First impressions. Everyone has them.
In my teens, when I thought of Hong Kong, I didn’t picture burnt-red sampans or jungles of neon signs jutting from restaurants, bars, and massage parlors. No, when I thought of Hong Kong back then, I thought of Connaught Centre, also known as Jardine House.
At its inception in 1972, Connaught Centre was the first skyscraper in Hong Kong–and the tallest one in Asia. (Then in 1980 Hopewell Centre became the tallest building in Hong Kong).
I loved Connaught Centre for its circular windows, immortalized as Pierce Brosnan’s office in the 1988 mini-series, Noble House. While the novel by James Clavell took place in 1963, the television show was set in the 80s.
The thought of seeing 1963 Hong Kong on the small screen puts goosebumps on my arms. But if the mini-series had been set in the 60s, Pierce Brosnan wouldn’t have been able to pace his office with the round windows in the background.
Like most new buildings, especially those with novel design concepts (eg, round windows), controversy and criticism abound. Connaught Centre’s claim to fame is that it’s also nicknamed the House of a Thousand Arseholes, referring to both the window shape and the hoity-toity taipans who work there.
It was after hearing about my grandparents’ trips to Hong Kong (they saw Connaught Centre during construction and upon completion) and watching Noble House that I wanted to visit Hong Kong. I even imagined marrying a real taipan, someone as dashing and crafty as Pierce Brosnan’s character. Okay, so things worked out a bit differently.
At least I made it to Hong Kong.
i met clavell when i was about 10, he knew my dad and was staying at the peninsula court as a long term guest. didnt really know who he was then and the only thing i vividly recall about it all was his daughter, a few years older than me, dressed in mary quant’s latest fashions….she was also called vanessa 🙂
i have since read (and re-read in some cases)his asian sagas – compelling stuff
That’s so cool! Clavell was in the British military, too, but must have been older than your father. I love his books. He was probably in HK doing research for Tai Pan or Noble House or both!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kkfung20462046/3920085224/
the original welfare handicrafts shop in tst on salisbury (between the ymca and star house)
Thank you! The location has been bothering me for years. I pictured it on Nathan Road, just north of the Pen, but that never made sense. Do you know if the Salisbury Rd store is still open? If only they had an online store!!
my dad had a shop in there on the lower ground floor for a year before moving to stanley in 1977 – which sold antiques, paraphernalia or junk – depending on your definition of ‘old stuff’ 😉
there was also a great bistrot called ‘the galley’ down that lost arcade where fish and chips were to die for. A shop called ‘welfare handicrafts’ run by volunteer gweipos was a great place to buy aunties a nice little slice of hong kong to send them on their birthdays
I would have loved your father’s shop! In the 90s I used to hang around the antique shops on Hollywood Road, but those sold Mao kitsch. In the 90s, there was a restaurant on that lower level of Connaught Centre owned by Maxim’s restaurants. I think it was the Jade Garden. I always took out-of-towners there because it was in Connaught Centre and the food was pretty reliable. There was a welfare shop in TST in an old, red brick building on Nathan Road, I think. I used to buy gifts there for when I went back to the US for a visit. They sold these great note cards with colorful Chinese peasant paintings. I’ve been looking for one of those paintings, but no one knows where to buy those in HK now.