Eugene Kan
Hong Kong
Happy Valley
This place is pretty crazy – it’s a multi-field complex inside of the Happy Valley Race Course that features horse racing during the week. The landscape is just as much a part of the allure as the actual facilities are, but I spend a good amount of time here playing football (soccer) and it never ceases to amaze me how this place exists, nestled within a race track but surrounded by mountains and tall buildings. You can swing by and go for a run or go on casualfootball.net to find a game of pick-up footy.
Man Kee Cart Noodles
I lovingly refer to Man Kee as the Chipotle or Subway of noodles. Cart noodles is this concept where you essentially build your own bowl of noodles, and Man Kee is probably one of the best joints in Hong Kong. They’re always busy and it’s not uncommon to wait 30-45 minutes for what will be a 30-minute meal at most. The process is pretty simple: go in, they give you a menu, and you use an erasable marker to note down what you want. You pick everything, from noodles and broth to vegetables and protein. They also do these amazing “Swiss-sauce” chicken wings that are basically sweet soy sauce chicken wings. I have no idea where the Swiss part came from, but they’re awesome. I usually get thick noodles with a simple soup broth as my base.
Ap Lei Street
Ap Lei Street and the Golden Computer Center aren’t exactly next to each other, but they’re walking distance of each other in the neighborhood of Sham Shui Po. Here they represent a mix of all things tech, whether it’s computers and electronics or lighting equipment for photographers. I come here pretty often to pick up gear and what’s nice is that for some of the smaller Chinese brands (which are just as functional), they’re pretty affordable and there’s a good amount of stock. I can always count on finding something that makes my workflow a tad easier while shopping around here. (Man Kee is also right across the street from Golden Computer Center.)
This is a bit of a broader bit of advice to anybody moving anywhere: there is no perfect city. Period. But there are unique characteristics and experiences that should be amplified and celebrated should you want to make the best of your time there. Hong Kong is clearly a place that can be difficult to live if you’re at an “in-between” part of the salary scale. It’s devastatingly expensive – but on the flip side, it has an amazing and unique culture, convenience, proximity to all parts of Asia, a great airport, the combination of city and nature landscapes, a strong food culture… the list goes on.
Having cut his teeth as an editor at HYPEBEAST for the better part of 8 years, Eugene Kan cultivated an audience within the booming, global streetwear scene. Whether it was the latest sneaker drop, runway show, or collectible toy collaboration, Eugene found fresh ways to help brands gain exposure and ultimately market share. Today at MAEKAN, Adam Studios and That Food Cray !!!, we find him doing what he does best – utilizing his multiple skillsets to bring the world’s most interesting stories to light. When Hong Kong’s Eugene Kan speaks, the masses listen.