The
Insiders’ Hong Kong
I had two very good reasons for visiting Hong Kong last October:
one named Kathryn and the other, Peter. Kathryn, my lovely Goddaughter,
had selected October 22 for her wedding day — an event
I wouldn’t have missed for all the tea in China. And Peter – my
nephew and a former Asia director of a U.S. company — had
left many favorite places and good friends behind when he returned
to the United States. I longed to walk in his shoes, even if
just for a few days.
“The new Four Seasons will be open by
the time you get here,” Kathryn’s mother, Joanna,
told me, “and it’s going to have the best view in
town.”
As soon as we arrived, I saw that she wasn’t
exaggerating. The wall-to-wall windows in our spacious room
provided a front-row
seat on the 24/7 activity on Victoria Harbour. Without even
getting out of bed, my husband Richard and I could watch the
Star Ferry
going back and forth to mainland Kowloon, fast cats heading
to the outer islands, and Chinese junks bobbing in the wake of
big
ships. The sights on the opposite shore included a dense forest
of highrise towers fanning out into the far distance.
The Four
Seasons Hotel Hong Kong is located in the new International
Financial Centre (IFC) complex — a shopping, dining, and
business Mecca that has redefined Hong Kong’s famous
skyline. IFC 2, the fourth tallest building in the world,
rises near the
hotel’s pool deck. (Angelina Jolie’s character
jumped from this tower in Tomb Raider 2.) (www.fourseasons.com/hongkong)
We
enjoyed the view from another vantagepoint when we took the
Star Ferry over to Kowloon. These historic vessels have
been
carrying commuters between Hong Kong Island and the mainland
since 1898, but the trip is much shorter these days. In fact,
with 50 percent of the harbor filled in, it’s only
a five-minute hop. We disembarked near the Hong Kong Cultural
Center and Hong
Kong Museum of Art and joined Peter’s former colleagues
for tea.
Aqua, we were soon to learn, is popular with
lots of local people. While we waited for a table, Hong Kong’s
young and restless filtered in and out, each a fashionista
in his or her own right.
(www.aqua.com.hk)
The ultra-stylish restaurant offers Japanese
fare on one side (Aqua Tokyo), and Italian on the other (Aqua
Roma).
We opted
for the Italian — that section had the view across
to Hong Kong Island — and I thoroughly enjoyed oven-baked
garoupa (a delicious Southeast Asian fish) with eggplant
caviar. Richard
said his charcoal-grilled lamb, with apricot and cannelini
beanmash, was excellent.
The next night we booked a table
at Petrus — a French restaurant
on the 56th floor of the Island Shangri-La Hotel. The contrast
between the two dining spots couldn’t be more dramatic.
Aqua is über glam and Petrus is very old-world, with
crystal chandeliers, paintings in gilded frames, and ornate
wall sconces.
Here, a pianist and the Hong Kong skyline create the perfect
environment for romantic conversation. (www.shangri-la.com).
Peter
had lived in Hong Kong, except not on Hong Kong Island.
His love of sailing and dislike of congestion led him to
Lamma Island, one of more than 200 outlying islands making
up the
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s
Republic of China.
Every day after work he caught the Lamma
Island Ferry, which transported him from hustle and bustle
to laid-back
and tropical.
Actually, Lamma can get pretty busy on Sundays, when families
escape to the island to hike, swim, and dine in one of
Yung Shue Wan’s waterfront restaurants.
Peter’s
favorite eatery was the Bookworm Café, and
that’s where we headed. I surveyed the shelves loaded
with used books and magazines, noticed a couple of young
men playing
backgammon, another taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi,
and thought I’d been transported to Santa Cruz.
We
ordered several items from the vegetarian menu and everything
was delicious, especially the lassi beverages made with
homemade yogurt. On the way back to the ferry, I silently
thanked
Peter for leading us off the beaten path.
A couple of days
before Kathryn’s wedding, we headed down
to Stanley on the south side of Hong Kong Island. Here,
we browsed through the popular flea market, where silk blouses,
cashmere
sweaters, jewelry, colorful art, and Chinese dresses
are sold by vendors not opposed to bargaining. I laughed when
I remembered
my first visit here with Joanna many years earlier. I
thought I’d found genuine Polo shirts at a great price
until she pointed out that the little horse on the pocket was
racing in
the wrong direction.
Also in Stanley, we wandered through
the just-opened
Maritime Museum located in Murray House, an 1848 colonial
structure
that once stood in the Central Business District. In
1982, the building
was disassembled to make way for a new Bank of China
tower, and in 1998 it was re-built in its present location.
The
museum’s
exhibits refreshed my knowledge of Hong Kong history:
China ceded the island to the British after losing
the Opium War of 1839-42,
later gave up Kowloon, and leased the New Territories
for 99 years. Early photos of the colony showed the
dramatic effect
of reclamation: the Legislative Council building, once
on the waterfront, is now two blocks in from the harbor.
Ironically,
the first filling-in was done by the Brits in 1850
to create a flat place for a horseracing track. (www.hkmaritimemuseum.org)
Just
before the big day, we moved into the Grand Hyatt,
where the wedding would take place. I was interested
in the new
Plateau, a residential spa located on the 11th floor
of the hotel. Here,
14 guestrooms and suites come with futon beds covered
in crisp white sheets, manicure/pedicure stations,
Japanese soaking
tubs, rain showers, Internet access, LCD TVs, and harbor
views.
Guests can receive an extensive variety of European
and Asian treatments in these rooms, including massages,
facials, waxing,
and hand and foot care. Another nine treatment rooms
are available for wet therapies including Vichy showers
and
body scrubs.
A breakfast buffet featuring healthy alternatives is
served in
an open-air Zen-like courtyard.
Plateau is a serene
oasis in a city known for high-stress lifestyles. About half
the guests are locals (it’s ideal for a girls’ getaway)
and half are overseas business travelers (the Hong
Kong Convention & Exhibition
Centre is adjacent).
According to the Hong Kong Tatler,
the Pool House at Plateau is “the best place for celebrating
special occasions.”
And that’s just what we did
on October 22 — celebrated
a very special occasion.
—
Elizabeth Hansen, photography by Adams/Hansen Photography
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For The Taste Buds
Some choose hotels based upon location, amenities, or the sheets’ thread
count. Others choose where they’ll rest their head based
on how happy their tummy will feel. Food fans take note, as Gayot.com recently compiled their list of the top ten U.S. hotel restaurants.
In alphabetical order by state they are:
Mary Elaine’s At
The Phoenician (Scottsdale, AZ)
Chef de cuisine Bradford Thompson has a modern French style,
seasonal tasting menus, and a fusion of old and new techniques.
(480/423-2530, www.thephoenician.com)
Erna’s Elderberry
House At Chateau Du Sureau (Oakhurst, CA)
Executive chef James Overbaugh’s seasonally inspired
dishes, daily changing prix-fixe six-course menu, and carefully
chosen
wine pairings bring guests to this Yosemite-adjacent chateau.
(559/683-6800, www.chateaudusureau.com)
Campton Place At Campton
Place Hotel (San Francisco, CA)
Zurich-born chef Daniel Humm’s sophisticated modern
French cuisine, along with the restaurant’s elegant
décor
and unique wine service cart bring visitors to this service-oriented
hotel. (415/955-5555, www.camptonplace.com)
The Dining Room
At The Ritz-Carlton (San Francisco, CA)
Chef Ron Siegel’s Eastern-influenced French cuisine,
combined with the restaurant’s notable reputation are
the key attractions. (415/773-6198, www.ritzcarlton.com)
Thomas
Henkelmann At Homestead Inn (Greenwich, CT)
The cuisine of German chef Thomas Henkelmann, with classic
French training, continues to lure guests. (203/869-7500,
www.thomashenkelmann.com)
Michel Richard Citronelle
At Latham Hotel (Washington, DC)
This dining room features an exhibition kitchen so that guests
can enjoy chef Michel Richard’s theatrics as he prepares
French-California cuisine for the extravagant nine-course
tasting menu. (202/625-2150, www.citronelledc.com)
Alex At
Wynn Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV)
Chef Alessandro Stratta’s tasting menu and a la carte
dishes blend of flavors from France and Italy. (702/770-7100,
www.wynnlasvegas.com)
Alain Ducasse At Westin
Essex House (New York, NY)
If the Central Park views aren’t stunning enough, executive
chef Tony Esnault’s sophisticated prix-fixe and tasting
menus perfectly suit the hotel’s atmosphere of a modern
manor house. (212/247-0300, www.essexhouse.com)
Jean Georges
At Trump International Hotel & Tower (New York,
NY)
Executive chef Mark LaPico creates cuisine based upon the
foundation of classic French and other various influences
set by Jean-Georges
Vongerichten. (212/299-1000, www.trumpintl.com)
The Inn At
Little Washington (Washington, VA)
Chef Patrick O’Connell and partner Reinhardt Lynch offer
a seven-course tasting menu of American cuisine accompanied by
a 15,000-bottle wine cellar. (540/675–3800, www.theinnatlittlewashington.com) — Jane
Shiomi
Davis Cup Returns To San Diego
It’s been a decade since the Davis Cup was played in San
Diego, but it’s back this year, with the first round pairing
the Americans against Romania at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis
Club, February 10 through 12.
Representing the U.S. will be none other than powerhouse team
Bob and Mike Bryan, and current tennis superstar Andy Roddick,
all three of whom were integral in catapulting America into the
cup with a win over Belgium in the playoffs. Roddick has one
of the fastest serves in the history of the game, the kind of
speed you have to see to believe, and the Beach and Tennis club
is the perfect setting to see it up close. Though America lost
in the first round two of the past three years, they beat the
Romanians the last five times they played them. The Davis Cup
is the world’s largest international team tennis competition
with 134 teams competing in over 15 countries. Tickets are being
sold as a three-day series, with prices ranging from $100 to
$500. (888/484-USTA) — Ryan Thomas
Around The Country For Wine
Wine tasting is fun enough as it is – but getting to travel
in order to do so is even better. For the next few months, a
flurry of wine festivals abound. So pack your bags, along with
teeth-whitening toothpaste, and enjoy the many wines our country
has to offer.
20th Annual Taos Winter Wine Festival
From January 18 to 29, Taos Ski Valley Resort offers a slew
of wine-related activities, daily wine seminars, nightly
winemaker dinners, and two grand tasting events, each featuring
more
than
75 wines. (www.skitaos.org)
21st Annual Spinazzola Gala Festival
Held at the Seaport World Trade Center Boston on January
27, this gala festival draws more than 125 top restaurants
and
expert chefs from around New England as well as 90 elite
wineries from
around the world. Additionally, funds raised will go towards
feeding the hungry and homeless, and towards hospitality
education as well. (www.spinazzola.org)
Park City Culinary,
Wine & Ski Classic
From February 2 to 5, some of the best food, wine, and
skiing come together to support a worthy cause in Park
City, UT.
Guests can learn to taste wine like a pro and dine at some
of the
most fabulous homes in Park City before hitting the slopes.
All proceeds
benefit the Underdog Foundation, which provides funding
for a variety of youth programs. (www.parkcitywineclassic.com)
20th
Annual Masters of Food & Wine
Overlooking the ocean in Carmel, CA from February 16 to
19, this event will feature about 30 chefs and more than
50 wineries.
Elegant dinners, cooking classes with the world’s top
chefs, and wine tastings will all take place within the Highlands
Inn,
Park Hyatt Carmel. (www.mfandw.com)
— Mia Stefanko
San Diego Boat Show
The San Diego Boat Show is here again and it has something to
offer for everyone, even the kids. Taking place at the San
Diego Convention Center and Marriott Marina, the boat show
has been a great success for the last few years and has been
known to attract a strong following from even Las Vegas and
Arizona. A large realm of boats will be showcased including
sailboats, riverboats, and yachts. During daylight hours, instructors
will teach the skills of sailing to guests. Kids will delight
to know that Twiggy, the amazing water-skiing squirrel, is
back. The Big Bay Kids Area, sponsored by the Unified Port
of San Diego, will offer the Great American Duck Races, a giant
slide, puppet shows (on the weekend), and a variety of crafts
and interactive activities. San Diego Boat Show hours are Thursday
and Friday, January 5 and 6 from 12pm – 8pm, Saturday,
January 7 from 10am – 8pm, and Sunday, January 8 from
11am – 6pm. Entrance fees are $10 for adults, $5 for
children ages 12 to 16, and children under 12 are free. (858/274-9924,
www.sandiegoboatshow.com)
—
Christie Heatherly
Best Spa In The World
Good things are hard to find, right? Well, according to Conde
Nast Traveler, the best spa in the world holds true to this
idea. Nestled in the Himalayan foothills, Ananda focuses on
Ayurvedic treatments. Each stay begins with a consultation
with an Ayurvedic doctor who determines your body type and
creates a tailor-made individual program of yoga classes, spa
therapies, special meals, and lessons with a chef. Of its specialties
are yoga and detox programs designed to get your body and mind
back in balance. The 21,000-square-foot spa has more body and
beauty treatments than can be imagined, integrating traditional
Indian systems of Ayurveda with contemporary Western spa themes.
It’s pricey, at $800 per night, but if the critics are
right, it’s worth it. (www.anandaspa.com) — Alicia
Garcia
Nature Retreat
In need of a nature-infused spa getaway? A visit to the spa at
Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY brings 2,200 woodland
acres on legendary cliffs above a pristine mountain lake. Since
1869, generations of guests have found a place for recreation
and renewal of body, mind, and spirit in this unique mountaintop
setting. The spa is a 30,000-square-foot eco-friendly facility
that uses a geothermal heating and cooling system. There is
a green sod roof on one section of the building that can be
used in warmer months for relaxation, mediation, and yoga,
and the spa includes an indoor pool, fitness center, outdoor
mineral pool, as well as 16 treatment rooms. (800/772-6646,
www.mohonk.com) — Jane Shiomi
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