Keeping It Tidy

Farewell to the fairground

2010-04-07T00:45:00.010+08:00

So after only 18 months my time in Hong Kong has come to an end. Sad? Of course, its a great place I'm sure anyone who has been will tell you that. I've met some real good people & for such a small city it offers you a hell of a lot. For a start the weather is a million times better then in the UK. There is the 'sweat fest' from June until September but the winter months ('winter' being too strong a word really) are pretty much perfect. Stepping out of the house in mid January with a clear blue sky has a huge effect on how you approach your day.

It can be a bit of a contradictory place though and you can quickly begin developing a love / hate relationship. The place is all about money yet there is an endless amount of people working for peanuts. The vast urban areas are huge but are nothing compared to the massive rural part's. And then there is the historically old along side the new leviathan towers. It truly is east meets west, with a very interesting outcome.

Convenience makes Hong Kong such a unique place to live too. I'm certainly going to miss my octopus card & of course the thing ill miss more than anything else, club 7/11!! Hahaa! But really, where else in the world can you be at any corner of the city within 1 hour (well, maybe a few minutes longer)?

Ill miss - Sheung Wan, the Soho area, Repulse Bay, Causeway Bay, the wonderful smells of MongKok, anywhere with picturesque views (given you can see more that 50 yards in front on you, air quality is shocking these days) & even the streets of Lan Kwai Fong (although not the shitty over pretentious clubs that charge extortion prices).

Things ill be glad to see the back of - Sundays, the socially inept, spatially unaware fucktards (yes called for) who constantly frustrate me the shit out of me with their inability to function at the most basic of social tasks. Shop assistants shouting ''fay ying gwon lam, chabiin tai''.... Leave me the fuck alone! If i want your help ill ask! Tsim Sha Tsui, mainlanders (sorry, still too brash for my liking), humidity and getting a runny nose every 2 weeks.

Shopping wise you couldn't ask for a better place to blow your money, besides Japan, of course. Despite what you may have heard / think though its NOT cheap to live here. Rent, petrol, nightlife, any type of imported produce & the majority of things in & around Hong Kong island are ridiculously priced (yes, I blame us westerners too). So bring a fat wallet if / when you do come.

Its a well known fact that the cities financial status (aka people are here to make money so not much else matters to them) makes the lack of creative culture / scene a bit of downside. But what do people expect though? Its a small place & most people are here to make loot. That's it. The place is too small to get a 'scene' going & generally speaking the financial lot wont be interested in other things (ie anything cultural). Well, maybe banging the Filipinos in Wan Chai but thats about it. There are a thousand art galleries yet 90% (in my 'untrained' opinion) look dog shit. Musically its nothing short of a dry well too, unless Tom Jones is your cup of tea? Even Macau shits on HK. And the crackdown of noise levels... Sign up to stop that BS. As I've said, the place is 'business central'. People are busy working toward that goal. But sometimes you just want to escape that & go someplace without feeling that money is the number 1 concern. That's just the way it is though and I understand that. There are some people here however who really do try to make the place more interesting. There just isn't enough of them.

As for HK's future, well, some may say it looks a little sketchy. With China's ever expanding world dominance some might say HK isn't exactly the safe haven it once was. Like this article for instance. A sign of things to come maybe? Who knows.

Anyway.... Ill leave the blog up for anyone who finds it useful. Laugh at it, bookmark it, disagree with it, whatever. As long as there is something.

Feel free to heck out my other page here (music related by the way), and my own blog here.

Take it easy out there.

A comprehensive shopping guide to Hong Kong

2010-03-09T02:51:00.035+08:00

Hong Kong's a great place to shop theres no doubt about it. So having been here for a significant amount of time I thought I would offer up some of the best places to empty your wallet.

Starting from the North & working across the Island from west to east with Lantau in there last....

(S) = Shopping centre / Mall

(re) = Re-seller store

MongKok:

Trendy Zone (S) – 580 Nathan Road - (4 floors of many small independent stores. Footwear & clothing re-sellers – particularly the basement level. There are some local independent stores and some good accessories stores for items like rings, leather goods, chains & pendants. There are also some vintage clothing stores on level 3 & 4.

Sneaker Street - Have a walk along 'Fa Yuen Steet' [read this]

Langham Place (S) – 8 Argyle Street - Vans, H&M, Muji, Black Chocoolate, D-Mop

Nike basketball - 58 Fa Yuen Street

Jordan:

Sub-urb - 1B-19 Basement, Prudential Centre, 216-228 Nathan Road

Tsim Sha Tsui:

Miramar Centre (S) – 143 Nathen Road (Uniqlo, Muji, D-Mop, HARE, Agnes B, i.t)

EXIT – 73 Chatam Road South, basement level – (Entrance on Granville Road)

STUSSY (Store 1) - Chatam Road South

Seleven Gallery - 107-109 Chatham Road South

Take 5 denim – 1 Hing Ming Building, 2/F, 41A-B, Granville Road

Concept shop (re) – Winning Commercial Building, 46-48 Hillwood Road, Shop 246-247, 2/F

Mr.SK / Sample Kicks (re) – Winning Commercial Building, 46-48 Hillwood Road, Shop 232, 2/F

Lane Crawford – 3 Canton Road

Silvercord (S) – 30 Canton Road - I.T sale shop, Levis, EXIT / Double Park, Nike ID, BEAMS, Carharrt, Clarks

Harbour City (S) – 3-27 Canton Road - Uniqlo, Zara, Maison Martin Margiela, Y-3, Joyce, N.Hollywood

Anytime (Shop 1) (re) – 59 Granville Road

Central:

Harvey Nichols - The Landmark,  15 Queen's Rd  Central

A Bathing Ape - 10 Queens Road Central

Visvim - 18 Wyndham Street

A.P.C (Shop 1) - 24 Wyndham Street

Junya Watanabe - 22 Wyndham Street

Nowhere - 28 Wyndham Street

Commes Des Garcons - Shop 2, 10 Ice House Street

Maison Martin Margiela – Shop 7, 10 Ice House Street

HOODS - Shop 5, 10 Ice House Street

Wan Chai:

Ka-Pok – G/F, St.Francis Yard (Near Star Street)

Causeway Bay:

Juice - 2/F, 53 Paterson Street

J-01 - 57 Paterson Street

A.P.C (Shop 2) - 66 Patterson Street

EXIT / Double Park – 10 Cleveland Street

Adidas Originals - 6 Kingston Street

COTWO (re) - 2/F, 523 Lockhart Road

Nike Sportswear - 7 Pak Sha Road

852 - United Success Commercial Centre Building, 506-508, Jaffe Road

STUSSY (Shop 2) - 67-69 Percival St, 2/F, Ko Wah Building

Evergreen skate store - 8/F, commercial building, 8 Leighton Road

Hamlet (re) - 2/F, Causeway Place Shopping Mall, Great George Street

Anytime (Shop 2) (re) - 522 Jaffe Road

President Theatre (S) - 517 Jaffe Road (Basement) - Many re-seller stores selling the usual suspects like Supreme, NBHD, Fenom & Undercover

Times Square (S) - New Balance, Nike , Zara, Lane Crawford

Supreme Palace - 8/F, Room A, Gold Swan Commercial Building, 438 - 444 Hennessey Road

Chai Wan:

Silly Thing - Shop 8, Block B, 18 Ka Yip Street

Undercover - Unit 11, G/F, block B, Ming Pao industrial building

Lantau Island:

Citigate outlet (S) - 20 Tat Tung Road, Tung Chung - Nike, Adidas, New Balance, A Bathing Ape Pirate store

Let me know if I've missed anything worth while off the list.

''Dare to be''

2010-02-05T11:44:00.002+08:00

Now i don't know a lot about Jimmy Black footwear. Cant even find a link for them (searched for all of 2 mins ill be honest) via Google. They run with the bold (& well, quiet honest in fact) ''we dare'' slogan & judging by the pics you cant help but agree. If your familiar with CPU sneaker stores around HK you may have noticed them. They recieve quiet a prominent store display so I'm guessing they could be an in house thing.

Like a spam email come true isn't it? There's numerous Vans, a Visvim FBT, Clarks Natalie (not in pics), Danner & a shady couple of Red Wings in there too. Maybe only missing an air bubbled model to complete the mission of ripping off every relevant footwear brand from the past 20 years?

Someone call Shenzhen, they've had their shoes robbed.

Man down, man down!!!

2010-01-28T00:01:00.001+08:00

This is just gold. A women refuses to co-operate with police after a car accident, then tries to walk away! Around the 35 second mark is where the real comedy begins.

Now i play football on a Sunday & i'm pretty sure the police 'man' in question used the exact same tactic to con the referee in a game a few weeks back. Dammmmnnn these Chinese cant take a tackle!

Big shoes....

2010-01-17T14:16:00.005+08:00

You know Bape don't do things by half's, just take a look at this gigantic (got to be at least 20ft) Nigo....

This collab, 'Chocoolape', is with HK's Black Choocolate (who get the prize for the biggest collaboration whores in 09 - Everything from Superman to Burger King) which is a kind of Japanese inspired brand at affordable prices. Product wise they can be a little hit & miss (although isn't every brand?) but they are certainly popular amongst the younger generation here.

If your around, this display is at Times Square, Causeway Bay.

What is it with these people???

2010-01-10T22:44:00.000+08:00

Acid attack ...... AGAIN! Its becoming a real threat to people now.

Read more on the latest incident..... here

Loot even the pirates wouldn't steal

2010-01-05T05:21:00.007+08:00

Bape's pirate store - a chance to grab some some cheap / one off gear or a way of getting rid of shit they cant sell? We know which way they market it, obviously, but after taking a look recently i beg to differ. To be honest it reminds me of an English store called TK Maxx. Basically, rather shitty gear that nobody could sell bunched together in the hope of making some space in the warehouse. With its rapid expansion over the last decade Bape obviously have a shit load of stock nowadays. Opening these pirate stores further commercialises the brand too & takes away more of the allure of which drawn you to it in the first place.

Its difficult to see what direction Bape will take in this new decade as they are now, weather the loyalists like to admit it or not, a fully fledged family brand. Shit, i even know a couple of housewives who follow the releases! However you feel about them though theres no denying their influence on street / fashion culture as we move into the tenties (that the correct wordage??). In the early years Bape offered something new, young & undoubtably cool. Take Biggie rocking the green camo jacket in the 90's. Wonderwall too helped shape the brands identity with the highly innovative store interiors Bape has become so known for.

The all over camo print, full zip hoodies, bland milo designs & those hideous AF1's knock offs seemed to catch on like wildfire. Looking back though, kind of laughable isn't it? Don't get me wrong i'm not hating on the brand, i was as interested as the next guy, i'm sure anyone who takes an interest in emerging trends was. For me it's the under the radar pieces that still keep Bape relevant today, amongst the stiffest competition than its ever faced before. Like i said, i do however HATE their footwear with a passion. How on earth a brand can blatantly copy some of the most recognisable styles in modern footwear & get away with it is beyond me. But thinking about it, maybe thats just a measure of how influential they've became over the past decade. Collaborating with Adidas on the superstar model was proof of that.

Of course, the fakes haven't helped the brands credibility over the years but hey, thats a problem being successful brings. For better or worse, its certain that Bape will remain just as relevant in the next decade as it has in the previous two.

This City.....

2009-12-31T16:28:00.005+08:00

First off, apologies for the lack of updates to anyone who reads this blog (about 3 of you! haha). To be honest over the last little while i haven't been anywhere of note. And also my camera broke - which was a massive pain in the ass! Anyway, heres a few pics from about over the past 2 weeks or so.....

Kiehls x Kaws action

TST carnage. Everday seems to be a public holiday and the urban areas become chaotic at peak hours. Avoid if you can.

Please do not squat on the toilet seat - I assume this

applies to mainlanders, no?

View from the Sevva

Full.

I know i know, worst day ever to go to the peak.

& finally... Some tomfoolery from the Lan Kwai Fong area........

Happy 2010

Protest.....

2009-12-04T16:00:00.003+08:00

.....Even if you dont know why. Make some noise.

DJ Premier @ Dragon i, 18/11/09

2009-11-16T22:31:00.008+08:00

Producer extraordinaire (& not to mention my personal favourite hip-hop producer ever) DJ Premier is back in Hong Kong this Wednesday @ Dragon i club. Happy.

Via HKH

A Bathing Ape Pirate store: Hong Kong

2009-11-14T18:12:00.009+08:00

Bape is set to unvail Hong Kong's very own 'Pirate store' at citigate shopping mall (Tung Chung, Lantau Island) on December 12th. The mall also houses other outlets such as Nike, Adidas & New Balance.

Citigate Mall

Celebrity teachings

2009-11-05T02:09:00.009+08:00

Parents of Hong Kong students seem obsessed with getting their children the best education. Influenced by the surroundings of course, HK as an international finance hub offers great reward to those with a high IQ. And so teachers that boast a high exam success rate come in strong demand.

Celebrity tutors can make a boatload from marketing themselves. Splashing yourself on billboards, buses and trams or posters seems to pay kindly for these new found celebs.

Check these pics out,

Meet Michael G, economics teacher & by the look of things one pretty cool muthafucker. Running with the familiar 'CHANGE' motto you could strap a guitar to this guys back & he wouldnt look out of play playing a gig down your local.

This is Joe Chan, looks mean doesn't he? Don't let that stern stare put you off, his economical knowledge is the shit.

More at HK mag --> http://hk-magazine.com/feature/star-tutors

Pop Attack!

2009-10-26T01:07:00.005+08:00

HK based designer Lun Wong showcases his work @ MINT club on the 29th on October. Go support!!!

More info here --> http://1kstyles.blogspot.com/

Clockenflap

2009-10-21T15:31:00.005+08:00

This years Clockenflap festival is just around the corner! Headliners this year include Blood Red Shoes (of 'say something, say anything' fame), Los Campesinos & a DJ set from Alexis Taylor of Hotchip.

The quality of bands HK is attracting is slowly rising with Placebo & British Sea Power both playing recently. Hopefully a sign of things to come.

Visit http://www.clockenflap.com/ for more details

Get with it!

Waffle on

2009-10-19T17:43:00.002+08:00

These things are amazing.....

Toasted waffle with melted peanut butter inside

well worth joining a que for.

Tit for tat

2009-10-14T14:41:00.004+08:00

Dont get me wrong i love the Kong. But sometimes wondering around this place can make your head spin. 7 million+ people all crammed into a phone box provides little personal space and the amount of shit that fills the streets becomes hard to take in. Time to retreat to the country.....

Claiming back the streets

2009-10-03T23:02:00.007+08:00

So were into October. And with the humidity levels dropping (slowly but surely) your finally safe to go outsude again without dehydrating. God bless the winter.

First it was National Day, & then Autum festival. Cue BBQ's, flying lanterns, candle burning & the odd firework or two.

This is one addictive game

Apparently burning candles is an offence. Dont get burned.

Around town pt.7

2009-09-29T23:13:00.003+08:00

Named & shamed

2009-09-22T13:23:00.003+08:00

Some parents in Hong Kong seem a little misguided when it comes to naming thier children. So parents of HK, let me give you a little heads up with English names. You wouldnt want little Barbie getting bullied in school now would you?

So....... Yobie, Yoyo, Color, Smiling, Jerbie, Heaveny, Winkie, Kinkie or Vinkie and the outrageous 'Hot' are just a few names (contrary to what you may been told / seen on TV) that never have and probably never will be commonly delt English names. Happy parenting though!

The land of a thousand collaborations

2009-09-09T13:35:00.004+08:00

Im putting this on Ebay in 5 minutes, any buy it now offers?

Stussy pop up sale store

2009-09-04T22:41:00.002+08:00

Stussy pop up sale store - here for more info http://www.stussy.hk/

As you can imagine theres a lot of well, shit they cant sell basically. But from what i remember tee's are $160. Open untill Sep 27th, swing by you never know what you you might find.

Thriller night

2009-08-31T14:02:00.010+08:00

Saturday night. Hong Kong's best party district. Michael Jacksons birthday = Dannccceee offff!

Slighty bizare watching 50+ teenagers knock out dance moves whilst intoxicated, but funny none the less.

Press play....

Hard as nails

2009-08-26T15:08:00.007+08:00

With the lack of a decent state pension for some of the elderly in Hong Kong (or in some cases lack of children to look after them) many of the elderly are forced to collect cardboard (or anything else they can gather up) in return for money. And not a great deal of money as far as I'm aware.

As if rummaging around in rubbish bins wasn't degrading enough, they've also got to pile it all together and weave through bustling crowds with carts sometimes stacked higher than themselves. Oh and not forgetting a little added 33 degrees and 90% humidity too. I should of really took more pics before posting this, but if your out & about in HK then your sure to see it. The true work horses of Hong Kong.

In the world of cardboard collecting its survival of the fittest..... Would your Grandma survive?

Around town pt.6

2009-08-12T10:51:00.004+08:00

As usual, click the pics for super sized version

Nowhere

2009-08-03T15:39:00.006+08:00

I wasn't going to mention it but f' it, its all news innit?

'Nowhere store' Hong Kong is almost upon us, Usual place - Wyndham Street, Central.

Cue Nigo, Pharrell, an opening party and a shitload of teenagers, sounds enthralling.

a little rant

2009-08-03T12:55:00.005+08:00

Manners...... And an absolute lack of. What is it with people? Not holding doors open, pushing in queues, shouting ridiculously loud in public. If another person knocks into me instead of just saying ''excuse me'' or ''m goi'' I'm gonna punch them in the face.

Ok its different cultures, different set of rules, i know i know. But in what society is it ok for you to blow your nose and proceed to nonchalantly throw it on the floor like its a designated rubbish bin..... ITS PEAK FLU SEASON, AND NOT TO MENTION A LITTLE THING CALLED 'SWINE FLU' YOU FUCKING RETARDED IDIOT.

Rant over.

We dont wait, son

2009-07-29T10:55:00.004+08:00

This is a funny one. Its guaranteed that almost every lift / elevator you get in will have its ''doors close'' button worn out (or the plastic cover *swine flu alert* on top).
People simply don't wait in Hong Kong, even if that means trapping another persons limb in the door - ''fuck it I'm in a rush''

Maybe this is the norm - but hey, its my first time living in a city. Step back please.

Bit, bobs & everything in between

2009-07-27T10:45:00.006+08:00

Sham Shui Po - This place sells everything, literally. Lighting, drills, screws, fishing rods, buttons, zips, metals and phones that were the shit in 1985. Most of all there is an absolute shitload of fabric stores. Hit the pics......

Vespa x swarovski?

Getting about

2009-07-23T12:19:00.014+08:00

In Hong Kong its common place to use public transport, which is entirely different to the UK. Its not looked upon like your 'of the lower class' either. Its socially acceptable if you will. For most its simply not logical to buy a car as almost everywhere in the city is easily accessible via bus, tram or rail networks. All forms of profession from bankers to shop assistants, builders to housewife's sit side by side on a morning.

For a start its clean, reliable and relatively cheap. In England its the exact opposite. More often than not you also get a bunch of annoying fucking chavs ready to knife you if you tell them to turn the happy hardcore rave blasting out of their mobile phones down.

At peak hours you'll find they can become packed though. Especailly busses. If you get on at a late stop (before heading to HK Island in my case) then your left with a difficult dilemma.

Up the stairs...... shit, no two seaters left...... Ok head for the back. Then you look to see who's eligible................

No not there - that man is too fat. Not there - that housewife is shouting on her phone. Not there either - he looks like he stinks. Find someone skinny = more leg space for you!!!

My commute involves going over a bridge, through a tunnel in the hills and then another tunnel under the sea. I've been going back and forth for about 6 months now and i can honestly say I'm not bored of the views yet.

Near Siu Lam village

The Ting Kau bridge

The huge container port

Towards the worlds third tallest building and finally the picturesque sky line that is Hong Kong Island.

As monotonous buss journeys go i guess this a pretty good one.

Oceans in between

2009-07-20T15:50:00.008+08:00

Ocean Park. Bigger than Disneyland they say? Its worth a day out i suppose. I'd go during the winter though whens its less crowded and more importantly cooler.
One thing that pisses me off massively is people pushing in ques, whats that all about? Honestly, some people are just born assholes. Rude fu*kers.

I wont lie i loved the Pandas, funny creatures.

Exploited.
Cable car ride is good, nice views.

Fish tank is hugeeee. Sharks were definitely impressive.

Queuing in 30 degrees (not to mention 90% humidity), not a good look - as you can imagine.

I got a tan though...... Bonus!

The calm before thar storm?

2009-07-18T18:43:00.001+08:00

Today started off ok, but there's a typhoon warning for tomorrow. Be safe kids.

Zevs - Live @ The Kee Club

2009-07-15T22:22:00.006+08:00

So Zevs made it out of jail just in time to perform a 'live dripping' at Kee Club in Central this evening. No pics of the actually body painting (model was hot) coz it was a strict 'no photos allowed' policy and not to mention pretty dark too. But it wasnt the most entertaining affair to be honest, definitely the easiest 5 mins work Mr.Z has done in a while. His solo exibition starts tomorrow at Art Statements gallery, 5 Mee Lun St.

Bulky ass postcard / invites.....

$5,500 for this LV piece. *That doesnt include the frame though*. The canvas multi colour LV works were $98,000 if my memory sevres my well.

Homewards.....

I love Coach's store by night

Ok poor shot i know but this amongst this lump of bags there is actually a women somewhere..... who is EVERYWHERE i go in Central - 24/7!

Night HK.

Drippin' wet

2009-07-13T17:16:00.010+08:00

Street artist Zevs is already making a nuisance of himself here in HK after being arrested for defacing a Chanel logo on the Chater House building, Central. Zevs is in HK for a exhibition at Art Statements gallery in Sheung Wan starting July 16th and a live show at Kee club ths coming Wednesday.

& the original.......

* Edit: Video....

around town pt.5

2009-07-13T11:57:00.002+08:00

Beast in the East

2009-07-06T17:26:00.004+08:00

People in Hong Kong like their labels, no doubt about it. For women a LV bag is top priority when making a 'I'm rich enough to afford this' statement. For the younger generation though its all about the Japanese brands - Visvim, Head Porter, Neighborhood and of course, A Bathing Ape. 'The more you can wear all at one time' seems to be the task. Like this guy.....

I'm sure hes a good dude, but man..... Easy on the labels!! Hahah!

The shock of the lightning

2009-07-06T09:54:00.003+08:00

Ohhhh its summer time.....

Hong Kong essentials, summer 09

2009-07-01T01:44:00.002+08:00

Survival kit for Hong Kong, summer 09.

Bug spray: I've sprayed the shit out of my apartment recently, its vital. (cheap 'no fills' shit i know, works though!!)

Umbrella: The weather is way too unpredictable at the minute - you definitely need one. I managed to find this rather convenient little one, although it has been likened to a dildo..... But that's the mind of a boy who lives in Wan Chai for you.

Air con: Saves my life almost everyday, really. Whoever invented it is a great man. Although it leaves me comatosed in the mornings, I simply cant do without it. 23 degrees please.

Waterproof spray: Just finished the last of my shoes, time will tell if it holds up as a typhoon rain blasts down, fingers crossed.

Racing to wi..... lose

2009-06-25T17:12:00.013+08:00

Happy valley racecourse is unique. Slap bang in the middle of residential buildings its a pretty good place to check out on a Wednesday evening. This week's race was the last before it goes into summer retirement until September. A good decision, if it were any hotter the horses would pass out with heat stroke. It was a sweaty affair.

Its a big place too, the stands are huge, ranging from the corporate box's above, to the cattle pen on the ground floor.
One things for sure you'll never see a larger gathering of western people in HK. Spot the Chinese man...... 1..... 2, umm.....?

No idea who the guy in the middle is. The girls at the side hugged him after everything he said, must be doing something right

Celeb spotting time, the guy in the yellow tee is Patrick Fok. He reads the news every night.... Whats up Pat!?!

Time to place your bets.......

Go....

It was a sweat box outside but like true westerners we embraced it, as you do. The locals however stayed in the (air conditioned) concourse, smart move.

These guys probably had some exclusive tips, but they weren't sharing.

Some people won.....

I however don't know a thing about horse racing so i chose a horse called 'Supreme Gold' - purely based on the fact that i like the brand 'Supreme' - Bad idea. I lost, obviously..... then drank some more.
This women 'won big' she said. Although she gave me fu*k all.

After race entertainment.
A good night.

around town pt.4

2009-06-18T22:03:00.001+08:00

New Uniqlo store

2009-06-14T13:10:00.005+08:00

A new Uniqlo store is scheduled to open early 2010 at Tuen Mun's town plaza.

You say..... So?

We say.......CONVENIENCE.

A constant nusience

2009-06-11T15:55:00.004+08:00

As the weather in HK sores - the bugs about are out in full force......

The mini gecko's seem relatively friendly enough, i can deal with the frogs (for whom is must be mating season, population has quadrupled!) constant croaking but the mosquito's are a pain in the arse though, one even flew into my coffee yesterday.

& these horrible things i cant stand;

That's why they all need to diiiiieeee!

Hahaa!

Really though, i need a 45th floor apartment. They cant climb that high....... Surely?

Acid Bomb City

2009-06-10T10:31:00.008+08:00

MongKok , for those who don't know, is one of Hong Kong's busiest shopping areas. It is the home of so called sneaker street, ladies market & many dodgy food stalls that are so iconic with Hong Kong. Weekend numbers in the area can really become rather ridiculous.

In the light of the recent 'acid throwing attacks' in MongKok the government is offering a HK$900,000 reward and you would think someone must have some info about the situation. But suspected triad involvement makes it all a little harder to determine. Lets hope they find who's behind it sooner rather than later.

* On another note, SneakerFreaker has a good article which looks at sneaker street's future in an ever redeveloping Hong Kong

About town pt.3

2009-06-08T11:33:00.003+08:00

Rich man / Poor man - Episode 1

2009-06-04T12:38:00.005+08:00

Rich man = Visvim foley HKD$4000

Poor man = Nike tennis classic $620

Ill take the Nikes, cheers.

Drink tea?

2009-06-01T13:50:00.005+08:00

Dim sum / Yam tsa to the locals, 'yum cha' to the gwai lo / mui's is a always a good social event. Order food, eat, talk, order some more, & on & on. Its all about the 'char siu bau's' baby!

around town pt.3

2009-05-31T15:20:00.003+08:00

Louie Vuitton: A passion for creation

2009-05-27T13:42:00.005+08:00

After costing a shitload to put on - I came out rather disappointed. Alot of pretentious B.S (isn't there in every art exhibition though?). The fact that it was like a military operation in there didn't help, the Murakami section was like fort knox...... Why not just put the stuff behind glass if its that important?

Anyway, open till August 9th...... Go judge for yourself.

New A.P.C store in Central

2009-05-25T14:37:00.009+08:00

A.P.C opened their second flagship store in HK this week, located on Wyndham street, Central. In keeping with all things French, indie band 'Housse De Racket' played at the after party at the Fringe club.

Props to Lomone for the pics!

Adidas x Hypebeast 'Zeitfrei' - A few questions with Eugene Kan

2009-05-20T10:10:00.012+08:00

So I got the chance to ask Hypebeast's Eugene Kan a few questions regarding the upcoming release of the 'Zeitfrei'. Check it out.......

Keeping It Tidy - Solebox have been veterans in collaborative projects over the past few years, how did Hypebeast come to be involved this time around?

Eugene Kan - I think that over the last little while, Adidas has been pretty consistent with their team-ups. However, it seemed as though things were perhaps a bit too predictable and consistent. I think Hypebeast by virtue of being a relevant yet fresh player made for a good selection. Maybe not one you'd immediately associate with the project but I think with the times changing we're inevitably becoming part of the new landscape of fashion and communication.

KIT - What was the blueprint for the shoe once the design process began? And how much input did you personally have towards it?

EK - We weren't really afforded any design say on the actual anatomy of the shoe, that was all set prior by adidas. We did however get the chance to choose the materials and the colorways. As well since it was a collaboration model we were given the opportunity to go a little outside of the box. We sort of maintained a clean timeless aesthetic since contrary to popular believe, we're not exactly splitting images of the prototypical Hypebeast.

KIT - Given that it’s a new style of shoe, how do you think the Zeitfrei stands up amongst other Adidas models?

EK - I would say that it has some nice elements to it. Despite being a “performance” shoe it really doesn't come across as that. The lifestyle element was incorporated nicely I felt. You can transfer seamlessly from one situation to another. Traditionally, Adidas has been less like Nike where there seems to be an inherent need to market the technology behind marquee shoes with visible branding of innovations. But from a fit and wear perspective, it can't be said it's a cycling shoe disguised as a lifestyle shoe nor a lifestyle shoe faking the funk entirely. It is what it is, a shoe with slight compromises for those who ride but want a shoe that can be worn over multiple situations.

KIT - Is the shoe solely for riding or do you think its functionality stretches further? So basically, can non fixed gear riders like myself wear it for day to day use?

EK - I don't really see it being a problem in terms of something that can be worn outside of its marketed thee as a “fixed gear” shoe. The shoe's design as I said doesn't really speak loudly to one audience which was ultimately important I think.

KIT - How ‘into’ the whole fixed gear riding thing are you?

EK - I can't say that I have my own bike or ride often given my situation in Hong Kong. We approached this project as somebody keen on the sport but also someone who wanted to help build and enhance the exposure behind fixed gear riding. It's a touchy subject of authenticity which gets thrown around quite a bit but we've never claimed to be this or that, we just wanted to put together a well-devised product with some neat and exciting execution to it.

KIT - What was the reason you decided to showcase the shoe in ‘previews’ and not all at once? Because you feel it may have become lost amongst the light speed rate at which sneakers seem to be released these days, and therefore that not get the exposure that the shoe deserves? (Apologies if I’ve just answered my own question)

EK - You sort of hit the head on the nail. While I myself don't really miss a beat cause I'm hyper-connected (an unfortunate aspect of my job), I know all too well lots of people don't RSS Hypebeast, or check it every day for that matter. It's a necessary evil to promote it over a few different instances so that the random person can get a glimpse of the product. Everything is so fast these days, its impossible to go against the current and be successful sometimes since these are quickly becoming institutions of communication. We all feel as though 24 hours is a pretty long time in the Internet world.

KIT - This is Hypebeast's first footwear venture, are there more in the pipeline? And is it always something you guys wanted to move towards?

EK - We definitely want to do more footwear projects. Hopefully, a successful Zeitfrei project will really open the eyes and pique the interest of other large companies. We can't be thankful enough for Andy Chiu of Adidas for really trusting us and feeling we were a suitable candidate for this massive project. But I must concede, media product collaborations and especially non-traditional forms of media (blogs) in product collaborations are really rare. Off the top of my head, aside from say Monocle or some Japanese magazines, they really don't happen all that consistently.

Best of luck with the release, thank you very much indeed for your time!

Release info:

The Hypebeast x Adidas Zietfrei will be released on Saturday 30th of May 2am Hong Kong time (2pm NYC, 11am LA, 7pm London - All Friday 29th) exclusively at http://store.hypebeast.com priced at $1535 HKD ($198 USD, £128) which includes a cycling cap, cordura messenger Bag and a canvas carry all bag.

A total of 50 pairs will be available with sizes ranging from US 6.5, & 7 - 12 (full sizes only).

Stanley & Repulse Bay

2009-05-18T10:24:00.006+08:00

So I was in the deep south of HK doing some work stuff around Stanley on Friday, and then Repulse Bay after.

Stanley market
Any excuse to get dressed up!

Stanley main beach

Miami?
Then onto Repulse Bay.........

Nice aren't they?

Got an offer for a freebie @ 'The Retreat'......... Cant turn down a free facial can you? Cheers Emma!

And some goodies too.

I was working the whole time......... I swear.

The complete ride

2009-05-13T15:19:00.004+08:00

Sick of all the teasers and previews? Yeah me too, but in the light speed environment that is the internet you cant blame anyone for it. Especially in fickle times like these people can lose track of solid sneaker releases amongst the overkill of products thrown at you.

Anyway, the 'complete ride' project is polished off nicely with a matching Bianchi fixed gear bike.

Keep on the lookout for the big picture, set to drop at the end of the month. Congrats to all involved. Real umm........'Tidy'!

Respect to the Hikmet's effort but i think team HB takes victory on these.

Now, I've been nice....... how about hooking a brother up? Hahaha!

About town pt.2

2009-05-13T09:47:00.003+08:00

The Bay

2009-05-09T20:25:00.009+08:00

Causeway bay:

I think this might be the busiest crossing in ~~Asia~~ Hong Kong

Wait.....

Alright go.....
Carnage. Space at a minimum

Haha! No idea.....

Times Square

Stopped by Adidas......

Someone isnt a fan of 'Joy'

Last but not least 'White noise records' - For all your musical needs, check it out..... 1/F, 4 Canal Road East, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, or here, support the local indipendants!!

Around town (pt.1)

2009-05-08T11:00:00.003+08:00

Pics from around & about lately.......

Golden gaze

2009-05-06T10:02:00.007+08:00

Its not Phuket or anything...... But it will most definitely do for now. Gold coast beach ........

And so......

2009-05-04T09:54:00.000+08:00

Its May.
Its getting HOT.
Chinese men LOVE speedos.
And matching bandanas too.
Alcohol hand gel is my new best friend.
Hong Kong is not a good place to be when you shouldn't really be spending more money on clothes & sneakers.
Sundays are wayyyyy too busy.
The 'elevator channel' is a bit intrusive innit?
Elderly women collecting card is a sorry sight.
Surgical masks are definitely in this season.
I think some people are just born rude.
You need at least 20 megapixel's, otherwise your just messing around.
I'm seem to be waiting for 'rainy season' like its Christmas.

Games

2009-04-29T11:21:00.001+08:00

Whether its rush hour on a morning, lunch time or the walk to the bus stop after work, i love a game of dodgems with the locals. Its easy to play too........ Simply weave your way through the busy streets at peak times and try to avoid bumping into other people and delivery / grocery carts.

Housewives. Experts in the game, years of experience. They stop in the middle of the street without notice. But on the other hand they will rush past you only to stop a few feet in front to casually take it in the surroundings. Unpredictable, real tricky.

Grocery carts, they hurt your toes man, & owners can be vicious with it.

Loaded carts, obviously slower yet they demand right of way and can come out from nowhere.

empty carts, a quick opponent, nimble through the crowds. They will clip your ankles if your not careful.

O.A.P's, always up for a game of dodgems. With the pace of a snail - getting past them is a hard task, a difficult opponent.

Have a go tomorrow, it's a fu*king blast.

Death cab for cutie

2009-04-27T09:58:00.000+08:00

Getting around by mini bus (or public light bus) is a always an experience. No designated stops (just a destination) means it will literally brake anywhere for you. They also like their buses to be full (because it goes towards their final pay??) which means doing a crazed dash in between noted passenger pick up points.

Sure, 100 km/h might not seem a lot...... But, this speed doesn't change regardless of approaching junctions, public crossings or even roundabouts. Truly grab the handles & cling on stuff.
The drivers to & from MongKok seem to be the most courageous & i swear, the guy who brought me back the other week looked about 15 years old! But then again I'm shit at guessing Chinese peoples age.

Skate-biking is HUGE

2009-04-23T17:35:00.001+08:00

Skate biking.......Huge in Hong Kong, apparently.

Ho's a housewife

2009-04-23T14:21:00.000+08:00

Watch out, they are official out there.

Housewives..... Probably wearing at least one item of clothing with rhinestones on it, half inch heels, a knock off designer handbag on one hand & pulling a small grocery cart with the other. They serve no purpose & usually spend their days shopping in local malls or gossiping about neighbors or other family members. They jump ques, talk EXTREMELY loudly on their phones & lets just say their etiquette on buses leaves a lot to be desired - I'm talking clipping nails / dry skin off their feet and leaving the aftermath on the seats....... That's just fu*king dirty.

So yeah, the modern day Hong Kong housewife patrol are about....... Stay sharp.

Vans HK now open

2009-04-22T15:58:00.000+08:00

Quick update...... Vans store @ Langham place (MongKok) is now open for those who arnt aware. Its pretty small to be honest & i didn't really see anything of note that isn't available in the thousand other Vans stockists around the city (maybe a bit of apparel). But anyway, its Level 6.... check it out.

hold up, stop, wait a minute

2009-04-22T10:27:00.000+08:00

I mentioned Visvim a while back..... Now before you go & max your Mam & Dad's visa bill, have a look here

props to Mr.Chiu for the insight.

Monday monday

2009-04-20T14:52:00.000+08:00

Not Hong Kong specific but F' it, its Monday & I'm bored

Regardless whether he wants to be Eminem or not..... the tracks good.

Fish sticks n that

2009-04-17T09:38:00.000+08:00

The Yeezy hype train continues its journey next month with the release of the black / pink colorway. I saw the shoe in the flesh for the first time a few weeks ago & i have to say it did change my opinion of them. The quality / shape looks really good, although the colors (pink behind the tongue on the first shoe, wtf???) and overuse of patent / 'Y' print is a tad off putting.

Although the first two colorways are not great the two upcoming releases look promising, especially the third drop - for me anyway. 150 pounds rrp is a little over the top to say the least........But, where there is demand and immense hype, Nike as always deliver in style.

One word of advice though...... If your gonna wear them, don't wear your APC new cure's (or any other tight legged jean / pant) too - its not a good look. Just because McFly pulled it off doesn't mean you can...... Pack it in.

*Upcoming black / pink colorway is on display @ NSW Hong now Kong for your viewing pleasure, available early May for HK$1999.

Speaking of Mr.West, this ^ is fu*king fantastic!
Check out these too....... http://tinyurl.com/c7ojmy - nice huh?

Arts

2009-04-15T10:43:00.000+08:00

Connoisseur art gallery on Hollywood Rd, Central always turns a few peoples heads whilst on their way to Starbucks.

Some weird, freaky, small winged thing, hhmm.

Masta Lee

Like the pig / human flip...... Not sure what the Chinese writing says.

An incident

2009-04-14T21:00:00.000+08:00

Shinjuku Incident, highly recommended..... a very good film indeed...... these guys like it too.

Purcell

2009-04-08T17:35:00.000+08:00

Like the one child law that's in force in China, its mandatory you own a pair of these in Hong Kong..... True story.

Down by the riverside....

2009-04-06T12:41:00.001+08:00

TST harbor front

& 'today I'am wearing......'

Not your average pisser. The Felix restaurant @ summit of The Peninsula hotel....... Stagefright anyone?!?

Sew your seeds

2009-04-02T12:38:00.000+08:00

I walk past this store everyday (pretty quickly when I'm late) & I've never really took the time to stop at see what it actually is. It looks the sh*t though! Warhol inspired stuff. The attention to detail for window display is a little random in an area overflowing with boxed up Chinese medicine stores.

On closer inspection it turns out they sell seeds! Ha!! I love this place!

Friiiiday

2009-03-30T15:21:00.000+08:00

Checked out the SheOne thing on Friday, not too knowledgeable about his work (apart from the Addict stuff) but it looked pretty good..... Nice guy too, apart from supporting Chelsea of course! Shout out to Eugene & the crew also.

Lan Kwai Fong was way too busy with western revelers afterwards (Rubgy 7's were in town).

If you've been to LKF before you will know that the 7-11 at the bottom of the bank sells out its entire alcohol collection in the space of about 2 hours...... FACT!

Busy

2009-03-30T09:56:00.000+08:00

Im getting around more than the little guy from TVB (whats his name??? Little dude, glasses....) at the minute, Cheung Chau Island......

This is the 'mini great wall', no im not kidding.

Shitty weather

Nice

Graffiti art, Cheung Chau style

Beach was deserted, obviously.

Hello again HK Island

Its murky

2009-03-29T13:31:00.000+08:00

The weather is way too inconsistant at the minute.

Good job this lady had her spare plastic bag ready to cover her weave. Be prepared.

chau chau

2009-03-25T14:41:00.000+08:00

If you've walked along Dundas street (where it meets Sai Yeung Choi Street) you will have almost certainly taken in the beautiful smells of the street food stalls........

I shit you not, i almost throw up in my mouth. The best way i can describe it is to imagine a fish has died & become moldy....... Then has been put in the pants of an obese man while he runs around for 8 hours sweating prefusely. Mmm.

Vans store HK?

2009-03-25T10:47:00.000+08:00

I was at Langham place yesterday & upon checking out the store directory i noticed a VANS* store (* = coming soon). A flagship store maybe? Not sure if its old news..... Interesting nonetheless. Watch this space.

''Yeah its overwhelming, but what else can we do?.....

2009-03-20T21:10:00.000+08:00

...... Get jobs in office's & wake up for the morning comute''. - MGMT said it well.

Journey music......

It was a good bus ride.

My Buddha is my companion

2009-03-20T10:50:00.000+08:00

Why mess with a 4 foot Kaws figure when you could have this 6 foot buddha!?? Hong Kong - never a dull day.

The fat of the land

2009-03-19T00:24:00.000+08:00

Im pretty lucky i suppose, living away from the noise on HK Island or Kowloon (good when you've been working in the city all day, trust me!). Here in the new terratorries you can hear the crickets at night...... which is nice. There is also a mass of hills dotted about, long walking routes with some pretty decent views.....

Above pics are all 5-10 mins walk from where im staying.

Like a friend of mine says............. ''You dont even need to go to Thailand for a holiday, its all 'up there' for you'' - Haha!

the big 6-0

2009-03-16T09:46:00.000+08:00

Adidas......

going hard on the advertising tip.

Where no cars go

2009-03-14T21:53:00.000+08:00

Lamma Island...... No cars, quiet, views & yeah, thats it....... PEACE!

Viewage.....

Just me & AZ........ Tranquil.

Did someone say Middlesbrough?

Best mode of transport

''You gotta get me that boat, Donnie''

Po tat

2009-03-12T12:57:00.000+08:00

Went to Macau the other day........ Got lost far too many times in the labyrinth of back streets & alleys that seem to unavoidable be everywhere! The things we do for a new visa.

TST

2009-03-08T16:12:00.001+08:00

So after some window shopping i was around TST.......... pics...

Bit of randomness outside the MTR station on Nathen Road, Black friday apparently.

Free Coke, cheers for that.

Harbour City

BAPE mania.

Kowloon park

Hare Hong Kong

2009-03-08T01:37:00.002+08:00

Was in TST on friday to see the new HARE store, some decent gear, although at retail i thought it would of been a tad cheaper............ Maybe im just cheap.

Check out HARE stores at Sogo in Causeway Bay or at the Miramar Centre in TST (Nathan Road)

The wetness

2009-03-06T22:51:00.000+08:00

I've been in HK since October lat year & it must have rained about twice since then, for 20 mins maximum. Well, yesterday & today certainly made up for that dry patch. It has pissed down now for two days straight with more to come i hear. I thought the rainy season didn't start until May???????

I don't have the appropriate footwear for this shit.

Visvim

2009-02-27T01:16:00.000+08:00

You not doing badly if you splurging at Visvim as $3200 HKD for a pair of FBT's is a tall order. But you cant fault the products, super plush materials and simplistic yet classy designs which pretty much sums up Visvim as a whole, just a shame im skint!

Shopfit aint bad either.....

Sneakers & then some

2009-02-27T01:09:00.002+08:00

Sneaker street, a tad monotonous?

In the heart of the city

2009-02-22T02:25:00.001+08:00

Pics from in & around HK's most important (financial) region Central...... Very busy..... Very tall.

Ip Man

2009-02-16T21:00:00.001+08:00

Watched Ip Man recently @ a hair salon with no English what-so-ever (not even subtitles!) & it was still amazing, fight scene's are truly awesome.

Cant wait to watch it when i know what the fu*k is going on!!

Out on DVD now i hear (officially).

Into the wild....

2009-02-10T23:40:00.000+08:00

Was in Yuen Long recently for a family thing, doubt you'll make it that far north if your a tourist though! A few pics.....

Why they will never be a full scale recession in HK

2009-02-02T23:43:00.000+08:00

There is just too many people! Fact.

Westwood

2009-02-02T02:41:00.001+08:00

A few pics from the recent Vivenne Westwood expo at Quarry Bay, worth a look in my opinion

Victoria park fair & Chinese new year

2009-01-27T17:32:00.002+08:00

Victoria park fair in Causeway Bay is an annual thing. Selling every inflatable thing you can imagine, from iphone's to donuts. Tack HK'ers seem to love / hoard so much. The place was crazy, absolutly rammed (worst than Mong Kok on a sunday!), pure madness.

Pics....

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Stepped in tradition, the lunar new year is not to be taken lightly, as the fireworks suggest! & a welcome Lai See packet or two dosent hurt either ;-) . Check it....

Life & times in Hong Kong, 2008, 2009.

2009-01-27T16:46:00.000+08:00

Some snaps from everyday life in HK.....

Sleeping beauty

2009-01-27T16:37:00.000+08:00

Everytime the bus journey takes more than 10 minutes, its lights out.

Tai mei tuck wilderness

2009-01-27T16:20:00.000+08:00

I went to Tai Mei Tuck a few months ago. Its a world away from the hustle & bustle of Mong Kok. Its also very relaxed.
Basically, we rented bicycles & rode around for a while taking in the views. Its pretty much in the middle of nowhere but i'd definatly reccommened a visit if you get chance..... Here's a few pics.......

flashiiing, liiiights.....

2009-01-22T20:52:00.000+08:00

.... Are everywhere! Shop's stairs, lights, on buildings, motorways & anywhere else they can put them. 'Save the planet use less energy' - nah fu*k it, lets light it up!!

Price wars

2009-01-17T23:51:00.001+08:00

Talk about out pricing the average consumer. At $2,800 Nike should be ashamed.

If these were HK$1,500 maybe i could see why (at a push!), plush materials, pretty box, a few sets of laces blah blah. But $2.800?? Really!?!? Remember, underneath the hype its just an HK$800 AIR FORCE 1!!!!

The amount of attention these attracted by being splashed across numerous magazine covers & also being featured on Hypebeast, you may have mistakenly thought these were a GR release. Think again. Apparently only 14 pairs were released to the public.

Dont go out on sunday's....

2008-12-20T18:18:00.000+08:00

Really, its a fu*king joke how busy it is!!!!

Hong Kong Homegrown

2008-12-07T22:13:00.002+08:00

There are two brands i have noticed whilst shopping in HK, both relatively small scale, but everyone has to start somewhere, right?

The first is in 'Trendy zone'' on Nathen road, Mong Kok. The Alliance now / Grover store is a mix of thier own range whilst reselling brands like Stussy. Its only a small space but thier collection was pretty impressive. There was also a copy of a magazine (not sure which) in the window displaying some of thier collection that had obviously been reviewed. They're obviously inspired by the likes of Stussy, Visvim & other Japanese big hitters but the attention to detail was impressive.

The second was Lucky 8 in Presidential mall, Causeway Bay. No reselling here & the quality of the collection looked really good. nice little shopfit also. The guy had tee's (of course), shorts, denim, caps, hoodies & backpacks. While not alot of the stuff was to my taste design wise, i still appreciate the quality & the effort the guy must have put towards it.

It's good to see these homegrown brands trying to compete in the Hong Kong streetwear scene, which is so blatantly dominated by Japanese brands at present. Good luck to them, & if your in HK be sure to call by & support the local independant's.

Niiiiggoooo!

2008-12-04T22:38:00.000+08:00

Nigo was in town recently, i didnt manage to get down to the bape store for the event..........

but after seeing the second photo at least now i know why the bape employe's dress like tw*ts.

Baby its cold outside

2008-11-29T20:55:00.000+08:00

The goverment issued a warning this week to be careful of the cold weather throughout this month. So if your in town, or you are arriving shortly remember to bring your north face triple goose down vest, BBC / star trak mittens, your uniqlo heat tech long johns & a shotgun to shoot the polar bears.
Seriously though, bring a jacket, because the evenings get a tad breezy.