Around DB April 2020

#DealingWithIt in DB Life in the time of corona:

lessons learnt?

Boarding school options

in New Zealand Armchair travel:

Istanbul

Easter celebration:

Crafty ways with eggs

Pink Tiger Media CEO

Raewyn McBain

discusses the power of advertising and of feng shui

ISLAND-WIDE EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS * THOUGHTS ON ISLAND LIFE

FREE APRIL 2020

CONTENTS

Join your community online

April 2020

PROFILE - 16 CEO of Pink Tiger Media Raewyn McBain

IN FOCUS - 20 Life in the time of corona

EDUCATION - 28 Boarding school options in NZ

ESCAPES - 34 Armchair travel: Istanbul

20

RECIPES - 38 Crafty ideas for Easter eggs

REGULARS

AGENDA

14

SPOTLIGHT Yana Fortep

04

DB EVENTS

25

Q&A Relationship advice

12

GIVEAWAYS

43

WISH LIST April must-haves

45

CLASSIFIEDS

For graphic design, email philip@baymedia.com.hk

44

DB FACES In and around the plaza

46

PROPERTY

Call 2987 0577/ 2787 0886 Fax 2987 0533

52

OUT THERE Peter Sherwood talks back

48

LOCAL NUMBERS

If you have a story idea, email rachel@baymedia.com.hk To publicise a local event, email elizabeth@baymedia.com.hk For general enquiries, email info@baymedia.com.hk To advertise, email philip@baymedia.com.hk

ON THE COVER #DealingWithIt in DB: Around DB’s Alexander Grasic in the plaza

We also publish…

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YOUR GUIDE TO HONG KONG’S ‘GREEN JEWEL’

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lessons learnt?

#DealingWithIt in Lantau

FREE YOURSELF OF COVID-19 FEARS

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To read the cover story turn to page 20

Life in the time of corona:

IN

#DealingWithIt in DB

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April/ May 2020

2019 / 2020

HIKE THE DOG’S TEETH RIDGES STAY HOME AND COOK HEALTHY MAXIMISE KIDS’ HOME-STUDY TIME

Boarding school options

in New Zealand Armchair travel:

Istanbul

Easter celebration:

Crafty ways with eggs

KITESURFING FOR A CLEANER OCEAN… MEET TONG FUK’S HILLIAN SIU

Pink Tiger Media CEO

Raewyn McBain

discusses the power of advertising and of feng shui

ISLAND-WIDE EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS * THOUGHTS ON ISLAND LIFE

FREE APRIL 2020

Photo by Baljit Gidwani www.evoqueportraits.com

WIN!

A Hong Kong Trail Map and a place on a Treasure Island Spring Adventure Camp

FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF NEWS & EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS * THOUGHTS ON ISLAND LIFE

Publishers in Lantau since 2002

FOOD & DRINK • LIVING • PETS • SPORTS • PASTIMES • EDUCATION • HEALTH • BEAUTY • SERVICES • TRAVEL & EXCURSIONS • COMMUNITY

www.arounddb.com Publishers in Lantau since 2002

PUBLISHER Philip Jay philip@baymedia.com.hk MANAGING EDITOR Rachel Ainsley rachel@baymedia.com.hk PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Elizabeth Jerabek elizabeth@baymedia.com.hk ART DIRECTION Terry Chow terry@baymedia.com.hk GRAPHIC DESIGNER Duey Tam duey@baymedia.com.hk DIGITAL & EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Alexander Grasic alexander@baymedia.com.hk OFFICE MANAGER Nikki-Ann Yee nikki@baymedia.com.hk PHOTOGRAPHERS Baljit Gidwani www.evoqueportraits.com Col Sim www.colsimphotography.com CONTRIBUTORS Sam Fisher Aude Garderet Elizabeth Kerr Peter Sherwood Bruce Taylor Dorothy Veitch PRINTING Champion Design & Production Co. Ltd Flat C & D 9/F Sing Teck Factory Bldg 44 Wong Chuk Hang Rd Hong Kong

DISCLAIMER The views expressed in AroundDB 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.

© BAY MEDIA GROUP LTD

Photos by Col Sim & Bridget Karen Lim

EVERESTING FOR AUSTRALIA CHALLENGE

To raise funds for and awareness of the wildfires in Australia, Brett Hiller, a Forward Motion tennis coach and co-founder of the The Running Klub.Com, took on the Everesting for Australia Challenge on February 15. His goal was to complete 51 laps of DB’s 1.74-kilometre golf course hill in a 24-hour period. Unfortunately, due to poor weather conditions and visibility, and an unforeseen back injury, Brett was forced to stop after 12 hours. Community members pitched in on February 23 to help Brett complete the challenge.

s t n e v e y t i rece nt c om m u n

THE HOTTEST

IN DISCOVERY BAY

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

The 2020 campaign for International Women’s Day on March 8 was #EachforEqual – an equal world is an enabled world. In honour of the day and the campaign, we asked Baljit Gidwani to photograph inspiring DB women out and about in the plaza.

www.evoqueportraits.com

www.arounddb.com April 2020

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DB EVENTS

CLEANING OUR BEACHES

Residents got together to clean-up Sam Pak Wan on March 8, and again on March 14, on Tai Pak Wan, to take part in the Great Nurdle Hunt. Both events were hosted by Plastic Free Seas.

www.evoqueportraits.com

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April 2020 www.arounddb.com

www.arounddb.com April 2020

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DB EVENTS

FIGHT FOR FINN FUN DAY

On March 14, Treasure Island Group hosted a fundraiser for Finn Harper, a local schoolboy who is undergoing cancer treatment. The well-attended event included a fun run and barbecue on Pui O beach, plus a raffle and quiznight challenge. To contribute to Finn’s ongoing medical treatment, visit www.gogetfunding.com/fight-for-finn-2.

Photos by Duey Tam

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April 2020 www.arounddb.com

SPONSORED CONTENT

CAMP APA:

Developing children’s personal and social skills through adventure-based youth programmes

H

anging off a cliff high above the waves can be a little daunting even with a harness, rope and qualified instructor.

Having your friends there, shouting encouragement from above, tends to help. Even with that support though, finding the courage to go over the edge can be a powerful moment in someone’s life.

Camp APA strives to use moments like these to help young people develop both personally and socially.

Photos courtesy of Asia Pacific Adventure

Ryan S. Blair, a Director and Cofounder of Asia Pacific Adventure, the company operating Camp APA, believes that outdoor experiences shared with peers can help young people learn and practice skills that will last a lifetime.

“It’s about exploration and new experiences,” says Ryan. “It doesn’t matter if you’re hanging from a cliff, learning to stand-up paddleboard, or making new friends while playing games on the beach, each new experience brings with it the opportunity to learn something.”

Camp APA draws from Asia Pacific Adventure’s 20 years of experience operating youth experiential education programmes in Hong Kong and throughout Asia.

Whether it’s kayaking in Sai Kung or hiking through Mongolia, one of the most common impacts on students is how they improve in relating to and working with others.

By meeting new people, working together and overcoming personal challenges, students develop confidence, and leadership and communication skills.

It’s also important for Camp APA to recognise that as children grow, the way they interact with others and the world around them changes.

To reflect this, each of Camp APA’s three core programmes – Explorer (ages 7-9), Adventurer (ages 10-12), and Navigator (ages 13-15) – are designed to focus on the needs of a specific age group.

With the youngest age group, the Explorer programme aims to encourage children’s curiosity through immersion in nature. The Adventurer programme focuses on developing physical, personal and social skills. The Navigator programme recognises the growing independence of teenagers and so offers opportunities for them to take higher levels of responsibility and leadership.

As the activities in each programme progress from year to year, children can finish their last summer in the Navigator programme at age 15 having experienced nine years of unique summer programmes.

Overall, the main ingredient that makes Camp APA meaningful is how much fun it is to meet new people, learn new skills and explore new places. After all, once you’ve spent a day with your new friends, cracking jokes while paddling around spectacular islands or hanging off the side of a cliff, it’s safe to say you’ll have had at least a little fun.

FIND IT • Asia Pacific Adventure, asiapacificadventure.com/campapa Camp APA programmes run in July and August

www.arounddb.com April 2020

9

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YOUR GUIDE

L A I T N E S S E E O T HCOMMUNITY EVENTS TUPCOMING NEW in DB

AUBERGE TAKEOUT

www.aubergediscoverybay.com

Enjoy a 20% discount and a waiver of the 10% service charge on pickup takeaway orders from Café bord de Mer & Lounge. The menu includes cheeseburger and chips, curry beef brisket with rice, and Singaporean-style fried rice vermicelli. To order for pick-up, call 2295 8299.

COMPETITION WINNERS COLOURS OF CHINESE NEW YEAR

GALLERY JEEUM

Photo courtesy of Gallery Jeeum

Gallery Jeeum, which was founded in 2014 in Seoul, has opened a new branch in DB North Plaza. The gallery represents contemporary artists from around the world. For more information and to subscribe, visit www.instagram.com/jeeumgallery.

LANTAU HIGHLIGHTS CAMPING AND CABANAS

DB EVENTS

Picture by Zac Bowers

DB primary school students were tasked with creating the perfect picture to celebrate the Lunar New Year in the Colours of Chinese New Year drawing competition.

Turn to page 13 to check out the prizewinning entries, which were selected by popular vote from March 5 to 13 on the Around DB Facebook page.

ATTEND A TALK ON HAIR HEALTH at Zak’s on April 2

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN RACE

at 7pm. RSVP Koren Thomas at korenthomas555@me.com

ADOPT A PET through Hong Kong Paws Foundation (PAWS) in DB Plaza on April 18 and 25 from 2pm to 6pm.

Call Kat Cheung on 9485 5188.

JOIN A BEACH CLEAN-UP at

Nim Shue Wan on April 4 with Plastic Free Seas from 9am to 11am. Visit plasticfreeseas.org.

BRING YOUR DISPOSABLE COFFEE CUPS (AND LIDS), DRINK CARTONS and polystyrene

www.treasureislandhk.com

Treasure Island Group (TIG) tents and cabanas are available for rent in Pui O. Book any two-days/ one-night combination over the Easter weekend and you get to join TIG’s morning activity sessions and enjoy free afternoon rentals of kayaks, bodyboards, surfboards and stand-up paddleboards.

For more information and to book, visit www.treasureislandhk.com/bookings/ easter-weekend-staycation-camp.

Photo by Lucien Chan

Hit the trails on April 18 and compete in the fifth 30-kilometre Country of Origin race around Lantau. With checkpoints at Nam Shan, Pak Mong and DB, team members – all of the same nationality – must start, run and finish the race together. For more information, visit www.country of origin.asia.

(food containers, packaging and fruit nets) to be collected for recycling at the waterfront side of Hemingway’s on April 19 from 9am to 11am. Visit the DB Green Facebook page.

HELP YOUR HELPER! Enrich

HK workshops equip helpers with the tools to save, budget and plan for a future with greater financial security.

Visit www.enrichhk.org.

www.arounddb.com April 2020

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GIVEAWAYS

HERE’S YOUR CHANCE TO WIN PRIZES! Around DB prizes are incredibly easy to get your hands on, and you have until the 10th of the month to apply. Scan the QR code, or go to www.arounddb.com/giveaways, select the giveaway you want, and enter your details into the online form

WIN OLIVE OIL AND BAKLAWA FROM ZEITOUNA OLIVE OIL Zeitouna Olive Oil is offering two readers a 500ml bottle of Lebanese premium extra-virgin olive oil (worth HK$136) and a nine-piece box of Lebanese Baklawa (worth HK$117).

www.zeitounaoliveoil.com

Zeitouna Olive Oil is a home-grown Lebanese brand, importing natural extra-virgin olive oil from a single region in North Lebanon.

Each olive is handpicked and cold-pressed within hours. The olive oil is additive-free, ISO certified and SGS HK-tested; there is no mixing, blending or processing. Zeitouna also specialises in hand-crafted olive-wood kitchenware and utensils, and traditional Lebanese Baklawa, which is flown in fresh weekly. Find out more at www.zeitounaoliveoil.com.

Congratulations to last month’s winners Joyce Tan, Richard Crosbie and Clemence Bureau for a gift set of

two hand-poured soy-wax candles from Red Velvet Designs; and Eric Lau for a place on a Treasure Island Spring Adventure Camp

THE COLOURS OF CHINESE NEW YEAR

Drawing Competition ER!

The Colours of Chinese New Year drawing competition, the third of its kind in DB, has been a great success, with dozens of entries from DB primary school students, and online voting reaching over 3,000 likes.

N N I W

Zac Bowers (Age 7)

Hong Kong International Learning Academy

1st runner-up

2nd runner-up

Congratulations go to first-prize winner Zac Bowers, age 7 Hong Kong International Learning Academy; first runner-up Pika Kosi, Year 4 Discovery Bay International School; and second runnerup Kiona McKnight, Year 4 Discovery Bay International School. An additional shout-out goes to the three students awarded with merits: Marcus Wai, Year 6 Discovery College; Jean-Mark Fugier, Year 3 Discovery Mind Primary School; and Catherine Fugier, Year 3 Discovery Mind Primary School.

Zac will receive HK$2,500 in vouchers to spend in DB stores. Pika and Kiona will receive HK$1,500 and HK$800 in vouchers, and Marcus, Jean-Mark and Catherine will each receive HK$400 in vouchers.

Love.Together@DB, the community caring platform initiated by Hong Kong Resort Company Ltd, would like to thank all the students and voters who took part in this year’s Colours of Chinese New Year drawing competition.

Pika Kosi (Y4)

Discovery Bay International School

Kiona McKnight (Y4)

Discovery Bay International School

MERIT AWARDS

Marcus Wai (Y6)

Discovery College

The organiser has the discretion to use the designs for promotion purposes and reserves the right of the final decision in the event of any disputes.

Terms and conditions apply.

Jean-Mark Fugier (Y3)

Discovery Mind Primary School

Catherine Fugier (Y3)

Discovery Mind Primary School

SPOTLIGHT

DB’s got talent Singer, yoga teacher and short filmmaker: Yana Fortep talks to Alexander Grasic about the importance of self-love and how performance has the power to heal

Photo by Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com

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14

ow did you end up in Hong Kong? That’s a big question; I have

to go back in time a bit. Before I moved here, I was an established jazz and electronic dance music singer in Russia. I grew up in Petrozavodsk, which is quite a big artistic city, before moving to St Petersburg when I was 20. I wanted to be a star and I was quite successful: I had releases on major international music labels like Hedkandi, Clubstar and Seamless Recordings; I made a vinyl record and toured across Europe.

I was at the peak of my career, but I realised I had no family, no love. Fans don’t replace normal human relationships. So, I moved to Hong Kong because of love. I got married, gave birth to a beautiful son here and now my life has changed completely. How has your music reflected this change? The songs I have created recently (yanafortep.com/ new-blog) are about spiritual growth. Once I had my son in 2014, I really began to discover my spiritual side through things like Kundalini yoga, Reiki and crystal healing. It’s You, for example, is about connecting with yourself – with the real you, who doesn’t hide behind a mask. It’s about the importance of self-love. I shot the music video in DB with the help of Camilla Warburton. I got my spiritual sisters together on Sam Pak Wan and we had a great time; we really shared the love. One of my aims is to help people achieve happiness through art. So, your music has a message? Now more than ever, I’m trying to spread a message of self-love. I’m not talking about vanity or egotism; I want people to learn to accept and be compassionate towards themselves. Even my fun music is about self-love, as is my documentary and what I teach in yoga. I’ve gone from being a club diva to a ‘shamanic mum,’ and what’s important is self-acceptance.

Somewhere along the line, I made up my mind to accept my many interests and simply allow myself to be. Tell me more about your documentary. Love is Inside is about my good friend Syv Bruzeau, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2009. She reveals that over the years she had lost herself and that the cancer was her body’s way of telling her that. Through meditation and Butoh, an introspective postmodern performance art, she went on a painful but ultimately life-saving journey to find herself again. She healed herself using art therapy and natural methods and by feeling unconditional love.

I thought it was an important story to tell because she talks about her pain, but she also speaks of universal pain, and how to overcome it. Safe to say it’s a passion project. Love is Inside is my first complete work where I am director, composer, camera operator and editor. I needed some help with the technical stuff, graphic design and translations but I did all the editing myself on iMovie. I created some new songs, and when I dug up some old tunes, that I hadn’t done much with, I found they fit perfectly. The universe gives us everything we need if we are on the right path. So, what’s next?

My current project, Art by Everyone, which I debuted at an art therapy conference in Beijing last November, involves singing interactively with the audience using different voice lines, claps and snaps.

Together, we can create a beautiful harmony. People love to sing. I can help them. I teach vocals in a studio and I also lead Kundalini yoga sessions on Tai Pak Wan. We do a lot of meditative mantra singing. Come join us!

April 2020 www.arounddb.com

PROFILE

Photos courtesy of Raewyn McBain

Hear me roar!

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Connecting over the phone with three-year DB resident Raewyn McBain, Elizabeth Kerr discovers that the inspirational CEO of Pink Tiger Media is also a dab hand at feng shui

April 2020 www.arounddb.com

“A

ttention to detail is incredibly important to me,” says Raewyn McBain, on the phone from Penang where she’s currently holed up with her daughter Vanessa. No, she’s not hiding from COVID-19 (you can’t) but with Pink Tiger Media’s Global Development Centre in the city, it was an easy enough decision to stay after the Lunar New Year holiday, and after all the schools in Hong Kong shut down. It means her husband, John, has to commute from DB every week, but that’s life for the foreseeable future.

Raewyn, though, is clearly not the type who would be swayed from a face-to-face meeting in the plaza were she in town. That much is obvious, even across a telephone line. She’s not reckless but she’s obviously fearless, and unlike too many women she’s unafraid to detail her accomplishments. If a man did it, we wouldn’t even be mentioning it. She’s not arrogant, just factual.

“In terms of who and what I am, I think there’s a strong interaction between my business, my personality, my position as a woman CEO and my interest in Chinese metaphysics. It’s created an expressive person,” Raewyn says. “I am driven and passionate about both my personal and work life. I love how Benjamin Franklin phrases it: ‘It is the working man who is the happy man. It is the idle man who is the miserable man.’”

Tiger lady A native New Zealander, born in the wine country (Hawke’s Bay), Raewyn moved first to New York for two years, before heading to London during its 1980s’ heyday. She lived there for 12 years, working as a journalist for Dow Jones, an experience she remembers vividly.

“What I went through in the late ’80s and early ’90s, well no one can wind me up now,” she scoffs of the days of the so-called long lunch. Sexism was (more) rampant, and degrading nicknames were par for the course. It was a lifetime before the advent of movements like #Time’sUp. “I remember once having a job interview for a major multinational and my headhunter said, ‘Raewyn, you’ve worn trousers to your two interviews. Maybe if you wore a dress?’ You couldn’t get away with that today. And those trousers were Giorgio Armani!”

Needless to say, Raewyn wore trousers to work at Dow Jones, and she’s already preparing fiveyear-old Vanessa to wear them in her future career. International Women’s Day is an important date on the family’s calendar.

Raewyn founded Pink Tiger Media in 1996, while still in London. Hong Kong became head office in 1998 when husband John visited to complete a two-week project, and couldn’t bring himself to leave.

Feng Shui Practitioner “I arrived in Asia and basically fell in love with it,” Raewyn recalls.

“When I was moving out here, people asked me what I was going to do. I made a flip remark about studying feng shui, making light.

But when I got here and fell in love with the place – the culture, the energy, the dim sum; it just worked. It’s my favourite city in the world. What’s interesting now is that having studied feng shui, and gotten past the frustration and urge to chuck my books off the ferry, it’s just something I incorporate into my day. I love the balance.”

Raewyn gained her Feng Shui Practitioner diploma while studying under Grand Master Raymond Lo, Hong Kong’s celebrated ‘Feng Shui Lo.’

Like many of us, Raewyn was first drawn to feng shui because of the stories about Hong Kong’s buildings – that many of them are designed to maximise sheng chi (positive energy). She was fascinated by the logic behind this.

“Feng shui is an ancient Chinese art and science of aligning the flow of chi within a building to tap into good fortune. It is neither magic or spiritual, it requires judgement, skill and precise interpretation.

When the natural forces of chi are balanced in our homes or workplaces, the occupants will have a more harmonious, healthy and prosperous environment.

Its effects can be immediate and powerful.”

Pink Tiger Media CEO You could say balance is in Pink Tiger Media’s DNA, or perhaps it’s the natural reaction to a decadeand-a-half on the other side of the media coin. A full-service agency specialising in financial services and technology through six solution offerings, including public relations, visual media and integrated marketing campaigns, Pink Tiger Media was partially a response to what Raewyn calls “bad advertising.” Regardless of whether or not we like it, ads are ingrained in the media landscape, and their use has changed since the art was formed in the mid20th century. “You can’t just do a graphic or write some copy and put it out,” argues Raewyn, who gets riled at just the idea of those familiar – and ghastly – MTR ads that line escalators.

“Oh god, they’re awful and you’re quite right. Standing on an escalator and looking at some of those ads, all you can think is ‘What were they thinking?’ And typos!” she laments. “That’s people not caring and a lack of attention to detail. It’s crazy. In some cases, I wonder if it’s down to budget but  that doesn’t hold water anymore.

www.arounddb.com April 2020

17

PROFILE They haven’t looked at what they’re trying to say.” And therein lies the mission. Advertising is about messaging, and Pink Tiger Media – a Golden Globe Tigers awardwinner for brand excellence in the banking and financial service sector – sets itself apart for its ability to cut through the noise and get the message right.

“In Hong Kong, you always have a slightly different message from one in the US or Europe. I have a number of clients whose headquarters did a graphic or a social-media message, and quite often we’ll have to tweak it. You can’t use the same message or visuals here. You just can’t.”

DB-based mum In addition to the Penang office, Raewyn operates in Singapore, Central and now DB, where she’s lived with her family for the past three years. Having children was something she and John “never got around to” until three years ago, when they adopted a girl locally. “Vanessa is an amazing little girl who copies Mummy’s every mannerism; she has filled my life with love and laughter,” Raewyn says. “John and I micromanaged a range of medical issues: 23 food allergies, and lung and sight problems all related to Vanessa being three months premature, which I relate to having also been three months premature. Mummy’s cuddle-and-kiss shop is open 24 hours a day.

“It’s important that women, even from a young age, grow up with a sense of self. They shouldn’t be living someone else’s life,” Raewyn adds, with reference to her daughter, but throwing the idea out in general. Raewyn herself learnt that the hard way. “I went off to boarding school at a fairly young age and absolutely detested it,” she says with a slight chuckle. “I

Raewyn embodies Hong Kong’s work-hard-play-hard mantra

tried everything I could not to go back, but sadly it didn’t work. It gave me a strong character and I think it set me up for travel and all that came with it.”

Vanessa attends Discovery Mind Primary School, and the family relish the DB lifestyle. “It’s changed since we first lived here in 2010.

It’s now much more for business as well, and the fact we have a five-year-old helps. There are places for Vanessa to run around and ride her bike, and she can walk to school. When schools are open,” Raewyn says with a laugh.

She describes the pleasantness of

looking at ocean on one side and mountains on the other when on global conference calls.

Pink Tiger Media’s agile, technology-based business model makes it easier to ride out storms like COVID-19. For Raewyn, with crisis comes opportunity, and in “everything-can-happen” Hong Kong, she’s confident about the future and her place in it.

“I’m a maximalist at heart,” she finishes. “I have ridiculous drive – which I wish I could slow down.” Why stop now? After all, ‘Feel the Rush’ is Pink Tiger Media’s tagline.

Find more local heroes @ www.arounddb.com

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April 2020 www.arounddb.com

IN FOCUS

#DealingWithIt in DB

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

Life in the time of corona: lessons learnt? Ruminating on coronavirus scares past and present, Alexander Grasic applauds everyone for keeping calm and carrying on

20

I

was walking along the SoHo escalators some two hours after the first confirmed COVID-19 case was announced in Hong Kong.

Already I was in the visible maskless minority. In my state of exposure, I made a mental note to pick masks up as soon as I could, though I knew even then that I was probably too late.

The spate of preventative measures soon followed: The working from home, the school closures and the quarantine

zones. The temperature checks and the rubbing alcohol pots. Then came the hospital horror stories of overtaxed and undersupplied workers drawing straws to decide who treats the infected. The rising number of cases – the waning number of flights.

Familiar territory I may have been a student when Bird and Swine Flu hit Hong Kong (2008 and 2009) but I was cognisant enough then for the past three months to feel quite

April 2020 www.arounddb.com

familiar. I was just six years old in 2003 but I remember parts of SARS quite well, well enough to know that if you were here then, all this would feel familiar to you too.

The thing that I can relate to the most is the school closures, and the resultant general slowing down of life. I remember being ecstatic when classes were cancelled early in the summer of 2009; most kids I’ve asked about the current closures seem anxious to get back to school. I guess I was a slacker.

care of a person with suspected COVID-19, or if you are coughing or sneezing. It stipulates that masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcoholbased hand rub or soap and water. Walking around DB I notice that, just as it was in 2003, few expats are wearing masks though elsewhere in Hong Kong most people do. (We have plenty of green open spaces in DB, right?

And the only mask that can truly protect against COVID-19 is the virtually unwearable N95 respirator, is it not?).

However, the word from Island Health is that we do wear them: ‘Wear a mask when crowds are unavoidable, when around sick people, or if feeling unwell yourself. As it has become socially unacceptable not to wear a mask in Hong Kong, and some buildings actually require it, you may need to wear a mask at times simply to make other people comfortable, or conform with local measures.’

Alexander Grasic, Around DB’s digital and editorial assistant, in the plaza

I messaged my colleague Terry Chow, the art director at Around DB, to ask what feels familiar to him. It turns out that while he didn’t feel particularly scared during the previous outbreaks because he believed that if he kept to clean environments and avoided crowded areas, he would be safe, he feels harder hit by COVID-19.

“But you asked me what feels the same, and that’s the hiding at home, working at home and being bored at home. We’re all stuck at home with no social activities, and there’s no school for our kids.

I’m worried about the health of my kids and of my elderly parents like I was in 2009, it’s just this virus has me more worried.”

“It’s a stronger virus, and people can be carriers without realising it; and there are also more openstyle quarantine buildings, even within Lantau,” Terry says.

Terry and I bashed out the thorny subject of mask-wearing.

The World Health Organisation recommends that you only need to wear a mask if you are taking

This is Terry’s take on it: “If you don’t wear a mask in Hong Kong these days, people look at you like you’re a monster. But seriously, when we go out, we need to be protected from head to toe. This virus is so dangerous for sick people and for old people, like my parents. They are easily infected so we must do our best to protect them, as well as ourselves.”

For six-year-old me in 2003, wearing a mask and routine hand-washing was a novelty: I remember being at school before they all closed and being told off for scratching my nose through my mask. From that point on, I tried to avoid touching my itchy face for as long as possible. Back then, it was all a bit of a game but now that I’m older and travelling around town more, I understand I too have a part to play. We are all responsible for mitigating the  spread of COVID-19.

www.arounddb.com April 2020

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IN FOCUS

Terry Chow, Around DB’s art director, in Tung Chung

I know that being in my early 20s I am at a low risk of getting infected, and from having serious complications if I do. But Lantau is full of young children, pregnant women and senior citizens. So, the more I practice good hygiene and the more often I wear a mask, the more I help to provide secondary protection for vulnerable people in my community, like my father.

Unknown quantity So, what is different this time round? Facts tell us that COVID-19 is more contagious (we are experiencing a pandemic), and that it has already caused more deaths than SARS, but facts also tell us that SARS had a much higher fatality rate.

Both my parents explicitly mentioned the relative lack of panic in 2003. In fact, my mum said she doesn’t remember much about it.

The EA gig she had at my school was on hold but she was working two other jobs both of which could luckily be done from home.

I guess she was too busy to take stock and simply got on with what needed to be done. Mum didn’t

recall the same sensationalism in the media. For Dad, the biggest difference between then and now is the anxiety around dwindling essential supplies. “There was no run on toilet paper back in SARS. Some people were stockpiling food, though I’d say it wasn’t as intense as this time around.”

It’s clear to me that social media has encouraged the panic buying, and maybe even the speed at which people left Hong Kong. Terry agrees but also highlights its usefulness. “Most people including myself are discussing COVID-19 via social media; we can learn more online than we can from the news on TV. We can find out who has masks in stock, about government policy, about the best way to protect ourselves…”

And what of all those families who have fled for the duration?

Family friend and long-time DBer Caroline Clery says: “It was the government’s decision to close the schools so early on, and to keep them closed that has prompted more people to leave now than during SARS. COVID-19

seems to have instilled more fear though, maybe because of the media as well as the government’s handling of it. With more countries imposing travel restrictions or quarantines on arrival, leaving now has become increasingly unlikely for many.”

For those of us who’ve stayed home, it’s been surprisingly busy in the plaza. The other night I was at dinner and ran into another old family friend who’s been here longer than we have. We grabbed each other’s arms, but she quickly recoiled and cried in feigned shock: “We shouldn’t be touching!”

She then flashed a wink and we embraced anyway. No points for guessing that she’s British.

Ah that famous stiff upper lip. The slogan the British government coined in 1939 to allay fears of an aerial assault on Britain (as well as fears of an anticipated German invasion) may be wellremembered now. There’s nothing for it but to ‘Keep Calm, and Carry On’ as best we can. Take it from those of us who have seen some of this before, and made it through to better times.

Find more topical local topics @ www.arounddb.com

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April 2020 www.arounddb.com

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Q&A

DEAR AUDE AND BRUCE Can you help? My stress levels are through the roof!

I’ve got a very stressful job and that compounded by the current climate in Hong Kong – the recent protests and the COVID-19 outbreak – has made it almost impossible for me to relax... ever! What can I do to calm down? STRUNG OUT IN DB

BRUCE: With all that is happening here in Hong Kong at the moment there is no doubt that stress levels are running high. The catch 22 here is that a body in stress is much more prone to sickness than a body at ease, so your question is timely.

Right now, we all need to find a way to stay calm. Stepping away from stress may seem difficult, if not insurmountable, but hopefully the following discussion and tools will help.

First, let’s look at your respiratory rate – the number of breaths you take per minute. Simply grab a stopwatch, hit start and count your total breaths in a minute. (This is a cycle of breath, so from exhale to exhale is one breath.) Don’t cheat yourself, just breath normally and see where you’re at. The lower your respiratory rate the better of course – think about the nature of a

panic attack, the rate of respiration is well above 20 breaths per minute. Seven breaths per minute is a great target.

15+ breaths per minute: Your body is in a state of constant, latent stress and you are stuck in ‘flight or fight’ mode. It is exceptionally difficult for your body to relax,  heal and find balance.

AUDE: In the work that we do

Photo by Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com

we see so many people with symptoms of burnout, adrenal fatigue, exhaustion and low energy. These are certainly all calling cards of too much stress.

So, if you are suffering from any of these symptoms, let us help you restore balance and health.

BRUCE: First and foremost, wherever you are and whenever you need to… just breathe.

I don’t mean this to sound basic, or trivial – there is so much to gain through the simple act of slow, deep, mindful breathing, including an immediate reduction in stress. So, let’s start by working out what your breathing is like right now.

Aude Garderet and Bruce Taylor of A and B Therapy

www.arounddb.com April 2020

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Q&A

10-15 breaths per minute: You are still within the realm of fight or flight, so your body is still experiencing a stress response but you are moving in the right direction.

7-10 breaths per minute: You are approaching the natural biorhythms of the body (with the heart rate and cycles of breath in synch); your mind and body are in a relaxed space.

4-6 breaths per minute: You are getting into the deeper stages of relaxation. If this is your normal respiratory rate, your body is well able to rest and restore itself.

The average respiration rate is between 15 to 20 breaths per minute (too high for sure), so don’t fret if yours is way higher than the target seven breaths per minute. The good news is that by simply taking a minute to time your breathing and then work on slowing it down, you are triggering the rest and restore components of your parasympathetic nervous system and this is when true healing can begin to take place.

Now, let’s work out your BOLT score. With this, we want to see how effective you are at utilising oxygen. So, grab your stopwatch again and breathe normally. Once you’ve exhaled, hit start on your watch and hold your breath. You are letting the timer run until you first feel the need to take a breath (a pinch in the throat, the reflex of swallowing, tension in the chest etc). Note that the BOLT score is not a measure of how long you can hold your breath, it measures the sensitivity of your carbon dioxide receptors and the time it takes for your body to react to a lack of air.

The average BOLT score is 20 seconds, with 40 seconds being a target for optimal oxygen utilisation.

There is a whole world of relaxation just a few slow breaths away. Slow the breath and you slow the mind, slow the mind and you slow the body, slow the body and you are able to restore balance and wellbeing. It’s as simple as that AUDE: So, what do your results

look like and what do they tell you? What if your respiratory rate indicates that you are in a constant state of stress, and your BOLT score is well under 20?

BRUCE: If that’s where you’re at right now, then I’d advise you

to work on your breath control.

The great thing is that pranayama (mastery of your breath or breathwork) is really easy and it has an almost immediate impact on health and wellbeing. One of the simplest forms of pranayama, that you can do anytime, is Box Breathing, and it works like this: Inhale  Hold the breath  Exhale  Hold the breath. You need to inhale, exhale and hold your breath for the same amount of time so, if you inhale for a count of five then you hold for a count of five and so on. Know that Box Breathing for a count of five seconds will bring you right down to only three breaths per minute – that’s like monk status! So, give that a go and see how much of an impact it has on your stress level, wellbeing, health and mindset.

AUDE: We can’t escape our

fears about COVID-19, or the stress of the protests, or the pressure of our jobs, but we can meet all of these external factors from a place of calm. When we are calm internally, the external will meet the internal; it is never the other way around. So, do take a few minutes to check in with your breath: There is a whole world of relaxation just a few slow breaths away. Slow the breath and you slow the mind, slow the mind and you slow the body, slow the body and you are able to restore balance and wellbeing.

It’s as simple as that.

FIND IT Aude Garderet is a Practitioner of Psychotherapy and Bruce Taylor is a Reiki Master Healer, both are DB residents. You can contact them at A and B Therapy, aandbtherapy@gmail.com, www.aandbtherapy.com.

For more on Aude, visit www.brieftherapyhk.com; for more on Bruce, visit www.brucechi.org.

Find more from Aude and Bruce @ www.arounddb.com

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April 2020 www.arounddb.com

DMR

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2987 4338

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EDUCATION

BOARDING IN

Are you looking into boarding school options for your kids in Asia Pacific? Sam Fisher suggests you start your search in New Zealand

F Photo courtesy of unsplash.com

inding the right school for your child is as big a job now as it has ever been, with options aplenty and the standard of education at an all-time high. Hong Kong’s international schools are regarded among the world’s best, but many families are excited by the benefits and indeed the stability an overseas boarding school education can bring.

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Overseas boarders get round-theclock education and a built-in social life, and for expat kids, of course, being schooled in their ‘home country’ can be a tremendously grounding experience. If you have the wherewithal, and you want your child to be totally immersed in an educational environment, and/

or you have a busy career yourself, it’s clear that a full-time boarding school has much to offer.

The top boarding schools provide children with a structured approach to both academic studies and extracurricular activities, with 24/7 access to sports and recreation facilities. There’s also social interaction with friends and peers of all ages, the opportunity to learn personal and social responsibility, zero travel time to school… safety and supervision.

The question is where to start your search for a school… for many Hong Kong-based parents, New Zealand’s reputation for educational excellence, its stable political climate and laid-back

April 2020 www.arounddb.com

outdoorsy culture makes it a first port of call.

A sheltered environment Even more so than Hong Kong, New Zealand provides a sheltered environment for children to live and grow. It’s a slow-paced, primarily rural haven in which old-world values are still prioritised. Pack a Hong Kong kid off to boarding school in sleepy Auckland (population 1.6 million) and he’s not going to experience the culture shock, he’s not going to feel as lost, as he would if he suddenly found himself in bustling New York City (population 8.6 million).

For the most part, New Zealand’s top international boarding schools

child’s life experience. What’s more, New Zealand is a land of great natural beauty. Mighty glacier lakes, gargantuan caves, verdant valleys, dazzling fjords, long sandy beaches and the spectacular snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps on the South Island – there is so much for children to experience and explore.

A healthy, outdoorsy, pollution-free lifestyle beckons.

Educational excellence Educational excellence is a key factor that attracts Hong Kong-based parents (and their kids) to boarding schools in New Zealand. The schools’ achievements are very transparent and therefore comparable. The fact that the majority now take part in international ranking systems spurs top academic standards.

Everything on campus is geared to boarders’ betterment and/ or enjoyment

are scattered across the two main islands – the North and South islands – though some are found on the smaller islands, hundreds of miles from the main group.

In terms of children’s security and wellbeing, New Zealand’s remoteness appeals to parents – it lies more than 1,600 kilometres southeast of Australia, its nearest neighbour. Importantly though for anxious parents and homesick kids, there’s a direct (11-hour) flight from Hong Kong to Auckland.

Despite being so remote, New Zealand has a thriving culture, based around a handful of surprisingly cosmopolitan cities.

Boarding in the vicinity of places like Christchurch, Wellington or Auckland is certain to extend a

Boarders can choose from a huge variety of courses and curricula depending on their interests and dispositions. Moreover, students gain internationally recognised qualifications (for instance the International Baccalaureate Diploma) which enable them to go on to study at top universities all over the world.

The leading New Zealand boarding schools tend to have not just great teachers but specialist facilities, meaning they are able to cater to children with abilities that are either above or below average. With small classes averaging 12 students, study hall hours, and access to teachers living on campus, boarders feel the benefit and find they can excel inside the classroom and out. The favourable teacher-student ratio provides for optimal supervision and support; highly qualified staff create a positive learning atmosphere which likewise motivates students.

Parents who are attracted to the New Zealand boarding school

system value the sheer volume of academics, athletics and extracurricular activities on offer; they are also drawn to the wide range of schools available. While the jury is out about whether children benefit most from single-sex or co-ed schooling, both educational models are well represented within the New Zealand boarding school system.

There is also a good selection of ‘faith schools’ that teach a general curriculum but which have a particular religious character or formal links with a religious- or faith-based organisation.

Whole person development Boarding these days is about developing the whole person, and New Zealand boarding schools provide children with not just educational opportunities but a vital place to grow. Living and studying within a school community, boarders have access to top-notch sports, music and arts facilities, as well as academic societies. They get to socialise, and learn to cope independently alongside their peers, without leaving the school premises – and all of this happens under the watchful eye of teachers who are mentors, not helpers or babysitters.

Surrounded by their peers from the moment they wake up till the second they fall asleep, the bonds of friendship that boarders develop are incredibly strong and often these relationships endure long into adult life. Boarders come to rely on their friends as they would their family, and they feel secure within such a tight-knit international community. Boarders learn to be self-disciplined in all areas, from personal hygiene to academic organisation. This prepares them for life in the adult world. The aim is for students to develop inter-cultural understanding, independence and a powerful  sense of community.

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EDUCATION

New Zealand boarding houses are well-managed with clear guidelines.

Professional supervisors are on hand to help students succeed and thrive; catering teams accommodate any special dietary needs including religious, vegetarian and allergies.

A high priority is placed on nutrition and students are encouraged to make healthy choices. Everything on campus is geared to students’ betterment and/ or enjoyment, and their needs are prioritised, which is not something all children, particularly those whose parents are busy with their own careers, get to experience at home.

The opportunity to homestay One of the biggest criticisms that can be made of the boarding

school system is that the influence family has on a young person’s life is compromised. Arguably, the best education happens when a student is benefiting from both a close-knit, supportive home environment and also an excellent school environment – and this is where many boarders miss out.

Not so in New Zealand however, where the opportunity for students to ‘homestay’ is common to many schools. Homestay is a rewarding experience for overseas students since it allows them to become a part of a New Zealand family, with whom they live seven days a week.

The Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 (including

amendments 2019) requires schools to ensure that overseas students studying in New Zealand are safe and properly cared for.

Therefore, students are required to live in school-approved homestays only. All homestay providers are police-vetted, and regularly monitored through home visits and interviews with students.

In return for the constant handson support of their surrogate family, students are expected to help with minor chores, like setting the table and washing the dishes at mealtimes, making their beds and keeping their room clean and tidy. Could this be the home-away-from-home, you’re seeking for your kids?

Find more on education @ www.arounddb.com

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of the best New Zealand boarding schools

CHRIST’S COLLEGE

COLUMBA COLLEGE

Christ’s College, in Christchurch on the South Island, is an independent boarding and day school for boys (Years 9 to 13), following the New Zealand Curriculum.

Founded in 1850 and based in the Anglican faith, the college’s mission is each boy at his best. The campus boasts cutting-edge arts and sports facilities, and combines heritage buildings with state-of-the-art, technology driven learning spaces.

For over a century, Columba College in Dunedin, on the South Island, has been preparing students to serve, contribute and succeed. Based in the Presbyterian faith, Columba College offers coeducation in Years 0 to 6 and single-sex girls’ education from Years 7 to 13, and follows the New Zealand Curriculum.

Students living on the first-rate modern campus enjoy the benefits of being educated in a vibrant university city.

Tel: +64 3 366 8705 Email: registrar@christscollege.com

Tel: +64 3 467 5188 Email: admin@columbacollege.school.nz

KING’S COLLEGE

MEDBURY SCHOOL

ST BEDE’S COLLEGE

King’s College is an independent secondary school founded on providing boys (Years 9 to 13) and girls (Years 11 to 13) with the best all-round education it is possible to obtain. Situated in Auckland on the North Island, King’s dates back to 1866 and has strong Anglican traditions. The college prioritises the individual needs of each student, and offers two education pathways (CIE and NCEA), top-notch facilities and a vibrant campus life.

Located in Christchurch, on the South Island, Medbury School is an independent preparatory school for boys (Years 1 to 8), following the New Zealand Curriculum. The school’s mission is to unlock every boy’s potential through personalised learning programmes and traditional Christian values.

Founded in 1923, the well-equipped campus comprises both historic and contemporary buildings, all set in landscaped grounds.

St Bede’s College in Christchurch is the South Island’s only Catholic boys’ boarding school. The college is committed to providing an opportunity for every boy (Years 9 to 13) to be the best possible version of himself. Dating back to the 1920s, St Bede’s offers the New Zealand Curriculum. Major new projects and renovations have taken place over the past eight years to ensure that the buildings and facilities on campus are first-rate.

Tel: +64 9 276 0600 Email: reception@kingscollege.school.nz

Tel: +64 3 351 6169 Email: www.medbury.school.nz

Tel: +64 3 375 1829 Email: rtappenden@stbedes.school.nz

www.christscollege.com

www.kingscollege.school.nz

www.columbacollege.school.nz

www.medbury.school.nz

DIOCESAN SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

www.diocesan.school.nz Located in Auckland on the North Island, Diocesan School for Girls is an all-girls independent Anglican school. Founded in 1903, the school takes a holistic approach to students’ learning (pre-school to Year 13) and students can choose from two education pathways (IB or NCEA). The campus boasts state-of-the-art buildings, exceptional sports facilities and purposebuilt performance spaces for the arts.

Tel: +64 9 520 9225 Email: admissions@diocesan.school.nz

www.stbedes.school.nz

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ESCAPES

ARMCHAIR TRAVEL:

ISTANBUL

Photos courtesy of unsplash.com

Enraptured by the Byzantine and the Ottoman, the Bosporus and the bazaars, Dorothy Veitch invites you on a day tour of Sultanahmet

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The Bosporus

April 2020 www.arounddb.com

1 The Bosporus Located on both sides of the Bosporus, the narrow strait between the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea, Istanbul is the only city in the world which is situated on two continents; it bridges Asia and Europe both physically and culturally. Hop on a Bosporus boat cruise to get your first glimpse of its awesome Byzantine and Ottoman landmarks.

Sultanahmet

2. Sultanahmet Istanbul was the Byzantine capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, (consecrated by Constantine the Great, hence its former name: Constantinople), until the Ottomans captured it in 1453. With its long history at the centre of empires, it offers a wealth of sites to take in. To view the most fabled of these ancient monuments head to Sultanahmet on the city’s European side.

3 The Hippodrome Start at the Hippodrome, the centre of Byzantine life for 1,000 years and of Ottoman life for another 400 years after that. The Roman emperors loved nothing more than an afternoon at the chariot races, and this rectangular arena was their venue of choice. In its heyday, it was decorated with obelisks and statues, some of which remain today. Recently re-landscaped, the Hippodrome remains one of the city’s most popular meeting places and promenades.

The Hippodrome

4 Sultan Ahmed Mosque Next stop, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) complex. Built from 1609 to 1616, during the rule of Ahmed I, the courtyard is the biggest of all of the Ottoman mosques and there are six minarets. The interior is equally grand: The blue tiles that give the building its unofficial name number in the tens of thousands, there are 260 windows and the  central prayer space is huge.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque

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ESCAPES 5 Topkapi Palace Majestic Topkapi Palace, a short walk from the Blue Mosque, showcases the untold wealth of the Ottoman rulers who lived here between 1453 and 1839. Highlights include the six-level harem and the treasury (home to the 86-carat Spoonmaker’s Diamond).

The palace’s interiors dazzle with their hand-painted Iznik tiles, stained glass windows, and mother-of-pearl and tortoise-shell inlays.

Topkapi Palace

6 The Hagia Sophia Built in 537 by the emperor Justinian to showcase the might of his reconquered Empire, the Hagia Sophia is one of Istanbul’s best-known Byzantine landmarks. It reigned supreme as the greatest church in Christendom until 1453, when Sultan Mehmed II converted it into a mosque. It has been a museum since 1935. Thanks to its weighty dome and towering minarets, Lonely Planet lists the Hagia Sophia as one of the 10 most beautiful buildings in the world.

The Hagia Sophia

7 Basilica Cistern Basilica Cistern, the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city, once held 80,000 cubic metres of water, pumped and delivered through a 20-kilometre web of aqueducts. Constructed in 532, using columns and plinths from ruined buildings, it’s as grand in design as it is in scale. Two columns in the north-western corner are supported

by Medusa heads, and the central column is shaped like a teardrop.

Basilica Cistern

8 The Grand Bazaar A visit to the Grand Bazaar rounds off a bewitching day in Sultanahmet.

Constructed in 1461, it boasts 5,000 shops, and is one of the largest covered markets in the world.

Beckoning sellers peddle exquisite textiles, pottery, rugs, jewellery, lanterns and other Turkish delights.

Bartering is an absolute must.

Find more exciting escapes @ www.arounddb.com

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April 2020 www.arounddb.com

The Gand Bazaar

RECIPES

Crafty ideas

Stuck for something fun to do with the kids on Easter Sunday?

Why not get them to craft an egg-cellent centrepiece for your table, while you fry up a quick Mexican-inspired brunch

The eggs Makes 6 • 6 small bowls • 6tsp vinegar • 6tsp food colouring • 6 hard-boiled eggs • 12 rubber bands • 1 egg carton

Photos courtesy of unsplash.com & stock.adobe.com

Fill the small bowls halfway with hot water, adding one teaspoon of vinegar and one teaspoon of food colouring, one for each colour you want to use. To dye an egg a solid colour, place in a bowl for five minutes. For a striped design, place rubber bands around an egg before dipping it. Remove the bands, and you’ll see stripes where the bands were. Once done, place the eggs in an empty egg carton to dry.

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April 2020 www.arounddb.com

The centrepiece Makes 1 • 1 paper bowl • Brown paint • 3 sheets brown paper • Glue • 12 flowers Paint the paper bowl with brown paint inside and out. Let the paint dry for 30 minutes before adding a second coat of brown paint. Next, cut a sheet of brown paper (or leftover wrapping paper) into thin shreds. Once the second coat of paint has dried, cover the bowl with glue inside and out. Stick the shredded paper, plus any twigs that you find outdoors, on to the bowl to create a comfortable nest.

Fill the nest with more shredded paper, then nestle the eggs securely inside it. Decorate with  fresh or dried flowers.

www.arounddb.com April 2020

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RECIPES

The brunch Serves 2 • 15oz-can whole tomatoes • 1 medium onion, diced • 1 clove garlic, smashed • 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced • 4oz coriander leaves, chopped • 5oz chorizo, diced • 4 corn tortillas • 16oz-can refried beans • 4 large eggs • 1 avocado, diced • 3oz strong cheese, crumbled • 4tbsp sour cream To make two delicious servings of huevos rancheros, purée the tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno and half the coriander. Gently simmer until slightly thickened.

Cover and keep warm. Brown the chorizo, and add to the sauce.

Fry the tortillas on each side until golden but not crisp. Heat the refried beans, spread on the tortillas. Fry the eggs, place one on each tortilla, and spoon the warm sauce over. Sprinkle with the avocado, cheese and additional coriander. Top with a dollop of sour cream.

Find more deliciously simple recipes @ www.arounddb.com

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April 2020 www.arounddb.com

WISH LIST

Spring has SPRUNG! You’ll find all your kids want for Easter at Toys Club

WALK-A-LONG CATERPILLAR,

HK$259 LITTLE LIVE PETS SURPRISE CHICK (PURPLE),

HK$99.90

BUNNY LOVE PUZZLE (12 PCS),

HK$99

HATCHIMALS HATCHIBABIES PONETTE,

Photos courtesy of Toys Club

HK$699.90

GATHERING A GARDEN BOARD GAME,

HK$160 FIND IT BUNNY PILLOW,

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FANCY NANCY’S ELEGANT EASTER,

HK$69.90

• Toys Club, www.itoysclub.com

www.arounddb.com April 2020

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DB FACES

Snaps COMMUNITY

Photos by Col Sim www.colsimphotography.com

Find more familiar DB faces @ www.arounddb.com

Win prizes from Uncle Russ Coffee and The Pier Bar!

Congratulations to last month’s winner: Erin Kennedy (@realerinnoel)

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The best snap wins! Your mission this month is to share your favourite photo of DB on Instagram, hashtag #arounddb. You have until the 10th of the month to enter.

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!

April 2020 www.arounddb.com

EASTER

View local business directories @ www.arounddb.com EMPLOYMENT

HEALTH & WELLBEING

AKASH MOVING & HANDYMAN SERVICES

VR, HYPNOSIS: INDIVIDUAL &/ OR COUPLES THERAPY

• Local packing, moving, storage & handyman services • All kinds of transport services • Inbound shipment clearance • Having stuff delivered from China?

They are not delivering to DB Or Lantau?

Have it sent to the Akash office in Kwai Chung & delivered to your home.

Contact 2421 8088, info@akash.hk, www.akash.hk

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Virtual-reality programmes for PTSD, addictions, phobias (fear of flying/ public speaking/ bridges/ enclosed spaces/ storms) • Couples’ conflicts • Overeating • Career/relationship stress • Anger management • Nail biting • Exam jitters • Divorce/ post-divorce/ career coaching • Quit smoking quickly.

Dr Melanie Bryan, Psy.D. Clinical Psychologist, Hypnotherapist.

Contact 2575 7707, www.mindmatters.hk

HOME SERVICES

FACIAL REFLEX THERAPY IN DB

Try Facial Reflex Therapy for: • Stress management • Normalising menstruation • Sleeping disorders • Skin issues (due to hormonal imbalance, allergies etc) • Depression; ADHD; Bipolar disorder Facial Reflex Therapy is a natural face-lifting beauty regime. It also boosts confidence & learning ability.

FTC RELOCATIONS

• Local & international moves • Long/ short-term storage • Handyman services • World-class service – competitive rates • Operating on DB & Lantau Contact 2814 1658, sales@ftc.hk, www.ftc.hk

Contact Tina at 9855 7086 (WhatsApp)

HOME SERVICES

SPORTS

TRIMCO HK LIMITED

PRIVATE MARTIAL ARTS COACHING

• Painting • Decorating • Renovation • Cladding • Tiling Contact Steve Donovan at 6149 0894 (call or WhatsApp), trimcohk@gmail.com

Well known in the Hong Kong MMA community, Marc Guyon guides you through your journey to become a martial artist. As a former whitecollar-turned-professional fighter, Marc’s understanding of looking for peak performance in all your occupations & activities is like nothing in Hong Kong.

Contact 9303 2996, marcguyonkungfu@gmail.com, www.marcguyon.com

FRENCH LANGUAGE PRIVATE TUITION WESTERN DRAWING LESSONS Experienced, Patient, Mature, Effective, master+ educational level.

Tuition of French language to individuals at about or more than 7 years old.

All levels. Beginners / adults.

French Literature for French students.

Homework tuition.

Offer private Drawing / Painting Art Lessons to individuals / small groups.

All mediums / techniques.

Personalised lessons according to levels & interests.

Home / office visits / venues to be specified.

Please contact gsn6sy@hotmail.com

MPF Services QDAP Insurances VHIS Protection Wealth Management

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

If you want to stop, we can help.

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Alcoholics No dues or fees.

Anonymous

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24hr hotline:9073 6922

Email: candy_y_cheung@manulife.com.hk | www.manulife.com.hk

www.aa-hk.org

DB PROPERTY FOR RENT

LUXURY APARTMENTS IN SIENA 2

Spacious 600 square-foot apartments – quiet with sea views over park, near Club Siena & DB Tunnel. Fully furnished with washer/ drier, bed linen, kitchenware, 55” TVs, wi-fi, NOW TV & sound bar. Contact the owner on 9317 0624, nialady2011@gmail.com

If you are looking to rent or sell a property and would like to see it listed on this page, email philip@baymedia.com.hk

corporate & business services corporate T8 can&help support with: business services

• • • • • •

Virtual office Company formation Corporate services Book-keeping Administration support Visa Applications

Unit 2, G/F, Office Block 1, 92 Siena Avenue, Discovery Bay North, Hong Kong Email: info@t8-consulting.com Tel: 2517 8248 www.t8-consulting.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 Baguio 6776 8400 Email: baguiowong@hotmail.com

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DB NUMBERS COMMUNITY & HEALTH Bayside Dental Practice, North Plaza BMSE, North Plaza DB Alliance Church Community Centre DB Anglican Church DB International Community Church Discovery Bay Medical Centre Health & Care Dental Clinic Herbal Health Care Island Health Island Veterinary Services The Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council, North Plaza Trinity Chapel

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DRS Company Good Luck Engineering Red Velvet Hoi Yu Transportation Hung Kee Co Japan Home Centre May’s furniture & curtain design Rapee-living Rich Point Hardware Materials Tai Fat Hardware Store Wing On Department Store Yours Electrical Centre

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

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FINANCIAL SERVICES Bank of China HSBC Parsons White Wealth Management The Stephen Putnam Practice

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FOOD & BEVERAGE, HOTELS 22º North Auberge Discovery Bay (Hotel), North Plaza Café Bord de Mer & Lounge, North Plaza Caffe Pascucci Cali-Mex, North Plaza Coyote Mexican Cantina Ebeneezer’s Epic Foods, North Plaza Figos Seaside Café First Korean Restaurant Gilmore’s by the Golden Pig Healthy Chicken, North Plaza Hemingway’s il Bel Paese Island Café Koh Tomyums La Creation & Châteraisé McSorley’s Ale House Mirch Masala, North Plaza Moofish, North Plaza Pacific Coffee Paisano’s, North Plaza Peony Chinese Restaurant PizzaExpress Solera Starbucks DB North Plaza Subway The Pier Bar Three Sheet Marquee Bar TigerLily Uncle Russ, North Plaza Zak’s

48

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LEARNING CENTRES

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES Action X, North Plaza Nomadic

LEARNING CENTRES

HOME

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April 2020 www.arounddb.com

Discovery Montessori School A reputable & well-known international school for authentic Montessori Bilingual (English & Chinese) Education for children aged 1 to 12 years. Beautiful campus & highly qualified teachers (15 years+ experience). Contact 2987 1201, enquiry@dms.edu.hk, www.dms.edu.hk

Future Stars Dance Academy Dance classes based on the ISTD requirements conducted in a fun, disciplined & safe environment. Contact melissa@futurestarsdanceacademy.com, Futurestars Dance Academy Hong Kong Facebook page, Instagram: @futurestarsHk

Island Dance ISTD Freestyle, ISTD Hip Hop, RAD Ballet, tap & Bollywood classes at DBRC, Club Siena & DB Plaza. Five professional instructors, teaching six days a week.

Contact 2987 1571, 9159 0663, info@islanddance.com.hk, www.islanddance.com.hk

Little Explorers The longest running playgroup in DB, Little Explorers eases the transition between home play and kindergarten for children, aged 18 months and up. Contact 6331 7215, LittleExplorersDB@gmail.com

Tree of Joy A fun, engaging & supportive environment in which children play & learn. Programmes include drop-off nursery class, parent-toddler class, afternoon camp & a cooking class Contact 9787 2755, info@treeofjoydb.com, www.treeofjoydb.com

Woodentots Woodentots is a Montessori playgroup providing a caring & nurturing environment in DB Plaza. Run by a qualified Montessori teacher for children aged 18 months to 6 years. Contact 6108 9131, woodentotsdb@gmail.com

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 Academy, North Plaza Discovery Montessori School, North Plaza DMR School of Ballet Dr. Bear Education Centre Early Adventures Playgroup Epic Adventurers Eye Level Education Learning Centre Funfit HK International Learning Academy, North Plaza Kumon, North Plaza La Petite Enfance Kindergarten L’Ecole Pierre et Marie Curie Education centre Lingostars HK, North Plaza Links Parenting, North Plaza Little Explorers English For Kids Mandarin for Munchkins, North Plaza Mathemagic – home tutoring Mathnasium SKH Wei Lun Primary School Treasure House Zhi Zhi Chinese

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MULTIMEDIA Bookazine Fotomax (F.E.) Ltd

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OTHER SERVICES

Harvey Law Group International law firm offering a wide range of commercial & personal legal services. Meeting facilities available in DB. Contact 2416 8618, dboffice@harveylawcorporation.com, www.harveylawcorporation.com

Martina Stevens Photography Photographer based in Discovery Bay specialising in small and exclusive projects. Newborns, Maternity, Family and Lifestyle photography.Contact 9487 5242, martina@martinastevensphotography.com, www.martinastevensphotography.com Gillian florist, North Plaza Manulife P-Solution The Optical House Well Supreme Laundry Services

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DB NUMBERS PETS Mypetshop, North Plaza Pets Gallery Ready, Pet, Go!

TOYS & KIDS’ PARTIES 2987 8873 2987 0428 5721 6181

Bo Bo House Toysland

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TRANSPORT SERVICES

PROPERTY LISTINGS EPS Property Consultants Headland Homes Kingsland DB Land Master Property OKAY.COM

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DB Golf Cart Services DB Transportation Services Limousine Rental Passenger Telephone Hotline Wiselink Golf Cart Services

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UTILITIES, SERVICES & EMERGENCY HOTLINES

SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT 24-hour Customer Service Hotline China Light & Power Emergency China Light & Power Information Line Discovery Bay Commercial Services Discovery Bay Fire & Ambulance Discovery Bay Lost & Found Discovery Bay Management Discovery Bay Office Centre 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

HK Dragons Football Club Football for girls & boys aged 2.5 years to 14 years. Contact 2987 4274, dragons.hk

Tekkerz Football programmes for boys and girls for age groups U5 up to U14. Contact 9770 4548, train@tekkerzfootball.com, www.prosportsasia.com

Action X, North Plaza Club Siena, North Plaza DBees Ice Hockey DB Pirates Rugby, Netball, Hockey & Dragonboat Discovery Bay Marina Club Discovery Bay Golf Club Discovery Bay Recreation Club Embody EpicLand, North Plaza FIT 852 Greenwich Yoga School, North Plaza Kapuhala Train-in-Space, North Plaza MAS FIT MGK Fight Club Nutrition and Fitness with Emilie YogaBay, North Plaza YogaUp, North Plaza

To add your own directory listing box, call the Bay Media office on 2987 0577, or email info@baymedia.com.hk

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@ www.arounddb.com

WELLBEING

The Beat Dance & Fitness Studio BODYPUMP, BODYBALANCE, GRIT, BODYSTEP & Zumba (fitness, toning & kids). Piloxing, yoga & Pilates, RPM (indoor cycling), plus Latin, belly & wedding dance. Classes for adults & children, & personal training. Contact 5194 9630, info@thebeat.com.hk, www.thebeat.com.hk

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VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Bay Spa

ay Spa

Massage, facials & nail services in DB Plaza. Contact 9837 0969 (Tel/ WhatsApp)

Ingredients of Wellness Mindfulness training for children, teens and their parents and teachers. Offering Mindfulness Matters!, Mindfulness in Education (for adults), AMT Mindfulness Teacher Training. Contact 9048 5425, angie@ingredientsofwellness.com, www.ingredientsofwellness.com

Nail Spa: 2987 2266

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Massage: 2988 1188

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0283 0918 4555 2060 8826 4112

www.arounddb.com

www.arounddb.com April 2020

49

GIVING LIFE SHOULDN’T BE SO DEADLY Ramatoulaye, who lives in Burkina Faso, was about to give birth to her fourth child, but the boatman was nowhere to be found. Unable to get to the health centre across the river, she gave birth alone on the river banks.

Maternal health is a human right — join Amnesty International to defend human rights for women like Ramatoulaye.

Learn more at www.amnesty.org.hk.

© Anna Kari

CLOT HING & ACCESSORIES

FTC Apparel

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HE A LT H & W EL L BEING

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HOT EL S

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L E A RNING CEN T RES

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SOCI A L , SP OR T S & EQUIPMEN T

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FI T NESS, SP OR T S & W EL L BEING

Pause by the Banyan South Lantau Paddle Club Thai Palin Massage Thai Sa Baai Treasure Island Group

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HOT EL S

Mui Wo Inn Silvermine Beach Resort Tai O Heritage Hotel

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PROPER T Y AGENCIES

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U T IL I T Y, SERV ICES & E MERGENC Y HOT L INES

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

FOOD, RES TAUR A N T S & BA RS

Bahce - Turkish Restaurant Café Bar Bathers Caffe Paradiso (Tom’s Café) Cafe Isara China Bear Deer Horn Restaurant & Bar Kebab Korner La Pizzeria Lantana Italian Bistro Le Jardin de Sophie Long Island Mucho Gusto Robert’s Market Stoep @ High Tide Restaurant The China Beach Club The Gallery The Kitchen The Water Buffalo Treasure Island Restaurant

L E A RNING CEN T RES

HOME & REPA IRS

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SOUTH LANTAU

TUNG CHUNG

LANTAU NUMBERS

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

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www.arounddb.com April 2020

51

OUT THERE

Bulletproof no more As his 175th birthday approaches, Peter Sherwood’s feeling scorned. And he doesn’t like it

H

ere’s the biggest lie about getting older: These will be your ‘golden years.’

What a cesspit of idiocy.

Give me bulletproof youth and blind ignorance any day. And as the old Sinatra song goes, “… love, like youth, is wasted on the young.” Something else we squander: decades of smart people’s experience.

But the older we get the more invisible and irrelevant we become. There’s not much good news on the antiquity front, but listen up, millennials: We oldies own most of the money and property. Don’t bother working too hard. You’ll inherit the lot.

Illustration by Terry Chow

Suddenly, here I am with an insanely varied life (yin and yang on steroids, the stratospheric highs and crash-and-burn of being bipolar). I may have genuine and even life-saving wisdom to impart, but the universe is deaf. A world that used to interrupt my every word to call me a fool is now hearing impaired. The disappearing act has come full circle. No wonder old people wander around muttering to themselves; they’re busy engrossed in their own brilliant advice.

52

should. It’s a prerequisite. Without it there can be no getting at the truth; no calling to account those who lie, cheat and commit criminal acts without shame. Monty Python’s John Cleese said that all satire is commentary on stupidity.

And if the dumb side of the human condition fascinates you too, then just stick your noggin out the widow, take note of the silliness, and say your piece. It’s not difficult.

Satirists are really only reporters.

Justified and ancient

retrospectives are the result of aging’s irritability. Yet the same crank was at work years ago. I could be cantankerous when I was 20. But also, sentimental, and curious, passionate and thoughtful; I was desperate to find my voice – and express it. Today you might read a fossilised character posing as me. Or it could be the real me, or some other, softer, more gently inquiring persona that inhabits my loony inner world. Whatever my dubious accomplishments, they are too wildly varied to be classified simply as grouchy invective.

Recently some critical readers detected the curmudgeon in my articles, imagining that irascible

Of course, I have been called a cynic, an epithet I wear as a badge of honour as every journalist

The older we get the more we reflect on the past and the quaint notion that everything was better back then. Mostly our vision is dragged backwards because yesteryear is viewed with such clarity. Jean-Paul Sartre said, “Life is like looking out the back window of a fast-moving vehicle; what is in the distance is clearly visible, while everything close-up is a blur.”

The past is indeed another country, and scenes from that landscape keep popping up to surprise.

None of it is voluntary. Sharp images of distant decades emerge relentlessly – joyful moments, colourful, rich and rewarding. And dark, anguished times recalled like nightmares, filled with regret and dread. The trick is positivity, they say. Be enthusiastic and learn new things. Excuse me a minute, I’ll just go and finish Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony.

Peter Sherwood has lived in DB for over 20 years. The former head of an international public relations firm, Peter is the author of 15 books and has written around 400 satirical columns for the South China Morning Post.

Find more from Peter @ www.arounddb.com April 2020 www.arounddb.com

WANT TO REACH AN ENGAGED AUDIENCE OF AFFLUENT RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES IN LANTAU? June / July 2019

WIN! A term’s dance classes with Twinkle Dance Company, tickets to Hong Kong Disneyland, a place on a Treasure Island summer camp and an A Tavola dinner voucher

NEW FESTIVAL ALL SET TO BOOST THE LOCAL LIVE MUSIC SCENE

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DRAGON BOATING

HIKING THE LANTAU TRAIL (SECTIONS 7 TO 9)

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Publishers in Lantau since 2002

For 17+ years the Bay Media team has been publishing the original community magazine in Discovery Bay. Around DB is the most trusted source of content for DB residents.

From our humble origins we have grown into another two publications, Life on Lantau and Best of Lantau, and a design studio. We have a very active Facebook presence, over 40,000+ visitors to our website every month and provide tailor-made marketing campaigns to reach our unique readership.

We are currently offering special advertising packages (both print and digital) for 2020.

For further enquiries on details of our packages please contact our publisher, Philip Jay, at philip@baymedia.com.hk.

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