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02 Lifestyle
02 Lifestyle
When we first stepped out of the MTR of Central, something grabbed our attention immediately. Not the appearance of these people made them rare, but the language they spoke made them stand out from the crowd.
Sometimes, we can tell who may be speaking certain languages simply by observing their dressing styles. The distinctive Indian costume worn by a lady had reflected her glamorous and enchanting Indian culture in every inch. Another clue which makes it obvious of what language someone might possibly speak is skin color, in another word, race. Though it is not definite that an Asian-like woman would speak Cantonese or Mandarin, at least it gives a possibility that a white might be very likely speaking in English.
On weekends or holidays, unfamiliar voices of cheerful tones are everywhere in Central. It is Filipino. Since Filipino domestic helpers are so commonly employed in Hong Kong, it is not surprising to hear Filipinos talking on phones everywhere in Central on holidays. It was magnificent for us to see hundreds or even thousands of Filipinos were overwhelming the tunnels and the Square of Queen's Statue in Central.
Since Central is a commercial and financial hub in the city, it is the district which attracts international business talents from other countries who speak languages other than Cantonese. The fact that most Hong Kong residents can only speak English and Cantonese has drawn even more English-speaking foreigners to come and work here so as to meet the language need in Hong Kong.
Every culture has its unique and sometimes unexplainable features. Thanks to the variety of cultures, the city has become more diverse and culturally integrated.
In the past decade, companies from all over the world have been setting their bases at Central, the commercial centre in Hong Kong. Since then, the Western culture has been taking root inch by inch. As a result of a domino effect, Central has been adjusting itself in terms of lifestyle and culture to cope with an influx of Westerners in order to maintain competence in the commercial industry. This explains why an increasing number of westernized bars and international restaurants are opened here.
Walking up the well-known area for night-life, Lan Kwai Fong, neon signs written in English, sparkled and drew passersby and customers' attention. As long as we went up the steep of Lan Kwai Fong, wind whispered to us and blew against us. We could nearly feel the energy driven by the wind that held us back from moving forward. Lan Kwai Fong is a famous tourist destination because the bars there are full of distinctive features of different countries, in other words, a mix of cultures.
Each of the bars there has their own theme and distinctive feature. A bar illuminated with dim light rays, and decorated with Roman-style stone chairs and light-color stone walls appeals to customers romantically by showing traditional Roman words with no one understands. A bar blazed with strong light beams, and broadcast with energetic rock music appeals to customers vigorously and emotionally. We noticed that most of the signs in Lan Kwai Fong are written in English and European languages. Sometimes, English becomes the communication medium so reasonably because some of the bar owners are foreigners who do not speak nor write Chinese.
One of our interviewers, Garrick Alquikst praised how accessible everything is in Central. Global food and entertainment are so easily and conveniently approached. Things and entertainment in Central are really gratifying to him. He admitted that it was one of the reasons why he was here because he had all kinds of resources and he did not feel strange here.
Besides the lifestyle featured in Central, what make it famous are its diverse choices of delicacies.
Apart from the Chinese culture rooted in Hong Kong for ages, foreign cultures started to spread in Hong Kong in the early 1840s when the British Government ruled over Hong Kong. The coexistence of cultures has resulted in great diversification of food culture in Central.
> Western Style
The network of restaurants in Soho is like a tiny global village. There are numerous bars and restaurants with various styles. You can enjoy a French meal in Le Tire Bouchon which is located in the Graham Street. Making a few steps forward, you will reach Tribute, a very famous American restaurant. If you want Indian food, Ashan would be a good choice. In Soho, it is definitely true that you can find a desirable restaurant or pub providing food, environment and atmosphere that you want. You need not worry for a place for an intimate dinner or a celebratory birthday drink.
In addition to simply a shopping centre, the ifc mall also features different styles of food and beverage, indicating a diverse food culture. 'A few world-wide chains such as the Burger King, Pacific Coffee and Honeymoon Dessert set up their branch in ifc. You can be satisfied with familiar or rare food in it,' said Jason Lee, one of our interviewers who works in Red Bar in ifc. 'Why not choose Pret A Manger where you can try the coronation chicken salad with mango chutneys if you want to taste original British food?' Jason suggested. Food options in ifc are diverse that there are restaurants like Italian, Vietnamese and Japanese ones. Thanks to the location of the mall, you can also enjoy a great seaview of Victoria Harbor in some restaurants instead of eating tonelessly.
> Chinese Style
More Mainlanders are settling in Hong Kong in recent decades due to the open immigration policies. Restaurants serving Beijing, Shanghai, Yunnan, Xinjiang and Sichun food are gaining popularity. Still, the traditional Cantonese "yum cha" culture is dominant. Some of them have even been developed as a symbol of lifestyle. For example, Lin Heung Tea House, Wong Fu, Lok Heung Yuen and Yung Kee have been tourists' "must-go" places. They have struck a balance between the traditional and modern styles in their menus and shop decorations.
Menus in resturarants in Central are usually printed bilingually. Sometimes you may find some in a trilingual or even multi-lingual way. For example, when we entered a Japanese restaurant, we found that its menu was printed multi-lingually. Chinese, English, Japanese and Indian versions were provided! This was a good indicator that Central is a place with internationalized food culture as well as a location where different languages are employed.
All in all, Central is a food centre in Hong Kong. You can find any kinds of other nations' cuisine and beverage here and this is the feature what Central is exhibiting- a globalized food culture.
- People
When we first stepped out of the MTR of Central, something grabbed our attention immediately. Not the appearance of these people made them rare, but the language they spoke made them stand out from the crowd.
Sometimes, we can tell who may be speaking certain languages simply by observing their dressing styles. The distinctive Indian costume worn by a lady had reflected her glamorous and enchanting Indian culture in every inch. Another clue which makes it obvious of what language someone might possibly speak is skin color, in another word, race. Though it is not definite that an Asian-like woman would speak Cantonese or Mandarin, at least it gives a possibility that a white might be very likely speaking in English.
On weekends or holidays, unfamiliar voices of cheerful tones are everywhere in Central. It is Filipino. Since Filipino domestic helpers are so commonly employed in Hong Kong, it is not surprising to hear Filipinos talking on phones everywhere in Central on holidays. It was magnificent for us to see hundreds or even thousands of Filipinos were overwhelming the tunnels and the Square of Queen's Statue in Central.
Since Central is a commercial and financial hub in the city, it is the district which attracts international business talents from other countries who speak languages other than Cantonese. The fact that most Hong Kong residents can only speak English and Cantonese has drawn even more English-speaking foreigners to come and work here so as to meet the language need in Hong Kong.
Every culture has its unique and sometimes unexplainable features. Thanks to the variety of cultures, the city has become more diverse and culturally integrated.
- Entertainment
In the past decade, companies from all over the world have been setting their bases at Central, the commercial centre in Hong Kong. Since then, the Western culture has been taking root inch by inch. As a result of a domino effect, Central has been adjusting itself in terms of lifestyle and culture to cope with an influx of Westerners in order to maintain competence in the commercial industry. This explains why an increasing number of westernized bars and international restaurants are opened here.
Walking up the well-known area for night-life, Lan Kwai Fong, neon signs written in English, sparkled and drew passersby and customers' attention. As long as we went up the steep of Lan Kwai Fong, wind whispered to us and blew against us. We could nearly feel the energy driven by the wind that held us back from moving forward. Lan Kwai Fong is a famous tourist destination because the bars there are full of distinctive features of different countries, in other words, a mix of cultures.
Each of the bars there has their own theme and distinctive feature. A bar illuminated with dim light rays, and decorated with Roman-style stone chairs and light-color stone walls appeals to customers romantically by showing traditional Roman words with no one understands. A bar blazed with strong light beams, and broadcast with energetic rock music appeals to customers vigorously and emotionally. We noticed that most of the signs in Lan Kwai Fong are written in English and European languages. Sometimes, English becomes the communication medium so reasonably because some of the bar owners are foreigners who do not speak nor write Chinese.
One of our interviewers, Garrick Alquikst praised how accessible everything is in Central. Global food and entertainment are so easily and conveniently approached. Things and entertainment in Central are really gratifying to him. He admitted that it was one of the reasons why he was here because he had all kinds of resources and he did not feel strange here.
Besides the lifestyle featured in Central, what make it famous are its diverse choices of delicacies.
- Food and Beverage
Apart from the Chinese culture rooted in Hong Kong for ages, foreign cultures started to spread in Hong Kong in the early 1840s when the British Government ruled over Hong Kong. The coexistence of cultures has resulted in great diversification of food culture in Central.
> Western Style
The network of restaurants in Soho is like a tiny global village. There are numerous bars and restaurants with various styles. You can enjoy a French meal in Le Tire Bouchon which is located in the Graham Street. Making a few steps forward, you will reach Tribute, a very famous American restaurant. If you want Indian food, Ashan would be a good choice. In Soho, it is definitely true that you can find a desirable restaurant or pub providing food, environment and atmosphere that you want. You need not worry for a place for an intimate dinner or a celebratory birthday drink.
In addition to simply a shopping centre, the ifc mall also features different styles of food and beverage, indicating a diverse food culture. 'A few world-wide chains such as the Burger King, Pacific Coffee and Honeymoon Dessert set up their branch in ifc. You can be satisfied with familiar or rare food in it,' said Jason Lee, one of our interviewers who works in Red Bar in ifc. 'Why not choose Pret A Manger where you can try the coronation chicken salad with mango chutneys if you want to taste original British food?' Jason suggested. Food options in ifc are diverse that there are restaurants like Italian, Vietnamese and Japanese ones. Thanks to the location of the mall, you can also enjoy a great seaview of Victoria Harbor in some restaurants instead of eating tonelessly.
> Chinese Style
More Mainlanders are settling in Hong Kong in recent decades due to the open immigration policies. Restaurants serving Beijing, Shanghai, Yunnan, Xinjiang and Sichun food are gaining popularity. Still, the traditional Cantonese "yum cha" culture is dominant. Some of them have even been developed as a symbol of lifestyle. For example, Lin Heung Tea House, Wong Fu, Lok Heung Yuen and Yung Kee have been tourists' "must-go" places. They have struck a balance between the traditional and modern styles in their menus and shop decorations.
Menus in resturarants in Central are usually printed bilingually. Sometimes you may find some in a trilingual or even multi-lingual way. For example, when we entered a Japanese restaurant, we found that its menu was printed multi-lingually. Chinese, English, Japanese and Indian versions were provided! This was a good indicator that Central is a place with internationalized food culture as well as a location where different languages are employed.
All in all, Central is a food centre in Hong Kong. You can find any kinds of other nations' cuisine and beverage here and this is the feature what Central is exhibiting- a globalized food culture.
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