Yes, my friends, it's FRIIIIIIIDAY!
And over in Hong Kong, this Friday is particularly welcome, given that this is the first week for five whole weeks that I've worked a full five days. I know - time for you all to get out the world's tiniest violins right?! I am officially a very spoilt brat.
While I know the holiday has to end at some point, it still didn't make it any easier when this week I was dragged kicking and screaming out of my bikini and flip flops and forced back into a suit and stilettos. More to come very soon on where I've been and what I've been up to...
But, in the meantime, a round-up of the week gone by. When I haven't been pining for long, languid days in the sun or madly after-sunning to stave off the peeling, this week this Mouse has mostly been...
Getting Foodie Flashbacks courtesy of brand new restaurant on the block, Fu Lu Shou. Being born and raised in the UK, I was completely mystified when I arrived in Hong Kong and ate at a Chinese restaurant for the first time only to discover that the menu didn't seem to contain any of the Chinese dishes that I knew and loved. Where were the prawn toasts? What about the chicken chow mein?
Yeah, it turns out that those aren't actually traditional Chinese fare. Who knew?!
But entrepeneur extraordinare, Ping Lam of the Nail Library and the Nail Loft glory, has stepped up to sate Hong Kong's craving for Westernised Eastern food with her brand new bar and restaurant, Fu Lu Shou.
Taking over the space that was formerly home to TBLS, Ping has worked her interiors magic and created a super cool dining room and terrace complete with graffitied murals, a majong-tiled bar and a pair of retro hanging pod chairs.
Fu Lu Shou isn't just about the chow mein either, with an ex-Upper House barman, the cocktail menu is as cool as the decor. Come thirsty and be certain to order the Joh Sun - a vodka spiked gingery, lemony concoction with a hefty thwack of chili. I may have had to have several, you know, just to check that they were consistently delicious...
The food menu is chocka-block with all your retro favs. We got the feast underway with a starter platter crammed with deep-fried amazingness galore together with a comically ginormous but drool-inducingly fantastic siu mai...
All lipsmackingly great (and more than a little bit naughty). To be honest if I'd have been given just a stack of the melt in your mouth prawn toasts I'd have been deliriously happy - quite how I've survived the last few years without a hit of these sesame, prawn carb triangles is beyond me.
The parade of dishes which followed included wonton loaded short soup, sweet and sour pork, kung pao chicken and heavenly deep fried tofu (crisy on the outside, silky in the middle - a garlicky, spicy party on your tongue).
Last but not least, that much yearned for chow mein which was a much lighter, less greasy version of my childhood takeaway favourite.
And then there was dessert. The sweet stuff goes down the 80s kitsch route with options including deep-fried ice-cream and banana fritters but who can resist a paper umbrella garnished banana split sitting atop a doily?! Not me.
This bad boy was devoured in moments (despite the banquet that had preceded it) and definitely ranks up there with the very best banana splits in town (if not in all the banana split producing world...).
Swing by for an afternoon propping up the bar or a few hours lounging on the sunny terrace (cocktail hour kicks off daily at 3pm) or pop by in the evening to eat your body weight in nostalgia-inducing comfort in a bowl. It's best to book in advance as it's a small (but perfectly formed) space and was buzzing when I visited. Keep your eyes peeled for me, I'll be the one in the corner merrily scarfing prawn toasts and banana splits...
Fu Lu Shou
7th Floor,
31 Hollywood Road,
Central,
Hong Kong
+852 2336 8812
Soaking up some serious culture as the Art Basel circus arrived in town. Every year Art Basel week gets bigger and better in Hong Kong, and this year is definitely the best yet. On Wednesday night, I wove my way through the gridlocked traffic and shimmied through the heaving crowds of jawdrappingly stylish art peeps to attend the Vernissage.
Art Basel brings together 250 galleries from across the globe which each showcase a midblowing array of incredible modern art. Think of a contemporary artist, and you're pretty much guaranteed to be able to see their work at the Hong Kong Convention Centre this weekend. We're talking paintings, sculptures, photography, an interactive ping pong table and a set of Litchenstein cups...
Whether you're in the market for a Picasso or just want to wander around sipping Champagne and gazing at the pretty Tracey Emin neon installations, Art Basel has you covered. I got very snap happy, but here are just a few of my favourite pieces...
Away from the HK Conference Centre, the rest of the city is awash with exhibitions, shows and talks. I'm planning on making sure I catch as much as possible and I'm particularly excited about the Christian Louboutin La Habana in Waiting exhibition at the Fringe which runs til Monday.
If you're in town this weekend make sure you get your art on!
Doing some hardcore Cannes Film Festival red carpet swooning over the delicious fashion being paraded alongside the banks of paps down in the South of France. Two days in, and there's already been some pretty serious contenders for best dressed. We're particularly loving...
Blake Lively in Gucci Premiere
Karlie Kloss in Valentino
and Zoe Saldana in Victoria Beckham.
With another fash-packed ten days to go, all the world's most stylish eyes are trained on Cannes and we can't wait to see what other fashion fabulousness these lovelies have packed in their Louis V luggage. Watch this space.
And that's our cue to wish you all a very, very...
Hope it's a bloomin' amazing one!
x
The Mice
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