High Life

HIGH LIFE #12 Sep 2017 41 I can see Alberto is proud of his accomplishment. “Everything I sell here is sourced by me, some items I even bring back from my travels,” he tells me. “This collection of cutlery you see here came with me from New York. My goal is to sell items you will not be able to see elsewhere in town.” As I take notes, Alberto offers his new summer drink. “I am trying this new Portuguese drink, maybe you can tell me if we are doing it right,” he asks. He hands me a Mazagran, which consists of coffee, ice cubes, sugar, lemon and mint. Despite sounding like an odd concoction, it is delicious and refreshing – something I’ve never seen before in Macau. Alberto is a citizen of the world. Originally from Hong Kong, with a family fromMacau, he grewup in San Francisco, then headed to New York in search of his career. “I first thought I wanted to be a graphic designer, but soon realized it was too narrow for me,” he recalls. “I wanted to be even more engaged in my work. That is when I realized I wanted to try interior design. As soon as I tried it I knew it was my path.” Alberto worked in New York, mostly designing for hotels, but when told his father was gravely ill decided it was time to return to Macau. “It was then I realized I had to come back, but I never really thought of staying until my father passed away,” he explains. “My sister and I had to take care of so many things that we decided staying would be the best course of action.”