Expat Parent Feb 2017 by Hong Kong Living Ltd

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February 2017

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CONTENTs

ISSUE 034

Editor’s letter

Principal’s office

Get up and go.

With Kellett’s principal.

4 Contributors

Life & style news

Meet the team.

All the latest news for stylish Hong Kongers.

School photos

Educational fun and frolics from across Hong Kong.

What’s on

Fun times in February, plus catch up with Mum about Town.

Life & style

Sheung Wan’s new knitter and openings in Ap Lei Chau.

Food news

Winning brekkies plus new openings.

12 News

62 Food

Dinners for lovers.

What’s happening this month.

16 Giveaways Loads of free stuff.

Debate of the month

Are the hearts and roses over-rated?

Book review

66 Travel

Boot camp overhaul in Koh Samui.

Flailing spouse

TV dramas.

Author interviews and new releases.

My Hong Kong

On the tourist trail.

Modern family

Fostering a child.

The b+ +++ig interview

Brand new online magazine launches.

28 Fitness first

Make 2017 your fittest yet.

School news

A round-up of what’s been happening.

Open day

A warm welcome from Kellett School.

Scan and visit our website expat-parent.com

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editor’s message

who’s in charge? Publisher Tom Hilditch tom@fastmedia.com.hk

Editorial editorial@fastmedia.com.hk Editor-in-Chief Shreena Patel

Editor Carolynne Dear

Contributing Editor Callum Wiggins

Contributing Editor Annie Wong

Senior Consulting Editor Adele Brunner

Senior Staff Writer Eric Ho

Design cindy@fastmedia.com.hk Design Manager Cindy Suen

Graphic Designer Anna Schulteisz

Sales & Marketing ads@fastmedia.com.hk

aving relaxed my way through January, Chinese New Year is my second opportunity to start a “new year” on a healthy, active note. With this in mind, we have compiled a heap of fitness ideas in our special feature this month, with top tips from wellness guru Sarah Fung, publisher of health and fitness magazine, Liv. If you’re looking to jazz up your normal routine, she is definitely the girl in the know. I know, it’s cold and murky out there, but there’s nothing like a burst of energy to brighten your day. Of course February also comes with a dose of romance. A group of readers discuss the pros and cons of Valentine’s Day in our Debate of the month, and our Food feature will give you plenty of ideas for a romantic night on the town, whether you choose to celebrate couple-dom on February 14 or on a slightly less frantic day of the month. On a more altruistic note, contributor Kate Farr meets a family who have opened up their home to foster a local child. Sadly a whole sector of Hong Kong’s youth falls in the gap between needing a better home-life and full adoption. Find out how they went in our Modern family section. Kellett School is under the magnifying glass this month in our Open day feature. Hong Kong’s original and oldest British School, Kellett these days operates across two campuses - Pok Fu Lam and Kowloon Bay - with the very experienced Ann McDonald at the helm. Find out more and meet the lady in question in our Schools section. We’ve also rounded up all the new launches and happenings for February, so you can make the month a good one.

Sales Director Oliver Simons

Sales and Marketing Executive Maria Jones

Sales and Marketing Executive Egbert Cheung

Sales and Marketing Executive Bonnie Li

Digital Marketing PA to the Publisher charmaine@fastmedia.com.hk amanda@fastmedia.com.hk Digital Marketing Manager Charmaine Mirandilla

Office Security

PA to the Publisher Amanda Chia

Peace Keepers

Cat the dog

Fish & Chips

Contact us Admin: 3568 3722 | Editorial: 2776 2773 | Advertising: 2776 2772 Published by Fast Media Ltd, L1 Kai Wong Commercial Building, 222 Queens Road Central, Hong Kong Printer Apex Print Limited, 11-13 Dai Kwai Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, Hong Kong

www.fastmedia.com.hk Expat Parent is published by Fast Media Limited. 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. Expat Parent 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 publishers. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

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contributors

Adele Brunner...

Kate Farr...

Callum Wiggins

...put together this month’s Life & style. Showcasing all the latest in home news, the section takes a look at up-coming events, new products, new launches and family events. Adele is a regular design contributor to the South China Morning Post and is a past-editor of Expat Parent. When she’s not writing, she’s a busy mum and unpaid taxi driver to three sportloving children.

... and business partner Rachel Read round up the best family dining in Happy Valley. Originally hailing from the UK, Kate is a freelance writer and editor and co-founder of editorial agency Editors’ Ink (editorsinkhk.com). Mum to two busy boys, she also blogs about all things family-related as the Accidental TaiTai (accidentaltaitai.com).

… is editor of Expat Parent’s sister publication Mid-levels magazine. Callum loves exploring Hong Kong and meeting new people as part of his job. This month he interviews French-born and Hong Kong-based artist Florence Traissac before her first ever exhibition opening this month. Find out more on page 54.

Want to write for Expat Parent Magazine? Contact editorial@fastmedia.com.hk

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school photos Harrow International School Hong Kong

Chinese New Year fun and lucky wishes at Harrow.

Nord Anglia International School

Nord Anglia students showcase their musical talents at the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inter-house singing competition; students also participated in the Great Sleigh Debate. 6 expat-parent.com

school photos Hong Kong Academy

Tending the organic inquiry gardens on campus - the farm-to-fork initiative supplements the school cafeteria and leftovers go to food charity, Foodlink.

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what’s on

The traditional lucky “Koi” fish is the theme of Harbour City’s Chinese New Year decorations, until February 14.

UNTIL FEB 12

FEB 12

FEB 10-12

KidsFest 2017 The biggest children’s theatre festival returns for another year of fun-filled performances at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. One production not to miss is Gruffalos, Ladybirds and other Beasts which will feature Julia Donaldson herself live on stage. Tickets available at hkticketing.com or call 3128 8288.

Music by the Sea Stanley’s monthly busking event. With a variety of songs, from classic, pop to originals, head over and relax by the sea with some great live music. 2:30-4:30pm, Stanley Plaza.

Longines Masters Hong Kong The third stop of the prestigious equestrian events arrives in Hong Kong spotlighting the best show jumpers in the world. Tickets start from $200 up to $4,000 for premium suite access. Visit longinesmasters.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

FEB 3-5 Legends in Concert The live celebrity tribute show features an allstar cast of Elvis Presley, Adele, David Bowie and Madonna direct from Las Vegas to The Parisian, Macau. Running for 33 years, Legends in Concert is Las Vegas’ longest-running live entertainment show. Tickets $180-$480 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

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FEB 12 Standard Chartered Marathon Hong Kong’s annual marathon is back with the full marathon, half marathon and 10km races. Get up early to cheer on the runners as the first races start at 5.45am. Starts on Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. hkmarathon.com.

FEB 14 Valentine’s Day Will you be my valentine? (In need of gift inspiration? Turn to page 56.)

FEB 16-MAR 18 Hong Kong Arts Festival The 45th Hong Kong Arts Festival presents over 1,600 of the world’s top artists and stars of tomorrow in 149 performances. Audiences are treated to a wide ranging programme including theatre, music, chamber opera and contemporary dance during the month long festival. Visit hk.artsfestival.org for more information.

tell me more

Photo by Wilfred Hösl

mum about town

Bayerisches Staatsballett - La Bayadère

FEB 17-25 India by the Bay A week-long cultural programme of events including music, theatre and guest speakers celebrates India’s cultural diversity. Visit asiasociety.org/hong-kong for full programme information.

FEB 19 The Hills X SPCA Dogathon 2017 Hong Kong Disneyland is set to throw the city’s largest dog party of the year. Doggie games and treats await with onstage performances and a goodie bag for every pooch. Tickets from $589 for two adults and one dog. Email dogathon@spca.org.hk or call 2232 5579 for details.

FEB 23 Eddie Izzard live Comedy genius Eddy Izzard brings his mammoth ‘Force Majeure’ tour to Hong Kong as part of more than 30 stops around the world. Academy Community Hall, Hong Kong Baptist University. Tickets $488-$988 from hkticketing.com or call 3128 8288.

FEB 24-MAR 4 Hansel & Gretel A living diorama of spectacle, song and puppets, inspired by the classic fairytale opera by Engelbert Humperdinck. The HKU Black Box, Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus, The University of Hong Kong. Tickets from $150 from ticketflap.com.

FEB 25-26 Dragonland Music Festival Hong Kong’s first outdoor concert combining pop and electronic dance music with some of the world’s chart-topping artists like Black Eyed Peas, Zedd, Iggy Azalea and Redfoo. Hong Kong favourite, Leon Lai, will be holding a special concert during the festival. Central Harbourfront. Tickets from hotdogtix.com.

FEB 26 Hike for Hospice Hike for Hospice raises much-needed funds for the Society for the Promotion of Hospice Care (SPHC). Now in its 25th year, the 2017 route will see hikers walk through Tai Lam Country Park. For registration and fundraising information, visit hike.hospicecare.org.hk.

Run For Survival highlighting the problem of marine debris takes place on February 26.

Charity concert With women’s rights very much in the news right now, I’m looking forward to a charity concert on February 7 organised by students from German Swiss International School to raise funds for underprivileged girls in Hong Kong to access S.T.E.M (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) classes. The charity concert, MindMuse, will be held at Hong Kong City Hall Theatre and is open to the public with proceeds supporting The Women’s Foundation’s ‘Girls Go Tech’ after-school programmes. As musician and Year 11 student Misha Fischer succinctly puts it, “Women are consistently left behind in this race to innovate… I decided that the best way to raise funds is through a medium which can reach everyone, regardless of whether they are science-minded or art-oriented: music.” The concert starts at 7.30pm and tickets are $200 from URBTIX, urbtix.hk. Race to the finish I am (honestly) looking forward to taking part in Run For Survival on February 26, once I’ve got round to that pesky run training schedule, of course. The annual event is organised by Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong (OPCFHK) and aims to highlight the problem of marine rubbish. Hong Kong is home to over 6,000 marine species, and the Hong Kong government alone (not factoring in the countless charity organisations) sweeps up a heap of garbage from our beaches. In fact, a massive 15,000 tons is collected annually, most of it nonbiodegradable plastic in one form or another. After the run, there will be a raft of educational games and workshops to take part in. From leaf painting for kids to creating sustainable beeswax food wrappers and learning to knit your own dishcloths, there’ll be plenty of food for thought. The event takes place at Hong Kong Science Park, Tai Po and runs from 9am-2pm. See opcf.org.hk for details. expat-parent.com 9

BOOK NOW MAR 16-19 Taste of Hong Kong A food lover’s paradise. Sample signature dishes from some of Hong Kong’s top restaurants and artisan producers at the festival. Central Harbourfront. For more information, visit hongkong.tastefestivals.com.

MAR 20-25 Art Central Art Central returns to Central

Harbourfront for its third edition, featuring over 100 leading international galleries. Largescale installations, performances, talks and panel discussions await Hong Kong’s growing art community. Tickets start from $230 from ticketflap.com.

APR 1 The Women’s Five A five-week running and yoga program which culminates in

participants joining together for a 5km run through Aberdeen Country Park. Launched in partnership with HK Running and yoga teachers and studios throughout the city, training includes videos, free classes and weekly meet-ups. Registration costs $800 per person and will be capped at 500 entries or 10 days before the run, whichever comes first. A fraction of the proceeds will go to RainLily, Hong Kong’s first one-stop crisis center for the protection of sexual violence victims. For more information, visit womensfive.com.

APR 7-9 Rugby 7s Three days of beer, singing, dodgy dancing, fancy dress and not to forget the world-class rugby. Tickets are on sale for the city’s biggest sporting event, starting at $350-750 each and

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can be purchased at viagogo.com. Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, hksevens.com.

APR 12-16 2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships The world’s best cyclists battle it out at Hong Kong Velodrome to become champions of the world. It’s guaranteed to be a fast and furious few days. Hong Kong Velodrome, 105-107 Ho Pong Road, Tseung Kwan O, trackworldcup.hk.

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news

Flights of fancy British artist Pauline Yau has created a stunning display of delicately constructed paper birds for the Pacific Place Chinese New Year installation. “Birds of a Feather Flock Together” runs until February 7 and celebrates the Year of the Rooster with an array of 30 beautiful rooster and bird sculptures, displayed in the Garden Court underneath over 38,000 hanging gold feathers. Yau, who lives on Lamma Island, drew her inspiration from nature. Highlights of the display include the Black Copper Maran rooster and the vibrant Scarlet Ibis. Pacific Place is also offering environmental lai see packets made of chrysanthemum seeds paper which can be planted after the packet has been used. Celebrations culminate with a traditional “eye-dotting” ceremony at Garden Court on February 1, followed by a lion dance parade through the mall.

Major achievement for minor A new app for children, MinorMynas, designed by 11-year-old Hillary Yip has been softlaunched in Hong Kong. Yip came up with the idea for the app after being part of the AIA Emerging Entrepreneur Challenge. The idea behind the app is to build a global network of children under 18, for them to make meaningful connections while learning each other’s language. The app is currently in its final stage of development and Yip took the opportunity at the launch to invite the 100-strong audience to test it. It is due to be formally launched later this month, with a basic,

Winning design

free-of-charge plan and a premium plan of US$9.99/month. The soft launch was attended by Dr Winnie Tang, chairman of Esri China (Hong Kong) and chairman of the steering committee of Smart City Consortium, and fashion designer William Tang. Dr Tang acknowledged the importance of languages as language-ability is an important contributing factor to a city’s competitiveness. She used Switzerland as an example, a country where the average citizen speaks five languages and consistently ranks ahead of Hong Kong in terms of GDP per capita.

Many congratulations to our Christmas colouring competition winner, Hiren, from Kowloon, for his beautifully decorated image (above). Hiren wins a fabulous giant colouring poster courtesy of Little Malabar. Well done, Hiren! Eleven-year-old Hillary Yip and Dr Winnie Tang launching Yip’s new app.

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news

Iron Man strides into Disney Hong Kong Disneyland’s latest high tech ride, the Iron Man Experience, opened last month, and is the first Marvel ride to arrive in the park. The much anticipated ride was launched to much fanfare by chief executive CY Leung and Bob Chapek, chairman of Walt Disney parks and resorts in Tomorrowland. “We’re thrilled to be adding the hightech, action-packed universe of Marvel to Hong Kong Disneyland and we’ll continue building on it as we move into the resort’s next phase of expansion,” said Chapek. It has taken the park more than three years to design and create the Iron Man Experience, complete with flight simulators, 3-D projection, surround sound and other special effects that immerse guests in the Marvel story of a battle with the evil forces of Hydra. For the first time, the park has integrated strong Hong Kong elements into a park attraction by using Hong Kong and its skyline for the fly-through ride. After putting on a pair of StarkVision glasses and taking

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Iron Man launches the most Marvel-lous ride.

off on the special 45-passenger Expo Edition Iron Wing, guests will make their way to the Hong Kong Stark Tower powered by the Arc Reactor and speed alongside Iron Man through streets that resemble those in West Kowloon and downtown, and fly over iconic Hong Kong landmarks like the Tsing Ma Bridge, Victoria Harbour and the city’s mountain ranges.

This month, Disneyland will be launching a “We Did It” award programme aimed at secondary schools in the territory. The park will donate more than 20,000 admission tickets to students with outstanding volunteer service. The initiative is part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

news

In brief… ...Expat mum-of-three Marie McNaughten took third place in the territory’s gruelling Vibram 100 Ultra Trail Race last month. Finishing the 100km trail run in a time of 12 hours 26 minutes behind Spain’s Nuria Picas and China’s Linming Chen, McNaughten achieved a much coveted podium position. The annual race starts at Pak Tam Chung in Sai Kung Country Park and is based on the MacLehose Trail, with deviations. It finishes with the descent from Hong Kong’s highest peak, Tai Mo Shan, in Tai Lam Country Park.

Chinese tale Publisher TimTimTom has launched its personalised An Underwater Adventure storybook series in traditional Chinese. “We had so many requests, we decided to include it,” said TimTimTom founder Kat Zondag. The books are aimed at children speaking or learning more than one language, and are already printed in English, Dutch, French, German and Spanish, and are now available in both simplified and traditional Chinese. The books can be printed in a combination of two languages as well as customizing the name and appearance of the child character for each order. There is also space for a dedication. Books are delivered free-of-charge around the world and cost US$37.99. They are available from timtimtom.com.

Deep sea adventures with TimTimTom.

Corrections Thank you to Sarah Brennan for sharing the launch of her new book, Rickshaw Rooster, in The big interview of the January issue. She has since pointed out a correction needs to be made to the article - Bi Sheng of course invented the world’s first movable printing press in the eleventh century, not the second. Ts’ai Lun’s paper creation came about in the second century.

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giveaways WIN HERE! Click the Giveaways tab on our website: www.expat-parent.com

Cambridge Weight Plan

Developed by Cambridge University doctors in the US, Cambridge Weight Plan helps people lose weight in a safe and convenient way. Now in thirty countries around the world, Cambridge Weight Plan Hong Kong is run by accredited counsellor Sarah Armstrong. One reader will win a starter pack of Cambridge products along with a free nutrition consultation, worth $1,190. Deadline: February 21

Faust

The tale of Pinocchio comes to life on February 15 to 17 at Youth Square thanks to Faust International Youth Theatre. Watch the wooden puppet meet a myriad of colourful characters such as Geppetto the kind puppet maker, the Blue Fairy, and more! We’re giving away one family pack of two adult tickets and two children’s tickets to the opening show on February 15. Deadline: February 8

Le Bistro Winebeast

Learn how to make delicious French cuisine in a French Cooking Workshop with Chef Johan Ducroquet of Le Bistro Winebeast. In two hours, you and your loved one will learn how to make two of Le Bistro Winebeast’s signature dishes: Pithiviers of Quail and Foie Gras, and Lemon Souffle with Lemon Sorbet. The class is just for the two of you, so it’s the perfect romantic afternoon! Deadline: February 20

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Biobeauty Spa

Treat yourself with a 90-minute facial at Bio Beauty Spa. Valued at $2,500, the procedure uses a FOTONA laser machine to rejuvenate the skin, remove dark spots, reduce pigmentation, improve skin tone and minimize enlarged pores. Included in the laser treatment is a full facial (cleansing, exfoliation, blackhead removal, and mask). One lucky reader gets to enjoy this facial. Deadline: February 23

THE EXPERTS IN INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE OPENING SEPTEMBER 2017

DAILY OR BILINGUAL CHINESE

STANDARDIZED MAPÂ® TESTING

ACADEMIC STEMinn PROGRAM

OPEN HOUSE | FEBRUARY 15 & 16 | MARCH 9, 10, 11, 15 & 16 We are pleased to launch a new campus in Hong Kong, September 2017, following our huge success at Stamford American International School in Singapore, which today has over 3,000 students from 70 nationalities. We offer a rigorous standards-based curriculum for students from 5 to 18 years, graduating students with the International Baccalaureate Diploma* to 1st tier universities worldwide.

admissions@sais.edu.hk +852 2500 8688 www.sais.edu.hk *Stamford American School Hong Kong will apply to the International Baccalaureate for program candidacy in December 2017.

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debate of the month

Be my Valentine?

February 14th - time to crack open the chocolates, or a cynical money spinner?

In 19 years of marriage I don’t think I’ve received a single Valentine card. Waste of time! - Niamh “We don’t bother. Same as Halloween. Mind you, my husband is about as romantic as a squashed tomato.” - Julie

“Definitely a way to boost card sales. But if it gets me a lie-in and some choccies, champagne and flowers, who am I to argue?!” - Jane

“I can’t stand it. I would rather my husband brought me flowers on any random day just because he’s thinking of me, not because some tacky Americanised holiday tells him he should!” - Sally

I can live in hope! Although I’ll probably end up with something handmade at school by the kids as usual. - Liz

Love it. Great excuse for a blow-out meal in a top restaurant and some precious ‘us’ time. - Elsie

We actually got together on February 14, 21 years ago. So it’s a significant date for me, although apparently not so much for my husband! From past experience I’m not getting my hopes up. - Amber “My grandparents got married on February 14 and every year my grandad would buy my granny a red rose for each year they’d been married, culminating in a huge bunch of 40 blooms on their ruby anniversary. I’ve mentioned this to my own husband many times, but no hint has so far been taken!” - Jenny

“Obviously, as a card seller, I completely advocate celebrating. Buy many cards and share the love! But personally speaking, it’s the biggest annual anti-climax after New Year’s Eve.” - Claire

We want to hear from you! Next month: Sports lessons for pre-schoolers, an essential part of a child’s development, or an expensive babysitting service? Email your views to editorial@fastmedia.com.hk or go to www.expat-parent.com 18 expat-parent.com

Teachers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best resource. At HKA, teachers are learners, too. We are passionate about professional development because we know supporting the growth of teachers enhances the rigorous international education that we provide for our students. Research confirms what we all know intuitively: good teaching is what makes for a successful school. And the best teachers are the ones who never stop learning themselves. At HKA we make professional development for faculty a top priority, and our commitment to nurturing teachers is one of the many reasons that HKA is a dynamic and special place. Come watch our teachers in action! Sincerely, Jennifer Swinehart Director of Research and Development

HKA is an IB World School offering a rigorous education for children ages 3 to 18. Come visit us in Sai Kung to learn more about our dynamic learning community. For more information or to schedule a tour, please contact our admissions team at admissions@hkacademy.edu.hk. learning, growing, understanding

www.hkacademy.edu.hk

Find us on the web.

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book review

Love notes

Romantic reads for February

Essays in Love

Fifty Shades Darker The Notebook

Weightless

Jane Eyre

Alain De Botton The story of two young people, who meet on an aeroplane between London and Paris (where else?) and rapidly fall in love. De Botton charts the progress of the love affair from the first kiss through to argument and reconciliation, and from intimacy and tenderness to the onset of anxiety and heartbreak. Essays in Love will appeal to anyone who has ever been in a relationship or been confused about love.

EL James Love it or hate it, book two of the Fifty Shades trilogy is to be released as a major motion picture this month. Daunted by the singular tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house. But desire for Grey still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Steele cannot resist.

Sarah Bannan When gorgeous, stylish, athletic, top student Carolyn Lessing moves from New Jersey to Alabama, she is gobbled up right away by her new school’s cliques. She begins dating senior Shane, whose on-off girlfriend Brooke becomes Carolyn’s bitter romantic rival. A make-out video of Carolyn and Shane does the rounds and she drops from golden girl to slut in an instant. A startling and assured debut novel.

Charlotte Bronte An indispensable read for Valentine’s Day. Jane Eyre is the heart-wrenching story of a young girl saddled with a cruel aunt and a bitter upbringing at Lowood School. Undaunted, she becomes governess to the children of the handsome Mr Rochester, with whom she falls deeply in love. But the dark secrets of Rochester’s past threaten to swallow their budding romance. A novel of shocking secrets, captivating characters and dark romance.

Nicolas Sparks At 31, Noah Calhoun, back in coastal North Carolina after World War II, is haunted by images of the girl he lost more than a decade earlier. At 29, socialite Allie Nelson is about to marry a wealthy lawyer, but she cannot stop thinking about the boy who long ago stole her heart. Thus begins the story of a love so enduring and deep it can turn tragedy into triumph, and may even have the power to create a miracle.

All books are available from Bookazine stores, bookazine.com.hk.

Out this month Swimming Lessons (by Claire Fuller, Tin House Books) tells the story of Ingrid Coleman who writes letters to her husband, Gil, about the truth of their marriage. But instead of passing them to him, she hides them in the thousands of books he has collected over the years. When Ingrid finishes her final letter, she disappears from a beach on the English south coast, leaving behind her beautiful house by the sea, her husband, and her two daughters. Twelve years later, Gil thinks he spots Ingrid inside a bookshop, but the unlikely sighting is relegated to advancing old age and senility. However, daughter Flora has never believed her mother drowned. She returns home to care for her father and to try and discover what happened. Author of popular chick-lit series The Shopaholic, Madeleine Wickham brings us a new novel under her pseudonym of Sophie Kinsella. My Perfect Life (Bantam Press) is the tale of Katie Brenner, who, according to her 20 expat-parent.com

Instagram feed, has the perfect life - think glam job, London apartment, cool online images. But the real truth is she rents a tiny room, has a revolting commute to a lowly admin job, and the life she shares on Instagram isn’t really hers. To cap it all, she is eventually given the sack and forced to move to the country where she helps her dad with his new glamping business. Unknowingly, her boss books herself and her family in for a holiday - should Katie get her revenge? And does her boss even have such an idyllic life herself? Four grown up siblings meet in the gloriously written The Past (Tessa Hadley, Vintage Publishing) as past histories are revealed and family tensions simmer. Harriet, Roland,

Alice and Fran have arranged to spend three weeks of the summer with partners and children at their grandparents’ dilapidated cottage in the country. Fran’s children soon uncover an ugly secret in a ruined cottage in the woods; meanwhile, Alice’s stepson Kasim seduces Roland’s teenage daughter Molly, and Harriet’s quiet self-possession is ripped apart when passion erupts unexpectedly. Over the holiday, a familiar way of life falls apart forever. Beautifully written, Zadie Smith wasn’t wrong when she described Hadley as one of the few writers to deliver such consistent pleasure. All books available from bookdepository.com.

book review Book of the month Lucky Boy by Shanti Sekaran Mexican-born Solimar Castro-Valdez is just 18 when she begins a perilous journey across the Mexican/US border to reach her cousin, Silvia, in America. She arrives several weeks later on her cousin’s doorstep in Berkeley, California, dazed and pregnant. As her story unravels, it becomes apparent that she has suffered unimaginable hardship to arrive at her destination. Her cousin finds work for her as a cleaner and child-minder for the wealthy Cassidy family, and their only daughter, Saoirse. After the birth of her son, motherhood quickly becomes her lifeline. “Love wasn’t a word that meant anything to Soli, not when she looked at her boy. Love was a television word. Soli held her sleeping son, his fists balled and eyes shut tight, clinging to a dream. She had awakened, sprouted a new layer of skin, pink and raw and wholly vulnerable. For the first time since arriving in America, she was well and truly scared.” Meanwhile, in another part of town, Kavya Reddy is overwhelmed by the unexpected

desire to have a child. When she can’t get pregnant, her longing for a child sets her and her husband on a collision course with Soli. “The discussion continued for days. It skirted around fostering, adopting, the elusive day when they’d finally have a child. It never swelled to an argument, but rumbled with the persistence of an underground train.” Tracing themes of immigration, maid/ employer relationships, adoption, infertility and motherhood, Lucky Boy is an emotional, unputdownable read, as Soli desperately tries to make the best of the bum hand she has been dealt in life. This is Sekaran’s second novel and was inspired by true tales of undocumented immigrant mothers losing their children when forced into detention centres or deported. She researched the novel by visiting a Mexican detention centre, making Soli’s plight all the more real. Her own experience as a first

generation Indian-American mother adds authenticity to Kavya’s sections. Lucky Boy is available from Bookazine stores, bookazine.com.hk.

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PEOPLE

My Hong Kong the tour guide If you’re looking to uncover Hong Kong’s best bits, Amy Overy of Hong Kong Greeters is your woman. I came to Hong Kong in 2010 because of my husband’s job; a two-year stint soon rolled into another two years and now we both love it here and have no plans to move. We started out in Pok Fu Lam but then a second baby arrived, rents shot up and we decided to find somewhere bigger for less rent. Tai Wai was a great choice for us as my husband works in ICC - it doesn’t matter where I am as I start in a different location every day.

Most of my clients are those passing through Hong Kong on their way to another destination, but don’t want to miss the chance to stop here too. I get a lot of family bookings (maybe because I’m a mum myself), but also couples and single travellers. Sometimes I have to embrace my inner teenager with younger clients - they tend to love Mong Kok with all the markets and street-wear for sale, but I’m left feeling my age! I’ve also led quite a few large corporate and educational groups - they’re great as you can organise one-off experiences with those numbers. It could be a class with a Chinese medicine doctor, hiking Dragon’s Back or a cruise through the harbour with lunch at Pui O. At Chinese New Year and during the Christmas festivities I arrange firework cruises - the harbour is just stunning. 22 expat-parent.com

Photo courtesy of Jill Carter.

When I arrived here I had so many questions - I started keeping a diary of all the interesting and quirky things I found. I remember being astounded by the bamboo scaffolding, the random smells as you walk down the street, and becoming a complete dim sum convert. I would make itineraries for visiting friends and family and after a while thought maybe they were something that could benefit other visitors. And so Hong Kong Greeters was born. I wanted people to get the most out of the city and not leave disappointed. I listed myself on TripAdvisor and within a few weeks was taking bookings. Private tour guide Amy Overy walks around 10kms every day showing off the city to visitors.

The tourist board markets the big attractions, but I find what really inspires people is to see how Hong Kongers actually live. I try and embrace this - I take visitors to see fish being gutted in the wet markets, fortune tellers at the temples, food tastings that they would not usually attempt. Some of my best tours have involved interacting with the local residents, shop keepers or temple caretakers en route. Hong Kongers love their city and are always eager to share. I’ve learnt what the gall bladder is used for in cooking, why the Bank of China is on a square base as opposed to a triangular one, and have been given a group blessing in the Pak Tai Temple - all added to the tour by local people working day-to-day.

My most unusual tour request came from a group wanting only to visit indoor locations. I thought it was a bit strange, but said I was happy to lead them. It turned out to be an exploratory trip with a group of 10 employees from Google headquarters in San Francisco. They were testing their new street view technology which shows you inside buildings and pedestrian routeways. They chose Hong Kong as we have such a high rate of public transport usage and residents making their way by foot rather than car. I was very proud to have been involved, albeit in a tiny way! I have witnessed one marriage proposal during a tour so far, it was in front of the God

PEOPLE of Marriages. It was an impromptu decision and terribly romantic. Visitors are blown away by the scale and proximity of Hong Kong. They’re also impressed by the efficiency - we spend most of the tour on foot and using public transport. It’s always seamless, quick and clean. I’ve probably been to the Peak around 600 times, but it never fails to impress. Nothing sums up the scale, density and greenness of Hong Kong better. But my favourite areas are the more “raw” districts - Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po rank highly for atmosphere, food and understanding the community. There is so much context and explanation required and I think most people leave feeling they’ve seen the “real” Hong Kong. The ten weeks of the Umbrella movement in Central and Admiralty has been my favourite period for tours so far. I was taking visitors through from the very beginning and we were there for the serenade at the end. Tourists were being advised not to travel here during that time, but it was of course perfectly safe and everyone we spoke to was passionate and driven. They didn’t mind us being there at all. The whole area prickled with anticipation and hope. I wish we could have held onto that bubble somehow.

by tram before 2pm - at this time you can usually walk straight onto one. Restaurant apps can be very useful; I use Food Gulu a lot for any of the Maxim’s restaurants so I can take a ticket ahead of time. And although the Ngong-Ping cable car is currently closed, don’t miss the opportunity to go to Lantau by boat. Book with Hong Kong Dolphinwatch for a pink dolphin viewing opportunity, or take the Mui Wo ferry from Central, or the Fortune Ferry from Tung Chung to Tai O.

kids out for a short ride from Tai Wai along the Shing Mun river in autumn and spring. I like to get out and explore in my spare time. I have a long list of restaurants to work my way through, and some deeper digging to do in many districts. I also like to fit in some acupuncture if I can - I walk around 10km a day so it takes its toll on my feet. The best thing about Hong Kong is the food. On an average day I will be tucking into dim sum, pineapple buns and fish-balls. I actually cried in London’s Chinatown last year - we must have chosen a bad restaurant but every single thing we ordered was unrecognisable. I realised I could never move back to the UK unless I could find good char siu - if anyone knows of anywhere, let me know!

As a family we often head over to Discovery Bay to the Auberge Hotel with friends. They have a good brunch and kids entertainment and are very family-friendly. We also enjoy the cycle routes, taking the

Photo courtesy of Mariella C Amitai.

Top tour hacks would be to make your own way up the Peak (the queues for the tram are always really busy) and come down

Overy estimates she has visited Victoria Peak “probably around 600 times - but it never fails to impress”.

My greatest fear is that the remaining historic buildings will disappear in favour of large-scale development in Hong Kong. I think that in Macau, the only other SAR, they have understood and embraced their identity much more fully than in Hong Kong. When you’re tested for the tour guide licence, you still need to mention landmarks such as Ha Paw Gardens (Tiger Balm Gardens), the Repulse Bay Hotel and Queen’s Pier, even though they have all disappeared. Overy can be contacted at hkgreeters@gmail.com or hkgreeters.com; follow her adventures on Facebook and Instagram @hkgreeters

Overy with her family - husband Matt; son Max, five; and daughter Lily, three.

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Modern family

Fostering a better future Kate Farr finds out how Project Bridge is reaping rewards for all concerned.

elebrating its 30th anniversary this year, local charity Mother’s Choice has been providing support to children without families and pregnant teenagers in Hong Kong throughout this time. Part of the charity’s ambitious mission is to see every child in a safe, loving and permanent family. Its community-based foster care programme Project Bridge matches volunteer families with children from newborn to six years who are in need of essential short-term care. Mother’s Choice chief executive officer Alia Eyres explains, “Our bridge families provide children with a safe and loving family environment, so they have the opportunity to build trust and attachment, develop their sense of identity and belonging, and can continue to thrive - despite the crises at home.” Although the charity has helped to run foster care programmes in conjunction with the Social Welfare department since the 1990s, Project Bridge was launched in 2014 with the specific aim of helping those children who often fall between two pillars of the welfare system - unable to return to their birth family, but also unable to move forwards towards adoption. Eyres explains the programme’s focus: to provide the best possible short-term care, while working towards a permanent solution. “There is a very real need for children to have a concrete plan to place them in a permanent family… We don’t believe that foster care is a permanent solution for a child without a family, and we seek to ensure that every child can either be reunited with its birth family, or join an adoptive family as soon as possible.” Since launching the scheme, Mother’s Choice has found the programme has quickly become a cornerstone of the charity’s services. “Since 2014, over 30 children have been placed into Project Bridge homes, and have stayed anywhere from three weeks to 18 months before returning to their birth families or joining an adoptive family,” says Eyres. “Even we have been amazed by the incredible change it has made to these children’s life stories. When a child is in a safe, loving family, they thrive… We have even seen children who

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Fostering a child can provide enormous emotional benefits.

have improved so much that original diagnoses of developmental delays no longer exist.” For those who are considering opening their family to a foster child, there is ample information and support available from the Mother’s Choice team. “Following the initial enquiry, a family will be invited to attend a Project Bridge information session to learn more about the programme. If they choose to proceed, they’ll meet with a social worker, who will spend some time getting to know the family,” explains Eyres. Essential paperwork, such as home assessment, criminal record checks, along with gaining an understanding of family relationships and routines helps to match a child with the right care for their requirements. I wonder whether potential foster families find it challenging to welcome a child into the family, only to have to let them go? “This is true,” admits Eyres. “Every child takes a piece of your heart when they leave, but this fear should not prevent a child from living without a family. In our pre-service training we talk

about this challenge, and give our families tips on how to build love and attachment with a child, as well as how to let go when it’s time to leave,” she says. Bridge families are strongly encouraged to support each other throughout the process. “They’re uniquely positioned to encourage and advise one another, as they understand the bittersweet experience of loving a child then letting them go to join their forever family,” explains Eyres. And while Project Bridge families don’t receive any financial incentive for their service, the volunteers are rewarded in other ways. “The change isn’t just evident in the child; we’ve seen families grow closer and stronger as they work together to welcome a child into their home. We’re full of admiration for our Project Bridge families and the incredible role they play in changing lives in our city.” For more information about Mother’s Choice and how to get involved with Project Bridge, see motherschoice.org.

modern family Mum Jasmin Blunck describes her experiences of fostering a child. Having initially attended a talk about Project Bridge on the spur of the moment, Jasmin Blunck was moved to raise the prospect of becoming a foster family with husband Max. “I had a discussion with Max and we agreed to go with it,” she says. “There was no hesitation that it was the right thing to do.” Fate further intervened when their five-yearold daughter Francisca decided that she wanted to donate part of her birthday money to Mother’s Choice via the TwoPresents initiative. “We attended an open day, and were able to hear about Project Bridge again. We asked Francisca if she would like to get involved and she said yes.” Once their training was complete, the family had seven-week-old baby “W” placed in their care for ten weeks, until he was ready to go to his forever family. Blunck recalls, “He came into our home and from the start he was part of our family. He already had a routine, and being formula fed meant that my husband could help out with night feeds, which hadn’t been possible with my breastfed daughter.” She continues, “We loved being able to make a difference to his life, and the love and care that he received from our friends and family. That really blew us away… the support.”

On the topic of bonding with W, Blunck is clear. “Someone told me that getting attached means you’re doing it right, and for the right reasons.” She adds, “We are in contact and I hope we will remain so. Of course there are many moments when we miss him, but our role was always to provide a safe and loving temporary home. While he won’t remember his time with us, I hope that our impact on his development will have a positive influence on his future.” Blunck’s message to anyone considering fostering a child is simple, “You don’t need to be the perfect parent, have a massive house or lots of money to be able to do this; anyone can. What a Project Bridge family offers is so much better than the alternative.”

Blunck with husband Max and daughter Francisca.

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THE big interview

Speaking their language A brand new online magazine for teen girls launches this month. Publisher Jo Reed reveals all.

aunching this month is China Doll, Hong Kong’s first online magazine for teen girls. The brainchild of international school teacher Jo Reed, China Doll aims to fill a gap in the market she discovered through personal experience. “I have two daughters, aged 21 and 18, myself,” explains Reed when we meet afterclass. “And I have found that there is absolutely no quality magazine out there for them, particularly one that addresses expat teen girls. I’d be there at the airport when we were travelling, stocking up on Australian Women’s Weekly and so forth for me, and there would be nothing similar for them.” The idea for starting a girls magazine in Hong Kong came about five years ago, to a muted response. “It was all a bit ‘bleugh’ when I floated the idea with friends,” she says. 26 expat-parent.com

China Doll aims to publish “quick read” articles girls can download between class or travelling on public transport.

But convinced there was something in it, she pushed on and ended up starting it as a hobby two years ago. “I wanted to create something that was good quality and also something that didn’t push the traditional teen themes of being a certain shape, or style, or generally fitting the advertising-led mould of what’s considered ‘cool’. “My aim is to provide a platform for girls to read a variety of positive well-being stories and make connections with other girls in Hong Kong. I want the magazine to inspire, connect and celebrate difference. Hong Kong is an eclectic place, and it’s also very accepting of difference, so it’s a good place to start.” According to her own research, Reed believes there are more than one million girls in Hong Kong between 12 and 20 years, the

demographic she is hoping to engage with. As a mother of girls and a school teacher, Reed is well positioned to understand what makes teen girls tick these days, what they’re interested in, and equally to understand their frustrations. Along with the teaching, she has also been involved with Hong Kong netball for many years, most recently as vice-president of the Hong Kong Netball Association. “So I have been able to make a lot of connections and form positive relationships with girls from a variety of backgrounds and schools, both local and international. I put forward the idea of the magazine and asked if they would read something like this, and they all said ‘absolutely’.” Another point of difference with China Doll is that readers will be able to contribute. Reed will be inviting the readership to submit

THE big interview

Reed (second from left) with “her girls” as vice-president of the Hong Kong Netball Association.

stories or story ideas that will be considered for publication, which she hopes will keep the magazine relevant and of interest. “Online means there is much more opportunity for readers to collaborate and engage. I don’t want China Doll to be something that preaches to them. I’ve also opted for digital over paper media because I can’t imagine girls these days sitting down and reading a magazine like we did back in the day. I also can’t envisage them wanting to put one more thing into their already heavy school backpacks.” The stories will be two or three minute quick-reads, “because girls don’t have much time” - maybe read on the MTR, or glanced at during recess. Reed wants it to be a “short, sharp and shiny” read. For Reed herself, the digital journey has been a steep learning curve, but she’s brought lots of contacts on board to help her along the way. “I just want it to look good, to flow properly. I’ve had lots of input from business people about growth and trends and so on, but really I’d just like it to grow organically. Overall I want it to be uplifting and positive - it’s just a hobby at the moment so it will be interesting to see where it goes.” The magazine will also be translated into Mandarin and Reed hopes this will break down social barriers and encourage greater understanding between Hong Kong groups. “I also believe there is nothing out there that truly respects the dignity and pride of teen girls in Hong Kong. This is a group of people who are well travelled, come from diverse backgrounds, tend to be very respectful of each other and at the end of the day have been brought up in Hong Kong. From the perspective of the classroom and of coaching netball, I have found Hong Kong girls to be very accepting, there’s not this hang up with trends, or being cool, that you find in other countries.

China Doll launches this month.

They’re quite appreciative of different ideas or fashions or opinions - quite the opposite from the ‘expat brat’ label we’re led to believe.”

There’s no publication out there that respects the dignity and pride of teen girls growing up in Hong Kong. In my experience, they’re quite the opposite of the ‘expat brat’ label we’re led to believe.

China Doll will be published in four sections - “Mind” - including book and movie reviews, advice-led articles, positive well-being and study habits; “Body” - covering women’s health, sport, cyber and personal safety, taking care of yourself, fashion, where to buy the latest hot trend; “Soul” - which looks at self image, relationships, bullying, uplifting things to do, food - with two recipes each month for juices, super-salads, etc.; and “Community” - including a Chinese Whispers noticeboard for advertisers. Sisters With A Twist is a place where girls can connect, and there’s a service section promoting charity work. There will

Reed at work on the first issue.

also be a section for readers to drop in photos which Reed will be able to edit and use online with different articles. Reed has cleverly invited trainee journalists from Hong Kong University to submit articles, although she is open to submissions from anyone who has something to say. The page will be totally refreshed once a month, with a theme for each issue and English articles running side-by-side with the Mandarin translations. The magazine will be supported on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, but from there it’s a leap of faith, as it’s the first time Reed has been involved in such a project. “It’s exciting, I’m excited. I’m nervous, but I’m excited,” she admits. “I’ve let go of my vice-presidency at HKNA so I can totally focus on China Doll. I’m also well-served by my two daughters, who have lots of opinions. I just hope girls get on board.” Check out the first issue at chinadollmag.com.

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Move it!

Your exclusive fitness round-up for a fitter, firmer future, plus Sarah Fung, publisher of health and wellness magazine, Liv, reveals what’s hot on the fitness scene for 2017. Fitness magazines tell us that New Year’s Resolutions begin on January 1. But when you’re a parent? You’ve got to be kidding. Wiped out from an entire month of Christmas shopping, parties, queuing to see Santa, writing Christmas cards and entertaining out-of-town relatives, the entire month of January - for me at least - was spent hiding under under a mountain of wadded-up wrapping paper and binge-eating leftover chocolate tree decorations, trying to recover from the tinsel-covered trauma of the festive season. Unfortunately, being the editor of a health and wellness magazine does not exempt me from festive stress - or festive excess. But now that Chinese New Year is over, and the threat of bare forearms and bikinis lurks on the horizon (hello, Easter holidays), there’s no time like now to finally kick those long-dormant healthy habits into high gear. Carolynne Dear, the lovely editor of Expat Parent, has kindly invited me to offer you a glimpse into what’s hot on the health scene. If you like Pilates but find it a bit too relaxed, you might want to give H-Kore a go. Hong Kong’s only Lagree Fitness studio, H-Kore has its members perform exercises on “megaformers” - reformer-like devices that keep your muscles in a constant state of tension as you work out. The studio has just brought in 12 brand new MS2 Megaformers, meaning more sweating, stretching and muscle conditioning. For the time-poor, HIIT was another hit last year, with an explosion of studios offering high-octane workouts that you can bash out in 45 minutes. It’s not an easy option though; you’ll be left in a puddle on the floor by the end of the class. On the plus side however, you’ll experience an “after burn” that’ll keep your metabolism firing for the rest of the day. Try Hit45 or F45. Bigger gyms such as Pure also offer shorter classes, particularly during the lunch rush.

Tai Tam’s Stormy Dragons dragon boaters are back on the water this month.

Looking for a bit of extra help? If you find it hard to tone certain areas, you might want to try EMS, or Electro-Magnetic Stimulation. You put on a body suit and electrical panels will “zap” your muscles, into a state of tension, meaning that you get a ton of muscle toning delivered in a 20-minute session. It sounds too good to be true, but devotees say it’s an effective way of toning up fast, particularly if you have an event or holiday coming up. Body Express and Feelness are two EMS studios in town. One of my favourite workouts of last year was aerial arts. Suspended in a silk hammock, you can try flips, tricks, inversions and other exercises, all supported by soft fabric. It’s a great way of working up a sweat doing something that feels like fun, rather than a chore. Flex, Bodywize and Aerial Arts Academy all offer aerial arts classes. No matter what you end up trying this year, make sure it’s something you enjoy. And don’t forget to reward yourself for a job well done! Now, where did I put those tree decorations… Sarah Fung, publisher, Liv Magazine. Grab your copy of Liv free-of-charge from participating outlets, or see liv-magazine.com.

Sarah with Expat Parent publisher, Tom Hilditch.

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Flex Studio

Stormy Dragons Hit the water with top local dragon boating team, Stormy Dragons. The team was established in 2006 and has been running women’s, men’s and mixed teams for over ten years. It is currently welcoming paddlers from all backgrounds and nationalities and with multiple skill levels - from the humble beginner right up to paddlers who have represented their home nations on the world stage. Hong Kong is a land of work hard, play hard, and Stormy paddlers follow the same ethos. As much as they strive to bring back the gold, they also aim to make sure they have a great time doing it. Why should you dragon boat? It’s the ultimate team sport, says ladies’ captain Vicki Easton. “No other sport in the world asks 20 paddlers to paddle at the same time across the same distance in perfect unison.” Other benefits include a full body workout - an average hour-long training session can burn anywhere between 500 and 800 calories. And it’s not just for the arms, you’ll actually be working everything - back, shoulders, legs and core. “It’s unlike any sport you will have done before so don’t be put off after your first go - it will feel strange and muscles will ache that you didn’t know you had,” says Easton. It’s also a great way to make friends. Clubs generally have anywhere between 25 and 80 members so it’s an easy way to mix quickly 30 expat-parent.com

h! c t e r t S

with a lot of different nationalities and professions. The social scene after the races is also great fun. And really, out on the water on a beautiful Saturday morning? Nothing much beats that. Stormys runs three sessions a week, Monday and Thursday, 7.30-9pm; Saturday, 9-11am, all held at Tai Tam Tuk, stormydragonshk@gmail.com.

Stretch specialists Flex offers a range of classes and workshops for children and adults, from Pilates and yoga to cardio, barre and Xtend Barre. Pre- and post-natal conditioning is also available. The studio’s signature Allegro Pilates classes are precisely choreographed and unique to Flex, with small class sizes to ensure personal attention from the instructor. Classes cost $255 per session for drop-in yoga, barre, mat Pilates, TRX and HIIT, $270 for Pilates Allegro classes. Those renewing their platinum pass (10 Allegro & Group classes for $2,090) will receive a complimentary private Pilates class. Flex is located at shop 308-310, One Island South, 2 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang, flexhk.com.

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Fe at ur e Primal Strength This studio offers youth and adult fitness programmes combining strength movement with a nutrition plan to help improve strength, body composition, mobility, confidence and energy. Training takes place in a 4,000 squarefoot state-of-the-art facility in Tai Tam. For younger keep-fitters, Primal Academy offers semi-private group training (14-18 year olds, from $225 per hour on weekday afternoons), while Primal Adults also has semi-private group training, also at $225 per hour on weekdays at 4.30, 5.30 and 6.30pm. Personal training is also available on weekdays; prices start at $1,000 per session. New members can get four sessions of semi-private group training for $500 (either Academy or Adults). The studio is located at 1 Redhill Road, Tai Tam, primalstrength.com.hk.

Stride Fitness & Lifestyle Coaching Personal trainer and nutritionist Dan Yeung is building quite a following Hong Kong-side, with rumours of total body transformations amongst the ladies-who-lunch set. Yeung says his goal is to provide the tools and knowledge to achieve your goals, whether you’ve never set foot in a gym before, have spent years religiously pumping away with little or no result, or just need a second opinion. The online coaching programme starts with a Skype or Facetime conversation, analysing past experiences, setting goals and discussing expectations. Training, cardio and nutrition are all inter-related, so once the consultation has been completed, Yeung can start to construct a personalised programme. Clients then check in each week to discuss progress. Yeung works with clients for a minimum of eight weeks, with the option to attend personal training sessions in a gym as well. The initial online consultation costs $500, and $100 for each weekly check-in. Personal training costs from $600-$900 depending on the block booking, and includes a free initial face-to-face consultation. Yeung can be contacted via his website at stridelifestyle.com.

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Pull!

Outdoor Fitness Sai Kung’s one-woman dynamo, Dayle Haigh-Smith, runs a host of healthy classes - including Bootcamp, TRX and BoxFit - which run five mornings and two evenings each week near the football courts opposite Sai Kung swimming pool. Each class lasts an hour and all levels of fitness are welcome. If you’re a first timer, Haigh-Smith assures she will soon put you at ease. “Please don’t feel nervous,” she says. “You will be well looked after and supervised - exercises are modified to cater to your ability.” But if you’ve already been working on your fitness, Haigh-Smith can also accommodate those who want to improve on a good base level “We’re there to push you even further,” she says. “I’ll always try my best to ensure you have a great workout and feel happier and healthier as you get stronger and fitter for 2017.” Morning classes are run at 8.30am on Monday and Wednesday, at 9am on Tuesday and Thursday and at 9.30am on Saturday. Evening classes are held on Tuesday and Thursday at 7.30pm. Email dayle@outdoorfitness.hk for details.

Access all areas Invest in a Guava Pass and pick your workout. The pass lasts for one month from when you sign up and entitles you to reserve unlimited classes anywhere in Hong Kong and partner cities in Asia (participating studios only), from yoga to kickboxing, spinning to dance. The pass is downloaded as an app, making it pretty straightforward to click and book. Once

you’ve signed up, visit the Studios Page for a list of Hong Kong partners. If you’re not sure you want to commit, try GuavaLite, a four-class pass you can try out over the course of the month. GuavaLite members are limited to one class per studio. See guavapass.com for more info.

ith ss! w g n i Box or Fitne Outdo

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Lam Tin Campus

Year 1 to Year 13 Enrolling for Year 10 from August 2017

Open Day 2017 -

Tin Wan Campus

Nursery, Reception & Year 1,2 & 3 Opening August 2017 *Subject to receipt of customary regulatory approval

Visit Our School

Our Open Day is a great opportunity for parents to come and explore our stateof-the-art campus and understand NAIS’ philosophy of ‘Be Ambitious’. Come visit our campus in Lam Tin and meet our outstanding teachers. Our teachers are passionate about your child’s growth and they will be engaged, challenged, and inspired throughout their educational journey with us. Date: Saturday March 18, 2017 Time: 9:30am to 12:30pm Venue: Lam Tin Campus, 11 On Tin Street

www.nais.hk/openday

openday@nais.hk

+852 3958 1488

Places are first-come, first-served. Email us today at openday@nais.hk to secure your place. For more details, please visit our website.

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Velocity Hong Kong’s first solo aquabike studio opened in Causeway Bay late last year. The idea of the French workout experience is that the workout is “effortlessly effective”, which sounds good to us. Each aquabike session lasts 30 minutes, but in that time you can burn between 300 and 500 calories. Not only that, aquabiking builds cardio endurance for the heart and lungs, reduces water retention in the legs and burns calories more effectively than traditional cycling. Oxygenation in the water also speeds athletic recovery and releases stress and muscle ache. Twenty-six hydro massage jets within the aquabike are directed at key areas to help boost blood and lymphatic circulation, with the aim of reducing tiredness in the legs. It is also claimed the jets can be effective at reducing cellulite and thigh dimples. The buoyancy of the water also protects joints, which means aquabiking is the perfect exercise for post-natal recovery and leg injury recuperation. The water is kept at 23-24 degrees at waist level. Another plus is a workout minus the sweat - hair and make-up stay in place. Each aquabike workout takes place in a private cabin for private cycling, or duo workouts with a friend via connected cabins. Velocity is offering a Grand Opening special offer of $280 for first trial sessions, and $450 for first trail combo sessions, including the aquabike, and a Japanese sauna session. 14F, Oliv, 15-21 Sharp Street East, Causeway Bay; log onto the Velocity homepage to book, velocitystudio.hk.

Ultimate Performance With two huge gyms, there’s no excuse not to step things up in 2017. UP is currently running an unlimited group training offer at its Causeway Bay location - buy two months of training and receive a third month for free. The Central gym has also recently been renovated with a larger changing facility and expanded gym floor space. Their TeamUP semi-private personal training experience will get you started, with the UP team committed to helping you achieve your goals. The Hong Kong gyms are for personal training only which means no tedious queuing at machines and an environment focused on you and your needs. Studios are at 3/F Unicorn Trade Centre, 127-131 Des Voeux Road Central and 11/F, Midtown Plaza II, 1-29 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay, 2798 9000, upfitness.com.hk. 34 expat-parent.com

Twinkle Dance Studio

The aquabike burns up to 500 calories per half hour.

Basecamp Personal trainer Tim Stevens runs fun and challenging outdoor group training sessions, including running, agility and strength exercises using bands, benches and circuits. It’s all aimed at improving coordination, balance, strength, flexibility and cardio fitness. The classes run on Monday and Friday mornings at Sai Kung Stadium and Lions Nature Park, with a rigorous Wednesday night class at Sai Kung Stadium and a stretch Pilates class in the studio on Wednesday morning. The classes are aimed at all levels, from beginner through to experienced keep-fitters, with the emphasis on fun. Expect to be put through your paces as well as meet other locals in a friendly atmosphere. Morning classes run on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 8.30-9.30am and the Wednesday evening class is 7.15-8.15pm. See skbasecamp.com for details.

Pump!

Twinkle Dance’s Adult Ballet Level 1 (one to two years experience) and Adult Contemporary Dance classes are available on Tuesday and Friday afternoons respectively. There are studios in Southside as well as Central, with the Central branch offering a greater variety of ballet levels plus Barre & Stretch and Introduction to Pointe. $230 per class (drop in), or book a block of ten (valid for three months) for $1,800. Shop 311, One Island South, 2 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang. The Central branch is at Lansing House, 801-2, 8th Floor, 41-47 Queen’s Road Central, twinkledance.com.

En pointe! Get set for the spring racing season Feb 12 Hong Kong Marathon, 10km, half or full marathon challenges; see hkaaa.com. Feb 12 King of the Hills, Sai Kung Mountain, 19km or 37km options, trail; see seyonasia.com. Feb 18 HK50 Series, Sai Kung, 21km or 52km options, trail; see actionasiaevents.com. Feb 18 Cold Half, Stanley Main Beach to Middle Island, 15km solo or teams of two, swim; see openwaterasia.com. Feb 25 AVOHK Reservoir Series, Tai Tam, 11km, trail; see avohk.org. March 5 King of the Hills, Tai Po Mountain, 14km or 36km options, trail; see seyonasia.com. March 18 AVOHK Reservoir Series, Shing Min, 11km, trail; see avohk.org.

SPONSORed by

Developing Students’ Creativity Through Performing Arts latest musician visit featuring Jasmine Choi, rated as one of the top ten flautists, will take place on February 17, 2017. NAIS’ Director of Music, Naomi Rowan believes that the JuilliardNord Anglia Performing Arts Programme has excited and engaged both music teachers and students across the globe through its groundbreaking focus on the arts and a challenging and inspiring curriculum. Every child at NAIS learns keyboard skills, utilising this as a visual and audio tool to access musical concepts and music theory in an immersive, fun, creative and experiential way.

Children are given many opportunities to learn music these days and a lot of parents believe in the benefits of music education. What most parents don’t realise is that children’s creativity, and so much more, can be developed beyond expectation through a carefully designed and delivered performing arts curriculum. Nord Anglia International School Hong Kong (NAIS) is at the forefront in this exciting area, through its Juilliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts Programme. Educators at NAIS found in their research that 17 percent more students felt that their ability to be creative had been boosted by the programme, 92 percent of the teachers reported that students were “very engaged,” and all said that visits by Juilliard artists, one of the features of the collaboration, inspired students. Teachers also noted that the programme was important in the development of transferrable skills including motivation, creativity, collaboration, confidence, global awareness, independence and problem solving. These are only the initial results after the first year of NAIS’ implementation of their performing arts curriculum, developed in collaboration with the Juilliard School. The curriculum enriches music, dance and drama learning to maximize student engagement. It also aims to foster skills such as creativity and rigorous thinking that will stay with students for a lifetime. Indeed, from the 900 students and 36 teachers surveyed,

Another benefit open to students at NAIS and the wider community includes the Summer Performing Arts with Juilliard, an immersive experience enabling students to engage deeply in music, dance, or drama, and to make powerful connections with like-minded students from across the world.

“The Juilliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts Programme has excited and engaged both music teachers and students across the globe through its groundbreaking focus on the arts and a challenging and inspiring curriculum.” Naomi Rowan, Director of Music at NAIS.

other outcomes of the research illustrated the impact of a well-rounded education on improving soft skills such as creativity, confidence and problem solving. Nord Anglia has always been passionate about the benefit of arts education and places great emphasis by providing specialist teachers in this area. NAIS provides its students with extensive exposure in music. For example, they have the opportunity to showcase their talents in the annual Christmas Concert and InterHouse Singing Competition. Regular visits from musicians also allow NAIS students to connect to Juilliard’s worldwide network of performers, teaching artists, and curriculum specialists. The

With a wide range of music activities, clubs and extra-curricular activities available, NAIS students are encouraged to be ambitious with their dreams and embrace the challenges along the journey. With the school’s unique music curriculum, NAIS students will be able to benefit and develop genuine interest in the performing arts. For parents interested to learn more about NAIS and enrolments. Contact the Admissions Team for more details. Website: www.nais.hk, Email: admissions@nais.hk, Tel: +852 3958 1488 Address: Nord Anglia International School Hong Kong 11 On Tin Street, Lam Tin, Kowloon, Hong Kong

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life & style

Life & style news New yoga studio

Chocolate moments

Situated in the quaint PoHo area, Kita Yoga has opened its doors and is welcoming the neighbourhood’s yogis to come down and join a class. The cosy studio caps all classes at 12 students to make sure everyone receives as much individual attention as possible. “The idea is that yoga is fun, practical and accessible and is not just the time spent on the mat,” says owner Nikita Ramchandani. “I want to create a beautiful space which builds the wellness community and brings like-minded people together.” 1 U Lam Terrace, kita-yoga.com, 5323 1978.

Harbour City is running a Chocolate Trail at its Kowloon-based mall to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The Chocolate Trail Pass allows visitors to choose a dessert and chocolate from various participating stores. They can also deliver a personal message to the object of their desires by engraving a love letter onto chocolate. The mall has also engaged the talents of Taiwanese food illustrator Pei Pei to host a Love Quote food illustration exhibition. Pei Pei (real name Ya-Pei Chan) has a day-job as a flight attendant but spends her spare time sharing her food illustrations globally via her Instagram platform. Chocolate treats and snacks will be available from chocolate food trucks manned by family volunteers and created by “Tarzan”, or “Tarzancooks” as he is known on his Facebook page. The mall will also be hosting live chocolate cooking demonstrations and tastings by various chefs and pastry specialists. Also on show will be “I Love Donut”, the first solo exhibition of Korean-born, USbased artist Jae Yong Kim.

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Food illustrator Pei Pei will be exhibiting at Harbour City this month.

The festivities run until February 19, harbourcity.com.hk.

Charity turn Fourteen children aged between four and eight years walked the red carpet catwalk in style last month to showcase the new Chinese New Year collection from Chinadoll Kids. Not only was the show staged to give Hong Kong parents a glimpse of the stylish mini qipao dresses, it also raised money for charity Christina Noble’s Children’s Foundation for underprivileged kids in Vietnam and Mongolia. Chinadoll was launched by a mum and entrepreneur last year. The dresses are a modern twist on a traditional Chinese classic using upcycled leftover fabrics. They are handmade and cotton-lined for comfort. The dresses are available online from evoqueeternity.hk or from Partytime stores in Times Square, Princes Building and Repulse Bay for a limited time, partytime.hk. New boutique yoga space, Kita Yoga.

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Chinadoll kids raising money for Christina Noble Children’s Foundation.

life & style

Dance for kids A new dance studio for kids has opened in Sai Kung. Sai Kung Academy of Jazz, run by local mum Sonia Nazzer, offers ballet, jazz, hip hop, cheerleading and “Theatre Kidz” at its fully equipped studio on Yi Chun Street in the heart of Sai Kung Town. Nazzer moved to Hong Kong in 2007, opening studios in Ma On Shan and Mei Foo. Academy of Jazz has since produced seven large scale annual children’s dance productions and has held jazz, hip hop and ballet examinations with a 100% pass rate four students achieved scholarships with Asia Pacific Dance Association. “Academy of Jazz has a reputation for being the studio with heart,” says Nazzer. “Talented teachers combine their love of

With our girl in the know, Elaine Yeoh

dance and teaching to bring out the smiles in students.” Nazzer is offering a 20% term discount at the Sai Kung studio for all new students. Sai Kung Academy of Jazz, 2/F 16 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung, 3956 9172, academyofjazz.com.

Woolly challenge

No time like the start of the year to cultivate good habits, like reading! Yes, for both you and the kiddos. I’m hooked to Overdrive, a great digital reading app that allows you to borrow books from any library, in or out of Hong Kong. The snag: you must have an online account with that library and no, your library card number won’t do. Access the library in-app online and download any e-book to the in-app reader for offline reading. I’ve been browsing Putonghua e-books and audio books from Singapore’s National Library. Hong Kong’s libraries and certain international school libraries here also allow you to borrow a good range of e-books. No fines or late fees. Loans range from two weeks and once done, your PDF version disappears as a returned copy. Forget buying, just put yourself on the queue for popular and new titles. Overdrive is available for iPhone®, iPad®, Android, Chromebook, Windows Phone, Windows 8 & 10, Kindle Fire HD. See: http://app.overdrive.com Yeoh will be reviewing a new app every month. Contact her at simplyfabulicious.wordpress.com or facebook.com/SimplyFabulicious.

Local artist Annie Wong knits up a storm at IFC.

IFC shopping mall is showcasing the talents of up-and-coming local knitter Annie Wong. Wong, a graduate of Central St Martin’s in London, is now working in Hong Kong as a creative consultant, homeware designer and textile coach, not to mention a passionate knitter. For the IFC Chinese New Year installation, she used specially dyed and spun yarns to create the installation from design blueprints. To ensure the depictions of the knitted pieces would be as vivid as possible, Wong deployed a mix of knitting

techniques and materials. She admits that of the whole creation, the dancing lions and lucky fish mascots were the biggest challenges. After numerous attempts and knitting methods to create the lions, Wong eventually took half a day to create a perfect eyeball in the right proportion and colour graduation. A team of ten knitters and crocheters worked under her to complete what she describes as the most challenging project of her career so far. Wong says she was influenced as a young girl by her grandmother, and has

since launched The Mint Box Studio, a creative workshop teaching knitting and crochet skills. The installation interprets a two-storey candy box overflowing with auspicious symbols - including tangerines for good fortune, gold ingots and red packets for wealth and fish for prosperity. It will remain on display until February 5, ifc. com.hk. Wong’s workshops can be booked at themintboxstudio.com.

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life & style

A good yarn A hip new wool shop in Sheung Wan is attempting to knit the local community together, writes Adele Brunner.

Brand new knitting boutique Yarn in the Works boasts a huge range of yarns.

ver-zealous shop assistants can often kill a leisurely browse, so it’s a breath of fresh air to come across a little store that actively encourages you to take your time, and even sit down and have a chat. Welcome to Yarn in the Works - Hong Kong’s newest, and arguably coolest, wool boutique. Looking like somewhere you might find in London or New York, the captivating space in Sheung Wan is jam-packed with utterly fabulous yarns that are guaranteed to excite ardent yarnistas and get creative juices flowing. What’s more, it has such a warm and appealing ambience that once inside you’ll find you don’t want to leave. “That’s the whole point of the shop - to create a space that has a real community feel and offers people an escape from their busy routine,” says Scottish-born Nicola Robb, who 50 expat-parent.com

opened up just before Christmas 2016. “You don’t have to know the lingo, you don’t even have to know how to knit or crochet - although we do run regular workshops where you can learn. You can simply have a look around or have a coffee. Obviously the retail aspect is important, but I don’t want people to feel they have an obligation to buy.” Robb first got into knitting when she was living in New York, pregnant with one of her four boys and eager to meet people. Not only did the knitting sessions she eventually joined make her feel at home, she also enjoyed the whole ethos of the craft and became interested in the history of it. After leaving the US with her family and coming to Hong Kong, she worked as an editor at Asia Art Archive, but before long decided to give the art world a break and do what she was passionate about. Owner Nicola Robb has been sourcing yarn and accessories from around the world.

life & style “I hope other people get as excited about coming here as I do,” she says. “I have always loved textiles and I learnt to sew at an early age.” Wool aficionados will find themselves in seventh heaven. Although Robb stocks familiar brand names such as Debbie Bliss and the entire range of KPC Yarns, her luxurious inventory is anything but run-ofthe-mill. Think super-thick wool by US brand Loopy Mango, the softest, finest bamboo and yarn streaked with silver thread and dotted with little flowers, hand-sewn by former Hong Kong resident Amy Small. There’s a handdyed collection by Chappy Yarns, made exclusively for Yarn in the Works, with colours themed around different Hong Kong festivals; products by Ronda Lam of Knitter Knutter, who is a store assistant and teacher; and beautiful vibrantly coloured balls of recycled sari silk from ethical brand Yarn Yarn.

The store is jampacked with utterly fabulous yarns guaranteed to get creative juices flowing.

“Groups of impoverished women in small rural communities in India collect scraps of sari silk from the factory floor, which would otherwise have been thrown away, and spin them into silk ribbon and yarn. They set up cooperatives and are able to support their families and fund schools for their children,” explains Robb, who is championing small, local businesses and the handmade industry. However, she is mindful of her customers’ needs and if they tell her which wool they want to see in the store, she will try and stock it. After requests for slightly cheaper yarn, for example, she sourced a good quality acrylic wool from Holland that sells for about $50/ball. In addition to weekend workshops that have so far targeted beginners, Yarn in the Works hosts Knit Nights on Thursday evenings from 7-9pm. These are free, dropin sessions, to which you can bring your own project, try out some extreme knitting on giant-sized needles from Australian brand Little Dandelion, or have a play with

Knit Nights are held every Thursday from 7:30pm - all are welcome.

different yarns that Robb keeps for people to experiment with before they commit to buying. There is also a semi al-fresco space at the back of the shop that is perfect for tailormade events. Children’s parties for example, revolve around a craft project, which can be taken home at the end of the session. And it isn’t just for little ones. Teenage girls get to sit around, chat and learn a skill that is good for de-stressing during exams, while adults can also get a group of friends together for a private weekday session.

“Our tagline is ‘Touch. Dream. Create’,” says Robb. “Of course, you can buy wool online, but it’s much more than that. It’s all about coming in, touching the yarn and being inspired.” Yarn in the Works, 28 Pound Lane, Sheung Wan, 2914 8211, yarnintheworks.com. Open 11am-7pm, Tuesdays to Fridays; also 7-9pm, Thursdays; 11am-5pm, Saturdays. The next workshop, Crochet for Beginners, will be on Saturday February 11, 2-4pm. Book online.

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life & style

HD Buttercup recently opened its first store outside of California in Horizon Plaza, Ap Lei Chau.

all the way from America Cool Californian furniture emporium HD Buttercup has arrived on Hong Kong shores. Adele Brunner takes a sneak peek.

eneral manager, John Larose, has lost count of the times he has seen customers’ jaws physically drop when they first set foot in Horizon Plaza’s newest furniture shop, HD Buttercup California, which is having its grand opening at the end of this month. The 15,000-square-foot space was the former home of Shambala, but having been opened up and given a new lease of life, it feels lighter, brighter and infinitely larger. But it is the dizzying array of stylish, contemporary furniture that is the real star of the show. 52 expat-parent.com

“Our signature look is fresh, carefree and airy, inspired by California coastal style, but one of our greatest strengths is the depth of our collection,” explains Larose. “Our buying team may well be based in Los Angeles, but everyone is always travelling. What they see and buy contains a huge variety of different influences and inspirations, which adds up to a magical collection.” For anyone not in the know, HD Buttercup was founded by retail wizard Evan Cole, who opened his first shop in LA in 2006. His aim was to offer customers a bold, unique assortment of furniture at unbeatable

value given the level of craftsmanship involved. “We offer excellent value for money with an exceptional level of handiwork,” says Larose. “Our leather armchairs, for example, are full-grain leather with a hand-rubbed finish and springs that have been hand-tied eight ways. Our sofa beds, which are made in Houston, Texas, offer the kind of precise engineering you’d expect from the home of Mission Control - super comfy without that awful metal tube digging into your back. We offer pieces you can’t get elsewhere and many are made exclusively for us.”

life & style The warehouse-style space is organised into multiple room sets based around five fixed themes - Mid-Century Modern (clean, uncluttered and contemporary); California Coastal (comfortable beach chic); Nomad (a well-travelled, lived-in look); Family (relaxed, family-friendly pieces) and Luxe Living (rich elegance). These evolve over time, with pieces flying in from the US during any given week and major launches twice a year for spring/summer and autumn/winter. Rounding off the inventory are two sizeable Timothy Oulton and Sonder Living concessions. “We have classic, modern, vintage and industrial so there is something for everyone,” says Larose. “Naturally you can stick with one collection but the beauty of HD Buttercup is that you can mix and match pieces across all our collections. You can also go outside our range completely for products from Timothy Oulton and Sonder Living, which work brilliantly with the HD Buttercup concept. Whatever you choose, you will end up with a very individual look.” Complementing the furniture is a diverse range of artwork (all licensed, certified and limited so you won’t suddenly see your exact same piece in all your friends’ homes) and rugs. The latter has its own dedicated area and comprises everything from luxurious wool and viscose carpets to stunning pieces made from vintage Persian rugs. Hong Kong has the honour of having the only HD Buttercup store outside California

Complementing the furniture is a diverse range of artwork.

because the territory was identified as craving a well-curated assortment of highquality furniture and decor. Although the stock here is a slightly edited version of what is available in the US, the most popular pieces have made it into the store here - and seem to be walking straight out again. “Best sellers in America are also doing well here, but obviously Hong Kong homes have more space issues,” says Larose. “However, having said that, every piece we

think is going to be too big to work here has sold immediately.” Which is another aspect of HD Buttercup’s ethos - that is, you can buy anything on the shop floor and take it home there and then. Should that be impossible due to the size of what you’re purchasing, the store runs a delivery service that usually delivers within a fortnight. “So many shops have ridiculously long lead times, but we believe you shouldn’t have to wait weeks for your furniture to arrive,” says Larose. Whether you are kitting out an entire home from scratch or simply need to inject a fresh look into your decor, the brand’s team of design consultants is on hand to offer design and guidance and styling advice - a particularly valuable service given the incredible amount of options available. “There’s so much to choose from that even I find it hard to pick my favourite items - although I’ve got my eye on a teal overdyed Persian rug and a Denny armchair made by Californian company Community - a modern update on a classic club chair made in a gorgeous buttery leather,” admits Larose. “Even one transitional piece can bring your existing decor to life.” HD Buttercup California, 2/F Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, 2555 2997. Soft opening hours 10-7.30pm daily. See hdbuttercup.com for further information.

Style consultants will be on-hand to help with decision making.

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life & style

Go West

Callum Wiggins talks to Mid-levels-based artist Florence Traissac about her upcoming first exhibition.

’ve always drawn since I was a child. I was born in Italy and grew up in Milan where I attended a French international school. At 18 years old, I moved to Paris to study graphic design. I’ve worked as a graphic designer, in the fashion industry as well as a teacher. When I moved to Hong Kong five years ago I found it really inspiring and immediately began to draw again. Little by little I increased the amount that I was drawing and the size of the drawings. My friends told me that they were good and that I should keep at it. I held a very small exhibition in a private kitchen with my first drawings and it went really well. I then did a drawing for Metropolitain restaurant on Sai Ying Pun High Street. It all took off quite quickly and I found that every time I made a new painting it would sell straight away. My artwork is illustrative and colourful. I am inspired by the area in which I live. I like the markets, all the hanging objects, the little shops, hidden places, there is always something happening in the street. I like to take pictures of the scenes that I find inspiring and try to find interesting angles. If there is an exact scene then I try to recreate that as much as possible but otherwise I tend to view the pieces as patchwork. I use my imagination and mix things around a bit. It helps me to find the atmosphere I am trying to create. I start with the background and wait for that to dry and then I use chalk to sketch rough ideas of my basic outline. There is always a phase during the painting when I think that it’s not going well but it always turns out well in the end. So far I have focussed on the traditional aspects of my surroundings in my paintings. The Sai Ying Pun and Mid-levels areas are changing but in many ways staying quite traditional. My first exhibition will be held at Cawah Arts Gallery on Square

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Street in Sheung Wan. I became friendly with the owner and he asked me if I would like to do an exhibition. Usually he only exhibits Chinese artists so I am the first European artist to exhibit. It’s a lovely little gallery and I love that area of Sheung Wan so it should be a nice place to have my first exhibition. It’s something new for him and me. I am lucky to have had some preorders for my work before it is even finished. Sometimes clients give me complete carte blanche to do whatever I feel like or they tell me what kind of colours they prefer, small things like that. I used to be a full-time French teacher at a school here in Hong Kong as well as giving private French and Italian lessons. I started to get very busy and I thought that if I really wanted to give this a go then I needed to make more time for my artwork. It’s always been a dream of mine to become a full-time artist but I never thought it would be possible. Some days are harder than others and I never know how things might go from month to month. I think maybe I should go back to having a full-time job, but I am really enjoying what I’m doing right now and I’m determined to make it work.

Walking in Mongkok Bird Market by Florence Traissac

I feel like more is possible in Hong Kong and that it is easier to make things happen. Surprisingly I have sold half of my paintings to people in Europe, some have previously lived in Hong Kong and others have never even been to Asia! I didn’t expect so much of a demand from outside of Hong Kong. After a holiday with my friend whose job involves using social media, she encouraged me to start using it more. Being active on social media has really helped me to reach a wider audience and spread the word of my artwork. It’s a really exciting time and I am thoroughly enjoying the journey. Florence Traissac’s exhibition will be held at Cawah Arts Gallery from February 1727. 23 Square Street, Sheung Wan, www.cawahart.com, 2803 2669.

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life & style SQ31 ALUMINUM watch 1,950 from squarestreet, $ squarestreet.se

Personalised silver bookmark 345.45 by Highland Angel, $ from giftslessordinary.com With Love gift box 288 from Raiz The Bar, $ raizthebar.com

Will you be my valentine? Gifts for your loved one.

Ambiente Rose Fragrant Candle $350 from Maven, mavenhk.com

Flex 2 $868 from fitbit, fitbit.com

Variety of Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day cards 25 each from The Lion Rock Press, $ thelionrockpress.com

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life & style Patterned socks From $110 from Happy Socks, happysocks.com

ETEAQ tablet holder $690 from TREE, 16 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung, 2791 2802, tree.com.hk

Mahjong pocket square 295 from G.O.D, $ G/F, 2 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung, 2791 7122, god.com.hk

Cupid bath bomb and Kiss Me Quick wash card $60 and $35 from Lush, G/F-4/F, Soho Square, 21 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, hk.lush.com

Wedding memories: Forever & Always notebook 220 from kikki.K, kikki-k.com $

Red Bird Long Leather Wallet 620 from G.O.D. $

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food

Food news

The Taste Buddies

This month our buds head north for breakfast at Sai Kung’s The Conservatory.

Bowled over Forget St Valentine’s, one of the biggest events this month is the American Super Bowl. To celebrate, Morty’s Diner will be open at 7am on February 6 for all the grid iron coverage and will be serving two Super Bowl breakfast sets - big events garner big appetites, after all. The Savory includes three delicious eggs your way, thick-cut bacon, honey roasted ham, pastrami hash, grilled tomatoes and white or wholewheat toast.

The Sweet breakfast set is all about classic pancakes topped with seasonal berries with butter and maple syrup, bacon, honey roasted ham and a bowl of fresh fruit. Both sets come with a coffee or tea, or a freshly squeezed juice for an extra HK$25. Reservations are recommended. Morty’s Diner, Shop 2-14, Lower Ground Floor, Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central, 3665 0900, mortys.hk.

Breakfast of champions at Morty’s Diner.

Intercontinental cocktails Literally drink in the view thanks to InterContinental Lobby Lounge’s new range of Hong Kong-themed cocktails. Inspired by Hong Kong’s unique history and culture, the quirky cocktails capture the essence of our home city by featuring a number of local ingredients and flavours. Indulge in Hong Kongers’ love for afternoon tea with the ‘Tea Time’ cocktail, a butter rum, pineapple, local honey and pineapple bun-fused concoction or visit the dark side with the ‘New Territories’, a gin and tonic with citrus, cucumber and bitter melon. The #852TAILS of Hong Kong start from $165 and a range of non-alcoholic cocktails from $125. InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2721 1211. 58 expat-parent.com

Tea Time cocktails at the InterCon.

We really like dining in Sai Kung in the square because we can take scooters and swing in the playground while Mum and Dad drink coffee and talk. The Conservatory is a new restaurant opened by the Enoteca group which also runs Enoteca in Quarry Bay where we often go for Sunday lunch. I really liked the inside of The Conservatory - Mum said the floor tiles were gorgeous and looked like they might be Portuguese. The mirrors and wallpaper with plants on were really cool. We chose a seat inside as all the outdoor seats were taken. It was pretty busy. The breakfast menu had a really good choice. There was healthy stuff that my teenage older sister loves, like buckwheat and chia and avocados . She spent quite a lot of time instagramming pictures to her friends and ended up having the coconut chia pudding with fresh berries. My little brother was really hungry and chose a breakfast from the adult menu. It was chorizo sausages, eggs, bacon and was served in a frying pan called a skillet. It was huge and he only just managed to finish it all (I think Dad stole his sausage). My little sister had a boiled egg and soldiers from the kids menu and us buddies had cheese and bacon toasties, which were really good. My mum and dad had bacon benedict which they said was great. The eggs came on a long piece of toasted sourdough on top of a huge rasher of bacon and spinach. We all had a hot chocolate, apart from Mum who had her normal cappuccino. It came in a very big cup and saucer which she was really happy about. Overall it was very good. We were all surprised by the variety on the breakfast menu and everyone was happy at the end of the meal, even my older sister. Mum and Dad have been invited back for dinner with friends next month which they say they are really looking forward to. Dad said the breakfast was very good value, so he treated us all to a book in the local bookstore, Kidnapped, before we drove home. The Conservatory opened in December 2016 and is located at 26 Wan King Path, Sai Kung; Tues-Sun, 8am-11pm; 2792 1105, enotecagroup.com. If you have a kids menu you would like our buddies to try, contact editorial@fastmedia.com.hk.

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food

The Mixing Bowl moves Having led baking and cooking workshops for kids and adults over the past three years, owners of The Mixing Bowl, Victor and Kyle, have moved to new premises in The Pemberton on Bonham Strand. The large new space means the baking duo are able to hold bigger classes with more variety. Look out for new classes including cake decorating, French pastry and a wider selection of bread workshops. The space is also available for private hire and makes for an ideal kids party venue. 23/F, The Pemberton, 22-26 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, 2524 0001, themixingbowlhk.com. New premises on Bonham Strand beckon for the Mixing Bowl.

Prendiamo un caffè?

Wining (and some dining)

Lucky Hong Kong Island dwellers are now even more spoilt for choice when grabbing their next cup of coffee thanks to the recent opening of Caffé Diemme. Founded in 1927 Padua, Italy, the third-generation family company has launched its boutique coffee shop in the Sheung Wan area of Des Voeux Road. Caffé Diemme’s coffee comes prepared in a number of different ways from the classic espresso to pour over, syphon and cold brew coffee while more adventurous coffee drinkers might want to try the special ginger beer coffee or rosemary coffee tonic prepared in-house. Feel like something sweet? Don’t miss the Gelato Panino; a fresh toasted brioche bun with an oozing chocolate gelato inside. G/F, FWD Financial Centre, 308-320 Des Voeux Road Central, Sheung Wan, 2115 9887.

Two more additions to the after-work drinks circuit include Lee Lo Mei in Soho and The Winery in Sai Ying Pun. Lee Lo Mei - loosely translated as Lee’s delicious food (the venue is run by operations director Joe Lee and executive chef Max Lee) - has been launched by ZS Hospitality and fills the popular crossroads where Wellington meets Lyndhurst that La Paola used to call home. The venue pays homage to traditional Cantonese delicacies, with a fun small plates menu and cocktail list. The spicy shelter crab and golden shrimps were well-received on our recent visit. Wet-market-style red lamps and metal birdcages hang attractively over the large bar adding to the local vibe. Meanwhile The Winery, yet another addition to Castelo Concepts’ long list of Hong Kong openings, doesn’t disappoint with small plates of international favourites - think sashimi, California sushi rolls, tempura prawn, mini steak sandwiches and lamb lollipops and great wines. There is also an extensive breakfast menu which is well-worth venturing over for, as well as a set lunch menu. Lee Lo Mei, 1/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2896 7688, leelomei.hk; The Winery Kitchen & Bar, 158A Connaught Road West, Sai Ying Pun, 2517 0288, casteloconcepts.com. After-work drinks at Lee Lo Mei on Lyndhurst Terrace.

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food

Affairs of the heart

Cosy up with your beau for a date night to remember, says Kate Springer.

he babysitter’s booked and the calendar’s cleared – now all you need is the perfect date night address. Whether you’re looking for a laid-back evening or a grand affair, a trip to one of these intimate restaurants and bars will ensure a night to remember.

Foxglove Tucked away on Duddell Street under the guise of Fox Umbrellas shop, Foxglove offers the best of both worlds – a classy jazz bar and decadent French dinners. Kick things off with a tipple from the old-world martini cart that’s channelling an Orient Express railway experience, before moving on to a mix of classic French bites, such as moules Marinière, 62 expat-parent.com

Decadent French dining at Foxglove.

French onion soup, stuffed quail, rabbit ragout and coq au vin. Ladies and gents alike will appreciate the dashing 1950s-inspired surrounds. The main room recalls a vintage airplane cabin – complete with leather booths, antique furniture and even a replica 1940s Gloster jet engine – and there are several secret hideouts scattered about the restaurant that are worth seeking out. There might be live jazz every night, but the menu completely changes every three or four months – transporting diners around the world with new flavours and presentations. 18 Ice House Street or 6 Duddell Street, Central, 2116-8949, foxglovehk.com.

food Le Bistro Winebeast A hidden gem in Wan Chai, Le Bistro Winebeast is one of the most authentic French bistros in town. It doesn’t hurt that it’s a family-run restaurant – husband, Chef Johan Ducroquet, looks after the French menu while wife, sommelier Cristina Carranco Ducroquet, keeps the wine flowing. The warm and welcoming space is enhanced by the traditional French fare, with signatures such as foie gras with black truffle, terrine, duck confit and roasted guinea fowl. As expected, the bistro specialises in French wine, featuring more than 600 wines at the eponymous WineBeast wine store, where guests are welcome to stop in and purchase wine to BYOB with no corkage fee. G-1/F, Tai Yip Building, 141 Thomson Road, Wan Chai, 2782-6689, www.wine-beast.com.

Traditional French fare at Le Bistro Winebeast.

Arcane A contemporary European restaurant featuring a romantic outdoor terrace, Arcane feels like a home away from home in Hong Kong. Award-winning chef Shane Osborn headed up Pied-a-Terre in London before moving to Hong Kong, where he has stayed true to his passion for seasonal, local and traceable ingredients. Osborn may stock a premium pantry, but he aims to create a fine dining experience without all the European pomp and pageantry. Instead of painstakingly planned, hourslong set menus, Arcane offers a more casual and laid-back approach, best experienced from a perch at the Kitchen Counter where you can watch the action. No matter how many times you visit, the menu keeps you guessing, thanks to an ever-changing lineup of superlative meats, al dente pastas, and nextlevel comfort foods. 3/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central, 2728 0178, www.arcane.hk. 12,000 Francs sources ingredients from an organic farm in Tuen Mun.

12,000 Francs Oenophiles with an adventurous palette will feel right at home inside 12,000 Francs. The charming 50-seat bistro moved to Elgin Street at the end of 2016, bringing with it noteworthy varieties from boutique vineyards and a drool-worthy east-meets-west menu from Chef Conor Beach, formerly of TRi and Bibo. You might notice a subtle French vibe at this little bistro, and that is not a coincidence. The name 12,000 Francs is a nod to Napoleon Bonaparte, specifically the cash prize that he offered his soldiers as an incentive to devise methods of preserving food.

The menu at 12,000 Francs follows suit, harnessing preservation techniques of all kinds – from salting and curing to smoking and fermentation – all while using locally sourced ingredients from an organic farm in Tuen Mun. The result? A lineup of complex and adventurous dishes that will sate cravings and spark conversations. 43 A Elgin Street, Elgin Building, Central, 2529-3100, www.12000francs.com.hk.

Dine al fresco at Arcane.

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food Frantzén's Kitchen Esteemed Swedish chef and restaurateur Björn Frantzén just touched down in Hong Kong, opening an intimate restaurant in PoHo. His first restaurant outside of Sweden takes the form of a modern bistro, keeping things cosy with just 36 seats in minimalistic surrounds and a soothing neutral colour palette. The menu serves up a mix of Asian and Nordic influences, such as “Swedish sushi” served with foie gras, poached oysters, Norwegian salmon sashimi, roasted Swedish pork belly, and sticky beetroot for dessert. Sit at the counter by the open kitchen or snag a window seat to watch the stylish passersby wander through Tai Ping Shan. No matter where you sit, you’re guaranteed a gastronomical adventure to remember. 11 Upper Station Street, Sheung Wan, 2559 8508, www.frantzenskitchen.com.

Chefs Björn Frantzén and Jim Lofdahl cook up a Scandi storm.

VEA Restaurant & Lounge

East meets West at VEA.

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Two great Hong Kong talents come together at VEA – short for Vicky et Antonio Lai. Having just won his first Michelin star in November, Chef Vicky Cheng has developed a FrenchChinese menu that’s designed to perfectly pair with specially crafted cocktails from Antonio Lai, who you might know from Quinary, Ori-Gin and The Envoy.

Spring for the ultra-sophisticated tasting menu in the main dining room or enjoy an epic cocktail experience just downstairs. From inventive bar bites to fanciful cocktails – picture the signature Cleopatra Formosa served in a smoking golden pineapple – this will be a date night to remember. 29-30/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central, www.vea.hk.

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travel

Blissed out boot camp

Need to inject some enthusiasm into your workout programme? Carolynne Dear puts the fun back into fitness in Koh Samui.

Dayle Haigh-Smith (right) of Sai Kung-based Outdoor Fitness puts boot campers through their paces on the lawn.

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t the end of last year, I was invited on a long weekend by a group of friends to Koh Samui. Beautiful villa, beach, pool, chef - I mean seriously, what’s a girl to say? Of course it was an instant “which flights do I book?” “You know it’s a boot camp weekend?” messaged back my friend. In my excitement, I must have mis-heard that part of the minibreak. But hey, with a pool, sunshine and no mention of any dreaded detox, how bad could it be? So we hopped on a Bangkok Airways flight and three hours later were waiting for the resort minibus, the Thai sunshine dancing over the frangipani bushes. The weekend was one of two-a-year run by Hong Kong-based 5 Star Fitness Retreat. Included in the package was accommodation in a five-star beachfront villa, all classes, all meals, one massage and a cooking class. It was undeniably good value, especially if it meant I might return home slightly fitter and maybe even a little bit leaner. I’m not very good at giving up my food, so the promise of “healthy food focussed on a high protein diet with plentiful green juices (we are not a detox, we just eat healthily)” was enough to convince me it was going to be ok. We were welcomed with a magnificent buffet of Thai salads - piles of gorgeous (and healthy) food we were encouraged to tuck into. “You’ll be losing a lot of calories over the next few days, so get eating,” advised one of the fitness instructors. Replete, we sat back after lunch while our instructors for the weekend talked us through the schedule. Basically, there was a heap of classes on offer, from yoga to Thai boxing, running instruction, water aerobics and beach

Another day, another sumptuous lunch.

Roughing it during break-time.

boot camp. There was no pressure to take classes - any downtime could be spent lazing by the glorious pool or borrowing paddleboards or kayaks for a cruise around the bay. I opted to break myself in relatively gently with a pool aerobics class after lunch, followed by a much tougher boot camp session on the beach. We were all offered the option of a massage in the evenings - my advice would be to take it. All that running around on the sand had my muscles singing and an hour of deft strokes over my back, shoulders and calves had things (almost) back to normal.

Splash down in the pool.

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travel

We made it! (above); the rope challenge (top right); boxing clever.

Yet more delicious Thai food had been prepared for our evening meal, set on tables on the lawn. We ate ravenously and were prompted by the chef to come forward with suggestions of our favourite dishes. Thank goodness for tomorrow’s jam-packed action programme. After a good night’s sleep, we were up at sunrise for a yoga class. I’ve never been very good at yoga - I’m just not very bendy but it did feel good stretching out as the sun rose over the lawns. A full buffet breakfast had been prepared by the pool - and how virtuous did I feel, all stretched and limber, with my freshly prepared juice, porridge, toast and eggs? The second session of the day (and by now it was only 9 o’clock) was a class in rolling (you kind of sit or lean on large rollers to iron out the muscles, a bit like a DIY massage) which was interesting to know about. We were then straight into the run session, which I have to say was a tough class. We ran up and down what turned out to be a fairly long driveway to the road and back, mastering new breathing and foot placement techniques. The session culminated with a five kilometre run along the beach and the streets back to the villa. There was an option to run to the Thai boxing class being held 68 expat-parent.com

at 11am, but I took the opportunity to return to the sanctuary of the pool and get my breath back. After all, I had more pool aerobics, boot camp and TRX on my afternoon schedule. Lunch was again absolutely delicious and there was an interesting workshop afterwards about nutrition with Hong Kong fitness trainer Chrissy Denton. I have to admit I was really getting into the “eat as much as you want” vibe. There was a gap after lunch, which gave us time to relax on the loungers or have a paddle, getting to know the other guests and generally putting our feet up. Then Hong Kong fitness instructor Dayle Haigh-Smith was pulling us up off those loungers and organising us into the pool for an hour of water aerobics. It was great fun, and was followed by a TRX session in the shady courtyard and a final boot camp blast on the beach. Tired doesn’t begin to cover it, but I did also feel quite proud of myself. That night, we enjoyed another sumptuous dinner on the lawn, a welldeserved massage and the option to join another nutrition workshop with Chrissy. I unfortunately didn’t last beyond 8pm, and crawled my way back to the villa and bed. Sunday followed a similar timetable more sunrise yoga, a morning boot camp session on the beach, pilates and TRX.

By Monday morning, I was pretty exhausted, and despite the huge amount of fun we’d had, ready for my flight back to Hong Kong. I’d met some great people, made some new friends (plus managed to recruit a new member for our dragon boat team) and caught up with old friends. I’d also picked up some great tips and was flying back to Hong Kong a lot fitter than when I’d left.

Book it up 5 Star Fitness Retreat runs two active escapes each year to Koh Samui. This year’s retreats run from March 17-20 and November 17-20, with an emphasis on stress resilience and stress management in March. The packages includes a four-day, three-night programme of exercise, workshops and healthy eating, catering to all fitness levels. It also includes five-star beachfront accommodation with extension nights also available. The retreats are a not-for-profit initiative led by villa-owner Tina Atkinson in partnership with Hong Kong-based Elite Personal Training’s Nathan Solia. Other Hong Kong-based trainers include Chrissy Denton and Dayle HaighSmith. Locally-based trainers run the yoga, pilates and Muay Thai Boxing classes. Contact 5starfitnessretreat.com or call 9515 2114 for details.

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marketplace

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

marketplace

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flailing spouse

Digital dramas Getting back to basics with technology.

do wonder sometimes if all this technology is really a good thing. Our coffee table seems to be constantly submerged in about three million remote controls yet nothing ever seems to work. Now I’m the first to admit that I’m no techie (I’m still trying to figure out what a cloud is), but does it really take this amount of effort to achieve the simple act of turning on the tv? Back in the day, when blackberries still grew on bushes and an apple was something that lurked mouldily at the bottom of your school lunch box, tuning into my favourite programme of an afternoon required no more effort than flicking a button on a remote. One. Solitary. Remote. The only other remote in the house was for the video recorder, and that was kept in a drawer ready for those special occasions when we were thrillingly allowed to watch a movie rented from the “Video Shop” in town. Anyway, the point is, it took about a tenth of a second to be happily installed on the sofa and enjoying the latest episode of Blue Peter or The Red Hand Gang. These days, oh my word, you need a doctorate in electronic engineering to get anything up on the screen. And annoyingly, my husband appears to be the only person in the house who is able to get it all working. This week he is in San Francisco, and, as if the great tv gods in the sky are having a good old laugh, I can’t get anything to switch on. So there’s a big Mac computer, which is somehow linked via thousands of cords at the back of the entertainment cabinet to the tv, and then there are all sorts of other black boxes in the cabinet that are also somehow linked. Apparently one powers Cartoon Network which is some relation to Now TV, the other is for computer games (X-Box? Wii? Who knows, but it does seem to keep the Boy Child quiet early on a Sunday morning), and then there is another machine, which apparently used to be a DVD player until somebody rammed two discs in at the same time and now it is just another black box. “Can we bin it?” I ask. But no, apparently it is Going To Be Fixed one day, just not today - but hopefully on a day before the children actually leave home. 72 expat-parent.com

Our columnist is a long suffering expat wife, and mother to several energetic, third culture children. She lives in Hong Kong. All I really want to do is watch an episode of The Crown (which is fabulous, by the way, and much better than Downton). I’m not sure where The Crown comes from, but I assume it might be something to do with Expat TV. Expat TV is marvellous, and enables me to keep up with Eastenders and Home & Away, but it requires a computer (it’s some kind of app) and then you have to switch one of the black boxes on to get some sound, and then the TV needs to be changed to PC status or something, and then, just when you’re starting to need a restorative cup of tea in order to carry on, it all sort of sparks into life. Anyway, it takes me ten minutes to switch on the Mac (there’s something not quite right with the power button on the back), another ten minutes to locate the remote for the tv, and

another twenty minutes scrolling hopelessly through the Expat TV programme menus. The Crown’s not there! I’m starting to get quite panicky. Have I deleted it somehow? I decide to bite the bullet and call San Fran. “What’s happened?” comes a bleary voice on the other end of the phone. “I can’t find The Crown!” I wail. “What? It’s 3am,” he groans back. “And I do actually have quite an important meeting with the regulators in the morning. Can’t it wait?’ “No!” (to be fair he’s always going on about regulators, I’m sure it’s just a casual get together over a coffee). “I can’t find it! And I can’t find the bloody remote to work the black box thing and I think the mouse is broken too!” I actually think I’m going to cry. “It’s not on Expat TV, it’s on Netflix,” comes the growly voice on the end of the phone. “Oh my god, I have no idea how that works,” I wail. Where would I actually find Netflix? Is it an app? Do I need another remote? Is it somewhere inside one of the black boxes of doom? “It’s on Apple TV,” confirms my weary husband. Anyway, to quickly summarise quite a painful conversation: 1) Apple TV comes out of yet another black box which I didn’t know we had; 2) It uses a remote that I also didn’t know we had and is nowhere to be found; 3) The mouse needs new batteries (in a size that we naturally - don’t have). 4) Yes, the power button on the back of the Mac is broken and requires “special handling”. I hang up in despair. Twenty minutes later, the remotes are in an angry heap on the floor lying next to a half-empty bottle of Sauv Blanc, my husband is desperately trying to get back to sleep in downtown San Francisco - and I’ve read three chapters of a book. It’s a gripping story and in a minute I’m going to shut it up and go to bed. Just like that. I won’t need to flick through eleventy billion remotes to turn everything off, I can just replace my book on the coffee table and go to bed. In the morning I’m going out to buy some more books, and possibly a couple of magazines. And definitely another bottle of Sauv Blanc. And that, my friends, is progress.

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