yesterday i was doing pretty well at the booth, engaging visitors and practicing my mandarin (when applicable). it didn’t last though, because later in the afternoon i crashed HARD. sounds improbable, but this is exhausting work. by no means am i complaining, but smiling and talking to strangers for eight hours straight can do a number on you. right now there’s a persistent — but enthusiastic — guy showing photos of his jade collection to us (he said, “they don’t have to respect me, but respect my culture”). we’ve been getting a stream of dealers and collectors who want to display their mediocre goods in the museum. sigh. this is when our diplomacy skills get put to the test.

we’ve also met passionate connoisseurs who truly know their stuff. it’s inspiring and sweet, reminiscent of experts at comic conventions who can recite, say, the entire history of green lantern. one couple at our booth pointed out that our jade catalogue, a scholarly contribution to the field, had caused quite a stir in the community (don’t you love that there’s a community?), and questioned how we had came to some of the conclusions outlined in the book. they discussed things like “tool marks” and the resilience and adaptability of fakers, etc. good natured and fun. this spirited, convivial atmosphere is so energizing!

ANYWAY…

breakfast at harbour kitchen, the cha can ting located inside the convention and expo centre. the menu is expansive. this is congee with minced pork and preserved egg, shanghai style green onion bun, and milk tea. the meal exceeded my expectations. the congee had a nice meaty stock essence, and the bun was AWESOME (slightly toasted on top, then soft, airy, warm inside)

our board member brought us pineapple buns, lao po bing, egg tarts, and confections (peanut brittle, sesame bites, etc) from supposedly the best bakery in HK, in lyndhurt terrace. what a special treat! this was exactly what i had woken up that morning craving

this was a great sight to behold: people really digging our library of museum catalogues and pulling up a chair to get into them. many folks have wanted to buy them, but unfortunately we aren’t set up to do business

both our director and senior curator of chinese art gave brief lectures yesterday. here’s the former holding court with his audience after the talk

one side of the fair has some contemporary art. nothing earth shattering, but some eyecatching pieces:

i really liked this korean painting – thick and luminous, you had to see it in person

stephen chow!

artist li huayi has a semi-retrospective at the fair put on by the ink society (in celebration of his 60th). it’s right across from our booth. he is a beautiful man with warm eyes and a real artist’s flair. i’ll post a better picture of him later. the museum presented an exhibition of his haunting paintings about five years ago

generous treat #2 from our board member: assortment of cakes from the mandarin oriental

right now the man behind this fair is giving a talk on chinese antique furniture. looks like all the seats are full.
we’re situated in prime real estate, across from the ink society’s li huayi show and in front of the lecture room. is this considered “live blogging”? jay, our director, asked me to think carefully about our presence at the fair and share with him my thoughts — since i’m the one who’s stationed here the most. hopefully i can call on these posts when i return to work to refresh my memory.

it’s preview night of the hong kong international arts & antiques fair, and there’s a lull in the foot traffic to our booth. my colleagues are at a special dinner down the aisle in a makeshift VIP space. the evening has provided an abundance of people watching; i’ve spied a handful of colorful characters and impeccably stylish folks.

thus far on this insane and surreal trip, i’ve been flustered with my impotent mandarin, bought birkenstocks, had dangerously addictive HK style milk tea, witnessed the awesomeness of which wealthy good-hearted people are capable, and already contemplated a fantasy of living in hong kong. yesterday i had a rare free moment to explore, so i abused my poor foot and did just that.

this mammoth construction project is right next to the swanky long pool. it’s quite a sight, seeing it jut out along the poolside and cabana chairs, appearing from the top of palm trees

the view from #2731

hong kong’s MTR (mass transit system) is clean, efficient, and thoughtful, with excellent signage to guide you along. here’s a fun, random ad, and then an example of MTR’s positive, simple reminders to keep you in check

the infamous central-mid-level escalator. i LOVE it. you ascend hk’s treacherous topography while practically brushing up next to residents’ suspended laundry, peering into store windows, and getting a bird’s eye view of the bustling below. this structure has appeared in chungking express. if it does’t fill you with childlike wonderment the first dozen times you ride it, then you must be dead inside

took the escalator from central station to hollywood street, turned onto a busy alley and found fresh produce, seafood, and gnarly butcher stalls. wet markets make my heart sing

it was serendipity, because tucked away was THIS, a popular place known for its perfect milk tea (made with silk stockings). just earlier that morning i had read about this cafe and really wanted to try it, but didn’t think i’d get the chance. it falls into the cha chan ting restaurant category — hong kong coffee houses. the window was plastered in press clippings to proclaim notoriety. it was cramped and hoppin’ inside, so a tiny table had to be shared with others

glass of iced milk tea and a trademark dish: fried instant noodles with spicy meat and chicken wings, topped off with fried egg. not purdy, but tasty

see how happy i was sipping my delicious milk tea? great great great

back to wonderful hollywood street. it’s mostly an antique row with its share of stalls, boutiques, galleries, a handful of bistros, and trendy wine bars. the beautiful thing is that it’s also residential, lined with schools, a temple, and parks. if there was a decisive moment that made HK a favorite city, it happened while gallivanting this delightful stretch

creepy, pretty growth

stairwells are everywhere (and that’s the temple on the left). see the cute school kids scampering down the steps? probably saw five different school uniforms out there. lots of moms were picking up their wee ones at this hour

eyecatching decorative building

lomo store (bright red store front) smack dab in the middle of this mellow neighborhood. crazy!

belonging to the plethora of galleries

kids being kids + resident curmudgeon in the mix doing his calisthenics

backtracked into soho (bars, galleries, eats galore) and then into lan kwai fong, an extremely “happening” concentration of bars, clubs, restaurants. it’s the epicenter of nightlife, but more like a raucous hotbed of grossness and skeezy expats. regardless, was glad to visit just to see what it was all about, but more importantly, to see this!

yup, that’s my cuz simon. true to form, he’s staying indefinitely in HK to work on another cool project with two other likeminded bros. i’m prouda him. we met up in a subdued corner away from the madness

later in the evening, went across the water to tsim sha tsui in kowloon. the plan was to grab a bite, but hunger and exhaustion were deferred in the name of uniqlo and M U J I. my very first one, and it didn’t disappoint. fell head over heels with it, especially its black, buttery sheep leather wallet

keepin’ it real at a down n dirty food court. at this point we were almost flatlining

this morning, a fortuitous chance to get outside for breakfast. went to a festive, huge seafood banquet restaurant in an industrial, dated government building nearby. better-than-average dim sum (btw those are goose claws)

and i guess i shouldn’t sign off without showing why i’m so lucky to be in HK in the first place. getting the booth ready on our end was an intensely stressful experience. the wall graphic alone probably shaved a good two years off my life, but as you can see, our designer rocked it. despite the grinding tension leading up to this, it was worth it. i’ll be a permanent fixture at this spot for the next few days

someone snapped this pic of me frantically trying to reach a coworker on the phone – note my weird eyelids

this is commissioner sally. she RULES harder than 99% of humanity. a heart of gold who tirelessly champions for the things that matter

oh man, i’m wrapping this up in the hotel room and it is way too late for me to still be conscious. it’s been a VERY, VERY LONG DAY. maybe it’s jet lag?

ps – kelly chen’s wedding is all over the news right now. goodnight!

i’ve been freaking out doing everything i can to make sure we get the word out about THIS. will feel much better when the kickoff event is over. til then, i’ll continue to be in pouty, haggar insular mode. it’s been a terrifically harrowing past couple of months!

so if y’all are free on thursday and have only $5 to spare, come on by for some acupuncture, qi gong, tea, shiatsu, live chinese music, cupping (heh), and a whole lot more. it’s a total steal.

anyway, i really dig this art by wu gaozhong. his show is called spectral memory, on view at the zendai MoMA in shanghai. it heaves a visceral impact on many levels; so repugnant, yet so…beckoning. of course, anyone who’s familiar with my neuroses will immediately know exactly why these objects creep the $*#! out of me.

i also gravitate toward this art because it looks like how i feel.

photos from this flickr account

i was kinda excited about “bullseye” being onsite for our sunday extravaganza, but i had no idea she’d be so convulsions-inducing CUTE. my god, don’t ever underestimate the adorableness of this creature. she can slay you with one look. i’m not exaggerating. i use to feel meh about her breed (the aloof nature, the congenital defected eyes, etc), but oh no, not anymore. i’m thinking google image experienced a spike in “bull terrier” searches on sunday after 6pm. the key is to see her in person. pictures, videos — they don’t do justice.

ps – note the shift of my body language from photo one (beginning of the long day, with ami) to photo two (end of the long day, with karen). my arm was prepped for nabbing. i think you’ll agree that in both pictures, i appear unsettlingly creepy and mischievous.

pps – she worked all day, letting our visitors pose with her for a photo. the pix were then uploaded to some website. i felt bad for her, but she had 40 minutes on, 20 minutes off, throughout the day, and a nice lunch hour. her handlers fly first class with her.

SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY!
FREE! FREE! FREE!

it’s a big deal in the museum world to have a monthly free day on the weekend, and the asian art museum is the first, and only one, in san francisco to do it. we’re celebrating this recent breakthrough by having a huge blowout bash.

say goodbye to target tuesdays and hello to target sundays. there will be chinese acrobatics, taiko, cambodian dance, polynesian and pilipino performances, art activities up the wazoo, and tons more, so come on down to the asian art museum this sunday, may 4. it’s all FREE.

it’s also your last chance to check out the sumptuous exhibition, drama and desire. and no, i’m not above telling you that there is some juicy shunga (erotica) in the show. oh, and another thing, this is a good way to commemorate APA heritage month, as well as show your support for the arts and culture community.

and yes, bullseye, the real, official target dog, will be making an appearance.

super duper swamped and stressed. currently at the big, bad mother of museums conferences, the american association of museum’s annual meeting and museum expo in denver. it’s hella exhausting!!! i feel like a high schooler, rushing from session to session between periods, overwhelmed by all the offerings, needing to prioritize them, all the while with anxiety about a serious work project gnawing away at any remaining shreds of my peace of mind. this is my first work/”business” travel experience!

quick observations of downtown denver: the altitude will eff you up and dehydrate the heck outta you. i need lotion, chapstick, and water every five seconds, and i’ve been prone to sinus headaches throughout the day. i woke up this morning feeling like i’ve been socked in the eye; erratic weather; rowdy youth of the slipknot/insane clown posse/mudvayne variety; paucity of compelling restaurants; i sense a meth use problem; and it goes without saying, very little “people of color.”

(this was animatronic)

conference attendee pride. i couldn’t have asked for better colleagues/friends to be part of my first time

though i bought it six months ago, i just recently inaugurated the use of my BLACK JACK mug. FINALLY!

i’m not really one for buying mugs, so how could i justify shelling out a good $20 for this particular one? the most obvious reason: graphics. tezuka’s famous character is plastered all over it in bold, cinematic black and white. stylish, right? makes hot liquid consumption that much more enjoyable

two, it is a memento from the tezuka exhibition that the museum presented in june ’07. a fantastic groundbreaking show, it had significant meaning to me. i’m a lifelong comics nerd, and we all worked our a$$es off for it. those were some grueling, stressful times, but i learned A LOT and bonded with coworkers. i was lucky enough to flex some otherwise untapped skills and knowledge, make the acquaintance of VIZ (and visit their playful offices), and meet folks like fred schodt, one of the most wonderful, heart-melting, intelligent beings to walk the earth

three, the mug is from japan. there was some serious retail prepping for this exhibition. months before it opened, the store manager traveled to tezuka’s homeland to get the business ball rolling. the store ended up carrying all kinds of special goodies directly from japan, available nowhere else but at the museum.

four, it’s BLACK JACK!!! among its alluring facets: 1) the morbid, gruesome surgery sequences 2) the namesake anti-hero medical pirate with a heart of gold 3) justice is repeatedly served in perverse ways 4) it “reflects the glory and squalor of early adulthood.”

so why am i writing about a gosh darn mug?! because i like it, and maybe because it’s in giddy anticipation of vertical’s release of the first two volumes of black jack six months from now. go vertical!