On the lookout for some weekend inspiration?
From a new exhibition at the Hong Kong Palace Museum that highlights historic luxurious carpets commissioned by Islamic rulers, to a genre-bending Chinese/Mediterranean feast 鈥 think mapo tofu lasagne 鈥 and Brad Pitt鈥檚 new film, there is plenty to look forward to over the coming few days.
1. Wonders of Imperial Carpets
While carpets are indeed the highlight of this special exhibition at the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM), 鈥淲onders of Imperial Carpets: Masterpieces from the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha鈥 has much more to offer than that.
Also on display are ceramics, metalwork, manuscripts and jade carvings from the three 鈥済unpowder empires鈥: the Safavid Empire in Iran (1501-1736), the Mughal Empire in India (1526-1857) and the Ottoman Empire in Turkey (1299-1923).
With around 100 items from Qatar鈥檚 Museum of Islamic Art, Doha on show alongside objects from the Beijing Palace Museum and the HKPM鈥檚 own collection, this exhibition is a fantastic introduction to each empire and their cultural exchanges.
鈥淲onders of the Imperial Carpets: Masterpieces from the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha鈥, Hong Kong Palace Museum, 10am-6pm Monday to Thursday (closed Tuesdays), 10am-8pm Fridays and Saturdays.
2. Peddlers Gin x Yaya鈥檚 Pasta Tour at Salisterra
Shanghai鈥檚 innovative pasta bar Yaya鈥檚 Pasta is collaborating with Salisterra at the Upper House between June 27 and June 29 to showcase a unique crossover of Chinese and Mediterranean flavours.
Yaya鈥檚 Pasta, originally opened in 2021 by Dan Li and Andrew Moo, has gained a cult following for its blend of Chinese ingredients and Italian techniques.
For their Hong Kong event, the duo will partner with Salisterra鈥檚 culinary adviser Ricardo Chaneton 鈥 also of one-Michelin-star restaurant Mono 鈥 for a four-course menu featuring dishes such as mapo tofu lasagne, Xinjiang lamb ragu with pappardelle, and orecchiette with Yaya鈥檚 chilli oil and soy-cured egg yolk.
They will also present genre-bending dishes such as steak tartare with XO aioli, tiger prawns with Shaoxing wine sauce, and cannoli with jasmine tea, ricotta cream and osmanthus jelly.
The menu is priced at HK$890 (US$114) per person.
49/F, The Upper House, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty
3. F1: The Movie
Watching F1: The Movie is like being hurled back into 1980s Hollywood, for better and for worse.
The film, about a veteran driver and a rookie in a failing F1 team, sees producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Days of Thunder) and director Joseph Kosinski reunited after Top Gun: Maverick, starring Tom Cruise.
But instead of Cruise, this new film stars Brad Pitt.
Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a former F1 driver who disappeared from the circuit following a crash at the 1993 Spanish Grand Prix. In the years since, he has scraped by as a New York cabby. He gets another shot at the big time when his former teammate Ruben (Javier Bardem) invites him to drive for his failing F1 team.
F1 offers the same visceral pleasures as the fighter jet scenes in Top Gun: Maverick, and the movie looks great on IMAX, for which some scenes were specially filmed. Audiences really feel like they are in the driver鈥檚 seat. Read our full review
F1: The Movie is in cinemas now.
4. Music Self-Care Workshop 鈥 Harmonising the Inner Voice
Do you secretly yearn to sing but not know how or where to start? Do you hum to yourself when you are stressed?
On June 29, you can explore the power of music in self-care through a soothing workshop at the Go Park Sai Sha complex in Ma On Shan.
Registered music therapist Joanna Ho will help you learn how to express your emotions freely through spontaneous music-making 鈥 no musical experience required.
Discover how to listen to your inner voice and find harmony within: craft lyrics and melodies, use your voice for emotional release and self-expression, and learn techniques to integrate music into your daily self-care routine.
A music-guided visualisation will help in the creative process as you unwind, relax and connect with others through the universal language of music.
The three-hour session, from 10.30am to 1.30pm, costs HK$450. To learn more and to register, click here.
The Spark, Shop 118A, 1/F, Block F, Go Park Sai Sha, Ma On Shan
5. Redress Summer 2025 Secondhand Pop-Up+
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Redress, a Hong Kong NGO that champions sustainability through circular fashion, is back with its hugely popular second-hand summer pop-up.
Taking place in Quarry Bay until Sunday, the pop-up offers a huge selection of affordable, quality second-hand clothing and accessories.
Check out the latest sustainable collections from Redress alumni designers Jasmine Leung, Patrick Lam and Pearl Leung, as well as the DHL x Angus Tsui upcycled collection.
18/F, Berkshire House, Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay, 11am-8pm on Friday, 11am-7pm on Saturday and Sunday.
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