On Hollywood Road

Kung Hei Fat Choi ! May your Dragon roar! (And a sale to consider.)

jadaye — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:24:32 +0000

This lovely Kung Hei Fat Choi card comes to us all the way from the antipodes from our long term collaborator Mr. James Dignan* and we’d like to take a moment now that the holiday is winding down to wish all our readers and visitors to Moustache a hearty roar from us to you for this new Year of the Dragon! May it be a year of health, prosperity and lots of fun surprises. We will do our best to deliver on the surprises front and will be happy to partake of some of your wealth!

Your first surprise? Starting this weekend we’re throwing one of our random and infrequent sales. Up to 40% off on selected items, but only for a limited time, so come on down and get yourself or your lover a pair of long johns to ward off that ferocious cold!

*Please take a moment to check out James’ amazing work here. You will be sure to see more from him on Aberdeen street in the future coming months. Both James and Ellis are Dragons so expect lots of hot and fiery extras to amuse you all this year.

Can’t get out of town this Chinese New Year?

jadaye — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:20:20 +0000

Since we opened Moustache in 2009, as a lot of you that read this blog will know, Ellis and I have not been able to get out of town much, and rather than wallow in self-pity (well, maybe a wee bit of wallowing!), we’ve tried to take advantage of all the truly amazing and zany things to do and see right here in our adopted city, and to share our experiences with anyone that will listen, both here on the blog, in the shop, and in our Moustache Guide to Hong Kong. And as we’ve traveled and written, Hong Kong has just gotten more interesting and funky and so much cool, creative stuff is happening here now it almost seems like a different city than the one we landed in seven years ago. So this post is dedicated to those that will usher in The Year of the Dragon here in Hong Kong- maybe you’ve got to work, maybe you’ve got to spend the holiday visiting all your family, maybe you don’t feel like subjecting yourself to the extortion that airlines engage in this time of the year, or maybe you just want to relax and enjoy the city when it’s not in full on crazy mode. Maybe you want to pretend you’re a tourist in your own city, get out of your apartment and neighborhood but you don’t want to spend the gazillions of dollars most hotels here charge. This charming recommendation comes from our pal and colleague Henry Temple: a super cute guesthouse for rent on AIRBNB on Shanghai Street in Mongkok, a little taste of tenement living in Hong Kong circa 1961.

The apartment is a 4th floor walk up, no lift, in a district that has seen very little in the way of gentrification. That said, the rates are USD260 per week. Which, if you haven’t checked out other hotels is basically unheard of. Especially when you see the care and attention to detail the adorable couple that own the flat have lavished on the place.

It’s a beautiful old space, like the apartments Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung share in In the Mood for Love, the movie that basically made Ellis and I want to move to Hong Kong in the first place. There are three rooms. One inspired by 1961 by the mentioned film above, one by 1972 and decorated with Bruce Lee posters and 70′s style furniture and finally a room that recalls the glory of Cantopo with vinyl records and pop style furniture. Pictures below, but do check out all 3 rooms in full on their Air BnB page.

Now, before we all get our hopes up and give poor Nic and Trig a total headache the weekend of Chinese New Year, the guesthouse could very well be rented already for the week. But I thought I’d write about it anyway, because if there was any justice in this world, these guys would open a hotel! It’s always been our dream to have a little guesthouse, and I can’t imagine we’d do too much differently, and it’s just great and very inspiring to see people doing what they can to make this city more interesting. And don’t think there isn’t plenty to do in Mongkok just because we don’t write about it. There’s the awesome Prince Edward Flower Market. There’s a little arthouse cinema and bookstore in Yau Ma Tei. There’s Shanghai Street Studios, a concept, run by Michael Leung, famous for his Hong Kong Honey, working with local residents on all sorts of cool projects. I’m sure there’s loads more to do and see, and, in fact, our Year of the Dragon resolution is to get out and see even more cool and interesting stuff that’s happening everywhere in our city. And of course we’ll keep writing about it. Because Lord knows. we’re never going to get a holiday! So Kung Hei Fat Choi! Happy Year of the Dragon!

The Cooking of Scandinavia

jadaye — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:13:58 +0000

Ellis and I are great book lovers, especially books with pictures, and we are constantly griping about the lack of good book shops in Hong Kong. On the rare occasion we visit another city, we make a beeline to the nearest Kinokuniya or Librairie Galignani or Three Lives, doing a year’s worth of shopping in an afternoon and then paying again in spades when we arrive at the airport with a new suitcase weighing as much as a small child. We also love entertaining at home, though what superwoman has time to come home after a long day at the office and throw together a fabulous feast for family and friends without mussing her hair? Unless, that is, a superwoman friend named Esther Van Wijk solves both dilemmas with one unbelievably generous gift: Time Life Books’ The Cooking of Scandanavia, 2nd International Edition, copyright 1969! Now I know what you are probably saying, Esther Van Wijk: “that wasn’t a gift you moron! You were supposed to sell that book at your bloody shop!” To which I can only say, “I have every intention of paying you … in gravalax! and havarti! and jansen’s temptation!”

The great revelation of this book, which Scandanavians have known since at least the 1960s, is that you can have a delicious dinner party without even turning on the stove (well, that is if you have other friends, Karin Ulmander and Alexis Holm- Swedes!- who will take care of the cooked food portion of the menu.) All it takes is a grocer with an international slant and little bit of flair when it comes to laying out a table.

This, the World’s Finest Smorgasbord, according to The Cooking of Scandanavia, at Stockholm’s Operakallaren Restaurant, while obviously something to aspire to, is just that: don’t feel bad if your dinner table isn’t the size of a cruise ship, a whole lot of smorgasbord can fit on a four top too!

The above is a photograph of our own humble contribution to the art of Smorgasbord, a delightful New Year’s Eve Fete which we, with the help of The Cooking of Scandanavia and our little Swedish army, threw together very last minute without even breaking a sweat.

One word of warning for all you future Smorgasborders: you must drink. And by drink I mean vodka. Or schnapps. Or aquavit. Or some other rocket fuel you’ve cooked up in the still out back. And not only must you drink, you must drink shots, or skoal, as the Swedes like to call it, over and over again, often while singing songs you don’t understand the words to. Yes, you will get drunk and the night might end with the furniture pushed against the wall, the whole lot of you dancing and spilling your drinks all over the floor while the dog licks it off underneath you. So don’t be shy at the table- eat up! You won’t be sorry.

Ellis just came out of the closet and other matters

jadaye — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:51:04 +0000

The week after New Years is when we all tend to hibernate and nurse our hang overs and try to figure out how in the hell we are going to live up to all those New Years resolutions that seem post New Years Day something that we really shouldn’t have made in the first place. Setting goals is always somewhat dubious. But when you have some nice press to start off the New Year, maybe setting the bar higher seems the way forward….

On that note, here is some press that we just received that makes us want to reach just that little bit higher in 2012.

First off, Ellis came “out of the closet” for Blue Carreon’s “Out of my Closet” column in the SCMP. Grace of Blue for the interview and the charming Carmen Chan for the visuals.

The next surprise was to make the cut of one of the coolest things in Hong Kong for the last year from JJ Acuna on his fantabulous blog Wanderlister + Asia !!! He selected our new range of small leather goods in collaboration with Stiibu & Co. To be one of the best 8 things in Hong Kong for the last year makes us swell with pride. We are so proud of this as this is our first foray into leather accessories for real . Just in case you are one of the very few people on this planet who might not of come across JJ’s blog, you can read about it here . A must visit if you want to know what is happening in our neck of the woods and the rest of the Asia region.

And to round off this bit of shameless self promotion, GQ CHINA has a guide to the coolest shops of Hong Kong, Shanghai & Beijing. And they discovered our little world here on Aberdeen street. They say we are colourful & fashionable! Yay!

What a way to start the New Year ! Thank you to the writers and photographers above and even more a HUGE thank you to all our customers and supporters who make opening the door on Aberdeen street such a pleasure and so rewarding every day. Now that you have all set the bar just that little bit higher for us, we will do our very best to deliver even more to you in 2012.

Happy Christmas!

jadaye — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:13:27 +0000

With the holidays upon us and the town getting quiet and a wee bit chilly, we’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Christmas and to invite any still in Hong Kong to stop by tomorrow for a glass of bubbles, some Christmas cookies and a little idle chit chat. Not to mention some last minute shopping if you’re the last minute type. Which of course you aren’t! See you tomorrow… Open from 11-4PM, closed Christmas and Boxing Day and open sporadically and by appointment the week following. Stay warm and cozy ya’ll!

Moustache Guide to Hong Kong, 3rd Ed.

jadaye — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 07:05:59 +0000

After much waiting, our new third edition of the Moustache Guide to Hong Kong is finally for sale; at HKD100, it’s surely the best bargain for visitors, stocking stuffers and all those that just can’t get enough of our writing! We’ll be offering an online preview of the entire book for readers of the blog next week, but in the meantime, a few excerpts.

NoHo

Sheung Wan

Public Pools

It’s a really lovely little book- perfect size to roll up and stick in your pocket as you wander around this fascinating city of ours. But hurry up- they’re running out fast!

Moustache and Stiibu Leather Travel Accessories

jadaye — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 05:45:27 +0000

Just in time for Christmas, Chinese New Year and all the traveling, both global and local, that these holidays require, we are very pleased to present our latest collaboration: a fantastic range of soft leather travel accessories produced with the Italian design firm Stiibu. Inspired by the legendary Memphis Design Group of the late 1970s and early 1980s, each piece is crafted by skilled artisans using Italian novalatta, deerskin and napa leather, creating a rich and funky palette of colours and textures. Perfect for both the international traveler and the urban adventurer. Available from tomorrow at Moustache and in Lane Crawford next month.

travel wallet and iPad case HKD 2500

Dop Kit HKD 2100

Passport Holder HKD 1500; Small “Going Out” Wallet HKD1200; Luggage Tag HKD HKD 850

Passport Holder, Small “Going Out” Wallet, Luggage Tag: back view

Passport Holder, inside view

Going Out Wallet

Going Out Wallet, unfolded

Photographed by our talented friends Laurent Segretier and Henry Temple

Mono Magazine. Issue # 8 Guest edited by Tim Groen

jadaye — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:24:04 +0000

If you have not heard of it, please let us introduce Mono Magazine. A web based magazine out of London. What they do, they say far better than we can , so here is their quote from the about section on their site. They have some very interesting folks up on the mast head and a great archive to go through already if you haven’t seen it before.

About Mono.

Mono. is an independent online publication that brings together a network of creatives & features the very best international fashion, art & design every month.

The December issue is edited by the lovely Tim Groen who included us in the FOUND section where we show some vintage tailoring catalogues that we actually stumbled across on the day we opened Moustache. A very good omen we thought at the time! And still do.

Take a look at the whole issue here . This is definitely a site to bookmark and keep an eye on!

Autumn in Hong Kong means Bicyles and Dosas……

jadaye — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 06:08:16 +0000

Ellis and I don’t often venture to Kowloon, and whenever we do, we invariably wonder why we neglect such a giant part of our city. Sure, the hordes of Mainland tourists queuing behind velvet ropes to go into Louis Vuitton can be a nuisance, as can the touts that follow one down the street outside the ferry promising 24 hour tailoring or Rolex watches for a song, and yes all the neon can be a bit gaudy and the roads impossible to cross and the shopping somewhat one note, but as is so often the case in life as in travel, the smallest effort can yield the richest rewards- a maxim proved to us yet again on a rainy Monday field trip in search of bicycles, of all things. Of course, the trip itself is still after many years still a giant thrill, and especially in a chilly drizzle is really quite romantic, the sight of the giant rock of Hong Kong Island receding into the grey distance.

And then there is Canton Road, which, despite the rather drab brutalist architecture, can’t help but to remind one a little bit of the excitement of strolling down Madison Avenue. One must resist the impulse, however, of actually entering the monstrosity of Harbour City, which more closely resembles the Mall of America, only much, much bigger.

The reason for our trip, though, is not the window shopping, entertaining as it may be, but a terrific, really wonderful little hole in the wall restaurant serving probably the best vegetarian food in town: Branto Pure Veg. We’ve been hearing about it for ages from all sorts- from vegans and yogis to serious carnivores who just can’t get enough of Masala Dosa. We had gone with a big group of friends Friday night and it was such a revelation we really couldn’t get back quickly enough. If you don’t have a GPS on your iPhone or Blackberry or whatever, hopefully the following photos will be all you need to get there…

So about the food. I won’t say much, as a food critic I am not, but suffice it to say both Dal Makani and Raita, so common in Indian restaurants they go virtually unnoticed, it was like we had never tasted them before! And the dosas! So delicious the low ceiling and the buzzing flourescents and the Bollywood movie on mute above a table of chattering Indian Housewives only made it taste even better.

Branto Pure Indian Veg, 9-11 Lock Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Thus revived and our faith in the promise of Kowloon bolstered, we take to the streets in search of our treasure- about which much more to come- and gradually the crassness of Canton Road gives way to a richer street scape and the more southerly districts reveal a pleasant, low-risey Kowloon, as it all once was in the days when airplanes taxied hairs away from the building tops.

Almost at Mong Kok we come to our destination, the Kung Sheung Cycle Company. Now we have recently rented a small studio space at the juncture of Queen’s Road West and Hollwood Road, mainly for Ellis to cut patterns and store fabric. It’s a short walk away from the shop- perhaps fifteen minutes at a brisk clip- and not on a steep hill at all; the perfect trip to make by bicycle. When we lived in Manhattan, we loved to cycle- to work, sure, but also at the weekend to the Park or up the West Side Highway, sometimes as far as the Cloisters. Clearly Hong Kong is not nearly so suited to riding a bike, but I was recently in the bathroom of the newly opened Heirloom Cafe at the end of Hollywood Road when I saw a bicycle that took me back to those days and I knew that we would have to buy one and finally give it a go despite the lack of bike lanes and the crazy hills and terrible drivers: the fabled Shanghai Forever and Shangai Phoenix road bike, classics from the communist era, the Buicks and the Bentleys of pre-Shenzhen China, the chicest his and hers wedding gift, available now in Hong Kong only at this tiny little bike shop in Mong Kok.

Kung Sheung Cycle Company, 39D Battery Street, Jordan

Please tell me where one can buy any new bicycle, let alone such a beauteous piece of Chinese history and durability for a mere HKD950? We made our purchases and despite the drizzle hopped on for the journey back to the Star Ferry. A word about cycling in Hong Kong. Yes, on first thought it seems terribly crazy bordering on a total death wish, but it really isn’t so bad, just different. Parts of Kowloon on a rainy day are virtually deserted, and when traffic gets nasty, the sidewalks are wide and pedestrians seem unfazed when joined there for a spell. To head back to Hong Kong Island, one must take the Wanchai, rather than the Central, Ferry, the lower deck of which is completely empty on a rainy Monday but for the lower deck crew, all of whom gathered around our lovely new bicycles, reminiscing and admiring. In fact, one can hardly stop at all, even here in Hong Kong, without a crowd of Chinese, usually weighed down with giant shopping bags from Gucci, Prada and Chanel, gathering around to admire, laugh, point, photograph and recall the day when a Made in China label was a point of pride and all of Shanghai rode a bike.

The Moustache Guide to Hong Kong – 3rd edition

jadaye — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:32:13 +0000

Our guide book to Hong Kong has gone off to the printers and will soon be available in our shop ! We know it has been a long time coming, but you will see why when you see the new edition. We have made a lot of changes to the content as we have discovered even more wonderful places in the city we now call home. Hong Kong is a city that changes so quickly and thrives on self re-invention, that most of the previous content needed looking at again. We have only featured places and areas that we are personally familiar with and recommend only places that we stand behind. Ours is not an exhaustive view of the city ( you don’t need us to tell you about the Star Ferry or the Peak at sunset right? – didn’t think so) , but you will find our personal view of what makes this city special. Things and places that we still go to visit over and over again. The Hong Kong that we have made ours in the 6 years we have been here. Please enjoy our view !

The new edition sports a new illustrated cover by the incredibly talented Mr. James Dignan, who visitors to the store may recognise as the artist behind the murals of the last 2 Moustache shop interiors. We would like to point you towards his own website here where you can discover his own fantastic world. We are very happy and honored to have James be a part of Moustache . Please take a moment to see the breadth of his work at his site. You will be charmed most definitely !

As always, for those who can not make it to our store, the new guide book will be loaded up to our website for a PDF down load in a few days. In fact, let me take this moment to let you know that our website is being completely updated and will have lots of surprises for you shortly…….