sophie’s gallery

Tai O, Hong Kong, Oct 2007

sophie’s gallery

Tai O, Lantau Island, HK, Oct 2007.

sophie’s gallery

wine tasting party, Nov 2007, Hong Kong

sophie’s gallery

Opera Gallery, Hong Kong, Oct 2007

sophie’s gallery

cat in North Poing, Hong Kong
Oct, 2007

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Halloween Night in Hong Kong

 
(me in the pumpkin mask)

The Halloween Night in Hong Kong is really a hot and enjoyable event for everybody, even for a local like me.

This is actually my annual event: every year during the Halloween night, no matter it is a weekday or a weekend, I usually hold a party in the Lan Kwai Fong with my friends.   

The Lan Kwai Fong in Hong Kong, apart from its fame of night life, bars and discos, becomes the ultimate playground of all ghosts and monsters during the Halloween night.  So, it is highly popular and extremely crowded.   If you would like to get a nice table inside one of the bars overseeing the street outside,  making early reservation is a must.  And, if you wish to get into the Lan Kwai Fong to participate into the event, do arrive there well before 8:00pm, afterwards, there will be crowd control measures imposed by the Police and you would need to spend a long time walking round and round before you could find your friends or settle down.

The peak time of the event is always around 11:00pm to 1:00am.  People playing around are obsessed with the imaginary world: one would find all sorts of ghosts, monsters and characters in the famous story books easily.   Werewolves, sexy angles, Batman, Spiderman,  horror film characters, Chinese dolls, etc., are walking around the streets and attempting to scare other people.  I love taking pictures with all these characters. 

 Next time when you are planning for a trip to Hong Kong, coming by during the Halloween would be a good idea!   

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sophie’s gallery

A cat in Graham Street, Hong Kong, April 2007

A Fancy Dreamland: “Asteria Land” by Alice Chan

Alice Chan, a modern, chic and fancy Hong Kong illustrator. 

You may find her work quite familiar since her creations have been adopted by many big brands like Levis, Anna Sui, MTV, Sportmax, etc.  Her work could also be seen in lots of trendy fashion magazines and  many window decorations.

Alice’s drawings are very decorative and stylish.  Those pretty girls are with big eyes, pretty faces, modern outfits and accessories.  The colours she used are always fancy and cheerful.  No wonder she is a favourite of so many fashion brands.

You can’t imagine how gorgeous and interesting Alice’s website could be.  Do wander around Alice’s website and have fun.  There are some comics drawn by Alice and I am sure you would like them.

And here is Alice’s blog, for those who are obssessed with Alice’s pretty creations, you would certainly like reading her blog and know more about her.

One more thing I wish to mention about Alice is that she herself is a very pretty girl, just like the character she has created.  Let’s see a photo of her under her Levi’s project:

 (Alice, on the right.)

Alice is now having an exhibition in the Stitch Tokyo of Shibuya, Japan, from 5 Oct 07  to 10 Nov 07.  If you are getting around in Tokyo, do not miss her exhibition.

Carrie Chau - the black sheep collection

Carrie Chau, an illustration artist in Hong Kong, just finished her “Black Sheep Exhibition” at Hong Kong Times Square in the Causeway Bay.

Starting as an illustration artist, Carrie’s art work is full of decorative elements and details.  The characters in her art creation are somehow colourful, childlike and similar to the characters on stage or in a circus.  The characters maybe some metaphors to ourselves, i.e. there are always abnormal and yet pretty elements in ourselves.

In a radio programme just rolled out today, Carrie talked about art: “the teaching of art, i.e. the true, kind and beauty (”真善美” in Chinese) is important, since those are the senses of true, kind and beauty which could improve the world.”  This is the objective of Carrie’s art work, and this is the objection of her lovely characters.

Some photos from the Black Sheep Exhibition:

Carrie’s latest exhibition just ended in mid September 07, “the Black Sheep”, was very well received. 

There are some accessories and products from Carrie now being sold in various retail shops in Hong Kong.  And Carrie has opened her own shop in Central of Hong Kong, I do love visiting her shop and saying hello to her lovely characters.

If you like Carrie’s work, you may check her out at her blog: Carrie Chau’s Blog.

Some drawings from Carrie:

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Interview with Chez Patrick

“My dream and mission is to make good thing!“ - Chez Patrick.

Meeting new friends with passion and high energy level is always a pleasurable and refreshing experience.  My interview with Chez Patrick last Saturday should be one of those.

After I have posted my article about the restaurants of Chez Patrick in Hong Kong, the article received good responses and many readers like that post very much.  I then have told Patrick about this and he has kindly replied my mail.  I then suggested an interview with him in one of his lovely restaurants and he just simply accepted my proposal.

I met with Patrick last Saturday in his Peel Street shop.  For I would like to mention a bit more about Peel Street.  Peel Street is a small street located in the finance and business centre of Hong Kong, the Central District.  But the Peel Street is one of the old streets in the Central District, near the SoHo Area (famous for numerous gorgeous restaurants).  There are many local “old” Hong Kong shops along the Peel Street.  The combination of Patrick’s fine French restaurant in this small and old Hong Kong street is very extra-ordinary and makes his restaurant outstand in the vicinity.

Our interview took place in last Satruday’s afternoon, where Patrick’s restaurant was quite full.  I dated my friends to have lunch there and then Patrick came over to our table to have some chats with us.

Chatting with Patrick was inspiring.  He shared his passions towards Hong Kong, his home land Lyon, his restaurants, his family and his believes with us most spontaneously.

Patrick’s dreams and believes

His dream is to make a restaurant, which is relax, homely and comfortable, not a place for showing off, for his clients.  Of course, making very good food for the enjoyment of his clients is his most important believe. 

He also reminded us that good food should be something like an art and music, the taste and smell and the experiences are all conected to our emotions and memories.

Patrick’s root and the effects on his career

His wish to become a good chef takes its root back in his family in Lyon.  For his mother and his grandmother both make very good food, he enjoys cooking since he was small.  In his family, dinner is an important function for family members to gather and share.  The cooking style of his home land places emphasis on the real favour of the ingredients.  He even keeps some recipes from his grand mother.  It is this tradition of his family and the authenticity of his cooking style,  that forms the building stone of his career as a chef and his restaurants.

Patrick’s keywords

“To make good food and good things” should be the key words of Patrick.  For him, the real value of life is to creat good things and good food. 

He emphasised to me that: “if you want to make good thing, you should get as close to the origin as possible.”  His respect to his root and tradition is very admirable. Family links and supports are very important to him. 

Last but not least, “to do the work you like!”  For Patrick, his restaurant and his good food are actually his life!

Chez Patrick Peel Street
G/F., 26 Peel Street Central
Hong Kong
Tel) 2541 1401

Chez Patrick Sun Street
G/F., 8-9 Sun Street Wanchai
Hong Kong
Tel) 2527 1408

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• Enoteca on Elgrin - good wine, good food, good time
• Chez Patrick: a night in Paris
• TOTT: a sparkling afternoon
• my beloved southern france cuisine

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