Around DB May 2021 Issue

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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

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PA R E N T I N G

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ALYONA AND IVAILO reveal what they did in lockdown and their plans for The Beat’s post-pandemic future

MOVING ON Helping kids cope when friends relocate

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Life’s Big Moments Start Here.

When a child learns to swim with confidence, their life is changed forever. Swimming provides joy, freedom and endless opportunities to create lifelong memories in and around water, from pool parties with friends to family beach vacations and beyond.

OLYMPIANS 名奧運選手

COMMONWEALTH

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WHO WE ARE

SUMMER TERM 2021

Established in 1975, Harry Wright International is

Now - 30 June Monday To Saturday

the Premier Swim School in Hong Kong and has been offering a successful program of swimming lessons and training for children, from professional swimming instructors and coaches.

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即日起 至 6月30日 星期一至星期六

Our programme of lessons is designed to give children all the skills they need to benefit and enjoy the sport of swimming as well as providing pathways of excellence for competitive swimmers.

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DISCOVER THE WORLD WITH A GLOBAL MIND

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FEATURES 22

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Profile Ivailo Tonchev and Alyona Zarnitsyna of The Beat

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Community Is yoga your ticket to post-pandemic wellness?

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Parenting

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Helping children cope when friends relocate

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Insider How to declutter your home and live happier

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37 GEOMANCY

18 GIVEAWAYS

Support for FDWs

Introductory feng shui

48 DB FACES

Community snaps

DB EVENTS

50 CLASSIFIEDS 53 LOCAL NUMBERS

56 OUT THERE

Peter Sherwood talks back

ON THE COVER 22

W E ALSO PU B LI SH YOUR GUIDE TO HONG KONG’S ‘GREEN JEWEL’

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Ivailo Tonchev and Alyona Zarnitsyna at their DB North

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Easy-peasy gazpacho, paella and spicy tortilla

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Recipes

AGENDA

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REGULARS

2019 / 2020

Plaza studio

PHOTO BY Baljit Gidwani -

www.evoqueportraits.com

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! t u o b A & Out W H AT YOU'VE BEEN UP TO!

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PETALIFE FUN DAY PHOTOS BY Baljit Gidwani www.evoqueportraits.com & Roy Esterhuysen (@shotbyroy)

On April 11, No Dogs Left Behind (NDLB), WALKaDOG, DB Green, Lantau Island Paddle, Lantau Boat Club and OceansAsia organised a pet- and eco-friendly day of events. Attendees enjoyed a dog walk from Siena Park to DB Plaza, an e-talk at Hemingway’s from NDLB founder Jeffery Beri, a paddle from Tai Pak Wan to Sze Pak Wan, and a beach clean-up at Sze Pak Wan.

AROUND DB

DB EVENTS

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| MAY 2021

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DB EVENTS

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DB COMMUNITY GREEN SQUARE PHOTOS COURTESY OF DB Community Green Square & Sarah Muirhead On April 10, DB residents enjoyed the opening of the new DB Community Green Square, in the previous location of the DB Nursery (opposite Haven Court in Peninsula Village). In addition to a plant market, members of the COC planted flowers to create a COC Plant Circle. The next plant market will be on May 8.

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AROUND DB

| MAY 2021

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AROUND DB

| MAY 2021

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EVENTS

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BRUNCH AT THE SHERATON STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDING

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Ready to learn to paddleboard? Check into an Asia Pacific Adventure Stand-Up Paddleboard Explorer Clinic. You can book a private class in Lantau for a group of friends, or sign up for a course in Deep Water Bay. The south-side courses run every Saturday in May from 1pm to 4.30pm. To find out more, visit www.asiapacificadventure.com.

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Sunday brunch at the Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung’s Sunset Grill comes in at HK$688 for adults and HK$348 for kids, with antipasti, tapas-style mains, cakes and pastries. Splurge on the optional drinks package (HK$388 per person) to get two hours of free-flow cocktails, bubbly and house wine. Bloody Mary, anyone? To make a booking, visit www.sheratonhongkongtungchung.com.

! s t n e v E & s g in n e Happ

YANG HYUN JUN EXHIBITION

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Drop by Gallery Jeeum in DB North Plaza from May 6 to June 6 to check out the latest in Korean artist Yang Hyun Jun’s Adult Child series. Gallery Jeeum is also showcasing a select group of Hong Kong and Korean artists at Art Central at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre from May 20 to 23. For more information, visit the Gallery Jeeum Facebook page.

STUFF TO DO IN MAY! SERVE-A-THON VOLUNTEERING

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Sign up as a Serve-a-thon volunteer and you can provide assistance to those most affected by COVID-19.

This year’s service calendar, running from May 8 to 16, includes virtual opportunities – allowing you to safely volunteer from home – as well as inperson, Lantau-based relief programmes. To get involved, visit www.serveathonhk.org.hk.

A NIGHT OUT FOR MUM

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Treat mum to a Mother’s Day buffet dinner at the Auberge (HK$588 for adults and HK$298 for kids) from May 7 to 9. She can take her pick from an exciting range of dishes including scallop gratin, lobster thermidor, roast chicken ballotine and bird’s nest milk pudding. To make a booking, visit www.aubergediscoverybay.com.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

MAY 9 | SHOP THE DISCOVERY BAY SUNDAY MARKET in DB Plaza from 11am to 6pm. Visit www.handmadehongkong.com.

MAY 9 | JOIN A BEACH CLEAN-UP at Nim Shue Wan and Cheung Sha Lan from 2pm to 4pm. Visit plasticfreeseas.org.

MAY 16 | BRING YOUR DRINK CARTONS, COFFEE CUPS/ LIDS AND POLYFOAM for recycling at the waterfront side of Hemingway’s from 9am to 11am. Visit the DB Green Facebook page.

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AROUND DB

| MAY 2021

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International-standard ice rink opening soon!

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF DB Ice Rink

ince it’s home to sports and fitness enthusiasts of all kinds, Discovery Bay’s latest attraction – an international-standard indoor ice rink – is sure to be a hit. DB Ice Rink will be the largest in Hong Kong when it opens in DB Plaza.

Part of Hong Kong Resort’s (HKR) mission to improve quality of life and promote healthy living in DB and beyond, DB Ice Rink will facilitate both ice skating and ice hockey. It promises fun on the ice for everyone, whether you’re perfecting your Elsa impression or training for serious competitions.

The ice-rink-in-a-mall formula has been proven to work in Hong Kong, and HKR hopes DB Ice Rink will become a signature attraction for locals and visitors alike. Without doubt, the rink will be another exciting recreational outlet for DBers, and for DB teens in particular – somewhere affordable, accessible and fun to hang out in the evenings and at weekends. It’s incredible to think that generations of DB kids will grow up totally at home on the ice.

Led by an experienced ice-rink operator, DB Ice Rink is manned by a professional team of qualified ice-skating coaches. Both leisure ice-skating sessions and classes are available. The ice-skating classes follow Ice Skating Institute Asia (ISIAsia) guidelines, taking skaters from beginner to competition level.

Classes for kids as young as three years old are on offer, with coaches focusing on technique and stamina, all in a fun and nurturing environment.

In its bid to support the development of ice sports, HKR has formed a strategic partnership with the China Hockey Group (CHG). Now in its third year, CHG is at the centre of growth driving ice-hockey forward in Hong Kong and greater China.

“It is a pleasure to be involved with Discovery Bay and its work to develop ice hockey in Hong Kong,”

Inspired by the name Discovery Bay, the DB Ice Rink logo consists of a shell, which is holding a hidden gem, waiting to be discovered.

It resonates ‘Discover more at Discovery Bay!’

says CHG co-founder and executive director Gregory Smyth. “HKR is an excellent organisation with a great vision for developing the sport. We look forward to working closely with them on multiple initiatives.”

For the non-profit DB-based ice-hockey team, the DBees, the opening of DB Ice Rink is quite simply a dream come true. Founded in 2007 by DB residents, the club currently practices at The Rink at Elements in Tsim Sha Tsui. DBees’ chairman Stuart Winchester says: “We are really looking forward to being able to practice closer to home on an international-standard ice rink, and we hope it means more DB kids will become interested in ice hockey.”

Children as young as four can join the DBees, and young players compete in CHG’s Junior Tigers minor ice-hockey programme. While the majority of the DBees players are aged five to 14, juniors transition into the DBees’ adult league once they turn 18.

Several full-time coaches contribute to the DBees’ programme, and parents assist in club capacities including coaching and supervision.

“At the DBees, we focus on working on self-esteem, so the kids feel good about themselves,” says Stuart.

“We provide positive reinforcement, making sure the kids enjoy what they are doing. “We’re super-excited that DB Ice Rink is going to facilitate ice hockey for both adults and kids – of the six other ice rinks already in Hong Kong, only three currently do that,” Stuart adds. “It’s good to see DB supporting the promotion of ice sports in Hong Kong.”

Indeed, ice skating and ice hockey are loved by many Hongkongers, and the region has nurtured a number of Winter Olympic contestants. Looking to the future, we hope the next generation of Hong Kong icesports champions will have been born and brought up in DB!

Scan the QR code to view DB Ice Rink FB/IG: db.icerink DBees, www.dbeeshockey.com China Hockey Group, www.chinaicehockey.com AROUND DB

| MAY 2021

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GIVEAWAYS

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PHOTO COURTESY OF FOUND

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CONGR ATUL ATIONS TO L AS T ISSUE’S WINNER | Nancy Dungan received a HK$300 voucher to spend at online food-and-wine supplier Italian Foodie Corner

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PROFILE

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! m e G n Hidde THE BEAT GOES ON

A year of lockdown hasn’t stopped Ivailo Tonchev and Alyona Zarnitsyna growing The Beat into a state-of-the-art, dual venue fitnessand-dance hub. Elizabeth Kerr reports PHOTOS BY Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com

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hen Alyona Zarnitsyna comes bounding into the Starbucks in ifc, four years after I first interviewed her for this magazine, I immediately realise that a lot has changed.

Make no mistake, she’s still got energy to burn, but this time around the workout gear has been replaced with a stylish jacket accented by a wide statement belt and slim trousers.

Husband Ivailo Tonchev is right behind her, looking more

casual in jeans and a navy pullover, but equally lithe, tan and fit – a year into a global pandemic lockdown.

It strikes me that the co-founders of DB-based boutique fitness-and-dance studio The Beat might be superhuman.

While Ivailo goes off to grab drinks, Alyona settles into catch-up mode, detailing how the couple’s daughters, Polina and Yana, are now Discovery College students, and how a trip to Central is a pleasant change of pace. Alyona and Ivailo enjoy an occasional evening out for dinner, but duty calls, as their growing business is pleasantly all-consuming.

“We were busy when we first launched The Beat in DB Plaza back in September 2016 but that was nothing compared to now,” Alyona opens. “Your first question then was ‘What is your vision?’ I remember that now, and it’s giving me goosebumps. We said that we believed we’d be able to provide all the exercise DBers want, and I’m happy to say it happened.

“You want to exercise? Come to The Beat. You want to dance? Come to The Beat. You want to relax, talk, get nutritional advice? Come to The Beat. We provide the whole package about health and lifestyle.”

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AROUND DB

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Now op erating out of t wo locations in D B , The B e at is a b outique fitness - and dance studio de dicate d to me eting all your fitness , he alth and wellness ne e ds . To join The B e at communit y, call 572 1 3 0 0 0 , email info @ theb e at. com . hk or visit w w w.theb e at. com . hk CYCLING TO THE BEAT in DB South Plaza

PROFILE

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IVAILO AND ALYONA at their DB North Plaza studio

EXPANDING THE OFFERING

PROVIDING AN EXPERIENCE

Achieving this complete package hasn’t been smooth sailing, however.

Despite all the ambitious expansion, The Beat remains a highly

Alyona and Ivailo have had quite a year of it, like many Hongkongers.

individualised operation, somewhere Ivailo says clients have called a

They decided to open a second studio in DB North Plaza in late 2019,

“hidden gem,” that offers personal, boutique-style services, and a place

after much hemming and hawing, and right after they signed a leasing

to connect.

contract, the pandemic erupted. Gyms closed for long stretches of time, and a now-notorious ‘dance group’ caused the city’s single biggest COVID cluster yet.

“What our clients miss these days is communication,” theorises Ivailo.

“I’ve seen people grabbing coffee together after sticking to their exercise plan. They know we know them; they recognise each other

“It was very tough, for everyone, and we felt it,” says Ivailo. “But we

even if they’re not ‘friends.’ That’s what we’ve been deprived of this year.

have supportive landlords and we’ve had several government subsidies,

We need to get back to socialising. Safely.”

which we appreciate. We try not to think about the year we lost. There’s always some kind of silver lining. Instead of crying – which we did – we decided to reinvest in the business, in education, and in getting better at what we do.”

While the rest of us learnt to make sourdough bread, Ivailo and Alyona used the 2020 lockdown to take online courses and earn new training certifications that the studio is rolling out in classes now. And while they were working on new workout qualifications, they also focused on their instructors’ development.

The rest of us were baking because we had the time, Ivailo and Alyona didn’t. The extra hours with Polina and Yana never materialised to the degree they’d expected. Ivailo explains they spent so much time adjusting and adapting to constantly fluctuating bioprotocols and forging some kind of online workout, any extra downtime, while welcome, was negligible.

The couple agree that the effort has been worth it. The Beat now provides a comprehensive range of fitness-and-dance classes out of

Alyona backs this up saying, “I don’t like that feeling of going into a gym, doing your exercise and then leaving. If you come here, I want you to stay a little longer.”

The duo’s aim is to provide a workout space that is decidedly not like the ones found in commercial chain gyms. There’s nothing wrong with those, but it’s not what they want to do; it never has been. The lights are dimmed in The Beat studios these days, so class is not so intimidating.

“We want to give clients the feeling of being detached from reality. We really believe in providing an ‘experience,’” says Ivailo. “That’s our motto now, too: ‘Experience the difference.’ We feel we’re different.”

"

I don’t like that feeling of going into a gym, doing your exercise and then leaving. If you come here, I want you to stay a little longer — ALYONA ZARNITSYNA

two DB locations. Offerings include the increasingly popular resistancebased Pilates reformer workout, high-intensity training, indoor cycling,

Ultimately The Beat is a family business, and Ivailo and Alyona treat it as

BODYPUMP, boxing, circuit training, yoga, kids’ classes, nutritional advice

such. The studio runs as a collective and classes are small, so instructors

and training, and a range of dance classes (including Latin American).

that need to swap out classes can tell their sub who’s who in the class,

And that’s not all: Ivailo and Alyona have been investing in state-of-theart, high-quality equipment to ensure clients feel “safe, welcome and

and who’s got a bum knee. That goes for Ivailo and Alyona too – both still teach in addition to fulfilling all their managerial chores.

challenged.” Look around The Beat and you’ll see Les Mills weights,

“A lot of our clients like the fact that we’re not just the owners. I’m happy

top-of-the-range STAGES spin bikes and the latest Allegro II Pilates

to make coffee every morning. I know who only drinks tea, who likes to

Reformer machines. It goes without saying that there’s rubberised

have a chat and who doesn’t,” Alyona finishes. “We're always busy, often

flooring in the multi-functional fitness studio.

tired. But always, I can’t wait to go back to work.”

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AROUND DB

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COMMUNITY

! e l b i x e l F Be OM TO THAT

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Is yoga your ticket to wellness in the post-pandemic future?

Elizabeth Jerabek talks to some local yogis to find out

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PHOTOS BY Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com

ith the availability of COVID-19

your body,” opens yoga enthusiast and co-founder of Escapade

vaccines in Hong Kong, and the

Sports, Stefanie Hemshall. “And if you are new to yoga and see

possibility of life returning to some

everyone doing difficult looking poses around you, it should

sort of normality in the near future,

not frustrate you. Some body types are naturally more flexible

many of us are looking to get our

than others.

groove back. There’s no time like the present to mend our sedentary

ways and rebuild a healthy, physically active lifestyle. The question is, how? Head back to the gym to pound the treadmill? Sign up for Bootcamp, maybe? Or is it finally time to embrace yoga?

Why yoga? Well for a start, it makes you calmer, bendier and stronger. It also increases wellbeing, and that includes better sleep, better body awareness, weight loss and greater happiness. Need another reason to get on the mat? Yoga may even slow the ageing process.

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY You need to take it easy with any form of exercise in the beginning, particularly if you’re working your way back to fitness after taking some time off. “It’s important to listen to

“I prefer a slower form of yoga so that I have enough time to get the pose right,” Stefanie adds. “I’m very flexible in my hips and I love poses which are good for this area. But on the other hand, I have to work harder on the poses that are good for strength training.”

COVID-19 or no COVID-19, it’s still helpful to have the option to work out at home – something Stefanie says is easy to achieve with yoga. “The space requirement is not a lot, basically just as big as your (non-slip) yoga mat,” she notes. “I roll mine up and keep it behind the bedroom door after my practice. I also have a yoga block at home as I like to sometimes use it for back stretching exercises. I keep the block – and a kettlebell – in our living room. I think it looks OK to have it visible, and then it is more likely to be used.”

GO WITH THE FLOW Like all of us, navigating the ups and downs of the last year has been hard for ChauKei Ngai, founder of the YogaUP studio in DB North Plaza. “Many of us feel stressed by how much in our life feels beyond our control,” she says. “But that stress is a signal from your body that lets you know that you need to take action and do something.

“Sometimes I don’t want to practice. I just want to sit on the couch and eat junk food. And it takes a lot to overcome that inertia and get started again,” ChauKei adds. “But I know that once I get started, I will have already done the hardest part.

CHAUKEI NGAI of YogaUP

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And the longer I wait to start, the harder it will be. So I’ve just got to get on the mat and do it.”

YOGA GEAR 101 Smart tips from Shakeel Nawaz, director of retail operations at Escapade Sports 1. Avoid sticky PVC yoga mats – choose a non-slip, closed-cell rubber mat with a raised, tactile pattern. If you sweat a lot during yoga, place a towel – with a grippy underlay – on top of your mat 2 . To clean your mat: Use a pH-balanced hand soap and water solution, or a dedicated mat santiser spray to wipe the surface clean. Leave to air dry 3. Look for lightweight, breathable yoga wear with a good amount of stretch, and make sure it will give you sufficient coverage 4. To wash yoga wear: Use a dedicated liquid detergent with a biodegradable formula. Soapand residue-free detergents help prevent bacterial growth when clothes get sweaty

HIGH ON LIFE While yoga gives you a buzz, it can also keep you grounded

COMMUNITY

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Of course, if you’re new to yoga or it’s been a while since your last class, it makes sense to start gently – as always, listen to your body. But, counterintuitively, ChauKei also recommends trying an energetic, flow-based yoga class because of the motivational energy created by a group moving together.

“You can get all the physical benefits from taking an online yoga class at home,” says ChauKei. “But it is harder to find and experience the ‘yoga high’ that comes from a shared practice with others. If you’re trying to get motivated, it might help to jump back in again with a flow-based class because you can tune into the energy of the group, which can inspire you to keep practicing.”

In addition to the buzz of the yoga high, yoga also, of course, delivers a sense of calm – it brings us down to earth, in a good way. “After a year of everything changing all the time, people are now more aware of the way yoga can ground them to provide stability when it feels like the rules are different every day,” says ChauKai. “For a lot of people, it’s not about floating up into the handstand anymore but instead feeling rooted to the earth.”

"

EVY BEST of Yogika

After stretching you will find yourself ready to rethink situations and decisions that may have been cloudy earlier

— EVY BEST “As you stretch with intention, your body releases hormones that help regulate your emotions, which contributes to a clearer mind and a more cheerful mood. After stretching, you will find yourself ready to rethink situations and decisions that may have been cloudy earlier. Stretching also improves balance, flexibility, range of motion and strength,” Evy adds.

Ultimately, your wellbeing comes down to mental and emotional fitness, as well as physical fitness. So, in addition to practicing Kundalini yoga, Evy and Jorge recommend you try a gong bath, which uses the immersive sound of the gong as a healing meditation technique.

“The gong is the primal sound of the universe; it can be viewed YOGA MAKES YOU calmer, bendier and stronger

STRETCH WITH INTENTION As the founders of the wellness platform Yogika, DB residents Evy and Jorge Best know a thing or two about restoring balance to the body, mind and soul. Yogika offers Kundalini yoga, gong sessions, meditation and a newly introduced detox programme of cold-pressed juices.

From the Sanskrit word for ‘coiled snake,’ Kundalini yoga works to connect us with the energy rooted at the base of our spines.

“Together with meditation, practicing Kundalini yoga helps you to become aware of the geometry of your body, and also to see how your yoga practice affects your energy and emotions,” says Evy. “In our practice the intention has more weight than the action. For instance, it’s OK if you can’t stretch very much,

as a form of meditation that’s accessible to everyone,” says Jorge. “Participants start by chanting a mantra or following a basic breathing exercise for a few minutes to relax. Then they lay down comfortably on the mat under a blanket and the sound of the gong is gradually introduced and the vibrations of the gong are absorbed throughout the entire body.

“Gong baths are often described as having transformational effects on body, mind and spirit. The best way to understand, is to experience it,” Jorge concludes. We can all say, Om to that.

●Escapade Sports escapade.com.hk

●YogaUP www.facebook.com/yogauphk

the simple intention of stretching consciously affects your brain as well as your muscle system.

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●Yogika www.facebook.com/yogikahk

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PARENTING

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F F B U

MOVING ON

With so many families preparing to leave Hong Kong this summer, Lorraine Cook looks at ways to help young DBers cope when they or their friends relocate PHOTOS COURTESY OF Pexels & Unsplash

F

or children in our community, life can be an endless circle of goodbyes as they or their friends relocate to pastures new. Ours is a transient society, and never more so than now with so many families preparing to pack up and leave Hong Kong this summer.

Relocation is stressful for adults to deal with, and for kids and teens it can be overwhelming. Whether your children are the ones moving, or among those

left behind, there can be a quagmire of emotions to deal with. Fortunately, there are things that you can do as a parent to help everyone adjust.

PARENTING STRATEGIES In the time leading up to ‘the goodbye,’ the most important thing you can do is listen to the sadness in your children’s hearts. Listen to them try to find the words to express how they feel about the upcoming change and how overwhelming it is for them. And then, listen some more.

As parents, we often feel compelled to interrupt and talk ourselves, to try to say things that will make our child feel better. But this tendency to ‘fix’ things tends to stunt the process. At the start, rather than minimising or diminishing their feelings by butting in, simply hear your children out. Ultimately, of course, life will take on a new shape and sadness will fade but, in the meantime, don’t dismiss your child’s pain. Listening is what is needed most.

You should also be prepared for emotions that will go up and down and may give rise

THE FUTURE'S SO BRIGHT Children adapt incredibly well to change but saying goodbye to a bestie is still very hard. Encourage them to look forward to a bright future but don't dismiss their pain on parting

to unexpected doubt (that new friends will be made) or anger, that this change is occurring. Children often shift blame onto their parents. Typically, this is not real anger but just frustration at a situation that can’t be changed. Again, it’s important to hear these emotions. And try to avoid the tendency to overcompensate with gifts, or special privileges, or promises to ‘make it up’ to your children.

In the long-term, being an expat child, or having the opportunity to grow up in a cosmopolitan community like DB, provides far more benefits than it does disadvantages. Try to keep this in mind when your devastated and teary-eyed child is blaming you for his pain.

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PARENTING

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BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP Some friendships survive relocation but it would be a mistake to present this as a given

Long-time DB resident Lorraine Cook (M.A. Psych) relocated to Canada earlier this year. She now provides counselling and therapy online, and you can email her at growingupgreat@gmail.com

KEEP IT REAL

GIVE IT TIME

It’s important to plan the best way for kids to say goodbye,

Whether your child is moving away or staying behind in DB,

whether that’s with a big party or a quiet dinner, or perhaps

it’s important to provide them with a sense of continuity.

just a familiar playdate. For some children, a big celebration

Maintaining family traditions and routines will help your child

and retrospective is wonderful, but for others, even within the

adjust to so much else that is changing. This can also provide

same family, it can be a painful reminder of what is ending. In

an opportunity for them to build new friendships, if you invite

celebrating the life you are leaving behind, try not to suggest that

other children to join you.

what has been is unbeatable going forward.

Children grieve differently and often it is almost invisible, but

In attempting to help a child feel better about a move, don’t

it can be a daily hurt when they realise that they no longer

oversell how wonderful it will be. This can backfire when he is

have their BFF to pair up with for after-class activities, or are

actually settling in and the weather is bad or there is too much

faced with playtimes where everyone else seems to have

homework to do. Similarly, if you talk up the next step too much,

their own groups defined – and doesn’t seem interested in

children may perceive this as dismissing the importance and the

inviting someone else in. Often, it’s doing the same things

irreplaceable aspects of their current world. It’s all about finding

that are now different that sparks pain, so taking a term

the balance.

away from an activity your child did with their BFF can be a

Keeping in touch is so much easier than it used to be – kids can

good idea.

now go online and continue to game with their buddies, or keep

While this might seem counter-intuitive, it can sometimes

up with each other via social media – but again, don’t present this

help to shake things up with a new activity, or sport, or even

as a given. When kids don’t see each other every day, and when

by doing familiar things in a different way. Signing up for a

they are dealing with different time zones and routines, some

new activity can help your child meet new friends. Novelty

friendships are inevitably lost.

can do a lot to renew enthusiasm and excitement.

Know that teens tend to take relocation badly. They are likely to

Last but not least, give it time. Making friends takes time

have close friends and be part of a tight social group. They may

and it’s a different process for each child. Try to encourage

be in a relationship or have been long awaiting a special event

your child to reach out, while knowing that she might not

that they will consequently miss out on. It is common for teens to

be ready yet.

respond with rebellion to a move.

The experience of dealing with struggles like this, and

Assure your teen that you too will be endeavouring to stay in

then moving forward to recreate things, teaches children

close contact with your friends and talk about when you may

important life skills. And, ironically, you and your child will

be able to return to visit them. Explain to them that moving on

be more prepared when it happens again. If you focus on

is a part of life and that they too will experience making these

working through the process together as a family it can

decisions when they are ready to relocate to attend college or

bring you closer – moving out of your comfort zones can

start a new job.

help you learn a lot more about each other.

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HLEPLINE

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THE PROTECT YOURSELF RULES Help for migrant domestic workers from the team at Enrich HK! PHOTO COURTESY OF Enrich HK

very year on May 1, people around the globe celebrate Labour Day by recognising the achievements of workers. At Enrich HK, we take this opportunity to talk about the incredible contributions that migrant domestic workers make.

Sadly, of course, not all domestic workers are valued by their employer, so it’s also a good time to focus on your rights and empowerment.

You deserve to feel comfortable in your work environment but sometimes this is not the case. How can you remove yourself from unsafe situations? How do you proactively raise your needs and concerns with your employer?

DEALING WITH ABUSE You’re being harassed or abused at work but you’re afraid to leave because you need the money. What can you do?

Firstly, know that abuse, whether physical, verbal or sexual, is not OK. If your employer physically abuses you, it means that they harm you physically. They may be violent towards you, or they may prevent you from getting enough rest or food. If your employer abuses you verbally, they taunt or insult you with their words.

Sexual abuse is unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature that affects your dignity. This can mean sexual assault or rape, or it can mean inappropriate touching or kissing. Sexual abuse can also be verbal (e.g. unwanted sexualised comments and insults), gestural (e.g. nods, winks or bodily gestures of a sexual nature) or visual (e.g. sexual texts, images or videos).

Know that harassment and abuse are illegal offences in Hong Kong – you do not have to cope alone. For immediate help and to report physical abuse, call the Hong Kong Police (999). You can also call the CEASE Crisis Centre (24-hour hotline 1828) or Rainlily (2375 5322) for assistance.

If you’re not ready to call the police immediately, there are still things you can do. The next time something happens, say "No" firmly. Document the events by writing down what happened (including dates, times, places, people involved) or saving relevant texts/ images.

Even if you’re unsure whether something you’re experiencing is illegal – seek help and ask. Charities like HELP for Domestic 34

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Workers or Mission for Migrant Workers can give you free legal advice in your own language. You can also join an Enrich HK Speak Up workshop to learn about standing up for your rights in these situations.

Remember that none of this is your fault. It’s understandable if you’re scared to leave your job but you need to think about yourself and your wellbeing. There are supportive employers out there who will listen to your needs and provide you with a good working environment. You deserve this as a basic condition for the work that you do.

SPEAKING UP You want to raise something awkward with your employer, but you don’t know how. You’re worried it will affect your relationship. What’s the way forward?

There are any number of difficult conversations that you may need to have with your employer. Maybe you want to reduce your work hours, express something you’re anxious about, or let your employer know about a change in your circumstances.

Whatever the reason, you should feel confident enough to open these conversations and, if necessary, assert your rights.

Know that you do not have to stay in a situation where you continuously feel anxious, stressed or drained.

Before speaking to your employer, consider what it is that you really want to achieve. This way, you can work out in advance if you are ‘asking’ or ‘telling’ your employer something. For instance, are you asking for a day off each week, or are you telling your employer that you’ve decided not to renew your contract?

Once you know exactly what you want to say, start the conversation with empathy – acknowledge your employer’s challenges (I know it’s been very busy for you this year with the kids at home). Follow that up by expressing gratitude, even for something small (Thank you for paying my salary on time every month). Then state your concern using positive language (I’ve noticed that I’ve only been getting one day off a month, and I realise that I need to take better care of my health).

Lastly, explain why you’re raising this – whether you are asking your employer something (I’d like my Sundays off so I can rest) or telling them something (I’ve decided not to renew my contract, please consider this my one-month notice). Keep the tone calm and polite.

HELPLINE

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Enrich HK is an awardwinning Hong Kong charity providing financial and empowerment education to migrant domestic workers.

For a free, confidential oneto-one financial counselling session and to learn about the courses on offer, visit w w w.enrichhk.org. If you have a question you would like to have answered on this page, email info@enrichhk.org.

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| M A Y 2 0 2 1 35

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GEOMANCY

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: i u h S Feng

KITCHENS

Creating good feng shui in your kitchen is a piece of cake – just be sure to pay special attention to your stove. Samantha Wong reports

K

PHOTOS COURTESY OF Pexels & Unsplash

itchen feng shui governs how well you are able to nourish yourself, and your family and friends so it’s worth getting it right. The stove in particular represents your wealth – literally how much money you have to put food on your table.

It follows then that the more burners you have on your stove, the better. If you have a lot of burners, you will have many

AN EARTH -TONED DECOR will keep you grounded

opportunities and many sources of wealth. So choose a stove with multiple burners, either gas or electric. If you are pushed for space and only have room for a small two-burner stove, you can double the number of burners on your stove energetically, with a reflection. Simply, place a mirror or mirrored object where it can reflect your stove burners.

It’s also important to rotate which burners you use. Using a different burner every day will open you up to more opportunities in your career and new sources of wealth. And be sure to use your stove daily. Even boiling water on your stove

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Having fire in the heart of the home is bad for your health

will help boost your wealth and career.

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CRYSTALS AND CLEANLINESS Cleanliness is an essential for good feng shui, and never more so than in the kitchen where you prepare and cook food. In addition to keeping the kitchen spotlessly clean, it’s also a good idea to ‘cleanse’ it energetically from time to time with quality salt crystals and clean water. Make time to wipe down all your surfaces, while visualising that the salt is absorbing any si chi (negative energy). Then light a little incense (frankincense or sandalwood) to replenish the room with sheng chi (positive energy).

Needless to say, you need to keep your stove clean; it deserves your attention because it represents your career, wealth and resources.

Taking a moment each day to mindfully wipe down your stove will prevent si chi from accumulating.

And pay equal attention to your fridge. Make sure it’s clean and well organised, and throw out any food that’s past its sell by date. Even if you’re not eating the food that’s expired, it can still affect you energetically simply by sitting in your fridge.

A good way to fill your fridge with bright, powerful sheng chi is to place

TO KEEP MONEY COMING IN, use your stove daily

a clear quartz crystal inside it. First, cleanse your crystal by smudging it with sage. Then, programme it with the intention to maximise the nourishment that your food provides.

STOVE AND KITCHEN PLACEMENT One of the most important things to consider when it comes to your stove is whether you are in the command position while you are cooking.

When you’re in command, you are able to see the door, without being directly in line with it. This allows you to be in control of your life and career, and to see any opportunities that are coming your way. If you’re stove is ‘badly’ positioned and you can’t move it, install a mirror that allows you to see the kitchen door behind you while you’re cooking.

Purity and cleanliness are essential for good kitchen feng shui and for this reason white is a go-to colour for the decor. But you can also decorate your kitchen from a five-element perspective, choosing a colour scheme that promises to nourish you and bring you what you need. Choose earthy colours like brown and yellow for stability and grounding; wood colours like blue and green for growth, flexibility and vitality; fiery colours like red and orange for inspiration and passion; watery colours like black and navy for social connections and wisdom; or metal colours like white and grey for precision and joy.

The location of the kitchen in your floor plan is as important as the positioning of the stove. Kitchens are governed by fire energy, so they should not be located in the centre of the home – having fire in the heart of the home is bad for your health.

Ideally, you want to have the public areas of the home near the front with the private rooms near the back. The best location for the kitchen is near the front door, since this is where the family spends time together and welcomes guests. That said your kitchen should not face the front door.

If it does, you will find that your money rushes out of the front door – you’ll spend it as quickly as you make it. To prevent this, place a small bell near the front door, or a plant between your kitchen and the front door.

Know too that feng shui does not approve open-plan kitchens that form part of the living or dining area. In an open kitchen, the stove is exposed which reduces its power to bring you wealth. At the same time, feng shui approves self-contained kitchens on a purely practical level, since they keep cooking odours and unclean air from spreading through the home.

Similarly, the kitchen should not face or connect with a bathroom. These rooms are best kept far apart and not just for hygienic reasons. Look at this from a five-element perspective – the kitchen is governed by fire, the bathroom by water, and fire and water don’t mix.

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SMUDGE YOUR KITCHEN with sage to cleanse it

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INSIDER

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! e or M Store STRESS LESS!

Feeling weighed down by the clutter in your home?

Dorothy Veitch has some suggestions that will free you up

L

PHOTOS COURTESY OF Pexels

iving in DB, we’re blessed with spectacular countryside and an exhilarating city right on our doorsteps. One thing we don’t have in abundance is space – the one thing that most families tend to need the most. But before you resign yourself to the ‘small flat blues,’ here are a few ways to create order within the limited space available.

The first step towards solving any problem is admitting that

Begin at the front door – if you stumble over shoes and sports gear on your way in, consider a shoe cupboard, stacking shelves, or wall-mounted racks. Be realistic – saying that you’ll file receipts daily isn’t the same as actually doing it, so make your own life easier with a bowl by the front door to handle pocket overflow, coins and other items. Set aside three minutes per week to empty this and you’ll barely notice the time.

you have one. Take a good, critical look around your home or

BE RUTHLESS!

ask a friend to do this for you. It can be difficult to be impartial

When de-cluttering larger living spaces, preparation is key.

about your own home, so ask them to be completely honest in their assessment (and don’t forget to return the favour). You’ll probably find that their thoughts echo your own – if you can see those piles of paper balanced on every surface, so can they!

We’ve all heard about it, but The Happiness Project by Gretchen Ruben has some genuinely helpful tips that are worth genning up on.

No time to read? One of Gretchen’s most useful tips is to sort

START SMALL!

your possessions by category, keeping only the items that put a

Once you have a ‘hit list’ of bugbears, tackle them one at a

home. This means saying goodbye to all that lidless Tupperware,

time. Focusing your attention on one area will prevent you from becoming overwhelmed and enable you to find workable solutions to each problem.

smile on your face, before finding them a dedicated place in your and hello to a well-labelled spice rack that will make you look forward to spending time in the kitchen. Like William Morris said back in the 1800s, “You should have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”

All in all, Gretchen devotes 10 pages of The Happiness Project to freeing up space in her home, recording how draining she finds living with clutter and how energised she feels having cleared it. She lets go of conservation clutter (23 near identical glass vases) and freebie clutter (gifts and giveaways that her family never uses). Crutch clutter also gets the cut (ratty shapeless yoga pants long past their sell by date), as does aspirational clutter (an impossible to master glue gun) and buyer’s remorse clutter (impractical white trousers).

Toss! Restore! Organise! is Gretchen’s maxim, and it’s one that’s definitely worth adopting. The idea is that clutter weighs you down, and clearing it is uplifting – bringing order to your life makes you happy. This is easy to believe when you see how good

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING, and everything in its place 40

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Gretchen feels having de-cluttered her home – particularly her once overstuffed closet.

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You should have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful - WILLIAM MORRIS

DB EVENTS

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RECENT COMMUNITY EVENTS

CHILD-FRIENDLY STORAGE units lighten the load

INVOLVE THE RUGRATS! Of course, the smallest people in the household create the biggest mess. Toy storage tops almost every parent’s list of headaches, and the encroachment of plastic on living space can make you feel as though you’re living in a branch of Toys “R” Us, ransacked by tiny ram-raiders.

It’s never too early to get kids involved with tidying up, and, love it or loathe it, nobody does creative, affordable storage quite like ‘The Big Blue Box.’ A strategic Ikea shop can solve clutter woes quickly A WARDROBE EDIT simplifies your life

(check out the website for plenty of inspiration), with child-friendly drawers, boxes and shelves turning tidy-up time into a friendly

ASK THE EXPERTS!

collaboration rather than an all-out family battle.

What we wear has an intrinsic association with our memories, and

pictures onto each drawer. Pull-along boxes with wheels make

our own closets are often the festering heart of household clutter.

If you’re struggling to part with long since outdated outfits, or have simply lost sight of what suits you and what doesn’t, an expert

Help little ones to find the right home for their treasures by sticking gathering small items easier, while Perspex drawers are great for sorting Lego into individual colours (these also work well for mum’s make-up stash). Consider keeping paint, Playdoh and other messy

‘wardrobe edit’ can help you cull dead wood. Make My Wardrobe

items on a high shelf away from little fingers, while keeping toys that

Work will send a stylist to your home to help you curate your clothes into a workable everyday collection, saving you angst, not to

they can enjoy without supervision at floor level for easy access.

mention time, in the process.

AND FINALLY...

If you find that you have items –such as seasonal clothing or sport

Once your pad is pristine, keep it that way! Have regular clear-outs,

equipment – that you can’t live without but have no immediate need

donating unwanted toys, appliances and furniture to charity. DB

for, consider off-site storage. Look for units with climate control

Mothers and Friends accepts good condition donations, and will collect

to guard against mould, and consider the added convenience of

bulky items from your home. Encourage budding entrepreneurs to sell

collection and drop-off services. Pakt photograph and store your

toys and books for extra pocket money, either in the time-honoured

clothes, so you have a full visual inventory on hand, while Spacebox

fashion of a blanket on the ground at DB’s monthly flea market, or on

can stash almost anything that has outstayed its welcome in your

one of the many local Facebook trading forums.

home, leaving you with nothing but wide-open space.

And the ultimate clutter-busting tips? Try to apply Gretchen’s ‘smile on your face’ principle to everything that you buy, or, failing that, freeze your credit card in a large block of ice. Forcing yourself to carefully consider each purchase will help to ensure that your cupboards remain uncluttered and save you money too. Enjoy your orderly new home!

HOME EDITING TIPS 1. Tackle one room at a time – and get ready to be ruthless

TRADE UNWANTED ITEMS on local Facebook forums 42

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2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Clear off all flat surfaces – and keep them clear Ask yourself which items you actually use – and ditch the rest Set aside one drawer for ‘odds and sods’ Make sure everything you own has a ‘home’ Invest in a few well-designed storage pieces Make the most of under-utilised storage spaces, like under your bed

8. Hoard less – you don’t need two of everything

RECIPES

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Paella Serves 4 10 prawns in their shells Small bunch parsley 100ml white wine 500g mussels Pinch saffron strands 150g chorizo, diced 300g squid, chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, chopped 2 tomatoes, chopped 250g paella rice 100g peas 1 lemon In a large pan, fry the prawn heads and chopped parsley stalks until the prawn heads turn pink. Add the wine and 300ml of water; season and simmer for 10 minutes, mashing the prawn heads with a potato masher as they cook. Add the mussels; cover the pan, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until just open. Stir to release the mussel juices, then pour the contents of the pan into a colander set over a large bowl containing the saffron. Let the saffron steep into the stock. Remove the mussels and set aside.

Wipe out the pan and fry the chorizo, squid, onion and garlic until softened. Add the tomatoes and cook down for a minute, then pour over most of the stock, and bring to the boil. Add the rice, stir well, then boil for 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes without stirring until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Add the prawn tails, mussels and peas. Once the rice is just cooked, garnish with chopped parsley leaves, lemon zest and lemon wedges.

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Ole

3 sensational Spanish recipes to add to your repertoire!

PHOTOS COURTESY OF

Adobe Stock

RECIPES

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Gazpacho Serves 4 4 garlic cloves 50g white breadcrumbs 6tbsp red wine vinegar 6tbsp olive oil 900g tomatoes, peeled and chopped 2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped 225g spring onions, sliced thin 100g red peppers, deseeded and diced 110g yellow peppers, deseeded and diced 4tbsp fresh parsley or basil, chopped Using a liquidiser, purée the garlic, breadcrumbs, vinegar and oil. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the tomatoes, cucumbers, spring onions, red and yellow peppers and fresh herbs. Add 570ml of iced water and taste for seasoning.

Purée one quarter of the soup in the liquidiser and return it to the remaining soup. Chill well and serve with croutons.

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1 onion, sliced 3 red chilis, shredded 2tsp curry spice 300g cherry tomatoes, chopped 500g cooked potatoes, sliced Small bunch coriander 8 eggs, beaten Fry the onion and half the chilli for 5 minutes until softened. Tip in the spices (coriander, cumin and turmeric combined), fry for 1 minute more, then add the tomatoes, potatoes and chopped coriander stalks to the pan. Season the eggs well, pour over and cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes until almost set.

Heat the grill and flash the tortilla underneath for 1 to 2 minutes until the top is set. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and the remaining chilli. Slice into wedges to serve.

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y or t c e r i D Local LANTAU NUMBERS LOCAL DIRECTORY

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TUNG CHUNG

EMERGENCY SERVICES 999 Tung Chung Ambulance Depot Tung Chung Fire Station Tung Chung Police Station

2988 8282 2988 1898 3661 1999

HOME & REPAIRS Mega Power Engineering/Locksmiths Mr Chan 24-Hour Handyman ShunYu Engineering

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HOTELS Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Novotel Citygate Hong Kong Regal Airport Hotel SheratonTung Chung

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LEARNING CENTRES Clement Art School Discovery Mind International Play Centre Greenfield International Kindergarten Salala Kids’ House Soundwaves English Education Centre Sun Island Education Foundation Sunshine House International Preschool Tung Chung Catholic School YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College

9757 9157 2987 8070 2162 5538 2611 9193 2164 7210 2420 1068 2109 3873 2121 0884 2988 8123

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

2185 6550 2109 9396 2109 2288 3467 7000 2194 0020 2403 6613 2403 6623 2261 2626 2261 0999

REALTORS HomeSolutions

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REMOVALS & RELOCATION Akash Removals 2421 8088 2814 1658 FTC Relocations ReloSmart 2561 3030 SwiftRelo 2363 4008 RESIDENTIAL SERVICES Caribbean Coast Clubhouse Caribbean Coast Management Office Coastal Skyline Clubhouse Coastal Skyline Management Office Seaview Crescent Clubhouse Seaview Crescent Management Office Tung Chung Crescent Clubhouse Tung Chung Crescent Management Office

2109 9277 2109 9288 2179 6678 2179 6621 3473 8700 3473 8833 2403 6770 2109 1222

RESTAURANTS & FOOD DELIVERY ATavola Bar & Grill 2321 5500 Airport Izakaya 2286 6668 Andante, Novotel Citygate 3602 8828 2286 6238 Café Aficionado Café Lantau, SheratonTung Chung 2535 0021 China Coast Bar & Grill 2286 6898 Curry Lounge 2960 1977 Essence, Novotel Citygate 3602 8808 Kimos 2886 3646 2338 2338 McDonald’s Delivery Moccato Coffee Shop, Novotel Citygate 3602 8838 MyThai 2907 6918 Olea, Novotel Citygate 3602 8818 PizzaExpress 2297 3588 2330 0000 Pizza Hut Delivery Regala Café & Dessert Bar, Regal Airport Hotel 2286 6618 Resto 2886 3156

Rouge, Regal Airport Hotel Skycity Bistro, SkyCity Marriott Sunset Grill, Sheraton Tung Chung Tung Chung Pizza Yue, SheratonTung Chung Velocity Bar & Grill, Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott

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RETAIL FTC Apparel

2428 2566

SPORT & RECREATION Asia Pacific Soccer Schools 2385 9677 2914 0658 Aqua Gym Dance for Joy 9264 8597 6688 2167 Edge ’n Pointe Dance Centre ESF Sports 2711 1280 HK Dragons 2987 4274 Kinder Kicks Soccer 2385 9677 6443 6597 Perun Fitness Rugbytots 5307 6677 Smash Cricket 5400 4109 Sparrow Soccer School 6051 8196 Tung Chung Public Swimming Pool 2109 9107 2109 2421 Tung Chung Sports Centre Tung Chung Rugby Club 6079 0825 VETERINARY SERVICES & PETS Royal Pets (Pet Sitting) Tung Chung Animal Clinic Tung ChungVet Centre

6314 9887 2988 1534 2328 7282

WELLBEING & BEAUTY Max Beauty Spa OM Spa, Regal Airport Hotel Tung Chung Nail Ninjas Quan Spa, Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott

2162 5752 2286 6266 9551 6468 969 21888

The Gallery The Kitchen Treasure Island Beach Club

2980 2582 5991 6292 5236 7013

SOUTH LANTAU MEDICAL North Lantau Hospital

3467 7000

REALTORS Findley Leung HomeSolutions

2984 8334 3483 5003

EMERGENCY SERVICES 999 Lantau South Police MuiWo Fire Department

3661 1696 2984 1570

HOME & REPAIRS KoonWah Hardware LeeWo Construction Engineering Man Shun Construction & Engineering New Look Design

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HOTELS Silvermine Beach Resort Tai O Heritage Hotel

6810 0111 2985 8383

REMOVALS & RELOCATION Akash Removals 2421 8088 FTC Relocations 2814 1658 2984 2268 Lee Hing Loong ReloSmart 2561 3030 SwiftRelo 2363 4008

LEARNING CENTRES Ashville International Kindergarten & Nursery Buddhist Fat Ho College Lantau International Kindergarten Lantau International School, Reception, Lantau International School, Lower Primary Lantau International School, Upper Primary Little Lantau Montessori Kindergarten MuiWo Language Cafe Silvermine Bay School

2109 9886 2985 5365 2984 0302 2984 0302 2980 3676 2984 0302 3689 7033 5511 6107 2984 0006

RESTAURANTS & FOOD DELIVERY 2984 0222 BahçeTurkish Restaurant Bathers 2504 4788 Cafe Isara 2470 1966 Caffe Paradiso 2984 0498 China Bear 2984 9720 La Pizzeria 2984 8933 Lantana Italian Bistro 5465 5511 Long Island 2320 2001 The China Beach Club 2983 8931

RETAIL Friendly Bike Shop 2984 2278 Garden Plus 2980 2233 IslandWines 9521 8481 Loi Chan Frozen Meat Co. 2984 8346 Lantau Base Camp 9889 4375 Lantau Grocer 2702 0050 Red Hall Chinese Antiques 2988 1368 Tony’s Salon 2984 0990 ValueVigilantes 6132 9120 VIBE Book & Music Shop 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

9708 0187 2984 2488

AROUND DB

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DISCOVERY BAY 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 Parsons White Wealth Management 2433 6981 The Stephen Putnam Practice 2914 0388 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 Lingostars Providing Mandarin & Korean education: Afterschool Mandarin for Year 1-13 & adult Mandarin classes in a communicative & interactive setting at DB North. Contact 6375 2015, info@lingostarshk.com, www.lingostarshk.com Little Explorers The longest running playgroup in DB, Little Explorers eases the transition between home play and kindergarten for children aged 18 months and up. Contact 6331 7215, littleexplorersdb@gmail.com Tree of Joy A fun, engaging & supportive environment in which children play & learn. Programmes include a drop-off nursery class, parent-toddler class, afternoon camp & cooking class. Contact 9787 2755, info@treeofjoydb.com, www.treeofjoydb.com

Bayview House of Children 6114 2436 DBIS 2987 7331 DBIS Kindergarten 2914 2142 Discovery College 3969 1000 2987 8088 Discovery Mind International Play Centre Discovery Mind Kindergarten 2987 8088 Discovery Mind Primary School 2914 2202 2812 9206 Discovery Montessori Academy Dr Bear Education Centre 6762 6264 Epic Adventurers 2441 0098 Eye Level Education Learning Centre 9366 0000 Funfit 6302 6327 HK International Learning Academy 2416 3198 Kumon 2459 8808 54

AROUND DB

| MAY 2021

La Petite Enfance Kindergarten 8191 0813 L’Ecole Pierre et Marie Curie 8191 0813 Links Parenting 6114 2436 Mandarin for Munchkins 2480 3909 Mathemagic (home tutoring) 9135 4724 Mathnasium 2628 3362 SKH Wei Lun Primary School 2987 8608 Sunshine House International Preschool 2987 8143 2987 4217 Treasure House Woodentots 6108 9131 Zhi Zhi Chinese 9648 2966 MEDICAL Bayside Dental Practice DB Medical Centre Health & Care Dental Clinic Island Health North Lantau Hospital Quality Health Medical Centre Quality Health Physiotherapy

2987 0855 2987 5633 2666 6183 2987 7575 3467 7000 2987 5633 2473 6200

PLACES OF WORSHIP DB Alliance Church Community Centre DB Anglican Church DB International Community Church Trinity Chapel

2987 8136 2987 4210 2987 7061 2987 9909

REALTORS 2987 2088 Headland Homes Kingsland 2987 2987 2987 6238 Land Master Property Okay.com 2102 0829 Savills 2987 1919 REMOVALS & RELOCATION Akash Removals 2421 8088 2814 1658 FTC Relocations 2987 4488 Hoi Yu Transportation ReloSmart 2561 3030 SwiftRelo 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 22º North 2987 2298 Bones & Blades 2383 0792 Café Bord de Mer & Lounge 2295 8299 Caffe Pascucci 2591 1426 Cali-Mex 2904 7698 Coyote Mexican Cantina 2987 2848 Ebeneezer’s 2987 0036 Epic Foods 2172 6111 Figos Seaside Café 2987 2915 2987 9123 First Korean Restaurant Hemingway’s 2987 8855 il Bel Paese 2987 0202 Island Café 2987 9311 Koh Tomyums 2987 0767 La Creation & Châteraisé 2987 1829 Levain Bakery 2726 4922 McSorley’s Ale House 2987 8280 2987 1337 Mirch Masala Moofish 2987 6318 Pacific Coffee 2987 1662 Paisano’s 2673 4445 Peony 2500 1950 PizzaExpress 2465 2426 Solera 2555 0772

DISCOVERY BAY Starbucks 2246 8372 Subway 2914 0005 The Pier Bar 2520 2166 Three Sheet Marquee Bar 2987 0966 2840 1188 Uncle Russ RETAIL & DAILY NECESSITIES 7-Eleven 2987 4401 Bones & Blades Butcher 2383 0683 Bookazine 2987 1373 DB Post Office 2987 6046 Fotomax 2914 2378 Fusion by PARKnSHOP 2987 7486 Gillian Florist 2529 8256 Japan Home Centre 2987 1041 P-Solution 2987 1777 Rapee-living 2987 7082 Sloowood 2944 5189 Star Mart 2366 6534 Tai Fat Hardware Store 2987 0789 The Optical House 2987 1368 Nomadic 2987 8460 9010 5832 Red Velvet Toysland 2987 7859 2987 4089 Watson’s Pharmacy Wellcome 2947 9092 Wing On Department Store 2987 9268 Yours Electrical Centre 2987 4428 SPORT & RECREATION HK Dragons Football Club Football for girls & boys aged 2.5 years to 14 years.

Contact 2987 4274, dragons.hk

Island Dance A ISTD Freestyle, ISTD Hip Hop, RAD Ballet, tap & Bollywood classes at DBRC, Club Siena & DB Plaza.

Five professional instructors, teaching six days a week.

Contact 2987 1571, 9159 0663, info@islanddanceom.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

Yoga Bay 6704 9851 Yogika 6749 7836 YogaUP 68054996 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 Ready, Pet, Go!

2987 9003 2987 8873 2987 0428 5721 6181

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

2987 0283 Afflatus Hair Workshop Bay Spa 9837 0969 DB Pure Spa 9794 0918 2834 7276 Herbal Health Care Maximum Care 2987 2060 Nailed It! 2987 2266 Nest Care 2499 8826 2987 4112 Salon De Coiffure

VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY @

www.arounddb.com

The Beat Dance & Fitness Studio A BodyPump, BodyBalance, Grit, BodyStep & Zumba (fitness, toning & kids). Piloxing, yoga & Pilates, RPM (indoor cycling), plus Latin, belly & wedding dancing. Classes for adults & children, & personal training. Contact 5721 3000, info@thebeat.com.hk, www.thebeat.com.hk

BMSE Community Centre 2259 3422 Club Siena 2987 7382 DBees Ice Hockey 6473 4277 DB Pirates 9255 6133 DB Golf Club 2987 7273 DB Recreation Club 2987 7381 DMR School of Ballet 2987 4338 Embody 6624 8712 EpicLand 2441 0098 Fit 852 9680 7665 Future Stars Dance Academy 2987 6867 Greenwich Yoga School 9685 8366 Harry Wright International 2575 6279 Kapuhala Train-in-Space 6101 8434 Lantau Yacht Club 2987 9591 MAS Fit 9387 0735 MGK Fight Club 9303 2996

To add your own directory listing box, call the Bay Media office on 2987 0167, or email info@baymedia.com.hk AROUND DB

| M A Y 2 0 2 1 55

OUT THERE

on! o p m a DB L

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OLD TRICKS

The fun doesn’t stop once you age, you just have to work a little harder for it, says Peter Sherwood

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PHOTO COURTESY OF PEXELS

awoke one day to find the long and bitterly contested gap between middle age and grey infinity grudgingly bridged. Not a joyous moment. But we either suck it up or struggle on with Botox and embarrassingly juvenile behaviour.

We search for positives, as if these will rush in with impassioned abandon. So we make them up, pretending life is everything we always dreamed. It’s a game of choose a lie that works best to get you through plodding antiquity without reflection on glories faded.

What’s the profound meaning to life? The point is there isn’t one, but did you have a good time?

Once you hit 65, with nothing more to lose by being outrageous, you can have a laugh and get away with murder. This opens up plenty of exciting possibilities as I discovered recently in Australia. At the end of a two-hour train trip and too late to buy a ticket, I approached the lady at the gate sounding purposely vague. I told her my pathetic tale. “That’s all right, dear, just go through and remember to pay next time.” How good was that? Stoop, look a little loopy and wrinkles do the rest.

Be innocently bewildered and quietly undemanding. Officialdom will melt away like truth at a Donald Trump rally. Want a better seat on a long flight? Appearing fossilised and recently discharged from hospital with a painful knee works wonders. As for car rental: “Oh dear, I’m afraid the vehicle I booked is too small to get in with my bad back.” That’s always good for a free upgrade provided you show a generally decrepit demeanour that shouts ‘impoverished.’

Frustrated with a smartphone that lacks a smart owner, or need a bureaucrat to do the tedious form-filling you hate? Act pathetic and ask for help. Bingo! Want to jump a queue? Hunch your shoulders and limp a bit. Look remote, benign and not quite stupid. Just ancient enough to

know what’s going on, and old-fashioned enough to be courteous and dignified. Leave everyone feeling warmly rewarded after a profusion of heartfelt thanks.

The alternative is to compete with the younger crowd while being despised for hanging around too long and owning all the real estate. And it’s great to relinquish your haggling rights: When trying to buy something (and hoping for a discount) appear puzzled and poor (but honest).

“My wife and I have been saving for a 58-inch flat screen TV but sadly we only have enough money for a slightly smaller one.”

Face it, old people are a damn nuisance, a fact I knew well until I was on the edge of the antediluvian abyss. And beware. Once you hit 55, people start sending you tired pensioner jokes across the banality of social media. These idiots post dementia tests about forgetfulness, while forgetting most of us were as forgetful at 30 as we are now. I forget why.

AGE DISGRACEFULLY It's a lot more fun Peter Sher wood has lived in DB for 20+ year s. The former head of an international public relations f irm, he is the author of 15 books and has writ ten around 400 satirical columns for the

South China Morning Post.

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