Culture & Cool from Asia's most dynamic city
…Sham Shui Po is easily accessible by MTR. Take exit C2 of the Sham Shui Po MTR station and walk along Kweilin Street until it intersects with Yu Chau Street. Next, turn down Yu Chau Street, and look for number 261 – it’s nearly on the corner. Recommended! Tao Yuan Fashion Beads G/F, 261-263 Yu Chau Street Sham Shui Po, Kowloon p.s. Yu Chau street contains similar shops that can offer additional variety and price comparisons. Take an afternoon and…
…r gracious host back when we visited Manila in 2007. Her partner, SaNinja, real name Sanya Smith, is a music lover, model and DJ who is descended from Rock royalty. We’re excited to see what these two talented somnambulists have in store! 😉 Check out The Zombettes Facebook page for more photos, or keep in touch with them on Twitter. For a quick sample of their style, have a listen to their Soundcloud mixes. p.s. please keep tequila away from the D…
…n rapidly expanding in Hong Kong and China. They are part of the Japanese “Real Clothes” movement, which embraces local, domestic designers that are both stylish and affordable. The brands have gained widespread popularity in part due to their prominence in Japanese fashion magazines such as Vivi, CanCam, and JJ. Moussy and SLY have become influential with young women in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and most recently, urban China. You can read more a…
…nts. Previously young designers banded together in mini-malls such as Rise Commercial Building in Tsim Sha Tsui, but now even those venues are expensive. In addition to the pleasure of supporting up and coming designers, if you’ve been missing the charm of walking through a flea market or a street bazaar in New York or London, this might give you your fix! Recommended! Hitchhike Market Hong Kong Saturday and Sunday, March 7th and 8th, 2015 From 11…
…rop. It looked like Grandmaster Flash was playing mostly vinyl records – a real rarity these days, as most touring d.j.s go purely digital. [photopress:Grandmaster_Flash_DJing_HK.jpg,full,pp_image] [photopress:Grand_master_Flash_Scratchi.jpg,full,pp_image] At one point in the night, a surprise police license-check forced a stop to the music and the lights to come on. Flash navigated the inconvenience without losing steam or his cool. [photopress:D…
…. [photopress:moon_cake_Mid_Autumn_festiv.jpg,full,pp_image] Others used a combination of glow sticks and bracelets to form a circular boundary around their plot of beach. [photopress:Mid_Autumn_Festival_Hong_K.jpg,full,pp_image] A few people close to trees, used a combination of lanterns and glow-sticks to decorate. The festive atmosphere seemed to draw two separate groups: families who have grown up with the tradition and teens from Hong Kong in…
…ple familiar with dim sum will immediately recognize the two inspirations. Real dim sum made a good backdrop for the shoes! The launch at JUICE in Causeway Bay featured the sneakers displayed in bamboo steaming baskets branded with the Puma logo. Though a rainy night, the collaboration event drew a large crowd that packed the store. Guests congregating inside JUICE, Causeway Bay Hypebeast managing editor and designer of the shoe, Eugene Kan, was j…
…tion, but actress Dada Chan was on hand to testify that girls can wear it too! Old school graffiti guys got the charm and finesse! HAZE never forgot his roots. After the live painting demonstration he paused to place his tag in someone’s ‘black book’. In an age of poseurs, HAZE keeps it real For more background on Eric, and to read which internationally known logos he has designed (hint extremely big names in Hip Hop!) have a look at our previous…
…a cocky attitude and broken Cantonese,) he’s put out several CDs and has a real passion for music. Check out his recent rehearsal with Race Wong and a brief interview: Michael Wong has not left the building… there’s more! In addition to the concert, there will be a special after-party to celebrate Michael Wong’s birthday! The after-party will take place at The View on the 24th floor of The Sands casino and features several d.j.s as well as the Gla…
…the job they sought out international talent. The new speakers, made by a company called D&B Audiotechnik, feature “rotatable CD horns, dipolar driver arrangements and toroidal wave shaping devices integrated using line array principles…” Sounds pretty hardcore to me! 😉 For years the club has brought the world’s top d.j.s to Hong Kong. Now they can boast a sound system on a similar level. Recommended! D.J. Spinna Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011 Drag…
…has a string of mixes online – that were once recorded on cassette! As any real DJ knows, there are endless amounts of interesting genres out there and his mixes include multiple sounds blended together elegantly. For a quick sample, have a listen to this mix by Beppe Loda. Interested in learning more about Space and Cosmic Disco? A good place to start is this excellent playlist on YouTube. In addition to the Italian DJ legend, there will be sets…
…o have produced some of their finest acting and most memorable scenes. The combination of these two accomplished talents collaborating together would potentially be box office gold with pan-Asian appeal. A film by the two would play well in regional markets including China, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan and Thailand. Collaborating with G-Dragon brings Wong Kar Wai a new audience as well as strong grassroots support for an upcoming film. For a quick demo…
…gn? Do you miss the instant gratification of purchasing an art book in the real world, instead of the boredom of ordering online, and having to wait for it to be delivered? Basheer Design Books provides all of that in addition to being an excellent place to kill some time in between appointments, or while waiting for friends to grab some food. Should you decide to share the place, your friends will be impressed. [photopress:Basheer_design_books_fi…
…etwork is teaming up with the Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy gang to bring Hong Kong a real trend-setter in international club music. Daniel Haaksman is responsible for bringing Brazil’s Baile Funk music out of the favela and onto world dance floors. The results have been spectacular and have changed the sound of contemporary dance music. Also headlining is D.J. Beware, a three time champion turntablist who started in H.K. and has since relocated to Austria….
…d feature a diverse variety since the group taps the sounds of multiple genres including Indie Rock and dance music. It will be a real treat to hear Kele Okereke’s selections. Disco Step Child will be opening up! This should make for a crazy night! Recommended! Volar Basement 38-44 D’Aguilar Street Lan Kwai Fong, Central Hong Kong Cover charge: $300 HKD (includes two drinks)…
…_real_estate_property_hong_k.jpg,full,pp_image] Once the new buildings are complete, many of the benefits that made Happy Valley an attractive place to live will continue to erode. The quaint, less crowded sidewalks; shorter lines at the bank, grocery stores, and restaurants, will all become a thing of the past. Happy Valley is already experiencing problems. Current issues such as traffic, will go from bad to worse. Already, during certain times o…
…es, lollipops, and glow sticks – the scene was basically a caricature of a real rave. In typical Hong Kong fashion, people got the style, but not the message. They understood the accessories, but not the substance. The parties were often crowded, smoky and expensive. (I believe Sasha was around $600 HKD a ticket.) Vendors with a captive audience sold over-priced water and beer. People crashed in the hallways. Now defunct magazine, Absolute, was th…
…entral,) I had to run to the opposite end of Hong Kong to check out an art opening. I took the MTR, Hong Kong’s subway to Chai Wan, the last stop on the Hong Kong Island line. Disembarking, I walked to the former industrial space that houses the Six Keyz gallery. On my way, I walked through Chai Wan Park, which wouldn’t qualify as a park in other countries since nearly its entire surface is covered in cement! The exhibition titled “Inner Vision” c…
…rom my friend notifying me that the venue had changed from the Exhibition Center in Wanchai to Western Market in Sheung Wan. Western Market is actually one of the very few large old buildings left in Hong Kong. Occasionally used for fashion events such as the infamous Agent Provocateur show, it’s got a huge three-story beamed ceiling, brick walls (a real rarity in H.K.,) and wrought-iron balconies that surround three-quarters of the top floor. Whe…
…, the sand is soft, and the view of the mountains particularly scenic, you really don’t feel like you’re in Hong Kong. Tai Long Wan is almost like Waikiki beach with no buildings – you can wade out an amazingly long distance and still be in water up to your waist. The sum of these traits makes it the perfect place to relax and spend time with friends. On one end of the beach, near the flotilla, there was a tent with a d.j. booth set up. On the opp…
…nning outside (at one point later in the night a leaf fell on his record!) Compared to the recent grand events I’ve been attending in China this was small scale. The venues in China are huge and there are many choices of interesting buildings. Hong Kong is limited due to the cost of real estate and lack of big spaces. There are under ten venues that are used in H.K. Anyway, the crowd was enjoying the jazz, soul, and bossa beats in between a fashio…
…al footing, for mutual benefit, without the messy politics and cronyism of entertainment companies and management agencies. Further it allows new creative types to be discovered. Leveraging a network in this way is not only efficient, it’s powerful and revolutionary. The gathering had a community vibe to it that succeeded in creating a fun, party atmosphere. Even under bad weather conditions the event was crowded for the entire two hours. As Pat L…
…bar. The same space used to be a cafe several years ago, and it recently reopened in this new format. When I got there they had an Italian House music d.j. spinning and dancers on two podiums grooving to the music. I only stayed about thirty minutes since it wasn’t that crowded. I decided to stop by Dragon-i before heading to Volar. I wanted to catch a little of Danny Krivit’s performance if possible. Luckily for me, when I stopped by D.I. he was…
…at M1NT on Thursday night. The show included a series of canvases, but the real stars were the tags and pieces he created on the club’s interior. Showing the eye of a true graffiti artist, L1ES attacked key surfaces within the club. M1NT deserves credit for not flinching, and giving him carte-blanche to write on whatever objects he chose, including their precious shark tank pictured above. Walking into the club, I had flashbacks to public school s…
…in the highly coveted title. Equal parts turntable magic, showmanship, and comedy, the complex routines that came out of those competitions are still able to awe crowds several decades later. Brooklyn born DJ Scratch was competing with contemporaries like DJ Jazzy Jeff and Cash Money. DJ Scratch live in Hong Kong! On Saturday, July 30th, DJ Scratch takes over the turntables at PLAY for a night of Hip Hop and a masterclass in turntablist skills. Ch…
…orld, W Hotels form a circuit that can be tapped to host traveling art exhibits and guest DJs. In the midst of a massive expansion into Asia over the next few years (including new properties in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Singapore, Macau, and Jakarta,) regional tours are a very exciting and real possibility for the hotel chain. With Woobars already up and running in Seoul and Taipei, let’s hope that this is just a taste of the good things to co…
…bed as running apparel that is both elegant and futuristic. The line has become popular in Hong Kong among both diehard runners, as well as fashion mavens. The Nike NSW apparel collection, which has always comprised a good portion of the inventory, is extremely functional without sacrificing on style. Since 2008, the shelves have featured sweatshirts, pants and well-cut jackets that make even luxury designers jealous. Recommended! NikeLab PS 7 Hon…
…g films were once considered foreign movies and subject to a strict quota, they now have an easier time due to C.E.P.A. (the ‘Closer Economic Partnership Act’,) to tap China’s audiences. If the Hong Kong industry can come up with compelling stories and solid direction, as it did in the past, and its actors spend time honing their craft, rather than delivering mediocre performances, the future may instead be a bright one….
…of Mongkok. The range and detail of the weaponry is amazing. These aren’t real guns or plastic guns aimed at kids, but metal replicas for adults who want to play wargames. Many of them are capable of firing pellets. There are places in the New Territories (an area outside of Kowloon that is less densely populated,) where people go war-gaming. Given the number of shops, I’d say that the trend is growing. M.C. Yan, Hong Kong’s godfather M.C. and gr…
…one-story high elevated walkway located directly in front of the Cultural Center. It offers unobstructed views of Hong Kong Island’s breathtaking skyline directly across the harbor. I happened to be early to meet a friend for dinner, so after disembarking from the Star Ferry I walked one block to the observation deck. It was exactly eight o’clock, time for the daily “Symphony of Lights” show. I hung back and watched as the tourists jockeyed for po…