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I’m Gaz Brightman and I run VIBE Book and Music Shop in Mui Wo on Lantau Island in Hong Kong These podcasts have 3 purposes:- 1. To promote VIBE Book & Music Shop in Hong Kong 2. To interview local people with businesses or good stories to tell 3. To promote local authors books, musicians Tiny Desk gigs at VIBE and our other services
Episodes
Friday Feb 03, 2023
Friday Feb 03, 2023
VIBErations podcast Ep 44 at VIBE Book & Music Shop in Mui Wo on Lantau Island in Hong Kong on 26th January, 2023 Interview with British Author Patricia O'Sullivan
BIO
Patricia O’Sullivan is a writer and researcher on the lesser known aspects of Hong Kong's history prior to 1941. Stumbling over an article concerning the death of her great-uncle in 1918 when an inspector in the Hong Kong Police, She quickly became immersed in the social history of colonial Hong Kong.
As a specialist recorder teacher, in a career spanning three decades and more, She has had the joy both of introducing thousands of young children to music and developing the skills and musicianship of senior students to diploma level and beyond.
Now she writes full-time, while keeping some teaching and playing to keep herself sane. Pre-covid times she spent many months in Hong Kong – and is currently back here. Patricia’s second book, on women the wrong side of the law, was finished during the first lock-down and came out in December 2020.
Since then she has been working on the next book project - Hong Kong during World War One and the policemen who fought in that war. Alongside that, she continues to contribute articles on other aspects of Hong Kong's social history, all of which can be found on the 'Insight' page of her website at https://www.socialhistoryhk.com/
Questions….
1. Favourite book or author? – P. G. Wodehouse
2. Favourite musical artist? - Andreas Scholl
3. Preferred drink? - Milk/Champagne/Tea
4. Life motto? - Always look for the good in something
5. Best advice you were given? If you want a job done well, but can’t do it yourself - empower someone to do all of it not just bits of it...
Friday Nov 18, 2022
Friday Nov 18, 2022
VIBErations podcast Ep 43 at VIBE Book & Music Shop in Mui Wo on Lantau Island in Hong Kong on 9th November, 2022 Interview with Historian and Author Uther Charlton-Stevens
BIO
Uther Charlton-Stevens is an author, historian and fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society. Uther spent his childhood in Hong Kong, where he attended ESF schools - specifically Peak School and Island School. After this Uther earned his bachelor's and doctoral degrees in history from the University of Oxford, and his master's degree in between from the London School of Economics.
His first book, ‘Anglo-Indians and Minority Politics in South Asia’, was Published by Routledge for the Royal Asiatic Society Books series in 2018 (released on paperback in 2020). His Latest book ‘Anglo-India and the End of Empire’ was Published in London in September of this year by Hurst and will soon be Published in North America by Oxford University Press USA. The South Asian rights have been sold to Harper Collins India.
Uther's research and writing draws inspiration from his own 'mixed-race' family, including the stories he heard during childhood summer holidays from his Anglo-Indian grandmother of her service as an officer in the Women's Auxiliary Corps (India) during the Second World War, her life and upbringing in colonial South India, and her trip to Kandahar in Afghanistan. Uther's Anglo-Indian father was born in an Army station in Ferozepore, and spent his childhood in Bangalore before migrating to the UK with his two elder siblings and widowed mother.
10 Questions….
- Favourite book or author? - 'Lord of the Rings' JRR Tolkien / Herman Wouk - 'Winds of War & War & Remembrance'
- Favourite musical artist? - Lana Del Rey / Anoushka Shankar / Jazz / Blues
- Favourite film(s) ? - The Last Emperor / Mississippi Burning / Some Like it Hot / Elizabeth
- Preferred drink? - Tea - Green, dark - Fresh Juice & Whiskeys
- Life motto? - Everything will be interesting
- Favourite HK walk? Sai Kung - Pak Tam au / Peak Walk
- Favourite HK restaurant? Chaat in The Rosewood, Sichuan food , Korean BBQ
- Best advice you were given? N/A
- Finish this sentence… I live in Hong Kong because… I grew up here and returned a year ago and hold it very dear in my memories
- Favourite area of Hong Kong? N/A
Friday Oct 07, 2022
Friday Oct 07, 2022
VIBErations podcast Ep 42 at VIBE Book & Music Shop in Mui Wo on Lantau Island in HK on 3rd October, 2022 Interview with Entrepreneur Asha Sridhar
BIO
Asha, in Sanskrit means ‘hope’. She moved to Hong Kong in 2006 with her family – husband, Sridhar and daughter, Meghna. They’ve enjoyed making Hong Kong their home. They love every facet of this wonderful city – the fast-paced life on the one hand and the beautiful country parks, hiking trails and beaches on the other.
They moved to Lantau Island in 2013 and made Tung Chung their home. Last year in November, they moved to the lovely little village of Tai Tei Tong in Mui Wo, so they could enjoy the serenity, beauty, and slower pace of rural Hong Kong. They also wanted to indulge in their love for gardening and happy to say they have a beautiful terrace garden in their apartment. They have now hiked many of the HK and Lantau trails. Asha completed the 25km Green Power Hike on multiple occasions. Asha lives her life by the motto “live in the present. The past is gone and cannot be changed, and the future is yet to be made”. She is known for her optimism, “never say never” attitude. She also stands by her friends – no matter what. Professionally, she runs a consulting business named Active Communication. They specialize in organizational, leadership and talent development. Asha is a certified NLP Trainer and Master Coach, aside from having certifications in executive coaching.
Website: www.activecommunication.net
10 Questions
1. Favourite book or author? Enid Blyton/Agatha Christie/PD James/Daniel Silva/Jane Austin
2. Favourite musical artist? Indian music - 50's/60s Mohammad Rafi/Queen/Springsteen
3. Preferred drink? Water/Rose Wine or Red wine
4. Life motto? Live in the Present - not the future or past
5. Favourite HK walk? The Lantau Peak 6. Favourite HK restaurant? Vegetarian in TST
7. Faced with a python whilst walking up to the Peak, what would you do? Move to the side and be respectful let it go about its business
8. Best advice you were given? My mum said never ever give up your freedom of choice to someone
9. Finish this sentence… I live in Hong Kong because… It’s the best place to be - safest place in world
10. Favourite area of Hong Kong? Mui Wo! Tai Tei Tong
Saturday May 14, 2022
Saturday May 14, 2022
VIBErations podcast Ep 41 at Studio 114 for VIBE Book & Music Shop in Mui Wo on Lantau Island in HK on 4th May, 2022
Interview with Psychic Counsellor Philippe Raynaud
BIO
Gifted with a natural psychic ability for 25 years, Philippe assists his clients with issues ranging from life decisions, emotional difficulties, relationship issues, career/money/business concerns, spiritual growth, personal growth, exploring and changing gold beliefs, metaphysical challenges, higher consciousness choices, goals creation and much, much more...
Contact Philippe via email at Raynaud.philippe@gmail.com
10 Questions
1. Favourite book or author? 'The Little Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
2. Favourite musical artist? Mick Jagger
3. Preferred drink? G&T also Rose wine
4. Life motto? Live in the Present - not the future or past
5. Favourite HK walk? Any walk that’s by the sea
6. Favourite HK restaurant? The Ocean Rock, Murray House, Stanley
7. Faced with a python whilst walking up to the Peak, what would you do? I'd avoid it
8. Best advice you were given? Live in the present same as motto
9. Finish this sentence… I live in Hong Kong because… after 21 years its now home
10. Favourite area of Hong Kong? Central and Lantau
Tuesday Apr 05, 2022
Tuesday Apr 05, 2022
VIBErations podcast Ep 40 at VIBE Book & Music Shop in Mui Wo on Lantau Island in HK on 22nd March, 2022
BIO
Award-winning Hong Kong Artist Martin Lever - Chinese name Li Wah - has lived, studied and worked in Hong Kong on and off for nearly 40 years. One of the biggest inspirations in his life is this unique city he calls home. His contemporary artwork has been exhibited in a number of solo shows in Hong Kong, the UK and the Middle East. His work adorns the walls of private collectors, and commissioned pieces hang in corporate lobbies from Wheelock & Wharf to the McKinsey corporation to Patton Boggs Law.
His approach to painting is refreshingly simple: he closes his eyes, then paints what he sees. Using striking contrasts of colour and light-hearted observational touches, he creates powerful abstract and pop-art impressionist images that celebrate the world around us through a new lens.
Beyond art, his creative work has been recognised around the world with countless advertising industry awards. And his acclaimed series of children’s books – The BogeyBugz – is helping fuel young imaginations.
His awards incl.
Grand Prix, Golds, Silvers and Bronzes at a range of local, regional and international creativity festivals and shows…including HK Kam Fan – Best in Show 2017 Cannes Festival of Creativity New York Festivals London International Awards D&AD Awards
10 Questions….
1. Favourite book or author? - John Grisham, The Jam by Bruce Foxton & Rick Buckler, Paul French, Carl Hiaasen. 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' by Eric Carle
2. Favourite musical artist? - Beatles, Joy Division, Smiths. Echo & the Bunnymen, The Jam - The Specials 1st album
3. Preferred drink? - JD & Coke
4. Life motto? – ‘La Fiesta no es para los fayos’ - The Party is not for the ugly one's - Che Guevara
5. Favourite HK walk? - Urban walking - from Canton Rd, TST to Prince Edward via Temple St
6. Favourite HK restaurant? - Tai Ping Koon - local Shanghainese Off Hysan Av. in Causeway Bay
7. Faced with a python whilst walking up to the Peak, what would you do? - Retreat at pace!
8. Best advice you were given? - Gift of diversity from parents and to always say please and thank you
9. Finish this sentence… I live in Hong Kong because… Parents moved here when 9yrs old but since then because I love it!
10. Favourite area of Hong Kong? Various incl. Shek O and Lantau
Saturday Mar 19, 2022
Saturday Mar 19, 2022
VIBErations podcast Ep 39 at VIBE Book & Music Shop in Mui Wo on Lantau Island in HK on 1st March, 2022
BIO
Cary (as in Cary Grant) Shakeshaft-Nicholson was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada… A steel city located between Toronto and Niagara Falls. Approx. population of 580,000. At a young age her parents divorced and remarried, resulting in a double household environment. Cary wasn’t much into schooling; she attended a Catholic high school where her favourite subjects were Drama and Gym. She never finished College and started working for a Family business... Tim Hortons (highly known in Canada)
As a teenager Cary played a lot of Baseball (and even played for Canada) and spent time with her friends and her pets. Roller skating became a huge pastime for several years. In her early 20’s she got hired at UPS and got involved with Aviation- where she met her one day to be husband, Brandon. 12 years at UPS landed her a Load planning and Management position, allowing her to financially support herself Not long after dating Brandon… he got offered a job with Cathay Pacific, which lead them here to HK. Cary then retired from Aviation.
After residing in Central (SOHO) area for a few months with a roommate, Cary and Brandon moved to Lantau (Mui Wo) and have happily been living in a village house with their 4 adopted dogs. Cary now spends her days being a stay-at-home housewife, attending to household duties and spending time with her dogs. She’s actively involved with TAILS LANTAU, a nonprofit animal charity here on Lantau. Cary loves HK and all it has to offer, but realised that the animal’s welfare in HK is a mess and needs a major facelift.
10 Questions….
1. Favourite book or author? Jodi Picoult and Alice Sebold
2. Favourite musical artist? 90s Hip-Hop R&B - EPMD, Total, Scape, Notorious B.I.G, Tragically Hip, Dallas Green
3. Preferred drink? Iced Tea, Sauvignon Blanc
4. Life motto? Even if you're crawling you're still moving forward
5. Favourite HK walk? Nam Shan
6. Favourite HK restaurant? Gordon Ramsey's Bread Street Kitchen & Paisanos Pizza
7. Faced with a python whilst walking up to the Peak, what would you do? Take a photo or video and send it to Andrew MacDonald
8. Best advice you were given? Respect your elders
9. Finish this sentence… I live in Hong Kong because… Better financial opportunity to live here and the weather…
10. Favourite area of Hong Kong? Lantau
Tuesday Mar 01, 2022
Tuesday Mar 01, 2022
VIBErations podcast Ep 38 Suzanne Andrews at VIBE Book & Music Shop in Mui Wo on Lantau Island in HK on 17th February 2022
BIO
Suzanne’s lived in Hong Kong for almost 10 years, working as a High School English teacher. She’s been president of the Hong Kong Women in Publishing Society for 2.5 years and spent five years taking her own Bodyburn fitness classes at Gold Coast in Hong Kong.
Prior to living in Hong Kong, Suzanne taught in Brunei for two years and before that she lived in New Zealand, her home country. She taught English and Maths in High Schools then had a complete break for seven years. For three of those years, she was manager of a large Values Education charity in Auckland. Her 16 staff taught life skills in 12 South Auckland schools and educated children in how to combat bullying, build self-esteem and aim high.
Suzanne also taught her own confident communication classes in schools and to adults in the evenings. She worked in sales and advertising for three years and helped with a Yellow Pages start-up magazine. Some of her great memories include singles events which she organized, matching couples. At least two different couples are now married with children!
Suzanne’s three adult children live in L.A, the Cook Islands and Auckland. She has two grandchildren too. Most Saturdays she catches the ferry from Tuen Mun Ferry Pier, hikes across Lantau and ends up here at VIBE, perched on a tiny toddler’s chair in the corner, sourcing books for her Nanny Zan date with Carter, her 3 yr old grandson whom she reads to usually for 2 hours. He loves books! Last year Suzanne published her first book in the Nita’s Adventures series, Queen of the Pawpaws. She’s releasing the next two books in the series by May hopefully, as well as another series, Nita’s Eureka Pick-Me-Ups. She’ll leave teaching in July to focus on Nita’s World full-time. Her website is Nitasworld.co
10 Questions….
1. Favourite book or author? 'The Story of the Orlando Magic' by Sara Gilbert & 'The Prophet' by Kahlil Gibran
2. Favourite musical artist? Meat Loaf & Dolly Parten
3. Preferred drink? Red Wine / Mulled Wine/ Pimms
4. Life motto? Don't compare yourself to others cause they're more screwed up than you think…
5. Favourite HK walk? Lantau Olympic Trail
6. Favourite HK restaurant? Heato Coffee in Gold Coast
7. Faced with a python whilst walking up to the Peak, what would you do? Run away and maybe screaming!
8. Best advice you were given? Not all is as it seems
9. Finish this sentence… I live in Hong Kong because… I had to originally, but now love it!
10. Favourite area of Hong Kong? Gold Coast
Sunday Feb 06, 2022
Sunday Feb 06, 2022
VIBErations podcast Ep 37 Jake Johnson at VIBE Book & Music Shop in Mui Wo on Lantau Island in HK on 26th January 2022
BIO
Like many people, Jacob Johnson was born. As a toddler, he was moved from a rural area of middle Tennessee to Memphis where he spent most of his youth. While spending his teenage years endeavouring to avoid living up to his scholastic potential, he began working in the food service industry as a line cook at a corporate chain restaurant. After an unmotivated, perfunctory stint in university, he decided that he may as well go to culinary school and acquire a broader range of skills to accompany the unhealthy sleeping habits and functional alcoholism the restaurant industry had already given him.
Around this time, he met Matilda who would become his wife - while playing fighting games at a shopping mall arcade. Their idiosyncrasies were surprisingly compatible and they were married a few years later. After buying a small home and beginning to establish a respectable rut, they realized they were bored and wanted to try living somewhere entirely different. As Matilda still had permanent residence in Hong Kong from her childhood, they decided they would move here - with no plan whatsoever. Both ended up finding work in schools and spent the next 7 years traveling non-stop during every holiday and long weekend.
After a brief stint back in the States, Jake rediscovered an old hobby he'd picked up as a teenager and started making beef jerky. After a year or two of using his friends as guinea pigs to improve recipes, the birth of his first son prompted a somewhat irrational decision to leave the security of his job to spend more time with his family and pay the bills with beef snacks. After renovating a small location in Mui Wo to begin building Lantau Jerky, Jake and Matilda decided to start cooking a few simple comfort foods from southern cuisine on weekends to make a little extra to pay the rent. Thanks to the overwhelming support of the Lantau community, this little side hustle grew to become Southside.
10 Questions….
1. Favourite book or author? – Prometheus Rising by Robert Anton Wilson
2. Favourite musical artist? - 'Wish you were here' by Pink Floyd/ 'Boston' by Boston / 'Ten' by Pearl Jam
3. Preferred drink? – Mint Julip or hot toddy or Whiskey & water
4. Life motto? – …from 'Time enough for Love' by Robert Heinlein
5. Favourite HK walk? – Walk between Yau Ma Tei & Sham Shui Po…
6. Favourite HK restaurant? – Mama Lala Sham Shui Po - Sichuan food
7. Faced with a python whilst walking up to the Peak, what would you do? – Carry on walking
8. Best advice you were given? – Don't be Beholden
9. Finish this sentence… I live in Hong Kong because… The diversity
10. Favourite area of Hong Kong? – Mui Wo!
Friday Dec 31, 2021
Friday Dec 31, 2021
After 35 episodes of VIBErations Podcast, I was persuaded to sit on the other side of the mic... This episode was recorded at VIBE on 3rd December, 2021 and I was interviewed by Martin Malden (interviewee on 23rd March 2021) I've been running VIBE Book & Music shop for nearly 4 years now in Silvermine Bay, Mui Wo, Lantau Island, HK.
https://www.facebook.com/VibeSilvermineBay/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXnVuHCsRcswTqr0FZ2Pz5Q
https://www.instagram.com/vibehk/
https://open.spotify.com/show/2LHQKTk20zpNynS9kyPp7o
10 Questions….
1. Favourite book or author? – J G Ballard / Roald Dahl
2. Favourite musical artist? - David Bowie / The Clash
3. Preferred drink? – Water / Red Wine / G&T
4. Life motto? – ‘Treat others the same way you would want to be treated yourself’
5. Favourite HK walk? – Chi Ma Wan Coastal walk
6. Favourite HK restaurant? – China Beach Club, Mui Wo
7. Faced with a python whilst walking up to the Peak, what would you do? – Take a photo and then retreat
8. Best advice you were given? – My parents taught me all people are equal 9. Finish this sentence… I live in Hong Kong because… I chose to live here and its my home
10. Favourite area of Hong Kong? – Sham Shui Po & Lantau Island
Thursday Dec 02, 2021
Thursday Dec 02, 2021
VIBErations podcast Ep 35. Pete Spurrier at VIBE Book & Music Shop in Mui Wo on Lantau Island in HK on 16th October 2021
https://www.blacksmithbooks.com
BIO
Pete Spurrier is the author of three guidebooks for exploring Hong Kong’s wild and interesting places: the Serious Hiker’s Guide to Hong Kong, the Leisurely Hiker’s Guide and the Heritage Hiker’s Guide. He arrived in Hong Kong by happy accident in 1993, at the end of a journey along the Silk Road through all the newly independent ‘Stans’, which he only embarked upon after an old man in Greece gave him a decades-old map of Central Asia. He ran out of money, when he crossed into northwest China, but another stranger told him that he could probably find work in Hong Kong, so he hopped on and off trains to get across the country to Lo Wu.
He has had many jobs, including acting in TVB dramas, managing an unlicensed restaurant, teaching Vietnamese boatpeople and editing a free magazine. Nowadays he runs Blacksmith Books, which has published more than 100 titles on Hong Kong, focusing on culture, history and the life stories of its people. The first flat he rented in Hong Kong was in Silvermine Bay, and he still returns to Lantau for the hiking.
10 Questions….
1. Favourite book or author? - 'Down & Out in Paris & London' by George Orwell
2. Favourite musical artist? - David Bowie
3. Preferred drink? - Guinness
4. Life motto? – ‘Prior Preparation prevents piss poor performance’
5. Favourite HK walk? - 8 Peaks on Kowloon side or Fan Lau to Tai O
6. Favourite HK restaurant? - Taj Mahal in Chungking mansions
7. Faced with a python whilst walking up to the Peak, what would you do? - Freeze and then walk backwards very slowly and move away
8. Best advice you were given? – “Why don’t you go to HK - you could probably find a job there”
9. Finish this sentence… I live in Hong Kong because… Because all my friends are here…
10. Favourite area of Hong Kong? - Sai Kung