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Discoveries at Hemingway's by the Bay
Hello, Friends!
Sometimes, because of the manic pace with which we conduct our lives, we tend to take for granted those around us-- our colleagues. Often, personalities become entangled in the politics of the workplace. Many of us get obsessed with getting the most out of the smallest possible effort-- quicker promotions, bigger paychecks, preferential days off and holidays, etc. Even the simple status of being employed can be a cause for competition among people who would otherwise be friends. It pits us against each other, specially in the fickle world of entertainment.
When you are on an overseas contract (like myself), however, the first friends you make are your colleagues. And with the fleeting nature of entertainment contracts, staying friends with them is practically a matter of survival. Since we, ourselves, are transient, we ache to ground ourselves in something familiar amidst the unfamiliar. That's why we are always trying to find something we like to do in common-- watch movies, get a tan, go shopping, work out...
Or drink.
Margarita Madness: Melody Davi, Sarah Alexander, Jade McFadden, Anthony Pura and myself. Photo taken by Trish Canilao
***
The photo above was taken at Hemingway's by the Bay at the Water Margin in Discovery Bay.
We ordered three rounds straight away to take advantage of Happy Hour prices.
The menu boasted of fresh-from-the-grill meat and seafood prepared Caribbean-style, as well as the largest collection (!!!) of rums in Asia.
We didn't get to start on our meal all at the same time because some orders took longer to be brought to our table. Same with the drinks. The wait staff, although friendly, was obviously stretched thin. We had trouble getting any service. There was only one barman servicing the entire restaurant, all tables of which were occupied.
(Since Hemingway's was packed, I could only deduce that there is great demand for alfresco dining in polluted Hong Kong. And Discovery Bay, being a community that prohibits most motor vehicles from plying its narrow, inclined streets, is the perfect setting for the waterfront gastronomic complex that is Water Margin. )
To be fair, I couldn't complain about the quality of the drinks or the freshness of the food. But if I get cranky waiting for my food and drink to arrive, it affects my total dining experience. Fortunately, my 8oz beef burger was REALLY tender and flavourful; it made me forget all about the delay in food delivery. Trish's salmon was a picture of pink perfection. Anthony was licking his fingers clean of the mouthwatering sauce that coated his grilled tiger prawns.
Plus, of course, watching the fireworks across the bay and the glittering reflections of skyscrapers on the water has a calming effect that made our demand for instant gratification melt away.
It's okay to wait.
***
We talked about lives and loves-- our histories.
We talked about sex-- the ladies had plenty to say about hair down there.
We talked about workplace irritants-- overweight dancing partners, a hippie attitude towards personal hygiene, lazy colleagues.
We ended up talking, getting angry, laughing until midnight. We left with reluctance, knowing we were having such a great time, but also realizing that we needed to be in the last buses or trains to home.
***
Friendships created in these circumstances can be tenuous. Because after six months, one year, three years, we will all part ways. Such is the nature of entertainment contracts. We are gypsies who go where the music beats loudest for us. And when we say goodbye, we do so with promises of "I'll keep in touch through e-mail," "I'll visit you soon," or "I'll host you when you come to my city." We need to believe that we are creating meaningful ties-- that fraternity can be fostered within such limited time and space-- because only then do isolated pockets of experience seem to come together to create a grounded existence.
Why allow life to be a pain when it can be enjoyable?
Here's to good friendship! Cheers!
With Affection,
Astron
Sometimes, because of the manic pace with which we conduct our lives, we tend to take for granted those around us-- our colleagues. Often, personalities become entangled in the politics of the workplace. Many of us get obsessed with getting the most out of the smallest possible effort-- quicker promotions, bigger paychecks, preferential days off and holidays, etc. Even the simple status of being employed can be a cause for competition among people who would otherwise be friends. It pits us against each other, specially in the fickle world of entertainment.
When you are on an overseas contract (like myself), however, the first friends you make are your colleagues. And with the fleeting nature of entertainment contracts, staying friends with them is practically a matter of survival. Since we, ourselves, are transient, we ache to ground ourselves in something familiar amidst the unfamiliar. That's why we are always trying to find something we like to do in common-- watch movies, get a tan, go shopping, work out...
Or drink.
Margarita Madness: Melody Davi, Sarah Alexander, Jade McFadden, Anthony Pura and myself. Photo taken by Trish Canilao
***
The photo above was taken at Hemingway's by the Bay at the Water Margin in Discovery Bay.
We ordered three rounds straight away to take advantage of Happy Hour prices.
The menu boasted of fresh-from-the-grill meat and seafood prepared Caribbean-style, as well as the largest collection (!!!) of rums in Asia.
We didn't get to start on our meal all at the same time because some orders took longer to be brought to our table. Same with the drinks. The wait staff, although friendly, was obviously stretched thin. We had trouble getting any service. There was only one barman servicing the entire restaurant, all tables of which were occupied.
(Since Hemingway's was packed, I could only deduce that there is great demand for alfresco dining in polluted Hong Kong. And Discovery Bay, being a community that prohibits most motor vehicles from plying its narrow, inclined streets, is the perfect setting for the waterfront gastronomic complex that is Water Margin. )
To be fair, I couldn't complain about the quality of the drinks or the freshness of the food. But if I get cranky waiting for my food and drink to arrive, it affects my total dining experience. Fortunately, my 8oz beef burger was REALLY tender and flavourful; it made me forget all about the delay in food delivery. Trish's salmon was a picture of pink perfection. Anthony was licking his fingers clean of the mouthwatering sauce that coated his grilled tiger prawns.
Plus, of course, watching the fireworks across the bay and the glittering reflections of skyscrapers on the water has a calming effect that made our demand for instant gratification melt away.
It's okay to wait.
We talked about lives and loves-- our histories.
We talked about sex-- the ladies had plenty to say about hair down there.
We talked about workplace irritants-- overweight dancing partners, a hippie attitude towards personal hygiene, lazy colleagues.
We ended up talking, getting angry, laughing until midnight. We left with reluctance, knowing we were having such a great time, but also realizing that we needed to be in the last buses or trains to home.
Friendships created in these circumstances can be tenuous. Because after six months, one year, three years, we will all part ways. Such is the nature of entertainment contracts. We are gypsies who go where the music beats loudest for us. And when we say goodbye, we do so with promises of "I'll keep in touch through e-mail," "I'll visit you soon," or "I'll host you when you come to my city." We need to believe that we are creating meaningful ties-- that fraternity can be fostered within such limited time and space-- because only then do isolated pockets of experience seem to come together to create a grounded existence.
Why allow life to be a pain when it can be enjoyable?
Here's to good friendship! Cheers!
With Affection,
Astron
