2018 january february

Accent J anu ar y . Fe b r u ar y 20 1 8

ACC Field Outing

Let’s Row the Dragon Boat

! ! s t c i d d a t u o k Wor ter sport! a w ! t m i a te s s g i in w m o r Don’t ting? Only the world’s fastest-g ound fitness.

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er form a grea th ge to d an e ap sh great

9:45 am- 12:30 pm,018 tation S n ia d in X T R M 2 , , n ita Gathering Place: B Saturday, January 20 over d n a s r a e y 1 1 n: tio Age Limita mber ; e M C C A r e p 9 9 9 $ Price: NT people t s e u g out why so many r e d n p fi d 9 n a 9 it ,0 y 1 tr $ ach NT Come to is sport that English Speaking Co equipment Including insurance,

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BOOKING

Partner with

Restricted to 25 attendees; this event requires a minimum attendance of 10 people, if not achieved we will cancel the event.

For more information, please see the ACC website event page.

9:00 am ~ 9:00 pm

7:00 am ~ 10:00 pm

6:00 am ~ 9:30 pm

9:00 am ~ 9:00 pm

6:00 am ~ 8:00 pm

7:30 am ~ 9:00 pm

6:00 am ~ 11:00 pm

Nursery & Indoor Playground

Outdoor Children Playground

Fitness Center

TV Room / Game Room

Swimming Pool

Pro Shop

Tennis / Squash / Multi Room 9:30 am ~ 4:30 pm Closed

6:00 am ~ 11:00 pm

10:00 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

Closed

Closed

09:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

9:30 am ~ 4:30 pm Closed

6:00 am ~ 11:00 pm

10:00 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

Closed

Closed

11:00 am ~ 8:00 pm

Closed

Closed

Closed

Feb. 17 (Sat)

9:30 am ~ 4:30 pm Closed

6:00 am ~ 11:00 pm

10:00 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

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

Second Day of the CNY

9:30 am ~ 4:30 pm Closed

6:00 am ~ 11:00 pm

10:00 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

Closed

Closed

7:30 am ~ 10:00 pm

Closed

Closed

Closed

10:00 am ~ 6:00 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

9:30 am ~ 4:30 pm Closed

6:00 am ~ 11:00 pm

10:00 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

11:00 am ~ 6:00 pm

Closed

Closed

10:00 am ~ 6:00 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

Feb. 19 (Mon) Fourth Day of the CNY

Feb. 18 (Sun) Third Day of the CNY

Feb. 20 (Tue)

9:30 am ~ 4:30 pm Closed

6:00 am ~ 11:00 pm

10:00 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

11:00 am ~ 6:00 pm

Closed

Closed

10:00 am ~ 6:00 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

Fifth Day of the CNY

6:30 am ~ 9:00 pm 10:00 am ~ 7:00 pm

6:00 am ~ 11:00 pm

7:30 am ~ 9:00 pm

6:00 am ~ 8:00 pm

9:00 am ~ 9:00 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 ~ 6:30 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

Feb. 21 (Wed)

Please note that there are a few subtle changes to the operating hours of some of the amenities 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.

Hair & Spa Salon

6:30 am ~ 9:00 pm 10:00 am ~ 7:00 pm

10:00 am ~ 7:00 pm

Book / Video Library

Functional Training Center

7:30 am ~ 10:00 pm

Member Services Desk & Cashier

Closed

Closed

Normal

10:00 am ~ 6:30 pm

Accounting Office

Closed

Closed

Closed

Closed

Closed

3:00 pm ~ 8:00 pm

Closed

10:00 am ~ 6:00 pm

10:00 am ~ 9:30 pm

Membership Office

Closed 11:00 am ~ 3:00 pm

Closed

12:00 noon ~ 11:30 pm

11:30 am ~ 10:30 pm

Available

Lunch

Dinner

Available

Dinner

ACC Market

Sigis

Closed

5:30 pm ~ 9:30 pm

Lunch

Feb. 16 (Fri) Chinese New Year Day

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

Closed Closed

3:00 pm ~ 10:30 pm

11:30 am ~ 2:00 pm

Dinner

Closed 11:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

7:00 am ~ 10:30 am

10:30 am ~ 03:00 pm

Lunch

Breakfast

Feb. 15 (Thu) Chinese New Year's Eve

Feb. 14 (Wed)

Meal Period

Rendezvous / Sports Bar

Banquet

Gyoson

Terrace

OUTLET

Chinese New Year Business Hours 2018 Please refer tois the following schedule when making plans to use the Club holiday period.

The Club open during Chinese New Year, although on a limited basis during the official holiday period from during February 15this - 20, 2018

from February 15 - 20, 2018

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

Accent

OUR MISSION

Contents | January . February 2018

Your Home Away From Home The American Club creates a sense of belonging for our Members, their families and their associates by

President's Message

2

General Manager's Message

3

Do You Know

4

Hair Spa & Library

5

Food & Beverage News

6

Sports News

10

Article - Chin Winter Holiday Tradition

14

Social Events

20

Photo Gallery

22

consistently delivering quality dining, enjoyable activities and memorable experiences in a friendly and vibrant American environment.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS Faye Angevine Mike Brennand Frank Chen Ken Chen Philip Chiang Louis J Christen III Siew Kang Brian Li Helen Liu Dennis Yung Ming Chi Yung M.D.

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

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

Nursery Outdoor Playground Fitness Center

Daily Daily Mon - Fri Sat & Sun & Holiday

9:00 am 7:00 am 6:00 am 7:00 am

Financial Controller

1F Squash & Multi-Sports Courts

Monday - Sunday & Holiday

6:00 am - 10:00 pm

Peter Hu

2F Functional Training Center

Monday - Friday Sat & Sun & Holiday Mon - Fri Sat & Sun

6:30 am 7:30 am 7:30 am 8:00 am

Godwin Chang Giuseppe Izzo Sampson Mar

Sigis Gyoson

MANAGEMENT TEAM Todd Bretzlaff General Manager

Tommy Chan

Sports & Recreation Director

Sabrina Chen

Marketing & Communications Manager

Gerry Gibb IT Director

Stella Hou

Purchasing Manager

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 - 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm - 9:30 pm - 8:00 pm -

9:00 pm 7:30 pm 9:00 pm 6:00 pm

Steven Hung

Pro Shop & Reservations

Chi-Wen Lin

Tennis Courts

Daily

6:00 am - 10:00 pm

Swimming Pool & Jacuzzi

Mon - Fri Sat & Sun & Holiday

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

Hair & Spa

Daily

Human Resource Director Engineering Director

Freeman Lin F&B Director

Fanny Tung

Senior Membership Manager

Emily Wang

Hair & Spa Manager

10:00 am - 7:00 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

Controlled Access Phase II Thank you for the positive feedbacks of our inaugural activation since the first week of December. We have extended the first phase to allow members who might be traveling over the holiday to have the same opportunity to get used to the gates. If you register guests online prior to your club visit to reduce the wait to issue guest cards to ensure a smooth roll out of Phase II where all 3 gates will be activated and our guests will need to have guests cards to enter and exit the club facility.

Upcoming Project for 2018 With the approved budget to update the Nursery, Kids Club, family changing room, Banquet Venue and Sigis, eight design firms have been identified to participate in the tender process in mid-January. The actual construction is scheduled in the summer with an estimated completion date in early Fall 2018. We will have an improved facility for families with young children as well as a better dining experience in Sigis for the adults. “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin. We trust the new board members in selecting the best design that meets our need at the best quality we can afford.

Challenges in 2018 While the economic impact on Taiwan of the decline in Chinese tourism does not have a direct impact to ACC, but the businesses in the service sector, have suffered. Taiwan Institute of Economic Research estimates the shortfall of 1 million Chinese tourists this year will amount to lost revenue for Taiwan of about US$1.4 billion.

The upcoming 5.3% increase in the minimum hourly wage and a 4.7% rise in the minimum monthly salary to NT$22,000 in 2018, along with the very inflexible five-day work-week policy implemented in 2017, and a decreasing labor pool will continue to be a challenge to ACC’s operation.

Saying Goodbye to the BOG This is my last President Message. Looking back at the last 8 years in working with the Board of Governors and the management, ACC has gone from a club with outdated facilities, declining membership, where the Club resorted to desperate promotions to attract new incoming members to now updated club with a growing waiting list where families wait for years wanting to be part of ACC family.

There were difficult obstacles and challenging projects along the way, but it is said that growth only begins in a state of discomfort. I appreciate each one of the board members who worked as part of the team in this journey. It was a very rewarding learning experience.

Thank you for your support in our journey to the Best in Asia. I wish you a very joyful and healthy Year of the Dog. 恭喜發財, 萬事如意!

Ellen Yin President

2

GENERAL MANAGER'S MESSAGE

Dear Members,

Todd Bretzlaff

Gong Xi! Gong Xi! I hope that everyone was able to enjoy Christmas with family and friends despite the rain and chilly weather.

With the Christmas now behind us, it is time to get ready for the Chinese New Year and welcome the “Year of the Dog” which should be a year of openness, tolerance and innovation while promising extremely positive change.

With the start of a New Year, it is also the start for the new Board to establish the priorities for the coming year to enhance the Member’s experience and update the strategic direction for the future. We are also developing action plans for the respective departments based on the feedback from the 2017 Member Survey and commencing a number of incredible new promotions in both Terrace and Sigis to increase covers in both outlets.

This includes the rollout of the Terrace’s new menu featuring all new Menu items at 20% off for the month and an all new format for Terrace’s “SuperSaver” promotions featuring an Asian dish, specialty salad, gourmet sandwich and Indian dish (Monday - Friday) at an exceptional value. Then for Sigis you will be able to enjoy a promotion on lobster for the next two months featuring lobster pizza, lobster bisque soup, grilled lobster with a petite filet kebab and lobster vol au vent.

During December we had some really great events as well. Thank you to all the Members who attended the Club’s Holiday Ball on December 2. Members were able to enjoy a wonderful evening hosted by Mr. Mike Brennand and Leslie Liao from ICRT and the incredible entertainment by the band “The Gradient”. The Gingerbread House making activity was once again a full house event as we upgraded the design of this year’s house. The Children’s Christmas Party was a big hit offering plenty of games, entertainment, music activities including cookie decorating and candle making before Santa made his special appearance to give the children an early Christmas present. And Christmas would not be complete without enjoying a wonderful feast of traditional Christmas specialties served in the California Room for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Moving forward, we are in the initial phases of tender interviews for the Renovation of Sigis and the Member Services Area (including the Nursery, a New Kid’s Club, Banqueting Function area and an additional Family Change Room). The Board and House Committee identified 8 designers to participate in the tender process for both projects. Once the Board decides on the preferred designer, the Club will work with the designer on the detailed plans and drawings and then tender out the general construction works. The targeted time to commence construction on both projects is now June 2018 with the completion of both projects by the end of August 2018.

For future activities, Chinese New Year will be a little later this year and we have prepared our very special “Reunion Dinner” in the California Room featuring a feast of traditional Chinese dishes served the eve of Chinese New Year, Thursday, February 15. As always, the Club will be open (please see our special holiday hours of operation) throughout the Chinese New Year celebrations for dining and fitness. If you are having a party at home, we also have a wonderful selection of traditional Chinese New Year dishes and seasonal delicacies for take away. The order forms for the Chinese New Year takeaway items can be found our Club website, within the Accent Magazine or at the ACC Market. And if you are staying in town for Chinese New Year, be sure not to miss our traditional “Lion Dance” on Sunday, 18 February at 11:30 am.

I also want to make sure that you do not miss another great ACC tradition which is our “Super Bowl” on the morning of Monday, February 5th. After such an incredibly fun and lively Super Bowl party last year, it is our intention to make this year’s party even better than ever with football trivia, plenty of side activities and prizes, mimosas, bloody marys, and of course a hearty “American” style breakfast buffet including American style biscuits and gravy, sausage and even a hotdog stand with all the toppings. Don’t miss this great event.

As we enter into this new and exciting year, we sincerely welcome each of you to get involved with the Club.

Please let us know if you are interested in being a part of any committee and we will put you in touch with the respective chair person. At the very least, always feel free to provide feedback on your Club experience to help us make adjustments as necessary on our journey of continuous improvement. We look forward to another year of making ACC a regular part of your life and an active part of your family!

Gong Xi Fai Chai, Todd Bretzlaff General Manager

3

DO YOU KNOW

A Warm Welcome to New Members Sophie Cai & Philip Lu / Denis Devaud & Marloes Roos / Laura Gamble / Vivian Tan & James Hsu Coco Tien & Howard Yang

Bon Voyage to Resigned Members Danilo & Leah Garcia / Vincent Liu & Yuki Ting / Jack Tong & Angela Yang / Andreas Weckherlin & Janice Lim Detlef Wolf

The Plastic Reduction Policy Effective Jan 1, 2018 In order to comply with the EPA’s newly announced expanded regulation restricting free plastic bags in consumer outlets (see footnote) and also to play the role of the “ Global Citizen “; ACC wishes to reduce the plastic bags usage in the Club by strongly encouraging our Members to bring their own bags when shopping in ACC’s Market.

NT$1

NT$2

Please be informed that effective January 1, 2018, ACC Market will commence charging NT$1 for a small white plastic bag, NT$2 for a large white plastic bag, and NT$8 for an ACC logo paper bag. Or we do sell ACC reusable bags in ACC Market which are NT$120 / pc.

NT$8

NT$120

2018 ACC Operation Hours during the Chinese New Year The Club is open during Chinese New Year, although on a limited basis during the official holiday period from February 15 to 20, 2018. Please refer to the Chinese New Year schedule at this ACCENT magazine or visit the ACC website when making plans to use the Club to avoid disappointment.

ACC Annual Staff Party The Club Facilities will be closed for the Annual Staff Party at 3:00 pm, Monday, January 29, 2018 This year for Halloween, we would like to invite

November

out Members to be part of the “Haunted House”.

Employee of the Month Name:

F. L. Lee 李芳蘭

Department:

Janitorial

Ms. Lee has been working the night shift as an ACC’s janitor for more than 10 years. It’s easy to take her efforts for granted - every morning when we arrive at the Club, the floors are clean, waste containers are empty, paper towels are restocked etc. etc. the list goes on.

With our many Club events Ms. Lee plays an especially important role vital to completing both night and daylight shifts. Very popular with her team members, with the well-earned reputation of being meticulous in her efforts - Ms. Lee definitely deserves management’s recognition of being one of ACC's most valuable employees by nominating her as the November Employee of the Month 4

HAIR & SPA / LIBRARY

ACC Hair & Spa provides you with a comprehensive all-you-need service with just a one-time visit.

Hair

service

Peter

including haircut, shampoo, styling, coloring, permanent, Leslie special treatment

Jackson

Salina

Molly

Nail Care

including manicure, pedicure, art nail, gel nail, paraffin & spa treatment

Teresa

Tina

Minnie

Sara

Alisa

Beauty & Body Massage Jolin

Mei

including facial treatment, waxing, body massage, aromatherapy massage

Eyelash Extension & Make up

Angel

Foot

Massage

Service

Booking in advance is required

Summer

Susan

Leilei

Booking in advance is required

For an appointment, please call 02 2885-8260 ext.578 direct line 02 2886-5912

Library New Books

Arrival

1. Elmet by Fiona Mozley ( Fiction) 2. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (Mystery) 3. Count to Ten by James Patterson & Ashwin Sanghi (Mystery) 4. Coco by Rivera-ashford, Aaron (ADP)/ Rivera-Ashford, Roni Capin (ADP)/ Disney Storybook Art Team (ILT) (Kid’s book) 5

F&B NEWS

ACC Market

January & February APOTHIC Wine APOTHIC Red APOTHIC White APOTHIC Dark

Purchase any Two Bottles of APOTHIC WINE and get one Free Extra Bottle plus one Free Cooler Bag!

Bacon & Cheese Bread Flour, Yeast, American Cheese, Sliced Bacon

NT$ 850

NT$130

Terrace

January Monthly Specials SautĂŠed Prawns with Vermicelli

SautĂŠed prawns with chili, garlic, spring onions, fish sauce and onions in a spicy sauce; accompanied with steamed rice and vegetables.

NT$420

Mexican Tortilla Pizza

Mexican style Tortilla Pizza with garlic, mozzarella cheese, bacon, spinach, onion, tomatoes and poached egg.

NT$380

February Monthly Specials Buddha Jumps Over the Wall

Pork ribs, taro, bamboo shoots, shiitake mushroom, quail egg, abalone and oyster sauce in thick broth; accompanied with brown rice and steamed vegetables.

NT$460

Special Cake

Rum Raisin Cheese Cake

NT$95

Beef Burgundy

Beef, onion, sliced mushrooms and garlic in red wine sauce; accompanied with steamed rice, broccoli and grilled tomatoes.

NT$420

9

SPORTS NEWS

ACC’s Functional Training Center now fully operational since this September, is where many functional equipment items are available; from monkey bars, weighted sled, kettlebells, sand balls and the most versatile and toughest equipment item the Battle Rope.

What’s a Battle Rope?

Personal Trainer :

Kevin Liu

John Brookfield, the creator of the Battling Rope Exercise concept, discovered an athlete’s heart rate spikes up rapidly by performing linear and circulation motions with ropes. He explained, unlike other training systems, Battle Rope has no “one momentum effect” - when gravity takes over during the lowering ‘weight to ground phase’ in traditional weight lifting, momentum is used which gives the body a chance to relax. On the other hand, Battle Rope training requires the user to maintain consistent speed throughout the set, forcing higher muscle activation and cardio capacity for the workout.

Benefits with Battle Rope Training.

1. Improve cardio capacity due to rapid heart rate increase in very short interval.

2. Huge caloric burns due to full body muscle activation.

3. Time saver, high intensity exercise will work you hard in just five minutes.

4. Less chance of injury, due to low impact movement.

Three common Battle Rope Patterns are: 1. WAVE: Hold both ends of the rope, swing the

rope with primary direction to the anchor, both rope lengths will be moving forward at the same pattern (can be performed with two hands on one end of the rope for beginners.)

2. SLAM: Lift both ends of the rope overhead, slam

Fun with the

Battle Rope 12

the rope down with full force onto the ground.

Make sure to maintain good posture.

3. ALTERNATING WAVE: Hold both ends of the

rope; one hand is making an upward wave motion while the other hand a downward wave motion.

WORKOUT PROGRAM. Perform each pattern for 20 seconds, rest 20 seconds; then repeat 4-5 times.

Battle Rope is definitely a useful and effective tool that you should include if you wish to increase overall performance. However, there are many other Battle Rope Routines - for tips and instructions please check with ACC’s personal trainers, or checkout my Facebook page, KevFitPro.

CHIN FAMILY WINTER HOLIDAY TRADITION Text and photos by ACC Member Helen Chow and the Chin Family

the temperature slowly drops, it indicates that A swinter holidays are just around the corner. It is an

exciting time for me and our family. Winter holidays can mean many things to people. Obviously for many of us it is around Christmas and the New Year celebrations that take place. For me, as the chilly winter air embraces me, it means the time when our family engages in our favorite winter tradition which is skiing. No matter where we have lived, we have always managed to have an annual skiing holiday.

As a native Hong Kong Chinese, I grew up with Chinese holidays, so Christmas and the calendar new year was not as relevant to me in terms of being a family tradition. With my own family, although Christmas is important to us, the annual winter family ski trip that often revolves around Christmas and/or the New Year is what matters the most to us.

14

My family is very active around outdoors sports and we like to run, bike, hike, play tennis and engage in water sports such scuba diving, boogie boarding and water skiing to name a few. We really enjoy spending time together while doing outdoor activities. However, our winter family tradition is to spend part of the Christmas holidays skiing. We look forward to skiing every winter as it gives us time to be together and it feels like a real break from our regular, everyday environment and a winter adventure away from home. Our children really enjoy it, and so do we! Skiing has been such a wonderful sport for our family to do together and brings us together physically and spiritually. It is a great time for reflection and appreciation for what life has to offer. When we ski, we can take our minds off everything else, as we immerse ourselves in the beautiful nature that surrounds us. In my opinion, the feeling of being surrounded by glittering white snow, and breathing in the fresh mountain air is amazing and a healing experience. When asked why she loved to ski, my daughter responded that she loved the thrill of zooming down the slopes. Skiing is an experience that you can share with people. In my case, I love sharing this experience with my family. Often, my husband’s family joins us from America in our ski adventures.

Our family love of skiing comes from my husband. He grew up in California skiing at Lake Tahoe, CA and even spent a year working in a ski resort because he loves it so much. So naturally, my first experience of skiing was in Lake Tahoe, in the mid 90’s at a famous ski resort called Squaw Valley, home of the 1968 Winter Olympics. My then boyfriend, who is now my husband, encouraged me to try skiing and snowboarding for the first time while on a visit from Hong Kong where I am from and where he was working at the time. The snow condition that year was very bad. We had to rent ski gear (boots, skis, poles) and I remember being really flustered by all the gear that I had to try on and the hassle to just get the gear rented! When I tried on the ski boots, I hated the tight feeling of the boots constraining my feet and their heaviness. I wondered how anyone could ever enjoy themselves and experience the sensation of flying down the slopes, if they were grounded by such big bulky boots! The idea of skiing being enjoyable was hard for me to comprehend. Despite this, I managed to follow my husband and our friends down the slopes, after my husband gave me some lessons to show me how to control my skis and turn. I think that my ice skating skills must have helped me keep my balance.

Although I managed to keep steady, I did fall a couple of times. Luckily none of my falls were

major, so I did not hurt myself. At the end of that day, I was very proud of myself for persevering through the day, and giving skiing a try I was hooked. The next day, we tried snowboarding. This time, not only was it my first time trying it out, but it was also my husband’s, and our friends’ first time. There wasn’t much snow, and it was very icy where we took our lessons.

We all fell so many times that we could barely move that evening. Ever since, I haven’t really thought of trying snowboarding again, but the same can’t be said about skiing!

15

*Moguls are a series of bumps on a piste formed when skiers push snow into mounds as they do sharp turns. This tends to happen naturally as skiers use the slope but they can also be constructed artificially. Once formed, a naturally occurring mogul tends to grow as skiers follow similar paths around it, further deepening the surrounding grooves known as troughs.

CHIN FAMILY WINTER HOLIDAY TRADITION Text and photos by ACC Member Helen Chow and the Chin Family

After my first-time skiing in Tahoe, I decided to continue skiing. After years of countless lessons with many falls, I can finally say that I ski pretty well! Even though I am not an expert, I still love it and that is all that matters. Of all my memorable skiing moments, one stands out the most. The time I skied my very first black diamond run. This happened at a ski resort in Klosters, Switzerland. I decided that it was time I took on the challenge of doing a black run from Klosters over to Davos. This was scary for me, because to those of you who don’t know, black runs are considered the most challenging and difficult runs on a slope. The run was very long, and it had *moguls, which was, and still is difficult for me to ski on. It takes a lot of technical skill, and you need to make quick short turns to ski around the moguls. I recall approaching the run feeling very nervous and apprehensive. My confidence was wavering, and that feeling only increased as soon as I saw the big moguls on the slope. I remember finally pushing past my fears and letting my skis lead the way and hoping all those expensive ski lessons would pay off! It was a bumpy ride all the way down the slope, but at the bottom of the run, I felt good that I had made it down. However, I was soaking wet inside my ski clothes from the sweat generated from the sheer fear of the run! I never thought that I would like this sport so much. I love the challenges from skiing. There is so much more to skiing for me than just getting down the slopes. Since our move to Taipei, I am learning to ski deep powder snow. Japan is famous for its powder snow and I am hoping to improve my skills as we are headed there again in January 2018. The best thing about powder snow is that you can’t really hurt yourself too much when you fall - and in fact it is quite a fun feeling floating through the light powder.

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With our love of skiing, we naturally started our kids early. Our two children from a young age have really enjoyed winter, and playing in the snow and skiing of course! When they were old enough, we started them skiing. We were living in Maryland at the time, and there was a ski resort about an hour away from us. This was where we introduced skiing to our son, since our daughter was only two at the time. Our son, Dylan, loved skiing from the very start. We would drive to this small ski resort in Pennsylvania from where we lived during the weekend to let him ski and let our daughter play in the snow and ride on the snow sled and toboggan. We were smart enough to have Dylan take ski lessons and he fell in love with it immediately. Our son was around 3 years old and he had to wear the smallest ski boots and skis to start with. He was very happy going up and down the magic carpet slope and slowly learned how to snow plow, or making “pizza” turns with his skis as he was taught to call the type of turns he learned. Remembering the joy on his face is priceless. We also loved that skiing helped burn up his energy so that he would take long afternoon naps when we returned home.

Our daughter, Maddy, loves skiing too, but she had a more difficult road before embracing it fully. We put Maddy in a week-long ski school at an Austrian ski resort for her first time when she was 4 years old. The mix of students that spoke different languages and being away from Mom and Dad for half a day was initially a bit daunting for her. Although the ski school was great and the ski instructors were experts in handling first time ski toddlers, it was still hard for Maddy to adjust at first. I can still remember her crying and calling for me as we walked away. I even snuck back to watch her a few times during the week. The instructors told us she would be fine and just leave her to them.

Ultimately, they were right. Maddy took to skiing and loved it once Mom and Dad were out of view. We went back to that ski resort several times and the kids loved it, and we have great memories from Maddy learning to ski there.

We have lived in different overseas locations over the last decade or more, but have always managed to have our annual family ski holiday. When we lived in London and then Saudi Arabia, we would take our children skiing during school breaks in the Winter and Spring. We have skied in different resorts in France, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Japan and most recently Chile. There are so many resorts that we have not explored yet but Zermatt in Switzerland is our favorite by far, and it is where we went skiing for 7 years before we moved to Taipei. Zermatt is a family oriented skiing resort and it is also carfree. The town is small and quaint, and uses horse-driven sleds which adds to its charm.

The central part of town has Hansel and Gretel type houses and it is so picturesque. The beauty of the place is beyond description. The Matterhorn is one of the main attractions and it can be seen easily in town as well as on the mountains. Zermatt is a glacier and has great skiing, incredible restaurants and lots yummy gourmet foods to try.

Because we stayed at the same self-service Chalet in Zermatt each trip, we ended up seeing the same people who also come regularly and became friends with them, so our holiday in Zermatt was like a winter home coming for us. Many of the store owners and restaurants knew us from our many trips there and it ended up being a home away from home for us. Both Maddy and Dylan grew up skiing on the slopes of Zermatt, so they became familiar faces on the slopes and knew most of the ski instructors and students they grew up with from the years of ski school at Zermatt. Finally, New Years in Zermatt was magical with the fireworks each of the little towns would put on in the valley.

The snow-white peaks coupled with the fireworks really made it memorable. The best of all, the kids could buy their own rockets and missiles and fire them off as part of the festivities.

So enough of my experiences, I wanted the kids to share their remembrances of skiing and why they love the sport.

Dylan

Most of my favorite skiing experiences happened in Switzerland. We used to go Zermatt, Switzerland every year during December and February to go skiing with our family, and occasionally with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. We always rent a large apartment right next to the main gondola station, so it’s literally a twenty meter walk there. Zermatt is one of my favorite destinations because the whole town is peaceful and best of all, they don’t allow cars (except for ambulances and police) so it’s never noisy. Once I’m on the ski hills, it’s nice to feel the morning sun shining on my face. Since there is such a 17

diverse selection of hills to choose from, I’m never forced to go down one of my preferred runs more than twice. I constantly look forward to trips such as this because I feel very relaxed and content when skiing. I forget about my surroundings and problems and immerse myself in skiing. It’s the most satisfying when the slopes have just been groomed or it’s just snowed and you are the first one on the piste. Carving down or ploughing through powder snow is best feeling you can have when skiing.

One of the nice additions to the Zermatt resort is that you are also able to ski across the Italian border provided you pay extra and have your passport present at the ski pass booth. This allows for an even larger range of skiing area, which is usually not possible as most resorts are quite far apart.

The Italian side has slower slopes and boast one of the longest ski runs at 13 miles long.

Another favorite aspect is the food in Zermatt. It’s always comforting to go in one of the cafes or restaurants to grab a quick cup of hot chocolate if your cold, and you need a bit of energy to get you through to lunch. My favorite restaurant on the mountain is named Zum Zee, a Michelin star rated restaurant which is always packed with people. They have some of our family's favorite dishes.

There is a large selection of foods to eat in Zermatt, so finding something that satisfies my hunger is no problem. Some people even choose to go back to town to grab a bite in a restaurant near one of the stations. Many hotels (which you can also stay in) on the slopes have a large selection of European based dishes while some of the ski stations also have restaurant catered by them.

I love the resort because the lifts are very fast and efficient, and it’s almost never crowded so I can do many runs in a day. At the end of the day, I can ski all the way down to the village, then back home. Zermatt has almost been a second home for me for the past years.

Maddy

I love skiing, just like the rest of my family. I’ve had many fun and memorable skiing experiences from my past few skiing trips during Winter Holidays. One of my most indelible memories of skiing is when I went skiing in Chile in July of this year. This was unforgettable, because it was the first time I had ever skied without my parents. I remember leaving my parents, and going off to ski with my brother, Dylan. We sat down on the ski lift and travelled back up the slopes. The sky was shining blue sapphire, bright and clear. The snow was glistening below me. I recall hopping off the ski lift, and zooming down to a split in the path. The run we chose was called Samba. It was an easy and fun ski run.

The world was a snowy blur around me as I raced down the hills with Dylan. We went off-piste and skied through the power snow. The snow was very fluffy and light as we skied through it. Curving around the moguls, we caught sight of a jump. I sped down onto the jump and flew up into the air.

I was feeling super exhilarated as the wind whipped the loose ends of my hair out of my face. Afterwards, we met up with our parents at a restaurant to warm up with some hot chocolate. In my opinion, the best thing after going out skiing is warming up with fuzzy blankets and hot chocolate! It is one of my favorite Winter Holiday memories.

So, in summary, for us skiing has really been a great family tradition. It has taken us to so many countries and places. The challenges of skiing have provided me and the kids good learning opportunities that I feel transfer well in other life situations. Skiing has a lot of health benefits and it supposedly burns 500 calories an hour – provided you do not stop for a glass of Hot Chocolate, a Glass of Champagne and a Bratwurst Rösti for lunch like we used to do at Zermatt! Now our children are 12 and 14-year-olds and they have become advanced skiers. I miss those days when they would follow me instead of now, where I am trying to catch up with them! Although I cannot stay up with the kids, my husband and I now get to ski together a lot more since the kids go off on their own. It has been such a wonderful sport for our family to do together over the years and I hope we can continue with this Winter sport tradition with our children for many more years to come.

Hope our family stories will give some ideas to Members who may like skiing too!! Please do not hesitate to stop me up to ask questions about skiing! Meanwhile, wish our Members have a wonderful Chinese New Year and happy holidays!

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PHOTO GALLERY

2017 Holiday Ball

Look at how many ACC ‘Stars’ took such beautiful photos on the red carpet!!

This year, we were very honored to have Mr. Leslie from ICRT and ACC‘s Board Member Mike to be our MC. Together they did a fantastic job hosting the whole program.

How could Oscar Award go without a speech?! See how the party game competition “Oscar Winner Speech”, by the many talented drama Kings and Queens made the audience laugh out loud!

Let’s Go Dancing!! Holiday Ball, the Party of the year!

Thank you to our sponsors for generously donating such good prizes for the party and congratulations to the winners!

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PHOTO GALLERY

2017 St Lucy's Brunch

OUR SINCERE THANKS TO THE GENEROUS SPONSORS

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PHOTO GALLERY

2017 ACC Kids Christmas Party

Thanks - to Member Ms. Eline for being the Christmas storyteller.

See how attentive the kids and parents were!

Mommy and Daddy! We made our own Christmas card!

Big thank you to Member Mr. Izzo who surprised and delighted every boy and girl leaving them with so many beautiful family pictures.

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Wow! Santa came to town!

PHOTO GALLERY

2017 Gingerbread House Making

Kids and parents are really paying attention to the chef

Look! We created our own unique Gingerbread Houses!

ACC Christmas Deco

Have you felt the wonderful Christmas atmosphere at ACC? A Special thank you to all the Members for making this happen. Let’s share the warmth of Christmas this merry season!

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Accent Magazine - American Club - CR ad.indd 1

9/1/2017 11:22:55 AM

Date and Time:

12:30 pm, February 19 (Fourth day of Chinese New Year 初四)

Venue:

ACC Lobby and each outlet Do you know the Fourth day of Chinese New Year is the day to welcome the Gods?

ACC will invite the “God of Fortune” to the Club to pass Red Envelopes to Members and your family on this special day!!! Don’t miss this good chance to gain more luck and wealth during Chinese New Year!