The Langham team never fails to understand the impact of retail therapy. From their Million Dollar nights to their latest venture, a fashion map, The Langham obviously knows that Hong Kong is a shopper’s paradise. The map in itself is nothing too spectacular, a small pocket-sized map showcasing the closest luxury stores from the hotel and done in the iconic Langham colours of pink and gold but the idea is very nice all the same. Maybe what the map needs is some shopping and styling tips contributed by us Geeks to separate it from all the other maps. Langham PR team, call us!

Hong Kong is renowned as a shopaholic’s paradise whether you are in it for the luxury brands or the disposable fashion. The Langham Hong Kong is hoping to offer the luxury loving shopping fiend a “Million Dollar Nights” experience. So what exactly is this promotion I hear you ask? The hotel has partnered with Roger Dubuis to offer their guests a personal consultation with one of their timepiece experts. So where does the million dollars part come in? Well, if you decide to part with a million bucks for one of Roger Dubuis’ timepieces (for they are too expensive to be merely named watches) then the luxury brand will pay for the entire hotel package which includes two nights’ accommodation in the Premier Suite at The Langham Hong Kong, champagne upon arrival, daily breakfast served in-room and dinner for two at Tang Court.

Of course, if the extravagant prices of the watches scare you off (I hear they average at one million bucks a piece and goes up to five million for some) but you want to partake in this experience, this package will cost you HK$19,500+10%. Practically a steal compared to five million bucks right?

To make a reservation contact (852) 2375 1133 or book online at
http://hongkong.langhamhotels.com

Whenever I think of cooking classes in Hong Kong, the first place I think of is Towngas Cooking which I’ve been informed is not bad. But if you in the mood to check out something a bit fancier, how about taking a class with a two Michelin starred chef? The Langham Place’s Ming Court is now offering one-hour master classes to learn Executive Chef Tsang Chiu King’s tips and tricks to creating the perfect dim sum treat.

Choose from one-on-one classes or a group class for up to 20 people (it’s HK$10,000 for the first 12 people and an additional $500 per head afterwards) where you can gather your friends for a little cooking party. After the class, you get to sample your food in Ming Court alongside other dim sum made by professional chefs so you can do a bit of comparing. For more information email lphkg.info@langhamhotels.com.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been one of those people who go to the museums, pick up one of those audio guides and then wander off looking at pieces without listening to the tour. I think the only exception was when I went to the Chanel Mobile Art exhibition and afterwards, I still retraced my route to look at the pieces in my own pace and order. If, however, you are a fan of audio guides, then you should check out the Langham Place in Mongkok which is now offering their guests iPod tours of their Chinese contemporary art.


One little known fact: the hotel owns more than 1,500 pieces of contemporary Chinese art estimated to hold a value of more than HK$20 million. This collection is displayed throughout the entire hotel and the iPod tour highlights the hotel’s top 21 pieces from the ground level to the 41st floor. The free guide is narrated by Angela Li of Contemporary by Angela Li and is available in English, Cantonese, Mandarin and Japanese. After the tour, you’ll receive a complimentary take-home petite box-set guide with image prints and written explanations in English and Traditional Chinese.

The tour is available seven days a week from 6:00am – 11:00pm.

For more information on Langham Place, Mongkok, Hong Kong visit http://hongkong.langhamplacehotels.com

As part of my quest to gain as much weight as quickly as possible (not really but that's what my stomach seems to be feeling these days), I bullied a certain PR King at Langham into taking me to lunch at Ming Court. The Michelin men don't always get it right, but if the dim sum is anything to go by, this Chinese restaurant seems to deserve its two stars. What's most delicious is that the prices are fairly reasonable. So if you were to calculate on a price-to-value ratio, it would score pretty damn high.

So my bottomless stomach and I are considering a return visit (and not just so I can achieve mayoral status there on FourSquare, as the venue is currently mayorless), because Ming Court has debuted a Vibrant Spring menu that's just filled with naughty, naughty food. Like what, you ask? Roasted suckling pig with foie gras sauce. YUM and only $78 a head. Braised lobster with urchin sauce. Pan-fried wagyu beef with black truffle oil. It's like the chef decided to take a truly decadent ingredient and then bump up the sex factor by combining it with another madly desirable component. For a triple-whammy, the lobster trio pictured above left is almost too pretty eat... except everyone knows beauty is fleeting, so that needs to get in my belly tout suite.

Note to self: Do not write food blog posts when hungry. Except, dear readers, though you may see this time-stamped as posted in the AM, I am actually writing this literally five minutes after dinner, with my oil-smudged bowl still sitting on my bedside table. Glamorous, I know. But I must then conclude that either the food is looking so good it's getting me hungry again... or I'm just a pig. Probably a bit of both.

Ming Court will be serving this special menu, which can be viewed in full after the cut, until May 31. The restaurant is at Level 6, Langham Place, Mongkok, Hong Kong. Tel: 852 3552 3300.

MING COURT’S VIBRANT SPRING MENU
Roasted sliced suckling pig with foie gras sauce
$78 per person
Braised lamb with thyme in honey and loh-sui sauce
$138
Thai style barbecued pork loin
$198
Lobster trio - Cooked in superior soup, steamed with yellow wine and egg white, stir-fried with hot and sour sauce
$178 per person
Double-boiled chicken with Chinese herbs
$688
Braised lobster topped with urchin sauce
$588
Braised whole African abalone (three heads)
$788 per person
Braised superior sea cucumber stuffed with prawn and matsutake mushrooms
$198 per person
Braised matsutake, mori and ling chi mushrooms with sea cucumber and dried shrimp roe
$298
Pan-fried wagyu beef with black truffle oil
$268 per person
Pan-fried wagyu beef rolls stuffed with matsutake mushrooms and fungus
$98 per person
Baked flaming pork loin in red wine
$198
Braised pork loin with kale, served in a casserole
$198
Stir-fried fish balls stuffed with minced lamb in herb and soy sauce
$188
Steamed chicken with sake
$188
Stir-fried diced lotus root and olive leaves served with lettuce
$168
Steamed organic sliced bean curd accompanied with stir-fried diced vegetables
$168