So are the words of one of my favorite authors/philosophers, Milan Kundera. Nostalgia is a bittersweet thing. On the one hand, we want to move forward and spend a lot of time thinking about the future. But on the other hand, we reminisce in the old glory of the past and make so much of nostalgia. While I myself am on the path to consciously live in the now, our visit to the Starbucks’ bing sutt corner in its Dudell Street branch was a welcome nostalgic step back to the past.
While I have indeed developed an appreciation for tea and milk tea, my first love is coffee and rarely a day goes by when I don’t have even at least two cups of coffee. And of course, Starbucks is the epitome of a global coffee brand that has struck it big in the Philippines. So we made sure to visit this ubiquitous coffee shop in Hong Kong, but with a decidedly Cantonese twist.
The location of this particular Starbucks branch itself on Duddell Street is a nod to history, since the branch is situated near these stone steps that were built back in the 1800’s. This is where the only four surviving gas lamps in Hong Kong still stand (and they still work too!) 
Continuing this blend of modernity and history, we went inside the Starbucks branch, where the front section looked like any other Starbucks branch in the world. But towards the rear section of the store, there I felt like we traveled back in time and got a glimpse of how Hong Kong’s bing sutt establishments might have looked like in the middle of the century.
The details were beautiful, well-placed, kitschy, and of course, nostalgic.
The flooring of the bing sutt corner literally brought back memories since they’re almost exactly the same as the bathroom tiles in the house where I grew up!
Except for a few pastries (like egg tarts and polo buns) and some tea flavors, Starbucks still provides their good old classic coffee and tea offerings. So don’t expect “nostalgic” or unusual drinks here too. Although we heard that it’s only at this Starbucks branch where you can get a coffee-flavored bolo yau (a traditional Hong Kong pastry), but we weren’t able to try it.
Instead, we ordered classic iced tea and frappuccino (can you imagine, later on there will come a time when our generation will become nostalgic for these kinds of drinks?)
Right near this area is where Gucci’s Hong Kong flagship store is located, and a big Longchamp store, and just nearby are the Central Government Offices. So along with the historical and nostalgic this is a great area in Central to do some shopping as well.
And a good chance for me to do some street style photography of this girl’s fab outfit too:
Fabulous Travels! Cheers! 
Starbucks Bing Sutt Corner Shop M2, Mezzanine Floor Baskerville House 13 Duddell Street, Central, Hong Kong Mysneakers | Streetwear & Hip Hop Klamotten Online Shop , DefShop
Hubby and I had our honeymoon in HK and Macau. I was determined not to try anything that I could easily have in RP. Kaya lang it was January and when we found ourselves at The Peak one cold morning, Starbucks was the only place we understood that sold coffee. Naiya ang mission ko. Hehehe! =)
haha, sometimes i have that “travel philosophy” too—to not go anywhere that I can find here in Manila 🙂 But I guess there are times when it can’t be helped—like succumbing to McDo and KFC while abroad 🙂 hahaha
Mugs!!!! 🙂