50
hanging
out
“Ithasto inspireme.
If it inspiresme,
it’sastory
worthwriting”
I’mnew to this fieldand I’m
veryexcited tobeapart
of it.
What standout
experienceshaveyouhad
with
theWanderlister+?
Therearenomajor
standouts; everything to
me is equally cool. Imeet
different personalities
through theblogand travel
todifferent places. Someof
my favorites includehosting
designerTomDixonatThe
UpperHouse, having lunch
with [clothingbrand] J.
Crew’s JennaLyons, having
dinnerwith respected
artists likeHongKong’s
anothermountainmanand
coveringArtBasel for
differentmagazines. I’malso
happy to support theart,
designand cultural initiatives
I like inHongKongand in
mybirthplace,Manila.
Howdidhaving
theWanderlister+
change
thewayyousee food,
fashion,designand
architecture?
Because
theWanderlister+
ismoreof an informative
platform, I reallymake
agreat effort tofind
outmoreabout the
behind-the-scenes story
of everything that’s out
there. It has to inspireme,
and if it inspiresme, it’s a
storyworthwriting—and
hopefully formy readers,
it’s aplace, exhibitionor
shopworthexploring. I am
literallywanderingaround
indifferent cities and listing
all the stuff I likeabout the
subjectmatter on this style
blog. I’mapproachingevery
new thing that I see froma
critical vantagepoint. I can’t
help it!
Whatareyourhopes for
theblog?
I don’t reallyhaveagrand
plan for
theWanderlister+.
It doesn’t evenhavea
businessplan. I lovebeing
adesigner, and I hope to
continuebeingone for
a long time. I just hope
that
theWanderlister+
will
continuebeinganoutlet
of inspiration forme, which
will eventually feed intomy
designwork andpractice.
And if it continues todo that
successfullyona yearlybasis,
then it’s alreadydeemeda
successful venture.
Did ithelpyouseeHong
Kong inadifferent light?
Whatare theunique
spotsandeventsyou’ve
discoveredalong theway?
It’s really funny—Hong
Kongers read theblog
andare fascinatedbymy
framingof their city, or the
spin I put into it to reframe
the things I writeabout. It’s
sucha foreigner’s viewpoint,
but theoutsideperspective
is sometimes necessary
tohelppeopleappreciate
what theyhave. I get the
same feedback frommy
Philippines-based readers
when I writeaboutManila,
and so forth.
HongKong’s efforts
topreserveandupgrade
historical architecture is just
now starting topayoff. Last
yearweopenedPMQ, the
PoliceMarriedQuarters,
which is nowadesign center.
In thenext few yearswewill be
opening theCPS, theCentral
PoliceStation, withamuseum
tobedesignedbyHerzog&
deMeuron.About 13 freshly
restoredand renovated
buildings and temples arenow
available for publicvisits, too.
I suggest you logon to the
website toget the full list of all
theseplaces.
Whatareyou looking
forward towritingabout
next?
I’m really looking forward to
covering theCPSnext. I think
thiswill bea fascinatingproject
once it opens earlynext year.
Whereelsecanwefind
greatdesign in thecity?
Try thePMQ, SquareStreet,
Upper StationStreet and
Starstreet tofind the latest in
consumer designofferings in
HongKong.
@
BE INSPIRED
VISIT
WANDERLISTER.
COM
FORTRAVEL,ARTANDDESIGN
INSPIRATIONFROMJJ.
INTERVIEWBYCHARMAINEBAYLON; PHOTOBYKENWU
