Artifact

Hong Kong

Nov 7

“Bittersweet.” The word I had almost chosen from the time-loved novel Stuart Palm handed me in the middle of his act. Perhaps it would have been more fitting.

Oxymorons seemed to encompass the night, rounding out the gentle glow of table lights dotted along the encapsulated space of Artifact. Known for their futuresque, windowless interior and acting as an ode to aged spirits - one never seems to feel time slip by when stepping through their hidden white door. Each grain of sand dropping through the hourglass falls silently over the sound of cocktail shakers, soft conversations, and animated laughter.

A familiar face guided me in and a genuine smile joined me at the table, making all the subtle curves of the room and warm grey textures feel less distant than at first glance. The whispers of quiet enchantment began with our liquid potions – a seasonal concoction of peach and whisky, and an elixir of aged gin, shiso, green grape and sesame. The crisp lightness of the two juxtaposed with our potent third drink - the Bread and Butter, conjuring up memories of whipped lemon infused butter on soft honey glazed brioche.

Amidst our conversation on the origins of Chinese cooking and learning English through high school boy band ballads, I spotted the unmistakable curl of Stuart’s moustache and I knew the night was just about to get interesting. We learned after his act that perhaps I’m a little too easy to read…and that eye movements don’t give away anything.

We closed out the bar that night without even realising it, forgetting all qualms about dinner in our enraptured daze. It was only when Cinderella’s clock struck midnight that the thought of sleepy dreams and work the next morning began to clear the rose-tinted fog that had settled in to envelop us.

I’ve left this feeling in the time capsule of my mind. The effervescent sparkles of magic will stay within those mirrored walls, lighting up the way with golden dusts of sunshine in the enigmatic illusion of night.