Follow KD Estrada and Alexa Ilacad behind the scenes on a Toss Coin-inspired tour around Hong Kong

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There’s no denying that Hong Kong is a charming backdrop to many love stories and tales of human connection. In the recently premiered short film entitled “Toss Coin” directed by award-winning film director, Cathy Garcia-Sampana, and starring breakout stars KD Estrada and Alexa Ilacad, viewers were taken on a wild goose chase around the vibrant streets of Hong Kong.

Toss Coin follows the story of Kiko (KD) and Pia (Alexa) and an unexpected encounter that all begins with a simple toss of a coin. The two embark on a journey around Hong Kong that later unravels into a sweet and touching romance exploring themes of destiny, belief, and the courage to embrace opportunities.

While the two lead characters were busy playing hide and seek with fate, the film showcased a variety of fun and fresh attractions every traveler should experience when visiting Asia’s World City. Check out some of the locations featured in Toss Coin below.

Stroll alongside the vibrant murals in Sai Kung

In almost every frame of the short film, viewers will find scenic backdrops highlighting Hong Kong’s rich natural landscapes, remarkable architecture, and colorful murals. These elements attracted Director Cathy Garcia-Sampana greatly, resulting in several key scenes (including the opening) being shot in the beautiful district of Sai Kung. “When I first came over here, I fell in love with the place. Their artworks are so beautiful, and we’re going to feature all of them,” she shared.

Also featured in the film is the Sai Kung branch of popular Hong Kong-based coffee chain The Coffee Academics. The building is covered in murals and is a visual treat for visitors to enjoy as they sip their coffee. The IG-worthy cafe is definitely a go-to for coffee lovers looking to take aesthetic photos.

Just a 30-minute drive from the bustling city center, Sai Kung offers travelers a more laid-back and relaxed atmosphere. With beautiful murals everywhere you look and a picturesque view of Hong Kong’s landscape, sit back with a hot coffee and lose yourself in the beautiful district where nature and art intersect.

Explore the modern and traditional at the HKMoA and Opera Gallery

Established in 1962, the Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) is the first public art museum in the city. With over 18,800 curated pieces from all over the world, the HKMoA brings together traditional and contemporary pieces that highlight the unique culture and thriving arts scene of the city.

As seen in the film, the museum is also beautifully situated by the famous Victoria Harbour, and the ever-iconic Hong Kong skyline. This choice was intentional by the Toss Coin team, Alexa shares “Every place that we’ve been to has been really beautiful, so we want to showcase the beautiful places to the audience.”

After a day of touring the diverse exhibits at the museum, check out Hollywood Road at Central for more galleries like the Opera Gallery featured in the film. The Opera Gallery is home to works by emerging and internationally renowned artists and sculptors and is sure to be a treat for art lovers on their visit.

Spend a day at M+ and the West Kowloon Cultural District

M+ located in the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary visual culture in the world. A work of art in itself, the museum stands among other iconic landmarks overlooking Victoria Harbour, with an LED display integrated into the building’s facade to display works of art.

KD mentioned how M+ is his favorite out of all the filming locations visited, “Hong Kong is super fun, going around the different locations. I love M+. It’s so nice there. It’s a place full of inspiration, and it’s really encouraging for us.”

While the film features only a glimpse of the museum, it's important to note that M+ houses thousands of works on display – representing 777 artists from over 35 countries. A trip to M+ and the newly developed WKCD would require almost a whole day dedicated to exploring its various exhibits and attractions, so make sure to set aside some time on your next visit to fully immerse yourself in Hong Kong’s engaging culture.

Showcase your creativity with the local artisans at PMQ

PMQ, previously the Hollywood Road Police Married Quarters, is a revitalized historical site that houses a variety of design and creative enterprises right at the heart of Hong Kong. This unique space is a go-to for art aficionados and artists alike and also serves as a hub for design and creative innovation.

As shown in the film, PMQ is often the location for interactive events and installations, enjoyed by visitors of all ages. On top of these events, visitors can also sign up and attend workshops by local artisans, covering a range of mediums from crocheting to jewelry-making. A hand-made souvenir will definitely make your trip to Hong Kong a memorable one.

Shop till you drop around Causeway Bay

What initially looks like any other street crossing in this final Toss Coin scene is actually the ever-iconic Causeway Bay. A popular spot among locals and tourists, Causeway Bay is the place to check out if you’re looking to shop till you drop.

From street markets and food stalls on one end, to luxury boutiques and upscale restaurants on the other, this bustling neighborhood will get you energized and buzzing to explore all it has to offer.

Like KD and Alexa, fall in love with the vibrant and dynamic streets of Hong Kong through a tour of these iconic attractions. With Hong Kong’s Arts Month and Art Basel coming up, add these locations to your itinerary for your next visit and experience first-hand the charm and diverse wonders Hong Kong has to offer.

Go on your own journey around Hong Kong and see where destiny takes you. Get inspired by Toss Coin and rewatch the short film on Viu or on ABS-CBN Star Cinema’s official Youtube channel and get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film. You may also visit discoverhongkong.com for other itineraries and for the latest events and activities happening in Arts in Hong Kong 2024.

Philippine Trade and Investment Center brings Filipino food closer to HK with "Philippine Flavours" campaign launch

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Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC – Hong Kong) promotional  campaign entitled “PHILIPPINE FLAVOURS

The marketing collateral for the unveiling ceremony of PHILIPPINE FLAVOURS issued on 25 July 2021.

(HONG KONG SAR)--The Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC – Hong Kong) will conduct an unveiling ceremony for its new brand marketing campaign entitled, “PHILIPPINE FLAVOURS,” in the Hong Kong market together with the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong (PCGHK), the Philippine Trade and Investment Center – Beijing, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center – Shanghai, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center – Guangzhou, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, the Department of Trade and Industry – Export Marketing Bureau, the Department of Trade and Industry Baguio – Benguet, and the Office of Agriculture Counsellor of the Philippines in Beijing, on 5 August 2021 at 2:00PM.

The unveiling ceremony will be streamed live via zoom and via the Facebook account PTIC-Hong Kong. During the event, Consul General of the Philippines to Hong Kong Raly L. Tejada, will welcome and thank all the participants to the unveiling. The main launch will feature a Philippine local Chef – businessman and a Hong Konger Key Opinion Leader – chef using Filipino ingredients in cooking three (3) dishes which are popular in Hong Kong. After the video, a panel will discuss how the concept of Philippine Flavours came to be and its relevance to the Philippines and Hong Kong today. The Secretary of the DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez will further the importance of supporting Filipino products in his closing remarks.

The Philippines, being located close by Hong Kong, has been untapped by the Hong Kong market for the Philippines food, beverages, and ingredients. The presentation will highlight the different possibilities that Filipino products may take part of in the Hong Kong market. On the other hand, the Hong Kong market will be informed about the similarities of the Filipino and Hong Kong palates and flavours with respect to their own cuisines, so the Hong Kong market can make use of a lot of Filipino products in their daily needs.

We welcome everyone to register thru https://tinyurl.com/4rtb2upv to join the unveiling ceremony if you are interested.

For more information, please visit PTIC-HK’s microsite at www.dti.gov.ph/overseas/hongkong or send emails to hongkong@dti.gov.ph.

Ocean Park Hong Kong Animal Discovery Fest and Conservation Day invite family explorers to uncover amazing hidden animal secrets

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Ocean Park Hong Kong invites families to enjoy an exciting holiday filled with edu-tainment and activities which will test their knowledge of a wide array of land, air and sea animals at Ocean Park Animal Discovery Fest 2018 that launched on March 24 and will run up to May 6, 2018.

Jam-packed with brain-stimulating quizzes and experiential activities, the event looks to help family explorers decode myths like how to tell apart shark eggs, why birds build nests and the different types of nest they build, how sloths eat, how to rescue sea turtles, and more. For observant visitors who notice the colorful wristbands around the flippers of the Park’s penguins, not only can they crack the secret behind the color coding, they can also customize a wristband to take home!

Even more exciting, families can get up-close with the capybara, the world’s largest rodent and red-handed tamarins, a group of small monkeys from the Amazon Rainforest with contrasting reddish-orange hair on their feet and hands, for the first time in a limited-time “Get Closer to the Animals” program. Besides helping prepare snacks for them, guests will be able to feed and observe them at a close distance, and get first-hand information from their keepers about their lifestyles, diets, day-to-day care, and other inside stories.

Leo Kung, Chairman of Ocean Park, said, “Animal Discovery Fest makes for the perfect family outing this summer. It uses Ocean Park’s interactive natural environment and offers many creative ways to inspire children to learn, respect and appreciate mother nature. We’re happy to make use of this as a learning tool for many visitors to appreciate animal life in this day and age.”

“Whiskers Express & the Miraculous Journey” featuring songs by Mark Lui

In addition to checking out limited-time animal programs and workshops, families can go on an exciting adventure with the Park’s new characters – Whiskers & Friends. The Whiskers Theatre will transform into a train station for the “Whiskers Express & the Miraculous Journey”, in which Whiskers & Friends will take everyone on a thrilling adventure. With a captivating story line, dances, juggling acts, interactive games, special stage effects and music, including songs written by famous composer Mark Lui, children can learn about how everyone has a role to play in protecting the environment for both humans and animals. Mark Lui is also working with Ocean Park on a new edu-taining 3D animation series on Whiskers & Friends’ exciting adventures.

Another activity not to be missed during Animal Discovery Fest is the Sea Life Digi-paint Workshop at Whiskers Harbour, where children can turn their creative paper paintings into 3D images on a gigantic digital panel. They will then be challenged to remove plastics and other rubbish from their digital paintings of the sea to make them beautiful again.

Discover more at the Ocean Park Adventure Camp

For children who would like to build upon the Animal Discovery Fest experience and take their exploration of animals and nature to the next level, the Ocean Park Spring Adventure programs combine science experiments, animal observation, personal and collaborative challenges, as well as take investigative tasks to all corners of Ocean Park for participants to learn cool things about science while developing their communication, interpersonal, logical thinking, problem-solving and cooperation skills.

Jollibee's joy of #MaagaAngPasko overseas

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Jollibee shares the joy of Maaga angPasko overseas! On its 20th year, the Jollibee Maaga ang Pasko sought to spread holiday cheer to even more children not just in the Philippines but overseas as well.

Jollibeeu2019s annual toy and book drive made its way to Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, enabling schoolchildren to experience the joy of giving.

For the second year in a row, Jollibee stores in Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuwait once again opened their doors to accept donations and engage global Pinoys to send gifts for their youngkababayans.

Jollibee Vietnam did its own adaptation of the campaign (“Christmas is Coming”) to benefit local kids. The store teams in Vietnam led a tour in primary schools in Ho Chi Minh to gather toy and book donations. Making the first international caravan even brighter is a special appearance of everyone’s favorite friend, Jollibee. The fast-food chain’s growing network paved the way in bringing the campaign to foreign shores.

To date, Jollibee has 50 branches in Vietnam, three in Kuwait and one each in Hong Kong and in Singapore.

Filipino communities in Singapore readily opened their hearts to donate toys and books to the Maaga ang Pasko campaign.

Filipino communities overseas also shared their blessings by making online donations through the Jollibee Maaga ang Pasko microsite (www.jollibee.com.ph/MaagaAngPasko). 

With the help of partners Toy Kingdom, Goodwill Bookstore and Blink, they were able to donate book bundles and toy packs to the Philippines.

“Through the continuous help of various individuals and organizations, naging tunay na pinakamaaga, pinakamahaba at pinakamasaya ang Pasko. ( The recent Christmas truly became the earliest, longest and jolliest),” said Jollibee Vice President for Marketing Harvey Ong.

Since it was launched two decades ago, Maaga ang Pasko has brought early Christmas cheer to over 300,000 children nationwide, through the gift of over 1.5 million toys and books. Generous Filipinos also signed up as Jolly Family Toy Scouts, volunteering their time and energy to clean and prepare donations during the campaign’s clean-up phase.

‘Recipes That Rock’ premieres on April 28

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 Go on a gourmet escape with Alex and Matt around Western Australia’s Margaret River in

‘Recipes That Rock’

Take your taste buds on a rock-n-roll tour when RECIPES THAT ROCK premieres every Monday at 7:00 p.m. (1900 hrs) SIN/HK, starting April 28. Encores every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. (1000 hrs).

TLC SUMMER BRO-MANCE BLOOMS AS ‘BLUR’ BASSIST ALEX JAMES BONDS WITH TATTOOED AUSSIE CHEF MATT STONE OVER FOOD THAT ROCKS

45 year old Alex James made his name as a member of famous rock band, Blur, and is now an author, father and farmer who makes award-winning artisan cheeses. In RECIPES THAT ROCK, Alex goes on a crusade to find great music, unique characters and delectable cheeses. Alex has hosted the food and music festival ‘Jamie Oliver presents The Big Feastival with Alex James’ on his farm in September 2012.

26 year old Matt Stone started his career at Margaret River’s Leeuwin Estate and is currently the executive chef at Perth’s ‘Greenhouse’ restaurant. He rocks tattoos, an anti-establishment attitude and passion for sustainability, green issues, food and art installations. 

Matt has put ‘Greenhouse’ at the front of Perth’s dining culture in just their first year of trade and has been awarded numerous accolades. Matt took out Gourmet Traveller’s prestigious Best New Talent 2011, West Australia’s Good Food Guide’s Best Young Chef 2011 and Greenhouse won the Good Food Guide’s Best New Restaurant for 2011.

Rock star turned cheesemaker – check. Homegrown Aussie chef complete with tattoos – check. Open top car cruising around the Margaret River region – check. Alex James and Matt Stone heads west of Australia to take a journey of discovery around the Margaret River region in the six-part series, RECIPES THAT ROCK. Together, they will discover unique produce, meet the people behind them, soak in the stunning surf and scenery and draw inspiration from what they find for some uniquely Australian recipes.

With pristine beaches, lush vineyards and a mosaic of natural wonders, Margaret River is one of Australia’s most picturesque and charming regions perfect for taking a family vacation or romantic getaway. So why would two rock ‘n’ roll loving men want to visit Margaret River? One thing Alex James, former bassist of rock band Blur, and Matt Stone, one of Australia’s youngest, most notable chefs, have in common is their love of food and that’s exactly where Margaret River delivers. In each half hour episode of RECIPES THAT ROCK, the duo will take a look at the culinary delights and freshly picked produce across Margaret River – from Yallingup (aboriginal for ‘Place of Love’) to the beachside town of Prevelly – that make it Australia’s premium gourmet region.

Once a chilled out surfing town, Margaret River has long been a nirvana for wine fans. But more recently, artisan cheese, chocolate and olive oil producers have made it their home alongside outstanding microbreweries. Inspired by the high quality Asian dishes and Pacific Rim cuisine, Alex and Matt cook up feasts like sticky Vietnamese pork, Mexican spiced abalone with avocado and mango salad, barbecued marron with grilled asparagus and beach herbs, and delicious desserts like a liquid-centered chocolate cake and sheep milk ice-cream with fruits, pistachios and rose petal syrup.

From beachside barbecues to underground (literally!) didgeridoo concerts, Alex and Matt also explore the sights, sounds and smells of the region to gain an immersive experience. Not only do the boys cook up a storm in the kitchen, they’re game enough to get down and dirty hive-hunting for gooey golden honey, scouring the aqua-blue beaches to hand pick abalone and even play catch with some piglets stuck on an island off the mainland of a free-range pig farm.

The boys continue ticking off their food lover’s must-do list: hunting for black truffles, touring the local wineries, catching their own dinner and meeting with experts who share special tricks of the trade while rubbing shoulders with renowned chefs from around the globe – Alex Atala, Alvin Leung, Heston Blumenthal, Rene Redzepi and Tetsuya Wakuda to name a few – as the gourmet world descends on the region for Margaret River’s Gourmet Escape.

Experience the amazing produce, cook the recipes, hear the music and see the stunning surf and scenery that make Margaret River so incredibly unique in RECIPES THAT ROCK.