Rugby Week 2016

hk sevens winners 2015

It’s an Olympic year and a very late in the calendar rugby week in Hong Kong offers both men’s and women’s qualifiers a final chance for players to impress as Rugby 7s debuts at Rio 2016. Here are the dates for your diary this April for what promises to be a fantastic week of sport and fun.

The Hong Kong Beach 5s [Cancelled]
When: 2-3 April, 2016
Where: Repulse Bay Beach
How much: Free
More info: www.hkbeach5s.com

Kowloon Fest
When: 9am, 6 April, 2016
Where: Kings Park
How much: Free
More info: www.rugbyfest.org
Contact: [email protected]

Hong Kong Tens
When:
 6-7 April, 2016
Where: Hong Kong Football Club
How much: tbc
More info: www.hongkongtens.com

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2015/HK-Sevens-2015-Friday/i-SgZZ4xr

Hong Kong Women’s Rugby Sevens
When: 7-8 April, 2016
Where: 7 April: Kings Park, 8 April: HK Football Club, Final: HK Stadium
How much: Free
More info: www.facebook.com/hkwr.sevens

Hong Kong 7s
When: 8-10 April, 2016
Where: HK Stadium
How much: $1800 (sold out)
More info: www.hksevens.com

hkwr7s2016 poster

photo: HKRU

Women’s Rugby Fixtures – 13 February, 2016

Women’s Rugby Fixtures – 13 February, 2016

Vibrant Joyous Parade

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Chinese-New-Year-Parade-2016/i-VCrzBft/0/XL/IMG_5311-XL.jpg

Merging old traditions with modern tourism the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Chinese New Year Parade has become a popular spectacle with locals and visitors. The arrival of the year of the Fire Monkey was heralded with a vibrant, joyous visual extravaganza, a perfect start to the new lunar year. This year’s show featured 13 floats and 22 participating troupes from across the globe including from west coast America, the Netherlands and local groups performing alongside ‘big names’ such as Ocean Park and the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

bc’s Hannah Ridley was part of the Ocean Park troupe. “As a performer it was a very memorable experience, to have the opportunity to meet such a varied range of talented performers”. Asking around the participants almost everyone replies with a confident “yes”; practices were tough and tiring however upon seeing the smiles and waves from the crowd there is no doubt that all of the effort and time that was put in paid off.

Waiting backstage, it was fascinating to see the creativity and beauty as the various floats and troupes came to life and the parade took shape. Smiles and chatter were everywhere as performers of all ages interacted and in doing so created a lively and exciting environment bringing happiness and a cloak to any pre-start nerves. Personally that was the highlight of my evening, being part of such a diverse group from across the world, each possessing artistic talent and all sharing experiences and making memories.

A parade is unique, on stage the audience is cloaked in shadow their reactions mostly hidden and delayed. The box shaped parade route is a cacophony of sound and energy. The deep crowds on either side of the road creating a tunnel of energy and infectious enthusiasm that is unforgettable. The invigorating atmosphere and cheers inspire us as performers. The road becomes a river of joy along which we float. The snatched glimpses of the broad smiles on the faces of children in the arms of their parents or wedged against the barriers at the front, delight as much as they threaten to distract. The mutuality of the excitement that we as performers create and that the crowds give us is what makes a parade so magical. That even amongst all the excitement a high five or a wave to someone brings a wide smile is a very happy feeling.

Kung Hei Fat Choi
Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous Year of the Monkey.

Lunar New Year Discount MTR Fares on 9-10 February

CNY 2016

Travel this Lunar New Year is cheaper as the MTR reduce fares. On the 9 and 10 February adult Octopus holders will enjoy child concessionary fares and holders of other octopus card will pay just $1 per journey.

Other existing MTR discounts such as the Interchange Discount, the Fare Saver Discount and the 25% discount for connecting journeys with the Monthly Pass Extra etc will still function – unless the resulting fare is $0. There are no completely free trips.

The main exclusions for the discounted Lunar New Year travel are the Airport Express, MTR Feeder Bus, journeys to or from Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau stations and East Rail Line First Class Premium.

Full Terms and Conditions here: http://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/main/cny_festive_discount_2016.html

Hong Kong at the Asia Cup 2016

HK Cricket team 2016

The Asian Cricket Council is holding the Asia Cup 2016 in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 24th February to 6th March 2016. The 13th edition of the Asia Cup will be the first played using the T20 format.

Hong Kong made their first appearance in the tournament in 2004 and reached the group stages in the 2004 and 2008 tournaments.

Along with hosts Bangladesh and Asia Cup 2014 winners Sri Lanka, the tournament will include Pakistan, India and a qualifier. The qualifier will be determined through a qualifying round (T20I) scheduled to be played from 19th to 22nd February 2016 in Bangladesh.

Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Oman and UAE will compete in the qualifying round. The winner of qualifier will move to main round to play against the four Asian Test playing nations.

Qualifier Match Schedule
Venue: KSOAS, Fatullah
Format: 20 overs a side

Hong Kong v Oman
Date: 19 February 2016
HK Time: 8pm

Hong Kong v UAE
Date: 21 February 2016
HK Time: 8pm

Hong Kong v Afghanistan
Date: 22 February 2016
HK Time: 8pm

Hong Kong Squad
Tanwir Afzal (Captain), Adil Mehmood, Aizaz Khan, Anshuman Rath, Babar Hayat, Christopher Carter, Haseeb Amjad, Kinchit Shah, Mark Chapman, Nadeem Ahmed, Ninad Shah, Nizakat Khan, Tanveer Ahmed, Waqas Barkat, Waqas Khan.

Megabites: BrewDog, Butchers Club, Khana Khazana

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Brewdog-Equity-Punks-Night2016/i-frGZ4cZ

BrewDog
Craft beer brewery BrewDog opens it’s second bar in Asia on the 4 February at 19 Hollywood Road, Central. The bar is the 45th for this fast expanding brewery which only tapped it’s first pint in 2007. BrewDog UK staff Neil and Lucy, in town to supervise the opening, are passionate craft beer advocates and the ethos of producing quality beers has – taste them yourself to see if you agree or not – survived the rapid scaling of volumes over the last eight years.

BrewDog Hong Kong has 14 beers on draft including regulars like their signatures Punk IPA (5.4%), Elvis Juice (6.7%) Jackhammer (7.2%) and experimentals like the delicious AB:19 (13.1%). The beers are served in UK pint, 2/3 pint, half pint and 1/3 pint glasses. A UK pint is 568ml compared to an American ‘pint’ which is 473ml and a Hong Kong ‘pint’ which can be as small as 335-385ml. When asked why the different serving sizes… it’s about keeping the quality of the beer. A customer won’t drink a glass of AB:19 at 13.1% in the same way as they’ll drink a pint of Punk…

There’s a range of food including delicious french dip sandwiches, lamb cheese fondue, jalapeno cheese bread and glazed donuts to be enjoyed with your beer.
BrewDog: 19 Hollywood Road, Central. Tel: 2219 9905 www.facebook.com/BrewDogHK

Fei Jai Burger

Fei Jai Burger
For Chinese New Year The Butchers Club have a new option on their ‘secret menu’ the Fei Jai burger. Stacked inside a classic pineapple bun the ‘Fei Jai’ consists of a five-spice pork belly burger patty with a char siu glaze, seared luncheon meat, a crispy wonton, Chinese cabbage and coriander salad, spring onion mayo and a fried egg.

A veritable feast of Hong Kong flavours the pineapple bun holds together well as a burger bun, for health safety reasons pork has to be cooked longer than beef so the meat comes out a little drier than a traditional beef patty but the fried egg and the mayo lubricate the burger well. Luncheon meat and wontons are not what you’d expect to find in a burger but the crispyness and flavour add well to create a unique and delicious burger.

The Fei Jai burger ($88) is available until the 10th February at all three The Butchers Club Burgers outlets – Wanchai, Central and K11 in TST. www.thebutchers.club

KK-CNY-2016

Eat What You Want, Pay What You Want
Khana Khazana’s unique Chinese New Year “Eat What You Want, Pay What You Want” buffet promotion returns for the seventh year. Every Monday evening in February from 6-10pm the Wanchai Indian Vegetarian restaurant dinner buffet allows customers to pay what they want for the buffet via an empty red packet included with the bill. Drinks are not included and must be paid for in full. The buffet includes dishes like sprout bean salad, boondi raita, meduwada, pakoda, hariyali kebab, paneer butter masala, jeera aloo, dal punjabi, sevian kheer and roti’s and naan are served at the table.
Khana Khazana: 1/F, Dannies House, 20 Luard Road, Wanchai. Tel: 81081070 www.khanakhazana.com.hk

BrewDog Equity Punks Night – 3 February 2016

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Brewdog-Equity-Punks-Night2016/i-Lgc5QSk

BrewDog invited its Equity Punks to a first night tasting of fine craft beers brewed in Aberdeen, Scotland. There are 14 craft beers on tap ranging from the globally popular Punk IPA (5.4%) to the sublime experimental AB:19 (13.1%).
Click on any image for the full gallery.
Brewdog: 19 Hollywood Road, Central.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Brewdog-Equity-Punks-Night2016/i-4fR2wSh

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Brewdog-Equity-Punks-Night2016/i-pL3GdTV

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Brewdog-Equity-Punks-Night2016/i-z5Cjb4j

Brewdog beer board – served in proper English pint, 2/3 pint, half pint and 1/3 pint measures.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Brewdog-Equity-Punks-Night2016/i-TFdPsVN