Sunday, December 29, 2013

Christmas with the Family

Ryan came to Hong Kong for Christmas. It was my turn to go see him, but we decided he should come here. Mainland China might not be the best place for Christmas. It's just not an important holiday there. Hong Kong is nothing like home either, but it is better than China.

Lily & Kevin were also feeling a little homesick during the holiday, so we decided to all spend the day together. All of our families are in the United States and Canada, and going home to see them was not going to happen this year. We are all the closest thing to family we have in Hong Kong, so it makes sense that we spend holidays together.

Since a one bedroom apartment is a little too small for four people, and since it was Christmas, we decided to splurge and go to a nice hotel. I don't know whose idea it was originally. I think it was Kevin's. Lily & Kevin talked about it and then brought it up to me. I told Ryan.

We went to the Auberge Discovery Bay on Siena Avenue. It is nowhere close to any MTR stops, but the hotel has shuttles to the airport, Disneyland and area attractions. This was more like a resort than a hotel. It looks a lot nicer than most Hong Kong hotels and has a full service spa, is on the beach and has several dining options besides the usual restaurant.

Lily & I had to work a lot around Christmas, so I suggested we go to a hotel close to Disneyland. That way we could all spend time together at a nice hotel and Lily & I could easily go to work when we had to. This one was very close. I have never gotten to work so quickly. Since it was at Discovery Bay, there was plenty for Ryan and Kevin to do. Discovery Bay is full of expats and vacationing foreigners, so they could hang out with other foreigners and talk about football and hot dogs, or whatever they talk about in bars. They probably talk about girls and their balls, but I prefer to think about it my way.

The hotel had plenty to eat and drink, a nice swimming pool and the rooms had new TVs with more than enough channels and free internet. I don't know why all hotels don't have free internet. This was a great place for Ryan and Kevin to be lazy for a couple of days.

The Auberge Discovery Bay is an expensive hotel, but we got a Disneyland discount. That made it a lot cheaper, but that also meant we could not book the best rooms. The more expensive rooms face the ocean and have great views of the bay. The discount rooms are in the back and face the mountain. They were still very nice rooms and the view was not bad at all. The mountains on Lantau Island are pretty green. Our rooms were large by Hong Kong standards and looked a lot nicer than most hotels around here. They did not look anything like discount rooms. That's the way any good hotel should be.

Since we were not in the city, we tried the hotel breakfast. If we were in Kowloon or Hong Kong Island we would have never eaten a hotel breakfast. There is too much food that's a lot better in every direction. Here, we were away from the city, and going out to get food took longer than just walking outdoors. The hotel is not in the middle of nowhere, but it is in an overpriced neighborhood where people who don't like living in Hong Kong live. The breakfast was pretty good. It was still a hotel breakfast, but it was not all microwaved food sitting under a heat lamp. It actually looked appetizing and some of it was made by chefs rather than short order cooks.

I don't know if we will ever go to this hotel again, but I'm up for it.


Sunday, December 22, 2013

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Friday, December 20, 2013

Cold Weather Warning

The Hong Kong Observatory issued a Cold Weather Warning. People are being told to take precautions and do what they can to keep warm. The daytime temperatures are around 15 Celsius/59 Fahrenheit and just under 10C/50F degrees at night.

I'm from Minnesota. 50F is autumn weather to me. It's not winter, and it is definitely no reason to be alarmed.

What I have to remember, and what other people who do not understand why anyone would complain about such a warm winter have to remember, is that in this part of the world, anything even close to freezing is considered alarmingly cold. In Minnesota, we have heating systems in our homes, heavy coats, plenty of blankets and houses with lots of insulation to protect us from the cold. No one has heaters in Hong Kong. You can buy a little portable heater but it is not the same. Hong Kong houses are designed to protect people from the humid summers. Everybody has air conditioning. I have never been to a house in Hong Kong with a heater. The insulation here is terrible. If I stand next to the living room window, I can feel the wind from outside.

There is also very little difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures. In Minnesota, it is always colder at night. In Hong Kong, it is generally about the same, just not as sunny. People from Hong Kong are not used to being warm in the day and getting chillier at night. Right now, they are just cold all the time. Especially at night.

It's easy for me to say this is a very mild winter, but that is only because I'm used to blizzards and plenty of snow every winter. For people who are used to 90% humidity 90% of the time, this is a very cold winter.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Peter O’Toole

Peter O'Toole was one of my favorite actors when I was younger. I have not seen any of his latest movies.

His performances in Lawrence of Arabia and The Lion in Winter still blow me away, as much as Night of the Generals still creeps me out. To this day, General Tanz crosses my mind at least once a month. I remember how surprised I was when I first saw The Ruling Class. I was pretty young and did not fully realize that a serious dramatic actor could do comedy. He did both exceptionally well.

His stage work included a good deal of prominent productions of Shakespeare

King Lear as the Duke of Cornwall
Othello as Lodovico
A Midsummer Night's Dream as Lysander
The Taming of the Shrew as Petruchio
The Merchant of Venice as Shylock
Troilus and Cressida as Thersites
Macbeth as Macbeth
Hamlet as Hamlet in two separate productions

And a few by George Bernard Shaw

Major Barbara as Peter Shirley
The Apple Cart as King Magnus in two separate productions
Man and Superman as Tanner in three separate productions
Pygmalion as Henry Higgins in four separate productions and a movie version

Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot as Vladimir in two separate productions
Chekhov's Uncle Vanya as Vanya in two separate productions
Noël Coward's Present Laughter as Gary Essendine
He originated the role of Jeffrey Bernard in Keith Waterhouse's Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell, as well as the movie that he co-directed


Kidnapped
directed & written by Robert Stevenson
produced by Walt Disney
starring Peter Finch, James MacArthur, Bernard Lee, John Laurie, Peter O'Toole

The Savage Innocents
directed by Nicholas Ray
written by Nicholas Ray & Franco Solinas
starring Anthony Quinn, Yoko Tani, Peter O'Toole, Carlo Giustini

The Day They Robbed the Bank of England
directed by John Guillermin
written by Howard Clewes & Richard Maibaum
starring Aldo Ray, Elizabeth Sellars, Peter O'Toole, Kieron Moore

Lawrence of Arabia
directed by David Lean
written by Robert Bolt & Michael Wilson
produced by Sam Spiegel
starring Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif, Jack Hawkins, José Ferrer, Claude Rains, Arthur Kennedy, Ian MacNaughton

Becket
directed by Peter Glenville
written by Edward Anhalt
produced by Hal Wallis
starring Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole, John Gielgud, Paolo Stoppa, Donald Wolfit, Siân Phillips, Victor Spinetti

Lord Jim
directed, written & produced by Richard Brooks
starring Peter O'Toole, James Mason, Eli Wallach, Curt Jürgens, Jack Hawkins, Daliah Lavi, Jack MacGowran

What's New Pussycat?
directed by Clive Donner
written by Woody Allen
starring Peter Sellers, Peter O'Toole, Romy Schneider, Capucine, Paula Prentiss, Woody Allen, Ursula Andress

The Sandpiper
directed by Vincente Minnelli
written by Dalton Trumbo
starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Eva Marie Saint

How to Steal a Million
directed & produced by William Wyler
written by Harry Kurnitz
starring Audrey Hepburn, Peter O'Toole, Hugh Griffith, Eli Wallach, Charles Boyer

The Bible: In the Beginning...
directed by John Huston
produced by Dino De Laurentiis
starring Michael Parks, Richard Harris, John Huston, George C Scott, Ava Gardner, Peter O'Toole, Franco Nero

The Night of the Generals
directed by Anatole Litvak
written by Joseph Kessel & Paul Dehn
produced by Sam Spiegel
starring Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Donald Pleasence, Joanna Pettet, Tom Courtenay, Christopher Plummer

Casino Royale
directed by Val Guest, John Huston, Joseph McGrath, Robert Parrish, Ken Hughes, Richard Talmadge
written by Wolf Mankowitz, John Law, Val Guest, Billy Wilder, Woody Allen, Terry Southern
music by Burt Bacharach
starring David Niven, Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, Woody Allen, Orson Welles, Deborah Kerr, John Huston, William Holden, Charles Boyer, Joanna Pettet, Daliah Lavi, Jacqueline Bisset, Ronnie Corbett, Tracy Reed, Peter O'Toole, Geraldine Chaplin, Richard Talmadge, Valentine Dyall

The Lion in Winter
directed by Anthony Harvey
starring Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn, Anthony Hopkins, John Castle, Nigel Terry, Timothy Dalton

Great Catherine
directed by Gordon Flemyng
written by Hugh Leonard
starring Peter O'Toole, Jeanne Moreau, Zero Mostel, Jack Hawkins, Akim Tamiroff

Goodbye, Mr. Chips
directed by Herbert Ross
starring Peter O'Toole, Petula Clark, Michael Redgrave, Siân Phillips, George Baker

Country Dance
directed by J Lee Thompson
starring Peter O'Toole, Susannah York, Michael Craig, Harry Andrews, Cyril Cusack, Brian Blessed

Murphy's War
directed by Peter Yates
starring Peter O'Toole, Siân Phillips, Philippe Noiret, Horst Janson

Under Milk Wood
directed & written by Andrew Sinclair
starring Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter O'Toole, Victor Spinetti

The Ruling Class
directed by Peter Medak
written by Peter Barnes
produced by Jules Buck & Jack Hawkins
starring Peter O'Toole, Coral Browne, William Mervyn, James Villiers, Arthur Lowe, Carolyn Seymour, Harry Andrews

Man of La Mancha
directed by Arthur Hiller
starring Peter O'Toole, Sophia Loren, James Coco, Harry Andrews, John Castle, Ian Richardson,
Brian Blessed

Rosebud
directed & produced by Otto Preminger
written by Erik Lee Preminger
starring Peter O'Toole, Richard Attenborough, Cliff Gorman, Peter Lawford, Isabelle Huppert, Kim Cattrall

Man Friday
directed by Jack Gold
written by Adrian Mitchell
starring Peter O'Toole, Richard Roundtree, Peter Cellier

Foxtrot
directed & written by Arturo Ripstein
starring Peter O'Toole, Charlotte Rampling, Max von Sydow

Rogue Male
directed by Clive Donner
starring Peter O'Toole, John Standing, Alastair Sim, Harold Pinter

Power Play
directed & written by Martyn Burke
starring Peter O'Toole, David Hemmings, Donald Pleasence, Barry Morse

Zulu Dawn
directed by Douglas Hickox
starring Peter O'Toole, Burt Lancaster, Denholm Elliott, Bob Hoskins, Peter Vaughan, James Faulkner

Caligula
directed by Tinto Brass
written by Gore Vidal, Tinto Brass, Malcolm McDowell
starring Malcolm McDowell, Teresa Ann Savoy, John Gielgud, Peter O'Toole, Helen Mirren

The Stunt Man
directed & produced by Richard Rush
written by Richard Rush & Lawrence Marcus
starring Peter O'Toole, Steve Railsback, Barbara Hershey, Allen Garfield, Alex Rocco

Masada
directed by Boris Sagal
starring Peter O'Toole, Peter Strauss, Barbara Carrera, Anthony Quayle, David Warner, Richard Basehart

My Favorite Year
directed by Richard Benjamin
starring Peter O'Toole, Mark Linn-Baker, Jessica Harper, Joseph Bologna, Bill Macy, Lainie Kazan, Lou Jacobi, George Wyner, Selma Diamond, Cameron Mitchell

Pygmalion
directed by Alan Cooke
starring Peter O'Toole, Margot Kidder

Supergirl
directed by Jeannot Szwarc
starring Helen Slater, Faye Dunaway, Peter O'Toole, Mia Farrow, Brenda Vaccaro, Peter Cook, Marc McClure, Matt Frewer

Creator
directed by Ivan Passer
starring Peter O'Toole, Mariel Hemingway, Vincent Spano, Virginia Madsen, David Ogden Stiers, Rance Howard, Eve McVeagh

Club Paradise
directed by Harold Ramis
written by Chris Miller, Harold Ramis, Brian Doyle-Murray
starring Robin Williams, Peter O'Toole, Rick Moranis, Jimmy Cliff, Twiggy, Joanna Cassidy, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Brian Doyle-Murray, Joe Flaherty, Robin Duke, Mary Gross

The Last Emperor
directed by Bernardo Bertolucci
written by Mark Peploe & Bernardo Bertolucci
produced by Jeremy Thomas
starring John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole, Ying Ruocheng, Victor Wong, Wu Junmei

High Spirits
directed by Neil Jordan
written by Neil Jordan & Michael McDowell
starring Daryl Hannah, Peter O'Toole, Steve Guttenberg, Beverly D'Angelo, Liam Neeson, Jennifer Tilly, Peter Gallagher, Martin Ferrero, Connie Booth

As Long as It's Love
directed by Lina Wertmüller
written by Lina Wertmüller & Rutger Hauer
starring Rutger Hauer, Nastassja Kinski, Peter O'Toole, Faye Dunaway

Wings of Fame
directed by Otakar Votocek
written by Otakar Votocek & Herman Koch
starring Peter O'Toole, Colin Firth, Marie Trintignant, Andréa Ferréol

The Rainbow Thief
directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky
starring Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Christopher Lee

The Nutcracker Prince
directed by Paul Schibli
starring Kiefer Sutherland, Megan Follows, Phyllis Diller, Peter O'Toole

King Ralph
directed & written by David Ward
starring John Goodman, Peter O'Toole, John Hurt, Richard Griffiths, Joely Richardson

Rebecca's Daughters
directed by Karl Francis
written by Dylan Thomas & Guy Jenkin
starring Peter O'Toole, Joely Richardson, Paul Rhys

Civvies
directed by Karl Francis
written by Lynda La Plante
starring Jason Issacs, Elizabeth Rider, Peter O'Toole

Isabelle Eberhardt
directed by Ian Pringle
starring Mathilda May, Peter O'Toole

The Seventh Coin
directed by Dror Soref
starring Peter O'Toole, Alexandra Powers, John Rhys-Davies

Heavy Weather
directed by Jack Gold
starring Peter O'Toole, Richard Briers, Judy Parfitt, Sarah Badel

Gulliver's Travels
directed by Charles Sturridge
starring Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Alfre Woodard, John Gielgud, Ned Beatty, Geraldine Chaplin, Isabelle Huppert, Kristin Scott Thomas, Warwick Davis, Karyn Parsons

FairyTale: A True Story
directed by Charles Sturridge
starring Peter O'Toole, Florence Hoath, Harvey Keitel, Bill Nighy, Phoebe Nicholls

Coming Home
directed by Giles Foster
starring Keira Knightley, Emily Mortimer, Peter O'Toole, Joanna Lumley, Paul Bettany

Phantoms
directed by Joe Chappelle
written by Dean Koontz
starring Peter O'Toole, Rose McGowan, Joanna Going, Liev Schreiber, Ben Affleck, Clifton Powell

The Manor
directed by Ken Berris
written by Ken Berris & Steven Moses
starring Greta Scacchi, Gabrielle Anwar, Edie McClurg, Fay Masterson, Peter O'Toole

Molokai: The Story of Father Damien
directed by Paul Cox
starring David Wenham, Kate Ceberano, Derek Jacobi, Alice Krige, Kris Kristofferson, Leo McKern, Sam Neill, Peter O'Toole, Tom Wilkinson

Joan of Arc
directed by Christian Duguay
starring Leelee Sobieski, Jacqueline Bisset, Powers Boothe, Neil Patrick Harris, Olympia Dukakis, Robert Loggia, Shirley MacLaine, Peter O'Toole, Maximilian Schell, Peter Strauss

Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell
directed by Tom Kinninmont & Peter O'Toole
written by Keith Waterhouse
starring Peter O'Toole

Global Heresy
directed by Sidney Furie
starring Peter O'Toole, Joan Plowright, Alicia Silverstone

The Final Curtain
directed by Patrick Harkins
starring Peter O'Toole, Adrian Lester, Julia Sawalha

Bright Young Things
directed & written by Stephen Fry
starring James McAvoy, Michael Sheen, Emily Mortimer, Stockard Channing, Dan Aykroyd, Jim Broadbent, Peter O'Toole, Simon Callow, Richard Grant, Stephen Fry

Hitler: The Rise of Evil
directed by Christian Duguay
starring Robert Carlyle, Stockard Channing, Jena Malone, Julianna Margulies, Liev Schreiber, Peter Stormare, Peter O'Toole

Imperium: Augustus
directed by Roger Young
starring Peter O'Toole, Vittoria Belvedere, Charlotte Rampling

Troy
directed & produced by Wolfgang Petersen
starring Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Diane Kruger, Orlando Bloom, Peter O'Toole, Brian Cox, Sean Bean, Brendan Gleeson, Saffron Burrows, Julie Christie

Lassie
directed & produced by Charles Sturridge
written by Charles Sturridge & Eric Knight
starring Peter O'Toole, Samantha Morton, Peter Dinklage, Jemma Redgrave, Kelly Macdonald, Edward Fox

Venus
directed by Roger Michell
starring Peter O'Toole, Leslie Phillips, Jodie Whittaker, Richard Griffiths, Vanessa Redgrave

One Night with the King
directed by Michael Sajbel
starring Tiffany Dupont, John Rhys-Davies, Omar Sharif, Tommy Lister, Jonah Lotan, Peter O'Toole

Ratatouille
directed & written by Brad Bird
starring Patton Oswalt, Lou Romano, Ian Holm, Janeane Garofalo, Brad Garrett, Brian Dennehy, Peter O'Toole, John Ratzenberger

Stardust
directed by Matthew Vaughn
written by Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn
starring Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Mark Strong, Rupert Everett, Sienna Miller, Peter O'Toole, Ricky Gervais, Ian McKellen

Dean Spanley
directed by Toa Fraser
starring Jeremy Northam, Sam Neill, Bryan Brown, Peter O'Toole, Judy Parfitt

Christmas Cottage
directed by Michael Campus
starring Jared Padalecki, Marcia Gay Harden, Peter O'Toole, Chris Elliott, Charlotte Rae, Edward Asner

Iron Road
directed by David Wu
starring Sun Li, Peter O'Toole, Sam Neill, Tony Leung Ka Fai

Eldorado
directed & written by Richard Driscoll
starring Daryl Hannah, David Carradine, Peter O'Toole, Michael Madsen, Brigitte Nielsen, Steve Guttenberg, Kerry Washington

Cristiada
directed by Dean Wright
starring Andy García, Eva Longoria, Peter O'Toole, Oscar Isaac, Rubén Blades, Bruce Greenwood

Decline of an Empire
directed & produced by Michael Redwood
starring Nicole Madjarov, Peter O'Toole, Edward Fox, Samantha Beckinsale

Diamond Cartel
directed by Salamat Mukhammed-Ali
starring Armand Assante, Peter O'Toole, Michael Madsen, Tommy Lister

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Hong Kong Smog

Hong Kong changed a lot after the British handover. Since then, Beijing has been exerting more and more influence on Hong Kong. The laws and rules are more Chinese than British. Cheaper Chinese paint and poisoned milk are more available than ever before. Now Beijing has increased their export of smog into Hong Kong.

Smog has always been a problem in Hong Kong. A trip up the Peak could get you great views of the harbour and Kowloon or great views of a giant sheet of dirt. It has always been best to go up just after a typhoon. The air is much cleaner and everybody is out shopping.

But it is getting worse. When the wind comes up from the ocean, we get good days. When the wind comes down from the north, you can't see your spring rolls in front of your face.


A fine day in Hong Kong

Sunday, December 8, 2013

John Lennon

1940-1980


As soon as you're born they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
Til the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool
Til you're so fucking crazy you can't follow their rules
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

When they've tortured and scared you for twenty odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function, you're so full of fear
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV
And you think you're so clever and classless and free
But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

There's room at the top they are telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

If you want to be a hero well just follow me
If you want to be a hero well just follow me

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Pearl Harbor

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

“The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleagues delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

“It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

“The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

“Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine islands. Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island. Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

“As commander in chief of the army and navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

“I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

“Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God.

“I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.”

--President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 12/8/1941



Pearl Harbor National Memorial

Friday, December 6, 2013

Nelson Mandela

I just heard about Nelson Mandela's death. He was 95 years old, so I don't think anyone was surprised that he died. He was in and out of hospitals for a long time and I'm sure his family is happy that his suffering is finally over. The rest of us can only look back at what he did in awe.

South Africa before Nelson Mandela was about as divided as you could get. When Americans talk about politics, we like to say we are a deeply divided country these days, but it's nothing compared to the way South Africa used to be. Even the American South during segregation was fairer to black people than South Africa during apartheid. Black Americans were seen as less than equals. Black South Africans were seen as less than human. I can't even imagine what it would be like to be told I'm not a citizen of the country I was born in just because of my race.

Now all of the world leaders are making speeches and putting out statements about how great Nelson Mandela was. None of these people are fit to change his socks. Why is it so hard to elect people like him now? Was he such a rare person that we can't have people like him today? Or have we settled to the point where we will elect whoever our TVs tell us to elect?

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Thanksgiving 2013

Lily, Kevin and I went out to Thanksgiving dinner together. They are Canadian, so their Thanksgiving is in October, but it is not nearly as important in Canada as it is in the United States. It is one of our major holidays. To them, it's just a day off. So they celebrate mine with me when they can. We have never celebrated theirs. They don't even notice theirs until it has come and gone.

We went to Otto e Mezzo. This is currently one of the trendy places for the fancy people to eat in Hong Kong. It is an Italian restaurant with 3 Michelin stars. There are plenty of Italian restaurants in Hong Kong, but most of them do not have any stars. I think the main difference is that this one is owned and operated by a famous Italian chef.

That was really the main reason I wanted to go there. Non-Chinese food in China is usually more Chinese than anything else. Hong Kong has more than a few Italian, French, American, Indian restaurants, but most of them are nothing like what you would find in those countries. Everyone puts a little of their own style in whatever food they make. Chinese food in the United States is more American than Chinese and American food in Hong Kong is more Chinese than American. Otto e Mezzo is genuinely Italian. The Michelin people even said so.

It is also very expensive. That's what you get with a 3 star restaurant owned by a famous chef. Since this was a special occasion, we did not mind the price. I'm willing to pay extra for Italian food that actually reminds me of Italy. Paisano's Pizza is pretty good, but it is nothing like Italy.

What I really don't understand is why these hip fancy restaurants serve tiny little portions on huge plates. I get that the portions are so small because you have so many courses, but what is with the jumbo plates? It just makes the food look even smaller. It also must be murder on the waitresses to carry a single olive on a plate that weighs more than the entire tree.

I hate to say it, but the food was not all that great. It was nothing close to terrible, but you expect more from 3 Michelin stars. I had better food at restaurants in Italy that the Michelin people will never know exist, for a fraction of the price. The wine was good and the bread was excellent, but we definitely paid for the stars and famous chef more than for the food.