Stay Home, Stay Safe

The Hong Kong government strongly advises people to stay home

Some people in Hong Kong still don't get social distancing.

On Sunday afternoon, six men, aged 52 to 68 were playing chess or watching in Kwai Shing East Estate in Kwai Chung when the authorities came by and told them they were breaking the new social-distancing laws.

Restaurants quickly complied to 50 percent capacity rules

But they refused to disperse, so they were each fined HK$2,000 (US$256).

Does that make the game of chess worth it now?

They are the first group of people to be issued the fixed penalty offenses since the gathering ban took effect on March 29.

As of midnight on Monday, officers from various departments have conducted 11,745 inspections that resulted in 1,787 verbal warnings, and six fines that were issued to the chess group.

Yesterday as I was walking along a walkway in Sheung Wan, there were signs in Tagalog telling Filipina domestic helpers not to gather in more than groups of four. The ones I saw complied with the rule, some wearing masks, others not.

Bernard Chan warns of a possible lockdown in Hong Kong

Meanwhile a friend who was in Stanley to deliver food to her mother's friends, saw many people out, both local and gweilo, out shopping. What are they doing? I understand they want to help the local economy, but we're in the midst of a pandemic.

Which is perhaps why senior government advisor Bernard Chan is hinting Hong Kong should do more to prevent a third wave of infections.
 "We could limit restaurants to selling takeaway only. Or we could simply impose a much bigger lockdown across the city, and tell all non-essential businesses to close, so nearly everyone stays at home most of the time for a few weeks," he said on RTHK's Letter to Hong Kong.

"[Expanding precautions] would obviously add to the economic costs. It could also risk spreading panic. But we have to accept that it may be necessary, if the alternative is the risk of something worse."

As of today, the city has a total of 914 cases, 24 new ones, again most of them coming back from overseas, including five from Peru.

Most positive cases are residents returning from overseas

Epidemiologist Yuen Kwok-yung from the University of Hong Kong warns of a potential third wave of cases from mainlanders going back to work, and some may come here.

"This cycle could go on until we have an effective vaccine, or collective immunity in the community reaches about 60 to 80 percent."

So if there are anymore chess players out there who still refuse to comply with the social-distancing laws, then we know who to blame for the lockdown...

San Francisco's Food Truck Dining Scene

Fort Point is the building under the Golden Gate Bridge under blue skies

Yesterday morning we arrived in San Francisco and the blue skies were such a welcome sight from so much rain in Hong Kong.

My cousin took us around in the afternoon, first to Fort Point, which is located under the Golden Gate Bridge -- but it was the fort that was built just before the Civil War, and that position considered as the "key" to the whole Pacific coast.

Looking down inside the fort, that was never used in warfare

The thick brick walls were considered impenetrable, but in the end the fort was never used in warfare.

We got to take look around -- free admission as it is considered on national park land -- though there isn't much to see. My cousin and I climbed up three floors to get to the top to see the underbelly of the bridge, and have a better view of both the Bay Area and the Pacific Ocean on the other side.

Afterwards we grabbed an early dinner at Off the Grid at For Mason nearby in the Presidio area. Every Friday, several food trucks gather in this spot, and with a DJ, some stands selling beer, wine and cocktails, the place was rocking, and hot, with the sun still blazing at 6pm.

Delicious grilled half lobster from Maine with parsley

As my parents had never been to a food truck festival before I was worried about their reaction, but they were game to try this new way of dining. We managed to grab a very tall table and eventually some high stools and we were in business.

Our first dish was a no brainer -- fresh half lobster from Maine cooked on a mesquite grill. The lobster wasn't too big, but the taste was delicious, juicy, meaty and a smoky taste. We even tried to dig out as much meat from the claws as possible.

Then we got some carbs -- a paella with chick peas, chicken, tomato and shrimp. It was quite filling but also very tasty, evidenced by the rice dish being cooked for a long time so that it soaked up all the flavours of the ingredients. Another dish we tried were tater tots garnished with some sour cream and chives.

A few food trips served Filipino food

We washed it all down with some fruit juices from Hawaiian Sun -- the guava and passionfruit with orange flavours were refreshing! And we did some people watching as many brought kids or their furry ones (ie dogs) with them.

There were many other dining options, particularly Filipino, such as lechon, sisig, and adobo, while a Shandong-style dumpling food truck was extremely popular with its constant long queue. You could also get pizza, satays, and Nepalese momos.

For dessert, there was a frozen custard bar that could be covered in chocolate sauce with nuts, and looked so good, but we were already too full. There was also a stand that sold cookie dough, or macarons, or ice cream in between two maracons. Tempting but we had reached our quota!

A big crowd for a Friday evening chowing down

Off the Grid
Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture
2 Marina Boulevard
San Francisco, CA
94123
offthegridsf.com