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STAY,<br />
Sure, you live here. But that doesn’t<br />
mean you can’t see the city anew with<br />
these fantastic city staycations.<br />
By HK Staff<br />
DON’T GO<br />
HISTORY BUFFING IN<br />
JORDAN<br />
A journey into Hong Kong’s history doesn’t<br />
have to mean a boring old trek around the Sun<br />
Yat Sen Memorial Trail. Jordan and Yau Ma Tei<br />
are at the very heart of the city’s heritage—and<br />
it’s alive and well.<br />
WHERE TO STAY: Hotel Stage is an urban nomad’s<br />
dream pad. This brand-new boutique hotel is cloistered<br />
away just off Nathan Road, with colonial buildings on<br />
one side and Zaha Hadid’s avant-garde Innovation Tower<br />
in the distance. The hotel is all beautiful shades of gray<br />
offset by warm wood, and it’s strongly rooted in the city.<br />
Unique artwork from Hong Kong artists is the name of<br />
the game—we stayed in a suite decorated with a wallwide<br />
depiction of the Mido Café just around the corner,<br />
painted by up-and-comer Kwong Man-chun. A librarylounge<br />
space and the gorgeous wine bar-slashexhibition-and-performance-space<br />
Muse are the<br />
perfect places to perfect that screenplay, if the<br />
cutting-edge cool of the rooms isn’t doing it for you.<br />
Rooms from $1,430 per night. 1 Chi Wo St., Jordan,<br />
3953-2222, hotelstage.com<br />
WHAT TO SEE: Cross the road from Hotel Stage to<br />
check out the forbidding Old South Kowloon District<br />
Court (38 Gascoigne Rd., Yau Ma Tei), a beautiful colonial<br />
building built in 1936 that now serves as the Lands<br />
Tribunal. From there venture around the corner to the<br />
Kowloon Union Church (4 Jordan Rd., Jordan). Built in<br />
1931, this house of worship stands out thanks to its<br />
Get closer to history (or God) at Kowloon Union Church<br />
red-brick construction, neo-gothic windows—and<br />
Chinese-style tiled roof. Used as a stable by the Japanese<br />
during World War II, nowadays it’s a fully restored place of<br />
peace—complete with wooden vaulted ceiling and fans<br />
hanging from on high. Next, wander down to the Former<br />
Kowloon British School (136 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui):<br />
Built in 1902 for the children of expatriates, this Victorian<br />
school building is full of tropical flourishes, such as a wide<br />
verandah and pitched roofs.<br />
Head north along Shanghai Street (see more things to<br />
do on p.20), where you’ll find Man Wah Tailor ( 文 華 洋<br />
服 , 176 Shanghai St., Jordan, 2384-9197). This shop has<br />
been around since 1966, and you’re sure to see sifu Lee<br />
Yim-ming at the cutting table—or playing mahjong with<br />
his friends.<br />
Further north is Hamilton Street and Luk Bing Kee<br />
Copper Ware ( 陸 炳 記 銅 器 , 1 Hamilton St., Yau Ma Tei).<br />
Over 70 years old, this is the only remaining coppersmith<br />
in Hong Kong. The Luk brothers still hand-beat pots,<br />
pans, tea urns and more—including the huge copper<br />
gong used to open racing season at Sha Tin Racecourse.<br />
Photo: Tksteven via Flickr<br />
Get intimidated at the old District Court<br />
Photo: Cara Chow/Wiki Commons<br />
Last: A bite. Dodge the tourists and head to the dai<br />
pai dongs at the northern end of Temple Street. The<br />
trinkets sold in the street stalls may be rubbish, but the<br />
food served up is the real deal. Not into fried noodles?<br />
No problem. Yau Ma Tei has long been a home to the<br />
city’s Nepalese population, and Manakamana Nepali<br />
Restaurant (165 Temple St., Jordan, 2385-2070) serves<br />
up a taste of home, from deep-fried momo dumplings<br />
to lip-smacking curries. Historical getaway: complete.<br />
8 HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2016
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