Latest news with #SaiYingPun
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong artist's 500 illustrations of toast cover cafe's entire wall
Toast can be made in many ways, as we discovered after visiting Ztoryhome, a cafe in Sai Ying Pun on Hong Kong Island, where a display of 500 illustrations of toast from around the world takes up an entire wall. Featuring toast from cities including Tokyo, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, New York and Seoul, '#toast500' – on now until August 17 – was created by Kai Tam Ka-yan, a Hong Kong-born Gen Z artist who also goes by Nomkakaii The exhibition is the 22-year-old's first showcase since her return to Hong Kong from the US, where she earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. 'I tell everyone I see toast as a canvas, because the person who makes it is going to make it differently. It's the same as drawing,' she says. The project is the result of a two-and-a-half-year journey that began in the US. 'I want to bring it back home, find my community, and share with people here who I am.' An entire wall inside Ztoryhome is lined with Nomkakaii's work. Photo: Nancy Wang Tam's passion for art stems from childhood. As an introvert, she discovered that brushes and colours could help her express her emotions.
South China Morning Post
13-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong property: SHKP's Novo Land and Million Nice's 9 Eastern Street see strong sales
Buyers flocked to two new residential projects on Sunday, buoyed by an ongoing stock market rally and low interest rates – signalling a sustained rebound in Hong Kong's property market. Developer Million Nice (Hong Kong) sold 62 of the 69 units at 9 Eastern Street in Sai Ying Pun, according to agents. Meanwhile, Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) sold all 110 units in the third round of sales at Novo Land phase 3A in Tuen Mun. 9 Eastern Street consists of 76 units, with sizes from 249 sq ft to 508 sq ft. The prices of the units range from HK$4.7 million (US$598,800) to HK$11.9 million, or HK$18,800 to HK$24,400 per square foot after discounts. 'The US-China agreement on trade tariffs this month, a recovering stock market and the possibility of a US rate cut in the second half of the year have stimulated both the primary and secondary housing markets,' said Louis Chan Wing-kit, CEO of Centaline Property Agency. SHKP's Novo Land residential project in Tuen Mun pictured in June 2024. Photo: Edmond So New property sales so far this month have jumped 55 per cent from a month earlier, he said, adding that primary sales could reach 2,000 in July.
South China Morning Post
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong dad inspires memories with sketches Sai Ying Pun
What began as Billy Wong Yin-chun's daily commute to Sai Ying Pun with his nine-year-old daughter became an artistic journey when he started sketching parts of the neighbourhood. 'Being a full-time dad made me feel a bit lost, so I started looking for something creative to do. I thought, why not take a sketchbook and draw Sai Ying Pun?' the 47-year-old parent recalled. With pencil, ink pen and watercolour, his artwork depicts old shops like Cheryl's Bakery, where his daughter enjoys jelly cups. Others feature Bonham Road's stone walls and ancient trees, the old mental hospital on High Street, as well as flower shops and Thai grocery stores. Wong had his first exhibition earlier this year at Knock Knock, a bookstore in Sai Ying Pun. 'This is something I wanted to do when I was a child. I never imagined that at this age, in my forties, I'd suddenly be able to fulfil this dream,' said Wong, who previously worked as a graphic designer. The view of a local father Wong has been drawing since childhood, but his first painting of Hong Kong was a gift for his brother – an expansive view from Mount Davis overlooking Victoria Harbour. 'My first sketches were for my younger brother and cousin after they emigrated. I wanted to send them something to remind them of home,' he said. Before starting his current project, Wong was feeling lost after giving up his job to be a full-time father. But now, with his paintings, he has built friendships with other stay-at-home dads and found a new purpose that works with his schedule for taking care of his daughter. Community connections Wong has also connected with local residents who have told him about their memories of Sai Ying Pun. 'One elderly saw my painting of the hospital where he was born; he was deeply touched. He even asked to take a photo of it,' the artist shared. 'I realised that my paintings, which are personal memories, could also become someone else's.' Of all his works, Wong's favourite features the Hong Kong Resource Centre for Heritage. 'It's a beautiful spot, but because it's tucked away and surrounded by trees, not many people notice it. Depending on the time of day and season, the scene changes,' he said. 'It's one of those hidden gems.' Word power depicts: an artistic or descriptive representation of something emigrated: to have moved to another country to live expansive: to cover a wide area fulfil: to achieve a dream or goal Handy phrases hidden gems: valuable things that are not widely known stay-at-home: a parent who takes care of their child or children full-time Quiz time Stop and think: Has a picture or drawing ever brought back an important memory for you? 1. Who did Wong dedicate his first sketches to? 2. Which Hong Kong neighbourhood is Wong highlighting in his current project?
South China Morning Post
28-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
How Mostly Harmless bar is reinventing cocktail culture with its alcohol-free drinks
Much ado has been made about Mostly Harmless' announcement in March that the award-winning bar was going completely non-alcoholic. The Post previously reported that, as well as being creatively excited by the pivot, founder Ezra Star and her team had made the decision based on practical considerations: it was in response to difficulties in renewing the liquor licence for the bar in Sai Ying Pun. Advertisement Challenges in perception abound for a bar that doesn't serve any alcohol . 'We've had people come in and they're like, 'Oh, you don't serve alcohol?'' Star recounts. 'Then they turn around and go across the street to [bar and restaurant] Call Me Al. Which is fine, we can't control that.' For Star, though, the change in focus is evolutionary rather than revolutionary, and an opportunity to expand on what she feels Mostly Harmless has been doing since day one: taking a more culinary approach to cocktail making. Originally, Mostly Harmless made its name with a pared-back menu featuring four local ingredients rotated each evening depending on what was fresh and best available, and no garnishes. The team used, and continues to use, kitchen techniques such as boiling, reducing and sous-viding to bring out the best of seasonal local ingredients. Alcohol was added to complement these ingredients rather than the other way around, subverting the norms of cocktail creation. Despite the zero-alcohol approach, Mostly Harmless' traditional presentation of rotational signatures remains unchanged. Photo: Jocelyn Tam 'When I created Mostly Harmless, I was tired of looking at the base spirit as the main thing … I would say we're more culinary now than ever, because we no longer have to worry about [including] a spirit. Now all we worry about is how we make this feel good on the tongue,' Star says. For her, this is a question of chemistry and texture, as the current direction goes beyond a few non-alcoholic options tacked on at the end of a menu. Star explains how using potato or bean starch, or fermenting nut milk, helps create textures and notes that evoke alcohol. Her team has also been able to recreate, in flavour and mouthfeel, their own non-alcoholic versions of brown spirit, white spirit and various modifiers. The Common Rue, one of Mostly Harmless' new non-alcoholic signatures, is made possible by Ezra Star and the team's relationship to local herbal and medicinal shops. Photo: Jocelyn Tam Much of the above is foundational to the Agave & Tomato, one of the earliest zero-alcohol concoctions announced alongside Mostly Harmless' change of direction. The drink reverse engineers the flavours of agave spirits and tomato vermouth to create something reminiscent of a martini in its two-ingredient construction.
South China Morning Post
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
5 new coffee shops in Hong Kong to visit in July 2025, from Dozy to NOC to Doppio
As we enter the height of summer, remember to stay hydrated and out of the sun – and what better way to replenish your energy than with an iced coffee or two at one of these new cafes around town? From Hong Kong Island to the New Territories, coffee lovers have plenty of new spots to discover. Read on to find out more. 1. No Title No Title is located on Gough Street in Central. Photo: Instagram/tomytong A new independent coffee bar with a unique point of view, No Title has taken over the space that used to be Hakawa Chocolate on Gough Street in Central. One of its menus acts as a kind of mood survey, with questions such as 'What's your ideal state of mind right now?' and 'What's the scene where a cup of coffee awakens you best?' so that the barista can make a bespoke cup of coffee to suit your situation. 49-51A, Gough Street, Central 2. Doppio Iced chocolate and hot chocolate drinks are also on the menu at Doppio. Photo: Doppio This coffee spot, located on the corner of First Street and Western Street in Sai Ying Pun, is prime for a quick takeaway brew – just look for the welcoming, light wood facade.
