I’m standing near Central Ferry Pier 3 drinking a crisp beer on the waterfront. A few friends are coming over shortly and we’ll cross the harbor later to catch a screening of Casablanca on the monumental screen at the Grand Ocean in TST. What a month this September has been! Of course, I just can’t resist the temptation to preserve a few of its top memories for posterity. So here it goes…
It’s actually been quite a wet stretch of weeks, to be honest, including one of the rainiest mornings I can ever recall. I was definitely a bit nervous as my taxi cruised along the elevated highway en route to the office, but, after assessing the situation upon waking, I decided there was no way I was enduring my standard morning tram journey in those conditions!
Making the most of things, I took the first Friday of the month off from work and spent the day with my friend Julius. After a hearty breakfast of grilled cheeses and milkshakes from an American-style joint called No Milkshake No Life, we embarked on a little adventure to discover a part of Hong Kong neither of us knew much about.
We hiked up from Hong Kong University MTR Station into the wooded hills of Lung Fu Shan Country Park, eventually coming to Pinewood Battery, an old British army relic built at the turn of the twentieth century.
It was a mildly challenging jaunt, but it was undeniably worthwhile. We stopped a few times to catch our breath—err—I mean, to admire the lovely view. And I was shocked when we finally arrived because it struck me that I’d strolled by the staircase leading up to the site dozens of times before without realizing what lurks up there, since the trail down from Victoria Peak passes just beneath it.
Complete with informative historical panels explaining its significance in the defense of Britain’s former colony in the early 1940s, the former gun pedestals, watch towers and ammunition storerooms all bear silent witness to this almost-forgotten chapter of local history. But it was really fun to discover the place with Julius. It’s yet another irony that he is from here and I’ve lived in the city for close to eleven years, yet somehow neither of us had ever been to the site before.
One Sunday a little bit later in the month, I awoke earlier than expected and—encouraged by blue skies and a balmy breeze—I took Fredric to Victoria Peak, where we had a sensational Indian brunch at Rajasthan Riffles. The incredible number of visitors combined with the temperate September weather convinced me to trek up beyond the standard circular walk of Lugard Road, so we made a beeline to Victoria Peak Garden, a place I hadn’t been for nearly seven years!
It was an absolutely stunning spot, and dog-friendly, to boot. And I’m sure I’ll be back again soon, to bask on the park’s expansive lawns and take in the wonderful vistas awaiting those willing to scale the hills that gives way to its highest vantage points.
And, as fate would have it, I made some new friends up there, a trio of expats who also had their pooches in tow. After a long while watching them all romp in the garden, we all headed back down to Rajasthan Riffles, where my new friends ordered lunch while I simply sipped a Gunner on the al fresco terrace.
It seems my recollections of any given month consist mostly of movie screenings and meals. And with COVID removing my ability to travel, 2020 has amplified this reality to new heights! So, since I’m about to close out September with a seventh visit to the cinema, let’s journey back to the first of the month and walk through the catalog.
First up was Portrait of a Lady on Fire, an intense French romantic drama that won Best Screenplay at Cannes last year. I followed this up with the devastating documentary For Sama, which provides a first-hand account of the siege of Aleppo. The horrors faced by that city’s unfortunate residents were shocking and downright heart-breaking. But, somehow, the filmmaker managed to keep an optimistic point of view, even as bombs rained down on a near-daily basis.
I also went with my Finnish friend Ilse to see Aki Kaurismäki’s The Other Side of Hope, a 2017 comedy-drama about Middle Eastern refugees trying to forge a new life in Helsinki. Complementing this screening was a wonderful pre-movie dinner on atmospheric Temple Street, plus a good chance to catch up with Ilse, whom I hadn’t seen in quite a long while.
One Tuesday after work, I headed out to Yau Ma Tei to see Bamboo Theatre, a local Hong Kong documentary that really piqued my interest. Having lived here for over a decade, I’m accustomed to seeing the temporary playhouses rise up to complement many a local festival. This narration-less film follows the intricate construction of the structures, before highlighting the Cantonese operas that are showcased within them upon their completion. Finally, it concludes with their destruction, underscoring the ephemeral nature of this intangible element of Hong Kong’s cultural heritage.
Christopher Nolan’s hotly-anticipated Tenet was the next of my movies. I found the work confusing but certainly worthwhile, and I’m definitely glad I caught it at the Grand Ocean, where certain scenes were nothing short of mesmerizing.
But a much rarer opportunity presented itself back at the Cinematheque one Sunday evening. A Russian documentary from 1926, A Sixth Part of the World, was screened as part of a festival entitled Reconstructed Realities. Directed by Dziga Vertov, whose Man With a Movie Camera is one of silent cinema’s most celebrated works, this precursor was spellbinding from start to finish. Ostensibly a propagandic travelogue about the wealth of culture within the broad expanses of the Soviet Union, it was Vertov’s inventive camera angles and editing that kept me rapt from the first frame to the last.
And, as I mentioned earlier, my September movie screenings are going out on a high note tonight with Casablanca, a flick I must have seen at least a hundred times since I first fell in love with it as a fourteen year old. Still, this will only be the second time I’ve been fortunate enough to watch it in a theater, following a screening in one of those art house cinemas hiding in the Latin Quarter during my semester abroad in Paris back in 2007.
Of course, home screenings also play a big part in my life, especially with COVID limiting certain social events. I’ve written before about this new habit I’ve implemented of trying to screen classic movies on the milestone anniversaries of their original releases. And this month, I managed to fit two memorable additions to the list: I Love You Again—the classic screwball comedy from Thin Man stars Myrna Loy and William Powell—which turned eighty on the ninth and Mildred Pierce—Joan Crawford’s Oscar-winning, career-defining vehicle,—which remains indescribably engrossing in spite of hitting seventy-five on Monday.
Other flicks included Queen Christina, Manhattan, Brief Encounter, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, Heaven Can Wait, So Proudly We Hail, The Jungle Princess, Decasia and in a little prelude to Halloween, Cat People and Theatre of Blood.
And, the last of the lot, a sentimental little stunner from 1950 I discovered last night called September Affair, wherein Joan Fontaine and Joseph Cotton play a pair of middle-aged lonely-hearts who unexpectedly meet and fall in love in Italy and have to chose whether to return to their own lives or break free to remain together.
It was, possibly, a touch impractical, yet also suitably passionate, enhanced by its beautiful musical score—including liberal use of the plaintive ballad September Song—and, perhaps best of all, its gorgeous on-location cinematography showcasing Rome, Naples and Florence.
“Alright, alright, alright,” I hear you saying… “Enough with the old movies. Get on with the food!”
Well, as you may recall, when the month kicked off, government regulations still dictated that only a maximum of two patrons could be seated together in a restaurant. Better than nothing, granted, but not the most conducive for social feasts. So, we organized a small office pizza lunch for our newest colleague, Laren, to spend time with all of us together. And it was a great idea!
Jacomax, just across the street from our tower, provided the amazing pizzas, and it was great to have a chance to spend time with Cherry and Pauline, two of our team members whose roles are not desk-based, and, who, thus, make only cameo appearances in the office.
I also found a clever way to navigate the two person limit for a Saturday brunch at Honjo, a swanky Japanese restaurant in Sheung Wan. With a clear glass divider separating me and my friend Mandy from our companions Jay and Dave, we managed to skirt the regulations while still dining in public without breaking the rule.
Post-sushi, it turned into something of a big night, with espresso martinis at the Armoury and a stop at FAB, as well. It’s all fun and games until someone loses his credit card. Unfortunately, that night, that someone was me. But it was a small price to pay for having such a great day!
Still, even with loopholes and clever logistical gymnastics, some events just couldn’t proceed. Sadly, my friend Céline decided to cancel her fortieth birthday party, which I was going to host on the rooftop. We compensated with a Monday lunch at Crystal Jade in IFC. The next day, I was back to the mall for a long overdue birthday lunch for Myles, who had also nixed his birthday celebrations back in August thanks to the uncertain situation here. It was great to treat both these guys to a one-on-one meal and toast to their special days.
But, at long last, later that week, the government finally upped the table limit from two to four—where it still sits today—allowing Jenny, Cherry, Laren and me to enjoy a midday meal at Frites, a Belgian restaurant just up the street from our office. Happy days are here again!
And another memorable meal was right on its heels, when I met up with recently-engaged Sarah and Omar for an exquisite Lebanese feast at Zahrabel over in Wan Chai the next evening. To make it even more memorable, Omar asked me to be one of his groomsmen as we caught up over pre-dinner Margaritas at Coyote, an offer which—needless to say—I immediately accepted. The wedding is set for December 2021 in Campeche, Mexico, and I can hardly wait!
A few Fridays ago, one of our partnered insures took me and Pauline out to Madame Fu in Tai Kwun for a stellar Cantonese lunch. The history of the site, the elegant interior décor, the delicate local specialties on offer and the faultless service from the entire staff all combined for a top-notch repast, and I’m sure Madame Fu has a spot on many a future visitor’s Hong Kong itinerary, once this whole COVID-19 nightmare is firmly behind us and overseas travellers can once again make their way to Hong Kong to visit me!
Jenny, Laren and I even squeezed in another Friday lunch at an eclectic Southeast Asian eatery in IFC called Market SEA, with an expansive outdoor terrace where I wolfed down three softshell crabs in thick yellow curry while basking in the glorious September sun.
And, continuing the culinary tour through Southeast Asia (since a real journey is all but impossible due to travel restrictions), I made a triumphant return to Club Rangoon the next day. The place is finally open for dinner and now allows groups up to four, so I reserved a booth, inviting along Jay, Dave and our friend Kitty. It was a gluttonous occasion, for sure, with far too much food from the Restaurant Week set menu. In fact, Kitty even wound up taking a doggie bag home.
But everything was mouth-watering, and I’m sure this will become a frequent destination of mine! So stuffed was I at the meal’s conclusion that I opted to walk all the way home from SoHo to Happy Valley that night. But, oh, what a meal!
Sunday proved to be the third day in a row of memorable feasting, the destination now transferring from Asia to faraway Europe. A new tapas restaurant opened in Tseung Kwan O, near to where my friends Kathy and Lou (and their adorable two year old daughter Liberty) happen to live. So, we took the opportunity to test it out. From paella and chorizo to crème Catalan and chocolatey churros—and plenty of Sangria, as I probably don’t have to tell you—it was an indulgent marathon of a session for the record books!
And, speaking of indulging, I wanted to write a bit about my delayed embarkation on the ramen train. As of this month, I’m now a near-constant passenger. But I’ve hardly paid it much attention in the past. It’s funny, because I remember people talking about ramen as long ago as my freshman year at ‘Nova. And many of my Hong Kong friends—including some of the best of them—wax poetic about it on a regular basis. Still, for some reason, in spite of sporadic dabbles, I’ve never become a huge fan.
September changed all that.
I think it has to be mostly thanks to Zagin Soba, a Happy Valley ramen specialist that I first sampled back in April, when it had gotten to Thursday one week and I hadn’t yet tried a new lunch place. Knowing that Jenny, Cherry and I had already booked ourselves in for Friday at Jimmy’s Kitchen, it was my last remaining opportunity to squeeze an untried venue into my schedule. And so, working from home and having heard good things, I ventured down for a steaming bowl.
Fast forward to summer and I’m now a frequent caller on the friendly folks at Zagin Soba. I’ve returned no fewer than four times in the past six weeks. But, after initially remaining faithful to my first love, before long I was tempted to sample the goods on offer in plenty of other ramen joints. In fact, during the month of September, three of my new weekly meals have been at ramen places! I can’t believe it took so long to make a devotee out of me!
Funnily enough, a second Japanese cuisine that had also proved elusive until the past few weeks recently appeared on my radar: yakitori. My friend Ana celebrated her birthday last Thursday, so I joined her and her husband Matt at Yardbird, where Hong Kong’s most beautiful people seem to congregate for strong drinks and tasty skewers.
It was my inaugural yakitori experience, and I was blown away by the whole shebang. Yes, I sincerely hope my first visit to Yardbird isn’t my last. And, in an ironic turn of events, the very next day, I found myself at yet another yakitori feast in Wan Chai, this time to celebrate Yvonne’s birthday. Alcohol may have usurped food as the central focus of that event, but it was a night to remember, regardless.
And, of course, no description of this time of year in Hong Kong is complete without mooncakes, those delightful, waistline-expanding morsels which feature so prominently in the Mid-Autumn Festival, which takes place tomorrow.
I may have gone a little overboard this year, but I’m certainly not complaining (nor counting the calories). I bought a box of nut-filled varietals from Chan Yee Jai, a century-old speciality shop near the office in Sheung Wan. And I also picked up some traditional lotus seed and salted duck egg versions from stalwart Kee Wah. I even snagged a chocolate version from the same bakery.
But the best of all just may have been the mini-egg custard mooncakes from the Peninsula, which I received unexpectedly when my friend Hana presented me with a voucher to redeem a free set! Apparently, poor old Hana isn’t a fan, leaving me the most grateful recipient of a re-gift! Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to me!
There is also a temporary art instalment taking place in Happy Valley now, called Unlucky Lucky. It’s worth checking out—if you have the chance—even if it will only take you ten minutes or so to thoroughly explore all the works, because it’s housed in a historic building over on Village Road, which serves as a home for creative types as they focus on creating new art. It was so great to sneak a peek around last Saturday before heading to Club Rangoon for dinner!
So, as you can see, life is pretty good in Hong Kong at the moment. And with my favorite time of the year just about to begin, I can only cross my fingers and hope things continue in this way! My Halloween decorations will go up tomorrow, and after decorating, I’m heading to the beach over on Lantau for a night of camping and moon-watching. Jung Chau Jeet Fai Lok, everybody!
