The sisters behind BV&BV tells us where we may find them if they're not stuck in the office or attending back to back events
There is never a dull moment in Hong Kong, with something happening almost every night whether it’s a cocktail, private dinner, gallery opening, or a fashion preview. And two names that are often uttered in conjunction with events happening around the city are Reyna and Shirley.
Earning their place in the city’s social scene through their public relations firm BV&BV (short for Bonvivant & Bellavita), the sisters, business partners and mothers hardly ever have a spare moment to themselves, but when they do they are certainly making the most of it – we speak to Reyna and Shirley about their life outside of work, and where we may bump into them around Hong Kong:
Reyna: I love living in Hong Kong, I feel we have the best of both worlds – with the city and the greenery. I live in Kowloon Tong so my weekends are mostly spent in nature as opposed to the city where I spend most of my time during the week.
Shirley: I love the peace and quiet of living in Kowloon Tong while still being a short drive away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Reyna: I’m not a coffee aficionado but I do thoroughly enjoy the coffee I make at home that I mix with coconut oil, it makes the smell even stronger while making me feel healthier, too.
Shirley: My favourite coffee has got to be the rose latte at the Coffee Academics.
Reyna: When it comes to harder drinks I love a good vodka martini, Pino Piano himself made the best I’ve had at Gaia.
Shirley: I usually only drink champagne so I’m glad that with Hong Kong’s hot summers I can have a piscine, which is essentially champagne on the rocks!
Reyna: I like to alternate between XYZ and Torq for spinning, keeping fit is important and the combination of spin classes has made me stronger. When I’m not on a bike I’m usually at home using the Daily Burn app – I love Bob Harper’s workouts!
Shirley: I love working out and will try absolutely anything once, whether its kickboxing or kung-fu. My favourite workout is spinning at XYZ and Torq, I love the instructors and it’s always a great workout.
Reyna: When I need to get over a long night I love to sweat it out, so I usually force myself to go spinning believe it or not.
Shirley: After a long night, I just love laying in bed and watching a crime show or thriller, preferably a Nordic Noir piece such as The Killing or The Bridge.
Reyna: I absolutely love to splurge at Saint Laurent, whether its makeup, accessories, or clothing, I’ve always loved the brand.
Shirley: I don’t really have time to physically go and shop, and online shopping can be quite tiresome so I rely on Ihna, my wonderful personal shopper at Net-a-Porter to send me weekly edits of what she thinks will tickle my fancy.
Reyna: When I need to get away from it all I usually take off to Manila where I was born, when you feel overwhelmed there’s nothing better then heading home and spending time with those closest to you, where you can just be yourself.
Shirley: When I want to unwind, I usually head to Australia to visit my brothers and enjoy the change of pace.
Reyna: My guilty pleasure would have to be chocolate; I manage to sneak a few squares of Cadbury chocolate everyday.
Shirley: I cannot resist Garrett’s popcorn and any milk chocolates with nuts!
Reyna: When it comes to getting glamorous, I head to Roland Boutin at BruneBlonde for my hair and La Biosthetique for everything else.
Shirley: Marek and Tim at La Biosthetique are usually on hand to help me get made up for a big night out, I’m also addicted to face masks so I try to take care of my skin during my down time.
Reyna: There are so many restaurants I love around Hong Kong; my favourites would have to be Gaia, and Dragon-I when I’m in the mood for Japanese and Chinese.
Shirley: There’s too many restaurants to pick just one, I love anything by the Gaia group or Kee Club’s Chef Roland Schuller’s organic cuisine, Vinny Lauria’s Stone Nullah Tavern, And Loong Yuen in the Holiday Inn for Chinese food, Townhouse in the revamped California Tower – or Dragon-I my go-to for dim sum and an extensive dinner menu.
Reyna: My first stop upon returning to Hong Kong is home to see my children – if they’re not around then usually to BruneBlonde to have Roland fix my hair!
Shirley: When returning home from abroad, I usually rush home to see my five children and three dogs; I always miss them so much!
A Day in the Life is a new HongKongTatler.com series focusing on the places, people, and guilty pleasures around Hong Kong
Photography by Edgar Tapan