Thursday 31 December 2020

The Party Line: My Column




 

TBT: October 2017, I attended 36 events in and around Hong Kong. This year (not month - this year of our lord 2020), I attended two. Protests slowed down events, covid killed it altogether. Obviously 

But sure had fun back in the day writing about the fabulous lives of local and international celebrities, socialites, the new fangled KOLS - key opinion leaders - bloggers, Instagramers and other social media mavens. It was the The Party Line and had the distinct pleasure of calling out badly done events. Which rarely happened TBH. 


https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk?s=The+Party+Line%3A&type=&category=&sort=


Tuesday 29 December 2020

TBT: Indians invited to the Met Gala: Isha Ambani, Natasha Poonawala, Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra





The Indian Glamazons at the Met Gala are either Bollywood Stars or Heiresses: Meet the million - and billion - dollar babes. 


Check out the full feature at SCMP/Style here. 


The leading ladies of Bollywood get all the press when they land on the red carpet of The Met Gala – but the cynosure of media pundits are often on billion-heiresses; the mega wealthy who fly down on their own private jets for one night only from New Delhi to New York, from Mumbai to the Met.  


The “first Monday of May” is usually reserved in New York as stars of all stripes from around the globe land to walk the biggest red carpet. Earlier this year, rumblings of the pandemic delayed the celebrity studded soiree – on May 19, 2020 the museum released a statement that the gala had been canceled “due to the global health crisis.” Every mononymosly famous jet-setting star had their assistants put their passport and gilded invite away. 


Ostensibly of course, the purpose for the night is to raise funds for The Metropolitan – in 2019 a whopping US$15 million was raised within hours - $3 million more than the year before. At US$35,000 per plate (or full sponsored table ranging from US$200,000 to US$300,000) and a charity performance and auction, each manicured hand in sight is expected to bid not just wave, the invited double as donors (and yes, albeit a tax write-off). 


The gilded invites (with the tacit approval and auspices of Vogue editor Anna Wintour) are regularly couriered from 350 Madison Avenue to Mumbai; to four of its most glittering denizens;  Isha Ambani, Natasha Poonawala, Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra. 






 

Monday 28 December 2020

Health and diet in the Covid era; My feature with holistic dietician Mayuri Punjabi in SCMP: myeurekalife

My feature on Mayuri Punjabi is out this morning in South China Morning Post; 

Why clients rave about weight-loss coach who takes mind-and-body approach to shedding the kilos, with fasting at its core. Read it all here.

You can follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/myeurekalife/ 


The paper didn't have enough room for the addendum; here are a few healthy, easy tips she had

  • Stop snacking - you don’t need to eat eight times a day, and should allow your digestive system a rest in between meals. 
  • Do not drink liquids during your meals as it causes the digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid in your stomach to dilute, which makes it weaker and slows down the digestion process. This can lead to bloating and general discomfort. Therefore, drink liquids 30 minutes before and after a meal, not during.   
  • Never compromise on your sleep. Seven to nine hours of sleep is required Those that say, “sleep is for the weak”, are seriously mistaken.   
  • Learn to read labels and pay close attention to the ingredients list. The ingredient that is listed first is the most present, in terms of quantity. It is important to look out for ways in which sugar can sneak its way into ingredients lists, especially when masked under scientific terminology.  
  • Trust your body to communicate and tell you what works and what doesn’t. Don’t just jump on the bandwagon of the next fad, as it may not be right for you. We are an evolved species and have done so without any fad diets or supplements. 
  • AVOID:  
  • Vegetable Oils: sounds healthy but deceptively so, they contain very high levels of polyunsaturated fats that slow down your metabolism, disrupt your hormones, impair digestion and accelerate ageing. Instead try to replace them with traditional fats like Ghee, Lard, Duck Fat, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil and Coconut Oil.  
  • Sugar: try and avoid sugar, both natural and artificial, as when it is added to make a product taste sweeter, you should be wary!    
  • Processed food; any ingredient list that is a page long, esp junk and fast foods: avoid eating anything in a bottle, jar with more chemicals than food.  
  • Don’t use the phrase “cheat days”, I try to steer clear of that term because it sounds like we are doing something wrong that should result in some sort of punishment. Balance is key! 

Friday 18 December 2020

The Internet: Cat pics


Three weeks to write a cover feature and get nominal clicks. One post of the cat - suddenly its clickbait bonanza. 

The wild wild west of the world wide web. 



Wednesday 16 December 2020

Why Netflix’s Paava Kadhaigal – a shocking anthology about honour killings starring Anjali and part-directed by Gautham Menon – is set to be a game changer in Indian cinema

Often reduced to gory headlines, the reality of honour killings is not a traditional topic for Indian movie-makers – Paava Kadhaigal sees four accomplished directors address the tricky topic

Read my entire feature here at SCMP. com 

Friday 4 December 2020

TBT: A glamorous shoot with Hong Kong KOL Utah Lee: Diamonds, gowns.... and a pool!


 Loved working with Utah Lee. 


Shot by Ruby Law.

Outfit from S Nine by Susanna Soo and diamonds by Butani... 

Tuesday 1 December 2020

Interior Designer Ilse Crawford: A Mall Story

 

How well do you know Ilse Crawford? The interior designer tells us about her pet peeves, takes us through her latest project in Shanghai’s Plaza 66 mall and her favourite city.

More in Prestige magazine. 

#InteriorDesigner #Interior #Designer

Postscript: One of my favourite interviews, felt I learned so much while talking to this brilliant lady. 


Thursday 26 November 2020

Christmas festivities have started in Hong Kong...


 ... and my mood is. Well, ya know... 



TBT: Watch Shoot Editorial




 

TBT: Watch shoot - with Conrad when he was visiting Hong Kong. 

Tuesday 24 November 2020

TBT: Behind the scenes of a Lifestyle magazine cover shoot


Behind the scenes of a Lifestyle cover shoot - decked in Dior... 

One of the best cover-shoots EVER with Olivier.  

Monday 23 November 2020

13 pictures of a spoilt beyond belief Tuxedo cat: Adopt Don't Shop: Rescues are the best!

Blood, sweat and tears go into my writing. Ok, mostly tears. But nothing gets a click rate as much as cat posts. Why? Internet.

My most read feature over the past decade got about 3,254 views. The previous cat post - in a few weeks got 43,605 clicks. 

Stats don't lie.

Seven years ago we got this rescue cat from LAP - http://www.lap.org.hk/ - and they literally home delivered this gorgeous kitten. Fostering over the Chinese New Year holidays lead to falling deeply and profoundly in love - an entirely one-direction affection. Billy has a benign tolerance for humanity - only of use during winter for body heat. 

Billyjean (named after a fav Michael Jackson song - cause the cat's black and white and by the end so was MJ!) struts around the house like she owns it.  

She may or may not be evil... I've been tempted to look under her scalp for three sixes but am afraid of what I'll find... We are on our eighth groomers and more veterinary nurses have bled after several forewarnings that she must be handled only with gloves that go all the way up to an elbow.  They don't heed, so they bleed. 

On the plus side, have never needed a morning alarm, we have no bugs, all other life is snuffed. The house is minimalist as anything that isn't heavier than her has been shattered. She sleeps... a lot. She's more of a fluffy cushion that walks on occasion. She's super clean and does not like being touched. She's a fantastic judge of character, guests she doesn't like have shown their ugly colours... She's made me far more responsible as I will rush home for a feed and the house is clean as can be - though she's a domestic short hair, strands of fluff float by so the house is hoovered twice a day. 

For daily cat pics, of course she has her own Instagram account 

https://www.instagram.com/billyjean_kitty_cat/















 

Saturday 21 November 2020

Behind the scenes of a shoot


Model, assistants and a half-dead photographer. He got food poisoned the night before shoot - and still completed the job. Committed. Well, he should have been committed! ;0)



 

Monday 9 November 2020

Bollywood Actress Tabu: A Suitable Woman



 One of the most gifted Indian actresses, her disinterest in fame, but her innat thespian skills are at constant battle within her. Such a joy to write about the reluctant star Tabu. See the entire feature online at SCMP/Style here

Thursday 22 October 2020

Cat-astrophe: Social Media was made for cat pics...

Six years ago, we got a rescue kitten from LAP.org.hk

She's left her prints and scratches all around the house. Mostly on our hearts tho'. 

Such a cutie. Whirling dervish at 5am, but still cute...  








Wednesday 21 October 2020

BTS: Behind the Scenes with Payal Shah: Bling it On: Indian Jewellery Designer



My chat and shoot with Payal Shah for the magazine. The crew behind the scenes - Olivier Yoan photographer, Megumi for makeup. Yes, I'm often criticised for using the same crew again and again. When you work with the best, why settle for less?! Although I should give more opportunities to young, new talent... 


With over 82,000 followers on social media, her account is a visual treat: https://www.instagram.com/p/CDOabtTpi-7/


You can read part of the feature and see the published shots online at https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/people-events/inside-the-world-of-payal-shah/

 

Tuesday 20 October 2020

Calvin and Hobbes

 

In the process of dealing with a formidable loss as two of my best friends are packing up and leaving Hong Kong for good, for the greener pastures of South Africa.

Not sure how to deal with this. One day at a time I guess... 


When in doubt, pull out a copy of Calvin and Hobbes for a long read. 

Sunday 18 October 2020

Adam Raby: Mazu Resort wear designer


One of the outtakes of resort wear designer Adam Raby. The feature and portrait is online  at https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/people-events/first-person-adam-raby-resortwear-men/

Shot in Repulse Bay, Hong Kong. 

Picture by Dino Busch. 



Saturday 17 October 2020

My photographer Dino Busch


While testing light and frame, I shot my photographer Dino Busch. This guy. Das is gut ja? 

See his official web site for his portfolio at https://dinobusch.com/

And his infrequently updated social media account: https://www.instagram.com/dinobuschphotography/

Infrequent as he, like a handful of other photographers, has read the fine print of Instagram and knows better than to post every image online for free public consumption....  



Friday 16 October 2020

Happy Birthday Hema Malini!


Eleven years ago I met and interviewed "Dream girl" Hema Malini in Hong Kong, just before her classical performance on stage with her daughters. 

The formidable, no-nonsense Hema Malini is one tough cookie who does not suffer fools easily. She doesn't like to be interviewed... well, she doesn't like to be questioned. It wasn't the easiest chat but having adored Hema Malini since Seetha aur Geetha, a movie I've seen over 132 times... seriously... she was still a living dream. 

Left: Portrait of Hema Malini from Faces, by Gautam Rajadhyaksha. He pointed out, Hema Malini isn't just a famous person, actress or dancer, she is Indian royalty, she was born and brought up to be regal and there's an ethereal quality about her unlike any other star of her time. Or since then.  

Gautam da's cousin, Shobaa De, reiterated, "She acts like a Queen on and off screen, all the time. That's the way she was brought up. She's last of the movie stars. Not like the famous of today." 

True blue. 

Happy days Hemaji. 



My fav KOLs in Hong Kong: These Instagram Influencers rock a Loro Piana Scarf


Above: Jessica Jann and Cara G

Below: Faye Tsui and Jessica C


A photo essay for the magazine, featuring some of the most popular fashionistas and gorgeous girls of Hong Kong;  

Jessica C: 166k followers
https://www.instagram.com/jesscambensy/

Jessica Jann: 72.1k followers
https://www.instagram.com/jessjann/

Cara G 60.5k followers 
https://www.instagram.com/caragmcilroy/

Faye Tsui 40.3k followers
https://www.instagram.com/faye_tsui/




 

Tuesday 13 October 2020

Glamorous Indian Billionaires fall far from grace in Netflix’s epic takedown; Bad Boy Billionaires: India

Hubris has never looked this glamorous as Netflix’s latest, controversial docu-series, Bad Boy Billionaires: India, studying the rise and fall of notable Indian tycoons, finally gets permission to air after much lawyer-rubber-stamped delay.  P. Ramakrishnan writes. 


Every major Indian businessman in Hong Kong is familiar with every bold-faced name in the docuseries Bad Boy Billionaires; India. Some know them personally, others have near, if not collateral links with businesses that crashed along with the fall of these famous former captains of industry. All are watching with breath that is baited, hoping they aren’t seen or photographed beside the ignominy of it all.  

The key figures in the series are Kingfisher liquor baron and airline honcho Vijay Mallya, Subrata Roy of the Sahara group, IT executive Ramalinga Raju and jeweller Nirav Modi. You can watch all the mighty men meteorically rise... and fall.  

When the trailer first aired few months ago, Netflix was slapped with stay orders by a coterie of lawyers and the original air date, as advertised, was pushed again and again; two of the key subject matters had a phalanx of lawyers set to hound Netflix, stating that airing the shows would affect the jury pool with prejudice against their respective clients - and the show was inherently defamatory.  

Free speech and Netflix won all but one round, as three of the episodes are available for viewing - the episode on Ramalinga Raju, caught on a US$1 billion accounting fraud more than a decade ago, is on hold as his lawyers obtained a separate injunction from a court in south India. The case is still pending but public opinion favours Netflix as millions defrauded by these men seek illusive justice, if not the money that is owed them.  

Like a blockbuster Bollywood movie, the multi-part documentary is loaded with obvious villains and their misdeeds, unexpected heroes, cameos by superstars of Bollywood, heart-breaking revelations from victims and comic relief from unexpected quarters to the soundtrack of the musical chant “Jeene do”; which literally translates to Let me Live.  

Live they must, with the infamy the show has shed a spotlight to, of corruption at such n’th degree, the numbers on screen will appear staggering.  It's a cautionary tale of such epic corruption and abuse of power. 

Caption: Vijay Mallya with his eldest son Siddharth Mallya 

The first hour-long special is dedicated to the “king of good times” Vijay Mallya, a race-car enthusiast from the 1970s and 80s who inherited a fortune from his liquor baron father. The prodigal son amplified the business and expanded the Kingfisher empire greatly and with alarming alacrity and.... fiscal irresponsibility.  

The white-collar crimes, questionably procured loans, lack of payments are all limned in the series. The show is studded with Bollywood babes – Mallya's love and proclivity for gorgeous women and showmanship is all so familiar - when he’s compared to President Donald Trump, its bound to make the viewer smirk.  

The defense put on by Mallya’s eldest son, Siddharth (aka ‘Sid’) Mallya, in his plum British accent, is so tragically tone-deaf and with complete lack of culpability, it borders on the blindingly comic.  The young man, an aspiring actor and model, faces the mental anguish of daily trolling for the sins of his father; his defense of his dad is understandable but the lack of acknowledgement of the white collar crimes is glaring. Particularly as the Mallyas are living a lavish life beyond borders in Britain (and LA), seemingly immune to the plights of many they defrauded. 


Above: Nirav Modi at a gala dinner hosted by his company


Jeweller Nirav Modi’s hoardings were once studded around Central, his stores in ifc and Elements mall have hosted glamorous cocktails and by-invitation only dinners that featured local and international superstars such as Rosie Huntington, Rain, and Priyanka Chopra; once the face of the brand. You can see them all glittering and glowing... until the buck stops; loans of over a billion dollars procured by Modi are brought into question and corruption charges so big – the numbers don’t fit into one column on the screen.  


Above: Subrata Roy heading to court - ink bombed by the Indian mob 

The pyramid scheme led by Subrata Roy was brought into light after a journalist investigated the man and reported on him for a staggering 30 years – the longest and penultimate episode in the series.  


Apart from the lurid fascination and schadenfreude of watching the mega rich and the megalomaniacs brought to their knees, there’s a reason why the show is doing well not only in India, but globally; it’s a Greek tragedy with Indian characters.  

The tropes and principles of Aristotle state, a (seemingly) righteous individual, elevated in rank and ability, makes a colossal mistake, spirals to ruin. Each of the titans started off meaning to do good for commune and community. There are repeated patterns in the narrative as you witness excess pride and critical hubris. 

From flying in Lionel Ritchie to sing Happy Birthday to rat infested prisons in the Hindi heartland, it’s a sordid tale of riches to rags. Like any decent Aristotelian tale, there’s an emotional purification and catharsis in the end as it evokes a mixture of pity, disgust and.. relief that it happened to someone else.  

All images from Instagram

Wednesday 7 October 2020

Friends


 Sigh. 

Monday 5 October 2020

Original s(p)in: Emma Lauren: HK KOL


Stylist, photographer, KOL, sometime model, sometime model citizen, Emma Lauren goes for a spin.... 

Tuesday 29 September 2020

Behind the scenes of a cover shoot

TBT to this cover shoot for the magazine. The crew behind the scenes. 

Perennial favs, stylist and art director Tasha Ling and photographer Dino Busch.