Around DB September Issue 2016

NOT FOR PROFIT OR ARE THEY?

HONG KONG ePRIX THE NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE SPEED

A TURN FOR THE GOOD DB’S NEW ROTARY CLUB WHAT MAKES SOCCER

CHILDHOOD CANCER

THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

SURVIVORS ALSO: ISLAND-WIDE EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS * THOUGHTS ON ISLAND LIFE

Join your community online

Publishers in DB since 2002 SEPTEMBER 2016

RENTALS/SALES 海寧居 LA VISTA

$33K

寶峰 PARKVALE

Gross: 948’ Saleable: 852’ 3 2

$55K

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2

Garden lowrise, spacious living and modern kitchen. Close to schools and Club Siena.

蘅峯 PENINSULA

海燕徑 SEABIRD LANE

海澄湖畔 SIENA

$6.5M/22K

$58K

3 2

Renovated duplex, spacious living and close to schools. Great for families.

3

旭暉閣 JOVIAL

$9.8M

Cosy lowrise apartment with fully equipped kitchen. Ready to move in.

海蜂徑 SEABEE

$100K

Gross: 2900’ Saleable: 2413’

Gross: 2055’ Saleable: 1633’ 3

$55K

Gross: 1357’ Saleable: 1282’

Renovated high rise apartment, balcony with stunning sea views & in a tranquil location.

2

Gross: 1385’ Saleable: 1109’ 3

$35K

Gross: 1134’ Saleable: 980’

Lovely renovation lowrise apartment, balcony with great views. Walking distance to pier & DB plaza.

海澄湖畔 SIENA

SEPTEMBER 2016

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Bright and airy house with great views. Close to schools & convenient for transport. A must see!

蘅欣徑 CAPERIDGE

$34K/10M

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Gross: 859’ Saleable: 709’ 3 2

Good condition family size apartment in a tranquil location. Great sea views. Vacant sale!

明蔚徑 PARKLAND

$12.3M

Gross: 1446’ Saleable: 1220’ 5 2

津堤 AMALFI

2

Renovated lowrise, balcony w/ panorama seaviews.

Spacious living & in a tranquil location. Close to schools.

$12.8M/45K

2

3 2

Nicely renovated high rise apartment with great sea views and 24hr concierge service.

Spacious and practical layout. Good value and vacant sale. Must see!

尚堤 CHIANTI

Gross: 1230’ Saleable: 952’

Gross: 1356’ Saleable: 1270’ 4

Combined unit w/ fully equipped open kitchen, spacious living & in a tranquil location. Don’t miss!

Gross: 1311’ Saleable: 1158’ 3

$63K/16.8M

Gross: 2128’ Saleable: 1641’ 4 3

Nicely combined unit with modern open kitchen.

24hr concierge service. Must see!

www.headlandhomes.hk

2987 2088

EAA LIC C-033418

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SEPTEMBER 2016 FEATURES

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PROFILE Meet DB Rotary Club founder Christian Chasset

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FAMILY MATTERS Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – two DB survivors share their stories

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IN FOCUS Not for profit, or are they?

How charitable organisations come in all different shapes and sizes

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LIFESTYLE Mouth-watering pasta recipes that take minutes to make

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ESCAPES Trail walking in France’s Massif Central

58

ACTION It’s soccer season! DB players and coaches discuss the beautiful game

REGULARS 26

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COMPETITION Win big prizes at www.arounddb.com

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TALKING POINTS Gearing up for the first Hong Kong ePrix

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MOMENTS DB vet Dr Ivy Cheung discusses her Malapascua mission

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DB FACES Candid community snaps

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OUT THERE Thoughts on island life

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IN&AROUND DB Catch up with the latest community news

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HK HAPPENINGS Find fun things to do across the harbour

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CLASSIFIEDS Great deals, employment, businesses and more

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PROPERTY Choice local and overseas homes to buy or rent

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LOCAL NUMBERS Your ultimate guide in DB and Lantau

58 NOT FOR PROFIT OR ARE THEY?

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

We also publish…

AUGUST/ SEPTEMBER 2016

HONG KONG ePRIX THE NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE SPEED

A TURN FOR THE GOOD DB’S NEW ROTARY CLUB WHAT MAKES SOCCER

CHILDHOOD CANCER

THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

SURVIVORS ALSO: ISLAND-WIDE EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS * THOUGHTS ON ISLAND LIFE

Join your community online

Publishers in DB since 2002 SEPTEMBER 2016

ON THE COVER Childhood cancer survivors Sandra Roe and Hannah Rose Meeson

Photo by Baljit Gidwaniwww.evoqueportraits.com

2 0 1 5 TALK OF THE TOWN

MEET PUI O ARTIST MARTIN LEVER

SAY HELLO, WAVE GOODBYE

CAN KIDS’ FRIENDSHIPS SURVIVE RELOCATION?

Win to see thea Veni The tre tick Mer ets ce, to see conc chan ert t e-vo Suede, ticketsof Leo’ uchers and s Fine from Food

IN THE SWIM

REVISITING LANTAU’S TOP FIVE BEACHES ALSO: ISLAND-WIDE EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS * THOUGHTS ON ISLAND LIFE

Join your community online

Publishers in Lantau since 2002

SPORTS • LIVING • PETS • HIKING • DINING • HEALTH • COMMUNITY

For the latest Around DB updates, find us on

and www.arounddb.com

International International Funfilled Funfilled Day Day Sat. 22nd October, 2016 Event Time & Venue : Discovery Bay (DB): Time: 11:00am to 1:00pm Venue: Cafe Duvet - Outdoor (Shop 06, D'Deck) Tung Chung (TC): Time: 10:00am to 12:00nn TC International Play Centre and Kindergarten: Venue: G/F, Seaview Crescent, No.8 Waterfront Road.

TC Primary School: Venue: G/F, Shop A-D, Seaview Crescent, No.8 Waterfront Road.

Enquiry: DB International Play Centre DB Kindergarten DB Primary School TC International Play Centre and Kindergarten TC Primary School

2987 2987 2914 2987

8028 8088 2202 8070

2915 0666

For school information, please visit: www.discoverymind.edu.hk

YOUR GUIDE TO UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS

Publisher Corinne Jedwood corinne@baymedia.com.hk Managing editor Rachel Ainsley rachel@baymedia.com.hk Assistant editor Sam Agars sam@baymedia.com.hk Digital strategist & coordinator Claire Severn claire@baymedia.com.hk

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Advertising & sales manager Lissa Morris lissa@baymedia.com.hk Sales executive & accounts Monika Carruthers monika@baymedia.com.hk accountant@baymedia.com.hk Art direction Terry Chow terry@baymedia.com.hk Andrew Spires andrew@baymedia.com.hk Photography Baljit Gidwani, www.evoqueportraits.com Contributors this month Emily Dowd (intern) Trisha Hughes Patricia Jover Elizabeth Kerr Carlos Magno Peter Sherwood Charlotte Veldkamp (intern) Printing Fantasy Printing Limited 7/F Tin Fung Industrial Mansion, 63 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong Disclaimer The views expressed in Around DB are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or contributors.

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

Find more information and events @ www.arounddb.com

www.evoqueportraits.com

CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and DB individuals as well as schools are working to spread the word and raise funds. Gaylene Meeson – whose daughter Hannah, a childhood cancer survivor, shares her story on page 30 – is driving the local initiative, alongside Justine Barlow, the principal at Hong Kong International Learning Academy, DB. To get involved, email Gaylene at gaylene.meeson@gmail.com. To make a donation to Hong Kong’s Children’s Cancer Foundation, visit www.ccf.org.hk.

FREE OSTEOPATHY ASSESSMENT

Integrated Medicine Institute, DB North Plaza

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10,000 LOST SOLES Across Lantau A trash-land-art project initiated by local artist liina klauss, 10,000 Lost Soles will see 10,000 shoes, that have been left behind on local beaches, used to create an art installation.

There are collection baskets on beaches across DB and South Lantau, and the first collection period is from September to December. The aim is to raise awareness about marine pollution, and the installation will be revealed at a yet-to-be-confirmed Hong Kong venue.

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www.wikimedia.org

Integrated Medicine Institute is offering all DB residents the opportunity to experience a free 10-minute osteopathy assessment. Osteopathy is suitable for everyone – from babies and seniors to professional athletes and people who work long hours at a desk. To make a booking, call 2537 1087.

Photo courtesy of liina klauss

Like us on IN&AROUND DB www.facebook.com/ AroundDB for event reminders

HONG KONG CLEANUP CHALLENGE

DB ENTREPRENEURS NETWORKING BREAKFAST at Zaks, DB, kicks off

at 8am. For information and registration, head to Facebook: DB Entrepreneurs Networking Breakfast or visit www.t8events.com.

Throughout Lantau

Get a group of friends together and do your bit to rid Hong Kong of the trash that plagues so many of its beaches and country parks. To take part in this year’s Hong Kong Cleanup Challenge, all your group needs to do is choose a site – it can be anywhere in Discovery Bay or on Lantau – and pick a clean-up date between September 1 and December 1. The Green Council is also facilitating group cleanups across Lantau. Head to hkcleanup.org or www.greencouncil.org for more information and to register.

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Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Cleanup Challenge

DBIS OPEN DAY Discovery Bay International School

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STOCK UP AT THE PLANT MARKET

across from Haven Court, 2pm to 4.45pm.

3 mber For more information, call 2238 3617.

Septe

DBCC SEASON KICKS OFF Discovery Bay Recreation Club

3 mber Septe The Discovery Bay Cricket Club (DBCC) is holding its first net session of the new season at 4pm, with weekly sessions to follow. The club also has two international tours in store before the end of the year, the first in Photo courtesy of Nilesh Jhaveri China in late September and the second in Bangkok in October. For more information and to get involved, email Nilesh Jhaveri at jcadiscoverybay@hotmail.com.

BASEBALL FOR DB KIDS DB North Pitch

Now is the time for kids, aged five to 14, to get on the pitch with DB’s very own baseball club, the Discovery Bay Tigers. The first practice sessions on September 3 and 10 act as free trials. To find out more, email info@dbtigers.com or visit www.dbtigers.com.

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Photo courtesy of DB Tigers

Photo courtesy of DBIS

Head to the Discovery Bay International School early years campus from 9.30am and the primary/ secondary campus from 11am to see what’s on offer for students. Register by completing a form here – goo.gl/4lt6sO – or call 2987 7331 for more information.

JOIN A BEACH CLEAN-UP, organised by

Plastic Free Seas and DB Green, at Sam Pak Wan on September 3 from 3pm to 5pm. You can also help tidy up Tai Pak Wan after the Mid-Autumn Festival er 3 & 16 on September 16. Visit www.dbgreen.org.

Septemb www.arounddb.com September 2016

Photo courtesy of DMR

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IN&AROUND DB

INVENTUM CHOIR REHEARSALS Discovery Bay International School

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SHOP THE DISCOVERY BAY SUNDAY MARKET

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in DB Plaza from 11am to 6pm.

MARTIN LEVER ON SHOW

Conrad Hong Kong, Admiralty r

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Photo courtesy of Bethan Clark

Inventum Women’s Choir, directed by DB resident and established choral conductor Bethan Clark, heads into rehearsals at Discovery Bay International School in September, with the first session running from 4pm to 5pm. All women are welcome, no audition is necessary and you don’t need to be able to read music. Contact sarashaw@live.com or visit Facebook: Inventum Women’s Choir.

MID-AUTUMN CELEBRATIONS Throughout Discovery Bay

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Photo by Terry Chow

Pui O artist Martin Lever is showing his latest works (30 paintings) at this year’s Asia Contemporary Art Show. Martin uses metallic acrylic paint on textured canvas to create works that express his fascination with Hong Kong and Lantau. For more information on Martin and the show, head to www.asiacontemporaryart.com.

www.wikimedia.org

Tai Pak Wan is the place to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival, with the DB community converging to display their lanterns. (Everyone is encouraged to tidy up after themselves and to make sure their lanterns are reusable.)

Discovery Bay Recreation Club members can get into the festive groove at the club from 7pm to 10pm. Call 2987 7381. Meanwhile Auberge Discovery Bay is going all out with a two-night celebration, September 15 and 16 from 6.30pm to 9.30pm. Expect a festive feast and mooncakes on the Café bord de Mer & Lounge terrace, plus dancing and games for the whole family. Call 2295 8299.

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September 2016 www.arounddb.com

TO ADOPT A PET

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through Protection of Animals Lantau South (PALS), call Jacqui Green on 9197 4371, for Hong Kong Paws Foundation (PAWS), call Kat Cheung on 9485 5188.

IN&AROUND DB

BART’S BASH

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Lantau waters

The day the world goes sailing: Bart’s Bash is an international sail race taking place at hundreds of different venues and involving thousands of sailors. Funds raised this year go to help promote and develop disabled sailing globally. To get involved, contact the Lantau Boat Club at www.lantauboatclub.com. www.bartsbash.com

UNIVERSITY FAIR Discovery College

Discovery College (DC) is holding its third annual university fair in conjunction with the British Council, with over 120 higher education institutions from around the world exhibiting. In addition to DC’s own student body, students from YMCA Hong Kong Christian College, Discovery Bay International School, Island School and Guangdong Country Garden School are expected to attend. A must for students planning on heading to university next year, the fair is open to students from any school (9.30am to 12.30pm).

Entry is free and registration is not necessary.

DBRC CHARITY TENNIS CUP

Discovery Bay Recreation Club

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www.evoqueportraits.com

Photo courtesy of Discovery College

Head to the Discovery Bay Recreation Club Charity Tennis Cup, from 8am to 5pm, to see 24 teams dress up and battle it out to raise funds for the Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association and Watchdog Early Education Centre. With a carnival atmosphere, plus games, prizes and face painting for kids, you can expect a sensational family day out. Call 2987 7381 for more information.

FOBISIA ORCHESTRAL FESTIVAL Discovery Bay Community Hall

The FOBISIA Orchestral Festival, hosted by Discovery Bay International School (DBIS), sees students converge on DB from as many as 12 schools from the likes of Taipei, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Conducted by Ken Hsieh from Canada, the performance is open to the whole community and stars each school’s most gifted and talented musicians. Entry is free.

For more information, email Alison Wyatt at awyatt@dbis.edu.hk.

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Photo courtesy of DBIS

Celebrate with your beloved in this Mid-Autumn at DBRC 與 你 的 至 愛 在 康 樂 會 共 渡 中 秋 佳 節

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Peony serves with different set menus from $468. All set menus include Fish Maw Thick Soup with Conpoy, Steamed Rice, Sweetened Red Bean Soup with Glutinous Rice Dumplings & Chiu Chow Moon Cakes. For details and reservations, please call 2500 1950 牡丹軒提供多款不同類型的套餐，價錢由$468起。各款套餐奉送 瑤柱花膠羹、絲苗白飯、紅豆沙湯丸及潮州月餅。詳情及訂座可 致電: 2500 1950

2500 1950

Mid-Autumn BBQ & Seafood Dinner Buffet 16 Sept, 6:30 - 9:30pm Adult $298, Child $198

2500 1942

IN&AROUND DB

SAVE THE DATE

NEW IN DB

NEW IN DB

THE BIG PICNIC

THE LAST STRAW

PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB

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Photo by Gary Stokes

www.evoqueportraits.com

DB’s celebrated live music and dance festival promises to be bigger and better than ever before this year. And it’s not just the name that’s changed – the party will be taking place at Tai Pak Wan and DB Plaza. If you’re interested in performing this year, message Steve Garrett at Facebook: The BIG Picnic.

The Last Straw, headed up by DB brothers Gary and Andy Stokes, is dedicated to reducing plastic pollution in our oceans. The brothers (Gary, the Asia director for Sea Shepherd Global, co-owns Hemingway’s) have come up with a straw that is made from sustainable eucalyptus pulp and is 100% biodegradable. Launched on World Oceans Day on June 8, the straw has already gained significant traction at venues across Hong Kong. For more information, visit www.last-straw.org.

Photo by Colin Sim

DB resident Colin Sim has set up a photography club, allowing keen photographers to get together to chat and share images and knowledge.

The 12+ group meets roughly once a month in DB and welcomes anyone with a passion for photography, who is interested in developing their skills.

For more information, email Colin at colsimphotography.com.hk.

Playgroups in DB EARLY ADVENTURES PLAYGROUP, GREENS

PLAYTIME KIDS, CHERISH COURT

A long-running playgroup with bright and spacious facilities. A warm and caring environment where children are offered exciting and interesting activities, so they can achieve their full potential.

A well-established playgroup, run by a Montessori-trained teacher with lots of experience. A great, supporting, stimulating and loving environment for little ones to learn from.

FUNFIT, CLUB SIENA

TREE OF JOY, PENINSULA VILLAGE

An active learning programme which helps develop children’s balance, coordination, fine and gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination and much more. The focus is on caring for kids’ future health and fitness.

A playgroup offering a variety of fun classes in a nurturing and enriching environment. Classes are run by a qualified and experienced teacher.

20 months to 4 years, 9511 2107, info@earlyadventures.net, www.earlyadventures.net

6 months to 3 years, 6302 6327, info@funfit.hk, www.funfit.hk

15 months to 4.5 years, 9054 0565, playtimekidsdb@yahoo.com, www.playtimekidsdb.com

14 months to 3 years, 9787 2755, info@treeofjoydb.com, www.treeofjoydb.com

LITTLE EXPLORERS, PHASE 1

18 months and up, 9327 0507, littleexplorers@team-fear.com An established playgroup, providing a caring and stimulating learning environment with an emphasis on learning through play – and having loads of fun.

WOODENTOTS, DB PLAZA

2.5 to 5 years, 6108 9131, woodentotsdb@gmail.com A caring and nurturing environment, run by a qualified Montessori teacher, in which children grow and learn through self-discipline and self-discovery.

Find more for kids @ www.arounddb.com

Wellbeing Conference for DBIS Staff Before the start of term, staff at DBIS took part in an innovative back to school conference with a focus on the physical and emotional wellbeing of students and educators.

Months in the planning, the conference offered staff to work with leading experts from across Hong Kong in the fields of nutrition, fitness, counseling, psychology and mindfulness.

The aim of the conference was to aid the school in its continued efforts to promote the health and wellbeing of its students as significant evidence indicates that this has a substantial impact on their happiness, readiness to learn and academic achievement.

The school intends to build upon this culture of positive education as the year progresses.

DBIS

OZZIE COZZIE

503 Tak Woo House, 1-3 Wo On Lane, Lan Kwai Fong, Central

www.ozziecozzieco.com Enquiries: 2810 1356

IN&AROUND DB

CONGRATULATIONS DB PIRATES’ KATE JOLLY

Photo by Around DB

DB Pirates’ player Kate Jolly was named Hong Kong’s player of the tournament at the Asian Netball Championships in Bangkok this August. Kate put in an impressive display as Hong Kong made the semi-finals, before going down to Malaysia by a single goal. A loss in the third-placed playoff saw Hong Kong finish fourth overall. Kate’s Black Pearls teammate Michelle Arkell also played in the tournament.

TEEN GOLF CHAMPS

DC’S ARIEL GALOR

Photo courtesy of Discovery College Photos courtesy of YB Rai and Victor Kho

Promising young Discovery Bay Golf Club members Taichi Kho and Denzel Rai, son of Y.B. Rai of Uncle Russ, been making some noise on the fairways of late. 15-year-old Taichi took out the overall boys champion at the Hong Kong Junior Open Championship on August 12, while Denzel, 10, topped his age group (nine to 10 years) at the same event on August 15.

Discovery College (DC) student Ariel Galor received a perfect 45 point score on her International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP). Ariel was one of only 147 students out of 70,000 across the world to get 45 points, and the first DC student ever to attain this score.

Some 83 DC graduates have just received their IB DP results and the outcome has been impressive, with DC students averaging a score of 35.1, well above the world average of 30.07.

Chef Pour Toi

DB-based private catering service Catering

Corporate or Private Parties

Cocktail Receptions

Lavish Buffets & Barbeques

Our dedicated chefs use only the freshest ingredients to turn food into art. We provide you with the knowledge to turn your event into a success, allowing you to focus on your guests while we do what we know best.

Contact Chef Pour Toi to get a quote for your tailor-made party.

Email chef@chefpourtoi.com

OFFICE 3483 5003

www.homesolutions.hk

Sharon Riley Misako Takato Kim Jomar

9664 4749 9757 0927 9748 2367

(S-415475) (S-287062) (E-352962)

NOW SERVING SOUTH LANTAU AND TUNG CHUNG

45K GOLDEN COAST VILLA 1119’ Net + Rooftop + Garden

Stunning villa in desirable Cheung Sha complex. Fully renovated 4 beds, 2 baths.

Open plan split level G/F. Kitchen with all appliances. Living area leads onto beautiful landscaped garden. Private car park for 2 cars. Complex with pool.

24.8K 1/F & 2/F CHEUNG SHA VILLAGE HOUSE 1400’ + 700’ Roof

Lovely duplex in Chueng Sha Upper village. 4 beds, 2 baths & helpers room.

Bright kitchen with all appliances. Combined dining/living area. Beautiful sea and mountain views from rooftop. Very near to Cheung Sha beach.

12K

OPENING HOURS: Monday to Friday 9am - 7pm Saturday & Sunday 10am - 7pm

G/F TUNG CHUNG VILLAGE HOUSE 600’ + Outside Patio

3.5M 1/F MUI WO VILLAGE HOUSE 700’ + ROOF

Great flat in quiet Tung Chung Village. 2 beds, 1 bath. Open plan modern Fully renovated unique property in quiet Mui Wo village. 1 bed, kitchen with stove top, oven, fridge and microwave. Large living area leads 1 bath. Large living area with open plan kitchen. Rooftop with out to private patio. Great layout. 10 mins drive to city gate and beaches. enclosed extra room with ensuite. Near to hiking trails and waterfalls.

Professional nail services in a relaxing environment, conveniently located in the Plaza!

To make a booking please call 2987 2266 Follow us on Facebook for updates: Nailed It DB

2.1M G/F SHUI HAU VILLAGE HOUSE 350’

Making you feel at home is our business

Great value flat in heart of Shui Hau. 1 bed, 1 bath. Open plan kitchen/living area. Large private patio. Great flat to renovate or move in as is. Near to kite surfing beach.

Call us any time at 3483 5003 or Email PROPERTY@HOMESOLUTIONS.HK

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Positions vacant

PART TIME HYGIENISTS AND RECEPTIONIST At Diestel Dental Group, we have five modern clinics located in Discovery Bay, Tung Chung and Central.

We have recently expanded and urgently require qualified hygienists and receptionists to join our team.

We are looking for experienced people with a friendly and flexible attitude to assist across Discovery Bay and Central.

We are a modern, high-tech practice with a full digital environment including CT scans and digital x-rays.

We offer good working conditions, hours and salaries.

Please email your resume and expected salary to our Operations Manager: manager@diestelandpartners.com.

Diestel and Partners Family Dentistry

Smith and Jain Dental and Implant Practice

Bayside Dental Discovery Bay

Bayside Dental Tung Chung

Queen’s Road, Central Tel: 2522 2099 www.diestelandpartners.com

North Plaza, Discovery Bay Tel: 2987 0855 www.baysidedentalhk.com

D’Aguilar Street, Central Tel: 2526 2383 www.smithandjaindentists.com

Caribbean Square, Tung Chung Tel: 2185 6550 www.baysidedentaltc.com

Dr Richard Tinlin & Associates D’Aguilar Street, Central Tel: 2117 4180 info@drrichardtinlin.com

ABA

Here’s your chance to win great prizes!

Win tickets to see Wicked YOUR PRIZE: Lunchbox Theatrical Productions is offering three readers two tickets (worth HK$895 each) to see Wicked at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Wanchai on December 13, at 7.45pm.

COMPETITION

Around DB competitions are incredibly easy to enter (you’ll even find the answers to our questions right here). You have until the 10th of the month to submit your answers.

To enter, email info@baymedia.com.hk, click on the competitions link at www.arounddb.com, or scan the QR Code below. Don’t forget to give us your name and telephone number!

How many productions are part of KidsFest 2017?

Photo courtesy of ABA Productions

Win tickets to see Shark in the Park Who wrote the songs for Wicked?

Photo courtesy of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions

FIND THE ANSWER: Wicked, showing from December 8, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, is the untold story of the witches of Oz. This magical musical sees two unlikely friends come together – the blonde and popular Glinda and the green-skinned outcast, Elphaba.

For tickets, visit www.hkticketing.com.

YOUR PRIZE: ABA Productions is offering one reader four tickets (worth HK$435 each) to see Shark in the Park during KidsFest, at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Wanchai on January 12, at 5pm.

FIND THE ANSWER: KidsFest returns in January 2017 with 10 amazing productions, handpicked for the whole family to enjoy. Shark in the Park, an adaptation of Nick Sharratt’s well-loved children’s book, looks set to be a highlight. For more information, visit www.kidsfest.com.hk.

Win tickets to Asia Contemporary Art Show

How many artworks are on display?

YOUR PRIZE: Asia Contemporary Art Show is offering five readers a VIP invitation for two (worth HK$580 each) to the ninth edition of its fall event. The invitations guarantee admission through September 15 to 18, with two complimentary drinks.

FIND THE ANSWER: The ninth Asia Contemporary Art Show is showing from September 15 to 18 at the Conrad Hong Kong, Admiralty.

Over 2,500 unique works of art are on display. Admission is free for children under 16 years old, if accompanied by an adult. For more information and tickets, visit www.asiacontemporaryart.com.

Photo courtesy of Asia Contemporary Art Show

Congratulations to last month’s winners Renat Clemente and Zoe Heggie for tickets to see The Hunting of the Snark; Marie Fauvin and Rekha Narain for tickets to see Pep Bou’s Bubble Magic; Sonia Verma to see Roald Dahl’s The Twits; and Ric Lee and Adrienne Loeffler for a Sky Shuttle helicopter model. www.arounddb.com September 2016

23

COMPETITION

Win prenatal and Mummy and Baby yoga classes at Embody

Win a HK$300 e-voucher from Leo’s Fine Food

YOUR PRIZE: Embody is offering one reader three prenatal yoga classes (worth HK$200 each) and another reader two postnatal yoga classes with baby (worth HK$175 each) for use before December 30. (Please specify which prize you hope to win in What does Embody your entry.)

YOUR PRIZE: Leo’s Fine Food is offering three readers a HK$300 e-voucher to shop at its online store before October 31.

When was Leo’s Fine Food founded?

Photo courtesy of Leo’s Fine Food

specialise in?

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FIND THE ANSWER: A well-established, boutique fitness studio in DB Plaza, Embody specialises in Pilates, yoga and cardio classes for all ages. Embody’s prenatal and Mummy and Baby yoga classes incorporate postures and breathing techniques that help prepare and empower new and expectant mothers. For more information, call 6624 8712, email susan@embody.hk, or visit www.embody.hk.

24

September 2016 www.arounddb.com

FIND THE ANSWER: Leo’s Fine Food is a leading manufacturer of premium food, founded by a Swiss master butcher in 1985. Leo’s sells highquality food and beverages sourced from all over Europe. It specialises in tailor-cut steaks, BBQ combos, sausages, Swiss cheese and German beer and wine. Leo’s offers free delivery throughout DB for orders over HK$1,000. Shop online at www.leosfinefood.hk.

PROFILE

A TURN FOR

THE GOOD

Photo by Baljit Gidwani- www.evoqueportraits.com

As the founder of DB’s new Rotary Club, Christian Chasset doesn’t want a cheque from you – he wants your time. Elizabeth Kerr reports

26

E

ven in a classroom, to look at Christian and Dominique Chasset, both transplants from the outskirts of Paris, you’d think you were looking at a French New Wave filmmaker and his star/ muse. Christian is the contemplative one. You can imagine him on set – head, topped with a shock of just-under-control silver-grey hair, turning side to side, as he composes an image in his mind. Dominique is

the robust chatterer, preternaturally smooth-cheeked and often beating Christian to the punch with a pointed comment.

That she is always ready with something to say while he considers his words isn’t really surprising given that the Chassets are career teachers and founders of Central’s 30-year-old Hong Kong Institute of Languages.

They’re communicators by trade.

September 2016 www.arounddb.com

And as of July, they’re using that communicating skill to do some good in Discovery Bay.

Grass roots The Chassets arrived in Hong Kong 32 years ago – separately. Christian, now 60, was in town looking for job opportunities, having spent some time travelling through Asia. Dominique, Flavell the foreground, now 58,Helium3: was onNick her wayin home from

with Brendan Delfino, David Belcastro and Steve Jones

PROFILE

and eight years later branched out to include English, Mandarin, Cantonese, German and Spanish. It’s a crowded field now, but in the mid-1980s things were quite different. “When we started up it was really niche and there weren’t too many competitors,” notes Christian. “The likes of Berlitz were not here.”

Service above self With the Hong Kong Institute of Languages going strong, the Chassets decided some time ago that they needed other ways to channel their energies. This led to Christian’s latest venture: founding DB’s own Rotary Club.

Christian started the DB charter because he approves the club motto of service above self. “I always like to help others. When you teach it’s a little bit like that,” he explains. “If you think only of yourself and watch TV and pay attention only to your phone and do nothing, you’re not really human.

We need people to tackle difficult problems and motivate others to give their time.”

Christian and Dominique Chasset

China. They met through a mutual friend, someone Dominique had got to know on the mainland. “Back then when you wanted to catch a train or something in China, you had to go to a special waiting room,” Dominique remembers with a laugh. “Otherwise you’d be surrounded by people touching your skin, your hair. Total chaos.”

Artsy sheen or not, the Chassets are indeed a married couple. When Christian’s phone rings it earns him a scoff for having left it on during an interview. “It’s your brother,” he deadpans. That raises a tiny, guilty blush in Dominique. “Oh, yes,” she says. “He always calls Christian because I never have mine on.”

Married nearly 32 years, the Chassets have been in Hong Kong more than half their lives, and in DB for 27 years. “[We] came five or six years after the pioneers. I knew DB a little because I had a few friends who lived here in 1984, 1985,” says Christian. “That was phase one, so everyone was living near the beach and everyone had a garden.

At the time I was living on Cheung Chau, but after two years there and three years in Causeway Bay, we came here. I think we’re very ‘European’. We need our space and our green. We’ve moved several times but always within Discovery Bay.” The Chassets started their school as a French language learning centre

After serving as president of the French Overseas Association from 1995 to 1998, Christian wanted to spread out and help the community at large, not just new French arrivals to Hong Kong. The 110-year-old Rotary International’s non-profit, secular, apolitical mandate is to step in where help is needed, by donating the time, resources or skills of its professional members. Its vision includes the big picture (education, healthcare, poverty, the environment as a few examples), but local community-level programmes make up part of that vision as well.

“We are focusing on DB needs, be it individual needy people or as a coordinator with other projects,” stresses Dominique, the charter’s first member.

And despite being one of Hong Kong’s more affluent enclaves, DB does indeed have needs, be they geriatric 

www.arounddb.com September 2016

27

PROFILE care or social issues. Says Christian: “This is not a charity. It is a service.”

The DB chapter will also work with other Hong Kong clubs to fall in line with Rotary’s larger aims, like its ongoing campaign to eradicate polio.

Community first Currently there are over 50 Rotary Clubs scattered across Hong Kong, but until Christian put his mind to it, DB was unrepresented. “We have 25,000 people here, and I knew Rotarians that lived here but were members of the Wanchai club, of Kowloon East or whatever,” he states.

A new club needed 20 people to gain official status from head office in Chicago, and after the first casual meeting in February, Christian hoped to meet that benchmark by spring. He

got his 20 by the end of May and now counts 31 members. “There are good people in Discovery Bay,” he says, ever so pleased.

While Christian has no solid plans for the freshly minted Discovery Bay Rotary Club (suggestions are welcomed), environmental issues are near and dear to his heart – and a necessity in light of the trash emergency that plagued the SAR’s beaches this past summer. “We’re hoping to have DB Green founder Kate Wade as a member, so we’ll be working with her and discussing what we can do: cleaning beaches, cleaning the mountain path,” he theorises.

“You forgot to say that we are 31 members and 12 nationalities,” adds Dominique, rightly boasting that the club is a reflection of DB itself and one that is firmly rooted in its community.

“If you want to do something like this you have to involve all members of the community – a Hong Kong first.

This club is where the members live,” she finishes.

As a firm believer that it is the duty of those who can to help the world, and their communities, on behalf of those who cannot, Christian is succinct in why Discovery Bay – or anywhere – needs a Rotary Club. “Together you can achieve more.” Spoken like a true Rotarian.

Find it • Discovery Bay Rotary Club, christian.chasset@gmail.com

Find more local heroes

@ www.arounddb.com

RS_GERMANCOMMUNITYAD.indd 1

25/03/2013 4:13 PM

Eclipse

FAMILY MATTERS

Sandra Roe has fought cancer twice, once at 14 and again in 2009

HOPE SPRINGS Photos by Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com and Ai Lau

ETERNAL

30

DB residents Hannah Rose Meeson and Sandra Roe are survivors of childhood cancer. Hannah is eight years old and Sandra, 47.

They share their stories with Trisha Hughes

T

here is no pain greater than to be helpless in the face of a child’s suffering.

With a diagnosis of cancer, your world changes in the blink of an eye. Your goals, your dreams and your priorities are forced to take a different turn. Instead, you’re dealing with the realisation that your child will be going through radiation, chemotherapy and the terrible side effects of both.

You’re allowed to scream and you’re allowed to cry at the injustice of seeing

your child suffering but for his sake, you smile and hold back the tears.

Deep down there’s the knowledge that you will never give up hope. That you would never do. Hope becomes your anchor – it is stronger than fear. And even a single thread of hope is a very powerful thing.

Hannah’s story There are moments in everyone’s life when they know nothing will ever be the same again and time is divided into

September 2016 www.arounddb.com

two parts: before and after. For one DB resident, eight-year-old Hannah Rose Meeson, that moment came on Monday July 9, 2012 when she was just four years old. “Everyone thought I had autism,” Hannah says. “But it turns out I had an aggressive cancer of the brain, probably existing from my birth.

When I was four and three-quarters, we visited the paediatrician, Dr Sarah Newton in Cayman, where we used to live, because Mum was concerned about me falling over and bumping into things.”

FAMILY MATTERS

Cancer survivor Hannah Rose Meeson with mum Gaylene

Hannah was admitted to hospital that day and had a CT scan that evening which revealed a tumour mass on her brain. The next morning, Tuesday, she was airlifted to Miami Children’s Hospital. On Thursday, after an MRI, she had an eight-hour surgery to completely remove the tumour. “For a while, I could not walk or talk but with therapy, I gradually recovered,” Hannah explains. “Then on July 29, we flew to Houston, Texas, where I had another MRI, and it showed the cancer had spread to the membranes surrounding my brain and spinal cord.”

Through 31 sessions of radiation and six rounds of chemotherapy, through nausea, vomiting, hearing loss and blood transfusions, Hannah’s mother Gaylene stood staunchly by her daughter’s side, refusing to give up hope. And on March 31, 2014, her hope became a reality. An MRI showed that the cancer had gone, although the disabilities would not. Hannah will always suffer from a total loss of balance and loss of coordination in her legs, as well as speech and hearing loss.

Despite this, she attends Hong Kong

International Learning Academy here in DB part-time, and home-schools the rest of the time. She says, “I am happy and I am doing OK.”

Sandra’s story Another courageous survivor who has refused to let this disease make her a victim is Sandra Roe, an eightyear DB resident. Sandra has fought the battle twice, once at 14 and again seven years ago. “At 14, you don’t have an understanding of what cancer is and about dying.” Sandra says. “After my dentist palpated my neck during a routine check-up, he found a lump under my chin. The lump was later diagnosed as Hodgkin’s Disease.

During treatment, I lost the hair at the back of my head and I was very embarrassed. I had X marks on parts of my body so that when the machine was lined up, my organs were protected during radiation. I used to make up a story that I was a voodoo doll!”

Being a survivor of childhood cancer doesn’t mean you are home free of the disease. At 39, in 2008, Sandra

had been sick with numerous illnesses for some time and the last was double vision. When she could not remember a conversation that had happened a minute before and started asking the same questions several times, her husband took her to an oncologist.

After a bone marrow test, blood work and a brain biopsy, the result came in.

Sandra had brain cancer. Once again, she buckled up and began the battle with eight rounds of chemotherapy over a six-month period.

But that was seven years ago. As of December 23 of last year, Sandra is now cured although, like Hannah, she has on-going illnesses. With a weakened immune system, Sandra has since been diagnosed with lupus.

Finding ways to cope Every cancer survivor begins each day with two beliefs: the future can be better than the present, and I have the power to make it so. These survivors know all about chemo and sickness, they know stress, they know tears and they know pain. But they force 

www.arounddb.com September 2016

31

FAMILY MATTERS

themselves to put one foot in front of the other each day and they refuse to let it beat them. They go about the business of survival. As John Wayne said, “Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”

During her treatment (as an adult) Sandra would change words to make herself feel better. “Someone just made up the word dying,” she says, “so I changed the word to transformation to make myself feel calmer. The red warning sign on the chemo bag scared me as well, so I refused to look at it. After a while, I decided that red meant love and they were pumping me full of love, so I had more love to give. Creating coping skills is such a powerful way to make the process easier.”

Everyone has different ways of coping.

Gaylene explains: “We didn’t look ahead, we just focused on the ‘now,’ one minute and then one hour and then one day at a time. During the day, you stay positive because you have to.

Nobody is promised a tomorrow. The grief and despair hits at night, alone in the dark and then you wake up and start all over again. In the hospital, you always meet kids having a tougher time, despite your dire situation, and you find yourself helping others. Everybody is in it together and you draw strength from families around you.”

The need for funding The survival rate has improved significantly since the 1950s, thanks to better therapy options and tireless research into paediatric cancer. But there is still a long way to go. The Cancer Fact Library provided by The Truth 365, a social media campaign that gives a voice to children with all types of cancer, is a good source for up-to-date statistics. It states that 1 in 285 US children are still being

Get involved Alongside Gaylene Meeson, Justine Barlow, the principal at Hong Kong international Learning Academy, is leading Discovery Bay in going gold this September. To get involved in the fundraising initiatives they have planned for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, email gaylene.meeson@gmail.com.

Make a donation • Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, www.alexslemonade.org • Children’s Cancer Foundation, www.ccf.org.hk • Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, ccri.uthscsa.edu • St Baldrick’s Foundation, www.stbaldricks.org • The Truth 365, www.thetruth365.org To make a donation to Hannah Rose Meeson’s hero fund for childhood cancer research, visit www.stbaldricks.org/hero-funds/hannahsheroes.

Fight it with laughter After her treatment, Sandra Roe wrote a series of 15 books for children to help them understand some of the side effects of chemotherapy. By sharing some of the humorous things that occurred during her treatment, Sandra hopes to help children and their parents cope – and laugh. The Farting Princess, the first book in a 15-part series, is due for release towards the end of this year through Scholastic. 50% of the net profits will go to cancer prevention, research and cure. You can contact Sandra at sroeglobal@gmail.com.

diagnosed with cancer and 1 in 5 of those children are left with little hope of survival. Of those children, 35% will die within 30 years.

The goal is to create a world without cancer and to achieve this researchers are looking for support from involved individuals like you and I. Leading US-based, childhood cancer researcher Dr Gregory Aune posted this telling statement for the St Baldrick’s Foundation in July: “We need further research to find a cure

Find more child-centric stories

32

September 2016 www.arounddb.com

and for that research, money is needed.

The National Cancer Institute in the US has only a budget of 4% allocated to children, and pharmaceutical companies fund virtually nothing to childhood cancer. Help is desperately needed. Our children depend on it. They are, after all, the future of the world.”

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – what better time could there be to dig deep and do what you can to help?

@ www.arounddb.com

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IN FOCUS

NOT FOR PROFIT,

OR ARE THEY?

Photos courtesy of Nikki Boot, Tracey Read, Steve Tait and Kate Wade

Most of us immediately think charity when we hear not for profit, but there are numerous other organisations out there providing a service to the community for free. To complicate things further, some of these can legitimately generate an income.

Sam Agars investigates

36

Nikki Boot, founder of social enterprise DB Mothers & Friends

September 2016 www.arounddb.com

IN FOCUS

D

iscovery Bay has countless organisations in place that are there to serve the community and help those in need. Societies, charities, social enterprises and companies limited by guarantee – all serve a similar yet intricately different purpose and each one must meet a certain set of criteria on a day-to-day basis. Not all are not for profit, nor are they required to be.

Confused? We catch up with those in the know in DB to nut out exactly what each of these organisations actually are and how they operate.

from those who no longer want them and distributes them to people in need.

other monies must go towards their charitable causes.

Starting up was a relatively simple process for Nikki – it was just a matter of obtaining a business registration and a limited company registration. “You also have to show what your objective is and that you are doing something to benefit the community,” she says.

DB resident Tracey Read faced a lengthy wait when registering Plastic Free Seas as a Hong Kong charity in 2013. Plastic Free Seas’ aim is to clean up Hong Kong’s beaches, by promoting education and awareness in schools and actively cleaning our waters from its converted ex-fishing trawler.

In Nikki’s line of work – one that requires a lot of physical labour – she

Social enterprises People often question how charitable organisations are run and if they are in fact operating correctly. With such a vast range of different structures in place, it’s no surprise. According to Harvey Law Group lawyer Amelia Polisano, what we first need to understand is the difference between a charity and a social enterprise.

“While turning over a profit is not the most important objective for a social enterprise, it is in fact allowed,” Amelia explains. “Hong Kong law states that less than 50% of annual income must be generated by direct sales and less than 35% of profit can be distributed to shareholders. The crux of it is that social enterprises should be financially sustainable and their major income source should come from selling goods and services.”

DB resident Nikki Boot, who runs the social enterprise DB Mothers & Friends, adds: “The difference between the social enterprise and the non-profit is that the social enterprise focuses on the socially beneficial objective, instead of focusing on whether it is profit or non-profit.”

Initially just a Facebook group to allow DBers to share tips and communicate with each other, Nikki registered DB Mothers & Friends as a social enterprise in 2014. She collects useful second-hand goods at a small cost

Kate Wade, founder of local society DB Green

has found the social enterprise option to be far more suitable than if she were to become a charity. “A charity could be driven by donations and volunteers, but we would rather work on a business model,” she says. “We hire movers and drivers to do our collection jobs and then we pay them. I need to make sure I hire someone reliable.”

“Starting a charity is a very complicated process,” Tracey says. “They really need to be sure you are a legitimate charity. We were quite lucky in that we got pro-bono support, so a law firm basically did everything for us. Even though we had professional help, it took about seven months from start to finish and cost us a lot of money.”

Charities must make sure all donations and financial transactions are recorded properly, again to maintain tax exemption.

“Inland Revenue will only let you receive tax-free donations if you record it properly, it’s very strict,” Tracey explains. “You have to do annual returns to show that you are still operating within the parameters that you were set up in and that you’re not engaging in any illegal activities.”

As a social enterprise, Nikki pays regular tax on any profit she makes.

Of course, having all this in place is the best way to encourage people to donate. Pointing to Hong Kong initiative WiseGiving, which helps donors know exactly where their money is going and how well it is being used, Tracey says: “People feel more comfortable if they know their donations are going to projects rather than overheads.”

Charities

Societies

Becoming a charity in Hong Kong is a far more difficult process, and a charity must prove that its purposes are exclusively altruistic to ensure it is exempt from tax. According to Amelia, acceptable purposes include relief of poverty, advancement of education or religion, and community work. While charities are allowed to cover their expenses through the money they raise and donations they receive, all

It is much easier to start up a society than a charity, though the way they operate is similar. Registering with the local police, the founder must provide his Hong Kong Identity Card (permanent resident status is not required), plus the address of every premise owned or occupied by the society (including its principal business address). The name and objectives of the society must be given, 

www.arounddb.com September 2016

37

IN FOCUS

and the application must be signed by three of the society’s office-bearers.

A society, like a charity, is not for profit.

Unlike a charity, however, a society cannot issue receipts for donations, which in some cases makes it tougher to gather funds.

For Kate Wade, founder of DB Green, this has not been an issue due to the small size of the organisation and the way it operates. Registered as a society in 2007, DB Green organises regular beach clean-ups in DB and also holds tree-planting sessions from time to time.

“Our main function is not to do with fundraising,” Kate says. “Most of the fundraising comes from the flea market so people are actually buying something, they’re not just making a donation. More than money, we want people who can offer actual physical labour.”

There is little that Kate needs to do on a continuous basis to maintain DB Green’s standing as a society, although she of course records her transactions like any business does.

Companies limited by guarantee A different kettle of fish altogether is the company limited by guarantee, which is a not-for-profit registered

company, with no shareholders.

Multi-sports club DB Pirates made the shift from society to company limited by guarantee in January 2014 and now has to conform to a whole new set of rules.

Steve Tait, director of operations for the DB Pirates, a company limited by guarantee

Tracey Read, founder of Hong Kong charity Plastic Free Seas

“Once registered, a company limited by guarantee must adhere to a

Find more topical local topics

complex set of criteria,” Amelia explains.

“This includes complying with the Inland Revenue Department and the Companies Registry by completing annual filings and undergoing an annual audit. A minimum of 50% of income must come purely from members otherwise the company becomes liable for tax.”

Pirates’ director of operations, Steve Tait explains the motives behind the move: “The problem you have with a society is it has totally unlimited liability for the officers involved and for the members of the society. So if something ever happens, particularly in our field, if something were to happen to one of the kids and we were found liable as a club for negligence or anything like that, then every member within the society would be liable for an unlimited amount. It is really hard to get insurance because you are not a physical entity within the Hong Kong system, just a piece of paper with the police.”

As a company limited by guarantee, the Pirates now has access to insurance to mitigate the risk to its members.

“The members are the endorsers of the club, and they guarantee the club to the tune of HK$1 each within their membership,” Steve says. “So if the whole thing went horribly wrong, the best anyone would ever get out of it is HK$1 per member.”

@ www.arounddb.com

DMR

School of Ballet Est 1984

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LIFESTYLE

TASTE OF ITALY Simple and elegant, these essential pasta dishes work equally well for special occasions and family mealtimes.

What’s more, they take just minutes to make

Asparagus Spaghetti Serves four

• 500g asparagus • 100g butter • 1 slice stale white bread, crumbed • 200ml double cream • 25ml chicken stock • 500g spaghetti Source: The Top One Hundred Pasta Sauces, by Diane Seed. Photos courtesy of www.wikimedia.org

• 50g Gruyère, grated

42

Wash the asparagus and remove any tough stalks. Place in a large, shallow pan, salt to taste, and cover with boiling water. Cook for around 8 minutes.

Drain and plunge into cold water. Cut into 2-centimetre lengths, discarding any tough parts. Melt the butter in a large pan, add the breadcrumbs and cook gently, stirring all the time, for two minutes. Add the cream and stock.

Stir well and add the asparagus. Cook for 5 minutes and set aside. Boil the pasta until al dente. Drain and add to the asparagus. Stir in the cheese and serve at once.

September 2016 www.arounddb.com

LIFESTYLE

Fedelini with Lemon Sauce Serves four • 25g butter • 1 clove garlic, minced • ¼tsp dried chilli flakes, crushed • 2 lemons • 100g prawns • 500ml double cream • 500g fedelini Melt the butter and gently fry the garlic until it is golden brown. Add the chilli flakes. Wash the lemons and grate the zest finely. Use a zester so that you can use the fine threads of lemon as a garnish. Add the prawns to the garlic and butter. Heat gently, then add the lemon rind and cream. Simmer for 50 minutes. Bring water to the boil in a large pan. Add the fedelini, then drain it immediately because the aim is not to cook the pasta but to make it flexible. Add the pasta to the cream sauce, and cook gently for around 3 minutes. Season to taste and add a little more cream. Garnish with lemon zest to serve.

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LIFESTYLE

Classic Carbonara Serves four • 5 eggs • 100ml double cream • 1tbsp olive oil • 25g butter • 200g streaky bacon, diced • 500g spaghetti • 100g Parmesan, grated Beat the eggs and cream together with a pinch of salt. Heat the oil and butter in a large pan. Add the bacon and cook gently. Boil the pasta until al dente.

Drain and add to the bacon pan. Stir well. Remove from the heat and stir in the eggs and cream and a little cheese.

The eggs coagulate as they come into contact with the hot pasta, so work quickly. Stir until each strand of pasta is coated with a thick yellow cream.

Season and stir in the remaining cheese to serve. Garnish with a raw egg if desired.

Find more delicious recipes

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Prepare your child for school interviews and assessments.

Contact ITS Education Tel: +852 2116 3916 Email: es@itseducation.asia

Year 1 Interviews: What to expect School interviews are carefully crafted to estimate a child’s “baseline” abilities in very basic literacy, reasoning and cognition. The purpose can change from system to system and school to school, but the main elements are the same.

•

At this young age, schools mainly look for social skills that suggest the child will fit into the school c o m m u n i t y. T h e y w i l l b e l o o k i n g f o r c h i l d re n who share and will socialise in a small group.

The following information is worth knowing as it can frame the way you approach the interview.

•

What’s the purpose of the Interview?

1. To assess school readiness for Year 1 entry.

2. To ensure the school can cater for the student’s needs and provide any required learning support.

3. To get to know the student beyond what can be found on an application and school reports.

4. For the school to explain the curriculum and teaching methodology and to differentiate the distinguishing features they offer.

5. For the parents to find out anything they need to know. However, the interview is not necessarily the right time to judge whether the school’s values, ethics and atmosphere is the right fit– this can be done with research, school tours and open days well before the interview stage.

•

sustain concentration for a group story and be prepared to participate in answering questions and prediction activities demonstrating understanding of real/fantasy; past/present/ future; cause and effect communicate with other children in the group (usually 6-8 children) using English use questions to elicit help

Numeracy/Maths • • • • •

recognise numbers 1 – 20 and/or count to 20, possibly forwards and backwards continue to write numbers 1-20 (or above) recognise shapes, copy basic shapes and identify the number of sides can separate from parents easily takes turns, shares, and cooperates

All good preschools would teach children about sharing toys and being polite to other children and adults, so there is nothing really to worry about. A good preschool would also make sure children build up the academic knowledge, grossmotor skills schools are looking for at this age.

What do teachers test and how?

Tips for Parents:

English Language and Thinking Development

It is important that your child is relaxed and healthy on the day and expects the assessment to be a playsession to make friends and explore, as that way the school will be able to observe your child’s skills in action. Make sure to remind your child to smile and use their manners at all times.

• • • • • • • •

describe a picture of a family/group of animals in a scene using complete sentences (“Mommy is shorter than Daddy but has longer hair.”) identify objects in a group (i.e all-round/square objects or items of clothing, etc.) identify colours, animals, shapes make sounds associated with letters of the alphabet use acceptable social formulae (e.g. please, thank you, excuse me) follow simple instructions (relying on key words and context) extend answers to questions beyond single word responses (i.e. phrases and simple sentences) use comprehensible pronunciation, stress and intonation when speaking

We have heard of several cases of children being so intimidated or confused that they refused to speak to the teachers or other children on the day, and none of these children were offered places. “ this age, it is still quite common for children to go silent when strangers ask them questions, so it will be useful to work on that if you think this could happen to your little one.”

Anne Murphy, Director, ITS Education Asia

TALKING POINTS

THE NEED FOR

SUSTAINABLE SPEED Gearing up for the first Hong Kong ePrix, Sam Agars discovers why Formula E is the ultimate event experience, and one that is beginning to win over even the most dedicated petrol heads

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Photos courtesy of Formula E

he FIA Formula E HKT Hong Kong ePrix hits town next month, bringing with it a spectacle never before seen in the city. Approaching its third season, Formula E (FE), officially the FIA Formula E Championship, employs only battery-powered cars and has quickly gained significant traction in the highly competitive motor-racing industry.

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What sets FE apart, obviously, is its sustainability and the message the series takes with it as it tours the globe.

This is something that has resonated with long-time DB resident Jennifer Atepolikhine, who is involved in the sponsorship and hospitality side of FE in Hong Kong. Another aspect Hong Kongers will no doubt warm to very quickly is the carnival atmosphere of a series that is basically a travelling party.

The ultimate event experience Sport is a tradition in this city and something the locals don’t take lightly – FE has one chance to get it right or be swept aside as another event not worth the collective public’s trouble.

The fact that the Hong Kong ePrix will be staged on 2 kilometres of city streets around the Central Harbourfront means it is all but assured of success.

That it is set to cater for every type of fun lover won’t hurt either.

Formula E cars, while not as quick as Formula One (F1) cars, can boot from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in three seconds and the FE is known for its tight city tracks that ensure a thrill-a-minute spectacle. The track in Hong Kong will feature a main straight on Lung Wo Road, as well as a host of exhilarating hair-pin bends

September 2016 www.arounddb.com

and grandstand seating for over 6,000 people.

The two-day event, October 8 to 9, features a pre-race carnival and celebrity race on the opening day, followed by a jam-packed day of qualifiers and races. The eVillage will push overall capacity up to around 30,000 people and boast big screens where patrons can view all of the race action, as well as attractions, entertainment, games, performances and interactive displays promoting sustainability.

“Music and entertainment is part of the platform, it’s not all about motorsport,” Jennifer says. “They want to attract music lovers and technology lovers, and are trying to target younger kids as well.”

One way that FE is endearing itself to

TALKING POINTS much quieter than the petrol-powered F1 cars, making a buzzing sound.

In 2013, FE commissioned a study that estimated that over the next 25 years, the reach of the sport would be directly responsible for the sale of between 57 and 77 million electric vehicles. It is this sort of thing that drew Jennifer to the sport.

“What really got my attention in the beginning was the sustainability and the potential to impact pollution in city streets,” she says. “I also thought the technology was cool and it is pushing the research and helping things move along.”

Jennifer sees the series as a pioneer for a future of electric and, down the track, automatic cars. “In the future, people will be driving their old cars for posterity reasons and not as a mode of transport,” she says. “It’s going to be like riding horses is now.”

Formula E cars can boot from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in three seconds

fans is by offering a truly interactive and engaging viewer experience. In the world of highly competitive top-level motorsports, there is often a limit to just how involved enthusiasts can be but, through FanBoost, FE has found a way for them to have a tangible impact on the race.

FanBoost allows fans to vote for their favourite driver to receive a fivesecond power boost, something that will allow him to overtake or make up ground, perhaps at a crucial point of a race. Votes are collected in the lead up to each race and announced 30 minutes before the start, with the three drivers with the most votes receiving the boost.

The way of the future FE has been hailed as the future of motorsport and it’s easy to see why, with the sport not only practising sustainable methods but also promoting these ideals around the world.

The world’s first all-electric motor racing series, FE is determined to use this platform to drive the push towards an electric future. The organisation prides itself on creating awareness around the issues facing our planet and encouraging sustainable behaviour, living by the three core values of Energy, Environment and Entertainment.

FE has a number of ways in which it endeavours to minimise its overall footprint, using car batteries that are powered by a 0% emission and renewable glycerine fuel and, where possible, utilising clean and renewable energy at all of its events. Drivers are required to swap cars once every race due to battery life, while the cars are

For those yet to be convinced about the quality of the racing, one thing that should instantly sway their thinking is the calibre of drivers competing on the circuit. Bruno Senna, the nephew of the late F1 great Ayrton Senna, is one of a host of ex-F1 drivers on the circuit, with Lucas di Grassi, Nelson Piquet Jr and Nick Heidfeld also boasting F1 experience.

Despite the obvious similarities and crossover, Jennifer is quick to dismiss the comparison with F1, saying that FE racing is determined to make its own way. “I don’t think they want to catch Formula One, they are carving their own niche,” she says. “It’s really about the future and what kids, families and people will be interested in, in the future.”

Find it • FIA Formula E Championship, www.fiaformulae.com • FIA Formula E HKT Hong Kong ePrix, www.hkformulae.com

Find more topical local news

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ESCAPES

Robert Louis Stevenson Trail

FRENCH

CONNECTIONS Trail walking in France’s Massif Central, Peter Sherwood finds himself following in the footsteps of Robert Louis Stevenson

Photos courtesy of www.wikimedia.org

A

rriving at the top of the highest point in the Cévennes, Pic de Finiels at 1,699 metres on the historic Robert Louis Stevenson Trail, there is no sign of habitation in any direction. By European standards, France’s Massif Central is a pretty remote region with only 10 people per square kilometre, yet this is a country with a population of 66 million and one of the most visited nations on earth. France would fit into my home country Australia 12 times.

Isolated. That’s what I love about the place, plus it’s beautifully compact and the people take great care of its landscapes, villages, hamlets and small towns, as if everything is worth preserving. And it is. Compare that to

Grande Randonnée With more than 100,000 kilometres of marked trails, through a stunning variety of landscapes, la belle France offers endless enriching hikes. This extensive network called Grande Randonnée (literally big walks) promises some delightful wandering.

Pic de Finiels

bigger Spain to the south where the entire east coast has been devastated through rampant overbuilding and disdain for the natural world. (A Spanish friend calls it an environmental crime and catastrophe. Having recently driven it south to north, there is not much to disagree with.)

From the first official Grande Randonnée (GR) route, the GR3 that follows the Loire River from source to the sea – about 1,200 kilometres – to thousands of short circular walks for families and majestic mountain treks ranging from ‘strenuous’ to ‘difficult’, France is simply in a league of its own.

Many of these nature trails intersect, gifting endless possibilities restricted only by time and inclination. 

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ESCAPES

Cévennes National Park

Among the best are the GR10 from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean through the Pyrenees, and Corsica’s popular north-to-south mountain jaunt, the GR20. The latter, covering 180 rugged kilometres, is considered to be the toughest and most beautiful trail in Europe.

If you’re fit and experienced, the classic Pyrenees hike will take you about 44 days, the GR20 about two weeks. And of course the ultimate French mountain experience, the Alps, also beckons, although the higher trails, like the Pyrenees, are open only in summer. The magical Robert Louis Stevenson Trail (GR70) does not compare in difficulty, but it is a captivating few hundred kilometres that delights at every turn.

Robert Louis Stevenson Trail “For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” That phrase was made famous

by Robert Louis Stevenson in his first book Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes, a much-loved account of his 1878-expedition through remote southern France in the company of the small and cantankerous donkey, Modestine.

52

in the brain, and ends in a peace that passes comprehension”.

Chemin de Saint-Guilhem

Stevenson’s phrase created a cliché; a largely misunderstood few lines that continue to inspire many of us to wander the globe, crashing aimlessly into whatever new peak or pasture lies beyond a brighter horizon.

In 1878, Stevenson was 27-years-old and no itinerant pilgrim. The great Scot walked to write about what drove him and whatever captured an imagination yet to show itself with the likes of Treasure Island and Kidnapped. He preferred to walk alone because “you must have your own pace, and neither trot alongside a champion walker, nor mince in time with a girl”. He walked in order to surrender himself “to that fine intoxication that comes from much motion in the open air, that begins in a sort of dazzle and sluggishness

September 2016 www.arounddb.com

Moving slowly on foot along the 250-kilometre route that bears his name, not much seems to have changed since Stevenson’s time.

Cévennes National Park – over 900 square kilometres of low mountains, rolling hills, rocky peaks and forests – sweeps down to the plains, and it’s the only park in France with farms and villages at its heart. While the habitation is so widely scattered that it often disappears from the horizon, a fascinating picture of traditional French life emerges.

The landscape is dramatic at Gorges du Tarn and, at about the halfway mark, it rises gently up to the rounded hill of Pic de Finiels, the highest point in the Cévennes, where on a clear day the view is uninterrupted to the Mediterranean.

The trail ends at Saint-Jean-duGard from where you can take a 45-minute steam locomotive ride to the picturesque medieval village of Anduze. Nearby, La Bambouseraie de Prafrance, a 34-hectare private botanical garden, specialising in bamboo, provides a fittingly exotic finale to one of Europe’s most exhilarating cultural walks.

ESCAPES

Gorges du Tarn

Chemin de Saint-Guilhem route

As an added attraction, L’Aubrac is said to have the best beef in France.

It certainly has the most beautiful cows. As you pass by they wander over voluptuously, all dewy-eyed, with the long, flickering lashes of a 1930’s Hollywood starlet and looking more cuddly than edible.

The Cévennes is so captivating, many hikers extend their exploration of the area on the Chemin de SaintGuilhem route. While close by, Chemin de Saint-Guilhem’s aspect is very different. That’s the beauty of hiking here.

For the sake of stark contrast, I’ll start at the finish, spiralling down the long white gravel trail leading through a richly scented forest to Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. On a warm afternoon, the bright path seems a continent removed from the damp chill of L’Aubrac, and reminiscent of the hot, stony mountain paths of the Greek islands, a trick of time and place that makes this trip so surprising, so memorable.

The Chemin de Saint-Guilhem route starts in L’Aubrac, an isolated region in the southern Massif Central.

A granite plateau of 1,500 square kilometres at an altitude of 1,200 metres, it’s the highest area of that size in the country. The trail passes through the dramatic canyons of Gorges du Tarn, a sudden surprise after the high plains of L’Aubrac.

L’Aubrac cows

The landscapes of the Chemin de Saint-Guilhem trail are ever-changing and challenging, and in 12 days you are unlikely to meet more than a handful of other hikers. I believe I could repeat the walk next week and have a very different experience. But then I can say that about every walk I’ve taken in France.

Maps and guides • All hiking trails in France can be found on one folded map: Itinéraires de Grande Randonnée en France. It is available online from Stanfords, www.stanfords.co.uk • The Robert Louis Stevenson Trail, published by Cicerone, www.chemin-stevenson.org • Chemin-de-Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, published by Topo Guides, www.chemin-st-guilhem.fr

Find more exciting travel destinations

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MOMENTS

DESEXING NETWORK DB vet Dr Ivy Cheung tells Carlos Magno of her mission to control the animal population on Malapascua Island in the Philippines

H

ong Kong-born Dr Ivy Cheung of Island Veterinary Services in DB decided on her career path early – at secondary school in Melbourne, Australia. Her first pet, at age 15, was a miniature Schnauzer called Tequila, and she currently shares her DB home with a three-yearold Devon Rex named Qooley.

“Pets make you happy. They can sense if something’s not right and comfort you. It’s like a companionship,” says Ivy, who graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2009 and worked at The Ark Veterinary Hospital in Sai Ying Pun before moving to DB in 2015.

Ivy is full of praise for the DB community’s love of animals and the way we take care of our pets.

She has relied on this in setting up Malapascua Animal Welfare (MAW), with hopes to establish a free desexing and treatment initiative for the cats and dogs of Malapascua Island in the Philippine province of Cebu.

whether there was a vet on the island,” Ivy recalls. “There was obviously a problem with overpopulation and I wondered if the locals were open to having the animals desexed.”

Ivy soon discovered that unlike many South East Asians, Filipinos are open to the idea of neutering animals.

The problem on Malapascua is that there is no resident vet. Volunteer veterinarians make a weekend desexing trip to Malapascua from the capital, 500 kilometres away, every six to 12 months, but their valiant efforts fall short of truly effective population control.

“One effort desexing the strays every six to 12 months will not be able to curb the population as it matures,” Ivy explains. “In that time many of the young animals have already

Photo courtesy of Dr Ivy Cheung

Mission in the south Ivy’s mission began in December 2015 during a dive trip to Malapascua, when she saw the islanders still recovering from the devastation caused two years previously

by Typhoon Haiyan.

One of the things that struck Ivy on her trip was the number of cats and dogs roaming freely on the island.

“I saw all the little puppies and kittens running around, and I asked offhandedly Find more local heroes

Dr Ivy Cheung is the driving force behind Malapascua Animal Welfare

reached sexual maturity and may have already reproduced. Additionally, the volunteer vets only have a limited timeframe – 24 hours is simply not long enough to track down and neuter all the animals.”

On her return to DB in January, Ivy launched MAW, an information and fundraising campaign, to muster volunteers and resources for a free desexing and treatment initiative, out of Hong Kong. The mission also plans to offer prophylactic medicines that are not readily available on the island.

With over HK$60,000 raised to date, Ivy plans to make her first working trip to Malapascua in December with fellow vets Dr Kylie Griffin, Dr Gary Lo and Dr Valeria Leung and nurses Louie Sham and Nicole Cheng. “We can help these people who are trying to do right by their pets but just don't have the means,” she says. “It has not been difficult getting veterinary volunteers but we are short on lay staff. We will also need sponsorships for the medication, vaccinations and equipment.”

Ivy and her team are paying for their own flights and accommodation, and she concludes simply: “There’s a satisfaction in being able to help the animals, in making them feel better.”

Find it • Island Veterinary Services, www.db-vets.com • MAW crowdfunding page, www.youcaring.com/ malapascua-island-cat-and-dogdesexing-506339

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55

Elar (Andrew)

ACTION

Discovery Bay Football Club

Photos by Baljit Gidwani – www.evoqueportraits.com and Highjump Photography

GETTING BOOT TO BALL

58

The passion for the game that can be seen in soccer-mad countries like England and Spain is on show right here in DB. Sam Agars reports

B

illions of people can’t be wrong and there is no doubting that soccer truly is the world game.

It’s continually gaining popularity in Hong Kong and is a hit amongst children and adults alike. Room for growth in DB may be a touch more limited but that’s not to say the sport is not thriving here.

Having a run A growing number of local clubs specialise in introducing children to ‘the beautiful game’. DB-based Vikings Football Club caters to kids aged two to 12, Brazilian Football Academy for

kids aged five to 13, Tinytots Soccer for kids aged 18 months to five years, and Adventure Sports Academy for those aged 18 months to 16 years. La Cantera Football Club, meanwhile, is active on Lantau, coaching kids aged 18 months to 14 years.

DB youngsters are particularly well looked after by the HK Dragons Football Club and Discovery Bay Angels Football Club. Founded in 2009, the Angels is a non-profit, community-based soccer club, with a programme catering to girls aged between six and 14. The 80 or so playing members are led by experienced soccer coaches assisted by parent volunteers. Outside of weekly training

September 2016 www.arounddb.com

at Discovery Bay International School, the girls travel across Hong Kong to participate in tournaments.

“Parents have found that playing in an all-girl environment allows female athletes to be less intimidated, and to develop their skills and their confidence faster than if they are thrown in with boys at an early age,” Angels’ chairman and long-time DB resident Christian Low says.

While the Angels’ coaches are focused on developing great teamwork and winning matches, the aim is to provide a safe, fun and all-inclusive learning environment. “We really try and

ACTION instill a love of football across the age groups,” Christian says. “The Angels is one of the few football clubs around where every child plays in all matches, no matter what.”

“Team sport is a wonderful teacher for all ability levels,” Christian adds. “It’s great to watch the girls’ progression from the beginning of the season through to the end. They grow in terms of confidence, pride in skills mastered and willingness to get in there and challenge themselves.”

The HK Dragons Football Club takes things just as seriously as the Angels and offers some of the best junior soccer coaching you will find in Hong Kong. Running in DB since 2001, the Dragons’ professional coaches cater for kids aged three years right up to 18. They coach over 600 DB kids and an added few hundred on Lantau.

The Little Dragons programme caters for kids up to the age of seven; older children play in the Hong Kong Junior Football League.

Discovery Bay Angels Football Club

The Dragons holds very similar values to those of the Angels. “At the end of the day, we want our kids to leave our sessions with a smile, having had fun,” head coach and manager Darren Maiden says. “If they’re having fun, they’ll learn. That’s one of the things that keeps kids coming back, that fun learning environment. If you enjoy something that you are doing, you will want to do it more.”

The quality of players that have been produced by the Dragons proves this notion, and last season the club entered a team in division two of the Legal League, which is usually the preserve of older players. That they went through to win the league, with only one loss, is testament to the quality of coaching on offer.

Kicking on A large number of adult DBers are as keen as the kids when it comes to getting on the pitch and this is where the Discovery Bay Football Club (DBFC) comes in. The club has two teams that play on a weekly basis in

HK Dragons Football Club

season in Hong Kong, one in division one of the Legal League and one in the newly formed Legends League.

The DBFC also has a soccer sevens touring side that regularly heads off to Phuket and Bangkok to play in annual tournaments.

“The veteran’s team was set up because the Legal League was getting more challenging and we wanted younger

players in,” chairman and long-time DBFC player Gary Rollinson says. “All the time we had been playing we were getting older and it was starting to tell, but we still wanted to play football.”

Again, you find an ethos of inclusiveness at the DBFC that is prevalent right across soccer in DB. The club is always looking for new players and is happy to point them in 

www.arounddb.com September 2016

59

ACTION the right direction. While secretary Dirk Haddow says the club has a social, family feel to it, the players are also hell-bent on winning come game day. The DBFC has had its fair share of success and last season came runner-up in the Legal League and fourth in the Legends League.

Last season DBFC had 90 registered players in total and is looking to continue to grow, with Dirk highlighting the inf luence that Harvey Law Group’s founder Jean-François Harvey has had on the game here in DB. “Jean François has done a lot of good for football in DB and for our football club,” he says. “In the last two years the club has really progressed.”

Adding that football isn’t cheap in Hong Kong, Gary says: “Harvey Law has made it so much easier because the club membership fee is now relatively small.”

Spatial awareness China recently announced a grand plan to have 50 million soccer players by 2020 and a World Cup in their hands by 2050. That the game is also growing in Hong Kong is evidenced by the blossoming HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens and the strength of the local leagues.

Locally, however, players are held back by the fact that there is as yet no full-size pitch on Lantau. High pricing and fierce competition to book time on the next best options, Discovery Bay International School Pitch and Discovery Bay North Sports Pitch, are also limiting how far the game can progress.

Find it

• Adventure Sports Academy, www.adventuresportsacademy.com • Brazilian Football Academy, www.bfa.hk • Discovery Bay Angels Football Club, www.dbangelsfc.hk • Discovery Bay Football Club, www.discoverybayfc.com • HK Dragons Football Club, www.dragons.hk • La Cantera Football Club, www.lacanterasoccerschool.com • Tinytots Soccer, www.tinytots.com.hk • Vikings Football Club, www.vikings.hk Soccer season starts this month and Lantau clubs are all currently enrolling.

Find more clubs and activities

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When you pass away, you need to leave written instructions as to whom and what your loved ones should receive (it is not automatic!)

Most people do not consider the difficulty of Guardianship if you and your partner do not return home to your minor children.

Although Hong Kong has an Appointment of Guardian facility, the surest way to ensure that your children are in the hands of people you want, should anything happen to you is through your WILL.

Do you have a Will?  Are you aware that your children could go into HK Government Care if you don’t write details of guardianship in your Will if you and your partner die prematurely?  Many taxes are paid unnecessarily upon inheritance in many parts of the world i.e. Death Duties because a Will has not been set up efficiently. Can your family survive net of these taxes?  With a Will in Hong Kong, it can take months to gain the Grant of Probate (the release of your assets) Without one, it can take years! How long can your family survive?  Your spouse does not inherit all! Your spouse is only entitled to the first HK$500,000 and is only entitled to HK$1,000,000 and 50% of the remainder, the other 50% is given to your parents or siblings.

If you do not like this distribution, you need to write a Will.  Trusts are also a viable way to protect your estate and maintain control. Succession planning, being in the 21st Century with families of mixed nationalities and/or extended members is vital to ensure that the right distribution does to the right person, at the right time. Tax mitigation is also important for many countries and nationalities. There are many available to suit individual needs.  Retirement Funding is often missed in Estate Planning – this can be highly tax efficient and provide many areas of family protection that are needed if set up properly.

Please feel free to contact me to discuss your own situation, you are under no obligation.

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HK HAPPENINGS

10 FUN THINGS TO DO IN HK THIS MONTH! Get your events listed @ www.arounddb.com

Photo courtesy of Print Plus

GLAM FEST

r Septembe

Regal Kowloon Hotel, Tsim Sha Tsui

Glam Fest, previously known as the Kowloon Bazaar, combines all your shopping needs under one roof. A wide variety of unique, local and international vendors are showcasing designer clothing, jewellery, homeware and more. Admission is free. Visit www.kowloonbazaar.com.

THE TIGER LILLIES PERFORM HAMLET Kwai Tsing Theatre, Kwai Tsing

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JEEVES AND WOOSTER IN PERFECT NONSENSE Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Wanchai

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www.republique.dk

Theatre Republique joins forces with British cult band The Tiger Lillies to reinvent the Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet. This twohour blast of seduction, deception and dark humour, eerie musical performances and spectacular visuals, appeals to lovers of classical and contemporary theatre alike. Tickets, starting at HK$180, are available at www.urbtix.hk.

13-25

Fresh from an award-winning run at the West End, join English toff Wooster and his dutiful valet Jeeves in Perfect Nonsense. This P.G. Wodehouse adaptation is a giddily daft play that captures the eccentricity and innocence of a bygone era. Purchase tickets, starting at HK$450, at www.hkticketing.com.

MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL

Across Hong Kong The Mid-Autumn Festival brings friends and families together to welcome in the new moon and celebrate togetherness. Prime spots to enjoy lantern displays, cultural performances and the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance (which is unique to Hong Kong), include Victoria Park, Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade.

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ASIA CONTEMPORARY ART SHOW -18

ber 15 m e t p Se

Photo courtesy of Martin Lever

Conrad Hong Kong, Admiralty

The ninth edition of the Asia Contemporary Art Show showcases an array of original paintings, limited editions, sculptures and photography from the world’s most interesting and promising talents.

All-access, two-person tickets to the three-day event start at HK$220, at www.asiacontemporaryart.com. www.arounddb.com September 2016

www.urdesign.it

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HK HAPPENINGS

Like us on Facebook for event reminders: www.facebook.com/ AroundDB r 18

mbe e t p e S

www.nunan.com

OUTWARD BOUND MULTI-RACE Tai Mong Tsai, Sai Kung Back for the fourth time this year, the Outward Bound Multi-Race covers a challenging 13.2 kilometres. Set to push competitors out of their comfort zones, the race calls for trail running, orienteering, kayaking, swimming and more. You can book your spot, HK$500 per team of two, at www.active.com.

There’s no better way to see Hong Kong than by boat. Why not junk it to one of these idyllic destinations, while the good weather holds.

1. A hidden gem, far to the southwest, the Soko Islands are protected and uninhabited. The surrounding waters are so pristine, you may well spot a Chinese White Dolphin.

PENTATONIX WORLD TOUR AsiaWorld-Expo, Chek Lap Kok

A cappella ensemble Pentatonix combines harmonious vocal arrangements with beatboxing. The five-member group rose to fame after winning the third season of The Sing-Off on NBC in 2011, and has subsequently sold over 3.2 million albums in the US alone. Grab your tickets, starting at HK$388, at www.hkticketing.com.

TOP JUNK DESTINATIONS

2. Right in our own backyard, Pui O is a stunning place to drop anchor.

The (black) sand is fine, the trees are shady and the sunsets are hard to beat.

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mbe Septe

www.bonnerfideradio.com

EARTH, WIND & FIRE LIVE

September 22

AsiaWorld-Expo, Chek Lap Kok

www.skycollective.com

The US’ seventh top-selling musical group of all time, Earth, Wind & Fire is finally debuting in Hong Kong. Since 1969, Earth, Wind & Fire has sold more than 90 million albums worldwide and become one of the world’s top touring bands. Hits include Boogie Wonderland, September and After The Love Has Gone. Purchase tickets, starting at HK$680, at www.hkticketing.com.

LEA SALONGA: DISNEY & BROADWAY MAGIC

3. Nam Fung Wan, Sai Kung is an ideal destination for adventure seekers who want to snorkel and explore the lagoons and hidden coves of the area.

4. Po Toi Island, just off Stanley, has nice calm bays for swimming and boasts unique rock formations, like the Buddha Hand Rock and Coffin Rock.

Leading local junk companies include Saffron Cruises (www.saffron-cruises. com), Hong Kong Junks (www. hongkongjunks.com.hk), Jubilee (www. jubilee.hk ), Aqua Luna (www.aqualuna. com.hk) and Lazy Days (www.lazydays. com.hk).

er 30 b m e Sept ctober 1 O -

Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui Tony-winning Broadway legend Lea Salonga is back in town after sold-out performances in January last year. Disney & Broadway Magic, performed alongside the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, promises to be a magical concert of classic tunes you know and love.

Tickets, starting at HK$280, are available at www.urbtix.hk.

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September 2016 www.arounddb.com

www.flpno.com

www.shop.joyvino.com

COMMUNITY SNAPS!

DB FACES

Email your photos for DB Faces to info@baymedia.com.hk. Around DB accepts no liability for the photos sent

Who do you know? Find more familiar faces @ www.arounddb.com.

Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com

Win prizes from Uncle Russ Coffee and The Pier Bar! Congratulations to last month’s winner: Sonia Cheng-Cook (@soniacc1)

T

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!

WORSHIP SERVICE

Natural, Eco-Friendly, Replacement-Free Water Solution from Austria.

Discovery College Sundays @ 10 am

CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP PRACTICAL BIBLE TEACHING KIDS CHURCH XTREME & RDB TEENS Free Consultation Hotline: (+852) 2314-2608 enquiry@grandertechnology.com www.GranderTechnology.com

Pastor James Buckner Tel: 2987 7061 www.dbicc.org

View local business directories @ www.arounddb.com EMPLOYMENT

FINANCE & INSURANCE AUSTRALIAN TAX RETURNS

EMPLOYER WANTED

Cherrie Toriaga, 29, is looking for an employer – her contract ended on July 12.

A registered nurse from the Philippines, she is an experienced child minder of babies & young kids.

Easy going yet hardworking, Cherrie can cook Chinese & Western food, & handle all household chores.

Call 6427 3163

Need to lodge your Australian tax return?

If you are an expat or collect rental from Australian property, you must lodge an annual return.

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

HEALTH & WELLBEING

DELIVERY PERSON/ MESSENGER

Michael, a HK resident, is available to deliver documents & small parcels around HK. Full/ part time.

Please leave a message on 9145 6731

EMPLOYER LOOKING FOR A HELPER? OR HELPER LOOKING FOR AN EMPLOYER? Place your free classifieds ad here.

Email info@baymedia.com.hk

HYPNOSIS &/ OR SHORT-TERM THERAPY

Quit smoking quickly.

Divorce/ Post-Divorce Coaching.

Resolve: • Fear of Flying/ Public Speaking • Overeating • Couples’ Conflicts • Career & Command-Training Stress • Anger Management • Phobias • Nail Biting • Insomnia • Exam Jitters Call Dr Melanie Bryan, Psy.D. Clinical Psychologist & Hypnotherapist on 2575 7707, or visit www.mindmatters.hk

BEAUTIFUL MIND THERAPY & FAMILY SERVICES

Bilingual clinical psychologist offering counselling services to children, adults & couples. Relationships; marital; family issues; ADHD; Parenting support; mood difficulties; substance abuse. Located in Central.

Contact 9147 4234, drbertiewai@gmail.com, www.beautifulmindhk.com

HOME SERVICES FTC RELOCATIONS

The experts in local & international moving.

World-class service – competitive rates. FTC also provides short-term storage & handyman services.

Operating throughout DB & Lantau. Call 2814 1658, or visit www.ftc.hk

HOME SERVICES

PETS

SONTHRA HANDYMAN

THE PLACE WHERE THE PETS GO - PETCODB

Furniture repairing by indoor/ outdoor & polishing specialist. Any kind of solid wood. Also picture hanging & all types of wall work.

• Better quality • Great value • Low prices • Satisfaction guaranteed Contact Peter on 9674 7531, Sonthrapeter@gmail.com

AKASH MOVING

Local packing & moving service.

Best move – best rate.

Akash offers a packing/ unpacking service, provides boxes & packing materials & makes small deliveries.

Call 2421 8088, or visit www.akash.hk

Grooming & Pet Care Services.

Trust us to provide loving & safe care for the ones you love!

Contact 2914 0382, info@petcodb.com.

Visit www.petcodb.com

DOG SERVICES

Home boarding, behaviour modification, Tui Na Massage & grooming. Reliable & honest.

100% safety record over the past 11 years.

Call Dave Chan on 9872 5439, or visit www.quoquoclub.com

RETAIL ABBELIO WINES

EXPAT PAINTER & DECORATOR

Colourwash, wall papering, artwork, plastering, plumbing, electrical works, picture hanging, shelving & more.

For a quality, fast, clean service, contact 9074 5232, goldingdec@netvigator.com

KIDS

EARLY ADVENTURES PLAYGROUP

A dedicated playgroup with the emphasis on learning through play.

Activities to stimulate all areas of development.

Come & look at our facilities.

Classes for kids from 20 months to 4 years.

Morning & afternoon sessions.

Call 9511 2107, or visit www.earlyadventures.net

Great value! High scoring!

Wines from around the world!

Free delivery & special offer for Discovery Bay residents.

For details, visit http://abw.hk/db, or call 3170 8458

SERVICES

SONTHRA TAILORING SERVICES

Tailoring for ladies & children.

(Shirts, pyjamas. Shalwar Kameez, baby dresses.)

Individual designs, copies, alterations & modifications.

Bespoke drapery, upholstery, bed & table linens. High quality, excellent service, competitive pricing, satisfaction guaranteed.

Contact 9637 1620, sonthrafarnaz@gmail.com

Deadline for October issue CLASSIFIEDS

September 15

www.arounddb.com September 2016

71

View local business directories @ www.arounddb.com

Alcoholics Anonymous

Meet our pet of the Month

LOLA

Mypetshop in the North Plaza.

Shop G09-92 Siena Ave. DB North Plaza

Tel: 2987 8873

Open Daily 10am – 7:30pm

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September 2016 www.arounddb.com

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

If you want to stop, we can help.

No dues or fees.

24 hour hotline: 9073 6922 Lantau hotline: 5668 2667 www.aa-hk.org

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

For info please call Thomas 9871 0771 or May 9774 3554 Email: greenlandpest@outlook.com

View local business directories @ www.arounddb.com TUITION & COURSES

SPANISH

LEARN SPANISH

MA n Applied Linguistics – University lecturer

Native speaker, DELE examiner.

Experienced teacher.

IB, IGCSE, A-Levels & HKDSE Business Spanish & courses for adults.

Flexible schedule & locations.

(Special offers to students who live in DB & Tung Chung.)

For enquiries please contact Mr Erik R at 9666 9511, rerikm@hotmail.com

20 years of experience teaching: • Spanish for children as a first and second language • Adults (Beginners to Advanced levels, Spanish for business, conversation) • Preparation for GCSE & IB exams • Spanish for specific purposes • Undergraduates (minor and major degrees)

Lessons in Discovery Bay on: TUE, THU & SAT Contact: Tel: 9104 3770 carinapicomartinez@gmail.com

CHINESE (MANDARIN & CANTONESE), MATHEMATICS & ENGLISH

Personal Professional Tutoring Service.

• Curriculum: HSK, IB, GCSE, SAT • ESF & all international schools, Year 1 to 13 • For students & adults (homework/ exams/ business) • Mother-tongue Chinese tutors from the PRC (Levels: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) • Mathematics tutors (UK B SC) • Native English tutors.

(MA in Education, specialising in Early Childhood Stage) Contact 9107 5655, graciasx@hotmail.com

•Counselling for individuals, couples, families & adolescents • Sliding fee scale; affordable options for all clients • English, Putonghua, Cantonese, Russian, Hindi, Marathi and Marwadi speaking counsellors

www.resourcecounselling.org Serving the community over 40 years A Member Agency of the Community Chest

MANDARIN CHINESE CLASSROOM Lessons for adults & children, individually & in small groups.

Any level/ time/ purpose.

In the Greens.

Call 6071 9643, or visit www.dbmandarin.com

Deadline for October issue CLASSIFIEDS

September 15 BEEF JERKY, BEEF BILTONG AND PORK CRACKLING

HIGH PROTEIN SNACKS WITH NO ADDED MSG

The perfect snacks for sharing and enjoying together T: E: W: : :

+852 6647 2292 gillian@gmtfoodshk.com gmtfoodshk.com @gillian_GMT /gmtfoods

www.arounddb.com September 2016

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Find short-term rentals @ www.arounddb.com LANTAU PROPERTY

LANTAU PROPERTY

APARTMENTS IN TUNG CHUNG

2-BED IN CHERISH COURT, DB

Fully furnished, 2- & 3-bed apartments available for long/ short- term lease. Minimum rental period 1 month. In excellent condition.

Contact Miss Man on 9806 9175/ 9872 7395, tanford787@gmail.com. Visit tanford.webs.com

Fully furnished, 2-bedroom flat with wi-fi & Now TV. Full sea view & Disneyland-firework view. Photos available.

Contact Jacqueline 9811 0718, jacquelinedb@gmail.com

DELUXE DB SERVICED APARMENTS

NICELY DECORATED DB APARTMENTS

Fully furnished 1-2-bed apartments with beautiful decor, wi-fi & broadband. Well-equipped kitchen, luxurious bedding, weekly cleaning service.

Contact Annie on 2987 2626, annie@appletravel.com

Nicely decorated, 1-, 2- & 3-bedroom flats available for short term let. Fully furnished with wi-fi & NOW TV. Weekly cleaning service.

Photos available. Contact Serena 9236 1806, cow9146@yahoo.com.hk

OVERSEAS PROPERTY LUXURY APARTMENTS IN SIENA 2, DB Spacious 600’ apartments for short- or long-term rental. Quiet with sea views over park, near Club Siena & DB Tunnel. Fully furnished with washer/ drier, bedlinen, kitchenware, 55” TVs, wi-fi, blu-ray home theatre. Contact the owner on 9317 0624, nialady2011@gmail.com

STUNNINGLY FURNISHED DB FLAT Designer 2-bed apartment, 1-minute from DB Plaza. Renovated to the highest standard.

Weekly cleaning available. Contact Maeve on 6408 4227, maeveororke@hotmail.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

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HAWKS NEST THAILAND FOR RENT

Fully equipped 2-bedroom villa for rent, including rooftop patio with outdoor kitchen, Jacuzzi tub, pool & internet. Situated just south of Hua Hin Thailand, can arrange Bangkok pick-up. For details, visit www.hawksnestthailand.com or email villa@hawksnestthailand.com

VILLA AMITA, BALI FOR RENT Ocean-view, 4-bed, luxury villa with 25-metre pool. On the cliffs of Bukit, close to Nusa Dua & Jimbaran. Spacious & open at 21,000 square feet. Fully staffed. From US$700/ night.

Contact 9040 7675, catyurim@gmail.com

VILLA IN TABANAN, BALI FOR SALE Quiet, furnished 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom villa with private dipping pool. Perfect vacation home after minimal renovation. Surrounded by rice paddies & 5 minutes to the beach. Contact onethingadaythatscaresyou@gmail.com, or visit www.sahajasawahresort.com

LUXURY DB 2-BED

PERTHSHIRE COTTAGE FOR SALE

Newly renovated, 2-bed flat with balcony.

Luxuriously furnished, with TV, cable & broadband. Panoramic harbour views & short walk to pier. Contact Charles on 6140 7971, charles@headlandhomes.hk. Contact Katie on 9150 7319, katie@headlandhomes.hk

Beautiful 150-year-old, 3-bed cottage in Perthshire, with oak-beamed lounge & dining room, modern kitchen, bathroom & shower. Ideal summer cottage/ holiday or retirement home, with lovely gardens. Offers over £375,000 (HK$4.3M) considered. Contact (44) 17964 82527 or bobbiemcgraw@outlook.com for details

SLEEPS 4 IN DB

AUSTRALIAN PROPERTY

Bright, fully furnished flat, sleeps 4. Fully equipped kitchen, plus wi-fi & broadband.

Towels & linens provided. Minimum stay 1 month. Email dbstay4@yahoo.com

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

Free online at www.aussieproperty.com

September 2016 www.arounddb.com

View DB property listings @ www.arounddb.com

Add your business for FREE @ www.arounddb.com TUNG CHUNG

SOUTH LANTAU

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

FTC Apparel

FOOD, RESTAURANTS & BARS

2428 2566 FOOD, RESTAURANTS & BARS

Airport Izakaya Andante Bistro Delifrance Café Aficionado Chef’s Choice China Coast Bar & Grill Dosirak House Essence Federal Palace Restaurant Kimos Mansarover Indian Cuisine Melody Thai McDonald’s Delivery Moccato Olea Pizza Hut Delivery Regala Café & Dessert Bar Resto Rouge Skycity Bistro Spaghetti House Starz Wine Bar Zentro Garden

2286 6668 3602 8828 2109 4187 2286 6238 6504 4208 2286 6898 3520 0848 3602 8808 2626 0181 2886 3646 2109 1927 2988 8129 2338 2338 3602 8838 3602 8818 2330 0000 2286 6618 2886 3156 2286 6868 3969 2500 2109 1297 2109 0612 2802 8000

Bahce - Turkish Restaurant Café Bar Caffe Paradiso (Tom’s Café) China Bear Como Lake Deer Horn Restaurant & Bar La Pizzeria Lantana Italian Bistro Long Island Mavericks Restaurant Tak Chai Kee Seafood The Beach House The China Beach Club The Gallery The Kitchen The Water Buffalo

Dalcroze Jill Marshall Pilates South Lantau Paddle Club Thai Palin Massage Tony’s Salon Treasure Island

6627 4806 9708 0187 9688 9112 3114 0030 2984 0990 2546 3543 HOME & REPAIRS

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

HOME & REPAIRS

Akash Removals Mega Power Engineering/Locksmiths Shun Yu Engineering

2421 8088 2109 2330 2988 1488 HOTELS

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

3969 1888 3602 8888 2286 8888

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

9021 1502 2987 8070 2162 5538 6273 7347 6674 6194 2611 9193 2164 7210 2420 1068 2109 3873 6341 3989 2121 0884 2988 8123

SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT

Asia Pacific Soccer Schools Caribbean Coast Club House Coastal Skyline Club House Dance for Joy Edge’n Pointe Dance Centre Epic MMA 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 2786 9699 9662 1747 6443 6597 3473 8700 5400 4109 2403 6770

UTILITY, SERVICES & EMERGENCY HOTLINES

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

2988 8282 2988 1898 3661 1999

2984 8334 2984 8487 2984 1802 2984 9833 9783 5840 HOTELS

Mui Wo Inn Silvermine Beach Resort Tai O Heritage Hotel

2984 7225 6810 0111 2985 8383 LEARNING CENTRES

DEI Kindergarten Lantau International Kindergarten Lantau International School Lao Shi Lantau Mandarin lessons Little Lantau Montessori Kindergarten Mui Wo Owls School & Kindergarten The Story Studio

LEARNING CENTRES

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 The Story Studio Tung Chung Catholic School (Yat Tung) YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College

2984 0222 2984 0498 2984 9720 2984 0009 3484 3095 2984 8933 5465 5511 2320 2001 5662 8552 2984 1265 2504 4788 2983 8931 2980 2582 5991 6292 2109 3331

HEALTH & WELLBEING

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Bayside Dental 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

LANTAU NUMBERS

2109 9886 2984 0302 2980 3676 5197 4647 3689 6709 2984 0006 6341 3989

PROPERTY AGENCIES

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

2984 8334 3483 5003 2984 1666 RETAIL

Friendly Bike Shop Island Wines Lantau Base Camp Quay House Red Hall Chinese Antiques The Red Lantern ZenvarA

2984 2278 9521 8481 5463 6060 2882 8710 2988 1368 2984 0099 9586 3459 SERVICES & OTHERS

Jumping Castles SPCA Phoenix Wills Suzanne Goodwin Photography Twig (Design Studio)

9662 1747 2984 0060 6108 8471 9025 3949 6351 8923 TRANSPORTATION

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

2984 2268 2984 8494 2984 8255 2984 9848

Add your business for FREE @ www.arounddb.com

DB NUMBERS

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

2987 0855 2259 3422 2987 9909 2987 8136 2987 7061 2987 5633 2666 6183 2834 7276 2537 1087 2987 7575 2987 9003 2914 2223 2259 3422

Island Dance A dance school offering ISTD Freestyle, Hip Hop & Tap & RAD Ballet classes from Monday to Saturday at DBRC & Club Siena. All ages welcome.

2987 1571 www.islanddance.com.hk

A drop-off playgroup for ages 18 months upward. Your child will have heaps of fun and make lots of new friends.

9327 0507

3102 2977 2320 1238 3480 1348 2987 8460

Playtime Kids DB

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

2987 4401 2987 7486 2448 1180 2987 4089 2947 9092

Playgroup run by Montessori-trained teacher. From 6 months to 4 years. 2623 4099; 9054 0565 playtimekidsdb@yahoo.com, www.playtimekidsdb.com

The Beat

Latin & Ballroom dance classes for adults and children. Wedding dance, Salsa, Beat Cardio, Mommies & Babies, Yoga and many more.

5194 9630 info@thebeat.com.hk www.thebeat.com.hk

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Bookazine, North Plaza Fotomax (F.E.) Ltd Pen’n Paper P-Solution

2987 1373 2914 2378 2987 8898 2987 1777

OTHER SERVICES

Apple Travel

Little Explorers

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES Action X GigaSports Little Whale, North Plaza Nomadic

MULTIMEDIA

LEARNING CENTRES

The Best Travel Agency in DB 2987 2626 cas@appletravel.com

Harvey Law Group International Canadian Law Firm in DB North Plaza offering you customised legal services on the many aspects of your personal and professional life 2416 8618 www.harveylawcorporation.com Gillian florist, North Plaza Flight Centre, North Plaza Mypetshop, North Plaza Pets Gallery The Optical House Well Supreme Laundry Services

2529 8256 2829 2010 2987 8873 2987 0428 2987 1368 2987 5151

PROPERTY LISTINGS & BOATS

Tree of Joy

Parsons White Wealth Management

Tree of Joy provides children with a fun, engaging and supportive environment to play and learn. Programs include: Dropoff Nursery Class, Parent-Toddler Class, Afternoon Camp and a Cooking Class.

Tel: 9787 2755, info@treeofjoydb.com, www.treeofjoydb.com

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

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

AQUABLU

Boat/ Yacht Sales & Brokerage - Berths/ Debentures - Marine Insurance - Marine Problems/ Resolution 6017 7802 Oceanblu@netvigator.com

The Stephen Putnam Practice Private Client Wealth Management Tel: 2914 0388 www.sjpp.asia/tspp Bank of China HSBC Luen Fat Securities Co. Ltd

2160 6556 2233 3000 2987 1851

HOME Good Luck Engineering Hoi Yu Transportation Hung Kee Co Interior 18 Japan Home Centre May’s furniture & curtain design Next Furniture Rapee-living Rich Point Hardware Materials Tactful Design & Build Tai Fat Hardware Store Wing On Department Store Yours Electrical Centre

2987 1313 2987 4488 2987 5087 2987 7803 2987 1041 2987 0222 2987 0222 2987 7082 2987 0789 2886 8555 2987 0789 2987 9268 2987 4428

LEARNING CENTRES

Musical Drama – Acting – Musical Theatre Tues & Wed classes at Discovery College 4 to 12 yrs - 2 fully costumed performances a year 8122 9475 admin@actingantics.com www.actingantics.com

Future Stars Dance Academy

Dance classes based on the ISTD requirements conducted in a fun, disciplined and safe environment.

2987 6867 melissa@futurestarsdanceacademy.com

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Woodentots is a Montessori playgroup providing a caring and nurturing environment in the Plaza. Run by a qualified Montessori teacher for children aged 2 1/2 - 5 years.

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 School, North Plaza DMR School of Ballet Early Adventures Playgroup Eye Level Centre Funfit HK International Learning Academy, North Plaza Kumon, North Plaza L’Ecole Française de Discovery, North Plaza Links Parenting, North Plaza Little Explorers English For Kids Mandarin for Munchkins, North Plaza SKH Wei Lun Primary School Sunshine House Int’l Pre-School Sunshine House Kindergarten, North Plaza Treasure House

6114 2436 2914 2142 2987 7331 3969 1000 2987 8028 2987 8088 2914 2202 2987 1201 2987 4338 2987 9644 9366 0000 6302 6327 2416 3088 2459 8808 8191 0813 6114 2436 9327 0507 2480 3909 2987 8608 2987 8143 2987 8143 2987 4217

Around DB’s October 2016 issue is coming out

October 1

September 2016 www.arounddb.com

Please explore the website, or call Michèle to see any of the listings. +852 60550146 www.HKBoatsandHomes.com

Lifestyle Homes & Boats 2914 0888 info@lifestylehomes.com.hk www.lifestylehomes.com.hk Centaline Property Agency EPS Property Consultants Headland Homes Kingsland DB Land Master Property Savills Hong Kong

2987 8484 2987 2023 2987 2088 2987 2987 2987 6238 2987 1919

FOOD & BEVERAGE, HOTELS 22º North Auberge Discovery Bay (Hotel), North Plaza Berliner Café Duvet Caffe Pascucci Coyote Mexican Cantina Chef’s Choice, North Plaza Ebeneezer’s Figos Seaside Café First Korean Restaurant Fresh Fruit Juice Paradise Hemingway’s by the Bay il Bel Paese Island Café Jaspa’s, North Plaza

2987 2298 2295 8288 2987 8203 2987 0966 2591 1426 2987 2848 2172 6111 2987 0036 2987 2915 2987 9123 2987 4768 2987 8855 2987 0202 2987 9311 2997 8688

Add your business for FREE @ www.arounddb.com FOOD & BEVERAGE, HOTELS Kiraku Tei

2987 2886

Koh Tomyums

2987 0767

La Création Bakery

2987 1829

McSorley’s Ale House

2987 8280

Mirch Masala, North Plaza

2987 1337

Moofish, North Plaza

2987 6318

Nevale Kitchen, North Plaza

2172 7099

Pacific Coffee

2987 1662

Paisano’s, North Plaza

2673 4445

Peony Chinese Restaurant

2500 1950

Salt & Pepper

2336 8001

Solera

2555 0772

Subway

2914 0005

Super Super

2914 1308

The Venue Brazil Churrascaria & Bar

2777 8411

Uncle Russ, DB Plaza

2682 0068

Uncle Russ, North Plaza

2682 8110

Zak’s

2987 6232

SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT Discovery Bay Cricket Club An internationally acclaimed club which provides a structure under which players, regardless of age or ability, can thrive.

2987 0132 www.dbcricketclub.com

HK Dragons Football Club Football for 2.5- to 14- year old girls and boys 2987 4274 www.dragons.hk

Embody Classical Pilates, Yoga and more!

6624 8712 susan@embody.hk www.embody.hk Junior Cricket Academy Cricket for 3.5 to 15 year old girls and boys 9011 1319 www.dbcricketclub.com

Movement Improvement Specialized training in Pilates, Yoga, TRX, Spinning, Circuits and Personal training. The complete solution on your doorstep at DB North Plaza 2987 5852 www.movementimprovement.com.hk

SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT Vikings Football Club Professional Soccer Coaching From ages 18 months to 12 years Tel: 9533 2600 vikingshk@hotmail.com www.vikings.hk Action X, North Plaza Club Siena DBees Ice Hockey DB Pirates Rugby Football Club Discovery Bay Marina Club Discovery Bay Golf Club Discovery Bay Recreation Club GigaSports

2911 4833 2987 7382 6473 4277 2517 8248 2987 9591 2987 7273 2987 7381 2320 1238

TOYS & KIDS’ PARTIES Babyland Bo Bo House EpicLand Toysland

2997 8080 2987 4230 2441 0098 2987 7859

DB NUMBERS

UTILITIES, SERVICES & EMERGENCY HOTLINES Discovery Bay Commercial Services Discovery Bay Fire & Ambulance Discovery Bay Management Discovery Bay Office Centre Discovery Bay Post Office Gas Leakage Emergency Hotline Lantau North Report Room North Lantau Hospital San Hing Gas Co Typhoon Signal Enquiries Water Fault Reports Water Supplies Department

2987 4242 2987 7502 2238 3601 2238 3388 2987 6046 2435 4511 3661 1694 3467 7000 2987 6738 2835 1473 2811 0788 2824 5000

WELLBEING

Ingredients of Wellness – Mindfulness Training Teaching young people skills to direct attention, to be calmer and concentrate better. angie@ingredientsofwellness.com 9048 5425 www.ingredientsofwellness.com

M Spa

TRANSPORT SERVICES

Provides door-to-door treatment service. Conveniently located in the Plaza. Reflexology, massage, pedicure/manicure.

2987 0614

Limousine Rental

Limo service in HK & China • pick up from / to DB Tunnel • direct transfer to SZ / GZ Airport 5303 3489 / 9654 0899 limo9689@gmail.com DB Golf Cart Services DB Transit Services DB Transportation Services Hire Car Bookings Passenger Telephone Hotline Wiselink Golf Cart Services 24-hour Customer Service Hotline China Light & Power Emergency China Light & Power Information Line

2914 2727 2914 0186 2987 7351 2987 6348 2987 0208 2987 9368 3651 2345 2728 8333 2678 2678

Nailed It Professional artificial nail services in DB 2987 2266 Afflatus Hair Workshop, North Plaza Maximum Care Nest Care, North Plaza Salon De Coiffure Sense of Touch

2987 0283 2987 2060 2499 8826 2987 4112 2987 9198

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The HIT Room Bodypump, Grit Strength, Boxing, Core, TRX, High Intensity Training.

Located at North Plaza 6621 7410 www.thehitroom.com.hk info@thehitroom.com.hk

Kyama Swim School Training programs for Adults; Private lessons; Learn to Swim courses for our Helper community and development squads for DC students.

Tel: 9487 5049 kyamaswimschool@gmail.com, www.kyamaswimschool.com

@ www.arounddb.com

www.arounddb.com September 2016

79

OUT THERE

T

ime is imaginary. We made it up. Like north and south and trickledown economics. Being simultaneously clever and delusional we even invented different types of time, like quality time, which exists even less than the ordinary sort. We’re flailing around in a panic believing we’re saving time, squirreling away something that doesn’t exist.

Those who are obsessed by time are called Swiss. They are renowned for being precisely on time and for making anyone who’s late feel like skunk droppings, while earning vast loot for producing fancy instruments that record it.

Having sworn at a dozen departing Swiss trains I get it that they run with stupefying exactitude. As Orson Welles says in The Third Man (1949): “In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love – they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.”

Photo courtesy of www.premiumswitzerland.com

Eight-week countdown

80

Nobody except me needs a watch, since accurate time is available on every mobile thingamajig. But nobody told the Swiss watch industry, which flogs over US$20 billion’s worth every year. At last count there were 237 different premier Swiss brands. (To find another seriously unnecessary product generating such a multibillion-dollar bonanza, you’d have to look to bottled water.)

SHOW ME THE MONEY

Time is an illusion, watches are obsolete but the multi-billion-dollar Swiss watch industry is still going strong. Peter Sherwood reports manufacturing monolith called China does not exist and millions of watches emerge magically from Pinocchiostyle village workshops.

And now to a small corner of Confoederatio Helvetica in Hong Kong and a wristwatch conglomerate where I ventured with my ancient timepiece, only to squeal like a branded hog when I heard that ‘guaranteed water resistant to a depth of 200 metres’ did not mean ‘can be worn in the shower’. Earnest men in white lab coats work behind the interior windows, suggesting they fix busted watches while you wait.

Well, they might – if they had time.

My watch would take eight weeks to

The popularity of Swiss watches leans on an iconic image – a tanned elder tradesman, in a worn leather apron, hunched over his antique bench with a microscopic eye glass assembling a fine precision timepiece. It’s as if the

In eight weeks, Airbus Industries makes and delivers 104 very large passenger planes. Fifty-six days: exactly the number it took me to walk the 1,600 kilometres from central France to the west coast of Spain. I picture the miniscule item taken by horse and cart to the port of Trieste, where it’s loaded on to a clipper sailing round Cape Horn, stopping at every South American port before journeying across the vastness of the Pacific to Hong Kong Island. If I’m not too old by then I’ll collect my watch. If I have time.

Peter Sherwood has lived in DB for 17 years. The former head of an international public relations firm, Peter is the author of 15 books and he has written around 400 satirical columns for the South China Morning Post.

Find more from Peter September 2016 www.arounddb.com

repair, as a part the size of a Tanzanian wasp’s prostate gland had to be ordered from Switzerland.

@ www.arounddb.com