'Harry Potter' starlet braves snap-arazzi and charms the VIPs: Emma Watson in Hong Kong: Cityseen column

If there was a miniature tidal wave lapping at the shores of Central this week, blame it on the screaming fans who lined up around Italian restaurant Spasso as Harry Potter star Emma Watson walked in to the Harbour City Mall to be greeted by the squeals of young fans trying to capture her on camera. 

Escorted by eight bodyguards and minders, the snap-arrazi descended upon the young starlet on Wednesday as she launched Lancome’s new line of cosmetics, as the face of the French brand’s new ad-campaign. 

She braved the local press with bewildered amusement as the paps shouted out: “Emma, here! To the Left. Emma! Emma!” 

“I don’t usually wear any lipstick or much make-up,” the young model and recent Vogue cover girl said. “But Lancome’s introduced me to this great line and I’m wearing them all the time now.” 

At the dinner, Tina Leung, the stylish stylist, ran into the event fashionably late, but just in time for the first course. Leung grabbed a quiet moment with the 21-year-old star. “She said to me, she was wearing an Elie Saab dress and Jimmy Choo shoes. Emma’s so lovely but she looked like a frightened little dove – so many people were just hounding her for a picture inside at the dinner!” 

Local supermodel Jocelyn Luko had pleasant things to say about the young spokesmodel. “She’s so cute, And she had no attitude and posed with so many people.” 

Dancer Faye Leung took a break from her sojourn in Macau with House of Dancing Water to perform at the event with her dance partner, while singer Kit Chan also performed two classics, La Vie en Rose and Wind Beneath My Wings. 

CITYSEEN 

P. Ramakrishnan 

Dec 09, 2011

No need for these noted and quoted names to queue for the iPhone 4S – it came to them

On Thursday, the line outside the Apple store in IFC Mall snaked all the way outside the shopping centre, as hundreds waited impatiently to grab the iPhone 4S. Had the queuers had the siri function, they could have asked: how do I escape this long queue?

The answer for some of Hong Kong’s most noted and quoted was to gather around the corner at Sevva, where service provider 3HK offered them the new phone hours in advance, in the cushioned comforts of the restaurant. There, at midnight, the hype and hoopla for the Apple product merged at a celebrity-studded soiree.

Andrew and Yvette Yuen, Fanny Sieh, models Janet Ma, Ankie Beilke and the very stylish Kam Kwok-Leung and Wyman Wong Wai-man were among the sea of socialites. It was great to see actress Carol Cheng (aka Do Do Cheng) after a rather brief absence from the spotlight.

But even for this crème de la crème, it wasn’t easy to pick up the new gadget; they all had to do the paperwork for 3HK.

Miu Miu-clad Mira Yeh, filling in forms and signing off papers, said: “I’ve always had an iPhone and am really looking forward to getting my engraved new one. I heard about the siri function, but honestly, I think I’ll use the photo function the most.”

We saw the lovely Cara Grogan, who recently lost her phone, mull over whether to engrave the name of her beloved pet Roxy on her iPhone case or her own surname, while model couple Anthony and Jocelyn Sandstrom were posing for a phalanx of fans determined to be “i-shot” with the leggy twosome.

“What do you think of getting the word syphilis on the back?” asked model/DJ Anthony to his gorgeous wife Jocelyn: “No, Tony, no!” was the firm answer. Behind every successful man …!

By P. Ramakrishnan
(e-mail: ramakrishnanp@Hotmail.com)
Images Courtesy: Occasions

My Kind of Town: Eurasian supermodel Jocelyn Luko's love for hometown Hawaii

Some of the world's mot in-demand models name their favourite hot spots.

HAWAII

Hong Kong based Jocelyn Luko, 25, is one of Asia's Top Models and has graced many a magazine cover and beauty campaign.

First thing I do in Hawaii is ... eat a huge breakfast with my family. Most of the flights from Asia land early morning, so everyone comes to pick my husband Anthony [boyfriend] and I up, and we head to our favourite restaurant Anna Millers. Eggs benedict, fresh fruit juice, Hawaiian/Portuguese sausage, the works.

You will find me on... the beach. It's all beautiful, postcard beaches. There's a beach for surfing, another for body boarding, another for kayaking. I've been lucky to never meet any sharks, and I've been fortunate to swim with sea turtles and see dolphins.

Best beach? Sunset Beach on the North Shore. That's where I got married!

Best for drinks? Mai Tai. It's got great live music. The other place is Duke's bar on the beach. You can see the most glorious sunset, with a drink in your hand.

Best for dinner? Orchids at Halekulani hotel. It's right on the water, it's where I took my parents for their anniversary.

Best market? Watanabe florist - it's famous. It has the most exotic flowers.

In Hawaii I usually wear... flip-flops, shorts, sunglasses, T-shirt; very casual and comfortable. Even sneakers feel weird. It's warm in Hawaii but not humid.

Fragrance that most reminds me of Hawaii is... plumeria flowers (also called Frangipani).

If you want to feel like a real Hawaiian... have a barbecue on the beach. Roasting marshmallows on the beach and eating Smores (roasted marshmallow with chocolate between crackers) is a must.

Best for gifts? Any souvenirs, like flowers, chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, and Kona coffee.

In Hawaii I always stock up on... Hawaiian salt. It's a sweet-salty thing - I've never tasted anything similar to it anywhere else.