To celebrate my “relocation” to Happy Valley for the first full month, I launched a small part-time, personal project called "Dear Happy Valley" where I will document my life and discovery in the small and happy valley in Hong Kong ... about coffee, food, people, history, stories behind the scenes, and so on.
It's still an infant project and I build everything on my own from web design, photography, and to content.
Visit DearHappyValley.hk to learn more.
最近腦海中一直有一個創作概念，希望未來幾年以「#留下來的人」為主題做一些拍攝，特別是街頭拍攝（street photography）以及一些隨處可見的普通人、平常事。
其實，留下來的人早已不那麼普通，每個人都已進入一種新的學習模式，留下來是因為家是香港，留下來是因為朋友，留下來是因為覺得還有希望。
今天拍攝到的這組相片（相機是Ricoh GR3）以香港維多利亞港風景為背景，正好遇到一對父子，父親讓兒子坐好，面向維港，然後準備幫他拍照留念。
維港應該不會再有多大變化，但每個人的心態卻各有不同。靜與動，都是相對的，所謂物定人移，很多事情，也只不過都是一念之間⋯⋯
新時代感悟之一，留下來的人，請務必對自己好一點，對身邊的人好一點。
Good morning, Happy Valley!
Cotton Lane Cafe is located on Min Fat Street (綿發街) in Happy Valley. That’s also where the name of the little cute coffee shop comes from, as “Min Fat” sounds like cotton (棉花) in Cantonese.
The local cafe is well known for its bagels and sandwiches (you can choose different flavors and toppings) while I find its mini-croissant with egg on cocotte (yes, very French!) better taste for me, especially for breakfast. I quite like its simplistic interior design, simple but elegant.
On the cafe’s official website, its welcome message says: “We at Cotton Lane welcome our customers to come in as guests and to leave as friends!” That sounds like the right style for a happy community in Happy Valley.
Address: Cotton Lane, 14 Min Fat St, Happy Valley
Italian café by day, cocktail bar by night, Coffeelin is a Milanese-style all-day establishment designed by JJ Acuna / Bespoke Studio, that brings the coffee culture of Milan to Hong Kong’s quaint and trendy neighbourhood, Happy Valley.
Before its new branch in Happy Valley was just officially open for business this week, Coffeelin already runs a shop on High St. in Sai Ying Pan. Both the two branches now serve home-made burned cheesecake and some signature drinks like the “Misty Forest” (see third photo) and “Morning Call”, a mixture of tea and espresso.
The Happy Valley branch apparently focuses more on its interior design.
According to the official Facebook page of Coffeelin, the design on the walls (see last photo) is formed by Coffeelin logo into Memphis Graphic style, which the cafe hopes its local customers may feel like going back at a Milano caffè in the 1980s.
Given its popularity — already a new Instagram-popular destination in Happy Valley — it may take quite some time before you can grab a table. Good luck to that!
To celebrate my “relocation” to Happy Valley from Mid-levels for the very first month, we revisited the most chic and classic restaurant in the Happy Valley neighbourhood, and that must be Amigo (雅谷餐廳).
Before Hong Kong got top-tier restaurants inside Four Seasons or Mandarin Oriental, there was already the Amigo. A Hong Kong institution, Amigo has remained unchanged since opening in its current location in 1976.
Most of the restaurant staff here have served for more than three decades. As you can imagine, they are the witness of many important people and events — from celebrity datings to secretive political meetings.
The restaurant is renovated in classic European style and well known for its traditional French and Italian dishes. The lobster bisque is one of the most popular choices for starter, and many loyal diners also love the lamb chops with mint jelly that have been consistently good. The highlights of your culinary journey to Amigo can continue after your main courses — all guests will get complimentary chocolate ice cream sticks, my favourite.
Please make sure you book one month in advance at least and there is strict dress code for all guests to follow. Happy Valley and Amigo feel almost like in a mutually indispensable relationship for decades, and I’m sure it’s a lovely relationship too.
Address: Amigo, 79A Wong Nai Chung Rd, Happy Valley