Anti gravity!

A beautiful pale yellow butterfly,

enjoying her lunch 

after rain;

"so delicious...la, la, la...

hey, you!

you are in a wrong way! "

Think out of the box,  pal! 

this is the reality :D

 

Urban Beauty

 

 

 

 

Where are you at this moment ?!

  

1995

If you like Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, these are the must see movies. Before Sunrise was the first one I had watched on T.V. at Pearl 930.... well, years and years ago. Two young strangers met on a train in Europe, they spent a whole after night at Vienna together, sharing hopes, joys, dreams, and love....then returned on train at dawn and aparted to their own destination.

Before Sunset was the second one I had watched on T.V. again late night at year end, right after Before Sunrise, Yes! movie double up :D So the feeling and emotion were even much stronger as the story carried on : Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) met after nine years in Paris......so, can you imagine...... 

2004

They were both more mature, having their own business and experience. Once again, they unfolded as much as they could before they had to apart again at dusk.  Life altered after the first met, but love remains.

There was an open ending in this story, whether Jesse could/would capture his plane back to US?  or stayed with Celine?

Another nine years pasted, I had to find out the real face of true romance between Jesse and Celine. This time, I went to the theatre, flied to Greece, learned a lesson before midnight.

2013

Life is amazing, because it is a learning path that everyone has to participate into, no short cut, no forever romance, no unawakened dreams. It mold you to become what you are from teen to mid age. 

Beautiful faces, stunning environment, meaningful dialogue, romancing moment...all you can find in this series of movie. Even though some people may say the last one is far too reality and they are too old which diminish the past romantic atmosphere of the whole film;
this is what we need to walk and grow together with Jesse and Celine, not only in their but our life, too.

I have to leave you now and enjoy my "triple up" !
Au Revoir!

                                               

Ikea Coffee Bean : Surprise !

Everybody knows that I am an IKEA and a Coffee lover, will it be lovely if they are merging?

Each year I will take a visit to see if there are any new products arrive, but unfortunately not many in the coming of 2018 in Hong Kong. Well, truly a little disappointed, so I am going to grab my favor almond pie before leaving, and accidentally discover this!

I am not a super fans of organic product especially in food, my past experience reminds me the "mild" taste of "everything" which are "boring". So I did hesitate a while when I saw this. In addition, because they are not freshly roasted, a certain compromise to aroma is expected.  

This espresso coffee bean is 100% Arabica, UTZ certified.
Produced in Sweden (I doubt whether it is the origin ).
Acidity 3, Body 5, Roasting 5....that's it, not much detail in terms of aroma or after taste...,etc. 
Cost: $46/250g. 
If compare with others, it is obviously very economical. 

To my surprise, the bean size are quite big, even though it looks like an Italian Roast, I will say a City Roast is more appropriate with a slight cinnamon favor is noted. 

Although this kind of ready packed coffee bean can not be compared with the freshly roasted and high quality single origin coffee; it is good enough for a morning coffee with sugar & milk, the overall taste is quite balance. So, give a try and you may love it :P

 
 

意外收獲

上回介紹了由王其鈞博士著作的中國民居，今次再介紹他另外兩本資料更詳盡的圖解詞典; 集合了中、西古今的建築特式及部件解讀. 圖文並茂，更是按着時序編排，所以從頭開始一直看下去，徬彿由古代穿梭到現代一般，非常有趣味性.

如果你有看過上次我介紹的那本中國民居，你便不會驚訝這兩本書內的資料何奇豐富. 如果你留意書內的插畫，亦會發現是來自不同人的手筆，正是作者的學生和他一起努力的成果，當中不少插圖繪畫得極之細緻。

翻看後記，原來部份原稿非常大，只是放到書內縮成約50mm 方的小插圖。全書差不多1000 幅插畫及內文，實在提供了很多寶貴和方便的資料，是兩本很值得珍藏的書籍.

兩本詞典尤以西方建築那本較為我所喜愛，因為當中提到不少古埃及，古羅馬，希臘，哥德式及文藝復興時期的教堂建築，解釋了不少當時常見的建築結構及圖像由來，看完後會對一些聞名已久的建築物：如巴黎聖母院，佛羅倫斯主教堂，古羅馬鬥獸場等等， 有較清楚及深入的理解; 更會懂得欣賞古時工匠的心思和高超手藝.

因此我極力推介，無論你是行內或外人， 這兩本也是值得一看再看的好書，希望你會喜歡！

圖解中國民居

話說自從無印良品開始賣書之後，其實也沒有太大期望，因為心想還是賣一些日式家品悠閒書或雜誌罷，但是竟然給我發現 這本有趣的書籍!

雖然我不是建築師，但對中國民居也實在有點興趣. 奈何很多建築書不是太商業味（超靚實景相），便是內容沈悶非常，而且昂貴.

那天，還是隨意看看，卻被這本書封面的插圖所吸引. 仔細看看內文，清楚簡潔地把主要中國民居的特色、佈局、結構等一一紀錄. （抱歉因版權問題不方便打開內頁）而且紙質及插畫十分樸實，很有味道.

內容除了我們熟悉的四合院，  江南水鄉民居，圍屋，土樓之外；更有竹樓，碉房，吊腳樓等較有特色的民居.

作者是一個很有心的中國學者王其鈞博士，請務必看書中的前言和後記，可以對作者的心思有更多認識，以致在細看內文時會更珍惜所獲得有知識。 

喜歡看書，是因為可以隨時穿梭時空及地理的限制，藉作者的解讀而學會一些新的知識或趣味. 初時我以為這本書售價應該不少於二佰塊錢，事實上卻出乎我意料之外的便宜，雖然我興高採烈地即時把它據為己有，卻也同時感到一陣悲哀.

我在想：是我們對閱讀這一回事已變得沒趣從而影響了書籍的售價? 還是重來低估了一些有水準但沒用名氣來包裝的作品呢?!

一個廁所板

上星期，廁所板突然宣告死亡，咁啱唔得閒，唯有勉強捱到今日。係好熱嘅中午，唔係同客睇， 買自己嘢就梗係鎖定目標，想快快趣搞掂啦！可能你會覺得好易啫，買番同一個型號就得啦 ; 咁又唔係喎，因為從來我都覺得D廁所板跟個馬桶一套，除咗有冇油壓之外就冇咩選擇，而且淨係得白色， 悶到發慌! （以前好多色揀） 

所以今次又發揮＂可可實驗室＂精神，去揾揾世上有冇未被發現嘅＂珍品＂啦?！ 

如果俾你揀: 

A）＄800 白色Roca油壓板

B）＄480 新進白色德國油壓板

C) ＄250 湖水綠歐洲普通板 

D) ＄180 白色唔知咩牌子油壓板

你會點揀呢？ 

好明顯我揀咗 C 啦, 不過仲有下文, 係塊板用不銹鋼鉸，木蕊（重也), 而且係十年倉貨，返嚟要再自行清潔膠紙及汚漬…...好啦，講到呢度我應唔應該放棄呢？

放棄咗就冇呢篇文啦，冇錯，買咗.....而且超值，因為：

1）Jacob Delafon 

2）意大利生產 

3）靚色靚料 

4）金屬配件一D都冇生銹 

5）原價700 大洋

6）絕版 

心滿意足:D

以上就係我嘅非常選擇啦:P

做個 " 愛國" 的設計師

2014年10月26日, 發放了一篇 做個有承擔的設計師, 把好不容易累積了的中國流覧本網誌數量付於流水.可惜, 但無悔.

今天, 終於把流量稍為穩定, 更剛剛發佈了"可可雜貨舖", 在期待着吸引多些讀者之際, 我還是決定要寫這篇網誌; 即使, 我的期待或許將要再次落空.

 剛剛在電視上看了一個關於劉曉波先生的特輯.那一刻,我竟然能感受到身為"中國人"對國家没有看待人權, 人民沒有真正自由的那種傷痛, 真的很痛!!!

一個帶着崇高理想, 以和平心態去期待國家變得更好的學者; 卻為此而賠上自己, 甚至最愛的一生,  値得嗎? (我敢説在他心中一定認為値得!)

自問對什麼政治, 國家...不算熟識; 但人權, 自由, 理想和愛, 是正如你我一様, 天生便懂得, 也應該可以隨時享用. 可是, 在2017年的世代, 中國在高舉什麼一帶一路, 讓全國接軌的同時; 另一邊廂卻仍然像"野蠻人"一樣. 思想守舊, 腐敗, 專横...視人命如草芥!


劉曉波先生和劉霞的付出, 其實, 這オ是真正的愛國, 只是國家不愛國民罷了. 

以言入罪, 軟禁, 網絡封殺, 囚禁異見人士......這一切並不會隨着他的離世而終止; 但可以肯定的是, 人可以被囚, 心卻不可以! 只要有這個信念, 他(們)的付出必不會白廢!

Cocoa Grocery Launch!

Although it is not our original intention when the first date we blog here, 

it is our desire in certain extent. 

It was started almost ten years ago, when we had discovered Spoonflower; as most of you may know that, you can create your own fabric pattern by using of any media and technique; which is fun and creative. But unfortunately, they are quite "limit" in manufacturing; even though they team up with Sprouts Pattern and Roostery later on, wall paper and fabric oriented products are still their only main stream. So, it's a bit of frustrating when some potential pattern that can fit into our daily life product but can't be made.

Well, I have to confess that I spend too little time to further explore this issue until this year, the world is changing so fast especially in e-commerce, numerous of build-on-demand platforms had already been mature and doing well in the market. So, here we are in Redbubble

Usually, throw pillow is a standard product, 

Coffee Fantasy

 
but we want something else such as this one :D

iphone case

The best offer in this platform is the possibility of pattern re-sizing and orientation to different product under the designer's control. This is what I wish for so long.


You may ask then why we are still built our Cocoa Fabric shop in Spoonflower, because it do provide a number of good quality fabric choices that others don't. 

Like this "minky" fabric, so......fluffy and cute !

Therefore, before a real creative online "Grocery" is found on earth, these are still the best channel for us in the mean time.

So, take a visit to our shop if you have a minute, 
we will upload more design in the coming future. 
Enjoy !

City_aurora

fabric available in Spoonflower

 

Collection : City dream

Pattern : Aurora

Original :  Photo of light trace in the city

Style : Modern, Western

Tone : Warm

Effect : Graphic illusion

Inside Out

Inside Out

Abandon vs Freedom

Lonely vs Tranquility

No way out vs Change

Death vs Move on

To love vs Be loved

It all depends which side you are standing!

Minolta XD : My third camera

First of all, I have to apologize for your waiting to the review of my third camera, because it had already gone to somebody years ago, and that's why I need to find a photo online and thanks to WIKI.

O.K., here it is, my Minolta XD, actually in black. Yes! it's model no. is XD in Japan version :D

As far as I've remember I bought this in a kit set together with a standard lens of 50mm, which cost me a total of HK$1,600 something. My first 135 camera in almost 30 years ago; well, that's why there is no more "Minolta" today; but Konica Minolta. 

It's handy, rigid, easy operate, affordable price range that suits me as a design student. When I save enough money, I bought another Minolta zoom lens 70-210mm; followed by a Fuji 19mm wide....is that strange? Ha ha! 

As you know, wide angle is expensive but I do need one for my interior shot, and I was lucky because by the help of Ricketeer's friend who modify his second or even third handed Fuji mount to fit into my XD, Voila' !

1 Body + 3 Lens became my companion and partner for almost five years. So, they were my good memories of my "Good Old Days!" Thank you Minolta :)

It's HOT!

let's swim 02

Yesterday, what a sunny weather for me to act : Ping Shan Heritage Trail. 
Well, obviously it was a visit for the traditional Chinese architecture, a village mainly developed by the Tang's generation at Hong Kong in the 12th Century.

The temperature was over 30 degree C, there were merely people around. I was attracted by the the reflection of a pond nearby, while I was focusing thru' my viewfinder;  a few school boys passed by and said "hello" to me, followed by some very noisy "UFO" language that I couldn't classify until three of them appeared into my screen range.

After a vigorous discussion, they had decided to cool down in the pond...enjoy!

 

let's swim 01

This immediately reminded me another scene, well, actually to call it as "set" may be more appropriate - when I was visited the Wet Land Park at Hong Kong in February this year.

Same hot day,  tranquil pond, three of them...relaxing!
if only if you can imaging :)

How to dress up your mini note?

To Kill A Mocking Bird

To Kill A Mocking Bird

"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (from Chapter 10)
Each time when I've hanging around in a book store, I will come across this little book, and every time I have to leave it behind cos' my quota only allows me to grab others; but this year, I've decided to get it.

To those who study Literature is for sure, will be familiar with it, right? But not me, I don't have the idea of what it's related to and why it is a famous American Classic! That's why I want to read it and find out the answer myself.

The first few chapters makes me feel that I am entering 3 kid's world (Scout/ Dill/ Jem)  in a small town call Maycomb. They live with their lawyer father Atticus, who looks a bit emotionless ; and a black maid Calpurnia.

School life, teacher, classmate, neighborhood...every thing happens day by day as usual together with a routine adventure of tracing the mysterious Boo Radley; not until these kid facing the real life of mercy, humanity, death, races, unfair, righteousness......they are actually grown up under Atticus's role model and love.

They are kids, helping us to view in the angle of purity which we had once before. We may not intend to but kill a mockingbird while achieving our goal somehow. In this book, you will discover those "mockingbird", they are really touching and inspiring; hopefully we can all find those in our real life and treasure them with our greatest effort. 

P.S.: highly recommend to read it :)

不遷不拆水瓶座 Aquarius

最後一套電影是巴西作品, 除了有風景怡人的海邊小樓, 還有非常悦耳動聽的配樂及精湛演技的女主角Sonia Braga. (雖然已經年華老去, 仍然美麗動人!) 此外, 便是一個普通的地産迫遷故事.

如果不是被主角牽動 着我的思緖, 相比之前的兩套, 感覺略嫌遜色!
幸好故事結尾有個較為震感的twist, 令整套電影留下較強烈的控訴性.

總結今年小試參予學習欣賞第41屆國際電影節的經驗, 感覺還是很不錯的 . 雖然偶遇一些"發燒友"在狂買戲票之餘, 忙於趕場及評論的有趣情景. 也有不乏獨自靜心享受, 或即興入座的朋友; 又或是打扮很"文青"的女生/ 男生...電影内外, 人生百態.

也許, 不論你我屬於那一類觀衆,撇開影評, 親身顴賞後所帶給我們, 或喜、或悲、興奮又或失望的體驗......オ是最寳貴的得着!

最後的藝術家庭 (The Last Family)

從來都很奇怪，為何有些朋友即使本身不是從事電影業，卻對每年的國際電影節如此著迷？今年是第41屆國際電影節，為此，終於積極地＂撲飛＂，盼望可體會一下箇中滋味。

今天下午欣賞了第一套外語片，是波蘭作品，講述知名畫家兼攝影師 Zdzislaw Beksin'shi 的人生。本身熱愛藝術，因着有位賢內座，即使有個躁狂抑鬱的兒子及兩位需要照顧的年邁母親及岳母，仍能得以專心作畫。但隨著身邊一個一個親人的離世，即使本身豁達又富幽默感的他，也無法理解命運、死亡這一回事⋯⋯而他自己的結局，也充滿着悲情。

電影這門藝術對我來說是陌生的，但也正因為這樣，更能單純地感受到戲中對人物、現實、生活壓力、惶恐、無奈…的細緻描繪； 尤如主角的畫作一樣。

全套戲的結構，人物或背景也很簡單；雖然是外語片，訴說著的人和事，卻令人如此親近。燈光、畫面及色彩，雖然帶著一種淡淡哀愁的感覺，卻又如此令人依戀，彷彿交織著人生的種種回憶和片段。

期待着欣賞下一套電影作品的日子！

愛美麗的今生 A Quiet Passion

昨天迎接着第二套電影，單看觀眾人數，明顯比上一套多，甚至有不少是即場購買的。也許是因為假日，又或許是這套電影的題材較易接受。

坐在我身邊的是兩位女士， 開場不到三分鐘， 左邊的一位已睡著了， 右邊的開始她的＂脆脆＂小吃時間 （斷斷續續地歷時個多少時）...... 

這是一套關於一位美國女詩人Emily Dickinson 的人生，由少女時代至離世。她率直、敢言、詞鋒鋭利、感性，總覺得自己不夠美麗在感情上有所退縮；亦覺懷才不遇，生不逢時......

說到這裏，或許你也會說，怪不得有人睡着，有人要靠小吃調劑；甚至有人中途離場！

不過我想說的是，姑勿論你喜不喜歡主角的宅女性格，整套戲的感覺是自然流暢，燈光鏡頭說故事；加上女詩人自己的詩句讀白，美麗、純真又帶點憤慨和唏噓；足以把觀眾從現實帶進詩人的內心世界，再加上 Cynthia Nixon 出色的演譯，把它放在大師級系列是肯定的。

期待著最後一套電影！

Hong Kong Wetland Park

What a wonderful days we are having in Hong Kong this week, so I've decided to visit the Wetland Park. 

Most of us will be fascinating to the "tenant" inside : birds, fish, butterfly,...etc. So my original intention is  bird watching , especially when one of my friend told me that the best moment for this activity is in Winter (even it's a bit late); but to my surprise, there are candy like trees found somewhere in the park.

See, what a beautiful color they are under the clear blue sky. I took the first picture at around 2:00p.m. but I've decided to wait until 4:30p.m. for a second shot to capture the golden moment.
   

So I got this lovely "mango like" leaves, too. If it is not God's creation, what can it be?

It seems quite strange that why there are still leaves on tree but not in fresh green during this early Spring time? The fact is some tree will keep their leaves but stop producing chlorophyll to reserve food for itself. Or otherwise, we will not have a chance to "meet" them.

My student always said that they are not well trained in design and therefore do not have the knowledge of color sense. But this is what I've replied and is absolutely true : color are around us everywhere in every moment, simply look and feel, you will be astonish and amazing in the nature of what God made for us.  Enjoy :)

不想做個"機關"算盡的設計師

啱啱教完上一季嘅興趣班, 同學們例牌會問嘅問題係: 
1) 係房起個地台擺嘢好唔好? 
2) 升高張床下面做衣櫃書枱好唔好?
3) 張睡床摺上摺落好唔好?

通常我都會答: 
如果唔好收埋咁多無謂嘢, 善用空間, 上面三個問題嘅答案就梗係"唔好" 啦!

不過時而世逆, 可能因為"納米樓"嘅出現, 以後想唔好都唔得啦!

前排係會展見到一個展覽, 其中一D室内空間運用亦係因為住屋面積愈嚟愈少而設計嘅. 例如張睡床要行完好多級唔啱人體工學嘅"儲物樓梯級"先可以去到. 又話者你哋係電視上都會見到嘅"厠所浴室門共用"方案; 梳化下面暗藏浴缸(當然係放係客廳啦)...等等. 將來我哋呢行嘅前景(以住宅設計而言) 就會變成設計"機關" 主導.

我諗新嘅物料, 家具小五金用嚟整"機關"嘅配件, 空調抽風系統亦都會相對革新. 短期内應該會令市場有D新鮮感, 甚至會造就好多主打呢類樓盤嘅新興設計師; 不過無論係對用家同設計師嚟講, 長遠嚟睇絶對唔係好事.

一個原本可以簡單舒適嘅家會變成好複雜同忙亂, 例如突然覺得凍想攞件衫都可能要: 先執番枱面D嘢, 摺番埋張枱, 泊番隻浴室門, 同衣櫃(如果仲有的話) 前面做緊其他嘢嘅家庭成員貼身調換位置之後, 先去到其實只係距離不到6呎嘅目的地完成"任務"......要返回原位繼續工作.....(請自行逆轉動作一次)......希望呢個惡夢唔會成真.

what a year !

city rhythm 08_tranquility

year after year...day by day...

Kowloon City...

never change !