Halloween special: Hong Kong's most famous MUA: Karen Yiu

All Hallow's eve cometh....

When in doubt, head to Karen Yiu, my all-time fav makeup artist and person in the industry.

She's so gifted in transforming the ordinary to the extraordinary. Her vast portfolio is incredible, esp body painting work and her epic makeovers.

But give the girl any reference or mood board and she delivers. Fav shoots we ever did were those when we asked her to come up with something...  Beyond expectations, the final look has always been incredible. She's a superstar. Adore her. Book her now

https://www.karenyiu.com/beauty

Andrew Pong by Yana vilkina

Outtakes from a portrait session with actor Andrew Pong by [fav person] Yana Vilkina. From one of my fav locations to shoot, the very photogenic Ping Pong 129. It is awkward when the photographer is hotter than anyone we've ever shot but that's another tale ;0)

Was supposed to be for First Person - a column I loved doing for the mag - but the misguided powers-that-be dropped that lucrative section for poorly-thought-out reasons.

Tsk. 

TBT: Glam Squad with 10 x 10.

The best partnership we ever did and one of the best projects I worked on with this extremely kind and generous glam squad.

Ralph’s Coffee Hong Kong

Ralph Lauren opened Ralph’s Coffee in Asia, at Ocean Terminal, Hong Kong, adding to the designer’s vast lifestyle portfolio. Not just a conservative, effortlessly elegant clothing store brand, it epitomises refined Americana and non-Trump culture at its very best. 

The invitation lay bare on a desktop for ages - one of many the press gets to the new and happening in the 852. When the PRs personally rang to join them for a cuppa Joe at their signature store, any excuse to leave neon-lit office space and the tyranny of the blank page was good enough.

The store's lovely, the clothes are great... yadda yadda yadda (none of this is new information). What made the fine coffee a religious experience was of course this four-layered chocolate cake. It's the bane of Hong Kong that most pastries that look good on Instagram, taste like sugar-coated cardboard. Bear with me; I give you, the finest slice in the region. 

Now this delectable piece was served at the Central store during a private viewing with celebs and socialites, but when the team was accosted in the aisle - with empty threats worded, "Give me the address of where I can get more or I'll hurt your kittens"  - they lol'd and said, you can head to Ocean Terminal. 

Well, that's where you'll find me. Well-dressed (oh ok, dressed!) and obese. But, by George, happy. 

For the caffeine addicts, the selection of coffee includes Ralph’s special blends, Ralph’s Roast, Decaf, and Espresso, made with organically grown beans from Asia Pacific, South America, and Africa. There's a takeaway service (the little eatery cannot accommodate huge numbers) for which we are all grateful for. 

You know what they say, Once you go brown...

TBT: Sridevi

The death of Indian actress Sridevi will be an enduring mystery as something as pedestrian as "accidental drowning" took away a cine-Goddess at the young age of 54*. Legions of her fans still cannot fathom it and several conspiracies (each more mad than the other) float online. * Perhaps only in tandem with death can 54 seem so painfully  young....

Anyhoo, was on a press trip for the magazine back in 2012 when I saw 'the' Sridevi strut confidently into the lobby of a hotel and I spoke to the PRs and said, this street will burn to the ground if you don't introduce me to that legendary movie star. 

They lol'd. I've been told that I'm about as threatening as a bag of kittens. 

We were introduced. I babbled on incoherently while staring into the luminescent one... 

In two sittings, I got the feature out - pitched it to the editor of Post magazine. Voila. A cover story was born.

BTW As she was leaving, I asked Sridevi to pls do more films and if we could do a memoir or biography of sorts - this was back in the day (an earlier request back in 2005 was also waved off) when she was hesitant to return to the limelight.  

She responded, "A book on me? Why? I'm just an ordinary housewife now..."

"NO!", I interrupted. "You're a Goddess. You just don't know you're a Goddess!"

She laughed and patted my head (she's a foot taller than me). And walked away, with her bodyguard and assistant in tow. 

RIP Sridevi. RIP My Queen.

Video Interview: Ruth Chao

An eternal fav: Ruth Chao.

A video interview with Hong Kong graphic artist, designer and creative director Ruth Chao.

Video Interview: Malcolm Wood

So here's the first in a series of video interviews I did.

Malcolm Wood - a multi-hyphenate but here we were addressing and focusing on him as a restaurateur - speaks about the highly competitive industry in Hong Kong. Hong Kong has more eateries per square mile than any other place in the world (someone fact check that puhleez) so we hear of new establishments opening all the time (and old haunts fading away just as quickly). Malcolm Wood's company (and crew) seems to have found the magical formula in running successful bars and restaurants that are studded around the city. Mott 32 is a fav of many and John Anthony, the new hot shot place in Causeway Bay.

This was a fun chat.

PS: + There's another connection, He's the older brother of my all-time fav cover girl and model and friend, the perfectly perfect Mia Kang. 

Behind the Scenes Runway Men’s Cover Shoot: Menswear 2018

Dino Busch shot Runway Menswear. 2018.

Last I heard, all the dogs featured were adopted. Yay.

Lifestyle magazine - over the years.

My cover features and shoots with Lifestyle magazine over the years. 

(am missing a few copies... !) 

The annual tome is out usually around Chinese New Year, looking back at the year that was. 

The Cat.

So we got Billyjean as a little kitten about five years ago from LAP. She's obviously the most gorgeous black and white cat in the world. Well, we think so. But good GOD the damage to the house. How can something so little create such chaos!!

So cute tho.

Adopt - don't shop.