Traditional Medicine

1. Hainan chicken rice, beef rendang and other Southeast Asian classics for under US$12 at Asam Chicken Rice in Sheung Wan

   In case the name of the restaurant wasn’t enough to let you know the speciality of Asam Chicken Rice, the row of cooked chickens hanging in the window should give you a strong clue.But this cosy restaurant in Sheung Wan serves more than just Hainan chicken rice: the menu lists other southeast Asian dishes including beef rendang, Singaporean curry laksa and Penang shrimp noodles.The walls are decorated to look like the rows of shophouses you might find in the fashionable areas of Malaysia and…

2. Inside a Hong Kong home filled with plants – ‘the weirder the better’

   Indoor plants have long been popular with urban dwellers craving a little nature in their homes. Plants’ mood-boosting, toxin-absorbing and noise-reducing properties are often cited as tangible health benefits. When yoga instructor Jen Kentrup and her family – husband Bill and sons Griffin, 15, and Theo, 13 – moved to a three-bedroom 1,500 sq ft rental flat in Chung Hom Kok last May, she made greenery the main design element, fleshing out her dream for an “indoor jungle”.With the aid of…

3. ‘Coronavirus crisis tourists’: fleeing the pandemic is not only selfish, it’s a privilege only the rich can afford

   Unlike those who travel to a destination for dental work, to embark on an adventure or to retreat from reality on a detox, “crisis tourists” do not journey towards something, instead they head in the other direction, and, if possible, incorporate a holiday while doing so. But when the disaster being fled is a pandemic, going anywhere at all is nothing short of irresponsible.In early February, after the Indonesian government temporarily banned direct flights to and from mainland China and…

4. Why mangoes are the ‘king of fruits’ in India and form an intrinsic part of country’s culture

   Emperors have lusted after it. Poets have penned couplets extolling its virtues. A nation of a billion people eagerly awaits its seasonal arrival. Exotic and colourful, with hues that vary from golden to saffron to tender green, it’s the regal and luscious mango. The national fruit of India, the mango – or aam in Hindi – is loved across the country by rich and poor alike. The start of summer heralds the much-awaited harvest season, from April to July, with the fruit bringing relief of sorts…

5. LG V60 ThinQ 5G Dual Screen review: it looks outdated, but it delivers on media creation, multitasking and battery life

   LG smartphones used to be among the leaders in pushing cutting-edge hardware. They were the first to push for higher 2K screen resolution, wide-angle cameras, and bezel slimming. But in recent years, due to a combination of cutthroat competition, bad timing, and design fumbles (the infamous G5 modular flop), LG’s sales have taken a hit. LG’s latest release, the V60 ThinQ 5G Dual Screen, is now sticking (almost) to tried-and-true components that place value and practicality over flashiness. …

6. Luxury fashion brands like Chanel and Dior need to evolve. Here’s how it could start

   The impact of the coronavirus outbreak has been catastrophic for the luxury industry.Months of store closures, disruptions to supply chains, a dramatic plunge in traveller numbers and a series of lay-offs have ended a decade of growth and optimism for luxury groups such as LVMH, Kering and Richemont.While recovery is on the horizon – industry watchers point to the last quarter of 2020 as the beginning of a turnaround – things will never be the same. That’s why this is a good time to take stock…

7. Stop panic buying: healthy food to last you through a crisis and keep your immune system strong

   Panic buying at supermarkets around the globe has stoked fears of shortages of essential goods as the coronavirus pandemic has spread. Kitchen staples such as rice and pasta have been swept off store shelves, while less nutritious processed and packaged foods have also been in low supply, leading some experts to suggest a rethinking of our buying habits. When the outbreak began in Hong Kong nearly two months ago, desperate shoppers hoarded rice but also snapped up items such as instant…

8. Tiger King on Netflix and other things to enjoy under lockdown – good news in bad times

   There’s no point pretending, the cascade of pandemic news is starting to get to me and, I’m sure, everyone else. Anxiety is up, optimism is down and the economy is flat­lining. Given the state of things, it can be hard to see any upside at the moment, and too easy to see levity as downplaying the situation or being glib and uncaring. All of which makes writing columns like this pretty tricky. But we can’t let the virus win. So this week’s column is all about good vibes, focusing on positive…

9. Best 360 cameras: GoPro Max 360 vs Insta360 One R Twin Edition. Which is for you? It depends on what you want one for

   Where you point your camera is everything.That is, unless you have a 360-degree camera, which films all round using two fish-eye lenses.Able to shoot standard linear video as well, currently the most sought-after 360 action cameras are the GoPro Max 360 (US$499.99) and the uniquely modular Insta360 One R Twin Edition (US$479.99).So which one is best? That depends on what you’re after.Design and hardwareThey may be targeting a similar kind of videographer, but these two cameras couldn’t be more…

10. Why New York-based menswear label Bode is one to watch, for vintage fabrics from US mills refashioned with a touch of modern nostalgia

    The hype surrounding menswear label Bode went up a notch recently when it was awarded the inaugural Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation by The Woolmark Company. The International Woolmark prize is considered one of the most covetable in the industry – Karl Lagerfeld was one of its earliest recipients in 1954 – and this new prize recognises designers who are pushing the envelope when it comes to originality and innovation. Bode’s founder, Emily Adams Bode, has proven her worth since she…