Celebrity Life
Getting to Know Hong Kong Actress and TV Show Host Grace Chan
In Prestige Online’s Getting to Know series, we ask our favourite personalities what they’re like outside of work — and get a little more personal.
Even with a whole host of TV dramas, shows, films, Hong Kong's biggest beauty pageant title, and now her new beauty brand Snow Queen under her belt, Grace Chan is something of a sweetheart. Loved by thousands for her genuine and humble personality, the actress is well known for being honest about her personal life too. Thanks to her Instagram, her marriage to Hong Kong actor Kevin Cheng gave us major #CoupleGoals and images of her adorable son sparked broodiness across the nation. But what is Grace Chan like in real life? We took a moment to chat to her to find out.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
The most boring thing you can think of: brushing my teeth and washing my face.
What’s a normal weekend like for you?
In the afternoon, I love going to the park with my husband and my son. At night, we usually do dinner at home with my parents and his mom.
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What’s your favourite emoji?
Any colour heart.
What book are you reading right now and what’s on your list to read?
Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg . I'm waiting for my order from Book Depository: This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay.
What are you most likely to order for delivery?
Dinner... and books. For dinner, most likely Vietnamese. Banh mi on a hot day and pho on a cold day.
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What do you like to do to relax?
Reading, binging on Netflix, or baking.
Tell us something that not too many people know about you.
The most hardcore addiction I ever had was watching WWE [World Wrestling Entertainment] in high school. I even went on a road trip from Vancouver to Portland, Oregon with a girlfriend to watch a pay-per-view. We had second-row seats.
What’s a guilty pleasure of yours?
Eating cake in bed at midnight.
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Have you ever had a fan-girl moment? If so, who was it?
Meeting my favorite WWE wrestler Shawn Michaels (at aforementioned pay-per-view) after waiting an hour and a half in the rain. I couldn't speak... it’s something I regret to this day.
What’s the strangest or most horrible thing you’ve read about yourself on the internet?
That I’m not my parent’s biological daughter. Hurtful — a bit, but definitely strange for people who don’t know me to make up accusations like that.
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Tell us what you have going on at the moment.
I recently launched my first personal care brand: Snow Queen! I'm really proud of this moment because we’ve been working on it for quite some time. We’ve only started with one product thus far — premium quality facial cotton pads — but we’re getting some positive reviews and hopefully this means we can keep expanding the brand further!
To date, what do you consider your greatest accomplishments?
Being married to the man of my dreams and having a wonderful family with him.
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The post Getting to Know Hong Kong Actress and TV Show Host Grace Chan appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Getting to Know Singer, Song-writer and Actress Meg Donnelly
In Prestige Online’s Getting to Know series, we ask our favourite personalities what they’re like outside of work — and get a little more personal.
The rising star of ABC comedy, American Housewife, Meg Donnelly is so much more than just a pretty face. The 19-year-old has already played as the female lead in Zombies, and recently released her singles "With U" featuring Fetty Wap, and "Digital Love", and there's no sign of her slowing down in the limelight. We get a chance to chat with the budding celeb to get to know what it's like outside of work.
What's the first thing you do when you wake up?
Get ready for work; brush my teeth and take a shower.
What's a normal weekend like for you?
During the day, I hang out with my friends, go hiking, go to flea markets and the beach. At night, dinner and dance parties with my friends (and laughing is a must!).
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What’s your favourite emoji?
The blushing smiley face with three hearts around it.
What's on your playlist right now?
I listen to all kinds of music. I have an eclectic taste. There is a little bit of everything … to name a few - The Temptations, Bob Marley, Neil Young, Angie Stone, A Tribe Called Quest, Bell Biv Devo, Drake, Luke Bryant, Sam Smith, Radio Head, Tori Kelly, Beyoncé…. the list goes on and on. I also like finding new artists and showing them to my friends.
Tell us something that not too many people know about you.
I speak Japanese!
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What’s a guilty pleasure of yours?
ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) videos on YouTube.
Have you ever had a fan-girl moment? If so, who was it?
Yes, Chris Hemsworth! I melted when I met him!!
What's the strangest thing you've read about yourself on the internet?
That I said David Hasselhoff was my favourite actor. I love SpongeBob SquarePants, so I guess they just assumed David Hasselhoff was my celebrity crush? But, it’s really Chris Hemsworth.
Do you consider yourself more of an actress or a musician?
Although I do play guitar, I don't consider myself a musician; but I do think of myself as a singer. I have been singing longer than acting, but I honestly can’t choose between the two. I love them both equally!
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What projects do you have coming up that we should keep an eye out for?
I am currently shooting Season 4 of American Housewife (it airs on the ABC Network in the United States and is available on Hulu). I am looking forward to the release of Zombies 2 this year – excited to share Zed and Addison’s continuing story. I just released my first album Trust and will be headlining a music tour this spring! I can’t wait to travel around and meet all the fans at my shows. This will be a new experience for me and I am beyond thrilled!
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To date, what do you consider your greatest accomplishments?
I have been blessed, both professionally and personally, so it is hard to choose the greatest accomplishment, as they all are intertwined. But professionally, I think it was getting the role of Taylor Otto on American Housewife. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity.
The post Getting to Know Singer, Song-writer and Actress Meg Donnelly appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Getting to Know Actress Katrina Law of ‘Hawaii Five-0’
In Prestige Online’s Getting to Know series, we ask our favourite personalities what they’re like outside of work — and get a little more personal.
If you’ve been following the ten-season series Hawaii Five-0, you’ll know Katrina Law. Known for her role as Quinn Liu in its latest season, the Taiwanese-American actress has been making waves in the television industry. We catch a moment with the budding celeb and get to know what she’s really like when offscreen.
What are you doing this weekend?
My weekends nowadays mainly consist of sleeping in, ridiculous amounts of laundry, and watching Puppy Dog Pals with my daughter. I just received my Osprey Child Carrier, though, so I’m hoping to start hiking around [Hawaiian island] Oahu soon.
What’s on your playlist right now?
I have everything from The Beatles to Chris Stapleton, to Billie Eilish on my playlist. I've just finished listening to Strawberry Fields Forever.
Tell us something that not too many people know about you.
I speak Mandarin and my Spider Solitaire skills are fierce.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Oreo Thins and Riverdale. Sometimes at the same time!
What are you most likely to order at a bar?
An Old Fashioned... though sadly I've just been drinking a lot of plain water lately. So boring.
Who was the last person you called?
[American film actress] Karishma Ahluwalia. She ignored my call and sent me to voicemail.
Have you ever had a fan-girl moment? If so, who was it?
I had a massive internal meltdown when I first met [Kate Mulgrew who plays] Captain Janeway from Star Trek: Voyager. I was told later the meltdown wasn’t as internal as I had originally thought.
What's next? What can fans expect to see from you in 2020?
Going to round out season ten of Hawaii Five-0 and see what pops up after that.
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Anyone you'd like to be Getting to Know better?
I would love for people to get to know Nick Tarabay. You would know him from Spartacus and he is currently on Call of Duty. He is a super talented friend of mine and an amazing actor...but don't tell him I said so!
The post Getting to Know Actress Katrina Law of ‘Hawaii Five-0’ appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Getting to Know Actress Lauren Tsai of ‘Legion’
In Prestige Online’s Getting to Know series, we ask our favourite personalities what they’re like outside of work -- and get a little more personal.
You might know her from popular reality TV show Terrace House, or the character Switch in the third season of Marvel's TV series Legion, but who exactly is the Asian-American beauty named Lauren Tsai? We went behind the scenes to check in with the rising star and find out more about her off-camera life.
What are you doing this weekend?
Oh my God, I haven’t even thought about that yet, it’s been so crazy. I hope this weekend I can see some friends for dinner. It’s actually been a while since I’ve hung out with friends and I hope to watch another episode of Pose [a drama set in 1980s and 1990s New York], which is a wonderful show on FX.
What was the last meal you had?
Let me think… what did I have today? I had a salad for lunch which is probably the most basic LA answer, but some days are like this.
What’s on your playlist right now?
I’ve been working on a painting recently, so I’ve been listening to this Studio Ghibli YouTube video, a live concert performance of all their music by Joe Hisaishi. I’ve been listening to this instrumental track a lot. And on my normal playlist I have Tyler The Creator’s new album because I just love it!
What are you most likely to order at a bar?
I spend a lot of time in Japan and there’s a strong whisky culture there. I am a big fan of whisky, so usually I like to order whisky on the rocks. Japanese whisky is my favourite! But since coming to LA, actually I’ve been influenced a lot by their tastes and preferences, so nowadays I’d probably get a vodka soda.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
I don’t know what’s guilty -- I love pancakes. To be honest, that’s my favourite food. But I don’t know if that’s guilty, it’s just the beauty of life. My guilty pleasure is probably Twitter, I spend too much time on Twitter and probably shouldn’t, but I just love it. It’s rough, its natural, it’s a space where people share what they want to and it’s a great way for me to turn my brain off at the end of the day.
Tell us something that not too many people know about you.
I went to boarding school in Massachusetts for my freshman year of high school. That’s probably something people don’t really know about me. Looking back, I really enjoyed it. It was very emotional at times, being a 14-year-old kid living amongst other kids is kind of a crazy situation, but I loved it. I had many great adventures that year.
Who was the last person you called?
The last person I called was my mum actually. I talk to my mum basically as much as I can everyday.
Have you ever had a fan-girl moment? If so, who was it?
Yes, I’ve had a couple. My first fan-girl moment I remember as bright as day. I was at LAX on summer vacation a long time ago. I think I was transiting there because growing up in Hawaii, LAX is the mid-point [to Asia]. I saw Rainn Wilson, who played Dwight Schrute on The Office. I was getting my nails done at the airport salon, and I saw him in sunglasses and a hat walking into the salon. [The reception] asked for his name and he said “Rainn” and that’s when I knew it really was him. I freaked out! I was absolutely silent, like a deer in the headlights. I really didn’t want to bother him so I said nothing. But then after that I walked around the airport hoping I would bump into him again.
What does playing Switch on Legion have in common with playing yourself on Terrace House: Aloha State?
Interesting question. Well, Switch is a scripted character and being on a reality show is like playing myself. Because you are being yourself, you are aware that you are being filmed, so there is this wall of caution before you and everything you say. I think what’s similar is that Switch and I are both awkward at times, so we have that in common. Switch is very much in her head, and I think I’m like that on Terrace House, too, because I was quite nervous, so we also have that in common.
Travel plans? Where are you off to next?
Next, I am going back to New York. I just got back from New York recently as there’s been a lot of work there, but I love it. New York is my second favourite city, very close to Tokyo, but Tokyo has to be number one. So yeah, I’m excited for that.
What projects do you have coming up in 2019?
I wish I could say! I’m working on a very exciting project with a musician -- I think that’s about the extent of what I can say right now, but that’s something I’m very excited for. I’m also working on another [art] project which is entirely my own creation featuring my own world of characters. I’m looking forward to building more with my art and I can’t wait to see where it goes.
The post Getting to Know Actress Lauren Tsai of ‘Legion’ appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Getting to Know Chef Vicky Lau of Tate Dining Room
In Prestige Online’s “Getting to Know” series, we ask our favourite personalities what they’re like outside of work -- and get a little more personal.
She’s the chef and owner of one Michelin-starred Tate Dining Room, but who is Vicky Lau beyond being one of Asia’s best female chefs? We took the chance to find out more about the ex-graphic designer and found out what she gets up to when the chef whites come off.
What’s a normal weekend like for you?
Well, weekends for me are actually only Sundays as I work on Saturdays. Tate [Dining Room] is closed on Sunday, so I have one day off and I always spend it with my daughter. She’s two and a half years old. We do a lot of family activities on that day and explore new places with her. Last week, we went to the library. That’s the kind of thing we do together. This weekend, maybe we’ll go swimming. I like hanging out in Repulse Bay and just generally in the midst of nature. I think kids also enjoy that, too.
What’s on your playlist right now?
Recently, I’ve been listening to a lot of [American three-piece band] Khruangbin. It’s hard to define this type of music, but I guess it’s alternative. I like alternative music, trip-hop, jazz and easy listening music. Bonobo is one of my favourites too.
I’ll listen to music in the car but also in the kitchen -- especially if I’m doing something repetitive because I need to encourage myself to keep going! If you need to make the same thing [for a dish] 200 times, you really need music to get you through it!
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Khruangbin is a band from Texas formed of Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald Johnson on drums.[/caption]
When you’re not in the kitchen, what else are you up to?
I do Thai boxing at the gym… I also meditate, which I try to do everyday for 20 minutes before I sleep. I do it in silence mostly, but if your thoughts are a little crowded you can use music or do some guided meditation. For me, I need that peace of mind. I’m actually a quiet person, but when you’re in this industry you need to face a lot of people, handle them and get along with them, so I need that quiet time to reset. Meditation really helps you to dump any negative feelings and be more neutral.
What are you most likely to order at a bar?
I enjoy a lot of cocktails, but especially Negronis. I love the classic version but I will also explore different kinds of cocktails. It’s actually really tough to get flavour in liquid, but a lot of people do such a good job, so it’s worth exploring. The Old Man makes a great Negroni!
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The Old Man took the top spot in Asia's 50 Best Bars 2019.[/caption]
What’s your guilty pleasure?
I love eating in bed. I do that a lot actually. Especially at the end of a work night when I’m tired and feel like falling asleep, but I really want to eat. During service I don’t have much of an appetite, so I’ll just have something in bed instead. It’s the best when I’m staying at a hotel, and I can just order some room service and eat a club sandwich in my pyjamas, in bed!
Have you ever met any chefs that turned you into a fan-girl?
So many! Thomas Keller is definitely at the top of my list. [Joël] Robuchon and Pierre Hermé, too. They’re all big names but they’re so humble. I think there are a lot of people that are at that high level, but are more normal than you think.
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Pierre Hermé and Chef Vicky Lau.[/caption]
Who was the last person you called?
My daughter. We FaceTime and she sings to me -- she loves singing. She makes up her own songs even. I took her to a Mozart concert once and she came out telling me she wanted to learn the violin.
What was the last meal you had?
Recently, we went to Sing Gor [a popular two-table-only private kitchen in Macau]. It was really delicious. They cook up that classic Cantonese flavour which is so tough to find these days. All that wok hei [smoky, charred flavour you get from using a wok]. He made this soup with pork belly, intestines and seaweed -- it had so much flavour and was a very dark soup, so you could tell it had so much work put into it. You can’t find this kind of traditional Cantonese flavour anymore and I crave for it. A lot of my childhood memories are of food with this classic flavour.
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Lau also enjoys fine dining and here she is at a dinner with fellow chef Daniel Calvert [of Belon] and friends at a Michel Troisgois Dinner.[/caption]
The post Getting to Know Chef Vicky Lau of Tate Dining Room appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Getting to Know Winemaker Gaëlle Goossens of Veuve Clicquot
In Prestige Online’s “Getting to Know” series, we ask our favourite personalities what they’re like outside of work -- and get a little more personal.
Inspired by the original La Grande Dame of Champagne -- Madame Barbe-Nicole Cliquot Ponsardin -- the new Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2008 is an homage to the French woman that took over her late husband's business and turned an almost failing winery into one of the biggest Champagne houses in the world.
To celebrate the launch and in honour of Madame Clicquot’s enterprising spirit, one of the house’s three female winemakers, Gaëlle Goossens, hosted a lunch at Hong Kong’s SEVVA. We caught a moment with her to talk about the female forces that have inspired her and what she’s like without the wine.
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Gaëlle Goossens at the Hong Kong launch of La Grande Dame 2008.[/caption]
What’s a normal weekend like for you?
I just bought a house in the countryside, and I like spending my weekends there, in my garden, enjoying the sun and getting some rest. Sometimes I’ll escape to the north of France too, where there is a nice seaside town called Le Touquet. It’s nice to get some oysters and fresh air there.
What’s on your playlist right now?
I like jazz music. Modern jazz mostly. I like Pink Martini -- it’s a group that sings in a lot of different languages. So French, Spanish and even Japanese!
When you’re not making wine, what else are you up to?
I have a little boy at home. He’s four years old, so I try to spend as much time as I can with him. I like to travel and take my son with me. I want him to see the world. Last summer we went to the Canary Islands to have a good rest. I also took him to Italy, but I want to take him somewhere more exotic next. Maybe Asia!
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Image credit: AFP / Charly Triballeau[/caption]
What are you most likely to order at a bar?
I love craft beer. There are a lot of different beers now -- and like wine, there are a lot of aromas. We don’t have a lot of cocktail bars in France, it’s more craft beers and wine.
I particular like Abbey beers made by monks, there are a few in France.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Eating too much chocolate? [Laughs] I like to finish my lunch or dinner with a piece of dark chocolate. It’s not a lot as it’s strong. I like the ones with 90% pure cocoa content.
I watch a lot of Netflix series, too. The most recent is The Rain, which is a drama based in Scandinavia where they find a virus that kills the world.
Tell us something not a lot of people know about you?
I’m a big countryside girl. Maybe people don’t expect that of me, but I love nature and animals. I love dogs and have two at home actually. A big Dogue de Bordeaux [or French mastiff] and a little dog, it’s a cross-breed. So it’s like Timon and Pumbaa, little and large! I also used to horse ride, but I fell off once and broke my shoulder. I haven’t been back on one since. I would like to but I’m a bit scared.
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Gaëlle's dog goes with her to Reims, the unofficial capital of the Champagne wine-growing region.[/caption]
What’s on the cards for you and Veuve Clicquot this year?
This year, the focus is on the launch of La Grande Dame 2008. We’re traveling around the world. Last fall we launched in the United States. And we just came from China and now [we’re in] Hong Kong. Up next is Australia and Eastern Europe. Right now, we’re preparing the harvest too, which we expect will be [ready] in mid-September.
In the spirit of Madame Clicquot, who are your top 3 power women?
- Simone Veil -- a French woman who was a Holocaust survivor and later became a politician. She did a lot for women's legal rights. She’s my top power woman.
- Colette [full name Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette] -- she was a French author at that time she couldn’t write or publish herself, so she was writing for her husband who took credit for it all. She had to fight for her rights to write.
- Michelle Obama -- she’s a strong black woman and represents so much for women’s rights. She’s the First Lady that wasn’t just tied to her husband. She has her own path, and does her own things. She’s the female leader we need. A great role model.
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The 2008 Veuve Clicquot "La Grande Dame" Brut Champagne launches in Hong Kong.[/caption]
Who was the last person you called?
I called my husband last night. But really to get to my son. We were FaceTiming. It was funny because he takes the iPad everywhere around the house while we’re talking. So I can’t see too much on the screen, but I guess I’m in the bedroom? He’s playing with me and taking me everywhere!
What was the last meal you had in Hong Kong?
I haven’t had much time to explore Hong Kong, but I did have Peking duck in Beijing recently. It was my first time to try the specialty from a local place and I really enjoyed it. With local beer as well! But next time, I would like to take a day off in Hong Kong so I can try some places.
The post Getting to Know Winemaker Gaëlle Goossens of Veuve Clicquot appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Getting to Know Model Angie Ng
In Prestige Online’s “Getting to Know” series, we ask our favourite personalities what they’re like outside of work -- and get a little more personal.
If you live in Hong Kong, chances are you’ve seen Malaysian model Angie Ng at the hottest fashion parties, in ads at MTR stations, on television and maybe even in your gym studio -- she's one of the faces of Lululemon and also a trainer at boutique boxing gym Lights/Out). Between shoots and training, we caught a quick moment to find out what Ng is really like when she’s not in front of the camera.
What’s your normal weekend like?
I usually go to the gym and do a class, and then teach boxing on Saturdays. That’s a chill weekend for me. I’ll also hang out with my loved ones and friends.
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What’s on your playlist?
I’m obsessed with "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus. I love the swagger tone with the hip-hop edge.
What would you normally order at a bar?
I don’t drink much so I usually really do get water. But if I'm feeling it, I love sour cocktails or plum wine.
What is a favourite pastime of yours?
Naps and boxing.
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Tell us something not many people know about you.
I'm really into tap dancing. I’ve been dancing since I was young -- I did modern ballet but my favourite is tap dancing. I love the beats and just the swag of tapping away. There's so much joy in it!
Who’s the last person you called?
James, my boo. We talk to each other almost every day at lunch time.
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What was the last meal you had?
Soup and dim sum! I love me some hearty soups and Chinese food.
Show us a recent photo of you!
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What’s your guilty pleasure?
This changes from time to time but right now it's Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
Upcoming travel plans?
Somewhere tropical! Bali maybe, and then a trip to Europe in the summer.
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Describe your perfect Friday night.
I am loving my home time these days … dinner, sweats and movies.
Name one beauty item that you can’t live without.
A good deep cleanser. With my work, I have makeup on all the time and it's so important to clean the skin thoroughly after a long day with makeup. The pollution doesn’t help, either.
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Tell us one thing that’s on your bucket list.
To go on an Africam safari. I want to see natural beauty that the world has to offer!
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Getting to Know Film & TV Actress Eleanor Matsuura
In Prestige Online’s “Getting to Know” series, we ask our favourite personalities what they’re like outside of work — and get a little more personal.
She’s played Yumiko on The Walking Dead and Baron Chau of Into the Badlands, starred in Wonder Woman alongside Gal Gadot and MI-5 with Kit Harrington -- but off-screen, actress Eleanor Matsuura takes on the role of down-to-earth super mum who enjoys bad TV as much as the next person, and still fan girls over the big stars she encounters. Between filming and family duties, we caught up with the British-Japanese actress to find out what she’s up to when she’s not in character.
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What’s a normal weekend like for you?
When I’m in Atlanta [for The Walking Dead], we don’t shoot on the weekends, which is amazing. So weekends are for a bit of line learning, bit of reset and thinking about what shooting schedule I have for next week. But also, I have a family, so my family come with me everywhere. I have a one-year old daughter, and my husband and daughter travel with me when I shoot the show. The weekends are spent with them where I’m being a mum, doing mummy stuff.
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What’s on your playlist?
Good question! Trying to pick my favourite song on my playlist would be agony -- I can’t do that. It would be like "Dessert Island Discs" or something, but I listen to music all the time. I like music when I’m driving to work to film, driving on set to get me in the mood or character. I pick playlists for every kind of moment in the day to match my mood. At the moment, I’m actually going through lots of old music like The Beatles and old Bowie albums; I’m literally going through them album by album because we don’t listen to albums anymore. It’s actually kind of cool to listen to something as a complete concept album, how it was meant to be heard. There’re so many things, so many beautiful albums which I just haven’t appreciated for a long time because you just hear the songs and get used to that. It’s been really cool going back and listening to them as a whole piece.
When you’ve got a night off mum-duty, what are you most likely to order at a bar?
I’m a really big fan of Negroni Sbagliatos -- a Negroni with Champagne. It’s amazing. Other than that, really good wine like a nice white wine or Pinot Noir.
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What’s your guilty pleasure?
Really bad rom-coms, bad TV, and movies from the '80s, probably because when I was a kid I just adored watching them. Any time one was on the telly, I would get completely sucked in. I love them!
Tell us something not a lot of people know about you?
I don’t speak Japanese. A lot of people assume I can because I'm Japanese. It's really awful, but I did try a couple of times to get a tutor to teach me. I got fairly far but then, if you’re not keeping up all the time, it's really, really hard. I’m just terrible at it. My sort-of dream is to get a job in Japan where maybe I live there for a year or two, then I can start picking up the language. I just feel so guilty for saying that because I should be able to speak Japanese.
What are your plans for 2019?
Well, I’m returning to The Walking Dead and the season is ready to go. I think if season 10 gets picked up, I’m sure I’ll be returning to that. That’s kind of the next thing. I’m also doing a play in London, so I’m just finishing that up -- that’s been going on for the past couple of months, which has been lovely. It's nice to come back to London and do something completely different from the madness and intensity of The Walking Dead. Depending on what happens with my return to Atlanta maybe there’ll be more theatre, maybe there’ll be more telly -- who knows really.
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Have you ever had a fan-girl moment?
All the time! I’m terrible, I am constantly in such admiration for other actors. Whenever I join a cast or I do something new and meet a hero of mine, I’m always completely delighted and overwhelmed. I’m working with an amazing actress called Celia Imrie at the moment, and she’s just been in everything [Nanny McPhee, Calendar Girls, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel]. I literally tell her every day that I’m in love with her and obsessed with her. But my big fan-girl moment, which is maybe kind of ‘oh my god’ I can’t say anything -- would probably be Dani Dyer [The Business, Human Traffic]. It's weird how much I’m obsessed with him. He’s doing the next Harold Pinter play that’s coming into the theatre after ours and he came to watch our show a couple of weeks ago and I just sort of ran away. I can’t talk to him because I love him too much. I admire people so much, and I’m always worried I’m going to make a fool out of myself -- I either do or I make an escape.
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Who was the last person you called?
The last person that I called was probably my husband -- not that interesting. Not that my husband isn’t that interesting, he is, but you know, we speak all the time. The thing about being married and having a kid is that your phone is just constantly with you at the side of your ear. We call each other all the time with updates -- 'she’s done this, she’s done that'. We’re constantly FaceTime-ing.
What was the last meal you had?
The last meal that I had was vegetarian ramen last night before the show. It was really good, like proper Japanese food.
The post Getting to Know Film & TV Actress Eleanor Matsuura appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Getting to Know Chef Shane Osborn of Arcane
In Prestige Online’s “Getting to Know” series, we ask our favourite personalities what they’re like outside of work -- and get a little more personal.
On Netflix’s The Final Table, we saw a calm and collected side of multi-award winning Australian chef Shane Osborn, which made us wonder what the man behind Michelin-starred Arcane is really like when he’s not in front of the camera. Below, he reveals how he spends his weekends, what’s on his kickass playlist and his love for raves.
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Photo credit: Annie Yuen[/caption]
What’s a normal weekend like for you?
A weekend is usually about work. I'll be here working on Saturday but we’re closed for lunch then, so I usually go to the gym in the morning if I if I have enough energy. Then I work in the evening. The restaurant’s closed on Sundays but I always come in anyway. I mean, the nature of the job is you're always thinking and planning ahead, trying to think about new dishes, about what we're going to do next in the restaurant, so I usually come in here and spend a couple of hours doing office work and then thinking about dishes and menus going forward.
If the weather's nice in the summer, I usually to go to the beach because I love swimming. I grew up in Australia -- you always have one foot in the water if you’re from Australia. I'll go down to Deep Water Bay, Big Wave Bay or Shek O for a nice swim and have a beer on the beach and just kind of destress little bit. My favourite beach in Hong Kong is Big Wave Bay.
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Mark Best and Shane Osborn on The Final Table.[/caption]
What’s on your playlist?
The music at Arcane is my playlist! I have three different playlists for different moods. So during the day time we play The Police, Sting, The Cure -- a lot of good '80s and '90s music. I’ve got a little bit of Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Suzanne Vega. And then in the night time we have Depeche Mode, Jamiroquai, something a little more uplifting. Music is very important to me.
What are you most likely to order at a bar?
I’ll usually have a classic cocktail -- something like an Old Fashioned or a really good Martini -- something that you can really sip on.
What’s a guilty pleasure of yours?
Going for a really great foot massage! If I have enough time on the weekend, to have someone rub your feet and your legs for an hour and a half and just fall asleep or put some music on (something by Pink Floyd) and just totally zone out is just a great way to wind down. I probably go around once a month, but I’d like to go more often. Finding the time is just really hard.
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With The Final Table teammate Mark Best and fellow contestants Darren MacLean and Timothy Hollingsworth.[/caption]
Tell us something that not a lot of people know about you?
I was allergic to fish and shellfish for a large part of my life… wait, I’ve already disclosed that on The Final Table.
Hmm… Oh! I used to DJ a lot of hard house music. My big love was always house! In the '90s and 2000s when I was in London, I used to go raving every single weekend. I'd be up there, shirt off, dancing on the speakers. I had a record collection of about 3,000 vinyls and I had my DJ studio in the house. I still have about a thousand records which I keep in France.
Who was the last person you called?
My wife and kids. They’re 7 hours behind us. I just spoke to them and they were on their way to school, so I called to say good morning.
What’s the last meal you had?
I had staff food. We ate at 11 this morning. Our pastry chef made a pasta dish with a simple cheese sauce for breakfast/lunch. We eat everyday at 11am and then again at 5pm. Today we’re having roast chicken with a simple salad with avocado, cherry tomatoes and rocket. We work long hours, so we have to lead a lifestyle that’s as healthy as possible.
The post Getting to Know Chef Shane Osborn of Arcane appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Getting to Know Payal Kadakia of ClassPass
How did a personal need become the hottest fitness program in the world?
The post Getting to Know Payal Kadakia of ClassPass appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Getting to Know Sarah Fung of HULA
Find out what this female entrepreneur is really like when she’s not busy running a business.
The post Getting to Know Sarah Fung of HULA appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Getting to Know Nicole Fung of That Food Cray
In Prestige Online’s new “Getting to Know” series, we ask Hong Kong’s favourite personalities what they’re like outside of work — and get a little more personal.
If you follow any food blogs at all, you’ll likely have heard of Nicole Fung, who goes by the name of That Food Cray !!! along with her husband Eugene Kan. The platform is an immensely popular website for food and travel, but Nicole has more up her sleeve, as one of the co-founders of digital platform MISSBISH, which focuses on female empowerment through women’s fashion, fitness and lifestyle.
We caught a moment in between the Hong Kong-based entrepreneur’s busy schedule to find out what she’s getting up to these days.
What have you been doing on the weekends?
Last weekend, I went on a hike. Then got a manicure and a gel lash lift. My husband just got back from LA, so we just had a nice Netflix and chill Saturday night. On Sunday, I went to check out some puppies looking for fosters at PMQ and then Clockenflap. But this weekend I'll be in India. I'll be in Jaipur heading to the Taj Mahal and then Delhi. It's my first time! So I’m excited.
What was the last meal you had?
The last meal I had was soba noodles that I made at home. The last restaurant meal I had was at Amber, a four hands collaborative dinner hosted by Chef Luca Fantin from Il Ristorante in Tokyo and Chef Richard Ekkebus from Amber at the Landmark Oriental.
What’s on your playlist right now?
The last songs I listened to via Spotify were "Morning Sex" by Joey Purp, "Why iii Love The Moon" by Phony Ppl, "Blind Man" by Xavir Omär, and "Beauty & Essex" by Free Nationals featuring Daniel Caesar.
What are you most likely to order at a bar?
I prefer having savoury notes in my drinks. So a Caesar or Bloody Mary. The best Bloody Mary I've ever had in Hong Kong is at Bar Butler. They use fresh Japanese fruit tomatoes and clamato!
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Bloody Marys are a combination of vodka, tomato juice, and different spices such as Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery, olives, salt and pepper, lemon juice and more.[/caption]
What’s your guilty pleasure?
I love McDonalds LOL. I usually order the Sausage n' Egg McMuffin at Mcdonald's after a night out or I'll order the Sausage n' Egg Twisty Pasta when I'm recovering from a hangover.
Tell us something that not too many people know about you.
I actually try to eat pretty balanced meals when I'm not traveling and work out regularly.
Show us your most recent photo.
Here’s one of me taken by my husband Eugene on film.
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Nicole enjoying breakfast in the pool in Bali.[/caption]
Who was the last person you called?
I've been on hold with EasyJet for the last hour trying to get a flight reimbursement *eye roll*.
The post Getting to Know Nicole Fung of That Food Cray appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
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