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Blow Your Stash
Got $6,000 burning a hole in your pocket? Why not spend it on this awesome stuff?
Reading Time:14 minutes
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Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you should be pretty well aware that every Hong Kong permanent resident is soon going to get a $6,000 cash handout from the government, following widespread complaints that this year’s budget address did nothing for the Hong Kong people. While the handouts themselves have been riddled with controversy—from people questioning financial secretary John Tsang’s seemingly hasty U-turn, to impoverished recent immigrants expressing outrage at their exclusion from bonanza—at the end of the day, all of us who’ve been here seven years or longer will have a little bit of money to play with. Read on to figure out how to spend yours.
Party On!
Sometimes, all you want to do is have a good time. So why not have one, courtesy of the Hong Kong taxpayer, with our six suggestions for six-grand parties.
Tram Party
Let’s face it: $6,000 isn’t going to get you very far if you want to throw the bash of the century. But you can definitely throw a great tram party. Splash out and hire an antique tram for up to 25 friends ($3,180 for two hours on weekends, www.hktramways.com) to take you on a loop of the Island, from K-Town to Happy Valley and back. Bring along a crate of Alpha Domus Pilot 2009 Sauvignon Blanc for $1,688 from Limestone Wines (12/F, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing St., Ap Lei Chau, 2817-1625, www.limestonewines.com.hk) to get the party started. After stocking the bar and hiring the transport, you’re left with $1,152—precisely enough to buy eight dozen canapés ($144 per dozen) from Percys (Shop B, G/F, 68 Catchick St., Kennedy Town, 2855-1882, www.percys.hk). Choose from cold dishes such as the mini bacon and parmesan quiche and pitas stuffed with lamb kofta, or hot dishes such as pesto, pine nut and parmesan risotto balls and homemade sausage rolls.
Let’s face it: $6,000 isn’t going to get you very far if you want to throw the bash of the century. But you can definitely throw a great tram party. Splash out and hire an antique tram for up to 25 friends ($3,180 for two hours on weekends, www.hktramways.com) to take you on a loop of the Island, from K-Town to Happy Valley and back. Bring along a crate of Alpha Domus Pilot 2009 Sauvignon Blanc for $1,688 from Limestone Wines (12/F, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing St., Ap Lei Chau, 2817-1625, www.limestonewines.com.hk) to get the party started. After stocking the bar and hiring the transport, you’re left with $1,152—precisely enough to buy eight dozen canapés ($144 per dozen) from Percys (Shop B, G/F, 68 Catchick St., Kennedy Town, 2855-1882, www.percys.hk). Choose from cold dishes such as the mini bacon and parmesan quiche and pitas stuffed with lamb kofta, or hot dishes such as pesto, pine nut and parmesan risotto balls and homemade sausage rolls.
(Percys)
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Home Cooking
Love entertaining but hate slaving away in the kitchen, stressed and alone? Why not hire a private chef to come over and cook up a four-course Italian feast for you? Andrea Oschetti at Cuore Private Chef (6106-0044, www.cuoreprivatechef.com) offers such a service. For $750 per head (for four to five guests) or $650 for parties of six or more, Oschetti will prepare a traditional, authentic Italian meal with a menu based on fresh, seasonal produce imported directly from Italy. He’ll also show you how to cook everything he makes if you want to replicate it yourself later. Have eight guests ‘round the table for $5,200, and you’ll have $800 left over to spend on booze.
Love entertaining but hate slaving away in the kitchen, stressed and alone? Why not hire a private chef to come over and cook up a four-course Italian feast for you? Andrea Oschetti at Cuore Private Chef (6106-0044, www.cuoreprivatechef.com) offers such a service. For $750 per head (for four to five guests) or $650 for parties of six or more, Oschetti will prepare a traditional, authentic Italian meal with a menu based on fresh, seasonal produce imported directly from Italy. He’ll also show you how to cook everything he makes if you want to replicate it yourself later. Have eight guests ‘round the table for $5,200, and you’ll have $800 left over to spend on booze.
Get Hitched
Think you can’t tie the knot on a budget in Hong Kong? Check out Eden Marriage Registry, which offers cut-price venues all over town. Plan a weekend wedding at their Central Pier venue, which will set you back just $3,500 ($2,500 on weekdays) for a 30-minute ceremony. Included in the price are: a civil celebrant, MC, processing of your Notice of Intended Marriage, venue hire and ring pillow rental. The remaining $2,500 will be just enough to buy your blushing bride a bargain-basement gown at Golden Plaza (745-747 Nathan Rd., Mong Kok, www.gpwedding.hk).
Think you can’t tie the knot on a budget in Hong Kong? Check out Eden Marriage Registry, which offers cut-price venues all over town. Plan a weekend wedding at their Central Pier venue, which will set you back just $3,500 ($2,500 on weekdays) for a 30-minute ceremony. Included in the price are: a civil celebrant, MC, processing of your Notice of Intended Marriage, venue hire and ring pillow rental. The remaining $2,500 will be just enough to buy your blushing bride a bargain-basement gown at Golden Plaza (745-747 Nathan Rd., Mong Kok, www.gpwedding.hk).
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Host Your Own Funfair
If you always wanted to run away and join the circus as a kid, why not spend your free money to bring the circus to you? Used wisely, you can stretch it out to make—if not quite the event of a lifetime—then certainly the talk of your apartment complex for the weekend. First, sort out the catering by renting a cotton candy machine for $1,200 (or, if you prefer, a popcorn maker for $1,100) from Shamrock Catering (www.shamrock.com.hk). Then order a bouncy castle from Future Leisure—prices start at $3,900 for the Mini Bouncer, going up to $17,900 for a rodeo bull (www.future-leisure.com). That leaves you with $1,000. It’s not quite enough for a professional magician, so spend $299 on a magic trick kit from ItsImagical (Shop 209, 2/F, Windsor House, 311 Gloucester Rd., Causeway Bay, 2808-1773, www.itsimagical.hk). Use the remaining $700 to buy yourself an alpine yodeler costume from Matteo Party (Unit 1101, 11/F, Wellington Place, 2-8 Wellington St., Central, 2525-2833, www.matteoparty.com), and you’re good to go.
If you always wanted to run away and join the circus as a kid, why not spend your free money to bring the circus to you? Used wisely, you can stretch it out to make—if not quite the event of a lifetime—then certainly the talk of your apartment complex for the weekend. First, sort out the catering by renting a cotton candy machine for $1,200 (or, if you prefer, a popcorn maker for $1,100) from Shamrock Catering (www.shamrock.com.hk). Then order a bouncy castle from Future Leisure—prices start at $3,900 for the Mini Bouncer, going up to $17,900 for a rodeo bull (www.future-leisure.com). That leaves you with $1,000. It’s not quite enough for a professional magician, so spend $299 on a magic trick kit from ItsImagical (Shop 209, 2/F, Windsor House, 311 Gloucester Rd., Causeway Bay, 2808-1773, www.itsimagical.hk). Use the remaining $700 to buy yourself an alpine yodeler costume from Matteo Party (Unit 1101, 11/F, Wellington Place, 2-8 Wellington St., Central, 2525-2833, www.matteoparty.com), and you’re good to go.
Luxe Staycation
For a big treat, check into the Peninsula (Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2920-2888, www.peninsula.com) and try out their “Retreat and Relax” package. For $6,200 (you’ll have to front that extra 200 bucks yourself, unfortunately), you’ll be treated to a night’s stay in a Grand Deluxe Kowloon View room, a weekday spa escape for two (made up of a salt-and-oil scrub followed by a 120-minute full-body massage), plus a healthy lunch by the pool and access to all the spa’s heat and water facilities for the duration of your stay. Also included is a breakfast for two and a welcome fruit basket.
For a big treat, check into the Peninsula (Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2920-2888, www.peninsula.com) and try out their “Retreat and Relax” package. For $6,200 (you’ll have to front that extra 200 bucks yourself, unfortunately), you’ll be treated to a night’s stay in a Grand Deluxe Kowloon View room, a weekday spa escape for two (made up of a salt-and-oil scrub followed by a 120-minute full-body massage), plus a healthy lunch by the pool and access to all the spa’s heat and water facilities for the duration of your stay. Also included is a breakfast for two and a welcome fruit basket.
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