Sai Kung Magazine July 2010

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188

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things to do in summer

Beaches Barbecues Books Gardening Orangutans!

FAMILY | property | sport | LIving

clearwater bay July 2010

clearwater bay

The really useful magazine July 2010

the planner 4 Happening in July

NEWS 8 Need to know Aliens in Sai Kung! Shoes with soul

LOCAL 10 Branding Sai Kung Why the weekend market is the wrong message for tourists LOCAl Hero 11 Ng Tsuen-man Sai Kung’s Olympic hero

Feature 12 Beauty & the beach My favourite beach, things to do, looking good in a bikini

EATING 18 BBQ HQ Throw another shrimp on the barbie

Books

Pets

34 Between the sheets Essential summer reading

41 Hot dogs The meaning of PUP!

BOOTS 22 On the edge Skirting Long Harbour

gardens 24 The good earth Jessie Carter digs the good life

Schools

Travel

36 Inspector Kellett Kellett School, The Gate

Family

42 Hug an orangutan “Oh oobee doo, I wanna be like you oo oo” Classifieds

38 Rainy Days Things to do this Summer

44 The small ads

PROPERTY 26 Millionaires’ row The house with it all

Health

BACK PAGE

40 In vein Adele redraws her lovely legs

46 Last Orders on free gifts

Investment 32 Invest in the West Buy a flat, burst a grape

Tell us how we can do better.

Got any suggestions, ideas, stories? Write to editor@saikung.com

Wait! There’s more. Check out www.saikung.com

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planner the best of July Jul 1-Aug 31 Ocean Park Summer Splash 2010

Jul 5-8 Hong Kong Fashion Week

Prepare to get wet: ride the world’s longest inflatable water slide, dance up a storm in the Foam Rave, and soak your friends in the Aqua Battle at Ocean Park. Tickets $250 for adults, $125 for children, 3923 2323, summer.oceanpark. com.hk.

Find out what you’ll be wearing in spring/summer 2011 during a week of local and international runway shows and events. Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai. Details at www.hktdc.com.

Jul 2 Independence Day II: Return to the Sequel People’s Liberation Improv show.

9.30pm-11pm, TakeOut Comedy Club, 34 Elgin Street, SoHo. Tickets $150 from Jami Gong, 6220 4436, jami@takeoutcomedy.com.

Jul 8-10 PUNCHLINE Comedy club Two hours of stand-up comedy with British veterans Geoff Boyz, Phil Butler and Simon Bligh. 9pm, Duetto, 2/F Sun Hung Kai Centre, Wan Chai. Tickets $320, www. cityline.com.hk, 2317 6666.

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Jul 5-30 Treasure Island Surf Camp Adventure camps for kids aged 5-15, Lantau. Details at 2984 8711, www.treasureislandhk.com.

Jul 28-Aug 8

Sesame Street Live - When Elmo Grows Up

The cast of Sesame Street star in a musical show-and-tell about growing up. Will Elmo get a job as a weather monster? Or will Bert become a forest ranger? Find out at the Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $220-$450 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Jul 8 Quiz Night Six rounds, 60 questions, $600 bar tab to play for. 8.30pm, Hebe One O One, 112 Pak Sha Wan, 2335 5515.

Jul 11 World Cup Final Book a space at the bar for the final whistle... now get some sleep.

Jul 9-Aug 15 International Arts Carnival

Jul 17 Saturday Hash

A family-friendly programme of shows from all over the world, opening with “Peter Pan” performed by Britain’s renowned Northern Ballet Theatre on Jul 9-11. Other highlights include “Ping” penguin puppetry from Spain, “Gulliver” by the Moscow Puppet Theatre, “Brocante Sonore: The Mechanicians” musical machinery from France and Canadian Tomas Kubinek: “Certified Lunatic and Master of the Impossible”.

Details at www.hkiac.gov.hk.

Join the Sai Kung Saturday Hash House Harriers for the monthly hare around our highways and byways. For details, visit sites.google.com/site/saikungsaturdayh3/ calendar.

Jul 12 Golf Day

Jul 18 TEVA Kayak n Run

Join Hebe One O One at Kau Sai Chau South Course.

For more details, ask at the bar, 112 Pak Sha Wan, 2335 5515, info@101.com.hk.

Teams of two kayak 5.5km, run 6km and kayak another 2km in this truly knackering event at the HKUST, Clearwater Bay. Entry fee $700 (late entries $1,000). Register online at www.actionasiaevents.com.

Jul 17-18 Lan Kwai Fong Beerfest Back for the seventh year, the International Food & Beer Festival sees Lan Kwai doing what it does best: a whopping great street party. Free. Enquiries at 2523 8010.

Jul 11 Typhoon Series Sails up for keel-boat racing in Port Shelter followed by a salty after party at Hebe Haven Yacht Club.

Details at 2719 9682, www.hhyc. org.hk.

Jul 15 Toy Story 3 The toys are back in town - but for how long, with Andy departing for college? Opens in cinemas across Hong Kong.

Jul 21 Quiz Night With the teachers on vacation, you may be in with a chance. 8.30pm, Hebe One O One, 112 Pak Sha Wan, 2335 5515.

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Jul 22 Salt

Jul 29 Slash Live

Angelina Jolie’s new movie opens with Angie as CIA officer Evelyn Salt, outed as a Russian sleeper spy - but is she trying to shoot the Pres? In cinemas across HK.

The Guns N Roses guitarist goes solo. AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau. Tickets $480-$780 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Jul 23-25 Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival Just when you thought it was all over, the yat-yee brigade hits Victoria Harbour for the international dragon boat competition. East Tsim Sha Tsui.

Jul 25 Typhoon Series Keel-boat racing in Port Shelter.

Details at Hebe Haven Yacht Club, 2719 9682, www.hhyc.org.hk.

Jul 21-27 Hong Kong Book Fair 2010 Bookworm heaven. Loads of books for sale, lectures, readings and all sorts of other print-related pleasures. Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai. Tickets $25 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288, and participating 7-Eleven & Circle K stores. Details at www.hkbookfair.com/en.

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Jul 30-Aug 3 12th Ani-Com & Games Hong Kong Animation, comics, toys and collectibles take over the Convention Centre, attracting an army of anime fans. You have been warned. Tickets $28 from 2344 0415, www.ani-com.hk and participating 7-Eleven & Circle K stores.

Book Now! Dec 22-29 Walking With Dinosaurs - The Arena Spectacular Hear them roar. The groundbreaking BBC series comes to life with 20 life-size dinos in a $15m spectacular this Christmas. Only five shows in English, four in Cantonese.

And, yes, T-Rex will be there.

AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau. Tickets $195-$995 from 3128 8288, www.hkticketing.com.

Oct 7-24 Grease Rydell High comes to Hong Kong. All hairspray, hops and hormones, this is a 70s parody of the 50s, with a bouncy soundtrack made legendary by the John Travolta-Olivia Newton John movie. It’s electrifying! Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai, 3128 8288, www.hkticketing.com.

in the know

Hearts & soles Thanks to Sai Kung readers who donated to the “Shoes to Nepal” charity drive.

Organizer Sonia McCarthy, who came up with the idea on holiday in Kathmandu, collected more than 256 pairs of shoes, 550 pairs of socks and 268 pairs of new underwear. They were delivered last month to the Buddhist Child Home in Kathmandu.

Hundreds of children who had to go to school without shoes are now able to walk comfortably and safely in the hills.

Joel Dunn Memorial Cup The first Joel Dunn Memorial Cup will be held at King’s Park on August 28 in memory of the Sai Kung Stingrays coach, who died last year. As well as plenty of activities for young rugby players, including touch rugby, there will be an adult match between the Sai Kung Old Boys and the Old Aberdonians. The Sai Kung Old Boys are still looking for players; if you’d like to take part, contact Lola Williams at lola.williams@kgv.edu.hk.

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An unidentified flying object (UFO) has been sighted over Sai Kung Tang Shiu Kin Stadium. Witnesses report seeing a light moving up and down across the night sky over the sports ground. The “event”, which lasted for approximately 10 minutes, was filmed on a camera phone by a resident and is being taken seriously by the Hong Kong UFO Club.

Exactly why aliens would visit Sai Kung instead of, say, Beijing, London or New York remains unclear. However, it is the third UFO sighting over Sai Kung in 15 years. The 10-minute video, which has received more than 500 hits on YouTube.com since it was uploaded in March, shows a bright light flashing against the sky. The author of the video, Nimtta1, told us he was “going through a spiritual awakening”, adding “people see phenomena for a reason”.

Illustration: Kelly Tam

news

Alien invasion?

Grapevine Stay at the Hyatt Regency Sha Tin any time from June 1 to August 31, and get an $800 credit to spend in the hotel’s acclaimed restaurants and Melo Spa. Facilities include a well-equipped Fitness Centre with sauna, steam and bicycle rental, swimming pool, tennis court, and Camp Hyatt for children aged three to 12. Rooms start from $1,600 a night. For more information, call 3723 7888, or email reservations.shatin@hyatt.com.

If you’re over 60 and into golf, dig out your clubs. Kau Sai Chau Golf Club is offering green fee concessions for seniors every Monday and Tuesday, except public holidays. This means you can play a round for as little as $230. Find out more at 2791 3388, www.kscgolf.org.hk.

Get a summer makeover with Rennie Fensham at Tala’s. Able to find every woman’s inner covergirl, she works wonders on hair and make-up to reveal a whole a new you, with the before and after pictures to prove it. Rennie also offers makeup lessons ($750 for two hours) and makeover parties for up to eight people - perfect for a girlie sleepover. She’s in Sai Kung on Wednesdays and Fridays. 56 Po Tung Road, 2335 1694.

What issue do you care about most in Sai Kung?

Let us know. www.saikung.com/awards

local

sai kungTM

How green is our market?

Photo: Denise Tong

Is this really how we should brand Sai Kung for tourists?

Before Public outrage against Sai Kung’s waterfront market has hit new highs as stalls supposedly promoting Sai Kung as a “green and environmental destination”, have been placed side by side with another market that sells plastic tat.

The debacle has caused several local residents to question the Sai Kung Rural Committee – which spent $400,000 on the concrete stalls – and its competence to promote the area and plan long term for tourism.

The previously pristine strip of grass on the waterfront is now home to two weekend markets. The LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) market allegedly promotes Sai Kung as a green destination. But the New Funland Market sells mass-produced plastic goods.

“By plonking the New Funland market on the grass right next to the LOHAS market any message about sustainability gets lost,” said resident Denise Tong, who has been campaigning to protect green public space in Sai Kung. “For visitors, the market is just an experience of trash and tat.

“It’s kind of ironic that the LOHAS market was supposed to promote Sai Kung as a green destination. But all it has done is destroy a rare strip of greenery that people really cherished.”

“We have lost a place to walk dogs, fly kites, have picnics and play

After

games. And what we have got in return? A version of Mongkok’s ladies market. Both markets are killing the grass and they should be moved immediately,” says Ms Tong.

Could things have been done differently? Campaigners point out that there are lots of under-used areas better suited to use by the markets, such as Sai Kung Waterfront Park (the newspaper boat square).

There have been rumours the markets will be moving to the paved area in front of the swimming pool, but this is contingent on a review, for which no date has been set, says Ms Tong. In other words, don’t hold your breath.

Should Sai Kung be catering to “bus tourists” with a cheap copy of Stanley market? Or should we be trying to attract wealthier, independent tourists interested A typical New in a different experience that reflects the Funland market stall character of the area?

We asked four local experts in branding and PR how they would promote Sai Kung to tourists.

Jasper Donat , co-founder, Branded “You could develop a strong brand identity for Sai Kung and Clearwater Bay. You could focus on upscale, independent tourists. You could build a campaign around the area’s natural beauty, amazing communities, incredible cultural mixes and gently paced lifestyle. But my advice would be: don’t bother.

Let’s keep the place secret and send everyone to Stanley!”

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Kiri Sinclair, founder, Sinclair Communications “Sai Kung should be taken off the group-tour bus route. It is “Hong Kong’s garden” and should be positioned for sustainable ecotourism. The infrastructure for independent tourism is already in place, with excellent public transportation and entrepreneurs developing exciting eco-tourism activities such as orienteering, hiking, kayaking and water sports at international standards.”

Jeremy Wolf, senior vice president, Text 100 “Having come to my village house from a 40-storey tower in Tai Tam, I think Sai Kung is a world apart from ‘island life’. My vision for branding Sai Kung would follow these lines. It should be branded “Sai Kung: Beyond Hong Kong”. This encapsulates and celebrates the relative remoteness, lifestyle, culture, food, climate and geography that we all love.”

saikung

local hero

Ng Tsuen-man Son of a Sai Kung fisherman, the inspirational Mr Ng has twice represented Hong Kong at the Olympics. Now 62, he’s encouraging others in his two favourite sports: dragon boating and canoeing. By Adele Rosi.

Tell us about the Olympics.

I represented Hong Kong in canoeing at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada, and in 1984 at Los Angeles, USA. It was fantastic! I had such a good time, meeting and competing against the world’s top athletes and seeing what the standards were like in the rest of the world. I made a lot of friends and at the opening and closing processions, I swapped my official national badges with those from other countries. I have about 40 or 50, which I still treasure. When I returned home, I received a “hero’s welcome”.

You are incredibly fit and healthy, what’s your secret?

I exercise seven days a week, training in different sports – but always having fun.

I have trained at a competitive level since I was 16. The best part is the excitement I get from racing at top levels. The worst part?

At my peak, there was almost no government support for athletes. I was my own trainer; I paid for my own training equipment – the government only paid for my ticket [to international events] and hotel. I was in the most elite group of athletes but we only received mental not financial support.

Tell us about your relationship with Sai Kung/Clearwater Bay. I was born in Sai Kung. I am the son of a fisherman and lived on a fishing boat until I was 18. Sai Kung is where I have worked for more than 30 years, where I have trained and raced, where I have my family, and where I have spent all my life.

What is your favourite thing to do?

Watersports - especially dragon boating and canoeing. I like to go on overnight canoe camps,

canoeing different routes and to various islands, many of which are now in the Geo Park.

What local issues are you passionate about?

Maintaining the beautiful environment, the fresh air, the clean waters and those islands. They are a gift and we should protect them.

Anything you would change locally?

That the youth in Sai Kung take part in more outdoor activities instead of watching TV and playing video games.

Coolest thing you ever found on the beach?

Sai Kung mineral water – from a small natural spring.

Favourite hike?

Around Tai Long Wan. Your latest projects?

I have been training dragonboat teams for races in and outside Hong Kong. I got the Blue Sky Sports Club teams ready for the Sai Kung races - the women’s team won, and the mixed team came third - and now I’m preparing for the international races in Victoria Harbour on July 23-25. Blue Sky’s men’s team has been picked to represent Sai Kung in the 18 Districts Race, so we are working extra hard.

From July 29 to August 1, I go to Macau to race against some of the world’s finest in the Club Crew World Dragon Boat Championship: my team, My Canoe Club, was the best in Hong Kong over 200 metres.

Anything else?

I recently discovered another watersport, the Stand Up Paddle Board, a form of surfboard. It is great fun. I will soon start a club to get people to train together – it’s a great work out.

Publishers A Fast Media Limited Production Contact Visit us online at SaiKung.com Editorial Jane Steer Jane@saikung.com Tom Hilditch Tom@saikung.com Kelly Tam Advertising Sales Director: Helen Rigby Helen@saikung.com Sales and Marketing Manager: Sandy Costales Sandy@saikung.com Art Direction Art Director: Eric Luk Eric@saikung.com Marketing Pam Udell Pam@saikung.com Distribution Polly Lee Polly@saikung.com Contributors Graham Uden Adele Rosi Liz Remington Dr Carmel Taylor MVB Jackie Peers Iain Lafferty Jessie Carter Julie Mulholland Guy Shirra Cass Lam Charles Wang Oliver Pfeiffer Printer Gear Printing Sai Kung is published by Fast Media Ltd (HK). No part of this magazine maybe reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

This magazine is published on the understanding that Sai Kung cannot beheld responsible for any errors or inaccuracies provided by advertisers or contributors. All care is taken with accuracy but the publishers cannot be held responsible for any factual errors that may occur. The views expressed herein are not necessarily shared by the staff or publishers.

Blue Sky Sports Club, 2792 4938, www.bluesky-sc.com

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my favourite beach When it’s this hot and sticky, the only place to be is the beach.

Kelly Tam checks out your favourites, portraits by Charles Wang.

Half Moon Bay, Sai Kung We’re a really active family and Half Moon Bay offers the outdoor sports we like. We can swim, run and go sight-seeing along the Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail.

- Chung Kai-yun & Chung Siu-lam

Kiu Tsui Beach, Sai Kung

Tai Long Wan Beach, Sai Kung

I love taking my dogs to the beach and Kiu Tsui is perfect because it allows animals.

- Fanny Wong

It’s a fun hike with friends to Tai Long Wan Beach, where we sit around a bonfire to chat and eat.

It’s paradise.

- Maggie & Hoi Chiu

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Sai Wan Beach, Tai Long Wan, Sai Kung There are restaurants next to the beach that offer local food at affordable prices. And there’s a camping site where my friends and I like to stay.

- Toby Down

Hoi Ha, Sai Kung I’m a guitar teacher, and I spend a lot of my time exploring this area. I like how conveniently close Hoi Ha is but the water is clean enough to snorkel and enjoy the reef and corals.

- Guy Leclaire

Half Moon Bay, Sai Kung Unlike young children you see running around, I’m old now and moving has become quite a burden so I avoid going to places like beaches and shopping malls. But I like Half Moon Bay Beach because of its convenience and it also has a barbecue pit – perfect for a family gathering.

- Gum Ho

Sai Kung Pier Beach I work in Sai Kung and Sunday is my only day off, so I usually stay in this area. Sha Ha beach is perfect because it’s right in the center of town but it’s also tranquil enough for me to enjoy my magazines.

- Marmi

Cascade Bay, Sai Kung Not many people have heard of this beach as it’s on Kau Sai Chau, an island better known for its public golf course.

This bay is secluded and has an unspoilt beach, which differs from the other busy beaches around Hong Kong. There’s also a fun and scenic waterfall.

- Peter Austin

Millionaires’ Beach, Sai Kung Millionaires’ Beach is the definition of seclusion. You have to take a private boat to get to the beach. There are no kiosks, restaurants or barbecue pits but the clear water and tranquil setting makes it all worth it.

- Jason Jeyham

ENGLISH & MANDARIN PROGRAMS COURSES AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN FROM 1 to 12 YEARS OLD

ENROLLMENT STARTS NOW for the JULY -AUGUST “Lights On” SUMMER PROGRAM SUITE 2, 7B & 9 DAIRY FARM SHOPPING CENTER, 8 RAZOR HILL ROAD, CLEARWATER BAY TEL: 2335-5437 EMAIL: info@kidscan.com.hk Website: http://www.kidscan.com.hk

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feature

Hoi Ha, Sai Kung I went to Hoi Ha on a biology field trip. First impression, the beach is serene and clean, then I started realizing other interesting aspects such as its mangroves, mud skippers, loads of starfish and interesting bay shape.

- Katrina Weiss

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Clearwater Bay First Beach One of the most popular beaches in Hong Kong, the big beach in the countryside attracts many of those who live in the city. It can become extremely crowded during the weekends and on public holidays.

But on a positive note for males, there are lots of hot girls.

- Lai Chun-hong

Sheung Sze Wan, Clearwater Bay A lot of people have heard of Clearwater Bay First and Second Beach but fewer have heard of, or been to, Sheung Sze Wan Beach, which is also located in Clearwater Bay. There are a variety of sea creatures to catch; it’s definitely a favorite to those who love to fish.

- Tam Kim Yee

Trio Beach, Sai Kung Trio is one of those beaches packed with teenagers. I have made some unforgettable memories with my friends there.

- Benjamin Tang

feature There’s more to life than sprawling on a beach towel. Check out these local beach activities.

Picture: Graham Uden

Hong Kong Windsurfing Centre Conveniently located in Sai Kung, HKWC rents windsurfing boards, sit-on kayaks, kitesurfers and all the accessories, such as wetsuits, gloves, shoes, snorkeling and diving equipment.

It also offers basic windsurfing training (you must be over nine years old) and a one-day express course for those in a hurry. Shop 13, 1/F, Ko Shing House, King Man St, Sai Kung, 2792-5605, 9733-1233, www. windsurfing.com.hk Kei Ling Wakeboard Club Kei Ling offers boats and gear for wakeboarding, jet skiing and kayaking, and can also provide popular entertainment such as barbecues, karaoke and fishing trips to a fish farm, where you are guaranteed to reel one in.

4 Kei Ling Ha, Sai Sha Road, Sai Kung, 9012-4841, www.kwchk.com Sea Dynamics Internationally renowned wakeboarder Tommy Yu runs a well-regarded wakeboarding course at Sea Dynamics. Also offers wakeboard rentals

and year-long wakeboard and water-ski clinics with pro-riders. Hebe Haven, Sai Kung, 2604-4747, www.seadynamics.com Wakeben Beginners’ wakeboarding courses for small groups. Located in Yung Shue O, next to a fish farm with fishing, barbecue and banana boats.

Yung Shue O, Sai Kung, 9227-6745, www. wakeben.com Kayak and Hike Great days out, with all sorts of packages offering various combinations of junk, power boat, kayaks, snorkeling and lunch. Veteran beach bum Paul Etherington will show you a whole new side to Sai Kung. 9300-5197, www.kayak-and-hike.com Blue Sky Sports Club You name it, they teach it: swimming, stand-up paddle boarding, wakeboarding, surfing and a dragon boat summer course for those who would like to race competitively.

2792-4938, www.bluesky-sc.com

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feature

Beauty and the beach Hiding behind a sarong? Adele Rosi has some top tips for looking good in an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny bikini.

The days before Photoshop

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Like it or loathe it, summer’s here; which means magazines full of celebs looking impossibly glamorous on the beach, all perfect locks, micro bikinis, toned limbs and glowing skin. How different from the sand-in-the-knickers, frizzyhair, sticky reality most of us grapple with.

But there is plenty you can do to prepare for summer. First up, the tan. If pale and interesting is your look, slap on the highest sun factor you can lay your hands on, invest in a wide-brimmed sunhat – try Marks & Spencer and sit in the shade. If not, fake it. St Tropez is the best-known fake tan: Elemis Day Spa in Central charges $530 for an all-body treatment.

A therapist will assess your skin tone to decide which of the three shades to spray you, so you won’t end up a scary mahogany. Alternatively, self-tanning creams from brands such as Clarins and Lancome are a long way from those orangey liquids most of us once used.

“A gradual self tanner keeps your skin looking radiant and healthy without sun exposure,” says Clearwater Bay’s resident style queen, Eve Roth Lindsay. The former international fashion designer runs personal and

corporate image consultancy, Savvy Style Colour Me Beautiful HK, which specialises in colour analysis but also offers style advice to men and women. “Once you have a slight base tan, all you need to add is a small amount of tinted moisturiser, concealer and blush,” she says.

Next up, Lindsay recommends tinting eyelashes and, if they are very light or sparse, eyebrows. These treatments last for weeks and eliminate the need for mascara and eyebrow pencils. Pedicures are a must – not least of all to keep dry heel skin at bay.

Summer brings humidity – and frizzy hair.

Japanese hair straightening is the most hardcore solution, giving poker-straight locks; Tala’s in Sai Kung offers the Brazilian, a keratin-based, hair-conditioning treatment, which looks like you’ve just had your hair blow-dried. L’Oreal hair-straightening treatment is somewhere in between – it is gentle on the hair and leaves your crowning glory straight and silky.

“If straightening seems too extreme,” says Lindsay, “put some leave-in conditioner or silicone-based product into your hair. It will plump up the hair follicle and prevent frizz.”

feature

WHERE TO GO Thanks to collections by romantic designers such as Vera Wang, loose messy braids are one of the hottest looks for summer. “Leave in your braid while you’re in the water; when your hair dries and you take it out, you’ll have waves to die for,” Lindsay suggests.

Less romantic is all that other hair. Natasha Low Kefford of Alluring Skin can get rid of it permanently using an intense pulsed light (IPL)

The Grace Kelly look

machine, which kills hair follicles. The treatment doesn’t scar and is only mildly painful in places, a bit like having an elastic band snap against your skin. Although eight to 10 treatments are needed (one a month) to ensure there is not a hair in sight, hair is definitely sparser even after the first treatment. Starting at $450 a pop for bikini line or underarms, Kefford’s prices are the most reasonable around.

Beachwear trends this summer have been greatly influenced by retro designs so go big on one-piece suits that channel your inner Grace Kelly and cute summer dresses.

Those with troublesome tummies should avoid shiny suits and look for a fitted and controlled one piece or a tankini, while the best styles for the buxom have an inbuilt bra or underwiring, Lindsay says.

For ladies who want to flatter their curves, look for retro, one-piece suits in a wrap style.

Lindsay recommends Ozzie Cozzie, which has a shop in Central with has a great selection of swimwear to suit every shape and size.

Now, get out there and give those A-listers a run for their money.

Style/colour consultation Savvy Style, Colour Me Beautiful HK, 2522 2592 or image@savvystyle.com Manicures and pedicures Sabai Day Spa, 2791 2259 Nail Carat, 2194 4222 Hair removal Alluring Skin, 6114 5376 Sabai, as above Fake tan Elemis Day Spa (Central), 2521 6660 Hair straightening Tala’s, tel: 2335 1694 Paul Gerrard (Central), 2869 4408 Salon Chandler (Central), 2537 3737 Swimwear Ozzie Cozzie (Central), 2810 1356, www. ozziecozzieco.com

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eating

king coals

Fire up the barbie Head into the great outdoors with a two-pronged fork, marinated meat and a six pack for the ultimate taste of summer. Here are six of the best barbecue sites.

Best for convenience Tai Mong Tsai Pier With a spanking new pagoda and amazing views across Inner Port Shelter, there are a bunch of barbecue pits scattered across the grassy area between Tai Mong Tsai Road and the sea near Tso Wo Hang. Not great for swimming – that’s mud and sharp shells, not sand, you can see at low tide – it’s a popular spot, thanks to a car park and, er, conveniences.

How to get there: bus 94 or 96R, or minibus 7 from Sai Kung.

How to get there: Bus 299 from Sai Kung or Sha Tin to Shui Long Wo car park.

Best for swimming Trio Beach The barbecue pits are right next to the sand on either side of the small rocky headland that divides Trio Beach in half. We like the ones above the small beach, which is prettier and more secluded. Go at night, and wrap your bod in glowsticks for a colourful late-night dip.

How to get there: It’s a 40-minute walk from the end of Che Keng Tuk Road. Or catch a sampan from Pak Sha Wan pier, $20.

Best for ballgames Wan Tsai West Campsite A half-hour walk from Hoi Ha‘s picture-perfect beach, lies this little treasure. Deep in the Sai Kung West Country Park, it has several BBQ pits and pitches for 20 tents, set around a huge grassy area the size and flatness of a soccer pitch – perfect for a kick-about. There’s a small beach nearby. Toilets and showers available.

How to get there: minibus 7 to Hoi Ha Wan, then follow the coastal path. Or bus 94 or 96R to Wong Shek Pier and a kaido to Wan Tsai pier.

Best for culture vultures Shui Long Wo Deeply green, this site has a Qing dynasty lookout tower, a boulder pathway and old stone walls. It’s all been restored to create an interesting, multilevel picnic area, crying out for a game of hide and seek. There’s also a campsite with space for eight tents.

Best for cyclists Yung Shue O By cyclists, we mean both family daytrippers and mad mountain-bikers. The road from Kei Ling Ha to Yung Shue O is three kilometres of flat, single-lane tarmac winding along the edge of beautiful Three Fathoms Cove. It passes a couple of barbecue sites, both in grassy areas

with great sea views. Near the end of the road is one of Hong Kong’s few mountain-bike trails perfect for working up an appetite.

How to get there: From Sai Sha Road, take the Yung Shue O turn-off down a steep hill.

Best for kites Tai Hang Tun This is one of the few places in Hong Kong breezy enough for a kite. There are several barbecue sites around the park, and plenty of other activities to keep you busy, including a tree walk, playground and various short trails.

How to get there: Bus 91, minibuses 103M and 16, to the junction of Clearwater Bay and Tai Man Au roads, and 20-minute walk.

What’s cooking, good looking?

Sai Kung resident John Brunner has designed and manufactured his own barbecue. What was wrong with two bricks and a piece of chicken wire?

Why reinvent the BBQ? It was crying out for a redesign. We create amazing outdoor spaces only to have them ruined by ugly, unsafe barbecues at odds with the rest of the furniture.

So what was your aim, design-wise?

The mission was to create a centrepiece – something that looked beautiful, cooked amazingly well and was packed with space-saving features. I worked with an Danish furniture designer company to create the three G-BBQ series.

G-BBQ by Grilltech from Direct Designs, Sheung Wan, 2522 0880, www. directdesignsinternational.com.

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G-BBQ 2

eating

The Best siu mai in Town Oliver Pfeiffer bypasses the snacks on a stick for a basket of dim sum heaven.

There’s something delightfully unpretentious but deeply satisfying about traditional Hong Kong snack joints (or siu sik dim). No-frills in approach, their snacks on a stick are some of the most delicious cheap treats Hong Kong has to offer. The Chinese say “going for a tuk tuk”.

We have a great one in Sai Kung, huddled next to MVJ Thai restaurant in Chan Man Street, a sheltered alleyway just off of Fuk Man Road. Its Chineseonly sign translates to “Lam Kee Siu Sik” (Lam Kee’s ‘small snack’), and I can confidently claim it has the best fish siu mai (steamed fish dumplings) in town.

This tiny place has been serving delicious food for more than a decade

and is perfect for a quick passing snack, or take a seat at one of the few tables.

It may be aesthetically unassuming but it has proved so popular that a much larger rival struggled to compete and was transformed into a 7-Eleven.

They certainly don’t skimp on the portions. About $20 buys a plateful of food large enough to share. Try the tantalizing cheung fan (thick rice noodle rolls) sprinkled with roasted sesame seeds and smothered in hoi sin, chilli, soy or peanut sauce. Other favourites include beef satay skewers, soy sauce stir-fry noodles, various fish balls, char siu bau and sausage on a stick.

Whatever your choice you will be in for a real treat.

Massive Sale Now On ORDER ONLINE Or Visit us to make your selection

12/F Horizon Plaza Ap Lei Chau Tel 28171625 www.limestonewines.com.hk (Formerly Limestone Coast Wines) 20 | WWW.SAIKUNG.COM

eating

Nibbles From July 12, with the World Cup over, Hebe One O One has come up a new reason to stay up late: it will be offering all house spirits for $15 from 9pm till closing every day until September 30. 112 Pak Sha Wan, 2335, 5155.

question is, should they be watching the wieners? Order yours online and keep track at blog.epicuredirect. com.hk.

Sai Kung is succumbing to the Japanese invasion that has taken Hong Kong by storm over the last few years, with the opening of Yo Mama Sushi on Hoi Pong Square, behind the waterfront near the minibus station. Call 6127 5819 for details.

Italian restaurant Pizzeria Rosso has moved to the busy side of Po Tung Street, taking over the former Lyn’s Cafe location, and been renamed Pizzeria Pomodoro. The new incarnation offers takeaway and deliveries plus their usual weekday specials. G/F, 787 Po Tung Road, near Aqua Plus, 2792 2255.

Tuesday is Ladies Night at Bacco, with spirits for the girls at $20 all night and yummy free snacks for everyone in the bar. 21 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung, 2572 7477.

In the latest of its food and wine matching events, “Sparkling Caviar”, T&H Wines is going luxe with pairings of caviar and sparkling wine, followed by Portuguese ham, US prime rib and homemade chocolate cake with appropriate wines - and all for just $290 a head.

Call 2525 4882 or see www.thwines.com for details. And look out for its Killer Bs magnum promotions.

Can Epicure Direct’s sausage sales predict the World Cup winner?

Updated every Monday, the food delivery company’s Sausageometer is tracking sales of chorizo (Spain), Cumberlands (England), boerewors (South Africa) and sundried tomato and basil sausages (Italy). The

HAVE WE GONE COMPLETELY MAD? ALL HOUSE SPIRITS $15 *Only in the bar *Limited mixers - coke, diet coke, sprite, tonic, soda, ginger ale *After 9pm everyday from 12th July until 30th September 2010

Tel: 2335 5515

Hebe One O One 112 Pak Sha Wan Sai Kung, NT

That’s not the only change on Po Tung Road: bang next door to the pizzeria is White Black Caffe, serving Italian coffee and sandwiches, with all-day breakfast at weekends. Look for a hot-food menu soon.

62 Po Tung Road, 3113 6088.

See Cheung Street in the old town is rapidly turning into a dining hotspot, joining Loaf On, Anthony Kitchen and the rest is new coffee shop, CC Cafe, at no.33. Owner Cammi is passionate about the bean, and plans to serve some of Sai Kung’s finest coffee, along with some yummy cakes and sandwiches. For details, call 9810 4261.

boots

make tracks

Safe harbour Summer hiking is better wetter. Hoi Ha to Ko Tong Hau is a beautiful route with plenty of swimming opportunities, says Jackie Peers.

Break the heat with a swim at Lo Lan Au, the first beach on the walk.

Hands up if you know Long Harbour (Tai Tan Hoi). You should, it’s one of the largest and most serene bodies of water in our vicinity. Puzzled? I’ll help you. You’ll know some of its landmarks. It’s the large inlet that cuts into the north of the Sai Kung peninsula that we’re all so fond of. Grass Island (Tap Mun) stands sentry at its mouth, and Wong Shek pier is at its southernmost point.

This month’s walk connects the pier with Hoi Ha, Hong Kong’s most accessible marine reserve. It’s quiet and pretty, with views of peaceful coves the whole way, and especially lovely now with the rose myrtles flowering. It’s a summer or family walk of less than two hours, although you can prolong the pleasure with a 45-minute detour along the marked nature trail. It’s easily accessible by public transport, even though it’s just a beat of wings as the crow flies from Tai Long Wan beach, which is always described as so remote. Take the Hoi Ha green minibus from Sai Kung - or if you have a canine companion who insists on coming too, like we do, a taxi from Pak Tam Chung car park costs $60. (You’ll see “No Dogs” signs at Hoi Ha, but they relate to the beach itself at weekends.

With good reason. Our Fergus would do swift and irredeemable damage to the much-loved pets of the Angora rabbit club who often enjoy the fresh air there.)

Along the eastern shore of Hoi Ha are lime kilns, remnants of Hong Kong’s oldest industry, which converted coral reefs into calcium oxide with

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a blast of heat. Around the corner is the Jockey Club Marine Life Centre, which has a glass-bottomed boat and runs educational programmes.

The greatest pleasure lies ahead though. Each twist and turn of the trail, which winds gently along the hillside, reveals tantalisingly blue marine views when the sun’s out. If you feel like a swim – and you most likely will - there’s a lovely beach at Nam Fung Wan, and a smaller, quieter beach just before the last push to Wong Shek Pier, which is also an ideal spot for the relaxed consumption of a buttered scone.

Not all Government architecture thrills, but they didn’t do badly with Wong Shek Pier.

However, you can miss it altogether and come out at Ko Tong Hau, Start where there is also a bus stop. You’ll have company at weekends, but if you sneak out during the week you’re likely to have Long Harbour all to yourself.

End * * * How to get there Take Hoi Ha green minibus to start point, return on bus no.94.

Difficulty: Length:

2 hours

Jackie is a director of Walk Hong Kong, a unique company that reveals the urban and rural delights of Hong Kong to visitors. Find out more about Jackie Peers’ walks at www.walkhongkong.com

Where is the best place to hike in Sai Kung? Let us know.

Sai Kung Awards, www.saikung.com/awards

gardens outdoors Down to earth Dreaming of growing her own organic veggies, Jessie Carter rented a LOHAS allotment in the middle of Sai Kung – and digs it.

I’ve always had a fantasy of growing my own seasonal vegetables, finding delicious recipes to use them in and experiencing all the benefits of going organic without the high price tag. I had little hope of this dream coming true while living in Hong Kong, until I met Sui Sai. A member of the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) team at Sai Kung’s community centre, she showed me Sai Kung’s own community farmland - albeit Hong Kong style, on concrete. Right in the middle of town, the plots are available for a minimal fee and the team teaches families all they need to know about growing organic produce.

The program is open to everyone who wants to learn. Every three months, 13 families are assigned an allotment and taught how to get the best out of it. This starts with preparing the soil, planning the garden and planting the seeds. Later, you will learn to care for each plant, keep bugs away and deter weeds, all without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. When their time is up, each family takes home their produce as well as a wealth of knowledge with which to start growing at home, be it on a rooftop, a balcony or in a garden.

My experience began with a lecture on the principles of organic farming and sustainable living. Despite being LOHAS’ first non-Chinese gardener, the team was fantastic at making sure I felt included, presenting me with a pile of painstakingly translated English notes and my very own translator.

Armed with all the theory, we set out into the garden. Siu Sai had been very specific about appropriate gardening attire: long trousers, long-sleeved shirts, large hat, closed shoes.

But, being South African and quick to roll my eyes at paranoia about dirt, I turned up in shorts and a T-shirt, armed with Off and feeling significantly cooler than everyone else. It wasn’t long before little black midges were feasting on my exposed flesh and I was forced to accept that, if I was going to learn from this experience, I would have to leave my preconceived ideas at the gate.

It may not look like my idea of a farm, and the fashion may not be fabulous, but the plots are brimming with produce, much of which is sold at the weekend waterfront market.

Humbly dressed in more appropriate clothing, I spent the

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first week testing and preparing the soil and the second week planting my seeds. For summer, I planted cucumber, Italian lettuce, soya beans, Welsh onions, red peppers and water convolvulus. There were other plants but nobody was sure of their English names. For now they’re called the “red vegetable” and the “white vegetable”, and I am looking forward to identifying them when the fruit turns up.

As the seeds started to grow, it became necessary to protect the small plants. It was fun getting into the spirit of recycling. The trick is to get things growing without buying anything fancy. Old umbrella spokes hold up baby plants, dangling inside-out crisp packets deter birds and old water bottles protect a weak plant from the weather. It may look messy, but what’s the point of a cucumber that cost a $100 in garden supplies?

Now in week five, my small plot of organic farmland is doing well, with emerging baby cucumbers and pods of soya beans visible between the leaves. I’m convinced they are going to taste particularly delicious.

The LOHAS garden is open daily, 9am-5.30pm, with at least one farmer on hand to help. It costs $300 for three months, including seeds, tools and two training sessions. $300 deposit required.

Details from the Sai Kung District Community Centre (behind the stadium), 2792 1762, skdcc@skdcc.org, www.skdcc.org.

can you dig xxxx it?

Jessie Carter is a South African primary-school teacher who believes life’s greatest joys are in the simple things: spending time with friends, enjoying nature and watching her garden grow.

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property Home by the sea A rare chance to buy a home in “Millionaires’ Row”. Cass Lam feels the quality.

Living in Che Keng Tuk, Sai Kung, is like taking a holiday in the city. It is a great place to escape urban life, offering a soul-soothing dose of nature just 40 minutes from Central.

Nestled on the Che Keng Tuk seafront, in the strip that has come to be known as “Millionaires’ Row”, is this luxurious modern villa: 2,200 sqft of relaxed, contemporary European design spread over three floors, with a small, covered garden.

With almost the entire front wall of the house given over to windows, the interiors are bathed in natural sunlight, reflecting off the peaceful waters of Shelter Cove. The view is magical, from the myriad boats glowing in the early-morning sunshine to the watery trail of moonlight across the sea at night.

A pitched roof helps to dissipate heat and keep the house cool in summer. It’s an unusual sight in Hong Kong, because it costs more than other roofing materials, says the house’s owner, Guillaume Thys.

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the livin’ is easy

“Pitched roofs are a traditional feature of European houses and buildings, but it costs a lot more here in Hong Kong,” he says.

The interior features plenty of natural wood set against white walls. It’s a neutral palette reflecting the design concept of living with simplicity. The open-plan ground floor includes a fully equipped kitchen, cozy living area and a book-lined study nook. Upstairs are two 750 sqft suites, each with its own bathroom.

Outside, the resort-like terrace has a vaulted glass roof, keeping it shady in summer and cozy in winter. And there are two off-street car parks, a barbecue area and decked balconies.

Together, the luxury yachts berthed at Hong Kong Marina, the rolling green hills, blue water and open, airy design gives the house the ambience of a Mediterranean villa.

Three years ago, it was sold for $27 million and is now estimated to be worth twice that.

WWW.SAIKUNG.COM | 27

property Thys describes it as a luxurious hideaway for those who seek a better quality of life. “You can’t find [a place like it] in New York, Shanghai or Paris,” he says. “Living in Che Keng Tuk is like being on holiday. You don’t see other houses.”

Adding to that getaway feel, there is little traffic or pollution, and beach access is easy.

With the Lions Nature Education Centre at the end of the road, and plenty of kids in the neighbourhood, it’s a great family environment.

SILVERSTRAND BAY MARVELOUS SEAVIEW HOUSE 2500’ +1000’ big garden, popular location newly decor, 4 bedrooms

Expats make up almost 90 per cent of the population in the area.

But it’s not exactly a bubble. Che Keng Tuk is just a five-minute drive or 20-minute walk from Sai Kung town, and 40 minutes from the city. You can have it all.

For details, contact Guillaume Thys at 9105 9699, guillaume@trender.com.

36M SILVERSTRAND BAY 3000’FULLY DETACHED HSE 3000’ Big garden, 4 bedrooms (2 ensuite), newly tasteful renov, modern kitchen, must see!

17.8M CLEAR WATER BAY 2100’ FULLY DETACHED HOUSE Open sea view, peaceful location nice decor, 4 bedrooms (2 ensuite)

27.8M / 75K SHEUNG SZE WAN 2100’ + 1000’ GARDEN Seaview, nice garden, 4 bedrooms, family layout, parking in front

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17.8M 8.5M RAZOR HILL ROAD 1380’ + 990’ ROOF Large roof top for entertainment, nice decor, with 2 carparks, convenient location

14.5M COSTA BELLO 1363’ + 1000’ GARDEN Lowrise apartment, waterfront house with lovely garden, tastefully renovated, 2 carpark, management, communal pool

property Tai Hang Hau: houses for $16,666 a square foot

Ask Agent Fixit

Dear HTGT Summer is the perfect time for a getaway, but if you’re leaving your home empty for any length of time there are a few things to consider.

Security measures: Join the local Neighborhood Watch or have a helper/friend pop in at odd times so the house seems occupied. Further the illusion by putting a light and even a TV on a timer switch. Sliding balcony doors are notoriously easy for burglars to open, so secure them with wooden battens in the tracks of sliding doors. And make sure you secure all windows and doors before departure.

Typhoon measures: Batten down the hatches. Fix or reinforce any broken window or door latches and move plant pots and outdoor furniture to a secure place to prevent them being blown about. Consider reinforcing exposed windows with masking tape - although it is a nightmare to get off.

Others: If your car is prone to flat batteries, you might ask a friend or driver to turn over the motor twice a week. Also, houses in the Sai Kung/ Clearwater Bay areas become extremely humid, so leave a dehumidifier or an air-con on a timer to keep the house aired. And make sure someone feeds and walks the dogs! Happy holidays.

Picture: Graham Uden / hkaerial.com

Dear Agent Fixit I’m going away for a few weeks over the summer - any tips? Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

Recent property transactions Property Golden Cove Sea View Villas E Block Habitat B Block Tai Hang Hau Flamingo Garden C Block Villa Horizon Casa Bella Marina Cove K Block Hill Court Lung Mei

sqft Price 2,500 $31m 1,994 $19.8m 2,000 $25.8m 2,100 $35m 3,763 $42.8m 2,668 $35.8m 1,349 $14.68m 2,391 $23.28m 1,217 $6.98m 2,100 $13.9m

$/sqft 12,400 9,930 12,900 16,666 11,374 13,418 10,882 9,736 5,735 6,619

WWW.SAIKUNG.COM | 29

village focus Pak Sha Wan With enviable views, a handy location and big business in boats, Pak Sha Wan is a bustling village with a bright future.

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and nicely renovated - pier offers easy public access to the calm waters of Port Shelter for junk trips, a sampan to Trio Beach ($20 return) or a rowing boat for mucking about in the bay.

It’s also the home of Hebe Haven Yacht Club, a friendly spot that attracts more seriously salty types with facilities for sailing and power boats of all shapes and sizes. Currently being spruced up with a brand new garden bar, terrace and playground, it’s an active club that runs frequent sail-training

Picture: Graham Uden/hkaerial.com

For a relatively small village, Pak Sha Wan has a lot going on: luxury developments and Chinese opera, multi-million-dollar yachts and by-thehour rowing boats, upscale European cuisine and subterranean Cantonese seafood, a private yacht club and a sea scout activity centre.

It can thank its location for that.

Conveniently strung along Hiram’s Highway, Pak Sha Wan is on the edge of Hebe Haven – typhoon shelter and yachtie paradise. With its green, hilly coastline and myriad boats on sparkling waters, the view is so pretty that it has attracted Sai Kung’s only boutique hotel, currently under construction at the top of the pier. (Let’s hope the hideous, longderelict Million Karaoke bar opposite is due for demolition soon.)

For non-residents, Pak Sha Wan, or “white sand bay”, is all about the water. Its handy -

courses and races. During school holidays, it keeps kids happy with week-long camps,

hello sailors

sailing lessons and other fun activities (non-members welcome; www. hhyc.org.hk).

In the club’s wake bob a host of boatyards and services, stretching along the coastline. And serving all those daytrippers are an inordinate number of restaurants for a village of this size, including bar-restaurant Hebe One O One, French restaurant Chez les Copains, Thai cuisine at Sampan, and – a personal favourite – the Chinese restaurant under the pier. Sadly, the much-loved Viking Seafood Restaurant went the way of the dodo a few years ago, along with the handy Park’n’Shop, although a few mom-and-pop shops on the highway sell cold drinks, fishing tackle and sunscreen to tourists.

The temple at the heart of the village is dedicated to Kwun Yum, the goddess of mercy, and once a year in honour of her birthday it hosts a Chinese opera performance in a temporary matshed across the road.

Like everything else about Pak Sha Wan, the property is diverse, ranging from old village houses in a few densely packed alleyways behind the temple to luxury complexes such as Habitat, Ruby Chalet and Giverny. With Hiram’s Highway occupying just about the only flat land in the village, most properties are on a hill - with the views to prove it.

Up for grabs!

This 1,908 sqft villa is in the prestigious Giverny development, set in a green environment on the edge of Pak Sha Wan. Nicely decorated with a modern kitchen, it has three bedrooms, a garden and garage, a green view and access to a communal pool. For sale at $22.8m or rent for $65,000 a month. Contact Homelife Property, 2719 1199, 2719 0606.

This luxuriously designed 2,000 sqft house at Sai Kung Villa has unobstructed sea views across Hebe Haven and three bedrooms, one of which is en-suite. Outside, it has a private garage and access to a communal pool. It is for sale for $22 million.

For details contact Sunshine Property at 9658 9866.

Which is the best-kept village?

Let us know in www.saikung.com/awards

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investment Invest in the West Could it be time to invest in Britain’s luxury property market? Many experts think so. The pound is weak. The economy is wobbly. Interest rates are low and there is a limited supply of new developments. Here are two rare opportunities for property plays in London’s financial district.

Mulberry House is a stunning conversion of a Victorian School Building, just three minutes’ train journey from the City.

At £510/sqft (HK$5,946/sqft), cheaper than similar developments, it’s a great opportunity for USMulberry House dollar earners who are able to take advantage of the weak pound.

Mulberry House has one-, twoand three-bedroom apartments, many with roof terraces or garden patios with views of Tower Hill and the City.

Each apartment will be completed to a high specification in keeping with this beautiful period building.

IP Global has secured apartments ranging from 430 sqft-1,412 sqft, at £240,000-£680,000.

For more details, contact info@ ipglobal-ltd.com

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I get money The Heron

Vintage bets

Leading pan-European investment and property group Heron International has launched The Heron, a 284-apartment tower in the heart of the City of London.

The first brand new development in the City in years is pitched as a pied-aterre for international businesspeople.

With breathtaking views, the slender, 36-storey tower will provide much sought-after luxury living space within walking distance of the Square Mile, which has 350,000 workers by day but only 8,000 residents.

Residents benefit from a landscaped roof garden, a club lounge, gym, screening room and valet parking. A café/restaurant/deli will be located on the ground floor.

For further information, visit www. theheron.co.uk or contact Henry Columbine at Redleaf Communications, +44 (0)207 566 6727, theheron@redleafpr.com.

Here’s an investment you can raise a glass to: vintage wine trading. Hong Kong players are enjoying this fun investment thanks to changes in local tax laws and breakthroughs in the storage industry. It helps that vintage wine can out-perform blue chips and art.

Investing in wine used to be a headache.

Bottles are delicate. They need special storage.

Information was hard to find and collectors far apart. Technological advances have changed all this.

Wine-storage companies such as Cellar Link offer professional, computer-linked systems for storing, trading and moving wine. “Think of it as a bank,” says Amanda Egan, marketing director of Cellar Link, which has just opened a warehouse in Kwai Chung. The online system keeps an inventory of the wines you have bought, whether they are in storage, transit or trade-out.

The website is a great source of industry information to help you evaluate your wine and decide where to invest. And if none of that works out you can drink it. www.cellarlink.com.au

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between the sheets

Great beach reads Summer blockbusters worth packing.

BU

S

FR O M

SA I

KU NG

books Don’t Blink

by James Patterson James Patterson has been described as the Porsche of commercial fiction thanks to his lightning-fast prose and a twisting plots. This New York tale of mob murder is an expertly engineered distraction. Ideal for the beach.

Eat Pray Love

by Elizabeth Gilbert Written with the humor, insight and charm that only come with honest navel gazing, this journey of self-revelation – through Rome, Bali and Mumbai – may just become a classic. Read it before the movie is released in late summer.

Open

by Andre Agassi Tennis star Andre Agassi’s self-serving revelations offer some thrilling insights into the professional game and lots more about his own sex, drugs and rock’n’roll lifestyle.

There is absolutely no need to be a tennis fan to enjoy this rattling read.

The Red Queen

by Philippa Gregory Nobody does the Tudors better than Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl). Her latest examines the War of the Roses through the eyes of Henry VII’s mother.

It’s confident, colorful, convincing, and full of conflict, betrayal, and political maneuvering. And you thought your office had politics.

The Year of the Flood

by Margaret Atwood Atwood’s long-awaited new novel about a future world decimated by plague is a “dystopic masterpiece and a testament to her visionary power”.

You’ll look clever just carrying it.

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Under the Dome

by Stephen King It wouldn’t be summer without a slab of Stephen King. In his latest page-turner, a US town is suddenly and inexplicably sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. It’s almost 1,000 pages long, so if you don’t like it you can use it as a table.

For kids: Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer

by John Grisham The ultimate thriller writer turns his hand to kids’ books. The first in his new series is a legal drama about an amiable 13-year-old with an interest in law who gets wrapped up in a murder case. Slow going at first, but picks up when things get bloody...

The Cardturner

by Louis Sachar Highly acclaimed young adult novel by the author of “Holes”. The story, based on the turn of cards in a bridge game, is full of twists and turns. It is wholly original and breaks all the rules.

Before I Fall

by Lauren Oliver What would you do if you had only one day to live? In Oliver’s debut novel, Samantha Kingston re-lives her last day seven times, until she realizes the slightest change can make the biggest difference. A brutal look at high-school social circles and the careless cruelties and bullying that occur on a daily basis.

Diary of a Wimpy Vampire by Tim Collins The story of Nigel Mullet, who was transformed into a vampire at age of 15, and will remain this age forever.

He attempts to be noticed by the love of his life, despite his acne, a breaking voice and an ineptitude with girls.

Where inquiry grows Start your child’s learning journey with ESF International Kindergartens • UK Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum • Learning through inquiry and hands-on experiences • Well equipped, stimulating and spacious learning environments • All classes led by qualified early years teachers • Continuity in learning when moving to an ESF primary school

Locations

Abacus at Clearwater Bay Tel: 2719 5712

Wu Kai Sha Tel: 2435 5291

Tsing Yi Tel: 2436 3355

Hillside on Stubbs Road Tel: 2540 0066

K1 places still available at Wu Kai Sha for entry in August 2010 Our spacious, purpose-built kindergarten provides the perfect environment for young learners. With well-resourced classrooms, indoor and outdoor play areas, young children are presented with multiple opportunities to learn and develop their skills. The kindergarten is conveniently located at Lake Silver, right above the MTR at Wu Kai Sha.

Visit us now and see for yourself!

To find out more, or to come and visit the kindergarten, call

2435 5291 or email us at wkskinder@esf.org.hk www.esf.org.hk

schools

class acts

Inspecting Kellett Kellett gets a good school report at the official opening of its secondary campus.

Kellett School officially inaugurated its temporary secondary-school facilities in Shau Kei Wan last month, and revealed some good news from a recent school inspection.

Speaking at the opening, the chairman of Kellett’s board of governors, David Kidd, announced the results of a visit by the British Government’s Ofsted-qualified external inspectors, Penta International.

The inspectors reported, “Kellett secondary section provides a high-quality education for

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its students within a caring, safe, supportive and academically challenging environment. The school is an excellent choice for those families in Hong Kong requiring secondary education based on the British education system.”

The Shau Kei Wan campus occupies modern, purpose-built premises, well staffed and resourced, and close to major public transport links. Currently offering places for years seven and eight, it will expand to year nine in August, and year on year after that.

It offers a broad and challenging curriculum leading to the GCSE, IGCSE and A Level examinations.

Plans are underway to build a new, worldclass campus on a green-field site in Kowloon Bay, just behind Megabox. It will open in 2012 or 2013 with places for 600 secondary and an additional 300 primary students.

For details, contact 2551 8234, www. kellettschool.com.

family

holidays are here again xxxx

Rainy Days & Mondays Somewhere to go, something to do, a port in a storm Science Museum Fun for toddlers and older children alike, the Hong Kong Science Museum has a great interactive Children’s Zone on the ground floor built for mucking about. There’s a huge tray of liquid soap where you can blow bubbles of all shapes and sizes, and plenty of interactive experiments with mirrors, sound, light and movement. The four-storey, Heath Robinson-esque Energy Machine – the biggest of its type in the world – is always fascinating, and there’s currently a special exhibition exploring the biodiversity of China, with models of the mainland’s rarest and strangest beasts. Mind the tiger. Entry $25 or $35 with special exhibition; children under four go free. Open weekdays 1pm-9pm, weekends and public holidays 10am-9pm. Closed Thursdays. 2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, 2732 3232, hk.science.museum.

Build It Dinosaurs Half construction toy, half dinosaur, this Early Learning Centre toy is aimed at children aged three to six.

It includes chunky construction tools – spanner, screwdriver, nuts and bolts – used to connect assorted diplodocus and triceratop parts into two prehistoric giants. $375 from Bumps to Babes, 5/F Pedder Building, Pedder Street, Central, 2522 7112, www. bumpstobabes.com.

Swim indoors This may seem an odd choice given that it’s the middle of summer (swim outside, already!), but it’s also thunderstorm season, and Sai Kung’s much-loved outdoor public pool closes at the first hint of lightning.

If the kids are still itching to get wet, try Kowloon Park, which has four outdoor leisure pools, three indoor pools, including a diving pool and a training pool, plus a jacuzzi and a trampoline room. 22 Austin Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2724 3577, 2724 3344.

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family Summer camps Learn new stuff, make new friends. By Kelly Tam. TREASURE ISLAND Treasure island is offering surf and adventure camps for kids who want to get active this summer. The camps are led by native English-speaking instructors from around the world. The surf camp is an ideal way to learn to ride the waves, make new friends and build confidence, while the adventure explorers camp offers older children and teenagers a chance to surf, hike and kayak, as well as going mountain biking, rock climbing and sleeping in a tent.

Ages: 5-15 When: June 28-August 13 Price: Surf Camp (ages 5-13) $2,900/week; Adventure Explorers Camp (ages 11-15) $3,400/week) Contact: 2546 3543, inquiries@treasureislandhk.com.

HEBE HAVEN YACHT CLUB The yacht club’s active sail training centre has a bunch of activities planned for summer, including the everpopular Adventure

Watersport Week. As well as sailing, children of all ages get to build rafts, go on day trips to outer islands, snorkelling and other fun stuff. And they’ll sleep all weekend. For younger children, check out the new Wet-Feet Sailing and Swimming Camp for water confidence.

Ages: All youths When: June 28-August 20 Price: Adventure Watersports Week, members $2,000, non-members $2,500; Wet-Feet Sailing and Swimming Camp, members $2,500, non-members $3,000.

Contact: 2719 0926, sailadmin@hhyc.org.hk CLEARWATER BAY EQUESTRIAN AND EDUCATION CENTRE The CEEC is holding a series of one- and three-day camps and hang outs during the summer holidays.

Camps focus on riding and equestrianism and are tailored to ability. The hang-outs offer children a chance to spend a day or more in the country among the horses, ponies and other animals, including beach

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trips, arts and crafts and a simulator or riding lesson, if desired.

Ages: 6-16.

When: All summer.

Contact: 6398 6241, info@ceec.hk.

ESF SUMMER CAMPS An academic or active path? The decision is made a lot easier by the full-day language and sports summer programmes in ESF primary and secondary schools, which provides a great platform for children to prepare for their further education.

Ages: 5 - 10; When: July 5-August 13 Contact: 2711 1280, language@esf.org.hk/ sports@ esf.org.hk FAUST Calling all budding writers and actors: Faust is offering Summer Theatre courses and creative writing workshops.

Each week, children explore different drama themes and learn new techniques to help develop their writing, building confidence and enriching the imagination.

Ages: 4-14 When: June 28-August 20 Price: $2,340 a week, with 10 per cent discounts for those who sign up for more than a week and siblings.

Contact: 2547 9114, info@faustworld.com ANASTASSIA’S ART HOUSE Art camps for all ages from three years to adult.

Embark on an educational, exciting and creative art voyage to explore cultural heritages in fine arts from around the globe. You will realize you and your children’s unbounded artistic and creative abilities and potential.

Ages: All ages When: June 28-August 18 Price: $390-$1,050 Contact: 2719 5533, saikung@arthouse-hk.com; HKUST UPC Art Studio 6206 6584, upc@ust.hk

I spy... xxxx

The Gate Reporters without borders...

By the time you read this I will be in Europe, continuing my quest to bring you the global perspective on School Gates. I might be taking a holiday too, but that is secondary to my research.

Last summer, for example, I sacrificed days by the sea to subject myself to Gates in provincial European cites and even explored the glamorous world of the Capital City Gate, a high-risk area. Here mothers compete to exude a nonchalant chic that can only be achieved through severe nutritional deprivation and a large wallet. I even attended a farewell tea party for a teacher - arranged biscuits on plates and a roomful of people I didn’t know - just to spy. There was the added allure of a potential sighting of “Mission Impossible II” actress Thandie Newton, a parent at the school. Thandie was nowhere in sight but I did spot a Tellytubby, out of costume and eating cream buns. Well, I thought it was worth a mention.

One thing all Gates have in common is hierarchy. At my sister-in-law’s school, parents had an unspoken agreement as to where they waited depending on the year group they were picking up. The further up the school your child, the more comfortable the waiting space. Long-term parents are entitled to a seat on the only bench. I was warned in a whisper by my s-in-l to stay away. Her child had just started primary and I would have committed a cardinal sin if I had presumed to sit.

She added that, as a stranger at the Gate, I would be a point of discussion in days to come. I like to think I created a mysterious frisson, but the other mothers were probably more concerned about my motivation for hanging around young children.

My own Gate is less extreme, although new parents tend to stand out in their isolation. Long-term parents are the jaded elder statesmen; cynics who know some things will never change no matter how much noise new parents make. Like grandparents, they laugh at youthful enthusiasm then quash it with their glum reality.

The one-year-in parents can be presumptuous in their confidence in approaching these wise elders. I have witnessed these cheeky upstarts cross the unspoken line and dare to express an opinion. In another time and place they’d have been sent to war or transferred to a distant outpost. Nowadays they are put forward for the school council.

Mother-in-the-Middle

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Fed up with unsightly spider veins, Adele Rosi investigates treatment.

My three-year-old daughter, who is currently into body adornment with felt-tip pens, recently looked at my legs and thought it was hysterically funny that I, too, had taken up her favourite craze. I hadn’t. She had caught sight of the much-loathed spider veins on my thighs, which to the innocent eye look exactly like random scribbles.

No matter how toned your body or how perfect your nails, if you suffer from spider or varicose veins, you will often feel an element of self-consciousness when you disrobe at the beach or pool, and may think twice about minidresses, shorts or skirts. Friends and family may be kind and say they don’t notice them. But I do. And I hate them.

Spider veins are thin, reddish-purplish lines beneath the skin that look like spiders and are usually found on legs; varicose veins are raised and lumpy and often appear behind the knees and down the calves.

Both sorts, according to Dr Tse from the Veno Clinic in Central, are caused by leaky or broken valves in the vein.

“When veins are working efficiently, valves within the vein stop the blood travelling backwards. If these valves break down for whatever reason, the blood goes in the wrong direction and the vein becomes dilated, which is when it becomes noticeable,” he explains.

The good news is you can get rid of them with a process called scelotherapy. “It is quite simple,” explains Dr Tse. “We inject a medicine to shut off the damaged veins. It has the same function as surgery but there’s no scarring and it’s much less invasive.” Scelotherapy is performed with a very fine needle and is similar, painwise, to the initial prick of an injection followed by a slight burning sensation.

Laser treatment is available for spider veins but Dr Tse feels the results aren’t as good as scelotherapy; the laser is only applied to the skin’s surface so doesn’t treat the deeper problem. It can also leave a scar and hurt.

“These treatments are very, very safe but they are medical procedures and all medical procedures carry risks,” Dr Tse says.

“For example, a patient could be allergic to the medicine we use in scelotherapy but that would be one in a million.”

Deeply unsexy surgical stockings need to be worn for about a fortnight so it’s worth planning ahead and going for your procedure during colder months when they can be hidden under trousers. Me, I’m tempted to give it a go this winter – and say goodbye to biro legs.

Dr Tse operates out of the Veno Clinic, Pier 3, Level 2, 11 Man Kwong Street, Central, 2810 6220, contact@veno.com.hk, www.veno.com.hk. Treatments are evaluated on an individual basis and price depends on the severity of the condition.

Scelotherapy is a few thousand dollars; varicose vein removal from $10,000.

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pets

hot dogs

Dog days of summer Dr Carmel Taylor’s top tips for staying cool.

Ah, summer in Sai Kung. Fights over parking spaces, endless queues in Wellcome, and large coaches disgorging hordes of flip flop-clad daytrippers, all eager to sample the delights of our obscure corner of the territory. So, specially for all of you on the waterfront with a neon-coloured flotation device in one hand and a newly shorn hyper-excited canine in the other, here are a few tips to help you enjoy the dog days of summer.

1. We all know dogs die in locked cars, but the interior of those fake Prada pet carriers can reach oven-like temperatures too. So bring a lead, and let your pooch use his legs as nature intended. Many dogs (especially flat-nosed ones) don’t tolerate heat well. If your dog is panting and salivating with a kind of glassy stare, he may well be fantasizing about the damage he could do to the large Paisano’s pizza he’s just seen. But if his tongue and gums appear brick red in colour and he seems unsteady on his feet, it’s more likely he has heatstroke. Move him immediately to a cool place and wet his body with water till he seems more relaxed, and get him to a vet as soon as possible – heatstroke can be fatal.

2. Be courteous to other beachgoers, and keep your dog on a lead unless he is impeccably behaved. There is nothing more alarming than being rudely awoken from a gentle slumber by a wet Labrador sniffing

your crotch or being buried in sand by a frantically digging terrier. Remember, under Hong Kong law dogs over 20kg should not be off the leash in public places, and there’s a hefty fine for contravening this.

3. PUP – a handy acronym to help you to remember to Pick Up Poo – kicking sand over it is not an alternative. Yes, it may be organic, but it is a health hazard and if you are still unconcerned about the wellbeing of other beachgoers, perhaps the $1,500 fine might be an incentive.

4. Just because your idea of bliss is bobbing about on the waves on an inflatable dinosaur, it does not mean your dog will enjoy water activities or even be able to swim, so never force him, and even if he seems comfortable in the water, never leave him unattended.

5. Do not expect your dog to understand that polystyrene boxes, wooden skewers, chicken bones, corn cobs, jellyfish, shellfish, dead fish, and fish hooks are potentially fatal things to ingest – they all smell yummy to him. Be vigilant. And do not ring your vet in a panic at midnight to ask if your dog will become pregnant if she ate a used condom…

Dr Carmel Taylor, MVB MRCVS DipAiCVD www.cutaneous.com.hk

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travel outdoors Where the wild things are Camera in hand, Jackie Peers visits the Orangutan Aid centre in Kalimantan and gets up close and personal with the wild babies of Borneo.

Baby orangutans have four dexterous limbs. I know this because within moments of entering the orphan “pondok” at the Orangutan Care centre, I had young primates climbing up my legs, crawling over my back and grabbing at my camera. Their favourite method of identifying me was to twist my hair around their fingers and remove it from my scalp! No wonder volunteers are not allowed direct contact with the orangutans.

I was there at the invitation of Sai Kung resident Mara McCaffery, who founded the Orangutan Aid society in Hong Kong last year to raise money for the centre. She fell under the orangutans’ spell after visiting Borneo in 1996. “Man’s greed and inhumanity are the fundamental reasons that Jackie with Douglas at the “pondok”.

Right: Douglas, looking irresistible.

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orangutans are on the brink of extinction, but it is also within our power to save them,” she says. “How can we not try to right this wrong?”

She spends a month each year at the centre in Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo, supplying hands-on care to orphaned orangutans, delivering funds and making sure the money raised is put to best use. I went with her to take pictures for the Orangutan Aid website, allowing me privileged access to the young orangutans.

I befriended the two babies, Cri and Douglas, both around a year old, still in nappies and in need of constant attention. They were my introduction to the orangutan world and its surprisingly human-like behaviour; orangutan translates literally as “person of the forest”. Wild orangutan infants don’t leave their mother’s grasp for about two years, or their presence for seven years, which makes it easy to understand the intensity of their needs.

There are 320 orangutan orphans at the care centre, which is part of the Camp Leakey Orangutan Research Centre. Some are former pets either confiscated or voluntarily handed over - others were rescued from plantations or fires. Of these, 29 live in the nursery pondok.

As with any household filled with children, there have to be systems in place. In addition to daily trips to the baby forest, the seven permanent staff spend much of their day in food preparation and feeding, cleaning and health care for the orangutans, some of whom live at the centre for up to eight years before being reintroduced to the wild. I was impressed at how ingenious the local women were at devising stimulation and entertainment for the youngsters, with a minimum materials. They gave the youngsters branches and baskets to create their own “nests”, hid food inside handmade rattan balls, and tied towels together to make a swing.

To get a feel for how orangutans live in the wild, Mara and I took a short trip upriver to Camp Leakey in the Tanjung Puting National Park.

This is where Canadian primatologist Birute Galdikas set up the Orangutan Research Centre nearly 40 years ago. Following in the footsteps of famous primate researchers Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey, Galdikas is sometimes referred to as the third of Dr Louis Leakey’s angels. She has contributed

Jackie in the xxxx mist

much to the understanding of orangutan behaviour. It was her book, “Reflections of Eden – My Life with the Orangutans of Borneo”, that inspired Mara to visit Camp Leakey and to set up Orangutan Aid in 2009.

Camp Leakey is open to visitors, and it is amazing to see the adult orangutans up in the forest canopy with their young ones clutched to their sides, as they are meant to be. Orangutans have a slow reproductive rate, often producing only three offspring in a lifetime.

Which doesn’t help their predicament.

There are an estimated 40,000-60,000 orangutans left in Borneo, putting them on the endangered species list. Logging, uncontrolled wildfires and, primarily, palm oil plantations are destroying their rainforest habitat. Mining and road construction is fragmenting the rainforest, making human contact hard to avoid, and poaching for the wild animal trade or bushmeat is common. This wanton destruction is the orangutans’

tragedy: if we don’t do something, there may be no wilderness left for Cri and Douglas to be returned to.

There are many ways you can help to save these intelligent but vulnerable primates. Children can attend Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Asia Pacific Youth Summit, August 28-30, www.rootsandshoots.org.hk.

Or you can become an orangutan guardian at www. orangutanaid.com. As consumers, we can campaign for labeling of products containing palm oil (often disguised as vegetable oil).

A wild mother and baby orangutan at Camp Leakey, Kalimantan

How to get there: The nearest airport is Pangkalan Bun in Kalimantan. Best time to visit is June-August. Steppes Discovery organizes naturalist-led tours to Camp Leakey, including a chance to track wild orangutans, paddle dugouts, visit Dayak tribes and more.

See www.orangutan.org.uk for details.

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Last Orders Environmentalism for dummies Last October, while checking the annual accounts, the International Monetary Fund discovered that Iceland appeared to be bankrupt. Then, in an apparently unconnected incident in April, the country mysteriously burst into flames. If this is proved not to be a simple case of insurance fraud then there must be some important environmental lessons to be learnt from the inconvenient spoof that is the Eyjafjallajokull volcano.

With barely a shrug of her shoulders Mother Nature demonstrated how she could paralyse Western civilization while simultaneous dominating all media channels like the final episode of “Lost”.

The plot line of a haemorrhaging volcanic earth shutting down one of the world’s biggest greenhouse-gas emitters – the airline business – could have come from the first draft of “Avatar”.

But the reality was far less whimsical than Mr Cameron’s US$280 million tree hug, especially if you were trying to organize a cabin-crew strike or repatriate your in-laws.

With the exception of a handful of professional climate-change deniers, Fox News and Jeremy Bloody Clarkson, almost everyone

now accepts we need to address the environmental impact caused by more than six billion human beings. Even the Teletubbies have a wind turbine and live underground thus reducing their heating bills by 80 per cent. But as BP continues to cover an area of outstanding natural beauty in crude oil, no one seems prepared or able do much about it. The trouble with the green agenda is that, unlike football or politics, armchair support isn’t good enough.

One of the first steps even the lazy can take on the road to environmental enlightenment is to reduce their use of plastic bags. This should be relatively effortless while qualifying as a positive move towards carbon neutrality. Like most people, I enthusiastically agree with all the arguments for a sustainable lifestyle, however, my eco-bag use is handicapped by my poor organisational skills. Having forgotten to take my eco bags to the shop, I face a dilemma: do I purchase more, knowing they’ve probably

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been handstitched by a Chinese child labourer working 16-hour shifts in a Shenzhen sweatshop? Or do I economise and spend a meagre 50 cents on the plastic equivalent and accept the wrath of the rest of the queue who will treat me as if I’d just bought a kilogram of humpback whale meat and a tin of dolphin pate?

I usually opt to buy more eco bags, to the extent that a small room in my house in now given over to my collection of eco carriers. They may be biodegradable if trampled into the moist floor of a Brazilian rainforest, but they’ll survive for decades in my dehumidified utility room.

Forced to confront the world’s and my own failing attempts at even basic environmentalism, I feel I should start to deal with the inevitable consequences of the crisis rather than the source. Rising temperatures and sea levels aren’t really a problem if you live in a country with a relatively cold climate, plenty of high mountains and fresh water. Which may mean moving to Iceland.

Iain Lafferty

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