Now that I'm back in Hong Kong for the rest of the summer, I finally had the chance to look beneath the tourist surface of the city - to a degree. On Friday, I met with some former IFC colleagues in Soho (SOuth of HOllywood Road), a small neighborhood not far from the yuppie bar-and-lounge area of Lan Kwai Fang, but very different in terms of atmosphere (very few bars, and a much greater emphasis restaurants and good food). We went to Sardines, a French restaurant with fairly authentic lamb chops, steak tartare, etc. at reasonable prices.
On Saturday, I met with Wharton friends for dinner at a small private restaurant. One of the must-do things for tourists on extended stays is to eat at what is essentially a private residence, but one opened to just a single party of anywhere from 2-20 for a multi-course dinner - ours was typically excellent. We followed that up with a trip to a lounge, and then a karaoke bar, in Causeway Bay, which was new to me since the area is better known for its shopping than nightlife.
Finally, on Sunday, again attempting to get off the beaten path, I went to Shek O, a beach in the southeastern corner of the island. It was a sweltering day, but all the Hong Kongers there were having a great time. Indeed, Shek O is about as far away as you can get on Hong Kong island, but the buses there and back were packed with people - it seems that you can never really get away from the crowds in Hong Kong! (Peace and quiet can apparently be found in the New Territories near China or on the outlying islands, which will have to be the agenda for next weekend!) More thumbnails ...
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