PICNIC IN THE PARK PULL-OUT GUIDE HONG KONG’S BIGGEST FREE MUSIC AND DANCE FESTIVAL (IN SIENA PARK)
SHEK KWU CHAU INCINERATOR CRISIS LAMENTING A LOST CAUSE
AMY YUNG
GETS POLITICAL
FINANCIAL ESSENTIALS
FOR 2016
WHERE THERE’S A WILL
RESIDENT’S CHOICE AWARDS
AND THE WINNER IS…
DB LADIES
GIVING RUBGY A TRY ALTERNATIVE REMEDIES FOR WHOLE FAMILY
W EL L NE S S ALSO: LANTAU-WIDE EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS * THOUGHTS ON ISLAND LIFE
Join your community online
Publishers in DB since 2002 JANUARY 2016
SALES / RENTALS 海藍居 LA SERENE
$16K
JANUARY 2016
津堤 AMALfI
$20K
寶峰徑 PARKVALE
$26K
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Gross: 595’ Saleable: 453’ 1
Gross: 661’ Saleable: 527’
Very good condition, ideal for single or couple. Stunning sea views & in a tranquil location.
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倚濤軒 CREStMONt
$55K
1 1
Gross: 895’ Saleable: 776’
Apartment in new complex w/ residents’ own pool & 24hr Concierge. Convenient location for all bus routes in & out of DB.
明蔚徑 PARKLANd
$60K/16M
3
Lovely renovation with good size balcony. Move in condition & in a tranquil location. Partially furnished.
2
海馬徑 SEAhORSE LANE
$75K
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Gross: 1707’ Saleable: 1436’ 3
Gorgeously renovated duplex w/ a 360 degree open view & was renovated to a high western standard.
2
哥爾夫球車 EZGO GOLf CARt
$2.1M
2
Stunning duplex w/ panoramic sea views, modern open plan kitchen & high standard living. Great for entertaining.
頤峰 GREENVALE
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Gross: 1703’ Saleable: 1626’
Gross: 1356’ Saleable: 1270’ 3
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$7.7M
3
Convenient location, spacious living, nice views and walking distance to DB plaza & pier.
2
倚濤軒 CREStMONt T! EN VAL AG NK AD A LE W B LO BE
L VA
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Gross: 1088’ Saleable: 947’ Under value. Last sale was 2.26M. Well maintain & kept like new!
寶峰 PARKVALE
$13.8M
3 2
Generous size living space. Located conveniently for airport, schools & MTR bus routes.
海澄湖畔 SIENA ONE
$13.5M
$18.38M
Gross: 1282’ Saleable: 1108’ 3
Beautifully renovated low rise garden apartment w/ tranquil sea views, fully equipped open kitchen & generous living space throughout.
2
朝暉徑 hEAdLANd
$115M
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Gross: 1213’ Saleable: 1138’ 3 2
In very good condition. Bright apartment w/ balcony & roof terrace. Great for entertaining. Must see!
Saleable: 3187’
Gross: 2020’ Saleable: 1604’ 3 3
Lovely renovated duplex, spacious living & close to schools, Club Siena & all transports. A must see!
5 4
Renovator’s delight. House w/ private swimming pool & huge garden. Company sale & vacant possession.
www.headlandhomes.hk
2987 2088
EAA LIC C-033418
NEW MANDARIN STUBBY 60 COMING APRIL 2016
Boosting over 2500 sq ft with 3 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, separate laundry, twin desk study, comprehensive kitchen, large lounge and dining, wheel house open to roof deck bbq. Rare opporturnity to secure this beautiful boat. Order now to enjoy 12 month free berthing. 9.1m
Enquiry: info@mandarinyacht.com.hk
FAMILY MANOR FOR SALE WITH 2 YEARS FREE BERTHING
Only 5 years old, one owner. 5 bedrooms over 3500 sq. ft. Totally renovated with new floor, new carpet, new paint, new blinds. Quiet F dock with private tender. Roof deck: large wheel house/family room open to alfresco bbq and jucuzzi. Main deck: Large lounge with balcomy, 1 ensuite double bedroom, kitchen and dining. Lower deck: Maids room or study, bathroom, 1 ensuite double bedroom, 1 nursery room adjacent to master bedroom ensuite with jucuzzi bathroom and walk in wardrobe. Large basement storage.
Enquiry: info@mandarinyacht.com.hk
Reduced to 7.9 M
Sale Starts Friday 1st January
Pedder Building Store 5/F Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central T: 2522 7112 Horizon Plaza Store 21/F Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau T: 2552 5000 Stanley Plaza Store 2/F Stanley Plaza, 23 Carmel Road, Stanley T: 2555 6318 Sai Kung Store G/F 7 Wan King Path, Sai Kung, New Territories T: 2976 0223
www.bumpstobabes.com
www.facebook.com/bumpstobabeshk
JANUARY 2016 FEATURES
52
24
PROFILE Meet Islands District Council Member (Discovery Bay) Amy Yung
28
IN FOCUS Outrage! Shek Kwu Chau Incinerator given the green light
42
FAMILY MATTERS Hypnosis, mindfulness and more
49
MONEY MATTERS Financial resolutions worth making
52
ACTION DB women’s rugby elite
56
ESCAPES Off the beaten track in Peru
REGULARS 28
22
COMPETITION Win big prizes at www.arounddb.com
33
MOMENTS Winning restaurants: Around DB and Life on Lantau Resident’s Choice Awards
35
TALKING POINTS Introducing Picnic in the Park, 2016
64
DB FACES Candid community snaps
76
OUT THERE Thoughts on island life
AGENDA 33
24
35
8
IN&AROUND DB Catch up with the latest community news
61
HK HAPPENINGS Find fun things to do across the harbour
67
CLASSIFIEDS Great deals, employment, businesses and more
70
PROPERTY Choice local and overseas homes to buy or rent
73
LOCAL NUMBERS Your ultimate guide in DB and Lantau
U U CHA K KW CRISIS SHEINCIN ERATOR
Y YUNG
AM ITICAL GETS POL
PULL-OUT
FINANCIAL ESSENTIALS
S HONG KONG’ MUSIC BIGGEST FREE FESTIVAL AND DANCE (IN SIENA PARK)
Readers with a feature story idea, please email rachel@baymedia.com.hk If you would like to publicise a local event, email info@baymedia.com.hk For general enquiries, email info@baymedia.com.hk To advertise, email lissa@baymedia.com.hk Around DB, Bay Media Group, 7E Glamour Court, Discovery Bay Call 2987 0577/ 2787 0886 Fax 2987 0533
For the latest Around DB updates, find us on
CAUSE
A LOST LAMENTING
PICNIC K IN THE PAR GUIDE
6 FOR 201 A WILL
’S WHERE THERE
ON THE COVER
RESIDENT’S AWARDS CHOICE R IS… THE WINNE AND
IES DB LAD RUBGY A TRY GIVING
S WELLNES
REMEDIES ALTERNATIVE E FAMILY FOR WHOL
S * COMMUNITY
E EVENTS * PRIZE
ALSO: LANTAU-WID
e munity onlin Join your com
HTS ON ISLAND
IFIEDS * THOUG
SNAPS * CLASS
LIFE
2002 in DB since Publishers 2016 JANUA RY
Alternative ways to ‘whole family’ wellness
Illustration by Fred Boot
and www.arounddb.com
YOUR ROUNDUP OF RECENT COMMUNITY EVENTS!
Publisher Corinne Jedwood corinne@baymedia.com.hk Managing editor Rachel Ainsley rachel@baymedia.com.hk Advertising & sales manager Lissa Morris lissa@baymedia.com.hk Art direction Terry Chow terry@baymedia.com.hk Digital editor Melissa Stevens melissa@baymedia.com.hk Office manager Beatrice De Magistris accountant@baymedia.com.hk
Photos by Vincent Ypersiel
BEST EVER TEAM FEAR
Find more photos of community events @ www.arounddb.com
A record 753 kids took on the Team FEAR Junior Challenge on November 29, running, cycling, climbing and kayaking in and around DB. The race has been held annually since 2001, and this year, participants, aged eight to 18, described it as the toughest yet. For a full list of winners, visit www.team-fear.com.
Photography Leah Ahmad Baljit Gidwani Michael Keating (intern) Jason Pagliari Contributors this month Sam Agars Annette M Houlihan Meena Hwang (intern) Imogen Ma Peter Sherwood Kate Whitehead Printing Fantasy Printing Limited 7/F Tin Fung Industrial Mansion, 63 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong Disclaimer The views expressed in Around DB 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.
MSIG DOUBLE TRAIL RUN AND HIKE The MSIG Double saw two punishing trail running events over two days – the 5-kilometre MSIG Lantau VK on December 5, and the 16-, 27- and 54-kilometre MSIG Lantau 50 on December 6. There was an impressive turn out by local runners, with South Lantau resident Zein Williams winning the 27-kilometre race, and DB resident Rob James placing second in the 54-kilometre (50+ age category). For full race results, visit www.actionasiaevents.com.
Photos courtesy of Action Asia Events
IN&AROUND DB
A BIG MONTH FOR DC Discovery College was abuzz at its Family Fun Day on November 28, with families enjoying music, games and a range of commercial and charity stalls. It then celebrated the Discovery Culture Festival from December 2 to 9 with a range of events, performances and shows.
Photos by Highjump Photography and www.evoqueportraits.com
YHKCC INTERNATIONAL FUN FAIR The ninth YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College (YHKCC) International Fun Fair, on December 12, again combined the traditional school fair with a spectacular International Night. An incredible 4,000 visitors enjoyed ethnic food, a bazaar, game booths and a bouncy castle, plus a talent show. The event celebrated the school’s racial diversity and promoted the importance of cultural integration and respect.
Photos by Leah Ahmad
January 2016
9
IN&AROUND DB
CHANUKAH IN THE PLAZA DB residents celebrated the Jewish Festival of Lights on December 9 depite the rain and cold. Carnival rides and games, workshops and the lighting of Lantau’s largest Menorah kept everyone entertained.
Photos by Ya’ara Delgoshen
DBIS CAROLS ON THE PITCH A healthy crowd flocked to DBIS for the annual Carols on the Pitch on December 10, with the night kicking off with a Christmas bazaar and flowing into performances from students and congregational carols.
Photos by Terry Chow
NATIVITY IN THE PLAZA DBers got into the spirit of Christmas at the Nativity in the Plaza on December 20, enjoying Christmas carols and a narration of the nativity.
Photos by Around DB
10
January 2016
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IN&AROUND DB
DBERS HIT THE COURSE December was a big month for golf, with the Discovery Bay Residents Golf Society holding its Annual Championships, on December 4, and YB Rai of Uncle Russ awarded Best Gross Winner. It was The Big Sai Wan’s turn on December 14, with Mark Devenport victorious in its 25th anniversary Masters.
www.evoqueportraits.com
Brewing soon in Discovery Bay! Caffe Bar and Italian Fine Food
www.facebook.com/Caffe-Pascucci-Hong-Kong | 2851 2857 | www.pascucci.it/
CAFFE PASCUCCI
For The Athlete by The Athlete Meet Up, Run & Learn (FREE EVENT) Saturday 16th January 08:00am Action X Discovery Bay North Plaza (Shop G16A – G16C) Schedule of Events Tailwind Nutrition tasting table available with the opportunity to talk to John Ellis (2nd male runner overall at TNF 2015) about the benefits of Tailwind Nutrition and Gurney Goo (samples available too) 08:00: Bag drop, run route briefing (12km – Action X , Tiger’s Head, Mui Wo, Trappist Monastery, Action X) 08:15: Group run start - Advanced, Medium and Easy pace options with a guide (ALL WELCOME!!) 10:15 – 11:00: Enjoy Redback Specialty Coffee, Muffins, Sandwiches, Fruit Juice, Water 11:00 – 12:00: Listen & Learn with: Scott Callaghan – Family Man, Trail Guru, Redback Specialty Coffee Founder Katia Kucher – Mum, Trail Guru, Nutrition specialist and DBFit Founder Matt Moroz – Trail Guru, Personal Trainer, China Mountain Trails Director
Email or Call for More Information: Karen - 6901 5570 / kazfairley@gmail.com
AROUND DB AND LIFE ON LANTAU YOUNG WRITER’S COMPETITION 2016 ALL SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS LIVING AND/ OR STUDYING IN LANTAU ARE ELIGIBLE TO ENTER
Here’s your chance to prove and improve your writing skills, express your ideas and get published! From the articles submitted, our three mentors will each select a winning story and work on improving it with the author. The three finished articles will then be posted on the Around DB and Life on Lantau Facebook page for an online vote.
You are • A secondary school student living and/ or studying in Lantau
The article is • A nonfiction account of 600 to 700 words, highlighting something that’s happening in your community that you are concerned about • Authors submit their name, age, year group and school (the mentors will be given the age of the writers only)
How it works
Last year’s YWC winners: Maria Andreeva,
• March 14: Deadline for submission to info@baymedia.com.hk Janica Bergas and Ruhi Kumar • March 15 to 20: The mentors select three winning entries • March 21 to April 15: Each mentor meets with one winning writer to provide advice on improving the article. The writer reworks the piece and resubmits it to his/ her mentor, who checks it and passes it to our team for online posting • April 16, 8am: The three winning articles are posted on the Around DB and Life on Lantau Facebook page for readers to vote online • April 19, 6pm: Online voting ends • April 20: The results of Young Writer’s Competition (YWC) 2016 are posted on the Around DB and Life on Lantau Facebook page and www.arounddb.com
What you get • • • • •
The winning article is published in the May issue of Around DB and the June issue of Life on Lantau All three finalists are profiled in the May issue of Around DB and the June issue of Life on Lantau HK$1,000, HK$500 and HK$400 EpicLand day passes for the three finalists Gourmet goodie bags from Meatsnacks Group for the three finalists and three runners up Prize giving at EpicLand, the main competition sponsor
About the mentors Peter Sherwood and Elizabeth Kerr are delighted to be reprising their role as YWC mentors, and this year we are delighted to welcome Martin Lerigo on board to round out the mentoring team. All three mentors are writers and journalists of long-standing and, of course, Around DB and Life on Lantau contributors. Elizabeth, Peter and Martin are thrilled to have this opportunity to share their insights and help our young readers get published for the first time.
Be sure to check the YWC guidelines @ www.arounddb.com, or the Around DB and Life on Lantau Facebook page, and submit your article by March 14 to info@baymedia.com.hk
IN&AROUND DB
YOUR GUIDE TO UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS!
rch 14
YOUNG WRITER’S COMPETITION 2015
gh Ma Throu
Find more information and events @ www.arounddb.com 2 January
Open to students across DB and Lantau Now in its fourth year, the Around DB and Life on Lantau Young Writer’s Competition (YWC) provides secondary school students living and or studying in Lantau with the chance to get published. This year, we are asking students to write a nonfiction account of 600 to 700 words highlighting a particular community concern. The deadline is March 14. You can check the YWC guidelines at www.arounddb.com, or on the Around DB and Life on Lantau Facebook page.
January 9
STOCK UP AT THE PLANT MARKET
across from Haven Court, 2pm to 4.45pm. For more information, call 2238 3617. y Januar
JOIN A BEACH CLEAN-UP at Nim Shue Wan, organised by Plastic Free Seas and DB Green, from 2pm to 4pm. Visit www.dbgreen.org.
10
SHOP THE DISCOVERY BAY SUNDAY MARKET in DB Plaza
from 11am to 6pm.
DB NORTH LIBRARY TIME EFIL, DB North Plaza If you find yourself with a couple of hours spare on a Saturday afternoon, head down to L’Ecole Française Internationale de Lantau (EFIL). The French education group offers access to its library every Saturday from 3.30pm to 5.30pm, with over 2,000 books in French, English and Chinese available to the public for onsite consultation. Email info@ecole-discovery.com.
, 16, 23 & January 9
MEET UP, RUN AND LEARN Action X, DB North Plaza 16 January
30
www.wikimedia.org
Photo courtesy of EFIL
16
January 2016
Sign up for a group run (advanced, medium, or easy pace) over Tiger's Head and back, from 8am to 10am. The Action X run is followed by refreshments (including a Tailwind Nutrition Tasting Table) at 10.15am, and talks by local trail gurus Scott Callaghan, Katia Kucher and Matt Moroz. Contact Karen on 6901 5570, or kazfairley@gmail.com.
Friend us on Facebook for event reminders
PROVERSE READERS’ CLUB Dymocks, Discovery Bay Plaza DB residents Gillian and Verner Bickley, the couple behind Proverse Press, are hosting a 20-week Book Readers’ Club at Dymocks DB. The club, which features Hong Kong-based authors, is open to all, Saturdays from 3pm to 4pm. Supported by Hong Kong Arts Development Council. For more information, email proverse@netvigator.com or visit proversepublishing.com.
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16, 23 & 3 January
PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP Eleven-year DB resident Carol Keen is looking into forming a support group to allow Lantau residents with Parkinson’s disease to get together once a month. You can contact her at carol@the-keens.com. Carol’s Parkinson’s Quiz Night on December 4 in DB McSorley’s saw HK$16,500 raised for research into the disease – over four years, the event has raised a cool H$25,600 for Parkinson’s UK.
17 January Photo courtesy of Gillian Bickley
Throughout January
TO ADOPT A PET
through Protection of Animals Lantau South (PALS), call Jacqui Green on 9197 4371, for Hong Kong Paws Foundation (PAWS), call Kat Cheung on 9485 5188.
PICNIC IN THE PARK Siena Park After months of hard work from the organisers and uncertainty for the community, the much-anticipated Picnic in the Park is lighting up DB once again. Two brilliant stages will accommodate over 60 acts in a 10th anniversary extravaganza. For more information, including a pull-out programme, turn to page 35, or visit www.facebook.com/picnicintheparkhk. 30 January
Photo by Leticia Lemos
BUY AND SELL all your lightly used goods at the DB Flea Market in DB Plaza, from 12pm to 5pm.
HEARTFELT THANKS FROM CLAIRE AND JACK DICKSON The tragic and untimely death of John Dickson in late 2015 sent shockwaves through the community, and galvanised friends and fellow DBers to come out in support of his widow Claire and young son Jack. Claire has this to say about all the emotional and practical help, she has received from the community. “Following John’s death my friends of DB have gathered around me and put together a huge fundraising effort such that I can stay here and keep Jack in school. This has come as such a huge relief for me and will give us some time to adjust without Daddy here before I have to make any more major decisions. I have no way of ever repaying this generosity, and I feel so fortunate to be living in such a caring community. This message goes out with my heartfelt thanks.”
www evoqueportraits.com
January 2016
17
IN&AROUND DB
CONGRATULATIONS NEW DB AUTHOR Trisha Hughes’ non-fiction autobiographical book Daughters of Nazareth has just been republished by Austin Macauley Publishers in London, and it’s available at DB bookshops. Trisha, who recently moved to DB from Australia, first published the book through Pan Macmillan Australia, 15 years ago. She has three crime novels awaiting publication, and is currently working on a quirky fiction trilogy covering the British monarchy through the ages. Visit www.trishahughesauthor.com.
Photo courtesy of Trisha Hughes
SQUAREHEAD ON THE UP Rapping under the name Squarehead, Will Phillips is on the cusp of releasing his first mixtape. Will, who began recording music in his bedroom in Chianti, performed live at the Freespace Happening at the West Kowloon Cultural District on Photo courtesy of Will Phillips December 27. Do yourself a favour – head to www.soundcloud.com/squareheadhk and give Will’s tunes a listen.
RESIDENT’S CHOICE AWARDS’ WINNER The Lantau community judged DB’s 22° North the best restaurant in Lantau in the Around DB and Life on Lantau Resident’s Choice Awards 2015. The Beach House on Cheung Sha Beach came in second, DB’s Solera third, and Pui O’s Mavericks fourth Photo by Terry Chow in what was the most successful competition yet – a big thanks to everyone who voted on the Around DB and Life on Lantau Facebook pages, from December 2 to 4. You can read more on page 33.
LARRY FEIGN’S AIEEYAAA! Mui Wo cartoonist and author Larry Feign's latest satirical book is available now in local shops, including Bookazine in DB. AIEEYAAA! Learn Chinese the Hard Way is a satirical dictionary which pokes fun at life, love and culture clash in Hong Kong and China, featuring cartoons and actual definitions in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English, plus an introduction on how not to learn Chinese. Whet your appetite at www.larryfeign.com/aieeyaaa.
Photo by Leah Ahmad
IN&AROUND DB
SAVE THE DATE
LIFE CYCLE HEADS TO CAMBODIA If you’re looking for a Chinese New Year getaway that will not only make you feel good but also help others, Life Cycle Asia’s Cycle for Life might be just for you. The trip, beginning in Phnom Penh and also taking in Siem Reap and Angkor Wat, gives February 5-14 participants the chance to get off the beaten track, while also raising funds for charities that help vulnerable Cambodians. For more information and to register, contact DB organisers Steve Chitty and Denise Gascoigne at Photo courtesy of Life Cycle Asia info@lifecycleasia.org.
DBIS INTERNATIONAL FOOD FAIR The annual Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) International Food Fair is one of the largest community events in DB, offering a range of culinary delights from all corners of the globe. You can also look forward to music, singing, dance and gymnastics displays from students, plus over 30 commercial and charity stalls. February 27
Photo courtesy of DBIS
CELEBRATE LUNAR NEW YEAR Ring in the Year of the Monkey at the Discovery Bay Recreation Club (DBRC). To enjoy the CNY fireworks (and dinner) from a boat on the harbour, make your booking now at dbrc-enquiries@dbrc.hk. You can also catch traditional lion dancing at both the DBRC and Club Siena. Call 3156 7425 for more information.
February 8
www.wikimedia.org
TENNIS NATIONS CUP The 23rd edition of DB’s biggest and best tennis event is on the horizon, so start sharpening your skills and working on your fitness, not to mention a whacky national costume. To register, contact Discovery Bay Recreation Club at www.dbrc.hk.
5& March
6
www.evoqueportraits.com
HAPPY NEW YEAR! To all our valued readers – all the best for 2016!
Chef Pour Toi
DB-based private catering service Catering
Corporate or Private Parties
Cocktail Receptions
Lavish Buffets & Barbeques
Our dedicated chefs use only the freshest ingredients to turn food into art. We provide you with the knowledge to turn your event into a success, allowing you to focus on your guests while we do what we know best.
Contact Chef Pour Toi to get a quote for your tailor-made party. Email chef@pourtoi.com
Here’s your chance to win great prizes!
COMPETITION
Around DB competitions are incredibly easy to enter (you’ll even find the answers to our questions right here). You have until the 10th of the month to submit your answers. To enter, email info@baymedia.com.hk, YOUR PRIZE: ABA Productions is click on the competitions link at www.arounddb.com, or scan giving one reader, four tickets (valued the QR Code below. Don’t forget at HK$435 each) to see We’re going on a to give us your name Bear Hunt at the opening show on January and telephone number!
Win tickets to see We’re going on a Bear Hunt
21 at 5pm.
Which cities does the Unique Asia Schools Guide cover? www.itseducation.asia
When is We’re going on a Bear Hunt showing?
Win a copy of the Unique Asia Schools Guide Photo by Bob Workman
FIND THE ANSWER: Part of KidsFest 2016, We’re going on a Bear Hunt, adapted from the picture book written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, comes to life in a vivid and noisy stage show. Follow the intrepid hunters as they wade through the swishy swashy grass, the splishy splashy river and the thick, oozy, squelchy mud to find a bear. Showing from January 21 to 24 at Udderbelly Hong Kong, tickets are available at www.hkticketing.com and information from www.kidsfest.com.hk.
YOUR PRIZE: ITS Education Asia is offering five readers a copy of the (seventh edition) Unique Asia Schools Guide 2015-16 (valued at HK$225 each). FIND THE ANSWER: Produced by ITS Education Asia, the Unique Asia Schools Guide 2015-16 covers the international education systems in Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Bangkok, Beijing and Shanghai. Featuring interesting and informative articles written by educationalists and teachers, it will help you identify the most suitable school for your child and guide you through every step of the enrollment process. To grab a copy, email es@itseducation.asia or visit www.itseducation.asia/school-guide.
Win tickets to see Inherit the Wind YOUR PRIZE: Aurora Theatre is giving two readers, three tickets (valued at HK$220 each) to see Inherit the Wind at 3pm on January 9. Readers should note that there is an early deadline – January 5 – for competition entries.
What is the play’s focus?
Photo courtesy of Aurora Theatre
FIND THE ANSWER: Inherit the Wind, showing from January 8 to 10 at the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, Sheung Wan, is set during the infamous 1925 Scopes trial, with the teaching of creationism going headto-head against the teaching of scientific fact. The two main characters, Matthew Harrison Brady and Henry Drummond, each represent one side of the central conflict. The courtroom battle that ensues between these two famous attorneys is the focus of the play. For tickets, head to www.urbtix.com.
Congratulations to last month’s winners Allen Japp for the Rooster sailing gear; Valerie Little and Lucas Torresi for the Butterfly Dreams bedding; and Cathrin Jensen for tickets to see Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo.
January 2016
23
PROFILE
THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE Photos by www.evoqueportraits.com and courtesy of Amy Yung
Having just been elected to serve her fifth term as the DB representative on the Islands District Council, Amy Yung is as passionate about her post and the people of DB as ever. Sam Agars finds out what she plans to achieve over the next four years
24
“I
f you ask me what my biggest achievement so far is, it is to keep Discovery Bay as Discovery Bay,” Amy Yung tells me, just a few days after she was elected as Islands District Council Member (Discovery Bay) for the fifth time. “My aim is to keep DB low density and low population with a lot of space, and to keep it virtually car free.” After a comfortable victory in November’s elections, Amy is confident she has the community behind her as she gears up for what she describes as a “very important” January 2016
four years. There’s no doubt she’s the people’s choice, as she beat her main opposition Dr Francis Chiu by a substantial 316 votes (1,176 to 860).
The 30-year DB resident Amy has lived in Discovery Bay since 1985, with her initial passion for the place developing during her time working here as an internal auditor for Shui On Group, one of the companies involved in DB’s initial construction. And talking to her, it quickly becomes clear just how much she loves the resort and its people.
Having spent the first 18 years of her life in Sheung Wo Che Village in Shatin, Amy says her regular walks along Tai Pak Wan take her back to her childhood, collecting crabs, swimming and fishing. Later in life, her parents moved to DB to live with her, and to this Amy attributes at least some of her continued popularity. “Even this year, people came to me and said, ‘I will vote for you because I went to your house to play Mahjong with your parents,’” she says with a smile. Over the past 30 years, Amy has been involved in many aspects of community life, including dragon
PROFILE
support from her VOC members that encouraged her to set her sights on the IDC in 1999. There was an election at the end of that year and the rest is history, with Amy achieving a landslide victory and starting her first term on the IDC in early 2000.
Triumphs and defeats It has been a busy 15 years for Amy, juggling her business and IDC commitments. But in working to “achieve fairness and transparency in the apportionment of management costs,” Amy says her accounting expertise has proven to be a handy ally. Another of her major aims has been to ensure the population of DB remains limited to around 25,000. Determined to keep DB low-density, Amy supports maintaining the natural environment through conservation and the application of designated greenbelts. While a number of prospective developments have threatened these ideals over the years, it’s clear that Amy, despite her quiet manner, is not one to back down easily.
Amy is entering her fifth term as Islands District Council Member (Discovery Bay)
boating and teaching Sunday school at Discovery Bay Church. But perhaps the most poignant indicator of the passion she has for DBers is the twoand-a-half hours she sets aside each week to meet residents at McDonald’s. “There are still people that can’t read or write, and sometimes the elderly like me to help them fill in forms,” she explains.
From VOC to IDC Community involvement aside, it was Amy’s standing as an accountant that kick-started her journey to the Islands District Council (IDC).
“In 1997, my next door neighbour, who was a Village Owners’ Committee (VOC) member, asked me to join the VOC because they had a renovation project and needed someone to look over the budgets and accounts,” explains Amy, who has run her own accounting firm, Amy Yung & Co, since 1994. “That was the first time I joined the VOC and after that, they elected me as chairman. The next year, 1988, they elected me as the City Owners’ Committee (COC) chairman.” Amy’s tenure in the COC was shortlived but she is still the VOC chairlady of Beach Village, where she lives. It was
“In 2004, Hong Kong Resorts (HKR) applied for a development including a lot of high-rise buildings behind Midvale, increasing the population,” Amy says. “But I appealed to the Town Planning Board about how important it was to maintain the natural environment and keep the greenbelt conservation area.” On the flip side, Amy says one of her major defeats was failing to stop tourist coaches from being allowed in DB. “I’m not against taxis but I don’t like the tourist coaches,” she says. “They bring in a lot of tourists and DB is no longer as quiet as before – 90% of residents are against the tourist coaches.”
Election campaign promises Amy’s recent election campaign promises include continuing “to work January 2016
25
PROFILE with government departments to achieve fairness and transparency in the apportionment of management costs in DB, continuing to be the independent voice of DB owners and residents and continuing to work with government departments to achieve fairness and transparency in the provision of transport services to DB”. But Amy is determined to hear residents’ views before she decides exactly which issues need her immediate attention. “They vote for me and they are my boss,” she explains. “I must listen to them, but at the same time, because of my experience and history here, I can provide information about DB and what we can do, what is more difficult and what we just can’t do.”
Amy at the DB reservoir in 2000
Amy plans to hold a meeting early in the year, ahead of what is likely to be a crucial period for DB, to hear what residents have to say, and set her priorities. “I expect there will be some changes this year,” she says. “The developers want to build more houses and CY Leung has promised to build more houses for the people of Hong Kong.” Recent reports suggest that Hong Kong’s chief executive could potentially support further development in DB, including an area near Peninsula Village. Amy is quick to point out that she is not completely against development, as long as it is done within DB’s original low-density planning concept. “The developers are going to develop Discovery Bay, all developers are the same and want to build as much as possible,” Amy says. “What I want to do is seek the residents’ views and consult them. It’s not that I don’t want change – we can see it’s the trend – but you must have a balance. I still maintain that DB should be a unique place on Lantau and also in Hong Kong and we must maintain its tranquillity.” Find more local heroes
26
January 2016
Amy competing at the DB Dragon Boat Festival in 2005
@ www.arounddb.com
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IN FOCUS
OFF-SHORE OUTRAGE!
Photos by Jason Pagliari
A massive garbage incinerator is coming to a beach near you, thanks to a ruling, last November, by the Court of Final Appeal. Peter Sherwood questions the sanity of this decision and consults some of those who have fought so hard to prevent it
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The implementation of the Integrated Waste Management Facilities (IWMF) will involve the creation of an artificial island at Shek Kwu Chau
January 2016
IN FOCUS
E
nvironmental vandalism has reached our shores. After a long and determined fight against the government by a handful of dedicated island residents, the Court of Final Appeal has given the green light to plans for a 3,000-tonne-a-day waste incinerator just off Lantau. The implementation of these Integrated Waste Management Facilities (IWMF) will involve the creation of an artificial island a stone’s throw from the southern end of the Chi Ma Wan Peninsula, close to our best beaches, a designated marine reserve and precious country park. The very idea is hideous. Hong Kong people are the big losers. Over the 15 years since plans for the incinerator were first floated, the government has come up against heartfelt resistance from Lantau residents. While no one is in any doubt that Hong Kong is in dire need of a workable waste disposal solution – existing landfills will be full by 2020 – this idea simply doesn’t wash. Research by local action groups says the IWMF will use polluting technology, produce toxic ash, disrupt the marine habitat and destroy the environment. Martin Lerigo at local action group Living Islands Movement (LIM) argues that plans for the IWMF are poorly thought through and, at over HK$45 billion, far too expensive. “It’s the wrong technology, wrong approach and wrong location,” he says.
Environmental Polluting Dept The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has declared the Soko Islands, which sit in a marine park, an area designated for environmental protection. So why has it approved nearby Shek Kwu Chau as a suitable site for the IWMF? The required dredging alone will be extensive, doubtless having a negative impact on the fishing grounds around Shek Kwu Chau, and possibly damaging nearby beaches. And what of the incinerator’s long-term effect on our air quality and health?
Other sites have been considered, for example in Tuen Mun where the infrastructure is already in place, and to which the ash that doesn’t go up the chimney on Shek Kwu Chau will be taken to be ‘managed’ later anyway. But the EPD has decided that taking rubbish from all over Hong Kong to an artificial island off Lantau (by three barges a day) is the best option. Of course, the EPD also considers Shek Kwu Chau remote. But this really doesn’t fly – I could swim there from the South Lantau shore. It’s also in full view of Cheung Chau with its 25,000 inhabitants (double that number on holidays). At a time when the government is looking to overrun Lantau with tourists, is it possible that it sees the IWMF, and its 150-metre smoking chimney, as a star attraction? Action groups long ago named the EPD, a branch of government we naively believe is protecting the environment, the Environmental Polluting Department. What it protects are the jobs and pensions of hundreds of government workers. The EPD’s specialty and raison d’être is monitoring and measuring things: air and water quality, sea-water pollution etc. But it even bungles this. The Naked Islands Project (NIP) action group has long criticised the EPD for lack of action and poor progress on waste disposal in the city, saying it has provided figures that are both wildly inaccurate and fanciful. “There has been little or no change to the pathetic efforts at waste recycling and in fact the amount of waste produced has increased. The EPD must get serious about the reduction of all waste and institute vastly improved recycling initiatives,” says Craig Colbran, whose March 2014 Legco submission (which included an outline for a better, cheaper incinerator) initially inspired fellow Lantau residents Mike and Lindsay Reaper to form NIP. In February, 2014, Hong Kong Magazine reported: “The EPD announced
that the city’s recycling rate has been overblown due to miscalculations. The official recycling rate reached a peak in 2010 at 69%, but brows were raised when the figure dropped to 39% in 2012. It turns out the figure had always been wrong: the calculations included the amount of plastic waste exported via Hong Kong, which has nothing to do with local recycling efforts. The department doesn’t know what the actual recycling rate is. Ming Pao reports the figure at around 20%.” And there’s another thing that really gets my goat about the EPD. Namely, why should a government department have the power to regulate itself? As LIM representative, Tom Yam wrote in the South China Morning Post in January 2015: “Should the EPD [be allowed to] propose an infrastructure project that has an impact on the environment, evaluate the environmental effects of that project, then approve the project as environmentally sound?”
Why not move with the times? When it comes to mad and expensive infrastructure projects that negatively impact Lantau, the incinerator insanity is in good company. The Hong KongMacau Bridge, a HK$120-billion colossus many experts, both local and international, say is unnecessary, squanders funds that might be better devoted to the recycling of waste they say is too costly to recycle. We could do a lot of recycling for HK$120 billion. Small, compact, and with land at a premium, Hong Kong is perfectly placed to be a recycling role model for the world, but that would require vision, the use of state-of-the-art technology, and the sort of creative social enterprise typical of more progressive countries. In its extensive research LIM has found that the rest of the world is moving away from our government’s proposed technology. What we’ve got from our leaders is banal, out-of-date and destructive of the environment; it could hardly be worse. January 2016
29
IN FOCUS
Hong Kong is not Denmark, but the authorities here could learn a lot from the Danes about imaginative waste disposal processes and the creation of recycling systems that work efficiently. A few years ago a group of authorities near Copenhagen commissioned New York-based architecture firm BIG to design something new in incinerator waste disposal. The 80-metre tall structure will burn 400,000 tonnes of waste a year, produce zero toxic emissions, generate enough electricity for 50,000 houses, and enough heat for 120,000. Due to open in 2017, the Amager Bakke plant will also put its 41,000 square metres of roof to good use. It will double as a small mountain, complete with trees, hiking trails and a ski slope for winter fun.
Natural heritage squandered It’s official: Trashing a well-loved natural beauty spot is legal if the government is doing it. While any notion of garbage disposal facility in Sydney Harbour or San Francisco Bay would be laughable, in Hong Kong it was passed without official opposition or embarrassment. During the battle against the filthy disposal facility, not a word from the big Lantau stakeholders: Hong Kong Tourist Association, Disney, or Ngong Ping 360, a subsidiary of the MTR Corporation. Protests from the wider community have also been as silent as monks’ vows. It might be easy to imagine that Hong Kong people would care greatly if their natural heritage was about to be gratuitously destroyed. Yet apart from the outraged few who gave of their time and money in the fight to protect what belongs to us all, clearly the majority are not bothered. A sad indictment of public apathy and confirmation, if any were needed, that our leaders can do whatever they want.
The IWMF will sit close to glorious beaches, a marine reserve and country park
We are urged to participate in local elections by a government that knows it’s all a charade, but it makes us feel better imagining we have some control over our affairs. We have none. When
Find it • Living Islands Movement, www.livingislands.org.hk • Naked Islands Project, www.facebook.com/The-Naked-Islands-Project-HK
Find more topical local topics
30
January 2016
push comes to shove, we are powerless. The mind-numbing incinerator decision was clearly made years ago, the rest was just more ‘consultationwith-the-community’ claptrap.
@ www.arounddb.com
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It was a competition as hot as, well, a restaurant kitchen on a busy night. Melissa Stevens reports on the Around DB and Life on Lantau Resident’s Choice Awards, 2015
T
his year’s Around DB and Life on Lantau Resident’s Choice Awards had the community locked in a fierce Facebook battle to show support for their favourite restaurant, with Discovery Bay’s respected Brasserie 22° North emerging the victor. Launched last year, the Resident's Choice Awards is an opportunity for locals on Lantau to have their say on which of the fabulous restaurants on our home turf is the best. The awards take into account the quality of food, the ambience of the restaurant, the standard of service and value for money. A shortlist of venues, based on residents’ feedback, is put to a vote on the Around DB and Life on Lantau Facebook pages. Residents are asked to vote for their favourite restaurant by clicking ‘like’.
This year, four Lantau restaurants were shortlisted as finalists – Brasserie 22° North in DB, The Beach House on Cheung Sha Beach, DB’s Solera and Pui O’s Mavericks. Voting was conducted from December 2 to 4. Over a period of 48 hours, we reached over 23,000 Lantau residents, with more than 1,200 voting to see their favoured dining spot placed first. At the end of voting, Brasserie 22° North had streaked ahead with 634 likes, followed by The Beach House with 437 likes, Solera with 73 likes and Mavericks with 65.
Keeping customers satisfied Winner Brasserie 22° North, run by Belgian-born, Franco-Italian chef Philippe Moriau, has built up a strong reputation in the community since it got off the ground in 2010.
“People regard us as a restaurant that serves a very consistent, high-quality product,” Philippe says. “Ensuring that a customer walks out happy is our job, and that touches on food, on service, on ambience – on the whole experience. From that aspect, the job is much more complicated than just cooking nice food. “Part of our success is that my staff is very engaged with our customers – they know all their names, they know what they do, they know their kids – they know everything about them,” he adds. “It’s a very personal relationship; that’s the advantage we have over larger chains.” But Philippe says winning the Resident’s Choice Awards will not make him or his team complacent: “The day we think we can’t improve anymore, is the day we have got it really wrong.”
Photo by Terry Chow
Kim Murphy, the managing director of The Beach House, is equally delighted by the results – not least because the Cheung Sha venue had only been in operation for three months at the time of the vote. “It’s nice to be told you are doing a good job,” Kim says. “It’s really something that rewards our staff and tells them they are doing a great job – they were really excited. One of our big goals is to work with the people on Lantau, so we are pleased we have a good following with the local people here.” Follow us on Facebook to be part of our next Resident’s Choice Fung Tat Choi and campaign. The winning team at Brasserie 22° North Chan Yu Ting
Find more local gossip
@ www.arounddb.com
January 2016
33
TALKING POINTS
CALLING ALL
PiPSTERS!
Photos by Klik and Indografer Hong Kong
We’ve been looking forward to the 10th anniversary edition of Picnic in the Park for a full 14 months, and if the January 30 line-up is anything to go by, it’s going to be well worth the wait. Imogen Ma reports
O
n January 30, Siena Park is playing host to over 60 acts performing on two custom-built stages as Picnic in the Park (PiP) celebrates its much-anticipated 10th anniversary. Hong Kong’s biggest, free, music-anddance festival looks set to attract crowds of over 10,000 from across Lantau and beyond, for 10 hours of full-on, familyorientated entertainment.
For music lovers, this year’s lineup of rockin’ bands is the main draw, belting out everything from jazz and funk to heavy metal. Returning bands like Benzine, Helium3, @One, Soul Traders, Still Unbroken, Horus and Shaolin Fez are sure to wow long-term PiPsters and newcomers alike, as are Vibes and Friends, for which Jim AlbaDuignan, chair of PiP’s organising committee, plays the drums.
While some 70% of PiP’s performers are adults, the teen YRock contingent can always be relied upon to hog the limelight. The YRock programme, which gives teens the opportunity to strut their stuff on both the Siena and Bayside stages, is hotly contested, and the opportunity to perform live and hang out with other musicians is second to none. This year, DB YRockers to watch out for include January 2016
35
TALKING POINTS Phoebe Whalley, who was a hit at Clockenflap last November. In providing a full, festival experience, the organisers ensure that rock music is not all that’s on offer. Well-known community troupes performing this year include DB Glee, Island Dance, Future Stars, DMR School of Ballet, Discovery Bay International School and Discovery College. One of PiP’s main draws is that it encourages friends and families to congregate at Siena Park to sing, dance and picnic. In true festival tradition, there are also shopping opportunities, charity and corporate stalls, food booths and a kids’ zone.
Providing live aid Conceived as a way to showcase local talent and bring the community together, PiP is, of course, also a charity-driven event. “We’ve been actively raising awareness for Hong Kong children’s charities since 2006,” says Jim. “Hong Kong Student Aid Society and Hong Chi Children’s Home are both causes that have benefited directly from the goodwill and generosity of the crowds that have attended the event over the years.” In addition to donation points at the main entrance, PiP volunteers also fight their way through the crowds with collection buckets throughout the event. For the 10th anniversary, the organisers hope to raise over HK$500,000 for Hong Kong Student Aid Society and Hong Chi Children’s Home. None of PiP’s organisers, volunteers or acts accept a fee for their participation – and the hours they put in cannot be underestimated. Planning starts six months before the event, and a larger team meets every week for three months prior, to organise logistical essentials, such as power
None of PiP’s organisers, volunteers or acts accept a fee for their participation
supply, stage construction and security. Additionally, there are over 100 volunteers on hand on the day to distribute programmes and event guides, collect donations and man the food stalls and market booths. A festival this size costs about HK$600,000 to put on, and finding sponsorship for the 10th anniversary PiP proved tricky last year, which led
Find more local gossip
to the event having to be postponed. Fortunately Discovery Bay City Owner’s Committee, Discovery Bay City Management and HKR International stepped up to the plate in late November 2015 pledging to supply funds if help was needed. “Their active support has made the 10th-anniversary PiP on January 30 possible,” says Jim.
@ www.arounddb.com
FIND YOUR PiP PULL-OUT PROGRAMME HERE 36
January 2016
THE FUN CONTINUES AT
HEMINGWAY’S 10PM TILL LATE
THE LINE UP - don’t miss out on seeing your favourite band!
PICNIC IN THE PARK 2016 SIENA STAGE
9.30
Sound Check
PICNIC IN THE PARK 2016 BAYSIDE STAGE
9.57 Stage Opens
10.25 Ricky - Welcome to PIP
10.00 HK Capoeira
10.30 NB4 Midnight
10.10 Russian Ballet School
11.00 TBC
10.20 Aerokids
11.15 Grounded
10.30 DC Bands
11.45 TBC 12.00 YROCK - James’ Secret, Glass Onions and Oy Yeah
11.00 DMR Jnr 11.15 DBIS Rocks
13.00 DMR Snr
11.45 Future Stars Jnr
13.15 852 Blue
12.00 The Octopus
13.45 Auditions (Musical)
12.30 Island Dance Jnr
14.00 @One
12.45 Jaded
14.30 YROCK - Phoebe
13.15 Echoes of Erin
14.45 Still Unbroken
13.30 Syzygy
15.15 AT Latin (DB Dancesport) 16.00 Audience/Performers Photo
14.00 Y ROCK (including 15 mins slot for Hong Chi and HKSAS Band at 14.30)
16.15 Benzine
16.00 Potion No. 9
16.45 Unsung Heroes Choir
16.30 Latin Ballroom (Irina)
17.00 Soul Traders
16.45 Radio Brew
17.30 Island Dance Snr
17.15 Susanne Chambers
17.45 Big Band and Special Guests
17.30 Rebellion
18.30 YROCK - Ingrid
18.00 Louise Thoreau
18.45 Helium3
18.15 Deer
15.30 Shaolin Fez
19.15 Future Stars Snr 19.30 Ghost 20.00 YROCK - Mikhala 20.15 Red Stripes 20.45 Audience Singalong and Goodbye From Us video
18.45 YROCK Accoustic 19.00 Jordan Deep 19.30 Performers Studio 19.45 Lost Influence 20.15 Catch up and Thank yous
21.00 Vibes and Friends
20.30 Horus
21.45 STAGE CLOSES
21.00 STAGE CLOSES
PICNIC IN THE PARK 2016 With your generous support we will raise funds on 30 January. All the proceeds from the event will go to the Hong Chi Association and the Hong Kong Student Aid Society. Hong Chi Children’s Home provides residential care service in a family setting for children and teenagers, aged 6 to 15, with mild mental handicaps, whose families have difficulty taking care of them. Through proper training in self-care, household chores, daily living and social skills, we aim to help the residents lead a happy life, grasp self-care skills, enhance self-reliance and integrate into the community. Their daily living is not our only focus. We also emphasize the development of their full potential. Human growth is not limited to Intelligence Quotient, but Multiple Intelligence. Integrative and dynamic developments are a life-long pursuit for you and me, and to those children with mental handicaps as well. Founded in 1957, the Hong Kong Student Aid Society is a non-governmental organization which provides a wide spectrum of residential child care, education and community support services for children and young people with a less fortunate background. We operate 3 children’s homes, 7 small group homes and a foster care service. We also run education services by operating a nursery, a mainstream primary school and a school for social development. We serve and educate needy children who mainly come from families with inadequate care by providing them with the necessary care and concern to develop their potential to the fullest. In recent years we have also extended our services to Tin Shui Wai. Our “Family Energy” aims to give early intervention and support to families and children so as to enhance family harmony and minimize the risk of family violence. Our motto is ”All for Children”. Our work has gained wide recognition by the government and the community. With your generous support, we are able to serve more children and young people in need.
Photos by www.evoqueportraits.com and Hui Nancy Xu, and courtesy of Michael Vidler Illustration by Fred Boot, photos by Melissa Stevens and Michael Keating
FAMILY MATTERS
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January 2016
FAMILY MATTERS
ALTERNATIVE REMEDIES To set your family up for a healthy and happy 2016, why not look outside the box? Melissa Stevens reports
H
ands up who starts every New Year with a laundry list of good intentions? Whether it be pledging to lose a few kilogrammes on the latest quick-fix fad diet, deciding to control our kids’ tech obsessions, or committing to joining a boot camp to exercise regularly, it’s a time when we embrace the idea of a fresh start. But New Year’s resolutions are often lucky to last longer than the sore head left over from the celebrations. By sitting down with three specialists in their fields, I’m looking to uncover some gentler and potentially more enduring ways for the whole family to recharge and reboot.
Holistic, integrated therapies For DBers with longstanding medical problems that regular doctors just can’t seem to cure, 2016 may be the time to finally give alternative medicine a try. If you want to try out some ‘new’ ways to wellness, the Integrated Medicine Institute in Discovery Bay and Central, which offers an impressive range of holistic, integrated therapies, is a first port of call. IMI founder, homeopath and naturopath Dr Graeme Bradshaw, who has spent more than 30 years
in clinical practice in Australia and Hong Kong, uses what are termed functional treatment methods, which take a scientific and test-based approach to natural medicine. He also employs lab testing to identify the nutritional, allergic, digestive, hormonal situation or toxic exposures that can be at the root cause of health issues, with rejuvenation through supplements and detoxification. According to Graeme, stress and exhaustion are common problems in DB – and representative of two key groups of residents – new mothers suffering sleep disorders, and pilots and business executives with busy careers. He says long working hours, too much screen time late at night and chronic stress combine as a potent cocktail of ingredients, which sees many of us on the brink of nervous exhaustion from adrenal fatigue. Graeme, a five-year DB resident, treats all members of the family and in so doing he has identified one issue that is prevalent across all age groups. “It is very common that a combination of unhealthy gut and food intolerances is affecting my client’s health – whether adult or child,” he says. A consultation with Graeme typically involves his much talked about
EAV (Electro-Acupuncture according to Voll) machine. Simply put, the EAV detects health imbalances by measuring the conductivity of the skin on top of acupuncture points. It is not a diagnostic tool, rather it helps identify areas that need further scientific testing. “There are 21 meridians which correspond to major organs and glands in the body, each of which terminate at the end of the fingers and toes,” explains Graeme. “The EAV is a non-invasive tool – I use a brass stylus attached to the machine to measure the skin’s conductivity that may be affected by a disordered meridian. This is a quick and easy way to assess key areas of imbalances, such as the nerves, gut and liver. There are also measurable indications on the acupuncture points that relate to issues like food allergies, food intolerances and intestinal infections. “With the EAV, I get a quick picture of the main organs’ health status,” adds Graeme. “From this information, I can make more sense of my patient’s symptoms, or if it is a child, I can get otherwise unavailable clues. This may lead to a lab test if necessary, to get more specific information. The EAV really helps me screen which issues are present, and if further tests are January 2016
43
FAMILY MATTERS
Hypnotherapist Aude Mahoudeau-Campoyer with a client
needed for the correct identification and therapy.”
The power of hypnotherapy When it comes to making a fresh start, 20-year DB resident Aude MahoudeauCampoyer has personal experience, transitioning from a career in education to working as a hypnotherapist. She says that her training in Ericksonian hypnotherapy (and sophrology) has given her the techniques and tools to help adults, and kids as young as five, deal with personal issues and fulfil their potential. French-born Aude says clients of all ages typically come to her DB sessions with issues like lack of confidence, inability to sleep, concentration problems, sadness, anxiety and phobias. “Hypnosis is nothing to worry about – there’s nothing I can make you do that you don’t want to do,” she adds. “I work with people to change their life to a better life.” Pointing out that her treatment methods for children and adults vary greatly, Aude says: “Children have a very easy and natural way to go into hypnosis. I interact with them
44
January 2016
Angie Bucu teaching mindfulness to kids
in a relaxed manner and tell them a metaphorical account through which they find what they need to overcome their worry.” For adults and teens, a session of hypnosis begins with a relaxed, gentle discussion about the issue in question. “Then I gently guide a person by taking their body through relaxation,” Aude says. “I use different techniques to go deeper and deeper into their subconscious mind.” Aude then utilises the power of positive suggestion to bring about subconscious change to our thoughts, feelings and behaviour. “We access the anxiety and I find the opposite,” she says. “When you are under hypnosis I help you find the resources to be the best you can be. I tap into the subconscious so that you can tap into your inner strength, or whatever you need to find. I am not putting anything in from the outside – I will let whatever is inside of you bloom and flourish. It’s not a miracle cure but it is very powerful.”
Calm through mindfulness Mindfulness,
generally
achieved
through yoga and meditation, is now a fashionable go-to for those of us looking to improve our quality of life. Seventeen-year DB resident Angie Bucu has been an advocate for six years and she now teaches mindfulness programmes in DB and throughout Hong Kong, to young people, aged nine to 18. Adults can find calm and inner peace through mindfulness and Angie says it’s the same for kids, who can be equally overwhelmed by the busy pace of modern life. Angie describes mindfulness as “paying attention on purpose to what you are doing while you are doing it”. While adult mindfulness usually involves meditation, she takes a different approach with children, for whom sitting still for long periods may not be possible. “We teach mindfulness, or attention focus skills through activities, movement and awareness of breath and body,” she explains. Angie says teaching mindfulness to children helps them concentrate, be more confident, and be better able to manage the bombardment of stimuli they experience daily. Children can sometimes be the unwitting victims of the toll on family life caused by Hong
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FAMILY MATTERS Kong’s work-life balance, and Angie stresses that mindfulness may provide them with coping strategies. When it comes to setting the family up for a healthy and happy 2016, Angie believes that making New Year’s resolutions is actually the worst thing you can do. “Setting too many goals can set you up for failure,” she says. “It does not help you with your wellbeing as you move into the New Year. Rather than beating yourself up over what you’ve done, look at your life in a balanced way and find small things that you can do to improve it. Mindfulness is about doing small things with intention and putting all your attention to it.” Angie suggests that stressed-out DB families take small steps towards improving their wellbeing and worklife balance this year. Achieving this can
be as simple as taking a walk outside of the office in a park at lunchtime, or spending quality time together – activities where focusing on the present moment happens with ease.
Dr Graeme Bradshaw demonstrating his much talked about EAV machine
“We are so blessed here in DB that we can walk five minutes up Golf Course Road and be at the waterfall,” Angie says. “When spending time listening to the sounds of nature, it’s very hard to be caught up in the work you have to do.”
Find it • Angie Bucu: Mindfulness Matters and dot B, angie@ingredientsofwellness.com, www.ingredientsofwellness.com • Aude Mahoudeau-Campoyer: Brief Therapy HK, brieftherapyhk@gmail.com, www.sophrologyhk.com • Graeme Bradshaw: Integrated Medicine Institute, graeme@imi.com.hk, www.imi.com.hk
Find more child-centric stories
@ www.arounddb.com
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MONEY MATTERS
FINANCIALLY FIT When getting your finances in shape for 2016, you’ll want to put your family’s future first. Annette M Houlihan reports
Photos courtesy of www.wikimedia.org
M
oving into 2016, it’s time to consider building an emergency fund, setting up a life insurance policy and creating a will. The New Year is a fantastic time to finally check off those niggling financial to do’s that seem so insignificant now, but can affect you and your family drastically later.
Free to inherit
Having your finances in order gives you the option to help your loved ones as and when they need it – just be sure to also look to the future and factor in taxation, and more specifically the effect of certain taxes, when you die.
When we buy a property, for instance, we are recorded on file with the relevant Land Registry. Therefore, anything we do that is connected to the property that alters ownership, for example sale, purchase or addition/
Many of us DBers are living in a globally connected world with mixed nationality marriages, assets or jobs overseas and children at international schools and universities. We need to be aware that this requires the authorities to have systems in place that record and report our activity.
removal of names, is recorded with this particular government department. Sometimes, these actions generate a tax liability through stamp duty, capital gains or death/ inheritance taxes. The UK, for example, has inheritance tax (IHT) which is 40% on the value above the nil rate band, currently GBP325,000 for a single person. For a UK domiciled married couple, this allowance is GBP650,000 and IHT is only payable (by heirs) when the second person dies. If your spouse is not from the UK, then the allowance is only GBP380,000 and your spouse will pay 40% on anything above. This January 2016
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MONEY MATTERS is charged on worldwide assets – anything you own in any part of the world – and it does not exclude your main residence. IHT is payable on any UK-held assets (wherever you are from) and by UK domiciled people. The latter is the hardest to understand as it is not connected to residence, nor being absent from the UK for a number of years. It is to do with where you are from, moreover where your father is from. If your father was a UK domicile at the time of your birth, it is more than likely that you are also a UK domicile, regardless of whether you have ever lived in the UK.
Kong Permanent Resident at the time, an additional 15% is charged. In most of the US, estate tax is imposed on the transfer of the asset of the deceased. If you are American, the allowance is as high as US$5,430,000 but some States impose a tentative tax on a scale up to 40% on the first US$1 million. For non-Americans, this allowance is only US$60,000. Canada does not have a death tax but when the deceased’s estate is distributed, it is seen as a sale, and may therefore be subject to capital gains tax. There are certain exemptions for spouses and common-law partners.
Another tax to watch is capital gains tax on property or land, which (in the UK) can be as high as 28%. If you are a UK resident, this is the tax payable on gains made from April 5, 2015 until the time that the asset is disposed of. If you are UK resident at the time of selling, you pay gains tax from the time you bought until the sell date. This could make a huge difference as to whether you want to keep the asset longer term.
Most of Europe charges a form of death or succession taxes and these will depend upon who inherits as well as where. Spouses and children generally get a decent allowance before taxes are imposed. If you are a foreign investor, these taxes are charged on the geography of the asset but if you are a citizen and resident of your home country at the time, these tend to be charged on what you own globally.
If you have assets in the UK and intend to keep them, it is advisable to have them valued now. Disagreements could ensue in the future if the starting value is less than you want to confirm. Bear in mind also that the UK has introduced a new stamp duty on properties based on a buy-to-let basis. Stamp duty will now range from 3% to 15% for properties over GBP125,000.
Double taxation agreements between countries can prevent us from
The good news is that Hong Kong does not have any estate or capital gains taxes. But should you inherit a property or land from someone and have to change ownership of the title into your name, you will have to pay stamp duty. This could be as high as 8.5% for properties (or land) over HK$21,739,120. If you are not a Hong
Are your finances in good shape?
January 2016
Where there’s a will Making a will is the simplest way to start checking your liabilities, and it will give you an overview of who you wish to consider. From there, it is generally easier to arrange more complex estate issues, such as trusts or taxes. To mitigate or protect the financial damage a huge tax bill could inflict on your remaining family and their future plans, be sure to factor in your life insurance and death-in-service benefits. These can have a nominated beneficiary to help speed up the distribution process but they may still be accountable within your estate for taxes, if the insurance is seen to belong to you. Note that anything that does not belong to you cannot be counted as part of your estate. Very often, trusts are implemented for this reason as they remove legal ownership of assets. Anything in trust, as long as you are not the trustee, does not legally belong to you (although as one of the beneficiaries you may maintain equitable rights). With all this in mind, it’s essential to understand your overall estate and any financial impact that could occur whilst you are living and when you pass away, and prepare. Remember you only have to do this once and then keep your details updated.
Annette M. Houlihan, a 20-year DB resident, is managing director of Central-based financial advisory firm Carey, Suen & Associates. You can contact her at annette@careysuen.com for a no-obligation discussion, or call her on 2388 2331.
Find more monetary advice
50
paying tax twice but only in certain circumstances. This depends upon the agreement and the tax concerned. Note that you may be in a situation where your estate pays capital gains or death taxes twice.
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ACTION
Photos by Terry Chow and courtesy of Discovery Bay Pirates
GIRLS UP FOR THE CHALLENGE
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The DB Pirates senior women’s team is well into its second season in the Hong Kong Women’s National 10’s league and, although squad numbers have at times been a little down, the girls are certainly giving it a red-hot go. Sam Agars reports
W
hile rugby may not traditionally be a women’s sport, it has a healthy following in Hong Kong, and the Discovery Bay Pirates has a particularly enthusiastic senior squad. The team is made up of players ranging from as young as 17 to as old as 40. Most are new to January 2016
the game but they have been quick to pick up the rules and, while they don’t have the size and speed of the men, there is no shortage of commitment and aggression. Competing in the Hong Kong Women’s National 10’s league, and after finishing last season in fourth
place, the DB ladies are currently sitting midway up the table, with high hopes for further match wins before season end in March.
Sisterhood of trust According to Pirates’ director of women’s rugby Renee McCreadie,
ACTION
The DB Pirates senior women’s team (in green) after winning their first match of the 2015/16 season against University in October last year
who has lived in DB for 20 years, women are not always keen to try rugby due to the perception created by the super-physical men’s version of the game. However, the ones that do give it a go soon fall in love with the game. “There is something different about playing a contact sport with a team,” says Renee, who played for the Pirates last year but is sitting out this season due to pregnancy. “You have to really support and be there for each other. It forms a sisterhood of trust. Contact sport is such a different feeling and when people play it and feel it, they love it.”
“They watch the guys play rugby but it is really nothing like that, especially in development. It’s full contact but whoever you are playing, usually it is their first season as well so they are not too strong. We welcome everyone who wants to come to training. You don’t have to commit to it, just come and see if you like it.”
Giving it a go
The Pirates are hoping to attract more numbers – they currently have 13 women in the senior squad but are targeting 20 – and Renee urges anyone keen to try their hand to take the plunge.
One man who has seen first-hand what the girls can dish up is senior women’s coach Steve Kean, who is also the Pirates’ chairman. “We have got a whole bunch, who are completely new to the sport and it takes a while in terms of learning,” he says. “If you gauged it by scores and results, then we would be… struggling. But in other senses, if you look at the spirit, the commitment, the energy and the enthusiasm they have, they are an outstanding bunch of ladies.”
“People are intimidated by the contact and that it is rugby,” Renee says.
Sports teams are so often judged by their results on the field, but for senior
women’s assistant coach Shonagh Ryan, the spirit of camaraderie is what’s important. “The Pirates is a great social team – we all get along so well,” says 21-yearold Shonagh, who played junior rugby for the Pirates and is now playing (rugby) for Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC) in the Hong Kong Women’s Premiership. “There is a community feel and people love staying with the club. The Pirates taught me what it means to be a team. I will always feel like I’m a Pirate and feel like I’m part of the team even when I’m not playing with them.” Renee echoes Shonagh’s thoughts, also pointing out that the women’s and men’s sections of the club work together both on and off the field, and support each other wherever possible. “It’s really good, the connection between the two teams,” she says. And when it comes to putting their bodies on the line for the cause, there January 2016
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ACTION
Weekly practice at DB North Plaza Pitch
The Pirates ladies are as dedicated as the guys
Winning match play in October last year
Senior women’s assistant coach Shonagh Ryan
Director of women’s rugby Renee McCreadie
Senior women’s coach and Pirates chairman Steve Kean
are no questions asked. “There is no holding back,” Steve says. “Most of the women don’t have the bulk or the pace that the guys do, but I think you get the same commitment and a relative level of physicality. It’s a bit gentler in some respects, they are generally more polite than the guys, but they go at it just as frantically.”
For Shonagh, coming through the ranks with her sister and playing alongside her at HKFC has been a special experience, while the lure of one day lining up with Aileen for Hong Kong is driving her on. “I love playing with her,” Shonagh says. “She’s a back and I’m a forward; it’s really cool when we get to play together.”
Pathway to the top
Aileen first played for Hong Kong when she was just 17 and, while the Pirates themselves have aspirations of eventually moving up into a 15’s league, Renee says the club will never stand in the way of someone looking to better themselves.
Fourteen-year DB residents, Shonagh and her 19-year-old sister Aileen, who also plays for HKFC, are two of the most promising products to come out of the Pirates women’s system. Aileen has represented Hong Kong at junior and senior level, while Shonagh was named in the national senior squad for the Asian Rugby Championship in May, before missing out due to injury, and is edging closer to her debut.
Find more clubs and activities
54
January 2016
“If you want to move up, if you want to play in the 15’s, we will encourage you,” Renee says. “Two under 19’s from last year have moved to Hong Kong Cricket Club to play.”
@ www.arounddb.com
ESCAPES
PERUVIAN CONFIDENTIAL Getting off the beaten track, Kate Whitehead discovers there’s more to Peru than Machu Picchu
Photos courtesy of www.wikimedia.org
S 56
ituated on the western side of South America, facing the South Pacific Ocean and straddling part of the Andes, Peru sits between Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil and Bolivia to the east, and Chile to the south. Tourism is focused around a handful of star attractions – Machu Picchu, the Nazca Lines and Colca Canyon hog the limelight. The Inca citadel in the sky attracted a whopping 1.2 million visitors in 2013 and the numbers keep rising. Up against that kind of pulling power, it’s challenging for other places to get a look in but there are a few that are January 2016
worth venturing to off the beaten track.
minutes out of town.
Lake Titicaca
Nature reserves, sheltering rare aquatic wildlife, surround Lake Titicaca and the adjacent fields are still planted and harvested by hand. But its big draw is the 2,000-strong Uros tribe, and the floating islands on which they live. Said to be the descendants of the first Andean settlers (predating the Incas), the Uros people are fisher folk but they also graze cattle on their selffashioned islets.
At 3,811 metres, Lake Titicaca is the world’s highest navigable body of water and the largest lake in South America – it’s 15 times the size of Switzerland’s Lake Geneva. And even though you can’t see it standing on the southern shore, on the opposite side is Bolivia. Puno, in southeast Peru, is the capital of the region and sits on the lakeshore, but it’s not a pretty city. For the best views of the lake’s famously still and brightly reflective waters, and the snow-capped Andes beyond, head 30
Local legend has it that the Uros existed before the sun, when the Earth was still dark and cold. This is apparently how they got their ‘black
ESCAPES
Lake Titicaca in Puno – the world’s highest navigable body of water
blood’, meaning that they could survive the harsh Andean climate and chilly temperatures. And it does get cold on the lake. It might be 20°C in the day but it drops below zero at night. Life on these islands is all about the tortora, a cattail-type rush that is native to the lake. The reeds form the basis of the floating islands. The ones at the bottom slowly rot, so every two weeks island dwellers must spread a new layer over the top. You can tell if an island is new because the surface feels springy, giving a bounce to your step. And you can test this out for yourself by visiting one of the islands.
Hire a boat away from touristy Puno and you can get a taste of what life is like floating on a raft of reeds.
Salt ponds of Maras All the best sites in south-eastern Peru are way up in the mountains and one such spot, at 3,000 metres, is making a name for itself thanks to a handful of celebrity Peruvian chefs. Gaston Acurio has been at the forefront of bringing Peruvian food to international attention and manages the restaurant franchise Astrid & Gaston. He put Maras on the map a few years ago when he raved about its salt and began using it in his dishes.
Situated in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, 40 kilometres north of Cuzco, the salt ponds of Maras are the result of the movement of tectonic plates that pushed up the seabed (AD200 to AD900) to form the Andes. Sea salt that was locked in the rocks now filters out through tiny Qoripujio Spring. For a HK$20 admission fee you can visit the ponds – the money goes directly to the cooperative of families that works the surrounding salt mines. Qoripujio Spring is only about 20 centimetres wide and would be easy to miss if the sides weren’t encrusted with a thick layer of salt. Dip your hand in January 2016
57
ESCAPES
The Inti Raymi festival in Cuzco
ing a aintain Uros m
island floating
The salt ponds of Maras
and you’ll find the water is warm; lick your finger and you’ll be left in no doubt where the salt comes from. This small stream feeds the roughly 5,000 ponds that are staggered down the valley in terraces. The keeper of each pond lets water into a pool by opening a notch in the sidewall. Each pond is about 30 centimetres deep and when it is filled with water, the notch is closed and the water is left to evaporate in the dry Andean air. When the pool is crusted over with salt, the keeper uses a wooden baton to scrape up the salt and puts it in a basket to drain. This mineral-rich salt doesn’t just taste good; it’s also good for you. Providing a buffer for blood sugar levels, it is ideal for diabetics, and its high levels of magnesium, iron, calcium and zinc help reduce stress and prevent anaemia and osteoporosis.
e salt arvesting th A miner h
Some five years ago, the salt ponds were turned into a tourist attraction. There is now a thriving collection of shops clustered just above the ponds
Find more exciting travel destinations
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January 2016
selling neatly packaged ‘gourmet’ and ‘100% natural’ salt. Now is the time to visit, while it’s still a fledgling tourist site.
Inti Raymi in Cuzco If you are planning a trip to Peru, you’d be well advised to time it to take in the annual Inti Raymi festival in Cuzco, the historic capital of the Inca Empire. Honouring the Sun God and giving thanks for a good harvest, the festival’s highpoint is the procession, which begins in the city centre at Qorikancha, the sun temple, and culminates in the open-air, hilltop stadium of Sacsayhuaman. With hundreds of actors involved, the two key performers are Sapa Inca (the Sun King) and his wife, Mama Ocllo, who are carried through the cobbled streets (on golden chariots) by 20 pallbearers. Peruvians travel from all over the country to experience this week-long festival that culminates on June 24 with an epic day of activities.
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Saturday, 16th January, 2016.
INTERIOR DESIGN
CONTRACTING BSD DESIGN LTD is an interior design and contracting company which has been established in Hong Kong for over 30 years. We specialise in both residential and commercial interiors and pride ourselves on being able to work closely and successfully with our clients. Experience tells us that most professionals appreciate someone who is willing to listen and at the same time offer advice concerning the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ of interior decoration. We would be more than happy to talk over your requirements.
For more information, please call: Brian Davies 9077 4193; Shirley Leung 9082 4816 Tel: 2567 2562 Fax: 2580 9813 Email: bsddesignhk@gmail.com
HK HAPPENINGS
10 FUN THINGS TO DO IN HK THIS MONTH! Get your events listed @ www.arounddb.com
www.whitecube.com
JEFF WALL’S LATEST WORKS
ry nua
Ja
White Cube, Central
Jeff Wall’s first solo exhibition in Asia Pacific is set to feature large-format photographs taken over the past 18 months in and around Los Angeles and also in his hometown of Vancouver. A powerfully modern documentarian, Jeff depicts everyday life but his work is known for its scale and complexity. Find more exhibition information at www.whitecube.com.
1-23
NEW YEAR PARTY APP
HONG KONG MARATHON Start: Tsim Sha Tsui, Fortress Hill & Wanchai
NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS
Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui
The 20th Hong Kong Marathon sees the best local runners come up against top overseas athletes in the biggest outdoor sporting event in the SAR. Over 70,000 runners took to the streets in last year’s event and this year more than 74,000 are competing across five categories: a full marathon, half marathon and 10-kilometre race, and 10-kilometre and 3-kilometre wheelchair races. Visit www.hkmarathon.com.
Throughout Hong Kong
2 January https://en.wikipedia.org
The annual Dragon and Lion Dance Festival is the perfect way to ring in 2016, with festivities running from 11am to 6pm and featuring the ever popular parade through Tsim Sha Tsui. While crowds mass around the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, a series of smaller events are held throughout Hong Kong. To find out more, visit www.hong-kong-traveller.com.
CLINK, the first free mobile nightlife social app developed in Hong Kong, is revolutionising the way we socialise. The app shows users where the current hotspots and parties are, and connects them with other partiers for fun nights out. Users can also obtain exclusive offers and invites from bars and clubs based on their profile and preferences. Visit www.clinknow.co.
y 17
ar Janu
CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL Throughout Hong Kong
0-27
2 January
www.pphk.org
The seventh annual Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival showcases some of the world’s best chamber musicians and a selection of upand-coming stars. The week features a wide range of different instruments and performance styles, and opens with Gypsy Spirit, a show inspired by the work of Ernő Dohnányi, Béla Bartók and Johannes Brahms. Head to www.pphk.org for information and tickets. January 2016
www.hkmarathon.com
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HK HAPPENINGS
out h g ou ry Thr anua J
www.tgec.asia
THE GREAT EUROPEAN CARNIVAL Central Harbourfront Event Space
Fresh off a blockbuster 2014/ 15 season that saw 830,000 visitors flock through its gates, The Great European Carnival is back and promises to be bigger and better than ever. Enjoy thrilling rides, an outdoor ice-skating rink and all the entertainment of Udderbelly Hong Kong. Find out more at www.tgec.asia.
HONG KONG JAZZ FAMILY FEST Grappa’s Cellar, Central Jockey Club Sarah Roe School’s annual fundraiser sees over 40 musicians take to the stage in two nights of top entertainment. While the event is held to raise money for special needs children at the school, part of the proceeds go to local charities The Nesbitt Centre, The Rock Foundation and YES. For information and tickets, starting at HK$400, head to www.ticketflap.com/jazzfest2016.
3 nuary 22 & 2
Ja
Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jazz Family Fest
OPEN WATER ASIA Start: Stanley
January 2016
KIDSFEST 2016! Running from January 13 to February 14 at venues across Hong Kong, KidsFest has something to keep every family entertained!
1 The Gruffalo, January 13 to 17.
Mouse embarks on an adventure through the woods to find out if the Gruffalo actually exists, and hooks up with a cunning Fox, old Owl and mad Snake along the way.
2 Room on the Broom, January 20
January 24 https://en.wikipedia.org
DIANA KRALL IN TOWN
AsiaWorld-Expo, Chek Lap Kok The Hong Kong leg of Diana Krall’s Wallflower World Tour is sure to wow music lovers. The five-time Grammy Awardwinning jazz pianist and vocalist is touring in conjunction with the release of Wallflower, her 12th studio album. Diana has sold more albums than any other female jazz artist in the last 30 years. For more information and tickets, starting at HK$480, visit www.hkticketing.com.
to 24. When a witch and her cat encounter a storm and the witch loses her hat, bow and wand, a host of friendly characters give her a helping hand. But is there room on the broom for all of them?
3 I Believe in Unicorns, January 28
to 31. A tale of the power of books and of Tomas, a boy whose hatred of reading and school is turned on its head the day he meets the Unicorn Lady.
Visit www.kidsfest.com.hk for more information, and www.hkticketing.com for tickets.
January 30
If you fancy yourself as a serious swimmer, the Open Water Asia Cold Half, a 15-kilometre slog from Stanley Main Beach to Middle Island Beach, is for you. Individuals or teams of two tackle the event, with duos given the option of interchanging every 30 minutes or just once at the half-way mark. Registration ends January 16, so head to www.openwaterasia.com to secure your spot.
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M SA EG LE A S!
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Email your photos for DB Faces to info@baymedia.com.hk. Around DB accepts no liability for the photos sent
Who do you know? Find more familiar faces @ www.arounddb.com.
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Win prizes from Uncle Russ Coffee and The Pier Bar! Congratulations to last month’s winner: Marison Valle (@_talapekz)
T
he best snap wins! Your mission this month is to share a photo taken in DB on our @around_db Instagram page and hashtag it #arounddb. You have until the 10th of this month to enter – so get tagging. 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!
View DB property listings @ www.arounddb.com
WORSHIP SERVICE Discovery College Sundays @ 10 am
CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP PRACTICAL BIBLE TEACHING KIDS CHURCH & TEENS
Importing all natural, handmade products from small British producers
GMT FOODS Pastor James Buckner Tel: 2987 7061 www.dbicc.org
Tel: +852 6647 2292 email: gillian@gmtfoodshk.com www.gmtfoodshk.com www.facebook.com/gmtfoods twitter@gillian_GMT
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View local business directories @ www.arounddb.com COMMUNITY
HEALTH & WELLBEING
KIDS
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS (MORMONS)
HYPNOSIS &/ OR SHORT-TERM THERAPY
EARLY ADVENTURES PLAYGROUP
Sunday 1pm. 4/F Discovery College. Visitors welcome. Call 9029 1851
EMPLOYMENT
LANTAU-BASED COURIER
Michael, HK resident, seeks a post as a courier, delivering mail/ small parcels throughout HK. Call 9145 6731
FINANCE & INSURANCE
AUSTRALIAN TAX RETURNS Need to lodge your Australian tax return? If you are an expat or collect rental from Australian property, you must lodge an annual return. Let us do it for you here in HK. Contact Dwight Stuchbery, Australasian Taxation Services on 3571 8700, dwight@smats.net, or visit www.smats.net
Quit smoking quickly. Divorce/ Post-Divorce Coaching. Resolve: • Fear of Flying/ Public Speaking • Overeating • Couples’ Conflicts • Career & Command-Training Stress • Anger Management • Phobias • Nail Biting • Insomnia • Exam Jitters Call Dr Melanie Bryan, Psy.D. Clinical Psychologist & Hypnotherapist on 2575 7707, or visit www.mindmatters.hk
A dedicated playgroup with the emphasis on learning through play. Activities to stimulate all areas of development. Come & look at our facilities. Classes for kids from 20 months to 4 years. Morning & afternoon sessions. Call 9511 2107, or visit www.earlyadventures.net
HOME SERVICES
THE PLACE WHERE THE PETS GO - PETCODB
SONTHRA HANDYMAN
Furniture repairing by indoor/ outdoor & polishing specialist. Any kind of solid wood plus hanging pictures (any wall work). • Better quality • Great value • Low prices • Satisfaction guaranteed Contact Peter on 9674 7531, Sonthrapeter@gmail.com
HOUSE DOCTOR HANDYMAN
Fluent in English. Hong Kong permanent resident. • Plumbing • Electrical • Aircon installation & repairs • Curtain, blind, picture, mirror, shelf & picture hanging • Ceiling fan & light installation • Kitchen & bathroom renovation • Assembly of Ikea products • House painting Contact Frank on 9141 5706, housedoc999express@gmail.com
RETAIL ABBELIO WINES
Great value! High scoring! Wines from around the world! Free delivery & special offer for Discovery Bay residents. For details, visit http://abw.hk/db, or call 3170 8458
SERVICES VERIDIAN LTD
PETS
Grooming & Pet Care Services. Trust us to provide loving & safe care for the ones you love! Contact 2914 0382, info@petcodb.com. Visit www.petcodb.com
DOG SERVICES
Home boarding, behaviour modification, Tui Na Massage & grooming. Reliable & honest. 100% safety record over the past 11 years. Contact Dave Chan on 9872 5439, www.quoquoclub.com
Bookkeeping & accounting services. (Manual/ Quickbooks/ Xero/ Kashoo.) Specialising in personal & small businesses. Contact 2987 2146 / 9444 0405, jrh4966@netvigator.com
SONTHRA TAILORING SERVICES
Tailoring for ladies & children. (Shirts, pyjamas. Shalwar Kameez, baby dresses.) Individual designs, copies, alterations & modifications. Bespoke drapery, upholstery, bed & table linens. High quality, excellent service, competitive pricing, satisfaction guaranteed. Contact 9637 1620, sonthrafarnaz@gmail.com
EXPERT MOVER
• Mover • Storage • Handyman Competitive rates. Professional quality service. Contact 2566 4799, sales@expertmover.hk. Visit www.expertmover.hk
Our Customers of the Month
Marley
Mypetshop in the North Plaza. Shop G09-92 Siena Ave. DB North Plaza Tel: 2987 8873 Open Daily 10am – 7:30pm
January 2016
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View local business directories @ www.arounddb.com
Greenland Pest Control Tailored Pest Control Solutions for Rodent, Cockroaches, Fleas, Mosquitoes, Termites, Ants, Ticks etc‌ For info please call Thomas 9871 0771 or May 9774 3554 Email: greenlandpest@outlook.com
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Alcoholics Anonymous If you want to drink, that’s your business. If you want to stop, we can help. No dues or fees. 24 hour hotline: 9073 6922 Lantau hotline: 5668 2667 www.aa-hk.org
View local business directories @ www.arounddb.com TRAVEL concoRdE TRAVEL
Leisure Travel & Cruise specialists since 1978. Call 2526 3391, or visit www.concorde-travel.com. Licence No 350343
BLACKOUT BOXING Formerly Boxfit
TUITIon & coURSES
LEARn SPAnISH
Native speaker, DELE examiner. Experienced teacher. IB, IGCSE, A-Levels & HKDSE Business Spanish & courses for adults. Flexible schedule & locations. (Special offers to students who live in DB & Tung Chung.) For enquiries please contact Mr Erik R at 9666 9511, rerikm@hotmail.com
cHInESE (MAndARIn & cAnTonESE), MATHEMATIcS & EnGLISH
Personal Professional Tutoring Service. • Curriculum: HSK, IB, GCSE, SAT • ESF & all international schools, Year 1 to 13 • For students & adults (homework/ exams/ business) • Mother-tongue Chinese tutors from the PRC (Levels: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) • Mathematics tutors (UK B SC) • Native English tutors. (MA in Education, specialising in Early Childhood Stage) Contact 9107 5655, graciasx@hotmail.com
MAndARIn cHInESE cLASSRooM
In the Greens. Lessons for adults & children, individually & in small groups. Any level/ time/ purpose. Call 6071 9643, or visit www.dbmandarin.com
FULLY QUALIFIEd ScIEncE TEAcHER
With Honours Bachelors Degree. Offering tutoring for KS3 & IGCSE Science (all disciplines) & IB/A’ Levels Physics. Contact 6079 2052, mr.m.walker@yahoo.com.uk
Sunday 2pm at Movement Improvement. Learn precise boxing techniques to strengthen and condition your body. Call: 6926 2168 or 6338 0283 for bookings. Email: Errofit168@yahoo.com
- Japan qualified – skilled piano technician in DB We can offer professional advice and services on all piano matters; Creating a good sound to make harmony with your heart!
One of the keys to piano maintenance is - How to keep your piano in good condition with a subtropical climate www.88keys.com.hk E-mail: info@88keys.com.hk Tel : 9687 0726
•Counselling for individuals, couples, families & adolescents • Sliding fee scale; affordable options for all clients • English, Putonghua, Cantonese, Russian, Hindi, Marathi and Marwadi speaking counsellors
www.resourcecounselling.org Serving the community over 40 years A Member Agency of the Community Chest
MUSIc TUToR
Experienced international school teacher, UK conservatoire trained with 17 years successful teaching experience & excellent exam result record. Available to tutor in international exam boards, ABRSM Music Theory & Cello, plus GCSE/IB/AL Music Tuition. For rates, contact 6076 6740, or debsinhk@hotmail.com
January 2016
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Find short-term rentals @ www.arounddb.com LANTAU PROPERTY
BRIGHT LUXURIOUS 2-BED
LANTAU PROPERTY
APARTMENT IN TUNG CHUNG
Fully-furnished sea-view apartment, with fully equipped kitchen, towels & linen, wi-fi & broadband. Very close to DB North Plaza, Club Siena & DB Tunnel. Contact 9278 8191, qiushengproperties@gmail.com
Fully furnished, 2- & 3-bed apartments in excellent condition. Short- or long-term leases available, minimum rental period 1 month. Contact Miss Man on 9806 9175/ 9872 7395, tanford787@gmail.com
DELUXE SERVICED APARMENTS
CHERISH COURT
Fully furnished 1-2-bed apartments with beautiful decor, wi-fi & broadband. Well-equipped kitchen, luxurious bedding, weekly cleaning service. Contact Annie on 2987 2626, annie@appletravel.com
Fully furnished, 2-bedroom flat with wi-fi & Now TV. Full sea view & Disneyland-firework view. Photos available. Contact Jacqueline 9811 0718, jacquelinedb@gmail.com
LUXURY APARTMENTS IN SIENA 2 Spacious 600’ apartments for short- or long-term rental. Quiet with sea views over park, near Club Siena & DB Tunnel. Fully furnished with washer/ drier, bedlinen, kitchenware, 55” TVs, wi-fi, blu-ray home theatre. Contact the owner on 9317 0624, nialady2011@gmail.com
COSY NEW 1 BEDROOM Cosy & brand-new 1-bedroom flat with sea view, convenient location, fully furnished with bed linen, kitchenware, washer/ drier & English & Chinese TV channels. Free cleaning once every 3 days upon request. Minimum stay 3 nights. Contact Mary on 9726 6219, marydbay@gmail.com
OVERSEAS PROPERTY MODERN 1-BEDROOM FLAT Spacious open layout on a quiet, high floor. Shower & fully equipped kitchen, washer/ dryer. Wi-fi, English movies & news. Just unpack! Competitively priced. Contact 6680 2007, greenmountain123@gmail.com
LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA
FULLY FURNISHED 1-BED
53’ SAILING YACHT, LANGKAWI & THAILAND
Smart apartment on a high floor with sea view. Close to pier & DB Plaza. Available fully furnished. Call Tiareti on 9732 8985
Stunning 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom sailing yacht in a Langkawi marina, for overnight stay or private charter around Langkawi and Southern Thailand. For details, contact 9732 2544, garry@saffron-marina.com
Stunning cliff-top 2-bedroom beach cottage offering uninterrupted 180 degree views of the Pacific Ocean, just a 5-minute walk to Laguna Beach. For more information, contact 9732 2544, garry@saffron-marina.com
LUXURY 2-BED Newly renovated, 2-bed flat with balcony. Luxuriously furnished, with TV, cable & broadband. Panoramic harbour views & short walk to pier. Contact Charles on 6140 7971, charles@headlandhomes.hk. Contact Katie on 9150 7319, katie@headlandhomes.hk
SLEEPS 4 Bright, fully furnished flat, sleeps 4. Fully equipped kitchen, plus wi-fi & broadband. Towels & linens provided. Minimum stay 1 month. Email dbstay4@yahoo.com
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AUSTRALIAN PROPERTY Everything you need to know about buying a property in Australia. Information on property markets, taxation, finance, migration & legal. Free online at www.aussieproperty.com
PHUKET VILLA Deluxe, spacious 4-bedroom villa, with ensuite bathrooms & private pool. Wireless internet access, sala, bar & BBQ area. Fully equipped kitchen with laundry area. Close to Laguna. Contact Roenel on 9050 4772, atsea@netvigator.com
Small shipping needs? We offer air and sea shipments all over the world for small volumes.
E: info@baggagexs.com C: (852) 3167 4000 W: www.baggagexs.com FINANCIAL PLANNING ASK THE EXPERT
THE RED LANTERN
Genuine antiques, small pieces of delightful furniture from the late ‘Ching Dynasty’
HELLO RESIDENTS OF DB, LANTAU AND THE REST OF HONG KONG! It’s time to consult THE EXPERT about your financial planning! My thoughts I understand we all go through different stages of life and so do our insurance needs. But the mandatory insurances required by the Hong Kong Government (including domestic helper insurance and automobile coverage) are always worth due diligence. Note that if you rent your home, you need insurance to protect yourself from public liability lawsuits. And if you have a mortgage, your bank may demand that you take out both fire coverage and mortgage protection insurance. Homeowners insurance is a security blanket. It is designed to protect you in the event of a catastrophe. Therefore, when you are choosing a policy, don’t always look to save money – the best deal may cost you more in the long run. But be sure to shop around. When you receive your annual renewal statement, check to see if you can snag a better deal elsewhere. Consider whether you have too much coverage. It’s common for policies to contain inflation-protection provisions that automatically increase your coverage amount. You may want to adjust your coverage amount to a more realistic figure.
I AM: KayeKaye Khemlani (PIBA No. 0032-009006), a native Englishspeaking insurance advisor, with a strong presence in Discovery Bay and Hong Kong. MY OFFER: I can do a comparison shop for you free of charge, to ensure that you have made the right choice, and check that you have the right product at the right price.
CONTACT ME: 9811 1554, kailash_k3@hotmail.com, kishus@i-cable.com.
Six minutes walk from the Mui Wo ferry to the direction of the Silvermine Beach Hotel.
TEL: 2984 0099 FAX: 2980 4833 EMAIL: glandam@netvigator.com
Add your business for FREE @ www.arounddb.com TUNG CHUNG
SOUTH LANTAU
CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES
FTC Apparel
FOOD, RESTAURANTS & BARS
2428 2566 FOOD, RESTAURANTS & BARS
Airport Izakaya Andante Bistro Delifrance Café Aficionado Chef’s Choice China Coast Bar & Grill Deli Viet Erawan Essence Federal Palace Restaurant Mansarover Indian Cuisine McDonald’s Delivery Moccato Olea Pizza Hut Regala Café & Dessert Bar Rouge Skycity Bistro Spaghetti House Starz Wine Bar Zentro Garden
2286 6668 3602 8828 2109 4187 2286 6238 6504 4208 2286 6898 2109 0036 3760 6633 3602 8808 2626 0181 2109 1927 2338 2338 3602 8838 3602 8818 2330 0000 2286 6618 2286 6868 3969 1888 2109 1297 2109 0612 2802 8000
Bahce - Turkish Restaurant Café Bar Caffe Paradiso (Tom’s Café) China Bear Como Lake Deer Horn Restaurant & Bar High Tide Restaurant La Pizzeria Lantana Italian Bistro Mavericks Restaurant, Pui O Tak Chai Kee Seafood The China Beach Club The Gallery The Kitchen The Stoep
Dalcroze Impact Fitness Jill Marshall Pilates South Lantau Paddle Club Tony’s Salon Treasure Island
6627 4806 6385 0304 9708 0187 9688 9112 2984 0990 2546 3543 HOME & REPAIRS
3147 4088 2185 6550 2109 9396 2109 2288 2988 1534 2328 7282 3575 8370 2403 6613 2403 6623 2261 2626
HOME & REPAIRS
Akash Removals Mega Power Engineering/Locksmiths Shun Yu Engineering
2421 8088 2109 2330 2988 1488 HOTELS
Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel Novotel Citygate Hong Kong Regal Airport Hotel
3969 1888 3602 8888 2286 8888
LEARNING CENTRES
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 The Story Studio Tung Chung Catholic School (Yat Tung) YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College
9021 1502 2987 8070 2162 5538 6273 7347 6674 6194 2611 9193 9045 2914 2420 1068 2109 3873 6341 3989 2109 4962 2988 8123
SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT
9 Dragons Fitness 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 Tung Chung Crescent Club House
2786 9699 2385 9677 2109 9277 2179 6678 9264 8597 6688 2167 9662 1747 6443 6597 3473 8700 5400 4109 2403 6770
UTILITY, SERVICES & EMERGENCY HOTLINES
Tung Chung Ambulance Depot Tung Chung Fire Station Tung Chung Police Station
2984 0222 2984 0498 2984 9720 2984 0009 3484 3095 2980 3002 2984 8933 5465 5511 5662 8552 2984 1265 2983 8931 2980 2582 5991 6292 2980 2699
HEALTH & WELLBEING
HEALTH & WELLBEING
Asian Hairdressers Bayside Dental Essential Health Family Clinic Human Health Medical Centre Tung Chung Animal Clinic Tung Chung Vet Centre Tung Chung Maternal & Child Health Centre Quality Health Dental Quality Health Medical Raffles Medical
LANTAU NUMBERS
2988 8282 2988 8733 3661 1694
Findley Leung Group Koon Wah Hardware Lee Wo Construction Engineering Man Shun Construction & Engineering New Look Design Unitek
2984 8334 2984 8487 2984 1802 2984 9833 9783 5840 9156 0360 HOTELS
Mui Wo Inn Silvermine Beach Resort Tai O Heritage Hotel
2984 7225 6810 0111 2985 8383 LEARNING CENTRES
DEI Kindergarten Lantau International Kindergarten Lantau International School Lao Shi Lantau Mandarin lessons Little Lantau Montessori Kindergarten Mui Wo Owls School & Kindergarten The Story Studio
2109 9886 2984 0302 2980 3676 5197 4647 3689 6709 2984 0006 6341 3989
PROPERTY AGENCIES
Findley Leung Real Estate Home Solutions Real Estate Proper Trip Real Estate
2984 8334 3483 5003 2984 1666 RETAIL
Bikes Mui Wo BMX Shop Friendly Bike Shop Lantau Base Camp Quay House Red Hall Chinese Antiques The Red Lantern ZenvarA
2134 1234 2984 2278 5463 6060 2882 8710 2988 1368 2984 0099 9586 3459 SERVICES & OTHERS
Jumping Castles SPCA Phoenix Wills Suzanne Goodwin Photography Thai Palin Massage Twig (Design Studio)
6108 3400 2984 0060 6108 8471 9025 3949 3114 0030 6351 8923 TRANSPORTATION
Lee Hing Loong Hon Kee Transportation Company Lantau Tours New Lantau Bus Company
2984 2268 2984 8494 2984 8255 2984 9848
Add your business for FREE @ www.arounddb.com
DB NUMBERS
LEARNING CENTRES
COMMUNITY & HEALTH Bayside Dental Practice, North Plaza Beautiful Gate BMSE, North Plaza Catholic Church (Trinity Chapel) DB Alliance Church Community Centre DB International Community Church Discovery Bay Medical Centre Health & Care Dental Clinic Herbal Health Cares IMI (Natural Medicine Clinic), North Plaza Island Health Island Veterinary Services The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints The Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council, North Plaza
2987 0855 2323 0738 2259 3422 2987 9909 2987 8136 2987 7061 2987 5633 2666 6183 2834 7276 2537 1087 2987 7575 2987 9003 9879 0469 2259 3422
Little Explorers A drop-off playgroup for ages 18 months upward. Your child will have heaps of fun and make lots of new friends. 9327 0507
Playtime Kids DB
2812 2660 3480 1348 2987 8460 2987 2098
DAILY NECESSITIES 7-Eleven Convenience Store Fusion by PARKnSHOP Just Green Watson’s Pharmacy Wellcome, North Plaza
2987 4401 2987 7486 2448 1180 2987 4089 2947 9092
FINANCIAL SERVICES HSBC Luen Fat Securities Co. Ltd
2233 3000 2987 1851
2987 1313 2987 4488 2987 5087 2987 7803 2987 1041 2987 0222 2987 0222 2987 7082 2987 0789 2886 8555 2987 0789 2987 9268 2987 4428
LEARNING CENTRES
Musical Drama – Acting – Musical Theatre Tues & Wed classes at Discovery College 4 to 12 yrs - 2 fully costumed performances a year 8122 9475 admin@actingantics.com www.actingantics.com
Brightsparks Playgroup Fun, safe and interactive environment for your children. 9632 4287
Future Stars Dance Academy
Dance classes based on the ISTD requirements conducted in a fun, disciplined and safe environment. 2987 6867 melissa@futurestarsdanceacademy.com
Island Dance A dance school offering ISTD Freestyle, Hip Hop & Tap & RAD Ballet classes from Monday to Saturday at DBRC & Club Siena. All ages welcome. 2987 1571 www.islanddance.com.hk
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2987 1373 2914 2133 2914 2378 3105 3588 2987 7111 2987 8898 2987 1777
OTHER SERVICES
The Best Travel Agency in DB 2987 2626 cas@appletravel.com
Harvey Law Group Previously Midget Gems Kids Club 6341 5764, www.positivestepsplaygroup.com positivestepsplaygroup@gmail.com
Tree of Joy A playgroup offering a variety of fun classes to children from 14months to 3years+ under a nurturing and enriching environment. 9787 2755, info@treeofjoydb.com www.treeofjoydb.com
HOME Good Luck Engineering Hoi Yu Transportation Hung Kee Co Interior 18 Japan Home Centre May’s furniture & curtain design Next Furniture Rapee-living Rich Point Hardware Materials Tactful Design & Build Tai Fat Hardware Store Wing On Department Store Yours Electrical Centre
Bookazine, North Plaza Dymocks & Gallery Fotomax (F.E.) Ltd Fun to Read, North Plaza Movieland Pen’n Paper P-Solution
Apple Travel Playgroup run by Montessori-trained teacher. From 6 months to 4 years. 2623 4099; 9054 0565 playtimekidsdb@yahoo.com, www.playtimekidsdb.com
CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES BtoKidz, North Plaza Little Whale, North Plaza Nomadic Start-rite
MULTIMEDIA
Let us take the stress out of homework Homework Club and Private Tutoring, conveniently located. 9522 3297 info@wiseowl.com.hk www.wiseowl.com.hk
Woodentots is a Montessori playgroup providing a caring and nurturing environment in the Plaza. Run by a qualified Montessori teacher for children aged 2 1/2 - 5 years. 6108 9131 woodentotsdb@gmail.com Art is a Verb, North Plaza 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 School, North Plaza DMR School of Ballet Early Adventures Playgroup Eye Level Centre Funfit HK International Learning Academy, North Plaza Kumon, North Plaza L’Ecole Française de Discovery, North Plaza Links Parenting, North Plaza Little Explorers English For Kids Mandarin for Munchkins, North Plaza SKH Wei Lun Primary School Sunshine House Int’l Pre-School Sunshine House Kindergarten, North Plaza Treasure House
2682 8099 6114 2436 2914 2142 2987 7331 3969 1000 2987 8028 2987 8088 2914 2202 2987 1201 2987 4338 2987 9644 9366 0000 6302 6327 2416 3088 2459 8808 8191 0813 6114 2436 9327 0507 2480 3909 2987 8608 2987 8143 2987 8143 2987 4217
Around DB’s February 2016 issue is coming out
February 1
International Canadian Law Firm in DB North Plaza offering you customised legal services on the many aspects of your personal and professional life 2116 1333 www.harveylawcorporation.com
PetcoDB Grooming & Pet Services With Trust, Love & Safe Care For the ones you love 2914 0382 info@petcoDB.com www.petcoDB.com Amity Shoes Care Gillian florist, North Plaza Mypetshop, North Plaza Pets Gallery The Optical House Well Supreme Laundry Services
5369 2329 2529 8256 2987 8873 2987 0428 2987 1368 2987 5151
PROPERTY LISTINGS & BOATS
AQUABLU
Boat/ Yacht Sales & Brokerage - Berths/ Debentures - Marine Insurance - Marine Problems/ Resolution 6017 7802 Oceanblu@netvigator.com
Lifestyle Homes & Boats 2914 0888 info@lifestylehomes.com.hk www.lifestylehomes.com.hk Centaline Property Agency EPS Property Consultants Headland Homes Hong Kong Boats & Homes Kingsland DB Land Master Property Okay.com Savills Hong Kong
2987 8484 2987 2023 2987 2088 6055 0146 2987 2987 2987 6238 2102 0888 2987 1919
FOOD & BEVERAGE, HOTELS
% Arabica Coffee Roaster & Farm DB North Plaza 2885 1312 info@arabica.hk www.arabica.hk 22º North Auberge Discovery Bay (Hotel), North Plaza Berliner
2987 2298 2295 8288 2987 8203
Add your business for FREE @ www.arounddb.com FOOD & BEVERAGE, HOTELS Café Duvet Caramba Mexican Cantina Chef’s Choice, North Plaza Ebeneezer’s Figos Seaside Café First Korean Restaurant Fresh Fruit Juice Paradise Hemingway’s by the Bay il Bel Paese Island Café Jaspa’s, North Plaza Kiraku Tei Koh Tomyums La Création Bakery Life Café McSorley’s Ale House Mirch Masala, North Plaza Nevale Kitchen, North Plaza Pacific Coffee Paisano’s, North Plaza Peony Chinese Restaurant Salt & Pepper Solera Subway Super Super The Venue Brazil Churrascaria & Bar Uncle Russ, DB Plaza Uncle Russ, North Plaza Zaks
SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT
2987 0966 2987 2848 2172 6111 2987 0036 2987 2915 2987 9123 2987 4768 2987 8855 2987 0202 2987 9311 2997 8688 2987 2886 2987 0767 2987 1829 2591 1422 2987 8280 2987 1337 2172 7099 2987 1662 2673 4445 2500 1950 2336 8001 2555 0772 2914 0005 2914 1308 2777 8411 2682 0068 2682 8110 2987 6232
Junior Cricket Academy Cricket for 3.5 to 15 year old girls and boys Tel: 9011 1319 www.dbcricketclub.com
Movement Improvement Specialized training in Pilates, Yoga, TRX, Spinning, Circuits and Personal training. The complete solution on your doorstep at DB North Plaza 2987 5852 www.movementimprovement.com.hk
Gymnastics Programs, Health Consultancy, Weight Management & Nutritional Supplements 2870 3524 www.sportsmanship.usana.com
The HIT Room Bodypump, Grit Strength, Boxing, Core, TRX, High Intensity Training. Located at North Plaza 6621 7410 www.thehitroom.com.hk info@thehitroom.com.hk
Tinytots
Bayside Aquatics
A professional sports play program specially designed for children 16 months - 5 years of age. 3488 7724 info@tinytots.com.hk www.tinytots.com.hk
“Everyone is a swimmer” Affordable Swimwear, training equipment & accessories. 9725 3142 www.baysideaquatics.hk
Vikings Football Club Professional Soccer Coaching From ages 18 months to 8 years Tel: 9533 2600 vikingshk@outlook.com www.vikings.hk
CAISSA Chess Club HK The Club gets together at the DB North Plaza Community Center 9681 2896 contact@caissahk.com www.caissahk.com
DARUMA SPORTS Offering Judo classes for adults & children at Discovery College & Community Hall 6244 6093 darumasports@gmail.com
Club Siena DBees Ice Hockey DB Pirates Ltd. Discovery Bay Marina Club Discovery Bay Golf Club Discovery Bay Recreation Club GigaSports
2987 7382 6473 4277 2517 8248 2987 9591 2987 7273 2987 7381 2320 1238
TOYS & KIDS’ PARTIES
Discovery Bay Cricket Club An internationally acclaimed club which provides a structure under which players, regardless of age or ability, can thrive. Tel: 9011 1319 www.dbcricketclub.com
Babyland Bo Bo House Discoveryland Toysland
2997 8080 2987 4230 2441 0098 2987 7859
TRANSPORT SERVICES
Embody Classical Pilates, Yoga and more! 6624 8712 susan@embody.hk www.embody.hk
HK Dragons Football Club Football for 2.5- to 14- year old girls and boys 2987 4274 www.dragons.hk
Limousine Rental
Limo service in HK & China • pick up from / to DB Tunnel • direct transfer to SZ / GZ Airport 5303 3489 / 9654 0899 limo9689@gmail.com ACCESSDB Rehabus DB Golf Cart Services DB Transit Services DB Transportation Services Hire Car Bookings Passenger Telephone Hotline Wiselink Golf Cart Services
UTILITIES, SERVICES & EMERGENCY HOTLINES 24-hour Customer Service Hotline China Light & Power Emergency China Light & Power Information Line Discovery Bay Commercial Services Discovery Bay Fire & Ambulance Discovery Bay Management Discovery Bay Medical Services Discovery Bay Office Centre Discovery Bay Police Discovery Bay Post Office Gas Leakage Emergency Hotline Lantau North Report Room San Hing Gas Co Typhoon Signal Enquiries Water Fault Reports Water Supplies Department
3651 2345 2728 8333 2678 2678 2987 4242 2987 7502 2238 3601 2525 6798 2238 3388 2987 4052 2987 6046 2435 4511 2988 2369 2987 6738 2835 1473 2811 0788 2824 5000
WELLBEING
Sportsmanship
SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT
DB NUMBERS
6283 9270 2914 2727 2914 0186 2987 7351 2987 6348 2987 0208 2987 9368
Child & Family Development Practice Developing potential, exploring possibilities 2914 2223 www.childdevelopment.com.hk info@childdevelopement.com.hk
My Health Coach Lulu Improve your life balance through health and self awareness. I am able to offer a bespoke program just for you. 9154 1570 lulu@myhealthcoachlulu.com www.myhealthcoachlulu.com
M Spa Provides door-to-door treatment service. Conveniently located in the Plaza. Reflexology, massage, pedicure/manicure. 2987 0614
Nailed It Professional artificial nail services in DB 2987 2266
MOW | Grooming & Skin Care A unique retail & treatment space at DBN, that caters to your grooming, skin care & therapeutic requirements 2499 8826 / 6773 3103 www.mowhk.com mowhk@mowhk.com Afflatus Hair Workshop, North Plaza Body Talk Maximum Care Salon De Coiffure Sense of Touch Spa Siena Strand and Science HairSPA, North Plaza
2987 0283 6683 5755 2987 2060 2987 4112 2987 9198 2987 7382 2886 3820
View the business directory
@ www.arounddb.com January 2016
75
OUT THERE
A GRUMPY NEW YEAR Budget air travel, apps and Apple, Peter Sherwood reveals some pet hates that will doubtless be rolling into 2016
I
love the BBC series Grumpy Old Men (2003 to 2006) which features some of Britain’s acerbic best. Like them I’ll have a happy new year, or I won’t. But I’ve had it with people telling me I’m getting grumpy. It’s annoying. I wrote grouchier stuff 30 years ago and no one thought I was crabby back then. Funny or frivolous, caustic, penetrating or pathetic, the criticism never included a grump factor. Maybe I shifted from contented to cantankerous without an intervening stop at pissed off and irritable. It’s possible.
Photo courtesy of www.wikimedia.org
Who wouldn’t be testy? Take travel (please!). We’re leaping on to aircraft to be contorted like a damp pretzel for hours in the hope of landing some place less like another version of the US than the one we just left, while trying our best to avoid deep vein thrombosis. Why? Because it’s the cheapest escape there is; cheaper than drugs or getting married again.
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Bill Bryson wrote in Down Under (2000), his book on Australia, that the year Everest was first ‘conquered’ (1953) the airfare from Sydney to London was the same price as a new three-bedroom house. Today, HK$8,000 will get you to Europe and back: 24 hours flying including six generic meals of dubious origin, enough free alcohol to preserve a dead rhino, plus temporary rearrangement
of some cervical discs. And we whine about the price. You can fly from Asia to London by working a few months at McDonald’s. And to get to Europe, you queue to be shovelled on to Air Asphyxia to be treated like late stage Ebola victims because they’ll cart your bones to Central Europe and dump you in a field 176 kilometres from Bratislava. On the way home, you take a threehour bus ride across country, in the early hours of the morning, to get to a shopping mall disguised as an airport, where you’re led through a mountainous maze of life-altering creams, 50-kilo sacks of Swiss chocolate and exotically labelled mango-and-peach-flavoured booze to reach the plane. That’s not being crotchety; it’s a fact.
How awesome is the Apple God? Neither does it take a grump to have his brain fossilised watching the selfimportant hysteria of mobile devices. Or to cringe when he sees Disciples
Is that grumpy or am I simply telling it like it is? Can a candlelit dinner for two be romantic when she’s scouring the net looking for a better offer and he’s watching cricket in Zimbabwe? And is electronic messaging 90% inane gossip? Studies say yes. Grumpy? I don’t think so. Looking back, we had a different array of banality to irritate us, like astrological signs, disco dancing, dashboard hula girls – and Celine Dion. Now it’s mobile apps, smileys and, should we deign to speak rather than text, the mass adoption of US slang. ‘Awesome’ (once the preserve of the vastness of the universe) is now used to describe anything and everything, even a new pair of flip flops, and ‘like’ is injected vacuously into every sentence, whether we ‘like’ it or not. Grump!
Peter Sherwood has lived in DB for 16 years. The former head of an international public relations firm, Peter is the author of 15 books and he has written around 400 satirical columns for the South China Morning Post.
Find more from Peter January 2016
of Jobs camp out for days to get the latest worshipful gizmo, ignoring Electronics Manufacturing Law 1:01: The model after this little beauty is already in production, suckers! Hard to accept that we just might do whatever the Apple God asks.
@ www.arounddb.com