After a 16-hour nonstop flight from New York to Hong Kong, our adventure began. If you have visited Manhattan or downtown Flushing, you have visited this magical city. It is a bustling metropolis with masses of people on the streets and skyscrapers filling the skyline.
You can feel the pulse of the city. I had been here about 12 years before and Stu had visited here 15 years ago. On that trip, he had some jackets and suits made that lasted the test of time. So off he was to pay a visit to the tailor again, to have his old jacket let out and some new ones made.
My friend Neil Levin’s son had lived here and recommended another tailor. I found him just across the street from our hotel.
Although there are many cultural institutions and endless restaurants, Hong Kong is the ultimate shopping city. And shop I did, although I was limited in a way, because I was only in the city for two days.
My serious shopping began within minutes of arriving at our hotel, the Sheraton on busy Nathan Road, across the street from the super luxurious and historic Peninsula Hotel. It is the best location in town because I was within walking distance of every one of our destinations.
Stu was fitted and then we were off to my “tailor.” I had brought some photos of what I wanted made – a tailored suit, tuxedo dress and coat ensemble. I had also brought with me fabric I had purchased in India but had no tailor in New York to make an outfit for me. Therefore, we did it here.
After our mad dash through the city, we decided on a simple dinner in the lounge at the Sheraton. For only $20 extra, we had a room on the concierge floor that gave us access to a lounge that served food and drinks all day and night. However, the best bonus was breakfast in their sky top restaurant, offering American, Japanese and Chinese menus. Each morning I sampled a different one and was not disappointed by the uniqueness of each. Our next day began with fittings at each of the tailors. As we walked along Nathan Road, we were repeatedly approached by hawkers asking us, “Pocketbooks, watches, Rolex?” We resisted mostly. I did find, amazingly, the store where I had bought dress purses over a decade ago.
Ashneil keeps a showroom in the same building as Harry the tailor, who was making me some outfits and Stu some shirts. The purses are sold in the States too and I had been on their mailing list all these years. So of course I had to return and buy some treasures.
We had lunch on the recommendation of a local merchant at a fabulous dim sum restaurant. Our waiter spoke English and that made ordering a breeze. It turned out to be a restaurant chain available throughout the city.
After more shopping, we were exhausted and returned to our hotel to get ready for dinner. We had chosen the rooftop restaurant at the Peninsula Hotel, Felix. The name was chosen by management because Felix had been the general manager for decades.
The large, two-story high, stunning restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows – one facing Nathan Road and the other the harbor – had a unique seating design. Every seat had a white cover over the back of the chair with a man’s face printed on the fabric. I assumed it was of famous people from the city, but in fact, they were each employees of the hotel – interesting concept! The food was almost as good as the views. Each night at 8 p.m. there is a laser light show from the tops of the skyscrapers across the bay. Many of the buildings are lit with colorful designs, a mini Times Square idea. Having been at the Peninsula before, I wanted to have dessert in their lobby lounge, a room similar to the space at the Plaza in Manhattan. While we had our banana split, we were entertained by a small band playing jazz on the balcony overlooking the handsome space below where we were sitting. I would give this room a 10 for romance.
The best lunch was at the Dining Club, part of the super Star Seafood Restaurant group, where I had my favorites – chicken feet and crab claws. They have over 26 locations around the city. It was worth climbing up two flights of stairs on Nathan Road for our memorable meal.
Our boat was leaving the harbor the next day at 3 p.m. so we had to arrange last fittings and pickups of what we had ordered. It was a little frantic with each vendor complaining they need more time, but it all came together. Fortunately for us, the ship that was to be our home for two weeks was only minutes from our hotel. We taxied over to the harbor and said goodbye to Hong Kong in a bittersweet fashion.
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