Bling It
With Loewe’s crystal (Swarovski, of course) encrusted TV sets, we don’t know whether we would be glued to the screen or the glittering inserts! The sets come in two shades – black with dark crystal panels or silver with light panels. The screen is 80cm diagonal and if you want one, you’ll need deep pockets and a liking for limited editions – Hong Kong has only 10 of each colour available and the price is $68,000 a set. Now if the programmes were as flash as the TV, it might just be worth it. Call 2392 8988 for enquiry. Loewe’s website www.loewe-hk.com has information on their products, if not particularly on the crystal-hugging screens.

Play It
We have all read much about the launch of Grand Theft Auto 4 – loyal gamers gearing up in front of shops to ensure they are the first to own the new edition, teens imitating crimes committed by characters from the game, bookies setting up odds on how long the infamously violent game can stay at the top of the charts… The Grand Theft Auto games have been attacked by family groups, religious parties and officials since day one but, well, the louder the voice, the bigger the game gets. It is already predicted that GTA4 will be the biggest selling video game of all time! If you still have no clue about what we’re roaring on about, go to www.gta4.net or simply visit your nearest game store.

Do it
Hello Kitty strikes again with the return of her Mini Octopus card. This time it comes in two styles – one with a very colourful fruit theme and the other with a violet floral theme – both promising to capture the hearts of all office ladies and teenage schoolgirls. And even more irresistible, the Mini Octopus comes with an ornamental chain and a key ring which you can attach to your keys or your handbag to make you and your Kitty inseparable. The Mini Octopus is available from all 7-Eleven outlets at $148, but we don’t guarantee you can get yours now – we all know how strong Hello Kitty’s army is…

Race It
Forget about Initial D this summer. If you’re talking outrageous speeding this month, you must have Speed Racer, the retro animation adaptation by the Wachowski brothers, in mind. And if the film is set to become a hit across the globe, you have to check out the merchandise. In the classic line, Speed’s Mach 5 car is available in four easily collectable sizes that feature real rubber tyres and a paint job you will find nowhere else. Meanwhile the serious collector can go for the limited edition 1:18 scale all-metal die-cast model. All models are only available on line for folks in Hong Kong but as a bc reader, you can get yours for free – check out our Competitions page to win a 1:18 scale Mach 5 and a set of 1:55 scale models of the cars that appear in the film (Mach 5, Snake Oiler, Prince Kabala and Shooting Star) or simply order from www.100milligrams.com if you can’t wait!

Fake It
What do artists do when feeling too seedy to turn up at work? Evidently get their local friendly doctor to excuse them on the grounds of ‘artlessness syndrome’. The secret is out and all is revealed at the Sick Leaves Conceptual Art Exhibition where six artists including a self-employer, an educator, an art researcher and a full-time artist examine their relationships with – and the consequences of – sick leave through their art. And that is fitting as in Hong Kong’s hectic work schedule, sick leave is sometimes more necessary for the mind than the flesh and blood matter it is tied up with. The exhibition will run until May 31 at C&G Artpartment (3/F, 222 Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Prince Edward, Kowloon). Opens daily from 2-7:30pm except on Tuesday, Wednesday and public holidays.