Explore the Hidden Kaleidoscope beyond Skyscrapers – SoHo

To many city dwellers in Hong Kong, Central SoHo district is always a charming place. What this kaleidoscope showcases us is not only the diverse environment encompassing from restaurants to bars, and from art galleries to aromatherapies, but a lively juxtaposition between old and new layers, which crafts the unique South of Hollywood road. In this report, as a flâneur, standing for anyone who wanders and watches the city, I will bring you a deeper insight of SoHo in three folds including 1) the demographic features 2) the influential transport leading to this zone and 3) merchandise categories for the nearby goods/services/entertainment.

The Demographic Features

Hong Kong is famous for its multicultural background as evidenced by the various mix of ethnicities. People inject their ideas, culture and lifestyle into this dazzling city and shape the neighborhoods crowdedly, yet lively. In daytime, SoHo is a relaxed neighborhood for tourists hanging around antique shops, visiting nearby Man Mo Temple, or tasting Chinese cuisines. In noon, it also serves as buzzing zone for Central white-collars to consumer their quick lunch. However, at night, particularly in every happy Friday, here lights up and turns to a completely different neon sidewalk, for everybody to enjoy themselves. Backpackers, artists, bankers, architects all gather here to mingle and mix new people.

With the open-air bars lining the streets, SoHo welcomes all kind of people kicking it. What a flâneur can observe here is that the major population seems to be occupied by foreigners, better-off groups, and people who can master sounded English. To them, the westernized atmosphere is conducive for them to mingle and experience city life. Along the hilly streets, people fill the clubs and restaurants, and sometimes spill out onto the sidewalks or casually chat on the floor. In addition, this place is also attracted by white-collars who used to have stressful office work during daytime. During my last site investigation on Friday, it also comes to my surprise to coincidently meet my friend who is now working as a financial analyst. She is like anyone here to come for fun, and relax.
The Influential Transport in This Zone

Despite the labyrinth of streets that make up the area, it is easily accessible via the Mid-Levels Escalator as the lifeblood to connect anywhere. The renowned longest outdoor escalator in world records has been the best icon of this bustling city to many photographers and journalists. What captivates their eyeballs is not only the Hong Kong’s hilly geographical location, but also the rich culture they can explore in every corner alongside Shelley Street. Nestled in between the two main streets, Staunton and Elgin, Shelley Street under the elongated escalator serves as a buffer zone crossing old and new faces. From selling herbal tea, porcelain, print in downstairs, to having Italian restaurants, African lounges, Mexican Tacos in upstairs, it is obviously mirroring the Hong Kong’s true face of “East meets West”.

The “moving up and down” walking next to the escalator perhaps is a regular exercise to locals going home. Moreover, it is also the best movements to many affluent people to escape themselves from investment banks, accounting firms in Central. Patrons can excurse nearby side streets and alleyways by freely having a glimpse in different angles. They can closely see the big red Cantonese lanterns decorated in a western bar during Lunar New Year, smell the pizza from an Italian restaurant, or listen to the jazz music in lounges (but not such blasting in their ears from Lan Kwai Fong clubs), or taste the fine wine in cafes. The Mid-levels escalator is a place so vibrant for visitors to discover the history.

Merchandise Categories

The retails and services found in SoHo region are multifarious, primarily ranging from cuisines, bars, art houses, antiques shops, bookshops to boutiques.

Foods and Drinks

In this reputable Food Paradise, there are a variety of restaurants and bars visitors can choose. Majority of customers the eating places target would be the more affluent people, white-collars and tourists, who have the knowledge about food cultures and are affordable for the minimum expense at $150 per head. In many restaurants, the waiters/waitresses would greet their customers in English, or offer the menu only in English. There might seem to be a bit culturally-biased in the Chinese neighborhoods, but that reflects the business strategy entrepreneurs apply to promote their restaurants as more westernized or traditionally house-made
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Galleries and Boutiques

What enlighten the SoHo a strong artistic atmosphere are the art houses nearby Hollywood Road and Aberdeen Street, featuring different styles of artwork. This friendly community attracts a diverse crowd, whether they’re collectors, students or artists. It is not surprising whenever people solely appreciating the pieces, which cost at least thousands in average, but not buying. It is because to many gallery owners, upholding the mission of “interaction between the art piece and visitors” is probably prior to selling their art piece. What they value is the life of art, rather than the price it can sell.

Besides galleries, most fashions and accessories sold in SoHo boutiques are originally local designed. However ladies wears dominating the whole aisles, they are sophisticated, creative and exclusive. For example, there is one shop selling organic fabric, and another selling Indian Bollywood fashion. Usually, women pedestrians are easily caught the attention due to displayed clothes, windows and fine interior designs. As what flâneurs observe, the ultimate buyers are always the high-end and fashionable ladies, aged above 30s and are willing to purchase one item at least priced at $500.

To conclude, the contrast between the past and present enriches the SoHo area. The unique landscape gives tourists and Central workaholics great adventures. The successful development here can be ascribed to the escalator as chief transport. As the lifeblood to connect different individuals and communities, the escalator facilitates “mingle and mix” social activity, brings the promising profits, and also promotes the multicultural interfaces across ethnicities and social backgrounds.