Well, Well, Well
Our first ever Wellness Week highlighted a range of health-boosting activities
Hong Kong’s increasingly diverse wellness offerings were on display at The Upper House during the first ever Tatler Wellness Week in partnership with Lululemon from July 19 to 23.
We invited fitness enthusiasts from the Tatler community and members of the public to experience activities ranging from traditional practices such as meditation and yoga to more niche experiences such as forest bathing.
Amanda Yik, a forest therapy expert and founder of Shinrin Yoku Hong Kong, demonstrated how to experience nature in an immersive, meditative way in nearby Hong Kong Park.
“A big part of forest bathing is tapping into our sixth sense: our heart sense,” says Yik. “That’s the feeling we have when we see something we love or something that inspires us.”
Other early morning sessions offered the more energetic Run Club, led by coaches from physiotherapy clinic Joint Dynamics.
A later morning session alternated between yoga classes led by instructors from studio Kita Yoga, and meditation led by Gianni Melwani. “In its simplest form, wellness means being able to function fully without our mind and body working against us,” says Melwani,
founder of yoga and meditation studio Ikigai.
Taking place in Tatler House at The Upper House, these intimate morning sessions were attended by Esther Sham, Antonia Da Cruz, Victoria Tang-owen, Alby Chung and Amanda Strang, to name a few.
Thursday was dedicated to kids’ wellness, and featured activities designed to promote mindfulness and creativity such as yoga for mums and bubs— including Denise Ho and her son Donovan, and Rosemary Vandenbroucke and her son Hendrix—on The Upper House Lawn, followed by a painting session by Akiko Sakai. On Monday evening,
Tatler Hong Kong hosted a fireside panel discussion on mental health in The Sky Lounge. The panel
featured Stacey Monaghan, whose experience of stress as a model inspired her to become a holistic health and wellbeing coach; Aaron Stadlin-robbie, the founder of Talking Mental, a digital platform that raises awareness about mental health issues; and Christine Deschemin, a certified hypnotherapist and—fun fact—former rocket scientist.
Wednesday evening marked the July edition of Tatler’s monthly House Stories at The Upper House. This taboo-shattering event was a lively and empowering discussion centred around women’s health. Tatler’s lifestyle editor Coco Marett moderated a talk about sex, self-pleasure, periods and spirituality with a panel made up of Sabrina Villard, a shamanic energy healer; Olivia Cotes-james, founder of toxin-free period products brand Luüna Naturals (read more on p.186); and Petra Greening, co-founder of We Are Fk, a local platform that promotes sex positivity.
The week ended on a gentle note with a two-part workshop at Tatler House designed to promote a restful night’s sleep. It started with a tea ceremony hosted by Fivelements Habitat’s tea curator Resham Daswani, an introspective experience timed perfectly for golden hour.
“Tea is the sunlight, moonlight and starlight, the rain, mountains and soil—and we are of the same,” says Daswani.
Guests were then taken to The Sky Lounge for a gong bath led by musician and founder of Ondo Sound, Shane Aspegren, whose unique approach to healing sent guests into a blissful meditative state.