Pleasant Surprises

I love surprises, especially when they come in boxes. Out of the blue, a box arrived from Pantheon (an imprint of Random House). Had the new titles I sent to SW, an editor I had met last year about Little Cream Book, bounced back? I opened the box, and inside sat copies of Joan Didion's non-fiction collection, We Tell Ourselves Stories in Order to Live, and Feather in the Storm by Emily Wu and Larry Engelmann about Wu's childhood during the Cultural Revolution. Apparently, SW did received the new titles I sent her and had reciprocated. I can't wait to start reading them, especially the Joan Didion collection. Didion's writings were much talked about during my Bryn Mawr days, but to be honest, I didn't actually get around to reading much of them (I had actually read more Susan Sontag). Because I'm an avid reader of Vanity Fair and Dominick Dunne's (Didion's brother-in-law) column, I probably know more about her personal life than about her actual writing.

Speaking of other pleasant surprises, I came across a wonderful write-up on Little Cream Book in the current issue of Four Seasons magazine (as in the luxury hotels and resorts). It was actually written by ST, or better known as Chubby Hubby's S. It was actually an article on creative, lifestyle products coming out of China's metropolitan cities (i.e. Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing), which also featured Fort Street Studio, Spin Ceramics, Suzhou Cobblers, Chang & Biorck and Mushi Fashion.

A more local surprise was a visit to a fairly new boutique hotel/serviced apartment right around the corner from my office on 133 Leighton Road. I had heard of Lanson Place mentioned by another friend earlier, but was not intrigued enough to go seek it out. Since EO had just checked-in, I decided to pay him a visit before we went to lunch. Turns out, it's very good value for money. He got upgraded to a Grand Luxe room (around 500 sq. ft.), which has a kitchenette (with microwave and burners), separate sitting area and bedroom with airy views overlooking the stadium. Bathroom is OK in size. Typical of a "boutique hotel", there is no bathtub and offers only one wash basin. At HK$1,400++ (rack rate is HK$3,200++) though, it's a pretty good deal in Causeway Bay. It does run up against competition though; as it's right behind JIA. The more intimate ambiance beats Regal Hotel next door or Excelsior on the harbour front. In Central, there's Hotel LKF, which is very convenient for those who enjoy the Lan Kwai Fong/SoHo nightlife when they're in the city.

And last, but not least, there's the season 3 opener of
Desperate Housewives, which is just out on iTunes. Just 10 more days till LOST!

Asia On My Mind Worldwide Benefit Dinners: Celebrating 50 Years of Asia Society

Last night kicked off Asia On My Mind, the month-long celebration of Asia Society's 50th anniversary with a series of benefit dinners hosted in US and Asian cities. Being an American-born Chinese who spent a few of my early years of education in Hong Kong, I've always appreciated the need for an organization such as Asia Society, which endeavours to increase understanding among Americans about Asia and vice versa. Incidentally, another Rockefeller-founded cultural exchange organization, Asian Cultural Council, is our very good office neighbor.

Of the eight dinners held in Hong Kong, Reel Occasion appealed to me the most, because I'm interested in film and I had had chance meetings with both of the special guests. The dinner was beautifully and expertly hosted by Stacey & Robert Morse (In the place of menu and place card, there was a make-shift film cannister placed at each place setting. The guest's name was printed on the film cannister. The menu unwound on the film portion of the film reel inside.), and featured special guests Barbara Robinson and Nansun Shi. Barbara is the Managing Director of Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia and Nansun is Executive Director of Film Workshop Ltd. (the film production company she runs with her husband, reknowned film director Tsui Hark). Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia has produced international hits such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Kung Fu Hustle, as well as KeKeXiLi, an amazingly moving and stunningly-shot, award-winning film about the true story of a group of volunteer mountain patrols in their quest to stop the poaching of antelopes in Tibet. I had the pleasure of meeting the film's director, Lu Chuan, last summer when I was organizing a corporate retreat in New Zealand where he was invited as the guest speaker. We had had problems getting a film print of KeKeXiLi to New Zealand for the private screening; Chinese authorities would not allow Lu Chuan to bring a print with him. So I emailed Barbara my request (I had her contact from at least 8 years before, having done some film script translation for her, but had had little contact with her since), and both she and Columbia Picture's office in Auckland was amazingly helpful. They sent the film print all the way to a small cinema in Te Anau and then one of their staff met me at the Auckland airport to pick-up the film print on my way back.

I met Nansun when I interviewed with her for a job before I decided to start WANLILU. At the time, I was toying with the idea of going into the film business, so I sent my resume to Barbara, who then forwarded my resume to Nansun! In addition to having met her on that occasion, I also listen to her morning CR1 (Setting off on a Clear, Beautiful Day from 7-9am Mondays-Fridays on FM88.1, in Cantonese only) talk show most mornings on my way to work. I am a also fan of Nansun's tireless efforts to lobby the Hong Kong Government to do more in the realm of creating a better environment for the creative industries. She has great vision and is one of the few influencial people in Hong Kong who can see the big picture beyond the short-term. So when I saw the double billing of two my most admired film baronesses for the Reel Occasion dinner, I could not resist.

Reel Occasion was a hit -- 2 brilliant and entertaining hosts, 2 inspiring and engaging special guests with 20 other interested and interesting guests (on my table were many financiers). There are 40+ dinners remaining for the rest of this month in the US and around Asia. There's an amazing one in Shanghai on 23 June at Jean-Georges Shanghai with Chinese film directors Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou, fashion designer Vivianne Tam among several other special guests.

So if you happen to be in Hong Kong, New York City, Shanghai, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Washington D.C., Mumbai, Houston/Dallas, Sydney/Melbourne, check out the schedule to see if you can join Asia Society for what will most certainly be a wonderfully engaging and memorable evening! Dinners in Hong Kong run until next Saturday, 10 June. Themes range from a Bollywood Chic Midsummer Night's Celebration hosted by the Harilelas to a discussion on Japanese investment in China hosted at the Consul General of Japan's Residence. Most in Hong Kong are probably already sold out, but it's worth checking for last-minute cancellations (In Hong Kong, call +852 2103 9808).