Chinese New Year In Hong Kong: How To Get The Vibe

This year’s Chinese New Year falls on Monday 26 January 2009.  Chinese New Year in Hong Kong is quiet, very quiet - which is what happens when hundreds of people leave for holidays all at once, and most of those who remain spend much of their time in their own and relatives’ homes.

Many shops and even restaurants close, so if you’ve ever spent Chinese New Year in Hong Kong, you might scoff at the Hong Kong Tourism Board describing this as “the most glorious and colourful Chinese festival on the lunar calendar.”

With local friends retreating to different vacation spots, it’s all too easy to feel that you’re missing out on something.

Chinese New Year In Hong Kong: Things To Avoid

Four Bloopers to Avoid On Chinese New Year

With Chinese New Year supposedly a pivotal time for dictating fortunes over the coming months, there’s a list of do’s and don’ts as long as your arm.

Here’s our quick pick of the bigger bloopers:

• Don’t wash your hair on New Year’s Day.
  Yes, that’s right; hold the shampoo till the next day, or you could wash away all your luck for the year.
• Don’t cry on New Year’s Day -
  After all, you don’t want to spend the whole year crying, do you?
• No money lending on - you’ve guessed it - New Year’s Day
  No lending anything in fact. And you have paid off all your debts before Chinese New Year, haven’t you?
• Don’t go out meeting people on … the fifth day of the new year.
  A good one if you have horrible in-laws, this. You stay home, rather than pop out and meet friends and relatives - for if you met them today, you’d bring bad luck on both them, and you.

Have a secret list of things to avoid? Share them here.

Hong Kong’s First Winery

Unless you’re shopping for furniture or visiting the Lane Crawford outlet as a tourist, there is probably no other reason why you’d make a trip to Ap Lei Chau. Most locals haven’t even gone there, as it’s mostly residential. If you have been there, you might have noticed a sort of post-industrial vibe (evidenced by the move of the power station) that couldn’t seem farther away from Central. Which makes it all the more surprising that there’s also a winery out there.

Tucked away on the 3^rd floor of Harbour Industrial Centre on Lee Hing Street is The 8^th Estate Winery, and yes, they actually make the wine. Amazingly enough, this is Hong Kong’s first and only winery. You don’t have to be an enthusiast to know that Hong Kong and China aren’t exactly hot spots for wine, given its land and climate conditions. But the 8^th Estate is poised to change that, as it attempts to break into the scene this year.

The 8^th Estate’s wines are produced entirely in Hong Kong, with the exception of the grapes, which are flash-frozen and sourced from selected growing regions around the world. This year’s reserve comes from Washington State in the US. However, every other aspect of wine production – from fermenting to aging – is done entirely on site in Ap Lei Chau.

The yield is small (only 8,300 cases per year), due to the size of their facilities, but it seems fitting, because their emphasis is on the quality of the wine. The mantra of the 8^th Estate, run by wine master Gianni Seminari and managing director Lysanne Tusar, is to “bring people to the wine instead of wine to the people.” They stay true to this by only selling their wines in Hong Kong and are passionately determined to remain local.

Right now, they only have white and dessert wines, as their reds are still in production (but available for pre-orders). But I had the opportunity to taste their whites, and my favorite was a dessert aperitif wine (Cabernet Sauvignon) named Affair with a peach and mango bouquet. I also tried the un-oaked Chardonnay, which was fermented cold and aged for 6 months on lees. My palette, inexperienced as it may be, detected the quality in the wines, and they were impressive.

The point of the 8^th Estate Winery is that you don’t have to rely on expensive brand-name imports to enjoy good wine. The winery is even prepared to offer you an experience that is literally hands-on. Seminari, who has won several awards for his winemaking, is ready to guide you or your company (or whomever) through the process of creating your own blend. It’s as personal as you want to make it.

They also hold special events and wine tastings for groups on their outside terrace, which has a decidedly European feel to it. If you have a party outside at night, you can forget for a moment that you are in Hong Kong…and at a winery, no less.

The 8^th Estate Winery is a winery dedicated to furthering your knowledge and enjoyment of good wine without the pretense. Whether you’re a novice or expert, head over to the 8^th Estate for a different perspective of Hong Kong.

Tiffany, the author of this article, is a recent college graduate who knows a thing or two about boxed wines. She likes to think that because of her university years, or rather in spite of them, her taste buds are more acute than the average person’s when it comes to detecting bad alcohol. Note: this blurb may or may not have been written under the influence of said wine.

Shopping In Hong Kong: Citygate Outlets

The next-to-last shopping destination before you exit Hong Kong is Citygate Outlets, a complex that seems mostly geared toured tourists and the residents of the Tung Chung area. The fact that it’s only a short bus ride from the airport on Lantau Island is enough to squash even the prospect of going there. But with sales that go up to 90 percent, it is well worth the trip out there.

Cost Of Living In Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in. Hundreds of studies confirm it and most residents believe it. Sometimes we even seem proud of it, shocking our family and friends overseas with the rents we pay and the cost of a car or round of drinks.

Shopping In Hong Kong: Furniture

Ap Lei Chau, Wan Chai, and Causeway Bay are areas that have many home design and furniture shops. Here you will find minimalist, sophisticated and trendy pieces, from mid-range to high-range prices.

Hong Kong’s Michelin Stars

The much buzzed about Michelin Guide is officially arriving in Hong Kong on December 5. The question is - will it actually affect where you eat?

Christmas In Hong Kong: Giving Green

Here in Hong Kong, the name of the game is consumption. We all know that shopping is more a way of life than a mere activity, but it might be time to consider how our spending habits can actually help others, and also the environment.

Christmas In Hong Kong: What To Do

When the temperature drops to the 20s in Hong Kong, the boots, scarves, and gloves come out almost instantaneously. If you hail from anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, you might scratch your head in confusion. But when the locals bundle up

Shopping For Christmas Decorations

The city of Hong Kong lights up during Christmastime.  Blinking bulbs illuminate the skyscrapers, while festive streamers adorn both street stalls and shop windows.  Join in on the holiday spirit by decorating your own home.

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