Club Volar is hosting yet another big name in contemporary dance music. Boys Noize is an accomplished d.j., producer and record label founder. In addition to his own party-rocking music, he’s remixed everyone from Depeche Mode to Bloc Party! His songs can be heard in heavy rotation played by the world’s top international d.j.s. For those in the know, this is a major treat. (more…)

‘Niubi Newbie Kids‘, the current exhibition at the Schoeni Gallery features work from a generation of Mainland Chinese artists born in the 1980’s. The word ‘niubi’ is common Beijinghua slang for something that is totally cool. (Literally it refers to an anatomical part of a female cow - now that’s a colorful language!)

The group show contains a variety of work by six artists. The so called ‘me generation’, the China they grew up in is very different from that of their predecessors. Walking through the exhibition I tried to spot what differentiates them from earlier artists. (more…)

Those who haven’t visited the area between the Central post office and the new Star Ferry terminal will be shocked at the amount of reclaimed land added over the past two years. Neatly hidden behind walls, the area seems like it appeared out of nowhere. The quantity of harbor filled-in to create the new waterfront is immense.

Despite the loss of a few scenic and semi-historic spots, if done correctly, the waterfront reclamation project stands to add to the quality of life in the city. Especially as the Kowloon skyline has rapidly verticalized, the view from the new promenade will be spectacular. Here are some photos of the work in progress. (more…)

Besides inventing gun powder and fireworks, the Chinese also came up with lanterns used in the traditional celebration of Mid-Autumn festival. The Mid-Autumn festival used to offer a fun time to exorcise your inner pyro by playing with fire, however the modern holiday has moved away from real fire, and instead looked to glow-in-the-dark lights to create the same effect. (more…)

The third installment of Hong Kong Pecha Kucha night is set to take place on Tuesday, September 23rd at 8:20 pm. The venue again is Volar.

This segment should be particularly interesting. Among other speakers, Joanne Ooi is set to present and she’s had a diverse career at Shanghai Tang. For those who aren’t familiar with Pecha Kucha night, please check out my previous post here.

If you’re thinking about a career in a creative industry, or simply looking to meet like-minded professionals, Pecha Kucha night is a great way to hear from the diverse corners of Hong Kong’s creative community.

You can RSVP to Holly Tse at 3586-3083
or by email: holly.tse@hkdesigncentre.org

Pecha Kucha Night III
September 23rd, 2008
Volar
Basement, 38-44 D’Aguilar Street
Lan Kwai Fong
Central

FREE!

Last week, Yves Saint Laurent held an event to celebrate thirty years of YSL cosmetics. The venue for the night was The Apex, a unique space on the 75th floor of Central Plaza, Wanchai’s tallest building. The Apex is structured something like a three-story glass pyramid. The 360-degree views from the inside are spectacular. Standing in The Apex you feel like you’re flying above the city.

The view down below wasn’t the only dazzling draw. Three of Hong Kong’s top models, Gaile, Ana R. and Cara G. were on hand to lend star power to the evening. (more…)

French D.J., Buddha Bar founder, and nightlife legend Claude Challe made a secret appearance in Hong Kong last weekend. The occasion was a small soirée held in the Living Room lounge on the sixth floor of the new W Hotel in West Kowloon.

The night was a taste of things to come. Situated in strategic locations around the world, W Hotels are often associated with big name d.j.s and hip events. Just how hip are they? (more…)

San Francisco nouveau-nerd Mike Relm rocked the Think Silly party at the Watermark on Thursday night. His audio / video mix-and-scratch was interestingly complimented by The Sideshow, two guys with large (slightly scary) clown masks who commandeered the turntables and kept the momentum high between his performances.

What else was on the menu? (more…)

What do the buildings above have in common? Each of them has been optimized to provide good feng shui for their occupants. Hong Kong’s Central neighborhood, home to an ultra-modern business district and lavish luxury shopping, is awash in feng shui techniques.

Prominent banks and even the most contemporary office buildings have feng shui elements built into their design. Perhaps you walk by them every day yet haven’t considered their purpose. Here are some examples from around Central! (more…)

Pharoahe Monch, the veteran New York rapper and former Rawkus all-star made a headlining two-night appearance at the three day Chivas Studio event. (Topping the bill on Friday was Hong Kong singer Justin Lo.)

The site of the event was the Watermark restaurant, located at the Star Ferry pier in Central. Though I had originally planned to attend Saturday’s performance, I stopped by on Thursday for a quick look. (more…)