Sai Kung Magazine May 2015

FAMILY | FOOD | HOME | SPORT | LIVING

May 2015

it’s junk season jump in (the water’s fine)

sunny side up

and other breakfast ideas

Mother’s Day guide kayaking the geopark

178 slightly soggy things to do

including this one

The really useful magazine MAY 2015

PEOPLE 2 Snapped!

Sai Kung’s social life.

THE PLANNER 6 Happening in May What’s on this month.

NEWS 10 In your backyard The latest from Sai Kung.

LETTERS 14 Have your say Words from our readers.

GIVEAWAYS 15 Free stuff Something for everyone.

INTERVIEW 16 Puppy love Catherine Lumsden, puppy rescuer.

FIVE MINUTES WITH… 18 Knit wit Yarn-bomber Esther Poon.

NEWS FROM THE GREENS 20 Sitting position How seats get people walking.

FEATURE 22 Junk trippin’ Your guide to getting out on the water.

EATING 28 Sunny sides up Great fry-ups and other breakfasts.

Plus Nibbles.

RECIPE 34 Roast pumpkin, nuts and quinoa salad Chef Lucy Humbert shares her seasonal favourite. Plus Nibbles.

FAMILY 36 We love mums Gifts for Mother’s Day. EDUCATION 40 Batman kindie Inside Hamilton Hill International Kindergarten.

OUTDOORS 44 Get paddling Where to kayak in Sai Kung.

BIG DAY OUT 46 Deep South Chilling in Shek O. TRAVEL 50 Weekend in Taipei Six ways to enjoy Taiwan’s capital.

HEALTH & BEAUTY 54 Gong bath Submerged in sound.

PETS 56 Who’s a pretty boy?

Looks aren’t everything, says Sally Andersen.

HONG KONG CREATURES 57 Common five-ring The fluttery Asian butterfly.

MARKETPLACE 58 Your guide to shops and services Cool stuff to buy and do.

VINES IN SAI KUNG 64 Bulldozer alert Stephen Vines questions new application in Tai Long Sai Wan. Cover image by Carolynne Dear.

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people Snaps from Sai Kung

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say cheese HKSUP League 2015

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people

Share your event photos with us at photo@fastmedia.com.hk. Get snapping!

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planner

MAY 13

Sundowners by the Bay

A fashion show starring local fitness instructors, dinner and lots of bubbly with the Sai Kung Pink Ladies in aid of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation. Hebe Haven Yacht Club, Pak Sha Wan. Tickets $270-$470 from skpinkladies@yahoo.com.

UNTIL MAY 9 Mega Ice Hockey 5s

MAY 1 Labour Day

Youth and adult ice-hockey tournament.

L10, Ice Rink, Mega Box, Kowloon Bay, www.megaice.com.hk.

Put your feet up, it’s a public holiday.

MAY 1-JUN 30 Le French May Ooh la la! The annual celebration of French arts, opera, music, theatre and more, www. frenchmay.com.

MAY 1-2 Sai Kung Sports Carnival Two days of sporting activities, games, food and a bouncy castle, courtesy of the Hong Kong Golf and Tennis Academy and the Sai Kung District Community Centre. Free admission, 11am-5pm.

District Community Centre, Mei Yuen Street, Sai Kung.

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MAY 1-2 Katy Perry Prismatic World Tour Hear her roar. Cotai Arena, The Venetian, Macau. Tickets $380$1,680 from www. cotaiticketing.com.

happening in may MAY 6-10 Showstopper! The Improvised Musical Top-class musical comedy that changes every night. Drama Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai.

Tickets $295-$595 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

MAY 7 Black Rain Day book launch MAY 1-10 Jekyll & Hyde Robert Louis Stevenson’s horror classic performed by Chung Ying Theatre. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Amphitheatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $260-$420 from www.hkticketing. com, 3128 8288.

Local author Matt Cooper signs copies of his second children’s book. 6.30pm-8.30pm, Dymocks, 7 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung, 2791 9110.

MAY 9, 10 The Fantastical Story Factory

MAY 17 Mother Earth Groove Family beach party with live music, kids’ games and fundraising for Lantau environmental charity Ark Eden. Entry $100. 2pm-6pm, Cheung Sha Lower Beach, Lantau, 9861 6657.

MAY 22-24 Affordable Art Fair Works from 130 galleries, plus talks, tours, demos, workshops, a children’s art studio, and Art After Dark, affordableartfair.com/hongkong.

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai. Tickets $72-$200 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Fun improvised children’s musical adventure based on ideas from the audience. Drama Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $195-$435 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

MAY 10 Mother’s Day Mums, we salute you.

MAY 22-26 Cheung Chau Bun Festival Bun towers, Chinese opera, lion and unicorn dances and a parade on May 25, with small children balanced on parasols and other unlikely objects. The bun-snatching race is at midnight on May 26. Pak Tai Temple, Cheung Chau, www.cheungchau.org.

MAY 3 Sai Kung Sunday Market The monthly indoor farmers’ and craft market that champions all things local. 11am-5pm.

Hong Kong Academy, Wai Man Road, Sai Kung, www.saikungmarkets.com.

MAY 6, 20 Quiz Nights Test the grey matter at Hebe One O One. 8.30pm. 112 Pak Sha Wan, 2335 5515.

MAY 10, 31 Splash ’n’ Dash Aquathons Southside swimming and running races for children and adults. Entry $200-$500 at www.revolution-asia.com.

MAY 15-JUN 21 The Sound of Music A few of your favourite things, direct from the West End. Look for Hong Kong kids in the cast.

Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $395$995 at www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

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planner MAY 25 Buddha’s Birthday

MAY 29-31 The Incredible Book-Eating Boy

Public holiday.

Musical theatre and a cracking story for children aged three and up. Drama Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $195-$435 from www.hkticketing. com, 3128 8288.

MAY 26-JUN 21 The Faust Festival All the members of Faust International Youth Theatre perform, www.faustworld.com. McAulay Studio, Hong Kong Arts Centre, 2 Harbour Road, Wan Chai. Tickets $80-$120 from 2111 5999, www.urbtix.hk.

MAY 23 Stanley Dragon Boat Warm-Up Races

MAY 30, JUN 6 Summer Garage Sale

Get into the spirit at the 250m pre-races, 8am5pm, Stanley Main Beach. www.dragonboat.org. hk, 2813 0564, 2813 2586.

Shop for new and interesting items as well as pre-loved goodies at bargain prices at our favourite secondhand sale. LG3 Car Park, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clearwater Bay, 9045 5942, gujean@ust.hk.

MAY 23-25 HKFC International Soccer Sevens See the soccer stars of tomorrow – and yesterday – play for Kitchee, Atletico Madrid, Aston Villa and more. Hong Kong Football Club, Happy Valley, www.hksoccersevens.com.

Tickets $160-$300 from www.cityline.com, 2111 5333, and Tom Lee Music.

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MAY 27-JUN 11 Asia Week Hong Kong

MAY 30 Hidden Truffles Pop-Up Bazaar

A showcase for Asian art with exhibitions, lectures, auctions and special events at venues across Hong Kong, www.asiaweekhk.com.

Great shopping, food and kids’ entertainment.

11am-6.30pm, The Space, 210 Hollywood Road, www.hiddentruffles.com.

planner

BOOK NOW JUN 5-7 The Wind in the Willows

SEP 23 Robbie Williams Live in Hong Kong

Mole, Badger and Mr Toad come to life in a new production by Britain’s Talking Scarlet.

Drama Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $195-$435 at www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

JUN 6 Cesar Millan Love your Dogs Tour Meet the dog whisperer Cesar Millan.

Cotai Arena, The Venetian Macao, 7.30pm. Tickets $280-$880 from www. hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Let him entertain you. AsiaWorldArena, Lantau.

Tickets $880$1,480 from www.hkticketing. com, 3128 8288.

JUN 13-JUL 26 Beauty and the Beast

SEP 25-OCT 11 Singin’ in the Rain

A tale as old as time, with original Disney music.

The Venetian Theatre, Macau. Tickets $280-$680 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

What a glorious feeling... The West End production live on stage, complete with umbrellas, rain and Make Em Laugh. Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Public ticket sales start May 7 at www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

JUL 22 Blur Live in Hong Kong Britpop lives. Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, Tickets $480-$1,080 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Got an event? We can publish the details for free. Email editor@saikung.com.

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news

in your backyard

Hong Kong Cats needs help Sai Kung is famously dog-friendly (or crazy depending on who you talk to), but what about cats? For the past year, Sai Kung-based charity Hong Kong Cats has been caring for the area’s street cats and chairman Emily Allington is working to raise awareness for their plight.

“I am hoping to draw more awareness towards street cats in villages, the country park, and Sai Kung town centre,” she says. “We’ve made really good progress so far. We have homed more than 50 cats, I have 17 in foster homes and another 40 that have been desexed and released. But we are really at capacity and could really use some help.”

A registered society, Hong Kong Cats is looking for adoptive families or short-term foster homes to help rehome their cats.

To get involved, visit hongkongcats.org/en or email info@hongkongcats.org.

All at sea The latest family adventure race to hit Hong Kong’s shores is Keen Paddle/Splash at Sha Ha Beach, Sai Kung. The event involves teams of one adult and one child aged nine-15, some swimming and stand-up paddling (SUP).

The race starts with both teammates paddling 300 metres on one SUP, then the child slides off the board, swims 200 metres around a buoy and returns to the SUP to paddle back to

the beach. For those who don’t have their own SUP board, fret not – Blue Sky Sports Club will provide boards for those who need them.

Please note that all participants must be competent swimmers.

7am-10am, Saturday, June 13, Sha Ha Beach, Sai Kung. Entry is $220 a team. Register at sksplashes@gmail.com or call Michelle at Basecamp, 9160 0504.

Phat Shack closes

Stingrays girls win big Congratulations to the Sai Kung Stingrays Under 16s girls’ team, who won the All Girls’ Tournament at King’s Park last month.

The event was organised by the Girls Youth Committee with the support of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) and this year marked its 10th anniversary.

It attracted its largest ever number of players, with more than 500 girls participating in the minis competition (six-12 years old), and 230 in the youth tournament (13-19 years old) and a whopping 198 games. The first event in 2006 involved 66 games.

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Sai Kung old town’s homegrown surf shop, The Phat Shack, has closed and owners Lyndsey Cook and Ben Casey are moving on. Cook plans to go travelling while Casey is returning to his previous career as a commercial diver.

“We want to thank Sai Kung community for the great support and also to our loyal customers,” the pair say.

The last stock will be up for sale at Sai Kung Sunday Market on May 10, including surf, skate and wakeboard gear.

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news

EtonHouse comes to Tai Po International kindergarten EtonHouse will open a new campus in Pak Shek Kok, Tai Po, in the second half of this year. The preschool group, which has more than 100 schools in 12 countries, opened its first Hong Kong campus in Tai Tam last year.

The new campus will feature bilingual classrooms and the school’s innovative “Inquire Think Learn” programme. For those eager for a sneak peak, two open days are scheduled in June (from 9.30am-4pm). To attend, please RSVP at www.etonhouse.com.hk.

Urban wellness evening

Black Rain Day book launch

On May 12, local wellness group Mayya + Movement is teaming up with The Oriental Spa to create an “urban wellscape”. The experience includes a workout, yoga and meditation, a carefully curated bento dinner and drinks, as well as a talk by international adventurer Annabelle Bond. Tickets $1,650 per person at 2132 0011, www.mandarinoriental.com/ landmark/spa.

Sai Kung-based children’s author Matt Cooper releases his second book, Black Rain Day, this month. With illustrations by Stephanie Suen, the picture book tells the tale of a girl stuck indoors owing to torrential rain, leading to an unexpected adventure that starts in Sai Kung and leads her through the wild side of Hong Kong, meeting local inhabitants along the way.

“The idea came from a story I was telling

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my daughter on a rainy day,” Cooper says. “I was trying to get her to sleep so I made up an elaborate story involving lots of animals that the character could really encounter in Hong Kong.”

The book will be launched on May 7, 6.30pm-8.30pm, at Dymocks, 7 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung. It will be available from branches of Dymocks, Bookazine and FEML network for $120.

news

Ladies of the dance

Congratulations to Irish dance school Echoes of Erin, which represented Hong Kong at the European and World Irish Dancing championships and Feis 2015 in Germany last month. The group took part in a string of solo and team performances, taking home an impressive 150 awards, including second place in the World Dance Drama competition for the second year in a row. Well done, girls!

Echoes of Erin runs classes across Hong Kong. For details, please visit www.echoesirishdance.com.

Paper trail Stationery addicts, and anyone stuck for a Mother’s Day gift, will be pleased to know niche brand kikki.K has opened its first shop in Hong Kong.

Set up by Swedish-born Kristina “Kikki” Karlsson when she couldn’t find stationery she

liked, the ranges of pens, paper, notebooks, homeware and organisational solutions are stylish, practical, inspirational and absolutely gorgeous. We defy you not to love them.

Level 4, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, www.kikki-k.com.

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letters “Looking out to sea.” – Katherine Vajda

have your say Kindness of strangers A massive thanks (and a possible manhunt) to the gentleman who wished to remain anonymous, but left a huge bag of puppy food, dog blankets and goodies, all paid for, to be collected by me from the pet shop I use in Sai

Kung. Described by the staff as very handsome, tall and well-dressed with nice hair. Can’t thank you enough, gorgeous, dreamy man who helps rescue dogs.

Catherine Lumsden Catherine’s Puppies (see p.16)

Rubbish puzzle Does anyone know why city-dwellers think it’s okay to come out to the country, make merry with barbecues, then go home leaving the facilities rubbished with complete ignorance for anyone wishing to use the barbecue after them or the locals that have to put up with the eyesores in their wake?

Drowning In Trash, Sai Kung

End of the line?

This is a lineup for the 101M minibus in Hang Hau on a Monday night. It’s not an unfamiliar sight to see people queueing up the road,

hooking around the corner and fighting for a space on a little green road-rocket. There aren’t any other words other than it downright SUCKS. Not-happy-Jan

Email your photos or letters to editorial@fastmedia.com.hk. We may edit for length. Or tag us, #saikungmag, on social media

Special Offer You can enjoy a whitening and moisturizing facial treatment, valued at $480 with any package purchased.

$500 for a soak off manicure + pedicure package 30% OFF facial discount for student $152 for 45mins Foot Massage $198 for 45mins Aromatherapy Body Massage For enquiries and/or appointment, please call: 2302 0289 G/F., 10 Tak Lung Back Street, Sai Kung Working hour: 10am-8pm

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free stuff

win at www.saikung.com Two martial-arts passes Learn self defence while improving your fitness at Epic MMA & Fitness (www.epicmma.com). The Central martial-arts specialist is giving away two passes: a one-month Little Ninja child’s pass (worth $3,600), plus a one-week adult’s pass (worth $1,200).

Deadline: May 15.

The Flying Winemaker Coconut water package We’re giving away a 36-pack mixed-flavour box of Jax Coco Kidz coconut water. It will include six packs in all six flavours: original coconut, banana, chocolate, grape, calamansi and

guyabano. Jax Coco Kidz (www.jaxcoco.com) is made with 100 percent pure coconut water with no artificial colours or flavourings. Each mixed-flavour box of 36 retails at $318.

Deadline: May 11.

Win four tickets to Rosé Revolution 2015 Asian wine event, plus a bottle of rosé wine worth more than $1,000. As well as sampling world-class rosé wines, visitors can meet the Flying Winemaker Eddie McDougall (www.flyingwinemaker.asia, 2522 2187) and learn about prominent rosé winemakers from around the globe. To be held on May 30 in The Garden at Hullett House, guests can play croquet on the lawn while sipping rosé and enjoying the sausage sizzle barbecue.

Deadline: May 18.

To enter, click the Giveaways tab on our website, www.saikung.com

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local Editorial

Senior Consultant Editor Jane Steer jane@fastmedia.com.hk

little dogs’ tale

Puppy love Catherine’s Puppies founder Catherine Lumsden, 37, tells Polly McGovern why she works to give dogs a home.

Managing Editor Hannah Grogan hannah@fastmedia.com.hk

I also work very hard not to put people under pressure into taking on a dog that is not right for them or ultimately they don’t want.

Editorial Assistant Cherrie Yu cherrie@fastmedia.com.hk Staff Writer Callum Wiggins callum@fastmedia.com.hk

I try to make as much difference as I can to as many dogs in need as I can with limited resources and just a few people. I focus on one puppy at a time and one puppy into a family at a time.

Digital Editor Annie Wong annie@fastmedia.com.hk

Design

Art Director Kelvin Lau kelvin@fastmedia.com.hk Graphic Design Setareh Parvin setareh@fastmedia.com.hk Evy Cheung evy@fastmedia.com.hk

Thanks to Adele Brunner Carolynne Dear Sally Andersen Paul Zimmerman Steffi Yuen Kristen Tadrous Polly McGovern Lucy Humbert

Publisher Tom Hilditch tom@fastmedia.com.hk

Published by

Fast Media Floor L1, 222 Queens Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Catherine Lumsden has her hands full at Catherine’s Puppies.

I have always been a massive animal lover. I grew up with a menagerie of animals in Birmingham, UK. I moved to Hong Kong when I was 21 and I have lived in Sai Kung for about six years.

The Catherine’s Puppies shelter is in Ho Chung. It was difficult to find. I needed something with quite a low budget, but it didn’t matter if it was run down as long as there was shelter for the dogs and also land for them to play and run around in.

Most of the time I’m alone, but I have volunteers who come to the shelter on different days. It’s not a bad place to be alone. It’s nice to cuddle the puppies and they are so happy to see me every morning. You know, tails wagging and they are all at the gate. It’s just precious. I love it.

This morning, I have 14 puppies at the shelter. By tonight, there will be 18. I never actively look for the

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puppies. I need to be very careful about numbers and I need to do something I never thought I would be able to, which is to say “no”. If I didn’t, I could have 60 puppies by now.

They are so happy to see me every morning, tails wagging and they are all at the gate There is no Trap, Neuter, Release policy in Hong Kong. If the government decided to do TNR – de-sex the dogs and then put them back in their own environment – then within a few years there wouldn’t be a problem.

I started Catherine’s Puppies because I wanted to home puppies from the approach of finding the right home, not just any home. But

Since I started, the success of Catherine’s Puppies has been amazing. We have homed so many dogs to so many families. We have had very few puppies returned and I am very particular about where the puppies go and which families take them. I have been very lucky to meet some amazing families along the way and hopefully people have found their experience with me to also be positive.

I run a homing booth outside Starbucks at the weekends and we always have buckets for donations. People just putting $20 in a bucket, I don’t think they realize just how helpful that is.

Because I have chosen a small shelter and secured the rent for five years, the costs aren’t that high, as long as I can keep a good turnover of puppies being adopted. I ask adopters to donate $500 to cover the puppy’s vaccinations, food and help towards the shelter. My biggest overhead is the vet’s bill. If people want to help, I usually ask them to donate to the Catherine’s Puppies account at Pet’s Central in Sai Kung.

To visit the shelter, foster or adopt a puppy, contact Catherine at 6799 7530, catherinespuppyhut@gmail.com, or visit the Catherine’s Puppies Facebook page.

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five minutes with...

Sales & Marketing Head of Sales & Marketing Karman So karman@fastmedia.com.hk

knit wit

Esther Poon The yarn-bomber tells Hannah Grogan why she crocheted a cover for a Sha Tin Bridge.

Business Development Manager Tristan Watkins tristan@fastmedia.com.hk Marketing & Comm. Manager Sharon Wong sharon@fastmedia.com.hk Sales Manager Oliver Simons oliver@fastmedia.com.hk Sales & Marketing Executive Alastair Grigg alastair@fastmedia.com.hk John Lee john@fastmedia.com.hk Sara Tomovic sara@fastmedia.com.hk

Accounts Manager Connie Lam connie@fastmedia.com.hk

Printer

Apex Print 11-13 Dai Kwai Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, Hong Kong

Esther Poon worked with students to bring Sha Tin’s Lek Yuen Bridge to life. www.saikung.com ads@fastmedia.com.hk @saikungmag facebook.com/SaiKungMagazine

GIVE US A CALL! Admin: 3568 3722 Editorial: 2776 2773 Advertising: 2776 2772, 3563 9755 Sai Kung Magazine is published by Fast Media Ltd. This magazine is published on the understanding that the publishers, advertisers, contributors and their employees are not responsible for the results of any actions, errors and omissions taken on the basis of information contained in this publication.

The publisher, advertisers, contributors and their employees expressly disclaim all and any liability to any person, whether a reader of this publication or not, in respect of any action or omission by this publication. Fast Media Ltd cannot be held responsible for any errors or inaccuracies provided by advertisers or contributors. The views herein are not necessarily shared by the staff or publishers. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any way, part or format without written permission from the publisher.

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Yarn bombing, a street art where knitters and crocheters put swatches of knitted or crocheted yarn on public objects, began in 2004 in the Netherlands and has spread to become a worldwide phenomenon.

I had no idea about yarn bombing before I Knit MK [a yarn-bombing event in Mong Kok in 2012]. When I went to search online about it, I found it was crazy outside Hong Kong. I realised these colourful yarn bombs could have a positive effect on passersby and this fuelled my enthusiasm, provoking me to take my own creations to Hong Kong streets two years ago.

Once I have a target, I take the measurements. Then I do most of the work at home beforehand. I am self-taught and with 30 years of knitting and crochet experience, I have become fast fingered. I usually complete a job in a few days, allowing the near-completed works

to be attached swiftly to items in the street. I did it all on my own at the beginning.

After working as a fitness instructor and personal trainer for 15 years, I am now focusing my energy and enthusiasm on my true passion for knitting and crochet.

With 30 years of knitting and crochet experience, I have become fast fingered My plan is to inspire people to learn graffiti knitting, starting with communities and schools. I offered lessons to the public and formed my first crew last year. They are now working with me on various large projects.

My mottos are “never give up” and “nothing is impossible”.

Thank you, Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation, who invited me to participate in the promotion of arts activities a year ago, which gave me time to plan the patterns for Lek Yuen Bridge in Sha Tin. The team is very well-organised and helped coordinate the work. Sha Tin Park is a good place to promote my street art, so that my works are not concentrated on Hong Kong side, but are also across the territory.

I worked with students from more than 20 schools. They learned the crochet techniques so fast and produced their own creative designs for poles. Seeing the bridge come to life made me feel amazing.

After we finished the installation, and we were looking at Lek Yuen Bridge, my crew asked, “Esther, what is your next step?” At that moment, I decided: Tsing Ma Bridge, the longest suspension bridge for both rail and road traffic in the world.

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news from the greens

take a pew

Sitting position Paul Zimmerman argues that seats are the secret to creating a walkable city.

If you want people to walk, you have to make sure they can sit. This might seem a contradiction, but walkable cities need many seats. People, especially the elderly, are willing to walk further and forego a vehicular trip if they know there is somewhere to rest halfway. It also makes the city friendlier.

Well-placed public seats allow people to relax and create opportunities for the incidental

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encounters that are so important for community building. They also make the city more accessible for people with disabilities.

Ever wondered why there are not more seats in public areas around our city? Sure, there are seats in parks away from the hustle and bustle and far from regular routes.

And there are seats inside commercial establishments for those spending money there.

But what malls have random seats in public areas? Why do visitors at the Golden Bauhinia have nowhere to sit? Why do so few bus stops have seats or bum bars?

The Highways Department, which is responsible for our pavements, has no seats in its standards manual. But with some creativity, we can do better. When placing planters, for example, the sides could be wider so people can sit. In the Southern District, we have started to add more seats under the District Minor Works programme.

It makes me smile to see how members of

the community have taken matters into their own hands. Discarded chairs are re-used on streets, near housing estates and at bus stops, particularly in the New Territories.

Now students at the Chinese University of Hong Kong have created a campaign, #missingseats, hosted by Designing Hong Kong. People are asked to post photos (any style) of places where they think seats are missing via Instagram, Facebook or at www.designinghongkong.com, marked #missingseats and #designinghongkong.

The images and locations will be used to lobby the government, District Councils, shopping mall and transport operators for more seats. Together we can improve our city.

Paul Zimmerman is the CEO of Designing Hong Kong, a Southern District Councillor and the co-convenor of Save Our Country Parks alliance.

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feature

Kayak (to Bluff Island) and Hike (up it).

Your guide to getting out on the water. By Carolynne Dear.

There are two universally acknowledged truths about summer in Hong Kong: they are extremely hot and drivers stand virtually no chance of parking anywhere near a beach at the weekend. The solution? Hire a junk.

Probably the most fun you can have on a hot day in Hong Kong, a junk trip combines lots of laughs, great food (and drink) and healthy activity for the children. Tech is forgotten and Minecraft left in your wake as the younger generation hurl themselves into the South China Sea and run riot on the beach.

It’s also a great way to get out and explore Hong Kong’s backyard, with a cruise through Sai Kung’s remote waterways, a seafood lunch on an island, or hanging with the “in” crowd on

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Southside’s world-renowned beaches.

If a swim and a beer aren’t enough, junk companies now lay on all sorts of bells and whistles – floating bars, banana boats, wakeboarding, waterslides, action mats, or just good old free-flowing booze and a beanbag.

The small print for most junk rentals states you are responsible for the safety of yourself, your children and your property, from beach towels to a top-of-the-range Go-Pro. You’re also responsible for children on a banana or wakeboarding boat, so make sure lifejackets are zipped up.

Under Hong Kong law, all children aged 12 and under should wear a lifejacket while the vessel is underway. To avoid sizing issues,

invest in your own. Good retailers include the Ship Shop (Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, Kellett Island, Causeway Bay; open to nonmembers), Harry Lo Co marine chandlers at Pak Sha Wan Pier, Sai Kung, and Island Wake (19 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung). Water-shoes can be found in markets.

The number of passengers cannot exceed the licensed capacity of the boat, so don’t try and slide in “extras” on the day.

And take your litter home. Although the Hong Kong Government operates refuse collection on even the further-flung beaches, it is not good form to throw litter into the water or on the beaches. Take bin liners, bag it up and take it home. It’s not hard.

south china morning coast Back to nature Junk hire Hong Kong Yachting Party boat Jungle Jane was the envy of all seafaring youngsters in Hong Kong last summer, as children and adults alike bounced down the water slide and clambered over the inflatable obstacle course. It has been joined this year by Tarzan, complete with monster-sized swimming platforms, state-of-the-art sound systems and ample beanbags for lounging.

Boats: As well as the party boats, Hong Kong Yachting hires out four traditional junks, six sailing boats, and six Western-style cruisers and speedboats.

Cost: From $8,000 for junks (30-40 people) and

Children and adults bounced down the water slide sailing boats (nine-18 people), from $19,800 for Jungle Jane (50 people) and from $25,000 for Tarzan (60 people). Food and drinks packages start at $350.

Extras: Waterslides and obstacle mats (Jungle Jane and Tarzan), beanbags, sound systems.

Pickup: Central and Aberdeen are standard but other pick-up locations are possible.

Contact: 2526 0151, www.hongkongyachting.com.

Sharks There aren’t any – well, there probably are, but sightings are rare and there hasn’t been an attack in Hong Kong waters for 20 years. If you spot a shark, don’t jump in.

And inform other passengers and boats in the area.

Jellyfish Jellyfish in Hong Kong waters can have painful stings, leaving raised red welts on the skin. Remove the tentacle with gloved hands, tweezers or a stick and rinse the skin with vinegar for at least 30 seconds.

Island Junks Flexibility is the name of the game with this well-established junk company. Whether you want to self cater, stop for a land-based lunch, or pre-order a food and drinks onboard, Island Junks has a package for you. This summer, all drinks packages come with complimentary Prosecco. It is also offering on-board Thai massage for $1,500 per masseuse, and special round-trips from Aberdeen to Stanley, with lunch at Lamma or Po Toi Island, for $570 a person.

Boats: Teak junks, capacity 50 people.

Pickup: Central, Aberdeen or Pak Sha Wan, Sai Kung.

Cost: Varies according to which package you

(Contrary to popular belief, urine does not relieve the pain but makes it worse.) Shark nets are also effective against jellyfish, so if in doubt, head for a netted beach.

Coral There are an astonishing 84 species of hard coral in Hong Kong waters. Junk-trippers can visit a small reef off Bluff Island in Sai Kung, complete with sunken jeep for extra appeal. The reef is marked by buoys (no anchoring) to the left side of the bay. Don’t forget your snorkel and treat it with care: no touching or taking coral souvenirs.

choose; minimum charge starts from $4,900.

Extras: Sea kayaks, snorkels, iPod compatible sound systems, sunscreen.

Contact: 2877 5222, www.islandjunks.com.hk.

Jaspa’s Junks Happy days if you’re organising a Jaspa’s Junk: all you and your guests need to bring is a towel and leave the rest up to the crew. This perennial favourite serves a winning package of free-flowing Sea Breeze cocktails, beer and wine (plus an icebox filled with soft drinks and water) and serves generous quantities of nibbles as you sail to your destination with an iPod blasting out your favourite playlist. After dropping anchor, staff keep swimmers topped

Fun in the sun with Hong Kong Yachting.

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feature Junk food Pick up a picnic to eat on board.

Chicken on the Run: Barbecue chicken and salads, 2537 4563, www.chickenontherun.com.

Delicious: Specialises in junk catering and will even organise the boat for you, 2559 0144, www.delicious-hk.com.

Gingers: Imaginative contemporary menus including DIY barbecue buffet and canapes, 2964 9160, www.gingers.com.hk.

Mr Bing: Beijing-style pancakes, jianbing, cooked fresh onboard, 2568 8248, www.mr-bing.com.

Pomegranate Kitchen: Eastern Mediterranean food fused with Asian flavours, 2580 0663, www.pomegranate.com.hk.

Shamrock Catering: Finger, party and full buffet menus, 2547 8155, shamrock.com.hk.

Wilfred Catering: Chinese buffet, 2870 0535, www.catering.com.hk.

Lunch on land Yau Ley, High Island, Sai Kung Laid-back Yau Ley with its fish farms,

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beach and piers is a firm favourite with Sai Kungers. Relax with a beer and Cantonese seafood – we recommend the steamed fish and curry crab – while the children plunge off the pier or play in the sand. If you’re not junking, the restaurant can organize a speedboat pickup from Sai Kung. Sha Kiu Tsui, High Island, 2791 1822.

Rainbow, Lamma Island The famous Rainbow is one of the most popular restaurants on the Sok Kwu Wan seafood strip, serving good black-pepper prawns. It runs its own ferry service between Tsim Sha Tsui, Central, Cyberport, Aberdeen and Sok Kwu Wan. 24 First Street, Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island, 2982 8100.

Ming Kee Seafood, Po Toi Island This laid-back, beachside restaurant is just 30 minutes’ sail from Stanley.Not only does it serve some of the best black-pepper squid in Hong Kong, it also has a freezer full of Haagen-Dazs. Don’t forget to book.

Call 2849 7038.

up with drinks in plastic bottles, then it’s a barbecue lunch, and homemade pizza and brownies for the homeward stretch.

Boats: Six teak junks, maximum capacity 40 people.

Pickup: Causeway Bay or Pak Sha Wan. Cost: $700, $250 per child under 12, $150 per child under five. Minimum 14 adults, or $9,800.

Extras: four-hour speedboat hire with banana boat, waterskiing or wakeboarding at $3,200, iPod-compatible sound systems.

Contact: 2792 6001, www.casteloconcepts.com.

Jubilee Choose from a teak sailing junk, top-of-therange sleek white cruisers, huge ferries and a host of classic junks, with options for fishing, sightseeing, water sports, squid fishing and mahjong. Most boats come with an audio system and karaoke machine as well as an option to hire a speedboat with a banana and wakeboarding equipment.

Boats: Fleet of 45 boats.

Cost: Varies. $1,000 surcharge for trips to Tai Long Wan. Pickup: Aberdeen, Causeway Bay, Central, Tsim Sha Tsui, Aberdeen, $500 additional charge for pick up and for drop off in Sai Kung.

Contact: 3555 5666, www.jubilee.com.hk.

feature

Enjoy an adrenaline buzz or opt for a more leisurely trip aboard the Aqua Luna.

Koh Thai Junks Spice up your next boat trip with yummy Thai snacks, curries and fruit platters on Koh Thai Junks. As well as beaches in Sai Kung, Clearwater Bay and Hong Kong Island, its boats will sail further afield to beautiful Tai Long Wan or even Tai O, Lantau, for dolphin-watching (both for a small surcharge).

Boats: Teak junks and Western cruisers with a capacity of 30 or 40 people.

Pickup: Central, Aberdeen, Tsim Sha Tsui, Stanley, with a $700 surcharge for Sai Kung.

Cost: $600 per person for Thai food (including drinks and boat), $750 for Western barbecue; half price for under 12s. Minimum 20 adults.

Contact: 6014 8460, www.kohthai.com.hk.

Lazy Days Offering the Nirvana of food packages – rib-eye and chilli king prawns – Lazy Days’ cruiser comes with floating loungers and inflatable drinks stations that are as much fun as they sound. The drinks package includes gin and tonic, Pimms and vodka, as well as the usual

bubbly, wine and beer. (Watch your bikini tops clambering onto that lounger, ladies – just saying.) Children are not forgotten, with a host of inflatables, noodles and snorkels for amphibious fun. There’s even a DVD player in the air-conditioned interior for the smalls.

Rather brilliantly, they even supply towels. Look out for its Champagne and canapé harbour cruises and seafood dinner tours to Peng Chau and Lamma.

Boat: 60ft Western cruiser (32 people).

Pickup: Aberdeen, Central and Causeway Bay,

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feature Public boat routes Kaitos, sampans, speedboats, ferries and junks that act as water taxis all sail from Sai Kung. Prices and routes may vary.

Sharp Island & Hap Mun Sampan, $50-$80/person return. Wah Kee, 9437 3194.

Trio Beach Sampan from Pak Sha Wan, $20/person return.

TAP MUN

MA LIU SHUI FERRY PIER

WONG SHEK PIER SAI KUNG COUNTRY PARK

CHEK KENG

TAI WAN

HAM TIN WAN TAI LONG WAN

SAI WAN

Kau Sai Chau Golf Course Hong Kong Jockey Club ferries, $40-$70/ person return, www.kscgolf.org.hk.

Kau Sai Chau Sampan, $100-$150/person return.

Mr Cheung, KH Boats, 6736 3051, www.khboats.com (Chinese only).

LONG KE WAN

YIM TIM TSAI

PAK SHA WAN TRIO

SHARP ISLAND

GOLF COURSE KAU SAI CHAU

PAK LAP WAN

PORT SHELTER

Pak Lap Wan Junk water taxi, about $375/person (for eight people). Mr Cheung, KH Boats, 6736 3051.

Long Ke Wan Junk water taxi, about $425/person (for eight people). Mr Cheung, KH Boats, 6736 3051.

Sai Wan, Ham Tin Wan, Tai Wan Speedboat (up to 16 people), from $220/ person return. Edward Shek, 5127 3053.

Yim Tin Tsai Village Sampan $35/person return, 2791 6226.

Wong Shek Pier to Chek Keng Kaito, $15-$18. Transport Department, www.td.gov.hk.

From Ma Liu Shui Ferry Pier Kaito, $18-$28/person. Transport Department, www.td.gov.hk.

Tap Mun From Sai Kung Speedboat, $1,600 for two to five people, return. Edward Shek, 5127 3053.

From Wong Shek Pier Kaito, $9.50-$14/person. Transport Department, www.td.gov.hk.

with Sai Kung at additional charge.

Cost: From $890 per adult; $250 per child aged four-12 years; under-fours go free.

Extras: Bose sound system, inflatables, noodles, snorkels, towels and shower gel.

Contact: 3488 1534, www.lazydays.com.hk.

A junk trip is probably the most fun you can have on a hot day

Michelangelo Be the envy of all you survey aboard the super-stylish Michelangelo, a meticulously restored 80ft luxury junk. All curved lines, sleek mahogany panelling and shiny brass, it features gorgeous teak sun decks with loungers (and we’re not talking waterproof mats on the deck, but proper sunbeds), cosy sofas in the chic lounge, fully equipped galley, formal dining room, and multi-zone air conditioning. Up to 59 guests can party by day, its sumptuous cabins can sleep up to nine, or staff can arrange a formal dinner for up to 12.

Pickup: Anywhere.

Cost: From $24,000 for four hours in Central; from $32,000 from Sai Kung.

Contact: 6621 1691, www.luxuryjunk.com.hk.

Saffron Cruises With a large and varied fleet that includes Hong Kong’s only tall ship, The Bounty, Saffron Cruises can cater for pretty much any budget, party size (from six to 150) or event. It has teamed up with top caterers Shamrock and The Dutch Cheese to create menus, but it’s just as happy to moor up at a seafood restaurant if you’d rather lunch on terra firma. The Bounty can accommodate up to 60 passengers and is great for evening cruising.

Boats: A fleet of 29 boats including two traditional teak junks, plus a host of cruisers, sailing boats and speedboats, and even a ferry.

Pickup: Aberdeen, Stanley, Central, Tsim Sha Tsui, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, North Point and

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Sai Kung (surcharge of $3,000). The Bounty also departs from Discovery Bay. Cost: From $8,000 for teak junk Saffron (30 people), from $42,000 for The Bounty (60 people).

Contact: 2857 1311, www.saffron-cruises.com.

Vikings Charter With a fleet of sleek pleasure cruisers and wooden junks, Vikings Charter offers all the usual junk options plus a good-value special weekday package (see below). It also offers speedboats for a variety of watersports.

Pickups: Aberdeen, Causeway Bay, Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui.

Cost: Prices vary, but there’s a mid-week special price of $5,200 for a 30-person junk sailing to Southside beaches or Lamma Island.

Contact: 2814 9899, www.vikingscharters.com.hk.

Wildkat Wildkat is a 36ft US-built catamaran with twin outboards that can run right up onto the beach

feature

Kayaking through the sea arch at Bluff Island.

and whisk up to 23 guests to the territory’s harder-to-reach beaches in less than an hour, including Tai Long Wan and the Sai Kung Geopark. Take your own lunch, or choose from one of three menus, including a barbecue on tables and chairs on the sand. It’s even offering a complimentary bottle of Champagne to all Sai Kung magazine readers booking a charter in May. Pickup: Sai Kung and Pak Sha Wan piers, Po Toi O, Causeway Bay. Cost: From $8,500, food packages from $298 a person.

Extras: Icebox, boogie boards, stand-up paddle boards, fishing gear.

Contact: info@wildkat.org, www.wildkat.org.

Boat trips with a difference Kayak + Hike Led by Sai Kung-based geology enthusiast Paul Etherington, this is an action-packed day on the water, starting with a speedboat pick-up from Sai Kung to Yau Ley where the kayaks are stored. As well as paddling to Millionaire’s Beach and Bluff Island, you get to hike, snorkel and tour the Geopark in a speedboat. The hardest paddle takes you through a sea arch. Then it’s back to Yau Ley for a welldeserved late lunch at the seafood restaurant. Suitable for children from about eight years and up.

Contact Etherington on 9300 5197, www.kayak-and-hike.com.

Container-port tour For a boat trip with a difference, take a tour of the container port – one of the largest and busiest in the world – with Hong Kong Yachting. From the port, the trip continues up the Rambler Channel, under the soaring Lantau bridges and on to Park Island. The full-day trip is $19,800 for boat hire, with food and drinks’ packages from $498. 2526 0151, www.hongkongyachting.com.

Squid fishing Jubilee is running squid fishing tours in Sai Kung from now until October in Port Shelter, uses giant lamps. All the action happens after dark, adding to the excitement.

Cuttlefish trips are also available.

For details, call 3555 5550, or email mkt.JBL@jubilee.hk.

Aqua Luna If you fancy a few hours on the water but don’t want the full junk experience, book a space aboard the Aqua Luna for its regular trips to Stanley. Built by an 80-year-old local craftsman using traditional boat-building methods, the redsailed Chinese junk departs Pier 9 in Central every weekend. Return trip $350 ($210/child), one-way $230 ($150/child). 2116 8821, www.aqua.com.hk.

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eating

sunny side up

The Full Monty Fry-ups and other breakfasts in Sai Kung. By Cherrie Yu.

Slap-up breakfasts at Classified.

Mandy’s Caribbean Bar & Restaurant As well as a new dinner menu and seafood dishes, Mandy’s Caribbean launches a weekend breakfast menu this month. The fry-up is a monster (and we mean that in a good way), with two eggs, two sausages, three pieces of bacon, mushrooms, hash brown, barbecue baked beans, fresh tomato and toast, plus tea or coffee ($110). Naturally, Mandy’s also offers a Caribbean Breakfast, which turns out to be mashed sardines with chilli and onions, avocado, toast, scrambled eggs with chilli and onions and mango kutchla ($110). Veggies can choose the Trinidadian Breakfast Doubles ($60), mildly spiced chickpeas in bara roti with fresh cucumber pickle and a recommended side of pepper sauce. As well as other breakfast items, there is a range of sides including corn bread ($25), pitta ($20) and chips ($30). Breakfast is available on weekends and public holidays from 8am to 11.30am. 24 See Cheung Street, Sai Kung, 2791 2088, www.caribbeanhk.com.

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Classified There have been a few changes at Classified lately, with new menus for breakfast, allday dining and drinks. New breakfast items include European favourite Bircher muesli ($51), homemade toasted rye bread with tomato, avocado and lime ($53), and a

The extensive menu includes fry-ups, omelettes and healthier options revamped Classified breakfast ($108) of freerange scrambled eggs, bacon, beans, roast tomato, sausages. Try it with the new fresh fruit smoothies, such as beet strawberry pina banana ($55) or wheatgrass and pineapple smoothie ($55). Breakfast is available from 8am to 11.30am. 5 Sha Tsui Path, Sai Kung, 2529 3454, www.classifiedfood.com.

Casa We’ve been hearing good things about Casa’s breakfasts, not least from staff members who stop by for breakfast even on their days off.

There’s plenty of choice, including lots of veggie and vegan options, thanks to vegetarian co-owner James Bradshaw, and gluten-free dishes. As well as familiar favourites such as a cracking Eggs Benedict served with serrano ham ($80), the menu includes Mexican baked beans ($60), cranberry brie muffin ($80) and American pancakes ($50), with toppings such as honey or chocolate. Less typical dishes include guacamole and chorizo with (cold) poached eggs on an English muffin ($80).

Breakfast is available from 9am to 3pm. Shop 1 & 2, Sui Yat Building, Sai Kung Hoi Pong Square, 9221 1940.

Jaspa’s Breakfast is served in a laid-back, chilled-out vibe, with giant cups of coffee and buckets

SUMMER BREEZE

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Clockwise from top left: big breakfasts at Casa, Steamers and Jaspa’s.

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eating of fresh orange juice. The extensive breakfast menu includes fry-ups, omelettes and healthier options. Eggs Benedict – poached eggs and hollandaise sauce on spinach and an English muffin – comes with a choice of ham and asparagus or smoked salmon ($120). Trim &

The fry-up is a monster (and we mean that in a good way) Tasty ($120) is a healthy combo of two eggs, fresh avocado, Turkish bread, tomato and asparagus. Children may prefer the fruit bowl ($75), French toast ($75) or a half-stack of pancakes ($55) with blueberries or banana, maple syrup and ice cream. Breakfast starts at 8am and is available all day. G/F, 13 Sha Tsui Path, Sai Kung, 2792 6388, www.casteloconcepts.com.

Steamers Good news, bacon lovers, breakfast is available all day at Steamers. As well as a classic fry-up ($108) of two eggs, bacon, two sausages, baked beans, mushrooms, tomato and hash browns or chips, there’s a lighter version with

most of the same ingredients but one egg and one sausage instead of two ($98). Children will love the stack of three hotcakes with caramelised apple or banana, maple syrup and ice cream ($98). Or try the smoked salmon and spinach breakfast ($118), which comes with two eggs, baked beans, hash brown, tomato and mushrooms ($118). Most items also come with brown toast and a choice of coffee or juice.

That should set you up nicely for the day.

66 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung, 2792 6991, www.steamerssaikung.com.

Sai Kung Beach Cuisine Late risers can start the day with alfresco dim sum from midday at this beachfront restaurant, with glorious views across Inner Port Shelter to High Island Reservoir. Tables line the edge of Sha Ha Beach under a row of white pergolas divided by low privet hedges. (Watch out for dive-bombing sparrows.) Tuck into pan-fried lotus cakes, siu mai loaded with shrimps, Chinese mushrooms and crab roe, steamed dumplings with prawns and vegetables and generously sized dishes such as minced pork congee with preserved egg. Minimum charges apply at weekends at outdoor tables, but not inside. Reservations available. Sha Ha Beach, Tai Mong Tsai Road, Sai Kung, 2792 4990.

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eating

Nibbles Casa in K Town Much-loved Sai Kung tapas bar Casa is opening a second location in Kennedy Town next month. The new restaurant will follow the bar-restaurant’s successful recipe with reasonably priced craft and draught beer, cider and wine, plus a varied menu of small plates from around the world. The new venue will open a block south of Queen’s Road West, near Exit B2 of HKU MTR station, at 28 Woo Hop Street, Kennedy Town. Meanwhile, Casa Sai Kung has installed eight new draught beer taps, bringing its total to 14 beers and ciders on tap. Cheers!

Hunan happy hour Hunanese restaurant Chinese Kitchen, located in Man Nin Square, is launching a buy-oneget-one-free happy hour from 11.30am6.30pm with “Mad Hour” at 5.30pm-6.30pm, when a pint of Tsingtao is just $25. It’s one of several changes being overseen by new manager Stanley Mak, who has lived in Sai Kung for 40 years. The restaurant is also launching a new Hunan tapas set ($188),

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including pork leg, sizzling potatoes and dumplings, which is available from 11.30am to 3pm. Coming soon: a new kids’ menu, expanded noodles and dumpling selection, and a new tea set. 16 Wan King Path, Sai Kung, 2191 2498.

Can you handle the heat of the Fire Noodle Challenge?

Chilli challenge Can you handle the heat? New Hunan restaurant Villavilla Gourmet is inviting spicelovers to take the Fire Noodle Challenge on June 7. Entrants will compete in a race to eat a bowl of chilli-laden Hunan spicy beef soup – the first to finish will win $500 and an exclusive bottle of Russian Dragon Vodka. To enter, sign up by May 20 by Whatsapp your name to 6871 3763. Members of the public are invited to watch the competition for $100, including snacks. It takes place at 4pm – and it could get

Happy hour at Chinese Kitchen.

messy. 51 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung, 2788 3080.

Jamie opens in Kowloon British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is to open a second Hong Kong branch of Jamie’s Italian in Kowloon. The first local outlet of the family-

eating

Hyatt Regency Sha Tin from May 14 to 31.

Special lunch and dinner buffets will feature Korean delicacies such as homemade kimchi, glass noodle salad with mixed seafood, ginseng chicken soup, Korean oxtail soup, stir-fried beef tendon and grilled pork belly. Dessert choices include Korean rice cake and ginseng and lime sorbet. Lunch buffets start at $328 (child, $164) and dinners at $508 (child, $254). 18 Chak Cheung Street, hongkong.shatin.hyatt.com.

La Parole beef from Secret ingredients; Korean-style stir-fried squid at Hyatt Regency Sha Tin.

friendly chain has been a huge hit in Causeway Bay, and now he’s moving to the dark side, with a branch opening on Level 4 of Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, in the next few weeks. With 51 restaurants worldwide, the restaurant is all about reasonably priced Italian comfort food,

with an emphasis on pasta. For details, visit www.jamieoliver.com.

Seoul in Sha Tin Chefs from the Grand Hyatt Seoul will be cooking up a Korean storm at the Cafe at the

Secret French recipes Also for Le GourMay, meal-delivery company Secret Ingredients has partnered with three chefs from local French restaurants for three Midi-Pyrenees dishes to make yourself at home from a box of weighed and prepared ingredients. La Parole ($285) is pan-seared fillet of beef with red wine sauce; Alchemy ($275) is pink peppercorn butterfly salmon; and Metropolitan ($275) is pan-fried halibut with spinach, mussels and clams in white wine sauce. Available May 4-18, at 2108 4000, www.secretingredient.com.hk.

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recipe

Roast pumpkin, nuts and quinoa salad Lucy Humbert creates a salad with substance.

Ingredients • 1 kg pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into large chunks • 100g quinoa, rinsed • 75g mixed nuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped • 4 tbsp mixed seeds • 100g salad leaves • 3-4 tbsp roughly chopped herbs (coriander, parsley and mint) • 100ml olive oil (approx) • 1/2 a lemon, juiced • 100 ml plain yoghurt • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chef-restaurateur Lucy Humbert has been winning fans for her cooking for more than 20 years at Lucy’s, 64 Stanley Main Street, Stanley, 2813 9055.

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For the nuts I use raw pecans, walnuts and almonds, and for the seeds, sunflower, pumpkin and sesame, but any combination is fine.

Method • Pre-heat the oven to 180C • Place the pumpkin in a roasting tin, with 2-3 tbsp of olive oil.

• Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper.

Roast for 20-30 minutes until tender and tinged with brown.

• Simmer the quinoa for about 10 minutes until just tender.

• Drain and add 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice and salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.

• For the dressing, combine the yoghurt, 2 tbsp olive oil and the remaining lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

• Arrange the pumpkin on a platter. Combine the quinoa, nuts, seeds, herbs and salad leaves and arrange over the pumpkin. Serve with the yoghurt dressing.

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family Just for mum Put a smile on her face with these Mother’s Day gifts.

Urban Rituelle fragrance diffuser $349 from Inside, 231 Landmark Prince’s Building, Central, www.inside.com.hk.

Tu Textile flower cushions In organic cotton. $695 from TREE, 116 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung, 2791 2802, www.tree.com.hk.

Mother’s Day cards Part of a range by Nocturnal Paper. $31.85 (plus $2 postage) from www.etsy.com.

Hong Kong charm bracelet $850 from G.O.D, 2 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung, www.god.com.hk

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xoxo Pomfret bag $1,250 from Louella Odié, Treasure Island, 22 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung, www.louellaodie.com.

Fingerprint charm Handcrafted silver charms featuring your child's fingerprint. From $700, Smallprint, www.smallprint.com.

Bumble bee pouch In hand-printed leather. $1,500 from Louella Odié.

Fowler jar candle In sweet pea and jasmine, $280 from Mirth, 66 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung, www.mirthhome.com.

Chinese dining set

By Mariko Jesse for Faux, $980 from TREE.

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family Mother’s Day deals Places to go on May 10. By Callum Wiggins.

Dining 208 Duecento Otto Italian food comes with a lighter, sweeter flavour this Mother’s Day with four dishes designed with mums in mind. Among the items created by chef Alan Marchetti are seared tuna with burrata and sun-blushed tomatoes ($168), Garganelli pasta with prawns and zucchini ($198) and ricotta parfait with dried fruits and nuts, sour cherries and pistachio sauce ($78). Families will be welcomed with a complimentary bottle of Italian wine. 208 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, 2549 0208.

Brick Lane Mums eat free at Brick Lane branches in Admiralty and Tsim Sha Tsui on May 10-11. Inspired by the funky vibe of Brick Lane in London’s East End, the restaurants are bright and fun with quirky interiors. For Mother’s Day, the dinner set includes mains of grilled Iberico pork chop with caramelised apples; and pistachio-crusted grilled lamb rack with roasted potatoes. Mums also receive a fruit bouquet (right). $388 a head. 4/F Citic Tower, Admiralty; 17-23 Minden Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui; 2 Blenheim Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, www. bricklane.com.hk.

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Hotel Hyatt Regency Sha Tin The Hyatt Regency Sha Tin has launched a new spa package, including a one-night’s stay in the hotel and a treatment in the awardwinning Melo Spa. The package starts at $2,030 and includes accommodation in a guestroom fragranced with AINHOA Agua Rose, a complimentary gift set of AINHOA Rose bath amenities, buffet breakfast at Cafe, 2pm checkout. Guests can also choose a 60-minute royal jelly facial, 60-minute "senskin" facial or $800 credit to spend at Melo Spa. Hyatt Regency Hong Kong Sha Tin, 18 Chak Cheung Street, Sha Tin, 3723 7888, www.hongkong.shatin.hyatt.com.

Spa The Peninsula Spa Mums and daughters can be pampered together at The Spa with a bespoke treatment package designed to suit your mood, plus a poolside breakfast or lunch.

A package for two, including a meal, costs $3,600 for two hours, $5,400 for three hours, or $7,200 for four hours. The Peninsula, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2696 6682, spaphk@peninsula.com.

we love mums

Plateau Spa Until May 10, any purchase of a spa voucher for treatments of an hour or longer at Plateau Spa will come with two complimentary day passes worth $1,100 to the Grand Hyatt’s leisure facilities, including the 50m outdoor heated pool and the fitness studio. Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, 2588 1234.

The Mandarin Spa and Salon Treat mum to the luxurious new Mamma Rose treatment – a 60-minute full-body massage using a variety of techniques to release tension in the neck, shoulders and back – for $1,600 on weekdays and $1,700 at weekends. Or she might prefer to sip a glass of rosé champagne during a manicure ($400) or pedicure ($580) at the Mandarin Salon. Both treatments include a complimentary roseinspired gift. Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Road Central, www.mandarinoriental.com.

Mandarin Spa, 2825 4800; Mandarin Salon, 2825 4888.

I-Spa Mums will be glowing with the Mother’s Day I-Spa Package. It includes a steam shower, sauna

and hydrotherapy bath in a private I-Spa suite, followed by a 30-minute Vitality Back Massage and a hydrating face treatment.

From $2,180 for two hours and 15 minutes. Available May 1-31.

InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2721 1211, hkghc.spa@ihg.com.

Sense of Touch For Mother’s Day, Sai Kung Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award winner is offering a Mama Mia! package ($1,680 for two hours). It includes a specialised aromatherapy massage and moisturising facial, plus a limitededition Sense of Touch diary and embroidered shoulder pad filled with relaxing herbs. For expectant mothers, the Mom-To-Be Heavenly Retreat ($1,780 for 2.5 hours) includes a full-body massage, revitalising facial and toe polish in your favourite colour. The Mother and Daughter Duet ($1,880 for 90 minutes for two people) includes a facial, massage and express pedicure. G/F, 77 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung, 2791 2278, www.senseoftouch.com.hk.

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education

toon time you realize you are not in just “another” kindergarten. We designed the interior to empower and motivate our students to feel confident and achieve their goals. Our unique speech and performance arts curriculum helps us deliver a special kindergarten experience.

What classes do you offer?

We offer English Phonics playgroups for students from 18 months to four years old, and will start K1 and K2 classes in August. We also offer summer courses in July and August.

Holy kindergarten, Batman! Hamilton Hill is named for the Gotham City mayor.

Super school Hamilton Hill International Kindergarten offers a rounded education focusing on drama – and Batman. Cherrie Yu meets founder Alex Keys.

Why was Hamilton Hill International Kindergarten established?

We saw a gap in the Hong Kong international kindergarten market for a really good speechand drama-based curriculum. As a massive comic-book fan, the name Hamilton Hill comes from the world of Batman (he was the mayor

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What does the curriculum cover?

We set our goals and targets first then create lessons to achieve these outcomes. We equip our students with the necessary traditional skills, such as numeracy, literacy and Mandarin, however, because of our focus on the building of confidence through performance arts, we will gently push our students to learn and think out of the box in other areas. Our main priority is to work towards the skills necessary for placement in a good primary school, local or international.

There’s a trend for a more open and creative kindergarten teaching style as parents realise a well-rounded education is more important traditional skills. The right kindergarten can prepare students for interview, but not forget about a well-rounded creative education.

Tell us about your summer courses.

It promises to deliver a summer of adventure and fun-filled activities for students from two to 10 years old with a different theme each week.

of Gotham City), and we pay homage to superheroes in the decor. I would have loved to have gone here when I was a child – it’s one of the things parents say to us when they visit.

What’s the waiting list like?

We have places available for playgroup and kindergarten in August.

What makes HHIK special?

The moment you walk through the door,

1-3 Wah Ching Street, North Point, 3461 9750, www.hhik.co.

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sponsored column

Surviving the admission process ITS Educational Services answers parents’ questions about school applications.

Offers for school places are usually made from February to April and many parents waiting to hear from their first-choice school face the dilemma of whether to pay a deposit for offers from their second or third choices.

Here are some typical questions we recently received from concerned parents.

My child passed her interview at two schools, but has been put on the waitlist.

What should I do?

Your child has a good chance of acceptance for spaces that become available before the new academic year starts or even mid-year.

You will also have the opportunity to re-apply for the following academic year. This is good because your child will be offered an interview next year owing to being waitlisted. While the disappointment of your child being placed on a waitlist is hard to take, it is helpful to think of this as an opportunity to learn more about what school is the perfect fit for your child.

An interim placement at another school is

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also a sound solution: attending a school with a similar curriculum and philosophy will improve your child’s chances of acceptance at your firstchoice school next year.

consider other schools that you may not have considered before How should I deal with the news that my child has not been offered a place at any of my preferred schools?

Firstly, make sure your child does not perceive any negative feelings as this may reduce his or her confidence the next time an interview comes around. Keep the disappointment and frustration between parents and discuss very little about the situation with your child. Make a new plan and consider other schools that you may not have considered before. The school

that is the right fit is the one that ultimately chooses your child.

I missed some important deadlines this year. How should I prepare to prevent this happening again?

Contact your preferred schools and set alerts in your diary for application dates for the 2016 academic year. Apply on the first day, so you don’t have the urge to procrastinate.

Ensure copies of all the documentation you need for the application are in order and in separate folders for each school. Follow up with the admissions department to ensure the application is in order before the deadline.

ITS School Placements provides an education consulting service that works with families and employers to find the right schools for individual children in Hong Kong, from nursery to secondary schools. ITS also offers research, policy and advisory services for corporations. For more details, contact es@itseducation.asia, 3188 3940 or www.itseducation.asia.

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outdoors Stick your oar in Your guide to kayaking in Sai Kung.

Kayaking is one of the cheapest, healthiest and most fun ways to get out on the water in Sai Kung. Kayakers are close enough to the water to splash themselves cool on steamy days, but cocooned and dry(ish) in chilly weather. With plenty of kayaks available to hire around the area, this is a tranquil way to get some fresh air, explore our beautiful coastline and workout those core and upper-body muscles.

Who needs Thailand when Sai Kung has beaches like this?

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Sha Ha Beach Conveniently located at the end of the Sai Kung waterfront promenade, Sha Ha Beach is lined with kayaks just begging to be launched. Eddy Tam runs the Windsurfing Centre on the sand and rents kayaks from $50 an hour. Explore the islets and beaches of Inner Port Shelter then reward yourself with dim sum at Beach Cuisine (2792 4999) or a cold beer at the bar next door.

For details, call 2792 5605, 9733 1228, or visit www.kayaks.com.hk.

get paddling

Blue Sky Water Sports Club Also based on Sha Ha Beach, Blue Sky Water Sports Club has a centre on Sai Kung's waterfront promenade. Kayaks are available from $120 an hour, with private coaching available for novices. The club offers a huge range of watersports, including standup paddling, dragon boating, surfing and swimming lessons. For details, contact Bryan Ng at 2791 0806, 9468 1684, www.skswc.com.

Hoi Ha Beach Deep in Sai Kung Country Park is lovely Hoi Ha Beach, where you can rent kayaks to explore the marine park, cruising over starfish and coral beds, and even venture around the headland to Wong Shek Pier. Local resident “Fred the boatman” rents kayaks for $100-$200 at one of the few centres with showers. He can be a bit elusive, so we recommend booking ahead: 2328 2169, 9164 5756, or 2328 2181.

Chong Hing Reservoir Spectacularly located at High Island’s West Sea Cofferdam, a few minutes by taxi from the Country Park barrier, the government-run Chong Hing Water Sports Centre is loaded with equipment at rock-bottom prices. As

Explore the islets and beaches of Inner Port Shelter then reward yourself with dim sum well as kayaks, it offers sailing, windsurfing, surf canoes and even pedaloes, and there’s a campsite for those who’d like to make a weekend of it. Reservations essential; closed Thursdays. Entry is $7 and kayak rental is $16 an hour on weekdays and $24 at weekends. For details, call 2792 6810 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk.

Tai Mong Tsai The Jockey Club Sai Kung Outdoor Training Camp on Tai Mong Tsai Road offers a host of watersports including bamboo rafting, canoeing, sailing and snorkeling. You need a group of at least eight people to use the facility and reservations are essential. Entry is $40 a head for the day camp and kayak rental starts at $80 a day, with private coaching available. It also has a canteen. For details, call 2792 2727 or visit www.hkfyg.org.hk.

Kayak and Hike Turn your paddling trip into a real adventure with Kayak and Hike. A packed programme starts with a speedboat trip into the Geopark, where kayaks are unpacked for a guided tour of the beaches, caves and cliffs. Run by local resident Paul Etherington, the day trip costs $800 a head. For details, call 9300 5197, or visit www.kayak-and-hike.com.

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big day out

hang ten

Shek O Beach is one of the largest and loveliest on Hong Kong Island.

Deep south Surfers, sand and rasta bars set the vibe in chilled-out Shek O.

Set around a rocky headland between two beaches, Shek O is an eccentric, laid-back seaside destination about as far from the city madness as it is possible to get on Hong Kong Island. It’s a great place, with beautiful scenery, good food and a chilled-out vibe. If it looks familiar, that’s possibly because it has served as the backdrop to a multitude of Canto-pop videos and movies, including the King of Comedy and 1980s TV series Noble House.

The location scouts are drawn by vibrantly painted houses surrounded by shrubs and vines, sunkissed locals walking barefoot with surfboards tucked under their arms, hidden rasta bars and simple alfresco restaurants.

The legendary Shek O Chinese and Thai is

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an all-time favourite; ignore the plastic chairs, cheap tables and toilet-paper napkins and focus on delicious dishes and fresh seafood at reasonable prices. Keep the Tsingtao flowing while the kids play mini golf two doors down or run amok at the beach less than a minute away.

A relatively new addition to the Shek O dining scene, Cococabana serves delicious Mediterranean food right on the beach. Sit under the umbrellas on the large terrace or chill in the easy, breezy, seaside-themed dining room. Appropriately, given the beach setting, fresh seafood features prominently, including bouillabaisse, scallops St Jacques, sea bass with clams and standout piri-piri king prawns.

But our favourite Shek O “secret” is Ben’s

Back Beach Bar on the far side of the village, overlooking a little beach used by the Shek O sailing club. The casual bar is not much more than a brick-lined hole in the wall, with a few stools and pictures of movie stars taking a break from all that filming. Ben’s is a chilledout spot for a cold beer, some reggae and a chat with the locals away from the weekend madness of the main beach. We hear the Brooklyn Lager goes down particularly well.

For something a little more active, hike to the lighthouse at Cape D’Aguilar. The lighthouse is oldest in Hong Kong, entering service on April 16, 1875, following the opening of the Suez Canal and the subsequent growth of trade in Hong Kong. Its location on the southeastern

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big day out

Clockwise from above: Village houses are painted in vibrant colours; peace at the beach; Cape D’Aguilar lighthouse; dining at Cococabana; a local landmark.

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big day out

Sunkissed locals walk barefoot with surfboards under their arms tip of the island helped guide shipping into the eastern approaches to Victoria Harbour.

Positioned 200 feet above sea level, the lamp could be seen from 23 miles away. Since then, it has been off and on. In 1896, three years after the construction of a lighthouse on the more usefully located Waglan Island, Cape D’Aguilar lighthouse was switched off and stood disused until 1975, when a new automated lantern was installed. Today, it still shines bright.

Need to know Take bus no.9 from Shau Kei Wan MTR. To get to the lighthouse, alight from bus no.9 at Cape D’Aguilar Road and walk to The Swire Institute of Marine Science of HKU. Restaurants: Shek O Chinese and Thai, 303 Shek O Village, 2809 4426. Ben’s Back Beach Bar, 273 Shek O Village, 2809 2268.

Cococabana, G/F LCSD Building, Shek O Beach, 2812 2226.

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travel

A golden-hour view of Taipei 101 and the rest of the city from Elephant Mountain.

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six of the best

Taipei weekend Two days in Taiwan’s capital. By Hannah Grogan.

The Taiwanese are doing something right.

Home to more than 2.5 million people, capital city Taipei is a friendly, considerate sort of place where people stop to help if you look lost and looking at a screen in public is considered anti-social. There are parks everywhere, drivers appear happy to share roads with cyclists and taking a train is a genuinely pleasant experience. It’s a foodie paradise, marketshopping mecca, perfect for culture buffs and a feast for a photographer’s eye. In other words, Taipei is pretty much the perfect weekend city break. Here are six of the best things to do in the city.

Ride a bike The entire city is bicycle-friendly with rent-anddrop locations at nearly every train station, most major intersections and attractions. Cycle-rental company YouBike (youbike.com.tw) hires out bicycles to commuters and visitors alike. It’s cheap, with two-day rentals costing less than HK$100. Get a taste for the city by getting lost in the different neighbourhoods and finding your way out again, cycling down streets, over bridges, beside the river and through parks. Plot a rough route at the start of your day, but expect to be diverted by the city’s hidden treasures.

If cycling isn’t your thing, Taipei’s MRT system is simple to wrap your head around.

Pick up an EasyCard (www.easycard.com.tw) for $80 for a two-day pass and start exploring.

Visit a night market The city is famed for its night markets, the largest and most popular of which is in the Shilin District, near Jiantan MRT station. The market is open from 4pm to after midnight, but it’s quietest in late afternoon before the masses arrive. If you’re cycling, drop off your bikes at the train station and head into the market on foot to shop for clothes, accessories, knickknacks and electronics. It’s Causeway Baybusy, but if the hustle and bustle gets too much, or your body aches after a day in the saddle, there are plenty of massage places nearby among the karaoke bars and video arcades.

Eat everything A favourite Taipei activity is eating, preferably little and often. Shilin Night Market has a designated food area filled with skewered, deep-fried, sweet and savoury delicacies: think

fried buns, tempura, oyster omelet, stinky tofu, bubble tea and even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Dig in.

Taipei’s most famous street snack, however, is xiao long bao steamed pork dumplings. Try them at Din Tai Fung (www.dintaifung.com.tw/en) on the ground floor of Taipei 101, once the world’s tallest building. The internationally popular chain started as a street stall and is now one of Taipei’s most successful exports.

Get cultural Taiwan has a fascinating history and a plethora of museums – way too many for one weekend.

If you only have time for one, make it the National Palace Museum (www.npm.gov.tw/ en) in Shilin. It is home to one of the largest permanent collections of art and artefacts from ancient and imperial China, housed in an impressive hillside structure in lovely grounds.

Get a taste for the city by getting lost in the different neighbourhoods And then, of course, there are the temples.

Lungshan is a lovely old Buddhist and Taoist temple with incredible roof sculptures and wreathed in incense smoke, nestled between Guilin Road and Guangzhou Street in Wanhua District.

Also worth a visit is Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, about a kilometre away. The monument is a large white monolithic cube with a pagoda-style octagonal roof, reached by 89 steps (Chiang’s age when he died). It’s set in a formal park and flanked by the traditional-style National Theatre and National Concert Hall.

Cycling is not permitted in the grounds, so leave your bike outside.

Take in the view Work off those dumplings with a hike up Elephant Mountain for the best views of Taipei.

Part of the Nangang District Hiking Trail, it’s a steep, 20- to 25-minute climb up a lot of stairs.

But get to the top in time for sunset and you’ll be rewarded by an incredible golden-hour glow.

Don’t forget your camera.

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travel

Clockwise from above: Shilin Night Market; street food; inside Lungshan Temple; skewers are a popular snack.

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travel

Read all night All-night reading is a hit at 24-hour bookshop, Eslite Bookstore. This five-storey monument to the printed word allows people to read without having to buy. It now operates more than 40 stores across Asia. 2/F, 245 Tunhua South Road, Section 1, Taipei, www.eslite.com.

Where to stay In terms of international five-star hotels, The Regent Taipei is hard to beat with 538 guestrooms, eight restaurants and a rooftop pool handily located near the shops in Zhongshan District (www.regenthotels.com/ EN/Taipei). For something more boutique, Villa 32 (www.villa32.com) is a stylish five-room retreat north of the city overlooking the misty hot springs of Yangming Mountain. It has two Japanese-style tatami rooms, three western rooms and plenty of wow factor.

How to get there Hong Kong Airlines operates daily direct flights to Taipei for about $1,200, www.hongkongairlines.com. The flight takes less than two hours.

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health & beauty

The gong array at Red Doors Studio; founder Martha Collard; participants lie on mats next to the gongs for the sound bath.

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boingggg

Submerged in sound Can a gong bath ease body and soul?

We visit Red Doors Studio to put it to the test.

The yogi

By Kristen Tadrous I’m always keen to try new meditation techniques, yet I can never swear by just one.

Despite my eagerness to attend a gong bath, I made a point not to research it before my appointment. So I rolled into Red Door Studio in Wong Chuk Hang as a blank slate with zero expectations.

Welcoming me was founder Martha Collard, who has many titles – management consultant, career counsellor, Kundalini Yoga instructor and now the owner of the largest personal Paiste gong collection in Asia. Red Door Studio is vast, with four studios for meditation, a full kitchen and bathroom. Geared toward corporate wellness and personal growth, its contemporary atmosphere and fresh look make this a haven in cramped, stressed-out Hong Kong.

Treatment As we entered a large, brightly lit studio, with big windows and mirrors covering one wall, my eyes were drawn to the massive gong set occupying one corner.

First up, there is no water involved in a gong bath. The studio’s mantra is “ancient healing for modern times” and a gong bath is a Bronze Age technique said to induce a state of deep mental and physical relaxation.

After an extensive gong briefing and consultation with Collard, my personalised session begins. Adhering to my zeroexpectations rule, I lie flat on a yoga mat, covered in linen with a fragrant lavender pouch covering my eyes and clutching a stone necklace for balance. The meditative background music simmered down, and the procession of gongs began.

“OM…” the gong vibrations traversed the room before making their way to me. As they started slowly, the early morning coupled with

my resting position was enough to put me back to sleep. Suddenly, the gongs got louder and more climactic, reverberating for what seemed like ages, completely disconnecting me from the clamorous construction outside.

Remembering to take slow, deep breaths, I couldn’t seem to focus on anything else.

This persisted for a while; breathing and contemplation, with pleasant thoughts occasionally running through my mind. As the gong vibrations dwindled, I felt Collard circle around me hitting a small gong in her hand.

With each strike, I felt a slight tingle and my hair rose. Whether this went on for a few seconds or minutes I’m not sure as I had reached REM sleep.

There is no water involved in a gong bath, a Bronze Age technique Verdict The 20-minute session left me feeling tranquil and the pace of the world seemed to have slowed a few notches. Though the one-on-one setting made for a more customised session, having no one else to share the experience removed the bonding aspect of most meditations. (Group sessions are available.)

As the Wong Chuk Hang neighbourhood continues to gentrify, I have no doubt Southside residents and working professionals will escape their desks for some quality time with yoga mats and gongs. It’s deeply relaxing and with no oils, showers or need to change, a gong bath takes no longer than a coffee break. I can see this sound healing turning meditation sceptics into believers.

The sceptic

By Callum Wiggins In Hong Kong, we are no strangers to sound – traffic, construction work and the general hum of millions of people reverberate through our lives. Red Doors Studio hopes to remove some of that built-up stress. Its signature gong-bath treatment claims benefits including calming the body and rebalancing our physical, emotional and spiritual bodies solely through the use of gongs. It’s an intriguing idea.

Treatment Located on the 21st floor of a nondescript industrial high rise in Wong Chuk Hang, Martha Collard has transformed her studio into an oasis of tranquillity. Sunshine floods the main room where the gongs are located, each of a different size and possessing unique sound qualities.

I lie down on a full-length mat in front of the gong structure under a blanket and a lavender-scented eye mask. So far, so relaxing.

The first gong sounds. Each gong is capable of producing a multitude of sounds, depending on where the gong is struck and how hard. The biggest gongs produce an impressive amount of sound, which bounces off the walls and resonates around the room. However, this was where the experience reached it’s peak for me.

After listening to the gongs for a while, I felt slightly bored.

Verdict My gong bath left me relaxed, but then I was lying down in the middle of the day with an eye mask and a warm blanket. The sound of the gongs is rather special, but whether it is able to stimulate anything more than a state of relaxation, I remain sceptical.

21/F Lee Fund Centre, 31 Wong Chuk Hang Road, 9673 8075, www.red-doors.com.

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pets Skin deep There’s a lot more to a dog than the way it looks, says Sally Andersen.

Is this funny fella a Lab-shih tzu crossbreed?

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When someone told me the other day they had had a DNA test done on their multi-breed dog to find out what breeds were in its make-up, I stopped short of rolling my eyes – but I did comment that I felt such tests were pointless.

These tests are not only known to be so unreliable as to be a waste of time and money, but what difference does it make to know that a few generations ago a dalmatian left its mark?

It’s fairly easy to make a good guess at the heritage of a crossbreed, that is the first mix of two known breeds such as a labradoodle (labrador/poodle) or cockapoo (cocker spaniel/ poodle). But if the reason for performing a DNA test is to foresee character traits in puppies, then that too is pointless. Labradors and poodles have very differing personalities as well as coats, and not all labradoodles have curly hair or are typically easygoing.

The most important thing to look for in a puppy or an adult dog isn’t their appearance or

which breeds they descend from, but what sort of personality they have. A happy, friendly puppy will stay that way, assuming it’s treated well and properly trained using positive methods. An over-confident puppy will grow into a similarly outgoing adult, most likely with a mind of its own that may need guiding towards good manners.

A shy puppy will probably gain confidence as it grows, but these types aren’t recommended for families with children, existing or anticipated, because they tend to find the loud noise too much to handle. These character traits are evident in very young puppies and are not connected to the colour of their coat or the shape of their ears.

When I make bi-weekly visits to the AFCD to choose dogs and puppies for homing, being able to make quick decisions about those that will be suitable is essential. I can’t say I have never been swayed by big doe eyes and long floppy ears, and I’ve taken a chance on timid animals quite a

who’s a pretty boy?

hong kong creatures Common five-ring aka Ypthima baldus

few times, but body language speaks volumes.

What might initially appear a hopeless case can be turned around in a very short time if you can spot the signs and are able to convey the right message back.

Scared dogs respond to a soft voice and non-threatening behaviour just like a frightened child, and in minutes that quivering wreck can be in your arms and giving you a big thank-you kiss.

Still, there’s a newcomer in the Homing Centre that’s the funniest-looking dog I’ve seen( (opposite). I can’t help wondering what on earth went into producing a face like that. My guess is a Labrador-shih tzu combination, but I’m leaving it at that and my imagination.

Sally Andersen is the founder of Hong Kong Dog Rescue, a charity that rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes unwanted or abandoned dogs.

As its name suggests, this small and rather plain Asian butterfly has a series of dark rings, or ocelli, on its wings. Its wingspan ranges from 30mm to 45mm. Adult butterflies are pale brown with yellow-ringed ocelli – typically the forewing has one large ring and the hind wing has five or six smaller rings. The male also has a broad, greyishblack band on the forewing.

Confusingly, most individuals have not five but six or even seven rings. This is because the name is based on the number of rings on the hind wing only.

It is a common butterfly regularly seen in grassland throughout Hong Kong. Its range stretches across Asia from northern India to China and Taiwan, and as far south as Thailand.

The young caterpillars feed on the leaves of a species of grass, Micostegium

ciliatum. The newly born caterpillars are white, with small pink patches on their bodies, but they quickly develop a greenish or grey-brown undertone owing to their leaf diet.

Where to find them in Hong Kong: Widely distributed in grassland throughout the territory.

Steffi Yuen

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marketplace

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marketplace

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marketplace

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Fun, Hands-on Filmmaking & Photography Workshop for kids 7yrs to 16yrs.

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marketplace

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marketplace

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marketplace

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vines in sai kung

stephen says...

Bulldozer alert Stephen Vines questions an AFCD director’s application to build in Tai Long Sai Wan. construction took place. Maybe this explains why land adjacent to this development has been full of bulldozers clearing and levelling a large area. This is not the first time bulldozers have been mobilised on this site. Three years ago they embarked on a similar path of destruction but further bulldozing was prevented by vigorous protests from people in the neighbourhood.

The Lands Department then did what was only natural in the circumstances and started investigating the properties of the people making the complaints in search of illegal structures. As I was among them I can, unfortunately, provide personal testimony.

It will be more than interesting to see what the Lands Department does in this instance and whether its officers have had their sight restored. When it comes to land controlled by certain people a special form of blindness seems to set in.

AFCD assistant director Thomas Sit’s family has applied to build five houses in Ham Tin in the country park.

A senior bureaucrat applies for a handout – and may well get it Let’s keep our fingers crossed for Thomas Sit, an assistant director at the Ag and Fish Department. I know sarcasm is said to be the lowest form of wit, but how else to deal with an application to the Town Planning Board (TBC) by his family for permission to build five houses in the protected Tai Long Sai Wan area?

The Sit family’s ancestral home is in nearby Ham Tin thus qualifying them to seek permission to secure land and build homes under the 1972 Small House Policy, a relic of the colonial era’s politicking aimed at keeping the powerful Heung Yee Kuk onside. Strangely, when Kuk members and other so-called loyalists wail loudly about the injustices of the colonial era they never suggest repealing this policy. On the contrary, they are its most avid supporters.

The official rationale for dishing out land to indigenous villagers is that it improves housing standards for New Territories’ residents, but a great many families using this scheme are like the Sits and live in urban areas. In other words, they have severed their connection with their ancestral villages. However, they nominally remain members of these villages and are not shy when it comes to profiting from this status.

The Sit family’s application is for

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construction of five houses less than 100 metres from a Sai Kung East Country Park beach. It is also close to an archaeological site that may be up to 4,000 years old and in an area declared to be a Site of Special Scientific Interest because it is home to endangered plant species.

All in all, therefore, the TPB might have good grounds to look carefully at the Sit family application. It is strongly rumoured that if they get the go-ahead, other villagers in the area will slam in Small House applications. So, what are the chances of an assistant director at Ag and Fish being treated just like anyone else seeking to degrade the country park?

Incidentally, Dr Sit is only speaking to the media through the government’s Information Services Department, which marks an interesting use of an official mouthpiece to defend a personal profit-seeking enterprise.

The bulldozers are back, but are they invisible to officials?

Talking of degrading country park areas brings me to my backyard in Pak Tam Chung, where a village chief famously managed to demolish some wonderful old Hakka houses and build three new houses without permission, although the Lands Department was apparently content to grant permission after the demolition and

We’re rich, folks Well, that’s quite enough talk of destruction let’s turn to a subject that should lighten the step of the average Sai Kung resident. You, or should I say we, are among the fatter cats of Hong Kong. The latest government census survey figures show Sai Kung rates third in the SAR’s district income league.

Top of the tree are residents of the Central and Western District with, according to the survey, average household incomes at HK$35,000, next up is Wan Chai with incomes averaging $34,000 and then Sai Kung at $30,800. The overall average monthly income for all Hong Kong households is $23,000.

This figure seems quite plausible, but I am deeply sceptical about the figures cited for the top three; they seem way too low. This may be explained by the fact that many Hong Kong business owners take the bulk of their remuneration not through salary but through dividends, as there is no dividends tax. Were this factored into the equation it would produce a very different real income picture. However, the fact we Sai Kung types stand at number three in the Hong Kong earnings league must mean something. I’m just not sure what it is.

Stephen Vines is a journalist, broadcaster and entrepreneur. He is the former editor of the Eastern Express and Southeast Asia correspondent for The Observer.