Have Your Say – Phoebe R

Author/ Being Neighbourly
15 March 2025

Phoebe R. is a British national who came to Hong Kong from the UK in 2016 to take up a job working as a designer for Lane Crawford. Now working as an artist, she creates paintings that are mostly about cherishing Hong Kong. She says, “Hong Kong is an incredibly special place and I’m eternally grateful I was invited to stay here”. She also creates pet portraits.

How long have you lived where you’ve lived?

I’ve lived in Hong Kong since summer 2016 and honestly, from within my first few hours of being here, it felt like home. I’ve lived on Lamma Island for the past six years and I love it so much!

Can you see yourself living anywhere else?

Yes, sure! I love living in nature so much though so it’d have to be somewhere equally as beautiful, quiet and peaceful. (And reasonably close to the city)

What’s so great about your home/neighbourhood?

I love the wildness of Lamma. I really appreciate that this is one of the few remaining places so close to a major city that has large areas fully belonging to wildlife; that the trees aren’t perfectly manicured and controlled, that you can sit outside and see several different birds, snakes, spiders, beetles, boar and lizards. It’s so cool. If I could change one thing though it would be for giant centipedes and venomous snakes to stay a little bit further away from me and my pets!!!

Best little known gems?

There are a few trails off the main concrete paths that take you somewhere completely unexpected. When walking through those you feel like you’ve completely escaped from modern life, and that you could be in any time.

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

I love Olive Leaf, a private kitchen in North Lamma serving vegan middle eastern food. They host small cooking workshops and brunches and their food is THE BEST. Other than that I like to eat simple things at home or go in to the city to eat. I love Treasure Vegetarian in Sham Shui Po and Gaia (there are a few branches).

Best places to drink coffee/find a drink?

Honestly it’s not the best place to go for coffee so I would say home for coffee. If you like to drink, Main Street in Yung Shue Wan has that feeling of “holiday” every night of the week, with many bars and interesting characters.