The Concourse is Our Playground

There used to be an ad slogan by Nike that says "The World is my Playgound". Well, if MTR has to use a new one, it may as well be "The concourse is our playground", judging from what I saw this morning on my way to work.

I don't commute by public transport much these days - spoiled by the option of driving - but today's one of those rare occasions that I felt too lazy to be behind wheels in the rain, and never did I realize it's actually fun watching people commuting like sheep being herded from one place to another. It is really quite a scene that is worth mentioning on any Hong Kong travel guides - well, talking about the Rough Guides!

Then I started to wonder, with the East Asian Games coming to town this December - "You are the Legend", we were told, whatever that means - I am surprised the organizer didn't consider putting our MTR concourse to be the sporting ground for some of the events and have a separate category of "MTR Commuters" to compete against the world's best (at least the best from the East Asian side of the world).

Take 100m sprint for example, I can see many people have been training hard day in and day out on the concourse on Admiralty station, at the Tsuen Wan Line-Island Line interchange on their way to work and back, and from what I saw, many of whom are definitely up to par with the professionals, finishing the race in less than 10 seconds. I am sure they would have done even better if they didn't don their suit or dressed to the nines with high heels to do the run. How about race-walking? I was told I am a speed walker myself too, but nothing compared to those who can walk from Hong Kong Station to Central Station (a 500m walk, according to information from Google) in less than 2 minutes, including the time wasted to avoid the not-so-fast crowd that often cram on the moving walkway.

The organizer can even consider having new events in MTR - well, I figure since ballroom dancing has become a competitive event at the Games, what can't be? How about dancing to iPod music on a moving train for a change? It's a combination of art and balancing skills, you know, and we can even get sponsorship from Apple. Or newspaper picking - like those old ladies outside the station? Hey that requires endurance, physical strength, patience and a little bit of charm and luck - everything that is needed for any competitive sports. Or even "People Dodging" - having 2 teams facing each other at a narrow Mongkok Station entrance and team members have to reach the other side without being bumped by any one of the opposing team. Trust me, I tried, but I can never accomplish that.

See, commuting can be fun if you start day-dreaming!

10 things I like about my iPhone (and 5 things that I don't)

Things I like:
1. All-in-one Unit - I don't need to carry my phone, music player, and PDA separately anymore. Just one iPhone will do!
2. User Interface - After comparing it to my old Windows mobile machine, I wonder why I didn't make the switch sooner.
3. Functionalities - now I can make phone calls, check emails, listen to music, play games, watch TV... that makes daily commute so much more fun.
4. Stability - 7 days into using it - never an instance did I run into a system freeze. That compared to at least 3 times a day for my old pda (LG KS20 running WM6.1).
5. Looking Cool - since everyone's using it, I don't feel awkward holding that piece of brick on the street.
6. Great Camera - now I can take snapshots at anytime!
7. Interesting Apps - and most of them are free/cheap. My favorite so far: OpenRice. With that I can locate restaurants nearby (thank to the GPS capability), get their information (address and phone) and call them direct! No more 1083!
8. GPS - Not a lot of practical use at the moment, but looking forward to a software that can give me turn-by-turn directions (TomTom's coming out with a version soon, I heard)
9. Speed. I don't know how that compared to the old iPhone, but it's amazingly fast when compared to my old pda.
10. Apple. They never disappoint. Maybe it's time to ditch my PC and switch to a Mac too? I wonder.


And things that I don't like:
1. Cost. HK$5400 for a phone. Ouch! I'd better not lose or break it.
2. Cost for accessories. I like this new toy so much that I keep looking for accessories to make it look/work/sound better, and cost for those things adds up pretty fast.
3. Battery. I keep worrying that I may run out of battery in the middle of the day and can't take any phone calls.
4. Bulkiness. May need to get a smaller wallet so it and the iPhone can all fit in my pocket.
5. Bandwidth. Many applications do require internet connection to function properly. Now I need to switch to an unlimited data plan with my mobile carrier, but I am sure it's all worth it.

Uno Mas

Well, tapas bar wasn't exactly what I have in mind if I have to look for a venue for special occasions, but for a random night out for no particular reasons, it's just perfect.

We already set sight at this trendy tapas bar in Wanchai for some time, seeing all the good reviews in the press and nice words from our friends - I guess this is also why this place's always fully-booked. After several tries, we were finally able to score a reservation on one Wednesday evening, so we went with our friends r and a, who have tried this place before and raved about it. We don't usually go out drinking in the middle of the week, but for this particular time, we all feel we need something like that just to de-stress and let it out.

The restaurant's located on the first floor in a more decent block on Wanchai's Lockhart Road. Decor's chic, casual and comfortable - good atmosphere to chill and chitchat with friends. The food menu's actually a checklist of tapas on one side with several choices of main dishes at the back, so we order by checking what we want on the sheet of paper - sort of like how we order dim sum in a local Chinese restaurant. We ordered mostly tapas dishes with the exception of paella to share, which came in main dish portion.

As for drinks - it's a no-brainer really - Sangria of course! We almost went straight to the Sangria menu without looking at anything else and found that there's a good choice of six or so different types, be it red, white or cava, with all sorts of fruit combinations. We opted for the classic (and later followed by the more refreshing Cava plus Strawberry type). They do have a decent wine selection and other standard bar drinks available as well, and we were surprised to find Estrella Damm Inedit beer on the menu - something we just had a few weeks ago at The Krug Room with its manager telling us then that this beer's not available anywhere else in town. It's an elegantly-done beer with rich and creamy flavor. You will definitely change your perception (or lack thereof) on Spanish beer after having a sip of that. And if anyone knew any local supermarket starting to stock Inedit, please tell me so I can make a run for it.

No particular dish to die for but they are all very decent. The paella took a while to prepare but it's definitely worth the wait; chorizo is well, good old chorizo and you can't go wrong with that, I suppose. The tortilla de patatas is simple but flavorful - thanks to the aioli on top. We like the clams in white wine sauce but not its tiny portion (just 6 of them!). Plus a few more - we ended up ordering probably seven or eight of those to share. That's the beauty of tapas - tidbits of small dishes that have our mind calling more and more as we started digging in.

For dessert, we ordered the caramel flan and churros with chocolate cream, and they were all very good. The portion's so generous that we were unable to finish, even with just two dishes shared among four of us. On the menu it did say each dessert's to be shared by two, but still it turned out to be bigger than we expected.

Well the bar tab didn't come cheap but we were definitely enjoying our evening! Just be merry and happy, and be able to momentarily forgetting the work ahead in the middle of the week, it's worth it. And it feels good.

details:
when? june 17 2009
where? Uno Mas, 1/F, The Broadway, 54-62 Lockhart Rd, Wan Chai
occasion? Mid-Week Tapas/Drink Night
menu highlights? Paella
drinks? Sangria (lots of them!)

Perseverance and Faith - 20 years ago in history

In one dawn 20 years ago, with tanks and soldiers rolling over Beijing's Tiananman Square, crushing the bones and flesh of innocent students and other protesters (as well as our hearts), history was forever changed. We all witnessed first-hand a defining historical moment that has been haunting us even to this date; and little did we know at that time, this bloody event turned a new worldwide tide against despotism and tyranny regimes, and a few months later, Berlin Wall - the symbol of oppression of freedom, fell, for once and for all, and the world was never the same.

Just when we were still consumed by all the horror news coming from Beijing in June 1989, another chapter of history quietly unfolded a few days later, not in Beijing but in Paris; not on a public square but on a red-clay tennis court; not by a troop of cold-blooded soldiers and political leaders but by one young man, not of a cowardly oppression but a David-vs-Goliath triumph. Michael Chang, 17 years old at that time and merely 5'9" tall, against all odds, has won the French open men's singles, defeating hot favorites Ivan Lendl and Stefan Edberg along his way. With the stunning victory, he became the youngest Grand Slam male champion (a record still holds to date), the first ethnic Chinese to win a Grand Slam tournament, and the first American to win the French Open since 1955. Every cloud has a silver lining.

The highlight of his road to the championship is certainly the match he played against Ivan Lendl in the 4th Round - trailing two sets to none and in obvious pain in his knees because of cramps, he crawled back one set at a time and won the next three. Many - me included - would probably still vividly remember his cute underhand serve which caught Lendl by surprise and the double-fault that Ivan Lendl made which ended the match (apparently Michael distracted him by making an awkward stance in the middle of the court and forced him to hit the ball well long as a result) That game remained one of the longest in French Open history (4 hours 37 minutes) and one true classic sporting moment.

Michael Chang went on to become one of the greatest tennis players in the world, reaching Grand Slam finals three more times (French Open in 1995, Australian and US Open in 1996), and ranked number 2 at one point. He's a crowd favorite in Hong Kong in the 1990s - mostly because of his charming look - and he repaid us by winning the tournament here (then called Salem Open) three times - more than anyone else. I remember going to watch him play in Victoria Park one year (when he lost in the semis), keeping an autographed match programme as a treasured memento, and wearing his Reebok sneakers proudly on the street when I was young. Who knows how many other local kids picked up their tennis racquets for the first time because of his influences. He's one of the first Asian atheletes who gained worldwide success and fame, and in a sense, paved way for many others to follow soon afterwards.

Well, Michael's story is about perseverance, confidence, hard work, never-say-die spirit, joyful attitude and faith. He dedicated his victory and success to God, and he testified that during his course to the French Open triumph, many times he considered quitting and it's Jesus who urged him to stay on. He shared with us the power of prayers and that he will pray before every match, not for beating his opponents, but for his actions and words be used to glorify God. Overcoming his height (and reach) constraints, he always run around on the court, going after every balls, hitting those "impossible" shots which others would have long given up on. He's always been a model athelete, and never been in any kind of trouble or scandal, which is a rare commodity these days. His professional career outlasted many of his peers (including Pete Sampras and Jim Courier) and after retirement, he continued to be an inspirational figure on and off the court, running tennis camps and sharing his story with others around the world, using every opportunity he has to draw people to Jesus and Christianity.

Just as this month we remember what happened 20 years ago in Tiananman Square and vow to persist until freedom and democracy are upheld in China, let us also remember and reflect upon the historical triumph of Michael, and be inspired once again by his perseverance and the faith in the Lord.

The Krug Room

CYY 的生日飯, 今年我們選了到文華的The Krug Room. Krug Room其實即是MO的Chef's Table, 每天只供應Tasting Menu的晚餐, 由酒店的總廚Uwe Opocensky一手設計和炮製, 菜式嘛... 據chef uwe 自己的形容, 是progressive gastronomy 的style, 風格也深受Ferran Adrià的影響, 當然Dining Room內還feature了被譽為全城最extensive的Krug 香檳Collection...

星期六的傍晚, 我們抵達酒店大堂時, 已經看到負責招呼我們的waiter在等候著, 帶領我們從chinnery bar後面穿過一道non-descriptive的門口, 到達我們今晚用餐的"隱閉"地點 - 一間長長的dining room, 只放著一張雲石做的高身communal table, 牆身和地板以橡木作裝飾, 旁邊也放了champagne第一趟發酵用的木筒作擺設, dining room的一邊, 就靠著廚房, 透過玻璃窗, 裡面的作業情況一覽無遺 - Relaxed, 簡單, 耀目而不落俗套. 桌子上作裝飾的碟子, 寫上了詩仙李白的<<將進酒>>: "人生得意須盡歡, 莫使金樽空對月", 此時此刻, 尤為貼切. Oh, 還有, 房間內, 有一面黑色的牆, 上面以粉筆寫上了我們Dinner Menu的"謎面" - 只是些單字 - "Farm", "Pond", "Miyazaki"... 看了, 已有"未進餐, 先興奮"的感覺, 就是想看看每個單字代表的是一道甚麼的菜式, 帶來的是一樣甚麼的味道.

晚飯先以一杯Krug的Grande Cuvée作序幕, 要逐一形容Chef Uwe為我們預備的菜式, 恐怕並不容易. 也為著保留神秘感, 所以在此不贅. 總之, 寫在menu的, 看到的, 嚐到的, 和感受到的可以是截然不同, 雖然可能是些平凡得不可再平凡的食材 - 蔬菜, 龍蝦, 魚生, 宮崎牛... 只是從賣相到味道都充滿了意想不到吧. serve每一道菜之前, Chef Uwe都會親自一一解釋. 細心一看, 其實每一道菜式都表現了分子料理中的不少技術, 同時照顧了視覺, 嗅覺和味覺多元的享受, 從此也看得出他設計餐單的深度和心思, 也給我們上了一趟很有趣的烹飪課.

就例如amuse-bouche後的第一道菜 - "魚子醬", 是以蘋果汁配以香檳, 混入海藻膠 (sodium alginate), 再"逐滴逐滴"放入加入了鈣粉(calcium chloride)的水裡, 形成了像魚子醬般質地的小粒粒, 放在小罐中上桌, 這正是el bulli的得意傑作. And FYI, 這些"化學品"其實並不是甚麼新發明, 而且也經常運用在日常食品中 - 例如麥記的蘋果批的餡就加入了海藻膠, 以帶出糊狀的口感. 其他分子料理的煮食方法如spherification, gellification, sous vide, cold smoke, flash-freezing (by anti-griddle)都一一用到. 書就看得多, 真正見到嚐到又是另一回事, 真令人拍案叫絕.

新意還不單是在食物方面: 晚飯中間, 廚師特意帶來了Ferran Adrià有份參與釀製的Inedit Beer來伴其中一道名為morning mist的菜式, 是很柔和很smooth的啤酒, 剛巧跟菜式散出"一縷輕煙"的香氣和大麥的味道相配. Matching wine就見得多, matching beer反而是頭一遭.

這天晚上, 絕對可不只是一頓愉快美妙的晚飯這麼簡單, 而是體會了藝術與烹飪, 科學與創意一次妙不可言的結合. 要"搭枱"的一餐飯, 這肯定是我們最貴的一餐 - but really is a very chilled, delightful and tasteful evening, and a well-worth one too (反正"千金散盡還復來"嘛, 不是嗎?)

details:
when? may 16 2009
where? The Krug Room at The Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong
occasion? birthday celebration
menu highlights? miyazaki, lobster noodle (I will leave it up to you to imagine what they actually are)
drinks?
Krug Grande Cuvée Brut
Pazo de Señorans Albariño Rias Baixas 2007
Inedit Beer by Estrella Damm