A Walk Around: The Streets of Sheung Wan

Sheung Wan is an area i've grown really fond of recently. For a couple of months I was in Sheung Wan every Wednesday morning for work, with a delightful couple of hours to spare before I had to be in the next place. During this time I enjoyed walking around the area admiring the street art, quirky doorways and interesting, colourful buildings. Although Sheung Wan is in walkable distance of the finance district and chaos of central, it has a completely different, much more slow-paced vibe. It seamlessly blends old Hong Kong and new Hong Kong together. It is also home to multiple cute coffee shops, quirky restaurants and hipster bars, it really is a great spot to find yourself at any time of day.

Brunch: Tott's and Roof Terrace at The Excelsior

Brunching in Hong Kong is a big deal. Pretty much any restaurant or hotel worth their salt in HK will undoubtedly offer some kind of weekend all-you-can-eat-and-drink brunch menu. It's the ultimate Sunday indulgence. Somehow, before now, I'd only been to one weekend brunch before, at Top Deck in Aberdeen. Which I very much enjoyed and would do again, however my brunch experience at Tott's last weekend really blew that one out of the water.

There was literally everything you could possibly desire to eat on a Sunday. Serving delicacies such as foie gras, oysters and Yorkshire pudding (one for the brits). They seemed to have a station for everything, there's a cheese station, an eggs benedict station, a roast dinner station, an oyster station, a Bloody Mary station, ALL the desserts at their dessert station, literally. I'm not the biggest dessert person as a rule, don't get me wrong, I love a cheesecake and an ice cream, but I'm usually by far a more savoury girl. The dessert station at Tott's was incredible though. (As you can see from my plate below). Basically, in terms of food, they have everything.

On top of all the excitement over food, they serve free-flow Veuve Clicquot for the duration, which they were very attentive in keeping topped up the whole time. Oh, and not to mention the expansive view of Kowloon in the background.

Apparently the Excelsior hotel is soon to be turned into a residential building, so I cannot recommend enough to go soon before it closes.

It's worth making a trip to the roof terrace to admire the view over Hong Kong Island while you're there, this view is particularly magical at night. The roof terrace has a fantastic buy-one-get-one-free happy hour from 5-8pm.

Why it's worth checking out the roof terrace, particularly at night (photo taken from HK Magazine)

If the food was too much of a distraction and you feel you didn't get your fill of champagne, why not head to the Armani bar in Central for their post brunch party like we did. $250 for free flow prosecco, belinis, bloody mary's etc from 4-7. It was a birthday celebration after all..


*if you pay with a HSBC card you get 20% off the brunch at Tott's bringing the grand total to $620 per person.

Pop-up Parties in Hong Kong

There appears to be something of a pop-up revolution reshaping nightlife in Hong Kong (or maybe I'm just late to the party..?) In recent months, I've noticed more and more 'pop-up' parties literally popping up all over the place. I've attended a few and, well, they've been really great, just what I feel is missing from Hong Kong's often overly pretentious nightlife. These events appear to be attracting a really great crowd of people, good music and excellent settings. Some of these events are taking place on rooftops all over Hong Kong, so if the crowd and music weren't good enough, you can also soak up the views and general amazingness of being in the midst of Hong Kong's skyline. I've compiled a selection are groups who are putting on these pop-up parties, so take your pick and enjoy.

Rewind

Held at the Penthouse by Harlan Goldstein in The Midtown, Causeway Bay. This free party boasts a million dollar view, reasonably priced drinks, a cool crowd and very funky music. Definitely a winner. Their last event was only their third event and they were full to capacity for quite a while.

Photo's taken from Rewind's Facebook page, photo credits to Jason Dean Cooper.

George Lucas Reggae Movement

One of the OoOH HK guys pop-up events. Similar vibe to rewind, but strictly reggae. The location has so far varied from Shek O beach to the legendary Azure rooftop. There have so far only been three events of this sort, and they're already a sell out. Chilled out reggae Sundays, a dream combination.

Botellón

Botellón, Spanish for "big bottle". Another OoOH HK number, currently on Botellón XII. With the aim to bring a touch of European lifestyle to Hong Kong, in the simplest of manners, this event has unsurprisingly been a huge hit. This is basically a mass gathering of people at the amphitheatre in LKF, the organisers get the music spinning then the rest of the party is down to the crowd, bring your own bottle of something and immerse yourself with this open-minded group of Hong Kongers.

 Join the OoOH HK Facebook group to keep updated about these two event series.

*OoOH HK stands for Out of the Ordinary Happenings in Hong Kong, incase you were wondering.

Little Burro Block Party

Not only does Little Burro serve brilliant burritos, they put on a great party. Now on event number 4, the Little Burro block parties are not one to miss (unless you're like me and have to work.. hopefully I will make it to one over the summer when my schedule will change and free up my Saturdays). So anyway, I found this little quote on their event page and thought there was no way I could possibly make the event sound more appealing.

"With a (dope!) line up of guest DJs and musicians playing throughout the day, margaritas on tap, kegs flowing and burritos rolled to order, we are daytime drinking. Again. Did we stop?"

It sounds perfect, really it does. 

Unknown Pleasures

So, this series of pop-up parties hasn't event launched yet. I checked out the event page and saw that it will be held on a, yet to be disclosed, rooftop in Sheung Wan, up-and-coming artists will be playing and it's BYOB. That combination is sure to be a massive success! Definitely one to watch. Part one will be held on May 30th, the link to the event is in the title.

Any other similar event series to recommend? Please let me know!

A Walk Around: Lai Chi Kok Park

Working next to this beautiful park makes for very pleasant lunch breaks, I really couldn't ask for a better place to eat my lunch and read my book. Tranquil, beautiful and rarely crowded, plus it's right next to the Mei Foo MTR so it's easy to pay a quick visit if you're just passing through the area. There's also an outdoor pool, skate park, running track and many other facilities if you are looking for  an active afternoon.

You can spot lots of terrapins (some small, some very big) swimming around this pond or chilling on the rocks.

One time, I saw this guy hanging out there too.

If you are coming from the Tsuen Wan line, take exit C1 and you'll be just across the road from it. If you are coming from the West Rail Line, you can come out directly into the park. 

Looking for a lunch spot? I'm a fan of Wolf Den, which is adjacent to the park. A nice spot, with outdoor seating to have a coffee and some lunch. 

I also found this interesting article, on Hong Wrong about the days when this was Hong Kong's biggest amusement park.

Kayaking in Sai Kung

I finally went kayaking in Sai Kung, on probably the foggiest day of the year. The fog actually made it pretty cool, the water was so still and white, it was really eerily beautiful. I had been kayaking once before in Thailand, I remember the paddling being really hard on the arms. These kayaks however seem much easier to manoeuvre, I think they were a lot longer and more streamlined than the kayaks we had used in Thailand. Although, we had been advised that the one man kayaks could be a bit rocky, so us girls opted for the two man kayak. Safety in numbers...

We had an explore around some nearby islands, we saw a few interesting things, including a shipwreck! The mast was just under the surface of the water near an island, the water was clear enough to see down to where the boat was, very creepy indeed.
I'm definitely going to do this again in the summer, it'd be a great way to find a deserted island to spend the day.

We hired the kayaks from Blue Sky Sports Club, the kayaks were either $150 for a one man kayak or $250 for a two man kayak. It is very conveniently located, you just walk all the way along the Sai Kung Pier (in the opposite direction to all the seafood restaurants) and you will arrive there, at Sha Ha Road. If you're a dog lover, that walk is great for a spot of dog watching too.

We met the director, Bryan, there. He's a great guy, very accommodating. He told us about a house that the company owns which they hire out for parties and events. It's on an island about an hour boat ride from Sai Kung, apparently it sleeps around 20 people. So having a party there has been added to our bucket lists.

We finished the day off, as has become routine for our Sai Kung days, with dinner at Mandy's Private Caribbean Kitchen (blog post coming soon) and a drink at The Bottle Shop.

Thanks to Jamie for making this video of our day kayaking!

My Hong Kong Bucket List

The weather in Hong Kong has suddenly got a whole lot more hot and humid. With the summer creeping in on us, my impending departure from Hong Kong seems that bit closer. In September, after what will be nearly three years in this city, I'm moving on. Which means my blog will be going in a slightly different direction, as I'm going backpacking (length and destinations yet to be decided). I will be sad to leave Hong Kong, but I feel that the time's right to move on to something a bit different. Plus I've been wanting to go on a big travelling trip for some time now.

I have just under six months left here. So naturally, I want to make the most of my time left, so here is my Hong Kong Bucket list. I challenge myself to do all of these things over the next six months, some of which are things I've done before, others are things that I somehow, have not yet done.


- Go on at least two more junk boat parties with friends (this has happened 3 times already..)
- Wine and cheese night at W (May 6th for birthday drinks)
- Go back to Yuen Long and eat at one of my old favourite restaurants
- Kadoorie Farm
- Camping on Tai Long Wan beach
- Organise a party at the house on the island near Sai Kung (Nicola and I arranged this on May 16th for joint birthday celebrations)
- Go kayaking again (Following the island camping, during a rainstorm no less)
- 10000 buddhas temple
- Afternoon tea in one of the hotels
- Take my HKST Mandarin Level 1
- Write at least 20 more blog posts about Hong Kong (17 to go)
- See a play (Sunday 19th April, A Midsummer Nights Dream and King Lear at Shakespeare in the Port)
- Wetland Park
- Attend a beach BBQ
- Visit my friend in Macau
- Go to a Bunker night
- See live music (Outlook festival, August 8th)
- Try out at least three different champagne brunches (1 down, Tott's at The Excelsior)
- Cliff jump into the rock pools behind Sai Wan beach
- Go to Mavericks on Pui O
- Go 'glamping' in the Cheung Sha Wan teepees
- Have a surfing lesson
- Take advantage of ladies nights mojitos at Havana Club (16th April)
- Visit another abandoned village/island
- Have a cocktail in the Peninsula's Salon de Ning
- Watch the sunset from Sunset Peak
- Watch the sunset from The Peak
- Watch the sunrise in Sai Kung
- Go on at least two more bike rides
- Hot Pot
- One more 'weekend getaway' to somewhere in Asia (Tokyo for 5 days in May)
- Cocktails in Wooloomooloo, Wan Chai
- Go to at least five different art galleries
- Visit the Museum of History and the Museum of Art on a Wednesday

Kowloon: Coffee Joints

Lately, I've found myself really heralding Kowloon. There's a great mixture of things on offer, today I am looking at Kowloon's coffee joints. Who needs to go to Central for good coffee when we've got such great array on offer here?

N1 Coffee and Co.

Due to its proximity to where I live, this is one of the places most frequented by myself on the list. A lovely little coffee joint just adjacent to K11. This place ticks all the boxes, relaxed atmosphere, great coffee and they even have a fantastic selection of bagels on offer. If you're in the TST area regularly don't forget to pick up a loyalty card.

34 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui



Cafe Ceres

I used to love coming here when I worked in Kowloon City, great coffee and they always put a lot of effort into the artwork, I really appreciate details like this.

19 Fuk Lo Tsun Road, Kowloon City



Gladys' Estate Coffee

These guys are really passionate about their coffee. If you're a real coffee connoisseur, i'm sure the attentive staff here will be more than happy to talk beans with you. They offer brunch here as well as some delicious looking cakes which i'm really keen to try.

6-8 Lion Rock Road, Kowloon City



Wolf Den

generous sized portions

I was both surprised and overjoyed to find a place like this right by where I work in Mei Foo, tucked away underneath the Broadway right across from Lai Chi Kok park. They have some outdoor seating which makes for a great place to sit outside and enjoy your coffee. They also serve nice food, generally very big portions of it as well. They have a good selection of things from salads, to jacket potatoes and burgers. If you're not familiar with the Mei Foo area, I recommend going for a walk around Lai Chi Kok park while you're here, it's a really beautiful little park.

G/F No.1A Broadway, Mei Foo Sun Chun, Mei Foo



Kubrick

image taken from Timeout HK

A Kowloon coffee list is not complete without a mention of hipster haven, Kubrick. A great place to spend an afternoon, peruse the shop for books and wonderful nicknacks before getting your caffeine fix in the cafe. Check out an art house movie at the Broadway Cinematheque next door while your there.

3 Public Square Street, Ya Ma Tei



Full Cup Cafe

Hidden away amidst the hustle and bustle of Mong Kok, this little gem is spread across three floors. They offer a huge selection of quirky teas, from herbal tea to fruit tea, and coffees. They often have bands playing on the first floor. Definitely worth checking out if your in the area, the chilled, vintage style of the cafe is always a warmly welcomed escape from the busy streets of Mong Kok.

36 Dundas Street, Mong Kok



Green Door Coffee 

A small hole in the wall cafe just behind Granville Road, simply decorated, minimal menu. All round good quality with a nice relaxed atmosphere.

3 Granville Circuit, Tsim Sha Tsui

Music Event Organisers in Hong Kong

I love Hong Kong, however something that i've always felt is lagging far behind my home country is the music scene. Saying that, there are quite a few music event organisers around which put on some fantastic events and who are all working really hard towards one goal, having a thriving music scene here in Hong Kong.
Each group specialises in slightly different genres and they all have their own unique style of putting on events, so hopefully there should be something here to please everyone!

Hybrid Group

The newest of all the groups on my list, they rebranded themselves in January 2015, formally known as EDM Freaks. As their former name suggests, they generally host Dj's specialising in electronic dance music. Under their new brand they've already brought several big names to Hong Kong including DJ Chuckie, Sunnery and James and Hook and Sling. Under their recent rebranding they are looking to bring even more variety of music to Hong Kong, so watch this space.

Fresh Off The Boat Asia

I've been a fan of these guys since first attending their warehouse party in Kwun Tong, what a night that was! These guys throw a varied mixture of events from DJ's such as Simian Mobile Disco in Fly, Brunches in Ovolo, to their recently started NiteBite events, a magical combination of food and drinks. The packages for their NiteBite series include free flow food and drinks at locations such as Boqueria, along with some top quality Dj's of course!
I'm still waiting for warehouse party part 2...
Oh, and rumour has it the event organisers actually live on a boat. How cool is that?!

Songs For Children

For all you indie music lovers, these event organisers are a must! Ran by the lovely Lammaites Mike and Jane from Scotland, they've bought across a myriad of top quality indie acts from Carl Barat to The Drums. They've recently expanded their company to be a management company and record label. Their events are always in great venues such as The Hangout in Sai Wan Ho.

Bunker Club

The first rule of Bunker Club, you do not talk about Bunker Club.
Yes, this is the place to go for your secret rave in the mountains, the forest, a country park or maybe even an actual bunker somewhere. Message the Facebook group with your email to receive the location (only released on the day of the event) along with a map.
Remember, it's a secret. Shhhhh!

Heavy Hong Kong

Hip hop, drum and bass, jungle, reggae. Nights most often held in the infamous XXX. Expect cool vibes and cool people, no champagne packages or VIP at these events. One of the rare few nights out you'll have in Hong Kong where you can experience a true night in the underground.

Follow these guys on Facebook and you should always be able find somewhere to go to fulfil your music cravings in HK.

Do you know of any other great music event companies in Hong Kong? Let me know!