Hong Kong Island Magazine February 2013

February 2013

Free every month

EATING EVENTS FITNESS INTERIORS TRAVEL OUTDOORS

WEST side story

The new SoHo?

arms like t e

chelle Mi

What to do for Lunar New Year

How to g

Why indie shops are leaving Central

the really useful magazine February 2013 4 News

QUESTION of the month

6 Planner

Where to celebrate Lunar New Year

8 Social

Would you rather be fluent in Cantonese or Putonghua?

Hong Kong Fashion Week

12 Life Spy

Tai-tai adventures in fundraising

14 Interview

Award-winning architect Catherine Cheung talks interior design

Canto 70% Mando 20% Neither 10%

16 Feature

Retail revolution: why indie shops are leaving Central to the chains

20 Eating

Go west. Pioneers of the new restaurant frontier

Quote of the month

{

“I have never seen a transition so fast as Sai Ying Pun” – Grant Thatcher, p.18 Publisher

Tom Hilditch

tom@fastmedia.com.hk Senior Consultant Editor

Jane Steer

Assistant Editor

Kawai Wong

kawai@hkisland.com

William Whitaker

william@fastmedia.com.hk Art Director

Sammy Ko

sammy@hkisland.com Graphic Designer

Carly Tonna

carly@hkisland.com Sales Director

Nobel Cho

nobel@hkisland.com Sales Executive

Jackie Wilson

jackie@fastmedia.com.hk Traffic Coordinator

Cecile Chui

cecile@fastmedia.com.hk Accounts Manager

Online Marketing & Distribution marketing@fastmedia.com.hk

}

What to drink during February’s festivities

26 Motoring 28 Day Tripper 30 Fitness

Contributors

John Batten Thomas Chan Daryl Chapman Francis Cheng Lisa Cheng Megan Corbett David Diskin Louis Doctrove Ainoa Gawk Pearl Law Lauren McPhate Kiri Sinclair Cynthia Smillie Pete Spurrier Amiee Squires-Wills Ale Wilkinson Stuart Wolfendale Kevin Yeung Nonie Yung Kate Zhou Interns

Hannah Grogan Josh Kindler

Get arms like Michelle Obama’s (and a body like Sonny Bill Williams’)

32 Health & Beauty 34 Fashion A man's guide to lingerie

35 Travel 38 Family

Lai see do’s and don’ts

39 Education

Where to learn Mandarin

Give us a call!

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24 Wine

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Hong Kong Island 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. Hong Kong Island 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.

40 Pets

Licking a problem: curing compulsive cats

42 Marketplace 44 Classifieds 46 The Ultimate Guide 48 Distribution 50 Oh Snap A photo story of Sheung Wan

www.hkisland.com

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news

Good and bad news in cycling

So cyclist Lance Armstrong finally came clean about his doping, and revealed he wasn’t the only one doing it. Now it has emerged that Hong Kong’s Asian Games’ BMX champion, Stephen Wong, also failed an out-of-competition test for steroids last June. Wong claimed the positive result had resulted from the use of a cream for a “severe cut” in his groin area, but the Hong Kong-Belgian was banned by the International Cycling Union for two years. On the plus side, 25-year-old Lee Wai-sze, a bronze medallist in the keirin at the London Olympics, became the first Hong Kong cyclist to win a World Cup title in January. Congratulations!

Stylish French bakery opens

French bakery and restaurant Maison Eric Kayser has opened in Tsim Sha Tsui selling all types of classic breads and pastries. Kayser taught for 10 years at the leading French baking school, l’Institut National de la Boulangerie Pâtisserie, and has a reputation as “the world ambassador of French breads”, making it worth a trip across the harbour to buy your daily loaf. Shop 14-15, Ocean Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2736 2884

In & out

Konzepp III

< Please heLP me!

The iconic design and lifestyle shop Konzepp has recently expanded to Tai Ping Shan Street. The extension, called Konzepp III, sells lesser-known fashion designs from around the world, such as Wood Wood from Denmark, YMC (You Must Create) and Silent Ventures from Britain. Konzepp III, 14 Tai Ping Shan Street, Sheung Wan.

Test drive the Tesla S

Le Meridien Cyberport is offering eco-conscious drivers a chance to test drive the Tesla S premium electric sedan. Even better, Tesla owners visiting the hotel can charge their cars for free using its highpower socket. For details, call 2980 7788 or email marketing.lmc@lemeridien.com.

4 | www.hkisland.com

New sake bar opens

The people behind Vibes and Saboten have opened a Zen-inspired sake bar in Tai Hang. Zanzo stocks a full range of sake from niche to popular labels, as well as its own brand, Zanzo ($280/bottle), sourced from a Hokkaido brewery. It also serves Japanese tapas, including a standout wagyu beef chimmichurri salad ($70) – with meat deliciously grilled to medium rare and layered with a special herb sauce. 15-16 School Street, Tai Hang, 2570 6490.

HMV goes into administration It’s been a whirlwind couple of years for music and games store HMV, which was displaced from its Landmark location and reopened in a 14,000 sq ft space in the Entertainment Building only for the British head office to go into administration. Fortunately, HMV customers can still redeem their gift cards in Hong Kong – unlike in Britain, where stores refuse to honour the vouchers.

Yallay Space opens Fabio Rossi of London gallery Rossi & Rossi has teamed up with local art dealer Jean-Marc Decrop to open a new art space in Hong Kong specialising in Middle Eastern and Asian art.

Located in Aberdeen, Yallay Space opened in January with an show exhibiting works from Kazakhstan, Bhutan, Algeria and Australia.

Unit 3C, Yallay Industrial Building, 6 Yip Fat Street, Wong Chuk Hang, 3575 9417.

planner Feb 23 Cold Half Swim This inaugural 15km swimming race from Stanley Main Beach to Middle Island is the winter version of the annual Clean Half Swim. To take part in the solo or two-person race, au naturel or wetsuited and booted, register by February 16 by emailing kittyp4@hotmail.com.

Feb 11-13 Lunar New Year Lai see, turnip cakes, sweets and fireworks usher in the Year of the Snake.

Feb 3, 10, 17 and 24 Hong Kong East Island Markets Returning permanently every Sunday, the family-friendly markets feature quality produce grown by local organic farmers and locally made arts and crafts. 10am-5pm. Tong Chong Street, Quarry Bay. Full details at www.hkmarkets.org.

Until Feb 14 Hello It's Me, Goodbye: Andy Warhol's Cinema For the first time in Southeast Asia, the Osage Gallery in Kwun Tong is screening a selection of Andy Warhol’s films to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his death. For details, visit www.osagegallery.com.

Feb 14 It’s St Valentine’s Day. Check out p.22 for the best romantic dining options in the city and p.32 for ways to “surprise” your sweetheart.

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Feb 18-24 Hong Kong Salsa Festival Sashay down to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for a week of salsa dance workshops, competitions, performances and parties.

For details, visit www.hksalsafestival.com.

Feb 24 41st Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon Entries are long closed but get up early to cheer on the thousands of ablebodied and wheelchair racers taking part in the long-distance road races starting near The Mira on Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, from 6am, and finishing in Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. For details, visit www.hkmarathon.com.

Feb 21-Mar 22 Hong Kong Arts Festival The city’s premier performing-arts event attracts world-class opera, theatre, music and dance. For details and highlights, visit www.hk.artsfestival.org

Feb 25-Mar 3 Hong Kong Restaurant Week More than 50 restaurants across Hong Kong take part in this annual event that enables the public to try some of the city's best restaurants at reasonable prices. For details, visit www. restaurantweek.hk.

Feb 27-Mar 20 Hatwoman Workshops Want to get ahead? Learn to make your own hats and fascinators at three-hour workshops by seasoned milliner Awon Golding. Suitable for beginners; all materials supplied. Culture Club, 15 Elgin Street, Central. For details and bookings, email info@awongolding.com.

Feb 4-9 Lunar New Year Flower Market Parks and playgrounds across Hong Kong bloom with orange trees and other flowers ahead of the biggest festival of the year. For the biggest display, head to Victoria Park, Causeway Bay, from noon daily.

Feb 10 Lunar New Year Night Parade This world-famous parade turns Tsim Sha Tsui into a big street party with brightly coloured floats and performers. Festivities start at 6pm on the harbourfront and parades to the Sheraton Hotel and Towers.

BOOK NOW Feb 12 Chinese New Year Race Day As well as some of the biggest purses on the Hong Kong horseracing calendar, festivities include lion dancing, cultural performances and a bazaar. Sha Tin Racecourse. Gates open at 11am.

Feb 11 Lunar New Year Fireworks Start the Year of the Snake with a bang, with the annual harbour fireworks display that promises to be bigger and better than last year’s.

Starts 8pm.

Feb 17 Festive Drums

Feb 10-23 WellWishing Festival

Watch the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra drum in the Year of the Snake at an outdoor concert, with stalls and games for the family and a chance to test your own drumming abilities. West Kowloon Cultural District, 2pm-6.30pm.

Get cultural at Tai Po’s famous wishing tree. Write down your wishes and aspirations for the Year of the Snake and attach them to wishing boards; the tradition of tossing them into the branches is no longer allowed.

Lam Tsuen Wishing Square, 8 Heung Kung Sho Road, Lam Tsuen, Tai Po, www.hkwellwishingfestival.com.

Feb 17 Confucius Carnival 2013 Causeway Bay hosts a cultural carnival, including stage performances, booths, interactive games, lion dancing, Chinese orchestra, opera and choir performances. From 2pm in pedestrian zones in Paterson and Great George streets, East Point and Lockhart roads.

Mar 5 Adam Lambert Live The American Idol runner-up returns to Hong Kong on a high with his billboard-topping second album, Trespassing. Star Hall, KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $590-$790 from www. hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Mar 22 Russell Peters Live The world-famous Canadian comedian will have them rolling in the aisles at the AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau. Tickets $488-$1,088 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Feb 24 Lantern Carnival “Chinese Valentine’s Day” this year falls on the last day of Lunar New Year celebrations. Enjoy the lantern displays and feast on yuan xiao, sweet glutinous rice balls.

Email your event to editor@hkisland.com www.hkisland.com

|7

people

Hong Kong Fashion Week Extravaganza

The kick-off event for Hong Kong Fashion Week saw a starry turn-out of celebrities and socialites. Tycoon Pansy Ho, singer Miriam Yeung, style icon William So and stylist to the stars Celia Wong sat front row to see models strut down the Grand Hall runway at the HKCEC wearing designs from Johanna Ho, London’s Holly Fulton, China’s Chi Zhang and Paris’ Nana Aganovich and Brooke Taylor.

Shu Qi reveals promo International film star Shu Qi launched the latest commercial for Flower By Kenzo at The French Window, IFC Mall.

She was joined by Kenzo Parfums’ artistic director Patrick Guedj and its president, Patricia Tranvouez.

8 | www.hkisland.com

Chaumet reopens Parisian jeweller Chaumet celebrated the redesign of its Elements boutique with film star Carina Lau. She previewed the store with other VIP guests, including Vivian Tan, Tan Yan and Regine Ngan.

Cartier hosts a garden party Cartier unveiled its new engagement ring, Destinée, at the Four Seasons Harbourview Ballroom, which was transformed into a Parisian garden. Singer Alex Lam, son of Cantopop veteran George Lam, performed for guests as they enjoyed high tea and watched Michelle Chen modelling the new jewellery.

VelVet Rope } with Francis Cheng

January brings two significant events: the opening night of Hong Kong Fashion Week and the Hong Kong Fur Design Competition gala dinner. Organised by the Trade Development Council, the Hong Kong Fashion Extravaganza is the city’s biggest runway show.

Taking place in the Grand Hall of the HKCEC, it accommodates 2,000 guests and highlights four fashion designers.

This year, the show featured the designs of Johanna Ho of Hong Kong, menswear designer Chi Zhang from China, Holly Fulton from London and Nana Aganovich from Paris.

Dressed to the nines, tycoon Pansy Ho, Cantopop singers William So, Louis Cheng and Miriam Yeung, fashionista Hilary Tsui and Miss World Zhang Zhilin all dazzled from the front row.

The Fur Design Competition takes place in the InterContinental Hotel Ballroom. For the 24th year, the Hong Kong Fur Federation sponsored entries by students from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Textile and Design faculty. Judging the designs this year were Flora Cheong-Leen, Dorian Ho, Marie Zhuge Ziqi and Irene Wang.

Some people like fur and some people don’t. My view is that we should respect people’s preferences.

Francis Cheng is CEO of Occasions PR and Marketing.

www.hkisland.com

|9

people

Vi-Spring launch

Parmigiani opens Swiss watch brand Parmigiani celebrated the opening of its new shop within Emperor Watch & Jewellery in Central. Marking the occasion with in-store cocktails were Parmigiani’s CEO Jean-Marc Jacot, Emperor’s chairperson Cindy Yeung and guests Alfred Cheung, Eileen Cha Siu-yan, and Adrian Cheng.

More than 30 celebrity and socialite mums turned out to support Jenny and Brandon Chau’s mattress brand, Vi-Spring, at The Box, IFC Mall. Christine Au-Yang, Cissy Wang, Annie Man, Irene Wang and Claire Yiu were among the guests who enjoyed games and canapes, and a talk by spiritual coach Mark Karlsson.

Trending NOW } with Kiri Sinclair

Although we all have the Lunar New Year marked on our calendar, these bank holidays may not mean much to recent Hong Kong transplants. That’s hardly surprising given the transient nature of the city. But behind all the holiday theatrics lies a rich cultural heritage reaching back centuries, yet for many it is little more than a chance to travel. So I thought I'd share some stories about the holiday.

As someone who was born here and grew up in a western family in a Hong Kong village, Lunar New Year has always been magical for me. It is a time of year during which traditions come alive. As a child, I remember the whole village coming together, banging pots and pans to scare away the spirits. But like all things, traditions change. I have witnessed

10 | www.hkisland.com

the holiday evolve over the years.

Here are eight tips to stay lucky, get rich and not look like an idiot at Lunar New Year.

1

Spring cleaning should take place before the end of the lunar year, so plan to clean your home on February 8.

Do not wash your hair on the first day of the New Year (February 10), or risk washing away your luck for the entire year.

Wear red! What you do during New Year can have repercussions throughout the year, and you don’t want a bad year just because you didn’t wear lucky red. Oh, and wear new knickers. Trust me on this.

Lunar New Year is all about new beginnings and looking forward.

2 3 4

Do not swear or use unlucky words such as references to death and dying, and keep your conversations looking toward the future, not the past.

Lunar New Year provides the perfect opportunity to thank the unsung heroes who make our lives easier, such as your doorman or trash lady. Get some red packets, and fill them with new banknotes to show them that you are grateful.

If you’re going to travel, arrive early and expect queues. Lunar New Year sees the largest annual human migration on the planet. The Chinese even have a word for the New Year travel period: chunyun.

Don’t give books as gifts. The Chinese word for books is an unlucky homonym, which means to lose.

5 6 7

8

“Kung hei fat choi” is the Cantonese greeting for Happy New Year. Say it loud, say it often!

The manifestations of Lunar New Year – the lion dancers, red packets and droves of families on the MTR – are at the heart of everything I love about Chinese culture. As we enter the Year of the Snake, take time to create a new tradition of your own, respect the local culture, and call your family.

Kiri Sinclair of marketing and public relations agency Sinclair Communications.

Life spy

The mini fundraiser ichard Tang’s life seems perfect. When he’s not speed-dialling millionaire clients all over Southeast Asia, he’s entertaining friends at his Tai Tam mansion. As their children frolic in the heated swimming pool, Tang’s slender wife, Joanne, serves trays of organic zucchini tartlets and organic goat’s-cheese spring rolls to their neighbours, Annabelle and Jonathan Chan.

The couples sit under a fringed canopy in the garden and discuss the “investability” of art.

Not just any old auction-house art, mind. And they are not talking monetary value either.

“Art brings us so much joy,” says Jonathan as he crosses his legs, flashing his Tod’s. “Just think, if everybody’s home was full of art, there would be less misery in our society. Fewer bloody depressing headlines. The disadvantaged need colour in their lives. If they were more knowledgeable about art – the emotion and whatnot – wouldn’t their lives be more cheerful?"

The aristocratic heir explains that he struggles to find space for his collectibles. He goes on to suggest that since his children have all gone abroad to study now, his wife Annabelle has the time and freedom to engage in charitable endeavours.

“Besides,” Jonathan continues, “doesn’t Joanne’s charity need more help? A mini fundraiser. What do you ladies say?”

“Great idea!” Joanne coos excitedly. “I know of this little market-y thing that my daughter’s school friend bangs on about. And we may just get to meet the people who we aim to help there.”

Joanne decides to have her chef make some organic canapés to “lure people in”. Then it’s just a matter of finding something to sell. Antique vases, mini sculptures and prized paintings – previously stowed away in air-conditioned cupboards – are loaded by staff into Toyota Alphards. And off they go to the weekend market.

In their oversized straw hats, Joanne and Annabelle instruct their helpers to clothe the table in Ralph Lauren linen and arrange silver trays with mini organic offerings. The two are excited about their first hands-on, low-key charitable experience.

Joanne thinks this is the future of fundraising, so much more grounded than the serious auctions and fundraisers she was used to growing up.

“How much is it?” a child points at an organic spinach tartlet.

12 | www.hkisland.com

Illustration: Pearl Law

R

“

Talking money is as incongruous as asking what happens in the bedroom.

“Oh, they are free,” Joanne says, with a spasm of excitement. Someone appreciates her effort!

“Help yourself, my dear!”

Instead of taking a sample of Joanne’s organic good gesture, the child beckons her friends over for freebies. Children descend on the stall, and neither straw hat is able to adjust to the momentary commotion. Annabelle manages a controlled smile: “Wait, wait, children. Where are your parents?”

Where are you, parents? Joanne and Annabelle wonder again and again. Finally, a few domestic helpers appear to brush the crumbs from the kids’ mouths and usher them away.

Joanne and Annabelle sit quietly at the stall for the next few hours. Bored, they watch couples stroll and the occasional young hipsters hover near their stall to sample the organic spinach tartlets.

“I'd better go for a little site inspection. Just to see how the others are doing,” Joanne suggests.

Most stalls are selling homemade soaps and hand-crocheted items. All the other stallholders seem to be having fun, chatting animatedly. Joanne returns to the stall and sees a young mother talking to Annabelle.

“How much is that Rothko print?” the mother inquires.

“Oh,” Annabelle hesitates. “It... ah, is not a print.”

She explains to the mother her admirable goal to raise money to beautify the homes of the disadvantaged. The young mother politely inquires how much she is selling the Rothko for. Annabelle stares blankly at Joanne, and vice versa. They have zero idea how to price things. For them, talking money is as incongruous as asking what happens in the bedroom. But it’s safe to say that today they have reached a mutual conclusion: fundraising is best left to experienced staff to choreograph.

Before Joanne and Annabelle’s helpers pack away, Richard and Jonathan, cigars in hands, stride toward the stall in coloured corduroys and Barbour jackets. Cheerfully, Richard asks: “How are my lovelies doing?”

Nobody utters a word. And the gentlemen help themselves to the organic spinach tartlets.

Ainoa Gawk

interview

Sleek projects Interior projects choreographed by Catherine Cheung’s award-winning firm The XSS.

Of form and function Award-winning architect Catherine Cheung of The XSS has designs on Hong Kong.

M

ost people don’t like Mondays, the day that marks the start of yet another working week. But we may like them better if we worked in an exciting, surprising space like Paradox House, the award-winning multimedia studio in Bangkok designed by Hong Kong architect Catherine Cheung of The XSS. Picking up prizes from Hong Kong to London, Paradox House looks like a futuristic aquarium, all glass walls, carefully balanced horizontal and vertical planes, staircases like the Penrose steps and cubicles reminiscent of Damien Hirst’s shark tank. But Cheung doesn’t just work on offices; she offers tips and solutions for everything from tiny Hong Kong apartments to the cityscape.

What drew you to architecture?

Growing up, I was curious about shapes and structures. I loved Lego and would spend hours combining the colourful bricks in an infinite number of ways. I always came up with completely individual designs.

14 | www.hkisland.com

Any other early influences?

I adore Piet Mondrian’s art and geometric abstractions by painters associated with the Bauhaus movement. I identify strongly with post-war art, mainly with American visual arts of the 1960s and 70s. I think this is evident in most of my works.

What piece of architecture do you identify with?

Rokko Housing One by Japanese architect Tadao Ando. It is an 80s urban housing project comprised of units laid out symmetrically on a very steep hillside – a 60-degree slope – in Rokko, Kobe.

Although the facade looks symmetrical on the plan, it has a topography where every unit is unique in size, view and character. The project considered every aspect of interaction, including synergy with nature and between residents. I love what Ando said: “We must create architectural spaces in which man can experience – as he does through poetry or music – surprise, discovery, intellectual stimulation, peace and the joy of life."

What is your design philosophy?

Simple and sophisticated. Simplicity is how I convey and perceive style. And sophistication because I explore the use of space through architectural concepts, and connect these two with lifestyle requests from the users. I don’t merely decorate. Form and space are my primary focuses.

I like playing with forms to create a link between voids and solid space.

What is your favourite kind of project?

I like all challenges regardless of size. But residential projects give me the most satisfaction because the space demands a strong personality. It can be hard working on residential projects because it’s a delicate matter fulfilling different people’s “dream homes”. Designing homes is more problem-solving than design – it’s like trying to turn obstacles into miracles.

“

Designing homes is more problem-solving than design.

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What are the biggest interior concerns for homeowners in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong homes are expensive and square footage is king. So when remodelling a home, the owner should consider how the renovation will add value to the property, on top of personal preferences. If I can offer one piece of advice: don’t indulge in bulky items. Invest in small, quaint, stylish objects so that when you move from home to home you can take your treasures with you.

Any tips that will instantly transform a home?

Hong Kong people love to collect dolls, CDs, books, shoes and so forth, which makes storage a huge problem. No matter how nicely designed a home is, an untidy impression undoes all the effort of renovating the space. So plan a lot of hidden storage at the design stage. Consider turning stairs into drawers and think about ceiling or floor storage. Keeping the home clean and tidy is vital – hire a helper if you don’t have the time.

Any simple methods to make homes more energy efficient?

Manipulate the natural daylight that penetrates the home – think mirrors. And minimise window frames that cage up your home like a zoo. Opt for UV windows to keep the warmth in and the cold

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out. Use LED lighting, and appliances with energy-efficiency labelling.

What do you think of Hong Kong’s cityscape?

The skyline is iconic, but that only applies to the tourist impression of Victoria Harbour. I think we could improve the cohesion by linking skyscrapers vertex to vertex. We should also make better use of our high-rises. There’s limited space, sure, but how can we make urban living better? How can we make the city more eco-friendly? How can we insert greenery into a city that’s been so intensely fortified?

These are all important things to think about.

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feature

The Great Migra Photo: Hannah Grogan; Tom Jackson

As Central’s independent shops close their doors and hand the keys to chain stores, Kawai Wong asks: Where next?

Sheung Wan’s Hollywood Road today and the same view circa 1980 (below).

A

retail revolution is taking place in Central. Areas where independent shops once thrived, such as Gough Street in NoHo, are being targeted by chain stores. The face of Central is changing – with repercussions for the rest of Hong Kong Island.

A $200,000 DECISION

“Hong Kong is becoming one big shopping mall,” laments shopowner Gaye Gibson, a victim of the Gough Street exodus. Her lifestyle store, Sidewalk, played an instrumental role in the gentrification of the cosy Central street where printers, goldsmiths and dai pai dongs once proliferated. For a while, Sidewalk, Homeless and other small boutiques

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traded happily side by side with these decades-old businesses. But once the trailblazers had established a cool new identity for the area, the chain stores turned up on their doorsteps and asked for their keys. Sidewalk’s neighbour gave way to an Agnes B cafe, and Gibson found herself facing a 250 per cent rent increase.

Sidewalk closed its doors and its former premises is now on the market for a reported $200,000 a month.

(Ralph Lauren is rumoured to have taken the lease.) Her fingers burned, Gibson says she is not prepared to invest in renovating a property only for the rent to go through the roof a couple of years later.

“A city needs unique stores, restaurants and places,” she says.

“The French Quarter in Shanghai, Gertrude Street in Melbourne and the Rue de Seine in Paris represent the real Shanghai, Melbourne and Paris. But in Hong Kong, small shops are being pushed out by increasing rents. I feel Hong Kong is losing its uniqueness [to the big chain stores].”

Her former store is not likely to remain empty for long. A monthly rent of $200,000 was exactly what jewellery designer Utah Lee paid

for the Wellington Street boutique she operated for two years. Located 500m from Tsui Wah, House of Style sold glamorous handmade jewellery and custom furniture. Lee, who also designs jewellery for Episode, was happy to pay the premium for two years to get the brand established before moving the shop online.

“It was part marketing incentive and part creative strategy for us,” she says. “We looked at Causeway Bay before we settled on the Wellington Street shop – we decided Causeway Bay didn’t have the international appeal that we were after.”

BATTLE OF THE CHAINS

That Central rents can be brutal is hardly a secret; even premium brand

John Batten weighs the arguments for the proposed Pound Lane escalator.

B

Prime retail spaces cost around $58,489 per square foot per month.

Shanghai Tang was edged out of its Pedder Street flagship location after the rent more than doubled to a reported $7 million. Where Central was once a haven for independent creatives, it is now a hunting ground for big franchises.

“Local and international brands are clamouring for space and wanting to keep a Central presence,” says Ben Dickinson, head of Hong Kong markets at Jones Lang LaSalle, “and this is putting pressure on rents to swell.”

Although there is significant growth in retail in other parts of Hong Kong, Dickinson says this has no effect on Central rents. “[Central] is more of a complement to the brands’ overall strategy for expansion. Central has been, and will remain, a key destination for retailers and shoppers.”

Lan Kwai Fong is another area in danger of losing its unique identity.

In the past year, many of its bars and restaurants have become branches of Calvin Klein lingerie, Milan Station and Initial. As the designer brands move in, the authentic eateries and watering holes are shifting west to Sheung Wan, Sai Ying Pun and Kennedy Town.

of demographics is inevitable as areas become gentrified. But in the process the charm that attracted the businesses there in the first place is diluted, original residents no longer feel welcome, and the neighbourhood loses its traditional “twang”.

That “neighbourhood” quality is exactly what restaurateur Matt Abergel, the founder of successful yakitori gastropub Yardbird, was looking for when he was scouting Hong Kong for a location for a new restaurant.

“It is not so much about the address but the surrounding space,” he says. “It doesn’t matter whether my business is in Central or Wan Chai.

It’s more about the look and feel of the building. The lovely thing about Hong Kong architecture is the mix of old and new. Low rises are wedged between high rises. There are metal gates and letter boxes.”

For many people, the higgledypiggledy milieu is exactly what the Hong Kong experience is all about.

Grant Thatcher of Luxe City Guides says, “I love the counterpoint of the relentlessly modern juxtaposed with the neighbourhood pockets of teeming life.”

BUT WHY CENTRAL?

That’s exactly what indie businesses are finding in western and southern districts of Hong Kong Island – at a fraction of Central’s prices.

w

According to Dr Melissa Butcher from the Open University’s social science faculty, the homogenisation

Photos: stair culture @ poundlanehk.wodpress

tion

In for a penny...

THE INEVITABLE MIGRATION

efore last year’s district council election, an aspiring Central & Western District Councillor, Cathy Siu Ka-yi, plastered Hollywood Road with banners promising she would strive to have a new hillside escalator built along Pound Lane to complement the existing Mid-Levels Escalator and the Centre Street escalator in Sai Ying Pun. Pound Lane is a quiet ladder street running from Hollywood Road through Tai Ping Shan to Hospital Road, near Seymour Road. The proposed escalator would cut through this corridor and, Siu argued, would benefit elderly residents. But the area is rapidly changing, becoming gentrified as younger, single people move into its now-popular tong lau buildings (which, ironically, do not have elevators).

Siu won against an ineffectual incumbent and shortly after the election a contract was awarded by the Highways Department to an engineering consultant to study the feasibility of the escalator. This $2 million contract is similar to many the government hands out – a form of largesse to the building industry and support to a district council that the government may need reciprocated at a future date or on another issue. It also allows the government to gauge public opinion and support for the $200 million project.

A previous plan to build an escalator up heritage-graded Ladder Street from Man Mo Temple did not gain public or Antiquities Advisory Board support owing to its historic location. The same argument holds for Pound Lane. It’s just a few steps away from the Kwong Fuk Ancestral Hall, which played an integral role in the formation of nearby Tung Wah Hospital in the 1860s. Across the road, the

Pound Lane

Guanyin temple attracts thousands of devotees every year. And in one of Hong Kong’s unique firsts, the Pound Lane bathhouse and toilet were the city’s earliest public sanitary facilities.

Support for this escalator is unproven. Prior to initiating the feasibility study, there had been neither formal research nor had the public been consulted about its needs. Another District Councillor, Stephen Chan Chit-kwai, recently surveyed residents living near Hong Kong University, above Bonham Road, to find out if they would like to see the forthcoming Centre Street escalator be extended up the hillside to their homes. The majority said they would not.

Mid-Levels residents know the area’s chronic traffic problems, especially during the afternoon school run. But the area also has excellent transport links with a range of options. Multiple bus routes along Conduit, Robinson, Caine, Bonham, Hollywood and Queen’s roads mean most residents only walk a short distance up or down hill. A new escalator sounds enticing, but will it improve traffic flow and the area’s dense living conditions?

Surely, the MTR’s West Island Line is being built to do just that. www.hkisland.com

| 17

A smack of Central Relaxing in Central? It ain’t what it used to be, says Stuart Wolfendale.

I

Photos: Tom Jackson, Anubis Photo

feature

is no point being bitter about do not recall parking in front catering to peasants who have of the old Hong Kong Bank hit pay dirt, but the dominance building. That was before my time of designer fashion shops for – just. And it is before anybody’s the mainland trade is not only a time that Central had the cosiness high-water mark in vain folly, it of a provincial city centre. It’s long has also reduced miles of sidewalk been brassy, glassy and costly and its shopping to useless monotony. mood chilly to the small man.

The hustler/models at the doors Central never had the warmth of Abercrombie & Fitch are trying of being residential, so there was to help. never much to sustain life before Central’s difficulty is that you the blue ribbon supermarkets in cannot relax. the malls. There did used to be There were once six hotels, an enormous ParknShop in the including basement the of The Furama, Landmark the Hilton where and the groceries Ritzcould be Carlton, bought where without there are taking out now three a second if you mortgage. count the It closed Old Hilton Hotel in the background. far-flung with such Four Seasons. Hotel bars and coffee speed that one day I went down shops to flop or meet in are rarer. its escalator and walked into a Those who remember the passing of brick wall. the Hilton’s Dragon Boat Bar may Central has never had much stop and weep. On another scale time for architectural nostalgia. was the Tavern in Prince’s Building, The big-buildings boom began in favoured by all classes of suits who the early 1980s and has proceeded wanted a hair of the dog out of consistently since. I recall being sight. It went – and so did many of taken to the Main Lobby of the the smaller independents who felt old Hong Kong Bank building to the landlord’s calcifying touch. open my first account on a Saturday Even the ubiquitous coffee chains morning in 1978. I was as awed as are harder to find or cluster for safety. a child would be by the blue fresco Just before New Year, Starbucks’ and the brass standard lamps on the version of Grand Central in Alexandra counters – and, because they harked House put up shutters for three back, more profoundly so than months and an amazingly convenient

by Sir Norman Foster’s vision of MiX in the Standard Chartered Bank the future.

Arcade was obliterated.

But it’s not the architecture – Once, you could picnic on almost totally unremarkable – that Blake’s Pier where benches caught matters. It is the mood at street the harbour breeze, workers snacked level, and that is less sociable. For and lovers snogged. It disappeared in the international money jugglers to the great levelling and in-filling that drink themselves daft on Wyndham took the ferry piers beyond walking Street’s kerbsides, excellent Persian distance, turned the old Star Ferry rug shops and private art galleries underpass into a ghost tunnel and have made way for bars. which will provide a platform for Let there be no illusion: more designer dress shops.

Central was always expensive. There

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Abercrombie and Fitch pays a reported $7 million a month for its Pedder Building shop.

“Hong Kong has so few areas where you can get a characterful and big open-plan space with lots of natural light,” says Kylie Platt of Mirth, a lifestyle and children’s shop in Wong Chuk Hang. “Stores often have great products, but because the space is so small, it is difficult to show them off.”

Property consultancy Knight Frank reports that prime retail spaces in Central cost around US$7,543 (HK$58,489) per square foot per month. Compare that with a retail property in One Island South, the glossy Wong Chuk Hang office building where the Lane Crawford Joyce Group has its headquarters: there, a 1,255 sq ft space is leasing for $29,000 a month. That’s just $23 per square foot.

Flex Studio yoga and Pilates centre is another Wong Chuk Hang pioneer, opening its first studio there in August 2010.

“I always thought Wong Chuk Hang was an obvious place to have a business serving all family members, owing to its location; 10 minutes from Happy Valley, five to 15 minutes from Repulse Bay, the Peak and Pok Fu Lam. You can’t beat it!” says Flex co-owner Heather Thomas Shalabi.

In the past two years, Shalabi says she has noticed a more fashionable crowd in the area as the fashion industry (distributor Electrisekki and the I.T Group also have headquarters in Wong Chuk Hang), art galleries and other creative businesses move in. And then there are the well-heeled

tourists staying at the nearby four-star L’Hotel Island South, which opened in April 2011.

“For retail, this is a positive thing,” Dickinson says. “With the MTR due for completion in 2015, this will likely turn the Southside of the island into a retail alternative.”

Meanwhile, gentrification is well underway in the Western District, where the Centre Street escalator is due to open this year, and the MTR’s West Island Line in 2014. Trattorias and wine bars have already planted flags on High Street in Sai Ying Pun, which is packed with listed buildings.

“I have been going to work in Sheung Wan for five years and a day doesn’t go by when I don’t walk the streets of Sai Ying Pun,” Thatcher says. “I watched Bethnal Green become Hoxton in London, and the Meatpacking District become MPD in New York. But I have never seen a transition so fast as Sai Ying Pun. We are knee deep in galleries, cafes and deconstructed clothing. You bat an eyelid and suddenly there is an artisan baker on every corner.”

Sheung Wan and the Western District are restricted by fragmented ownership and the small plot sizes of existing buildings. Redevelopment (the complete bulldozing of a building) is therefore not favoured by either the private or public sector, keeping the Urban Renewal Authority’s bulldozers at bay. All of which makes the areas more appealing to independent business owners.

Where’s the new SoHo? Go west.

eating

West side story International restaurants are pioneering new territory in Sai Ying Pun and Kennedy Town.

Ale Wilkinson heads west.

This page Bistro du Vin, a quaint French restaurant in Kennedy Town.

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H

ong Kong is expert at expanding into unmarked territory – particularly if this means reclaiming land from the sea. The same can be said about the territory’s culinary world. As soon as restaurateurs identify an up-andcoming area, in they swoop, eager to be a part of the new “it” neighbourhood.

Right now, they are pioneering new territory in Hong Kong Island’s wild west, spurred on by the soon-to-open Sai Ying Pun and Kennedy Town MTR stations and the partly finished Centre Street escalator. These mass communication links will inevitably move the area into a new era, and many restaurateurs believe it will become the new SoHo. There’s been growing interest in western districts since 208 Duecento Otto opened in Sheung Wan in 2010. Lately, we have since seen the once largely residential Sai Ying Pun fast becoming a culinary hub. It has always been popular with local restaurants, mainly seafood joints whose kitchens you’d rather not see. But over the past year, international restaurants of every hue have moved in. You can now find Mexican (Taco Chaca), Italian (Memo’s), Japanese (Fuku Robatayaki & Kaki), regional Chinese (Ba Yi), organic vegetarian (Grassroots Pantry) and, of course, cupcakes (Eat My Cupcakes).

Likewise, the once quiet Kennedy Town has become a buzzing food destination. Davis Street alone is drawing some big culinary players. In 2011, David Lai of Gough Street’s On Lot 10 opened Bistronomique, now regarded as one of the city’s best French bistros, and more recently added the new Boulangerie Bistronomique next door. Singapore’s Les Amis Group opened Piccolo Pizzeria last year, quickly followed by French restaurant Bistro du Vin. And around the corner, Castelo Concepts has opened a branch of Hong Kong’s modern-Australian favourite, Jaspas.

Let’s not forget Shek Tong Tsui, a small neighbourhood between Kennedy and Sai Ying Pun. One of my favourite private kitchens, Comilonas, resides there in a nondescript building, with Hong Kong’s only petanque bar, Les Boules-Café Petanque, just a boule-lob away.

Like SoHo before them, these three areas appeal to restaurants because of their quaint atmosphere, with trundling trams and multi-generational communities. Chef Memo of the eponymous Memo’s says he was attracted to Sai Ying Pun as much by its neighbourhood feel as by the lower rents when looking for a venue for his family-friendly Italian restaurant.

As the opening of the West Island Line approaches, more restaurant groups are likely to head west (possibly sending rents north). Already there are rumours that French Creations, the group behind Pastis and Saint-Germain, has set its sights on the West Side.

So go west, and find out what the fuss is about.

Plenty of choices near the sea (Clockwise from top) Grassroots Pantry in Sai Ying Pun; Jaspas’ mussels; private kitchen Comilonas’ marinated scallop; Corner Cafe’s tomato quiche; Jaspas in Kennedy Town.

“

Davis Street in Kennedy Town is drawing some big culinary players

Check out & dine in

”

Sai Ying Pun Memo’s, 62 High Street, 2858 8173 Fuku Robatayaki & Kaki, 69 High Street, 2540 9961 Grassroots Pantry, 12 Fuk Sau Lane, 2873 3353 Taco Chaca, 1 Second Street, 2525 2066 Light, 1 Second Street, 2559 9098 Kennedy Town Bistro du Vin, 1D, 1 Davis Street, 2824 3010 Bistronomique, 1B, 1 Davis Street, 2818 8266 Davis, Shop 7 1 Davis Street, 2818 2727 Percy’s, 68 Catchick Street, 2855 1882 Shek Tong Tsui Comilonas, Flat 22, 4-16 Hill Road, 9863 2270 Les Boules-Cafe Petanque, 18 Woo Hop Street, 2872 0102

www.hkisland.com

| 21

eating

Dish with a twist (From left) Jashanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mangalorean chilli chicken with peas pilau rice; The French Windowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lobster thermidor.

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wine

Toast the season Thomas Chan pairs New Zealand wines with February’s food of love and luck.

Chocolate Chocolate isn’t the easiest food to pair wine with. Depending on its cocoa content, chocolate can be bitter, sweet or subtly acidic with tannin content to overpower that of most wines.

Dark chocolate should be paired with a slightly oaked red wine (Trinity Hill 2010 Hawkes Bay Merlot, $218) to bring out the wine’s smoky flavour. White chocolate, however, goes well with a fruity pinot noir (Mohua 2009, $258) with a higher alcohol level to soften the fat and allow the creamy, buttery chocolate to melt smoothly in the mouth.

Sticky rice cake This chewy crimson delicacy is served only at Lunar New Year.

It’s made with glutinous rice flour, brown sugar and red beans – sometimes with dried prawn, scallop or Chinese sausage added – then lightly fried with egg for a soft, lingering and delicately sweet flavour. The cakes are good with Riesling (Crater Rim 2010 Waipara, $238), which has a strong refreshing fruitiness that brings sophistication to the simple rice cake. Since Riesling is not too sweet, it doesn’t overpower the delicacy.

Balancing act

Oyster This shellfish is the ultimate aphrodisiac, with excellent oysters coming from Western Australia and New Zealand.

These little babies have a pristine appearance and fruity texture that melts in the mouth and leaves a rich aftertaste.

Aromatic dry whites with an exquisite, acidic underpinning go best with these slippery bivalves, preferably a New Zealand sauvignon blanc (Crater Rim 2010 Woolshed Block Sauvignon Blanc, $178) or unoaked Chardonnay.

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The key to food and wine pairing is finding the balance between the acidity and sugar level of both the food and the wine.

Tiramisu This creamy Italian dessert pairs with the fine dessert wine, passito (Pasquale 2011 Passito 375ml, $258). This exquisite wine is laden with notes of brioche, fig and clover honey, and will lend a ripe, sweet caramel flavour to the dessert.

Chinese turnip cake A good friend of sticky rice cake, turnip cake is another traditional snack for Lunar New Year often found on the grill during dim sum hours. It is made with shredded Chinese white turnip, rice flour, Chinese sausage, dried scallop and shitake mushrooms. It’s a rich, oily dish that goes best with a high-acidity white such as unoaked chardonnay (Cooper Creek 2009, $198) to counter the fattiness.

Lamb rack One of Hong Kong’s favourite ingredients in restaurants and at home, lamb is a rich, robust and wine-friendly meat that goes with a range of reds. Try it with a syrah (Trinity Hill 2011 Hawkes Bay, $218), a strong, spicy, complex wine with an abundance of soft tannins to round up all the notes. For something lighter, a Central Otago pinot noir (Peregrine Pinot Noir 2010, $358) is spicy and a bit savoury owing to its mineral content, with soft tannin and red fruit character that complements lamb loin to great aplomb.

Get the party started Celebrate the season with a party for your nearest and dearest. Lauren McPhate gets planning.

Black sesame dumplings The only appropriate dessert for Yuanxiao festival – Chinese Valentine’s Day – these dough balls have a core of sweetened sesame paste and are served in a bowl of sweet ginger soup.

In Cantonese, the dumpling is called tong yuen, a homophone for tuen yuen (“a happy family gathering”). It’s a festive dessert that deserves an equally wonderful wine. Try a harvest pinot gris (Crater Rim 2008 Last Harvest 375ml, $188) a lightly aged dessert wine whose nuttiness and floral notes pair wonderfully with sesame.

All wines available from Kobo Wine, www.nzwine.com.hk.

L

unar New Year and Valentine’s Day are all about spending quality time with the people you love most. Instead of competing with a restaurant full of boisterous chatter, keep the celebrations personal with a party in the comfort of your own home. Hong Kong is a full-service town, so take advantage and call in some help.

Be prepared. Figure out the number of guests, dining restrictions, and general feel of the evening before making any decisions. Plan on approximately one bottle of wine per couple, with a few extra bottles to keep the party going.

You’ll also need to consider the needs of any vegetarians or lactose-intolerant guests.

Book a caterer. The food is the centrepiece of any get-together, so don’t skimp. For Mediterranean food with an Asian soul, catering service Pomegranate can put together a menu for parties of six to 200 (pomegrante.com.hk,

9300 0757). For classic cocktail party canapés, Gingers provides full service staff and a varied menu with everything from cheese platters to curries (gingers.com.hk, 2964 9160).

Get the wines delivered. House of Fine Wines (www.hofws.com or 2345 4377) can provide next-day delivery anywhere in Hong Kong, and within two hours on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

Have enough wine glasses. Rent extra glasses, cutlery and chinaware from Delicious Hong Kong (delicious-hk.com/equipmentrental, 2559 0144).

With the professionals taking care of the details, relax and enjoy your free time with those you love.

Lauren McPhate holds a WSET 3 certificate.

www.hkisland.com

| 25

motoring

Supercar club Kevin Yeung joins the millionaire petrolheads on a Sunday morning drive.

H

ong Kong is home to the world’s highest concentration of sports cars and supercars per capita. The city’s collection of exotics comfortably humbles London’s and even Beverly Hills’. Garaged during the week, these gems are taken out and exercised by their lucky owners at weekends.

There are two favourite destinations for these supercar Sunday drivers: Shek O at the southern tip of Hong Kong Island and Luk Keng in the northeast New Territories. Enthusiasts drive to these

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locations along some of Hong Kong's most scenic roads then gather and mingle over simple breakfasts.

Everyone is an enthusiast and happy to share their interest in cars. The atmosphere is always friendly and inviting.

These weekend gatherings of supercars have also become popular with photographers. One of Hong Kong’s most respected action photographers, Daryl Chapman, is a regular. He has been capturing stunning photographs of exotic cars over the years.

Automotive addict Kevin Yeung is an entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is a founder of Feeding Hong Kong.

Carspotting Enthusiast Daryl Chapman offers a field guide to Hong Kong’s rarest motors.

Gumpert Apollo In 2009, a street-legal Gumpert Apollo set a lap record of 7:11:57 at the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany, wiping 11 seconds off the time set by the previous record holder.

You can count on one hand the number of Gumpert Apollos in Hong Kong, even fewer are licensed – most are collected like stamps and kept in a garage somewhere. So spotting this one was a great surprise.

Ferrari F40 The F40 has been voted the best supercar of all time (even Top Gear’s Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson agree on this). It is not a limited-edition car – 1,315 were built from 1987 to 1992 – but many are locked up in private collections or museums, making it very rare on the road.

So seeing this one at Luk Keng in April 2011 was a golden moment.

Pagani Zonda Absolute This Pagani Zonda Absolute is a one-off special edition made especially for Macau Grand Prix racer and avid car collector Eddie Yau. On a humdrum carspotting day, we checked Facebook and saw a photograph of it at Luk Keng had just been uploaded. We jumped in a car and drove to West Kowloon just in time to photograph it heading through the Western Cross Harbour Tunnel.

Good guides can help before you go Make sure you’ve got the local knowledge to settle in quicker.

Relocating is a big change for most people. It can be difficult and stressful, but it should be exciting and rewarding for everyone.

Our experience and knowledge, built up from nearly fifty years as a worldwide relocations company, is shared by all our people in more than 200 locations.

We’ll always be there to help you get the most from your relocation.

+852 2636 8388 hongkong@crownrelo.com

Go knowing

www.crownrelo.com/hongkong CR-HK Island February Issue.indd 1

1/22/2013 2:24:02| PM www.hkisland.com 27

day tripper

Take the high road Pete Spurrier follows the Wilson Trail through the high-altitude Lead Mine Pass.

W

arm your bones on a cold winter’s day by tackling the Wilson Trail. Some sections of the long-distance route climb into Hong Kong’s highest altitudes, right in the middle of the New Territories. It’s a long hike with several steep uphill sections, so it’s recommended only for walkers with lots of stamina.

You’ll need four to five hours’ walking time, so set off early.

Take the MTR to Tai Po Market station, and catch the 23K green minibus beneath the Tolo Highway and up a steep, narrow valley into the hills, flanked on both sides by new village houses trying to outdo each

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other in baroque gates and balcony railings. At the end of the line, near San Uk Ka village, get off and carry on walking up the quiet road.

At the map board and pavilion, turn left and keep climbing. Tai Po can be seen far below you. Soon, the Wilson Trail departs from the road by means of steps that strike off to the right. (This higher point in the valley can also be reached by minibus 23S from Tai Po – not a frequent service – or green taxi.) From here, the path rises steadily over roots, earth and boulders on its way up to Lead Mine Pass.

Lead was indeed once mined

on the slopes of Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong’s highest peak, but the miners stopped work over a hundred years ago owing to the poor quality of the metal ore.

However, this valley is also rich in kaolin, used for the production of pottery, and so a porcelain industry sprang up in the villages below.

There are still some ruined kilns in the undergrowth, and the Fan Sin Temple in Wun Yiu village, which the minibus passes, is the only one in Hong Kong dedicated to the patron saint of potters.

At the pass, many paths converge. The MacLehose Trail

Views from the top Scenes from the Wilson Trail, including Shing Mun Reservoir (above).

crosses from left to right, on its way from the Tai Po Kau forest reserve to the summit of Tai Mo Shan. Our route lies directly ahead, down an easy, sun-dappled paved track that drops towards Shing Mun Reservoir.

This part of the country park has some of Hong Kong’s most mature woodland. The Shing Mun Arboretum, on the left, is an area of native tree species planted in the early 1970s. You are likely to see (or hear) macaques swinging through the trees on your way downhill.

At the fork in the paved road, turn left. It’s signposted towards the main dam. Beyond the picnic area

just around the corner, you can make a detour onto a wonderful grassy meadow at the head of the reservoir.

Bordered by attractive paper-bark trees, the grass is kept short by feral cattle and in times of heavy rainfall, the waters rise and the trees are partly submerged.

The trail leads around the edge of the reservoir eventually reaching the main dam, built in the 1930s to supply water to fast-growing Kowloon. Here it meets the MacLehose Trail again. Turn right and follow the waterworks road around the banks of the reservoir, passing barbecue sites, to the stop for green minibus 82, below the face of a smaller dam. The bus descends into the noisy market streets of Tsuen Wan, and a short walk across footbridges to the MTR.

Pete Spurrier is the author of The Leisurely Hiker’s Guide to Hong Kong and The Serious Hiker’s Guide to Hong Kong (FormAsia).

www.hkisland.com

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fitness

A call to arms Trainer Nonie Yung reveals how to get arms like Michelle Obama's without going to the gym.

How many women over 40 are happy to show off their upper arms? Well, Michelle Obama, 49, Stella McCartney, 41, and Gwyneth Paltrow, 40, to name three. But many women of a certain age are faced with a choice: do you confront the cursed bingo wings (those loose flaps of flesh that droop from even slender arms) or forever wear loose-sleeved tops? With the power arm set to be de rigueur in 2013, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to tackle those wobbly bits.

Obama, McCartney and Paltrow manage to balance their roles as mums, careerists and petitioners with their prized picture-perfect bodies. Good news, ladies: you can too. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to spend hours in the gym lifting weights to achieve power arms. All you need is a stool, space to spread your arms and these simple strengthening gyrotonic exercises.

Sit on a stool with your legs spread in a comfortable V shape, toes and knees aligned in the same direction.

Push your heels to the ground to create a space under the arches of your feet and curl your toes upwards. Arch your back and, with palms facing out, straighten your arms and raise them up over your head, stretching your elbows as far from the body as you can.

As your arms rotate upwards, you should feel your pelvis narrow and a pull on your lower abdominals. Inhale as your arms expand outwards and upwards.

Once your fingertips arrive at the vertex, exhale, and slowly point your hands towards the sides of your ribs as if reaching for inner pockets. Touch the sides of your ribs and slide your hands towards the pelvis.

Let your pelvis support your weight throughout the whole exercise.

Tip: Rotate your shoulder joints to feel the lower abdominal muscles pull.

This set of exercises helps you wind down.

With your arms by the sides of your body, straighten the fingers and point the tips inwards and upwards. In a gathering motion, point your fingers toward each other. As they go up, dragging along the elbow, the bi- and triceps, feel the abdominal muscles pull. Your gaze should follow the ascension of the hands, and once they are at face level, rotate your shoulder joints to face the palms at the vertex. Here, feel the chest bone expands.

Exhale and let the arms fall like spread eagles without relaxing the muscles. The arms return to starting position and repeat.

Tip: Do eight sets before moving on to the next exercise. Repeat for three cycles. You should feel sweaty as the exercise uses a lot of different muscles.

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Nonie Yung is a certified gyrotonic and gyrokinesis master trainer. Nonie Studio, 1601 Tung Sun Commercial Centre, 194-200 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, 2333 2027.

Be inspired

Touch, pause, engage!

Weight Watchers fits around your life, not the other way around! And now with our new improved weight-loss plan, Weight Watchers 360˚, what better time to join. ®

Come and join Weight Watchers today!

Photo: Fcdn.blogosfere.it

Getting a rugby player’s physique is not easy, Campese.

Louis Doctrove tackles the discipline.

Meeting locations YWCA – McDonnell Road Mondays 12pm, 5:30pm, 7:30pm Repulse Bay/Happy Valley – Hong Kong Cricket Club Thursdays 10am

Kowloon USRC Mondays 6:30pm Visit www.weightwatchers.com.hk or call 2813 0814 for meeting details and current schedules.

T

he days of rugby players being considered bulky, overweight and lazy are long gone. Every player on the pitch, from winger to forward, is built like a tank, lightning quick and extremely agile. At 1.91m and 106kg, Sonny Bill Williams, a centre for the New Zealand national squad, is a perfect example of a player who possesses all these attributes.

WW2300_LAM073_120x93mm_hong kong_ad_the_island.indd Elite rugby league players can perform a 40-metre sprint test in just over five seconds. They also possess good speed off the mark and acceleration power. They have aerobic capacities that are moderate to high allowing them to sustain a high work rate for a full 80-minute match.

To train like a rugby player, here are a few examples of exercises you can perform in the gym, that focus mainly on explosive strength and plyometrics. The aim is to increase strength, power and muscle mass.

Basic exercises could involve dead-lifts, barbell cleans, olympic lifts and weighted squats. As the aim is to increase power and strength, you should be looking to perform two to three sets for each exercise, consisting of six to eight reps. This means you will be lifting slightly heavier weights than normal, so I would recommend training with a partner to prevent injuries. Leg strength plays a vital role in a rugby player’s performance, so try to include at least five different exercises targeting the legs in your workout. These could include box jumps, front lunges with weights and Bulgarian squats.

All this training won’t mean anything if you don't back it up with proper nutrition. To gain muscle mass you should consume about 1.5 grams of protein per kilo of body weight per day. Increase your meal count to five to six small meals a day, with protein featuring each time. Protein shakes will help you achieve this on the go.

With the rugby sevens coming up on March 22-24, this is the perfect chance to get the physique you have always wanted. Train three to four times a week – and stick with it!

1

22/01/13 4:13 PM

Louis Doctrove is a NASM-certified personal trainer with a Sports and Exercise Science BSc. He specialises in strength training, weight loss and TRX suspension training. Contact Louis at louisdoctrove@hotmail.com.

www.hkisland.com

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health & beauty

Under the covers

What’s up with Hong Kong’s sex life? Hannah Grogan slips between the sheets of the latest Durex survey.

Y

ou might be shocked to find out how little actually happens in Hong Kong’s bedrooms.

In last year’s annual Durex Sex Survey of 26 countries, Hong Kong ranked second from bottom, beating only Japan in terms of sexual satisfaction.

So what’s keeping Hong Kongers from curling their toes in the bedroom?

The Hong Kong Sex Education Association’s Professor Emil Ng Man-lun says there are many reasons for the city’s poor performance, including sexual dysfunction owing to general health decline, lack of sexual partners, shameful feelings over sexual expression, and a fear of being overheard. His studies have registered a decline in the number of individuals having either reproductive or leisure sex.

Financial adviser Tina Andrews, who has been in a committed relationship for two years, says a combination of a high-pressure job, long working hours, and the fast pace of city living has left her with little time for a spicy love life. “I honestly find the most difficult thing is finding time,” she says.

But for others, the problem can be harder to fix.

“It is not something they can tackle themselves.

Society needs to change its attitude and provide the services to help,” Professor Ng says.

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“Indulge in what you find exciting”

Get in the mood Relax – try to set aside your troubles before having sex.

•

Couples having trouble in the bedroom should first identify the problem, he says. Do you have difficulty communicating with your partner?

The most important factor in a healthy sexual relationship is open communication: let your partner know how you are feeling, and ask them what they want.

Second, he suggests setting the scene. If you have children, arrange for a babysitter or book a hotel room for a night. If you don’t have children, take time to create a comfortable and romantic atmosphere.

Music, soft lighting and accessories are just a few of the things that can help reinvigorate a relationship.

The final factor is to remember that representations of sex in movies are not always realistic or applicable. Professor Ng stresses that everyone is different, and each couple must indulge in what they find exciting. The key thing is to enjoy!

Create a romantic atmosphere: soft lights, music, soft facial expression, comfortable bed.

•

Wear attractive underwear, clean your teeth, take a shower, put on perfumes or colognes that your partner likes.

•

Nourish your relationship by cultivating a friendly attitude.

•

Learn to show appreciation and communicate positively.

•

Be aware of changes in your mind, body and environment at every stage of the relationship.

fashion

Valentine’s angel Thinking of buying lingerie for your Valentine?

Lisa Cheng is here to help.

La Perla Bra, $2,700; pants, $1,850. From La Perla, Pacific Place, Queensway, Central, 2118 3977.

door, try a sweet chemise with delicate lace. Colours are also something to consider; don’t buy bright pink if she mostly wears neutrals.

Where do I start?

Go through her lingerie drawer and note down the size and brands of her favourite items. For a risk-free investment, go for a chemise or loungewear that is sized small to large.

If all else fails, take along a photo of your partner in the hope that an experienced salesperson can estimate her size.

What’s the most important consideration?

Take some time to consider her lingerie style. Is she sporty, sexy or girl-next-door? Buying something she's comfortable wearing will spice up your evening.

So what styles are there?

For a sporty girl, go for comfortable sets such as a bralette or body-hugging bodysuit to show off her toned body.

Lascivious Bra, $1,290; g-string, $780.

From Sheer.

Sexy girls like to play on the wild side so choose a lingerie set with suspender belts and stockings. For the girl-next-

What’s the best way to present a lingerie gift without “weirding” her out?

Giving lingerie should be fun, so keep it lighthearted. Present it at home and she can try it on for you right away.

To add intrigue and mystery, have her open it beforehand so she can wear it to a Valentine’s dinner – then you’ll both have something to look forward to.

What are the do’s and don’ts of buying lingerie?

Don’t buy anything too small or too big (isn’t it obvious, guys?). Do get to know your lady’s lingerie style – you’ll be rewarded!

How do I make sure that this special-occasion lingerie doesn’t get lost in her wardrobe?

Don’t skimp on the quality. Women love feeling and looking beautiful but only if it’s comfortable enough to wear more than once a year. Designer lingerie brands come in a range of prices so find a boutique that stocks more than one and you’ll be sure to find something perfect.

Lisa Cheng owns luxury lingerie specialist Sheer (4/F, W Place, 52 Wyndham Street, Central, 2147 3887, www.sheer.com. hk), which runs fun classes, parties and personalised shopping services.

Inspiration strikes If you’re looking for fashion inspiration, take a stroll through Sheung Wan. You can’t miss Konzepp (LG/F, 50 Tung Street, 2803 0339), with its angular orange facade. Beyond the avant-garde exterior is a cosy boutique that showcases emerging lifestyle and fashion designers. Merchandise changes every few months, but its accessories are always worth a browse, notably the bold-coloured statement glasses by None The Wiser.

Nearby is Rat’s Cave on trendy Tai Ping Shan

34 | www.hkisland.com

Street, a gallery and street-wear concept store opened by local street-art collective Start From Zero. It’s the first of its kind and a great place to look for urban clothing, quirky accessories and art pieces.

Who doesn’t need to watch the purse strings after the holiday season? For big-name designers at bargain prices, head to Horizon Plaza (2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau), where Lane Crawford, Joyce, MaxMara and Moiselle all have outlet stores. They

sell discontinued lines and items from previous seasons by leading international designers at often hugely discounted rates.

Amiee Squires-Wills is the founder and president of Electric Sekki, Asia’s premier fashion showroom.

For local fashion news and stylish snippets visit blog.electricsekki.com.

travel

We heart

Macau Banyan Tree Macau

Part of the new, $1.9 billion Galaxy Macau resort complex, the Banyan Tree Macau looks mysteriously Oriental. Outside, it’s all golden domes and soaring angles. Inside, the 246 contemporary, marble-floored suites each comes with its own indoor relaxation pool – heated to suitably steamy temperatures. Had enough of playing in the pool? Submerge in the Japanese-style wooden bathtub, complete with complimentary incense and candles for the full romantic ambience. Some suites even have their own private spa-treatment salon for two – try the couple’s “rainmist” treatment, a Banyan Tree innovation

Plan a romantic getaway to Asia’s own slice of European charm. Hannah Grogan and Megan Corbett visit Macau.

that involves a dousing by a tropical cascade on your treatment bed.

But for the ultimate luxury, check into one of its 10 pool villas – 450 square metres of sheer indulgence, each with its own indoor and outdoor pools, garden, sunbathing deck and “resort host” to cater to your every whim. It’s a hedonistic haven worth leaving only to slurp down oysters in Belon restaurant, set your tastebuds singing in Saffron Thai restaurant, or cruise past the canopied day beds and private cabanas around the main pool before slipping back into the incensescented cocoon of your own private idyll. For details and reservations, visit www.banyantree.com.

Plunge Take your pick between the outdoor and the in-room pool. www.hkisland.com

| 35

travel Wynn Hotel

For the last word in luxury, book into the Wynn Hotel, Macau. The first resort in Macau to win the prestigious Forbes Five Star hospitality award (which it has achieved for four consecutive years), the Wynn Hotel is all about sumptuous living, from the pillow-topped beds to the floor-toceiling windows with views of the city skyline. Keep an eye out for the famous fire-breathing fountain at the Perfomance Lake, which never fails to awe, and quirky attractions such as the moon jellyfish aquarium. Dip into the cosseting whirlpool and dry out in a private cabana. Or, for the ultimate relaxation, head to the Wynn Hotel Spa. This oasis of rejuvenation has a menu of more than 30 therapies to relieve every last knotted muscle and soothe away all those urban

Rocks Hotel

For a more traditional romantic getaway, try the old-world charm of the Rocks Hotel, Macau. This five-storey boutique hotel has just 72 rooms, each boasting spectacular Victorian architecture and romantic European interiors: gilt mirrors, mahogany beds, roll-top desks and pretty floral wallpaper. Our favourite feature is the lacy wrought-iron balconies off every room, which beg to be enjoyed with a bottle of bubbly. Take in splendid views of Macau and the sea from the comfort of the rooftop bar and Sky Lounge, or graze the fine Australian produce on the buffet tables at Vic’s Cafe. Located 10 minutes from the Macau-Hong Kong ferry terminal, it’s close to the Macau Fisherman’s Wharf and historic city landmarks such as Monte Forte, Leal Senado and the facade of St Paul’s, and a bungee jump away from the adrenalin-packed attractions at Macau Tower.

For details and reservations, visit www.rockshotel.com.mo.

Galaxy Hotel

Razzle dazzle (Clockwise from top) Wynn Hotel, Rocks Hotel and Galaxy Hotel.

36 | www.hkisland.com

The Galaxy Hotel lies at the heart of the giant playground that is the mighty Galaxy resort complex.

Its 1,500 rooms and suites offer contemporary luxury, with tasteful furnishings, Egyptian cotton sheets, LCD TVs and all the other details you might expect from a five-star hotel. But what really sets the Galaxy apart is the fun factor: this is the place to come to be entertained. Watch a world-class stage performance, listen to live jazz, ride the surf in the wave pool, pilot an inflatable jet ski or catch the latest movie from a private balcony box. It’s enough to give anyone an appetite. There are more than 30 food outlets across the resort, from authentic Korean barbecue at Myung Ga to Portuguese-Macanese classics at Gosto. For Valentine’s Day, try Italian fine dining at Terrazza or catch the chefs in action at Yamazato’s kaiseki performance grill. For details, visit www.galaxymacau.com.

tensions. Dining options are suitably luxurious, with two hotel restaurants winning two Michelin stars: northern Chinese restaurant Golden Flower, and Cantonese restaurant Wing Lei, with its amazing flying crystal dragon.

Treat yourselves. For details, visit www.wynnmacau.com.

AROUND THE WORLD }

feast for the eyes. Smaller markets are also held on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

with Alvin Lam

The best farmers’ markets Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market, San Francisco Three times a week, San Francisco’s iconic Ferry Building turns into a bustling marketplace where locals and tourists rub shoulders with renowned chefs hunting down the ingredients for the daily special. Overlooking the bay just a 20-minute walk from Union Square, the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market is a cradle of the United States’ locavore movement. You can not only “buy local, eat local”, but meet the farmers who grow the crops, many of which are certified organic. Stallholders post the mileage their goods have travelled from farm to market, ensuring all produce is local and screamingly fresh. Come summer, the market overflows with juicy peaches, nectarines and sweet berries, as well as artisan breads, cheeses, jams and mushrooms that defy description. The market is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am-2pm, and on Saturdays from 8am to 2pm.

La Boqueria market

Písac Market, Urubamba, Peru Set against an impressive backdrop of terraced hills and Inca ruins at the eastern end of Peru’s Sacred Valley, near Cuzco, the small town of Písac holds a vibrant Sunday market that attracts villagers and farmers from throughout the region.

Tourists barter alongside children in chullos and indigenous women in richly decorated Quechua garb, complete with bowler-style hats. On one side of the cobblestoned main square is a handicraft market with an array of textiles, ceramics and jewellery. On the other, farmers lay out produce on tarps, vending everything from purple maize to coca leaves. Giant sacks of potatoes, a crop native to the Andes, feature prominently in this

La Boqueria, Barcelona, Spain A prime tourist landmark centrally located on Barcelona’s trendiest boulevard, La Rambla, the famed La Boqueria market dates back to the Medieval era. Today it sells everything food lovers crave under one roof. Boisterous and irresistibly atmospheric, the market brims with fresh Catalan produce, game and cured meats – most notably the prized jamón ibérico – as well as a mesmerizing selection of seafood fresh from the Mediterranean. Assertive restaurateurs and vocal residents cram side-by-side vying for the best products on display. When the sights and sounds begin to overwhelm, head to one of the many stand-up tapas bars and pick at caracoles (snails) with a cold cerveza (beer) while watching the world go by.

Avid traveller and foodie Alvin Lam is a flight attendant with an award-winning Hong Kong airline.

www.hkisland.com

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family

Red packet, red alert?

Kate Zhou dissects some lai see myths and misconceptions.

Lai See FAQs How much should one give?

Give $20 for an acquaintance (such a doorman who you see regularly but don’t know well), $50 for somebody close to you (friends’ children or your hairdresser), $100 as a generous gift to someone you care about (the minimum a boss gives to a subordinate). Lai see of $500, $1,000 or $2,000 is not unheard of, but it is usually given with a good motive or during ceremonies.

Does the design of the envelope matter?

A bigger envelope doesn’t equate to a bigger token. The design is a personal preference. But keep it to the hues of red.

When to give out lai see?

During the first 15 days of the Lunar New Year (February 10-24), and as a good gesture during celebrations of marriage, births or birthdays.

38 | www.hkisland.com

education

Pursuing Putonghua

Photo: Charlotte Foster

Mandarin – how hard can it be? Josh Kindler finds out.

F

or non-Chinese speakers, learning Mandarin can seem a daunting task, with its notoriously tricky tones and upwards of 100,000 characters to memorise. But Chinese grammar is simpler than most European languages and only around 2,000 characters are used on a daily basis. And with the rise of China, you can be sure you’ll have plenty of chances to use your newfound skill.

Mandarin is notably different to Indo-European languages; although many learners welcome the lack of verb conjugation in Chinese.

“The grammar is different, too,” says teacher Flora Wan of the Hong Kong PRES Language Centre.

“For example, in Chinese language questions and statements have the same sentence order, whereas in English they don't.”

Pronunciation requires different mouth configurations to those most Westerners are used to, she says.

But it’s those tones that cause the most difficulties. Modern Mandarin has four, which can be difficult to nail down for non-tonal language speakers. Beginners can expect to spend five hours a week on tones and pronunciation – and still are unlikely to be understood perfectly.

“It takes quite a long time,” Wan says, “about a whole year to learn conversational skills and longer sentences.”

Wan suggests beginners start with pinyin – romanized characters – in order to learn how to shape their mouths. And to start as young as possible.

“Younger students definitely learn faster,” she says. “They pick it up quicker and have a better memory. But there are no real limitations for learning at any age.”

With this in mind, there are a host of quality language centres, private tutors and specific Mandarin schools to aid in your language-learning quest.

Mandarin For Munchkins (Sheung Wan) Group Mandarin lessons for children aged from 12 months. Branches in Central and Sheung Wan, 2486 9062, www.mandarinformunchkins.com

Beijing Mandarin (Wan Chai) Teaches Mandarin following the National Chinese Language Curriculum. 11/F, 36 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, 2865 1660, www.beijingmandarin.com.

Hong Kong Mandarin School (Central) Private and group Mandarin classes for children of all ages, including bilingual tailor-made classes. 3/F, 19-27 Wyndham Street, 2537 5606, www.hk-mandarin-school.com.hk.

Florenda (North Point) Mandarin courses for children from 6 months-12 years, plus a Dramatic Reading Class in Mandarin.

Centres in Central and North Point, 8203 2883, www.florenda.com.

Cantonese or Putonghua?

• Putonghua is spoken in mainland China and Taiwan, and Cantonese is the language of Hong Kong and Guangdong.

• Cantonese uses glottal stops at the end of sentences (such as wor, ga and la) and has nine tones. Putonghua has four tones, and is generally perceived as easier to learn.

• Mandarin speakers mainly use simplified characters and Cantonese use traditional, which have more strokes per word.

• Putonghua speakers find it hard to understand Cantonese – mainly owing to the Cantonese fondness for slang. www.hkisland.com

| 39

pets

Repeat

repeat Dr Cynthia Smillie tackles compulsive disorders in cats.

“ W

hen I first saw Pogo he was a very sorrylooking cat. He was covered from head to toe in a rather damp body suit that had been made by his distressed owners in an attempt to prevent his compulsive licking behaviour. Underneath the suit Pogo’s skin was red and scabby and he had lost most of the hair from his abdomen and flanks.

Animals suffer from a variety of compulsive disorders and while Pogo’s case was extreme, it is not uncommon. In cats compulsive behaviour is generally associated with repetitious or exaggerated grooming, which leads to self mutilation. However, it may also involve light spot- or shadow-chasing, wool sucking or a condition called pica in which the cat ingests a variety of materials including fabrics, plastic, cardboard or rubber, with the risk of intestinal obstruction.

Stress and anxiety are significant factors in overgrooming and so it is important to improve the cat’s living environment, particularly as many of the cats I see with the condition are confined indoors.

Indoor cats have no chance to engage in normal cat behaviour and so may increase the time spent on activities such as grooming as a substitute for frustrated hunting and exploratory

40 | www.hkisland.com

behaviour. Another cause may be the social stress of competition and conflict between cats living in the same household. Oriental breeds such as Siamese and Burmese show a higher incidence of compulsive disorders as do cats that were hand reared as kittens.

Before diagnosing overgrooming and selfmutilation as compulsive disorders it is important to exclude medical causes such as allergies, parasites, localised or referred pain and diseases such as feline idiopathic cystitis or feline hyperaesthesia. Even if the condition is a true compulsive disorder your vet may need to treat the skin with antibiotics or antiinflammatory drugs.

Early intervention is important in any compulsive disorder because the behaviour becomes reinforced over time as the cat learns that repetitive behaviours such as licking provide relief from stress. It then becomes a substitute for other normal behaviours and even when the environment has been improved, the cat may continue to behave compulsively.

Treatment includes increasing the cat’s range of activities through environmental enrichment so it has less time for the behaviour as well as removing stressors, which may include other cats. However,

Stress and anxiety are significant factors in overgrooming and so it is important to improve the cat’s living environment.

”

progress is seldom achieved without anti-anxiety medication and relapses are common. It is also important not to punish a cat or attempt to soothe it when it is engaged in overgrooming as this will cause distress or simply reinforce the behaviour.

Pogo still has some way to go, but most of his hair has grown back and he is a much happier cat.

His overgrooming has been considerably reduced and there has been a noticeable increase in normal activity. His owner is delighted because instead of hiding away Pogo is now spending time with the family again and playing with the dog. It is not just people who want to hide on a bad-hair day.

Dr. Cynthia Smillie (BVM&S PG DIp CABC MRCVS) is a veterinary behaviourist and deals solely with behaviour problems in companion animals. For appointments please call 9618 2475 or visit www.petbehaviourhk.com.

marketplace To advertise, please call 2776 2772 or email: ads@hkisland.com

www.hkisland.com

| 41

STRESSED BY YOUR PET?!!!

PET BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS? Hong Kongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first and only Behavioural Veterinary Practice can help resolve aggression, fear, anxiety, separation related problems, compulsive disorders, inappropriate toileting, noise phobias etc.

Not all behavioural problems are simply training issues.

Dr. Cynthia Smillie BVM&S PG Dip CABC MRCVS

Tel: 9618 2475 cynthia@petbehaviourhk.com

www.petbehaviourhk.com

42 | www.hkisland.com

bird at my window } with David Diskin

The cinereous tit aka Parus cinereus

Advertise here and reach

+ 60,000 upscale readers 2776 2772 or email us ads@hkisland.com

If you look for the cinereous tit in the index of the field guide, The Birds of Hong Kong and South China, you will not find it. However, you will find the great tit, Parus major, a grey, black and white bird.

To anyone from Western Europe, it looks like a monochromatic version of the green and yellow bird that frequents feeders in the region’s gardens. For years, the version we have in Hong Kong was considered a subspecies of the great tit because of its appearance, behaviour and calls.

But over the past 25 years the taxonomic classification of birds (as well as other animals and plants) has been transformed owing primarily to genetic analysis. Scientists can now compare the DNA of birds to establish how closely different species and subspecies are related. This has resulted in the “splitting” of a number of species. The cinereous tit is a good example: mitochondrial DNA analysis of the “great” tits that occur in southern Asia established that Parus cinereus diverged from Parus major about 1.5 million years ago.

The cinereous tit is abundant and widespread throughout Hong Kong. It is a “generalist” species, meaning it is at home in a wide variety of habitats wherever there are trees, although it is less frequent in urban parks and gardens than great tits in the West.

Pairs build nests in natural holes in trees, laying four to six eggs and raising two broods a season. Breeding has been recorded in Hong Kong from the end of February to August.

Please call

David Diskin is a writer and photographer based in the New Territories. His latest book is Hong Kong Nature Walks: Kowloon, Hong Kong & Outlying Islands. Details at www.accipiterpress.com.

www.hkisland.com

| 43

classified LOCAL Property

Overseas Property

3000 SF ‘INDEED’ GDN ~ $28. 5M Detached 2100 sa/sf 4 Bedroom Village House in Clearwater Bay. Elevated position with Stunning Sea Views. Modern Décor Huge Private Walled Garden, 3 c/p. Sought after Location.

Ref ~ CWB439 www.thepropertyshop.com.hk 27193977 C-027656

Bangtao Beach Villa, Phuket for Rent Stunning six bedroom luxury villa by Bangtao beach (next to Banyan Tree Hotel) with large private swimming pool, chef, maid, executive minibus with driver, all transfers and full breakfasts. Cook will also prepare lunch and dinner, you pay food cost only. We have three large king size suites with full sea views and three big twin suites (one with disabled access).

Beautifully furnished with large European style kitchen. www.salafa.net or call +852 6999 1500

NEED A HOLIDAY? PHUKET VILLA FOR RENT! Luxury 5 beds villa with swimming pool located in Surin area. Walking distance to beaches.

Reasonable rates!

Website: www.phuketvilla4rent.com Email the owner: info@phuketvilla4rent.com

BRIGHT & AIRY $60K Attractively Renovated Detached Village House. 3 Bedrooms plus Study, Fully Fitted Open-plan Kitchen, Family Room, Large Terrace & Beautiful Mountain Views. Situated in a Quiet Location. Close to Public Transport.

Ref ~ SK183 www.thepropertyshop.com.hk 27193977 C-027656

Classified

classifieds@hkisland.com

44 | www.hkisland.com

The World Cup and Olympics coming to Rio de Janeiro soon!

Unique 5,000 sq.ft duplex apartment with stunning view of the Sugar Loaf on sale now.

Check it out here : http://mundonovorio.blogspot.hk/.

2776 2772

Tuition & Courses

Charities DONATE OLD BABY CLOTHES Toys and equipment to mothers in need. Small toys, wraps, bottles and teething toys are desperately needed by Pathfinders, a charity that helps migrant mothers find a safe and legal home.

Call Kylie: 9460 1450 or Luna (Chinese speaking): 5135 3015.

Herman Lam Dance Studio Salsa, Swing, Latin, Argentina Tango and Ballroom. We design unique memorable wedding dances and we also rent out our dance studio. Detail, professional instruction, friendly, small classes, elegant space, come & you'll dance. 2320-3605 www.hermanlamdance.com

DONATE CLOTHES, SHOES, BOOKS Toys and electrical appliances in good condition. Reach out to help the poor and disadvantaged men, women and children in our communities. All profits help the needy in Hong Kong and mainland China. Collection hotline: 2716 8778. Donation hotline: 2716 8862.

Website: www.christian-action.org.hk Blog: http://siewmei.cahk.org Email: ca@christian-action.org.hk

Tennis Performance Asia Limited Lessons/Training: Private, Groups – Adult, children, Ladies Coaching.

Kowloon, NT, HK Island HK, Australian, USPTA Qualified Coaches Contact Senior Coach Todd Hooper – 97335197: todd@tennisperformanceasia.com www.tennisperformanceasia.com [TPA] Director – Ray Kelly

The Samaritans’ Support Group for People Bereaved by Suicide An English-speaking support group meets on the first Wednesday of each month, 8 pm, The Mariners’ Club, TST. Free & confidential.

For further information, please tel 2896 0000 or check http://www. samaritans.org.hk

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| 45

the ultimate guide MULTIMEDIA

HOME

PETS & VETS

Dymocks 2834 5832 | jannie.tam@dymocks.com.hk www.dymocks.com.hk Premiere Performances 9545 6851 | info@pphk.org The Hong Kong Philharmonic Society Ltd. 2721 2030 | www.hkphil.org Chunky Onion Productions Ltd. 3188 1874 | birthdays@chunkyonion.com www.chunkyonion.com

Life’s A Breeze 2572 4000 | www.lifesabreezehk.com Attic Lifestyle 2580 8552 | info@attic-lifestyle.com www.attic-lifestyle.com Calcite Indoor Environment 3428 5441 | info@calcitegroup.com www.calcitegroup.com Homertek (HK) Limited 3563 6521 / 3563 6522 info@homertek.com | www.homertek.com Indigo Living Ltd. 2552 3500 info@indigo-living.com | www.indigo-living.com JCAW Consultants 2524 9988 | jcawltd@biznetvigator.com LLS Design & Associates Ltd 2117 8983 www.llsdesign.com.hk | sales@llsdesign.com.hk Oriental Rugs 2543 4565 | rugshop@biznetvigator.com Brooks Thompson Ltd 2851 3665 iqbalhk@netvigator.com Pakpersian Carpets Hong Kong 2549 012 / 9192 9594 pakpersian@netvigator.com www.pakersiancarpet.com

Animal Emergency Centre 2915 7979 trilby@animalemergency.com.hk Animal Behaviour Vet Practice 9618 2475 cynthia@petbehaviourhk.com www.petbehaviourhk.com Dr Carmel Taylor MVB MRCVS DipAiCVD 9251 9588 Ferndale Kennels & Cattery 2792 4642 www.ferndalekennels.com Pets Central North Point Hospital 2811-8907 info@pets-central.com Vet2Pet 6999 1003 vet2pet@yahoo.com www.vet2pet.com.hk

DRY CLEANERS Vogue Laundry 3555 4009 | www.voguelaundry.com Clean Living 2333 0141 | www.cleanliving.com Kleaners 2295 0088

REAL-ESTATE Easy Home

2877 8771 / 9332 1932 info@easyhome.hk www.easyhome.hk

IPHONE REPAIR

Habitat Property Limited

2869 9069 | info@habitat-property.com www.habitat-property.com

Apple Store Hotline 800-908-988 Computer Zone 3/f, 298 Hennessy Road (They will replace a broken iPhone screen in one hour.

Cost: $450)

Transport & Travel Services Webjet HK

Unit 1706, BEA Tower, Millennium City 5, 418 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong, Kln, Hong Kong 2313 9779 Onlinetravel@webjet.com.hk www.webjet.com.hk

Lee Gardens Showroom: Shop B01 & G01, Lee Gardens Two, 28 Yun Ping Road, Causeway Bay Tel: (852) 2764 6919 | www.zungfu.com

DAILY NECESSITIES Jones Lang LaSalle

2846 5000 www.joneslanglasalle.com.hk The Arcade, Cyberport 3166 3111 arcade@cyberport.hk | arcade.cyberport.hk The Telo’s Group LCC www.telosgroupllc.com One Island South 2118 2992 | cs@oneislandsouth.com

Mannings 2299 3381 | www.mannings.com.hk Marketplace by Jasons 2299 1133 www.marketplacebyjasons.com ParknShop www.parknshop.com Wellcome Delivery Ordering Hotline 2870 8888 Three Sixty 2111 4480 | www.threesixtyhk.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Get listed call 2776 2772 email marketing@hkisland.com

46 | www.hkisland.com

Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited 2553 4165/ 2553 0135 Bank Of Communications 2553 6281 / 2553 8282 Chi Yu Banking Corp 2233 3000 Hang Seng Bank 2822 0228 HSBC www.hsbc.com.hk Standard Chartered 2886 8868 www.standardchartered.com.hk

Club Med 3111 9388 | www.clubmed.com.hk Taxi hire 2574 7311 Van hire Mr Shah 5188 1678 Elite Charters 5434 9955 info@elitecharters.hk | www.elitecharters.hk Expert Transport & Relocations Warehouse 2566 4799 www.expertmover.hk Flight Centre 2830 2866 flightcentre.com.hk Tram party hire www.hktramways.com Island Junks 2877 5222 info@islandjunks.com.hk www.islandjunks.com.hk Luxe Travel 2539 0628 info@luxetravel.com.hk Saffron Cruises 2857 1311 www.saffron-cruises.com

FASHION & BEAUTY

FLORISTS

TOYS, ACCESSORIES & KIDS’ PARTIES

Anahata Yoga 2905 1822 | www.anahatayoga.com.hk Kaprice 2509 1133 kaprice@biznetvigator.com | www.kapriceonline.com Mandarin Barber 2825 4088 | mohkg-barber@mohg.com Nu Waxing Workshop 2869 9680 | www.nuwaxingworkshop.com Savvy Style 2522 2592 | image@savvystyle.com www.colourmebeautiful.hk | www.savvystyle.com Spa Beaute Par Zai 2524 1272 | www.spabpz.com Yoga Mala 2116 0894 | www.yogamala.com.hk

Agnes B Fleuriste 2805 0631 www.agnesb-fleuriste.com OVO Garden 2529 2599 www.ovogarden.com.hk Gary Kwok Flowers 8200 9226 www.garykwok.com

Bouncy Kids 9228 5772 cs@bouncykids.hk www.bouncykids.hk Bouncing Castles for Hire Kieron 9467 4545 Bumps to Babes 2522 7112 | www.bumpstobabes.com Cosmo Beebies 2905 1188 | cosmo-beebies@byinvest.com www.cosmobeebies.com Hong Kong Toy Club 8216 3870 support@HongKongToyClub.com www.HongKongToyClub.com Petit Bazaar contact@petit-bazaar.com www.facebook.com/petitbazaar Magician Andycomic@gmail.com 9019 7196

Food & BEVERAGE Costa 2118 7600 | www.gaiagroup.com.hk/costa Bene Italian 2699 3939 | www.gaiagroup.com.hk/beneitalian Castello del Vino 2866 0587 / 77 info@castellodelvino.com.hk eatRIGHT 2868 4832 | www.eatright.com.hk Edible Arrangements 2295 1108 / 2385 0158 | EdibleArrangements.hk El Grande 2111 1197 | www.domani.hk Gaia 2167 8200 | www.gaiagroup.com.hk/gaia Hong Kong Personal Chef www.hongkongpersonalchef.com Isola 2383 8765 | www.gaiagroup.com.hk/isola Isobar 2383 8765 | www.gaiagroup.com.hk/isobar Joia 2382 2323 www.gaiagroup.com.hk/joia Kobo Wine Ltd 2180 7255 nzwine@kobogroup.com | www.nzwine.com.hk Meat Market 8135 1394 | customer-service@meatmarket.hk www.meatmarket.hk Tasty-In Wine & Food 3168 2046 | tastyin@hotmail.com Trattoria Caffe’ Monteverdi 2559 0115 Va Bene 2845 5577 | www.gaiagroup.com.hk/va-bene Veritas Wine 9757 3557 info@veritas-wine.com | www.veritas-wine.com Zelo 2918 1028 | www.gaiagroup.com.hk/zelo Zoe Café 2513 6653 Tempo di Carnevale 2167 8200 | www.gaiagroup.com.hk Wooloomooloo Prime 2870 0087 Wooloomooloo Steakhouse 2894 8010 / 2893 6960 / 2722 7050 www.wooloo-mooloo.com

LEARNING Anastassia's Art House 2719 5533 arthouse.hk@gmail.com www.arthouse-hk.com Bebegarten 3487 2255 | www.bebegarten.com The Edge Learning Center 2972 2555 / 2783 7100 info@theedge.com.hk | www.theedge.com.hk Herman Lam Dance Studio 2320 3605 / 9497 9904 herman@hermanlamdance.com www.hermanlamdance.com International Academy of Film & Television 5808 3440 info@iaft.hk | iaft.hk Kellett School www.kellettschool.com Kidville 2892 8893 | www.kidville.hk Montessori for Children 2813 9589 | hongkong@montessori.edu.sg www.montessori.edu.sg Orton-Gillingham Centre for Different Learners 2525 8998 eric@msl-orton.com | www.msl-orton.com.hk Hong Kong Institute of Languages www.hklanguages.com African drums Kumi Masunga www.drum-jam.com My Happy Sunflower 2511 2538 reginia@myhappysunflower.com www.myhappysunflower.com QUEST Study Skills 2690 9117 | www.queststudyskills.com Red Shoe Dance Company 9813 0079 / 2117 9295 redshoedance@gmail.com | www.redshoedance.com Grand Piano www.grandpiano.hk Yifan Mandarin 2486 9012 | program@yifan-mandarin.com.hk www.yifan-mandarin.com.hk Imran Cricket Academy 2575 3400 / 9745 2700 imran@imranacademy.com | www.imranacademy.com Sylvan Learning 2873 0662 | info@sylvan.edu.hk | www.educate.com

OTHER SERVICES King Kong Ping Pong info@kingkong-pingpong.com www.kingkong-pingpong.com

UTILITIES, SERVICES & EMERGENCY China Light & Power Emergency Services 2728 8333 China Light & Power Customer Info Line 2678 2678 Electrical Appliance Repair Hong Kong Mr Ho 9846 8082 St John Ambulance Assn & Brigade Dist Hq 2555 0119 Tung Wah Group Of Hospitals 2538 5867 Typhoon Emergency Centre 2773 2222 Water Fault Reports 2811 0788 Water Supplies Department 2824 5000 Truly Care Pest Control Services 2458 8378 www.trulycare.com.hk

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Weight Watcher

2813 0814 | kmahjoubian@weightwatchers.com.hk www.weightwatchers.com.hk Flexpress Central 2813 2212 | info@flexhk.com | www.flexhk.com Holistic Fitness & Therapy 9667 0940 | nareshkumar62@hotmail.com www.holisticnaresh.com The New Age Shop 2810 8694 | www.thenewageshop.com.hk Nonie Studio 2333 2027 / 5198 9903 Hong Kong Colon Hydrotherapy Centre 2890 6800 | www.naturalhealing.com.hk

www.hkisland.com

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distribution

How we distribute

Sai Wan

Sheung Wan Kennedy Town

Central SOHO

Quarry bay Wan Chai

Admiralty

Mid-Levels

The best way to reach Hong Kong Island’s high net worth residents.

Causeway Bay Tai Hang

Happy Valley

Sai Wan Ho Chai Wan

Jardine’s Lookout

Residential Happy Valley

SOHO

North Point

Tin Hau

Beverly Hills

Centre Point

Braemar Hill Mansions

Dragon Court

Broadview Mansion

Dawning Height

Flora Garden

Dragon Heart Court

Broadview Villa

Grandview Garden

Broadwood Park

Hill Top

Dragon Peak

Island Place

Dragon View King Yu Court

Broadwood Twelve

Tai Hang

Kingsford Gardens

Claymore Lodge

Carnation Court

La Place De Victoria

Park Towers

Evergreen Villa

The Elegance

Le Sommet

Shing Loong Court

High Cliff

Elm Tree Towers

Lime Habitat

Trillion Court

Hoc Tam Garden

Flora Garden

Kashi Court

The Legend Price $200 million Price per sq ft $26K Apartment size 3,000 sq ft A fairly new addition to Hong Kong’s list of opulent residential buildings is The Legend.

Completed in 2005, this Jardine’s Lookout location is the ultimate urban hideaway for city slickers looking for a bit of peace and quiet.

Jardine’s Lookout

The Leighton Hill

Grand Deco Tower

Mount East

Leon Court

Illumination Terrace

Pacific Palisades

Butler Tower

Mid-Levels

Robinson Crest

Nicholson Tower

Serenade

Sky Horizon

Cavendish Heights

Aigburth

Robinson Heights

Pioneer Court

Trafalgar Court

Villa Clare

The Colonnade

The Albany

Robinson Place

San Francisco Towers

Villa d’Arte

City Garden

The Legend

The Babington

31 Robinson Road

The Java

Monterey Court

Branksome Grande

Roc Ye Court

Valley View Terrace

Sheung Wan

Fortress Garden

Ronsdale Garden

Century Tower I

Scenecliff

Ventris Place

CentreStage

Tanner Garden

Gardenview Heights

Chung Tak Mansion

Scholastic Garden

Villa Monte Rosa

One Pacific Heights

Wilshire Towers

Dragonview Court

Seymour

Village Garden

Princeton Tower

Kennedy Town

Dynasty Court Towers

Tavistock

Wanchai

Belcher’s Hill

Elegant Garden

Tregunter Tower

The Summit

Caroline Garden Caroline Height

Chai Wan

Bamboo Grove

Cayman Rise

Euston Court

Vantage Park

Horseshoe Tower

Island Resort

J Residence

Harbour One

Fairlane Tower

Wisdom Court

Kennedy Court

Manhattan Heights

Fairview Height

Wise Mansion

Moon Fair and Sun Fair

Mount Davis 33

Greenview Gardens

Woodland Garden

Heng Fa Villa

The Oakhill

The Merton

Hillsborough Court

Bon-Point

8 Shiu Fai Terrace

The Sail at Victoria

Hoover Court

Borrett Mansions

Star Crest

University Heights

Kennedy Heights

6A Bowen Road

United Mansion

60 Victoria Road

Lyttelton Garden

Branksome Crest

York Place Zenith Amber Garden

The Leighton Hill Price $60 million Price per sq ft $28K Apartment size 2,200 sq ft Recognized as one of Hong Kong’s high-class private housing estates, The Leighton Hill is a collection of eight high-rise buildings looking over Happy Valley racecourse. Its lists of residents includes icons such as actor Adam Cheng and Rafael Hui, former Chief Secretary for Administration.

48 | www.hkisland.com

Ewan Court 150 Kennedy Road Suncrest Tower Pok Fu Lam The Belcher’s

Quarry Bay The Floridian Kornhill Royal Terrace Splendid Place Wah Shun Garden

Macdonnell 2 Road

Casa Bella

The Mayfair

The Fortune Gardens

Macdonnell House

Garden Terrace

Palatial Crest

Glory Heights

Park Mansions

Grand Bowen

Park Rise

Hong Villa

Po Garden

62B Robinson Road

Sai Ying Pun

Realty Gardens

80 Robinson Road

Island Crest

Regence Royale

Seymour Place

Right Mansion

Soho 38 Ying Piu Mansion

Serviced apartments

RestaurantS

HOTELS

Butterfly on Hollywood Butterfly on Victoria Butterfly on Wellington COMO COMO Causeway Bay COMO COMO Hollywood D’ Home 239 Queen’s Road East Eaton House The Ellipsis Fraser Suites Hong Kong GardenEast Hanlun Habitats – Lily Court I & II Hanlun Habitats – Orchid KAZA @ Wanchai Knight on Wyndham The Mood @ LKF Ovolo, High Street Ovolo, Queen’s Road Central Pacific Palisades The Putman Shalom Queen’s Road East Soho 69 Yin Serviced Apartments The Bauhinia Oakwood Apartments Mid Levels East Soho Square Treasure View (Sheung Wan) Treasure View (Soho) Treasure View (Happy Valley) Twenty One Whitfield V Wanchai (Jaffe Rd) V Wanchai Hotel (Thomson Rd) V Causeway Bay (Yee Wo St) V Causeway Bay (Tung Lo Wan Rd)

1/5 Nuevo Barista Jam Brat Cafe O Chez Meli Melo Chicken on the Run Classified Eat Right Restaurant Wine Bar

Crowne Plaza Hong Kong Harbour Grand Hong Kong The Charterhouse The Excelsior Island Shangri-La L’hotel Causeway Bay Harbour View

Tregunter Price $28 million Price per sq ft $14K Apartment size 3,000 sq ft Built in 1981, Tregunter has made its mark as one of Hong Kong Island’s premium living locations. Its three towers have housed a countless number of Hong Kong’s elite and their families.

Not surprising given its impressive list of amenities including sporting facilities, private restaurant and function rooms for hire and shuttle buses to Hong Kong’s key business districts.

The Flying Pan Gourmet Burger Union Grappa’s Millennio Graze Guru

Mandarin Oriental Regal Hong Kong Hotel The Upper House

Health, Beauty, Fitness Fitness First

Jaspas Java Java

H-Kore Sense of Touch Toni & Guy

Kabab House Turkish Restaurant The News Room Life Café Oolaa Paisano’s Pizzeria Pubblico Spoil Cafe Trattoria Caffe' Monteverdi Wild Grass Hong Kong Yorkshire Yo Bago brunch club just salad hong kong XTC Gelato Zoe Cafe

Hyproxi® Studio – Central

STORES Dymocks II Bel Paese Pacific Gourmet Castello del Vino Edible Arrangements Home Flavour by Martial Herbert Kisses Cupcakes Monsieur CHATTÉ Opera Opera

Clubs The Foreign Correspondents’ Club The Hong Kong Cricket Club Chinese Recreation Club Kee Club LRC

Want Hong Kong Island Magazine in your reception or clubhouse? Want to distribute Hong Kong Island Magazine in your restaurant or store?

It’s easy as pie and best of all, completely free of charge. Send all enquiries to vip@hkisland.com or call (852) 2776 2772.

The Mayfair Price $100 million Price per sq ft $38K Apartment size 2,600 sq ft Tucked away in a secluded, green and tranquil hideaway in Mid-Levels, The Mayfair is only 10 minutes from Central.

Complete with tennis courts, swimming pool, a gym and round-the-clock security — there’s no doubt Hong Kong Island residents at The Mayfair live in the lap of luxury.

Join our community!

Subscribe now! v

The Oakhill Price $30 million Price per sq ft $19K Apartment size 1,500 sq ft

Join our free mailing service to have your copy of Hong Kong Island Magazine delivered straight to your mailbox.

It’s Free and exclusive.

The Oakhill is a sophisticated gem amidst the hustle and bustle of Wan Chai. Apartments boast floor to ceiling windows overlooking stunning views of our city and the amenities match that of a 5-star luxury hotel.

Sign up here www.hkisland.com/subscribe

www.hkisland.com

| 49

Oh snap Photo: Hannah Grogan

Who are these men?

W

e’re all guilty of letting things go unnoticed, of walking on by without a second thought for what’s going on around us. There is an artist on Hollywood Road who paints every day at an outdoor studio that is little more than a wooden plank next to The Press Room. We pass him every day, but who is he? What is he painting?

“I’ve been doing this for nearly eight years, but I started painting more than 35 years ago,” says the artist, Grand So, who works in Chinese ink on recycled paper. “All my paintings have a message. Some of freedom as well as harmony and some of life.”

The observers Artist Grand So (far right) and Kwun Yam temple keeper, Tang Kei-chun (centre).

There is a sense of tradition that even the fast pace of the city can’t crush.

So’s artistic expression and love of philosophy shines through his work, which is raw and unique.

He paints on the sidewalk for all to see, and loves to chat to passersby.

Among the new boutiques and cafes on quiet Tai Ping Shan Street is 83-year-old Tang Kei-chun, who has been the keeper of the Kwun Yam temple for more than a decade. He invites me inside.

50 | www.hkisland.com

“Sheung Wan and this street have changed,” he says, “but this temple has been here for a very long time, nearly 180 years.”

He talks fondly of his time as keeper and of the four generations of keepers before him. There is a rich sense of tradition here that even the fast pace of the city can’t crush. Stop and say hello next time you pass. Hannah Grogan