Reviews, Reflections, Recollections

Just a blog filled with my usual irreverent observations about life and all that.

Name:
Location: Singapore, Singapore

enjoys reading and is perpetually trying to find space for all of the books he owns in his room. He also enjoys films, and in particular, going to the cinema. Although a self-confessed trivia buff, reports that he is an insufferable know-it-all are completely unfounded. He enjoys a nice glass of tipple now and then, be it a pint of beer, a glass of wine or a single malt whisky.

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Dinner and Jazz

Had a wonderful evening meeting Julie and Greta at Central in Hong Kong. Julie brought us to Baci's which is a really cozy little Italian restaurant in Lan Kwai Fung. I hadn't seen Greta since she left Oxford almost a year and a half ago, and it really felt like such a very long time. She still seemed pretty much the same though, and it was wonderfully of her to come down straight from school - today was the first day of term for Hong Kong University. It was really great catching up with her, and just getting to see her again after such a long while.

To add a even bigger treat, Krizia called Julie on the phone soon afterwards. It was a totally random and wonderful coincidence as Krizia and Julie had gotten to know each other through their respective Xanga blogs, and had exchanged numbers, but hadn't met up yet. Krizia happened to get off work early and rang Julie and the rest, as was just pure coincidence.

Dinner was really wonderfully. I enjoyed my pasta very much, and as an added treat, the restaurant even had a half decent Chianti of which we shared a carafe. They say that a really fine meal needs good food, good service and ambiance and good company, and all were definitely present tonight. It was just really remarkable to have dinner in Hong Kong like this, with three good friends of mine who on meeting for the first time, greatly enjoyed each other's company - that was the reason I had come to Hong Kong for the internship - to live out of the comfort zone and explore one of the most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities in the world.

Afterwards, Krizia and Julie joined me as we went over to the Bohemian Lounge on Old Bailey Street in order to check out some live jazz. Kristin had recommened the place to me after going there in her recent trip to Hong Kong, and seeing her fantastic taste in all things, especially Jazz, I hastened to take her advice. As live music places go, I thought it was pretty good. The band were obviously seasoned jazz veterens, especially Tom Noonan, the band leader and saxophonist and I loved the way lots of regulars turned up at the club and just started joining in the jam session. When I left (to catch the last MTR train) they had a trombonist and trumpeter to go along with the original quartet (strangely lacking someone on piano).

The Hong Kong jazz scene definitely seemed quite closely knit - two of the band members I had seen at the Blue Door club the previous week showed up, with the pianist (whom I thought was excellent) doing a couple of songs for them. Overall, I had a fantastic time there and I particularly liked the old style standards that they played.

So all in all a fantastic evening, all that one could ask for: good food, fine company, cool jazz, pure bliss if you ask me.

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