Perched 28 floors up at the top of Hong Kong’s fashionable Hotel ICON in Kowloon, Above & Beyond serves up dim-sum and seasonal Cantonese cuisine amid a spectacular harbor view. This upscale restaurant is just minutes away from the bustling urban center of Tsim Sha Tsui, buzzing with shops, restaurants and museums. However, all that excitement melts away the minute you step into Above & Beyond’s sleek, modern realm.

Breathtaking Harbor Panoramas

Whether enjoying cocktails and snacks at the bar or Cantonese fare for dinner, diners are all treated to spectacular views of Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor. Through the restaurant’s floor to ceiling glass windows, the skyline spreads out before you, bringing the city right to your table.

Innovative Cantonese Flavors

Joseph Tse brings over 37 years of experience to his role as Executive Chef. His carefully designed menu is inspired by classic Cantonese cooking, must-try delicacies and international flavors, fine-tuned to impeccable execution. The Marinated Shrimp is accented by a sweet burst of mango that leaves behind an unconventional tart flavor. The Seasoned Lobster comes accompanied by egg whites and Hua Diao rice wine, both light and fragrant flavors which serve to enhance the natural essence of the lobster. The Braised Pumpkin Soup surprisingly juxtaposes the mild neutrality of pumpkin with aromatic truffles while infusing the familiar Cantonese flavor of dried scallops to create a unexpectedly delicious creation.

A Refined Take on the Classics

Sometimes it’s best not to mess with what is tried and true. Braised abalone is one of those things. The Braised Whole Abalone in Oyster Sauce is tender and brims with richness while its sauce has a smooth consistency that is savory, but doesn’t overpower the dish. Similarly the crispy skin of the Barbecued Suckling Pig perfectly contrasts the buttery soft pork underneath and could only have been prepared by someone with practiced hands.

Sweets with Asian Flare

Desserts at Above and Beyond strive to suffuse new elements into time-honored favorites. You can’t go wrong with the Chilled Mango Sago Cream with Pomelo or the Double-boiled Pear with Osmanthus, an Asian plant with strongly-fragrant clusters of flowers. Another fun dessert to try is ice cream, which comes in unique flavors like Wu Liang Ye Chinese Spirit with Chocolate.

Details

Above & Beyond

28/F, Hotel ICON, 17 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Tel: +852 34001318

Opening Hours: 11:00 – 23:00

Sure you can clip your nano to anything within arms reach, but if you nod off at work while daydreaming of a top secret life as a double-o or reminiscing about inspector gadget, you know that the nano could be so much more. With music, photos, and all manner of Q inspired gadgetry tucked inside, it could easily be the ultimate all-purpose watch. First, however, you’ll need the ultimate watchband. Enter LunaTik’s CMYK TikTok watch straps for the iPod Nano. Are they worth the geek factor appeal? Are all Nano bands created equal? We took the TikTok CMYK for a spin to find out.

Design

Created by the former Creative Director of Nike watches and famous for its Kickstarter success (over $1 million raised within the first month alone), the LunaTik TikTok is a well designed strap. That says a lot judging from most of the competing straps we looked at, many of which had a cheap and flimsy look to them. The TikTok on the other hand looks durable and well made. The rubberized material combined with the CMYK colors works well and keeps the default black from getting boring. The Nano snaps in and out fairly easily, but rests snuggly so there is no worry about it popping out. One thing to be aware of is that while LunaTik nailed the cyan and magenta colors perfectly, the yellow is significantly off, more of a greenish yellow, so if you are buying a TikTok primarily for that color you may want to reconsider.

Comfort

My main concern when first looking into the TikTok was that it would be too big. In practice, the watch strap with the Nano inserted is about twice as thick as the Nano alone. It feels like a large watch, but anyone comfortable with g-shocks or sport watches won’t find it any different. Smaller wrists may have to move the adjustable nub to the last setting, but that still keeps the excess band snuggly in place. The band itself is wide, quite comfortable, and deals well with abuse. I also found that wearing it during workouts presented no problems, and after sporting it daily for over a month, the band still looks new.

And the Verdict Is…

After people recover from the shock that I’m actually wearing a watch in today’s world, most are equally surprised to learn that the watch is actually a Nano in disguise. I’ve received numerous compliments on the TikTok, which says a lot about the design, and the fact that I frequently forget I’m wearing it speaks to the comfort. If you’re looking to buy a Nano watchband and like to accessorize, check out the CMYK TikToks, but remember that go-go-gadget powers are sadly not included.

Building cityscapes out of pen, ink and watercolors, Gabriel Campanario can be seen throughout the streets of Seattle capturing the city’s subtle nuances and familiar landmarks both in the pages of his sketchbooks and in his Seattle Sketcher column for the Seattle Times. Even more inspirational is Gabriel’s dedication to the art of sketching. Seeking artistic community and a place to share and celebrate ideas, he spearheaded the Urban Sketchers movement, created to connect artists the world over through the art of sketching. With a network of sketch groups in over 30 countries around the globe, urban sketchers draw on location, immortalizing their cities through lines and colors, and visually sharing their adventures with each other and the world online.

Sketch by sketch, Urban Sketchers has grown and gained momentum, with the latest project resulting in a book filled with over 500 illustrations by artists of all backgrounds. The book not only showcases artists’ sketchbooks, but also discusses each artist’s inspirations, drawing process, and techniques. Inspired to grab her pen and watercolors and start sketching on the spot, Culture Vixen’s Gayle Wheatley caught up with Gabriel to find out more about his illustrated life.

Gayle: How did you get your start working as a professional illustrator, and how did you land your job as sketch journalist for the Seattle Times? 

Gabriel: I was lucky enough to get an internship at my hometown newspaper, Barcelona’s daily La Vanguardia, in 1990, while I was still attending college. The internship was at the news art department, where I was regarded as the geeky kid who was good at using Aldus Freehand, the hottest graphic program back in those days. During the internship, I created maps, charts, and the occasional spot illustration. Ever since, my career has developed in the realms of newspaper design and illustration in Spain, Portugal and the United States, where I arrived in 1998. I’ve worn many hats in this fascinating field, such as info-graphics artist, page designer, graphics director and assistant managing editor. The role of sketch journalist, however, is fairly new for me. I was already working at the The Seattle Times newsroom art department when I pitched the idea of a drawn feature in 2009. My editors liked it and now “Seattle Sketcher” has become an addition to my duties creating illustrations and graphics for the newspaper.

Gayle: What inspires you artistically?

Gabriel: In somewhat of a chronological order, I take inspiration for my sketching from the work of newspaper “special artists” who documented the news for the illustrated dailies and weeklies of the second half of the 19th century; the combat artists of the Second World War; the reportage illustrators of the 20th century like Paul Hogarth, Frank McMahon and Ronald Searle, and the urban sketchers of today who share their work online. Artwork drawn from life that tells a story is what makes me tick.

Gayle: What is your drawing process like, and how has it changed over time?

Gabriel: I draw from life, usually directly in ink, unless a complex perspective merits blocking outlines in pencil first. I also try to color my pen and ink sketches on location, using watercolors, but if time doesn’t allow, I color later, as soon as possible while the scene is still fresh in my mind. My process, however, is not set in stone. I try to experiment with new media and formats. For my newspaper column, I draw on spiral-bound sketchbooks and tear off pages. I also carry a pocket sketchbook for quick notes at all times.

Gayle: How many sketches would you say you’ve done so far over your lifetime?

Gabriel: Since I started sharing my sketches online, my flickr photostream has grown to about 2,000 images. For The Seattle Times I’ve done nearly 150 weekly columns and some 500 blog posts. But I am still pretty much a beginner! I majored in journalism, not art, and have so much to learn! Starting Urban Sketchers and working on The Art of Urban Sketching book has certainly sped up my education in this art form. I’ve learned so much from every artist featured in the book.

Gayle: Impressive!

Gayle: What are some of your favorite things to sketch and do you have any visual obsessions that you find yourself returning to often?

Gabriel: The list is too long! I’m fond of sketching old bridges, ships and waterfronts, industry, architecture, people at work. Because I commute to work, I also tend to draw a lot of bus commuters.

Gayle: Do you have any advice for artists who struggle to create art on a regular basis? 

Gabriel: My advice to stay motivated creatively is to join an online community like Urban Sketchers. Basically, find others to share the struggle with! There’s nothing like a supportive network of like-minded people to get you going. But be sure not to get demoralized by seeing how many people have sharper skills than you. Measure your work against yourself, not against others. Am I a better artist today than I was five years ago? Heck, yeah. A lot of it has to do with drawing every day, sharing the work online and getting positive feedback that encourages me to keep going. The more you draw, the better artist you become. You can’t go backwards!

Gayle: What gave you the idea to start the Urban Sketchers website and community?

Gabriel: I started my own sketchblog at gabicampanario.blogspot.com in 2007, inspired by other artists who were also sharing their drawings online. At one point, I thought, why not join forces? I started by creating a flickr group first, then a group blog just dedicated to drawings made on location, sketches that would show the world, the cities where we live. The idea of urban sketching is resonating with folks because it’s been done for many years. It’s not new. On the web, the SketchCrawl forum started by Enrico Casarosa in 2004 was also helping people around the world find each other to draw where they live. We just didn’t call ourselves “urban sketchers,” a term that seems to have stuck with folks because it defines who we are in a very broad and inclusive way—it crosses over professions, borders, cultures…

We draw our cities and everything that happens in them. That’s what urban sketching is about. And the artwork we create, shows you the world from thousands of unique vantage points, how cool is that?

Gayle: Do you have plans to expand the Urban Sketchers movement?

Gabriel: Urban Sketchers started as a blog and the idea of drawing our cities has spread quickly. I think many people appreciate the value of a sketch, and all the benefits that come with drawing on location. You engage your surroundings in a different way. It’s like getting a new pair of eyeballs! Now that we are a nonprofit with 501(c-3) status our goal is to continue promoting the practice of urban sketching around the world. We’ve started an Urban Sketchers Workshops program to help people improve their on-location drawing skills. We’ve also held two international symposiums, in Portland, and Lisbon, and the third one will be in July in Santo Domingo. So, I guess the answer to your question is, yes, we have plans to expand the movement. But we need donations and volunteers! If you are reading this interview, go to our site urbansketchers.org to learn more about Urban Sketchers and consider a small donation so we can continue “showing the world, one drawing at a time.”

The beauty of sketching is that, almost by definition, a sketch can be completed as simply and quickly as you like. It can involve making a fifteen-minute sketch of the view from your window or whipping out a collapsible sketching stool and spending an hour or two capturing the way the light hits that beautiful old church. In either case, sketching stops the clock and lets your mind turn off all the noise…it has the power to turn a moment of boredom into a creative pastime. In a sense, urban sketching can be more about the experience than the result…sketches bring back memories in a way photos don’t, evoking the sounds, smells, and recollections of the places in which you created them.
—Gabriel Campanario
(from The Art of Urban Sketching)

Thanks for your insight Gabriel!

Visit the links below to check out more of Gabriel’s work:

Seattle Times “Seattle Sketcher”
Personal Website
Facebook
Twitter

There’s something conspiratorially intimate about looking through an artist’s sketchbook. Filled with raw ideas that encompass both beginnings of larger projects and one-shot passing ideas, flipping through someone’s sketchbook is akin to peeking into someone else’s mind.

With Julia Rothman’s latest book “Drawn In” (Quarry Books) you get to gaze into 44 sketchbooks belonging to fine artists, illustrators, graphic designers and cartoonists around the world.From the whimsical drawings of Australian children’s book illustrator Sophie Blackall, to the taped in pen and ink musings of Los Angeles artist Sarajo Frieden, this book is filled with beautiful color reproductions and insightful artist interviews. You’ll discover character designs, intricate typography, cartoons, collages and bold pen and ink work, among more.

Julia Rothman is an illustrator and pattern designer herself, and a few of her own sketchbook pages are included in the book. She runs the blog Book By Its Cover, which features creative art books and pages of inspiring sketchbooks.

“When I was a teenager, I drew various film heartthrobs. Now it’s foreign buildings and lines from songs and books.”—Lizzy Stewart, artist

“…you can see my sense of aesthetics develop from one book to the next. It was a great way to develop a sense of composition, both on one spread at a time and throughout a sequence of pages. One of my favorite things to think about while working in my sketchbooks was how each spread would lead into the next or call back to the previous parts of the book.”—Isaac Tobin, graphic designer

“Sketching is a chance to rough out ideas, get a little ugly without worry, practice little figments of my imagination, learn some ideas, and make some notes.”—Meg Hunt, illustrator

An hour north of Milan by train lies a little slice of heaven. As the city recedes out the window, buildings give way to flowers and sweeping mountain peaks. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself gliding along a big expanse of blue, as Lake Como (Lago di Como) sweeps into view.

An Idyllic Retreat

The mist-hugged shores of Lake Como have been featured in films from Star Wars to Casino Royale. Lined with tiny towns dotted with old world gardens and villas, this is the ideal place to slow down and luxuriate. Not jam-packed with world class museums like most Italian cities, it’s the perfect intermission to Italy’s symphony of art and culture. With dreamy sunsets and dizzying hillside vistas, Lake Como offers great hiking, and plenty of charming little towns with narrow streets to explore.

Varenna and the Mid-Lake District

Halfway up the lake on the eastern shore is the town of Varenna. Located mid-lake, Varenna is an unrivaled base for exploring Lake Como’s most picturesque cities. You can take the train straight here from Milan, and from Varenna ferries deposit you to other lakeside gems, like Bellagio and Menaggio, in under 20 minutes.

Sweet Dreams

Varenna is tiny and many hotels and restaurants shut down in the off-season which runs from about November through March, so a little planning is a good idea. One of the nicest hotels in Varenna is Albergo Milano, a romantic boutique hotel comprised of 13 rooms and two apartments spread out over a couple of houses located near each other in the heart of town.

Albergo Milano

Albergo Milano is both affordable and atmospheric, with comfortable, upscale rooms—a rare combination. Situated next to the picturesque waterfront, it’s also conveniently within walking distance of everything. Best of all, the property has fabulous lake views, the ultimate reason for coming to Lake Como in the first place! The sunny main building is home to the hotel’s lobby and restaurant, which serves traditional Italian cuisine. A full breakfast of meats and cheeses accompanied by fresh-baked pastries, fruit, and more (included with your stay) is served every morning in their restaurant with panoramic views overlooking the lake.

Casa Rossa

The recently renovated rooms in the red house, known as Casa Rossa, are beautiful and filled with light. They feature bathrooms equipped with iridescent tiles and modern design, plus colorful water-inspired paintings on foil by local artist Stefano Keppel. Best of all are the balconies perched over the lake and harbor, the perfect place to watch the sun rise and set over Lake Como each day.

Albergo Milano
Via XX Settembre, 35
23829 Varenna, Italy

All across Los Angeles, street artist Paige Smith is making the city sparkle. With faux paper geodes that is. And lots of unexpected shapes that represent crystals, quartz, and other mineral formations normally found in nature.

Blinging up nooks and crannies across the city, Paige has filled in broken bricks from downtown LA to Venice Beach as part of her “Geode” Street Art Project.

According to Paige:

A parallel aspect of these “geodes” in nature and in the city is they are always unexpected treasures. You might go hunting for treasures but you generally happen upon them during your adventures or casual interaction with the environment. I enjoy the fact that many people will not notice these, but some astute people will; that these will not last forever and the weather will affect them as naturally as it might in nature.

Interested parties can track Paige’s street art progression across the city though her Online Map.

Back in the day actors’ contracts required them to stay within a 100 mile radius of Los Angeles during filming. As a result Palm Springs was born. Known for famed pool parties and Moroccan inspired retro design, Palm Springs has always lured Tinseltown stars, sun worshippers, and design lovers with its fusion of Hollywood glam and Vegas flamboyance.

Star-Studded Chic

From the minute you pull up to this resort, you know you’re in for a treat. The Riviera is stylistically awe-inspiring. The lobby is lined with floor to ceiling walls ensconced in a floral lattice pattern. Illuminated from behind with glowing orange light, the walls are reminiscent of a designer honeycomb. Packed with retro furnishings, all this glitz is set beneath a sky of modern chandeliers descending from a ceiling studded with starlight bulbs.

Walk of Style

Past the lobby is a hall filled with mirrors. Divided into mini lounge spaces, each section is filled with glamorous accents like pointillist artwork comprised of Guatemalan coins, purple shag carpets, and metallic sofas paired with glass chandeliers. The flashiest of all is the bejeweled billiards table!

Pool Culture

No one should visit Palm Springs without clocking some serious pool time. The Riviera is centered around a big pool lined with palm trees and private cabanas beneath a backdrop of desert peaks. It’s the perfect place to spend a leisurely afternoon lounging and soaking up some pure California sunshine.

Sexy Lounges and Desert Cocktails

Lounge cats will love Sidebar, where desert nights pair perfectly with creative cocktails enjoyed under the stars on bed-like lounge chairs. Be sure to order a Desert Heat, a peppery mix of tequila, lime juice, and agave syrup with a splash of pineapple, spiced up with lip-tingling jalapeños. Or bask in the tangerine glow of the swanky Starlight Lounge, where you can sip cocktails, like the lavender and blueberry accented Pink Panther, beneath a video wall playing mash-up cinema classics.

Gourmet Hot Spot Circa 59

Circa 59 (named for the year the Riviera opened) hums with red. Arguably the most beautiful part of the resort, its jumbo red and black jeweled chandeliers accent its lush patterned booths and ceiling. Red patent leather chairs surround you. In fact, everything in here is black, red, white, or mirrored. Executive chef Aaron Burns continuously transforms seasonal local ingredients into contemporary Californian masterpieces. Dimly lit and intimate, you’ll feel like glitterati yourself by the end of your meal.

Just like Palm Springs, the Riviera resort is iconic and stylish. In addition to being the perfect place to unwind, it’s sure to please anyone seeking design in the desert.

Netherlands-based designer Ka-Lai Chan’s latest furniture collection, “The Ordinary Family,” is a 5-piece art collection filled with furniture bursting with colorful growths. Each piece is a conceptual work of art, symbolically representing an individual family member.

Stella Im Hultberg* is a talented painter living and working in Brooklyn whose work is wonderfully ethereal. She was born in South Korea and raised in Seoul, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and later California. Her work has an enchanting quality to it, and her sketchbooks are especially fun. You can even browse though entire sketchbook collections on her website.