In any large community, people can always find some form of entertainment. In Hong Kong, film screenings began early in the 1900s, and by the 1960s and ’70s the number of theatres had grown to over 100*. Golden Valley in Sau Mau Ping was one of the largest cinemas, and its opening in 1978 was graced by a star-studded line-up including Jason Pai Piao, Helen Poon, Ai Fei, Liu Suk Yee, and Fanny Wang. Kwan Tat Kuen, Norman, a local resident who grew up in Sau Mau Ping, says that visiting Golden Valley was what he most looked forward to as a child. Cinemas in the 1970s, he recalls, were as bustling as a market. “Outside, hawkers sold sugar cane, fish balls, and roasted chestnuts. I used to get an entire sugar cane stalk for the film,” he remembers. He has vivid memories of the movie nights but not of the films themselves. “I didn’t understand films as a kid,” he chuckles. “Eating and playing there was more fun.” Large theatres like Golden Valley were mostly single-block buildings that could accommodate more than 1,000 people. Seats were divided into stalls (front, middle and back), and a dress circle with ticket prices ranging from HK$10 to HK$20. “We went to the movies every few months, when we had managed to save enough money,” recalls Kwan, who describes theatre-going for a family of six as a luxury and Golden Valley as a sumptuous landmark. “Walk up the stairs and there’s a chandelier. It was uniquely stunning in the entire Sau Mau Ping and Kwun Tong areas.”

Born into a family of architects, Kevin Lim had a childhood that made him witness to many of the challenges faced by his architect father. “Constraints such as money, time and the actual space make it hard for architects to realise their ideals,” says Lim, who nonetheless followed his father’s path and studied architecture at Cornell University in the US. “When I was young, I often visited restaurants that my father had designed, experiencing the way he fused Chinese elements into designs to construct his ideal spaces. I wanted to be like my father, creating beautiful spaces that resonate with people.” His younger brother also followed in their footsteps, making the Lim family of architects complete. Lim co-founded OPENUU in 2011 and as an Applied Science Degree Associate from Le Cordon Bleu, understands restaurant design better than most architectural designers. “In the past, you only had to design restaurants to fulfil their function. But in recent years clients have often asked for unique ‘Instagrammable’ features so that diners can check in and take pictures,” he explains, citing as an example a local noodle shop where his design has purposefully incorporated a rusty finish on its iron frames to evoke a local industrial vibe.

Aroma is the key to unlocking our memories and Perfume Trees Gin, the first gin created by Hongkongers, triggers our collective memory of the city. Launched in 2019 by Kit Cheung and Joseph Cheung, Perfume Trees Gin contains 13 botanicals, including five ingredients sourced from local farmers and traditional stores. Of these, white champaca, also known as white jade orchid tree, is the essence. “I tried flowers like bauhinia, sweet osmanthus and roselle, but nothing brings to life the vision of old ladies selling flowers on Hong Kong streets like the white champaca,” says Kit. For Joseph, the flower recalls moments with his father: “My dad passed away when I was 10. The white champaca that he planted grew up with me and I think of him every time it blossoms.” The Cheungs source white champaca from an 80-year-old flower farmer and Kit explains that its delicate aroma is the culmination of the farmer’s hard work. “White champaca has to be harvested between 3:00am and 4:00am to make the scent long-lasting,” he said. Other local ingredients include shifeng (Lion Hill) longjing green tea from Ming Heung Tea Import & Export, an embodiment of Hong Kong tea culture; 15-year-old tangerine peel from Tung Cheong Ho, that evokes a familiar Canton taste; and sandalwood from Wing Lee Sandalwood. “Hong Kong was truly a ‘Fragrant Harbour’ as its name suggests,” says Joseph. “It was once an entrepôt where spices and fragrant goods, including sandalwood, were shipped all around the world.” Chinese angelica (rather than the common Norwegian angelica) is also used in the locally-inspired gin to lengthen the aftertaste, with a hint of Chinese liquorice. The pairing blends a unique aroma profile of Hong Kong. Later this year, Perfume Trees Gin – along with other traditional local brands – will be brought to Central Market, the revitalised landmark with a history of more than 80 years.

When Elsa Jean de Dieu first arrived in Hong Kong in 2008, she says there was hardly any street art, but now mural paintings are found across the city. “People are now asking for street art on the facade, they want colourful patterns and meaningful artwork,” she says. Jean de Dieu has contributed to the street art scene by painting 16 murals around the city, including four live mural paintings for French May Arts Festival at the revitalised Central Market. “I create a story and characters, and I connect with people passing by, it’s unique. That’s why I’m obsessed with painting smiley faces,” she says, referring to the fun portraits at Central Market. She says that Hong Kong streets are more colourful than ever and before the pandemic people visited the city specifically to see street art. Street art has helped transform Hong Kong’s image as a business-focused metropolis into a nature- and art-oriented city. Street art is now found in different neighbourhoods across Hong Kong, making buildings a playground for artists who paint in different styles. Their work turns the streets into public galleries and makes art more accessible and easily appreciated. They also beautify neighbourhoods with their funky designs and kaleidoscopic colours; they draw people in to check out the street art and post images on social media for others to see what they have discovered. While Jean de Dieu says it’s cool to have more artists painting street art, they aren’t in competition with each other. Rather, they are focused on finding their own style which will make the city look more visually striking. She credits HKwalls for organising legal places to paint and inviting artists to participate. What makes her work most rewarding are the reactions she gets from people as she is working. “I have very touching contact and conversations with people in the streets, like the cleaners who tap my shoulder and have a big smile, and taxi drivers and bus drivers give me the thumbs up. Because I bring joy, smiley faces, it’s like a huge wave of happiness around. It’s really amazing.”