with two Korean weapons experts. Opened May 1.
Murmur of the Hearts (Taiwan) Veteran director Sylvia Chang makes a comeback after a seven-year hiatus. Focusing a lens on her hometown of Taipei, “Murmur of the Hearts” looks at three estranged members of a family and the ways they react to compassion and perhaps, reconciliation. Opened Apr 30.
White God
The Grand Cinema, 2196-8170 www.thegrandcinema. com.hk
Mini Review
(Hungary/Germany) While in some cases movies that are hard to pin down or pigeonhole can be among the most intriguing (think “Birdman”), those which fail to achieve this balance can often end up bewildering and frustrating. Such is the case with “White God.” Is it an attack on decaying social values? An allegory on racial alienation? An argument for animal rights? A dystopian horror? While it has aspects of all these, it hops too blithely between them for the audience to latch onto any one element. When 13-year-old Lili’s unhappily divorced father dumps her beloved dog Hagen on the side of the road, it triggers an outburst of adolescent rebellion in her, and canine rage
Film Festivals Hong Kong Salento International Film Festival Heading our way this May is the annual five-day film festival hailing from Salento, the “heel” of Italy’s boot, so to speak. The compact festival brings an excellent array of six full features—three are debuts from Italian directors—and two shorts. For you millenials, check out the first ever “selfie” movie: “Wax: We Are the X” by Lorenzo Corvino, which aims to capture the struggle of Generation X among the increasingly capable younger generations. May 6-10. The Grand Cinema, 2/F, Elements, 1 Austin Rd. West, West Kowloon, 2196-8170. $85 from www.thegrandcinema.com.hk.
(Hong Kong) This Hong Kong indie heavyweight won funding at 2014’s Asia Film Financing Forum, and is brought to the screen by actress slash-debutdirector Carrie Ng Ka-lai (“Naked Killer”), this revenge-thriller follows a group of prostitutes and their landlady in Sham Shui Po who must together battle a mysterious killer who has just claimed the life of one of their sworn sisters.
The Avengers: Age of Ultron (USA) See review, left.
Child 44 (USA) Who’s behind a devastating series of child murders popping up all across Russia? MGB agent Leo Demidov (Tom Hardy) is on the case in an unforgiving Soviet Russia. Fantastic build up, with moments of action and tension, but you’ll only see that if you’re willing to look past the cheesy Russian accents. PPP
Two Thumbs Up (Hong Kong) “Two Thumbs Up” debuted at the Hong Kong International Film Fest this year. A team of hapless gangsters led by Lucifer (Francis Ng) dress up a minibus as a police car—and, toy guns in hand, head to the New Territories for a robbery or two. Little do they know a more murderous gang of killer police imposters is roaming the roads.
The Water Diviner (Australia/Turkey) In Russell Crowe’s directorial debut, he plays a grieving father, journeying to Turkey in the aftermath of World War I’s Gallipoli Campaign as he searches for his two lost sons, both missing in action.
Wild Tales (Argentina) In this anthology of madcap drama and adventure from Damián Szifron, six short stories pick apart the themes of violence and vengeance through everyday shenanigans: a conversation between strangers on a plane, a waitress who adds a “special ingredient” to a dish, a man who gets his car towed one time too many. Strap in for a funny, dark ride. PPPP
Macao International Film and Video Festival 2015 The ninth edition of this annual festival puts on a show of both international and local productions, complemented by a packed schedule of workshops, talks and exhibitions. Get your tickets now for May—the month of “Macao Indies.” The lineup features 26 local filmmakers and includes short features, animations and documentaries. Look out for “The Other Half” (May 13), a story that follows Juliet in Macau, following her diary of clues from beyond the grave; and “Fallen” (May 12), an animation involving a time-traveling boy and his skateboard. Indie indeed. Through May 17. Macao Cultural Centre, Avenida Xian Xing Hai, Call (+853) 2840-0555 for more info. $60. www.ccm.gov.mo.
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Free Will Astrology Rob Brezsny
TAURUS (Apr 20-May 20): eBay is a multi-billion-dollar e-commerce business that has been around for almost 20 years. But it had an inauspicious beginning. The first item ever sold on the service was a broken laser pointer. Even though the laser pointer didn’t work, and the seller informed the buyer it didn’t work, it brought in $14.83. This story might be a useful metaphor for your imminent future, Taurus. While I have faith in the vigor of the long-term trends you are or will soon be setting in motion, your initial steps may be a bit iffy.
GEMINI (May 21-Jun 20): Poetically speaking,
LIBRA (Sep 23-Oct 22): American author
It may also help to go down to the playground
it’s time to purify your world of all insanities,
Stephen Crane wrote his celebrated Civil War
and swing on the swings, make loud animal
profanities, and inanities. It’s a perfect moment
novel “The Red Badge of Courage” in ten days.
sounds, or engage in unusually uninhibited sex.
for that once-in-a-blue-moon Scour-a-Thon,
Composer George Frideric Handel polished off
Do you have any other ideas?
when you have a mandate to purge all
his famous oratorio “Messiah” in a mere 24 days,
clunkiness, junkiness, and gunkiness from your
and Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky produced
AQUARIUS (Jan 20-Feb 18): When Aquarian
midst. And as you flush away the unease of your
his novel “The Gambler” in 16 days. On the other
media mogul Oprah Winfrey was born, “Oprah”
hypocrisies and discrepancies, as you dispense
hand, Junot Díaz, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his
was not what she was called. Her birth certificate
with any tendency you might have to make way
novel “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao,”
says she is “Orpah,” a name her aunt borrowed
too much sense, remember that evil is allergic
needed 10 years to finish it. As for you, Libra,
from a character who appears in the biblical
to laughter. Humor is one of the most effective
I think this is—and should be!—a phase more like
“Book of Ruth.” As Oprah grew up, her friends
psychospiritual cleansers ever.
Díaz’s than the other three creators’. Go slowly.
and relatives had trouble pronouncing “Orpah,”
Be super extra thorough. What you’re working
and often turned it into “Oprah.” The distorted
on can’t be rushed.
form eventually stuck. But if I were her, I would
CANCER (Jun 21-Jul 22): I was in the checkout line at Whole Foods. The shopper ahead of me
consider revisiting that old twist sometime
had piled her groceries on the conveyor belt,
SCORPIO (Oct 23-Nov 21): In her book
soon, maybe even restoring “Orpah.” For you
and it was her turn to be rung up. “How are you
“A Natural History of the Senses,” Diane
Aquarians, it’s a favorable time to investigate
doing?” she said cheerfully to the cashier,
Ackerman describes a medieval knight who
original intentions or explore primal meanings
a crabby-looking hipster whom I happened
asked his lady for a strand of her pubic hair:
or play around with the earliest archetypes.
to know is a Cancerian poet and lead singer
a symbol of her life force. The lady agreed.
in a local rock band. “Oh, I am living my dream,”
He placed the talisman in a locket that he wore
PISCES (Feb 19-Mar 20): What I propose is that
he replied. I guessed he was being sarcastic,
around his neck, confident that it would protect
you scan your memories and identify everyone
although I didn’t know for sure. In any case, I had
him and consecrate him in the course of the
who has ever tried to limit your options or
a flash of intuition that his answer should be your
rough adventures ahead. I recommend that you
dampen your enthusiasm or crush your freedom.
mantra in the coming weeks. It’s time to redouble
consider a similar tack in the coming weeks,
Take a piece of paper and write down a list of the
your commitment to living your dream! Say it 20
Scorpio. As you head toward your turning point,
times someone insinuated that you will forever
times in a row right now: “I am living my dream.”
arm yourself with a personal blessing from
be stuck in a shrunken possibility, or made
someone you love. Success is most likely
a prediction about what you will supposedly
LEO (Jul 23-Aug 22): As I awoke this morning,
if you tincture your fierce determination with
never be capable of, or said you had a problem
I remembered the dream I’d just had. In the
magical tenderness.
that was permanently beyond your ability
dream, I had written a horoscope for you.
to solve. Once you’ve compiled all the
Here’s what it said: “The Kentucky Derby is
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec 21): “An escalator
constricting ideas about yourself that other
a famous horse race that takes place on the first
can never break,” mused comedian Mitch
people have tried to saddle you with, burn that
Saturday of every May. It’s called ‘The Run for
Hedberg. “It can only become stairs. You should
piece of paper and declare yourself exempt from
the Roses’ because one of the prizes that goes
never see an ‘Escalator Temporarily Out Of Order’
their curses. In the days after you do this ritual,
to the winning horse and jockey is a garland
sign, just ‘Escalator Is Temporarily Stairs.’” I think
all of life will conspire with you to expand
of 554 roses. I suspect that your life may soon
a similar principle applies to you, Sagittarius.
your freedom.
bring you an odd treasure like that, Leo. Will it
If we were to try to evaluate your current
be a good thing, or too much of a good thing?
situation with conventional wisdom, we might say
ARIES (Mar 21-Apr 19): Chris Moneymaker
Will it be useful or just kind of weird? Beautiful or
that part of your usual array of capacities is not
was employed as an accountant in Tennessee.
a bit ridiculous? The answers to those questions
functioning at its usual level. But if we adopted
On a whim, he paid $39 to enter an online poker
may depend in part on your willingness to adjust
a perspective like Hedberg’s, we could rightly say
tournament. Although he knew a lot about the
your expectations.”
that this part of you is simply serving its purpose
game, he had never competed professionally.
in a different way.
Nevertheless, he won the tournament. As his
VIRGO (Aug 23-Sep 22): Don’t calm down.
award, he received no money, but rather
Don’t retreat into your sanctuary and relax into
CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19): I’ve got a tough
an invitation to participate in the annual World
protective comfort. If you have faith and remain
assignment for you. It won’t be easy, but I think
Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Can you guess the
committed to the messy experiment you have
you’re ready to do a good job. Here it is:
storybook ending? The rookie triumphed over
stirred up, the stress and agitation you’re dealing
Learn to be totally at home with your body.
838 pros, taking home $2.5 million. I don’t foresee
with will ripen into vitality and excitement.
Figure out what you need to do to feel
anything quite as spectacular for you, Aries, but
I’m not exaggerating, my dear explorer.
unconditional love for your physical form.
there may be similar elements in your saga.
You’re on the verge of tapping into the catalytic
To get started on this noble and sacred task,
For example, a modest investment on your part
Homework: What’s the decision
beauty and rejuvenating truth that lurk beneath
practice feeling compassion for your so-called
could make you eligible for a chance to earn
you agonize about? The commitment you can never make? Tell all at FreeWillAstrology.com.
the frustration. You’re close to unlocking the
imperfections. I also suggest you cast a love spell
much more. Here’s another possible plot twist:
deeper ambitions that are trapped inside the
on yourself every night, using a red candle, a
You could generate luck for yourself by ramping
surface-level wishes.
mirror, and your favorite creamy beverage.
up a skill that has until now been a hobby.
28 HK MAGAZINE
FRIDAY, May 1, 2015
Market Place
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HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, May 1, 2015 29
PROPERTY Island Property presents
Fontenoy Development,
Liverpool
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Property Info: Location: Liverpool, United Kingdom Type: 1/2/3 Bedroom Apartments No. Of Units: 48 Build Status: 100% Occupancy
Island Property Consultancy Ltd 13th Floor, 118 Lockhart Rd, Wanchai, Hong Kong Tel: 21552882
Strategically located at the doorstep of 5 major Universities in Liverpool, Fontenoy Development is in the sought after location in Liverpool city centre. Each apartment for sale comes with modern kitchen and bathroom throughout. The locality combined with quality creates the perfect demand from student and young professionals working in the city. Investment Highlights
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The market information appearing in this publication is obtained and re-transmitted from sources believed to be reliable but which have not been independently verified; no guarantee, representation or warranty is made and no responsibility or liability as to its accuracy or completeness is accepted. No liability is accepted whatsoever for any direct, indirect or consequential loss arising from the use of this publication. The market information provided in this publication is not and should not be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase any landed property and, accordingly, do not have any legal binding effect whatsoever on Island Property Consultancy Limited and/ or its clients. The market information contained in this publication is not intended to provide any professional advice. As such, this publication should not be relied upon in that regard. *Price correct at time of press.*
30 HK MAGAZINE
FRIDAY, May 1, 2015
BODY FITNESS
Market Place
HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, May 1, 2015 31
BODY FITNESS / Business
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34 HK MAGAZINE
FRIDAY, May 1, 2015
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HOME / EVERYTHING ELSE SAVAGE LOVE Dan Savage My partner is 31 years older than I am. I know the math: He’ll be 60 when I’m 29. But that isn’t the problem. The issue is he’s been a lifelong bachelor and never been monogamous. He’s fucked hundreds of women and is close friends with a lot of his former fuck buddies. Because of our four-year friendship before we hooked up, I know a lot about his sex life. The problem isn’t jealousy—and it isn’t knowing he’s fucked every woman he’s friends with or that he fucked someone else after declaring his love for me. It’s that I know too much. We both feel vulnerable at times— him because I’m still in contact with one ex, and me because I feel like I’m fighting his past preference for no-strings-attached relationships. He tells me this relationship is different and he loves me in a way he hasn’t loved anyone before. But I still feel like because of how many people he’s been with, and how many of these amazing, beautiful, young fuck buddies are still in his life, I’ll never attain any sort of primacy. – Notable Age Gap Gets In Newbie’s Grill At some point in the future, your partner is going to be 60 and you’re going to be 29, NAGGING, which means you’re somewhere in your 20s and he’s somewhere in his 50s, right? (Math is hard!) And since you two were friends for four years before he realized you were the only woman he wanted to stick his dick in for the rest of his life—pay no attention to the woman he dicked during the brief interlude between telling you he loved you and the aforementioned realization— that means… um… Math is hard, like Barbie says, especially when you don’t have all the relevant data. The same goes for giving advice. Answering your question without knowing your actual ages is difficult, because it makes a difference whether you’re 21 and he’s 52 (which means this man befriended you when you were a high-school student) or you’re 28 and he’s 59 (and you met this man after you got out of college). Likewise, it would help to know how long you two have been together. Three months? Three years? Essentially, you’re asking me to game out the odds for both long-term success and monogamous success (and, yes, those are two different things), and that’s hard to do without knowing your ages and how long you’ve been together. Because I would definitely give your relationship slimmer odds of long-term success if your partner were the kind of middle-aged man who befriends and eventually beds high-school students. Conversely, I would give your relationship fatter odds of long-term success if you were three years into it and your partner had been successfully monogamous all that time. That said, NAGGING, cheating and breakups regularly happen in the absence of significant age gaps and friendship networks composed exclusively of ex–fuck buddies. (Since people tend to partner with—and cheat on and be cheated on by—people in their same age demographic, cheating and breakups almost always happen in the absence of significant age gaps. But that is correlation, not causation—and sophistry, too!) There are no guarantees. Your partner may revert to nonmonogamous form at some point and either cheat (boo!) or ask for permission to open up your relationship (yay?). You could find yourself in a caretaker role in 10-plus years and find yourself asking him for permission to open up your relationship. Or you guys could stay together and stay faithful until death comes for one of you— most likely your partner, leaving you plenty of time to hook up with your ex, if he’s still available. Oh, shit—blah blah blah, I haven’t answered your question. You’ll obtain primacy—or realize you’ve already attained it—after a significant chunk of time has passed. So give it more time. Either it will work out or it won’t. But even if this
relationship isn’t a long-term success, it can still be a short-term success. Good luck. I’m 62 and happily married for 20 years to a sweet guy who doesn’t seem particularly interested in sex any longer. We are open to allowing each other freedom, with full disclosure, and have occasionally done this. When I watch music videos of John Sebastian in his 20s, I cream my jeans. And I have noticed similar reactions to sweet, intelligent young men in their 20s and 30s. I don’t necessarily discriminate on the basis of age—or gender, color, etc.—and if a cute guy or gal in my age group came on to me, I’d consider the offer. But what I’d really like is a young man who finds me attractive and would be interested in seducing, or being seduced by, yours truly, even though I’m old enough to be his grandma. – Wicked Older Woman A study you’re not going to want to read and that I’m not going to cite—because it lumps people who are sexually attracted to the elderly together with people who are sexually attracted to prepubescent children—puts the percentage of people attracted to senior citizens at 0.15 percent of the population. That means there are more than 11 million gerontophiles of all ages out there. We’ve already established that math is hard, WOW, so I’m not going to try to figure out how many gerontophiles are in their 20s and 30s. But there should be lots. And there are probably a few non-gerontophile guys (and gals) out there who are willing to take a walk on the postmenopausal side. How to make it happen? The same way everyone else does: Get online and advertise for what you want (clearly and explicitly), and get out of the house (you never know who you’ll meet). Then seize—safely—the opportunities that come your way. My partner and I—both fortysomething males—had a threesome with a very cute twentysomething college student who approached us online. He considers himself straight and has a girlfriend, but he “has been wondering” about his sexuality. The evening went incredibly well, but he had the typical “curious guy” freak-out the day after. Texts and emails flooded in—he wanted (more) guarantees about our health status even though we played safe during sex. He said he told his girlfriend (“She was understanding but pissed!”). He also said that we could never get together again. Then he started drunk-texting us at night, offering to send us more sexy photos and talking about how much he wanted to see us again. Sober texts arrived in the morning apologizing for his drunken behavior. We’ve tried to be there, not just for the sex but also his process afterward. Did we do this guy a disservice by engaging with him? (Also, I’m not convinced there really is a girlfriend.) – Curious Over Curious Kid It might look like you’re not honoring the campsite rule (“Leave ’em in better shape than you found ’em”) because this guy is a mess right now. But some queers can’t seem to accept themselves—or even recognize themselves—until after a clarifying queer sexual encounter or three. In all likelihood, this twentysomething will one day look back at his “typical ‘curious guy’ freak-out” as an important part of his coming-out process as a gay or bi man. So you probably did him a favor. (Although I would describe his freak-out as cliché—and increasingly atypical.) As for the real-or-imaginary girlfriend: If she exists, she should dump him. Not because of your actions, COCK, but because of his. A priest and a rabbi come on to a podcast… savagelovecast.com.
Find the Savage Lovecast (my weekly podcast) every Tuesday at thestranger.com/savage.mail@savagelove.net
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Wooloomooloo Group is a Hong Kong based restaurant group that has served sizzling premium steaks and time-honored grill favorites since 2004. We have established three successful brands, Wooloomooloo Prime, Wooloomooloo Steakhouse and The Chop House, at prominent locations in Hong Kong and Singapore. 自2004年成立至今，Wooloomooloo 餐飲集團以香港為基地，一直以實而不華的手法烹調澳洲牛扒及各式佳餚。現已於香港及新加坡的地標位置建立了三個成功品牌 包括Wooloomooloo Prime、Wooloomooloo Steakhouse 及 The Chop House。 Due to expansion, we would like to invite energetic service professionals to join our dynamic team for the following positions: 現誠聘充滿活力及擁有卓越服務態度的專業服務人員加入我們的團隊，職位如下：
Restaurant Manager Assistant Manager Supervisor Captain Server Host / Hostess Bartender
Jr. Sous Chef Chef De Partie Pastry Chef Demi Chef Commis Chef Dishwasher
餐廳經理 副經理 主任 部長 侍應生 接待員 調酒員
初級副總廚 部門主管 糕餅廚師 高級廚師 初級廚師 洗碗清潔員
Due to expansion, we would like to invite energetic service professionals to join our dynamic team for the following positions 完善的員工褔利包括 :
✓ 6 days off per month 每月六天例假 ✓ Birthday leave 生日假期 ✓ Medical insurance 醫療津貼 ✓ Staff dining discount 員工優惠
✓ 12 days paid annual leave 有薪年假12天 ✓ Bereavement leave 恩恤假 ✓ Dental insurance 牙醫津貼 ✓ On job traning 在職培訓
✓ Paid sick leave 有薪病假 ✓ Target bonus 達標獎金 ✓ Employee meals 員工膳食 ✓ Career advancement 良好晉升機會
Interested parties, please email your resume with current and expected salary to hr@wooloo-mooloo.com 有意者請將個人履歷及薪金要求電郵至 hr@wooloo-mooloo.com www.wooloo-mooloo.com
Visionary.
SECRETARY Professional Wills Ltd is expanding further and we require more assistance in our established admin team. Requirements • Secretarial / Administrative field experience of between 3 - 5 years • Excellent communication skills in English – Cantonese preferred but not essential • Detailed, responsible and able to work in a small team • Proactive and organized with good interpersonal skills and ability to multi-task • Proficiency in traditional software programs Responsibilities • Assist in typing Wills and related documentation • General secretarial and administration duties • To support and maintain administration of client databases and invoicing system We work 5 days a week, offer 14 days annual leave and the salary range will be around HK$15,000 for the right person. Please send CV to aname@profwills.com
All candidates MUST be open-minded with a learning orientated attitude, a team player with excellent communication skills.
• Hair Stylists minimum 5 years experience. • Senior Stylist over 9 years experience. International references are a plus.
• Creative Stylist over 12 years experience. International references are a plus. Free Lance Stylists are welcome.
• Spa Therapists minimum 8 years experience. Self-motivated. • Receptionist independent and able to work under pressure. English speaking is preferable.
• Junior (hair assistant) no experience required, training provided.
Please send your CV to severine@emmanuelf.com. Shop 211, 2/F, Nexxus Building, 41 Connaught Road Central www.emmanuelf.com
Looking for the smartest talents in the media industry? Advertise in Smart jobs and reach 268,200 of the right readers every week. For advertising opportunities, please contact Lamy Lam on 2534 9560
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We are a well-established company embarking on a new & unique Italian dining concept in Causeway Bay.We aim to introduce authentic Italian dishes with fresh and bubbly experience to customers. We are looking for passionate & highly motivated, enthusiastic talents with professionalism and determination for innovation to assist the management of the new project. The following positions are what we currently seek:
Bartender / Waiter / Waitress / Cooks / Kitchen Helpers / Cleaners REQUIREMENTS:• Related working experience in F&B operation • Energetic, presentable and with good communication skill • Service-oriented and a good team player • Good command of English • Shift duty required Interested parties, please send your full resume with availability and expected salary to fiona@giannicaprioli.com or call 2511 1034. We are an equal opportunity employer.
NEW RESTAURANT OPENING IN LKF New restaurant group is opening in HK and launching its first restaurant in LKF in May, in line with this we are seeking to fill the following positions immediately.
AM & PM STRAIGHT SHIFTS
6 Chef D Partie / Sous Chef (Western & Seafood Cuisine) 6 Hostess / Shift Leader (Jr. Management Position) 6 Service Staff Server & Bartender 6 Line Cooks (Western & Seafood Cuisine) 6 Bar Supervisor (Jr. Management Position)
In addition to a great work environment we offer excellent salaries and benefits package to the right candidate. Interested applicants please apply with full resume expected salary and contact telephone number to…
Careers@bisque.hk
All personal information collected will be used for recruitment purpose.
ADVERTISING CAREERS HK Magazine Media Group – publisher of HK Magazine, The List, and the where® family of international travel publications, is looking to fill the following positions in its dynamic and exciting Advertising Department:
1. SENIOR ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE
• 1-year experience in media sales; magazine advertising sales a great advantage
• Fluent in spoken and written Cantonese and English
• Attractive remuneration package and performance based commission
2. ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE
• Positive attitude towards magazine advertising sales
• Fluent in spoken Cantonese and English
• Entry level. Fresh Graduates welcome; no experience necessary
Interested parties, please send your cover letter and CV to resume@hkmagmedia.com
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The Mills is a heritage meets fashion community business in the making. Join us in the journey to reignite the fashion industry in Hong Kong.
Associate Director, The Mills Programs and Communications Requirements: • Degree in Communications, Marketing, Management or related disciplines with 5-10 years’ relevant experience • Demonstrated success and leadership in PR, program, event and operations • Experience in commercial-community crossover programs and events a definite advantage • Experience in creative social media program and communication a plus • Comfortable with startup-like culture, where multiple agendas and task evolve • A passion for Hong Kong’s future in creativity, entrepreneurship and innovation • Ability to generate out-of-box ideas and deliver them with solid execution • Knowledge in program and event planning, budgeting, resources planning and operation • Strong interpersonal, communication and organizational skills • Good command of English and Cantonese, proficient in Mandarin preferred • Responsible, hard-working and independent Responsibilities: • Work with Directors of The Mills to propose, plan and execute program and publicity activities for The Mills • Budget and plan resources for overall guideline of activities, as well as individual activities • Plan and budget overall publicity of The Mills with senior leadership • Develop and maintain social media presence for The Mills • Liaise with external stakeholders (e.g. donors, sponsors and co-organizers) as needed to achieve deliverables • Source, brief, select and guide external providers to execute activities • Build and cultivate Programs and Communications team We provide generous compensation and fringe benefits to the right candidate. Please send your resume with salary expected to The Human Resources Manager, 23/F., Nan Fung Tower, 88 Connaught Road C, Central, HK or by e-mail: hr@nanfung.com (We are an equal opportunity employer. All applications will be treated in strict confidence and only be used for selection purpose.) “Nan Fung” means Nan Fung International Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries. HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, May 1, 2015 37
First Person Photo: Kirk Kenny kirk@studiozag.com
“You need to be curious; explore, find your destiny. That’s the beauty of both art and life.” Artist and gallerist Sin Sin Man is the creative force behind Sin Sin Atelier and Sin Sin Fine Art. For the past 16 years she has specialized in featuring contemporary art from across Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on Indonesian work. At the end of her first solo show in eight years, she tells Dan Creffield about striking out on her own and her philosophy of art.
I don’t really have a first memory of when I became aware that art meant something special to me, or I had any particular ability. I believe you are either born an artist or not. Likewise, I’ve never really focused on or considered what art really is. It’s a force of nature; you feel it with your heart, with your soul. When I was young we thought more, planned more—things didn’t come so easily. If you wanted something you had to work hard for it. Now everything is instant. Back then, if you wanted something beautiful you had to create it yourself. So I did—I made my own fabrics and clothes.
want to achieve something. I have since traveled to many parts of Asia, including Mongolia, Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia, to study and work with traditional craftsmen and women, seeking ways to utilize traditional textile, painting and craft techniques within a meaningful contemporary context. Again, I didn’t really make a conscious decision to move into a more commercial direction. Around 1984 I started designing bags before branching out to accessories and jewelry. But I was approached by many international companies for my help in designing and developing products: some of the biggest names in the movie, cosmetics and fashion industries.
In the early 80s I traveled in China. At that time there were no factories; it was a simpler, purer time. I visited Chaozhou and saw handicraft work there; it was very inspiring to experience that creativity.
The 80s and 90s were a time of amazing growth, for the world, Asia, and me personally. You could really do something at that time!
The beauty of the country was also amazing and inspirational. Both natural elements such as mountains, lakes and fields, as well as the human influence, temples—even children playing games in the road.
Everything was fun. I liked creating and had lots of clients. I didn’t think about money, that wasn’t the motivating factor. And I didn’t define it as commercial or noncommercial… maybe that’s ignorant of me! I simply created, played and traveled.
Times may have changed in China but the people are the same—they have hope, they
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While my name was never on the work I did for my clients, I was happy to be free.
They were exciting times. I was young, had opportunities, it was the right timing. But I was strict and direct; I always did the best I could. I delivered! In December 1998 I started my own atelier. Again, it wasn’t a conscious decision to move into pure art. Perhaps I am naïve, or a dreamer. But art is not really a normal professional career. When I saw my first premises, in a beautiful 1930s four-story building on On Lan Street, Central, I immediately fell in love with it. I felt connected to it and it changed my life. I know that probably sounds a bit strange. At that point I stopped working for clients, stopped accepting commercial work, and instead set out to create something of my own. Clients have a brand to follow, a philosophy. As an independent artist you need to be honest and transparent. Suddenly it was my turn—but what did I believe in?
learn about yourself, let it happen naturally. I have experimented with almost every form of art—as well as the areas I am best known for. I practice dance, calligraphy, singing, photography and more. I have tried everything. I have worked hard to improve. You need to be curious, explore, find your destiny. That’s the beauty of both art and life. Otherwise you don’t feel alive. I love contemporary art that is spiritual and inspiring, in particular art from Southeast Asia and especially Indonesia. Art must be a two-way process between the artist and the subject, or medium. Nothing works well or can be beautiful if it’s one-way. I am relocating my studio and atelier to Wong Chuk Hang. I like it here, but after nine years I need to move. This was my first [solo] show in around eight years. I do all the organization— it’s challenging but worthwhile. I prefer the term “conductor” to “curator!”
How you grow up, as both a child and an adult, and the things you observe and experience are always inspiring. Absorb life,
Visit “The Sin Sin Show” at Sin Sin Fine Art, 53-54 Sai St., Sheung Wan, 2858-5072.