Best Chinese New Year displays in Hong Kong

It’s the biggest holiday in most parts of Asia and Hong Kong goes all out in decking the city with bright hues of red and gold. We’re still observing social restrictions in the 852 but that does not have to dampen the Lunar New Year spirit. Here are the best places to check out the Year of the Tiger displays in city and soak in the festive flair…

1. Lee Tung Avenue

It’s the prettiest outdoor pedestrian street in the city and never fails to go all out when it comes to displays and decors. To celebrate the Year of the Tiger, Lee Tung Avenue is channeling the Year of the Tiger vibe with a total of 888 hanging red lanterns. Every evening at 5:30pm, the red lanterns will light up in their festive glory all throughout this month, so soak in the festive feels and jazz up your instagram reels with a trip to Wan Chai.

Read more here.

2. Central Market

The oldest wet market in Hong Kong has got a fresh breath of life and welcoming their first Chinese New Year, in collaboration with Taiping Life (Hong Kong). The Chinese New Year event includes pop-up stores, auspicious decorations including a 5.5-metre-tall Taiping Wishing Tree and more than 450 Chinese lanterns at the central Oasis. If you’re making a trip downtown, don’t forget to say Kung Hei Fat Choi to the cute Taiping Elephant and the lucky tiger mascots who are busy spreading the holiday cheer to one and all…

Read more here.

3. Lion Dance at Peninsula Hotel

It’s the most auspicious and time-honoured Chinese New Year tradition and whilst most of the outdoor lion dances stand cancelled due to Covid, the one at the Grand Dame of the Far East Peninsula Hotel, famous for its elaborate performance is still on-track. Featuring red and gold lions and dragons, the beautifully choreographed spectacle will take place on The Sun Terrace, a sweeping alfresco venue with stunning views of the Victoria Harbour. Combine the auspicious experience with an array of award-winning gastronomic delights at one of the hotel’s many restaurants.

Read more here.

4. Harbour City Mall

Featuring the theme of “PAWsperity for ALL” theme this Chinese New Year, Harbour City mall and the Ocean Terminal Forecourt transform into a lucky lantern pathway. A total of 108 colourful lanterns will be swaying in the breeze above the pathway with different blessings tied and eight giant wishing knitted balls, wishing everyone luck, prosperity and good health. Harbour City also invites Dr. Lee Shing Chak to share Fortune of the Year of the Tiger online and give exclusive lucky tips for each Chinese Zodiac so that everyone can get prepared for the New Year.

Planning a fancy soirée? Hong Kong’s top party planners can help

We are known for our outlandish parties. From glitzy galas to luxury brand events, festivals, engagements and of-course weddings – this is Hong Kong, and if you aren’t doing it glam, you aren’t doing it right. Welcome to a larger-than-life society scene where Gafencu meets the top men and women in the city, renowned for planning and producing truly opulent and buzzy soirées…

Styling Supremo
Bergé Studio, helmed by fashion designer-turned-event stylist Silvio Bergé, turns any and every fantasy into a reality. Bergé has planned and organised the biggest and plushest parties and fundraisers for the city’s elite. Recognised and recommended simply by word of mouth, the Swiss-born, Italian-educated event decorator has probably had more glamorous galas and extravagant celebrations credited to his name than anyone else in Hong Kong.

Although he parted from the fashion industry long ago, the flair of avant-garde designs has never left him, as evidenced by the artistic production values of any party under his direction – think tall, statuesque crystal candle holders, classic Baroque décor, lush foliage and sparkling details across the room. Bergé invariably spells big, bold and beautiful. “After three years of social unrest and distancing during the pandemic, our clients deserve to have their dreams come true – to have magic and a reason to be dressed to the nines,” he says.

Bergé recently added a new arm to the company; aptly named The Secret Room, it’s an exclusive and immersive thematic dining space that brings together luxury lifestyle, art and gastronomy. For this event stylist, money is never the focus of a plan, since “you can’t put a price on luxury experience”. He takes pride in delivering nothing short of the best on every occasion.

Also Read: Go-to-Do-doers: Who are Hong Kong’s pre-eminent party planners?

Right Royal Occasions
A relatively new arrival to the scene is Jimmy Yu, founder and CEO of Royal Catering, a premium catering solutions company that teams personalised, innovative menus with lavishly decorated presentations. Offering a one-stop service, be it for a private dinner in a ballroom, a wedding on a remote island, or a large-scale corporate event for the likes of Cartier and Alexander McQueen, Yu and his team of experienced event coordinators take pride in conceptualising and then executing beautiful memories.

According to Yu, the party-planning business has flourished in recent years, driven by a desire for a unique experience for one’s guests and that ‘wow’ factor that transforms just another party into a memorable occasion. “This, alongside our passion for gourmet food and fine dining, really pushes us to think outside the box and get creative,” he says.

On average, a catered event complete with floor staff and a chef can start at HK$1,500 a head, while a more formal sit-down dinner will cost upwards of HK$8,000 per person. However, the work that Yu and his passionate staff offer behind the scenes cannot be quantified in monetary terms – for them, going above and beyond the norm is all part of an evening’s work. “I have a very supportive team who are excellent at dealing with any unexpected crises,” says a grateful Yu.

“On one occasion, the cross-harbour tunnel we were using to transport the equipment for an event was completely blocked after a sudden accident. With no other way through, the team offloaded everything from the vehicles and hand-carried it all by train and ferry, while liaising with strategic restaurant partners nearby the venue to help us deliver everything on time.”
Yu also connects with some of the most gorgeous and breathtakingly idyllic (and sometimes hidden away) venues the city has to offer. Even a celebration dinner on a private island without electricity or water supply is no barrier for Yu. Armed with a portable generator, Royal Catering pulled off a sumptuous beachside sit-down meal, cooking and serving four courses on the spot. “We measure our success by the smiles of the guests as they enjoy the party,” shares Yu – which speaks to the quality of service they produce.

Also Read: Party Pieces: Where to get party decor in Hong Kong

Gourmet Service
Butler is another event production company providing a bespoke service for all one’s party needs and desires. Novelty is their primary focus, as well as delivering every aspect of its service with finesse, but perhaps it is the food they whip up that is most outstanding. Distinguished by an exquisite balance of artistry and gourmet mastery, their custom-designed menus and Art Deco-style presentation results in gorgeous (and delicious) edible art.

Advancing from humbler beginnings, when they would provide canapés for parties of no more than 50 people, Butler can now expertly cater large-scale celebrations of 200-plus guests as well as branded events for leading luxury clients like Gucci, Loro Piana, Audemars Piguet and Salvatore Ferragamo, to name but a few. Costs can range from as little as HK$500 to HK$5,000 per head, which even at the higher end of the scale is a small price to pay when you are seeking perfection. While every occasion and client are different, calling for quirkiness or glitz, Butler oversees every step of the preparation and planning with the utmost care.

Beyond beautiful food, the company also provides services for every party-planning requirement imaginable. Researching and designing unique and innovative cocktails, decoration, packaging, labelling, table setting – even setting up a remote kitchen – this all falls neatly under Butler’s purview, ensuring that each festivity is one of a kind.

Also Read: Elegant porcelain tea sets for your next regal soirée

(Feature image photo credit: NextWave Yachting)

Your Chinese New Year 2022 gift guide is here!

Celebrate the Year of the Water Tiger with Gafencu’s limited-edition gift guide. From sweets, spirits and anything that spells luxury, we’ve got an idea and a shopping link in here…

Mikimoto 18K Yellow Gold and Silver Pearl Brooch

Ring in the new Lunar year with a bedazzling charm of the Chinese zodiac Tiger. Known for their pearl jewellery, Mikimoto presents its festive Pearl Creations featuring the Chinese zodiac sign of the Tiger. The Pearls brooches come in 18k yellow gold or silver, and the prowling feline atop an elegant pearl, brings just the right kind of sparkle to welcome the new year.

Shop here.

Hennessy X Zhang Enli V.S.O.P Chinese New Year

It’s always a show of good luck and happiness to welcome the new year with spirits. Premium French cognac distillery Hennessy has come up with special limited-edition festive V.S.O.P and X.O bottles in collaboration with internationally-aclamined Chinese artist Zhang Enli. Presenting a beautiful modern interpretation of a lucid dream-like world inspired by the regal and poise feline figure that represents the Year of the Tiger, the artist blends together his mastery of using classic Chinese brush painting and the mason’s masterful distilling techniques to produce this special collector’s edition. Make sure

Shop here.

Splurge at WatchFinder

Pre-owned luxury cult classics or limited-edition vintage watches have become a big thing in Hong Kong with the likes of retailers like Watchfinder & Co. opening upscale showrooms in the city. If money is no object then a trip to Watchfinder & Co. will offer hundreds of premium watches to choose from – Rolex Sea-Dweller to an Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch or Piaget Altiplano – a gift from here will make you stand out.

Shop here.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Baccarat Rouge 540

An eau de parfum which lays on your skin like an intimate mix of woody, jasmine, saffron, followed by ambergris and cedar – this intense scent stays for several hours. The result of the partnership between the crystal manufacturer Baccarat and the perfume master Maison Francis Kurkdjian, this is an exceptional present in shades of intense red for someone who appreciates and admires the finer things in life.

Shop here.

Oribe Lunar New Year Signature Liter Set

Celebrating the Year of the Tiger with the auspicious red and gold foil pattern and floral tiger motif, American hair specialist Oribe has come up with a celebratory Signature Shampoo & Conditioner box set (HK$2,176) that will ensure abundance in healthy-looking locks and magnificent-smelling tresses.

Shop here.

Laura Mercier limited-edition Blush Color Infusion

A cosmetic compact and good luck charm in one, New York-based beauty brand lets the special lady in your life carry the auspicious energy of the Year of the Tiger in her purse. Featuring a unique festive red metallic case and the feline zodiac motif pressed onto the blush powder, the limited edition Blush Color Infusion is the perfect collector’s item for any beauty enthusiast. Boasting a sheer, buildable and silky-smooth cheek colour that blends seamlessly with skin for a natural, fresh look for up to 10 hours.

Shop here.

Gucci’s Rouge à Lèvres Voile Collection

The #GucciBeautyWishes campaign pays a homage to the revered colour of prosperity with its moisture-rich lipsticks and luminous shine. Their latest Rouge à Lèvres Voile collection is a trio of the house’s existing classic shades and a special Chinese New Year red-orange hue – a beautiful tint when applied with a single stroke and glides on to become a more defining rich shade on further application. The porcelain effect ivory lacquered tube with a vintage-inspired design with blue roses and a gold-ribbed metal bottom, makes for an exquisite gift for any beauty lover. Not only that, Gucci Beauty’s Bloom Eau de Parfum, a fragrance wholly developed under Alessandro Michele’s vision, takes inspiration from themes of authenticity and celebrates the vitality and diversity of women.

Shop here.

Also Read: Year of the Tiger: Lucky colours to wear according to Feng Shui

Sulwahsoo’s Lunar New Year “Lucky Knot” Edition

K-beauty is all rage now, but Sulwahsoo, the hugely successful South Korean beauty and cosmetic conglomerate dates back to 1966 and has 30 beauty, personal care and even health brands under its umbrella. Much loved in Hong Kong, this is one of the fastest beauty brands in the world – their Lunar New Year ‘Lucky Knot’ edition is an indispensable, anti-aging essence that produces stronger, radiant skin with an all-around skin moisture barrier. If make-up is not your thing and you’re all into skinimalism, perhaps’s this will be an ideal gift this season.

Shop here.

Saicho Eight Immortals Sparkling Tea

Not much of a boozehead? Perhaps, Hong Kong-based Saicho’s luxurious sparkling tea presents as the perfect alternative to the usual wine bottle. Paying ode to its co-founder’s Hong Kong heritage and this year’s Year of the Tiger, the brand presents its exclusive Eight Immortals (HK$488/750ml) rare Dan Cong oolong tea in sparkling form. Elegant and sophisticated like wine but deliciously guilt-free, Saicho’s non-alcoholic sparkling tea serves as the perfect auspicious toast to a new year with close friends and family!

Shop here.

Louis Vuitton Logomania Scarf

Who doesn’t appreciate a Louis Vuitton gift at this time of the year? Literally no one. Louis Vuitton Logomania, dripping in red and the classy LV monogram is priced at HK$3,500 and looks perfect for a good luck gift this season. Woven from soft, warm blend of silk and wool using a jacquard technique to, it’s stylish, versatile and auspiciously presentable.

Shop here.

Nespresso’s Bold New Espresso Gift

Year of the Tiger signifies strength, vitality and a new-found boldness – what better gift will symbolise this spirit than a brand new, sparkling red Nespresso Lunar New Year coffee machine? Literally everyone we know needs a cuppa joe to kickstart their mornings and when you gift them something which has been created in collaboration with Mirror boyband’s hugely successful Jer Lau, the gift is sure to impress! Coffee-giant, Nespresso, releases all new recipes for the auspicious occasion – we cannot get enough of their ‘wealthy plum’, an intensely, rich and smooth formula to stir us straight into festivities. Functional, practical and so thoughtful, the gift will bean so much to the espresso-fanatic in your life.

Shop here.

One Plus One CNY Giftset

Kick off the new lunar year with this luxurious hamper that treats you and your loved ones with an abundance of delectable treats and wellness products. We absolutely heart the cute teddy which comes in neutral as well as pure white colours, One Plus One’s Chinese New Year hamper (HK$1,180) can also double up as a Valentine’s Day gifting idea! The lavish hamper packs items from Civil Link Tea Enterprise, Hexapi Honey, Seedmart, vomFass and Bodhi Herb Flower Daily. It’s an all-in-one package that everyone will love!

Shop here.

Also Read: Roar into the Year of the Tiger with these luxury timepieces

Venchi CNY2022 Limited Edition gift box and hampers

No Chinese New Year comes without a delicious assortments of confectionery for any sweet-tooth. Arriving in an emblazoned tiger silhouette on a bright and bold combination of vivacious red and sparkling gold, Italian chocolatier Venchi offers you and your loved ones a generously jam-packed Chinese New Year gift box and hampers to welcome the auspicious spirit of joy and togetherness this Year of the Tiger. Available in an assortment of different shapes and sizes, the brand offers 8 giftboxes to choose (From HK$178 – HK$2,388)

Shop here.

Also Read: Planning a fancy soirée? Hong Kong’s top party planners can help

Toast to the new Year of the Tiger with the opulent Louis XIII

Ring in the Lunar New Year with a toast to welcome the 2022 Year of the Tiger. Serving as a symbol of wealth and happiness, what better way to raise your glass in celebration of a new beginning with close friends and family than with a luxurious imbibe, by the venerable Louis XIII.

Unparalleled in skill, knowledge and quality, the celebrated cognac maker puts out a sumptuous and deliciously tantalising cognac — a testament of the brand’s more than 140 years of experience in the mastery of producing one of the world’s most desirable and sought-after imbibes.

However, Louis XIII’s undeniably indelible flavours don’t come without the painstaking crafting process of each of its cognac. The distillery, since Louis XIII’s inception in 1874, have had generations of wine cellar experts curate a staggering array of eau de vie made from grapes grown in France’s Grande Champagne region.

These experts select from over 1, 200 different eau de vie – some younger, while some date back centuries – to create a harmonious blend of rich flavours. Over 250 disparate aromas are incorporated together, resulting in a vivid freshness of passion fruit and spice of ginger to rich notes of candied plumbs; giving the tipple its common comparison to drinking a sumptuous sip of perfume.

Even while the focus of carefully distilling decadent cognacs, equal attention is paid to the bottling process as well, ensuring the finished product is fit for the eponymous French king the brand takes its name from. As such, each bottle is lovingly handcrafted by artisans of one of two French royal crystal workshops – Baccarat or Saint Louis – transforming the containers into glorious works of art fit to present as the perfect gift for the Lunar New Year.

Stay in touch with LOUIS XIII:
Website: https://www.louisxiii-cognac.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LOUISXIII
Instagram：@LOUISXIIICOGNAC
Youtube：https://www.youtube.com/user/LouisXIIIofficial

Call to join the LOUIS XIII Society:
Hong Kong: +852 37109396
Macau: +853 2871 9699

Jess Unstopabble: Here’s what you didn’t know about actress Jessica Chastain

Redheads in Hollywood were once typecast as fiery temptresses or hot-blooded vixens. Yet, this stereotype has subsided somewhat thanks in no small part to the many varied onscreen performances of such talented ginger actresses as Jessica Chastain, Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore.

Chastain, in particular, has found serious cinematic success across a wide array of genres, be it sci-fi (she played Commander Melissa Lewis in 2015’s The Martian), biographical (last year she was the titular character in The Eyes of Tammy Faye), thrillers (2012’s Zero Dark Thirty) or more. For her efforts, she has nabbed a Golden Globe and was nominated for two Academy Awards and two Baftas, in addition to being named one of Time’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2012. With the talented screen siren set to grace cinemas this month in The 355 – an action-packed spy film with a star-studded cast including Lupita Nyong’o, Penélope Cruz, Diane Kruger and Fan Bingbing – we take a look at some of the lesser-known facts about Jessica Chastain.

Estranged Relations
Jessica Michelle Chastain was born on 24 March 1977 in the Californian city of Sacramento. Her mum, Jerri Renee Chastain, and dad Michael Monasterio were extremely young parents, the latter being 20 and the former just 16 when Chastain entered the world. As an aspiring rock musician, her father abandoned his family a few years later, leaving Jerri to raise two young children by herself. Understandably, the Zero Dark Thirty star remained estranged from him for the rest of his life, and did not speak to him again before he passed away at the age of 55 in 2013.

Early Insecurity
As a single mother of four children, Jerri Chastain struggled to make ends meet. In one case, when they were living in North Carolina, the situation grew so dire that they were even evicted from their home. Recalling this turbulent period, the star has said: “Because my mom had us very young, many times we were in situations where we didn’t have stability. So, we moved around quite a bit when we were younger, and one time I came home from school, I was probably 13 years old, and there were people there locking the door…”

Acting Dreamcoat
Unlike many of her colleagues, Chastain was still a young child – seven years old, in fact – when she realised she wanted to become an actress. The seminal moment came when her grandmother took her to see a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. When she discovered the on-stage narrator was a scant three years older than her, she became determined to follow in her footsteps. Chastain never forgot her debt to the person who helped to spark her acting bug, and thanked her grandmother by taking her to the Oscars in 2012 and 2013 as her plus one.

From Dropout to Juilliard
Despite her obvious intellect, Chastain and school were not the best fit; she preferred to spend time reading Shakespeare rather than studying. Although she didn’t graduate from high school, she attended a local community college, and later, in 1999, was accepted at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York on a degree programme funded by a scholarship from Robin Williams.
“It was after my second year I found I got that scholarship, and it paid for not only all my schoolwork, but my apartment and my books, and my flight home to see my family for Christmas. It took care of all of that,” reminisced Chastain. “Each year I wrote him a letter about how significant that gift was to myself and to my family.”
Sadly, though, she never got to meet the comedian before his untimely death in 2014. The closest she came was at a restaurant when he was seated at a nearby table. She wanted to wait until he finished eating to introduce herself, but Williams slipped out the second he was done and she never saw him again.

Family Tragedy
Graduating from New York’s prestigious Julliard should have been one of the happiest days of Chastain’s life, but unfortunately a dark cloud hung over her. Just three days before, her sister Juliet had committed suicide at the age of 24, having struggled with drug abuse and depression for many years. Unlike Jessica, who was a year older, Juliet had reconciled with their estranged father and was living with him when she tragically ended her life.

Love in her Acts
After her sister’s suicide, Chastain took measures to raise awareness about depression, mental health and suicide, and began supporting the charity To Write Love on Her Arms. An animal lover, she also volunteers for the Humane Society of the United States, and used to spend Sundays at Los Angeles’s Animal Acres shovelling hay for horses.

Epic Success
Chastain’s career may have started slowly, but she blossomed into a major star. As well as Oscar-nominated movies, she has appeared in blockbuster hits, from the animated success of Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted to the epic Interstellar and the horror giant It: Chapter Two. As of 2020, the domestic box-office takings from 23 of her movies raked in over US$1.4 billion and totalled US$3.65 billion worldwide.

Noble Match
The Zero Dark Thirty star has always been notoriously tight-lipped about her personal life, but she is, in fact, married to Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo, an Italian count and scion of a revered noble family from the country’s Lombardy region. She and Preposulo – who is a fashion executive at Moncler – were married in 2017 in a private ceremony at his family’s Treviso estate, and share two children.

Help in the Dark
Since 2010, the actress has racked up more than 30 credits, most of them feature-length films. These include her Oscar-nominated performances in The Help and Zero Dark Thirty and acclaimed headlining roles in the likes of Miss Sloane and Molly’s Game, both of which earned her Golden Globe nominations. While The Help may have put Chastain on the map, it was Zero Dark Thirty that solidified her credentials and catapulted her into the big league.
But she nearly didn’t appear in the latter film at all. It wasn’t due to a lack of interest on her part – she accepted the lead role of CIA agent Maya Harris even before reading the screenplay – but because of scheduling conflicts due to a contractual obligation to co-star in Tom Cruise’s 2013 action film Oblivion. Thankfully, Cruise released her from that former commitment, and we now have a wide breadth of fantastic films from that one fateful decision.

The full version of this feature appears on Gafencu Magazine’s January 2022 print issue as ❝Double Digits❞ by Tenzing Thondup. Download the free app (iOS, Android) for digital editions of the magazine.

Here’s what makes ❛oud❜ more expensive than gold!

Forget frankincense, and patchouli is so last century. Jasmine? Well, that’s just mundane. There’s a surprising five-star ingredient in the world of luxury scents that has been wafting into the Western consciousness of late. It is intense enough to stir the most jaded nose, and sufficiently surreal to intrigue non-traditionalists. Rich, woody, soft yet smoky; astoundingly rare, exotically precious and more expensive than gold – please give it up for oud.

Fragrance is subjective, yet oud (pronounced ‘oodh’) is the universal, lingering combination of luxury, fantasy and passion, blurring the line between great and extraordinary. Often described as “the scent from heaven” or “liquid gold”, it was ignored by the European master perfumers for thousands of years, but it’s once hidden sensuality is now finally etched in the scent-makers’ palette. Giving a modern spin to this old-world ingredient, they are experimenting with notes and creating strangely irresistible, singular, exclusive and sometimes startling blends.

Ode to Oud agard wood fragrance perfume gafencu 10 — (Photo courtesy of Tom Ford)

The Trail of Scent: From Tom Ford to MFK

The scent was first introduced to the Western world by designer Tom Ford in 2007 in his Oud Wood perfume. As Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie in Harrods, London, where the initial collection was showcased, put it:

“Tom Ford creates the most directional fragrances; where he leads, others follow.”

They were right: Jo Malone, Christian Dior, Armani Privé and Maison Francis Kurkdjian tapped into the trend and oud soon became mainstream – if that’s the right word for something so rarefied. The prospect of getting under people’s skin and bagging a share of the fragrance industry’s massive US$31 billion year-on-year revenue stream led to the bottling of an enticing number of such rich, woody, smoky and sensual perfumes.

Visionary French master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, who boasts a keen understanding of how raw ingredients behave, finds oud fascinating. He’s drawn to its animalistic notes, finding it “a wild beast (yet) to be tamed”. So, what exactly is oud – where does it come from, and what makes it one of the most expensive fragrance ingredients known to the human nose?

Ode to Oud agard wood fragrance perfume gafencu 9 — (Photo courtesy of Maison Francis Kurkdijian)

Smells like Money
Not a pretty plant, oud is Arabic for wood and is derived exclusively from the agar, a tree in the evergreen Aquilaria family. When the heartwood of agar is infected with a specific type of mould, it oozes a sticky, scented resin to protect itself from the parasitic infection. The oil from this resin – oud or agarwood – is extremely precious. There is nothing quite like it in the olfactory world – dark, sensual and intense, kilo for kilo it is more expensive than gold but strangely it’s just an incredibly aromatic anti-fungal!

“The scent has a fruity facet … and a very waxy side. It’s potent animal inflection is powerful, persistent and very special”

The main reason oud is so expensive is its rarity; not every tree gets infected with mould and thus emits the rich resin. For reasons still unknown to science, only some two to seven percent of wild agar trees produce this gooey ‘gold’, and experts claim the very best oud comes from the oldest trees, which are even more scant. Lower quality oud may cost about US$5,000 per kilogram, but the finest variety of Cambodian oud can easily command beyond 10 times that price. But price is directly proportional to ageing – a decade ago, an anonymous collector gave US$7,000 for barely half a teaspoon of pure oud oil made in 1982 for Sultan Qaboos of Oman from 100-year-old agarwood trees.

History of Agarwood
Writings from the Tang and Song Dynasties show agarwood was a valued commodity in China. Its intoxicating scent was revered across religions and there is evidence of it being extracted for fragrance in Vietnam as early as the third century A.D.
Renowned for his heady, enchanting perfumes, Kurkdjian travelled to Laos and Cambodia to source a “very specific type of oud, aged for 15 years and harvested with the strictest quality standards”. The scent, which infuses the maison’s Oud eau de parfum, has “a very fruity facet, reminiscent of peach and saffron, and has a very waxy side. Its potent animal inflection is powerful, persistent and very special.”

From Assam (India) to Middle East – Thirst for Gold
Oud possesses a cultural significance in the Middle East that is hard for outsiders to grasp. When burned in the house to welcome guests, wafts of the delicious, musky aroma linger in a precious, purified trail. Gifted to wives, bosses and friends, each chip of agarwood tells a different scented story, encapsulating the culture and life of Arabs. There is no such olfactory parallel in the Western realm.

Oud worn in the Middle East smells very different from the scent that infuses today’s Western perfumes. Abdulla Ajmal, third-generation scion of the Ajmal Perfumes family of India, says that foreign perfumers douse the earthiness of oud by blending it with the likes of patchouli, jasmine, bergamo, green neroli and tuberose. Traditionally in the Arab world, the liquid gold stands on its own as an essential oil.

Ajmal Perfumes, which moved to Dubai in the 1970s, has long sourced its high-quality agarwood chips from Assam, India. With rising demand and scarce supply, industry players keep tight-lipped about the exact location of the aromatic wood. “Everyone has their sources and they’re protective about them,” says Ajmal. “Only dealers on the ground know where the wild Aquilaria forests exist and haven’t yet been destroyed.”

“Only dealers on the ground know where the wild Aquilaria forests exist and haven’t yet been destroyed”

The chance occurrence of resin formation has led to considerable swathes of Aquilaria trees being destroyed. One can’t look at a tree and tell if its trunk is infected with oud, so farmers chop them down in the hope of extracting huge rewards. This has gone on for centuries, leaving the tree endangered in most Southeast Asian countries.

As the stock of 100-year-old agarwood borders on extinction, several perfumers have established their own plantations. When the tree reaches maturity, it is injected with the artificial bacterium to cultivate oud. Chemically, the experiment is a success, though Ajmal says this fragrance pales in comparison to what his grandfather could gather a few decades ago.

The staggering shortage has prompted some fragrance houses to turn to synthetic, lab-made oud, but it’s not an easy substance to mimic. Ajmal notes, you can smell the “cheap, artificial stuff from 50 feet”. It is, indeed, not the rich, woody, smoky, animalistic scent we have come to treasure.

The full version of this feature appears on Gafencu Magazine’s January 2022 print issue as ❝Ode to Oud❞ by Nikita Mishra. Download the free app (iOS, Android) for digital editions of the magazine.

Also Read: Ruling the Roast: Charting the rise of coffee culture around the world

10 apps that will take your pictures to the next level!

In 2022, there is an app for everything. So, when it comes to photos, you definitely need something which can make your pictures pop. Gafencu tried some of the free photo editing apps, and here are 10 that we loved, available both on Android and iOS.

1. Afterlight

Every photo-savvy person has Afterlight on their phone. If you’re on the go and got no time to waste, this is the perfect photo editing app for quick and straight-forward editing. Designed with a simple interface and usability, paired with powerful and snappy tools it gives the look you want within seconds. Armed with 30 adjustment tools, 59 filters and 77 frames, Afterlight will step up your photo editing game.

2. A Color Story

Named ‘Best New App’ and ‘App of the Day’ by Apple, A Color Story lets you create fresh and unique photos (and videos) with filters that pop colours, 120 movable effects and advanced tools. Did we mention that its collection of 500 filters were designed by top photographers in the industry?

Also Read: Beauty Airbrushing – How Photo Filters are Denting Our Confidence

3. Polarr

Easily add creative touches on any photo in your gallery with a simple tap and slide. Polarr offers a wide selection of colors, tools and overlays as well as 100 free style backups and 120 preset styles for film emulations, this all-around creative photo editing app goes beyond the simple retouch and exposure adjustment. Ensure each picture is one of a kind!

4. Wuta Camera

Offering flawless K-beauty glam, Wuta Camera has quickly climbed the charts on both App Store and Playstore with over 200 million users worldwide. Powered with in-built facial enhancement features, the app comes with 20 other beauty editing functions to make you selfie-ready!

5. Prisma

With 50 million downloads on the Playstore, Prisma is a highly ranked and an Editor’s choice app on both iOS and Android. Offering more than 500 creative filters to choose from and drawing tools to have fun with, this photo editing is apt to leash your inner Picasso or Dali.

Also Read: Helpful gadgets to get sound sleep

6. Foodie

We all know the camera eats first and then the mouth. Foodie is a photo editing app designed specifically for food items, turning your simple breakfast or dinner plates from an average to awesome. Backed with 30 of the best filters specifically preset for food, this is a must-download for the sociable foodie!

7. Snapseed

Don’t let one wrong shot ruin your album of memorable snapshots. Snapseed serves as a go-to app for all your image editing. Layer different effects, adjusting to the right exposure, apply HDR filters and colour correction, and create the perfect bokeh aesthetic — it can even replicate a double-exposure effect with a single tap.

8. Canva

For that perfect IG Story template, this app is your best friend on-the-go. From creating templates for your feed and highlights to designing banners and business cards, Canva provides a wide variety of templates, adjustment tools and stock images to create a unique visual presence on your social media.

9. Fimo – Analog Camera

Film photography fans will delight in having a collection of retro films handy in the palm of their hands. Having a variety of seven signature preset filters that recreate the dramatic aesthetics of a classic 35mm film. Although of its film collections are free, there are premium options that cost HK$8 to HK$15.

10. Picsart

An Editor and sticker both fit into one photo editing app, Picsart can create collages of your favourite shots and allow you to customize and get creative with your images with its range of editing and drawing tools, as well as sticker collections for a quirky touch.

Also Read: Back-to-Work Wares: Must-have gadgets for the city’s on-the-go urbanites

Eight books every entrepreneur must read

Becoming an entrepreneur is a matter of experience and education. With so many books to look forward to, here are the top ones which every self-starter should have on their radar this year. Scroll below for the season’s freshest reads:

Can’t Hurt Me: Master your mind and defy the odds
by David Goggins

What is a strong leader and a serial entrepreneur without the mental fortitude to carry any and every challenge through the other end of a seemingly impossible obstacle? In Can’t Hurt Me, former American Navy SEAL and Air Force Tactical Air Control officer David Goggins inspires his readers to wake up and realise their potential. Sharing his brutally honest experiences through abuse, trauma and racism, he offers his readers a refreshing albeit tough reality-check.

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t
by Jim Collins

On average, about 20% of businesses fail within their first year. How exactly do companies survive and thrive? Business management researcher and author Jim Collins emphasizes on the common mistakes every entrepreneur makes and the keys to success for companies. A #1 bestseller, selling over four million copies beyond the business category.

Thinking, Fast and Slow
by Daniel Kahneman

To understand how we think and act, we must first understand how our minds are wired to process information. Nobel Prize-winning author in Economics and psychologist Daniel Kahneman takes readers on a tour of their own minds. Distinguishing between our logical and emotional processes and digging into our cognitive biases – this one is an incredibly insightful book that guides us in understanding our thinking and behavior.

The Lean Startup Book:
by Eric Ries

A toolkit for modern-day the entrepreneur, American entrepreneur, blogger, and author Eric Ries bases his own experiences as a start up advisor, employee and founder to provide business-owners a how-to guide on utilizing innovation to develop ideas that stick and strategies for companies to turn radically successful.

Also Read: Five new hot reads to pick up this year

David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants
by Malcom Gladwell

With a brilliant narrative by the master storyteller and journalist Malcom Gladwell, the book spotlights the often overlooked success stories of the underdogs. What would commonly be categorised by society as a disadvantage could turn out to be one’s greatest strength and trait… Whether it is a physical or learning disability, the collection of theories and research-based evidence spells inspiration in the most illuminating way.

This is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn To See Book
by Seth Godin

From the author of Purple Cow, Tribes and The Dip, popular American business writer, Seth Godin, has put out yet another eye-opening guideline on the precarious world of marketing. Offering an all-in-one timeless package of marketing wisdom in one book, This is Marketing dives into the core of how successful marketing strategies work and answer your long unanswered questions on how to drive good marketing into great results.

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
by Chip and Dan Heath

Remember the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who drank a glass of bacteria to prove a point about stomach ulcers? We do. Like the best of PR tactics, impactful presentations and sensational social media content, this book, authored by brothers Chip (organizational behavior professor) and Dan Heath (motivational speaker) offers readers a light and fun read on how and why important ideas stick using theories such as the human scale principle, the Velcro Theory of Memory, and the use of curiosity gaps in their examples.

Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations
by Brené Brown

Whoever says motivation is overrated has not seen a Brené Brown TedTalk. In Dare to Lead, the #1 New York Times bestselling author uncovers what it means to step up and be present among leaders, change makers and cultural creators. What is it that drives our ideas and how to overcome our own self-perceived shortcomings to put those million-dollar ideas into practice.

Also Read: Seven must-read books about Hong Kong

Social Restrictions Kick In: Things you can still do in Hong Kong

While galleries, events and dinner service all stand cancelled following the government’s latest directive to nip the rising Covid cases in the bud, it’s not all gloom and doom for the next two weeks. We’ve curated a list of things you can still safely do in Hong Kong whilst abiding the official guidelines on Covid:

1. Join a cooking workshop

Try your hand at creating something from scatch at K11’s ABC Cooking Studio, where you can choose from a variety of courses, from baking cookies and cake to making pasta. Gather a small group of 2 to 3 people or sign up for a private class to live out your dream as a gourmet expert.

For more information, click here and here.

Also Read: Lockdown Learning: New skills to pick up to expand your horizons

2. Find your center

While gyms and fitness centres have hit pause on their services, several top personal trainers have already turned to online classes. Do not let your fitness gains hit a slump, in fact make the most of your at-home exercise session with a smashing 1:1 class with integrative healing and wellness coach Anita Cheung, or join a live streaming, fat-busting session with top local trainer Trixie Velez at Defin8 Fitness.

For more information, click here and here.

Also Read: Unusual alternative wellness therapies to try in Hong Kong

3. Attend an online wine / cocktail masterclass

To meet the demands and curiousities of the thousands of epicureans in the city, Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival has launched its permanent online masterclasses for convenient access to the many food and wine experts in the Hong Kong. From on-air wine tastings to the art of pairing food and wine to a special hojicha cocktail workshop. Don’t miss out!

For more information, click here.

Also Read: Five online learning apps that can teach you a handy new skill

4. Take a stroll into nature

Traverse the many beautiful, forested hiking trails in Hong Kong or cycle through the stretch of seaside cycling paths for a change of scenery. Although the much anticipated Hong Kong Cyclothon stands cancelled, there’s no reason to not pedal away those blues in the greens! A solid mental health boost is all we need.

See our top picks for sunrise hikes here and our favourite cycling paths here.

Also Read: Seven cool new hobbies to pick up during quarantine

5. Camp under the stars

Cruise to nowhere cancelled? Spa-cation not in service? Go glamping under the stars or set up your own tent with the family in the middle of nowhere. Waking up to roasted marshmallows and a piping hot cuppa sounds like all the mental peace we need right now. Check out our guide to unique staycations for the family here. Remember to observe all the social distancing rules because there are still “at least three transmission chains in Hong Kong at the moment”.

Also Read: Essential camping gadgets to level-up your next outdoor experience

Disclaimer: While Gafencu tries to keep up to date with the latest restrictions, the situation in the city is rapidly changing. Contact the establishments to make sure you get the latest information of opening hours and services before venturing out. Follow all government directives when you’re out and about.)

Feast your eyes on the stunning new Gold Infinity Dan Wells Limited Edition 24K gold-plated iPhones

Luxury gold plating service Gold Infinity puts forth a new line of extravagant 24K gold-plated iphones in collaboration with celebrated Hong Kong-based Lamborghini GT car driver and coach Dan Wells.

Renowned for its superb style and unparalleled quality, Gold Infinity has garnered a legion of fans thanks to its 24K gold plating customisation services for an array of luxury gadgets and accessories. Its newest creation was made in partnership with British-born, Hong Kong-based race car driver Dan Wells, fresh from his win on the tracks of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Final in Misano, Italy.

This time around, the collaboration has produced a collection of bedazzling 24K gold-plated iphones that are proudly emblazoned with the race car champion’s logo. Highly desirable and utterly luxurious, these sumptuous mobile devices will be produced in a limited release of just 25 units worldwide.

For pre-orders:

Dan Wells Limited Edition 24K gold iPhone 13 Pro Max (512GB): HK$44, 800 (USD$5,780) – limited to just 25 units in the world