FAMILY | FOOD | HOME | SPORT | LIVING
February 2015
Kung Hei Fat Choi!
Jazz at the temple
Get a room
Valentine’s sleepovers
Inside KGV
Lai see | Lion dancing | Orange trees | Candy boxes | Night parade | Fireworks
We see the individual.
Hong Kong Academy offers a rigorous international education that engages students as unique individuals with different interests, goals, and approaches to learning. As an IB World School for students ages 3 to 18, Hong Kong Academy challenges all students to reach their potential and prepares them for life in a dynamic and diverse world. To learn more about our school and community or to arrange a tour, please visit www.hkacademy.edu.hk or call 2655-1111.
learning, growing, understanding
The really useful magazine February 2015
FIVE MINUTES WITH...
PEOPLE 2 Snapped! Sai Kung’s social life.
14 Parrot on a bike Chirpy Jino Wong and his bikeriding bird.
THE PLANNER
NEWS FROM THE GREENS
4 Happening in February What’s on this month.
16 Farmville or agriculture Questioning the AgriPark policy.
NEWS
FEATURE
8 In your backyard Goings on in the Kung.
18 Lunar New Year guide Know it all.
LETTERS
EATING
10 Have your say From our readers.
24 Food of love Valentine’s dinners with a difference. Plus Nibbles.
INTERVIEW 12 Word up Books are here to stay, says Dymocks’ Ursula Huber.
FAMILY 26 Rainy days and Mondays Fun things to do on dull days.
EDUCATION 28 Golden oldie Inside ESF’s new-look King George V School. BIG DAY OUT 34 Get a room Sleepovers for grown-ups. SPORT 38 Smartphone fitness Ray Sting gets savvy about screens. HEALTH & BEAUTY 40 Good-hair day Get the snip. TRAVEL 42 Macau weekend The best of the sister ’hood.
PETS 46 Friends with benefits How pooches make new pals for their people. CREATURE FEATURE 47 Mangrove crabs Living by their pincers. MARKETPLACE 48 Your guide to shops and services Cool stuff to buy and do. CLASSIFIEDS 54 Loads of random useful local stuff. VINES IN SAI KUNG 56 A baa’d start? Threats to the parks, rewriting history and blackmail... hello 2015.
“SOME DAYS EVEN MY LUCKY ROCKET SHIP UNDERPANTS DON’T HELP.” – BILL WATTERSON
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people Snaps from Sai Kung
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say cheese
Share your event photos with us at photo@fastmedia.com.hk. Get snapping!
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planner
happening in february FEB 7 Jazz With Love Free jazz concert featuring school bands, local and Hong Kong acts. Organised by Sai Kung District Council. 4pm-9.30pm, Tin Hau Temple Square, Sai Kung.
FEB 11, 25 Hebe One O One Quiz Thinking caps on. 8.30pm. 112 Pak Sha Wan, 2335 5515.
UNTIL FEB 28
AIA Great European Carnival
FEB 11 Health Seminar
UNTIL FEB 15 Kidsfest!
FEB 1 Sai Kung Sunday Market
Hong Kong specialists give four 20-minute talks: exercise for women aged over 35; detoxing done right (and as modern torture); posture and pain; and communicating with kids for a stress-free home. Free, but please register in advance. 7pm-9pm, Hong Kong Cricket Club, 141 Wong Nai Chung Gap Rd, Wong Nai Chung Gap, 2552 9925, info@eliteptstudio.com.
Eight favourite children’s stories and a bunch of dinosaurs live (except the dinos) on stage. Shows include Barmy Britain, Vile Victorians, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, and The Princess and the Pea. Drama Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $195-$435 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.
Monthly eco- and community-inspired indoor market for locally sourced produce and fun activities. 11am-5pm, Hong Kong Academy, Wai Man Road, Sai Kung, www.saikungmarkets.com.
FEB 12-MAR 8 Disneyland’s Spring-time Celebration
FEB 5-8 Fantastic Mr Fox
Mickey & Co turn red and gold for Lunar New Year. Tickets $355-$499 from Hong Kong Disneyland, Lantau, www.disney.com.hk.
Three hectares of waterfront carnival fun, including bumper cars, a ferris wheel, street entertainers and a “European tour”. Central Harbourfront. Tickets $125 (children aged three-11, $90) from www.ticketflap.com.
Faust International’s young performers present Roald Dahl’s tale of the crafty canine vs Boggis, Bunce & Bean. Drama Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $220-$270 from www.hkticketing. com, 3128 8288.
FEB 6 Harry Potter Night Dress up as your favourite Potter character for fun, games and magic potions. Children and adults welcome, free but call to RSVP. 5pm-8pm. Dymocks, 7 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung, 2791 9110.
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FEB 13-14 Valentine’s Day Night Market Love is in the air, with live music, stalls and a distinctly romantic ambience. Feb 13, 6pm10pm; Feb 14, 4pm-10pm. PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central.
FEB 13-15 Hong Kong Masters Showjumping action and lifestyle entertainment. AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau. Tickets $330-$980 from www.cityline.com, 2111 5333.
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FEB 14 Valentine’s Day
FEB 20 Lunar New Year Fireworks
Get smoochy.
Blink as much as you like, you can’t miss them. Boomtime in Victoria Harbour is 8pm.
FEB 19-21 Lunar New Year Kung hei fat choi! Welcome the Year of the Sheep.
FEB 19 Lunar New Year Night Parade
FEB 21 Lunar New Year Race Day
FEB 26 ‘A Chance Kill’ book signing
Fingers crossed you back a winner. Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin, www.hkjc.com.
Meet local author Paul Letters on the release of his first novel. 5pm-7.30pm, Dymocks Sai Kung, 7 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung, 2791 9110.
FEB 22 Sai Kung Lion Dances
FEB 27-MAR 1 Chinese Opera
Cymbals, drums and lots of lion dancers. 9amnoon at Tin Hau Temple Square, Sai Kung.
The temporary bamboo theatre will be erected in Sai Kung for the annual Lunar New Year opera series. Free. Shows nightly from 7.45pm. Outside Tin Hau Temple, Sai Kung.
Floats, marching bands, acrobat troupes, dragons, lions and dancers parade through Kowloon. Seats $300-$450; roadside viewing free. 8pm, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2508 1234, www.discoverhongkong.com.
FEB 19-MAR 5 Hong Kong Well-Wishing Festival While it’s no longer possible to throw oranges into the Lam Tsuen wishing trees, you can still make a wish, see the parade floats and performances, and try local foods. Free, 9am7pm. Lam Tsuen, Tai Po, www.lamtsuen.com, 2638 3678.
FEB 27-MAR 29 Hong Kong Arts Festival The city’s annual cultural bonanza, with worldclass performers from Asia and beyond. For details, visit www.hk.artsfestival.org.
FEB 28-MAR 2 Paper Cinema’s Odyssey Charming retelling of Homer’s epic using paper cutouts. HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $80-$300 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.
Got an event? We can publish the details for free. Email editor@saikung.com. 6 | WWW.SAIKUNG.COM
BOOK NOW MAR 5-15 Pride and Prejudice The Gate Theatre present the Bennet sisters’ hunt for husbands. Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $180-$500 from www.hk.artsfestival.org.
MAR 31-APR 12 Cavalia Devised by the people behind Cirque de Soleil, this is a modern circus on horseback with 50 horses, 20 riders, plus aerialists, acrobats, dancers and performers from around the world. Tickets are $245$1,195 from www.hkticketing. com, 3128 8288. Big Top, Central Harbourfront.
MAR 21 Pitbull Live in Hong Kong Woof. AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau. Tickets $880-$1,080 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.
MAR 18 One Direction On The Road Again Brace yourselves for 1D mania. AsiaWorld-Arena, Lantau. Tickets $998$3,488 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.
MAR 6-15 CATS Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s feline masterpiece comes to The Venetian Macao. Tickets $280-$680 from www.cotaiticketing.com, 6333 6660.
APR 2-5 Smurfs Save Spring The Smurfs on stage. Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Smurfy seats $688 (including gifts), other seats $250-$588 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.
APR 20 Charli XCX Boom clap! Music Zone, KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $490 from www.ticketflap.com.
MAY 15-JUN 7 Sound of Music A few of your favourite things, direct from the West End. Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $395-$995, family packages available at www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.
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news Remembering Suzanne Dennis
Well-known local journalist Suzanne Dennis died a few days before Christmas. A resident of Tai Wan village for more than 20 years, Suzanne was easy to spot in Sai Kung, with her trademark pitch-black clothes and electrifying shock of white hair. Friends
recall her as a force to be reckoned with. “She handed out equal servings of hot tongue and cold shoulder,” a colleague said. “But underneath had an extremely warm and caring personality.” Suzanne was a familiar figure around Sai Kung and at the popular Tai Wan village busstop bar, affectionately known by regulars as “Mr Wong’s Dong’’, where she was a founding member. She wrote for many local and international publications including The Standard and PRC Magazine. Her friends at The Dong are united in their loss and regret Sue never got around to writing the book she planned to call Twenty Years at the Bus Stop. She was 61.
Shopping plaza at Kai Tak Open to cruise ships since 2013, Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is now open as a fully functional shopping destination. The mall contains branches of high-end shops such as Dior, Guerlain, Fossil, Follie Folli, Sunglass Hut and Hugo Boss. Shoppers spending more than $300 receive two hours’ free parking. Dining options include wine and champagne bar 1925 Club (a nod to the opening date of Kai Tak airport) and Plaza Café, with great views of the harbour. Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, 33 Shing Fung Road, Kowloon, 2700 6600, www.ktcp.com.hk.
Recycle a mobile, help a child Put your old ding wah to good use and donate it to charity. The Child Welfare Scheme (www. cwshk.org) is asking for donations of old mobile phones to help children in need in Nepal. Delete all your personal data and drop off unwanted units at donation boxes around Hong Kong. The phones will be sold by Cash4Mobile, with proceeds going to the Child Welfare Scheme in Nepal. Phones that are not resold will be recycled by Hong Kong company E-Tech Management. Drop-off locations include Pure Fitness branches and the Dutch Consulate (24/F Great Eagle Centre, 23 Harbour Road, Wan Chai). For details, contact organiser Barbara Markovits, 5190 1700, barbara@markovits.eu.
Mind your misdemeanours
Harry Potter Sai Kung’s Night at Dymocks School of Rock Calling all Harry Potter fans: on February 6, Dymocks Sai Kung is turning into Hogwarts for one night only. Owner Ursula Huber is inviting fans of the J.K. Rowling books to dress up as their favourite character – Harry, Hermione, Mad-Eye Moody – and go along for a night of fun, games and magic potions. Children aged seven and up will be sorted into houses by a Sorting Hat for quizzes and other wizard stuff. Free, but please call in advance to reserve a place. 5pm-8pm. Dymocks, 7 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung, 2791 9110.
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The Living Room is running a three-day Rock School for kids over Lunar New Year. Run by professional musicians, Rock School Junior lets kids aged nine to 13 experience a real-life band situation and create their own music. At the end of the camp, each band will perform before a small audience. The camps will run for 15 hours on February 14-16. Register by February 4 for the earlybird rate of $1,800; the regular price is $2,600. Camps take place at The Living Room, 90 Sun On Village, Sai Kung, 9512 1279, www.thelivingroom.hk.
Sai Kung-related Facebook pages have been buzzing about a police crackdown on infringements. Residents and visitors have been booked for jaywalking across Hiram’s Highway near Honeymoon Dessert. Also on the radar are people riding without seat belts on the 101M minibus, with reports of tickets issued to passengers who don’t buckle up. Offenders could face a maximum fine of $5,000 and three months’ imprisonment. Yikes.
Jazz at the temple A mini jazz festival will be held in the square outside Sai Kung’s Tin Hau Temple on February 7. Organised by Sai Kung District Council, Jazz with Love will feature local jazz musicians and groups, school bands and other acts, including Ginger Kwan and Friends, who perform the finale at 8.40pm. Free, 4pm-9.30pm. Sai Kung Tin Hau Temple Square, Sai Kung.
in your backyard
Sai Kung Stingrays’ big day out The young rugby players of Sai Kung Stingrays were a force to be reckoned with at the annual New Year’s Day youth rugby games at Hong Kong Football Club on January 1. In testament to the club’s sportsmanship, Stingrays players were named “Best and Fairest” in five of the eight matches played. Huge congratulations to Oliver Pyle, Amy Baber, Xavier Cranwell, Hebe Talas and Jessie Hood. HKRFU Head of Rugby Operations Robbie McRobbie said, “As always there was no better way to greet the New Year than down at Sports Road enjoying the 48th Prudential New Year’s Day Youth Tournament. A healthy crowd was treated to eight fabulous matches from the Under 12s boys and girls up to the Under 19s, and it was great to see the Stingrays very well represented across the age grades. It’s a testament to the work of everyone involved in the club that, in a relatively short period of time, those pink shirts have become such a force in Hong Kong rugby. “Particular congratulations to Xavier on his
well-deserved award of the prestigious Larry Abel Trophy, a great end to a memorable day.”
Win a Colour Me Beautiful Consultation
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Robbie McRobbie with Xavier Cranwell, winner of the Larry Abel Overall Best & Fairest Trophy.
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letters “Taken at High Island Reservoir.” – Ritchie Bent, Pak Tam Chung
“How beautiful the view is when the light first appears at Tui Min Hoi.” – Jenny Cagliarini
from our readers Weekend congestion solutions Here are some ideas regarding lessening the traffic problems at weekends in Sai Kung (Local, January 2015). • Police should be stationed at all traffic lights to keep traffic moving at peak times. • Police should manually direct traffic for vehicles heading to Ho Chung Village. • Large buses and minibuses heading out along Tai Mong Tsai Road should use Wai Man Road (past Hong Kong Academy). • Minibuses to Sai Kung Country Park should use the minibus terminus near the swimming pool instead of the main minibus station. • Make greater use of the terminus near the Temple bell query I am a licensed tour guide in Hong Kong (I hold a permit issued by the Travel Industry Council) and I lead some tours to Sai Kung. My first “stop” is the Tin Hau temple, in which Western tourists are invariably interested. In common with all temples to the Goddess Tin Hau, the one in Sai Kung has a bell. However, Sai Kung’s is distinctly Western in its shape and
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police station. Why is it still dormant? Increase the 94 bus service – why are there still only two buses an hour when demand is so high? This will encourage more people to use buses not cars. • Ban cyclists riding two abreast and after 4pm at weekends. • Build underground car parks. • Prevent deliveries to supermarkets after 11am. • Start a ferry or sampan service between Pak Sha Wan pier and Tui Min Hoi. • Ensure tourist coaches leave after dropping off passengers and do not sit and wait. Helen M, Sai Kung •
has an “internal” clapper. On the exterior of the bell are inscribed the letters “USN”. This would appear to indicate that at some time in the past it was donated by the United States Navy, but that is purely conjecture on my part. Does any resident or historian know the story behind the bell in the temple? I would be very grateful for any information received. Martin Heyes
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local
word up
Editorial
Senior Consultant Editor Jane Steer jane@fastmedia.com.hk Managing Editor Hannah Grogan hannah@fastmedia.com.hk Editorial Assistant Cherrie Yu cherrie@fastmedia.com.hk Staff Writer Callum Wiggins callum@fastmedia.com.hk
Design
Art Director Kelvin Lau kelvin@fastmedia.com.hk Graphic Design Setareh Parvin setareh@fastmedia.com.hk Evy Cheung evy@fastmedia.com.hk
Sales & Marketing Head of Sales & Marketing Karman So karman@fastmedia.com.hk
Business Development Manager Tristan Watkins tristan@fastmedia.com.hk Marketing & Communications Manager Sharon Wong sharon@fastmedia.com.hk Sales & Marketing Executive John Lee john@fastmedia.com.hk Sara Tomovic sara@fastmedia.com.hk Viola Choi viola@fastmedia.com.hk
Accounts Manager Connie Lam connie@fastmedia.com.hk
Publisher Tom Hilditch tom@fastmedia.com.hk
Right: book lovers Tibor and Ursula Huber at Dymocks Sai Kung.
For the love of books Dymocks Sai Kung owner Ursula Huber tells Hannah Grogan why books are here to stay. Dymocks Sai Kung opened in October 2010. I saw an ad looking for people who liked books, so I wrote to them and said I would be interested in running a bookshop but only in Sai Kung. I thought there was a market here. We had to invest quite a lot of money but in the end it worked out. We are not affected by the closure of Dymocks in IFC Mall. We are a franchise, with separate accounts and order directly from the publishers. We order about 400 new titles every two months from a list arranged by the head office but now we need to create that list ourselves. Dymocks wants to pull out of Hong Kong, so there will be an end to the Dymocks name here eventually. We will keep the brand name until our contract runs out. We hope to stay where we are, but will get a different name. Rents in Sai Kung are ridiculous. That’s why so many properties are empty. The amount landlords
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want... nobody can operate on that. Either they find somebody who closes down almost immediately or the property stays empty. The whole city is empty. I hope our landlord is reasonable. Who wants to work just to pay the landlord? I won’t do it. We are affected by ebooks, but
No one wants to read a cookbook as an ebook not that much. The bookshop is not just books, but magazines, cards and other items. Children’s books do very well. Also cookbooks – no one wants to read a cookbook as an ebook. Fiction is most affected, but that’s only a very small part of the business. It’s a misconception to think people are not interested in books anymore. They are, they still are. Everybody says bookshops are
going down because they’re not interesting, that’s wrong. People love to go to a bookshop. The problem is the rent. You cannot sell enough books to pay that amount of rent. That’s why Dymocks IFC is closing. It was doing fine, but there are other brands that can make more money. How can bookshops continue with rents like Louis Vuitton’s? We can’t, we simply can’t. We have a different business concept to online shops. We are different to Amazon, we want people to come into the shop. We are focusing on book signings and events. We’re holding a Harry Potter Night on February 7 – we’re really excited. It’s for children aged seven and up, and they can dress up and play games. The whole team is getting involved. It will be really, really fun. 7 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung, 2791 9110. For details of upcoming events, please see Planner, p.4.
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five minutes with...
he’s chirpy
The disco parrot guy
Contributors
Cherrie Yu meets Jino Wong Ching-lun and Jai Jai the parrot on their disco bike.
Adele Brunner Carolynne Dear Sally Andersen Stephen Vines Paul Zimmerman Steffi Yuen Mei-li Rose Bacani
Printer
Apex Print 11-13 Dai Kwai Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, Hong Kong
Published by
Photo by Hannah Grogan
Fast Media Floor LG1, 222 Queens Road Central, Hong Kong
Jino Wong and Jai Jai on his bicycle perch – on cold days, Wong protects him with a homemade windscreen. Cover photo by Hannah Grogan.
www.saikung.com ads@fastmedia.com.hk @saikungmag facebook.com/SaiKungMagazine GIVE US A CALL! Admin: 3568 3722 Editorial: 2776 2773 Advertising: 2776 2772, 3563 9755 Sai Kung 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. Fast Media Ltd cannot be held responsible for any errors or inaccuracies provided by advertisers or contributors. The views herein are not necessarily shared by the staff or publishers. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any way, part or format without written permission from the publisher.
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I used to specialise in outdoor filming for television productions, and first came to Sai Kung on filming trips. I dreamed of living here. Twenty years ago, after getting married, I saw an ad for a village house in Tui Min Hoi, I was so crazy for Sai Kung that I bought it that day. I have been living in Tui Min Hoi for 26 years. Sai Kung is ideal. I grow flowers in my garden and have a big area for my three dogs and Amazon parrot, Jai Jai (little son). He is 11 years old. I first saw my parrot in 2003, during Sars, on a dim sum trip to Yuen Long. This baby parrot stood out from the rest with its bright little eyes. The shop owner said it was $12,000. Of course I didn’t buy it, but after two hours I went back and the shop owner offered it to me for $8,500 – he hadn’t sold a bird for a long time because of Sars. And so I brought it home.
We were singing Happy Birthday and suddenly he joined in... We all went a little crazy
my shoulder and I’ve never tied him to anything since. I first heard Jai Jai sing at a birthday celebration. We were singing Happy Birthday and suddenly he joined in. I never taught him. We all went a little crazy when we heard him.
This is my second Amazon parrot, my first had a purple head and was given to me by a friend. Later I found out purple-headed parrots have a lower mentality than yellow-headed parrots.
It’s interesting to see Jai Jai interact with my dogs. The dogs arrived after the parrot and whenever he walks around at home, the dogs make way for him and let him stand on their backs and heads.
For nine years, Jai Jai was tied to my shoulder when we went cycling together. I used to cycle with my dogs, but with three it was hard to get around. One night, I bumped into a guy with a remote car and asked to take a picture of Jai Jai on top of it, but a loud noise scared him and he flew away. Thankfully, a few seconds later, he flew back to
My first parrot was old, but it was the cold wind that killed him. So with Jai Jai, I am extra careful. At first, I just built a platform on my bike for him to stand on. To protect him from the wind, I cover the platform with an empty water-cooler bottle. He didn’t like it until I cut off the top. Now he’s comfortable inside his windshield.
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news from the greens
back to the land
Farmville or agriculture? Paul Zimmerman questions the government’s AgriPark policy.
Owners consider agriculture an effective temporary measure to keep the ecological value of their land low The Government has started consultation on a new agriculture policy. It is proposing an 80-hectare mini AgriPark. But after years of calling for sustainable agriculture in Hong Kong, this smells like a red herring. Rural developers hope infrastructure required for the AgriPark would unlock nearby land for development and are proposing it to be put in or near a country park enclave. Or is the proposal for a 80ha Disneyfied farm project in fact a disguised proposal to rezone all remaining agricultural land for development? Most of the 4,523 hectares of agricultural
land in Hong Kong is hoarded by property developers. Only 729 ha is actively farmed, primarily by subsistence tenants. Owners consider agriculture an effective temporary measure to keep the ecological value of their land low with regular vegetation removal. Making sure woodland does not mature is critical when seeking to rezone land for development later. Sustainable and quality farming operations on our agricultural land will only happen once the expectation of future development on agricultural land is removed. Safeguarding land for agriculture requires
certainty of land-use designation, planning control over land zoned for agriculture and a halt to encroachment on agricultural land with development approvals under the smallhouse policy. There are some key questions the government fails to raise in the consultation on agriculture policy. Why do we want to safeguard land for agriculture? For food security, food safety or to let retired people play “Farmville�? How many hectares (from 80 to 4,523) of our scarce land do we want to protect for agriculture purposes? Where is that land? And how do we ensure agricultural land is protected and used for agriculture (regulation and enforcement)? Paul Zimmerman is the CEO of Designing Hong Kong, a Southern District Councillor and the co-convenor of Save Our Country Parks alliance.
Special Offer You can enjoy a whitening and moisturizing facial treatment, valued at $480 with any package purchased.
$500 for a soak off manicure + pedicure package 30% OFF facial discount for student $152 for 45mins Foot Massage $198 for 45mins Aromatherapy Body Massage For enquiries and/or appointment, please call: 2302 0289 G/F., 10 Tak Lung Back Street, Sai Kung Working hour: 10am-8pm
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Kate Zhou busts some lai see myths.
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feature
Happy Year of the Sheep! Lunar New Year is here again. I give many talks on Chinese culture and, of all the events in the Chinese calendar, the thing that causes most concern to nonChinese people is the giving and receiving of lai see, money given in red packets to wish the recipient good luck and happiness. Here’s what you need to know. Lai see is not a tip When she was new to Hong Kong an American student of mine gave her favourite doorman $1,000 in lai see. The next day, he knocked on her door holding the red packet with a puzzled expression on his face. “Madam, I think you made a mistake,” he said. He thought my student had wrongly given him lai see intended for a wedding or a newborn’s celebration. She was mortified and couldn’t understand his response as she equated the amount to a Christmas tip for her doorman in New York. And therein lies the rub. Lai see is not a Christmas tip or year-end
money, money, money
How much should one give? $20 for an acquaintance you see regularly but don’t know well, such as a doorman. $40 for somebody close to you such as friends’ children or your hairdresser. $100 as a generous gift to someone you care about and is the minimum a boss gives a subordinate. $500-plus – this is not unheard of, but it is usually given with a good motive or during birthdays or weddings.
bonus, it is a blessing. The doorman would have appreciated the sentiment even if the amount was smaller (see above). Over-giving can be incongruous Chinese people believe luck is a two-way road; the more good seeds you sow, the more good luck is likely to reciprocate. The quantity of cash
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feature
Lai see is not a Christmas tip or year-end bonus, it is a blessing inside each lai see packet is irrelevant. A bigger amount does not equal better luck. When I arrived in Hong Kong from mainland China, my building’s management had a lai see fund to which tenants/owners contributed. I offered my share and thought that was that. Then one day I saw my neighbour handing out lai see to the doormen, security guard and cleaners. She explained the giving of lai see was meant to be a joyous act of spreading good cheer. For her, it was like sending Christmas cards or throwing confetti. Many expats – me included – worry that if we give too little lai see, people might think us stingy. This is wrong. But the concept of giving lai see is being bastardised as we teach this error to our expat friends. Children should not give lai see More egregious than over-giving is letting children hand out lai see, especially to service staff. This isn’t cute, it is inappropriate. And
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Shopkeepers hope to get lucky after a lion dance.
it can be insulting. There is a hierarchy to giving lai see that is strictly adhered to in the Chinese community: older to younger, married to non-married, or between people of the same generation. For giving to people who work for or with us, the adult does the giving, not the child. Children do not give lai see, they receive.
The 15-day grace period Lunar New Year is celebrated for 15 days from day one of the lunar calendar, and lai see is given only during this period – not before or after. This year, the grace period falls from February 19 to March 5. Kung hei fat choi!
feature
Kung hei fat choi!
What happens when at Lunar New Year. Feb 18, Lunar New Year’s Eve It’s going to be a busy night. The MTR will run 24 hours. Shopping malls and local clothes stores will be thronged with people snapping up last-minute bargains in the sales. At Lunar New Year fairs in Victoria Park and across the territory stallholders will be haggling over prices for the last flowers, peach blossom and kumquat trees. Elsewhere, though, stores may close early as Hongkongers head home for the traditional “last dinner” with their families, before descending on temples for midnight ceremonies and lion dancing to welcome the new year. Feb 19, Lunar New Year’s Day Good luck trying to catch a cab this morning. Every Chinese family will be on the move, returning to the home of the most senior family member for the first meal of the year. Lai see will be distributed. Many shops and restaurants will be closed. Lion dancers perform blessings for local shops and housing estates – if you see a lion, give the dancers some lai see for a lucky year ahead.
The Lunar New Year Night Parade in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Feb 20 The second day of the year is when married couples return to their parents’ homes for a family meal. Many shops remain closed and
cabs will be scarce. Head to the harbour for the fireworks at 8pm – go early to get a good view if you’re planning to join the throngs on the streets.
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feature
If you see a lion, give the dancers some money for a lucky year ahead What to eat At Lunar New Year, families traditionally feast on Buddha’s Delight – a huge claypot filled with neatly laid out delicacies such as abalone, shrimps, Chinese dried mushrooms, conpoy, fish maw and sea cucumbers. This can be made at home, ordered as takeout (Maxim’s charges from $798 for six people; 2101 1128, www.maximschinese.com.hk) or eaten in a Chinese restaurant. Steamed fish, chicken and roast pork are also popular. After dinner, dessert is usually a fried turnip cake or nian go (sweet glutinous rice cake) – grandmothers make the best, but they can be ordered from restaurants to be fried at home. Wing Wah has turnip cakes
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Sweet treats for Lunar New Year.
for $110 for 850g (www.wingwah.com). Snacks are an essential part of family gatherings at home, including bowls of mandarins and jau gok (deep-fried glutinous dumplings filled with pork, Chinese sausage or Chinese black mushrooms). For children, set out a traditional compartmentalised red or black
Chinese candy box with black and red melon seeds, candies in red, gold or black wrappers (hello, Ferrero Rocher and Almond Roca), gold chocolate coins, dried candied coconut and dried candied lotus seed. Wet markets offer a wide range of Chinese candies, or try Aji Ichiban outlets.
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eating
food of love
V Day dinners Dinners for two on Valentine’s Day.
Dip into fondue at the Hyatt Regency Sha Tin; enjoy the view from Cafe Deco or bond over oysters (maybe) at Alchemy’s dinner in the dark.
Romance in Sai Kung Boasting one of the most romantic dining rooms in Sai Kung, Hebe One O One is hard to beat on Valentine’s Day. This year it is offering a special four-course menu on February 14 starting with seared US scallops. Choose from four appetizers including crispy-fried crab cake, and pan-fried foie gras with caramelized apples. Mains include wild mushroom risotto, grilled halibut fillet with champagne and caviar sauce or splurge an extra $180 on the OP Rib. “It is sensational!” claims owner Scott Wrayton. Dessert is a shared platter with of sinful sweets such as dark chocolate cream with white chocolate pearls, brownies and profiteroles with red chocolate hearts. We would. $688 a head. 112 Pak Sha Wan, 2335 5515, www.hebe101.com. Anti-Valentine’s Day Trust the boys at Casa to come up with something different. On February 14, the Sai Kung tapas bar is dedicated to all things anti-
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Valentine’s. Details were still being worked out at presstime, but it’s sure to be fun. Sai Kung Hoi Pong Square, 9221 1940. Fondue for two Cosy up over Swiss fondue at the Cafe at Hyatt Regency Sha Tin. For Valentine’s Day, it is offering a special four-course Swiss set dinner ($488 a head for a minimum of two persons). Available February 13-15, the traditional cheese fondue comes with a country-style charcuterie platter and French baguette, a selection of main courses and a fun dessert of chocolate fondue with strawberries, biscuits, marshmallow and ice-cream. 18 Chak Cheung Street, Sha Tin, 3723 1234, www.hongkong.shatin.hyatt.com. Dinner in the dark For something a bit different, have dinner a deux in complete darkness, like the meetcute in About Time. Held at French restaurant Alchemy, waiters will guide just 24 diners to their seats in pitch blackness for an experience
that the restaurant says is all about exploring your senses of taste, smell, touch and hearing. We just think it sounds fun. Mobile phones are banned (to prevent sneaky peeks) and diners are not told what they’re eating until the end of the meal. The three-course Valentine’s Day dinner for two, with one glass of champagne and one glass of wine each, is $1,998. G/F, 16 Arbuthnot Road, Central, 6821 2801, www.alchemy-concept.com Coo with a view For a romantic dinner with one of the best views on the planet, try Cafe Deco with its stunning view of the harbour from The Peak. It’s offering a five-course menu for Valentine’s Day, including a gourmet starter platter, grilled US prime striploin with crisp oxtail praline and pan-fried foie gras de canard with pink pepper. Diners will also be given an éclair from French patisserie Fauchon. The menu is $868 a head. The Peak Galleria, 118 Peak Road, 2849 5111, www.cafedecogroup.com.
Nibbles Meat from Oz Food-delivery company Farmer’s Kitchen brings prime beef and lamb from Australia to your front door. All its meat products are organic, produced without force-feeding or growth hormones, and include dry-aged beef, wagyu, lamb and ribs. Order online at www.farmerskitchen.com.hk or call 9301 7445. New menu Mandy’s Caribbean Bar and Kitchen has a new menu featuring all your favourite dishes – curry goat, jerk chicken, beef stew – plus vegetarian and gluten-free choices. New dishes include gluten-free pitta bread and gluten-free corn bread (one day’s advance notice), sweet-potato fries with homemade Scotch bonnet pepper sauce and lime, sole curry and the Hummingbird chip butty. For desserts, try Trinidadian rum fruit cake and pumpkin cheesecake roll. 24 See Cheung Street, Sai Kung, 2791 2088.
Oscars Live at M Bar Good news, movie fans: M Bar at the Mandarin Oriental is holding a “Live from the Oscars” party on February 23, 9am-2pm. Eat popcorn during the red carpet arrivals, nibble brunch canapés during the opening monologue by host Patrick Harris and enjoy the free-flowing Moet & Chandon Rosé Imperial Champagne during the thank-you speeches. Special Oscar-themed cocktails will be served inspired by four nominees for Best Film: American Sniper, Birdman, Boyhood, and The Grand Budapest Hotel. A chocolate Oscar will be awarded to the “best-dressed” guest. $488 a head. 25/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, 2825 4002, mohkg-mbar@mohg.com.
Cake in a box Duddells and G.O.D have teamed up on boxes of traditional New Year nian go ($270) and turnip cakes ($320). G.O.D founder Douglas Young has designed the limitededition boxes, and Duddell’s two-Michelinstarred chef Siu Hin-chi made the cakes. The cakes are available at Duddell’s (Level 3, Shanghai Tang Mansion, 1 Duddell Street, Central, 2525 9191, duddells.co/home) with vouchers available at branches of G.O.D (www.god.com.hk).
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family It’s raining, it’s pouring… Things to do on dreary days. By Mei-li Bacani and Cherrie Yu.
Inside the glow-in-the-dark world of the 3D Museum.
Glow in The Dark 3D Museum Be part of the exhibits at the new Glow in The Dark 3D museum in Mong Kok. The first of its kind in Hong Kong, the museum invites visitors to interact with its luminescent 3-D pictures of fairy tales, movies and natural scenes. Join Alice at the Mad Hatter’s tea party, perch on a rock in a jungle river or drift down a Venetian canal in a gondola. It’s surreal, but fun. Open Monday to Saturday, 11am-10pm. Tickets $98, or $68 through Groupon until April. 3/F, 689 Nathan Road, Mong Kok, 2319 5628, www.doyougetit3d.com. Cinema City Langham Place With a state-of-the-art 4DX projector and seating, movies take on an extra dimension at this revamped cinema. The 116 new seats have audiences literally rolling in the aisles by heaving and pitching in synch with the action on the screen, as well as employing wind, water and even smell-o-vision effects. Buckle up for a whole new experience. Cinema City, L8-11, Langham Place, 8 Argyle Street, Mong Kok, www.cinemacity.com.hk.
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Hong Kong Space Museum Play among the stars at the Hong Kong Space Museum. Learn more about astronomy and humankind’s explorations of space in the galleries, then take in a movie at the Stanley Ho Space Theatre. This month the dome screen is showing Dream to Fly 3-D and the Omnimax theatre has Pandas: The Journey Home or Mysteries of the Unseen World. Not suitable for children under three. Cinema tickets are $12$32 and museum admission is $5-$10. Open 1pm-9pm during the week and 10am-9pm at weekends and public holidays. 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2721 0226, www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/Space. MegaBox There’s more to MegaBox than Toys R Us and Hong Kong's biggest branch of Ikea. Skate on the ice rink, dive into the giant ball pit at Play House’s 11,000 sqft indoor playground (the largest in Hong Kong) or catch a movie at the multiscreen UA Cinema. Aspiring illusionists will love Eddy’s Magic (L12), a shop with professional magicians to demonstrate tricks
and courses teaching sleights of hand to children aged three-12. 38 Wang Chiu Road, Kowloon Bay, www.megabox.com.hk. Sai Kung Public Library Pull up a seat and stick your nose in a book. As well as a decent English-language section, including children’s books, the library offers free wifi and computer access. Open 9am8pm, Thursdays noon-8pm. 5/F, Sai Kung Government Offices, 34 Chan Man Street, Sai Kung, 2792 3669, www.hkpl.gov.hk. Hong Kong Museum of Art With exhibits of Chinese fine arts, contemporary art and imagination-provoking short videos, the museum offers plenty of distractions. As well as the galleries, the outdoor Art Square features the Bamboo Construct exhibition and interactive mobile carts (C.art) created by local art groups. Standard tickets are $10 and concession tickets are $5. Open 10am6pm, closed Thursdays and February 19-20. 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2721 0116, www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts.
rainy days and mondays
Children can literally bounce off the walls at Ryze Trampoline Park.
Ryze Ultimate Trampoline Park Boing! A hit with kids of all ages, Ryze has more than 7,000 square feet of trampolines, including its famed angled trampolines, dodgeball arena, high-flying basketball hoops, slack lines and foam pits. Teenagers will love the Thursday theme nights (bouncing in pyjamas, anyone?) and laser parties on Fridays. At KidJump on weekday mornings (Mon-Fri, 9am-10am) adults jump for free when accompanying a paying
child aged six or under. Open Mon-Thu, 9am9pm, Fri-Sat, 9am-11pm. Over-sixes and adults $150/hr, under-sixes $95/hr. Walk-ins welcome but online booking is advised, especially at weekends and in the evenings. 3/F, 321 Java Road, Quarry Bay, 2337 9191, www.ryze.info. University of Hong Kong Take the West Island MTR line to the University of Hong Kong, where families are welcome to
picnic at the Centennial Garden (Centennial Campus), visit the history and art exhibitions at the University Museum and Art Gallery (9.30am-6pm) or learn how Earth came to be at the Stephen Hui Geological Museum (weekdays, 1pm-6pm). Admission is free. Book online for a free one-hour campus tour with the Green Gown Guides. University of Hong Kong, Bonham Road, Pok Fu Lam, www.hku.hk/visit/planggg.php.
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education
golden oldie
King George V School It has a storied history and state-of-the-art makeover, but it’s the students’ attitude that really sets KGV apart. By Adele Brunner. accommodates them in subjects where they can’t access the full curriculum. KGV follows the International Baccalaureate system but offers IGCSEs at the end of middle school in year 11 and both the IB diploma and B-Tech in the final two years. In 2014, the school celebrated its best set of IB results to date with 27 students attaining 42 or more points and four achieving the maximum of 45 points. All students have their own laptops and access to the school’s virtual learning environment, Lionel, which features coursework, homework, social activities, individual merits and concerns. Parents also have their own separate accounts and daily emails letting them know exactly what homework needs to be done and when. KGV has a strong sense of heritage. Built in 1936 before there was a tower block in the vicinity, many of its original buildings are still in use as well as the four school houses – Upsdell, Crozier, Rowell and Nightingale, named after former principals – to which each student belongs. A dedicated room off the new Learning Resources Centre replicates the way the school used to be, complete with parquet flooring, black-and-white photographs, old wooden desks and the uniform worn way back when. “I’m keen for KGV to be modern and Principal Ed Wickins with students outside the new Learning Resources Centre.
It speaks volumes about a school and the way it is run when its principal can approach two teenage students on a whim, know their names and get them talking happily about themselves and their school. That’s no mean feat in a school of almost 1,800 students. Step forward Ed Wickins, principal of King George V School, better known in Hong Kong as KGV (pronounced KG5). Part of the English Schools Foundation, the secondary school caters to students aged 11 to 18 and is located in Ho Man Tin. Its feeder schools are ESF primaries Clearwater Bay, Beacon Hill and Kowloon Junior, but KGV also accepts children from other schools. Its students are 60 per cent Chinese with the rest from Indian, Korean, Japanese and Western families. Almost all are permanent residents. “KGV has a very strong sense of community,” says Wickins, who has been at the school since 2004. “A lot of our students
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even went to primary school together and we don’t have the same sort of transience that many other Hong Kong schools face. About 97 per cent of students stay from one year to the next with very few leaving at the end of year 11, which is when students typically head off to boarding schools.”
The school character is one of enthusiasm, positivity and energy. You can’t fake that The school is non-selective in terms of academic ability and is “proudly inclusive” with a learning support school within the main school that caters to children with conditions such as autism, Down’s Syndrome and cystic fibrosis. This allows these students to join mainstream classes as much as possible but
The new performing arts block and old-school quad.
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education
Students from Crozier house prepare for the interhouse tug-of-war.
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forward thinking but I also want to keep its history and heritage alive,” Wickins says. “If any two alumni meet, the first thing they will ask each other is which house they were in. The houses are important for sport and socialising.” For all its tradition, KGV has undergone extensive renovations. These include a new state-of-the-art science building, lecture theatre and performing arts block, complete with a TV recording studio, music rooms able to house a full orchestra and a rooftop performance space.
education
From left: The rooftop performance space; senior-school students pose for their yearbook photos.
“There was a whole range of people involved in the design and layout of the new blocks,” Wickins says. “For example, I don’t like walls, so this affected the layout of the Learning Resources Centre [an open-plan space with two libraries, reading rooms, individual study pods and a café]. Students in year 10 worked on the design of the study pods. They came up with the idea for a world map showing all the places our students come from and found the quotes from famous people that now adorn the walls.
The playing fields... make the school come alive Almost everyone has had a hand in the way the school looks today.” With financial support from the Hong Kong Rugby Union, the Hong Kong Cricket Club, KGV’s Parent-Teacher-Student Association and
Great brands at
ESF Educational Services, the school’s playing fields were also given a makeover. Rare in Hong Kong, they stretch the entire width of the school at ground level and incorporate a full-sized football pitch and facilities for rugby, cricket, netball, hockey, basketball, track and field activities, cementing KGV’s reputation as one of the territory’s sportiest schools. “The playing fields are spectacular and are in constant use for PE lessons, after-school and social activities, at lunchtimes and even weekends,” Wickins says. “They make the school come alive but also give something to the community which uses them too.” The ethos of the school is summed up by an anecdote Wickins tells about an interhouse knitting competition. “In England [where Wickins worked in the past], few would show any interest and certainly there would be concern about putting their hands up to volunteer. Here, everyone wants to participate – and participate to the best of their ability. There’s no cynicism or negativity. The school character is one of enthusiasm, positivity and energy and that’s all down to our students and how they feel about their environment. You just can’t fake something like that.” King George V School, 2 Tin Kwong Road, Ho Man Tin, 2711 3029, www.kgv.edu.hk.
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Beyond the website Dig a bit deeper when choosing a private international school, says ITS Educational Services. There are several ways to find information about a school before enrolling your child. Talking to parents who have children attending the school is important, but your child is the person that matters most, so make sure you know everything there is to know to choose a school that is right for your child. Here are a few ways to explore what is really going on in a school: 1. While impressive websites offer some understanding of a school’s unique selling points, it’s important to look beyond glitzy marketing materials and facilities to the teaching staff and core values. Ask about pastoral care and discipline – a school’s bullying policy often gives an insight into how it views its responsibility to students. 2. Attend functions when you are invited, such as open houses, tours, observation days, holiday parties and school functions. Use the opportunity to talk to other parents
and hear their true opinions about the school. Ask the principal or head of school questions – don’t get too specific about your child, but ask general questions about any plans for special projects for the school and significant changes to personnel, teachers or teaching methods. 3. Go to the school when you are not invited such as during drop-off and pick-up times. Does the head of school greet children by name? Are teachers friendly and caring towards the children? Is there good order when the children enter and leave the school? If you are a diverse family, does the school community have enough diversity? If you are a dual working-parent family, do you see nannies/ helpers or parents waiting for children? Attend as many PTA meetings as possible to learn how decisions are made and if parents’ opinions are taken into consideration. 4. Phone the school and talk with admissions staff about the admissions criteria
and application process. Is their tone friendly and are they able to answer your questions and represent the school in a positive way? 5. Analysing the last three years’ exam results will give you valuable academic information and reviewing the universities attended by recent graduates is also important. Armed with this information, you’ll be on your way to finding a school where your child will be well educated, happy and comfortable. ITS School Placements provides an education consulting service that works with families and employers to find the right schools for individual children in Hong Kong, from nursery to secondary schools. ITS also offers research, policy and advisory services for corporations. For more details, contact es@itseducation.asia, 3188 3940 or www.itseducation.asia.
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New French Club in Term 2 Learn French the FUN and FRIENDLY way! Held at the Woodland Montessori Academy. Key features: • Carefully structured and progressive language programme • Primary emphasis on FUN! Children learn through: fast-paced games, interactive activities, stories, rhymes, music and movement, role play etc. • Introduction to France and French culture • Small classes Venez apprendre le français tout en s’amusant. Nous offrons un environnement idéal pour découvrir cette merveilleuse langue à travers l’art, la peinture, la cuisine, les jeux et les histoires. Le French Club permet aux enfants de s’enrichir d’une nouvelle culture et de se familiariser avec les chansons françaises traditionnelles.
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big day out
loved up
The new Aecosphere bubble tents at Mingle Farm.
Get a room Stay in a bubble, a warehouse conversion or grande dame hotel. Cherrie Yu finds fun options for a romantic interlude. Love bubble Enjoy a little us-time in your own love bubble. Mingle Farm in Tin Shiu Wai brings glamping to Hong Kong, with funky inflatable Aecospheres that arrived in November. Complete with air conditioning and blow-up mattresses, the spheres offer varying levels of privacy: one is totally transparent, four others have opaque walls and a “skylight” so you can sleep under the stars but safely out of view of your fellow campers. One bubble is a dining tent, with
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space for up to eight people to eat in comfort. There’s also a double bubble with a mini living area. As well as the Aecospheres ($1,200 a night during the week, $2,000 on weekends), accommodation on the farm includes conventional caravans and an inflatable house that looks like a bouncy castle with beds. On-site activities include zorbing, archery, DIY workshops and fishing, or visit nearby attractions such as the Ping Shan Heritage Trail with its ancient pagoda and ancestral
halls, Hong Kong Wetlands Park, the oyster beds of Lau Fau Shan or the walled village of Kam Tin. Tin Tze Road, 30 Fung Ka Wei, Tin Shui Wai, 2891 8263 or 9785 8263, www.minglefarm.com. Urban oasis Take a break with a cool, contemporary edge at Ovolo Southside, Hong Kong’s first “warehouse conversion hotel”. Bareboards, whitewashed brickwork, polished concrete
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big day out ceilings and exposed pipes give the rooms a hip, urban vibe, while floor-to-ceiling windows offer views across Aberdeen, Shouson Hill and Deepwater Bay. All rooms come with superspeed wi-fi, daily breakfast and freeflowing drinks from 6pm to 8pm. Sip a cocktail at Above, a rooftop bar with more great views and an easy breezy ambience, or go for dinner at Cirqle bistro, with its Mediterranean meets East Asia fusion cuisine. There’s an art gallery downstairs and some of the southside’s main
attractions are on the doorstep, including Ocean Park and the galleries and shopping of Wong Chuk Hang and Ap Lei Chau. Rooms from $1,488. Packages with Ocean Park tickets also available. 64 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen, 2165 1000, www.ovolohotels.com. Five-star fantasy For good old-fashioned romance it’s hard to beat The Peninsula, Hong Kong’s graceful grande dame hotel. The rooms have been
Indulge in five-star romance at The Peninsula.
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big day out Wrap up in bathrobes and pad down to the Romanstyle indoor pool renovated in a clean, contemporary style, with cream walls, polished wood and Asian touches such as a peach blossom wall motif. It’s the little things that set the Peninsula apart, such as the green Rolls-Royce pick-up, 300-count Egyptian cotton bedlinen, sitting areas in each room, and discreetly concealed universal adaptors and chargers. Pamper yourselves with a couple’s treatment at the awardwinning Peninsula Spa, or just wrap up in the complimentary bathrobes and pad down to the Roman-style indoor pool – a wonderful retreat in chilly February, with lunch and breakfast available poolside. Go for afternoon tea in the gold-trimmed lobby, share a fondue in alpine surroundings at Chesa or splurge on a meal at Gaddi’s, Felix or Spring Moon. You can’t go wrong. The 441 sqft deluxe rooms start at $3,880 on Valentine’s Day. Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2696 6682, hongkong.peninsula.com. Loft-style rooms come with great views of Aberdeen and Ocean Park at Ovolo Southside.
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sport
digital health
Get fit with a smartphone Ray Sting finds ways to use smartphones and tablets to improve children’s fitness.
Hong Kong is blessed with short, relatively mild winters, which means kids can get out and about rather than fill gloomy, wet days with endless hours in front of a screen. Even so, technology is compelling and it is truly scary how it eats up the hours with not a great deal to show for it. But just as schools have successfully integrated technology into the classroom, we should be able to integrate it into family life. Our responsibility as parents extends to managing our children’s digital health. How kids learn to use these devices is determined by the example we set. If we are always glued to our phones, laptops and TVs, what message does that send to our children? By all means take your phone/iPad outside and even to rugby training, but embrace it as the portable art box that it is: take photos and video, use the filters, backgrounds, fonts, text boxes and music. Create!
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And after filming your children throwing or kicking a ball, rugby or otherwise, swap over and get your kids to film you doing the same, then compare the two. Have your kids ever seen themselves swim 25 metres? If not, instead of playing with your phone, film them, time them, show them. They will love it and – here’s the kicker – they will improve. Elite sport and technology are inextricably linked. There is no reason why children should not use digital technology at home to improve their physical skills and creativity. PE teachers are starting to use iPads not just for tracking fitness levels and coaching but for modelling new games, synchronising dance/ movement and for widening the curriculum and making it fun. One PE teacher showed his class a video clip of the All Blacks doing the haka, then asked the children to think about what it means, research its history and make up their own haka. Brilliant!
Film them, time them, show them. They will love it and they will improve Next time you download an app to keep a child quiet, spend a few minutes in the App Store to find one to make him or her sing, draw, stretch or be active. Not sure where to start? Go outside and play with the timer on your phone. Time your kids doing something, having races and see if they can improve on their times. Get them to time you. Make your own rugby “how-to” videos to share with your Stingrays coach – we’ll put the best up on our Facebook page. Stop press: congratulations to the Under-14s girls who have won their league. Go Stingrays!
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health & beauty Get the snip Where to get a Lunar New Year haircut. A Lunar New Year haircut is as traditional as kumquat trees, red clothes and lion dancing. You can choose any style you like, but get the chop on or before February 18 – getting a haircut during the Lunar New Year holiday is bad luck.
Tala’s Hair and Beauty is airy, sophisticated and friendly.
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Tala’s Hair and Beauty Centre Offering international-standard hair and beauty services in the heart of Sai Kung, Tala’s services include organic hair colour, highlights, Brazilian blowout, keratin treatment, upstyles and hair extensions as well as haircuts and beard trimming. The salon is airy and sophisticated, and Mojdeh Kazemi and her staff are welcoming, friendly and generous with refreshments. While you’re there, indulge in a little extra grooming in the beauty centre, which offers facials, manicures, pedicures, waxing, threading, massage, make-up and organic spray-tan services. 56 Po Tung Road, Sai Kung, 2335 1694, www.talashair.com.
chop chop Hollywood Hair Salon 2 For a whole new look, get a makeover with the international stylists at Hollywood Hair. A funky little spot in a village house, the salon is the second opened by Rennie Fensham (the first is in Central) and is run by her daughter, Yentl Snyman. The Sai Kung team offer a full range of hair and makeup services including colouring, highlights, Brazilian blowouts, treatments and other services. It’s a family-friendly spot, where kids can also get their haircut, play in the paddling pool on the terrace or even do their homework while mum gets a new do. 210-211 Wong Chuk Wan Village, Tai Mong Tsai Road, Sai Kung, 6903 7710, www.hollywoodhair.com.hk. Salon Peninsula In the space formerly occupied by Tranquillity Spa, near the minibus station, Salon Peninsula is a relaxing spot offering professional hair and beauty services for adults and children. Hair services include cuts, colouring, straightening, treatments, perms and updos. The salon works with Beauty Tech makeup academy, offering makeup for weddings, proms and other special events, as well as makeup classes for
individuals and small groups. 1/F, King Man Street, Sai Kung, 2766 1266. Green Wave This popular Sai Kung salon has moved to the far side of Po Tung Road, but it still offers a full range of hair services including cuts, colour and treatments at reasonable rates. 25 Po Tung Road, Sai Kung, 2792 2221. Pro-Wave Salon Located in the heart of the old town, longestablished stylist Tracy has a large tribe of loyal customers in Sai Kung. She offers a full range of services, including haircuts, colouring, perming and keratin treatments as well as children’s haircuts at reasonable rates. 19 Sai Kung Main Street, Sai Kung, 9853 2623. Hair by Mike Located in Clearwater Bay, Hair by Mike offers haircuts for men, women and children at reasonable prices. Other services include highlighting, perming and straightening. 1/F Silverstrand Shopping Centre, Silverstrand Beach Road, Clearwater Bay, 2335 5018.
Make waves with a new haircut for the new year.
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travel
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the sister ’hood
Treat yourself to some R&R at the Banyan Tree Macau. Opposite: take a flying leap off the Macau Tower with the world’s highest bungy jump.
Macau weekend Hannah Grogan discovers why Macau is one of Lonely Planet’s top spots for 2015. When to go There’s no time like the present. Lonely Planet rated our sister Special Administrative Region among the top destinations of 2015. As with Hong Kong, Macau is more bearable during the cool, dry winter. Avoid public holidays when Macau is packed.
highest bungy jump or opt for the marginally less terrifying Skyjump, the Skywalk around the outside of the tower or the Tower Climb up the spindly 100m mast atop the tower. The bungy jump full package is 3,788 MOP, including the jump, T-shirt, certificate, photos and video.
Things to do It may be small, but there’s no shortage of things to do in the Las Vegas of Asia. Movie premieres, theatre performances, boxing matches, motorcycle shows – there’s always something happening in Macau. A sure-fire crowd-pleaser is the $2 billion House of Dancing Water – a high-energy combination of theatre, dance, diving and gymnastics – at the City of Dreams on the Cotai strip. Reserve a seat in the first few rows and prepare to get wet. Get the adrenaline pumping at AJ Hackett Macau Tower. Take the plunge with the world’s
The old village of Coloane retains its colonial charm Get cultural and visit the ruins of St Paul’s Church, the restored Mandarin’s House (10 Travessa Antonio da Silva, +853 2896 8820) and the lovely old mansions beneath the banyan trees on the Taipa waterfront. While the Taipa mansions now look out over the glitzy casinos of the Cotai strip, the old village of Coloane retains its colonial charm, with its tiled
square and little restaurants tucked under the colonades leading to the pretty church. What to eat Eating is at the top of almost everyone’s must-do lists for Macau. Among the SAR’s most famous restaurants is Fernando’s, tucked behind a vine-covered terrace off the blacksand Hac Sa beach on Coloane. It’s a popular spot with a no-reservations policy, so go with time to spare and expect to wait for about an hour – order a bottle of vinho verde or a jug of sangria and a plate of chorizo at the alfresco bar, or challenge a friend to a game on the (increasingly rickety) foosball table. Everyone has their Fernando’s favourite: African chicken, roast suckling pig, barbecue spare ribs or prawns in clam sauce – it’s all good. Cash only. (9 Praia de Hac Sa, Macau, 2888 2531.) For Macanese cuisine – a fusion of Chinese and Portuguese – you can’t beat Restaurante Litoral (261 Rua do Almirante Sergio, +853 2896
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From left: the bright lights of the Venetian Macau and the Cotai casino strip; outdoor entertainment and indoor feasts at Fernando’s; St Paul’s Church.
CHINESE KITCHEN Why not add a bit of spice to your life and come and try our Authentic Hunan Cuisine 16 Wan King Path Sai Kung Square Sai Kung Reservations: 2191 2498 Visit our Facebook page: facebook.com/cksaikung
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Eating is at the top of almost everyone’s must-do lists for Macau 7878). With its grand exterior and old-school decor of blue and white tiles, it’s another popular spot. Go for the grilled cod, baked duck rice and curry crab. And don’t miss Macau’s most famous snack: a box of Portuguese egg tarts from Lord Stow’s Bakery (Coloane Town Square, +853 2888 2534). They’re worth every calorie. Where to stay Since the development of Cotai, there’s no shortage of hotel rooms in Macau. Stay in the lap of luxury at the Banyan Tree Macau, where all rooms come with their own indoor pool – or splash out on one of the hotel’s villas, which also have private outdoor pools and gardens. Indulge in a couple’s massage at the Banyan Tree Spa or watch the sunset from your own private (air-conditioned) pool cabana, where you can even order up a barbecue package or cocktails. (Avenida Marginal Flor de
Lotus, Cotai, Macau, www.banyantree.com.) City of Dreams has three hotels – Crown Towers, Grand Hyatt and Hard Rock Hotel – with reasonably priced packages for accommodation and entertainment (details at www.cityofdreamsmacau.com). For something a little different, the historic Pousada de Sao Tiago is one of Macau’s most romantic destinations. Built into an old fortress, complete with cannons and a small stream running through the entrance, it has just 12 suites overlooking the inner harbour, a small free-form pool and a lovely terrace on the old ramparts that encourages guests to linger. (Avenida da República, Fortaleza de São Tiago da Barra, + 853 2837 8111.) How to get there For those staying on Cotai, the Cotai Ferry is a convenient option, with tickets starting at $177 at weekends. Or travel like a high-roller in the Cotai VIP Cabin, a private cabin with seats for up to eight people and complimentary food and drinks (from $1,807). For those who prefer to fly, Sky Shuttle operates a helicopter service departing every 30 minutes for the 15-minute trip (from $4,100 a person, www.skyshuttlehk.com).
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pets Friends with benefits How dogs can make you a new best friend. By Sally Andersen.
A newspaper story was published recently about therapy dogs being used to help painfully shy young Hongkongers to overcome their social fears. But you don’t need to be young or shy to benefit from having a dog. They are the best ice-breakers in any situation; people talk to each other more easily if there is an animal involved. Strangers happily stop to engage in conversation and long-term friendships are made over a mutual love of dogs. Here are a few of the comments posted on my Facebook page after I wrote about the story: • •
•
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“Without my dogs I would not have all the friends I have now.” “They get you out and about, I don’t see much point of going for a walk without a dog.” “Shortly after we got our boy, we knew everyone around the neighbourhood.”
Many friendships have developed well beyond walking dogs together • •
“Dogs make fantastic personality checkers.” “I directly attribute fostering a dog to helping me overcome post-surgical depression and speeding up the recovery process.”
In any country with an expatriate community, people are constantly arriving and leaving, but being a dog owner makes it easy to meet new friends. Just head off to any of the places that are popular for exercising dogs and, before you know it, you’ll be chatting to others who want to know the new dog on the block.
pooch pals
hong kong creatures Mangrove crab aka Neosarmatium smithi
If you don’t have a dog, volunteering as a dog walker will bring you into contact with other like-minded people. At both our Tai Po and Ap Lei Chau Homing Centres many friendships, romantic and platonic, have developed well beyond walking dogs together. There have been at least two marriages as a result of people meeting through their love of dogs and HKDR, although we don’t actively promote ourselves as matchmakers. It’s absolutely true that a dog is man’s best friend, but it’s also true that a dog can help any lonely person to find good friends.
Sally Andersen is the founder of Hong Kong Dog Rescue, a charity that rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes unwanted or abandoned dogs.
Where to find them in Hong Kong: mangroves. With bright orange pincers and a broad black shell, the mangrove crab is one of many crustaceans in Hong Kong’s wetlands. It’s a medium-sized crab with a shell of about 4cm, two pincers and four pairs of legs. The major pincer is used to fight, feed and attract a mate, and is larger in males. Mangrove crabs can also climb trees to escape predators. Relatively uncommon in Hong Kong, it lives in the high inter-tidal zone, where mangroves meet terrestrial vegetation. It is of great ecological significance, with young fish feeding on the crab larvae. The crab’s burrows often feature small structures or turrets protruding above ground level and may be up to a metre deep, helping to aerate the mangrove sediment and reduce sulphide
and ammonium levels. It’s also important in removing leaf litter, which it buries or consumes at night. The crabs may also eat other small crustacea and sediment. In recent years the population has been falling, owing to hypersalinity and the destruction of its habitat through reclamation and development. Attempts by the Hong Kong Government to conserve the mangrove ecosystem are good news for this colourful little creature. Steffi Yuen
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STRESSED BY YOUR PET?!!! PET BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS? Hong Kong’s first and only Behavioural Veterinary Practice can help resolve aggression, fear, anxiety, separation related problems, compulsive disorders, inappropriate toileting, noise phobias etc.
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Tel: 9618 2475 smillie.cynthia@gmail.com
www.petbehaviourhk.com
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Mandarin tuition and Chinese English interpretation Mandarin tuition, home visit. English, Cantonese and Mandarin interpretation, translation. w: http://emandarinchinese.org/ t: 9792 7025 e: lam_lam38@hotmail.com
on patrol...
watch out, burglars about
Lunar New Year safety Janet Chan reminds Sai Kung to stay safe this month. As Lunar New Year approaches, the number of burglaries typically rises as thieves take an opportunity to make a quick buck by sneaking into vulnerable homes. To raise awareness of the need for home security, police will continue enhanced patrols in Sai Kung town and rural areas and set up roadblocks to look for suspicious people and vehicles. Ahead of the holiday, we would like to advise householders (particularly those who have already been victims of theft) to be more cautious and reinforce their anti-theft measures to safeguard their property. Another popular topic during the Lunar New Year is fireworks. While the firework display over Victoria Harbour on February 20 will be spectacular, we’re more concerned about fireworks being set off illegally in rural areas. This has been observed in the past, especially at this time of year. Setting off fireworks illegally is not only
a breach of the law, but also a serious safety hazard to members of the public and their property. It is an offence to manufacture, store, convey or use fireworks and pyrotechnics, including firecrackers, which are subject to control under the Dangerous Goods Ordinance. The Police Force recognises the potential hazards caused by the illegal discharge and storage of fireworks. The Police will mount proactive operations and take action – such as fines and imprisonment – against people involved in the following activities: • • • • •
Importing illegal fireworks into Hong Kong. The wholesale of illegal fireworks. Selling illegal fireworks to members of the public. Illegal possession of fireworks. Setting off fireworks illegally.
On behalf of Sai Kung’s police officers, I wish you all a prosperous, joyful and secure Year of the Sheep. Janet Chan is the ADVC OPS for the Hong Kong Police Sai Kung Division, tel: 3661 1630
To advertise, email ads@fastmedia.com.hk or call 2776 2772
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marketplace
classifieds HEALTH AND WELLBEING Cambridge Weight Plan - Nutritional weight loss CAMBRIDGE WEIGHT PLAN is in Sai Kung & Clearwater Bay. Balanced and nutritional weight loss programme with one to one support and motivation. Contact Jean 9045 5942 jean@cambridgeweightplan.hk or Alison 9618 1777 alison@cambridgeweightplan.hk
JOBS & SERVICES French Horloge Watch Repairer Service $100 Andre Jouve Horloge Clock & Watch Repairer Restoration Service www.andrejouve.wix.com/horloge “ Check My Watch & Clock Service ” • Mechanical Watch Movement Maintenance Guarantee • Accuracy Timing by Timegrapher Machine • Anchor Escapement Metal Wheel Parts available • Clean & Oiling & Overhaul Service • Antique Clock Mechanical Movement Paris Pendulum Gravity for Home Decoration • Free Charge Professional Horlogerie Consultant & Quotation • Quartz Movement Battery Changing Welcome for Home Service & Booking Appointment whatapps 852 5912 6135 or andrejouve60@gmail.com New Solo Mall , AJ Horloge Workshop CL122 TimeShop 1/F, 133 Connaught Road West, Sai Ying Pun, HK.
Helper looking for part-time work My name is Jeneth and I’m available to work on Mondays and Thursdays from 1pm-6pm. And Wednesdays from 8am-5pm. Give me a call on 9436 4032
PROPERTY FOR SALE Gorgeous Garden House $21M ref~SK681 Wonderful, Detached, Bright & Airy, 4 Bedroom House. Large Garden. Top Quality Decor, Quiet Location only 5 Minutes to SK Town.The Property Shop 2719 3977. www.thepropertyshop.com.hk (Eaa License C-027656)
PROPERTY FOR RENT Freehold Land for sale, Hua Hin Thailand $70,000 This is a leasehold property that my wife and I purchased a few years ago. It is at the foot of the hills near a golf estate and pineapple fields. Initially we
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random but interesting were going to build here but now we are relocating. Information on leasehold properties in Thailand can be found here: www.property.thaivisa.com/can-foreigners-property-thailand Please contact me on (852) 93872661 for more information. Dale
Duplex with Pool & Roof Terrace $42,000 ref~SK660 Super Convenient 3 Bedroom Duplex. Lovely Landscaped Location. Short stroll to SK Town. Private Roof, CP, Helpers Q. The Property Shop 27193977 www.thepropertyshop.com.hk (Eaa License C-027656)
Detached House to let near Sai Kung A detached house (2100 sq ft) in village surrounding available from mid-Feb Within walking distance to Hong Kong Academy International School and Sai Kung Town. Four bedrooms with two ensuites and maid’s quarter. Plus 3 parking spaces. Rental $55,000 pcm Direct from owner. No commission. Please email to: wing_lin8898@yahoo.co.uk
for 1.5 years - 8 years old children. Children are so curious and eager to know everything. Our nannies are well-trained to take care of kids while providing a comforting Mandarin / Cantonese environment. It is fun for kids to discover the daily life with their Chinese nanny and learn in the most relaxing and natural way through playing, arts & crafts, stories.... Our students are from ISF, CIS, HKIS, VSA, FIS, Kellett, CDNIS, Victoria... Please visit www.call-a-tutor to learn more about our service. Or, send your enquiries to our email: nanny.mandarin@gmail.com
FURNITURE Outdoors L shape sofa set $7,500 Hi we are selling our outdoors L shape sofa set. It includes 6 seats sofa, single seat sofa and coffee table with the glass on the top. The 6 seats sofa is 270X75X70cm, the single seat sofa is 100X60X45cm, the coffee table is 100X60X45cm. You can also choose the rattan and fabric colours. Apart from outdoors sofa set, we also sell outdoors table and chairs, garden heaters, BBQ, artificial turfing, fence and floor decking. We customize as your personal requirements. Interested, please look at our website www.everything.house or call/whatsapp 9518 6146 for more details.
MISCELLANEOUS Holiday let in Sai kung Can’t accommodate your visiting relatives or friends? A cosy fully furnished two bedroom apartment within walking distance to Sai Kung Town is available. Rental from $650 per night. Minimum two weeks stay Please contact owner for details: wing_lin8898@yahoo.co.uk
Lovely Detached House $62,000 ref~SK183 Attractive, Bright, Detached, 4 Bedrooms + Study. Open Kitchen, Large Terrace, Mountain Vistas, Helpers Q, 2 CP. The Property Shop 2719 3977 www.thepropertyshop.com.hk (Eaa License C-027656)
TUTORING Helpers cooking classes $640 Helpers Cookery Classes . Run from CC Kitchen near Marina Cove. EMail: cchouse13@gmail.com for more information.
Chinese Nannies (Mandarin speakers and Cantonese speakers) $200 Mandarin speaking nannies / Cantonese speaking nannies available
To advertise, email ads@fastmedia.com.hk or call 2776 2772
Super Porcelain Spring Clearance Sale Opens on Sat, Sun & Public Holiday (11AM 7PM) No.35, See Cheung Street, Sai Kung. Enquiry: 9277 8548
PETS & PET PRODUCTS Lovely Home Stay For Your Dog $350 Planning to send your dog to cage in a pet shop or kennel while you are travelling? Why not indulge them with a HOME STAY service instead? Your dog will be able to walk around freely inside the house as well as the enclosed rooftop in a pleasant environment. He or she will be well taken care of on a 24 hour basis; well fed and walked twice a day while you are away. I am a pet lover with over 25 years’ experience in taking care of dogs and cats. If you are living in Sai Kung or Clearwater Bay area my home is a welcoming and convenient place for your pet to stay in comfort while you away; allowing you to a have worry free trip. If you need more information, please call Kristy at 6377 5567 or visit my Face Book Page: www.facebook.com/pages/Lovely-Home-Stay-ForYour-Dog/1413619508899287
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Sai Kung Magazine continues to extend its reach in the community, here is the latest in distribution news.
SAI KUNG PENINSULA
Shatin
Sai Kung Town Hebe Haven Hebe Haven Yacht Club
Marina Cove KOWLOON Silverstrand Tseung Kwan O Clearwater Bay
HONG KONG ISLAND Portofino
30,000 readers 10,000 copies Restaurants, Bars and Cafes - Agua Plus - AJ’s Sri Lankan Restaurant - Ali Oli Bakery - Bacco - Butcher King - CC Café - Casa - Chip In - Classified - Colour Brown - Fiesta Fiesta - Olde Hong Kong Tea Cafe - Firenze - Five Coffee Company - Hebe One O One - Italiano’s - Jaspas - Let’s Jam - May’s Sawadee - Mike’s Chicken Comida de Portugal - Paisano’s - Pepperonis - Pizzeria La Gondola - Revolution Gallery Cafe - Sauce - Sawadee Thai - Starbucks - Steamers - Takka Fusion - T.C. Deli - Tree Cafe (Horizon Plaza) - The Duke of York - The Dutch cheese - The Sandwich Club, HKUST - Village Restaurant
Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club
The Giverny
Shops
Private Clubs and Hotels
Schools and Kindergartens
- The Bottleshop - The Courtyard - East Point City Shopping Mall - Everything Under The Sun (Horizon Plaza) - Final Fragment - Fusion, Centro Plaza - Fusion, Clearwater Bay - Ka Ying Curtain Craft - Leisure Book Shop - Life’s a Breeze (Horizon Plaza) - Look Upstairs - One Kowloon - Patsy House - Rich On House Property Agency - Sai Kung Market - Schmidt Vinothek - Taste (East Point City) - Today Speed Photo Finishing - The Mirth - TREE - Watsons Wine Cellar - Wood + Kitchen
- Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club - Equestrian Centre - Hebe Haven Yacht Club - Hillview Court - Hyatt Regency Hong Kong (Sha Tin) - Marina Cove - Residence Oasis - The Giverny - The Portofino - Victoria Recreation Club
- Anastassia’s Art House - Clearwater Bay School - Garden House - Hong Kong Academy - Hong Kong Adventist College - Kellett School - Mills International School - Music Horizon - Sunshine House - Sai Kung English - Tutti Music - Woodland Pre-School
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Health and Fitness - Allure - Escapade sports (Central & Causeway Bay) - OT&P (Razor Hill) - Pole Paradise - Queen’s Castle Organic Day Spa - Sai Kung Healthcare Centre - Sara Thai Massage - Season Fitness (Central) - Sense of Touch - Tala’s Hair and Beauty - Zone @ Sai Kung Reflexology Centre
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vines in sai kung
stephen says...
A baa’d start? Threats to build in the parks, rewrite history and blackmail residents of Clearwater Bay… welcome to the Year of the Sheep. who want it torn down and, with a nod to irony, replaced by a Tseung Kwan O History and Information Centre. They will, presumably, argue the only way to preserve the area’s history is to destroy historical remnants. It is the logic of telling a chicken destined for the dinner table that its life can only preserved by turning it into a meal. The families who pray at the temple are working to stop this act of vandalism, but they require more support from elsewhere.
Time to take a bite out of the country parks? We are on the verge of the Year of the Sheep – or, to be more exact, the Year of the Female Wood Sheep, which is connected with rural things such as grass, earth, wood and fire. This seems to be the kind of year that should be good for a rural area such as Sai Kung, unless the wreckers have their way and pressure builds (excuse the pun) to vandalise the country parks and despoil the countryside with property development. At the end of last year the usual suspects yet again emerged to suggest the country parks should be eroded to make more land available for housing. Allan Zeman, the father of Lan Kwai Fong, airily suggested up to five per cent of the space occupied by the country parks could be re-zoned for housing. He’s obviously been supping too heavily with his property-tycoon pals, as this statement seems somewhat at variance with his professed image as a Hong Kong conservationist. Maybe from the urban jungle the parks look like a waste of space, but then again there are people who believe a neighbourhood stuffed with pricey bars and restaurants is also hogging space that could be put to a better purpose. Mosquitos only breed for the government in winter. Talking of supping to excess, what on earth
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have my best friends at the Lands Department been drinking? They have chosen the coldest months to issue reminders to holders of shortterm tenancies about the dangers of mosquito breeding. Presumably no one in this august department has bothered to study mosquito breeding habits and are unaware that winter is not their chosen time for procreation. However, a box has been ticked by sending out these letters even though they have been dispatched at a time least likely to encourage action. History needs to be not only rewritten but destroyed. Sai Kung District Council is well known as a stronghold for Beijing loyalists so there should be little surprise about its determination to obliterate parts of the area’s heritage that do not accord with history as being rewritten by the new order. The area now called Tiu Keng Leng was previously more famous as a Kuomintang enclave in a village known as Rennie’s Mill but more popularly known as “Little Taiwan”. The bulk of this area was demolished and the KMT supporters dispersed. All that remains is the former police station, which also embraces a monastery. Apparently even this last vestige of the area’s history is too much for the super patriots
If it looks like blackmail, smells like blackmail… what do you think it is? If any lingering doubt prevails about the dysfunctionality of the government’s village policies, it may be set aside in light of the recent controversy surrounding Siu Hang Hau village in Clearwater Bay. Members of the Lau clan, who own a piece of land that straddles the entry road to this village, have erected a barrier across the sole access point and are demanding $14,000 from villagers who wish to pass through the barrier. Not only does this look suspiciously like blackmail but the residents of the village are unsure whether this is a one-off or an annual payment. Moreover, obstructing entry to the village not only causes inconvenience but also very real safety risks should the need arise for the entry of emergency services – a problem familiar to Ho Chung villagers who have also faced this kind of obstruction. The fine upstanding citizens who have erected this barrier have trotted out the all too familiar arguments about needing to protect indigenous villagers’ rights. By no coincidence, these are the same villagers who were thwarted in attempts to get planning permission for developing this land. The Lands Department, which has sufficient manpower to harass citizens over minor illegal structures, is apparently powerless to act in this matter. A spokesman for the Lau clan has made the magnanimous suggestion that those who don’t want to pay up should move. Draw your own conclusions. Stephen Vines is a journalist, broadcaster and entrepreneur. He is the former editor of the Eastern Express and Southeast Asia correspondent for The Observer.
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