That is an excellent question and I’m glad you asked. The short answer is all over the place but let’s start where we left off, shall we? Bonkers Honkers.
Looking back I think it must have been a moment of madness. Moving to Hong Kong with two small children in 2013 turned life into a contact sport. From the high rises and the busy streets to the incredible markets and expat culture it was amazing, but intense.
You’re mad, bonkers, off the top of your head…but… I’ll tell you a secret. All the best people are.“
Alice in Wonderland
I was in two worlds all at once. A creative in advertising with SapientRazorfish and founder of Craft Schmaft.
This would result in me doing things like knitting in torn jeans and trainers in the Cathay Business lounge with a glass of Moet. It was surreal.
My boys embraced it, taking on the streets inspired by Kung Fu Panda while arguing over the lift buttons. Every. Single. Time.
These were days of lego, football and first pets… fish from Wanchai who unbeknownst to me had a 7 day life expectancy. Ours lasted 14. Champions!
One of the things that I LOVED most about bonkers honkers was the fabric. I would take the train over to Kowloon and onto the Sham Shui Po fabric markets. It was the heart of the textiles industry in the 1950s and 60s and is still an absolute treasure trove of notions and silks, fabrics and all sorts.
We can also pinpoint this moment as my first obsession with tiles. Who would have thought that would happen in Hong Kong but these beauties in a cafe totally captured my heart at the time.
And that, my friends, was Hong Kong. After a year of traveling between Singapore and Hong Kong for work (now that was a commute) I was offered a regional role and we relocated to Singapore.
I still miss the vibe of Hong Kong and I can tell you I’ll be squeezing in a trip to Sham Shui Po on our whirlwind visit in 2026 but until then… 多謝你嘅美好回憶
(thank you for the beautiful memories)
