Mid-levels Apr 2017

FAMILY | FOOD | HOME | HEALTH | TRAVEL

Mid-levels magazine

April 2017

SOHO... then and now

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Mid-levels magazine

The really useful magazine April 2017

PEOPLE 4 Snapped!

Life around Mid-levels.

THE PLANNER 6 Happening in April Events for your diary.

SPORTS 10 Hong Kong Rugby Sevens Your guide.

FAMILY 12 Easter camps Egg-cellent activities for little ones.

NEWS 16 What’s going on?

In your backyard.

FIVE MINUTES WITH...

LOCAL 20 Everybody needs good neighbours New neighbourhood initiative, LocalHood.

COVER STORY 22 Soho: then and now A history of the area.

EATING 30 New on the block Our favourite new restaurants.

Plus Nibbles.

PICTURE THIS 36 “The orange seller, Kennedy Town” A 60-second interview with artist Michael Sloan.

HOME & LIVING 38 Babington Path One man’s trash is another’s treasure.

MY MID-LEVELS 64 Beth Narain The dancer, DJ and personal trainer on 50 years in Hong Kong.

EDUCATION 44 Discovery College Rebecca Simpson takes a tour.

TRAVEL 48 India Two weeks in the Golden Triangle.

ZIM CITY 58 Paul Zimmerman on...

Cuts to the tax waiver for electric vehicles.

HOROSCOPES 60 Signs from the stars Adam White predicts your future.

18 Yam Wai Sang Owner of one of the last letterpress printing companies in the city.

“HE WHO OPENS A SCHOOL DOOR, CLOSES A PRISON.” - VICTOR HUGO

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contributors

Adam White it or g- born w rit er, ed g ht on K g on H a is … th ou so ot hs a ye r. H e a n d occa si on a l a fo rt u n e- te lli n g p a bout sett in g u re et, b ut it ’s a to u g h St e pl m st a ll on Te Tw itte r e. Fo llo w hi m on d er th t ou et rk a m an @a d a m a w hite a n d I n st a g ra m h a s to sa y a bout he ch ec k out w h at onth on p60. m is th re yo u r futu

Viola Gaskell ...i s a ph ot ojo urna list fro m th e tin y to wn of H a na, H awai’ i. Vi ol a is en a m ou red with he r vib ra nt ne w H on g Ko ng ho m e. Outs id e of ph ot og ra ph y, sh e lo ve s yoga, tra ve lin g, be in g in th e ocea n, hi ki ng, a nd all tro pi ca l fru it. If sh e st op s yo u fo r a ph ot o, sm ile a nd sa y “ch ee se” - yo u co ul d en d up on th e co ve r!

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Lorette E. R

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Want to write for Mid-levels Magazine? Contact editorial@fastmedia.com.hk

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people Mid-levels snaps

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have your say How do you feel about the proposal to build an escalator on Pound Lane?

I think if I lived right next to the construction I wouldn’t be too happy about the idea, but I live just far enough from it that I can look at the positives mostly.

- Jade Scott

I think Pound Lane is so quaint as is, it might be a bit sad to loose that with all of the trees growing in between the steps and whatnot, but I feel for the elderly in the area who have to walk up and down such steep steps or walk quite a ways around to avoid them.

- Amanda Chan I think it would be pretty convenient, so I would be completely fine with it going through.

- Anonymous

I think that if they build the Pound Lane escalator it would be okay. With babies and strollers it can be quite difficult to get around in this area, so it would definitely make that easier.

- Eva Enzler An escalator on Pound Lane might be pretty disruptive to the businesses around there. I imagine the construction would take a while, so that could be taxing.

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planner

APR 5 & 9

Sky High Yoga

Take a lunch break from city life and soak up the rays on CÉ LA VI’s rooftop with an energizing yoga practice and a 360-degree view of Hong Kong. This month’s yogi is Sam (www.facebook.com/yogawithsamhk). There are two 45-minute sessions available on each date, one at 12:15pm, the other at 1:15pm. Classes are $50 (bring your own mat). If you’re feeling peckish, add on a Poke Lunch Trio (Salmon, Tuna and Seasonal Whitefish), served with rice (for an extra $118) - you get an option to take away, redeem within two weeks or dine in after class. To book, call 3700 2300. 25/F California Tower, 30-36 D’Aguilar Street.

APR 1 International Pillow Fight Day

APR 7-9 Hong Kong Rugby Sevens

Arm yourself and get down to Chater Garden for some feather-filled action. Music and costumes welcome. Hosted by Hong Kong Free Press and Hong Wrong.

Rugby madness descends on Hong Kong for three days of tries, tackles and copious amounts of beer. If you’re heading to the South Stand, don’t forget your fancy dress costume. The afterparty is in Lai Kwai Fong. Hong Kong Stadium, 55 Eastern Hospital Road, So Kon Po, www.hksevens.com

APR 1 April Fool’s Day Be prepared for practical jokes and mischievous pranks!

APR 1 Public pools open It’s warming up, so dig out your swimming stuff and head out to one of Hong Kong’s many public pools.

APR 4 Ching Ming Festival Public holiday for the tomb-sweeping festival.

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APR 9 Empowerment hike Join mountaineer and domestic worker Liza Avelino for a hike in Lantau, followed by a stretching and cool down session led by yoga wear brand A Day with Fé on Mui Wo’s Silvermine Bay beach. Avelino is a graduate of Enrich, a charity that promotes the economic empowerment of migrant domestic workers by giving them the tools to save, budget and plan.

She has completed two Trailblazers, trekked

to the highest elevations in the world and now organises hikes with Clean Up Hong Kong Trails.

Tickets are $200 each and all proceeds go to Enrich. A Day with Fé is also generously donating their Mira Beau tops to the Empowerment Hike participants. Register now while stocks last at www.enrichhk.org

APR 1-2

Borrelli Walsh Beach 5s After taking a break from the sand in 2016, The Beach 5s is back for two days of fun and games at Repulse Bay beach. Making its debut this year - and joining the staple line up of men’s and women’s rugby, netball and dodgeball - is the Neymar Jr’s Five. This five-a-side tournament is inspired by street football and features one special rule: each time you score, the opposition loses a player.

Aside from the sporting action, enjoy free family entertainment, a live DJ, food, drink and shopping from an array of lifestyle brands. Free admission. Matches take place from 9am6pm on both days. www.beach5shk.com. For tickets to the official after-party at The Pulse Sunset Beach Club, visit beach5safterparty. pelago.events

APR 14 Good Friday Public holiday (and the start of a four-day weekend!)

APR 14 2017 Bonaqua LIFEPROOF Action Sprint RUN The Sprints are back although still with no river gullies due to the AFCD restrictions across Hong Kong. First in the series is the Repulse Bay run (two distances:14 km and 9 km), followed by runs at Discovery Bay (April 23) and Sai Kung (May 6). Register online at www.actionasiaevents.com. 8am, Repulse Bay.

The games will see teams competing in eight sports including athletics, basketball, futsal, swimming, tennis and more. Held across different sporting venues in Hong Kong. Opening ceremony April 23. Visit www.hongkonggames. hk for more information.

APR 27 The Great Chefs of Hong Kong place in Tin Hau temples around Hong Kong, celebrating the birthday of the goddess of the Sea with paper floral towers kung fu troupes and marching bands.

APR 22 Earth Day The Hong Kong Maritime Museum celebrates Earth Day by launching the first of its three 2017 Marine Environmental Fora: Marine Litter in Hong Kong Waters: Stopgaps and Solutions.

The fora, held in partnership with WWF-Hong Kong will explore the issues around marine pollution and conservation in Hong Kong, bringing together experts to discuss the current situation, responses, and roles of

AP 12-1R6

The second time in track cycling history that this event has been hosted in Asia.

Don’t miss the top riders from around the world battle it out in the Hong Kong Velodrome, 105-107 Ho Pong Road, Tseung Kwan O, www.trackworldcup.hk, tickets from www.ticketflap.com

Another public holiday.

APR 19 Tin Hau Festival

key stakeholders.

Discussion will take place in Cantonese and English, with simultaneous translation.

Admission is free but participants must register in advance. 4-6pm, The Hong Kong Maritime Museum, Central Pier No. 8, 3713 2500, www.hkmaritimemuseum.org

APR 23-MAY 28 The 6th Hong Kong Games

2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships

APR 17 Easter Monday

happening in April

This dining experience brings together top chefs from nearly 50 of Hong Kong’s favourite dining destinations including Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, The Luxe Manor and VEA Restaurant and Lounge to name just a few. Savour different cuisines, meet the chefs and take part in the Super Lucky Draw and tombola. Tickets from $880 per person at www.heephong.org/ greatchefs. Proceeds go to Heep Hong Society Parents Resource Centres which supports special needs children, youth and their families.

6-9pm, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai

APR 29 Kindergartens Festival 2017 Looking for a good education for your little one? Head to this annual mega kindergarten, organised by Education Post, South China Morning Post, to meet representatives from a range of kindergartens, both local and international education streams, as well as respected pre-nursery and playgroup institutions.

Noon - 4pm, J.W. Marriott Hong Kong, Admiralty.

For more details and to register, visit en-hk. kindergartensfestival.com

APR 29 Designer label sale Grab a bargain on good quality, gently used designer clothing and accessories - and make a difference. All proceeds benefit local charities.

10am-2pm, Li Hall, St. John’s Cathedral, 4-8 Garden Road, Central. Cash only.

APR 30 Sausalito Cafe Market Discover all sorts of handmade goodies at this Indie arts and craft fair, hosted by Handmade Hong Kong. Loads to browse plus live music and DIY workshops, entrance is free. 11am-5pm, 201 Tai Nan Street, Sham Shui Po, www.handmadehongkong.com

One of the most colourful celebrations taking

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planner

BOOK NOW MAY 4-7 Geronimo Stilton, Live in the Kingdom of Fantasy Mouse adventurer Geronimo Stilton embarks on his biggest adventure yet as he attempts to rescue the Queen of the Fairies. To succeed, he must walk through seven doors that transport him from kingdom to kingdom, bringing him face to face with witches, mermaids, dragons,

pixies, gnomes, fairies and a giant. Tickets start from $295 from www.hkticketing.com or call 3128 8288. School bookings are available on May 4 and 5. For more information, email yvonne.mak@mei-worldwide.com or call 3929 9453. Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, 1 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai

MAY 4-9 Flex Yoga + Pilates Retreat

Photo by Kamalaya

Join Flex’s co-director Heather Thomas Shalabi

and Michelle Ricaille, homeopath and yoga instructor, on an intimate five-night getaway to Kamalaya Koh Samui. Deepen your Pilates and yoga practice with daily classes - including mini workshop sessions - and indulge in hand-picked spa treatments. And of course, don’t forget to spend some time at the beach.

Retreat packages start from $29,000 and up (all-inclusive except airfares).

Email kristine@flexhk.com

MAY 6 Malvern Meet & Pre-school Meet Malvern College Hong Kong regularly holds small group sessions for prospective parents to learn more about the school, expected to open in September, 2018. Teachers and senior management will be there to answer any questions you may have. The next one is from 9:30-11am (pre-school) 11:30am-1pm (primary and secondary), Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel, Bauhinia Room, 4/F, 3 Canton Road, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. Sign up at www.malverncollege.org.hk/infosession

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

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Photo by Jesús Gorriti via Wikimedia Commons

sport

Rugby roars into town

Hong Kong Rugby Sevens is one of the biggest events on the sporting and social calendar. Here’s our guide to all the action.

N

ow in its 41st year, the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens sporting spectacular will be running from April 7-9 at good old Hong Kong Stadium in Causeway Bay. A total of 16 teams will be battling it out for the top spot, not to mention the women’s action on April 6-7, numerous youth teams joining in the fun on Friday and Saturday morning, and the Sevens Series Qualifier Tournament which runs concurrently at the stadium. Read on for the best of the action…

In the stadium Short and sweet, all matches last seven minutes each way, with a two-minute interval.

Doors open 10am-9.15pm (Friday); 7am8pm (Saturday); and 7am-7.30pm (Sunday).

The World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series Qualifier will be held April 6-7 at So Kon Po, with the semis and final played at Hong Kong Stadium as part of the Hong Kong Sevens.

Arrive early to bag a seat, especially if you’re hitting the infamous South Stand for the day.

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Who’s taking part?

In the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2016/17: Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, Fiji, France, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand,

Russia, Samoa, Scotland, South Africa, United States, Wales (with a special invitation by World Rugby to South Korea to fill the 16th spot.

In the World Rugby Sevens Series Qualifier Tournament 2017 (plays concurrently with the Sevens competition): Uganda, Namibia (Africa); Guyana, Jamaica (Americas North); Hong Kong, Sri Lanka (Asia);

Spain, Germany (Europe); Papua New Guinea, Tonga (Oceania); Chile Uruguay (Americas South).

Uganda is making its debut appearance in Hong Kong and will become the 60th international union to participate in the Hong Kong Sevens.

magnificent sevens Kick-off concert The boot is firmly on the foot of British pop band Madness to get the Sevens party started, as they swing into town to headline the HKSSEVENS Kick-off Concert. Supported by bassist Bruce Foxton and guitarist/vocalist Russell Hastings of mod gods The Jam, Madness will get the party moving with a string of 80s hits. We’re certainly looking forward to a house of fun (gedit?!).

April 6, HSBC Sevens Village, Indian Recreation Club, 63 Caroline Hill Road, So Kon Po, Causeway Bay. Tickets from www.ticketflap.com/hksevenskickoff2017 from $388.

Garden party Bringing Sevens to the city is HKSEVENS Central Party. Following a hugely successful launch last year, the event is back in Chater Garden, this time with a full week’s worth of activities.

Bring the family as Chater Garden is transformed into a mini Hong Kong Stadium with a purpose-built rugby pitch, where youngsters will be able to enjoy rugby clinics, games, competitions and merchandise booths. There will be autograph sessions with participating teams ahead of kick-off and rugby stars from past and present.

Keep on top of events in the stadium via giant screens broadcasting live match action.

There’ll be plenty of food and drinks courtesy of pop-up restaurants from Marriott International Hotels, Mercato, Chino and Good Barbecue.

Not only that, there will also be celebrity chef pop-ups and private dining opportunities.

From 6pm the party kicks on with live music performances and Q&A sessions with rugby professionals.

Stay on top of the action by visiting www.hksevens.com as more info is released.

HKSEVENS Central Party, April 4-9, 10am4pm & 6-9.30pm, Chater Garden, Central, entrance is free.

Walk of fans Lee Gardens shopping centre will be hosting a Hong Kong Sevens FanWalk, transforming the space into a “rugby-themed party wonderland”.

The event will include non-stop entertainment, live performances including can can dancers, breakdancers, Samoan dancers, music from African drums, juggling, unicycling, stilt-walking and balloon twisting. There will also food and drink stalls highlighting the culture and heritage of various nation teams. Surrounding streets will also be decorated and there will be live rugby action direct from the stadium on the big screen.

Kids will also have a chance to meet with rugby greats such as David Campese, Ben Gollings and Gareth Thomas.

FanWalk, April 7-9, Lee Garden One, 33 Hysan Avenue, East Point, Causeway Bay, entrance is free, www.hksevens.com

Village affair Couldn’t get tickets? The HSBC Sevens Village opposite the stadium will be streaming matches live onto giant screens, plus there will be heaps of activities for kids, including rugby, golf and tennis zones, arts workshops and face painting.

HSBC Sevens Village, Indian Recreation Centre, 63 Caroline Hill Road, Causeway Bay, entrance is free.

Long lunch Calling all the lovely ladies in the territory Christina Noble Children’s Foundation will be hosting its annual Sevens long lunch.

Put on your glad rags and enjoy great food, company and champagne - not to mention a few “performances” from the rugby players themselves. Expect an afternoon of hilarity, fun and frolics, plus the opportunity to support

this great charity. The auction is stacked full of glittering prizes and there will be a live pledge to support a water tank project in Vietnam. And let’s not forget the “official eye candy” on hand as your very own butlers… this is a long lunch to remember!

CNCF Ladies’ Long Lunch, April 7, 12.30-3.30pm, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Member Stand I, 3/F, Happy Valley Racecourse, tickets $1,800, www.cncf.org.hk

Party on a bit more Get into the swing of the Sevens with the official Hong Kong Sevens Rugby After Party.

Organised by the Hong Kong Rugby Union and the Lan Kwai Fong Association, it’s been extended this year to run a full seven days.

Enjoy booth games, official photo opportunities, beer and street food. The whole of LKF will be dressed up with artificial grass and a marching band.

Hong Kong Sevens Official Rugby After Party, 9.30pm-late, April 3-9, Lan Kwai Fong, Central, entrance is free.

Hong Kong 10s and after party Hosted by Hong Kong Football Club, this 16team tournament including former internationals and other top pro players runs in the lead up to the Sevens, whetting your appetite for the weekend ahead. The teams compete for the Bill Burgess Cup and the event includes an after party with live music and free-flow wine and beer on April 6 for teams, club members, spectators and the general public.

GFI HKFC 10s, April 5-6, Hong Kong Football Club, 3 Sports Road, Happy Valley, tickets $100/day from www.ticketflap.com M

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family

Easter camps Fun-filled workshops for your little ones. By Carolynne Dear.

Fun and frolics with Rumple & Friends.

Rumple & Friends Fun and frolics with Rumple & Friends - there’s a signature Circus & Magic course in week one, after which kids get to take home their own magic kit. And in week two there’s a “play in a week” camp - a brand new course to encourage budding actors, puppeteers and adventurers to produce an awesome play in a week.

Dates: April 3-6 & 10-13; T: 9830 8287; E: info@rumpleandfriends.com; W: www.rumpleandfriends.com

Maggie & Rose Oodles of Easter fun for littlies down at Repulse Bay, these camps run for three hours each day and includes lunch or tea, snacks and drinks.

They can try their hand at art, music, baking - think yummy hot cross buns, rice krispy egg

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nests and carrot bread - plus Easter crafts like bunny sock puppets and Faberge style eggs. It sounds almost too good for just the kids!

Dates: 10am-1pm & 2-5pm, April 3-7 & 10-14; T: 2638 7191; E: info@maggieandrose.com.hk; W: www.hk.maggieandrose.com

Lego Education Lots of workshops to keep those pesky Danish bricks firmly out of your shagpile. Drop them off for a “playful” learning experience aimed at nurturing creativity. The workshops are packed with fun challenges and are sensibly divided by age group into 3 & 4s; 5 6s, 7-8s and 9-10s and if you enroll via Cityline you can enjoy a $100 discount.

Dates: April 11-22; T: 2804 6883; W: www.leas.com.hk

Elephant Community Press Creative workshops for kids aged 4 to 14 that will spark imaginations and guide students through the entire writing process, from brainstorming and drafting, to revising, editing and publishing their stories. All the action takes place on Pottinger Street in Central. And just for Easter, Elephant Press has launched King of Hong Kong, a fun workshop for kids aged 9-12 that combines board games and writing, in collaboration with Press Start Hong Kong.

Dates: April 5-8, 10-13 & 18-21; T: 3487 3153; E: info@elephantcommunitypress.com; W: www.elephantcommunitypress.com

Treasure Island Kayaking, biking, hiking and gorging are the exciting activities on offer on South Lantau this Easter. Suitable for children aged 8-15,

busy bunnies the Spring Adventure Camp is based on Pui O beach with supervised drop off and pick up at Central Ferry Pier. Included is one night overnight stay, a healthy lunch each day plus snacks.

Dates: 8.30am-4.30pm, April 3-7, 10-14; T: 2546 3543; E: inquiries@treasureislandhk.com; W: www.treasureislandhk.com/

Colour My World A “wild arrangement” of Easter art and drama workshops for 4 to 14 year olds. The arts are inspired by the Art Nouveau movement, with surreal sprouting gardens of imaginary plants, delicate floral canvases with surprise effects and crops of complementary collages. Drama classes include tribal-inspired song, dance and movement.

Dates: 10am-12.45pm daily, April 11-13 & 18-20; T: 2580 5028; E: info@colour-my-world.com; W: www.colour-my-world.com

Anglo Academy Camp Riding on the success of last summer, Harrow International School will again be hosting this residential camp. Suitable for kids aged 7 to 13, the Monday to Friday camp offers an insight into a British boarding experience in Asia. A dynamic programme that covers areas such as business and innovation, sports and arts.

Dates: April 10-14; T: 6549 5071; E: info@anglo-academy.com, W: www.anglo-academy.com

Ark Eden

ESF Sports

Ark Eden runs forest play and hands-on environmental outdoor camps over the holidays. The camp is located in a secluded valley in Mui Wo, South Lantau, and offers single-day and overnight camps. The camps are suitable for children aged 5 to 11 years with the aim of reconnecting to nature.

Dates: T: 9277 4025; E: jasmine@arkedenonlantau.com; W: www.arkedenonlantau.com.

Join ESF for its Sports Spring Camp over one or two weeks of multi-sports camp or a specialist sports clinic. The multi-sports camp enables children to enjoy a range of sporting activities while the specialist clinics are a great way for kids to develop their swimming, football, tennis or gymnastic skills.

Dates: April 3-13; T: 2711 1280; E: sports@esf.org.hk; W: www.esf.org.hk/camps

Southside Mandarin Come and find out all about Easter in Putonghua through games, art, Chinese music, Wushu and Chinese dance. Non-stop action and fun-filled activities for children aged 3 to 10 years at the camp’s One Island South venue in Wong Chuk Hang.

Dates: 9.15-11.45am & 2.30-5pm, Apr 10-21; T: 3427 9619; E: info@southsidemandarin. com; W: www.southsidemandarin.com

ESF Language & Learning A chance for kindergarten and upper primary students to build confidence in speaking and writing English. Children will engage in role play and drama to unleash their creativity and imagination at a variety of locations across Hong Kong. A great opportunity to polish up their language skills.

Dates: April 10-13; T:2711 1280 ; E: language@esf.org.hk; W: www.esf.org.hk/camps

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news

Create a masterpiece at Anastassia’s Art House.

Anastassia’s Art House An exciting offering of festive spring workshops for children aged from 3 to 5 years and from 6 years plus. Students will get stuck into painting, drawing, collage, craft making and work in mixed-media. Studios are located throughout Hong Kong including Happy Valley, Repulse Bay and Sai Kung.

Dates: April 3-13; E: happyvalley@arthousehk.com, repulsebay@arthouse-hk.com, saikung@arthouse-hk.com; W: www.arthouse-hk.com

this One Island South-based studio, including art history lessons, story time and creative skills development. The two workshops are Eggcellent Pastels, and with Andy Warhol as your inspiration, you’ll learn acrylic pattern-making to create gorgeous eggs, or Pop! Bounce Bunny teaches the art of acrylic print-making. There is also a two-day family ceramic art workshop (one adult, one child). Suitable for children aged 3 and up, dependent on workshop.

Dates: 10.30am-12pm & 2-3.30pm, April 5-21; T: 5238 8186; W: www.artloop.hk

HK Art Tutoring

Faust

It’s great to create these holidays, with challenging art workshops looking at the natural artistic design cycle using a variety of techniques including drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking and mixed-media in two and three-dimensional forms. Suitable for crafty kids aged 9 and up and hosted in the HK Art Tutoring studios in North Point.

Dates: 9.30-11am & 11.15am-12.45pm, April 3-7 & 10-13; T: 9722 8353; E: info@hkarttutoring.com; W: www.hkarttutoring.com

For 18 years Faust International has brought the wonderful world of theatre and performing arts to Hong Kong’s young people. This Easter the theme is woodland adventures, exploring children’s classics such as The Gruffalo, Robin Hook and more. There will be fun holiday classes in both theatre and creative writing.

They run morning and afternoon and are suitable for ages 4 to 12 and take place at the Faust studio in Sheung Wan. Dates: 10.30am-12.30pm & 2-4.30pm T: 2547 9114; E: info@faustworld.com; W: www.faustworld.com

Banana Art Club The Easter camps are being run in Causeway Bay, Discovery College and Kennedy School and offer children aged 3 to 15 the chance to explore drawing, canvas painting, cartoons, manga, mixed media, crafts and clay making.

This is a one-stop art school that leaves all the clearing up for someone else to do.

Dates: 9.30am-12.30pm, April 5-8; T: 6020 5476; E: bananaartclub@gmail.com; W: www.banaaartclub.com

Art Loop Pop art workshops are sure to hit the spot at

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HK Kidz HK Kidz is running a selection of fun and activity-packed camps in English, French, German, Spanish and Mandarin. Each workshop is jam-packed with songs, drama, storytelling, role play and games. Programmes include language and arts, drama and music, science and discovery and language and cooking. Pick one, or mix and match. Available in Central, Wong Chuk Hang and Sai Kung.

Dates: 1.5 hour, half-day or full-day, April 3-21; T: 2877 6160; E: infokidz@hklanguages.com; W: www.hkkidz.com

Hong Kong Ballet Hong Kong Ballet’s Easter Theatre Camp will be taking Fairy Fantasy as its theme (we can just imagine all those sparkly tutus) and is a fun three-day event whereby young balletomanes can learn all about theatrical ballet production.

There’ll be hands-on workshops and the chance to act and dance the roles of enchanted characters.

Dates: April 14-16; T: 2573 7398 E: education@hkballet.com; W: www.hkballet.com/ballet_camp

YWCA Choose from over 100 camps this spring at YWCA’s International Kids Club. Courses include Kids Can Cook for 3 to 6 year olds, science camps for 6 to 9 year olds, a trampoline and gymnastics day camp and a parent and kid climbing fun day. There will also be a four-day camp covering music, movement, props and costume making, culminating in an Easter Parade.

Dates: April 3-21 (varies according to camp); T: 3476 1340; E: clle@ywca.org.hk; W: clle.ywca.org.hk

busy bunnies Complete Deelite “Egg-citing” classes for budding bakers and aspiring cake decorators. Two hours of fun will all supplies provided for class use. Students also get to bring home their edible treats (packaging for transporting the masterpieces included). Suitable for children aged 8 years and up.

Dates: April 5-12; T: 3167 7022; E: classes@completedeelite.com; W: www.completedeelite.com

Swiming at CDNIS.

Canadian International School The Aberdeen-based school will be opening its doors to all with over 21 different camps running over the spring break. Classes include gymnastics, swimming, netball and football.

All activities cater for multiple age groups and skill tiers.

Dates: April 10-13; E: activities@cdnis.edu.hk; W: www.cdnis.edu.hk

Mindful Wing Chun Mindful Wing Chun is a martial arts practice which maximises the body’s power through relaxation and promotes self awareness. These one-and-a-half hour classes at the Centralbased studio pass on Wing Chun principles through game-based activities, with partner pad work, relays and meditation for older age groups.

Dates: 10-11.30am (3-5 yrs), 12-1.30pm (6-9 yrs); April 14, 15 & 17; T: 6620 7050; E: tom@mindfulwingchun.com.hk; W: www.mindfulwingchun.com.hk

Mini-sport Get them up and running with a mini-sport camp. West Island School is laying on football, basketball, athletics, team building games and more at its Pok Fu Lam campus these holidays. Age groups include 3 to 4 years, 5 to 6 and 7 to 10.

Dates: 9.30am-12.30pm, April 3-7 & 10-13; T: 6183 7084; W: www.sportsclassesforkidshk.com

Brainchild Explore robotics, 3D printing, beginning programming and science in a fun and creative way. Camps include DIY Bluetooth Speaker, DIY Solar Night Light, Star Wars Make-a-thon, 3D Printing, Coding for Kids and Techie Junior.

Perfect for inquisitive kids aged from 5 and up (age dependent on specific camp).

Dates: April 3-21; T: 2528 6862; W: brainchildltd.com

First Code Academy Learn how to make your first game, mobile app or Minecraft mod with First Code Academy’s Easter camps. Coding courses are aimed at children from 5 to 18 years and the academy hopes to make technology creators out of kids at its Sheung Wan and Yau Ma Tei campuses.

Dates: From March 29; T: 2772 2108; E: hello@firstcodeacademy.com; W: www.firstcodeacademy.com M

WWW.MID-LEVELS.CO | 15

news

NOSH opens new store on Robinson Road Healthy meal delivery service NOSH has opened a new store in Robinson Road as well as two vending machines at other locations in the city.

Founder Max von Poelnitz said, “We are extremely excited to launch a stand alone pick up point for our Mid Levels, Central, and Admiralty customers. This allows us to conveniently deliver 100s of meals a day and also create an on demand, convenient location.”

In line with its investment in a retail location, NOSH also launched its first salad, soup, and drinks vending machines: one at HKUST in Clearwater Bay and the other at a financial corporation in the city. “We believe a healthy, delicious, and affordable meal should be prepared fresh daily and be available for all types of consumers around Hong Kong.

A vending machine is the perfect way to give access to healthy meals to more customers,” said Executive Chef, Kevin James. NOSH meals are all chef-prepared and contain less than 550 calories each.

The company continues to look for partners in the corporate space, hospital networks and schools. The Alibaba Entrepreneur Fund has invested in the business since September 2016.

For more information about NOSH, its menu, meal plans and corporate offerings, visit

www.NOSH.hk. Retail location: 21 Robinson Road, Unit 3A, Mid Levels.

OnTheList opens on Duddell Street Calling all bargain hunters. The city’s first bricks-and-mortar flash sales store has opened on Duddell Street.

OnTheList sells past-season stock from premium brands - including Armani, Dr. Martens, Jebsen Fine Wines, GHD and many more - at an average of 75% off the retail price. Registered members get access to the company’s weekly themed sales, which last up to four days each. Founded in January last year

by Parisians Delphine Lefay and Diego Dultzin, the company is harnessing what it refers to as the “online-to-offline” momentum.

“More customers want to have an interactive store experience where they can touch and try a new product before purchasing it,” says Lefay. “These experiences can’t be replicated online.”

Until now, OnTheList has been holding its flash sales in various temporary locations. It has organised 36 events to date, welcomed 50,000 members and sold over 100,000 items.

“The flagship store will cement our position in the retail industry but this is also a place where our members can relax, come by with friends and family, stop by for a break and grab a coffee from the pop-up La Station,” says

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Dultzin. “We will look at the potential of opening a second space on Kowloon side. Then we will turn our attention to China, as this market has great potential.”

Readers will be pleased to hear that flash sales usually start at 8am, so you can sneak in a bit of shopping before work.

G/F, Printing House, 6 Duddell Street, Central. Register at www.onthelist.hk

in your backyard

Preservation of 19th century Hong Kong housing remains depends on structural safety

Whether the remains of a group of 19th century tenement houses are preserved in situ depends on the structural safety of their existing brick walls, according to the Urban Renewal Authority (URA).

The 10 houses (known as “tong lau”), located next to the Mid-levels escalator, between Cochrane Street and Gutzlaff Street, were built in 1879. “The tenement houses are Hong Kong’s oldest remains of back-to-back houses and tell part of the story of the city’s development,” says Katty Law, convenor of Central and Western Concern Group.

The URA has employed the services of a UK engineer to assess whether the walls of the houses are sufficiently strong to support the slope upon which they stand. The report is expected to be ready within six months.

A preliminary assessment conducted in September by engineering firm AECOM, independent to the URA, highlighted that the structure does not meet minimum safety

requirements and so it is unlikely that the whole wall can be retained.

The URA’s current proposal aims to preserve 20 metres of the 34-metre-long structure and transform the area into a ‘walking museum’, with historical information and pictures showcasing the claustrophobic living conditions within the back-to-back style housing.

Law, who has been fighting for the conservation of the site since 2015 is not entirely happy, “On the whole, we welcome the URA’s recent positive move towards in situconservation but there is room for improvement.

The best section of the wall is planned to be made into a walkway. This is the tallest section and includes the unique grey bricks used for corbelling - important to identifying the age of this house. We hope the URA can look at the ruins in a more holistic manner.”

At present, the URA has no other proposals but will wait for the results from the technical assessment before making a decision.

Orange is the new black If you find yourself surrounded by people dressed in orange on April 27, don’t worry - you haven’t just been tangoed. It is in fact Koningsdag (King’s Day), the day when Dutch people all over the world celebrate the birthday of the King of the Netherlands by dressing in orange - a show of pride for the Dutch Royal family, the House of Orange-Nassau.

In Hong Kong, celebrations will begin at the Dutch residence, followed by an afterparty at

MOKUM (43-55 Wyndham Street, Central).

A complimentary shuttle bus service will run between the two locations from 9-11pm. There will be a choice of Dutch snacks as well as a 15 per cent discount on selected drinks all night.

Free entry. 5pm till late.

HKU slips to fifth place in Asian university rankings The University of Hong Kong has slipped from fourth to fifth please in the annual Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings.

Hong Kong’s oldest university, which fell out of the top three for the first time last year, came in behind two Singapore and two mainland institutions.

In better news for the city, five of six featured universities made it into the top 20, up from four last year: University of Science and Technology (6th), Chinese University (11th), City University (12th), Polytechnic University (17th). Baptist University came in 49th place.

Times Higher Education rankings editor Phil Baty said, “...Hong Kong’s performance is impressive given that it has a population of just over seven million and it is one of the topperforming territories in the table relative to its wealth and population.”

Rankings are based on teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

New app aims to help parents book activities for kids KidHop, an online activity-booking app for parents, launches this month.

Similar in concept to the monthly fitness passes that many adults in Hong Kong now use (think Guavapass, ClassCruiser, KFit), KidHop provides access to multiple activities for young children for a monthly fee.

Like many parents, co-founder Zoe Fung wanted to expose her 3-year-old son to different experiences so that he could have fun and discover his passions. The problem was that most activities required long-term commitments with fixed schedules.

Enter KidHop, which partners with over 50 premium activity providers throughout Hong Kong Island to provide parents with no-commitment single-class activities each week. With a KidHop membership, parents can choose classes for their kids - from dance to art, sports and languages - and get access to admissions seminars, carnivals and other community events.

Choose from three plans, starting at $568 per month. For more information, visit www.kidhop.com

WWW.MID-LEVELS.CO | 17

five minutes with

Mid-levels Yam Wai Sang magazine

Publisher

Tom Hilditch tom@fastmedia.com.hk

The owner of Kwong Wah Printing Company tells Robyn Or about the history of letterpress printing in Central and Mid-levels.

Editorial

Editor-in-Chief Shreena Patel shreena@fastmedia.com.hk Contributing Editor Annie Wong annie@fastmedia.com.hk Carolynne Dear carolynne@fastmedia.com.hk Senior Staff Writer Eric Ho eric@fastmedia.com.hk

Design

Design Manager Cindy Suen cindy@fastmedia.com.hk Graphic Designer Anna Schulteisz anna@fastmedia.com.hk

Thanks to

Adam White Adele Brunner Anna Cummins Lorette E. Roberts Paul Zimmerman Rebecca Simpson Robyn Or Viola Gaskell

Published by

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

Illustration by Lorette E. Roberts

Letterpress printing is a process by which many copies are produced by repeated direct impression of an inked, raised surface against sheets or a continuous roll of paper.

I’ve lived in Sheung Wan for 59 years, since I was born. My father was from Hok Shan. He came to Hong Kong in 1957, after the war.

He worked in a printing company but was fired when the company closed. He rented a letterpress printing machine and a letter shelf inside another printing company until 1964, when he started his own company in Wah Yin Fong West Street.

My five siblings and I learnt to handle the printing machine at 12 years old. We all had to help my father after school to buy paper and letters. I quit school when I was 18 as I wanted to work and make money.

It was a prosperous industry during the ‘70s. There were over 200 letterpress companies in Central and Sheung Wan. Companies that sold letters, ink, papers and the printing machines were all clustered together. We printed envelops, recipes, name cards and contracts for Chinese herb shops and trading companies.

The business environment was simple back then. If we were too busy to handle a production order, we would pass it to another

18 | WWW.MID-LEVELS.CO

company and vice versa. Paper suppliers gave us three-month credit terms.

papers at the end of those letters to achieve the same height as the others.

My wife also comes from a printer’s family. She lived on the 5/F, no.10, Wynn Street and I lived on the 5/F, no.10, Shing Wong Street - so maybe it was fate. We got married in 1983. Our printing company relocated to West Street and we have lived on the floor above ever since. We have a son and a daughter who also helped us out when they were young. I didn’t encourage them to take over my work as the printing industry is declining: chain stores have a monopoly, technology has improved and many of our old customers have retired.

Letterpress printing was replaced by offset printing in the late 90s, and later by digital printing. In 1993, the last type foundry in Hong Kong closed down. Of course, without a supply of letters, a letterpress printing company cannot survive.

We are one of very few letterpress printing companies left in Hong Kong. Letterpress printing started in 1045 and is one of the four great inventions in Chinese history. Typesetting, printing, cutting and blinding are the four key procedures. During the printing process, I operate the machine and make sure each letter is pressed firmly and evenly onto the paper. Some frequently used letters erode more quickly than others, in which case I put

Storage of letters is a problem.

We now keep only one tenth of letters that we used to. In 2001, I was invited by St James’s Settlement as a tour guide in Sheung Wan-Central district. We are also a participating company in a heritage tour organised by The Conservancy Association Centre for Heritage for the past six years.

During the tour, participants see the traditional printing process and hear about the history of letterpress printing. I think it’s good for people to know about the origin of printing and the historic importance of this industry to the Central and Mid-levels area.

For more information on the heritage tour, visit www.cache.org.hk M

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local

Mid-levels magazine

Digital

Digital Marketing Manager Charmaine Mirandilla charmaine@fastmedia.com.hk

Sales & Marketing Sales Director Oliver Simons oliver@fastmedia.com.hk

Sales & Marketing Executive Egbert Cheung egbert@fastmedia.com.hk Maria Jones maria@fastmedia.com.hk Bonnie Li bonnie@fastmedia.com.hk

Accounting

PA to the Publisher Amanda Chia amanda@fastmedia.com.hk Office Security Cat the dog

Printer

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

The social network

Pooja and other members of the LocalHood team.

Six months after the launch of neighbourhood-based social network LocalHood, has it boosted community spirit? Shreena Patel finds out.

M

www.mid-levels.co ads@fastmedia.com.hk

GIVE US A CALL! Admin: 3568 3722 Editorial: 2776 2773 Advertising: 2776 2772, 3563 9755

Mid-levels Magazine is published by Fast Media Ltd. This magazine is published on the understanding that the publishers, advertisers, contributors and their employees are not responsible for the results of any actions, errors and omissions taken on the basis of information contained in this publication.

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

20 | WWW.MID-LEVELS.CO

H

ow well do you know your neighbours?

Hong Kong has a population of over seven million people but it can be a lonely place, as banker Pooja Dhyani discovered when she moved here from Paris with her husband, seven years ago.

On her arrival, she immediately noticed a lack of community spirit.

“Now, Parisians are not known to be particularly friendly people, but even so, in France when you cross your neighbour on the stairs you say ‘hello’”, she says. “In Hong Kong people rarely acknowledge each other - they continue to look at their phones or act as if you don’t exist. It’s particularly hard when you’re new and have questions or need help - how do you reach out to your neighbours?”

Enter LocalHood. Launched in 2016 by Dhyani and a group of volunteers out of her flat in Sai Ying

Pun, it’s a free, non-profit online platform that connects neighbours, most of whom are living in high-rise apartments. Currently LocalHood uses Facebook as its platform, but

LocalHood is trying to recreate a sense of community using modern tools.

an app is expected to be released this summer.

“It started with some likeminded people living in the same high rise building - we decided to get to know our neighbours,” explains Dhyani. “Most of us are

without close friends and family nearby and we thought we could be the first circle of support to each other. As the number residents joining the e-community grew, we started organising social events.

Then, as people began shifting apartments, those leaving our e-community would ask if we could start something similar in their new neighbourhood.”

Thus, in the summer of 2016 LocalHood was formed. By the end of the year, it had spread to Sheung wan, Shek Ton Shui and Kennedy Town, largely via word of mouth.

“Members also joining us from the New Territories, the Southside and beyond simply because they want to support the initiative,” she continues.

As of today, LocalHood has close to 2,000 members - Dhyani and the team hope to reach 10,000 by the end of the year. Some local businesses and vendors are also

neighbourly love supporting the neighbourhood drive, offering discounts to LocalHood members.

“People think of LocalHood when they are choosing a play group for their child, planning to sell stuff, raising issues in the building, getting good deals from neighborhood vendors, or getting help with day-to-day issues,” says Dhyani. “For example, one neighbour going away on summer vacation and wanted someone to take care of her plants. She put her query on the LocalHood platform and found someone who could help.”

Dhyani hopes Localhood will kickstart a revival of community spirit in the city.

“Nowadays, people are losing the connection to the “real” world in which they live. This is the trend in varying degrees in many cosmopolitan cities, be it Hong Kong, Paris or Delhi. We often hear people in Hong Kong say that 20 or 30 years ago the story was very different. Their parents would leave them with the neighbours when they had a chore to run, without any issues. Children addressed their neighbours as “uncles” and “aunties” and community bonds were strong. LocalHood is trying to recreate this sense of community using modern tools.”

Christopher Law, co-founder of Very HK, an independent organisation which aims to improve social interaction in communities,

hopes the initiative inspires more like it. “There has always been a strong community spirit in the older districts of the city , such as Wanchai, Sheung Wan and North Point”, he says. “But many communities are centred around small stores and when they close, it is particularly bad news for the social network. It affects everyone, but the older population in particular. We should encourage more initiatives like Localhood in Hong Kong. Everything helps.”

As for members, they seem to be finding it useful and a means of making friends.

“Through our building’s facebook community page I’ve found my cleaner and a reliable AC repair man, given away a few unwanted household items, swapped read books for ones I haven’t read and started a meditation class,” says LocalHood member Sue Brattle.

“It’s incredibly useful, especially when you first arrive in a building and don’t know anyone. The neighbourhood get-togethers are good because LocalHood always brokers a deal on the price of drinks, so we all experience different restaurants or bars in the neighbourhood that we perhaps wouldn’t otherwise visit. And we get to meet up face-to-face, and that’s how friendships are made.”

More information Want to sign up and connect with neighbours, join interest groups and attend events in your local area? Sign up at www.localhood.org

Got a local story? Email editorial@fastmedia.com.hk M

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cover story

Soho, so good?

Hong Kong’s Soho district is famous for its galleries, bars, restaurants and nightlife. Anna Cummins looks back on how it all started and what lies ahead. Illustrations by Lorette E. Roberts.

J

ust over two decades ago, the concept of a Soho in Hong Kong was merely an idea in the head of an American businessman, keen on promoting a booming dining district driven by the new Mid-levels escalator. And, just like a ride on the escalator, Soho has been on a steady ascent ever since. But, as we ask some of the area’s residents and restaurateurs: Is change always for the better?

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“Will Staunton Street become the new Soho?”

That was the question posed ebulliently on the cover of now-defunct city guide HK Magazine, on Friday December 6, 1996. Twenty-one years ago in Hong Kong, the word Soho didn’t elicit images of bustling bars and restaurants around Staunton and Elgin Streets, as it does today, but instead conjured thoughts of New York’s trendy Lower Manhattan, or perhaps London’s West End. It’s hard to imagine nowadays, taking in the brightly lit storefronts and cacophonous bars of Soho, in the rough square formed between Old Bailey Street to the east and Aberdeen Street to the west, north of Caine Road and south of Hollywood.

But the article, by Joanne Shen, serves as an endearing testament to the novelty that the

The cover of HK Magazine (Dec 6, 1996).

so good

possibility held in the mid-‘90s. “London has one and so does New York City, but Soho in Hong Kong?” Shen pondered. “Laugh at the idea all you want, but one day soon it may be the quickest way to tell your taxi driver how to get to the neighbourhood that some folks now refer to vaguely as upper Central or lower Midlevels.” Soho was about to find itself a place on Hong Kong’s map.

Soho, so far “Upper Central” had always been multicultural, populus and non-descript – an intersect between the bustling markets on and around Graham Street and the patrician abodes higher up towards the Peak.

WWW.MID-LEVELS.CO | 23

cover story “The area was full of print shops, Chinese porcelain shops, stores selling funeral ware and traditional dai pai dong,” recalls Katty Law, a local heritage advocate who grew up on Caine Road. “The street market was very vibrant.

We never needed to come all the way down the hill, we had everything we needed up here.”

Staunton Street, now the heart of Soho, was colloquially referred to as “Nun Street” in Chinese because of the high number of Buddhist and Taoist nunneries congregated there.

“We seldom went to Nun Street,” recalls Yam Wai-sang, a traditional letterpress master who was born on Hollywood Road. Yam’s family-run letterpress store was on Wah In Fong West, near PMQ, until its relocation to Sheung Wan in 1983. “People regarded [Staunton Street] as a yin place [the dark element in the Chinese philosophy of yin-yang]. There were no food stalls there and the nuns would burn paper offerings in the evening – for a young person it was quite scary,” he says. “We would turn left at Elgin Street to avoid it!”

Stairway to bedlam Before the early ‘90s, upper Central had been far from a dining destination. A French restaurant called Le Tire Bouchon opened on Old Bailey Street in 1987 and for seven years it was a “solitary oasis in a culinary Sahara,” according to a Sunday Morning Post article about the Soho dining scene dated March 9, 1997.

Then, in October 1993, the Central-Midlevels escalator opened. “Everything changed,” recalls Law, who was living on Shelley Street at the time. An innovative scheme designed to ease traffic congestion in the area, the project had met severe delays and budget overruns since its conception in 1987, with the city’s audit director later accusing it of being a “white elephant”.

“The escalator being built really altered the landscape,” recalls Law. It ripped up all the trees.

24 | WWW.MID-LEVELS.CO

Above: Yam Wai Sang.

People regarded Staunton Street as a yin (dark) place.

There were no food stalls there and the nuns would burn paper offerings in the evening – for a young person it was quite scary. We would turn left at Elgin Street to avoid it!

– Yam Wai-sang

When it started service, I remember I could hear the sound; the humming of the machine.”

In 1994, the year after the hum began, rustic Portuguese diner Casa Lisboa opened at 20 Staunton Street. “My friends thought I was crazy to open a restaurant there,” recalls its founder, chef and restaurateur Jean Paul Gauci. “We wanted a special location and at first we turned our nose up at Staunton, it didn’t seem appetising.”

WWW.MID-LEVELS.CO | 25

cover story Gauci, who went on to run six venues in Soho, maintains that the potential of increased footfall from the escalator made little difference in his decision to open his first restaurant there. “It didn’t seem like the escalator would make a big difference, it was just to help people get home.

Staunton appealed because it was cheap! There really was absolutely nothing there, and the rent was low, just $20,000 per month,” he recalls. The restaurant was a hit – Gauci grins as he recalls raucous lock-ins that carried on until the small hours: “People didn’t leave!”

French bistro Le Fauchon also opened nearby that year and, by the end of 1996, nine restaurants and bars had opened around Staunton, serving everything from Nepalese to Scandinavian food.

It was at this point that Tom Goetz, cofounder of Nepal restaurant – which opened on Staunton Street in 1995 and is the only original Soho venue to have stood the test of time aside from Club 1911 – decided that the area needed a way to promote itself. Goetz had previously lived in New York’s own Soho and figured the name would work well for Hong Kong’s booming dining district.

“I thought the name Soho would work – firstly because it means south of Hollywood

26 | WWW.MID-LEVELS.CO

Road, but then also because ‘ho’ means good in Cantonese – Soho means ‘so good!’” explains Goetz. The new moniker got its first public airing in a quote by Goetz in a South China Morning Post article dated 1996, and it stuck.

Not everyone was a fan of the rapidly gentrifying Soho and its association with alcohol.

The Liquor Licensing Board began imposing restrictions, preventing bars from serving drinks after 11pm when the escalator stopped running.

I thought of the word Soho – firstly because it means South of Hollywood Road but then also because ‘ho’ means good in Cantonese – Soho means ‘so good’!

– Tom Goetz

Goetz founded the Soho Association in 1998 to help bar and restaurant owners liaise with the police and local residents over licensing, noise disputes and other complaints. There was also an ongoing war of words with the Democratic Party to rename the district – in 2000 party member Kam Nai-wai launched a campaign to have the area formally re-named “Mid-levels Themed Dining Area,” insisting that the word Soho had associations with London’s red light district.

Unsurprisingly, the campaign failed to gain traction.

Gauci laughs and rolls his eyes when he remembers. “Can you imagine if they’d done that? It’s a terrible suggestion.” Kam did not respond to multiple requests to

Above: Jean Paul Gauci with the jazz singer, Georgie Fame.

discuss his memory of events, but a Post article from 2000 quotes him as saying “After 1996 and 1997, a lot of bars and restaurants came into this area. This created lots of nuisance … the Soho area in London: it’s symbolic of bad taste, violence and prostitution. The people who live here don’t want it to be like London … if you accept the name, you will accept that bars will be built. Soho equals lots of bars.”

By 2000, only seven years after the opening of the escalator, this former “culinary Sahara” was home to about 50 restaurants and bars and 200 commercial ventures. Many of the original venues, including Casa Lisboa, had already closed after the Asian financial crash of 1997 and in the face of rapidly increasing rent – Nepal’s lease, which had been $25,000 per month in 1996, has increased by 500% in the 21 years since it opened, according to Goetz.

“With the rent going up and becoming unrealistic I saw places close down and reopen, again and again,” remembers Law. “It happens even now, of course. So you don’t see the kind

so good of permanent existence of some places like we used to. Things could stay for a longer period.”

Old area, new era With ascending rents and increasing competition from other voguish F&B destinations such as Poho in Sheung Wan and Sai Ying Pun’s Centre and High streets – now also accessible by escalator – the approach of contemporary restaurateurs in Soho is shifting.

The Black Sheep restaurant group, headed by co-founders Syed Asim Hussain and Christopher Mark, was founded in 2012 and now has a portfolio of 12 establishments (10 in Soho) including Chôm Chôm, Motorino, Ho Lee Fook and Carbone.

“At first we were trying to get away from Soho because at that time although it was a cool [and diverse] neighbourhood … it had a reputation for being stagnant for F&B,” says Mark. “In general the restaurants were perceived to be of low quality so it felt like a big risk to go in there at that time.”

Hussain and Mark downplay the challenges of operating in Soho nowadays, although admit that licensing requirements and traffic remain problematic. “The biggest challenge for us has always been going against the perception that this area is is full of mediocre restaurants,” says Mark. “Even now we have guests … who won’t come into [our venues in] Soho because they perceive it to be somewhat cheesy. [But] I think there is still room for more great dining in Soho.

I love the fact that it’s so dynamic, always new people, always a lot of churn but there are still the die hard neighbourhood characters. It’s a very

Black Sheep co-founders, Chris and Asim, outside Belon.

Faye Wong on the Mid-levels escalator in Chungking Express.

urban part of town but still with a lot of flavour.”

Hussain, who grew up in Hong Kong, says he remembers how the store that now hosts Chôm Chôm was once a butcher.

“The guys who worked there would eat lunch outside on the stoop. We wanted to bring that [element] back.”

Soho, like so much of Hong Kong, continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, with the hum of the escalator as its distant soundtrack. “The escalator is so unique – I recently took some students from New York along it and they just thought it was so cool,” says Law. “It’s not the most aesthetic thing, but it really lets you enjoy the city in a different perspective. Soho has undeniably lost its street life, and that’s very sad,” she muses. “It was so vibrant but now it is all restaurants, bars, cafes and boutiques. But maybe it reflects the change in society. It’s what people want.” M Additional photographs courtesy of P&T Architects.

WWW.MID-LEVELS.CO | 27

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eating

New kids on the block

Annie Wong picks her top restaurant openings over the past six months.

Commissary There is no stopping seasoned restaurateur Yenn Wong. This time, Wong has partnered with chefs Morgan McGlone and Adam Shoebridge to create Commissary. Designed

by Singaporean designer Siew Hui Lim of Hui Designs, the restaurant sports various 60s and 70s touches with spots of retro colour with an outdoor terrace that is beautifully lit with string lights. Offering Southern Californian cuisine, the pickling and smoked meats are done in house by the chefs. Starters include deviled eggs and tuna poke tostada and mains like double cheeseburger with a side of seasoned fries, fried fish tacos served on house-made tacos topped with an addictive ‘Green Goddess’ sauce veggies and pork ribs topped with BBQ sauce, peanuts and scallions.

There are also Californian-inspired cocktails to wash it all down.

405, 4/F, Pacific Place, Admiralty, www.commissary.hk, 2602 0707.

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open for business Lee Lo Mei Bringing street food to the tables of neonlit restaurant Lee Lo Mei, Chef Max Lee implements fresh and innovative ways to let you reminisce on old Hong Kong classics.

The restaurant spreads over two floors with the bar on the ground floor sporting mah jong paintings and Hong Kong street signs. There is a range of concoctions by famed mixologist Audrey Eschemann. Diners can head on upstairs to the first floor that offers a modern take on cha chaan teng dining. The restaurant utilises wooden tables and stools but features a colourful mural of old school cha chaan tengs.

The menu is small and separated into small plates, big plates, Lee’s desserts and a Hong Kong favourite, claypot rice bowl. Take a trip down memory lane with spicy shelter crab, taro dumplings, steamed cheung fun (rice rolls) and shrimp roe noodles.

G/F-1/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2896 1838, leelomei.hk

Apinara Touching down in Hong Kong in X is Apinara.

The Thai restaurant is founded by the team behind Bangkok’s award-winning Nara Thai Cuisine, Hong Kong-based restaurateur Pearl Shek and culinary mastermind Khun Yuki. The restaurant is decked in different shades of wood with custom-made traditional Thai ceiling fans.

As you’d expect from Thai cuisine, dishes are fiery and full of flavour; including pork balls appetiser served with a tangy chilli sauce, pad Thai, and desserts like mango sticky rice and Thai tea and durian ice cream.

Shop 205, Level 2, Pacific Place, 3107 1888.

TokyoLima Tucked away on Lyndhurst Terrace comes TokyoLima, Pirata Group’s newest venture.

The menu is divided into small plates, raw and seared items, sticks, Nikkei sushi and larger plates. Standouts from the appetisers include the La Causa which is served with layers of beetroot, prawn tartare, charred avocado and is topped with a lightly battered prawn tail tempura. The salmon Tiradito is a home-style Nikkei classic where raw salmon is ‘cooked’ in passion fruit tiger’s milk and topped with ikura roe, avocado and crispy fansi noodles.

Wash it down with one (or a few) of TokyoLima’s creative cocktails or choose from the

restaurant’s sake list which ranges from fullbodied to earthy flavoured sakes.

G/F, 18-20 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2811 1152, www.tokyolima.hk

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eating

Moi Moi Dishing up modern Vietnamese food, Moi Moi is Vietnamese-Australian chef, Luke Nguyen’s first opening in Hong Kong. Nguyen’s dishes are a true reflection of his family’s traditional recipes as well as Vietnamese street food. The restaurant space is an eclectic mix of textures and colours with a splash of southeast Asian elements. The cosy restaurant offers a lunch menu that is changed monthly with an a la carte menu for dinner. Alternatively the Moi Moi Dinner Tasting Menu allows guests to experience Nguyen’s signature offerings.

Lobby, Nexxus Building, 41 Connaught Road, Central, 2808 1086, www.moimoi.hk

DJAPA Spread across two floors of the popular Lee Tung Avenue, DJAPA is a lively Nipo-Brasileiro restaurant in the heart of Wan Chai. The industrial chic decor is quirky and colourful with the works of Takashi Murakami, Yayoi Kusama and Tomaz Viana spread across its space. The ground floor is a bar lounge that houses over 300 types of exclusive Japanese whiskies, wines and sake. A wooden staircase leads diners to the main dining area, which is equally as colourful with broken ceramic flooring. The food is perfectly matched with its decor which showcases the passion of South America and the delicate intricacies of Japan in their dishes like The Tropical Camarao, Suntanned Crabs, and fish with yuzu grape.

G18-20 & F18A, Lee Tung Avenue, 200 Queens Road East, Wan Chai, 2617 2900

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open for business Spiga Spiga is Dining Concepts’ newest venture, it seamlessly combines contemporary Italian dishes with 1950’s cinematic splendour decor offering diners an intimate yet relaxed dining experience. Occupying the third floor of LHT Tower in Central, each section of the restaurant has its own unique setting attached with lighting fixtures and hand-selected antique collectables.

Helmed by Michelin star chef Enrico Bartolini, the menu sees a hearty Italian fare including Sicilian red prawns, parmesan risotto, grilled black angus tenderloin with potato millefeuille.

Adjacent to the restaurant is Portico, Spiga’s outdoor space that resembles the gardens of Italy, offering a perfect area for pre or post dinner drinks.

3/F, LHT Tower, 31 Queens Road Central, 2871 0055, www.diningconcepts.com

We’re still obsessed with…

208 Duecento Otto Overlooking Hollywood Road, 208 Duecento Otto is a well-established Italian restaurant located at the western end of Sheung Wan. You won’t miss the large facade and its their glass windows.

The restaurant’s use of dark wood is complemented with blue and white ceramic tiles. On the menu is a classic Italian fare with favourites like pizzas, pastas, as well as a range of surf and turf dishes.

208 Duecento Otto.

208 Hollywood Road, 2549 0208; www.208.com.hk.

BIZOU American brasserie, BIZOU, arrived on the dining scene of Pacific Place in January.

Helmed by Michelin star chef Magnus Hansson, the menu sees a balanced yet flavourful range of dishes. Using the freshest ingredients, Chef Magnus puts together the perfect combination of sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami flavours in each dish. Standouts include Grilled Octopus with Crispy Potatoes and Iron chicken. As a renowned pastry chef, Hansson’s desserts are a must-try, including the chocolate cake with lemon-cumquat marmalade topped with whipped ricotta with fried sage. Famed

mixologist Joseph Boroski has created a special cocktail menu for the restaurant.

Shop 132, L1, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2871 0775, www.diningconcepts.com M

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eating

Dining news

What not to miss this month. aged 4-14; add an extra $50 for free-flow champagne). Book a table online at www.jinjuu.com/hk/en or call 3755 4868.

32 D’Aguilar Street, Central

Mr. S.Y. Punti

Brunchtime Looking for a brunch where you can enjoy fabulous views and fill your face without actually having to walk to the buffet counter? Try aqua’s “because brunch”. The Japanese/Italian menu is all served at the table and starts off with an impressive selection of fresh sushi, sashimi and antipasti, followed by a delicious spinach and ricotta ravioli (you can reorder both courses as many times as you like). Save room for the main course: Japanese and Italian sharing platters (think pan fried Mediterranean sea bass, grilled lamb, Hokkaido fried salmon and Wagyu beef yakitori) and, finally, a selection of decadent desserts, from molten lava chocolate cake to lemon sorbet, yuzu panna cotta and more. $448 per person for the shared brunch only ($198 for ages 5-12, free for under 5s). Add an extra $100 per person for free-flow Veuve Clicquot champagne and cocktails. For reservations, call 3427 2288 or book online at www.aqua. com.hk. 29-30/F, One Peking, Tsim Sha Tsui.

Blooming marvellous To celebrate the arrival of springtime, the Palm Court at The Langham has introduced a new afternoon tea menu featuring a variety of sweets - from jasmine, pistachio and white chocolate macarons to marigold lemon biscuits with yuzu mousse and apricot jam - and a savoury “tomato patch” (cut open the “tomatoes” to

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reveal fillings of smoked salmon and cream cheese, chicken with Dijon mustard, and green pea hummus). The afternoon tea set also comes with a warm selection of plain and golden raisin scones, served with Devonshire clotted cream, strawberry jam and artisanal rose preserve.

Available until 31 May 2017 ($348 per person; $598 for two).

For reservations, call 2132 7898 or email tlhkg.fbservicecentre@langhamhotels.com.

8 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Jinjuu Known for its contemporary take on Korean cuisine, Jinjuu lanches a new à la carte menu just in time for Spring. New dishes include the Cho Gye Tang Salad (slow cooked Australian free-range chicken breast marinated in soy and served with cabbage, daikon kimchi and mustard vinaigrette), Buknak Octopus (served on sticks with avocado aioli to dip, char-grilled leek, mango, baby spinach salad and crunchy sweet potato starch noodles) and the Kimchi & Herb-crusted Halibut with doenjang potato pancake, sesame seasoned spinach and gochujang sauce. If you’re feeling hungry at the weekend, try the brunch buffet (available 12-3pm, $380 for adults, $250 for children

In a quiet little corner of Sai Ying Pun, an old tong yuen (glutinous rice dumpling) store has been saved from collapse and refurbished, ready to serve Hong Kong-style comfort food.

Mr S.Y. Punti builds on the tradition of Hong Kong’s Cha Chaan Teng diners that have served up great food at cheap prices for decades - with the added elements of coffee, beer and wine.

Dishes are based on all the old Cha Chaan Teng favourites (think dumplings/wonton in homemade chicken broth, pan fried rice rolls, French toast and, of course, a selection of tong yuen) and ingredients are sourced from the local wet market and local suppliers. Even the chilli sauce is the iconic Yu Kwen Yick brand, which, until recently, was fermented in great wooden barrels next door in David Lane itself.

G/F No 4 David Lane, Sai Ying Pun (2 minutes from Exit B2 Sai Ying Pun MTR), 2915 8885, www.mrsypunti.com

Pizza and beer What could be better than pizza and beer?

Neapolitan pizzeria Ciao Chow has introduced a beer pairing menu, selected from the restaurant’s 24 craft beers and 15 signature pizzas. Think Toasted Coconut Porter with the sweet flavours of an Ananas (Haiwaiian) Pizza, Peroni with a classic Marinara Pizza, or a dark toasted malt to wash down toppings of mushrooms and truffles. Available Monday through Sunday. Even if you don’t fancy a beer, head down on a Monday and beat the blues with 50 per cent off all pizzas, from 3pm until closing.

Ciao Chow is the first and only pizzeria in Hong Kong to receive the Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN) certification, which requires that the ingredients, equipment, recipes and cooking methods adhere to authentic pizza making standards. Viva Napoli!

G/F, California Tower, 30-32 D’Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central, 2344 0005, www.ciaochow.com.hk M

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WWW.MID-LEVELS.CO | 35

picture this

“THE ORANGE SELLER, KENNEDY TOWN” , BY MICHAEL SLOAN 60 seconds with the artist.

T ell me about yourself.

I’m Michael Sloan, I’m an American illustrator and artist, and I love Hong Kong.

Describe yourself in three words.

Father, redhead, traveler.

Where do you live?

New Haven, Connecticut, about an hour and a half outside of New York City.

How long have you been painting? Why did you start?

I started sketching during a trip to the American Southwest about 25 years ago.

These days I sketch whenever I travel. My wife, three children and I recently lived in Hong Kong for a year, and during that time I filled about a dozen sketchbooks with paintings of scenes that I witnessed in Hong Kong’s outdoor street markets.

How would you describe your style?

My sketchbook style is like reportage. I draw and paint things, people and places that I actually see, though I often add humour and imagination to my sketches.

What’s the story behind this picture?

I created the sketch of the Orange Seller on my first trip to Kennedy Town. I was attracted to the verticality of the scene, and the building across the street that curves so gracefully around the corner. I also liked the oranges that were a shock of color in what was a monochromatic scene.

What are you trying to show?

The orange seller looked annoyed - perhaps he was suspicious of me and I tried to capture this in his facial expression.

Where would you like to paint next in Hong Kong?

I’m looking forward to returning to some of my favourite street markets in Wan Chai, Tai Po and Sheung Shui. I’d like to

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go back to the island of Cheung Chau to sketch the fishing fleet and maritime businesses on the north side of the harbour.

Where can we find more of your work?

On my illustration website: www.michaelsloan.net There’s a section devoted to my Hong Kong sketchbooks and a link where you can buy my prints of Hong Kong street scenes.

What are you working on right now?

I’m currently working with the author Jake Halpern on Welcome to the New World, a graphic narrative published by The New York Times. It documents the lives of a Syrian refugee family who have recently arrived in America. You can find it on The New York Times website: nytimes.com/series/syrian-refugee-familywelcome-america M

Have you painted Hong Kong?

Each month we feature a painting of Hong Kong and a 60-second interview with the artist who created it. If you’d like to be featured, email editorial@fastmedia.com.hk

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home & living

Babington Adele Brunner heads to Mid-levels’s Babington Path and finds a home that has been given a new lease of life.

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Path

lease of life

O

ne man’s trash is another’s treasure and that was certainly the case for Jon and Sophia Poon. When they first viewed the 2,750-square-foot apartment that they would eventually buy, it was dark and damp, and didn’t make the most of its large footprint. But something about it – its high ceilings, its potential for space and light, its great Mid-Levels location – struck a chord so they decided to take the plunge and make it their home.

“The apartment was in a poor condition and very dated but I felt that as long as the space was there, something could be done with it,” says Sophia. “I’m not a designer though and didn’t have a vision. That all came from Clifton Leung and his team.”

It was a given that Leung (of Clifton Leung Design Workshop) would bring the property down to its bare bones, and start from scratch.

However, since the Poons and their three children were living in Australia while the renovations were taking place, everything was done via Skype, emails and phone calls, with

Sophia paying only two actual visits to check on progress. The renovation took seven to eight months from initial concept discussions to completion to accommodate the family’s move to Hong Kong.

“Technology is amazing in that it enabled me to see what was going on and make decisions without me being there,” she says. “What also helped enormously was that Clifton understood where we were coming from. A family of five is larger than the average and we needed a design and layout that worked for everyone.”

As the Poons enjoy entertaining, Leung opened up the living and dining rooms to make one big, sociable area. He even added an impressive bar, which stretches the length of one wall and makes a practical feature out of otherwise dead space.

He created four bedrooms and he substituted what had been a fifth bedroom with a study. It is divided from the living and dining room with a half-glass-half-brick partition to maximise light flow and the impression of space.

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home & living

Doors play a large part in the apartment’s design. Although open planning was the order of the day, the Poon children were about to hit their teenage years when the renovations were being planned so a degree of privacy was also required for all members of the family. Leung used sliding doors in larger-than-average doorways so that the bedrooms and kitchen could be separated from the living area when needed.

“Sophia often jokes about how many doors she has ended up with but they give the apartment great flexibility,” says Leung. “If the adults are entertaining in the living room, for example, their children can shut off the entire corridor leading to their bedrooms and enjoy their own privacy. But when all the doors are

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open, the apartment has a flow of space from one room to the next.”

C

M

Y

The Poon children were about to hit their teenage years...so a degree of privacy was required.

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

WWW.MID-LEVELS.CO | 41

home & living Leung says one of his main challenges was the configuration of the galley kitchen to offer maximum usability. He lined it with custom-made cupboards, designed to be narrower than the norm so that kitchen didn’t feel cramped but still provided ample working surfaces. Leung even designed a breakfast table on caster wheels for ultimate versatility. It fits almost entirely into a space between overhead cupboards and standing units when not in use but easily slides out at mealtimes or when an extra surface is needed.

[Jon] wanted to feel as though he was in a spa.

Having been used to a lot of space in their previous home, the family wanted similar facilities in Hong Kong, particularly when it came to the bathrooms, and Jon’s brief to Leung was that he “wanted to feel as though he was in a spa”. Again, Leung didn’t disappoint. Every flat in the block was built with a sunken bath in the

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lease of life master bathroom so the designer kept this as the main feature, upgrading the bath itself and incorporating a shower stall next to it. Leung also added soft blue lighting to create a muted, spalike mood and positioned light switches at midthigh rather than at eye level to avoid spoiling the streamlined look. A semi-partition in the form of magazine shelving between the loo and the double sinks gives a degree of privacy.

“I spent a lot of time on the bathrooms to make them look clean and peaceful but still functional,” says Leung.

Unlike a typical “out with the old, in with the new” renovation, the Poons decided to bring most of their existing possessions with them.

Again, thanks to modern communications, Leung was able to see what furniture they had and come up with a layout and colour palette.

As Jon and Sophia prefer a simple, functional bedroom, the colours Leung chose for them are soft, neutral tones. Their son wanted something more masculine so, for him, Leung painted one wall black to achieve the desired look.

“I really use my home and I wanted us all to enjoy it, to be able to relax, work, entertain and live in it, without worrying about it,” says Sophia. “And that is exactly what we have.”

Clifton Leung of Clifton Leung Design Workshop can be contacted on 3106 8384 or via www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com. M

Little people, big responsibility Leaving home is difficult for everyone, but we give extra help to the youngest relocators.

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Go knowing

www.crownrelo.com/hongkong 7278750 CR HK Sai Kung Magazine.indd 1

25/02/2016 05:27:49| PM 43 WWW.MID-LEVELS.CO

education

Arts movement

ESF Discovery College is going from strength to strength.

Rebecca Simpson finds out how.

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D

open day

iscovery College is a relatively new school, it was opened in 2008 and offers a through-school experience and IB curriculum in both primary and secondary sections.

DC is part of the Private Independent Schools (PIS) network, and is managed by ESF under the same conditions as Renaissance College. This is an important differentiator for parents because DC acts almost as a private school within the ESF network - the school does not receive government funding, nor does it have a defined catchment area. This means fees are more expensive than ESF and students come from the length and breadth of Hong Kong from Repulse Bay and the Peak, to Sai Kung, Yeun Long and even Cheung Chau Island.

But while a few students are catching planes (almost), trains and automobiles to get here, the majority live locally. Discovery Bay’s car-free community means students walk, cycle or skateboard to and from school each day.

“It’s a very physical community,” says principal Mark Beach. “I stand at the front gate every morning and see it. DC kids are mad on sports, we have a close connection with organisations like the DB Pirates (local weekend sports club) which is very special.”

A close sense of community has been fostered since day one at the school, with cross-pollination of the senior and junior school - through the physical structure of the building to inclusions in the school curriculum such as a buddy programme - senior students come to visit their “buddies” in junior school to read, share knowledge and create art. These experiences provide a link between primary and secondary and foster a big brother/sister relationship within the school community.

DC follows a philosophy of “positive education”, which is an approach that stems from the movement of positive psychology - the study of the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive, founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives and to cultivate what is best within themselves.

Beach says the school works hard to ensure students feel valued and communication channels remain open even when students are struggling.

The students are keen sports players.

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education “It’s important to give kids an understanding that they are valued and give them the tools to be able to cope with stress and change,” he says.

In recent years the school has driven a focus on “wellness”, with particular attention to kindness and gratitude, as well as resilience and grit.

“We’ve been focused on building on these, asking students “What do you do when the going gets tough?”,” says Beach. The school is working towards a growth mindset with students and families, “an understanding that we learn through failure and changing childrens’ mindsets from “I can’t do it” to “I can’t do it yet”. Once they grasp this, when things don’t work out, they merely become another learning experience.”

In terms of core subjects, DC claims to provide a rigorous academic curriculum, strongly supported by the arts. In a city that is famously academically-driven, DC’s focus on the arts as an area intrinsic to learning in all subjects is arguably a risky business.

But the proof is in the pudding and in 2016 it claimed two of the city’s perfect 45 IB scores, and this was only the school’s third graduating class. DC alumni have graduated to some of the world’s top universities, including Oxford, Cambridge and UC Berkeley.

Real strength is in the students’ ability to collaborate, says school pricnipal Mark Beach.

“We’re a school that promotes rigorous academic achievement but we also value the arts as an area of focus that contributes to learning in all other subjects,” says Beach.

“There’s such strong research and connection between, for example, music and maths. A focus on arts has huge benefits for skills like articulation, it’s a powerful part of our school but no more important than other subjects.

It’s just that we get started at an early age and we maintain a focus for our students. We

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are one of the few ESF schools that provide specialised teachers for drama, music and art right from year one. Our primary students get all the advantages of a high school.”

Chinese learning starts in year one with multiple lessons a week and from year two students are experiencing daily lessons. For PIS schools Mandarin in compulsory. Most students take Chinese all the way through to Diploma level. To cater for students with varying levels of the language, DC’s Chinese

open day

School Report

programme is “pathwayed” from year one, which means students are learning at a pace that suits them personally.

As far as technology goes, Beach says the approach is that it should only be used if it enhances learning. “For us, the real strength is the ability for students to access information and manipulate it to further their understanding and knowledge. It’s also about being able to share their learnings - presenting and collaborating with others. If technology is

The school promotes rigorous academic achievement.

being used properly, you shouldn’t even notice it, it shouldn’t be the focus of what you’re doing. It’s just there to support learning.”

The school works hard to support students with their post-school choices. A higher education office kicks in during year 10 and onwards, more so as they reach final years.

Established: 2008 Class size: Teacher/Student ratio: Varies between 1:10 to 1:30 Curriculum: IB Primary Years Programme, IB Middle Years Programme and IB Diploma Programme Fees 2016/2017: $108,400-$146,600 per annum Non refundable capital levy: $6,290 Address: 38 Siena Avenue, Discovery Bay, Lantau Island Tel: 3969 1000

“We’ve developed some very close connections with universities,” explains Beach.

“We actually host a University Fair that over 130 universities attend from around the world and student from across Hong Kong are invited to attend.” M

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travel

India’s Golden Triangle

Shreena Patel heads to northwestern India with her family for a two-week adventure.

I

n a world of increasingly homogenous travel, India is unique. From the snowy mountain tops of Kashmir to the lush rainforests of the South Western Ghats, the silence of the great Thar Desert to the chaos and crowds of Old

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Delhi, its landscape is vast and varied, bound by a deep history, a rich culture and a shared soul.

With our two weeks, we choose to visit the Golden Triangle, a popular route which connects Delhi, the national capital territory, with Agra and

Jaipur. This is definitely not an “off-the-beatenpath” experience, but some things are popular for good reason. The Golden Triangle is a classic introduction to India and a great wealth of culture and history awaits those who choose to see it.

Amer Fort is reflected in Maota Lake below.

the pink city

Jaipur Our first stop is Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan.

India’s largest state is littered with palaces and forts: reminders of the many kingdoms that once vied for the region. It is the chief constituent of what was once known as Rajputana (literally, “land of the sons of kings”), a collection of kingdoms, each ruled by different Rajput clans.

Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, a member of the Kachhwaha clan of Rajputs and ruler of the kingdom of Amer (whose capital, Amer, was located about 11km north of modern Jaipur).

Jai Singh II became ruler of Amer kingdom in 1699, at the age of 11, following the death of his father.

India’s largest state is littered with palaces and forts.

For some years leading up to his ascension, relations between the Mughals and the Rajputs (who had, since 1562, been in alliance) had been deteriorating. They reached their lowest point upon the death of Emperor Aurangzeb, when Jai Singh II found himself deposed of his kingdom

by Aurangzeb’s successor and son Bahadur Shah. Ever the diplomat, Jai Singh II formed an alliance with other Rajput states of Mewar (Udaipur) and Marwar (Jodhpur) and regained the kingdom. In 1727, he founded a new capital and named it Jaipur, after himself. The city was planned and designed by architect Vidhyadhar Bhattacharya, based on the ancient architectural manual Shilpa Shastra.

Later in 1876, Maharaja Ram Singh II, adorned the city in a pinkish colour (associated with hospitality) to welcome the then Prince of Wales - hence why people refer to Jaipur as “the pink city”. After India became independent from British rule, Jaipur merged with Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner to form Rajasthan.

Today, Jaipur is a centre of commerce and administration, full of life - and traffic. The streets of the old city are filled with camels, people, cars, motorbikes and rickshaws - even elephants.

In the midst of it all are legacies of the area’s majestic past: City Palace, which continues to house the royal family, Jantar Mantar - the royal observatory, the pink honeycombed facade of Hawa Mahal - a former cloister for royal women, and further out in the hills, Amer Fort.

Eat Tapri - The Tea House has an outdoor rooftop seating area with a wide selection of teas and snacks, including samosas and chilli cheese toast. B4-E, Prithviraj Road, Opposite Central Park Gate No. 4, C-Scheme.

For something special, try the Fairmont Jaipur’s unique dining experience: a traditional Rajasthani thali (a dish of smaller dishes), served outside on the terrace next to an open fire and surrounded by freshly picked, fragrant flowers.

Look out for local speciality, laal maas (mutton cooked with fiery red chillies and other spices not for the faint-hearted!)

Another option for Indian fine dining is Cinnamon at Jai Mahal Palace (Jacob Road, Civil Lines). If you need a break from Indian food, try Steam at Rambagh Palace, which serves up Italian and Lebanese fare (Bhawani Singh Road, Rambagh) or Mughal-inspired restaurant and lounge, Bar Palladio, for Italian food (Kanota Bagh, Bhag Singh Road, Adarsh Nagar).

(Top): Hawa Mahal; (Middle): drinking masala chai and eating chilli cheese toast at Tapri; (Bottom): a sculpture at Jantar Mantar.

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travel

(Left): Anokhi; (Middle): stone lattice work at Amer Fort; (Right): Rambagh Palace.

Shop Jaipur is a shopper’s paradise and famous for three things in particular: block printing, blue pottery and gemstones.

For good-quality, cotton block printed clothes and soft furnishings in a range of colours and patterns, head to Anokhi. There’s a nice cafe next door if you’re feeling peckish - try the fresh pomegranate juice. 2nd Floor KK Square, C-11 Prithviraj Road, C-Scheme.

Visit Kilol for a range of traditional and western clothes and home furnishings. E-141, Sardar Patel Marg, C Scheme.

Head to Hot Pink for clothes, bags and scarves by local designers; IDLI for contemporary Jaipur-inspired home furnishings and apparel in a range of fun fabrics (printed, tie-dye and woven); and Aashka for handcrafted clothes, jewellery, furniture and home accessories (all at Hotel Narain Niwas Palace, Kanota Bagh, Narayan Singh Road, Rambagh).

For jewellery, Gem Palace is listed on most tourist websites - good designs and quality, but prices are very high (Shop No.348, M.I. Road).

Amrapali has a great range of costume and fine jewellery (Panch Batti, M.I.Road).

For more chaos and the chance to haggle, head to the bazaars. There are at least seven but the most popular are Johari bazaar (jewellery) and Bapu bazaar (mojari and leather goods).

Do Visit Amer Fort, built in 1592 by Raja Man Singh.

The best time to visit is in the early morning. You can ride elephants to the top, but if you'd rather not, there is a path for walking. Once at the top, you can buy a ticket to enter the grounds and hire a guide (a composite ticket costs INR 1,000 per person for foreigners, lasts two days and includes entry into a number of sights, including Amer Fort, Jaigarh Fort and Jantar Mantar).

Don't miss the Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace) - which supposedly can be fully lit by a single candle, making the ceiling appear as if it were a canopy of stars.

Overlooking the valley and connected to Amer Fort via a series of underground tunnels is Jaigarh Fort, the main cannon foundry of the Mughal empire and still home to the world’s largest cannon on wheels.

Head to Jaipur city and visit the City Palace,

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The Fairmont Jaipur.

a complex of courtyards, gardens and buildings.

There are two parts of the palace: one which is open to the public and the other which is still a royal residence. Entry to the palace is expensive (around INR 2,500 for foreigners) and is not included in the Amer Fort composite ticket.

Cross the road for a lesson in astronomy at Jantar Mantar, constructed on the orders of Jai Singh II, who had a great interest in the subject.

This collection of 19 architectural instruments includes the world’s largest sundial, but laymen may struggle to see anything but odd sculptures and stairs that lead nowhere. It’s worth hiring a guide at the entrance to explain how it all works.

Hawa Mahal’s pink honeycomb facade has become an icon of Rajasthani architecture.

Rising five stories, it was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh to enable ladies of the royal household - who were not allowed in public - to watch proceedings in the streets below in anonymity.

For a chilled out afternoon, have tea in the gardens of Rambagh Palace (the former residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur) and play croquet on the lawn - look out for the peacocks!

Bhawani Singh Road, Rambagh.

If you’re not tired of forts yet, head to Nahargarh Fort at sunset. Perched on the edge of the Aravalli Hills, overlooking Jaipur it has spectacular views. Entry is included in the Amer Fort composite ticket.

Stay Located a 20-minute drive from Jaipur city - The Fairmont Jaipur is a reimagined 16th century Mughal palace, combining old-world beauty with modern-day comforts. On arrival, we get

a fantastic Rajasthani welcome with drums (nagada) and traditional music. The rooms are gorgeous (ask for one with a view to the hills) and guests will notice a recurring parrot motif, a nod to the Mughals’ fondness for the creatures.

Foodwise, highlights include the unique dining experience, Zoya for an international menu and Zarin for Indo-Persian (the pomegranate molasses chicken is a must-try).

After dinner, head to the bar or catch a glimpse of local culture in the tea lounge, where the hotel invites local dancers, puppeteers and singers to perform. There’s also a pool, gym, spa, shops, and childrens’ area. Gold Club guests have access to a luxurious lounge that serves afternoon tea, drinks and nibbles throughout the day. Head there for cocktails and canapes before dinner. Butler service is available for suites and speciality rooms.

Nightly rates start at INR 11,000 plus taxes for a Fairmont Room (based on double occupancy), which includes breakfast. Book online at www.fairmont.com/jaipur or email jai.reservations@fairmont.com

rural Rajasthan

Rural Rajasthan Amanbagh A two-hour drive east of Jaipur along a mostly unfinished road lies luxury oasis, Amanbagh (“peaceful garden”). Hidden away at the foothills of the Aravalli mountain range, the site was once the hunting lodge of the Maharajah of Alwar who would come here in search of tigers - and it’s still fit for a king.

Built from palest pink local sandstone, featuring domed cupolas, manicured lawns, two outdoor swimming pools (the smaller is heated), all in the quiet serenity of the lush countryside, Amanbagh is breathtakingly beautiful. Upon arrival, we are greeted with an unexpected but wonderfully sung prayer to Lord Vishnu and taken to our rooms.

There are 24 haveli suites and 16 pool pavilions to choose from - all the rooms are decked out in local pink sandstone and red marble, with large bathtubs carved from Udaipur green marble. Some feature private terraces and each of the the pool pavilions has its own private pool. Rooms are all equipped with a monkey stick to ward off (but not hit) unwanted visitors we are in the forest after all. You shouldn’t need the stick unless you’ve left food lying around.

The area is very quiet so I advise bringing a book or two with you. The hotel also provides a suggested itinerary for your stay. Early morning (7:30am) guided walks to nearby villages are complimentary, as is morning yoga (10:30am), and you can use the hotel bikes free of charge.

There’s also a state-of-the-art gym, spa, boutique, library and croquet lawn (challenge the staff to a game or two if you’re feeling brave).

If you want to explore further afield, try one of the chargeable excursions: an open-top Jeep safari to nearby Sariska national park (home to tigers and other wildlife), a cow-dust tour, camel ride and picnic, or a trip to Bhangarh Fort - supposedly the most haunted place in India, this 16th century city was completed deserted in just one night and has now been taken over by monkeys and the odd cow. Visitors, who according to a sign installed by the Archeological Survey of India are forbidden to remain in the the fort between sunset and sunrise, include tourists, young couples lounging on the grass and groups of teenagers looking to be spooked.

Back at the hotel, live music starts outside the restaurant from around 6pm and continues until late - dine outside for the full ambience.

The food is delicious and ordered a la carte prices are high for the area but not outrageous,

Residents of the nearby village.

especially given the service, quality and surroundings. We go head back to the room each night satisfied and relaxed.

Nightly rates during the low season start at USD 600 (plus 32.5% tax) per room, which includes breakfast. The hotel is closed from June 1 to July 31. For reservations, email amanbagh@aman.com, www.aman.com/resorts/amanbagh

(Left): at Bhangarh Fort; (Right): the main hotel building and pool.

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travel Aman-i-khas This is, without doubt, the most memorable “hotel” I have ever stayed in. Aman-i-khas is, in fact, a collection of 10 tents - although “tent” is a gross understatement.

Each tent is is more like a full suite, with a soaring six-metre canopy and separate living, sleeping and bathing quarters - there’s even a full stone bathtub. Fill it up, light a few candles and soak up the magic. Every tent is assigned a batman, available 24/7.

Outside in the evenings, guests can gather round a huge fire pit and relax or swap stories about the day’s adventures. There’s also a restaurant, library, spa and vegetable garden.

On arrival we are greeted by one of the two general managers, Anand Shekhawat, who we discover is a historian, naturalist and anthropologist rolled into one. He always finds the right moment to appear with helpful advice, interesting stories and to find out about our day.

One of the best things about Aman-i-khas is the wildlife. Peacocks wander the grounds (although the gardener tries to keep them away from his vegetables) - even, on one occasion, a mother and baby deer. A prime spot during the day is on the hammock by the lake, where Anand informs us a crocodile has recently taken up residence. It’s a beautiful place to read - but I make sure to glance at the crocodile occasionally to check its whereabouts.

Another day, we ride camels to a nearby hilltop to watch the sunset. It’s a great spot and we are surprised by our hosts with a small picnic at the top. We even spot a hyena - an incredibly rare sight.

Of course, the main attraction of this part of the world is the tiger safari in nearby Ranthambore National Park. We book through an external company, opting for a morning safari in a private open-top Jeep. Still, the hotel kindly delivers a hot pot of masala chai and cake to our tent at 5:30am and gives us blankets and hot water bottles for the ride. Our Jeep driver and guide inform us we’ve been allocated zone

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The campsite.

7 - the entrance is about a 20-minute, bonechilling drive away and we are the first to arrive.

Once inside, we drive around for hours as the sun rises, our guide looking for paw prints and listening for warning calls. It’s beautiful and we see other wildlife, but no tigers. We can’t help feeling disappointed.

A prime spot during the day is on the hammock by the lake, where Anand informs us a crocodile has recently taken up residence.

We decide to do one more safari, this time booking via the hotel - despite its much higher rates - in the hope that it will improve our chances of seeing the elusive tiger (on the face

of it, the booking system for the park appears to be fully automated, but as our second guide, Bobby, later remarks, “anything is possible in India”). By the early evening it’s all arranged and we’re told that this time we’ll be going to zone 5.

The next morning we set off with our driver and Bobby and begin our search. We see some tantalising paw prints but still no tiger. Just as we are about to give up, we come across Akaash, a 5-year-old male tiger in his prime.

Everyone watches him in silence as he approaches the back of the Jeep, where I’m sitting. He can’t be more than five feet away. My heart is pounding and though I’ve been clutching my iPhone for hours waiting for this shot, now that the moment is finally here thoughts of snapping a photo couldn’t be further from my mind. My mother whispers reassuringly, “he’s licking his lips.” Thanks, mum. I hold my breath as Akaash passes round the other side of the jeep and nonchalantly wanders off into the bushes. After 10 or 15 feet, he has totally disappeared and we are left speechless.

We arrive back at the hotel joyous and two months later, I still can’t shut up about it.

rural Rajasthan Booking your safari Peak season at Ranthambore National Park is Autumn to Spring, though the best time to go for tiger sightings is during the hotter months, from April to June. The park is closed from July to September during the monsoon.

Nightly rates during May (low season) start at USD 1,000 (plus 23.5% tax) per tent, which includes full board. For the rest of the seasons, taxes are higher (33.12%). The hotel is closed from June to September.

For entry passes to Ranthambhore National Park, the hotel charges USD 100 (plus 17.5% tax) per person per excursion on a sharing basis. This covers entrance fee, appointed guide, safari vehicle and driver and refreshments. An exclusive jeep/drive costs USD 600 (plus 17.5% tax) per excursion. Both options are non-refundable.

For reservations, email aman-i-khas@aman.com, www.aman.com/resorts/aman-i-khas

The park is divided into 10 zones and there is a quota of vehicles are allowed in each zone at any given time. Zones 1-5 used to be known as the core zones and zones 6-10 as the buffer zones, but now there is officially no distinction. However, entry to zones 1-5 is definitely more sought after.

Safaris run twice a day (morning and afternoon) and there are two types of vehicle available: a six-seater open-top gypsy (Jeep) and a 20-seater canter. The Gypsy is a better option – fewer people, more comfortable, can navigate better and faster. Each vehicle comes with a driver and a guide.

Booking opens 90 days before the date of the safari. You can book online

(rajasthanwildlife.in), via your hotel, or through a separate company. You can also head down to the booking office an hour or two before a safari starts and see what seats are available.

If you book online, you are assured of a seat, but your zone and guide are allocated to you by a computer.

If you book on the day, take your passport and prepare for long queues. If you want a Gypsy, you must be able to fill the Jeep or be willing to pay for the vacant seats. You have limited control over the zone: you can ask what is available and if it’s not the one you want, step back, let someone else make a booking, then try again - but this isn’t feasible during peak season.

If you book through your hotel or another company, they will arrange everything for you.

The park is 392 km² and has about 60 tigers so sightings are very rare and never guaranteed, but if you’ve come all this way, I would highly recommend booking with the team at Aman-i-khas for your best chance. In any case, the park is beautiful and you won't regret going.

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travel

Agra Once the heart of the Mughal empire, Agra boasts one of the seven (man made) wonders of the world: the mesmerising Taj Mahal. It’s located in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh (UP), and as we arrive in the car from Ranthambore, the difference in our surroundings is stark. The streets are packed and full of noise. By the roadside, crowds gather to hear politicians campaigning in the state elections (as a side note, UP has in fact produced eight of the country’s 14 Prime Ministers). I see two or three cyclists hauling literally hundreds of shoeboxes pass by - the town is famous for its leatherwork and footwear.

Of all our stops, we’re spending the shortest amount of time here: just one night.

Eat

Agra is famous for leather, inlay work (marble inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones) and rugs.

For inlay work, the Taj Gateway has shops in its lobby. Otherwise, ask the staff at reception to suggest a place (and a price you should pay).

For rugs, try Java Handicraft Export, where you’ll find a selection of beautiful handwoven rugs in all manner of sizes and colours.

You can see them being made outside - it’s painstaking work. (1813/1K, 100 Feet Road, Taj Nagari, Phase II Opposite Hotel Trident. Hilton, Fatehabad Road, Agra-1)

Do Located on the bank of the Yamuna River and constructed from white marble, the Taj Mahal is ethereal in the early morning mist. This mausoleum was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to house the remains of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. From afar, it looks like its been painted with flowers and writing, but up close you can see it’s actually all stone work. The tomb sits at the centre of the complex, which also comprises a mosque and a guest house. Some areas that were once open to the public are now

closed off in an effort to better preserve the monument and stop people from chipping away at the precious stones. Closed on Fridays.

Nearby, the red-brick walls of Agra Fort (in fact a walled city) date back to the 16th century.

This was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty until 1638, when the Mughal capital was shifted from Agra to the Red Fort in Delhi.

Stay Located close to both the major sights, the Taj Gateway Hotel Fatehabad Road isn’t the most luxurious hotel but it’s clean and convenient and the service is good - just what we need for a single night’s stay. Head to the rooftop restaurant during the day for view over Agra and a glimpse of the Taj Mahal. Breakfast is served downstairs in the lobby, with hot parathas made to order. As we get up to leave, the staff very kindly offer to pack us a few for our trip.

Nightly rates start at INR 8,500 (plus 14% tax) per room, not including breakfast. For reservations, visit gateway. tajhotels.com/en-in or email reservations@tajhotels.com

Photo by Vishalsh521 at English Wikipedia

In Agra, it's a little harder to find good options outside the big hotels. The Taj Gateway has two restaurants in its lobby - GAD offers buffet style dining with a mix of indian and international cuisine while Jhankar serves up a la carte indian cuisine. We choose to dine at the latter with no regrets. The food is really delicious and great value (the only thing that’s slightly expensive is the beer).

Shop

(Left): the Taj Mahal; (Inset): inside Agra Fort; (Above): The Gateway Hotel, Fatehabad Road; (Below): a cyclist ferrying shoeboxes.

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travel

Delhi

Jama Masjid.

An ancient Persian prophecy proclaimed, “whoever builds a new Delhi will lose it”.

The prediction was apt. Delhi has served as the centre of a succession of empires and powerful kingdoms. The Indian capital has been built, destroyed and rebuilt no fewer than eight times, with each incoming power making the city its own - some even believe it to be the site of the legendary Indraprastha, the capital of the Pandava kingdom referenced in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The eighth city was Lutyen’s Delhi (or New Delhi), built by the British and declared as the new capital in 1911.

Each of Delhi’s cities has left its mark in form of monuments, forts and tombs scattered throughout the region. Ancient culture sits alongside rapid modernisation, from the immense Jama Masjid and narrow spice-filled streets of Chandni Chowk, to the colonial-era parliament buildings and expansive boulevards of Lutyen’s Delhi, to the shiny high rise buildings of Gurgaon. In the last few years, the city has also seen a new metro, new hospitals, malls and residential complexes, a revamped sports stadium and a new terminal (3) at Indira Gandhi International Airport.

to stick to recommended restaurants.

Khan Chacha sells delicious and great value kebab rolls (think paneer, chicken, veg, lamb…)

- perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. 50, Khan Market.

For a break from Indian food, try these New Delhi haunts: Ping’s Cafe Orient (SE Asian, 13 Lodhi Colony Market), Guppy by Ai (Japanese, 28 Main Market, Lodhi Colony) or Lodi - The Garden Restaurant (casual alfresco dining, Lodhi Road, Opp. Mausam Bhavan). Town Hall is a popular lunch and dinner spot, with a varied menu and lots of seating, including a rooftop terrace and bar. It’s packed on Friday and Saturday nights so book in advance (60-61, Middle Lane, Khan Market).

For great chaat (indian savoury snacks, typically served at roadside stalls), head to Bengali market - though for cleaner, safer chaat find a Haldiram’s.

Lastly, as recommended by a friend of mine (and Delhite), “If you’re stomach is feeling brave, eat at Karim’s - it’s an institution,” (serves a range of traditional Mughlai dishes, Jama Masjid, Gali Kababian, Old Delhi).

Eat

Khan Market is a popular expat haunt, great for an easy afternoon of shopping with lots of little restaurants and cafes. For homeware and fashion, try Good Earth (beautiful designs but

No visit to Delhi is complete without a good meal. The tastiest food is to be found streetside, but if you’re worried about “Delhi belly” it’s best

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Shop

The spice-filled streets of the Old City.

dilli dalliance

Qtub Minar.

high prices) and Fab India (a great range of cheaper Indian-style cotton casual wear and home furnishings); designers Anita Dongre and Ritu Kumar also have stores here; for jewellery try Amrapali. The market is closed on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Ahujasons in Karol Market is great for shawls. The urban villages of Hauz Khas and Shahpur Jat are packed full of emerging local designers and hip boutiques.

Preeti Mohan in Shahpur Jat is particularly good for fashion and costume jewellery.

Shahpur Jat.

Do To the north of the territory lies Old Delhi.

Founded by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1639, this walled city served as the capital of the Mughal Empire until 1857, when the rule of the East India Company was transferred to the Crown in the person of Queen Victoria.

Old Delhi is a must-see but be prepared - it is chaotic. A good way to explore is to do a heritage walk (look online for options) or a HOHO (hop on, hop off) bus tour, introduced by Delhi Tourism for visitors who wish to tour the city in a single day. Sights include the imposing Red Fort - the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal dynasty for nearly 200 years; the Jama Masjid - one of India’s largest mosques, whose courtyard accommodates 25,000 people; and Chandni Chowk, a vibrant crowded bazaar filled with food carts, sweets shops and spice stalls. Hire a rickshaw wala to take you around the streets of Chandni Chowk, which are too narrow for cars. Prices are around INR 200 per hour (the rickshaw takes two people), plus tip.

Then head south, via Connaught Place and India Gate for a walk around the famed Lodi Gardens and down towards Qtub Minar and Humayun’s Tomb (if you feel peckish, try nearby Lavaash by Saby or Olive Bar & Kitchen).

The Lodhi.

Stay Centrally located in the edge of Lutyen’s Delhi, The Lodhi is a seven-acre urban oasis. It’s close to Khan market, the Lodi Gardens and within easy driving distance of other major sights. The facilities here are fantastic and unique for a hotel in central Delhi: there’s a 24-hour gym, 50-metre swimming pool, yoga and pilates studio, allweather tennis courts, squash courts, hammam rooms and spa, a boutique, a great value salon and two restaurants: On The Waterfront (Pan Asia, Middle Eastern and European) and Elan (international). The bar downstairs has live music

in the evenings. Aside from the main pool, most rooms (at 1,350 square feet they are more like suites) have their own private heated plunge pools. Enjoy panoramic views of the city skyline, Delhi Golf Course and Humayun's Tomb from the higher floors.

Rates start at INR 24,000 (plus 25.25% tax) per night for a Lodhi Room, including breakfast. For reservations, email reservations@thelodhi.com, www.thelodhi.com M

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S

tupid. I have tried to think of another term for the decision to end the first registration tax waiver for electric private cars (EVs), but I can’t.

The waiver - now capped at $97,500 - was introduced in 1994 to promote the switch to clean engines, but few were built or bought. In 2009, the Financial Secretary announced that he would get serious about the use of EVs by setting up a steering committee to work on new measures, extending the tax waiver and promoting battery charging facilities.

It took five years for this to make an impact.

Between 1999 and 2014, fewer than 100 EVs were registered each year. Then in 2014/15, 1000 new EVs were registered, and some 5,000 more have been registered since. These are mostly luxury cars. On the lower end there has been little growth, as a fully taxed regular or hybrid car like the Compact Prius is half the cost of a similarly sized tax-free electric vehicle.

Not so at the top end, where a tax-free Tesla is about half the cost of a similar style and size limo.

Benz, BMW and Audi were hardest hit. At the same time, the overall car market appeared to hit the skids. Whereas over 50,000 private cars were newly registered in 2015 – the highest growth in private vehicles ever recorded in Hong Kong – private car sales slowed dramatically to some 40,000 cars in 2016.

As a result, the share of sales for EVs rose to 10 per cent. Panic erupted and lobbying by the traditional brands went into overdrive.

Questions like, “Why is the public sponsoring toys for rich people?”, were raised in LegCo. The spin masters blamed congestion and the increase in our vehicle fleet on EVs, ignoring the fact that just 1.2 per cent of our car fleet is electric. Instead of telling the three losers to speed up development of their own EVs, the government gave in. Instead of raising taxes on all cars, the government took away the incentive for people to watch their battery status and mess around with cables.

Photo by Tksteven via Wikimedia Commons

Waiving goodbye

zim city

As a district councilor I have witnessed heated debates over how electricity in car parks will be improved and who pays. Now the financial incentive to negotiate with owner committees and suppliers over the installation of chargers has been killed.

Two factors cause roadside air pollution: congestion and engine technology. To reduce congestion we need to motivate people by improving public transport and by making car ownership and use more expensive. To motivate people to change the fuel or power they use, we need to subsidise new technology with tax waivers until the installed base has reached its tipping point – or at least 30 per cent of the total vehicle fleet.

With electrics now more expensive than regular vehicles, the government made it much more difficult to get there. Stupid.

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

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Horoscopes

hong kong horoscopes

AQUARIUS Jan 21 – Feb 19

PISCES Feb 20 – Mar 20

ARIES Mar 21 – Apr 20

TAURUS Apr 21 – May 21

Aquarius, you’re the water bearer. So let me tell you about one of the first times I hiked the Wilson Trail with a single small bottle of water… in skinny jeans. It wasn’t my smartest moment, and I soon regretted the choices I’d made. Don’t be as unprepared as I was, Aquarius. A little planning will get you much further down the trail.

What’s your favourite street food, Pisces?

Personally, I’m partial to the egg puff. This delicacy is flipped halfway through cooking, so the batter coats the mould to become crisp on the outside, but with a soft hollow on the inside. Be like an egg puff, Pisces: If you give yourself space to grow, the results will be so much more impressive.

Some fortune tellers like to read tea leaves. Me, I just like a cup of tea. My favourite is Longjing “dragon well” tea, which hails from the West Lake area of Hangzhou, China. The most valuable Longjing tea consists of the very youngest shoots, hand-picked over just 10 days before the Qingming festival – round about now.

This tea is prized for its delicate aroma. What timesensitive aspect of your life is worth the effort, Aries?

Hong Kong’s tram network is more than just a cheap way to get around town. These trundling, stately beasts also offer a time for introspection and reflection in an otherwise churning world.

Board your next tram with no agenda and no destination, Taurus. Hop on and let the tracks lead you through gentle streets to quiet endings. You’ll be glad you did.

LEO Jul 23 – Aug 22

VIRGO Aug 23 – Sep 23

LIBRA Sep 24 – Oct 23

SCORPIO Oct 24 – Nov 22

For many Hong Kong youth, love hotels are the price of doing business, as it were. With no space at home, they have to take their pleasures where they can find them. Leo, what joys are you delaying because you don’t have room for them? What do you want to do that demands a love hotel of one’s own?

Consider, if you will, the humble Lantau water buffalo.

This gentle giant makes its way from village to village, sprawling across the roads and blocking traffic. So what a row of cars and buses are honking at it? This is where it’s decided to lay its stately bulk. You could learn from the buffalo, Virgo: sometimes, being a little obstructive and sedentary is the right call.

There’s no two ways about it: Mong Kok is an exhausting place. It’s full of jostling crowds and screeching noise. But that’s the glory of it, too. Ten minutes in Mong Kok is two hours anywhere else. Take it in, revel in it… then go get a quiet foot massage to recover.

To have just one would be too much. To have both is what it’s all about.

Scorpio, it’s time to exercise those latent creative powers. When’s the last time you told a really good story?

Here’s something to start you off: “Once upon a time, a beautiful Hong Kong princess lived in a big house on The Peak. She had fine food, an army of helpers and two Toyota Alphards. She had everything her heart could desire… except for love.” Can you get to the happily ever after?

As transmitted to Adam White, writer, editor and occasional soothsayer 60 | WWW.MID-LEVELS.CO

GEMINI May 22 – Jun 21

CANCER Jun 22 – Jul 22

Smog, smog and more smog. It’s the Hong Kong way. But now and then, the rain arrives and washes away all the particulates and we’re left with stunning views of our city. Be the rain in your life, Gemini – wash away the dirt and grime and you’ll be left with something far more beautiful than you remember.

For some, Cantopop all sounds the same: they dismiss it as ballad-heavy schmaltz. But did you know that writing Cantopop lyrics is one of the hardest jobs there is? See, the truly skilled Cantopop lyricist is able to arrange it so that the word tones match the tune, rising and falling alongside the notes. I’m not saying you have to love Cantopop, Cancer – but remember that even schmaltz takes mastery.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 – Dec 21

CAPRICORN Dec 22 – Jan 20

Ideally, you want your life to mirror a ferry ride to an outlying island: choppy at first, turning into smooth sailing with a wonderful, peaceful destination. In truth, the choppiness is never quite that short-lived and we spend plenty of time bobbing in the harbour, buffeted by waves.

But take heart by looking around you: everyone else is on the same ferry too, and we’re all just trying to get to Lamma.

Capricorn, were you meaning to write that email response for the last two months, but never got around to it? Do you think you’ve left it so long, you can’t possibly write back now? It’s OK. I give you permission to write back, with the following excuse: “Sorry I didn’t write back sooner. My Chinese New Year break went on for several months longer than expected.”

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marketplace

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

marketplace

events | festivals | equipment | logistics | catering | fixer

visit our website: pyjamahk.com

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

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Beth Narain

my mid-levels

Q: Tell me about yourself.

A: I was born in Durban, South Africa and trained as a ballet dancer. I love music. I came to Hong Kong in 1966 after my older brother Tokkie Smith, who pioneered the Hong Kong Sevens, invited me here on holiday.

Q: What were your first impressions of Hong Kong?

A: I didn’t like it at all when I arrived - it was too conservative for me - but things changed when I got a job as manageress and DJ at The Peninsula Hotel’s new basement nightclub: The Scene. I worked there every night, except Sundays, from 8pm to 2am. During the day, I worked as a ballet teacher and a choreographer for TVB’s Star Show - so I didn’t sleep much! I think my work is the reason I stayed in Hong Kong. I went on to start the city’s first ladies’ exercise studio - the Lotte Berk Studio - in the late ‘70s. The method we taught is now known as “Barre”.

Q: How does the hotel nightclub scene of the ‘60s and ‘70s compare to Hong Kong nightlife now?

A: I miss the combination of DJ box and live music - you don’t find that anymore. Although I went to Iron Fairies the other night to see a live band which was good. Nowadays everyone is either on their phone or pretending to be, so it’s harder to meet people and engage. It wasn’t like that back then - people went out and had conversations.

Q: How well do you know your neighbours?

A: T here is only one other person who lives on my floor but I never see him! He’s doesn’t make a lot of noise, which I appreciate. Hong Kong isn’t a very chatty place, but I’ve actually grown used to that.

Q: Is there a building in Mid-levels that has special significance to you?

A: I got married in Union Church. It was a hippy wedding: I wore a tie-dye dress and knee high boots! For a time, I had my own studio - Beth’s Workout - on Wyndham Street.

It ran from 1985 to 1995. I took out an ad for it in HK magazine - I was one of the first people to do so.

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(Above): Beth (far right) on the decks at The Scene; (Below): dancing the nigtht away.

Q: Where are you most likely to be found on a Sunday afternoon?

A: At home, watching a TV drama. It doesn’t matter how good the food is or how fun the party is, everybody knows not to ask me out on a Sunday!

Q: Best thing about Mid-levels?

A: The convenience. Everything is so accessible here: I have the nail salon, the massage place, the supermarket, restaurants, shops, bars right at my doorstep. The introduction of the escalator and the MTR to Sai Ying Pun has been brilliant. I couldn’t have chosen a better place to live.

Q: Worst thing about Mid-levels?

A: Some of the roads can get very busy and the clubs and restaurants can make a lot of noise. There’s a building below my terrace and where parties are often held. They can get quite rowdy but the police are very quick to respond.

Q: What would you like to change about your local area?

A: I find that the garbage cans on Bonham Road are often overflowing, but they are starting to do something about it. I would like the escalator to be cleaned more frequently, especially after a Saturday night!

Q: Favourite place to hang out in Mid-levels?

A: Ping Pong - it has a nice vibe, live music and a restaurant. You enter through a little red door and go down into a basement with incredibly high ceilings. It’s a little edgy and unconventional - like me.

Q: Best kept secret in Mid-levels?

A: A new Thai massage place that’s opened near my apartment.

It’s called Natura Thai (93 High Street, Sai Ying Pun).

Beth still teaches. If you’d like to get in touch, visit bethsworkout.wordpress.com

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