A Hearty Vegetarian Soup

A hearty bowl of cannellini and kale soup for lunch 

Earlier this week I made a simple soup for lunch, using a bunch of kale and an onion I received from Harvest Community Foods.

I chopped up the onion and stir-fried it before adding rinsed cannellini beans and chicken stock, let that simmer for a bit before adding the chopped kale.

For some umami flavour I put in parmesan rinds and that helped thicken the soup a bit too. You can also mash some of the beans, but after about 20 minutes the soup was thicker, as some of the beans had disintegrated. Took out the parmesan rinds, added some salt and pepper, and the soup was done.

It would have been good with some warm sourdough bread, but it was still delicious, and vegetarian!

Premier Eby Hires Comedian to Write Speeches

Eby now makes speeches on a lighter note with comedic touch

Political reporters covering British Columbia politics were surprised to learn Premier David Eby has hired a comedian to help him write his speeches.

While Eby is on the serious side, after all, he governs the province, does he need to show he's funny too?

Being a premier is no laughing matter!

Demers is a comedian and friend of Eby's

But earlier this week the Conservatives released a copy of comedian Charlie Demers' contract showing he is being paid $156 an hour. The Conservative finance critic immediately pounced on this, questioning the hiring of a comedian to be a speechwriter was a good use of taxpayer money since the province is already over $11 billion -- yes billion -- in debt.

When asked about hiring Demers (who is also a friend), Eby didn't think it was funny.

"Charlie is one of a group of speech writers," Eby said. "Today, for example, I'm delivering five speeches. I would love to be able to write my own speeches the way that I used to. But I do need support to be able to respond to each event that I go to. Speech writers are a necessary part of the job."

Sure, we get that, but a comedian?

However, this isn't Demers first time speech writing for a politician. He has written stuff previously for Energy Minster Adrian Dix and the late former Premier John Horgan. Demers has strong ties with the NDP.

Taxpayers are probably not amused a comedian is writing the premier's speeches...

Picture of the Day: Growing Giant Pumpkins

The status of the pumpkin this afternoon

A neighbour has become really good at growing really big pumpkins and he's hoping to do it again this year.

Last October his 1,161-pound squash called "Orangina" won the biggest pumpkin title at the BC Giant Pumpkin weigh-off at Krause Berry Farms in Langley.

The same one over two weeks ago

Over two weeks ago I went to check out his pumpkin patch and there were several contenders to choose from.

But this afternoon I made another visit and saw this giant white one, while the others weren't as big.

We'll be watching to see how big this one grows!

Tasting Chinese (and Hakka) Food Around the World

Kwan traveled the world seeking out Chinese restaurants 

This evening I went to a talk called "Food and the Chinese Diaspora" at the Vancouver Public Library, featuring two guests: Cheuk Kwan, who is a Hong Kong-born, Canadian filmmaker who in 2005 did a 15-part series, going around the world documenting Chinese restaurants, and Linda Lau Anusasananan, who wrote The Hakka Cookbook: Chinese Soul Food from Around the World.

Kwan and Anusasananan were moderated by author Kevin Chong, who wanted to keep the discussion more contemporary by mentioning Uncle Roger several times, which might have been a generation or culture gap for many in the audience!

What's interesting about Kwan is that he seems to have two separate lives: the documentarian and author of Have You Eaten Yet? And also a passionate political activist with the Toronto Association for Democracy in China.

Kwan, Anusananan and Chong in discussion

A summary of Kwan's documentary was shown, with scenes of him traveling to far-flung places like Peru, India, Madagascar, Israel, and Brazil, and meeting the Chinese people there, and seeing what they eat.

When Chong asked him which place impressed him the most, Kwan immediately said Madagascar. He discovered a lot of Malagasy-Chinese immigrated to Montreal, so there is a big community there, and in Madagascar, even an eighth-generation Chinese-Malagasy child could write better Chinese than him! 

In the video they proudly say that soupe Chinoise is the national dish. What is it? Wonton soup. "They have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, so it really is a national dish," explains Kwan.

Meanwhile Anusasananan explained what Hakka food is -- it has bolder, richer flavours than Cantonese cuisine, though they do borrow from each other, and uses a lot of preserved and pickled vegetables, and salted fish. Some well-known Hakka dishes are braised pork belly with preserved vegetables, stuffed tofu, and salt-baked chicken. 

She didn't know much about her Hakka heritage, and decided to learn more by going around the world and asking other Hakka how they cook their food, and compiled her cookbook.

When Anusasananan traveled to different places, they gave her different variations of dishes, or new ones, like one featuring tea leaves that are pounded with seeds and nuts and then mixed with water and poured over rice!

Anusananan talked about Hakka cuisine

In one of the final questions, Chong asked both what their final meal would be, and Kwan immediately replied he had been asked this many times. The answer? Steamed grouper with ginger and scallions. Anusausanan agreed.

An audience member asked Chong what his meal would be and he said his mom's oxtail soup. Anusananan agreed too which was funny.

There was discussion about how to elevate Chinese food from being one served in white boxes and for cheap, and how younger chefs did more "fusion", and was there concern that they were moving away from tradition. There were mentions of people I had interviewed, like Craig Wong of Patois who does Chinese-Jamaican cuisine, and Brandon Jew of Mister Jiu's in San Francisco, how they have elevated the cuisine.

But back at the beginning of the discussion, Kwan talked about authenticity. He said authentic was whatever your mother or grandmother made for you to eat. That to you is the original flavour. How to replicate it? Anusananan suggested making videos of your mother or father cooking and tasting them at each step so that you would have a better chance of replicating it. Good pro-tip!

Fresh Vegetables Inspire Good Eating

Fresh mixed greens with cucumber slices and cherry tomatoes

Yesterday I went to Harvest Community Foods on Union Street, at the edge of Vancouver's Chinatown. It's an inviting small grocery store that has fresh vegetables and fruits. At the entrance there were large yellow-orangey globes of peaches, verdant green English cucumbers, giant russet-coloured tomatoes, pears that had yet to ripen, and bright red cherry tomatoes.

The shop sells CSA produce, or Community Supported Agriculture, where they connect with local farmers, get their produce, and Harvest bundles them up in paper shopping bags to sell. It's a farmer's market mixed bag of veggies that changes weekly depending on what's harvested.

French fingerling potatoes from an organic farm

The owners, chef Andrea Carlson and Gabrielle Meyer, had just signed a lease on a space a few doors down just weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020. They had just started doing the CSA bags with about 40 subscribers. When everything shut down and people were worried about going to supermarkets, they began inquiring about Harvest's CSA bags and instead of 40 subscribers, they got 400.

While it was a lot of hard work for Harvest's team in sorting out the vegetables evenly into bags, it was a lifeline for local farmers who didn't know how else to get their produce to customers.

I was given a bag of CSA produce to take home too and today I started eating some of it.

For lunch I made a spring salad and cut up some of the English cucumber and the ripe cherry tomatoes. The tomatoes were so good, almost as juicy sweet as the ones in Tuscany! 

The roasted potato slices with salt and pepper

Then for dinner I took the French fingerling potatoes, sliced them, marinated them in oil, salt and pepper and then roasted them for 20 minutes. They tasted so fresh, and complemented roasted chicken drumsticks.

I also took the bunch of spinach and stir-fried them Chinese-style with shallots, garlic and ginger. The spinach was delicious mixed with leftover shrimp and tofu with vermicelli.

There's still a bunch of kale, the exotic-sounding Dragon Tongue beans, a red pepper, onion and corn left!

Congee Not Just a Chinese Rice Porridge

Pine mushroom congee at Burdock & Co

What dish is a hug in a bowl? 

For me it's congee, rice porridge that takes hours to make and must be made with care by stirring it constantly otherwise it burns at the bottom of the pot.

When it's been simmering for a long time, the rice has broken down and the soupy mixture is thick and almost creamy in texture.

Arroz caldoso at Ando in HK with prawns

Bland homemade congee with a bit of salt is a good remedy for upset stomach, or dress it up with pickled cucumbers, pork floss, or chopped bits of pork, chicken or beef. 

While one might assume only the Cantonese make good congee, it's not true! Non-Chinese chefs make some tasty gourmet versions.

In Hong Kong, the Argentinian chef Agustin Balbi of the Michelin-starred Ando has a dish on his set menu called arroz caldoso, or rice. The traditional Spanish dish reminds him of his grandmother, a soupy rice that has flavours that are beautifully melded together.

And in Vancouver, chef Andrea Carlson of Michelin-starred Burdock & Co. has her own version of congee. We had some today at Harvest Community Foods, her small grocery store that serves a limited menu on the edge of Chinatown. Carlson's version is flavoured with a stock made from dashi that is incorporated with rice, and flavoured with chicken, ginger, thinly sliced scallop and spot prawns. 

Today's congee with chicken, scallop, spot prawn

The savoury combination was so delicious that we couldn't stop eating it, and it was perfect for today's showery weather that led to slightly cooler temperatures. 

The first time I had congee at Burdock & Co. was three years ago, flavoured with pine mushrooms, some cooked and some thinly shaved raw. So memorable!

Picture of the Day: Longevity Buns

Giant longevity peach buns from Kai Wai Dim Sum

The other day we were invited to visit the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden in Vancouver's Chinatown, in a run-up to the garden's 40th anniversary next year. 

After we toured the garden -- which still looks fantastic and well kept after all this time -- we were given a snack -- longevity buns called sau bao, or 寿桃.

They are peach-shaped buns that are steamed and pillowy soft. Inside the filling is usually lotus seed, but in this case ours was red bean. But what was impressive was the size -- as big as the palm of my hand, and they were artfully decorated with leaves!

The story behind these buns is that they look like the longevity peach. In Chinese mythology, those who ate this fruit would have immortality.

Peaches symbolise long life in Chinese art, along with the deer and heron.

The longevity peach is also in the Journey to the West novel, where Sun Wukong or Monkey King consumes a lot of this sweet, juicy fruit!

So while it wasn't anyone's birthday that day, the garden staff wished us long life with these giant buns!

Post 9/11 The Highs and Lows of Giuliani

Giuliani's book back in 2002

One of the heroes following September 11, 2001 was then New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who gave a lot of media briefings, coordinated emergency response and comforted residents in shock, sadness, and anger. 

He quickly became known as "America's Mayor", and was named Time magazine's Person of the Year and his approval ratings shot up for his resoluteness.

"America's Mayor" comforted NY residents

"Tomorrow New York is going to be here. And we're going to rebuild, and we're going to be stronger than we were before... I want the people of New York to be an example to the rest of the country, and the rest of the world, that terrorism can't stop us," he said.

Giuliani struck while the iron was hot and penned Leadership that came out in October 2002, where he talked about his "broken windows" theory, detailed his memories of 9/11, what he did during that horrific period, and how he helped revitalise New York City's economy following the attacks. 

When the book came out, I was in Toronto at the time and even went to Indigo where Giuliani visited and had my copy of the book signed by him, who by then had left the mayoral office and set up his own consultancy.

Five years later in 2007 his book was reissued during his presidential campaign the following year, and added his perspectives on various issues the country was facing.

He became Trump's personal lawyer

But since then Giuliani has spectacularly fallen from such high respect to scraping the bottom of the barrel.

During his presidential campaign it came out he was having an extramarital affair, Giuliani's police commissioner was indicted for tax fraud, and eventually he had to drop out of the race having run out of money and scandals followed him.

He laid low for several years until Giuliani resurfaced clinging to Donald Trump's coat tails as he ran for the White House in 2016. He stumped for Trump and became his advisor and later personal lawyer. 

Perhaps most memorable was following Trump's loss in the 2020 election that he wrongfully claimed was stolen, Giuliani held a press conference not at the Four Seasons hotel, but at Four Seasons Total Landscaping that was mocked by the media and late night comedians for days afterwards.

Hair dye was not a good look for Giuliani

There was also another press conference in 202 where Giuliani's hair seemed to melt -- as hair dye dripped down his cheek. 

Then Giuliani was sued by two election workers, a mother and daughter in Georgia for defamation and he lost big time. The judge was so fed up with the former mayor, he ordered him to pay US$148 million in damages. Giuliani was forced to turnover his US$6 million apartment, US$3.5 million residence in Palm Beach, Florida, jewellery and a Mercedes-Benz.

So circling back to his book Leadership -- it's still available on Amazon for US$19, hardcover, US$12 for paperback.

But mine is a signed vintage copy! Any takers?

24 Years Later, Remembering 9/11

The remaining steel parts of the WTC

I remember September 11, 2001.

I was in Toronto at the time, taking a course in Corporate Communications at a local college.

Our class assignment that morning was to look up some information online and we kept getting news reports of a small plane that had crashed into the World Trade Tower.

The 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York

So our instructor turned on the television and we were in shock seeing not a small plane, but a passenger plane crashed into the tower, smoke billowing from there. 

How could that have happened?

Then another plane was crashed into the other World Trade Tower. We were horrified and terrified.

I called my parents and told them to turn on the television. It was so surreal I could not explain it over the phone.

Then seeing the towers collapse... that was absolutely terrifying.

We were allowed to go home, too dazed to do anything. I went home and was glued to CNN for the rest of the day.

That night I remember being really really scared that maybe something would happen to us.

One of the two reflecting pools at the WTC site

In 2015 I visited the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York and it was so sad and depressing going through and seeing all the items that were collected, from the twisted metal from the World Trade Center, to the photographs of all the victims. It was heartbreaking listening to a retired fire chief recall what happened that day.

Today, 24 years after 9/11, the world has changed so much for the worse.

When we were younger, we always had the belief that the future was bright, it was going to be better, we would achieve peace thanks to greater understanding, acceptance of diversity and cooperation.

Instead it was gone the opposite direction.

We need greater compassion, understanding, and love for each other, not polarisation, fighting and ego. 

Hope is not enough.

Learning to Make Incense Stencils

A stencil with sandalwood powder and tools

The Dr Sun Yat-Sen Garden in Vancouver's Chinatown offers many different activities, like musical performances, tea ceremonies, and incense stencilling. 

I had never done incense stencilling before and had an opportunity to learn about it today.

Stencil filled with sandalwood powder

The instructor didn't quite explain it properly, but apparently when you're focused on making the incense stencil, it can help you relax and feel like the activity is like a kind of meditation.

You're supposed to make the incense stencil in a bed of pressed white ash, but at the Dr Sun Yat-Sen Garden, we made the incense stencil on a piece of paper.

We had to hold our stencil in place with one hand, and with the other hand, use a tiny scoop to scoop sandalwood powder into the stencil. But, our instructor warned, you had to focus and not spill the powder outside the stencil and not too much inside the stencil either.

Then we took a mini scraping tool to move the sandalwood powder to the empty spaces in the stencil. Any extra powder should be scooped up with the mini spoon. I spilled some powder outside the stencil... 

Once we had filled in the stencil and scooped out the extra powder, we used the top end of one of the tools to tap twice in four different areas of the stencil.

The completed incense stencil

Finally, we were instructed to lift up the stencil and create a three-dimensional design in sandalwood that, if it was made on a bed of ash, could be lit as incense.

I didn't know about these stencils at all and that the incense can be lit in this way, but the ritual of making it is very interesting! The activity is similar to colouring books or knitting in that it helps clear your mind, or at least focus on the task at hand.

Man Arrested for Driving Pink Jeep and Allegedly Impaired

Lincoln was stopped by an officer for driving a toy jeep

Prince George residents who were in this morning's rush-hour traffic were shocked to see a man arrested for allegedly driving a pink Barbie jeep on the street.

The police were not amused, as they were busy that day with an ambulance involved in a hit-and-run, and a prominent downtown business destroyed by fire.

An officer stopped the vehicle and found Kasper Lincoln had a suspended license and was likely impaired.

Lincoln was seen driving the toy car on the road

He was arrested for prohibited driving and given breathalyzer tests, producing two samples that police say showed he was over the legal limit.

Lincoln was issued a 90-day driving suspension and must appear in court in December.

Earlier witnesses saw Lincoln wearing aviator glasses as he drove the toy vehicle on a main thoroughfare in Prince George. Some reported him to the police, others were surprised he was arrested for driving way below the speed limit.

In an interview with CBC News, Lincoln said he was getting a slurpee with a friend, but "got lazy", and decided to borrow his roommate's child's toy car to get there, with his friend walking beside him.

"I never drove it before," he said while laughing.

However, the police didn't think it was funny and what Lincoln did was illegal.

He was arrested and allegedly impaired

He was driving an unlicensed motor vehicle -- and a toy one should not be on the road.

According to Mattel which produced the toy car, it can go as fast as 8km/hr and has power brakes.

In the meantime, Lincoln plans to fight the ticket, adding he has been arrested by the police several times before, but "this is the most hilarious one."

Only in Prince George?

Review: The Sirens' Call

Hayes says attention has become a scarce commodity

On CBC Radio's The Current, I heard an interview with Chris Hayes, the author of The Sirens' Call: How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource. He is an American commentator, news anchor, and hosts a weekly podcast on MSNBC.

He gives the perspective of someone who works in the media of how it's so crucial to have the attention of the audience all the time, and how reporters and editors try to sustain that attention through breaking news, a ticker tape running at the bottom of the screen, or the stories they choose to cover.

While a few decades ago TV viewers were pretty much rapt with attention, these days people -- like himself -- are watching television but also scrolling on their phone and watching a video on their laptops.

How did we get this way?

Hayes is a commentator and podcaster

This is what Hayes tries to explain in his book, and believes attention is fast becoming a scarce commodity thanks to technology. Because of smartphones, the internet and social media, our attention spans have become shorter and shorter; conversely there is so much information out there thanks to the internet, we are overwhelmed and can't learn or absorb as much, or there is so much choice, we don't know where to begin and flail. 

He points out the biggest companies in the world are tech firms: Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet (Google's parent company), Meta and Amazon. They are all making money from us -- from monopolising our attention. But it started further back with slot machines, and then video games and now the limitless scroll on our phones.

Meanwhile the media try to grab attention with horrific news like plane crashes, or wars, and if that's not happening then salacious content called clickbait. Yes the media is guilty of trying to get our undivided attention too.

Not only are companies vying for our attention, but we ourselves want attention too, called social attention. Hayes says humans need to interact with each other and explains that prisoners in solitary confinement can't stand being alone

However the other extreme is social media like Facebook is selling users' attention to advertisers. Instead of seeing posts of what their friends are doing, they see a lot of advertisements, and that is a waste of time and energy. But that's how social media monetises our attention and makes a lot of money from it.

The same goes with Google. It became really good at finding information we needed, but now when you search for something, the top four entries are advertisements that are somewhat related to what you were looking for. Hayes cites in 2004, 99 percent of Google's US$3.2 billion in revenue came from advertising.

Then there are people who crave or demand attention and here Hayes apologises in advance for discussing Donald Trump (the book was written before he was elected a second time), and Elon Musk.

Hayes says back in 1858 there was a political debate on slavery by Democratic senator Stephen A Douglas and Republican Abraham Lincoln. They debated seven times in seven towns. The format? The first speaker talked for an hour, then the second one rebutted for 90 minutes and finally the first speaker gave a 30-minute rebuttal.

How did people in the 19th century have the attention to listen to a three-hour debate? Today the presidential TV debate is less than an hour. Hayes adds Trump either avoids debates and when he does, he shows no debating skills and can't even string a proper sentence together. 

Finally towards the end of The Sirens' Call, Hayes explains three negative things that are happening today: trolling, where people behind screens can provoke online; whataboutism, where those being attacked deflect criticism and turn the tables; and conspiracism, which is total disinformation, but appeals to many because they neatly explain things (incorrectly). 

So what can we do to retain our attention? Hayes harks back to the time when we made trips to the video store to rent a movie, we made a commitment to focus on the task at hand. And he gives the example of how vinyl records have made a big comeback, as not only is the sound quality better, but also makes the choice of music for us. 

Other examples are print newspapers, where editors have carefully curated the news according to its importance in terms of length and pictures, and group chats which have zero advertising and people can keep up with others in real time.

Will people actually follow through with his suggestions? Not really. His book has a lot of examples and points, but are already preaching to the choir who are looking for more concrete ways to safeguard and focus our attention. Maybe that's his next book?

Trump Distracts from US Open Final

Alcaraz (right) beat Sinner to win the US Open this afternoon

The men's singles final at the US Open started 45 minutes late this afternoon because American President Donald Trump attended the match so all the spectators had to go through intense security checks.

At first it was delayed 30 minutes, and then another 15, and then the show had to start despite hundreds of people still waiting to get into Arthur Ashe Stadium. 

One man from Brooklyn who works for a private equity firm waited over an hour and 15 minutes and still had not reached the entrance, and blamed Trump for the delay.

Trump was sitting in the suite sponsored by Rolex

"One hundred percent him. Very selfish. I would expect someone like that to have a little bit more grace to know that an event like this would be held up for him being here, especially in a city that hates him," he said.

When Trump was shown on the big screens, there was a lot of boos and some cheers. He sat inside a suite along the sidelines of centre court, opposite the umpire's chair. 

The last time he attended the US Open was in 2015 and the booing was so loud that multiple media outlets wrote about the crowd's reaction. 

So there was an uproar yesterday when the United States Tennis Association in a memo asked broadcasters of the US Open to censor any protests or reaction to Trump's appearance.

"We ask all broadcasters to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President's attendance in any capacity," the USTA said in the memo. It said Trump planned to watch the match from a suite as a guest of sponsor Rolex, prompting additional security for the event.

Despite the boos, Trump took some photo ops

"We regularly ask our broadcasters to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions," USTA spokesman Brendan McIntyre said.

But many people were not pleased that this directive came down. Why was the USTA censoring people's reactions to Trump being in the stadium? 

As The Guardian's Bryan Armen Graham pointed out, world leaders have had negative reactions towards them at sporting events: 

"Crowd dissent on broadcasts is not a breakdown on civic order. It is its expression. Then UK home secretary Theresa May was booed at the 2012 London Paralympics. French president Emmanuel Macron was whistled during the 2023 Rugby World Cup opening ceremony in Paris. In the US, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is all but guaranteed a chorus of boos during public appearances, and that's practically a standing ovation next to the venom reserved for NHL commissioner Gary Bettman from fans. And Trump and his predecessor, Joe Biden, have been given hostile receptions by sports crowds. Somehow the United Kingdom, France and the United States survived those incidents intact," he wrote.

"That the USTA thinks Trump must be insulated from reality hints at something darker. It is reminiscent of regimes where the leader's image must be protected from public ridicule. It shows how much Trump's first term -- and his bullying of cultural institutions -- still shapes behaviour. In his first presidency, he was broadly reviled by athletes and sports bodies. Now, as Tom Dart wrote before this year's Super Bowl, he is increasingly accommodated or treated with silence."

A glum-looking Trump at the end of the match

Indeed. For the most part, Trump wants to be there for the attention. So let him have it. 

But really the attention should be focused on the two players, Italian Jannik Sinner and Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz -- the latter prevailed in the end in an exhilarating match.

And when it was over, there was a quick camera glance at Trump. While everyone else was energised and clapping, he looked glum.

Osaka Sparkled with Glittering Labubus

Osaka shows off Arthur Flashe at the US Open

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka made great strides in this year's US Open, reaching the semi finals, but was defeated by Amanda Anisimova 6-7, 7-6, 6-3.

Not only did Osaka garner attention for her bling outfits that she had a hand in designing, but also carrying her glittering Labubu-esque dolls, a different one each day clipped to her bag that she brought court side.

Each match she carried a different Labubu

Perhaps what was more upsetting for her than losing in the semi finals was not being able to show off one more Labubu.

"Oh, don't make me cry, man. Oh, my God, the most devastating question," she said with a smile when asked about the Labubu that never was.

"I wanted to make one of myself in last year's outfit, and it was the green one. I would have had the bow, and I'm sick about it," she revealed amidst laughter. "Oh, my God, that's, like, the worst thing. Honestly, I'm fine losing, but don't ask me about this Labubu, man. Yeah, it would have been me."

Osaka worked with artist Kerin Rose Gold to create the tennis-themed five-inch Labubu figurines each carrying a tennis racquet.

There was Billie Jean King as Billie Jean Bling and LaBillieBoo (complete with oversized red eyeglasses), Althea Glitterson (Althea Gibson, one of the first Black tennis players), Andre Swagassi, a play on Andre Agassi with a headband, and Arthur Flashe, an homage to Arthur Ashe.

Gold with King and Labubu

Billie Jean Bling and Arthur Flashe even have their own Instagram accounts.

During the US Open it took Gold nine to 12 hours to complete one Labubu from scratch, including five hours to 3D print it and then another few hours to glue all the crystals on.

Gold also helped create the sparkling roses in Osaka's hair for her appearances.

If Labubu fans want one, they can order a "Lablingbling from Gold's A-Morir website with prices ranging from US$351 for a mini-sized one, up to US$737 for Labillieboo and Andre Swagassi...

Auger-Aliassime Puts up Tough Fight Against Sinner in US Open

Sinner (left) beat Auger-Aliassime to meet Alcaraz in final

In the end Italian Jannik Sinner prevailed, but Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime put up a damn good fight in Arthur Ashe Stadium at the US Open that lasted three hours and 21 minutes. The final score was 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 and the crowd was cheering on Auger-Aliassime when he came back from the devastating first set to climb back, win a set and then hang on as much as he could literally to the end.

The fourth set was going the Canadian's way, 2-1 at first, but then several double faults and enforced errors led to Sinner leading 4-2. Auger-Aliassime dug deep and managed to get one more point before the Italian completed the set 6-4.

He fought for as many points as he could

Auger-Aliassime, ranked No. 25 has played Sinner several times before, and one has to imagine how intimidating it could be playing against the world's No. 1 seed. But the Montrealer managed to keep up and had a few zinger shots that excited the crowd and one could see the delight on his face and a few fist pumps to keep him going.

"I just want to take a moment to soak in the tournament and everything that was good," Auger-Aliassime told the media after the game.

"You obviously build your future with what's good in you, and then you try to improve a little bit, step by step. So I'm just trying to take that all in.

"We were fighting out there. We had some good points. I was going toe to toe at times, some sets dominating. Of course, I feel competitive, but the future will tell how close I am [to Sinner's level]."

After the second set that Auger-Aliassime won, Sinner left the court for medical attention and it turns out later he had abdominal issues. But Sinner managed to keep going, but had to fight for points and Auger-Aliassime faltered a few times with double faults and some enforced errors.

Dabrowski (left) and Routliffe won doubles

Sinner now faces Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday in the final.

Nevertheless it was a fantastic match for the Canadian and we're so proud of how far he's gone at the US Open. What a way to close out the season!

Canadians didn't lose out completely -- Ottawa native Gabriela Dabrowski and her partner Erin Routliffe won the women's doubles today, the second time in three years. 

They defeated American Taylor Townsend and Czechia's Katerina Siniakova 6-4, 6-4.

Remembering Fashion Designer Giorgio Armani

Armani has had a presence in Hong Kong for decades

I woke up to the news this morning that Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani had passed away at the age of 91 in Milan.

When I was a teenager, I would flip through Hong Kong weekly magazines that were celebrity focussed, and had lots of advertisements and the ones that captivated me the most were those of Armani. The suits weren't boxy, but sleek, feminine, stylish and confident.

Armani Aqua restaurant in Chater House

These suits and also dresses were classic yet modern, and looked comfortable, effortless, yet elegant.

In Hong Kong his clothes were first carried by Joyce boutique and later Armani opened his own shops. He was very ambitious in 2011 when his brand took over Chater House in Central and opened the restaurant Armani Aqua and Armani Prive Bar, boutiques Emporio Armani, Giorgio Armani, and a flower shop called Armani/Fiori. The facade was covered in bamboo that lit up at night.

It seemed like the Armani-focused complex was more of a massive marketing exercise than a successful business venture; at the end of 2023, Armani's lease of Chater House ended and auction house Sotheby's took over the space.

Nevertheless Armani was not deterred. Last October he crossed Victoria Harbour and setup in Tsim Sha Tsui's Canton Road with a 9,000 sq ft store spread across two floors. There's ready-to-wear clothes, shoes, accessories, high jewellery and evening wear for women. For men there's a made-to-measure service for tailored suits.

The Chater House space had bamboo motifs

And for those who want a taste of Armani, last month the designer opened Armani/Caffe in Pacific Place serving dishes like saffron risotto, spaghetti al pomodoro, and veal Milanese.

His brand will definitely live on in Hong Kong.

Auger-Aliassime Advances to US Open Semis

Auger-Aliassime is playing really well at the 20205 US Open

Team Canada is still red hot with Felix Auger-Aliassime advancing to the semi-finals after an epic four-hour match defeating No. 8 Alex de Minaur 4-6, 7-6, 7-5, 7-6.

"Four years is a long time, even if in the span of a lifetime it's also not that long. But 2021 does feel like a long time ago. I feel like I'm a different person," Auger-Aliassime said. "With the opportunity I had to start on the pro tour so young, it allows me now, with a second wind, another opportunity to find myself in the semis of a Slam. And I'm still only 25."

De Minaur fought hard in the over 4-hour match

Pulling off this upset is one of the most important victories in his career and it comes four years after he reached the US Open finals the first time in 2021.

Now Auger-Aliassime is older and wiser, though in the last few years he struggled with injuries and confidence issues. 

During the match he remembered the words of advice Rafael Nadal told him.

"I once asked him what the difference was between his career and that of other really good players who didn't have the same career," Auger-Aliassime said. 

"He said it was the ability to win matches when he wasn't playing his best, because it gave him the opportunity to play better in the next round and to stay alive in the tournament. What you don't say is, 'Today is not my day. It'll go better next time.'

Auger-Aliassime kept Nadal's advice in mind

"I have tried over the years to get better with that, and to doubt myself less when things aren't going great."

He definitely put that counsel to practice today amid the excitement of being in the quarterfinals.

"Just a lot of nerves today through the whole match," Auger-Aliassime said after the match. "It wasn't pretty at all times but that's what grand slam matches are. Sometimes, some days you won't feel your best but I was willing to dig really deep and do everything I can to stay here, right now."

Indeed!

He will play against No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner in the semis, while Carlos Alcaraz faces Novak Djokovic.

Wild Card Run Ends for Williams and Fernandez

Williams and Fernandez after losing their match today

The US Open run for Montreal's Leylah Fernandez and American tennis champion Venus Williams is sadly over, after they were soundly defeated by top seeded American Taylor Townsend and her Czech Republic partner Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 6-2 in a 57-minute match in the quarterfinals.

Nevertheless, it was still a win for both Fernandez and Williams, who have a mutual admiration for each other.

"I was so inspired by Leylah," Williams said. "I really got so much confidence playing with her, having an opportunity to play more matches in the doubles, and it was just an amazing experience to be able to do that."

The wild card pair enjoyed their time on the court 

For Fernandez, it was a thrill to play with her tennis idol, and a reminder of why she pursued the sport.

"The most important thing is that I started playing tennis for the love of the game and for bringing joy on court, not only for myself but also for the fans."

But wait -- the run for Canadian women in doubles is not over yet.

Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa and New Zealander Erin Routliffe are getting closer to possibly clinching a second US Open women's doubles title.

The third seeds had a shaky start but eventually defeated 11th-seeded Timea Babos of Hungary and Brazil's Luisa Stefani 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.

Red Hot Canadian Tennis Talent

Fernandez (left) and Williams (right) are playing well together

Team Canada is flaming hot this year at the US Open. 

Montrealer Leylah Fernandez's profile has bumped up exponentially since she had Venus Williams as her doubles partner and the pair -- who only started playing together last week -- are now in the quarter-finals.

The wildcard pair have made the quarter finals

They were a wild card entry, with Fernandez at 22-years-old, and Williams at 45.

Today they defeated 12th-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova and Zhang Shuai 6-3, 6-4 handily in one hour and 14 minutes.

"We're on the same wavelength and hopefully we can keep it going," said Williams.

"I have full confidence in Venus, and I hope she has full confidence in me during our match," Fernandez said. "We're just going out there, playing our game: Be offensive, aggressive and ready for the ball."

The pair are even getting coaching tips from Serena Williams, and sister Venus suggested on a live interview that it was time for Serena "to show up."

Auger-Aliassime beat Rublev to get into quarters

Then on the Canadian men's side, fellow Montrealer Felix Auger-Aliassime beat Andrey Rublev 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. On Saturday Rublev abruptly ended Hongkonger Coleman Wong Chak-lam's fairytale run at the US Open.

"[Monday] is my first time playing on Arthur Ashe in a few years, and I think it feels even better than the first time," said Auger-Aliassime, referring to the 2021 US Open semis. 

"At 21, I was on my way up. I had a few setbacks, injuries, struggles with confidence. Then to come back the second time in the quarterfinals here, it feels much better, more deserved."

It's been exciting watching Fernandez and Auger-Aliassime play awesome tennis and get the recognition they deserve. The future is bright for tennis in Canada!