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NOWRIGHTHOT News from the wellness scene

INTO THE WOODS Wanna get back to your roots? Try a little nature-inspired pampering - with an arboreal twist - at the Mandarin Oriental. For the month of April, you can plant your own tree somewhere in the world when you purchase one of the MO’s forest-themed offerings; choose from the Forest Therapy spa treatment ($1,830 plus service) at the Mandarin Spa, or the Forest-Inspired Afternoon Tea (from $338 per person.) The luxury hotel has partnered with EcoMatcher, a company that links businesses with vetted tree-planting organisations all over the world to help plant new forests. Guests receive a unique QR code for each tree funded, so you can virtually track it through satellite maps and learn more about it as it grows. Reservations required. mandarinoriental.com/hong-kong

CALL ME BY MONET The city’s arts circuit has sadly taken a beating this year, with cancellations of major events like Art Basel and Hong Kong Arts Festival. If you’re in need of something to look forward to in its stead, check out Metropolis Museum, which opened its doors just last month with a 33-piece exhibition on Impressionist master Claude Monet. With a mission to “democratise art” to Hong Kong’s public, all of the works on display are actually authorised recreations, using either scanned prints, hand-painted recreations, or 3D-printed replicas of some of Monet’s most famous masterpieces. Metropolis also offers art workshops for children, teens and adults, teaching everything from fine motor skills and creative expression, to more advanced artistry like colour theory and painting techniques. Studies have shown that just looking at art can enhance your brain function and overall wellbeing, so if you’re in need of somewhere to regain some calm, this spacious Wong Chuk Hang gallery is good for what ails you. 17/F, Genesis, 33-35 Wong Chuk Hang Rd., Wong Chuk Hang, 9161-2105. Exhibition runs until September 5, for more information on workshops and business hours, visit metropolismuseum.com.

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EARTH SIGN This April marks 50 years of celebrating Earth Day, the global environmental movement that brought environmental issues to the forefront of public consciousness. The original Earth Day was started by a US senator in 1970, and within a year had led to important pieces of environmental protection legislation being passed in America - which goes to show, a little civic engagement goes a long way! There are several Earth Day cleanups, workshops, fundraisers, and other events in Hong Kong you can support on April 22, but challenge yourself to go even greener all month (or year!) by changing your habits or routines, spreading the word about climate action, or doing what you can to lobby for change on a larger scale. The Earth Day website has oodles of ideas, campaigns, and easy-to-follow resources on how you can become a more serious climate crusader in 2020 - so show the planet some love all year round! earthday.org

COSTA LIVING Bringing a little Latin America to Hong Kong’s fitness circuit is the newly opened AndFit on Wyndham Street. Inspired by the Costa Rican concept of “pura vida” - which roughly translates to living well and being happy - this boutique studio aims to inject good vibes and a little Latin fire into everything they do. Classes like “Volcano Stations” and “Fuego Bootcamp” work up a sweat, while movement-based classes like “Animal Flow” help explore and expand your range of motion and agility. Studio and changing rooms are ample and clean, with the added bonus of an outdoor terrace that gets used for running sprints in some of the more challenging classes - ¡qué chiva! Classes start from $250 for a drop-in, with class packs and unlimited packages available, as well as private training. 4/F, Man Cheung Building, 15-17 Wyndham St., Central, 6343-0336, andfithk.com.

Video Conferencing Putting the “social” in social distancing, online platforms like Zoom are fast becoming the new

group hang. Set up a sesh with your BFFs, now that everyone has a little extra time on their hands.

Man-icures Our friends at Tinted. (see p.16) say they’ve seen a spike in requests for nail art

designed for men. Is this the year of male polish?

Using Your Hands Carry around a pen or

chopstick for when you have to press lift buttons.

High

Homeschooling Expectations We are all about the bare minimum these days. Kids still have all their limbs at

the end of the day? You’re winning.

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