Southside Magazine July 2015

FAMILY | FOOD | HOME | SPORT | LIVING

July 2015

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The really useful magazine JULY 2015

PEOPLE

LOCAL

2 Snapped!

Southside’s social life.

THE PLANNER 6 Happening in July What’s on.

NEWS 10 What’s going on?

In your backyard.

GIVEAWAYS 16 Free stuff Fab things to win.

FIVE MINUTES WITH...

18 Into the blue (and white) Bowerbird Home’s Philippa Haydon.

20 Trouble at school Sackings and other departures at Canadian International School.

NEWS FROM THE GREENS 21 Zero Waste Week Paul Zimmerman cuts the crap.

FEATURE 22 Take three homes Southside’s funky interior transformations.

EATING 30 Dinners for dads And other manly meals.

Plus Nibbles.

EDUCATION 36 A home for The Harbour School Plus four other new international schools across Hong Kong.

OUTDOORS 40 Splashing around Swimming lessons and coaching sessions.

BIG DAY OUT 44 Four fab beaches And a mountain to climb.

TRAVEL 50 Spotting leopards A family safari at Yala National Park, Sri Lanka.

HEALTH & BEAUTY 56 The frizz biz How to beat the humidity hair halo.

PETS 58 Canine compatibility Sally Andersen on matchmaking pets and owners.

HONG KONG CREATURES 58 Asian koel Koo-OOO – it’s that blinking bird again.

SOUTHSIDE SECRETS 64 Old gods’ home Pok Fu Lam’s statue retirement home by the sea.

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“HAVE NOTHING IN YOUR HOME THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW TO BE USEFUL OR BELIEVE TO BE BEAUTIFUL.” — WILLIAM MORRIS

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people Snaps from Southside

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say cheese Dragon-boat Festival, Stanley

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people Cyberport Italian Market

Share your event photos with us at photo@fastmedia.com.hk. Get snapping!

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planner

UNTIL JUL 26

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

The tale as old as time turns 20. See it live at The Venetian Macao. Tickets $280-$788 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

JUL 1 SAR Establishment Day

JUL 3-5 Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races

It’s demonstration day. Public holiday.

Top local and international dragonboat teams take to Victoria Harbour. Let the splashing commence.

Free. East Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront promenade.

JUL 4 4th of July Beach Party Celebrate US Independence Day with a beach barbecue, craft beer, live music and fun in the sun, courtesy of Boomshack restaurant and Hop Leaf American craft beer. Noon-6pm, Shek O Beach. Tickets $600, children $300 from www. hopleaf.hk.

JUL 6-10 Hong Kong Fashion Week Stay ahead of the fashion pack with a glimpse of upcoming trends courtesy of 1,200 exhibitors from 20 countries. HKCEC, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, 2240 4323.

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happening in july JUL 10-AUG 16 International Arts Carnival

JUL 15-21 Hong Kong Book Fair

JUL 18 Summer Series Pool Party

Annual children’s event, with fun performances and family programmes including acrobatics, music, film, puppetry and magic. Details at www.hkiac.gov.hk.

Tickets from www.urbtix.hk, 2111 5999.

Hong Kong’s biggest book frenzy features author talks, launches, and special themed areas. HKCEC, Wan Chai, hkbookfair.hktdc.com.

Party in your cozzie. 8pm until late. 76/F, W Hong Kong, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, 3717 2222.

JUL 11 Jax Shek O Challenge Swim, run and paddle from Big Wave Bay to Shek O Back Beach. From 12.30pm, race at 2pm. Registration costs $430 at www. openwaterasia.com.

JUL 11 Royale International Kayak’n’Run Tai Tam Bay A family race for parents and kids over six, kayaking and running around Tai Tam Bay and the Dragon’s Back. Register at www.actionasiaevents.com.

JUL 17-AUG 2 Hong Kong Pulse 3D Light Show Lasers and 3D lights pimp up the Cultural Centre and skyline every half hour from 8.30pm10pm.

JUL 18 Summer Breeze Literature Gala Dance, music and arts performances celebrate the Southern District in contemporary Chinese literature. 2pm. The Pulse, 28 Beach Road, Repulse Bay, 2835 6536.

JUL 22 Blur Tour Britpop’s back, girls and boys. HKCEC, Wan Chai. Tickets $480-$1,080 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

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planner

JUL 23-26 Ice Age Live! A Mammoth Adventure Manny and co on ice. AsiaWorld-Expo Arena. Tickets $380-$680 from www.urbtix.hk, 2111 5999.

JUL 24-28 Ani-Com & Games Hong Kong

JUL 28 Happy Mondays Live

JUL 25 Life in Colour World’s Largest Paint Party 2015

Comics, games and cosplay. Entry $35. Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, 2344 0415.

Relive the Madchester days. Rotunda 3, KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $545-650 from www. wegottickets.com.

Paint, dancing and EDM. Get messy. AsiaWorldExpo, Arena, Hall 10, 5pm. Tickets $480-$780 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

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BOOK NOW AUG 15-16 Hi-5 House of Dreams

SEP 25-26 Bon Jovi Live in Macau

Wacky dream adventures with the Aussie kids’ entertainers. 11am, 2.30pm and 6pm.

AsiaWorld-Expo, Runway 11. Tickets $250$688 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288

Hair metal in Macau. Cotai Arena, The Venetian Macao. Tickets $580-3580 from www.cotaiticketing.com, 6333 6660.

AUG 19 - 23 DisneyLive! Mickey’s Music Festival Mickey remixes your favourite Disney hits.

Star Hall, KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $180-$680 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

AUG 23 Imagine Dragons Smoke & Mirrors Tour Radioactive rockers. AsiaWorld-Expo, Arena. Tickets $480-$780 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

SEP 25-OCT 11 Singin’ in the Rain SEP 4-6 Shakespeare’s Globe – Hamlet The London theatre company is performing Hamlet in every country on earth. This is Hong Kong’s turn. Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai.

Tickets $395-$795 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

SEP 23 Robbie Williams Let Me Entertain You Tour Take that! AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau. Tickets $880-$1,480 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

The West End production complete with brollies, buckets of rain and soggy coppers. Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $445-$995 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

SEP 28 Muse Live in Hong Kong Expect a good show. AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau.

Tickets $780 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

OCT 5 Al Murray One Man, One Guvnor Stand-up comedy from the Pub Landlord.

Rotunda 3, KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $488$788 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Got an event? We can publish the details for free. Email editorial@fastmedia.com.hk.

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news

in your backyard

Get wet ’n’ wild at The Pulse

Beat the heat by splashing into The Pulse’s “Endless Summer” rooftop water carnival on Saturday afternoons and evenings this month.

The Repulse Bay mall’s rooftop and periscope lounge have been transformed into a colourful waterpark, with a chance to get wet

on water slides, playing water soccer and water bowling, and joining in water fights.

There will also be live DJ performances, outdoor movie shows, food and drink, facepainting and other activities for families, beachgoers and watersports enthusiasts.

Idle gossip District Councillor for the Bays Area, Fergus Fung, has launched a “name and shame” campaign against drivers idling their engines.

It is part of an ongoing battle against

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Tickets are $180 for adults (including one free set meal and impulse membership) and $60 for children aged five-12.

Noon-8pm, every Saturday until July 25.

3/F and roof, The Pulse, 28 Beach Road, Repulse Bay, www.thepulse.com.hk.

Whiz kids pollution from tour coaches idling their engines on Beach Road in Repulse Bay, and elsewhere on Southside. Last year, Fung’s anti-idling petition collected more than 1,000 signatures.

Under the Motor Vehicle Idling Ordinance (2011), drivers may not run their engines for more than three minutes while their vehicles are stationary, or incur a fixed penalty of $320. Exemptions include vehicles in traffic jams, buses with passengers on board and when certain weather warnings have been issued.

In a bid to pressure the government and tour-bus operators into observing the law, Fung is asking residents to email photos of offending coaches, along with the license plate and travel company name (usually visible on the windscreen), to bays.area@gmail.com. He will name and shame offenders on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sdc.bays.area.

Three students at the French International School (FIS) have won Outstanding Learner commendations from Cambridge International Examinations following their performances in last year’s IGCSE examinations.

Jean-Baptiste Rioual was Top in the World for first-language French, while Elisabeth Van Gaver and Edwina Gautier De Charnace received Top in Hong Kong awards for foreign-language French and foreign-language Spanish, respectively.

Overall, 81 per cent of the school’s IGCSE candidates were awarded A* or A, FIS’ highest percentage in the last decade.

The Head of International Stream, Ian Clayton, said: “We celebrate the successes of the top-achieving students as well as of the many others who performed to their full potential.”

From September, FIS will be offering new IGCSE subjects including computer science, drama and physical education.

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news

ESF playgroup opens in Wan Chai

Sweet charity

The new ESF Language & Learning Centre in Wan Chai has officially opened to little learners across Hong Kong.

With a bright and spacious interior full of play equipment for curious minds, the purpose-built centre offers playgroup programmes for children aged six months to three years, with small classes of no more than eight children. Kids can attend sessions one, two or three times a week, with each session lasting up to two hours.

More than $1 million has been donated to 24 charities by the American Women’s Association of Hong Kong (AWA). About a quarter of the money donated was raised by the American Chamber of Commerce and given to nine charities.

Recipients include Suen Mei Speech and Hearing Centre, which helps to fund cochlear implants for underprivileged students with hearing impairments, and Sunshine Action, which provides hot dinners to street sleepers in Sham Shui Po. The largest single grant was $115,000 to Evangel Hospital for HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccinations for underprivileged high-risk girls to prevent cervical cancer.

“We look for charities that can make the best use of our modest grants,” says Andrea Roth, the AWA’s Charitable Donations chair.

“Our target groups are Hong Kong’s lowincome population, women and girls, the disabled, children, youth and the elderly.

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Chief operating officer Ann Pearce is delighted with the new centre. “We believe children learn and develop through play and this underpins all the activities offered at the new ESF Language & Learning Centre,” she says. “Our playgroups provide stimulating play environments that are not always easily accessible in Hong Kong.”

ESF Early Learners, 2/F Prime Mansion, 183-187 Johnson Road, Wan Chai, 2833 2276, www.esfearlylearners.org.hk

news

The Hive opens crafty co-working space in K-Town The Hive is opening a co-working space in Kennedy Town specifically for designers, makers and craftspeople.

The first of its kind on Hong Kong Island, MakerHive was founded by Constant Tedder and designed by Hive member Studio Cassells.

It includes a 7,000 sq ft workshop equipped with industrial laser cutters, 3D printers, soldering stations, sewing machines, spraypainting rooms and more. There will also be hotdesk space, private offices, an open-plan area and storage.

“With the success of the creative community at the Hive Kennedy Town, we wanted to open another space that meets the needs of designers and makers,” Tedder says.

“By joining the Hive, members become part of Asia’s largest community of like-minded people, so work connections, collaborations and creative productivity happen more easily.”

Apply online for a spot at www.makerhive. com.hk. 10F Cheung Hing Industrial Building, 12P Smithfield Road, Kennedy Town.

Retro park reopens on the harbourfront Hong Kong’s historic Lai Yuen Amusement Park, which closed in Lai Chi Kok in 1997, is being resurrected on the Central waterfront this summer.

Anyone with memories of visiting the park can expect to see some familiar faces. Tino, the park’s Asian elephant, has been reincarnated as a banana-eating, water-spraying robotic pachyderm that guests can “feed” until it poos.

There will also be bumper cars, a Spooky School (remember the haunted house?), a summer ice rink, bouncy castle and the weird but iconic dinosaur returns as a slide. There will also be plenty of rides and game stalls with a hefty dose of retro Hong Kong kitsch.

Free entry. Open daily, 11am-11pm, until early September. Central Harbourfront, 9 Lung Wo Road, www.laiyuen1949.com.

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news

Trampoline park boings into Kowloon New restaurants opening at The Pulse

Great news for springy kids. Opening on July 15 in Kowloon Bay, Bounce is a new trampoline park with more than 100 trampolines, plus giant airbags, springs and squishy areas of circusgrade sponge.

Safety is the number one priority at Bounce, whose trampolines have all been designed for softer landings.

Take dodgeball to the next level, climb the walls or work on a free-style routine on the Olympic-grade performance trampoline. There will also be miniBounce lessons for young children and adult BounceFit classes.

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Established in Australia in 2012, Bounce has gone international with venues in Dubai, South Africa and Portugal.

“We are bringing a free-jumping revolution, built for young and old with a focus on safety.

Bounce is all about jumping high and landing soft and safe,” Marie Swarbreck, marketing manager says.

Sessions will cost $130-$150 an hour. Open Sunday-Thursday 9am-9pm, Friday-Saturday 9am-midnight. G/F, EMAX, KITEC, 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay, www.bounceinc.com.hk, 2556 9555.

Dining group Le Comptoir, which runs Bibo and Hotshot, is opening two new restaurants on the third floor of The Pulse. Opening on July 1, TRi is a contemporary Balinese restaurant, serving the Indonesian island’s famed duck, suckling pig and seafood dishes. Open for lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday, it will also offer a champagne brunch at weekends. In mid-August, it will be joined by sister restaurant The Ocean. The upscale seafood restaurant will have a sushi bar as well as the main kitchen, and dishes will feature caviar and top-of-the line seafood dishes. 3/F, The Pulse, 28 Beach Road, Repulse Bay, 2515 0577.

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free stuff

gimme gimme

A spot at DJ camp

Concert tickets

We’ve got a free pass worth $4,200 to a DJ and music production summer camp run

by Sol Passion Music (www. solpassionmusic.com). Your little DJ/producer will learn the fundamentals of modern music as well as the basics of DJ’ing and composing electronic music.

All attendees will receive a Sol Passion Kids swag bag containing their recordings, photos, stickers, T-shirts and more. The camp starts on July 7, so get in quick!

Deadline: July 5

The Pulse party There’s an “Endless Summer” pool party taking place every Saturday in July on the rooftop of The Pulse (www.thepulse.com.hk). From now until July 25, you can play water soccer, try water bowling, or get soaked in a water-gun fight, while landlubbers can stay dry watching an outdoor movie or get their faces painted. We’ve got 40 adult tickets to give away.

Deadline: July 10

The non-profit Haw Par Music Foundation (www.hawparmusic.org) is bringing classical music to a new generation in its ongoing SummerFest 2015 concert series. Win tickets to its final concert on August 9, when students will perform alongside professional musicians. We’ve got 20 tickets to give away.

Deadline: July 13

Sunglasses for kids

Trampoline party at Bounce

If you worry about the effects of UV rays on your little one’s eyes, enter to win a pair of Zoobug aviators for kids (www.minifab. com.hk/collections/ new-arrival). Valued at $899, these stylish, top-quality sunglasses will help your kids keep their cool.

Deadline: July 20

Hong Kong’s newest trampoline park, Bounce (www.bounceinc.com.hk), opens this month in KITEC. With more than 100 spring-loaded trampolines, it’s set to get the whole family jumping for joy. We’ve got five sets of family passes (good for four people) for the VIP launch party on July 14.

Deadline: July 7

To enter, click the Giveaways tab on our website, www.southside.hk. Deadlines vary.

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five minutes with...

Sales & Marketing Head of Sales & Marketing Karman So karman@fastmedia.com.hk

Philippa Haydon Shreena Patel meets the founder of Ap Lei Chau’s Bowerbird Home. the better the mate he is able to attract. Like me, bowerbirds typically like to collect blue things.

Business Development Manager Tristan Watkins tristan@fastmedia.com.hk Sales Manager Oliver Simons oliver@fastmedia.com.hk

At Bowerbird Home, staffing has been the biggest challenge.

It’s difficult to find people who understand design, love interiors, can empathise with customers – and want to work full time. I recruited Clinton, our store and visual merchandising manager, from Sydney. He designed my wedding dress.

Sales & Marketing Executive Alastair Grigg alastair@fastmedia.com.hk John Lee john@fastmedia.com.hk Office Security Cat the dog

Accounts Manager

My love affair with design started with a blue and white Twinings tea jar from the 1960s or 70s that belonged to my mother. As a child I used to think it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Never mind about the family silver.

Connie Lam connie@fastmedia.com.hk

Printer

Apex Print 11-13 Dai Kwai Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, Hong Kong

www.southside.hk ads@fastmedia.com.hk @southsidemag facebook.com/SouthsideMagazineHK

GIVE US A CALL! Admin: 3568 3722 Editorial: 2776 2773 Advertising: 2776 2772, 3563 9755 Southside Magazine is published by Fast Media Ltd. This magazine is published on the understanding that the publishers, advertisers, contributors and their employees are not responsible for the results of any actions, errors and omissions taken on the basis of information contained in this publication.

The publisher, advertisers, contributors and their employees expressly disclaim all and any liability to any person, whether a reader of this publication or not, in respect of any action or omission by this publication. Southside Magazine cannot be held responsible for any errors or inaccuracies provided by advertisers or contributors. The views herein are not necessarily shared by the staff or pubishers. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

I’ve been in Hong Kong for eight years now; seven more than planned. Soon after arriving with our three children, I found out I was pregnant with twins. With the help here, it made sense to stay.

With five children under five years old, we needed a lot of space. We started at Magazine Gap Road and moved further and further south. I love the footpaths in Southside; it’s easier to walk and the kids can ride their bikes and scooters. I had a stroller at our first place, but I couldn’t use it because there was no footpath.

I just wanted to be able to walk down the road.

I love walking to Stanley with my family and our dog. We eat lunch, get ice cream and go to the playground. There are a lot of children for the kids to play with.

My background is in finance but design is in my blood. My

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nesting instinct

grandmother was a porcelain painter and my father was a furniture designer and manufacturer.

My love affair with design started with a blue and white Twinings tea jar I’ve always had an affinity for Hong Kong. My grandmother used to buy and paint porcelain from Yuet Chung China Works and my grandfather was a horse fanatic and would bring horses to race in Hong Kong from New Zealand. He loved the city so much he passed away at Kai Tak airport to avoid leaving (or so we like to say).

Like the bowerbird, I like a home full of things that have been picked up over time. It’s the male bowerbird that decorates.

The more beautiful his bower,

I’m not precious about things.

Having a furniture store means you can be a little more forgiving of breakages. On Sundays, our living room turns into a nerf war zone, usually there are at least 10 children playing.

Sometimes it takes a fresh pair of eyes to see how a space can work better. When you’ve looked at [a space] for too long it can be hard to imagine in a different way.

If you have a friend with a good eye, ask them to take a look.

Starting Bowerbird has taught me that if you want to do something and you’re determined enough, you can make it work. I watched a movie with my kids the other night, We Bought a Zoo, in which someone says, “All it takes is 20 seconds of courage”. It’s true. There are moments in life when an opportunity is in front of you and sometimes you just need 20 seconds of courage to seize it.

Bowerbird Home, Level 2, 2 Lee Lok Street, Ap Lei Chau, www.bowerbird-home.com.

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local Editorial

Senior Consultant Editor Jane Steer jane@fastmedia.com.hk

year ends in tears

Trouble at school Sackings lead to student departures at the Canadian International School, writes Carolynne Dear.

Digital Editor Annie Wong annie@fastmedia.com.hk Staff Writer Callum Wiggins callum@fastmedia.com.hk

Design

Art Director Kelvin Lau kelvin@fastmedia.com.hk Senior Graphic Designer Jack Yip jack@fastmedia.com.hk Graphic Designer Setareh Parvin setareh@fastmedia.com.hk

Thanks to Adele Brunner Arshia Bhatia Carolynne Dear Oscar Webster Paul Zimmerman Pauline Cheung Rory Mackay Sally Andersen Sharan Gill Shreena Patel Steffi Yuen

Publisher Tom Hilditch tom@fastmedia.com.hk

Published by

Fast Media Floor LG1, 222 Queens Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

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A turbulent academic year ended with a bang at the troubled Canadian International School (CDNIS) in Wong Chuk Hang, where nine teachers were fired on the final day of term, with the vice-principal reportedly resigning a few days later.

Some students left the school in tears and parents are reporting an “exodus” of students planning to quit the school over the summer.

Three of the sacked teachers are married to school chiefs who were earlier dismissed or resigned following disagreements with the school board. Some reportedly received dismissal notices in front of students during class and were marched off school grounds.

According to a CDNIS spokesperson, the nine “staff changes” were made in full compliance with the school’s human resources policies and Hong Kong employment laws.

Asked for the reasons behind the dismissals, he said the school “would not comment on individual personnel matters”.

However, parents say the dismissed teachers were popular and experienced.

“My children were lucky enough to have had a couple of those teachers – they were amazing,” one parent said.

Tensions between school governors and teachers and parents have been running high since the appointment of controversial head of school Gregg Maloberti in August.

He replaced long-standing principal Dave McMaster, who

At least 25 families in our grade are looking into switching schools resigned last summer – along with the head of secondary, John Jalsevac – after clashing with governors over what he saw as their increasing interference in teaching matters. One row centred on the Council of International Schools (CIS), a global body that sets standards for international education, which had called on the school to restructure its board in order to achieve international accreditation.

In April, almost 900 parents signed a petition calling for Maloberti to step down following the controversial sacking of primary school principal, Dylan Hughes, and deputy, Kathy Nutting.

In May, parents protested against a proposed tuition fee hike and questioned why it was

needed when the school was posting a healthy surplus.

Founded in 1991, CDNIS quickly claimed a place among top international schools and was recognised as the “Leading International School in Hong Kong”

by Hong Kong Business magazine’s High-Flyers campaign for six consecutive years.

“It’s a good school, with great bells and whistles,” one mother said. “However, with the events of the past 12 months, we have accepted places elsewhere. The school has chosen the direction it wants to travel. I don’t agree with what it is doing, but the school is bigger than all of us. For better or for worse, it will survive. We just got out while we could.”

Another parent said: “We used to go to dinner parties and it was nice to say our child is at the Canadian. There was a little bit of snob value attached.

We were proud. Now there’s an embarrassed silence as everyone studies their shoes. It’s gone from hero to zero in a year.”

Parents also report that students are leaving the school.

“The entire school environment has changed,” said one. “From a fun place to be, it’s like walking into a morgue these days. And with the sacking of the teachers on the last day, many parents who were sitting on the fence have definitely jumped down now.

“I know of at least 25 families in our grade who are looking into switching schools over the summer, including ourselves. It’s an exodus.”

news from the greens

talking trash

Cut the crap Paul Zimmerman pledges to join Zero Waste Week.

I joined Hong Kong’s first ever Zero Waste Week, a citywide campaign organised by Ecozine on June 7-14.

I pledged not to use disposable chopsticks, but carry my own cutlery all week and I joined the Global Summit and Family Festival in the Cyberport Arcade.

Having made a zero waste pledge, my first panic was my daughter Eefje’s birthday party. How do you avoid waste at a party for

five-year-old girls? The easy win was reusable plastic plates and cups. Using old newspapers as wrapping paper was another.

My next crisis was at a new burger restaurant in Tai Hang where the drinks arrived in plastic cups with lids, prompting a conversation about the need for a “zero waste” accreditation system for restaurants. Next day, a mango drink arrived in a glass (yippee) – with two plastic straws.

So far, the easiest win has been to cut out disposable plastic bottles. I leave home with a thermos of tea and a sports bottle of boiled water. There are ample opportunities to top up with hot or cold water along the way, and a local website and app (waterforfree.org) maps locations offering free refills.

Recycling unavoidable waste is another challenge. My backyard has become the neighbourhood recycling area following the closure of a facility on unauthorised government land. Where and how we recycle is Hong

Kong’s biggest challenge. Space for logistics, especially the separation and stockpiling of recyclables in our kitchens, buildings and districts, is limited and expensive. This throws into doubt the government’s strategy of separation at source and spreading recycling centres, incinerators and landfills over different locations. A more viable strategy for Hong Kong would be to concentrate the different functions at integrated waste management facilities.

Zero Waste means better design and management to eliminate waste and recover resources. To achieve this we must set Zero Waste targets at home, work and as a city. With overflowing landfills and plastic-filled seas, Zero Waste Week is very timely for Hong Kong.

Paul Zimmerman is the CEO of Designing Hong Kong, a Southern District Councillor and the co-convenor of Save Our Country Parks alliance.

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feature

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designs of the times

Take three

homes Imagination and canny design transformed three Southside apartments into extraordinary homes, writes Adele Brunner.

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feature

A 3,300 sq ft warehouse in Aberdeen has been converted into a spacious industrial-chic apartment, wth prominent use of metal sliding doors and warm accents.

Despite the need to get to grips with certain rules and regulations, loft-style living in Southside’s industrial buildings is on the rise. Warehouse conversions in Aberdeen, Wong Chuk Hang and Ap Lei Chau offer far more space than the average Hong Kong flat, interesting layouts and a chance to exercise design flair.

Interior design company Urban Design & Build (www.urban-designbuild.hk) collaborated with the artist owner to transform this 3,300-square-foot space in Aberdeen from a run-down warehouse into a working studio and living accommodation.

“I have always liked lofts and their openplan, flexible space,” the owner says. “This is a whole floor of an industrial building and it felt right and appropriate to keep it looking that way.

I’ve made it into a working studio as well as somewhere to live. I could not imagine making it into just an office or just an apartment.”

The team came up with an industrial design concept that captures the raw essence of the space while simultaneously looking effortlessly chic. The design left concrete beams exposed and installed large, studded, sliding steel doors,

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which contrast with the more finished elements.

Similarly, an eye-catching light fitting in the kitchen echoes the raw factory feel yet exudes designer cool.

I’m not sure I would use the words ‘soft and cosy’... but it is comfortable “Any structural elements that can be exposed are a bonus and define the loft aesthetic for me,” the owner says.

“Wood, brick, concrete and steel... even painted they help to create the feeling of a nonliving space. As it is essentially one large space, there are not as many chances to experiment with different styles, colours and concepts as there might have been if there were a number of different rooms. However, as the space is very large, there is a lot of room and that helps separate [the various areas] and can allow the furniture to be more eclectic.”

Despite frequent moves and living in a number of cities over the years, the owner

has managed to collect and keep furniture she really liked. Although she didn’t have any predetermined aesthetic direction, her pieces display a bias for modernist designers from the 1930s to the 50s and for Asian furniture.

“I have my eyes on a number of things to add to the place – a Fortuny umbrella lamp, a [Mies van der Rohe] Barcelona daybed, and some Eames chairs,” she says.

The industrial aesthetic can be somewhat stark and uncomfortable. So while the design embraces this with a predominantly monochrome palette, it is softened by warm wooden furniture in the dining and living areas and pops of colour, such as a red rug in the living area and lilac towels in the bathroom.

“I’m not sure I would use the words ‘soft and cosy’ to describe the loft, but I do feel it is comfortable. I kept to a very cold palette for almost all of the permanent elements of the renovation so lots of grey, black and white,” the owner says. “Even some of the furniture tends toward black, white and chrome or stainless steel, but I feel this is balanced by the wooden furniture pieces and the warm Edison bulb and halogen lighting.”

designs of the times

International Design Furniture Fair If these homes have inspired you then check out the International Design Furniture Fair on August 22 & 23 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai. One-day tickets are $190 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

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feature

Concealed cupbards hide clutter and myriad cables from the state-of-the-art AV equipment. In the en-suite a stylish Japanese bathtub saves space and water.

Without lofts, garden sheds or even spare rooms to stash their possessions, even the least clutter-bug Hongkongers need good storage solutions. In Pok Fu Lam, designer Clifton Leung (www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com) was asked to incorporate as much storage as possible into one couple’s 2,200-square-foot apartment.

“My clients wanted a minimal, clean and timeless look to their apartment, but they have a lot of things and wanted separate his ’n’ hers storage,” Leung says. “We came up with a huge number of concealed cupboards in which they could hide their possessions, but still get to them easily when needed.”

And so everyone, including the couple’s dog, has their own exclusive space. For him, there’s a room for male sports gear, books, filing and CD collections, while a passion for top-end audio-visual equipment is accommodated – along with the myriad accompanying cables – in concealed cupboards in the living area and the kitchen.

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My clients wanted a minimal, clean and timeless look... and his ’n’ hers storage “The design of the A/V storage was particularly important,” Leung says. “We made it easily accessible and the owner loves the fact that he doesn’t have to crawl around when searching for particular cables.”

A “princess” wardrobe and dressing room means the lady of the house has ample room to store her clothes, shoes and accessories.

Nor does she have to worry about making room for her partner or curbing her shopping habits, thanks to extendable clothing rails.

To create a comfortable, flexible home, Leung gutted the apartment, turning a cluster of small bedrooms into two larger ones, along with a gym and a study with desks for two.

Unusual for Hong Kong is the spacious,

semi-open kitchen. The kitchen island is large enough to accommodate all manner of gadgets and ingredients, and it doubles up as a breakfast bar. Built-in shelves at one end offer practicality as well as channelling a coffee-shop vibe by housing magazines and books to read over coffee. For more formal meals, there’s an elegant off-white dining room, which hints at French decor.

“The main challenge of renovating this apartment was the number of ceiling beams, particularly in the kitchen,” Leung says. “I used lights to hide the beams and special tubing in the ceiling above the island to mimic a skylight.”

Leung has come up trumps again in the spectacular bathroom. He created a double sink unit, with sliding mirrors that can be pushed aside when not in use to let in the view, and installed his signature Japanese bathtub.

“People like the idea of a bath, but they do take up a lot of space,” he says. “The Japanese tub and shower does the same job but saves space and water – and looks good too.”

DEALERS IN FINE ANTIQUE CHINESE FURNITURE AND WORKS OF ART SOUTHEAST ASIAN SCULPTURE AND SILVER, CHINESE AND TIBETAN CARPETS JAPANESE WORKS OF ART, OLD INDIAN JEWELLERY ALTFIELD GALLERY, 248-9 Prince’s Building, Central, Hong Kong Open: MON–SAT 10–7 SUN 11–5 ALTFIELD GALLERY ANNEX, 9th Floor, Gee Chang Hong Centre, 65 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong by appointment Tel: 2537 6370 Fax: 2537 6433 gallery@altfield.com.hk www.altfield.com.hk

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In a separate project in Tai Tam, Leung turned a lacklustre 2,100-square-foot apartment into a bright home for a family of three.

Taking inspiration from the surrounding greenery, he used vivid colour accents to enliven a minimal scheme. Lime-green chairs with a design reminiscent of tree branches help to bring the outdoors in and reflect the family’s love of nature.

Adding wow factor in the guest bathroom, green mosaic tiles were chosen to match a piece of jade. Elsewhere in the apartment, Leung let loose with bold and beautiful blue.

“I visited the site early one evening and there was this incredible blue light over everything. I felt I had to bring that blue light into the house and, fortunately, my clients agreed,” Leung says.

To tie the theme together, he installed blue modular seating and large blue sliding doors,

I visited the site early one evening and there was this incredible blue light which also act as a practical solution to a narrow corridor and can be moved to alter the perspective and mood of the flat.

Another striking feature is the “man cave”, which incorporates a home theatre, state-ofthe-art wifi equipment, masculine black leather chairs and a study. Wall-to-wall cupboards absorb the sound, but don’t alter the acoustics.

“My client feels that Tai Tam is a dream place to live and he wanted his apartment to be a real bolt-hole, somewhere he could really wind down after a stressful day in the office, which is exactly what it is,” Leung says.

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eating

boys’ nights out

Clockwise from left: Holy Crab’s rockpool fishtanks; fine-dining at Caprice; a private dinner at Cuore.

Man food

Family on holiday? Shreena Patel suggests dinners for dads (and other fellas).

The entourage: Cuore Fancy eating at the chef’s table? Chef Andrea Oschetti will tailor a menu for a meal at your place or his, a huge Southside loft furnished with brightly coloured rugs, books and souvenirs (he is also a travel journalist). Passionate about food and his Italian heritage, Oschetti will explain the story behind each dish of your fourcourse menu and even offers cooking classes while he prepares your meal. His signature dish is pear and ricotta ravioli with a parmesan fondue and pistachio crumble, inspired by his

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grandmother, Elda. He takes just one booking a night so the place is all yours for the evening.

6106 0044, www.cuoreprivatechef.com.

The sophisticate: Caprice Overlooking Victoria Harbour, this Michelin two-star restaurant offers a taste of France in the heart of Hong Kong. Make your choice then watch the professionals cook in the large open kitchen. Dinner does not come cheap, but you’re paying for the whole package: service, food and ambience. As well as an extensive

wine collection the restaurant also has its own cheese cellar. Bon appetit.

6/F, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central, 3196 8860, www.fourseasons.com/hongkong.

The messy eater: Holy Crab Don a bib and bash out the week’s frustrations with a wooden mallet at this American seafood haven. Live seafood is flown in daily from the US and housed in the restaurant’s rockpool fishtanks. Favourites include “Design Your

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eating Own Bucket” (fried catch of the day with sides) and “Pick Your Catch”, with choices including Alaskan crab, Louisiana crawfish and Maine lobster cooked in a “low country boil” style.

Finger-lickin’ good. 3/F Cosmos Building, 8-11 Lan Kwai Fong, Central, 2110 0100, www.holycrab.com.hk.

The sports fan: Inn Side Out With a range of imported beers and microbrews, televisions screening live sports, and a selection of hearty comfort food, this is a great place to kick back while watching the big game. You can even throw your peanut shells on the floor.

Located in the South China Athletic Association, Inn Side Out also has a large alfresco area overlooking a football field and driving range.

Membership is required but is available at the door for just $120 a year and includes membership to the club facilities and $150 of drinks vouchers. 2/F, 88 Caroline Hill Road, Causeway Bay, 2895 2900, www.elgrande.com.hk.

The hungry hippo: La Vache!

Nestled underground, La Vache! is Hong Kong’s original steak frites restaurant. With only one decision to make (how you want your steak cooked) it’s less about the faff and more about

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Organise a booze-up in a brewery at Young Master Ales.

the food. Things get a little more complicated when the dessert trolley rolls round, but after two servings of meat, all-you-can-eat fries and house sauce, you may have little room left anyway. Go hungry. 48 Peel Street, Central, 2880 0248, www.lavache.com.hk.

The beer belly: Young Master Ales Established by Indian-born financier Rohit Dugar, Young Master Ales is a microbrewery

whose beers are stocked in some of Hong Kong’s most distinguished bars, including the Captain’s Bar at the Mandarin Oriental, the Lobster Bar at the Island Shangri-La and The Globe, which is widely considered to have the best selection of craft beers in the city.

The brewery is open to visitors most Saturday afternoons and walk-ins are welcome on a first-come, first-served basis. Private tours with tastings can also be arranged. Bottoms up!

eating Units 407-9, Oceanic Industrial Centre, 2 Lee Lok Street, Ap Lei Chau, www.youngmasterales.com.

The connoisseur: Blue Butcher Meat is front and centre at this New York-style steakhouse. The only restaurant in Hong Kong with its own walk-in pink salt dry-ageing room, Blue Butcher hangs all its meat in-house to retain the juices and natural flavour. Furnished with high ceilings, dark polished floors and an open kitchen, the restaurant harks back to the prohibition era, even serving its whiskey- and bourbon-based cocktails in mason jars.

108 Hollywood Road, Central, 2613 9286, www.bluebutcher.com.

The couch potato: Dial A Dinner This food-delivery service brings dishes from the best of Hong Kong’s restaurants to your doorstep. Order online or by phone for gourmet grub without getting off the sofa. 2598 1718, www.dialadinner.com.hk.

The budding chef: Butchers Club Nose-to-Tail Class Get stuck in and make sure nothing goes to waste at this hands-on butchery class at The Butchers Club. First, watch the chef butcher a

It’s less about the faff and more about the food whole lamb; then learn how to debone, roll and tie a lamb shoulder; how to skin, score, stuff, roll, re-wrap and tie a pork belly; and how to debone, butterfly and marinate a whole chicken.

It’s not all hard work though. The evening also includes free-flowing wine and beer as well as a sit-down dinner, and you take home your deboned and butterflied chicken, plus a jar of bourbon and maple glaze. Classes cost $1,300 pp ($1,150 for private classes of 10 or more).

Contact 2884 0768, www.butchersclub.com.hk.

The continental: King Ludwig Beerhall Feast on authentic German cuisine and litres of beer in Stanley. Whether the attempt to recreate the ambience of a traditional German tavern has been successful is something for you to decide, but with live (non-German) music nearly every night, outdoor seating and a happy hour, there is surely something to keep you entertained. Take a mate and share the signature sausage platter with sauerkraut. 2/F Murray House, Stanley, 2899 0122, www.kingparrot.com.

From top: Blue Butcher; Butchers Club class.

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eating

Nibbles

News from the dining scene Cafe at L’Hotel. A parade of scallop dishes includes Japanese cold beancurd, scallops in mirin sauce and scallops on the half shell with spicy pepper and garlic. The buffet starts at $438 ($228 for children and the elderly) and runs until July 31. 3/F, 55 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen, 3968 8833.

Scallops take centrestage at LIS Cafe’s new buffet.

Shoku at The Pulse Upscale Japanese restaurant Shoku has opened in The Pulse’s happening ground-floor food hall, overlooking Repulse Bay beach.

The centrepiece of the 4,000 sq ft venue is a stylish grill that uses whole branches of white binchotan charcoal to cook skewers of fish and seafood planted vertically around the fire. Chef Gavin Chow has fresh seafood delivered daily from Japan, as well as pork, ox tongue and free-range, hormone-free chicken wings.

G/F, The Pulse, 28 Beach Road, Repulse Bay, 2808 2333, www.shoku.hk.

Scallops with wallop It’s scallop season and the succulent shellfish is the star of the show at a new buffet in LIS

Fine art of dining Wong Chuk Hang is famous for its private kitchens. Pushing the envelope is Dine-Art, part

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gallery, part restaurant. The stylish 4,000 sq ft venue features works by Australian painter Fred Williams and Chinese-French artist Zao Wouki, with delicious Italian food by executive chef Cosimo Taddei. Serving parties of up to 24, his signature dishes include goose liver ravioli with pigeon sauce, wild mushrooms and black truffle and roasted beef tenderloin wrapped with guanciale ham, roasted potatoes, taggiasca olives and bell pepper. 6/F, 40 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen, 2805 8555.

Chow down at Cyberport Froyo and freshly squeezed juices are on the menus at two new food-court concessions in The Arcade at Cyberport, EskiMO’s and The Pit Juice. EskiMO’s serves frozen yoghurt, froyo cake and froyo popsicles and cupcakes. Next door, The Pit Juice focuses on freshly squeezed juices and sandwiches.

EskiMO’s, Shop 416, 2758 0002. The Pit Juice, Shop 417, 2896 1100. The Arcade, 100 Cyberport Road, Pok Fu Lam, www.cyberport.hk.

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education

aberdeen bound

Left: aboard The Black Dolphin outdoor classroom. Above: THS will be able to accommodate 500 students.

A home for The Harbour School After years of premises issues, The Harbour School lands a permanent campus. By Carolynne Dear.

It has been a long time coming, but The Harbour School (THS) has finally secured a new and larger permanent campus on Ap Lei Chau, near Aberdeen, allowing the international school to expand from 180 to 500 students.

After years of facilities issues, with the school split across three sites on Belcher’s Street, Kennedy Town, and leases due to expire next year, the news it had been granted a site last month came in the nick of time.

“I don’t know where to start describing the benefits of this new campus over what we have at the moment,” said school principal Jadis Blurton. “We currently have kids walking all over Kennedy Town, rain and shine, to get to PE at the Community Centre, to recess in the public park, or to visit the other campuses. Our kids have never had a playground – we are now planning one with rope bridges, playhouses, organic gardens and climbing ropes.”

The new site, at Ap Lei Chau Estate Phase 1, will be known as The Grove and will open in September 2016. In time, THS hopes to add a high school nearby.

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“We will move the whole school to the new campus. However, we will keep the Kennedy Town site for preschool,” Blurton said.

We are planning rope bridges, playhouses, organic gardens and climbing ropes Founded in 2007, THS is an international co-educational facility that offers an American curriculum from kindergarten to Grade 8 (up to 15 years old), with an emphasis on reasoning rather than rote learning. It operates an inclusive approach with no entrance exam. Its in-class ratio of one teacher to seven students enables it to cope with a range of learning abilities from autistic to gifted.

However, the school has been hampered over the years by issues with premises. As a tiny start-up with just seven students, it was forced out of its original home after just one

year in 2008 when the landlord sold up. And in December 2013, only marathon talks between the landlord and school staff enabled it to stay at its three Belcher’s Street locations.

The leases on two of the sites will expire in September 2016.

Looking for creative solutions, the school started an “outdoor classroom” on a 50-foot wooden sailing ketch, The Black Dolphin, which is moored at Aberdeen within sight of the new premises. Blurton is also hoping to have dedicated space for art, music, dance and film.

And she is planning for the campus to be fully accredited as a “green school” by Hong Kong and US standards.

“Our tiny school has already become internationally recognised. The only thing that has held us back somewhat are substandard facilities,” she said. “We are very, very excited that we can now expand and create a physical model that reflects our values as well as our sense of fun.”

For details, please visit www.ths.edu.hk.

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education

School daze Carolynne Dear has the lowdown on five new international schools due to open by 2018.

Five new international school campuses are to open in Hong Kong by 2018. As well as The Harbour School on Ap Lei Chau (see previous page), four schools will open in the New Territories. Between them, the schools will provide 4,270 places, with 3,490 at primary and 780 at secondary level.

In Hong Kong for the first time are two elite British public schools, Shrewsbury School and Malvern College, which have been granted greenfield sites. Shrewsbury International School will be situated in Siu Chik Sha, Tseung Kwan O, and Malvern College Hong Kong will be off Tolo Highway, near the Science Park in Sha Tin. A third newcomer, Dubai-based Esol Education, will open the American School Hong Kong (ASHK) in renovated premises on Ma Chung Road, Tai Po. And the French International School is to open its fifth campus in Tseung Kwan O town centre in September 2018. The new FIS

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campus will offer up to 950 primary and junior the IB Primary Years Programme and will secondary (ages 11-14) places in its French and prioritise international families, reserving 90 International streams in the first five years. per cent of places for pupils with foreign Due to open in September 2016, ASHK will passports. Tuition fees are expected to be up be a non-denominational, not-for-profit school to $160,000 a year. with North American teachers delivering a US Malvern College Common Core curriculum with a strong focus Hong Kong on STEM (science, technology, engineering New Territories American and mathematics). It will offer 300 places from School Hong Kong kindergarten to Grade 6, growing to 900-plus places and a full K-12 programme offering the IB Diploma and US High School Diploma.

French Shrewsbury International School will be a International School primary campus for up to 850 students about a Kowloon 10-minute walk from Lohas Park MTR. Due to Kowloon open in 2018, applications are likely to begin in 2017 and fees will be about $170,000 a year.

The Harbour Also due to open in 2018, Malvern College School Shrewsbury Hong Kong Hong Kong will be the public school’s fourth International Island School international venture. Its Sha Tin campus will initially offer 380 primary places, rising to 960 places for children aged six to 12. It will follow

sponsored column

Countdown to ‘big school’ How to ease the transition from preschool to primary. By ITS Education Asia.

Seeing their little one in school uniform for the first time is likely to bring a tear to the eyes of any parent. Most schools are very good at helping children settle in well before they start official classes in late August, but even if you’ve missed the usual visits and parent information sessions, it’s worth showing the school to your child a few times before their first day. Some preparation during the summer holiday can be helpful.

It’s important to prepare your child practically as well as emotionally. Being able to dress and undress quickly and neatly for PE and swimming lessons, keep track of pens and pencils, hang up coats and pack their bags all help school days to run without those little hitches that can cause anxiety.

Help your child learn to recognise and write their name.

Most children embark on a phonics reading programme almost immediately, so it’s helpful if your child is familiar with the

alphabet. The same goes for maths and the numbers one to 20.

Your child should be able to sit still (or at least remain seated) for up to 30 minutes. This can be hard for young kids so practice with your child by calmly playing games, doing jigsaw puzzles or drawing and painting.

It’s important to prepare your child practically as well as emotionally Spend some time reading aloud every day.

At a basic level, this teaches your child how to read a book: to start at the beginning, to turn the pages one by one, to read from left to right and top to bottom. This will be in their interest for library visits at school and storytelling time.

Borrow “starting school” books from the library to read over the summer. Pick out fun

and exciting activities in each one and use them as starting points for conversations.

Go on a special trip to buy uniform and essential items for starting school, such as a lunch box, new shoes and stationery.

Encourage your child to talk to other children by looking at their eyes and smiling, asking their names and introducing themselves. About 99 per cent of all children’s worries in the first week revolve around not having any friends yet, so give them the skills to independently get to know each other.

ITS Education Asia provides an education consulting service that works with families and employers to find the right schools for individual children in Hong Kong, from nursery to secondary schools. ITS also offers research, policy and advisory services for corporations. For more details, contact es@itseducation.asia, 3188 3940 or www.itseducation.asia.

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outdoors

goggles, cap, cozzie

Learning to swim is a life skill – and it's fun.

Splash in How’s your stroke? Pauline Cheung backflips for swimming lessons.

Harry Wright International Professional coaches offer swimming lessons for all ages and abilities, including aquatics for babies from four months old. Older children can learn to swim and later join competitive swimming programmes. Classes are held at clubs and schools across Hong Kong, including venues in Deep Water Bay, Aberdeen and Causeway Bay. Details at www.harrywright.com.hk, 2575 6279.

ESF Educational Services The ESF Sharks programme is a leading swimming school, offering fun-based classes with plenty of games and activities. The Learn to Swim Programme from July 6 to August 14 lets young children experience a positive and exciting introduction to water that teaches swimming as a life skill and a healthy activity for any age. Summer swimming clinics are available throughout July and August, either as one-week camps (30 or 45 minutes a day) or

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every Saturday, at various ESF schools across Hong Kong including South Island School, near Shouson Hill. Details at www.esf.org.hk, 2711 1280.

Floatplus Floatplus runs summer swimming camps in The Repulse Bay Club for children of all ages and abilities from two years old. As well as learning to swim, it teaches children to be safe in and around water. From $200 a class, with one-week camps (daily lessons of 30-45 minutes) or weekly lessons available. There is a guest fee of $40 per class for non-members.

Floatplus also runs swimming lessons at Manhattan and private clubs. Details at www.floatplus.hk, 6504 8283.

Multi-sport Summer swimming classes at the French International School pool in Jardine’s Lookout from July 13-August 21. Multi-sport focuses

on three key areas: teaching the correct technique to achieve graceful and efficient swimmers, water safety and water skills.

Classes are divided by ability from beginners to advanced levels and are available in weeklong camps with 30- to 45-minute classes held each morning. Parents-and-babies sessions are also available. Details at www.multi-sport.com.hk, 2540 1257.

Sport Max Hong Kong Open-water swimming in the sea can be very different to doing laps in your local pool.

Sport Max Hong Kong Open Water Training Programme is designed to help swimmers convert their pool stroke into an effective open-water stroke. Learn the technique during two-hour lessons held every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at La Salle College (18 La Salle Road, Kowloon); $500 for five lessons or $800 for 10. Details at www.sportmaxhongkong.com.

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outdoors

Stingrays Swim Club The Hong Kong Island Stingrays is a competitive swim team focused on developing individuals to achieve their personal best in swimming and sportsmanship. Based in the Hong Kong International School pool in Tai Tam, its Summer Swim Camp is a comprehensive programme for swimmers of all abilities that allows each individual to develop at their own pace. Summer classes for non-

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competition swimmers are in one-week camps costing $1,000 for five 45-minute lessons.

Ninety-minute team sessions are held three or four times a week (from $600). Available from July 27 to August 14. Details at www.hkstingrays.com.

Star Aquatics Run by four former Olympic swimmers (Sherry Tsai, Daniel Tam, Alex Fong and Robyn

Lamsam), Star Aquatics teaches swimming to people of all ages and abilities. As well as fun learn-to-swim classes, the Olympians aim to nurture fresh swimming talent through high-quality classes and competitive teams.

Summer courses run during July and August, with beginner and improver classes at Kowloon Park Swimming Pool, and junior and senior swim teams training in Sha Tin. Details at www.staraquatics.com.hk, 9311 0946.

outdoors

Free swimming lessons for helpers Foreign domestic helpers can learn to swim on free, eight-week courses taught by volunteer instructors at the Hong Kong International School pool in Tai Tam. Aimed at non-swimmers, the course teaches freestyle and survival backstroke with the goal of swimming 25 metres unassisted. The next course starts in September. While there is no charge, donations are welcome to cover the costs of running the programme.

Spaces are limited and participants should commit to all eight sessions. For details, email hongkongsplash@gmail. com or send a Whatsapp message to 9160 7181.

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big day out

long ke to tai long wan

Footprints in the sand

Long Ke Wan from Sai Wan Shan.

Rory Mackay charts a summer hike to four of the best beaches in Hong Kong.

Hikers venturing into the wilds of Sai Kung have an astounding plethora of options, including some of Hong Kong’s finest beaches at Long Ke and Tai Long Wan. Few people manage to get the sand of both beaches on their feet in a single visit, however, it is possible.

Part of Stage 2 of the MacLehose Trail, this route is the optimal way to see four of the region’s finest beaches, long swathes of powdery white sand starting with Long Ke in the south then over Sai Wan Shan to Sai Wan, Ham Tin and Tai Long Wan beaches.

Getting there from Hong Kong Island takes about 90 minutes, but it is a relatively hassle-free trip. Take the MTR to Hang Hau

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Long swathes of powdery white sand, starting with Long Ke in the south and the 101M green minibus to Sai Kung, then catch a cab to the East Dam of High Island Reservoir (about $100). Tell the taxi driver to head towards Long Ke and the dam marks the end of the road.

It’s a scenic drive next to the turquoise waters of High Island Reservoir and the

East Dam is worth a look before charging up the trail. As part of the Hong Kong Global Geopark, the columnar jointing and other natural rock formations in the area are pretty special and make a fun detour.

From the turning circle, leave the paved road and follow a footpath up and over the hill. Before long you will see sweeping Long Ke, the first beach on our route. The path leads straight down to some of the whitest sands and clearest waters in Hong Kong.

Often on weekdays, you will have this slice of paradise all to yourself.

Treat yourself to a swim before biting into the heart of this route, the hike up and over

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big day out

Clockwise from top: Long Ke mid-week; Ham Tin; dogs also enjoy the beaches; taking a well-earned break at Sai Wan.

The panoramic views from the top of Sai Wan Shan are so good it’s silly

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Sai Wan Shan. Climbing the 314m summit is hard work on a summer’s day, but it is worth it for what awaits on the other side.

The panoramic views from the top of the hill are so good it’s silly. The peak overlooks the entire eastern Sai Kung peninsula, with its lovely beaches, piercing peaks and rugged headlands. The contrasts between the surrealcoloured waters of High Island Reservoir and the South China Sea are particularly easy on the eye.

From the summit, the route drops down into a shady valley and follows the MacLehose Trail to Sai Wan, where calm waters and cooling refreshments await.

From there, hikers have a choice: follow the paved footpath uphill for 45 minutes to reach the Sai Wan access road or continue on

to Ham Tin (about 40 minutes) and Tai Long Wan (15 minutes from Ham Tin), where the beaches are even more expansive and the surf is the finest in the territory.

The long walk to Wong Shek Pier is better left to the more intrepid during the warmer months, but in winter it makes a truly jawdropping day. Instead, venture as far north as you feel comfortable with. Ham Tin has a couple of little restaurants offering cold drinks and noodles and renting tents and surfboards.

Tai Long Wan is simply stunning. From either beach, return to Sai Wan and hike up to the road or catch a speedboat back to Sai Kung (try Edward Shek, tel: 5127 3053). If hiking back remember to call for a taxi in advance (tel: 2729 1199 for Sai Kung cabs), as mobile reception in the area can be fickle.

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travel

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safari so goody

Where the wild things are Sharan Gill goes on safari in Sri Lanka.

set with semi-precious stones at a fraction of the retail prices in Hong Kong. We stayed in a converted colonial bungalow where the bathroom was a sectioned-off part of the garden (with modern sanitation, thankfully). My girls were thrilled whenever a bird joined them in the shower.

The girls squealed with delight at the sight of an elephant trundling past reception From Galle, the park is a three-hour drive on winding roads. We broke the journey at a lovely restaurant, eating fresh seafood while powerful waves crashed onto the rocks only metres below. It happened more by luck than judgment, because we found its name – Dickwella – so funny we had to check it out.

When we reached the Cinnamon Wild Yala hotel, the girls squealed with delight at the sight of an elephant trundling past reception. The

Photograph: Amila Tennakoon

My family has always been enthralled by tales of forays into the African wilderness. Racing along in an open jeep, watching water buffalo wade into a crocodile-infested lake, getting up close to an elephant feeding her young...

Going on safari sounds exciting and we have had our fill of lazy beach holidays and Club Med sojourns. However, with two young children and rather pampered tastes, the thought of a 13-hour flight followed by an arduous journey to the African plains is daunting.

But what if you could hop onto a relatively short five-hour flight, and stay in a beautiful resort, with elephants taking a shortcut through the grounds to the nearby jungle and the occasional deer sauntering to the swimming pool for a drink while you float in the water?

Yala National Park in Sri Lanka offers a “safari lite” adventure, but it was one of the most exciting holidays my family of four (plus an aunty and 80-year-old grandfather) have had in a long time.

Home to the world’s largest leopard population, until relatively recently Yala National Park was off the tourist radar thanks to its relative remoteness from better-known destinations. It is a seven-hour drive from Colombo’s international airport, and although there is a connecting flight to Mattala, I recommend you drive at least one way and break the journey for a few days in Galle.

An historic town with beautifully preserved colonial Dutch architecture and breathtaking views of the Indian Ocean, Galle has quaint little streets and shops stocking lovely jewellery

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travel hotel is on the cusp of the national park. A short flight of steps from the swimming pool, a natural lake is used by local wildlife as a watering hole and guests can observe all manner of animals from a raised observation deck. On our first evening, my husband ventured close to the lake to photograph crocodiles emerging from the water, only to beat a hasty retreat when a herd of wild boar showed up.

The hotel largely comprises individual “jungle” chalets, set quite far apart from each other, and has an open-door policy for animals.

One morning, a groggy grandfather opened his door to frantic knocking expecting to see his granddaughters but instead he was confronted by a group of excited monkeys, who could smell the bananas in his room. It was the highlight of his morning.

Animals come into the open to hunt and it is recommended you go on safari at dawn or dusk (5.30am-8.30am or 3pm-6pm). We were rather late for our first safari, only making it to the park at 6.30am, well after daybreak, but we managed to see lots of birds, the odd elephant, sambar deer and lots of buffalo, We realised, however, that if we wanted to see more exciting animals, such as the famed Sri Lankan leopards, we would have to get up earlier.

Watching herds of animals grazing on the

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At Yala, it’s not just the monkeys that get cheeky with tourists.

open plains is an amazing experience. Different species mix together in delightful profusion and a blaze of colours.

When pelicans swooped down onto a crocodile-filled lake, we held our breath waiting for powerful jaws to clamp down on unsuspecting feathers. When nothing happened, it was almost a shock to be reminded that animals are not constantly lying in wait for each other and only kill when they need to eat.

It was touching to see a mother elephant feeding her calf and to witness her anxiety at our approach and attempt to herd her youngster to safety. And nothing brings you closer to the harsh reality of nature than to see an injured young boar limping along painfully, abandoned by the herd, easy pickings for predators.

Ah yes, speaking of predators, the majestic and almost elusive is the Sri Lankan leopard.

Yala has arguably the world’s largest population

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travel of leopards. There’s no guarantee you will see leopards galore on safari, but those willing to go out early or stay late, and wait patiently, are likely to be rewarded by seeing this magnificent creature in action. And sometimes, not quite where you might expect.

Late one evening, we were heading back to our room when a lithesome leopard popped out from the foliage, metres from the hotel entrance. We may have been in a beautiful modern resort, but there was no better reminder that this was, above all, a jungle.

Needless to say, the hotel recommends you use an escort whenever you leave your chalet and we strongly echo that sentiment.

Not long after, our escort spotted a crocodile just a few feet away from us. It scrabbled off when he shone his torch on it, but it was sobering to consider what might have happened had we been walking alone, which we had got into the habit of doing after a couple of nights.

While staff are quick to remind guests to be vigilant, there have been no incidents at the hotel and the locals carry on their business side by side with the animals, not blinking an eyelid when a leopard is spotted outside the hotel or an elephant saunters past.

It was difficult to leave. Unlike previous

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Watch the wildlife at a nearby watering hole from a lounger on the pool deck.

holidays, we had the sense of having learned something and we had a keener appreciation of wildlife, which we had previously taken for granted. The children had a chance to see animals the way they should be seen, unfettered by captivity. The majestic creatures left an indelible impression on this jaded

traveller and a greater appreciation of the destructive forces of progress.

For details of Cinnamon Wild Yala, visit www.cinnamonhotels.com.

For Dickwella Surf Spray restaurant, visit www.brownshotels.com.

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health & beauty

With the humidity wreaking havoc on her hair, Shreena Patel tests an anti-frizz treatment.

It’s my first summer in Hong Kong and, thanks to the rampant humidity, I look like an indian Hermione Granger (Philosopher’s Stone, not Deathly Hallows). To rid myself of my halo of frizz and get a sleeker look, I’m trying out the Discovery treatment by Ybera.

Keratin and Brazilian blowdry hair treatments were once touted as a hair revolution, but some were found to release dangerously high levels of carcinogenic formaldehyde (including many that claimed to be formaldehyde-free).

With the dizzying array of products, reports of stinging eyes and sore throats, lawsuits, investigations by the US Food and Drugs Administration and product bans in Canada and Europe, it became difficult to tell which treatments were safe and which weren’t.

Enter Ybera. Brought to Hong Kong in 2013 by trichologist (hair and scalp specialist) Dr Aline Jahns, founder of Strand and Science Hair Spa, Ybera’s Discovery treatment provides a safe alternative.

One hundred per cent formaldehydefree, it claims to straighten hair and repair damage at the same time. Compatible with chemically treated hair, it can even be used while pregnant.

After meeting Dr Jahns, I completed a questionnaire about my hair, which she used to

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advise me on how to improve its condition.

My hair was coated in cream, section by section, and left for 45 minutes (30 minutes for less damaged hair). Then it was shampooed and a hydrating mask applied. After rinsing, my hair was blow-dried, flatironed in small sections, and trimmed to remove split ends.

Verdict: During my three-hour treatment I experienced no unpleasant smell or irritation to the eyes or scalp. Afterwards my hair was perfectly straight and much glossier. It felt a little flat at first but, after washing, some volume was restored.

Blowdrying my hair straight now requires much less effort, and leaving it to dry naturally results in a wavier look. I like having the option and, either way, the frizz is gone. Depending on aftercare, the results should last about three months.

Dr Jahns is not about quick fixes. Rather than creating a cycle of “damage and repair” she aims to improve the condition of her clients’ hair with every visit, keeping a file on their treatment history and results. When I got home, there was even an email waiting for me with tips on how to manage my hair better.

I will be going back.

Discovery System Smoothening Treatment costs from $1,500 at Strand and Science HairSPA, 1/F Block 2, DB North Plaza, Discovery Bay, 2886 3820, www.strandandscience.com.

It is also available at Brune Blonde (from $3,000; M/F, Grand Hyatt, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, 2511 3988, www.bruneblonde.com) and The Mandarin Salon (from $3,300; 5 Connaught Road, Central, 2825 4800, www.mandarinoriental.com/hongkong).

tame the mane Dr Jahns’ top five tips to combat frizz Choose a styling product that will protect your hair against daily aggressors such as heat and pollution.

Your hair reflects your diet. Eat a balanced diet and drink plenty of water.

Don’t towel-dry the hair as it roughens the cuticle, causing frizz. Instead, use paper towels to blot water out of the hair.

Use a satin pillowcase to minimise friction and loss of moisture from the hair.

Before swimming, rinse your hair and apply leave-in conditioner to fill the cuticle and repel damaging chlorinated water.

Before

Hair by numbers 120,000 – the number of hairs on the average human scalp, although blondes tend to have more and redheads fewer.

After

12 tonnes, or the weight of two elephants, can be supported by an average head of hair (in good condition) when twisted.

The frizz biz Four ways to sleek summer hair.

Japanese hair straightening Strong chemicals permanently straighten the hair, but the treatment can leave hair damaged and results in an awkward growing-out phase if not touched up regularly. Do not use on coloured or overprocessed hair. From $1,000 at Studio S, UG/F, 50 Stanley Main Street, 2851 6993.

Brazilian blow-dry or keratin treatment The hair is usually coated with a mixture of keratin and a chemical preservative.

The keratin fills gaps in the cuticle and the preservative locks the hair into a straighter position when it is flatironed. The treatment

greatly reduces styling time, but expect natural texture to return in about 12 weeks as the coating wears off. While certain levels of formaldehyde are permissible, ensure the salon is well-ventilated. Avoid while pregnant. $2,000-$2,800 (plus shampoo, $280) at Pulse Aveda, 2/F, The Pulse, Repulse Bay, 2149 1900, www.thepulse.com.hk.

Goldwell Kerasilk This formaldehyde-free treatment is designed to smooth and soften hair. It involves two solutions: “shape” (relaxes curls) and “smooth” (reduces frizz). Both are available in medium or intense formulae, allowing clients to tailor the treatment. It is

safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women and results last five months. From $2,800 at Hollywood Hair, 1 Duddell St, Central, 2861 9830, www.hollywoodhair.com.hk.

Deep-conditioning treatment This treatment has the least straightening effect, but is also the fastest, cheapest and causes the least damage. It helps to control frizz by restoring moisture to the hair either in a salon or at home (for best results, after applying wear a plastic shower cap for 10 minutes to trap heat and help the conditioner to penetrate the hair’s cuticle). From $680 at Capelli Salon, 1/F, The Repulse Bay Arcade, 109 Repulse Bay Road, 2592 9668, www.capelli.hk.

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pets

every dog is different

Playing matchmaker Successful homing means matching the right dog to the right family, says Sally Andersen.

It should seem obvious that dogs are intelligent, but many people can’t grasp the simple concept that a dog will respond to the way it is treated and the environment in which it lives. In the same way that some otherwise pleasant, calm people turn into road-rage monsters behind the wheel of a car, some dog owners think they have to bark (excuse the pun) orders at their poor pooch from morning till night. “Sit! Stay! Down! No! No!” This leaves the animal totally confused about what is being asked of it.

Dogs are individuals and some can be stubborn, but getting into an argument with a pet about who’s the boss doesn’t help anyone in the long run. Working together to come to a mutually acceptable agreement about how things are done is how it

really works. I know this because I have the most stubborn dog in the world. Safari is also large and heavy, so negotiating is a necessity.

Through trial and error I’ve learned that if I ask nicely he might move out of the way, for example, but ordering him to move simply glues him resolutely to the spot. His “make me” attitude can make me laugh or drive me crazy. However, he’s an excellent teacher, because I now understand nothing can be done by force.

Dogs are sensitive to the energy and dynamics of their home, and it’s important to take this into account when looking for a dog or a puppy to join the family.

Homes with young children running around need a confident dog who will happily tolerate noise and boisterous behaviour. A lot of dogs don’t really like being hugged but others love it, which is good news because some owners want a dog they can snuggle

Getting into an argument with a pet about who’s the boss doesn’t help anyone with and others like a dog to be around but not in the bed or on the sofa.

It’s not uncommon for adopted dogs to be returned with incorrect assessments of their character and behaviour. In reality it’s just the wrong home for that particular dog.

In these cases, the dog is probably praying the adopter will give it up so it can get away from whatever is upsetting it. Time and time again these dogs have been re-homed with new families who experience none of the issues reported by the previous adopters, which really proves the point.

Sally Andersen is the founder of Hong Kong Dog Rescue, a charity that rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes unwanted or abandoned dogs.

hong kong creatures Asian koel The Asian or common koel is a large, longtailed cuckoo with a loud and distinctive call – koo-OOO. It’s particularly vocal in the March-August breeding season, both during the day and at night (to the irritation of many people).

Reaching lengths of up to 44cm, the two sexes have markedly different plumage: the females are brown with white spots on the back and wings and white-striped underparts, while the males are a glossy bluish-black. Both sexes have crimson eyes and grey legs and feet.

Common throughout Southeast Asia from China to India (where they appear in folklore, myths and poems), koels live in light

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woodland and cultivated areas and are typically seen in dense thickets of trees or bamboo.

They are omnivores feeding on insects, eggs and fruit, including yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana), which is toxic to most mammals.

Like some other cuckoos, they are brood parasites, laying eggs in the nests of other bird species such as crows, typically within two days of the host laying its first egg. Male koels may distract the hosts while the female invades the nest, often removing one or more host eggs before laying her own. Koel chicks typically hatch about three days before the host chicks.

The foster mother raises the cuckoo chicks as if they were her own, and the female koel may also return to feed her young.

Photograph: Anton Croos

Eudynamys scolopaceus

Where to find them in Hong Kong: common in thickets of trees.

Steffi Yuen

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marketplace

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marketplace

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Our Cleaning & Repair services are among the best in hong kong We also selling Persian carpets and rugs for your home

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To advertise, email ads@fastmedia.com.hk or call 2776 2772

marketplace

To advertise, email ads@fastmedia.com.hk or call 2776 2772

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 63

southside secrets

resting in peace

About 10,000 unwanted figures of gods and goddesses line Waterfall Bay.

Old gods’ home Callum Wiggins visits Pok Fu Lam’s retired deities.

Recycling trash or unwanted belongings is not a strong point in Hong Kong, where so many of us throw things away without a second thought. An exception is statues of Chinese gods and goddesses. Popular in homes, shops and restaurants, sending these icons to the scrapheap is widely believed to bring bad luck.

So, instead of dumping the deities in the trash, residents of Wah Fu Estate have taken to leaving them in nearby Waterfall Bay Park. Over the past 40 years, since the public-housing estate was built, about 10,000 figurines have been discarded along the rocky shoreline.

Tightly packed and all arranged to face the sea, the retired statues come in all shapes, sizes and colours. Scattered among the thousands of Tin Hau, Guan Yu, Guanyin,

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Wong Tai Sin and laughing Buddha statues are Hello Kitty dolls and animal figurines. Some have visibly weathered, others are much newer, a few have been cemented in place and some even have their own purpose-built shelters.

It’s bad luck to throw away a statue so they come here to rest The figures are mostly abandoned by people moving out of the estate’s more than 9,900 apartments. The area is popular with retirees, who gather there to play mahjong and card games, or swim in front of the statues, according to Wah Fu resident Mr Lam, 75.

“The swimmers believe the statues will protect them from evil spirits,” he says.

“The statues have been here ever since I moved to the area 40-odd years ago. Former residents donate these statues when they move out of their flats. It’s bad luck to throw away a statue, so they come here to rest. A group of people come and look after them every morning.

“Personally I don’t believe they have any special meaning, but many people light incense for the statues for good luck, health and prosperity.”

To get there, walk towards the sea from Waterfall Bay Park, Waterfall Bay Road, Pok Fu Lam.