Alice Riley-Smith, Digital Editor

 

Interiors: Boxer Rugs Established in 2014 by Scottish-born Roddy Murray of interior design firm RJMD, Boxer Rugs is a small shop in Sheung Wan selling 100% New Zealand wool rugs in contemporary designs. The collection lies under four main themes - optic geometry, romantic floral, free-form natural and fashion textiles - and I couldn’t help but be seduced by the brightly-coloured geometrics to instantly enhance a space. 14A Tai Ping Shan Street, Sheung Wan
Eat: Bedu On the corner of the steps of Shin Hing Street and foodie Gough Street, Bedu is serving up Middle Eastern fusion cuisine in chic surroundings. Sit at the kitchen-bar to soak up the atmosphere from the chefs preparing flavour-packed beef short rib with chilli labneh, or chilli and saffron squid with creamy hummus and tangy pomegranate. Start with the homemade flatbread and smoky dips and end with indulgent dark chocolate and cranberry clafoutis with spiced yoghurt. Too good. bedurestaurant.com
Travel: St Regis Hong Kong St Regis Hotels open their Hong Kong outpost this week, in Wan Chai. Designed by Hong Kong-born designer André Fu to be a subtle reflection of the neighbourhood’s colourful East-meets-West tapestry, the 112-bedroom hotel will also house two restaurants by Michelin-starred chefs: L’Envol, a French fine-dining restaurant; and Rùn, a Chinese fine-dining restaurant. Following in quick succession of the newly-opened Rosewood Hong Kong, it's an exciting time for the Hong Kong hotel scene. marriott.com
Photo courtesy of St. Regis Hong Kong
Beauty: Royal Fern I was lucky enough to try the Royal Fern skincare range this week and am soon to become a clean beauty convert as a result. The powerful fern plant acts as the base ingredient of its products, with it being intensely moisturising and also highly resistant to sunlight. As a result of these properties, studies led by dermatologist Dr. Timm Golueke and his team in Germany are proving natural fern extracts to combat skin aging on all levels. The products, ranging from a phytoactive cleansing balm to anti-aging creams and serums launch at Harvey Nichols Hong Kong at the end of this month. royalfern.com
Interiors: Boxer Rugs Established in 2014 by Scottish-born Roddy Murray of interior design firm RJMD, Boxer Rugs is a small shop in Sheung Wan selling 100% New Zealand wool rugs in contemporary designs. The collection lies under four main themes - optic geometry, romantic floral, free-form natural and fashion textiles - and I couldn’t help but be seduced by the brightly-coloured geometrics to instantly enhance a space. 14A Tai Ping Shan Street, Sheung Wan
Eat: Bedu On the corner of the steps of Shin Hing Street and foodie Gough Street, Bedu is serving up Middle Eastern fusion cuisine in chic surroundings. Sit at the kitchen-bar to soak up the atmosphere from the chefs preparing flavour-packed beef short rib with chilli labneh, or chilli and saffron squid with creamy hummus and tangy pomegranate. Start with the homemade flatbread and smoky dips and end with indulgent dark chocolate and cranberry clafoutis with spiced yoghurt. Too good. bedurestaurant.com
Travel: St Regis Hong Kong St Regis Hotels open their Hong Kong outpost this week, in Wan Chai. Designed by Hong Kong-born designer André Fu to be a subtle reflection of the neighbourhood’s colourful East-meets-West tapestry, the 112-bedroom hotel will also house two restaurants by Michelin-starred chefs: L’Envol, a French fine-dining restaurant; and Rùn, a Chinese fine-dining restaurant. Following in quick succession of the newly-opened Rosewood Hong Kong, it's an exciting time for the Hong Kong hotel scene. marriott.com
Photo courtesy of St. Regis Hong Kong
Beauty: Royal Fern I was lucky enough to try the Royal Fern skincare range this week and am soon to become a clean beauty convert as a result. The powerful fern plant acts as the base ingredient of its products, with it being intensely moisturising and also highly resistant to sunlight. As a result of these properties, studies led by dermatologist Dr. Timm Golueke and his team in Germany are proving natural fern extracts to combat skin aging on all levels. The products, ranging from a phytoactive cleansing balm to anti-aging creams and serums launch at Harvey Nichols Hong Kong at the end of this month. royalfern.com
1 / 4

Joanna Fu, Associate Digital Editor

Beauty: Oskia Citylife intense anti-pollution defence concentrate I feel the effects of pollution much more during this time of the year when hours spent outside are longer and humidity makes the skin feel more sticky. In a city like Hong Kong, I’ve made anti-pollution skincare a priority. Oskia’s Citylife concentrate is my latest recommendation because it’s versatile and has convincing clinical backing. It’s a pricey little tube but lasts a long time because you only need one to three drops, to be mixed in with other skincare products. I mix it with my sunscreen and don’t notice it on my face, but at the end of the day, I do feel that my pores are not as congested as they tend to be and blackheads are diminished. $912, net-a-porter.com
Beauty: Fresh Sugar honey lip balm When the weather starts getting warmer our beauty routines start to downsize. The first makeup category that I switch out is lip colour. Fresh’s Sugar lip treatment in the Honey shade is my absolute go-to for both day and night. I’ll be on my fourth tube this spring. It’s more moisturising than most lip balms, has a touch of SPF 15, and gives a surprisingly opaque “your lips but better” nude that’s as flattering during the day as it is at night. $200, fresh.com
Eat: Neighborhood I think I’ve finally found my favourite restaurant in Hong Kong. For me, Neighborhood is the best of all worlds in terms of both food and ambience. It’s tucked in a little nook just off of Hollywood road so you have both convenience and discreetness. The interior is modern but unpretentious and cosy. The dishes are a fusion of Italian and French and served tapas-style so you can double up on variety and share the experience with your friends. The padron peppers with cheese excelled in its simplicity, while the pigeon eggs with chorizo crumbs were so indulgent yet balanced. G/F, 61-63 Hollywood Road, Soho Central
Jewellery: Maria Black 14kt yellow gold acrobat diamond hoop earring I’m constantly on the hunt for the perfect mini gold hoop earring for my upper lobe piercing. The requirements are that it has to match almost everything (because I don’t like taking them out) but also be unique. I think this Maria Black acrobat diamond hoop manages to do both with a twisted remix of the standard gold hoop. It has a few diamonds for just enough sparkle to be either casual or formal. $1,972 at farfetch.com
Photo: Courtesy of farfetch.com
Wellness: Joy Ocean Town Hong Kong's Art Week 2019 was a bittersweet marathon of work, events and great art. Recovering from and surviving the week required some serious TLC, and my preferred version is a lymphatic body massage at Joy Ocean Town Foot Reflexology on Caine road. It’s a no-frills institution that’s hygienic and, mostly importantly, has masseuses that put in the elbow grease to knead out every knot. The lymphatic drainage also helps you get rid of excess water retention and detox the system. The massage style might not be for everyone, but I recommended it to a few friends visiting from London and they went two days in a row. 45 Caine Rd, Central
Photo: Inti St Clair/Getty Images
Beauty: Oskia Citylife intense anti-pollution defence concentrate I feel the effects of pollution much more during this time of the year when hours spent outside are longer and humidity makes the skin feel more sticky. In a city like Hong Kong, I’ve made anti-pollution skincare a priority. Oskia’s Citylife concentrate is my latest recommendation because it’s versatile and has convincing clinical backing. It’s a pricey little tube but lasts a long time because you only need one to three drops, to be mixed in with other skincare products. I mix it with my sunscreen and don’t notice it on my face, but at the end of the day, I do feel that my pores are not as congested as they tend to be and blackheads are diminished. $912, net-a-porter.com
Beauty: Fresh Sugar honey lip balm When the weather starts getting warmer our beauty routines start to downsize. The first makeup category that I switch out is lip colour. Fresh’s Sugar lip treatment in the Honey shade is my absolute go-to for both day and night. I’ll be on my fourth tube this spring. It’s more moisturising than most lip balms, has a touch of SPF 15, and gives a surprisingly opaque “your lips but better” nude that’s as flattering during the day as it is at night. $200, fresh.com
Eat: Neighborhood I think I’ve finally found my favourite restaurant in Hong Kong. For me, Neighborhood is the best of all worlds in terms of both food and ambience. It’s tucked in a little nook just off of Hollywood road so you have both convenience and discreetness. The interior is modern but unpretentious and cosy. The dishes are a fusion of Italian and French and served tapas-style so you can double up on variety and share the experience with your friends. The padron peppers with cheese excelled in its simplicity, while the pigeon eggs with chorizo crumbs were so indulgent yet balanced. G/F, 61-63 Hollywood Road, Soho Central
Jewellery: Maria Black 14kt yellow gold acrobat diamond hoop earring I’m constantly on the hunt for the perfect mini gold hoop earring for my upper lobe piercing. The requirements are that it has to match almost everything (because I don’t like taking them out) but also be unique. I think this Maria Black acrobat diamond hoop manages to do both with a twisted remix of the standard gold hoop. It has a few diamonds for just enough sparkle to be either casual or formal. $1,972 at farfetch.com
Photo: Courtesy of farfetch.com
Wellness: Joy Ocean Town Hong Kong's Art Week 2019 was a bittersweet marathon of work, events and great art. Recovering from and surviving the week required some serious TLC, and my preferred version is a lymphatic body massage at Joy Ocean Town Foot Reflexology on Caine road. It’s a no-frills institution that’s hygienic and, mostly importantly, has masseuses that put in the elbow grease to knead out every knot. The lymphatic drainage also helps you get rid of excess water retention and detox the system. The massage style might not be for everyone, but I recommended it to a few friends visiting from London and they went two days in a row. 45 Caine Rd, Central
Photo: Inti St Clair/Getty Images
1 / 5

Gavin Yeung, Lifestyle Editor

Watch: Free Solo This Oscar-winning documentary tracks the arduous year of preparation that world-class rock climber Alex Honnold endured in the lead-up to his monumental feat of scaling El Capitan, an infamous 3,000-foot-tall vertical rock face located in Yosemite National Park. He did it in a ‘free solo’ attempt, which is to completely eschew the use of ropes or safety equipment. Shedding light on the personal sacrifices Honnold must make, and his unusually logical approach to risk and the prospect of death, it’s a sweaty palms-inducing watch that will make you all the more grateful for flat ground. The documentary is currently available to stream on FOX+.
Drink: 2015 Ao Yun vintage Chinese wine is on the rise, and this maverick wine label from Moët Hennessy Diageo is here to prove its growing maturity. Winemaker Maxence Dulou is responsible for the estate, which is situated in Yunnan province's highlands. The Himalayan appellation's high altitude at an average of 2,600m, and the warm and dry conditions throughout 2015 have created a punchy Cabernet Sauvignon blend that carries notes of cold chimenea, Mysore sandalwood, Dhofar incense and crushed strawberries that pair well with Chinese cuisine. Get a taste of this vintage at Hutong as part of a specially-curated menu until May 31. hutong.com.hk
Eat: La Rambla's Sunday Brunch Fiesta Having quickly established itself as one of the best places in Hong Kong for Catalonian cuisine, La Rambla isn't resting on its laurels with the introduction of its Sunday En La Boqueria Brunch. At $550, the brunch pays tribute to famous Barcelona food market La Boqueria, and includes an assortment of tapas, meat and seafood offerings from the menu, along with a buffet bar complete with all-you-can-eat Iberico ham, and an eggs station. Favourites of mine included the tiger prawns grilled to perfection in their shells over charcoal, and the handmade nitrogen ice cream which is mixed table-side, resulting in the smoothest texture you can imagine. larambla.hk
Watch: Free Solo This Oscar-winning documentary tracks the arduous year of preparation that world-class rock climber Alex Honnold endured in the lead-up to his monumental feat of scaling El Capitan, an infamous 3,000-foot-tall vertical rock face located in Yosemite National Park. He did it in a ‘free solo’ attempt, which is to completely eschew the use of ropes or safety equipment. Shedding light on the personal sacrifices Honnold must make, and his unusually logical approach to risk and the prospect of death, it’s a sweaty palms-inducing watch that will make you all the more grateful for flat ground. The documentary is currently available to stream on FOX+.
Drink: 2015 Ao Yun vintage Chinese wine is on the rise, and this maverick wine label from Moët Hennessy Diageo is here to prove its growing maturity. Winemaker Maxence Dulou is responsible for the estate, which is situated in Yunnan province's highlands. The Himalayan appellation's high altitude at an average of 2,600m, and the warm and dry conditions throughout 2015 have created a punchy Cabernet Sauvignon blend that carries notes of cold chimenea, Mysore sandalwood, Dhofar incense and crushed strawberries that pair well with Chinese cuisine. Get a taste of this vintage at Hutong as part of a specially-curated menu until May 31. hutong.com.hk
Eat: La Rambla's Sunday Brunch Fiesta Having quickly established itself as one of the best places in Hong Kong for Catalonian cuisine, La Rambla isn't resting on its laurels with the introduction of its Sunday En La Boqueria Brunch. At $550, the brunch pays tribute to famous Barcelona food market La Boqueria, and includes an assortment of tapas, meat and seafood offerings from the menu, along with a buffet bar complete with all-you-can-eat Iberico ham, and an eggs station. Favourites of mine included the tiger prawns grilled to perfection in their shells over charcoal, and the handmade nitrogen ice cream which is mixed table-side, resulting in the smoothest texture you can imagine. larambla.hk
1 / 3