Hong Kong

Monday, April 28, 2008
Hong Kong

Next invitation-only gig of the day—the V.I.P. Cocktail Party at the Port Café, co-sponsored by the TDC. The same luminaries from this morning’s stage were there, along with a lot of cameras. My inner rock start is beginning to like this treatment. Sarah, Isaac, and I (shown above) gathered to compare notes, share a couple of cocktails, and plan where to have dinner. The end decision was Soho, which—in theory—should be easy to find.

We stuck around until 8:00, in hopes of seeing the nightly laser and light show Victoria Harbor is famous for. Turns out you can’t really get the full effect from inside the building—besides, it’s in the heart of the action, which would be better seen from across the bay in Kawloon. Looks like I’ll need to find a way over there this week.

Eventually—and with the aid of a local Brit—we were able to cab it to Soho, where we had a terrific Thai dinner. Afterward, we rode the top half of the Midlevel Escalators up the side of the mountain, through what I think of as “Yuppieville.” The escalators stretches a full half mile from end to end, with a 450-foot climb built in, connecting the Central business district with the upper residential areas popular with the upwardly mobile set. It’s weird to imagine an outdoor escalator that spans so much distance, but it’s actually pretty cool.

Jump on. Jump off. Grab a bite and a cocktail, then jump back on again. Who needs cab fare?

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Monday, April 28, 2008
Hong Kong

The V.I.P. Dragon Lounge at the Convention Center—the one that puts all others to shame world wide–is a favorite hang out for most of us seeking a few minutes of quiet with a cup of Chinese tea and some black current biscuits (can you tell I’m hanging with a Brit?)…

…or some unsolicited, albeit helpful, advice from an American at the next table.

Note to Patti Stracher—David Oestreich says “Hello,” and has nothing but unending praise for you, both professionally and personally.

Note to George Kacik—I’m supposed to “remind you about Takara.” Care to fill in the blanks? He sure was laughing when he asked that I pass the message along.

You just never know who you’ll meet in “the Dragon.” Besides, those little black current cookies are really good.

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Monday, April 28, 2008
Hong Kong

In this neck of the woods, they don’t just open a show; they Open A Show.

Members of the foreign press were invited to both the Tea Ceremony and Opening Ceremony this morning. Trust me when I say nothing is done on a small scale here; there was a bank of cameras and plethora of film crews in attendance, in addition to the relatively small number of guests invited to the soiree. It was Oscar-stage kind of stuff, complete with a galaxy of government and TDC dignitaries. By the time it concluded, there was no question this wasn’t going to be like any other show.

Dorothy, we are most definitely not in Kansas any more.

(Photo credit: Hong Kong Trade Development Council)

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Monday, April 28, 2008
Hong Kong

Okay. So I looked like a tourist. I am a tourist. But hey, when you’re standing on an escalator and your breath is taken away by the view out the window, you just have to stop, take a picture, and not care that you look like a typical gawker.

Obviously, I wasn’t the only one gawking. What a view.

And I get to see it about a dozen times every day, as I’m leaving the media center. Not a bad gig at all.

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Monday, April 28, 2008
Hong Kong

Well, here I am, on my first official day as a foreign journalist attending the Hong Kong Gifts and Premiums Show. Gotta tell you, the Convention Center is massive, wrapped in floor to ceiling windows that look out over Hong Kong’s Victory Harbor shoreline, in a building somewhat reminiscent of the Sydney Opera House. You’d have to be numb not to be impressed. It’s beautiful…and growing, since they’re still building out another section.

Started the day with a media briefing and introduction to our digs on site. Immediately, I’ve gravitated toward two fellow journalists—Sarah Reeve (Editor, Gift Focus Magazine, London) and Isaac Beylan Senties (Del Sol De Mexico, Mexico City). Turns out Isaac and I are the only two representing the Americas; if I wasn’t honored before, I sure as heck am now. This is one stellar group of individuals, and I for one am going to keep pinching myself until it sets in I’m one of them.

Might take a while.

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Imagine a bowl of Asian noodles tossed on the pavement. That’s the layout of the skinny minny alleys that comprise the Stanley Market. This place is amazing, even if you’re not out to purchase. Found the exact same pashmina and silk shawls I picked up in New York a couple of months ago, 3 for $100 HK (ie, roughly $12 US). It’s a riot listening to the vendors talk about how theirs are “the real thing” even though the packing and labeling is identical on all of them.

The people watching is, by far, the best part. If you go someday, take the #40 shuttle bus from Central; the drive whips you around blind curves all the way along Repulse Bay. Don’t let the name fool you; this is big bucks real estate and the longest stretch of beach in Hong Kong.

P.S. to those taking bets on when I’d get lost for the first time: Whoever holds the ticket for the end of day one wins. Translated, never let a bus driver tell you that even though the stop doesn’t look familiar, it is. It wasn’t. Lucky I’m wired with a good internal compass and travelers’ gut instinct.

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