Our Town Now

Bionic dogs invade Sai Kung

^{Frankie in his doggie wheel chair}

Following on from our recent story on Narelle Pamuk and her trolley for Ah Bo, we see that the animal activist Carol Biddell has got Frankie, her dog, his own doggie wheel chair.

But that s not all – real bionic dogs are appearing on the streets. These motorised stuffed toys were seen outside a restaurant on the square a couple of days ago. This could be the start of something really serious, especially in a space constrained place like Hong Kong – and no poop on the streets any more. What’s not to like?

Feather and Bone, but no Vegemite

A BUZZ team member wandering by the new Feather and Bone shop was surprised to see cuts of meat in the window bathed in the afternoon sun. The snazzily decorated store on Man Yee Square faces west near the basketball court. She walked in and asked the counterman if it was a good idea to have the meats in the sun. He said, “It’s a dry aging case, helps the process. No problem.”

Dry aging is the process of breaking down the connective tissue in the meat, making it more tender. It only works with higher grades of meat, which have large, evenly distributed fat content. Dry aged meat is only found in upscale butcheries, restaurants and groceries.

The owner of Feather and Bone has invested a lot of money in eye-catching decor. Green butcher’s tiles cover the exterior. Inside big green and white tiles decorate the floor. There is a lot of wood paneling and shelving. Towards the back the ceiling has an ornate, metallic silver finish.

Cathy Chong took a first look at the new F&B delicatessen. “It’s a bit expensive for Sai Kung,” was the Sha Kok Mei resident’s reaction. “The same brand of marmalade in the supermarket is $10 cheaper. And chocolate milk for $128!” Cathy’s husband is Australian. “There’s no Vegemite. We were promised Vegemite!” (BUZZ’s earlier story.)

Feather and Bone will provide fierce competition for the butcheries and delicatessens in Sai Kung with its upmarket products and high-visibility location. It’s unfortunate that the Man Yee Square store is too small for restaurant space, unlike the attractive Wanchai one. F&B now has nine shops on the island and in the New Territories.

They’re feeding the staff something good at the Post Office

It’s a pleasure to visit the Sai Kung Post Office these days because of the laughing postman.

“You want to send a package to New Zealand! Ha ha ha ha. No airmail to New Zealand. He he he he.”

So how can I send it?

“Sea mail. Hah hah.”

How long does that take?

“About two months. Ha ha ha ha.”

OK, that could work well. The niece’s wedding is not for two months.

The Post Office must be feeding its staff something special. Our village postman runs everywhere, all day long. He never walks. In his green uniform he races around from his green car beyond the village gate. He’s as fit as a cheetah. If he joined the Hash House Harriers nobody would be able to catch up with him.

New Wellcome underwhelms

The Wellcome supermarket got ignominiously booted out of town two years ago by Uncle Bor. Tang Shing-bor, rated Hong Kong’s 40th richest resident by Forbes, bought the first-floor premises in Sai Kung Gardens where Fusion is now ensconced. The retail king had apparently promised the space to the ParknShop group, undoubtedly at a higher rent. For some time now PnS has had a monopoly on Sai Kung supermarkets, except for the Wellcome hidden away in Lakeside Garden.

Now Wellcome is back in the town centre at what used to be the Japan Homes site on Fuk Man Rd. Cathy was underwhelmed. “It’s so small. It’s like a 7-Eleven. They’ve got just two cans of baked beans, two cans of tuna, two cans of soup — that’s all they’ve got room for.” There are only two cashiers and three automatic checkout machines. Cathay is disparaging. “It should be twice as big. Now it’s just a convenience store. It’s got milk, it’s got bread, it’s got rice — everything is there. But there is no choice.”

Sacred Heart soldiers on spreading gospel

Sai Kung’s biggest church by attendance is the Sacred Heart in the Roman Catholic enclave overlooking the town. How has it been coping with the corona horror and government restrictions on gatherings? A devoted couple said it hosts services on Zoom — over 100 people at a time, they said — and engages with parishioners through Facebook and other social media. And you can still get holy communion. Just show up at the church on Sunday and you will be given the sacrament when your turn comes, likely from Father Raja.

One request to the Sacred Heart authorities. Fix the neon cross overlooking the town. The Christian symbol pinkly presiding over us from the hill has broken neon strips. Residents who value their Christian heritage would like to see the town’s main religious symbol looking pristine.