Around DB December 2020

It’s starting to feel a lot like Christmas!

DB kids are in for a treat on St Nicholas Day!

Origami Santas and parols to make at home Brownie Guides doing a good turn every day Eco-friendly Xmas tips from Plastic Free Seas Shout out to the Cathay Dragon community

NEWS & EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS Join your community online at www.arounddb.com

DECEMBER J U LY 2 02020 20

W O N N PE O

Expand your dining opt ions in Discovery Bay wit h a...

LOGO_taste of thai_R4op.pdf

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Shop G30, 96 Siena Avenue, Discovery Bay North Plaza, Lantau Island Tel: 2987 2010, 2987 2026 Opening Hours: 11:30AM to 10:30 PM

We do home and office delivery now!

Add some spice to your scaled-back holiday celebrations with the best of what Indian cuisine has to offer.

Seekh kebab

Opening Hours

11am to 4pm 5.30pm to 11pm

Chicken Roll

Butter chicken

Tandoori chicken

Mirch Masala Indian Restaurant Shop G29, 96 Siena Avenue, Discovery Bay North Plaza, Lantau Island Tel: 2987 1387, 2987 1337

CONTENTS

Join your community online

DECEMBER 2020

PROFILE - 22 DB Brownies – a year of good turns

IN FOCUS - 26 Community concern for Cathay Dragon families

EDUCATION - 30 Multicultural Xmas crafts to make at home

ESCAPES - 44 Armchair travel: the Antarctic Peninsula

RECIPES - 48 Mince pies, cookies and peppermint creams

30 REGULARS

If you have a story idea, email rachel@baymedia.com.hk To publicise a local event, email elizabeth@baymedia.com.hk For general enquiries, email info@baymedia.com.hk

AGENDA

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HELPLINE Advice for FDWs

06

DB EVENTS

41

GEOMANCY Introductory feng shui

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GIVEAWAYS

52

DB FACES Community snaps

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CLASSIFIEDS

60

OUT THERE Peter Sherwood talks back

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LOCAL NUMBERS

ON THE COVER Has your child signed up for a special visit on St Nicholas Day, December 6?

We also publish…

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YOUR GUIDE TO HONG KONG’S ‘GREEN JEWEL’

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DB kids are in for a treat on St Nicholas Day!

Shout out to the Cathay Dragon community

NEWS & EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS Join your community online at www.arounddb.com

DECEMBER J U LY 2 02020 20

2019 / 2020 ENZO HILAIRE STAR OF THE VOICE KIDS (FRANCE)

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: WHERE TO EAT, DRINK, SHOP AND HANG OUT

Brownie Guides doing a good turn every day Eco-friendly Xmas tips from Plastic Free Seas

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It’s starting to feel a lot like Christmas!

Origami Santas and parols to make at home

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To read the cover story, turn to page 16

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December 2020/ January 2021

Photo by Baljit Gidwani www.evoqueportraits.com

HIKING THE SOUTH LANTAU COUNTRY TRAIL TURKEY LEFTOVERS 3 WAYS

NEWS & EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS

Join your community online at www.lifeonlantau.com

FREE

Publishers in Lantau since 2002

FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF FOOD & DRINK • LIVING • PETS • SPORTS • PASTIMES • EDUCATION • HEALTH • BEAUTY • SERVICES • TRAVEL & EXCURSIONS • COMMUNITY

www.arounddb.com Publishers in Lantau since 2002

PUBLISHER Philip Jay MANAGING EDITOR Rachel Ainsley rachel@baymedia.com.hk ASSISTANT EDITOR Elizabeth Jerabek elizabeth@baymedia.com.hk DIGITAL MANAGER Jan Yumul jan@baymedia.com.hk ART DIRECTION Terry Chow terry@baymedia.com.hk GRAPHIC DESIGNER Duey Tam duey@baymedia.com.hk OPERATIONS MANAGER Amber Kahu amber@baymedia.com.hk PHOTOGRAPHERS Baljit Gidwani www.evoqueportraits.com Col Sim www.colsimphotography.com CONTRIBUTORS Jane Drew Samantha Gershon Elizabeth Kerr Peter Sherwood Dorothy Veitch Samantha Wong PRINTING Champion Design & Production Co. Ltd Flat C & D 9/F Sing Teck Factory Bldg 44 Wong Chuk Hang Rd Hong Kong BAY MEDIA LTD 6E Elegance Court Hillgrove Village Discovery Bay Lantau Island Hong Kong Tel: 2987 0167 Advertising enquiries: info@baymedia.com.hk

DISCLAIMER The views expressed in AroundDB are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or contributors. The publisher and editor cannot be held responsible for differences of opinion or statements published in good faith. The publisher, contributors, their employees and partners are not responsible for the results of any actions, errors or omissions taken on the basis of information contained in this publication and expressly disclaim all and any liability for any such action of any person.

The mention of specific companies or products in articles or advertisements does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by this magazine or its publisher in preference to others of a similar nature which are not mentioned or advertised. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without permission.

© BAY MEDIA GROUP LTD

www.colsimphotography.com

LOVE 4 LUKE CHARITY QUIZ NIGHT DB residents came out to support 12-year-old Luke Inkin at a charity quiz night at McSorely’s Alehouse on October 30. The quiz raised HK$10,500 to help Luke’s family cover the cost of his cancer treatments. To fight for Luke and help him beat leukaemia, make a donation at gogetfunding.com/love-4-luke.

s t n e v e y t i n u m m o c t n R ece IN DISCOVERY BAY

BADMINTON COMPETITION

Residents participated in the DB Badminton Competition at the DB North Community Hall on November 14. There were six divisions – men’s doubles, women’s doubles, mixed doubles, men’s singles, women’s singles and children’s singles (for kids aged nine to 14 years old).

www.colsimphotography.com

www.arounddb.com December 2020

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DB EVENTS

HALLOWEEN HIJINKS

Although trick or treating on Headland Drive was cancelled this year due to COVID-19, there was still plenty of Halloween fun to be had in DB. MGK Fight Club in DB Plaza hosted spooky events throughout the day, and over at DB North Plaza, Gallery Jeeum and DB photographer Richard Gordon set up a Halloween photo booth.

www.evoqueportraits.com, www.colsimphotography.com & www.richardgordonphotography.com

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December 2020 www.arounddb.com

www.arounddb.com December 2020

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DB EVENTS

ISLAND DANCE SHOWCASE

Island Dance presented a socially distanced World of Dance showcase at Youth Square, Chai Wan from October 1 to 3. Dance groups were allotted time slots at the theatre where they performed in full costume and make-up for their parents, teachers and a videographer. The final product – a ‘music video’ style show –will be available to all.

www.islanddance.com.hk

ART JAMMING

DB residents tried their hand at acrylic painting, with mentoring from multi-disciplinary artist and designer Leslie Lachiche, at Garden Artemis in DB North Plaza at morning and evening workshops throughout November.

www.evoqueportraits.com

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December 2020 www.arounddb.com

SPONSORED CONTENT

ENJOY A EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS IN DB!

S

taying close to home over the holidays? This year’s Christmas decorations in DB have been designed to transport you to the heart of Ye Olde Europe, with the French carousel at DB North as the centrepiece.

European Tastes@DB

Photos courtesy of HKR

To kick off the festivities, look no further than DB’s many European restaurants and gourmet shops.

Enjoy tapas at Solera Spanish Restaurant, a French brasserie feast at 22º North, or while away an afternoon on the patio at il Bel Paese. Looking for treats to enjoy at home? Try the artisanal pastries and freshly baked bread at Levain Bakery and be sure to stock up your larder at POLISHFOOD.hk, which imports specialty grocery products from the heart of Europe.

(maximum two same-day receipts) and you can redeem an additional HK$100 DB Dining Voucher.*

Gift Shopping@DB When it comes to picking out Christmas gifts, the shops in DB can’t be beat. At Slowood you can find sustainable and environmentallyfriendly beauty, fashion, kitchen and tableware products. For children, Tree of Joy specialises in educational toys, puzzles, games, books and arts-and-crafts. The wine lover in your life will be delighted by the range of old-world wines available at Watson’s Wine.

Winter Staycation@DB If you’re in the mood for a winter getaway, head to Auberge Discovery Bay Hong Kong from

December 18 to January 2. Priced from HK$1,888,* # the Be Merry Staycation Package includes onenight accommodation in a Mountain View Room with Breakfast Buffet and Festive Dinner Buffet for two.

Or you can choose to upgrade to an Ocean Front Room at just HK$300.* # With each booking, you’re entitled to a surprise gift and you can bring the kids (aged three to 11 years) along too for HK$260* # up.

Family Fun@DB And don’t forget to include DB’s leisure offerings in your Christmas wish list by heading to Tai Pak Beach playground. Free and open to the public all day, the playground doubled in size when more equipment was added last year, making it the largest beach playground in Hong Kong.

Holiday Rewards@DB

FIND IT

Treat friends and family over the holidays to enjoy great rewards at D’Deck and throughout DB. From November 7, on every Saturday, Sunday and public holiday through January 3, spend at least HK$500 by electronic payment in a single transaction at any restaurant or retail store in DB Plaza, D’Deck and DB North and you can redeem a HK$100 DB Dining Voucher.* If you’re looking to splurge, spend at least HK$800 by electronic payment

• Auberge Discovery Bay, DB North, 2295 8355 • 22º North, Shop G08B, D’Deck, 2987 2298 • iL Bel Paese, Shop 30-32A, DB Plaza, 2987 0202 • Levain Bakery, Shop G63, DB Plaza, 2726 4922 • POLISHFOOD.hk, Shop G72, DB Plaza, 9804 1233 • Slowood, Shop 151, DB Plaza, 2944 5189 • Solera Spanish Restaurant, Shop 101, D’Deck, 2555 0772 • Tree of Joy, Shop G77, DB Plaza, 3742 8772 • Watson’s Wine, Shop G11A-2, DB Plaza, 2987 0268 * Terms and conditions apply. First come first served, while stocks last #All prices are subject to 10% service charge

www.arounddb.com December 2020

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Mini Gingerbread Houses Christmas Cookies December 15

fl ur Junior Bakers Age 5+ Venue: Auberge Discovery Bay flourhk@hotmail.com www.facebook.com/flourhk

WE HAVE THE PERFECT GIFT FOR EVERY ATHLETE

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DB EVENTS

YOUR GUIDE TO

HAPPENINGS AND EVENTS

CONGRATULATIONS

UNSUNG HEROES

Photo courtesy of Jane Engelmann

Unsung Heroes, the Hong Kong choir comprised exclusively of overseas foreign workers and led by DB resident Jane Engelmann, was featured at the Women of Influence Conference on November 13 organised by the Hong Kong American Chamber of Commerce. And on November 22, The Helper, a documentary about the choir, was screened for the first time in the Philippines. To get involved, email Jane at jetshk@rocketmail.com.

DBIS: REDRESSED DAY

Photo courtesy of Elina Makilammi

Discovery Bay International School raised HK$16,096 at a Get Redressed Day on November 5. To raise awareness of the benefits of circular fashion, students were invited to wear pre-loved clothing to school and they held a clothing drive for unwanted clothes which were donated to Redress. Proceeds from the event will be split between Impact HK and Redress. For more information, visit www.dbis.edu.hk.

NEW IN DB

COMPETITION

DAZZLE INSIDE

CNY DRAWING COMPETITION

JOHN ASOME

Photo courtesy of Gillian Bickley

DB residents Gillian and Verner Bickley of Proverse Hong Kong have announced the publication of Coolie Ships of the Chinese Diaspora (18461874) by John Asome. Through his book, John has been able to inform readers and scholars about the Chinese coolie trade, helping them understand a vast and complex period in history. For more information and to order, visit cup.cuhk.edu.hk.

JOIN A BEACH CLEAN-UP at Sam Pak Wan on December 5 with Plastic Free Seas from 9am to 11am.

Visit plasticfreeseas.org.

SHOP THE DISCOVERY BAY SUNDAY MARKET in DB Plaza on

December 6 from 11am to 6pm. Visit www.handmadehongkong.com.

BRING YOUR DRINK CARTONS, COFFEE CUPS/ LIDS AND POLYFOAM for

www.dazzleinside.com

At Dazzle Inside, DB resident Tannistha Chatterjee, a certified, trained master practitioner and empowerment coach in neurolinguistic programming, helps her clients to maximise their potential and overcome mental blocks. “I follow a four-step approach of understanding your problems, knowing your goals, identifying your obstacles and finding creative remedies by helping you see more clearly,” she says. To find out more, visit www.dazzleinside.com.

za.pinterest.com

Calling all students at DB primary schools! Here’s your chance to put pen (or brush) to paper to celebrate the Chinese New Year with your art. Students need to submit their designs (2021 is the Year of the Ox) to their schools by January 25 on A3-sized paper (with their name, age, school name and email on the back). For more information, visit www.arounddb.com.

recycling at the waterfront side of Hemingway’s on December 15 from 9am to 11am. Visit the DB Green Facebook page.

HAVE YOUR PRELOVED ITEMS COLLECTED from your

home and rehomed to charities and individuals in need. WhatsApp Nikki of DB Mothers and Friends at 9677 6676.

HELP YOUR HELPER! Enrich HK workshops equip helpers with the tools to save, budget and plan for a future with greater financial security. Visit www.enrichhk.org.

www.arounddb.com December 2020

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DB EVENTS

FATHER CHRISTMAS IS COMING TO TOWN!

GIFT-MAKING WORKSHOPS

Throughout DB

Garden Artemis, DB North Plaza One World Spirit Association has arranged for the original European Father Christmas, St Nicholas, to pay a visit to DB homes on December 6.

Families with children aged two to eight years old can sign up for a visit, and then prepare a small gift for him to deliver when he knocks on their door.

December 6

As an association working to promote the benefits of an integrated and culturally diverse community, One World Spirit has provided DB www.evoqueportraits.com volunteers with the costumes and training to get into character and delight DB kids of all nationalities. “We’ve had a great response, over 20 families have already signed up for a visit,” says Shirlee Dickert. “The Father Christmases will also be surprising underprivileged kids at Tung Chung Police Station on December 18.” To find out more, email admin1@1worldspirit. org or WhatsApp 6186 7874. The event will proceed depending on the COVID-19 situation, for updates head to fb.me/e/60jjApHWS.

EDIBLE ART CLASSES

XMAS ON THE BEACH

Lee Gardens, Causeway Bay

Treasure Island, Pui O

Throughout December

December 12-13

Throughout December

www.facebook.com/gardenartemis2020

In addition to the regular acrylic painting workshops at Garden Artemis (every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday), you can also try your hand at making fluid acrylic tiles (December 4, 11 and 18), fresh flower Christmas wreaths (December 3 and 12), macramé art (December 6, 13 and 20), and glassware engraving (1-hour tutorials by appointment). For more information, head to the store in DB North Plaza or visit the Garden Artemis Facebook page.

FESTIVE FUN FOR JUNIOR BAKERS Auberge Discovery Bay Hong Kong December 14

www.treasureislandhk.com www.cookiesmiles.com.hk

Co-founded by Jo Soo-Tang and DB resident Agnes Chin, the social enterprise Cookie Smiles has partnered with Xplore at Lee Gardens to launch Christmas-themed children’s edible art workshops on Saturdays in December from 2pm to 3.30pm. Kids aged six to 10 can sign up to bake cookies (December 5), stars (December 12), or gingerbread men (December 19). For more information, and to register, visit xplore.leegardens.com.hk.

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You can shop for stocking stuffers and gifts at the Treasure Island Christmas Market on December 12 and 13, and enjoy festive celebrations at the group’s Charity Beach Ball on December 12, which supports local animal welfare charities as well as children and families in need. For the little ones, Santa will swing by in his sleigh for the annual South Lantau Children’s Christmas Party on December 13. For more information, visit www.treasureislandhk.com.

December 2020 www.arounddb.com

www.facebook.com/flourhk

Junior bakers, aged five years and up, can learn to bake and decorate Christmas gingerbread cookies and miniature gingerbread houses with FLOUR cake designer and former ESF teacher Lan Hee Hong on December 14. For more information, email flourhk@hotmail.com or visit www.facebook.com/flourhk.

FESTIVE DINING

SEASONAL DELIVERIES

Throughout DB

Throughout DB

December 20-26

www.aubergediscoverybay.com

There are plenty of seasonal dining specials on offer in DB this month, including the Winter Solstice set menu at Peony on December 20 and 21 (call 2500 1950), the Christmas Eve semibuffet dinner at Café Siena (call 3156 7426) and D’Café’s Christmas Eve buffet dinner on December 24 (call 2500 1942). At the festive brunch and dinner buffets at Café bord de Mer & Lounge on December 25 and 26, the kids can enjoy a surprise visit from Santa (call 2295 8288).

CHRISTMAS CHURCH SERVICES Discovery Bay Church, S.K.H. Wei Lun

Throughout December

store.eatthekiwi.com

Look to award-winning online grocer Eat The Kiwi for a little help with Xmas lunch this year. Take your pick between a free-range turkey, a leg of ham, a shoulder of lamb, or maybe a side of salmon. For dessert, check out the flourless (gluten-free) dark chocolate pecan cake kit (just add eggs and butter) from well-known New Zealand bakery, The Caker. For more information, and to order for delivery to DB, visit store.eat.thekiwi.com.

HOLIDAY HAMPERS POLISHFOOD.hk, DB Plaza Throughout December

December 20 & 25

www.discoverybaychurch.org.hk

Due to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions, Discovery Bay Church will not be holding its annual Christmas Eve Christingle service. However, you can still celebrate the season of advent at the Nine Lessons and Carols service on December 20 at 10am, and ring in Christmas Day at the Family Eucharist service on December 25 at 10am. Check the Discovery Bay Church Facebook page for a variety of Christmas-themed crafts designed for families enjoying the holidays at home. For more information, visit www.discoverybaychurch.org.hk.

TIPS FOR AN ECO-FRIENDLY XMAS FROM PLASTIC FREE SEAS

www.polishfood.hk

Treat yourself, or your loved ones, to a hamper full of European holiday delights at POLISHFOOD.hk. The Christmas bundle for adults includes Żubrówka vodka, pork kabanosy sausages and a box of liquor-filled chocolate barrels, or you can opt for the vegetarian Xmas bundle with vegetarian kabanosy. The kids’ bundle is stuffed with assorted single chocolates and Christmasthemed sweets. To find out more, head to the store in DB Plaza or visit www.polishfood.hk.

www.plasticfreeseas.org

Your best Christmas tree option is your existing fake tree or a second-hand one If you have to have a real tree, make sure it’s FSC certified Make your own wreath and tree ornaments from items found on the beach or in a park If you need to buy Christmas lights, get LED lights Send e-cards If you do buy cards, make sure they are printed on FSCcertified or recycled paper Shop local Homemade chutneys, jams and cookies makes great gifts

Preloved gifts can be appropriate - think books, clothes and toys Buy people services instead of things – movie vouchers, spa treatments, concert tickets Wrap gifts in fabric, tied with fabric ribbons If you get gifts with wrapping paper, remove it neatly and reuse it Reduce food waste. Don’t cook too much!

Include less meat in your holiday dinner this year Support a local charity with time or money

www.arounddb.com December 2020

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WISH LIST

Eat, drink and be merry!

Essentials for holiday entertaining from Eat the Kiwi

FREE-RANGE TURKEY (WHOLE, FROZEN), 3.8KG,

HK$720

HELLABY’S GRASS-FED BEEF SIRLOIN (FRESH), MIN. 2.7KG,

HK$598

TWO PADDOCKS PICNIC CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR 2018,

HK$218 KING SALMON SIDE FILLET (FROZEN), MIN. 1.8KG,

HK$780

Photos courtesy of store.eatthekiwi.com & stockadobe.com

TOHU SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018,

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HK$186

BEETROOT (BABY), 400G,

HK$120

SWEET POTATO (ORANGE, BABY), 1KG,

HK$75

FIND IT • Eat The Kiwi, hello@eatthekiwi.com, store.eatthekiwi.com

FREEDOM FARMS BONELESS CHAMPAGNE LEG HAM (WHOLE, FROZEN), MIN. 4KG,

HK$888

Eat The Kiwi delivers prime New Zealand produce to DB on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 12pm and 6pm (order by 10am, Monday/ Wednesday). Delivery is free for orders over HK$1,000, and costs HK$120 for orders under HK$1,000

December 2020 www.arounddb.com

Let’s together put up with the rain, so we can wait to see the rainbow.

PENANG PROPERTY FOR SALE (Owner Direct Sale) PENANG LUXURY APARTMENT HK$2.79M (NEGOTIABLE) 1,231sq ft. nett

How can I help?

Located on the famed Batu Ferringhi beach, “By The Sea” is a low density development comprising 3 low-rise blocks of 138 units of suites. Its expansive 50m innnity pool and deck has unobstructed views of the sea while green hills serve as a verdant backdrop.

Freehold, fully furnished, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms & 1 carpark space. Innnity pool, gym, playgrounds, monkey park & outdoor gardens.

PLEASE E-MAIL malaysiapropertysales2020@gmail.com AND WHATSAPP/CALL (+852) 9739-1403 FOR DETAILS AND PHOTOS. SERIOUS BUYERS ONLY!

1. Stress/ Anxiety/ Depression/ Emotions Management 2. Overcome Set-backs 3. Deal with Limiting Habits 4. Regain Inner-Power & Motivation 5. Chase Life Goals with Clear Action Plans 6. Resolve Self-esteem & Self-image Issues 7. Overcome Creative Blocks 8. Time & Priorities Management 9. Overcome Public Speaking Difficulties 10. Customised Group Sessions — Corporates/ Educational Institutions

JOHOR PROPERTY FOR SALE

Happy to catch-up for a 30minutes No-obligation Consultation Session

(Owner Direct Sale)

(By appointment only)

JOHOR LUXURY APARTMENT HK$2.10M (NEGOTIABLE) 954 sq ft. nett

About Tannistha

Puteri Harbour, the pearl of Johor, is a prestigious waterfront development located along the southern coast of Johor, where it is closest to neighboring Singapore. Its’ ideal location and award winning masterplan have transformed the harbor into a popular dining, entertainment and holiday destination and given rise to highly desired luxury residences.

Freehold, fully furnished, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms & 1 carpark space. LCD smart home, innnity pool, gym, playgrounds, clubhouse, tennis courts & function rooms.

Certified Master Practitioner and Coach in Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) working with clients across the globe to maximize personal and professional potentials.

Accredited By — International NLP Center (California, USA), International NLP Association (Australia), International Coach Federation (ICF).

PLEASE E-MAIL malaysiapropertysales2020@gmail.com AND WHATSAPP/CALL (+852) 9739-1403 FOR DETAILS AND PHOTOS. SERIOUS BUYERS ONLY!

+852 6103 9636

tannistha@dazzleinside.com www.dazzleinside.com

Hong Kong’s best value wine store Orders Tel: 2433 9929 | www.winerack.com.hk

M.A.N. Skaapveld Shiraz

Botter Prosecco

Russian Jack Sav Blanc

Dashwood Pinot Gris

Frey Riesling Dry Organic

MDLC Reserva, Rioja

Patriarche Cremant Brut

S. Jacopo Chianti Riserva

Pro Nobis Ruche

Tabali Transversal

$78 W.Cape, South Africa

$118 Rioja, Spain

$85 Veneto, Italy

$135 Burgundy, France

$95 Marlborough, N.Z

$160 Tuscany, Italy

$95 Marlborough, NZ

$220 Piedmont, Italy

$115 Rheinhessen, Germany

$258 Maipo/Limari Valley, Chile

Free Home Delivery on Any Mix of 6 Bottles Discovery Bay & Tung Chung Delivered on Wed & Sat | South Lantau, Friday via Ferry Delivery Service We also have shops in: Wanchai, Sai Ying Pun, Tsim Sha Tsui & Sai Kung. Please check our website for details

GIVEAWAYS

HERE’S YOUR CHANCE TO WIN PRIZES! Around DB prizes are incredibly easy to get your hands on, and you have until the 10th of the month to apply. Scan the QR code, or go to www.arounddb.com/giveaways, select the giveaway you want, and enter your details into the online form

WIN A MATH ASSESSMENT AND A MONTH OF TUITION FROM MATHNASIUM Mathnasium Discovery Bay is offering one reader a free, comprehensive math assessment and one month of tuition (worth HK$3,500).

www.mathnasium.com.hk

Mathnasium in DB North Plaza is a math-only learning centre that helps kids aged six to 16 years old understand and master math. The first step is a math assessment that provides a breakdown of students’ strengths and weaknesses.

From there, Mathnasium builds a customised learning plan to enable students to either catch up, keep up, or get ahead. Tutors then work with students on their learning plans, and provide help with homework or test preparation as needed. Over the course of a month, students are entitled to two or three hourlong tutorials each week. Visit www.mathnasium.com.hk/discoverybay.

WIN AN AUTO SPARKLING WATER MACHINE FROM SODAMAGIC SodaMagic is offering two readers a free ‘Auto’ sparkling water machine (worth HK$980); the perfect gift for anyone who enjoys making their own sparkling water and flavoured carbonated beverages.

www.sodamagic.hk

With a SodaMagic sparkling water machine, you can carbonate your tap water, and personalise it to your taste, in seconds. The new Auto model benefits from ‘one push and automatic stop’ functionality – simply push the start button once and the machine will stop automatically when finished. SodaMagic’s sparkling water machines are stylish and modern, and guaranteed to fit the look of all kitchens. Visit www.sodamagic.hk.

Congratulations to last month’s winner Carlos Gonzalez for a Persian rug from Red Velvet Designs

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September 2020 www.arounddb.com

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5205 3736 Embody Studio Plaza Lane, Room 225 Discovery Bay

PROFILE

A good turn Photos by Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com

every day

22

Discovery Bay Brownie Guides set out to make the world a better place – and have a good time doing it.

Elizabeth Kerr gets inspired by three Sixers

T

here are now three Brownie Guide Packs in DB which by my calculation, since there are 24 girls to a pack, means DB is home to 72 Brownies.

As it turns out there are ‘only’ 66 because Pack C, which started in August, isn’t quite full yet. The 66-and-counting Brownie Guides meet at Discovery Bay International

School (DBIS) on Saturday mornings, COVID-19 allowing.

I get to chat with three of them – Lucia Torresi, Molly Shepherd and Olivia Oakley. Lucia, 11, attends Discovery College (DC), and more importantly she’s a Sixer for the Imps (Pack B). Molly, 10, and Olivia, 9, are at DBIS; Molly’s a

December 2020 www.arounddb.com

Sixer for the Red Hat Sprites (Pack B), and Olivia’s a Sixer for the Gnomes (Pack A).

As a rule, the girls don’t really hang out beyond their time in Brownies, but you’d never know that by seeing them interact. Molly and Lucia quickly start giving each other some classic schoolgirl schtick. If

Lucia Torresi

you ask for one of them to explain what Brownies is, be prepared for the barrage of Vaudeville-ready banter that follows.

“It’s like Scouts for girls, but it’s not Girl Guides. Brownies are from five- to 12-year-olds,” begins Lucia, when Molly abruptly cuts her off. “It’s 11.”

“No, 12,” Lucia replies confidently.

“It’s 11,” comes back Molly. “It’s 12.” “11.”

“It’s definitely 12, otherwise I would have left already,” says Lucia.

That seems to be the end of it, at least until Molly, losing the fight, gets the last word out. “It’s 11,” she whispers with a cheeky grin.

Lucia’s mum Louise finally chimes in with a comment about flexibility.

Badges and The Promise The exchange is far from precocious or aggressive, but it is assured, something the girls may be picking up from their time as Brownies, the guiding club

Molly Shepherd

founded by British army officer Lord Baden-Powell and his sister Agnes in the early 20th century.

The trio have been tearing it up on the charitable front for months.

It’s why their Brown Owls Sharon McEneff (Pack A) and Gaylene Meeson (Pack B) recommended them for some publicity.

Eventually they get around to explaining the importance of interest badges – Lucia has 18, Molly, 16 and Olivia, 13. The pet badge and friend badge are Olivia’s favourites so far. “I had to take care of a pet for a week and demonstrate friendship by participating in different activities with new and old friends,” she says with a grin.

The girls also explain about the breakdown of the Pack into Sixes (groups of Imps, Pixies and so on), and how each Six is led by a Sixer, assisted by her Seconder. A Happy Bee becomes a Tweenie and then a Brownie before moving on to Girl Guides... It’s staggering.

Molly asks if she should recite the pledge.

Olivia Oakley

“It’s fun to work on the badges, and help other people and have them help you,” begins Lucia by way of explaining what attracted her to Brownies in the first place – aside from mum Louise’s youthful stint.

“There are always things on the internet telling us to be eco-friendly for example, and I thought, ‘What is that, exactly?’ One day I asked my mum, and she told me, and I thought, ‘I want to do that.’”

For Molly the appeal was similarly collaborative, and mum Laura was also a Brownie. “I like the idea that people may be having a better life because of us,” she says. “I like the feeling they’re happier because we tried to help.”

Olivia, the youngest of the group, agrees, saying: “To be a Brownie is to be helpful, friendly, creative and active… I wanted to be a Brownie because there’s camping and lots of creative and outdoor activities. I enjoy leading as a Sixer in my pack, and I feel special when I earn badges.” And yes, Olivia’s mum Berenise was a  Brownie too.

www.arounddb.com December 2020

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PROFILE

Lending a helping hand Olivia has lived in DB for five years, and in England and Shanghai before that. Lucia and Molly have essentially spent their entire lives in Hong Kong: Molly was born here (dad was too) and Lucia relocated from her birthplace in Vietnam at roughly six months old. Hong Kong is home for all three and they have every intention of helping out where needed – as well as overseas.

How? Where to start? Not surprisingly, Molly and Lucia talk over each other about recent fundraising to supply filters and Q Drums for water transport in South Africa and Nepal (from the sale of environmentally friendly beeswax clingwrap), to finance a village well in Pakistan (through a bake sale), and to help fight Australian bushfires (via a used book drive).

Not ones to rest on their laurels, the three girls have also helped raise funds for childhood cancer research this year. Lucia is sporting a short bob, after giving away her hair for use in a wig. She’s also a young entrepreneur, co-founding ecologically conscious party supply rental service Ecoparties (find them on Facebook), and she encouraged classmates to plant 100 trees in Mui Wo as part of a Year 6 project at school. She’s the first Brownie in Hong Kong’s Bauhinia Division ever to win an Outstanding Brownie award.

No doubt Olivia is following in Lucia’s footsteps. She’s full of enthusiasm about the recent beeswax wrap sale: “I enjoyed the process, particularly picking out the fabrics and the patterns and baking them in the oven to melt the wax onto the fabric to make them waterproof. We sold them to raise money for charities in South Africa and Nepal that work on providing

Brownie Guide Law I will care for my home, my community and myself, And I will do a good turn every day.

The Promise I promise to do my best To be true to myself, my faith, my country and the country in which I live, To help others and to keep the Brownie Guide Law.

clean water.” And looking to the future, Olivia has her heart set on a Super Brownie Award. “You have to earn lots of other badges first,” she says. “No one in the Bauhinia Division has it yet, I think.”

Molly, meanwhile, wants to become a Brown Owl when she grows up.

Right now, one of her focuses is on Impact HK, a charity lending support to the city’s homeless in a quest for employment and housing, as well as supporting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). She’s already looking at charity work as a career.

Tweenies and siblings But all that energy put into making the world better doesn’t mean the girls have no energy to be… girls.

Both Lucia and Molly like to perform on stage but neither would call herself artistic, per se, though Lucia will be the DJ in DC’s production of School of Rock next April. Molly prefers being in school to online learning, though press her to choose a favourite subject and the answer is a simple, “Not

Maths.” Olivia’s into PE and Learning Technologies. There are no subjects she dislikes, not even Maths.

The girls aren’t yet sure what their Brown Owls have planned for them in December but they’re looking forward to working towards more badges and they’ll also be mentoring. Sixers help their Brown Owls lead the Pack, and the Tweenies keep them especially busy. “A Tweenie is when a girl joins the Brownie Pack but she hasn’t made her promise yet; first you have to learn about what being a Brownie means and if it’s right for you to make the commitment,” Olivia explains helpfully, i.e. for my benefit.

Before dashing off, they all shout out siblings – Olivia’s twin sister, Florence, and Lucia’s sister, Sophia, are both in Pack B (Sophia is in Molly’s Six). Molly has a brother, George. He and Sophia are both eight – and besties.

“George wanted to do Brownies,” finishes Molly with a laugh. “But we told him, ‘Really sorry, George.’ He joined the Cubs.”

If your daughter would like to become a Brownie or you’re interested in joining the leader team as a volunteer, visit www.db-brownies.com or email contact@db-brownies.com.

Find more local heroes @ www.arounddb.com

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December 2020 www.arounddb.com

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IN FOCUS

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS Photos by Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com

Reflecting on a tough 2020, Elizabeth Jerabek focuses on the resilience of the many Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon families in DB, and the feeling of community their plight has engendered

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December 2020 www.arounddb.com

L

ooking back on the last 11 months, one of the best ways to sum up 2020 is that it was the year in which almost every single day felt like your whole life could change.

From COVID-19 test results and illness, to sudden relocations and departures from Hong Kong, to the loss of domestic helpers, to school closures, to divorces, to weddings postponed or cancelled, to job losses and salary reductions, almost no one has come through this year unscathed.

Cathay Pacific’s announcement on October 21 of the company’s restructuring and the closure of the regional carrier Cathay Dragon is a recent example of how COVID-19 has reshaped our world in ways both large and small. Around 4,000 cabin crew, 600 pilots, and 700 ground staff and office workers at Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon lost their jobs as a result of the HK$2.2 billion restructuring, while others are facing punitive pay cuts.

The economic fallout of Cathay Pacific’s restructuring has been felt across the city, but its impact is particularly severe on Lantau.

Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon families have long made their home in Discovery Bay, due to its proximity to the airport, and their plight has impacted the whole community. Friends and neighbours have been letting go of their helpers, scrambling to downsize to smaller flats and packing up to leave Hong Kong…

It’s felt like the end of an era.

Despite that, it’s been moving to see the general outpouring of sympathy for all those who have been affected.

Braced for impact “The initial shock is quite brutal and you feel abandoned. It’s very difficult to get your head around,” opens Jon Rebbeck, a Cathay Dragon pilot who was made

redundant in October. “If you scale it down to a personal level, if you’ve got more expenditure than you’ve got income, you’ve got to do something about it. You can’t keep going into debt.”

Jon had been with Cathay Dragon, or Dragonair as it was then, since 2001. Initially employed as a first officer, he was promoted to captain within three years. After that, he moved back and forth – working in Cathay Pacific management, as a trainer and examiner for the Civil Aviation Department, and flying for Cathay Dragon, which is what he was doing up until he was made redundant.

“I was lucky,” he says. “I took a voluntary redundancy from Thomas Cook Airlines in the UK in 2001 but I already had a first interview at Dragonair in Hong Kong. Since then, I’ve always lived on Lantau – from the first 10 years in DB, to Ham Tin, to now in Tung Chung.”

Although the job loss is painful for Jon, with 19 years at Cathay Dragon under his belt, he had already started to focus on his retirement. He now plans to leave Hong Kong early next year, and move to France to the house he owns in Charente.

“I am looking at it positively, for me, as a new beginning,” says Jon. “But even so, there is lots to sort out – taxes, MPF and shipping arrangements. It’s a nightmare.”

Like so many of us, Jon’s heart goes out to the young pilots within the Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon community, particularly those with families to support.

“The shock of the job loss is horrendous,” he says, “but then to have the additional pressure of supporting a family and dealing with things like international schools fees… It’s unbelievably difficult, particularly when you

have to make those decisions very quickly in a short period of time.”

Hope on the horizon While the DB community has come out in force to help friends and neighbours through this difficult time, pilots like Jon have been in a unique position to offer guidance.

“I’ve tried to give good advice to the younger guys I’ve spoken to,” he says. “They should stay focused and positive as they will definitely get the chance to fly again and continue their careers.

“I was here for the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong in 2003, and for the 2008 financial crisis,” Jon adds.

“Things come back more quickly in this part of the world than they do in the States or in Europe. I don’t know why that would be, but it seems like it is.”

Indeed for many, the impending launch of Greater Bay Airlines (GBA) by Hong Kong businessman Bill Wong Cho-bau, is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Waiting on approvals from Hong Kong authorities, GBA plans to begin providing air services between Hong Kong and the mainland by summer 2021. To launch with three Boeing 737 jets, GBA will need to hire at least 300 staff and there are plans to grow the fleet to as many as seven jets by the end of 2021, 30 by 2025.

And there are, of course, alternative careers for Cathay Pacific Group pilots to consider. Jon is quick to point out that pilots have qualities and abilities that make them attractive to other industries. “Pilots tend to be highly motivated with excellent leadership skills, as well as critical thinking and decisionmaking skills,” he says.

In fact, businesses across Hong Kong have already started recruiting, with property agencies  and insurance companies

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IN FOCUS

particularly interested in hiring former Cathay Pacific Group cabin crew to fill key customer service positions. Their hospitality training and expertise, their experience in dealing with passengers and their communication skills – especially if they are bilingual or multilingual – make them highly employable.

Two of Hong Kong’s biggest estate agents, Centaline Property Agency and Ricacorp Properties, as well as insurance companies AIA, Prudential, Manulife, and the beauty treatment brand, Perfect Shape, are all actively recruiting.

In order to help former cabin crew staff make informed career decisions, some companies are offering to provide free retraining even before formal contracts of employment are signed.

Navigating change

Hope is on the horizon with the launch of Greater Bay Airlines

DB resident Nikki Guy – who is a family and child therapist and a director at the private practice Integrate hk – has a clear understanding of what the Cathay Pacific restructuring means for families in DB. The father of her nine-year-old son works at Cathay Pacific, and as a result her family is part of the network of Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon families in DB. Looking for a way to help, Nikki is offering free phone support for all those in need of counselling as a result of the restructuring. She says she’s been overwhelmed by people reaching out for help on how to navigate the change for themselves and for their families.

“A dramatic change, like the one announced by Cathay Pacific, can be incredibly overwhelming for both individuals and families,” says Nikki. “A change like this is internalised and manifests itself

in different ways both physically, emotionally and psychologically.

Sometimes the consequential impact can be ever so subtle and these are the things that we need to look out for to help each other.

“There is no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’ way of processing a loss, each person’s experiences will be unique,” Nikki adds. “Each person will have their own way of dealing with it. The families I have seen have reminded me of the power of resilience in the face of adversity.”

Nikki is also quick to point out how important it is to have a strong support network – acquaintances, friends and family who can provide non-judgmental feedback, advice and suggestions on how to move forward and gain new perspectives.

“I have been moved by people stepping up to support others within the Cathay Dragon community,” she concludes. “It has been a privilege to also be part of the Midvale community in DB, where I have seen at first hand families coming together to share their kindness, support and compassion.”

Numbers to call • Staff members of the Cathay Pacific Group can call the Hong Kong Labour Department’s dedicated hotline (3580 1442 and 3580 1443) with enquiries on their employment rights and benefits.

Special service counters have also been set up at the LD’s 13 job centres to provide priority registration and employment services for affected employees • For a reduced rate on counselling with Nikki Guy, call 6900 7798

Find more topical local topics @ www.arounddb.com

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December 2020 www.arounddb.com

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EDUCATION

Multi-cultural Christmas crafts

Photos courtesy of stock.adobe.com

With this collection of DIY paper ornaments, you can dip your toes into the holidays as seen around the globe. Jane Drew reports

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December 2020 www.arounddb.com

M

aking your own ornaments is a fun bonding activity for the whole family to enjoy in the lead-up to Christmas.

And this year, rather than sticking to your own traditions, why not draw on some of your neighbours’ customs? This will make the 2020 holidays look a little different in your home, and you’ll be encouraging your kids to celebrate diversity, while recognising the universal values that connect us.

We’ve picked out three paperbased ornaments for you to make from Russia, the Philippines and beyond, all of which borrow from an established Christmas tradition.

These ornaments symbolise universal values that engender love, peace and goodwill – values that transcend all borders, while embracing the spirit of Christmas.

Matryoshka dolls

Matryoshkas are wooden Russian dolls that come in a set; they are carved in decreasing sizes so they can nest inside one another. The first nesting doll sets were made in the late 1800s and since then, this toy’s popularity has spread far beyond Eastern Europe.

Matryoshkas often depict women in traditional Eastern European dress with headscarves; however, there are sets of animals, cartoon characters and now even politicians.

Many sets feature the same design, painted on a different scale, but in others all the dolls are different.

You can always buy a set, but if you paint it yourself, you can add educational and/ or personalised elements. At “Christmastime”, you might create a Matryoshka set of your own family, the Nativity, Santa and his elves, etc.

To make a very simple paper Matryoshka set, you will need four sheets of construction paper, one sheet of decorative wrapping paper, a marker and glue.

Cut out three squares of paper, small, medium and large. Fold the first square into a triangle. Fold in the right corner and then the left corner. Glue the front piece of the t ria ngula r- s ha pe d top down onto the folded corners. Tuck the back piece of the triangleshaped top into the pocket of the folded corners shape. This forms a little nesting-shaped cup that will stand up on the table.

Cut out the shape of a semicircle from the wrapping paper to form the doll’s dress. Glue this on with the flat edge at the bottom. Cut out the shape of a circle from the remaining sheet of construction paper and glue this onto the curved section of the dress. This will be the doll’s face, which you can draw on with a marker.

Repeat these steps and create two more dolls using the mediumand large-shaped squares as your starting point. Once the glue has dried on each doll, you can nest them inside each other.

Source: www.pbs.org.

Parol lanterns In the Philippines, parols are hung outside homes and along village

streets in the lead-up to Christmas.

These star-shaped, tasselled lanterns represent the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem. In a wider sense, lighting and decorating a parol is an expression of faith, hope, goodwill and the triumph of light over darkness.

Parols are traditionally made from bamboo and rice paper though they are now made in a variety of materials, shapes and sizes.

What’s important is that you use thin paper to allow light to shine through, creating the feel of a lighted lantern.

To make your own parol, you will need two 30cm strips of cardboard (each about 2cm wide), two 18cm squares of yellow tissue paper and one 18cm square of coffee filter paper, plus glue, red paint, a ruler, scissors and a ribbon.

Start by painting the coffee filter paper. While it dries, paint the cardboard strips. Once they are dry, measure two inches from the end of each strip. Fold the strips accordion style. Glue the two strips together, each end firmly  glued inside the other, keeping the

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EDUCATION

folds all at the same 5cm length.

Adjust this folded circular shape into a five-pointed star. Determine which two points will be the bottom of the star and cut out a notch in each, which is where you will insert the tassels.

Put a bead of glue all around the edge of the star, and turn it over on to the square of yellow tissue paper. Readjust the strips so they stay in a star shape. While the glue is drying, make the cut-out pattern for the front of the parol – fold the coffee filter paper in half diagonally to form a triangle, then in half again. Cut a few shapes along the inner edges, staying within 2cm of the point. Fold in half again, and cut another small shape along that edge, again staying within 2cm.

By now, the glued yellow tissue paper will be dry. Cut away the excess tissue paper from the edges of the cardboard star. Now glue the cut-out coffee filter paper onto the front of the star. While that dries, make the two tassels. Fold the remaining square of tissue paper in half – its length will be the length of one tassel. Cut in strips stopping before reaching the folded edge, so that the tissue paper curls. Once the parol is dry, cut away the excess coffee filter paper from the edges. Put a dab of glue on the end of each tassel and insert them into the notches.

suit, long white beard, jolly laugh and sack full of presents. This ‘American’ Santa, who drops down the chimney on Christmas Eve, has been adopted across the globe but within Europe, ‘he’ comes in many different guises – and he doesn’t always show up on December 24.

In Russia, for instance, Ded Moroz (translated as Father Frost) visits the homes of good children on New Year’s Eve; in Italy, La Befana – a good-natured witch who flies around on a broomstick – drops in on January 5. The traditional British Father Christmas wears a hooded green cloak and a wreath of holly or ivy, and he carries a staff. His French counterpart Père Noël prefers a long red cloak to a red suit.

To make an origami Santa, you will need one 20cm square of paper (with a red and a white side), plus a little glue.

Place the paper on a table with the red side facing upward. Fold the

Finally, glue a loop of ribbon to the top of the parol and hang it somewhere that allows the light to shine through.

Source: multiculturalkidblogs.com.

Origami Santas Christmas is all about giving and few things symbolise that better than Santa Claus, with his red

paper in half, from bottom to top and from left to right. You will now have a neat cross. Flip the paper over to the other side (the white side). Fold the bottom edge up to meet the horizontal crease and unfold. Fold the left edge to meet the vertical central crease and unfold. Fold the bottom right corner up to the top left corner, then unfold.

Rotate the paper so that the diagonal line is vertically centred and flip the paper over to the other side. Fold the bottom section up and unfold.

Fold the bottom corner up to the previous crease and unfold.

Fold the bottom corner up to the crease you just made. Unfold. Fold the bottom corner up again to the crease you just made. Flip the bottom section up. Flip it up again, and fold it up once more.

Flip the paper over to the other side, and rotate it so that the folded corner is now at the top. Bring the top left and right sections in towards the middle. Collapse the top section down and fold well.

Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner.

Fold the top corner down, leaving a small gap between what will be Santa’s hat and beard. Fold another small section down, creating Santa’s moustache. Flip the paper over to the other side. Fold the bottom right corner up to the top corner.

Fold the bottom left section up to the top corner. Fold the right edge to the centre, folding all of the layers. Fold the left section the same way. Fold the bottom corner up a little bit and glue the back down. Your origami Santa is complete!

Source: www.thesprucecrafts.com.

Find more on education @ www.arounddb.com

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December 2020 www.arounddb.com

SPONSORED CONTENT

Discovery Bay International School: Launches the Mini and Junior Duke Award for primary aged students

L Photos courtesy of DBIS

aunched in October 2020, the Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) Mini and Junior Duke Award progamme has already attracted an incredible 210 sign-ups from students in Years 1 to 6.

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Proud to lead the way, DBIS is one of the first schools outside of the UK and Dubai to offer the programme. Inspired by the wellknown Duke of Edinburgh Award for secondary school students, the Duke Award gives primary aged participants the time and space to develop independence, resilience, enquiry, organisation and selfmotivation through a journey of life skill challenges.

DBIS Primary Outdoor Leader Jonny Haines helped adapt the Duke Award UK programme for

international school students.

“When I learned about the Duke Award in the UK it made clear sense to offer it to our students here in Hong Kong,” he says. “There is clearly a demand for young people to have a platform to share their skills and interests and to learn new things, especially with COVID-19 restricting children’s access to after-school clubs and activities.

“Developing the ‘whole child’ beyond conventional academics is imperative to preparing our young people for the future,” Jonny adds.

“With DB’s rolling hills, open spaces and the water, it is the perfect environment for children to get outdoors and take part in the Duke Award. They are asked to participate in a variety of new experiences and they are challenged to learn new and varied skills at an early age. In

December 2020 www.arounddb.com

a community where most families are lucky enough to have the support of domestic helpers, the Duke Award teaches children that it is important to ‘have a go’ and seek independence. It helps them to develop the resilience they will need throughout their lives whilst rewarding them for their hard work.”

Students aged six to 12 years old are provided with a series of progressive life skills challenges, including first aid, cookery, swimming, budgeting, fixing punctures and domestic duties, to expose them to the skills needed for the real world.

Participating DBIS students are busy filling their journals with photographs of baked cakes, puncture repairs, shop visits using a budget, completed domestic

chores, first-aid provision, confidence building presentations based on their passions and lots of child-organised hikes.

“I like the Duke Award because I like to try new things and learn new skills,” says DBIS student Zach Stanton, aged eight years old. “So far I’ve completed my swimming and washing-up challenges but I’m looking forward to junk modelling the most because I am a creative person.”

The brainchild of Dawn Waugh, a teacher at Hutchesons’ Grammar School in Glasgow, Scotland, the Duke Award has been running in schools across the UK since 2007, and its popularity has quickly spread to the United Arab Emirates, and now to Hong Kong at DBIS and beyond. The programme was inspired by the reality that many busy parents simply do not have the time to allow their young children to acquire basic life skills. For example, many parents can recognise the feeling that it’s easier and quicker to tie a child’s shoelaces for them rather than allow them the time to persevere and eventually get it right for themselves.

“The children select which challenges they’d like to complete and set their own goals, which keeps them interested and motivated,” says Jonny. “There is space for children to add self-assessment comments on their progress and photographic evidence.”

On completing a challenge, the children receive either a ‘Duke Approved’ sticker or feedback on how to evidence their skill further. This process of reflection is an important life skill and habit to

foster. On completing a challenge, the children earn a ‘Class Dojo’ for being committed learners. This helps them contribute to their House team’s weekly score.

“DBIS is proud to adopt the Mini and Junior Duke Award,” says Stuart Bridge, Head of School. “It complements our current Learning for Life programme and ever-developing outdoor Forest and Beach Schools programmes perfectly. It really is an exciting environment for our young learners.”

FIND IT

• Discovery Bay International School (DBIS), www.dbis.edu.hk www.arounddb.com December 2020

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FAMILY LORE

Are you a divorcee looking to relocate from Hong Kong with your children?

Samantha Gershon, Partner in the family and divorce team at Withers, has some timely advice

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s soon as divorce proceedings begin in Hong Kong, the children of the family will fall under the jurisdiction of the court. This means that should the father or mother want to relocate with the children, they need each other’s consent. Without the other parent’s consent there is a need to make an application to the Court for leave to remove the children from Hong Kong. Any temporary removal from Hong Kong also requires the other parent’s consent or an Order of the Court.

Photo courtesy of Withers

A temporary removal is normally requested when a parent wants to take the child out of Hong Kong on holiday, to see ailing grandparents or to study abroad. A contested application can arise when the other parent is fearful that the parent making the application does not intend to bring the child back to Hong Kong.

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When making its decision, the Court will focus on the best interests of the child. During the pandemic, the Court may not agree to a child leaving Hong Kong temporarily if they need to quarantine in a hotel for 14 days when they return, or if they are going to a country that’s in

lockdown or where the COVID-19 numbers are very high.

not be in the child’s best interest to relocate.

Even if the parents agree to allow a child to be permanently removed from Hong Kong, there still needs to be an Order of the Court permitting the child to leave.

The party leaving must also agree to return the child to Hong Kong if required to do so.

During these uncertain times, a parent wishing to leave Hong Kong could be forced to put their relocation plans on hold. They may want to move to a country which has travel restrictions or does not accept non-permanent residents which would affect the access rights of the remaining parent. If it is not possible to fly in and out of Hong Kong with ease, and if quarantine restrictions are in place for the parent, relocation would not be in the best interest of the child since they would be at risk of having no direct contact with one parent for a considerable amount of time.

In contested permanent removal applications, like with temporary removal cases, the best interest of the child remains the overriding consideration. The parent applying to leave with the child needs to demonstrate to the Court that they have a proper plan for the child’s future, including future schooling, accommodation and proposed future access arrangements. The Court will then look at the existing care arrangements. For example, if there is shared care from which the child benefits, then it may

These are complicated issues and ones that need to be carefully considered by the parents when making the decision to relocate. At Withers, our family specialist lawyers can guide you every step of the way.

FIND IT • Withers, 30/F United Centre, 95 Queensway, Admiralty, 3711 1600, www.withersworldwide.com/en-gb/hong-kong Samantha Gershon is a Partner in the family and divorce team at Withers. Find more from Samantha at www.withersworldwide. com/en-gb/people/samantha-gershon.

Find more advice from Withers @ www.arounddb.com December 2020 www.arounddb.com

HELPLINE

Financial advice for migrant domestic workers from the team at Enrich HK!

Photo courtesy of Enrich HK

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ll of us have been affected by the pandemic this year, in different ways. As a domestic worker (and possibly as a parent, sibling, child or friend), you will have faced challenges – at the very least you will have felt some uncertainty about the current situation and worries about what the future might bring. While we hope for the best for 2021, none of us can predict the future – instead, we need to do what we can to plan for it, to protect ourselves and our loved ones as much as possible.

Take a moment now to do a little check in with yourself. How has this year been for you? What has been your biggest challenge, and how have you dealt with it?

What are you worried about for next year, and what are some possible solutions? Answering these questions can help you be honest with yourself and find a path forward too.

Reassess your goals for 2021 You haven’t been able to achieve your goals this year and now, with

December 2020 www.arounddb.com

so many more expenses, it feels like your goals are moving further away. What’s the best way to get back on track?

To start with, know that you are not alone – many of us have faced challenges, disappointments and setbacks this year. So, begin by reviewing your progress. Why were you unable to achieve your goals this year? Besides the higher expenses, did you have any other challenges or distractions? Were any of your major expenses for ‘wants’ and not ‘needs?’

of them simultaneously. Break them up into smaller, more achievable pieces – try to save a small amount towards them each month, build your confidence by starting small.

Ideally, paying off your debts and saving for an emergency fund (three to six months of your salary) should be your first priority.

Lastly, have patience. Commit to your goals – they do not have to change every month. Labelling them as short-term, mediumterm or long-term can provide direction and focus. Avoid taking a loan in order to make your goals happen quickly; the future can be uncertain, so you don’t want to be in a position where you’re paying back a loan you cannot afford.

Empower your family

Move on to evaluating the list of goals you want to achieve. If this is your first time setting your goals, that’s totally fine – start with the end in mind! What were your goals when you first came to Hong Kong? Has anything changed due to COVID-19? How can you make adjustments but still continue to achieve the goals you set?

Make sure your goals are SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Bound.

Remember to add a ‘price tag’ (a total value for how much your goal will cost), as well as a deadline to achieve it. It might take a little longer than you intended, but with some adjustments you can still make it happen.

Your family has not been able to work during COVID-19, and you’re supporting so many of them. Can this continue in 2021, especially if they can’t get jobs? Is relying solely on your income a sustainable plan?

You’re right, you and your family must work together to make sure you’re not shouldering this all by yourself. Start by talking to them about a collective plan.

Communicate honestly about your concerns and talk about possible safety nets. What is the Plan B? Of course, you don’t want to think

negatively, but you must plan for the possibility that you might not always have your job in Hong Kong. Try to have a constructive, positive conversation about the short- and long-term future.

Take this time to educate yourself and encourage your family to do so as well. Perhaps they could retrain or learn new skills which could give them employment opportunities.

This could also help them think about alternative income streams.

Food catering, delivery, plant cultivation and selling secondhand goods are all businesses which are gaining popularity in the Philippines. Encourage family members to think creatively – this might not have been the career they had in mind but right now, we all need to work together to do the best we can.

Of course, your relations must understand that they also need to manage money carefully right now.

Try and get everyone involved in the financial planning process (even your children). Share your financial goals with them – if they are motivated to work and save, it’s a winning situation for everyone.

Finally, move into 2021 with positive thoughts – you might have faced difficulties this year, but you’ve come this far, so don’t give up!

Enrich HK is an award-winning Hong Kong charity providing financial and empowerment education to migrant domestic workers. For a free, confidential one-to-one financial counselling session and to learn about the courses on offer, visit www.enrichhk.org. If you have a question you would like to have answered on this page, email info@enrichhk.org.

Know that you need to prioritise your goals but don’t try to tackle all Find more advice from Enrich HK @ www.arounddb.com www.arounddb.com December 2020

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GEOMANCY

FENG SHUI: The bedroom If you had to pick one room in your home to feng shui, you’d definitely want it to be your bedroom.

Samantha Wong reveals why

Photos courtesy of unsplash.com

F

eng shui says that your bedroom is the space that symbolises you the most, which means the way it’s decorated has a direct impact on your wellbeing.

Besides that, you spend many hours in this room, and when you’re asleep you’re in a passive state so you’re really affected by all the energies surrounding you.

The bedroom should be a place of rest, relaxation and love-making – nothing else – so it’s essential that you get the sheng chi (beneficial energy) flowing.

First step to maximising your bedroom’s potential is to get your bed in the ‘command position.’

This means placing it so you can see the entry door (anyone coming

in) when you are lying in bed.

But don’t place your bed so that it directly faces the door, do this and you’ll be lying in the position of the dead – you’ll be ready ‘to go feet first.’

Your headboard represents stability and support in your life, so choose one that is solid, without any perforations, and place it against a solid wall. If possible, don’t place your bed under any low beams, soffits or sloped ceilings.

If the bedroom is big enough, leave a space on both sides of the bed. This means you’ve made room for your partner or future partner. Healing energy needs to flow all around you when you’re

sleeping, so keep the space under your bed clutter-free too. Know that whatever you store under your bed may represent or create subconscious blockages in your life. Letters from an ex may keep you from moving forward. Shoes or luggage can prevent you from getting a good night’s rest – you feel like you’re constantly in motion.

If you must utilise the space under your bed for some kind of storage, stick to soft, sleep-related items like linens, blankets and pillows.

You need to limit the yang (male) energy and go big on nurturing ying (female) energy in your bedroom. Swap out tall, overpowering wardrobes, and choose nightstands and  headboards that are discreet and

www.arounddb.com December 2020

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GEOMANCY

curved. You don’t want any sharp angular items in your bedroom.

Importantly too, the bedroom needs to be low-tech. Computers, phones, televisions and exercise equipment are all taboo – their

If you place a mirror in front of your bed you are inviting a third person into your relationship energy is too yang, too strong.

And somewhat surprisingly, it’s the same story with books. It’s OK to have one or two books on your nightstand but avoid having a full bookshelf in the bedroom. Books represent active energy – they will keep your mind overstimulated and can induce insomnia.

You’re seeking harmony and balance in your bedroom, so you’ll want to nourish all five senses.

Burn essential oils to sweeten the air, play some soothing tunes, and layer soft and inviting fabrics.

Treat yourself to breakfast in bed occasionally and always keep fresh water on your nightstand.

In terms of what you want to see, go with earthy tones. Avoid plain white walls because stark white brings in the metal element, which is too mentally stimulating for a bedroom. Go with off-white, cream and chocolate brown to promote peaceful vibes and sensuality.

How to boost your love life Speaking of sensuality, getting the feng shui right in a bedroom can kickstart, boost or simply

Avoid peach tones in your bedroom – peach is promiscuous

bolster your love life. So, design your bedroom for two even if you’re not currently in a relationship. Present everything in pairs to symbolise union.

That means two pillows, two nightstands, two lamps and, if space allows, two armchairs.

You need to avoid any reference to water in your bedroom. This means no plants or water features, no pictures of the ocean, no shells, no fish motifs. Why? Just as water puts out fire, it quenches the red-hot flames of passion.

Likewise, the artwork in your bedroom can have a big effect on your personal life. If you’re single and looking for love, avoid images of single people or objects. If you want to reignite the spark between yourself and your spouse, display photos of the kids

elsewhere. Hang your artwork at eye level or higher to lift your lifeforce energy.

Skin tones are conducive to sleep but introducing too much peach into your colour scheme is a mistake. If you’re single, you’ll find yourself bouncing from partner to partner, and if you’re in a relationship, your eye will wander.

Peach is promiscuous. Note too, that if you place a mirror in front of your bed you are inviting a third person into your relationship.

The best way to erotically charge your bedroom is to make sure the fire element is present in your decor. Place a red object on your nightstand and something copper on your partner’s. Hanging a ruby or garnet over both nightstands will ensure that your bedroom radiates sex-positive energy.

Find more on feng shui @ www.arounddb.com

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December 2020 www.arounddb.com

PREMIER FOR A REASON

15 ASIAN GAMES 18 COMMONWEALTH GAMES 10 OLYMPIANS 名奧運選手

SPRING TERM 2021 2 JANUARY - 6 MARCH 2021 春季課程 1月2日至3月6日

MONDAY TO SATURDAY

名亞運會選手

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FROM INFANTS (4 MONTHS+) TO BEGINNERS TO COMPETITIVE 嬰幼兒親子游泳班 (4個月或以上) 兒童游泳班 泳隊訓練

ENROL NOW AT CLUB SIENA OR DBRC RECEPTION! mEMBERS & NON-MEMBERS WELCOME! 來海澄湖畔會所學游泳啦！ 歡迎會員及非會員報名

星期一至星期六

ESCAPES

Dreaming of A WHITE CHRISTMAS

Photos courtesy of unsplash.com

Expedition ships to the Antarctic Peninsula are packed with visitors psyched for close encounters with penguins, whales and Weddell seals.

Dorothy Veitch recalls the trip of a lifetime

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December 2020 www.arounddb.com

Rite of passage Expedition ships cross the Drake Passage – the notoriously volatile stretch of water that separates Latin America and Antarctica – during the ‘summer season,’ from late October through to March. Come April, the ice freezes over and Antarctica is again cut off from the rest of the world. It’s a two-day transition from the nine-tofive grind of wi-fi and worries to a far simpler yet more powerful place.

An expedition ship crossing the Drake Passage

Luxury adventure A typical expedition team is made up of scientists, biologists, historians and adventurers. They nimbly switch between giving lectures on the wildlife, history and geology to navigating inflatable Zodiac boats between the icebergs and facing down snowstorms. Unlike most organised tours, tourists are made to feel as though they are explorers on a bone fide adventure.

Humpback whales slapping their flippers and flukes

Bragging rights Travel to Antarctica still holds bragging rights, especially if you camp out on the ice or dare to do the Polar Plunge, stripping off and immersing yourself in the icy waters.

The sun sets after 10pm during the summer, and this is the best time to hear the glaciers creak and moan.

Every now and then a section will calve off into the sea, hitting the water with a loud smack and sending a tsunami across the bay.

Camping out on the ice

Wildlife watching It is over a century since the British explorer Ernest Shackleton’s ship Endurance was caught in the pack ice, marking the beginning of one of the world’s most exciting adventure stories. Extending like a great white arm from the main body of the icy continent, the peninsula is still populated with penguins, whales and Weddell seals that appear to be smiling as they lounge on the  ice flows.

A smiling Weddell seal

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ESCAPES

Rules and regulations The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) oversees tourism in the region and among the stringent rules aimed at protecting the wildlife is the stipulation that visitors are not to get closer than 5 metres. Another IAATO regulation holds that no more than 100 people are allowed to land in the same space at any one time.

Only 100 people can land in the same space at any one time

Snow bird spotting A mere flick of their powerful fins and penguins shoot through the crystalclear waters at speeds of up to 22 miles per hour. But it’s when they move from the sea to the land, as they do every November for the start of the two-month breeding season, that they become adorable – and accidentally hilarious. Their rookeries are noisy and often smelly but always hugely entertaining.

Adorable and accidentally hilarious penguins

Losing your perspective Beyond the wildlife, the draw of Antarctica is the vast, icy landscape.

The first thing to go is your sense of perspective. In the early summer, practically everything looks white.

There are no trees or anything that might give you a sense of scale, making it difficult to judge distances.

Only when you see an inflatable Zodiac beside an iceberg, do you realise just how huge these majestic blocks of ice really are.

Majestic blocks of ice in a vast, white landscape

A feeling for the ice The more you look at the icebergs, the more you come to appreciate the range of colours, from white through to turquoise, deep blue and black. The black ice is the oldest – 50,000-yearold water that has been compressed over time so that all the air and impurities have been removed. This black ice looks like shards of glass.

The black ice is the oldest – 50,000-year-old compressed water

Find more dream destinations @ www.arounddb.com

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December 2020 www.arounddb.com

RECIPES

Stocking fillers Fun and easy to make, delicious Xmas treats also make pretty and practical gifts Stained Glass Christmas Cookies • 300g plain flour* • 1tsp ground ginger • 1tsp ground cinnamon • 175g butter* • 100g golden syrup • 250g clear boiled fruit sweets

Photos courtesy of stock.adobe.com

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Sift the flour, ginger and cinnamon into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour to form crumbs.

Add the golden syrup, using your hands to form a dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Sort the sweets into individual colours, then crush them with a rolling pin. Roll out the dough to around 1cm thickness.

Use the cutter of your choice to cut your cookie and then use a smaller cutter to remove a centre shape also. Transfer to a lined baking tray and use a skewer to make a hole at the top of each cookie. Fill the cut-out centres of the cookies with crushed sweets and then bake for around 15 minutes, until the sweets have melted and the biscuits are golden. Serve once the cookies have started to cool and the sweets have solidified again.

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December 2020 www.arounddb.com

Cranberry and Orange Mince Pies • 200g butter, cubed* • 400g plain flour* • 100g ground almonds • 100g golden caster sugar* • 1 orange, zest only* • 2tbsp milk/ orange juice* • 100g frozen cranberries • 400g jar mincemeat • Flaked almonds, a handful • 2tsp icing sugar* Preheat the oven to 200°C. Whizz the butter, flour and almonds in a food processor. Pulse in the sugar and orange zest. Add the milk, whizzing to form a rough dough.

Press together and shape into a smooth disc. Chill for 15 minutes.

Roll out the dough to around 1cm thickness. Using an 8cm cutter, stamp out 24 circles and use to line the holes of 2 x 12-hole bun tins. Mix the cranberries and mincemeat together, then spoon into the cases. Scatter each pie with flaked almonds, and top with additional dough if desired. Bake the pies for 18-20 minutes until golden. Dust with icing sugar  to serve.

Eat The Kiwi delivers essentials for your Xmas pantry direct to your door www.arounddb.com December 2020

49

RECIPES

Peppermint Creams • 1 egg white* • 340g icing sugar* • ½tsp peppermint extract • 250g dark chocolate* Whisk the egg white in a large bowl until fluffy but not stiff. Sift in the icing sugar and mix until combined into a dough. Knead in the peppermint exact. Take a small amount of the dough and roll it into a ball. Place onto two pre-lined baking trays and gently press into a circle, about 5mm thick. Repeat until you have used all the dough. Refrigerate for 2 hours or ideally overnight. To finish, break the chocolate up into a bowl and melt over a Bain Marie.

Dip the peppermint creams in the chocolate, one at a time, and place back onto the lined trays.

Return to the fridge for a few hours to set the chocolate.

FIND IT • Eat The Kiwi, 97855 5706 (WhatsApp), hello@eatthekiwi.com, store.eatthekiwi.com Eat The Kiwi delivers prime New Zealand produce* to DB on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 12pm and 6pm (order by 10am, Monday/ Wednesday). Delivery is free for orders over HK$1,000, and costs HK$120 for orders under HK$1,000.

Find more deliciously simple recipes @ www.arounddb.com

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December 2020 www.arounddb.com

DB FACES

Snaps COMMUNITY

Photos by Col Sim www.colsimphotography.com

Find more familiar DB faces @ www.arounddb.com

Win prizes from Uncle Russ Coffee and The Pier Bar!

Congratulations to last month’s winner: Roshana Chen (@roshanachen)

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The best snap wins! Your mission this month is to share your favourite photo of DB on Instagram, hashtag #arounddb. You have until the 10th of the month to enter.

This is your chance to win a complimentary coffee from Uncle Russ, or a beer from The Pier Bar every day for a week. We will contact the winner via Instagram. Good luck!

Uncle Russ Instagram Contest!

December 2020 www.arounddb.com

Discovery Bay Church (Anglican / Episcopal)

Christmas Services in Discovery Bay Church!

Come & Celebrate the Birth of Christ

Sunday, December 20 at 10am Nine Lessons and Carols Friday, December 25 (Christmas Day) at 10am Family Eucharist Please visit www.discoverybaychurch.org.hk, Facebook (Discovery Bay Church), and Instagram (@discoverybaychurch) for a socially-distanced Christingle, and other safe at home Christmas activities during the Advent season!Â

Wishing you a peaceful and joyous Christmas Discovery Bay Church (Anglican / Episcopal) Email: markrogers@discoverybaychurch.org.hk Daughter Church of St.John's Cathedral Web: www.discoverybaychurch.org.hk SKH Wei Lun Primary School, Priest in Charge: Discovery Bay Road The Reverend Mark Rogers 10:00am (English) Sunday Tel: 2987 4210 Mob: 5180 5106

Church of The Incarnation Sunday Services at SKH Wei Lun Primary School Chapel 10:30am Sunday Contact The Church Office 2987 0723

View local business directories @ www.arounddb.com EMPLOYMENT

HEALTH & WELLBEING

SPORTS

AKASH MOVING & HANDYMAN SERVICES

VR, HYPNOSIS: INDIVIDUAL/ COUPLES THERAPY

PRIVATE MARTIAL ARTS COACHING

• Local packing, moving, storage & handyman services • All kinds of transport services • Inbound shipment clearance • Having stuff delivered from China?

They are not delivering to DB Or Lantau?

Have it sent to the Akash office in Kwai Chung & delivered to your home.

• Virtual-reality programmes for PTSD, addictions, phobias (fear of flying, public speaking, bridges, enclosed spaces, storms) • Couples’ conflicts • Overeating • Career/ relationship stress • Anger management • Nail biting • Exam jitters • Career coaching • Quitting smoking

Dr Melanie Bryan, Psy.D. Clinical Psychologist, ypnotherapist.

Contact 2575 7707, www.mindmatters.hk

Contact 2421 8088, info@akash.hk, www.akash.hk

trimco Hong Kong Limited

Well known in the Hong Kong MMA community, Marc Guyon guides you through your journey to become a martial artist. As a former whitecollar-turned-professional fighter, Marc’s understanding of looking for peak performance in all your occupations & activities is like nothing in Hong Kong.

Contact 9303 2996, marcguyonkungfu@gmail.com, www.marcguyon.com

Painting Decorating Renovation Cladding Tiling Contact Steve Donovan at 6149 0894 (call or WhatsApp), trimcohk@gmail.com

The finest selection of lavender essestial oils, shampoos, hand creams, Foam Bath, Wildflower & Geranium, body lotions imported from the U.K. Lavender grown and harvested in the Cotswold with no artificial fragrances.

Ginger extract hair serum and herbal teas from Thailand.

A range of branded alcohol hand & body gels.

E-mail: essentialssophia@gmail.com

www.sophiaessentials.com

Freelance or Part-time Fitting MODEL(S) A well-known USA Lingerie brand is currently looking for fitting models based in Hong Kong Office.The person should have a positive attitude and able to give feedback during fitting process.

Lingerie - US Size 38C — *Full Bust - 40 1/2" - 41" / *Underbust - 33" Lingerie - US Size 38D — *Full Bust - 42" / *Underbust - 33" Lingerie - US Size 38DD — *Full Bust - 43" / *Underbust - 33" Lingerie - US Size 38F — *Full Bust - 43 1/2" / *Underbust - 33" *** Other Sizes are also welcome ***

Interested parties, please call 2372 8428 & email personal's measurement to christina.ma@fotlinc.com Please provide an identity proof for legally working at HK for casting.

DB PROPERTY FOR RENT L U X U RY A PA R T M E N T S I N S I E N A 2

Spacious 600 square-foot apartments – quiet with sea views over park, near Club Siena & DB Tunnel. Fully furnished with washer/ drier, bed linen, kitchenware, 55” TVs, wi-fi, NOW TV & sound bar. Contact the owner on 9317 0624, nialady2011@gmail.com

If you are looking to rent or sell a property and would like to see it listed on this page, email philip@baymedia.com.hk

Clinical Psychology, Counselling, Coaching Services The service scope covers mental and psychological health of children, adolescent, adults and the elderly with home visits. Other specialized services are IQ testing, addictions & behaviour, cognitive impairment, family relationship, parenting, health management, immigration worries & business training workshops.

Contact website at www.changefocus.com.hk or call 9094 2064/ 6110 8778 for appointment

Need professional assistance with your designs and graphics? From logos, leaflets and company brochures, to book publishing and website creation...

We can help all businesses.

For further enquiries on details of our packages, please contact Philip Jay, our Managing Director, at philip@baymedia.com.hk.

GUITAR LESSONS

British born Music Composer/Producer-GuitaristVocalist, Steve Gardner is offering Home visit electric or acoustic guitar lessons In DB or Online.

I teach at various International schools in Hong Kong since 1994 and teaching in DB since then as well.

I teach young and old, children or adults, beginner or advanced, whether for a fun hobby or guiding students into university via school curriculum or even to take up guitar as a future profession. With many years experience I teach to the very highest standards in a hands on and friendly manner treating each students individual needs.

6645 3280

www.stevegardnerhk.com music@stevegardnerhk.com

• • • •

3 Hi resolution retouched digital images Private 15-minute studio session Images delivered in 24 hours HK$800.

t. +852 6620 3421 e. info@colsimphotography.com w. www.colsimphotography.com

CLOT HING & ACCESSORIES

FTC Apparel

2428 2566 FOOD, RES TAUR A N T S & BA RS

A Tavola Bar & Grill Airport Izakaya Andante Café Aficionado China Coast Bar & Grill Curry Lounge Dosirak House Essence Restaurant - Novotel Citygate Federal Palace Restaurant Kimos Mansarover Indian Cuisine McDonald’s Delivery Melody Thai Moccato Coffee Shop My Thai Olea Restaurant - Novotel Citygate PizzaExpress Pizza Hut Delivery Regala Café & Dessert Bar Resto Restaurant Rouge - Regal Airport Hotel Skycity Bistro Tung Chung Pizza Zentro Garden

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HE A LT H & W EL L BEING Bayside Dental Bon’s Mobile Pet Grooming Essential Health Family Clinic Human Health Medical Centre North Lantau Physiotherapy Tung Chung Animal Clinic Tung Chung Vet Centre Tung Chung Maternal & Child Health Centre Quality Health Dental Quality Health Medical Raffles Medical Rainbow Voice and Soundhealing

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SOUTH LANTAU

TUNG CHUNG

LANTAU NUMBERS FOOD, RES TAUR A N T S & BA RS

Bahce - Turkish Restaurant Café Bar Bathers Caffe Paradiso (Tom’s Café) Cafe Isara China Bear Deer Horn Restaurant & Bar Kebab Korner La Pizzeria Lantana Italian Bistro Le Jardin de Sophie Long Island Mucho Gusto Robert’s Market Stoep @ High Tide Restaurant The China Beach Club The Gallery The Kitchen The Water Buffalo Treasure Island Restaurant FI T NESS, SP OR T S & W EL L BEING

Pause by the Banyan South Lantau Paddle Club Thai Palin Massage Thai Sa Baai Treasure Island Group

9708 0187 9688 9112 9062 0148 5228 6552 2546 3543 HOME & REPA IRS

Findley Leung Group Koon Wah Hardware Lee Wo Construction Engineering Man Shun Construction & Engineering New Look Design

2421 8088 2109 2330 9343 3718 2988 1488

HOT EL S

Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel Novotel Citygate Hong Kong Regal Airport Hotel

3969 1888 3602 8888 2286 8888

L E A RNING CEN T RES

Clement Art School Discovery Mind International Play Centre Greenfield International Kindergarten Kidznjoy Sakura Kids Salala Kids House Soundwaves English Education Centre Sun Island Education Foundation Sunshine House International Preschool Tung Chung Catholic School (Yat Tung) YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College

9021 1502 2987 8070 2162 5538 6273 7347 6674 6194 2611 9193 2164 7210 2420 1068 2109 3873 2121 0884 2988 8123

SOCI A L , SP OR T S & EQUIPMEN T

Asia Pacific Soccer Schools Caribbean Coast Club House Coastal Skyline Club House Dance for Joy Edge ’n Pointe Dance Centre Jumping Castles Perun Fitness Seaview Crescent Club House Smash Cricket Sparrow Soccer School Hong Kong Tung Chung Crescent Club House Tung Chung Sports Badminton Union

2385 9677 2109 9277 2179 6678 9264 8597 6688 2167 9662 1747 6443 6597 3473 8700 5400 4109 6051 8196 2403 6770 5703 2947

2984 7225 6810 0111 2985 8383 L E A RNING CEN T RES

Ashville International Kindergarten & Nursery Lantau International Kindergarten Lantau International School Lao Shi Lantau Mandarin lessons Little Lantau Montessori Kindergarten Silvermine Bay School Mui Wo Language Cafe

2109 9886 2984 0302 2980 3676 5197 4647 3689 6709 2984 0006 5511 6107

PROPER T Y AGENCIES

Findley Leung Real Estate Home Solutions Real Estate Proper Trip Real Estate

2984 8334 3483 5003 2984 1666 RE TA IL

Friendly Bike Shop Greenstyle Organic & Healthcare INSIDE Island Wines Lantau Base Camp Lantau Grocer Quay House Red Hall Chinese Antiques Tony’s Salon Value Vigilantes VIBE Book & Music Shop ZenvarA

2984 2278 9802 0553 2890 8606 9521 8481 2983 8428 2702 0050 2882 8710 2988 1368 2984 0990 6132 9120 9088 2370 9586 3459

SERV ICES & OT HERS

Jumping Castles SPCA Miriam Safadi Photography Parteezi Phoenix Wills

9662 1747 2984 0060 5145 0227 6112 9842 6108 8471 T R A NSP OR TAT ION

U T IL I T Y, SERV ICES & E MERGENC Y HOT L INES

Tung Chung Ambulance Depot Tung Chung Fire Station Tung Chung Police Station

2984 8334 2984 8487 2984 1802 2984 9833 9783 5840

HOT EL S

Mui Wo Inn Silvermine Beach Resort Tai O Heritage Hotel

HOME & REPA IRS

Akash Removals Mega Power Engineering/Locksmiths Mr. Chan 24-hours Handyman Shun Yu Engineering

2984 0222 2504 4788 2984 0498 2470 1966 2984 9720 3484 3095 6429 3507 2984 8933 5465 5511 2997 9070 2320 2001 6422 5009 9193 2937 2980 2699 2983 8931 2980 2582 5991 6292 2109 3331 5236 7013

2988 8282 2988 1898 3661 1999

Lee Hing Loong Hon Kee Transportation Company Lantau Tours New Lantao Bus Company

2984 2268 2984 8494 2984 8255 2984 9848

www.arounddb.com December 2020

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DB NUMBERS COMMUNITY & HEALTH Bayside Dental Practice, North Plaza BMSE, North Plaza DB Alliance Church Community Centre DB Anglican Church DB International Community Church Discovery Bay Medical Centre Health & Care Dental Clinic Herbal Health Care Island Health Island Veterinary Services The Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council, North Plaza Trinity Chapel

2987 2259 2987 2987 2987 2987 2666 2834 2987 2987 2259 2987

0855 3422 8136 4210 7061 5633 6183 7276 7575 9003 3422 9909

2987 8460

DAILY NECESSITIES 7-Eleven Convenience Store Fusion by PARKnSHOP Watson’s Pharmacy Wellcome, North Plaza Star Mart, North Plaza

2987 2987 2987 2947 2366

4401 7486 4089 9092 6534

FINANCIAL SERVICES Bank of China HSBC Parsons White Wealth Management The Stephen Putnam Practice

2160 8585 2233 3000 2433 6981 2914 0388

FOOD & BEVERAGE, HOTELS 22º North Auberge Discovery Bay (Hotel), North Plaza Café Bord de Mer & Lounge, North Plaza Caffe Pascucci Cali-Mex, North Plaza Coyote Mexican Cantina Ebeneezer’s Epic Foods, North Plaza Figos Seaside Café First Korean Restaurant Hemingway’s il Bel Paese Island Café Koh Tomyums La Creation & Châteraisé McSorley’s Ale House Mirch Masala, North Plaza Moofish, North Plaza Pacific Coffee Paisano’s, North Plaza Peony Chinese Restaurant PizzaExpress Solera Starbucks DB North Plaza Subway The Pier Bar Three Sheet Marquee Bar Uncle Russ, North Plaza Zak’s

DRS Company Good Luck Engineering Red Velvet Hoi Yu Transportation Hung Kee Co Japan Home Centre May’s furniture & curtain design Rapee-living Rich Point Hardware Materials Tai Fat Hardware Store Wing On Department Store Yours Electrical Centre

9156 0360 2987 1313 9010 5832 2987 4488 2987 5087 2987 1041 2987 0222 2987 7082 2987 0789 2987 0789 2987 9268 2987 4428

LEARNING CENTRES

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES Nomadic

LEARNING CENTRES

HOME

2987 2298 2295 8288 2295 8299 2591 1426 2904 7698 2987 2848 2987 0036 2172 6111 2987 2915 2987 9123 2987 8855 2987 0202 2987 9311 2987 0767 2987 1829 2987 8280 2987 1337 2987 6318 2987 1662 2673 4445 2500 1950 2465 2426 2555 0772 2246 8372 2914 0005 2520 2166 2987 0966 2840 1188 2987 6232

Discovery Montessori School A reputable & well-known international school for authentic Montessori Bilingual (English & Chinese) Education for children aged 1 to 12 years. Beautiful campus & highly qualified teachers (15 years+ experience). Contact 2987 1201, enquiry@dms.edu.hk, www.dms.edu.hk

Future Stars Dance Academy Dance classes based on the ISTD requirements conducted in a fun, disciplined & safe environment. Contact melissa@futurestarsdanceacademy.com, Futurestars Dance Academy Hong Kong Facebook page, Instagram: @futurestarsHk

Island Dance ISTD Freestyle, ISTD Hip Hop, RAD Ballet, tap & Bollywood classes at DBRC, Club Siena & DB Plaza. Five professional instructors, teaching six days a week.

Contact 2987 1571, 9159 0663, info@islanddance.com.hk, www.islanddance.com.hk

Lingostars Limited, North Plaza Providing Mandarin & Korean education.

After-school Mandarin for Year 1-13 and adult Mandarin classes in a communicative and interactive setting at DB North Plaza. Contact 6375-2015, info@lingostarshk.com, www.lingostarshk.com

Little Explorers The longest running playgroup in DB, Little Explorers eases the transition between home play and kindergarten for children, aged 18 months and up. Contact 6331 7215, LittleExplorersDB@gmail.com

Tree of Joy A fun, engaging & supportive environment in which children play & learn. Programmes include drop-off nursery class, parent-toddler class, afternoon camp & a cooking class Contact 9787 2755, info@treeofjoydb.com, www.treeofjoydb.com

Woodentots Woodentots is a Montessori playgroup providing a caring & nurturing environment in DB Plaza. Run by a qualified Montessori teacher for children aged 18 months to 6 years. Contact 6108 9131, woodentotsdb@gmail.com

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December 2020 www.arounddb.com

Bayview House of Children DB International School (Kindergarten) DB International School (Pri / Sec) Discovery College Discovery Mind International Play Centre Discovery Mind Kindergarten Discovery Mind Primary School, North Plaza Discovery Montessori Academy, North Plaza Discovery Montessori School, North Plaza DMR School of Ballet Dr. Bear Education Centre Early Adventures Playgroup Epic Adventurers Eye Level Education Learning Centre Funfit HK International Learning Academy, North Plaza Kumon, North Plaza La Petite Enfance Kindergarten L’Ecole Pierre et Marie Curie Education centre Lingostars Limited, North Plaza Links Parenting, North Plaza Little Explorers English For Kids Mandarin for Munchkins, North Plaza Mathemagic – home tutoring Mathnasium SKH Wei Lun Primary School Treasure House Zhi Zhi Chinese

6114 2914 2987 3969 2987 2987 2914 2812 2987 2987 6762 2987 2441 9366 6302 2416 2459 8191 8191 6375 6114 6331 2480 9135 2628 2987 2987 9648

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www.arounddb.com December 2020

59

OUT THERE

Dubious Delights of December When it comes to love-hate relationships, Peter Sherwood is obsessed with December. Yes, all of it

Y

ou may be familiar with my irrational Xmas aversion, and a general horror of December, which began when my son notified me with a wink that he’d worked out two years before that Santa’s not real – but he liked the presents.

I’m single, and we lone expatriates hate Xmas; families ring-fence themselves, leaving we cursed independents praying for something stronger than an Aunt Roberta cocktail (Google it!) and a rerun of Friends.

Christmas or not, when December rolls around you’ll be stuck celebrating something-or-other.

In Australia it could be G’day Day, while in the US, as a good citizen of Louisiana, you might be swigging Moonshine at Jump in the Swamp Week. If I could cuss in Cajun, I might join them.

Nothing to celebrate in Eastern Siberia, I thought, and then landed on National Rhubarb Vodka Day. Tempting.

Illustration by Terry Chow

Maybe Xmas would be bearable did it not begin in November, and the season would improve immeasurably if its accompanying songs were placed in an iron container and lowered into the Mariana Trench, along with every bell that ever jingled. Problem is

60

on December 31 has not been loudly interrupted.

I’m not forced to merry-make on my birthday. There are so many other festive possibilities in December. Who could not wish to frolic on National Bicarbonate of Soda Day? And Dewey Decimal System Day (not many people are aware of it) should not be missed.

National Bacon Day is a major blowout – if you’re not of the porcine persuasion. And who would not yearn for the balmy Balkans on The Day of the Declaration of Slovakia as an Independent Ecclesiastic Province?

I’m hopelessly sentimental. Play Jim Reeves singing I’ll be Home for Christmas and I’m a blubbering fool. Bing Crosby dropped dead on a Madrid golf course in 1977.

His 1942 album White Christmas has sold 50 million copies and I must have heard every one. I want desperately to loathe it yet it can make me bawl like a baby.

And just when normal life returns my birthday shows up, followed closely by New Year’s Eve when we all get hammered and imagine a perfect next 52 weeks. That’s when we’re drunk enough to believe that No Interruptions Day

Having survived four years of Orange Man, I’m willing to believe anything. And I’m ready to celebrate all the December wingdings on my googled list.

How about National Eat a Red Apple Day or Topou 1 Day – a great way to mark the coronation of King Tupou I, whether or not you happen to be in Tonga. There’s World Trick Shot Day, although no reference as to what shot is being tricked. National Roof Over Your Head Day? Seems like a sensible position for a roof. And of course, there’s Haiku Poetry Day. I’ll let you know how that goes. But come December 1, the one I desperately need is Pretend to be a Time Traveller Day. Sadly, it’s not till the eighth.

Peter Sherwood has lived in DB for over 20 years. The former head of an international public relations firm, Peter is the author of 15 books and has written around 400 satirical columns for the South China Morning Post.

Find more from Peter @ www.arounddb.com December 2020 www.arounddb.com

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