On The Radar – Tai Lung Fung, Passion by Gerard Dubois, DeeM and much more!

Girls, we know just how busy you are (we’re right there with ya!) so to help you keep up with hectic Hong Kong, we’re introducing a new column On The Radar. Each month, we’ll be bringing you what we like to think of as the “it gal’s” cultural cheat sheet – a bite-sized scoop on our top ten finds in the world of fashion, food, music, books… you get the idea! This month, we’ve got a new French bakery and a secret 1960s-style bar in Wan Chai, a range of feel-good beauty products that leave you and the Earth squeaky clean, a total gem of a design shop in Sheung Wan, and much more…

Tai Lung Fung, a bar tucked away behind the historical Blue House on Stone Nullah Lane is fitted out in a playful ode to 1960′s Hong Kong with plastic light fixtures from local Red A brand, movie posters and faded newspapers. Although the small porch out front only has a few seats, the street’s so quiet most patrons spill into the street clutching their drinks. Look for the pink neon sign as you turn the corner, this is secret Hong Kong at its best.

5 Hing Wan Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, 2572 0055

Staying in Wan Chai and there’s nothing we love more than a mid-morning (or afternoon… or evening…) stop for a sneaky coffee and cake. The newest bakery on the block is Passion by Gerard Dubois, who boast a huge range of mouth-watering cakes, quiches, sandwiches, salads and what we’ve heard may be the best French baguettes in the city and all in a lovely European-style café setting.. The best thing? The smell of freshly baked bread permanently wafting around you!

Passion by Gerald Dubois, Shop 1, G/F, Fraser Suites, 74-80 Johnston Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, 2529 1311

SO… SOAP, a line of biodegradable soaps made by women in Hong Kong’s working class housing estates, is made of 100% natural plant-derived oils including olive and coconut oil in recycled bottles. We love the super chic design, as did Agnes B who collaborated on a range for her HK stores and you can order online.

Interior designer Deborah Little opened DeeM, a gem of a design and art space, at the end of last year on Hollywood Road. Her fabulous eye for unique furniture, lighting and objects have made it a must stop interiors destination since. An Edward Wormley sofa sits alongside vintage apothecary ceramics while Little’s keen eye means DeeM’s own collection of tables, light fittings and shelves aren’t to be sniffed at either.

DeeM, 252 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, 2544 2424

Our feet are constantly caught in a battle between fashion and comfort… but maybe, just maybe, ECCO have come up with the perfect solution! Their new Sculptured 65 range claims to have created the ultimate high heel using new technology that delivers morning to evening comfort whilst still looking stylish to boot. Sounds too good to be true? Well, they’re sending us a pair to test so look out for the official Sassy verdict soon!

Adele? Old news! Gaga? Who cares! The latest singing sensation that should be winging her way into your iPod is London-based NYC rapper Azealia Banks, with her debut album Broke with Expensive Taste. Produced by Paul Epworth (who was also responsible for Adele’s 21), Banks’ Harlem swagger and irreverent lyrics make her music’s hottest name right now. Can’t wait till September for the album to drop? Check out her anthem 212 on YouTube.

Jax Coco has to be the chicest coconut water on the planet. With branding and design by Stella McCartney’s husband Alasdhair Willis, a special glow-in-the-dark bottle for Pacha nightclub and a Marc Quinn limited edition art bottle, this zero fat hydrating beverage is what we’ll be drinking this summer. Best of all, co-founder Jane Gottschalk has promised us sparkling coconut water and probiotic chocolate coconut milk for next year, but until then pick up Jax Coco at premium supermarkets, hotels, clubs and bars, and online.

If you read one book this summer, make it Tigers In Red Weather by Liza Klausmann. The 1950s East Coast social scene and family relationships are examined through five overlapping narratives that draw on Klausmann’s cherished summers at her grandparents’ clapboard house in Martha’s Vineyard. Picador scooped it up in a two-book deal, while rumour has it Tom Ford is interested in directing the film version. Pre-order for August at Bookazine.

Want to get fit but hate being indoors and aren’t really in love with the accessories? Shanghai Tang’s take on the classic fixed-gear bicycle may be the answer. Inspired by the ubiquitous Chinese black bicycle, menswear designer Armele Barbier has collaborated with Colossi cycling’s Jan Kole to create a handmade sleek bike with a dragon decal and Shanghai Tang’s signature bright orange or pink colours on the wheels. So sharp, even the laziest boys and girls out there will covet one.

Shanghai Tang Mansion, 1 Duddell Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2525 7333

The Ion Air Pro Camera is just so slick, with its Wi-Fi connection for instant uploading on social media sites and simple one click start record function, you don’t have to be a pro sports star to want one. Best of all it’s waterproof to 10 metres, and while you think it’s going to make a great gift for the male in your life, take it from us this is one boys’ toy you girls are gonna want to hang on to!