Editor’s Letter

EDITOR’S LETTER 21 DAYS OF SOLITUDE

Iwrite this to you from quarantine, on my 20th and final day of pandemic detention. It’s been a wild ride these past several weeks, from navigating the byzantine process of re-entering Hong Kong to spending my first (hopefully last) festive season in solitary confinement. I think a lot of people overtly pitied me when I told them I was spending Christmas and

New Year’s in quarantine, and I guess it is pretty tragic (hotel congee on Christmas morning just hits different, and not in a good way.) Truthfully though, it wasn’t so bad. Celebrating the holidays helped to break up the three-week period. Every weekend was a festive occasion, and everyone was off work and available to call me or drop off care packages. I had tons of personal projects I wanted to get started on, some that worked out (deepening my meditation practice, learning to love burpees) and some that didn’t (my first knitting project, learning how to contour my face). The most important thing I did for myself, or anyone entering quarantine for that matter, is just arm yourself with knowledge. The more you know about what to expect, the less jarring and upsetting it is. So with that in mind, we decided to cover the quarantine experience for this month’s cover story, with an emphasis on personal wellbeing. We asked local health experts and former quarantiners about how they looked after their health and wellness while in lockup, and compiled a list of recommendations to help make your stint of isolation that much more bearable. Read more about it on p.22. It’s the start of a new year which means resolutions aplenty for many of us! Whether you’re trying to kickstart your wellness in 2022, or just looking for a new community that will inspire you, we’ve rounded up some of the best New Year’s deals in Hong Kong right now. Gyms and studios may be closed, but they could use your support once the inevitable re-open happens! Check out some of our preferred partners on p.28. There’s also new clean beauty brands to get excited about in 2022, how to prepare your home for Chinese New Year, and we tackle that age-old question: should I get an air fryer?! It’s great to (almost) be back, I’ve missed Hong Kong and its wonderful community of

Liv stans!

MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Ziggy Makant rounds up her favourite kids’ fitness classes to support this year on p.36.

Tanya Parmanand discovers the city’s first yoga and wellness studio for cancer survivors on p.20.

Aarohi Narain cleans up with new green beauty brands to shop in HK this year on p.32

CARLA THOMAS

EDITOR

facebook.com/livmagazine.hk

liv.magazine, #livmagazine www.liv-magazine.com

Say hi hello@liv-magazine.com work with us hello@liv-magazine.com

Send invites and info to: Makerhive, 10/F, Cheung Hing Industrial Building, 12P Smithfield, Kennedy Town

PUBLISHER SARAH FUNG HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS ANSHU RIJHWANI PARTNERSHIPS MANAGERS CHARU MATHUR EDITOR CARLA THOMAS SOCIAL MEDIA JO ROBINSON SPECIAL PROJECTS STACEY MARCELO ADMINISTRATOR JASMIN BLUNCK GRAPHIC DESIGN TAMMY TAN CONTRIBUTORS ZIGGY MAKANT, TANYA PARMANAND, AAROHI NARAIN PRINTED BY GEAR PRINTING LIMITED, ROOM B, 3/F, DERRICK INDUSTRIAL BUILDING, 49-51 WONG CHUK HANG ROAD, ABERDEEN