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HK MAGAZINE NO.1067 FRIDAY, october 24, 2014 www.hk-magazine.com 

A Hong Kong Ghost Story

2014.11.03 - 11.05 

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE 

SUMMIT HONG KONG 2014 

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Please Visit ses.org.hk/registration/for ticketing details 

OUR ANSWERS FOR TOMORROW 

Since 2008, The Summit has played a significant role in enhancing public awareness and understanding of social enterprise. In particular, 

the SES has promoted cross-sector dialogue and partnerships around the world. The theme this year: "Our Answers for Tomorrow". 

DAY 1 

FREE 

Jenny Bowen Meera Shah Scott Sherman Tristan Ace Michael Norton Mark Richardson Suzanne Rodrigues Nicolas Hazard 

Andreas Heinecke 

Karl Sittler Dave Miller Benny Se Teo Koh Seng Choon Catherine Bracy CY Yeung Christina Jäger 

KEYNOTE SPEECHES 3rd Nov, 2014 (Mon) | 2:30PM - 4:45PM | Southorn Stadium 

Ms. Jenny Bowen Founder and CEO, Half the Sky | US 

Ms. Meera Shah Business Development Adviser, Shell Foundation | India 

Dr. Scott Sherman Executive Director, Transformative Action Institute | US 

SHARING WITH 

4th Nov, 2014 (Tue) | 10:00AM - 12:45PM | Southorn Stadium 

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS 

Mr. Tristan Ace Programme Development Manager, Social Enterprise, East Asia, British Council | Britain 

Mr. Michael Norton, OBE The Honorary Director and a Trustee of the Centre for Innovation in Voluntary 

Action (CIVA) | Britain 

Mr. Mark Richardson Director of Social Enterprise at Bangor University and Fund Manager for 

FranchisingWorks | Britain 

POVERTY 

4th Nov, 2014 (Tue) | 9:00AM - 10:45AM | HKCEC 

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Mr. Nicolas Hazard Vice-Chairman, Groupe SOS | France 

Sponsors 

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SOCIAL INCLUSION 

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4th Nov, 2014 (Tue) | 2:30PM - 4:15PM | HKCEC 

CHANGEMAKERS IN ASIA 

Mr. Benny Se Teo Founder and Head Chef, Eighteen Chefs | Singapore 

Mr. Koh Seng Choon Executive Director, Dignity Kitchen | Singapore 


Silver Sponsors 

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GROOMING OF 


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Sponsors 

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PAGE 3 

Let the Poor 

Folk In 

“If it’s entirely a numbers game and numeric 

representation, then obviously you’d be talking 

to the half of the people in Hong Kong who earn 

less than US$1,800 [$14,000] a month.” 

– CY Leung, Oct 20, 2014 

HK Magazine presents a song in the style of 

noted foreign agitators Gilbert and Sullivan. 

14 

COVER STORY 

Turn the lights down for this Hong Kong 

ghost story 

THE LEADER. 

I cannot let the poor folk in! 

Allow me to elucidate: 

We’ve had a tricky time of late 

With students, those inebriates 

Filling up our streets with hate 

Spoiling what I’ve helped create: 

A system for the good and great! 

(There is, of course, no better trait 

Than owning all the real estate) 

I cannot let the poor folk in! 

THE TYCOON. 

You cannot let the poor folk in! 

If this is just a numbers game 

Then every pauper has a claim! 

Anarchy will surely reign 

With the peasants in the frame! 

With the poor, I’ll ne’er sustain 

This life as second-tier Bruce Wayne 

You cannot let the poor folk in! 

Who’s in charge? 

Publisher and General Manager Greg Crandall 

Editor-in-Chief Zach Hines 

Managing Editor Sarah Fung 

Editor Adam White 

Features Editor Kate Springer 

Senior Associate Editor Adele Wong 

Online & Social Media Manager Katie Kenny 

Staff Writers Andrea Lo, Evelyn Lok, 

Charlotte Mulliner 

Reporter Yannie Chan 

Web Developer Timothy Cheng 

THE PEOPLE. 

Oh, won’t you let the poor folk in? 

The wealth gap is enormous 

And the leaders all seem gormless 

Our future’s looking formless 

For we’re cutting all the corners 

And there’s nothing left to warm us 

You sit there and ignore us 

As you hint at “foreign forces”— 

Oh, won’t you let the poor folk in? 

A MAN OF BEIJING. 

We’ll never let the poor folk in! 

Forgive me for this here chastisement… 

But giving paupers enfranchisement? 

You forget in this excitement 

We’ve never known what “compromise” meant 

You’ve spent too long in those supplies tents 

It’s staring you right in the eyes, friends: 

We’ll never let the poor folk in! 

ALL. 

Director of Sales Gary Wong 

Strategic Sales Director Jan Cheng 

Associate Advertising Director Joe Ng 

Senior Sales Manager Joyce Wu 

Senior Advertising Manager Kent Ma 

Advertising Managers Dominic Lucien Brettell, 

Keiko Ko, Rita Ng 

Assistant Advertising Manager Arena Choi 

Advertising Executives Harriette Cheung, 

Lamy Lam, Winnie Cheng 

Advertising Coordinator Christine So 

Oh he’ll never, never, never-never-never-never… 

Never let the poor folk in! 

Finance Manager Karen Tsang 

Assistant Finance Manager Penny Cheng 

Senior Accountant Alex Fung 

Internal Compliance Officer Lucy Wong 

Accountant Winson Yip 

Assistant Accountant Coa Wong, Edwin Lee 

Administrator Roy Lam 

I.T. Manager Derek Wong 

Messenger Li Sau-king 

Cover photography Chris Luk 

20 

Sam Tsang/SCMP 

halloween parties 

Get your costume 

ready for these 

sexy spooky parties 

12 

news 

How ready is Hong 

Kong for Ebola? 

26 

dish 

Hanging bad? Check 

out these Hong Kong 

hangover cures 

Production Manager Blackie Hui 

Art Director Pierre Pang 

Senior Graphic Designer Mike Hung 

Graphic Designers Cecilia Cheng, Iris Mak, 

Ryan Chan, Siu-Fa Wong, Tammy Tan 

Production Supervisor Kelly Cheung 

Marketing & PR Manager James Gannaban 

Marketing & Circulation Executive 

Charmaine Mirandilla 

Accounts Services Executive Sharon Cheung 

32 

open bar 

Isono brings a little 

theater to its booze 

Where to find us! 

HK Magazine Media Ltd. 

302 Hollywood Centre 

233 Hollywood Road, Hong Kong 

Tel: 852-2850-5065 

Fax: 852-2543-1880 

E-mail: hk@hkmagmedia.com 

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@hk_magazine 

46 

first person 

We talk controversy 

and prudes with 

actress Elena Kong 

36 

film 

We pick our top 

scary movies 

of all time 

HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, october 24, 2014 5

mailbag 

Mr. Know-It-All’s Guide to Life 

Dear Mr. Know-It-All, 

Halloween is coming up. Can you tell me about Chinese ghosts? 

– Cool Ghoul 

What good timing, Cool Ghoul. Why don’t I 

tell you about the spooky spirits we have on 

the cover of HK Magazine this week: 

the Taoist grim reapers themselves? 

They are the hak bak mo seung ( 黑白 

無常 ), the “Black and White Impermanence.” 

“Impermanence” is the Buddhist doctrine 

of mutability: all things must change, and 

nothing can ever remain static—particularly 

our lives. This pair of deities guides the 

spirits of the recently deceased to the 

underworld. The Black Guard has domain 

over the evil souls; while the White Guard 

guides those who have been good in life. 

The White Guard wears a hat 

emblazoned with the phrase yat geen fat 

choi ( 一見發財 ), “Fortune at one glance.” 

The Black Guard’s hat reads teen ha tai ping 

( 天下太平 ), “Peace under heaven.” The tablet 

he holds is a symbol of authority, engraved 

with the character ling ( 令 ), “order.” They 

are often depicted with long red tongues, 

to scare away evil demons. 

How did these opposing guards come 

about? Well, there are a variety of stories, 

but they all share a common theme: loyalty. 

This is my favorite. 

Mr. Know-It-All answers your questions and quells your urban concerns. 

Send queries, troubles or problems to mrkia@hkmagmedia.com. 

Xie Bian and Fan Wujiu were two 

policemen in Fuzhou in times gone by. 

Respected by all, they saw each other 

as nothing less than brothers. 

One day, the pair was ordered to track 

down an escaped convict, who had run 

away during a torrential storm. The pair 

ventured out into the screaming winds and 

driving rain, but they searched far and wide 

without success. As the rain grew stronger 

they decided to split up and each search 

one half of the city, meeting under a bridge 

in the middle of town. 

Fan Wujiu made it to the bridge first, 

but Xie Bian was held up chasing the 

fugitive. As the waters rose, Fan refused to 

leave his spot under the bridge, certain that 

his brother would arrive. The floodwaters 

crashed down on him, and Fan drowned 

just moments before Xie arrived. In anguish 

for causing the death of his brother, Xie 

killed himself. 

On seeing the true loyalty of these two 

policemen, the Jade Emperor raised them to 

godhood, and put them in charge of guiding 

spirits to the afterlife. Never again would a 

soul be left standing, waiting for help to arrive. 

#PrivateEyeHK 

Your Yeas, Nays, Praise: 

Know your 

ghosts 

Our tablet app: Out Now! 

“Sometimes things expire early, 

then you just need to get a new tin.” 

with half a brain have no disillusion that 

their corrupt government loves them. In 

the next 10 years, most China cities could 

be in rebellion and burning. There are not 

enough police and army to stop a mass 

revolution in China. China knows this; it is 

why the government is so fearful of what is 

happening in Hong Kong. 

Look at the Asia map. What country in 

this area is China’s friend? They have made 

enemies with nearly every surrounding 

country. UN, UK and the US will also support 

Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan… 

and now even Vietnam. 

Robert James MacFarland 

We’ve Got it Covered 

Our design team has been earning lots of 

praise for our recent cover art. Here’s the 

latest love from Twitter, referring to our 

“End of Hong Kong” issue [Oct 3, issue 1064]. 

Some great design taking place 

@HK_Magazine, new edition latest in 

a string of smart covers 

@steve0george 

@HK_Magazine’s latest cover. I have 

a feeling this could be inspired by the 

pineapple cans in “Chungking Express” 

@ptypk 

Don’t worry about it. Hong Kong will be 

dead in one year if people keep occupying 

the streets. 

Andy Chin 

China very much likely will be in civil 

war given all the regional kerfuffle that has 

sprouted up all over. This is why they fear 

the Hong Kong protest will spread inland. 

This is also the reason why the government 

will never keep the army abreast of news 

like the Hong Kong protest. 

Matthew Yau 

Sometimes things expire early, then 

you just need to get a new tin. 

Ghandi Mandela 

A Clear Day at Jardine’s Lookout 

Photo by Mary Elizabeth Moser 

Enders’ Game 

Our story “The End of Hong Kong” [Oct 3, 

issue 1064], which detailed four scenarios 

come the expiry of the Basic Law in 2047, 

garnered more predictions on Facebook. 

There are other possibilities. No. 5: China’s 

Communist system continues to deteriorate 

and fail, as it is doing now. Any China people 

Shenzhen South. 

Steven Schwankert 

We will be fuxx big time. 

Bruno Burg 

Hong Kong is officially Xianggang SEZ! 

James Chou 

6 HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, October 24, 2014

THE WEEK 

THU 

SUN 

FRI 

Friday 10/24 

The Reel Deal 

The three-week-long Hong Kong Asian 

Film Festival kicks off tonight with “Don’t 

Go Breaking My Heart 2.” The Johnnie Tohelmed 

screwball rom-com stars heartthrobs 

Louis Koo and Daniel Wu alongside 

Gao Yuanyuan. 

Oct 24-Nov 14. Various locations. 

$75-90 from www.hkaff.asia. 

Saturday 10/25 

Grill Baby, Grill 

Head to Cyberport for the Great American 

BBQ. Expect all-day grilling, live music, 

games, craft beer, wine and American-sized 

portions. Get a free Uber ride (up to $150) to 

the party with the code “GreatAmericanBBQ.” 

Oct 25, 11am. Cyberport Podium, 

100 Cyberport Rd., Pok Fu Lam. $300-680 

from www.greatamericanbbq.com.hk. 

Sunday 10/26 

Join the Fundracer 

The Sedan Chair Race is on again this year 

at the Matilda Hospital at the Peak. Eat, drink 

and watch the silly action while supporting 

non-government-funded local charities, such 

as HandsOn HK. 

10am. 41 Mount Kellett Rd., The Peak, 

www.sedanchairace.org. Free. 

Monday 10/27 

You’re my Halo, Halo 

For mouthwatering Filipino fare, hit up Hotel 

Icon’s Philippine Food Festival. Look for 

grilled bistek Tagalog, pork lechon, halo 

halo sorbet and much more—all created by 

Filipino husband-and-wife team Rolando and 

Jacqueline Laudico. Kain na! 

Oct 24-Nov 2. Hotel Icon, 17 Science 

Museum Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 3400-1000. 

From $338-$638. 

Tuesday 10/28 

Shore Thing 

Steakhouse and bar Shore is celebrating 

its fourth anniversary with a special menu, 

offering dishes like “beef two ways,” Hokkaido 

scallops ceviche, truffle risotto, and sea bass 

with chanterelles. Get there fast: the promo 

ends this week. 

Through Oct, 6pm. Shore, 4/F, 

L Place, 139 Queen’s Rd. Central, 

2915-1638. 

Wednesday 10/29 

The Rula Thumb 

Rula Bula has launched a new Wednesday 

promo: $30 for selected cocktails! Choose from 

cosmopolitans, espresso martinis, mojitos and 

more. When the deal wraps up at 9pm, there’ll 

be live music—if you’re still standing. 

Wed, 5-9pm. Rula Bula, 58-62 D’Aguilar St., 

Central, 2179-5225. 

Thursday 10/30 

Booze Cruise 

Throwing down at Kai Tak, this year’s 

Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival 

has more than 250 stalls lined up for the 

four-day gourmet extravaganza. 

Oct 30-Nov 2. Kai Tak Former 

Runway, 33 Shing Fung Rd., 

Kowloon Bay. Free. 

Cocktails at Rula Bula 

Do This 

Fashion Police 

For the next few weekends, 

young and emerging local designers 

will be showcasing their pieces at PMQ’s 

Design Market. Support homegrown 

talents like Tikka Boutique, Sonnie 

Wing, Phoenix J and many more. 

Oct 24; Nov 2 & 9. PMQ, 

35 Aberdeen St., Central, 

2870-2335. 


NEWS 

Edited 

by Yannie Chan 

yannie.chan@hkmagmedia.com 

Twitter: @yanniecsy 

Last Week In Reality 

Sat 11 

I Know Kung Fu A brawny man stands up 

for two strangers when they are assaulted 

by five men at a Causeway Bay bar. The 

man adopts the horse stance—the basis 

of most Chinese martial arts—and throws 

punches at the five attackers. The five 

finally subdue the man before escaping. 

He only suffers minor scratches and does 

not need to be taken to the hospital. 

Witnessing his heroic act, other customers 

in the bar call him a “male god.” 

Talking Points 

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

Photo: 世哥 via Facebook 

Sun 12 

Electoral Math Homework submitted by a Secondary form 3 student goes viral. The 

question asks, “What do you think are the factors that contributed to the 928 Umbrella 

Movement?” The student answers, “64 incident + 71 Handover + 101 National Day 

celebration + 689 governing + 3 people on the electoral reform committee = 928.” 

Mon 13 

Birthday Boy Scholarism leader 

Joshua Wong turns 18. People sing 

Happy Birthday when they see him, 

and one supporter makes him a cake 

shaped like a yellow umbrella. Wong 

reveals that the birthday dinner he had 

with his family is also the first family 

meal he has had since his arrest on 

September 26. The first thing he 

does is to register as a voter. 

Wed 15 

Tue 14 

Thur 16 

Fri 17 

Runaway Bride A couple on the way to 

get married at City Hall in Admiralty 

miscalculates the time needed to 

get there, due to traffic affected by 

Occupy. They decide to continue on 

foot: The bride takes off her high 

heels, and the couple runs to their 

appointment as the crowd cheers 

them on. They make it on time 

and become husband and wife. An 

occupier bows and apologizes, and the 

newlyweds say they don’t mind. 

Neither Snow Nor Rain A tent for Occupy volunteers on Harcourt Road labeled “Tent No. 22 near 

Admiralty Centre,” receives a letter after much effort. The postman reportedly walks through most 

of the protest zones and, unable to locate the tent, passes the letter on to an Occupy Central 

helper, who delivers it successfully. The sender claims to work in the media industry and thanks 

occupiers for persisting. 

Lawmaking Babymaking? Lawmaker and Postcolonial Blues Police Senior Superintendent 

Liberal Party member Frankie Yick finds a Catherine Kwan briefs the media while wearing 

pack of Durex Fetherlite Ultima condoms a police hat sporting a colonial-era badge. In a 

in a trash can on the 10th floor of the press conference four hours later, she switches 

Legislative Council building. The 10th to a hat with the current bauhinia badge. Kwan 

floor is home to the offices of the Hong apologizes for the mistake, adding that she is 

Kong Federation of Trade Unions, People impressed with how observant the reporters are. 

Power, the League of Social Democrats Netizens wonder if the error was meant to show 

and Raymond “Mad Dog” Wong. Proestablishment 

lawmaker Ip Kwok-him is 

indirect support towards the protesters. 

shocked to hear of the discovery, adding 

that he has heard of many occupiers 

crashing on the 10th floor overnight. 

Illustrations: Ryan Chan 

Photo of Bleeding Cop Misleads Netizens 

Government Information Coordinator Andrew Fung Wai-kwong shared a photo of a bleeding 

cop with open wounds on Facebook last Wednesday, saying, “It is not right for anyone to use 

violence. We should sympathize with officers who were hurt while doing their job. The spirit of 

democracy includes caring for others.” Some thought the photo was of an officer hurt during 

the protests, but netizens soon figured out that it was actually a still shot from upcoming 

HKTV drama series “Night Shift,” which will feature actor Wu King-lung. HKTV verified the 

source of the shot, and Fung took down the photo. 

Our take: Sad that a TV drama could pass for real life. 

Police Officer Gets Facebook Fan Page 

Steve Hui Chun-tak, the Chief Superintendent of the police public relations bureau, appears 

on television at 4pm most days to give Occupy updates. Netizens have found his briefings 

entertaining, and set up a Facebook page for him. With more than 56,000 likes, “Hui Sir 4pm” 

(tiny.cc/hk-huisir) mainly shares screen shots of the officer on television, along with 

popular catchphrases such as “I appeal” and “I will now recap in English.” Eric Chui, a social 

sciences professor at City University, tells Sky Post that the popularity is thanks in part to Hui’s 

polite demeanor. For example, Hui always thanks reporters, even when asked difficult 

questions. After the reported beating of a handcuffed protester, the page’s administrators 

reprimanded the police and said they would stop updating the page. 

Our take: Sometimes being polite just isn’t enough. 

Fewer Traffic Complaints During Occupy 

The Occupy campaign has been criticized for disrupting traffic and congesting roads, but 

the latest figures from the Transport Complaints Unit appear to show otherwise: compared to the 

two weeks preceding the protests, the number of traffic complaints fell 29 percent from 

1,166 to 824 during Occupy’s first two weeks. The Chairman of the Institute of the Motor 

Industry Hong Kong, Dr. Ringo Lee, tells Ming Pao that the decline is to do with having fewer 

vehicles on the road. 

Our take: *Takes deep breath of clean air* 

Quote of the Week 

“[Folk hero] Wong Fei-hung used an umbrella 

as a weapon to fight [his nemesis] Evil Kin. It is 

basic common sense that an umbrella can be 

an aggressive weapon. ” 

Pro-establishment DAB lawmaker Leung Che-cheung suggests that the 

Occupiers may be better armed than some assume. Leung also said 

that pepper spray and tear gas are “useless,” because they have been 

ineffective at shifting protesters. The Civic Party’s Ronny Tong suggested 

that Leung might have been “watching too many movies,” adding that 

“fists can be aggressive too.” 

HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, October 24, 2014 9

UPFront 

HongKabulary 

Street Talk 

All Gweilo’s Eve (əl ɡwaɪələʊs iːv), n. 

A separate but parallel Halloween celebration that exclusively 

involves hairy, sweaty, cross-dressing British men. 

“Beware, traveler, for tonight is All Gweilo’s Eve. Hairy creatures in short skirts 

and pink neon wigs walk the earth after dark.” 

Caption This 

HONG KONG—A curator poses in front of a carriage used for the coronation of Emperor 

Alexander II in Moscow, exhibited at the Hong Kong Museum of History. (May Tse/SCMP) 

Fast Facts 

➢ 

➢ 

➢ 

➢ 

➢ 

CY: My New Government Vehicle Brings Me Closer to the People 

Tycoon Outraged that “G1LDEDL1LY” License Plate Already Taken 

Costume Party 

What are we dressing up as for Halloween? 

Zombie Hong Kong, dead but lurching onwards. 

Rafael Hui in Ninja Turtle outfit. 

Premature Jesus. 

Reanimated last year’s costume. 

Slutty Ronny Tong. 

“Pimp My Rickshaw” Picked Up for Second Season 

Funeral host Ryan Chan has 18 years of experience 

working with the dead. His job is to make sure that funerals 

run smoothly, from the ceremony to managing attendees. 

He tells Yannie Chan about his ideal funeral. 

HK Magazine: What is a funeral host? everything about funerals by then, so I really 

Ryan Chan: In Chinese, they’re called tong tried my best to make it right. I actually 

goon ( 堂倌 ). They take care of everything broke several traditions: my mother didn’t 

that happens during a funeral: from guiding look like herself in the burial clothes, so I 

the family and helping them put on the bought her some trendy clothes from H&M. 

traditional gowns, to making sure the 

Of course, I prepared the burial clothes 

departed looks good, to controlling the [in the coffin] so she could change into 

mood of the funeral. It’s a relatively new them—just in case they are required “down 

industry, dating back only a couple decades. there.” I also kept her body refrigerated 

for only five days, instead of the traditional 

HK: How did you get into funeral 

month, because that can change a person’s 

hosting? 

appearance. She looked like she had just 

RC: I started as a Taoist priest and moved fallen asleep. 

on to being a host. I now own a funeral 

company and I consider myself “a master of HK: Have you ever had any spooky 

tong goons.” I have tong goons and funeral encounters? 

directors working under me, and I train RC: I believe in spirits, but I have never 

them in-house. 

seen a ghost. Many of my colleagues say 

they’ve seen one, but they are all quite anticlimactic: 

such as spotting a shadow here or 

HK: What’s the scariest thing about 

the job? 

there. If a funeral director or host tells you 

RC: People usually quit because dealing they don’t believe in ghosts or the afterlife, 

with the dead is not an easy thing to handle don’t trust them to organize a funeral: they 

psychologically. A funeral host sometimes will be treating your family member as a 

has to take care of unexpected situations, dead object. 

such as if the body secretes liquid or bloody 

fluids. You can’t be scared, because that’s HK: So what are your plans for the 

very disrespectful. But the biggest challenge funeral business? 

is handling the living, rather than the dead. RC: I want to bring quality funeral services 

A funeral is more about the people who are to all classes of society. My ultimate plan is 

still alive, and a funeral host’s challenge is to to make funeral services part of employee 

help the family remember the deceased and benefits in companies. Everyone deserves a 

say a proper goodbye. That includes calming good quality farewell. 

emotional family members, picking the right 

music and saying the right things to set the HK: How would you host your own 

tone. You have to provide psychological funeral? 

therapy sometimes. 

RC: Maybe I would organize a living funeral, 

to spend time with my loved ones and say 

HK: How do you tackle family drama? goodbye. Actually, even a normal family 

RC: I’ve had family members start a 

gathering or a birthday could be treated as 

physical fight over the deceased’s estate. a funeral, because it is potentially the last 

You have to separate them and remind time you meet someone. I could die today, 

them of the solemnity of the event. Worst but I am not afraid: I cherish the people 

case scenario, you drag the people outside around me and I have no regrets. 

and let them fight it out on the street. 

Get in touch with Yan Chak Funeral 

HK: What’s the most memorable 

Company at 6591-9779 or yanchak2012@ 

funeral you’ve ever hosted? 

gmail.com. 

RC: My own mother’s funeral. I knew 


Politically Incorrect 

with Chip Tsao 

The Phantom of the West 

Unfolding... 

The Great Indian Kebab Factory’s 

NEW MENU! 

As widely expected, “western powers” 

are now blamed and cursed for 

organizing the Umbrella Revolution that 

is much loathed and feared by Beijing. 

This taps into a global faith now held 

by a number of failed states. There are 

plenty in the Middle East who ardently 

believe that George Bush ordered the 

9/11 attack. Some Argentinians believe 

that the CIA was behind the riots over 

their currency inflation. In the case of 

Hong Kong, I have been trying hard to 

glean evidence of the US instigation 

of—and meddling in—the sudden 

mushrooming of tens of thousands 

of seditious umbrellas. 

The coining of the term “Umbrella 

Revolution” has endowed Hong Kong 

with a romantic image. The Time editor 

who seized the moment of imagination 

for his cover line, designed to boost 

sales of the magazine, is certainly 

Western culprit No. 1. 

Also, the release of the latest 

Hollywood blockbuster “The Maze 

Runner” looks like an appetizer for what 

could be expected to follow in this 

revolutionary banquet. A high school 

boy finds the courage to flee through 

a maze built of magical ever-changing 

walls to pursue freedom, while a slew 

of his peers are persuaded by a leader 

to stay in the central prison-like area 

called the “Glade.” There are freaks and 

demons lurking in the maze. And no 

matter how you struggle to find your 

way through, the walls keep moving 

and the labyrinth keeps changing, 

like the definition of terms and clauses 

in the Basic Law. The hero, Thomas, 

decides to take fate into his own hands. 

The writing on the wall is icily strict: 

it is up to the People’s Congress to 

decide the moving structure of the 

maze, which keeps changing every day. 

All the boys need to do is to live in the 

allocated “Glade,” ruled by the chief 

executive there, and stay for good. 

Any runner stands no chance. 

But the hero, Thomas, leads a 

minority of rebels, slays the monsters, 

and makes his way out. The movie 

speaks to the Umbrella Revolution 

almost as much as Karl Marx’s “The 

Communist Manifesto,” that phantom 

of a western ideological power which 

ushered in a Maoist revolution in China. 

The manipulation by western 

powers has been everywhere, including 

by the Australian company that had 

allegedly paid Chief Executive CY 

Leung $50 million before he could be 

released to change career tracks. Who 

could be sure that wasn’t part of some 

Freemason conspiracy to facilitate his 

appointment? Hong Kong under the 

incompetent CY has become a city of 

political ruins. Had he not received this 

golden-handshake money from the 

Australians he would have still been 

a mere real estate surveyor. Now the 

smiling genie has been let out of the 

bottle and won’t crawl back in. Just the 

beginning of a long nightmare. 

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NEWS 

Ebola: Is Hong Kong ready? 

As the threat of Ebola spreads, are Hong Kong’s densely packed streets 

ready for this fatal epidemic? Charley Mulliner finds out. 

Photo: CDC/Sally Ezra 

Photo: Sam Tsang/SCMP 

Photo: CDC/NIAID 

Department of Health officials demonstrate 

protective clothing worn to defend against Ebola 

Stockpiles of protective gear, a hundred isolation beds on 

standby, health care workers on high alert: Hong Kong’s medical 

profession is primed for Ebola. That’s because the statistics 

surrounding the epidemic seeping out of West Africa make for 

grim reading. With something close to a 90 percent fatality rate 

in currently affected regions, the World Health Organization says 

the virus disease Ebola is “winning the race.” There have been 

some 4,500 deaths from the disease so far, with predictions that 

new cases could reach 10,000 a week before Christmas. 

Apart from two scares back in August, Hong Kong has 

managed to stay off the radar. But if Ebola does come to our 

shores, is our dense city ready to deal with it? The city’s medical 

professionals give us the low-down on Hong Kong’s preparations. 

On Alert 

Hong Kong is currently at the “Alert” response level for Ebola: 

the lowest of three stages of the government’s response system 

to the virus. While the risk of someone arriving in Hong Kong 

carrying the Ebola virus is low, it does exist, says Professor 

Malik Peiris, a virology expert at HKU’s School of Public Health. 

“We are fairly well prepared, but on the other hand it’s also a 

densely packed community so we have to take this possibility 

seriously—the possibility that someone with Ebola may land in 

Hong Kong, or be admitted to hospital in Hong Kong.” 

There are no direct flights between Hong Kong and West 

African nations, but neighboring Guangdong Province is a 

popular destination for African immigrants, and a potential 

source of land-based transmission into the city. 

What is Ebola? 

The Ebola virus originates in fruit bats and spreads 

between humans through direct contact with bodily fluids. 

Initial symptoms mimic the flu—fever, muscle pain, headache 

and sore throat—within 2 to 21 days from contamination. 

Vomiting, diarrhea, rash, impaired kidney and liver functions 

and in some cases both internal and external bleeding follow. 

There is no proven treatment and no vaccines exist yet. 

“There’s also the possibility that there 

may be secondary contamination,” in which 

medical equipment or staff transmit the 

infection, says Prof. Peiris, citing the cases 

of Ebola in the US and Spain. “However, an 

uncontrolled outbreak is extremely unlikely 

in Hong Kong.” 

Preparation Nation 

Unlikely or not, the city’s medical profession has been 

preparing for some months, says Dr. Owen Tsang, Medical 

Director of the Hospital Authority Infectious Disease Centre. 

“Relatively, we’re quite well prepared for this. Hong Kong has 

been hit hard by SARS and we have faced lots of infectious 

diseases, like influenza H191. We also have experience 

in dealing with suspected cases of MERS—Middle East 

Respiratory Syndrome.” 

The city has also ramped up its border checks, explains 

Dr Leung Ting-hung, Controller of the Centre for Health 

Protection. “Temperature screening using thermal imaging 

scanners has been in place at all Boundary Control Points 

for all arriving travelers. Surveillance of sick travelers has 

been enhanced and all suspected cases will be referred to the 

[Hospital Authority’s] Infectious Disease Centre for examination.” 

Hong Kong has a three-month stockpile of protective suits, 

face shields and gloves, and health care workers regularly 

practice gowning up. Medical staff are being taught to treat 

infected patients and handle dead bodies, with everybody 

The good news: Ebola is less contagious than SARS, 

explains Professor Malik Peiris, of HKU’s School of Public 

Health. “In terms of the spread, Ebola requires more direct 

contact than SARS did. SARS is spread by a respiratory 

route—sneezing, coughing—whereas Ebola is spread 

by bodily fluids, secretions; so to that extent it’s easier 

to contain.” 

down to the cleaners being instructed 

in dealing with infected waste. There 

are 108 beds standing ready in 

isolation units at Princess Margaret 

Hospital: doctors have been told to 

isolate patients displaying any Ebolalike 

symptoms, before calling the 

Department for Health. The patient will 

then be transported to the IDC for tests, 

and if necessary, further treatment. 

“It’s a good exercise for us to practice. We use this chance 

to train up our health care workers,” says the IDC’s Dr. Tsang. 

“The most important thing is the psychological preparations. 

Some of our colleagues may be very anxious so we have to have 

the most experienced nurses leading the others to manage these 

sorts of patients. If they’re anxious, that may be the time when 

they have lapses and get infected.” 

So, what should we be doing? Don’t panic but be vigilant, 

insists Dr Tsang. “We have to be prepared at any time, especially 

as the West Africa situation is still not under control. I don’t 

know when we will have the first case—but if it really comes 

to Hong Kong, we do have the capacity to deal with it.” 

“[Hong Kong] is a densely 

packed community so 

we have to take this 

possibility seriously.” 

– Professor Malik Peiris, 

HKU School of Public Health 

Protect Yourself 

• Avoid unnecessary travel to the 

Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, 

Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. 

• Use liquid soap or an alcohol-based rub to 

clean hands before touching the eyes, nose 

and mouth. 

• Avoid close contact with feverish or ill people, 

and with blood or bodily fluids of patients. 

• Avoid contact with animals. 

• Cook food thoroughly before consumption. 

• If you develop symptoms of Ebola, you should 

call 999 to arrange a consultation at A&E. 

12 HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, october 24, 2014

The Couple in 

Hall 44 

A story as discovered by Adam White 

What follows is taken from a bundle of pages 

which arrived at the offices of HK Magazine 

earlier this week. It appears to be scrawled on 

the back of some kind of academic dissertation. 

We present it here in the hopes that someone 

might be able to identify the writer. 

Part I 

teach at a university in Hong Kong. I am writing 

I this because I feel that someone else must 

witness it. It cannot be me alone. 

After graduating in London with my doctorate 

last year, I found it hard to find work in the city. 

For reasons I would rather not discuss—but in 

which I am blameless—it was plain that a career 

in the capital would not be easy to find. I decided 

therefore to try my hand somewhere overseas, 

where news might not travel so quickly. On learning 

of a teaching place at a university in Hong Kong, 

I put myself forward for the position. The romance 

of it appealed to me: another westerner heading 

east into the unknown, to forge a new life. 

I sent my application to the university, and it 

was not long until I heard back. The institution was 

impressed by my accomplishments, and would 

be happy to offer me a place on very generous 

terms—including accommodation—as long as I 

would begin teaching within a week: the middle of 

term-time. It seemed rushed to me—but perhaps, 

I mused, this was simply the way of the Far East? 

At any rate, I had nowhere else to be. 

Part II 

One week later, I was in Hong Kong, thrown into 

the middle of the chaos of an academic term. 

My first months in Asia were spent almost entirely 

in Hall 44, the tiny basement room where I lectured 

my class of 30. I was led to understand that my 

predecessor had left under something of a cloud, 

and the otherwise jovial Vice-Chancellor of the 

university would not be drawn further on the matter. 

But lectures commenced with no major issues. 

After all, I was eager to continue teaching after the 

unpleasantness of the last few months in London. 

My fellow teachers were aloof, and reluctant to join 

me in conversation: a quirk I put down to cultural 

differences. 

As for my students, they were largely attentive 

and eager to learn—none of the laziness I was so 

accustomed to back home! I began to congratulate 

myself on my great Asian adventure, satisfied that 

I had made the right choice. 

We made excellent progress, and soon the 

whole class was like a well-oiled machine. There 

was one exception: two students in the class who 

were inseparable. Joseph Chan and Joanna Chen 

were always late, but I never saw them sneak in. 

They would sit at the back of the lecture hall at 

the edge of my vision, holding hands and gazing 

“The rest of the class 

ignored the couple.” 

at each other. The rest of the class ignored the 

couple: I had read enough to be aware that public 

displays of affection are frowned upon in eastern 

cultures, and was sure that this couple’s overt 

show of romance made their classmates 

feel uncomfortable. 

The pair continued to ignore my lectures, and 

I was determined to reprimand them. But then 

I marked their first assignment. His essay was 

indifferent. But hers—ah, it was superb! Delivered 

on pink paper, festooned with little hearts, yes— 

but well researched, flawlessly argued and plainly 

attentive to my lectures. It felt as if I could have 

written it myself. With a student like this, one is 

inclined to cut a little slack. 

And so I continued with the term’s work, 

whipping the rest of the class into shape and largely 

ignoring this curious couple. They would always 

appear late hand-in-hand, lost in each other’s eyes, 

and invariably dressed the same: she in a flowing red 

scarf which fell to the floor; he in a black shirt with an 

offensive white collar. But questionable style aside, 

the pink essays came in on time and so in sync with 

my own work that I came to feel a real affection for 

this curious couple, especially for the talented girl. 

I resolved myself to help her in the future. 

14 HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014

RMHC 

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Part III 

It was the end of a successful term. My troubles in 

London seemed to be fading into the past. I was walking 

back towards my apartment feeling rather pleased with 

myself when I came upon Wing Gor, the janitor who 

patrolled the halls with a mop and misanthropy in equal 

measure. I nodded politely; he grabbed me by the shoulders 

and pushed the mop into my face. 

“Those two,” he said. “The… couple in Hall 44.” 

He spat, which seemed counterproductive for a man 

who was cleaning the floor. I could smell the white flower 

oil rising from his body. “They shouldn’t be in your class.” 

Wing Gor muttered. “They shouldn’t be there.” 

What fools these old men be! I am afraid that 

I laughed in his face. “Oh, Wing Gor,” I said. “They may be 

inappropriately affectionate during class time, but her work 

is exceptional. There’s no reason to kick them out!” 

“They shouldn’t be there!” The cry followed me down 

the corridor. 

“I did not seek 

to follow them.“ 

“They shouldn’t 

be there.” 

Part IV 

Ah! Spring in Hong Kong! Is there anything so pleasant? 

As the days grew warmer and my days became freer, 

I began to finally see the city as I had dreamed. The majestic 

Big Buddha, the lively nightlife of Wan Chai, the charming 

alcove of Discovery Bay—the secrets of the city lay open 

to me and I delved into them all. At last, I felt free of the 

judgmental grip of the country I had left behind. 

One evening—well, I must confess it was early in the 

morning: I had been to Lan Kwai Fong, and the night had not 

ended before the sun rose—I found myself in front of my 

door, dropping my keys as the world spun around me. There 

was little light in the corridor as I stooped to retrieve them. 

But there, in the corner of my eye… I could just make out 

Joseph and Joanna holding hands and saying good night. 

I tried to call out to them, but my stomach lurched. I turned 

to be sick in a corner; and when I looked up again, they 

had left. How embarrassing! No student wants to see his 

teacher in such a state. 

I did not seek to follow them. I know better than most 

that an educator must keep his distance. 


香港藝術節的資助來自 

The Hong Kong Arts Festival is made possible with the funding support of

“Look at me!” 

I yelled. 

“Look at me!” 

Part V 

was looking forward to the new term, but Occupy 

I Central was upon us. The students were all on the 

streets, and numbers dwindled over a week until 

one day, no one at all showed up. No one, of course, 

except for the lovebirds. They appeared in their 

customary spot just as I turned my back. It struck 

me as a fine chance to apologize for my deplorable 

behavior over the summer; I called out, asking them 

to come closer. 

They did not respond. 

I called out again. They said nothing. They did 

not even look up. They just sat there: Joanna, with 

that same red scarf dragging on the floor. 

I was filled with a rage I cannot explain. My 

every failure rose to the front of my mind, my every 

shame. Everything I had done, to end up here in Hall 

44. I could not bear that they would ignore me. I ran 

towards them across the room, blind with anger. 

“Look at me!” I yelled. “Look at me!” 

I slipped on her scarf, I think. I hit my head, 

I think. When I opened my eyes the couple was finally 

looking at me, and their eyes were black and full of 

hate, and they knew me. They knew what I had done. 

Part VI 

I 

ran. I ran through the campus with rage and fear 

and those eyes dogging me. I ran literally into 

Winston, the most reliable and stupid member of 

my class. He saw my panic and took me to the side, 

offered me a box of Vita lemon tea. I begged him to 

tell me about the couple in Hall 44. 

He looked even stupider than he usually does. 

“How did you find out about them? We were 

told not to say anything.” But the fear in my eyes 

seemed to drive him onwards. “They loved each 

other, but they both lived at home. Lectures were 

the only time they could spend together. 

“Our last professor… he loved her work. Said it 

was brilliant, just like his own research. He became 

obsessed. Insisting that they had the same mind. 

Whatsapps all day and all night. He started following 

her home at night, begging to work together. 

The couple complained to the university.” 

“They fired him?” 

“No, no one would do anything about it. The 

Vice-Chancellor said they were ‘overreacting.’ So 

Joseph went to Hall 44 and confronted the professor. 

The professor pulled out a knife and stabbed him 

in the stomach. Said he was getting in the way of 

their research. When Joanna found Joseph, I heard 

the scream from across the campus. The way I hear 

it, she pulled the knife out of him and killed herself 

with it. They never saw the professor again.” 


Part VII 

How did I get home? I don’t know. There is a 

story I have found online, a photo from the 

Apple Daily: A couple lies on a desk, holding hands, 

looking at each other with dead, black eyes. The 

man’s shirt is soaked black with blood, all but the 

white collar. More blood runs from the woman’s 

neck, like a scarf which pools on the floor. On the 

ground, over and over again, are words written 

in blood: “I love you.” 

I looked back through Joanna’s essays. The work 

is my own, word for word. I do not know why I did 

not see it before. The paper is not pink. It is a deep, 

dark red. It is wet to the touch. 

You can fly 6,000 miles from home: but still your 

past chases you. Like jetlag, it doesn’t hit at first. 

But it always follows. Another city. Another brilliant 

student. Another— 

I must tell someone about this. Someone must 

know what I have done. But my neighbors must be 

out. They’re not answering their doors. No one’s 

picking up the phone. My emails won’t send. Skype 

doesn’t work. Can no one hear me shouting? 

So I must write. I must keep writing. I must tell 

you what I did. I can’t stop until you know. Until 

everyone knows. But I’m out of ink. I don’t have any 

more bloody ink. Where am I going to find the ink? 

“I must write. 

I must keep writing. 

I must tell you what I did.“ 

HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014 19

Fright Nights 

Don’t have Halloween plans this year? 

Andrea Lo seeks out the SAR’s spookiest parties. 

Shot For Me 

YOLO 

Da Da Da 

Geronimo Shot Bar, infamous for its 

Dress up as dead celebrities at Lupa’s 

For something a little different, head to 

bell—whoever rings it has to buy a round 

Return of the Living Dead party. And 

Dada Bar and Lounge, which is screening 

of shots—is hosting one party on October 

yes, Joan Rivers is too soon, no matter how 

two scary movies. On October 30, see 2012 

25 and one on Halloween proper. They 

much she might have liked it. DJ Morgan 

French black comedy “The Suicide Shop,” 

will, supposedly, be the “scariest costume 

Page is set to be making a (live, alive) 

about a family selling suicide tools in a city 

parties ever.” Like, scarier than venturing 

appearance at some point; there will be 

where everyone’s depressed. Cheerful! 

into the heart of LKF on Halloween night? 

EDM beats inside, while you can twerk to 

On October 31, catch “Let Me In,” the 2010 

You get a free shot for being in costume. 

hip-hop and R&B on the terrace. Better yet, 

horror flick starring Kodi Smit-McPhee and 

Oct 25, 31, 10pm. 2/F, Winner Building, 

27-39 D’Aguilar St., Central, 2833-9951. 

I Put a Spell On You 

Shelter Italian Bar & Restaurant is combining 

its Spellbinding Social Halloween party 

with its one-year anniversary celebrations. 

The theme is “Wicked,” so break out the 

green face paint and the astronaut outfit. 

Ha! Because of “Defying Gravity,” you see. 

Oh, forget it. 

Oct 31, 7pm. 7/F, Hysan Place, 

500 Hennessy Rd., Causeway Bay, 

2778-9398. Free entry; RSVP to 

monicacheung@sheltergrouphk.com. 

make your banker friends pay for a VVVIP 

private lounge on the terrace, which will set 

them back a measly $48,888. 

Oct 31, 9pm. 3/F, LHT Tower, 31 Queen’s 

Rd. Central, 2796-6500. $388-1,088 

from www.eventbrite.hk, including 

various drink deals. 

Chloë Grace Moretz as a child vampire. 

You get a “scary snack combo” with food 

shaped like eyeballs and fingers, as well as 

a Halloween-themed cocktail. 

Oct 30, 31, 10pm. 2/F, The Luxe Manor, 

39 Kimberley Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 

3763-8778. $220 at the door. 

And The Dead Walk Again 

Featuring an all-star cast of local and 

international DJs, the seventh annual Dead 

Not Alive Halloween party is the only 

reason Alive Not Dead still exists now in its 

seventh year. Costumes are compulsory, so 

dress to impress. This year’s party is also the 

Sexy Catwoman DJ? 

You can bet it’s Dead Not Alive 

Balin’ 

Yeah, we know, 1920s anything is sooo over. 

Still, there’s a masquerade party at Duddell’s 

worth checking out. At Au Bal Masqué, 

the order of the day is surreal 20s cinematic 

tones. So, that’s like… Buñuel and Dalí’s 

seminal surrealist film “Un Chien Andalou”? 

Email Duddell’s and get a “secret password” 

for free entry. 

Oct 31, 9pm. 3-4/F, Shanghai Tang 

Mansion, 1 Duddell St., Central, 2525- 

9191. Free; email rsvp@duddells.co. 

Kandi Shop 

The Hed Kandi Halloween Party takes 

place this year at Zuma. You know the drill: 

DJs and hot people galore. Got cash to 

spare? Table packages start at $4,888. 

Oct 31, 10pm. 5-6/F, The Landmark, 15 

Queen’s Rd. Central, 3657-6388. $500 

in advance from www.hkclubbing. 

com; $650 at the door, both include 

two drinks. $350 after 2am, including 

a drink. 

Rocky With You 

There had to be at least one Halloween 

party with this theme: hit up Kee Club’s 

Rocky Horror Extravaganza for some 

sweet transvestite time-warp frolics. 

Oct 31, 7pm. 6/F, 32 Wellington 

St., Central, 2810-9000. $999 from 

keerockyhorror.eventbrite.hk, including 

free-flow drinks, canapés and candy 

from 8-11pm. 

Be True to Your School 

At Club Cubic’s School Massacre, 

partygoers are transformed into “Cubicans” 

who have to engage in a battle for survival, 

escaping “tortured souls” and other horrors. 

By that, do they just mean losing all your 

money at the slot machines? The party is 

free for girls in costumes before 1am. Want 

to see a real night-of-the-living-dead? Catch 

the 6am ferry back to Hong Kong. 

Oct 31, 11:30pm. 2/F, Hard Rock 

Hotel, City of Dreams, Cotai, Macau, 

(+853)6638-4999. $250 at the door. 

official launch of local horror flick “Zombie 

Fight Club,” starring Jessica C., Andy On and 

Philip Ng: get ready to gawp at beautiful 

people at this star-studded bash. 

Oct 31, 10pm. Armani Privé, 2/F, Chater 

House, 8 Connaught Rd. Central, 3583- 

2828. $600 from www.alivenotdead. 

com or at the door, both include two 

drinks. $300 at the door after 1am. 

Save Room 

The Mira’s “The 

Haunted Room” 

party features bloodthemed 

cocktails. 

Yum! There’s an open 

bar from 9pm-2am, so you 

can drink ominous concoctions to your 

heart’s content. There are four prizes worth 

$1,888 for scariest costume and for “wicked 

dancers,” so come prepared to throw some 

spooky shapes. 

OPEN BAR 

ALERT! 

Oct 31, 9pm. Room One, G/F, The Mira, 

118 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2315- 

5888. $318 in advance from venue 

before Oct 29; $388 at the door. 

Scream of Hearts at The Mira 

Awful Ghost Joke Corner! 

What glasses do ghosts wear? Spooktacles! 

Why wasn’t the ghost successful? 

He didn’t believe in himself! 

What do ghosts wash their hair with? ShamBOO! 

What’s a ghost’s favorite dessert? I scream! 

What do ghosts eat for dinner? Spook-etti! 

Why didn’t the ghost go to the party? 

He had no body to go with! 

Why are ghosts bad at lying? 

You can see right through them! 

Where do parent ghosts send baby ghosts? 

Day-scare! 

How do ghosts keep fit? Regular exorcise! 

What do you call a ghost’s mom and dad? 

Trans-parents! 


Get more out of HK | SHOPPING + TRAVEL + DINING 

Into The Woods 

Whether you’re looking for Halloween 

costume inspiration or just need a dramatic 

formal outfit (like this Burton-esque look from 

Alice + Olivia), take a page from the darker side 

of fairytales for your next fall look. Alternative 

Halloween outfit: just go as a slutty somethingor-other. 

Sexy Pocari Sweat, anyone? 

Alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet fall collection: 

Dress, $7,290. Shop 3078B, IFC Mall, 

8 Finance St., Central, 2234-7253. 


LOOKbook 

with Katie Kenny 

Shopping 

“I am Groot” 

This year I asked my fellow inhabitants of HK Magazine HQ what they were being 

for Halloween. Three of the ideas are awesome—the rest of the team sucks 

at costumes. I’ve also collected a couple of easy movie-inspired ideas that I’m 

hoping to see stumbling down Wyndham next weekend—while snapping selfies. 

Movie Magic 

Groot from 

“Guardians of the Galaxy” 

This is hands-down my favorite movie 

and character of the year. Please, 

someone do this. 

Mask, $790, Matteo Party 

3/F, 530-532 Jaffe Rd., Causeway Bay, 

2342-8887, www.matteoparty.com. 

Anna and Elsa from “Frozen” 

I wasn’t a fan of Disney’s return to 

musicals but everyone else was. Good 

BFF costume. 

Dresses, from $1,088, Cosplay HK 

www.cosplay.com.hk. 

Maleficent 

Sadly the movie sucked but Angelina 

was deliciously wicked. Don’t forget the 

cheekbones and red lips! 

Dress and horns, $790; staff, $600, 

Matteo Party 

Editors’ Picks 

Dorothy from 

“Wizard of Oz” 

Charley Mulliner’s pick: “I freakin’ hate that 

film—it’s haunted me since I was a child, 

so to dress up as Dorothy would be my 

Halloween nightmare.” 

Pottinger Street, Central. 

Ninja Turtles 

Gave this the college try and 

I still think it’s better than any 

of the store-bought costumes 

available. You’ll need a green long-sleeved 

top, leggings/trousers and shoes; green 

body paint; brown backpack; some kind of 

a chest plate; red, purple, orange or blue 

ribbons and eye mask; weapons; pizza. 

All of these items are easily available at 

Toys “R” Us, Pottinger Street and Paisanos. 

Wednesday Addams 

Classic and an easy go-to. Long 

black braids, black long sleeve 

dress, white collared shirt, 

black tights and black shoes. Got a man 

who doesn’t like to dress up? Convince 

him to wear his dark blue or black striped 

shirt and call him Pugsley. Coincidental 

couples costume! 

Sumo wrestler 

Adele Wong’s pick: “I had to order mine from 

England so good luck!” (Thanks a bunch.) 

Inflatable suit, Future Leisure 

2559-2995, www.future-leisure.com. 

Saucy Hot Dog 

Easy DIY 

Costume! 

Easy DIY 

Costume! 

Kate Springer’s pick: “I’m going to be a saucy 

hot dog, so I can show off these hot buns.” 

Goldin Trading: Room 1215, Lladro Centre, 

72 Hoi Yuen Rd., Kwun Tong, 2541-4598, 

goldintrading.com 

Think Pink 

Breast Cancer Awareness month is coming to an end so 

if you haven’t shown your support already then quickly 

book yourself in for tea at Mo Bar (15 Queen’s Rd. Central, 

2132-0077) for the “Perfect in Pink and Purple” (from $278) 

afternoon set. You can also pick up a new pair of Uggs from 

the special “Pink Ribbon Collection” or purchase soft pink 

teardrop earrings from Jan Logan. My personal favorite breast cancer awareness 

deal is the Eos Pink Pack ($107 from Sasa) that’s packed with lip balms and lotion. 

A portion of all of the proceeds from each offer will benefit the 

Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation. 

HK Magazine wants to see your Halloween costumes, so send us your pics! Email me at 

katie.kenny@hkmagmedia.com, tag me on Instagram @katekatiekatharine or mention 

me in your Tweet @Katie_Kenny. 


PERKS 

Sponsored Feature 

Traditional British 

Sweet Shop Opening in 

Central Hong Kong 

Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe are pleased 

to open their first shop in Hong Kong, offering 

over 1,000 confectionery products, ranging 

from nostalgic sweets such as rhubarb & 

custards; iconic favourites like Wham Bars; to 

contemporary handmade chocolates, toffees 

and fudges exclusive to the brand. 

The shop should appeal to anyone with a 

sweet tooth and a sense of adventure for 

new tastes! Yum yum ... 

Hong Kong’s First-ever 

Pure Room launched 

Le Méridien Cyberport introduces Hong 

Kong’s first-ever Pure Floor and Pure Guest 

Rooms, available NOW. 

The 7 steps patented PURE Room Treatment 

Process, the state-of-the-art air purification 

system and the special hypo-allergenic pillow 

cases and mattress covers, offer an allergyfriendly 

accommodation alternative. Guests 

can now enjoy a PURE experience with 

the cleanest and freshest air and a more 

restful sleep. 

Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe 

37 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong 

Tel : 8192 6138 www.mrsimms.hk 

Wynd Co-working Space’s 

1-year-old Birthday Offering 

Celebrating Wynd’s 1st birthday and the 

exhilarating opening of our new extension, we 

are offering a special buy one get one free perk 

on all hotdesk memberships for a 3-month 

period! Once a member, you get to relish our 

office space inclusive of internet, convenient 

printing and conference room quotas, freshly 

brewed coffee, complimentary entry to our 

startup oriented events and more! 

This offer is only available until the end of 

October and is on a first come first serve basis. 

Act quick and don’t miss out! 

Le Méridien Cyberport, 100 Cyberport Road, Hong Kong 

Tel: 2980 7000 

Locofama 

Café and Juice Bar 

Locofama Café and Juice Bar has contributed 

to Sai Ying Pun becoming a relaxed weekend 

destination for Hong Kong’s aspiring healthy 

eaters. It has partnered closely with Hong 

Kong’s local farms to source “clean” fruits and 

vegetables free of pesticides and chemicals. 

Happy avocado recipe 

house cured organic salmon | avocado | red 

onion | cherry tomato | quinoa | pickled apple | 

lemon olive oil 

For more information, please visit www.wynd.hk, 

e-mail us at enquiry@wynd.hk, or call us at 3462 2777. 

All-You-Can-Enjoy at 

Dada Bar + Lounge 

At the unbeatable price of at HKD218, you 

can enjoy unlimited drinks and canapés 

from 6pm - 8:30pm every day. The tempting 

package encompassing free-flow of wine, 

house pour, soft drinks, Italian Red Wine Ham, 

Spanish Iberian Ham Bellota and extensive 

selection of cheese. An ideal choice to relieve 

the tension from a whole-day work. 

Address: G/F, 9-13 Fuk Sau Lane, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong 

Telephone Number: 2547 7668 

CRUCIANI officially 

debuts in Hong Kong 

Cruciani C bracelets, the 100% made-in-Italy 

macramé lace jewellery, have become a 

global fashion phenomenon since its launch 

in 2011. The bracelets that have adorned 

the wrists of Beyoncé, David and Victoria 

Beckham, Paris Hilton, Heidi Klum, Jun Jihyun 

and many more, are now available in 

the new Cruciani boutiques in Times Square 

and Harbour City LCX. 

Address: 2/F, The Luxe Manor, 39 Kimberley Road, 

Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong 

B&O PLAY Special Edition 

Headphones 

BeoPlay H6 special editions are subtle 

and graceful, perfectly aligned with the B&O 

PLAY design excellence inherited from Bang 

& Olufsen, yet they still bring with them an 

edge that makes them particularly interesting 

for youthful, design affectionate professionals 

looking for that something special that stands 

out. 

Shop B208, Level B2, Times Square, 

Causeway Bay. Tel: 3426 3451 

Glasshouse 2, LCX, Level 3, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 

Tsimshatsui. Tel: 3188 5475 

The Lot on Possession 

Double Grilled Wagyu Beef, Grilled Tiger 

prawn, capsicum, French beans, guacamole, 

onion rings, salad, relish and herbed mayo 

served in a toasted Mediterranean bun 

It has a total of 12 levels for this huge 

burger. 

Selling price will be at $248. 

Best enjoyed by 2. 

Shop 2008-9, Podium Level 2, IFC Mall, Central. Tel : 2526 8800 

Tel : 2576 7600 

The Lot on Possession 

G/F, 22 Possession Street, Sheung Wan

DINING 

Getting 

Over It 

Had one too many jello shots last night? If it’s past midday and 

you’re still in bed reeking of late-night kebab, then you need our help. 

Sam Hui seeks out a few (mostly) foolproof Hong Kong hangover cures. 

Stop drinking, start juicing 

One Dim Sum: let’s be honest, one is never enough The Diner heals all your hanger pains LIttle Burro: Hot sauce is the solution 

Stuff Your Face 

One age-old way to curb the effects of a hangover is to clog 

the arteries with a greasy, deep-fried breakfast. The Diner, 

Arbuthnot Road’s faithful recreation of an all-American diner, 

obliges all your morning-after needs. The brunch menu is filled 

with satisfying bites, as well as antioxidant-laden Morning After 

smoothies that should blitz you back into tiptop shape. 

Get it: 4-8 Arbuthnot Rd., Central, 2562-3181. 

Dim Sum All Day 

If a fat fry-up doesn’t do the trick, dim sum will. Check out One 

Dim Sum, which offers plenty of bang for your buck. Try and get 

a seat facing the window, and down dumplings till you feel better. 

Get it: Shop 1&2, G/F, Kenwood Mansion, 15 Playing Field Rd., 

Prince Edward, 2789-2280. 

Hair of the Dog 

Get right back on the horse with a Bloody Mary. In search of Hong 

Kong’s finest spicy concotion? Look no further than The Globe’s 

offering, which has pickled jalapeño to boot. 

Get it: 45-53 Graham St., Central, 2543-1941. 

Go Herbal 

Try to get yourself down to Central in one piece and order a cup 

of fa kei sum ( 花旗參 ), or American ginseng tea, at Good Spring 

Company Chinese Herbal Pharmacy ( 春回堂藥行 ). It’s an 

aromatic—albeit acquired—taste but it’s a cheap cure at $8 per 

cup. So hold your nose and knock it back. 

Get it: 8 Cochrane St., Central, 2544-3518. 

Add Some Spice 

With new Tex-Mex joints popping up all over town, it’s easier 

than ever to dig into a burrito after a long night of Jägerbombs. 

Drench your heaving burrito with spicy salsa and hot sauce to 

dropkick the hangriest of hangovers. 

Get it: Little Burro, 1 Upper Station St., Sheung Wan, 

2547-8821; Cali-Mex, 71 Wellington St., Central, 2325-3005. 

Sweat it Out 

Some may say the key to getting over a hangover is to drink 

copious amounts of water. They’re wrong. The key to getting over 

a hangover is to drink copious amounts of Pocari Sweat. It’s so 

refreshing that not even its gross misnomer matters. It claims to 

be packed full of electrolytes, which sounds very promising. 

Get it: Every 7-Eleven stocks this stuff, so you won’t have 

to stumble far from home. 

Just Relax 

Bid farewell to your hangover with Gentlemen’s Tonic’s 

“The Hemingway”: a tailor-made treatment that will get you 

back to fighting bulls and reeling marlin in no time. The two-hour 

package ($1,700) includes an aromatherapy facial, a neck, scalp, 

and shoulder massage and most importantly, a Bloody Mary on 

the side. You probably feel better just reading that. 

Get it: Shop C, G/F, Sun Lee Building, 43-49 Wellington St., 

Central, 2525-2455. 

Pop Some Pills 

Forget aspirin: when it comes to curing a hangover, nothing 

beats Hong Kong’s very own Po Chai Pills. It’s traditional 

Chinese medicine on a teensy scale: the miniscule pills come 

in vials of about 30 that you down all at once. They look and 

taste a little strange, but by the time you’ve finished squinting 

through the list of ingredients your hangover will (probably) 

have magically disappeared. 

Get it: All pharmacies. 

Get Juiced 

Nothing working so far? It’s time to go to extremes, and Genie 

Juicery is here to show us the light. The cold-pressed juices 

are literally made to help you detox—and we’ve had good luck 

with the Smooth Operator and Life Blood blends. If you can’t 

bear to do the whole cleanse, slip one into your morning routine, 

somewhere between the fry-up and the dim sum. 

Get it: Shop 2096B, 2/F, IFC, 8 Finance St., Central, 2644-5875. 

Take a Hike 

No, seriously. The best way to beat your hangover is to sweat it 

out—if you have a masochistic disposition, at least. Our hangover 

hike of choice? Section 5 of the MacLehose Trail. Passing 

through Ma On Shan and Lion Rock Country Parks, the hike takes 

you along where the British held their defensive line in WWII, 

a military position colloquially known as the Gin Drinkers’ Line. 

You’ll fit right in. 

Hike it: www.hkwalkers.net. 

Photo: Scott Edmunds via Flickr 

Just walk it off, dude 

Pop those Po Chai Pills 

26 HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014 

Beautiful name, 

beautiful drink 

The Bloody Mary, life’s way of 

saying you haven’t drunk enough

NEW AND NOTED 

with Adele Wong 

RESTAURANT REVIEWS 

Hor Hor Deem ( 可可店 ) 

★★★★★ 

Cha chaan teng. 136-142 Belcher’s St., 

Kennedy Town, 2818-3658. 

We suppose it’s time we (very grudgingly) tell 

you to go to Hor Hor Deem. This cha chaan teng 

has been a late-night favorite of ours for ages. 

HIT The menu’s large and in Chinese, and 

it’s full of classic snacks. Curried fishballs had 

a good give and the curried pig’s stomach 

(both $12) was agreeably tender. A big plate 

of dry-fried beef ho fun ($27) was easy on the 

soy sauce which made it feel lighter, and the 

beef was well-velveted. Beef brisket noodles 

($25) came in a fishy broth with properly 

cooked noodles. Iced lemon teas were 

served in large mugs—always appreciated 

after a late night. The real standout was the 

fried cheung fun ($13), which came at the 

server’s suggestion with an egg that had been 

scrambled into the mix. Smooth and rich with 

a touch of crispiness: we spooned on the chili 

sauce and dug in. 

MISS When it’s late and you’re hungry, 

everything tastes good. Shanghainese fried 

noodles ($27) were perhaps a little lacking 

in meat. 

BOTTOM LINE Cheap and delicious: this 

Kennedy Town favorite has the perfect latenight 

eats. 

Open daily 4pm-3am. $ 

Star Street gets its gourmet on 

Tail Spin 

Get ready to slurp on some trendy strands 

courtesy of Foxtail & Broomcorn (G/F, 

84 Jervois St., Sheung Wan, 2415-2555), 

a noodle bar that serves signature recipes 

from all over Asia—but with a contemporary, 

European twist. For instance, a bowl of 

Taiwanese five-spice pork noodles might 

be served in a thick sauce instead of the 

traditional broth, or a bowl of fish noodles 

could be topped with parmesan chips. Enjoy 

it all in light-and-bright Scando-cool (aka the 

new Industrial-chic) surrounds. 

Fou for Fofo 

On the subject of light-and-bright interiors, 

Fofo By El Wily (20/F, M88, 2-8 Wellington 

St., Central, 2900-2009) has re-emerged 

from its makeover with even lighter, brighter 

walls and a new menu to boot. On top of 

lip-smacking signatures such as Barcelonan 

“Bikini” sandwiches stuffed with Iberico, 

black truffle shavings and melted mozzarella, 

diners can now also enjoy lobster croquettes, 

cod-mousse-stuffed peppers, and slowcooked 

Iberico pork jowl. There are many 

other new creations: hearty paellas, seafood 

sharing platters, and creamy desserts. 

It’s a High Steaks Game 

London steak chain Gaucho (5/F, LHT Tower, 

31 Queen’s Rd. Central, 2386-8090) has 

earmarked Hong Kong as its next port for 

expansion, setting up where Mario Batali and 

Dining Concepts’ Carnevino used to be. The 

Argentine steakhouse will hopefully fare better 

than its American steakhouse predecessor. 

The draw here—besides the cowhide walls 

and leather chairs—are of course the cows 

themselves, which hail from the Argentine 

Pampas and are brought up on no fewer than 

17 varieties of grass. Spoiled beasts! 

Star Street Gazing 

Star Street and co. would like to remind 

you that they’re still cool and relevant, so 

they’re organizing a Gourmet & Wine Walk 

on October 25 to showcase the shops and 

restaurants in the area. Buy yourself a $395 

ticket to try out different treats from places 

like 3/2 Dolci, Chez Patrick Deli, Beef & 

Liberty, and Oolaa Petite. Retail boutiques 

are participating too, offering 10-30 percent 

discounts on the day. Get your tickets at 

events.scmp.com/starstreet. 

Sweet Surrender 

Get the sugar rush of your life at Mr Simms 

Olde Sweet Shoppe (37 Lyndhurst Terrace, 

Central, 8192-6138), which brings quaint 

British candies straight from the UK to 

nostalgic oldies longing for their youth— 

or for one more Sherbet Fountain (don’t ask 

me what that is—I grew up on Jawbreakers 

and Sour Patch Kids). The candies are 

displayed in rows and rows of large glass jars 

sitting on endless wooden shelves—good 

luck choosing. 

Email me at adele.wong@hkmagmedia.com 

or follow me on Twitter: @adelewong_hk. 

Thai Basil 

★★★★★ 

Thai. Shop 001, B/F, Pacific Place, 

88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2537-4682. 

This Maxim’s Group establishment is one 

of Pacific Place’s mainstays, and on any 

given night you’ll find it filled with patrons— 

especially Amex cardholders, who get up to 50 

percent off. The basement venue is amicably 

communal, straddling that very fine line 

between buzzing and downright noisy. 

HIT The space is nicely laid out, and great 

for a casual meal before the movies. The 

grilled sliced beef curry ($118) was, although 

much milder than any Thai curry you’ll ever 

find in Bangkok, appropriately smoky and 

juicy. Thai fish cakes ($80)—again, more of a 

Hong Kong creation than a Thai staple—were 

delightfully meaty and crisp on the outside. 

Hon Kee Noodles 

★★★★★ 

Chiu Chow noodles. G/F, 6 Hillier St., 

Sheung Wan, 2543-9282. 

This unassuming noodle place carries on in 

the midst of all the hot openings and trendy 

eateries in Sheung Wan—you’d never it give a 

second look. Presumably there’s a secret to its 

continued existence? 

HIT Hon Kee’s signatures are the beef 

brisket and squid balls. We tried the former 

tossed with thin noodles ($54). The brisket 

was soft, with a marbled texture that melted 

in your mouth. Not bad. 

MISS The fresh beef noodles with soup 

($34) was like disappointment swimming in 

a bowl—bland and harrowing. The meat was 

pinkish in that baking soda-enhanced way. 

We were annoyed that all the plain mixed 

noodles, regardless of toppings, were a full 

MISS Our mixed vegetable green curry 

($110) came with barely chopped (and 

cooked) chunks of potatoes and carrots, plus 

beansprouts. The pieces were so large there 

was no chance for them to soak up the mild 

sauce. It was about the most generic curry 

dish you could imagine—there was nothing 

Thai about it, from the ingredients to the 

bland flavors. 

BOTTOM LINE Go with the right 

expectations, and a value-for-money meal 

will be had. 

Open daily 11:30am-11pm. $$-$$$ 

$20 more than soup noodles. How does 

souplessness warrant such a price jump? A 

side of “Four Treasures” (squid balls, fishballs, 

fish dumplings, and fish wrapped in pig skin) 

in soup ($33) had well-seasoned squid balls, 

but everything else was just a mishmash of 

textures, not tastes. 

BOTTOM LINE We headed into Hon 

Kee hoping for a gem, but left with our lives 

unchanged. Perhaps we can swap it out for 

a trendy Sheung Wan hotspot? 

Open Sun-Fri 7:15am-7:45pm; Sat 7:15-4pm. 

Closed Public Holidays. $ 

Ratings 

★ Don’t go ★★ Disappointing ★★★ We’ll be back ★★★★ We’ll be back—with friends ★★★★★ You MUST go 

Price Guide 

$ Less than $200 $$ $200-$399 $$$ $400-$599 $$$$ $600-$799 $$$$$ $800 and up 

Price per person, including one drink, appetizer, main course and dessert. Prices do not include bottles of wine unless stated. 

Fofo gets a delicious makeover 

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. 


Culture + nightlife + film 

Shores of the Dead 

Asian nations have been fighting over tiny, 

uninhabited islands since time immemorial. 

So Spring Workshop and Para Site have put 

together the group show “Islands Off the 

Shores of Asia”—including Hongkongers 

MAP Office, Pak Sheung Chuen, and Howie 

Tsui (work pictured)—to ask a question: what if 

all this island-grabbing were about more than just 

geopolitics? What if there were something more… 

mystical going on? These artists debate nationalism 

and identity, and question why islands are the cause 

of so much insecurity. Maybe it’s just because we’re 

all part of the “Lost” generation? 

Through Dec 7. Spring Workshop, 3/F, Remex Centre, 

42 Wong Chuk Hang Rd., Aberdeen, 2110-4370. 


ARTS evelyn.lok@hkmagmedia.com 

Stage 

Arts Festivals 

New Vision Arts Festival 

This is the seventh year of the biennial New 

Vision Arts Festival, which brings a slew of 

overseas and local talents together for an 

action-packed four weeks. Opening the festival 

is the highly anticipated dance performance 

“Political Mother.” Choreographed by 

Israeli-born, London-based Hofesh Shechter, 

the performance blends modern styles with 

traditional Middle Eastern folk dance. On the 

theater side, don’t miss “Ravens, We Shall Load 

Bullets” where a group of Japanese senior 

citizens portray a group of armed rebels; and 

Can & Abel Theaters’ “The Kitchen,” in which 

a couple cooks on stage in real time to the 

sound of drumbeats, reflecting on how cooking 

is the essence of life. Eminent British director 

Adrian Nobel also makes an appearance in 

a new production of Henrik Ibsen’s “Hedda 

Gabler”: a story of a general’s daughter trapped 

in a dull marriage and troubled by jealousy. 

Visit the website for the full lineup. Through 

Nov 16. $120-480 from www.urbtix.hk. www. 

newvisionfestival.gov.hk. 

Comedy 

TakeOut Comedy Presents: Dennis Regan 

From his debut in the late 80s to headlining at all 

the top US comedy clubs and appearances on 

late shows with David Letterman and Jay Leno, 

Dennis Regan will be making the rounds at his 

Hong Kong debut this October. He prides himself 

on “clean, corporate comedy”—but it ain’t 

as dry as it suggests; Regan is brimming with 

cheeky insights and observations. See him at 

Champs bar (209-219 Wan Chai Rd.) on opening 

night, and TakeOut Comedy Club thereafter. 

Oct 24-25, 9pm. TakeOut Comedy, B/F, 34 Elgin 

St., Central, 6220-4436. $250-300 from www. 

takeoutcomedy.com. 

Edited by Evelyn Lok 

People’s Fringe Festival 

The city’s fall festival season has kicked off. Catch the People’s Fringe Festival, billed as an “alternative 

arts experience” that will feature music, dance, theater, stand-up comedy, exhibitions and tons more. 

From now until November, the events will be all over town, from parks and churches to the village of 

Ping Che in the New Territories. This year’s theme is “space-revolution-freedom-senses”—which could 

mean anything, really. Visit website for lineup. Through Nov 15. pplsfringe.com. 

Dance 

A Celebration of Dance: 

The Hong Kong Ballet at 35 

The Hong Kong Ballet celebrates its 35th 

anniversary with a mixed bill of three 

groundbreaking performances that reflect 

the unique repertoire of the Ballet, the sheer 

talent of its dancers, and a commitment to 

tradition and innovation alike. “Serenade,” 

is an insight into the immense training and 

learning processes required in ballet. Legendary 

choreographer George Balanchine incorporated 

human error into the final choreography, to 

stress the humanity of the dance. “Castrati” 

brings the men of the ballet into the limelight 

in a piece created for nine men, set to a mix 

of Vivaldi and Karl Jenkins. Finally, they’re 

performing the third act from “Swan Lake,” 

because everybody loves “Swan Lake.” Oct 

24-25, 7:30pm; Oct 25-26, 2:30pm. Grand 

Theatre, Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., 

Tsim Sha Tsui. $140-1,000 from www.urbtix.hk. 

Classical 

Majestic Drums XIX 

Under the baton of resident conductor Chew 

Hee-chiat, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra 

teams up with the percussionists of the 

Contemporary Gugak (traditional Korean 

performing arts) Orchestra to perform three 

thunderous percussion pieces, from Korean 

folk tunes using traditional Korean drums and 

gongs, to traditional Chinese numbers such as 

“Guanshan Capriccio”—featuring the young 

soloist Yu Jo-yu, flown in straight from Taiwan. 

Don’t miss your chance to bang on a couple 

pots and pans too: in the grand finale, “Let the 

Thunder of Drums Roll,” the audience will be 

invited to join in. Oct 24, 8pm. Concert Hall, 

Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. 

$100-380 from www.urbtix.hk. 

Steven Osborne 

Piano Recital 

Steven Osborne— 

not a son of Ozzy 

Osbourne, but 

instead the highly 

accoladed Scottish 

pianist—will be 

playing a solo 

recital at HKU’s 

new Grand Hall at 

the Lee Shau Kee 

lecture theater, 

with a program including Schubert’s “Four 

Impromptus,” “Hüttenbrenner Variations,” and 

Beethoven’s “Hammerklavier.” The Guardian 

lauded Osborne’s performance of the epicsounding 

“Hammerklavier” as “edge-of-the-seat 

excitement”—lofty praise indeed for anything 

that’s not a Black Sabbath song. Oct 26, 3pm. 

HKU Grand Hall, LG/F, Lee Shau Kee Lecture 

Centre, Centennial Campus, The University of 

Hong Kong, Bonham Road, Pok Fu Lam. 

$80-480 from pphk.org.hk. 

Canadian Brass 

Nice men with big instruments coming through! 

The Canadian Brass quintet is bringing their 

skillz, humor and eclectic brass repertoire (just 

look up their cover of “Bad Romance”) to the 

Hong Kong stage. They’ll be performing a mixed 

program of tunes: from Mozart to Brahms to 

American folk to a selection of classic Chinese 

songs. Oct 31, 8pm. Tsuen Wan Town Hall 

Auditorium, 72 Tai Ho Rd., Tsuen Wan. 

$150-300 from www.urbtix.hk. 

Need to Know 

Theater & Arts 

Urbtix (credit cards) 2111-5999 

Urbtix (enquiries) 2734-9009 

HK Ticketing 3128-8288 

HK Arts Centre 2582-0200 

Fringe Club 2521-7251 

HK Cultural Centre 2734-2009 

Stomp Your Foot: 

Welsh Male Voice Choir 

The Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir is 

here to prove that a cappella isn’t all tweeting 

falsetto. The 35-year-old choir, now not only 

Welsh but very much multicultural, continues 

their “Stomp Your Foot!” series in collaboration 

with the HKAPA’s School of Dance students, to 

perform songs both old and new. Foot-stomping 

mandatory. Nov 1, 8, 7:30pm. Concert Hall, 

Academy for Performing Arts, 1 Gloucester Rd., 

Wan Chai. $100-250 from www.hkticketing.com. 

Marriner at 90 

The City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong 

opens its 15th season with none other than the 

revered British conductor and violinist Sir Neville 

Marriner. The nonagenarian raises the baton to 

conduct his son Andrew, the principal clarinettist 

of the London Symphony Orchestra, and the 

CCOHK in “Two Pieces for Small Orchestra” by 

Delius and a serenade by Elgar, before ending 

on “The London,” or Haydn’s Symphony No. 104. 

Budding clarinettists can join in on a masterclass 

held by Andrew Marriner on November 9; see 

website. Nov 7, 8pm. Auditorium, Sha Tin Town 

Hall, 1 Yuen Wo Rd., Sha Tin. $280-680 from 

www.urbtix.hk. www.ccohk.com. 

Eddie Gomez Quartet 

The great Puerto Rican jazz bassist Eddie Gomez 

graces the Hong Kong stage this month. His 

CV is nothing short of impressive: he’s played 

with legends including Benny Goodman, Herbie 

Hancock and Miles Davis, plus many more. He’s 

backed in Hong Kong by a local talent—rising star 

guitarist Teriver Cheung. Oct 24, 8:15pm. Youth 

Square Y-Studio, 2/F, 238 Chai Wan Rd., Chai Wan, 

37218888. $380-580 from www.urbtix.hk. 

Theater 

HK City Hall 2921-2840 

HK Academy for Performing Arts 2584-8500 

Kwai Tsing Theatre 2408-0128 

LCSD Music Programme Office 2268-7321 

LCSD Dance/Multi-Arts Office 2268-7323 

LCSD Theatre Office 2268-7323 

Liars’ League HK 

Get your monthly literary fix at the Liars’ 

League. Actors perform original pieces of short 

fiction—written specifically for the event by 

local and international authors—in front of you, 

the audience. Each of their events carries a 

theme, and this time in collaboration with Pink 

Season, the theme is “Here and Queer.” This’ll 

be a fun one: expect stories about the joys of 

drag, close encounters between roommates 

and a transgender protagonist’s birthday. As 

always, it’s totally free. To submit your own 

stories for consideration or to find out more, visit 

liarsleague.blogspot.hk. The submission deadline 

for December’s event, themed “Chance and 

Fate,” is October 26. Oct 27, 8pm. Fringe Club, 

2 Lower Albert Rd., Central, 2525-1032. Free. 

Venice and the Commedia dell’Arte 

Commedia dell’arte gave the world its first 

improv theater in the 16th century, spreading 

across Italy and developing the idea of acting 

as a profession. This performance follows a 

presentation from CityU’s Dr. Peter Jordan, 

who has just published a book about the 

theater form. In Commedia dell’arte actors 

donned creepy-looking masks depicting 

different character types: a principal character 

is “Pantalone de’ Bisognosi,” an unpleasant 

man motivated entirely by money. Pantalone 

de’ Tycoon: now that would be an excellent 

Halloween costume. Oct 28, 8pm. Youth Square 

Y-Studio, 2/F, 238 Chai Wan Rd., Chai Wan, 

37218888. Free; register from eventbrite.hk. 

Brave Heart Theatre: The Double Bass 

by Patrick Süskind 

No blue-faced Mel Gibson charging across a 

warfield here; Brave Heart Theatre is the city’s 

newest small-venue theater series, held at 

Premium Sofa Club. The official opener of the 

series will be the Hong Kong English-language 

debut of “The Double Bass” by Patrick Süskind, 

the writer best known for “Perfume: The Story of 

a Murderer.” The one-act monologue is all about 

an alcoholic musician and his obsession with his 

instrument. Hipsters will be happy to learn that 

this is the work that made Süskind famous, long 

before “Perfume” made him cool. Through Oct 7, 

7pm, 9pm. Premium, B/F, 212-216 Wing Lok St., 

Sheung Wan, 9175-1402. $100-200 from www. 

ticketingover.com; $150-250 at the door. 

The Box Side 15: The World Was Made 

on a Sunday 

The Boundless Multimedia series goes full 

force with the last show of the series, which is 

the 15th production by Hong Kong writers Peter 

Suart and Kung Chi-sing’s “The Box” theater, 

which folds in live music, projected images 

and acting. This time, “The World was Made on 

a Sunday” looks at Vladimir Nabokov, Dmitri 

Shostakovich and Joseph Stalin around the time 

of the Bolshevik Bolshevik Revolution. Based 

partly on Nabokov’s autobiography “Speak, 

Memory,” it’s a powerful amalgamation of power, 

art, music and apparently, butterflies and chess. 

Oct 31-Nov 1, 8pm; Nov 2, 3pm. Shouson Theatre, 

Arts Centre, 2 Harbour Rd., Wan Chai. $180-230 

from www.urbtix.hk. 


SWIREDENIM_Ad_HKMag_HollyThriller_20141017.pdf 1 17/10/14 19:39 

ARTS 

Exhibitions 

Tables and Chairs: A Study of Design and Craftsmanship; 

Extinct Pleasures: The Use of Endangered Materials in Vanities 

The Liang Yi Museum, which houses one of the world’s largest private collections of 

Chinese antique furniture, presents a bipartite exhibiton. The first segment, Tables and 

Chairs, features furniture from the Ming and Qing dynasties (1880s-1910s), while the 

second, Extinct Pleasures, features compact cases made with rare and exotic materials 

which were commonplace before the CITES treaty banned the trade of endangered 

animals. Guides will cater for both the expert antiquarian and the intrigued layman. Make 

sure to call and book an appointment: the gallery keeps tour groups to a maximum of 

four to maintain its atmosphere. Closed Mondays. Through Feb 15, 2015, 10pm. 

Liang Yi Museum, 181-199 Hollywood Rd., Sheung Wan, 2806-8260. 

$200. www.liangyimuseum.com. 

Kwong Wing-kwan: 

Suspending World 

Artify’s latest exhibition shows off local 

artist Kwong Wing-kwan’s mystical 

inner world: all celestial bodies, black 

holes and stars, contemplating the 

paradoxes of human existence. In this 

continuation of her solo show from 

last year, Kwong uses her paintings 

to compare how natural catastrophes 

destroy and create, and how planets 

move in orbit while vying for a leading 

position within the balance—to her, 

it’s a metaphor for the human struggle 

against fate. Head on over to check 

out the works—hipster galaxy print 

T-shirt mandatory. Through Nov 22. 

Artify Gallery, 10/F, Block A, Ming Pao 

Industrial Centre, 18 Ka Yip St., 

Chai Wan, 2140-9386. 

Christian Gaillard: 

De Luz 

Meaning “Of Light” in 

Spanish, Christian Gaillard’s 

latest show features his 

highly acclaimed portraits 

of real-life matadors, 

dressed in all their finery. 

The traditional custom-made 

costumes are dubbed the 

“Suits of Light” thanks 

to their intricate golden 

embroidery. You’ll even see 

a few portraits of female 

matadors as well. Who said 

Spain wasn’t a progressive 

country? Through Oct 28. 

Connoisseur Contemporary, 

G4, Chinachem Hollywood 

Centre, 1 Hollywood Rd., 

Central, 3521-0300. 


Picasso Ceramics 

As if Picasso’s paintings weren’t 

figure-bending enough already. Among 

the highlights of his ceramic works is a 

duck-flower-woman’s head-vase, so what 

else can we expect? A Desmoiselles 

d’Avignon tableware set? See more 

than 100 of his colorfully glazed ceramic 

works from the Nina Miller collection, 

made public for the first time ever. If it’s 

all too much, go for some regular ol’ 2D 

weird—there will be a few of the artist’s 

lithographs and posters on show as well. 

Through Nov 2. University Museum and 

Art Gallery, Hong Kong University, 94 

Bonham Rd., Pok Fu Lam, 2241-5500. 

© YVONNE CHAN 

“Profoundly musical.” 

Gramophone 

“Incredible singing violin.” 

DrehPunktKultur 

Music Director/Conductor 

Yip Wing-sie 

6.11.2014 

(Thu) 8pm 

HK City Hall Concert Hall 

$340 $220 $140 

Programme 

Violin 

Benjamin Schmid 

1st Prize, Beethoven, Mozart & Audience Prizes, 

Carl Flesch Competition 1992 

Lutosławski Little Suite 

Mozart Violin Concerto No 2 in D, K211 

Mozart Violin Concerto No 5 in A, K219, 

“Turkish” 

Bartók Dance Suite 

© JULIA WESELY 

Dustin Shum: Blocks Phase II 

As the man behind the camera, 

Shum—The Salt Yard co-founder— 

has documented public housing 

units all across the city in their 

quirky jumble of old and new, in 

an attempt to bring to light the 

problems faced by residents. Shum 

critiques The Link REIT in particular, 

which has replaced many small 

local businesses with giant chain 

stores and restaurants. Through 

Dec 14. The Salt Yard, B1, 4/F, Jone 

Mult Industrial Building, 169 Wai 

Yip St., Kwun Tong, 3563-8003. 

Piano 

Antoni Donchev 

Double Bass 

Georg Breinschmid 

© JULIA WESELY 

Punk+ 

This exhibition features works by 

the legendary photographer Sheila 

Rock. She befriended scores of 

young musicians: and with camera 

in hand, she was quietly swept up 

in a movement that soon became 

known to the world as punk. Catch 

her photos of the greats before they 

became the greats: The Clash, Billy 

Idol, Siouxsie Sioux and many more. 

Through Nov 15. Agnès B. Rue De 

Marseille, Shop G26, G28 & 117-120, 

K11 Art Mall, 18 Hanoi Rd., 

Tsim Sha Tsui, 3122-4282. 

Die Young 

Hong Kong’s artist trio du jour, 

Rental United, bands together for a 

retrospective show of sorts. While 

not really performance artists per se, 

the group always brings some sort 

of quirky happening to exhibitions: 

Such as when they dressed up in 

wedding garb and took absurdly tiny 

professional wedding portraits, as a 

trio. Or when they stood posing on 

pedestals to allow viewers to study 

them as artforms. “Die Young” looks 

back at these moments which have 

“passed away,” bringing back only 

the remnants of each show as a 

reminder. Through Oct 31. EC Gallery, 

G/F, 72A Hollywood Rd., Central, 

2519-6178. 

Violin 

Benjamin Schmid 

Sponsored by 

20% discount 

Tickets at URBTIX 

2111 5999 | www.URBTIX.hk 

Programme Enquiries: 2836 3336 

Hong Kong Sinfonietta reserves the right to change the programme and artists 

Hong Kong Sinfonietta is financially supported by 

the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 

Hong Kong Sinfonietta is the Venue Partner of the Hong Kong City Hall 

8.11.2014 

(Sat) 8pm 

HK City Hall Concert Hall 

$320, $220, $140 

Conductor 

Roderick Dunk 

when you purchase full-price tickets to 

both concerts on 6 & 8 November 2014 


nightlife 

Edited 

by Andrea Lo 

andrea.lo@hkmagmedia.com 

Twitter: @andreas_lo 

Open Bar Isono Eatery and Bar 

The buzz: PMQ’s cooler-than-thou restaurant 

and bar scene continues to flourish. Isono 

Eatery and Bar ticks all the right boxes to attract 

the trendy crowd: the brainchild of Spanish 

chef Paolo Casagrande, it boasts a cocktail 

menu created by Charlene Dawes of the 

Tastings Group. It is the sister restaurant to 

fine-dining venue Vasco, and both share a vast, 

double-height space on the sixth and seventh 

floors. As if the space wasn’t impressive enough, 

Isono has also just opened “a bar within a bar:” 

Dubbed Isono Alfresco, it’s situated on the 

hk picks 

terrace of the upper floor—launched just in time 

for the cooler weather. 

The décor: Although industrial chic has been 

around for a while, Isono does it pretty well. 

Dim lights give the venue an intimate feel while 

the open-plan design and communal dining 

tables add a casual vibe. There are cozy lounge 

areas with just enough space for two on the 

lower floor terrace—perfect for grabbing a drink 

with a date. Hosting a large group? There are 

plenty of private dining rooms available as well. 

Marco Polo German Bierfest 

Oktoberfest is in full swing! The Marco Polo German Bierfest is known as one of the best places in town 

to celebrate Oktoberfest (even though it technically takes place in a car park). Expect plenty of yummy 

German treats and a nonstop stream of beer. Through Nov 8, 7:30-11pm. Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, 

Harbour City, 3 Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2113-0088. $140-240 from www.hkticketing.com. 

The drinks: Sample 

the cocktail menu, 

which comes with 

recommendations 

for dishes best 

paired with your 

drink. Have an Isono 

Negroni ($140, right), 

made with Botanic 

Premium London Dry 

Gin, Antica Formula 

vermouth, Campari and Barrel bitters, paired with 

a platter of pata negra ham ($240-$380). Like 

something sweeter? Go for The Fix ($120, below), 

made with gin, rosemary and elderflower syrups, 

plus lime juice—which goes well with a beef 

tartare ($130-230). Don’t like cocktails? All the 

usual stuff—like gins, beers, whiskies and 

sherries—are also on the menu. 

Why you’ll be back: Isono is good for a big 

group or an intimate evening for two, with an 

extensive menu worth exploring. Whether 

it’s the cocktail pairings or the 

artisanal cheese platters, there’s 

always something to keep your 

interest piqued. Andrea Lo 

Shop H601-H608, 6/F, Block B, 

PMQ, 35 Aberdeen St., Central, 

2156-0688. 

Gigs 

The Warehouse Band Show 

Live hip-hop shows tend to take place at 3am 

at some club, which is not always fun to hang 

around for. Catch this hip-hop extravaganza 

at Aberdeen gig venue Warehouse, featuring 

beatboxers and rappers, plus indie band Mr 

Rocket Head. Visit their Facebook page for the 

full lineup. Oct 25, 7pm. The Warehouse Teenage 

Club, 116 Aberdeen Main Rd., Aberdeen. 

$60 in advance, call 2873-2244; $80 at the door. 

tiny.cc/hk-warehouse. 

Noise to Signal 0.27: Modulation 

Join in on a night of electronic music, featuring 

four “modular synth wizards” including 

Germany’s Olaf Hochherz. With a name like that, 

you KNOW he’s a synth god. Oct 25, 8:30pm. 

HKICC Lee Shau Kee School of Creativity, 

135 Junction Rd., Kowloon City. Free entry 

(pay what you want). 

Mono 

Instrumental post-rock band Mono has 

released seven studio albums since forming 

in Tokyo in 1999. The band is celebrating its 

latest releases, “The Last Dawn” and “Rays 

of Darkness,” with this gig. Oct 26, 9pm. 

Musiczone, KITEC, 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon 

Bay. $400 from www.ticketflap.com; $500 at 

the door. 

Skalloween Party 

Ten-piece 2 Tone and ska band extraordinaire 

the Red Stripes becomes the Dead Stripes 

for Halloween, joining forces with arcade 

rockers The Sleeves and punk rockability 

masters Tango and Snatch, for this Skalloween 

scarefest at the Brew House. Oct 31, 7:30pm. 

Hong Kong Brew House, G/F & Basement, 

21 D’Aguilar St., Central, 2522-5559. Free. 

Anthelion 

Taiwanese metal four-piece Anthelion has 

been around since 2001. Following the launch 

of new album “Obsidian Plume,” they’re 

heading to Hidden Agenda to perform. Their 

music boasts symphonic and melodic metal 

tunes. Hope you’ve been practicing your 

headbanging. Oct 31, 8pm. Hidden Agenda, 

Unit 2A, Wing Fu Industrial Building, 15-17 Tai 

Yip St., Ngau Tau Kok. $220 at the door. 

Clockenflap 2014 

Clockenflap is on the horizon! See LA comedy 

rockers Tenacious D, UK indie chart-toppers 

The Vaccines, Scots electro group Chvrches 

and latin hip-hop group Ozomatli. The rest 

of the acts will be announced in due course. 

Tickets are on sale now, so act quick. Visit the 

website for the full lineup. Nov 28-30, 12pm. 

West Kowloon Cultural District. $440-1,080 from 

www.ticketflap.com. www.clockenflap.com. 

Photo: Thom via Wiki 

Clubs 

Cristian Varela 

Madrid-based techno DJ Cristian Varela is 

the owner of music label Pornographic Records, 

which really sets the bar pretty high for his 

Hong Kong debut at Volar. Bring protection, 

just in case. Oct 24, 10pm. Volar, B/F, 

38-44 D’Aguilar St., Central, 2810-1510. 

$250 before 12:30am; $350 thereafter, both 

include two drinks. 

Ultra Vibes: Club Clicquot Vingt Six 

At neon-pink-themed party Ultra Vibes, R&B 

DJ Yasmin will be doing what she does best. 

Discovered by Pharrell Williams, the Brit is a 

Hong Kong regular, having played at last year’s 

hip-hop festival Blohk Party. Spanish visual 

artist Javier Martin will be displaying his pieces 

alongside the gig; his artwork in the past 

includes a collection of Louis Vuitton “rifles” 

made from fabrics and clasps. GETTIT? Oct 24, 

11pm. Kee Club, 6/F, 32 Wellington St., Central, 

2810-9000. $300 at the door, including a drink. 

John Digweed 

John Digweed was voted world’s No.1 DJ by 

readers of DJ Magazine in 2001, for introducing 

progressive house to the world. I bet he loves 

Skrillex. Oct 25, 10:30pm. Club 18, G/F, 

18 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2796-8830. 

$480-580 from www.hkticketing.com. 

Slack Trax Presents Halloween 

DJ Janette Slack is putting on a Halloween gig 

at Fly, also featuring Johnnie Darka, Chris Bland 

and DJ Fowler. They’ll get all dressed up— 

so you should too, otherwise you’ll feel totally 

left out. Nov 1, 10pm. Fly, G/F, 24-30 Ice House 

St., Central, 2810-9902. Free. 

Photo: Bobette Bobette 

October Band Festival 

Catch the October Band Festival at Backstage, 

featuring rock ‘n’ roll trio League of Gentlemen, 

ska and gipsy-punk six-piece Les Gromechkos 

(pictured), and groovy rockers Electricious. Entry 

includes a beer, and there’s also a $50 deal on 

Heineken. Oct 25, 10:30pm. Backstage Live, 

1/F, Somptueux Central, 52-54 Wellington St., 

Central, 2167-8985. $150 at the door, 

including a beer. 

The Sign Of Human 

Taiwanese post-punk band The Sign of Human 

is set to show off tunes from its latest album, 

“Note For Time,” at Hidden Agenda. Expect 

shoegaze and psychedelic sounds within. 

Oct 25, 8:30pm. Hidden Agenda, Unit 2A, 

Wing Fu Industrial Building, 15-17 Tai Yip St., 

Ngau Tau Kok. $250 at the door. 

Lily Allen 

Pop sensation Lily Allen makes her Hong Kong 

debut early next year. Ever since returning to 

the music scene in 2013 after a three-year 

hiatus, she’s shed her bad-girl image, but not 

the shock factor of her provocative lyrics. Grab 

your tickets quick! Jan 31 2015, 7pm. Hall 10, 

AsiaWorld-Expo, Chek Lap Kok. $788 from 

www.hkticketing.com. 


SPORTS 

Edited by 

Charley Mulliner 

charlotte.mulliner@ 

hkmagmedia.com 

THE STRAIGHT MAN 

with Yalun Tu 

hk picks 

Stop Trying 

“I’ll try.” 

How many times have you heard 

somebody in Hong Kong say that? If the answer 

is a billion and five, then we can be friends. 

“I’ll try” is possibly the worst thing you can 

utter, soundly surpassing “you’re fired,” 

“I’m having an affair,” or even (shudder), 

“I’m a vegan.” Those statements are at least 

straightforward exclamations of terrible things. 

“I’ll try” means the exact opposite of what you 

actually mean. 

From the dictionary: “Try—to make an 

attempt or effort to do something.” A proper 

example would be, “I’ll try to do a 20km hike” 

[dies] or “I’ll try to get asylum in Hong Kong” 

[fails, hides out in Russia]. A Hong Kong “try” 

is different. It means “to keep an offer or 

invitation open in case one’s plans A through 

G fall through, but unless an unforeseen 

Act of God occurs, to actually have no intention 

of trying whatsoever.” Here’s an example: 

Me: Hey Lina. I’m having a BBQ Sunday. 

Can you come? 

Lina: Sounds good! I’ll try to make it. 

At first glance, this seems like a soft 

confirm. There’s an exclamation point and 

maybe even an emoji if we were Whatsapping. 

Lina would like to attend my BBQ. True, “I’ll try” 

means it’s not completely guaranteed (hence 

the “soft” confirm). Maybe Lina is out paddleboarding 

at Big Wave Bay and may not get back 

in time. Fair enough. It’s a journey. But at least 

the good faith is there, right? 

WRONG. Hong Kong is not a city of good 

faith. Never in the history of our city-state has 

somebody declared, “I’ll try to make it” and 

shown up to the event. There was a rumor it 

happened once in 2007 but I can’t 100 percent 

confirm it. Instead, people say “I’ll try” but will 

actively book other things during that period. 

“I’ll try” is “You’re a backup backup.” 

It’s not hard to do things instead of trying 

to do things. For an event, get in a taxi and say 

“Lan Kwai Fong.” In five to 30 minutes you’ll 

have made it there. Actual trying would result 

in actual success. Some people know this, so 

they’ll layer on another poor excuse: “I tried to 

meet up but my phone died.” Slow sarcastic 

clap. At this point I’d just prefer crazy excuses, 

Nightlife Events 

Dapper Club 

Any whisky 

lovers in the 

house? W 

Hotel’s Woobar 

is hosting 

a party in 

collaboration 

with Chivas, 

offering freeflowing 

whisky 

cocktails until 

midnight. There will be a buffet with pulledpork 

burgers, salmon, cheeses and cold 

cuts. If that’s not enough to lure you in, then 

who knows what is? Oct 25, 9pm. W Hotel, 

1 Austin Rd. West, West Kowloon, 3717-2222. 

$250 from venue; $300 at the door. 

like “I was attacked by a 10-foot-tall Cronut 

so I couldn’t make the surprise bday!” 

There’s another Hong Kong meaning 

of “try” and it’s terrible as well. It means 

“I want to develop some sort of skill, but I like 

saying I want to develop this skill more than 

I like putting in the work to develop said skill.” 

Another example: 

Cocktail party person: Oh, you write for 

HK Mag. 

Me: Poorly. [self-effacing-laugh-humble brag] 

Cocktail person: I want to try to do 

some writing. 

Me: You should write, then. 

Cocktail person: Um… Yeah… I’ve tried 

to but it’s hard to put stuff down. 

What? No, it’s not. It’s easy to put stuff 

down. Just write a word then another word 

then another word after that. End with a period. 

Capitalize the next letter. Then write some 

more. Then you have a column. (This is my 

work process). 

You don’t need to try to write—just 

write. You don’t need to try to run a marathon: 

you train and then you run one. If you want 

to not drink for a week, don’t try not drinking; 

just don’t drink. This is kinda stupid, but 

people’s “trying” excuses are just as stupid. 

If you want something, get it for yourself. 

Rally the troops, tap into your inner motivator. 

As my gym trainer Saso yells every third 

word, “Do it.” 

Don’t try to come to events if you’re invited 

to them. Either thank the person for the invite 

and attend, or thank the person for the invite 

and graciously decline because you won’t 

attend. Don’t try to develop a skill. Plan. Do it. 

You won’t succeed 100 percent of the time. 

But that’s fine. We all have vices, flaws and 

quirks that make things hard and, hey, that’s 

life. But you will fail 100 percent of the time if 

you approach a difficult thing with the attitude, 

“I’ll try it.” When I want something, I look myself 

in the mirror and kiss my biceps. Wait, that’s 

something else. When I want something, I look 

myself in the mirror and say, “I’m going to do 

it.” And I do. 

Unless I don’t. But at least I didn’t 

try—I went for it. And there is a difference. 

Yalun Tu is a columnist for HK Magazine. You can reach him at yalun.tu@gmail.com 

or @yaluntu on Twitter. 

Halloween at Fatty Crab 

For Halloween this year, Fatty Crab will be 

decked out like a Mexican joint. Sample southof-the-border-inspired 

cocktails, as well as 

dishes like shrimp and tamarind ceviche plus 

tacos at $30 apiece. South of the border: is Hong 

Kong China’s Mexico? Oct 31, 6pm. Fatty Crab, 

G/F, 11-13 Old Bailey St., Central, 2521-2033. 

Happy Valley Oktoberfest 

Weekly horse-racing at Happy Valley is back out of the starting gates with a cracking line up 

for Oktoberfest: namely, gallons of beer in all sorts of guises. Think speed-drinking contests, beerpouring 

challenges and 11 different brews on tap in the dedicated Beer Garden. Soak it all up with 

some pork knuckle and sauerkraut while jumping around to Bavarian entertainment. Oh, and if you 

happen to spot horse-headed men galloping through town, grab them for free beer coupons. Looks 

like the all-popular Happy Wednesdays just got even happier. Until Thursday, that is. Oct 29, Nov 12, 

7pm. Happy Valley Racecourse, Causeway Bay. $10 at the door for access to public enclosure. 

The Five Open Water Challenge 

Part of the World Open Water Swimming 

Series—13 races on five continents—”The 

Five” is a 5km swim around South Bay. The 

race is a circuit from South Bay Beach, taking 

you out into the waters of neighboring Chung 

Hom Wan. The winners of the male and female 

races get $6,000 each, with second place 

bagging $3,000. Now that’s worth getting out 

of bed for. Open Water Asia runs a variety of 

swim events throughout the year, so check 

out the website for more details, plus tips on 

open water swimming. Nov 9, 9am. South Bay. 

$400-500; register online before Nov 7 at 

www.openwaterasia.com. 

SFHF Fundraising Tennis Challenge 

John Isner and Nicolas Mahut may have 

fought the longest match in tennis history at 

the 2010 Wimbledon Championships with over 

11 hours of play—but now Hong Kong charity 

the Sports for Hope Foundation is aiming 

to smash that record. SFHF’s Fundraising 

Tennis Challenge will see professional French 

player Jérôme Lacorte attempt to set a 

Guinness World Record by facing off against 

30-plus opponents, in singles matches, over 

a continuous 30-hour period. On an adjacent 

court, other tennis greats—including Hong 

Kong’s Phillip King and Lynn Zhang Ling—will 

take on members of the public: sign up online 

for 15-minute or 30-minute sessions, from 

$5,000; or take some tips from professional 

coaches in 30-minute classes, from $500. 

All proceeds go to SFHF to support the 

region’s underprivileged athletes. Free entry 

to spectators. Nov 15-16. Hong Kong Sports 

Institute, 25 Yuen Wo Rd., Fo Tan, 2681-6888, 

www.sportsforhopefoundation.org.hk. 

Peak to Fong 2014 

This annual sponsored dog-walking event from 

Hong Kong Dog Rescue is now in its 11th edition. 

Starting at The Peak, peeps and their pooches 

wind their way down the hill to Lan Kwai Fong, 

where a carnival of food, drink and games awaits. 

All funds raised go towards HKDR’s operating 

costs, which include providing vet services, 

dog food and beds for its rescues. Walkers get 

a specially designed T-shirt, and pooches get a 

nice day out. Nov 23, 11am. Sign up online at 

www.hongkongdogrescue.com/p2f2014. 

MSIG Lantau Series 

Action Asia’s two crazy trail runs both happen 

in December, so take your pick: or perhaps use 

one as a warm-up for the other. The Lantau VK 

takes you on a steep 5km-course from Tong Fuk 

Beach up to Lantau Peak’s summit at 934m. The 

Lantau 50 bruiser covers a lengthy 88km if you 

want to start at midnight and run through the 

night. (Please read the info before signing up: 

“The course is brutal, technical and will leave 

your mind wondering why you entered”…) There 

are shorter options of 13, 25 and 50km for those 

not ready for the challenge. Dec 5-7. $250-1,110; 

sign up at www.actionasiaevents.com. 

Race to Hong Kong ICC 

The tallest building in Hong Kong, the ICC, is 

definitely not a place to consider ditching the 

elevator for the stairs. That is, unless you’re 

taking part in the SHHP Vertical Run series, 

which has been conquering the tallest buildings 

in the world this year. The last stop on the 

circuit: “Race to Hong Kong ICC.” That’s 2,120 

steps to the 100th floor. If this makes you go 

weak at the knees, there are shorter “Fun 

Climbs” too. Or, there’s always the lift. Dec 7, 

9am. International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin 

Rd. West, West Kowloon. $150; register before 

Nov 14 at www.SHKPVerticalRun.com. 


Edited by Evelyn Lok 

FILMevelyn.lok@hkmagmedia.com 

Returning to Hong Kong in November. 

Become a Happy Non-Smoker 

by attending our 5 hour programme 

“I am pleased to say it has 

worked for many of my friends 

and staff” – Sir Richard Branson 

Availability limited to 25 clients 

For more details, 

and to book online, go to 

www.easywayhongkong.com 

God Help the Girl PPPPP 

(UK) Musical/drama. Directed by Stuart Murdoch. Starring Emily Browning, Olly Alexander, 

Hannah Murray. 111 minutes. Category IIB. Opened Oct 23. 

“God Help the Girl” is the debut film of Stuart Murdoch, frontman of Scottish indie pop group Belle 

and Sebastian. As you would expect from the Scots melancholist, the movie has had a tortured 

development. Murdoch had long ago conceived of the idea for a musical film, shot entirely in his 

hometown of Glasgow, about a young girl moving into adulthood. Great idea: but he found writing 

songs easier than writing movies. The “God Help the Girl” album was released in 2009—the film 

has only just hit cinemas. Was it worth the wait? Murdoch’s musical might be a little too self-aware 

for some but at its core, it’s a warm, willing musical about growing up. 

Eve (Emily Browning, “Sucker Punch”) is a girl with a problem or two. She lives in a psychiatric 

hospital in Glasgow, where she’s dealing with anorexia and depression. The only time she feels 

happy is when she’s writing music. One day she sneaks out to a gig in the middle of town, where 

she meets James (relative newcomer Olly Alexander), a grumpy university student with glasses, 

messy hair and a love of pop music. Eve discharges herself from the hospital and moves in with 

James. She meets Cassie (Hannah Murray, Gilly from “Game of Thrones” and Cassie from “Skins”), 

a well-off schoolgirl who’s learning guitar from James: The three hit it off and decide to start a 

band. Over the summer, the trio goes on grand days out, looks for supporting musicians, argues 

about band names, and sings a song or two—all while helping Eve get her life back on track. But of 

course, the summer has to come to an end, and with it the three must work out what to do next. 

The principal actors are great: Emily Browning seems to specialize in lost characters, and her 

impeccably dressed musical wanderings around summertime Glasgwegian streets are adorable 

and vulnerable all at once. Hannah Murray’s Cassie is callow and privileged, but totally warm and 

genuine. As James, Olly Alexander is fantastic—a spot-on mix of bumbling awkwardness and a 

nerdy passion for music that’s adulterated by an affected world-weariness. You couldn’t wish for 

better friends. It’s good, in fact, to see a movie that doesn’t stigmatize someone’s mental illness: 

instead the other characters accept it, work with it, and do whatever they can to help. 

“God Help the Girl” is a tremendously arch movie, even for a musical: put aside the music and 

you’re often left with some annoying and clunky dialogue about the very nature of music. (“A man 

needs only write one genius song to make him forever divine,” and so on) They’re the kinds of 

conversations you could charitably dismiss as the kind of conversation we all have about music 

when we’re 18. Between that and the cuteness of its characters, the movie often verges on the 

twee, something that would be tremendously annoying, if only the three leads weren’t so 

totally endearing. 

What’s not annoying, of course, is the music—which is fantastic. The songs are some of the 

strongest Murdoch has written in years, and he shoots them remarkably well also. With dance 

sequences, melancholy wanders, choreographed routines and sometimes, just a little bit of solo 

guitar—the best of the movie comes through, inevitably, in its tunes. 

As a modern-day coming-of-age movie “God Help the Girl” is knowing and often saccharine, 

but it’s also charming and satisfying. It all boils down to this: If you love Belle and Sebastian, with 

all its self-conscious musical art, then you’ll love “God Help the Girl.” Adam White 

Coming Soon 

Dot 2 Dot 

(Hong Kong/China) Hong Kong actor Moses 

Chan removes himself from his beloved cup 

of artisanal coffee for a couple moments to 

star in this film, which explores urban change 

and collective memory in Hong Kong. He 

is Chung, a recent returnee to Hong Kong 

from Canada, who expresses the changes 

transpired over the last years in an intricate 

dot-to-dot street art mural. It’s obviously a 

great way to meet girls, because in comes 

Xue, a Putonghua teacher from China trying to 

understand the culture and history of her new 

city. Opens Oct 30. 

Horns 

(USA) Just in time for Halloween, “Horns” 

stars Daniel Radcliffe in the scariest nightmare 

of all: a man who wakes up after a terrible 

night of drinking to find horns growing on his 

head, and the news that his girlfriend was 

violently raped and murdered—and he’s the 

prime suspect. But perhaps the superpowers 

set it off: he gains the ability to make people 

confess their sins and give into their wildest 

impulses, which he takes advantage of in 

the quest for truth and revenge. Yeah! Dark 

Potter! Opens Oct 30. 


Need to Know 

AMC Cinema, 2265-8933 

www.amccinemas.com.hk 

Broadway Circuit, 

2388-3188 

www.cinema.com.hk 

Golden Harvest Cinema, 

2622-6688 

www.goldenharvest.com 

MCL Cinema, 3413-6688 

www.mclcinema.com 

UA Cinema, 

3516-8811 

www.uacinemas.com.hk 

The Metroplex, 2620-2200 

www.metroplex.com.hk 

The Grand Cinema, 

2196-8170 

www.thegrandcinema. 

com.hk 

LE MERIDIEN 

CYBERPORT 

T +852 2980 7788 

lemeridien.com/ 

hongkong 

Isoroku 

(Japan) Released in 2011 in its native 

Japan, “Isoroku” shows the other side of the 

Pearl Harbor story, told through the eyes of 

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. In other words, 

he was the man who brought the US into 

World War II and cockblocked Ben Affleck 

and Kate Beckinsale. Be glad that there’s 

none of that in this flick. Be very glad. 

Opens Oct 30. 

Kung Fu Jungle 

(Hong Kong/China) From the looks of it, 

it’s the perfect recipe for a Hong Kong cult 

classic: a crazy blend between hardboiled 

detective flick and epic kung fu showdown, 

complete with enough mystery and 

impossible stunts to keep bums in seats 

and jaws on the ground. Donnie Yen (of 

course, who else?) is a martial arts instructor 

working at a police academy, who’s jailed 

after accidentally killing a man. But then he’s 

released (?!) on the condition that he helps 

the police catch a serial killer with a taste for 

martial arts masters… Opens Oct 30. 

Ouija 

(USA) There’s a reason why until now, no 

one’s made another horror movie based 

on a board game: because no one can top 

“Jumanji.” Still, they’re having a go with 

“Ouija,” which is about… well, what do you 

think? Robin Williams would never have let 

this happen.Opens Oct 30. 

The Seventh Lie 

(Hong Kong) New director James Hung 

premiered his directorial debut at the HK 

Summer International Film Fest this year to 

great acclaim, and picked up a number of 

overseas awards too. In “The Seventh Lie” 

he weaves four unrelated stories together, 

from a lovesick chauffeur to a runaway bride, 

into a grand story of lies, trust, love and 

relationships. Opens Oct 30. 

Opening 

The Act of Killing 

(Denmark/Finland/UK) This documentary 

by Joshua Oppenheimer won the 2014 

BAFTA for best documentary: Oppenheimer 

explores the anti-communist killings in 

Indonesia between 1965-66, as carried 

out by gangsters Anwar Congo and Adi 

Zulkadry. “The Act of Killing” sees the 

gangsters proudly re-enact their murders, 

but in the styles of their favorite film genres. 

It all mixes into a surrealistic swirl that 

increasingly blends fake film sets with 

true evil. Opened Oct 23. 

Alexander and the Terrible Horrible 

No Good Very Bad Day 

(USA) In this Disney lesson on overused 

adjectives, we follow 11-year-old Alex and 

his family on his worst day ever, which 

starts when he gets gum stuck in his hair, 

and escalates all too quickly from there. 

Question: why would you want to escape the 

wrath of your ankle-biters… by taking them 

to a movie about even more bratty-ass kids? 

PPPPP Opened Oct 23. 

Fury 

(USA) Badass WWII Brad Pitt is at it again 

in this David Ayer (“End of Watch”) movie: 

He’s Wardaddy, the leader of what remains 

of a tank platoon in the final days of the 

European Theater. The five-man team has 

a rookie (Logan Lerman), a single tank 

and one final mission behind enemy lines, 

against overwhelming odds. Wanna know 

who else is on the crew? Shia LeBeouf. 

That’s how you know it’s going to be intense. 

Opened Oct 23. 

God Help the Girl 

(UK) See review, left. Opened Oct 23. 

Wish I Was Here 

(USA) Zach Braff returns a decade after his 

directorial debut “Garden State” with this 

supposedly all-inspiring and warm fuzzy 

story of family and fatherhood: Aidan Bloom 

is a single father (Braff) and struggling 

actor still trying to find his way through 

life. When his father refuses to pay for his 

grandchildren’s private school tuition, Bloom 

decides to take his kids on a road trip to 

teach them a few very different lessons. 

Critics have been saying a big fat no to this 

one, but will the lensflarey hopefulness 

somehow touch the Hong Kong audiences’ 

hearts? Presumably there’ll be a song by 

The Shins, at least. Opened Oct 23. 

Zombie Fight Club 

(Hong Kong/China) None of that Tyler 

Durden crap here, because it’s a local action 

flick about zombies (!!!). What’s more, it’s a 

zombie movie featuring Jessica C., Michael 

Wong, and martial arts masters Philip Ng 

and Andy On, who must fight their way 

out of a pit of zombies to survive. Pile the 

snacks high and buckle up for a ridiculously 

entertaining ride. Opened Oct 23. 

Continuing 

Annabelle 

(USA) This terrifying film spins off from last 

year’s supernatural box office success “The 

Conjuring,” about paranormal investigators 

Ed and Lorraine Warren who helped a family 

with its wee ghostie problem. When John 

Gordon presents a curious vintage doll (why, 

people??) to his expectant wife… you can 

probably guess the rest. All hell breaks loose 

(maybe literally), as a sinister force wreaks 

havoc on their lives. Hopefully, the Warrens 

will step in to save the day, and also stop 

people from buying creepy-ass dolls. 

The Continent 

(China) Renowned Chinese writer Han 

Han’s directorial and screenwriting debut is 

a charming, soft comedy about two buddies 

(Chen Bolin and Feng Shaofeng) who drive 

from the easternmost peninsula of China 

to the far west, meeting all sorts of wacky 

characters (and women, of course) on the 

way. Chinese road trip movie! Woo! 

The Giver 

(USA) Lois Lowry’s medal-sweeping book 

was the true OG of dystopian YA-lit. Now it’s 

been brought to the big screen by Aussie 

director Phillip Noyce. The story’s not that 

unusual nowadays: In a black-and-white 

world (think “Pleasantville”), Jonas (Brenton 

Thwaites) and other 11-year-olds are 

categorized into professions based on their 

natural gifts. You guessed it: Jonas doesn’t 

fit in, and everything comes crashing down. 

Alas, it’s a 90s film made in a post-“Hunger 

Games” world, and that one’s probably near 

impossible to beat. PP 

Gone Girl 

(USA) David Fincher brings the best-selling 

2012 thriller novel to the big screen. On the 

surface, it’s a story about a man searching 

for his missing wife. Nick Dunne (Ben 

Affleck) recounts his slowly disintegrating 

marriage to Amy (Rosamund Pike) before 

her disappearance, and we gradually 

discover clues that suggest Nick was the 

one who killed her. A gripping movie that 

needs to go on your must-see list this fall. 

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FILM 

HK Magazine’s Best Scary Flicks 

Spending the weekend indoors? Evelyn Lok and Katie Kenny pick their top terrifiers. 

Best Horror Classic 

We’re going with two devilishly sinister psychological greats. Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” 

(1980) is an adaptation of a Stephen King novel, in which a seemingly normal family man 

takes a position as hotel caretaker, at a deadly quiet hotel during the winter months. And in 

“The Omen,” (1976) everyone surrounding an American diplomat’s freaky-looking son seems 

to be dying a horrible death. Could the child be the spawn of Satan? Spoiler: yeah, probably. 

Best Ghost Hunters 

Real-life Amityville Horror-solvers Ed and Lorraine 

Warren showcase their ghost-busting skills in “The 

Conjuring,” (2013) a 1970s-style horror from “Saw” 

director James Wan. Haunted-house movies don’t 

usually get us, but Wan’s suspenseful Hitchcockian 

shots left us shaking in our seats. Not even the dog 

would go in the remote farmhouse! Listen to the dog! 

Best Spoof 

Lazy afternoons and cold beers go hand-in-hand while 

watching Simon Pegg’s “Shaun of the Dead” (2004)— 

its one-liners and silliness make it the King of zombie 

parodies. A very different kind of spoof comes in the 

form of Joss Whedon’s “The Cabin in the Woods,” 

(2012) who turns every single horror trope on its head, 

to freakish yet hilariously satisfying results. 

Best Gory Flick 

Fruit Chan’s most iconic 2004 flick “Dumplings” isn’t 

one of those boring films where blood and guts get 

flung around the screen. Instead it’s a slow, agonizing 

gorefest based on a Chinese urban myth, which claims 

that eating a fetus will preserve your youth. We dare 

you to eat a bowl of wonton noodles after seeing it. 

Best Found Footage Horror 

“The Blair Witch Project” (1999) was the “Jaws” 

of camping: ain’t nobody going to pitch a tent after 

watching that. We’re still waiting for a horror-slashlost-footage 

flick which can hold a flame to the OG 

of the genre. 

Best Kid-Scarer 

Roald Dahl’s original book was an amazing work 

of storytelling, but it was the 1990 adaptation of 

“The Witches” that really scarred us for life. 

Ju-on: The Beginning of the End 

(Japan) The “Ju-on” horror franchise 

continues with its seventh installment. The 

series revolves around the same cursed 

house in Nerima, Tokyo, where an enraged 

husband suspects his wife of having an affair 

and murders her, their son and their pet cat. 

“The Beginning of the End” tells the original 

story of how the curse came about. 

This sounds like the beginning of a 

new beginning, doesn’t it? 

The Judge 

(USA) Robert Downey Jr. plays a hotshot 

lawyer (asshole; what RDJ does best) who 

returns to his rural hometown for his mother’s 

funeral, and is forced to make contact with his 

estranged father (Robert Duvall)—the town’s 

revered judge—who he finds is suspected 

of murder. He becomes determined to find 

the truth, while awkwardly bonding with his 

folks again. A sappy plot, saved by great lead 

performances. PPP 


Let’s Be Cops 

(USA) Damon Wayans Jr. and Jake M. 

Johnson team up for another one of those 

dumb buddy cop movies… except they’re 

not cops. It all starts at a neighborhood 

costume party, but the ruse goes awry when 

a string of events bring them face to face 

with real life gangsters. Presumably they all 

got really drunk first? Maybe...? Should you 

if you decide see this movie? Yep. 

The Maze Runner 

(USA) It’s yet more ways people in the 

future like to knock off teenagers: This 

time in the form of magical mazes. Thomas 

(played by Dylan O’Brien from TV’s “Teen 

Wolf”) arrives, with no memory, outside a 

maze which his fellow “gladers” have been 

trying to solve and escape for two years. It 

all (unsatisfyingly) resolves too fast at the 

end of the movie. Looks like the filmmakers 

have a lot of explaining to do in the next 

one. PPP 

My Voice, My Life 

(Hong Kong) Hong Kong filmmaker Ruby 

Yang won an Oscar for her 2006 AIDS 

documentary “The Blood of Yingzhou 

District.” She’s back full-force in a new, 

heartrending documentary about a group 

of under-privileged and disabled Hong Kong 

kids who band together to produce their 

own musical in just six months. Hear that 

sound? Yup, it’s yet more Oscar buzz. 

Paradise in Service 

(Taiwan) “Paradise in Service” is all about 

young Taiwanese men who are sent to do 

military service in the outlying islands. It’s 

the late 60s, and Pao (Ethan Juan) is posted 

to Unit 831—a brothel on Kinmen island. He 

finds himself risking his life for his country… 

but maybe gets some lovin’ out of it as well. 

The Way He Looks 

(Brazil) Daniel Ribeiro’s first full-length 

feature is all about a visually impaired teen 

who falls in love with his new classmate, 

Gabriel. A movie about a gay, blind teenager 

with rumbling hormones—and a naive and 

joyful look at first love, petty jealousies and 

friendship during the teenage years. And 

when it comes down to it, haven’t we all 

been there too? PPP 

Welcome to New York 

(France/USA) Inspired by the Dominique 

Strauss-Kahn affair (the French politician 

who got charged for sexually assaulting a 

hotel maid in New York), indie filmmaker 

Abel Ferrera takes the story to the big 

screen. Gerard Depardieu plays the sly, 

rapey politician Devereaux with a chronic 

sex addiction. While you’d expect a ton of 

juicy sensationalism, all you get is a weirdly 

paced two hours with the disgusting, 

heaving mess of guttural noises that is 

Depardieu—we don’t know whether to 

shudder or laugh. P 

Whiplash 

(USA) Think of the strictest teacher you’ve 

ever had, turn it up a hundred notches, and 

you’ve got Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons). 

Miles Teller (“That Awkward Moment”) plays 

Andrew Neyman, a new drummer at the 

best jazz orchestra in New York City, who 

studies under the formidable perfectionist 

professor. Will Neyman learn to play like the 

greats, or will he break under the pressure? 

Film Festival 

New Japanese Cinema in 1980s 

These gamechanging examples of 80s 

Japanese cinema are a treat for all arthouse 

fans. Catch Oguri Kohei’s “Muddy River,” 

(Oct 26; Nov 9), a bitter look at a harsh world 

as seen through the eyes of three children 

in the 50s. “Fall Guy” (Nov 1) sketches an 

unusual comedic-romantic triangle between 

a costume drama star, his girlfriend, and 

a stuntman. And what would be Japanese 

cinema without a story based on some 

manga? Kaneko Shusuke’s “Summer 

Vacation 1999” (Nov 16, 30) teaches us 

what it really means to party like it’s 1999, 

with four young girls playing four beautiful 

boys in this story about boy love. Looking 

for moody, black-and-white drama? Don’t 

miss Hayashi Kaizo’s 1987 “To Sleep so 

as to Dream” (Nov 15, 23), made in the 

style of a turn-of-the-century silent film 

complete with dialogue written as intertitles, 

about a detective who finds a mysterious 

piece of lost film. Meta-tastic. Some of the 

screenings will be held at the Hong Kong 

Science Museum, so be sure to check online. 

Through Nov 30. Cinema, Hong Kong Film 

Archive, 50 Lei King Rd., Sai Wan Ho, 2739- 

2139. $55 from www.urbtix.hk. and 

www.thegrandcinema.com.hk. 

Halloween 

Screenings 

CineFan: Rosemary’s Baby 

As October draws on, it’s high time to get 

a little spooky: revisit Roman Polanski’s 

classic horror-thriller “Rosemary’s Baby” 

starring Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes 

as a couple in New York who move into 

a new flat next to some eccentric elderly 

neighbors. But when they plan to have 

a child, a sinister force creeps in, and 

Rosemary begins to doubt if everything is 

as it seems… Note that the screening is 

free seating, so snap up the last remaining 

tickets, quick! Oct 25, 7:30pm. The Grand 

Cinema, 2/F, Elements, 1 Austin Rd. West, 

West Kowloon, 2196-8170. $75 from www. 

thegrandcinema.com.hk. 

CineFan: The Shining 

A screening of Stanley Kubrick’s horrific 

masterpiece during Halloween week? Sign us 

up! For those who haven’t seen the classic 

psychofest based on Stephen King’s novel, 

it’s about an alcoholic writer (Jack Nicholson 

in his iconic role as Jack Torrance) and his 

family, who spend winter at an isolated 

hotel… built on a Native American burial 

ground. How do they get from “okay, already 

kinda creepy” to fullblown axe-murdering 

“Here’s Johnny!”? You’ll just have to see it to 

find out. Oct 26, 2:30pm; Oct 29, 7:30pm. The 

Grand Cinema, 2/F, Elements, 1 Austin Rd. 

West, West Kowloon, 2196-8170. $75 from 

www.thegrandcinema.com.hk. 

Somersby Lawn Silent Cinema: 

Shaun of the Dead 

Halloween may be over by the time this 

happens, but what better way to celebrate 

than by watching “Shaun of the Dead”—aka 

one of the greatest zombie movies ever—on 

a grassy lawn? Well, maybe watching it 

down at the Winchester and waiting for it 

all to blow over. Somersby and Kronenberg 

drinks will be provided, so all you need to 

do is sink into your deckchair, pop on the 

headphones, and try to ignore the groaning 

coming from right behind your head… 

Nov 1, 8:30pm. The Pulse, 3/F, 28 Beach Rd., 

Repulse Bay. $160 from www.hushup.hk. 


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We are second to none in language training in HK 

普通話初中高級 

一對一 / 3 人班課程 

HK$210 HK$95/ 小時 

獨特有效的教學法 

100% 聽與講的學習 -- 

“ 想中文講普通話 ” 

不用依賴拼音 

TEL.:2528 5200 

特设广东话 

一对一 

14/F., Methodist House, 36 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong 

加設 

英語 

零基礎 

雙語 

導師 

www.hkedc.com 

Small Open Group Promotion 

Mandarin & Cantonese Program 

40% off standard hourly rate— 

HK$100/hr 

Program Highlights 

— Focused on Speaking Ability 

— Interactive and enjoyable learning environment 

— Covers basic speaking and listening skills for daily 

conversation 

— Accredited certificate can be issued upon completion 

Call to schedule a free assessment prior to the class 

Website: www.focusmandarin.com.hk 

Email: info@focusmandarin.com.hk 

Address: 19/F, Silver Fortune Plaza, 1 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong 

TEL: (852)-3182 7384 

DIGITAL FILMMAKING 

WORKSHOP 

Learn filmmaking and 

actually shoot and edit 

a short film that tells a story. 

This 2-day workshop 

is taught in English 

by a professional filmmaker. 

October Group: 

25-26 October 2014 

(Sat & Sun) 10am to 6pm 

November Group: 

15-16 November 2014 

(Sat & Sun) 10am to 6pm 

DETAILS: www.filmschool.hk 

9385-7329 

European Designer Flower Courses 

25 th Anniversary , hkafa (award winning academy) 

Jane Packer London & I.A.F. Tomas De Bruyne Contemporary 

Flower Certificate/Diploma Courses exclusively at 

The Hong Kong Academy of Flower Arrangement 

Essential Chinese 

Language Centre 

Mandarin and Cantonese for Children 

and Aduits, Language tuition at all levels. 

All tutors Master Degree Qualified, 

instruction quality is guaranteed. Central 

center 2544-6979. Causeway Bay Branch 

2151-1791. eclchk@yahoo.com.hk 

www.eclc.com.hk IB / GCSE 

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL MANDARIN 

SUPPORT. 

German lessons 

at your home / North Point classroom 

by native Swiss-German. Children / 

teenagers to maintain / achieve 

better school results. Spice up your 

revision a bit? GCSE / IGCSE / GSIS. 

Adults any levels, business - leisure - 

crash courses. 9182-4610. 

International Classes taught in English available : 

group interest classes 

private tuition, intensive course, 

corporate training/team building workshops, 

private themed parties, 

consultancy, product launch & show case 

2388 2979 www.hkafa.com.hk 

Wanchai / Tsimshatsui 

IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH 

Gain confidence learn how to express 

yourself. Improve your grammar. 

Learn from an experienced, native 

English speaker with one to one 

lessons at your convenience. 

Learn the best way for you. 

First lesson is free. Reasonable rates. 

In Central. 3405-8715 

No Sweat Cantoeveryday 

life and 

business Cantonese 

Bonus Chapters: Banking / Business, 

Health & Beauty. Over 16 years 

experience inteaching Chinese / 

Cantonese to corporate & private tuition. 

Children welcome. For details about 

the book and lessons. Tel: 9623-0312, 

www.amyleunglanguage.com.hk, 

email: amy@amyleunglanguage.com.hk 


HEALTH & BEAUTY 

Market Place 

~ Established since 1996 ~ 

Your Local Skincare & Aesthetic / Laser Physician 

20/F Kailey Tower, 16 Stanley Street, Central 

Appointments: 2890-8020 

A totally new conception of full face contour improvement - Liquid Lift. 

SCULPTRA stimulates your own collagen production, replaces lost volume and lifts 

sagging facies gradually over 3 to 6 months, without sudden changes. 

Before 7 months 20 months 

We also provide professional services in: 

Laser Treatments 

• General Dermatology & Minor Surgeries 

Hair Removal 

• Contour improvement & Skin Care Products 

Tattoo Removal 

• Fillers (Restylane / Juvederm) for Deep Lines 

Birthmarks Removal 

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Red & Blue Lines 

• Hormonal Replacements 

Skin Tightening 

• AHA Peels & Micro-Dermabrasion 

Acne Scars 

• Scalp & Hair Treatments 

Moles & Pigment Spots 

Acupressure loosens the Knot 

31 years of experience and success in HK & UK 

Neck pain is a widespread complaint among 

adults, especially those who sit at desks for 

prolonged periods. Many office workers 

experience stiffness and pain in their neck 

muscles. These problems often caused by 

knots in the muscles around the neck. If the 

knots build up deep inside the muscles and 

soft tissues, blood circulation will be blocked, 

backache, fatigue, stress, even internal disease 

and women’s complains can happen 

For consultation, 

call: 9855-7575 

www.guoclinichk.com 

906.kinwick centre.central 

A professional tennis coach is available 

for all level and all ages. 

Fun, strokes production, get fit and 

match play. Contact Ganes 

6447-0905. 

TENNIS COACH . MOTIVATOR. FITNESS 

TRAINER U.S. Certified Professional. 

Stroke production and match play. All 

ages & levels. Call Larry 9013-8344 / 

www.acematchpoint.com 

ACUPUNCTURE EXPERT 

QUALITY TCM CENTRAL 

A well established TCM clinic, 

QUALITY CHINESE MEDICAL CENTRE, 

originated from Guangxi, China, is 

now offering Herbal, Acupuncture, 

Bone-Setting, Moxibustion and 

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We provide a whole body approach 

to heal various external and 

internal issues, such as Pains, 

Sleeping, Skin, Immune system, 

Hormone balance, Menstruation, 

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We are for those who want to have 

their problems cured from the root, 

or just wanna to discover the secret 

of 5,000 years TCM from China. 

Our Chinese Medicine Practitioners 

are fully registered in HK, and have 

extensive experience from China 

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FREE CONSULTATION, 

please call 2881-8267 

www.qualitytcm.com 

Luxurious & Stylish Private Retreat 

Man to Man Massage 

Swedish & Aromatherapy massage, 

Body scrub & mask, 

Sport deep tissue massage, Chinese Acupressure massage, 

Body re-alignment 

10am - 11pm Daily & Out call service available 

By appointment call Wing 9888 9499 

Unit A 13/F On Loong Comm Bldg 276-278 Lockhart Rd Wanchai, Hong Kong 

email: info@avalonhk.com www.avalonhk.com 

We Provide Professional Care for Your Needs 

(Since 1982) 

• Botanical Facials (20% off for package) 

• Aromatherapy Treatments 

• Waxing - Legs, Arms, Lips & Bikini Lines 

• Electrolysis / Threading 

• Eyelash / Eye Brow Tinting 

• Eyelash Curling 

• Skin Light - Soft Laser 

• Radio Frequency - Face/Body 

• Laser - IPL 

Please call 2521 0792 for an appointment 

www.facesskincare.hk 

Central 

2/F Coda Commercial Bldg., 57 Queen’s Road 


SPIRIT & MIND / EVERYTHING ELSE 

SAVAGE LOVE 

Dan Savage 

NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO? 

• Counselling for individuals, couples, families 

& adolescents 

• Sliding fee scale; affordable options for all clients 

• English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Hindi, Marathi and 

Marwadi speaking counsellors 

Call 2523 8979 Now for Appointment 

http://www.resourcecounselling.org 

I’m a twentysomething married trans 

guy in an openish marriage. In the online 

hunt for a guy to have some aboveboard, 

under-the-sheets fun with, I run into snags 

because I’m trans (I disclose on my profile) 

and because I’m married. I’m baby-stepping 

my way toward an offline search for guys, 

going to events hosted by the local gay 

pride center. I’ve been thinking of not 

wearing my wedding ring at these meetups, 

as I worry it says I’m taken and offlimits. 

Would it be dishonest for me 

to present as unmarried as long as I make 

it clear that I’m not looking for romance? 

– Totally On-Limits Dude 

to initiate? Did you ever think about writing 

me a letter asking how to get those guys to be 

a little more adventurous in bed? And now you’re 

complaining about being with a guy who has 

a higher libido and who is just as sex-positive 

as you are? My advice: Stop pathologizing your 

husband. You probably didn’t appreciate it when 

past partners made you feel like your libido was 

a problem. Your husband’s libido isn’t a problem 

either. If you’re not interested in porn, lingerie, 

or toys, say so. But look on the bright side: 

You’re lucky enough to be with a guy whose libido 

exceeds your own (for a change!), WTF, so your 

needs will never be neglected. 

Serving the Community over 35 years. A Member Agency of The Community Chest 

Learn to sail and 

have fun on our 45 

foot yacht! 

Hong Kong’s most experienced sailing 

school – accredited to run Crew and 

Skipper courses with Hong Kong 

Sailing Federation. 5-day courses 

including lunch, HK$5,500. English and 

Chinese instruction, Gift Certificates for 

Christmas etc. Visit our website 

www.yachtingventures.com. 

You are not alone 

An English speaking support group 

for people bereaved by suicide 

meets on the first Tuesday of each 

month. Next meeting Tuesday 

2nd September, The Mariners’ Club, 

Middle Road, TST(opposite the 

Sheraton Hotel). Free, confidential, 

no commitment required. For 

further information call the 

Samaritans (Tel 2896-0000) 

or Email jo@samaritans.org.hk 

APEX TRAVEL LIMITED 

Since 2005 

-Air Ticket 

-Hotel 

-Visa 

Mail: doby@apextravel.com.hk 

Tel: 3542-5277/ 2770-0477 

ADD: Rm 811, Witty Commercial Bldg, 

1A-1L, Tung Choi Street, MK, KLN 

License No.:352892 

DANCETRINITY STUDIO 

All day classes for Salsa, Ballet, 

Yoga, Pilates, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tango, 

Ballroom, ZUMBA and more! See 

the schedule @ www.dancetrinity. 

com now! 

+852 9634-9770 

Alcoholics Anonymous If you want 

to drink that's your business. If you 

want to stop we can help. There are 

no dues or fees for AA membership. 

(852) 9073-6922 www.aa-hk.org. 

My response is likely to wind up on antigay 

websites, TOLD, so let me preface it with this: 

We only started hearing that monogamy 

wasn’t just the cultural expectation/default 

setting for married couples but a crucial, 

essential, definitional element of marriage 

when same-sex couples began to press for 

marriage rights. Married heterosexual swingers 

were fucking around (and recruiting other 

married heterosexuals into their “lifestyle,” 

a term swingers embrace!) decades before the 

marriage-equality movement got off the ground. 

And religious conservatives, while not fans of 

swinging, never argued that non-monogamous 

heterosexual couples weren’t really married 

or that they should be barred from marrying. 

So it seems that monogamy—like children and 

religion—only defines marriage when same-sex 

couples want to marry. 

Anyway, TOLD, you don’t have to be married 

to be monogamous or monogamous to be 

married—and most gay male couples, married 

or not, aren’t monogamous. So go ahead and 

wear your wedding ring. While a wedding ring 

on a straight married man (or woman) will be 

assumed to mean “taken and off-limits,” the same 

assumption doesn’t apply in the case of a married 

gay man. If someone at one of the events you’re 

attending is interested in you, he’s likely to flirt 

with you first and make polite inquiries about 

your marriage (Monogamous? Monogamish? 

Open? Poly?) second. Your trans disclosure 

is likelier to be the bigger deal—and a far bigger 

obstacle for most (but not all) gay men—than 

your wedding ring. Good luck. 

My husband recently admitted that he 

masturbates once a day, sometimes twice. 

My confusion stems from the fact that we 

have sex once a day, sometimes twice. 

We’ve had problems in the past with him 

staring at other women (everyone does it, 

but I do feel discretion in front of a spouse 

is required) and with him wanting more 

novelty in bed (watch porn, wear lingerie, 

use toys). I’ve always had the higher libido 

and the more positive attitude toward sex 

in all of my relationships, but right now, 

I feel overwhelmed and, honestly, a little 

put off. I want to feel GGG again, but am 

having trouble. What do you think? 

– Whence This Feeling? 

The guys you were with before you met your 

husband—all those sex-negative/less-sex-positive 

guys with their lower-than-yours libidos—did you 

ever complain about them? Did you ever gripe 

to friends about always being the one who had 

I recently moved to a new apartment 

where most tenants are retirees—I am 

a 25-year-old, just for reference. My SO and 

I enjoy loud play. She is very vocal, which 

happens to be one of my biggest turn-ons. 

But I’m worried we are being too loud. 

My old place had thicker walls and younger 

neighbors. I am concerned not only that 

we are waking up my neighbors, but that 

we may find ourselves on the receiving end 

of a noise complaint. Trying to stay quiet 

hasn’t worked; it’s hard for her to do, 

it hurts her feelings, and it makes it less fun 

for me. Is there a way to politely bring the 

topic up with my neighbors to see if we’ve 

been bothering them? 

- Stressing Over Unwanted Neighborly 

Disputes 

If your neighbors haven’t made it an issue, why 

would you want to make it one? Maybe thinner 

walls and older ears resulted in a wash, SOUND, 

leaving your older new neighbors just as insulated 

from your loud sex as your younger old ones 

used to be. 

Now that fecal transplants are all the rage 

for correcting gut microflora imbalances, 

when are we going to hear about the 

healing benefits of sharing anal toys? 

- Sharing Is Caring, Kids 

The poop being used to treat microflora 

imbalances is “strained, centrifuged, and frozen,” 

according to a report in the New York Times. 

This medicinal-grade poop now comes in pill 

form, and researchers predict that these shit 

pills—administered orally—could save the lives 

of 14,000 Americans every year. (I call on 

President Obama to appoint a microflora 

imbalance czar.) Since the poop in your butt 

hasn’t been strained, centrifuged, and frozen— 

you would have to be the Felix Unger of scat 

fetishists to go to that kind of trouble—sharing 

anal toys is unlikely to provide the same health 

benefits to your partners. 

So the advice around plugs and other ass 

toys remains the same: no sharing during play, 

abort if santorum is present, wash toys with hot 

water and soap before reuse. However, we may 

need to revise the insult “eat shit and die” in light 

of this new lifesaving/shit-eating treatment. 

But telling someone to “eat shit and balance your 

microflora!” doesn’t have the same punch. 

On the Lovecast, Dan chats with sex party 

luminary Polly Superstar: savagelovecast.com. 

Healing - Reiki and energy healing. 

Affordable private healing sessions 

on-site. Improve health, reduce 

stress, balance mind and body. 

Call or Whatsapp: 6140-7178 

yuyu418@yahoo.com 

www.yuyu418.com 

Cambridge Weight Plan 

There's a weight management 

programme for every lifestyle. 

Call 2525-7165 

info@cambridgeweightplan.hk 

For advertising rates and further 

information on Box Ads. Call 

2534-9560. 

Find the Savage Lovecast (my weekly podcast) every Tuesday 

at thestranger.com/savage.mail@savagelove.net 


SMARt JOBs 

Corporate Design Education Food & Beverage Health & Beauty 

Media Everything Else 

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SMA 

Gaucho_hkMagazine_recruitment_ad_252x166_1610OP.pdf 1 16/10/14 5:53 PM 

Go Gourmet and Magnolia are HK’s Premier Boutique Catering Events Company 

and award winning Private Kitchen 

We are seeking creative, skilled enthusiastic staff for the following positions 

Catering Chef 

Sous Chef 

************* 

Production kitchen staff 

Junior Cooks, Kitchen Assistants / Cleaners 

Part Time Wait Staff and Bartenders 

********************************* 

Salary dependent on experience 

Here’s the deal: You must have a valid work visa, fluent spoken English, be 

hardworking, friendly and be more than just a bit presentable. Experience a plus for 

all positions, but common sense and a good work ethic are just as important. 

Fax us your cv on 2530-9881 or email info@go-gourmet.com 

Please indicate which position you are applying for and expected salary. 

A dynamic and growing F&B group is hiring for 

the following positions at it's various outlets in Central: 

Manager 

Assistant Manager 

Supervisor 

Server 

Bar Manager 

Bartender 

Cleaner 

Interested parties, please contact jobs@tastings.hk or call 2711 8128 

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SMART JOBS 

WINDY CITY 

INTERNATIONAL LIMITED 

To cope with company growth, we are cordially inviting high caliber candidates, 

to join our big family, we provide: 

• Competitive Salary 

• Attractive Incentive 

Urgent 

• Excellent Advancement 

• Well-established Training 

$800 Full-time Overtime Incentive 

 

 

 

 

Senior Receptionists 

Receptionists 

Servers 

Junior Servers 

Tips are calculated and distributed daily 

$40 - $58 per hour (hourly rate for part-timers) 

Interested parties please come in person 

Dan Ryan’s Chicago Grill 

112 Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong 2845 4600 

香港金鐘太古廣場 112 號舖 

LG228 Festival Walk, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon 2265 8811 

九龍又一城 LG2-28 號舖 

Interview time: 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm 

HR recruit - HK magazine ad.indd 1 

17/10/2014 1:34 PM 

Healthy, fast and delicious Korean takeaway 

restaurant is looking for 

• Manager 

• Supervisor 

• Driver 

We provide competitive packages with great benefits: 

3 13 month guaranteed bonus 

3 Annual leave 

3 No split shift 

3 Free meals 

If you are interested, 

please email to yy_um@hotmail.com or call at 6200 4676 

Now hiring for 

their newest venues: 

• Chef De Partie & Commis Chef 

• Servers 

• Senior Waitress (job experience in relevant industry 

for 2-3 years) 

• Floor Supervisor 

• Host 

We offer an attractive remuneration package and excellent 

career opportunities to the right candidates. 

Please apply with full resume and present/expected salary 

to: kunal@bungalow.hk, salma@nur.hk and 

ranakadam@amazake.hk 

Looking for Sharp 

F & B Staff? 

Call Lamy Lam at 2534-9560. 


Market SMART JOBS Place 

Free Will 

Astrology 

Rob Brezsny 

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): ”Children are the most desirable opponents at 

Scrabble,” declares Scorpio author Fran Lebowitz, “as they are both easy to beat 

and fun to cheat.” I don’t wholeheartedly endorse that advice for you in the 

coming days, Scorpio. But would you consider a milder version of it? Let’s propose, 

instead, that you simply seek easy victories to boost your confidence and hone 

your skills. By this time next week, if all goes well, you will be ready to take 

on more ambitious challenges. 

Editorial Internship 

HK Magazine Media Ltd –publisher of HK Magazine, 

WHERE Hong Kong and The List, is looking for interns. 

Reckon you're a good writer? Prove it. Sign up for HK Magazine’s internship program. 

You’ll get the chance to work closely with a team of editors, some great bylines, a 

bursting portfolio, and the chance to make plenty of contacts and get a foot in the 

door to Hong Kong’s media industry. 

Please note that this is an unpaid position. Participants must be enrolled in tertiary 

education and have the right to work in Hong Kong. They should be willing to work 

regular office hours (Mon-Fri) for 4-8 weeks. Applicants with web, video and social 

media skills are especially encouraged to apply. 

Send your CV, cover letter and a few writing samples to resume@hkmagmedia.com. 

Visionary. 

Looking for 

the smartest talents 

in the media industry? 

Advertise in 

Smart jobs and reach 

268,200 of the right 

readers every week. 

For advertising 

opportunities, please 

contact Lamy Lam 

on 2534 9560 

where 

® 

m a g a z i n e 

FT & PT English teaching positions available in 

multiple locations across HK. Applicants must hold a 

Bachelor's degree and a recognised teaching diploma 

or certificate. 

Permanent residents, dependant and sponsorship visa 

holders are preferred. 

Very competitive rates offered. Lesson plans and course 

materials provided. Ongoing teacher development. 

Please send your CV and Cover Letter to 

sdm@englishforasia.com. 

Only suitable candidates will be contacted. 

Personal data collected will be used for recruitment purpose only. 

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec 21): You are entering 

a phase when you will have more luck than usual 

as you try to banish parasitic influences, unworthy 

burdens, and lost causes. Here are some projects 

you might want to work on: 1. Bid farewell to anyone 

who brings out the worst in you. 2. Heal the twisted 

effect an adversary has had on you. 3. Get rid 

of any object that symbolizes failure or pathology. 

4. Declare your independence from a situation that 

wastes your time or drains your resources. 5. Shed 

any guilt you feel for taking good care of yourself. 

6. Stop a bad habit cold turkey. 

CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19): Are you ready 

to be as affable as a Sagittarius, as charismatic 

as a Leo, as empathetic as a Cancerian, and as 

vigorous an instigator as an Aries? No? You’re not? 

You’re afraid that would require you to push yourself 

too far outside your comfort zone? OK, then. 

Are you willing to be half as affable as a Sagittarius, 

half as charismatic as a Leo, half as empathetic 

as a Cancerian, and half as inspiring an instigator 

as an Aries? Or even a quarter as much? I hope 

you will at least stretch yourself in these directions, 

Capricorn, because doing so would allow you 

to take maximum advantage of the spectacular 

social opportunities that will be available for you 

in the next four weeks. 

AQUARIUS (Jan 20-Feb 18): In the coming weeks 

I hope you will find practical ways to express your 

new-found freedom. All the explorations and 

experiments you have enjoyed recently were fun 

and provocative, but now it’s time to use the insights 

they sparked to upgrade your life back in the daily 

grind. Please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. 

I love it when you are dreamy and excitable and 

farseeing, and would never ask you to tone down 

those attractive qualities. But I am also rooting for 

you to bring the high-flying parts of you down to 

earth so that you can reap the full benefits of the 

bounty they have stirred up. If you work to become 

more well-grounded, I predict that you will be 

situated in a new power spot by December 1. 

PISCES (Feb 19-Mar 20): The heavy metal band 

known as Hatebeak broadened the definition 

of what constitutes music. Its lead singer was 

Waldo, an African grey parrot. A review by Aquarius 

Records called Waldo’s squawks “completely and 

stupidly brilliant.” For Hatebeak’s second album, 

they collaborated with animal rights’ activists 

in the band Caninus, whose lead vocalists were 

two pitbull terriers, Basil and Budgie. In the coming 

weeks, Pisces, I’d love to see you get inspired 

by these experiments. I think you will generate 

interesting results as you explore expansive, 

even unprecedented approaches in your own 

chosen field. 

ARIES (Mar 21-Apr 19): The driest place on the 

planet is the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. 

It gets about a half-inch of rain per year. And yet 

in 2011, archaeologists discovered that it’s also 

home to a site containing the fossilized skeletons 

of numerous whales and other ancient sea 

creatures. I’m detecting a metaphorically comparable 

anomaly in your vicinity, Aries. A seemingly arid, 

empty part of your life harbors buried secrets that 

are available for you to explore. If you follow the 

clues, you may discover rich pickings that will inspire 

you to revise your history. 

TAURUS (Apr 20-May 20): Businessman Warren 

Buffet is worth $65.5 billion, but regularly gives 

away 27 percent of his fortune to charity. Microsoft 

co-founder Bill Gates owns $78 billion, and donates 

36 percent. Then there are the members of the 

Walton family, owners of Walmart, where 100 million 

Americans shop weekly. The Waltons have $136 

billion, of which they contribute .04 percent to good 

causes. You are not wealthy in the same way these 

people are, Taurus. Your riches consist of resources 

like your skills, relationships, emotional intelligence, 

creative power, and capacity for love. My invitation 

to you is to be extra generous with those assets— 

not as lavish as Buffet or Gates, perhaps, but much 

more than the Waltons. You are in a phase when 

giving your gifts is one of the best things you can do 

to bolster your own health, wealth, and well-being. 

GEMINI (May 21-Jun 20): You have two options. 

You can be in denial about your real feelings and 

ignore what needs to be fixed and wait for trouble 

to come find you. Or else you can vow to be resilient 

and summon your feistiest curiosity and go out 

searching for trouble. The difference between these 

two approaches is dramatic. If you mope and sigh 

and hide, the messy trouble that arrives will be 

indigestible. But if you are brave and proactive, the 

interesting trouble you get will ultimately evolve into 

a blessing. 

CANCER (Jun 21-Jul 22): Astronauts on the 

International Space Station never wash their 

underwear. They don’t have enough water at their 

disposal to waste on a luxury like that. Instead, 

they fling the dirty laundry out into space. As it falls 

to Earth, it burns up in the atmosphere. I wish you 

had an amenity like that right now. In fact, I wish you 

had a host of amenities like that. If there was ever 

a time when you should be liberated from having 

to wash your underwear, make your bed, sweep 

the floor, and do the dishes, it would be now. Why? 

Because there are much better ways to spend your 

time. You’ve got sacred quests to embark on, heroic 

adventures to accomplish, historical turning points 

to initiate. 

LEO (Jul 23-Aug 22): What are those new 

whisperings in your head? Are they messages 

from your inner teacher? Beacons beamed back 

through time from the Future You? Clues from the 

wise parts of your unconscious mind? Whatever 

they are, Leo, pay attention. These signals from the 

Great Beyond may not be clear yet, but if you are 

sufficiently patient, they will eventually tell you how 

to take advantage of a big plot twist. But here’s 

a caveat: Don’t automatically believe every single 

thing the whisperings tell you. Their counsel may 

not be 100-percent accurate. Be both receptive and 

discerning toward them. 

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): In the English-speaking 

world, a sundae is a luxurious dessert that 

features ice cream topped with sweet treats like 

syrup, sprinkles, and fruits. In Korea, a sundae 

is something very different. It consists of a cow’s 

or pig’s intestines crammed with noodles, barley, and 

pig’s blood. I expect that in the coming week you 

will be faced with a decision that has metaphorical 

similarities to the choice between a sundae and 

a sundae. Make sure you are quite clear about the 

true nature of each option. 

LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 21): The average serving 

of pasta on a typical American’s plate is almost 

480 percent bigger than what’s recommended 

as a healthy portion. So says a research paper titled 

“The Contribution of Expanding Portion Sizes 

to the U.S. Obesity Epidemic,” by Lisa R. Young and 

Marion Nestle. Muffins are 333 percent larger than 

they need to be, the authors say, and steaks are 

224 percent excessive. Don’t get caught up in this 

trend, Libra. Get what you need, but not way, 

way more than what you need. For that matter, 

be judicious in your approach to all of life’s 

necessities. The coming phase is a time when you 

will thrive by applying the Goldilocks principle: 

neither too much nor too little, but just right. 

Homework: I invite you to carry out a prank that makes someone feel really good. 

Report results by going to FreeWillAstrology.com and clicking on “Email Rob.” 


ackup 

First Person 

TVB actress Elena Kong Mei-yee has ignited controversy for taking on relatively risqué 

roles in conservative TV dramas. The 42-year-old tells Yannie Chan about the early days of 

her career and how she earned her nickname, “Black Stockings Yee.” 

People on 

the street called 

me “the moron 

from ATV.” 

I dreamed of finding the perfect guy, getting 

married and then having kids. But it almost 

never works out this way. 

I was hurt from a previous relationship and 

I felt lost with my career. I had panic attacks 

and I was diagnosed with panic disorder. 

I lived in Wan Chai growing up. I lived 

near the cinema, and I would be tortured 

by the smell of grilled squid in the middle 

of the night. 

My father loves watching movies. There 

weren’t any subtitles for English movies, and we 

would get a piece of paper introducing the plot. 

Everyone would read it intently before a movie. 

I worked as a secretary. I was buying a 

sandwich for my boss when a model scout 

spotted me, saying “Your hair is long, and you 

look really pretty. Do you want to be a model?” 

I said, “Don’t you try to scam me.” 

TVB dramas are more conservative. They 

want to try something more daring, but they 

have too much to lose. ATV dramas were much 

bolder. TVB has to answer to many advertisers. 

In “Silver Spoon, Sterling Shackles,” I had 

to dance and seduce Damian Lau, and I wore 

black stockings. I really don’t understand why, 

but so many viewers were taken aback. 

When you look me up online, you will come 

across the nickname “Black Stockings Yee.” 

Some thought that [Damian and I] were 

too old for this seductive behavior. 

Whenever I get panic attacks, I cry 

uncontrollably, I can’t breathe and I black out. 

My boyfriend always happens to be by my 

side. I feel like he’s been sent to be my angel. 

Mood disorders are nothing scary. Many of 

my friends have mood disorders. You have to 

get along and learn to live with your disorder. 

I used to have a very short temper. Simple 

things would tick me off back when I was at 

ATV. I would yell at people if they were slow 

to bring me my cup of water. I had emotional 

issues but I didn’t know. 

I believe in Buddhism now. I don’t want to 

commit so many sins. I’m worried that I will 

be punished during my later years. 

I gave him my boyfriend’s number. He 

kept calling for half a year, so I gave it a try. 

I was an actress at ATV for 13 years. 

Those years were like a really long training 

course. I had to do everything, from choosing 

the costumes to preparing what to say on a 

variety show. 

We worked just as hard as actors at TVB, 

but why did people recognize TVB actors and 

not us? Multiple people on the street called 

me “the mau lei [moron] from ATV.” 

I quit when I couldn’t take it anymore. 

The period after I left ATV was the worst 

time in my life. 

Two years later, I joined TVB. People 

recognized me right after my first series. 

I was suddenly not a mau lei anymore. 

You have to admire how powerful TVB is. 

There is a lot of competition among actors 

in TVB. If you mess up, you won’t be cast in 

the next drama. 

I feel repulsed by these comments. If two 

people love each other, they can be over 80 

years old and still dress sexy and seduce 

each other—it’s no one’s business. 

It may seem that people nowadays are 

more open-minded, but many still think 

within a certain box. 

In “Triumph in the Skies,” I played Heather, 

who dates a much younger man, and some 

viewers reacted very negatively, saying it was 

like “an old cow eating tender grass.” 

Please, just look around you. It’s a common 

phenomenon. Are those viewers really of such 

low caliber? 

But it’s a positive thing for my career. More 

people know me. Friends in their 30s and 40s 

said I have changed how women their age 

are perceived—we can be really hot as well! 

I have no plans to get married. It’s amazing 

if you can stay with someone forever, but it’s 

very difficult. There are too many temptations. 

My boyfriend’s sister is [actress] Sandra Ng. 

We both put our feelings out there and enjoy 

a good laugh. She is very family-oriented. 

She takes good care of every member of 

the family, including me. If she’s in town, she 

always organizes a weekly family gathering. 

Would I ever leave Hong Kong? I have 

asked myself that question. And I have 

emigrated to Toronto for a while. 

Living abroad is definitely much more 

comfortable. There is plenty of physical and 

spiritual space. But it’s not my home. I feel 

like I’m only staying over at a friend’s place. 

When I come back to Hong Kong after a long 

trip, I always go and eat a bowl of wonton 

noodles. Then I feel like I’m home. 

Elena Kong is a spokesperson for the 

Hong Kong Festival, a charity carnival with 

traditional amusement park-style games. Oct 

26, 3-9pm. Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. Call 

3176-6130 for ticket info or visit www.gp21. 

com.hk (Chinese only). 

XKCD 

Randall Munroe

bb8VgwB

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