Southside Magazine December 2012

December 2012

193

Santa in Stanley The Queen in Aberdeen

reasons to smile

Spread the love Giving back to local charities

It’s a wrap Your A-Z guide to Christmas

Mistletoe in Shek O

The really useful magazine december 2012

THE PLANNER 4 Happening in December Christmas is coming...

EATING 24 Where’s the party?

Top spots for New Year’s Eve. WINE

LETTERS 8 Have your say NEWS 10 What’s going on?

Falling windows, Vegemite crisis, inside the Italian fair.

28 Quaffing organic Keep a clear head.

INTERIORS 30 Seasonal sparklers Deck the halls, people.

IN MY ELEMENT

LOCAL 14 Giving back Doing your bit for Southside charities.

32 Here comes the son Fashion designer Lee Pak-man’s sofa safari.

EDUCATION

INTERVIEW 16 The sandman Meet the winner of Shek O’s sand sculpture competition.

FEATURE 18 Christmas A-Z The need-to-know about Christmas on Southside.

34 Admission granted?

How US university admissions work.

FAMILY 36 The Santa trainer The beard and beyond.

HEALTH & BEAUTY 38 The first resort Itsie-Bitsie Boutique opens in Repulse Bay.

HIKES 40 On the farm Pete Spurrier communes with the Kadoories.

MOTORING 42 Drive nice A Christmas wish for courtesy on the road.

TRAVEL 44 Short breaks Great but fast.

PETS 46 Not just for Christmas...

Plus the pet perils of the season and pet personals.

TECH 48 Start me up How new app Purpella got its break.

PEOPLE 50 Snap!

Southside social life.

MARKETPLACE 52 Your guide to shops and services Cool stuff to buy and do.

BIRD AT MY WINDOW 55 The spotted dove David Diskin on Hong Kong birds.

CLASSIFIEDS 56 Local property, holiday lets And loads of other random stuff.

ULTIMATE GUIDE 58 All you need to know Numbers that make life easier.

DISTRIBUTION 60 Where to find us

GARDENING 49 Fall colours The gingko and other pretty trees.

MY SOUTHSIDE 62 Jean Paul Gauci Around the kitchen table with the Bistro Jinli chef.

“I WILL HONOuR CHRISTMAS IN MY HEART, AND TRY TO KEEP IT ALL THE YEAR.” — CHARLES DICKENS

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 3

planner

happening in december

Until Jan 13 Winter in Venice

The Venetian Macau becomes a winter wonderland, complete with gondola tours, ice skating, 3-D music and lights show, and real snow. Details at www.venetianmacao.com.

Until Jan 1 A Sparkling Christmas

Dec 1 St. Stephen’s Christmas Fete

Oh look, it’s snowing on Main Street. Hong Kong St Stephen’s Chapel’s annual charity Christmas party is one of the year’s highlights with bouncy Disneyland, Lantau, park.hongkongdisneyland.com. castles, stalls, games, bands, dancers and plenty of food and drink. Look for Santa in a chopper. 11am4pm, Sports Ground, St Stephen’s College, 22 Tung Tau Wan Road, Stanley, 2813 0408. No parking.

Nov 30-Dec 2, Dec 6-9 Little Red Riding Hood: The Panto

Well, slap your thigh, it’s the Hong Kong Players’ annual pantomime. Oh yes, it is!

Shouson Theatre, HK Arts Centre, Wan Chai. Tickets $250-$330 from www.urbtix.hk.

Nov 30-Dec 2 Hong Kong International Boat Show Cruise the superyachts, sailing boats, ribs and dinghies and dream a little at this popular annual event. Club Marina Cove, Hiram’s Highway, Sai Kung, www.clubmarinacove.com.

Dec 1 Christmas Tree Decorating Baby Central needs help decorating its enormous tree. Bring the smalls to make decorations, learn carols and play. Free, 4pm5.30pm. 7/F BT Centre, 23 Wong Chuk Hang Road (access from Yip Kan Street), www. babycentral.com.hk.

Dec 1-2 Hullett House Christmas Market Drink mulled wine, eat smoked meat and buy handicrafts at this European Christmas market.

Free entry, noon-9pm. Hullett House, 1881 Heritage, 2A Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.

Dec 1 Chung Hom Kok Christmas Market Chung Hom Kok’s first Christmas market will have stalls, a visit from Santa, Christmas trees and complimentary mulled wine. 10am-5pm, Chung Hom Kok Garden Center.

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Dec 1-2 Clockenflap Hong Kong’s homegrown music festival featuring Primal Scream, De La Soul, Sneaky Sound System and Azealia Banks, and local acts Dan F and Uptown Rockers. West Kowloon Cultural District. Tickets at www.clockenflap.com.

Dec 1 Il Mercatino Charity Fair at Sandy Bay Games, shopping and lots of lovely Italian food and drink at the 29th Italian Women’s Association fundraiser for the Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital. Entry $20 – bring your own shopping bag. 10am-5pm, 12 Sandy Bay Road, Pok Fu Lam, www.iwa.org.hk.

Dec 2 Sting: Back to Bass Tour Sting performs with a stripped-down five-man band. HKCEC, Wan Chai. Tickets $488-$1,388.

Book on www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

december Dec 3 & 17 Social Media Workshop

Dec 13-16 The Snow Queen

Learn to leverage social media platforms for leads, increased sales, ideas for your next product and to keep tabs on the competition.

7pm-9pm. Reservations via es@tuition.com.hk.

Icy but fun. Faust Youth Theatre production.

McAuley Theatre, HK Arts Centre, Wan Chai.

Tickets $150-$200 from www.urbtix.hk, 2111 5999.

Dec 4 Elton John It’s been a long, long time... the Rocket Man cometh. HKCEC, Wan Chai. Tickets $488$1,888 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Dec 5 Christmas List Shopping Walk Think of it as ArtWalk with Santa. Central’s favourite gift emporia will be open from 6pm-10pm for seasonal shopping, drinks and nibbles. Details and tickets, $100, from hk.asia-city.com/store/xmaslist.

Dec 8 Volunteer Recruitment Day Help raise money for the Heep Hong Society by volunteering for the Flag Day in Aberdeen and Pok Fu Lam. 7.30-midday, Catherine Lo Centre, Sandy Bay, Pok Fu Lam, jessiewong@ heephong.org.

Dec 9, 16 Island East Farmers’ Market Forty stalls of homemade food, organic produce and handcrafted gifts. Tong Chong Street,Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay.

Dec 10 Conrad Fair The mother of all Christmas fairs – hampers, designer fashion, jewellery and skincare.

Grand Ballroom, Conrad Hotel, Pacific Place, Admiralty, 2521 3838, www.prestigefairs.hk.

Dec 13-15 Godspell The classic musical presented

by Lindsey McAlister and 45 teenagers of the Youth Arts Foundation.

Shouson Theatre, HK Arts Centre, Wan Chai. Tickets from www.urbtix.hk, 2111 5999.

Dec 19 Classical Concert, Stanley Recital by clarinist John Schertle, cellist Artem Konstantinov and concert pianist Tea Lomdaridze. 7.30pm-9.45pm, Anastassia's Art House Red Square Gallery, 2/F Stanley Plaza. Tickets $320-$380 from repulsebay@ arthouse-hk.com.

Dec 19 Baby Central Party Mince pies, mulled wine and a special visit from you know who... Tickets $100 (redeemable against purchases), 2pm-6pm, bookings essential at support@babycentral. com.hk.

Dec 15-16 Hong Kong Freespace Fest

Dec 22-26 Cyperport Weekend Market

Two days of local and international indie music by the likes of Re-Orientate, Chochukmo, and street performers Head Clowns. West Kowloon Cultural District. Details at www.wkcda.hk.

Stalls selling soaps, handicrafts and fashion, plus an outdoor cinema and fun workshops.

Ocean View Court, The Arcade, Cyperport, Pok Fu Lam.

Dec 16-Mar 31 Andy Warhol 15 Minutes Eternal

Dec 25 Christmas Day Tree! Presents! Turkey!

Dec 31 New Year’s Eve

The largest touring exhibition of the pop artist’s work from the Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh. Tickets $5-$20, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2721 0116.

Have a good one, everybody.

Dec 16 Riverwalk Friends of the Earth fundraising walk through Sai Kung Country Park and past the High Island Reservoir to highlight Hong Kong’s water sources.

Minimum donation: $300. From 9am, Pak Tam Chung, Sai Kung. Register at www.foe.org.hk.

Dec 10 Macy Gray Live

Dec 17 American Club Christmas Bazaar

The croaky-voiced diva plays Star Hall, KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $480-$680 from www.hkticketing. com, 3128 8288.

Shopping, food and more.

10am-6pm, American Club, 28 Tai Tam Road, Tai Tam, shoppinghongkong@gmail.com.

Book now Jan 16-Feb 9 KIDSFEST 2013 Stage productions of children’s favourites.

Drama Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Details and tickets from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Jan 31-Feb 3 Michael Morpurgo’s Kensuke’s Kingdom Embark on a fantastic voyage with Faust Youth Theatre. Jockey Club Amphitheatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $220-$270 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Got an event? We can publish the details for free. Email editor@southside.hk 6 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

letters

have your say Roberts’ fan I am writing to say that I really enjoyed your article on Lorette E. Roberts (Interview, November 2012).

Her artwork is gorgeous. Well done all around.

Samwell Kwok

La vie en rose Bonjour Southside, I found your magazine in Parkview and read the French article carefully (Southside, November 2012).

Good job on the article.

Anne-Christine Martin

Estate management The topic of mortality is never an easy one to tackle.

But your article on expats and their wills (Family, November 2012) was quite tastefully done. It was informative and timely without being alarmist. I too assumed that my will “back home” applied here in Hong Kong. Now I know. Thank you.

Jennifer Pates

Fitness drive I just wanted to let you know that I have liked Louis Doctrove’s column from the beginning (The Instructor, November 2012). It’s an easy and optimistic read that I enjoy each month, even though I don’t always take his advice!

Jackie Chung

Please email your letters to letters@southside.hk. We may edit for length.

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news

in the know

Sandy Bay reclamation limbo A decision over the proposed reclamation in the East Lamma Channel off Sandy Bay has still not been reached, according to the office of local district councillor Paul Zimmerman. The government initially said a decision would be made by autumn, but it has now postponed publishing the short-list of reclamation sites until the first quarter of 2013.

Pok Fu Lam is one of many suburbs pinpointed for possible reclamation works, a proposal that has been strongly opposed by the Pok Fu Lam Residents’ Association.

Not-so-happy little Vegemites Harry and Scarlet (of the Australian International School Hong Kong), with one of the last remaining jars in Hong Kong.

Falling windows on Southside A spate of glass panes falling and shattering has been reported across Southside, including an entire balcony door that fell from a Bel Air apartment. Management told the shaken apartment resident the door had probably failed owing to sudden changes in temperature.

“It doesn’t really make sense,” she said. “There haven’t been any dramatic temperature changes this month. And anyway, shouldn’t glass used in Hong Kong be tested for heat durability, given our extreme summer temperatures?”

Other Bel Air residents have reported similar incidents, with one family witnessing a pane of glass falling and shattering onto their balcony during a barbecue party. A window fell out at Phase 2 in April, and earlier this year a floor-toceiling master bedroom window fell out onto the driveway below Phase 4.

New luxury apartment complex Larvotta on Ap Lei Chau, has also seen windows fall and a reported 34 glass panes suffering cracking

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since the building opened last year.

A large pane of glass fell from a 31st-floor window, damaging two cars and narrowly missing a mother and child returning from pre-school. Larvotta residents were also evacuated from the pool when another pane fell nearby.

Such is the level of concern, a residents’ committee has been set up to address the problem, with some tenants withholding rent until their apartments have been checked and made safe.

“It’s terrifying,” said one mother. “I’m scared to walk under apartment windows.”

There have been further reports of windows falling out of apartment buildings on the Peak, Robinson Road and The Arch in West Kowloon. According to experts, the problem could be due to insufficient glass strengthening and testing practices at the manufacturing stage. Under current law, it is the owner who is responsible for the glass shattering, even if it is proven to be substandard.

Vegemite crisis In a disastrous turn of events for Hong Kong’s Australian community, Vegemite all but disappeared from supermarket shelves last month.

A drop in supply has seen expats scouring supermarkets in search of the popular toast and sandwich spread. Rumours were rife that food and beverage conglomorate Kraft, producer of the popular yeast-based spread, was no longer distributing to Hong Kong and that Vegemite was being withdrawn from grocery shelves. At the time of going to press, there were understood to be just a few jars still remaining at Fusion supermarket in Clearwater Bay. However, Kraft’s Hong Kong distributor Mondelez International has assured Southside Magazine that Vegemite has not disappeared.

“We recently went through some supplier structural changes which resulted in limited supplies of Vegemite being sold in the Hong Kong grocery stores,” said a spokeswoman for Mondelez. “Rest assured we are working through this as quickly as we can… We apologize for any inconvenience caused.”

The company anticipates normal distribution resuming by the end of January 2013.

news

Pok Fu Lam goes Italian The popular Sandy Bay Charity Christmas Bazaar has been a fixture on Southside’s social calendar for 29 years. At this month’s event, organisers hope to smash last year’s record-breaking take of $1 million. The event is organized by the Italian Women’s Association of Hong Kong, with almost 100 per cent of monies raised going to the Duchess of Kent Children’s Hospital and other local charities.

Association president Paulo de Antonellis has been working tirelessly to secure sponsors and ensure the day is fun.

“We’ve made a few changes,” she says. “For example, instead of a sit-down restaurant, we will be running a less formal café with a mozzarella bar, a pizza corner and a deli corner, as well as homemade Italian dishes, Italian aperitifs, coffee and desserts.”

The association has received hundreds of boxes of donations from more than 90 sponsors, including the Grand Hyatt, which will be baking all the bread, and Benetton, which has donated 300 boxes of products.

“Like last year, there will be some fantastic bargains to be had,” de Antonellis says. “Just don’t forget your shopping bag, we are trying to

Paulo de Antonellis

cut our overheads to ensure the charities receive every penny we raise.”

The association’s relationship with the hospital began when a seriously ill Italian child was treated there. At the time, the small, specialist hospital received no government help and relied on donations.

De Antonellis is also looking for a few extra volunteers to man stalls, particularly in the afternoon. For more information, email info@iwa.org.hk.

Il Mercatino Charity Fair, 10am-5pm, The Duchess of Kent Children’s Hospital, 12 Sandy Bay Road, Pok Fu Lam (parking at Cyberport Arcade).

DIY kids Christmas cards Local Southside artist Gail Deayton is running Christmas card workshops for children at her new space, Artful Kids, in North Point.

The classes run throughout December and children are invited to come along to stick, print and paint their own cards. Classes run for two hours, cost $300 a child and include all materials, a barbecued-sausage sandwich, healthy snacks and drinks and a glass of wine for mum. 21/F, 435 Kings Road, North Point, (MTR exit B1), 9722 8353, info@artfulkids.hk.

FESTIVE SEASON CULINARY OFFERS CHRISTMAS BUFFET AT PROMPT 24 DECEMBER * CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER BUFFET 6pm - 8pm: HKD668 (Adult) / HKD334 (Child) 8:30pm - 10:30pm: HKD738 (Adult) / HKD369 (Child) 25 DECEMBER * CHRISTMAS DAY BRUNCH BUFFET 11:30am - 3pm: HKD558 (Adult) / HKD279 (Child) CHRISTMAS DAY DINNER BUFFET 6pm - 8pm: HKD568 (Adult) / HKD284 (Child) 8:30pm - 10:30pm: HKD638 (Adult) / HKD319 (Child) 23 + 26 DECEMBER HOLIDAY BRUNCH BUFFET 11:30am - 3pm: HKD558 (Adult) / HKD279 (Child) 31 DECEMBER NEW YEAR’S EVE DINNER BUFFET 6pm - 10:30pm: HKD738 (Adult) / HKD369 (Child)

LE MERIDIEN CYBERPORT N 22°15' E 114°07' T +852 2980 7788 lemeridien.com/hongkong

1 JANUARY NEW YEAR’S DAY BRUNCH BUFFET 11:30am - 3pm: HKD558 (Adult) / HKD279 (Child) * with 1 glass of Champagne + Christmas Boxset + Santa Claus Add free-flow of Champagne for HKD180 CHRISTMAS IN JAPANESE STYLE AT BAR UMAMI 6-COURSE CHRISTMAS SET DINNER HKD 1,988 for 2 persons HOLIDAY PRIVATE PARTY AT LM BALLROOM 8-COURSE SET MENU + FREE FLOW OF HOUSE WINE HKD988 per person (minimum 10 persons) + All prices are subject to 10% service charge

local Editorial Jane Steer jane@southside.hk William Whitaker william@southside.hk Kawai Wong kawai@fastmedia.com.hk Art Director Sammy Ko sammy@fastmedia.com.hk Graphic Designer Carly Tonna carly@fastmedia.com.hk Sales Manager Nobel Cho ads@southside.hk Accounts Manager Clara Chan accounts@fastmedia.com.hk Publisher Tom Hilditch tom@fastmedia.com.hk Contributors Carolynne Dear Louis Doctrove Kevin Yeung Cynthia Smillie David Diskin Timmy Lee Christine Or Joshua Kindler Jane Ram Sally Andersen Christopher Young Pete Spurrier Lauren McPhate Printer Gear Printing 1/F, Express Industrial Bldg 43 Heung Yip Road Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong Published by Fast Media Floor LG1 222, Queens Road Central Hong Kong Give us a call!

Editorial: 2776 2773 Advertising: 2776 2772 Southside 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. Southside 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.

www.fastmedia.com.hk

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Giving back Get in the Christmas spirit by donating time, money or gifts to local charities. By Timmy Lee Riding for the Disabled Association Riding is acknowledged as a beneficial therapy for the disabled.

This non-profit organisation teaches disabled children and adults to ride horses, helping to instill self-confidence and improve concentration and self-discipline in a fun, healthy manner. It needs qualified volunteers on a regular basis to help during riding lessons, including walking alongside the horse to protect the rider, leading the horses and instruct lessons.

Donations of cash or equipment, such as saddles and helmets, are welcome. 75 Pok Fu Lam Reservoir Road, Pok Fu Lam, 2875 7711, simon@rda.org.hk.

Christian Action The only comprehensive support in Hong Kong for 4,500 refugees from around the world.

The charity offers pro-bono legal aid as well as psychological, social and medical help for refugees, a refuge for abused domestic helpers, late-night services and even language classes for the children of ethnic minorities. It also works with abandoned and abused disabled children in Qinghai on the Tibetan Plateau. Become a one-off or monthly donor, give a donation in lieu of a Christmas gift, organise an event in aid of the charity or volunteer online at www.christian-action.org.hk.

Friends of the Earth This environmental group believes in a world with “full recycling and zero landfill”, and that we all share responsibility for the environment.

It welcomes volunteers year-round, particularly translators and graphic designers to work on publicity materials. This month, it is looking for helpers for its Riverwalk event on December 16. One-off and monthly donations are appreciated.

Unit 1301-1302, 13/F, Block A, Sea View Estate, 2 Watson Road, Causeway Bay, 2528 5588, foehk@foe.org.uk.

HK Cancer Fund The city’s largest cancer support organisation endeavours to

wish list

improve the lives of those touched by cancer, with free information and professional support. They ensure that no one has to ever face it alone. Make a one-off donation, organise a fundraising event or volunteer – the HKCF is always looking for help in areas such as communications, administration, design and IT and for extra manpower for special events. For details, please check the website at www.cancer-fund.org or email public@hkcf.org.

Christina Noble Children’s Foundation Hong Kong donors are among the most generous for this charity that helps children in Vietnam and Mongolia with education, basic nutrition and primary health care.

Help keep up the good work by helping to organise a fundraising event, make a monthly donation to sponsor a child, or join the Bicycle Support and Give a Ger programmes. 14/F Kai Kwong Commercial Building, 332 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, 2832 2161, hongkong@cncf.org.

The Society for the Relief of Disabled Children Since 1953, the society has worked to improve disabled children’s physical and psychological wellbeing, while promoting equality and freedom from discrimination so disabled children can live happy and fulfilling lives. Make a cash donation or give items to sell in charity bazaars, including new clothing, toys, bedding and books. The

Duchess of Kent Children’s Hospital, 12 Sandy Bay Road, Pok Fu Lam, 2819 3050, info@srdc.org.uk.

Child Welfare Scheme CWS works together with organisations that support disadvantaged and vulnerable children, young people and their communities in Hong Kong and Nepal. Get involved, join in its events, and organise your own fundraisers. Donations big or small are welcome; CWS says the price of a typical Hong Kong working lunch can feed a child for two weeks.

Suite 303, St. George’s Building, 2 Ice House Street, Central, 2526 8810, info@cwshk.org.

Hong Kong Dog Rescue Founded by Southside Magazine columnist Sally Andersen, Hong Kong Dog Rescue rehabilitates and finds homes for abandoned dogs. It also promotes responsible pet ownership and positive, reward-based training. It has several centres across Hong Kong and volunteers are always needed to play with the puppies, help walk and socialise the dogs and keep the kennels clean. Adopt a dog, sponsor a dog on a monthly basis, or make a one-off cash donation. 21 Main Street, Ap Lei Chau, 3480 0061, www.hongkongdogrescue.com.

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interview

Photo: Christine Or.

bear necessity

Pictures in the sand Champion sand sculptor Alan Wu talks to Timmy Lee about building bears on the beach.

Congratulations on winning the competition at the Tung Wah Beach Party in Shek O last month. How long have you been sand sculpting?

I’m 41 and have been sculpting sand for more than 15 years. We like to do something that has innovation and creativity but is also about nature and the environment.

Where did you learn to sculpt sand?

I didn’t learn from anyone, I am self taught. It takes practice. In the late 1980s I noticed people doing it around Sai Kung and got interested.

Sand sculpting is a very environmental art and you can use a lot of tools or recycled materials around the house. There are special sand sculpting tools available.

What is the secret to sculpting fine details?

Through practice you develop technique and a steady hand. But you also need patience as you have a lot of failures. If you are the type that gives up quickly, this is not for you. You also need the initial interest, of course. I taught my teammates to get into it, but my son not so much. He’s still too young.

Do you participate in many sand-sculpting events?

For the first 10 years we went to beaches in Sai Kung, Shek O, Lantau and Repulse Bay, many of the events were to do with drugs awareness. Environmental charities invite us; this is the third time we’ve participated in the Tung Wah Beach Party.

Where is your favourite place to sculpt sand?

We used to really mind the location because different places have different sand, but after a while we became more familiar with sculpting in different sands. In Sai Kung, the sand is rougher than the fine sand in Shek O, which is capable of finer detail. That doesn’t mean finer is better, it depends on the situation and the sculpture.

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Alan Wu (front right) and team with their winning sculpture at Shek O.

Tell us about the Sand Magic team?

We chose this name in 2000. The team members came from across Hong Kong, some are my former classmates and some are colleagues.

We like to do something that has innovation and creativity but is also about nature and the environment.

How long does a sand sculpture take?

In a typical competition, it takes around two hours but for bigger sculptures it can take three to four hours, including preparation time. The best sand sculpture I’ve seen was by sand sculptors from Sweden, who came over to do a sculpture with an Olympics theme and it took them a weekend. It was huge, a good few metres tall. Our best sculpture was a horse's head in Chinese ink painting style.

How can we learn to sculpt sand?

Every year, around October, there are competitions in Sai Kung, Shek O, Tsuen Wan

and Tuen Mun, which is a great opportunity to learn by observation. We are also willing to share ideas and techniques too.

Where else have you sculpted sand?

We’ve been to Kagoshima, Japan, but I heard the best places to go are in America. There you can do big projects that can take up to a week to sculpt. For these bigger projects there are sands of different densities that stick better and last longer.

What do you do in your free time?

I’m pretty active person – I work as an electronics engineer but my hobbies are sports, especially cycling. I enjoy spending a day cycling around the airport, Disneyland and Tai Po, where I’m from.

What is the best advice you have been given?

Always follow and stick with your own ideas and complete your plans.

What is the best advice you can give?

With sand sculpture, practice makes perfect; don’t underestimate it just because it looks like playing in the sand and think it’s kids’ stuff. Sand sculpting can be very grand. Be patient because it can be very frustrating. Once you finish, you will get a lot of satisfaction.

feature

A-Z of Christmas All you need to know about Christmas on the Southside.

A B

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A-Z of Hong Kong – Hong Kong artist Sascha Camille Howard has produced two giclee art prints featuring all our favourite city icons. Available in pink or blue (above), the prints are available in A2 ($980) or A3 ($1,490) sizes from www.saschahoward.com and www.etsy.com.

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Baubles – For all that glitters turn to Interiors, page 30.

(In the meantime, see these ornaments from Inside for $29, right.)

The best gift you ever gave?

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Dave – 1980s music albums It’s a running joke between me and my brother; we used to listen to all this old music. He gives me 90s music.

Miss Han – Origami cranes I made an origami crane every day with a message written on it. Then I put them all in a jar and gave it to my best friend.

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Carols – Emmanuel Church is holding a Nine Lessons and Carols Service on Sunday, December 16 at 6pm. Everyone welcome, but the church advises to get there early if you want a seat. 139 Pok Fu Lam Road, www.emmanuel.org.hk.

Children – Littlehands Workshop is offering free Christmas arts & crafts on December 22 for those who love to get their hands dirty. Details at www.littlehands.com.hk. And Tiny Footprints has a host of in-vogue furniture and gifts safe for families with a little one running around. For the catalogue, visit www.tinyfootprints.com.

Cards – Cupcake Designs has created the perfect Christmas card for overseas friends and relatives, featuring Santa and his reindeer soaring over a silhouette of the Hong Kong skyline (below). They can even be personalised. Available in packs of 10 at www.cupcakedesigns.biz.

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Eggnog – Once a drink of the English aristocracy, now a boozy, creamy alternative to sherry on Christmas morning. To make your own, you will need: 12 eggs, separated, 6 cups milk, 2 cups sugar, 2 cups thickened cream, 2 cups bourbon, three quarters of a cup of brandy, 2 tsp ground nutmeg. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together until firm and pale. Slowly add bourbon and brandy, then chill. Just before serving, pour in the milk and 1tsp nutmeg. In a separate bowl, beat the cream until stiff. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff then gently fold first the egg whites, then the cream into the cooled eggnog mixture. Ladle into glasses and sprinkle with the remaining nutmeg.

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Fun – Seafaring Southsiders are in luck.

Splash out on a rib (a rigid-hulled inflatable boat) by British sports boat company Scorpion, which has a range of sizes available online at www.scorpionribs.com.

And for the daredevil in you, new company Freetecboards is offering limited-edition, custom longboards for your downhill fix.

Details at www.freetecboards.com.

Classified Hamper, The Grinch, $1,500.

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Ham – A home-cooked ham is almost as Christmassy as turkey. Available thawed, partially thawed or frozen at South Stream Seafoods (www.south-stream-seafoods.com).

Hampers – Classified has a range of six holiday-themed hampers, including baskets for cheese-lovers, wine lovers, wine-and-cheese lovers, and the king of the crop, The Nutcracker ($2,500). Browse the selection online at www.classifiedfood.com.

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Dragees – Colourful, crunchy and bite-sized, these delicious little treats from France contain either Belgian chocolate or perfectly shaped almonds with a candy coating in silver, gold or any colour that grabs your fancy. A sweet gift, especially if you have them personalised.

Check out the range at www.bestdragees.com.

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Gingerbread – Be a devil and indulge in a box of gingerbread fudge from the people who know a thing or two about making naughty but nice food, Marks & Spencer ($78).

John Potter – An antique book To one of my best friends – we both love reading.

It was a funny book with naughty poems. It was my grandfather’s and our family had it for 60 to 70 years.

Carine – A cat I rescued a cat in the city and thought of my brother who has always been a cat person.

Now he smiles every time he’s with it.

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feature

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Internet – Let your fingers do the shopping.

• Paddyfield.com – Hong Kong’s answer to Amazon, with loads of great books but without the dodgy overseas postal services.

• Thebookdepository.co.uk – British bookshop with thousands of titles at competitive prices and free delivery worldwide.

• Shopinhk.com – Local website with books, toys and children’s clothes, free delivery on orders over $388.

• Littleredfox.com.au – Australian site stuffed with children’s gifts and clothing, A$25 (HK$200) delivery fee.

• Karoohk.com – Personalized storybooks.

• Tickitey-boo.com – Craft, bags and bedroom décor, free delivery on orders of more than $800.

• Babycentral.com.hk – Free, same-day delivery on orders of more than $200 before midday.

• Myriadoline.co.uk – British site for lovely wooden toys and eco arts and crafts products.

• Brightminds.co.uk – Educational and fun toys and games, delivery worldwide, shipping fees apply.

• Notonthehighstreet.com – British site filled with fabulous unusual gifts by artists and craftspeople, shipping fees apply.

• Houseoffraser.co.uk - British department store website, with £10 (HK$123) shipping fee.

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Jubilee Queen – Getting our vote for top gift of the year is this kitsch model of Her Maj, complete with solar-powered waving hand, by Kikkerland (www. kikkerland.com). Look for her at the Conrad Christmas Fair, December 10.

Yanis Chan – Photo album I took secret snapshots of my friend, playing around with colour films, then I pieced it all together for her birthday.

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Kissing – Under the mistletoe, that is. It’s a fragile plant and lasts only a day or two in Hong Kong. So order yours at P&F Garden (tel: 2812 0948) in Pok Fu Lam for the day you need it, and make it a hot date. While you’re at it, add some holly and deck the halls.

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Lights – Nowhere does Christmas lights better than Hong Kong. For the full neon glory, hop aboard a Star Ferry – we recommend the longer Wan Chai-Tsim Sha Tsui route – to view the displays on both sides of the “ditch”.

Alternatively, take the 45-minute Aqua Luna evening harbour cruise for cocktails while you ooh and ahh. Tickets are $190 (child $150), or $240 (child $190) for the 7.45pm “Symphony of Lights” cruise, from Central Pier 9, www.aqua.com.hk.

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Oh no! – As in “Oh no! I’ve eaten too much and my New Year’s Eve party outfit doesn’t fit!”

Waddle down to Sense of Touch at Repulse Bay Shopping Arcade for pre-party pampering treatment and a professional makeover. The figure-hugging LBD might have to go, but the rest of you will be party perfect. Call Sense of Touch for a booking on 2592 9668.

Office parties – You know you love ’em!

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Mulled wine – Deliciously warming mulled wine is the drink that says “Christmas”. To make your own, combine a bottle of red wine, the peel of one orange, a slug of brandy, about eight cloves, two or three large spoonfuls of honey or sugar, a couple of cinnamon sticks and a pinch of ground ginger in a large pan. The trick is to warm it gently, without boiling, for about 25 minutes, then ladle into glasses leaving the spices and orange peel in the pan.

Easy-peasy.

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Nine Dragons Belly Up – The new novel from former Hong Kong television newsreader Peter Maize. A sequel to Zoom Out, it’s set in Hong Kong during the dotcom bubble of the late 1990s. We hear it’s a darn good read. Get your copy at Hong Kong Dymocks.

Panto – Oh yes, it is! It wouldn’t be Christmas without a thigh-slapping pantomime, complete with audience participation (“He’s behind you”), fiendish villain, sidekicks, a principal boy played by a girl and a dame played by a man. You’ve gotta love it. The Hong Kong Players are staging Little Red Riding Hood on November 30-December 2 and December 6-9 at the Hong Kong Arts Centre, Wan Chai. Tickets are $250$330 from www.urbtix.hk, 2111 5999.

Panettone – Light, fluffy and sweet, this Italian Christmas bread-slash-cake comes in a variety of forms at CiboAmante, including tiramisu filled, chocolate, lemon cream, cherry and more. www.ciboamante.hk.

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Quince paste – It’s a Christmas tradition in Provence, France, where quince paste makes up one of the season’s Thirteen Desserts, representing Jesus and the 12 apostles. But you may prefer yours with cheese on a big platter at Classified, G/F, Stanley Plaza, Stanley.

William Poon – A movie We spent a day at Disneyland and I took a lot of photos of my friends.

I made a movie of them overnight, adding in music and everything, and posted the YouTube link to them in the morning.

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Reindeer – What is Christmas without Santa and his reindeer? Fortunately, you can find your classic gilded reindeer at Francfranc (small $180, large $480; francfranc.com.hk).

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Stocking fillers – Little Steps, A for Apple, Bumps to Babes and AQ Prettiness have loads of great present ideas for kids including stationery, fun hair accessories, dresses, sportswear, winterwear and mobiles. Find their catalogues at littlestepsasia.com, aforapple.net, bumpstobabes.com and aqprettiness.com.

Symphony – The Hong Kong Philharmonic’s Christmas event is a gorgeous selection of holiday music, a sing-along, and a set of beautiful traditional carols. December 23 at 4pm and 7.45pm, December 24 at 7.45pm. Tickets from $120 from www.urbtix.hk. Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.

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Turkey – Can’t be bothered with the cooking and preparation that goes with a traditional Christmas lunch? Stress no more. The Mandarin Oriental will roast a turkey for you, along with two types of stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, pumpkin and mashed potato. A small bird serves 10 people, a large one feeds 18-22. For an extra $250, it will deliver to your Southside door. To order, call 2825 4008, or email mohkg-cakeshop@mohg.com.

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Verily the sky – As in Ding Dong Merrily on High, a favourite at Christmas church services all over Southside.

In Stanley, St Stephen’s Chapel will be holding a Crib Service suitable for young families at 5pm and Midnight Mass at 11.30pm, both Christmas Eve, and a 10am Family Communion Service on Christmas Day. St Stephen’s College, 22 Tung Tau Wan Road, Stanley. www.ststephen.org.hk.

In Pok Fu Lam, Emmanuel Church is holding Midnight Mass at 11pm on Christmas Eve and an 11am Christmas Day service.

139 Pok Fu Lam Road, www.emmanuel.org.hk.

And in Central, St John’s Cathedral is holding a Christingle Service at 5pm on Christmas Eve, and a Midnight Mass with live choral performance at 11.30pm. 4-8 Garden Road, Central, www.stjohnscathedral.org.hk.

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Umbrella – Practical yet funky in the hands of the clever designers at G.O.D. We’re loving the King of Kowloon calligraphy, sure to lift the spirits of the suited and booted on rainy days. www.god.com.hk.

Disgusting Science or Spa Science

$999

$199 each

Big Crane Construction Set

Blossom Cottage

$425

$899

Micro Scooters

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Wine – Look online at www.veritas-wine.com for well-priced wine deliveries, with plenty of familiar labels and award-winning vintages.

Workshops – Have a Santa-tastic Christmas at festive craft workshops for all the family at Anastassia’s Art House in Repulse Bay and Stanley, www.arthouse-hk.com.

Judy – Christmas lunch Every year I make Christmas lunch for my close and extended family. It’s always a time of laughs and since they come every year I assume they like it.

Heather Perano – Rosary beads It was for my grandson on his christening; because we are Catholic.

LeapPad Explorer

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Le Grand Garage

Santa shops at

$899 Superstar Cool Keyboard & Stool

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(colours may vary)

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Oven & Hob Set

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Young Adults – The Island Evangelical Community Church is hosting a carolling event on a open-air doubledecker bus. Ride from North Point to Central singing and bringing Christmas cheer. Tickets Stanley Market are $20 from islandecc.

Noble firs – the onthecity.org. variety with the thicker

XMAS TREES

branches and needles – and wreaths are available to order from the Stanley Flower Shop (opposite Watson’s). Tree stands are also available and delivery is free in the Stanley area, or $100 outside Stanley. The smallest trees are 2ft-3ft and cost $460; prices rise with tree height. Pick up an order form in the shop or email stanleyflowershop@yahoo. com.hk. A few stalls away on Stanley Market Road, 2Kee Art flower shop is also taking orders for noble firs. Call in at the shop to place your order, or email Irene Wong at IR966@hotmail.com.

Pok Fu Lam P&F Garden on Victoria Road is offering Christmas tree delivery on Hong Kong Island and stands at no extra charge. Choose from Douglas firs, noble firs, wreaths and poinsettias. Trees range from 4ft-5ft Douglas firs ($698) to 20ft noble firs (price on request). For an order form, call 2812 0948, email pnfgarden@gmail.com or visit pnfgarden.iyp.hk.

Repulse Bay Market Place by Jasons has 6ft-7ft fresh American noble firs, Douglas firs and Nordman firs for $888, including a tree bucket and delivery. Order by December 4.

Repulse Bay Shopping Arcade, 109 Repulse Bay Road.

Mong Kok Flower Market Head to the flower market to pick out a tree from one of the many vendors. Shop around for the best prices. As well as trees, you’ll find poinsettias and other festive plants, plus fairy lights and tree decorations. Flower Market Road, Mong Kok. Take the MTR to Prince Edward, exit B2.

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Southside gift guide for the shoppingphobic.

Pacific Place & IFC Mall We’re just saying, these malls have it all.

Dymocks It’s not just books at Dymocks, although it has a good selection of best-sellers, local books, fiction and non-fiction. If you’re buying for children, head upstairs for a great range of toys. Adults may prefer the Moleskine notebooks or the solid wood bookrests – a great accompaniment to the latest Bill Granger, Nigella Lawson or Jamie Oliver cookbook. dymocks.com.hk.

G.O.D If there’s an old Hong Kong product you know and love, chances are the designers at G.O.D have found a whole new way to appreciate it. Old-school Good Morning towels reappear as pillowcases and even Octopus cardholders, red plastic colanders emerge as table lamps and New Territories’ postboxes as handbags. Triad tattoo sleeves are an amusing stocking stuffer and we have a hankering for the silver bracelets with red market stall lamps, pingpong bats and other made-in-Hong Kong charms. www.god.com.hk.

Spa vouchers Who doesn’t like to be pampered?

Slip a voucher for a massage, facial or mani-pedi into the stocking of anyone over the age of 12 and you’re onto a winner. Top spots locally include Sense of Touch (www.senseoftouch.com.hk) and Sabai Day Spa (sabaidayspa.com), which also sell the beauty products their regulars know and love.

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Zest of Asia – Stock up on gorgeous linens, candles, garlands and tableware

by Southside duo Stephanie and Tatiana, www.zestofasia.com.

Zzzz – The traditional post-prandial Christmas nap is best spent in front of a great DVD – The Great Escape, Sound of Music or the Downton Abbey Christmas Special, perhaps. Just try not to bend in the middle for an hour or so...

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eating

Vines on chefs Stephen Vines has a new book on that thing we just can’t live without.

Journalist, entrepreneur and foodie Stephen Vines’ new book, Food Gurus, is an amusing and insightful exploration of the extraordinary chefs, food writers and scholars who have pushed the culinary arts forward and helped shape the ways society thinks about eating.

“The food gurus on these pages are not merely good cooks, or great food writers,” Vines writes in his introduction, “each one has had a

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transformative influence on the food we eat.”

On one hand, this transformation has much to do with modern culinary celebrities.

There is a chapter on Catalonian chef Ferran Adrià i Acosta – often rated as the world’s no.1 – and his celebrated culinary constructions.

Another focuses on British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and his ability to “make food entertaining”. But Vines also explores 16th-

century Florentine noble-turned-French queen Catherine de Medici’s incredible contributions to modern French cuisine. Of course, the French perfected their cuisine themselves, Vines says.

But because of de Medici, Italian cooks felt comfortable settling in France, “and should be credited with some of the pioneering work in getting French cuisine off the ground”.

Making judgments about who to profile in his book was subjective, Vines says. And some readers may be dissatisfied with the selection of gurus.

“But claims of objectivity are suspect because food rightly excites passions and controversy,” Vines points out. “There are no absolute standards.”

Other culinary experts featured include Antonin Careme, Julia Child, Elizabeth David, Georges Auguste Escoffier, Henry Heinz, Delia Smith and Alice Waters, as well as lesser known but equally influential personalities. Ultimately, Vines says he hopes this book contributes to the dialogue about food.

Food Gurus by Stephen Vines (Marshall Cavendish) is $240 from branches of Dymocks, Eslite and Relay (at the airport).

It is available in ebook by PodTribe.

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for auld acquaintance

Happy New Year!

Where’s the party on December 31?

Timmy Lee finds out.

Countdown Louder For the loudest New Year’s Eve party in town, head to Woobar at W Hotel Hong Kong for thumping tunes and a packed dancefloor.

Pumping up the volume are international DJs Gio Vanhoutte from Seoul, A.N.D.Y from Brussels and Punks Jump Up from London.

Indulge in Winderlust – free-flowing wines and a lavish selection of cheeses. From 7.30pm till late. Tickets are $498 from W Hotel, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, 3717 2230, holidaylouder. hk@whotels.com, www.woobarhongkong.com.

Clockwise from above: Tamarind, SEVVA and Woobar.

Cafe Deco Free-flowing bubbly, exquisite food and Hong Kong at your feet – talk about starting the year as you mean to go on. Cafe Deco will be rolling out the red carpet for 2013 with a five-course tasting menu by chef Martin Kniss, including lobster, sea urchin, flash-seared foie gras and a choice of mains such as grilled wagyu beef with herbed bone marrow. The last mouthful of strawberry mille feuille will be lingering on your palate when the midnight fireworks explode beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.

From 7.30pm-1.30am, $1,650. L1-L2 The Peak Galleria, 2849 5111.

Bond & The Beautiful Partygoers will be shaken and stirred at Tamarind, which is going Bond, James Bond for New Year’s Eve. Dig out your DJ for the “fabulous and flashy” dress code, sip a martini in the chillout lounge, exchange smart one-liners on the harbour-view terrace or get dangerous on the dancefloor with DJ Jonn. The bubbly will flow freely, and there will be a ruby shooters bar, cocktail canapes and an international buffet plus hangover breakfast at 2am. 2/F Sun Hung Kai Centre, Wan Chai.

Tickets are $898 (or $798 before December 12) from 2827 7777, newyears@mayfare.com.hk or Cityline, www.cityline.com, 2111 5333.

Que Sera Sera Leave your worries at the door and embrace SEVVA’s “whatever will be, will be” attitude to welcome 2013. Indulge in an eight-course banquet with entertainment from glamorous Australian diva, Courtney Act, back for the third time by popular demand for a performance that promises to be simply awesome. Tickets are $3,880 from 25/F Prince’s Building, 10 Chapter Road, Central, 2537 1388.

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promotion

Italian culinary journey Trattoria Caffe Monteverdi serving simple and delicious Italian food opens in Sai Ying Pun. One of the most wonderful things about travelling in Italy is, of course, to take a passeggiata, an aimless wander along the moonlit streets until your hungry belly demands a delicious fix. Now, you don't have to traverse half way across the globe to fulfil that delight of stumbling across a trattoria in a friendly neighborhood. The pleasure of indulging in home-style Italian cooking in a laissez-faire environment is now enjoyable in Sai Ying Pun at the newly established Trattoria Caffe Monteverdi.

Curated by Armando Osmani, the Ancona native behind the century-old Monteverdi Wines business, Trattoria Caffe Monteverdi is inspired by the culinary curiosity of the wine business' patrons. Keen to know what dishes to complement a particular wine, foodies can now follow Mr Osmani's tailor-made Italian culinary journey at the enviable location – a stone-throw away from the Sai Ying Pun escalators.

Armed with a repertoire of over 150 recipes from 20 Italian regions, Trattoria Caffe Monteverdi's menu is abuzz with ancient folk and country dishes cooked using the freshest seasonal ingredients sourced both locally and abroad. The likes of blue mussels and sword fish come from the best possible suppliers

overseas; whereas charcuteries, cheeses, olives, and special pasta arrive at Trattoria Caffe Monteverdi directly from Italy.

One of the star dishes of Trattoria Caffe Monteverdi is the Vincisgrassi – a lighter and more delicious take on the often cheesedouched lasagna. The Vincisgrassi's recipe dates back 250 years, rumoured to be an Austrian take on the classic meat-pasta layered dish. Cooked within 30km radius of the Senigallia commune on Italy's Adriatic coast, Vincisgrassi is now exclusively available in Hong Kong at Trattoria Caffe Monteverdi. The dish is very gentle on the palate, and features succulent pork mince sandwiched between a melt-in-the-mouth Béchamel sauce and lasagna pasta made daily on site. Don't forget to try the Gnudi – the homemade spinach and ricotta balls, and the twice cooked swordfish in tomato, pine nut capers and raisin sauce. These gorgeous dishes certainly helps foodies to maintain una bella figura!

Apart from the wines, Trattoria Caffe Monteverdi also hopes to introduce a number of traditional Italian mineral water, sodas and beers to help diners wash down the delicious primos, seconds and homemade Italian desserts.

Throughout December until Christmas

Day, Trattoria Caffe Monteverdi will host your party of up to 22 people with a special dinner menu. Priced at $888 per person (excluding beverages), the nine-course dinner includes two appetizers (Tuscany's liver crostini and an all-Italian charcuterie selection), one soup (meat dumplings served in a beef and chicken broth), one after-soup course (stewed beef and chicken with vegetables), two primos (Vincisgrassi and tagliatelle with aged ham and peas), two secondos (roast castrated cockerel filled with aged ham and deep fried breaded lamb chops, pork loin and veal cutlets). But if it is a simpler dinner you are after, sample their petite menu served between Tuesday and Thursday priced at $398 per person (excluding drinks with a minimum spending of $7,000 on food). The trimmer menu offers liver crostini, dumplings, Vincisgrassi and stuffed cockerel. All Christmas menus conclude with the festive Panettone – the traditional Italian Christmas cake – as well as liquors and a complimentary coffee. To make the evening more special, Tombola – Italians' favourite bingo-like game – will be played throughout the evening with prizes to be won on the spot.

Booking is highly recommended for the Christmas dinner above. And if you can't wait until Christmas to get in the Italian festive mood, try Trattoria Caffe Monteverdi's Christmas Advent Lunch ($328 pp for a minimum of two) every weekend in the run up to Christmas.

The four-course lunch includes an appetizer, a soup, a main and the quintessential Panettone.

Buon Natale!

Trattoria Caffe Monteverdi G/F, 6A High Street, Sai Ying Pun, 2559 0115

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wine

Red, white and green Lauren McPhate goes organic for a clear head this Christmas.

Avoid that morning-after feeling by drinking something that’s good for your head and good for the planet. Organic wines are produced with no chemical pesticides and no added sulphites (some naturally occur during fermentation), which means fewer allergic reactions and less likelihood of a headache the next morning. If you’ve never tried organic wines, start with Clearly Organic’s line of red, white and rose wines from sunny La Mancha, Spain. These grapes ripen fully in the hot Spanish summers creating rich, fruity, textured wines that pair perfectly with a plethora of dishes.

Clearly Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (La Mancha, Spain) 100% Sauvignon Blanc, $100. Sunshine in a bottle. This is the ultimate summer wine, with flavours of passion fruit, citrus and hints of grapefruit, it is ideal with picnics, fresh salads, lemony fish and creamy cheeses.

Clearly Organic Rose (La Mancha, Spain) 100% Tempranillo, $80. This Spanish rose is anything but usual. Dramatically pink with aromas and flavours of strawberry, peach and red fruit, this vino is dry and refreshing.

Enjoy with sardines, pork and beans, omelette and prosciutto.

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Clearly Organic Barrica 2007 (La Mancha, Spain) 50% Cabernet Sauvignon 50% Syrah, 4 months French oak, $100. Spicy woody aromas give way to flavours of plum, blackcurrant, and dark chocolate. The structure and tannins are enough to stand up to roast meats, sharp cheddar, squid with ink and pepper steak.

All wines are available from www. houseoffinewines.com, which offers free delivery on all orders. Lauren McPhate is the company’s commercial manager.

Wine events Dec 4 Great Wines of Italy Tasting Tasting by various vendors. Open to the public. 5pm-8pm, Ballroom, Island Shangri-La, Pacific Place, Admiralty, www.greatwinesitaly.com.

Dec 5 Wine tasting Free monthly wine tasting at Adelaide Cellar Door, Wan Chai. Booking essential at www.adelaidecellardoor.com.hk.

Dec 6 Private Kitchen WIne Dinner The first such wine dinner hosted by House of Fine Wines, www.houseoffinewines.com.

Dec 10 Conrad Christmas Fair Including House of Fine Wines and other vendors. 10am-6pm, Ballroom, Conrad Hotel, Pacific Place, Admiralty, www.prestigefairs.hk.

recipe

How to glaze a Christmas ham

By South Stream Seafoods

A Pudding for Everyone?

South Stream has Christmas puddings for all tastes this year: traditional Christmas puddings wrapped in muslin cloth, Scotch whisky puddings, organic puddings, glutenfree puddings, spotted dick, treacle, sticky toffee, orange and ginger, and more.

Indulge your sweet tooth this Christmas at www. south-stream-seafoods.com.

Ingredients Half leg cooked ham (3kg-4kg) 1 cup pineapple juice Serious splash of sherry (about 1 cup) 200g-250g brown sugar 2 tbsp seeded mustard 1 tbsp hot English mustard Cloves (optional) Single-use aluminium baking tray

When it comes to Christmas, there are turkey people and there are ham people. Luckily, South Stream Seafoods can help with both.

South Stream has conventional and organic turkeys as well as bone-in ham, boneless ham and the ever-popular spiral sliced.

Buy Online!

Fast Fresh Fantastic

While cooked hams can simply be warmed and served, many people prefer to glaze them. Sweet and savoury glazes compliment and give contrast to the flavour of pork. Here’s an easy recipe to make your Christmas ham shine.

Method 1 In a saucepan, warm the pineapple juice and sherry over a medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Stir in the mustards and simmer for three to five minutes until the glaze thickens slightly, then remove from the heat.

2 Slide your fingers under the rind

of the ham to separate it from the fat – peel it back and remove it. Score the fat in diamond shapes, but don’t cut too deep.

Place a clove in the centre of each diamond if you wish.

3 Add a little boiling water to the bottom of an aluminium tray and add the ham, then smother the ham with warm glaze until it looks radioactive. Roast in a 180 deg C oven for 45 minutes or until it’s glazed to your heart’s content. Just don’t leave it for hours or it will dry out.

When the ham is golden and glowing, carve and serve.

For an after-dinner treat, help yourself to Elizabeth Shaw’s luxury chocolate collection.

There are turkey people and there are ham people.

Let South Stream Seafoods save you time this Christmas.

We sell a range of poultry, meats and a host of other goodies for a successful meal.

And it’s all delivered to your door!

Freezer too small? We'll happily store your turkey, carefully defrost it for you and deliver it closer to the big day.

Call: 2555 6200 Shop online: www.south-stream-seafoods.com WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 29

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in my element House of the rising son Menswear designer Lee Pak-man tells Kawai Wong why he returned to his furniture roots.

The 28-year-old founder of Hong Kong menswear label The Perfect Tangent has returned to his family business, Nuovo Collections, supplying designer furniture to homes in Hong Kong and Beijing.

In the process, he picked up Capital Weekly’s Rising CEO of the Year 2012.

I trained at the Fashion Institute of Technology where Marc Jacobs is an alumni.

I have always loved design.

Although when I was studying fashion, I often questioned whether it was the fashion, the art or the design that I enjoyed more.

I still don’t have an answer. Maybe I love them all.

Cracking the fashion world can be challenging. It wasn’t finding the inspiration to ceaselessly come up with collections, but the production and manufacturing side that took the wind out of my sails.

For me, interior design is more multidimensional than fashion.

Clothes concern only fabrics, buttons, zips and cuts. But with interior consulting projects I get to play with wood, glass, fabrics, wallpaper, lighting and so on.

Staircase replica An uncle gave this to me on my 23rd birthday. The staircase is built on Da Vinci's Golden Ratio.

Lee Pak-man at his Happy Valley showroom and studio.

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My fashion label, The Perfect Tangent, got a lot of press from the likes of Wallpaper*, Men’s Folio, Time Out and fashion blogs, the terrible economy in Europe and the US meant my fashion showroom in Milan had to drop a few labels. I had big brands such as GlobeTrotter and Y3 to go against. Unfortunately I didn’t have the same commercial machine they did...

sofa so good

This is the 25th year anniversary of Nuovo Collections, the furniture company in Happy Valley is my parents’ other baby. I shied away from the business before, but now I realise I am the only son and it is my responsibility to help to rebrand it. Now is the time.

I don’t think of interior design as furniture plus a nice slick of paint. It is a lifestyle. I can’t just do a room, I often have to ask my clients what use they have for each room in order to come up with a furniture plan.

Some clients have huge homes.

I have worked with Hong Kong homes of 40,000 sqft to 50,000 sqft.

I am very inspired by the book Italian Touch by Tod’s. It’s full of beautiful, bourgeois vintage images.

Looking forward, I think the furnishing

trend is going to be Japanese Zen juxtaposing Italian opulence. I have a lot of clients decorating their homes in that style.

Nuovo Collection, 69 Wong Nai Chung Road, Happy Valley, 2895 0929, www.nuovocollection.com.

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education schools, and they read and evaluate a lot of applications from students with similar academic credentials. So make yours positively memorable.

If you do not build an application that adds to those credentials – that makes you stand out in a positive way among the hundreds, possibly thousands, of other applicants – then yours will be rejected.

Consider how your test scores, academic report, extracurricular activities, teacher recommendations, and personal statement and supplementary essays work together to paint a holistic picture of the person you are today. Do not allow yourself to be a set of data (test scores and grades). Make yourself human and make yourself stand out.

Admission USA

Your admissions officer has to want to fight for you.

Former college counsellor Christopher Young explains the world of US university admissions officers.

Every autumn, secondary-school students around the world expend emotional and intellectual energy preparing US college applications, hoping to gain admission to a university they believe will direct them towards a successful future.

Their to-do lists are long and formidable: researching dozens of universities, taking standardized tests – often multiple tests, multiple times – obtaining a school transcript (report) and teacher and counsellor recommendations, writing essays, not to mention interview preparation.

All this just to apply for a chance at admission. Financial aid requires its own set of paperwork.

And after all the work and worry, the odds of admission are often statistically formidable.

These harsh realities can be difficult for students to understand and accept. Students see their futures as reliant on getting into a top-ranked school, and they

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– and their parents – can work themselves into a frenzy over the process. It can help to develop an understanding of the other side of the college-application world: the admissions office and its officers.

How a US admission office works US college admissions offices are responsible for assembling their universities’ communities by identifying and attracting students who are a good “fit”. If Harvard wanted to fill its classes with top-scoring students, it could. But it does not.

Princeton and Yale do not. No top school looks solely at standardized tests or at any one part of the application. Instead they focus on holistic evaluation: looking at each application in its entirety and constructing a diverse class of students that will best fit the university’s unique society, at once

contributing to it and reaping the benefits of it. The offices operate on a seasonal schedule.

Autumn: Admission officers are each responsible for a geographic region and they travel extensively within that region to build connections with secondary schools. The goal is to attract a high number of qualified applicants to their universities.

Winter: Admissions officers evaluate applications from their region and identify qualified applicants who fit their schools, and, crucially, support and promote those applicants. They present chosen applications to a committee that considers the overall application pool in making final admissions offers.

Spring: Applicants are notified of admissions decisions – whether they have been admitted, not admitted, or wait-listed – and admissions officers encourage them to accept the university’s offer.

Summer: Officers prepare for the next application cycle.

How to play the admissions game US university admissions officers meet a lot of people from a lot of

For example, when I applied to US colleges, I had an academic record demonstrating high test scores and success with challenging curricula. However, I knew those factors alone would not get me into top schools. To humanize my data, I used my personal statement to write about my difficult home life, and I made sure my recommenders knew me well enough to know about my challenges outside school. This personal information illustrated that I had worked hard to overcome those challenges and become a top student. This provided context for my “data” and, I believe, made me a more competitive candidate.

Your admissions officer has to want to fight for you. This often surprises students. If admissions officers choose your application, they are going to defend your candidacy. They are going to tell their admissions committees to admit you and, in most cases, the committees will.

Different countries have different university admissions’ criteria, so please check with your secondary school advisers.

sponsored column

All about IB How the International Baccalaureate works.

With the increasing trend in Hong Kong for schools to switch from country-specific syllabuses to the International Baccalaureate, many parents are left asking questions about what exactly the IB is and whether it offers their children a solid education.

Primary Years Programme (PYP) is a transdisciplinary curriculum designed for learners aged three-12. Students are encouraged to become inquirers, communicators, risk-takers, knowledgeable, principled, open-minded, balanced and reflective.

The premise of the PYP is that children learn through their own curiosity so teachers encourage them to explore ways to answer their questions and then test their theories.

Middle Years Programme (MYP) provides a framework of academic challenges for students aged 11-16. The inquiry-based programme instills international awareness and the connection between subjects and in real-life experiences, while focusing on the development of the whole child (physical, personal, social and intellectual).

In the last year of the MYP, students produce a personal project that is a significant aspect of their learning. This offers students opportunities to differentiate learning and expression according to their initiative and creativity.

The Diploma Programme (DP) is for students aged 16 to 19, this is an academically challenging and balanced programme of education with final external examinations.

The DP helps students to develop critical-thinking, independent learning and research skills, and provides a gateway to the development of intercultural understanding. The DP course is not about reciting facts and figures; students learn how to learn, and appreciate this process.

Student achievement is assessed in myriad ways.

There are written examinations developed and marked by international examiners at the end of the two-year course and, depending on the subject, students may have oral language exams or laboratory experiments, coursework and portfolios to submit for internal grading throughout their studies.

Students' classroom teachers have input into their final grades, which gives students the opportunity to express what they know, rather than finding out what they do not know.

In Canada and the United States, some DP courses are recognized as equivalent to college-level courses, and universities may award entering students with first-year credit(s) for high DP exam scores. So parents in Hong Kong can feel assured their children are still receiving an education as holistic as traditional paths.

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@tuition.com.hk or 3188 3940.

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family

ho ho ho

Becoming Santa It takes a big heart and a real beard to be a shopping mall Santa, says the Santa School’s Head Elf, Jennifer Andrews. By Joshua Kindler.

But our Santas can take solace in knowing that, for the moment the child spends with Santa, he or she is special and not alone.

Any rules for sitting on Santa’s lap?

We teach our Santas that both hands are to be visible at all times. I also require the Santas to have current police checks, because they are working with children.

How do Santas deal with difficult children?

Children are rarely difficult, sometimes the parents can be. Some parents want to force a Santa visit at all costs. Some children are timid and the parents should respect their wishes and accept that the child is photographed beside Santa or sitting on the parent who is sitting on Santa.

Whispering secrets to one of the Santa School's trained Father Christmases.

Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Pere Noel, Dun Che Lao Ren... call him what you will, his is the name on children’s lips this month.

A combination of the historic (St Nicholas was a fourth-century Turkish bishop), the mythic (that flying sleigh) and the commercial (CocaCola designed the red suit), today’s Santa is more popular than ever, inspiring legions of impersonators in shopping mall grottoes across the globe. Many of them are trained at the Santa School in Calgary, Canada. And three will be travelling to Hong Kong this year.

Anyone can try to be Santa, anyone can want to be Santa, but not anyone can be Santa.

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Can anyone become a Santa?

Anyone can try to be Santa, anyone can want to be Santa, but not anyone can be Santa. All Santas are not created equally. In our training, I take a goodlooking Santa and make him great looking. Then I take his natural ability and make it supernatural.

We take a Santa visit and turn it into magic.

How do you become a certified Santa?

Becoming Santa is a process. It starts with the right heart and takes research, observation, practice and more practice. It also takes the right look, having the right expressions, finding the right outfit and accessories, and then finding an inner Santa voice and learning how to make it genuine to listeners. My Santas need certification: we put them through rigorous training to see if they'll pass to the most stringent judges... children. I also require Santa to have a real beard that is professionally cared for.

What do Santas learn?

That not all children come from the same background, and that can be a sad reality.

Best thing about being a Santa?

It is a privilege to be involved in children's lives. Many photos taken with Santa will endure in family albums for decades. It is our goal to provide the very best-looking Santas combined with the very best Santa feeling so that when the child looks back on their experience, they will remember that great feeling. Santas keep the spirit of Christmas alive, reaching out to children, assuring them that the magic of Christmas is very real. They encapsulate the spirit and joy of Christmas.

Visiting Santa Santa Claus is coming to town.

Here’s where to find him: Pacific Place, Admiralty Afternoons and evenings, Dec 6-11, 13-25 Festival Walk, Kowloon Tong Dec 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 21-26.

Find him in the grotto on LG2.

Dymocks bookstores Dec 8-9, 15-16 Afternoons 1pm-3pm & 4pm-6pm Details at www.dymocks.com.hk/christmas

four kids & a life

one mother tries to have it all

Merge management Carolynne Dear tries a new coping strategy.

According to the latest research, as a busy wife and mother I should no longer be “juggling” my life, or even working towards a “work-life balance”.

Instead, I should be “merge managing”.

It may sound like a hiccup with the laundry – like when your clothes go into the machine white and come out merged into elephant grey – but apparently it’s how women should now be dealing with life’s various demands.

“Experts” have deemed work-life balance all but impossible to achieve in reality, so “merging” different facets of your life to achieve a degree of domestic harmony is the new thing.

The work-life-balanced noughties yummy mummy, in her stylishly minimalist home, children playing happily on the sisal carpet with gorgeous wooden educational toys while she whisks up something wholesome in her Cath Kidston pinny, is passé these days. Thank goodness.

I used to believe those magazine features showing a celebrity mother reclining on her snowy white couch in a cocktail dress (at lunch-time), discussing her plans for a perfect

family Christmas, with not a scuffed toy or snotty security blanket in sight.

Am I the only mother alive with felt-pen ink on my bedroom walls, lollies stuck to the sofa cushions and permanent finger smears over the bi-fold doors? (And, yes, we already tidy the lounge several times a day.)

Experts have deemed worklife balance all but impossible to achieve in reality.

My mother, who is visiting, has no truck with merge managing – she believes it’s just multi-tasking, which women have been doing for millennia. In her day, she says she could feed a baby, load a washing machine and knit a jumper at the same time – and still have a hot meal on the table when her husband came home from work.

She never greeted Dad with the words,

“Sorry babe, we ate at the club – I think there might be some baked beans in the fridge.”

My clever friends have come up with a merge-managing social event: “fookie club”, a cross between book club, a girls’ night out and reflexology, involving discussing a novel over a glass of wine in a foot massage parlour.

After all, who has the time to do all those things separately at this time of year?

I’ve enjoyed some success mergemanaging the children. The five-year-old is practising her reading on the three-year-old, who likes a story before bedtime. Which means I have much more time for... oh God, timestables practice with the 10-year-old. Maybe not such a clever merge-management tactic.

But here’s one that does work: If I stop at the Captain’s Bar, I can merge-manage a glass of wine with placing an order for a Mandarin Oriental pre-cooked turkey, ensuring a very merry (and managed) Christmas.

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health & beauty Trim with all the trimmings How to stay fit and have fun during the holidays.

By Louis Doctrove.

This is the time of year when people give up exercising and turn all their attention to the fork. Trying to lose weight over the Christmas period isn’t a sensible goal.

Realistically, what you should be considering is damage limitation: how to have a fantastic Christmas and emerge from the indulgence in one fit(ish) piece. Here are ways to maintain your fitness without feeling like you are on a holiday bootcamp.

Exercise in the morning This is never more important than in the holiday period. Completing your workout in the morning gets it out of the way and allows you to enjoy the rest of your day. Leave training until the evening and you are more likely to come up with excuses to put it off.

Push-ups, crunches and squats These are three of the best exercises for maintaining fitness.

Start the day by doing push-ups and squats to failure (until you

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Realistically, what you should be considering is damage limitation: emerging from the indulgence in one fit(ish) piece. can’t do anymore), followed by three sets of 20 crunches for abs.

Keep a mental note of how many push-ups and squats you knock out, and try to beat it by three to five repetitions the next day.

Indulge in moderation Indulge occasionally, but limit your portions. Too many of us think: "Oh, it’s the holidays, so I will eat as many treats as possible."

Enjoy yourself, but try not to allow Christmas or the New Year to ruin your hard-earned results.

Never party on an empty stomach When you are hungry you tend to eat faster and more. Pig out on something healthy before an event and don’t gorge on the buffet.

Stay active every day Walking or skipping rope may not be part of your regular workout, but try to leave home or the office and flex your muscles for at least 30 minutes a day. As hard as it can be to workout over the holiday, it’s going to be twice as hard to lose any weight you gain.

Return to regular training early Plan to start back on your regular regimen by January 3 at the latest.

Any later and you are likely to keep pushing it back to the end of January, when it will take twice as long to get back to the level you were at.

Last word...

After the holidays, begin training at a slower pace and reduced frequency for the first week to avoid

overtraining and potential injury.

Interval training is a great way to get back in the swing. It burns more calories and helps to increase the body’s ability to use fat as fuel. In other words, you burn calories even when you are resting. To do this, sprint on the treadmill or spin on the bike for two to three minutes, working at about 70 per cent to 80 per cent of your capacity. Rest for 90 seconds and repeat the cycle for a total of 10 rotations. It’s tough work, but the results are tremendous.

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

time out

Beauty spot Luxury fashion den opens in Repulse Bay.

Start your next holiday at new Repulse Bay boutique Itsie-bitsie.

Designed as a one-stop shop for all your vacation needs, it is the first of its kind in Hong Kong. Harpers Bazaar in Singapore called it the “opium den of the hopelessly fashionable” for its addictive of smartcasual resort wear.

Owner and founder Maria Ines Delgado-Prieto has stocked the shop with stylish accessories, beaded caftans, vibrant tunics and knockout silk dresses handpicked from the collections of a diverse group of designers. And monthly deliveries ensure the newest hot thing is always available.

Itsie-bitsie Boutique opened its first store in Manila in 2001. Since then, it has grown into a recognized and respected brand. Its first international store in Repulse Bay was designed by renowned designer Paolo Giachi, who has previously designed stores for Louis Vuitton and Fendi in Florence. He has ensured the boutique’s aesthetic evokes a quiet elegance.

“Choosing Hong Kong for our first store to open outside the Philippines was a really easy decision,” Delgado-Prieto says. “It seemed only natural that we open an Itsie-bitsie Boutique in a location that reflects and appreciates our drive for unique style.”

Itsie-bitsie Boutique is on the ground level of The Repulse Bay Shopping Arcade. For details, visit www.itsie-bitsie.com or call 2565 0818.

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hikes

Reaping rewards Pete Spurrier gets agricultural at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden.

High on the northern slopes of Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong’s tallest mountain, there is a wonderful botanical garden, wildlife reserve, organic farm, mature woodland and animal rescue centre. A trip to Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden is a great day out for

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anyone who loves nature, and children especially will benefit from the educational opportunity.

The terrain is steep in parts, but shuttle buses are available and many attractions are located near the entrance. Walking time is two to three hours.

From Tai Po Market MTR, take bus 64K through the rural Lam Tsuen valley, past the famous Wishing Tree. Watch out for the Kadoorie Farm stop announced on the electronic panel inside the bus; it is near the highest point of the valley, before the road descends towards Shek Kong. The farm stretches up the hillside.

It was founded in the 1950s by Sir Horace and Lord Lawrence Kadoorie to develop new farming methods for the waves of immigrants arriving from China at that time. The Kadoorie

brothers thought it was best to help small farmers help themselves by providing seeds, advice and interest-free loans. Later, as farming declined in Hong Kong, the farm focused on preserving the biodiversity of the region, evolving into a centre for conservation and education.

Entrance is $10 per person.

Buy a map for an extra $5, as it will help you plan your route

around the vast grounds. There is too much to see in one visit, but here’s one itinerary that makes use of the free shuttle bus service to the higher reaches of the park.

Line up at reception to collect your bus tickets at 9.30am for morning departures, or 1pm for afternoons.

There are more trips on Sundays.

The bus makes its first stop at the Fern Walk, halfway up the hill, for ten minutes for you to look

on the farm

around. After further stops at the Orchid Sanctuary and the Kadoorie Brothers Memorial Pavilion – which has a moon gate and views far and wide – it takes you to the summit of Kwun Yam Shan, a pointy peak at the upper limit of the gardens. A statue of Kwun Yam, the goddess of compassion, stands near an ancient shrine. From this vantage point, there are amazing views down the orchard and vegetable terraces into the sheltered valley, over to far-off Yuen Long, and across the grassy uplands to Tai Mo Shan.

Tell the bus guide you’ll make your own way from here, and follow the track downhill to the Post Office Pillars – relics of the old General Post Office that was demolished in 1976 – and across to the Butterfly Garden. A woodland trail leads down to the beautifully landscaped middle section of the farm, which

A bird's eye view of Kadoorie Farm.

contains an owl sanctuary, insect house, fruit forest, wildlife pond, amphibian and reptile house, pigsties and wild boar enclosure.

Black kites, flamingoes and barking deer are also resident here. See as much as you can before the gates close at 5pm.

A farm shop sells organic foods, plants and books and has an exhibition of old photos. And near the reception is a great open-

air vegetarian cafe that serves food until 4.30pm. After you have filled up, cross the road and catch the 64K back to Tai Po.

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

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motoring With serious motor accidents in the headlines recently and the holiday season on us, it seems a good time to highlight the importance of practicing good driving etiquette.

The roads that traverse the Southside and the Peak are renowned for their scenic views, attracting drivers and cyclists from across Hong Kong – all anyone wants is to get where they’re going, and enjoy the journey. So please remember that we all share these roads. Here are a few driving types to watch out for.

Share the road

Kevin Yeung makes a Christmas wish for courteous driving.

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1

The distracted driver Please don’t call, text, Facebook or use any part of your mobile handsets when you are driving.

You are piloting a steel projectile weighing more than a tonne along tight roads with oncoming traffic. It scares and infuriates the rest of us when we see oncoming motorists

14/11/2012 17:24:44

smile and wave driving between two lanes talking on the phone. Please stop.

The boy racer Please remember public roads are not racetracks. While enthusiastic drivers feel capable of pushing their cars to their limits, only a handful of elite drivers possess both the skill and luck to correct cars once they lose control. Should you feel the need to push your car hard, consider getting track time at Zhuhai International Circuit.

Racetracks are great and, with no oncoming traffic, they are also much safer. Plus ZIC is only an hour by ferry from Hong Kong.

The inconsiderate ignoramus Please say thanks (simple hand gesture) when people let you in. If someone is driving slowly ahead of you, please don’t tailgate them or, worse, honk repeatedly.

Driving courteously creates a much better experience for everyone.

The cyclists’ scourge Please maintain a safe distance between your car and the cyclist in front of you, and only pass when it is safe to do so. Please be respectful and remember that cyclists are more

likely to be injured or killed in an accident.

Cyclists are our family, friends, colleagues and neighbours so treat them as such.

Our biking brothers Cyclists, please ride responsibly and allow cars to pass you safely by not riding two abreast.

Make sure you ride with helmets and bright, reflective clothing at night.

The heavy smoker Please help keep our environment clean by reporting polluting vehicles to the Environmental Protection Department.

We need to care about our community and it requires everyone working together.

Cyclists, please help – you guys get stuck behind them too. Vehicles (including diesels) should not discharge huge clouds of black smoke, those that do need to be reported to the Mobile Source Group, Environmental Protection Department, Rm 3402,

All anyone wants is to get where they’re going, and enjoy the journey.

34/F, Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, 2838 3111.

I wish you all a happy holiday season and happy motoring and cycling. Let’s enjoy the roads safely together.

Kevin Yeung is a Southside resident and entrepreneur. He is a founder of Feeding Hong Kong and a motoring enthusiast.

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travel

Short but sweet Above: Sunrise at Angkor Wat, Siem Reap.

Below: Bagan, Myanmar.

Enjoy a real holiday this Christmas.

By Timmy Lee. Siem Reap Cambodia’s tourist hub is a charming riverside town, with a buzzing bar and restaurant scene, interesting markets, gracious avenues and an Old Quarter of Chinese- and colonialstyle buildings. But you’ll be there for the archaeological treasures that lie a few minutes’ drive away: the “lost” temples of Angkor.

Rediscovered in the jungle in the early 1900s, Angkor Wat, Bayon and Preah Khan are among the world’s most majestic and romantic structures, particularly at sunset with someone you love. You won’t be alone, however. For that, explore the area’s 100 or so less wellknown monuments for the full Lara Croft experience – giant trees rising from 12th-century temples, beautiful bas-relief carvings, secret passageways and tranquil ponds.

Had enough temples? Visit the floating village on nearby Tonle Sap lake – or even hire a speedboat for a blow-your-hair-back journey to Phnom Penh. Or trek into the hills to see the carved stream bed of the Thousand Lingas River. After dark, sip a cocktail in the Frenchcolonial bar of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club (www.fcccambodia.com) or dine under a bodhi tree on the seven-course Khmer tasting menu at Meric in the hip Hotel de la Paix (www.hoteldelapaixangkor.com).

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Yangon, Myanmar If it’s good enough for Barack Obama... With Aung San Suu Kyi now free, and even the US Pres popping into town (if only for six hours last month), Myanmar is no longer the pariah state of Southeast Asia. Which means it’s legitimately back on the tourist trail. Get there before the banana-pancake-eating backpacking hordes overrun the place. Capital Yangon is all decaying colonial splendour, centred on Shwedagon

Pagoda, one of the most revered in Asia and said to have a 2,500-year heritage. Stay in style at the Governor’s Residence, or the historic Traders Hotel. From there, drive five (bumpy) hours south to Ngwe Saung Beach, a stunning nine-mile stretch of sand, and chill at the Bay of Bengal Resort (www.bayofbengalresort.com).

Or get cultural and fly up-country to astonishing Bagan on the banks of the Ayeyarwaddy River, where the plain is covered with 2,000 brick-built

travel stupas, wats and temples. It’s an incredible sight, particularly from an early morning hot-air balloon.

Further upriver is Mandalay, the cultural heart of the country, where the bicycle is still the favoured mode of transportation. If you have the time (and the moolah), consider travelling on the OrientExpress river cruiser, Road to Mandalay (www. orient-express.com), which departs Mandalay on December 26 for a seven-night cruise to Bagan.

Cameron Highlands, Malaysia Homesick Brits can get a taste of the home counties Asia-style in Malaysia’s hill stations, thanks to mock-Tudor hotels with roaring fires, teashops and even red post boxes. Three hours from Kuala Lumpur, and 60 kilometres up scary switchback roads from the equatorial heat, the area was developed in the 1920s at the height of the British colonial era. Its main attraction is still its cool climate, perfect for growing tea – try a brew of Boh, Sungal Palas or Cameron Valley Tea. But interspersed with the plantations are 9,000 acres of rainforest offering some amazing hiking. Walk to aboriginal villages, the divine Parit and Robinson waterfalls or climb the lush mountain peaks for bravura views. Then treat yourself to a round of golf and seasonal slap-up roast dinner at the famous Smokehouse hotel (www.thesmokehouse.com.my) or afternoon tea at Foster’s Lakehouse (www.lakehouse-

cameron.com), which also boasts a pub with a selection of single Scotch whiskies. Afterwards, you can sleep it off in an antique four-poster bed in front of a log fire.

Krabi, Thailand Krabi has all the best bits of Phuket, without the crowds. We’re talking jungle-clad limestone islands rising vertically from a turquoise sea, long white beaches and island-hopping on longtail boats. On the mainland, go for hippie chic on Railay Beach – accessible only by boat and popular with climbers – or five-star luxe at Tupkaek (Sheraton and Ritz-Carlton both have properties on this long, shallow beach). Or head offshore to the region’s gorgeous islands. Ko Lanta is being promoted as the new Ko Phi Phi. It’s perfect for laidback loafing about, with more than enough beach to go around even in peak season. Try the Pimalai Resort and Spa (www. pimalai.com), for the full blissed-out experience.

Live out your desert-island fantasies on Ko Ngai (pronounced Ko Hai), at least mid-week, where you can stay in a simple resort on the beach. And day-trip to Ko Muk’s Emerald Cave, the star of a Thai tourist campaign. An 80-metre swim through a pitch-black cave brings you out into a secret lagoon with its own strip of sand surrounded by cliffs in the middle of the island. The Beach, anyone? For details, visit www.yourkrabi.com.

Above: Tea plantations in the Cameron Highlands; Ko Lanta beach, Thailand.

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pets Furry Christmas The holiday season holds hidden perils for pets, says Cynthia Smillie.

In the hectic run up to Christmas, spare a thought for your pets.

While we’re busy wrapping presents, trimming the tree and worrying about the turkey, it is easy to overlook the mischief a curious or bored pet can get up to in a house filled with novel items. Emergency vet visits for dogs and cats rise during the holidays, mostly related to the ingestion of foreign objects or poisonous substances.

Given the opportunity, the family Labrador is likely to devour a whole box of chocs.

Most people know chocolate is dangerous for dogs (and cats), especially the darker varieties containing more of the toxic substance theobromine. But while you may know this, your dog doesn’t. Given the opportunity, the family Labrador is likely to devour a whole box of chocs, including the wrappers. Grapes and raisins also pose a threat, so keep leftover Christmas puddings and mince pies away from the dog. Other things to be careful of include alcoholic drinks, and sweets and baked goods containing the artificial sweetener Xylitol.

Before decking the halls, be aware that holly, mistletoe, poinsettias and pine needles can cause vomiting and diarrhoea in animals.

Lilies are particularly deadly to cats and can cause liver failure even in very small quantities.

Christmas trees, both real and artificial, are often treated with flame retardant or other toxic chemicals. Place a barrier around the tree to prevent your pet drinking the tree water, which can contain fertilizer or pesticide.

Cats are irresistibly drawn to climbing the Christmas tree, which can tip over and cause injury. And both dogs and cats are tempted by tinsel, ribbons and other decorations that can cause intestinal blockages if ingested.

If you’re planning to buy Fido or Fluffy a present, avoid small toys that can be ingested and choose nutritious, high-quality food treats.

We’re not the only ones who gain weight at Christmas.

Pets may also be stressed by changes in routine, diet and environment, such as the arrival of trees and decorations, more visitors and long-term guests. Even worse is missing out on all the fun when the family goes off to Phuket. Owners should be aware that there may be changes in appetite or behaviour. Try to maintain as normal a schedule as possible in terms of feeding and exercise times, and ensure your pet has a quiet place to retire to away from the attention of guests and other activities that may be frightening to pets.

Lastly, of course, Christmas is not a good time to acquire a new pet as everyone is far too busy to give it the attention it needs to settle in happily.

Have a wonderful Christmas but do take precautions to keep your pet safe. After all no one wants a trip to A&E just as you are about to carve the Christmas turkey.

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

Pet Personals Have a heart and adopt a rescue dog from Sai Kung Stray Friends, saikungstrayfriendshk@gmail.com, 2335 1126.

Bella Make it a threesome with “The Girls” – this black beauty and her soul mate, TiffanyFoxy, are looking for a home a deux.

Tiffany-Foxy This pretty threeyear-old is one of “The Girls” and is looking for a home with her best bud Bella.

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Sammi Super-bright Sammi is loyal, capable and the smart girl on the block.

Jolie & Mary A loving pair of oneyear-old sisters, Jolie is outgoing and Mary is the shy one.

Happy He’s Happy and he knows it. A strong, lively, good-looking lad – who could ask for more?

Ah Bo This adorable boy is gentle, shy and one of a kind. A real heartbreaker.

bow wow

Not just for Christmas...

Should you give puppies as presents?

Sally Andersen joins the debate.

Christmas is looming and the kids are begging for a puppy. Should you?

Animals are a notable responsibility. Some rescue organisations don’t release their animals during the holiday period in order to prevent them being thrown out with the wrapping paper once the novelty has worn off.

Sadly, this is a reality every year – not every family is up to the challenge. But for some there is no better gift than a puppy or a dog. If this is something that has been discussed and agreed beforehand with the commitment to giving a home for life and not just for Christmas, now you have to choose the right puppy. I'm going to make the assumption you will not be heading for the nearest pet shop, but instead to one of the rescue organisations. Adopting and saving a life is, after all, in keeping with the spirit of Christmas.

When confronted with so many cute faces and wagging tails, I have an important suggestion to make: don't involve children aged under 10 in the decision making.

Trust me, they will be happy with whatever you bring home.

Trying to explain to a five-year-old that the little ball of fluff in front of them won't stay that way forever is

like expecting them to understand quantum physics. The life of a dog is not something a young child should be responsible for.

Think about your home and lifestyle, and be honest and realistic about the type of dog that would best fit in. Often that may not be a puppy, as puppies have needle-sharp teeth and need to be trained. They don’t know that shoes shouldn’t be chewed, antique rugs peed on or that it hurts human babies when they play in the same way they would play with other puppies.

Ask for advice and recommendations from the organisation you are adopting from, and don't choose looks or breed over compatibility. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, and temperament is far more important.

When you have made your choice and taken your new family member home, make sure it has somewhere quiet it can retreat to when it feels overwhelmed, especially if you are celebrating noisily. Make sure the children understand dogs need a special safe place, and to leave them alone when they are sleeping. Above all, remember you have a new family member that now relies on you for everything – including its life.

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

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tech

ready, set...

Daniel Cheng (front left), entrepreneur and engineer of Hong Kong Best App winner FindDoc.

What is Purpella, and how did you come up the idea?

The idea came to me in 2007 while studying at Stanford. There’s so much information online, but there’s still a disconnect between the digital and real life. So, I thought, why not create an app that connects people to the real-life events they love, a jazz concert, art gallery or a midnight movie, anything that interests them? Purpella.

What do you enjoy most?

I enjoy how humbling an experience this has been. I’m just me, but I’m working with people who own patents on some really amazing medical and finance technologies, or have made apps that have seen more than 100 million downloads.

I love building with them, and learning from them.

We have a collaborative work culture that is really great. That they were willing to work to produce my idea is really exciting. And humbling.

Did you start building Purpella immediately?

Sadly, no. When I graduated, I had a few good job offers, but decided to return to Hong Kong to become an entrepreneur and pursue this dream. It was a tough decision. But I eventually co-founded Startups HK for budding entrepreneurs, and built the FindDoc app. My big break came in 2011, when I was finally able to start on Purpella.

Why did you decide to return to Hong Kong in the first place?

I was first educated in Hong Kong, and I believe in the quality of talent in Hong Kong. There are so many qualified engineers and scientists, but so few startups. That talent is underutilized.

How has it been so far?

Our development has been relentless, but it's been great. In addition to winning Hong Kong's Best App for FindDoc, we recently became the first team from Hong Kong to win a design award in New York, which is the world's most competitive media market. To say I was happy is an understatement.

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What challenges have you faced in developing Purpella?

Innovation requires investment, and one big problem has been convincing people to invest in brains versus bricks. Investors in Hong Kong are most comfortable investing in tangible assets, like real estate. Investing in technology is still a foreign concept here. It was also tricky in the beginning to attract what would become my team, because they saw me as a graduate with little experience.

The global financial crisis didn’t help.

What’s the plan moving forward?

We're preparing for a big 2013. We’ve filed a couple of patents and begun serious fundraising efforts. Most importantly, we launch early next year. Long term, I want to do my part to create an innovation engine in Hong Kong so that others with dreams can have an easier time than I did in giving them life.

What’s up with the name Purpella?

The name Purpella is derived from the colour purple. It’s a really neutral colour that has no socially ascribed meaning, unlike red or pink or green. From this point of neutrality, it is my hope that Purpella can empower people to find productive and positive things to do with one another in their communities.

I want to do my part to create an innovation engine in Hong Kong so that others with dreams can have an easier time.

To find out more, email dan@purpella.com.

gardening

fall into winter

Gardening events Dec 5 Compost-making and bee-keeping introductory workshops at Kadoorie Farm.

Fall order

Dec 7 Illustrated talk on Korean gardens.

Jane Ram seeks some seasonal colour.

December Regular Wednesday and Saturday morning art sessions with Roz Keep introduce you to some of the most interesting gardens around Hong Kong while you discover your hidden artistic talents. More details from janetaipening@gmail.com.

Last month I spent a week in Beijing. I arrived the day after the first snowfall of the winter.

Hong Kong was still enjoying temperatures in the upper 20s, so it was a shock to meet temperatures of six degrees Celsius and icy winds straight from Siberia. I felt that my head was being blown inside out. Because winter started so early, the central heating was on throughout the city several weeks ahead of schedule, mercifully.

Despite the icy winds, it was brilliantly sunny and I enjoyed the sight of trees in autumnal foliage along the road from the airport. The following day the wind dropped and, although the sun was less bright, I went out with my camera to capture some of the glorious colours.

The ginkgo tree is rarely seen in Hong Kong: I only know of one in a private garden on the Peak that will never rival those now on every Beijing street corner. Natives of China, ginkgo biloba trees are living fossils. The capital has planted thousands of the trees, which reach about 40-50 metres in height at maturity. Young ones are spindly, but have leaves that turn a deep rich yellow-ochre before they flutter to the ground.

While Hong Kong misses the dramatic changes of colour that herald the onset of winter in more northerly climes, we have seasonal pleasures of our own as less humid weather and shorter daylight hours trigger new garden delights. One of my favourite shrubs, clerodendrum wallichii, started to produce cascades of white flowers at the end of October.

Barring freak hail storms, it should stay looking good for about two months. Around the same time the spiral growing heliconia latispatha also began to bloom. Soaring to a height of around two metres, these will add dramatic red and yellow notes to the garden all winter. They are as showy as the summer-flowering heliconia rostrata, which have become familiar in recent

years. The latispatha deserve to be more widely grown here as they give colour when it is most needed. I have been growing them for a decade or more and, unlike many other types of heliconia, they withstand our cold weather very well.

Gifts for gardeners Christmas gifts for gardeners are a real challenge. A serious gardener probably already has all the plants, books and gadgets he or she might covet. However, I recently gave myself a new book, Food Plants of China, by the late Dr S.Y. Hu. It’s a monumental work of scholarship, complete with more than a few glimpses of the author’s personality shining through.

Arthur Van Langenberg’s latest book, Growing Your Own Food in Hong Kong, is so new that it’s probably a safe bet. Based on more than half a century of first-hand experience, it’s totally practical. Like Dr Hu’s book, it is published by the Chinese University Press.

There’s a discount for anyone ordering direct from the publishers before December 15 by emailing cup-bus@cuhk.edu.hk.

Finally, a subscription to Resurgence & Ecologist Magazine (resurgence.org) should be well received by anyone who cares about environmental issues.

Jane Ram is a professional writer with a passion for plants.

She has been gardening in Hong Kong for more than 30 years and is still learning.

Please email her at janetaipeng@gmail.com with comments and queries, and to be kept informed of workshops and excursions for gardeners.

Jan-April New series of Saturday afternoon workshops in Fanling, including talks on camellias (January 12), ferns (February 16), hibiscus (March 16) and the passiflora family (April 20).

Events fill up fast, so secure a place early with janetaipeng@gmail.com.

December tasks The major challenge this season is to keep hungry birds away from tender-leaved plants. Fine nets (to prevent birds getting entangled) and scarecrows sometimes work.

Try tinsel, discarded CDs and even an unwanted teddy bear, like the one that presides over Lamma vegetable fields. If all else fails, try a rubber snake, rearranging it from time to time to keep it lifelike.

You can sow herb seeds with every chance of success, also lettuce and other tender-leaved salad plants.

Try a few rose cuttings if you are pruning local roses or miniatures.

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 49

people Oh snap!

Sunny days on Southside.

50 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

say cheese

Go Aussie, go!

Race-goers at this year’s Melbourne Cup lunch enjoyed a sunny day at Happy Valley race-course as they cheered on the Flemington jockeys. Australian International School mum Bec Clark-Kirk won the Fashions on the Field contest, while jockey Brett Prebble, riding Green Moon, took the cup back in Australia.

Beach babes At the Tung Wah Beach Party in Shek O.

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 51

marketplace

To advertise, email: ads@southside.hk

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.

Not all behavioural problems are simply training issues.

Dr. Cynthia Smillie BVM&S PG Dip CABC MRCVS

Tel: 9618 2475 cynthia@petbehaviourhk.com

www.petbehaviourhk.com

52 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

marketplace

wellness & birth pre & postnatal homecare

Sleep well!

Martina Freyer

baby sleep consultant phone 6621 0040

www.wellnessandbirth.com WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 53

marketplace

54 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

marketplace

bird at my window

Advertise

here

and reach

+ 30,000 upscale readers 2776 2772 or email us ads@southside.hk Please call

The spotted dove aka Streptopelia chinensis Aside from the feral pigeon, the spotted dove is the most familiar of the five members of the Columbidae family that regularly occur in Hong Kong. It is one of the commonest birds in the urban areas and can be found even in the heart of the city where trees are present.

Because it is so common, bird watchers often dismiss is as “just another spotted dove� and pay it little heed, which is a shame because it is rather beautiful. Particularly striking are the black-and-white patterned neck patches and the vinaceous pink underparts, which flush when birds are courting.

The species breeds all year, with the male indulging in a distinctive courtship display in which it flies upwards at a steep angle and then descends more gently on extended wings. The nest is a flimsy structure made of twigs usually placed low in a tree, but can be up to eight metres above ground. Two white eggs are usually laid and incubated for about a fortnight. The nestlings fledge after a further two weeks.

The spotted dove is resident from Pakistan through Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Borneo and the Philippines, and through central and eastern China to the Bohai Gulf. It has also been introduced to Australia, New Zealand and the USA. David Diskin is a writer and photographer based in the New Territories. His latest book is Hong Kong Nature Walks: Kowloon, Hong Kong & Outlying Islands (October 2012). Details at www.accipiterpress.com.

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 55

classifieds LOCAL Property PRIVATE RESIDENCE ~ $16. 5M SOLE AGENT - Gorgeous 2100sf Detached 4 Bedroom Family Home. Private 1750sf Walled Terrace & Garden with STT. Quiet, Exclusive, Sought After Location. Green Views.

Ref ~ SK414 www.thepropertyshop.com.hk 27193977 C-027656

Sea View Unit to Let Two storey with balcony, 550 sq ft per flat located in Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island, newly renovated. Three bedrooms furnished with individual airconditioner & one bathroom with tub and water heater and one sitting room furnished with air-conditioner aside by open kitchen with hood embedded & one bathroom water heater on second floor. 5 minutes' walk to pier going back Central or Aberdeen ferry. Half hour to the nearby beach. HK$16k per monthly rent for a 2-year tenant agreement lease contract (Welcome for flat visit, call Joyce 98770876 for arrangement).

No management fee and commission required please find attached the websites for the time ferry schedules. http://www.ferry.com.hk http://www.hkkf.com.hk

YACHT CLUB VILLA ~ HK$130K Sai Kung- Ref-SK355 SOLE AGENT - Attractively Renovated, Detached Gated Villa, 4 Bedrooms, Study, Spacious Accommodation, High Ceilings, Large Living/Dining Room, Pool, Terrace & Garden, Garage, Green & Sea Views. www.thepropertyshop.com.hk 27193977 C-027656

Western Living Resort Villa HK$50K-Sai Kung 2100' Three Storey Detached House.

4 Bedrooms (2 ensuite), Maid's Room, Roof, Lawn and Wood Decking Garden, Fitted Open Kitchen, Spacious Bedrooms with Fitted Wardrobes, Shared Pool, Carpark, Westernised Community, Quiet Location. Angela 92882529

Overseas Property NEED A HOLIDAY? PHUKET VILLA FOR RENT! Luxury 5 beds villa with swimming pool located in Surin area. Walking distance to beaches. Reasonable rates! Website: www.phuketvilla4rent. com Email the owner: info@phuketvilla4rent.com

Luxury Beach Villa in Cebu Island Philippines for rent.

(Fully Staffed) 4 double rooms all with bath. 3 direct flights per day from HK. We have a Private chef, New 50ft sailing yacht, 2speedboats, Hobie Cat and more... www.cebubeach.net or contact owner +852 91625321

Email classifieds@southside.hk or call 2776 2772 56 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

random but interesting BOAT Liveaboard in Aberdeen swing mooring, 2003 Bondway, 55ft with 3 bedrooms, office convertible to bedroom, 2 bathrooms, big lounge with balcony, fully furnished with appliances. Power & water available.

HK$2.1m and mooring fee HK$6k/mth. Call Ian 91694246.

Liveaboard package in Discovery Bay Marina, 2010 Paceboat, 60ft with 4 bedrooms, 2 offices, laundry, 3 bathrooms, big lounge with balcony, top deck function room, fully furnished with appliances and furniture. HK$6.7m including debenture. Call Ian 91694246.

Insurance Insurance: Home, Motor, Medical We are HK’s leading general insurance broker. Call for an instant quote or visit the website www.kwiksure.com. Call Christian on +852 3113 1331 or emailchristian@ kwiksure.com

Autotoll – Car insurance specialist Special offer Up to $500 Fuel Coupon Call Benny or Michael at 26278811 or insurance@autotoll.com.hk Autotoll Insurance Agent Ltd

Health and Well Being No need to go to Central....

Cambridge Weight Plan has experienced consultants on the Southside and in Pokfulam. We help you create an easy-tomanage flexible weight loss plan and provide motivation and support every step of the way. Call our friendly local consultants today!

Paula 92760911 and Laila 98209592 info@cambridgeweightplan.hk www.cambridgeweightplan.hk

Classified classifieds@southside.hk

2776 2772

Services ShenZhen DayTrip Shopping Hk 2,000. with 7-Seaters Lighting Mall Furniture Mall Art village Homedecoration , Carpet and Rugs.

Franki (90362128) happyday2128@netvigator.com

EUROPEAN MOTORS LTD of Sai Kung since 1975. Buy and sell used cars.

All our cars are fully checked and come with a written warranty. We are on the main road opposite the Sai Kung. Police Station next to Chez Uno and Wicka on the corner by the Sha Kok Mei junction and where there is ample parking. Open 7 days a week.

Just call Paul Gross on 9027 4846 www.europeanmotors.com.hk

NATIONAL HARBOUR RENOVATIONS Home and office reno upgrades.

Plumbing, electrical and handyman services.

Call Charles 90851886 info@nationalharbour.com.hk www.nationalharbour.hk

Full time / Part time Domestic Helper Wanted Job Description: · Provide domestic help to a family of six (couple, 18 years old son & 3 dogs); · 3 storey house with garden in Chung Hom Kok ·to work with another helper Requirements: · Age 30-40 Must be good in English, cleanliness; · Good in ironing & cooking, like pets; and · Finish contract with good references.

Please call Anita Shum at 25377170 for enquiry and application.

If both parents die together, children become Wards of Court. A HK orphanage would likely be their new home! For quick, simple and affordable Wills, call Phoenix Wills 3100 0101 Email: Bradley@ WheresTheWill.com

Entertainment and Events Services Bespoke, all inclusive consultancy providing customised entertainment services and event solutions. Corporate / Birthdays / Private Events / Entertainment / Creative / Photo & Event Filming Services.

E: info@entertainingasia.com T: 2815-7919. www.entertainingasia.com

Private Party Perfect Location available for all party themes, located at Central Lan Kwai Fong with open balcony, capacity up to 90 pax ,we provide food catering and open bar package www.ottolounge.com to get the quote online T:6627 7499 info@ottolounge.com

Tuition and Courses LIVE BAND SCHOOL WANT TO PLAY IN A BAND? Calling all singers, guitarists, bass players and drummers. Join our Band Workshops in Causeway Bay. Ages from 12 to 18 Contact : Patrick_larbier@yahoo.fr 67182585

Piano Lesson @ HOME in English/ Cantonese by professional and qualified teachers. Annual Recital in Cityhall. Trial lessons available, visit www.grandpiano.hk for details.

ENGLISH TEACHER 20 yrs solid experience. K1-S6 TOEFL IELTS Cambridge HKDSE. Kids Fun Reading Programs. New immigrant English, TOEIC. Dyslexia and Phonics Clinic. Numerous successful graduates. Ms. Lau 81034686

NATIVE SPANISH TEACHER. Spanish for all levels, IB, I/GCSE. Experienced teacher.

Private and group lessons. Flexible hours.

Kids, teenagers and adults. ilsabeth@hotmail.com 9043 5105.

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 57

the ultimate guide to southside COMMUNITY & HEALTH Elite Nursing Ltd.

2566 0630 info@elitenursing.com.hk www.elitenursing.com.hk The American Club Hong Kong 2842 7400 | membership@americanclubhk.com www.americanclubhk.com Caritas-HK 2538 7777 / 2550 7620 Feeding HK 2205 6568 | http://feedinghk.org German-Speaking Evangelical-Lutheran Congregation 9573 2977 | info@egdshk.org Watermark Community Church 2857 6160 | info@watermarkchurch.hk www.watermarkchurch.hk Homeopathy to Health 6908 3234 | www.homeopathytohealth.org Repulse Bay Family Practice info@veritas-medical.com Wellness & birth, pre & postnatal home care 9022 1779 | www.wellnessandbirth.com info@wellnessandbirth.com

DAILY NECESSITIES 7-Eleven 2299 1110 Circle K Convenience Stores (HK) Limited 2294 9164 City Lifestyle 2856 1817 (Stanley) 2580 1314 (Aberdeen) Mannings 2553 3244 Market Place by Jasons 2812 0340 ParknShop 2294 9327 Taste 2813 9521 Wellcome 2813 9363

FASHION & BEAUTY

Itsie Bitsie Boutique 2565 0818

Kaprice 2509 1133 | kaprice@biznetvigator.com www.kapriceonline.com Nuan Cashmere sales@nuancashmere.com | www.nuancashmere.com Sabai Day Spa — Stanley 2104 0566 | www.sabaidayspa.com Sense of Touch 2517 0939 | ask@senseoftouchhk.com www.senseoftouch.com.hk

58 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

HOME Box Design

2573 3323 info@boxdesign.com.hk www.boxdesign.com.hk

AA Mini Store 3483 1693 / 6977 6107 www.aa-aquarium.com Attic Lifestyle 2580 8552 info@attic-lifestyle.com www.attic-lifestyle.com Calcite Indoor Environment 3428 5441 | info@calcitegroup.com www.calcitegroup.com Chez Uno 2791 9662 / 2723-8990 www.chezuno.com COMODO Interior & Furniture Design 2808 0991 | info@comododesign.com www.comododesign.com Eco Living 2792 7998 | askus@ecoliving.hk | www.ecoliving.hk Indigo Living Ltd. 2552 3500 | info@indigo-living.com www.indigo-living.com JCAW Consultants 2524 9988 | jcawltd@biznetvigator.com Pakpersian Carpets Hong Kong 2549 012 / 9192 9594 pakpersian@netvigator.com www.pakersiancarpet.com Studio Annetta 9849 1216 | suzy@studioannetta.com www.studioannetta.com The XSS 2739 8893 enquiry@thexss.com | www.thexss.com

LEARNING CENTRES Anastassia's Art House 2719 5533 arthouse.hk@gmail.com www.arthouse-hk.com Craft Box 9014 3262 simone@craftbox.asia www.craftbox.asia Grand Piano www.grandpiano.hk ITS 3188 3946 jennifer.c@tuition.com.hk International Academy of Flim & Television 5808 3440 info@iaft.hk iaft.hk Montessori for Children 2813 9589 hongkong@montessori.edu.sg www.montessori.edu.sg Morningstar Preschool and Kindergarten 9736 5241 info@MorningstarSchools.com www.morningstarschools.com Orton-Gillingham Centre for Different Learners 2525 8998 eric@msl-orton.com www.msl-orton.com.hk Sunshine House Pre-schools Hong Kong 2813 0713 taitam@sunshinehouse.com.hk Sylvan Learning 2873 0662 info@sylvan.edu.hk www.educate.com MIT Programs 2573 6623 www.mitprograms.hk PEKiP 2573 6623 www.pekip.com.hk

REAL-ESTATE AND HOTELS

Get listed

call 2776 2772 email marketing@southside.hk Jones Lang LaSalle

2846 5000 www.joneslanglasalle.com.hk The Telo’s Group LCC www.telosgroupllc.com Grand Hyatt Hong Kong 2956 1234 | http://hongkong.grand.hyatt.com Le Meridien Cyberport Hotel 2980 7788 One Island South 2118 2992 | cs@oneislandsouth.com The Arcade, Cyberport 3166 3111 | arcade@cyberport.hk | arcade.cyberport.hk Stanley Plaza 2296 9634 | www.thelinkreit.com Habitat Property Ltd 2869 9069 | info@habitat-property.com www.habitat-property.com

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

directory PETS & VETS

MULTIMEDIA

Animal Behaviour Vet Practice 9618 2475 cynthia@petbehaviourhk.com www.petbehaviourhk.com Animal Emergency Centre 2915 7979 trilby@animalemergency.com.hk Ferndale Kennels & Cattery 2792 4642 www.ferndalekennels.com Pacific Pets @ Stanley Veterinary Centre / Pet shop 2813 7979 info@pacificpets.com.hk Pets Central North Point Hospital 2811 8907 info@pets-central.com Stanley Veterinary Centre 2813 2030 info@stanleyvetcentre.com www.stanleyvvetcentre.com Vet2Pet 6999 1003 vet2pet@yahoo.com | www.vet2pet.com.hk The Vet 88 Dr med. vet. Kerstin Meyer 9388 6756 | thevet88@gmail.com

Asian Artworks Gallery 2812 0850 Broadway Circuit 2529 3898 Dymocks 2803 1623 Four Dimensional Book Centre 2555 9528 HJ Seich Photography 9229 2407 | heidi@hjselchphotography.com www.hjselchphotography.com HS modernart 2812 9123 The Commercial Press (Hong Kong) Limited 2552 3621 Light Jar Photography 6274 1362 | info@lightjarphotography.com www.lightjarphotography.com Anthony Buckley and Constantine Portrait Photographers 9689 3592 | lydia.macalister@gmail.com www.buckleyconstantine.co.uk Kee Club 2810 9000 | booking@keeclub.com http://gillespeterson-keeclub.eventbrite.com Venture Photography 2885 6262 venturephotography.com.hk

SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT

TRANSPORT SERVICES

Food Delivery South Stream Seafoods

Units 202-204, Lai Sun Yuen Long Centre, 27 Wang Yip St East, Yuen Long, N.T. Hong Kong 2555 6200 sh@south-stream-seafoods.com www.south-stream-seafoods.com Laithwaites Wine 3071 5085 | info@laithwaiteswine.hk www.laithwaiteswine.hk Lucy's 2813 9055 Prompt (international Buffet) 2980-47417 | prompt.LMC@lemeridien.com www.lemeridien.com/hongkong Restaurant & Bar Umami (Japanese) 2980 47406 www.lemeridien.com/hongkong Organic Experience Management Group 2981 2888 www.organicxp.com Cafe Deco Group 2108 4467 Castello del Vino 2866 0587 / 77 | info@castellodelvino.com.hk Trattoria Caffe’ Monteverdi 2559 0115 Veritas Wine 9757 3557 | info@veritas-wine.com www.veritas-wine.com

Webjet HK Weight Watcher

2813 0814 | kmahjoubian@weightwatchers.com.hk www.weightwatchers.com.hk Allegro Pilates Studio 6295 7881 info@pilatesinstanley.com | www.pilatesinstanley.com Holistic Fitness & Therapy 9667 0940 | nareshkumar62@hotmail.com www.holisticnaresh.com Nonie Studio Ms Nonie Yung 2333 2027 / 5198 9903 Power Fit Studio 3621 0180 | www.powerfitstudio.com.hk Primal Strength 5305 6323 | enquiries@primalstrength.com.hk www.primalstrength.com.hk

OTHER SERVICES Everfine Membership Services Limited 2174 7880 | enquiry@evergolf.com.hk www.evergolf.com.hk Sum Hing Carton Box Factory info@boxx.hk | www.boxx.hk Truly Care Pest Control Services 2458 8378 info@trulycare.com.hk | www.trulycare.com.hk Tai Pan Valet Shop tplhkc@netvigator.com

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 Crown Relocations 2636 8388 | hongkong@crownrelo.com www.crownrelo.com/hongkong Expert-Transport & Relocations Warehouse 2566 4799 | www.expertmover.hk Scorpion RIBS Hong Kong 2511 8337 | scorpionribshk@gmail.com www.scorpionribs.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES 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 Ltd 2822 0228 Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited 2814 0845 The Bank of East Asia Limited 3609 1651/ 3609 1637/ 3609 1636 Wing Lung Bank Ltd 2552 7688

TOYS, ACCESSORIES & KIDS' PARTIES

Apple & Pie Ltd.

Unit# 206, One Island South, 2 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong (near Ocean Park) 3102 0853 | info@appleandpie.com www.appleandpie.com Bouncy Kids 9228 5772 cs@bouncykids.hk | www.bouncykids.hk Bumps to Babes 2552 5000 (Ap Lei Chau Main Store) 2522 7112 (Pedder Building Branch) 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 (Stanley) 2407 1892 contact@petit-bazaar.com www.facebook.com/petitbazaar UrbanDiscovery 2214 0011 challenge@urbandiscovery.asia

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 59

distribution Southside magazine continues to extend its reach in our community, here is the latest in distribution news.

Pok Fu Lam

The Peak

- Kellett School - Kennedy School - Stanley Ho Sports Centre - Sunshine House Chi Fu - Sunshine House Pokfulam - Woodland Pokfulam Pre-School - Woodland Tree House

- Cafe Deco The Peak - Delifrance - German Swiss International School - Haagen-Dazs - Oliver’s Super Sandwiches - Pho Yummee - Starbucks - Sunshine House The Peak - The Peak Lookout Café - Villa Verde - Woodland Pre-School The Peak

Cyberport - Bagiou Villas - Bel-Air Clubhouse - Cyberport Arcade - GoGym - International (Park N Shop) - Kosmo Plus Wellness Cafe - Le Meridien Hotel Cyberport - Oh Sushi & Tappas - Om World - Scenic Villas - Starbucks - Thaima-V - Tutti Bar & Restaurantt

Aberdeen - Aberdeen Marina Club - Burnt Orange - Elect Sekki - Elite Personal Training - Flex Studio - Hong Kong Country Club - Mirth - Leader Golf Training Centre - One Island South - Ovolo, Shek Pai Wan - Park N Shop - Singapore International School - Sure Steps - Top Deck - Wicka Designs - Woodland Harbourside Pre-School

Manhattan Tower This exclusive residential building, tucked away in a lush country park setting, houses some of the most stunning apartments on the Southside.

All 40 units are 2,400 square feet with fully fitted kitchens and bathrooms, teak floors and best of all, large balconies to soak up the breathtaking views of Deep Water Bay and the South China Sea. Southside Magazine is now conveniently placed at the Manhattan Tower reception.

Tai Tam / Shek O

- American Club - Beach Front Kiosk - Ben’s Garden - Black Sheep - Craigengower Cricket Club - Fusion (Park'N Shop) - Happy Garden Restaurant - Hong Kong Cricket Club - Hong Kong International School - Hong Kong Parkview Resort & Spa - Hong Kong Parkview Suites - Lulu Shop - Pacific View Residential Clubhouse - PIPS Kindergarten Pok Fu Lam - Redhill Clubhouse Chi Fu The Peak - Shek O Chinese & Thai Restaurant Parkview - Shining Stone Restaurant Tai Tam Cyberport Shouson Hill - Soma Spa Big Wave Bay - Sunshine House Tai Tam Aberdeen Bel-Air Deep Water Bay - Wellcome, Red Hill Plaza - Woodland Tai Tam Montessori Wong Chuk Hang Pre-School Repulse Bay Red Hill Ap Lei Chau

The Manhattan Chung Hom Kok

Shek O

Larvotto Due to popular demand, we’ve increased distribution to Larvotto by 30%. This marine-themed luxury residential complex offers unmatched waterfront views and is only 5 minutes from upscale shopping at Horizon Plaza.

Southside Magazine can be found at the Larvotto clubhouse on the coffee tables of many of its residents.

Ap Lei Chau - Bumps to Babes - Chapin House - Everything Under The Sun - Homestyle - Indigo - Indigo Kids - Indigo Outlet - Larvotto - Limestone Wine & Spirits - Little Picasso Studio - Okooko - Pacific Gourmet - Tequila Kola - Shambala Cafe - Tree - Zense

60 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

Stanley

Stanley One Island South Located in the elegant surrounding of Wong Chuk Hang, this highly prestigious office building with spacious design offers a fresh new world of unlimited potential for work, life and innovation.

One Island South is ideally located with inspiring sea views of Deep Water Bay and lush greenery of Shouson Hill.

Employees at One Island South can now find Southside Magazine located at the lobby.

Deep Water Bay - Beach Club - Coco Thai - Crown Wine Cellars - Hong Kong Country Club - Park N Shop

Repulse Bay - Anastassia’s Art House - Bauhinia Beach Club - Bayley & Jackson Dental Surgeons - HS Modern Art - Ice Cream Gallery - Indigo - Manhattan Tower - Sense of Touch - Southside Kindergarten - OT & P - South Bay Beach Club - Spices - The Club - The Lily - The Somerset - The Verandah - Woodland Beachside Pre-School - The Woodland Montessori Pre-School Repulse Bay

- Boathouse - Cafe De Paris - Chez Patrick - Cheers Real Estate Limited - Classifieds - Haagen Dazs - Lucy’s - Lucy’s on the Front - Mijas - Pickled Pelican - Pizza Express - Ricacorp Properties - Rocksalt - Saigon in Stanley - Smuggler’s Inn - Spiaggia - Stan Cafe - Stanley Main Street Bar & Cafe - Stanley Pet Centre - Starbucks - Taste Supermarket - Watson’s Wine - Wildfire

where to find us

Redhill Peninsula

The Manhattan

Pacific View

Hong Kong Parkview

Join our community Want Southside Magazine in your residential building’s reception or clubhouse? Want to distribute Southside Magazine in your restaurant or store?

The Repulse Bay

Bel-Air

It’s easy as pie and best of all, completely free of charge.

Send all enquiries to vip@southside.hk or call (852) 2776 2772

Hey Mr. Postman Join our free mailing service to have your copy of Southside Magazine delivered straight to your mailbox. It’s Free and exclusive for residents living in Southside or the Peak.

Sign up here www.southside.hk/subscribe

Cyberport Arcade

Le Meridien Cyberport

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 61

my southside

Gauci gets ready to cook. Below: Wild Grass.

Jean Paul Gauci The chef-restaurateur of Southside’s Coco Thai and Bistro Jinli, and new Central restaurant Wild Grass, on why he belongs in Hong Kong.

How did you get started as a chef?

I’ve always been surrounded by food in a way.

My father had a boulangerie, so I was quite often around there. My family are good cooks.

And then there’s the fact that just cooking things is nice. I think cooking should always be fun.

How was the transition from chef to manager?

I don’t know, I’m still cooking! I haven’t really made that transition. Because the restaurants are pretty full time, there’s always something to do. You know, if I’m not cooking, I’m making a new menu.

How does your French training affect your cooking?

It’s not just about French training. It’s a standard of training. I worked most of my time in

62 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

Marseilles, in the south of France. I developed a very good way for Mediterranean cuisine. I had a lot of success. It’s what i enjoy doing. It’s a classical kind of food, Mediterranean, it doesn’t change much. So it always keeps its strength.

What do you like best about Hong Kong?

The variety, I think. You’re never bored here.

And the resilience. Sars was a good example and the way that was overcome. This place and its people, the way they adapt and bounce back, that deserves respect.

What makes you think, “I belong here”?

I think everyone makes their own place. For me, I could live and be okay anywhere – I haven’t found anywhere I really disliked. But I feel very solid here in Hong Kong. It’s a lot to do with my businesses, but also with the people I know and work with.

Do you have a recipe that you will never change?

My bouillabaisse. That I’ll never change.

Photo: Christine Or.

Of all the places in Hong Kong, why live in Tai Tam? Because it’s nice. It’s all about the mountains and sea.