bc magazine

Taste x Fresh Opens in Kowloon Bay

Shoppers in and around Kowloon Bay have somewhere new to spend their consumption vouchers with the opening of Taste x Fresh, a new supermarket partnership on the first floor of Amoy Plaza.

How does it differ from a ‘traditional’ Park’n’Shop Taste… The store is split into sixteen zones with the Taste areas pretty much as you’d expect; full (too full) of a wide range of products from across the globe, with multiple product promotion areas to encourage you to taste, try and buy.

Fresh have turned the regular fruit and vegetable section into an air-con premium version of a Hong Kong market. Instead of regular fruit and veg, there are Korean and Japanese versions. Instead of local meat, it’s tasty American, Australian, Japanese beef, pork and chicken imported and served chilled and sliced.

Something a little different to many supermarkets is that you can, as it was explained to bc, buy your meat or seafood and then have it cooked how you like it at one of the surrounding cooked food ‘stalls’. Unfortunately, the store was a little packed on opening day to test this process – but the theory is sound. And having it in a shopping centre is nice if you’re feeling a little peckish and/or lazy.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2021/20210818-Taste-x-Fresh-Opening-Kowloon-Bay/i-zkhFsx6

The store is an interesting experiment/collaboration and probably offers people in the area access to products and tastes that perhaps they haven’t been exposed to before.

But, and there’s sadly a massive BUT to give all this overseas food a premium look and to keep it fresh it’s bundled and covered in tons of plastic and packaging with not a mention of recycling to be seen.

Sadly it’s not something limited to Taste x Fresh, it’s a problem that’s been slowly smothering Hong Kong supermarkets for a few years. It’s just disappointing for a brand new partnership to see that so little thought appears to have gone into reuse and recycle. There are shops in Hong Kong where you can for example bring your own containers for dried goods.

Park’n’Shop and Uni-China Group have looked to offer something new, and if you live close you’ll find an expanded range of products – sadly they’ll be smothered in multiple layers of plastic…

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2021/20210818-Taste-x-Fresh-Opening-Kowloon-Bay/i-FL2Frf5

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2021/20210818-Taste-x-Fresh-Opening-Kowloon-Bay/i-g75Bw54

Taste x Fresh
1/F, Phase 1, Amoy Plaza, 77 Ngau Tau Kok Road, Kowloon Bay.
Opening hours: 8 am to 10:30 pm.

Uber Buys Local StartUp HKTaxi

One of Hong Kong’s first legal ride-hailing apps HKTaxi, founded in 2014 by Kay Lui and Maff Wong has been bought by Uber.

When it originally launched the HKTaxi app replaced many of the existing phone-based hailing systems. Now you can use the app to pay by Octopus or e-wallet, tip the driver in advance to encourage them to take your booking etc…

“HKTaxi has been able to transform the Hong Kong taxi industry by turning the traditional phone call taxi into a taxi booking app, allowing riders to easily find drivers and vice versa, and enabling electronic payment in the Hong Kong taxi industry. All these features and services greatly improve the overall user experience,” said backer Lap Man.

Uber Hong Kong General Manager Estyn Chung said of the deal “It is an honour to partner with them in bringing greater innovation and growth to the taxi industry. When people think of Uber they increasingly think of taxis, and this deal only emphasizes the importance we place in the sector, in both Hong Kong and around the world.”

images: HKTaxi, transitjam, bcmagazine

Disney+ To Launch In Hong Kong This November

Disney+ the streaming home for films and television shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Star and National Geographic will launch locally in November.

Currently available in 61 countries and 21 languages globally as well as classic series and films Disney+ releases lots of original content; recent shows include Marvel Studios’ WandaVision, Loki and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier; Star Wars’ series The Mandalorian; Pixar’s Luca, National Geographic’s Secrets of the Whales.

There has been no announcement of the local cost or if programmes will be available with a Cantonese soundtrack or subtitles. In the US Disney+ is US$7.99/month, $79.99/year.

Government Extends Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599) to March 31, 2022

The Government announced today (10 August) that it will extend the expiry dates of various regulations under the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599) to March 31, 2022

A Government spokesman explained that extending the expiry dates of the relevant regulations maintains the legal frameworks for the implementation of the relevant infection control measures. It does not imply that the restrictions currently imposed under those regulations will be maintained until the corresponding expiry dates.

The relevant statutory framework has provisions in place to allow flexibility such that the Government may tighten, relax or even suspend specific requirements and conditions subject to development of the epidemic situation.

“We will continue to closely monitor the development of the epidemic situation and review the various measures in place from time to time with a view to making suitable adjustments taking into account all relevant factors,” said the spokesman.

Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599)

(1) Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap. 599C)

(2) Prevention and Control of Disease (Disclosure of Information) Regulation (Cap. 599D)

(3) Compulsory Quarantine of Persons Arriving at Hong Kong from Foreign Places Regulation (Cap. 599E)

(4) Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F)

(5) Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G)

(6) Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H)

(7) Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation (Cap. 599I)

(8) Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J)

((1)-(7) above are currently effective till September 30, 2021. (8) is currently effective till August 14, 2021)

Consumption Vouchers Registration Closes 14 August

Registration for the Consumption Voucher Scheme will close this Saturday, 14 August.

Each eligible person can only register once and duplicate registrations will not be processed.

Octopus Card users will first receive HK$2,000, another HK$2,000 two months later, and then HK$1,000 several weeks after that.

People who receive the vouchers via their AlipayHK, Tap & Go or WeChat Pay HK digital wallets will first get HK$2,000 and then HK$3,000 two months later.

People who completed their registration on or after 18 July, and those who submitted paper registration forms, will receive the first $2,000 tranche of consumption vouchers on 1 September.

If you have not applied, registration closes on 14 August www.consumptionvoucher.gov.hk

Aggie Poon Takes Charge

As a former 110 metre hurdler, Aggie Poon had the pace and the quick feet that made her perfectly suited to playing on the wing or at full-back.

Having debuted as a 20-year-old, Poon was a stalwart of the Hong Kong women’s team, in sevens and 15s and played at Rugby World Cup 2017 and three Asian Games and was Hong Kong’s Women’s Sevens Player of the Year in 2016.

A meniscus injury to her left knee, however, was one physical barrier Poon was unable to overcome and she was forced to retire in 2017, aged just 27, with 13 caps to her name.

Rather than limping away from the sport, the professional personal trainer used her knowledge of fitness and conditioning to get her knee right again and embark on a career in officiating.

“Some friends asked me why I did not go into coaching. It wasn’t the easiest decision to make between being a coach or a referee,” she admitted.

“I chose the latter because it would be difficult for me to balance the duties as a coach with my other commitments. Refereeing fitted into my schedule better.

“Also, every team player has her own personality and strengths. It’d require a lot of effort as a coach to design a programme that caters for every single team member.

“As a referee, it is just my problem, to prepare well and be better. I cannot put the blame on other people.”

Learning the Laws

Poon isn’t afraid to admit she did not know all the laws of the game while she was playing and continues to strive to get better.

“I thought that refereeing can enrich my understanding of the laws while learning a new skill. I probably knew 60 per cent when I was playing,” she said candidly.

“Doing the set-piece, which includes scrum and lineout, is harder than I expected because the positions I used to play were winger and full-back instead of scrum-half or forward.

“You never stop learning; you should always try and understand the laws of the game otherwise you will pay the price. When you know more and learn more you will be more confident on the pitch.

“I hope to help the players to be more familiar with the laws as well, as having a better understanding of how the game works will help them to improve their performance straight away.”

Poon was appointed to the Asia Rugby refereeing panel this year and says the Amsterdam Sevens is the most prestigious tournament she has refereed to date.

The 31-year-old was part of the Hong Kong women’s sevens team that got to the Rio 2016 repechage only to fall short of making it to the big event.

Tokyo came too soon in her referee development – she only took up the whistle just over three years ago – but Paris 2024 is a realistic aim.

“Refereeing at the Olympics and games at a global level is my goal. It’s a long-term aim as well as a long shot, and I have been equipping myself for it,” she said.

“I have been inspired by Gabriel Lee and Matthew Rodden as they were the two referees who represented Hong Kong at the world level. I know it is an ambitious goal but I’m trying my best to achieve it.”

Additional reporting, image: World Rugby

Self-paid Serology Antibody Testing Service at Airport

The Government has announced the commencement of a self-paid serology antibody testing service at the airport from 18 August for people arriving in Hong Kong. No prices have yet been confirmed.

Fully vaccinated people arriving in Hong Kong who do not possess a positive result proof of a recognised serology antibody test can choose to undergo a self-paid serology antibody test at the airport’s Temporary Specimen Collection Centre (TSCC) during “test and hold”. The relevant arrangement will be as follows:
(a) Fully vaccinated persons who have stayed in the new Group B specified places will still have to abide by the following relevant boarding requirements, otherwise they will not be able to board flights for Hong Kong:
(i) present a recognised vaccination record,
(ii) present a negative result proof of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based nucleic acid test for COVID-19 conducted within 72 hours before the scheduled time of departure of the aircraft, and
(iii) present confirmation in English or Chinese of room reservation in a DQH in Hong Kong for no less than 14 nights starting from the day of the arrival of the relevant traveller at Hong Kong;
(b) before departure, relevant persons should register and pay for the test on the website of the self-paid serology antibody testing service provider, accessible via a link to be uploaded on the Government’s COVID-19 thematic website (www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/inbound-travel.html);
(c) upon arrival, follow instructions to undergo “test-and-hold” at TSCC;
(d) after specimen collection for the nucleic acid test under “test-and-hold” and on receipt of the relevant quarantine order, persons arriving at Hong Kong who choose to undergo a self-paid serology antibody test at the airport can follow directions to undergo the test by venous blood sampling; and
(e) after undergoing venous blood sampling, the relevant person can leave the airport on confirmation of a negative nucleic acid test result by Government-arranged designated transport to undergo compulsory quarantine in DQHs.

The result of the serology antibody test will be available in about 2 days. If the result is positive, the Department of Health will contact the relevant passengers through their DQHs to shorten their compulsory quarantine period to 7 days. The relevant persons can then arrange with DQHs on refunding the cost of the remaining 7 nights of room reservation.

Passengers still have to undergo two nucleic acid tests during the 7-day compulsory quarantine period, followed by a 7-day self-monitoring period as well as compulsory testing on the 9th, 12th, 16th and 19th days of arrival at Hong Kong.

“Persons who choose to undergo self-paid serology antibody testing at the airport will still be required to present at boarding the confirmation of a room reservation of no less than 14 nights in a DQH in Hong Kong, or they will not be allowed to board flights for Hong Kong. The self-paid serology antibody testing service is provided by private testing institutions. Details can be checked with the institutions directly. Persons arriving at Hong Kong should endeavour to reserve and pay for the serology antibody test before departure, in order to ensure a smooth arrival process,” a Government spokesman reminded.

Taiwan Won’t Attend Hong Kong’s Gay Games in 2022 Fearing Security Law

Taiwan will not send a team to next year’s Gay Games in Hong Kong because of fears their athletes and staff could be arrested if they wave the island’s flag or use its name.

The revelation means the only place in Asia to have legalised same-sex marriage will not be at the continent’s first-ever Gay Games.

“We have decided not to send a national delegation as we don’t expect to be able join as Taiwan and to ensure personal safety of the athletes,” Yang Chih-chun, president of the Taiwan Gay Sports and Movement Association (TGSMA), told AFP.

Yang said his organisation, a formal member of the Federation of Gay Games, would assist any Taiwanese player who wanted to attend in a personal capacity.

“But we won’t actively encourage individual participation since there’s no guarantee of a player’s personal safety because under Hong Kong’s national security law, arrests can be made under any excuse,” he said. Yang added that he feared athletes could easily “cross the red line” if they spoke their minds.

In a statement, the Gay Games said it would follow the convention of Taiwan being called either “Chinese Taipei” or “Taiwan region”.

Athletes from Taiwan and the TGSMA were welcome to attend, organisers said, adding: “We are strictly non-partisan and non-political, and we ask all participants and visitors to respect and observe local laws and customs during their stay in Hong Kong.”

additional reporting: AFP