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Meet Hong Kong’s Skyline farmers

Kayton Tang on December 10, 2024

At Rooftop Republic, we’re transforming Hong Kong’s iconic skyline with lush urban farms. From skyscraper rooftops to unexpected city corners, we’re redefining what it means to live sustainably in one of the world’s busiest cities.

Our mission? To bring fresh, locally grown produce to your plate and inspire a greener, healthier lifestyle. Together, we’re creating a community that connects people to their food, their city, and their planet.

Join the movement that’s making urban farming not just possible, but essential. Let’s grow a greener Hong Kong, one rooftop at a time.

We’re sharing this story as a proud partner of @hknevernormal, an initiative dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary nature of our city. Follow @hknevernormal for more inspiring stories.

Rooftop Republic

The spirit of Halloween

Kayton Tang on December 2, 2024

🎃 Halloween in Hong Kong is far from just trick-or-treat. It’s an iconic week-long event that brings together locals and visitors alike. It has grown into one of the biggest Halloween festivities in the world, with around 60,000 people coming together to enjoy the spookiest night of the year on October 31st.

At the heart of this transformation is Allan Zeman, the chairman of the Lan Kwai Fong Group, who introduced Halloween in LKF about 25 years ago. What began as a small gathering has evolved into a talk-of-the-town celebration that blends Eastern and Western traditions, featuring everything from costume parties to family-friendly activities. He recalls, “The first year it was all the gweilos who dressed up. Then slowly, I started to see more locals getting involved. Today, it has become almost a national holiday in Hong Kong.” 

We’re sharing this story as a proud partner of @hknevernormal, an initiative dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary nature of our city. Follow @hknevernormal for more inspiring stories.

叫自己「哥哥」艾歷大叔

Kayton Tang on December 2, 2024

你有見過一位大叔堅持叫自己「哥哥」的嗎？🤔🎨🤭

艾歷大叔（又稱Eric哥哥）投身藝術教育超過十五年，看似成熟穩重，其實心境青春，總能與小朋友打成一片！✨💡他主力以Zoom教授小朋友繪畫，讓來自不同地區的小朋友👧👦可以透過螢幕互相認識🌏，並能感受到彷如置身同一課室的氣氛📚🎨。

艾歷大叔曾修讀理科📐，卻對藝術充滿熱情❤️‍🔥，不僅創立了自己的設計公司🏢，更多年來堅持教授小朋友繪畫。他相信與孩子相處時需要放下「大人」的面具🎭，才能理解他們的興趣與需求，甚至從他們天真的創造力中找到靈感💡🖌️，應用於自己的設計專案中！✨🎨

你想不想與Eric哥哥來一場創意滿滿的藝術Zoom課呢？💻🎨👩‍🎨👨‍🎨我們很榮幸成為@hknevernormal的合作夥伴，致力分享香港這座城市的非凡故事。Follow @hknevernormal 發掘更多精彩故事！

Uncle Eric Art Studio

SAVOR THE UNEXPECTED

Kayton Tang on November 30, 2024

Biryani Masala? Cantonese Worcester Sauce? MSG? Charred Corn Husk? These are just some of the unusual ingredients that delightfully come together in The Savory Project’s one-of-a-kind cocktails.

Ajit Gurung and Jay Khan dared to defy norms with The Savory Project, a “never normal” establishment that flips the script on traditional bars by focusing solely on savory flavors.

Its menu caters to the bold and curious, with unexpected creations such as “Thai Beef Salad”, “Biryani”, and “Mala Punch”. In the intriguing Pepper+Corn cocktail, corn husk is meticulously skinned off the corn, cooked on the stove for hours to remove the moisture, and then further reduced sous vide. The dedication to detail is evident in every sip.

In an industry-leading move, The Savory Project presents a thoughtful selection of non-alcoholic cocktails to cater to evolving drinking preferences. “We don’t want people to miss out on the experience of a cocktail bar just because they don’t drink. We put equal thought and craft into our non-alcoholic cocktails, so non-drinkers don’t have to awkwardly settle for a lime soda.”

For Ajit and Jay, it’s not just about drinks; it’s a philosophy of pushing boundaries, challenging the status quo, and standing out in a sea of conformity. The Savory Project embodies their belief being bold and blazing their own trail – ultimately redefining the city’s cocktail scene. 🥃🍹🍸

We’re sharing this story as a proud partner of @hknevernormal, an initiative dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary nature of our city. Follow @hknevernormal for more inspiring stories.

Revolutionizing Music Education in Hong Kong 🎻🎹

Kayton Tang on November 29, 2024

Meet Madeline Kam, a visionary in the world of music education and a proud Hong Konger. 🌟 As the Asia Consultant to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Madeline has been instrumental in shaping music teaching in the region. She was the first to introduce a first-class music MA course from the European String Teachers Association (ESTA), blending face-to-face learning with distance education—a groundbreaking approach to teaching music skills.

Her innovative vision is giving the next generation of musicians and teachers in Hong Kong a unique, world-class way to grow and learn. 🎼✨

Which aspect of Hong Kong inspires your creativity? Let us know below!👇

We’re proud to share this story as part of the @hknevernormal campaign, celebrating the extraordinary spirit of our city. Follow @hknevernormal for more inspiring stories.

Pasta, Costumes and good deeds

Kayton Tang on November 29, 2024

Picture this… 500+ runners in costume, racing around the city, raising funds for mental health care and awareness, to a finish line where a pasta party awaits! Blending fun, wellness and community mindedness.

Hong Kong’s “Halloween warm-up event” by default, as it takes place the weekend before the eponymous spookfest, the Pasta Run is hosted by neighbourhood pasta bar, Pici, and is a beloved fixture on our city’s annual racing calendar.

🏃‍♀️This year, runners covered 4,000 cumulative kilometres – half the distance from Hong Kong to Italy, birthplace of pasta. Oldest finisher 🇬🇧Mark Graham – 70 years old; youngest finisher 🇫🇷Ysee Croq – 5 months old.

The run ended with a party in Pici Taikoo Place, where our costumed crusaders enjoyed handmade pasta masterpieces, bomboloni, tiramisu, awards, and the altruism of having raised over HKD100,000 for our charity partner, Mind HK.

We’re sharing this story as a proud partner of @hknevernromal, an initiative dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary nature of our city. Follow @hknevernormal for more inspiring stories.

Fusing traditional charm with modern aesthetics, capturing the essence of Cha Chaan Teng culture.

Kayton Tang on November 29, 2024

An icon of the city, serving up simple, hearty eats, Cha Chaan Teng continues to stand as an iconic embodiment of the city’s unique cultural fusion and a testament to the culinary dynamism of the city.

One of the defining characteristics of a Cha Chaan Teng is its menu, which features a diverse array of dishes catering to both Chinese and Western tastes. From classic offerings such as pineapple buns, sandwiches and Hong Kong-style milk tea to Western-inspired items like French toast. @sleepyhead.hk celebrates the enduring appeal and adaptability of Hong Kong’s Cha Chaan Teng culture.

Experience sleepyhead’s refreshing take on the traditional Cha Chaan Teng favourites!

BREAKING ART BOUNDARIES: The story of Young Soy Gallery

Kayton Tang on November 29, 2024

You are not the city’s cool, artsy kid until you have been to Young Soy Gallery.

Translated from “Ugly Gallery” in Cantonese, Young Soy Gallery originated as a lighthearted joke between its founders, Shivang Jhunjhnuwala and Alexander Glavatsky-Yeadon, with the idea to start a one night exhibition entitled “F.art Basil” with emerging artists in town during the pandemic in 2020.

Identified as third culture kids, Jhunjhnuwala and Glavatsky-Yeadon drawing from their own adventures, have their sights set on how cultural divergences bring distinct stories. Their vision for Young Soy transcends being just a gallery: it is a cultural melting pot that not only cultivates a spectrum of cultural influences but also acts as a launchpad for radical artists. Ultimately what matters For Jhunjhnuwala and Glavatsky-Yeadon is simple: that everyone finds it amusing, and everyone feels at home.

Young Soy persistently pushes the boundary of what defines an artist. The gallery collaborates with artists regardless of their backgrounds—be they newcomers to the art scene, self-taught, or untrained—as long as they have a burning desire to unveil their personal yet extraordinary story through artistic expression, Young Soy is all ears.

We’re sharing this story as a proud partner of @hknevernormal, an initiative dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary nature of our city. Follow @hknevernormal for more inspiring stories.

“dancing wave”

Kayton Tang on November 29, 2024

Have you ever tried the “dancing wave” hand signal to catch a cross-harbour taxi🫳🏻 🌊?

It is a secret trick that not even all Hong Kongers know. Simply flatten your right hand and move it in a wave-like motion—just like a boat floating on the sea. This signals taxi drivers that you’re crossing the harbour, making it easier for the right taxi to find you. Trust me, with this trick, you’ll never face rejection from a taxi driver again.