COMMUNITY

Have Your Say – Jen Cooper

Author/ Being Neighbourly
22 October 2024

Jen Cooper is a Scot without an accent, due to having lived across the UK and having studied in Leeds. She lives away from the expat bubble in more local North Point with her husband and daughter. They are expecting a new family member to join them soon.

How long have you lived in Eastern?

We’ve lived in the East of Hong Kong Island for just over two years now, always around the North Point area.

Can you see yourself living anywhere else? Please explain.

While I would love a life on an outlying island, by the beach, that’s just not practical for us right now. It’s very much a retirement dream!

North Point has quick access to wild walks up at Sir Cecil’s ride and we can enjoy the harbour nearby – that’s enough nature for me for now. It’s an easy commute for my husband and I, and my daughter’s school is walking distance from our house. I don’t think any other neighbourhood can offer us that.

What’s so great about your home/neighbourhood?

I love that it’s far enough away from Central, Mid-levels and all that business to feel separate from an expat lifestyle, but we’re close enough that it’s easy to get to if there’s a restaurant or bar we especially want to visit, or to visit friends.

We love that our apartment is tucked away from the business of the city, but we still have easy access to anything we need. We could also get a lot more for our budget around here, an important factor for a growing family in a city with such expensive housing costs!

Best little known gems?

We love walking up to Sir Cecil’s Ride and playing in the waterfalls on hot days.

Best places to eat breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner?

For breakfast, the banana pancakes at Alfafa are our current favourite. There’s a fantastic breakfast buffet at the Hyatt Centric hotel too.

We usually head to Pici or Frites for lunch, as they’re so child friendly.

For date night dinners, my husband and I can’t stop ordering the butter paneer at Tandoori Junction or the Chilli chicken at 天府川菜.

Best places to drink coffee/find a drink?

The cocktails at Cruise are fantastic, and they have a great mocktail selection too.

Best other hangouts?

For those with kids, the Java Road playroom is a handy resource to have access to, and Quarry Bay park has loads of play areas.

What’s true/not true about your neighbourhood?

It’s true that North Point is a bit more local and a bit less international than other neighbourhoods in Hong Kong. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though; there’s so much to explore! There’s an absolute wealth of independent restaurants and cafes, with new and interesting places springing up all the time. It feels like a neighbourhood on the move, which is always fun to witness.