April 2012 issue

Soul searching in the SAR DBers discuss Hong Kong’s identity crisis

Ties that bind Maximising your relationship with your helper

Play’s the thing Fun ways to design kids’ rooms

APRIL

2 0 12

Publishers in DB since 2002

April 2012

尚堤 CHIANTI 2133

4 4

Furnished apartment, great renovation throughout with sea Views

海澄湖畔1座 SIENA 1 1432

3 1

1

2

$4.2M

碧濤軒 COASTLINE 2174

5 3

3 2

$36M

Newly renovated with large garden.

Tranquil location.

2

$9.5M

Fully renovated combined unit, master ensuite, study, open kit & great views.

蘅欣徑 CAPERIDGE DRIVE 1311

3

$39K

Very spacious family home. Good location with large Balcony

寶珊閣 CORAL CT 1454

2

$90K

Nicely Renovated large family home.

Great outdoor space.

畔山徑 MIDDLE LANE 1616

3

Great renovation.

Convenient location.

海澄湖畔1段 SIENA 1 2566

3

$49K

Good Condition throughout, large Back yard and Front Terrace

愉景廣場 DB PLAZA 629

1

$68K

$9.5M

Beautiful renovation. Great views with roof terrace.

海蜂徑 57 SEABEE LANE 3100

4 3

Large Family home with plunge pool.

South Views

觀景樓 CLEARVIEW 583

1 1

2

2

$12M

Spacious duplex with a big rooftop and marina views.

海澄湖畔2座 SIENA 2 1388

3

$12K

Large Studio flat with great views overlooking Hong Kong

蘅欣徑 CAPERIDGE DRIVE 1600

3

$120K

$18M

Renovated throughout, large garden.

Convenient location.

Spring/Summer Spring is around the corner! Start-rite, the oldest children’s shoe company in England with a store in DB Plaza, is bringing new designs and summery colours with its new spring/ summer 2012 collection.

Trusted for superior quality, style and fit by generations of parents, this fantastic selection of children footwear is now available right here in DB. 8 FOOT-CARE TIPS FOR CHILDREN Start-rite hosted a fun and educational event a few weeks ago to share some essential tips with DB parents on how to protect children’s feet:

1.

Never put your child in shoes that are too big or too small; they need to fit properly.

2.

Don’t hand shoes down from one child to another as two pairs of feet have different shapes.

3.

Cut toenails straight across and not too short - don’t curve them to avoid ingrowing toenails.

4.

Get socks that fit - if they’re too tight they will cramp the foot and if they’re too big they can cause blisters.

5.

Choose shoes with a natural lining, such as leather, and socks with a high natural-fibre content to allow feet to breathe.

6.

7.

Apply a good-quality polish to keep the leather soft and supple.

8.

Don’t let kids use force to get their feet in and out of shoes without unfastening the laces.

Don’t dry wet shoes near direct heat - let them dry out naturally in a warm, airy place.

www.startriteshoes.com

r 2012 Collection FOR BOYS

Bumble Soft leather, rip-tape fastening, suede sole

Scout & Hover Dyed-through leather, fully leather lined, rip-tape fastening, flexible rubber bumper toe for prolonged playground fun

Tiny Washable nubuck (hand wash). Breathable mesh lined, lightweight and flexible, emphasised toe and heel bumper to protect little feet

Hopscotch & Nugget Dyed-through leather, padded ankle, fully leather lined, lightweight and flexible

FOR GIRLS

Flutter Soft leather or nubuck, rip-tape fastening, suede sole (comes with a hangsell gift box)

Maisy Breathable mesh lined, single bar buckle fastening, lightweight and flexible, emphasised toe and heel bumper to protect little feet

Tilly, April & Odette Dyed-through leather or patent, fully leather lined, elongated heel stiffener to encourage healthier growth

Paula, Lola & Carolina Dyed-through patent, fully leather lined, lightweight and flexible

Tel: 2987 2098 Discovery Bay Plaza

CONTENTS FEATURES

22

22 26 32 39 44 48 54 60

PROFILE Meet Dawnna Wayburne, teaching ballet in DB since 1984 IN FOCUS DBers reflect on Hong Kong’s struggle for identity FAMILY MATTERS Making the most of the helper/ employer relationship MONEY MATTERS Choosing a mortgage plan that works TALKING POINTS Everything you need to know about blogging ESCAPES What to see on a short stay in Seoul ACTION How DBers fared in the Adventure Racing World Championships STYLE Imaginative room designs for creative kids

REGULARS 26

DEAR READER

54

12 20 46 64 66 68 70 72 74 76

Our priority is to focus on you and your interests. First off, of course, in every issue we list all the exciting, upcoming DB events and review a couple that we’ve all just enjoyed (think the Nations Cup and tennis players dressed as pimps… and penguins!).

As you turn the pages, you’ll enjoy reading about an awe-inspiring adventure race across Tasmania – told by DB finisher Matt McLaughlin.

And maybe our how-to on blogging by local resident Mark Roper will get you into sharing online.

In family matters, we are taking a look at the employer/ helper conundrum – five DB families tell us how their relationships work.

There’s also a style piece on designing (cost-effective) kids’ rooms with their future creativity in mind. And if you are looking to take the plunge, we have some really practical advice on mortgages.

IN & AROUND DB Catch up with the latest community news SOUTH LANTAU What’s happening island wide TECH TREND How technology is reinventing design HOTSTUFF Hip happenings around Hong Kong DB FACES Community snaps LANTAU FACES Who's who in the community CLASSIFIEDS Great deals PROPERTY Hot local listings DB NUMBERS Your ultimate guide in DB HEALTH Q&A Weight loss advice from IMI

Our lead article this month, and one we have chosen to draw your attention to with a super-cool pictorial by DB illustrator Richard Leschinsky, may stir up a bit of controversy. Not too much we hope. In it Lori Campbell Tighe, librarian at Discovery Bay International School kindergarten asks local residents how they feel about returning to China in 2047. You’ll have read numerous articles about Hong Kong’s ‘identity crisis’, well here’s an update, from the horse’s mouth.

DB’s top tennis tournament Photos by Rosanna Sy-Siong, Tommoso Giannetta, Tessa Weinrath and DBRC Soul searching in the SAR DBers discuss Hong Kong’s identity crisis

Ties that bind Maximising your relationship with your helper

Play’s the thing Fun ways to design kids’ rooms

APRIL

2 0 12

Publishers in DB since 2002

On the cover: Illustration by Richard Leschinsky

Publisher

Corinne Jedwood corinne@arounddb.com Editor

Rachel Ainsley editor@arounddb.com Community news

communitynews@arounddb.com Advertising

Lissa Morris lissa@arounddb.com Art direction

Terry Chow

Photography

In DB: Tracey van Geest tracey@inspiredimages.co In South Lantau: Zoe Lyle zlyle@me.com Accounts

Lise Dooling accountant@arounddb.com Contributors this month

Lori Campbell Tighe Andrew Dembina Neil Jensen Elizabeth Kerr Paula Lepore Burrough Matt McLaughlin Catharine Nicol Mark Roper Karmel Schreyer General enquiries

info@arounddb.com Published by

Bay Media Limited Flat 230, Block D, DB Plaza Discovery Bay, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2987 0577 Fax: (852) 2987 0533 Disclaimer The views expressed in Around DB

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

This year’s Nations Cup, March 3 to 4, made for a weekend to remember at the Discovery Bay Recreation Club (DBRC).

Firstly, there was quality tennis and secondly, there were all the thrills of the courtside carnival (and evening parties) for participants and spectators to enjoy. The Australian team emerged victorious for the seventh year running and claimed the trophy.

As for the fancy dress at the after-party, Stevo, head tennis coach at the DBRC, really rates the Dutch who took best dressed, rocking up as ‘Pimps and Prostitutes’ from the streets of Amsterdam (the girls were even carrying red lights!). “The Americans came in on surfboards to their Surfing USA theme,” Stevo adds, “and Eurotrash continued their prize-winning, on court ‘Arctic’ theme by marching in dressed as penguins to the music of Happy Feet.

Here is the line-up of winners: CATEGORY

WINNER

Best dressed at dinner

Holland

RUNNER-UP

Best dressed on court

Eurotrash

Nations Cup

Australia

Germany

DBRC Trophy

Canada

Holland

Donald Family Bowl

Japan

Eurotrash

John Grimshaw Shield

New Zealand

France

Committee Plate

Aston Dragon La Liga Filipina

Discovery College Arts Fest 2012 Text by Lauren Gordon and photos by Tracey van Geest

Discovery College (DC) was brimming with artistic endeavour as students ‘workshopped’ with leading local and international artists, actors and musicians, and performed various works during Discovery Arts Fest 2012.

At the annual festival – from February 27 to March 4 – workshops included drama with professional actors from the Faust Theatre Company, hip hop, tango and Bollywood dance, plus graffiti art with the acclaimed artist Ceet Fouad and Chinese watercolour painting with DB’s own Judyanna Li. Aspiring DC performers busked for their fellow students during breaks, and the sound of jazz music and drumming workshops filled the school.

New this year, the festival also featured an elective programme for Years 10 and 11, allowing students to select from workshops including creative writing, photography, gallery visits, application building and graphic design.

Parents and the wider community were treated to special events including Faust Theatre Company’s performance of Splat! A Comedy Night featuring comedians from the TakeOut Comedy Club, and a performance of Bach suites by internationally acclaimed cellist Richard Tunnicliffe.

12

April 2012

Sports World: store opening Photos by Simon French

Sports World at DB North Plaza officially opened on March 20.

A great asset to DB athletes, this one-stop sports’ store has been operating on the resort for more than four years, and the new-and-improved boutique at North Plaza promises to meet all your sports’ needs. For more information, call 2914 1323.

New art centre takes community by storm Photos by Tracey van Geest

On February 24, the opening of ColourStorm Art Centre created quite a buzz in DB. As founder Binnie Hu explains, “The new art centre is a place where children and adults learn painting and drawing skills, enjoy creating a work of art and most importantly have fun.” The centre will offer art classes, art jamming and art playgroups in a beautiful location overlooking Sam Pak Wan. Over Easter, there’ll be special seasonal classes, including egg painting. Head down to the North Plaza to check out what’s on offer for you and your kids. For more information, visit www.colourstormartcentre.com.

Trailblazing Lantau Photos by Lissa Morris and Theresa Raimann

The Raidlight Lantau50 / Explorer15 mountain running race on March 24 had over 700 registered participants, with close to 100 coming from overseas. Jeremy Ritcey completed the 50-kilometre course in 5 hours 30 minutes and Pedro Ribeiro and Zein Williams were the winners of the Explorer15 race. Talking to the finishers after the race, there's no doubt that the climbs were brutal and challenging but all hope to take part again next year. To find out more, visit www.lantau50.com or email info@lantau50.com.

April 2012

13

APRIL 2012

APRIL AT A GLANCE

IN & AROUND DB

WHEN

WHAT

WHERE

April 1 10.00am-2.00pm

Farmers' Market

DB North Plaza

April 1 9.30am

Action Asia race

Mui Wo

April 6 2.30pm-5.30pm

Geffner’s puppet show

Club Siena

April 7

DB Easter celebrations

DB Plaza

April 8 6.00am-6.30am

Interfaith Easter service

Tai Pak Beach

April 11 7.30pm

DB Angels’ Quiz Night

Berliner, DB

April 12 & 26 8.00pm-10.00pm

Quiz night

McSorley's, DB

April 21

DB Pirates Award’s Day

Discovery College

April 21 7.00pm

Spring Charity Ball

Skycity Marriott Hotel

April 21 7.00pm

Tracey Read's fundraiser

Hemingway’s

April 21 7.00pm-9.30pm

HK Kings of Comedy night

Club Siena

April 22 9.00am

Beach clean-up

Sam Pak Wan (past North Plaza)

April 22 2.00pm-6.00pm

Spring Wine Bazaar

DBRC

April 29 12.30pm

Rehabilitation minibus fundraiser

DB Plaza

If you organise an event, club or charity that you would like to see featured in this section, please contact communitynews@arounddb.com.

Gifts from SPA

by MTM COMPETITION

Award-winning SPA by MTM stays true to its brand concept of ‘Custom-blended formulation: Your skincare solution’ by offering therapeutic spa treatments that cater to individual health conditions and needs. The spa in Citygate, Tung Chung is designed to reward weary city folk by restoring a sense of inner balance and health. A therapeutic massage is pure stress-free indulgence. You can call the spa on 2923 6060.

To celebrate its sixth anniversary, SPA by MTM is offering one reader an amazing Zen Happiness Experience – its new signature spa treatment, valued at HKD1,980. This treatment uses custom-blended essential oils together with luxury body cream to restore body, mind and soul. To be in with a chance to win simply tell us the ethical principles of Reiki (for clues visit www.spabymtm.com).

You can email your answer to info@arounddb.com (subject line: MTM).

Discovery Mind Preparatory School

opening in August After more than 16 years in DB and Tung Chung, Discovery Mind Kindergarten (DMK) has decided to offer primary schooling for local kids.

DB resident and head of primary-to-be, Sarah McCormack explains, “DMK has decided to create a primary school to serve the needs of DMK children primarily, but also the needs of many kids in DB.” Sarah, who has more than 10 years teaching experience in Hong Kong, England, Italy and China, adds, “It’s a start-up project but with DMK’s reputation.

It’s very exciting for me as I can create the school that I would like my children to go to.” Discovery Mind Preparatory School (DMPS) in the North Plaza is expecting 100 kids in the first year and many have already enrolled. Classes (Years 1 to 4), based on the British curriculum, will stay small with a high standard of education offered. For more information, or to register your child, call 2987 8088 or visit www.dmk.edu.hk.

Congratulations to last month’s winners Candice Rink, Bernardine Lai Krauel, Estelle Davies, Nicole Richmond, Kanella Koromilas, and Nina Kong for a photo shoot with Prince & Princess; Gordon Chan, Stella Phillips and Willis Benefield for gift vouchers from Sports World; Pia Mins for an at-home massage with Touch HK; Moulina Sahai and JJ Neville for tickets to see the Punchline Comedy Club; Camille Balaam, Susan Ho, Leanne Cameron, Charlotte Chandler and Jacqueline Roll for vouchers from Professionals Beauty; Jenifer Calvi Dubrowski for an airbed from Kokoon Beds & Bedding; and Sally Nolan and Hailan Zhu for Spa Siena vouchers.

Please call our office on 2987 0577 to claim your prize.

14

April 2012

APRIL 2012

IN & AROUND DB

Win tickets to see

Annie

COMPETITION

One of the best-loved musicals of all time, Annie will open at the Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts on May 31. Inspired by the famous comic strip Little Orphan Annie, it's a heart-warming rags-to-riches story of plucky young Annie’s journey from a hard-knocks New York orphanage to the luxurious home of billionaire businessman Oliver Warbucks. It’s a delightful theatrical experience for the whole family.

Rehabilitation minibus for

DB residents

Lunchbox Theatrical is offering two readers a pair of tickets each to see the show.

All you have to do is tell us the location of the orphanage Annie was raised. Be the first to email us at info@arounddb.com (subject line: Annie) for your chance to win.

Make a stand against

plastic pollution DB resident Tracey Read, a DB Green organiser, is participating in a research expedition in June to help examine and raise awareness about global plastic pollution. Tracey will be sailing from Tokyo to Hawaii to see the ‘plastic soup’ that now covers an area estimated to be the size of Texas. On her return, Tracey intends to present educational materials for use in local schools. To help fund the trip, head down to Hemingway’s on April 21 for the Journey to the Plastic Ocean fundraiser, where there’ll be an open bar from 7pm to 9pm, an eco-vintage fashion show, and live entertainment from the Soul Traders from 10pm. Dress in your own ‘trashion’ creation for your chance to win one of many prizes. You can buy your ticket (HKD350) at the door or make a booking at Hemingway’s, Dymocks or Uncle Russ. For more information on Tracey’s journey, visit www. journeytotheplasticocean.wordpress.com.

Marching against the Lantau super incinerator proposal We had numerous calls and emails, following up on last issue’s article about the wastetreatment facility being planned for Shek Kwu Chau, just off Cheung Chau. And 1,500 people took part in the demonstration on March 18. Active local protestor Cecilie Gamst Berg tells us, “Everyone I know on Lantau was there; we marched from Pier 6 to the new government headquarters near Pacific Place in protest. Oddly enough, Cheung Chau people were poorly represented and the District Councillors/ village representatives of Mui Wo, who had promised to get 400 local people to join the march if we could guarantee 400 people, didn't show up. Now what we really need is to get some more Discovery Bay people on board!” To do just that contact the action group Living Islands Movement, at www.livingislands.org.hk.

Good news for all DB residents with mobility difficulties and disabilities.

Thanks to the City Owners Committee, namely Deborah Wan, Colin Bosher, Andrew Burns and Amy Yung and DB City Management, a rehabilitation minibus is now under consideration. Deborah explains, “Anyone wishing to live here, even with temporary or permanent disabilities should be able to use the appropriate facilities, and one of the requirements is accessible transport. We estimate that around 1,000 DB residents are in need of a dedicated DB bus.”

The DB rehabilitation minibus will have 10 normal seats, and space for three wheelchairs. Deborah estimates that the cost of a return trip from DB to Kowloon Tong will be HKD400 irrespective of the number of passengers.

The DB bus is expected to cost HKD1.3 million. Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN) is donating HKD500,000 and the rest needs to come from the community.

To do your bit, join the fundraiser being put on by City Management on April 29 in DB Plaza. HKBN will open the event at 12.30pm. HKBN will also be giving a talk about the project on April 7 at 12pm on Tai Pak Beach. For more information, email Carol Lee, of DB City Management, at carol.lee@dbsml.com or call her on 2238 3618.

April 2012

15

APRIL 2012

IN & AROUND DB

Teresita

In our March issue, we highlighted the plight of Teresita Tobiano, a Filipina lady living in DB who has Stage 4 breast cancer and is now unable to work. To date, HKD15,000 has been collected to help Teresita battle her illness. She would like to thank all the anonymous donors for their generosity, and Y.B. Rai from Uncle Russ for collecting funds. If you would like to help Teresita, there’s a collection box in Uncle Russ at DB Plaza. Or you can take part in the DB Angels’ quiz night at Berliner on April 11, which has been arranged to support Teresita.

Bizzie Lizzie gift vouchers

up for grabs

Bizzie Lizzie is a new toy store situated right at the ferry pier in Mui Wo. The owner, Liz Hemmings, has created a cute and enjoyable space for both kids and parents to relax and choose toys, books and games. You can call Liz on 2984 2227 for more details.

COMPETITION

Help needed for

This month, Bizzie Lizzie is offering readers one gift voucher valued at HKD300 and five gift vouchers worth HKD100. To win, simply tell us where Bizzie Lizzie is located. The first six readers to answer correctly will win.

Simply email us at info@arounddb.com (subject line: Bizzie Lizzie).

Pirates Take-home tickets to see DBend of a

The Trocks

COMPETITION

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (The Trocks) is an all-male company that performs classical ballet excerpts, playing both male and female roles, to dazzling and hilarious effect. From May 15 to 20, there will be seven shows put on at the Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

“This is the funniest night you’ll ever have at the ballet,” promises the Sunday Times, UK. The show’s highlights include Swan Lake Act II, Raymonda's Wedding and Le Grand Pas de Quatre.

16

Three lucky readers who answer the following question correctly will win two tickets each to The Trocks. Simply tell us who composed the music for Swan Lake. Email your answer to info@arounddb.com (subject line: The Trocks).

April 2012

successful season

On April 14, there’s mini-rugby (Under 12s) at the Hong Kong Football Club, and on April 21, it’s end-of-season Award’s Day for the DB Pirates’ mini section at Discovery College. If girls’ rugby (Under 10s through to Under 19s) is more your thing, it’s the All Girls’ Festival, at King’s Park, Kowloon on April 28. Next season doesn’t start until September but the DB Pirates are enrolling new members throughout April. To find out more visit www.dbpirates.com.

t

8

X

on BTI

o UR g s t

t ya e a ick h M

T

e

l sa

8 – 10 JUNE 2012 at Y-THEATRE, HONG KONG Internet Ticketing www.urbtix.hk | Telephone Credit Card Booking 2111 5999 | Telephone Enquiries & Reservations 2734 9009

www.islanddance.com.hk

APRIL 2012

IN & AROUND DB

Spring ball

photo by Bethan Dunnet

charity event

Perform on stage with Angelic footballers play Scotty and Lulu pop sensation devilishly well Children’s Scotty (Scott Ligertwood)

Clockwise from left: Kaye Fraser, Anita Tomasov, Kim Buggins, Bethan Dunnet and Claire Davis

For the second year running, The Tung Chung Women’s Club is organising a Spring Charity Ball. The event, taking place on April 21 at SkyCity Marriott Hotel in Tung Chung, is the brainchild of three club members, Anita Tomasov, Bethan Dunnet and Robyn Daniel.

All proceeds will go to the children’s charity Freedom Care, which helps home Nepalese orphans, and is headed up by Hong Kong resident Keven Tate. Bethan explains: "The children once homed go to a private school in Kathmandu, Nepal. The physical, academic and behavioural improvements are outstanding.” Keven is helped by The Child Welfare Scheme in Hong Kong. To learn more about Freedom Care visit www. cwshk.org. For tickets to the ball, call Bethan on 9848 3639 or Kaye on 6204 7387.

The DB Angels entered all four categories (Under 8, 10, 12 and 14) in the HK International School Girls Football Tournament last month. In the biggest event yet, 49 teams took part from all over Hong Kong. According to Lissa Morris, DB Angels’ chairman, “All our girls did very well, especially the Under 8s, who won the cup competition. The Under 10’s and the Under 12’s each won the bowl in their respective competitions."

Another tournament is planned for the end of May at DBIS.

Enjoy a radically relevant comedy show

COMPETITION

David Henry Hwang's ‘unreliable memoir’, the play Yellow Face asks questions about ethnic identity in today’s multicultural world.

Whether you’re a Hong Konger, mainlander, Eurasian, expat, or all – or any – of the above, this show will leave you asking: ‘Where am I really from?’ Producer and DB resident Teri Fitsell says, “It's very funny and also very moving. It has everything to please spectators, and it will give them something to think about.” Yellow Face is being co-presented by the Hong Kong Players Ltd and HKRep Black Box at the Sheung Wan Civic Centre, April 25 to 28. For internet bookings, go to www.urbtix.hk.

18

Thanks to Hong Kong Players, two readers each have a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show. Can you tell us the name of one other play written by David Henry Hwang? Be the first to email us your answer to info@arounddb.com (subject line: Yellow Face).

April 2012

and Lulu (Nick Harvey) are returning to Hong Kong in June for another round of great family entertainment, and Discovery Bay kids aged four to 12 have the chance to take part in the show. If your kids want to join, contact Glenda Allen, principal of the Glenda Allen Dance Academy, on glendadance@gmail.com.

DB fun over

Easter weekend

Apart from DB’s traditional egg hunt on Easter weekend, there’ll be various activities available for children of all ages.

At Club Siena on April 6 you can check out Jonathan Geffner’s internationally renowned puppet show from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. For more information, call Club Siena on 2987 7382.

Easter sunrise service What better way to celebrate Easter than attending an interfaith Easter sunrise service with your family in DB? The congregations of four Discovery Bay churches – the Church of Incarnation, Discovery Bay Church, Discovery Bay International Community Church and Trinity Chapel – will meet at Tai Pak Beach at 6am on Easter Sunday April 8 for a short service with songs and meditations. Afterwards everyone can get together over hot cross buns.

Bugaboo Bee+

Ball Pit

$270

Sand & Water Playtable with Lid

$6,399

$675

Summer catalogue now in store

Playtent

Mustela Sun Cream Range

from

$95

Bouncy Castle

$450

$675

Raleigh Mx 12� or Molly 12�

Mini Micro Scooter

$720

red, blue, pink, green, yellow or orange

$1,399 each Waterpillar

Mamas and Papas Rialto Cot Bed

$180 $3,999 excluding mattress

Wahu Beach Soccer / Mini Footy & Frisc

from

Jumping Sacks

$85-$210

$120

Pedder Building Store 5/F Pedder Building,12 Pedder Street, Central T: 2522 7112 Horizon Plaza Store 21/F Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau T: 2552 5000 www.bumpstobabes.com

TAI O

Photo by Terry Chow

SOUTH LANTAU Kelly Merrick 9331 8141 Kendri So 9211 4223 Andrew Merrick 3483 5003

STUDY IN ENGLISH IN SOUTH LANTAU

7.5M

(S-365384) (S-301473) (E-289683)

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PUI O Village House 1680’ + 560’ roof

San Shek Wan 2,100’ + rooftop

A light and airy village house with lovely views.

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Decked rooftop perfect for entertaining.

Great designed village house. 3 large bedrooms, 3 amazing bathrooms.

Lovely, peaceful and close to nature.

at Buddhist Fat Ho Memorial College (BFHMC) • Small classes • Low tuition: HKD300/month (10 months) • Culturally-diverse student population • Full English stream • Full Chinese stream • Local curriculum (HKDSE) • GCSE Chinese • School buses from Tung Chung and Mui Wo • Boarding houses available

Address: 99 Tai O Road, Tai O, Lantau Island Email: bfhmc@eservices.hkedcity.net Website: www.bfhmc.edu.hk For more information contact Cynthia Lee or Raj Gill on (852) 2985 5365

28K/22K

1.8M

CHEUNG SHA Leyburn Villa Approx 1000’

HAM TIN Village House G/F 450’

Newly renovated 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms.

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Village Houses from HK$34K/HK$5.2M for 2,100’ plus 700’ roof

Come live the good life!

www.homesolutions.hk | property@homesolutions.hk

20

April 2012

EVENTS Beer Dash – a blast!

Photo credit: Palm Beach and International Beer Dash

On March 10, the Lantau Beer Dash saw teams in crazy costumes (notably the Lantau Incinerators) merrily boozing their way around the five-kilometre c a u s e. T h i s ye a r ’s r a c e w i n n e r wa s L a i L a p Kwan, and the best-dressed prize went to Team EPD (Environment Protection Department). The HKD75,000 raised will be divided between three local animal-welfare charities – Protection of Animals Lantau South, the Lantau Buffalo Association and Okka Scherer.

Easter Fun Don’t miss the fun and fabulous Easter events in South Lantau on April 8. Be ready to join a parade, hunt for eggs and enter the Easter bonnet contest. It’s a true community event — bring a picnic and spend the afternoon at the beach. For more information, visit www.bizzielizziehongkong.com.

FERRY SCHEDULES

www.bizzielizziehongkong.com Email: Bizzielizzie.hk@gmail.com Tel: 2984 2227 Tuesday to Saturday 10.30 to 6.30, Sunday 10.30 - 6.00, Monday closed.

Mon-Sat (except PH) Sun and PH only Sat, Sun and PH Mon-Fri (except PH) Sun and PH only

From DB

From Mui Wo

7:15am 8:45am 10:45am 11:00am 11:45am

7:45am 9:15am 11:15am 11:30am 12:15pm

Sat, Sun and PH Daily except Sat Daily Daily Sat, Sun and PH

April 2012

From DB

From Mui Wo

1:15pm 3:00pm 4:15pm 6:15pm 8:05pm

1:45pm 3:30pm 4:45pm 6:45pm 8:30pm

21

PROFILE

let’s

dance Photos by Catharine Nicol

Dawnna Wayburne founded DMR School of Ballet back in 1984. Catharine Nicol talks with her about ballet, Pilates, Gyrotonics and dancing on Top of the Pops

22

April 2012

PROFILE

T

he girls file excitedly into the room, excess energy bursting out of them in smiles and giggles, little twirls and poses. Some are cheeky, some quiet, some gossiping, some stretching. As soon as their teacher Sophie comes in they are all eyes, and when the music starts all that energy comes irrepressibly out, as they launch into their dance lesson. Their visible enjoyment is infectious, and the school’s principal Dawnna Wayburne is as caught up in it as they are. She smiles from the corner, a tall, perfectly postured woman, the essence of a ballet teacher, watching a new generation of children interpret the moves, each in their own way.

Dawnna was teaching ballet on Discovery Bay even before she established the DMR School of Ballet (DMR) back in 1984. Hong Kong is such a transient city, it is rare to come across someone whose local history goes so far back, but talk to her and her husband David, who also own the Pilates and Gyrotonics centre Iso Fit in Central, and you’ll get a fascinating glimpse of the DB of yesteryear. “David was one of the first people to live on the resort,” says Dawnna. “He wrote to me and said it’s like a ghost town.” She joined him, moving from Cape Town, South Africa in 1983, when instead of the ferries there was a tiny boat shuttling the few residents

Dawnna Wayburne, every inch a ballet teacher

to and fro, and in place of today’s bustling plaza there was just a wet market.

The Wayburnes moved to Hong Kong because of David’s job in the diamond industry, and swapping their South African life of fresh air and beaches for a concrete jungle existence wasn’t going to happen. “Everyone assumed DB was going to be just a weekend resort place, but many people like us wanted that kind of lifestyle,” Dawnna explains.

From DBIS to DMR Soon Dawnna started teaching ballet, and it didn’t take long for a friend to challenge her about why she was teaching ballet in several schools in Hong Kong but not on the island she lived on. And so the forerunner to DMR, a class at the

April 2012

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23

PROFILE

DB dancers at DMR School of Ballet

new Discovery Bay International School with a handful of friends’ kids, was born.

DMR grew as fast as DB. In two years Dawnna was employing two other teachers, in 1990 she opened her studio, and now she has five teachers on her books and over 300 students.

“Some of my earliest students are now in their thirties,” she says, incredulously. “A couple have gone into dance, but it’s a tough life. You see five of your students in a generation go into dance and you’re very lucky.”

Dawnna’s own career was sparked by the criticism of a ballet school teacher. A sickly child, ballet was thought to be good for her lungs, but it wasn’t a case of love at first position. “I’m not sure I really liked ballet until the ballet teacher decided I wasn’t good enough to go into the next grade,” she says. “Then I wanted it!”

Although Dawnna was born with the perfect physiological attributes, immediately apparent in her posture and long limbs, her shyness prevented her from being a natural performer. She won a bursary to study at the Stella Mann School in London and she chose teacher training. “I realised early on I didn’t have the nature to go on stage,” she says.

“You need personality and support along the way that tells you you’re good enough to be in the spotlight. That didn’t exist for me in that period of history.”

From Pan’s People to Pilates Dawnna supplemented her money in London by dancing for Pan’s People and on the iconic BBC TV series Top of the Pops, sharing the limelight with stars like Gary Glitter and Elton John. At the same time she discovered Pilates, an exercise philosophy as yet unknown outside the dance industry. Returning to Cape Town she married, and eventually her life took her to Hong Kong.

Initially DMR only taught ballet. “For young students it’s always going to be ballet that is their favourite – it’s the

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April 2012

pretty pink tutus and the stories that come with it. With the older children modern and tap are more popular. It’s funky, it’s fun, they feel a beat and it’s more trendy,” says Dawnna.

Today the school has classes that range from Tots in Tutus to Tap, Modern, Jazz Attack, Funktastic and more.

Over on Hong Kong Island, David works at the couples’ parallel business, Iso Fit. Having started to teach Pilates in her dance studio, Dawnna moved that part of the business to Hong Kong Island. “There was a phase when Madonna decided to do yoga and the whole world did yoga. Then she did Pilates and it became the afternoon tea word,” she says. Iso Fit is now a huge studio with 7 out of 20 instructors teaching Pilates as well as Gyrotonics (aka Yoga for Dancers).

“Pilates and Gyrotonics fit into a more adult world,” she says, although DMR does teach adult dance classes too.

Dawnna’s work spans far more than DMR and Iso Fit. She is the chairlady of the Royal Academy of Dance, Hong Kong Committee and teaches with ballet companies all over the world. She holds the licenses for Polestar Pilates in Asia, which also has her jetting around to help run Pilates programmes. “I’ve reached a period in my life where I have a great dance studio, a Pilates and Gyrotonics studio and I’m working on expanding that around Asia. I’d like more time for research, for example into scoliosis and rehabtype movements. And I’ve trained with Ruthy Alon at Bones for Life, which focuses on keeping bone strength, which dancers need so much, and we all need as we grow older.”

In the meantime, what Dawnna values most about living in DB is the sense of community. “I never say never,” she says with a smile, “but I don’t think I’d live anywhere else.”

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INFOCUS

identity

crisis DB residents talk to Lori Campbell Tighe about being ‘Chinalized’ and how it bodes for their future

T

he Lee family of Discovery Bay noticed that whenever they packed for trips to China, their eldest son seemed hesitant to go. Francis, 10, finally admitted he did not feel comfortable around the Chinese. Ever since someone accidentally spat on him in the Forbidden City, he has viewed China as an unsafe country filled with rude people. Their son’s anti-Chinese sentiment presents a sticky situation for the Chinese family.

Looked at as a unit, the Lees reflect Hong Kong’s struggle for identity. The Chinese father, Anthony, who grew up in a small Canadian town, describes himself as a ChineseCanadian Hong Konger. His wife, locally born King Wah, and Francis consider themselves Chinese-Hong Kong.

The Lee’s youngest son, Christopher, age 8, says he’s Canadian and repeatedly asks, “When are we moving back to Canada?” King Wah says, laughing, “We have an identity crisis right here!”

The number of Hong Kongers who consider themselves solely Chinese reached a 12-year low in December last year. The Hong Kong University (HKU) study rankled China’s leaders, who called it ‘painting legs on the picture of a snake’, a proverb criticising something needless. The poll’s results showed 63 percent of respondents identified themselves as Hong Kong citizens, while only 17 percent identified themselves as Chinese citizens.

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April 2012

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Photos by Tracey van Geest

INFOCUS

Illustration by DB resident Richard Leschinsky

April 2012

27

INFOCUS

“This is contrary to China’s economic development in recent years,” said Robert Chung, head of the study at HKU’s Public Opinion Programme, who dismisses mainland criticism. “So it must be due to factors beyond economic development.”

Cultural difficulties Since the British returned Hong Kong to China in 1997, economic integration between the motherland and her long-lost child has happened relatively easily. Millions of mainlanders flooded Hong Kong with newly minted purchasing power, and conversely thousands of Hong Kongers sought business in China. But cultural integration is a different story.

“You can see the confusion inside of us,” says King Wah, a Tiger Mum, bringing up her sons around a part-time office job. “We were raised by an adopted British motherland.

All of a sudden, we’re back to being Chinese. How do we look at ourselves? We don’t accept that we’re just ‘other mainlanders’. We’re from a big, metropolitan city. We’re westernised. We’re capitalists.”

To quell the fear felt by both expats and locals at the time of handover, China assured Hong Kongers full autonomy, notably in economic and financial areas, until 2047. Many expat Hong Kongers stayed put thanks to the economic prosperity – and budding democracy – that followed.

“We have freedom now – on paper. In reality, we have selfcensorship,” King Wah says. “Hong Kong will change the wording or meaning to avoid trouble. But Hong Kongers are realistic; eventually we will merge with the motherland.”

Realistic but not cowed. Since the handover, many locals, still without universal suffrage, cling to the rights they have left. Last August, during Vice-Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to Hong Kong, police jailed four local protesters, including one wearing a June 4 Tiananmen Square T-shirt. “The Hong Kongers say you have to justify that June 4 event, which is always taboo to the Chinese,” says Noven Chin, a full-time working mother in Discovery Bay, raising a daughter, 10, and a son, 13, with her husband, a Chinese New Zealander.

“But the jailing hadn’t happened before. Hong Kongers were upset for sure.”

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April 2012

Big spenders China once viewed Hong Kong, dubbed the world’s freest economy, as its bridge to the international business world. But as China’s economy has boomed, Hong Kong’s influence has started to disintegrate. “I can see our power to bargain with mainlanders is less and less,” says King Wah. “I can see we’ll be just another city on the map.”

More Hong Kongers realise they need mainlanders for their economic survival, says Noven Chin – her husband wants to return to New Zealand one day; something she calls her ‘exit strategy’ if civil liberties disappear under China’s rule.

She remembers being in school at age 16, when the Chinese wanted Hong Kong students to learn Mandarin to prepare for the ’97 handover. “A lot of people felt resentful. We didn’t want to be brainwashed. Deep down we don’t really accept them,” she says.

But mainlanders are already tearing down the barriers with money. “Today we’re receiving subsidies from the flood of mainland shoppers,” Noven Chin adds. “A lot of businesses can’t last long without them. We go from discriminating against them to fancying them. Money talks – it’s crazy!”

Mainlanders comprised 60 percent of all Hong Kong’s tourists in 2010. They spent an average HKD12,000 per person and tripled Hong Kong’s population to 22.7 million.

They’ve contributed to Hong Kong’s economic boom in the past few years and it appears this will continue, according to a Nielsen report in February 2011.

However, 1,000 Hong Kongers protested in front of Dolce & Gabbana in Tsim Sha Tsui in early January about preferential treatment given to mainlanders. Store clerks had allowed mainlanders to take photos of its window displays, while preventing locals from so doing.

The protesting Hong Kongers were fighting for their rights in public spaces, but also voicing frustrations over mainlanders’ increasing strength, said Chung Kimwah, head of Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Centre for Social Policies Studies, in the Wall Street Journal, January 9. “The mainland is basically the backbone of 

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INFOCUS

our economy. Hong Kong people are afraid their roles will be taken over by mainlanders, but they have nowhere to express this fear.”

if given the chance, says Wendy Young, an advertising producer who has lived in Discovery Bay since 1991. “In the last 15 years, we’ve had a role in politics. We never had the chance before.”

Hong Kong influences Although China has influenced Hong Kong enormously post-handover, the Special Administrative Region (SAR) still wields some influential power in China, says Dr Peter Cheung, associate professor of politics at HKU. In a 2011 report he stressed that Hong Kong plays a unique role in China, especially in Guangdong Province and Shenzhen, which has borrowed from Hong Kong’s legal and public service systems.

China leaders may want to adopt the best Hong Kong governmental practices in the future, suggests Cheung.

“Some view Hong Kong as an experiment in Chinese federalism.” Although China still approves Hong Kong’s chief executive, it did listen in July 2003 to 500,000 Hong Kongers who protested national security legislation and the government’s poor performance. China unseated Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa in early 2005.

“At the day-to-day level, Hong Kong’s informative or communicative role is changing Chinese political culture as its values permeate the mainland,” Cheung says.

Noting too, that Hong Kong’s model public service sector, comparable to that in the United States and Japan by the World Ban’s governance indicators, continues to attract mainland officials for training seminars.

Cheung adds that Hong Kongers are worried about losing their civil liberties long before 2047 arrives. Hong Kong’s future identity will hinge on how key events affecting civil liberties unfold in China. “In particular, how the central authorities in Beijing deal with the introduction of universal suffrage of (Hong Kong’s) Chief Executive in 2017 and the Legislative Council in 2020. If not further delayed, these will be a good pointer of what is to come in the remaining decades before 2047.”

A taste for liberty Hong Kong people want to be involved in the government

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April 2012

Can Hong Kong influence China politically? Not according to Wendy. “Looking at Chinese history, no one can tell the Emperor he’s wrong. It’s culturally ingrained in us. Big Brother is in control. In the future, I don’t think Hong Kong will be as free as Singapore. People are worried about their daily issues.”

Noven Chin agrees, adding, “As Hong Kong’s middle-class continues to dwindle, many feel frustrated with public schooling and blame the government for lack of vision.

Only one in four local school graduates land a university spot. Young Hong Kongers must leave and search for opportunities in China, causing further integration.”

Do Hong Kongers hope to influence China with their stillfree voice? Noven Chin doesn’t mince words, “We all know there is no way we can change the reality. We have a long way to go before they change into an open society.

Whatever Beijing thinks, we have to compromise.”

However, Wendy recalls a study awhile back asking Hong Kongers if, given the choice, they would return to British rule. More than 50 percent said they preferred to stay with China. “The current Chinese ruler is a little better. The young mainlanders are broader minded with more world perspective.

If you have a better educated generation and a more human touch,” she says softly, “there’s hope for the future.”

King Wah, too, tries to remain realistically optimistic. “I don’t think economics alone will bring the change to China.” She believes China needs a new political system, a democratic hybrid allowing people’s wider participation. But not fullon democracy, “otherwise you end up with chaos like in India”. She also hopes China considers a more reliable legal system, and largely improves protection of artists’ intellectual property rights.

“We hope that China has significant development in all these aspects so I can say we are Chinese,” King Wah says.

“It’s as simple as that.”

FAMILY MATTERS Dana’s kids with Lydia Busania

R

help

espect and reasonableness on both sides are conducive to a long-term and harmonious employment relationship,” says the Hong Kong Immigration Department. The helper/ family relationship might therefore be akin to keeping a marriage and family running smoothly. Here are some local success stories centring on mutual respect, honesty and communication.

Dana and Lydia Lydia Busania has worked with Dana Winograd since Dana’s first child, Niamh, was an infant. Thirteen years, three more kids and six contracts later, Lydia is still with the family.

Says Dana, “I have always viewed this as a partnership.

We’ve raised my kids together. I wouldn't say that all parents and helpers view their roles and their relationship this way, but this is how it is for us. I cannot have someone

32

Julia Horne and Juliet Mangsat

April 2012

be with us all day and not have a meaningful relationship.”

Clearly this helper/ family success story is more than just the mechanics of doing a job. “I love the kids, like they are my own,” says Lydia whose grown son recently visited her in Discovery Bay. Openness is critical, says Dana. “I remember telling Lydia at the start that she needed to be totally honest with me – she needed to share her feelings. It’s also about respect – our children learn from our relationship with our helpers.”

Lydia agrees, “Dana respects my suggestions. She listens.”

Importantly the pair share strategies on discipline, and the children know that the caregivers in the household are a united front.

Lydia is happy to offer some suggestions to helpers wishing for a long-lasting placement. “The most important thing is never compare your situation with other helpers’ work

FAMILY MATTERS Rese Hopkinson and Joy Carbonell

Photos by Tracey van Geest

Koren and Carsten Thomas with Julie De la Cruz

not just anybody A successful helper/ employer relationship is a two-way street. Karmel Schreyer talks with some DB caregivers and parents for ideas on how to make it work situations. Know why you are coming to Hong Kong; to work, not to relax. Do your job sincerely and with focus.”

financial issues, as you may end up in a very difficult situation. Try to understand what makes your helper ‘tick’, and manage her expectations.”

Grace and Neneh Grace Chan and Neneh Rezal (not their real names) have lived and worked together since Grace’s daughter was born 12 years ago. After several previous helper/ employer relationships didn’t work out, Grace hired Neneh on the recommendation of a friend who was leaving Hong Kong, and it was fourth time lucky.

Grace has some very practical advice for employers: “Be fair and reasonable. Ensure that you understand the local labour laws and your helper’s entitlements and be sure you are precise and if possible document these. Your helper will be very familiar with her entitlements. Try not to get too involved with your helper’s personal matters, especially

Grace feels there are some significant differences between Chinese and Western families when it comes to employing a helper. “Western families tend to integrate helpers into the family more than the Chinese do. Although this can be very nice, there is always a risk involved. If performance does begin to suffer, it is then much more difficult and potentially more painful to coach and reprimand.”

Koren and Julie Julie De la Cruz and her employer Koren Thomas have worked together for 10 years. Koren says, “My husband Carsten and I knew we wanted someone who was bubbly and outgoing, who could command attention in case of

April 2012

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FAMILY MATTERS

Joy performing at Hemingway's

Julie cooks up a storm

an emergency. We knew as soon as we met Julie that we would get on.” Still, there have been talks when things were not working well on both sides. “Like any job you have your ups and downs and I think it is important to talk about issues,” says Koren. “Despite English not being Julie’s first language, we have managed to communicate well which I believe is the secret to any healthy relationship.”

“I can say anything,” says Julie. “There are no secrets.

Financially and emotionally, I am very open with Koren and Carsten. They help me a lot.” For example, three years ago when one of Julie’s children was involved in a serious accident, Koren and Carsten helped pay the medical expenses. She also gets visits every year from her children.

As a long-time employee, Julie is often asked for advice from newcomers, and she is happy to share her thoughts.

“Love your employer as you love yourself. Love your work and your employer will love you too. Be good and they will be good back.”

“Julie has been instrumental in making sure my daughter Jade is well-mannered and polite,” says Koren. “She makes sure she completes her homework and reprimands her when naughty. We have seen children around DB talking to their helpers in a dismissive, disrespectful manner and that is not acceptable in our family.”

But Koren adds, “Don’t get confused with the helper being a part of your family. Helpers are individuals with their own

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April 2012

Juliet with the young Hornes

families, lives and friends, with life expectations, dreams and needs. We are very lucky to have them in our lives.”

Rese and Joy There is no doubt that some DB families are very supportive of their helper’s aspirations. Singer Joy Carbonell has found that employer Rese Hopkinson and the entire family consider themselves her biggest fans. Says Rese, “We knew Joy was very musical when we hired her, but we didn’t know to what level.” Rese decided to give Joy singing lessons with DB talent Tanya Martin as a birthday present. This led to a gig with Tanya’s other students at Picnic in the Park in 2010, and an invitation to return as a soloist in 2011.

“We totally support Joy,” says Rese. “We know she doesn’t want to be a helper forever. She has dreams and I am glad she does.” To that end, Rese says, they work as a team. “Joy lets me know when her gigs are or when she wants to practice and we work out schedules.” And Rese also appreciates how Joy’s talents are rubbing off on her kids. Joy is just as appreciative. “Rese is good to me and I am sensitive to her needs. I am flexible and I do things without being asked.”

She describes her relationship with her employer in apt terms: “Rese and I are like music – in harmony.”

Julia and Juliet For young helpers, aspirations naturally include having families of their own. Juliet Mangsat has worked with Julia

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FAMILY MATTERS

Horne and her family for over 10 years, helping to take care of Julia’s three growing children. For a while during that time, Juliet was pregnant with her second child while employer Julia was pregnant with her third. “It has been a great privilege to work with the family,’ says Juliet. “They are very nice and understanding. When I was pregnant they made sure I was okay and going to my check-ups – and I went home for six months to have my baby.”

As for advice to other helpers, Juliet says, “Do your work.

Focus on the job. Be patient.”

“We thank Juliet every day and consider her to be part of our extended family now,” says Julia. “I have always stressed to the children that when Doug and I are not at home Juliet is in charge. For example I might get a call at work from one of the children asking if they can have some ice cream and I say, ‘Ask Juliet’. I have always believed that she should be respected by the children and not undermined by us.”

Like so many, Julia stresses mutual respect for their success. “I work hard and so does Juliet. She is always there when we need her and we are always there for her.”

Useful information Hong Kong Immigration Department FAQ www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/faq_fdh.htm Practical Guide For Employment of Foreign Domestic Helpers www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/FDHguide.pdf Advice for Employers/ Workers www.lotusmaid.com.hk/web/html/eng/notes_to_ employer.jsp

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MONEYMATTERS

flyer’s guide to

mortgages Don’t be daunted when shopping around for a mortgage, look at it like choosing the right airline for a trip, writes Neil Jensen

O

ne of the most savvy property investors I ever had the pleasure of dealing with always looked to obtain financing for his deals. His reason was, ‘Why use your own money, if it’s cheaper to use someone else’s?’ This is very true, but getting your hands on funds is becoming more and more difficult these days, as there is less money to go around within the banking sector.

between booking a flight and getting a mortgage. Instead of flying direct to Hong Kong from London, I took a much cheaper route via Dubai, in economy. I saved a decent amount of money but looking back, taking a more expensive, direct flight would have made for a more productive week on my return. Was it really money saved or more like a false economy?

Now, I may be getting slightly abstract here but having recently spent a week suffering from jetlag following my return from the UK, I realised that there are huge similarities

So what’s this got to do with mortgages? Think about it, when you buy a property, be it here in Hong Kong or anywhere else in the world there are numerous factors to

April 2012

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39

MONEYMATTERS

consider. Where to buy? House or apartment? How much will you pay? Will you live in it, use it for holidays or rent it out? There’s only one real certainty, which is that you’ll look to fund the purchase with a mortgage of some sort.

It’s the same when you are planning a long journey; you deliberate on where you are going, where you will stay, how much it will cost… The certainty in 99.9% of cases – unless you have a penchant for railways and fancy taking the family on the Trans-Siberian Railway – is you are likely to fly.

I dare say that unless you are a property tycoon, you will have way more experience in travelling and all the potential pitfalls that go with it; therefore it may be that you can apply some of the principles you’d normally use for booking a flight when applying for a mortgage.

Mortgage broker or bank?

(Aka travel agent vs. booking online). Think about the reasons why you would book a flight direct: you have an established relationship, you trust the brand and you have the time to do it. With a mortgage, often the first port of call will be a bank you deal with already, but is this your best option? If you plan to shop around for a top deal, you are going to have to spend a lot of time finding out which banks are in the market and investigating their terms and lending criteria.

A mortgage broker may charge you a fee, but I will refer you back to my flight via Dubai – sometimes you get what you pay for and if you don’t have a lot of spare time on your hands, let someone who has a good knowledge of all the lenders in your chosen market arrange things for you.

If you believe in the saying ‘time is money’ then it certainly applies here.

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April 2012

Quotes and pricing I received an email from a well-known airline recently advertising a sale. The price quoted for a return economy flight to London was HKD4,500. It looked too good to be true and guess what? It was. Once I had added on the fuel surcharge and taxes it was nearer HKD10,000.

Sadly, some lenders operate in a similar way when charging you interest on a mortgage and many people only find out the real cost once the deal has gone through. Most lenders these days will refer to a prevailing underlying rate, and then quote an additional margin on top. Neither you nor the lender has any control over the underlying rate, whereas the margin is effectively going to the lender and this is what borrowers use as a yardstick when shopping around.

Some banks these days though refer to a cost of funds plus a margin. The margin quoted may be less than other banks so it looks competitive, however it is unlikely that they will volunteer what their cost of funds really is unless you ask them. The amount they quote you is often more of an art than a science and can be changed during the period of the loan without your consent.

Some lenders in the market add a considerable amount to these rates. So, when you are doing your research, get every amount you are quoted in writing if you want to avoid a nasty surprise.

The ‘budget airline’ lender Budget airlines survive because they strip everything down to the bare minimum. They are far less flexible than larger airlines, and typically everything is done online and they employ less staff. If things run smoothly you are fine, but if they don’t it’s difficult to sort out problems.



AroundDB-aPRIL.indd 1

3/12/2012 4:15:38 PM

MONEYMATTERS

Some lenders keep their costs down by placing their loan processing teams outside of town or even in another country. Is there someone you can speak to in person if you need assistance? What happens once the loan is in place and you need to make a change, who will you deal with?

If you don’t know the bank, you need to get as much information as you can about how you communicate with them. Some banks are more expensive for a reason, which is mainly because they employ more staff to be able to assist the customer on the frontline here in Hong Kong.

The loyalty scheme It’s a fact that an airline is likely to treat you better the more you use it. You may get a larger baggage allowance or even upgrades. It goes without saying that the more business you have with a bank, the more flexible it is likely to be; note too that this applies between banks and their external partners such as lawyers and valuers.

I recently had a client who approached two different lenders in Hong Kong for a re-mortgage on his property in Sai Kung.

Both banks instructed a valuation and the first bank quoted

HKD18 million. This meant the client could raise a maximum loan of HKD9 million. The second bank gave a valuation of HKD21 million meaning he could borrow HKD10.5 million.

Naturally the client went with the second lender. This may not sound unusual until I tell you that both banks had used the same valuer to conduct the survey. The second lender sent the valuer significant levels of business, whereas the first bank only used him occasionally. For that reason, the valuer was willing to go further for his loyal business partner than the one who came to him infrequently.

Don’t be put off getting a mortgage, the banks are still lending, however just like taking a flight, things have become a lot more complicated over recent years. So, if that vacation or property purchase is to be successful and stress-free, make sure you plan accordingly.

Neil Jensen is a director at Allied International based in Hong Kong and specialises in mortgages, property and financial planning. You can contact him at neil.jensen@alliedinternational.com.hk

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11-Jan-12 10:45:46 AM

COMING

TALKINGPOINTS

time to

blog

It may all sound a bit confusing at first but never fear, Mark Roper is here to clear the mists, bust the jargon and set you on course for successful online publishing

T

hey say that in every one of us there is a story waiting to be told. As the internet has come of age the opportunities for us to tell our stories and share our ideas have proliferated. Such is the variety of content and the diversity of authorship now present, it is clear that the World Wide Web has evolved into a truly democratic publishing possibility for all.

So come on DB, what are you waiting for? Tumblr, tags, posts and followers – what does it all mean and how can you best get your story out there?

What is blogging?

First of all a definition – a blog is a shortened version of the word web-log. In other words one way to think of a blog is as a diary of sorts. Generally, entries into a blog occur chronologically and build over time in the same way that a journal would. And certainly there is no need for you to go out and publish to the whole world straight away. As the owner of your blog you have the ability to control who can have access to it. That said, one of the benefits of moving online with your writing is the ability to connect with others and start a dialogue about the things you are interested in.

Think of it like a club. Not only that, but because you are dealing with digital technology, you can publish more than just words – photos and videos for example.

Try to write in an engaging and entertaining way and above all write regularly. This is particularly important for business blogs, which can be a key driver of new clients. Potential customers will want to see consistency over time, so, if you are using a blog for your work, note that nothing is worse advertising for your business than a six month-old post. It is

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the historical, time-based nature of blogs that perhaps most distinguishes them from other types of (static) website.

What to write about?

Blogging is about sharing your passions and interests so that is the place to start. Write about what you know, care about and are stimulated by, and your blog will resonate with your potential audience. It can be about anything – a hobby, business, sport, academic subject, person or even an event. Some people will write a blog for years, some for months and some for just a few weeks depending on its purpose. What you blog is up to you.

Tracey Read, a DB Green organiser, has just ventured into the world of blogging at www.journeytotheplasticocean. wordpress.com. By so doing she hopes to spread the word about the research expedition she will be making in June – sailing across the Pacific from Tokyo to Hawaii to see the plastic soup that now covers vast parts of the ocean. “The blog helps to educate adults and kids about the plastic soup that is polluting our waters and our planet, and it’s also a great communication tool when I will be away on the journey,” she explains. Tracey, who is the owner of eco party supplier Little Miss Green the Party Queen, adds that she finds blogging a much more interactive tool than a regular website. “People feel free to ask questions,” she says. “It’s a great way to share common interests.”

Who’s the audience?

This is a valid question and perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of blogging is that, in some ways, you just don’t know. Blogging gives your writing a global

TALKINGPOINTS

audience, so anyone from anywhere might come across it. Initially, a blog may be just for yourself. However, perhaps the most significant reward for your efforts as an author comes from the possibility, and even likelihood, of receiving spontaneous comments from total strangers.

Remember that you have control over your blog and what gets published. In your settings you will find the controls necessary to ensure other people’s comments can only appear on your site with your approval.

Once you are confident with your blogging start to publicise it – add comments to other blogsites that share your interest and by so doing, link back to your blog. Note too that most blogging tools will have a variety of add-ins allowing people to follow your blog more easily. Start telling people about your blog (a catchy, memorable name really helps here), and consider having your blog address added to your business card or email signature.

How to get started?

First off, experiment with some of the popular tools such as Wordpress, Tumblr, Blogger and LiveJournal and see what they offer in terms of design features, simplicity of set up, free storage space, technical support, versatility across platforms and ease of use. Another good place to start is to read the reviews on a site like http://blog-software-review. toptenreviews.com/.

Don’t worry about being graphically gifted either – blogging tools will provide you with myriad templates to get your blog looking clean, professional, fun, crazy, romantic or however else you might want it to appear. Once you have the site set up, start with a few trial posts (entries) to find

your ‘voice’ and get some feedback from family and friends.

So, having been given a taster of the possibilities open to you, we hope to be hearing about and reading more from DB bloggers! What’s your story?

Jargon buster Blogroll: a list of blogs that are followed by the author of the blog Follower: someone who has joined a blog by sharing their email address. They receive emails when new posts are added Hosting: in order for information to be available over the World Wide Web it must be hosted on a server.

Many blogging services host your blog for free.

However, as your blogsite grows, and particularly if you anticipate putting a lot of content up, consider paying for a host that gives you more storage space Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed: this allows you to publish content from other sites on your blogsite. It can be a good way of bringing a broader range of content to a blog and making it a more diverse resource Tags (or labels): these are keyword descriptors of a blog post added by the author. They help categorise posts and can help readers search a blog Tagroll: a click-able list of all the tags used in your blog; often presented in such a way that the most commonly used tags appear bigger

April 2012

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TECHTREND

tomorrow’s w

rld

Michael Fraser has recently moved to DB to teach design technology at Discovery College. He gives Paula Lepore Burrough a glimpse into the future of design in our homes

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echnology is increasingly allowing us to customise our lives. What’s more, it is now possible and more affordable to use technology to design solutions to everyday problems. No longer do we need large workshops with a variety of hand and machine tools; we have web-based and digital tools to assist us instead. Although the skills and processes involved in using traditional tools remain a valuable learning experience, we are now seeing design-technology classes in schools using laser cutters, 3D printers and Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) routers.

PONOKO

LEGO

NIKEiD

MAKERBOT

Ponoko is a web tool that allows you to design and make 2D and 3D objects such as jewellery, lamps and small pieces of furniture. The Ponoko website has tutorials and links to free software that you use to design products. Once the design is complete you can choose from a range of different materials to construct the product.

These include plastic, wood, rubber and felt.

Ponoko forwards your design to the nearest of many global manufacturers.

The product is then cut or printed and sent directly to you. A nearby manufacturer who uses local materials reduces the number of carbon miles your object travels to your door.

Lego suffered 11 years of consecutive losses from 1998, and struggled to compete with the emerging gaming market.

However a return to its founding values refocused the company on the importance of construction.

One of the key products in Lego’s rejuvenation is Mindstorms NXT. This features an NXT block that can be programmed by direct input or using NXT software on your computer.

A search of the web will quickly reveal how children and Adult Fans of Lego (AFOLs) are constructing a range of innovative robotic solutions. These include cake-cutting robots, modern-art robots and Rubiks – a robot that solves Rubik cubes.

This website helps you customise your Nike shoes; size 4 to 14+ and in various widths. You even have the ability to size left and right shoes independently.

The grip pattern on the sole can also be matched to your intended activity or to the terrain on which you will be exercising.

The most exciting part is trying all the colour and fabric combinations.

You can make a strong individual statement or stay restrained and practical.

The Nike custom shoes, once designed by you, take about four weeks to arrive.

It’s also worth taking a look at Vans, Converse and the Shoes of Prey websites for customising options.

Shoes of Prey specialises in women’s dress shoes.

Five years ago 3D-printing hardware cost over HKD200,000. The Makerbot Thing-O-Matic is a kitset 3D printer for the home that costs about HKD8,000.

With prices trending like this it’s likely that within five years 3D printing will be the norm. The ThingO-Matic uses a spool of super-strong Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) plastic (like a big roll of fishing line) as the printing medium. The ABS is melted in the head of the printer and laid down in many thin layers to slowly ‘print’ 3D objects: toys, jewellery, stationery holders, etc. A recent Makerbot employee was tasked on his first day with designing and making his own coat hook.

April 2012

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&

K

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Photos by Ben Chan and Elizabeth Kerr

ESCAPES

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Public art is a new concept in Seoul and part of an effort to beautify the downtown core, Jongno

April 2012

ESCAPES

sold on

seoul

The South Korean capital is starting to grow up and has become something of a chic destination, writes Elizabeth Kerr

S

eoul is, if nothing else, something of an enigma. Viewed from the right angle you can find the Tokyo-esque and the Londonlike. However, despite a concerted effort on the government’s part, and a proliferation of – let’s face it – cooler architecture coming up over the last few years, the South Korean capital remains one of the homeliest cities in Asia. Sure Chicago didn’t happen overnight, and Seoul is on the right track, but for now the city’s distinct charms lie in the back alleys and side streets.

And this is all to the good – if you’re going to get elbowed by an excitable ajumma (woman of marriageable age), it may as well be for an authentic Seoul experience.

In the way Hong Kong has the Kowloon side and the Island side, sprawling Seoul is split by the Han River: there’s gangbuk (river north) and naturally gangnam. But unlike Hong Kong, there is a valid reason to stick to one’s neighbourhood. It can take upwards of 45 minutes (in good traffic) to get across the Han depending on start and finish lines, longer from the suburbs. So the key to getting a feel for Seoul is maximising time and being willing to wander aimlessly.

Though gangnam and gangbuk have specific characters, gangnam is worthy of a pass on a short trip. It’s the affluent part of Seoul, with so-called good schools and fancy shopping. Tony Apgujeong is in gangnam, location

of the trendy Platoon Kunsthalle – a shipping container reconfigured as a chic cultural centre. The wide boulevards and shiny malls have inspired residents to dub the area Seoul’s Rodeo Drive (not quite, guys). But premium prices and high luxury taxes imposed on branded goods aren’t conducive to shopping, particularly for Hong Kongers.

Gangbuk city tour Gangbuk, however, is the much older, more diverse, generally more interesting part of the city. The major multinationals have taken up offices on this side and the younger, funkier movers-and-shakers shop here. Make no mistake there’s plenty of pricey retail here too, but it’s known for hip Myeongdong and Dongdaemun markets. Korea’s Hollywood, Chungmuro, home to the annual International Film Festival, is also on the north side, as is expatriate nightlife mecca Itaewon (now a little quieter with fewer US troops). And those aforementioned alleys and back streets?

Rife on this side.

Anchored by the remaining three great gates (Dong-, Seo- and Namdaemun) that once fortified it, gangbuk is where you’ll find Seoul’s major historical landmarks, including four UNESCO World Heritage Sites. A good place to start a city tour is on foot with a stroll along the rejuvenated Cheonggyecheon, a creek that cuts through

April 2012

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ESCAPES

Gyeongbokgung Palace is a major attraction

the Jongno (Central) district. A recently completed multiyear urban renewal project that was long buried by asphalt, Cheonggyecheon is now a pedestrian route that hits most of Seoul’s key downtown sights. It’s a great orientation tool and a stroll along it is a good way to figure out what’s worth a second visit.

The route also traverses Seodaemun, a residential and historic area which harbours Seoul’s glorious Independence Park and Sinchon Railway Station – the oldest in the city, built in 1920. Any hotel concierge is going to recommend you see Gyeongbokgung Palace which dates back to 1394 and browse through Namdaemun Market (really a market for residents), but the Seodaemun tours and a trip along Cheonggyecheon will show you a different side of Seoul, one that will leave impressions that transcend overcrowded tourist traps.

Diverse nightlife An evening’s entertainment is easily had in Seoul: look for the neon and listen for crowds. It’s almost impossible to spend time in Seoul and not wind up at an Itaewon watering hole for cocktails. The main road (outside Itaewon subway station) is dotted with every type of nightclub and bar, and you can find live music and take in the expat scene on 

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April 2012

Tiny side streets harbour hidden gems

Discovery Bay Property Agents & Boat Brokers

ESCAPES its back streets; Seoul’s tiny (cosmopolitan) Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) scene is also here.

Getting there

For a more urbane evening try getting off one stop over at Noksapyeong or heading out to Sangsu. Both areas are in the midst of a renaissance. The rabbit warren of streets that run off Heonamu down the hill from the Park Hyatt are gentrifying at an alarming rate and are dotted with all manner of boutiques, restaurants and bars catering to a diverse crowd. Sangsu is a more mature Hongdae, the university area famous for its rowdy, trend-setting students.

It’s almost exclusively local, so if you’re looking for an authentic Korean experience, this is the place.

Cathay Pacific, Asiana Airlines and Korean Air fly direct to Seoul from Hong Kong multiple times daily.

Trains link to the central Seoul Station for KRW12,000 (HKD82). Buses stopping at major hotels can run anywhere from KRW7,000-14,000. Bank on a onehour journey to the city from Incheon Airport

Lastly, no matter your goals while in Seoul, eating will take up a major chunk of time. If your knowledge of Korean food is defined by what you learnt in Hong Kong, be prepared to enter a new world: there’s far more to it than kimchi. Koreans take food very seriously and a good hanshik (sort of a table d’hôte) can take hours and leave you with a food baby you won’t soon forget. Street food ranges from dried squid snacks and ddeokbokki (rice cakes in red pepper sauce) to pastries and dumplings, and seemingly any vendor located near a busy central intersection or strip of bars provides great food – cheap. And individual sensitivity to spicy foods aside, you don’t have to worry about a Korean equivalent of Montezuma’s Revenge hitting you later.

Getting around

Staying there For a five-star experience, stick to familiar brands (Westin Chosun, Grand Hyatt, InterContinental) and major Korean players (Lotte, Shilla). Safe mid-range bets include Best Western, Ibis and Novotel

Seoul’s subway system is comprehensive, tri-lingual and the best way to get around the city. Buses can be more direct but confusing for non-residents. Regular (grey) and deluxe (black) taxis are plentiful, but regular taxi drivers can be choosey and often pick up more than one fare. First-time visitors are advised to spend the premium on the deluxe taxis

Online information Seoul: www.visitseoul.net Seodaemun: www.sdm.go.kr Korea: www.visitkorea.or.kr

Photos by James Pitman, Kath Copland and Juliana Povoacao

ACTION

54

racing on the

edge II

This issue, we continue Matt McLaughlin’s first-hand account of 750-kilometre non-stop expedition adventure race, XPD Tasmania.

We pick up his story at dawn on day four of racing Biking Henty Dunes in search of illusive checkpoints

April 2012

ACTION

T

he Adventure Racing (AR) World Series unites in competition the world’s best endurance athletes at premiere AR World Series Qualifier adventure race events around the globe. The first three days of the AR World Championships in Tasmania, Australia, saw myself and my teammates, DB-based Kurt Lynn, South Lantau-based Pierre Le Magnan and Brazil-based US athlete Bobette Burdick kayaking, trekking, caving and mountain biking – and that was only the beginning.

On day four, after a two-hour nap, we rose with the sun, setting off on a 32-kilometre kayaking section on Lake Mackintosh. In the middle of the leg, as a peculiar kind of torture, we had to exit the water and carry the heavily laden kayaks one-and-a-half kilometres up and over a dirt road to a new put-in point on the Murchison River. Here Pierre took some ‘tough pills’, balancing the 25-kilogramme boat on his back and hiking the stage solo. He reminded me of Obelix the Gaul: we joked that his strong constitution must be due to a childhood diet of fine wine and cheese in his native France.

After a final paddle on the pristine waters of the Murchison River and Lake Rosebery we arrived at Checkpoint (CP) 22 in the town of Tullah at midday. Here we had to refuel, write a compulsory race blog and prepare for a 105-kilometre bike stage.

105 kilometres by bike The ride began with an easy three kilometres on the road, before we turned off into yet another logging area and climbed 400 feet to a narrow single-track trail that contoured along the edge of Sterling Valley. We found out later that some teams had problems with the navigation on this stage, but eagle-eyed Kurt picked out an obscure trail, and we made good time as we descended at nightfall to the town of Rosebery. We stopped at a local store to stock up on more food, and were taken aback when the store owner came out to meet us and filled our water bottles with bottled water from her own shelves at no cost. This generosity and hospitality was typical of all the Tasmanians we came across during the race.

Leaving Rosebery in the dark we followed a road into the mountains and up towards the abandoned Dundas Tramway, a relic of Tasmania’s late 19th-century mining boom. Things went a bit pear-shaped here; I struggled to make sense of the map as we came to a maze of track intersections in the lee of Mount Hamilton. We decided on a 60-minute micro-nap, before soldiering on through a veil of light rain. Crossing the swing bridge over Montezuma Falls in single file in the dead of night, our voices were drowned in the roar of the water that fell, unseen, to the bottom of a cliff 100 metres beneath us.

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ACTION

Hours later we emerged from the trees onto the main road.

After such a long spell on rough single-track the transition onto bitumen was like riding on silk, but sadly it was all too brief. The roads in this area did not match the map, so I winged it and eventually, by following more logging trails, we found CP25. Not surprisingly it had been placed in a creek bed in such a way as to force us to wade through the water to hole-punch our race booklet.

The disused railway we followed pointed straight as an arrow at the town of Zeehan, where we slept for one hour hobo-style on a pair of park benches in a public barbeque area. It was getting harder and harder to get moving after these sleep breaks, as serious fatigue set in, but the team was still in high spirits and we managed it. The last few kilometres of this stage involved an easy ride on main roads to the coast.

As day four turned into day five, and we crested a ridge near Henty Bridge, the sun came up behind us in a wild blaze of pinks and purples, and high cirrus cloud reached across the sky in fine gold filaments. A Japanese media crew appeared out of nowhere, snapping pictures of us as we powered down the hill and over the bridge. We yelled morning greetings, before turning from their sight and descending to the coast.

Strahan, with its picturesque horseshoe bay, was surreal.

Tourists sipped lattes as we rode by, our bikes encrusted with mud and our bodies and faces weary with the efforts of

the race so far. On the eastern side of the town we stopped at CP29 for an enforced six-hour stop, with race officials providing a hot meal and a place to rest.

65 kilometres on foot The 65-kilometre trekking stage began with an easy hike up the beach to the 100-foot high Henty Dunes. Not so easy was finding the two CPs hidden within. As the sun set on yet another day a front rolled in from the Great Australian Bight to our west, and the wind whipped up a vicious cocktail of sand, salt spray and rain. That night we battled the weather and swam across two rivers in the dark before taking a rest beside a fire at a remote hunter’s cabin.

Moving off groggily at dawn on day six, we found ourselves back in the forest as we climbed a steep ridge to the open country of Heemskirk Range. The next few CPs were completely off-track, so we had to contend with unstable footing, thick vegetation and tricky navigation. We’d also been warned that these mountains were home to Tasmania’s three snake species (all of which are poisonous).

Kurt told me later that on this leg he experienced ‘sleepmonsters’ – hallucinations brought on by extreme fatigue. For part of the trek he had an outer-body experience – feeling like he was floating above himself, watching his own progress along the trail. Later he was completely unable to control the focus of his eyes, and for a few hours he perceived Pierre to be a completely different person, and 

Arthur River exit

Struggling to an 11am cut-off at Farquars Bridge

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April 2012

At the finish

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ACTION

conversed with him as if he was this other guy.

Many hours later we shuffled into CP36 at Granville Harbour, where we were again treated to a stunning piece of hospitality. A craggy old local watched us as we assembled our bikes in the cold rain-lashed transition area, and then led us to his beachside shack, where he’d prepared spare beds for tired racers in his basement. Here we slept like babies for three hours.

and chips in the town of Waratah, and finally making the cutoff at Farquars Bridge with only two hours to spare.

The last two days of the race were a bit of a blur, as we finished a 75-kilometre paddling stage on the Arthur River, cycled 70 kilometres back to civilisation on the coast at Rocky Cape, negotiated the razor-sharp rocks of a tricky 25-kilometre coasteering section, and got back on the bikes for what was supposed to be an easy 35-kilometre stage on tarseal to the finish line in Burnie.

The last leg At 1am on day seven we set off on the longest mountainbike stage of the race – a 150-kilometre uphill grind from the coast to a kayak put-in point at CP41. This epic leg took us over 30 hours, on less than two hours sleep. It was intense. We found out later that our boisterous South American colleagues, Team Toyota Costa Rica, took a wrong turn during this leg and were lost for two days.

By now we were racing the clock, struggling to make an 11am cut-off at CP42 on day eight. Through sheer determination and good team navigation we made it; carrying our bikes up seemingly never-ending muddy trails in the dark, pushing through the pain from niggling injuries, wolfing down burgers

Pierre and I were barely able to stay awake, Bobette was in great pain from what was either a bad tummy bug, or a cracked rib from an earlier bike crash, or both, and Kurt was nursing a severe case of tendonitis in one leg and the loss of half of the gears on his bike. But we held it together, and rolled into the finish line just before 2pm.

We had been racing for nine days, five hours and 54 minutes (averaging just over two hours of sleep per day) and were ranked finishers in the Adventure Racing World Championships of 2011. Our mid-field ranking (40th place in the premier mixed division) was the highest ever achieved by a Hong Kong team. It was an incredible achievement, and a great team effort.

STYLE

child’s play You can set your kids on the right track with something as simple as a well-designed bedroom, says Elizabeth Kerr

Mural by DB resident Gail Deayton of Hong Kong Murals

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STYLE

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ittle kids, like big kids all have their own personality and style. “There is no set formula for decorating kids’ rooms as long as they are happy with the result and it’s an environment that they are happy in — for playing, sleeping and (for older kids) working in.”

So says Kate Babington, managing director for Hong Kong furniture manufacturer TREE. She’s right, of course, and personality extends beyond simply including pink stuff for girls and blue for boys. How much a kid’s personality can come through before kindergarten is questionable, but soon enough they’ll start dropping hints.

Before you lose all power and are compelled to cast your eyes upon posters of the 2020 equivalent of Justin Bieber (which may actually be Justin Bieber) you can provide your kids with an independent space of their own. One that keeps them engaged. “Having things around you, the stimulation it gives you, sinks in, consciously or subconsciously, and comes out in wonderfully creative ways,” explains artist and educator Gail Deayton, a DB resident. “You’ve got to have an environment that’s stimulating – that draws you in instead of keeps you away.”

Go for fun functionality Children’s rooms have the same demands of efficiency and comfort as any other – with one caveat. “I always try to explore the space, to make it fun, spacious and functional,” begins interior designer Clifton Leung. “A functional kids’ bedroom must have sufficient space for storage, worktops for study/ crafts and a play area if space permits.”

Unsurprisingly, Clifton likes the idea of spacemaximising bunk beds that allow for all of that. But it’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye, right?

“It is essential that such design cater to safe set-up like poles, railings or soft floor mats to protect [small] kids while allowing them to climb up and down,” he cautions.

Other safety considerations include fittings and furniture with rounded corners, soft-closing drawers and doors, and windows with limited opening angles.

“Above all, kids’ rooms should be well organised to encourage children to get used to tidying up,” adds Clifton.

Understatement.

Obviously there’s more to creating a great kids’ space than infrastructure. Colour, lighting, ventilation and décor play crucial roles too. “Consider the psychological effects of different colours on mood,” notes Clifton, “and remember lighting design should cater for different needs.” Task lighting like LED lamps protect kids’ eyes while they are studying and making crafts. Night lighting provides a sense of security during sleep time.

Clifton also advocates using ecofriendly paint and materials in kids’ rooms. Kate agrees.

“With the TREEkids range we have taken extra care in creating a collection of beautiful and sustainable furniture that both girls and boys of all ages can appreciate and grow up with – from their primary years right through into young adulthood.” TREE has branded itself as a sustainable product, and we all know kids are the ones who usually cast a disparaging eye at parents tossing tin cans into the trash.

Gail, meanwhile, laments the lack of creative outlets in Hong Kong. At Hong Kong Murals she creates customised murals for any space though children’s rooms are her hallmark for now. “Kids are quite easy to please. It’s the parents that aren’t. But I’ve had parents burst into tears, they were so pleased,” she comments of her cartoon, The Hobbit, seascapes and jungle scenes that now adorn bedroom walls.

Cater to burgeoning adults Things can get tricky when little Timmy or Katie start transforming into Tim or Kate and so malleability is key. No one wants to redesign an entire room just as frequently as they buy new shoes for growing feet. “I recommend the design to be done once properly with flexibility, to save costs and minimise disruption,” Clifton emphasises. “It’s 

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STYLE

Photo credit: Clifton Leung Design Workshop

Photo credit: Clifton Leung Design Workshop

Photo credit: TREE

over-scheduling kids. There’s such an academic leaning here that people forget what the creative looks like,” Gail states. She cites the late Steve Jobs as the kind of industrial and cultural innovator who could only have come from an environment that encourages creative thinking – and that starts in childhood.

Photo credit: Nerd Kids for Living

best to limit built-in furniture to storage cabinets, wardrobes and desks and select freestanding furniture for items that would need to be replaced as kids grow. You might even consider freestanding desks, with adjustable height and angle, complemented by an adjustable chair.”

Joan Szeto, owner of Nerd Kids for Living (and Toys Club), has put together an internationally sourced line with exactly this in mind. The new store in Ap Lei Chau stocks top-quality height-adjustable furniture that grows with the child. Joan points out, “We felt it was important to offer a line of desks, chairs and lights that were ergonomically correct for children. For example, our MOLL desks from Germany move up at the touch of a finger. And our ‘mobilight’ has clever swivel joints and a 90 degree reflector to keep shadows away from the desk.”

But the most fabulously designed and furnished room isn’t a nurturing space by default, which is ultimately what all this design work is for. “I think a big issue here is parents

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“Jobs always thought about the design process, and that’s what an artist does. If you’re any good in any job you go through the same process. And it’s a creative process. If that gets neglected, it shuts down so many ways of looking at the world. The application of that is vital,” concludes Gail. Particularly for Timmy and Katie eventually turning into Timothy and Katherine.

Find it Clifton Leung Design Workshop, www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com Hong Kong Murals, www.hongkongmurals.com Nerd Kids for Living, www.nerdkidsforliving.com TREE, www.tree.com.hk

Be inspired If you’re looking for design ideas, check out the stunning new murals at Discovery Bay International School Kindergarten library. Created by local resident Lou Ryan, the images are inspired by Julia Donaldson’s classic children’s stories – and Lou has added a Hong Kong twist.

To see more of Lou’s work, visit www.louryanart.com

HOTSTUFF

What's

new

around

Hong

Kong

c o m p i l e d b y A n d re w D e m b i n a

SoHo’s peak of Thai kickboxing perfection

comes to town

If you found the Rugby Sevens a bit tame, perhaps the International Muay Thai Grand Prix 2012 is more your thing. Eight world-class muay thai (Thai kickboxing) fighters will participate in a knockout competition.

The last man standing will be named WMC I-1 World Grand Prix Champion. The participants – all fearsome competition winners – include Kurt Finlayson (aka Killer) from Australia; Hamza Rahmani (aka Hitman) from Belgium; Jose Mendonca from Brazil; Marcin Lepkowski from Poland; and Famichai from Thailand. Also to be staged are a further seven muay thai ‘superfights’, pitting top male and female competitors against one another, with plenty of participants from Hong Kong and China. It takes place from 7pm, on April 23 at Star Hall, Kowloon Bay International Trade & Exhibition Centre. For bookings and more information go to www.hkticketing.com.

Those who have been in Hong Kong for a while may be surprised to hear that 10 years have clicked by since Peak Café & Bar opened in SoHo. Moving downhill from its original spot on The Peak (now home to the Peak Lookout) some dishes have remained popular for decades. Smoked salmon on naan, with sour cream and basil pesto (pictured) is the top signature dish; others include roasted duck red Thai curry, vegetable samosas, and warm apple crumble with vanilla ice cream. Till the end of April, there are plenty of anniversary promotions to note.

Call 2140 6877.

Best of

British art

The fine art-minded may have heard that one of London’s leading contemporary art galleries has just opened here.

White Cube Hong Kong launched with a bang, with an exhibition by British big-name duo Gilbert & George, who started out as performance artists and became best known for giant-scale hand-tinted photographic images with text. Entitled London Pictures, this exhibition of 292 images features evocative newspaper headlines, collected over a decade. On display until May 5, White Cube Hong Kong is the first venue of a global tour for this work. See for yourself at 50 Connaught Road Central, or call 2592 2000.

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HOTSTUFF

Chinese delights at

Man Wah

Da Dong Roast Duck restaurant in Beijing brings signature dishes to Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong’s Man Wah restaurant for the second year – from April 14-22. The roast duck has less fat content, while still delivering crispiness.

Plenty of non-duck dishes are also on the menu – such as steamed Alaskan king crab with Shaoxing wine (pictured).

A team of Beijing-based chefs, supervisors and waiting staff will be presenting the authentic experience. Founder Mr Dong Zhenxiang himself will attend a gala dinner on April 20, at which the restaurant’s most modern northern Chinese interpretations will be served, banquet-style. Call 2825 4003 to make a reservation.

Fit for a princess For all those little princesses out there – and their parents, the new Star Princess Tour at Hong Kong Disneyland is a must do. For children aged three to 11, this mini-regal experience includes a guided tour of the theme park, some exclusive meet-and-greet opportunities with famous Disney princesses, and (princessfocused) storytelling. The tour allows kids to enjoy the Flights of Fantasy Parade from a VIP viewing area, and finally there’s a princess-themed goodie bag to take home. A dedicated photographer follows the tour to capture all. For details visit www.hongkongdisneyland.com.

Read all about

local women leaders

Launched last month on International Women’s Day by local author Stefania Lucchetti, the book Women breaking through leadership features interviews with some of Hong Kong’s most high-flying career females. Anson Chan, former Chief Secretary for the Administration, and former legislator and founder of Civic Exchange think tank Christine Loh are two of the heavyweights included. A dynamic woman herself, Lucchetti juggles more than one career: she’s a lawyer, author of three previous books, and a lecturer at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Business School. In truth she and the other women featured are role models for both genders. Available at most English-language bookshops, priced HKD240, published by RT Publishing.

Christine Loh

Anson Chan

April 2012

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DBFACES

COMPETITION

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M

M

U

N

I

T

Y

S

N

A

P

If you'd like us to consider your photos for DB Faces, email them to info@arounddb.com (subject line: DB Faces).

Around DB accepts no liability relating to the photos sent

Great prizes from Uncle Russ!

A

Y

B

C

Congratulations to last month’s winner Tony Yung who correctly identified picture B featured on page 54 of our March issue. Please contact our office on 2987 0577 to collect your prize.

our challenge, this month, is to identify which of the three photos above is the exact copy of a photograph featured elsewhere in this issue of Around DB. You need to list the page number the photo appears on, as well as which of the three pictures is the exact copy. The first person to send us the correct answer will win a complimentary drink at Uncle Russ in DB Plaza every day for a week.

Email your answer to info@arounddb.com (subject line: Uncle Russ competition). Good luck!

S

“Trendy and fashionable kids’ wear and accessories”

Shop G13B, G/F, North Plaza TEL: 2947 9228

More than 50 years international experience supporting businesses.

• Accounting & Taxation • Business & Operation Consulting • China Trade Advisory • Information Technology Implementation • Company Formation & Secretarial • Pre-Initial Public Offering Advisory & Corporate Finance • Financial Planning • Immigration (Visas & Capital Investment Entrant Scheme Application) For a free consultation, please contact Martha Tang or Alice Chung Suite 1801, 18th Floor New Victory House 93-103 Wing Lok Street Hong Kong

Tel: Fax: Email: Website:

(852) 2851 8081 (852) 3590 9901 info@alcamat.com www.alcamat.com

LANTAU FACES

Photos by Zoe Lyle www.zoelylephotography.com

If you’d like us to consider your photos for Lantau Faces, please email them to info@arounddb.com (subject line: Lantau Faces).

Around DB accepts no liability relating to the photos sent

LANTAU NUMBERS HEALTH & WELL-BEING

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

Feijoada, Seafood Muqueca, Cheese Bread and many more..

Private Bookings - Kit for parties - Takeaway - Catering Shop A, G / F, Silver Centre Building, Mui Wo - Lantau Island Open: Monday to Friday 2 pm to 10:30 pm Saturday and Sunday 12 pm to 10:30 pm

9473 3976 9708 0187 6770 1462 2984 0990

HOME & REPAIRS

Tel: 2984 7471

casabrasil.hk @ gmail.com

Findley Leung Group Koon Wah Hardware Lee Wo Construction Engineering Man Shun Construction & Engineering Mantech Electrical Strong Engineering Wah Sing AV Company

2984 8334 2984 8487 2984 1802 2984 9833 2819 6823 9373 0792 2984 0587

HOTELS

Mui Wo Inn Silvermine Beach Resort

2984 7225 6810 0111

LEARNING CENTRES

Buddhist Fat Ho College Lantau International Kindergarten Lantau International School Little Owls Kindergarten Little Lantau Montessori Kindergarten

2985 5150 2984 0069 2984 0302 2984 0006 3689 6709

PROPERTY AGENCIES

Easy Reach Real Estate Home Solutions Proper Trip Real Estate

2984 0618 3483 5003 2984 1666

RESTAURANTS & BARS

Bahce - Turkish Restaurant Café Bar Bombay Café Casa Brasil Caffe Paradiso (Tom’s Café) China Bear Deer Horn Restaurant & Bar High Tide Restaurant La Pizzeria Pui O Delicious Rome Restaurant Sun Fat Restaurant Tak Chai Kee Seafood The China Beach Club The Gallery The Kitchen The Stoep

2984 0222 2984 1847 2984 7471 2984 0498 2984 9720 3484 3095 2980 3002 2984 8933 2984 2298 2984 7982 2984 0418 2984 1265 2983 8931 2980 2582 9160 5986 2980 2699

RETAIL

Bikes Mui Wo BMX Shop Bizzie Lizzie’s (childrens clothes and toys) Friendly Bike Shop Park ‘N’ Shop Red Hall Chinese Antiques Renge House (clothes & accessories) The Red Lantern Wellcome

2134 1234 2984 2227 2984 2278 2984 0249 2988 1368 2406 8122 2987 0099 2984 7884

SERVICES & OTHERS

Hop Sing Automobile Jumping Castles SPCA Suzanne Goodwin Photography Thai Palin Massage Twig (Design Studio) Zoe Lyle Photography

2984 1410 9662 1747 2984 0060 9025 3949 9062 0148 6351 8923 9834 5498

TRANSPORTATION

Lee Hing Loong Hon Kee Transportation Company Lantau Tours New Lantau Bus Company Sun Rising Moving Company

2984 2268 2984 8494 2984 8255 2984 9848 9036 3132

THE RED LANTERN Genuine antiques, small pieces of delightful furniture from the late Ching Dynasty.

Families Maternity Babies Events Capturing special moments in a natural, warm and casual manner.

Stunning portraits to capture the spirit and energy in everyone. zlyle@me.com | www.zoelylephotography.com | +852 9834 5498

4 minutes' walk from the ferry in Mui Wo in the direction of the Silvermine Beach Hotel.

Free Delivery to DB Tel: 2987 0099 Fax: 2980 4833 glandam@netvigator.com

COMMUNITY DBEES ICE HOCKEY

Committed to developing ice hockey in Hong Kong the DBees are looking for new players – visit www.dbeeshockey.com

DB ANGELS FOOTBALL CLUB

The first girls-only football club in DB. For more information visit www.dbangelsfc.hk

HEALTH & WELL-BEING

HEALTH & WELL-BEING

COUNSELLING

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A PERSONAL TRAINER?

For grown-ups who want to keep growing. Stress, anxiety, anger, depression, or relationship problems?

These issues present an opportunity for personal growth & development.

Authenticity Counselling helps adults deal with issues of living in an empowered, authentic & growthful way. Contact Stephen at 9630 2385, stephen@authenticitycounselling.com or visit www.authenticitycounselling.com

THE SKIN THERAPY CENTRE IN DB

DB PIRATES RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB

Offering Under-6 rugby through to a new senior team, the DB Pirates has grown rapidly into a powerful force in Hong Kong.

The club has more teams & age groups than ever before in its rugby section.

To join visit www.dbpirates.com

DB TIGERS BASEBALL CLUB Play baseball on Saturday afternoons – the club is accepting players age five to 13.

If you are interested please contact the club on info@dbtigers.com or visit www.dbtigers.com

Fully qualified, UK-trained beauty therapist with over 16-years’ experience.

• C.A.C.I. – the new CACI ultimate, incorp MICRO-DERMABRASION, L.E.D LIGHT THERAPY, to treat lines & wrinkles plus facial toning using microcurrent exclusive to C.A.C.I • FACIALS – Nobel-prize winning SKEYNDOR stem plant system cell facials & homecare, DERMATOLOGICA products & Dr Murad VIT C, Glycolic peels & anti-aging treats GUINOT - HYDRADERMIE with Lifting Plus treatment • AROMATHERAPY - using 100%-certified organic oils • BODY MASSAGE / BODY SCRUBS/ WRAPS for slimming & detoxifying • REFLEXOLOGY • WAXING & EYELASH TINTING • COLOUR ME BEAUTIFUL make-over & colour analysis • GIFT VOUCHERS Call Gillian on 9604 6920/ 2987 0764

HYPNOSIS &/OR SHORT- TERM THERAPY

Quit smoking quickly.

Post-divorce coaching.

Resolve: • Fear of flying/ public speaking • Overeating • Couples’ conflicts • Career & command-training stress • Anger management • Phobias • Nail biting • Insomnia Call Dr Melanie Bryan, Psy.D. Clinical Psychologist & Hypnotherapist on 2575 7707, or visit www.mindmatters.hk

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Your search for one-on-one fitness training is over. New to DB! Call Petra on 6605 2727

PROFESSIONAL BEAUTICIAN AVAILABLE FOR HOME APPOINTMENTS • Facials - HK$150 up • Brazilian waxing - HK$160 • Full legs, arms, underarms HK$150 • Pedicure, manicure, massages & haircuts For ladies only.

Please call Preeti on 3484 3758

HOME & REPAIRS

HOME & REPAIRS FTC LOGISTICS

• Local & international • Moving & storage • World-class service • Competitive rates Call 2814 1658, or visit www.ftc.hk

AKASH MOVERS

For all your moving needs, including packing materials, & full packing & moving services. Plus small deliveries & handyman services.

Payment upon complete satisfaction.

Best move - best rates.

Call 2421 8088, or visit www.akash.hk

NEED STORAGE?

• Low-cost storage • For a box to a whole house • Humidity controlled From HK$550/month.

We collect & deliver. Call 2578 1865 or visit www.expertmover.hk

BIOCYCLE (HK) LTD

Safe & Ecological Pest & Termite Management. ISO14001 & ISO9001 Certified. Unique biocide, BioKill®, ‘poison’ label exemption.

Contact 3575 2575, info@biocycle.hk, or visit www.biocycle.hk

EXPERT TRANSPORT & RELOCATIONS MOVER

For local & international moves.

Collection, storage & disposal.

All sorts of handyman work: painting & tiling, & installation of TVs, pictures, fans etc.

All-in-one professional service at attractive rates.

Contact 2566 4799, www.expertmover.hk

KIDS MIDGET GEMS RENTAL Have an idea for a children’s business?

We have a clubroom available for rent, afternoon time slots.

Please call Koren on 9176 2990

GEMS OCCASIONS

Looking for that perfect party venue for your little gem? A colourful, safe & fun environment with toys & dress-up clothes. We have an entertainer upon request. We also tidy up!

Please contact 9176 2990, info@midgetgemskidsclub.com, or visit www.midgetgemskidsclub.com

KIDS

EARLY ADVENTURES PARTY TIME!

Need a venue for a party? Ideal playgroup environment with toys & activities. For further information, please call 9511 2107

EARLY ADVENTURES PLAYGROUP

A dedicated playgroup with the emphasis on learning through play.

Activities to stimulate all areas of development.

Come & look at our facilities.

Classes from 20 months to 4 years.

Morning & afternoon sessions.

Call 9511 2107, or visit www.earlyadventures.net

MIDGET GEMS KIDS’ CLUB

Established playgroup for children from 2-4 years.

Morning sessions with afternoons coming soon.

A wonderful environment where children learn through play with our qualified & experienced teachers.

Also offering Bilingual Gems, afternoon sessions in German & Mandarin.

Please contact 2987 0272, info@midgetgemskidsclub.com, or visit www.midgetgemskidsclub.com

Deadline for May issue Classifieds

April 12

Begin a career in English Language Teaching

Trinity Certificate in TESOL

We are now accepting application for the following intensive 4-week CertTESOL courses: • 14 May – 10 June 2012 • 2 July – 29 July 2012 • 30 July – 26 August 2012

And the following 12-week part-time CertTESOL course: • 9 June – 27 August 2012 E peter.andrews@englishforasia.com T 2392 2746 W www.englishforasia.com/en/trinity

April 2012

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PROPERTY DB

PROPERTY DB

SHORT-TERM LET, PENTHOUSES

DELUXE SERVICED APARMENTS

STYLISH SHORT-TERM RENTAL

NEW SHORT- OR LONG-TERM RENTAL

From HK$700 per night. 2-3 beds & studios all with balcony. Luxuriously furnished, with TV, DVD, cable & broadband. Panoramic harbour views & short walk to pier. Contact Brian on 9098 6951, or brian@headlandhomes.hk

Fully furnished, with cable TV, DVD, linens & towels provided.

Contact 9159 2476 or sweet_castillo2001@yahoo.com

GREENDALE COURT RENTAL

Brand-new, fully furnished, 533’ 1-bed apartment. Deluxe renovation, on a high floor, with mountain view. Call 9108 5525

LUXURY MODERN FLAT TO LET

Short- or medium-term rental at Siena 2. 600’ 1-bedroom flat with sea views, near North Plaza, Club Siena & tunnel. Serviced & fully furnished with washer/dryer, bed linen & kitchenware. Plus wi-fi, broadband, blue-ray & home theatre.

Contact 9317 0624 or nialady2011@gmail.com

LUXURIOUS 1-BED APARTMENT

Newly renovated, 550’ flat on a high floor with split-type air conditioning. Fully equipped with DVD & free wi-fi. Bedding & towels provided. Weekly cleaning available. Email dbaygreenish@gmail.com

For lease. Fully furnished 1-2-bed apartments with beautiful decor, wi-fi & broadband. Well-equipped kitchen, luxurious bedding, weekly cleaning service. Contact Cherry on 2987 2626 or cherry@appletravel.com

Greenery Court, 1-bedroom flat with deluxe renovation. Modern & fully furnished with internet, 37’’ LCD TV & DVD. Contact Sandy on 9654 8862, or sandylamdb@yahoo.com.hk

NICE SHORT-TERM RENTAL

Newly renovated studio flat with open kitchen, 5 minutes to pier. Fully furnished, with cable TV & broadband. Contact 2987 2468, or dbshortlet@yahoo.com.hk

PROPERTY DB STUDIO FOR SHORT-TERM LET Comfortable, nicely decorated studio, close to DB Plaza & pier, with fully equipped kitchen. 37” TV, DVD, wi-fi, linens & towels provided. Contact 9190 7348, niceroom_db@yahoo.com.hk 2-BED APARTMENT FOR RENT Greenmont Court, nice & fully furnished. Contact 9108 5525

PROPERTY OVERSEAS

AUSTRALIAN PROPERTY

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

Free online at www.aussieproperty.com

FULLY FURNISHED 1-BED RENTAL

Smart apartment on a high floor with sea view.

Close to pier & DB Plaza.

Call Tiareti on 9732 8985

CHERISH COURT TO LET

Fully furnished 2-bedroom, newly renovated flat. Tranquil with sea & Disneyland view, & wi-fi. Photos available. Contact Jacqueline at 9811 0718, jacquelinedb@gmail.com

SHORT-TERM 3-BED RENTAL

Fully furnished, 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom flat in Jovial Court. Linen & fluffy towels provided, baby items available. LCD TV, DVD, wi-fi, telephone, washer & dryer. Fabulous views. Non-smoking flat. Call 6905 3765 evenings & weekends or email jovialflat@gmail.com

Advertise your business and get great results with Around DB

2987 0577

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April 2012

SPANISH VILLA FOR SALE

20 minutes from Valencia airport. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Large living room/ dining room & kitchen plus garage. Mature terraced gardens with Roman-style pool. Good holiday rental returns: 240,000 euros. For more details & photos, email snr.cranmer@gmail.com

PETS QUO QUO CLUB DOG SERVICES

Grooming, boarding & behaviour classes. Responsible, patient & detail-conscious in a hygienic & relaxed environment. Call Dave Chan, Associate Member of The Animal Care College, Berkshire, UK, on 9872 5439, or visit http://quoquoclub.com

SERVICES & OTHERS AUSTRALIAN TAX RETURNS Need to lodge your Australian tax return? If you are an expat or collect rental from Australian property, you must lodge an annual return.

Let us do it for you here in Hong Kong. Contact Australasian Taxation Services on 3571 8700, or helen.wong@smats.net, or visit www.smats.net

TRAVEL FLIGHT CENTRE

We have opened a new store in SoHo, 49 Caine Road!

Speak to our travel experts to check out all the special offers and endless holiday possibilities!

Contact 2830 2866, enquiry@flightcentre.com.hk or visit www.flightcentre.com.hk

TRAVEL

TUITION & COURSES

YANGTZE GORGES WITH JASON WORDIE

CHINESE (MANDARIN & CANTONESE) & MATHEMATICS

Tour “Vinegar Joe” and the “Flying Tigers”. Six Days.

Departs 17June, 2012.

Concorde Travel 2526 3391 www.concorde-travel.com Licence 350343

TUITION & COURSES MATHEMATICS (GCSE, AS, SAT, IB, GMAT, ETC.) & ENGLISH TUITION

Offered by a London University graduate (First-Class Honours).

Experienced in teaching adults, ESF & International School students.

Call 9121 0389

Personal Professional Tutoring Services.

• Curriculum: HSK, IB, GCSE, SAT • ESF & all international schools welcome • For students Year 1-13 (Children to adults; homework/ exam to business • Chinese: mother-tongue tutors from PRC (Levels: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) • Mathematics: tutors (UK B.Sc. Mathematics) Call 9107 5655, or email gracias8@hotmail.com

NATIVE ENGLISH TEACHER CHINESE MANDARIN LESSONS

DB Mandarin Room at Phase 1.

For Year 1-13 students: schedule on demand. Many groups of different levels to meet each student’s needs. Help with homework, revision, exams & more.

For adults: beginners, intermediate & advanced classes every Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 10-11am.

Please call 6071 9643, or visit http://putonghua.isfun.net

With classroom in Central provides English for all levels.

IELTS, IGCSE, IB, general English, pronunciation, grammar & vocabulary for communication, job interviews & promotions.

Plus academic English, presentation skills, etc.

Private lessons HK$400-450.

Contact 9478 4730, ChrisRose@RoseEnglish.com or visit www.RoseEnglish.com

French Primary Classes Accepting registrations now for September 2012  Full-time Primary One class (Cours Preparatoire CP) with qualified, certified and experienced French teacher  Official French distance learning Cned programmes for Primary 2 to 6

For more information, please call 6538 1578 or e-mail us at info@pmcuriehk.com.

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Your ultimate guide in DB

DBNUMBERS COMMUNITY & HEALTH Bayside Dental Practice, North Plaza Catholic Church (Trinity Chapel) DB Alliance Church Community Centre DB International Community Church Discovery Bay Community Hall Discovery Bay Medical Centre Health & Care Dental Clinic Herbal Healthcare Island Health Island Veterinary Services The Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council

LEARNING CENTRES

HOME

2987 0855 2988 1515 2987 8136 2987 7061 2852 4338 2987 5633 2666 6183 2834 7276 2987 7575 2987 9003 2259 3422

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

Prince & Princess

Kids Wear & Accessories Shop G13B, G/F., North Plaza Tel: 2947 9228 Opening Hours: 10am – 6pm www.prince-princess.com.hk

rush yoga ∙ fitness ∙ swim

Island Dance

Furniture, Wall paper, Interior Design and Home Furnishings Shop 119 DB Plaza Tel: +852 3482 5785 www.yaalidesigns.com, info@yaalidesigns.com Good Luck Engineering Hoi Yu Transportation Home Services Engineering Hung Kee Co Interior 18 Japan Home Centre Marc James Design, North Plaza Next Furniture Rapee-living Rich Point Hardware Materials Season Art Kitchen Perfection Tai Fat Hardware Store Wing On Department Store Yours Electrical Centre

Freestyle, Jazz, Ballet & Tap Tel: 2987 1571 www.islanddance.com.hk

2987 1313 2987 4488 2987 0061 2987 5087 2987 7803 2987 1041 2765 5700 2987 0222 2987 7082 2987 0789 2987 1990 2987 0789 2987 9268 2987 4428

Mandarin for Munchkins® 2012 Easter camp Apr 2nd – Apr 14th For kids 1 year and up Call 2480 3909 www. mandarinformunchkins.com

Midget Gems Kid’s Club Established playgroup for children 2-4 years Tel: 2987 0272 info@ midgetgemskidsclub.com www.midgetgemskidsclub.com

LEARNING CENTRES

G/F, G35, DB Plaza, Discovery Bay Tel +852 2526 0720 www.rush.com.hk Mon – Sun: 10:30am to 7:30pm

Mountainview Montessori

International Academy of Performing Arts

Sunwood by Design

Run by Montessori trained teacher Come and Join the Fun! mountainview_montessori@hotmail.com

Discovery College www.actingantics.com Contact deborah@actingantics.com 852 6842 8092 - 8122 9475

International Bodyfit Swimwear Exercise and Yoga Wear T: 6626 5470 www.sunwood-by-design.com

British Studio of Art Hong Kong

Treat Boutique "Treat yourself, Treat your wallet"

New art studio in DB for 2 year-olds to adults www.bsoahk.com info@bsoahk.com Tel: 9132 5249 / 6170 2875

US Depatment store handbags, jewelry, ladies wear, men's wear and more...

Tel: 6163 3421 In Style Little Whale Nomadic Start-rite shoes

L’ecole Pierre Et Marie Curie

2987 8226 3480 1348 2987 8460 2987 2098

L’Ecole Francaise de Discovery Limited French classes, specialised and tutorial services Block One, LG6, 92 Siena Avenue DB North, Discovery Bay Tel (+852) 6538 1578 info@pmcuriehk.com

ColourStorm Art Centre (North Plaza) DB International School (Kindergarten) DB International School (Pri. / Sec.) DB Garden House Montessori Discovery College Discovery Mind International Play Centre Discovery Mind Kindergarten Discovery Montessori School DMR School of Ballet Early Adventures Learning Centre HK International Learning Academy Les Petits Lascars de DB SKH Wei Lun Primary School Sunshine House Int’l Pre-School Sunshine House Kindergarten Treasure House MULTIMEDIA

DAILY NECESSITIES 7-Eleven Convenience Store 7-Eleven Food Kiosk Fusion by PARKnSHOP GNC Mannings Watson’s Pharmacy Wellcome

2987 4401 2914 1183 2987 7486 2987 9331 2987 1720 2987 4089 2947 9092

First Friends & Second Friends DB’s largest & longest running playgroup Iin Porter 9151 5545 firstsecondfriends@yahoo.com www.firstfriendshk.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES AlcaMat Financial & Accounting Services HSBC HSBC Expat Travelex Money Exchange, North Plaza Luen Fat Securities Co. Ltd

2325 3999 2914 2142 2987 7331 6114 2436 3969 1000 2987 8028 2987 8088 2987 1201 2987 4338 9511 2107 2416 3088 2526 8892 2987 8608 2987 0813 2987 8143 2987 4217

2851 8081 2233 3000 2822 3927 2682 1210 2987 1851

HOME

Bookazine, DB Ferry Dymocks & Gallery Fotomax (F.E.) Ltd Fun to Read Movieland Pen’n Paper P-Solution The Bookshop

2987 1373 2987 8494 2914 2378 3105 3588 2987 7111 2987 8898 2987 1777 2987 9372

OTHER SERVICES Kindergarten, French classes and tutorial services.

French kindergarten open for registrations for school year 2012-13.

Accepting registrations for 2011-12.

LG-05, 92 Siena Avenue, DB North Tel: 6710 0391 e-mail: info@la-petite-enfance.com

PetcoDB Grooming & Pet Services Wth Trust, Love & Safe Care For the ones you love Tel: 2914 0382 Email: info@petcoDB.com www.petcoDB.com

Little Explorers

Butterfly Dreams Luxury Bed Linens Ltd. “Luxury that doesn’t cost the Earth” Tel. ( 852 ) 9770 4474 / 9779 9424 www.butterflydreams.com.hk

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A fun place for little ones to play and have loads of fun, fun, fun!

Tel: 9327 0507 Email: littleexplorers@team-fear.com

Amity Shoe Care Apple Travel Co Pets Gallery The Optical House Well Supreme Laundry Services

2987 4538 2987 2626 2987 0428 2987 1368 2987 5151

DBNUMBERS REAL-ESTATE AGENCIES

SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT

Movement Improvement Pilates, yoga, posture & fitness 2987 5852 www.movementimprovement.com.hk

Lifestyle Homes Tel: 2914 0888 info@lifestylehomes.com.hk www.lifestylehomes.com.hk Centaline Property Agency Limited Century 21 Newcourt Realty Headland Homes Kingsford DB Ltd Land Master Property Midland Realty

2914 2727 2914 0186 2987 7351 2987 6348 2987 0208 2987 9368

UTILITIES, SERVICES & EMERGENCY HOTLINES

2987 8484 2987 9729 2987 2088 2987 6888 2987 6238 2987 2888

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

RESTAURANTS 22º North Berliner Café Duvet Caramba Mexican Cantina Ebeneezer’s First Korean Restaurant Fresh Fruit Juice Paradise Hemingway’s by the Bay il Bel Paese Ippu Japanese Restaurant Island Café Jaspa’s, North Plaza Koh Tomyums La Création Bakery McDonald’s & McCafé McSorley’s Ale House Mirch Masala, North Plaza Pacific Coffee Paisano’s, North Plaza Peony Chinese Restaurant Sopranos Subway Super Super Uncle Russ, DB Plaza Uncle Russ, North Plaza Wildfire Fresh Zak’s

TRANSPORT SERVICES DB Golf Cart Services DB Transit Services DB Transportation Services Hire Car Bookings Passenger Telephone hotline Wiselink Golf Cart Services

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Sports World All your sporting needs right here in DB Tel: 2914 1323 Email: bruce@sportsworld.hk

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

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WELL-BEING Club Siena Discovery Bay Marina Club Discovery Bay Golf Club Discovery Bay Residents Club

Body Talk

2987 7382 2987 9591 2987 7273 2987 7381

Holistic therapy for illness, stress, sports injury & learning disorders Tel: 6683 5755 angie@bodytalksystem.com.hk www.bodytalksystem.com.hk

TOYS, ACCESSORIES & KIDS’ PARTIES

Little Miss Green The Party Queen Eco Party Supplies, Toys, Games & Gifts www.missgreenpartyqueen.com

Child & Family Development Practice Developing Potential, exploring possibilities www.childdevelopment.com.hk info@childdevelopement.com.hk

SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT

Penny Scallan Design

Curves Women’s Fitness Centre Club Siena Discovery Bay

Unique and individual Tel: 6015 4050 hk@pennyscallan.biz www.pennyscallan.biz

Tel: 2987 0772 curvesdb@gmail.com www.curves.com

Nailed It Professional artificial nail services in DB Tel: 2987 2266

Planting Ideas, Growing Minds.

Tel: 2987 2608 soyhongkong@gmail.com www.seedling.com.hk

Embody Exercise for Energy for Life Tel: 2987 8923 / 9443 8333 Email: embody-hk@live.com www.embody.com.hk

Professional beauty treatments

by qualified RN & Medical Aesthetics Consultant kittytang@professionals-beauty.com Tel: 5116 1617 www.professionals-beauty.com

Spa Siena

Stuck on You

HK Dragons Football Club Football for 2.5yrs to 14yrs old girls and boys Tel: 2987 4274 www.dragons.hk

Label It, Own It, Keep It! Tel: 2549 2245, 2987 2608 sales.hk@stuckonyou.biz www.stuckonyou.biz Bo Bo House Toysland

Ladies only day spa providing a wide range of massage treatment Tel: 2987 7382

2987 4230 2987 7859 TRANSPORT SERVICES

Sher Martelle-Climas, R.M.T.

Lantau Island Outrigging Canoe Club Training at Lantau Boat Club, Tai Pak beach www.liocc.com

Limousine Rental

limo service in HK & China.  pick up from / to DB Tunnel  direct transfer to SZ / GZ Airport Tel: 5303 3489 / 9654 0899 limo9689@yahoo.com

DB’s Massage Therapist House calls, by appointment only Call for rates 9503 9117 Afflatus Hair Workshop Maximum Care Salon De Coiffure Sense of Touch

April 2012

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HEALTHQ&A

DB resident Graeme Bradshaw of holistic health centre, the Integrated Medical Institute (IMI) gives us the lowdown on effective and long-lasting weight loss

Do many people come to you looking to lose weight?

Once I lose weight how do I keep it off?

Often, people come with underlying health conditions such as sluggish metabolism, toxic overload, food intolerances and stress hormone-induced fat deposition in the tummy region. Other times, the problem is overeating for emotional comfort, to feed a feeling rather than a growling tummy. Still for some, it is the ‘normal’ things.

It takes about 3,500 calories to gain a pound of body fat.

Just seven generous glasses of wine or small lattes or cans of coke a week add up to 15 pounds a year (if that’s a surplus to your energy needs).

Four things are necessary – a lower carbohydrate diet, mindfulness about what you eat and the ability to sense fullness, longer-term exercise and addressing any underlying hidden causes of weight-gain tendency.

These are key precursors to a successful weight-loss programme.

Can stress be a factor in weight gain?

Chronic stress sends the body's cortisol levels up. Prolonged high levels of cortisol cause the body to store fat, lose muscle and slow metabolism, which in turn leads to weight gain.

Also, craving sweets is a symptom of lower serotonin, the calming happy-hormone, which is reduced by chronic stress.

Can certain herbs promote weight loss?

Green tea is a useful drink for weight loss, supporting calorie burning and cholesterol correction as well. There are some herbs that suppress appetite, but we don't advise them. There are others that assist liver and bowel cleansing which are useful if the weight loss is part of a bigger detox programme. Sometimes fluid retention needs to be flushed out with herbs. Candida fungal infections need herbal attention too, otherwise the infection creates strong sugar cravings.

Do food allergies affect weight?

Yes, food intolerance is very commonly the undiagnosed cause of stubborn weight problems. It’s usually accompanied by fluid retention in the legs or longterm digestive problems, and often with fatigue, mild depression and aches and pains. The other classic signs of allergy such as rashes, asthma or blocked sinuses may be present with some food intolerances.

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How do you define healthy weight management?

The most effective approach is focused towards maintaining ‘real foods’ – proteins and vegetables and selected fruits, while reducing calories from alcohol, sugar, and also by avoiding refined carbohydrates. I often advise just dropping wheat products as it cuts most ‘problem carbohydrates’ out. Many people suddenly feel great coming off wheat. Unnecessary fats are also trimmed, but all meats are allowed with plenty of leafy vegetables to keep a balanced diet. Proteinbased meal replacement shakes are often handy, especially for those in a rush to lose weight and for vegetarians, who otherwise find it difficult to get onto a low enough carbohydrate diet. The advantage of this approach is to lose around two pounds a week (typically eight to 12 pounds in a month), without it being muscle, but mainly fat loss. The metabolism is maintained and there are minimal cravings.

So I don’t need to exercise?

Not if you want to lose weight quickly. The fastest way to lose weight is by reducing calories. But the most commonly successful way to keep weight off is around three hours exercise a week. That amount burns off around 1,000 calories – adding up to 15 pounds a year of fat. And you feel happier (you have more serotonin), thus craving less carbohydrate. Exercise is the key to longterm success.

You can contact Graeme at IMI on 2523 7121, or

Why do I think about food all the time when I diet?

visit www.imi.com.hk.

Unbalanced diets with no carbohydrates or too few calories are famous for the rebound. Diet foods with aspartame turn out to provoke sugar cravings too. To avoid cravings, some healthy snacks mid-afternoon will help.

For health talks or event updates, go to

April 2012

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