Hip Hot Hong Kong
Spring season
Get ready to jump for joy at the 360 Pogo Jumpathon.
Ngong Ping 360 has brought an American pogo performance team, the Pogo Dudes, to Hong Kong to show off their high-flying tricks. These guys aren't amateurs hopping around on pogo sticks. They hold numerous Guinness World Records, including most synchronised and most consecutive backflips, and highest jump on a pogo stick. They can jump more than 2.4 metres high while performing flips and kicks on their pogo sticks. It's an unmissable sight.
The Pogo Dudes perform three times a day, until May 13, at Ngong Ping Village. You can also give the pogo a go at a free workshop.
Disney to the rescue
Mobile phones, iPods, cameras ... we carry a lot of electronics with us, but you might want to add another: a portable charger. Most are clunky and look generic - until now. The Disney Portable Mobile Charger will save the battery life of your phone, and look cute while doing it. Featuring characters such as Stitch and the green alien from Toy Story, the handy device works with most electronics, including the iPhone, and Nokia, Samsung, LG and Motorola phones. It can also be used to recharge iPads, iPods, PSPs, Nintendo DS consoles and certain cameras as well. At 74 grams, it's not heavy, and needs only four hours to fully charge. Talk about efficient and fashionable.
The chargers sell for HK$268 from City Super and Log-On.
Buns galore
It's time for the annual pilgrimage to Cheung Chau to catch the Bun Festival, which is held in honour of the god Pak Tai. There will be exhibitions, game stalls, parades, handicrafts and plenty of buns to eat, but the highlight is the Bun Scrambling Competition at midnight on April 28.
This year, 209 people have signed up to climb up the 18-metre-tall metal tower to collect as many buns as possible. After the qualifying rounds end, the final nine male and three female competitors will be announced on Sunday.
About 70,000 spectators are expected to attend this year. So if you plan to see one of the city's most traditional celebrations, you'd better get to the island early.
Jack Purcell redux
Converse has taken the original Jack Purcell design from 1935 and tweaked it for its new Jack Purcell Re-Master collection.
Developed as a badminton shoe by the champion player Purcell, the shoes soon became a fashion item, worn by movie and music icons, including James Dean, George Harrison and Kurt Cobain.
The remastered sneaker keeps the classic canvas look and rubber styling of the original, but it adds a heavier toe-cap, slightly lowers the metal ventilation holes to improve air flow, and reinvents the rear logo. Of course, the trademark 'smile' in the front is still there - proving that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
The shoes are available at Converse outlets throughout the city; the mid-top at HK$699, the low-top at HK$599.
