Let’s Vote For Our Restaurant Names

Dear Members,

It has been a difficult few months, hasn’t it?

As a marine scientist, I prefer gentle waves that lap on Hong Kong’s sandy and rocky shores to those that describe the prevalence of a pathogen. The public health definition of a ‘wave’ does not evoke any such positive feeling - and the 5th wave has been a tsunami indeed.

As I personally struggle with the ongoing isolation we all must feel being here in Hong Kong - I am mindful that there are many others who have suffered greater hardships both locally and abroad. I particularly want to offer my condolences to those members who have lost family or friends to the virus, those who have had to endure painful separations from loved ones requiring hospitalization or having been stranded overseas, and to all those front line workers whose efforts can only be described as “indefatigable”.

I am a confessed pandemic ‘doomscroller’ - I faithfully browse every source of information I can find, seeking some ray of light that we will overcome these hardships… someday. I recognize that this is not entirely healthy behavior. Yet, I am consistently impressed by our colleagues in the Faculty of Medicine and School of Public Health, whose efforts are equally tireless in the face of politics and a vociferous court of public opinion.

With so many heavy hitting headlines in these past months - it can be hard to “stop and smell the roses”. At the SCR, we have had to cease dine-in services in the spirit of social distancing and mitigating risks. Our eyes are firmly focused on re-opening when the time is right.

To that end, and to inject some levity into our lives, the SCR will reopen with fun new developments.

First, we have launched a new website (https://www.scr.hku.hk) where you can find details about our revamped clubhouse facilities, menus, and the profiles for our Executive Chefs, Hero Yeung and Frankie Wong. You can also find details to contact the SCR management, including our email and phone reservation hotline. We look forward to expanding the scope of digital services in the future. The SCR is also on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/scrhku/) where we will share our new promotions and welcome members tagging us on your future visits to the clubhouse!

Next, we are delighted to seek our Member’s support in naming our 14/F and 15/F restaurants! The SCR Executive Committee has provided a short list of suggested names that have been carefully vetted. We seek Member’s VOTE on the best name to adopt! The proposed names are inspired by HKU’s environment, history, and even our coat of arms. We have also considered the meanings and translations to both Chinese and English languages - which is no small feat! We welcome Member’s vote on the names and will adopt the most popular vote to rebrand our restaurants (https://forms.office.com/r/S81MMJnMVU). That said, the SCR is simultaneously seeking donor support - with naming rights to the clubhouse venues - so you may think of this voting exercise to decide an “interim” convention for the premises. I hope you will have some fun with this engagement.

This Friday, I will be heading back to the SCR to meet with our managers and operator to discuss the final touches to the 15/F bar. My sincere hope is that in a few short weeks we can once again meet each other there over good food and drink.

Until then,

David M. Baker

SCR Acting Chairman