Around DB May Issue 2016

HELPER APPRECIATION MONTH LOCAL SCHOOLS ONBOARD JUNIOR JUDO CHAMPIONS

3 DB BROTHERS TO BEAT ARE YOU A

TECHNOPHOBE?

EASY OUTDOOR

DECORATING HK SINGERS’ 85TH ANNIVERSARY

LOCALS STARRING IN GYPSY

YOUNG WRITER’S COMPETITION READ THE WINNING STORY

SCRIBES! ALSO: ISLAND-WIDE EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS * THOUGHTS ON ISLAND LIFE

Join your community online

Publishers in DB since 2002 MAY 2016

An all new ESF International Kindergarten is coming to Tung Chung

Places available for K1 & K2 enrolment Enrol Online

Where Inquiry Begins Re

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With well-resourced classrooms, great access to current learning technologies and indoor and outdoor play areas, young children will be presented with multiple opportunities to learn, socialise and develop their skills. Through inquiry-based learning and play, we encourage children’s natural curiosity and creativity, develop their personal and social skills, inspire them with a life-long love of learning and the confidence to fulfil their potential.

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Our purpose-built, spacious kindergarten will provide the perfect environment for young learners. As the largest of the ESF Kindergartens, our space is being carefully planned to provide places of beauty that will support learning, stimulate imaginations, nurture children, families and staff, and truly inspire the wonderful memories of childhood.

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Start your child’s learning journey with ESF International Kindergarten, Tung Chung

New! Tung Chung at The Visionary Tel: 3762 2411 Email: kinder@tc.esf.org.hk

opening for the 2016/2017 School Year Our other Kindergartens: Abacus at Clearwater Bay an IB World School

Tel: 2719 5712 Hillside on Stubbs Road an IB World School

To find out more about ESF International Kindergarten, Tung Chung please give us a call or send an email to kinder@tc.esf.org.hk.

Tel: 2540 0066 Tsing Yi

K1 & K2 Now Enroling

Tel: 2436 3355 Wu Kai Sha

an IB World School

an IB World School

Tel: 2435 5291

www.esfkindergartens.org.hk

Rentals/sales 海寧居 LA VISTA

$28K/8.5M

海堤居 LA COSTA

MAy 2016

$30K/9.8M

頤峰 GrEENVALE

$39K/9.8M

ND ioN ou uAT r A AL v Nk bA

Gross: 948’ Saleable: 852’ 3

Gross: 1037’ Saleable: 929’

Nicely renovated lowrise, balcony with great views, walkinig distance to DB plaza and ferry pier. Great location!

2

尚堤 ChIANTI

$55K

3

Cosy apartment, balcony with nice sea views, walking distance to DB plaza and ferry pier. Don’t miss!

2

明蔚徑 PArKLANd

Gross: 2248’ Saleable: 1729’ 4

Renovation throughout, modern open kitchen, 24hr concierge service and easy access to all transports.

5

海堤居 LA COSTA

$5.5M

Gross: 1373’ Saleable: 1132’

$65K

5

Nicely combined units with balcony, spacious living, suitable for families. Easy access to all transport.

2

海蜂徑 SEABEE

Gross: 3100’ Saleable: 2403’

Gross: 1176’ Saleable: 1103’ 3

Beautifully renovated garden lowrise with stunning sea views, spacious living and in a tranquil location.

2

頤峰 GrEENVALE

$5.6M

$165K/55M

4

Prestigious garden house with pool and terrace. Fully equipped modern kitchen and high ceilings.Great for entertaining.

3

寶晶閣 CrySTAL

$6.6M

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G EA

L

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Gross: 527’ Saleable: 439’ 1

Lovely renovation apartment with balcony, very close to DB plaza and ferry pier. Vacant sale.

1

旭暉閣 JOVIAL

$9.8M

2

Beautiful apartment with fully equipped open kitchen.

Easy access to all transports. A must see!

1

海澄湖畔 SIENA ONE

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Successfully combined unit with modern open kitchen, spacious living and in a tranquil location. Don’t miss!

2 1

1 2

Very good condition, fully equipped open kitchen, balcony with stunning sea views. Quiet area and vacant sale!

Cozy apartment, balcony with great views, walking distance to DB plaza and pier. A must see!

倚濤軒 CrESTMONT

$13.5M

T! EN D AG uN ioN AD ro T LE D A LuA AN k vA N bA

Gross: 1023’ Saleable: 777’

Gross: 1446’ Saleable: 1220’ 2

$10.5M

EN

LE

5

Gross: 835’ Saleable: 722’

Gross: 776’ Saleable: 649’

Gross: 1282’ Saleable: 1108’ 3 2

Superb family home, fully equipped open kitchen & generous living space throughout. Garden w/ panoramic sea views.

www.headlandhomes.hk

2987 2088

EAA LIC C-033418

O V E R 1 0 0, 0 0 0, 0 0 0 A L B U M S S O L D O N E O F T H E B E S T S E L L I N G A RT I S T S O F A L L T I M E

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Covering: Discovery Bay | Gold Coast | Aberdeen | New Territories

Summer time at

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$299 Royal Castle Baby Pool

Wooden Lidded Sandpit

Butterfly or Bug Chair

Sand & Water Toys

$275

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First Swing Ball

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$275

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Horizon Plaza Store, Ap Lei Chau T 2552 5000 Pedder Building Store, Central T 2522 7112

Stanley Plaza Store, Stanley T 2555 6318

Sai Kung Store, Sai Kung T 2976 0223

D Park Store, Tsuen Wan T 2799 2923

www.bumpstobabes.com

www.facebook.com/bumpstobabeshk

MAY 2016 FEATURES

48

34

PROFILE Meet the finalists in the Around DB and Life on Lantau Young Writer’s Competition

42

IN FOCUS Are you a technophobe?

48

FAMILY MATTERS Helper Appreciation Month at local schools

52

ESCAPES The Barossa Valley: South Australia’s premier wine region

56

ACTION Three DB brothers keeping judo in the family

61

LIFESTYLE Outdoor decorating

REGULARS 34

31

COMPETITION Win big prizes at www.arounddb.com

39

TALKING POINTS Young Writer’s Competition: The winning story

46

MOMENTS DBers driving The Hong Kong Singers’ 85th anniversary

68

DB FACES Candid community snaps

80

OUT THERE Thoughts on island life

AGENDA 56

46

10

IN&AROUND DB Catch up with the latest community news

65

HK HAPPENINGS Find fun things to do across the harbour

71

CLASSIFIEDS Great deals, employment, businesses and more

74

PROPERTY Choice local and overseas homes to buy or rent

77

LOCAL NUMBERS Your ultimate guide in DB and Lantau

61

ON THE COVER

HELPER APPRECIATION MONTH LOCAL SCHOOLS ONBOARD JUNIOR JUDO CHAMPIONS

We also publish…

APRIL/ MAY 2016

trea Win a ets tment, facial BBQ and del sho me icio w ats us

2 0 1 5

tick

SAVING THE PLANET

If you have a story idea, email rachel@baymedia.com.hk To publicise a local event, email sam@baymedia.com.hk For general enquiries, email info@baymedia.com.hk To advertise, email lissa@baymedia.com.hk Around DB, Bay Media, 7E Glamour Court, Discovery Bay Call 2987 0577/ 2787 0886 Fax 2987 0533

3 DB BROTHERS TO BEAT ARE YOU A

TECHNOPHOBE?

EASY OUTDOOR

DECORATING HK SINGERS’ 85TH ANNIVERSARY

LOCALS STARRING IN GYPSY

YOUNG WRITER’S COMPETITION READ THE WINNING STORY

SCRIBES! ALSO: ISLAND-WIDE EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS * THOUGHTS ON ISLAND LIFE

Join your community online

Publishers in DB since 2002 MAY 2016

Young Writer’s Competition finalists: Ryan Harling, Maria Andreeva and Katrina Lowe

Photo by Terry Chow

ARK EDEN 10 YEARS ON

COMMUNITY DIVIDED

THE HONG KONG–ZHUHAI–MACAU BRIDGE

DASH FOR A BEER

CHARITY FUN RUN WITH BENEFITS ALSO: ISLAND-WIDE EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS * THOUGHTS ON ISLAND LIFE

Join your community online

Publishers in Lantau since 2002

SPORTS • LIVING • PETS • HIKING • DINING • HEALTH • COMMUNITY

For the latest Around DB updates, find us on

and www.arounddb.com

YOUR ROUNDUP OF RECENT COMMUNITY EVENTS

Publisher Corinne Jedwood corinne@baymedia.com.hk Managing editor Rachel Ainsley rachel@baymedia.com.hk Assistant editor & magazine coordinator Sam Agars sam@baymedia.com.hk Advertising & sales manager Lissa Morris lissa@baymedia.com.hk Art direction Terry Chow terry@baymedia.com.hk Digital coordinator Carlos Magno carlos@baymedia.com.hk Accounts & office manager Monika Carruthers accountant@baymedia.com.hk Photography Baljit Gidwani, www.evoqueportraits.com Contributors this month Beverly Au Jane Drew Trisha Hughes Katrina Lowe Katie Scott Peter Sherwood Printing Fantasy Printing Limited 7/F Tin Fung Industrial Mansion, 63 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong Disclaimer The views expressed in Around DB are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or contributors.

The publisher and editor cannot be held responsible for differences of opinion or statements published in good faith. The publisher, contributors, their employees and partners are not responsible for the results of any actions, errors or omissions taken on the basis of information contained in this publication and expressly disclaim all and any liability for any such action of any person. The mention of specific companies or products in articles or advertisements does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by this magazine or its publisher in preference to others of a similar nature which are not mentioned or advertised. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without permission.

Photos by Terry Chow and Sam Agars

TRAILWAGGER Locals and their dogs tackled the trails between Mui Wo and DB on April 16, finishing in DB with a barbecue and a beer. Around DB was a media sponsor for the event, which was organised

by Pui O resident William Sargent, and all proceeds went to Animals Asia. Sai Kung resident Richard Scotford and his shorthaired border collie Jochi finished first.

Find more photos of community events @ www.arounddb.com

IN&AROUND DB

SERU RABENI MEMORIALS A memorial tribute was held for former DB Pirates’ coach and Fiji international Seru Rabeni on April 2. On April 16, a series of memorial matches were held at the Hong Kong Football Club in Happy Valley that saw Pirates teams take on HK Barbarians outfits.

Photos by Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com, and Caroline Clery

May 2016

11

IN&AROUND DB

MOST INSPIRING WOMAN IN LANTAU Thanks to everyone who responded to our International Women’s Day Competition, March 8 to 10, in which we asked readers to nominate the most inspiring woman in Lantau. The online vote, on the Around DB and Life on Lantau Facebook pages, April 8 to 12, reached 653 voters. While congratulations go to the runners-up: Pui O resident Okka Scherer, who homes abandoned dogs, and Pui O resident Kinzie (her full name), the founder of Hong Kong Heartbeat, Mui Wo resident Jacqui Green of Protection of Animals Lantau South (PALS), who has been rescuing and re-homeing animals on Lantau and Peng Chau for 20-plus years, was voted the winner. On accepting the award, Jacqui said: “I feel blessed for the support. PALS is the sum of the parts of all the people that help.”

Photo courtesy of Jacqui Green

HARVEY LAW GROUP KART RACE Kids aged eight to 11 and those aged 12 and above locked horns in two categories on the Seabird Lane cycle track in the Harvey Law Group Kart Race on April 23. Emma Bishop (eight-years-old), Miles Ellis (nine), Luca Ameresekere (10), Tyler Khang (11) and Madeline Ellis (12) won for their respective ages, while Zackary McGuiness won the 12 and above free-style category. The DB law firm is already planning to hold another kart race in October.

Photos courtesy of Andrew Ellis and Ganesh Vijayan

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May 2016

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IN&AROUND DB

WINNING YOUNG WRITERS The Around DB and Life on Lantau Young Writer’s Competition 2016 reached a total of 12,470 through social media. Congratulations to Katrina Lowe, whose story, posted on the Around DB and Life On Lantau Facebook pages from April 16 to 19, gained an impressive 362 votes. Coming a worthy second and third place respectively, were Ryan Harling with 230 votes and Maria Andreeva with 65 votes. This year’s three finalists, and the three runners-up, were presented with their prizes, sponsored by EpicLand and Meat Snacks Group, on April 25. To read more about these writers, turn to page 34; to read the winning article, turn to page 39.

Photos by Terry Chow and Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com

Professional Cricket Coaching in Discovery Bay DB’s own Junior Cricket Academy  Internationally Qualified HKCA Accredited Coaches  Structured, progressive & tailor-made programmes for boys & girls aged 3.5 - 13yrs old

Est. 2005

Presented by: Discovery Bay Cricket Club

Contact: Head Coach, Nilesh Jhaveri

Email: jcadiscoverybay@hotmail.com

Tel: +852 9011 1319 Website: www.jcahk.com

OZZIE COZZIE POP UP SAT 7th & SUN 8th MAY

O W A P F M N ILY SWIM E AR S HO P ING E S TOP

OPEN SPACE STUDIO Unit 6/GF, Block Two, Discovery Bay North 10am - 6pm

Enquiries 9462 0352

IN&AROUND DB

BAYVIEW BEACH CLEAN-UP Kids from Bayview House of Children - Discovery Bay joined in a Plastic Free Seas beach clean-up on April 14 to celebrate Earth Day, collecting more than 27 kilogrammes of rubbish.

Photos courtesy of Bayview House of Children

To inspire & be inspired Learn with fun & discipline

28703524, sportsmanshiphk@gmail.com

d of ou rs ark Pr orte e P h pp t Su ic in cn Pi

A wealth of expertise on your doorstep in Discovery Bay... are important. Being able to call upon the services of a professional and appropriately qualified adviser Relationships who understands your personal circumstances, enables you to benefit from a source of trusted advice as your financial needs evolve over time.

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Our distinctive approach to investment management - At St. James’s Place we recognise that no single investment house has a monopoly on investment expertise. Hence, we provide access to a carefully selected group of external fund managers of outstanding ability. The external fund managers are selected and monitored by the St. James’s Place Asia Investment Committee on behalf of our clients. The Investment Committee is, in turn, supported by a variety of independent external agencies.

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The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

Members of the St. James’s Place Partnership in Hong Kong represent St. James’s Place (Hong Kong) Limited, which is part of the St. James’s Place Wealth Management Group and is a member of The Hong Kong Confederation of Insurance Brokers CIB, a licensed corporation with the Securities and Futures Commission, and registered as an MPF Intermediary.

St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc Registered Office: St. James’s Place House, 1 Tetbury Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1FP, United Kingdom.

Registered in England Number 4113955.

Positions vacant

HYGIENISTS At Diestel Dental Group, we have five modern clinics located in Discovery Bay, Tung Chung and Central.

We have recently expanded and urgently require qualified hygienists to join our team. We are looking for experienced people with a friendly and flexible attitude to assist across all five locations.

We are a modern, high-tech practice with a full digital environment including CT scans and digital x-rays.

We offer good working conditions, hours and salary.

Please email your resume and expected salary to our Director: drjain@diestelandpartners.com.

Diestel and Partners Family Dentistry

Smith and Jain Dental and Implant Practice

Bayside Dental Discovery Bay

Bayside Dental Tung Chung

Queen’s Road, Central Tel: 2522 2099 www.diestelandpartners.com

North Plaza, Discovery Bay Tel: 2987 0855 www.baysidedentalhk.com

D’Aguilar Street, Central Tel: 2526 2383 www.smithandjaindentists.com

Caribbean Square, Tung Chung Tel: 2185 6550 www.baysidedentaltc.com

Dr Richard Tinlin & Associates D’Aguilar Street, Central Tel: 2117 4180 info@drrichardtinlin.com

IN&AROUND DB

Photo courtesy of Myriam Bartu

YOUR GUIDE TO UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS t ghou Throu ay M

HELPER APPRECIATION MONTH Throughout DB

May is Helper Appreciation Month, offering up a full, free, wellness programme for DB helpers. Classes are being provided on a voluntary basis

by DB-based professionals. Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) and Movement Improvement are sponsoring the venues.

Wellness workshops on Tuesdays, 7pm to 8.30pm at DBIS May 3: Stress Management with Sophrology by Céline Pellarin, Sophrology for Her May 10: Communication Strategies by Marie Marchand, Parenting Dialogue May 17: Loving How You Feed Your Body by Paula Lepore Burrough, Healthy Living DB May 24: Mindful Skills for Daily Living by Angie Bucu, Ingredients of Wellness May 31: Moneywise Basics by Lenlen Mesina, Enrich June 7: Finding your Confidence by Myriam Bartu, Migrants in Action

Find more information and events @ www.arounddb.com

THE HONG KONG SINGERS GYPSY

Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui DB resident Tony Penny is co-directing The Hong Kong Singers’ production of Gypsy, with two of the main cast members (Kim Ward and David Benzie) also from DB. You can read all about it on page 46, and for tickets, starting at HK$300, visit www.urbtix.hk.

Yoga on Fridays, 7pm to 8pm at Movement Improvement May 6: Yoga for Health with Sophie Bonnin May 13: Yoga and Awareness of Breath with Rikke Nielsen May 20: Yoga for Relaxation with Anna Coventry May 27: Yoga for Health with Sophie Bonnin Zumba classes on alternate Sundays, 4pm at Movement Improvement Throughout May with Arlyn Fermin (HK$50 for drop-ins or HK$200 for the whole month) Please register by sending an email with your name and telephone number to migrantsinaction@gmail.com, or via the Migrants in Action Facebook page.

IRENE FLANHARDT’S STORIES OF CUBANS Flanhardt Galerie und Atelier, Tai O Taken during a December trip to Cuba (before the US reestablished diplomatic relations in March 2016), South Lantau resident Irene Flanhardt’s beautiful photos depict a Cuban way of life that may soon be passing. The gallery is open from 12am to 5.30pm on weekends and public holidays and the exhibition runs through July 3. For more information, head to www.fgua.com.hk, or call 2882 3390.

20

May 2016

4-7 May Photo courtesy of The Hong Kong Singers

t ghou Throu ay M

Photo courtesy of Irene Flanhardt

IN&AROUND DB t May

Throughou

May 5

TO ADOPT A PET

through Protection of Animals Lantau South (PALS), call Jacqui Green on 9197 4371, for Hong Kong Paws Foundation (PAWS), call Kat Cheung on 9485 5188.

DB ENTREPRENEURS NETWORKING BREAKFAST at Zaks,

DB, kicks off at 8am. For information and registration, head to the DB Entrepreneurs Networking Breakfast Facebook page.

ANGELS FOR ORPHANS Throughout Hong Kong

t May

Throughou

Running through June 11, the Angels for Orphans 2016 Fitness Challenge sees teams of four from all over Hong Kong compete against each other and raise money for orphans in Bali. Two DB teams are participating in the eight-week fitness challenge, improving their health and fitness and raising money at the same time. Claire Mas of local business Claire Mas Fitness is the fitness instructor for DB. To get involved or make a donation, head to www.angelsfororphans.org.

May 7

Photo by Baljit Gidwani www.evoqueportraits.com

MEET LOCAL AUTHORS at the

Proverse Readers’ Club, 28 Dymocks DB Plaza, 21 & , 7 May from 3pm to 4pm. Email proverse@netvigator.com, or visit www.proversepublishing.com.

STOCK UP AT THE PLANT MARKET

across from Haven Court, 2pm to 4.45pm. For more information, call 2238 3617.

TALK ON NATUROPATHY

May 8

IMI, DB North Plaza

SHOP THE DISCOVERY BAY SUNDAY MARKET in DB Plaza

from 11am to 6pm.

May 8

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all the amazing and dedicated

mothers in the Discovery Bay community.

Naturopathic Medicine for your Family is a free talk covering the basics of naturopathy – what it is, how it works, why it’s good for you and more. Run by Dr Colleen Symmes, Integrated Medicine Institute’s new naturopathic physician, the talk runs from 9.30am to 10.30am.

Everyone is welcome; call 2537 1087 for more information and to register.

May 10

www.organiclifestylemagazine.com

LANTAU BUFFALOS VERTICAL RUN Start: Parkvale Village May 14 Photo courtesy of Lantau Buffalos

Starting and finishing on the grassy area next to Parkvale Village, the Lantau Buffalos Vertical Run takes participants up towards Tigers Head and back. Kids aged six to seven complete a 2.7-kilometre course and eight- to 14-year-olds tackle the full 4-kilometre course. For information and to register, which is a must, head to www.lantaubuffalos.org.

May 2016

Photo courtesy of DMR

21

Friend us on Facebook for event reminders

IN&AROUND DB

AN AFTERNOON OF MUSIC Black Box Theatre, Discovery College The Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir is joining forces with DB’s domestic-worker community choir, the Unsung Heroes, and the Discovery College Cobra Choir for what promises to be a top show. Proceedings get underway at 3pm, and tickets (HK$100 for adults and HK$50 for children and helpers) are available at www.ticketingover.com, or at the Discovery College PTA shop.

For your chance to win tickets to see the show, turn to page 31.

15 May

May 21

JOIN A BEACH CLEAN-UP at

Nim Shue Wan, organised by Plastic Free Seas and DB Green, from 2pm to 4pm. Visit www.dbgreen.org.

DB PIRATES BALL Auberge Hotel, DB

Photo courtesy of Discovery College

DBFC AT THE HK SOCCER SEVENS

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20 May

Hong Kong Football Club, Happy Valley Catch Discovery Bay Football Club (DBFC) playing in the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens alongside clubs from Europe and Asia.

DBFC has drawn Hong Kong Football Club Chairman’s Select and Kowloon Cricket Club Veteran, among others, in group A. For more information, visit www.hksoccersevens.com; to win tickets to see the DBFC in action, turn to page 31.

Photo courtesy of Jean Luc Karlin

21 May

The DB Pirates’ Venetian Masquerade Ball is sure to be a blast. As well as a champagne reception, Photo courtesy of Sharon McEneff free-f low drinks and a three-course dinner, revellers can expect a cigar bar, whisky tasting and a night of dancing. For tickets, head to www.dbpirates.com, or contact piratesball@dbpirates.com.

BIG MONTH FOR iGYM DBIS Sports Hall

22 May

& 28

DB’s iGym gymnastics is celebrating a dynamic two years on May 22, having grown from just 27 students to a massive 280. Classes are held at Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) Sports Hall for girls and boys aged three to 15 years. May Photo courtesy of iGym 28 sees over 200 iGym gymnasts competing in their second inter-club competition, supported by the Hong Kong Gymnastics Association and visiting club Flipping Kids from Clearwater Bay. To learn more about iGym, which is staffed by ex-South African National Gymnast Kim Doherty, call 6077 2758, or email igymhk@icloud.com.

11th Sportsmanship Friendly Meet Discovery College

Don’t miss the 11th Sportsmanship Friendly Meet, which sees more than 200 Sportsmanship gymnasts, aged three to 15, show off their skills. Funds raised go to the non-profit Harmony Home Association, Taiwan, which helps those living with HIV/ AIDS. For more information or to register as a volunteer, call Charles Chan on 9631 8138, or visit the Sportsmanship International Facebook page.

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May 2016

May 29

Photo courtesy of William Sargent

Photo by Josh Clery

Online Store

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Keep Updated With Us On Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/LantauBaseCamp

Lantau Base Base Camp, Camp, For For Runners Runners Lantau

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Chef Pour Toi

DB-based private catering service Catering

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Cocktail Receptions

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Our dedicated chefs use only the freshest ingredients to turn food into art. We provide you with the knowledge to turn your event into a success, allowing you to focus on your guests while we do what we know best.

Contact Chef Pour Toi to get a quote for your tailor-made party.

Email chef@chefpourtoi.com

IN&AROUND DB

CONGRATULATIONS

MADDIE BOWDEN

YB RAI

Discovery College student Maddie Bowden has been selected by the International Model and Talent Association to go to New York for an acting, singing and dancing convention in July. She will take part in 12 competitions over the space of a week in front of casting agents from all over the world, including Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and Virgin Records. Maddie was one of only 25 kids selected from Asia.

If you would like to sponsor her dream trip, head to www.gofundme.com/qbyngcwk.

Donations made before May 7 will be recognised on the official event programme.

The Social Enterprise Research Institute has named Uncle Russ Coffee the winner of the Outstanding Social Caring Photo courtesy of Organisation Award YB Rai 2016, for giving equal opportunity to all its employees and for promoting community involvement and development. At the prize-giving ceremony on April 13, Nobel Laureate Professor Akira Suzuki also awarded Uncle Russ owner YB Rai with the Asian Social Caring Leadership Award 2016.

The award acknowledges outstanding contribution in social-environment protection, human rights, labour standards, anti-corruption, customer care and promoting social awareness between corporations and individuals.

It is a well-deserved recognition for YB, who was a driver behind last year’s Nepal earthquake relief and countless other community projects.

Photo by Baljit Gidwani www.evoqueportraits.com

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JAMES SMITH Discovery College (DC) welcomes new Head of Secondary James Smith, who starts at the school on May 2. James comes across from his position of vice principal Photo courtesy of King George V School in Ho of Discovery College Man Tin and brings wide ranging, educational-leadership experience. He fills the position held by Andy Kai Fong, who left DC in December to return to New Zealand.

STEVE TAIT AND MARK SHIPMAN Congratulations to DB Pirates deputy chairman and director of operations Steve Tait and Rugby Youth Photos courtesy of Committee secretary Sharon McEneff Mark Shipman, who have been recognised by the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union for going above and beyond the call of duty in their work for the union and the DB Pirates.

Commencement of Practice Dr. Colleen Symmes (ND) N.D. (Canada), BSc. Kinesiology (Canada)

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SAVE THE DATE SNAKE DAY IN DB Hemingway’s, DB Plaza Pui O resident William Sargent, a driving force behind Trailwagger and Moontrekker, is probably best known as the Lantau Snake Man. William will be sharing his love of local snakes at a talk in DB on June 4. Did you know, for instance, that pythons are indigenous to Hong Kong, one of 50 types of snake that are. You can purchase tickets (HK$75) in advance at Hemingway’s, from May 1.

DRAGON BOATING June

4

Photo by Terry Chow

Tai Pak Wan and DB Plaza

Mark your diaries for the annual DB Dragon Boat races and Carnival – one of the biggest events of the year.

9 June

Photo by Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com

We are proud to offer a Parents Portal, which is online, a program that keeps every parent up to date with their child’s progress with online in-depth reporting and an easier way for staff to communicate with parents so that they can stay informed about their child's swimming progress.

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BUSINESS OF THE MONTH

nef f of T8 Con sult ing in Ten -ye ar DB resi den t Sha ron McE DB North Plaza talks shop

List your Lantau business for free at www.arounddb.com

Tell us a little about your business?

T8 is a professional service company, which provides corporate and business administration services to companies, associations, organisations and clubs in DB, Hong Kong and Asia. We now even have clients in Australia, the US and UK. I started T8 with my husband Steve in 2011, when I saw a need for high-quality, outsourced association management services and business administration services. The name T8 relates to the power that a typhoon 8 brings, which we hope to bring to our customers’ businesses, and also to my married name, which is Tait.

What makes T8 unique?

Our customers are looking for support to help manage and/ or grow their businesses.

By providing an experienced, professional and cost-effective support solution, we can give our clients the time to focus on their businesses, without getting bogged down in the administration of starting up, employing staff, finding premises etc.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in business?

We have had the same challenges that most small companies have – cash flow, staffing, and keeping our clients happy and our standards up. In some ways it is our experience of managing ourselves that makes us good at helping others. That said, we receive great support, mentoring and advice from senior business professionals.

We also rely on our great team of experienced administrators and managers, who get stuck in for their clients and get the job done.

How do you spend your free time in DB?

We have been living in DB for over 10 years, and our two children have typically hectic social lives. We spend most of our time between DB Marina Club, working with the DB Pirates (both a client and as a passion for us), playing sport and entertaining.

How do you see your business looking in five years?

We are actively expanding into business administration and corporate services. It would be great to think that within two years we could have offices in Tung Chung, and within five years offices in China and South East Asia. I believe the only barrier to success is a lack of belief in what can be achieved by a great team.

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Win tickets to Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach

Here’s your chance to win great prizes!

COMPETITION

Around DB competitions are incredibly easy to enter (you’ll even find the answers to our questions right here). You have until the 10th of the month to submit your answers.

To enter, email info@baymedia.com.hk, click on the competitions link at YOUR PRIZE: ABA Productions www.arounddb.com, or scan is offering one reader, four tickets the QR Code below. Don’t forget (worth HK$595 each) to see Roald to give us your name and telephone number!

Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach on June

3 at 7.30pm.

Which team won the 2015 HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens?

What kind of fruit do James and his friends travel in?

Photo courtesy of Lagardere Sports and Entertainment

Win weekend passes to the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens

www.aba-productions.com

FIND THE ANSWER: Roald Dahl’s classic tale follows the adventurous, young James and his friends – Miss Spider, Old-Green-Grasshopper, Centipede, Ladybird and Earthworm – as they travel across the world in an enchanted giant peach. The Hong Kong show runs from June 3 to 5 at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Wanchai. Visit www.aba-productions.com to find out more; for tickets, head to www.hkticketing.com.

YOUR PRIZE: The Hong Kong Football Club is offering two readers, three weekend passes (worth HK$300 each) to the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens, May 20 to 22.

FIND THE ANSWER: Hosted by the Hong Kong Football Club since 1999, the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens is regarded as the world’s leading, annual, seven-a-side football tournament. Teams from the UK, Japan and South Korea are headlining this year.

Five-time winner Aston Villa returns along with 2015 runner-up West Ham United. For more information, visit www.hksoccersevens.com; for tickets, visit www.ticketflap.com.

Win tickets to An Afternoon of Music YOUR PRIZE: The Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir is offering four readers, two tickets (worth HK$100 each) to An Afternoon of Music at Discovery College, on May 15 at 3pm.

FIND THE ANSWER: Founded in 1978, the Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir is known for its involvement in charitable activities across Asia, including the 2014 ChoirAid concerts and fundraisers for victims of Typhoon Haiyan and the Nepal earthquakes. The group is joined by the Discovery College Cobra Choir and DB’s domestic-worker community choir, the Unsung Heroes. Learn more on the Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir Facebook page; purchase tickets, at the Discovery College PTA shop or www.ticketingover.com.

When was the Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir founded?

Photo courtesy of the Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir

Congratulations to last month’s winners Celia Coene for tickets to Tiddler and Other Terrific Tales; Yvonne Becher, Philipp Kan and Evelyn Waletzki for tickets to see Olivia Newton-John in concert; Kylie Horsfall for the Targus Grid Backpack; and Alison Chui, Liubov Milatskova, Micheline Stockton and Mark Wylie for the Leo’s Fine Food BBQ Combo.

May 2016

31

PROFILE

Photos by Terry Chow

WRITE ON 34

Reporting on the Around DB and Life on Lantau Young Writer’s Competition entries for 2016, Sam Agars discovers what really keeps Lantau students up at night The top three: Ryan Harling, 16, Maria Andreeva, 14, and Katrina Lowe, 14

May 2016

PROFILE

T

he entries for this year’s Around DB and Life on Lantau Young Writer’s Competition (YWC) were many and varied, but there was again one constant – quality.

Each year a new crop of local writers delivers engaging, thoughtful and hugely readable stories that belie their age and impress the judges.

This year, the competition’s fourth, entrants were asked to write about a particular community concern. Topics ranged from local littering to teenage lawlessness and the need to raise awareness about people living with spectrum disorders. In April, it was up to the judges Elizabeth Kerr, Peter Sherwood and Martin Lerigo (all regular writers for Around DB and Life on Lantau) to select and mentor the three finalists – Maria Andreeva, 14, Katrina Lowe, 14, and Ryan Harling, 16. The judges also chose three runners-up – Alix Leonard, 17, Xander Ito Low, 16, and Marcus Cheung, 16.

In the subsequent online vote, conducted on the Around DB and Life on Lantau Facebook pages, April 16 to 19, an incredible 12,470 people responded (by viewing, voting, commenting and sharing). Katrina placed first, Ryan placed second and Maria third.

picture. She urges readers to become more aware of what’s happening around them and of the small things everyone can do to help the planet and each other.

By focusing on the bigger picture rather than concentrating on a single, isolated issue, Maria has delivered a piece that makes readers think twice about how they are living their lives.

“My story is actually a very personal topic for me, as I used to hide behind my ‘shield’ and didn't notice the world and problems surrounding me,” DB resident Maria says. “But once I realised that I can make a positive impact and it would count, it changed my view on the world quite a lot.”

Mentor Peter is impressed with the insight shown by Maria at such a young age. “She is thinking quite deeply about life and human behaviour,” he says. “I feel she is on a good path to some significant insights. It’s unusual for someone her age.”

Maria took plenty away from her work with Peter and is planning on putting his advice and encouragement to good use in the years to come. “I gained a lot of knowledge and encouraged myself to give more to this world,” she says. “Writing has been my passion since I started reading a lot of books.

I love creating my own unique worlds and characters the most, so fictional writing is my favourite genre.”

Ryan: commercialisation Ryan chose to write about something he feels strongly about – the commercialisation of Ngong Ping and other parts of Lantau. “Walking around Ngong Ping during Christmas time there was Christmas music playing and I was wondering, ‘What is this? This isn’t real, this isn’t the real deal,’” he says.

In his story, Ryan looks at the government’s insistence to put the economy ahead of environmental conservation. He drew inspiration



You can read all the stories submitted at www.arounddb.com, and turn to page 39 to read Katrina’s winning story. But now it’s time to meet the three finalists.

Maria: disconnectedness In her short story, Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) student Maria Andreeva, who was also a finalist in last year’s YWC, writes about disconnectedness – how many of us get so caught up in our own worlds, we choose to ignore the bigger

The runners-up: Alix Leonard, 17, Marcus Cheung, 16, and Xander Ito Low, 16

May 2016

35

PROFILE

from The Planners, a poem by Boey Kim Hung, which explores alienation in the modern world. “It is about the setting up of communities and suburbia and how everything is structured and not authentic,” he says. “I tried to capture an element of the poetry within my piece.”

Ryan, who attends YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College and lives in Mui Wo, was encouraged to enter the competition by his English teacher. “Writing helps me to express what I feel,” he says. “It’s an outlet of my ideas and it gives me a more structured way of showing it than speaking.”

Ryan’s mentor Elizabeth is quick to praise his mature argument and understanding of the issue he chose to cover. “I was impressed that Ryan was such a thinker, for lack of a better word,” she says. “He chose a topic that surprised me – exploitation of heritage – and when I asked him a question or to explain himself he took the time to actually consider his words. He showed me his second draft too.”

Ryan, meanwhile, was surprised by just how much he gained from the

mentoring experience. “Elizabeth went far beyond my anticipated ‘you used a comma here when you should use a semicolon,’ sort of deal,” he says. “She obviously put in a lot of time to develop her thoughts on my piece. I appreciated it immensely as her feedback was all highly relevant and very valuable to my improvement process.”

Katrina: technology Katrina, who attends Discovery College (DC), is another first-time YWC entrant but she is by no means a stranger to the art of writing, having written her first book at the age of seven. The Discovery Bay resident’s fictional story is set in 2046 and looks at the way technology could further consume us in the future.

Katrina initially wrote her story for an English assessment and the impetus to tell it came from a real-life incident she witnessed. “I was walking to school and I saw a DBIS student walking uphill and a DC student walking downhill; they collided with one another because they were too busy on their phones,” she says. “It made me realise how much kids our age rely on our phones. They acted like nothing

Find more topical local topics

happened, like it usually happens.”

For mentor Martin, Katrina’s story had a real impact and he predicts she is in for a big future. “I love the imagination that has gone into it, Katrina has a real skill for engaging her reader,” Martin says. “She uses some lovely descriptive passages and phraseology that you would not expect to find in a writer of her age.

She is diligent and attentive, and was enthusiastic to work on her style and creativity.”

Writing is something Katrina does as much as possible and she is pleased with how her winning story has worked out. “I actually took writing classes in primary and always really liked doing it,” she says. “I did it every week and I think I just got into the habit of writing books. I really like the part where I describe my protagonist’s struggles without any electronics. I think it really gets the message out about how the future might turn out to be.”

Making the top three – never mind securing the number one spot – came as a shock to Katrina initially. “My dad entered me, I didn’t know he had until I got the email from Around DB,” she says. “I’m glad he did.”

@ www.arounddb.com

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TALKING POINTS

“Open first hologram,” Skylinn commands her personal device

ALL IN

Photos courtesy of www.notjustalabel.com

Envisioning a dystopian future, Katrina Lowe, 14, winner of the Around DB and Life on Lantau Young Writer’s Competition 2016, expresses her concerns about our growing reliance on technology

S

kylinn was excited it was Valentine’s Day 2046 and she had just spoken to her friends on the new Valentine’s Day app. She had received 17 unopened holograms and a box full of Jupitergrown chocolates.

“Open first hologram,” she commanded her personal device. The hologram shot out of her device and her pixelated friend was inches away from her. It was unclear what her friend was trying to say as the hologram started to flick and

glitch. Skylinn had never encountered a fault like this before. Clueless, she just sat there and stared at it, hoping the automatic corrector would fix it.

One hour passed – nothing happened.

Skylinn directed her hover-board towards her bed. Whack! She fell face forward onto the floor as her hoverboard did not activate, nor move. Her knee was bleeding but still she sat there waiting for something to happen. Two hours passed – nothing happened. She tried getting up but could not, as blood

was dripping down her knee like honey.

Skylinn did not know what this feeling was as tears began to well in her eyes.

Grabbing anything sturdy she dragged herself closer to her bed. Slowly she raised one leg up, then the other and pushed upwards to a standing-like position. Skylinn felt another new feeling – she stood up all by herself.

She sat there on her bed reflecting on this remarkable accomplishment.

Night occurred and it was time for Skylinn to attend school. She hooked  May 2016

39

TALKING POINTS

herself up to her device and waited for the Education app to load. Three hours passed – nothing happened. Skylinn could not help but scream at the top of her lungs, then water started dripping out of her eyes. She was experiencing another new feeling but this time she could not control it. Today was the day she needed the Education app the most. Her knee was still bleeding and the Medical app was also not working.

It felt like it was the end of Skylinn’s life.

It was like leaving a poor, defenceless baby fawn in the middle of the wild African savannah, except the fawn would likely have a better chance of surviving.

be confirmed, however, it seems a solarburst has taken place. This solarburst has caused all technology to fail.” The chatter amongst the crowd rose, as did their confusion.

“I know many of you are worried, as you should be, because technology has been essential in our everyday lives. It might be hard to believe but picture this. Food, school, transportation, socialising, medicine... these are all gone and there is unfortunately nothing we, I, can do about it. I am no

Desperate for answers As the morning light arrived, a commotion could be heard below Skylinn’s accom modation, which forced her to open a window for the very first time.

Skylinn could not believe her eyes; there were people outside.

They were not holograms or machines but real living people, and they all seemed to be experiencing the same feeling as Skylinn. The crowd was uproarious, with everyone desperate for answers – answers on the failure, the struggles and the chaos.

A strong commanding voice was heard from above. “Settle down, settle down everyone please.” It was the Purveyor of Technology, Leader of the People, standing on top of a podium. All eyes were on him as everyone waited breathlessly for answers.

“Well, good day, my fellow citizens.

As you might be aware we appear to be having slight complications.

The explanation for this is yet to

May 2016

If only the History app would work, she could then explore and learn how to survive. She activated her device and pressed the screen, naively hoping the app would work this time. ‘Failed to load.’ Skylinn was desperate, tapping the screen harder each time: ‘Failed to load… failed to load… failed to load’. Finally she stopped, desperately in need of a plan B. She pressed her fingernails deep into her scalp until it hurt… an idea came to her.

The idea caused her to have a sudden overwhelming feeling of anxiety. Skylinn paced back and forth, like a caged tiger. There were so many concerns filling her consciousness.

‘Is it worth reaching out for somebody’s help? Can’t I just stay here? Is there another way?

Would people actually care? What would they say? How would this be fixed? Could asking for help make it worse?’

Phoenix-like, Skylinn goes in search of a new life

longer responsible for any of you, as you decided to go ‘all in’. You chose to rely solely on technology, and now this is what you must face.” He turned his back on everyone and walked away.

It was silent; nobody knew what to do, so they just stood there waiting. Four hours passed – nothing happened.

Is there another way?

Skylinn felt another sudden pain

Read all the stories submitted for YWC 2016

40

but this time in her stomach. She could feel her stomach walls rubbing against each other, in search of food.

Her saliva turned into a thick paste, from the dryness in her throat. Her accommodation started to get chilly, her lips gradually turning a blueish purple colour.

The more Skylinn’s thoughts raced through her head, the more her stomach cramped. The physical pain outweighed her mental anguish; she would have to act. She would have to venture out, out into the unknown.

Her courage began to build, her mental strength increasing exponentially in relation to the physical pain she felt.

Reaching for the door, her hand shaking, her knees weak, Skylinn pushed the handle down and took her first step out.

@ www.arounddb.com

Illustrations by Fred Boot and courtesy of www.tartanjogger.com

IN FOCUS

42

CALL OUT TO

TECHNOPHOBES

Are all the digital communication gizmos we surround ourselves with outsmarting at least some of us? Are we all even fully computer literate? Trisha Hughes reports May 2016

IN FOCUS

C

all me a dinosaur if you want but typewriters were so simple. If you hit several keys at the same time and it seized up, you just had to reach in and pull apart the arms that had bunched together. The worst that could happen was you’d get ink on your fingers. And there was never a printer failure. All you had to do was wind the spool a few times with your finger and keep typing. For me, typewriters will always be monuments to a less stressful time before firewalls, emails, spyware, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Skype.

I could tell you lots of my pet hates when it comes to computers, starting with pressing the START button to shut it down. But in reality, thanks to Charles Babbage in 1822 for inventing the first mathematical Difference Machine and his son for taking it one step further with the Analytical Machine, we have been dragged miraculously out of the Dark Ages into a new and exciting world. No longer do we even have to sit at a computer to access information from the web. We can sit in a bus, on a train or, as most of us do, text and search as we walk.

Having said all of that, when Einstein said, “Frustration is born out of ignorance”, I’m sure he had computers in mind. There is nothing more frustrating when you’ve almost finished typing a project, and a window opens up and says, ‘A fatal operating error has occurred. The operation will shut down in...’ and the seconds start ticking down to zero. Then you know you’re cactus. And I’m sure I’m not the only one who gulps in panic when the computer asks, ‘Do you really want to delete this document?’

Feeling left behind What with all the upgrades and innovations, (Google Drive, everyone?), it’s hard to keep up. But our kids consistently do just that. It’s like they instinctively know what to do… like ducks taking to water. I am always amazed that a five-year-old can be so competent at something that has taken me 25 years to be comfortable

What with all the upgrades and innovations, it’s hard to keep up

with. But then kids grew up with computers, and those of us of a certain generation did not.

The majority of adults born before 1970 weren’t taught computing in school and if we wanted to write a university dissertation, we slogged it out on a typewriter, smudging out our typing errors as best we could with the use of white-out and later on, correction tape. Not many of us were happy with the result. We either settled for a less than perfect looking paper or we typed it out again, a little slower, and we hoped the next version had fewer mistakes.

Computers were out of our realm of possibility because firstly, few schools could afford one. The price of this gigantic machine (it weighed in at over a ton) was between US$81,000 and US$142,000. By the mid-seventies, it had been downsized to the size of a refrigerator and weighed only 250 kilogrammes – still not something to put in our back pockets.

Secondly, our minds were focused on our own studies, not learning new

technologies. We left that to the people who knew what they were doing. Enter Bill Gates. By 1975, he had dropped out of Harvard with an idea in his head and the backing of his parents, ready to start up his own company. The rest is history.

Learning curve The assumption is that we can just get the hang of computers, now all manner of digital communication devices, without any formal training.

But should we take the time to teach ourselves or do we need to be taught?

“Due to the ever changing and growing nature of technology, we all become more computer literate as time goes on,” opens Terence Wayburne of Coding Kids HK, who offers classes in DB for adults (and kids). “This is less an issue of age, but instead one’s willingness to keep learning. From my experience, the older the person is the less depth of understanding they have for a programme they use. That is not to say they will not use the programme to fit their needs just fine, but they may miss out on some great features  May 2016

43

IN FOCUS that could revolutionise the way they work and organise that work. There are some incredible programmes out there, like Google Drive, that everyone should take an hour or two to accustom themselves with. But even I – as a web developer – find it difficult to keep upto-date with many programmes and even understand others.

“For the majority of programmes a person can learn a great deal from the comfort of their home and some YouTube tutorials,” Terence adds.

“Other than that, I would recommend following some good tech websites to keep up-to-date on things you won’t otherwise know exist.”

Island School IT teacher, 17-year DB resident Paula Lepore Burrough has this to say: “Most programmes are user-friendly so that even those who are not native digital users are still able to easily navigate their way around.

Now and then, we all need a little help figuring out how to set up the hardware, download, or make a simple purchase online with a captcha image (I can never read those things).”

It’s clear that a skilful teacher can make all the difference in developing a comfort level one can build on. As DB-based psychologist and life skills coach at Mind Matters Hong Kong, Dr Melanie Bryan notes: “If a person’s learning style differs from the mode they are being, or were, taught in, taking in the new information may be difficult. For example, if someone describes steps to be taken to repair a technical problem, or uses jargon, a visual learner may feel quite lost and frustrated. The lack of userfriendly design in many systems that presuppose prior training and experience can be quite frustrating for the moderately literate.”

The personality factor In an age where computers and phones are becoming more and more complex, are they also becoming too overwhelming? It seems you either have the knack or you don’t.

It’s easy to get frustrated by programmes that presuppose prior training

It’s not everyone who can master a touchscreen or even an inbuilt mouse. So let’s ask ourselves, is there a personality type that finds all this unappealing? Is it gender related? Is it born out of fear (of learning new things) or resentment, or laziness, or lack of patience? Or are we basically just scared of failing?

“The ability to interact virtually with comfort and confidence has both nature and nurture aspects,” notes Melanie. “Just as some people are born with a natural affinity for language acquisition, others are born with an easy affinity for things technological – it all makes inherent sense to them.

“That is not the case for many computer immigrants,” Melanie continues. “If a person’s initial experience led to confusion and impatience, compounding mistakes, they may develop a strong aversion to the whole process, along with the belief that they are incapable of becoming PC literate. Lastly, a justifiable concern about the ever

May 2016

Sometimes the fact that we are expected to use technology is more a frustration than actually using it. As Paula says: “Even in our Digital Age, there are students who embrace computing, gaming, design or media and those who feel less compelled by it and use it on a have-to basis. Communication, online banking and even shopping are becoming more difficult without putting our fingers to the keyboard.”

It’s true that the emerging potentials frighten a lot of us. But with the advancement of our practical knowledge, most of the negatives recede and become positives.

Whatever our needs or capabilities, computers are amazing search engines and even as I write, my husband is on the Around DB website looking for the DB to Mui Wo ferry timetable.

In our own way, we are all computer literate and we can take that literacy as far as we want.

Find it • Coding Kids HK, twayburne@googlemail.com, www.codingkidshk.com • Mind Matters Hong Kong, drmelanie@mindmatters.hk, www.mindmatters.hk

Find more topical local topics

44

increasing lack of privacy and threat of one’s data being hijacked is reason enough for some healthy avoidance.”

@ www.arounddb.com

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MOMENTS

LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU As The Hong Kong Singers celebrates its 85th anniversary with a high-energy production of Gypsy, DB-based chairman Tony Penny chats with Carlos Magno

P

ass a true thespian in the plaza and you might not know it – you might not pick up on that spark of the extraordinary that only really radiates in front of an audience. DB resident Tony Penny has that spark, as well as a penchant for drawing it out of those who share his passion for theatre.

Chairman of The Hong Kong Singers, he is currently directing (along with Mandy Petty) a production of the great, all-American musical Gypsy, which opens this month.

Gypsy tells the story of a woman determined to get her daughters into show business – an apt way for The Hong Kong Singers’ chairman to celebrate the company’s 85th anniversary.

“I’ve been involved in theatre in Hong Kong ever since I’ve been here,” says Tony. “I first joined The Hong Kong Singers in 2003. I came in to act and sing, but soon ended up directing – My Fair Lady in 2003 and Anything Goes in 2008.”

Hong Kong community theatre Established in 1931, The Hong Kong Singers is the longest operating community theatre company in Hong Kong, inactive only during the Japanese occupation in World War II. As chairman, Tony now also sees to

Photo by Carlos Magno

Two of Gypsy’s lead cast members, educators David Benzie (who plays Herbie) and Kim Ward (playing Miss Elektra), also live in DB. The trio share a cab home from thrice-weekly rehearsals at Beacon Hill School, Kowloon Tong. David first met Tony in 2004, and Kim is new to the company, but their shared passion means they are already firm friends.

46

Tony moved to Hong Kong from the UK 25 years ago, and settled in DB in 2005, working first for Cathay Pacific and later for a private jet-management firm. His day jobs though, have never been allowed to interfere with his thespian pursuits.

Find more local gossip May 2016

the business needs of the company, ensuring that each production generates the revenue necessary to fund future shows.

Revealing that it can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to put on just one show, Tony explains that local companies help each other in all sorts of ways, from promoting each other’s productions to lending costumes, props and players. Being part of such a tight-knit community is clearly a motivator for Tony.

“While we’ve got 7.5 million people, Hong Kong is very concentrated, it’s still a village, so if you’re in theatre, a lot of people get to know you and you get to know them,” he says. “It’s great socially because theatre people are fun people.”

Tony notes that the local scene really took off post-handover, with new theatre troupes coming into being, both Chinese- and English-speaking.

He is also impressed by the number of international shows that now come to Hong Kong.

“These days, we have to make sure our productions stack up and compete,” he concludes. “To make sure we sell out, we have to be good. We really do have DBers Tony Penny, Kim Ward and David Benzi to be good.”

Gypsy is showing from May 4 to 7 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui. You can purchase tickets at www.urbtix.hk. For more on The Hong Kong Singers, visit www.hongkongsingers.org.

Fung Tat Choi and Chan Yu Ting

@ www.arounddb.com

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FAMILY MATTERS

Photos courtesy of Bayview House of Children - Discovery Bay, Discovery College, Discovery Mind Primary School and Woodentots

THANK YOU

48

AUNTIE

To mark DB’s second Helper Appreciation Month, Katie Scott speaks to the educators in our midst about the role helpers play in framing the minds of our youngest residents

T

his May, for the second year, Discovery Bay families are being asked to recognise the work of their helpers, whether with a grand gesture or a simple thank you. It is all too easy to start taking the extra help many of us enjoy for granted. As concept cocreator Steve Chitty states, this is an opportunity to foster good feeling.

is different but many are educating our children, from early learning with the youngest wards to helping the older children with homework, where they are able. As I write, our helper, Vicky, is showing my youngest son a book of multi-coloured birds and slowly saying their names. She laughs as he declares each one to be a “duck, duck” and then carries on patiently.

Helper Appreciation Month is now spreading across the waters and Steve explains that people around Hong Kong are taking the initiative. He says: “The ultimate hope is that it will become self-perpetuating and will just encourage us all to have another look at the people who help in our lives.”

At Discovery Mind Primary School (DMPS), principal Sarah McCormack actively encourages her pupils to be mindful of the work of their ‘aunties’.

The school also proactively offers guidance to parents and helpers as to how they can support children’s learning. This has included lessons on how to help with their reading.

Recognising helpers’ input The role of the helper in each household May 2016

Natalie Regazzoni, owner and headteacher of Woodentots, sees

helpers supporting children with their social skills and personal-care skills. “These are important areas to develop during the early years because socialisation and independence are skills children need to have in order to progress and for adapting to school life.

“Observing the playgrounds and the plaza, it is usually the helpers with the children during the week and I know many organise play dates for little ones,” Natalie continues. “Therefore, they are the initial adult the child will look to for guidance during play; they are the ones who should be teaching how to share and take turns, deal with conflicts, understand good/ bad behaviour, etc. A lot of helpers also take children to accompanied classes, so they pick up some basic teaching practices from being in a class environment.”

FAMILY MATTERS

This page: Helper Appreciation Month celebrations at Bayview House of Children - Discovery Bay, Discovery College, Discovery Mind Primary School and Woodentots

Appreciating helpers’ skill sets Natalie is supported at Woodentots by Auring Gasmena, who is a permanent Hong Kong resident and a helper. She explains: “Auring helped me for a few weeks in the class and I found her to be a natural with the children, eager to learn, very practical and she used her initiative. When the opportunity to ask her to work with me full-time came up, Auring agreed and she’s been working for two years now.”

For Auring, who started a bachelor of elementary education in the Philippines, it is a chance to put into practice what she learnt and, she states, she just loves being with the children.

DB resident Scott Stiles, one of the driving forces behind Helper Appreciation Month, is the co-founder

and general manager of the Fair Employment Agency – an alternative to the unscrupulous agencies in Hong Kong, which charge monumental fees to helpers for matching them with an employer.

“There are helpers who are vastly over qualified for the largely menial jobs that they are called upon to do,” Scott says. “The Philippine government has even launched an initiative to encourage some of its trained teachers, working as helpers in Hong Kong, to return home.” However, he adds that parents looking at potential candidates should manage their expectations and be aware that qualifications vary from country to country and so may be different in scope from those in their home country.

At Enrich Hong Kong, helpers can take

part in courses in multiple languages including Bahasa Indonesian, Thai and Tagalog. Enrich advisor, Myriam Bartu, another DBer behind Helper Appreciation Month, aims to build helpers’ skill sets and thus empower them to lift themselves out of debt and poverty.

The desire to better oneself has huge advantages for employers. Courses, focused on financial management, have the additional benefit of building confidence and improving communication skills, which makes for better working relationships within the home.

Expressing gratitude Helper Appreciation Month, though, is largely about the community educating itself about the helpers who May 2016

49

FAMILY MATTERS live among us. A series of informative and empowering events are planned for this month and DB schools are again taking the lead. “Helper Appreciation Month gets great traction with schools,” Steve says. “They just seem to take the core idea and do their own thing.”

Last year, the local kindergartens really got on board. At Bayview House of Children - Discovery Bay, the focus was on expressing gratitude. “It was the perfect way to reflect on the people who contribute to making our lives happier, better and easier,” says principal Ramesha Backelandt. “We asked the children to find out a few personal details about their helper (favourite colours, food, activities etc.). This was an eye-opener as most students had no idea. They thought that what aunties liked was what children liked – playing lego, going to the park…

“The children sang a few songs about being thankful and we read a beautiful story about acknowledging and appreciating the people around us,” Ramesha adds. “After the story, the children gave a present and a flower and said thank you. Most helpers cried and I received many texts saying how much the school event had meant to them.”

Last May, DMPS held afternoon tea parties for helpers and a pamper afternoon where they were served cake and offered back massages by their charges. Sarah draws attention to a specific homework class the children were set for which they had to interview their helper about their home, specifically what they missed most about it. “It emphasised to the children that these lovely ladies are making a huge sacrifice for their own children,” she says.

This year, Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) is providing free use of rooms for a series of Helper Appreciation Month wellness workshops. In 2015, Enrich Hong Kong held a series of training sessions

Helper Auring Gasmena in the classroom at Woodentots

at Discovery College (DC), and this year, the school is organising student events across all three levels.

DC principal Mark Beach argues, however, that the appreciation should be constant. “I’m personally not a great fan of things such as helper appreciation days or months, as I believe that we should be showing appreciation to one another on an on-going basis,” he explains. “I do understand, though, that it is helpful at times to remind some of our community about the importance of this. More importantly, it allows us to take the time to actually understand our helpers as people; who they are, what they’ve sacrificed to be here in Hong Kong, what amazing ‘hidden’ talents they have, and so on.”

Mark argues that when students become nonchalant about the help and support they receive, their actions betray them: “I see things like students coming to school with their helpers carrying their bags, or dropping rubbish and expecting others to pick it up for them,” he comments.

May 2016

It’s not just children. Parents can take their helper for granted too, and this trickles down. May’s event may serve as a reminder to all of us to be thankful.

As Natalie says: “Feeling appreciated boosts self-esteem. It motivates people to improve themselves and encourages a positive work ethic. After all, who doesn’t want to be appreciated for the work they do?”

Find it

• Enrich Hong Kong, www.enrichhk.org • Fair Employment Agency, www.fairagency.org For a full lineup of Helper Appreciation Month events, turn to page 20.

Find more child-centric stories

50

Christie Leung, school supervisor at Discovery Montessori Academy says that to counter this, helpers and parents should be discouraged from offering too much help. “Handson work is extremely important especially to young children,” she explains. “It lays the foundation of the development of cognitive skills.

Working parents should guide their helpers to provide as many opportunities as possible for children to work with their hands in their dayto-day lives. For example, buttoning their clothes; pulling on their shoes and socks; cleaning up the table after use; eating by themselves; cleaning themselves up and carrying their own bags.”

@ www.arounddb.com

ESCAPES

WINE COUNTRY

Photos by Dragan Radocaj and courtesy of Copyright Barossa Grape & Wine Association and www.angepickett.com

When holidaying in South Australia’s Barossa Valley, Sam Agars suggests you take it easy and enjoy some of the finer things in life

52

N

owhere is the notion of putting a full stop on your work day more prevalent than in the Barossa Valley, with the locals loving nothing more than rewarding themselves with a hard-earned drink at the end of the day. It’s the Barossa way of life and this, coupled with the fact that the local’s love of where they live is almost tangible, makes for a place where it is impossible not to unwind and, dare I say it, do as the locals do.

Located only 70 kilometres from Adelaide, the Barossa Valley is considered the premier wine region in South Australia, and can also lay claims to being the best in Australia. With diverse and layered varieties to suit every taste, it boasts a versatility that rivals any wine region in the world.

Made up of five major towns – Tanunda, Nuriootpa, Angaston, Lyndoch and Williamstown – and a host of smaller ones, the Barossa has an approximate population of 25,000.

May 2016

Set at the foot of the rolling Barossa Ranges, the region has a rich German history, with the Germans first settling in the area in the mid-1800s.

A lot of the distinct German culture is still prevalent, with stone cottages and Lutheran churches dotting the picturesque, rural landscape.

Perfect plonk When speaking of the delights of the Barossa, you have to start with the wine.

If you ask the locals, theirs is the best wine in the world and it is hard to argue, with local labels receiving national and international recognition. Red wine is the flagship of the area, with Shiraz leading the way, but the outer reaches of the valley also deliver superb white wines, in particular Riesling.

Some of the world’s best winemakers ply their trade in the valley and according to Leigh Underwood, national sales manager at Soul Growers Wines, the region has a number of defining characteristics. “It’s such a

tiny valley and you’ve got such a dense population of grapevines,” he says. “It’s such a small area and within that small area, we have such a diverse range of growing conditions, and therefore flavour profiles, which set the Barossa apart on a world scale.”

Leigh’s love for the place is clear and it doesn’t take much pushing to get him to say what he really thinks: “It’s the pinnacle of the Australia wine regions.”

One of the benefits of the Barossa being so small is that it makes it possible to visit a range of wineries in a short time and there are a number of bus tours available to help you do just that.

The wine tour is part of local folklore and with wineries like Rockford’s, Peter Lehmann’s, Langmeil, Chateau Tanunda, Yalumba and Whistler Wines to visit, it’s easy to see why.

The cellar doors of the region make for an authentic wine-tasting experience, ranging from rustic and traditional to more modern affairs. One constant is

ESCAPES

that you don’t have to go far to find yourself, glass in hand, overlooking sun-drenched vineyards and finding it hard to believe you’re only an hour from the city.

Wining and dining Life in the Barossa has a certain serenity to it, making it ridiculously easy to slip into a relaxed frame of mind. The locals are a social bunch and are always up for a chat when you bump into them at one of the many pubs, cafés or coffee shops. They are proud of what they do and will be quick to give you a rundown on what makes the region special.

Wine lover or not, a Barossa weekend is sure to recharge and a stay at one of the many bed and breakfasts will offer a truly authentic experience.

The Barossa’s sunrises have something magical about them, dancing off the Barossa Ranges and settling in amongst the vineyards and paddocks.

Sun-drenched vineyards

The Barossa Vintage Festival

May 2016



53

ESCAPES

The picturesque, rural landscape

hiraz

eg The r

r its S wn fo o n k ion is

Peter Leh mann Win es

The best way to make the most of this is from the basket of a hot-air balloon, a common site in the (very) early morning sky. For the romantics out there, a weekend stay and a balloon ride might be as good as it gets.

Despite its standing in the world of wine, the Barossa is by no means a one trick pony and the local produce is some of the best in South Australia.

Farmers’ markets are the perfect place to immerse yourself in what the region has to offer, with local meats, cheeses and seasonal fruit and vegetables all common fare. A number of local restaurants pride themselves on using predominantly local produce, with comprehensive degustation menus offering an allcompassing food journey.

“The Barossa takes it to another level on the tourism side of things when you look at our food culture here,” Leigh says. “We try and keep all the produce local. The local restaurants are utilising as much local produce as possible and that sets the Barossa apart. We do everything in-house.”

church utheran L ld o An

With cuisines ranging from Asian fusion to traditional German, the region contains a host of top-notch restaurants, while the renowned

Find more exciting travel destinations

54

May 2016

Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop is a must visit for its terrines and patés, as well as its scenic, lakeside location. You’ll also want to drop by the traditional butcher shops offering mettwursts and bratwursts and bakeries boasting ageold, German favourites, like apple strudel and bienenstich.

Festival time The pairing of food and wine has become an art form and I’m sure it comes as no surprise that this is another area that the Barossa prides itself on. Any wine and food connoisseur planning a visit to the Barossa should consider timing it to coincide with either of the region’s biggest food and wine festivals, Barossa Vintage Festival and Barossa Gourmet Weekend.

During the Barossa Gourmet Weekend in September, the region comes to life with events designed to celebrate local culture and bring people together to eat and drink. The Barossa Vintage Festival, meanwhile, is held in April, to celebrate the end of vintage (the end of the annual grape crushing process).

The festival offers up all sorts of events, from intimate tastings to competitions, balls and parades, and it is the perfect way to experience the heritage and culture of all things Barossan.

@ www.arounddb.com

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ACTION

JUDO KINGS

Ahead of the Hong Kong Junior Judo Championships this month, Beverly Au meets three DB brothers who are fanatical about the sport – Nitai, Arbel and Yahav Delgoshen

Photos by www.yaaraportraits.com

T 56

o find two brothers under 12 who excel at judo would be quite something, finding three – Nitai, Arbel and Yahav Delgoshen – is something to write about. So far, these pint-sized, DB Judokas, aged 11, 9 and 7, have amassed an impressive haul of 25 gold, five silver and four bronze medals between them – and it would seem they are just getting started.

Judo competitions are held throughout the year in Hong Kong, the big ones for kids being the Hong Kong Junior Judo Championships in May (11 years+) and December (six years+). While his brothers will have to wait a few May 2016

months, Nitai is hoping to continue his winning streak at Yuen Wo Sports Centre, Shatin, on May 22.

Nitai started training with Daruma Judo Club here in DB in 2010, and his brothers quickly followed suit.

Progression in judo is recognised by a series of ranks, as participants go from white belts for beginners through yellow, orange, green, blue and brown, to black. Arbel and Yahav are now both green belts, while Nitai is already a blue belt.

Winning mentality The

boys’

coach,

Cedric

Sum,

attributes his charges’ success to hard work, perseverance and support from their parents. “Being hardworking is very important if one wants to do well in judo,” says Cedric. “Their parents, Ya’ara and Udi, 12-year DB residents, also try very hard to let them practise all year round, including back in their native Israel every summer.”

Part of the secret to the Delgoshens’ success lies in their total dedication to the sport. In addition to twiceweekly judo classes at Discovery College with Cedric and his wife Emily, the boys practise together at home. They also enjoy watching big judo tournaments on YouTube, and

ACTION

DB judo champs Arbel, Nitai and Yahav Delgoshen

try to learn as much as they can from the professionals. Israel’s 2009 World Championships bronze medallist, Alice Schlesinger and 2004 Olympic bronze medallist, Arik Ze’evi are their favourite Judokas.

practise techniques,” Yahav explains.

“In Israel, at our judo summer camp, we climb up ropes six times in a row.

This helps our hands and fingers get stronger through gripping the rope, as we climb up and down it.”

In addition to judo, the boys, who attend Lantau International School, head to Tung Chung Swimming Pool once a week. Swimming helps improve their stamina, which is vital for energy-sapping, two-minute bouts on the judo mat. They also focus on aerobic fitness.

Cedric points out that the boys have different strong points, which help them during tournaments. About Yahav, the youngest, Cedric says, his attitude towards practice is very good and his “break-fall skills are excellent”. Arbel, meanwhile, is fearless during matches. “No matter what size his opponent is, Arbel will fight hard and is not afraid to lose. In fact, he seldom loses his fights.”

“We do exercises such as sit-ups and push-ups; we stretch properly and

Big brother Nitai is an all-rounder.

“Being big and muscular was Nitai’s advantage in the beginning, but then he improved his technique by showing the key points to his junior classmates,” Cedric explains. “Through teaching, he has memorised techniques which make him faster during fights.”

Fighting spirit Discussing the judo concepts of kate (basic techniques), tori (the person throwing their partner) and uke (the person being thrown), it’s clear that the Delgoshens are totally clued up about their beloved sport.  May 2016

57

ACTION

Daruma Judo Club Judokas with their medals

“Judo teaches a person about agility, courage and perseverance. You have to learn to lose and win, and how to live with the result. You learn to keep trying,” Nitai says.

fight. I keep my back straight, I put on a serious face and I don’t crouch.”

“Judo gives me confidence in my everyday life,” he adds. “I feel a lot less nervous than I used to when I was younger. Your whole body needs to be operating at a top level. You need to use your legs, waist, shoulders, hands, elbows and head when you are in a match. Every part of your body matters.

Everything needs to work together otherwise you cannot execute the moves and techniques properly. Judo is both mind and body, psychological and physical.”

“It’s best to have a relaxed grip when you are with an opponent because you get tired quicker if you don’t,” adds Yahav. “You have to adjust to situations during a bout, depending on what you and your opponent are doing. It’s ok to get thrown by your classmate in practice because you learn from your mistakes.”

Psyching out their opponents is one of the things that makes the brothers hard to beat on the mat. “It’s important that you don’t look scared,” says Arbel.

“If you do, your opponent will know you are weak. You don’t want your opponent to think he will have an easy

“Your confidence can weaken your opponent,” Nitai says in agreement.

Life lessons There’s a lot more to judo, however, than sparring and throwing. As mum Ya’ara says: “The spirit of judo

May 2016

“Judo helps kids to adjust better to real life situations from what they learn during training and competing.

It is a contact sport that needs to be done with respect for each other,” dad Udi adds. “The kids also have a lot of respect for their senseis (coaches).”

“Another reason we are good is our senseis are really good,” says Nitai.

“They help with our technique, power and speed. We aren’t the biggest club in Hong Kong but for our size, we do really well in competitions.”

Find it • Daruma Judo Club, www.darumajudo.com • Hong Kong Junior Judo Championships, www.hkjudo.org

Find more clubs and activities

58

includes friendship, support of each other and teamwork. We really like that it elicits respect for others in the judo club and in life. You need to know how to be a teammate.”

@ www.arounddb.com

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LIFESTYLE

A

lthough DBers are adept at making the most of small apartments, we seldom take advantage of the pintsized balconies and roof terraces at our disposal. And while our interiors may be cutting edge or at the very least super comfortable, we tend to furnish outdoor spaces with much less panache. Yet there is no real reason why a balcony or terrace cannot be approached as creatively as a room within the home.

Initially you will probably be faced with a lot of unsightly concrete cladding and your first task is to set up a strong, carefully considered backdrop.

The blank canvas

Photos courtesy of Everything Under The Sun and Indigo Living

Start by bringing the outdoor area into your living room – blurring the boundaries between indoors and out will make both areas look bigger. You may want to install sliding or French doors that open onto the balcony.

Floor-length windows fool the eye, turning an outdoor area into an extension of the living space, letting in more light and expanding the view.

Cane-line Kingston Sunchairs with wheels, Everything Under The Sun

LIVING IT UP

The simplest, though not necessarily the cheapest, way to connect outdoor and indoor areas is to link the materials underfoot. Natural or unpolished marble is a good option as is pretreated wood, though both fade over time. When it comes to withstanding dramatic changes in temperature, most designers agree that tiles are the only way to go. Relatively inexpensive, natural looking and non-slip, both slate and terracotta tiles age well and, as they don’t absorb heat, the surface remains cool long into the afternoon.

tropical hues but you run the risk of making it looked cramped. If you are heart-set on a splash of colour, paint the back wall of the balcony – the one that is not visible from the living room.

Chances are your interior is whitewashed, so stick with complementary white paint for the exterior. As with any small room, a fresh coat of white paint stretches the space, and textured, weather-resistant masonry paint introduces an interesting stippled effect, while putting paid to mouldy walls. In a sun-filled space, it’s tempting to let loose with brilliant

You’ll want to create shade in your outdoor space and in many cases a classic umbrella will do the job just fine. Traditional parasols, which blew over at the first hint of a breeze, have been replaced by compact, lightweight models with sturdy, concrete bases. Some umbrellas are now even built into task-specific, alfresco furniture.

Get the basics right and even the smallest outdoor area can add sunshine to your life.

Jane Drew reports

If you’d like something more permanent, however, consider erecting a retractable or folding-arm awning, which can be assembled in minutes and tilted to provide protection even when the sun is at a low angle. Normal canvas will fade and rot surprisingly quickly, so go for something that’s been properly treated like Teflon or colourfast, waterproof woven acrylic. The best awning systems feature sun and wind sensors that extend and retract the shade automatically according to the weather conditions.

On a sheltered balcony or terrace,  May 2016

61

LIFESTYLE

Gypsy dinnerware and Truro Fish plates, Indigo Living

if you want to keep things really simple, bamboo blinds or lengths of translucent netting will create shade and provide an element of privacy.

Alternatively, a well-placed trellis, covered in trailing foliage, or a row of flourishing planters, will ward off nosy neighbours, while filtering the light.

as an alternative dining room, do without additional seating and make room for a storage unit in which to keep outdoor tableware. On a narrow balcony, pair two deck chairs with a small, oval table. If all you need is a suntrap, settle for a couple of sun loungers or, better yet, a securely fixed hammock.

The practicalities

When you furnish outdoors, fold-up seating and collapsible tables help keep a space flexible but there are a host of streamlined (ideally inbuilt) pieces to choose from. Nothing beats plastic in terms of durability and it has come a long way from the cheap, white variety you may remember from your childhood. You need to check out Hularo, a hardwearing,

Before you even think about splashing out on outdoor furnishings, consider carefully what you will actually be using the space for. The idea is to set up clearly defined areas for specific activities.

If you want a small terrace to serve

62

May 2016

UV-resistant formula that looks exactly like woven wicker.

Wrought-iron and glass is a chic alternative but iron rusts over time and pieces will need to be moved indoors during typhoon season. Likewise, wooden furniture is a classic choice but you have to be prepared for it to ‘weather’. Even high-grade teak wrinkles and bleaches in the sun, which means that it will need to be sanded down and re-oiled every couple of years.

Filling in the details Having set up a coordinated selection of essential pieces of furniture, it’s time to stamp your personality on the scheme by filling in the details. Where

LIFESTYLE

Tribù Contour Collection chairs, Everything Under The Sun

space is at a premium, stick to the bare necessities – lights and lanterns for outdoor use, scented torches to ward off mosquitoes and a couple of wind chimes to usher in health, wealth and prosperity. Anything more elaborate is superfluous and impractical – ethnic wall hangings or scatter cushions rot if they are left outdoors; mirrors and paintings look out of place; stone sculptures gather dust.

Of course no outdoor area is complete without plants and, in a small space, multi-layered displays work particularly well. The linchpin of the scheme might be an old dresser or desk with plants

Lanterns and vases, Indigo Living

spilling out of the drawers. Hanging baskets or trellises also provide value for money, while encouraging plants to trail and climb. Trellises now come in all shapes and sizes but the standard, rectangular, bamboo variety, with pullout ledges, remains the most practical.

Exotic, inexpensive planters look better in clusters rather than in rows, so group them in the corners to save space. If you

pair plants of different types and heights, only a few pots will create a year-round splash of green. Ferns, juniper, hibiscus and bougainvillaea do well on most DB balconies, as do herbs of all varieties.

Make it your mission to avoid clutter, and with the right furniture and accessories, even the smallest patch of urban jungle can be made to feel like a five-star resort.

Find it • Everything Under The Sun, www.everythingunderthesun.com.hk • Indigo Living, www.indigo-living.com

Find more on stylish living

@ www.arounddb.com

May 2016

63

M SA EG LE A S!

FINANCIAL PLANNING ASK THE EXPERT HELLO RESIDENTS OF DB, LANTAU AND THE REST OF HONG KONG! It’s time to consult THE EXPERT about your financial planning!

My thoughts We all go through different stages of life and so do our insurance needs. If you’re thinking about getting pregnant, insurance may be the last thing on your mind. But you can save yourself a lot of money and stress, by investigating your options well before you conceive.

Your existing health insurance plan may cover some of the expenses associated with pregnancy, but it is worth noting that most medical plans don’t cover issues related to being pregnant and, if they do, they may cover complications to the mother only. Check to see if it covers all the doctor’s appointments you will need (twice monthly visits for the whole nine months of your pregnancy are recommended). You don’t want to have to start skipping visits in order to save money, as this could create problems for both you and your baby.

If you are looking into specialist maternity health insurance coverage, there are plenty of options to suit all budgets. Local plans like AXA are a good bet, as are international plans like AETNA/A+/IHI-BUPA. If you like the look of USA, choose the more expensive USA Premium option.

All specialist maternity health plans are valid for one year, but most maternal insurance plans have a one year waiting period, meaning they must be renewed for a second year.

Each will pay out a maximum amount for a normal delivery and a different amount for a C-section

In-Outdoor Furniture www.aloha-outdoor.com aloha806@gmail.com

Tel: 2552 0036 805 Horizon Plaza 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau

I AM: KayeKaye Khemlani (PIBA No. 0032-009006), a native Englishspeaking insurance advisor, with a strong presence in Discovery Bay and Hong Kong.

MY OFFER: I can do a comparison shop for you free of charge, to ensure that you have made the right choice, and check that you have the right product at the right price.

CONTACT ME: 9811 1554, kailash_k3@hotmail.com, kishus@i-cable.com.

HK HAPPENINGS

10 FUN THINGS TO DO IN HK THIS MONTH! www.facebook.com/ShaolinFez

SHAOLIN FEZ UNPLUGGED The Fringe Club Dairy, Central

Get your events listed @ www.arounddb.com

May 5

The jazz-rock-classical ensemble launches a special series of fundraising concerts beginning with Shaolin Fez: Unplugged Part I. Offering up purely symphonic arrangements of both originals and covers, the show features London Symphony Orchestra clarinetist Lorenzo Iosco and HK Philharmonic co-principal hornist Russell Bonifede, with arrangements by HK Philharmonic double bassist Sam Ferrer. Purchase tickets, starting at HK$175, at The Fringe Box Office, 2521 7251.

TIDDLER AND OTHER TERRIFIC TALES

Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Wanchai -8

May 6

Photo courtesy of ABA Productions

Live music, puppetry and a host of colourful characters feature in this award-winning, Scamp Theatre production – an adaptation of three bestselling books by 2013 Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson and noted illustrator Axel Scheffler. Purchase tickets, starting at HK$195, at www.hkticketing.com.

CHEUNG CHAU BUN FESTIVAL Cheung Chau

15

11May

The wonderfully wacky Bun Festival brings some 70,000 visitors to the small island of Cheung Chau each year. You can expect parades, Taoist ceremonies, effigy burning, Chinese opera, martial arts and lion dancing. The festival culminates in a bun scrambling competition, which takes place at midnight on May 14. For more information, visit www.cheung-chau.com.

OLIVIA NEWTONJOHN LIVE

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wanchai Four-time Grammy Award winner, Olivia Newton-John is set to melt Hong Kong hearts this month. The celebrated songstress has sold over 100 million albums and amassed over 15 top 10 singles and 10 number one hits. For concert tickets, starting at HK$488, visit www.hkticketing.com.

12 May

BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY

May 14

Ngong Ping 360, Lantau

www.wikimedia.org

Celebrate the Buddha’s birthday by attending the Grand Buddha Bathing Ceremony in the Hall of the Great Hero at Po Lin Monastery. Don’t miss the outdoor entertainment, including Shaolin Kung Fu, acrobatics and face-changing performances. Admission is free. To find out more, call 2985 5248.

Photo courtesy of AC Music Entertainment

May 2016

65

HK HAPPENINGS

-15

y 13 Ma

www.affordableartfair.com

AFFORDABLE ART FAIR

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wanchai The fourth Affordable Art Fair gathers more than 110 local and international galleries, collectively carrying upwards of 1,000 works by established and emerging artists. Price points are between HK$1,000 and HK$100,000. You can find out more at www.affordableartfair.com/hongkong. For tickets, starting at HK$150, visit www.hkticketing.com.

Friend us on Facebook for event reminders LE FRENCH MAY 2016 Across Hong Kong

Tower 535, Causeway Bay

With more than 120 programmes run over a course of two months, Le French May is among the largest cultural events in Asia. Gathering more than a million visitors every year, the festival takes place across the city, in cultural centres, shopping malls and public spaces. Themed Dreams and Wonders, this year’s event features art exhibitions, films, gastronomy, theatrical performances and more.

The debut establishment of Russian hospitality giant Bulldozer Group in Hong Kong, Seafood Room covers a full 10,000 square-feet, including a chic, rooftop lounge.

Enjoy stunning views of Victoria Harbour and delicious cuisine by James Cornwall, former head chef at London’s acclaimed seafood restaurant J Sheekey. Learn more at www.seafoodroom.hk.

Indulge in the finest wine and cuisine with Le French GourMay. Marvel at the works of the great landscape artist Claude Monet in a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition in Asia. See award-winning French cinema with a special focus on the latest French animation. And be thrilled by the contemporary circus acrobatics of Extrêmités.

SEAFOOD ROOM

Just opened!

May 19-20

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Orchestra

PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA IN HONG KONG

Hong Kong Cultural Centre, TST

www.facebook.com/seafoodroomhk

Renowned for its distinctive sound, the Philadelphia Orchestra performs here under music director Yannick NézetSéguin. Highlights of these performances include Brahm’s Symphony No. 2 in D and Beethoven’s String Quartet in F-minor.

Purchase tickets, starting at HK$300, at www.urbtix.hk.

DIMITRI VEGAS & LIKE MIKE AsiaWorld-Expo, Chek Lap Kok

May 2016

ugh o r Th e 30 Jun

May 20

Hong Kong-based entertainment company Sigma Production brings you Belgian DJ duo Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. This is the latest offering from the company’s DJ Revolution series, which aims to promote electronic, dance-music culture by bringing celebrated international producers and artists to the city. Purchase tickets, starting at HK$900, at www.hkticketing.com.

66

For the full lineup of events, visit www.frenchmay.com.

www.dimitrivegasandlikemike.com

www.flickr.com

DB FACES

COMMUNITY SNAPS!

Email your photos for DB Faces to info@baymedia.com.hk. Around DB accepts no liability for the photos sent

Who do you know? Find more familiar faces @ www.arounddb.com.

Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com

Win prizes from Uncle Russ Coffee and The Pier Bar! Congratulations to last month’s winner: Rachael Sanderson (@the_three_sandos)

T

he best snap wins! Your mission this month is to share a photo taken in DB or Lantau on our @around_db Instagram page and hashtag it #arounddb. You have until the 10th of this month to enter – so get tagging.

This is your chance to win a complimentary coffee from Uncle Russ, or a beer from The Pier Bar every day for a week. We will contact the winner via Instagram. Good luck!

View DB property listings @ www.arounddb.com

WORSHIP SERVICE Discovery College Sundays @ 10 am

CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP PRACTICAL BIBLE TEACHING KIDS CHURCH & TEENS - For Independent Living PRACTITIONER CREATED HEALTH SUPPLEMENTS . SINCE 2012

Pastor James Buckner Tel: 2987 7061 www.dbicc.org

View local business directories @ www.arounddb.com COMMUNITY

FINANCE & INSURANCE AUSTRALIAN TAX RETURNS

NETWORKING BREAKFAST MAY 5 AT ZAKS, DB PLAZA

Meet local service providers & customers, ask questions & get advice from those who have gone before.

Contact info@t8-consulting.com for more information

Need to lodge your Australian tax return?

If you are an expat or collect rental from Australian property, you must lodge an annual return.

Let us do it for you here in HK. Contact Dwight Stuchbery, Australasian Taxation Services on 3571 8700, dwight@smats.net, or visit www.smats.net

EMPLOYMENT HEALTH & WELLBEING

EMPLOYER WANTED

Marie Amora is looking for a new employer.

She excels at child minding, cooking & cleaning.

Call her on 6492 3511

EMPLOYER LOOKING FOR A HELPER? OR HELPER LOOKING FOR AN EMPLOYER? Place your free classifieds ad here.

Email info@baymedia.com.hk

HYPNOSIS &/ OR SHORT-TERM THERAPY

Quit smoking quickly.

Divorce/ Post-Divorce Coaching.

Resolve: • Fear of Flying/ Public Speaking • Overeating • Couples’ Conflicts • Career & Command-Training Stress • Anger Management • Phobias • Nail Biting • Insomnia • Exam Jitters Call Dr Melanie Bryan, Psy.D. Clinical Psychologist & Hypnotherapist on 2575 7707, or visit www.mindmatters.hk

HOME SERVICES FTC RELOCATIONS

The experts in local & international moving. World-class service – competitive rates. FTC also provides short-term storage & handyman services. Operating throughout DB & Lantau. Call 2814 1658, or visit www.ftc.hk

AKASH MOVING

Local packing & moving service.

Best move – best rate.

Akash offers a packing/ unpacking service, provides boxes & packing materials & makes small deliveries.

Call 2421 8088, or visit www.akash.hk

HOME SERVICES

PETS

SONTHRA HANDYMAN

THE PLACE WHERE THE PETS GO - PETCODB

Furniture repairing by indoor/ outdoor & polishing specialist.

Any kind of solid wood plus hanging pictures (any wall work).

• Better quality • Great value • Low prices • Satisfaction guaranteed Contact Peter on 9674 7531, Sonthrapeter@gmail.com

HOUSE DOCTOR HANDYMAN

Fluent in English.

Hong Kong permanent resident.

• Plumbing • Electrical • Aircon installation & repairs • Curtain, blind, picture, mirror, shelf & picture hanging • Ceiling fan & light installation • Kitchen & bathroom renovation • Assembly of Ikea products • House painting Contact Frank on 9141 5706, housedoc999express@gmail.com

EXPERT MOVER

• Mover • Storage • Handyman Competitive rates.

Professional quality service.

Contact 2566 4799, sales@expertmover.hk.

Visit www.expertmover.hk

KIDS

EARLY ADVENTURES PLAYGROUP

A dedicated playgroup with the emphasis on learning through play.

Activities to stimulate all areas of development. Come & look at our facilities. Classes for kids from 20 months to 4 years.

Morning & afternoon sessions.

Call 9511 2107, or visit www.earlyadventures.net

Grooming & Pet Care Services.

Trust us to provide loving & safe care for the ones you love!

Contact 2914 0382, info@petcodb.com.

Visit www.petcodb.com

DOG SERVICES

Home boarding, behaviour modification, Tui Na Massage & grooming. Reliable & honest.

100% safety record over the past 11 years.

Call Dave Chan on 9872 5439, or visit www.quoquoclub.com

RETAIL ABBELIO WINES

Great value! High scoring!

Wines from around the world!

Free delivery & special offer for Discovery Bay residents.

For details, visit http://abw.hk/db, or call 3170 8458

SERVICES

SONTHRA TAILORING SERVICES

Tailoring for ladies & children.

(Shirts, pyjamas. Shalwar Kameez, baby dresses.)

Individual designs, copies, alterations & modifications.

Bespoke drapery, upholstery, bed & table linens. High quality, excellent service, competitive pricing, satisfaction guaranteed.

Contact 9637 1620, sonthrafarnaz@gmail.com

Deadline for June issue classifieds

May 15

Our Customers of the Month

Rudy

Mypetshop in the North Plaza.

Shop G09-92 Siena Ave. DB North Plaza Tel: 2987 8873 Open Daily 10am – 7:30pm

May 2016

71

View local business directories @ www.arounddb.com

Greenland Pest Control Tailored Pest Control Solutions for Rodent, Cockroaches, Fleas, Mosquitoes, Termites, Ants, Ticks etc‌ For info please call Thomas 9871 0771 or May 9774 3554 Email: greenlandpest@outlook.com

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May 2016

Alcoholics Anonymous If you want to drink, that’s your business.

If you want to stop, we can help.

No dues or fees.

24 hour hotline: 9073 6922 Lantau hotline: 5668 2667 www.aa-hk.org

View local business directories @ www.arounddb.com TRAVEL concoRdE TRAVEL

Leisure Travel & Cruise specialists since 1978.

Call 2526 3391, or visit www.concorde-travel.com.

Licence No 350343

TUITIon & coURSES

LEARn SPAnISH

Native speaker, DELE examiner.

Experienced teacher.

IB, IGCSE, A-Levels & HKDSE Business Spanish & courses for adults.

Flexible schedule & locations.

(Special offers to students who live in DB & Tung Chung.)

For enquiries please contact Mr Erik R at 9666 9511, rerikm@hotmail.com

cHInESE (MAndARIn & cAnTonESE), MATHEMATIcS & EnGLISH

Personal Professional Tutoring Service.

• Curriculum: HSK, IB, GCSE, SAT • ESF & all international schools, Year 1 to 13 • For students & adults (homework/ exams/ business) • Mother-tongue Chinese tutors from the PRC (Levels: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) • Mathematics tutors (UK B SC) • Native English tutors.

(MA in Education, specialising in Early Childhood Stage) Contact 9107 5655, graciasx@hotmail.com

Crowntop

Sells good quality products from Japan • Baby Clothes & Accessories • Beauty & Medical Care Products • Body shaping garments •Counselling for individuals, couples, families & adolescents • Sliding fee scale; affordable options for all clients • English, Putonghua, Cantonese, Russian, Hindi, Marathi and Marwadi speaking counsellors

www.resourcecounselling.org Serving the community over 40 years A Member Agency of the Community Chest

We are looking for distributor or agent for Discovery Bay

www.acti.com.hk

MAndARIn cHInESE cLASSRooM

In the Greens. Lessons for adults & children, individually & in small groups.

Any level/ time/ purpose.

Call 6071 9643, or visit www.dbmandarin.com

- Japan qualified – skilled piano technician in DB We can offer professional advice and services on all piano matters; Creating a good sound to make harmony with your heart!

One of the keys to piano maintenance is - How to keep your piano in good condition with a subtropical climate www.88keys.com.hk E-mail: info@88keys.com.hk Tel : 9687 0726

May 2016

73

Find short-term rentals @ www.arounddb.com LANTAU PROPERTY

APARTMENTS IN TUNG CHUNG Fully furnished, 2- & 3-bed apartments available for long/ short- term lease. Minimum rental period 1 month. In excellent condition.

Contact Miss Man on 9806 9175/ 9872 7395, tanford787@gmail.com.

Visit http://tanford.webs.com.

LANTAU PROPERTY

CHERISH COURT 2-BED Fully furnished, 2-bedroom flat with wi-fi & Now TV. Full sea view & Disneyland-firework view. Photos available.

Contact Jacqueline 9811 0718, jacquelinedb@gmail.com

OVERSEAS PROPERTY DELUXE SERVICED APARMENTS Fully furnished 1-2-bed apartments with beautiful decor, wi-fi & broadband. Well-equipped kitchen, luxurious bedding, weekly cleaning service.

Contact Annie on 2987 2626, annie@appletravel.com

HAWKS NEST THAILAND

Fully equipped 2-bedroom villa for rent, including rooftop patio with outdoor kitchen, Jacuzzi tub, pool & internet. Situated just south of Hua Hin Thailand, can arrange Bangkok pick-up. For details, visit www.hawksnestthailand.com or email villa@hawksnestthailand.com

LUXURY APARTMENTS IN SIENA 2 Spacious 600’ apartments for short- or long-term rental. Quiet with sea views over park, near Club Siena & DB Tunnel. Fully furnished with washer/ drier, bedlinen, kitchenware, 55” TVs, wi-fi, blu-ray home theatre. Contact the owner on 9317 0624, nialady2011@gmail.com

STUNNING FURNISHED FLAT

SRI LANKAN PARADISE High-end villa, with pool on 8.5-acre cinnamon plantation, close to beach, Southern Sri Lanka.

Steady holiday rental income, Airbnb and Trip Advisor top ranking. Potential for development into wellness resort or retirement retreat. Visit www.lacanelle.com, or contact the DB owner on 5988 8231, annabeljallen@gmail.com

Designer 2-bed apartment, 1-minute from DB Plaza. Renovated to the highest standard.

Weekly cleaning available. Contact Maeve on 6408 4227, maeveororke@hotmail.com

LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA

FULLY FURNISHED 1-BED

53’ SAILING YACHT, LANGKAWI & THAILAND

Smart apartment on a high floor with sea view.

Close to pier & DB Plaza. Available fully furnished.

Call Tiareti on 9732 8985

Stunning 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom sailing yacht in a Langkawi marina, for overnight stay or private charter around Langkawi and Southern Thailand. For details, contact 9732 2544, garry@saffron-marina.com

Stunning cliff-top 2-bedroom beach cottage offering uninterrupted 180 degree views of the Pacific Ocean, just a 5-minute walk to Laguna Beach. For more information, contact 9732 2544, garry@saffron-marina.com

LUXURY 2-BED Newly renovated, 2-bed flat with balcony.

Luxuriously furnished, with TV, cable & broadband. Panoramic harbour views & short walk to pier. Contact Charles on 6140 7971, charles@headlandhomes.hk. Contact Katie on 9150 7319, katie@headlandhomes.hk

SLEEPS 4 Bright, fully furnished flat, sleeps 4. Fully equipped kitchen, plus wi-fi & broadband.

Towels & linens provided. Minimum stay 1 month. Email dbstay4@yahoo.com

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May 2016

AUSTRALIAN PROPERTY Everything you need to know about buying a property in Australia. Information on property markets, taxation, finance, migration & legal.

Free online at www.aussieproperty.com

PHUKET VILLA Deluxe, spacious 4-bedroom villa, with ensuite bathrooms & private pool.

Wireless internet access, sala, bar & BBQ area.

Fully equipped kitchen with laundry area.

Close to Laguna. Contact Roenel on 9050 4772, atsea@netvigator.com

BEEF JERKY, BEEF BILTONG & PORK CRACKLING

HIGH PROTEIN SNACKS WITH NO ADDED MSG

Perfect for sharing & enjoying together T: +852 6647 2292 E: gillian@gmtfoodshk.com W: gmtfoodshk.com

/gmtfoods

@gillian_GMT

THE RED LANTERN

Genuine antiques, small pieces of delightful furniture from the late ‘Ching Dynasty’

Six minutes walk from the Mui Wo ferry to the direction of the Silvermine Beach Hotel.

TEL: 2984 0099 FAX: 2980 4833 EMAIL: glandam@netvigator.com

Small shipping needs?

We offer air and sea shipments all over the world for small volumes.

E: info@baggagexs.com C: (852) 3167 4000 W: www.baggagexs.com

Add your business for FREE @ www.arounddb.com TUNG CHUNG

SOUTH LANTAU

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

FTC Apparel

FOOD, RESTAURANTS & BARS

2428 2566 FOOD, RESTAURANTS & BARS

Airport Izakaya Andante Bistro Delifrance Café Aficionado Chef’s Choice China Coast Bar & Grill Deli Viet Erawan Essence Federal Palace Restaurant Kimos Mansarover Indian Cuisine McDonald’s Delivery Moccato Olea Pizza Hut Regala Café & Dessert Bar Resto Rouge Skycity Bistro Spaghetti House Starz Wine Bar Zentro Garden

2286 6668 3602 8828 2109 4187 2286 6238 6504 4208 2286 6898 2109 0036 3760 6633 3602 8808 2626 0181 2886 3646 2109 1927 2338 2338 3602 8838 3602 8818 2330 0000 2286 6618 2886 3156 2286 6868 3969 1888 2109 1297 2109 0612 2802 8000 HEALTH & WELLBEING

Asian Hairdressers Bayside Dental Essential Health Family Clinic Human Health Medical Centre Tung Chung Animal Clinic Tung Chung Vet Centre Tung Chung Maternal & Child Health Centre Quality Health Dental Quality Health Medical Raffles Medical

3147 4088 2185 6550 2109 9396 2109 2288 2988 1534 2328 7282 3575 8370 2403 6613 2403 6623 2261 2626

Bahce - Turkish Restaurant Café Bar Caffe Paradiso (Tom’s Café) China Bear Como Lake Deer Horn Restaurant & Bar High Tide Restaurant La Pizzeria Lantana Italian Bistro Mavericks Restaurant Tak Chai Kee Seafood The Beach House The China Beach Club The Gallery The Kitchen

Dalcroze Impact Fitness Jill Marshall Pilates South Lantau Paddle Club Tony’s Salon Treasure Island

HOTELS

HOME & REPAIRS

Findley Leung Group Koon Wah Hardware Lee Wo Construction Engineering Man Shun Construction & Engineering New Look Design

3969 1888 3602 8888 2286 8888

Mui Wo Inn Silvermine Beach Resort Tai O Heritage Hotel

9021 1502 2987 8070 2162 5538 6273 7347 6674 6194 2611 9193 9045 2914 2420 1068 2109 3873 6341 3989 2109 4962 2988 8123 2385 9677 2109 9277 2179 6678 9264 8597 6688 2167 2786 9699 9662 1747 6443 6597 3473 8700 5400 4109 2403 6770

UTILITY, SERVICES & EMERGENCY HOTLINES

Tung Chung Ambulance Depot Tung Chung Fire Station Tung Chung Police Station

2984 7225 6810 0111 2985 8383

DEI Kindergarten Lantau International Kindergarten Lantau International School Lao Shi Lantau Mandarin lessons Little Lantau Montessori Kindergarten Mui Wo Owls School & Kindergarten The Story Studio

2109 9886 2984 0302 2980 3676 5197 4647 3689 6709 2984 0006 6341 3989

PROPERTY AGENCIES

SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT

Asia Pacific Soccer Schools Caribbean Coast Club House Coastal Skyline Club House Dance for Joy Edge’n Pointe Dance Centre Epic MMA Jumping Castles Perun Fitness Seaview Crescent Club House Smash Cricket Tung Chung Crescent Club House

2984 8334 2984 8487 2984 1802 2984 9833 9783 5840 HOTELS

LEARNING CENTRES

Clement Art School Discovery Mind International Play Centre Greenfield International Kindergarten Kidznjoy Sakura Kids Salala Kids House Soundwaves English Education Centre Sun Island Education Foundation Sunshine House International Preschool The Story Studio Tung Chung Catholic School (Yat Tung) YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College

6627 4806 6385 0304 9708 0187 9688 9112 2984 0990 2546 3543

LEARNING CENTRES

2421 8088 2109 2330 2988 1488

Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel Novotel Citygate Hong Kong Regal Airport Hotel

2984 0222 2984 0498 2984 9720 2984 0009 3484 3095 2980 3002 2984 8933 5465 5511 5662 8552 2984 1265 2504 4788 2983 8931 2980 2582 5991 6292

HEALTH & WELLBEING

HOME & REPAIRS

Akash Removals Mega Power Engineering/Locksmiths Shun Yu Engineering

LANTAU NUMBERS

2988 8282 2988 8733 3661 1694

Findley Leung Real Estate Home Solutions Real Estate Proper Trip Real Estate

2984 8334 3483 5003 2984 1666 RETAIL

Bikes Mui Wo BMX Shop Friendly Bike Shop Lantau Base Camp Quay House Red Hall Chinese Antiques The Red Lantern ZenvarA

2134 1234 2984 2278 5463 6060 2882 8710 2988 1368 2984 0099 9586 3459 SERVICES & OTHERS

Jumping Castles SPCA Phoenix Wills Suzanne Goodwin Photography Thai Palin Massage Twig (Design Studio)

6108 3400 2984 0060 6108 8471 9025 3949 3114 0030 6351 8923 TRANSPORTATION

Lee Hing Loong Hon Kee Transportation Company Lantau Tours New Lantau Bus Company

2984 2268 2984 8494 2984 8255 2984 9848

Add your business for FREE @ www.arounddb.com

DB NUMBERS

Bayside Dental Practice, North Plaza BMSE, North Plaza Catholic Church (Trinity Chapel) DB Alliance Church Community Centre DB International Community Church Discovery Bay Medical Centre Health & Care Dental Clinic Herbal Health Cares IMI (Natural Medicine Clinic), North Plaza Island Health Island Veterinary Services The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints The Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council, North Plaza

2987 0855 2259 3422 2987 9909 2987 8136 2987 7061 2987 5633 2666 6183 2834 7276 2537 1087 2987 7575 2987 9003 9879 0469 2259 3422

Apple Travel

Playtime Kids DB Playgroup run by Montessori-trained teacher. From 6 months to 4 years. 2623 4099; 9054 0565 playtimekidsdb@yahoo.com, www.playtimekidsdb.com

Positive Steps

2812 2660 3480 1348 2987 8460 2987 2098

DAILY NECESSITIES 7-Eleven Convenience Store Fusion by PARKnSHOP Just Green Watson’s Pharmacy Wellcome, North Plaza

2987 4401 2987 7486 2448 1180 2987 4089 2947 9092

FINANCIAL SERVICES Bank of China HSBC Luen Fat Securities Co. Ltd

2160 6556 2233 3000 2987 1851

The Best Travel Agency in DB 2987 2626 cas@appletravel.com

Harvey Law Group

6341 5764, www.positivestepsplaygroup.com positivestepsplaygroup@gmail.com

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES BtoKidz, North Plaza Little Whale, North Plaza Nomadic Start-rite

OTHER SERVICES

LEARNING CENTRES

COMMUNITY & HEALTH

International Canadian Law Firm in DB North Plaza offering you customised legal services on the many aspects of your personal and professional life 2116 1333 www.harveylawcorporation.com

Tree of Joy

PetcoDB

A playgroup offering a variety of fun classes to children from 14months to 3years+ under a nurturing and enriching environment.

9787 2755, info@treeofjoydb.com www.treeofjoydb.com

Grooming & Pet Services With Trust, Love & Safe Care For the ones you love 2914 0382 info@petcoDB.com www.petcoDB.com

Let us take the stress out of homework Homework Club and Private Tutoring, conveniently located. 9522 3297 info@wiseowl.com.hk www.wiseowl.com.hk

Gillian florist, North Plaza Mypetshop, North Plaza Pets Gallery The Optical House Well Supreme Laundry Services

2529 8256 2987 8873 2987 0428 2987 1368 2987 5151

PROPERTY LISTINGS & BOATS

HOME Good Luck Engineering Hoi Yu Transportation Hung Kee Co Interior 18 Japan Home Centre May’s furniture & curtain design Next Furniture Rapee-living Rich Point Hardware Materials Tactful Design & Build Tai Fat Hardware Store Wing On Department Store Yours Electrical Centre

2987 1313 2987 4488 2987 5087 2987 7803 2987 1041 2987 0222 2987 0222 2987 7082 2987 0789 2886 8555 2987 0789 2987 9268 2987 4428

LEARNING CENTRES

Musical Drama – Acting – Musical Theatre Tues & Wed classes at Discovery College 4 to 12 yrs - 2 fully costumed performances a year 8122 9475 admin@actingantics.com www.actingantics.com

Future Stars Dance Academy

Dance classes based on the ISTD requirements conducted in a fun, disciplined and safe environment.

2987 6867 melissa@futurestarsdanceacademy.com

Island Dance A dance school offering ISTD Freestyle, Hip Hop & Tap & RAD Ballet classes from Monday to Saturday at DBRC & Club Siena. All ages welcome.

2987 1571 www.islanddance.com.hk

Little Explorers A drop-off playgroup for ages 18 months upward. Your child will have heaps of fun and make lots of new friends.

9327 0507

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May 2016

Woodentots is a Montessori playgroup providing a caring and nurturing environment in the Plaza. Run by a qualified Montessori teacher for children aged 2 1/2 - 5 years.

6108 9131 woodentotsdb@gmail.com Art is a Verb, North Plaza Bayview House of Children DB International School (Kindergarten) DB International School (Pri / Sec) Discovery College Discovery Mind International Play Centre Discovery Mind Kindergarten Discovery Mind Primary School, North Plaza Discovery Montessori School, North Plaza DMR School of Ballet Early Adventures Playgroup Eye Level Centre Funfit HK International Learning Academy, North Plaza Kumon, North Plaza L’Ecole Française de Discovery, North Plaza Links Parenting, North Plaza Little Explorers English For Kids Mandarin for Munchkins, North Plaza SKH Wei Lun Primary School Sunshine House Int’l Pre-School Sunshine House Kindergarten, North Plaza Treasure House

2682 8099 6114 2436 2914 2142 2987 7331 3969 1000 2987 8028 2987 8088 2914 2202 2987 1201 2987 4338 2987 9644 9366 0000 6302 6327 2416 3088 2459 8808 8191 0813 6114 2436 9327 0507 2480 3909 2987 8608 2987 8143 2987 8143 2987 4217

MULTIMEDIA Bookazine, North Plaza Dymocks & Gallery Fotomax (F.E.) Ltd Fun to Read, North Plaza Pen’n Paper P-Solution

Please explore the website, or call Michèle to see any of the listings. +852 60550146 www.HKBoatsandHomes.com

Lifestyle Homes & Boats 2914 0888 info@lifestylehomes.com.hk www.lifestylehomes.com.hk Centaline Property Agency EPS Property Consultants Headland Homes Kingsland DB Land Master Property Savills Hong Kong

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FOOD & BEVERAGE, HOTELS 2987 1373 2914 2133 2914 2378 3105 3588 2987 8898 2987 1777

Around DB’s June 2016 issue is coming out

June 1

AQUABLU

Boat/ Yacht Sales & Brokerage - Berths/ Debentures - Marine Insurance - Marine Problems/ Resolution 6017 7802 Oceanblu@netvigator.com

22º North Auberge Discovery Bay (Hotel), North Plaza Berliner Café Duvet Café Pascucci Caramba Mexican Cantina Chef’s Choice, North Plaza Ebeneezer’s Figos Seaside Café First Korean Restaurant Fresh Fruit Juice Paradise Hemingway’s by the Bay il Bel Paese Island Café Jaspa’s, North Plaza

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Add your business for FREE @ www.arounddb.com FOOD & BEVERAGE, HOTELS

SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT

Kiraku Tei

2987 2886

Koh Tomyums

2987 0767

Sportsmanship

La Création Bakery

2987 1829

McSorley’s Ale House

2987 8280

Mirch Masala, North Plaza

2987 1337

Moofish, North Plaza

2987 6318

Nevale Kitchen, North Plaza

2172 7099

Gymnastics Programs, Health Consultancy, Weight Management & Nutritional Supplements 2870 3524 www.sportsmanship.usana.com

Pacific Coffee

2987 1662

Paisano’s, North Plaza

2673 4445

Peony Chinese Restaurant

2500 1950

Salt & Pepper

2336 8001

Solera

2555 0772

Subway

2914 0005

Super Super

2914 1308

The Venue Brazil Churrascaria & Bar

2777 8411

Uncle Russ, DB Plaza

2682 0068

Uncle Russ, North Plaza

2682 8110

Zaks

2987 6232

The HIT Room Bodypump, Grit Strength, Boxing, Core, TRX, High Intensity Training.

Located at North Plaza 6621 7410 www.thehitroom.com.hk info@thehitroom.com.hk

Vikings Football Club Professional Soccer Coaching From ages 18 months to 12 years Tel: 9533 2600 vikingshk@outlook.com www.vikings.hk

SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT

CAISSA Chess Club HK The Club gets together at the DB North Plaza Community Center 9681 2896 contact@caissahk.com www.caissahk.com

Action X, North Plaza Club Siena DBees Ice Hockey DB Pirates Ltd. Discovery Bay Marina Club Discovery Bay Golf Club Discovery Bay Recreation Club GigaSports

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TOYS & KIDS’ PARTIES

King’s Chinese Chess Academy

Offering Chinese Chess tutorials for adults and children chinesechessprofessional@gmail.com 6093 1590 www.chinesechessprofessional.com

Discovery Bay Cricket Club An internationally acclaimed club which provides a structure under which players, regardless of age or ability, can thrive.

Tel: 9011 1319 www.dbcricketclub.com

HK Dragons Football Club Football for 2.5- to 14- year old girls and boys 2987 4274 www.dragons.hk

Embody Classical Pilates, Yoga and more!

6624 8712 susan@embody.hk www.embody.hk

Babyland Bo Bo House Epicland Toysland

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TRANSPORT SERVICES

Limousine Rental

Limo service in HK & China • pick up from / to DB Tunnel • direct transfer to SZ / GZ Airport 5303 3489 / 9654 0899 limo9689@gmail.com ACCESSDB Rehabus DB Golf Cart Services DB Transit Services DB Transportation Services

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DB NUMBERS

TRANSPORT SERVICES Hire Car Bookings Passenger Telephone Hotline VIP Logistic Services Wiselink Golf Cart Services

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UTILITIES, SERVICES & EMERGENCY HOTLINES 24-hour Customer Service Hotline China Light & Power Emergency China Light & Power Information Line Discovery Bay Commercial Services Discovery Bay Fire & Ambulance Discovery Bay Management Discovery Bay Office Centre Discovery Bay Police Discovery Bay Post Office Gas Leakage Emergency Hotline Lantau North Report Room North Lantau Hospital San Hing Gas Co Typhoon Signal Enquiries Water Fault Reports Water Supplies Department

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WELLBEING

My Health Coach Lulu Improve your life balance through health and self awareness. I am able to offer a bespoke program just for you.

9154 1570 lulu@myhealthcoachlulu.com www.myhealthcoachlulu.com

M Spa Provides door-to-door treatment service. Conveniently located in the Plaza. Reflexology, massage, pedicure/manicure.

2987 0614

Nailed It Professional artificial nail services in DB 2987 2266 Afflatus Hair Workshop, North Plaza Maximum Care Salon De Coiffure Sense of Touch Spa Siena

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View the business directory

Junior Cricket Academy Cricket for 3.5 to 15 year old girls and boys Tel: 9011 1319 www.dbcricketclub.com

Movement Improvement Specialized training in Pilates, Yoga, TRX, Spinning, Circuits and Personal training. The complete solution on your doorstep at DB North Plaza 2987 5852 www.movementimprovement.com.hk

@ www.arounddb.com May 2016

79

OUT THERE

T

he fitness treadmill is a metaphor for life: desperate forward movement, but really going nowhere. We imagine we’re making progress on a dumb machine that clearly represents the rat race. But that being said, like many in DB, I’m a total gym rat. I’m hooked so bad that I often find myself performing perilous contortions on some implausible contraption before I’m even aware I’m in the fitness room – itself a term that often belies the state of play.

In health centres the world over, people shamble around, like the homeless in a shopping mall, imagining they’re accumulating muscle tone and aerobic health by osmosis. It puts me in mind of sauna freaks, who believe boiling yourself the shade of raw pork substitutes for a vigorous clash with a StairMaster.

Going to the gym can be an equally delusional activity for a certain type of high-end punter. I refer to my gym in a posh part of Hong Kong Island surrounded by the planet’s priciest real estate and home to folk for whom the cost of a designer trainer looks as cheap as my mini-bus fare to get there. Their objective is anything but exercise. They get a workout without the work, while maintaining an exhausting conversation with an instructor of saintly patience born of an eye to the bottom line.

Illustration courtesy of www.uhs.hku.hk

The definition of insanity

80

While my own exertions aren’t as exhausting as DB’s Lycra-clad hill runners and cyclists, I do get to believe I’m fitter than Federer. Pain and gain have become pain and pain, with muscles I never knew I had screaming surrender, and leading me to this existential question: If I didn’t know they existed, why did I bother discovering them? Worse, I’m hell bent on discovering them – painfully – six times a week, reinforcing Einstein’s definition of insanity: Doing something over and over and expecting a different result.

CRAZY FITNESS While admitting he’s a gym rat, Peter Sherwood discusses pain, gain and the insane

Then there’s stretching, a tedious activity I compare to lounging around sans vin rouge, while appearing laboriously engaged. It looks easy if pointless, and it at least puts me in a position to nod off if the mood takes me. But muscles extended beyond their habitual range will rebel – in the form of crippling agony – and demand a 24-hour break, after which aficionados insist the process be repeated. This not unnaturally has

We fitness fanatics insist that after a certain point ‘the body demands it’, which makes as much sense as needing to be thrown regularly under a tram; as if some alien force drags us daily into a state of hypnotic masochism.

Anyway, if it’s an addiction, it’s an improvement on the Smartphone.

Peter Sherwood has lived in DB for 17 years. The former head of an international public relations firm, Peter is the author of 15 books and he has written around 400 satirical columns for the South China Morning Post.

Find more from Peter May 2016

led me to inquire why I’m doing it at all. Back to Einstein – and me trying to prove him wrong.

@ www.arounddb.com