Reach for the SKYE

Hong Kongers looking for a stylish rooftop bar to watch the National Day fireworks will have another option this year, with the recent opening of a bar and restaurant serving contemporary French cuisine on the 27^th floor of the Park Lane, a Pullman Hotel.

SKYE bar has a swanky outdoor deck that features a futuristic illuminated bar, lounge chairs and front-row seats to the best show in town: a stunning fireworks display over Victoria Harbour on 1 October.

Prior to the show, a six-course meal by Chef Lee Adams will be served. Lounge tables can be booked in advance.

SKYE, covering an area of 8,000 sq ft in Causeway Bay, has three private rooms and an in-house DJ performs every night.

On days when people are not “ooh-ing” and “aah-ing” at fireworks, the menu features crisp pork belly with apple ragout and bok choy, slow-poached lobster with baby fennel tempera, and lavender honey breast of barbary duck, to name a few.

Cartier opens ultimate bachelor pad in Hong Kong

Every man at some point in his life wanted to own the ultimate bachelor pad. A place to get away from the stress of daily life and kick back with man stuff, like cigars, whiskey, games of pool, sports on a giant screen and a poker table. Sadly, in Hong Kong, this is merely a dream for most due to lack of space.

Thankfully, Cartier is on hand to help. The French luxury watch company has turned the Qube, a multipurpose event space, in Central into the ultimate bachelor pad until 30 September.

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The event/tour, to celebrate the company’s Drive de Cartier watch, has objects and collectibles such as books, music, one-of-a-kind figurines and the latest gadgets.

Online retailer Mr Porter is on hand to help choose what will look good in your wardrobe and a personal shopper will offer style advice.

And like all good things, Cartier has left the best till last. The tour will finish in a room furnished with sofas, a bar, a garden, a games den and displays of the Drive de Cartier watch.

To register for the event, visit whatdrivesyou.hk.

Atelier Vivanda launches new brunch menu

Meat lovers rejoice: French bistrot Atelier Vivanda has launched a new weekend brunch menu with a wide array of juicy meats, different styles of house potatoes and free-flowing beer, wine or Champagne.

The Wan Chai restaurant, headed up by Michelin-starred Chef Akrame Benallal, specialises in premium cut meats. The main course of the meal includes options of Black Angus Flank, Black Angus Persille, Yellow Chicken Breast or Duck Breast. For an additional cost, diners can dig into a Black Angus Ribeye, Pluma Iberian Pork Rib or Holstein Beef Rib.

Included is a bread basket; fresh fruit juice; a choice of Baby Tomatoes Confit, Soft Boiled Eggs or Duck Leg Terrine with Baby Onions; a choice of Gratin Dauphinois, Pommes Galette, Pommes Dauphines, Sauteed Potatoes or Mashed Potatoes; and, finally, unlimited dessert with an option of Fig with Custard, Crème Brulee or Avocado Cream with Muesli, with complimentary tea or coffee and Chef Akrame’s iconic French Madeleine.

In addition to the new menu launch, interactive cooking classes will be held by Akrame’s protégé, Chef Thibault Gilardi, on 2 October from noon to 3 pm. Classes are limited to 10 people on a first-come-first-served basis.

Children under 12 will receive a 50% discount when they order items from the brunch menu.

Out of this world experience on Genting Dream

What do an astronaut, National Geographic photographer and a martial arts expert have in common? And, no, this isn’t a dirty joke. They are all part of Genting Hong Kong Dream Cruise’s new “Dreamscapes” programme.

The interactive guest activities and talks from award-winning National Geographic photographer Michael Yamashita; kung-fu star JuJu Chan, popularly known as the “female Bruce Lee”; and astronaut Dr Leroy Chiao, who is a former international space station commander and has logged 229 days in space, will be held on the company’s first cruise liner, Genting Dream.

The recently completed Genting Dream has 1,674 staterooms, with over 70 percent offering private balconies, plus 100 connecting rooms for families and groups. The cruise ship also has a butler service, 35 restaurants and bars and six water slides.

Dream Cruises, the first-ever Asian luxury cruise line, plans to cater to the large and rapidly growing high-end cruise market in China and Asia.

Have your cake and eat it at Ms B’s Cakery

“Let them eat cake” is a quote famously attributed to Marie Antoinette, the queen consort of Louis XVI, when she was told the French people had no bread to eat. Now, we are not condoning the offensive quote, but there are days when all we want to do is eat cake. All day!

The sweet, delicious dessert is seen as a treat, something you should only eat at special occasions. But it seems that Hongkongers are treating themselves quite a lot as Ms B’s Cakery has just opened a second branch in Central due to popular demand.

Cake lovers can choose from an exquisite range of sumptuous cakes and pastries – from the lightest chiffon to the most decadent chocolate fudge treats.

And for people concerned about their waistline — gorging on cake and sweet treats is probably not the best idea, but if you must get your fix — Gluten and sugar-free options are available.

The new Ms B’s Cakery is located at Landmark Prince’s, Shop 248 10 Chater Road, Central.

Iconic Central building turned luxury hotel

A new luxury hotel is coming to Central, offering guests the chance to stay in an iconic building and enjoy breathtaking views of the city from the rooftop bar.

The Murray, the latest venture by luxury hotel brand Niccolo Hotels, is set to open in October 2017 on Cotton Tree Drive, a stone’s throw from Hong Kong Park. It will be the hotel brand’s flagship property in Hong Kong, while also furthering the government’s Conserving Central Project.

The building itself is iconic for its distinctive arches and recessed windows, and has received many accolades for its energy-efficient design since it was constructed in 1969. Architects Foster and Partners, whose portfolio includes The Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank headquarters and the Hong Kong International Airport, will design the hotel in a chic, contemporary style.

The property will feature 336 rooms on 27 floors, wellness facilities, five restaurants, a rooftop bar and terraces around The Arches with views of Hong Kong Park and Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens.

The Murray’s managing director, Duncan Palmer, said the hotel is set to become “the preferred hotel in Hong Kong for visiting dignitaries, captains of industry and leaders in style” upon opening.

Niccolo Hotels’ first property, Niccolo Chengdu, opened in April 2015. The brand was recently named the “Best Luxury Hotel Brand of the Year” at the 2016 Asia Hotel Awards.

Tanqueray serves up personalised botanical cocktails

Bartenders don’t typically stop to ask about your flavour profile, but two pop-up installations in Central and Tsim Sha Tsui are taking mixology to new heights.

Five personalised, limited edition cocktails made with Tanqueray no. TEN gin are on offer at two restaurant/bars – Aqua and Armani/Privé – from now until October 21.

The “Hanging Gardens of Kyoto” event brings a touch of colour to the city with its picturesque canopy of vines, as well as a swing set hidden amongst the flowers. Cocktails are crafted based on the floral scents that guests prefer, with six botanical scents available for sampling. Drinks are infused with exotic and unique ingredients such as shiso and bamboo leaves, rhubarb, tarragon, oregano and more.

One drink, the “Undiscovered Treasure,” blends cherry bark and hibiscus-infused gin with a hint of elderflower, cardamom and bay leaves. The event is running simultaneously at Aqua Kyoto in London.

Eight designer shops open at Wynn Palace Cotai

A flurry of designer stores and boutiques have set up shop recently in Wynn Palace Cotai, a luxury resort in Macau.

ETRO boutique, Brioni, Cartier, Frank Muller, Moncler, Valentino, Van Cleef & Arpels and Versace have all taken up residence inside the newly opened resort.

To celebrate its new store opening, Cartier unveiled three jewellery pieces valued at over MOP$40 million for the first time in Macau. They include the Solitaire 1895, which has a 1.01-carat purple pink facette diamond; a men’s ring with a 6.45-carat emerald cut diamond; and the Rosee Necklace, cast in platinum with natural pearl and pink diamond beads.

Wynn Esplanade, a 200,000 square foot shopping area inside Wynn Palace, is home to more than 50 shops selling designer brands.

CHARBON hosts multimedia art extravaganza

Aberdeen-based art venue CHARBON will celebrate its first anniversary on Saturday (24 September) with the opening of a multimedia exhibit featuring live performances, photography, drawings and stage plays by artists from France and Hong Kong.

The exhibit, named translatio (Latin for “transmission”), pays homage to late French author and photographer Edouard Levé’s legacy by exploring themes of translation and impact. The event will coincide with the annual South Island Art Day in Wong Chuk Hang area.

With a full itinerary of events beginning at noon Saturday, activities will include meet-and-greets with the curator, Lalie Choffel; an art space tour by South Island Cultural District; an “artist sharing” session with Mark Chung; and other performances. Stage plays based on Levé’s last novel, “Suicide,” will be performed during the exhibition period.

Visitors can check out this exhibit Wednesday through Saturday from now until 5 November.