We have selected seven Lifestyle stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
1. How Maggie Cheung went from commercial film eye candy to art-house legend
Between 1984 and 2010, Hong Kong superstar Maggie Cheung Man-yuk appeared in 79 films – though, by her own admission, she disliked many of them. She often felt at odds with the city’s commercially driven cinema industry, yearning instead for serious art-house projects.
2. The Odyssey: Christopher Nolan adapts Homer for an anti-war masterpiece
Christopher Nolan returns to cinemas with an epic for the ages. The Oscar-winning Oppenheimer director has made a film of such scale, it is little wonder he insisted on it being the first film to shoot entirely on large-format IMAX cameras. Nothing else would suffice.
3. How Chinese pirate queen Ching Shih ruled the South China Sea in the 1800s
Pirates such as Blackbeard and Jack Sparrow are well known in Western pop culture. But Ching Shih, a woman seafarer from China’s Guangdong province, was just as mighty, if not as famous.
4. 9 dog-friendly cafes, bars and restaurants in Hong Kong to visit
This summer, Hong Kong made a big step towards creating more inclusive spaces for our furry companions. As of July 9, the city removed the ban on dogs within licensed food premises, and pet owners across the city can enjoy meals and experiences with their four-legged friends.
5. How 94-year-old Bowie Woo became Hong Kong’s ultimate evergreen entertainer
Celebrities who reach their mid-nineties have usually long since traded the spotlight for a rocking chair, but not Bowie Woo Fung, who, at 94 years old, is likely still practising his footwork.
6. US$1,100 for 1kg? Hunting the wild mushrooms of Yunnan
Yunnan is often referred to as one of China’s agricultural baskets, producing everything from flowers and coffee to tea and olive oil. Yet few ingredients are as closely associated with the province as its yeshengjun, or wild mushrooms.
7. Meet the Chinese-Indonesian baker transforming Mumbai’s bread scene
In a converted warehouse in the light-industrial area of Byculla on the eastern seaboard of Mumbai, India, chef Shannen Alexandra pulls a tray of mantou, or milk buns, from a rack of baked goods. Her ponytail bobs as she excitedly explains how she tweaks the classic Chinese recipe to create her buns, which, rather than the typical round shape, resemble bow ties.
