HK Magazine #1166, Oct 7 2016

FINAL ISSUE NO.

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走得快，好世界 Leave Quickly, Good World

COVER STORY

HK Magazine: Good, bad… and ugly

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FAREWELL

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24 TRAVEL

HK Mag staff past and present recall 25 years

We’re out of a job.

Let’s go to Madrid

36

26 DINING

Skye bar opens: God, we need a drink

HK staffers’ dream meals

50 GIVEAWAYS

Who’s won our last competition ever?

As you may already know, it’s been a tough few years for many print media. Like everyone else, HK Magazine has been subjected to very challenging market conditions, making it difficult for the publication to continue to be commercially viable.

We all hate goodbyes. They hurt no matter how tough we think we are, and especially when we have to part with things that we’ve grown accustomed to, or indeed learned to love.

To make goodbyes less painful, I’ve long relied on the self-protection mechanism of making people like me a bit less, or making myself dislike them a bit more. Over the years this has proved effective.

But here at HK Magazine, this formula would never have worked.

We love you too much, and we hope you feel the same.

I am very proud to say that in our 9125-plus days, HK Magazine has lived up to its reputation—and most importantly up to your expectations and beyond.

I know many of you will miss HK Magazine sorely, and we will miss being part of the HK Magazine community. But the stories we wrote for you in the past will stay. You’ll be able to find them on SCMP.com later this month: Search for “HK Magazine Archive” or look for the link in the footer.

After we are gone, please: Whenever you have a chance to celebrate what makes this city great, remember that HK Magazine was one of its loudest, proudest advocates.

HK Magazine has served Hong Kong by not only showing the fun side of the city, but also providing an independent, quirky perspective on issues that matter to Hongkongers and our readers.

We’ve had a good 25-year run. Some might say 25 years is not a long time, but it’s all relative. I think, in the end, it’s not the years that count—it’s the quality.

Look us up!

online exclusives

MEMBER OF:

contests, updates, stories

facebook.com/hkmagazine

The very best quotes from the very best people

Editor-in-Chief Luisa Tam Senior Editor Adam White Editor David Vetter Features Editor Leslie Yeh Custom Publishing Editor Xavier Ng Assistant Chinese Editor Sophia Lam Reporter Stephanie Tsui Contributor Kate Lok Contributing Photographer Kirk Kenny Fashion Contributor Rafael Raya Cano Sales Director Gary Wong Senior Sales Manager Joyce Wu Assistant Sales Manager Kent Ma Senior Account Manager Karen Chow Sales Coordinator Ling Tse Head of Marketing Karrie Lam Senior Marketing Manager Pauline Wan Marketing Manager Janice Fung Marketing Executive Ricardo Ng Senior Art Director Pierre Pang Senior Graphic Designer Kay Leung Graphic Designers Elaine Tang, Joyce Kwok, Wing Chan Production Supervisor Kelly Cheung Cover Pierre Pang

Where to find us!

Luisa Tam Editor-in-Chief

hk-magazine.com

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BEST OF FIRST PERSON

Who’s in charge?

Good Night, and Good Luck So, it is with a heavy heart that I am announcing this is HK Magazine’s last issue.

NIGHTLIFE

latest news and trends

@hk_magazine

Editorial enquiry: hk@hkmagmedia.com Sales enquiry: 2565 2222 or advertising@hkmagmedia.com Marketing enquiry: marketing@hkmagmedia.com Circulation enquiry: circulationadmin@scmp.com South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. Morning Post Centre, 22 Dai Fat Street Tai Po Industrial Estate, New Territories Hong Kong 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.

HK Magazine is published 50 times a year by South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd., GPO Box 12618, Hong Kong.

Copyright 2016 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. The title “HK Magazine,” its associated logos or devices, and the content of HK Magazine are the property of South China Morning Post Publishers 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 South China Morning Post Publishers 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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Mr. Know-It-All’s Dear Mr. Know-It-All,

Guide to Life

What do I need to know in Hong Kong to survive? – Mr. Know-Nothing So, this is it then. I first came to HK Magazine long ago, back when answers to basic questions weren’t just a Google away.

So for years I hung out at the back of HK Magazine, answering the questions that needed answering: Where can I get my photos framed in Hong Kong? Who can I get to repair my lamp? Who will fix my broken LP player?

But with the rise of the internet, my services weren’t quite so relevant—and so for the last three years I changed tack, answering instead questions that Hongkongers never thought to ask about this wonderful, stunning, improbable city.

You might have missed a few, but memorize these and you’ll never go wrong.

Where does Hong Kong get its name? “Fragrant Harbor” was the original name of Aberdeen, and westerners assumed it was the name of the whole island.

Why can’t I bring metallic balloons onto the MTR? In case they float into the overhead live power lines and short-circuit the system.

Why use bamboo scaffolding? It’s cheap, fast-growing and has a phenomenal strength-to-weight ratio. It’s half the weight of steel, six times faster to put up and 12 times faster to take down.

Why is Happy Valley called Happy Valley? It was a malariaraddled swamp that became a British Army camp—and then the city’s first cemetery. Army humor did the rest.

Who invented the egg puff? Shopkeepers trying to find something to do with their cracked eggs.

What is correct lai see etiquette? $20 for your laundry lady, $50-100 for small children and building security, $100-200 for adults and family, $500 for the nephew you wish to bribe.

Don’t give an unlucky sum with 4 in it. For weddings: $500$1,000-plus, venue-dependent. Your lai see pays for the wedding banquet. Write your name on the back.

How did Kowloon get its name? The “nine dragons” are named for eight mountains and one fleeing boy-emperor.

Why are there no true debit cards? EPS and Octopus cover most of it… and banks love credit card interest.

Why do all films have subtitles? So that the Shaw Brothers could make easy money in Southeast Asian markets as well as Hong Kong.

How do you sing in a tonal language like Cantonese?

You write the song to match tone and tune as closely as possible. Does not happen in Putonghua.

What’s the history of the hotel minibar? Invented in 1974 in the Hong Kong Hilton, rapidly spread across the world.

Jun 2006: Mr. KIA finds himself in a pickle

Why are so many Hong Kong buildings painted pink? It’s the cheapest shade of paint, so it’s used for public housing.

What makes Hong Kong a global pioneer? We flush our toilets with seawater.

How has Cantonese influenced English? “Long time no see,” “no can do,” “chop chop,” “ketchup.”

Why did they build the Central–Mid-Levels Escalator? To relieve traffic. Everyone thought it was a white elephant but it now carries at least 85,000 people a day.

Why do some taxi drivers have so many phones? They’re “Car Kings” running a network of discount taxis.

Why is Spam on macaroni so popular? Spam came from the US as a cheap, plentiful source of protein after World War II. Also, it’s delicious.

How do I get a photo framed in Hong Kong? JUST GOOGLE IT.

Thank you for reading, my friends. I hope that I’ve managed to put a little smart aleck, a little Know-It-All, in each and every one of you.

Letters

#PrivateEyeHK

“why the hell is this happening!!!!”

Every Time We Say Goodbye A selection of comments from across the internet on the sad news that HK Magazine is closing. Readers: we love you. Even the dickheads.

I love this magazine. End of an era.

Claudia Ma

They have been a great voice for so many thingsGraham Street, dolphins, Occupy, conservation... No wonder they had to go.

Janet Walker

Is there something wrong with me? I always thought HK magazine was crap.

Peter Johnson

Sigh. The only readable and free English magazine that gives a fuck about the important issues in HK is gone.

Chrono Chrono

Sad to see it close.Was a decent magazine to have a read.

Quasar Hk Boffins Nepal

Sad news, the one place you could always get a sarcastic letter printed Kingsley Jayasekera

Are there any better options to HK Magazine out there?

Linus Ågren

Another one bites the dust eh? What next?

HSBC to go?

DavenWin Anderson

why the hell is this happening!!!!

Marius Peter

NOOOOOOOOO Suzanne Nuttall

OH NO! I love HK magazine :( Amanda Cook

Oh no!!!! Every week I was looking forward reading the new HK magazine. So sad Elisabeth Fortier

One of the most nicely done mags out there whyy :(

Sunset over Tai Po Photo by Dave Vetter (Instagram: @ouivre)

Darryl Kiasu Goh

Am I the only one who felt a visceral, gut wrenching reaction when the HK mag news was announced???

Was/ am on the verge of tears.

Twitter: @cassit

But it was so popular, some weeks we couldn’t even get hold of a copy !!

Ben Zabulis

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HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016

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Explore the world Feel at home

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The Week

Friday 10/7

So. Farewell Then…

All good things must come to an end. You’re holding the very last issue of HK Magazine. Whether it’s the first you’ve ever picked up, or you’ve been a loyal reader from Issue No.1, we invite you to join us in a toast as we bid a tearful farewell to Hong Kong.

Saturday 10/8

Wednesday 10/12

Friday 10/14

They’ve sold more than 50 million records worldwide since forming in 1953, and now the The Platters are coming to Hong Kong, accompanied by original member Sonny Turner.

Check out our interview with him on p.32, then go see them croon their signature rhythm and blues tunes, including “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” and “Only You.” 8pm. Hall 5G, HKCEC, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, $480-1,280 from hkticketing.com

It’s hump day: get through it with a night of alfresco food and bubbly at the Grand Hyatt Grill’s Poolside Barbeque Dinner: Gorge on fresh lobsters and chargrilled specialties whilst sipping on a glass of ice-cold Veuve Clicquot Rich. Every group of four guests gets a free upgrade to whole bottle of champagne.

Through Oct 31, 6:30-10pm. 11/F, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Rd., Wan Chai, 2584-7722. $480 per adult, $240 per child.

Been planning that tat of a unicorn and a hippogriff humping in the back of a 1965 Ford Mustang? Now’s your chance. The fourth instalment of the Hong Kong International Tattoo Convention gathers the world’s best inkers from across the world, as well as the city’s finest local talent, for three days of inked-up fun.

Oct 14-16, noon-10pm. Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, $180 for 1-Day Pass, $350 for 3-Day Pass from ticketflap.com

Thursday 10/13

Getting Crabby

Platter Matters

Sunday 10/9

Hip Hip, Murray

American pianist and conductor Murray Perahia has been dubbed “poet of the keyboard” by the New York Times.

Join him at the Encore Series: Piano Recital by Murray Perahia as he lays down some slam poetry on the keys.

8pm. Concert Hall, Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, $250-650 from urbtix.hk

Monday 10/10

Stranger Danger

Legendary indie gig space Hidden Agenda sent indie fans into cardiac arrest last month when they announced that they would have to shut up shop. Luckily founder Hui Chung-wo started a fundraising campaign which successfully raised enough to keep the livehouse going in a new venue.

HA has teamed up with photographer Moment Hung for “Hello Stranger,” an exhibition showcasing more than 500 photos of strangers captured at previous HA shows.

Through Oct 10, 8-11pm. 2A, Winful Industrial Building, 15-17 Tai Yip St., Kwun Tong. Pay what you want, facebook.com/meetingpeopleisnoteasy

Tuesday 10/11

The Stars’ Tennis Balls

Venus Williams, Jelena Jankovic and more than 50 more world-class female tennis players face off the third Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open, competing for $250,000 in prize money.

October 8-16. Victoria Park Tennis Stadium, 1 Hing Fat St., Causeway Bay. www.hktennisopen.hk

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Champagne Please

Surprise, Green Eyes

To commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, Opera Hong Kong presents Giuseppe Verdi’s masterwork Otello. It’s the tale of a Moorish general who’s driven insane by jealousy. Spoiler: It doesn’t end well.

Oct 13-15, 7:30pm; Oct 16, 2:30pm. Grand Theatre, Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, $150-800 from urbtix.hk

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Ink Right

Saturday 10/15

October means crab season has finally arrived. Get a taste of everyone’s favorite crustacean at LIS Café, where a lip-smacking Crab Sensation Dinner Buffet hosts a clawful of crab-themed dishes.

Through Nov 9. L’hotel Island South, 55 Wong Chuk Hang Rd., Aberdeen, 3968-8833. $389 adult, $238 child (weekend prices).

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Rock Around the Clock This year the city’s finest cluster of art and music madness moves from West Kowloon to the Central Harborfront. You don’t want to miss out on Clockenflap, with acts including Icelandic post-rock giants Sigur Rós, Taiwanese folk singer-songwriter Cheer Chen, legendary UK duo The Chemical Brothers, and South African WTFers Die Antwoord. Get your tickets, get pumped, and we’ll see you there.

Nov 25-27, Central Harborfront, $850-1,620 for 3-Day Weekend Pass from clockenflap.com

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News

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拍拍籮柚 Pat Pat Basket Grapefruit [Ass]

Edited by Stephanie Tsui stephanie.tsui@hkmagmedia.com

Last Week In Reality

Illustrations: Joyce Kwok

TUE 27

Straight-D Student Another O-camp scandal: A female student is photographed kneeling between two clothed male students, making fists with her hands which are placed in a suggestive manner in front of the young men. The caption reads in Cantonese, “A considerate O-camp leader will always make her newbies come.” Netizens express outrage at what they see as inappropriate behaviour.

THU 29

How Lewd! A Facebook post goes viral: A girl claiming to be a student at Belilios Public School alleges that school authorities instructed students to show their bra straps to make sure they were wearing either white or flesh-toned undergarments—or be punished. Netizens question whether school authorities would also begin monitoring the color of girls’ panties.

SAT 24

Rolling Rocket Early morning, and a woman is woken by a loud explosion in her Tsz Wan Shan living room.

She alerts an 83-year-old male relative to the incident after discovering the source of the explosion: His electric wheelchair, which is in flames. No one is hurt. The fire department suspects the explosion was caused by a short circuit in the wheelchair motor.

SUN 25

Same Scam, Different Day A 22-year-old woman tells officers at Tseung Kwan O Police Station that she has been duped out of almost $70,000. Speaking over the phone, a team of confidence tricksters posing as “law enforcement officials” had employed an elaborate scheme to convince the woman to open a bank account in mainland China, and to transfer the large sum to the account. The account was emptied shortly afterward.

An investigation is underway.

MON 26

O for “Orgy”? A video goes viral: A young woman wearing shorts is seated between two young men who appear to lick the length of her legs from calf to upper thigh. It is believed that they are participants of a Hong Kong Community College orientation camp, or “O-camp.” Some netizens express moral outrage, while others express regret that they did not get to go to college.

WED 28

Living on the Edge Police are alerted when a woman is seen standing on top of an air conditioner unit outside a flat in North Point. Fearing that she is about to commit suicide, police and fire services arrive to discover that the woman had merely been trying to recover a bracelet that had slipped off her wrist.

FRI 30

Soda Scream Media reports surface of an incident in which a 13-year-old girl was hospitalized after an accident in a Tazi Po supermarket. The girl was reaching for a 2-liter bottle of Coke Zero when it exploded, causing a laceration to her right index finger that required four stitches. An investigation by the supermarket and police is ongoing.

Quote of the Week

“Sad Eurasian girl with permanent pout looking for large man to make her smile all over. Any nationality considered, except Aussies. Please send photo.”

A personals ad placed in the very first issue of HK Magazine, published in June 1991.

Talking Points

We read the news, so you don’t have to.

So Long, HK! HK Magazine published its last issue on Friday, October 7. A spokesperson for South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd., which owns HK Magazine, cited a “volatile advertising landscape” and “diminishing profitability” as reasons for the closure of the 25-year-old lifestyle publication. In 2013, HK Magazine’s publisher Asia City Media Group sold the publication to the SCMP. Late last year, SCMP was in turn acquired by the Alibaba Group.

At the time of its closure, HK Magazine, which was available for free in bars, restaurants and cafes, had a circulation of between 30,000-50,000 copies a week. The company has said that HK Magazine’s social media platforms and website will be closed, with online content migrating to SCMP.com.

Our take:

Illustration: Elaine Tang

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Upfront

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拉 閘 Pull Gate HK Magazine: How did you become a designer?

Comma Leung: I’ve always been into arts and craft. When I was little, I was crazy about origami and would challenge my classmates to fold the smallest origami piece possible. I once made a paper hawk the size of a grain of rice. I also enjoyed knitting. I studied at Hong Kong Design Institute after graduating from secondary school. That eventually led me to my university degree in design.

Street Talk

Comma Leung is the designer behind Mosi Mosi, a project that aims to identify disabled groups and customizes specific design products for their needs.

She’s just made a wallet for the visually impaired, with raised markings to indicate the value of the banknotes.

She’s currently crowdfunding to raise enough money to produce a batch of 1,500 wallets and distribute them for free. She tells Kate Lok how the project has changed her perceptions of those with disabilities.

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Cantonese slang: To chat, bullshit.

Contribute to Leung’s crowdfunding campaign at dreamna.com/projects/ invisible-wallet. The campaign ends October 15.

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Cantonese slang: To chat, bullshit.

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散水

係咁先

Definition: Bid farewell.

Definition: That’s all for now.

Origin: Just as water disperses, so too must all things pass away. Water is slang for money, and so the phrase can also mean “leaving your job.”

Origin: Means something along the lines of “let’s leave it there for now.” Commonly used to sign off from phone calls.

Disperse Water

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HK: Why wallets for the blind?

CL: One day, I stopped by Shek Kip Mei to do some research at The Hong Kong Society for the Blind. I befriended Kit Ying, one of the staff members, who is a visually impaired woman in her 20s. She showed me that one of the challenges people with visual disabilities have to deal with is that they are unable to easily distinguish the

HK: Do you think there is a lack of compassion for the disabled in Hong Kong?

CL: There are a lot of Hong Kong people who still harbor stigmas and are unwilling to help. I also know that most people are kindhearted—but just won’t step up to help. The prevailing misconceptions and discrimination come from the fact that we have very little interaction with the disabled community, so there’s a lack of understanding. I think that’s how most conflicts begin. Disability is never a choice, but from what I know of people with disabilities, they never use it as an excuse to not live their lives to their fullest.

Blowing Water

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HK: Why “Mosi Mosi?”

CL: “Mosi Mosi” was actually my Final Year Project for university. The name was inspired by the Cantonese phrase, mo si mo si (無事無事), which means “there’s nothing to worry about.” While preparing for the project, I wanted to create a brand that approached design in a humanistic way, and that was how Mosi Mosi came to be. I thought about how most of the time, designs are made for mainstream preferences and purely for commercial considerations. They target customers who are willing to pay, or are privileged enough to be able to afford high prices, and never think about designing for people in need.

I reflected on why I pursued a design degree in the first place, and realized it was because it brought me great joy and satisfaction, and I wanted this project to achieve the same thing. I wanted to share this joy with people who needed it—and I wanted my designs to be user-friendly, to be able to be customized to suit individual needs.

different denominations of banknotes.

So I designed a prototype for her to try out, and to give me suggestions on how to improve the design. She really gave me an appreciation of the world of the visually impaired, and changed a lot of the stereotypes I held. She showed me that life without vision does not necessarily mean a miserable life—she is just as passionate about life as any young woman of her age would be.

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SO LONG , and Thanks for All the Fishballs

After 25 wonderful years, HK Magazine is drawing the shutters on the ol’ dai pai dong of life. We remember the milestones… and some (minor) mistakes. By Adam White

A New Voice for Hong Kong

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Starting Out HK Magazine was founded in 1991 by three expats: Steve Freeman, Gretchen Worth and Greg Duncan. Frustrated by the fact that he was always finding out about parties the day after they’d happened, Duncan invited the other two to Hong Kong to set up the magazine. The founders claim the magazine’s initial budget was all of $3. It was run out of Duncan’s apartment for the first two years, heavy with the smell of industrial adhesive.

Got Issues? Issue 1 of HK Magazine dropped in June 1991. It was the first free-distribution Englishlanguage magazine in Asia, and the skeleton of the magazine you’re holding today was there— complete with event listings and restaurant reviews.

It seems Al’s Diner, Grappas, and Tai Ping Koon have survived us… and that’s about it.

1992

Just the Tip Ah, the early days.

When the internet didn’t exist and so the best way to get information… was to call the HK Magazine events hotline.

P.S.: We’ve tried to call this number. It doesn’t work anymore.

1994

Going Hollywood After a few years in a dingy Stone Nullah Lane office, HK moved to an office on the corner of Hollywood Road and Possession Street in Sheung Wan. For the next 21 years HK Mag reported on the food, music and culture scene from the heart of the city. A stint at HK Mag as an intern became a rite of passage for many of the city’s most talented young people.

And the monthly HK Mag balcony parties became legendary.

The company—Asia City Media Group—spread to other markets, opening in Shanghai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.

2013

Sales Force In 2013, the Hong Kong arm of the group was sold to the South China Morning Post, and a couple of years later we moved from our Hollywood Road offices to join the mothership in Tai Po.

Blasts from the past Jun 1991: Issue 1, so 90s

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Jul 3: HK1K. But where’s Wally?

2013

Now You are 1000 In July 2013, HK Magazine hit its 1,000th issue. We celebrated with an enormous bumper edition packed with 1,000 reasons to love Hong Kong, which stemmed from one hell of a spreadsheet (not counting the false start because not everyone on the team was great at spreadsheets).

To accompany that milestone we threw a party that’ll go down in history for (mostly) the right reasons. The theme: Hong Kong Hipster.

The location: an alleyway next to the Excelsior Hotel. The time: Hong Kong summer. The cooling fans: insufficient. The whole city turned out and it was sweaty, glorious fun. There was even a splinter party which took over the air-conditioned furniture shop next door.

Oh, and someone peed on a bus. In full view of the bus.

2015

Signs of the Times Magazines need to be refreshed from time to time, and HK Magazine has seen a few changes along the way. In September 2015 we redesigned the magazine with an all-new look that put an emphasis on cleaner lines and more dynamic images.

Our cover story that week went viral across the internet, as we looked at the how little Hong Kong’s median wage of $14,800 a month would actually buy you. The answer? 10,000 fishballs—or maybe you could rent a shoebox in Causeway Bay.

2016

Hot, Sexy, Internet Action In early 2016 we redesigned and relaunched our website, and damn it looked fine. Thanks to some hard work from our web design team—and plenty of sleepless nights—we went from something that looked like a legacy of the 2000s (because it was) to a modern, sexy, image-friendly site. And we can tell you, the backend was SO much better there aren’t even words.

2016

Today & Tomorrow In an interview for the 15th anniversary issue in 2006, founder Steve Freeman said that “What Hong Kong wanted in 1991 isn’t that different from what it wants today. It wants individual voices, voices to stand up for people instead of promoting the voices of government and other special interests.

They want a free and open and democratic and fair society. None of that’s changed that much.”

We’re honored to have been that voice for Hong Kong. We’re proud of the work we’ve done, and proud to have been part of the singular, amazing city we’ve celebrated and championed over the years.

Sep 2015: Living on fishballs alone

1991-2000

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Jun 2006: Fresh fifteen

2000-2007

2007-2015

2015-Present

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Magic Moments…

Covers that cared

Champions of the City HK Magazine has always prided itself on being more than just a lifestyle rag. We don’t just talk about food and drink, gigs and parties—we’re also deeply concerned with the city. That’s why we’ve long been proud champions of heritage conservation, foreign domestic workers’ rights, the environment and the dangers of pollution, LGBTI rights and democracy.

Through it all we’ve been a consistently proud, progressive voice in the city.

This deep connection with the city is exemplified by what became one of our most popular covers of all time—Pierre Pang’s wonderful painting of Wan Chai’s Blue House.

Dec 2010: Kind of blue

Don’t Fear the Daft Some weeks we decided that we just didn’t really want to work that hard, so we’d do a silly issue. As it turns out, these issues actually took way more work than the standard ones. You’d think we’d learn, wouldn’t you?

Two particular favorites are January 2007’s Future Issue, set in the far future and written by robo-versions of the writers, and 2013’s Yo! HK Raps! Issue, in which pretty much everything was in rap form. Word.

Jan 2007: We went to the Year 3000

Sep 2011: Meeting the protesters

Apr 2013: Previewing Occupy

Political Animals

Oct 2014: We explore the possibilities after 2047

We’re intensely proud of our independent political coverage of the city; we were never afraid to tell it as we saw it. From our documenting of the community that grew up around the Occupy site in Central, to our coverage of the new voices in the student movements, to our assertion that Hong Kong didn’t (and doesn’t) need a Chief Executive, but a mayor—we’ve been proud to criticize, to push, to provoke and to make fun whenever we thought it mattered. Most of the time—it did.

Aug 2013: More flow than a lau sa bao

…and a Few Cock-ups

2012

May you Live in Dubious Times HK Magazine has always prided itself on its Dubious Achievement Awards, our annual December roundups of what we called “The year in stupid.” Each year we reminded the city of its ignoble achievements…

But it came back to bite us in the ass the time we, um, spelled the word “achievement” wrong on the cover. In two different ways.

People noticed—and thought we were being deliberately meta. If only we hadn’t scrambled to fix it in the online version…

2009

Apr 1997: The A-Z of Handover

Jul 2014: Screw the CE, get a mayor?!

Incorrectness Gone Mad In his politics and humor column “Politically Incorrect,” columnist Chip Tsao said some things about the city’s Filipino population which were taken the wrong way. HK Magazine’s offices got picketed. Manny Pacquaio threatened to punch him. The magazine and Tsao both apologized soon after.

Aug 2014: Meeting Hong Kong’s new radicals Sep 2015: Where are we now?

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28/10 – 4/12

Selected Films 1957 1958 1960 1965 1968 1969 1970 1973 1975

Kanal Ashes and Diamonds Innocent Sorcerers The Ashes I & II Everything for Sale Hunting Flies Landscape after Battle The Wedding The Promised Land

Persons aged 18 and above only

Cinema, Hong Kong Film Archive Tickets: $55 Tickets now available at URBTIX

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You Must Remember This…

HK Magazine’s current staff on the shuttering of a legend

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Adam White Senior Editor

My relationship with HK Magazine in a professional capacity only began in February 2015 but my emotional connection with it started way back in the halcyon days of clubbing in the early 90s. HK Magazine was one of the mustread magazines if you wanted to be perceived as hip. I’m truly devastated. All I can say is it’ll leave a noticeable absence in my life and everyone else’s.

I feel so privileged to have been part of a Hong Kong institution, a magazine that’s meant so much to so many people and has touched and transformed the community. Thanks so much to our readers, and to my colleagues for never compromising on the quality, integrity and creativity of the mag week after week!

My first encounter with HK Mag was in 2001.

I found it nimble and irreverent, never trying too hard to seem cool. When the chance came to work with them, I jumped at it. It turned out to be even more fun than I’d imagined, thanks largely to the team—a more talented, caring and downright hilarious bunch you could not hope to meet. Now, as we find ourselves scattered to the four winds, I wish them the best of all things. It has been a privilege.

Dave Vetter Editor

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HK Magazine seems like an unlikely choice of reading material for a schoolgirl dressed See you for Issue in a blue cheongsam—but I No. 2000! made sure to pick a copy up after school every Friday from the hair salon near my home. Going Stephanie Tsui from reader to writer has been a teenage dream come true.

Reporter

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Kay Leung Senior Graphic Designer

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[‘Rain will fall. Widows will remarry. Why hinder [it]?’] HK Magazine 不再拋頭露 臉了 [won’t show its face again].

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Kelly Cheung Production Supervisor

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Assistant Chinese Editor

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My first encounter with HK Magazine was at secondary school, when my English teacher would bring in copies for us to read (with the ‘Savage Love’ pages torn out, of course), calling it the only authentic voice of the English media.

Little did I know that years later that I would be part of that voice, part of Kate Lok a team of awesome, dedicated people Contributor that made my first job memorable.

I am the same age as HK Magazine and this is my first full-time job!

It’s been my pleasure to work for HK Mag, for I truly love what I do. I will miss you all, my friends...

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Goodbye? Oh no... please! Can’t we go back and press reset?

We are HKers. We love this city. Let’s continue to embrace Hong Kong!

Chairman Mao said,

天要下雨，娘要出嫁，由他去吧。

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Thank you HK Magazine, for letting me catch Pokémon at work, yanking me into the world of nightlife and hangovers, introducing me to a whole new realm of sexual innuendos (‘tossing off’ vs ‘tossing back’?), and, ah, the 4pm vodkas.

Thanks for the memories.

Sophia Lam

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Elaine Tang Graphic Designer

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Pierre Pang Senior Art Director

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Joyce Kwok Graphic Designer Wing Chan Graphic Designer

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I’ve been reading this magazine since I was little, and I always thought how cool it’d be to work there. The journey still feels unfinished, but it has made some of the most amazing memories in my career—from interviewing celebrities to jetting off to London for just one night, to Xavier Ng collecting the heritage of the Custom Publishing Editor best city in the world.

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Luisa Tam Editor-in-Chief

6+ years, 324 issues, 180 covers, one of the most important periods in my life, a deep debt of gratitude.

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Will really be missing the days at HK… ‘bye bye your tail!’

ARRRR!! It is hard to say goodbye to HK Magazine. I am glad to be a part of this happy fun family! THANK YOU HK-MAGAZINE!! <3

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Leslie Yeh Features Editor

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My first ever job was at HK Magazine, 10 years ago.

I was a 19-year-old intern with an ego the size of a planet. The editor said I could have the job, on one condition: ‘Don’t be a dick.’ I’ve tried hard to live up to that advice. (My ego? Still huge.) I’ve come back time and time again. It’s taught me to write and to love this amazing, implausible, phenomenal city. We’ve been snarky, opinionated, fiercely loyal to Hong Kong—and independent to the end. Long live HK Mag, in your hearts and minds. We aren’t going anywhere.

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Pauline Wan Senior Marketing Manager

Janice Fung Marketing Manager

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Just because I let you go, doesn’t mean I wanted to.

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Ricardo Ng Marketing Executive

HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016

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Goodbye to All That

Former HK Mag staffers recall the good (?) old days…

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Hana Alberts Deputy Editor

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lived under “his Andeskintern for a few nights

because he was homeless, and no one knew.

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There was nothing more Hong Kong than HK Mag. Now it’s gone and I fear Hong Kong is disappearing as well.

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Yalun Tu “The Straight Man” columnist

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fell in love with one “ofAntheintern writers, and tried to get

another intern who was sitting closer to deliver daily updates on what he was doing.

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We once ran a cover story titled ‘Hong Kong's God Problem.’ Religious groups threatened to sue, advertisers pulled out, and I thought we were going to be struck down by lightning. But we lived to sin another day. God bless HK. John Robertson Features Editor

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The weekly sphincter-clenching moment on Friday evenings as Steve Freeman meticulously closed an issue… him standing on a table before bemused staff screaming ‘I want sales… give me sales!’ … Every day was an adventure with balcony drinks to clear away the drama and more hangovers than the ‘Barfly’ column…

Scott Murphy Senior Writer

I love how HK Magazine helped to shape Hong Kong’s popular lexicon - we coined NoHo, PoHo, K-Town and The Dark Side and, for a brief period, Cougar Alley (Wyndham Street) to name just a few. We also made ‘Asiapean’ happen, for better or for worse.

I’m also proud of the fact that we never minced our words when it came to calling bullshit.

I don’t think there was ever another publication that dared to be as honest as HK. Sarah Fung Managing Editor

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One morning the Editor got to “ work to discover that someone had shat in his drawer. A far-reaching investigation was launched, but it took two years to track down the culprit. And no, we’re not telling you who it was.

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The intern who debated “ libertarianism with the office—and

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I spent 12 amazing years with HK Magazine.

What made it work were the people that passed through its doors. There was a passion inside the company rarely seen. It came from the founders down to the editors, designers, sales and marketeers and every intern. We could tell the story, put it in perspective, yet add our unique touch of humor.

We were successful because our readers were addicted to our content and they trusted us.

Greg Crandall Publisher

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I’m most proud of the stories that we did that actually helped to change things in Hong Kong. For example, our former Deputy Editor Winnie Yeung basically saved Wing Lee Street from being demolished after we ran her story on its inevitable (or so we thought) demise.

Tom Hilditch Editorial Director

really needed it because he was turning tricks to make ends meet.

The interviewer felt so bad… they give him an energy bar.

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Zach Hines Editor-in-Chief

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once applied for a “jobSomeone at the magazine, saying he

The intern who stole the Managing Editor’s phone at an office party, and didn’t wipe it before bragging on social media about his new iPhone.

Intrepid detective work led to the editor’s spouse storming into a bar and pulling it out of a headphone socket—the ex-intern was using the phone to DJ.

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Hire whoever you like as long as they are very smart or very cute.

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My fondest memory is when we were just a scrappy group of alternative journalists writing about democracy while subsiding almost exclusively on free mooncakes and stockpiles of ArtWalk booze.

Use the word “fuck” once a month, just to wake readers up. Stop with the three star reviews.

Readers want five stars or one star. A good magazine has a heart. it is kind. It cares.

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Evelyn Lok Film Editor

Joyce Lau Managing Editor

Save readers time, effort and money and they will love you. Everything is for the reader. Our job is the delivery of joy.

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When a reader looks at a magazine (or website) their first question is “what’s this?”

Their next question is “What’s in it for me?” If those two questions cannot be answered in one millisecond you have lost the reader.

We used to have a communal sharing table on the editorial side of the office, which had been piling up with months and months of press samples, gifts and long-overdue food. I had been at HK Mag for two weeks, and just before Christmas break I decided to take one for the team and tidy and wipe down the whole table once and for all. I ended up getting diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth disease over Christmas weekend through to New Year’s. Lesson learned: no more office hygiene martyrdom.

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Johannes Pong Dining & Nightlife Editor

I was managing editor when HK Magazine fought its way through the 2003 SARS crisis.

We wore masks to work, held our own salaries and drew cover art with crayons. It was a true alternative weekly, one that was equally critical of both terrible restaurants and overbearing politicians.

Some quotes from [Founder] Steve Freeman on how to edit a magazine:

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When I interviewed neo-pop artist Romero Britto, I lamented about how I couldn’t afford his art in hope of getting a discount. But he did something better: he drew a portrait of me.

We were there opposite Chachawan and 208 before Sheung Wan became Sheung Wan, working on a weekly that defined the city and its scene. Our theatrically tumultuous times at HK Mag involved cockroaches in phones, shit in desks, a basic bitch caught plagiarising in-situ— TWICE—who then still got hired at a competing publication. Oh how I miss the hot mess, hotter gossip, the fusterclucks and camaraderie.

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A staff writer locked herself in the conference room and refused to be fired.

One of the founders owed “everyone a bunch of money and then skipped town. ”

Penny Zhou Arts Editor

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At our annual Christmas party, a drunk staffer railing against the world: ‘IT’S ALL FUCKED!!!’

HK Magazine gifted me the best job I ever had.

What other Hong Kong institution would encourage you to scrutinize the status quo and its injustices, try trendy restaurants and bars, and interview everyone from Cantopop stars to hawkers? Hong Kong is losing the voice of one loving yet critical auntie this week. I am devastated to see it go.

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then spent a lunchtime trying to sell the editor Herbalife.

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The immense feeling of relief after wrapping up a double issue—finishing two weekly issues in one week's time. A lightbox check [going through the completed magazine] without catching a single error. Weirdly themed Christmas parties. Seeing colleagues getting drunk at balcony drinks.

Adele Wong Senior Associate Editor

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唔駛送 No Need Deliver

What Might Have Been…

…What Might Still Be

Stories and stuff we wanted to do, but never got around to.

What if HK Magazine had stayed open? We’ve projected our covers forward into the future…

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Water People We wanted to go hang out with the people who live and work on the water, but we never got our ass in gear.

Whoops.

The Expat is Dead Hong Kong’s international elites are no longer the besuited, red-faced Englishmen of yore, and the entire notion of “The Expat” is woefully outdated. What’s wrong with “immigrants,” anyway?

Facing Off Two famous people, two differing opinions, one amusing photoshoot.

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What’s with all the French?

Seriously, they’re EVERYWHERE. (OK, we know it’s all about the tax breaks, but this Frong Kong situation is off the hook.)

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Naked Ambition Interviews with famous people, naked, the idea being that they would bare their souls and bodies alike.

Hamstrung by the fact that no one wanted to get their kit off.

At least 10,000 more jokes about CY Leung Obviously.

NOW WHAT?

All Hail John Tsang

Hong Kong’s new Chief Executive!

2017: New CE, new excuse for listicle about mustaches

2047: Did Hong Kong survive?

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ESCAPE ROUTES

Madrid, Mi Amor With Cathay Pacific having just launched direct flights, there’s never been a better time to explore the Spanish capital. Here’s eight things to do on any trip. By Adam White

1. Soak up the Sun in the Retiro

6. Dance ‘til Dawn

Madrid’s iconic Retiro Park is a must-visit, with beautiful gardens, a stunning lake and on Sundays, half the population of the city. Take a rowing boat out onto the lake in the middle of the park, or look out for the Statue of the Fallen Angel, said to be the only prominent sculpture dedicated to the devil—and located 666m above sea level.

Madrid’s bars and clubs generally don’t open till 10, and never get going before midnight.

Make the most of your siesta, because the city’s buzzing nightlife will keep you bar-hopping all night long. Check out the party district of Malasaña, and visit unique bars like the kitchsy Tupperware (26 Corredera Alta de San Pablo, Madrid, (+34) 914-485-016), La Vía Lactea (18 Calle Velarde, Madrid, (+34) 914-467-581)—the hangout of iconic film director Pedro Almodóvar in the 80s—or the eclectic and brilliantly named El Perro de la Parte Atrás del Coche (literally “The Dog in the Back of the Car” or “the Nodding Dog,” 15 Calle La Puebla, Madrid, (+34) 618-783-054) for a grab-bag of awesome tunes.

2. Down some G&Ts on a Rooftop Spain has long perfected the art of the G&T, served in bulbous goblets by enthusiastic waiters who have never heard of measured pours. Wander to the rooftop bar of The Principal Hotel (see “Where to Stay,” below) or the Hotel Urban for an evening of sampling different Spanish gins, all with unbeatable views of the city.

Carrera de San Jerónimo, Madrid, (+34) 917-877-770.

3. Wander Free The metro system is easy to use—but you won’t need it much. Flat and densely packed, Madrid is an incredibly walkable city. Stroll down huge avenues like Gran Via or Paseo del Prado for a glimpse of grand old Madrid, or get lost among the quiet alleyways of the Barrio de las Letras, full of boutiques and bars alike. Make sure to stop in at La Trocha (55 Calle de Las Huertas, Madrid, (+34) 914-297-861) for the best caipirinhas of your life.

4. Visit the Golden Triangle of Art There are three major art galleries in Madrid within a 10-minute walk from each other, and guides will tell you that they’re all a must-visit. But realistically, hitting up the Prado, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen-Bornemisza in a single visit is pretty impossible—so pick the one which best suits your art interests. If it’s old-school Velazquez, El Greco and Goya you’re after, the Prado’s for you. If Spanish art means Picasso and Dalí to you—and you feel the need to be overwhelmed by Picasso’s enormous, legendary “Guernica,” then the Reina Sofia is where you need to be. Want something in between? The privately-owned ThyssenBornemisza fills in the gaps, and tends to be a lot less crowded.

5. Stuff your Face at a Converted Market The last few years have seen tvva culinary resurgence in Madrid’s food scene, with a flowering of combination markets/food courts which have taken over the evenings.

Grab a caña—that’s a small glass of beer—and weave among the stall, picking out phenomenal tapas and new-wave treats, from classic jamón iberico to freshly shucked oysters or flash-fried shrimp. Check out the original market, the Mercado de San Miguel (Plaza de San Miguel, Madrid, (+34) 915-424-936), with its fantastic wrought iron architecture. Or try the light and airy Mercado San Antón (24B Calle de Augusto Figueroa, Madrid, (+34) 913-300-730), with it’s fantastic rooftop terrace that’s perfect for a sundowner. In the evening, head to Platea (5-7 Calle de Goya, Madrid, (+34) 915-770-025), housed in a huge converted cinema, for some top-quality food—at a price. Make sure to grab a cocktail right at the top of the building, overlooking the entire room.

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7. Shop The open-air Rastro flea market is a centuries-old institution, and you’ll want to get there early on a Sunday morning before the crowds hit. The main market is full of cheap clothes and plenty of tourist tat—but head down to the lower sections and nearby plazas for art, books, and the most eclectic selection of bricà-brac you’ve ever seen.

8. Tapas, tapas, tapas On the weekends, Madrileños flood to La Latina, a bar-filled district with some of the best tapas in the city. Work your way up and down Cava Alta and Cava Baja streets, weaving in and out of the bars. Do it the Madrileños way by ordering a tapa and a drink in each one, before heading on to the next.

Where to Stay

The Principal Hotel Madrid is a beautiful boutique hotel located right in the center of town, just off Madrid’s main artery of the Gran Via. It’s a gorgeous property that’s part gentlemen’s club, part lounge, and all class.

Rooms are minimalist chic, with flawless décor and the perfect mix of old Madrid and modern comfort, and service is ideally unobtrusive. Even if you’re not staying at the hotel, make time for the stunning rooftop bar Terraza, which serves up cutting-edge cocktails—and unbeatable views of the heart of this energetic, vibrant city.

Rooms from €231 ($2,008). 1 Marqués de Valdeiglesias, Madrid, (+34) 915-218-743, theprincipalmadridhotel.com

HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016

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Dining

The Last

Things have been sad at the HK Mag offices, but we like to find the silver lining—lunch is about to get a whole lot tastier. Goodbye to cafeteria food: We’re drowning our sorrows by eating our way through our all-time favorite dishes in Hong Kong. Freedom has never tasted so good. By HK Staff

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收 爐 Put Away Stove

Adam White I’m still on an irritating low-carb diet, but we’re all allowed a cheat week, right? First, the legendary Kau Kee (21 Gough St., Central, 2850-5967) for their curry beef brisket ho fun. I’ve been eating this with glee for the last 10 years and the only problem is that the price keeps creeping up. Then Carbone (9/F, 33 Wyndham St., Central, 2593-2593) for their phenomenally good rigatone alla vodka, which I have shameful dreams about. Next everything I can cram into my mouth at Ping Kee Thai Restaurant (155-157 Third St., Sai Ying Pun, 2151-9597), a spot so good I’ve tried not to write about and ruin the secret. The grilled everything is superb; skip the pad Thai. Last, I’m planning on being disgracefully drunk a good few times this week, and you know what that means: Tsui Wah (15 Wellington St., Central, 2525-6338) for their chicken curry.

It’s the taste of a good night out—and I plan to have many more.

Tsui Wah curry, never change

Carbone’s amazing rigatone

Kate Lok I’ll first pay a visit to my old stomping grounds in Shek Kip Mei to relive my uni days, stopping by Ban Heung Lau (Shop 204-205, 210-213, Nam Fung House, Shek Kip Mei, 2778-8791) for some fragrant “wok hei”-filled western-Chinese fusion, paired with an addictive iced chocolate milk. After eating my feelings away with sesame-sprinkled shrimp and flame-grilled beef, I’ll hop over to neighboring ice-cream vendor C+ House (Shop P20, Nam Shan Estate, 111 Tai Hang Tung Rd., Shek Kip Mei, 9790-9609), for one of 28 ice-cream flavors—all for $6 a scoop. A late-night dessert at Auntie Sweet (13 Tsing Fung St., Tin Hau, 2508-6962) never fails to make a day better. I always go for the same thing: Their signature durian tofu fa pudding.

And if the undying ghost of HK Mag keeps me up at night, a 3am Mcdonald’s delivery is always a good companion.

Leslie Yeh Wasted lunches are almost as bad as a wasted pub... (*ahem). First I’m hitting K-Roll (G/F, Sen Fat Building, 6A Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, 2234-5505) for my bulgogi beef bowl fix, followed by a REAL salad at Monsieur Chatté (121 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, 3105-8077). Wine, cheese and charcuterie await at Cochin Delicatessen (26 Peel St., Sheung Wan, 2561-3336), then it’s off to modern Japanese kitchen Okra (G/F, 110 Queen’s Rd. West, Sai Ying Pun, 28061038) for their carabinero prawn soup and dry-aged tuna. At night, find me drinking copious earl grey martinis at 001 (Shop 1, L/F, Welley Building, 97 Wellington St., Central, 2810-6969)…

Auntie Sweet’s tofu fa is our first port of call

Okra’s dry-aged tuna

Dave Vetter

I’m not a fan of fine dining, and three of my favorite non-fancy joints happen to be in Wan Chai. I’ll make a trip to Thai Farmer (Wanchai Central Building, 89 Lockhart Rd., 2520-6607), who I am convinced do the best tom yum goong in town—as long as your mind can handle three competing soundtracks (unce-unce-unce) blasting through the walls and ceiling from the adjacent, uhm, “nightclubs.” I’ll also make space for Le Café Winebeast (15 McGregor St., 2479-6833), where the informal setting reminds me that French food in Hong Kong doesn’t have to mean 14 courses of overpriced, flavored foam. I will top the week off by incinerating my corporeal being with the authentic Sichuan firefood (not actually a word) of Yu Chuan Club (Shop B, 1/F, Hundred City Centre, 7-17 Amoy St., 2838-5233), and follow that by having my ashes scattered off the Star Ferry. And scene.

Classic, simple French at Le Café Winebeast

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Xavier Ng

Stephanie Tsui I’ll be kicking off mornings at my “home office” with milk tea from Pokfulam Village’s favorite dai pai dong, Lo Ming Kee (Shop 8, Food Carnival, 2/F, Chi Fu Landmark, Pok Fu Lam, 2538-1718). If I do get out of the house, my first stop will be Bijas Vegetarian Restaurant (G/F, Run Run Shaw Tower, Central Podium, Centennial Campus, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, 2964-9011), where I’ll be carefully weighing my options at their pay-byweight buffet. For greasy, carby comfort food (and I’ll probably be needing a lot of that), Penang Lang (G/F, 3 Hoi Chak St., Quarry Bay, 5236-1363) is my go-to for Malaysian char kway teow.

If that doesn’t cut it, you’ll see me queuing for egg puffs at Mammy Pancake (Shop 17, G/F, Leishun Court, 1-5 Haven St., Causeway Bay).

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I’ll be heading straight to Shui Kee Coffee (Shop 17, 2/F, Sheung Wan Municipal Services Building, Sheung Wan, 2850-8643) for their famous bottled iced milk tea.

While I’m in Sheung Wan, Imma check out Chachawan (206 Hollywood Rd., Sheung Wan, 2549-0020), the best Issan Thai restaurant for the self-respecting hipster, and reminisce about Sheung Wan before it was cool. Then cart noodles at Wing Kee Noodle (G/F, 43 Jardine St., Causeway Bay, 2808-2877) and egg puffs at Master Lowkey Food Shop (Shop B3, 76A Shau Kei Wan Main St. East, Shau Kei Wan) are my go-to spots. Peak Cafe Bar (9-13 Shelley St., Central, 2140-6877) by the SoHo escalator is where I’ll be people-watching: This east-meets-west bar encapsulates what Hong Kong is all about.

Say bye at Chachawan

Sophia Lam The shaved ice mountains at Shari Shari Kakigori House (14 Haven St., Causeway Bay, 2529-1223) are my kind of silver lining: There’s something soothing about watching syrup weep its way into the airy milk-flavored ice. Or I’ll pick up a skewer of extra spicy curry beef balls from Chan Kee Fishballs (Westlands Gardens, 1027-1035 King’s Rd., Quarry Bay), to numb my feelings.

You’ll also see me in the little alleyway of Sing Heung Yuen (2 Mei Lun St., Central, 2544-8368) at around noon, planting myself by the tables in hopes of speeding up the wait for the rich tomato and beef noodles. Or I’ll be at Chan Kun Kee (3-5 Wo Che Estate Market, Sha Tin, 2606-1390), a dai pai dong that looks like it’s facing extinction soon (look who’s talking). Their shredded chicken Ice is nice at Shari Shari seasoned with wasabi and sesame oil sells out fast, so grab your fix before it’s gone too.

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Dining

Go to hk-magazine.com and tap “What’s Around Me” for dinner ideas!

NEW AND NOTED

A truffle-infused take on carbonara at The Continental

Continental Cravings Swire Restaurants are slowly but surely carving out their own niche in the destination dining scene. The Continental (4/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 27045211) is a solid standalone restaurant, now sporting a brand new look to match a revamped menu. Located at Pacific Place with a spacious outdoor dining patio strung with fairy lights (great for private parties with a DJ booth and portable bar), The Continental’s new appearance boasts hues of emerald green and chestnut brown, evoking a cozy vibe that’s accentuated by a refined menu by executive chef Joey Sergentakis. From salads to seafood dishes, roast meats and charcuterie, the menu is pretty widespread, but you can taste the best the kitchen has to offer with the six-course tasting menu ($680). Standout dishes include the creamy taiyouran egg and black truffle carbonara and the Brittany blue lobster with risotto and tarragon gratin—a flavor-packed seafood feast with pieces of sweet, succulent lobster meat basted in more shellfish flavor from the creamy grains. After dinner, refresh your palate with a tempting selection of sweets, from chocolate mousse to a perfectly balanced vanilla cheesecake with orange sorbet and frozen meringue.

RESTAURANT REVIEWS Rhoda ★★★★★

Western. 345 Des Voeux Rd. West, Shek Tong Tsui, 2177-5050.

It was a gift from the culinary gods that led chef Nate Green to leave his post at 22 Ships to pursue a solo venture. With the brains and backing of JIA group, Rhoda is a culinary tour de force.

HIT Chef Nate has cooking chops, but it’s the intention behind each dish at Rhoda that really makes an impression.

A smooth chicken liver dip ($38) was the best we’ve ever had: smooth and velvety without feeling heavy, accompanied by delicate crispy taro chips; the complimentary Suntory dark ale beer bread pulled apart in a waft of aromatic, smoky flavors, complemented perfectly by the briny nori butter; and the thinly

sliced Hokkaido scallops ($198) got a refreshing lift from grapefruit and pickled ginger. The next few dishes hit it out of the park: the charred corn with clams, slow-cooked egg and katsuobushi ($158) was creamy, crispy, smoky and bursting with umami all at once; while the Brink’s free-range chicken ($518) boasted a golden, slightly charred skin with juicy and tender meat swimming in a fragrant ginger dressing.

MISS The popular slow-cooked octopus with cucumber and mint has been replaced with a fall-inspired version with chorizo and red wine sauce ($258).

Unfortunately, the dish was muggy and underwhelming. But what’s one miss in a parade of outstanding dishes?

BOTTOM LINE Nate Green has put his heart and soul into the menu at Rhoda, and it shows: without a doubt, one of the best new restaurants of 2016.

Open Tue-Fri 6pm-midnight, Sat noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight, Sun 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

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$$ $200-$399

$$$ $400-$599

$$$$ $600-$799

$$$$$ $800 and up

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Retreat Backward Edited by Leslie Yeh leslie.yeh@hkmagmedia.com

Dine on quinoa with octopus at DJAPA

Food for the Soul

Cross-Culture Eats

The much-anticipated Soul Food Hong Kong (28 Elgin St., Central, 2177-3544)—the fourth Black Sheep Restaurants venture to open this year following Maison Libanaise, Belon and Buenos Aires Polo Club—had its soft opening last week, and we’re betting there’s already a line out the door. Soul Food has been a staple local hangout and tourist haunt in Bangkok for the past 7 years, and now chef Jarrett Wrisley is now introducing his honest and inventive cooking to Hong Kong, with farm-to-table dishes that draw inspiration from the northern regions of Thailand while maintaining a fun, approachable vibe. Dishes include smoked duck larb, Thai samosas, and gaeng lang hay (Burmese pork belly curry) and the décor aims to conjure up the feel of an authentic Thai shophouse, with wooden tables and Thai-patterned furniture. We’d suggest popping in soon before the SoHo crowds descend.

Here’s a fusion mash-up we didn’t see coming: Hong Kong’s first NipoBrasileiro (that’s Japanese-Brazilian) restaurant, DJAPA (G18-20 & F18A, Lee Tung Avenue, 200 Queen’s Rd. East, Wan Chai). The merging of Brazilian and Japanese of cultures and cuisines is celebrated with dishes such as the Tropical Camarao ($98), a Brazilian recipe of cassava and shrimp flambéed in Cachaça, freshened up with Japanese tomatoes and kabocha; and Suntanned Crabs ($98), with Japanese river crabs and farofa, a Brazilian cassava dish.

So Long, and Stay Hungry Thanks to everyone for keeping my plate full this year. Hong Kong’s dining scene never fails to amaze me and I hope you independent restaurateurs, creative culinary minds and wizards in the kitchen continue doing what you’re doing. Keep the grill fired up, and I’ll see you at the dinner table.

For more in-depth reviews, visit hk-magazine.com!

Sushi Gin ★★★★★

Japanese. 27/F, Zing!, 38 Yiu Wah St., Causeway Bay, 2151-1888.

After proving his knife skills at Sushi Ta-ke and Kishoku, chef To Chi-hang has moved to a new post at Sushi Gin, which occupies a beautiful space atop Causeway Bay’s Zing! with a light oak sushi counter, bonsai trees and long windows to let in plenty of natural light.

HIT The restaurant offers several lunch sets ($288-488; $980 for omakase), all including a selection of appetizers, salad, soup and dessert. We settled on the nine-piece sushi platter ($368) and were presented first with a raw fish salad in a sesame dressing and a fresh salad of cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and radish.

Both were cool and refreshing palate-

cleansers. Then came the sushi parade: we enjoyed the yellowtail, a thick piece of fish topped with minced garlic; the otoro, with its light pink, buttery fattiness; and the sea perch, which dissolved in the mouth within seconds after a quick blow-torch to release the fatty oils. The uni nigiri was topped off with bright orange sea urchin so high it almost toppled as we picked it up, and the chef added an extra chopped tuna hand roll at the end just in case we were still hungry (we weren’t).

MISS Our vegetable tempura ($100) was scant. It was also under seasoned, and the mushroom failed to deliver the burst of umami we were expecting.

BOTTOM LINE Sushi joints are easy to come by in CWB, but Sushi Gin makes its case as a destination restaurant with skilled chefs, seamless service and panoramic views of the harbor to savor in-between bites.

Open Mon-Sun noon-2:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm. $$-$$$$

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.

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Later Meet Have Date Compiled by Jessica Wei jessica.wei@hkmagmedia.com

UPCLOSE : SONNY TURNER HK Magazine: How did you start out in music?

Sonny Turner: My mother was a fabulous gospel singer. She took me to church and I sang in the junior choir. I loved music, it was like second nature to me. I kept singing, and all over the world were groups of kids who were getting together and forming vocal groups. I was in a group called The Metrotones out of Cleveland, and we learned our craft from people like The Four Freshmen, The Mills Brothers, The High-Lows, and so on. We developed a reputation as a fine little vocal group. The group was the same configuration as The Platters—four guys and one girl. We had been singing the music of The Platters, as well. But eventually, two of our members were drafted into the Service, but I was too young, and The Metrotones disbanded.

HK: And The Platters?

ST: I was singing in a nightclub and [producer and songwriter for The Platters] Buck Ram had sent his friend to Cleveland to scout for a lead singer to replace Tony Williams. He happened to come into the club while I was onstage. When I finished my show, this gentlemen approached me and said he’d found the lead singer of the new Platters. Buck Ram had me come and meet them in a live performance in Milwaukee, where The Platters were appearing in a supperclub. I did an audition for them, and they hired me that night.

Sonny Turner (second from right) is the last surviving original member of The Platters, an American pop and R&B group that became a mainstay of American pop radio from the 50s to the 70s with hits like “Only You,” and “The Great Pretender.” Turner talks to Jessica Wei about his life and career, as well as his favorite rapper.

HK: Were they very famous at this time?

ST: They were at the top of their fame. Isn’t that wonderful?

I think it was divine intervention. We were singing The Platters’ music as The Metrotones, as some little group in Cleveland, and it just so happens, that I ended up singing for the actual Platters. What do you call that?

HK: I’d call that divine intervention.

ST: It most certainly is, my friend!

HK: How does it feel to be back on stage singing the music of The Platters?

ST: It’s hard to express the feeling. It’s magical. It’s a thrill. I feel that God has blessed me with the opportunity to sing this music again. The music will go on after I’m gone, and for ages to come. It’ll probably be playing on digital devices going to Mars.

HK: What do you think of modern pop music?

ST: Some of it is really nice. Luckily we still have Lionel Richie, Barbra Streisand, and some good songwriters. But I think some of the music is not music. I don’t think rap is music, it’s an interpretation of rhythm and poetry. I accept this is my personal taste, but I’d rather hear Nat King Cole and Edith Piaf sing. I like some of the rap, though, you know, LL Cool J and some of those guys. But some of the rap… it’s gotten to the point where it’s vulgar, aggressive anger. It has ceased to be music. But there’s a lot of good music out there. I like Justin Timberlake, and Bruno Mars. He’s old school.

HK: What can you tell us about your Hong Kong show?

ST: We’re going to do all the delightful music that was written, songs The Platters recorded that your mom and dad and grandparents enjoyed. We’re going to have a stage show—not just singing, but some comedy, too! We’re going to have a ball.

See Sonny Turner sing The Platters’ hits in Hong Kong on Friday, October 8, 8pm, in Hall 5G, HKCEC, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai. $480-1,280 from hkticketing.com

Concerts

Musicals Ensemble InterContemporain

Roy Hargrove Quintet, “Tribute to Miles”

Two-time Grammy-winning jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove and his quintet of musicmakers make a stop in Hong Kong to pay their respects to the late, great Miles Davis. Discovered out of high school by Wynton Marsalis, Hargrove has played with everyone from former Miles collaborator Herbie Hancock to neo-soul libertine D’Angelo and certified goddess Erykah Badu. Oct 20, 8:15pm. Concert Hall, City Hall, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central, $280-580 from urbtix.hk

Classical

The Little Match Girl Passion

Hong Kong’s favorite Renaissance choral group teams up with visiting conductor Christopher Watson for a performance of David Lang’s “Little Match Girl Passion,” a contemporary choral piece that sets Hans Christian Andersen’s grim fable to the style of one of Bach’s Passions. The ensemble will also perform two Renaissance-era classics, Bach’s “St. John Passion” and Palestrina’s “Stabat Mater.” Oct 15, 7:30pm. St. Andrew’s Church Kowloon, 138 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, $250 from tallisvocalis.com

France’s Ensemble InterContemporain, one of the leading contemporary music groups in the world, will be making their debut in Hong Kong. They’ll be playing all the atonal hitmakers, including pieces by Arnold Schoenberg, György Ligeti, the ensemble’s art director Matthias Pintscher, Franco Donatoni and new Hong Kong composer Charles Kwong.

Leave your conventional musical companions at home and settle in for a night of some of the most challenging pieces of music, played by some of the best musicians anywhere. Oct 23, 8pm.

Concert Hall, City Hall, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central, $200-420 from urbtix.hk

Joseph Moog Plays Brahms

28-year-old piano virtuoso Joseph Moog has toured all over, playing with many of the world’s leading symphony orchestras including the Detroit Symphony and the Helsinki Philharmonic. He’ll be joining the Hong Kong Sinfonietta and guest conductor Christoph Poppen in a performance of three Austrian greats: Webern’s “Langsamer Satz,” Haydn’s “Symphony No. 104 in D,” and Brahms’ “Piano Concert No. 2 in B-flat, Op 83.” Oct 15, 8pm. Concert Hall, City Hall, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central, $140-360 from urbtix.hk

Les Vents Français

One of the world’s most celebrated wind ensembles, Les Vents Français, will be performing a programme that includes Poulenc’s “Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano,” as well as Saint-Saëns’ “Caprice sur des airs Danois et Russes,” among other woodwind pieces.

This all-star group includes Emmanuel Pahud on flute, Paul Meyer on clarinet and oboist François Leleux—each of whom have individually carved out a name for themselves in the music world. Oct 19, 8pm. Concert Hall, City Hall, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central, $180-400 from urbtix.hk

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Jaap van Zweden’s Mahler and Mozart

After extending his contract as Music Director of the HK Phil through to 2022 (as well as taking on a new role of Music Director of the New York Philharmonic), Jaap van Zweden will be back behind the podium for the first time this season to lead them in a performance of Mahler’s Symphony no. 1, “Titan.” They will be joined by Chinese violinist Yang Tianwa for Mozart’s Violin Concerto no. 4. Oct 20-21, 8pm. Concert Hall, Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui,hkphil.org. $280-680 from urbtix.hk

Dance

Matsukaze

A new contemporary performance by German choreographer Sasha Waltz, composer Toshio Hosokawa and the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble mixes elements of Japanese Noh theater, opera and contemporary dance in this modern interpretation of the Noh play “Matsukaze,” about the lingering spirits of two sisters who died of grief after their love went away. Through Oct 23, 7:30pm. Grand Theatre, Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, newvisionfestival.gov.hk. $160-580 from urbtix.hk

Superposition

After being commissioned by the Festival d’Automne à Paris and making its premiere at the Centre Pompidou, “Superposition,” by musician and sound artist Ryoji Ikeda, makes its way to Hong Kong. This huge sonic and visual performance involves two performers playing non-musical instruments, interacting with 21 video screens of different sizes. Nov 18-19, 8pm.

Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall, 1 Yuen Wo Rd., Sha Tin, newvisionfestival.gov.hk. $120-300 from urbtix.hk

Stomp After touring the world for 25 years, and staging over 20,000 performances in more than 53 countries, Stomp is coming to Macau. The eight-piece performance group turns everyday items—bin lids, plastic bags, lighters; everything, including the literal kitchen sink—into an explosive percussive symphony. Through Oct 9. Venetian Theatre, The Venetian, Estrada do Istmo, Cotai, Macau, venetianmacao.com. $180-780 from hkticketing.com

Until the Lions

The renowned Bangladeshi dancer, choreographer and 2012 Olivier Award recipient Akram Khan reinvisions the Sanskrit epic poem “The Mahabarata” in Hong Kong for the New Vision Art Festival. A trio of dancers—Akram Khan, Chien Ching-ying, and Christine Joy Ritter—depict the transformation of a kidnapped princess, from her vulnerable state into an androgynous warrior, bloodthirsty for revenge. Nov 19, 8pm; Nov 20, 3pm.

Grand Theatre, Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, newvisionfestival.gov.hk $140-480 from urbtix.hk

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Exhibitions

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Backstage Scenery

While everyone else is focused on the action onstage, photographer Irene Flanhardt has turned her lens behind the wings, to the actors and performers of four Cantonese opera productions as they apply makeup, don headgear and hair-pieces, put on elaborate costumes and get ready to go out in front of a full house. Flanhardt captures the tension of the cast before a performance, the heat of the theater, and the quietly frenetic energy backstage as the show is in full swing. Through Dec 18. Flanhardt Galerie und Atelier, 1/F, Tai O Garden, Shek Tsai Po St., Tai O, fgua.com.hk

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“Welcoming the Light” Irene Flanhardt, Courtesy of the Artist.

Tsang Kin-wah: Nothing

Inaugurating the M+ Pavilion in the new West Kowloon Cultural District is “Nothing,” an installation and solo show by Hong Kong artist Tsang Kin-wah, which was inspired by Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” and its musings on life and fate. This show is a continuation of his 2015 solo exhibition “The Infinite Nothing,” which represented Hong Kong at the 56th Venice Biennale. Through Nov 6. West Kowloon Cultural District, West Kowloon, westkowloon.hk/en/mplus

X+Y

This exhibition by mixed-media artists Phoebe Hui and Tung Wing Hong explores mechanical movements and technology and considers how both affect human perception. Encompassing video art, interactive music-making machines and more, visitors are invited to come and engage with kinetic art media with these emerging Hong Kong artists. Through Oct 30. Chi Art Space, 8/F, New World Tower 2, 18 Queens Rd. Central, k11artfoundation.org

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Nightlife

Go to hk-magazine.com and tap “What’s Around Me” for more ideas!

OPEN BAR SKYE The buzz: The city’s newest rooftop bar has been the talk of the town before it even opened, thanks to its panoramic view—and its handsome bartenders.

The décor: This outdoor terrace bar is nestled on the hotel’s 27th floor, exuding a futuristic aura set against the glittery skyline of Victoria Harbour. The bar area, which looks like a pair of glowing bass clefs from above, is equipped with a retractable canopy so the party can carry on rain or shine. DJs spin tunes every night here behind the sleek illuminated decks.

The drinks: Before we delve into the drinks, let’s talk about the names: they somehow manage to tie in with the flavors in the most whimsical ways. Before we even sipped on Sfumato ($120)—the Italian for “smoke”—we got a noseful of a charred aroma from a shell on the glass rim, stuffed with singed berry leaves. With homemade berry syrup and grapefruit tonic, this is a great mezcal-based aperitivo with a tart citrusy finish. A Kind of Pink ($110) oozes femininity top-to-bottom, from the orange peel daintily balanced on the rim and the pink peppercorn

Concerts

imbued tequila base, down to the tiny dropper loaded with ambrosial liqueur made from violet petals.

Remember Jeff Koons’ flower-blanketed colossus Split Rocker at the Rockefeller Center two years ago? Skye has made a drink out of it, named the Rocking Horse ($110). A sprinkle of roasted walnut on top adds a crunchy texture to the bourbon and cassis in this mint julep spinoff, while the mint leaves throw in a hint of freshness to the mix of aromas—a perfect palate cleanser in between the savory bar dishes.

Why you’ll be back: Skye is serious about their bar bites. The melt-in-your-mouth Szechuanstyle Black Angus skewers ($180), accompanied with a mildly spicy watermelon chutney, are worth the trip back alone; while the duck confit croquettes ($160) wowed us with a lavish filling of shredded duck confit.

With a spectacular view, and creative drinks menu (liquid nitrogen drinks are inbound), it’s looking like we’ll be back every weekend. Sophia Lam 27/F, The Park Lane Hong Kong, a Pullman Hotel, 310 Gloucester Rd., Causeway Bay, 2839-3327.

Gigs

Kurt Vile & The Violators

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Kurt Vile is hitting town for one night this October.

Catch the American singer-songwriter and his backing band The Violators at the hippie hub Hang Out, where he’ll be showcasing his indie-folk tunes and (hopefully) flaunting his skills with some of his more unusual instruments—like the lap steel guitar, which resembles a Chinese zither. Oct 19, 8pm.

Hang Out, 1/F, Youth Outreach Jockey Club, 2 Holy Cross Path, Sai Wan Ho, tiny. cc/facebook_Hang-Out. $470 advance from eventbrite.hk; $520 at the door.

Zoukout Live Edition

Zoukout, Singapore’s definitive dance festival, brings the party with their Live Edition at the inaugural 2016 Formula E ePrix in Hong Kong. Get down with a night of high-energy EDM and chart-topping artists, including Korean rapper CL and multiple Grammy winner Ne-Yo, as well as Dutch DJ and producer Nicky Romero. Whoop it up with pumping tunes, premium bottle service, and intimate proximity to the headliners next to the starting line of the ePrix race course. Oct 7, 5:30-10:30pm. Central Harbourfront Event Space, 9 Lung Wo Rd., Central, 2433-3324. zoukout.com/2016/zohk. $1,380-1,780 from ticketflap.com/zoukouthk.

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Studio presents: Jennifer Palor

Greet Monday with a smile with Jennifer Palor, who will be humming her mesmerizing jazz tunes every Sunday evening at Studio.

Her unconventional concoction of urban and jazz, with sensuality oozing from her voice, has earned her a spot among the best-loved vocalists in Asia.

Sundays, 9pm till late. Studio, 1/F, On Hing Building, 1 On Hing Terrace, Central, 27987115, studioclub.asia. Book a table at reservations@ studioclub.asia.

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散 Band Disperse Band Compiled by Sophia Lam sophia.lam@hkmagmedia.com

Studio & Cliché present: Kartell

Bob to Kartell’s groovy beats as he kickstarts this showcase of funky French house tracks and intricate remixes as the clock strikes 12.

Founder of his own label, Roche Musique, and one of the archetypal producers of the French house movement, Kartell will be spinning the mesmeric tunes that have made him a stand-out in the flourishing Parisian electronic scene. Oct 21, midnight. Studio, 1/F, On Hing Building, 1 On Hing Terrace, Central, 2798-7115. studioclub.asia. $150-200 from kartell.pelago. events, $250 at the door.

Book a table at reservations@ studioclub.asia.

Happy Hours

Burgers and Craft Beer at Vibes

Sometimes nothing beats a juicy burger and a beer: paired with the chilled alfresco lounge setting at vibes, your weekday afterwork plans are sorted. Order a set from the new burger menu (from $178, including the Takayama Hida Beef burger, with premium beef from Gifu prefecture), which comes with fries, two dressings and a bottle of Hong Kong-brewed craft beer. Get a second bottle for 50 percent off. Mondays-Thursdays, 6-9pm. Vibes, 5/F, 118 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui.

Veuve Clicquot presents: Yelloween

by The World of Tim Burton

Yellow is the new black this Halloween— Veuve Clicquot is teaming up with The World of Tim Burton (runs from Nov 5, 2016-Jan 23, 2017) to showcase the gothic works of the visionary film director who has brought to life quirky characters like Edward Scissorhands and Willy Wonka. Ahead of the exhibition, Veuve Clicquot will be painting the town in their signature shade of yellow with Yelloween parties at chic spots around town. More details to be announced here: facebook.com/VeuveClicquot.HK. Oct 28-29, at various locations including Dragon-i, Tazmania Ballroom, Bungalow, Flint at the JW Marriot and ToTT’s at the Excelsior.

Clay Pot Cocktails at ON Dining Kitchen and Lounge

Halloween Special: The Optimist’s Arabian Nights Cocktail

Barcelona-chic bar The Optimist jumps on the Halloween bandwagon with its newest Arabian Nights cocktail, inspired by none other than Aladdin, the bar manager’s favorite Disney cartoon. The drink takes the form of a “magic lamp” complete with smoke pouring from the spout, while the cocktail itself is based around Yzaguirre red vermouth laced with a pinch of burnt rosemary and hot pepper sauce.

Oct 24-31. The Optimist Bar, G-2/F, 239 Hennessy Rd., Wan Chai, 2433-3324. facebook.com/theoptimisthk

Nightlife Events Bounce Spooky Super Session

Jump out of your skin as Halloween takes over Bounce trampoline park every Friday night in October, as well as the last three days of the month, with a three-hour Spook Super Session. Watch out for costumed staffers (“Bounce Ghosts”) jumping out of nowhere—and if you’re brave enough, grab one for a selfie between flying leaps and hashtag #bounceinhkhalloween for a chance to win two free Bounce passes.

There will also be a dodgeball tournament against zombified staffers—the last man (or woman) standing will be awarded a free pass.

Oct 7, 14, 21, 28, 29, 30, 31, 6-9pm. Bounce Inc, G/F, E-MAX, KITEC, 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay, 2556-9555. bounceinc.com.hk. $220 for three hours. Dress Code: Halloween.

If barrel fermented wines sound passé, what about a clay pot brew? Italian cocktail supremo and founder of his own brand of Vermouths, Giancarlo Mancino has designed a new bar menu for the Michelinstarred ON Dining Kitchen and Lounge.

Storing his new cocktails in four-liter Italian clay pots for over a week before bottling, he sorts the drinks into “Stirred,” “Shaken” and “Built” according to the way they are served. The collection consists of nine cocktails, including the revamped classic ONegroni #2, with Rinomato Aperitivo, gin, Mancino’s very own Vermouth Rosso Amaranto and an extra hit of cold-brewed coffee. On Dining Kitchen & Lounge, 28-29/F, 18 On Lan St., Central, ontop.hk. $140 a glass; $980 a bottle.

Beerliner German Bar and Restaurant Oktoberfest 2016

The thoughtful folks at Beerliner are offering authentic German grub paired with three exclusive brews from Munich’s HackerPschorr brewery—try the weisse beer’s faint bitter note and banana sweetness, which draws out the roasted aromas of the signature roasted suckling pig. If you’re looking for a full German culinary experience, go for the Oktoberfest Platter ($248)— Pork fillet wrapped in crispy pork belly, slathered in a dark beer sauce. Through Oct 31. Beerliner, various locations including Shop 05, 13/F, Langham Place, Mong Kok, 2972-0078, beerliner.com.hk.

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Nightlife MGM Oktoberfest

Head to our Sister SAR—where everything looks bigger and grander—to keep those taps flowing. Having poured more than 96,000 liters of beer over the past seven years, MGM’s Oktoberfest is back with an 11-day calendar packed with Bavarian fun.

The Högl Fun Band is jetting in from Munich to light up the evening with folk dances and performances. Soak up the authentic German flavor with Spaten, one of Munich’s six official Oktoberfest brews, under the traditionally decorated beer tents. Oct 13-23, 6pm-midnight; Oct 22, 11am-3pm. MGM Macau, Avenida Dr Sun Yat Sen, Peninsula, Macau, (+853) 8802-2666. MOP160 from mgmmacau.com/mgm-oktoberfest.

Whisky Live at Asia Society Hong Kong

Flying all the way from Scotland, Whisky Live is hitting town for the first time. Featuring big names like Auchentoshan along with independent bottlers like Murray McDavid, this illustrious whisky sampling event showcases as many as 100 whiskies from around the world. If you’re serious about your bourbon, we suggest securing a VIP ticket, which gives you access to the Whisky Luxe Tasting Room, where you can get a taste of rare drams normally found only at auctions. Oct 8, 1:30-9:30pm. Asia Society, 9 Justice Drive, Admiralty, 2798-7115. whiskylivehk.com. $280-980 from ticketflap. com/whiskylivehk2016. All tickets include one Whisky Live x Glencairn whisky glass.

60 SECONDS WITH...

JOYCE CHENG Cantopop singer Joyce Cheng tells Sophia Lam about the theme of her upcoming concert, Hong Kong’s obsession with “goddesses,” and reveals her secret talent.

HK Magazine: What inspired you to call your concert “Goddess Has a Problem”?

Joyce Cheng: Originally I wanted to name it “Joyce Cheng: I Have a Problem”, but then the company thought adding in “goddess” sounds more interesting, so whatever. I really love the double meaning in this— it can be an inquisition, but it can also mean “something’s wrong with me.”

I want to let people know that it’s OK not to be OK. HK: What do you think of society’s obsession with the term “Goddess”?

JC: I don’t think it’s a good thing. Before my song “Goddess,” I thought a girl had to be perfect—tall and skinny with huge boobs, a firm butt and big eyes—to be a “goddess.” But now the term has been abused to an extent that you feel there’s something wrong with you if you don’t fit those qualities. Which is why I hope to redefine the term with my song, by telling people everyone is born as a goddess; it’s just that we forget how to appreciate ourselves as we grow up.

HK: When’s the last time you sang in the shower?

JC: It was last night [starts singing “We Don’t Talk Anymore”].

HK: What was your worst slip-up on stage?

JC: This one time I was going to receive an award for my song “Thin Enough?”—it was my first dance song. At the high point of the song, I kicked my leg up and my jumpsuit ripped at the, uh, crotch-slash-butt area.

I was wearing black underwear though, and the jumpsuit was black so you couldn’t really tell...

HK: What’s your favorite Hong Kong noise?

JC: The steady hum of a really cold air-conditioner—I know it’s so not eco-friendly, but my hair won’t have it any other way.

HK: What’s your secret talent that only a few know?

JC: I can burp really, really loudly. It’s like a rumble, like a roar. I can’t do it on command though, but when I do burp, it’s like YOU’LL KNOW. HK: When’s the last time you laughed really hard?

JC: It was last night, when I was Facetiming my best friend Alfred and we were pretending to la-a-ag. It was really stupid but super fun.

Catch Joyce Cheng in “Goddess Has a Problem” on Oct 21-22, 8:30pm at Star Hall, KITEC, 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay, $280-580 from hkticketing.com

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Film

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Glory Close Business

Deepwater Horizon PPPPP Directed by Peter Berg. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich. Category IIA. 108 minutes. Opened Sep 29.

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster was the worst in the history of the petroleum industry. Eleven people were killed and 210 million gallons of oil were dumped into the Gulf of Mexico over 87 days. So, hey, let’s make a movie about it with lots of explosions and Marky Mark! But Peter Berg’s movie is pure disaster porn, and as such it works well on almost every level.

Mark Wahlberg plays Mike Williams, chief electronics technician on the Deepwater Horizon, a high-tech mobile oil rig. The rig is run by Jimmy Harrell, known universally as “Mr. Jimmy” (Kurt Russell), who’s exactly the kind of no-nonsense guy you’d want to have running your massive piece of equipment. These two are your honest employees, just trying to make a buck and do the right thing in a greedy, corporate world. But evil lurks in the shape of a few big bad BP oil executives, particularly Donald Vidrine (a hammy-as-ever John Malkovich), who are all about profit as their primary motive.

They’re behind schedule, and if that means skipping a test or two, endangering a life or 11—well, so be it.

As history shows, it doesn’t turn out well. After overlooking a test, the systems around the pipe fail and oil geysers into the air, with fumes soon igniting the station. Cue huge explosions and opportunities for heroism and cowardice all round.

“Deepwater Horizon” is basically “Jurassic Park” without the dinosaurs. The rich unthinkingly build a massive monument

Coming Soon

to human ingenuity, nature finds a way to fight back, hero must work to get everyone out alive. With explosions.

Wahlberg is his usual capable self, not so much acting as grimacing his way through the movie with suitable everyman aplomb. Kurt Russell is naturalistic and likeable, while Malkovich proves that the Overenuciate, Overstate and Overact school of performance has its place—especially when he’s staggering across a rig covered in murky oil, blinded by his greed. And oil.

But the extraordinary thing is that this all happened just six years ago. We’re fed images of tragic heroism as the music

Opening

The Magnificent Seven

(USA) In this new action thriller by Gavin O’Connor (“Warrior”), Ben Affleck plays a small-town accountant who moonlights for international criminal organizations. Also starring Anna Kendrick, Jeffrey Tambor, John Lithgow and J.K. Simmons, it’s likely to be the most exciting film about accounting this year.

Opens Oct 13.

Cell

(USA) Based on the Stephen King horror novel of the same name, John Cusack plays a New England dad who joins forces with Samuel L. Jackson to find his family after a mobile signal causes almost everyone else to turn into zombified murderers. Opens Oct 13.

Mr. Right

(USA) Martha McKay (Anna Kendrick) is an eccentric single girl who’s convinced she’s met the man of her dream in Sam Rockwell’s Francis, a funny, warm guy who likes to cuddle. Only flaw: He murders people for a living. Takeaway?

The next time bae tells you he’s a real ladykiller, believe him. Opens Oct 13.

Continuing Absolutely Fabulous

(USA) A remake of John Sturges’ 1960 Western epic (itself a remake of Kurosawa’s 1954 “Seven Samurai”) about a group of seven gunmen (played by Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke and others) in the Old West who help protect a poor village against thieves.

Opens Oct 13.

The Accountant

swells and an American flag flutters into shot, and sure, it feels good. But is it, perhaps, too soon? Too opportunistic?

To make an audience care, a film needs strong characters—and the characters of “Deepwater Horizon,” particularly those of Wahlberg and Russell, achieve this.

But little emphasis is given to the deeper, more enduring cost of the disaster. The cost we’re shown is human, not environmental—and it lessens the significance of the whole tragedy. Go for the explosions, sure. Go for Marky Mark.

But afterwards, go save a dolphin, you ass. Adam White

(UK) After accidentally shoving Kate Moss into the river Thames, Britain’s favorite problemdrinking fashionistas hit the road to the south of France. AbFab is an entertaining satire of the fashion industry and packed with great cameos, but you’ll only really love it if you’re British or have watched the show before. PPP

Snowden

(Germany/France/USA) Oliver Stone (“JFK,” “Wall Street”) is back with another biographical thriller, and this time it’s on renegade CIA agent and cybersecurity freedom fighter Edward Snowden (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Also stars Zachary Quinto as journalist Glenn Greenwald.

Opened Oct 6.

Operation Mekong

(China/Hong Kong) Based on the 2011 Mekong River massacre, when two Chinese cargo ships were attacked in the Mekong river and their 13 crew members killed. Stars Zhang Hanyu (“Mr. Six”) and Eddie Pang. Opened Oct 6.

Don’t Breathe

The BFG

(UK/Canada/USA) Steven Spielberg brings the beloved Roald Dahl novel about a bullied gentle giant to the big screen: Young orphan Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) is snatched from her bed into a land where roam behemoth troglodytes hungry for “human beans.” It’s a cinematic feast for the eyes, and a rollicking romp into the Giant Country of our childhoods. PPPP

Blair Witch

(USA) Twenty-two years after Heather Donahue disappeared into the woods in 1999’s cult phenomenon “The Blair Witch Project,” her brother (James Allen McCune) and his group of handycam-toting buddies head back into Black Hills Forest to uncover the legend.

(USA) Three burglars in crumbling Detroit are planning a payday break-in that could solve all their problems, and then some. Their target: A blind man hoarding a fortune in cash in his house. But what they don’t expect is what else he’s hiding. Directed by Fede Alvarez (“Evil Dead”). Opened Oct 6.

Deepwater Horizon

(USA) See review, above.

Equals

(USA) In a dystopian future in which society has managed to shed the inefficient burden of human emotions, Silas (Nicholas Hoult) and Nia (Kristen Stewart) are infected with a disease that awakens their ability to feel.

(USA) Documentarist Andrew Rossi (“Page One”) turns his lens the Met Gala, and their most famous exhibition, “China: Through the Looking Glass.” Beautifully shot, but struggles to deal with its subject matter without seeming Orientalist. PPPP

Bridget Jones’s Baby

(UK) Everyone’s favorite desperate singleton is back. Now 43, Bridget Jones (Renee Zellweger) manages to hook up with both her ex, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) and new American boy Jack Qwantz (Patrick Dempsey). With a baby roasting in her womb, she has to figure out who the father is. A solid comeback with some less-thanPC moments, Bridget Jones is as delightful as ever. PPP

10.3 Listing Film Oct 1.indd 40

(USA) Is it 2016 already? Seems like it was yesterday that we all collectively meh’d out of Woody Allen’s last inappropriate love triangle (“Irrational Man”). His latest finds Jesse Eisenberg as a fresh-faced showbiz assistant in 1930s Hollywood named Bobby, hopelessly in love with Kristen Stewart, who is caught in a private affair with Bobby’s uncle, played by Steve Carrell.

The First Monday in May

Sadako vs. Kayako

(Japan) In this cross-over film between horror films “Ring” and “Ju-on” (remade as “The Grudge” in the States), the vengeful ghosts in their respective films resurface to haunt two teenage girls and wreak havoc in their lives, until a young exorcist devises a plan to get both Sadako and Kayako to face off.

Opened Oct 6.

Cafe Society

Happiness

(Hong Kong) In this new film by Andy Lo, a lost man finds himself in Hong Kong, rejected by his father and mourning the death of his mother.

He befriends a reclusive and temperamental auntie, but their relationship deepens after she is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.

5/10/2016 2:41 PM

Nerve

(USA) A new teen techno-thriller has all eyes (and phone-lenses) on Emma Roberts and Dave Franco as the pair play a highly elaborate game of truth or dare via camera app for money.

Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (“Catfish”), “Nerve” tries to highlight the impact of technology on our society but plot holes and weak characters leave it falling flat. PP

Julieta

(Spain) Based on three Alice Munro short stories, Pedro Almodóvar’s latest is about Julieta, who recalls the steps which led to her estrangement from her daughter Antía, as she waits for her to get back in touch. Almodóvar’s back on top again with this superbly acted melodrama. PPPP

Nine Lives

(USA) Kevin Spacey is presumably badly in need of a little extra rent money as he stars in this film as a workaholic billionaire who neglects his family life… until he’s magically turned into a cat. By Christopher Walken. Ugh.

Sully

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

(USA/Belgium/UK) When tragedy strikes young Jacob Portman (Asa Butterfield), clues lead him to a peculiar orphanage full of shapeshifting residents cared for by one very mysterious mistress (Eva Green). Green is the highlight and we wish she got more airtime, but the film feels like a junior version of “X-Men” with a “Groundhog Day” twist. Not Tim Burton’s best. PPP

(USA) Clint Eastwood directs Tom Hanks as Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the real-life hero pilot who landed his crippled plane on the Hudson River right in the middle of New York—but his reputation is soon called into question.

War Dogs

(USA) Jonah Hill, Bradley Cooper and Miles Teller star in this stoner-bro war comedy about two American arms dealers supplying weapons to US troops in Afghanistan. This well-paced lesson in arms dealing 101 gets the benefit of Jonah Hill’s resting bitch face and tight direction from Todd Phillips (“The Hangover”). PPP

Hong Kong Asian Film Festival

Film Festival Hong Kong Asian Film Festival Now in its 12th year, the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival is bigger than ever, with 63 films showing over two weeks.The festival opens with Hong Kong director Wong Chan’s feature debut “Mad World” and Chinese film “Soul Mate,” a coming-of-age flick about two best friends by director Derek Tsang (“Lover’s Discourse”). Other highlights include a screening of “Momotaro, Sacred Sailors,” Japan’s first feature-length animated film from 1945, and “Yourself and Yours,” the 18th feature by South Korean indie auteur Hong Sang-soo (“Right Now, Wrong Then”). Closing the festival is “I Am Not Madame Bovary,” directed

by Feng Xiaogang (“Aftershock”) and starring Fan Bingbing. Oct 13-31. Broadway Cinematheque, Prosperous Garden, 3 Public Square St., Yau Ma Tei; Palace IFC, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St., Central; Broadway The One, 5-11/F, The One, 100 Nathan Rd. , Tsim Sha Tsui; Palace APM, L6-1, 6/F, APM, Milennium City 5, 418 Kwun Tong Rd. , Kwun Tong,hkaff.asia. $85-95 fromcinema.com.hk

Special Screening

Rooftop Cinema HK Presents “Cry-Baby” A bad-boy greaser meets an uptown girl in 1990’s “Cry-Baby,” John Waters’ crazy sendup of the drive-in teen movies of the postwar era. Johnny Depp plays Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker, a delinquent from the wrong side of town who falls in love with Allison Vernon Williams (Amy Locane) and incites the fury of both of their communities. Catch “Cry-Baby” accompanied by a short film presented by the Third Culture Film Festival at the Rooftop Cinema. Oct 9, 7:30pm. Shore, 3/F, L Place, 139 Queen’s Rd. Central, $200 from hushup. hk/events

Compiled by Jessica Wei

UP TO

HK- MAGAZINE.COM

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Free Will Astrology ROB BREZSNY LIBRA (Sep 23-Oct 22): “It isn’t normal to know what we want,” said psychologist Abraham Maslow. “It is a rare and difficult psychological achievement.” He wasn’t referring to the question of what you want for dinner or the new shoes you plan to buy. He was talking about big, long-term yearnings: what you hope to be when you grow up, the qualities you look for in your best allies, the feelings you’d love to feel in abundance every day of your life. Now here’s the good news, Libra: The next ten months should bring you the best chance ever to figure out exactly what you want the most. And it all starts now.

SCORPIO (Oct 23-Nov 21): Are you able to expand while you are contracting, and vice versa?

Can you shed mediocre comforts and also open your imagination to gifts that await you at the frontier?

Is it possible to be skeptical toward ideas that shrink your world and people who waste your time, even as you cultivate optimism and innocence about the interesting challenges ahead of you? Here’s what I think, Scorpio: Yes, you can. At least for right now, you are more flexible and multifaceted than you might imagine.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec 21): The coming weeks will be one of the best times ever for wrestling with God or tussling with Fate or grappling with karma. Why do I say that? Because you’re likely to emerge triumphant! That’s right, you lucky, plucky contender. More than I’ve seen in a long time, you have the potential to draw on the crafty power and unruly wisdom and resilient compassion you would need to be an unambiguous winner. A winner of what? You tell me. What dilemma would you most like to resolve? What test would you most like to ace? At what game would you most like to be victorious? Now is the time.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19): Are you grunting and sweating as you struggle to preserve and maintain the gains of the past? Or are you smooth and cagey as you maneuver your way towards the rewards of the future? I’m rooting for you to put the emphasis on the second option. Paradoxically, that will be the best way to accomplish the first option. It will also ensure that your motivations are primarily rooted in love and enthusiasm rather than worry and stress.

And that will enable you to succeed at the second option.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20-Feb 18): Do you believe that you are mostly just a product of social conditioning and your genetic make-up? Or are you willing to entertain a different hypothesis: that you are a primal force of nature on an unpredictable journey? That you are capable of rising above your apparent limitations and expressing aspects of yourself that might have been unimaginable when you were younger? I believe the coming weeks will be a favorable time to play around with this vision.

Your knack for transcendence is peaking. So are your powers to escape the past and exceed limited expectations.

PISCES (Feb 18-Mar 20): In one of your nightly dreams, Robin Hood may team up with Peter Pan to steal unused treasure from a greedy monster— and then turn the booty over to you. Or maybe you’ll meet a talking hedgehog and singing fox who will cast a spell to heal and revive one of your wounded fantasies. It’s also conceivable that you will recover a magic seed that had been lost or forgotten, and attract the help of a fairy godmother or godfather to help you ripen it.

ARIES (Mar 21-Apr 19): At a recent party, a guy I hardly know questioned my authenticity.

“You seem to have had an easy life,” he jabbed.

“I bet you haven’t suffered enough to be a truly passionate person.” I didn’t choose to engage him, but mused to myself, “Not enough suffering?

What about the time I got shot? My divorce?

My five-year-long illness? The manager of my rock band getting killed in a helicopter crash?” But after that initial reaction, my thoughts turned to the adventures that have stoked my passion without causing pain, like the birth of my daughter, getting remarried to the woman I divorced, and performing my music for excited audiences. I bring this up, Aries, because I suspect that you, too, will soon have

experiences that refine and deepen your passion through pleasure rather than hardship.

TAURUS (Apr 20-May 20): It’s the Frank and Focused Feedback Phase, Taurus—prime time to solicit insight about how you’re doing. Here are four suggestions to get you started. 1. Ask a person who loves and respects you to speak the compassionate truth about what’s most important for you to learn.

2. Consult a trustworthy advisor who can help motivate you to do the crucial thing you’ve been postponing. 3. Have an imaginary conversation with the person you were a year ago. Encourage the Old You to be honest about how the New You could summon more excellence in pursuing your essential goals. 4. Say this prayer to your favorite tree or animal or meadow: “Show me what I need to do in order to feel more joy.”

GEMINI (May 21-Jun 20): Many of my readers regard me as being exceptionally creative. Over the years, they have sent countless emails praising me for my original approach to problem-solving and art-making. But I suspect that I wasn’t born with a greater talent for creativity than anyone else.

I’ve simply placed a high value on developing it, and have worked harder to access it than most people.

With that in mind, I invite you to tap more deeply into your own mother lode of innovative, imaginative energy. The cosmic trends favor it. Your hormones are nudging you in that direction. What projects could use a jolt of primal brilliance? What areas of your life need a boost of ingenuity?

CANCER (Jun 21-Jul 22): Love wants more of you. Love longs for you to give everything you have and receive everything you need. Love is conspiring to bring you beautiful truths and poignant teases, sweet dispensations and confounding mysteries, exacting blessings and riddles that will take your entire life to solve. But here are some crucial questions: Are you truly ready for such intense engagement? Are you willing to do what’s necessary to live at a higher and deeper level? Would you know how to work with such extravagant treasure and wild responsibility? The coming weeks will be prime time to explore the answers to these questions. I’m not sure what your answers will be.

LEO (Jul 23-Aug 22): Each of us contains a multiplicity of selves. You may often feel like there’s just one of you rumbling around inside your psyche, but it’s closer to the truth to say that you’re a community of various characters whose agendas sometimes overlap and sometimes conflict.

For example, the needy part of you that craves love isn’t always on the same wavelength as the ambitious part of you that seeks power. That’s why it’s a good idea to periodically organize summit meetings where all of your selves can gather and negotiate. Now is one of those times: a favorable moment to foster harmony among your inner voices and to mobilize them to work together in service of common goals.

VIRGO (Aug 23-Sep 22): Pike’s Peak is a 14,115-foot mountain in Colorado. It’s not a simple task to trek to the top. Unless you’re well-trained, you might experience altitude sickness.

Wicked thunderstorms are a regular occurrence during the summer. Snow falls year-round. But back in 1929, an adventurer named Bill Williams decided the task of hiking to the summit wasn’t tough enough. He sought a more demanding challenge.

Wearing kneepads, he spent 21 days crawling along as he used his nose to push a peanut all the way up. I advise you to avoid making him your role model in the coming weeks, Virgo. Just climb the mountain. Don’t try to push a peanut up there with your nose, too.

HOMEWORK: What is the best gift you could give your best ally right now? Testify at http://FreeWillAstrology.com.

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A question on your favorite topic, Dan. Just kidding, it’s a question about my vagina.

I’m having a problem with the microbiome of my vulva and vagina. I’ve been going to my gyno for the last six months for recurrent bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections.

She shrugs, gives me a script, the symptoms go away for a week or so, then they come back. I understand the infections are likely due to an imbalance in my vaginal pH, but I don’t know what to do to fix this. I’ve used probiotic suppositories to boost the amount of lactobacillus and these help more than anything else, but the problem remains. I also wear cotton, loose-fitting undies and practice good hygiene and never douche or use anything scented. The problem started when I stopped using condoms with my partner, but it’s not an STI. We’ve both been tested.

There’s tons of sites online talking about this problem, but no one has a solution that I’ve found. How the hell can women with this problem fix their pH?! Thanks a ton if you read this far, and thanks a million tons if you or one of your experts has any ideas to help.

– Vexed Und Lacking Vaginal Answers

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“I love that she used the word ‘vulva,’” said Dr. Debby Herbenick, a research scientist at Indiana University, a sexual health educator at the Kinsey Institute, and the author of Read My Lips: A Complete Guide to the Vagina and Vulva and numerous other books. “Most people have no idea what that even is!”

I know what that is! (Full disclosure: I know what that is now. I didn’t know what that was when I started writing this column.) The vulva is (the vulva are?) the external genitalia of the female—the labia, the clit, the vaginal opening, some other bits and pieces. (Fun fact: Vulva is Latin for wrapper.) The vagina, aka “the muscular tube,” runs from the vulva to the uterus. (Fun fact: Vagina is Latin for the sheath of a sword.) People tend to use “vagina” when referring to a woman’s junk generally, and while meaning follows use and I’m inclined to give it a pass, saying “vagina” when you mean “vulva” makes scientists like Dr. Herbenick rather teste.

(Sad fact: Teste is not the singular form of testes.)

Now back to your vulva and vagina, VULVA… Dr. Herbenick recommends seeing a “true vulvovaginal health expert” (TVHE) about your problem, VULVA, and your gynecologist presumably qualifies as a TVHE… right?

“Not necessarily,” said Dr. Herbenick.

“Gynecologists know far more about vaginal and vulvar health issues than most health care providers, but many gynecologists haven’t received deep-dive (pun not intended) specialized training in difficult-totreat vulvovaginal health conditions. And if they have, it was likely when they were in med school—so years ago. They might not be up to date in the latest research, since not all doctors go to vulvovaginalspecific conferences.”

Is there a fix for that problem?

“Yes! If everyone lobbied for their doctors to go to events like the annual conference of the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease (ISSVD),” said Dr. Herbenick, “we would live in a country with millions more happy, healthy, sex-interested women and others with vaginas and vulvas, too, like trans men.”

As for your particular problem—a tough case of bacterial vaginosis—Dr. Herbenick, who isn’t a medical doctor but qualifies as a TVHE, had some thoughts.

“There are many different forms of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and different kinds of yeast infections,” said Dr. Herbenick. “These different kinds respond well to different kinds of treatment, which is one reason home yeast meds don’t work well for many women. And all too often, health care providers don’t have sufficient training to make fine-tuned diagnoses and end up treating the wrong thing. But if VULVA’s recurrences are frequent, I think it’s a wise idea for her to see a true specialist.”

A TVHE is likelier to pinpoint the problem.

Even so, Dr. Herbenick warns that it may take more than one visit with a TVHE to solve the problem.

“I don’t want to over-promise, since BV remains a challenging diagnosis and often does come back

at some point,” said Dr. Herbenick. “There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to BV, which is also why I think VULVA is best off meeting with a health care provider who lives and breathes vaginal health issues. The ISSVD is full of health care providers like that—they’re the Sherlock Holmes of vaginas and vulvas, none of this ‘shrug and here’s a script’ business. VULVA can check out ISSVD.org for more information.”

I have a question about biking and female genitalia. I’m a woman in my forties, and I love biking! My husband and I often go for long rides on the weekend. Unfortunately, this makes various parts of my crotch sore, especially the clitoris. Certain bike seats are better, but none eliminate the soreness.

Two years ago, we had a baby, which not only made my crotch more prone to soreness but makes it a lot less likely that we’ll have sex except on weekends, often after biking. The sore clit makes sex more painful, but it also increases sensitivity, so the whole thing can be an alternating experience of “Ow!” and “Wow!” Am I causing my clit any permanent damage by the biking and/or the post-bike poking? Any suggestions for decreasing crotch soreness?

– Bike Related Injury To Clit; Help Ease Soreness “I lov e biking, I love vulvas, and I love babies (mine, and I’m sure I would adore BRITCHES’s baby, too!),” said Dr. Herbenick, “so I appreciate being asked to chime in on this question. That said, there’s not a ton of research on female genital health in connection with cycling.”

There’s far more research on men and cycling, due to the risks of bike-seat-related erectile dysfunction specifically and our society’s tendency to prioritize boners generally.

“The few studies that have been conducted on women and cycling—generally cisgender women as far as I can tell—found that cutout seats are linked with a higher risk of genital symptoms, as are handlebars that are lower than the saddle,” said Dr. Herbenick. “So broader saddles and higher handlebars may be the way to go. Some of the research notes higher rates of genital symptoms among people who go on longer rides, spending hours in the saddle.”

To decrease your risk of un-fun genital symptoms, BRITCHES, Dr. Herbenick recommends mixing it up.

“Go biking some weekends and try other activities on other weekends—maybe hiking or swimming? You might also take Dan’s ‘fuck first’ Valentine’s Day advice and apply it to your weekend rides. And if you’re prone to post-intercourse semen leakage (and, really, who isn’t?) use a condom or have him come elsewhere pre-ride so you don’t have the semen seepage issue to contend with on a long ride. I hope this helps!”

Follow Dr. Debby Herbenick on Twitter @ debbyherbenick.

YOU CAN HELP: Wherever you fall on the debate about sex work—it should be decriminalized, it shouldn’t be decriminalized—everyone agrees that women who engage in sex work shouldn’t be punished. Yet thousands of women are incarcerated for prostitution or prostitution-related crimes. The Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP) has launched a pilot program to help these women.

Go to swopbehindbars.org to send a book to an incarcerated sex worker (books are in great demand), become a pen pal, or donate a book to a prison library. Since everyone agrees sex workers shouldn’t be punished, everyone should be able to get behind SWOP Behind Bars. I donated a book to an incarcerated sex worker today—it was easy!—and you can, too.

On the Lovecast, Dan talks guns and spit with the “Liberal Redneck” Trae Crowder: savagelovecast. com.

Find the Savage Lovecast (my weekly podcast) every Tuesday at thestranger.com/savage.mail@savagelove.net

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SMART JOBS

Food S SDesignBS Education S & BBeverage S & Beauty S S S S Corporate S S S S Health S S S S B B B B B B B B B B O O OB JOB JOB JOB JOB JO T JO Else J JO T JO T JO T JO T JO T JO T JO TMedia JO T Everything J J T T T T T T T T

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Chef de Cuisine – American Signature Steak House We are looking for a highly motivated and energetic Chef de Cuisine to join our signature Steakhouse – McKay’s. McKay’s Steakhouse is conveniently located in Central and haunts back to the days of the classic, east coast American steakhouse that serves modern interpretations of classic American food. This is a fantastic and rare opportunity for an experienced individual to work closely with our Executive Chef in delivering an amazing dining experience for all American Club Members and their Guests.

The chef de cuisine is in charge of all activities related to the McKay’s kitchen, including menu creation, management and training of kitchen staff, ordering and purchasing of inventory and plating design. The successful candidate will also have numerous opportunities to showcase their skills and passion in food presentation through our Chef’s Table dining experience.

At the American Club we offer an attractive remuneration and benefits package with extensive training and career development opportunities. If you are a passionate individual looking for an amazing experience in one of Hong Kong’s finest restaurants, why not give us a call today and find out more! All discussions will be treated confidentially. Phone: 2842 7438 or email us at hr@americanclubhk.com.

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Spotlight

The latest news and deals from our partners

Explore Hong Kong’s Southside at L’hotel Island South and Ocean Park Need to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city? Give yourself a break and head to the city’s Southside for a muchdeserved escape. But if a regular staycation won’t cut it for you, why not pair it with the city’s most fun theme park?

L’hotel Island South is teaming up with Ocean Park this spook season with a special room package. Just a 15-minute walk away from Ocean Park, the Southside’s luxury Geopark hotel L’hotel is the perfect place to spend the night in after an adventure at the city’s most popular Halloween party, “Ocean Park Halloween Fest.”

With a daily rate starting from $1,388 for two persons, the package includes a two-day pass to Ocean Park for two adults and a one-night stay in one of the hotel’s premium city rooms, with complimentary breakfast buffet at LIS Café.

An additional $600 gets you a dinner buffet for two at LIS Café. If you’re planning a family staycation, bring your little one with you for an extra $500, which includes a 2-day pass for Ocean Park and a complimentary breakfast. lhotelgroup.com

Rustico Welcomes Spanish Guest Chef for a Gourmet Fiesta Looking for great Spanish food but tired of the usual options on the island side? Venture out to Lai Chi Kok (yes, that’s in Kowloon), where you’ll find authentic Spanish restaurant Rustico serving flavors of the Mediterranean.

This week, the Spanish hotspot has invited guest chef Jaume Puigdengolas Rey from Michelin-starred restaurant Skina in Marbella, to present modern yet authentic Spanish cuisine to Hong Kong diners.

The young culinary talent uses only the best produce to highlight the outstanding flavors in Spanish culinary traditions, ensuring guests have an incredible gastronomic experience. The special menu includes famous southern

GIVEAWAYS

Congratulations to the Winners of a One-Night Staycation at L’hotel Island South, and Tickets to see Stomp at The Venetian Macao!

Spanish dish Migas cooked Skina-style ($108), small pieces of bread stir-fried with various meats, fruits and quail eggs.

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Congrats to Natalie Lee who has won a kick-ass staycation off the beaten track in Wong Chuk Hang! Thanks to L’hotel Island South’s hospitality, she will get to celebrate her 11th wedding anniversary this year at the hotel with her hubby—away from the kids.

Meanwhile, Leung Ka-yan, KC Lee, Nancy Lai, Kwok Hiu-ling, Tang Yee-ling and Stanley Wong have each won a pair of tickets to see the Oct 9 show by the world-famous, physical, musical theater group Stomp at The Venetian Macao! They’ll also each get a pair of round-trip ferry tickets to make it a nice weekend getaway. Have fun and get stomping!

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Spotlight

The latest news and deals from our partners

Use Your Asia Miles at the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival for the Ultimate Dining Experience Hong Kong people LOVE good food, and we are willing to go to great lengths to get it. We’ve all been looking forward to one of the biggest gourmet events in the city: The annual Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, which returns this month for its eighth iteration. And what better way to eat and drink your way through the festival than with Asia Miles?

This year, Asia Miles is partnering up with the Hong Kong Tourism Board to offer members special privileges at the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival. The festival will host more than 400 wine and food booths at the Central Harbourfront Event Space from October 27-30, and Asia Miles members can take advantage of a number of exclusive offers for a unique, exclusive wining and dining experience.

Wine lovers from novices to connoisseurs can redeem Classic Wine and Grand Wine Passes in advance of the festival using Asia Miles. From now until Oct 20, you can redeem a Classic Wine Pass with just 5,000 Asia Miles, which will grant you access to all the Classic Wine Booths, including eight Classic Wine Tokens and a Stölzle wine glass.

For those who’d like a little more advanced wine appreciation, go for the Grand Wine Pass for 11,000 Asia Miles.

This offers access to the Grand Tasting Pavilion, and comes with eight Grand Wine Tokens and a Riedel wine glass. The Pavilion is exclusive to Grand Wine Pass holders; here, guests can relax in elegant surroundings while enjoying premium wines and cuisine prepared by master chefs from award-winning restaurants. redeem.asiamiles.com

Book a Le Meridien Suite and Drive an Autopiloted Tesla for Free!

Love the feeling of being behind the wheel but don’t want the hassle of steering? We know that feeling. Why not use your next staycation in Hong Kong to explore the corners of the city in a new, environmentally friendly way—in a self-steering Tesla?

Le Meridien Cyberport is offering eight hours’ complimentary rental of a Tesla Autopilot semi-autonomous car for guests staying at the hotel’s Bayside Premier Suite or Deluxe Suite.

Overlooking the South China Sea, the Bayside Premier Suite and Deluxe Suite are large, light-filled spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows. Wind down as sunset fills the rooms with shades of pink and gold. Equipped with 40-inch plasma TVs, high speed internet access and multimedia connectivity, the suites provide a living and working space that guarantees comfort and convenience.

Book a stay at one of the two suites, and you’ll get to ride around town hands-free in one of the hotel’s own Teslas, featuring Tesla’s new, wholly revolutionary semi-autonomous Autopilot capability. Offer ends December 31. lemeridien.com/hongkong

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First Person

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拜拜你條尾 Bye Bye Your Tail

I started swimming when I was three. Back then, when I dived into a pool, I felt like I was diving into an alternate world, a world free of troubles.

I just love being there, it’s my happy place.

Psychologists and therapists gave me a safe place to talk about my feelings. Through talking and having them listen, I was able to sort out a lot of my emotions and thoughts.

My brother and cousins were pretty good swimmers when they were younger. I looked up to them and wanted to be like them. A few years later, I turned out to be faster than them.

I realized there was so much more than performance in swimming. There were little things in life that mattered more.

When I was around 10 I started training more seriously—five to six times a week. It was tough, but it was also an escape from school work.

I remember saying to my friends when I was 6 or 7 years old that I had dreamed of being in the Olympics.

I broke the Hong Kong record when I was 13.

I missed the 2008 Beijing Olympics when I was 15.

But it wasn’t too crushing because I was quite a rookie. I turned the frustration into motivation.

The next year, when I was 16, I swept all the Hong Kong breaststroke records. I was ranked 21 in the world. But after that I plateaued for 6 years.

I had a performance drought.

I was far from my personal best—I wasn’t even close. When I tried to qualify for the London Olympics, I missed it by 0.1 seconds. That was really crushing. 0.1 seconds is just a hair, or less than a hair. I’d rather have missed it by five seconds.

I was so lost and confused. I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t performing, even though I had put in more hard work than ever before.

I was in such emotional pain. I was dragging myself to work out, I felt like I was a stone, I felt numb. I needed to take a break to figure out what was going on.

I was heartbroken. By 2013 I felt like I was done with swimming. I resolved to enjoy other things in life, to just take a chill pill.

A month after I retired, I realized it went from hurting to swim, to hurting not to swim. I really wasn’t solving the problem at all, I was just running away from it.

Deep down I still loved swimming, and going to the Olympics was an unfinished dream.

After realizing that, I sought professional help. I hated being vulnerable before, I felt it was a sign of weakness, and that as an elite athlete I should have been able to deal with it.

But by that time I was so defeated I needed to let go of my ego and just open up to people. It was also a way of helping myself.

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Looking back on my career 10 years from now, it might not be my performance that puts a smile on my face, but intangible things—like memories, relationships and life lessons.

I learned to enjoy the process: Things along the way, rather than the end goal. I realized that the journey was the reward. The result was just a by-product of the process and of living well in the present.

My motto now is “it’s wonderful waking up in the morning knowing that you’ve given your best.”

When I’m at my best, I have the ability to accept things that I cannot do, and embrace the things that I can.

I would prefer to define success as something internal—something I can have total control of.

If success is measured by effort, then everyone has the ability to achieve it.

With these little adjustments, my perspective in life changed. When I was going through hard times, I looked back to when I was a 13-year-old swimming prodigy, and felt that kind of blessing was a curse.

Now after 6 years of struggle, it’s kind of reversed—it’s been a blessing in disguise. It’s made me a lot more grounded, and a happier, wiser and more empathetic person.

It was so surreal [being at the Olympics].

I remember having chills when I saw the main pool, realizing it wasn’t just a location—it was a place where a lot of dreamers’ dreams came true.

Some people think that getting an Olympic Gold is the ultimate achievement in sport. But after the challenges I’ve faced, I feel that while going to the Olympics was great, it won’t be my final destination.

I was pretty set on retiring before the Olympics.

I thought I’d just give it a final shot and see what I could do. But now I think I want to continue.

I have a feeling that I’ll want more in the pool.

We can all have a lot of identities. Right now I’m still an athlete, but I’d like my identity to extend beyond that. Life can offer so much more than just a career.

NEED TO KNOW...

Yvette Kong currently holds eight Hong Kong records, and represented Hong Kong in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke, 200-meter breaststroke, and the 4x100-meter medley relay at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Photo: Kirk Kenny / studiozag.com

“ While going to the Olympics was great, it won’t be my final destination.”

Twenty-three-year-old Hong Kong swimmer Yvette Kong Man-yi made her dream come true this summer when she competed in the Rio Olympics. She talks to Xavier Ng about opening up to therapy, what the Olympics mean to her, and where she’ll go from here.

Photo by Kirk Kenny

HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016

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Over the past quarter of a century, we’ve talked to many of the coolest, most influential and occasionally most provocative people in Hong Kong. These are just a few of the best quotes from our always compelling interviews.

“I’ve never thought about being a ‘gay icon.’ I don’t do what I do to be an icon.”

“I like shooting [photos] at night because personalities change then. A banker in the morning can be a drunk asshole in LKF when the sun goes down.”

“If you think it is worth it to speak up, and you believe you can make a change, then go for it.”

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收 檔 Close Store “I would never have imagined that I could start something this big as a 15-year-old.”

Joshua Wong, student activist

Anthony Wong, singer and LGBTI activist

“There is not enough hope being expressed in public. Hong Kong deserves more.”

Xyza Cruz Bacani, photographer and domestic helper

“I could succeed even if I were selling wonton noodles.”

Ken Ng, founder of cram school empire Modern Education Chong Chan-yau, President of the Hong Kong Blind Union

“Oh, there are so many things China needs to work on. Too many.”

Liza “Big Sister” Wang, actress and Chairman of the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong

“I have no plans to drink up my whole cellar before I die.

That would be too ambitious.”

Henry Tang, former Chief Secretary and Chief Executive contender

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“If I could have a heart-to-heart with my parents, I would say that I want to feel loved. Not just be loved, but feel loved.

There’s a difference.”

Leung Chai-yan, daughter of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying

“I’ve seen the movie ‘Rock Star.’

Everywhere I went people were like, ‘you have to see this movie, it’s your life.’

And it is.”

Arnel Pineda, former cover band singer, now lead vocalist of Journey

Gregory Wong, actor

“I don’t feel lonely.

I have always been on my own.”

“Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung, lawmaker

“We do what we can to fix what’s missing in society, like fixing holes in a wok.”

“Ming Gor” Chan Cheuk-ming, restaurant owner and philanthropist

“I was arrogant because I knew I was smart.”

Jasper Tsang, former president of the Legislative Council

“The system was designed to defeat the Chief Executive.

He or she can’t do exactly what they want because they don’t have a party behind them.”

Allan Zeman, “The Father of Lan Kwai Fong”

“Every time a single woman joins Legco, she leaves single.”

Tanya Chan, lawmaker

“I didn’t know that I was mainly remembered for egg tarts. But there are plenty of worse things to be remembered for.”

Chris Patten, last Governor of Hong Kong

“I feel that I am doing my bit to protect the home that we all love.”

“Happiness in Hong Kong is when you have your finger on the ‘door close’ button as you see someone running towards it.”

Anson Chan, former Chief Secretary

“As soon as I stepped off the airplane, Hong Kong was my home.”

Vivek Mahbubani, comedian

“The Hong Kong spirit of helping each other out is something that was lost for a long time.

But that’s making a return.”

Gregory Charles Rivers, actor

“My most famous movie line is ‘Don’t call me gweilo.’”

Michael Wong, actor

“What do I value the most in life?

Women.”

Christopher Doyle, master cinematographer

Denise Ho, Cantopop singer and activist

“Jesus and I are the same: we’re both the opposition.”

“Mad Dog” Raymond Wong, former lawmaker

“I want to liberate everyone from ‘black-or-white’ concepts of gender.”

Joanne Leung, transgender politician and activist

Photos: Kirk Kenny / studiozag.com, Jesper McIlroy, SCMP

Best of First Person

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Every weekend – children enjoy a complimentary meal when ordering from the children’s menu.

Every month – Vouchers worth $1,800 for 3 Best Colouring Contestants.

For enquiries and reservations call 8129 8882 or contact info@pure-red.com Follow us on Facebook (RED Official Page) *Terms and conditions 1) Complimentary meal only available from the children’s menu, for children aged 3-11, and for every paying adult. 2) Complimentary meal only valid on weekends and public holidays from 12pm – 5pm.

3) Winner will receive a voucher worth $1,000, 1st runner-up will receive a voucher worth $500, 2nd runner-up will receive a voucher worth $300. 4) Toys R’ Us vouchers or similar vouchers will be given to the winning contestants. 5) The name and contact information must be clearly marked on the entry piece to be valid. 6) All disputes regarding this promotion will be resolved by RED at its absolute discretion.

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4/10/2016 12:16 PM