What I’m listening to: I like the classics like California Dreaming by The Mamas & The Papas, the soundtrack to the film Chungking Express and Sealed with A Kiss by Brian Hyland. If I saw you in Heaven by Eric Clapton, Let Her Go by Passenger and Maps by Maroon 5 are my top played songs on IPod. Under the Fuji Mountain by Eason Chan is a perennial favourite. In fact, my favourite Hong Kong singers are Leslie Cheung and Eason Chan. My favorite band is Beyond; the most successful and influential rock band from Hong Kong; they were my only reason for learning guitar!
What I’m reading: The Little World of Liz Climo by Liz Climo, a book with a quirky, charming animal kingdom, with lots of amusing anecdotes. Magazines litter my apartment like GQ and L'Officiel Homme. My favorite novelist is still J.K. Rowling, after all, I grew up with the Harry Potter series. Where is my Howgarts letter?!
What I’m watching: My favourite TV show is Slam Dunk by Takehiko Inoue. I am a big fan of basketball shows. My favourite TV show is The Greed of Man by Wai Ka-fai (1992). My favorite Hong Kong movies are Farewell My Concubine (with Leslie Cheung and Gong Li in 1993), Chungking Express by Wong Kar-wai and Echoes of the Rainbow (2010) by Simon Yam and Aarif Rahman.
With Hollywood movies, although the critics didn't love it, I really enjoyed The Walk with Joseph Gordon Levitt. Based on the story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit's walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center on August 7, 1974, the visuals were incredible. I enjoyed Interstellar, Moulin Rouge, Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen movies are a hit and miss, this was quite wonderful, especially as Paris was beautifully captured.
What artists I’m following: Wyman Wong - the DJ, author, sometime-actor and fashion columnist. He is well known for being one of the most important Cantopop lyricists in Hong Kong. His word play is always very cool, hip but accessible. I have been reading his fashion columns since my University years.
Where I’m surfing: Instagram - particularly during fashion weeks when real time updates are a must. I don't really like to evaluate others based on the numbers of followers or likes on their posts. It's really not important - either I like it or don't, statistics aren't for me. I frequently visit fashioncopious.com and models.com for the industry updates. I have also subscribed to Athlean-X and Fit Men Cook on YouTube, since you are what you eat and the only shortcut to a sculptured body is to eat and train properly.
As told to P.Ramakrishnan
Portrait by Ivan Ho
See archive of past Play List columns here and here
