Southside Magazine June 2013 by Hong Kong Living Ltd

The really useful magazine JUNE 2013

PEOPLE 4 Snapped! Southside’s social life. THE PLANNER 6 Happening in June It’s all go. NEWS 12 What’s going on? The latest from your backyard. five MINUTES WITH... 13 Taxi driver Stories from a Southside cabbie. LOCAL 14 Stormy waters The truth behind the Hong Kong mooring crisis.

Find us on Facebook Southside Magazine

INTERVIEW 16 Seeking asylum Vision First’s Danielle Stutterd explains why refugees need you. FEATURE 18 Camps for kids Fun in the sun. FAMILY 26 Easy-peasy parties A new online party-planner for mums. EATING 28 Call the caterers Hosting made easy. Plus Nibbles from the restaurant scene. EDUCATION 32 Montessori for Southside Stanley’s newest school. Plus uni students choose: Hong Kong vs overseas.

WHAT’S IN 38 The Repulse Bay Your guide to the Southside hotspot. HEALTH & BEAUTY 40 Diary of a fitness goddess Searching for the perfect regime. TRAVEL 42 The main(land) attraction Shenzhen’s wackiest theme parks. HIKES 44 Dam buster Pete Spurrier cools his heels at High Island Reservoir. BIRD AT MY WINDOW 45 Eurasian magpie David Diskin on Hong Kong birds.

PETS 46 Heals on wheels Laura Ma finds vets that visit you. Plus Sally Andersen shares her bed. MARKETPLACE 48 Your guide to shops and services Cool stuff to buy and do. CLASSIFIEDS 52 Loads of random useful local stuff ULTIMATE GUIDE 54 All you need to know Numbers that make life easier. MY SOUTHSIDE 58 Flex! Heather Thomas Shalabi’s favourite things.

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 3

people

Photo: Hannah Grogan and Lea Metcalfe

Snaps from Southside.

4 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

say cheese The grand opening of Flex Studio in One Island South, Wong Chuk Hang.

Share your event photos with us at photo@fastmedia.com.hk. Get snapping!

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 5

planner

happening in june

JUN 12 Tuen Ng â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dragon Boat Festival Kick back on your day off at the annual dragon-boat races. Catch the action at the Aberdeen Promenade from 8am to 5pm, or at Stanley Main Beach, 8am-6pm.

Until Jun 16 The Faust Festival More than 60 shows by the talented kids of the local youth theatre group. Tickets $100, children $80 from www.urbtix. hk. McAulay Studio, Hong Kong Arts Centre, 2 Harbour Road, Wan Chai. Details at Festival@ FaustWorld.com, 2547 9114.

Until Jun 23 Le French May Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the annual celebration of French arts, including opera, music, theatre and more. For details, visit www.frenchmay.com.

6 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

Jun 1 British & Irish Lions vs Barbarians World-class rugby at Hong Kong Stadium. Tickets $750$1,290 from www. hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Jun 1 Comedy at Cyberport International comedian Ryan Stout will be cracking the jokes. Tickets $250 from Le Meridien, Cyberport, Pok Fu Lam, 2980 7424.

Jun 1-7 Student Art Exhibition Pok Fu Lam-based schools unite for the second time for a joint youth art exhibition. Opening ceremony at 10.30am on June 1. Exhibition Gallery, Cyberport Arcade, Cyberport Road, Pok Fu Lam, www.cyberport.hk.

Jun 4 A Life of Colour A three-course lunch and fashion show, complete with fizz, in aid of Angels for Orphans. Tickets $650 for members, $800 non-members from the Australian Association, 2530 4461, office@ ozhongkong.com. Hong Kong Country Club, 188 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Deep Water Bay.

8 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

planner Jun 5-8 White And Red

Jun 4 Stanley Sampler

Jun 22 Motion in the Ocean

Cheeky cabaret by a local troupe (in English). Free refreshments. The Cabaret Theatre, Fringe Club, Central. Tickets $160-$220 from www.hkticketing. com, 3128 8288.

The monthly pop-up market featuring local retailers. 10am-4pm, Saffron Bakery, G/F, Stanley Plaza, Stanley, 2813 0270.

Paddlers, surfers, families create a floating human “ring” for the Naked Island Project, lobbying against an incinerator planned for south Lantau. 3.30pm, Pui O Beach, Lantau. Details from Lindsey Price, 9227 1718, linziprice@me.com.

Until Jun 9 Rubber Duck Your last chance to see the six-storey rubber duckie in the harbour. Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui.

June 9, 30 Splash ’n’ Dash Test your endurance with these swimming and running races. Adults and children’s races. From 8.30am, Repulse Bay Beach. Entry $130 to $220 at www.revolution-asia.com, 2891 1505.

Jun 7-9 Disney’s Fantasia: Live in Concert The Disney movie is accompanied by a live orchestra. Tickets $180-$380 from www.urbtix.hk. City Hall, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central.

Jun 16 Father’s Day Give dad some love.

Jun 22 Summer Pool Party Get wet at the ultimate summer pool party on the 76th floor of W Hotel. 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, 3717 2783.

Jun 23 Discovery Bay Flea Market Shop for pre-loved treasures and raise money for beach cleanups and tree planting. Noon-5pm, DB Plaza, Discovery Bay, www.dbay.com.hk.

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 9

planner

Like our Facebook for events Southside Magazine

BOOK NOW Jul 13 Shek O Challenge Open-water swimming, running and paddling races from Big Wave Bay to Shek O’s Back Beach, followed by a beach party. Entries and details at www.openwaterasia.com.

Jul 22 The xx Live in Hong Kong Jun 28-Jul 1 Sesame Street Live Elmo’s Super Heroes take the stage. Star Hall, KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $150-$550 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Jun 28 ESF term ends Parents, they’re all yours.

And selling out fast. Star Hall, KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $780 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Aug 15 Linkin Park Living Things Live and rocking the AsiaWorld-Arena, Lantau. Tickets $288-$888 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288. Details at www.linkinpark.com.

Aug 13 The Smashing Pumpkins Live

Aug 23-25 Michael Jackson The Immortal

In town for one night only. AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau. Tickets $580-$780 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Music by MJ, moves by Cirque du Soleil. AsiaWorld-Arena, Lantau. Tickets $245-$1,288 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Got an event? We can publish the details for free. Email editor@southside.hk.

10 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

news

Free stuff for Southside residents Southside Magazine has just released its first online newsletter, The Southsider. Packed with deals and discounts, the weekly newsletter is designed especially for you, our readers, and delivered straight to your inbox every Tuesday morning. To sign up and receive weekly deals, discounts and offers, visit www.southside.hk. Caoilinn Powell, Coco Lam and Aoife O’Connor.

Hong Kong dancers win world titles Congratulations to Hong Kong’s world-beating Irish dancers. Children and adults from the Echoes of Erin School of Irish Dance won two world and seven European championship titles, seven premiership prizes and more than 75 medals at the World

Irish Dancing Association World and European Championships and Germany Feis in Dusseldorf, Germany. The dance school (www. echoesirishdance.com) runs classes in Cyberport, Central and Sai Kung. See p.20 for details of its summer camps.

Snap and spell Pok Fu Lam mum Alexandra Milenov has launched a new spelling app to help children learn to read and write. Snap and Spell enables users to upload photographs, which can be used as prompts to teach a child to spell their name, the names of their siblings, family members, pets, or a favourite toy. Parents can use the app with any photographs that might be useful for reinforcing what is being taught at school to helping children master new vocabulary. Snap and Spell is free to install from the App Store.

Things mama never told you Hong Kong writer Queenie Tan has released a new parenting book titled Cool stuff your parents never told you about parenting, available at Dymocks and Amazon. “I hope that my new parenting book will shed light on the need for parents to reflect on and improve their parenting skills so that parents can derive joy in working with their children and to find fulfillment in their journey as parents,” says Tan, who is an expert in earlychildhood education. We have five copies to give away. For details, please visit www.southside.hk.

Aberdeen in 1935 – another world yet instantly recognisable. When this image was snapped, many familiar landmarks still lay in the future, including the bridge to Ap Lei Chau, the Jumbo Kingdom Floating Restaurant and Ocean Park on Brick Hill. Some elements remain the same, including the shipyards on Ap Lei Chau, fishing boats in the harbour and the green-roofed Holy Spirit Seminary. Residents and tourists have been taking photos like these for decades. Many images sit in shoeboxes and photo albums, gathering dust and never seeing the light of day. We at Southside Magazine would love to see them, and share them with our readers. If you have photos from times gone by that you want to share, send them our way. Email editor@southside.hk with your snaps and details and look out for your photos in upcoming issues.

12 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

www.gwulo.com

Send us your vintage Southside photos

five minutes with...

Taxi driver Southside cabby Sam Wong tells Laura Ma about life on the road. I am on the road 10 hours a day. There is good in everyone. Southside people are very educated and polite in general. Many might seem cruel or indifferent but most of them are compassionate inside.

I am like a moth because I follow the lights. At night, I observe office towers to search for lights. If the lights are on, there are people still working and they will eventually need taxi services to get back home. I guess that is my little trick.

There is good in everyone.

I love to talk to my passengers, but Hong Kong people no longer open up to strangers; they have become distant and closed off. I am usually the one who starts a conversation. I want my passengers to feel relaxed and comfortable. I find out more about the world by talking to people, I have even learned a thing or two about financial concepts and stock market while picking up professionals from Exchange Square. I used to be in construction – I was involved in the Aldrich Bay and Bel-Air projects – before I started driving a taxi.

A passenger once took off his expensive suit and push-started my broken-down car in the middle of Central’s busy traffic. I was surprised and moved. I love the funny encounters when I pick up the same passenger by chance. Sometimes people recognise me and we talk as if we were old friends.

E P A H S T S E B E H T GET IN 6323 5 0 3 5 L L A C

! E F I L R U O Y F O H.COM.HK

LSTRENGT WWW.PRIMA

HIGHLY QUALIFIED

OM.HK

TRENGTH.C

PRIMALS NQUIRIES@

•E

SHIP ONTHLY MEMBER M O N • Y IT IL C 00 SQ FT FA

OR JOINING FEES

TRAINERS • 4,0

LOCATED ON THE HKIS CAMPUS

1 REDHILL PLAZA TAI TAM - SOUTH SIDE

FREE / NO OBLIGATION CONSULTATION! WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 13

local

Picture: Graham Uden

re berths

Editorial Jane Steer jane@fastmedia.com.hk Hannah Grogan hannah@fastmedia.com.hk Art Director Sammy Ko sammy@fastmedia.com.hk Graphic Designer Carly Tonna carly@fastmedia.com.hk Sales Manager Nobel Cho ads@fastmedia.com.hk Sales Executive Jackie Wilson jackie@fastmedia.com.hk Digital Media Assistant Sharon Wong sharon@fastmedia.com.hk Classifieds Prudence Chik prudence@fastmedia.com.hk Accounts Manager Connie Lam accounts@fastmedia.com.hk Publisher Tom Hilditch tom@fastmedia.com.hk Contributors Carolynne Dear David Diskin Jennie Cranham Kawai Wong Laura Ma Lea Metcalfe Pete Spurrier Sally Andersen Printer Gear Printing Room 3B, 49 Wong Chuk Hang Road, (Derrick Industrial Building), 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 Magazine cannot be held responsible for any errors or inaccuracies provided by advertisers or contributors. The views herein are not necessarily shared by the staff or pubishers. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

www.fastmedia.com.hk

14 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

Troubled waters A chronic shortage of moorings and a Marine Department crackdown is leaving Aberdeen boat owners adrift. Southside boat owners look to be in for a stormy time, and not just because typhoon season has arrived. The Marine Department is cracking down on overcrowding in Aberdeen Harbour, giving oversized boats just two weeks to move from their moorings. If owners fail to comply, the department could seize the vessel and reallocate the mooring. The move has highlighted Hong Kong’s chronic lack of licensed moorings for registered boats. According to a petition by a new marine-industry group, Pleasure Boating Alliance, there is a shortfall of 8,000 moorings, which has led to a problem of subletting moorings at high prices. “The systemic shortfall has also resulted in oversized vessels moored on undersized moorings. This became apparent in 2009 when vessels were moved to Aberdeen to make way for construction works in Causeway Bay,” the petition states. This not only helps to explain why so many large boats are hitched to Aberdeen’s 19-foot moorings, but it means many boat owners ordered to vacate have nowhere to go. A few boats have moved to the Gold Coast, where space is also

very limited, says Southern District Councillor Paul Zimmerman, CEO of Designing Hong Kong. “The remainder of the noncompliant moorings are staying put, waiting for the Marine Department to offer alternative moorings at normal rents in other locations,” he says. In a petition to transport secretary Anthony Cheung, the Pleasure Boating Alliance is pushing for an extension of the deadline for termination of noncompliant moorings in Aberdeen until alternative safe mooring areas have been made available. The scarcity of moorings is also making boat ownership increasingly unattainable for anyone but the wealthy. “The enjoyment of Hong Kong’s blue waters, 800km coastline, white sand beaches and 280 islands using private boats is now affordable only by the very rich, and by those who venture to store their boats under trees, on beaches, tied to rocks or off anchors. There is no room for welcoming visiting yachts, regattas

Where are all the boats? 7,920 registered pleasure vessels 4,103 transportation vessels, fishing boats and sampans 2,280 moorings in private marinas 950 private moorings 800 dry berths (estimated) and sailing competitions. The shortfall hurts the image of Hong Kong and limits job opportunities in crewing for boats, ship repairs and marine-related industries at a time when the fishing industry is seeking alternative jobs to compensate for the trawling ban,” says the petition. Designing Hong Kong is developing several applications for sites within Aberdeen Harbour where additional moorings could be made available. It has also submitted a proposal to the Town Planning Board to overhaul the dilapidated boatyards at Ap Lei Chau Praya Road.

Designing Hong Kong is urging the public to press the government for more moorings, making it more affordable to own a boat, and keep it safe. Join the campaign at www.moorings.hk.

interview

gimme shelter

Seeking asylum Southsider Danielle Stutterd explains how the plight of refugees drove her to found charity Vision First. By Carolynne Dear.

Danielle Stutterd with Kaita.

It’s a steep climb to the Vision First offices on the fifth floor of a ramshackle building in Sai Ying Pun. I nearly miss it, but the owner of the fruit and veg shop next door is used to directing people of all nationalities to the refugee charity’s office. It’s a buzzing melting pot of races and nationalities, with everyone chatting away on sofas and chairs; it’s casework morning for the charity’s co-founder, Shek O resident Danielle Stutterd, and the waiting list is long. Behind a makeshift screen, Stutterd is talking to an African woman about applying for school entrance for her children (“Don’t worry, they’re not looking for the children to score 100 per cent”). This is the beating heart of Vision First, a grassroots, non-government organization set up by Stutterd and friend Cosmo Beatson – a onetime luxury car dealer – four years ago to provide shelter and basic humanitarian needs for Hong Kong’s officially unrecognized refugee population. “I come from a teaching background,” explains Stutterd. “I was volunteering for Christian Action (CA), one of the only other charities supporting refugees, but I seemed to be doing more counselling than teaching. It was harrowing; tales of torture, beatings, rape, murder. I was emotionally wrung-out. I didn’t have the experience to deal with it, so I got a degree in social work.” At CA, Stutterd worked her way up from caseworker to assistant manager. Then she and Beatson decided to set up Vision First.

16 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

Hong Kong is not a signatory of The Refugee Convention and therefore does not have to recognize asylum-seekers. Instead, responsibility for the status of claimants has been taken up by United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), which receives about 150 applications a month. “It takes years for refugees to receive official status,” Stutterd explains. “And while they’re waiting, they’re caught in a legal vacuum. They can’t work and are given only meagre government assistance – there is some rental

Vision First’s emergency shelter.

assistance, paid directly to the landlord, a food package every 10 days and access to A&E. We call it the ‘Panadol solution’, they wait for hours to be handed a packet of Panadol. “When the food packages are handed out, the refugees disappear straight round the corner to sell bits and pieces for a handful of dollars. I have known women to

feed their babies wine to make them sleep at night so they can go out and earn money through prostitution,” says Stutterd. “They are absolutely desperate. Imagine having no wallet for a day – then try to live the next 10 years without one.” Refugees enter Hong Kong from troubled areas of Asia or Africa, often having been sold eye-wateringly expensive packages and the promise of a new life in the US, Canada or Sweden. Instead, they are flown into Hong Kong, enter on a visitor’s visa and begin the long, long wait in no-man’s land. Vision First provides humanitarian services, such as clothing, medical care and counselling. Its offices are an emergency shelter, paid for by a private benefactor, and Stutterd and Beatson work tirelessly to harness the support of generous local businesses. American Dental Group opens its clinic in the Landmark every few Saturdays to provide free dental treatment to refugees. Every Sunday a local restaurant provides about 100 hot meals. And a friend of Stutterd’s from a local theatre group leads drama classes on Wednesday nights. Renaissance College in Ma On Shan offers Youth Empowerment Scholarships for disadvantaged young people. Its biggest success story to date is Congolese immigrant Duvalld Ndilou, who arrived penniless in 2005 aged 15 from Congo-Brazzaville after masked men abducted his mother and sister. Aided by Vision First, he won a scholarship to Renaissance College and is now studying to become a nurse in Adelaide – the only asylum seeker in Hong Kong in tertiary education. For the most part, Vision First relies on goodwill. What’s on Stutterd’s wish list? “Donations of non-perishable goods such as tins, rice, pasta and so forth; boxes of large and extra-large nappies, toys, clothing, shoes and school stationery. We would love to hear from people who could teach a class, such as music, sewing, knitting, keep fit, sport, or help at our fortnightly playgroup. We’d also welcome help from doctors, psychologists and dermatologists. A gynaecologist would be fantastic. And, of course, any financial donations.” Vision First, 102 First Street, Sai Ying Pun, info@visionfirstnow.org, www.visionfirstnow.org.

feature

Camps for kids

Big fun for little people. By Carolynne Dear.

Get out there Sports camps Get the kids running, jumping, swimming and flinging themselves and all sorts of equipment about (safely, naturally) at general sports camps for kids aged three-four, five-six and seven-10 years. Run by ESF Educational Services, the five-day camps run three hours a day and build skills while having a blast. Held in ESF facilities across Hong Kong, including West Island School and Island School, from July 2 to August 16. Open to all. Details at 2711 1280, sports@esf. org.hk, www.esf.org.hk. Soccer Jumpers for goalposts? Not likely. Asia Pacific Soccer School will be putting mini Messis through their paces in locations across Hong Kong, including the Stanley Ho Sports Centre in Pok Fu Lam

Mini Messis learn to tackle at Asia Pacific Soccer School.

18 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

and Kowloon Cricket Club. Kinder Kicks (for children aged two to four years) will also run at most venues, including Stanley. Details at 2385 9677, admin@apsoccer.hk, www.apsoccer.hk. Horse riding Giddy up at Pok Fu Lam Riding School’s introductory summer horse-riding courses that teach children the basics of riding as well as how to care for and respect the ponies. Details at 2550 1359, email riding.pok@hkjc.org. hk. Alternatively, you can “own your own pony” for a week at the Clearwater Bay Equestrian Centre. Full- and half-day camps are available for riders aged six and up and include pony care as well as riding instruction. More details at 6398 6241, info@ceec.hk, www.ceec.hk.

Picture: Kevin Lewis

summer camps

Sail away with Aberdeen Boat Club; (below right) Treasure Island surf camp.

Get WET Golf Got a wannabe Tiger on your hands? Unleash the beast at a Junior Golf Camp. With classes for all ages and abilities from three to 18 years, beginners practice their swings at the Olympian City driving range in Tai Kok Tsui, Kowloon, while more experienced players can tee-off at the Nine Eagles Golf Course on Lantau. Camps run throughout July and August. Details at 2271 4953, enquiry@juniorgolf.com.hk, www.juniorgolf.com.hk. Tennis Budding Rafas will have plenty of opportunity to get on a court this summer. Parkview is offering tennis for children as young as two (2812 3945, www. hongkongparkview. com). The Hong Kong Cricket Club is running a summer tennis programme for members and guests (headtennispro@hkcc.org). And the YWCA is offering tennis lessons for all levels at the Hong Kong Tennis Centre on Wong Nai Chung Gap Road (esmd@ywca.org.hk).

Cricket Nothing says summer like the thwack of leather on willow. The Imran Cricket Academy will have them knocking balls for six in a course that develops skills in bowling, batting, fielding and wicket keeping, match tactics, physical stamina and engages in friendly and competitive matches. For ages four to 12 years; classes are taught in Aberdeen. Details at 2575 3400, manlee@imranacademy.com, www.imranacademy.com. Watersports Hebe Haven Yacht Club’s weeklong sailing camps in Sai Kung cater for sailors of all levels and on several classes of dinghies. Its popular Adventure Multi-activity Weeks for kids aged seven to 12 mix sailing with everything from raft racing to beach olympics. Expect them home smiling, soggy and rosy-cheeked. Non-members welcome. Details at 2719 0926, sailadmin@hhyc.org.hk, www.hhyc.org.hk. Sailing Closer to home, Aberdeen Boat Club is running a junior sailing scheme for seven- to 11-year-olds. Wannabe sailors learn in Optimist dinghies, with four stages on offer

from beginner to club racer. Details at 2552 8182, sailingsecretary@abclubhk.com, www.abclubhk.com. Surfing Learn to hang ten at Treasure Island’s weekly surf camps. Mini Keanus from age five and up learn to catch a wave on beautiful Pui O beach, Lantau. There’s an intermediate camp for the overnines with surfing experience. An adventure camp for older kids includes mountain-biking, kayaking, gorging, coasteering and surfing. Pick up and drop off at Central Ferry Pier, with lunch included. Details at 2546 3543, inquiries@treasureislandhk.com, www.treasureislandhk.com.

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 19

summer camps

DANCE

Wet ’n’ Wild Try dragon boating, stand-up paddling, kayaking, wakeboarding and snorkelling at Blue Sky’s Wet ’n’ Wild Camp. Instructors will also get those little grey cells ticking over with a bit of marine science-based know-how. The five-day camp is held in various locations in Hong Kong throughout July and August. Blue Sky also runs water-based weekend tours in Sai Kung or Yim Tin Tsai (Sai Kung West Country Park) by transparent kayak or stand-up paddle board. Available June to September. Details at 2791 0806, info@bluesky-sc.com, www.bluesky-sc.com. Summer camps Children hit the waves on a skimboard, stand-up paddleboard or regular surfboard at Palm Beach on Cheung Sha, Lantau. Add landbased games and a bonfire into the mix, and you’ve got a pretty cool summer going on. The three-day camps run all summer, held daily from 9.30am to 5pm. Pick-up and drop-off at Tung Chung MTR. Details at 2980 4822, info@palmbeach.com.hk, www.palmbeach.com.hk.

20 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

Ballet and more Get toes tapping at Twinkle Dance summer classes. Tiny dancers aged two years and up can shake out their tutus for week-long afternoon ballet or funky dance camps at the school’s One Island South venue in Aberdeen. Drop-in classes are available in Central. Details at 6608 6689, info@ twinkledance.com, www.twinkledance. com. Street dance Bust some moves at Red Shoe Dance School’s first ever Street Dance Camp. The week-long programme covers all aspects of the street genre at the school’s Arbuthnot

Road studio in Central. Camps in ballet, jazz, lyrical and musical theatre are also available at its Wong Chuk Hang studio. Details at 2117 9216, redshoedance@gmail. com, www.redshoedance.com. Irish dancing Echoes of Erin School of Irish Dancing Hong Kong is running weekly classes during July and August in Cyberport, Central and Sai Kung. All ages and abilities welcome. Details at 9093 2015, info@echoesirishdance.com, www.echoesirishdance.com.

Clockwise from top left: Kayaking with Blue Sky, striking a pose at Twinkle Dance and Echoes of Erin Irish dancers.

summer camps

Goodnight campers

Get creative

Surf Hong Kong Older kids will love Surf Hong Kong’s overnight camps. Sleeping in 10-man tents on Tai Long Wan beach, Sai Kung, children can check out the night-time phosphorescence and wake up to the cleanest surf in Hong Kong. Qualified instructors take them surfing, kayaking and snorkelling in the nearby marine park. Three- and five-day camps are available for children aged eight to 12 and 13 to 17. Details at 9091 3731, info@surfhongkong.com, www.surfhongkong.com.

Colour My World There’s lots to get stuck into at this Aberdeen-based arts studio. Its summer programme for children aged four to 18 includes Theatre and Art Camps (morning or full day), as well as intensive performance, speech skills and creative writing workshops. For the over-12s, “Art in Practice” camps have two visual art focus areas a week. Available from June 17 through August. Details at 2580 5028, info@colour-my-world.com, www.colour-my-world.com.

Outward Bound Outward Bound Hong Kong programmes offer a wide range of activities for older kids, including kayaking, camping and hiking. The courses run for five or eight days, with accommodation at its Sai Kung base. Details at 2791 3228, info@outwardbound.org.hk, www.outwardbound.org.hk.

Anastassia’s Art House Explore the world through art, from Tibetan portrait painting to Venetian mask-making. Children learn to use a variety of materials, referencing some of the most interesting places in the world. Available in July and August for children aged three to 16 at venues throughout Hong Kong including Repulse Bay and Stanley. Details at 2719 5533, arthouse.hk@gmail. com, www.arthouse-hk.com. Little Picasso Studio This Ap Lei Chau art studio is running “Summer Fun with The Masters” classes, exploring Gauguin’s jungles, Matisse’s underwater creatures and Hopper’s beaches and boats. For children of all ages. Details at 3521 1046, contact@littlepicasso.hk, www.littlepicasso.hk. From top: getting arty at Colour My World; abseiling at Outward Bound; putting on a show at RockABaby.

22 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

Hong Kong Art Tutoring Experiment with printmaking, sketching, sculpture, mixed media and painting at five-day, 90-minute programmes run from mid-June through August at this North Point studio. Details at 9722 8353, info@hkarttutoring.com, www.hkarttutoring.com. YWCA Pinnies on for Kids Can Cook at the YWCA, and expect all sorts of culinary delights for tea. Details at

3476 1340, esmd@ywca.org.hk, www.esmdywca.org.hk. RockABaby Eight weeks of creative music workshops in Sheung Wan, including dancing, singing, acting and rapping with a real band. Weekly themes include Wild Wild West, Fantasy Island and Broadway. Open to children aged five to 10. Details at 3586 3070/71, info@rockababy.com.hk, www.rockababy.com.hk. Faust International Book your drama queens and kings into a summer theatre or creative-writing programme. Week-long workshops for children aged four to 14 cover performance skills such as improvisation and movement, while younger kids can take the stage at Tots Theatre. The creative-writing programme is for children aged six-13. Sheung Wan and Kowloon Tong. Details at 2546 9114, info@faustworld.com, www.faustworld.com.

summer camps

IT’S A SMALL WORLD Woodland Preschools Keep little hands busy with morning, afternoon or all-day sessions that can be booked in two-week blocks throughout July and August at Woodland Preschools across Hong Kong. Weekly themes are explored through painting, clay modelling, cooking, dancing, science experiments, story-telling and dress-up days. For children aged one to seven years (including non-Woodland students). Details at 2559 4855, enquiry@ woodlandschools.com, www. woodlandschools.com. Southside Kindergarten The summer programme is a fun-based extension of the kindergarten’s term-time

24 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

From left: Summer camp at Playtent; jelly mat at Morningstar.

curriculum. It runs five mornings a week throughout July and August, and is open to children from two years eight months to six years of age. There’s a playgroup for children aged from two years and two months. Details at 2592 7527, info@southside.edu.hk. Sylvan Learning Centre Calling all wordsmiths: Sylvan Learning Centre will be running afternoon Summer Writing Workshops. A new topic every week will be used to focus on the writing process from mind mapping to grammar. Details at 2873 0662, info@sylvan. edu.hk.

Morningstar School If you have under-sixes to entertain in Pok Fu Lam this summer, have a look at the Morningstar summer programme. The local Reggio-inspired kindergarten is offering two-week blocks of fun-filled mornings or afternoons for preschoolers. Details at 9736 5241, info@MorningstarSchools.com, www.MorningstarSchools.com. Sport4kids Put the under-fives through their paces with summer classes in mini-soccer, mini-rugby and minisports throughout Hong Kong. Southside venues include Bel-Air, Aberdeen Marina Club, Parkview, French International School, South Horizons Club House, Ladies Recreation Club and the Singapore International School. Details at 2773 1650, jim@sport4kids.com. hk, www.sport4kids.com.hk.

Playtent These Stanley-based summer camps get kids cooking, singing, dancing, exploring, investigating, getting arty and crafty and generally having fun. Running 9.30am-11.30am or 1pm-3pm, the classes are aimed at threeto seven-year-olds. Regular programmes for children aged one to seven years will continue all summer. Details at 2276 0488, info@playtent.com.hk, www.playtent.com.hk.

NEW

STANLEY CAMPUS

OPENING

2013–2014 ENTRANCE OFF STANLEY PLAZA, STANLEY

New IMS Primary School Campus in Stanley:

– Dual Language Immersion (English/Putonghua) – Curriculum Prepares Students for International Baccalaureate FIRST ACCREDITED MONTESSORI PRIMARY SCHOOL IN GREATER CHINA Tin Hau Campus 62 Tin Hau Temple Road, Tin Hau South Horizons Campus G/F, Blocks 23-23A, South Horizons, Phase III, Ap Lei Chau Mid-levels Campus M/F, 17 Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan To learn more, please contact us: Tel +852.2861.0339 info.session@montessori.edu.hk Fax +852.3006.2950 www.montessori.edu.hk

2013-14

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS NOW!

family

where’s????????? the party?

Taking it easy-peasy A new online service takes the stress out of children’s parties, writes Carolynne Dear. Is there anything more time consuming than planning a children’s birthday party? Step forward Hong Kong mum Christine Smith and her new online children’s party-planning service, Eezy Peezy Parties (www.eezypeezyparties.com). It’s a complete solution for frazzled mothers. The service delivers e-vites, manages the replies, oversees the gift list, delivers presents wrapped and labelled to the party, supplies party decorations and tableware, and even sends thank-you e-cards. The only thing she doesn’t do is fill the goodie bags (“Although I could if you needed that service,” she adds good-naturedly). She and her team have spent the past 18 months scouring trade fairs and the internet for top party goodies and she believes she SouthsideandSaiKung20MAY2013v4.pdf now has the widest selection in Hong Kong.

She has also created a list of entertainers, cake makers, venues, equipment suppliers (think bouncy castles) and interior designers to ensure your child’s party is perfect. She has plans to move into adult parties soon (“Baby showers, hen parties, 21sts, 40ths and so forth,” she clarifies quickly). Throughout the year, Smith will be adding to her Aladdin’s cave on Ap Lei Chau, with themed party gear for Halloween, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and other holidays. If you don’t need the full package, you can shop online or select elements of the service. If Uncle George is wearing his clown suit to young Brian’s fifth birthday, or little Tabitha insists on a homemade cake, skip these sections of the website and let 20/5/13 3:44 Smith take thePMstrain in other areas.

Get shirty Help dads get with the programme this Father’s Day with cool new t-shirts from independent local label Momantai (Cantonese for “no problem”). Designed and hand-printed by French expat Elody Vincent, the on-trend shirts are made from soft, brushed cotton. Get them online at www.momantai. com.hk.

Inside the Ivy League

A panel discussion with current students and alumni Go beyond the brochure to get the full picture of life at your dream university Hear from current students and alumni from top universities to get their unique perspectives Get insight into the college experience that you can't ﬁnd anywhere else Where:

CUHK Graduate Law Centre, Theatre 3 2/F, Bank of America Tower, Central

When:

Saturday, June 22 • 2pm

Seminar is free but space is limited Call today to reserve seating!

www.theedge.com.hk • 2972 2555

If you’re unable to attend this seminar, we will happily arrange a private consultation for you to discuss your family’s educational goals with one of our admissions consultants. 26 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

eating pleasing spread of New York-style pizzas, homemade pastas and crunchy salads. Go for its famous 24-inch pizzas, trays of lasagna or refreshing antipasto platter (trays are $360-$450 each, serving eight to 10 people). 25 Stanley Main Street, Stanley, 2524 4445, www.paisanos.com.hk.

If you can’t stand the heat... ...call in the caterers. By Hannah Grogan and Lea Metcalfe.

Culinart A combo of caterer, private kitchen and cookery school, Wong Chuk Hang-based Culinart can cater for events of any size with handcrafted seasonal menus. For the wow factor, go for inventive canapés such as foie gras praline with pomegranate, olive sphere with preserved lemon or cardamom and Valrhona chocolate brownie. Beverage and wine catering available. Details at 2580 0919, www.culinart.com.hk. Clockwise from above: catering by Shamrock, Monsieur Chatte, Chez Patrick and Relish Kitchen.

Relish Kitchen If you like your food with a contemporary twist, try Relish Kitchen for downright gorgeous dishes, such as tea-smoked salmon in homemade pumpernickel cups, asparagus soup with asparagus pannacotta and candied hazelnut salad. For

28 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

a family-style barbecue or junk trip, go for the takeaway boxes (pictured) and mini Angus beef burgers. Check out the menus online at www.relish-kitchen.com. Gingers Whether you’re hosting a large cocktail party, intimate dinner or family junk trip, Gingers can take it to the next level. The food is cool, contemporary and yummy, and you have the option of collecting dishes to serve yourself or

letting Gingers deliver, present and serve. Avocado and coriander maki pesto roll with wasabi pea and sesame crust, anyone? For details, call 2964 9160 or visit www.gingers.com.hk. Percy’s Rapidly turning into a Southside favourite, thanks to its outlet in One Island South, Percy’s has a well-established catering business. We’re loving its “extreme catering” concept – lobster on a mountaintop? Yes, please. Other seasonal treats include its summer barbecue menu, including marinated chilli chicken skewers, cumin lamb skewers, and chicken pasta salad with sun-dried tomatoes ($250/person for 20 people). For details, contact 2855 1882, www.percys.hk, info@ percys.hk. Paisano’s Keeping it simple, in a good way, Paisano’s delivers a crowd-

Chez Patrick Bringing a certain je ne sais quoi to summer gatherings, Chez Patrick Catering offers mouthwatering French-style canapés, buffet dishes and junk-friendly options worthy of balmy days on the Côte d’Azur. Children’s menus available. For details, call Eva Yu on 2527 2708 or e-mail party@ chezpatrick.hk. Kegs of Carlsberg Make yours a pint with every man’s favourite party accessory: kegs of beer. Carlsberg delivers kegs and a beer pump for proper pub-like draught – it’ll deliver a bar, too, if required. For details, call 9326 7327.

Picture: C. Ciarlet-Bouisset

Shamrock This long-established caterer offers Asian and Western menus, with more than 250 items to choose from. For a barbecue party, it can supply a chef, commercialsized grills and heaping platters of marinated meats. This summer spend $3,500 on children’s party catering and get a 50 per cent discount on cotton candy or popcorn machine hire. For details, contact 2547 8155, www.shamrock.com.hk.

nom nom nom Nibbles

Monsieur Chatté Tickle your tastebuds with a French catering menu that can be tailored to any function, including junks. Think authentic French cheese, baguettes and charcuterie, imported from France or made fresh. For details, email bonnie@ mrchatte.com.hk, or call 2515 0478. Delicious Take your barbecue party to the next level with a whole lamb or pig roasted on a spit over a bed of hot coals. Spectacular and mighty tasty. Delicious, 2559 0144, www.delicious-hk.com.

Macho meal For a Father’s Day with a difference, steakhouse Morton’s of Chicago is offering a cooking class for dads and kids. Learn to cook a three-course meal – shrimp Alexander, Morton’s prime burger (and prime miniature cheeseburger for the kids) and chocolate mousse – then eat it for lunch. The class is being held from 11.30am-2pm on June 15 and costs $1,188 for dad and one child, including a complimentary chef’s apron, hardback copy of Morton’s Cookbook and framed photograph. 4/F The Sheraton Hong Kong, 20 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2732 2343. A taste of France Le Magasin is a charming slice of France transported to Stanley, with a host of delicious French treats hard

By Jennie Cranham to find elsewhere in Hong Kong. It’s a treasure trove of cheese, organic wines and French recipes, as well as ceramics and tableware. The passionate staff are keen to share their extensive product knowledge and offer weekend wine tasting. 122 Stanley Main Street, Stanley, 2968 1418. New Grouchos menu Stanley waterside hangout Grouchos has revamped its menu, adding favourites such as fish and chips, mozzarella sticks and pizza to its delicious imported hotdogs and burgers. Perfect snacks to complement its excellent selection of European beers and ciders on a warm evening. Stall four, Stanley Waterfront Mart, Stanley, 5321 1239.

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 29

sponsored column

Need to know ITS School Placements offers tips on how to find the right school. For a broader view on the school search, here are a few things you need to know. 1. Just because a preschool calls itself “international”, doesn’t necessarily mean it is. Visit the preschool to understand more about its curriculum. Observe the teachers and students and consider the fluency of English and the nationalities of the students and staff. 2. Don’t choose an international school just because it has a kindergarten section and primary section; you may find the primary section is not the best choice for your child’s primary schooling. 3. If a school offers you three different dates for an interview, book the first date as soon as you can. That way your child is more likely to be in the first group of interviewees and may be offered a spot before the children in the other two groups.

Maclaren Globetrotter

4. Even if your child has a priority for admission this does not guarantee placement. Normally priorities will help bump up your child’s position on a waiting list or offer you an earlier chance for an admission assessment, however some schools may still offer a place to students without admission priority if this child excelled in the assessment. 5. Although a school with a double-streamed curriculum may base its international section primarily on the English curriculum (as a result of a commitment to the school’s national language), there is an acknowledged “gap” between the two curricula, particularly in areas such as science and history.

(car seat available separately)

Happy Animals Clear Snapset Pool

Phil & Teds Traveller Cot

$1,950 Zoggs 1st Trainer Swimseat

$175

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.

Summer holiday at $249

$750

Prince Blue or Black

6. In some schools, only parents fluent in the school’s national language can be proposed for a place on the board – this may not seem a big issue, but parents may find they have precious little influence in schools where the international stream is under-represented at board level.

PaddlePak

GoGoKids Travelmate

$1,529

Even if your child has a priority for admission this does not guarantee placement.

$175 Hippy Chick Hip Seat

(colours & designs vary)

Mustela Sun Protection Range

from

$95

Matilda Rose Party Clothes

$425

$350

GoPlay Travel Games

from

$75

Pedder Building Store 5/F Pedder Building,12 Pedder Street, Central T: 2522 7112 Horizon Plaza Store 21/F Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau T: 2552 5000 www.bumpstobabes.com 36 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

what’s in

holey moly

The Repulse Bay Laura Ma explores the nooks and crannies.

Fact: The Repulse Bay arcade is a replica of the old Repulse Bay Hotel, which was built on the same site in 1920. Once one of the most glamorous hotels in Hong Kong, guests included George Bernard Shaw, Noel Coward, Albert Einstein and actors William Holden and Marlon Brando. It was knocked down in the early 1980s and rebuilt a few years later as The Repulse Bay.

Did you know?

The eight-storey hole in The Repulse Bay apartment block is there for fung shui reasons: it allows the “dragon” in the hill behind to fly down to the beach to drink.

In the building:

G/F Spices

G/F Anastassia’s Art House

Asian cuisine in a tasteful oriental-inspired environment with a spacious patio for alfresco dining. Tel: 2292 2821.

Professional artists teach children and adults a wide range of art classes. Details at www.arthousehk.com, 2812 6465.

G/F Woodland Montessori Pre-School Montessori curriculum for children aged two to six. Details at www. woodlandschools.com, 2803 1885.

G/F Indigo Living For homeware with an Asian accent. Details at www.indigoliving.com, 2592 8721.

1/F Sense of Touch

1/F The Verandah An iconic Southside restaurant that channels the old Repulse Bay Hotel through its famous afternoon teas and Sunday brunch buffets. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Tel: 2292 2822.

38 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

This awardwinning day spa offers a full range of top-quality beauty treatments and famous “SPArties’’ in a tranquil atmosphere. Details at www. senseoftouch.com.hk, 2592 9668.

Family medical practices

Historical gallery

Dental and medical services include Bayley & Jackson Dental Surgeons (2812 2358), OT&P Medical Practice (2813 1978) and Tam, Hulac & Partner Dental (2812 6337).

Thirteen displays areas around the arcade and the Verandah showcase the legacy of The Repulse Bay through a collection of old photographs. Open daily and admission is free.

BE INSPIRED join Weight Watchers® today! We know every day is different. And we love that. But also know that everyday counts. So we’ve built a weight-loss plan that gives you the smarts and strength to take on every day! We teach people to lose weight for good and become Everyday Strong.

health & beauty Diary of a fitness goddess Kawai Wong goes in search of the perfect regime.

MEETING LOCATIONS Repulse Bay/Happy Valley – Hong Kong Cricket Club Thursdays 10am Central – YWCA Mondays 12pm, 5.30pm, 7.30pm Be sure to check out our website www.weightwatchers.com.hk for updated Summer schedules!

WW2399_LAM097_120x93_Hong Kong Ad_Southside Magazine.indd 1

10/05/13 4:56 PM

Day 1: Pilates at Flex Studio There’s nothing else for it. With bikini season looming and a waistline that, frankly, requires stretchy pants, it’s time to get in shape. But where? I start my search for the perfect fitness regime at Wong Chuk Hang’s Flex Studio, famous for its experienced Pilates instructors, including Nike global yoga ambassador, Leah Kim. I’ve never done Pilates, but the thought of long, lean, toned muscles is appealing. Plus Flex has one of the largest studios in Hong Kong and restricts class numbers to 15 or less. I book a Pilates Allegro class. Pilates Allegro is a machine-based regime that involves slotting your hands and feet through loops and straps and using your bodyweight as resistance to work your longitudinal muscles. The studio looks alarmingly

40 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

like a non-toxic version of the Fifty Shades of Grey playroom. The instructor demonstrates poses on a sliding machine, then adjusts its resistance from red for advanced, past yellow for intermediate, to blue for beginners. The other nine students know what they’re doing so I get more personal instruction. An hour later, I feel stretched out and limber – and a little taller. 3/F, One Island South, 2 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang, 2813 2212, www.flex.hk. Day 2: Power Plate A friend recommends Power Plate at Power Fit boutique studio near Times Square, and I book a trial 30-minute session. Twelve floors above Causeway Bay, the studio is discreet and peaceful with a lot less attitude than larger gym franchises. The Power Plates are four mooncakeshaped vibrating treadmills looking

fit for anything the plate. Holy moly! I am shaken to the very core. Every posture or movement is much harder to sustain on the plate. On maximum vibration, the workout feels like I’m antagonising a concrete drill. Others swear by it, but this is too much toil for me. 11/F, Redana Centre, 25 Yiu Wa Street, Causeway Bay, 3621 0180, www.powerfitstudio.com.hk.

over the buildings opposite. A personal trainer asks my goals and demonstrates squats and pushups on the vibrating Power Plate machine. By working the muscles several times harder than a non-machine-assisted routine, a 15-minute Power Plate session reaps the same results as a regular 30-minute routine, he explains. My turn. I strike a peculiar pose – kowtowing to the machine while placing both of my elbows on

Day 3: Yoga at Pure Friends rave about yoga at Pure, and I’m intrigued by courses with names such as “Hatha yoga – Merging of Sun & Moon” and “Charming the Snake: Astrology, Past Lifetimes and Soul Mates”. Perhaps Pure is really about mind, body and soul, instead of the usual get-fit, sign-up-now drill. I try a beginners’ Hatha 1 class. The Central premises looks f Cariad Apparel like a hotel lobby, with a huge mahogany reception desk, well-lit corridors and leafy relaxation area. The four yoga studios have floorto-ceiling views of the concreteCariad_93x120_SSSKJun13_ol.indd 1 jungle and Pure takes care of all the details – towels, props, mats. Hatha 1 turns out to be a slowpaced stretching class with some simple breathing exercises and meditation, and a helpful instructor who corrects my poses: telling me to squeeze my thighs, pull in my belly and so on. After an hour I feel remarkably relaxed and soothed. That night, I sleep like a baby. 16/F The Centrium, 60 Wyndham Street, Central, 2971 0055, www.pure-yoga.com.

5/21/13 11:28 AM

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 41

travel

park and ride

The main(land) attraction Three Shenzhen theme parks to blow your hair back. By Lea Metcalfe. Happy Valley Theme Park A thrill-seeker’s dream, Happy Valley has more than 100 amusements in nine different zones. Among the adrenalin-pumping rides is the Space Shot – a 60m free fall that’s not for the fainthearted. The River Rapids are a blast on hot days, with other visitors ambushing the unwary with water cannons (raincoats required if you want to stay dry). Entrance RMB170 for adults and RMB85 for children over 1.1 meters tall. Overseas Chinese Town, Nanshan District, 0755 2694 9184, sz.happyvalley.cn. Window of the World In the counterfeiters’ paradise of Shenzhen, the biggest imitations of them all are at this massive theme park, which houses replicas of the world’s most famous sights. A miniature version of the Great Pyramid of Giza

| WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK 42Kenny_190x120_SSSKJun13_ol.indd

rubs shoulders with a small-scale Angkor Wat, Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House, Venice and Tower of London. There’s even a copy Niagara Falls. Entry RMB160 (RMB80 for children and seniors). Shennan Ave, Nanshan, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, 0755 2660 8000, www.szwwco.com.

Minsk World Ten-hut! This military theme park is one of China’s odder attractions but small boys (and, let’s face it, many grown men) will love exploring the massive former Soviet aircraft carrier, Minsk, which is the centrepiece of the park. The ship forms an exhibition space for various military artifacts such as planes, helicopters and other pieces of PLA kit. Staff in full military regalia occasionally burst into a song-and-dance routine. It’s all strangely compelling. Jinrong Rd, Shatoujiao, 0755 2535 5333, www.szminsk.com.

Left: Window of the World; Minsk World.

5/16/13 10:20 AM

hikes

Clockwise from left: Kau Sai Chau, a feral cow, a commemorative dolosse and the West Dam.

Dam buster Pete Spurrier takes the shady route to High Island Reservoir. The hills of Sai Kung East Country Park surround the placid turquoise waters of High Island Reservoir. Built in the late 1970s, following severe water shortages in the previous decade, it was created by damming the two ends of a narrow sea channel between High Island and the mainland, submerging half a dozen villages in the process. The MacLehose Trail starts on its southern side, but this threeto four-hour circular walk offers a more shaded route. It involves little climbing, but passes through remote areas, so take water and a map. The route starts at Pak Tam Chung, which can be reached from Sai Kung town by bus 94 or 96R and minibus 7 or 9. Alternatively, early risers may find a parking space at the country park barrier. Browse the displays inside the Country Parks Visitor Centre then follow the road past the barrier for 100 metres or so to the Fat Kee Store (drinks available) and cross the little bridge over a wide tidal stream. It’s signposted as the Sheung Yiu Family Walk. Turn right, following the stream through a jungle of bamboo and pandanus plants.

44 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

A little shrine in front of a banyan tree is dedicated to a local earth god. Soon afterwards, an ancient lime kiln appears beside the stream, quickly followed by a walled village set above the path. This is the fortified Hakka settlement of Sheung Yiu, which is now a folk museum (open Wednesday to Sunday, 9am-4pm, free entry). It was once home to the Wong clan, who burned seashells and coral to produce lime, which they traded up and down the coast. Exhibits in each of the houses show what rural life was like in years gone by, and opposite there’s a jetty and modern pagoda that make a decent picnic spot. Just past the village, turn uphill into the woods and then turn right onto the Sheung Yiu Country Trail. The climb is brief and soon levels out, and through gaps in the trees you are treated to wonderful views of Port Shelter and its many islands. It’s a nice natural trail that crosses several streams where you can cool off in the clear water. Eventually the reservoir’s West Dam comes into sight. The

grassy park and man-made lake below it at sea level once housed the High Island detention camp for Vietnamese boat people. Now, it’s used as the Chong Hing Water Sports Centre and the Hong Kong Space Museum’s Astropark where you can stargaze at night; stars are easier to see when there are no city lights. The trail exits onto Man Yee Road near the top of the dam, where wild cattle wander around. Turn left to walk alongside the reservoir and back to Pak Tam Chung where you started. As an optional detour, hail a green taxi (or call one on 2729 1199) and take it in the opposite direction to the East Dam at the heart of the Geopark. The outer dam was built from thousands of concrete dolosses, giant irregularshaped blocks that absorb the impact of the South China Sea. As well as the dam, you’ll find a sea cave, fault lines and stunning hexagonal rock formations. From the pagoda, you can also follow the MacLehose Trail Stage 2 downhill for 20 minutes to lovely Long Ke Wan beach for a much-deserved swim.

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

high ho

Pak Tam Chung

bird at my window

d iR sa gT on iM a T

1 Sai K u ee R d nY Ma ng

2 Sheung Yiu

Eurasian magpie aka Pica pica 3 Dam

Optional detour far away to another dam

This three- to four-hour walk is shady and relatively easy for summer.

One for sorrow, Two for joy… The children’s nursery rhyme about magpie sightings dates back to 16th-century Britain and is just one example of the folklore inspired by this species. In Scotland, a magpie near the window of the house is said to be a harbinger of death. Quite why the magpie should be an omen of ill-fortune is difficult to say. It is perhaps understandable for crows and ravens – close relations of magpies – to be associated with death because of their all-black plumage, but with its black-and-white plumage and bright

blue wings the magpie is a colourful bird. Perhaps its reputation is linked to its putative habit of stealing shining objects or eating songbird nestlings and eggs. However, that reputation does not seem to extend to Asia, where it is the national bird of South Korea. The Eurasian magpie ranges from Western Europe to China, Korea and northeast Russia. It is a widespread resident in Hong Kong and can be found in urban and suburban areas as well as farmland and wetlands. Its nest is a large domed structure made from sticks and twigs usually placed high in a tree or, in urban areas, in electricity pylons and advertising signboards. The average clutch is five to seven eggs that are incubated solely by the female for three weeks, while the male brings her food to the nest. Both sexes feed the chicks and families stay together for several weeks after the young birds leave the nest. David Diskin is a writer and photographer based in the New Territories. His latest book is Hong Kong Nature Walks: Kowloon, Hong Kong & Outlying Islands. Details at www.accipiterpress.com.

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 45

pets Valley Veterinary Centre This Happy Valley-based practice offers veterinary housecall services 365 days a year, with 24-hour emergency assistance. Usefully, it has an efficient system that reminds clients when their pets are due for regular treatments, such as vaccinations and check ups. 15 Yuen Yuen Street, Happy Valley, 2575 2389, www. valleyvetcentre.com.hk.

Heals on wheels Vets that visit you. By Laura Ma. Homevet This month sees the launch of Homevet, a veterinary housecall service run by British vet Dr Matthew Murdoch, who has worked in Hong Kong since 2005. The vision is to provide better home care for elderly and ill pets, and aid recuperation, with the back-up of a fully equipped clinic. With flexible hours and bilingual services, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s affordable, convenient and caring. For details, visit www.homevet.com.hk or call 9860 5522.

Vet2Pet Strictly a mobile veterinary service, Vet2Pet examines animals in homes across Hong Kong. The vet fits around your schedule, offering out-of-hours visits for a full range of routine healthcare services, including vaccinations, wellness programmes and treatment of minor ailments, but it does not handle emergencies. For details, visit www.vet2pet.com.hk or call 6999 1003. Stanley Veterinary Centre This Southside centre provides extensive housecall services including vaccinations, diet consultations, check-ups, behaviour analysis

46 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK Stanley_outline_SSMar13.indd 1

2/8/13 12:14 PM

and that saddest of veterinary services, putting pets to sleep in the comforting surroundings of home. It offers housecalls throughout Hong Kong Island, and occasionally further afield. 10-12 Wong Ma Kok Road, Stanley, 2813 2030, www.stanleyvetcentre.com. Creature Comforts A veterinary housecall practice, Creature Comforts offers everything from vet consultations to food and medicine delivery, and emergency services. Its housecall consultations are significantly longer than typical clinic consultations and your pets can be properly examined in their own environment. It makes house calls throughout Hong Kong. For details, visit www.creaturecomforts.com.hk or call 9323 1099. Happy Pets Veterinary Centre This Hong Kong practice offers a wide range of professional veterinary practices in both English and Cantonese. It has a special interest in eye conditions and can treat unusual pets such as snakes, turtles, lizards and even hedgehogs. Housecall services available. 64 Tung Lo Wan Road, Tai Hang, 2895 6811, www.happypets.hk.

housecalls

Let sleeping dogs lie Do you let your dog sleep with you? Many people argue against it. There are those who think it’s unhygienic to allow a dog on the bed, while others believe the dog will get the idea it’s on the same power level as people, which somehow will make it untrainable, aggressive or dominant. If you watch puppies sleeping, they all snuggle up together in a tangle of legs, heads and bellies. It’s natural and comforting, and in the wild it would be safer. Many of my young adult dogs still prefer to sleep in a jumble of bodies than alone. When adopted puppies are first separated from their litter-mates, it’s a scary time for them and adopters can expect a few nights of loud crying and whining when the puppy finds itself alone and lonely. An old wives’ tale says that those who give in and let the puppy sleep in their bedrooms will never be able to move it out again. That’s not true – but even if it were, what’s wrong with that?

Picture: Kathleen Kuok

Should the pooch share your bedroom? Sally Andersen argues the toss. I confess to sharing my bed with a collection of dogs, and I find it as comforting as they do. Admittedly, there’s often a fight for space and covers, but having a dog sleeping with you doesn’t affect its behaviour in any way, and the old “alpha” pack leader theory has long been debunked. Allowing a dog to sleep in a bedroom, if not on the bed, can make a big difference to a child who is afraid of the dark or of being alone. Sharing a room with a dog can make a child feel safe and secure; I have been told countless stories of children sleeping happily throughout the night for the first time when there is a dog there to look after them. Sally Andersen is the founder of Hong Kong Dog Rescue, a charity that rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes unwanted or abandoned dogs.

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 47

marketplace

To advertise, email: ads@southside.hk or call 2776 2772.

CLOVER AUTO SERVICE

AUTO REPAIR TOW SERVICE 24-hour service CALL

MF_125x57.5_SSJun_ol.indd 1

STRESSED BY YOUR PET?!!!

365 days a year

2790 1810

ELLEN

5/16/13 4:07 PM

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

Not all behavioural problems are simply training issues.

Dr. Cynthia Smillie BVM&S PG Dip CABC MRCVS

Tel: 9618 2475 cynthia@petbehaviourhk.com

www.petbehaviourhk.com 48 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

To advertise, email: ads@southside.hk or call 2776 2772

marketplace

Professional Birthday Party Entertainment

Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Entertainers Full Party Service:

Party Theming, Entertainment, Decorations, Venue

w .r u

mpleand

friends.com

2504-2221 HELLO@WINEMERCHANTSASIA.COM

To advertise, email: ads@southside.hk or call 2776 2772

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 49

marketplace

Exclusiv

e m m

r e f f

The gift of reading

(229 issues) HKD$800 + Free access to English Digital Edition + BONUS: Free access to Chinese Digital Edition (value HKD$570) + Daily7/Daily10 Activity Book

(52 issues) HKD$495 + Extra one-month subscription + Daily7 Activity Book

e m m

r f fe

From learning to read, to reading to learn

Visit www.daily7-daily10.com for more details. Fill in the promotional code ‘8D5PM’ (Daily7/Daily10) or ‘8D5PE’ (My Little Paper) on the subscription form to enjoy this special offer.

50 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

To advertise, email: ads@southside.hk or call 2776 2772

marketplace www.homevet.com.hk

THE VET COMES

TO YOU

Tel: 9860 5522

Dr. Matthew Email: pets@homevet.com.hk

Mobile Veterinary Service 7 days a week, 24 hrs Servicing all areas Home-oriented

Our Practitioners

Osteopath Dr. Damien Mouellic

Osteopath Alessio Savona

Psychologist Dr. Robin Li-Liang,

B.sc. (Clin. Sc.), M.H.Sc. (Osteo), M.A.O.A., H.K.O.A.

B.sc., BOst., M.I.C.O., H.K.O.A.

Ph.D., M.A., Ed.M., A.P.A., H.K.P.S. US (New York Licensed Counseling Psychologist)

Your path to optimal health

Physiotherapist Mona Hussain

Acupuncturist Brendt Reynolds

B.A.(Psych.) M.S., D.P.T., Doctorate in Physiotherapy (USA), Certified in Spec. Ed. (USA), US Licensed and Trained, Hong Kong Registered

Bhsc., AACMA Member of the Australian & Chinese Medicine Association

OPEN HOURS

Mon/Wed/Fri Tue/Thur Sat Closed

09:00am – 06:00pm 09:00am – 07:00pm 09:00am – 04:00pm Sunday/Public Holidays

Doctor of Osteopathy Jennifer Kier

Naturopath/ Herbalist Jeanette Lilly Blanks

Massage Therapist Rachel Davies Dip. Sports Massage,CIBTAC

BHSc(Hons), MNIMH, MNHAA, MATMS

FIND US AT

G/F, 120 Stanley Main Street, Stanley, Hong Kong T: +852 2372 9700 E: info@stanleywellnesscentre.com

www.stanleywellnesscentre.com

To advertise, email: ads@southside.hk or call 2776 2772

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 51

classifieds LOCAL PROPERTY

(HK$130,000) 4 BEDS HOUSE + BIG TERRACE 2637(S) 3680(G) + Private Terrace & Roof, 3 Storey House, Massive Living Dining, 4 Large Beds + Big Family Upgraded Bath, Kitchen, Pool UNIQUE HOME LIMITED (C-049605) (852)28800709 WWW.UNIQUEHOME.COM.HK

Sai Kung Garden House HK$58 K Ref~SK035 SOLE AGENT - 3 Bedroom House with Sea Views & Shared Pool. Modern Decor. Fully Equipped Kitchen & Great Bathrooms. High Ceilings, Lawn Garden, 2 C/p. Convenient for Public Transport. www.thepropertyshop.com.hk 27193977 C-027656

(HK$68,000) BRAND NEW LOWRISE + ROOF 1361(S) 2008(G) + Private Roof Top Class Deluxe Interior Light Wood Flooring, Massive Living Deluxe Bath Fitted Kitchen Quiet UNIQUE HOME LIMITED (C-049605) (852)28800709 WWW.UNIQUEHOME.COM.HK

Great for Entertaining HK$95 K Ref~CWB472 Beautifully Renovated 4 Bedroom Clearwater Bay Home. Fabulous Kitchen, Amazing Private Garden Terrace, Popular Location. www.thepropertyshop.com.hk 27193977 C-027656

Overseas Property

Bangtao Beach Villa, Phuket for Rent. Stunning six bedroom luxury villa by Bangtao beach next to Banyan Tree Hotel) with large private swimming pool, chef, maid, executive minibus with driver, all transfers and full breakfasts. Cook will also prepare lunch and dinner, you pay food cost only. We have three large king size suites with full sea views and three big twin suites (one with disabled access). Beautifully furnished with large European style kitchen. www.salafa.net or call +852 6999 1500

52 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

Overseas Property Relax in the English countryside Fresh air, rolling countryside and fivestar accommodation - enjoy it all at Cuckoo Lodge, a four-bedroom eco-cottage in the South West of England. Enjoy walking, cycling, fishing and horse riding in this designated area of outstanding natural beauty. Plus lots of cultural, shopping and dining opportunities in nearby Taunton, Exeter, Bristol or Bath. See www.millmeadow.co.uk for more information. Phuket - Modern Thai villa in secure compound with private pool (not overlooked). 3 ensuite double bedrooms. Fully equipped kitchen, tastefully furnished, wi-fi, TV, DVD. Short walk to unspoilt Bangtao beach and bars, restaurants. Daily maid service and airport transfers included. Contact British owners: madcat73@hotmail.com +852 6184 8910 Hua Hin Thailand Superb 4b/r House, Rent and Sale 1-min to the beach Shared Pool, Garden Onsite Thai Cafe, www.watura.com Owner: Sue 9754 5967 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 villa for rent in Bali. Breathtaking view, fully staffed, 5 mins from the best beaches. Perfect for a family holiday, or 2 families holidaying together. www.villabayubali. com. “Don’t even consider a hotel in Bali. Top shelf!”

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

classifieds TUITION & COURSES HAPPY VALLEY DANCE CLASSES (ONE ON ONE), AGES 10 TO 80! Offering Tap and Ballet Barre classes for beginners. Including TERMINOLOGY AND TECHNIQUE Telephone 25228930 PARKING AVAILABLE Tennis Performance Asia Limited Lessons/Training: Private, Groups – Adult, children, Ladies Coaching . Kowloon, NT, HK Island, HK, Australian, USPTA Qualified Coaches. Contact Senior Coach Todd Hooper – 97335197: todd@tennisperformanceasia.com www.tennisperformanceasia.com [TPA] Director – Ray Kelly

DRAMA AND SINGING IN FRENCH IN STANLEY OHLALA Club presents its new drama and singing classes in french for children from 5 to 14 years old. Come and improve your French by having fun! Wednesdays and Fridays afternoon. Please call 67182585 or info@chorus.hk

School Choice International is the world’s leading school placement consultancy, helping thousands of family globally. There’s a perfect school for every child. We’ll guide you there. Please visit www.schoolchoiceintl.com

Employment / Recruitment Interior Designer • Degree or Diploma / IVE in interior design or related disciplines. • Minimum 3 years experience in design projects. • Good communication skills, project management skill and teamwork ability. • Good design sense and passion to design work. • Knowledge of AutoCAD and 3D studio with on site coordination experience. • Good communication in English & Cantonese. • Immediate availability is an advantage. • Candidates with less experience will be considered as Assistant Designer. Please email your CV and contact details to mandy@boxdesign.com.hk. Website : www.boxdesign.com

Mandarin / Cantonese speaking nanny -- available to play with your kids, read them stories and guide the kids to discover the daily life. Mandarin tutors -- available to tutor primary and secondary students, experience in helping students to prepare IGCSE, IB, AL... Please visit CALL-ATUTOR.COM, or call 2572 8989.

Services

Charities

NATIONAL HARBOUR RENOVATIONS Home and office reno upgrades. Plumbing, electrical and handyman services. Call Charles 90851886 info@nationalharbour.com.hk www.nationalharbour.hk

DONATE OLD BABY CLOTHES, Toys and equipment to mothers in need. Small toys, wraps, bottles and teething toys are desperately needed by Pathfinders, a charity that helps migrant mothers find a safe and legal home. Call Kylie: 9460 1450 or Luna (Chinese speaking): 5135 3015.

classified order form

Contact details Name:

Category (please tick one) Overseas property Local property Motoring

Boating Tuition Services

Email:

Health & Beauty Recruitment Other:

Contact Number:

Text Optional: Box Outline

Ad Title: (printed in bold)

YES

Billing Address:

Body:

Deadline for Classified ads: 13th of every month Deadline for Classified payment: 17th of every month Remarks: • NO REFUND/CHANGES can be made to your ad after the deadline. • Payments for classified ads must be paid in full upfront. • No changes can be made to the body text unless change of important information, e.g. tel. no., email, dates, venues, etc.

Payment method (please tick one)

(No. of issues)

x $250 + $

SS2013

Start Month:

(1st 28 words)

(additional words $3 each)

End Month:

Frequency Discount: 3x=10%, 6x=20%, 12x=30%

(box outline $50 per ad)

Cheque (made payable to FAST MEDIA LIMITED) and write your name, email address & contact no. on the back of the cheque and send it to our office (Total)

Bank Transfer to Fast Media Limited’s Standard Chartered Bank account: 409-0-036-395-9 and email to accounts@fastmedia.com.hk or mail a copy of the deposit slip to our office

NEED HELP ?

Mail this form with your cheQUE or payment slip to Classified, Fast Media Ltd, Floor LG1, 222 Queen’s Rd Central, Hong Kong

Please call 2776 2772 Email: classifieds@southside.hk

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 53

the ultimate guide to southside Food & Beverage

Boating

South Stream Seafoods

Real-Estate & Hotels

Explorer Motor Yachts (HK) Ltd 9261 0785 | hk@explorermotoryachts.com www.explorermotoryachts.com

Units 202-204, Lai Sun Yuen Long Centre, 27 Wang Yip St East, Yuen Long, N.T. Hong Kong 2555 6200 fish@south-stream-seafoods.com www.south-stream-seafoods.com

Multimedia

Colour Brown Coffee 2791 7128 | shop.colourbrown.com.hk

Asian Artworks Gallery 2812 0850

Edible Arrangements 2295 1108 / 2385 0158 www.EdibleArrangements.hk

Chunky Onion Productions Ltd. 3188 1874 | birthdays@chunkyonion.com www.chunkyonion.com

Golden Goose Gourmet 2732 0981 customerservice@goldengoosegourmet.com www.goldengoosegourmet.com

My Little Paper, Daily 7/Daily 10 www.daily7-daily10.com

Direct Property Group 2588 3588/ 9730 0952 info@directpropertygroup.com www.directpropertygroup.com

Venture Photography 2885 6262 | www.venturephotography.com/hk

Grand Hyatt Hong Kong 2956 1234 | http://hongkong.grand.hyatt.com

ORA Events kiwi-ball@ora-events.hk | www.ora-events.hk

Le Meridien Cyberport Club Horizon 2155 04891 | www.clubhorizon.com.hk

Toys, Accessories & Kids’ Parties

L’Hotel Island South 3968 8888 info@lhotelislandsouth.com www.lhotelislandsouth.com

Ginsberg & Chan Wine Merchants Asia 2504 2221 | hello@winemerchantsasia.com winemerchantsasia.com Secret Ingredient www.secretingredient.com.hk Stan Cafe 2324 9008 | www.stancafe.hk The Verandah at the Repulse Bay 2292 2822 | www.therepulsebay.com Trattoria Caffe’ Monteverdi 2559 0115 Williams & Brown williamsandbrownhk.com

Transport & Travel Services Crown Relocations 2636 8388 | hongkong@crownrelo.com www.crownrelo.com/hongkong Elite Charters 5434 9955 info@elitecharters.hk | www.elitecharters.hk Expert-Transport & Relocations Warehouse 2566 4799 | www.expertmover.hk Intimate Charters www.intimate-charters.com

Kenny Tang 5307 3228 | kythkg@gmail.com

Babies R US 2287 1788 | hk@babiesrus@toyrus.com www.babiesrus.com.hk 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 Cariad Apparel Company Limited 3689 9416 | info@cariad.com.hk Petit Bazaar 2544 2255 / 2528 0229 / 2407 1892 contact@petit-bazaar.com www.petit-bazaar.com Rumple and Friends www.rumpleandfriends.com

Social, Sports & Equipment

Lotus Tours Limited 2316 1308 | www.RCCL-HKG.com Scorpion RIBS 9199 3860 | scorpionribshk@gmail.com www.scorpionribs.com The Anandita Villa www.theanandita.com

Get listed call 2776 2772 email marketing@southside.hk 54 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

Weight Watchers

2813 0814 kmahjoubian@weightwatchers.com.hk www.weightwatchers.com.hk Asia Pacific Soccer Schools 2385 9677 | www.apsoccerhk.com Everfine Membership Services Limited 2174 7880 | enquiry@evergolf.com.hk www.evergolf.com.hk

Jones Lang LaSalle

2846 5000 www.joneslanglasalle.com.hk

Hong Kong Parkview 2812 3888

www.hongkongparkview.com

Le Meridien Cyberport Hotel 2980 7788 One Island South 2118 2992 | cs@oneislandsouth.com The Arcade, Cyberport 3166 3111 arcade@cyberport.hk www.arcade.cyberport.hk The Repulse Bay Company Ltd 2292 2878 www.therepulsebay.com The Telo’s Group LCC www.telosgroupllc.com Stanley Plaza www.stanleyplaza.com

Pets & Vets Animal Behaviour Vet Practice 9618 2475 | cynthia@petbehaviourhk.com www.petbehaviourhk.com Animal Emergency Centre 2915 7979 | trilby@animalemergency.com.hk Homevet 9860 5522 | pets@homevet.com.hk www.homevet.com.hk Ferndale Kennels & Cattery 2792 4642 | www.ferndalekennels.com Pacific Pets @ Stanley Veterinary Centre / Pet shop 2813 7979 | info@pacificpets.com.hk

Power Fit Studio 3621 0180 | www.powerfitstudio.com.hk

Stanley Veterinary Centre 2813 2030 | info@stanleyvetcentre.com www.stanleyvvetcentre.com

Primal Strength 5305 6323 | enquiries@primalstrength.com.hk www.primalstrength.com.hk

Vet2Pet 6999 1003 | vet2pet@yahoo.com www.vet2pet.com.hk

directory Home

Education Box Design

2573 3323 info@boxdesign.com.hk www.boxdesign.com.hk Chez Uno 2791 9662 / 2723-8990 | www.chezuno.com Eco Living 2792 7998 | askus@ecoliving.hk www.ecoliving.hk Everything Under The Sun 2554 9088 | www.everythingunderthesun.com. hk Indigo Living Ltd. 2552 3500 | info@indigo-living.com www.indigo-living.com JCAW Consultants 2524 9988 | jcawltd@biznetvigator.com Lift Lifestyle International Ltd. 3907 0386 liftlifestyle@gmail.com | www.liftlifestyle.com Makaron Home Linen info@makaron-home.com | makaron-home.com Sinocham(HK) Enterprises Ltd 2558 8117 info@sinocham.com.hk | www.sinocham.com.hk Wofu Deco 2768 8428 info@wofudeco.com.hk | www.wofudeco.com.hk Indo Handyman 2578 1865 | sales@indohandyman.hk

Community & Health The American Club Hong Kong 2842 7400 | membership@americanclubhk.com www.americanclubhk.com Annerley – maternity and early childhood professionals www.annerley.com.hk Caritas-HK 2538 7777 / 2550 7620 Feeding HK 2205 6568 | http://feedinghk.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

Education Colour My World

2580 5028 info@colour-my-world.com www.colour-my-world.com

The International Montessori School

2861 0339 info@montessori.edu.hk www.montessori.edu.hk G/F, Blocks 23-23A South Horizons, Phase III, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong

Morningstar Preschool

Learning through imagination, inquiry, integration and reflection

Morningstar Preschool and Kindergarten 9736 5241 | info@MorningstarSchools.com www.morningstarschools.com

Anastassia’s Art House 2104 3303 / 2812 6465 | www.arthouse-hk.com

Quest Study Skills 2690 9117 | www.queststudyskills.com Red Shoe Dance Company 9813 0079 | www.redshoedance.com Rugbees Play & Learn 2117 3055 | www.rugbees.com Southside Kindergarten 2592 7527 | info@southside.edu.hk Spring Learning Limited 3465 5000 | www.spring-learning.com.hk Sunshine House International Pre school 2813 0713 | www.sunshinehouse.com.hk Sylvan Learning Center 2873 0662 | info@sylvan.edu.hk www.educate.com The Edge Learning Center 2783 7100 / 2972 2555 | info@theedge.com.hk www.theedge.com.hk

Bebegarten 3487 2255 | www.bebegarten.com

Events

Capstone Prep Education Center 2893 6060 | info@capstoneprep.com www.capstoneprep.com

Lions vs Barbarians www.lionsrugby.hk

Chinese International School 2512 5961 | summerprogram@cis.edu.hk http://summercis.edu.hk

Premiere Perfomances of Hong Kong Ticketing Enquiries: 2734 9009 Telephone Booking: 2111 5999 Programme Enquiries: 9545 6851 | www.pphk.org

Craft Box 9014 3262 | simone@craftbox.asia www.craftbox.asia

Fashion & Beauty

Grand Piano www.grandpiano.hk Imran Cricket Academy 2575 3400 / 9745 2700 imran@imranacademy.com www.imranacademy.com

Lemongrass House www.lemongrasshouse.com.hk Match & Fusion 2915 6866 | hello@matchandfusion.com www.matchandfusion.com

Island Dance 2987 1571 | dance@islanddance.com.hk www.islanddance.com.hk

Nuan Cashmere sales@nuancashmere.com www.nuancashmere.com

ITS 3188 3946 | jennifer.c@tuition.com.hk

Philips Sonicare 2619 9663 | www.philips.com.hk

Kellet School admissions@kellettschool.com www.kelletschool.com

Sabai Day Spa — Stanley 2104 0566 | www.sabaidayspa.com

Kids Village Education Centre 2811 2204 www.kidsvillage.hk Kidville 2892 8893 | www.kidville.hk Montessori for Children 2813 9589 hongkong@montessori.edu.sg www.montessori.edu.sg My Happy Sunflower 2511 2538 | www.myhappysunflower.com

Lotus Parenting 5304 5255 | groups@lotusparenting.com www.lotusparenting.com

Orton-Gillingham Centre for Different Learners 2525 8998 | eric@msl-orton.com www.msl-orton.com.hk

Stanley Wellness Centre 2372 9700 | info@stanleywellnesscentre.com www.stanleywellnesscentre.com

Panda Pottery 6439 2387 / 6041 9613 www.pandapottery.com

Sense of Touch 2517 0939 | ask@senseoftouchhk.com www.senseoftouch.com.hk

Other Services Aeroporto 2553 6310 | info@aeroportodesign.com www.aeroportodesign.com Clover Auto Service 2790 1810 Hampton, Winter and Glynn 2847 2300 | www.hwg-law.com Professional Wills 2561 9031 | www.profwills.com Sum Hing Carton Box Factory info@boxx.hk | www.boxx.hk

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 55

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

Pok Fu Lam

- Kellett School - Kennedy School - Mount Davis - Sunshine House Chi Fu - Sunshine House Pokfulam - Woodland Pokfulam Pre-School

Cyberport

- Baguio Villas - Bel-Air Clubhouse - Cyberport Arcade - Delaney’s - Indigo Kids - Indigo Living - International (Park N Shop) - Le Meridien Hotel Cyberport - Scenic Villas - Starbucks - Thaima-V

Deep Water Bay

- Beach Club - Coco Thai - Hong Kong Country Club - Park N Shop

Aberdeen

- Aberdeen Marina Club - Elite PT Studio - Flex Studio - GCX - Golden Goose Gourmet - GP Deva - Hong Kong Country Club - MUM - One Island South - Park N Shop - Wicka Designs - Woodland Harbourside Pre-School

The Peak

- Cafe Deco The Peak - Delifrance - Haagen-Dazs - International (Park N Shop) - Pho Yummee - Starbucks - Sunshine House The Peak - The Peak Lookout Café - Woodland Pre-School The Peak

Manhattan Tower

Stanley

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 - Indigo - Indigo Kids - Indigo Outlet - Larvotto - Little Picasso Studio - Okooko - Pacific Gourmet - Tequila Kola - Shambala Cafe - Tree

56 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

Stanley

- Boathouse This exclusive residential building, - Cafe Groucho’s tucked away in a lush country park - Chez Patrick setting, houses some of the most - Cheers Real Estate Limited stunning apartments on the Southside. - The Chocolate Room All 40 units are 2,400 square feet with - Classified fully fitted kitchens and bathrooms, teak - Haagen Dazs floors and best of all, large balconies - Lucy’s on the Front to soak up the breathtaking views of - Mijas Deep Water Bay and the South China - Pacific Pets Sea. Southside Magazine is now - Pickled Pelican conveniently placed at the Manhattan - Paisono’s Pizzeria Tower reception. - Pizza Club - Pizza Express Pok Fu Lam - Ricacorp Properties - Saigon in Stanley Chi Fu The Peak Parkview - Smuggler’s Inn Tai Tam Cyberport - Spiaggia Shouson Hill - Stan Cafe Big Wave Bay Aberdeen Bel-Air - Stanley Main Street Bar & Cafe Deep Water Bay - Stanley Veterinary Centre - Starbucks Repulse Bay - Taste Supermarket Red Hill Ap Lei Chau Wong Chuk Hang - Vern’s Beach Bar The Manhattan - Wildfire Shek O Chung Hom Kok

Repulse Bay

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.

Sheung Wan & Central

- ITS Educational Services - Trovi Distribution Ltd - Seasons Fitness

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

North Point

- Sinocham (HK)

Tai Tam / Shek O

- American Club - Ben’s Bar - 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 - The Manhattan - Pacific View Residential Clubhouse - PIPS Kindergarten - Redhill Clubhouse - Shining Stone Restaurant - Soma Spa - Sunshine House Tai Tam - Wellcome, Red Hill Plaza - Woodland Tai Tam Montessori Pre-School

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

Cyberport Arcade

Le Meridien Cyberport

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 57

my southside

strike a pose What do you love about what you do? I’m in the business of making people feel good through positive changes to their bodies and states of mind. What’s not to love about that? Walking in the door each morning is a joy. I love working with clients and seeing the positive changes they undergo. I’m always thinking about new exercises I want to try with people. I still enjoy making people push their muscles to the trembling point, until they wring the sweat from their shirts after class. On a macro level, I love researching new programmes from overseas, deciding what to bring to Hong Kong and developing new class formats to push our clients in innovative ways. Xtend Barre™ is a perfect example. Heather Thomas Shalabi.

Balancing act Heather Thomas Shalabi, director of Flex Studios, on her favourite things. Why Southside? I love being outdoors and close to the ocean – it makes me feel free. I relish being able to walk out of my front door to go running or hiking without having to get in the car. When my daughter was a baby, I took her to South Bay Beach to explore the sand and sea – perhaps that’s why she loves swimming and being outdoors so much. Favourite local restaurant? Wong Chuk Hang is home to some of the best private kitchens in Hong Kong: Eddy Leung’s Chef’s Kitchen and Stanley Wong’s Culinart, both in the Kwai Bo Industrial Building. Cuore by Andrea Oschetti is also delicious. He recently launched a new spa menu, inspired by the cuisine at Kamalaya Spa in Koh Samui. His raw avocado and pistachio starter is fantastic. The kids enjoy the alfresco atmosphere at Coco Thai in Deep Water Bay, and the eggs royale at Classified in Stanley. How do you spend your downtime? I take the kids along the promenade between Repulse Bay and Deep Water Bay – I run, they cycle. We love long hikes on Sunday, we take advantage of the beaches. My boys just got

58 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

into surfing, so Big Wave Bay is appealing to them. I keep promising myself I’ll try ocean kayaking one of these days… Favourite hikes or outdoor activities? I love the Dragon’s Back, because it reminds me of my first few years in Hong Kong. We also love the Tai Tam waterworks trail; the kids enjoy looking for turtles at the reservoir. How would you like to see Southside develop? Given the diverse and sophisticated population, I keep waiting for it to turn into Santa Monica, with hints of the Marais, Soho, NYC and Notting Hill. I would love to see organic markets, trendy boho boutiques, a community performance venue, buskers, yoga barn and juice bar, organic restaurants, community garden… shall I keep going? I would also love to see the property along Repulse Bay Beach put to better community use – finally.

I still enjoy making people push their muscles to the trembling point.

How can newcomers to Hong Kong stay balanced? Balance means something different to everyone. I have begun to understand balance in a different way than just a big pie chart divided between work, kids, marriage, self, etc. In Erich Schiffmann’s wonderful book, Yoga: The spirit and practice of moving into stillness, he describes “stillness” as the ultimate state of balance. Think of a top, spinning so fast that it appears motionless. It is in a state of perfect balance, spinning at top speed. I look at balance now as connecting all those pieces of the pie into one concentrated whole. I think new arrivals often feel off-center once the initial whirlwind and glamour of moving here wears off. I find it very important for women in particular to remember who they were before moving here, and stay true to that person. Developing a social network is a key factor, but luckily Hong Kong is relatively easy that way.