Around DB June Issue 2019

Discovery Bay’s original community magazine

Summer Camps Guide

First businesses in DB

(and the women behind them)

Grilling tips for barbecue enthusiasts

JUNE 2019

Where to eat, shop and play in North Point Why writing stories comes naturally to kids

Paddlers

Making a splash on Dragon Boat Day ISLAND-WIDE EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS * THOUGHTS ON ISLAND LIFE

FREE

CONTENTS June 2019

Join your community online

PROFILE - 34 DB paddlers Uschi and Florian Mirus

IN FOCUS - 38 First businesses in DB

EDUCATION - 46 Why story writing comes naturally to kids

TOP TIPS - 55 How to grill up a storm

ESCAPES - 64 Your guide to North Point

34 REGULARS

If you have a story idea, email rachel@baymedia.com.hk To publicise a local event, email elizabeth@baymedia.com.hk For general enquiries, email info@baymedia.com.hk To advertise, email corinne@baymedia.com.hk For graphic design, email andrew@baymedia.com.hk Call 2987 0577/ 2787 0886 Fax 2987 0533

AGENDA

27

SPOTLIGHT Stefano Passarello

41

WISH LIST June must-haves

67 76

10

DB EVENTS

31

GIVEAWAYS

68

HK HAPPENINGS

DB FACES In and around the plaza

70

CLASSIFIEDS

OUT THERE Peter Sherwood talks back

72

PROPERTY

73

LOCAL NUMBERS

INSIDER > 59 CentreStage HK reveals how performing arts classes benefit shy kids

ON THE COVER The German Dragons

We also publish…

To read the cover story, turn to page 34

Discovery Bay’s original community magazine

Summer Camps Guide

> 60 Top tips on probate from Carey, Suen Will Services

FREE June / July 2019

JUNE 2019

2018 / 2019 WIN! A term’s dance classes with Twinkle Dance Company, tickets to Hong Kong Disneyland, a place on a Treasure Island summer camp and an A Tavola dinner voucher

Publishers in Lantau since 2002

NEW FESTIVAL ALL SET TO BOOST THE LOCAL LIVE MUSIC SCENE First businesses in DB

(and the women behind them)

Grilling tips for barbecue enthusiasts

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DRAGON BOATING

Where to eat, shop and play in North Point Why writing stories comes naturally to kids

Paddlers

Making a splash on Dragon Boat Day ISLAND-WIDE EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS * THOUGHTS ON ISLAND LIFE

FREE

Photo by Baljit Gidwani www.evoqueportraits.com

HIKING THE LANTAU TRAIL (SECTIONS 7 TO 9)

Love our ocean

FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF

M E E T E C O M A R I N E AC T I V I S T K E I L E M N G

NEWS & EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS * THOUGHTS ON ISLAND LIFE

Publishers in Lantau since 2002

www.arounddb.com

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

PUBLISHER Corinne Jedwood corinne@baymedia.com.hk MANAGING EDITOR Rachel Ainsley rachel@baymedia.com.hk PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Elizabeth Jerabek elizabeth@baymedia.com.hk SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Andrew Spires andrew@baymedia.com.hk ASSISTANT GRAPHIC DESIGNER Duey Tam duey@baymedia.com.hk DIGITAL & EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Alexander Grasic alexander@baymedia.com.hk SALES ACCOUNT MANAGER Monika Carruthers monika@baymedia.com.hk OFFICE MANAGER Nikki-Ann Yee nikki@baymedia.com.hk PHOTOGRAPHER Baljit Gidwani www.evoqueportraits.com INTERN Lea Mahoudeau-Campoyer production@baymedia.com.hk CONTRIBUTORS Elizabeth Kerr Suveera Sharma Peter Sherwood Samantha Wong PRINTING Champion Design & Production Company Ltd. Flat D, 18/F, Sing Teck Factory Building, 44 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Hong Kong.

DISCLAIMER The views expressed in AroundDB are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or contributors. The publisher and editor cannot be held responsible for differences of opinion or statements published in good faith. The publisher, contributors, their employees and partners are not responsible for the results of any actions, errors or omissions taken on the basis of information contained in this publication and expressly disclaim all and any liability for any such action of any person.

The mention of specific companies or products in articles or advertisements does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by this magazine or its publisher in preference to others of a similar nature which are not mentioned or advertised. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without permission.

© BAY MEDIA GROUP LTD

www.actionasiaevents.com

BONAQUA ACTION X DB SPRINT

In the BONAQUA Action X SPRINT Trail Series – Discovery Bay – on April 28, competitors chose to run either 12 or 9 kilometres across the trails. Those who opted for the 9-kilometre race did not have to tackle Tiger’s Head.

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

THE HOTTEST

IN DISCOVERY BAY

THE CRAYON RUN

Kids, parents and helpers enjoyed a morning fun run on May 4 on Tai Pak Wan. Proceeds from The Crayon Run were donated to charity, with a presentation at the Duchess of Kent Children’s Hospital at Sandy Bay at the end of May.

www.evoqueportraits.com

www.arounddb.com June 2019

11

DB EVENTS

LITTLE BLACK DRESS PARTY

Joyce Moir hosted her annual Little Black Dress Party at her home on May 9, raising HK$13,160 for charity.

This year’s benefit was to support the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. www.evoqueportraits.com

AUSKICK/AFL TRIAL SESSIONS

DB-based Australian Rules Football (AFL) club the Lantau Lizards hosted a trial Auskick session for kids aged five to 14 on May 4. The kids learned the basic skills of AFL at the DB North Plaza pitch.

Photos courtesy of Rebecca Williams

DB PIRATES AWARDS

Parents and players attended the annual DB Pirates awards ceremonies for Minis on May 5, and for Youth on May 4.

Photos courtesy of Col Sim & Ginny Malbon

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June 2019 www.arounddb.com

DB EVENTS

KIDS MAKING PIZZAS

Kids unleashed their inner chef at the Pizza Express pizza making workshop on May 11. Staff taught them how to spread the tomato base and layer their chosen toppings on top. www.evoqueportraits.com

DBFC AT THE HKFC CITI SOCCER SEVENS

Discovery Bay Football Club team TDW Discovery Bay put up a stellar performance in the Master’s tournament of the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens, May 17 to 19. The DB team just missed taking home the Master’s Plate after one missed penalty in a shootout with Eleven FC. www.discoverybayfc.com

WELSH MALE VOICE CHOIR

The Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir teamed up with Discovery College’s Primary Cobra Choir and the Unsung Heroes to give families a musical treat on May 19.

www.discovery.edu.hk

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June 2019 www.arounddb.com

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Discover y Bay is getting hot!

During the month of June, U n c le Ru s s / T h e P i e r B a r a n d S wed i s h Ă… re wa te r h ave a t h i rs t q u e n c h i n g o f fe r :

Buy one Ă…re water get one , free!

SPONSORED CONTENT

t a a p S d n a e n i D Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel T

he weather is warm. The sun is shining and it is the perfect season to enjoy some Spanish tapas and Portuguese petiscos with a cold glass of sangria. But fear not if your summer travel plans don’t happen to include a trip to the Iberian Peninsula, as the Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel’s SkyCity Bistro is bringing the best of Spanish and Portuguese cuisine to Lantau.

Throughout June, SkyCity Bistro is featuring a range of authentic Spanish and Portuguese dishes, such as chickpea and tripe stew, chicken paella and Portuguese pork stew. The buffet also includes traditional Spanish and Portuguese desserts, such as arroz doce (Portuguese sweet rice pudding) and the classic natillas de leche (Spanish custard).

Photo courtesy of www.skycitymarriott.com

The dinner buffet comes in at HK$508 for adults and HK$254 for children, Monday to Thursday, and at HK$568 for adults and HK$284 for children, Friday to Sunday. A free-flow selection of sangria is available on Fridays and at the weekends.

If you’re still feeling curious – and hungry – be sure to also enjoy SkyCity Bistro’s regular buffet options, such as the seafood corner, Indian food station and the noodle station.

SkyCity Bistro, one of five dining establishments available at the Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott, specialises in international and themed lunch and dinner buffets.

Infused with natural daylight, it features an open kitchen with a

Spanish and Portuguese themed buffet

combination of communal and private dining spaces in a stylish, upbeat setting.

Another special on offer at the Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott this month involves a trip to the awardwinning Quan Spa, followed by afternoon tea at The Lounge.

The Rejuvenating Day Spa with Afternoon Tea package is priced at HK$2,380 for two people.

Quan Spa’s trained and certified therapists perform a full spectrum of body massages and face therapies. They use premium products from Thalgo, with an emphasis on natural ingredients.

As part of the Rejuvenating Day

Spa with Afternoon Tea package, you can enjoy the signature Aroma Fusion Massage at Quan Spa. Book one day in advance and you are entitled to an early bird offer – an additional 30-minute’s Aroma Fusion Massage.

To finish up your day of pampering, there’s afternoon tea at The Lounge. The menu changes seasonally, with a Tea WG Hong Kong treat on offer in June. This includes a wide array of tea-infused items such as jasmine tea jelly with smoked salmon tart, Imperial Oolong macaroons and Darjeeling mousse. Each serving for two comes with a complimentary Tea WG gift bag and a steaming pot of Tea WG tea.

FIND IT • Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel, 1 Sky City Road East, Hong Kong International Airport, Chek Lap Kok, 3969 1888, www.skycitymarriott.com

All prices are subject to 10% service charge.

www.arounddb.com June 2019

17

DB EVENTS

YOUR GUIDE

E H T TO

L A I T N E S UPCOMING ES COMMUNITY EVENTS

DB ARTISTS’ GROUP SHOW

DB PIRATES UPDATE

Auberge Discovery Bay

Auberge Discovery Bay Join members of the DB Pirates at their end-of-season celebration at 7pm.

Tickets for dinner, free flow drinks and raffle prizes www.dbpirates.com cost HK$900 per person. Registration is now open for those looking to join the Pirates’ rugby (minis, youth and seniors), hockey (minis), netball and dragon-boat teams. For more information, email events@dbpirates.com or visit dbpirates.com.

June 1

June 1

CRAFT BEER WITH NAGGIN EEJITS Three Sheets Photo courtesy of Carolina Kollman

Top DB artists including Assia Bennani, Carolina Kollmann, Eleanor McColl, Ginny Malbon, Yulia Shautsukova, Alicia Van Thiel and Fan Yan are showing their work at a one-day-only art exhibit from 10am to 7pm. To find out more, email Carolina Kollmann at carolinakollmann@gmail.com.

THE DREAM

Youth Square, Chai Wan June 7

Enjoy craft beer on tap and live music by the Celtic band Naggin Eejits from 4pm until late. The event is free and the award-winning beers from Brooklyn Brewery – such as Bel Air Sour and Defender IPA – are only HK$50 a pint.

For more information, visit www.threesheets.com.hk.

June 1

www.pexels.com

DB DRAGON BOATING Tai Pak Wan & DB Plaza June 9

www.dmr-hk.com

DMR School of Ballet is performing The Dream, a spectacular ballet based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The show features DMR students aged six to 18 years old. For tickets head to www.urbtix.hk; for more information, visit www.dmr-hk.com.

18

June 2019 www.arounddb.com

www.evoqueportraits.com

Watch dragon boaters battle it out across men’s, ladies’, mixed, open and youth categories at the Discovery Bay Dragon Boat Races and Carnival. The event runs from 8am to 6pm with carnival fun for kids thrown in. For more information, call 2238 3601.

COMPETITIONS LOVE IS ALL AROUND DB Thanks go to all the DB residents who participated in the Love is all around DB competition and submitted photos and stories to reveal what makes their mum or dad special. To see the Father’s Day finalists, put together in honour of Father’s Day on June 16, turn to page 28.

The competition is sponsored by Love.Together@DB, the community caring platform initiated by Hong Kong Resort. For more information, follow the Around DB Facebook page or visit www.arounddb.com.

INTERNATIONAL PROVERSE PRIZE Submission date: June 30 Founded by DB residents – Dr Verner Bickley, MBE and his wife, Dr Gillian Bickley – the International Proverse Prize for Unpublished Nonfiction, Fiction and Poetry is open for entry. The deadline proversepublishing.com for submission is June 30, and anyone aged 18 years or over can enter, irrespective of residence, citizenship or nationality. Submit your work at proversehongkong.submittable.com/submit.

To find out more, email proverse@netvigator.com or visit www.proversepublishing.com.

AD

OPT A PET through Hong Kong Paws Foundation (PAWS) in DB Pla za on June 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 from 2pm to 6pm.

Call Kat Cheung on 9485 5188.

YOUNG WRITERS COMPETITION Online voting: June 7-14

STOCK UP AT

You can vote online for your favourite story in the Around DB and Life on Lantau Young Writers Competition (YWC) from June 7 to 14. Head to the YWC landing page at www.arounddb.com, where you’ll find links to all three stories, and click on one of the ‘vote now’ widgets.

After the voting ends on June 14, the results will be posted on the Around DB and Life on Lantau Facebook pages and www.arounddb.com, and there will be an award ceremony with prizes provided by Bookazine, at Discovery Bay International School on June 19.

The winning article will be published in the July issue of Around DB and the August issue of Life on Lantau, along with profiles of the three finalists.

Thanks to all the students who submitted stories this year, and good luck to the three finalists pictured below: Millie Zoë Tarrant, 12, Discovery College; Hermione Barnes-Clay, 13, Discovery Bay International School; and Renee Tan, 15, Discovery College. For more on the YWC, turn to page 46.

THE PLAN from Haven Court on June 1 fromT MARKET across 2pm to 4.45pm.

Call 2238 3617.

JOIN A BE

ACH CLEAN-UP June 1 with DB Green and Plastic at Sam Pak Wan on Free Seas from 2pm to 4pm. Visit plasticfreeseas.org.

ENJOY FREE YO

GA FOR at Yoga Bay, DB North Plaza on HELPERS classes June 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 from 7am to 8am. Call 6704 9851/ 9150 7019 or visit yogabay.hk.

HAVE YOUR PRELOVED IT EMS COLLECTED at your home on Jun e 4, 6, 11, 13,

18, 20, 25 and 27 from 2pm to 4pm. WhatsApp Nikki Boot at 9677 6676.

CONNECT AT THE DB ENTR NETWORKING BREAKFAS EPRENEURS T at Zak’s on Jun e

6 at 8am. To register, visit www.t 8events.com.

SHOP THE DISCOVERY BA Y SUNDAY MARKET in DB Plaza on June 9 from 11am

Visit www.handmadehongkong.c om.

to 6pm.

HELP YO

Photo by Duey Tam

UR HELPER! Enrich HK workshop s equip helpers with the tools to save, budget and plan for a future with greater financi al security. Visit www.enrichhk.org.

www.arounddb.com June 2019

19

DB EVENTS

TITANIC

Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Wanchai

DANCE EVOLUTION

June 14-16

Youth Square, Chai Wan June 14-16

www.nationalgeographic.com

www.islanddance.com.hk

The theme for Island Dance’s annual showcase this year is Dance Evolution. All Island Dance students, aged three years and up, are taking part in the production. For tickets, head to www.urbtix.hk; for more information, visit www.islanddance.com.hk.

Support the cast and crew, which includes four members from DB, in the musical production of Titanic, presented by Face Productions. Visit premier.hkticketing.com for tickets starting at HK$385.

ARI CLAN LIVE! Hemingway’s, D’Deck June 22

PADDLE BOARDING FOR THE MASSES Tai Pak Wan June 22

Photo courtesy of Ari Clan www.pexels.com

Beginner, medium and advanced stand-up paddle boarders can hit the water and pick up tips at a fun day from 10am to 5pm.

Morning and afternoon sessions are available, with Molokai, Red Paddle, SIC Maui and 425pro boards supplied by WHATZSUP. To reserve your place, before June 17, WhatsApp 5931 0854.

INVEST IN THE NEW BALI

Rotten Head Craft Beer & Music Festival headliner Ari Clan wowed judges on Sing! China (the rebranded version of The Voice, China) in 2016. Catch Ari in DB and you’ll get a HK$50 discount on tickets to Rotten Head, the all-new family festival being held on October 26 in Tat Tung Road Park, Tung Chung. To see Ari at Hemingway’s, call 2987 8855; for more on Rotten Head, email andrew@rottenheadfest.com or visit www.rottenheadfest.com.

June 29

Siena Rooms, Club Siena Learn more about buying a home in ‘the new Bali’ – Lombok and Sumba – in an educational seminar with Q&A from 2pm to 5pm.

The seminar reveals why the islands east of Bali are booming, and you can meet DB investors and experience virtual-reality villa tours. To reserve your spot, head to invest-islands.com.

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June 2019 www.arounddb.com

www.wikimedia.org

DB EVENTS

TRACEY READ AND DANA WINOGRAD

CONGRATULATIONS MARK DAVID ABBOTT

TWINKLE DANCE COMPANY

www.twinkledance.com www.hkahf.org.hk

The Women of Hope Awards honours Hong Kong’s most influential women, and this year Tracey Read and Dana Winograd were jointly nominated.

The long-time DBers are the founding team and driving force behind the environmental non-profit Plastic Free Seas (PFS). For more on the awards, and this year’s winner Jill Robinson MBE of Animals Asia Foundation, visit www.hkahf.org.hk. For PFS, visit plasticfreeseas.org.

markdavidabbott.com

DB resident and author Mark David Abbott’s latest book, A New Beginning, is the third in his suspense-thriller series featuring John Hayes. Much of the action in A Million Reasons, the second book in the series, plays out in DB. For more information, visit www.markdavidabbott.com.

NEW in DB

SAVE the DATE HITFIT

TETRA PAK RECYCLING

Twinkle Dance Company’s photography project, Project HK, continues to grow, with new images shot in the Western District Cargo Working Area; Choi Hung Estate, Wong Tai Sin; Lingnan Garden, Lai Chi Kok; and Lok Wah South Estate, Ngau Tau Kok. Project HK combines performance and visual art, with photographs linking dancers to different locations. To view the photos, visit www.twinkledance.com.

ENROL AT DB FARM

June 8

www.pexels.com

www.arounddb.com

Get your (cleaned and sorted) Tetra Pak-style cartons and polyfoam packaging recycled by dropping them with a DB Green representative at the outdoor seating area of Hemingway’s from 9am to 11am.

To find out how to clean your Tetra Paks and polyfoam for recycling, visit www.arounddb.com

22

Forward Motion is offering a new highintensity fitness class on Fridays from 9am to 10am at the Club Siena tennis courts. The 60-minute tennis-inspired workout is set to high-energy music.

No tennis skills are required and the classes are open to people of all fitness levels. For more information, call Ajit Gidwani on 9779 0747.

June 2019 www.arounddb.com

www.evoqueportraits.com

You can sign up in July to farm a plot at DB Farm in Siena Park.

Enrolment is open to all DB residents and is free of charge.

Forty-four plots are available for the next planting season August to December. To find out more, call 2238 3601.

DB EVENTS

LANTAU HIGHLIGHTS MOONTREKKER REGISTRATION

DEBORAH MANNAS NEW ALBUM

TREASURE ISLAND SUMMER CAMPS

June 6

www.treasureislandhk.com www.hkfringeclub.com www.barclaysmoontrekker.com

Registration opens on June 6 for the 11th annual Barclays MoonTrekker being held on the weekend of October 18. The overnight race features three distances – Moonlit 30, Sunrise 40 and the Phoenix 50. For more event information and to register, visit barclaysmoontrekker.com.

Tung Chung resident Deborah Mannas has released her second solo album, Magician. Deborah plays all over Hong Kong with her jazz band Syzygy, and with Soul Sessions and The BandExpress. Robin Banerjee, Amy Winehouse’s ex-guitarist, is featured on Magician. Grab a copy at store.cdbaby.com/cd/deborah92.

This summer, kids, aged five to 12 years, can catch a wave at a Treasure Island Group (TIG) surf camp on Pui O Beach. From June 17 to August 16, TIG is also hosting a series of five-day Summer Adventure Camps for kids aged seven to 16 years.

To register your child on a TIG camp, call 2546 3543 or email inquiries@treasureislandhk.com.

Resizing Rings (14KT & up) Recycling Old Jewelry Replacement of Missing Diamonds Re-design Jewelry Jewelry Engraving Services Testing on Gemstones Diamond, Gemstones & Jewelry Consultations Handling Diamonds with GIA/IGI certificates from 0.08 ct size & up

By Appointment Only in Discovery Bay Rahila Refaaq WhatsApp: +852 9656 0414 info@zahaetcetera.com Email:

zahaetcetera.com

S A L E

SPONSORED CONTENT

Now TV introduces a fun-based STEM Learning Pack for Hong Kong families

S

TEM integrates four specific disciplines – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – in an interdisciplinary and applied learning approach. It combines these four subjects with reallife experiences and hands-on applications to empower children to be inquisitive, think critically and explore new horizons. The STEM method is popular in Hong Kong, and Now TV is helping families bring it home through a brand-new STEM Learning Pack.

The STEM Learning Pack provides a family-friendly ecosystem for children to learn through TV, interactive apps and educational toys which reinforce the STEM disciplines. The pack, designed for children aged six to 12 years, provides an enjoyable and multidimensional learning experience where kids can learn together with their parents.

Photo courtesy of nowtv.now.com

“The new STEM Learning Pack further strengthens the family proposition of Now TV,” says Janice Lee, managing director of PCCW Media Group. “We are excited to expand our content offering to create an environment and provide tools for parent-child learning outside school.”

Specially curated learning programmes on topics such as the universe, nature, science, mathematics, art and culture and the animal kingdom are available in the all-new Now Learn On Demand library. Programmes are on offer from renowned content partners such as BBC Studios, Boat Rocker Media and Bomanbridge Media, as well as on the Da Vinci Learning channel. All are available

The STEM Learning Pack brings families together through edutainment

on Pay-TV and on the newly redesigned Now Player Junior app.

Subscribers to the STEM Learning Pack can also enjoy fun and educational interactive games and short video clips through the Da Vinci Kids app.

To complement learning with hands-on experience in robotics and science, the pack also comes with STEM learning toys.

The 12 toys, created by 4M, a Hong Kong-based company that specialises in educational toys, will be delivered to subscribers’ homes every two months through a 24-month subscription.

“STEM learning has been growing in popularity, and it is our aim to make learning fun for children through edutainment programmes,” says Janice.

“Children will have a completely safe platform when they are surfing for entertainment via Now TV and the Now Player Junior app.

“Now TV strives to provide the most comprehensive world-class entertainment to families in Hong Kong and believes parent-child edutainment not only enhances children’s learning and creativity outside of school, but also nourishes the parent-child relationship.”

FIND IT For subscription details, call Now TV’s customer service hotline on 2888 0008 (press 2), or visit nowtv.now.com.

www.arounddb.com June 2019

25

SPOTLIGHT

t o g s ’ DB talent

Managing director of Hawksford Stefano Passarello run marathons, races dragon boats and moonlights at Kapuhala, his “social experiment” of a work-out space Let’s not talk about work! Tell us about your passion for running. I started running every day because I wanted to lose some weight. At first it was hard, but after a while not doing it was harder. I go out at 6am and then go to work.

My first big race was the Standard Chartered Marathon Hong Kong in 2009 [Stefano famously completed this 42-kilometre challenge in just two hours, 28 minutes; he was the first Hong Kong resident to reach the finish line and he set a course record for the Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association.]

Photo by Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com

Do you still compete? In February, I ran 10 kilometres in the Standard Chartered in 34 minutes – still good for an old man. I did it also to respect my sponsorship with Asics. I’m not a professional athlete but I still train well, and I think that’s why they continue to sponsor me.

And what of your dragon boating?

I’ll be racing with the Latin Dragons with my wife Crystal this month. We also have a commitment to sponsor two boats. This dragon-boat thing is the best expression of what DB can offer in terms of letting people feel integrated and energised. I see a lot of local residents going all out and looking happy as never before.

How do you have the energy for it all? For me being active is actually a release – after a week of working 11 to 12 hours a day, I want to put all of that built-up stress to use. I lived my dream of racing in the Iron Man World Championship in Hawaii in 2017, but recently I was speaking to my mum and she

•

asked me what it was worth. I was working and exercising so much I barely saw my children. She said that since I like giving back to the community, I should bring all of these passions together. That’s how Kapuhala came about. It’s an extension of that release, but it is not only for myself, it is for all of DB and hopefully, going forward… the planet!

Tell us about Kapuhala. Kapuhala is a space in DB North Plaza for like-minded people and their children to come together and exercise; to realise there is more to life than making the big bucks, than drinking a beer on the ferry home or going to expensive dinners.

Kapuhala actually means ‘sacred tree’ in Hawaiian. For me it refers to an old olive tree that grows in Sicily, where my dad is from. Why the tree? Because it is strong, and like the tree, our families and friendships grow which helps us to take root in different places.

And how about the charity angle?

We organise active charity events like the Crayon Run and the DB 10K with different groups like Plastic Free Seas, Impact HK and the Society for the Relief of Disabled Children. Kapuhala itself is a human-powered engine to produce social energy; we pay our overheads and our trainers but the rest goes to the charities we support. I like to call it a ‘social gym’ because of the dual intentions to strengthen bonds within the community and FIND IT use our bodies to create a new form of energy – a Kapuhala, www.kapuhala.com social energy!

Find more local heroes @ www.arounddb.com www.arounddb.com June 2019

27

LOVE

IS

ALL AROUND

DB

Few experiences compare to that first moment of connection between a parent and a child – whether it be the squeeze of a baby’s fist just after birth, a baby’s first smile, or the first time a child says “I love you.” In family-focused Discovery Bay, residents are often privileged to witness moments of familial love both large and small. From happy reunions at the ferry pier at the end of day when children meet their parents coming home from work, to comforting hugs and kisses after knees get skinned in the plaza, family life is at the heart of the DB community.

Three Father’s Day finalists have been selected from those who entered the Love is all around DB competition in April. In honour of Father’s Day on June 16, Around DB has the pleasure of sharing the finalists’ photos and stories through which they reveal what makes their dad so special.

Photos courtesy of Elaine Sage, Gian Lee and Jacob Vermette

1st prize: World collection of wines (12 bottles)

Sage William and Elaine

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

Terms and conditions apply.

My dad, William Sage, knows a lot of things. He is very clever and intelligent. He can type words on his computer without looking and I cannot do that. One day, I bumped my lip and he helped put some Watermelon Frost on it. When I was five years old, he took me to a Spartan Race. We waded in muddy rivers and he helped me a lot. I was very happy but very tired. I am six years old now. A year ago, he started telling me a story and at last we have reached the end of the beginning of the story!

Father’s Day Finalists 2nd prize: Dinner

buffet (weekend) for two adults and two kids at the Auberge Discovery Bay Hong Kong

My father, Luke Sangjin Lee, is a quirky, hardworking and sporty person who sometimes tickles my funny bone. I love spending time with him, playing tennis etc. When my mother is away because of her work or an appointment, he entertains me and gets the time to fly by. He takes care of me and two of my dogs and has so much zest in him. I love all of his eventful actions and I love him.

The Lee family

3rd prize: Spa package for two adults at the Auberge Discovery Bay Hong Kong

My dad, Jarod Vermette, is special because when I was a baby, he promised he would play with me every day. True to his word, he plays with me every single day! I am so thankful my dad can spend time with me.

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

GIVEAWAYS

HERE’S YOUR CHANCE TO WIN PRIZES! Around DB prizes are incredibly easy to get your hands on, and you have until the 10th of the month to apply.

Scan the QR code, or go to www.arounddb.com/giveaways, select the giveaway you want, and enter your details into the online form.

Win a two-night stay in a Garden Villa at The Farm at San Benito The Farm at San Benito is offering one reader a two-night stay in a Garden Villa (worth HK$11,492). The Farm is an eco-luxury holistic medical wellness resort located in Lipa, Batangas, just a 90-minute drive south of Manila.

It boasts 33 exclusive suites and villas surrounded by 48 hectares of lush green jungle. Each Garden Villa is designed in luxurious tropical-modern style with garden views, an exhilarating open-air bathroom and a private lanai where you can relax after a full day’s nurturing.

The Farm is one of the leading medical wellness destinations in the Asia-Pacific region and the resort has been honoured with 60 prestigious international awards, including Best Medical Wellness Resort in the World from premium www.thefarmatsanbenito.com

international wellness-and-lifestyle guide Senses in 2015. Its diverse range of tailored medical, preventative and regenerative healing-and-recovery programmes are curated by a team of licensed medical professionals, spa therapists, nutritionists, living food experts, fitness coaches and yoga teachers.

The aim is to address some of the most prevalent illnesses in today’s society, such as diabetes, obesity, chronic pain, hypertension, hormonal imbalance, anxiety, stress and depression. Focused around Five Pillars – Diagnose, Cleanse, Nourish, Repair and Sustain – the experience helps return guests’ bodies to their ideal, balanced state and achieve optimum wellness.

The Farm is home to one of Asia’s first and best vegan restaurants, the award-winning Alive! which proudly serves delectable raw food. Alive! practices innovative food preparation and serves world-class international cuisine that helps to improve digestion, purge toxins and optimise nutrition. The restaurant also prepares special transition diets and cleansing, nourishing juices for guests who want to enhance their healing experience.

The recent collaborations with CIGNA Health Care in partnership with Living Life Well Group and European Wellness to enrich guests’ quality of life are a culmination of The Farm’s efforts to create the next level of luxury holiday through lifetransformative retreats.

For more information, call +63 2 884 8074/ +63 918 884 8080, email info@thefarm.com.ph or visit www.thefarmatsanbenito.com. To book a stay, email reservations@thefarm.com.ph.  www.arounddb.com June 2019

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GIVEAWAYS

Win a place on a Faust summer programme Faust International Youth Theatre is offering one reader a place at either its Summer Theatre or Summer Creative Writing programme (worth HK$2,980). The five-day programmes are held over the summer, from June 24 to August 23, in Sheung Wan (Faust studio), Discovery Bay (Discovery Bay International School), Kowloon (King George V School) and Tai Wai (Island School).

www.faustworld.com

Win day passes to Hong Kong Disneyland

Faust International’s Summer Theatre Programme empowers children, aged three to 14, through drama and performance skills, with plenty of fun and action encouraging creativity and expression. The Creative Writing Programme helps children, aged six to 13, develop their writing skills and creativity in a fun and relaxed environment. For more information, visit www.faustworld.com.

Win a free massage at Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel’s Quan Spa

Tell us about your favourite dining and beauty spots on Lantau to win four day passes to Hong Kong Disneyland.

Visit the Around DB Facebook page or www.arounddb.com www.hongkongdisneyland.com to participate in the Readers’ Choice Survey for Best of Lantau 2019. Submit your name and contact information when you complete the survey, and you’ll be entered into a lucky draw. Five survey participants will each win four day passes to Hong Kong Disneyland. The winners in each of the survey’s dining and beauty categories will be featured in the Best of Lantau 2019. For more information, visit www.arounddb.com.

Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel is offering one reader a voucher for a 90-minute Aroma Fusion Massage (worth HK$1,380) at its Quan Spa. Quan Spa is renowned for its treatments drawing on the restorative properties of water, complemented by premium products from Thalgo. Trained and certified therapists perform a full spectrum of body massages and face therapies. Spa guests can enjoy complimentary access to the hotel’s health club facilities including the gym, 25-metre heated indoor swimming pool, steam room, sauna and Jacuzzi. For more information, call 3969 2188 or visit www.skycitymarriott.com. www.skycitymarriott.com

Congratulations to last month’s winner Tammii Pang for a free massage at Quan Spa; Shericole Ilhe for

dance classes with Twinkle Dance Company; Stephanie Leow for children’s clothing from ‘felix & mina;’ Samantha Chan for a place on a Faust summer programme; and Rebecca Ryder, Zoe Heggie, Keith Lee, Yuet Yee Fu and Siu Shan Lau for free tickets to Affordable Art Fair’s #ArtHappy event.

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June 2019 www.arounddb.com

Ladies Night

Li V E B anD

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PROFILE

34

Dragon slayers German transplants Uschi and Florian Mirus paddle all year round with LBC, but dragon-boat season is still their favourite time of year. Elizabeth Kerr reports

June 2019 www.arounddb.com

S

itting at Fuel in ifc Mall, Uschi Mirus seems the perfect German: tall, blonde, and a fit paddler with a delicate, lilting accent on her “poor” English. “Please, go ahead and correct my mistakes, okay,” she jokes between sips of tea. “I’m so jealous of Scandinavians. They start learning English early and they really get to know it. Germans actually started quite late when I was young.”

You’d never guess considering how quick Uschi is with a joke, especially ones about the myth of German efficiency and the national drama that is Berlin’s new airport. For the 11-year Discovery Bay resident, the ferry is really not a big deal.

What is a big deal is the work Uschi and her husband, Florian, have done to make the German dragon-boat team one of DB’s strongest. Now in its seventh season, the German Dragons has placed second to the Disneyland team two years running. “The Disneyland boat has all these young, athletic guys and girls on it,” Uschi says. She looks pleased. She should.

Passionate about paddling Uschi picked up the boating bug in DB in 2013 when the then German Dragons’ organiser demanded she join, and after a rather comical beginning – “this is a paddle” – she and Florian earned their stripes and have been running the team since 2015. Come June, the Dragons are looking at racing in DB, Deep Water Bay, Mui Wo and maybe even at the main event in Victoria Harbour.

“I love the atmosphere of dragonboat racing. You paddle out to the starting line and it’s absolutely

quiet. No one talks. Everyone’s sitting there concentrating, waiting for the start. It’s a moment,” Uschi describes. “Then everyone goes full power – for two minutes, give or take. It’s amazing.”

The German Dragons rent their boat from Lantau Boat Club (LBC), which is how Uschi and Florian’s “passion for outrigger paddling” started. They enjoyed their time on the water so much, they wanted it to extend beyond dragon boat season.

These days, the couple helps run the LBC Paddling Section, Florian with maintenance and Uschi with organising events and races.

Paddling with LBC isn’t competitive, but it has its rewards, like the family atmosphere and the opportunity to do some good (more on that later). The club holds training sessions and social events, and competes against other local clubs throughout the year – and once you’re experienced you can book an outrigger canoe to use at any time.

“The LBC also offers dragon-boat training sessions as corporate events,” says Uschi. “Dragonboat paddling is great for any kind of team building because it only works if the whole team paddles in synch.”

But if dragon boating is a real adrenaline rush – a sprint rather than a marathon – what is it that got Uschi so hooked on outrigger canoeing? For one, the leisurely, connective trips around Hong Kong’s 200 islands. She particularly likes the spots around Peng Chau and Disneyland, and paddling from DB to Mui Wo for lunch.

Uschi describes the turbulent waters around Lamma as a 

www.arounddb.com June 2019

35

PROFILE

“washing machine” but she waxes lyrical about paddling experiences around Hong Kong Island. “I mean… if you see photos of yourself in the boat, the six paddlers in this tiny boat, and in the background is ifc or the convention centre or whatever…

It’s brilliant. You don’t get to look around when you’re racing in a dragon boat.”

“It’s also an awareness builder for Hong Kong’s vanishing ecology.”

Challenged by the pollution

“We like it,” she says simply of DB

The opportunity to look around while paddling does have a downside – you get to see Hong Kong’s marine pollution at first hand. “When you do water sports and you see all this plastic in the ocean it raises your awareness,” Uschi says.

Last year, LBC lent Jonny Haines and Tim Tait’s Lantau Paddle for plastic awareness a hand by linking it with the club’s annual Dolphin Quest Challenge around Lantau.

“We changed our Dolphin Quest Challenge giveaway from a souvenir t-shirt to a bamboo toothbrush. People loved it!”

Uschi says. “Our plan for this year is again to hand out something which will give people an idea how to reduce plastic waste. Maybe by picking one little thing you can change in your household, you can do better ecologically.”

Of the Dolphin Quest Challenge, in which LBC invites paddlers from around Hong Kong to raise awareness of the plight of local Chinese White Dolphins and other marine life, Uschi says: “It’s not a race, but at 72 kilometres, it’s still a challenge.

It’s an encounter; a gathering that people without any race experience can be part of too.

Happy in DB It’s no surprise that Uschi is passionate about the local environment – she has made Hong Kong (DB to be precise) her home since 2008, first settling here when her two kids were pre-schoolers.

as an organisational coach. But it was in intercultural training she found her vocation.

“Fifteen years ago, when we first moved from Germany – to Singapore – we did this ‘country training,’ where they started with stereotypes about what Singaporeans are,” she explains with a hearty eye-roll. “Then they spent the rest of the training telling us how to deal with these

I love the atmosphere of dragon-boat racing. You paddle out to the starting line and it’s absolutely quiet. No one talks. Everyone’s sitting there concentrating, waiting for the start. It’s a moment.

life. “The lifestyle is quite Western, there are playgrounds, great nature and all that. It’s really nice.”

And that ferry truly isn’t an issue.

“I’m used to waiting for trains. If you miss a train in Munich it’s 20 minutes, so I don’t worry about the ferry,” she says with a laugh.

“It’s a very close community and to take in all the advantages you take the disadvantages (like feeling a bit isolated) too. It’s safe.

It’s easy to become a member of the community. Without the kids I might not have moved there but I have no regrets.” Uschi even got her first dog, ever, in DB. The former IT professional also took advantage of her time here to get a degree in business psychology, and later certification

stereotypes. When we moved there, we expected to find these stereotypes. But we didn’t; it was useless. The training I’m offering now, as a freelancer with relocation companies, is more about cultural awareness.”

Busy with her work, her family, the LBC and German Dragons, Uschi has no plans to head back to Germany any time soon, but she and Florian own a single-paddler rig, which they hope to find a new home for one day.

“We’re thinking of moving someplace where we can still practise our paddling. Maybe in southern Germany near the Alps,” she finishes. “If we had to give up paddling now, we’d both really miss it.”

Find more local heroes @ www.arounddb.com

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June 2019 www.arounddb.com

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IN FOCUS

THE

TRAILBLAZERS of Discovery Bay Dawnna Wayburne, founder of DMR School of Ballet

Photos by Andrew Spires & Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com

Looking back to the 1980s, Suveera Sharma discovers which businesses were the first to start up in DB, and proves that behind every great venture there’s a great woman

38

W

hile it takes a certain amount of courage to leave your hometown and integrate into a flourishing, well-established community, it takes a special level of pioneering grit to move somewhere and form a community where none yet exists. Many DB residents have done the former, only those who have lived here since the 1980s have done the latter.

new society. They have seen the community grow and prosper, and their businesses (among the first in DB) go from strength to strength.

so we were looking for something similar here, somewhere with open spaces and serenity. DB seemed to fit the bill perfectly.”

Likewise, as the longest serving member of staff at Discovery Bay International School (DBIS), Connie Ting has dedicated 36 years to the community and observed the school’s trajectory at first hand.

Back then, Dawnna recalls that the only way to reach DB was on a tiny 40-seater ferry that ran to and from Central. “In terms of shopping, we had a small wet market for our daily needs and that was about it,” she says with a smile.

Arriving in DB in the very early days, when it was first being built, both Dawnna Wayburne founder of DMR School of Ballet (DMR) and Christine King director of Headland Homes embraced the adventure, finding a way to make a living in their new home, while helping to lay the foundation stones of a

Starting out

And what of DMR’s origins?

“Initially, I taught dance in different schools on Hong Kong Island, but then I decided to start my own business. I opened DMR in 1984 with my friends’ kids as students.

DBIS had just moved out of the Discovery Bay Residents Club (DBRC) into its new premises and

Dawnna moved to DB in 1983, when there were only about 10 families living on the resort. “It was a lovely community where everyone knew everyone,” she remembers fondly. “We moved to Hong Kong from South Africa,

June 2019 www.arounddb.com

Christine King, director of Headland Homes

kindly agreed for us to use their new multi-purpose room for our dance studio.

“From the beginning, I wanted to offer DB-based children, teenagers and adults the opportunity to learn ballet, tap and modern dance, in a professional and enjoyable environment,” Dawnna adds.

what it had been before. The agent dealing with the rental was impressed and suggested I should join him in business. We started working together but I kept my own company which was Headland Homes.”

Christine, who moved to DB from England in 1986, was also taken by the resort’s rural charm. “We wanted a peaceful place, with green areas for children to run around,” she says. “And we liked the idea of a small community, which DB was at that time.”

At that time, Christine was the only expat dealing in real estate in DB. “I was in the right place at the right time,” she says simply. “DB was just coming up, so it was a great market to get into. What’s more, the laws for real estate were good and the tenants felt very safe. From the beginning, I was providing a great service to the English-speaking expat community.”

Christine got into local real estate in 1989. “This was due largely to my buying a house for investment in Headland Drive without even seeing it, and then renting it out for almost double

Office manager Connie has been with DBIS since it opened in January 1983, less than a year after the first residents moved into the resort. “At that time the plaza was still under construction, and

there were no high rises,” she recalls. “DB was just fields; it was so rural then.”

A Peng Chau resident, Connie was drawn to work at DBIS because of its proximity to her home but also because she already knew Wendy MacCallum and Anne-Marie Naughton, the two teachers setting it up. “We met at the German Swiss International School,” she explains. “I stopped working there when I got married and moved to Peng Chau. A few years later, Miss Naughton called me and said we are opening in DB, and would I join them. I didn’t know DB at the time but I went and had a look and discovered it.

“The first students, Ann and Jean Evans and Edda Hansen, were taught in a room at the DBRC by Miss Naughton [who became principal in 1986] and 

www.arounddb.com June 2019

39

IN FOCUS school year and by August 1983, when we moved into the proper school premises, we had 84,” Connie says. “At the beginning we only went up to Year 3 – kids went to Hong Kong Island for secondary.

We now go all the way up to Year 13, with our first batch of A-level students graduating this summer.”

Explaining how her own job has changed over the years, Connie says, “After a while I had one person helping out – consider we didn’t have computers in the early days! Now we have a whole team for accounts, admin and human resources.”

Connie Ting, office manager at Discovery Bay International School

the then school principal Wendy MacCallum,” Connie adds. “We were just three members of staff; I was the only admin person working there.”

Rapid expansion Christine too started small, growing Headland Homes out of a flat in DB Plaza, but it wasn’t long before her two eldest children, Scott and Katie, joined her in business.

“Years later the two younger ones, Charles and Rachel, joined me – they were babies when Headland Homes was formed,” Christine says. “Scott left many years ago to form his own branded jewellery company, Carat London, but the others are still with me, and even my husband Brian plays his part in the business.

definitely a recipe for success,” she adds.

Ask Christine why Headland Homes continues to play a significant part in the DB property market, and she cites her 30 years of solid experience – and all the personal referrals and recommendations provided by satisfied clients.

“It’s also important to keep things fresh,” Christine adds. “We are in the process of rebranding because after 30 years we feel it’s time for a new look that is more relevant to the DB community.”

If Headland Homes was a success from the get-go, so was DBIS. “We had 17 pupils at the end of the first

FIND IT

“If you look at the successful companies in Hong Kong; most are run by families, so I took a leaf out of their book and I believe it’s

• • •

Likewise, DMR has grown exponentially over the years and Dawnna is delighted to see how far her school has come. “From our 10 students when we started, we now have anywhere between 200 to 300 students,” she says. “Our main studio is in DB Plaza, and we also offer classes in Sai Kung, Clearwater Bay and Hang Hau.” Of DMR’s success, Dawnna says, “Over the years, I’ve recruited highly talented and experienced teachers locally as well as from abroad, and their high standards are reflected in our examination results (100% pass rate) and the quality of our dancers.

“We have seen entire families come through the studio, and each time our students dance at the DBIS school fairs, we are reminded of our small beginnings and the pleasure of being where we are today.

“It is so important to love what you do,” Dawnna concludes. “Business goes up and down but we have always kept open. If you are passionate about your work, you will find success.”

DMR School of Ballet, www.dmr-hk.com Discovery Bay International School, www.dbis.edu.hk Headland Homes, www.headlandhomes.hk

Find more topical local topics @ www.arounddb.com

40

June 2019 www.arounddb.com

WISH LIST

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41

WISH LIST

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*For Lotus Grill use coupon code DBFATHERSDAY for 10% off between June 1 to July 31

June 2019 www.arounddb.com

g n o l o S Hong Kong!

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• Bookazine, Shop 104B, Block A DB Plaza, 2987 1373, www.bookazine.com.hk

HK$160 www.arounddb.com June 2019

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SPONSORED CONTENT

LOVE YOUR BODY, LOVE YOUR COZZIE COMPETITION

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June 2019 www.arounddb.com

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EDUCATION

Only connect

The finalists in the Young Writers Competition (YWC) have been chosen, and this month readers are being asked to vote for the winning story. In these tech-obsessed times, where many of us ‘like’ more than we write, YWC mentor Peter Sherwood celebrates the competitors’ readiness to go against the flow

The YWC finalists: Millie Zoë Tarrant, 12, Discovery College; Hermione Barnes-Clay, 13, Discovery Bay International School; and Renee Tan, 15, Discovery College

Photo by Duey Tam

W

46

hy write? Why not?

Writing is a form of speaking and, as social animals, we’ve been talking and storytelling since we first ‘discovered’ fire and started huddling in groups.

We Sapiens have a need for connection – for our survival, for comfort and for a sense of belonging. Enter the 21st century and the wilful destruction of heartand soul-felt human contact via memes, ‘likes,’ abbreviations, and cringe-worthy spelling and grammar.

The act of writing separates thoughtful communication from the

flippant and frivolous. It brings us back to ourselves and each other through clarity and inward and outward expansion. Like peeling an onion, the more we write the more we uncover. None of that is possible with a Trumpian-type rant on Twitter.

The disconnect Communication has deteriorated into a high-tech version of ancient Native American smoke signals and 19th-century Morse code; part of a rapid-fire breakdown of our tribal and village ancestry, breeding the alienation felt by billions worldwide.

June 2019 www.arounddb.com

Much of the personal interaction we once enjoyed is long gone. We don’t talk on the phone anymore, we text. We live in isolated boxes in high-rise buildings where, cheek by jowl, we never as much as make eye contact, and neighbours would likely call the cops if we knocked on their door.

So, despite all the wonderful ‘connectivity’ we enjoy through social media, we are more alone than at any time in history. More robotic than human, with gadgets permanently attached to our arms, and spending more time in chat rooms than we do in each other’s homes, we are part of

what is becoming known as the ‘loneliness epidemic.’

The huge expansion in wealth and technology over the past half century is paralleled by the exploding rates of depression. It’s counter-intuitive that the advent of ubiquitous computing and instant messaging has seen despair, anxiety, loneliness and alienation increase alarmingly. Something is missing. We’re deluded, believing that direct interaction with each other could be replaced by remote electronic contact.

Getting connected “Only connect! That was the whole of her sermon. Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its height. Live in fragments no longer.” E.M. Forster, Howards End, 1910.

In a world of hyper-connectivity where attention spans can be gnat-like and we flit aimlessly from subject to subject, from socialmedia gossip (studies show that 90% of social media content is just that) to abusive polemics, ‘only connect’ shines through in value and substance; a reminder to us to slow down and… connect.

Nothing should be more important in this nanosecond of life on earth.

So how do we avoid the angst and start to feel connected? I have found that three simple acts take me to a better place: meaningful human interaction, be it minutes or hours; reaching out and giving to others; and writing out my feelings.

To write is to lose oneself in another time and place and reveal more of who you truly are. When I write, my sense of self takes over as it should, and I feel better.

Many have expressed similar sentiments. There is a cleansing, a euphoria born of the discovery that comes with self-expression.

If not you, then who?

All the Young Writers Competition (YWC) entrants are winners. I don’t mean they should be rewarded just for showing up, or that some have not been ‘judged’ better than others. But by putting their thoughts and feelings on the line, every entrant has attempted to connect.

First prize should be awarded to everyone who took the challenge.

This writing racket can be fearful.

What will they think of my work?

Am I opening myself up to criticism or even ridicule? Will they like me?

If you submit your work to public scrutiny, these feelings come with the territory: but no pressure, no diamonds. My advice? Stop caring, be true to who you are and love yourself.

To write these days is to go against the flow. But remember the adage, ‘If not you, then who? If not now, then when?’ If you feel an urge to express your innermost feelings, or simply want to write for the fun and challenge of it, then begin.

Your work will always and forever be unique.

Being cheap, I like the idea that, like love, you can give what you write away and still keep it.

Start to write, a few words, a few sentences, relax and allow the process to carry you along.

Take this sage advice from Louis L’Amour, “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”

Not happy with the first few

hundred words? That’s why your God gave your computer a delete key.

“When your story is ready for rewrite, cut it to the bone. Get rid of every ounce of excess fat. This is going to hurt; revising a story down to the bare essentials is always a little like murdering children, but it must be done.” So says Stephen King, whose books have sold more than 350 million copies.

Most writers throw stuff out and rewrite constantly. The good news is you never know what will emerge once it begins to flow.

You may well surprise yourself.

Strange things can happen when we’re absorbed.

Most writers rarely have in mind a beginning, middle and an end.

They simply start with a rough idea and allow it to develop into that ideal moment when one thought unearths another and it begins to write itself. (My dream is to awake to the aroma of fine coffee, hit the computer start button, and chill while it produces some spectacular prose and fires it off for publication.)

Faced with writing stories, adults tend to search for ideas before they can begin, whereas children understand that the act of putting pen to paper stimulates their imaginations, and that their ideas come while writing, not before it.

Like I said, first prize should be awarded to every YWC entrant who took the challenge.

Vote for the winning story in this year’s YWC

June 7, 8am: The three finalists’ stories are posted at www.arounddb.com for readers to vote online June 14, 9am: Online voting ends June 14, 5pm: The results are posted on the Around DB and Life on Lantau Facebook pages and at www.arounddb.com www.arounddb.com June 2019

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EDUCATION

Telling stories

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Why children like to write (and why it comes naturally to them)

or children of all ages (and some would argue adults too), writing is a form of imaginative play. It gives them the opportunity to create their own world in which they can be and do whatever they like, wherever they like. They learn that like magicians, they can conjure something out of thin air, from thought to existence. There’s a thrill in knowing that the only limits are the limits of their imagination.

Each and every time they set out to write, children embark on a new adventure. They see writing as an experience, as something exciting that transports them out of everyday reality. When their imagination takes flight, limitless possibilities open up. For this reason, they can get totally lost in their stories, and in the scenarios and characters they create.

Of course, writing can also be a powerful way for children to examine real-life experiences in their own way and at their own pace. Writing about ‘real stuff,’ whether good or bad, can help them gain a better understanding of it, and of the emotions involved.

Simply put, writing gives children the freedom to explore who they are, in a space that they can control and feel comfortable in. It can lead to self-discovery and to them finding their ‘voice.’

Photo courtesy of www.pexels.com

In the driver’s seat

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Very often you see children giggling as they write. It doesn’t feel like work to them, rather it’s a fun thing to do. Imagine how entertaining it is for a child when

Writing is a form of imaginative play

he realises he can write about… absolutely anything. He could, for instance, include his teacher in his story, and take pleasure in making her do quirky things or placing her in strange scenarios.

Essentially then, writing puts children in control, and they enjoy the sense of empowerment this gives them.

They come to understand that they are in the driving seat – they get to choose who appears in their stories, they decide what happens to them and they determine the outcome.

This is one of the reasons children become so engaged in their stories and feel such a sense of ownership about them and the characters they create.

Children feel there’s intrinsic and personal worth in putting their thoughts and ideas down on paper, that in doing so those ideas become something of substance. And like anything children do, the more they do it, the better – and more confident – they become. Writing makes them feel good about themselves. They take pride not just in their creation but in their own creativity.

Perhaps most importantly, children love how writing allows them to connect and share themselves with others, especially their peers. They soon discover that half the fun of writing stories is telling them.

Find more on education @ www.arounddb.com June 2019 www.arounddb.com

Time to enrol your child in summer camp!

Outdoor

Sport

ARK EDEN

ASIA PACIFIC ADVENTURE

Ark Eden’s multi-day Summer Forest Camps bring out the adventurous, curious and compassionate side of children and provide outdoor fun for kids, aged five to 11 years. The camps are held from June 17 to August 16 on a hillside in Mui Wo, with different activities, like treehouse building, campfire cooking, swimming in waterfalls and fun water fights, on offer each day.

Asia Pacific Adventure’s week-long summer camps, held in Sai Kung, are available from July 1 to August 2.

Activities, for children aged seven to 15 years, include kayaking, snorkelling and stand-up paddle boarding. Programmes are led by an international team of experienced outdoor professionals.

2988 5355 info@arkedenonlantau.org www.arkedenonlantau.org

2792 7160 summer@apa.co www.asiapacificadventure.com/summer

DBEES

Non-profit DB community-based ice hockey team the DBees offers summer programmes (and year-round coaching) for girls and boys of all skill levels, aged five years and up. With a new rink opening in DB in April 2020, the DBees are looking for more participation from the DB community – players, coaches and support volunteers. Join the team now to participate in the 2019-2020 season at Elements Rink in Kowloon. nstuartwinchester@gmail.com www.dbeeshockey.com

HK DRAGONS FOOTBALL CLUB

KAPUHALA

TREASURE ISLAND

HK Dragons Football Club offers summer camps (and year-round coaching) for girls and boys of all abilities, aged three to 18 years. The camps run from July 2 to 5, July 8 to 12, August 5 to 9 and August 12 to 16 in DB, Pui O and Stanley. Coaches aim to motivate players to try new things, develop their game skills and realise their full potential, both on and off the pitch.

At Kapuhala’s week-long DB summer camps, running from July into August, kids train, play games and have lots of fun while learning new skills. Each day, the camp warriors, aged five to 13 years, challenge themselves through a different activity, like movement training, boot camp, spin, touch rugby and team games.

At Treasure Island’s five-day summer surf camps on Pui O Beach, kids learn ocean safety as well as surf skills. Grommet Surf Camp is for children aged five to nine years, Intermediate Surf Camp for kids aged nine to 12. Treasure Island also provides a Summer Adventure Camp, from June 17 to August 16, with a range of outdoor activities, including an optional overnight camp, on offer for kids aged seven to 16 years.

5322 5556 theoffice@dragons.hk www.dragons.hk

6101 8434 tribe@kapuhala.com www.kapuhalaspace.com

2546 3543 inquiries@treasureislandhk.com www.treasureislandhk.com

Kindergarten & Primary BAYVIEW HOUSE OF CHILDREN

DISCOVERY MIND KINDERGARTEN & PRIMARY SCHOOL

DISCOVERY MONTESSORI SCHOOL & ACADEMY

Bayview House of Children is providing six weeks of summer fun from July 2 to August 9 for children aged three to six years in DB. The creative programme, held in the morning, includes arts and crafts, musical movement, gardening, science and cookery. At the afternoon multi-sport programme, kids learn various sports and play fun, physical games. Children grow in confidence, while learning about leadership and working as a team.

Discovery Mind’s summer programmes, for children aged 15 months to 11 years, are available from July 2 to 26 at DMK and DMPS DB, and at DMK Tung Chung.

Fun classes are designed to build self-esteem, develop social skills and ensure learning opportunities continue throughout the holiday.

Discovery Montessori School & Academy’s summer camp in DB is tailor-made to be fun, educational and social. It is designed to develop each child’s personality and skills using the creative Montessori learning method in a mixed-aged environment. A variety of exciting theme-based activities are on offer for children aged 12 months to 10 years, with a primary focus on Montessori Cultural Studies.

6114 2436 ramesha@bayview.hk www.bayview.hk

DMPS DB, 2914 2202, primary@discoverymind.edu.hk DMK DB, 2987 8088, dmk@discoverymind.edu.hk DMK Tung Chung, 2987 8070, dmtc@discoverymind.edu.hk www.discoverymind.edu.hk

2812 9668 enquiry@discoverymontessori.info www.discoverymontessori.info

EARLY ADVENTURES PLAYGROUP

EYE LEVEL EDUCATION CENTRE

WOODENTOTS MONTESSORI

Early Adventures Playgroup is offering eight weeks of fun-filled activity for children from July 2 to August 23 in DB. The summer playgroup is available for children aged two to four years, with daily arts and crafts and a different theme each week.

Eye Level is running a series of four, fiveday summer camps in DB North Plaza to prepare kids for the coming school year.

Designed for children aged three to 14 years, the camps aim to nurture math skills from basic thinking through to advanced concepts and applications. Activities include Mathematical Olympiad questions, quick calculation methods for multiplying large numbers and mental arithmetic.

Woodentots Montessori’s DB summer programme runs from July 8 to August 15, with classes available from Monday to Thursday. Children, aged three to six years, enjoy theme-based activities, arts and crafts, games and cookery.

9511 2107 sarah@earlyadventures.net www.earlyadventures.net

9366 0000 hi@hicentre.biz Website www.hicentre.biz

6108 9131 woodentotsdb@gmail.com

Performance DMR SCHOOL OF BALLET

FAUST INTERNATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE

ISLAND DANCE

DMR School of Ballet’s summer programmes have been running in DB since 1984 and are designed to suit children’s every artistic need. The age range for classes, running from July 1 to August 9, is from three to 15 years. DMR’s choreography camps sell out fast due to their creative and action-packed content.

At Faust’s five-day summer theatre programmes in DB, Sheung Wan, Kowloon and Sha Tin, kids, aged three to 14 years, explore different themes and plays, and perform for their families at the end of the week. Faust’s week-long Creative Writing programmes in Sheung Wan and Sha Tin, encourage kids, aged six to 13 years, to bring their imagination to the page.

Island Dance is running weekly dance camps at Discovery Bay Recreation Centre and Club Siena in DB throughout the summer for children aged four to eight years, and nine to 12 years. Kids experience different dance styles, including hip hop, freestyle, jazz and ballet, over four actionpacked days and perform for their parents at the end of each camp.

2547 9114 info@FaustWorld.com www.FaustWorld.com

2987 1571 info@islanddance.com.hk www.islanddance.com.hk

2987-4338 info@dmr-hk.com www.dmr-hk.com

Mandarin DR BEAR EDUCATION CENTRE

MANDARIN FOR MUNCHKINS

Dr Bear Education Centre is offering a six-week Mandarin immersion summer camp from July 8 to August 16 in DB for children aged two years and up.

Activities, including singing, dancing and painting, allow students to develop their language skills in a creative and motivating environment. Classroom-based learning for children aged five years and up includes topics such as cooking, Chinese culture, nature and sports.

Mandarin for Munchkins’ summer programme provides 100% mandarinimmersion for children aged three to eight years, and nine to 13 years. Full- or halfday classes are on offer from July 2 to August 16 in DB. Using the ‘learn through activities’ approach, kids explore and solve problems in imaginative and playful ways – exclusively in Mandarin.

9685 7856 or 6762 6264 (WhatsApp) drbearschool@gmail.com

2486 9012 learn@yifanmandarin.com www.mandarinformunchkins.com

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TOP TIPS

Grill out

Opt for a portable model and you can grill out wherever you choose

Samantha Wong shares some top tips for barbecue enthusiasts

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Photos by Oliver Sjostrom & Blake Wisz at www.unsplash.com

ringing the indoor vibe to outside living is what many of us want this summer. There are 101 tasty decor flavours to plump for but what you really want to prioritise is creating a fully functional space in which to eat, drink and have a good time with family and friends.

These days, thanks to the popularity of cookery shows and culinary magazines, most families can claim a resident chef. Home cooks are getting more creative and so it’s not only hamburgers and hot dogs that get thrown on the barbecue. Master grillers are experimenting with seafood, stocking up on gamey meats, and trying out exotic marinades, sauces and salads.

There are plenty of ways to barbecue – direct heat, indirect heat, with gas, with charcoal, with wood chips, with split logs – but if smoking out your neighbours is going to be an issue, charcoal and gas are your only real options.

Charcoal or gas?

Purists will tell you to avoid gas grills, that the smoke is an ingredient in itself, and without it, you’re missing out on the nuanced flavour. Gas devotees point to the way gas barbecues rely on heat distributing materials which work to vaporise drippings and create an aromatic smoke. But what’s important is whether you can taste the difference. Do you prefer meat grilled on gas or charcoal?

One thing’s for sure, it’s easier and quicker to barbecue with gas. You need to wait around 40 minutes for the initial flames of charcoal to die down before you have the whitened cinders essential for your first hamburger. Gas, on the other hand, requires no real warmup time, though you might wait 5 minutes or so to allow the griddle to get nice and hot.

Added to which, gas gives you more control. Even though both types can utilise a higher rack for

lesser heat, gas barbecues have genuine adjustable heat controls.

With gas, you are able to adjust the temperature to your own needs and not overcook things.

Generally speaking too, you can stop and start gas barbecues with ease, whereas charcoal is a lot more problematic to keep going or restart.

On the other hand, if you are looking at barbecuing as a pastime – if you really want to make a meal of it – then gas is simply no fun. What you’re after is a fiery, challenging experience that can’t be compared to cooking at a stove; you picture yourself huddled around the grill with a group of friends disagreeing over whether the coals are hot enough.

Or maybe you simply prefer the strangely delicious over-done beef that only charcoal can provide.

If grilling with charcoal is the way you want to go, the proper technique can be summed up in three words: low and slow. Be

www.arounddb.com June 2019

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55

TOP TIPS

and factor in how many people you will be regularly entertaining.

Your best bet is to go for as big a barbecue as you can afford, not least because meat needs to have space around it as it grills. You don’t want your hamburgers and kebabs crammed up against each other, or against the sides of the cooker while they are cooking.

Buy a barbecue with a lid – you’ll need one to melt cheese on burgers

patient. Flame-grilled is a very misleading term! You need to wait for the flames to die down before you begin. (You want the coals grey and glowing for the hottest, most even heat.)

There’s also a knack to controlling the temperature across a charcoal grill. The easiest technique is the ‘half and half’ – put all the coals to one side, so one side is super-hot and the other is a lot cooler, with no direct heat.

Tools and accessories Once you’ve decided on your preferred grilling method, consider whether you want your barbeque inbuilt or freestanding and/ or portable. This will largely depend on where you will be hosting your barbecue parties.

Similarly, when working out what size model you want, think about the size of your outdoor space,

If barbecues now come in all shapes and sizes, they also vary widely in style, so you can plump for a modest no-frills model that does the job, or something hi-tech with all mod cons. Maybe your grilling experience would be transformed if you had a barbecue with stainlesssteel side shelves, integrated utensil holders and a cart to push it around on. Illuminated control knobs that allow you to grill after dark could well be a godsend, as could a charcoal tray add-on to your gas grill.

One thing your barbeque really

Barbecuing is all about getting the temperature bang on, so you may want to splash out on a fancy digital thermometer (or choose a grill with one built in).

Alternatively, you can always test the heat – caveman style – by holding your hand around 12 centimetres above the grill.

If you can hold it there for just 2 seconds, the grill is white-hot, 4 seconds, it’s medium heat and 6 seconds, it’s low heat.

Speaking of tools, the one bit of kit you simply must have, in addition to a heavy-duty oven glove, is a decent pair of tongs. They give you the most control, and reduce your chances of dropping a succulent slice of wagyu between the grills.

Tricks of the trade Marinate! The phrase ‘leave for a few hours, ideally overnight,’ applies doubly to barbecuing, to make sure the flavours aren’t overridden by the addition of the smoke. Continue to brush your meat with the marinade as it cooks. It will add moisture, trap the smoky flavour and make the meat caramelise gently.

Don’t ruin the vegetables What you want is that lovely charring along the bars, so slice your vegetables thin, then grill straight away – no oil, no seasoning. Once cooked, you can add flavour with some quality olive oil and a bit of vinegar.

Get the sides right If you’re trying to serve a balanced meal, the sides will make up two-thirds of what you eat. So, prepare a couple of simple salads, steam some couscous, warm up a few flatbreads and get some corn cobs on the grill.

Rest the meat After removing your meat from the grill, let it sit for a few minutes to seal in the juices, and don’t cut it until you are ready to serve. Another juice-saving tip, don’t poke holes in your meat while it’s cooking – turn it using tongs or spatulas.

Find more top tips @ www.arounddb.com

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needs is a lid. It locks in flavour, keeps the temperature constant and opens up a world of culinary possibilities. Without one you can’t do beer-can chicken, or melt cheese on burgers, or smoke ribs…

June 2019 www.arounddb.com

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

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

Learn more at www.amnesty.org.hk.

© Anna Kari

Wha t you n e e d t o k n ow

INSIDER

Founders and directors of CentreStage Studios HK

Imogen Taylor and Kaijah Bell reveal what performing arts training can do for shy kids

I

s your child a class clown and always on the lookout for a captive audience? Does family dinner look and feel a lot like a comedy-hour special? If so, you may already be thinking about enrolling your drama queen in a theatre class. But, as it turns out, performing arts training is also good for kids who avoid the limelight.

If your child is more wallflower than prima donna, here are four ways that performing arts training may help her (or him) build confidence and blossom.

1

Photo courtesy of CentreStage Studios HK

A focus on communication skills Children studying performing arts learn to be aware of their body language, posture and eye contact, all of which increases their ability to communicate effectively. As kids get better at communicating, their peers notice their improvement and this changes how they perceive them. Once kids see that their friends have noticed their improvement, they begin to believe it about themselves and it starts to shape their idea of self. Once a child believes that he is good at something, be it communicating or performing, it becomes self-perpetuating and a positive cycle is set in motion.

2

Bu i l d i n g c o n f i d e n c e A performing arts class is a safe and trusting environment where students have the opportunity to practice techniques to combat nerves. Since children are offered a series of performance opportunities throughout the year, they have the platform to showcase their new skills and

Performing arts classes help kids develop confidence, courage and creativity

talents, which only goes to boost their confidence further.

while identifying with a broader world view.

W orking as a team Even one-man or one-woman shows are team efforts, requiring collaboration with lots of people.

Performing arts training teaches children to collaborate and builds teamwork skills. Working as a team to accomplish a goal – like successfully performing a play – builds confidence and allows kids to take pride in their achievement. This shared success helps children be more empathetic and able to step into the shoes of others

An opportunity for selfexpression Studying performing arts provides children with a safe space for selfexpression where there is no right or wrong. Through working with their minds and bodies in this safe space, children discover more about themselves. They also learn to trust their peers, which creates a community rooted in creativity and passion. Whether your children dream of acting professionally, or simply enjoy it as a hobby, they will learn that their art has value.

3

4

FIND IT • CentreStage Studios HK, 5236 7960/ 5689 2272, admin@centrestagestudioshk.com, www.centrestagestudioshk.com CentreStage Studios HK is the LAMDA Examinations Tour Organiser for Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. The LAMDA curriculum provides the foundational structure for many of CentreStage’s courses in musical theatre, acting and public speaking. CentreStage offers classes, for kids aged three to 18 years, in Discovery Bay, the New Territories, on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon.

www.arounddb.com June 2019

59

INSIDER

Wha t you n e e d t o k n ow

Managing director of Carey, Suen Will Services

M

Annette M. Houlihan talks probate

ost of us know we need to write a will, even if we only hold a bank account, as the authorities need to know where our assets should go in the event of our death. But there’s more to consider than that. Most countries have a system called probate, whereby the courts administer our assets after we’ve died.

Here are five things you need to know to start planning for the distribution of your assets after your death.

Photo courtesy of www.wikimedia.org

1 Pick an executor The executor of your estate should be someone who can handle bureaucracy and is not likely to have a meltdown at the thought of dealing with paperwork. He/ she will represent you in the Court of Probate or appoint a probate lawyer to do so. But probate can cost a lot of money, so you need to have all the important documents prepared.

For example, the Schedule of Assets and Liabilities – what you own and what you owe. The more information you leave behind, the less it will cost your executor to find and distribute your assets.

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You must have a contingent executor in case your first choice fails. For many, their executor is their spouse. But if you both die together, who would you want to administer your estate? If you choose a parent, then you must name a third contingent executor.

2 Consider your beneficiaries

In Hong Kong (and many common law countries), residents enjoy testamentary freedom, meaning you can leave your assets to whomever

Spend time choosing the right executor of your estate

you like. However, in some cases, for instance if you bequeath a charity and leave your family destitute, the courts may override your choice of beneficiary, if the will is contested. Note that certain countries have forced heirship whereby you must leave your assets to your children and spouse.

3 Name a guardian If you have minor children, you can name a guardian in your will but as it can take months to have your will read, you should also prepare a Deed of Guardianship that allows you to make a separate nomination and expedite the process. If your permanent guardian lives overseas then you will also need to appoint a temporary, local guardian to care for your children until your permanent guardian can get to Hong Kong.

4 Share your passwords

You need a separate document to authorise your executor to handle your digital assets and the closure of your social-media accounts. Bitcoin, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Amazon, Twitter and Instagram… how do all your accounts get accessed and closed?

5 Write a Letter of Wishes It is not necessary to name assets in your will but, if you do have personal effects – jewellery, musical instruments, artwork – that you would like to leave to certain people, write a Letter of Wishes. This allows your executor to locate these items and distribute them accordingly. If you write them in your will, there could be hold-ups.

FIND IT •

Carey, Suen Will Services, www.careysuen.com

You can email Annette M. Houlihan at annette@careysuen.com for a free consultation.

June 2019 www.arounddb.com

CAREY, SUEN WILL SERVICES

tel: +852 9160 7855 email: annette@careysuen.com website: www.careysuen.com

STILL PROCRASTINATING ABOUT WRITING YOUR WILL? BE SURE TO READ THIS PRECAUTIONARY TALE If you die without making a will, your assets will be distributed according to the law and not necessarily according to your wishes. There are many things to consider, but with a little preparation the process can be less painful and expensive than you might think – and certainly preferable to the chaos and confusion that can happen if there is not a will in place.

In my capacity as Managing Director of Carey, Suen Will Services, I’d like you to consider the below example of what can go wrong without a will. … This real-life example concerns two German men, one living in Germany, the other in Hong Kong, who were partners in a Hong Kong-based business. They didn’t have a written business agreement as the partner residing in Germany was concerned about German taxes. The partners trusted each other as they had been best friends for years.

I went to see them about drawing up a will for Hong Kong, and any other place they held assets – including Germany. I also advised them to draft some form of business protection as the company was worth around US$25 million, of which they split 50%. If either one of them died, how were they supposed to pay out the value to the deceased partner’s loved ones without affecting the business?

A few months later the business partner living in Germany was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. I wrote his will and rushed it to the Adventist Hospital, suggesting that he sign it immediately, with the doctor and myself as witnesses. He declined and took the will back to Germany with him. I asked him to send me copies of the signed and witnessed documents.

He died before he validated his wills. His family – wife and daughter in Germany, one son in Spain and the other in Hong Kong – had to apply to the courts to claim his assets. His business partner denied the family access to the 50% value of the company.

There is no official partnership agreement, so the family is looking at a huge legal battle to prove ownership and to claim equity. As most of the family members live in high tax jurisdictions (Germany and Spain), they will also incur needless taxes on the estate as it is not being distributed through request but by the law.

All of this could have been much simpler and much easier for the family had there been a signed and validated will with a Deed of Trust to ensure that Dad’s half of the business would have passed on correctly.

Email Annette M. Houlihan at annette@careysuen.com for a free consultation Carey, Suen Will Services 8B Wing Yee Commercial Building, 5 Wing Kut Street, Central

tel: +852 9160 7855 email: annette@careysuen.com website: www.careysuen.com www.arounddb.com June 2019 61

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8/F ORGANIC MODERNISM

PHOENIX CURTAINS

www.organicmodernism.com

Nook Living offers modernstyle designer furniture and accessories. It also specialises in custom-made wardrobes.

2276 4315/ 2698 0937

Organic Modernism is a Brooklyn based company specializing in nature-inspired pieces made of bronze and American walnut.

info@nookliving.com.hk

2556 9499

TAKUMI www.takumi.com.hk

Takumi offers timeless-looking, quality Japanese furniture.

2517 2000 info@takumi.com.hk

2866 6691 5242 9369 (WhatsApp) info@phoenixcurtains.com.hk

horizonplaza@ organicmodernism.com

16/F

Phoenix Curtains is a onestop shop for curtains, blinds, custom-made sofas and upholstery.

11/F THE RED CABINET

19/F TOYS CLUB

red-cabinet.com.hk

www.itoysclub.com

The Red Cabinet is a unique furniture store offering one-ofa-kind designs in furniture and decorative accessories, plus bespoke custom-made items.

Toys Club provides the trendiest and the hottest toys in Hong Kong.

2868 0681/ 2536 0123

2836 0875 toysclub@hotmail.com

enquiries@red-cabinet.com.hk

16/F Patio Mart Quality outdoor lifestyle products at reasonable prices 16/F Phoenix Curtains Fine classic and modern curtains, plus custom-made sofas and upholstery 16/F Takumi Stylish and timeless Japanese furniture and accessories 19/F Toys Club Quality toys for kids of all ages

20/F Fink - The Art of Living Unique decorative items for the home 20/F Oriental Home Chinese, Mongolian and Tibetan antiques and bespoke furniture in different styles 26/F Ad Lib Oriental antiques, vintage Western lights and decorative arts 26/F Carpet Buyer Hand-made Persian rugs (antique), tribal carpets and contemporary rugs

26/F PAIDI Kids World Quality eco-friendly children’s furniture and beds 26/F Zzue Creation Outdoor furniture of all types by wellknown international brands 28/F Tree Traditionally crafted, sustainable furniture in contemporary designs

www.arounddb.com June 2019

63

ESCAPES

A DAY OUT

By Elizabeth Jerabek

in North Point 200 m

Family Fun

A - Ding-ding trolley from Central over to North Point to the Healthy Street East stop B - Hong Kong Children’s Discovery Museum, www.childrensdiscoverymuseum.hk C - Ryze Hong Kong, www.ryzehongkong.com

Photos courtesy of Le Bec Fin, Verm City & www.wikimedia.org

D - Verm City, www.vermcity.com

64

HONG KONG CHILDREN’S DISCOVERY MUSEUM Hong Kong Children’s Discovery Museum (CDM) has over 40 customised exhibits designed for children 10 years old and under, each developed with an educational goal and designed for children at different developmental stages.

Families and school groups find educational content in the areas of language and literacy, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics), culture and environmental awareness.

CDM provides trained staff fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin.

RYZE HONG KONG At Ryze Hong Kong, you find 40 connected trampolines in one 7,000 square-foot space. There’s also a ninja obstacle course, slackline, trapeze, foam pits and bounce boards.

VERM CITY Hong Kong’s largest indoor rockclimbing gym, Verm City’s attractions include a 4.5-metre boulder gym, a leading wall and top roping, as well as Asia’s first augmented wall, perfect for beginners. Verm City is also home to Clip N Climb, a familyfriendly climbing theme park.

June 2019 www.arounddb.com

Verm City

Sunbeam Theatre

State Theatre Building

Hanging out E - Lucky Dawgs Brewing Co., www.luckydawgsbrewing.com F - MOM Livehouse, 6360 7676

J - Brew Note Coffee Roaster,

G - Oi!, www.lcsd.gov.hk/apo

2562 9990

H - State Theatre Building, 279-291 King’s Road

K - Duck Shing Ho, 2570 5529

I - Sunbeam Theatre, sunbeamtheatre.com/hk LUCKY DAWGS BREWING CO. Lucky Dawgs Brewing Co. is an American-style craft brewer providing creative brews like Espresso Assassin Porter and Ruby Red Amber Ale. Although the tap room is currently closed for renovation, you can still take a brewery tour to get a peek behind the scenes, and order a growler or two of beer to take away.

L - Tim Ho Wan, 2979 5608

grade-two historic building, Oi! was the home of the former Oil Street Art Village, Hong Kong’s first art community.

STATE THEATRE BUILDING

This intimate live music venue is known for booking local musicians, indie bands, DJs and electronic artists. With excellent stage and audio equipment – as well as a fully stocked bar – it’s a must-visit for music junkies.

A favourite with architecture and history buffs, the State Theatre Building is a grade-one historic structure now used as a snooker parlour, shopping arcade and residential block. It is one of the last post-war standalone theatre structures in the city and is easily recognisable since its ceiling is suspended from a series of concrete arches. Known as the Empire Theatre when it opened in 1952, the 1,400-seat facility is a must-see for heritage lovers… and a great place to strike a cue ball.

OI!

SUNBEAM THEATRE

Affiliated with the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, Oi! is a family-friendly – and free – art space that encourages creative experimentation and collaboration.

Its mission is to nurture young artists and connect art with people and the community. Housed in a

Opened in the 1970s by a group of Shanghainese immigrants, Sunbeam Theatre is now considered an institution. With big-name artists performing on a regular basis, the venue is inextricably bound to the history of  Cantonese Opera in Hong Kong.

MOM LIVEHOUSE

Snacking

BREW NOTE COFFEE ROASTER A local micro-roaster with a boutique café, Brew Note Coffee Roaster specialises in freshly roasted seasonal coffee beans.

Hunker down in the café and you may well be surprised by an impromptu live music performance.

DUCK SHING HO Such is the demand for Duck Shing Ho’s egg rolls, people start lining up at 7am (before the store opens at 9.30am) for a chance to buy a couple before they sell out. The rolls come in three flavours and two sizes – original, butter and coconut in 800- or 400-gram tins – and shoppers are rationed to precisely 1.6 kilogrammes.

TIM HO WAN If you fancy a little dim sum, head to Michelin Guide-recommended Tim Ho Wan. There are over 20 different dim sum choices, along with a few desserts, and the menu changes every month.

www.arounddb.com June 2019

65

ESCAPES

Dining M - Clay Pot, 2566 7012 N - Le Bec Fin, 2217 8889 O - Little Chilli, 2571 9822 P - The Big Bite, 6979 9690 Q - Tung Po Kitchen, 2880 5224

Sam Kee Book Co.

Shopping

CLAY POT Located in the Electric Road Market cooked food centre, Clay Pot is an under-the-radar spot for great Indian food. Owned by two Nepali brothers, Clay Pot is known for its butter chicken curry and tandoori specialties.

R - Provident Centre, 21-53 Wharf Road S - Sam Kee Book Co., 193 King’s Road T - Wet Market, Chun Yeung Street

LE BEC FIN The solo venture of Nakao Kazuhisa, formerly the head chef of the Japanese Embassy in Hong Kong, Le Bec Fin is a highend, fine dining restaurant where Japanese and French haute cuisine meet. Signature dishes see the finest meats and seafood grilled over binchotan (charcoal imported from Japan).

PROVIDENT CENTRE Le Bec Fin

SAM KEE BOOK CO.

LITTLE CHILLI Little Chilli is a go-to for anyone who loves hot-as-you-like Sichuanese food.

The casual, no-frills restaurant is known for authentic dishes like Dry-Fried Bullfrog with Chillies and Spicy Tripe.

THE BIG BITE

The Big Bite

At The Big Bite you can enjoy fast and family-friendly casual dining with eight different burger options, and nine types of hot dog. Sides include specialty poutine fries and Movenpick milkshakes, and there’s also a good selection of craft bottled beers.

TUNG PO KITCHEN Famous for its rowdy party atmosphere – the waiters dance

Bargain-hunters will appreciate the deals on offer at the outlet stores in Provident Centre. Don’t miss the heavily discounted Adidas and Nike merchandise.

while delivering food to your table – the food at Tung Po is also a showstopper. There are classic Cantonese dishes like Wind Sand Chicken, and also creative fusion delicacies like bechamel-filled fried wontons and deep-fried durian.

Be prepared to order your beer by the ‘battle beer bowl’ – a blue-andwhite bowl with the Chinese word for ‘victory’ printed on the bottom.

Caroline Chan, owner of Sam Kee Book Co., brought a cat into the store in 1985 to keep the mice from nibbling the books and, 30 years on, she has rescued more than 700. Browse the 40,000 books on offer in this quirky underground shop and keep an eye out for… cats.

WET MARKET You can cruise through Chun Yeung Street Wet Market by tram before hopping off to explore it on foot. The narrow street is lined with stalls selling fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and seafood. Check out the open-air bazaar in nearby Marble Road for a wide selection of superaffordable merchandise.

Find more exciting local escapes @ www.arounddb.com

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June 2019 www.arounddb.com

DB FACES

Snaps COMMUNITY

Find more familiar DB faces @ www.arounddb.com

Photos by Baljit Gidwani www.evoqueportraits.com

T Congratulations to last month’s winner: Jennifer Bongar (@jenbongar)

Win prizes from Uncle Russ Coffee and The Pier Bar!

he best snap wins! Your mission this month is to share a photo taken in DB or Lantau on our @around-db Instagram page and hashtag it #arounddb. You have until the 10th of this month to enter – so get tagging.

This is your chance to win a complimentary coffee from Uncle Russ, or a beer from The Pier Bar every day for a week. We will contact the winner via Instagram. Good luck!

www.arounddb.com June 2019

67

HK HAPPENINGS

PRESTIGE SUMMER FAIR Conrad Hong Kong, Admiralty

June 4

5 FUN THINGS TO DO IN HK THIS MONTH! Like the Around DB Facebook page for event reminders

www.prestigefairs.hk

The Prestige Summer Holiday Shopping Fair features a selection of some of Hong Kong’s finest creative businesses offering clothing, jewellery, homewares, toys and gifts, as well as gourmet food and beverages. The event runs from 10am to 7pm and admission is free. For more information, visit www.prestigefairs.hk.

PROFESSOR BRIAN COX LIVE Star Hall, Kowloonbay International Trade & Exhibition Centre, Kowloon June 5

HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT RACES Central Harbourfront, Central June 14-16 lateralevents.com

Using imagery captured by both ground-based telescopes and space probes, Professor Brian Cox Live 2019 offers a fascinating insight into the origin and evolution of the solar system. Professor Cox makes challenging ideas accessible to all, exploring the vast, possibly infinite universe and our place within it. For tickets, starting at HK$550, visit premier.hkticketing.com.

KAYAK N RUN Tai Tam Bay, Tai Tam

www.travyos.com

Watch thousands of the world’s top dragon boaters battle it out at the CCB (Asia) Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races. The three-day event fills Victoria Harbour with heart-pounding action, and the cheers of hundreds of thousands of fans. Enjoy water games, food trucks and beer. For more information, visit hkidbr.sportsoho.com.

June 29

IF NOT ME, WHO? ArtisTree, Taikoo Place

Written and directed by Hong Kong Youth Art F o u n d a t i o n ’s founder Lindsey McAlister and featuring original music by Violaine www.hkyaf.com Corradi – best known for her work with Cirque du Soleil – If Not Me, Who? looks at the effects of climate disruption and how we can be motivated to change our way of life. Audiences are taken on an emotional rollercoaster ride that explores everything from veganism to fast fashion. For tickets, download the Taikoo Social app.

June 14-22

68

June 2019 www.arounddb.com

www.actionasiaevents.com

The Action Asia Kayak n Run offers up a family team category and an adult team category. Competitors kayak along the Tai Tam coastline to Hobie Cat Beach and then run up and over Dragon’s Back. To secure your slot, visit www.actionasiaevents.com.

WORSHIP SERVICE Discovery College Sundays @ 10am CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP PRACTICAL BIBLE TEACHING KIDS CHURCH & TEENS

Alcoholics Anonymous

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

If you want to stop, we can help.

Alcoholics No dues or fees.

Anonymous

24hr hotline:9073 6922

Church Office: 2987 7061 www.dbicc.org

www.aa-hk.org

View local business directories @ www.arounddb.com EMPLOYMENT

HEALTH & WELLBEING

HOME SERVICES

DELIVERY PERSON/ MESSENGER

THE SKIN THERAPY CENTRE

AKASH MOVING & HANDYMAN SERVICES

Michael, a HK resident, is available to deliver documents & small parcels around HK. Available full- or part-time.

Call 9145 6731 to leave a message

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Professional beauty services provided in DB by a qualified, internationally certified beauty therapist with over 20 years' experience. Treatments include facials, CACI (non-surgical facelifts), glycolic (peals & pigmentation treatments), energy healing & more.

Contact Gillian on 6022 4190

• Local packing, moving, storage & handyman service • All kinds of transport services • Inbound shipment clearance • Having stuff delivered from China? They are not delivering to DB Or Lantau? Have it sent to the Akash office in Kwai Chung & delivered to your home.

SPORTS

PRIVATE MARTIAL ARTS COACHING

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

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

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

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

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

Contact 2575 7707, www.mindmatters.hk

TUITION & COURSES

LIFE COACHING & FACIAL REFLEXOLOGY

LEARN SPANISH

Tina at Tina’s AAA Practice in DB provides • One-on-one online Quantum Life Coaching to help you achieve your goals • Quantum Facial Reflexology for a better looking face & whole-body relaxation & wellness Contact Tina at vatyh@netvigator.com

• Native speaker • Experienced teacher & DELE examiner • IB, IGCSE, A-levels & HKDSE • Business Spanish & courses for adults • Flexible schedule & locations • Special offers for students who live in DB & Tung Chung

FTC RELOCATIONS

• Local & international moves • Long/ short-term storage • Handyman services • World-class service – competitive rates • Operating on DB & Lantau

Contact Erik at 9666 9511, rerikm@hotmail.com

Contact 2814 1658, sales@ftc.hk, www.ftc.hk

MATHEMAGIC IS AT DB PLAZA

WANTED

HK$20,000 Reward

Senior Graphic Designer We’re looking for a talented, dedicated and resourceful graphic designer to join Bay Media Group, publishers of Around DB, Life on Lantau and The Best of Lantau magazines.

Email andrew@baymedia.com.hk for more information.

Support classes in mathematics & sciences now available for: • Year 7 to Year 13 • IGCSE • IB (SL or HL) • A level (Standard & Further Modules) • SATs/ PSATs/ LSATs • UKCEE

TRIMCO HK LIMITED • Painting • Decorating • Renovation

Home tuition available as well as online classes.

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

Contact Karim Arditi on 9135 4724 (call or WhatsApp), mathemagicMD@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/HLmathemagic, www.hlmathemagic.com

Yoga Therapy Classes for Senior Citizens

Every Tuesday 11:30am

Located at DB North Plaza

Every Thursday 2:30pm

Slow and gentle flow yoga, taught by a qualified yoga instructor. English-speaking and easily accessible from Sunny Bay MTR station. t!

Stay Briiian

likegreenwich@gmail.com

9685 8366

www.greenwich-vinyasa.com.hk

Greenland Pest Control

SINCE 1997

OUR SERVICES

Tailored Pest Control Solutions for Rodent, Cockroaches, Fleas, Mosquitoes, Termites, Ants, Ticks etc…

DOG & CAT GROOMING ( BY APPOINTMENT ) PET FOOD & ACCESSORIES SUPPLIES CAT SITTING SERVICE FREE DAILY DELIVERY Ground floor 11B, Discovery Bay Plaza, Discovery Bay (next to Island Vet) Tel: 2987 0428 / Fax : 2914 1313 / E-mail : petsgallerydb@yahoo.com.hk Open from 9:00 am till 7:30 pm (Mon - Sun)

For info please call Thomas 9871 0771 or Baguio 6776 8400 Email: baguiowong@hotmail.com

EnjoyEnjoy the the lastlast promotion! promotion!

PEUGEOT OPEN EUROPE HOLIDAYS BY CAR

Best duty-free Car Rental in Europe!

- for short & long durations info@eurocardrives.com www.eurocardrives.com

THE WATCH BUTLER Jan Hofstede m«tc.K £.r«taft4t

I :S,

• Antique watch and clock restoration • Auction & Appreciation service • 2nd hand watch broker

Tel: 9464 7107 jan@thewatchbutler.com

If you’re reading this, so is everyone else To advertise in print or online, email monika@baymedia.com.hk

www.arounddb.com

Find short-term rentals @ www.arounddb.com DB PROPERTY FOR RENT STYLISH APARTMENT IN GREAT LOCATION

Bright, beautifully decorated apartment with every modern luxury. Sleeps one couple & one child. Conveniently located in walking distance of DB Plaza, the bus terminus & ferry. Available for short or long stay. Contact the owner at corinhk@yahoo.com

FULLY FURNISHED DB 1-BED

Smart apartment on a high floor with sea view.

Close to pier & DB Plaza. Available fully furnished.

Call Tiareti on 9732 8985

LUXURY APARTMENTS IN SIENA 2, DB

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

If you are looking to rent or sell a property and would like to see it listed on this page or at www.facebook.com/arounddb, email monika@baymedia.com.hk

CLOT HING & ACCESSORIES

FTC Apparel

2428 2566 FOOD, RES TAUR A N T S & BA RS

A Tavola Bar & Grill Airport Izakaya Andante Café Aficionado China Coast Bar & Grill Curry Lounge Dosirak House Essence Restaurant - Novotel Citygate Federal Palace Restaurant Kimos Mansarover Indian Cuisine McDonald’s Delivery Melody Thai Moccato Coffee Shop My Thai Olea Restaurant - Novotel Citygate PizzaExpress Pizza Hut Delivery Regala Café & Dessert Bar Resto Restaurant Rouge - Regal Airport Hotel Skycity Bistro Tung Chung Pizza Zentro Garden

2321 5500 2286 6668 3602 8828 2286 6238 2286 6898 2960 1977 3520 0848 3602 8808 2626 0181 2886 3646 2109 1927 2338 2338 2988 8129 3602 8838 2907 6918 3602 8818 2297 3588 2330 0000 2286 6618 2886 3156 2286 6868 3969 2500 2466 1010 2802 8000

HE A LT H & W EL L BEING

Bayside Dental Bon’s Mobile Pet Grooming Essential Health Family Clinic Human Health Medical Centre North Lantau Physiotherapy Tung Chung Animal Clinic Tung Chung Vet Centre Tung Chung Maternal & Child Health Centre Quality Health Dental Quality Health Medical Raffles Medical Rainbow Voice and Soundhealing

2185 6550 9099 9959 2109 9396 2109 2288 2194 0020 2988 1534 2328 7282 3575 8370 2403 6613 2403 6623 2261 2626 5178 5658

2421 8088 2109 2330 9343 3718 2988 1488

HOT EL S

Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel Novotel Citygate Hong Kong Regal Airport Hotel

3969 1888 3602 8888 2286 8888

L E A RNING CEN T RES Clement Art School Discovery Mind International Play Centre Greenfield International Kindergarten Kidznjoy Sakura Kids Salala Kids House Soundwaves English Education Centre Sun Island Education Foundation Sunshine House International Preschool Tung Chung Catholic School (Yat Tung) YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College

9021 1502 2987 8070 2162 5538 6273 7347 6674 6194 2611 9193 2164 7210 2420 1068 2109 3873 2121 0884 2988 8123

SOCI A L , SP OR T S & EQUIPMEN T

Asia Pacific Soccer Schools Caribbean Coast Club House Coastal Skyline Club House Dance for Joy Edge ’n Pointe Dance Centre Jumping Castles Perun Fitness Seaview Crescent Club House Smash Cricket Tung Chung Crescent Club House

2385 9677 2109 9277 2179 6678 9264 8597 6688 2167 9662 1747 6443 6597 3473 8700 5400 4109 2403 6770

2984 0222 2504 4788 2984 0498 2470 1966 2984 9720 3484 3095 6429 3507 2984 8933 5465 5511 2997 9070 2320 2001 6422 5009 9193 2937 2980 2699 2983 8931 2980 2582 5991 6292 2109 3331 5236 7013

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

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

9708 0187 9688 9112 9062 0148 5228 6552 2546 3543 HOME & REPA IRS

Findley Leung Group Koon Wah Hardware Lee Wo Construction Engineering Man Shun Construction & Engineering New Look Design

2984 8334 2984 8487 2984 1802 2984 9833 9783 5840

HOT EL S

Mui Wo Inn Silvermine Beach Resort Tai O Heritage Hotel

2984 7225 6810 0111 2985 8383

Kind Hing Trinity International Kindergarten & Nursery Lantau International Kindergarten Lantau International School Lao Shi Lantau Mandarin lessons Little Lantau Montessori Kindergarten Mui Wo Owls School & Kindergarten Mui Wo Language Cafe

2109 9886 2984 0302 2980 3676 5197 4647 3689 6709 2984 0006 5511 6107

PROPER T Y AGENCIES

Findley Leung Real Estate Home Solutions Real Estate Proper Trip Real Estate

2984 8334 3483 5003 2984 1666 RE TA IL

Friendly Bike Shop Greenstyle Organic & Healthcare INSIDE Island Wines Lantau Base Camp Lantau Grocer Quay House Red Hall Chinese Antiques Tony’s Salon Value Vigilantes VIBE Book & Music Shop ZenvarA

2984 2278 9802 0553 2890 8606 9521 8481 2983 8428 2702 0050 2882 8710 2988 1368 2984 0990 6132 9120 9088 2370 9586 3459

SERV ICES & OT HERS

Jumping Castles SPCA Miriam Safadi Photography Parteezi Phoenix Wills

9662 1747 2984 0060 5145 0227 6112 9842 6108 8471 T R A NSP OR TAT ION

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

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

FOOD, RES TAUR A N T S & BA RS

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

L E A RNING CEN T RES

HOME & REPA IRS

Akash Removals Mega Power Engineering/Locksmiths Mr. Chan 24-hours Handyman Shun Yu Engineering

SOUTH LANTAU

TUNG CHUNG

LANTAU NUMBERS

2988 8282 2988 1898 3661 1999

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

2984 2268 2984 8494 2984 8255 2984 9848

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

2987 2259 2987 2987 2987 2987 2666 2834 2987 2987 2259 2987

0855 3422 8136 4210 7061 5633 6183 7276 7575 9003 3422 9909

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES Action X, North Plaza Nomadic

3102 2977 2987 8460

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

LEARNING CENTRES

FOOD & BEVERAGE, HOTELS

2987 2987 2448 2987 2947 2366

4401 7486 1180 4089 9092 6534

Peony Chinese Restaurant PizzaExpress Solera Starbucks DB North Plaza Subway The Pier Bar Three Sheet Marquee Bar TigerLily Uncle Russ, North Plaza Zak’s

2500 1950 2465 2426 2555 0772 2246 8372 2914 0005 2520 2166 2987 0966 2997 8688 2840 1188 2987 6232

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

6323 9156 2987 2987 2987 2987 2987 2987 2987 2987 2987 2987

1417 0360 1313 4488 5087 1041 0222 7082 0789 0789 9268 4428

LEARNING CENTRES

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Future Stars Dance Academy

Parsons White Wealth Management Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management. An expert financial service of distinct quality, integrity & excellence at DB North Plaza.

Contact 2433 6981, 5664 7614, www.sjpp.asia/pwwm

The Stephen Putnam Practice Private Client Wealth Management.

Contact 2914 0388, www.sjpp.asia/tspp

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

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

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

Woodentots is a Montessori playgroup providing a caring & nurturing environment in DB Plaza.

Run by a qualified Montessori teacher for children aged 18 months to 6 years. Contact 6108 9131, woodentotsdb@gmail.com

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

6114 2914 2987 3969 2987 2987 2914 2812 2987 2987 6762 2987 2441 9366 6302 2416 2459 8191 8191 8191 6114 9327 2480 9135 2628 2987 2987 9648

2436 2142 7331 1000 8088 8088 2202 9206 1201 4338 6264 9644 0098 0000 6327 3198 8808 0813 0813 0813 2436 0507 3909 4724 3362 8608 4217 2966

MULTIMEDIA Bookazine Fotomax (F.E.) Ltd

2987 1373 2914 2378

OTHER SERVICES

PapyrusEDU Bank of China HSBC

2160 8585 2233 3000

FOOD & BEVERAGE, HOTELS 22º North Auberge Discovery Bay (Hotel), North Plaza Café Bord de Mer & Lounge, North Plaza Caffe Pascucci Cali-Mex, North Plaza Coyote Mexican Cantina Ebeneezer’s Epic Foods, North Plaza Figos Seaside Café First Korean Restaurant Gilmore’s by the Golden Pig Hemingway’s il Bel Paese Island Café Koh Tomyums La Creation & Châteraisé McSorley’s Ale House Mirch Masala, North Plaza Moofish, North Plaza Pacific Coffee Paisano’s, North Plaza

74

2987 2298 2295 8288 2295 8299 2591 1426 2904 7698 2987 2848 2987 0036 2172 6111 2987 2915 2987 9123 2662 9168 2987 8855 2987 0202 2987 9311 2987 0767 2987 1829 2987 8280 2987 1337 2987 6318 2987 1662 2673 4445

June 2019 www.arounddb.com

A family-friendly centre offering 3D Modelling & Printing, LEGO Education After School, Junior Food Art. Lifestyle morning programmes: Decoupage, Porcelart, Food Artist. Contact 6360 1715, info@papyrusedu.com, www.papyrusedu.com

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

Harvey Law Group International law firm offering a wide range of commercial & personal legal services. Meeting facilities available in DB. Contact 2416 8618, dboffice@harveylawcorporation.com, www.harveylawcorporation.com DB Party Time Gillian florist, North Plaza P-Solution Pen’n Paper The Optical House Well Supreme Laundry Services

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

9502 2529 2987 2987 2987 2987

2381 8256 1777 8898 1368 5151

6201 2987 2987 5721

7749 8873 0428 6181

PETS Kristy’s Paradise - Cat Sitter in Discovery Bay Mypetshop, North Plaza Pets Gallery Ready, Pet, Go!

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www.arounddb.com June 2019

75

OUT THERE

I

want to talk about the weather.

Not really, but everyone else does, so I feel compelled. It’s a topic infinitely varied unless you live in steamy Singapore where things meteorological are as tedious as the pedantic city state itself. In Hong Kong we at least get cool days when winter gear for northern Norway, reeking of mothballs, emerges from dank closets. We never discuss a few degrees here or there. We bellyache, which is as effective as an Indian rain dance.

Hey, try life in Aomori, Japan, the snowiest place on earth with nearly 10 metres a year.

The daily pollution level, wholly man-made, is now an integral part of the ‘natural’ climate cycle. We’re made to feel (like some geniuses in the US Congress, where the second law of thermodynamics is a childish prank) that the impending climate catastrophe is a hoax. Any anthropomorphic connection is the conspiratorial work of hysterical Hollywood and fake news (a cute new social-media term for old-fashioned propaganda and outrageous lies).

In a torrential downpour, I’ll remark that it’s raining. You can respond that it isn’t, and that the water now rising rapidly above our knees is only an H2O event of unknown origin. Today that’s perfectly acceptable.

Here comes the rain again

Illustration by Andrew Spires

Any comment on the elements should at least be interesting, which brings me to cheery Cherrapunji in northern India where, if you wash your sari, you need to send it south by train to dry. Cherrapunji holds

76

Meteorological matters

Peter Sherwood whines whatever the weather because that is his wont. But at least he keeps it interesting

the world record 48-hour rainfall, with a whopping monsoonal 2.5 metres (that’s 2,493 millimetres, or 98.15 inches) of rain in June 1995. Residents wish they lived in western Rajasthan where they receive an average annual splash of only 0.31 metres – and from the same monsoon. For most of the year, shrivelled residents of the Thar Desert yearn for the sodden hills of Cherrapunji – and vice versa.

Cherrapunji people might call their town pretty damp. They are entitled to their opinion. The permanently drenched of nearby muddy Mawsynram would say, ‘Hey, that’s nothin’. We cop an average of around 12 metres a year and in 1985 recorded 26 metres – enough to fill 50,000 Olympic-size swimming pools, or the average bathtub 27.6 million times.’

Compare that (if you must, it’s your time and money) to McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica that gets zero.

I once heard from a mountain guide (staring at my hideously blue, shivering and embarrassed self) that there is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. He went on condescendingly to say that weather is like gravity in as much as it is ever present. But unlike gravity, it can change – fast.

Up in the clouds I was reluctantly forced to admit he was right.

In Hong Kong, weather is easily handled by a cheap (preferably yellow) umbrella – apart from on the frigidly air-conditioned ferry, where you need thermal underwear and a hooded polar jacket. I’m not complaining. Any weather is better than none.

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

Find more from Peter @ www.arounddb.com June 2019 www.arounddb.com

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