Around DB February 2023

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FEb R uA rY 2 0 23 | A R O U N D D B.CO M

Hop Hop

TAKE A HIKE

Two of the best DB trails lead to Mui Wo

THE NATURAL Discovery College’s star violinist Donna Lee

Hooray!

THE FINALISTS IN THE DB CNY DRAWING COMPETITION

BREAKFAST IN BED

Get Valentine’s Day off to a sweet start

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FEATURES 18

PROFILE Donna Lee, Discovery College’s star violinist, shares her love of classical music, particularly Bach

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COMMUNITY Two of the best DB trails lead to Mui Wo, hike there via Tiger’s Head or the Trappist Monastery

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PARENTING In pursuing fitness and fabulousity, we need to be sure we are sending the right messages to our kids

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Valentine’s Day Quiz

42 ESCAPES Take a bite out of the Big Apple

44 RECIPES Breakfast in bed

56 OUT THERE

Peter Sherwood talks back

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FEb R uA rY 2 0 23 | A R O U N D D B.CO M

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22 GIVEAWAYS 50 CLASSIFIEDS 53 LOCAL NUMBERS WE AL S O P UB L IS H ISL AND -WIDE NEWS

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LOCAL INFLUENCERS

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YOUR GUIDE TO HONG KONG’S ‘GREEN JEWEL’

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The finalists in the DB CNY Drawing Competition

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TAKE A HIKE

Two of the best DB trails lead to Mui Wo

THE NATURAL Discovery College’s star violinist Donna Lee

Hooray!

THE FINALISTS IN THE DB CNY DRAWING COMPETITION

BREAKFAST IN BED

Get Valentine’s Day off to a sweet start

PHOTO BY Richard Gordon www.richardgordon.com

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SHUMIYA THE TOY STORE IN DB PLAZA

A ‘dreamy place full of kids’ all-time favourite toys,’ Shumiya The Toy Store is now open in DB Plaza. This is the place to pick up top-selling toys, like Paw Patrols, Hatchimals and Blippi, with the collection catering to grown-ups as well as kids. From GUND collection to Cardinal playing cards and party games, Shumiya has plenty to keep the whole family entertained.

Shumiya also stocks a selection of toys from the UK and US, including DC Batman and Black Adam action figurines and collectibles.

Shumiya is offering Around DB readers discounts of HK$10 for purchases over HK$150 and HK$30 for purchases over HK$300. Grab your coupon on page 9. Visit Shumiya at Shop G71 DB Plaza. [PHOTOS BY Richard Gordon.]

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Founded in Central in 2021 by Beatrice Chan and her husband Simon, EMS Fitness has recently expanded and is providing highly ef fec tive training sessions in DB South. EMS – Elec tric Muscle Stimulation – technology helps to contrac t over 90% of muscle fibre simultaneously, thus providing a fitness shor tcut.

Major benefits include strengthening, full-body toning and fat burning. Purpor ted to be the future of fitness, an EMS session takes only 20 minutes and delivers the same result as a t wo-and-a-half-hour conventional gym workout.

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D I S CL AIME R 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. © BAY MEDIA GROUP 2023

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EMS Fitness provides one-on-one classes with certified personal trainers and uses the latest EMS equipment imported from Germany. A major fitness trend in Europe for many years, EMS provides a low impact workout suitable for athletes and beginners alike. It strengthens the core muscles and can relieve back pain and contribute to post-injury muscle recovery.

You can turn to page 22 for a chance to win a free session. To book your trial and find out more, visit ems-fitness.hk /db. [PHOTOS COURTESY OF EMS Fitness.]

DB NEWS

VIRTUAL GOLF EXPERIENCE IN DB NORTH

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A new addition to DB North Plaza, The Golf Bay provides a unique virtual golfing experience, allowing players to perfect their technique and even play 18 holes. The venue’s technologically advanced simulators, designed by Foresight Sports, use high-speed cameras, which capture everything from posture and swing to the length of your drive. Stateof-the-art software replicates some 30 golf courses, from Mission Hills in Hainan to Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, immersing players in real-life scenarios as they work on improving their game.

! s t n e v E &

Founded by former Austrian sports journalist Christoph Bauchinger, a DB resident, the venue consists of two bays: Bay 1 for left- and right-handed players and Bay 2 for right-handed players only. Numerous cost-effective training packages are on offer, and The Golf Bay also partners with golf coaches, with one-hour individual lessons and group lessons available for kids as well as adults. To learn more and book a bay, visit www.thegolfbay.hk. [PHOTOS BY Raphael Blet.]

KNOW IN FEBRUARY! DBIS’ 40TH ANNIVERSARY GLITTER BALL

Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a glittering ball at Auberge Discovery Bay on February 11. The evening is set to kick off at 6pm with drinks on the terrace overlooking the bay. Guests will then be treated to a delicious three-course dinner with entertainment provided by a live five-piece band. The ball will be a wonderful celebration of DBIS’ journey from its original cohort of three students and three staff in January 1983 to a community in its thousands. For more on the event and DBIS’ ongoing anniversary celebrations, visit www.dbis.edu.hk.

CHRISTIAN ACTION AT THE SUNDAY MARKET

Cookie Smiles is hosting a Christian Action stall at the Discovery Bay Market on February 12 providing a fun mix of cookie art and body painting. You can also pick up handicrafts made by the refugee women, who are supported by Christian Action’s Ladies Empowerment, Art & Development (LEAD) initiative. To get involved, visit www.cookiesmiles.com.hk.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY THROUGH FEBRUARY | DONATE PRELOVED FURNITURE to people in need through DB Mothers & Friends. To arrange for pickup, visit Facebook @dbmf.collection.

FEBRUARY 4 | JOIN A BEACH CLEAN-UP! Meet at the gate to DB/ Nim Shue Wan at 2.10pm. Email dana@plasticfreeseas.org to RSVP.

FEBRUARY 5 | GATHER AT THE PLANT MARKET in DB Community Green Square from 2pm to 4pm. Visit Facebook @DynamicDBers.

FEBRUARY 12 | SHOP THE DISCOVERY BAY MARKET in DB Plaza from 11am to 6pm. Visit www.handmadehongkong.com.

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

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VALENTINE’S DAY RACE IN PUI O

The Trail Hub is holding its annual Valentine’s Day Race on February 12. Starting and finishing at Treasure Island in Pui O, participants compete in pairs in various categories, including men’s, women’s, mixed, mum & me and dad & me. There are two intensity levels – the Easy Love (9km) coastal path and trail route or the Tough Love (15km) route that includes the climb up and over Lo Yan Shan (303m). Entry costs HK$680 per team with the option to add HK$100 per person for a post-race brunch at Treasure Island. To enrol, by February 11, visit www.thetrailhub.com. [PHOTOS COURTESY OF The Trail Hub.]

CLOCKENFLAP COMING SOON!

After a three-year interruption, Clockenflap is coming to Central Harbourfront from March 3 to 5, offering concert-goers an exciting line-up of over 30 local and international artists. Headliners include British rock band Arctic Monkeys, French multi-instrumentalist FKJ and Norwegian folkpop duo Kings of Convenience. Be sure to catch Japanese rapper Tyson Yoshi, Thai favourites Three Man Down and local Indie band Tofu Kingdom. For tickets, priced at HK$1,620 for a three-day pass, or HK$1,080 for single days, head to www.clockenflap.com.

MUI WO MOUNTAIN BIKE PRACTICE GROUND DB CNY DRAWING COMPETITION To ring in 2023, we asked young DBers to enter the DB CNY Drawing Competition and create a rabbit-themed ar t work. The f inalist s in each categor y (primar y and secondar y school student s living/ studying in DB) have been chosen through a communit y vote on Facebook and Instagram @Around DB. To see the prize-winning ar t works and f ind out more, turn to page 28. [PHOTO BY Richard Gordon - w w w.richardgordonphotography.com.]

The newly opened Mui Wo Mountain Bike Practice Ground offers bikers of all abilities a safe and exciting environment in which to enhance their skills. Located in Lantau South Country Park, it provides around 9 kilometres of new mountain bike trails and is the only venue in Hong Kong that covers all five mountain bike difficulty levels. The practice grounds, trails and technical features are free to use and open 24/7.

SOLARIS FOUR PEAKS RACE In the epic Solaris Four Peaks Race, taking place from February 4 to 5, competitors sail between Lantau Peak, Mount Stenhouse on Lamma, Violet Hill on Hong Kong Island and Ma On Shan in the New Territories. At each destination, two runners kayak ashore, scale the mountain and return to their boat. This year, a team of para-sailors and para-runners from Sailability are competing for the first time. To find out more, visit www.4peaksrace.com and www.sailability.org.hk. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Four Peaks Race.]

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MTR LINE EXTENSION

The Hong Kong government has approved the MTR Tung Chung Line extension project, which will see the line diverging into East and West sections. The project will include the construction of an aboveground Tung Chung East station between the existing Sunny Bay and Tung Chung MTR stations, and an underground Tung Chung West terminus, at Yat Tung Estate.

Scheduled for completion in 2029, the extension is poised to bring more convenience to Tung Chung residents. As of now, it takes around 25 minutes to reach Tung Chung from Yat Tung Estate, with buses running every 20 minutes. According to estimates, the total journey time between Tung Chung West Station and Tung Chung East Station towards Tsim Sha Tsui or Central will be reduced by around 12 and 21 minutes, respectively. To find out more, visit mtrtungchunglineextension.hk. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Wikimedia Commons.]

! e t a d p U g n u h C Tung WHAT’S HAPPENING NEXT DOOR

THIRD AIRPORT HOTEL

Newly opened Regala SkyCity is Hong Kong’s third airport hotel, well positioned for MICE, weddings, social gatherings and staycations, as well as business and leisure travels. The hotel has 1,203 rooms, three restaurants and a bar, plus two banquet halls with a bridal room covering 1,789 square metres. Wellness facilities include an outdoor swimming pool and an outdoor gym. To learn more, visit www.regala-hotels.com. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Regala SkyCity Hotel].]

HOT HONEY AT SHAKE SHACK NEW ITALIAN AT CITYGATE

Woolly Pig Concepts’ Man Mano opened in midJanuary at Citygate, with a focus on nonna-approved, artisan-style pasta, all made in-house. While pasta is the speciality, other Italian favourites such as Veal Parmigiana and Suckling Pig are available, not to mention an extensive selection of antipasto. Must-try desserts include Tiraamisu, Panna Cotta, Cannoncini (Italian Cream Horn) and Cannolis. Man Mano is open seven days a week from 11.30am to 10.30pm. To find out more or book a table, visit www.manmano.com.

WATERSIDE PICNIC SPOT

Shake Shack’s special CNY menu, Hot Honey – tasty ‘golden delights’ filled with sweet honey and spice – is available through February 25 at Citygate. Try the Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich, which combines hot honey-glazed crispy chicken with the Shack’s signature cabbage and green apple slaw on a freshly toasted potato bun, or the crispy Hot Honey Chicken Bites served with Hot Honey sauce on the side.

To find out more, visit Facebook @shakeshackhongkong. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Shake Shack.]

The Tung Chung Community Liaison Centre on Tung Chung Waterfront Road expanded last month with an adjacent extension providing more space for conservation- and sustainability-themed exhibitions and activities. Lantauers are being encouraged to make good use of the surrounding area, thanks to the addition of some neat outdoor facilities, including a mini skatepark, a small gym, children’s play areas, plenty of seating and grass to sit on. The space is open from 8am to 8pm. Find out more at www.lantau.gov.hk.

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DB EVENTS

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WHAT YOU'VE BEEN UP TO! CLEANING THE BEACH WITH PLASTIC FREE SEAS

Thirty-three people joined Plastic Free Seas’ first beach clean-up of the year on January 8, removing 169kg of rubbish from Nim Shue Wan. Of the 159 plastic beverage bottles collected, 116 were recycled. [PHOTOS BY Baljit Gidwani – www.evoqueportraits.com.]

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DB EVENTS

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DB EVENTS

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RINGING IN 2023 AT DB ICE RINK

On December 31, residents flocked to the Glow in the Galaxy Countdown Party at DB Ice Rink to ring in 2023.

Meanwhile, restaurants in both plazas hosted their own New Year celebrations for the first time in three years. [PHOTOS COURTESY OF HKR.]

SHORT TRACK SPEED-SKATING COMPETITION

DB Ice Rink hosted the Hong Kong Cup 2022 – Short Track Speed-Skating Competition on December 26 in collaboration with the Hong Kong Skating Union. The inaugural event was divided into eleven categories, with Hong Kong national team members Kwok Tsz Ho, Lam Ching Yan and Kwok Tsz Fung wowing the crowds. [PHOTOS COURTESY OF HKR.]

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DB EVENTS

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SHOPPING THE CNY PLANT MARKET

At the CNY Plant Market at DB Community Green Square on January 14, residents were given the chance to stock up on auspicious blooms and potted plants ahead of the holidays, as well as organic vegetables sourced from nearby farms. [PHOTOS BY Baljit Gidwani – www.evoqueportraits.com.]

CELEBRATING CNY AT GARDEN ARTEMIS

Founder of One World Spirit Association Shirlee Dickert organised a series of calligraphy workshops at Garden Artemis in DB North Plaza from January 12 to 14, with attendees invited to make their own Spring Couplets. The CNY celebrations culminated with a Hanfu Show and Zither Performance on January 14. [PHOTOS BY Richard Gordon www.richardgordon.com.hk & courtesy of OWS.]

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WISH LIST

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S.W.A.L.K!

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DISNEY MAGIC ACCESS ADULT ANNUAL PASS (SILVER), HK$1,348,

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AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

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PROFILE

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! e n u T n I s ShTHEe' VIOLINIST

Fifteen-year-old quadruple threat Donna Lee aims to take the classical music world by storm. Don’t bet against her. Elizabeth Kerr reports PHOTOS BY Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com

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iolinis t and voc alis t Donna Lee is ver y serious. She’s not into pop music. She’s tried it; it ’s jus t not her thing. But ask her about Mozar t, or her main man Bach, and she get s animated. You’ll get a cr ash cour se in the basic s of composition, and what on ear th a minor fall and major lif t is. By the same token, it ’s clear that if the Year 10 Discover y College s tudent doesn’t make it into her fir s t pos t-secondar y choice, The Juilliard School, she could have a future in teaching. Or criticism.

“T here are s o many c halle nges in or iginal comp ositions, s t ar ting wit h melo d y. T hen t here’s har mony and s o many r ules,” s he ex plains, r at tling of f w hic h c hord s c an go w here, and c autioning on re p eating notes. Second c hord s c an have a d ouble t hird, b ut no par allel f if t hs or o c t aves, w hic h are hard to s p ot. Donna’s able to make it clear t hat or iginalit y is n’t simply ab out unconve ntional c hord mi x t ures. O f cour s e, you c an d o t hat… “But it will s ound r ub bis h. Moz ar t mad e a jo ke of it. It ’s s o f unny.” She paus es. “I could t alk ab out his for ages.” Donna als o has a s e ns e of humour way more highb row t han many of us.

If that makes her sound like the villain from a 1980 s teen comedy that ’s unfair. On the cusp of 15, Donna is jus t a lit tle more driven, more confident, in what she want s to do with her life than mos t kids her age. She’s happy to be back in a clas sroom, but is desper ate to finish with science. “Biology.

Physic s. Chemis tr y. None of them make sense to me,” she says with a shake of her head. Math is OK – it ’s at leas t useful – and of cour se, it ’s music in it s own way.

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TEEN MAESTRO The middle of three girls, Donna picked up the violin bug aged five. By six, she was off to the races, placing second at her first international competition in Taiwan and setting her sights on Juilliard. “It’s a dream for now; I hope I can make it reality.”

Donna was born in Hong Kong, and relocated with her mum and sisters to DB roughly two years ago, like so many other COVID refugees seeking respite from the city. Mum Tiffany Ho is sitting on the patio at Pacific Coffee next to her daughter, itching to show off a video of her playing a Vivaldi Concer to in A minor at five. Of the move to DB she says, “I wanted a more relaxed life, and I think of this as a halfhour migration. It’s like moving to a foreign countr y without leaving. We have ever ything, a community.

It’s unlike the rest of Hong Kong.”

When and if she makes it to Juilliard, Donna will be double majoring in violin and vocal, so her studies in composition and – one more – conducting will have to take a back seat. But that’s OK considering how her violin playing has matured in leaps and bounds in 10 shor t years, thanks in par t to the oppor tunities to improve she’s found through suppor ters like her teacher, Hong Kong Academy for Per forming Ar ts Senior Lecturer and renowned Sony Classical ar tist Gian Paolo Peloso.

Donna is the freshly minted first-prize winner of the 2022 International Music Competition ‘Paris’ Grand Prize Vir tuoso, which saw her per form at Amphithéâtre Cité de la Musique Philharmonie de Paris, and third-prize winner at the second edition of the International String Competition Online

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2022, where she was praised for her “fantastic and interesting musical personality.” In November, she per formed at the I Love Hong Kong SAR 25th Anniversar y event at the Cultural Centre, soloing with Leung Kin-fung’s Hong Kong Orchestra. She played Bach of course.

“I think the other members of the orchestra were pretty impressed,” she recalls. “After each of our shor t rehearsals they clapped. That felt good because these are people who ‘get it,’ and who are on a career path I hope to take.”

BACK TO BACH People may ask why Donna is so into classical music at 15, and the reason may be similar to Juilliard prodigy Yo Yo Ma’s: She just is. Donna, however, has a touch of the evangelist in her. She compares the great classical composers to Shakespeare, in that too many of us think they’re inaccessible and dull when they’re not. “A lot of people think classical music is boring, and that’s so not true. Each composer has their style; there’s inspiration but no repetition. I think we need to stop assuming what classical music is, and give it a go.”

Maybe start with her personal favourite, the aforementioned Bach. An interpretation of his Partita No. 2 won Donna her most recent competitions, which represent the tip of the iceberg of her awards.

In the last five years she’s placed in the top three at 10 competitions, including the Melbourne International Youth Music Competition, the 20th Osaka International Music Competition and the Charleston International Competition. Clearly she’s a natural. “Nothing in violin comes naturally,” she deadpans.

So the inevitable question: Why Bach? If Donna has trouble verbalising what appealed about the violin, she has none when discussing her love of Bach. “I star ted really learning Bach last year, and star ted with the Partita No. 2, then then No. 1, then moved on to the concer to,” she begins, pronouncing the composer’s name with proper German flair.

“He’s known as the father of music. You don’t learn a piece for a year. You learn it for a whole life. His music is ar ticulate and it tells a stor y. There are so many ways to interpret it. You don’t pour your hear t out with Bach. He’s elegant and intellectual, and something you have to follow,” she says, before shouting out Paganini and Sibelius. “They can be a little more expressive.” Bottom line? “Bach’s music is just really good.”

Remember when Pharrell’s Happy was ever ywhere a few years back? Well, Donna has peeves too, and hearing her verbally smack them down is a pleasure.

“I like Vivaldi. I think The Four Seasons is great.

But because of mainstream television he’s been overplayed, and it’s been cheapened. And Flight of the Bumblebee. Oh my God…” She shakes her head, 20

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

PEOPLE MAY ASK WHY DONNA IS SO INTO CLASSICAL MUSIC AT 15, AND THE REASON MAY BE SIMILAR TO JUILLIARD PRODIGY YO YO MA’S: SHE JUST IS exasperated. Ditto for Puccini’s O mio babbino caro, which elicits an exhausted, “Just. Shut up.”

TIME TO PLAY If she’s not practising the violin, Donna’s busy with her flying lessons (she’s learning the theory) and hanging out with friends. Favourite flicks include The Hunger Games trilogy, Mean Girls and, duh, Amadeus. “I love classical music conspiracy theories,” she says with a cheeky grin.

Donna also took some much-needed time to do normal teenaged girl things over the holidays, travelling to Toronto and New York to see friends and family, and take in a couple of concerts, one by a personal idol.

Naturally the concerts were a pair of operas at The Met, one being Rigoletto featuring Lisette Oropesa.

Now it’s back to focusing on Juilliard. Who knows?

Maybe one day Donna will be one of the world’s great classical music educators. “I would love classical music to be enjoyed by more people, and be more mainstream. I’m not saying pop is bad, but people just don’t know enough. All Western music is influenced by the composers we were talking about, even if you don’t realise it,” she finishes. With one little jab. “Even The Beatles.” Take that, pop music.

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GIVEAWAYS

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EMS Fitness IS OFFERING TWO READERS A ONE-ON-ONE EMS TRAINING SESSION (WORTH HK$780 EACH) Founded by cer tified personal trainer Beatrice Chan and husband Simon, EMS Fitness is now providing highly ef fec tive training sessions in DB South. Each one-on-one session includes 20 minutes EMS with a personal trainer followed by 10 minutes muscle relaxation.

EMS – Electric Muscle Stimulation – technology helps to contract over 90% of muscle fibre simultaneously, thus massively reducing time spent in the gym. Major benefits include strengthening, toning and muscle growth. Purported to be the future of fitness, an EMS session takes only 20 minutes and delivers the same result as a two-and-a-halfhour conventional gym workout. It is also a low-impact workout that can relieve back pain and contribute to post-injury muscle recovery.

EMS Fitness is offering a HK$150 discount to everyone who signs up to win this month’s giveaway. To book a session, call 6200 2464 or visit ems-fitness.hk/db.

HOW TO WIN!

Around DB prizes are incredibly easy to get your hands on, and you have until the 15th of the month to apply. Simply scan the QR code or go to www.arounddb.com/giveaways, select the giveaway you want, and enter your details into the online form. (Terms and Conditions apply.)

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AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

SPONSORED CONTENT

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FUNDIN G YOUR C H I L D ’S ED UC ATI O N THROU GH P RO P ERT Y Gordon Franks, Managing Partner of Lifestyle Property, suggests a way around your next inflation-driven worry With rising university fees, it’s hard to know how to save for your children’s education. It feels like every day, the cost of a university degree goes up, and if you’re not careful, you’ll be left with a bill that you may not be able to afford, or your children will have to enter adulthood with a student loan.

UK tuition fees for international students: If you want to send your child to a top UK university as an international undergraduate, the tuition fees may span from £18,365 to £58,038 per year, depending on the chosen course and university.

For example, Oxford’s tuition fees for international students in 2023 range between £28,950 and £44,240. In 2021, the same fees were between £26,770 and £37,510 per annum.

Factoring in costs of living (in London, £1,400 per month, £1000 in other cities) in addition to the tuition costs, you can be looking at spending, on average, £12,000 to £16,800 per year.

For example, you can purchase a property valued at £250,000 for an initial deposit of £12,500 and monthly payments of £2,605 over the build period, typically 24 months. Going forward, the mortgage would be financed by rental income, and you’d have a self-supporting investment property with debt being repaid through rental.

Fast forward 20 years, and the property may be mortgage-free and producing rental income, which could assist with education funding.

Alternatively, you could sell the property to pay for the education costs. Assuming a modest 3% annual increase, this £250,000 property in 20 years would be valued at £451,000, which should be enough to cover university costs. As such, you can see the power of using property as a tool to fund education expenses.

Bottomline: Tuition prices are rising faster than inflation, and it’s only going to get worse from here. If you don’t start planning now, you may not be able to afford your child’s education costs down the road.

How investing in property can fund your children's education costs. To accumulate enough money to finance your child’s education, which throughout a three- to four-year course can easily reach HK$2 million (currency equivalent) or more, you need to start saving sooner rather than later.

Traditionally, mutual funds may have been used, but many people now consider property investment as it can provide greater returns and less volatility.

Lifestyle Property makes it easy for anyone to invest in property, regardless of budget or experience. We offer various property options that are perfect for any stage of life. Plus, our team of experts are always here to help guide you through every step of the process. Contact us today at www.lfsproperty.com or via WhatsApp at 9635 4397 and let us show you how easy it is to invest in property.

Gordon Franks, is a long-term DB resident and Managing Partner of Lifestyle Property and has been assisting his clients in creating wealth through property in Hong Kong since 2004.

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

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! a i v i r T f o t i B e l t it L A ACROSS HONG KONG

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VALENTINE’S DAY QUIZ

In the lead-up to February 14, find out how much you know about the most romantic day of the year PHOTOS COURTESY OF Pexels

1. What is St Valentine also the patron saint of?

A. Beekeepers B. Lost causes C. Sailors 2. Which popular website launched on Valentine’s Day, 2005?

A. Facebook B. YouTube C. Instagram 3. In An Affair to Remember, what was meant to happen on Valentine’s Day? A. A rendezvous on top of the Eiffel Tower B. A rendezvous in Riverside Park C. A rendezvous in Central Park 4. In Medieval times, what did people believe happened in February?

A. Birds lost the ability to fly B. Birds paired for life C. Animals paired for life 5. Which poet is credited with first writing about Valentine’s Day? A. Molière B. Chaucer C. Homer 24

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

ACROSS HONG KONG

6. When did it become customary for lovers to exchange handwritten cards?

14. What is a Vinegar Valentine?

A. In the 15th century

B. A sweet vinaigrette

B. In the 16th century C. In the 17th century 7.

When were the first Valentine’s Day cards mass-produced?

A. In the 1840s by Esther A. Howland B. In the 1840s by George Hallmark C. In the 1950s by Donald J. Hall 8. Who wrote the words for My Funny Valentine?

A. Richard Rogers B. Lorenz Hart C. Frank Sinatra 9.

Which group of people receive the most Valentine’s Day cards?

A. A vinegar for weight loss C. A nasty anonymous note 15. What percentage of pet owners give Valentine’s Day gifts to their pets?

A. About 20 percent B. About 30 percent C. Over 50 percent 16. What is the most popular Valentine’s Day gift?

A. Cards B. Chocolates C. Flowers 17. During COVID-19, Valentine’s Day sales of what spiked?

A. Firefighters

A. Jewellery

B. Strippers

B. Lingerie

C. Teachers

C. Watches

10. Which of Shakespeare’s heroines still receives letters on Valentine’s Day?

18. Who, in 1861, created the world’s first heart-shaped chocolate box?

A. Ophelia

A. Frank Mars

B. Juliet

B. Ferrero Rocher

C. Viola

C. Richard Cadbury

11. When and where did a massacre occur on Valentine’s Day?

19. Who became a couple after meeting on the set of Valentine’s Day?

A. Chicago, 1929

A. Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner

B. New York City, 1929

B. Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis

C. Palermo, 1929

C. Bradley Copper and Julia Roberts

12. According to Hallmark, how many Valentines are sent worldwide?

20. What do a dozen red roses symbolise?

A. 114 million B. 144 million C. Over one billion 13. What does Cupid have the power to do?

A. Make people fall in love B. Hypnotise people

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A. True love B. Obsession C. An engagement You can check your score at www.arounddb.com/ valentines-day-quiz.

C. Control the elements AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

25

SPOTLIGHT

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! d r i b Song

IN THE NAME OF LOVE

Opening Hong Kong Arts Festival’s No Limits 2023, soprano Michelle Siu is set to captivate audiences with Sound of My Heart, a diverse and emotive vocal recital PHOTOS COURTESY OF HKAF & by Raphael Blet

M

ichelle Siu began learning music at a ver y young age and despite being blind since bir th, adversity is a ‘no word’ to her. Music has become more than just a passion. It is a way for Michelle to communicate with the world and express her emotions.

“I star ted music at four years old and early on I par ticipated in an open piano competition. That’s when I won my first prize and my parents were so happy!” opens the young ar tist, who later went on to major in Music and specialise in Voice at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Convincing teachers that she could excel musically wasn’t plain sailing, but with perseverance, Michelle proved them wrong. “I remember my teachers saying that it ’s impossible for blind people to learn music because we can’t see music scores. Luckily, my parent s believed in me a lot and they let me tr y,” she recalls. Even today, ver y few music scores have been adapted to the needs of visually impaired musicians but instead of giving up, Michelle braved the impossible and, in so doing, developed per fec t pitch.

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AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

SPOTLIGHT

In chasing her dreams, Michelle has earned over 70 music awards; she won the Hong Kong preliminar y round of China’s Got Talent in 2011 and came first in the inter-school music competition Supernova in 2013. To kick of f the new year, she’s already been selec ted to open Hong Kong Ar ts Festival’s (HK AF) No Limits 2023, with a solo recital, Sound of My Hear t, which you can catch on Februar y 18 at Hong Kong City Hall.

L aunched in 2019 and co - presented by HK AF and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Tr us t, No Limit s aims to create a bar rier-free environment and promote inclusion in the ar t s world. Running from Febr uar y through May, No Limit s 2023 encompas ses a series of fascinating progr ammes which cover music, dance, theatre and film. The progr ammes are provided by loc al and inter national ar tis t s of dif ferent abilities, all of whom def y cons tr aint s and boundaries.

SOUND OF MY HEART Although classically trained, Michelle’s reper toire has diversified over the years and this month’s concer t is testament to both her varied musical interest s and impressive vocal range. In Sound of My Hear t, she will sing classical compositions, musical numbers and pop songs, drawing on ever yone from Schuber t to Par ton and Morricone.

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Grace is full of praise for Michelle’s pure and versatile voice and clearly has a lot of trust in her protégée. “Cit y Hall is traditionally known for hosting classical music event s,” she says, with a smile. “I have never played pop songs or songs from musicals in this venue so it will be quite interesting to see. There is going to be lot s of improvisation!”

Happy to have the oppor tunit y to share her diverse reper toire and perhaps shake Cit y Hall audiences up a lit tle, Michelle is looking for ward to singing one song in par ticular – O Daddy and Mummy, her own composition.

“It is my own stor y and first-ever composition. When I joined a radio programme in 2014, they wanted me to compose a song for the show which was about parent- child relationships. I had never composed before and eventually I chose this stor y. The song is about how I was born; I couldn’t see and my parent s loved me a lot… suppor ted me. I am really luck y to be singing it during this concer t.

“Embrace your talent, embrace your children’s talent. This will give you confidence and hope, even if you are physically unlike most people, you can be as good as anybody else if not bet ter,” concludes Michelle, calling on all young people to embrace their dif ferences and believe in themselves.

The first par t of the recital comprises classical music, beginning with Bach’s Into My Hear t followed by My Love! Come Here from Mozar t ’s The Marriage of Figaro. We can also expec t some Schuber t, Wolf and Debussy. Michelle will then diversif y into pop, throwing in Par ton’s I will Always Love You, before exploring her love for musicals through Lloyd Webber ’s Think of Me from The Phantom of the Opera and Memor y from Cats. Popular film scores are also on the programme, including Morricone’s Dreams from The Church and Shore’s Hope from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

No doubt, Sound of My Hear t draws on a wide range of musical st yles but Michelle’s chosen songs have one thing in common – they are all about love.

“All these ar tist s convey strong emotions of dif ferent kinds,” says Grace Yu, Associate Professor and Postgraduate Programme Leader at the Hong Kong Academy for Per forming Ar t s (HK APA), where Michelle is currently taking her Masters in Music.

An award-winning pianist, Grace will accompany Michelle during the recital, alongside guest singer Maggie Lai, who taught Michelle when she was admit ted to the HK APA’s Junior Music Programme at the age of 12.

MICHELLE SIU AND GRACE YU IN REHEARSAL FOR THIS MONTH'S RECITAL

Michelle Siu is performing Sound of My Heart on February 18 at 3pm at the Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall in Central, as part of HKAF’s No Limits 2023. To find out more and book tickets, visit www.nolimits.hk.

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

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Category 1 - Primary School Students

t ru n n e s 1

e

Up

r!

r-

Winn

Isabelle Rose Green (Age 8) Catholic Mission School

Carla Roumi (Age 7) French Internationl School

r-

d ru n n e n 2

Up Erin Hsin Clarke (Age 8) Catholic Mission School

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AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

Category 2 - Secondary School Students

Wi

n

! r e n

2n

r

n e r - Up

ner-U

Maria Kim (Age 15) Discovery College

Mina Hiu Yuet Kung (Age 12) Discovery College

1 st

un

ru n

p

d

Tyler Maxwell Guy (Age 11) Discovery Bay International School

The three finalists in each category have won book vouchers:

Winner: HK$1,500 1st runner-up: HK$1,000 2nd runner-up: HK$800

We would like to thank all the students and voters who took part in this year’s rabbit-themed CNY drawing competition.

Love.Together@DB is a community-caring platform initiated by Hong Kong Resort Company dedicated to serving the Discovery Bay community. The platform has been supporting and coorganising diversified corporate social responsibility initiatives with NGO’s, community leaders and volunteers to promote the loving and caring culture in the sustainable and multicultural DB community.

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

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COMMUNITY

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! y a w A d n A p U , Up TAKE A HIKE

Not all DB trails lead to Mui Wo but two of the most interesting do.

George Pitsakis takes us walkabout PHOTOS BY Alexander Grasic

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AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

COMMUNITY

T

o say that the hikes I’m about to introduce you to never get old is understatement. I first hiked to Mui Wo via the Trappist Monaster y in 20 0 0 with my family when I was four years old, and I still love it. As for the hike to Mui Wo via Tiger ’s Head, I did it almost ever y weekend in my late teens; I must have done it 70 times or more. Again, I still love the challenge – and the incredible views.

I hope you get as much out of these hikes as I have.

VIA THE TRAPPIST MONASTERY No sweat. 4 kilometres: Star ting at Nim Shue Wan, you follow the path that hugs the coast for the whole of the first sec tion of this hike. As you walk through the village up a steep hill, you’re immediately surrounded by Banyan Trees and garden plots – it’s funny how quickly you ‘leave’ DB and get out into the countr yside. Dogs hang around the village but keep walking and they won’t harm you, they’re used to hikers passing through.

Af ter a stretch, you skir t a rocky little bay (where my brother and I used to catch crabs) and head up some winding stairs. Continue walking and you come across one of my favourite things about this hike – a 1950s jeep now totally overgrown and laced with tree roots. I’ve no idea why it’s there or how it got there. It looks like it’s been there forever.

Af ter a sharp descent, you enter a clearing and see a wide road leading up to the Roman Catholic Our Lady of Joy Abbey, better known as the Trappist Monaster y. This sec tion of the hike is steep so take your time. You pass 14 Stations of the Cross on the way to the monaster y, a series of 14 markers por traying events in the Passion of Christ, from his condemnation by Pontius Pilate to his entombment.

At the monaster y, there’s a beautiful Shrine to Mar y, a well-kept garden and a pretty stream that runs beneath a wooden bridge, all of which justif y the monaster y’s original name – Trappist Haven. The chapel itself is a plain place of worship nestled in the hills, quiet and remote.

Back on the tr ail, you’re looking at a fairly long climb up to a pagoda at around 30 0 metres above sea level. It ’s all uphill for a while, so mind your pace. W hile there is a tr ail that skir t s the pagoda, it ’s wor th t aking the s t air s up to it (on your lef t) for the great views. On your way down, you see the Discover y Bay Golf Club on your lef t, Peng Chau ahead, and Hong Kong Island and a sliver of Hei Ling Chau to your right. The pagoda used to be painted white with tr aditional green- glaze tiles, now it ’s smar tly done up in black and grey.

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You’re now on the homestretch – a casual 1,000 -stair descent to Mui Wo. It’s best to take the steps sideways on at the end because they’re pretty narrow. Here you look down on Mui Wo in the shadow of 869-metre Tai Tung Shan (Sunset Peak) and, as of ten as not, you find yourself surrounded by butter flies.

At the bottom of the stairs, follow the path to the right until you wind down to Silvermine Bay. Here you can hang out at Silvermine Beach Resor t, China Bear, or the Mui Wo Cooked Food Market before ferr y-, bus- or taxi-ing it back to DB.

VIA TIGER’S HEAD Challenging. 11 kilometres: This hike really kicks into gear at the Discover y Bay Lookout (already 200 metres above sea level). From the lookout, you can see the skyscrapers of Central just a few kilometres across Vic toria Harbour. Peng Chau and Hei Ling Chau sit in the foreground, with Lamma and Cheung Chau forming the backdrop.

Take the paved road out from behind the lookout, and you see Lo Fu Tau ( Tiger ’s Head) towering above you. Follow the path as it turns lef t, and you come across a switch back on your right. This dir t path inclines steeply all the way up to Tiger ’s Head, 465 metres above sea level. Be warned, there’s no shade the whole way up – if you’re hiking in summer, make it early in the morning, and carr y plent y of water even in winter. The trail is eroded in places too, so watch out for loose rocks and dir t.

Take your time and enjoy the incredible views.

The path snaking up Tiger’s Head looks a lot shor ter than it ac tually is, but it flattens out for 10 metres ever y now and then, providing you with a good place to take a break. Just before you reach the summit, there’s a harsh 40º incline – you might need to do this bit on all fours. Bear in mind that you’re on the final stretch. Tell yourself that once you’re at the summit, it will be beautiful. It is.

From here you tur n right to continue on the tr ail but, before you do, t ake a lef t – a shor t climb t akes you right up to the prover bial tiger ’s head, a giant s tone on the top of the hill shaped like the head of a tiger. The views are incredible here; you c an see the whole of DB and appreciate jus t how far you’ve climbed.

The shape of the tiger is best seen as you continue on a brief incline and you look back towards DB. Two protrusions on either side of the main rock buttress resemble ears, and you can imagine you’re looking down the nape of a tiger, as he sur veys the scene below.

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

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COMMUNITY

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THE TRAPPIST MONASTERY –

OUR LADY OF JOY ABBEY

NIM SH UE WA N TH E WA LK TH RO UG H ON THE LO FU TAU COUNTRY TRAIL

Here, you’re rewarded with a 360° panorama. To appreciate it all, clamber on to the trigonometrical point. These fixed sur veying stations are found on many hills in Hong Kong, ask a friend to help you get up it! From here you see the airpor t, along with the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge veining into the Pearl River Delta, as well as Castle Peak in the New Territories.

Back on the trail as it heads to the lef t, you are now of ficially on the Lo Fu Tau Countr y Trail.

You get your first glimpse of what can only be described as a landscape that is totally alien to Hong Kong. This stretch of the walk is sublime, a relatively gentle descent through a craggy, treeless moonscape surrounded by hills. The valley opens up behind in splendid and cavernous st yle; skir t around a hill and you see Sunset Peak towering up a few kilometres away. As you meander down you encounter several interesting rock formations that seem too well-balanced to have been haphazardly thrown together by nature.

Af ter you take some stairs leading down, you find yourself back below the tree line. The path continues on it s downward journey, clipping the edge of Discover y Bay Golf Club, and you can 32

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

spot golfers on the put ting green. It ’s a nice easy descent to a wooden pagoda, which marks one end of Lo Fu Tau Countr y Trail.

Here you turn lef t to join the Olympic Trail. The winding path of stairs, slopes and straight s makes up for the fac t that you’re back on concrete. From the clearings, you star t to glimpse the Mui Wo villages and Silvermine Bay. A couple of the stairs at this point are pret t y steep.

Round a bend and you come across a pret t y lit tle pool of water overhung by trees. In the summer, these trees are full of massive Golden Silk Orb Weaver Spiders. The spiders are not in your way but don’t get too close as they do bite.

Cross a recently built bridge and follow the path lef t past an old house; then turn right to Silvermine Cave, which is ac tually the mouth of an old silver mine. Just below it is Silvermine Water fall – to see it at full pelt, time your hike for just af ter it ’s rained. There are benches by the water fall where you can grab a snack and hang out.

Back on the path, you end up in the back end of Mui Wo. Follow the main road and head away from the hills toward Silvermine Bay.

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PARENTING

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! t c A g in c n a Bal

BODY IMAGE AND SELF-ESTEEM

PHOTOS COURTESY OF Adobe Stock

Being fit and fabulous is one thing but, in pursuing health and happiness, we need to be sure we are sending the right messages to our kids.

Trisha Hughes reports 34

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

PARENTING

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end of the session that makes it so appealing? Or is it the alluring promise of those endorphins ready to rage mysteriously through their bodies at the end of a punishing one-hour workout?

I was raised in a country where women are obsessed with their bodies. Australia is one of those countries where nearly everyone knows how to swim and they spend every available weekend soaking up the sun on a beach in their skimpy bikinis. And of course, women watch other women and they make judgments, and for a while people’s opinions were a vital part of my life. But oh boy, was I wrong. I’ve come to realise that generally speaking, people’s judgements don’t matter after all. It’s freed me up for a ‘who cares!’ adventurous approach to life.

You will know by now that I am no exercise bunny. And although we are roughly the same age, I am certainly no Madonna. She’s been working out for 40+ years, she’s been married twice, and has six children and a gruelling career. Goodness, the woman should be exhausted! She should be lying on the couch at night watching movies and eating ice cream with her fingers. Instead, she’s off to the gym at least twice a day and out there partying night after night, all with the unbridled enthusiasm of an 18-year-old schoolgirl.

I can only admire her stamina and energy.

By contrast, I picture myself slumped over a treadmill, sweaty and dispirited after only a few minutes in the gym. A fretful voice in my head whispers: ‘There has to be some other way!’

CELEBRITY DIETS AND THE GYM

E

xercise is a word that fills me with an undeniable kind of dread. It means potentially putting on Lycra and exposing my body to the world, which is something I have no wish to do, especially so soon after my Christmas binge. But if you look around the plaza, the fit women of DB have no qualms about doing exactly that. I watch them in a kind of awe as they get off the buses, water bottles in one hand and phones in the other with not the least bit of trepidation. As they walk confidently through the plaza on their way to the gym, their other half is strapping on his helmet and heading off to the bike trails.

As I watch, I often wonder what it is that makes the gym (or yoga studio) so enticing to these fit and fabulous DBers. Is it the thought of a quarterpounder combo without the consequences at the

That was the lightbulb moment. I decided to delete exercise from my 2023 agenda… all I needed was a diet. The thought made me stop and open up my new calorie-counting phone app and ask it how many calories there are in one glass of red wine. I knew I’d get a quick and simple answer like I did with the boiled egg question. The app then asked me was it red wine or jus? Regular? Cooking? Sparkling? Or just red wine? After a lengthy think, I pressed regular. It then asked Sip? Large glass? Extra-large glass? Or Other? Playing it safe, I opted for other.

By then, I thought I’d just twitter Madonna because she would certainly know what course of action to take when it came to calorie counting and exercise.

Or even Joanna Lumley, actress, champagne swiller, owner of the world’s most seductive voice and as thin now as she was in Absolutely Fabulous.

And then, I stopped to think… do we place too much emphasis on the current celebrity preoccupation with telling us what to eat? The thought made me pause and wonder if we put too much faith in celebrity diets and by extension in the all-pervasive ‘name and shame’ AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

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PARENTING

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IT’S GOOD TO KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR WEIGHT BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE MAGIC WORDS ‘EVERYTHING IN MODERATION?' culture, popularised by shows like The Biggest Loser.

I’m no doctor or psychologist but finger-wagging rarely works.

NUTRITION IS THE SOLUTION Are these messages perhaps the wrong ones for our children? When 12-year-old kids are undergoing gastric banding surger y, and the obesity rate is still climbing, surely we should be thinking whether these anorexic-looking people are the ones who should be influencing us. Our obesity crisis will not be solved by a clutch of privileged people who eat small amounts of food and crave nothing, because for most of us food is perennially fascinating, not least delicious.

If in doubt, you only have to watch a Jamie Oliver show to know that extensive dieting is bad for us, not to mention the long-term damage it does to our skin. It’s nutrition that is the solution to the problem.

But with so many people offering different ideas on nutrition, who is right and who is wrong? There’s no doubt about it, diets are confusing. We have lowfat, low-carb, low-calorie, detox, low-glycaemic and high-glycaemic. Some people insist on the lowcalorie option, while others insist that eating less more often will build up metabolism and is the way to go.

Then you have all the weird celebrity diets, with a cacophony of stars eager to disclose their intimate culinar y habits. Victoria Beckham has eaten steamed fish and vegetables almost exclusively for 25 years; 36

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TEACH YOUR KIDS TO LOVE THEMSELVES – BY EXAMPLE

Rebel Wilson uses the Mayr Method to lose weight, cutting out sugar, dair y and gluten and chewing each bite of food 40 times; Joe Rogan is a fan of the carnivore diet (just meat and fruit) and when Mariah Carey wants to lose weight, she eats nothing but Nor wegian salmon and capers. (Incidentally, it’s inadvisable to tr y these diets at home.)

EVERYTHING IN MODERATION So here is what I’ve I figured out. Life can be tragically short and yet, it’s in our hands to fill it with heaps of happiness. I know that to be miserable about selfimage is easy and that self-absorption is an utter waste of time. I’ve learnt that no matter how rich or poor you are, how many shoes you have (that number is called ‘never enough’), and how much exercise you do in the messy business of life, the greatest possessions and achievements you can ever have, are your friends and family who love you just as you are, with or without a muffin top.

Of course, it’s good to keep an eye on your weight but what about those magic words ‘everything in moderation?’ And now the dreaming part (and dreamers out there will know what I’m talking about), I would really like it if the day would come when I can eat all the chocolate I want and not have it show up on my hips.

While I dream, I am lacing my feet into joggers ready to hike around beautiful Lantau. If anyone should see me collapsed in a bush, please be kind enough to haul me out and revive me. Low-cal red is fine.

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Congratulations to the DMR Dancers who performed at Hong Kong Disneyland on January 15th, 2023.

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For our youngest dancers, ages 2 - 4, we have a range of classes which focus on motor skills, imagination, structure and preparing them for the world of dance.

Ballet From 5 years old, our Ballerinas can participate in our graded classes following the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Syllabus and focus on strength and grace.

Modern Taking aspects from Jazz, Contemporary and Commercial, Modern is a great class to try out different styles, gain flexibility, technique and grow as performers.

4 SPORTS, 1 PROGRAM Foobtball Tennis / Athletics

Tap Our tap classes focus on rhythm, line and style, and confidence! These classes are based on the ISTD Syllabus and are great fun!

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+852 5210 7208

Unit 21, 1/F, DB North

INSIDER

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! p U e s i WMONEY MATTERS

Playing the FX market may look like the way forward in 2023 but don’t believe the hype. Buying and selling foreign currencies through a low-cost intermediary is your better bet. Boon Tiong Tan reports ILLUSTRATIONS COURTESY OF Freepik 38

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INSIDER

2

022 was a year when many HongKongers felt the pinch, as bond, stock and proper ty markets all headed south. However, there was a bright spot – the US dollar (USD) strengthened significantly during the year.

In September, the British pound (GBP) almost crashed to parity (GBP1 = USD1) and in Oc tober, the Japanese yen (JPY ) broke JPY150 to USD1.

With the Hong Kong dollar (HKD) pegged to the US dollar, HongKongers continue to benefit from a strong US dollar moving into 2023. This means overseas proper ties are more af fordable and tuition fees at foreign universities are cheaper. We have more spending power as tourists in Thailand, Japan, the UK and many more countries.

The currency or foreign exchange (FX) market has an impac t on ever yday life, and it’s the biggest financial market in the world, bigger than both bond and stock markets. It is conduc ted elec tronically over the counter, which means that all transac tions are done via computer networks among banks and other players, rather than on a centralised exchange. The biggest centre for FX transac tions is London, followed by New York and Singapore.

For decades, before it was trumped by the nonstop, 24/7 cr ypto currencies market, the FX market had by far the longest trading hours in the financial markets. It is a 24-hour market that star ts trading on Monday morning in New Zealand and ends on Friday evening in New York.

INVESTING IN FOREIGN CURRENCIES The FX market has been touted as an asset class just like stocks, bonds and commodities. With both stock and bond markets tanking this year, should you diversify and invest in foreign currencies, or even trade them?

The developed countries’ currencies tend to move in large waves and take years to move a third or more. If you were to put 10% (probably the highest percentage a prudent financial planner would recommend) of your assets into the right foreign currencies, your por tfolio’s return is not going to improve much. Worse still, you might pick the wrong currencies and suffer losses.

If you’re convinced by some exper ts, adver tisements and websites that it is not difficult to pick the right currencies and time the FX market, think again.

George Soros, the billionaire hedge fund manager, who in 1992 made a billion US dollars by ‘breaking the Bank of England,’ wrote that while the stock market has two variables, the FX market has seven or eight. The FX market is undoubtedly much more complicated than the stock market.

/

WITH BOTH STOCK AND BOND MARKETS TANKING THIS YEAR, SHOULD YOU DIVERSIFY AND INVEST IN FOREIGN CURRENCIES, OR EVEN TRADE THEM? Which fundamentals or variables affect the FX market? The GDP, interest rates and trade balance are some of the obvious ones. What’s not so clear is which ones are more impor tant at a cer tain point of time and how they affect a currency’s value.

The fundamentals that FX traders focus on are a moving target. There are times when traders pay attention to interest rates; there are times when they watch trade balances closely; there are times when they focus on political developments. No one knows when the focus will switch, and it’s often not immediately obvious that a switch is happening.

Sometimes there’s no clear focus on fundamentals at all. Instead, the market concentrates on other issues, such as technical suppor t or resistance, or where the big stop-loss orders are.

To complicate things fur ther, a currency’s value isn’t determined purely by its countr y’s fundamentals.

It has to be measured against another countr y’s fundamentals. It’s all relative.

If the FX market is too complicated to make a calculated and intelligent investment, how about trading it? Maybe there are some shor t-term oppor tunities?

FX TRADING Many FX exper ts and trading platforms would like retail investors to believe that FX trading can be profitable. They highlight its 24-hour market, deep liquidity, narrow spread and easily available leverage.

Let’s take a look at each of these advantages to see if they stand up to scrutiny.

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

39

INSIDER

/

How does the 24-hour market benefit FX traders?

It allows them to react to real-time news. The assumption is the faster we can react, the better.

However, as a professional FX trader, who spent two decades staring at FX prices for many hours a day and got the latest news faster than most retail traders, I have concluded that this is a fallacy. It’s really hard to know how the FX market will react to news. Sometimes the market reaction can be violent to star t with and then reverse just as quickly. Other times the market hardly moves, even though you think it should. The possibilities are numerous but you get the picture.

prices of currencies lower transaction costs. This is true but the savings are ver y tiny unless you make many trades daily.

The main FX players, like banks and funds, trade in millions and even billions and benefit from the most liquid financial market in the world. However, this deep liquidity is pretty irrelevant to retail investors who trade in thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. A small fish doesn’t do well in a big pond.

The so-called advantages of FX trading tend to encourage over trading. The key question isn’t about these advantages, it’s about whether the FX market offers a good chance to make money. Truth is, funds that exclusively trade FX regularly per form worse than stock and bond funds – and this is despite their using leverage. It is ver y rare to find a top investor who trades FX exclusively. The top investors, like Warren Buffett and George Soros, know that good oppor tunities are rare in the FX market. It’s too complicated to trade actively and profitably.

Another so-called ‘advantage’ for FX traders is how the thin spreads between the buying and selling

In the FX market, a move of 20% in a year is considered big but that’s nothing compared to stocks which can move hundreds of percent. To beef up the returns, retailers and institutions alike are encouraged to use leverage, up to 100 times the account balance.

With US$10,000 in your FX margin account, you can buy and sell US$1 million wor th of currency, which is extremely dangerous. While a 1% move in your favour doubles your money, a 1% move against you will wipe you out.

WISER OPTIONS While you may decide against investing in foreign currencies or trading the FX market, you will still need to buy foreign currencies to send overseas.

Many people continue to go through banks where transac tion costs, like fees and spreads, can be more than 1%. Nowadays, however, there is a cheaper way – working with low-cost FX intermediaries.

Consider that Interac tive Brokers, a popular financial produc ts trading platform, enables its clients to buy and sell foreign currencies for a small fee and with the narrowest of spreads. You can even leave an order to buy or sell currencies at your desired price. Wise, one of the biggest online FX-transfer companies in the world and listed on the London Stock Exchange, of fers an average transac tion cost of 0.6% and a fast transfer to an overseas account.

LOOK TO STOCKS AND BONDS TO GROW YOUR POT

Going into 2023, whatever you need from foreign currency – whether you want to travel more, invest in proper ty overseas or pay tuition fees in foreign universities – there are two things you need to know. FX investing and trading are likely to lose you money. Buying and selling foreign currencies through a low-cost intermediar y is surely going to save you money.

DB resident Boon Tiong Tan (CFA) has worked as a trader with banks like HSBC and Morgan Stanley for over 20 years, and he is the author of A Stock Investment Book for The 99%. For information about the one-on-one courses (money management, stock investment, options trading and chess) he provides for both adults and kids, email tbt444@gmail.com.

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! n a C u o Y e s u a c e B ESCAPES

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NYC FOR LOVERS Take a bite out of the Big Apple PHOTOS COURTESY OF Pexels

A PENCIL-THIN, ART DECO MASTERPIECE in Midtown

Manhattan, the Empire State Building has starred in some great romantic scenes, both on- and offscreen. Don’t settle for the sublime views of the city from the 86thfloor deck, head on up six stories to the 102nd-floor observatory – few visitors make it this far.

CONTEMPORARY ART LOVERS MAKE A BEELINE for the Museum

of Modern Art (MoMA) in Midtown Manhattan, which homes some of the world’s most recognised paintings including Van Gogh’s Starry Night, Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans, Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d'Avignon and Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie-Woogie.

FOR THE BEST BAGELS IN NYC,

head to the Lower East Side.

While Russ and Daughters has been celebrated for its lox since 1914, Katz’s Delicatessen is known for its mouth-watering pastrami – and for providing the backdrop to the unforgettable ‘I’ll have what she’s having scene’ in the 1989 blockbuster When Harry Met Sally.

42

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STRETCHING OVER THE EAST RIVER between

ESCAPES

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Manhattan and Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Bridge promenade – a boardwalk elevated above the roadway – delivers Instagram-worthy views.

Once in Brooklyn, be sure to explore Williamsburg for its art galleries, boutiques and the sensational open-air food market, Smogasburg.

MODELLED AFTER AN ANCIENT ROMAN BATH and

opened in 1871, Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan is a truly majestic building bedecked with chandeliers and fibre optics. Nearly 700,000 commuters and subway riders use it daily, and the main concourse is 200-feet long, 120-feet wide and 120-feet high.

A GIFT FROM THE PEOPLE OF FRANCE IN 1886, the

Statue of Liberty was built by Gustave Eiffel. This 300-foot bronze colossus, representing the Roman goddess Libertas, holds a torch above her head and a tablet inscribed with the date of the US Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.

NYC’S THEATRE DISTRICT, better known as Broadway, comprises over

40 theatres located in the area surrounding Times Square. This is the place to be if you want to catch a big-budget musical, a high-minded play or a Hollywood star’s stage debut. The TKTS booth in Times Square sells same-day tickets at a discount.

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

43

RECIPES

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Naughty

but nice

Start Valentine’s Day on a sweet note with a delicious breakfast in bed PHOTOS COURTESY OF Adobe Stock

CHOCOLATE BELGIAN WAFFLES Serves 2 240ml milk 60g unsalted butter, melted ½tsp vanilla extract 2 eggs 130g self-raising flour 20g cocoa powder 20g caster sugar 25g dark chocolate, chopped

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AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

Whisk the milk, melted butter and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Separate the eggs and whisk the yolk into the milk mixture. Whisk the egg white in a separate bowl until it forms stiff peaks. Combine all the other ingredients in a bowl. Whisk in the wet ingredients to create a smooth batter then carefully fold in the egg white. Cover and leave the batter to sit for 30 minutes.

Lightly oil then heat your waffle maker. Heat the oven to low, so you can keep each waffle warm while the next one cooks. Pour enough batter for one waffle (about a quarter) into the waffle maker, close the lid and cook until the waffle is golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter, then top with more chocolate, whipped cream and blueberries to serve.

RECIPES

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

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45

RECIPES

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BAKED FRENCH TOAST Serves 4 2 eggs 50ml milk 50ml double cream ½tsp vanilla extract 50g caster sugar 1tsp cinnamon pinch of nutmeg 1 large brioche loaf, cut into 4 slices 100g butter

46

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Place the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla extract, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a wide, shallow bowl and whisk to combine. Heat the oven to 160˚C. Soak the brioche slices in the egg mix for 30 seconds on each side.

In a large non-stick pan, melt half the butter. When sizzling, place the brioche slices in the pan and fry for 2 minutes each side until golden. You may have to do this in batches. Transfer to the oven to warm through for 5 minutes. Serve drizzled with maple syrup, a dusting of icing sugar and raspberries.

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This is your chance to win four complimentary coffees from Uncle Russ, or four beers from The Pier Bar. We will contact the winner via Instagram. Good luck!

CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST MONTH’S WINNER: Jennifer Bongar Graham @jenbongar

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AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

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Packing, Moving & Storage Services. Provide fix price quote upon onsite survey or choose from rates below.

Hire a Truck: $220/Hour. Minimum 3 Hour Short Trips: $200.00 up.

Hire Movers: HK$120/hour per Mover. Minimum 3 Hour.

Cartons and Packing Materials: 16x14x14" (Small): HK$12.00.

23x15x15" (Medium): HK$15.00.

24x18x16" (Large): HK$18.00.

36x23x11" (Flat carton for Hanging Clothes): HK$30.00.

24x22x47" (Wardrobe Boxes) : $90.00 Plastic Wrap: HK$60/Roll.

Packing Paper: $160/Ream.

Bubble: HK$50/Roll.

Packing Tape: $8/piece.

Plastic boxes and used cartons can be provided free of charge. (Subject to availability) Serve Lantau, DB, Tung Chung and rest of the HK. www.akash.hk 50

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LOCAL NUMBERS

LOCAL NUMBERS

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TUNG CHUNG

EMERGENCY SERVICES 999 Tung Chung Ambulance Depot Tung Chung Fire Station Tung Chung Police Station HOME & REPAIRS Mega Power Engineering/Locksmiths Mr Chan 24-Hour Handyman Papabo Shun Yu Engineering HOTELS Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Novotel Citygate Hong Kong Regal Airport Hotel Sheraton Tung Chung The Silveri Hong Kong - MGallery LEARNING CENTRES Clement Art School Discovery Mind International Play Centre Greenfield International Kindergarten Salala Kids’ House Soundwaves English Education Centre Sun Island Education Foundation Tung Chung Catholic School YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College MEDICAL Bayside Dental Essential Health Family Clinic Human Health Medical Centre North Lantau Hospital North Lantau Physiotherapy Quality Health Dental Quality Health Care Medical Raffles Medical

Raffles Medical Emergency 2988 8282 2988 1898 REALTORS 3661 1999 HomeSolutions

2261 0999 Regala Café & Dessert Bar, Regal Airport Hotel 2286 6618 Rouge, Regal Airport Hotel 2286 6868 Skycity Bistro, SkyCity Marriott 3969 2500 3483 5003 Sunset Grill, Sheraton Tung Chung 2535 0025 The New Chapter 2907 6988 REMOVALS & RELOCATION The Tavern 2907 6822 Akash Removals 2421 8088 Upper Deck 2757 8889 2109 2330 FTC Relocations 2814 1658 2535 0028 9343 3718 ReloSmart 2561 3030 Yue, Sheraton Tung Chung 5541 1502 SwiftRelo 2363 4008 Velocity Bar & Grill, Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott 3969 1888 2988 1488 RETAIL RESIDENTIAL SERVICES 2428 2566 Caribbean Coast Clubhouse 2109 9277 FTC Apparel 9733 5483 2109 9288 Lantau Balloons 3969 1888 Caribbean Coast Management Office Coastal Skyline Clubhouse 2179 6678 3602 8888 2179 6621 SPORT & RECREATION 2286 8888 Coastal Skyline Management Office Asia Pacific Soccer Schools 2385 9677 Seaview Crescent Clubhouse

3473 8700 2535 0000 Aqua Gym 2914 0658 Seaview Crescent Management Office 3473 8833 3602 8989 B & S Art Gallery 2493 8895 Tung Chung Crescent Clubhouse 2403 6770 Dance for Joy 9264 8597 Tung Chung Crescent Management Office 2109 1222 Edge ’n Pointe Dance Centre 6688 2167 ESF Sports 2711 1280 9757 9157 RESTAURANTS & FOOD DELIVERY Fitness in Motion 9744 4736 2987 8070 A Tavola Bar & Grill 2321 5500 HK Dragons 2987 4274 2162 5538 Andante, Novotel Citygate 3602 8828 Kinder Kicks Soccer 2385 9677 2611 9193 Cabana Breeze 2777 8982 Perun Fitness 6443 6597 2164 7210 Café Aficionado 2286 6238 Rugbytots 5307 6677 2420 1068 Café Lantau, Sheraton Tung Chung 2109 9107 2535 0021 Tung Chung Public Swimming Pool 2121 0884 Funky Monkey 2109 2421 2427 1111 Tung Chung Sports Centre 2988 8123 Jasmine Tung Chung 6079 0825 2162 8018 Tung Chung Rugby Club La Rosabelle Bar & Grill 2881 8788 La Vista 2368 6866 VETERINARY SERVICES & PETS 6314 9887 2185 6550 Lobby Lounge, Sheraton Tung Chung 2535 0023 Royal Pets (Pet Sitting) 2988 1534 2109 9396 Maison Du Mezze 2330 0131 Tung Chung Animal Clinic Tung Chung Vet Centre 2328 7282 2109 2288 Man Mano Italian Restaurant 3500 5885 3467 7000 Mint & Basil 2762 8077 WELLBEING & BEAUTY 2194 0020 Moon Lok Chiu Chow 2116 8149 Max Beauty Spa 2162 5752 2403 6613 My Thai 2907 6918 OM Spa, Regal Airport Hotel

2286 6266 2403 6623 Nha Trang Vietnamese Cuisine 2234 9199 9551 6468 2261 2626 PizzaExpress 2297 3588 Tung Chung Nail Ninjas

SOUTH LANTAU Quan Spa, Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott EMERGENCY SERVICES 999 Lantau South Police Mui Wo Fire Department

3692 1888 MEDICAL 3661 1696 North Lantau Hospital 2984 1570

The China Beach Club The Gallery 3467 7000 The Kitchen Treasure Island Beach Club

2983 8931 2980 2582 5991 6292 5236 7013

REALTORS RETAIL 2984 8334 Friendly Bike Shop 2984 8487 Findley Leung 2984 2278 2984 1802 HomeSolutions 3483 5003 Garden Plus 2980 2233 2984 9833 Island Wines 9521 8481 9783 5840 REMOVALS & RELOCATION Loi Chan Frozen Meat Co. 2984 8346 2421 8088 Lantau Base Camp 5541 1502 Akash Removals 9889 4375 FTC Relocations 2814 1658 Lantau Grocer 2702 0050 Lee Hing Loong 2984 2268 Red Hall Chinese Antiques HOTELS 2988 1368 Silvermine Beach Resort 6810 0111 ReloSmart 2561 3030 Tony’s Salon 2984 0990 SwiftRelo 2363 4008 Tai O Heritage Hotel 2985 8383 Value Vigilantes 6132 9120 VIBE Book & Music Shop 9088 2370 LEARNING CENTRES RESTAURANTS & FOOD DELIVERY Ashville International Kindergarten & Nursery 2109 9886 Bathers 2504 4788 SPORT & RECREATION Buddhist Fat Ho College 2985 5365 Cafe Isara 2470 1966 Long Coast Seasports 5545 5625 Lantau International Kindergarten 2984 0302 Caffe Paradiso 2984 0498 South Lantau Paddle Club 6058 8843 Lantau International School, Reception, 2984 0302 China Bear 2984 9720 Treasure Island Beach Club 2546 3543 Lantau International School, Lower Primary 2980 3676 La Pizzeria 2984 8933 Lantau International School, Upper Primary 2984 0302 Lantana Italian Bistro 5465 5511 WELLBEING & BEAUTY Little Lantau Montessori Kindergarten 3689 7033 Long Island 9708 0187 2320 2001 Pause by the Banyan Mui Wo Language Cafe 5511 6107 Pause Cafe 2984 2488 5267 5549 Spa Ambiance Silvermine Bay School 2984 0006 AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023 53 HOME & REPAIRS Koon Wah Hardware Lee Wo Construction Engineering Man Shun Construction & Engineering New Look Design Papabo

LOCAL NUMBERS

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DISCOVERY BAY Zhi Zhi Chinese

BUSINESS SERVICES T8 Consulting Ltd

2517 8248

EMERGENCY SERVICES 999 China Light & Power Emergency DB Fire & Ambulance Gas Leakage Emergency Hotline Lantau North Police Report Room

2728 8333 2987 7502 2435 4511 3661 1694

FINANCIAL SERVICES Bank of China 2160 8585 HSBC 2233 3000 HOME & REPAIRS China Light & Power Information DRS Company Good Luck Engineering Hung Kee Co May’s Furniture & Curtain Design Rich Point Hardware Materials Water Fault Reports Water Supplies Department Well Supreme Laundry

2678 2678 9156 0360 2987 1313 2987 5087 2987 0222 2987 0789 2811 0788 2824 5000 2987 5151

HOTELS Auberge Discovery Bay

2295 8288

LAWYERS & INSURANCE Harvey Law Group International law firm offering a wide range of commercial & personal legal services. Meeting facilities available in DB. Contact 24168618, dboffice@harveylawcorporation.com,

Manulife 9172 9152 LEARNING CENTRES 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. Contact 2987 1201, enquiry@dms.edu.hk, www.dms.edu.hk EpicLand Billed as Hong Kong’s tallest indoor entertainment centre, EpicLand is home to the city's first ‘air trek’, complete with eight sky-high obstacles, trampolines, slides and more. Contact 2441 0098, reception@epiclandhk.com, www.epiclandhk.com Tree of Joy A fun, engaging & supportive environment in which children play & learn. Programmes include a drop-off nursery class, parent-toddler class, afternoon camp & cooking class. Contact 3742 8772, info@treeofjoydb.com, www.treeofjoydb.com

Bayview House of Children DBIS DBIS Kindergarten Discovery College Discovery Mind International Play Centre Discovery Mind Kindergarten Discovery Mind Primary School Discovery Montessori Academy Dr Bear Education Centre EpicLand Eye Level Education Learning Centre Funfit Forres Sandle Manor (UK) admissions Greenmont Kids Guidepost Montessori (DB) HKILA

La Petite Enfance Kindergarten Mandarin for Munchkins Mathemagic (home tutoring) SKH Wei Lun Primary School Treasure House Woodentots 54

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

6114 2436 2987 7331 2914 2142 3969 1000 2987 8088 2987 8088 2914 2202 2812 9206 9685 7856 2441 0098 9366 0000 6302 6327 9107 9795 5345 1451 2185 6134 2416 3198 8191 0813 2480 3909 9135 4724 2987 8608 2987 4217 6108 9131

9648 2966

MEDICAL Bayside Dental Practice 2987 0855 DB Medical Centre 2987 5633 Health & Care Dental Clinic 2666 6183 Island Health 2987 7575 North Lantau Hospital 3467 7000 Quality Health Medical Centre 2987 5633 Quality Health Physiotherapy 2473 6200 Lok Kwan Home Care Service 2803 2103 Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Lok Kwan District Support Centre (Islands) 2548 0060/ 2546 3739 Yulana Stynder Physiotherapy 5514 1008 PLACES OF WORSHIP DB Alliance Church Community Centre DB Anglican Church DB International Community Church Trinity Chapel

2987 8136 2987 4210 2987 7061 3590 8017

REALTORS Headland Homes Kingsland Land Master Property Okay.com Savills

2987 2088 2987 2987 2987 6238 2102 0888 2987 1919

REMOVALS & RELOCATION Akash Removals FTC Relocations ReloSmart SwiftRelo

2421 8088 2814 1658 2561 3030 2363 4008

RESIDENTIAL SERVICES DB Office Centre DB Lost & Found DB Management The Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council Typhoon Signal Enquiries

2238 3388 3651 2345 2238 3601 2259 3422 2835 1473

RESTAURANTS & FOOD DELIVERY The Rink All Day Lounge Located in DB Plaza Extension, the The Rink All Day Lounge specialises in international cuisine with a Mediterranean influence, offering guests a superior dining experience. To reserve a table, call 3709 6451.

101 Tasty House Bones & Blades Café Bord de Mer & Lounge Caffe Pascucci Cali-Mex Coffee Academics Coyote Mexican Cantina Ebeneezer’s Epic Foods Figos Seaside Café HanMade Teahouse il Bel Paese Island Café Koh Tomyums La Creation & Châteraisé Levain Bakery Lekker Laa McDonald’s & McCafe Mirch Masala Moofish by Zak’s Osmanbey Turkish Restaurant Pacific Coffee Paisano’s Peony PizzaExpress Raf & Sons/The Rink

2658 9696 2383 0792 2295 8299 2591 1426 2904 7698 2882 2280 2987 2848 2987 0036 2172 6111 2987 2995 2322 8858 2987 0202 2987 9311 2987 0767 2987 1829 2726 4922 6857 1620 2987 1033 2987 1387 2987 6318 5401 8350 2987 1662 2673 4445 2215 0833 3164 1340 3611 8369

LOCAL NUMBERS

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DISCOVERY BAY Shanghai Breeze Solera Starbucks Subway Sushi No En Taste of Thai The Pier Bar Three Sheets Marquee Bar Uncle Russ Viet Bu Tong Kitchen & Bar Zak’s

2987 7808 2555 0772 2246 8172 2914 0005 3705 9984 2987 2010 2520 2166 2987 0966 2840 1188 2338 8970 2987 6232

RETAIL & DAILY NECESSITIES 7-Eleven 2299 1110 Bloom 6117 7653 Bones & Blades Butcher 2383 0683 Bookazine 2987 1373 Circle K 2991 6337 DB Post Office 2987 6046 european touch 2918 0868 felix and mina

2130 7013 Fusion by PARKnSHOP 2987 7486 Garden A rtemis 9137 4833 Gillian Florist 2529 8256 Havana@ DBay 2918 0868 Island Wake 2636 0601 Japan Home Centre 2987 1041 Market Place and IKEA 2947 9092 Nomadic

2987 8460 Open Kitchen 2987 8720 P-Solution 2987 1777 Polishfood.hk 9546 0374 Rapee-living 2557 9233 Slowood 2944 5189 Tai Fat Hardware Store 2987 0789 The Optical House 2987 1368 Toysland 2987 7859 Watson’s Pharmacy 2987 4089 Watson’s Wine 2987 0268 SPORT & RECREATION HK Dragons Football Club Football for girls & boys aged 2.5 years to 14 years. Contact 2987 4274, dragons.hk

Greenwich Yoga School Harry Wright International HK Yoga Kaisei Ryu Ju Jitsu Kapuhala Train-in-Space Korea Taekwondo Cheung Do Kwan Lantau Yacht Club MGK Fight Club Yoga Bay Yogika YogaUP

9685 8366 2575 6279 6113 6770 5315 0227 6101 8434 9663 8077 2987 9591 9303 2996 6704 9851 6749 7836 6805 4996

TRANSPORTATION DB Golf Cart Services DB Transportation Services Limousine Rental Wiselink Golf Cart Services

2914 2727 2987 7351 5303 3489 2987 9368

VETERINARY SERVICES & PETS Island Veterinary Services

My Pet Shop Pets Gallery Pet Space Club Ready, Pet, Go! The Dog's Garden

2987 9003 2987 8873 2987 0428 2788 1599 5721 6181 2987 2077

WELLBEING & BEAUTY Ingredients of Wellness Mindfulness training for children, teens & 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

Afflatus Hair Workshop Bay Spa DB Pure Spa Head to Toe Spa By Nailed it Herbal Health Care Hypnotherapist Margaret Liu Nailed It! Salon De Coiffure Sophia Essentials Spa Botanica, Auberge Discovery Bay

2987 0283 9837 0969 9794 0918 2988 1188 2834 7276 5925 3469 2987 2266 2987 4112 2527 0118 2295 8129

Island Dance ISTD Freestyle, ISTD Hip Hop, RAD Ballet, Tap & AcroDance 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

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

BMSE Community Centre Club Siena

Daruma Judo DBees

DB Ice Rink DB Pirates DB Golf Club DB Recreation Club DMR Dream Sports Academy Embody EpicLand Future Stars Dance Academy Gallery Jeeum

2259 3422 2987 7382 6244 6093 9867 9240 2234 0187 9255 6133 2987 7273 2987 7381 5210 7208 3462 2626 6624 8712 2441 0098 2987 6867 9819 7176

VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY @ www.arounddb.com To add your own directory listing box, call the Bay Media office on 2987 0167, or email info@baymedia.com.hk

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023

55

OUT THERE

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– a bit. Yet we were 3 billion in 1900 and 7.5 billion 100 years later.

IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE

So you’re sure to get lucky on Valentine’s Day, right? Peter Sherwood urges you to take precautions PHOTO COURTESY OF Pexels

Logically that demonstrates murder is good for growth. We breed like hamsters, the result of which – with more global warming, pollution and, as Professor Stephen Hawking noted, greed and stupidity – will likely be game, set and match.

The future? Drought and famine aside, you won’t be able to get a cold beer. The incredible speed of climate change is now exponential, or as climate scientists say, “the hotter it gets, the hotter it gets.” Meanwhile we sit around watching reruns of Game of Thrones.

Look at the Philippines (you look, it’s too depressing).

It’s so jam-packed that people are living on active volcanoes. Pretty soon they’ll have to sleep standing up. (Not so the Japanese who’ll be extinct after the tuna pleaded for a bit of a break and were ignored).

India’s pollution will soon be so thick you can cut it off in blocks. This will make it harder to get into the national cricket team.

In China, there’ll be fewer babies as people finally understand the relationship between income and university fees. Less so in Africa and the Middle East, and good luck with that. Sea levels will rise dramatically and Abu Dhabi and Dubai will be under water (seriously) within a century. The Maldives – all of it – will be a massive wreck dive long before that. Lagos, Dhaka, Jakarta, Bangkok, Alexandria, Venice, Rotterdam, New Orleans, Miami and Houston are sinking too.

Lawrence Durrell in his book, Spirit of Place, writes that people are an expression of their landscape. He romances that if France, for example, lost its entire population it would over time be re-populated by strangers who would eventually become French people doing French things, like having sevenweek holidays and holding unannounced strikes. If all Australians moved to France, Australia would fill up with Peruvians in flip-flops shouting “Poner otro camaron en la barbacoa!” in tourism ads.

N

KISSING WILL GET YOU INTO ALL KINDS OF TROUBLE

ot long after Sir David Attenborough said of humanity, “We are a plague upon the Ear th – four billion too many,” I star ted looking at overpopulation, as I am, I admit, par t of the problem. Anecdotal evidence (mine) and empirical proof (also mine) shows that 250 million people died of unnatural causes (read: were killed) in the 20th centur y, ergo, populations were controlled

Science says we’re the most successful species but try telling that to a crocodile or a gorilla – to a passenger pigeon, woolly mammoth, or sabre-toothed tiger for that matter. Just how successful are we? Well, we’re succeeding in wiping ourselves off the face of the planet, and that’s a first. We’re in the middle of the Sixth Extinction, the first extinction of life on Earth by a single species, us. Despite our high intelligence, we are, based on results, quite mad. We race to reproduce into a furnace future, while selling vast shiploads of stuff to each other to pay for the environmental damage and keep landfills and incinerators in business. Professor Hawking had a point.

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

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AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2023