March 2014
W in thea TAP DO Y b e t r e t i ck G S r a n d a h ai r p e t s , a lu n c r h a odu c t Mar t S k y C , r io t t it y !
GIRLS on top! MATCH PLAY
SERVING UP DB’s TENNIS NATIONS CUP
DOUBLE
HAPPINESS HOW ADOPTION TRANSFORMS LIVES
Happy International Women’s Day to all the ladies of Lantau! Join your community online @ www.arounddb.com
Publishers in DB since 2002
MARCH 2014
朝暉徑 HEADLAND
$100K/35M
海澄湖畔 SIENA
Gross: 1904’ Saleable: 1889’ 4
碧濤軒 COASTLINE
頤峰 GREENVALE
Gross: 1733’ Saleable: 1384’
Fantastic house with large garden, fully equipped kitchen. Luxury living. W/golf cart.
3
$58K
$43K
4 2
Gross: 2087’ Saleable: 1817’
Beautifully renovated, offering spacious living, and close to school.
海寧居 LA VISTA
$48K/14M
$35K
6
Nicely combined unit with spacious layout. Convenient for all transport and schools.
4
海藍閣 SERENE COURT
$20K
T
EN
G EA
L
SO
Gross: 1500’ Saleable: 1314’ 3
Gross: 1026’ Saleable: 931’
Very good condition, renovated fully equipped kitchen. Bright & airy, balcony with great views.
2
朝暉徑 HEADLAND
$35M
3 2
Gross: 723’ Saleable: 555’
Tranquil area near to the pier. Ready to move into.
海澄湖畔 SIENA
$11.9M
2 1
Lovely apartment in tranquil location. Picture postcard sea views from all rooms. Move in condition.
海馬徑 SEAHORSE
$11M
T
EN
G EA
L
SO
Gross: 1904’ Saleable: 1889’ 4 3
Stylish reno, wonderful living & dining area with garden & large entertainment areas.
蘅欣徑 CAPERIDGE
$9M/30K
Gross: 1315’ Saleable: 1020’ 3 2
頤峰 GREENVALE
Gross: 1311’ Saleable: 1158’ 3 2
Upgraded fully equipped kitchen, good size for families. Bright and airy unit with sea view.
Low rise apartment in very good condition. Located close to all amenities. Quiet area.
$9.8M
Gross: 1280’ Saleable: 962’ 3 2
康慧台 HILLGROVE
Gross: 1644’ Saleable: 1406’ 4 2
Combined unit with open kitchen. Large living space. A good investment opportunity.
Plenty potential for renovations. Large secluded terrace. Sought after location. Priced to sell.
$6M
Gross: 919’ Saleable: 776’ 2 2
Balcony, very good condition and walking distance to DB plaza and pier.
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MARCH 2014 FEATURES 26 PROFILE Meet DB dancing queen Melissa Thornton 30 IN FOCUS Adopting a child in Hong Kong 36 FAMILY MATTERS Dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorder
50
43 MONEY MATTERS Betting on horses, and the stock market 50 ESCAPES Time to head back to the Philippines 56 ACTION Fun and games at the Tennis Nations Cup 61 LIFESTYLE Why decorating with red is hot
REGULARS 18 COMPETITIONS Win big prizes at www.arounddb.com 46 TALKING POINTS Get set for the Lantau International Beer Dash
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48 MOMENTS DC student Ruhi Kumar publishes self-help book on diabetes 68 DB FACES Candid community snaps 80 OUT THERE Thoughts on island life
AGENDA 10 IN&AROUND DB Catch up with the latest community news 20 ACROSS LANTAU What’s happening island wide 65 HK HAPPENINGS Hot stuff from across the harbour
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70 CLASSIFIEDS Great deals, employment, businesses and more 74 PROPERTY Choice local and overseas homes to buy or rent 77 LOCAL NUMBERS Your ultimate guide in DB and Lantau
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Win TAP
Readers with a feature story idea, please email editor@arounddb.com If you would like to publicise a local event, email hannah@arounddb.com For general enquiries, email info@arounddb.com AROUND DB, Bay Media Ltd, 7E Glamour Court, Discovery Bay Call 2987 0577 | Fax 2987 0533
For the latest AROUND DB updates, find us on
10
DOGS
theatre tickets, a Ybera hair and lunch product, at SkyCit y Marriott!
March
Facebook,
2014
GIRLS p! on to
ON THE COVER DOUBLE
S INES HAPP OPTION HOW AD ES
MATCH
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TRANSF
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s G UP DB’ CUP SERVIN S NATION TENNIS
n’s Day to
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Happy Int
@ ww ity online commun Join your
b.com w.aroundd
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ies of La
all the lad
Publishers
in DB since
2002
Celebrating Lantau ladies for International Women’s Day
Twitter and www.arounddb.com
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YOUR ROUNDUP OF RECENT COMMUNITY EVENTS!
Publisher Corinne Jedwood corinne@arounddb.com Editor Rachel Ainsley editor@arounddb.com Editorial coordinator Hannah Ball hannah@arounddb.com Digital media coordinator Vicki Yu vicki@arounddb.com Advertising Lissa Morris lissa@arounddb.com Art direction Terry Chow cckterrychow@gmail.com Photography Baljit Gidwani www.photosdb.net Nancy Paddison npaddison@gmail.com Vincent Ypersiel ypersiel@me.com Illustration Fred Boot Rift Leschinsky Accounts Rebecca Wong accountant@arounddb.com Contributors this month Beverly Au Talla Buffery (Intern) Jane Clyde Joe Dobbs Elizabeth Kerr Karmel Schreyer Peter Sherwood Cecilia Yee 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.
Photos by Nancy Paddison
Discovery College
ARTS FEST Running February 23 to March 3, Discovery College (DC) Arts Fest kicked off with a wholeschool carnival parade in which students and teachers dressed up as their favourite artist, actor or singer. So far the event has seen students enjoying everything from art gallery and theatre visits to app building and costume design. There’s still time to catch a couple of events open to the community: Andrew the Brilliant Balloon Man Show and Stand-up Comedy Night both on March 1, and Puppet Tales with Wong Fai Puppet Shadow Company on March 3. Tickets are on sale at www.ticketingover.com. For more information, visit www.discovery.edu.hk.
Celebrating Chinese New Year with traditional lion dancing, and Island Dance! Getting into the swing of Green Week at DBIS, and the For more event photos DC Arts visit the Fest! It’s photo gallery at all been www.arounddb.com happening in DB!
IN&AROUND DB
YEAR OF THE HORSE
Photos by www.photosdb.net and Madhu Kashyap
celebrations
Traditional lion dancing in both plazas on February 1 made for a fun way to see in the Year of the Horse. Island Dance students also showcased their skills this Lunar New Year, performing alongside Ocean Park's Under the Sea themed float at the Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade on January 31.
DBIS GREEN WEEK Students and teachers at Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) went all out green from February 17 to 21. Each year group focused on a different recyclable element: paper, food, plastic, water, metal and glass. Eco events included a rubbish-free picnic, the annual walking school bus, and a talk by DB environmental activist, Gary Stokes about marine life in Hong Kong.
Photos by Ben Loran
March 2014
11
YOUR GUIDE TO UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS
IN&AROUND DB
Run from sunrise to sunset, and attend a concert to save the moon bears! Shop Handmade Hong Kong, and catch the Tennis Nations Cup. Enjoy live music from the YRock teens and vote online for the winner of our Friend us Young Writers’ on Facebook Competition. for event It’s all reminders happening this month in DB! Photo (2013) by Baljit Gidwani
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ch 1 r a M
Tennis
NATIONS CUP Don’t miss this year’s annual Tennis Nations Cup, taking place at the Discovery Bay Recreation Club (DBRC). Matches start at 7.45am and young spectators can enjoy a courtside carnival from 10.30am until 5pm each day. For more information, email the DBRC at dbrc-enquiries@dbrc.hk, or turn to pages 56 and 80.
GAELIC FOOTBALLERS sought
Lantau Warriors Gaelic Football Club is looking for male players to join its adult team and play in the South China League, competing in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Macau over the next few months. Formed in 2013 as an offshoot of the main Hong Kong club, the Lantau club meets at the Community Centre Pitch in DB North Plaza, and it’s open to players of all abilities. To find out more, email pro.lantau.asia@gaa.ie.
DID YOU KNOW it's the Auberge Discovery Bay 's first anniversary this month! To celebrate, the hotel is offering accommodation from HK$1,090 per night through April 16, plus discounts on dining and spa treatments. For more information, visit www.aubergediscoverybay.com.
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March 2014
Photo courtesy of Discovery College
1 March
Run from SUNRISE TO SUNSET Show your support for the runners in Discovery Bay’s first 12-hour Sunrise to Sunset (S2S) charity relay race at Siena Park. Organised by Sie Rossiter, Shinya Mizuno, Samantha van den Essert and Zachary Kilbourne (all Year 13 Discovery College students), teams complete as many laps as they can from 8am to 8pm. Funds raised go to the Chungking Mansion Refugee Service Centre. For more information, visit www.discovery.edu.hk/s2s.
March 1
STOCK UP on all things green at the Plant Market across from Haven Court, 2pm to 4.45pm.
www.jumpingcastles.com.hk Jumping castle rentals hotline: 9662 1747 info@jumpingcastles.com.hk
Email hannah@arounddb.com if you’d like to be included in this section
IN&AROUND DB
March
9
Photo by Around DB
HANDMADE Hong Kong Find plenty of quality handmade goods at the Handmade Hong Kong bazaar in DB Plaza from 11am until 6pm. Look out too for the Hong Kong Paws Foundation’s (HK Paws) bake sale, put on to support local animals in need. For more information on the bazaar, visit www.handmadehongkong.com.
YROCK GIG!
March
9
Head to an acoustic gig by teen YRock stars at Hemingway’s from 3pm to 6pm. All performers come well-prepared, having attended Songwriting and Gig Preparation workshops led by DB resident and YRock music director Chris Collins. Entry is free. For more information, go to www.yrock.com.hk.
I am woman!
8 March
HEAR ME ROAR! Happy International Women’s Day to all the incredible women in our community! Doing it for themselves, for their families, for charity, and just for fun, we are wowed by the ladies of Lantau.
March 8
JOIN DB GREEN’S
beach cleanup at Nim Shue Wan from 9am until noon. For more information, visit www.dbgreen.org.
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March 2014
Photo by www.photosdb.net
Concert for
IN&AROUND DB
MOON BEARS
Photo courtesy of www.thesaleslion.com
Online Voting for
17 March 12-
YOUNG WRITERS’ COMPETITION Thanks to all those who entered Around DB’s Young Writers’ Competition (YWC), more than double that of last year! The three judges, Lauren Gordon, Karmel Schreyer and Peter Sherwood have each selected a winning writer, and are mentoring them through March 11. After that it’s your turn to choose the winner. Online voting opens on March 12 and closes at 6pm on March 17. Simply go to our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/AroundDB and vote for your favourite story. The article with the most votes will be published in the April issue of Around DB.
Don’t miss this year’s Moonbear Concert at Discovery Bay International School’s Globe Theatre at 7.30pm. Funds raised go to Animals Asia Foundation and its work to put an end to bear-bile farming. YRock founder and DB resident Belinda Howard is the master of ceremonies, and as well as teen YRock performances, you can expect great music from the likes of Benzine, Soul Traders, Tania Martin, Louise Thoreau and Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts’ students. Purchase tickets (HK$180 for adults, HK$90 for students and HK$50 for helpers) from Island Veterinary Services in DB. For more information, email event organiser Clara Chan on ccyc123123@gmail.com.
March
15
Photo (2013) by Tracey van Geest
MINI-SPORTS
March 22
for kids!
Enjoy Sport4Kids’ free mini-sports sessions at Club Siena! Class times are 9am to 10am (for toddlers to two year olds), 10am to 11am (for two and a half to three and a half year olds) and 11am to 12pm (for four to five year olds). Club members can email info@sport4kids.hk to reserve a spot.
Photo courtesy of DBRC
DBN Family Kingdom Have fun in a colourful world of bouncy castles, game booths, and arts-and-crafts at DBN Family Kingdom in DB North Plaza from 1pm to 6pm. For more information, visit www.dbnplaza.com.hk.
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-2 March 22
Photo courtesy of www.hkri.com
PALS in the plaza
ch Mar
23
Join Protection of Animals Lantau South (PALS) from noon until 4pm for a chance to chat with animalwelfare experts and ask questions about fostering Photo courtesy of or adopting a pet. To find www.zastavki.com out more, call PALS’ founder, Mui Wo resident Jacqui Green on 9197 4371.
March
29-30
Photo courtesy of Steve Devlin
FAST CAT sailing series
Organised by Narca Hong Kong, with the support of Lantau Boat Club, the third annual Hong Kong Fast Cat Sailing Series is open to all spinnaker catamarans in Hong Kong. If you’re not a sailor, head down to DB North Plaza on March 30 at around 1pm to watch the boats zip by and cheer on the participants. For more information, visit www.lantauboatclub.com.
COMPETITIONS
Here’s your chance to win great prizes!
Ybera giveaway
As one of Brazil’s leading cosmetic companies, Ybera produces some of the most advanced hair straightening, smoothing and frizz-elimination products in the world. Its high-quality treatments are packed with restorative ingredients to improve hair condition, and its award-winning smoothing treatment, Discovery, is completely safe for pregnant women. Now available at the Afflatus Hair Workshop in DB, the Ybera range also includes a luxurious assortment of homecare products. For more information, visit www.ybera.com.hk.
Around DB competitions are incredibly easy to enter (you’ll even find the answers to our questions right here). You have until March 10 to submit your answers. To enter, click on the competitions link at www.arounddb.com. Don’t forget to give us your name and telephone number! Photos courtesy of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions
Who is the creatorchoreographer of TAP DOGS?
Where does Ybera originate?
Photo courtesy of Ybera
Ybera is offering three lucky readers a bottle (worth HK$320 each) of its top finishing product, Universal Leave-in, which has 11 benefits including anti-humidity, anti-frizz, solar protection and ultra-shine.
Get your tickets to see TAP DOGS
Don’t miss Dein Perry's TAP DOGS, at the Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Wanchai, from May 20 to 25. Since premiering in 1995, the dance phenomenon has been seen by 12 million people in over 330 cities worldwide. Performed on multi-level structures, ramps, moving surfaces and on water, TAP DOGS’ talented dancers and live musicians bring an imaginary Australian steelworks to life. Tickets start at HK$350 and are available at www.hkticketing.com, or call 31-288-288. Lunchbox Theatrical Productions is offering three readers a pair of A-reserve tickets (worth HK$750 each) to see this fast-paced, unstoppable spectacular.
Win dim sum lunch for two When is the dim sum buffet available?
Photo courtesy of Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel
Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel is giving away three vouchers for a dim sum lunch buffet for two (worth HK$436 each).
Treat yourself to a delicious all-you-can-eat dim sum lunch buffet at Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel’s Man Ho Chinese restaurant, weekdays from 12pm to 2.30pm. Choose from the array of all-Cantonese delicacies, like steamed barbeque pork buns, deep-fried taro puffs with scallop, and baked duck-meat buns in satay sauce, served as you order. To make a reservation, call the restaurant on 3969 2888.
Congratulations to last month’s winners Gina McAvoy, Renafin Prieto and Aileen Valentine for tickets to see Il Divo’s new show A Musical Affair; Lenie Ocenar, Cris Tolentino, Junette Ibarra, Criselda Tutaniez, Helen Arellano and Sue Meldrum for the Enrich workshop; and Marga Heuvel and Anneli Alkas for tickets to see Hong Kong Players perform Abigail’s Party. Please contact our office on 2987 0577 to collect your prize.
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March 2014
ACROSS LANTAU
Photo by Eric Stroebel
VALENTINE’S RACE Starting in Nam Shan, Lantau Base Camp’s (LBC’s) 14-kilometre, Raidlight LBC 14 Valentine’s Day Race took place on February 15. Congratulations go to Olya Korzh and Tsang Chun Kit who placed first overall; Auberge employee Richard Cowley and Jens Floor, who came second; and third-place finishers Denvy Lo and DB resident Nora Senn. For more information on upcoming LBC races, visit www.lantaubasecamp.com.
Petition to SAVE COUNTRY PARKS
SEE WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING ACROSS LANTAU!
An Eco Marine beach cleanup in Chi Ma Wan! South Lantau’s The Naked Islands Project petitioning to save Hong Kong’s country parks! And trail racing For more out of Nam event photos visit the Shan! It’s photo gallery at all been www.arounddb.com happening in Lantau!
Chi Ma Wan CLEANED! Eco Marine, the non-profit aiming to promote local marine awareness in Hong Kong, held a beach cleanup and barbecue on February 15 on Chi Ma Wan. The 20 volunteers collected 260 kilogrammes of mixed trash in 29 refuse sacks. The haul included 225 plastic bottles. To get involved in future events, email ecomarine.hk@gmail.com, or check the Eco Marine Facebook page.
Photo courtesy of www.commons.wikimedia.org South Lantau based eco activists of The Naked Islands Project are finding their voice and extending their focus. Last month, they encouraged all Lantau residents to take action against the government’s proposal to zone Hoi Ha, Pak Lap, So Lo Pun, Tin Fu Tsai, Pak Tam Au and To Kwo Peng for small housing. To find out more, visit The Naked Islands Project HK Facebook page.
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March 2014
Photos courtesy of Dana Winograd
ACROSS LANTAU
Now you can shop online at Bizzie Lizzie Visit http://www.bizzielizzie.wazala.com
www.bizzielizziehongkong.com Email: Bizzielizzie.hk@gmail.com Tel: 2984 2227 Tuesday to Saturday 10.30 to 6.30, Sunday 10.30 - 6.00, Monday closed.
ACROSS LANTAU
Miracle boy! In our October 2013 issue, we featured five-yearold, Tung Chung resident Jayden Oh, who had just undergone a triple heart bypass – the first child in Hong Kong to undergo such an operation. The good news is that he is now doing great! “He’s back to living a normal childhood, apart from taking daily medicines and having regular check-ups,” says mum Meko. “There are some limitations on his activities (no competitive or contact sports) but in general he’s very happy and so full of life!” Jayden’s doctors describe his recovery as a miracle. Not only did he narrowly avoid having to have a heart transplant, his heart is now functioning at 60 percent (up from 15 percent just after his operation). “Adversity does change your perspective, and we hope for some positivity out of it,” says Meko. “After your article went out last year, we raised over HK$100,000 for the Children’s Heart Foundation Hong Kong (CHF).” Around DB would like to wish Jayden and his family the best of luck as they move back to the UK in August. To keep up-to-date with Jayden’s progress, visit the Jayden Oh’s Story Facebook page.
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March 2014
Photos courtesy of Meko Oh
OFFICE 3483 5003
www.homesolutions.hk
Kelly Merrick Sharon Riley Angie Lindsay Karmen Cheung
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4.38M/15K MUI WO FLAT 507’ Net
Spacious renovated flat in central Mui Wo . 1 Bed, 1 Bath. Open plan kitchen/living area with fridge, cooker and oven. Built in wardrobes. Partly furnished. Lots of natural light.
8.58M CHEUNG SHA VILLA - SILVER SHORE 801’ Net + Roof
Recently renovated to high standard. 2 Bed, 1.5 Bath. Open plan Kitchen/Living area. Modern kitchen with all appliances. Great sea and mountain views from decked rooftop.
15.3K TUNG CHUNG FLAT 547’ Net
Great flat in sought after complex. 2 Beds, 1 Bath. Separate kitchen with cooker, washing machine and lots of storage. Complex with club house, swimming pool and tennis courts.
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Call us any time at 3483 5003 or Email PROPERTY@HOMESOLUTIONS.HK
C-044849
ACROSS LANTAU
ISLAND-WIDE EVENTS FOR YOU TO ENJOY!
Photo courtesy of Lantau Base Camp
Race the SKIRT CHASER!
ch Mar
2
Race the TransLantau, race for a beer or even race to support breast cancer research! Friend us It’s all happening on Facebook for event this month reminders in Lantau! ch Mar
T he eig ht-a nd-a-ha l f-k i lomet re Sk i r t Cha ser, organised by Lantau Base Camp (LBC) is in support of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation. The race is so-called because the women get a head start (eight minutes before the men to be exact). On the day, also starting at Silvermine Beach, Mui Wo, kids age eight to 18, can compete in the second leg of LBC’s Prodigy Running Youth Trail Championships. For more on LBC, visit www.lantaubasecamp.com or turn to page 76.
March Get on the TRANSLANTAU!
14 - 16
Make sure you head down to Silvermine Beach, Mui Wo to support the DB and Lantau residents taking part in the third annual TransLantau, March 14 to 16. Tackling the trail race solo or in teams of two, some 2,000 athletes run 100 kilometres, 50 kilometres or 15 kilometres. For more information, visit www.translantau.com.
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Photos (2013) by Terry Chow
Dash for A BEER! The Lantau International Beer Dash, starting at 10.30am, makes for a fun spectacle since participants dress up to run the five-kilometre course, which starts at Ma Po Ping Prison and ends in Lower Cheung Sha. Around DB is one of the sponsors of this familyfriendly event, now in its sixth year, which sees funds raised go to animal-welfare charities in South Lantau. For more information, email lantaubeerdash09@live.com, or turn to page 46.
THE RED LANTERN Genuine antiques, small pieces of delightful furniture from the late Ching Dynasty.
4 minutes' walk from the ferry in Mui Wo in the direction of the Silvermine Beach Hotel.
Free Delivery to DB Tel: 2987 0099 Fax: 2980 4833 glandam@netvigator.com
Quality Meat, Fish, Poultry, BBQ packs and Value-Added Products for the best value-for-money in Hong Kong! Chilled Steaks, Marinated Chickens (Flatties / breasts / wings), Pork, Ribs, Lamb, Sausages, Burgers, Bacon, Cold Cuts, Hams, Salamis & Chorizo, Cheese, Smoked Chicken, Duck & Pork, Boerewors, Fresh & Smoked Salmon and a lot more… For home deliveries to DB and Tung Chung please check: www.foodhub.com.hk
OPENING HOURS: HOME DELIVERIES: Wednesday – Monday 9:30 am – 6:30 pm Available for Tung Chung and Discovery Bay Call Sami at 6504 or 4208 orinfo@chef-express.hk email info@chef-express.hk | More about us on Closed onFACEBOOK Tuesdays – Chef’s Express www.foodhub.com.hk email
HOW TO GET THERE Chef’s express and patChwork JaCk FROM THE DB BUS STOP IN TUNG CHUNG, WALK UP TO SUNSHINE HOUSE SCHOOL, CROSS THE ROAD AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS TOWARDS THE TUNG CHUNG PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL AND NGONG PING BUS PARKING AREA, TURN RIGHT TOWARDS THE TAXI STAND UNDER THE CABLE CAR. WE ARE JUST BEHIND THE TAXI STAND IN THE OPEN AREA.
NEW!! Summer cotton dresses and party dresses. Girls accessories OPENING HOURS: Monday, Wednesday - Friday 11am - 3.30pm Saturday and Sunday and public holiday 10.30am to 5pm Closed Tuesdays
Email: patchworkjack@gmail.com
Call Jenni 9762 1957
PROFILE
FUTURE STARS Melissa Thornton has long been a part of the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, being held this year from March 28 to 30. So what better time to find out about her ongoing passion for rugby and of course her newly opened DB dance academy. The latter may well be her best ‘try’ yet, writes Karmel Schreyer
L
Photos by www.photosdb.net
ike any trusted teacher, Melissa Thornton has had a special role in Discovery Bay since she arrived in 1999 as a single girl fresh from Australia, and began teaching DB dancers in the lyrical/ contemporary/ disco-freestyle genres, as instructor/ creative director at Island Dance. Last December though, she put up her own shingle in Discovery Bay, bringing to Lantau her Future Stars Dance Academy, operating in Repulse Bay since 2007. Even with this solid foundation, Melissa knew that finding space in DB would be a hurdle, the ‘Christmastiming’ wasn’t great and what about the students – would they show up? She needn’t have worried. Offers of studio space from Claire Dickson, founder of Movement Improvement and a fellow dance instructor from way back, came forth at DB North Plaza, and many of her students stayed true, demonstrating both loyalty and trust in equal measure. “How am I going to earn that trust?” Melissa asks rhetorically. Melissa Thornton, 15 years dancing in DB
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March 2014
Ruchitha with her father after her international cricketing debut in Singapore, October 2010
PROFILE
“It inspires me. It drives me to do bigger and better things. To instil in my students not just the education of dance, but the ability to see how everything works together. I want them to develop confidence and selfbelief, to develop their dance skills but also work as a team, and to enjoy working with like-minded people.”
Dance as a lifestyle Melissa’s vision statement – ‘Dance is a lifestyle.’ – is genuine. A full-time dance instructor, she is also one of Hong Kong’s busiest choreographers, creating shows for events like the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens and Chinese New Year Parade, corporate clients and visiting superstars, which means hiring
and directing professional dancers from around the world. Back in Australia, Melissa had her own radio show on Kiss FM, and was a lead countdown dancer on ABC TV. She also produced and wrote GGN, a TV show for Optus Vision (now Optus Television), and worked on TV commercials for Ford, among others. Just
last year, she helped choreograph Good Morning Hong Kong, the musical written by Allan Payne, ex CEO of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union. She has danced with Kylie Minogue, Shaggy, James Brown and Blondie, and choreographed for the likes of Akon, Flo Rida and Jay Sean. Right now she is choreographing the dance routines for the Hong Kong Cancer Fund Ball, sponsored by Louis Vuitton and Harry Winston, and being held on March 1. A powerhouse with a big presence both onstage and off, Melissa is much loved by her students. An effervescent girls’ girl, she is matter of fact about her exciting career, “set yourself goals and work towards them”, and stands by the benefits of spending one’s formative years learning to dance. “Dance teaches self-discipline and resilience,” she says. “Having to quickly learn choreography develops cognitive brain skills. As dancers master the physical skills, they develop a healthy body consciousness (the message being: ‘I do not need to change the way my body looks, because it is already serving me so well.’).” These are all-important skills applicable to any successful future, and Melissa proudly talks about her former students: “Harvard Business School, medicine in Singapore, neuroscience in Boston, New York fashion design…” And, if you are familiar with the image of American grid-iron football players taking ballet to improve agility and coordination, it won’t be surprising to learn that some of Hong Kong’s most ardent rugby players (and football, too!) can thank Melissa for some of their talent on the pitch.
The Sevens connection “I started working at the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens when it was just a local event. Each year my role [as host/ presenter] changed, it was a natural progression – to be better we needed to diversify and constantly improve,” says Melissa, who was a leading member of the Entertainment Team from 2005 to 2013. “Broadcasting live, you need to be on top of your game to make sure you get the right crowd footage,” Melissa adds. “I would choreograph simple routines and direct the crowd to dance for the camera, in between games and commercials. [It made for] great crowd participation!” And over the years, Melissa and the Island Dance students became somewhat of a half-time institution. They had the opportunity to work alongside entertainment professionals from Elvis impersonators to the Asian girl-band Blush. Melissa has a lot of favourite moments, such as co-hosting with Greg Ewins [now director of coaching of the Hong Kong Dragons Football Club], and interviewing the likes of New Zealand Rugby Sevens legend Eric Rush, and All Blacks Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens. It all sounds glamorous, but Melissa is quick to remember the grassroots. “The Hong Kong Rugby Sevens volunteers have worked tirelessly not only to maintain high standards (helping to make the event the international success it is today), but also to enhance the profile of Rugby Sevens as a global sport, especially
March 2014
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PROFILE
through the mini-rugby league and promoting the participation of girls.” This year, some of Melissa’s former students will be back on the pitch as bona-fide rugby players, in an event being held alongside the Hong Kong Sevens to promote the participation of girls in the sport.
Future plans One of Hong Kong’s highest-qualified Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) disco-freestyle instructors, Melissa says her classes are “not necessarily recreational. I want to bring it back to basics with regard to technique”. She is working
on enhancing the performing arts education scene, and also how young people are mentored. Dancing to Mandarin pop songs (and asking her students to learn the words!) is one idea sure to please the parents of students learning Putonghua. Other innovations include developing a ‘Montessori system’ whereby older students
mentor younger/ newer ones, and stepping-up community service, “promoting awareness, not fundraising”. This programme will be systemised, enabling students to document their dance work for their ‘day-school’ community service requirements. And there will be a talent agency showcasing current and former students. Despite the school’s name, the Future Stars’ ethos is not about selfpromotion and celebrity. “Absolutely not!” says Melissa, in that effusive manner so endearing to her students. “It’s about success on one’s own terms.”
Melissa with some of her future stars
A SNEAK-PEEK As I look in on a class of senior students at Future Stars, this is what I see: brightly coloured kettlebells lined up along the baseboards, and all the spin machines pushed to the wall. TRX straps dangle from the ceiling. The space is small, so often the group is split in half, giving students a chance to watch as well as do. “We will make lemonade out of lemons!” shouts Melissa in her trademark booming voice. “You’re a bit soft! Come on! Give me some fire! Posture! Fabulous!” As the class progresses I realise that something remarkable is happening. These girls are learning to be patient, and to take their turn… to cooperate and be observant. They are learning to ‘get on with it’ and focus on the dancing. It’s all good. • Future Stars Dance Academy, www.futurestarsdanceschool.com Find more local heroes
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March 2014
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IN FOCUS
THE GIFT
Thirty years ago the adoption process in Hong Kong was long and drawn out, nowadays it can take just a few months. Peter Sherwood reveals how changing the course of a child’s life can bring meaning to your own
Photos courtesy of Craig Colbran and Peter Sherwood
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iktor Frankl in his superb book Man’s Search for Meaning wrote: “Man is originally characterised by his ‘search for meaning’ rather than his ‘search for himself ’. The more he forgets himself – giving himself to a cause or another person – the more human he is. And the more he is immersed and absorbed in something or someone other than himself the more he really becomes himself.”
chimes in, saying, “We left Australia because Craig lost his job; I now believe it was somehow part of a bigger plan, something out of our control. It was the best thing that could have happened! It meant we met Luke.”
Frankl was of the opinion that there is no universal meaning for our lives, that each of us has to (or not) create meaning. I share his view and have been incredibly fortunate to have done just that. Every day I thank my beautiful and talented children for this priceless gift.
“If you pay attention to the first introduction at the adoption seminar you quickly learn how the department looks at adoption,” Craig explains. “It is geared towards the best interests of the child. They want a good match with regards to circumstances. With a baby, the transition from meeting to bringing the infant home can be within one or two weeks; with an older child it may take longer.”
Adoption gives us the power to create something positive and joyful. It’s about as meaningful as life gets. Before outlining my own experience (back in 1982 I was the first single man in Hong Kong to adopt a child), two Pui O based friends, Craig and Elisa Colbran, share their story.
Meet ‘Cool Hand’ Luke “It was always going to be adoption for us; it was what we preferred,” Craig opens. “When we made our home here in 2003, first in DB for seven years, and now in Pui O, we fell in love with this place and the people.” Here Elisa March 2014
Craig and Elisa first made contact with Hong Kong’s Social Welfare Department in January 2009 and seven months later they had a three-year-old boy, Luke, living with them.
Craig is quick to point out that the Social Welfare Department’s Adoption Unit provides prospective parents with plenty of professional help. “These people deserve full credit for making the transition as easy as possible but also for giving everyone the space to adjust and bond. “Apart from that there was a lot of emotional work done by the foster family and the department in preparing children to make a move to permanent parents. From the first day Luke called
us mum and dad and was eager to come to his new home for a visit, and then later for a sleepover. His foster family made him feel very confident and excited about having a family of his own. They are such great people that we have them as a regular part of his life.” In the lead-up to the adoption Craig says he and Elisa felt scared, excited and stunned all at the same time. But their primary feeling was anticipation. “All our friends who have children have said they felt the same thing. Fortunately we knew people who had been through the process before and they offered some good advice. They told us to seek help from our doctor, in filling out forms and making sense of Luke’s medical records.” And what did the couple feel on actually meeting Luke? “It was a good feeling, but a shock,” Craig says. “The sudden realisation that
IN FOCUS
this beautiful little boy would be our son was super exciting. It was also an anxious time because we didn’t know how it would all work out. Luke was very responsive. We seemed to connect in personalities. He was almost instantly interested in me as the most amazing man in the world. I’ve been going around with a cheek ache from a permanent grin ever since.” But were the first months difficult? “Overnight
when the world as you knew it no longer exists, you either sink or swim,” Elisa says. “As for any parent, life becomes very busy, rather than difficult. Of course in our case, there was extra time and effort put into bonding and really developing a strong relationship with this wonderful little boy. All kids try to push the boundaries but with a lot of love and discipline the result will always be positive. “The whole experience
has been breath-taking and has made us realise a lot about love and relationships – and how giving really works to make all our lives more fulfilling,” Elisa continues. “We love our son deeply and enjoy being with him every second.” “We see Luke as our son, pure and simple,” Craig concludes. “Every now and again we see people looking confused as to how two blonde Australians have a Chinese son, or why a Chinese kid is calling us mum and dad. But we don’t find anything strange about it. It’s awesome and we wouldn’t do it any differently. In fact it is so fabulous we are considering adopting again.”
Elisa Colbran with her adopted son Luke March 2014
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IN FOCUS
How Peter found Pete There are so many parallels here with my own story, and that of my son Pete, though our coming together occurred aeons ago, in the early eighties. Back then I was new to Hong Kong and my move to DB was nearly 20 years away. I was having a great time, and even making a little money. I felt nothing could possibly interrupt or transcend this brilliant new life of mine. Then suddenly the lessons began, starting with a phone call from a girlfriend in Macau who over Christmas had been singing and playing guitar at some orphanages. At a home for the disabled she found a
The overnight shift from bachelor to father/ mother was no big deal, so caught up was I in my son’s curiosity and laughter, so engrossed in making the most of every minute with him boy of around three who badly needed help. Could I go over and take a look? My answer was a cocky and cavalier, “Sure, I’ll be there in a few days”. The institution was Dickensian: austere, colourless, and smelling of disinfectant and puke. My instant reaction was to can any thoughts of kiddy heroics, make a quick donation – and take the ferry home. Then we walked into the main room and she pointed him out. I didn’t show it, but deep inside, the sight of this beautiful little child in distress tore me apart. Over the coming weeks and months it would continue to do so. I would never be the same again (and happily neither would he).
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How it works All local and inter-country adoptions in Hong Kong are administered by the Social Welfare Department. Its Adoption Unit finds suitable and permanent homes for children who have lost their parents through death or desertion, and for illegitimate children whose parents are unable to support them. During the adoption process you can express gender preference and also if you are willing to accept a child with special needs. Assessment on the suitability of adoption applicants is provided free of charge, and hangs on your fulfilling the following criteria. 1. You are over 25 years old, mature and willing to make a lifelong commitment to raising a child in a stable environment. Applicants in their 50’s can be considered though they are likely to be matched with older or special needs children. 2. You are sufficiently fit (physically and mentally) to raise a child until independence. 3. You are reasonably well-educated, with no previous criminal record. 4. You are either single or married. Couples must have been married for at least three years (the period is increased to five years if there have been multiple divorces). 5. You are employed and have sufficient financial means to take on the responsibility (minimum annual household income of at least HK$230,000). 6. You are a Hong Kong resident of over 12 months, prepared to be based in Hong Kong for at least another two years. At the Social Welfare Department briefing session you are introduced to the three main NGOs (adoption agencies operating on a nonprofit basis), which handle the adoption process in Hong Kong. These are Mother's Choice, International Social Services, Hong Kong and Po Leung Kuk. Services are provided free of charge by the department but you will have to furnish the cost of court fees, approximately HK$2,840. The future of the boy overtook me to the point where everything else was irrelevant. Looking back, barriers and bureaucratic roundabouts simply didn’t exist; so naïve and besotted was I that I ended up achieving something remarkable through love (infinite), ignorance (lots of that) and obsession (even more of that!).
Craig and Luke Colbran I got him to Hong Kong for an examination by a top surgical team and then embarked on what was basically a two-year, do-it-yourself adoption process. While battling with the bureaucrats and immigration officials in Hong Kong and Macau, I managed to track down Pete’s natural parents, illegal immigrants from
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mainland China. Once they agreed to sign over guardianship, I was able to apply to adopt Pete through the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department. We officially became father and son on May 20, 1982. The overnight shift from bachelor to father/ mother was no big deal, so caught up was I in my son’s curiosity and laughter, so engrossed in making the most of every minute with him. He
couldn’t know it and neither did I at the time, but he was giving my life meaning. Every moment was filled with a joy I had never experienced. There were days, many days, when I’d get ready to go to the office and end up splashing around with him in the swimming pool. Six years later double happiness when I found Pete’s young sister, Christina, and against the epic odds I’d grown used to, adopted her too.
Find it
erwood Peter and Pete Sh
• Mother's Choice, www.motherschoice.org • International Social Services, Hong Kong, www.isshk.org • Po Leung Kuk, www.poleungkuk.org.hk • Social Welfare Department, www.swd.gov.hk
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THE SPECTRUM
36
Carolyn Martin with her son Benjamin Gohier
How do you handle autism as a family? Elizabeth Kerr consults DB resident Carolyn Martin, a driving force behind the Hong Kong Inaugural Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Conference being held at the Cyberport in April March 2014
FAMILY MATTERS
S
ay, “But he looks so normal!” of her son and Carolyn Martin won’t put a chopstick in your eye, but she will roll hers quite aggressively. Now 22, Benjamin has been living with Asperger’s, an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), since he was a child, and so have Carolyn and the rest of her family. Now settled in Discovery Bay by way of Canada and Australia, Carolyn has made it something of a mission to enlighten all of us as to the reality of living with ASD – and offer some practical support for those who need it. With help from clinical psychologists Dr Tony Attwood (an adjunct professor at Griffith University in Queensland), Dr Isabelle Hénault (from the University of Québec in Montréal) and the English Schools Foundation (ESF) – a local leader in inclusive schooling – Carolyn is launching the Hong Kong Inaugural ASD Conference at the Cyberport from April 3 to 4. Carolyn’s involvement with the conference is, unsurprisingly, personal and prosaic, beginning with her son’s diagnosis in 1998. “There was definitely something that just didn’t click. No one here really knew what it was,” she says. In 1997, based in Sai Kung, with Benjamin about to enter Year 1, the family moved to Australia where they found more help – including Tony Attwood. Even still, Oz wasn’t Wonderland. “The more I learned about it, the more I realised that teachers knew nothing. Professionals and psychologists were unfamiliar with it,” Carolyn recalls. After enduring a series of misdiagnoses and pharmaceutical hurdles – autism is often labelled a behavioural problem like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – Carolyn finally got the diagnosis that would change her family’s life forever. “When you first get that message it’s like you’ve hit a brick wall,” she says. “There’s a process that’s almost like grieving.
What you thought was going to happen isn’t going to happen. But as a parent your job is to do the best for your child to succeed, whether you have an autistic child or not.”
The invisible disability In a few short years the definition of autism has gone from not existing at all to a spectrum disorder. “Autism is a term we use to describe a person who is different in a number of ways. The person may look like anyone, however, there is a very significant difference in that person’s ability to understand other people,” begins Tony. Often referred to as the invisible disability, autism can range from an inability to read body language to no desire to socialise, and from intense fascination with specific topics to distress at change of any kind. “There can also be an intense reaction to some sensory experiences,” Tony notes. “Overall, I think the greatest challenge for those with autism is understanding people. “I ask those who come into contact with someone with an ASD to be prepared to observe and listen to that person and try to understand the world from their perspective,” Tony adds. In the early years, Carolyn recalls that she and Benjamin had good days and bad. One day he didn’t like apple juice. The next day it was fine. The bar for what was ‘normal’ was constantly being moved, a tricky thing to keep track of when consistency is so crucial to ASD children. While Carolyn’s two daughters sometimes felt left out as her attention was focused on Benjamin, her husband Eric says that he was slow to recognise and accept the differences in his son. “I relied heavily on my wife’s far greater nurturing capacity for cues and techniques that would allow me to have a healthy relationship with our son and minimise both his and my frustrations,” Eric explains. “Needless to say, that alone stressed our marriage
at times. My wife’s full engagement was made all the more essential given that as a pilot, I was away from home for long stretches. I would often be greeted upon my return by a totally new set of behaviours and coping mechanisms for which my previous skills counted for nothing. So once again, I played catch-up, relying on my wife who was ever present in loving and supporting our son.” “I’ve been told that Benjamin is just acting up, or that I’m a bad mother. You get these accusations and you start to doubt yourself,” Carolyn admits, adding that to the untrained eye there’s a very fine line between bratty and a failure to cope. The conference is a way to pass on what she’s learnt to other families. As she says, “If you’ve got the tools and you’re prepared you can anticipate”. “We want parents there, we want siblings, we want educationalists; we want all those interactions to happen,” Carolyn says. “If [schools and families] are not talking, the children have different rules on both ends. And it’s frustrating for them.”
Inclusionary schooling ESF educational psychologist Tim Conroy-Stocker is adamant that there are dozens of strategies for effective inclusive schooling given the political will. It’s not easy as the disorder’s spectrum inherently suggests a spectrum of causes and demands a spectrum of responses. “You have to see these kids as valuable members of the school and not taking away from it," Tim says. "And other kids are going to have to tolerate so much difference in life it’s good to learn that in school. It makes for a better school when it includes the community.” As an ESF school, Discovery College (DC) accepts students with individual needs. “This can and does include students with social communication needs, including ASD,” explains Matt Barker head of learning development. March 2014
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FAMILY MATTERS
“Each applicant is considered individually on his/ her own merits and any place offered is based on the applicant's potential ability to access the curriculum and experience success at DC.” Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) prides itself on its inclusionary policy. “Over the years we have
I ask those who come into contact with someone with an ASD to be prepared to observe and listen to that person and try to understand the world from their perspective supported a range of students, who have complex additional needs,” says Ian Hunt, primary principal. “We have a targeted support team of trained teachers and assistants, who work with a range of students on intervention programmes for reading, writing, handwriting and mathematics.” That said, Ian goes on to point out that: “We have very limited capacity to be able to successfully integrate these students into what is our mainstream, independent international school. It can be quite expensive for the family as we require not only the usual school fees but also the commitment to providing additional support.” There are similar provisos at DC. “It is important to acknowledge that students with ASD and/ or social communication needs are on a continuum,” Matt says. “As such, for many of these students, a vibrant and academic college environment such as DC may not be an appropriate placement.”
Eric and Benjamin Gohier Advice on schooling in Hong Kong will be a big part of the conference. “The intent is to have information on support services, professional services and family services, along with different levels of education,” Carolyn says. “We had to change schools three times [in Australia] to find a working fit for our son. But eventually we found a good fit!”
Find it • Hong Kong Inaugural ASD Conference, www.esfeducation.com/asd-conference-2014 Register online before March 14 for the conference at the Cyberport, April 3 to 4
Useful resources • Autism Children Foundation, www.autismchildren.org.hk • Autism HK, www.autism-hongkong.com • Centre for Advancement in Inclusive and Special Education (CAISE), http://caise.edu.hku.hk • Centre for Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education (CSENIE), www.ied.edu.hk/csnsie • Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS), www.cedars.hku.hk • Heep Hong Society, www.heephong.org • Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIED), www.ied.edu.hk • Nesbitt Centre, www.nesbittcentre.org.hk • Special Education Network in Asia (SENIA), www.senia.asia • Springboard Project, www.springboardhk.org • Watchdog Early Learning Centre, www.watchdog.org.hk
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March 2014
Benjamin’s knack for science (superlative talents and skills are common among ASD individuals) wound up meaning he defied predictions that he’d never get out of high school. Benjamin graduated from SAE Institute in Melbourne in 2013, and has made the city his base. He currently co-owns a soundengineering business.
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Successful race days are the ones we remember
SURE THING
Determined to harness wealth and prosperity during the Year of the Horse, Joe Dobbs, a professional trader based in Lantau, explores the similarities between racetrack betting and successful stock-market speculation
L
ooking back I realise that gambling is in my blood, as is my ability to spot a winner. In the UK when I was growing up, my father bet on the horses (and on occasion the dogs). He relied on tips from fellow punters, and in the press, but most of his bets were based on a hunch, little more than a feeling for a horse’s name and good odds. Dad never bet more than he could afford to lose, and sometimes he’d win big. Those successful race days, when we’d come home with our pockets stuffed with 20 pound notes, are the ones I remember. Of course most people who bet on horse races not only lose money, they lose much more money than they should lose based on chance alone. What this means is that someone
making purely random bets on horses, will, over a long period of time, lose the track’s ‘take’. The take is a fixed percentage, usually in the 10 to 20 percent range, that is extracted by the track (or jockey club) out of the total amount of money bet on each race. The remaining 80 to 90 percent is paid out to the winning bettors. However, the average Joe actually loses 33 to 100 percent of the money he shells out over the course of each racing day. While the vast majority of people lose at the races, some betting professionals consistently win. These professional bettors generally do not have inside information or any resources that are not readily available to members of the public. Nor is it usual for them to be highly educated. So how do they do it?
Studying horse racing form is a way of directly informing yourself about the competitors in a horse race, based on their achievements to date. Punters take into account the horse’s weight and progeny, its trainer, jockey, current weight and recent race history. They even factor in the weather, since some horses show a marked preference for running on a particular ground or ‘going’. For example, one horse may show his best winning form on ground that is ‘good’ or ‘good to firm’ (on a track where there has been little recent rain). Other horses will run to their best form if the ground is wet, if the going is described as ‘soft’ or ‘heavy’. Form study can be profitable, but it is often misleading and difficult to read; like anything else in life, the more seriously you study it, the better the March 2014
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MONEY MATTERS
results. And the same goes for the stock market. For serious speculators, it’s all about analysis – working out how to base decisions on the current price/ value of an asset coupled with its future expected outlook.
On the mark Doing due diligence certainly puts you ahead of the game. But to my mind, the real key to coming out tops in any speculative game is to bet against popular opinion at all times. This principle certainly applies to the stock market and is the reason I spend so much time analysing sentiment indicators. If my analysis is on the mark, then I know what other speculators are thinking and can, at the appropriate time, do the opposite. There is of course added complexity in the stock market or any financial market for that matter, since there isn’t a fixed pool of money that is distributed at fixed points in time based on a set of clearly defined rules. There is, therefore, a critical timing element in the financial markets that is not present when betting on horses.
a particular horse are 2:1 whereas the public’s betting puts the horse at 10:1, then he has identified an overlay and may decide to bet on that horse. If a professional determines the correct odds to be 2:1 and the horse is quoted at 2:1 then he would certainly not bet on that horse because in such a case the likely upside and downside are the same.
Punter’s paradise This leads me to another important difference between the consistent losers (the public) and the consistent winners (the professionals). Most race-goers bet on every race, whereas the professionals only bet on those races in which they have identified an attractive overlay. The principle of only putting money at risk in cases where there is an attractive overlay applies perfectly to stock-market
In horse racing, betting against the public involves the identification of ‘overlays’. These are situations where the odds assigned (the odds at which a horse runs are determined by the amount of money bet on that horse relative to the amount of money bet on the other horses in the race) are longer than they should be. In other words, the risk/ reward ratio is in favour of the bettor. For example, if a professional determines that the correct odds for Find more monetary advice
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speculation. An overlay in the stock market would, for example, occur if the stock of a company is dramatically under-valued based on the cash that it is currently generating, or is likely to generate in the future. In other words, the market value assigned by the public is low compared to the company’s intrinsic value. Another factor contributing to the public’s losses in the game of horse racing, and in all speculative endeavours, is something called ‘switches’. It’s my belief that it’s not the races that beat the amateurs, it’s the switches. Whereas the professionals develop a plan and stick to it, amateurs are continually changing (switching) the bets they make, the amount they bet and the way they select horses. Most speculators in the financial markets have experienced the frustration wrought by switches: that is, they will at some point have been coaxed by a market to switch strategies at exactly the wrong time. Successful market players and racetrack bettors have figured out a way to avoid switches. An important part of this avoidance is only ever to speculate in those instances when you have identified an attractive overlay. Do this, and you might soon be winning like a pro.
Serious punters rely on analysis rather than chance at www.arounddb.com
TALKING POINTS
FUN RUN
A heady mixture of beer, community spirit and athleticism makes the Lantau International Beer Dash an intoxicating good time. Beverly Au talks to race founder and South Lantau resident Melanie Potgieter
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ompetitors in the Lantau International Beer Dash don’t have to drink a different beer at each onekilometre refreshment stop along the five-kilometre course, but they are offered either a full can or small cup. Water is provided too, of course, but most runners (all aged 18 and over) get stuck into the beer. They say it would be rude not to.
A family friendly brew So popular is the event that online registration closed this year after just five days. “Many runners, like the Atomic Atoms, have participated every year,” says the South Lantau based founder, Melanie Potgieter, who has been working as a physiotherapist in DB for the past 13 years. “We have participants from Hong Kong and Kowloon, but our regulars are from DB and South Lantau.”
Photos by Terry Chow
One thing that is compulsory at this hugely popular annual event, being held on March 22, is that the
participants dress up. Having runners in costume ensures that the dash is gallons of fun, and a super spectator sport (for kids as well as adults).
The Lego blocks, 2013
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Melanie works with three fellow South Lantau residents, Barbara Hauptfleisch, Valni van Wyk and Rachel Clarke to organise the dash. “As we want this to be first-and-foremost a fun event, we’ve moved away from giving prizes to the fastest finishers,” she explains. “We offer around 15 prizes and the big ones go to the best-dressed man, woman and team.” Participants are encouraged to sign up in teams so that they can run together and drink together. Getting into the spirit of this community fun day, the runners go all out, appearing in some spectacular costumes. “We’ve
TALKING POINTS seen teams of incinerators with billowing smoke, penguins, pirates, Lego blocks, buffalos, bunny girls, smurfs, geisha girls, barflies, snake charmers, a whole pack of cards and very many more,” says Melanie. The runners start at the Ma Po Ping Prison in Tong Fuk and race five kilometres along the water catchment, and down the old Tung Chung Road, through Palm Beach, eventually ending up on Lower Cheung Sha Beach. Here, The Stoep provides a buffet lunch (and more beer for those that need it!).
Community beer crawl Since the first run, held in March 2009, Melanie has relied on local restaurants, including Bahçe, China Bear and The Gallery, to sponsor the refreshment stops. In 2010, San Miguel offered to supply all the beer, and is this year providing Blue Ice, Stella Artois, Kirin Ichiban and Boddingtons, as well as San Miguel and San Miguel Light. Phoenix Wills, Home Solutions and Around DB sponsor the souvenir t-shirts for the participants to take home. And prizes are provided by various Lantau businesses, including The Stoep, The Gallery and Bahçe, Hollywood Hair, Downtown Detox, The Powder Room and Palm Beach Teepee Village. “The South Lantau community always steps up to take on the marshalling roles,” Melanie says. “And this year, Treasure Island Group is volunteering as firstaid marshals. We limit the race to 350 participants to ensure that it is manageable and fun for both the participants and the volunteers.” Of course this is a charitydriven event, with teams of four paying HK$1,360 and individuals paying HK$350 to run. Funds raised go to three Lantau based animal welfare charities: Protection of Animals Lantau South
The snake charmers, 2013
The best part of the day is the spirit of friendship and fun! It brings together people of different nationalities, from different walks of life and different parts of Hong Kong to relax and let their hair down (PALS), Lantau Buffalo Association and Okka Scherer (the Pui O resident who works tirelessly to home stray and homeless dogs). During the first race in March 2009, the 100 participants raised HK$20,000. Last year, the event brought home just over HK$100,000.
How it all began So what drove Melanie to set up the Lantau International Beer Dash in the first place? “After Typhoon Hagupit hit in September 2008, the community came together to help,” she recalls. “Many of the houses and restaurants on Lower Cheung Sha Beach were flooded, and there was also a clean-up along the beaches of South Lantau. A few of us decided that we should do more for local charities in the area.”
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The original plan was to organise a 10-kilometre fun run, inspired by the Discovery Bay 10km Run for Charity, founded by DB resident Kobi Janssen eight years ago. But Barbara Murray (another DBer) persuaded Melanie to make it a beer dash instead. “The best part of the day is the spirit of friendship and fun! It brings together people of different nationalities, from different walks of life and different parts of Hong Kong to relax and let their hair down,” Melanie concludes. “The day is very relaxed and shows off the natural beauty of Lantau.”
Find it • Lantau International Beer Dash, lantaubeerdash09@live.com
at www.arounddb.com
March 2014
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MOMENTS
BITTER SWEET LIFE Discovery College student Ruhi Kumar says that having diabetes has made her the person she is today. To inspire others, she has just published an instructive and incredibly open self-help book. Around DB reports
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ike many 15-year-old girls, Ruhi Kumar enjoys acting, reading and watching movies. Unlike many girls her age, she has just published a book, The Bitter Sweet Life: A Teenager's Journey with Diabetes. “I wanted to write a book that appealed to both teenagers and parents, and one that presented more than just the medical facts,” she says. “The medical facts don’t tell you how to deal with diabetes as a teenager and how it might affect family and school life. This is my journey, recording my personal struggles and the things I’ve learned – I hope others can learn from them too.”
A learning curve
Photo by Hannah Ball
In September 2006, a nine-year-old Ruhi took her first trip to Hong Kong Disneyland. “This day was about getting to indulge in all things sweet,” she writes. The next day, however, after a check-up at Discovery Bay Medical Centre (she had been up all night feeling feverish and achy), Ruhi was rushed to Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, where she remained for the next 10 days. She was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes (Type One Diabetes), a condition which occurs when the immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, and the body becomes unable to produce insulin.
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sugar levels have dropped and I must eat or drink something with sugar in it. I must regularly monitor my glucose levels, keep to a diet low in fat, salt and sugar, and I must inject myself with insulin four times a day. Above all else, having diabetes has taught me the importance of sticking to a routine.” Ruhi has made it her mission to inspire and motivate other diabetics to make health a priority. In fact, she hopes to become a doctor. “I want to dedicate my life to helping diabetics cope with the day-to-day difficulties and challenges presented by this lifelong condition,” she says.
Girl empowered Ruhi has kick-started her mission by writing The Bitter Sweet Life: A Teenager's Journey with Diabetes, which is available at Dymocks as of March 22. Putting the book together and getting
For Ruhi, the biggest challenge was accepting that her health must always come first, that everything else has to take a back seat in her life. “I must know my own body, and its limitations,” she says. “I have learned to recognise the signs – when I am feeling thirsty, fatigued or dizzy, it means my blood Find more local gossip March 2014
it to print took her just six months. She is now looking for corporate sponsors to help publish and distribute the book to schools, hospitals and parents. “It was really my teacher, Sue Thomas, vice principal of Year 7 to 9 at Discovery College, who gave me the final push to go ahead with this project,” Ruhi says. “The process of publishing was relatively easy – I simply downloaded the iBooks application, which provides a range of templates for your layout, then I inserted pictures and text where I wanted it. Of course I got severe writer’s block at times, but I really enjoyed the process. It’s amazing seeing your life laid out across the pages of a book! The research I did has also helped me manage my own diabetes so much better.” Ruhi also credits her nurse at Queen Mary Hospital, Kar Bik Lee for providing inspiration and putting her in touch with the Hong Kong Juvenile Diabetes Association (HKJDA). “It wasn’t until 2014, when I actually contacted the charity and learned about all the truly amazing work they are doing to help diabetics around Hong Kong, that I knew I wanted to do my part,” Ruhi says. “I decided to share my story with others who feel like they are constantly battling with the responsibilities and challenges diabetes brings.”
Find it • Hong Kong Juvenile Diabetes Association, www.hkjda.org • The Bitter Sweet Life: A Teenager's Journey with Diabetes by Ruhi Kumar is available at Dymocks from March 22 at www.arounddb.com
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ESCAPES
LAND OF THE
PHOENIX Tourist hotspots were among the hardest hit by Typhoon Haiyan last November, but life is slowly getting back to normal. To show her support for the people and satisfy her love for the country, Cecilia Yee heads back to the Philippines
I Photos courtesy of Flight Centre Hong Kong
t’s been almost four months since Typhoon Haiyan struck, and thanks to a combination of international aid and Filipino strength of character, the country is back on its feet. It occurs to me that one of the best and direct ways to continue to support the Filipino people is to put aside a few weekends to visit the country.
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The great thing is that Manila and Cebu are just over two hours’ direct flight from Hong Kong, and either hub serves as a convenient starting point from which to get to know the Philippines. There are 7,107 islands in the archipelago, and you can be sure that the Filipino people will welcome you with a smile.
Time travel in Cebu Vibrant capital city that it is, Manila pulls the crowds and its bustling charm is undeniable, but for a more relaxing city break, Cebu is my top pick. Spend a few days sightseeing, before heading March 2014
out to explore some of its top beach resorts and surrounding islands. Landing on Cebu some 400 years ago, Portuguese explorer and navigator, Ferdinand Magellan ‘discovered’ the Philippines. The country’s oldest city has been well-preserved, boasting an incredible range of historic landmarks, religious relics and museums. Magellan's Cross, which symbolises the Filipino people’s conversion to Christianity, is a famous landmark, housed in a splendid Spanish colonial building packed with murals. At the bustling Basilica del Santo Niño, that traces its history to 1565, you’ll find a statue of the ‘Holy Child’, regarded as the oldest religious relic in the Philippines. Also in downtown Cebu, Plaza Independencia, housing a pillar dedicated to Miguel López de Legazpi, the first Spanish governor-general of the Philippines, is one of the cleanest and most picture-perfect places in the city. Across the park, you’ll spot Fort San Pedro, the smallest, oldest tri-
ESCAPES
Magellan's Cross is one of many inspiring religious relics to see in Cebu March 2014
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ESCAPES bastion fort in the country. Its stone walls are six metres high and two metres thick, and it now houses a firstclass military defence museum. Speaking of museums, I love 17thcentury Sandiego-Yap Ancestral House, one of the oldest (Chinese) residential houses in the Philippines, and Casa Gorordo Museum, former home of the first Filipino bishop in Cebu. Both are a 10-minute walk from Fort San Pedro, and showcase antique furniture, paintings, glassware and ceramics. Last stop then, Colon Street with its majestic old colonial buildings and, come nightfall, an excellent antiques/ curios market.
Wreck diving in northern Palawan
The Bat Cave in Boracay
There are 7,107 islands in the archipelago, and you can be sure that the Filipino people will welcome you with a smile City tour completed, Cebu serves as the perfect jump-off point for island hopping, and you can squeeze in some serious rest and relaxation even if your time is limited. Mactan Island just three kilometres away is surprisingly unspoilt, or you can travel 15 kilometres to Malapascua Island, which is known for some of the best shark diving in Asia.
A piece of the action in Boracay Boasting pristine talcum powderwhite beaches and a cosmopolitan nightlife, it’s no wonder Boracay Island is considered one of the world’s finest beach getaways. It’s best reached via Caticlan, a 45-minute domestic flight from Manila, with a further 15-minute combined land and sea transfer. While it has definitely become a lot more commercialised in recent years, Boracay is still charming in its own little way. The main beach, White Beach, is divided up into three ‘stations’; it’s hugely popular and great
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Mactan Island off Cebu
Kayangan Lake in Coron for people watching. For more of a desert island experience, stay at Puka, Bulabog or Baling Hai beaches. Regardless, you’ll be amazed by the wide selection of resorts and restaurants in Boracay.
Fort San Pedro in Cebu
handrail, and the stones are extremely slippery. Should you venture inside (with a flashlight), you’ll find many small microbats (as well as larger fruit bats). The ceiling of the cave is festooned with small stalactites. Just Of course there’s every kind of water- nearby, you’ll find Crystal Cave where based resort activity available, from you can climb up to a hole at the top windsurfing, to kayaking and fishing. and look out to sea. But for something entirely different, visit the Bat Cave located on the western- Getting away from it all end of the island. A short guided hike through the forest leads you to the mouth Despite its ‘last frontier’ reputation, of the cave, which drops down at a very Palawan is surprisingly easy to get steep angle. There is no visible path, no to. With enough planning and good
ESCAPES timing, you can change planes in Manila, and arrive at your destination in Palawan the same day (domestic flights from Manila take just over an hour).
Island are listed in Forbes Travel Guide’s top-10 best scuba-diving sites in the world. Wreck dive sites are found in depths as shallow as three metres and as deep as 42 metres.
Palawan’s almost 2,000 kilometres of irregular coastline are dotted with roughly 1,780 islands and islets, rocky coves and sugar-white sandy beaches. It also harbours a vast stretch of virgin forest that carpets its chain of mountain ranges.
In Coron, I also enjoyed a jaunt to Gunter’s Cave, where it’s possible to surface, as the hole in the cave ceiling allows fresh air to enter. At midday, the sun throws a beam of light through the hole illuminating the inside, so it’s also known as Cathedral Cave. But it’s not all diving in Coron. Kayangan Lake, dubbed the cleanest lake in Asia, is a glorious spot; the water is unbelievably green and
This trip, the adventure seeker in me decided to hit Coron Island in northern Palawan. I took the 55-minute domestic flight to Busuanga Island from Manila, with a further 90-minute land transfer to the resort I stayed at in western Busuanga. The aquatic views from the sunken (World War Two) Japanese ships off Coron
tranquil. After our swim, we asked our boatmen to take us to the equally scenic Barracuda Lake. There are plenty of idyllic resorts to visit in Palawan. At little known El Nido, clear waters, jungle, steep limestone cliffs and stunning inlets make for one of the world’s most beautiful seascapes, and at Calauit Island (a game reserve and wildlife sanctuary), you can spot giraffe, zebra and even antelope. Someday I’d like to rent Ariara Island, a fully staffed, private island with just 18 villas. The Philippines has so much to offer, and now’s the time to pay it a visit.
Flight Centre Hong Kong specialises in first-class yet affordable flights and holiday packages. To book your Philippines getaway, give the expat travel consultants a call on 2830 2776, visit www.flightcentre.com.hk, or drop by the retail stores in Central or Happy Valley.
Find more exciting travel destinations
at www.arounddb.com
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TOP SEEDED
Serving up top-class tennis, copious amounts of food and drink, and a carnival for the kids, it’s no wonder the Tennis Nations Cup is an annual highlight of DB’s sporting calendar. Hannah Ball reports
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n the Tennis Nations Cup, being held this year from March 1 to 2, over 200 players battle it out on court for queen and country, or country at least. What started out at the Discovery Bay Recreation Club (DBRC) as a three-team tournament in 1993, now sees 20 teams of 12 players (eight men and four women) put on a hugely popular weekend of mixed, ladies’ and men’s doubles.
“The Australians winning is certainly nothing new, they’ve won the cup 10 times,” continues Australianborn Paul who has lived in DB for six and a half years. But this year, he says, the American, Chinese, German, Canadian, Korean, Filipino, Japanese and French teams are also in the running.
“Each competitor plays four matches; two on the Saturday and two on the Sunday,” explains tournament director and head tennis coach at the DBRC, Paul Summerside, who notes that the popularity of the tournament results in the club having to turn away several teams each year.
“I’ve never been anywhere in the world with an event like this,” Paul adds. “Perhaps in other sporting events, people may represent a country, but very rarely can they say they are actually from that country! That’s one of the incredible things about Hong Kong, and I think this
March 2014
National pride
event celebrates just how multicultural and diverse our community is here in Discovery Bay. “A special on-court moment for me was watching the Euro Trash team provide a team rowing performance,” Paul continues. “Having so many different nations all sitting on-court practising their rowing was quite something!” Of course, with national pride at stake the competition is fierce. As 18year DB resident and Australian team member Sue Finney says: “When you know you’re playing for your country it gets you really fired up to win.” Incidentally, Sue has been a part of the Australian team every time they’ve won the cup.
ACTION
Japanese team captain and 20-year DB resident, Fritz Hagi has been playing in the Tennis Nations Cup for the past 15 years. “For me, the best moment was in the 2004 finals,” he says. “The pair that were representing Japan had never won a set in practice, but coming into the final match tied with Australia, they won – our first time as champions!”
Game on Team captains select who they want to play on their team. “Sometimes we have difficulty finding players, so we usually tend to select past players, but if someone new applies, I will play a match with them as a kind of trial,” Fritz says. “This year,
we are excited to have a new player, Junichi Tamakoshi join our team to represent Japan.” For the Australians, however, it seems there is always a wealth of players to choose from. “With usually two teams each year, we don’t often have to trial players,” explains Sue. “If players are new, one of us will watch them play a match but most of the time, people nominate themselves and the team is formed via word of mouth.”
Having a ball Playing well is not the only proviso for competing in the Tennis Nations Cup – there’s also some serious dressing up involved. Teams dress in the colours of
their country to play, and ‘colourful’ outfits are also a big part of the after party held for players and close family at the close of the weekend. “Each team enters the party venue in national dress and does a team performance. We’ve had dance routines, French burlesque shows, and some of the most outrageous outfits you’ve ever seen,” explains Paul. “I remember last year, the whole Dutch team came dressed as members of royalty! We’ve had men dressed as women – everything you can think of – it is all part of the fun.” “Last year we came in the colours of our Australian flag and wore hats in the shape of the Sydney Opera House,” March 2014
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ACTION says Sue. “It’s such a great event to be a part of.” The DBRC’s sports and recreation coordinator, Charito Sacdalan describes the after party as the crazy part. “Everything, from the way the teams enter, to the costumes and the music is all self-constructed, and they’re all so game! I remember men coming dressed as Snow White’s dwarfs, an Elvis Presley dance performance and a Korean wedding ceremony with an improvised horse. Even on court, I’ve seen men and women dressed as sailors and chicken!” And that’s not all. “The prize for the most outrageous outfit ever has to go to the 2011 Canadian team who dressed up as human condoms,” says Paul. “The outfits always surprise us and not knowing anything about them until the day makes it all the more fun.”
VAL
COURTSIDE CARNI
Some 300 spectators are expected to attend the event this year to cheer on their countrymen and enjoy a fun-filled weekend of fiercely contested tennis. There’s always lashings of food and drink available, so it’s a great opportunity to party as a community. And of course there’s the courtside carnival to keep the kids amused. “The carnival is the fun part for the kids while their parents play or watch the tennis,” says Charito, who has been involved in organising the Tennis Nations Cup for the past 10 years. “We have game booths, face painting and a free bouncy castle. There is also mini-tennis where children can practise their racket skills. The most heart-warming thing for me is seeing kids who were very young when I started at the DBRC, now asking to help with the booths and being so interested in tennis themselves.” For more information, email dbrc-enquiries@dbrc.hk.
Find more clubs and activities
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LIFESTYLE
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n 1930, America’s First Lady of Etiquette, Emily Post wrote, “In its brightest tones, red is the most brilliant, stimulating, and approaching of all the colours.” But she went on to say that “an unexpected encounter with much of it might be something like meeting an uncaged lion roaming through the house”. In other words, a little bit goes a long way. But if, like me, you love the colour, there’s no need to cut it out of the decorating equation.
Photos courtesy of Jane Clyde
It’s my guess that 99 percent of homes in DB have white walls and ceilings and quite a lot of white furniture, (I know mine does), and of course there’s a reason for that: 99 percent of our homes are less than spacious. So we follow the tried-and-tested advice of designers, who tell us that white stretches out space and creates a clean, modern look in keeping with our relatively new-built apartments. There’s no denying that it achieves both these things, but do you ever feel washed-out by white, or at the very least stuck in neutral? It’s been cold and grey for months now and I for one am looking to cheer up my home decor by injecting a little (or maybe a lot of) colour. Why am I advocating the use of red? Well, firstly it’s right on trend for 2014; newly fashionable on our backs, it’s also being tipped as a hip shade for home interiors. Colour experts describe red as a stimulating shade. It grabs focus (think
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TREND ALERT Don't be intimidated by the robust intensity of red. This attention-grabbing colour is heating up the catwalk – and the home, writes Jane Clyde stop signs and fire engines) and, on walls, becomes the defining element of a space. High-octane orange-tinted tones make you feel energised and alive, while subtler, rustic shades – scarlet, tomato, brick – can evoke a cosy, insular, heart-warming vibe. Either way, red is a statement colour. When people walk into a red room, they immediately respond. (It’s an unexpected decorating choice, and not just in DB.) So the idea is that guests will gasp with delight on entering your red-infused home. Assuming you do it right, that is. First step, decide whether you are going to work with small accents or
create a tone-on-tone, predominantly red scheme. If you’re feeling bold and want to try the latter, choose your reds carefully, and provide just enough contrast to anchor the scheme. Modern design calls for all kinds of reds, from primary hues to classic shades, but these are always pulled together by brown, black or white undertones. Alternatively, rather than going all out and daubing the walls, curtains, furnishings and upholstery, invest in just a few key accessories. Lamps, cushions and artwork, in coordinating shades of red, can be a good (and inexpensive) place to start. They’ll immediately draw the eye and warm up a room. March 2014
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LIFESTYLE
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When people walk into a red room, they immediately respond. (It’s an unexpected decorating choice, and not just in DB.)
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6 March 2014
LIFESTYLE
Get the look
!
When working with red, you can achieve any number of design styles, from highly contemporary to vintage, in just about any room. The finished look can be cheery and stimulating, or it can end up seeming forced and aggressive. When is too much too much and when is it not enough? That's what you’ve got to keep in mind when using red in a room. 1 Treat your home like a still-life painting, and have fun accessorising! Introducing red flowers into an otherwise neutral scheme is a good starting point, as is introducing a few statement artworks. Here, a red vase placed in front of a red canvas creates a boldly artistic focal point. 2 Take a soft and indirect approach by combining bold pops of red with neutral elements. Using red as an accent colour, in a few wall panels and accessories, creates a slick and pulled-together modern look. The idea is to entice, intrigue and invite without going over the top. 3 Think clean and bright by using shiny red lacquer and Perspex, with white. Incidentally, the colour red is said to stimulate the appetite. It draws you in, excites you and increases your heart rate and metabolism. This is the reason it’s used in many upscale restaurants, and another good reason to use it at home. 4 Inject instant drama into a space with a bold palette combining deep red and black tones. Here, the use of colour is perfectly balanced, and coordinated down to the last cushion. The white in the black-and-white photos lifts the trad-mod design style, while sumptuous textures and low lighting cement it. 5 Experiment with the warmly rustic. As a general rule, decorating style should conform to your home’s architecture but even in a modern flat, you can go a little country. Rustic reds are soft and chalky, with pinkish and purplish hues, like the colour of Baldwin apples. Accessorise with pale wood and wicker. 6 Think bold and easy-to-live-with to entertain the kids. Here, the room is painted white, and decorated with red to provide just enough colour and interest. The confident pops of red make for a fun, upbeat scheme and are easily replaced when the kids decide they prefer another colour. 7 Go all out for passion and romance. The colour of love and a unisex hue with which both men and women feel comfortable, red is an ideal choice for the master bedroom. Here, the combination of red, black and neutral tones is ultra-contemporary thanks in part to the minimalist layout.
TOP TIP
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If you are a fan of Chinese antiques (and reproductions), you are ahead of the game when decorating in red. It’s likely that pieces already in your possession (like wedding cabinets and oriental rugs) will feature dusky reds in combination with muted gold and other nostalgic hues. These exotic items will really come into focus when combined with other red accents.
Find more on stylish living
at www.arounddb.com
March 2014
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FINANCIAL PLANNING ASK THE EXPERT Who am I?
KayeKaye Khemlani (PIBA No. 0032-009006), a native-English speaking insurance advisor, with a strong presence in Discovery Bay and Hong Kong.
My thoughts
I understand we all go through different stages of life and so do our insurance needs. Besides the mandatory insurances required by the HK Government (including domestichelper insurance, house insurance, home-office insurance, automobile coverage and life insurance), there are many optional insurances worth considering. This holiday season, quality travel insurance should be at the top of your list!
Travel insurance
You may see this type of cover as unnecessary and expensive but honestly it isn’t! (And depending on your nationality, having travel insurance can be a requirement for getting your visa!) The primary benefit of travel insurance is the knowledge that should something go wrong while you are abroad, you won’t be responsible for finding the money to put it right, at a time when you are already stressed out. Make sure then that your policy covers the following: 1. Emergency medical treatment 2. Emergency medical assistance 3. Medical evacuation 4. Hospital benefit (a small daily amount covering overseas hospital costs) 5. Cancellation, curtailment and trip interruption 6. Missed departure 7. Personal liability (in the event that you injure a third party or damage their property) 8. Legal expenses 9. Personal accident 10. Personal belongings and baggage A standard travel insurance policy contains many different sections of cover, not all of which everyone needs. For most people a standard policy will cover all the unexpected events that can occur away from home. I wish you a happy and safe holiday!
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.
HK HAPPENINGS
10 FUN THINGS TO DO IN HK THIS MONTH!
Photo courtesy of www.designerhk.com
ART FOR ALL!
k!
ic Editor’s p
The Affordable Art Fair, March 21 to 23 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wanchai, is back for the second year running. Featuring over 120 exhibition galleries, it showcases artwork priced from just HK$1,000. You can pick up sculptures, photos, oil paintings, you name it, and there are free workshops and talks to attend for kids as well as adults. For more information, visit www.affordableartfair.com/hongkong.
MACKLEMORE and Ryan Lewis Lovers of rap and hip-hop, get set for bringers of smash hits like Thrift Shop, Can't Hold Us and Same Love, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, who are performing at AsiaWorldExpo, Chek Lap Kok on March 20. In 2012, the much-lauded pair won four awards at the Grammys: Best New Artist, Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance. Tickets starting at HK$680 are available at Photo courtesy of www.mtv.com www.hkticketing.com.
Head to the South Stand to party at the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens! Watch Asia’s wackiest charity run, and cycle for Cambodia! Buy art, drink beer and eat pancakes! Enjoy drinks at Stockton in Central, before catching Macklemore and Ryan Lewis at Friend us AsiaWorldon Facebook Expo. And for event celebrate reminders International Women’s Day!
DIY
CANVAS
Does the Affordable Art Fair inspire you? Here’s how to make your own canvas: 1 Position four pieces of thin wood to form a square and staple or glue together. 2 Place the canvas face down, and lay the wooden frame on top. 3 Trim the canvas to fit the frame, leaving an inch or two overlap on each side. 3 Wrap the canvas around the frame, fold it in neatly at the sides (like a present) and staple to the wood. 4 Paint the canvas with Gesso (a base for your paint) and leave it to dry.
Cycle for Life
March 1 is your chance to change the lives of young, disadvantaged Cambodians… by cycling. Organised by the Kowloon-based store Life Cycle, Cycle for Life is a one day 40-kilometre scenic cycle ride, starting at Bobby London Inn, Tai Po at 11am. Entry is by donation and you can even hire a bike for HK$90. All donations go to four Cambodian initiatives: Who Will Village, The Cambodia Charitable Trust, Sala Bai Hotel and Restaurant School, and Hagar International. For more information, visit the Life Cycle - Cycle for Life Facebook page.
International WOMEN’S DAY
Photo courtesy of www. iloveredcliffe.com.au
Join The Women’s Foundation (TWF) at its annual International Women's Day lunch on March 8 at Renaissance Harbour View Hotel in Wanchai. Bringing together some of Hong Kong’s most influential women, such as Debora L. Spar (author of Wonder Women: Sex, Power and the Quest for Perfection), the fundraiser supports TWF’s local community programmes. To find out more, email TWF’s development manager Kari Entwisle at kari@thewomensfoundationhk.org.
Photo courtesy of www.viewallpaper.com March 2014
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Email hannah@arounddb.com if you’d like to be included in this section te!
i vour a f y l i Fam Photo courtesy of www. makrosporttravel.co.za
Hong Kong RUGBY SEVENS Join the 40,000-strong crowd at the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, being held March 28 to 30 at the Hong Kong Stadium, Causeway Bay. The event sees 28 teams from the world’s top rugby nations battle it out over 70, 15-minute matches. Beg your way into a corporate box, or get a piece of the real action in the South Stand! For more information, visit www.hksevens.com.
Your ticket to BEERTOPIA!
Hong Kong’s craft beer festival, which launched in 2012, is back and bigger than ever. The three-day event, held at the waterfront in West Kowloon from March 13 to 15, not only offers up over 400 different quality brews, it also puts on beer games and live music. Tickets, starting at HK$240 (students) and HK$280 (adults), are on sale at www.beertopiahk.com.
Photo courtesy of www.hkclubbing.com
Best PANCAKE IDEAS The Brits among us know that March 4 is Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day – a brilliant excuse to stuff ourselves! You can also catch Feeding Hong Kong’s Pancake Day Race at The University of Hong Kong campus in Pokfulam. Teams of five grab frying pans and compete to toss their pancakes while completing the course. The event is being held to support Feeding Hong Kong, which redestributes surplus food to local people in need. For more information, call 2205 6568. Try our top five, easy-to-make pancake fillings: 1 Lemon juice and sugar.
Photo courtesy of WCRF HK
Beat the BANANA!
Head down to Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade on March 2 to see over 2,000 people race the wacky charity run to beat the banana (last year’s race winner, dressed in a banana suit)! In support of World Cancer Research Fund Hong Kong (WCRF HK), there’s a one-kilometre race for kids age 12 and under, a threekilometre fun run, and a five-kilometre elite run. For more information, visit www.beatthebanana-hk.org
2 Banana, cinnamon and vanilla extract. 3 Chocolate sauce, cherries and vanilla ice cream. 4 Cooked apple, cinnamon and clotted cream. 5 Banana, caramel, crushed biscuit and whipped cream.
DECADENT DINING in Central
Photo courtesy of www. hk.lifestyleasia.com
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March 2014
Stockton opened on Wyndham Street in Central in mid-January, and it’s already built up quite a reputation for itself among fine diners. Modelled after turn-of-the-20th-century London social clubs, the decor is luxurious, opulent even, and the menu decadent. Think caviar, duck eggs, oysters and lobster, washed down with Champagne, fine whisky and boutique gin. To make a booking, call 2565 5268.
Photo courtesy of www.staceyreid.com
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DB FACES
COMMUNITY SNAPS!
Who do you know? Find more familiar faces @ www.arounddb.com
COMPETITION
Photos by www.photosdb.net
If you’d like us to consider your photos for DB Faces, email them to info@arounddb.com (subject line: db faces). Around DB accepts no liability relating to the photos sent.
Great prizes from Uncle Russ Coffee!
A
B
C
Congratulations to last month’s winner Trisha Renwick! Please contact our office on 2987 0577 to collect your prize.
Y
our challenge, this month, is to identify which of the three photos above is the exact copy of a photograph featured elsewhere in this issue of Around DB. You need to list the page number the photo appears on, as well as which of the three pictures is the exact copy. Contact us online via the competitions link at www.arounddb.com before March 10. This is your chance to win a complimentary coffee from Uncle Russ every day for a week. Don’t forget to include your name and telephone number with your answer. Good luck!
View DB property listings @ www.arounddb.com
WORSHIP SERVICE Discovery College Sundays @ 10 am
CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP PRACTICAL BIBLE TEACHING KIDS CHURCH XTREME & RDB TEENS
Pastor James Buckner Tel: 2987 7061 wwww.dbicc.org
EYE LEVEL Health & Intelligence Education Centre in the North Plaza is celebrating its 1-year old birthday in January 2014! We are thrilled that we have the support of parents and students in the past year and we are happy that we have helped kids to improve in their math in school.
Hermann Chu 9366 0000 hi@hicentre.biz www.hicentre.biz
To celebrate this anniversary, we are running a promotion: $100 book coupon will be given to the new student who enroll to our math course in March 2014. Referrer of new student will also get $100 book coupon.
Contact us for enrollment and promotion details.
View DB property listings @ www.arounddb.com EMPLOYMENT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A COURIER? Michael, an Indian HK resident living on Lantau, seeks post of delivery person for mail/ documents/ small packages in HK. Full or part time, Call 9145 6731
DB REALTOR SEEKS ADMIN CLERK
With good spoken & written English & Cantonese (an extra language is an advantage). Mature, outgoing, proactive, hardworking & detail-oriented. Attractive remuneration package. Email your full CV to info@lifestylehomes.com.hk
DB-BASED REALTOR SEEKS EAA-LICENSED AGENTS Must have a good command of spoken & written English & Cantonese, an extra language is an advantage. Strong communication & interpersonal skills, mature outgoing personality, proactive, hardworking & detail oriented. Attractive remuneration package for the right candidates. Email your full CV to info@lifestylehomes.com.hk
FINANCE & INSURANCE
HOME & REPAIRS
AUSTRALIAN TAX RETURNS
EXPERT MOVER
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
• Packing & moving • Cargo collection • Disposal service • Handyman services • Packing material supplies • Storage, with humidity control Professional quality service at a low rate. Contact 2566 4799, sales@expertmover.hk, or visit www.expertmover.hk
HEALTH & WELLBEING GOLDING DECORATION UK
HYPNOSIS &/ OR SHORT-TERM THERAPY
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 Strategies Call Dr Melanie Bryan, Psy.D. Clinical Psychologist & Hypnotherapist on 2575 7707, or visit www.mindmatters.hk
House painter, very experienced in maintenance work, & hanging wallpaper & artwork. 100% customer satisfaction guaranteed. Fast, clean & tidy, providng down to earth prices. Call Colin on 9074 5231
NEED SPACE / STORAGE!
Deadline for April issue Classifieds
March 10 KIDS EARLY ADVENTURES PLAYGROUP
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
Humidity controlled, small/ large storage space, short or long term. Competitive rates. Call 2566 4799 or visit www.expertmover.hk
PETS GOOD NEWS FROM PETCODB
Looking for a place to stay?
www.arounddb.com
Micro Bubble Bath using Nano technology for pets is now available at PetcoDB. This penetrating clean powers deep into the pores, restoring fur condition, regaining moisture & providing relaxation. No shampoo is used. Recommended for pets with skin allergies, dermatitis & body odour. Call 2914 0382
Raidlight Carbon Trail Pole Now available at Lantau Base Camp For more details email sales@vimtech.com.hk
www.lantaubasecamp.com
March 2014
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View DB property listings @ www.arounddb.com
NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO? Counselling for individuals, couples, families & adolescents Sliding fee scale; affordable options for all clients English, Putonghua, Cantonese, Hindi, Marathi and Marwadi speaking counselors Call 2523 8979 Now for Appointment http://www.resourcecounselling.org Serving the community over 35 years A Member Agency of the Community Chest
HANDMADE COOKIES FOR ALL OCCASIONS Make your next celebration a hit with a selection of beautifully crafted cookies handmade right here in DB. We can customize your order to suit any theme, from baby showers to bachelorette parties and everything in between. We also offer kids cookie decorating sessions, where the kids get to decorate their own cookies, a perfect activity at any children’s birthday party...
6547 2627
cookiemomster1@hotmail.com www.facebook.com/SugarCookieIsland www.sugarcookieisland.weebly.com
- Japan qualified – skilled piano technician in DB We can offer professional advice and services on all piano matters;
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
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
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 72
March 2014
View DB property listings @ www.arounddb.com SERVICES NOTARY SERVICES
Now available in DB at affordable rates. For enquiries, 9143 0799, notary@hpi.com.hk
COMPUTER PROBLEMS?
Free over the phone repair, or home/ office visit for a nominal fee! 15 years’ experience & a passion for resolving computer problems. Call 9649 9910
TRAVEL CONCORdE TRAVEL
Leisure Travel and Cruise specialists since 1978. Call 2526 3391 or visit www.concorde-travel.com License No 350343
TUITION & COURSES
SPANISH LESSONS
A qualified native teacher with 15 years’ teaching experience offers private Spanish lessons to adults, students & children. Conversation & grammar, plus exam preparation (IB, IGCSE, A-Levels). Contact Eva on 6846 2322, eva.1973@gmail.com
Deadline for April issue Classifieds
March 10
TUITION & COURSES GUITAR TUITION
One of Hong Kong’s foremost players offers home tuition in Classical, Blues, Ragtime & Rock. Special rates for morning classes. Contact Graeme on 9627 3043, graememorris1000@gmail.com
CLARINET/ SAXOPHONE/ FLUTE TUITION Available in DB from professional musician with 25 years’ teaching experience & graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, UK. For enquiries, call 9413 0498, janetwilliams.clarinet@gmail.com
Such a great birthday party ! Call 6710 0391 info@ecole-discovery.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, gracias8@hotmail.com, or visit www.chinesemandarinsite.com
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). Contact Erik R on 9666 9511, rerikm@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 http://tclearning.sinacool.com
March 2014
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Check out short-term rentals @ www.arounddb.com PROPERTY DB
STUNNING FURNISHED FLAT SHORT OR LONG-LEASE Designer 2-bed apartment, 1 minute from DB Plaza. Renovated to the highest standard. Weekly cleaning available. Contact Maeve on 6408 4227, maeveororke@hotmail.com
MODERN EXECUTIVE 1-BEDROOM FLAT FOR RENT Spacious open layout. Quiet, high floor. Fully equipped kitchen. Shower. Washer/ dryer. English movies & news, & wi-fi. Just unpack! Competitively priced. Contact 6680 2007, greenmountain123@gmail.com
MODERN FLAT FOR SHORT- OR MEDIUM-TERM RENTAL Fully furnished, 1 bed plus study with extra beds & fully equipped kitchen. Sleeps 4. Broadband, wi-fi, DVD, LCD TV & split A/C. Linens & towels. Serviced twice a week. Contact 6475 2035, visit www.dbayhillsuites.com or email sharmilaproperty@gmail.com
PROPERTY DB
FLAT FOR RENT Bright, fully furnished flat, sleeps 4. Fully equipped kitchen, plus wi-fi & broadband. Towels & linens provided. Minimum stay 1 month. Email dbstay4@yahoo.com
DELUXE SERVICED APARMENTS For lease. Fully furnished 1-2-bed apartments with beautiful decor, wi-fi & broadband. Well-equipped kitchen, luxurious bedding, weekly cleaning service. Contact Cherry on 2987 2626, annie@appletravel.com
STUDIO FOR SHORT-TERM LET Comfortable, nicely decorated studio, close to DB Plaza & pier, with fully equipped kitchen. 37” TV, DVD, wi-fi, linens & towels provided. Contact 9190 7348, niceroom_db@yahoo.com.hk
GREENBURG COURT RENTAL GREENDALE COURT RENTAL Brand-new, fully furnished, 533’ 1-bed apartment. Deluxe renovation, on a high floor, with mountain view. Call 9108 5525
LUXURY MODERN FLATS TO LET Short- or medium-term rental at Siena 2. 600’ 1-bed flats with sea views, near DB North Plaza, Club Siena & tunnel. Serviced & fully furnished with washer/ dryer, bed linen & kitchenware. Plus wi-fi, broadband, blue-ray & home theatre. Contact 9317 0624, nialady2011@gmail.com
517’ 1-bedroom flat with balcony. Deluxe renovation. Modern & fully furnished with internet, 32” LCD TV & DVD. Contact Sandy on 9654 8862, sandylamdb@yahoo.com.hk
2-BED APARTMENT FOR RENT At Greenmont Court, nice & fully furnished. Contact 9108 5525
PROPERTY OVERSEAS
FULLY FURNISHED 1-BED RENTAL Smart apartment on a high floor with sea view. Close to pier & DB Plaza. Available fully furnished. Call Tiareti on 9732 8985
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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
SHORT-TERM LET
HOLIDAY RENTAL IN PHUKET
Newly renovated, 2-bed flat with balcony. Luxuriously furnished, with TV, cable & broadband. Panoramic harbour views & short walk to pier. Contact Brian on 9098 6951, brian@headlandhomes.hk
Small gated community near Nai Harn beach with pool & gym. Fully fitted 3-bed villa with aircon, TVs & wi-fi. Lots of restaurants nearby. Competitive rates. Contact 9752 9775, greenmountain123@gmail.com
March 2014
Looking for investment opportunity? 4/F., Lee Fund Centre, No. 31 Wong Chuk Hang Road, HK E-mail: grea@grea.com.hk C-049044
South lsland Industrial & Office Sales / Lease Kwai Bo Ind. Building 1,820’ 11.9M
• Walking Distance To Future MTR • With Balcony Sungib Ind. Centre 6,009’ 34.8M
le So
Grand Marine Centre 3,815’ 25M
• Remodeled into Open Plan Space • Stunning Waterfront Views Derrick Ind. Bldg. 2,221’ 24K
• Very Quiet Location • Views Partially Mountain/Open Tin Fung Ind. Mansion 1,182’~17,587’ @5,150 & up
t
en
Ag
Sun Ying Ind Centre 2,234’~7,056’ 9.6M & up
le So
• Rare Whole Floor • Extraordinary Investment Opportunity in Wong Chuk Hang Global Trade Square 997’~9,820’ @9,000 up
• Grade A Office Space • 13.5ft High Ceiling with Raised Floor System Shui Ki Ind. Building 3,927’ 26M / 41K
• Mutli-Purpose Usage • Ready for Immediate Use Workshops on Ground 1,600’~4,000’ @12,000 & Up
• High Ceiling • Rare in Market
• Flexible Warehouse Space • Very Busy & Convenient Location in Wong Chuk Hang Southmark 871’~3,523’ 6.5M & Up / 13K
• Swimming Pool Facility • Greenery View Office Yan’s Tower 690’~6,300’ 4.2M & Up
• Central Air-Condition • Marble Lobby Design Sing Teck Ind. Bldg. 1,877’~3,396’ 8.2M / 18K
• Minutes Walk to Public Transports • Price Reduced
Harbour Ind. Ctr. (Corner Side) 742’~2,315’ 4.4M & up / @9.5
• Ceiling Approx. 12ft High • Windows on 2 Sides of Space One Island South 1,004’~29,848’ 10M/25K & up
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Ag
• Flexible Warehouse Space • Very Busy & Convenient Location in Wong Chuk Hang Kin Teck Ind. Building 3,750’~5,710’ @6,500
• Full Multi-functional Terrace • Fully Equipped Modern Kitchen with The Appliances Heung Wah Ind. Building 7,226’ 40M / @10
• High Ceiling & Rare Whole Floor • New Development Projects around the Site Hing Wai Ctr. 1,008’~28,000’ @4,500 & Up
• Unobstructed Seaview • Ample Loading Bay
• Opposite to MTR Station • Frontage to Enjoy Inspiring of Ocean Park Aberdeen Ind. Building 3,150’ 15.8M / @10
• Located Inside a Residential Shopping Arcade • Public Transport at The Door Step Fullagar Ind. Building 721’~12,262’ @9.8
• Internal Toilet • Town Centre at The Door Step Land Acquisition Projects Site Lot Area 6,000’~9,000’
• Revitalizing Industrial Building • Considering Re-zoning the Wong Chuk Hang Area
0911 9326 3293 / 6401 8889 / 9701 6622 3527 24 hours hotline Jeff
(S-130432)
Jacqueline (S-398189)
Dave (S-447427)
B USINESS OF THE MONTH
ACROSS LANTAU Camp in ns why Lantau Base Jeremy Ritcey explai ng and hiking store ordinary trail-runni
Mui Wo is no
When did you open Lantau Base Camp and what makes it unique? Lantau Base Camp is Hong Kong’s very first trail-running and hiking specific store, opened in August 2012. We are the first outdoor shop in Hong Kong to purposely open near the trail head of many classic hiking routes rather than in a shopping area. To separate ourselves from the competition we provide seminars, organise races, give advice and promote trail running. Recently, we started organising races for youth to pass on a love of the trails and the outdoors in the next generation.
What resources did you need to start up your own business? We used our knowledge of trail running and the community and our savings (along with the sale of our home in DB!). Being self-employed is challenging and at times all-consuming. There is certainly a degree of stress that comes into play that wasn’t a part of my existence as a teacher, but the flexibility it offers is one of the greatest perks.
What has been the most important contribution to your success? I think the fact that I live, eat and breathe trail running is the biggest contributor, that and the great outdoors here in Lantau. The most important thing for us is to promote Lantau and trail running as two things that are made for one another. Since our inception we have been running events – not only proper trail races, but also social, community events that revolve around running.
How do you see your business looking in five years’ time? We want to provide a place that the trail-running community calls home. A bigger space to allow us to morph into a proper ‘base camp’ would be ideal and something we will strive to achieve. The fact that we’re involved and knowledgeable keeps people coming back to us, not just for shoes and backpacks, but for conversation and advice too.
Call Lantau Base Camp on 5463 6060, email lantaubasecamp@gmail.com or visit www.lantaubasecamp.com.
Join your Lantau community live @ www.arounddb.com
MUI WO FERRY SCHEDULES Mon-Fri (except Public Holidays)
Sat, Sun and Public Holidays
From DB 3.10pm
From DB
From Mui Wo
7.15am ＊ 8.45am # 10.45am 11.45am # 1.15pm 3.05pm # 4.15pm 6.15pm 8.05pm
7.45am ＊ 9.15am # 11.15am 12.15pm # 1.45pm 3.35pm # 4.45pm 6.45pm 8.30pm
From Mui Wo 7.20am -
(Above ferry route via Peng Chau)
＊ Operates on Saturday (except Public Holidays) only ＃ Operates on Sunday and Public Holidays only
Your ultimate guide in Tung Chung and South Lantau
LANTAU NUMBERS
TUNG CHUNG
SOUTH LANTAU
CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES
AQ Prettiness Jumping Castles Patchwork Jack Shoesee Foldable
FOOD, RESTAURANTS & BARS
9527 6202 9662 1747 9762 1957 9765 2798 FOOD, RESTAURANTS & BARS
360° Sports Bar & Restaurant Airport Izakaya Andante Asian Taste Chef’s Express Deli Viet Bistro Delifrance Café Aficionado China Coast Bar & Grill Dragon Inn Erawan Essence Federal Palace Restaurant McDonald’s Delivery Moccato Olea Pizza Hut Regala Café & Dessert Bar Rouge Skycity Bistro Spaghetti House Starz Wine Bar Zentro Garden
2109 4360 2286 6668 3602 8828 2109 4360 6504 4208 2109 0036 2109 4187 2286 6238 2286 6898 2286 6878 3760 6633 3602 8808 2626 0181 2338 2338 3602 8838 3602 8818 3180 0000 2286 6618 2286 6868 2969 2500 2109 1297 2109 0612 2802 8000
HEALTH & WELLBEING
Asian Hairdressers Essential Health Family Clinic Human Health Medical Centre Island Veterinary Services Ltd Pets Central Tung Chung Maternal & Child Health Centre Quality Health Dental Quality Health Medical Raffles Medical
3147 4088 2109 9396 2109 2288 2988 1534 2328 7282 2109 6800 2403 6613 2403 6623 2261 2626
Bahce - Turkish Restaurant Café Bar Bombay Café Casa Brasil Caffe Paradiso (Tom’s Café) China Bear Como Lake Deer Horn Restaurant & Bar High Tide Restaurant La Pizzeria Lantana Italian Bistro Rome Restaurant Sun Fat Restaurant Tak Chai Kee Seafood The China Beach Club The Gallery The Kitchen The Stoep HEALTH & WELLBEING
Dalcroze Impact Fitness Jill Marshall Pilates South Lantau Paddle Club Tony’s Salon
2421 8088 9625 1392 2988 1488 HOTELS
Novotel Citygate Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott
3602 8888 2890 6060 3969 1888 LEARNING CENTRES
Clement Art School Discovery Mind International Play Centre Greenfield International Kindergarten Kidznjoy Kindermusik Little Academy Salala Kids House Soundwaves English Education Centre Sun Island Education Foundation Sunshine House International Preschool Tung Chung Catholic School (Yat Tung) Tung Yan Day Nursery YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College
5360 0991 2987-8070 2162 5538 6273 7347 6976 8867 3520 3500 2611 9193 6204 7387 2420 1068 2109 3873 2109 4000 3194 5120 2988 8123
SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT
Caribbean Coast Club House Coastal Skyline Club House Impact Fitness Seaview Crescent Club House Smash Cricket Socatots Stepz Studio Tung Chung Crescent Club House
2109 9277 2179 6678 6902 2250 3473 8700 5400 4109 2385 9677 3152 7535 2403 6770
UTILITY, SERVICES & EMERGENCY HOTLINES
Tung Chung Ambulance Depot Tung Chung Fire Station Tung Chung Police Station
2988 8282 2988 1898 3661 1694
6627 4806 6385 0304 9708 0187 6770 1462 2984 0990 HOME & REPAIRS
Findley Leung Group Koon Wah Hardware Lee Wo Construction Engineering Man Shun Construction & Engineering Mantech Electrical Strong Engineering Wah Sing AV Company
2984 8334 2984 8487 2984 1802 2984 9833 2819 6823 9373 0792 2984 0587 HOTELS
Mui Wo Inn Silvermine Beach Resort Tai O Heritage Hotel
HOME & REPAIRS
Akash Removals Mega Power Engineering/Locksmiths Shun Yu Engineering
2984 0222 2984 1847 2984 7471 2984 0498 2984 9720 2984 0009 3484 3095 2980 3002 2984 8933 6331 8974 2984 7982 2984 0418 2984 1265 2983 8931 2980 2582 9160 5986 2980 2699
2984 7225 6810 0111 2985 8383 LEARNING CENTRES
Buddhist Fat Ho College Lantau International Kindergarten Lantau International School Little Lantau Montessori Kindergarten Mui Wo Owls School & Kindergarten
2985 5150 2984 0069 2984 0302 3689 6709 2984 0006
PROPERTY AGENCIES
Easy Reach Real Estate Home Solutions Proper Trip Real Estate
2984 0618 3483 5003 2984 1666 RETAIL
Bikes Mui Wo BMX Shop Bizzie Lizzie (childrens clothes and toys) Friendly Bike Shop Red Hall Chinese Antiques Renge House (clothes & accessories) The Red Lantern ZenvarA
2134 1234 2984 2227 2984 2278 2988 1368 2406 8122 2987 0099 9586 3459
SERVICES & OTHERS
Hop Sing Automobile Jumping Castles SPCA Suzanne Goodwin Photography Thai Palin Massage Twig (Design Studio) Zoe Lyle Photography
2984 1410 9662 1747 2984 0060 9025 3949 9062 0148 6351 8923 9834 5498 TRANSPORTATION
Lee Hing Loong Hon Kee Transportation Company Lantau Tours New Lantau Bus Company Sun Rising Moving Company
2984 2268 2984 8494 2984 8255 2984 9848 9036 3132
Your ultimate guide in DB
DB NUMBERS
LEARNING CENTRES
COMMUNITY & HEALTH Bayside Dental Practice, North Plaza BMSE, North Plaza Catholic Church (Trinity Chapel) DB Alliance Church Community Centre DB International Community Church Discovery Bay Medical Centre Discovery Speech Therapy, North Plaza Health & Care Dental Clinic Herbal Healthcare Integrated Medicine Institute Island Health Island Veterinary Services The Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council, North Plaza
2987 0855 2259 3422 2988 1515 2987 8136 2987 7061 2987 5633 8120 7835 2666 6183 2834 7276 2537 1087 2987 7575 2987 9003 2259 3422
CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES
LEARNING CENTRES
Dumper Trucks & Daisies A Montessori-based playgroup programme that focuses on the growth and development of the whole child. From 16 months to 4.5 years old Tel: 9667 6921 mandy@dumpertrucksanddaisies.com www.dumpertrucksanddaisies.com
L’Ecole Française de Discovery, North Plaza SKH Wei Lun Primary School Sunshine House Int’l Pre-School Sunshine House Kindergarten, North Plaza Treasure House
OTHER SERVICES
Apple Travel The Best Travel Agency in DB Tel: 2987 2626 Email: cas@appletravel.com
Future Stars Dance Academy
Dance classes based on the ISTD requirements conducted in a fun, disciplined and safe environment. Tel: 9740 0171 Email: melissa@futurestarsdanceacademy.com
At Home in DB
HK School of Highland Dance
Lullaby Layette
Sunwood by Design International Bodyfit Swimwear Exercise and Yoga Wear Tel: 6626 5470 www.sunwood-by-design.com
In Style Little Whale, North Plaza Nomadic Start-rite shoes
2987 8226 3480 1348 2987 8460 2987 2098
FINANCIAL SERVICES HSBC Travelex Money Exchange, North Plaza Luen Fat Securities Co. Ltd
2233 3000 2682 1210 2987 1851
HOME Good Luck Engineering Hoi Yu Transportation Home Services Engineering Hung Kee Co Interior 18 Japan Home Centre Marc James Design, North Plaza Next Furniture Rapee-living Rich Point Hardware Materials Tai Fat Hardware Store Wing On Department Store Yours Electrical Centre
2987 1313 2987 4488 2987 0061 2987 5087 2987 7803 2987 1041 2765 5700 2987 0222 2987 7082 2987 0789 2987 0789 2987 9268 2987 4428
Harvey Law Group International Canadian Law Firm in DB North Plaza offering you customised legal services on the many aspects of your personal and professional life Tel: 2416 8618 www.harveylawcorporation.com
Island Dance Freestyle, Jazz, Ballet & Tap Tel: 2987 1571 www.islanddance.com.hk
PetcoDB
Musical Drama – Acting – Musical Theatre Tues & Wed classes at Discovery College 4 to 12 yrs - 2 fully costumed performances a year Tel: 8122 9475 Email: admin@actingantics.com www.actingantics.com
Brightsparks Playgroup Fun, safe and interactive environment for your children. Tel: 9632 4287
British Studio of Art Hong Kong
New art studio in DB for 2 year-olds to adults www.bsoahk.com bsoahk@gmail.com Tel: 9132 5249
March 2014
Grooming & Pet Services With Trust, Love & Safe Care For the ones you love Tel: 2914 0382 Email: info@petcoDB.com www.petcoDB.com
French kindergarten open for registrations for school year 2014-2015 from K1 to P6. LG-05, DB North Plaza Tel: 6710 0391 Email: info@ecole-discovery.com www.ecole-discovery.com
Little Explorers A fun place for little ones to play and have loads of fun, fun, fun! Tel: 9327 0507 Email: littleexplorers@team-fear.com
Amity Shoe Care My Pet Shop, North Plaza Pets Gallery The Optical House Well Supreme Laundry Services
2987 4538 2987 8873 2987 0428 2987 1368 2987 5151
REAL-ESTATE AGENCIES
Lifestyle Boats & Homes
Playtime Kids DB Playgroup run by Montessori-trained teacher. From 18 months to 4 years. Tel: 2623 4099; 9054 0565 playtimekidsdb@yahoo.com, www.playtimekidsdb.com
LEARNING CENTRES
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Information & Services for Residents of DB. Expat Relocation, Newcomer Orientation, Tours, Courses, Networking Tel: 9769 4701 Email: sue@athomeindb.com www.athomeindb.com
Highland Dance classes now available at MI Studio.Teacher qualified by the SDTA. All ages welcome Tel: 9123 0863 Email: highlanddancehk@gmail.com
Online Boutique for Newborns & Infants Tel: 5600-7605, info@lullabylayette.com www.lullabylayette.com
8191 0813 2987 8608 2987 0813 2987 8143 2987 4217
Let us take the stress out of homework Homework Club and Private Tutoring, conveniently located. Tel: 9522 3297 info@wiseowl.com.hk www.wiseowl.com.hk
Tel: 2914 0888 info@lifestylehomes.com.hk www.lifestylehomes.com.hk Centaline Property Agency Ltd EPS Property Consultants Ltd Headland Homes Hong Kong Boats & Homes Kingsland DB Land Master Property Savills Hong Kong Ltd
2987 8484 2987 2023 2987 2088 6055 0146 2987 2987 2987 6238 2987 1919
RESTAURANTS & HOTELS
Woodentots 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. Tel: 6108 9131 woodentotsdb@gmail.com Bayview House of Children DB International School (Kindergarten) DB International School (Pri / Sec) Discovery College Discovery Mind International Play Centre Discovery Mind Kindergarten Discovery Mind Primary School, North Plaza Discovery Montessori School, North Plaza DMR School of Ballet Early Adventures Learning Centre HK International Learning Academy, North Plaza
6114 2436 2914 2142 2987 7331 3969 1000 2987 8028 2987 8088 2914 2202 2987 1201 2987 4338 9511 2107 2416 3088
% Arabica Coffee Roaster & Farm DB North Plaza Tel: 2885 1323 Email: info@arabica.hk www.arabica.hk 22º North
2987 2298
Auberge Discovery Bay (Hotel), North Plaza
2295 8288
Berliner
2987 8203
Café Duvet
2987 0966
Caramba Mexican Cantina
2987 2848
Ebeneezer’s
2987 0036
First Korean Restaurant
2987 9123
Fresh Fruit Juice Paradise
2987 4768
Hemingway’s by the Bay
2987 8855
DB NUMBERS SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT
RESTAURANTS & HOTELS il Bel Paese
2987 0202
Island Café
2987 9311
Jaspa’s, North Plaza
2997 8688
Kiraku Tei
2987 2886
Koh Tomyums
2987 0767
La Création Bakery
2987 1829
Life Cafe
2591 1422
McSorley’s Ale House
2987 8280
Mirch Masala, North Plaza
2987 1337
Pacific Coffee
2987 1662
Paisano’s, North Plaza
2673 4445
Peony Chinese Restaurant
2500 1950
Solera
2555 0772
Sopranos
2987 2915
Subway
2914 0005
Super Super
2914 1308
Uncle Russ, DB Plaza
2682 0068
Uncle Russ, North Plaza
2682 8108
Zaks
2987 6232
Sportsmanship Gymnastics Programs, Health Consultancy, Weight Management & Nutritional Supplements Tel: 2870 3524 www.sportsmanship.usana.com
Sports World
A Mother’s Touch
Studio PS Personal Fitness Training (for one to one or small groups) Studio P/S Petra Seeholzer Lang Tel: 6605 2727 Email: petraseeholzer@yahoo.com
Bodypump, Grit Strength, Boxing, Core, TRX, High Intensity Training. Located at North Plaza Tel: 6621 7410 www.thehitroom.com.hk info@thehitroom.com.hk
CAISSA Chess Club HK The Club gets together at the DB North Plaza Community Center Tel: 9681 2896 Email: contact@caissahk.com www.caissahk.com
Tinytots A professional sports play program specially designed for children 16 months - 5 years of age. Tel: 34887724 info@tinytots.com.hk www.tinytots.com.hk
Curves Women’s Fitness Centre Club Siena Tel: 2987 0772 curvesdb@gmail.com www.curves.com
Club Siena Discovery Bay Marina Club Discovery Bay Golf Club Discovery Bay Recreation Club
2987 7382 2987 9591 2987 7273 2987 7381
TOYS, ACCESSORIES & KIDS’ PARTIES
DB Party Lovers For all your party needs in DB Tel: 9132 5249 Email: dbpartylovers@gmail.com www.dbpartylovers.com
Embody Classical Pilates, Yoga and more! Tel: 6624 7812 susan@embody.hk www.embody.hk
2987 4230 2987 7859
Pilates, Yoga, Spinning, TRX, Zumba, Personal Training The complete solution on your doorstep at DB North Plaza Tel: 2987 5852 www.movementimprovement.com.hk
Limousine Rental
Limo service in HK & China • pick up from / to DB Tunnel • direct transfer to SZ / GZ Airport Tel: 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
6283 9270 2914 2727 2914 0186 2987 7351 2987 6348 2987 0208 2987 9368
UTILITIES, SERVICES & EMERGENCY HOTLINES
Spin Works The Ultimate Workout Certified and friendly staff, located in North Plaza Tel: 5145 2776 www.spinworks.com.hk
Body Talk Holistic therapy for illness, stress, sports injury & learning disorders Tel: 6683 5755 angie@bodytalksystem.com.hk www.bodytalksystem.com.hk
Child & Family Development Practice Developing potential, exploring possibilities 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. Email: lulu@myhealthcoachlulu.com www.myhealthcoachlulu.com
M Spa Provides door-to-door treatment service. Conveniently located in the Plaza. Reflexology, massage, pedicure/manicure. Tel: 2987 0614
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
Professional artificial nail services in DB Tel: 2987 2266
MOW | Grooming & Skin Care
HK Dragons Football Club
Movement Improvement
Specialists in Pregnancy & Newborn Care Tel: 2851 9654 clientservices@amotherstouch.com.hk www.amotherstouch.com.hk
Nailed It Bo Bo House Toysland
TRANSPORT SERVICES
Football for 2.5- to 14- year old girls and boys Tel: 2987 4274 www.dragons.hk
2525 6798 2238 3388 2987 4052 2987 6046 2435 4511 2988 2369 2987 6738 2835 1473 2811 0788 2824 5000
WELLBEING
The HIT Room
Offering Judo classes for ages 5+ Mon, Wed & Sat classes available Email: elliot@cobrasportshk.com
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
All your sporting needs right here in DB Tel: 2914 1323 Email: info@sportsworld.hk
SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT
DB COBRAS JUDO CLUB
UTILITIES, SERVICES & EMERGENCY HOTLINES
3651 2345 2728 8333 2678 2678 2987 4242 2987 7502 2238 3601
A unique retail & treatment space at DBN, that caters to your grooming, skin care & therapeutic requirements Tel: 2499 8826 / 6773 3103 www.mowhk.com mowhk@mowhk.com Afflatus Hair Workshop, North Plaza Maximum Care Salon De Coiffure Sense of Touch Spa Siena
2987 0283 2987 2060 2987 4112 2987 9198 2987 7382
Around DB's April 2014 issue coming out
March 31 March 2014
79
OUT THERE
DB’S LOONY TENNIS Forget Wimbledon! says Peter Sherwood. It’s time to adopt the DB Nations Cup model around the world for all tennis
A
fter a hundred million sets of tennis I retired with an elbow frozen at 15 degrees, making a mockery of accuracy – intended or otherwise – and accumulated muscle memory. Seismic shock waves mashed my brain into yoghurt with every off-centre shot, while grinding into dust the racket’s rubber shock absorber. Nadal’s knees, Sherwood’s arm; it’s tough at the top. Growing up in Australia, tennis – like surf, sun and serious snakes and spiders – was part of the barren landscape. Decades later a kid’s dream was realised in interviews with some tennis greats, including a retired Rodney Laver who over dinner explained laconically how he came to be the poster boy for the world tennis sponsor: “They were looking around for someone who could play a bit.” This was from possibly the best ever. And I caught up with the little-known talent Jaroslav Drobny, who won more tournaments than anyone in the game, ever. During a long and illustrious career in the amateur era when his income equalled the Albanian minimum wage, and in an age that predated multitasking, he also found time to play ice hockey for Czechoslovakia. Not a lot of people know that, and even fewer could raise a sweat caring.
Martinis versus masochism This brings me to the Tennis Nations Cup being played out this year on March 1 to 2 at the Discovery Bay Recreation Club. Well, actually it doesn’t get me even close, but I can’t think of a worthy link between the
A raucous day blissfully thrashing around for the hell of it. Think big hairy blokes in pink tutus, with ABBA thundering and Champagne exploding courtside world’s best exponents of the game and a raucous day blissfully thrashing around for the hell of it (and for a worthy cause). Think big hairy blokes in pink tutus, with ABBA thundering and Champagne exploding courtside. Wimbledon: take note. Reflecting on minor peaks and plunging ravines in the masochistically infuriating pursuit of tennis balls, I conclude that the Nations Cup model should be adopted around the world for all tennis. Injecting a few relaxing Martinis or a refreshing glass or three of a crisp chilled New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc numbs the worst human emotions and removes the most annoying parts of the game: frustration, tension, serious competition – and losing. With some Nations Cup participants plodding around in diapers, I think immediately of John McEnroe and how appropriate it would have been for ‘the brat’ to be similarly attired. If he cared at all he might say the same about me.
Find more from Peter
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March 2014
French eggs, zero love Drama and female players indecently clad make tennis worthwhile, but what makes it enduring is a scoring system as weird and ancient as Silvio Berlusconi’s self image. Describing how it works to an alien just landed at the All-England Club would be like trying to explain cricket to Miley Cyrus. For example to ‘poach’ is to intercept a volley in doubles, and not to place in boiling water for two to three minutes, although with things culinary we do have America to thank for the ‘bagel’ (to win a set 6-0) and the ‘breadstick’ (to win 6-1). The game’s roots lie in Real (Royal) Tennis that dates back to 12th century France. In keeping with 1,000 years of bitter disagreement over everything, the English make the same claim. The server would reportedly shout tenez – take heed, like ‘fore’ in golf. And ‘love’? They say it’s from l’oeuf (egg in French) because an egg looks like a zero. Today the romantic French don’t use ‘love’ at all. They use ‘zero’, which is really just a Gallic ruse to irritate fans across the channel. The jump from love to 15, then 30 seems to derive from the idea of a clock face. If four points were needed to win the game, then the first was at 15 and the second at 30. The next stop is 45, right? Wrong. To make sure you could not win by one point the idea of ‘deuce’ – meaning two to play – was introduced. France’s decision not to use its own invention and replace it with egalite was because the French are French. Many have tried and nothing can be done about that.
at www.arounddb.com