WEEKENDER: Ice pops and lobster rolls at Island East Market, yoga brunch & workshops at Plantation by Teakha, Fashion Meets Art weekend at Lane Crawford & more!

Summer’s finally closing in on the ‘Kong… even though we all wish the sun wouldn’t take its own sweet time! With Mother’s Day coming up this Sunday, it’s the perfect excuse to schedule in some bonding time – so here’s some weekend inspiration.

Fashion meets art
What could be better than a weekend of shopping? A weekend of shopping with delish food and inspiring art installations thrown into the mix! Lane Crawford is getting in on HK’s May art mania with their Fashion Meets Art weekend – with cool live art from graffiti artist Mark Goss and custom illustrations by Shantell Martinhappening in-store right before your eyes! There will also be some seriously tasty artisan treats to snack on, including scrummy tacos from Brickhouse, innovative ice cream from Lab Made and handmade sweeties from Papabubble, plus the chance to win up to $1500 to spend at Lane Crawford if you make a purchase of $3500 or more.

When: 10-12 May
Where: Pacific Place, ifc and Canton Road Lane Crawfords, see here for more details
How much: Free!

Sunday afternoon with the fam’
If you haven’t swung by already, this Sunday’s your last chance to check out the Island East Markets in Quarry Bay before they go on their summer hols! There will be fresh local produce straight from the farms, but don’t just bring your grocery bags – there’s also a chance to get involved with some cool Food Revolution workshops (like jam making and urban farming!) while enjoying live local music and mouth-watering chef demos. We highly recommend checking out Lola’s scrummy artisan ice pops (with flavours like white chocolate raspberry and strawberry basil – YUM!), healthy Bejuiced juices and some gorgeous Bejeweled Bespoke handmade jewellery… and don’t leave without nabbing a delish lobster roll before they sell out too!

When: 12 May, 10am-5pm (the last one until September!)
Where: Tong Chong Street, Tai Koo Place, Island East, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong
How much: Free entry!

Turn ‘em fingers green
Why settle for store-bought greens when you can have the freshest possible, straight from the pot at home? You don’t have to own a big backyard to grow your own veggies – and Time to Grow has put together a nifty Urban Planting Workshop at Plantation by teakha to prove it! It’ll cover all the basics (what, when, where and how) as well as extra tips on making good use of food waste and more. With a seedling to bring home, you’ll definitely come out of this one an urban green diva! P.S If you’re up for a full day program, you can sign up for A Plantation Sunday, which includes a relaxing outdoor yoga session and scrummy brunch too!

When: 12 May – yoga 10-11am, brunch 11.30am-1pm, workshop 2-4.30pm
Where: Plantation by teakha, Shop B, No 1-4 Tai On Terrace, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
How much: Yoga & brunch $480, workshop $350; spaces are limited so advanced RSVPs are required to [email protected] or by calling 3482 2660

Bombshell beauties
We’ve all heard of eco fashion, but this is definitely eco fashion with a difference! Hong Kong’s very own Emi&Eve use spent bomb casings from Cambodia and colourful weaved fabrics from Thailand to create eye-catching jewellery and bags made by disabled women in China – a stylish way to support a great cause. They’re having a month-long pop-up shop at long-time Sassy fave Polkadot Boutique, so head over and check it out for some Mother’s Day gift ideas (or for some cheeky self-gifting too!).

When: Until 31 May, open 11am-8pm (Monday-Saturday), 12-6pm (Sundays)
Where: Polkadot Boutique, 2F, 29 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong
How much: Free entry!

Supersize me!
With the arrival of the giant rubber duck in Victoria Harbour, inflatables seem to be the in-thing in our city this week! The Mobile M+: Inflation exhibition has brought six supersized inflatable sculptures from local and international artists to the open grounds of West Kowloon Cultural District for an innovative display of public art – we’re talking a giant inflatable Stonehenge to bounce on, a roast pig the size of a ship to explore and even a massive dog poo (check out our full write-up here)! It certainly puts our childhood bouncy castles into perspective!

When: Until 9 June, 12-7pm (Tuesday-Thursday), 11am-8pm (Friday-Sunday & Public Holidays), closed on Mondays
Where: West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong (see the map here)
How much: Free!

Psst… If you need any more Mother’s Day inspiration, check out Sassy Mama’s awesome round-up for the best dining options, special spa packages and gift ideas!

Got an event you’d like us to feature in The Weekender, or have a top tip for us? Email us the deets at [email protected].