ADB February 2025

C O M M U N I T Y

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D I S COV ERY B AY ' S O R I G I N A L CO M M U N I T Y M AGA Z I N E - P U B L I S H ED S I N C E 2 0 0 2

PERSONAL EVOLUTION What to expect in the Year of the Snake

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PA R E N T I N G

FEb R uA RY 2 0 25 | A R O U N D D B.CO M

THE OXBRIDGE EXPERIENCE Aarushi Sharma’s transition from DBIS student to Cambridge undergrad

ALIVE AND KISSING

Taking back Valentine’s Day

On a Mission!

DEDICATED FAMILY MAN STEFANO PASSARELLO CAN HELP YOU ACHIEVE LONGEVITY BOTH FINANCIALLY AND PHYSICALLY

Shop 151 DB Plaza, Bus Terminus

U C B

Y R R

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It’s all about community

S P O

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D K M Z A N New Flavors!

A N M E LANewA Year, O M R P E F L L Y E A I R E S S R B A A U C N H M S I G F E V L A B O 5th FEB M A M Book your table today SA E E K D book.bistrochat.com/dbrasserie or call 9848 11 01

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Positano Discovery Bay Bijou Hamlet 愉景灣悅堤 璧如臺 3 3 BEDS BEDS | |2 3 BATHS BATHS Ref: Ref: #304698 #16047

$120K incl. $18M

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OKAY Property Property Agency Agency Limited Limited (C-036846) | Flat E, 19/F, Elegance Court, Hillgrove OKAY Hillgrove Village, Village, Discovery Discovery Bay Bay

$22M $58K incl.

FEBRUARY 2025 W W W. A R O U N D D B .CO M

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FEATURES 18 PROFILE Fintech bad boy Stefano Passerello is on a mission to help good businesses do good

22 COMMUNITY Alive and kissing: forget the Hallmark hype, there’s a lot to love about Valentine’s Day

28 PARENTING Former DBIS student Aarushi Sharma discusses her first term at the University of Cambridge

34 INSIDER

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Personal evolution: what we can look forward to in 2025, the Year of the Wood Snake AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

REGULARS

AGENDA

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06 DB NEWS

QUIZ This month’s 20 questions

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ESCAPES British Virgin Islands

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RECIPES Sweet treats for Feb 14

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C O M M U N I T Y

OUT THERE Peter Sherwood talks back

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L O C A L

I N F L U E N C E R S

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L I F E S T Y L E

D I S COV ERY B AY ' S O R I G I N A L CO M M U N I T Y M AGA Z I N E - P U B L I S H ED S I N C E 2 0 0 2

PERSONAL EVOLUTION What to expect in the Year of the Snake

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PA R E N T I N G

FEb R uA RY 2 0 25 | A R O U N D D B.CO M

THE OXBRIDGE EXPERIENCE Aarushi Sharma transitioning from DBIS student to Cambridge undergrad

S.W.A.L.K

Taking back Valentine’s Day

On the Horizon!

COMMUNITY-FOCUSED CM-LED EVENTS DESIGNED TO HELP US SEIZE THE DAY

18 O N T H E C OVE R Stefano Passarello with his family at Tai Pak Wan PHOTO BY Joanna Hewitt

12 EVENT ROUND-UP 26 WISH LIST 40 PUZZLES 46 CLASSIFIEDS 49 LOCAL NUMBERS WE AL S O P UB L IS H ISL AND -WIDE NEWS

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SHARING THE LOVE WITH SNOOPY Happiness is…. celebrating Valentine’s Day with Snoopy, and that ’s exac tly what we’re invited to do this year on the 75th anniversar y of the Peanut s comic strip. Snoopy light s, on display all through Februar y at D’Deck and DB Nor th Love Lock Promenade, make the per fec t backdrop for lovedup photo ops and, on the big day it self (Februar y 14) from 6pm to 11pm, there’s the oppor tunit y to cuddle up on Tai Pak Wan beside thousands of LED candles arranged to resemble Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Pat ti et al.

P HOTOGRAPH E R Richa rd Gord o n

www.richardgordonphotography .com

C hampi on D e s i g n & 2/F, 20-24 Kwai Wing Road,

Kwai Chung, New Territories

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STUFF TO KNOW

L o o k i n g fo r a n a l te r na t i ve a c t i v i t y o n Fe b r u a r y 14?

Ta ke a hike to L ove r ’s Ro c k i n t h e hill s of Wa n c ha i.

Fo r rea s o n s of i t s s ha p e, t h e ro c k i s a we ll - k n ow n d e s t i na t io n fo r p e o p l e ce l e b r a t i n g l ove, s e e k i n g l ove, t r y i n g to f i x re la t io n s hi p p ro b l e m s o r h o pi n g to co n cei ve. Cli m b t h e w i n d i n g s t a i r s f ro m B owe n Roa d a n d yo u’ll a l s o b e rew a rd e d w i t h g rea t v iew s of t h e c i t y b e l ow. T h e s i te g e t s b u s y o n Va l e nt i n e’s Day, w i t h l ove r s lig ht i n g i n ce n s e a n d ma k i n g of fe r i n g s .

Produ c ti on Co. L t d

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.

s g in n e Happ

LOVER’S ROCK HIKE

P RI NTI NG

D I S CL AIME R

Be sure to make the most of DB’s Valentine’s Day Bouquet and Dining Pre-order Package on offer through February 10. Prebook a table for two at JOO (HK$1,533), The Peony (HK$1,788) or Figos (HK$2,088) and you also get to select a floral bouquet of Ecuadorian roses.

Each package comes with a complimentary limited-edition Snoopy phone strap. To make your booking for February 14, go to www.visitdiscoverybay.com.

Lover ’s Rock is also a popular des tination on Chinese Valentine’s Day, which f alls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, Augus t 29 this year. O f f icially k nown as Q ixi or Double Seventh Fes tival, it ’s a day when lover s give each other gif t s, propose marriage and tie the k not. The ancient fes tival honour s t wo s t arcros sed lover s, Zhinu, the Weaver Girl and Niulang, the Cowherd, whose celes tial union was denied by X iwangmu, the Heavenly Queen Mother. According to folklore, X iwangmu created the Milk y Way to separate Zhinu and Niulang, and they c an only meet once a year on, you gues sed it, the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.

If you’re planning to celebrate Chinese Valentine’s Day later this year, you can do so closer to home at Seven Sisters Temple in Peng Chau. The temple was built in 1954 and is dedicated to Zhinu and her six sisters, who are believed to aid couples who want to star t families. A s the stor y goes, a local f isherman caught a woodcar ving in his net, which he brought home as a toy for his granddaughter. That night, he dreamt that he was visited by Zhinu’s elder sister, who instruc ted him to build and consecrate a temple to house the s t atue and bles s the island’s inhabit ant s with fer tilit y.

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

DB NEWS

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OFFLOAD WEEE

Did you know that you can call the EPD to arrange for collec tion of waste elec trical and elec tronic equipment ( WEEE). A s well as monitors, computers, scanners, printers and air conditioners, the ser vice now covers refrigerators, washing machines, tumble dr yers and dehumidif iers. To arrange for pick-up, call 2838 3111.

! s t n e v E s& IN FEBRUARY!

NEW BAYSIDE DENTAL CLINIC

D ie s t a l D e nt a l G ro u p ha s o p e n e d a s e co n d B ay s id e D e nt a l c li nic i n D B a t S h o p 10 9B D B Pla z a. Yo u c a n a l s o f i n d B ay s id e D e nt a l a t Uni t 1, G/ F O f f ice B l o c k D B N o r t h Pla z a a n d a t S h o p 26 C a r i b b ea n S q u a re, Tung Chung Road. To f ind out more and book an appointment a t t h e n ew D B c li nic, W ha t s A p p 5977 3 8 3 0 o r e ma il i nfo @ bay s id e d e nt a l d b.co m

VALENTINE’S DAY RACE

The Trail Hub’s annual Valentine’s Day Race is scheduled for Februar y 9 this year. Star ting and f inishing at Treasure Island on Pui O Beach, you can choose to run either the 15 -kilometre Tough Love or the 9-kilometre Easy Love, both open to teams of t wo. All par tners must f inish the course together. [PHOTO COURTESY OF The Trail Hub.]

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY FEB 1 | GATHER AT THE PLANT MARKET in Community Green

LAI SEE PACKET RECYCLING

K ick of f CN Y right by get ting behind DBSML’s L ai See Packet Rec ycling C ampaign running through Februar y 27.

You’ll f ind rec ycling boxes, where you c an deposit as - new red packet s, at the DB O f f ice Centre, DB Pier ticket counter and loc al management of f ices. To f ind out more, visit Facebook @ D y namic DBer s.

Square from 2pm to 4pm. Visit Facebook @DynamicDBers.

FEB 9 | SHOP THE DB MARKET in DB Plaza from 11am to 6pm. Visit w w w.handmadehongkong.com.

FEB 16 | JOIN A BEACH CLEAN-UP! Meet at the Nim Shue Wan gate at 2.10pm. Email dana@plasticfreeseas.org.

ALL MONTH | DONATE PRELOVED FURNITURE to people in

need through DB Mothers & Friends. To arrange for pick-up, visit Facebook @dbmf.collection.

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

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DB NEWS

! e t a D e h t e v Sa

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VEGETARIAN FOOD ASIA B e s u re to d ro p by Ve g e t a r ia n Fo o d A s ia, H o n g Ko n g’s la rg e s t ve g e t a r ia n a n d g re e n li fe s t y l e ex p o, f ro m Fe b r u a r y 21 to 23 a t H o n g Ko n g C o nve nt io n a n d E x hi bi t io n C e nt re, Wa n c ha i. T hi s yea r ’s ex p o fea t u re s 3 0 0 ex hi bi to r s a n d 6 0 0 b r a n d s, s h owc a s i n g a n i m p re s s i ve li n eu p of 6, 0 0 0+ ve g e t a r ia n a n d g re e n li fe s t y l e p ro d u c t s . H ig hlig ht s i n c lu d e t h e n ew Ve g L i v i n g Pav ilio n w i t h a w id e r a n g e of p la nt- ba s e d p ro d u c t s to e n ha n ce yo u r g re e n li fe s t y l e, a n d t h e Ve g Fo o d Zo n e w hic h i s pa c ke d w i t h h ea l t hy a n d d e lic io u s t rea t s .

Ad mi s s io n i s f re e w i t h o nli n e p re - re g i s t r a t io n. Fo r m o re i nfo r ma t io n a n d to re g i s te r, v i s i t w w w.ve g fo o d a s ia.co m.

ASIAN FUSION MENU @ DBRASSERIE

DBras serie is launching a new A sian Fusion menu right af ter CN Y. The vibrant menu blend s traditional A sian f lavour s with modern culinar y techniques, inviting diner s on an unforget t able culinar y journey that celebrates the rich diver sit y of A sian cuisine.

Mus t-tries include the zes t y Thai-infused appetiser s and savour y Indo - Malay-inspired mains. C all 9848 1101 to book a t able. [PHOTO COURTESY OF DBras serie.]

DBIS SIXTH FORM OPEN EVENT Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) is hosting a Sixth Form Open Event from 6.15pm to 7.30pm on March 26 at their DB North Plaza campus. Families wishing to join the school whose children are currently in Years 10 and 11 are invited to attend. Register now to enjoy a tour of the school’s dedicated Sixth Form (Year 12 and 13) campus and take part in a Q&A session with the senior leadership team. Scan the QR code or go to dbis.hk /SixthFormEvent to sign up. [PHOTO COURTESY OF DBIS.]

GUIDEPOST MONTESSORI DB OPEN HOUSE

Guidepos t Montes sori Discover y Bay is hos ting an O pen House on Februar y 8 with t wo ses sions to choose f rom: 10 am to 10:45am, and 11am to 11:45am. Non Guidepos t f amilies with children aged one -and -a - half to six year s are invited to ex plore the DB Nor th c ampus, meet the teacher s and enjoy an introduc tion to the Montes sori philosophy. To enrol, What s A pp the admis sions team on 9126 6211. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Guidepos t Montes sori.]

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AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

O’HARAS IRISH FESTIVAL There’s no better way to celebrate St Patrick’s Day than at O’Haras Irish Festival, a two-day extravaganza being held over the weekend of March 22 to 23 at 70 Queen’s Road Central.

Expect traditional Celtic folk music and dynamic dance acts, plus the opportunity to learn about Ireland through exciting, familyfriendly Celtic craft and skills workshops.

To see the lineup and book tickets, visit www.irishfestival.hk. [PHOTO COURTESY OF O’Haras Irish Festival.]

K2 to Year 2

SATURDAY, 15 MARCH 2025

For students K2 to Year 2 and their families Discover our vibrant and interactive campus, where students thrive and flourish.

Meet our dedicated teachers and explore a variety of activities.

From creative arts, music, and sports to reading and classroom learning, experience the dynamic environment of our school.

Enjoy this session free of charge!

Scan the QR code to

REGISTER TODAY !

For more details contact

admissions@aishk.edu.hk

AISHK offers a Kindergarten to Year 12 education, all on one campus.

3A Norfolk Road, Kowloon Tong

info@aishk.edu.hk

+852 2304 6078

www.aishk.edu.hk

! s e i v o At the M

DB NEWS

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NEW RELEASES @ MCL Cinema

BOOK TICKETS

Tung Chung, Citygate

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD

Produced by Mar vel Studios, Captain America: Brave New World is the four th instalment in the Captain America f ilm series. Following the elec tion of Thaddeus Ross as the president of the United States, Sam Wilson f inds himself at the centre of an international incident and must work to stop the true masterminds behind it. The trailers tease a conf lic t with President Ross (Red Hulk) and suggest that Sam will assemble a new group of Avengers.

It ’s the early 1960s and19-year- old Bob Dylan arrives in New York with his guitar and revolutionar y talent, destined to change the course of American music. Forming his most intimate relationships during his rise to fame, he grows restless with the folk movement, making a controversial choice to “go elec tric” at the 1965 Newpor t Folk Festival. The f ilm’s title is derived from the chorus of Dylan’s 1965 single Like a Rolling Stone.

Opens: Februar y 12

Opens: Februar y 20

Genre: Superhero

Genre: Biographical musical

Direc tor: Julius Onah

Direc tor: James Mangold

Cas t: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Liv Tyler, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas

Cas t: Timothée Chalamet, Edward Nor ton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook

Trailer: http://alturl.com/vt2n7

Trailer: http://alturl.com/dmpg6

BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY

The sequel to Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016) and the fourth instalment in the Bridget Jones film series, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is based on the 2013 novel by Helen Fielding. The story begins four years after Mark Darcy’s death, as Bridget emerges from the shock of being widowed to start dating again.

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A COMPLETE UNKNOWN

FLIGHT RISK

In this high-stakes suspense thriller, Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg plays a pilot transpor ting an air marshal (Michelle Docker y) who is accompanying a fugitive ( Topher Grace) to trial. A s they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar and trust is tested: not ever yone on board is who they seem.

Opens: Februar y 13

Opens: Februar y 27

Genre: Romance, Comedy

Genre: Ac tion

Direc tor: Michael Morris

Direc tor: Mel Gibson

Cas t: Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Colin Fir th, Emma Thompson

Cas t: Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Docker y, Topher Grace, Leah Remini, Maaz Ali

Trailer: ht tp://alturl.com/j47wu

Trailer: ht tp://alturl.com/3pc3a

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

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EVENT ROUND-UP

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WHAT YOU'VE BEEN UP TO!

ISLAND DANCING AT THE AIA CARNIVAL

Island Dance students lit up the stage at the AIA Carnival, Central Harbourfront on the afternoon of January 11. The show featured Freestyle Jazz, Hip-Hop, Ballet and Acro routines performed by dancers from 10+ locations across Hong Kong including DB. [PHOTOS COURTESY OF Island Dance.]

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AT OWS’ CALLIGRAPHY PRESENTATION

EVENT ROUND-UP

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Setting out to bring the community together to honour Chinese culture and promote cultural exchange, One World Spirit Association hosted a Fai-chun Calligraphy workshop and competition at Midvale Village on January 19. Participants showcased their skills in traditional and creative categories. [PHOTOS BY Richard Gordon - www.richardgordonphotography.com.]

CREATING CNY BUTTERFLY ORCHID DISPLAYS DBSML hosted a Butterfly Orchid Floral Workshop on January 18 at Community Green Square in the lead up to CNY. Participants lear nt how to select, plant and care for the beautiful blooms. [PHOTOS COURTESY OF DBSML.]

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ENJOYING A NATURE EXPLORATION WORKSHOP Residents enjoyed a fun and informative Nature Exploration Workshop on January 18 at DB Central Park. There was a treasure hunt, outdoor games and the opportunity to learn about DB’s biodiversity and indigenous plants. [PHOTOS COURTESY OF DBSML.]

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EVENT ROUND-UP

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CLEANING DB BEACHES

On January 18, Plastic Free Seas (PFS) held its first beach clean-up of the year at Nim Shue Wan. PSF volunteers clean DB beaches once a month, with individuals and families all welcome. Participants are urged to wear closed-toe shoes and a hat, and to bring sunscreen, bug spray and water in a reuseable bottle. PSF provides garbage bags and gloves. [PHOTOS BY Sanday Chongo Kabange.]

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DB EVENTS

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AT THE GUIDEPOST MONTESSORI WINTER BAZAAR

Guidepost Montessori held a Winter Bazaar at its primary school, the Academy of Innovation, in Causeway Bay on January 18. Over 550 families enjoyed a fun day together with kids’ activities, performances by Guidepost and AIP students and a vibrant marketplace. The event marked the start of Guidepost Montessori’s fifth anniversary year, while raising funds for Mother’s Choice.

[PHOTOS COURTESY OF Guidepost Montessori.]

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

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PROFILE

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! y o B d a B Fintech CALLING ALL CRUSADERS

Accountant, marathoner, yoga instructor, family man and frequent flyer Stefano Passarello is on a mission to help good businesses do good. Elizabeth Kerr reports PHOTO BY Beatrix Malan - www.atscollective.com

O

n a cool Januar y Tuesday just before Lunar New Year, 17-year DB resident Stefano Passarello is gliding around the Sheung Wan of fice of his accounting firm, Monx, mostly collec ting last-minute work for himself to do on a flight to Milan, depar ting in about t wo hours.

“I’m comfor table with a lit tle chaos,” he says easily, sit ting down at the make-shif t boardroom. He’s not breathing down anyone’s neck in the single open space; there are few barriers at Monx.

Stefano looks almost exac tly as he did when I last spoke to him in 2014, just af ter he set a record and won the 2014 Standard Char tered Marathon.

Unsurprisingly he just ran a marathon in Thailand, which explains the ex tra-Tuscan glow to the Siena native’s complexion, but these days his status as a yoga instruc tor is showing too.

A lot ’s changed. First, Stefano sold his Discover y Bay-based accounting firm People & Projec t s, which he star ted in 20 03, to a private equit y firm right before COVID. “My life has been really determined by pandemic s,” he point s out wr yly.

Af ter considerable success with branches in China and Singapore among others, he had what he calls an “Apple moment”, feeling like he and his board were get ting far ther and far ther away from P&P’s original personalised ser vice mandate. “I couldn’t do that anymore and I lost motivation. I thought I wanted to retire.” He was 37.

Second, he opened, closed and finally quarantined at his ambitious Kapuhala Resor t in Koh Samui (more in a bit). “We were open for six months before COVID, and then I was stuck in Thailand for around 18

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

three months, waiting out the pandemic, while my wife and kids were in DB,” he recalls. “It was like being a monk.” That monk par t is impor tant to the third change: establishing Monx.

To call Monx a COVID projec t under values Stefano’s intent, but in spirit it is. During his hermetic time in Thailand, he remembers feeling like, well, a monk with plent y of time to just sit and think. Stefano’s existential musings on what to do nex t – in bet ween yoga training – led to a ver y simple question: What made him happy? Yoga did, for a while, but “not the happiest”. Ultimately he decided he wanted to go back to accounting.” Inspired by the 15th centur y mathematician, Franciscan friar and father of standard accounting as we know it, Luca Pacioli, Stefano decided he would usher in “the nex t generation of global accountant s. I decided to put my ef for t and my money into a company that will suppor t people in achieving longevit y both financially and physically.” Thus Monx (hongkong. monx.team) was born in 2021.

Stefano is aiming to reinvent the prevailing image of the accountant and accounting. He want s to shed the idea of nerds with pocket protec tors and thickrimmed glasses sit ting in dark, dust y basement s surrounded by stacks of paper, silently crunching numbers. Or worse, anonymised drones in cubicles at the big international agencies doing likewise.

As Stefano sees it, there’s more to accounting than credit s and debit s, though few SMEs know that.

“Sit with me with your books, and I’ll explain why accounting is useful for your business, not just to comply with tax rules, but to use as a compass for

PROFILE

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

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PROFILE

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making your business bet ter,” he explains. “I want accountant s [at Monx] to be super-happy to do their jobs, and to think of accounting not just as complying with the law, but as a way to provide client s with the tools for them to thrive, not just sur vive.”

In fairness, the glasses are fine; they can be st ylish.

But Stefano want s to engage with his client s – now over 50 0 of them spanning of fices in 17 locations – and have a good time as well as do good. Monx does it s best to take on client s with businesses that have some kind of positive impac t, be it social, environmental, financial or physical. It ’s how he get s his team excited.

“I’m too old to do business for crappy human beings. I want to be surrounded by happy people, by happy business, by meaningful businesses, because I have no time for boring nonsense,” he snif fs. “I need to work for somebody that has a crusade, that ’s willing to change the world.”

Which is why Kapuhala (kapuhalasamui.com) is the per fec t lifest yle complement to Stefano’s corporate credo at this stage of his life. Initially planned as a three-location brand (DB and Sicily as well as Thailand) until the pandemic scut tled those, the Koh Samui boutique resor t is defined by it s natural set ting, where guest s can indulge in yoga, farm-to -table communal vegan dining and specialist programmes that incorporate longevit y element s. It ’s also become the Monx ‘campus’ for it s annual meetings.

But in get ting back to business, Monx is purposebuilt to help businesses grow, and let ’s face it, not many institutions have a worse public image problem right now than corporations. “I don’t know if business is changing, but people are changing,” says Stefano, arguing that work is about more than just salar y now, and that philosophy might be trickling up. Major employers are fighting for talent, and that talent is get ting choosy about who and what it aligns it self with.

"I’M TOO OLD TO DO BUSINESS FOR CRAPPY HUMAN BEINGS. I WANT TO BE SURROUNDED

BY HAPPY PEOPLE, BY

HAPPY BUSINESS, BY MEANINGFUL BUSINESSES, BECAUSE I HAVE NO TIME FOR BORING NONSENSE - STEFANO PASSARELLO

“I believe that in any business we need to have a crusade because your team doesn’t need to know who they are working for. It needs to know what they’re working for,” Stefano states. A pandemic silver lining was the rise of remote working and accessible digitalisation. Monx has a few dozen binders with accounting info in them on it s of fice shelves, a far cr y from it s client count, and works from a “top -notch, futuristic, secure, cloud-based digital solution”.

Just like that Stefano jumps up and grabs his knapsack. It ’s time to head to the airpor t. He racked up 111 flight s last year, and he admit s he’d rather spend more time in Sheung Wan – or bet ter still the DB of fice he still keeps. That ’s still home.

“The place my kids are most in love with is DB Plaza,” he says, adding he has no plans to leave Hong Kong. It ’s still the ideal place for work. “I’m agnostic jurisdic tion-wise, but it ’s easiest to travel from, and easiest to set up business. In Dubai, you need a nominee direc tor. In Thailand, you need a par tnership, Singapore needs a local resident direc tor. Japan… don’t even go there. The UK is freezing cold,” he quips.

“I want to give my staff freedom. I want them to be in Thailand to do accounting for our clients with their feet in the pool. And I can tell you if they are happy, they work hard, they work better – 100% of the time.”

“Hong Kong isn’t per fec t, but it is business-wise.

And within Hong Kong, there’s only one place where my hear t is.” Stefano rat tles of f his home address in DB and is out the door. He’ll be back.

20

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

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! g in ss i K d n a e v i l A

TAKING BACK VALENTINE’S DAY We want love all around us all year long, but if you can’t say it on February 14 when can you? Sharon Lesley Le Roux cuts through the Hallmark hype PHOTOS COURTESY OF Adobe Stock

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AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

D

uring a family get-together in Cape Town las t month, my nephew told me about his recent mar riage proposal to his fiancée.

Marinus has grown up to be a funny, kind and incredibly switched on man, and I was keen to hear how our 21s t centur y thir t ysomethings are doing proposals these days.

Mar inus and Ge n have b ee n toget her f ive year s, and t hey ’ve t alke d ab out mar r iage, b ut my ne p hew c an b e a bit of a s kelm – an Af r ikaans ter m for a s neak y or sly individ ual (alb eit goo d nat ure d in his c as e) – and as s uc h he’d t ake n s ome time, had planne d his pro p os al metic ulously, laying t he ground wor k s o d ef tly t hat his woman did n’t s us p ec t a t hing. He’d c hos e n an interes ting (and s up er- ap p ro p r iate) ve nue for s uc h an eve nt, ar r anging it s o Ge n had ‘won’ dinner out at a ver y nice res t aur ant at C ap e Tow n’s V& A Water f ront, wit h a p er s onally guid e d tour around t he Diamond Mus eum t here b efore hand. T he t wo of t he m had p os he d up for w hat would b e a nice af ter noon out, s omet hing jus t a lit tle dif ferent… or s o Ge n t hought.

Their per sonal tour of the museum began with them being guided through a mockup of a mid -180 0 s diamond mine. The guide’s t alk was interes ting, so much so that it took a while for Gen to notice that Marinus had fallen behind. Once she realised, she retr aced her s teps through the mine, rounded a cor ner, and found him waiting, one k nee in the dir t, open ring box in hand, ready to speak his words of love.

COMMUNITY

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ISN’T VALENTINE’S DAY THAT ONE DAY WHEN WE COLLECTIVELY AGREE IT’S PERFECTLY ALRIGHT TO SHOW OUR SOFTER SIDE AND YES, BE JUST THAT LITTLE BIT FOOLISH?

What struck me, perhaps more than any thing, was that this young man had decided, for this perhaps most impor tant of occasions, to go with tradition. Surprisingly, it ’s this generation, more than any other, who favour conventional proposals. ( Tradition is the new New, who knew?) In a study of recently married people, 25 to 34 -year- olds are the ones most likely to propose in a public place, to get down on one knee, to give flowers, to include family and friends. And it ’s this age range of suiters who see the of fering of a diamond as essential.

(However, few surely choose a mockup diamond mine for the venue – nicely done, Marinus!)

place. Is it simply growing older (and per haps more c ynic al) that has made me feel this way? I don’t think so. I think it ’s equally the c ase that I jus t don’t like being told. Told this is the day, this one special day, and you mus t celebr ate! I mean, what if I’m jus t not feeling it? Do I do it any way, bec ause this is the day? Do I wait till nex t year?

Although Gen’s proposal didn’t happen on Valentine’s Day, it ’s also people in this age r ange who, more than any other, say they would have liked it if their par tner s had proposed to them on Valentine’s Day. I mus t admit, I find that sur prising.

I suppose, here in my fif ties, I’m fairly set in my ways and opinions, and I am cer t ainly more than a lit tle opposed to celebr ating ‘Hallmar k days’.

A nd so, yes, I find it sur prising that it ’s in the fir s t seven days of Febr uar y that engagement rings gener ate the mos t inter net search tr af fic, and that on Febr uar y 14, the mos t mar riage proposals t ake

Per haps I’m not alone. Per haps like me, you’ve grown a lit tle jaded, dismayed at jus t how spend orient ated these celebr ation days have become.

In England, 25 million Valentine’s Day c ards are bought each year, in A meric a it ’s 145 million.

That ’s hard - ear ned c ash spent on c ards alone, not even f lower s or gif t s, meals out, romantic weekends away. A nd, if that ’s a lot of bucks jus t to tell someone they are loved, the UK and the St ates have nothing on Hong Kong – year af ter year, the 852 records the highes t Valentine’s Day consumer spend in the world.

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

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COMMUNITY

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However… In all these s t at s and fac t s lies hidden in plain sight another one, the mos t impor t ant one of all: we want to say, “I love you”. Hearing my nephew ’s s tor y has made me think, and remember that romance is s till a thing. It ’s never been away, it ’s s till ver y much alive and kis sing.

Ac tually, these days, I think it might be the c ase that we need Valentine’s Day more than ever. A s individuals, not all of us are as confident as my nephew when it comes to openly displaying our af fec tion and saying exac tly what it is we feel.

Words are pesk y things at the bes t of times, and love is undoubtedly the mos t dif ficult of all our emotions to put into words. We fear we’ll look foolish, appear sappy, our words clichéd.

A nd yes, we k now this date on the c alendar has been looted by big busines ses over recent year s.

But such is life and oppor tunis t s there will always be. Not unlike Scrooge on Chris tmas mor ning, I am s t ar ting to think that while I wasn’t looking (hiding under my bedsheet s in Cynic s’ Cor ner), we have s t ar ted to t ake back Valentine’s Day and are now owning it. Isn’t Valentine’s Day that one day when we collec tively agree it ’s per fec tly alright to show our sof ter side, and yes, be jus t that lit tle bit foolish? The day when we pause the world, and ack nowledge the fac t that we love another human being, and it feels… incredible. The day to say, “You mat ter. You are ever y thing I need. I don’t see how life looks without you in my pic ture.” The day when we put love up there on it s pedes t al for all to see and we celebr ate it, showing it the deference it ’s due.

c ard, there are some awesome no - mes sage greeting c ards out there designed by incredibly creative people). In it you c an either write your own mes sage, or per haps you c an t ake a lit tle time to find a couple of lines from a favourite movie or song that per fec tly put into words how you feel… and bor row them. Here are a few words I heard recently in a Wes tlife song that s tuck with me: “Tell me it ’s love, that ’s all I want to hear you say, that we’re enough, and you’re always going to feel this way.”

W het her you go wit h t r adition, or you d o s omet hing s o uniq ue t hat no - one els e has ever t hought of it, t his Vale ntine’s Day c an b e your day to w his p er your love, or to s hout it f rom T iger ’s Head ( go on, I dare you)! At t he e nd of t he day, it d oes n’t really mat ter how you s ay it, it only mat ter s t hat you d o. Bec aus e, at t he e nd of t he day, it ’s all we p eo ple in love ever want to hear.

If you say this Febr uar y 14 will be the one day when you choose to – and choose how to – ex pres s what you feel for your mate, allow me to recommend not spending any money at all.

Don’t let the commercial side of Valentine’s Day s top you; it really is about you being in love and showing it… that mat ter s above all else, together with the fac t that life’s bes t things really are the ones that don’t cos t any thing, and what bet ter example of that than love it self.

You could make something, even if it ’s not per fec t, even if it tur ns out ver y badly (remember Bridget Jones’ blue soup?). The fac t that the time and ef for t you put in all s tems from love will not go unnoticed. Or you could do something that ’s jus t your s and your par tner ’s alone. Revisit the place you had your fir s t date, or share a sandwich and a cider in your favourite spot. My husband and I love hiking. These days it seems we’re r arely in the same countr y let alone the same space but when we are we walk and t alk, and we reconnec t.

W hy not write it? On a T-shir t, a s teamed - up bathroom mir ror, a mes sage in a bot tle? Or, sure, buy a c ard (it doesn’t have to be a Valentine’s 24

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

THE BEST GIFTS OF LOVE ARE FREE

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Psyched for Success!

THE OXBRIDGE EXPERIENCE

After acing her A Levels at Discovery Bay International School, Aarushi Sharma is now embracing the challenge of studying at the UK’s world-famous University of Cambridge. She tells Claire Severn what undergraduate life is like PHOTOS COURTESY OF DBIS

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PARENTING

F

or someone who secured the highest mark in the world this year in A Level psychology (Pearson Edexcel), Aarushi Sharma is, to put it mildly, rather modest. “I got the news around three in the morning,” she says. “I was writing an essay and thinking it wasn’t going well; then I got the email. It ’s not something I was aiming for, but it ’s nice that it happened!”

Aar ushi ex plains that psychology wasn’t ac tually one of her original A Level selec tions. “I wasn’t quite sure at the beginning what I wanted to go into, so I chose four A Level subjec t s: maths, biology, chemis tr y and physic s. A few weeks in, I changed from physic s to psychology bec ause it seemed interes ting. There was a lot to c atch up on, but my teacher [at Discover y Bay Inter national School], Mr Lennon, was amazing. He had all these sheet s prepared det ailing exac tly what I’d mis sed and needed to lear n, which really helped.”

It turned out to be a good swap. Aarushi found a passion for studying psychology and set about finding university courses where she could extend her knowledge. “My number one choice was always Cambridge,” she says. “I chose psychology and behavioural sciences because it’s the thing that I can study and not get tired of; I find it so interesting.”

Being an international applicant, Aarushi’s inter view took place online. “I didn’t have much time to prepare,” she says, “but Ms Lau [the universit y and careers guidance counsellor at DBIS] was really great in organising a mock inter view at shor t notice.” Aarushi says her subjec t teachers were ex tremely suppor tive too.

At first, she didn’t think things had gone well – the inter view lasted some time – but the fac t the questions kept coming was in fac t a positive sign.

“From what I’ve heard since, if you are answering questions correc tly, the inter viewers keep asking.

If you think you didn’t do well, you probably did!”

Aarushi did, and the following Oc tober she headed to the UK to begin the nex t chapter of her exciting educational journey.

CAMBRIDGE UNDERGRAD One of the world’s oldest universities, Cambridge is a collegiate establishment, comprising 31 colleges. Aarushi applied to St Catharine’s, or Cat z as it ’s af fec tionately known. Renowned for being a friendly college, Cat z enjoys a central location and is currently home to a communit y of around 1,0 0 0 student s and staf f. Notable alumni include Sir Ian McKellen, Jeremy Paxman and Richard Ayoade. The ‘friendly’ reputation was a big draw for Aarushi.

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“WE’RE EXPECTED TO STUDY FOR AROUND 40 HOURS A WEEK, SO, JUST LIKE A JOB, WHICH I THINK IS PRETTY REALISTIC - AARUSHI SHARMA “I thought, OK, I’m an international student, I’m not going to know anyone there, so I’d like to go somewhere where people are going to be nice.”

It seems she made the right call. Aarushi has settled into university life well and enjoys the sense of community in her college. Cambridge traditions such as formal dinners (St Catharine’s formals feature the famous Catz cheese course!) provide a nice way to socialise, and Aarushi has joined a number of student societies. Her memberships include Tea Soc, Yarn Soc and Psych Soc, although the superpopular Bubble Tea Soc has so far evaded her. “I tried, but they were full – it’s ver y competitive!”

One par ticular group that helped suppor t Aarushi’s transition to university in the UK was the Hong Kong Society. “They organised some events before the term star ted, so I ended up meeting people there.”

Originally from India, Aarushi moved to Hong Kong when she was seven. While moving to the UK af ter graduating school was fairly straight for ward, it wasn’t without it s challenges. “The hardest thing at first was the cultural dif ference, not in a bad way but in terms of the references people make, such as T V shows. Also the rain; I read somewhere that Cambridge is the driest place in the UK, which you wouldn’t think being there!

“I didn’t have a lot of time to think about [the move] because I was busy from the star t with freshers’ week ac tivities. It was ac tually more like AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

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PARENTING

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freshers’ three days as classes then star ted, but it ’s Cambridge – I don’t know what I was expec ting!”

How has the wor kload been so far? “A s long as you s t ay on top of things, you c an s till have a social life. We’re ex pec ted to s tudy for around 40 hour s a week, so, jus t like a job, which I think is pret t y realis tic.

“I’m doing four papers. For each paper you’re assigned a super visor, maybe a professor or a PhD student – someone who is ac tively working in that field – and they set you work throughout the week.

You then meet with them to discuss your work or your understanding of the material.” Aarushi says the sessions are challenging but that student s get a lot out of them.

She hasn’t shied away from extras either. Apparently it’s not unusual at Cambridge for students to attend optional lec tures on completely dif ferent subjec ts to those they are studying, simply because they seem interesting. “Ever yone that goes to Cambridge is a 100% cer tified nerd,” she jokes.

THE FOUNDATIONS Get ting into Cambridge is, as you might expec t, no mean feat – the universit y t ypically receives six applications per place. Studying at DBIS, following programmes based on the English National Curriculum and culminating in A Levels, helped provide Aarushi with solid grounding to suppor t her application.

“I definitely feel that studying A Levels helped because I was able to really hone in on the subjec t s I cared most about,” she says. “Being able to do subjec t s which all complemented each other also meant that I could create connec tions in content across dif ferent areas; I think this helped when it came to preparing for inter views and such because I could answer questions from multiple angles.”

Rebecca Boddington, Head of Six th Form at DBIS, explains fur ther. “A Levels are internationally recognised qualifications that allow student s to specialise in subjec t s they are passionate about.

This specialisation can be par ticularly beneficial for student s with clear career goals or interest s they wish to pursue.

“A Levels provide a struc tured pathway from secondar y education to higher education, emphasising independent study, research, critical thinking and the development of original thought.

Additionally, A Levels can enhance the chances of international student s gaining admission to top -ranking universities, as many prestigious 30

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

AARUSHI HAS JOINED ST CATHARINE’S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE

institutions regard A Level grades as strong indicators of academic abilit y and potential.”

THE FUTURE Already nearly half way through her first year at universit y – each academic year at Cambridge comprises three terms of eight weeks, meaning Aarushi can head home to DB fairly regularly to soak up some sun and enjoy her mum’s home cooking – Aarushi has some interesting studies coming up.

“I'm really looking for ward to nex t year,” she says.

“There's a criminology module, which seems ver y interesting. I’m also looking for ward to the labs and neuropsychology. I’d like to go into clinical psychology; it ’s ver y competitive, so we’ll see, but ideally I’d like to do a 50/50 split of prac tice and research. I’ll probably be studying for the nex t eight years.”

What advice does Aarushi have for anyone thinking of applying to Cambridge? “Just apply. I almost didn’t as I didn’t think I’d get in. So many people self-selec t out of universities. If you don’t get in it ’s fine; you’ll be in the same position you were in before, so just apply!” Wise words indeed. Maybe we’ll see a few more DB student s following in Aarushi’s academic foot steps soon!

! a i v i r T f o t i B e l A Litt QUIZ

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20 QUESTIONS How much do you know about the month of February?

BY Kayli Liebenberg

1. How many days does February have in a non-leap year?

A. 28 B. 29 C. 30 2. What is February’s full moon called?

A. Snow Moon B. Sand Moon C. Sea Moon 3. What do we celebrate on February 14?

A. Holi B. Easter C. Valentine’s Day 4. Who wrote the song My Funny Valentine?

A. Frank Sinatra B. Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Har t C. Jeff Bridges 5. In February 2015, a photo of what article of clothing created a viral debate over its true colours?

A. A pink and white shoe B. A black and blue dress C. A white and gold hat 32

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

QUIZ

6. Which US human rights activist was assassinated on February 21, 1965?

14. In which country is Groundhog Day celebrated on February 2?

A. James Reeb

A. United States

B. Malcolm X

B. Canada

C. Mar tin Luther King Jr

C. Mexico

5. What are February’s zodiac signs?

A. Aquarius and Pisces B. Cancer and Gemini C. Scorpio and Libra 8. On February 20, 1962, who became the first US astronaut to orbit the Earth?

A. Buzz Aldrin B. Neil Armstrong C. John Glenn 9.

What are February’s birth flowers?

A. Violet and primrose B. Violet and daisy C. Lilly of the valley and daisy

/

15. On February 1, 2004 which social networking website was launched?

A. Instagram B. Twitter C. Facebook 16. Which Foo Fighters album features the track February Stars?

A. The Color and the Shape B. One by One C. Sonic Highways 17. Laura Ingalls Wilder was born on February 7, 1867: which of the following novels did she not write?

A. Farmer Boy

10 On which date did Chinese Lunar New Year fall last year?

B. The Children of Green Knowe C. The Long Winter

A. Februar y 1 B. Februar y 10 C. Februar y 15

18. What is February’s birthstone the amethyst associated with?

A. Magic

11. Which Marvel movie was released on February 16, 2018?

B. Royalty C. Priests

A. Avengers Infinity War B. Madame Web C. Black Panther

19. Which British band released the album Abbey Road on February 26, 1969?

A. Led Zeppelin

12. Which English singer/ songwriter was born on February 1, 1994?

B. The Rolling Stones C. The Beatles

A. Ed Sheeran B. Harr y Styles C. Sam Smith

20. Which of these horror movies was released on February 14, 1991?

A. Child’s Play

13. Millie Bobby Brown was born on February 19, 2004: which US magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2018?

A. Time B. Vanity Fair C. Us Weekly

B. The Silence of The Lambs C. Friday the 13th You can check your score at www.arounddb.com>20questions>february-quiz AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

33

INSIDER

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! s p i T Top

PERSONAL EVOLUTION Ray Au outlines what we can expect from 2025, the Year of the Wood Snake ILLUSTRATION BY Sarin Ale

A

ccording to Chinese as trology, each year cor responds to one of 12 zodiac animals (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Roos ter, Dog, Pig), in a c ycle that repeat s ever y 12 year s. To complic ate things a lit tle, each year also cor responds to one of five element s (Fire, Ear th, Met al, Water and Wood), in a c ycle that repeat s ever y five year s.

2025 is the Year of the Snake (the las t one was in 2013). More specific ally, it is the Year of the Wood Snake (the las t one was in 1965). So, what does that mean for you?

Snakes may not be ever yone’s cup of tea but there is ever y reason to go into a Snake Year with positivit y. For the Chinese, the Snake symbolises wisdom and evolution: he is not associated with evil or treacher y as he is in many other cultures.

What ’s key is that the Snake is able to shed his skin and rejuvenate: we can therefore expec t 2025 to be all about personal grow th and renewal.

While the pace of change may be a lot slower than it was in 2024’s flashy and dynamic Year of the Dragon, don’t underestimate the transformative power of serpentine energy. The Snake is known for his grounded, deliberate approach to life.

Stealthy and wise, the Snake want s you to move with purpose and precision, relinquishing what no longer ser ves you, so you can evolve. As you weave through the year, you have the oppor tunit y to methodically align with your true path. The key lies in trusting the process.

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AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

THE SNAKE’S STEALTHY INFLUENCE In predic ting what 2025 will bring, we need to take a good look at the Snake’s charac teristic s many of which are revealed by his impressive showing at the Great Race. Folklore tells us that the race was held by the Jade Emperor to decide the order of the animals in the Chinese zodiac and, surprisingly, the Snake placed six th right af ter the super-powered Dragon (the predic ted winner) and seconds before the stronger, faster Horse.

As it turns out, the Snake is ambitious and he saw the race across the celestial river as an oppor tunit y to shine. Clever and cunning, the Snake submerged himself and swam quickly across the river, taking advantage of the current s. Without being seen, he smoothly over took the Pig, Dog, Rooster, Monkey and Ram and, near the riverbank, he jumped out at the Horse, which star tled and fell behind. Thus, to ever yone’s surprise, the Snake became the six th animal to cross the finish line. Within this origin stor y lies the true message of a Snake Year – summon your inner strategist, stay calm and strike when the time is right.

So we k now the Snake is wise, a natur al t ac tician; we also k now him to be ambitious and deter mined.

Given plent y of time to ref lec t and plot the wises t cour se, the Snake is not afr aid to ac t independently in pur suit of his dreams. Consequently, we c an ex pec t a goal- orient ated 2025, in which we c an move for ward with resolve and objec tivit y. A bove

INSIDER INSIDER

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

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INSIDER

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all, the Snake encour ages creative solution: when you get to the prover bial shore by relying on your own ingenuit y, as he did in the Great Race, you ear n not jus t respec t, but your own place in the circle.

As any ophiophilist will confirm, the Snake is mesmerising, and not a lit tle mysterious – by turns colour ful and flamboyant, camouflaged and reclusive. He doesn’t ac tually hypnotise his prey but he can charm almost anyone he meet s into submission. Therefore, 2025 is predic ted to be a good year to make friends and influence people: to impress others with your wit and charisma, and insinuate yourself with ‘the powers that be’ to get that rise or promotion.

Now a word of caution: the Snake has a tendenc y to be secretive, manipulative, distrust ful and jealous.

He holds grudges and is slow to forgive. He can also be stubborn, prideful and arrogant, refusing to admit his mistakes or listen to the opinions of others. Be cautious who you trust in a Snake Year. The worr y is that the cold, calculating Snake is only concerned with his own welfare. He’s also dangerous: when he’s angr y, or his pride has been hur t, or if you tr y to get close to him without his permission, you might get bit.

THE WOOD ELEMENT T he Year of t he Woo d Snake is s p ecial b ec aus e it combines t he t r ans for mative p ower of t he Snake wit h t he ex pansive nes s and f lex ibilit y of t he Woo d ele me nt. W het her you are loo k ing to s t ar t new p rojec t s or make signif ic ant life c hanges, 2025 p romis es to d eliver slow, s tead y o p p or t unities for grow t h. A Woo d Snake Year reward s t hos e w ho are f lex ible and for ward t hink ing, now ’s t he time to s he d old habit s and f i xe d id eas and e mb r ace o p p or t unit y.

T he Woo d element als o re pres ent s compas sion and loyalt y, s omet hing t hat b r ing s out t he Snake’s o h - s o - s ec ret s e nsitive sid e. T he Snake is a c autious, int rover te d o bs er ver ; he te nd s to b e s us picious and ins ec ure, yet his s c ales conceal a big hear t and a s ur p r isingly pas sionate nat ure.

2025 is t herefore a year to b e ge nerous wit h our af fec tions, and dare to b e v ulner able.

K ind, e mpat hetic and ab ove all wis e, t he Woo d Snake is t he mos t c reative and visionar y of t he s nakes. So 2025 invites us to ex plore new id eas and ex pand our hor izons. Consid er t hat t he counterc ult ure move me nt was at it s p eak in t he US d ur ing 1965, t he las t Year of t he Woo d Snake, wit h s up p or ter s rejec ting conve ntional mores and 36

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

KIND, EMPATHETIC AND ABOVE ALL WISE, THE WOOD SNAKE IS THE MOST CREATIVE AND VISIONARY OF THE SNAKES ad vo c ating p eace, love and s o cial jus tice. Si x t y year s later, we c an ho p e to f ind similar t he mes ec hoing bac k to us, of fer ing o p p or t unities for t r ans for mation and re bir t h on a glo bal s c ale.

LUCK AND COMPATIBILITY How we will fare in the Year of the Snake also depends on the year we were born – on how well our ‘bir th animal’ get s on with the Snake. The Chinese zodiac animals most compatible with the Snake are the Ox, Monkey and Rooster, which is fantastic news for all Oxen, Monkeys and Roosters heading into 2025. The Ox’s diligence and tenacit y, the Monkey’s quick wit and the Rooster ’s logical yet passionate nature all vibe well with the wily Snake. These are the advisors he want s by his side.

Likewise, Rat s, Rabbit s, Rams and Dogs should do well in 2025, since they also have a lot to of fer the Snake. The Rat ’s c aution and abilit y to compromise appeals, as does the Rabbit ’s pluck y vulner abilit y, the Ram’s idealism and the Dog’s adapt abilit y. However, if you were bor n in the Year of the Tiger, Dr agon, Hor se or Pig, you should br ace your self for a treacherous 2025, with some power s tr uggles and financial challenges ahead.

Meanwhile, those bor n in a Snake Year are not in as power ful a position as you might think. According to Chinese as trology, we of fend the Tai Sui gods in a year that is gover ned by our bir th animal, meaning we c an ex pec t many challenges and unex pec ted changes. In 2025, Snakes are advised to tread with c aution, and inves t in some tried and -tes ted feng shui remedies. Be sure to c ar r y a luck y Ox trinket… and wear red under wear. Gong Hei Fat Choy!

+852 2984 0006 silverminebayschool.edu.hk office@silverminebayschool.edu.hk

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BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS Your ticket to paradise

BY Kayli Liebenberg

PHOTOS COURTESY OF Adobe Stock

THERE’S NOTHING ESPECIALLY BRITISH about the British Virgin

Islands (BVI), a British O ver seas Ter ritor y in the Caribbean. With around 60 islands to ex plore, 16 of which are uninhabited, this is the place to char ter a boat, dive the protec ted reefs or simply lay back on a pris tine, underdeveloped beach and enjoy some well-deser ved timeout.

TORTOLA, THE LARGEST ISLAND in the chain,

harbours one of the BVI’s most beautiful beaches at picture-perfect Cane Garden Bay. The gently sloping crescent of sand is party central in peak season (December to April): rub shoulders with celebs as you work on your tan.

A JURASSIC WORLD OPENS UP at Sage Mount ain Par k on Tor tola, where over sized lizards and noisy bo - peep frogs inhabit a c anopied r ainfores t s tuf fed with fer ns, f lower s and vines. Seven tr ails cris scros s the 92-acre par k and you c an climb 523 - metre Sage Mount ain, the highes t in the BVI, for glorious views.

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ESCAPES

THE ANEGADA SALT PONDS

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are home to an evergrowing flamboyance of flamingos that you can view from a distance from designated lookouts.

Unlike the other islands in the BVI, Anegada is low-lying and made entirely from coral. It’s known for its spectacular reef systems and endless supply of white-sand beaches. At 29 kilometres, Horseshoe Reef is one of the Caribbean’s largest.

JOST VAN DYKE ISLAND

(named for a 17th centur y Dutch pirate) delivers an old-school Caribbean vibe. Discover the ruins of early sugar mills, disused charcoal-making pit s and stillsur viving explorer footpaths.

Swim to shore for drinks at the Soggy Dollar bar and be sure to visit Bubbly Pool, a naturally occurring jacuz zi-st yle swimming hole on the nor theastern shore.

SUITABLE FOR ALL DIVING LEVELS, the Wreck of the RMS

Rhone is consistently rated as one of the best scuba diving spots in the BVI. Located near Salt Island, it can also be easily accessed by boat from Virgin Gorda. Overhangs and hiding places in the wreck are filled with marine life; sightings of sea turtles, eels and barracudas are almost guaranteed.

THE BATHS AT VIRGIN GORDA ISLAND is arguably the BVI’s most

popular attraction. Gigantic granite boulders form a series of secluded, seawater grottoes where you can take a swim. Or, you can follow the trail over the boulders and through the tidal pools to Devil’s Bay, where a deserted stretch of sand awaits.

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

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Airport Road Catering Road 8 Chung Yat Street 4 Fu Tung Street Hing Tung Street 5

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RECIPES

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Say it with

Stra wb erri es

Legend has it that sharing a strawberry leads to love, so split one of these delicious treats with your Valentine PHOTOS COURTESY OF Adobe Stock

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE Serves 8 200g digestive biscuits

½ lemon, zest finely grated

100g unsalted butter

3tbsp lemon juice

3 sheets of leaf gelatine

500g strawberries

142ml single cream

142ml double cream

300g full-fat soft cheese

1 medium egg white

100g golden caster sugar

Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin, tip into a bowl and stir in the but ter. Transfer the mixture to a loose-bot tomed 24cm round cake tin, at least 5cm deep, and press down to make an even layer. Leave to chill. Next, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes. Pour the single cream into a pan, bring to the boil, then take of f the heat. Stir the gelatine leaves into the cream. Leave to cool. Next, beat the cheese in a bowl with the sugar, lemon zest and juice. Mix in the cream and gelatine mixture and 300g strawberries.

In another bowl, whip the cream so it falls in sof t peaks, then fold it into the strawberr y mixture. Repeat with the egg white. Pour the cheese mixture into the cake tin, smooth it down and chill for 2-3 hours until set. To ser ve, remove the cheesecake from the tin and pile on the remaining strawberries.

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AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

RECIPES

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

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43

RECIPES

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CHOCOLATE-DIPPED STRAWBERRIES Makes 9 100g dark chocolate, roughly chopped 9 large strawberries Cut a strip of baking parchment and leave to one side. To melt the dark chocolate, fill a small pan with 2cm water and bring to a simmer.

Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and rest it on top of the pan, ensuring the bowl isn’t touching the water. Stir the chocolate to gradually melt it. Or, melt the chocolate in 20 second blasts in the microwave, stirring after each blast until melted. Put the melted chocolate in a small deep bowl.

Gently hold the strawberries by the leafy top and dip into the chocolate, just over halfway up. Tap off any excess chocolate and put on the baking parchment. Refrigerate until set.

44

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

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Discovery Bay Anglican Church Daughter Church of St John's Cathedral SKH Wei Lun Primary School, Discovery Bay Road Sung Eucharist (English) at 10:00am Sundays Email: dcourtright@stjohnscathedral.org.hk Web: www.discoverybaychurch.org.hk Priest in Charge: The Revd Drew Courtright Tel: +852 - 2523 4157

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Packing Tape: HK$8/piece.

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Serves Lantau, DB, Tung Chung and the rest of HK. www.akash.hk 46

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

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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 So Nice Technologies HOTELS Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Novotel Citygate Hong Kong Regal Airport Hotel Sheraton Tung Chung The Silveri Hong Kong - MGallery LEARNING CENTRES Discovery Mind International Play Centre Discovery Mind Primary School Greenfield International Kindergarten 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 Quality Health Dental Quality Health Care Medical REMOVALS & RELOCATION Akash Moving Crown Relocations

FTC Relocations 2988 8282 ReloSmart 2988 1898 Rocket Movers 3661 1999 SwiftRelo

2814 1658 2561 3030 5134 0044 2363 4008

Sunset Grill, Sheraton Tung Chung 2535 0025 The New Chapter 2907 6988 The Tavern 2907 6822 Upper Deck 2757 8889 Yue, Sheraton Tung Chung 2535 0028 RESIDENTIAL SERVICES Velocity Bar & Grill, Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott 3969 1888 2109 9277 Wok n Roll 5182 7646 2109 2330 Caribbean Coast Clubhouse 9343 3718 Caribbean Coast Management Office 2109 9288 2179 6678 RETAIL 5541 1502 Coastal Skyline Clubhouse 2428 2566 2988 1488 Coastal Skyline Management Office 2179 6621 FTC Apparel 9733 5483 3473 8700 Lantau Balloons 6206 3497 Seaview Crescent Clubhouse Seaview Crescent Management Office 3473 8833 Tung Chung Crescent Clubhouse 2403 6770 SPORT & RECREATION 2385 9677 3969 1888 Tung Chung Crescent Management Office 2109 1222 Asia Pacific Soccer Schools Aqua Gym 2914 0658 3602 8888 B & S Art Gallery 2493 8895 2286 8888 RESTAURANTS & FOOD DELIVERY 5182 7646 Dance for Joy 9264 8597 2535 0000 3 Italiani 2321 5500 Edge ’n Pointe Dance Centre 6688 2167 3602 8989 A Tavola Bar & Grill Andante, Novotel Citygate 3602 8828 ESF Sports 2711 1280 Basic Bistro 2305 5508 Fitness in Motion 9744 4736 2777 8982 HK Dragons 2987 4274 2987 8070 Cabana Breeze 2286 6238 Kinder Kicks Soccer 2385 9677 2915 0666 Café Aficionado 6443 6597 2162 5538 Café Lantau, Sheraton Tung Chung 2535 0021 Perun Fitness 2988 8674 Rugbytots 5307 6677 2420 1068 Handi Indian Resturant 2162 8018 Tung Chung Public Swimming Pool 2109 9107 2121 0884 Jasmine Tung Chung 2881 8788 Tung Chung Sports Centre 2109 2421 2988 8123 La Rosabelle Bar & Grill La Vista 2368 6866 Tung Chung Rugby Club 6079 0825 Lobby Lounge, Sheraton Tung Chung 2535 0023 2330 0131 VETERINARY SERVICES & PETS 2185 6550 Maison Du Mezze 3500 5885 Royal Pets (Pet Sitting) 6314 9887 2109 9396 Man Mano Italian Restaurant 2762 8077 Tung Chung Animal Clinic 2988 1534 2109 2288 Mint & Basil 2116 8149 Tung Chung Vet Centre 2328 7282 3467 7000 Moon Lok Chiu Chow 2907 6918 2403 6613 My Thai 2234 9199 WELLBEING & BEAUTY 2403 6623 Nha Trang Vietnamese Cuisine PizzaExpress 2297 3588 Max Beauty Spa 2162 5752 Regala Café & Dessert Bar, Regal Airport Hotel 2286 6618 OM Spa, Regal Airport Hotel 2286 6266 2421 8088 Rouge, Regal Airport Hotel 2286 6868 Tung Chung Nail Ninjas 9551 6468 2636 8399 Skycity Bistro, SkyCity Marriott 3969 2500 Quan Spa, Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott 3692 1888

SOUTH LANTAU EMERGENCY SERVICES 999 Lantau South Police Mui Wo Fire Department

MEDICAL 3661 1696 North Lantau Hospital 3467 7000 2984 1570 REALTORS HOME & REPAIRS Findley Leung 2984 8334 Koon Wah Hardware 2984 8487 HomeSolutions 3483 5003 Lee Wo Construction Engineering 2984 1802 Man Shun Construction & Engineering 2984 9833 REMOVALS & RELOCATION New Look Design 9783 5840 Akash Removals 2421 8088 Papabo 5541 1502 FTC Relocations 2814 1658 Lee Hing Loong 2984 2268 HOTELS ReloSmart 2561 3030 Silvermine Beach Resort 6810 0111 SwiftRelo 2363 4008 Tai O Heritage Hotel 2985 8383 RESTAURANTS & FOOD DELIVERY LEARNING CENTRES Bathers 2504 4788 Ashville International Kindergarten & Nursery 2109 9886 Bella Ciao Lantau 9321 0487 Buddhist Fat Ho College 2985 5365 Cafe Isara 2470 1966 Lantau International Kindergarten 2984 0302 Caffe Paradiso 2984 0498 Lantau International School, Reception, 2984 0302 China Bear 2984 9720 Lantau International School, Lower Primary 2980 3676 La Pizzeria 2984 8933 Lantau International School, Upper Primary 2984 0302 Lantana Italian Bistro 5465 5511 Little Lantau Montessori Kindergarten 3689 7033 Long Island 2320 2001 Mui Wo Language Cafe 5511 6107 Pause Cafe 5267 5549 Silvermine Bay School 2984 0006 The China Beach Club 2983 8931

The Gallery The Kitchen Treasure Island Beach Club

2980 2582 5991 6292 5236 7013

RETAIL Bella Ciao Lantau Friendly Bike Shop Garden Plus Island Wines Loi Chan Frozen Meat Co. Lantau Grocer Red Hall Chinese Antiques Steak King Mui Wo Tony’s Salon Value Vigilantes VIBE Book & Music Shop

9321 0487 2984 2278 2980 2233 9521 8481 2984 8346 2702 0050 2988 1368 5988 2005 2984 0990 6132 9120 9088 2370

SPORT & RECREATION Long Coast Seasports South Lantau Paddle Club Treasure Island Beach Club

5545 5625 6058 8843 2546 3543

WELLBEING & BEAUTY Pause by the Banyan Spa Ambiance Thai Palin Massage

9708 0187 2984 2488 9062 0148

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

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LOCAL NUMBERS

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DISCOVERY BAY BUSINESS SERVICES Monx T8 Consulting Ltd

5286 0155 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 Chameleon Design & Interiors China Light & Power Information DRS Company Good Luck Engineering Greenland Pest Control Island Cleaning Solutions

May’s Furniture & Curtain Design Rich Point Hardware Materials Synergy Pest Control Water Fault Reports Water Supplies Department Well Supreme Laundry

9219 8169 2678 2678 9156 0360 2987 1313 9871 0771 6091 5176 2987 0222 2987 0789 5604 3950 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 & SCHOOLS 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

Bayview House of Children 6114 2436 DBIS 2987 7331 DBIS Kindergarten 2914 2142 Discovery College 3969 1000 Discovery Mind International Play Centre 2987 8088 Discovery Mind Kindergarten 2987 8088 Discovery Montessori Academy 2812 9206 Dr Bear Education Centre 9685 7856 Elevate English Centre 5445 8228 EpicLand 2441 0098 Funfit 6302 6327 Guidepost Montessori (DB) 2185 6134 HKILA

2416 3198 Jungle School Discovery Day 9095 7250 La Petite Enfance Kindergarten 8191 0813 Mandarin for Munchkins 2480 3909 Mathemagic (home tutoring) 9135 4724 Rigolo comme la vie 5495 8810 SKH Wei Lun Primary School 2987 8608 50

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

Treasure House Woodentots Yifan Mandarin Zhi Zhi Chinese

2987 4217 6108 9131 9208 7611 9648 2966

MEDICAL Bayside Dental (DB Plaza) 2285 8068 Bayside Dental (DB North) 2987 0855 Central Health at Discovery Bay 2987 7575 Central Health Physiotherapy 2987 7575 Health & Care Dental Clinic 2666 6183 North Lantau Hospital 3467 7000 Quality Health Medical Centre 2987 5633 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 2987 2088 Kingsland 2987 2987 Land Master Property 2987 6238 Okay.com 2102 0888 Savills 2987 1919 REMOVALS & RELOCATION AGS Group

2885 9666 Akash Moving 2421 8088 Crown Relocations 2636 8399 Expert Mover 2566 4799 FTC Relocations 2814 1658 Links Moving 5595 9500 Nauzer Moving Service 6076 2500 ReloSmart 2561 3030 Rocket Movers 5134 0044 Royal Movers 9341 9209 SwiftRelo 5976 2208 UniGroup Asia 2418 4333 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 Italian Kitchen Located in DB Plaza Extension, the THE RINK Italian Kitchen offers guests a unique gastronomical experience of authentic Italian flavours. To reserve a table, call 3709 6451.

Café Bord de Mer & Lounge Coffee Academics DBrasserie Dough Bros Ebeneezer’s Epic Foods Figos Seaside Café il Bel Paese Island Café JOO Korean Grill & Bar Koh Tomyums Thai La Creation & Châteraisé Levain Bakery Lekker Laa

2295 8299 2882 2280 9848 1101 2408 0448 2987 0036 2172 6111 2987 2995 2987 0202 2987 9311 2234 6118 2987 0767 2987 1829 2726 4922 6857 1620

LOCAL NUMBERS

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DISCOVERY BAY McDonald’s & McCafe 2987 1033 MOOJOO Lifestyle Cafe 5122 5928 ÓNA 3619 0937 Osmanbey Turkish Restaurant 5401 8350 Paisano’s 2673 4445 Pasha 6340 0903 Peony 2215 0833 Pho Bay 3619 0932 PizzaExpress 3164 1340 Shanghai Breeze 2987 7808 Subway 2914 0005 Sushi No En 3705 9984 Taste of Thai 2987 2010 The Chippy 2987 8688 The Pier Bar 2520 2166 Three Sheets Marquee Bar 2987 0966 The Rink 3611 8369 Uncle Russ 2840 1188 Viet Bu Tong Kitchen & Bar 2338 8970 RETAIL & DAILY NECESSITIES 7-Eleven 2299 1110 Bloom 6117 7653 Circle K 2991 6337 Cosmo Computers 5136 1799 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 Greenmont Kids 5345 1451 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 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

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.tekkerzfootball.com

BMSE Community Centre 2259 3422 Caissa Chess 6938 7603 Club Siena

2987 7382 Daruma Judo 6244 6093 DBees

9867 9240 DB Ice Rink 2234 0187 DB Pirates 9255 6133 DB Golf Club 2987 7273 DB Recreation Club 2987 7381 DMR 5210 7208

Dream Sports Academy 3462 2626 Embody 6624 8712 EpicLand 2441 0098 EMS Fitness Hong Kong 6200 2463 Gallery Jeeum 9819 7176 Harry Wright International 2575 6279 HK Yoga 6113 6770 Kaisei Ryu Ju Jitsu 5315 0227 Kipmovin 6436 3308 Korea Taekwondo Cheung Do Kwan 9663 8077 Lantau Yacht Club 2987 9591 The Golfbay 2856 5188 Tinytots 3488 7724 Yoga Bay 6704 9851 Yogika 6749 7836 YogaUP 6805 4996 Yrock 6180 0817 Zumba with Dionina De Guzman 9317 6793 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 Herbal Health Care Hypnotherapist Margaret Liu Nailed It! Salon De Coiffure Sophia Essentials Spa Botanica, Auberge Discovery Bay

2987 0283 9837 0969 2834 7276 5925 3469 2987 2266 2987 4112 2527 0118 2295 8129

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 2025

51

OUT THERE

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TENNIS IS THE WATCHWORD

Peter Sherwood looks back on the Australian Open where he took a beating from an adversary much fiercer than Jannik Sinner PHOTO COURTESY OF Pexels

I

ASKING FOR AN EPIC SMASH

saw the Australian Open on TV last month, with an ad repeated 2,976 times. Two weeks of a singular commercial left me more exhausted than any of the on-cour t players. At least someone won something. All I got was apoplectic.

album. The watch cost HK$3,0 0 0, and a bloke in the industr y told me in a Bacchanalian moment it cost about HK$50 to make. Half of the percentage dif ference on an expensive model goes towards Federer ’s kids’ school fees.

OK, I get it; Rolex is a watch. Congratulations (as you do for Sinner, Djokovic, Alcaraz et al). Maybe this repetitious onslaught was the opposite of a subliminal message, whatever that is, and it ’s called (by me) mocking your audience, and annoying to the point of wanting to rip my eyes out.

I used to waste my life in the PR / marketing racket so I’m not unfamiliar with painting pret t y images on peoples’ grey mat ter. But whoever insisted on the same 30 second ad, 2,976 times should be locked in a toilet cubicle under bright light s and forced to watch the thing on a loop.

Should I win the Mark Six, I will buy the most expensive diamond-infested timepiece, take it to Swit zerland and smash it with a sledgehammer in front of the world’s media. This in the depressing knowledge that there’s nothing in it for me.

Worse, it will be good for their business; free international coverage, and they’ll have to produce a replacement, which means jobs – in China?

Rolex claims it suppor t s tennis for the enchanting continuit y of histor y (read: because it seems to be profitable, but we can of fer no direc t evidence that this is so). True. I imagine no one ever raced into a watch shop begging for the latest Rolex because they’d just seen one 2,976 times, while tr ying to focus on Roland Garros’ red clay. Same for golf.

But if you volunteer your time to stare at golf on a screen, you deser ve all the commemorative adjec tives you get. Watching golf accomplishes t wo things: you can fall asleep for hours and miss nothing, and you really do get to see the grass grow. You’ll also hear ‘the royal and ancient game played in an idyllic set ting,’ over and over. These dreamy half-minute chronicles, eventually turning your brain to porridge, will continue to haunt.

Grating too, the gushing sentimentalit y of the voiceover, befit ting the BBC coverage of Churchill’s funeral. We’re reminded of Wimbledon’s historic lawns, and breathless sunrises over the harsh Australian deser t, while featured icons wear the right watch as if cash played no par t. Is there a device that removes ads from the screen? Already there exist s a mechanism to eliminate saccharine voice; it ’s called a guillotine.

I bought a watch 20 years ago, but likely not because I like tennis. Who knows? Or maybe a promotional message was secreted in a Billy Joel

Here’s the sad par t: if you keep insisting that I buy something from you, and I cave in, it ’s finished.

You won’t bother me again. But Rolex? Even if I become cer tifiable and sell my children to get one, they’ll be at the nex t event: 2,976 times.

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.

52

AROUND DB / FEBRUARY 2025

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