October 2011 issue

Gaelic fun and games Why everyone wants a bit of the Irish

Internet addiction Protecting plugged-in kids

Show me the honey How to make bees work at home

OCTOBER

2011

Publishers in DB since 2002

Legal expertise wherever you are

We’ll support your family in the UK – when you can’t be there Moving overseas and leaving loved ones behind can be hard, but leaving elderly parents without the emotional and practical support upon which they have become reliant is distressing.

At Mogers we have been helping expats who have elderly parents in the UK manage long distance care for decades. Our Concierge Service offers hands on local and practical support, such as paying bills, dealing with tax returns or finding suitable long or short-term care solutions which take away a real burden and give genuine peace of mind for everyone concerned.

To learn more about this service and how it can benefit your family please contact Derwent Campbell on +44 1225 750001 or email derwentcampell@mogers.co.uk. Further details regarding all our expat services can be found on our website www.expatlaw.co.uk

CONTENTS FEATURES 18

48

DEAR READER

54

18

PROFILE Meet the Heatons: DB’s digital artists

22

IN FOCUS The right food choices for your health and budget

26

FAMILY MATTERS Taking control of kids’ online time

33

MONEY MATTERS Western economic crisis – Asian opportunity?

38

HOW TO ... Make honey on a Hong Kong rooftop

42

ESCAPES Touring Ireland to coincide with the Asian Gaelic Games

48

ACTION 3 Asian peaks you can climb

54

STYLE Where to find eco-aware home furnishings

REGULARS 10

IN & AROUND DB Catch up with the latest community news

40

TECH TREND Top tools for online research

60

HOTSPOTS Hip happenings around Hong Kong

64

DB FACES Community snaps

68

CLASSIFIEDS Great deals!

73

DB NUMBERS Your ultimate guide in DB

76

HEALTH Q&A Antibiotics

Dear reader, First, I’d like to thank all our readers for getting back so positively about the September launch issue of Around DB. Your feedback has been incredible!

As you know, our aim in setting up Around DB is to provide an independent community magazine that is relevant for our community. And from what you tell us we are already achieving just that. An Around DB website, packed with news and very interactive, is also in the making so watch this space for an update on www.arounddb.com.

In this issue, we kick off with a full seven pages of community news to inspire you. Most of the featured events help you do your bit for charity, and it’s never been more obvious that there’s loads of fun to be had in DB. This October, the local business community has also come through with some great prizes so we are happy to have five competitions for you (and the kids) to enter this month.

This month we take an in-depth look at best food choices when shopping in Hong Kong, internet addiction among kids, the Asian Gaelic Games, a glance into DB residents John and Dallas Heaton’s life, and more.

If you have something to share with the community, whether you would like to be the subject of our monthly Profile piece, inform us about a local event or simply provide a ‘paparazzi’ shot of a fellow DBer for our DB Faces pictorial, please email us at corinne@arounddb.com or editor@arounddb.com.

The Around DB team is determined to make the magazine both interactive and community focused, so please keep your comments coming!

DB

Gaelic fun and games Why everyone wants a bit of the Irish

charity

tennis

Internet addiction Protecting plugged-in kids

Show me the honey How to make bees work at home

OCTOBER

2011

Publishers in DB since 2002

Publisher

Corinne Jedwood corinne@arounddb.com Editorial

Rachel Ainsley editor@arounddb.com Advertising

Lissa Morris lissa@arounddb.com Art direction

Terry Chow Photography

Tracey van Geest tracey@inspiredimages.co Accounts

accountant@arounddb.com Contributors this month

Lori Campbell Tighe Dr Gordon Cheung Lorraine Cook Andrew Dembina Elizabeth Kerr Paula Lepore Burrough Catharine Nicol Puru Saxena Mary Singer Phillippa Stewart General enquiries

info@arounddb.com Published by

Bay Media Limited Flat 230, Block D, DB Plaza Discovery Bay, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2987 0577 Fax: (852) 2987 0533

Disclaimer The views expressed in A ro u n d D B a re n ot n e c e s s a r i l y t h o s e 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 adver tised. No par t of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without permission.

Great tennis was played on September 17 for the annual DB charity tennis.

Congratulations to the Mojitoes who won the trophy, runners-up the Blue Brothers and Sistas' team and the Hula Hula team who came in third place.

Well done to all as the DBRC raised more than HK$100,000 for Artlink.

Photos by Leung Hang Tai, Tracey van Geest, Rosanna Sy-Siong and Tessa Weinrath

October 2011

11

OCTOBER 2011

IN & AROUND DB

Compiled by Lorraine Cook

DB resident, Carol Keen will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, from October 15-26 to raise funds for Parkinson’s – the degenerative disease from which her mother sadly suffers.

Carol, who has completed the MacLehose Trail twice, will be making the climb with 15 others.

“I won’t come back to DB if I don’t get to the top of Kilimanjaro,” she says. Expenses for the trip are being paid for privately so funds raised will go to Parkinson's support and research charity, Parkinson’s UK. To make a donation, please log onto www.justgiving.com/carolkeen.

Solve our quiz to see Stomp!

Stomp! is returning to Hong Kong’s Lyric Theatre, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, October 25 to November 6. And it’s feet-stamping, finger-drumming, adrenalin-rushing good! You can get more information about the show on page 63.

COMPETITION

Climbing Kilimanjaro for Parkinson’s

Get ready to rock out Picnic in the Park, Discovery Bay’s live music and dance festival will be headlining at Siena Park next month, for the sixth consecutive year. More than 7,500 attendees are expected to turn out on Saturday November 5 for 10 hours of music performed by 20 acts and 250 individual performers on two stages. The event, running from 11am9.30pm, is free of charge and open to all.

All proceeds will benefit the Hong Chi Association and Hong Kong Student Aid Society. Organised by local residents, Picnic in the Park is truly an ‘of the community, by the community, for the community’ event. For more information, go to www.picnicintheparkhk.com.

The great news is that we have six A-reserved tickets to give away. What makes Stomp! so unique is that the performers use any kind of tools and ‘instruments’ to make music. Name five of these items to win two tickets to see this exhilarating show.

The first three readers to email the correct answer to info@arounddb.com (subject line: Stomp competition) will win.

10-kilometre run anyone?

It’s time to get training! The much-anticipated DB 10K Charity Run is scheduled for November 13 and the charity chosen this year is the Ben Kende Foundation (www.benkendefoundation.com). The super-fit, aged 16 and up, can register online at www.dbrunforcharity.org. To help out by sponsoring the event or assisting as a marshal along the course which starts and finishes near the DB ferry pier, contact Kobi Janssen at 9307 7375 or kobi@ netvigator.com. We’ll be interviewing Kobi in the November issue of Around DB: so watch this space!

@ONE photography credit. In the September issue of Around DB the fabulous shots of DB band @ONE were taken by professional local photographer James Cooper. To see more of his work log onto www.liminal-image.com or email james@liminal-image.com.

12

October 2011

OCTOBER 2011

IN & AROUND DB

Take action for Sri Lankans SOS Lanka Action is a grassroots, DB-based charity organisation founded in 2002 by George and Bernadette Deden, to assist people in Sri Lanka. The team is currently working towards their annual handout of Xmas hampers, filled with basic food supplies and daily essentials. Volunteers are always needed and funds are gratefully accepted for on-going projects. Contact bernie@sos-lanka-action.org, call Bernadette on 6381 4048 or take a look online at www.sos-lanka-action.org.

Do your bit for breast cancer awareness October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which means it’s time for local fitness centre Movement Improvement's annual fundraiser, Pink Fizz. The event will be held on Wednesday, October 12, from 8pm at ZAKS in Discovery Bay to benefit the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation (HKBCF). There’ll be auctions, great stalls to shop, canapés and, of course, Pink Fizz for everyone.

To get involved, contact 2987 5852 or admin@movementimprovement.com.hk.

Add this book to your collection Be sure to pick up a copy of Don't Joke On The Stairs: How I learnt to navigate China by breaking most of the rules by Cecilie Gamst Berg, who is one of our regular contributors. A long-time South Lantau resident, Cecilie has spent most of her adult life trying to go everywhere in China and meet everybody. Travelling by horse, train and sleeper bus from the deserts of Xinjiang, across the mountains of Tibet and Sichuan to the water buffalo fields of Hong Kong, Cecilie proves in her book that China is not only the most happening place on Earth, but also the most fun. Don't Joke On The Stairs is available at all good bookshops.

Women in charge DB resident Alison Price of professional women’s group Women in Charge is hosting a networking event on November 8 at Coast in the Kinwick Centre, SoHo, from 6.30-8.30pm. Women in Charge helps ‘get the message out there’ for its members, reaching a network of over 28,000. At this event, you can expect to meet, mingle and do deals with other female entrepreneurs.

Visit www.womenincharge.com.

Swing on the waterfront On October 1 and October 2 from 7-9pm, Jazzus, featuring Rikky, one of the funkiest jazz bass players in Hong Kong, will entertain at D Deck. Jazz fans can flock to D Deck’s waterfront promenade to enjoy splendid music.

Congratulations to last month's competition winners.

LingLing Wang for Ben 10 Live show, Duncan Bryant and Momoko Ishii for the Golf Hideaway competition, Julie Mexted and Samantha Sawyer for The Wiggles show. Please call our office at 2987 0577 to collect your prize.

October 2011

13

OCTOBER 2011

IN & AROUND DB

Win tickets to join the circus!

November 19 sees Discovery Mind Kindergarten’s sixth annual charity walk in aid of Operation Santa Claus. You can pick up an application form at the kindergarten from October 10. Walkers start out at the kindergarten at 9am and finish up in Siena Park. Entertainment, provided by your favourite community magazine, comes in the form of Jan the Clown. Don’t miss it!

Cirque Mechanics’ Birdhouse Factory is the incredible Las Vegas circus show performing from November 30 to December 11 at the Lyric Theatre, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

Turn to page 61 to get more details about the show.

COMPETITION

Walk like Santa

Around DB is offering you a chance to win tickets to see the show by simply answering correctly the following question: which famous English comic, best known for his onscreen work in the silent era, inspired the show?

The first three readers to email us the correct answer will each win two A-reserved tickets to see this amazing show. Email your answer to info@arounddb.com (subject line: Cirque competition).

Girls-only beach rugby Photo by Raquel Gallaher

The DB Pirates inaugural Asian All-Girls Beach Rugby Festival is scheduled for October 8, 10am-4.30pm. The fearless group of DB girls will compete with teams from across Hong Kong. As an added bonus, there’ll be an after-party event on the DB beach with live music. Visit www.dbpirates.com for more details.

Gaelic football scores big in DB schools

Photo by JJ Neville

14

October 2011

Get your kids riverdancing Hong Kong’s own Riverdance troupe, Echoes of Erin School of Irish Dance is now offering after-school lessons at Discovery College every Friday. Email catriona_newcombe@yahoo.co.uk for more information. The Echoes of Erin Irish Dance Troupe recently performed at City Hall with acclaimed Uilleann pipe player Davey Spillane. They also put on an annual show at the St Patrick’s Day Gala. Read more about all things Irish on page 42.

Niamh Neville

Photo by Karmel Schreyer

This month you can read all about the upcoming Gaelic Asian Games in our Escapes feature page 42, but did you know that Gaelic football is now a regular part of the curriculum for many DB kids? “Coaching has been taking place in schools in Hong Kong for the past three years,” explains DB resident JJ Neville and Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Gaelic Football Association (www.gaa.hk). “Discovery Bay International School and Discovery College have been involved from the beginning, and coaches are brought in from Ireland if teachers with Gaelic football experience are needed.” For more information, call JJ on 2987 4561.

Philips Avent Electric Steam Steriliser

$780

Bremed OBaby 4-in-1 Steriliser, Steamer & Warmer

$699

OCTOBER 2011

IN & AROUND DB

Triathlon event for local kids

Spooky toys to take home, courtesy of

The Lantau Calves 2011 Ageas Triathlon event at Discovery College and Siena Park is for kids born between January 1,1998 and October 2, 2005. The organisers expect the event scheduled for October 2 to see about 100 children, mostly from DB, swim, bike and run their way to eternal glory in their households! For more information or to register visit www.lantaubuffalos.org.

COMPETITION

October 31 is just around the corner. In DB, the high point of the night is the trick and treating on Headland Drive. And the annual Halloween Carnival will be held in not one but two plazas from 5-10pm.

To add to the fun, Toys R Us is offering six readers some great Halloween gifts: a pumpkin bucket, candies, light-up toys and a Totally Me Handicraft Play Set. To win, simply answer this question: which vegetable symbolises Halloween?

Email your entry to info@arounddb.com (subject line: Toys R Us competition). The first six readers to answer correctly will win these great prizes (value of the prize: HK$200).

Photo courtesy of Lantau Buffalos

Who’s your teen pop idol?

The Hong Kong-wide YROCK Music Challenge sees teen musicians perform two songs in front of a live audience and be judged on personality, originality and performance. Heat winners will compete in a final event on October 21 at D-Deck in DB, and the champion will earn a spot on the Picnic in the Park stage on November 5.

Visit www.facebook.com/YRockPOP.

As an added bonus, purchase any items at Toys R Us this month and receive a limited Halloween Tattoo for free (one tattoo per purchase). To be eligible, simply show the Toys R Us staff this page of Around DB. The offer is valid until October 31. Happy Halloween!

Deliver a box of hope

Charlie and Lola competition

DB resident Dana Winograd has been very busy with the coordination of Box of Hope in DB. Box of Hope is a not-for-profit charity project aimed at providing useful and/or educational gifts to underprivileged children in Hong Kong and across Asia. Each year, children from more than 40 schools all over Hong Kong, including every school in DB, fill old shoeboxes with gifts.

COMPETITION

Photo by Rose Camp

Kids can also enter the Box of Hope competition.

All they need to do is to send a short paragraph, poem or picture of their shoebox, explaining why they would like to go on a Box of Hope delivery around Hong Kong.

Entries can be emailed to nicole@boxofhope.org.

Charlie and Lola’s Best Bestest Play will be staged in the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts’ Drama Theatre, November 24-27.You won’t want to miss everyone’s favourite brother and sister double act, Charlie and Lola, brought to life by a magical mix of puppets, live action and music in this superb stage show.

Charlie and Lola are the stars of the hit BBC TV series but originally they were dreamt up by which famous English author and illustrator? To win three tickets to the show, all you have to do is email us the answer to this question at info@arounddb.com (subject line: Charlie and Lola competition). The first two readers to email us the correct answer will win.

Good luck!

October 2011

17

PROFILE

John Heaton

18

October 2011

Dallas Heaton

PROFILE

double

take

DB’s photographer twins not only share features, they share a digital-art business too.

The identical duo talks to Phillippa Stewart about ping-pong, pictures and passport mix-ups

I

had a one in two chance of getting it right.

their training paid off and they won the Under 16 Australian Doubles Championship.

“Nice to meet you John,” I said as I stuck out my hand.

“We were successful at doubles because we had an understanding with each other and it was difficult for our opponents. They’d lost before they started,” says John.

“I'm not John, I’m Dallas,” came the reply with a dry smile.

So begins my interview with identical twin brothers John and Dallas Heaton. Searching for a way to tell them apart I noted that Dallas was wearing a striped shirt and shorts. Then John walked in – wearing a striped shirt and shorts.

Dallas later explains, “We're very different in a lot of ways but our taste, our political views, our moral views are very similar. Some days even now we turn up to the office wearing the same clothes. It just happens.”

Double act The boys, now long-term DB residents, grew up in a conservative family in Melbourne. Their first major joint venture began in 1958, age five, when their Dad bought them a table tennis table.

“As soon as we could we started belting it to each other,” says Dallas. Heaton senior soon recognised their talent and took them for coaching. From there they began travelling every weekend to towns in Victoria for tournaments.

“We would come back with all sorts of trophies and sometimes stranger things like toasters,” says John. After amassing numerous awards (and household appliances),

“If we played now we wouldn’t expect to win,” Dallas adds.

“There are some great players in DB. One guy was in the German [national] team, and there are some fantastic Chinese players. We probably haven’t improved since we were 16.”

But watch out DB there is a new generation of champions in the making. “My boys, Jamie and Justin, are being coached at the residents’ club,” says John.

John and Dallas gave up the sport when they left university to pursue another passion. “The competitors we played with have become significant Australian champions. But, for us, photography took over,” Dallas explains.

Photographic duo Photography is a passion that has always dominated the Heatons’ lives, ever since they used to print out blackand-white photographs in their Dad’s darkroom back in Australia. The duo have now visited over 60 countries taking pictures of everything from water puppetry in Hanoi to the elderly in remote villages in China.

“I taught for three years but I gave it up in 1980 when we started taking travel pictures for Thai Airways,” says John.

“Then in 1985 we approached Cathay to do the same thing.”

“It was fantastic,” he adds. “We would get flights in

October 2011



19

PROFILE

Digital art by John and Dallas Heaton (bluyonda.com)

exchange and could travel the world. Everyone said we wouldn’t make any money as travel photographers, but we weren't thinking like that. We were thinking, well, we are doing better than before and then the money kept doubling." The twins once sold a picture of the White House for US$28,000.

The pair agree that working together has had its advantages. "It's quite glamorous when you start out, but actually keeping it going into a business that is workable is the hard part. Being twins we sort of bounced off each other more and kept each other going," says John.

Developing new horizons But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. On one trip the pair flew to Frankfurt. Dallas then headed off to Switzerland and John to (former) Yugoslavia … only to find that the German immigration officer had given them back the wrong passports.

Says John, “We actually travelled for three weeks on each others’ passports, and we ended up having to forge each other’s signatures. It was quite stressful, especially in Yugoslavia at that time. The problem was we didn't have any means of communicating with each other – this was before mobile phones.”

The pair have been living in DB for the last 15 years, drawn to the place after playing squash with a friend who lived here. Yet unlike many who visit Hong Kong they didn’t instantly fall in love with the city. “We had flown from Burma to Hong Kong,” says Dallas. “And originally we hated Hong Kong.”

“We were students when we first came here,” explains John, “and we thought this was just a capitalistic mall. It felt such an unfriendly place after grassroots Burma. It's kind of

20

October 2011

ironic we have spent most of our life in Hong Kong.”

Cyber twins The Heatons are now embarking on a new digital-art/ photography project inspired by a trip to Shanghai last year.

“Our traditional photo library business is sort of dying,” explains Dallas. “When images went digital it caused us to rethink our business, and then in Shanghai last year I saw that galleries were selling digitally manipulated prints. I thought we could do this especially with John’s technological background. He now sits at the computer and then presents me with something and says, ‘I don’t know if you’re going to get this ...'"

Like the brothers themselves the prints are eye-catching and inspirational with their bright colours and rather more subtle political statements.

“I try and take our old prints and give them a conceptual energy. That’s what makes them interesting,” explains John.

The Heatons’ zest for life and positive attitude is immediately apparent, and during the course of this interview Dallas passed on some rather good advice.

“The good thing about your business struggling is you can think about reinventing it in a different way.

It keeps you motivated, and it keeps you interested too. I think finding ideas is always a work in progress.

Sometimes you have to go back to Paris – even if you’ve been ten times before – and look at things from a fresh viewpoint.”

“Living in Asia and working for yourself, you never really think of retiring, you just come up with new ideas and you tend to stay a lot younger,” he adds.

If they’re not travelling, you can find the twins tinkering with pictures in their studio, or playing tennis or golf in DB. I still can’t tell them apart.

INFOCUS

the great

dietary debate

Is it safe? Is it really organic? Why is it so expensive?

Lori Campbell Tighe talks to six local residents about their food choices and gets some expert advice

Photos of DB environmentalist Margaret Burnett by Terry Chow

22

October 2011

INFOCUS

G

one are the days of straightforward grocery

“Personally I tend not to purchase it because the information

shopping. Before taking their pick from the

about the food and how it’s handled is too unreliable.”

supermarket shelves, DB residents now weigh the pros and cons of four food categories:

Burnett, who works for the Business Environment Council

the most expensive organic imports; the cheaper Western

promoting best practices in Hong Kong, says although

imports; similarly priced local and mainland organics; and

PARKnSHOP works with tagged farms over the border

the cheapest local and mainland produce.

and tests them for key pesticides and heavy metals, Hong Kong’s standards are still lower than global standards.

The high cost of imports and the lack of trust in mainland foods make food shopping even more challenging. Hong

Since most of Hong Kong’s produce comes from the

Kong is the world’s top net food importer. It imports over

Guangdong Province, among the worst affected by heavy-

80% of its food from mainland China, about 18% from

metal dumping, Hong Kong needs to improve inspections.

overseas and produces just 2% itself. As fuel prices

“Conditions in China are getting more problematic,”

continue to rise, so will food prices - and the stress of

according to the director of the Baptist University's Hong

supermarket shopping.

Kong Organic Resource Centre (HKORC), in the South China Morning Post July 17. Smuggled vegetables are also

“It really frustrates me, it drives me nuts actually,” says

a growing concern.

Tracy Read, a DB mum of two young children and a local environmentalist. She tries to buy organic food as much as her budget allows. “I prefer to

Burnett also says, “What’s not tested is the cumulative ‘chemical soup’, the combined impact of eating many

spend more on good quality

foods with low-level pesticides.

food, than to worry about the

The unsettling fact is you can’t

food scandals out of China.

cook pesticides away.” She

It’s frightening.” The trick,

adds, “But you can cook most

as Read has learned, is to

viruses and bacteria away.”

discern between quality and risky foods.

Burnett will buy Hong Konggrown produce from PARKnSHOP

Mainland versus local

or Wellcome, but only if it carries the ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) label. She advises

Most of us would prefer to buy mainland Chinese produce

shoppers to check for an ISO 9001 label, which is a quality

because of its low cost and relatively low carbon footprint.

standard, or an ISO 14001 label, which means the produce

But reports of chemicals added to food and dumped into

was grown on a farm using an ISO-approved environmental

the environment make this option increasingly untenable. In

system. Burnett will also buy organically grown Hong

recent years, mainland Chinese food scares have included

Kong food to support local farmers, but again only from a

watermelons exploding from growth hormones, chickens

supermarket. Wet markets have been caught putting Hong

infected with suspected bird flu, eggs loaded with ‘Sudan

Kong labels on mainland food.

Red’, a cancer-causing dye, and melamine-tainted baby formula and dog food. Heavy-metal pollution of rivers

Why it pays to go organic

increases throughout mainland China.

The primary reason to eat organic foods whenever possible For Margaret Burnett, a Canadian expat and DB

is to avoid chemicals that can damage health, says Tej Bg,

resident, who has a PhD in environmental management,

a naturopath at Integrated Medicine Institute in Central.

there really is no debate. “Food from mainland China is

“Many studies show the impact of these chemicals on the

not comprehensively tested for pesticides,” she says.

development of various illnesses.”

October 2011



23

INFOCUS

Bg recommends his patients eat organic to lower the

has no problem making. “My son is just one-and-a-half,”

burden of toxicity on the organs of detoxification. “This is

he says. “Our hope lies with the young.”

helpful in getting the full benefit of other treatments and allowing the body to heal more quickly and effortlessly,”

British expat and DB resident Hannah Maxwell says she

he explains.

would love to buy all imported organic food, but can’t afford it with three kids. “I tend to buy imported produce because

Milan Lui, a smartly dressed, middle-aged woman

I trust it more,” she says, rolling her toddler son in a sports-

shopping in Wellcome at the North Plaza, shuns mainland

car shopping cart, with her eight-year-old daughter tagging

produce because of all the food scares. She has bought

along still in her blue-and-white-checked school uniform.

only organics for the past two years. “Eating organic is

“Sometimes I choose organic imports but organic is usually

good for our health. It’s natural, no chemicals are inside the

too expensive.”

food. Organics keep you physically and mentally healthy,” she says smiling. “It’s recommended by doctors.”

When buying organics, store-imported or online, learn to read the labelling and make sure they adhere

The high cost of imports and the lack of trust in mainland foods make food shopping even more challenging.

to established standards, Bg says. To meet these standards, organically raised animals must be given organic feed and kept free of growth hormones and

Burnett, herself a mother of two children age ten and five,

antibiotics. Organic crops must be produced without

firmly believes that people who can afford organic food

conventional pesticides, including herbicides, synthetic

should be buying it. “If enough demand is created, we hope

fertilisers and sewage sludge, he explains.

to see prices eventually stabilise,” she says.

It’s certain that not all organic foods are created equal.

The higher cost of organic food is largely justified, Burnett

Burnett warns against organic produce imported from

adds. “It does cost farmers more money to clean and

the mainland. “Until China gets their regulatory forces in

convert existing land to organic, which can take three to

check,” she says, “I wouldn’t trust it, simply because the

five years. I wouldn’t say they’re reaping greater profits. In

system is so readily abused.”

Hong Kong, everything has to be shipped or trucked in. If you have a smaller market for Western food, the prices will

Some shoppers fear even Western organic food contains

be higher. If we want fresh milk from Australia, we are going

more bacteria and parasites than conventionally grown food

to pay for it.”

because of the animal fertilisers used. “Not if standards are followed and the fertiliser is properly treated,” says Burnett.

“But,” she adds, “organic food should still be washed and cooked properly. Many people don’t think they

Wellcome’s produce manager, Paul Ng says organic foods make up about 15% to 20% of the store’s sales, even though the organic products cost more. Many customers buy frozen organic berries, such

need to wash organic food.”

as Frozen Woodstock Farms from Canada,

Counting the costs

at HK$91 a bag. O Organics dry-good products from the United States sell well, as

Peter Chan, a middle-aged dad who brings his own bags to Wellcome to save on plastics consumption,

tries

to

buy

only

imported

organic foods for his toddler son. But Chan buys

does True Organic milk, cheese and butter from Australia. Surprisingly, organic chicken is not popular, he adds, as customers find it very expensive.

conventional foods for himself and his wife, because imported organics cost so much.

Although

24

experts

say

A matter of taste

conventionally

grown foods are losing their nutritional

An important factor boosting organic

value because of the continued use of

sales is simply the taste. DB resident

chemicals, this is a compromise Chan

Stuart Boonstra, a Cathay Pacific pilot,

October 2011

says this motivated him to start Aussie Organics (www. aussieorganics.com) an online food import business, seven years ago.

“I wanted fruits and vegetables that tasted like I remembered them growing up in Melbourne,” he says. “One of the main reasons people don’t eat [local] veg and fruit, is that you can almost taste the chemicals.”

“When we moved here in ‘98, we didn’t realise everything would be imported and little was locally produced,” he adds. “Over time the taste has gone out of fruit and vegetables. Things are made to grow so much faster. I forgot how carrots really tasted.”

Boonstra and his wife, Denise, deliver organic Australian produce to families throughout Hong Kong every Friday, and recently expanded their business to Singapore.

These Australian imports cost considerably more than local produce largely because of the transportation costs.

But their business is booming, suggesting that more of us are finding a way to make organic food a regular part of our diet.

Foods to buy and not buy organic The Environmental Working Group (EWG) annually lists the top ‘dirty’ and ‘clean’ foods based on how much pesticide residue remains on them, according to US Department of Agriculture data. The top 2011 ‘dirty’ foods include tree fruits, berries and leafy greens. The cleanest foods recommended by the EWG contain so little pesticide residue you don’t have to buy organic. In general, these are foods with thick skins, removed before eating.

Top 10 ‘dirty’ foods to eat organic

Top 10 ‘clean’ foods to eat non-organic

1. Apples 2. Celery 3. Strawberries 4. Peaches 5. Spinach 6. Nectarines 7. Grapes (non US) 8. Sweet bell peppers 9. Potatoes 10. Blueberries

1. Onions 2. Sweet corn 3. Pineapple 4. Avocado 5. Asparagus 6. Sweet peas 7. Mango 8. Eggplant 9. Cantaloupe (US) 10. Kiwi

Source: the Daily Green website, thedailygreen.com.

To check pesticide residue on produce not listed, go to www.whatsonmyfood.org.

Professional artificial nail services in our relaxing DB Plaza studio.

2987 2266 9701 9092

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FAMILY MATTERS

online monitor

Photos by Tessa Weinrath

Everyone wants computer-savvy kids but what do we do if time online starts to dominate their lives?

DB mum Lorraine Cook provides some essential tips

26

Emily and Rachel Wein

October 2011

FAMILY MATTERS

T

he internet has changed how we live, how we learn, how we socialise and even how we think. So many of these changes have been positive and exhilarating as we are able to connect instantly to friends and family, explore news and knowledge

from around the world, and be entertained, wherever we are, day or night, by an endless stream of movies, music and games.

But there is a downside. As technology use has increased, so have problems related to its use, and parents are having to navigate their way through uncharted waters. Tessa, a long-time DB resident, is one such parent.

Communicate your concerns Tessa’s 11-year-old twins, Emily and Rachel, have grown up in a world where computers have always been a part of life, but as much as online activity has been integrated into their lives, Tessa is cautious to ensure that it is not without limits.

“It’s hard to know what’s excessive,” Tessa notes. “It’s really a personal decision as a parent.”

The two girls share one desktop computer, and there was a point where increasing time spent online set off warning bells for Tessa and her husband, Kenny. Part of the problem, she says, is that the girls would “get sucked into the vortex of the computer”. They were spending less time outside playing or doing other traditional mother-daughter activities with her.

So, with battle lines drawn at home, and the girls becoming increasingly reluctant to change to another activity, Tessa decided to take action by calling a family meeting.

Research supports Tessa’s concerns, as psychologists have realised that increased computer time means less time in active play which can in turn result in children having lower academic scores, reduced social skills, shorter attention spans and more negative attitudes to school.



As technology use has increased, so have problems related to its use, and parents are having to navigate their way through uncharted waters

nstein

October 2011

27

FAMILY MATTERS

While it is evident that technology is the way of the future,

Give teens the space to self-regulate

the pressure is now on parents to ensure that there is a balance between ‘screen time’ and actual play time

As kids get older, it seems, fewer and fewer families are

with peers. An opportunity to share family time without

able to set effective time limits on technology use. The

interruptions from technology is also essential, as are

average teenager logs an estimated seven hours each

daily ‘time outs’ for individual activities like reading or

day according to one Australian study. Granted, with the

doing crafts.

internet being used as the platform for their homework, music, movies, tv-watching and socialising, increased

Set time limits

hours in front of the computer screen seem all but inevitable. But parents are struggling with how to help their

After some discussion, Tessa, Kenny and the twins agreed

kids learn to balance technology with other areas of life.

that each girl could have 90 minutes of computer time on weekdays, and two-and-a-half hours on the weekends – an amount of time Tessa’s not

Kathy is the mother of two teenagers here in DB. She admits to feeling a bit helpless

sure isn’t too much and

in trying to limit their online

the girls are convinced

access as her son at age

is too limiting. Still, a

15 and her daughter at 14

consensus

been

each have their own laptop,

reached. Any homework

which makes restrictions

needs to be done within

much harder to impose.

that time limit as well –

What’s

something

demands require extended

has

that

Tessa

knows might change as

more,

school

hours of computer use.

the girls get older.

However, there is hope, Each

daughter

has

Kathy notes. As the kids

her own account and

grow older, there have been

login, and the computer

times when they have set

notifies them as their

their own limits without her

allotted time is coming to

having to regulate them. For

an end, reminding them to save their work or their game

example, when her son was preparing for his GCSE’s, he

before the time is up. It's a simple set up, readily available

shut down his Facebook account in the period leading up

on all computers.

to his exams, knowing that the temptation ‘to see what’s happening’ on Facebook would suck hours from his study

Mostly, Tessa says, the girls spend their online time

time. Julie Hannaford, Head of Middle School at West

tweaking photos, connecting with friends, or simply

Island, says that groups of friends will all log off together,

playing interactive games. Often the girls are online

so none of them worries about what they might be missing

together, and sometimes it can be even more social, with

and more studying can get done.

friends joining them around the computer. “It’s pretty much the equivalent of what I would have done at this

Discourage multi-tasking

age,” Tessa says, “only then [our fun] wouldn’t have been delivered electronically. We would have been with friends,

One of the problems, Kathy finds, is that her teens tend

looking at magazines.”

to multi-task online, typically operating several functions simultaneously. As it is both kids ‘do their homework’

28

It’s not a perfect system, though, as Tessa realises that if

while watching for new Facebook posts, surfing the web

the girls are together at the computer, they can combine

and, sometimes, even having a tv show playing on yet

their hours and increase their online time that way, but it

another open window. Recent studies suggest that this

does set a limit and has eliminated arguing. “They just

continual demand for kids to deal with multiple sources

accept it now,” Tessa says.

of information is affecting their ability to prioritise what’s

October 2011



FAMILY MATTERS

important and ignore details that are trivial or irrelevant.

Know your battles

Psychologists at Stanford University in California have

For Tessa, the next challenge is the girls’ new iPod

found that this tendency to be a ‘slave to technology’ can harm short-term memory. Multi-taskers, rather than being more efficient, actually perform worse when they are required

Touches. Again, research supports this concern, as 60% of British teens declare themselves ‘addicted’ to the use of their mobile devices and report feeling agitated and distracted

to move from one task to another as

if denied access. While it is easy to put

their ability to prioritise is reduced by

a limit on computer usage at home, wi-

the distraction caused by irrelevant

fi access throughout the day means that

information. It may even be leading to

it’s harder to monitor kids’ screen time on

something akin to addiction.

smaller devices. But as this is new territory with the girls, Tessa’s simply keeping an eye

Recently, a team at California State University

on things at the moment.

were staggered as teens, asked to concentrate for just 15 minutes on an online task, desperately

Tessa’s decided one thing for sure – there will be no

checked their Facebook pages after just three minutes

technology in the bedrooms at night, something that

of working. Even just one peek during the exercise

experts agree is an important policy for ensuring beneficial

meant a significantly lower score on the task, something

sleep. “I’ve heard of some people who have a basket

that today’s students and their parents should take into

where all the gadgets go before bed,” she says, “and that

account.

seems to work well.”

FAMILY MATTERS

Get on Facebook

While, it’s clear that alienating children from the world of the web would be a crime, setting limits on their online activity is a must. For

Just recently, there’s been another addition to Tessa’s

Tessa and Kathy, at least for now, a balance has been reached.

girls’ use of technology – Facebook. Although technically too young to join, the girls estimate that about half of their classmates have accounts, and more are in discussions with their parents to get one.

Again, Tessa notes, it is an individual decision. She uses Facebook herself and so is familiar with what it offers and what limits need to be defined. The firm rule is that both girls made her their ‘friend’, a strategy that experts strongly recommend. While she doesn’t look at every posting,

5 tips for controlling kids’ internet usage: 1. Support your children’s offline interests or hobbies, and present them with opportunities to develop these hobbies further.

2. Keep a regular check on what your kids are doing online, what kind of sites and chat rooms they visit and what kind of material they store on their computers.

requests’ from her daughters’ peers.

3. Inform yourself about the world of the web. This will help you become interested and involved in your kids’ online activities.

Experts agree that allowing kids to learn about Facebook

4. Put a limit on screen time so as to prevent your teens becoming addicted to the internet.

Tessa keeps an eye on things and happily accepts ‘friend

before the often turbulent teen years means that they are generally willing to agree to their parents watching and guiding their use, and teaching them about the importance of their privacy settings.

5. Look out for the early signs of internet addiction like mood swings, irritability and anxiety over not being allowed access.

AroundDB-Oct.indd 1

9/15/2011 2:23:37 PM

MONEYMATTERS

do the

maths

L

Now that the West is facing economic Armageddon, Puru Saxena assesses the future of Asia and our investment positions

et’s face it; many of the world’s ‘developed’

Greek debt is around 15%. It is interesting to note that only

nations are insolvent and the writing is on the wall.

five member states have abided by the EU Stability Pact’s

Either these indebted states will default or they

debt ceiling of 60%.

will try and inflate their currencies into oblivion.

In our view, Greece’s economy is small enough for the

As far as the US is concerned, it still has the privilege of

Germans and/or the French to consider picking up the tab.

owning the world’s reserve currency and its central bank

But the Italian economy is a whole lot bigger. At the time of

can always create more dollar bills out of thin air. Thus, it is

writing, the 10-year Italian bond yield has jumped to 5.76%

unlikely that the US will ever default on its debt obligations.

and if it continues to rise, elementary maths tells us that Italy will have a serious problem on its hands.

Unfortunately, thanks to the brilliant invention of the single currency, the European states do not have

Thus, it is our contention that Italy will ultimately prove

the luxury of printing or debasing their currencies.

to be a bigger nightmare than Greece. Nonetheless, we

Accordingly, their hands are tied and they are now at

suspect that any sovereign default will not occur anytime

the mercy of their foreign friends. Unless their creditors

soon. Instead, some of the troubled European states will

accept some big haircuts on their loans, sovereign

default towards the end of the next big bear market, which

defaults are inevitable.

seems to be several months away.

Politicians can lie all they want, but the truth is that the

Houston, we have a problem!

debt obligations of these European nations are simply too large relative to the size of their economies. In Greece,

Across the pond, the government debt in the world’s

government debt now represents almost 160% of the

largest economy has climbed to US$14.34 trillion and

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the average yield on

equates to almost 96% of GDP.

October 2011



33

MONEYMATTERS

At present, most of this debt is short-term, and thanks to record-low interest rates, it is being financed cheaply.

Therefore, with artificially suppressed short-term rates, financing the US debt is not a problem. However, if inflationary

restructuring is

expectations rise and rates appreciate significantly, this

the only viable solution.

debt will have to be refinanced at higher and higher yields.

If the West wants to avoid economic

When that happens, the average weighted cost of capital

Armageddon and/or hyperinflation, debt

will rise, pushing up borrowing costs to intolerable levels.

pardoning must commence without

At that point, a much greater chunk of America’s output

further delay. The creditors and bondholders must accept

will be used up for interest repayments, thereby exerting

their losses and take haircuts on their loans; otherwise,

additional pressure on the economy.

they will eventually be repaid in worthless money.

The trouble with debt restructuring is that it will wipe out banks’ equity and the contagion will cause many financial institutions to go bust. Furthermore, debt restructuring

Over the long-term, Asian stock markets will

or defaults will trigger billions of dollars of payments on

provide solid returns and outperform the stock

the credit default swaps which were issued by those very

markets of the developed world.

same banks. So, you can see why the banking elite (in conjunction with the politicians) are desperately trying to avoid the inevitable.

The truth is that the big bankers do not want to take the

When the interest payments on US debt become painfully

losses and they would rather shove more debt down

high, Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke

the throat of the troubled states. After all, they print the

will unleash the hyperinflation genie. If our assessment

currencies, so handing out a new loan is not a problem.

is correct, before Bernanke really releases the money

What they do not want to see is debtors walking away from

creation machine, the US government will probably

their obligations, because such a scenario will expose the

lengthen the maturity of its debt. By fixing its own long-

banks’ insolvency.

term borrowing costs in advance of the great inflation, the US government will escape the wrath of surging market

Now, we are aware that ‘austerity’ has become a

interest rates.

fashionable word and many politicians are talking about cutting their budget deficits. However, we are of the view

What we can expect from the West

that all this talk is political jawboning and nothing will be done to address the deep-rooted structural problems.

Whichever way you cut it, the maths simply does not add

34

up. Given the massive debt pile and sluggish economies

Bearing in mind the gigantic debt pile, large budget

of the developed world, it is obvious to us that debt

deficits and rising financing costs, it is not surprising that 

September 2011

MONEYMATTERS

we remain pessimistic about the developed economies.

In our opinion, the West is now well past its prime and the next decade will reveal many cracks in that society.

Furthermore, although we are bearish about the US economy, we believe that the Federal Reserve’s ability to

nominal asset prices tend to rise.

inflate will prevent an outright sovereign default.

This time should be no different and we are anticipating a multi-month rally in

Asian economic outlook

global equities.

The Asian economy is in a much better place than its

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a free lunch and

Western counterpart with higher GDP growth rates

more quantitative easing will create massive inflation in

and lower debt levels. So, at least on the surface, these

Asia. Already, the government-reported inflation rate in

economies should not be impacted by the crisis in the

Hong Kong (which understates the inflation problem) is

West and so far, this has been the case. Unfortunately,

running at almost 8% and this will most likely accelerate

for investors, the Asian stock markets have almost

in the future. Since Hong Kong inherits its monetary policy

mirrored the performance of the developed world and this

from the US, and continues with record-low interest rates,

correlation is likely to continue.

very high inflation will surely follow. Accordingly, in order to protect their purchasing power, investors should allocate

In our view, the Asian stock markets are a high beta play

capital to precious metals and well-managed companies

and their fate is determined by Wall Street. When the

in Asia as these asset-classes are likely to protect one's

US stock market goes up, Asian markets rally strongly

wealth from the jaws of inflation.

and when Wall Street declines, regional markets fall even harder. It is our contention that this correlation will

Finally, Hong Kong's property market is in a gigantic

continue for several more years and Asia will not provide

bubble and once interest rates rise, the party will end with

shelter during a global crisis.

a big bust. Thus, this is a good time to offload leveraged, investment properties.

Nonetheless, we believe that over the long-term, Asian stock markets will provide solid returns and outperform the stock markets of the developed world.

Now, we are aware that many investors are of the view that stocks will slump over the following weeks. However, when the Federal Reserve announces another round of quantitative easing, it’s probable that all stock markets will rally for several months. After all, quantitative easing is nothing but money printing and during monetary inflation,

36

October 2011

Puru Saxena is the founder of Puru Saxena Wealth Management, a Hong-Kong based firm which manages investment portfolios for individuals and corporate clients. He publishes Money Matters, a monthly economic report, which highlights investment opportunities in all major markets. For more information, visit www.purusaxena.com.

HOWTO

island buzz

Photos courtesy of HK Honey

Incredible as it seems, it’s possible to have your very own beehive and harvest your own honey in Hong Kong.

Around DB finds out how it’s done

B

ees are mini, stripy, fuzzy, buzzy superstars.

Kowloon. “Bees help pollinate roughly one third of our food

Found

such as nuts, herbs and vegetables. In doing this they also

everywhere

on

Earth

except

for

Antarctica, there are 20,000 known species,

support other insects in our eco-system.”

and probably more yet undiscovered. They are

indispensable when it comes to the environment, being key

Leung was inspired to set up HK Honey following a holiday

pollinators of all flowering plants.

in Sweden, where he came face to face with his first hive.

Gathering together an organisation of Hong Kong enthusiasts,

38

HK Honey is an organisation set up to make Hong Kongers

so far mostly a creative crowd of fellow artists and designers,

aware of how significant bees are to the world, connecting

the group set up a network stringing together existing bee

them with local beekeepers and supplying them with local

farms and inspiring locals to take up the challenge of making

honey. “Bees are extremely important,” says founder and

their own honey. With much of the supermarkets’ honeys

product designer Michael Leung, based in Yau Ma Tei,

being imported, producing here cuts down food miles, while

October 2011

HOWTO also encouraging an industry that has only existed for a few decades. It is difficult to imagine a bee finding enough pollen in Hong Kong’s busy cityscape but Leung says that the Apis Cerana Chinese bees they use thrive here. “Urban flowers are free from pesticides and [Hong Kong is] a rich source of different flowers,” he explains. This means that the honey you produce will be good quality and taste great.

HK Honey HK Honey offers a beekeeping service, which includes a consultation, beehive set up, the colony of bees and a basic introduction for HK$4,000. Check out www.hkhoney.org or go straight to their Facebook page for more information.

“Each beehive can harvest around six jars of honey each time,” says Leung. “We harvest ethically and make sure we leave at least half the honey in the beehive for the bees. This way the bees don’t have to work too hard.”

5 health benefits of honey 1. Honey makes a healthy alternative to sugar.

Leung checks on his bees around once a week, without donning the kind of protective gear you usually associate with beekeepers. He says a lot of people think bees are likely to sting you, but he’s found them very friendly. They

2. Eating local honey can help fight seasonal allergies.

3. You can use it as a nutritional moisturising mask for skin and hair.

only sting if they are agitated or threatened.

4. Honey has anti-microbial properties, which is why you take it when you have a sore throat.

In Hong Kong the advantageous climate means that you

5. It is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antiseptic, helping wounds heal more quickly.

can harvest your honey all year long. HK Honey can teach you how, and recommends you harvest once a season.

So far six intrepid Hong Kongers have set up beehives, and are already harvesting their own honey. “We’re pleased that these people have an awareness of how valuable bees are, and want to produce and promote local and natural honey with a low carbon footprint,” says Leung.

How to make your own honey

Where to find HK Honey’s honey and candles • Kapok Café is the place to try HK Honey produced foods and drinks. Check out their store in Sun Street, Wanchai. Visit www.ka-pok.com.

• HK Honey is also available at the concept store Konzepp, on Sheung Wan’s Sai Street. Visit www.konzepp.com.

First of all get in touch with someone from HK Honey – they can advise you on the best place to set up your hive.

Buy a hive kit from HK Honey and they will set it up on your roof, balcony or in your garden. The kit includes 9,999 worker bees and one queen bee, a hive, a scraper to clean the hive, and a booklet of information. Wait for a month. This allows the bees time to settle into their new location.

Then start checking on your bees once a week or fortnight.

Whenever opening the hive move slowly and calmly, so as not to overly disturb or threaten the bees.

Harvest your honey four times a year, or more if your bees are particularly productive. Open the hive, and carefully pick out one of the frames, allowing the bees to fly off. Then cut the comb from the frame. HK Honey can show you how to do this the first time, and how to strain the honey from the comb.

Local bee farms In Sha Tin at the Wing Wo Bee Farm, owned by Mr Yip, the bees produce a fragrant honey with a particular lychee and longan taste, which is flavoured by the plants nearby. The environmentally friendly jars of honey on sale around Hong Kong from Wing Wo come in a glass with a wax lid. When you’ve finished the honey you can drink out of the glass and use the lid as a nifty candle. The wax is pure burning, producing a clean white smoke and releasing a delightful aroma of beeswax and honey.

Ngau Tau Kok Urban Bee Farm is the first location HK Honey turned into a home for hives. A former industrial district and non-residential area, it was a risky site to choose. “But within three days our Chinese bees started bringing back urban honey and flower pollen,” says Leung. “If they were able to thrive in Ngau Tau Kok, we were confident they could live anywhere in Hong Kong.”

You can also harvest waste beeswax from your hive.

October 2011

39

TECHTREND

savvy researching Paula Lepore Burrough gets us up to speed with the smartest search engines online

Y

ou've probably heard that in today's world, whether in school or on the job, ‘21st-century skills’ are extremely important. But what exactly are 21st Century skills? They are knowledge of tools that are required in a world that has been transformed by technological advances. It is important that academics and business people learn how to use the latest online tools and/ or computer programmes in order to be innovative.

Perhaps the most important of these skills is research – to look up, find and use information quickly and efficiently. Google’s Advanced Search is leading the way and now, we can go beyond the basic search engines with a host of new tools that help us become more savvy.

40

SweetSearch

Wolfram Alpha

Social Bookmarking Sites

Library E-Access

It’s exactly that, a ‘sweet’ search engine for research.

Using a general search engine will access everything on the web related to your keywords.

SweetSearch will only find and summarise credible information that has been approved by research experts. Via the search engine's main page, there are links to SweetSearch Biographies and Social Studies. Some of the added pluses with the use of SweetSearch are its ability to easily send research to Google Docs and automatically create a bibliography with EasyBib. SweetSearch is a guaranteed hit. It is quick and credible.

This is not a basic search engine that trawls the web to find information for you related to keywords you typed. Wolfram Alpha computes exact answers for you based on what question you typed, using its built-in collection of knowledge that has been managed by experts. To quote from the site, “Wolfram Alpha can be used to access the world’s data: to compute the size of a tracheal tube for a fiveyear-old, to get nutritional information, to solve a mathematical equation, and more.” The computations are displayed in easy-tounderstand formats such as tables, graphs, stepby-step calculations and evocative images.

Note that users of Social Bookmarking sites bookmark websites and/ or articles because they have found them to be of value.

Social sites provide stats on how many times the URL has been bookmarked by other users. Another benefit, once a user, you can add other users to your network and follow their public bookmarks.

Following users who are experts in their field of study is a great way to keep in the know. Individuals can use the same unique tag name to bookmark useful websites and links for a topic, then search for that unique tag to view what their peers have been bookmarking.

Hong Kong library card holders can use myriad electronic resources, ranging from encyclopedias to sports medicine journals – all via the internet. These resources are sourced by AccessScience, Classic Collection of Ancient China, Naxo Music Library, Biography in Context, Ebrary Academic Complete and more. You’ll find the full list through the public library’s main page via the link, E-resources via the Web. Open Library http://openlibrary.org is also worth exploring. There are over 1,000,000 e-book titles to search by subject, title, author, publisher or ISBN number and, interestingly, context by person or place.

October 2011

FINANCIAL PLANNING ASK THE EXPERT….

Who am I? KayeKaye Khemlani at your service, a native English speaker with strong presence in Discovery Bay.

My thoughts: Welcome back DB Residents and Hong Kong locals, the holidays are now over and at last I am finally changing my ad so hopefully someone will notice.

Well what can I say about insurance that I haven’t already mentioned before? Obviously, we all need it and should have certain kinds, especially medical, saving, life and home owners, otherwise my placing the ads here has been a waste of time.

I do encourage all of you to take the time, (really it’s time well spent), to go over your collection of policies and ask yourself, “Is this enough or too much or just right?”

I would be more than happy to sit down with you at no cost and go over your existing coverage, just give me a ring on an email.

Your questions: It’s time to return to old fashioned, traditional, life and savings products with guaranteed returns; medical and critical illness products to protect against a heart attack when you look at your investment portfolio. Our multinational company has plenty of such products. I can be your one-stop insurance broker.

My offer: I can do a comparison shop for you, to check if you have the right product at the right price…Free of charge.

CONTACT ME ANYTIME

9811 1554 Kailash_k3@hotmail.com kishus@i-cable.com Watch out for next month’s column with more useful tips!

ESCAPES

irish

odyssey Photo courtesy of www.gaa.hk

Mary Singer takes a timely tour of the Emerald Isle, as Around DB reports on the upcoming Asian Gaelic Games

42

DB resident Damien Barry

October 2011

ESCAPES

G

aelic football may not be as widely appreciated

Top tourist attractions include Dublin Castle, which started

as Guinness but it’s only a matter of time,

off as a Viking fortress but is now often described as an

according to JJ Neville, Vice Chairman of the

‘Irish stew’ of architectural styles, from medieval to modern.

Hong Kong Gaelic Football Association (GAA).

Then there’s O’Connell Street and the General Post Office,

Irish-born JJ, who has lived in DB for 13 years, is preparing

where the famed Easter Rising – the rebellion led by Irish

now for the sport’s final key tournament of the year, the

republicans in 1916 – took place. At Dublin University’s

Asian Gaelic Games in Seoul, South Korea, October 14-16.

Trinity College library, you can find another popular highlight, The Book of Kells, a 12-centuries-old illustrated

“This will be my fifteenth Asian Games, I missed the first

manuscript of the four gospels of Christian scripture.

one as I wasn't in Asia at the time”, he says. “What’s great about it is that it’s a competition of contrasts. On

Dublin’s Temple Bar district is, given the happening

the one hand it’s the camaraderie generated over the

nature of the city, also a top attraction. And judging by the

years, the craic off the field of play, on the other hand it’s

reception you receive when you enter any of the area’s

the chance to play the game at its most intense level, at

numerous pubs, the locals are genuinely happy to see

least in Asia.

you. The Guinness former brewery /now storehouse, by St James Gate, has a museum offering exhibitions and tours,

“Gaelic football at its highest level is an amateur sport and

as well as a bar where you can enjoy fabulous views of

it doesn't have the negativity that is present in professional

the city. As you near the place, you can actually smell the

sports,” JJ adds. “I love the speed the game is played at,

Guinness in the air.

the broad-based skill and the teamwork.”

Since Dublin is also a city steeped in literature, literary Three men's teams and two women's teams are headed

pub tours are a unique activity. It is easy to spot the small

to Seoul this year from Hong Kong, with four players

groups of tourists being shown around the city centre by

harking from Discovery Bay. We wish them heaps of that

talented thespians offering backstory and quoting from the

famous Irish luck.

works of Irish greats such as Wilde, Beckett, Shaw and of course James Joyce. A common stop on the literary pub-

Jewel of the Liffey

crawl circuit is the street (and the bar) where it is alleged Joyce’s Leopold Bloom, of Ulysses fame, spent some of his

One guaranteed way to make yourself feel lucky is to spend

famously chronicled day.

some time on the Emerald Isle which – forgive the cliché – really does live up to its name.

From Belfast to Sligo

First stop, Dublin, on the Irish Sea and the River Liffey.

After drinking in your fill of Dublin, drive north to Belfast,

Founded about 12 centuries ago by Norse Vikings, it was

capital of Northern Ireland and part of the United Kingdom.

at one time the fifth-largest city in Europe. These days the

Although both capital cities are university towns and just a

southern Irish capital has a population of 1.2 million and has

two-hour drive apart, there is a bit of a contrast.

been ranked among the top 30 cities in the world to live in.

Current economics notwithstanding, it is one of the hippest

Belfast, a British shipbuilding mecca in the early-to-mid 20th

city destinations in Europe, filled with parks, museums,

century, is one-third the size of its southern counterpart,

galleries and cathedrals.

and the cost of living is markedly lower. In Belfast, it is

October 2011



43

ESCAPES

not unusual to see murals on walls

The town of Tralee is the gateway to

reminding us that Irish conflict is

the Dingle Peninsula and the famed

ongoing. (Back in Dublin one would

Ring of Kerry, but for many it is the

think there was no problem.) These

Beara Peninsula that is the most

murals have themselves become

picturesque. In this, the wildest and

part of the tourist trail and a Belfast

most westerly part of Ireland, you

mural tour is well worth doing.

will find the scenery and way of life seemingly impervious to change, and

Straight north of Belfast, on the County

Antrim

coastline

is

A nice, warm pint of Ireland’s biggest export

that Gaelic is still spoken.

the

Cork and Cashel

Giant’s Causeway, an area famous for its hexagonal basalt columns and a UNESCO World Heritage Site not

Around the corner to Cork, Ireland’s

to be missed.

second-largest city, and an eightkilometre drive to Blarney of Blarney

As you cut across to the northwest

Castle fame. The term ‘kissing the

coast, you pass a concrete and

blarney stone’ is a reference to

wire bunker-like unpatrolled border,

obtaining the gift of eloquence and

bringing

when in Blarney who can follow in

you

back

to

Southern

Ireland and soon to the town of Sligo, meaning ‘shelly place’ and home of

the footsteps of statesmen and

Dublin’s fair city on the River Liffey

celebrities and do it for real. You

Westlife (a bonus if Irish boy bands

pay to enter the castle and climb

are to your liking).

to the top of the tower, then you wait in line to take your turn. The Photo by Mary Singer

Along the Atlantic coast From Sligo, head south to Galway, on the Atlantic coast, where the sleepy town of Salthills is a fine spot to walk the promenade and watch the sun go down over Galway Bay. And if that isn’t enough to inspire the singer in

Mary kissing the blarney stone at Blarney Castle

act involves stepping down into a stairway of sorts as two local people steady you, then tip you backwards, so that you can kiss a small stone set in the wall.

The town of Cashel is not far from here, and the famous ‘rock’ is an

you then follow the coast south to

impressive geophysical feature: a

the Cliffs of Moher, which reach their

largish outcrop with a castle set atop

maximum height of 214 metres just

it. As you circumvent the tiny town

north of O’Brian’s Tower.

beneath you can’t help but smile, that the famous Rock of Cashel is located

Keeping to the coast, you can cross

in a quiet neighbourhood, with not

the mouth of the Shannon River by

much else to boast about – except

way of the Killimer-Tarbert Ferry. On

of course Chez Hans. This excellent

the south side, quaintly traditional

restaurant-in-a-church, which won

white-washed

cluster

the Georgina Campbell Atmospheric

together – a sight that is for many the

Restaurant of the Year award in 2009,

cottages

quintessential image of rural Ireland.

44

October 2011

The famous Rock of Cashel

is a definite must try.



ESCAPES Last stop: Kilkenny, a large town on the road back to Dublin. It is typically pretty; leafy and green, boasting

The Asian Gaelic Games 2011

Lismore Castle, a former abode of Sir Walter Raleigh.

• Date: October 14-16.

Then, before you can say your limerick of choice you are

• Host: Seoul Gaels Club in Seoul, South Korea.

back in Dublin.

• The history: The Asian Gaelic Games are now in their sixteenth year. The first record of Gaelic football appeared in the Statutes of Galway in 1527, and the earliest reported match took place at Slane, County Meath, in 1712.

• The game: Gaelic football in its full form is played by two teams of 15 on a pitch about 137 metres long and 87 metres wide, and the goalposts are the same as for rugby but with a slightly lower crossbar. In Asia teams play nine a side. Either way, the aim of the game is to manoeuvre the ball (round and slightly smaller than a soccer ball) by hand/ fist/ foot over the crossbar for one point, or under the crossbar and into the net for three points.

• The tournament: Mens, ladies and juvenile teams compete from across the region in football and hurling.

• The favourites: Last year’s winners Dubai.

• The Hong Kong team: Having won the main men's and women's competition more times than any other side, Hong Kong is the most successful team in the history of the games.

The GAA’s last win was in 2009, the end of a four-in-a-row in the men's competition. Visit www.gaa.hk.com.

DB resident JJ Neville

Source: www.asiancountyboard.com.

Sahaja Yoga Hong Kong Presents!

“Music of Joy” – renown Australian world music group has entertained audiences worldwide for over 20 years with their infectious joyful and relaxing music. Their performance music draws on many sources from both Eastern and Western cultures. Through music, they share profound joy that relates to the spirit deep within the human heart and will include a meditation that the music will inspire.

October 8, 2011 - 7:00 to 9:00 pm Address: Academic Community Hall Baptist University, 224 Waterloo Road

FREE ADMISSION Reservation: 5180 8808 or 6335 5881 http://goo.gl/5w6H6 www.sahajayoga.org.hk This program is presented under the Rental Subsidy Scheme of the Academic Community Hall

ACTION

because

it’s there Photos by Catharine Nicol

Inspiring, uplifting and energising, climbing a mountain to arrive in the glow of a spectacular sunrise brings together the best in bracing exercise and Mother Nature.

Catharine Nicol scales some surprisingly accessible Asian peaks

The mesmerising snow-capped peak of Mount Fuji, Japan

48

October 2011

ACTION

T

here are more than 400 mountains in the world

Climbing Fuji-san is a must do for both Japanese and

over 7,000-metres high and they are all in Asia.

tourists, and the most accessible starting place is

Containing the great peaks of the Himalayas,

Kawaguchiko 5th Station, from which the climb should take

Karakoram, Tien Shan and the Pamir, Asia can

from five to seven hours along the Yoshida Trail. While all the

boast the most exciting climbing in the world and climbing

trails are suitable for all climbers irrespective of experience

among them is a calling few can ignore.

during July and August, the Fujinomiya 5th Station is the closest to the summit, leaving only four to seven hours of

But you don’t have to be a die-hard rock climber or even

effort to get to the peak.

an experienced mountaineer to get out there and scale some of Asia’s most dramatically beautiful peaks. Given

Hard-core climbers start late at night, timing their arrival to

a certain degree of fitness (and thirst for adventure), the

coincide with the 4.30-5am sunrise. To make more of an

whole family can experience the thrill of a climb, and

occasion of it, start the day before, stay the night at one

maybe even walk their way into the clouds.

of the numerous huts between the 7th and 8th stations, and peel yourself out of bed in the small hours for the final

Mount Fuji, Japan Local name Fuji-san Height 3,776 metres

climb. For an express, crowd-beating descent, you can

It’s impossible to think of Japan without conjuring up

Mount Kinabalu, Borneo, Malaysia Local name Gunung Kinabalu Height 4,095 metres

the image of Mount Fuji’s beautiful snow-capped cone.

Japan’s quintessential icon, Fuji-san, is one of the country’s

run or even bike down the volcanic scree on Mount Fuji’s southern face in as little as 45 minutes.

three holy mountains. Ancient cultural laws forbid access to women until the Meiji era, dating from 1868-1912 (but

A World Heritage Site, Kinabalu National Park’s Mount

we’ve been making up for it since).

Kinabalu rises up above the clouds to Low’s Peak, and in fact is rising 5 millimetres more each year as the

An anonymous monk holds the ‘first to reach the

mountain grows. Reach the summit in time and you’ll

peak’ title in 663, well before the live volcano’s latest

be treated to a magical sunrise, gradually lighting up

eruption in 1707. While he wouldn’t have had to contend

various parts of the mountain, bathing you in a glow of

with today’s crowds, history doesn’t relate what that

light that’s mesmerising. The combination of the effort to

century’s solution for altitude sickness was. Perhaps

get there and the visual reward makes for a powerfully

simply prayer.

spiritual experience.



October 2011



49

ACTION

The walk, during which you’ll stay overnight at Laban Rata’s huts, takes you through one of the world’s most significant biological sites, which interestingly traces back to Himalayan, Australasian and Indomalayan origins.

There are hundreds of birds and mammals and thousands of plant species to spot, most notably the Orangutan, the Rafflesia plant and scurries of squirrels.

Climbers are required to hire an accredited guide, and can start at the Timpohon Gate or Mesilau Nature Resort (which adds an extra two kilometres to the ascent). Arrive at Timpohon Gate before 11am to get straight onto the peak (or you will be required to spend the night and start your trek the next day). You need to have booked your

Walking through rainforest, Mount Kinabalu

bunk at Laban Rata in advance – it’s basic, the cold and altitude keeping you awake most of the night, but it’s still painful to get up at 2am to start the final climb. Ropes and wooden ladders help you over crevasses and up smooth

Mount Agung, Bali, Indonesia Local name Gunung Agung Height 3,142 metres

rock face, and by the time you’re nearly at the peak the thin air makes every step exhausting.

One of a chain of volcanoes on Bali, Gunung Agung is the island’s highest peak, legendarily created from a fragment

Reaching the summit of Gunung Kinabalu is an

of Mount Meru, the mythical central axis of the universe,

experience that’s truly hard to beat but it’s definitely not

by Hindu God Pashupati. Its most recent (and devastating)

a climb for beginners.

eruption, in 1963, is believed by the Balinese to have been retribution from the gods because the wrong date was chosen for the purification ritual Eka Dasa Rudra, performed every 100 years. On its southern slopes sits

Daredevil DB climbers Miyuki Lynn with her husband Kurt and the kids, Kimmi and Taiki

the Mother Temple of Besakih, the largest and holiest temple of Agama Hindu Dharma in Bali, which miraculously escaped the lava flow, and is well worth a visit if you have time.

Not only is Gunung Agung a mystical mountain, but the views from the top are literally breathtaking. Looking out over the live crater, you take in the island’s lush, green west, and the barren east.

This peak isn’t one for the unfit. The easiest ascent takes you from Pura Pasar Agung temple through scenic rice terraces and forest before hitting the more technical rock and ash scree. Three to four hours later you’ll reach the end of this particular track, 100 metres below the summit but with spectacular views. From Duku Bujangga Sakti, the climb is a little easier but requires an overnight camp, reaching the summit for sunrise, and a walk around the rim of the crater.

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October 2011



ACTION

“I did Kota Kinabalu as part of the SkyRunners World Series Circuit. It was the first race I ever did in my life – my husband signed me up for it! It was freezing – so cold my sweat actually froze – and foggy, a lot of people turned back. The scenery was beautiful, lovely waterfalls and flowers, but it was very hard walking especially at the top. I did it in six-and-a-half hours – up and down. Kurt did it the next day in four-and-a-half hours and the winner apparently took around three-and-a-half hours.

Climbers circumvent the summit, Mount Kinabalu

“Why do we love climbing? ‘Because it’s there!’ We love the feeling of accomplishing something – getting to the

Climbs recommended for only the experienced start close

summit. When you climb up and look around, you’ve really

to the Besakih temple (the ascent taking six to seven

done something!”

hours) and from Pura Pasa Agung temple but following a different route. It is essential in any case to hire a guide.

3 do-able climbs within easy reach of DB DB’s climbers You know you’ve got some hard-core climbers on your hands when they arrange their honeymoon around summiting Kilimanjaro. DB residents Miyuki Lynn and her husband Kurt have climbed Mount Agung, Mount Fuji and Mount Kinabalu, which they’d like to take their seven-yearold son Taiki and five-year-old daughter Kimmi to do soon.

The next peak in their sights is Everest Base Camp.

Miyuki Lynn talks to Around DB about walking (and running) her way to the top: “We climbed Mount Fuji during the day – because we wanted to climb somewhere! But it isn’t really challenging. We did the most popular route, zigzagging all the way up to the top, where there’s a little shrine and a noodle shack. You can walk around the crater, which takes about an hour. It’s a great walk for families and older people. It’s very organised with oxygen bottles to buy if you have altitude sickness and clean toilets. For the Japanese it’s a big thing – everyone wants to climb Mount Fuji once in their lifetime.

1. Mount Fuji, Japan • When to go – the official climbing season is in July and August as there’s little snow, however crowds can turn the track into a tourist jam. Experienced hikers can consider June or September.

• How to get there – buses run from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo to Kawaguchiko Station taking around two hours, or from Tokyo Station taking three hours.

Alternatively take the JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku Station to Otsuki, then the Fujikyu Railway Line to Kawaguchiko Station for a two-and-a-half hour trip. From Kawaguchiko Station a 50-minute bus journey takes you to Mount Fuji’s 5th Station.

2. Mount Kinabalu, Borneo, Malaysia • When to go – the most popular time is January to April to avoid the rain, but there is a certain element of luck in terms of getting the clear morning you need for the most spectacular sunrise.

• How to get there – it takes two to four hours to travel from Kota Kinabalu to Kinabalu National Park by public or tourist bus, tour guide, private or shared taxi.

3. Mount Agung, Bali, Indonesia

“Mount Agung was a challenge! We started from the Besakih temple at about 1am, where our guide showed us how to make an offering and a prayer, because it is a sacred mountain for the Indonesians. It was night, so we couldn’t really see much, and towards the top we were climbing on our hands and knees. Although we missed the actual sunrise, it was absolutely beautiful at the top.

There’s no lookout but the views are so green.

52

October 2011

• When to go – the best time to climb Mount Agung is during the dry season, between April and October.

Check to see when annual religious ceremonies are taking place, as the mountain will be off limits.

• How to get there – it is easiest to get a taxi to one of the starting temples; your hotel or villa concierge will be able to help.

STYLE

reduce, reuse, Investigating our local options, Elizabeth Kerr finds that being stylish and trendy finally equates with doing the right thing

E

very generation of consumers has its share of

The home interiors industry has responded to these

marketing buzzwords to sift through, and for

shifting attitudes, though ethical shopping can still be

the early 21st-century shopper, it’s all about fair

fraught with confusion. The Fairtrade Council has been

trade, organic, green and sustainable.

beset by criticisms that its trade is decidedly unfair, but ultimately it’s better than nothing. As it stands, no unifying

The de facto turning point in the consumer mind arrived in

standards or consensus governs eco-furniture according

the mid-1990s. When sneaker behemoth Nike was outed

to the US-based non-profit Sustainable Furnishings

for its Asian sweatshops, the tide started to turn. Since

Council. But many manufacturers and retailers are making

then, increasing numbers of consumers have taken the

a green effort regardless.

time to make a habit of reading the labels in their clothing and on their coffee. Whether due to knee-jerk liberalism

Internationally sound – Ikea

or simply those who ‘can’ doing the right thing, attitudes have shifted.

54

October 2011

One of the world’s biggest retailers, Ikea, is best known

STYLE

re-decorate Recycled wood and all-natural hemp furnishings from Jenny Newton

for its frustrating and sweat-inducing DIY furnishings. But

of sustainability, more and more retailers are sourcing and

those so-called flat packs that become your dining table

building eco-conscious products.

keep prices down and reduce the amount of carbon going into the atmosphere. Notably, Ikea can ship six times as

Eco-interiors – Hong Kong

much product as fully constructed furniture in its trucks. As of 2008, the 27 billion euro company sourced its wood from

One of the SAR’s oldest upmarket interiors stores is Indigo,

sustainable forests (even as it reduced the volume of wood

and its autumn Oak Shadow Collection fits the eco-aware

used), was actively using renewable energy where possible

bill. Though the furniture is indeed made from oak, the

and eliminated plastic bags from its American outlets.

wood is sourced from renewable, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) forests and manufactured using techniques

Ikea has deep pockets and global reach, but it’s certainly

that minimise energy consumption and waste. With price

not alone in its attempts to reduce its carbon footprint.

points beginning at just under HK$3,000, the line is proof

Here in Hong Kong, a city by no means at the cutting-edge

that not all green homeware needs to be egregiously costly.

October 2011



55

STYLE new outdoor loungers, coming soon to Hong Kong, substitute hemp for traditional mortar. “I incorporate hemp into much of my interiors,” she says, “and I am bringing this now to Hong Kong.

It really is a wonderful substitute to concrete. Not only is it far more eco-friendly but it has a great warmth which only natural materials possess.”

If you’re looking for something strong, stylish, comfortable and responsible underfoot, try Eco Dream, by Belgian carpet manufacturer Louis de Poortere. Completely recyclable, biodegradable and made through a low-emissions process, Eco Dream’s carpets and rugs don’t off-gas, considered a contributor to indoor air pollution.

The old-fashioned Wilton loom manufacturing process also makes for a more durable product.

Options are commendable, but TREE is making eco its guiding philosophy, something that didn’t exist when the store was founded six years ago. That makes TREE a bit of a trailblazer, something that fills managing director Kate Babington with pride.

Recyclable, biodegradable carpet from Eco Dream

“Eco living has, in the last few years, become a popular trend and Hong Kong is definitely

But there’s more to home interiors than chairs and

catching up to other more environmentally

sofas. BRU Living is a spin-off of BRU Creative,

conscious countries but we believe TREE has

and its year-old Kowloon showroom is top-loaded

helped to put sustainable living prominently on

with sustainable accessories. Indian organic

the map [here],” Babington says. “We believe we

cotton and bamboo linens, natural Japanese

have set a powerful standard for providing not 

bath products and hand-blown artisan glassware dot the shelves – right beside BRU’s exclusive Burmese teak furniture, all manufactured at a green factory awaiting its FSC certification.

Jenny Newton is another designer dedicating

With price points beginning at just under HK$3,000, the Indigo line is proof that not all green homeware needs to be egregiously costly

considerable time and energy to sustainability.

Newton, a one-time Hong Kong resident currently based in Australia, incorporates recycled woods into her furniture lines, but she’s putting her faith in the future of hemp.

“Hemp has the potential to completely revolutionise the way we build. It is not only biodegradable as a building material but actually absorbs carbon,” Newton points out. The much-misperceived crop is durable and grows quickly, and it’s easily replenished, making it almost ideal for the eco-age. Newton’s

56

October 2011

Two-level coffee table, from Indigo’s (renewable) Oak Shadow Collection

STYLE

only sustainable home furnishing solutions but furniture solutions that carry messages, stories and uniqueness. We

Find it:

love to see that others are following our lead and picking up

BRU Living B1018 Miramar Shopping Centre, 132 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui www.bru.com.hk

on the importance of sustainable living.”

TREE’s Fissure dining table and Ova chairs, in recycled teak, at TREE

Signature

FSC-

Eco Dream 11 Duddell Street, Central www.depoorterelouis.com

approved teak furniture line is made from old boats, bridges, railway

Ikea B Park lane Hotel, 310 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay www.ikea.com/hk

cars … anything from which used wood can be recycled. An added

Indigo 6/F Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau www.indigo-living.com

novelty is that because of the disparate sources, each final piece is unique.

Jenny Newton 303 East Ocean Centre, 98 Granville Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East www.jennynewton.com.au

Above all, TREE claims to do its best to adhere to the higher standards of sustainable business. It supports the communities it operates in and

TREE 28/F Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau www.tree.com.hk

ensures it trades fairly with its suppliers and craftsmen.

Now if only something could be done with the buildings we live in.

SKAGERAK Frame Bowl Teak

BODUM FYRKAT BBQ charcoal grill Green or Orange

HK $860

HK $2,820

SKAGERAK Director’s Chair Teak with Texteline/Canvas HK $2,510

SKAGERAK Foldable Fionia Stool Teak HK $2,080

MARUNI Lightwood Chair

by Jasper Morrison HK $4,400

Italesse Vinocchio Decanter Black HK $1,500

SKAGERAK Triton 2 Tray Teak and Glass

Scandi Table Walnut Veneer HK $7,300

HK $980

SKAGERAK Plint 3 Teak and Ceramic HK $530

Ap Lei Chau Discovery Bay

16/F Horizon Plaza, Ap Lei Chau, HK G16 North Plaza, Discovery Bay, HK

T: 2517 2000 T: 2765 5700

E-mail: info@marcjamesdesign.com Website: www.marcjamesdesign.com

HOTSPOTS

What's

new

around

Hong

Kong

c o m p i l e d b y A n d re w D e m b i n a

Hot Ticket: Multimedia by Mix Master Pensive Performance

Male Order Fellas, you may or not have heard that the basement of The Landmark in Central has become something of a top-tier men’s clothing, accessories and pampering spot. One place to cocoon yourself for a while is in new barbershop and massage joint Gentlemen’s Tonic. This outpost of the award-winning modern British salon is Hong Kong’s first.

Gentlemen’s Tonic uses its own natural product range that was devised on the barbershop and treatment room floors in the UK, as well as two other high-end lines: Phyto from France for sensitive scalps, and Skinceuticals of the US for the complexion. All brands used are on sale. Its wet shave and hairstyling is a fresh take on an oldschool experience.

Call 2525 2455.

Photo credit: @UNC Chapel Hill

“This is one hour of your own life you will never forget,” said UK’s The Daily Mail. Private Peaceful shows from October 6-9 at the Drama Theatre at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. For tickets log onto www.hkticketing.com.

Photo credit: Scamp Theatre

Private Peaceful by writer and playwright Michael Morpurgo, produced

by Scamp Theatre from the UK, takes to the stage for a poignant few days this month. The play relives the life of Private Tommo Peaceful, a young First World War soldier awaiting the firing squad at dawn. During the night he looks back at his short but joyful past growing up in rural Devon – in the south of England. Inspiration for Private Peaceful came from Morpurgo’s visit to World War I battle sites in Ypres, Belgium, where he was shocked to discover how many young soldiers were court-martialled and shot for cowardice.

Combining a cutting-edge blend of film and live audio DJ-desk soundtrack, Rebirth of a Nation is as contemporary an arts event as it gets. Having wowed crowds at London’s Tate Modern, New York MoMa, Athens Acropolis and several other major international venues, catch it at the Hong Kong Arts Centre’s Shouson Theatre for its Asian premiere on October 15. The show comprises three screens and a DJ desk delivering surround-sound live audio and visual remixes of early Hollywood blockbuster The Birth of a Nation, made in 1915.

Manning the turntables and visual cuts is DJ Spooky, a Grammy Awardwinning electronic music pioneer from the US. On October 14, 7.30-9.30pm, at the Hong Kong Arts Centre’s Agnès B cinema, Spooky will hold a DJ workshop. For programme enquiries call 2582 0273; for tickets log onto www.urbtix.hk. 

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October 2011

HOTSPOTS

Drink to Lunch Award-winning Amber restaurant at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental is laying on a number of gastronomic events until the end of the year. Its Mischief and Mayhem Lunch is an interesting one-off food and wine pairing, held on October 22. France-based Mischief and Mayhem was created by Michael and Fiona Ragg, and Michael Twelftree, three friends with a passion for wine – Burgundy in particular.

Outstanding wines from vineyards around the Cote d’Or are paired with Amber’s menu which includes the likes of Dungeness crab salad with crème fraiche, creamy avocado, granny smith apple and cucumber; and corn-fed chicken breast, minced and wrapped in silver beet, with black truffle mousseline of Ratte potatoes. Premium wines will include Meursault Premier Cru Les Genevrieres 2005 and Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2005, awarded 95 and 93 points in Wine Spectator, respectively. The five-course epicurean lunch with five exceptional wines, served in the restaurant’s private wine room, is priced at HK$1,250 per person.

To find out more, call 2132 0066.

Booze News British bubbly? You’d better believe it.

Ridgeview Estate – a 45-minute drive from London – has quashed any disbelief that the country’s wine industry might grow beyond a curiosity aided by global warming. Family-run Ridgeview vineyards were founded in 1994 in the South Downs of England, on a site chosen for its similarities in terrain and climate to France’s Champagne region. The winemaker also produces still wine under its own label and for other clients.

One of its five varieties of fizz – Grosvenor, a very fresh blanc de blancs – won the Decanter World Wine Award 2010 trophy for the world’s best sparkling wine. Some of its wines were recently served at a meal hosted by Queen Elizabeth II for President Barack Obama. Grosvenor, along with two traditional Champagne-style blends are now available in Hong Kong retail, exclusively at Berry Bros & Rudd outlets (www.bbr.com.hk) – plus at a few bars and restaurants.

Family Escape While the weather is still warm enough to enjoy an outdoor pool, a family break in Macau comes pretty much selfcontained at the City of Dreams. Within its walls, those with kids will have plenty of diversions – though the large casino may tempt Mum or Dad to go for a stroll.

Stay at the Hard Rock Hotel (www.hardrockhotelmacau. com) – it’s more contemporary cool-looking than some of the brand’s previous properties, but is still laid-back with friendly staff, and its outdoor pool terrace has plenty of bright oversized inflated rings. For those with big budgets, its two Rock Star Suites, each have two bedrooms and a playroom – one with a ‘bucking bronco’ machine; the other with a video games room.

Right next door to the Hard Rock Hotel is Kids’ City – Macau’s largest children’s attraction – packed with games, slides and things to bounce on; and Dragon’s Treasure, an impressive surround-audio-visual show projected on a dome screen, is a few strides away. Also in City of Dreams is the entertaining and acrobatic House of Dancing Water show, in its own dedicated theatre. Preview these attractions at www.cityofdreamsmacau.com.

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October 2011

DBFACES

64

October 2011

COMPETITION

DBFACES

Great prizes from Uncle Russ!

A

B

C

Congratulations to last month’s winner Alison Chui who correctly identified picture A featured on page 32 of our September issue. Please contact our office on 2987 0577 to collect your prize.

W

e have a fun photo challenge for you this month. While the three pictures above appear the same, if you look closely you will find they are not exact replicas. Your challenge is to identify which of the three photos 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. The first person to send us the correct answer will win a complementary drink at Uncle Russ in DB Plaza every day for a week.

Email your answers to info@arounddb.com (subject line: Uncle Russ competition) or fax us at 2987 0533. Good luck!

CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS CONGRATULATIONS! Nailed It. Now open. Call 2987 2266 to book an appointment THANKS TO YOU. GirlEffectHK raised HK$1,025 for the Siem Reap School of Arts in Cambodia, by selling their handmade recyclable gift-wrapping bags.

See you at the flea market! Thanks to Bella for the additional support on the day! www.girleffecthk.blogspot.com

COMMUNITY DB ANGELS FOOTBALL CLUB

The first girls-only football club in DB. For more information, visit www.dbangelsfc.hk THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION (HK) is recruiting volunteers to conduct small discussion groups in English for adults.

Call 2186 8449, or visit www.esuhk.org CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT? DB Green, a local action group promoting public awareness & environmental education, is looking for new members to promote green-ness in DB. Visit www.dbgreen.org LA LECHE LEAGUE. For breastfeeding information & support.

English-speaking monthly meetings in DB & Tung Chung, plus new Cantonese meetings in DB. Visit www.lllhk.org/ Meetings.html for details VOLUNTEERS NEEDED by the Riding for the Disabled Association.

No experience necessary as training is provided. Visit www.rda.org.hk, or call Rose on 2875 7711

DOMESTIC HELPERS EDITA CEDORIA. Married, 10 years in Hong Kong with one employer.

Experienced in looking after young children, taking care of dogs & doing household chores. Please call 9182 9843 DOREEN MARIE SARCE. 7 years in Hong Kong. Finishing her contract on October 3. Honest & hardworking.

Please call 9301 5794 RHUDIEFIN FAUNILLO. graduated as an elementary school teacher. Took care of elderly employer for the last 14 months, with good references.

Experienced in taking care of children, & helping with their homework & Englishlanguage needs. Please call 6157 5410 BHEY RAMIREZ. Filipina, 42, with 15 years in Hong Kong.

Can do general household chores, child minding, dog & cat minding.

Cooks Western & Asian dishes.

Please call 6159 6247 JESSIE ALANZA. Filipino, 41 & married. Experienced with housekeeping, gardening, taking care of the elderly, children & dogs.

Cooks Asian food. Computer literate with Phil. & International driving licenses.

Responsible, patient, honest & hardworking. Call 9885 0342

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October 2011

NOEMI. 41, Filipina, 13 years in Hong Kong. Experienced carer of newborn babies & the elderly. Can cook Chinese & Western dishes, handle household work & also take care of dogs.

Please call 6993 4019 ANNA. 35, 8 years in Hong Kong.

Finishing contract on November 9. Good at taking care of children, cooking & all household chores.

Trustworthy, hardworking & polite.

Please contact 5440 9094 /6430 9480

EMPLOYMENT LICENSED ESTATE AGENTS (Full Time) & GENERAL INSURANCE ADMINISTRATORS (Part Time) We are looking for the following people for our new office in Discovery Bay: 1. Experienced, self motivated, licensed estate agents.

2. General Insurance Administrators Enthusiastic persons fluent in written & spoken English to provide administrative support for our general insurance business. Full training given. Both posts offer a good basic salary & commission.

Send brief details or CV to info@businessclassgroup.com EMPLOYMENT WANTED. Indian male, Hong Kong resident.

Old but energetic. Delivery person/ running errands (not for food/flowers).

Part-time or full-time. Available immediately. Call 9145 6731 AIRMED IS SEEKING highly motivated, exceptional nurses for critical care air ambulance transports on board our custom-designed aircraft.

2-5 years experience in a critical care setting is required.

ACLS, PALS, NRP provider status required. TNCC/ENPC or equivalent certification required.

Current unrestricted passport required.

Email resumes@airmed.com

FINANCE & INSURANCE AUSTRALIA-REGISTERED TAX AGENT

We specialise in tax return preparations, tax planning for Australian expatriates & private ruling for deductions. Holistic Business Consulting Pty Ltd Chartered Accountant. Call 6901 8136, email holisticbus@gmail.com

HEALTH & WELL-BEING

COUNSELLOR KAREN MILNE Australia-trained, professional, confidential counsellor for individuals, couples & adolescents. Located in Central. Suitable for anyone suffering with stress, relationship issues, depression, anxiety, loss, trauma or sexual abuse. If you need assistance in gaining some clarity, direction & empowerment in your life, contact Karen on 6773 5562, or clarityoflife@gmail.com

SUFFERING IN SILENCE? Help is available. Counsellor & coach in DB/ Admiralty. Stress. Depression. Anxiety Behaviour modification. Cultural adjustment. Relationship issues.

Assertiveness training. Effective communication. Psychosomatic symptoms. Sex therapy. CBT, NLP, Hypnotherapy & Counselling by qualified professionals. Sliding fee scale & some free sessions available.

Contact 6770 0241, www.pascalealine.com DIONYSOS - DB PLAZA. Anti-aging Collagen Light Therapy for reducing wrinkles and smoother skin.

Tanning booth also available. Call 2914 0868 / 9851 0254; info@dionysos.hk

HYPNOSIS &/OR SHORT-TERM THERAPY Quit smoking quickly.

Resolve: • Fear of flying/public speaking • Overeating • Couples conflicts • Career & command-training stress • Anger management • Phobias • Nail biting • Insomnia Dr Melanie Bryan, Psy.D. Clinical Psychologist & Hypnotherapist.

Post-divorce coaching at 2575 7707 www.mindmatters.hk ZEN MASSAGE. Professional therapist offering Swedish oil massage in DB Plaza or home visit (HK$300 per hour). Yoga & Zumba lessons also available.

Call 6382 4606 COMPLIMENTARY HEALTHCARE FOR ARTHRITIS, CANCER & PAIN. Using traditional Chinese medicine & mind power. Free consultation & assessment.

Call Annie 9654 0092 or email bms_bms@yahoo.com AROMATHERAPY. Shireen Calucin IFPA, IAAMA, NAHA. Hand-crafted products made with quality essential oils. No synthetics, parabens or animal fixatives. Essential oils. Natural Perfumes.

Skincare. Pet care. Cert & Diploma courses. Customised Workshops.

Contact shireen@earthgirlcreations.com, 9324 3868, www.earthgirlcreations.com

Looking for a place to stay?

Check out the short-term rentals advertised in Around DB

THE SKIN THERAPY CENTRE DB FULLY QUALIFIED BEAUTY THERAPIST

With over 16 years’ experience in the Beauty Industry. Trained in the UK • C.A.C.I. – the new CACI ultimate, incorp MICRO-DERMABRASION, L.E.D LIGHT THERAPY, to treat lines and wrinkles plus facial toning using microcurrent exclusive to C.A.C.I • FACIALS - Nobel prize winning SKEYNDOR stem plant system cell facials & homecare DERMATOLOGICA products & Dr Murad VIT C, Glycolic peels, Anti-aging treatments • GUINOT - YDRADERMIE with Lifting Plus treatment • AROMATHERAPY - using 100% certified organic oils • BODY MASSAGE / BODY SCRUBS/ WRAPS for slimming / detoxifying • REFLEXOLOGY • WAXING & EYE LASH TINTING, using top quality/best products Also available: COLOUR ME BEAUTIFUL make-over & COLOUR ANALYSIS • GIFT VOUCHERS Please call Gillian on 9604 6920 or 2987 0764

HOME & REPAIRS

BIOCYCLE (HK) LTD

Safe & Ecological Pest & Termite Management. ISO14001 & ISO9001 Certified. Unique biocide, BioKill®, ‘Poison’ label exemption.

Call 3575 2575; info@biocycle.hk, or view online at www.biocycle.hk

EXPERT-TRANSPORT & RELOCATIONS MOVER

For local & international moves.

Collection, storage & disposal.

All sorts of handyman work: House painting & tiling, installation of TV, pictures, fans, storage.

All-in-one professional service at attractive rates. Call 2566 4799, or visit www.expertmover.hk

FTC LOGISTICS

Local & international movers • Packing, moving, storage • Handyman services • Home-repair services • Inbound shipment clearance DB moves: one call does it all.

Call 2814 1658, or visit www.ftc.hk

AKASH MOVERS

For all your moving needs.

Provide packing materials, full packing & moving services.

Small deliveries & handyman services.

Also doing Lantau Island moves.

Payment upon complete satisfaction.

Best move - Best rates Contact 2421 8088, www.akash.hk

PURE PAINTING. Residential & commercial paint specialist.

For a free quotation, kindly call Peter on 9831 6051 FURNITURE MOVERS. For home & office. Can also hang artwork. Services are friendly and reasonably priced.

Please call 6139 5245

DB HANDYMAN SERVICE & MOVERS. Install air conditioning/ Cleaning / Office moves/ Carpentry/ Ceramic tiles/ Flooring/ Decks/ Electrical/ Fences/ Install & repair appliances/ Painting/ Wall covering/ Dry wall & plaster/ General home maintenance/ Plumbing/ Shelving & storage/ Hanging paintings, blinds & artwork/ Indoor & outdoor furniture restoration/ Lock replacements/ Demolition & disposal. Please contact us we will take care of all your handyman needs. Mike 9606 2047 rdelgodr@yahoo.com RICK DB HANDYMAN. We are fast, friendly, professional & reliable. Specialised in assembling & installing fixtures; painting, wall covering, dry wall plastering ; air-conditioner cleaning & installation. We hang curtains, pictures, mirrors, LCD TVs, ceiling fans.

Door lock replacement & repair work.

Electrical & plumbing work. Demolition & disposal. Tile & cement work.

Install Ikea furniture. Fridge & washing machine repair. House maintenance & moving. Contact 6064 6906/ 9402 2790; rickyhandyman@gmail.com for a free quotation SIX HANDYMAN SERVICES. Solid woodwork/ Indoor & outdoor furniture repairs/ Furniture polishing/ Picture hanging. All types of stitching: Indian/ Pakistani suits for ladies, Kurta, pajamas, shirts & dresses. Any kind of alterations: curtains, bed sheets, pillow cases, quilt covers. Better Quality Service/ Attractive Rates/ Complete Satisfaction. Call Peter 9674 7531 or Farnaz 6681 9520.

Email perfecthandyman@ymail.com

CLASSIFIEDS MIDGET GEMS KID’S CLUB

Established playgroup for children from 2-4 years. Morning sessions with afternoons coming soon.

A wonderful environment where children learn through play with our qualified and experienced teachers.

Bilingual Gems, German & Mandarin - afternoon sessions.

Please call 2987 0272, info@midgetgemskidsclub.com, www.midgetgemskidsclub.com

MIDGET GEMS HALLOWEEN CAMP

Creepy crawlies and ghoulish fun.

9-2 am each day. October 17-21.

3-6 year olds. Hurry places go quickly! Please call Koren 9176 2990

MIDGET GEMS KID’S CLUB ROOM RENTAL Have an idea for a children's business? Available for rental, afternoon time slots.

Please call Koren 9176 2990

EARLY ADVENTURES PARTY TIME

Need a venue for a party? Ideal playgroup environment with toys & activities. For further information, please call 9511 2107

KIDS MOUNTAINVIEW MONTESSORI

The Montessori method nurtures every child's natural curiosity for learning. Ignites creativity & builds self-worth.

For children 33 months to 6 years. mountainview_montessori@hotmail.com

GEMS OCCASIONS

Looking for that perfect party venue for your little gem? A colourful, safe & fun environment with toys & dress-up clothes. We have an entertainer upon request. We also tidy up!

Please contact 9176 2990, info@midgetgemskidsclub.com, www.midgetgemskidsclub.com

October 2011

69

CLASSIFIEDS EARLY ADVENTURES PLAYGROUP

A dedicated playgroup with the emphasis on learning through play.

Activities to stimulate all areas of development. Come and look at our facilities. Classes from 20 months to 4 years.

Morning and afternoon sessions.

For more information contact 9511 2107. www.earlyadventures.net

DELUXE SERVICED APARTMENTS FOR LEASE, DB

Fully furnished 1-2-bedroom apartments with beautiful decor, Wi-Fi, Broadband TV, well-equipped kitchen, luxurious bedding, weekly cleaning service.

Contact Warren on 2987 2626 or warren@appletravel.com

DB FLAT SHORT-TERM RENTAL

PETS DB DOG DAY. Need a place for your dog to stay while you are on holiday? Try this loving home environment, now in larger premises in Sai Kung. Contact Andrew on 9284 1491, andrew@dbdogdayz. com, or visit www.dbdogdayz.com PAWS GO POSH. Professional dog grooming & 5-star pampering for your canine friend. Reasonable rates & loyalty programme. Demand the best. Contact Julie on 9365 7584, faseyj@yahoo.com GROOMING & DOG SERVICES. Patient, caring & loving, Japanese & English speaking. Welcome Graduate of Petco Grooming School & Tokyo Pet Business School.

Please contact Peter Tse 9360 3048, www.petcoDB.com

QUOQUO DOG CLUB DOG SERVICES

Grooming, boarding & behaviour classes.

Responsible, patient & detail-conscious in a hygienic & relaxed environment.

Call Dave Chan, Associate Member of The Animal Care College, Berkshire, UK, on 9872 5439, or visit www.quoquoclub.com

Classifieds booking:

2987 0577

70

PROPERTY DB

October 2011

Fully furnished 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom flat in Jovial Court.

Linen & fluffy towels provided, baby items available. LCD TV, DVD, Wi-Fi, telephone, washer & dryer.

Fabulous views. Non-smoking flat.

Contact 6905 3765 evenings & weekends or email jovialflat@gmail.com

LUXURIOUS 1-BEDROOM DB APARTMENT

Newly renovated, high floor. Fully equipped open kitchen with bar.

Filtered drinking water included.

Flat screen TV, Broadband TV, stereo/DVD, free Wi-Fi, Split-type aircons. Bedding & towels provided.

Weekly cleaning available.

Contact dbaygreenish@gmail.com

SHORT-TERM RENTAL DB. Bright, fully furnished 2-bed flat.

Fully equipped kitchen, internet access, Broadband, towels & linen.

Email dbstay4@yahoo.com 2-BED DB APARTMENT FOR RENT. In Greenmont Court, nicely & fully furnished. Call 9108 5525 1-BED FULLY FURNISHED FLAT DB. High floor with sea view. Close to pier & Plaza. Call Tiareti on 9732 8985 GREENDALE COURT RENTAL DB. Brand-new, fully furnished apartment.

Deluxe renovation, high floor, mountain view, 1 bedroom (533 sq-ft).

Call 9108 5525

SHORT-TERM DB RENTAL Fully furnished, nicely renovated studio flat with balcony, near Plaza & pier. Sleeps up to 4.

Broadband TV, free Wi-Fi, local calls, washer & dryer.

Towels & linen provided.

Contact 9190 7348 or niceroom_db@yahoo.com.hk

NEW SHORT- OR LONG-TERM DB RENTAL

Greenery Court, 1-bedroom flat with deluxe renovation.

Modern & fully furnished with internet & 37-inch LCD TV & DVD. Contact Sandy on 9654 8862, or sandylamdb@yahoo.com.hk

SHORT-TERM LET, DB PENTHOUSES

From HK$700 per night. 2 bedrooms, 3 bedrooms & studios all with balcony. Luxuriously furnished, with DVD, cable & Broadband TV. Panoramic harbour views & short walk to pier.

Contact Brian on 9098 6951, or brian@headlandhomes.hk

NICE SHORT-TERM DB RENTAL

Newly renovated studio flat with open kitchen, 5 minutes to pier.

Fully furnished, Cable TV & Broadband service.

Contact 2987 2468, or dbshortlet@yahoo.com.hk

PROPERTY OVERSEAS

SPANISH VILLA FOR SALE

(20 mins from Valencia airport).

4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms.

Large living room/dining room & kitchen plus garage.

Mature terrace gardens with Romanstyle pool. Large paved area to an outside kitchen.

(Good holiday rentals).

240,000 euros.

For more details/& photos, snr.cranmer@gmail.com

PHUKET LAGUNA LINKS

TOWNHOUSE. 3-bedroom, 2,200 sqft, on golf course.

Sale (HK$5.5M) or holiday rental.

PHUKET LAGUNA VILLAGE VILLA

4-bedroom, 3,200 sqft, big garden facing lagoon.

Sale (HK$7.5M) or holiday rental Both properties are fully furnished with pools & have shuttle to beach.

Contact kasumico.laguna@gmail.com

AUSTRALIA

Everything you need to know about buying a property in Australia.

Information on property markets, taxation, finance, migration & legal.

Free online at www.aussieproperty.com PHUKET HOUSE FOR RENT. Family friendly, 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom townhouse with communal pool.

Conveniently located for beach, horse riding, restaurants, shops & golf courses.

For more details & availability, contact kimanderson@netvigator.com FOR RENT, PHUKET VILLA. Located adjacent to Laguna Resort & Golf Club. 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, private pool. For more details & availability, contact 9050 4772 or email atsea@netvigator.com PHUKET VILLA FOR RENT. 4-bedroom villa (sleeps 8) with private pool, 5 minutes drive from Bang Tao Beach and Laguna Resort.

For more details & availability visit www.villabonitaphuket.com, or email vivmccreadie@hotmail.com

RETAILS FRESHLY ROASTED COFFEE BEANS DELIVERY. Roast today! Send to you tomorrow! Kitamura Coffee Company, www.kitamuracoffee.com. For enquiries & orders, contact Ms Kitamura on 8200 3480, sales@kitamuracoffee.com

CITI MART

Premium Indian groceries & spices.

Free delivery to DB, Lantau& Tung Chung.9C Hei Ling Pei, Tung Chung.

Call 2988 1994 / 2988 1774.

View at www.citimart.hk or email sales@citimart.hk

SERVICES & OTHERS PARTY PLANNERS. We understand how important a really memorable party is! Looking to plan a cocktail party, children’s party, baby shower, anniversary, hen or bachelor night or a themed party? We will organise the venue, decoration, catering, entertainment, florist, invitations, filming & photography. Contact us now for a free consultation at 2815 7919, info@entertainingasia.com, www. entertainingasia.com

PARTY ENTERTAINMENT

We provide professional entertainers.

• Character Actors • Clowns • DJs • Magicians • Musicians & Bands For Birthdays, anniversaries & themed parties.

Contact 2110 0014, info@chunkyonion.com, www.chunkyonion.com

AUSTRALIAN TAX RETURNS Need to lodge your Australian tax return? If you are an expat or collect rental from Australian property, you must lodge an annual return.

Let us do it for you here in Hong Kong. Contact Australasian Taxation Services on 3571 8700, or helen.wong@smats.net, or visit www.smats.net

TUITION & COURSES CHINESE MANDARIN LESSONS

Are provided in our DB Mandarin Room at Phase 1.

For year 1-13 students: Schedule on demand.

Many groups of different levels to meet each student’s needs.

Helps students’ homework, revision, exams & more.

For adults: Beginners, intermediate & advanced classes on every Monday, Wednesday& Friday, 10-11am.

Please call 6071 9643, or log onto www.putonghua.isfun.net

NEED HELP WITH APPLICATIONS TO IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS? Want a perfect CV, report or cover letter?

WriteWorks provides custom writing & editing by published writers.

Contact 9702 4934; writeworks@ymail.com, or www.writeworkshongkong.com

MATHEMATICS (GCSE, AS, SAT, IB, GMAT, ETC.) & ENGLISH TUITION. Offered by a London University graduate (First-Class Honours). Experienced in teaching adults, ESF & International School students. Call 9121 0389

CLASSIFIEDS LOS PEQUES

Los Peques ofrece clases de español para niños de 2 a 12 años hispanohablantes.

Por las mañanas 8.30-11.30 Preescolar para niños de 2-3 o 3-5 años.

Por las tardes (actividades extra escolares) y también los sábados: para que los alumnos de primaria puedan practicar su idioma y desarrollen su gusto por la cultura española.

Las clases tendrán lugar en DB Plaza - Con profesores cualificados y experimentados.

Para más información: lospeques.db@gmail.com

DRAWING & PAINTING DAY-TIME CLASSES FOR ADULTS. By professional artist,customised individually, small groups. Contact Veronica at 6146 7004 or vero.artist@yahoo.com View online at veroartist.wordpress.com ADULT DAY-TIME ENGLISH CLASSES IN DB, NORTH PLAZA. Small class size and private tuition. Different levels to suit your needs. Contact Karla 6208 1006, windsorlanguage@gmail.com

The deadline for the November issue of the Classifieds section is

October 11!

October 2011

71

SOUTHLANTAU TA I O

Photo by Terry Chow

FERRY SCHEDULES From DB

From Mui Wo

Mon-Sat (except PH) 7:15am

7:45am

Sun and PH only

9:15am

8:45am

Sat, Sun and PH

10:45am 11:15am

Mon-Fri (except PH)

11:00am 11:30am

Sun and PH only

11:45am 12:15pm

From DB

From Mui Wo

Sat, Sun and PH

1:15pm

1:45pm

Daily except Sat

3:00pm 3:30pm

Daily

4:15pm

4:45pm

Daily

6:15pm

6:45pm

Sat, Sun and PH

8:05pm 8:30pm

72

October 2011

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

Your ultimate guide in DB COMMUNITY & HEALTH

LEARNING CENTRES

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Bay Dental Practice, North Plaza

2987 0855

HSBC

2233 3000

Catholic Church (Trinity Chapel)

2988 1515

TRAVELEX Money Exchange, North Plaza

2682 1210

DB Alliance Church Community Centre

2987 8136

Luen Fat Securities Co. Ltd

2987 1851

Discovery Bay Community Hall

2852 4338

DB International Community Church

2987 7061

Discovery Bay Medical Centre

2987 5633

Health & Care Dental Clinic

2666 6183

Herbal Healthcare

2834 7276

Island Health

2987 7575

Island Veterinary Services

2987 9003

The Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council

2259 3422

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

DESIGNER SHOES, LEATHER BAGS & JEWELS Customised leather shoes, genuine bags and jewels DB Plaza, Block D, 3. Floor, Apt. 328 Tel: 9433 6870 www.JK-Shoes.com

rush yoga ∙ fitness ∙ swim G/F, G35, DB Plaza, Discovery Bay, Lantau, Hong Kong Tel +852 2526 0720 www.rush.com.hk Mon – Sun: 10:30am to 7:30pm

In Style

2987 8226

Little Whale

3480 1348

Nomadic

2987 8460

DAILY NECESSITIES 7-Eleven Convenience Store

2987 4401

7-Eleven Food Kiosk

2914 1183

Fusion by PARKnSHOP

2987 7486

GNC

2987 9331

Mannings

2987 1720

Watson’s Pharmacy

2987 4089

Wellcome

2947 9092

DBNUMBERS

HOME

DB Garden House Montessori Quality Montessori programmes for 6m to 6y olds For details call Ramesha on 6114 2436 ramesha@gardenhousemontessori.com www.gardenhousemontessori.com

Island Dance Freestyle, Jazz, Ballet & Tap

Butterfly Dreams Luxury Bed Linens Ltd. “Luxury that doesn’t cost the Earth” Tel. ( 852 ) 9770 4474 / 9779 9424 www.butterflydreams.com.hk

Good Luck Engineering

2987 1313

Hoi Yu Transportation

2987 4488

Home Services Engineering

2987 0061

Hung Kee Co

2987 5087

Interior 18

2987 7803

Japan Home Centre

2987 1041

Marc James Design, North Plaza

2765 5700

Next Furniture

2987 0222

Rapee-living

2987 7082

Rich Point Hardware Materials

2987 0789

Season Art Kitchen Perfection

2987 1990

Tai Fat Hardware Store

2987 0789

Wing On Department Store

2987 9268

Yaali Designs

3482 5785

Yours Electrical Centre

2987 4428

LEARNING CENTRES

International Academy of Performing Arts Discovery College www.actingantics.com Contact deborah@actingantics.com 852 6842 8092 - 8122 9475

Tel: 2987 1571 www.islanddance.com.hk

French lessons for toddlers with a French specialist in early childhood.

French kindergarten for school year 2011-2012 open for registrations.

LG-05, 92 Siena Avenue, DB North Tel: 6710 0391 e-mail: info@la-petite-enfance.com

Midget Gems Kid's Club Established playgroup for children 2-4 years Tel: 2987 0272 info@ midgetgemskidsclub.com www.midgetgemskidsclub.com

Mountainview Montessori Run by Montessori trained teacher Come and Join the Fun! mountainview_montessori@hotmail.com DB International School (Kindergarten)

2914 2142

DB International School (Pri. / Sec.)

2987 7331

Discovery College

3969 1000

Discovery Mind International Play Centre 2987 8028

First Friends DB’s largest & longest running playgroup Dian Clayton 9237 5411 or Iin Porter 9151 5545 firstsecondfriends@yahoo.com www.firstfriendshk.com

Discovery Mind Kindergarten

2987 8088

Discovery Montessori School

2987 1201

DMR School of Ballet

2987 4338

Early Adventures Learning Centre

9511 2107

HK International Learning Academy

2416 3088

October 2011

73

Your ultimate guide in DB

DBNUMBERS

LEARNING CENTRES Les Petits Lascars de DB

2526 8892

Uncle Russ, North Plaza

2682 8108

SKH Wei Lun Primary School

2987 8608

Wildfire Fresh

2987 8202

Sunshine House Int'l Pre-School

2987 0813

Yogurtime

2259 4511

Sunshine House Kindergarten

2987 8143

ZAKS

2987 6232

Treasure House

2987 4217

MULTIMEDIA

Lifestyle Homes Tel: 2914 0888 info@lifestylehomes.com.hk www.lifestylehomes.com.hk

SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT Centaline Property Agency Limited

2987 8484

Century 21 Newcourt Realty

2987 9729

Curves

Bookazine, DB Ferry

2987 1373

Headland Homes

2987 2088

Dymocks & Gallery

2987 8494

Kingsford DB Ltd

2987 6888

Fotomax (F.E.) Ltd

2914 2378

Land Master Property

2987 6238

Fun to Read

3105 3588

Midland Realty

2987 2888

Movieland

2987 7111

Pen’n Paper

2987 8898

22º North

2987 2298

P-Solution

2987 1777

Café Duvet

2987 0966

Exercise for Energy for Life

The Bookshop

2987 9372

Caramba Mexican Cantina

2987 2848

Tel: 2987 8923 / 9443 8333 Email: embody-hk@live.com www.embody.com.hk

Ebeneezer’s

2987 0036

First Korean Restaurant

2987 9123

Fresh Fruit Juice Paradise

2987 4768

Hemingway’s by the Bay

2987 8855

il Bel Paese

2987 0202

Ippu Japanese Restaurant

2987 2886

Island Café

2987 9311

Koh Tomyums

2987 0767

La Création Bakery

2987 1829

McDonald’s & McCafé

2987 1033

McSorley’s Ale House

2987 8280

Mirch Masala, North Plaza

2987 1337

Moorings

2987 8203

Pacific Coffee

2987 1662

Paisano's, North Plaza

2673 4445

Peony Chinese Restaurant

2500 1950

Roccos, North Plaza

2997 8688

Sopranos

2987 2915

OTHER SERVICES

Discovery Bay Flowers Flowers for all occasions Baskets, Bouquets, Orchids, Gifts and Luxury Chocolates Free Delivery in Discovery Bay T: 2987 0802 M: 9150 7165 Email: dot@discoverybayflowers.com

PetcoDB Grooming & Pet Services Wth Trust, Love & Safe Care For the ones you love Tel: 2914 0382 Email: info@petcoDB.com www.petcoDB.com

74

RESTAURANTS

REAL-ESTATE AGENCIES

Tel: 2987 0772 c u r v e s d b @ g m a i l.c o m www.curves.com

RESTAURANTS

Amity Shoe Care

2987 4538

Apple Travel Co

2987 2626

Pets Gallery

2987 0428

Subway

2914 0005

The Optical House

2987 1368

Super Super

2914 1308

Well Supreme Laundry Services

2987 5151

Uncle Russ, DB Plaza

2682 0068

October 2011

Women’s Fitness Centre Club Siena Discovery Bay

Embody

HK Dragons Football Club Football for 2.5yrs to 14yrs old girls and boys Tel: 2987 4274 www.dragons.hk

Lantau Island Outrigging Canoe Club Training every Saturday 8am Tai Pak beach www.liocc.com

MOVEMENT IMPROVEMENT Pilates, yoga, posture & fitness 2987 5852 www.movementimprovement.com.hk

DBNUMBERS

SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT

Sportsmanship Gymnastics Programs, Health Consultancy, Weight Management & Nutritional Supplements Tel: 2870 3524 www.sportsmanship.usana.com

WELL-BEING

TRANSPORT SERVICES DB Golf Cart Services

2914 2727

DB Transit Services

2914 0186

DB Transportation Services

2987 7351

Hire Car Bookings

2987 6348

Passenger Telephone hotline

2987 0208

Wiselink Golf Cart Services

2987 9368

Feel good and control YOUR weight!

Start your day right!

Weight Management, General Nutrition & Health Maintenance Tel: 2987-9716 www.ihatemyweight.com

UTILITIES, SERVICES & EMERGENCY HOTLINES Sports World

All your sporting needs right here in DB Tel: 2914 1323 Email: bruce@sportsworld.hk

24-hour Customer Service hotline

3651 2345

China Light & Power Emergency

2728 8333

China Light & Power Information Line

2678 2678

Nailed It Professional artificial nail services in DB Plaza Tel: 2987 2266 9701 9092

Club Siena

2987 7382

Discovery Bay Commercial Services

2987 4242

Discovery Bay Marina Club

2987 9591

Discovery Bay Fire & Ambulance

2987 7502

Discovery Bay Golf Club

2987 7273

Discovery Bay Management

2238 3601

Discovery Bay Residents Club

2987 7381

Discovery Bay Medical Services

2525 6798

Discovery Bay Office Centre

2238 3388

Discovery Bay Police

2987 4052

Afflatus Hair Workshop

2987 0283

Discovery Bay Post Office

2987 6046

Maximum Care

2987 2060

Gas Leakage Emergency hotline

2435 4511

Salon De Coiffure

2987 4112

Lantau North Report Room

2988 2369

Sense of Touch

2987 9198

Typhoon Signal Enquiries

2835 1473

Water Fault Reports

2811 0788

Water Supplies Department

2824 5000

TOYS & CHILDREN'S ACCESSORIES

Penny Scallan Design

Unique and individual Tel: 6015 4050 hk@pennyscallan.biz www.pennyscallan.biz

WELL-BEING

Planting Ideas, Growing Minds.

Tel: 2987 2608 soyhongkong@gmail.com www.seedling.com.hk

Aussie Organics The freshest place for organic produce!

Tel: 2293 2265 hongkong@aussieorganics.com www.aussieorganics.com

Stuck on You Label It, Own It, Keep It! Tel: 2549 2245, 2987 2608 sales.hk@stuckonyou.biz www.stuckonyou.biz

Bo Bo House

2987 4230

Toysland

2987 7859

Body Talk Holistic therapy for illness, stress, sports injury & learning disorders Tel: 6683 5755 angie@bodytalksystem.com.hk www.bodytalksystem.com.hk

The Skin Therapy Centre CIBTAC,ITEC,BABTAC, City & Guilds Facials, CACI-Face lifting, SKINCARE, Make-up & Colour analysis, Waxing & more!

Please contact Gillian : 9604 6920 / 2987 0764 www.theskintherapycentrehk.com

Around DB's

November issue coming out

October 30

September 2011

75

HEALTH Q&A

Antibiotics remain essential in fighting infection but experts say you shouldn’t pop them like … pills.

Here, Dr Gordon Cheung, family practitioner with Island Health Family Practice in DB, explains why

Do antibiotics always work?

No. Most common infections are caused by viruses and not by bacteria. Antibiotics have no beneficial effects on viral infections.

The overuse and improper use of antibiotics has led to some bacteria becoming resistant to them. Every time a person takes antibiotics, sensitive bacteria are killed but some resistant germs may be left behind to grow and multiply. As a result of repeated use, some bacteria become drug resistant and the antibiotics may not be sufficiently effective.

Why does my doctor always advise me to finish a course of antibiotics?

Even halfway through a course of antibiotics, you'll begin to feel better because a large proportion of bacteria in the body are killed off. But if you fail to complete the entire course, the remaining bacteria are not killed. Not only do they survive, but they can change their structure so that the antibiotic to which they have been exposed cannot kill them in the future.

Why should I be concerned about antibiotic resistance?

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that antibiotic resistance is amongst its top public health concerns.

Almost every type of bacteria has become stronger and less responsive to antibiotic treatment. If bacteria are resistant to many antibiotics, it can be very difficult to cure and more expensive to treat the infection caused. This resistant infection may cause serious complications and spread from person to person, through families, schools or the workplace, affecting the whole community.

Are there other reasons why antibiotics aren’t always prescribed?

If you are normally healthy, your body will be able to fight off many types of bacterial infections. Taking antibiotics

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inappropriately may actually increase the risk of side effects like nausea and diarrhoea.

What can I do to reduce these side effects?

Nausea and diarrhoea can occur because antibiotics kill not only the bacteria causing the infection but also the ‘friendly bacteria’ that live in the intestines. Getting rid of friendly bacteria in the gut can therefore cause the stools to become loose and more frequent.

One way to reduce these side effects is to take probiotics during and for two weeks after completion of a course of antibiotics. Probiotics are live micro-organisms, which are similar to the beneficial micro-organisms found in the human gut. When taken, they can replenish the natural flora in the gut.

How do I introduce probiotics into my diet naturally?

Yogurt is probably the most well-known probiotic food. All yogurts contain friendly bacteria, such as Streptococcus thermophilus and some forms of Lactobacillus. Since the process of pasteurisation can kill off friendly bacteria, choose a ‘live’ yogurt containing active cultures.

Would changing my diet reduce my need for antibiotics?

A steady and balanced intake of essential vitamins and minerals helps to boost our immune systems. Foods such as kiwi, orange, grapefruit, spinach and broccoli are rich in vitamin C; vitamin E is in all berries and beans; and carotenoids in carrots.

If you would like to submit areas of interest or even specific questions for our Q&A, please email editor@arounddb.com. In the November issue of Around DB, the topic will be eating disorders and in the December issue, in the run-up to the holidays, we will be taking a timely look at alcohol abuse.

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