[The Sun]

Roger Kwok and Patrick Tang became good friends after hitting it off whilst filming series and currently filming in Hengdian, Roger indicates that he only has one day off and that is a day less than Patrick. Talking of new year wishes, Roger hopes that everyone has a job and good health. Patrick says he will be visiting the flower markets with his family and hopes that the year of the monkey will bring world peace, progress and good record sales for him!

http://the-sun.com.hk/channels/ent/20040120/20040120010125_0003.html



[The Sun & Oriental Daily]

Maggie Cheung has seen good friend Elaine Ng living in Shanghai for so long and having some peaceful days with her daughter and so her wish for the new year is to move to Shanghai. Maggie says: "I feel that Shanghai is very suitable for Hong Kong people to live and Elaine seems very happy after living there for a few years, so I hope that in the new year I can emigrate there!"

With reports that Benny Chan sent flowers from across the seas to Charmaine Sheh for her birthday and arranging to return to Hong Kong for the new year, rumours have arisen that touched by his sincerity, Charmaine has agreed to marry him, but has pushed the date of the wedding to mid-2005 in order to maintain her career. However the two are not responding to questions from the press.

Having just returned from filming with Charmaine in Beijing, Maggie was asked if she knew of anything and she responded saying she had not heard about it at all. Responding with a shocked expression, Maggie says: "Really? They are just rumours aren't they? I don't know - I don't sleep under their bed, how would I know?"

http://the-sun.com.hk/channels/ent/20040120/20040120010102_0003.html
http://orientaldaily.com.hk/ent/ent_a06cnt.html



[Oriental Daily]

Father and son Shek Sau and Sam Chan took advantage of a day off to prepare for the Chinese New Year by visiting a flower market and selecting some blooms for the festival. Taking the blessing of "Flowers Open Riches Come" - they both hope that all will go smoothly in the coming year.

Shek Sau says: "This year I have bought some narcissus bulbs and orchids. The orchids came to over a thousand dollars because the variety is very rare and it is very pretty. It doesn't matter because it is once a year and you have to do some decorating for the festivals for the atmosphere! Buying flowers has always been my wife's job, because I don't really know what to look for and she has more knowledge on this front, so when Sam and I get home, there will naturally be a fragrance from the flowers."

Shek Sau and his son seemed very interested in the multicoloured flowers and other festive flowers and Sam says: "When I was studying in England I did buy some flowers, but they are very different from the flowers in Hong Kong. There are many meaningful flower names here, like 'Five Generations Together' that I have never seen before in the UK. When I was young, my dad would take us to the New Territories to buy Plum Blossom and the long trip seemed like we were going on an adventure and it was quite fun."

Shek Sau is looking forward to the new year this year because he does not have to work and he says: "This year I have time off and I will catch up with my family and friends. I am most looking forward to my wife's 'Poon Choi' (Basin Banquet) when we will be eating with over twenty people and it will be very lively and full of new year atmosphere. In the new year, I hope that I can make another popular series like 'Triumph in the Skies' and I hope that Sam gets a couple of good roles as well."

Sam says that he hopes that he will 'get no sleep' this year! He says: "I hope that I can get more work in the new year because I have never experienced several days working through the night like my dad and I would like to be as busy as him."

http://orientaldaily.com.hk/ent/ent_a07cnt.html



[Sing Pao]

It's the New Year again and with his recent rise in popularity, Joe Ma offers some early greetings and wishes Hong Kong people good health, positivity towards every task and happiness through every day! Actually before the interview, Joe has already eaten, but with the Dim Sum Chef preparing eight special dishes, it really whet his appetite as he was full of praises for the food, but worried about what eating too much will do to his figure. Breaking his diet regime for the beautiful delicacies - it looks like Joe will have to do more sport to keep fit!

cont'd...

http://www.singpao.com/20040120/gossip/504999.html