Celebrity Life

There's no better way to mark the occasion than with good food — and lots of it. Here's our pick of the best Chinese New Year luxury puddings and treats.

With the start of the new lunar year just around the corner, stock up on the best desserts on offer. Turnip puddings (also called radish cakes) are traditional Chinese dim sum snacks, commonly served in Cantonese yum cha. Don't underestimate the small dish — in Cantonese, its name “leen goh” or “loh bak goh” is a homophone for “year higher”, ushering in new heights of prosperity for the coming year.

And we adore the Chinese New Year chuen hup, or traditional candy box, portion of the holiday. A bright red circular box set enticingly open upon coffee tables, filled with all kinds of sweet and savoury treats — it's a time-honoured custom, along with the coconut and turnip puddings. Each neat little segment houses a treat with an auspicious meaning of its own: lotus seeds are symbolic signs of improved fertility; lotus root, of love; tangerines and kumquats sound phonetically similar to "gold"; melon seeds to money and wealth. Chocolate coins, well, are coins.

To celebrate new beginnings and the new year, we've compiled the best Chinese New Year luxury puddings and treats for you and your loved ones to welcome the Year of the Tiger with.

The Best Chinese New Year Luxury Puddings and Treats

China Tang

China Tang's artisan Chinese New Year puddings are a modern take on the classic recipe, serving up two whole new flavours to welcome the Year of the Tiger: a turnip pudding with dried tiger prawn and local preserved meat and a handmade rice pudding with Taiwanese brown sugar and purple rice. Both are crafted by executive chef Menex Cheung and dim sum chef Mok Wing Kwai, and come in these stunning gift boxes decorated with China Tang’s signature Narcissus pattern — symbolizing grace and fortune. You can order the puddings and pick them up from the restaurant.

China Tang Landmark, Shop 411-413, 4/F, LANDMARK ATRIUM, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 2522 2148

Duddell’s

Michelin-starred Duddell's selection of Chinese New Year puddings is a trio of classic favourite flavours: turnip (HK$348), taro (HK$348) and a "New Year" Pudding (HK$298). Pick up one, all three, or a gift set including the restaurant's signature X.O. Sauce. It's all packaged in a specially designed gift box created in collaboration with G.O.D. (Goods of Desire), with an ornate hand-drawn pattern typical of the embellishments found on Chinese teacups and soup bowls, a nod to its Hong Kong heritage. You can purchase at the restaurant or order online for delivery — find out more here.

We also love the look of the "Prosperous New Year Hamper", stocked with six traditional delicacies: a new year pudding; braised South African 5 head abalone with Duddell’s Abalone Sauce; a signature X.O. Sauce; homemade walnut cookies; Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Yellow Label Brut, Champagne; and Fook Ming Tong Fuding Jasmine Mao Feng Tea.

Duddell’s, 1 Duddell Street, Central; +852 2525 9191

Godiva

To no one's surprise, it's all about the chocolates at Godiva. The Belgian chocolatier has drawn up a new motif for the Year of the Tiger, auspicious red and gold packaging printed with swimming koi and a tiger portrait set amongst crackling fireworks as a symbolic image of wealth. For the chocolates, the bijou creations feature the same lucky tiger motif over the surface and are packed in three distinct flavours: Raspberry Orange White chocolate, Pecan Praliné Milk chocolate and 85% Dark Ganache chocolate. Order before 31 January to enjoy special offers including free gifts, including a complimentary box of chocolates, or 10% off any purchase of HK$688. Find out more and order here.

Godiva, various locations across Hong Kong

Little Bao

Little Bao is paying tribute to lucky colour red with a beetroot turnip cake, replacing turnip with fresh beetroot for a natural bold red cake. Ingredients include Sam Hing Lung rose wine sausages, Thai dried shrimp and natural seasoning for extra-healthy eating. You can also opt for the taro cake, made with Okinawan sweet potato and fresh taro for an extra soft and pillowy texture, and also to help boost the immune system. You can order them and more here.

Little Bao, 1-3 Shin Hing Street, Central; +852 6794 8414

Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel

Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel is celebrating the new lunar year with traditional Chinese recipes, serving up three classic puddings — a savoury Chinese Turnip Cake with Conpoy made from Chinese sausage and Jinhua ham; a sweet Coconut Pudding with Gold Leaf decorated with golden leaf glutinous rice and coconut milk; and a Water Chestnut Cake filled with crunchy water chestnut pieces. Bottles of homemade XO Chilli Sauce are also available to order. You can find out more here.

Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, No. 3 Canton Road, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon; +852 2118 7283

Ming Court

Located inside Cordis, Michelin-starred Ming Court is offering an array of festive treats to ring in the Lunar New Year. Executive Chef Li Yuet Faat has prepared three auspicious puddings: a coconut Chinese New Year Pudding; an abalone, conpoy, and air-dried preserved meat and turnip pudding; and a red date and coconut pudding. Go for the deluxe Chinese New Year hamper, with a coconut pudding, homemade XO sauce, South African premium 12 head abalone and more. You can order it here.

Ming Court, Level 6, 555 Shanghai Street, Cordis, Mong Kok, Kowloon; +852 3552 3301 

Rosewood Hong Kong

Rosewood Hong Kong is offering an array of Chinese New Year sets for gifting, featuring everything from traditional puddings to homemade XO sauce, festive candies, afternoon tea sets and more. Don't miss the well-wishes themed hampers: Harvest (HK$9,988), Fortune (HK$3,388), and Joy (HK$2,288) — for every CNY hamper purchased, Rosewood will donate 5% of the proceeds to support ImpactHK and their work to support those experiencing homelessness in Hong Kong. Find out more here.

We also love the clever Chinese New Year advent calendar from Rosewood — rather than counting down, you count on from the first day of the lunar calendar into the new Year of the Tiger. The whole set holds 15 special treats from the hotel, one for each day of the Chinese traditional holiday that lasts for two weeks. Tug open the jewel-toned drawers to discover a selection of delicious snacks from fortune cookies and egg rolls to XO sauce, palmiers, nougats, ginger candies and crunchy peanut bites. Much better than your usual melon seeds. You can order it here.

Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, +852 3891 8732

Paul Lafayet

No crème brulée from Paul Lafayet this Chinese New Year. What you can get, though, is the patisserie's Lucky Tiger Gift Box with French illustrator Emilie Sarnel's hand drawing of two dancing tigers. The gift box set pulls open to reveal three different tiers featuring a whole afternoon experience: “Cookirons" — a cookie-based iteration of the brand's famous macaron; jasmine and hojicha tea tins with pots of honey in the second and a special fine bone china porcelain dish at the base to hold it all. The plate is specially tailored to the Year of the Tiger, featuring a sketch of two smiling tigers amongst a flowery meadow filled with macarons. You can order it online here.

Paul Lafayet, various locations across Hong Kong

Saicho

So this might not fit into traditional Chinese candy boxes, but it will still sit very prettily amongst red-adorned decor around the home. For the Year of the Tiger, Saicho has launched a very special creation of only 900 bottles — Eight Immortals — featuring the special Dan Cong Oolong tea grown atop Phoenix Mountain's Tian Liao village in Guangdong. From harvest to roast and rolling, the Dan Cong Oolong leaves are looked after by a qualified tea master. The result is a fragrant blend that adheres to the leaves' distinct complexity: bright notes of ginger mango and tangerine that rounds into a bitterness, then herbal, the likes of anise, fennel and tarragon. With Eight Immortals' earthy savouriness, Saicho recommends pairing with traditional Chinese New Year dishes including Chinese steamed fish and tang yang (glutinous rice dumplings). You can shop Saicho's Chinese New Year selection here.

Smith & Sinclair

Candy box fillings will be extra exciting with the addition of Smith & Sinclair treats, they're made after your favourite tipples! The UK-based brand crafts vegan-friendly gummies — or "Edible Cocktails" — from anything, including classic Gin & Tonic to special concoctions like Passionfruit Mojito. For the Year of the Tiger, the brand has designed a special red, tiger-printed sleeve as a symbol of good luck and fortune. These can be fitted over any of Smith & Sinclair's nine signature sets, from spirit-based "Gin Obsessed" or "Tequila Time" to themed "Love Box" or "Night In". You can order and find out more here.

Sugarfina

Sugarfina's candy cubes are a delight, both to give and receive. For this Chinese New Year, the confectioner has crafted a series of Candy Bento Boxes for easy gifting (and enjoying!) — with anything from a single cube to a lucky set of eight, featuring the brand's sweet creations in fun, auspicious names. There's the Lotus Flowers flavoured with lychee, Tangerine Bears, berried-flavoured Royal Roses and Golden Pearls. If not for the sweets within, get this set for the beautifully artistic packaging: a hand-crafted shadow box of red and gold decor motifs of lanterns, flowers and a temple to mark new beginnings.

Sugarfina, various locations across Hong Kong

The Peninsula Boutique & Café

One of the traditional elements of the Year of the Tiger is the big cat's head, symbolising strength and good health. Inspired by traditional Chinese "tiger head shoes" worn by children, the Peninsula Boutique & Café is celebrating the new year with plenty of tiger head-decorated gift sets — you can hang the box up as a Chinese New Year decoration! Pick up the festive "Robust Tiger Gift Set" (with cookies, candies, chocolate, tea and more), and any of the Chinese New Year puddings. You can find out more here.

The Peninsula Boutique & Café, The Peninsula Arcade, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon; +852 2696 6969

Venchi

You may be spoilt for choice with Venchi's range of Chinese New Year gift boxes, but one thing's for sure: the range of lucky red and gold packaging all feature the Italian brand's signature 140-years, Piedmont Master Chocolatiers-approved sweets. Pick up The Chinese New Year Double Layer Hexagon Gift Box, an extensive collection of the brand's favourite chocolates: Cremini, Chocoviar, Truffles, and Dubledoni. Or consider the Chinese New Year Round Hamper, which features Venchi's latest creation Gianduja N.3 with Hazelnut, and is a close replica of the traditional chuen hup with the rounded exterior and organised sections within.

Venchi, various locations across Hong Kong

Yat Tung Heen

Led by celebrated chef Tam Tung, Michelin-starred Yat Tung Heen is celebrating the new year by bringing back its highly sought-after turnip pudding, classic Chinese New Year pudding and the restaurant's signature gift box (which includes housemade premium XO sauce, candied walnuts and hand-selected Ginseng Oolong tea leaves). And to minimise the environmental impact of the gifting season, each pudding is thoughtfully packaged in a 100% recyclable eco-friendly paper box. You can find out more here.

Yat Tung Heen, Level B2, Eaton HK, 380 Nathan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, +852 2710 1093

Ying Jee Club

Two Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Ying Jee Club is serving the finest delectable pastry duo, a savoury turnip pudding with conpoy and air-dried meat and a sweet coconut milk pudding with red bean and Ceylon tea. Both are handcrafted daily by executive chef Siu Hin-Chi, who has amassed 20 Michelin stars over the past decade alone — rest assured, the preservative-free puddings epitomise the highest standard of Cantonese cuisine in both texture and flavour. You can order in-person at the restaurant, or by calling 2801 6882 or emailing reservation@yingjeeclub.hk — find out more here.

Ying Jee Club, Shop G05, 107 & 108, Nexxus Building, 41 Connaught Road Central; +852 2801 6882

(Hero image courtesy of Yat Tung Heen, featured image courtesy of Duddell's, image 1 courtesy of China Tang)

The post Friends of the Art Museum, CUHK: “Celebrating Our 40 Years!” appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

There's no better way to mark the occasion than with good food — and lots of it. Here's our pick of the best Chinese New Year luxury puddings and treats.

With the start of the new lunar year just around the corner, stock up on the best desserts on offer. Turnip puddings (also called radish cakes) are traditional Chinese dim sum snacks, commonly served in Cantonese yum cha. Don't underestimate the small dish — in Cantonese, its name “leen goh” or “loh bak goh” is a homophone for “year higher”, ushering in new heights of prosperity for the coming year.

And we adore the Chinese New Year chuen hup, or traditional candy box, portion of the holiday. A bright red circular box set enticingly open upon coffee tables, filled with all kinds of sweet and savoury treats — it's a time-honoured custom, along with the coconut and turnip puddings. Each neat little segment houses a treat with an auspicious meaning of its own: lotus seeds are symbolic signs of improved fertility; lotus root, of love; tangerines and kumquats sound phonetically similar to "gold"; melon seeds to money and wealth. Chocolate coins, well, are coins.

To celebrate new beginnings and the new year, we've compiled the best Chinese New Year luxury puddings and treats for you and your loved ones to welcome the Year of the Tiger with.

The Best Chinese New Year Luxury Puddings and Treats

China Tang

China Tang's artisan Chinese New Year puddings are a modern take on the classic recipe, serving up two whole new flavours to welcome the Year of the Tiger: a turnip pudding with dried tiger prawn and local preserved meat and a handmade rice pudding with Taiwanese brown sugar and purple rice. Both are crafted by executive chef Menex Cheung and dim sum chef Mok Wing Kwai, and come in these stunning gift boxes decorated with China Tang’s signature Narcissus pattern — symbolizing grace and fortune. You can order the puddings and pick them up from the restaurant.

China Tang Landmark, Shop 411-413, 4/F, LANDMARK ATRIUM, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 2522 2148

Duddell’s

Michelin-starred Duddell's selection of Chinese New Year puddings is a trio of classic favourite flavours: turnip (HK$348), taro (HK$348) and a "New Year" Pudding (HK$298). Pick up one, all three, or a gift set including the restaurant's signature X.O. Sauce. It's all packaged in a specially designed gift box created in collaboration with G.O.D. (Goods of Desire), with an ornate hand-drawn pattern typical of the embellishments found on Chinese teacups and soup bowls, a nod to its Hong Kong heritage. You can purchase at the restaurant or order online for delivery — find out more here.

We also love the look of the "Prosperous New Year Hamper", stocked with six traditional delicacies: a new year pudding; braised South African 5 head abalone with Duddell’s Abalone Sauce; a signature X.O. Sauce; homemade walnut cookies; Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Yellow Label Brut, Champagne; and Fook Ming Tong Fuding Jasmine Mao Feng Tea.

Duddell’s, 1 Duddell Street, Central; +852 2525 9191

Godiva

To no one's surprise, it's all about the chocolates at Godiva. The Belgian chocolatier has drawn up a new motif for the Year of the Tiger, auspicious red and gold packaging printed with swimming koi and a tiger portrait set amongst crackling fireworks as a symbolic image of wealth. For the chocolates, the bijou creations feature the same lucky tiger motif over the surface and are packed in three distinct flavours: Raspberry Orange White chocolate, Pecan Praliné Milk chocolate and 85% Dark Ganache chocolate. Order before 31 January to enjoy special offers including free gifts, including a complimentary box of chocolates, or 10% off any purchase of HK$688. Find out more and order here.

Godiva, various locations across Hong Kong

Little Bao

Little Bao is paying tribute to lucky colour red with a beetroot turnip cake, replacing turnip with fresh beetroot for a natural bold red cake. Ingredients include Sam Hing Lung rose wine sausages, Thai dried shrimp and natural seasoning for extra-healthy eating. You can also opt for the taro cake, made with Okinawan sweet potato and fresh taro for an extra soft and pillowy texture, and also to help boost the immune system. You can order them and more here.

Little Bao, 1-3 Shin Hing Street, Central; +852 6794 8414

Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel

Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel is celebrating the new lunar year with traditional Chinese recipes, serving up three classic puddings — a savoury Chinese Turnip Cake with Conpoy made from Chinese sausage and Jinhua ham; a sweet Coconut Pudding with Gold Leaf decorated with golden leaf glutinous rice and coconut milk; and a Water Chestnut Cake filled with crunchy water chestnut pieces. Bottles of homemade XO Chilli Sauce are also available to order. You can find out more here.

Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, No. 3 Canton Road, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon; +852 2118 7283

Ming Court

Located inside Cordis, Michelin-starred Ming Court is offering an array of festive treats to ring in the Lunar New Year. Executive Chef Li Yuet Faat has prepared three auspicious puddings: a coconut Chinese New Year Pudding; an abalone, conpoy, and air-dried preserved meat and turnip pudding; and a red date and coconut pudding. Go for the deluxe Chinese New Year hamper, with a coconut pudding, homemade XO sauce, South African premium 12 head abalone and more. You can order it here.

Ming Court, Level 6, 555 Shanghai Street, Cordis, Mong Kok, Kowloon; +852 3552 3301 

Rosewood Hong Kong

Rosewood Hong Kong is offering an array of Chinese New Year sets for gifting, featuring everything from traditional puddings to homemade XO sauce, festive candies, afternoon tea sets and more. Don't miss the well-wishes themed hampers: Harvest (HK$9,988), Fortune (HK$3,388), and Joy (HK$2,288) — for every CNY hamper purchased, Rosewood will donate 5% of the proceeds to support ImpactHK and their work to support those experiencing homelessness in Hong Kong. Find out more here.

We also love the clever Chinese New Year advent calendar from Rosewood — rather than counting down, you count on from the first day of the lunar calendar into the new Year of the Tiger. The whole set holds 15 special treats from the hotel, one for each day of the Chinese traditional holiday that lasts for two weeks. Tug open the jewel-toned drawers to discover a selection of delicious snacks from fortune cookies and egg rolls to XO sauce, palmiers, nougats, ginger candies and crunchy peanut bites. Much better than your usual melon seeds. You can order it here.

Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, +852 3891 8732

Paul Lafayet

No crème brulée from Paul Lafayet this Chinese New Year. What you can get, though, is the patisserie's Lucky Tiger Gift Box with French illustrator Emilie Sarnel's hand drawing of two dancing tigers. The gift box set pulls open to reveal three different tiers featuring a whole afternoon experience: “Cookirons" — a cookie-based iteration of the brand's famous macaron; jasmine and hojicha tea tins with pots of honey in the second and a special fine bone china porcelain dish at the base to hold it all. The plate is specially tailored to the Year of the Tiger, featuring a sketch of two smiling tigers amongst a flowery meadow filled with macarons. You can order it online here.

Paul Lafayet, various locations across Hong Kong

Saicho

So this might not fit into traditional Chinese candy boxes, but it will still sit very prettily amongst red-adorned decor around the home. For the Year of the Tiger, Saicho has launched a very special creation of only 900 bottles — Eight Immortals — featuring the special Dan Cong Oolong tea grown atop Phoenix Mountain's Tian Liao village in Guangdong. From harvest to roast and rolling, the Dan Cong Oolong leaves are looked after by a qualified tea master. The result is a fragrant blend that adheres to the leaves' distinct complexity: bright notes of ginger mango and tangerine that rounds into a bitterness, then herbal, the likes of anise, fennel and tarragon. With Eight Immortals' earthy savouriness, Saicho recommends pairing with traditional Chinese New Year dishes including Chinese steamed fish and tang yang (glutinous rice dumplings). You can shop Saicho's Chinese New Year selection here.

Smith & Sinclair

Candy box fillings will be extra exciting with the addition of Smith & Sinclair treats, they're made after your favourite tipples! The UK-based brand crafts vegan-friendly gummies — or "Edible Cocktails" — from anything, including classic Gin & Tonic to special concoctions like Passionfruit Mojito. For the Year of the Tiger, the brand has designed a special red, tiger-printed sleeve as a symbol of good luck and fortune. These can be fitted over any of Smith & Sinclair's nine signature sets, from spirit-based "Gin Obsessed" or "Tequila Time" to themed "Love Box" or "Night In". You can order and find out more here.

Sugarfina

Sugarfina's candy cubes are a delight, both to give and receive. For this Chinese New Year, the confectioner has crafted a series of Candy Bento Boxes for easy gifting (and enjoying!) — with anything from a single cube to a lucky set of eight, featuring the brand's sweet creations in fun, auspicious names. There's the Lotus Flowers flavoured with lychee, Tangerine Bears, berried-flavoured Royal Roses and Golden Pearls. If not for the sweets within, get this set for the beautifully artistic packaging: a hand-crafted shadow box of red and gold decor motifs of lanterns, flowers and a temple to mark new beginnings.

Sugarfina, various locations across Hong Kong

The Peninsula Boutique & Café

One of the traditional elements of the Year of the Tiger is the big cat's head, symbolising strength and good health. Inspired by traditional Chinese "tiger head shoes" worn by children, the Peninsula Boutique & Café is celebrating the new year with plenty of tiger head-decorated gift sets — you can hang the box up as a Chinese New Year decoration! Pick up the festive "Robust Tiger Gift Set" (with cookies, candies, chocolate, tea and more), and any of the Chinese New Year puddings. You can find out more here.

The Peninsula Boutique & Café, The Peninsula Arcade, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon; +852 2696 6969

Venchi

You may be spoilt for choice with Venchi's range of Chinese New Year gift boxes, but one thing's for sure: the range of lucky red and gold packaging all feature the Italian brand's signature 140-years, Piedmont Master Chocolatiers-approved sweets. Pick up The Chinese New Year Double Layer Hexagon Gift Box, an extensive collection of the brand's favourite chocolates: Cremini, Chocoviar, Truffles, and Dubledoni. Or consider the Chinese New Year Round Hamper, which features Venchi's latest creation Gianduja N.3 with Hazelnut, and is a close replica of the traditional chuen hup with the rounded exterior and organised sections within.

Venchi, various locations across Hong Kong

Yat Tung Heen

Led by celebrated chef Tam Tung, Michelin-starred Yat Tung Heen is celebrating the new year by bringing back its highly sought-after turnip pudding, classic Chinese New Year pudding and the restaurant's signature gift box (which includes housemade premium XO sauce, candied walnuts and hand-selected Ginseng Oolong tea leaves). And to minimise the environmental impact of the gifting season, each pudding is thoughtfully packaged in a 100% recyclable eco-friendly paper box. You can find out more here.

Yat Tung Heen, Level B2, Eaton HK, 380 Nathan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, +852 2710 1093

Ying Jee Club

Two Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Ying Jee Club is serving the finest delectable pastry duo, a savoury turnip pudding with conpoy and air-dried meat and a sweet coconut milk pudding with red bean and Ceylon tea. Both are handcrafted daily by executive chef Siu Hin-Chi, who has amassed 20 Michelin stars over the past decade alone — rest assured, the preservative-free puddings epitomise the highest standard of Cantonese cuisine in both texture and flavour. You can order in-person at the restaurant, or by calling 2801 6882 or emailing reservation@yingjeeclub.hk — find out more here.

Ying Jee Club, Shop G05, 107 & 108, Nexxus Building, 41 Connaught Road Central; +852 2801 6882

(Hero image courtesy of Yat Tung Heen, featured image courtesy of Duddell's, image 1 courtesy of China Tang)

The post Beyond Traditional Theatre: Director Ata Wong on His New Play #1314 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

There's no better way to mark the occasion than with good food — and lots of it. Here's our pick of the best Chinese New Year luxury puddings and treats.

With the start of the new lunar year just around the corner, stock up on the best desserts on offer. Turnip puddings (also called radish cakes) are traditional Chinese dim sum snacks, commonly served in Cantonese yum cha. Don't underestimate the small dish — in Cantonese, its name “leen goh” or “loh bak goh” is a homophone for “year higher”, ushering in new heights of prosperity for the coming year.

And we adore the Chinese New Year chuen hup, or traditional candy box, portion of the holiday. A bright red circular box set enticingly open upon coffee tables, filled with all kinds of sweet and savoury treats — it's a time-honoured custom, along with the coconut and turnip puddings. Each neat little segment houses a treat with an auspicious meaning of its own: lotus seeds are symbolic signs of improved fertility; lotus root, of love; tangerines and kumquats sound phonetically similar to "gold"; melon seeds to money and wealth. Chocolate coins, well, are coins.

To celebrate new beginnings and the new year, we've compiled the best Chinese New Year luxury puddings and treats for you and your loved ones to welcome the Year of the Tiger with.

The Best Chinese New Year Luxury Puddings and Treats

China Tang

China Tang's artisan Chinese New Year puddings are a modern take on the classic recipe, serving up two whole new flavours to welcome the Year of the Tiger: a turnip pudding with dried tiger prawn and local preserved meat and a handmade rice pudding with Taiwanese brown sugar and purple rice. Both are crafted by executive chef Menex Cheung and dim sum chef Mok Wing Kwai, and come in these stunning gift boxes decorated with China Tang’s signature Narcissus pattern — symbolizing grace and fortune. You can order the puddings and pick them up from the restaurant.

China Tang Landmark, Shop 411-413, 4/F, LANDMARK ATRIUM, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 2522 2148

Duddell’s

Michelin-starred Duddell's selection of Chinese New Year puddings is a trio of classic favourite flavours: turnip (HK$348), taro (HK$348) and a "New Year" Pudding (HK$298). Pick up one, all three, or a gift set including the restaurant's signature X.O. Sauce. It's all packaged in a specially designed gift box created in collaboration with G.O.D. (Goods of Desire), with an ornate hand-drawn pattern typical of the embellishments found on Chinese teacups and soup bowls, a nod to its Hong Kong heritage. You can purchase at the restaurant or order online for delivery — find out more here.

We also love the look of the "Prosperous New Year Hamper", stocked with six traditional delicacies: a new year pudding; braised South African 5 head abalone with Duddell’s Abalone Sauce; a signature X.O. Sauce; homemade walnut cookies; Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Yellow Label Brut, Champagne; and Fook Ming Tong Fuding Jasmine Mao Feng Tea.

Duddell’s, 1 Duddell Street, Central; +852 2525 9191

Godiva

To no one's surprise, it's all about the chocolates at Godiva. The Belgian chocolatier has drawn up a new motif for the Year of the Tiger, auspicious red and gold packaging printed with swimming koi and a tiger portrait set amongst crackling fireworks as a symbolic image of wealth. For the chocolates, the bijou creations feature the same lucky tiger motif over the surface and are packed in three distinct flavours: Raspberry Orange White chocolate, Pecan Praliné Milk chocolate and 85% Dark Ganache chocolate. Order before 31 January to enjoy special offers including free gifts, including a complimentary box of chocolates, or 10% off any purchase of HK$688. Find out more and order here.

Godiva, various locations across Hong Kong

Little Bao

Little Bao is paying tribute to lucky colour red with a beetroot turnip cake, replacing turnip with fresh beetroot for a natural bold red cake. Ingredients include Sam Hing Lung rose wine sausages, Thai dried shrimp and natural seasoning for extra-healthy eating. You can also opt for the taro cake, made with Okinawan sweet potato and fresh taro for an extra soft and pillowy texture, and also to help boost the immune system. You can order them and more here.

Little Bao, 1-3 Shin Hing Street, Central; +852 6794 8414

Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel

Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel is celebrating the new lunar year with traditional Chinese recipes, serving up three classic puddings — a savoury Chinese Turnip Cake with Conpoy made from Chinese sausage and Jinhua ham; a sweet Coconut Pudding with Gold Leaf decorated with golden leaf glutinous rice and coconut milk; and a Water Chestnut Cake filled with crunchy water chestnut pieces. Bottles of homemade XO Chilli Sauce are also available to order. You can find out more here.

Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, No. 3 Canton Road, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon; +852 2118 7283

Ming Court

Located inside Cordis, Michelin-starred Ming Court is offering an array of festive treats to ring in the Lunar New Year. Executive Chef Li Yuet Faat has prepared three auspicious puddings: a coconut Chinese New Year Pudding; an abalone, conpoy, and air-dried preserved meat and turnip pudding; and a red date and coconut pudding. Go for the deluxe Chinese New Year hamper, with a coconut pudding, homemade XO sauce, South African premium 12 head abalone and more. You can order it here.

Ming Court, Level 6, 555 Shanghai Street, Cordis, Mong Kok, Kowloon; +852 3552 3301 

Rosewood Hong Kong

Rosewood Hong Kong is offering an array of Chinese New Year sets for gifting, featuring everything from traditional puddings to homemade XO sauce, festive candies, afternoon tea sets and more. Don't miss the well-wishes themed hampers: Harvest (HK$9,988), Fortune (HK$3,388), and Joy (HK$2,288) — for every CNY hamper purchased, Rosewood will donate 5% of the proceeds to support ImpactHK and their work to support those experiencing homelessness in Hong Kong. Find out more here.

We also love the clever Chinese New Year advent calendar from Rosewood — rather than counting down, you count on from the first day of the lunar calendar into the new Year of the Tiger. The whole set holds 15 special treats from the hotel, one for each day of the Chinese traditional holiday that lasts for two weeks. Tug open the jewel-toned drawers to discover a selection of delicious snacks from fortune cookies and egg rolls to XO sauce, palmiers, nougats, ginger candies and crunchy peanut bites. Much better than your usual melon seeds. You can order it here.

Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, +852 3891 8732

Paul Lafayet

No crème brulée from Paul Lafayet this Chinese New Year. What you can get, though, is the patisserie's Lucky Tiger Gift Box with French illustrator Emilie Sarnel's hand drawing of two dancing tigers. The gift box set pulls open to reveal three different tiers featuring a whole afternoon experience: “Cookirons" — a cookie-based iteration of the brand's famous macaron; jasmine and hojicha tea tins with pots of honey in the second and a special fine bone china porcelain dish at the base to hold it all. The plate is specially tailored to the Year of the Tiger, featuring a sketch of two smiling tigers amongst a flowery meadow filled with macarons. You can order it online here.

Paul Lafayet, various locations across Hong Kong

Saicho

So this might not fit into traditional Chinese candy boxes, but it will still sit very prettily amongst red-adorned decor around the home. For the Year of the Tiger, Saicho has launched a very special creation of only 900 bottles — Eight Immortals — featuring the special Dan Cong Oolong tea grown atop Phoenix Mountain's Tian Liao village in Guangdong. From harvest to roast and rolling, the Dan Cong Oolong leaves are looked after by a qualified tea master. The result is a fragrant blend that adheres to the leaves' distinct complexity: bright notes of ginger mango and tangerine that rounds into a bitterness, then herbal, the likes of anise, fennel and tarragon. With Eight Immortals' earthy savouriness, Saicho recommends pairing with traditional Chinese New Year dishes including Chinese steamed fish and tang yang (glutinous rice dumplings). You can shop Saicho's Chinese New Year selection here.

Smith & Sinclair

Candy box fillings will be extra exciting with the addition of Smith & Sinclair treats, they're made after your favourite tipples! The UK-based brand crafts vegan-friendly gummies — or "Edible Cocktails" — from anything, including classic Gin & Tonic to special concoctions like Passionfruit Mojito. For the Year of the Tiger, the brand has designed a special red, tiger-printed sleeve as a symbol of good luck and fortune. These can be fitted over any of Smith & Sinclair's nine signature sets, from spirit-based "Gin Obsessed" or "Tequila Time" to themed "Love Box" or "Night In". You can order and find out more here.

Sugarfina

Sugarfina's candy cubes are a delight, both to give and receive. For this Chinese New Year, the confectioner has crafted a series of Candy Bento Boxes for easy gifting (and enjoying!) — with anything from a single cube to a lucky set of eight, featuring the brand's sweet creations in fun, auspicious names. There's the Lotus Flowers flavoured with lychee, Tangerine Bears, berried-flavoured Royal Roses and Golden Pearls. If not for the sweets within, get this set for the beautifully artistic packaging: a hand-crafted shadow box of red and gold decor motifs of lanterns, flowers and a temple to mark new beginnings.

Sugarfina, various locations across Hong Kong

The Peninsula Boutique & Café

One of the traditional elements of the Year of the Tiger is the big cat's head, symbolising strength and good health. Inspired by traditional Chinese "tiger head shoes" worn by children, the Peninsula Boutique & Café is celebrating the new year with plenty of tiger head-decorated gift sets — you can hang the box up as a Chinese New Year decoration! Pick up the festive "Robust Tiger Gift Set" (with cookies, candies, chocolate, tea and more), and any of the Chinese New Year puddings. You can find out more here.

The Peninsula Boutique & Café, The Peninsula Arcade, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon; +852 2696 6969

Venchi

You may be spoilt for choice with Venchi's range of Chinese New Year gift boxes, but one thing's for sure: the range of lucky red and gold packaging all feature the Italian brand's signature 140-years, Piedmont Master Chocolatiers-approved sweets. Pick up The Chinese New Year Double Layer Hexagon Gift Box, an extensive collection of the brand's favourite chocolates: Cremini, Chocoviar, Truffles, and Dubledoni. Or consider the Chinese New Year Round Hamper, which features Venchi's latest creation Gianduja N.3 with Hazelnut, and is a close replica of the traditional chuen hup with the rounded exterior and organised sections within.

Venchi, various locations across Hong Kong

Yat Tung Heen

Led by celebrated chef Tam Tung, Michelin-starred Yat Tung Heen is celebrating the new year by bringing back its highly sought-after turnip pudding, classic Chinese New Year pudding and the restaurant's signature gift box (which includes housemade premium XO sauce, candied walnuts and hand-selected Ginseng Oolong tea leaves). And to minimise the environmental impact of the gifting season, each pudding is thoughtfully packaged in a 100% recyclable eco-friendly paper box. You can find out more here.

Yat Tung Heen, Level B2, Eaton HK, 380 Nathan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, +852 2710 1093

Ying Jee Club

Two Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Ying Jee Club is serving the finest delectable pastry duo, a savoury turnip pudding with conpoy and air-dried meat and a sweet coconut milk pudding with red bean and Ceylon tea. Both are handcrafted daily by executive chef Siu Hin-Chi, who has amassed 20 Michelin stars over the past decade alone — rest assured, the preservative-free puddings epitomise the highest standard of Cantonese cuisine in both texture and flavour. You can order in-person at the restaurant, or by calling 2801 6882 or emailing reservation@yingjeeclub.hk — find out more here.

Ying Jee Club, Shop G05, 107 & 108, Nexxus Building, 41 Connaught Road Central; +852 2801 6882

(Hero image courtesy of Yat Tung Heen, featured image courtesy of Duddell's, image 1 courtesy of China Tang)

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Thanks to just how quickly Mercury moves — and the number of times a year it appears to move backwards from our vantage point on earth — it's likely the planet you most associate with retrogrades. But it's far from the only planet that requires us to slow down and go inward every so often.

Romantic Venus kicked off its retrograde on December 19, 2021 spurring reflection around all of the areas of life it oversees — relationships, beauty, love, money, and values — until January 29, 2022.

If that sounds like a total downer, take heart: Because the retrograde is happening in industrious cardinal earth sign Capricorn, there's a pragmatic vibe to this transit, which lends itself to pinpointing actionable steps and rational solutions instead of just spinning your wheels.

Here's what you need to know about Venus' 2021-2022 retrograde.

What It Means When Venus Is Retrograde

The planet of love, which oversees how you relate to others, how you flirt and express yourself artistically, how you experience pleasure, and what you value and see as aesthetically pleasing, is a personal planet that spends about a month in each sign. It also goes retrograde — in other words, slows down and appears to be moving backwards — every 18 months.

When moving direct (aka when it's not retrograde), Venus colours how you externally relate to others (not only romantically but platonically or collegially), experience love, romance, and beauty, and think about money and material possessions. One of the benefic planets (the other being Jupiter), which are thought to bring good fortune, Venus has a pleasure- and charm-boosting effect on anything it's interacting with. Say it's in your third house of communication; because it's such a social planet and the third house is all about connecting with others, you'll be especially charming, curious, and capable of hitting it off with a variety of people, possibly brainstorming artistic ideas right and left. If it's in your tenth house of career and public image, you'll be particularly magnetic when you step into the spotlight and especially capable of making a winning impression on higher-ups.

And when Venus is retrograde, which occurs for about six weeks, you can expect delays, confusion, and a nudge to go inward in regard to the areas of life the romance planet rules. Like Mercury retrograde, Venus' backward turn is a time to go back to the drawing board, reflect, revise — but specifically in terms of relationships, creative projects, and financial endeavours.

Your focus — aka your Venus retrograde mission, if you will — is based on the house of your natal, or birth chart that Venus is retrograde in. For instance, if it's in your first house of self, you'll be reflecting on your personal brand and how you want to be presenting yourself in the world. If it's in your seventh house of partnership, you'll be meditating on your closest one-on-one relationships.

And while Venus retrogrades are not to be treated as huge, fear-mongering red flags for moving forward on anything related to love, beauty, and money, it's not the ideal time to tie the knot (unless perhaps you and/or your partner were born with natal Venus retrograde or it's a remarriage, which would be fitting), get a bold makeover, buy a new wardrobe, or make a major financial investment. Instead, this transit's all about addressing and nurturing Venusian business that's already well underway.

What to Know About 2021-2022's Venus Retrograde

Because Venus retrogrades happen every 18 months, the last one was from May 13 to June 26, 2020, in mutable air sign Gemini, which is ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication. So the tone of the transit was actually a bit mercurial, fueling miscommunication — but also curiosity and ability to gather information, as the sign of the Twins is prone to do — in our relationships.

This time around, Venus moves backwards through cardinal earth sign Capricorn, ruled by taskmaster Saturn, so the vibe is quite different. Hardworking Capricorn, symbolised by the Sea Goat, is determined to reach the peak of any mountain it attempts to climb, and its ruler, Saturn, the planet of limitations, boundaries, and commitment, asks us to put in the work to truly earn whatever it is we're aiming for. So as Venus retrograde encourages you to take a step back and smooth over the rough edges in your relationships to others, yourself, and money, the fact that it's in Capricorn can help you come up with a practical, step-by-step game plan for doing just that — and then, once Venus is direct, using what you've learned to make concrete progress.

The retrograde's Cap vibes also mean you can expect more internalising and reflection about topics that fall under Saturn's realm: practising setting boundaries, learning to say "no," better understanding your limits, etc.

A few days when you might feel the Venus retrograde energy more than others:

December 25: Venus pairs up with transformative Pluto for the second time this month (the first was when Venus was direct on December 11), intensifying desires in a way that could even morph into infatuation and power play.

December 29: Messenger Mercury and Venus pair up, which could be a wonderful moment for having a healing heart-to-heart to tackle an ongoing emotional issue with a loved one or friend ahead of ringing in the new year.

January 5: Venus forms a friendly sextile to dreamy Neptune in imaginative Pisces, which could be a wonderful time to catch up on your zzz's — and daydreams.

January 8: The confident sun and Venus pair up, potentially marking a turning point in your personal Venus retrograde narrative. Feeling more self-assured, you could be prepared to take action.

The Signs That Will Be Most Affected by Venus Retrograde

Although every sign could feel the love planet's backward turn, those born while the sun was in Capricorn — from December 22 to January 21 — or with personal planets (the sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, or Mars) in the sign of the Sea Goat (something you can learn from your natal chart) will feel this retrograde more than most.

If you want to get even more specific, check to see if you have a personal planet that falls within five degrees of where Venus stations retrograde and direct (26 degrees Capricorn and 11 degrees Capricorn). If so, you'll be especially stirred to slow down and go inward to clarify how you're showing up in your closest bonds, how you're defining and viewing beauty, and how you're valuing money and material possessions.

The Grounded Takeaway

The word retrograde tends to trigger a great deal of nervousness, fear, and worry, whether talking about Venus, Mercury, or any celestial body. It's important to remember that these transits are just a part of the universe's "regularly scheduled programming" and serve a crucial purpose: to take a step back and tie up loose ends related to the themes that the planet in question deals with. As much as you might love to be ploughing forward 24/7/365 every year of your life, retrogrades remind you that it's okay to take a break — especially in order to reassess and edit key areas of your life.

While Venus is most comfortable when it's moving through ethereal, romantic signs like social Libra and dreamy Pisces, the fact that it's turning backwards in Capricorn could really be seen as a gift. After all, the Sea Goat's work ethic is downright enviable. There are few signs who are so fired up to go all in to achieve whatever it is they've set out to do, even if it takes a ton of time, energy, patience, and resilience. By holding that ethos in mind, it's possible to see this Venus retrograde as a special opportunity to lay the groundwork for a beautiful, inspiring, pleasure-filled 2022.

This story first appeared on www.shape.com.

(Main and Feature Image Credit: Alex Sandoval)

© 2021 Meredith Corporation.  All rights reserved.  Licensed from Shape.com and published with permission of Meredith Corporation.  Reproduction in any manner in any language in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited.

Shape and the Shape Logo are registered trademarks of Meredith Corporation. Used under License.

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Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and you know what that means! Family dinners, the memory of fireworks and parades (ah... maybe next year!), wall decorations, lion dances and the sounds of drums, and lai see!

You're bound to be familiar with the ornate red paper envelope filled with money by now. Known as lai see in Cantonese, hong bao in Mandarin and ang pao in Hokkien, this red packet is a gift given on important occasions: weddings, birthdays and, of course, during the start of the lunar new year.

Traditionally, envelopes are red (hong/ang means red, bao/pao means packet) with gold calligraphy, as the colours signify good fortune — ideal for a new year. And a tradition isn't a tradition without a few guidelines, so we've compiled everything you need to know to make sure you avoid any bad luck in your future, or worse, bad judgement right now.

How to give and receive lai see

What is lai see?

Besides myths and supernatural origins to the red packet ("The Legend of Sui" to be exact), ancient China has had a tradition of gifting coins to ward off evil spirits dating as far back as the Han Dynasty. In later years, the custom of giving money would involve threading coins with a red string or gifting them in a red colourful pouch. Newer coins would lose the hole that one could thread string through, leading to the rise of coins gifted in wrapped paper packets. And fast-forward to today, banknotes are readily available and packets, which are still red, are easy to purchase.

Who gives and who receives?

You can follow the simple "big to small" rule — that means "older to younger" and "senior to junior". Generally, lai see is given by those who are married and of higher authority, to those who are younger and single!

This includes children, unmarried loved ones and those younger than you. It also includes service providers. That's right! Your domestic helpers, your building's guards, even waitstaff — it's a way of showing gratitude to those around you.

You want to stick to even numbers. In Hong Kong, our banknotes mean you can just work in multiples of ten, making avoiding odd numbers very easy.

As we said, your amounts will vary but as a loose outline, you could go for:

• HK$20-$50 for someone you see frequently but don't know too well — such as a casual acquaintance or building staff
• HK$100 for someone you know and care about, or see very often — like your friends, family, loved ones and even someone you work above

Put different amounts in different envelopes so you can differentiate between them and make sure to stock up on red packets.

When and how do you give lai see?

You can start handing out lai see from the start of Chinese New Year, on 1 February this year, and you have all 15 days up to the Spring Lantern Festival, on 15 February.

Hold the red packet with two hands and exchange greetings — you could say kung hei fat choy or sun tai kin hong!

What if I’m receiving a red envelope?

Lucky you! Make sure to receive your lai see with both hands and express gratitude. And don't peek just yet — it's considered impolite to open a red packet in front of the person who's given it to you.

Kung hei fat choy!

(Hero image courtesy of RODNAE Productions via Pexels, featured image courtesy of Angela Roma via Pexels, image 1 courtesy of Angela Roma via Pexels, image 2 courtesy of Omid Armin via Unsplash, image 3 courtesy of Angela Roma via Pexels)

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The hype around NFTs took off in 2021 and doesn't show any signs of slowing in 2022. Here are some of the noteworthy celebrities that have dipped their hand into the NFT pool.

You can't escape it: Every day, someone is talking about NFTs, the Metaverse or why cryptocurrency is the future of money. And since the release of Bored Ape Yacht Club, CryptoPunks and other recognisable NFTs, the digital art world has grown tremendously.

Whether they're your co-worker, a family member or a global superstar like Leo Messi, it seems like everyone, everywhere is jumping onto the trend. Even K-pop supergroup BTS is rumoured to be launching their own. In Hong Kong and around the globe, here are some of the biggest celebrities who have climbed aboard the NFT hype train.

Celebrities who have entered the NFT world

Shawn Yue Man-lok

Hong Kong actor and singer Shawn Yue Man-lok entered into the NFT world through a collaboration with Christie’s. The former model has been building his personal collection and showcased them in an online auction in September 2021. The collection included highly sought-after NFT pieces from Bored Ape Yacht Club, Cryptopunks and Meebits. On the big day, Yue celebrated his 40th birthday as well as raised revenue to be donated to Make-a-Wish Hong Kong foundation.

Justin Bieber

If, like millions of others, you follow Justin Bieber on Instagram, you’ll probably have seen his collection of NFTs, especially of inBetweeners; Biebs has shown his love for the variety of colourful bear illustrations. The recently minted collection of 10,777 images created by artist Gianpiero, inBetweeners has also seen lots of love from other celebrities, including Tom Holland and Snoop Dogg. 

Steph Curry

Not only have NFTs caught the attention of artists, they have also attracted numerous athletes. Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry personally released a collection of 2,974 NFTs, each priced at US$333. Curry’s collection features digital replicas of his shoe-line, Genesis Curry Flows, showcasing the exact pairs he wore for his incredible on-court feats. With the collection already sold out, the virtual sneakers promise his fans to use and show them off across multiple metaverses and virtual games.

Gunna

Atlanta rapper Gunna is the latest in the rap scene to purchase his own unique BAYC NFT. Revealing his purchase and tattoo process on Instagram, Gunna posted a video of how he did it through the cryptocurrency MoonPay, for US$300,000. His love for the digital art piece goes deep enough that he named the green-sunglassed Bored Ape “Butta” — he even got it tattooed on his calf.

Lionel Messi

Metaverse? More like Messiverse. The man who many call “the best footballer in the word”, Lionel Messi launched his NFT collection in August 2021. The collection featured three digital art pieces: "Man from the Future", "Worth the Weight" and "The King Piece", all created by artist BossLogic and depicting historic moments from the footballer's career. His star fame was on display as the NFTs’ sales spiked to US $3.4 million on the first day of the launch.

Jimmy Fallon

Celebrity and Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon has been part of the NFT clan for a while. Fallon took to Twitter to share the latest addition to his collection, a simple Bored Ape, dressed in what appears to be a sailor’s outfit. The NFT was purchased for just over US$225,000.

Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg stepped into the NFT space with an introduction of his collection called “A Journey with the Dogg”. The collection is expected to include a path down the rapper’s experiences and greatest memories — think quotes and moments captured in pictures. It also features an original track titled “NFT”, and a Dogecoin-inspired cryptocurrency, “Snoop Dogge Coins”. The artist expressed his passion for the launch, saying “I’ve seen the game change over the years from analog to digital, and I’m always happier when the technology lets the fans connect with the artists. NFTs are an amazing innovation, and it is an honor to do my first drop with Crypto.com/NFT.”

Hero image courtesy of Sebastien Muylaert/Getty Images, featured image courtesy of @leomessi

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A wine critic and now restaurant owner, James Suckling explains why he gave up one of the most enviable jobs in the world to set up on his own and move to Hong Kong.

Wine Critic James Suckling

Seated comfortably in his Soho wine bar and restaurant, which has been pretty much the centre of his world since the early months of 2020, James Suckling looks like an extremely happy man.

One of the world’s most respected and influential wine critics, he has the privilege of doing a job that he absolutely loves and seems delighted to share his great good fortune with everyone around him.

In almost 40 years in the industry, he thinks he must have tasted and rated a quarter of a million vintages; his JamesSuckling.com website gets around 600,000 unique visitors each year; he holds decorations from both the French and Italian governments, as well as honorary citizenship of the Italian wine-making town of Montalcino in Brunello; and he’s the only wine expert offering classes on Masterclass.com.

Appearances to the contrary, though, Suckling’s professional journey has been neither straightforward nor smooth. He readily admits his Staunton Street establishment, James Suckling Wine Central, which he and his Korean wife and business partner Marie opened in October 2018, almost went under before it was rescued, bizarrely, by the Covid pandemic.

And why he decided to throw in what must have been one of the most envied positions in the world of wine, as senior editor and European bureau chief of the oenophiles’ bible, the Wine Spectator, to move to a part of the world he hardly knew, is another story entirely. The way he tells it, though – accompanied by self-deprecating smiles and laughs – you’d think it had all been plain sailing.

Back at the beginning in 1981, when Suckling returned home to Los Angeles after taking a post-graduate degree in journalism at the University of Wisconsin, he’d found himself jobless until he answered an advertisement “for position at a tiny magazine called the Wine Spectator, run out of a garage in San Diego”. Not only did he get the job, but within four years he found himself in Paris, remaining in Europe for the next decade and a half, “learning on the job, travelling around and meeting producers”.

For a young man whose own wine epiphany began while at university (he’d shared a bottle of 1966 Château Lafite with his lawyer father and declared, “Wow, this wine stuff’s amazing”) it was, he says, “an amazing start to my career, and I learned so much”.

“I lived in Paris for three years and then moved to the UK. I was there for 10 years, then moved to Italy and then I came here. During that time the Wine Spectator had grown to become the biggest wine magazine in the world, and all that time I was tasting, travelling and building the magazine.” It was then, too, that Suckling first met Marie, who worked at the venerable London wine merchant Corney & Barrow, though the romance didn’t blossom till later.

The idea of upping sticks and moving to Hong Kong came shortly after the difficult decision to leave his comfortable and highly influential position at the Wine Spectator. “I’d been there for 29 years, and I just decided it was now or never. It was a crazy move – I was 50 and it probably was foolhardy in a way, because I had this really cushy job and was living in Italy. But then I was thinking, do I want to spend the rest of my life working for the same company? And I’d always thought it would be amazing to do my own thing. So I just did it.”

The following year, Suckling attended the 2011 Wine & Dine Festival in this city, alongside other noted experts from around the world. By that time, Hong Kong had already removed all government duties on wine, a move that almost overnight had turned the city into the region’s premier wine-trading hub.

“And that,” says Suckling, “was the main reason I moved.” Coincidentally, Marie had also left London for Hong Kong, where, she says, “We met at the Wine & Dine Festival’s big event at the Grand Hyatt. After two years, we got married in Korea.”

Suckling had decided that video was the way to go for his website, which would be the centrepiece of his solo operation. “My partner, James Orr, was a really close friend who was into wine and cigars; he still owns a small part of the company. He was a film director, producer and writer – he did Three Men and a Baby and Sister Act 2. We had this idea that the site would be just video – we were way ahead of our time because now everyone’s doing streaming video … And so he and I travelled around wine regions, and did videos of tastings with wine producers. And for about six months, it was going OK, though not as well as I’d hoped."

“I realised that I had to get back and start tasting wines, but also that people didn’t want to pay for video. I was running out of money. But then I happened to be with a friend of mine, Mike Diamond from the Beastie Boys, at his house in Malibu, and I told him, ‘Dude, I’m running out of money.’ And he just goes, ‘And why did you think people would ever want to pay for your videos? It’s like people wanting to pay for my music. You’re gonna have to do events, you should do wine events, just like years ago we’d go on tour to sell CDs.’

“So I started doing wine events. And the first place I did wine events – profitable wine events – was in Hong Kong. At the time, it was just me and an assistant. I knew collectors like Henry Tang, Peter Lam and George Wong, and a few wine merchants, but I wasn’t really that connected – though one of my best friends, Patricio de la Fuente, who own Links Concept, was really helpful. But I could see that with no taxes and [the proximity to] China – even though the market hadn’t really developed to what it is today – this was the international wine hub for Asia. And then I met Marie – and she took pity on me!”

The business, says Suckling, really didn’t start making sense financially until around five years ago. “It took a while – it was really touch and go, and pretty scary, to be honest. But now, as you can see, we have 15 employees and a restaurant, which has been a lot of work but now is really successful.

“We opened the restaurant in October 2018, and now it’s doing really well. It never did so well – last month was our biggest, 500 wines by the glass and we have a really cool local chef who studied in Paris. But it took a long time – and it’s interesting because if it hadn’t been for Covid, we probably would have closed. The demonstrations were very difficult and while Marie and I were away in Napa Valley a lot of people were leaving. When we came back in March 2020, it was on its knees, so Marie actually went into the kitchen and started cooking Korean food. [Asked whether Korean food goes with wine, Suckling says, “Of course it does. I eat Korean food every day and I drink wine every day.”] And in the first few months, I was even on the floor serving wine – well, I had nothing else to do!"

“During Covid, website subscriptions actually went up 50 percent, and people weren’t travelling. So ironically, Covid was better for our business. I remember talking to a friend from Boston Consulting Group, who said, “James, you’re OK, but you have to focus on the local economy. And that’s what we did with the restaurant – and we did events. So it actually worked out well, though it would be nice to travel again and do events around the world.”

The outcome is that Suckling now finds himself in the paradoxical position of running both a locally focused wine bar and restaurant, and an internationally oriented wine website, 50 percent of whose visitors are based in North America. “I was recently named one of the 100 most important members of the US wine industry. I’m not sure they know I’m a Permanent Resident of Hong Kong,” he says with a laugh. “Most people think I live in New York.”

Thanks to Hong Kong’s duty-free regime, running a wine-tasting operation here is simplicity itself, he says. “Because there’s no tax, people just ship the wines here. In Hong Kong this year, we’ve tasted about 18,000 wines. The logistics have been great – a producer in Bordeaux just gives his wine to DHL and it’s here in two days. It’s just like door-to-door. And that was one reason I thought that if one day I didn’t want to travel as much, Hong Kong would be great because there are none of these logistical problems."

“If you’re in the US, each state has different laws on shipping wine, and to import wine you need licences and all sorts – and I just thought this could be so easy. And it’s turned out to be a godsend, and wine producers are fine with it. We just tasted 1,500 wines from all over Spain … even barrel samples: this year I tasted 1,500 barrel samples. People pull a sample from a barrel, bottle it, cork it and then they ship it over. Isn’t that cool?”

Indeed, though they’d like to be able to travel for, say, a month to Italy or California, he and Marie have no desire to return to the old regime of being away for 225 days in a year, flying to San Francisco or Burgundy just for dinner. “What’s been exciting about this place was that being stuck here almost two years, I’ve really had the chance to see people and talk to them, see what they drink and what they’re interested in with wine,” Suckling says.

“And I realised that for years, as a journalist or with the internet, you don’t really get the chance to talk to people and understand what they enjoy, whether it’s food or wine. I’ve really enjoyed getting back to, you know, grassroots or basics. Because sometimes you get detached – ‘Oh, I’m this wine critic or I’m that important journalist or whatever.’ I read The New York Times, and sometimes I find the writing can be a bit elitist. And I think that’s just because, as journalists, you get detached from your readers sometimes.

“It’s been a lot of work, though. I think you’ve probably heard people saying, ‘Never, never start your own restaurant. Because you don’t make any money and it’s a lot of work.’ Well, everything they tell you about restaurants is true, but at the same time, it’s been really fun. And now it’s working well. So I’m pretty proud of that. It’s worked out.”

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Here are some of the legends and traditions, and ancient history, associated with Chinese New Year in Hong Kong.

Hongkongers love a festival — this city observes everything from Easter to the Buddha’s Birthday. And Chinese New Year is arguably the festival with the most cultural significance in Hong Kong and in the Mainland.

Celebrating the start of the Chinese lunisolar calendar’s year, you may be familiar with the festival by its other names, including Lunar New Year and Spring Festival — as it marks the end of a cold, dark winter and welcomes spring. Traditionally, you can observe the new year from the night before all the way until the Spring Lantern Festival (not to be confused with the Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival).

In Hong Kong, we get three public holidays for Lunar New Year. In 2022, the first day of the lunisolar calendar will fall on Tuesday, 1 February and will welcome the Year of the Tiger — an animal known for being powerful, brave and tough in the face of adversity. Sounds exactly like what we’re in need of.

Chinese New Year in Hong Kong: Lunar legends, traditions and taboos

Origins and legends

Celebrating the start of the Lunar New Year is common in many Asian regions and countries, from Tibet and Taiwan to Korea and Vietnam, as well as for many Chinese-speaking populations like the ones in Singapore, Malaysia and so on.

The festival dates back thousands of years, when ancient Chinese people would gather and celebrate the end of the harvest — but the first record of a Chinese new year celebration is said to trace back to the Warring States period. Different dynasties would then see the cementing of different practices and rituals, such as a thorough clean of the house (Qin), worshipping of ancestors (Han), all-night eating and drinking (Jin), giving money to children (Song) and eating dumplings (Ming)… just to name a few.

With each practice came folk tales and ancient mythical origins. Here are four legends associated with Chinese New Year.

The Legend of Nian

According to ancient folklore, Chinese New Year starts with a monstrous beast. Called “Nian”, the beast’s head looked like that of a lion’s but with a sharp horn used for attacking prey. As the legend goes, Nian lived in ancient China, out in the wilderness, under the sea or, as some tales say, in the mountains, but on the last day of the lunar year, it would venture out in the middle of the night to eat villagers — especially children.

These villagers would hide away and flee before sundown to avoid the monster, but one year, an old man with silver hair came to them with promises of driving the beast away forever. As night fell, he dressed in red, lit candles and fired bamboo (an early form of firecrackers) — scaring the beast away. And so the villagers learnt of the secret weapons: the colour red, bright lights and loud noise.

After that, people did as the old man instructed every New Year's Eve, and the beast never showed up again.

The Great Zodiac Race

As we welcome a Year of the Tiger, you might recall the story of the great race — when the Jade Emperor decreed that the calendar years would be named after animals, only in the order they reached him.

As one version of the folk tale goes, many animals set off to cross a river to meet him. The Cat and the Rat hopped on the back of the Ox. As the Ox reached the other side of the river, the Rat pushed the Cat into the water and then jumped off the Ox and rushed to meet the Emperor — becoming the first animal of the zodiac calendar. The Ox had to settle for second. Then came the Tiger, strong but slowed down due to the current pushing him downstream. He became the third animal. The next animals were numbered as they arrived: the Rabbit, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Goat, the Monkey, the Rooster, the Dog and finally, the Pig.

Zào Jūn, the Kitchen God

Zao Jun is a household folk god who is said to reside in the stove or a similar area of a home, making him a god that interacts with humans the most. Known as the stove master, or stove god, Zao Jun watches over the home and family, and is in charge of their meals and livelihoods.

On the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, he visits heaven to report on the status of families to the Jade Emperor. He then returns to Earth to bless or punish the families. So to avoid any punishments, on the "little new year", families will make malt candies that will sweeten his mouth so he’ll only praise the family, and stick his teeth together to stop him from saying anything bad.

The Legend of Sui (祟)

According to legend, there was an evil spirit or a demon who went by the name Sui (祟). It would appear on New Year’s Eve to come and terrify children — touching their heads three times as they slept, resulting in a fever and hallucinations. To protect their children, parents would light candles and stay besides them all night, guarding them.

On one lunar year's eve, one couple gave their child coins to play with to keep him awake. The child wrapped the coins in red paper, wrapping and unwrapping it all night. His parents placed the red paper packet with coins under his pillow. That night, when Sui came to touch the child's head, the coins flashed in the darkness and scared the demon away. And so, giving red envelopes became a way to keep children safe as well as bring good luck.

Traditions and taboos

The Lunar New year is traditionally a time to honour deities as well as ancestors. Generally, regional customs and traditions concerning the celebration of the Chinese New Year vary widely but in Hong Kong, you're likely to be familiar with:

• The annual family reunion dinner — a time to gather with your loved ones and feast, the perfect way to start the new year. Popular dishes include steamed fish, spring rolls (see: spring!), and dumplings. And desserts and snacks include rice cakes, radish cakes and pudding.
• A thorough clean of the house, a spring clean before the new year, to sweep away ill fortune and make space for incoming good luck!
• Decorations on doors and plenty of red paper — these include pictures of the Door Gods (guardians who come to protect homes), red decorations to ward off Nian and other beasts, and upside-down calligraphy and poetry couplets about good fortune, happiness, health and wealth.
• The lighting of firecrackers and lion dance shows, and giving money in red paper envelopes (lai see).

And it's important to observe traditions and stay away from certain taboos to ensure you receive good fortune in the year — so make sure to avoid:

• Swearing and words with negative connotations like "death", "sick", "ghost" and "kill".
• Breaking ceramics, dinnerware and glass — it'll break your connection with prosperity.
• Using a broom after the new year has begun and using scissors, knives or other sharp objects.

Kung hei fat choy!

(Hero image courtesy of sippakorn yamkasikorn via Unsplash, featured image and image 2 courtesy of RootOfAllLight via Wikimedia Commons, image 1 courtesy of The Palace Museum via Wikimedia Commons, image 3 courtesy of Edward Theodore Chalmers Werner & Project Gutenberg via Wikimedia Commons, image 4 courtesy of Easton Mok via Unsplash, image 5 courtesy of Laurentiu Morariu via Unsplash)

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The late world-famous martial artist and actor Bruce Lee is being commemorated in the form of NFTs. ‘The Formless Form,’ the first NFT collection based on Lee, will launch on 8 January 2022 by Ethernity in association with the Bruce Lee Family Company.

Here’s all we know about Bruce Lee’s NFT collection

What does the NFT include?

According to Ethernity’s press statement, the idea behind this collection is to “commemorate the life and legacy of the martial arts pioneer, philosopher, and global action film star.”

Ethernity took to social media to announce the news, revealing the collection is based on Lee’s philosophy and life teachings.

“One’s mind, body, and spirit must work together in harmonious interplay. Introducing 'The Formless Form', the exclusive @BruceLee x @Ethernity #NFT collection is coming January 8th. (sic)” the post read.

The artwork of the awaited NFT collection is created by artists Raf Grassetti, BossLogic and Anthony Francisco.

Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, who is the chairperson and CEO of the Bruce Lee Family Company, said, “My father believed in honest self expression. We’re honoured for the opportunity to collaborate with these extremely talented artists whose artistic expressions will help continue to spread the positive message of Bruce Lee’s philosophy and teachings to the world in an authentic way.”

This is not the first time that an artist who has passed away is being commemorated in the form of NFTs. In April 2021, the last photoshoot of Nirvana’s frontman Kurt Cobain was converted into NFTs.

In July 2021, Grateful Dead’s guitarist Jerry Garcia’s art was transformed into NFTs by the Jerry Garcia Foundation. Similarly, Muhammad Ali Enterprises joined hands with Ethernity to launch the first Muhammad Ali NFT collection.

CEO and founder of Ethernity, Nick Ross, said that they were extremely excited for the Lee project, adding, “We thrive off exploring opportunities for newly expanded worlds of important individuals, and an incredibly influential figure like Bruce Lee is a perfect fit for our great ambitions and endeavours.”

(Main and Feature Image Credit: @anthony_francisco_art./ethernity/Instagram)

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Dogs Playing Poker is a famous series of artworks, yet many people know nothing of the artist responsible for the paintings. Born this month 177 years ago, in New York State, Cassius Marcellus Coolidge is the creator of the iconic images. In this article, we’ll learn more about the man behind the famous pictures and […]

The post 177 Years Since the Birth of Kash Coolidge, Dogs Playing Poker Remains Iconic appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

A consultant with extensive experience with top collectors and institutions around the world, Wendy Goldsmith talks to us about navigating the art world, her changing clientele, the Western market and Asian collectors.

Wendy Goldsmith first joined renowned British auction house Christie's 19th Century European Art department in London over 20 years ago. There, she would travel across Europe and West Asia, sourcing key material for auctions and heavily contributing to the house's name and fame. After becoming its youngest Director and Auctioneer, she moved to New York and became the International Head of 19th Century European Art. In 2003, she returned to London and established herself as a private art consultant – Goldsmith Art Advisory.

Goldsmith's experience includes achieving some world-record prices in the art auctioning world while working with top collectors and institutions around the world. These days, she works out of her Mayfair office, focusing on Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary paintings and sculpture. We talk to her about the importance of art advisors, navigating the art world and the Western market, and the changing face of Asian collectors.

Goldsmith Art Advisory's Wendy Goldsmith on Navigating the Art World

Where have you been spending time over the past two years?

The last two years have been spent mainly in the UK. When not working in London, I was exploring many of the regional British museums and staycationing in some of our gorgeous country hotels whenever openings allowed. The only trip abroad was a trip to America last spring when I was able to sneak in due to my American passport. It had been too long not to see clients.

Have you been able to travel when possible during the pandemic and have you noticed people's travel patterns changing due to it?

It was exceedingly difficult for people to travel, hence almost impossible for them to view paintings and attend art fairs – because they simply didn't exist. The vaccine became the gamechanger, allowing the confidence for globetrotting to the world’s cultural capitals once again.

Has the demographic of your client base altered in any way in recent years?

There is no question that the clients have become younger and younger and younger, and they start at a much higher level; in my day you'd have 50, 60, and 70-year-olds buying the great works and the younger ones would start collecting with prints. Now you have 25-year-olds starting with seven-figure pictures which, having done this for so long, I still find extraordinary. 40 percent of the new clients at auction are under 30, as they are so comfortable buying online as well which is where all the sales seamlessly moved to over lockdown. In addition, the depth of the market is like nothing we've ever seen. Almost every country is involved – there were many years when certain nationalities would dominate; the Japanese in the late 80s, then the Russians, then the Italians yet now, literally everyone is enjoying the ride, with Asia leading the way.

Are there particular types of works that are notably popular at the moment?

Art that is popular to Western buyers has been filtering over to the Asian audience over the last few seasons. Now you have Western artists appearing more and more in the Hong Kong sales, which we never saw before when they were dominated almost purely by Asian artists. The experiment was a great success, especially as Asian collectors are educated and sophisticated, wanting to collect in-depth. They started with the obvious artists such as Andy Warhol, but have moved on to the likes of Nicholas Party – not necessarily a household name for those outside of the art world.

Are there obstacles to accessing specific works from the Western market for Asian collectors? How can these obstacles be overcome?

The problem with the current market is that everyone seems to gravitate to the same artists, which makes access the most difficult hurdle. Working with an advisor helps to overcome these obstacles. They have usually worked for years to cultivate relationships with the galleries, along with various other key colleagues, in order for their clients to have priority for the next great work to appear by their coveted artist. The other way to gain access is auctioning, which is why we have seen some outstanding prices in recent years. The person who puts their hand up in the air longest is the one who wins. Cash is king. It’s the great equaliser, without any waiting lists.

How has the pandemic affected your own ways of working?

Technology changed everything, and thank goodness we had it. Viewings were impossible over lockdown although, at one point, I did have a warehouse opened up exclusively to show a client one painting. The entire warehouse was completely empty, except for the managing director showing us around. I had to pull a lot of strings to make that happen, but it was the only way that deal could have gone through. That was early on during Covid but as time went on, collectors became more and more accustomed to buying online, especially new ones, once they were familiar with an artist and could see a high res jpeg, or had faith in the seller such as the brand names of Christie’s or Sotheby’s.

How would you say the pandemic has affected the buying and selling behaviours of your clients? How so for a wider collector base?

It remains a problem for Asian collectors, especially Chinese, as they literally cannot leave the country. Nevertheless, when there is an exhibition in say, Hong Kong, there are queues out the door. Local collectors can’t go elsewhere to view and experience art, so this is a very big event for them, even more so than usual. Art Basel Hong Kong was a huge success in March. Then the series of auctions held at Christie's, Sotheby's and Phillips saw some extraordinary numbers from this captive audience.

When looking at recent sales in Hong Kong, is there anything notable in the types of collectors? Or the prices reached for particular works?

There is a trend in every sale. At the moment, collectors are looking at Black artists, they're looking at women artists and even within this field, they are looking at female surrealist artists. Every collector is always looking for the next big thing which speeds up exponentially. This again stems from technology. There's such unprecedented access to information so people's tastes are constantly in flux.

More broadly, art fairs in Hong Kong (from Art Basel in May to Unscheduled more recently) have in 2021 reported strong sales – do you have any comments on this in terms of what it says about the market in general? Does this have longevity?

The art world is not going anywhere. Again, there's just greater and greater depth of the market as a whole new generation of worldwide buyers come into the marketplace. The younger collectors obviously start at the contemporary side of things with what their friends are collecting and what they understand. Sometimes, they then work backwards to early modern, which looks like such good value in comparison at the moment. On the other hand, their parents started with some classic names they knew from their art history books – Van Gogh to Renoir to Picasso – but as these artists become harder and harder to come by (as well as increasingly more expensive), some of them realise that it was actually more fun in a way, once they collected what they wanted, to move on to contemporary. So it's really interesting where all the generations are meeting.

What might be your predictions as we come out of lockdown?

As we come out of lockdown, people are going to be more and more selective of the number of art fairs they attend, as well as the actual auctions. Having said that, they are also grasping any opportunity to see art in person once more. You can become familiar with paintings by a particular artist but nothing duplicates the experience of actually standing in front of a work of art. Interacting with artists is also the lifeblood for collectors – they love a good studio visit. They get great satisfaction from meeting with artists, understanding their thought processes, seeing their progress, supporting them and often, becoming friends. It is a dynamic that will last for hundreds of years.

Are there art fairs you have booked to visit in your calendar currently, now that some areas are opening up?

The size and numbers of art fairs may become reduced as many of the smaller galleries are realizing that without the huge expenses of these overheads, between travel, shipping and hotel costs, plus of course the cost of renting a booth for the fair, they can do just as much and more with .jpg and online viewing rooms. It’s also an impetus to get clients back into bricks and mortar galleries and view proper exhibitions. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to Art Basel Miami in early December, along with some excellent satellite fairs. Plus, everyone is in a good mood in the sun.

How can people try to navigate a complicated and increasingly overwhelming market?

The art world has become an almost impossible beast to navigate, even for professionals. That's why an art advisor is so essential if you're going to take collecting seriously. It would be physically impossible for a layperson to go to all the exhibitions, auction viewings, museum shows, gallery openings I attend, as well as read all the websites I look at, the previews for the shows and art fairs – not to mention the endless auction catalogues. So you really need someone in your corner: a support system, a teacher and an educator to really understand the complexities of this absolute minefield, especially when there can be so much money on the line. Art advisors pay for themselves, just in that aspect alone.

What advice would you give to burgeoning collectors unsure of how to build their collections?

You can't see enough. Look at art anywhere, anytime and at any opportunity. Start to really understand your taste which is why it also helps to see the bad, in order to understand the good. It can take years to gain the confidence and education to build a collection so there’s no need to rush but if you’re still unsure, some professional advice would make all the difference.

You can find out about Wendy Goldsmith and Goldsmith Art Advisory here.

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We take a look at some zodiac-inspired high jewellery, perfect for winter this year.

Our long-established fascination with the stars has led us to some celestial fine jewels and more...

Van Cleef & Arpels: Zodiaque Collection

The new Zodiaque collection from Van Cleef & Arpels draws inspiration from two of the Maison's most cherished inspirations, nature and astronomy. It also references the coloured pendants from the 1970s. The 12 long necklaces in the collection reinterpret the signs of the Zodiac, with motifs adorning both sides of the medallions in gold and rare ornamental stone.

Jessie V E: Constellation collection

Jessie V E first designed her Constellation collection back in 2014. It’s been a bestseller since then — no small wonder, given that our fascination with the heavens dates back millennia. The designs are delicate, featuring rings, glittering necklaces and little hoop earrings dotted with your choice of star sign, which makes them great for giving, either for yourself or loved ones.

Chanel: Escale à Venise collection

Paying homage to the lion — both as a symbol of power and Gabrielle Chanel’s astrological sign — the new Escale à Venise high jewellery collection features the city’s patron saint, the Lion of St Mark, in a beautiful set of rings, earrings and necklaces. This ring features a blue 30.92-carat sapphire flanked by two diamond lion heads.

Gucci: Hortus Deliciarum

There’s a whole universe captured in Gucci's second high-jewellery collection, Hortus Deliciarum, from exotic horticulture and majestic beasts to striking constellations. The Gucci nightfall necklace, inspired by a starry night sky, features an explosion of 57 fancy diamonds and 357 diamonds.

Shahla Karimi: Zodiac Reveal Rings

In Shahla Karimi’s Zodiac Reveal rings, diamonds representing stars are spread throughout the band, so ascertaining the constellation and wearer’s zodiac sign is like discovering a little secret. With a thick band of 14k ethical gold, the rings look best worn on the pinky finger.

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