7 things to do in HK this week: From photos at Choi Hung to delicious street egg waffles
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The basketball courts in Choi Hung Estate are popular for photo shoots. Just sssshhh
St John’s Cathedral is right next to the Peak Tram stop in Central. It is the oldest Western building in Hong Kong. Step into the Anglican church for sanctuary from the city. This is where, on the day after the Pearl Harbour attack, Reverend Alaric P. Rose calmly held a church service while Hong Kong Island was being bombed.
The beautiful church was turned into a Japanese club during the second world war, when the city was occupied by Japan. Today it offers stunning architecture and great ’Gram opps (and church services!).
Waffle on
Hong Kong’s very own dessert, egg waffles, are ideal for winter. The warm, spheroid-shaped treats can be found all over the 852 from street food stalls to high-end restaurants. They are crispy, light puffs, sometimes filled with peanut butter, condensed milk or chocolate. Sometimes they are served with ice cream, sweets, fruit ... really, your imagination is the limit.
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Worth the pain
Golden Computer Arcade, just outside Sham Shui Po MTR Exit D, may seem rundown, crowded and intimidating to the uninitiated, but it is undeniably the cheapest place for all your gaming needs.
Try to avoid the first few shops near the entrance (they charge slightly higher prices) and delve into the small shops to find a great deal on consoles, games, peripherals and more.
Pre-loved fashion
There aren’t many vintage stores in our city, and very often they sell more luxury goods than retro items. But you could easily find antique treasures at a good price at Mee & Gee, one of the cheapest second-hand clothing shops in the city.
You can find them across Hong Kong; there are branches in Wan Chai, Central, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Mong Kok!
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Play ball
The basketball courts in Choi Hung Estate are a great place for photoshoots. The pastel-palette buildings provide a stunning backdrop to flex on your Instagram. While you’re at it, you can get in some shooting practice as well.
Take visitors here
We love bringing visitors to Ping Shan Heritage Trail, which is about a five-minute walk from Tin Shui Wai MTR station. Along the trail there’s the Tsui Shing Lau Pagoda, which was built around 1486 and is the oldest pagoda in Hong Kong; a 200-year-old walled village where residents still live; the Tang Ancestral Hall that dates back to 1273, and more.
The Tangs were one of the Five Great Clans of Hong Kong, and during Lunar New Year, the villagers still gather in front of the ancestral hall to have poon choi; preparations begin days in advance. Also, there’s a lady who runs a dumpling stall right outside the ancestral hall, and her dumplings are yum!
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The art of the matter
There are plenty of studios in Hong Kong that offer art jamming sessions, but Choco L’art, a small, cosy studio on Queen’s Road East in Wan Chai, is one of the best.
Not only is it cheaper than most studios, it has a completely relaxed, hands-off approach, so there’s no need to feel anxious about having an instructor pick apart your artistic skills. Simply turn up, grab a canvas, enjoy some music, and paint to your heart’s content.
If you have a place you would like us to check out, or you’d like to review a place, send us an email at [email protected] with “heart hk” in the subject field. Don’t forget to include your name, school and contact details.