2017 january february

Accent J an u ar y . Fe b r u ar y 20 1 7

2

7 1

Meet the ACC Board of Governors 2017 OFFICERS

Ellen Yin

Stephen Tan

President

Vice President HR Committee

Douglas Pierce

Philip Chiang

Treasurer Finance Committee

Secretary MIS Committee

GOVERNORS

Faye Angevine

Mike Brennand Sports Committee

Jesse Chuang

Social Committee

Ken Chen

House Committee

William Hsu Jr. F&B Committee

Louis J Christen III Rules Committee

Brian Li

Membership Committee

SUPERVISORS

Godwin Chang

Sampson Mar

Richard Yin

Security Ad Hoc Committee

Alternates for Governor in order are: Giuseppe Izzo, Michael Corey, Winifred Dente degli Scrovegni

Closed Closed

Closed Closed

12:00 noon ~ 11:30 pm

Rendezvous / Sports Bar

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

6:00 am ~ 11:00 pm

10:00 am ~ 7:00 pm

Racquet Shop

Tennis / Squash / Multi Room

Hair & Spa Salon Closed

Open (no booking)

Closed

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

Closed

Closed

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

Closed

Open (no booking)

Closed

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

7:00 am ~ 10:00 pm

Closed

Closed

11:00 am ~ 8:00 pm

Closed

Closed

Open (no booking)

Closed

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

7:00 am ~ 10:00 pm

Closed

Closed

11:00 am ~ 8:00 pm

Closed

Closed

Closed

Closed

11:30 am ~ 8:00 pm

Closed

Closed

3:00 pm ~ 7:30 pm

11:30 am ~ 3:00 pm

3:00 pm ~ 8:00 pm

11:00 am ~ 3:00 pm

Closed

Jan. 29 (Sun)

Second Day of the CNY

Closed

Open (no booking)

Closed

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

7:00 am ~ 10:00 pm

Closed

Closed

11:00 am ~ 8:00 pm

Closed

Closed

Closed

Closed

11:30 am ~ 10:30 pm

Available

Available

5:30 pm ~ 9:30 pm

11:30 am ~ 2:00 pm

3:00 pm ~ 10:30 pm

10:30 am ~ 3:00 pm

7:00 am ~ 10:30 am

Jan. 30 (Mon)

Third Day of the CNY

Closed

6:00 am ~ 11:00 pm

8:00 am ~ 6:00 pm

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

7:00 am ~ 10:00 pm

10:00 am ~ 7:00 pm

Closed

7:30 am ~ 10:00 pm

Closed

Closed

Closed

Closed

11:30 am ~ 10:30 pm

Available

Available

5:30 pm ~ 9:30 pm

11:30 am ~ 2:00 pm

3:00 pm ~ 10:30 pm

10:30 am ~ 3:00 pm

7:00 am ~ 10:30 am

Jan. 31 (Thu)

Forth Day of the CNY

Closed

6:00 am ~ 11:00 pm

8:00 am ~ 6:00 pm

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

7:00 am ~ 10:00 pm

10:00 am ~ 7:00 pm

Closed

7:30 am ~ 10:00 pm

Closed

Closed

Closed

Closed

11:30 am ~ 10:30 pm

Available

Available

5:30 pm ~ 9:30 pm

11:30 am ~ 2:00 pm

3:00 pm ~ 10:30 pm

10:30 am ~ 3:00 pm

7:00 am ~ 10:30 am

Feb. 1 (Wed)

Fifth Day of the CNY

Feb. 2 (Thu)

10:00 am ~ 7:00 pm

6:00 am ~ 11:00 pm

7:30 am ~ 9:00 pm

6:30 am ~ 8:00 pm

6:00 am ~ 9:30 pm

6:00 am ~ 9:30 pm

7:00 am ~ 10:00 pm

9:00 am ~ 9:00 pm

10:00 am ~ 7:00 pm

7:30 am ~ 10:00 pm

10:00 am ~ 06:30 pm

Normal

12:00 noon ~ 11:30 pm

10:00 am ~ 9:30 pm

11:30 am ~ 10:30 pm

Available

Available

5:30 pm ~ 9:30 pm

11:30 am ~ 2:00 pm

3:00 pm ~ 10:30 pm

10:30 am ~ 3:00 pm

7:00 am ~ 10:30 am

Please note that there are a few subtle changes to the operating hours of some of the amentities compared to previous years due to the recent changes in the labor law regulations and the subsequent increases in payroll cost.

Thank you for your kind understanding.

6:30 am ~ 8:00 pm

7:30 am ~ 9:00 pm

Swimming Pool

6:00 am ~ 9:30 pm

Outdoor Children Playground

6:00 am ~ 9:30 pm

9:00 am ~ 9:00 pm

7:00 am ~ 10:00 pm

Nursery & Indoor Playground

Fitness Center

10:00 am ~ 7:00 pm

Book / Video Library

TV Room / Game Room

7:00 am ~ 10:00 pm

7:30 am ~ 10:00 pm

Member Services Desk & Cashier

Closed

Normal

10:00 am ~ 06:30 pm

Accounting Office

Membership Office

Closed

Closed

Closed

10:00 am ~ 9:30 pm Closed

11:30 am ~ 10:30 pm

Sigis

Banquet

ACC Market

Dinner

Closed

Closed

Available

Lunch

Closed

3:00 pm ~ 8:00 pm

5:30 pm ~ 10:00 pm (Dinner Buffet)

Closed

5:30 pm ~ 9:30 pm

Dinner

Closed 11:00 am ~ 3:00 pm

Available

Closed

11:30 am ~ 2:00 pm

Lunch

Jan. 28 (Sat)

Chinese New Year Day

Closed

Closed

3:00 pm ~ 10:30 pm

Dinner

Closed 11:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

10:30 am ~ 3:00 pm

7:00 am ~ 10:30 am

Breakfast

Jan. 27 (Fri)

Chinese New Year's Eve

Lunch

Jan. 26 (Thu)

Meal Period

Closed

Gyoson

Terrace

OUTLET

The Club is open during Chinese New Year, although on a limited basis during the official holiday period from January 27 to February 1, 2017

Please refer to the followingChinese scheduleNew when making plansHours to use2017 the Club during this holiday period.

Year Business

from January 27 to February 1, 2017

The Club is open during Chinese New Year, although on a limited basis during the official holiday period

Accent

OUR MISSION The American Club in China is a non-profit organization established for the sole purpose of serving the American and International communities in a family atmosphere, providing the highest quality food, recreational and social activities. The club will endeavor to enhance a cultural exchange with the R.O.C., effectively utilizing all available resources and assuring proper responses to Members needs.

Contents | January . February 2017 President's Message

2

General Manager's Message

3

Do You Know

4

Food & Beverage News

8

Sports News

12

Cover Story

16

Social Events

20

Hair & Spa

22

Photo Gallery

23

ACC Classic Recipe

30

BOARD OF GOVERNORS Ellen Yin President

Stephen Tan

Vice President; HR Committee

Douglas Pierce

Treasurer; Finance Committee

Philip Chiang

Secretary; MIS Committee

Faye Angevine Mike Brennand Sports Committee

Ken Chen

House Committee

Louis J Christen III Rules Committee

Jesse Chuang Social Committee

William Hsu Jr. F&B Committee

Brian Li

Membership Committee

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Godwin Chang Sampson Mar Richard Yin

Security Ad Hoc Committee

MANAGEMENT TEAM Todd Bretzlaff

DAILY OPERATION HOURS Cashier & Member Services

Daily

8:00 am - 10:00 pm

Library

Daily

10:00 am - 7:00 pm

Terrace Terrace Salad Bar

Rendezvous

Daily Lunch Daily Dinner Daily Daily Lunch Daily Dinner Daily Daily

ACC Market Banquet Office Game Room TV Room

Daily Mon - Fri Daily Daily

Teen Room Nursery Fitness Center

Daily Daily Mon - Fri Sat & Sun & Holiday Daily Daily Mon - Fri Sat & Sun

7:00 am - 10:00 pm 11:00 am - 2:30 pm 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm 11:30 am - 10:00 pm 11:30 am - 2:00 pm 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm 11:30 am - 11:30 pm 10:00 pm last order for foods 10:00 am - 9:00 pm 10:00 am - 6:30 pm 9:00 am - 9:00 pm 9:00 am - 9:00 pm 11:00 am - 10:00 pm 9:00 am - 9:00 pm 6:00 am - 9:30 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm 6:00 am - 11:00 pm 7:00 am - 10:00 pm 7:30 am - 9:00 pm 8:00 am - 6:00 pm

Swimming Pool & Jacuzzi

Mon - Fri Sat & Sun & Holiday

6:30 am - 8:00 pm 9:00 am - 7:00 pm

Hair & Spa

Mon - Sat Sun & Holiday

Sigis Gyoson

General Manager

Tommy Chan

Sports & Recreation Director

Sabrina Chen

Marketing & Communications Manager

Gerry Gibb IT Director

Stella Hou

Financial Controller

Peter Hu

Purchasing Manager

Steven Hung

Human Resource Director

Chi-Wen Lin

Engineering Director

Freeman Lin

Racquet Courts Outdoor Playground Pro Shop & Reservations

F&B Director

Fanny Tung

Senior Membership Manager

Emily Wang

Hair & Spa Manager

10:00 am - 7:00 pm 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

To advertise in ACCENT, please contact 02 2885-8260 ext 488 Sabrina Chen For membership information, please contact 02 2885-8260 ext 888 Fanny Tung Email ACC : member.services@americanclub.org.tw Website: www.americanclub.org.tw

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Dear ACC Members,

Ellen Yin

Newly Elected Officers and Committee Chairs

Newly elected Board of Governors held election for officers on December 14th. New Executive Committee for 2017 is as follows: President, Ms. Ellen Yin; Vice President, Mr. Stephen Tan; Treasure, Mr. Douglas Pierce; and Secretary Mr. Philip Chiang. The newly appointed committee chairs include Mr. Stephen Tan - H/R Committee, Mr. Douglas Pierce as the Finance Committee, Mr. Philip Chiang - MIS Committee, Mr. Mike Brennand - Sports Committee, Mr. Ken Chen - House Committee, Mr. Louis Christen III - Rules Committee, Mr. Jesse Chuang - Social Committee, Mr. William Hsu, Jr. - F&B Committee, Brian Li - Membership Committee and the Board will retain the Security Ad Hoc Committee through the implementation of the Member Controlled Access System chaired by Mr. Richard Yin. We look forward to a year of service to our members.

Annual Board Retreat and Strategic Planning Revisit

In an effort to keep our strategy updated, and meeting the current demands of our membership at large; BOG will revisit the output from the 2013 Strategic Plan and reestablish an updated 5 Year Strategic Plan based on the current demographics of our Club.

An all-day retreat with the participation of all Board Members and HOD will be held on a Sunday here at the Club in January. We will be publishing an updated Mission Statement and strategies for the next 5 years in our March issue of Accent.

Progress on Controlled Access

Last week, the Security Committee and the Executive Committee were shown a life size mock-up of gates that will be installed in the lobby. We discussed various possibilities where to position the gates and entry/exit scenarios with members, guests, young children shorter than the gate height, strollers and wheelchairs to come up with the most suitable placement of the gates. Though no one location is perfect, we felt confident with all things considered, that we have chosen most suitable location to install our new gates. We will be able to show a diagram of the placement of gates next month.

Revised Labor Law May Affect ACC Operations Hours

As of December 23rd 2016, New amendment to Labor Standards Act changes regarding “one fixed day off and one rest day” every workweek and increased overtime pay for employees who work on rest days.

The amendment stipulates that there are two days off for every seven days, one of which is an “official holiday” and the other is a “rest day.” The “official holiday” is a mandatory holiday, but the “rest day” means workers who need more income can opt to work on this day if the company offers them to work.

This revised overtime schedule stipulates that employees who work on a “rest day” are to be paid 2.34 times their regular hourly wage for the first two hours. For each additional “rest day” hour, the employees are to be paid 2.67 times their regular hourly wage. Therefore, employees working an 8-hour “rest day” will be paid a total of 20.7 times their regular hourly wage. It is further stipulated that if an employee shows up for just one hour, they are to be paid for a full 4 hour-shift and for working in excess of 4 hours, they are to be paid for a full 8 hour-shift.

I took the time to explain the newly mandated overtime schedule to let ACC members know the impact of this change in the labor regulation. The Board and the Management will revisit operating hours for regular, holiday and typhoon days to minimize the impact to our already approved 2017 budget. We know how important it is to provide ACC Members the best service within our budget without incurring extra expenses, you can be sure this topic will be fully investigated, discussed in various committees before we implement it. Stay tuned.

Wish you and your family a healthy and prosperous Year of Chicken.

2

Ellen Yin President

GENERAL MANAGER'S MESSAGE

Dear Members,

Todd Bretzlaff

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year’s celebration with plenty of time to spend with family and friends. And now that Christmas is past, it is now time to prepare for the Chinese New Year (“CNY”), which will be early, this year at the end of January. Please note the CNY operating hours that are posted in this issue of the Accent as well as at the main entrance of the Club.

This January will be a very important month for 2017. The Board will hold their annual Board Retreat where they will be working closely with Management to evaluate and identify key components for both the Club’s Strategic Plan and the coming year’s operations.

We are also establishing an action plan for opportunities and improvements identified in the 2016 Member Survey. With the addition of our new F&B Director, Mr. Freeman Lin, we expect to incorporate improved systems and procedures within the entire F&B department creating a higher level of professionalism and consistency from the service. Combined with the new kitchens, we have also completed training on the new systems and procedures necessary to take advantage of the improved kitchen logistics. We are also looking into ways to improve communications to better keep you informed of what is happening at the Club. This may include revamped templates for the existing communication channels as well as affordable means to take advantage of popular communication apps available in the market.

I would also like to comment on the a few survey comments that food pricing have been gradually increasing.

First, we want to assure all Members that one of our primary objectives is to ensure a high standard of quality at good value for money. If you happen to know anyone in the restaurant or hotel industry, you will likely know that their pricing structure is based on a food cost percentage to price in the high 20’s for restaurants and the low 30’s for hotels. As ACC menus are priced with a food cost of 38% -39%, this translates into a 20% to 35% improved value than these comparable alternatives. We intend to always maintain this improved pricing model although with the cost of food steadily rising on average from 4% to 6.5% annually over the past 4 years, it is impossible for the Club to maintain a balanced / breakeven budget without having food pricing also increasing.

From 2010 to 2014, the Club was able maintain proper margins without any price increases with improved efficiencies in product management, menu engineering, increased usage and cross utilization of labor and although economies continue to improve, it is at a diminished rate. In late 2014, it becomes necessary for the Club to commence steady price increases of 2.5 to 3% annually to maintain a balance with the rising product costs. The Club is still able to find further improvements but these savings are needed to offset the difference between our price increases and the 4% to 6.5% annual increase in food costs, not to mention the steady increases in labor cost over the last few years due to changing governmental regulations including increases in labor insurance, non-working days off, overtime compensation rates and a reductions in the work week. Please be assured that ACC is committed to provide very good value for money as one more reason to make the Club your preferred dining venue.

Currently, we are also in the initial phases for both the Members Controlled Access and the Renovation of the Multi-purpose Sports Complex. For the Controlled Access system, we have finalized the contract. Once we receive the drawing renditions from the selected vendor, we will post the graphic perspectives in the lobby for your reference. The project will commence around March 1st and is expected to be completed around May 1st with less than two weeks of actual construction toward the end. For the Multi-purpose Sports Complex, we conducted the Design Intent Presentation to qualified vendors and we expect submitted tenders before CNY. The Selection Committee intends to conduct the tender interviews and select a vendor shortly after the CNY break which should allow the Club to commence construction around June 1st with completion around the end of July.

2017 promises to be a great year in bringing us closer to our vision of the “Best Club in Asia”. We remain committed to finding ways to better serve all of you and making the Club an indispensable part of our Members’ lives.

Wising you the very best in the upcoming “Year of the Rooster”!

Gong Xi Fa Cha!

Todd Bretzlaff General Manager

3

DO YOU KNOW

A Warm Welcome to New Members Erik & Tove Anderson / Sean Chen & Joy Huang / Tianniu (Rick) Chen & Dongxiang Zeng William Cheng / Victoria Chiao / Wayne Chou & Annie Chen / Steven Gee & Lily Choi Martin Hagel & Murphy Hsieh / Jeffrey Hoh & Sylvia Lim / Rolf Keim & Rini Sumardi Brandon Ko & Jennifer Ou / Heide Ku & Daniel Chen / David Lin & Joyce Yeh / Ken Lin & Debbie Le Polly Wang & Sing-Yu Chu / Michael Wang & Tina Sung / Justin Wong & Janice Chiao Leon Yu & Li-Chu Cheng

Bon Voyage to Resigned Members Edward & Julia Butler / Andy Chen & Michelle Lin / Arthur & Lisa Cozad / Mirzan & Alma Elmazi Helen Hsu & Jacky Chang / Judith Hsu & Eric Chou / Margaret Kao & Mark Truei Mark Lin & Bonny Wang / Sonny Lin & I Han / Vincent Liu & Yuki Ting / Genevieve Lu William & Lan Fang Pan McKay / Scott & Victoria Patterson / Shawn & Cynthia Sanders Abraham & Shlomit Shapira / Eric Sun

2016 Holiday Ball. Donation to the Community Service Center Thank you to our Members for supporting the 2016 Holiday Ball -"Back to the 70s Event" - held on December 3. A donation of NT$23,000 to the Community Service Center (財團法人台北市國際社區服務文教基金會) a non-profit organization was made possible from this event; thanks to both the 'wits and wags game' and raffle ticket sales.

ACC Annual Staff Party The Club Facilities will be closed for the Annual Staff Party at 3:00 pm, Monday, January 16, 2017.

Swimming Pool will be Closed The Swimming Pool will be closed for maintenance services on Monday, January 9 and will reopen at 12:00 noon on Saturday, January 14, 2017. In the event of inclement weather during this period, this maintenance services activity will be re- scheduled.

We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your kind understanding.

ACC New Telephone Extensions Please be advised that effective Tuesday, January 3, 2017, ACC’s telephone extensions will change from 2 digits to 3 digits. From that same date, calls to the Club on 02-2885-8260 will also be answered with an automated message giving you the option to dial direct to any known extension, or talk to our switchboard operator for manual connection. If you do not know the extension you need our Club Front Desk Team will always be more than happy to connect you to the required person or department.

A complete listing of the new extension numbers will be published on the ACC website.

4

Controlled Access in ACC Lobby Following approval at the AGM we will be introducing an access control system in the ACC Lobby in 2017 to further strengthen exclusivity and safety for all Members and guests. The main changes that will be experienced are as follows: • Card-activated access control gates in the ACC Lobby.

• Registration of all guests, and issue of day-pass cards for registered guests.

The design of the gates has been carefully selected to fit well with ACC’s existing décor. In total there will be 3 swing-door access gates which will look similar to this:

Location of the Access Gates The 3 access gates will be located to the left of the existing reception desk. This provides access control for most areas of the Club, whilst maintaining the existing lobby guest waiting area and also keeping free-flow access through the lobby to the California function room.

There will be two gates to the right of the pillar (between the pillar and the reception desk), and one to the left of it. All 3 gates will be 900mm wide (suitable for disabled access) and bi-directional (you will be able to enter and exit through same gate).

There will also be further glass barriers positioned at the far end of the lobby washroom access corridor and rear of the reception desk to prevent avoidance of the main access gates.

Further detailed communications will be prepared and distributed over the coming weeks, but below is a summary of some of the key changes that this system will bring.

Some Key Points to be Aware Of • All primary and spouse Members will be issued with new “RFID-enabled” Membership access cards prior to go-live of the system. In addition, each Member will also have the option to register one of his/her own MRT Easycards (“yoyo card”) and use this instead as his/her access card for entering and leaving the Club.

• Member children aged 13 and older can also be issued with their own cards, but parents will need to apply for these.

• A card swipe will be required to both enter and exit the access gates.

• Members will need to register guests individually on the access control system before guests are issued with cards to enter the Club.

• However, guest registration can be done in advance by Members - either earlier on the same day, or in the days prior.

• Registered guests will be issued with day pass cards when the host Member reports with the guests to the reception desk.

• To exit, guests will need to feed their cards into a card-return slot on the exit side of the barriers. This ensures all temporary cards can be collected back efficiently.

Approximate Schedule Details of the project schedule are currently being finalized, but we expect installation of equipment and go-live of the system to be in late spring 2017. Further schedule details will be announced once dates are confirmed.

5

F&B NEWS

Terrace

Rendezvous

“Buddha Jumps Over the Wall� is traditional Chinese cuisine with taro, bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms in an oyster sauce; accompanied with brown rice and steamed vegetables.

January

Buddha Jumps Over the Wall NT$420

Southwest Hummus Chicken Wrap NT$320 Chicken, tomato salsa, guacamole, black beans, corn, lettuce and hummus wrapped in a flour tortilla; accompanied with a green salad and hummus.

Braised pork ribs, spring onions and braised onions with sweet soy sauce; accompanied with steamed rice and vegetables.

February

Braised Pork Ribs with Onions NT$385

Music Nights

Smoked Turkey Panini NT$330 Smoked turkey, Brie cheese, basil and cranberries on Panini bread; accompanied with a green salad.

Monthly Cake

Apple Cheese Cake NT$95 Apple, Cheese, Caramel, Ritz Crackers, Crumble

9

F&B NEWS

Sigis

Soft-shell Crab Salad Spicy King Prawns

NT$380

NT$780

Deep fried soft-shell Crab with Mixed Greens, Honey Mustard Dressing

Grilled King Prawns with Chef’s Special Spicy Sauce, accompanied with Zucchini and Cherry Tomatoes

Monthly Special

Grilled Mangalica Pork

NT$920

Accompanied with Sautéed Shredded Potato and Lemongrass Butter Sauce

Chargrilled to your preference with Hash Browns, Baby Broccoli and Beef au Jus

ACC Market Monthly Special

At ACC’s Market: Purchase NT$1,000 of any combination of Granola, Muesli or other Cereals and receive a

NT$100 discount!

10

11:30 am ~ 3:00 pm / Monday ~ Friday Price: NT$590+10%

Salad

Main

Shrimp Salad with Walnuts

Barramundi with Avocado Salsa

Squid Ink Pasta with Tomato Sauce

Alsace Stewed Pork Knuckle

Main

Main

Grilled Boneless Beef Short Ribs

NT$680

Business Lunch

Dessert Daily Selection with Coffee or Tea

January and February Promotion

le on Sa

Purchase any one kind of the “René Coffee” products and get

one free!!

Monthly Bread

Coffee Vanilla Cream Bread NT$130 Flour, Yeast, Butter, Milk, Coffee Powder, Sugar, Salt, Eggs, Vanilla Extract

F&B NEWS

Gyoson

Main Course

January and February Promotion Special Roll Sake Promotion

Surf and Turf Hot Pot NT$1,980

Salmon and Eel Sushi Roll NT$280

Kagatsuru Umeshu NT$120/glass

Monthly Wine Period: January 1~ February 28, 2017 B

Ridge Vineyards

C

A/ Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs,

D

Penfolds C/Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz,

Dry Creek Valley, USA, 2014

Coonawarra, Australia, 2013

Price: NT$2,000/bottle

Price: NT$1,900/bottle

D/ Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz,

B/ Ridge Vineyards Geyserville Zinfandel, Alexander Valley, USA, 2014

Price: NT$2,000/bottle Purchase any two bottles of the “Ridge Vineyards” products for the very special price of: NT$3,200

South Australia, 2013

Price: NT$1,900/bottle

Market

A

Purchase any two bottles of the “Penfolds” products for the very special price of : NT$2,999

Offffeerr aO iall EExxtrtra for the purchase of 6 bottles of peeccia SSp ) NT$7,999 !! ) !! d d te s te s e e g Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz, Coonawarra g g ((SSuug Belleruche, Rhone, France, 2014 Varity: Mainly Grenache and Syrah.

Color: Garnet red.

Nose: Aromas of red fruits (mainly Morello cherries) and spices (liquorice, grey pepper).

Palate: this wine has a great structure with firm and silky tannins.

NT$800/bottle, NT$180/glass

M. Chapoutier CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE Belleruche Blanc, Rhone, France, 2015 Varity: Blending of Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Bourboulenc.

Color: pale yellow and limpid.

Nose: green apple, hawthorn and white blossoms, citrus aromas and exotic fruits.

Palate: fresh and well-balanced, lots of fatness and length.

NT$800/bottle, NT$180/glass

Pinot Noir, France, 2014

Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Chardonnay, Burgundy, France, 2015

The wine full of charm: bright ruby color and a nose rich with aromas of red fruit as raspberry, red currants, wild strawberry.

On the palate, the wine is pleasant, fruity and refreshing, with light tannins and great elegance.

Fruity and full of life. This is a classical white Burgundy and a good entry level wine for Burgundy in general.

The color is golden yellow, with a greenish glint. The aromas are reminiscent of fresh grape and green almond. Elegant texture.

Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Varity: Pinot Noir

Varity: Garganega, Trebbiano di Soave

NT$900/bottle, NT$200/glass

NT$900/bottle, NT$200/glass

Sigis

Rendezvous

M. Chapoutier CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE

11

SPORTS NEWS

Fitness = Mind Age Consistenecy2+Efficiency2=Mentality2

Every day is the beginning of a New Year! let’s Celebrate this New Year together!

How old are you? How long have you been

This New Year don’t hide behind Age or not having enough time. Don’t fear failure, the only way you fail is when you don’t try! This year is your year for change, don’t want what others have or envy what they have accomplished!

Set new goals, try things you have never tried before and don’t fear the impossible. Everything is Possible, but you first need to try and have an open mind that you will succeed!

Whoever said that you can’t do anything when you get old was sorely mistaken.

Bring in the New Year with a renewed mindset to overcome fitness challenges!

Fitness

Tip

training? How many obstacles have you conquered? To most people these questions determine how healthy you are and how long you will live. Although research has proven the Mind is one of the most powerful tools on earth.

How we think, determines our outcome in any situation.

The mind has unlimited potential.You can conquer anything you desire just by visioning Personal Trainer what you want. Once you begin to understand Anthony Poole the power of the mind, and apply it, you can Age-Defying Athletes reprogram your subconscious to obtain Inspirational men and women aged 40 and beyond anything you want in life and live life to the http://www.alive.com/fitness/age-defying-athletes/ fullest.

Fitness Classes

Schedule for

January Tuesday

Monday

10:00 - 10:40 am

12:30 - 1:15 pm

Fusion Belly Dance (Wendy)

Group TRX (Vincent)

10:45 - 11:30 am

2:00 - 3:15 pm

Strength Lab (Joanne)

Mind & Body Yoga (Nina)

11:30 - 12:15 pm

7:00 - 7:45 pm

Zumba (Joanne)

Pilates (Jenny)

Wednesday

Thursday

7:00 - 7:45 am

10:00 - 10:45 am

12:45 - 1:30 pm

10:00 - 10:45 am

Cycle Fit (Lulu)

PiYo (Bryce)

Cardio Step (Tommy)

9:25 - 10:45 am

11:00 - 11:45 am

Group TRX (Ivan)

Power (Billy/Michael/Vincent)

11:00 - 11:45 am Total Body Fitness (Billy)

Body Attack (Bryce) 4 th, 18 th Rhythm Dance (Bryce) 11 th, 25 th

Friday

12:30 - 1:15 pm

Women’s Self Defense

Group TRX (Kevin)

10:00 - 10:45 am Functional X (Olivia/Ed)

11:00 - 11:45 am Cycle Fit (Billy)

Cycle Fit (Billy)

11:00 - 11:45 am

8:45 - 9:45 am * (Antoine)

7:00 - 7:45 pm

Saturday

9:45 - 10:30 am Pilates (Jenny)

10:40 - 11:20 am

Latin Fever (Joanne)

3:00 - 4:00 pm Kids Martial Arts * (Antoine)

11:00 - 11:45 am Pilates (Jimmy)

7:00 - 7:45 pm Group TRX (Michael)

Sunday

10:00 - 10:45 am 2:15 - 3:30 pm Pilates (Joanne)

Power (Bryce)

th 11:00 - 11:45 am 15 Rhythm Dance (Bryce) 3:45 - 4:45 pm

2:15 - 3:15 pm

Cycle Fit (Lulu)

Boxing Fit (Nice & Young)8th, 22nd

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The Dancing

Dragon Text by Pei Su-yu Photos by 廷威醒獅劇團, ACC team and website

As a child, whenever I would hear my elders speak about Chinese New Year, the one thing that always caught my attention would be their stories about the dragon dances (longwu or longdeng). For me, there was and continues to be something magical about a dancing dragon.

In the beginning According to ancient Chinese history (Han Dynasty, 180-230AD), training in the martial arts was popular for increasing body fitness, stamina and strength, along with dragon dance training.

Dragon dance performers had to be skilled and able to move their bodies rhythmically, while synchronizing their steps. The goal of the dragon dance was to move the dragon’s head and body gracefully, in time with the music and the rest of the dance team.

The mighty and sacred dragon For the Chinese, the dragon has long been revered. It is considered the most auspicious among the mythical creatures in Chinese culture; representing power and benevolence, wealth, courage and status, while having the ability to drive away evil spirits, bring good luck and blessings to a region, community and people.

Chinese dragons are amphibians. They are able to move on land, swim in the ocean and fly.

They are also believed to have power over water, droughts, hurricanes and flooding. In ancient China, lakes and rivers had guardian dragons living in them, which acted as protectors for the local people. If these dragons became angry or upset, it would result in either too much rainfall, flooding or long periods of drought. Dragon dances would be performed to demonstrate to these dragons how grateful the people were to them and to ask them to please reverse the destructive and adverse conditions upon their local environment.

The classic dragon has the head of an ox, a deer’s antlers, a horse’s mane, the body of a snake, the claws of an eagle and the scales and tail of a fish.

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Constructing the dancing dragon The traditional dragon dance costume consists of the dragon’s head, body and tail. The dragon’s body is usually divided up into an uneven number of sections; 9, 11, 13 because they are considered to be auspicious. These sections are connected to each other making the body of the dragon flexible for the dancer’s performance.

The head of the dragon usually weighs around 14 kilos, has an open mouth, a long pointed red tongue, angry looking eyes, horns and a wispy chin beard.

Colors associated with the dragon are green, symbolizing a good and rich harvest, regal shade of yellow for the empire, gold and silver for prosperity, red for good fortune and happiness. The fish scales and tail are also in silver.

The body of the dragon can range from 7 to 13 sections in length. Dragons made of more than 15 sections will be too heavy for the dancers to carry and dance with. Dancers hold rods, which have been attached every 1 to 2 meters throughout the body of the dragon, to help them raise to the body as they dance.

The body can be made from cloth, paper or bamboo. The structure is first formed by using wood or bamboo to shape it.

Then, the cloth is measured and glued over the dragon’s head, body and tail. All the connecting parts are covered until the entire dragon is formed. The next step is to paint each connecting part, with the exception of the dragon’s eyes.

Tradition has it that the most respected person in the community has the honor of painting the eyes of the dragon. Once this has been done, the spirit of the dragon will come to life.

Under the belly of the dragon There are 20 basic positions that performers must master before they are allowed to perform the dragon dance. These positions require strength and endurance on the part of the performer, especially while carrying their designated part of the dragon.

The movements of the dragon are based on footwork and hand coordination. Each team member must be able to leap, jump, crouch close to the ground and change positions quickly in order to execute their dance steps. Popular dance patterns or movements include the “Cloud Cave”, Whirlpool”, “Looking for the Pearl” and “Dragon Chasing the Pearl”.

The pearl One of the dancers will carry a pole. On the top of this pole will be a large pearl. This pearl represents the sun and wisdom.

The dancer will try to tease the dragon to chase after the pearl.

As the dragon tries to catch the pearl, the dance becomes more frantic. The accompanying dragon drums, gongs and cymbals beat out the rhythm helping the dragon dancers to stay in sync with the music.

This particular movement is called “Dragon Chasing the Pearl”.

I have yet to read any literature where the dragon has actually caught the pearl.

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The dance The dragon dance requires many dancers. The exact number depends on the length of the dragon and the skill of the dancers. Each dancer must be well-trained and aware of the other dancers’ moments. One mistake will disrupt the rest of the dancers.

The dancer carrying the pearl begins the movement (dance pattern). Timing is crucial. As the dancer under the dragon’s head begins to dance, the dancer at the dragon’s tail will try to keep in time with his movements. Meanwhile, the dancers under the body of the dragon will be performing synchronized foot patterns. So, it is important that the dragon performers be able to dance and run on cue.

A successful dragon dance depends on the cooperation of the whole team, along with strict discipline. Each dancer must know his steps, how to execute them, while being in sync with the rest of the dancers. He must also know when to shift his hand positions on the rods that he is holding onto, so that the rise and fall of his section of the dragon’s body will be coordinated with the other body sections of the dragon.

The dancers in the front of the dragon will match their step work to the beat of the music. They will lift the dragon’s head high above them, bring it down, making it shake from side-to-side. Sometimes, smoke may also come from the dragon’s mouth, much to the delight of the people watching.

Here in Taipei, dragon dances continue to be a popular “good luck” custom for celebrating the Chinese New Year and Lantern Festival. People of all ages love to flock to malls or public squares to see this brightly painted “auspicious creature of Heaven” perform.

ACC New Year Activities To welcome in the Year of the Rooster, we will be having a series of Chinese New Year activities.

We invite you to mark your calendars for the following dates:

Sun, January 15, 2017 Calligraphy Booth

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Fri, January 27, 2017 Chinese New Year Story Telling & gifts of red envelopes

Wed, February 1, 2017 Lion Dance & Drummers Troop

Sun, February 5, 2017 The Lantern Festival: Kid’s Tang Yuan Making

EVENTS

Welcome in the Year of the

Rooster

Date

Wednesday, February 1

Time

11:30 am at ACC Main entrance; ACC Members only

According to a traditional Chinese belief, the lion signifies courage, stability and superiority.

Come to Join us at ACC and see a series of “Lion Dance and Drummers” performances, which are the most familiar traditional Chinese events to bring good luck and fortune for the upcoming Chinese New Year.

For more information or sign up, please see the ACC website event page

The Lantern Festival:

Tang Yuan Making Sunday, February 5, 2017 Time:

3:30 - 5:00 pm Location: North California Room Cost:

NT$400 per person

ACC Members Only: Only 20 seats available For many Chinese families, Tang Yuan is usually eaten together with family. The round shape of the balls and the bowls where they are served, come to symbolize the family togetherness; bringing harmony and happiness to the family.

Come join this popular making class and learn how to create your own homemade classic Tang Yung!

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LIBRARY

N ew

Arrival 1/

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich

by Timothy Ferriss (BUSINESS)

2/

The Sellout

by Paul Beatty (fiction)

3/

Sully: My Search for What Really Matters

by Chesley Sullenberger / Jeffrey Zaslow (Biography ) the movie to be soon released

4

/ Disney storybook series 1 - 8

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kid’s book

PHOTO GALLERY

15th Annual St. Lucy Bazaar

Thanks to our 43 volunteers, 300 shoppers, 26 vendors, numerous supporters, and the ACC, this year we raised a total of NT1.27 million in donation for the St. Lucy Baby Home in Tainan.

Our 2017 Bazaar will be on November 16. If you would like to help, please contact Siew Kang at internationalchoir@gmail.com

Tennis

ACC vs. USRC Club from Hong Kong Christmas Snowball in the Club! Look at how cute everyone looks!

ACC vs. Grand Hotel Tennis Club

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PHOTO GALLERY

2016 Holiday Ball

Members and guests put on Bling-Bling 70’s accessories, hippie style or afro wings to participate in this year’s Holiday Ball!!

What great suits!! Good job and so 70’s!!

We had fun games and each table needed to complete some specified challenges.

Dooly, Joy, Night Fever band and DJ gave us fantastic music and everyone danced like crazy!

Thank you to our sponsors for donating such good prizes for us!!

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PHOTO GALLERY

2016 Kids Christmas Party

I What am t ge a n n go ? from Santa

Who’s going fall in the twister game?

Human Balloon Show really gets the kids attention

Santa teaching dancing to the kids and their parents

With Santa’s cue all the parents started dancing on the stage, they had even more fun than the kids!!

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PHOTO GALLERY

2016 Gingerbread House Making

Teamwork!

Kids and parents are really paying attention to the chef

Time for some snow!!

ACC Life

Our Chef Leo and ACC’S Pastry Team working together to create this beautiful Gingerbread House, to give all Members the feeling of a real Christmas atmosphere as they enter the Club!

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Final piece of the decorations, and we’re more-than-ready for the upcoming Christmas season!

I cry…but that doesn’t mean I’m weak

I fall… but that’s doesn't mean I'm a failure

You can do it!

After the tears, stand up and start anew again!

CR ad Center Magazine.indd 1

5/20/2015 10:20:51 AM

Braised Pork Ribs with Onions (Party of 4)

Ingredients

Pork Baby Rib 8cm - 800 g (cut in 4 pieces) / Onion Strips - 200 g Shallots Chopped - 20 g / Spring Onions - 4 stalks; crushed cut in 3 Crushed Garlic - 6 cloves / Crushed Ginger - 30 g Crushed Chili - 1 piece; seeded / Star Anise - 3 pieces Seasoning for Stewing - 1 bag / Soy Sauce - 240 ml Dark Soy Sauce - 120 ml / Crystal Sugar - 5 tbsp. / Hot Water - 1 L

Procedure 1/ Pan-fry the pork ribs until golden brown then set aside.

2/ Preheat the wok, and then heat 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil.

With high heat; briefly stir-fry onions, shallots, spring onions, garlic, ginger and chili.

3/ Pour soy sauce and dark soy sauce along the wok then briefly stir-fry with the ingredients, add hot water, star anise and seasoning bag.

4/ When mixture is boiling, add crystal sugar and pork ribs, reduce to low-heat and braise for 30 min. Ribs will be ready when easily pierced with chopsticks.

TIP After braising (and if you have the time before serving) strain out the sauce and soak the ribs in the sauce for 3 hours; the ribs will taste even more delicious.