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Interlude — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 22:00:49 +0000

Thank you for your feedback

After a prolonged gestation, Interlude was finally launched on Wednesday, January 6th, 2010. This is actually the day that I started sending out my first announcement emails.

First, I want to thank all those of you who gave me extremely valuable comments and suggestions. Among the most interesting ones was a suggestion for special section for children with recommendations on events, composers and pieces.

Or, perhaps, the need to add a “New to Classical Music” section where more experienced music lovers can guide the “younger” ones into the appreciation of music.

There was even a request for more attention focussed on wine and food. I would love to do this, as my aim is to have all festivals and competitions (or at least most of them) “paired” with food and wine. This will probably take many years, especially if I want to balance my weight and not turn into “une grosse dondon”!

Anyhow, all the above ideas will be considered seriously and hopefully, fulfilled, in the future.

But one interesting question asked by one of my friends was: Why such an emphasis on competitions? I am sure that some of you might have the same query, since as we all know, competitions nowadays are almost all rigged (just read The Dark Side of Piano Competitions).

But the reason I enjoy going to competitions is that we still have the surprise of finding real, unspoiled talent. I go to a festival with a line up of so-called stars, and usually I come out only 10% satisfied, and that’s if I am lucky. I know I am an extremely demanding and difficult audience, and that’s because I have heard too much rubbish after years of concerts and operas. Nevertheless, I have no regrets, because you need to know rubbish to truly appreciate quality, and when you experience a really great concert or opera, it’s an everlasting memory.

Coming back to the competitions, the few I have attended so far have left me almost 30% satisfied, thanks to the passion, enthusiasm, talent and hard work of these inspired young musicians. They are full of expectation for their future, and treat the audience with hope and respect. Unfortunately, some of these talents fade out after being labelled “young prodigies” for few years, and some become blasé once exposed to the limelight and accolades.

Therefore, I do think that genuine music lovers, and I am not talking about the ones who go to festivals for networking or social status, will appreciate competitions for the love of music and talent. Thus, my listing of the competitions.

It was great to hear from you, I hope you will be visiting Interlude regularly. Do join our Forum and keep on sharing your ideas and thoughts; with your help and support, Interlude will grow and mature.

And I hope 2010 is a good vintage year!

Photo credits: washingtonpost.com

The 12th Beijing Music Festival

Interlude — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:00:03 +0000

I debated whether I should go to the Beijing Music Festival or not, as I had just returned from over four weeks of traveling in Europe, which included the Queen Elisabeth Musical Voyage, and was looking forward to some peaceful rest time at home.

Nevertheless, I decided at the last minute that if I missed the opportunity to go this time, I would have to wait another year before the next festival, therefore, even if it is only for two days, it’s still worth the effort.

The BMF has a very well-designed website that is clear with all programme details, but is absolutely useless in terms of tickets sales for non locals – I ended up having to go through friends and connections in order to get tickets for concerts.

My unique first BMF experience was held at the Poly Theatre, a venue with no charm or character, or for that matter, acoustics fit for any decent classical music concert.

On that evening’s program was the violinist Sarah Chang with the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields.

Sarah Chang has always been one of my favorite violinists. My first encounter with her talent was through the DVD Spanish Night, filmed when she performed with the Berliner Philarmoniker under the baton of Placido Domingo. At the time, I remember thinking: what a charming, delicious young lady, and the playing was pure delight.

A few years later, I heard her live with the English Chamber Orchestra in Shanghai, and again I was completely under her charm.

Unfortunately, in Beijing, I had a complete different experience. Chang was extremely aware of her good looks, and was more engaged with rearranging her tight evening gown than Mr. Bruch’s violin concerto. The playing was plain, the sound was off and the overall experience was lukewarm.

I was expecting something a bit more uplifting after the intermission, but Symphony No. 3 by Mendelssohn, performed by the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields with Gerard Korsten at the helm, was again pretty flat. There were no surprises, good or bad, a most disappointing effort from such a renowned orchestra.

The next day, I decided to go for an entirely different experience, buying a ticket for Xi Shi, an opera produced by NCPA (National Centre for Performing Arts), staged at NCPA, or the National Grand Theatre, known affectionately as The Egg.

Designed by French architect Paul Andreu, who also designed the Paris Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport, The Egg is extremely impressive from the outside, and especially in the evening; it is stunning with all the lights on.

Once inside, the atmosphere is pretty close to Roissy airport – cold and impersonal. It’s very unfortunate as no effort was deployed to make the whole venue more sophisticated and more in line with the dramatic façade.

Don’t bother looking for a champagne bar during the intermission, like you would in London or Paris (though admittedly, even in Hong Kong, we only started seeing champagne very recently). The so-called bar was basically a small coffee and tea machine counter with a few soft drinks.

But onto the main event. Xi Shi, a brand new opera composed by Lei Lei and written by Zou Jingzhi, is a story about one of the four famous Chinese beauties, Xi Shi.

The design of the programme was quite sophisticated and gave sufficient explanation about the work and the cast.

The music was nothing to write home about, with some Hollywood-style musicals bits and pits, and the libretto was more then boring. All opera lovers are used to having sentences repeated at least twice, in order to fill the music, but here, we are talking about multiple repeats such that audience is made to feel like they are supposed to be deaf or stupid.

Nevertheless, I must say that there is one highlight amid these disappointments, and that is really the cast. I have never heard so many talents and great voices concentrated in one opera. Zhang Liping in the title role was mesmerizing, the tenor Dai Yuqiang has a most intense yet lyrical voice; the baritone Yang Xiaoyong was excellent; and the coloratura soprano Wu Bixia was amazing, especially in how powerful her voice can be for such a petite frame.

I had a most enjoyable evening just listening to these wonderful voices, and will be watching for more of their performances in the near future.

Zhang Liping

Dai Yuqiang

Wu Bixia

More information about the event could be found here.

Beijing

I have always preferred Beijing to Shanghai, for the city is more cultural and less stressful than my hometown.

And probably for the above two reasons, the dining options are less extensive and sophisticated, as Beijing people are much more casual and less demanding.

This time I chose to stay at the Grand Hyatt because of its convenient location. The hotel is decent, but the rooms do need some revamping. I visited the hotel’s in-house Chinese restaurant, Made in China, which purportedly serves the best duck in town, but I must say it was quite a disappointment. The duck was very oily and quite tasteless, and moreover, for such a high-end restaurant, the service was close to non-existent.

Happily, I had few better experiences: one is Xiao Wang Fu, located in the Ritan Park, a perfect venue for dinners when the weather is warm, featuring simple and tasty local fare at very reasonable price.

Ding Ding Xiang is also great place to go with a group of friends. Each person is provided with his own hot pot, and you can order a huge variety of meat, vegetables and fish, choose your own sauce and start cooking for yourself at your own pace. It is fresh, good, hearty and fun.

Apart from the must-see landmarks such as the Forbidden City or the Great Wall, the 798 Dashanzi Art District is also worth a half-day excursion, an ex-factory compound that was converted into a contemporary art centre, where one can stroll along the galleries and chill out in some avant-garde cafes.

Conversely, go to Nanluogu Xiang, an old hutong filled with hip eateries and designer boutiques.

The day I left Beijing was a most memorable one; it started snowing quite early in the morning, and by the time I was heading to the airport, the whole city was covered in white. The scenery was just so beautiful, pure and serene.

This is one of very rare moments that I regret not having an iPod (no, I don’t have one, have to learn how to download first…) It would have been great to listen to some Mozart piano sonatas while sitting back and being driven through the almost-empty wide avenues. Nature and music intertwined, what more could I ask for?

Perhaps a glass of champagne as an accompaniment?

Photo credits: flickr.com

Queen Elisabeth Musical Voyage and Venice

Interlude — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:42:59 +0000

Queen Elisabeth Musical Voyage

There’s an old saying that declares cruises are either for newlyweds or the nearly dead – I am of neither category, but yet I have always loved cruises. It isn’t a passion for the sea or the need to pursue any water sport that fuels this penchant; but I do love the idea of visiting numerous different places without the burden and stress of packing and unpacking.

I chose to travel this time with the Queen Elisabeth College of Music, an encore voyage after a most memorable first in October of 2007. Back in 2007, I saw an advertisement in the now-defunct French classical-music magazine, Le Monde de la Musique, describing a music-themed journey on board the Silver Cloud, one of the Silversea fleet. Historically, music cruises seem to have been held on decent (if average) ships, so the fact that the College had chosen Silversea, one of the best cruise lines in the world, to host this experience, was a sign that the sophistication was going to be kicked up a notch.

The programme details certainly confirmed my hopes, with a lineup of wonderful artists, including one of my favourite pianists, Maria Joao Pires. To keep our tastebuds as happy as our ears, Pierre Marcolini, the celebrated Belgian chocolatier, had also been invited to join us for the duration of the cruise. Now this is what I call the ultimate in refinement!

This time round, with an itinerary that took us from Venice, along the Croatian coast, down to Corfu and back, we were on board the Silver Whisper, one of Silversea’s newest and largest ships.

The opening night concert was held in Venice, at la Scuola di San Rocco, where Mozart’s Requiem was performed under the magnificent paintings of Tintoretto. The subsequent seven days included a succession of delightful concerts staged in historical sites, as well as the opportunity to discover charming Croatian coastal cities: Dubrovnik, Rovinj, Split… not to mention delicious meals, all of which culminated in divine chocolate decadance created by Mr Marcolini, who was with us again this time. But of course, it was the music that truly spoke to me.

La Chapelle’s soloists are all of high artistic standard and professionalism, but one that stood out among them was Sebastien Parotte, a young, 1.98m-tall baritone with a beautiful and intense voice, a pleasant and joyful personality, and also a great sense of humour. His command of drama made all the pieces he sang both lively and penetrating, and I am sure I will be seeing him in major operas in the near future.

The Dali Trio, made up of Amandine Savary at the piano, Vineta Sareika on violin, and Christian-Pierre La Marca on cello, was exceptional in its musical complicity; the three have definitely captured the essence of chamber music.

And Ksenia Morozova, a lovely young pianist, who is highly talented with delicate sensibility, performed a memorable Concerto No. 2 by Rachmaninov.

Among the guest artists, Beatrice Uria-Monzon, the beautiful mezzo with one of the most amazing and powerful voices I’ve heard, was mesmerising in Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater.

Jian Wang, one of my favourite cellists, played Haydn’s Concerto No.1 at the temple of St. George in Corfu. I have at home perhaps a dozen of Haydn’s concerto recordings, and I must say that Jian Wang’s is the only one that I listened to over and over again. The concerto in itself is an easy piece in terms of melody, but Wang has succeeded in injecting so much intensity and sensuality that every time I listen to it, I discover new shades of colour that make the piece different and more interesting.

I had never been the biggest fan of Bach, until Glenn Gould’s interpretations rendered him my favourite composer, and I have since been a fervent consumer of Bach concerts whenever there is one available. But Piotr Anderszewski has taken it to a whole new level. Many times, listening to Bach concerts, I have been disappointed; occasionally, I have been pleasantly surprised; but never have I been so intensely struck. I drank in each note of the English Suite No. 6 as if savouring each drop of a vintage Bordeaux. Anderszewski wasn’t playing with his hands – those were merely tools he used to complete the task, a conduit through which he communicated. He was playing with his mind, his spirit, his guts – it was an emotionally searing experience, one that you will hunger for the moment it has ended, but are afraid to indulge in, lest the original memory be tainted. I have never been so intensely captivated by a pianist.

The Sinfonia Varsovia also played beautifully during the whole cruise, under the baton of the highly respected and renowned British maestro Christopher Warren-Green. The aural experience was only enhanced by the chance to have night-caps with the musicians at the end of the evening, listening to them playing jazz to unwind or allowing them to regale me with stories from their music tours. It was the perfect activity to relax, surrounding myself with the melody of their tales, long after the music had ended.

Maria João Pires

Béatrice Uria Monzon

Glenn Gould

Jian Wang

Piotr Anderszewski

More information about the event could be found here.

Venice

As Venice marked both the beginning and the end of my magnificent trip, I thought I would write a few words about this magical city as an introduction to the destination. The charm of the city has already been recounted by so many able writers, that it seems daunting to follow their narration with my own. As such, I will simply share my own personal moments in the city with you.

My journey began at the Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal, very conveniently located next to San Marco. I was very fortunate to have a room overlooking the Grand Canal, and watching the sunrise on La Salute is probably one of the most privileged moments I’ve ever had in life.

During my short transit in Venice, I visited the François Pinault’s collection at the Punta della Dogana, which just opened in June after a renovation by the famous Japanese architect Tadao Ando.

The gallery occupies a prime location in Venice, and with the Ando touch, is definitely worth a visit. Although I appreciate modern art, I did find some of the exhibits quite disturbing. I find it difficult to understand the brutality and the vulgarity of some artists – is this perhaps a shortcut to fame, or a statement about our society? It seems to me that we already have our share of violence every day in the newspaper, and art, like music, should be our breathing space for peace, rest, soul searching, reflection and an appreciation of the beauty of life.

There are many restaurants in Venice, and one of my favourites is Trattoria Alla Madonna, a casual trattoria with simple, unpretentious and delicious dishes, including a must-try seafood risotto.

Since the day I found out that the famous Harry’s Bar tailors its price list to the customer – the locals pay the least, then the regulars, while the tourists are expectedly gouged – I’ve frequented the sister branch instead, Harry’s Dolci, located on the Giudecca, away from the tourist spot of San Marco, thus more difficult to access but more peaceful. Here, you will find the same signature dishes as in Harry’s Bar, including homemade baked tagliolini with ham, to be shared, as the portion is quite substantial. Don’t leave without trying their cakes – once you sink your teeth into the multiple layers of cream, you’ll never want to leave. Yumm!

Photo credits: thundafunda.com

Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival

Interlude — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:53:58 +0000

This summer, Hong Kong’s music enthusiasts were excited to witness the first Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival, organised by Premiere Performances of Hong Kong under the artistic direction of cellist Trey Lee.

During the four-day festival in June, 10 musicians from around the world performed an extensive programme that included works by major chamber-music composers such as Brahms and Dvorak, as well as contemporary Finnish and Argentinean tango.

The Hong Kong City Hall Theatre is the perfect venue for intimate and cosy performances, creating the very essence of a “chamber”-like atmosphere. All of the performances were held here.

The festival opened with Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E major, a beautiful piece full of colours, and right from the first notes I was impressed and awakened by the energy of the five young musicians. They are all talented artists, and their performance showed the enthusiasm and passion they have for the music.

Over the course of the festival I listened to Schumann, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Turina, Poulenc, Faure and others – a well-planned programme presenting an overview of chamber music, with most pieces familiar to a mature classical music audience.

Among the artists, I was particularly moved by the intensity and sounds of young Finnish cellist Tomas Djupsjobacka, who was completely into the music, seemingly fused to his cello.

Chinese violinist Tianwa Yang also impressed, performing Gypsy Airs by Sarasate with Tanya Bannister at the piano. Yang has an ardour for the music, but was so aware of the technical complexity of the piece that she did not allow herself enough immersion in the melody. I’m sure that the day she is confident enough of her technique, she will be a great musician.

I’m glad Hong Kong finally has a festival of chamber music. For this inaugural festival the music was great and the artists competent. The only flaw was the lack of what I might call “chamber music spirit”. The programme notes explained that chamber music is “the music of friends” and also quoted Goethe describing a string quartet as “four rational people conversing”. Although all the young musicians were very experienced, I don’t know whether they had the opportunity to play together long enough to reach an understanding of the subtlety of the pieces. Instead of “conversing”, my feeling is that each musician performed their own monologue – although the music was there, they weren’t all on the same wavelength.

Nevertheless, I look forward to the next festival. With time and experience, I’m sure the festival will attain a high level of musical maturity.

Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E

More information about the event could be found here.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong has so much to offer the resident, never mind the visitor. I’ve lived here for more than 20 years and there’s still so much to be discovered, experienced and tasted.

The Hong Kong Chamber Music Festival is a good opportunity for music lovers to get a glimpse of the kaleidoscopic range of cultural and culinary experiences available in this great city.

If you are to attend the festival, I can recommend two hotels close to City Hall Theatre, the festival venue. Mandarin Oriental is a two-minute stroll from City Hall and is located in Central, the business and finance district, with its upmarket shopping malls full of brand names and restaurants. Hotel LKF is just 10-15 minutes from City Hall, a small boutique hotel situated in Lan Kwai Fong, “the” entertainment and clubbing heart of Hong Kong.

During the day, stroll along Hollywood Road, where you can find art galleries and trendy restaurants, or ride the double-decker tram to Sheung Wan, where old Hong Kong can still be found: traditional Chinese medicine or dry food shops cheek-by-jowl with daipaidongs (open-air street food stalls).

One of my favourite restaurants in the neighbourhood is Sushi Kuu on Wellington Street, which serves creative Japanese cuisine with high quality, freshly imported ingredients. Isola, a waterfront Italian restaurant located in the IFC (International Finance Centre), has the best black truffle pizza I have ever had. For Chinese food, go to Lei Garden restaurant, also in IFC, where you can taste delicious dim sum or, Tsui Wah on Wellington Street, for typical local snacks.

And of course the “must” is the harbour, the most beautiful one in the world. The view should be experienced at different hours of the day and from different viewpoints, whether looking down from the lofty heights of The Peak, or across the water from the promenades of Kowloon, or just from the ferry as it threads its way across the harbour between the myriad craft jostling on the water. You’ll discover a multi-faceted city, one with a vibrant beauty and a unique grandeur.

Photo credits: hongkongnese.com

Madam Butterfly in London

Interlude — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 07:16:12 +0000

Madam Butterfly

My mother dragged me to the Palais Garnier (Paris Opera House) for a performance of Puccini’s “Madam Butterfly” when I was in my early teens. It was supposed to be a treat, and my initiation to Opera.

I came out completely exhausted, after sitting through over two hours of unintelligible singing in a language I couldn’t comprehend – and subtitles didn’t exist in those days. The storyline was pure soap. The heroine, who was about my age, must have had some sort of eating disorder as she looked well over 100 kilograms, which might explain, I thought, why her American husband ran away for a slimmer bride.

Since then, I’ve developed a more profound appreciation of opera and experienced half a dozen or so productions of Madam Butterfly.

I was in London in June, when the ENO (English National Opera) revived Anthony Minghella’s Olivier Award-winning Madam Butterfly as a tribute to the late film director, who first staged the show together with his Hong Kong-born choreographer wife Carolyn Choa in 2005.

The performance was held at the Coliseum, an intimate and classy theatre, not pretentious or too intimidating, and altogether one of my favourite venues in London.

This, I must say, is the best Madam Butterfly I have seen to date. Minghella, of “The English Patient” and “Cold Mountain” fame, clearly brought his cinematic sensibilities to bear in a mesmerizing profusion of visual intensity and dramatic, breathtaking staging.

This is East meets West, kabuki with a dash of Broadway, Yamamoto yoked to Galliano, sukiyaki washed down with Bordeaux, a heady mixture of senses and flavours, so powerful that even after Butterfly expires in an elegant harakiri, I was still sitting there, waiting for and wanting more.

London

A June reunion with two old friends from primary school was a great chance for shopping, eating, gossiping and giggling, a gathering made even more indulgent by staying at The Langham, an extremely comfortable hotel conveniently located on Regent Street and close to all the high street brands.

Every time I am in London, I feel so frustrated. The city has so much to offer – exhibitions, concerts, opera, shows, restaurants – that I never have enough time for it all. But I always visit my favourite museums, the Tate Modern, the Saatchi Gallery, and of course the Victoria & Albert Museum, which I adore as I can admire the fabulous jewels without being tempted to buy, for the simple reason that nothing is for sale.

As for all those “in” and “hip” restaurants – huge spaces, large crowds, loud music, terrible echoing acoustics where diners try to compete with each other in order to be heard – well I’ve served my time in those. No more sore throats and stressed eardrums please. These days, I’d rather seek out small, cosy eateries offering delicious food, and have been lucky enough to find the following ones.

Le Club Gascon, located in the former Lyons Tea House next to Smithfield market, offers a revisited south-western French cuisine, the use of seasonal produce making each visit a discovery of new flavours. The extensive wine list offers a good selection of southern French reds, often unfairly neglected.

UMU, modern Kyoto cuisine in Mayfair, has the best soya milk tofu I’ve ever tasted. The modern sushis are amazing in their creativity and mixture of ingredients, while the Wagyu beef selection of three just melts in the mouth, leaving a subtle aftertaste. And the extensive sake selection, sourced from all parts of Japan, gives an intense sense of satisfaction once paired with the meal. I visited UMU twice after an opera, at almost 11pm, and although the last order is usually at 10.30pm, the restaurant was most accommodating.

Zafferano in Knightsbridge is a place I go mainly for two things: the burrata cheese, a softer, sexier version of mozzarella and not always on the menu, being seasonal; and the tiramisiu, a very chocolaty, smooth and sensuous creation, real comfort food. According to the maitre d’, his mama’s is even better, so I’ll just have to go to Italy to try it.

There are others, but I won’t get carried away – you’ll be reading more about London very soon.

Photo credits: nytimes.com, wikimedia.org

La Folle Journée in Tokyo

Interlude — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 02:32:24 +0000

La Folle Journée

Literally meaning “the crazy day”, the Japanese organizers have re-named this wonderful series of classical musical concerts “The Days of Enthusiasm”.

“La Folle Journée” originated in the north-western French city of Nantes in 1995. The brainchild of arts advocate René Martin, its aim was to make classical music accessible to the public by way of initiating shorter concerts with cheaper tickets, and an exciting, distinctive theme each year.

The concept was brought to Tokyo in 2005, and for three days in May this year, under the inspiring theme of “Bach is Back”, a total of 300 concerts were performed by 1,500 artists from 9am to 11pm at eight venues within the Tokyo International Forum. Each concert lasted about 45 minutes and tickets ranged from 500 yen (around US$5) to 4,000 yen (around $40).

Writer Emil Cioran once said, “Dieu peut remercier Bach, parce que Bach est la preuve de l’existence de Dieu”. God can thank Bach because he is the proof of God’s existence. Perfectly put. Well, unfortunately I must say that I experienced nothing divine when I heard the Bach Piano Concertos performed by Russian pianist Boris Berezovsky.

His technical mastery was impressive, but Bach might just be a little too cerebral for him. I had the feeling that he wanted to get it over and done with – as quickly as possible. The slow movements were so flat it was as though he was going through his next day’s grocery list.

I managed to go to a dozen or so other concerts and the highlight was exceptional. It was the Violin Concerto in E Major performed by Nemanja Radulovic, a 24 year old Serbian violinist, with a shock of amazing dark hair, whose interpretation was stunningly exquisite – intense, passionate, and musically breathtaking.

Nemanja Radulovic

More information about the event could be found here.

Tokyo

There are so many great things about Tokyo, but I am not here to write a tourist guide, so I’ll just share some of my own “Folle Journée” highlights with you.

I stayed at the Peninsula Tokyo, which is a very convenient five minutes’ walk from the Tokyo International Forum. The spacious room has an excellent layout, probably the best that I’ve seen, with a big bathroom and walk-in closet. The concierge team was particularly helpful, in fact without their assistance I would not have been able to go to any of the concerts. Although “La Folle Journée” has an English website, all its ticketing sites were in Japanese.

This was Golden Week, and all Ginza (where the hotel is located) is pedestrian-traffic-only for the holiday. I strolled right along to the famous French chocolatier La Maison de Chocolat, where I stock up on my favorite dark chocolate, Mendiant (extremely nutty chocolate chunks).

In between concerts, I wandered around the elegant avenues, window-shopped a little, and had a quick bite at Ginza Bairin, where just the thought of their mouth-watering tonkatsu (Japanese version of Wiener schnitzel) makes me feel like going back already.

In Roppongi, I discovered a nice surprise, which is Ryugin, a fusion-like restaurant. There was no fuss or pretension, but the set menu looked great and tasted delicious, the recipes creative but not bizarre, and the dinner was paired with an outstanding sake brewed in limited edition only for the restaurant.

The exploring of Tokyo Midtown, with its interesting architecture, was a pleasant break from the music marathon.

The 21-21 Design Sight is a small gem. Designed and built by Tadao Ando, it specializes in fascinating avant-garde exhibitions. Suntory Museum of Art, whose mission is “Art revisited, beauty revealed”, is also exceptional, if only for its human size. You can take in the whole museum in three hours without getting lost or rushed!

Ah, the basement Food Court. That’s where I can spend the whole day. My pick was, bien sûr, a French chocolatier again, Jean-paul Hévin, where I had different chocolate cakes as starter, main, dessert, and “encores”!

Photo credits: wikimedia.org

Beijing

Interlude — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 22:00:11 +0000

I have always preferred Beijing to Shanghai, for the city is more cultural and less stressful than my hometown.

And probably for the above two reasons, the dining options are less extensive and sophisticated, as Beijing people are much more casual and less demanding.

This time I chose to stay at the Grand Hyatt because of its convenient location. The hotel is decent, but the rooms do need some revamping. I visited the hotel’s in-house Chinese restaurant, Made in China, which purportedly serves the best duck in town, but I must say it was quite a disappointment. The duck was very oily and quite tasteless, and moreover, for such a high-end restaurant, the service was close to non-existent.

Happily, I had few better experiences: one is Xiao Wang Fu, located in the Ritan Park, a perfect venue for dinners when the weather is warm, featuring simple and tasty local fare at very reasonable price.

Ding Ding Xiang is also great place to go with a group of friends. Each person is provided with his own hot pot, and you can order a huge variety of meat, vegetables and fish, choose your own sauce and start cooking for yourself at your own pace. It is fresh, good, hearty and fun.

Apart from the must-see landmarks such as the Forbidden City or the Great Wall, the 798 Dashanzi Art District is also worth a half-day excursion, an ex-factory compound that was converted into a contemporary art centre, where one can stroll along the galleries and chill out in some avant-garde cafes.

Conversely, go to Nanluogu Xiang, an old hutong filled with hip eateries and designer boutiques.

The day I left Beijing was a most memorable one; it started snowing quite early in the morning, and by the time I was heading to the airport, the whole city was covered in white. The scenery was just so beautiful, pure and serene.

This is one of very rare moments that I regret not having an iPod (no, I don’t have one, have to learn how to download first…) It would have been great to listen to some Mozart piano sonatas while sitting back and being driven through the almost-empty wide avenues. Nature and music intertwined, what more could I ask for?

Perhaps a glass of champagne as an accompaniment?

Photo credits: flickr.com

Venice

Interlude — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:47:54 +0000

As Venice marked both the beginning and the end of my magnificent trip, I thought I would write a few words about this magical city as an introduction to the destination. The charm of the city has already been recounted by so many able writers, that it seems daunting to follow their narration with my own. As such, I will simply share my own personal moments in the city with you.

My journey began at the Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal, very conveniently located next to San Marco. I was very fortunate to have a room overlooking the Grand Canal, and watching the sunrise on La Salute is probably one of the most privileged moments I’ve ever had in life.

During my short transit in Venice, I visited the François Pinault’s collection at the Punta della Dogana, which just opened in June after a renovation by the famous Japanese architect Tadao Ando.

The gallery occupies a prime location in Venice, and with the Ando touch, is definitely worth a visit. Although I appreciate modern art, I did find some of the exhibits quite disturbing. I find it difficult to understand the brutality and the vulgarity of some artists – is this perhaps a shortcut to fame, or a statement about our society? It seems to me that we already have our share of violence every day in the newspaper, and art, like music, should be our breathing space for peace, rest, soul searching, reflection and an appreciation of the beauty of life.

There are many restaurants in Venice, and one of my favourites is Trattoria Alla Madonna, a casual trattoria with simple, unpretentious and delicious dishes, including a must-try seafood risotto.

Since the day I found out that the famous Harry’s Bar tailors its price list to the customer – the locals pay the least, then the regulars, while the tourists are expectedly gouged – I’ve frequented the sister branch instead, Harry’s Dolci, located on the Giudecca, away from the tourist spot of San Marco, thus more difficult to access but more peaceful. Here, you will find the same signature dishes as in Harry’s Bar, including homemade baked tagliolini with ham, to be shared, as the portion is quite substantial. Don’t leave without trying their cakes – once you sink your teeth into the multiple layers of cream, you’ll never want to leave. Yumm!

Photo credits: thundafunda.com

Hong Kong

Interlude — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 05:44:41 +0000

Hong Kong has so much to offer the resident, never mind the visitor. I’ve lived here for more than 20 years and there’s still so much to be discovered, experienced and tasted.

The Hong Kong Chamber Music Festival is a good opportunity for music lovers to get a glimpse of the kaleidoscopic range of cultural and culinary experiences available in this great city.

If you are to attend the festival, I can recommend two hotels close to City Hall Theatre, the festival venue. Mandarin Oriental is a two-minute stroll from City Hall and is located in Central, the business and finance district, with its upmarket shopping malls full of brand names and restaurants. Hotel LKF is just 10-15 minutes from City Hall, a small boutique hotel situated in Lan Kwai Fong, “the” entertainment and clubbing heart of Hong Kong.

During the day, stroll along Hollywood Road, where you can find art galleries and trendy restaurants, or ride the double-decker tram to Sheung Wan, where old Hong Kong can still be found: traditional Chinese medicine or dry food shops cheek-by-jowl with daipaidongs (open-air street food stalls).

One of my favourite restaurants in the neighbourhood is Sushi Kuu on Wellington Street, which serves creative Japanese cuisine with high quality, freshly imported ingredients. Isola, a waterfront Italian restaurant located in the IFC (International Finance Centre), has the best black truffle pizza I have ever had. For Chinese food, go to Lei Garden restaurant, also in IFC, where you can taste delicious dim sum or, Tsui Wah on Wellington Street, for typical local snacks.

And of course the “must” is the harbour, the most beautiful one in the world. The view should be experienced at different hours of the day and from different viewpoints, whether looking down from the lofty heights of The Peak, or across the water from the promenades of Kowloon, or just from the ferry as it threads its way across the harbour between the myriad craft jostling on the water. You’ll discover a multi-faceted city, one with a vibrant beauty and a unique grandeur.

Photo credits: hongkongnese.com

London

Interlude — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:41:41 +0000

A June reunion with two old friends from primary school was a great chance for shopping, eating, gossiping and giggling, a gathering made even more indulgent by staying at The Langham, an extremely comfortable hotel conveniently located on Regent Street and close to all the high street brands.

Every time I am in London, I feel so frustrated. The city has so much to offer – exhibitions, concerts, opera, shows, restaurants – that I never have enough time for it all. But I always visit my favourite museums, the Tate Modern, the Saatchi Gallery, and of course the Victoria & Albert Museum, which I adore as I can admire the fabulous jewels without being tempted to buy, for the simple reason that nothing is for sale.

There are others, but I won’t get carried away – you’ll be reading more about London very soon.

Photo credits: nytimes.com, wikimedia.org