Virtual escape

If you’re bored of the reality of everyday life or just want to get away from the stress of work/family then there has never been a better time to “escape”, with the help of a virtual reality (VR) headset.

Simply strap on a headset and immerse yourself in a reality so real you actually feel like you are walking on Mars or enjoying a spot of fishing on a quiet river.

And the majority of the big technology companies — Google, Facebook, Sony, Samsung and HTC — have launched or are about to launch a VR headset in Hong Kong, so there are plenty of options.

But what exactly is virtual reality?

Well, a VR headset aims to create a 3D reality in which you can walk around and interact with the environment without the sort of boundaries you’d get from a TV or computer.

For the headset to work you will need a PC, console or smartphone to run the app or game, and an input — head tracking, controllers, hand tracking, voice, on-device buttons or trackpads. Video is sent to the headset from the PC, console or smartphone.

VR Headsets come with different games and features. For example, Sony’s VR headset is linked to its PlayStation 4 and comes with about 30-40 games.

And remember, if you do buy a VR headset, don’t fall off the balcony at home exploring Mars.

Disappear into La La Land

Whoever said colouring books are just for kids is completely wrong. Adults need a creative outlet and, let’s be honest, colouring books are fun. And, why should kids have all the fun?

La La Land is a whimsical colouring book designed exclusively for adults. The 88-page book features exclusive sketches and drawings by creative leaders and entrepreneurs from various fields ranging from fashion, F&B and lifestyle to art and media.

The wannabe artists who contributed to the adult colouring book were asked to create a sketch inspired by their own personal La La Land, a place where they can escape from stress.

The project also aims to give back to the community with 85 percent of the proceeds from sales going to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hong Kong.

La La Land, priced at HK$388, will launch at Lane Crawford on November 1.

Food vacuum

If you thought the only things you could vacuum in your house were the carpet and upholstery then think again, because food can also be vacuumed. But not quite the way you think.

Unlike a vacuum, that needs to change its bag pretty regularly to empty the hair and unmentionables, vacuuming drawers in ovens are used to remove oxygen from the vacuum bags, and they are also perfect for sous-vide cooking.

For anyone not in the know — philistines! — sous-vide cooking is a highly regulated method of cooking tightly sealed food in lower-than-normal temperatures for a longer time for benefits such as even cooking and better texture and aroma.

And for amateur and professional chefs who like the idea of this sought-after culinary trend, then there are a number of companies who now make this oven and drawer in Hong Kong, such as Gaggenau.

Grand jewellery designs

With the advancement of the digital age, it is fairly easy to find any information you need just by doing a quick internet search. But with all this new information comes the problem of more and more people sharing things on the internet, which leads to an abundance of online “experts”.

For example, a quick Google search of the word “DIY” will show you that it no longer just means decorating, building and making changes to your home by yourself. It now means the activity of a person making anything from a superhero costume to a camera, and there are numerous websites to show you how to do this.

Thankfully, not all DIY activities out there are mundane.

Some, like ARTĒ Me, a stones and metal base colour customization service by Prestigious Spanish jeweler ARTĒ Madrid, can be used to keep a loved one happy, or yourself, happy.

The service allows customers to customise their existing jewellery designs, and DIY jewellery owners can choose from 29 stone colours and three metal bases of rhodium plated, gold plated or rose-gold plated on 925 sterling silver.

Haunting chocolates

With Halloween creeping up on us, Hong Kongers can expect to see a lot of people roaming the streets trick or treating or heading to parties dressed as witches, ghouls or, ummm, Fred Flintstone.

People love to dress up, and over time the classic ghoulish Halloween costumes have given way to superheroes, pirates, princesses, sexy cheerleaders and pretty much any item of food.

Thankfully, the Belgian chocolatier Godiva is sticking to the classics with its 2016 Halloween collection.

Chocolate-lovers can enjoy pretzels, truffles and pearls, tastefully packaged in different orange boxes with a drawing of a black cat lying on a pumpkin on the cover.

The only things missing from Godiva’s Halloween chocolates are a cackling witch and a cauldron full of potions and spells.

Celebrate like a Belgian

In a surprising development, a citywide festival will be held 12-19 November to celebrate and showcase the cuisine, culture, music and fashion of Belgium, but there is no mention of Belgian beer.

Maybe Hong Kong has had its fill of Belgian beer and the never-ending festivals that seem to pop up monthly, but we highly doubt it.

The inaugural “Belgium Week in Hong Kong” is being held to coincide with the birthday of the country’s king on 15 November.

Visitors to the week-long festival will enjoy food by Michelin-starred Belgian guest chef Loic Villers and an Exhibition of Belgian Art and Artists.

A photographic exhibition, titled “Hong Kong and Islands”, will showcase the work of Belgian photographer Jean-Pierre Ruelle 12-13 November at the Lightstage Gallery.

There will also be a Belgium Business Seminar for 200 business leaders from both Belgium and Hong Kong, among a selection of other Belgian-themed events.

KEE Club in Central is the epicentre of the festival, with other events dotted around Wan Chai and Sheung Wan.

For more information, visit the “Belgium Week in Hong Kong” festival’s website <http://www.belgiumhk.com/> .

OMEGA keeps ties to the stars

Everyone has heard of the luxury watchmaker OMEGA, but did you know that when Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the Moon’s surface in 1969 he was wearing an OMEGA Speedmaster Professional, making it the first watch to be worn on the Moon.

Neil Armstrong reportedly left his watch in the lunar module.

Fast forward to the modern day and OMEGA is still going strong, but its watches tend to be Earth based and worn by celebrities instead of astronauts.

Celebrities such as Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman who attended a celebration of over 100 years of ladies’ watchmaking in Beijing earlier this week.

Kidman, who is an Oscar-winning actress, has been an OMEGA ambassador for over 10 years and wore the luxury watchmakers latest ladies’ timepiece, the Constellation Petite Seconde Master Chronometer, to the event.

Guests at the event were shown timepieces from different eras, including OMEGA’s new Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M ladies’ watches and the Ladymatic, a timepiece often worn on the red carpet by Nicole Kidman.

Spice up your life

Looking for some spice in your life? Need something to warm you up at night? If you answered yes to both questions, then a visit to the Kyoto Joe restaurant in Lan Kwai Fong is for you.

The Japanese restaurant has just unveiled a new menu with six special dishes created with Sriracha, the iconic and much-loved Thai chilli sauce.

Japanese food is not really synonymous with spice, but Kyoto Joe plans to use the sauce, named after a coastal city in Thailand, on scallops, sea urchins and beef for its Sriracha Specials menu.

The “coolest” chilli sauce in town is famous for its versatility and can be used on anything from noodles to doughnuts.

Most people, however, prefer to use the sauce as a dip for seafood, and we don’t blame them because spicy doughnuts sound like a cruel high school prank.

Dishes start at HK$100 for lightly-fried cauliflower with sweet & Sriracha sauce.

Reach for the SKYE

Hong Kongers looking for a stylish rooftop bar to watch the National Day fireworks will have another option this year, with the recent opening of a bar and restaurant serving contemporary French cuisine on the 27^th floor of the Park Lane, a Pullman Hotel.

SKYE bar has a swanky outdoor deck that features a futuristic illuminated bar, lounge chairs and front-row seats to the best show in town: a stunning fireworks display over Victoria Harbour on 1 October.

Prior to the show, a six-course meal by Chef Lee Adams will be served. Lounge tables can be booked in advance.

SKYE, covering an area of 8,000 sq ft in Causeway Bay, has three private rooms and an in-house DJ performs every night.

On days when people are not “ooh-ing” and “aah-ing” at fireworks, the menu features crisp pork belly with apple ragout and bok choy, slow-poached lobster with baby fennel tempera, and lavender honey breast of barbary duck, to name a few.