The Next Big Things

Move over, SoHo. Get outta here, mixology. All the old fads are tired and totally overdone, which is why we’ve decided to share with you the best new stuff that you might not even know about yet. Go on, impress your friends. You can thank us later.

Hotel Breakfast

The tables are tiny, you can’t get a booking, the coffees are $40, and that guy you don’t want to run into is tucking into his rubbery eggs Benedict a couple tables down. Why put yourself through this ordeal when you can wake up a little earlier and tuck into an epic holiday-style buffet breakfast at a hotel? The coffee and tea is unlimited, the food’s awesome, and the service is 10 times better. Breakfast at the Renaissance Harbourview’s Café Renaissance runs from 6:30am-10:30am and costs $198 per head.
M/F, Renaissance Harbour View Hotel Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Rd., Wan Chai, 2584-6970.

Coconut Water

Eurgh, we’re so over this violently-colored sugar water masquerading as a health drink. Enter delicious, refreshing coconut water. Packed with potassium and electrolytes, it makes a perfect post-sports rehydration drink (or hangover cure, for that matter). We also hear that it goes well with a slug of rum. Novel suggestion: instead of paying through the nose for a tetra pack of the stuff at your local yoga studio, simply frequent your local Thai restaurant for an actual coconut.

Basement Boozing

Save the skyline for the tourists, and hit up the city’s grooviest basement bars instead. How else are you going to escape the grim crush of bodies that’s happening at street level?

Check out these places:

XXX. Though we still haven’t figured out how to pronounce it, XXX is the hottest indie club/gallery du jour. XXX, B/F, 212 Wing Lok St., Sheung Wan.
Salon de Ning. This lavishly decorated cocktail and jazz bar is a lesson in how to do Shanghainese boudoir chic. B/F, the Peninsula, Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2315-3355.
Yun Bar. Yes, it’s been around a while, but this cool stone dungeon is a welcome retreat from the wilds of Wyndham. B/F, 43-55 Wyndham St., Central, 2116-8855.

Smart Anti-Aging

Forget chemical peels, lasers and harsh treatments, which leave your skin red, sore and photosensitive. Right now, anti-aging is all about skin-friendly spa experiences that relax wrinkles, nourish tired skin and calm redness.

Try: Aromatherapy Associates Forever Young Facial
A strong facial and scalp massage help to relax tension held in the face, while anti-inflammatory pomegranate and rosehip seed oils calm the skin. Larch extract helps to stimulate collagen and firm up the face and décolleté. $990 for 70 minutes or $1,300 for 90 minutes (includes back massage).
Available at Sense of Touch Lan Kwai Fong, 52 D’Aguilar St., Central, 2526-6918, www.senseoftouch.com.hk.

Marathons

Fitness needs a goal these days. Instead of mindlessly pounding the treadmill, set a target to accomplish by the end of the year, be it your first 10k or an ultra-marathon. You’ll feel amazing.

The Spanish

Yes, so the big French migration to Hong Kong has brought us crepes and classy cider, but we’re looking to Spain for our next Euro fix. The always-popular tapas digs have exploded in the past year, and with the Spanish people’s fondness for chorizo and our very own obsession with lap cheung, it seems like a match made in heaven.