Hong Kong Island Magazine January 2013

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January 2013

EATING EVENTS FITNESS INTERIORS TRAVEL OUTDOORS

TAPAS The order of the day

Find the perfect workout Harbin: A neon winter

scale up U R L I FE O Y

the really useful magazine January 2013 4 News 6 Planner 8 Social

The stars come out for the Christmas lights, a record-breaking catwalk and more

12 Interview

Meet the founders of Twopresents, a gift site with a cause

14 What’s in...

QRE Plaza

16 Feature

How to change your life in 2013

20 Eating

Go loco for tapas

26 Motoring

Quote of the month

{

Daytona dreaming

“You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling” – p.16

}

28 Fitness

Make me a goddess – in search of the perfect regime

31 Fashion

Publisher

Accounts Manager

tom@fastmedia.com.hk

accounts@fastmedia.com.hk

Senior Consultant Editor

Ice is nice in Harbin, China

Jane Steer

Online Marketing & Distribution marketing@fastmedia.com.hk

Assistant Editor

Contributors

Peng Chau – isle be back

Tom Hilditch

Kawai Wong

Nobel Cho

Francis Cheng Kiri Sinclair Paul Hicks Kate Zhou Ale Wilkinson Kevin Yeung Pearl Law Pete Spurrier Louis Doctrove David Diskin Amiee Squires-Wills Sally Andersen Timmy Lee Christine Or Lauren McPhate Alfred Yu

Sales Executive

Gear Printing

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@hkisland.com

Printer

Jackie Wilson

jackie@fastmedia.com.hk Business Development Manager

Alison Dyer

1/F, Express Industrial Bldg 43 Heung Yip Road Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong Published by

alison@fastmedia.com.hk Traffic Coordinator

Cecile Chui

cecile@fastmedia.com.hk

Culture clash

Clara Chan

Fast Media Limited

Floor LG1, 222 Queens Road Central, Hong Kong

32 Travel

36 Day trip 37 Family

Living (and learning) with a health crisis

Give us a call!

Editorial: 2776 2773 Advertising: 2776 2772

38 Education

Inside Bebegarten, a revolutionary new preschool

40 Pets

Decade of the dog

42 Marketplace 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.

44 Classifieds 46 The Ultimate Guide 48 Distribution 50 Oh Snap

Hong Kong on Instagram

www.hkisland.com

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news

NEWS

Register for sevens tickets

Tickets for this year’s rugby sevens tournament (March 22-24) will be distributed through a public ballot. A total of 4,000 tickets will go on sale, costing $1,500 for an adult and $150 for children under 12. Rugby fans can register online at www.hkrugby.com or www.hksevens.com until February 4. The draw will be held on February 7.

Michelin’s new stars

The new Michelin Guide to Hong Kong and Macau 2013 includes six new two-star restaurants (out of a total of 17), including Sushi Yoshitake (L/F, The Mercer, 29 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, 2643 6800, sushiyoshitake. com) and Ryu Gin (101/F, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road, West Kowloon, 2302 0222).

The 13 new one-star restaurants (out of a total of 46) include a debut star for Jonay Armas’ The Principal restaurant. Getting special mention are his signature dishes, including suckling pig with lemon puree and endive, and Kobe sirloin with foie royal and black garlic. Retaining their three-star status are Caprice and Lung King Heen (both in the Four Seasons Hong Kong), L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon and Otto e Mezzo.

Jonay Armas

4 | www.hkisland.com

Hamsa bracelets

Hong Kong designer Kanch Panjabi recently created her own interpretation of the Hamsa bracelet ($150, or $400 for three), an ancient Middle Eastern amulet that symbolises the Hand of God. The crystal mud ball-decorated bracelets are supposed to bring the owner happiness, luck, health and good fortune, perfect as a gift for Year of the Snake. The evileye motif may look a bit daunting, but according to Middle Eastern tradition it means protection. Panjabi wanted the wristlets hand-strung with bright neon strings to be fun and wearable. Aren’t these fun? Fifty per cent of the sales proceeds go to Charity Atma. Available at buy.KanchanCouture.com.

Horse show Hong Kong is back in the international equestrian spotlight with the five-star Longines Hong Kong Masters showjumping event on February 28-March 2. Five years after the 2008 Olympics, the event is sure to delight horse lovers, socialites and sportsmen alike. Horse fans have a chance to get up close to the riders – and tai tais will get to prance about wearing pretty millinery. Tickets are $150-450 from www.cityline.com or Tom Lee Music outlets.

Hot off the plates: Yonge Piggies and Laris A Canadian hotdog joint (below) has recently opened in Sheung Wan. With roadside stools and a relaxed American diner decor, Yonge Piggies (1 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, 2104 7218) serves Canadian sausages with homemade buns, secret recipe chilli sauce, Earl Grey milkshakes and desserts such as banana pudding and yoghurt berries parfait.

Up the road on Wyndham Street, chef David Laris, an Australian with Greek heritage, has opened a contemporary restaurant. The eponymous restaurant, Laris (77 Wyndham Street, Central, 2530 1600) is unpretentious with a warm, vibrant atmosphere and a menu of spanking cocktails and artisan seafood, game dishes and meats. Laris boasts a 200-strong wine list, 70 per cent of which are imported from Australia and New Zealand.

Try ’em!

Flexpress opens Fans of Flex’s Pilates and yoga classes no longer have to go all the way to Wong Chuk Hang, thanks to its new 1,000 sqft studio, Flexpress.

It opens on January 7 to provide Xtend Barre, Zumba fitness, power flow yoga and ante-natal workouts. Existing Aberdeen packages can be used at the new Central location. Flexpress, 8/F, Lansing House, 41-47 Queens Road Central.

planner

Until Jan 7 Brands and Products Expo Inaugurated in 1938, Hong Kong’s largest outdoor consumer expo has 800 exhibitors and tests shoppers’ ability to resist massive discounts on everything from skincare to dried seafood. Victoria Park, Causeway Bay, www.hkbpe.com.hk.

The Mexican rock duo plays KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $390 from www.ticketflap.com.

Jan 11-25 Bicycle Film Festival Brendt Barbur founded the Bicycle Film Festival in New York in 2001 following a bike accident. This year’s festival screens independent bike-themed flicks such as Spike Jonze’s Hong Kong Loves New York.

Tickets $60-$75. Agnes B Cinema, Hong Kong Arts Centre, 2 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, www.flwrider.com.

Cyclists can also go on a 90-minute fun ride with Barbur on January 13, starting from the Hong Kong Film Archive, Sai Wan Ho. Photo: Cheresjonny.com

Jan 8 Rodrigo y Gabriela

Jan 12-13 Community Book Fair Hong Kong publishers and bookshops set up pop-up marquees to sell novels, fictions and other printed works at discount prices. 2pm-9pm, Great George Street, Causeway Bay. Jan 30-Feb 16 Bamboo Theatre West Kowloon Cultural District puts a western spin on the traditional Lunar New Year temporary opera theatres with its own Bamboo Theatre. A capella and jazz artists share the stage with Hong Kong’s best opera troupes, including Golden Glory and Lung Fei. West Kowloon Cultural District, Canton Road entrance, www.bambootheatre.wkcda.hk. Closed Feb 10-11.

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Jan 11-12 3-legged Tale by Theâtre de l’Oeil A visually engaging and funny puppet show on the cycle of life.

Studio Theatre, Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tickets $160-$220 from www.urbtix.hk, 2268 7323.

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

Until Jan 6 Japan Media Arts Festival Mori Art Museum’s chief curator Kataoka Mami (above right) brings 28 outstanding works of video games, animation and manga to Hong Kong for the festival’s key

exhibition, which explores the Japanese perspective on nature and invisible entities.

ArtisTree, 1/F Cornwall House, TaiKoo Place, Island East, www.parade-jmaf.jp.

Jan 5-23 The 4th Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival

Until Feb 1 Hong Kong International Sculpture Symposium Titled “Awakened Sleepers and Transformed Places”, this open-air exhibition features more than 30 sculptures by local, mainland and international artists. West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade.

Free concerts, panel discussions and open-stage events. International artists such as Chen Sa, Inon Barnatan and Toby Hoffman perform everything from Beethoven to gypsy pieces by Smetana. Masterclasses as part of the festival’s outreach programme are taught by Earl Carlyss and Ann Schein. More details at www.pphk.org.

Email your event to editor@hkisland.com

Feb 15-23 One Man, Two Guvnors Richard Bean’s critically acclaimed play (above) has been hailed “the funniest show on the planet”.

Directed by The History Boys' Nicholas Hytner, and starring the West End cast, the comedy is based on The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni with songs by Grant Olding. Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai.

Tickets $100-$580 from www. hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Feb 27-Mar 3 Romeo and Juliet The American Ballet Theatre performs what is considered its grandest production. Grand Theatre, Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tickets $280-$780 from www.urbtix.hk.

Mar 19, 21, 23 La Traviata Award-winning film director Ferzan Özpetek, triple Oscarwinning art director Dante Ferretti and the San Carlo Theatre, Naples, present Verdi’s classic opera. Grand Theatre, Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui.

Tickets $380-$1,280 from www.urbtix.hk. www.hkisland.com

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people

Louis Vuitton Pacific Place

After a year of renovation the luxury giant’s Pacific Place store reopened in December. Supermodel Carmen Kass was there with social luminaries Qiqi, Michael Wong, Janet Ma, Lisa S, Victoria Tang and Andre Fu. The expanded three-level shop features a Haute Maroquinerie Salon where customers can customise their own Louis Vuitton handbag.

The World’s Greatest Catwalk More than 300 Hong Kong models took part in a Guinness World Record-breaking catwalk for “most models in a fashion show”.

Christine Au-Yeung, Kathy Chow, Lisa S, Ana R, and Jocelyn Luko were among the models parading down a 3km runway along the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade in award-winning Hong Kong and Danish fashion designs. Among the enthusiastic crowd were Daniel Chan, Calvin Choy, Khalil Fong, Gigi Leung and Sandra Ng.

8 | www.hkisland.com

VelVet Rope } with Francis Cheng

Landmark Zero Degrees Christmas Getting that Christmas feeling at the opening of the Landmark’s seasonal display were Hong Kong socialites Anina Ho, Kam Kwok-leung, Kathy Chow, Harris Chan, Jocelyn Luko and Anthony Sandstrom.

Maje opens first Asian boutique Parisian fashion brand Maje has landed in Asia with a new store at IFC Mall.

To celebrate, Gaile Lai, Alex To, Race Wong and Evelyn Lam joined Araine Zagury, founder of Rue Madame Fashion group, for in-store cocktails.

The Hong Kong Fashion Designers’ Association Annual Gala was the biggest show of 2012, with a record-breaking 343 fashion models strutting a 3km runway at the Avenue of Stars. The show featured more than 60 new pieces from fashion designers such as Barney Cheng, Lulu Cheung and Walter Ma. More than 2,000 fans gathered to watch the Fashion Visionaries Awards (formerly the Ten Bestdressed Personalities Awards) being presented to the likes of Sandra Ng and Khalil Fong.

In 2012, amazing displays twinkled on at Times Square, Statue Square, The Landmark and Macau’s One Central Mall.

Times Square’s Lego Christmas Village took a year to prepare and was the first to open. At Statue Square, superstar Jacky Cheung turned on the lights for the giant, sparkling Tiffany & Co Christmas tree and merry-goround. Further up the road at The Landmark, the festive set-up included a giant snow mountain with moving cable cars. Kathy Chow and Kam Kwok-leung were there for afternoon cocktails and carols.

Over in Macau, the megastar face of Armani, Shu Qi, unveiled the world’s biggest Rubik’s Cube painting at One Central Mall.

After a dazzling end to 2012, here’s to 2013.

Chin chin!

Francis Cheng is CEO of Occasions PR and Marketing.

www.hkisland.com

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people

Tiffany Christmas Politicians and celebs were out in force for the opening of the Tiffany-sponsored winter wonderland at Statue Square, Central. Enjoying a sparkling Christmas were James Tien, Johanna Arculli, Jacky Cheung, Daisy Ho, Cissy Wang, Janet Ma and Cara G.

Dior Fine Jewellery Actresses and socialites Elizabeth Lee and Daisy Ho opened Dior Fine Jewellery and Timepieces for an appreciative crowd at Elements Mall.

Trending NOW } with Kiri Sinclair

If you’re reading this, then – shockingly – the world has not ended and you still have to keep your New Year’s Resolutions. Get fit.

Eat healthily. Drink less. Stay home more. Start saving. Stop smoking...

Resolutions are a great way to start the year, but if you’re anything like me, you’ll have broken them before you’ve conditioned yourself to write the correct year when dating your cheques. So let’s cut to the chase.

Start small. Don’t be too ambitious with your New Year’s resolution. Instead of counting calories and instituting a five-day workout regiment, try a simple goal of eating a piece of fruit every day, or substituting that afternoon chocolate bar with a healthy snack.

My favourite pick-me-up is Stephen

10 | www.hkisland.com

James Organics’ energy bar. The new Apple Pie bar is better than an apple a day. Nuts are a healthy alternative to meat, and if you like cashews and pistachios, try its pili nuts from the volcanic soil of the Philippines.

Once you pili, there’s no going back.

Exercise need not be confined to the gym. Reclaim weekends for hikes and walks. Even if you just have half an hour, there are plenty of things to explore in your neighbourhood; Hong Kong Island has exciting new adventures at every corner. Wander down to Sheung Wan to see what exhibit is on at Cat Street Gallery, or on to New Street to check out Puerta Roja, Hong Kong’s only art gallery dedicated to Latin American art. Make your baby step resolutions count, get healthier, better explored

and rediscover the places that you just walked past in 2012.

And yet, by January 10, your mantra will change. “I need to party!” I hear you shout. Now that’s more like it – let’s get this 2013 party started. Break your resolutions with some good naughtiness; until the end of the month, enjoy cocktails for a cause at Linguini Fini.

Belvedere has joined Bono’s RED Campaign – along with Nike, Apple and other large companies – and created a Red bottle. Available at premium clubs and supermarkets, half of all profit from the specially branded bottles goes to a fund to buy antiviral drugs for Aids sufferers.

Buy, drink, save lives – and have a bit of fun.

It’s important to remember to

treat not only ourselves well, but also our city. I am declaring a New Year call to cultural arms. Let’s do it big this year, Hong Kong. Let’s showcase our homegrown fashion talents, support our up-and-coming artists and designers, visit restaurants started by our local chefs, and show the world that creativity is thriving in Asia’s World City. After twisty ’12, I’m hoping ’13 is more on the thriving side. May the year be prosperous and healthy for you all.

Kiri Sinclair of marketing and public relations agency Sinclair Communications.

interview

A new way of

giving Twopresents combines party fun with charitable giving.

Fundraising trailblazers (From left) Twopresents’ founders Mike Walshe, Karola Horvath Szovati and Mia Ejendal.

T

hink of a Hong Kong party. Any given birthday, anniversary or leaving bash evokes memories of merriment, gifts, piles of wrapping paper and the annoying realisation that you’ve forgotten who gave what (hence those impersonal thank-you cards). The sheer materialism of Hong Kong’s parties gave three entrepreneurs an idea that harnesses the city’s wanton generosity for a good cause while still making sure we all have a good time. Karola Horvath Szovati (37, former investment banker), Mia Ejendal (32, former management consultant) and Mike Walshe (41, in advertising) explain the idea behind Twopresents.

What is Twopresents?

Mike Walshe: Twopresents is a way of sharing a party with a local charity. You use the Twopresents website to email invitations, and when guests RSVP they are given the opportunity to contribute money instead of bringing a present. All the money contributed is pooled and split, with one part donated to the charity of choice, and the rest presented as a cheque for the host to buy a special gift. It’s also eco-friendly as it reduces the amount of gift packaging.

Mia Ejendal: Furthermore, guests know they are contributing to a present that the host actually wants, and they are saved the time and hassle of shopping.

How did the idea come about?

Karola Horvath Szovati: When I first moved to Hong Kong five years ago from Switzerland, I was shocked to see the birthday mania here. I dreaded my son’s birthday party as I knew he would be bombarded with 30-plus gifts. The worst was seeing my son lose interest in appreciating the thoughtful

12 | www.hkisland.com

gifts he had received – I worried that he would grow up with the expectation of receiving large numbers of gifts and take things for granted. So I embarked on a mission to figure out how I could change the birthday mania.

What made you decide to go ahead with the idea?

Szovati: When we first talked to our charity partners, there was no previous example to show them what we were trying to do. We did the best research possible and to the best of our knowledge, we are not aware of another site doing what we do.

Why do you work exclusively with local charities?

Szovati: As foreigners in Hong Kong, we can feel quite disconnected from the society around us.

There is, however, a big need in Hong Kong...

Walshe: And so the charity needs to be local. It needs to be helping our community. We also want the dollars go as far as possible and aren’t eaten up by large overheads. So we make sure we visit our charity partners to learn about their work.

Photo: Christine Or

How do you decide which charities to work with?

Szovati: They have to work on causes that have a direct impact on Hong Kong so that people can see the difference being made in their own backyard. They have to be small charities with limited resources as we want donations to go as far as possible.

“

There are great charities in Hong Kong doing amazing work, and they need our help.

How did the charities respond to your idea when you first approached them?

Ejendal: Some were a little sceptical as there was no footprint before us. The ones now listed on our site have been super supportive and positive from the get-go.

What kind of demographic are you after?

Szovati: Families with children; educated, socially and environmentally conscious people who care about others, who are open to change and like to do things differently.

”

and whether they’ve responded. You can also keep track of how much money has been donated, send messages to guests and vice versa. It’s a total mission control for your party.

Szovati: The event summary also has a "blinding donations" feature so the host can choose not to see each guest’s donations.

What do you hope to achieve with Twopresents?

Szovati: My primary motivation for Twopresents was to help facilitate an easy way for people to donate to local charities.

There are great charities in Hong Kong, doing amazing work, and they need our help.

Find out more at www.twopresents.com.

What is your favourite feature of the website?

Walshe: The event summary.

Ejendal: The function is the heart of the party – it tells you if your guests have looked at the RSVP 190mmx120mm-ol.pdf

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what’s in...

QRE Plaza • 29/F The Habitat Lounge Remarkable views, relaxed atmosphere, signature cocktails and two outdoor terraces make this rooftop bar a popular nightspot. Tel: 2907 0888.

• 23/F-25/F Zummer Fine Dining & Bar Marketed as a “private hideout”, this is a sprawling chilled-out spot with comfy sofas and mellow lighting. Unwind in the bar or indulge in an Italian meal in the upstairs restaurant.

Tel: 2574 6692, www.zummer.com.hk.

• 19/F VIM Pilates Studio Trained instructors offer the internationally renowned Stott Pilates technique in private sessions or group classes.

Tel: 2572 2683, www.vim-pilates.com.

• 15/F My Musical Studio This performing arts centre operates as the Starshine Factory for children by day with After Six adults courses by night.

Tel: 3665 0700, www.mymusicalstudio.com.

STATS & FACTS 202 Queens Road East, Wan Chai Who? QRE Plaza is part of the Hopewell Group, which invested about $1.4 billion in the building.

Where? The building's first floor has a footbridge across Queen’s Road East linking to the Hopewell Centre and Wu Chung House.

What’s inside? Asian and western restaurants, bars, dance schools, photography studios and toy shops.

History The plaza’s topping-out ceremony was held on December 15, 2006, with tenants moving in from May to August 2008.

• 21/F-22/F La Cucina Italiana This homely, two-storey southern Italian restaurant has an open kitchen on the lower floor and cosy sofas and a terrace with potted herbs upstairs. Tel: 2156 9115.

• 16/F-17/F Hong Kong Funky Dance Centre Learn to strut your stuff at this two-storey dance studio offering adult and children’s classes in funk, hip hop, jazz funk, Latin and more. Tel: 2608 1103, www.funkydance.com.hk.

• 8/F Akita Teppanyaki Specialist This restaurant is for those who like the performing art of teppanyaki. There are Kobe beef, goose liver, lobster and other premium ingredients on the menu. Tel: 2788 0012.

Words: Timmy Lee. Illustration: Pearl Law.

• 7/F Luxe by Happy Foot Reflexology Spa As well as their famous reflexology, Luxe also provides Shanghai-style pedicures, and stress-relieving massages in Thai, lymphatic, pressure-point and full-body acupressure styles.

Tel: 2573 3438, www.happyfoot.hk.

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1/

Research shows that a third of New Year resolutions are ditched by the end of January. Give it another month and four out of five of us will have reverted back to our bad old habits. The best way to make change is in baby steps, says Lynn Bufka, assistant executive director of Practice Research and Policy at the American Psychological Association. Her advice: “Setting small, attainable goals throughout the year, instead of a single overwhelming goal on January 1, can help you reach whatever it is you strive for.”

Word indeed.

ways to cha n g e yo u r life

2/

Get your vices under control

Keep your resolutions

“

Celebrate success, not launch. To start a truly great company, the goal is not to beat the competition or to make a lot of money. It is to do the greatest thing possible.

Bill Yuen, Project owner of Roadmap for Entrepreneur City and founder of EntrepreneurHK.org

3

”

Other top tips for startup companies: Ideas are worthless. Execution is everything The average age for starting a business is 40 years old.

Networking is everything. You can’t get everything done as a one-man band.

Talk about your ideas. They will improve through dialogue.

NO

Start a new business > Audacity of Dope

We understand that vices form the shadow of your luminous, brilliant self, but you know what smoking and drinking can do to you.

And in case you need reminding, take a look at the Department of Health's data for the city’s biggest killers: from 2009 to 2012, deaths from cancer rose from 7,682 to 13,113, and deaths from heart disease from 3,344 to 6,316. Just saying...

16 | www.hkisland.com

Make this the year you turn that great idea into reality. EntrepreneurHK.org organises regular gettogethers (www.meetup.com/EntrepreneurHK) for seasoned businessmen and aspiring newbies to share their knowledge and experience. The society is one of 15 business associations involved in a government-backed project, “Roadmap for Entrepreneur City”, whose aim is to outline a path for entrepreneurs to launch and grow their businesses. If it is capital you’re after, join KickStarter for social funding (www.kickstarter. com) or visit Funders and Founders (www.fnf. vc), which links entrepreneurs with investors and customers.

development!

STOP

4/

Become a real Hong Konger

Whether you are a triple-star permanent resident or a person in transit, be more aware about the place you’re in. Are you worried that insensitive development in Pak Sha O Hakka village and Tai Long Wan in Sai Kung will ruin Hong Kong's back garden? Write to the Planning Department. Is there more to the happy-go-lucky vibe in Central and Sheung Wan? Find out how you can help people in need with this comprehensive list of NGOs in Hong Kong: www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_links/ page_ngowebsite.

feature

IQ

Photo: Foster + Partners

6/

5 /

FROM

Raise your

Learn about art With exciting galleries such as Ben Brown Fine Arts, White Cube, Gagosian and Galerie Perrotin bringing in works by the world’s finest artists, now’s the time to become better-versed in art. Also get used to the name M+. Hong Kong’s new visual culture museum begins construction this year in the Western Kowloon Cultural District. It’s an ambitious project that aims to “rival” MoMa (Museum of Modern Art) in New York.

It’s a similar size (60,000 sqm), and we have our fingers crossed for an A+ permanent collection for M+. Set to complete in 2017, it is overseen by British architects Foster + Partners.

Meanwhile, here are this year’s leading visual-art events: Until Mar 31, Andy Warhol 15 Minutes Eternal, hk.art.museum.

Feb 22-24, Asia Hotel Art Fair, www.hotelartfair.kr.

Mar 15-17, Affordable Art Fair, www.affordableartfair.com.

May 23-26, Art HK, www.hongkongartfair.com.

Apr-Jun, Le French May, www.frenchmay.com.

7/

Clever conferences, workshops, festivals and talks are set to return to Hong Kong this year.

Join cultural, literary and musical debates by signing up for event updates at Intelligence Squared Asia and TED Asia. Wise up at annual cultural festivals such as the Hong Kong Arts Festival (Feb 21-Mar 22), Hong Kong International Film Festival (Mar 17Apr 2), Hong Kong International Young Readers Festival (Mar 11-22), Clockenflap (Dec), Liberatum and Hong Kong International Literary Festival (dates pending).

Keep your eyes peeled.

Live the dream

TO

“You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling,” says Eames, Tom Hardy’s character in Inception: For Frenchman Cedric Delzenne of Shop Des Createur that meant uprooting and replanting in a new country, Hong Kong.

“Although I was on a straight-forward career path and I love France, I could no longer see myself in Paris. A lightbulb moment came and my girlfriend and I decided we were ready to start a new chapter of our lives. But how? The real tipping point was finding the cheapest possible flights to Hong Kong. It was a bold move, as I knew about Asia then was from history books and news headlines.

“In the first few months, I had mixed feelings about taking that leap of faith. But it became clear that I was in the perfect time and place to realise my dream: to start my own company.

Today I run ShopDesCreateurs.com, an online retailer and distributor of emerging fashion brands. It's been an incredible journey, a real emotional roller-coaster. Moving to Hong Kong was probably the best decision I have ever made. Sometimes, you’ve just got to listen to the stars." www.hkisland.com

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feature

” / Look smarter

Gadget

Swimwear

JJ Acuna

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Gadget

Sabrina Sikora from Sassy Hong Kong chooses must-have womenswear

Throw this piece over anything from dark skinny jeans to an evening gown.

Let the odd tanline be an afterthought. This Soak's retro bikini rocks!

The new Leica D-Lux 6 is great for on-the-go images and full HD video recording.

Handbag

”

Carry something that has the look of an A4 envelope, such as this man clutch from Valentino.

Swimwear

Sabrina Sikora

Bling is out and round faces are in. This TW Steel’s TWA203 is on point with its black steel case.

Watch

Get obsessed with kimonos and all things fringey!

Get comfortable with espadrilles, loafers and horsebits, such as this pair by Christian Louboutin.

Apparel

“

This Panasonic Lumix GX1 is a compact camera with an interchangeable lens.

Shoes

8

It’s all about bespoke fits and prints.

Check out Orlebar Brown's Monte Carlo shorts.

Bag

“

In 2013, we’ll see a continuing trend in pocket squares.

Bowties are calming down.

Wide ties are back in. We’ll also see plenty of mustard yellows and bright neon oranges.

Shoes

Try Gucci's relaxed doublebreasted blazer for that perfect Sunday brunch look.

Watch

Apparel

JJ Acuna of the Wanderlister+ blog picks key menswear for 2013

What’s not to like about this Lego-like offering from Fendi’s ss/13 catwalk?

Bamford Watch Department customises its timepieces to your specifications.

After crazes for Celine's Trampeze and Luggage, fall in love with the Trio clutch.

Data: 9 – Environmental Protection Department. Photo: 10 – turistipercaso.it.

9/

Buy quality ,

NOT

quantity

10/ In May 2013, Topshop will join Forever 21, H&M, Zara and Maple to compete in the fast fashion market in Hong Kong. Famous for trendy apparel and accessories at rockbottom prices, Topshop will open a split-level 12,000 sqft boutique at The Asia Standard on Queen’s Road Central.

But before you empty your wallet at the opening, consider this: 253 tonnes of clothing are thrown away every day. Do you really need that $50 dress that you will fall out of love with after you’ve worn it exactly once?

11/

Travel to Myanmar

Lonely Planet describes Myanmar as “the authentic Asia, with creaking buses, potholed roads, locals who greet you like long-lost family and not a 7-Eleven in sight”. And now that it’s ethically acceptable to visit, following the release from house arrest of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the world is catching on fast. In 2011, 424,000 people visited Myanmar; last year that figure rose to one million, and this year it’s expected to double again. Accommodation is in short supply, with just 25,000 guest rooms in the entire country. If you want to see Myanmar before the international conglomerates roll in, go now. Or more accurately, go in April. Not only is it the dry season, but you can maximise Hong Kong’s public holidays and get nine days’ vacation for the price of two if you take April 2 and 3 off work.

Ask for a raise

2012 Happy Planet Index ...

According to a report by Ambition, 28.2 per cent of us didn’t receive a salary increase in 2012. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

Here’s how to ask successfully for a raise.

60 CHINA

for a promotion

...

Ask

102 HONG KONG ...

12/

...

...

Work for a company for at least six months to prove your worth Track your accomplishments Document compliments from others about you Choose the best time of the day or week to ask Wait until your boss is in a good mood

Author Mark Di Vincenzo, who wrote the New York Times bestseller Buy Shoes On Wednesday and Tweet At 4:00, says January is the best month to ask for a promotion. “Wait until early in the year when companies, flush with the new fiscal year, are in spending mode,” he advises.

...

1 COSTA RICA 2 VIETNAM

105 USA

13

Stay positive / and be happy

Hong Kongers are less happy than Palestinians, Iranians and the Sudanese, according to the 2012 Happy Planet Index, which ranks us 102 of 151 countries. Costa Rica takes the top spot, with Vietnam second, China comes in at 60 and the United States at 105.

Someone once said you can’t live a positive life with a negative mind.

So, to misquote Gandhi (who was even wiser), in 2013 be the change you want to see in the world. www.hkisland.com

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promo

Explore Ocean Park with SmartFun Passes Discover something different at Ocean Park every day with SmartFun Annual Pass.

O

pened on January 10, 1977, Ocean Park has been entertaining everybody from kiddies to grannies with its fantastic assortment of shows and rides. To celebrate this remarkable anniversary, Hong Kong’s favourite theme park is pulling all the stops to keep every fun-lover happy. On top of the 19 existing park rides, 11 animal exhibits and a giant four-storey

A touch of nostalgia in Old Hong Kong.

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aquarium, many new attractions have been recently added. To name but a few: Polar Adventure – Ocean Park’s latest addition which opened in July 2012, allowing you to get real up and close to penguins and walruses; Rainforest – where an expedition trail takes you on a journey through the habitat of some of the rarest animals in the world; Thrill Mountain – where exhilarating rides are bound to

The 13m-wide acrylic viewing panel at Grand Aquarium.

enthuse and stimulate. And last but not least, Old Hong Kong – where streets and architecture from the 50s to 70s are recreated to bring a strong and welcome dose of nostalgia.

The Flash at Thrill Mountain.

A tree frog and marmoset monkeys at Rainforest.

So many things to do but so little time! Are you sure a day is enough to negotiate more than 70 attractions, from rides to shows and seeing animals live in action?

To fully enjoy every last inch of the Park, get a SmartFun Annual Pass and take advantage of unlimited admission for an entire year, plus many further benefits.

Pass holders can get 50 per cent off admission on selected dates at the annual “Ocean Park Halloween Bash”, priority reservation at Ocean Theatre and Whiskers Theatre VIP seats as well as 10 per cent discounts at gift shops and restaurants in the park.

SmartFun Annual Pass

Adult Aged 12 or above

Child Aged 3 to 11

$840

$420

$660

$330

Gold Pass

Unlimited admission to Ocean Park within a year.

Sea Life Carousel at Waterfront.

Silver Pass

Unlimited Mon-Fri admission (before noon on Sat) within a year. Excludes public holidays.

Student Pass

Gold Pass privileges for all full-time students aged 12 or above with valid student IDs.

$580

View the swimming penguins at South Pole Spectacular.

ACT NOW! Grand Aquarium at Aqu

a City.

Get Closer to the Animals Programme – Dolphin Encounter.

As if all the above benefits were not enough, pass holders are also entitled to entrance discounts at museums and theme parks around the world. Last but not least, SmartFun Annual Pass holders can get 10 per cent off Ocean Park’s Get Closer to the Animals programme, where children or those in touch with their inner child get the opportunity to have a close encounter with the animals. Penguin Encounter lets you experience the life journey of king and gentoo penguins as well as Southern rockhoppers.

Ocean Park’s seals are there to

meet you at Seal Encounter, where our keepers are on hand to educate too. The ocean’s friendliest mammals and Ocean Theatre’s show stoppers will let you shake hands and hug them at Dolphin Encounter. Get star-struck!

Whether you’re a thrill seeker or an animal lover, Ocean Park has all kinds of fun-filled activities to entertain everyone. Explore Ocean Park like you never have before with SmartFun passes in 2013!

Ocean Park, Aberdeen, Hong Kong, 3923 2323, www.oceanpark.com.hk.

Until Jan 31, 2013

50% discount on one SmartFun Child Annual Pass with every purchase of two adult Gold or Silver Passes! Apply at the Ocean Park entrance now!

www.hkisland.com

| 21

eating

Viva

Espana!

With the city going loco for tapas, Ale Wilkinson tries some small plates.

F

ew things are more important to Hong Kong than food. But our eclectic culinary scene doesn’t thrive entirely off its own ideas. Like other gastro cities, we pick and choose among the food trends sweeping the rest of the world.

Take the ramen craze, for example, when Japanese noodle restaurants popped up all over the city trailed by hungry diners queuing eagerly for a limited daily number of servings. Then there was the casual dining craze (Paisano’s and Pizzeria Pubblico), the organic vegetarian craze (Life, MANA!, Grassroots Pantry and The Herbivores) and the mixologist craze. That’s still going strong on the bar scene, with fancy cocktails shaken up at FINDS, Lily + Bloom, Quinary and Honi Honi, and bartenders competing to see who is officially Hong Kong’s best mixologist.

This year’s hot trend is tapas. Spanish small plates have taken Hong Kong by storm. Although a handful of tapas bars have existed for years, tapas fever has spread across the city with the recent opening of BCN, Vi Cool, Boqueria, Paco Roncero’s View 62 and Jason Atherton’s 22 Ships.

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Above Papi's rolled thin omelette with cooked ham and gorgonzola cheese.

Right Vi Cool's Iberico ham coca.

The notion of tapas is believed to have originated in Andalusia, Spain, where a piece of bread or a slice of ham was placed on top of wine glasses as a tapa (lid) to keep the flies out. These became more elaborate, evolving into the small plates of food – garlic prawns, meatballs, tortilla and even paella – served in bars all over Spain when customers order drinks. Often they are deliberately salty to encourage customers buy more drinks.

Inevitably, adventurous chefs have strayed from the traditional to create their own modern interpretations. BCN serves a spectacular oxtail and foie gras tower, and 22 Ships prides itself on chargrilled Ibérico pork and foie gras burgers.

The concept of tapas is so popular in Hong Kong that even non-Spanish restaurants are offering their own versions of small plates, including Lan Kwai Fong's Indian restaurant Ista and Italian restaurant Papi in Elements.

We predict the trend will veer towards the molecular this year.

Tapas is winning fans because it solves that perennial dining problem: food envy. Instead of coveting the food on your neighbour’s plate, you can share it, sampling a variety of dishes without over-ordering. And as the Spanish discovered decades ago, there are few better ways to enjoy a glass (or three) of good wine with a group of friends.

Meal time Vi Cool's interior and Papi's Mediterranean octopus with capers.

Ale Wilkinson writes The Dim Sum Diaries, www.thedimsumdiaries.com

www.hkisland.com

| 23

eating

Comilonas This private kitchen near Kennedy Town serves delicious Catalan-style tapas in a homely dining-room setting. Have some fun pouring wine straight into your mouth from a porró, but make sure you book far, far in advance. Flat 22, Yip Cheong Building, 4-16 Hill Road, Shek Tong Tsui, 9863 2270.

Plaza Mayor If you’re yearning for some authentic traditional tapas, timewarp to this little gem just off Star Street. It’s not Spain, but it’s the next best thing.

G/F, 9 Moon Street, Wan Chai, 2866 6644.

Boqueria A big hit in New York City, Boqueria (above) brings the same winning formula to Hong Kong.

A lively, fun atmosphere, lashings of sangria and stellar jamón Ibérico make this a great night out.

7/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central, 2321 8681, www.boqueria.com.hk.

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5

TOP

Tapas Ale Wilkinson’s choices

BCN This tiny spot on Peel Street serves beautifully presented modern tapas.

Named after chef Edgar Sanuy Barahona’s hometown, Barcelona, it seats just 12 diners and is packed every night so book ahead. 37 Peel Street, Central, 2811 2851, www.bcn.com.hk.

22 Ships Gordon Ramsay protégé and TV chef Jason Atherton has partnered with Goodwood Group’s Mavis Khoo-oei to serve contemporary Spanish food in a laissez-faire environment (above). Don’t miss the char-grilled Ibérico pork and foie gras burger and the to-die-for marinated hamachi with gazpacho dressing.

22 Ship Street, Wan Chai, 2555 0722.

Photo: Christine Or

A Latin love affair Chef Austin Fry reminisces about his infatuation with Mexico City.

Fast media January 2013.pdf

M

exico City. A rainy night.

I went out to get lost, as I normally do in a new city. Snaking aimlessly through the streets, I took in the smells, sounds and colours. And it was lovely. The fragrance of the food wasn’t the only thing filling me up, but also the smiles on people’s faces.

Inexplicably, this sense of community yielded a pang of sadness 1

12/18/12

10:36 AM

in this lonely wanderer. I chose to swallow this ambivalent emotion with a pork taco – a proper pork taco, deep-fried in pork fat. I felt happier, even knowing the calories were sure to haunt me.

By then, the rain was really coming down. I ran for cover in a brick-walled tavern. It turned out to be a truly amazing place. I loved it down to every last table leg, each of which was fitted with a cup holder to free up table space. Genius.

“Una cerveza, por favor,” I ordered. A Victoria Beer arrived promptly – and it is still the best beer I ever drank. Next, I stabbed randomly at the menu and the waiter brought me something resembling Cheetos, but with more chilli. They were unusual, but why not? They went well with my beer. Later I learned they weren’t Cheetos but Chicochos.

Next I ordered blood sausage – juicy with a rich flavour of cinnamon and clove. Then a huge molcajete (mortar and pestle) with skirt steak,

queso fresco (Mexican cheese), spring onion, cactus and salsa roja (tomato and chilli salsa). I couldn’t get enough.

Duck mole. Ant-egg tacos. And on, and on.

I must have looked like a freak, the only gringo (foreigner) in the joint, slamming down Victoria Beer and stuffing my face as if I had never seen food before. There were looks.

But with food this good, I couldn’t care less. I carried on the rampage with bone marrow, tortillas and guacamole.

By this point I was a bit drunk and had made a few friends – funny how easy it is to socialise with good food, good people and good drinks.

Glasses clinking, people laughing, friends and family hugging... Right then I knew this was the food I was going to be cooking. I was done with fine dining.

Austin Fry is executive chef of Brick House, 20 D’Aguilar Street, Central, www.fb.com/brickhousehk.

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wine

Uncorking 2013 Lauren McPhate picks wine trends for the new year.

2

012 was all about trying to figure out what wines pair best with Asian cuisine. OK, we get it. Powerful, juicy red wines work with char siu bao and Gewurztraminer is great with, well, all Asian food. But what’s in store for 2013? Will Spain overtake France as our favourite wine-producing country? Will people go crazy for sherry? Or rosé?

Nope, I can’t see it. Here are my humble predictions for the wine scene in 2013.

I foresee a newfound love of slightly sweet, slightly sparkling wines, with Moscato at the forefront. These wines are perfect for novice drinkers, those who don’t like to lose control, and for those who like sugar. (And who doesn’t like sugar?) Moscatos typically have low alcohol of five per cent to seven per cent, and because they are only slightly sweet they appeal to different palates. They’re great as an aperitif, a respite during a meal, and are perfectly suited for a fruity dessert.

Online daily wine discount deals will soar this year. Several new platforms have popped up lately,

26 | www.hkisland.com

including slurp.asia, yeswine.com and spikescellar. com. But this is just the beginning. People like wine. People like bargains. Let the deals begin!

I also foresee a shift away from buying based on price (the higher the better) to quality for money.

With the economy the way it is, people are looking for bang-for-your-buck wine.

Finally, I predict 2013 will be the year of the super Tuscans. I’m banking on a trend to revisit the fruits of the 1970s, when experimental Tuscan winemakers were willing to break the rules for the sake of creation. They were the first to blend Italian varietals (Sangiovese) with international (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) producing wines that are not only perfect with char siu bao but also delicious, elegant, complex and full of character.

The super Tuscans come in a range of prices that will appeal to the victims of last year’s big bank layoffs – and to those who have weathered the storm from the top.

Lauren McPhate holds a WSET 3 certificate.

Wine recommendations Sweet: Carlin de Paolo Moscato d’Asti DOCG (Piemonte, Italy), Moscato, $130.

An intensely cool fragrance, with notes of orange blossom, sage and a touch of honey. True to style, this wine is low in alcohol (5.5 per cent), sugary sweet, well balanced and lively.

Value for money: Torremoron 2011 (Ribera del Duero, Spain), Tempranillo, $130.

Intense, pure and bright, this is the “bargain of the century”, according to Robert Parker who awarded it 92 points. A product of 80- to 100-year-old vines, this fresh wine expresses complexity and flavours of red berries with crisp minerality.

Super Tuscan: Antale Toscana 2009 (Tuscany, Italy), $150.

Wine with an intense ruby colour and the aromatic complexity of ripe red fruit. The mid-palate conveys light notes of sweet spices and aromatic herbs. A truly Tuscan experience, it is made from the finest sangiovese, cabernet and merlot grapes.

All wines from www.houseoffinewines.com.

motoring

Meeting a hero Kevin Yeung lives the dream in a Ferrari Daytona.

T

Photo: Daryl Chapman

hey say you should never meet your heroes as you'll only be let down. A recent discussion among friendly automotive aficionados about hero cars – the most iconic cars of all time – got me thinking. At the top of our collective lists was the Ferrari 365 GTB/4, unofficially known as the Ferrari Daytona.

This impossibly stylish, Pininfarina-styled berlinetta masterpiece was the undisputed champion in our cool category. Lean and athletic, its long distinctive bonnet made it intuitively understood that this car had immense power. The consummately cool Daytona effortlessly conveyed aggression without anger.

Launched at the Paris Motor Show 1968, the Daytona was an immediate hit, selling more than 1,400 units as customers responded eagerly with their cheque books. Notable early owners included Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton, who each purchased more than one example. Designer Ralph Lauren, who has one of the world’s most important classic car collections, owns every significant classic Ferrari.

It’s appropriate the first Ferrari that inspired him was a Daytona. He once said, “I was coming out of the Connaught Hotel in London and saw a black Daytona. What is that car? I thought it was fantastic. And I fell in love with it and I said, where can I get this?”

The Daytona commands an arresting presence, oozing confidence and authority. Just looking at it is a visual treat. But how is it to drive? It was time to meet my hero car. Thankfully my friend, Alex, owns an immaculate example and generously encouraged me to find out.

Settling into the cabin swathed in vintage leather, I feasted on cool details such as the charismatic metal rocker switches. But I was here with the key in the ignition to drive it. The Daytona wakes with a deep but smooth roar before settling into a perfect idle.

Once the car’s fluids were warm, we set off.

My fear that the Daytona would be difficult to operate evaporated after the first few kilometres which had been disarmingly easy to drive. Alex instructed

me to drive with purpose and engage deliberately.

The 352-horsepower, free-revving V12 pulls smoothly without hesitation all the way to 7,500 rpm and is accompanied by a symphony of sounds.

Starting from a rumble, it quickly layers into a multitextured roar before finishing with a proper vintageracer’s bark instead of a modern V12’s scream. Just going up and down the power band is addictive.

The ride remains composed when hustled through a series of challenging corners. It still feels properly fast so I can only imagine how amazing it must have been for Jagger and Clapton back in 1968.

The Daytona was the last front-engine Ferrari supercar until its spiritual successor, the Ferrari 550, was introduced in 1996. Then last year, 44 years

after the Daytona, Ferrari introduced the F12 – its reigning king and the most powerful road car in the company’s history. They may be four decades apart, but just one passing glance at the F12 and the Daytona’s bloodline is abundantly apparent.

But after our “meeting”, it’s the Daytona that remains my hero.

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

www.hkisland.com

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fitness

Diary of a fitness god(dess) Kawai Wong goes in search of the perfect workout regime.

Day 1: PowerPlates I wolfed down a burger meal for lunch and now I feel guilty. I decide to find time for a quick workout. A friend has recommended a boutique PowerPlate studio on Yiu Wa Street, near Times Square, and I book a trial session ($150).

Twelve floors above the Causeway Bay hustle, the boutique studio is discreet with orchids in one corner and a floor-to-window ceiling offering a view of the surrounding streets. Four mooncake-shaped treadmills look over the short buildings opposite.

I change into my gym gear in the small toilet, and a personal trainer guides me through my workout. He asks my fitness goals then demonstrates squats and pushups on the vibrating PowerPlate. He explains that it works your muscles several times harder than a non-machine-assisted

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routine, which means a 15-minute PowerPlate session reaps the same results as a regular half-hour routine.

My turn. I strike a peculiar pose – kowtowing to the machine while placing both of my elbows on the plate. Holy moly! I am shaken to the very core. Every posture is much harder to sustain on the PowerPlate.

On maximum vibration, the workout feels like I’m antagonising a concrete drill.

Fitness fanatics will love this exercise; while there is not much blood, sweat or tears, there is definitely much toil. Unit B, 11/F, 25 Yiu Wa Street, Causeway Bay, 3621 0180, powerfitstudio.com.hk.

Day 2: Pilates at Flex Studio There’s nothing else for it: my postChristmas waistline requires stretchy pants, dammit. I head to Ap Lei Chau in search of something stylish yet forgiving. On my way back, I

drop by Flex Studio, famous for its experienced Pilates instructors.

Nike’s global yoga ambassador, Leah Kim, works there. Plus it has a strict policy to keep class numbers down to less than 15.

I’ve never done Pilates, but the thought of long, lean, toned muscles is very appealing.

I ask if there’s a walk-in class available. I’m in luck: I get the last

place at Pilates Allegro ($260) with Trixie Valez.

I change into my new stretchy bottoms and stroll into the studio, which to my untrained eyes, looks like a non-toxic version of the Fifty Shades of Grey playroom. I watch Trixie demonstrate Pilates poses on a sliding machine, then adjust its resistance from red for advanced to blue for beginners. Pilates Allegro involves slotting your hands and feet through loops and straps and using your bodyweight as resistance to work your longitudinal muscles.

The other nine students all know what they’re doing but this works to my advantage as I get more personal instruction, and Trixie adjusts my poses without making me feel uncomfortable. An hour later, I feel stretched out and limber – and perhaps a little taller.

Flex's eight-week Introduction to Pilates course is taught by Senior

Instructor Jall Ball. The next course begins on January 14. 2/F, Regency Centre, Wong Chuk Hang, 2813 2212, www.flex.hk.

Day 3: Seasons Fitness The last time I went to the gym in Hong Kong was... so long ago I can’t remember. But I do remember not doing much work because I was too busy gawping at everyone else’s big attitudes and elaborate poses.

Willing to give it another try, I head to Seasons Fitness at Citibank Plaza. It’s 10,000 sqft with a view of Hong Kong Park, but for me, the attraction is its indoor heated swimming pool.

It’s spacious and airy, with fitness classes in everything from boxing to yoga. But I’m here for the gym. The exercise machines come from Life Fitness and are among the best on the market, with personal entertainment and vital stats monitoring systems. I have a go on the “virtual active” treadmill, which lets you jog through a virtual landscape – cool! Then, bypassing the muscle mass-development section in all its pulley-systems glory, I head for the pool. It’s a 20-metre pool complete with steam and sauna.

My favourite thing about this place is that no salesperson disguised as a personal instructor tries to sell me classes I don’t want or need. Now that is one good USP. 3/F, Citibank Plaza, 3 Garden Road, Central, 2878 6288, www.seasonsfitness.com.

Day 4: Yoga at Pure Pure is virtually synonymous with yoga in Hong Kong. I have taken yoga classes in smaller studios and always found the exercise (or rather the “science of the flow of the body”) relaxing. I wouldn’t mind starting a regular regime, besides, I’m keen to find out why so many people rave about Pure.

I’m intrigued by courses with names such as “Hatha yoga – Merging of Sun & Moon” and “Charming the Snake: Astrology, Past Lifetimes and Soul Mates”.

Perhaps Pure is really about mind, body and soul, instead of the usual get-fit, sign-up-now venue. I arrange to trial a beginners’ Hatha 1 class.

The Central premises boasts

well-lit corridors and leafy relaxation area. The four yoga studios have floor-to-ceiling views of the concrete forest. As Pure takes care of all the details – towels, props, mats – I dump my bag in a locker.

Hatha 1 turns out to be a slowpaced stretching class with some breathing exercises and meditation, and a helpful instructor who corrects my poses: telling me to squeeze my thighs and pull in my belly. After an hour I feel remarkably soothed.

That night, I sleep like a baby. 16/F, The Centrium, Central, 2971 0055, www.pure-yoga.com.

Day 5: Hypoxi I tried this in 2011 and adored it.

After a single 30-minute session, I could see a visible difference in my belly and thighs, and all I had to do was cycle at a certain rpm in an egg-shaped machine that encased my lower body in an airtight chamber that added and withdrew pressure.

I didn’t pant or sweat; instead I browsed the web on the iPad provided. So when Hypoxi opened a second branch in Jordan, I was keen to book a free trial.

I start by slipping on an airtight neoprene suit. I then lay down on a bed for 30 minutes as the suit balloons up and down and little bubbles brush my body to help drain my lymph system. Next it’s into the space-age cycling machine for the fat-burning process. I can see the temperature going up and up in the chamber but I never break into a sweat. And after a leisurely 30-minute pedal, I jump into the shower and get dressed. Guess what?

My jeans are looser. Fantastic! 8/F, EuBank Plaza, 9 Chiu Lung Street, Central, 2537 6637, www.hypoxi.hk.

Be a goal-getter Louis Doctrove doesn’t make resolutions, he sets goals.

H

ere's a suggestion for the New Year: don’t make resolutions. Instead, take decisions, set goals – and act on them. The first step is identifying what you want to improve: it could be weight loss, muscle gain, or raising your overall fitness. Set a realistic goal for the first three-month period of the year. It should be challenging but attainable, and not one that is so easy you coast through training sessions. You know whether you’re going through the motions, or if you are really pushing at the gym. Personally, I make sure that at the end of each training session I’m pretty close to exhaustion: on a scale of one to 10, you should be at eight or nine.

This can be achieved in as little as 30 minutes.

Create accountability by sharing your goal with others – otherwise, it's too easy to make the goal disappear. Then you are simply a goal-setter with nothing to show in the goal-getting department. If you want to lose weight, a daily action you can take is to eat healthier. Before you blow your nutritional programme after a couple of days, decide what’s more important; the short-term satisfaction of a treat, or the reward of shedding those pounds and getting the physique you have always wanted.

Any physical transformation requires a significant increase in training frequency, intensity and duration. This doesn’t mean that from January 1 you should train like a beast five times a week until you collapse. The usual reason for quitting a New Year training regime is overtraining and burnout.

The first month may require some major changes to your diet and lifestyle.

Give your body a chance to adapt and accept these changes, and it will be 10 times more beneficial in the second and third months. Hit the gym like a madman and I can almost guarantee you will quit within a month, from injury or burnout.

From January to April, try resistance or weight training at least three times a week, with two cardio sessions thrown in to maximise fat burning.

These can consist of one 30- to 45-minute low-intensity cardio session on the treadmill or elliptical trainer, and one high-intensity session on the treadmill (sprint for a minute, rest for 30 seconds, for a total of 10 sets).

Stick to these basic programmes and every two to three weeks raise the intensity by increasing the weights, the number of repetitions or the length of the training sessions.

Make this New Year the opportunity to get the results you have always wanted. Good luck!

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.

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Photos: Beatrice Lee

health & beauty

Urban oasis Enter Sparadise, Mid-Levels’ new organic day spa.

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his small boutique spa overlooks the Mid-Levels mosque and the birds in the surrounding trees. At the back, an indoor-outdoor treatment room features a wall of bamboo decorated with hanging plants, a cream awning and wooden-slat flooring. Soothing music plays and lightly scented candles add peace and tranquility. It’s an oasis in the city.

Spatastic! Above: the semi-outdoor treatment room where massages and facials take place. Below: set up for a mobile kids’ sparty.

Services The treatment menu features such beauty essentials as face threading ($330), eyelash tint ($200) and waxing (from $180). There is a good selection of massages, including deep-tissue sports ($850 for 90 mins) and pregnancy massages ($560 for 50 mins), as well as the indulgent Unwind package ($1,200 for one hour, 50 mins), which includes a full-body scrub and a 75-minute aromatic massage. For a really luxurious experience, the Nahaia Active Organics’ 24-carat gold facial helps to reduce the appearance of sun damage and age spots.

What to try?

Sparadise is one of the few spas locally to offer lymphatic breast massage, which helps strengthen skin tissue and prevent the build up of stagnant lymph fluid. The 50-minute massage costs $560, with 10 per cent of proceeds going to the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation. Adding to its family-friendly credentials, Sparadise welcomes nursing mums to breastfeed while getting their fingernails done.

Products Organic and sustainable products from New Zealand, Australia and the United States include water-based nail varnish that is safe for pregnant women and children, and hypo-allergenic wax that contains only chamomile, lemon, teatree oil and sugar.

Staff There are five therapists, including a spa manager with 11 years’ experience at the Mandarin Oriental spa. The other therapists have worked at Gentleman’s Tonic, Sense of Touch, Bodywisz and Iyara.

Clientele Men, women and young girls, thanks to free mini manis for children when mum or dad is having a manicure.

Who’s behind Sparadise?

Owner Shirley Lam has many years of experience working with luxury skincare products. “It’s always been my dream to own a little boutique spa,” she says. “I love that me-time getting a mani-pedi or an hour or two of enjoying quiet spa bliss. Women are typically exposed to 500 chemicals a day, that’s why I wanted to create a soothing environment using the organic spa concept.”

Sparadise, 21 Mosque Street, Central, 5962 2236, www.sparadise.com.hk.

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Culture clash

African fabrics meet Hong Kong style in new brand, Maisha Concept. Kawai Wong meets the designer.

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reativity is driven by greed.

This is especially true of fashion, with its insatiable appetite for everything new, new, new. So good news, hungry fashionistas, there’s a new brand to feast on in Hong Kong’s fashion food chain: Rakhee Shah’s Maisha Concept.

The womenswear label uses fabrics from East and West Africa in contemporary resort-style clothes.

Blending serious cuts and subtle playfulness, Kenyan-born Shah aims to empower her customers with unusual but powerful fashion statements. Think Oxford shirts with tartan cuffs, knee-length shift dresses in colourful fabrics, and tuxedo jackets with psychedelic linings.

Some of the designs feature words in a foreign language.

“Those are Swahili quotes,” says Shah, a third-generation Kenyan of Indian origin whose father is in the fabrics industry. “I use fabrics that bring back memories for me and represent Africa in a true light. From a young age, I have been surrounded by the East African culture from the language to the fabrics and traditions.

In my current collection, I used shuka fabric from Kenya, which is worn by male Masai tribal warriors.”

What to wear in 2013?

fashion

Shah also sources fabrics from Ghana and elsewhere in West Africa, which is famed for its rich prints.

“I get my inspiration in terms of designs and cuts from everyday life in Hong Kong,” she says. “Hong Kongers have a trendy and unique sense of style. And being surrounded by international global brands, as well as up-and-coming local designers, I'm inspired to design something using my own heritage but taking into consideration the latest trends.”

Maisha Concept is available from Sidewalk, 4-6 Gough Street, Central, 2850 7299 and from www.shopdescreateurs.com.

While some may be enjoying the thrill of wearing winter jackets and boots, the more fashionably-forward are already tired of the winter collections and itching to start shopping for spring/summer.

Next season’s runways were awash with a sea of white.

As a colour which has often been associated with new beginnings, white is the perfect colour for spring. So, how to wear it in 2013?

White shirt dress: Wear alone with heels or go for casual preppy chic by pairing with flats or sandals. In the cooler months, layer it with a cable-knit sweater and kneehigh boots. Check out No. 21 by Alessandra Dell’Acqua’s white shirt dress with ruffle details.

LWD (little white dress): White is the new black! A refreshing LWD will help you stand out from the crowd on any occasion. Cue Richard Nicoll's V-neck shift dress.

White embellished top: Taking you easily from day to night, the perfect white top works with sleek black pants for work and with shorts or a skirt for cocktails or dinner.

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.

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travel

W

Ice

town Kawai Wong chills in Harbin.

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hat does –25 degrees Celsius feel like? Looking at the locals at Harbin Airport's arrivals gate – all casual corduroys and lumberjack jackets sans hats and gloves – it doesn’t seem that bad.

Then the automatic doors retreat sideways. The cold is brutal and the wind savage. I clutch my turtleneck to fend off the stabbing Siberian gusts, but it isn’t much help. My breath solidifies almost instantly on the thick yarn, turning the collar into a frosty little scarf. I must look comical because a man smoking nearby gives me a sidelong smile and shouts in a thick northern Chinese accent: “Silly girl! Put on a pair of gloves!”

But I’m not sure gloves are going to be enough.

I dig out some heavy-duty skiwear and try again, finally making it to a taxi. With the heater on full blast, I ask the driver to take me straight to the famous Harbin Ice and Snow Festival. On the brand new six-lane tollway, fir trees and yellow brick houses fly past the windows and snow-trucks shoot out jets of powdery confetti that glow prettily in the roadside LEDs. It’s 4pm, and the sun is setting.

The traffic slows and finally gridlocks as the peppering of houses gives way to high-rise fortresses, softened by marshmallow snow drifts.

Harbin City, the Oriental Moscow, sits 500km from the Russian border and was once under Russian rule – and it shows. The town was established in 1900 by a Polish engineer working on the Chinese Eastern Railway, which was financed by the Russian Empire. So it’s little wonder that Harbin looks romantically European, with avant-garde wroughtiron bus stops and baroque footbridges that connect the interminable rows of art nouveau apartment blocks.

Without the stagnant traffic (a characteristic of modern China) and Chinese signs for “Hot noodles” or “Harbin sausages”, Harbin could be mistaken for Berlin or Zagreb.

It takes an hour to reach Songhua Avenue over the frozen Songhua River, the source of the ice for the magnificent sculptures that loom through the taxi’s windscreen. Our destination is Sun Island, the main site of the Ice and Snow Festival. This is no mere tourist attraction, but an entire town made of ice that glows turquoise, rose pink and lime from neon lights embedded in the frozen blocks.

Clockwise from opposite Ice sculptures at Harbin's Ice and Snow Festival; Saint Sophia Orthodox Church; street signs in three languages on Zhongyang Street; hawkers selling nuts and glazed fruit sticks; and European-style architecture in Harbin.

I hand over RMB300 for an entrance ticket and glide and twirl through the slippery labyrinth-like ice town of pagodas, temples, arches and pavilions. It is incredibly festive, with horse-drawn carriages, children sledding down ice slides, and even a nightly Chinese opera. Vendors hawk colourful glazed fruit on sticks, and visitors warm up over coffee and instant noodles.

The next day I wake early to join the locals queuing for ka lie ba bread (khleb in Russian) and Harbin

hong chang sausage for breakfast near Zhongyang Pedestrian Street.

The 1.4km street dates back to 1898, although its baroque and Byzantine buildings now house international franchises such as Zara and Omega.

In the side alleys, food stalls sell hazelnuts, fruit sticks and fresh bread.

With signage in Chinese, Russian and English, the street has a distinct WestEast flavour.

Another Harbin neo-Byzantine classic is the nearby Saint Sophia Orthodox church, the largest of its

kind in Asia. Lit up at dusk, its onion domes and plaza setting resemble Red Square. The interior is less impressive, with fading murals, a half-hearted photo exhibition of old Harbin and lacks original decoration.

Ice sculptures and architecture aside, most people come to Harbin to ski. The city is a gateway to the Yabuli ski resort, a four-hour drive southeast. It’s more affordable than Japan, closer than Europe or North America, and has Asia’s longest alpine run at 2.68km.

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travel

Yabuli even boasts Club Med, one of the world’s largest chains of all-inclusive luxury resorts. The wind is making snow swirls at the corners of the European-style buildings as I dash from the car to reception. Inside, it’s comfortably heated, tastefully decorated and vast, with signs to a swimming pool, gym and an outdoor Canadian hot tub.

The ski hall feels like the United Nations. Korean families fit their children with gear, a Czech ski instructor chats with a couple of Chinese skiing newbies and an Australian instructor babbles away at me, testing my skiing knowledge and promoting the resort’s events and facilities.

“There’s a Flying Trapeze show tonight. Let’s go for drinks at the bar after?” Known as GOs (genteel organisers), Club Med staff are a hybrid of teacher, performer and companion. They teach you to ski, perform at the various entertainments and party with you at night.

The Flying Trapeze is funny. The show is a tradition in most of the world’s 80 Club Med resorts. And Yabuli’s interpretation is a familyfriendly cross between Olympic gymnastics, the Chippendales and a West End production of Tarzan.

Stuntmen flap about in the air, performers juggle with hats and the audience loves it. The show is a nice prelude to après-ski agendas. At the open bar, some people are playing

34 | www.hkisland.com

snooker while others mingle with GOs or groove in the disco, where more GOs horse dance to Gangnam Style to get the crowd going.

Next day, fortified by a full breakfast (take your pick from French cheeses, charcuterie, salad, Chinese congee, noodles or a full English), I take to the slopes. The snow is dry, well-groomed and wonderfully

powdery. I spend most of my time on the nursery slopes and its magic carpet ride. But more adventurous skiers can catch a gondola either halfway up the peak or all the way to the top to its advanced alpine piste. It’s a 5km Nordic trail used for training by China’s national teams. When it’s –25 degrees C, there are few better places to be.

From top Club Med Yabuli at night; Asia’s longest alpine run; Club Med's skirental hall.

Useful information Luxe Travel can tailor every detail of your luxury travel from Hong Kong to Harbin, including flights, transfers, tours and accommodation at Club Med Yabuli. 3/F, 131 Queen’s Road Central, 2539 0628.

Club Med Yabuli – a five-day all-inclusive package, including air travel, from January to March 17 (when the resort closes for the season) costs from $7,224 ($5,184 for children aged 4-11). Yabuli Ski Tourism Zone, Heilongjiang, China, +86 451 5345 8000, www.clubmed.com.hk.

Columbia’s Omni-Heat parka and ski-trousers kept us mobile, sweat-free and warm at –25 degrees C. Shop 726, Times Square, Causeway Bay, 2310 6523.

Hideouts from home The Hideaways Club offers luxury holiday homes without the hassle. CEO Ian Johnston explains.

What is The Hideaways Club?

Some people spend millions buying overseas properties, enduring the significant cost and hassle of ownership, but end up using them only a few weeks of the year. The Hideaways Club provides that luxury holiday experience, while reducing the cost and providing a much greater choice. Essentially, members invest HK$1.65 million-$3.12 million in a fund that buys and owns holiday properties, entitling them to a share of the fund and two to six weeks’ stay in the properties (for details, visit www.thehideawaysclub.com).

How can we join?

The Hideaways Club is for high-net-worth individuals who consider holiday time with friends and family as an important part of their lives. The investment level, and the medium- to long-term nature of any property-related investment, mean members should be prepared to commit for at least three years. Potential members should apply

to The Hideaways Club in Gibraltar for a thorough selection process that can take six weeks. So far just 350 people have been selected to become members worldwide.

What’s your favourite property?

Santisook, our spectacular villa in Phuket, on a private headland near Kata Beach. The setting is beautiful, with an exquisite sea view from the rooftop swimming pool, and the staff is superb – our local concierge is the best Thai chef I have met. I took my family and friends there in August, and with five teenagers in the party, we made full use of the cinema, gym, snooker room and pool.

What is your most memorable travel experience?

Riding a camel through local Berber villages in the

Hideaway club in Niesko, Japan.

Atlas Mountains in Morocco while staying at Dar Hasnaa, one of two Hideaways properties near Marrakech.

Top three travel tips?

Always pack one more shirt than you think you’ll will need (two in Singapore), carry travel power adaptors for each location, and seek reliable local advice about the best restaurants and activities.

www.hkisland.com

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day tripper

Clockwise from left Peng Chau and other outlying islands; the main means of transportation; village life.

Island fling

A

Pete Spurrier takes Peng Chau in his stride.

tiny island sheltered by the bulky hills of Lantau, Peng Chau is a busy little place. A traditional fishing settlement, it was once also home to Southeast Asia’s largest match factory. Remains of the old workshops, and of ancient lime kilns, can still be found. A gentle two-hour walk around the island is a miniature heritage tour.

Take the ferry from Central’s Pier 6 to Peng Chau, turn right and walk beneath a row of big old trees to the tiny Tin Hau temple. Its age is not known, but it was restored in 1798.

A pair of couplets inside the temple record the surrender of Hong Kong’s most infamous pirate, Cheung Po-tsai.

Outside, an 1825 stone tablet records the islanders’ appeal for an end to the practice of Qing soldiers hiding in fishing boats to ambush pirates, as it ruined their livelihood. Their request was granted.

Continue down Wing On Street, the main market alley with lots of shops and cafés. At the end of the street, take the track uphill and turn right under an archway. Carry on up the steps to your left.

At the top of this leafy hill is the Peng Chau Rural Committee building, a nice old place with pavilions to either side. Bear right to

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walk around the building and take in the view of the Lantau coast with the Trappist Monastery perched high in a steep valley.

Descend by steps to the main track and turn right to reach a small Taoist temple guarded by stone lions.

Go straight ahead and keep left to pass the gateway of the Yuen Tung Buddhist temple.

Now you’re well away from the urban world. The valley below is still agricultural: old village houses, orchards and ponds. Keep left at the fork to pass through Tai Wo village.

At the crossroads, go straight ahead – the path drops down to an organic farm. It delivers fruit and vegetables

to island kitchens, and weekend gardeners can rent plots.

Returning to the crossroads, turn right onto the hillside. At a map board, take the path up to the top of Finger Hill. It’s not very high, but it offers a 360-degree panorama of the town, the Western Harbour and the outlying islands.

Back at the mapboard, turn right and descend into the town. At the church, go straight ahead beside the playground then turn right. Take a look at Chi Yan School, its entrance framed by palm trees. Built in the 1930s, it bears the emblem of the Kuomintang, which was then in power in China.

A few more steps lead to Tung Wan bay, where the Lung Mo, “Dragon Mother”, temple looks out to sea. It recalls a woman who raised five baby dragons, which later returned to protect her from the Qing Emperor.

Turn left to walk north along the shore and turn inland at the pink building. Soon you’ll find a small but brightly painted temple to Kam Fa, goddess of the golden flower.

Kam Fa was a girl who secretly learned kung fu from her father and used it to rob the rich and help the poor. Photos on the wall show the lion dances that take place every year to celebrate her birthday.

Just below the temple lies the main street. The pier is in sight, but you may want to stay on the island for dinner. Alternatively, a kaido village ferry leaves about once an hour until 10pm for Discovery Bay and its highspeed ferry service to Central.

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

family

One door closes, a window opens Kate Zhou shares lessons learned from a traumatic year.

T

.S. Eliot wrote: “What we call the beginning is often the end.

And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” As I look towards the New Year, this notion of closing one door to open another resonates profoundly with me.

In April, my husband was diagnosed with acute leukaemia and given only four months to live unless a bone-marrow donor was found.

There was no match in his family, no match among our friends, no match in the Hong Kong Red Cross.

Seven months, seven rounds of chemotherapy, one overseas donor and one transplant later, he is home. He’s still fighting an infection caused by his body’s rejection of the bone marrow, but this is normal, we are told. So we remain hopeful.

But everything has changed.

And it changed because I learned so much. This is what I have learned.

Don’t underestimate children’s ability to cope.

Last weekend, as I hung out with my kids, I was struck by how well they have dealt with their father’s illness and

its implications. Their initial fear was heartbreaking, but over the months, I have seen their resilience kicking in.

At only 10 and six years old, they have managed to find the patience to deal with absentee parents and to reach an understanding that they have a role in keeping the family going.

When we broke the news to the children, we told them Daddy’s white blood cells were naughty and did not work as hard as they should to protect him. Daddy had to stay in hospital and let the doctor discipline the naughty cells. My six-year-old son said: “If I were the teacher, I would give your white blood cells a 'D'!”

Before my husband’s hair began to fall out, he asked the children if they could help to cut it because there was no hairdresser in the hospital.

They were happy to help (I finished the job by shaving his head).

It takes children time to adapt to the major changes in their lives, but I am amazed by how resilient and strong they can be. When it comes to breaking bad news, it is better to come clean than to brush the truth under the carpet. Being overprotective

can be counter-productive as it risks giving children a false impression of the world, and confuses them.

Good friends form the best support network.

While I would never wish this on anyone, I count myself lucky to have witnessed the lengths our friends would go to help us. Through their willingness to tap their personal and professional contacts, my husband had the care of a top Hong Kong oncologist and access to the top cancer researcher in the US for advice and consultation. We even received a personal call from the general manager of a leading pharmaceutical company informing us of new drugs. All thanks to the group effort of our friends.

And their tireless campaign to encourage Caucasians to register as bone-marrow donors was so successful that the Hong Kong Red Cross registered more Caucasian donors in two months than over the past 10 years.

Be kind to strangers.

People who did not know us were

willing to undergo surgery and give up a part of their body to help. Our bone-marrow match finally came from Germany, “Donor 2191453”. Watching his/her bone marrow drip into my husband’s body, I felt an overwhelming surge of gratitude and humility.

Treat friends in trauma as you would treat anyone else.

A friend who moved overseas returned for a visit and we met for breakfast.

I told her that if I talked about my husband I wouldn’t stop crying – and I did not want to cry. I wanted to have a normal, pre-leukaemia conversation.

So we did. We gossiped about work, she complained about her husband’s antics to make me laugh, and we talked about our kids. I left with a heart less heavy.

Whatever happens, life carries on. On a family stroll the other day we went past a cafe – the same one I pass on the way to work without ever going in, thinking it silly to pay for expensive coffee – and it had a sign in its window that read: “Life’s too short to drink shitty coffee.”

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education

B

ebegarten aspires to change education, where did this aspiration come from?

Our founder, Margaret Leung, has a real passion for education. This project is the conclusion of 12 years of intense research and observing children in environments around the world. In Hong Kong, what we see is a very stressful situation for families and children that is becoming increasingly competitive. It doesn't have to be that way.

Virginia Humpage

Bebe steps Head of curriculum Virginia Humpage gives Josh Kindler the lowdown on Southside's new preschool.

38 | www.hkisland.com

What did you learn from other countries?

We're basing our model on five different world models. We looked at the Italian and New Zealand systems, which stress the importance of family in children’s learning. So many schools claim they involve parents, but actually some don't. We went to America to look at the High Scope system, and we saw that teacher-child ratios are critical for children to receive quality one-on-one dialogue with their teachers and peers. We also looked at Britain, where education is play-based and child-initiated – children learning through play – which is a thread throughout the curriculum.

So family is key to learning?

Absolutely. In Hong Kong, helpers are a big part of a family life too. We're going to provide a platform for change which is holistic and organic. We want

learning to be as effortless as breathing. And it really can be, without flash cards and exams in the early years. The best way to prepare a young child for primary school, and for life, is to give them an opportunity to be themselves, and to have their strengths valued, which we can achieve through low child-teacher ratios and highly trained teachers.

Tell us about your curriculum, the “Language of Children”.

It's a progressive, reflective curriculum devised for children from six months to six years old. It focuses on the children’s interests, which is why we're recruiting early-years educators who understand how to “scaffold” children’s learning and look at each individual child. It takes into account the child’s all-round development – physical, emotional, creative and expressive. It helps children get ready for primary school, to be confident and expressive, with an opinion and a voice, and to have their strengths recognised.

What advice would you give to parents?

Reflect on what's important to you, what you believe in, and what you want for your children.

Do not be influenced by what everyone else is doing, but stick to what you want and what you think is right. Look at every child individually.

The best way to prepare a young child for primary school, and for life, is to give them an opportunity to be themselves, and to have their strengths valued.

How has the programme developed?

It's been a real inspiration for the whole team. There are four of us: Margaret is the visionary, I’m the practitioner, helping the dream come into practice.

And we couldn't be doing any of this without our investor Claudine, who's only 25, but is passionate about making a change for Hong Kong parents and children. We're starting a conversation about change, bringing together like-minded professionals and parents, who believe this is the right time for change in Hong Kong education.

Level 3, One Island South, Wong Chuk Hang, 3487 2255. Bebegarten is holding an information session for parents on January 29 in Wan Chai.

For details, please email info@bebegarten.com or visit www.bebegarten.com.

Kellett School Creating a love of learning in Kowloon Bay Kellett School, The British International School in Hong Kong, is an English National Curriculum School.

Kellett School is now advertising teaching vacancies for new posts commencing in August 2013 at the new Kowloon Bay Campus.

For further information visit www.kellettschool.com (Working at Kellett)

Now recruiting teaching staff for 2013/14 Academic Year

www.hkisland.com

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pets

2

Photo: Kat Kuok

volunteer and I took cages of puppies on the front 013 marks the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong of an open sampan, and had to cling on for dear life Dog Rescue, which is a cause for celebration. when an unexpected squall came through.

With a bit of luck, this year will be a special one These days I celebrate when every dog or for the dogs of Hong Kong. Hopefully, it will see puppy leaves us for a new home, giving me a sense the Legislative Council passing the long-awaited tightening of regulations for breeders and pet shops, of satisfaction and pride in a job well done. Every puppy I've taken out of the AFCD’s kennels, and putting an end to the suffering of the trade’s fourloved and cared for until it’s finally adopted, is an legged victims. This is something animal NGOs individual to me – not just another puppy but a have been pushing for as long as I can remember, so unique personality and character. To date, HKDR the law's passing would be a huge achievement. has found homes for about 7,000 such dogs, Attitudes to HKDR and the local pet industry and while I can't claim to remember have changed hugely in the past decade. It surprises every one of them in detail, they even me to remember how it used to be in the “old have all made their mark days”. Long-term volunteers laugh about HKDR’s on my life in one way early days in Pok Fu Lam where we were banned or another. from bathroom facilities and had to climb through a small hole in the wall left by an air conditioner, or hide out of sight in one of the dog pens.

When we had no Homing Centre or kennels, we took our dogs and puppies to wherever we could show them off.

On one memorable trip to Sally Andersen toasts new legislation an adoption event in Discovery Bay, a governing pet shops and breeders.

A doggy

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

bird at my window } with David Diskin

40 | www.hkisland.com

The feral pigeon aka Columba livia The feral pigeon is one of the most familiar birds because of its close relationship to man. Domestic and feral breeds originate from the rock dove, which has a natural range covering Europe, North Africa and southern Asia. It is a cliff-dweller, living either on sea cliffs as in Britain, or rocky canyons as in Israel.

The feral pigeon was first domesticated in the eastern Mediterranean 5,000-10,000 years ago, mainly for food, although in Egypt it was a sacred bird associated with fertility. It has been widely bred ever since for consumption and for racing.

Racing pigeons have a special ability to find their way home even across hundreds of kilometres.

Wild populations of feral pigeons that have escaped or been released from captivity have become established around the world well beyond the natural range of the rock dove. They are particularly associated with cities where the ledges of buildings substitute for rocky cliffs.

They are widespread in Hong Kong and can be found in a variety of habitats from the dome of Kowloon mosque to the fields of Long Valley near Sheung Shui. Racing pigeons occasionally turn up on Po Toi – the special bands on their legs indicate these birds are from Taiwan.

David Diskin is the author of Hong Kong Nature Walks: The New Territories.

Visit www.hknaturewalks.com or accipiterpress.com for more information.

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classified LOCAL Property

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| 45

the ultimate guide DAILY NECESSITIES

HOME

PETS & VETS

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

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 Studio Annetta 9849 1216 suzy@studioannetta.com www.studioannetta.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

IPHONE REPAIR 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)

DRY CLEANERS Vogue Laundry 3555 4009, www.voguelaundry.com Clean Living 2333 0141 www.cleanliving.com Kleaners 2295 0088 Park Avenue www.parkavenuehk.com Jeeves of Belgravia www.jeeves.com.hk

MULTIMEDIA Dymocks 2834 5832 jannie.tam@dymocks.com.hk www.dymocks.com.hk Premiere Performances 9545 6851 info@pphk.org

FINANCIAL SERVICES

46 | www.hkisland.com

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

Visitor Attraction Ocean Park 3923 2323 www.oceanpark.com.hk

REAL-ESTATE

Habitat Property Limited

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

Transport & Travel Services

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

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

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

Get listed call 2776 2772 email marketing@hkisland.com

Food & BEVERAGE

LEARNING

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

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

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 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

| 47

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

Kingsford Gardens

Dragon View

La Place De Victoria

King Yu 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.

Broadwood Twelve

Tai Hang

Claymore Lodge

Carnation Court

Le Sommet

Park Towers

Evergreen Villa

The Elegance

Lime Habitat

Shing Loong Court

High Cliff

Elm Tree Towers

Kashi Court

Trillion Court

Hoc Tam Garden

Flora Garden

Mount East

The Leighton Hill

Grand Deco Tower

Pacific Palisades

Leon Court

Illumination Terrace

Sky Horizon

Butler Tower

Mid-Levels

Nicholson Tower

Serenade

Villa Clare

Cavendish Heights

Aigburth

Scenecliff

Pioneer Court

Trafalgar Court

City Garden

The Colonnade

The Albany

Scholastic Garden

San Francisco Towers

Villa d’Arte

The Summit

Jardine’s Lookout Roc Ye Court

The Java

The Legend

The Babington

Seymour

Fortress Garden

Monterey Court

Branksome Grande

Tavistock Tregunter Tower

Valley View Terrace

Sheung Wan

Tanner Garden

Ronsdale Garden

Century Tower I

Ventris Place

CentreStage

Wilshire Towers

Gardenview Heights

Chung Tak Mansion

Vantage Park

Villa Monte Rosa

One Pacific Heights

Dynasty Court Towers

Wisdom Court

Village Garden

Princeton Tower

Wanchai

Kennedy Town

Elegant Garden

Wise Mansion

Bamboo Grove

Belcher’s Hill

Fairlane Tower

Woodland Garden

Caroline Height

J Residence

Cayman Rise

Fairview Height

Bon-Point

Horseshoe Tower

Kennedy Court

Harbour One

Greenview Gardens

Borrett Mansions

Moon Fair and Sun Fair

Manhattan Heights

Hillsborough Court

6A Bowen Road

The Oakhill

Mount Davis 33

Hoover Court

Branksome Crest

8 Shiu Fai Terrace

The Merton

Kennedy Heights

Casa Bella

Star Crest

The Sail at Victoria

Lyttelton Garden

The Fortune Gardens

United Mansion

University Heights

Macdonnell 2 Road

Garden Terrace

Caroline Garden

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

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

The Mayfair

Glory Heights

Macdonnell House

Grand Bowen

Palatial Crest

Hong Villa

Park Mansions

62B Robinson Road

Park Rise

80 Robinson Road

Po Garden

Seymour Place

Regence Royale

Soho 38

Pok Fu Lam

Right Mansion

The Belcher’s

Robinson Heights

Chai Wan

Robinson Place

Island Resort

31 Robinson Road

Heng Fa Villa

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.

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 Graze Guru Jaspas Java Java 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 Zoe Cafe

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

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

Health, Beauty, Fitness Fitness First Sense of Touch Toni & Guy 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

Join our community!

The Oakhill 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.

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

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.

Subscribe now!

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

It’s Free and exclusive.

Sign up here www.hkisland.com/subscribe

www.hkisland.com

| 49

Oh snap

Point & shoot We love our city, down to the last gram.

Our visions of the city.

The only place on the Island to find peace and quiet?

Hong Kong's concrete forest.

Get instafamous

Tag #hkislandmag or email your instagram shots to editor@hkisland.com.

Yes, it is winter but it's hardly the deep freeze. December’s pool is MINE.

Strutting the urban catwalk.

50 | www.hkisland.com

Living among the angels, high up in the clouds.

Lunch at Restoration and Hong Kong Island Magazine makes good company.

ICC and Two IFC continue their long-distance relationship.