THE WOODS @ 1 BAR 2 CONCEPTS 3 SISTERS

When passion turns into innovation, the art of science is formed. Heralding the cocktails and drinking culture in Hong Kong’s bar scene, by just drinking can't quench your thirst anymore. Hence, The WOODS, a new experiential concept bar elevates cocktails into a culinary art form brighten up the SoHo neighborhood by offering a full experience through taste, sight, touch and smell, while, at the same time, enhancing their appreciation of art and aesthetics. Owned by the three Chow sisters – Victoria, its Founder; Juliette, its Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer and Regina, its Co-Founder and Creative Director. While the trio have pursued very different careers, they share the same entrepreneurial spirit and have all built their own businesses. The Woods assembles each of their expertise: Victoria is experienced in event management and brand marketing, Juliette is an investment banker and Regina is an architect and interior designer. Together with their passion for art, fine wines and liquors, creative ideas and business acumen, they have taken their first step into the food and beverage industry. This 1 Bar houses 2 concepts runs by 3 sisters is now the new hang out in town. Welcome to The Woods' sisterhood......

Furnished with the theme of nature in mind, the entrance hand-blown glass sculpture evoking the images of leaves, roots, branches and light filtered through foliage. This work of art was crafted by New York based glass and light specialists flew to Hong Kong for the installation. The floor is paved with tessellated marble, creating a pattern that resembles fallen leaves, which transitions into concrete surfaces to represent rocks and stones, finally making way for wood material that runs up the wall. The interior is a striking blend of the raw beauty of nature with urban refinement.

The Woods houses two concepts: The Lounge Area serves classic cocktails with The Woods’ twist, featuring house-infused spirits, homemade syrups and freshly squeezed juices. Seasonal cocktail menu that showcases the market-fresh ingredients at their peak combined with carefully curated spirits in four seasons. Innovative cocktails such as <Caprese> and the <Watermelon Cilantro> have already generated a strong following. <Market-Fresh Special> where the beverage is prepared from the freshest ingredients found that day with a surprise twist.

The Prix-Fixe Bar sits eight with a white marble top, it is where the show take place. A four-course Prix-Fixe menu of cocktails, comprising of an appetizer, a main, a dessert and a digestif of choice. The inaugural menu includes the <Basil ‘Smash’> appetizer and the <Bacon Bourbon Luge> main course. The cocktails are the star, and the food is just the pairing. The Mixologist will introduce each concoction, demonstrating how the drinks are prepared before being served in sleek, architecturally inspired glassware. The Prix-Fixe menu will be changed every six to eight weeks based on seasonal ingredients and brand collaborations

<The Caprese>

One of the many signature cocktails, this eatable Caprese salad-inspired cocktail is created with vodka, fresh tomato water (filtered overnight), aged balsamic vinegar, and a medley of cherry tomatoes and basil chiffonades. It tastes like a salad in a glass, at once savoury and refreshing. The cocktail itself is presented in a small decanter so the garnishes can be admired. Probably the first eatable drink being introduced in town.

<Gin Basil ‘Smash’> a.k.a. The Appetizer

The citrus notes of the Sipsmith gin work superbly with the Thai and Sweet Basil muddled into the cocktail. In a literal take on the neo-classic Gin Basil Smash recipe, a hollow ice sphere is filled with the cocktail using a syringe and drinkers get to smash the ball open with a small hammer to release the liquid into a glass. Striking presentation and a refreshing start to the ‘meal’! It is refreshing, appetizing and the honey sweeten the watermelon makes a perfect balance for this cocktail.

<Bacon Bourbon> a.k.a. The Main Course

   Bacon is infused with bourbon in an overnight process. The alcohol is smoothed with maple syrup and egg white, with black pepper and five-spice powder to complement the bacon, resulting in a hearty, savoury cocktail. The pairing for this drink is a roasted bone marrow. When you are done eating it, the hollowed-out bone can be used to funnel the cocktail into your mouth like a luge, carrying with it the richness of the marrow residue. Napkin is totally required for this trial, as you won't want to mess up your nice evening cocktail dress or suit on a perfect date night out. It is muscular yet untidy.

<Absinthe Floss> a.k.a. Dessert 

Absinthe is traditionally served poured over a sugar cube. At The Woods, it replaces the sugar cube with candy floss. An unusual combination of flavours comes together to form a delightful dessert drink. The liquid is poured over the candy floss which melts right into the cocktail! It is fun and playful. Have your kid's heart out.

<Tea Infusion> a.k.a. Digestif

This digestif inspired by Asian flavours, gin is infused with Jasmine tea, lemongrass, galangal, and lemon peel. This is done in a double chamber infusion siphon, a visual show in itself. Is it this the best way to end the evening? We reserve the benefit of doubt as this is rather powerful and forceful ending. Warning!! Drink responsively!

Ambience: 4/5

Food & Beverages: 3/5

Service: 3.5/5

The Woods

Address: L/G, 17 Hollywood Road, 

Central, Hong Kong

Tel: +852-2522-0281

DAVID YURMAN @ FW2014/15 Ad Campaign

David Yurman debuts Enduring Style, the fall 2014 campaign with Kate Moss. Shot by world-famous photographer Peter Lindbergh, the campaign celebrates the ten-year collaboration between the supermodel, the photographer, and David Yurman. Enduring Style shows Kate in black and white images shot from 2004 to today, wearing David Yurman pieces that are still iconic favorites.

 New styles are also featured, including the Cable Buckle Collection®, the Hampton Cable Collection®, and the Venetian Quatrefoil Collection, as well as pieces from the recently introduced Starburst and Petite Pavé collections. In combining past and present, the brand illustrates its timeless sophistication and ageless elegance.

Don't miss out the making-off with the professional team.

Gieves & Hawkes @ AW2014 Global Ad Campaign

Gieves & Hawkes AW2014 global ad campaign moved to the eastern Highlands of Scotland, providing a dramatic backdrop for a collection of elegant textural menswear. Shot by Testino protégé Eddie Wrey in and around the 15th century Eilean Donan castle, the graphic simplicity of the collection is juxtaposed against dramatic natural landscapes and the stone ramparts of the castle. A short film entitled Highland will be released alongside the print campaign, featuring the music of Palace, a new British alternative rock/blues band.

"We loved the scale and tones of the landscape in Scotland. There was something very masculine and romantic about the tough and remote highland location. The textures of the collection - urban tweeds, rich Donegals and grey flannel almost formed part of the landscape as the shoot progressed". Says Jason Basmajian, Creative Director of Gieves & Hawkes.

BREMONT Hong Kong @ First Standalone Boutique Open Outside of London

BREMONT opens its first standalone Hong kong boutique outside of London in Central recently. Renowned for its timepieces that are “Tested Beyond Endurance” as well as their beautifully designed and quintessentially British boutiques.The British ambience and aviation-related decorative is seen throughout the two-story Boutique which spans an area of over 2,000 square feet and stands as a premium showcase for the brand in the region. Designed and decorated like its flagship store in Mayfair, London, which was crowned “Store Design of the Year” at the prestigious UK Retail Jewellery Awards 2013. The Bremont Hong Kong Boutique is made to “communicate the brand’s message and DNA to our consumers, as well as to help the brand become more visible in the market”, according to Giles English, Co-founder of Bremont. Being a stylish and modern brand like Bremont, the Boutique also makes good use of innovative technologies to portray the wonderful stories behind each watch that Bremont creates. Bremont is always seeking creativity and inspiration from different partnership projects with a wide variety of brands and personalities. On the upper level of the Bremont Hong Kong Boutique sits a stylish special edition Norton 961 Commando motorcycle with Bremont’s brand name on its fuel tank, a perfect example of Bremont’s collaboration with this famous British motorcycle brand. Bremont produced a limited edition Norton chronograph, which was based on this bike’s eye-catching styling. The upper level of the Boutique is designed to be a relaxing space for the brand to share its history and many stories with its devotees and friends. Customers can choose to rest on the comfortable sofas while listening to these amazing stories and savouring the pictures on display which demonstrate svome of Bremont’s brand partnerships as well as notable friends of the brand.

<Bremont Boeing Model 247> 

This unique timepieces that reflect Boeing’s extensive experience in advanced material research. The models are manufactured in two versions, the first being Custom 465® Stainless Steel. This double vacuum-melted, age-hardenable alloy was developed for the aerospace industry for superior strength, hardness and corrosion resistance. A second version uses Boeing aviation-grade Ti-64 titanium. Both feature the unique Bremont Trip-Tick case and their beautifully finished movements are suspended in Boeing blue decorated steel and rubber anti-shock mounts, exposed for all to see through the crystal case backs.

<MBII>

 The Bremont MB was designed to be quite simply the definitive British aviation chronometer. Tested and designed in conjunction with the iconic British aviation company 'Martin-Baker', three models available: the MBI, MBII and MBIII. The MBI is only available to those individuals who have ejected using an MB ejection seat and can be quickly identified by its red aluminium barrel. The movement is protected by an anti-magnetic Faraday cage and a specifically designed anti-shock case mount. The MB range had to withstand the same rigorous testing as the seats themselves. This included shock, vibration, temperature extremes, and salt-fog tests amongst others.

<ALT1-WT World Timer Watch>

 The wonderfully over-engineered Bremont World Timer, ALT1-WT, is one of the more intricate and military watches ever produced. Created for pilots and travellers the world over, it incorporates a complex, highly-finished dial. The Roto-Click® bezel enables the user to work out global time zones using the International landing location. And the adjustable 24-hour hand can display UTC or ‘Zulu’ time.

<Wright Flyer Limited Edition Watch>

The Limited Edition Bremont Wright Flyer new timepiece features some of the original fabric used on the 1903 Wright Flyer aircraft. Just as significantly, it showcases Bremont’s first ever in-house movement, the BWC/01, designed and developed in Britain. Many of its constituent parts have also been crafted at the company’s workshops in Henley-on-Thames. This unique project was only made possible by the Wright family’s passion for Bremont’s aviation heritage.

<Supermarine S2000>

 The Supermarine and S2000 are Bremont divers watches inspired by our aviation principles. Each maintains the Bremont DNA with an anti-magnetic Faraday cage encasing the beautifully finished chronometer-tested BE-36AE movement, as does the patented anti-shock case mount. The 45mm case of the S2000 has been re-engineered to withstand a depth of 2000 metres. Both cases also have an automatic helium escape value for professional diving requirements.

The eye-catching ejection seat showcases the brand’s passion for aviation and its close connection with Martin-Baker.The Bremont MB collection is a best-seller. A British firm which manufactures over 70% of the world’s ejection seats for the air forces. The MB watches have gone through the same extensive and rigorous testing programme as the ejection seats themselves. The ejection seat in the boutique is a vivid symbol of this proud partnership between these two British companies.

Alejandre Gonalez Inarritu in PRADA @ The 71st Venice Film Festival

Alejandre Gonalez Inarritu and his wife Maria Eladia Hagerman dressed in Prada at the opening ceremony of <Birdman> premiere during the 71st Venice Film Festival recently.

Solange Knowles in H&M Studio Collection

Solange Knowles wore the H&M Studio Collection tuxedo set to the MTV Video Music Awards ceremony in Los Angels recently.