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Swings and roundabouts

Expat kids in local schools

And where to find them

Dragons, mooncakes and lanterns

Pizza action Hong Kong’s top slices

Mad for Mid-Autumn

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September 2014

Why fun and games matter

play

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What’s on?6 Editor’s LetterAdele Brunner is spurred into September action.

8 CalendarHappening this month.

12 ZeitgeistThe spirit of the times.

16 NewsNeed to know.

18 Must havesFun outdoor toys.

21 The monthly quizAre you ready for September?

Family24 Meet the parentsSending expat kids to local schools.

28 FeatureThe importance of play – and where to do it.

Education36 Open dayInside Stanley’s International Montessori School.

40 Principal’s officeWith IMS co-founder Anne Sawyer.

Activities44 After schoolFootball fever for all ages.

48 Me and my hobbyMark Bojan, 12, sets the scene.

Food50 Eat. Gaze. Love.Get all starry-eyed for Hong Kong’s best mooncakes.

52 Table for fourA slice of the best pizza in town.

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Home56 The home frontFrench dressing in Jardine’s Lookout.

60 Get the lookWhere to buy Parisian-chic homeware.

Adventures62 Big day outSail away to Stanley.

64 Travel Go green with family-friendly eco destinations.

Resources68 Books & appsUseful books and downloads.

70 MarketplaceYour guide to shops and services.

76 Business directoryNumbers that make life easier.

78 The bald truth about fatherhoodSimon Parry declares his interests.

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contentsSEP2014ISSUE005

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6 expat-parent.com

So… it’s September. The kids are back at school and, for the time being, trips to trampolining hotspot Ryze (where my children almost took up permanent residency in August) are reserved

for weekends. For many of us, the start of the school

year is like a new calendar year, complete with resolutions. Off we go with a flurry of activity, determined to be uber-parents, super organised at both work and home and committed to getting fit after the holiday consumption.

Which is all well and good but maybe we should take a leaf out of my friend’s book. She believes that, with the kids gainfully occupied at school, September is her time to take a breather and treat herself – by having a massage on her day off, perhaps, rather than sorting out her admin piles.

The same applies to children. While we want them to pay attention at school and get good grades, it’s not all about work. As we find out in our main feature, play is a hugely important part of a child’s life, one that should be encouraged and recognised as essential to their development. Playing outside is more attractive now the heat and humidity are starting to drop. Check out our Must have pages for outdoor toys that promote free play for little ones.

While summer barely seems over, the Mid-Autumn Festival is on the horizon. No matter what age you are there is something special about this nighttime celebration with its myriad lanterns and glowstick creations. We give you an insight into the significance behind it all, plus where to go for the tastiest mooncakes and the best parties.

Have a good month!

Adele Brunner

editor’s letter

www.fastmedia.com.hk

EditorAdele Brunneradele@fastmedia.com.hk

Senior Consultant EditorJane Steerjane@fastmedia.com.hk

Managing EditorHannah Groganhannah@fastmedia.com.hk

Editorial AssistantCherrie Yucherrie@fastmedia.com.hk

Art DirectorKelvin Laukelvin@fastmedia.com.hk

Graphic DesignEvy Cheungevy@fastmedia.com.hk

Marketing & Communications ManagerSharon Wongsharon@fastmedia.com.hk

Sales & Marketing ManagersRica Bartlettrica@fastmedia.com.hk

Product Development ManagerEunice Chaneunice@fastmedia.com.hk

Accounts ManagerConnie Lamaccounts@fastmedia.com.hk

PublisherTom Hilditchtom@fastmedia.com.hk

ContributorsCarolynne DearSimon ParryEvie Burrows-TaylorKristen TadrousMelody Liu Timothy MaKaren WongSooYoun OhVanessa Gunn

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Expat Parent is published by Fast Media Limited. 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. Expat Parent 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 without written permission from the publisher.

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SEP 7-9 Tai Hang Fire Dragon DanceA 67m dragon studded with joss sticks seems to breathe fire as it dances noisily through Tai Hang to Victoria Park for the Mid-Autumn Festival. 7.30pm-10pm, Lily Street, Tai Hang, Causeway Bay, www.taihangfiredragon.hk.

UNTIL OCT 5 Transformers 30th Anniversary Expo Exhibition celebrating 30 years of the Transformers. Tickets $100 (children $80) from The Venetian Macau,

www.transformers30.com.

UNTIL DEC 31Timeless Architecture Exhibition

Photo exhibition showcasing 14

award-winning conservation projects in

Hong Kong. Various locations

including Times Square and Hong Kong City Hall.

2848 6230, www.heritage.gov.hk.

SEP 1Alex Goot & Against the Current LiveYouTube million-hit sensation Alex Goot tours with his new band. MacPherson Stadium, Mong Kok. Tickets $350-$550 from www.cityline.com.

SEP 4-OCT 58th Annual Hong Kong International Comedy FestivalTickle your funnybone at one of Asia’s largest English-language comedy festivals, www.hkcomedyfestival.com, 6220 4436. For the final on Oct 5, tickets $250 from www.hkticketing.com.

SEP 6 Discovery Bay Beach MarketFirst of the new weekly Saturday markets on Tai Pak Beach, with stalls, food, entertainment, water activities and zorbing. 11am-6pm. Free ferry with meals at D'Deck Restaurants. Details at www.ddeck.com.

SEP 6North Point Nostalgia Turn back time on this historic walking tour. 4pm-6pm from North Point MTR Station. Tickets $250 from www.walkin.hk, 5511 4839.

SEP 7Faust Trial WorkshopFree drama workshops for children aged two to 16. Call ahead to reserve a place. 5/F, Nan Dao Commercial Building, 359-361 Queen’s Road Central, Sheung Wan, 2547 9114, info@FaustWorld.com.

SEP 7Sai Kung Sunday MarketThe return of the monthly indoor farmers’ and craft market championing all things local. 11am-5pm. Hong Kong Academy, Wai Man Road, Sai Kung, www.saikungmarkets.com.

happeningin September

What’s on

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Attend a Faust trial workshop.

Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival on the beach.

SEP 8Mid-Autumn FestivalLight a lantern, gaze at the moon, eat mooncakes. For details, see Zeitgeist, p.12.

SEP 8White PartyGo white and go wild, with music by international DJs. 9pm-5am. 7/F, W Hotel, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon. Tickets $580-$1,280 from www.hkticketing.com.

SEP 8-14Hong Kong Tennis Open 2014World-class women’s tournament. Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. Tickets $220-$2,800 from www.hkto.eventclique.com.

SEP 12-24StoryWorthyWeekA week of storytelling performances by local and international, professional and amateur writers and artists, including The Hundred storytelling endurance smackdown, Liars’ League, workshops and more. Various locations, www.storyworthyweek.com.

SEP 14Discovery Bay Sunday Market Shop till you drop for original handmade crafts, creative ideas, vintage clothes and organic goods. Free entry. 11am-6pm, Discovery Bay Plaza, 3651 2345, www.ddeck.com.hk.

SEP 17Drink for Good Make merry in a good cause. For every drink purchased at participating bars in SoHo, Central, Wan Chai and Quarry Bay, $5 will be donated to HandsOn Hong Kong for fun treats for 500 special-needs kids. Details at www.drinkforgood.org.

SEP 18David Sedaris The US humourist performs live as part of StoryWorthyWeek. KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $320-$420 (over-14s only) from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

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From left: Join the Outward Bound Multi-Race, or help clear the countryside in the Hong Kong Cleanup Challenge.

SEP 20Urban Myths in Wan ChaiGet in the Halloween mood with this Walk In Hong Kong tour, including a haunted house, hipster hangouts and the muffled peal of church bells. Spooky… 3pm-6pm. Tickets $250 from www.walkin.hk, 5511 4839.

SEP 21Swim for A MillionJoin the swimming race to raise a million dollars for the Community Chest. 9am-1pm, Repulse Bay Beach, www.commchest.org.

SEP 21-NOV 1Hong Kong Cleanup ChallengeJoin the annual eco-event and rid Hong Kong of rubbish. Choose from cIty, coastal or country cleanups at www.hkcleanup.org.

SEP 23-28Potted PotterAll seven Harry Potter books and a live Quidditch match. Drama Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $395-$550 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

SEP 24-OCT 22Mamma Mia! Your ABBA favourites plus a big fat Greek wedding. Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $395-$896 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

SEP 26Electric Pet Shop Boys LiveThe 80s pop sensations play live. AsiaWorld

Arena, Lantau. Tickets $480-$1,280 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

SEP 27Hyeyoon Park plays BruchThe famous Korean violinist plays with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta (www.hksl.org/hk) and conductor Matthias Bamert. Tickets $140-$320 from www.urbtix.hk.

SEP 28Outward Bound Multi-RaceTeams of two test their endurance through Sai Kung, trail running, swimming, kayaking, orienteering and more. Register at www.outwardbound.org.hk/mr, 2554 6067.

SEP 28Tony Hadley LiveSpandau Ballet’s lead singer, voice of the 1980s, goes solo. Star Hall, KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $480-$880 from www.hkticketing.com, 9222 3879.

SEP 29Shane Filan You & Me Tour Live Westlife’s lead singer, voice of the 90s, also goes solo. AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau. Tickets $480-$880 from www.hkticketing.com.

What’s onhappening

in september

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Be a runner or a zombie at Run for your Lives Hong Kong.

Registration is open for Walk for Nature in Mai Po.

OCT 2Run for your Lives Hong KongRun for your lives or join the walking dead on this zombie race on the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade, then party in the Safe Zone. Tickets $369-$659 from www.runforyourlives.asia/hk.

OCT 9-12The Cotai Jazz & Blues Festival Sweet, smooth and sultry sounds at the third annual festival and competition at The Venetian Macau, www.bluesasianetwork.com.

OCT 9-12Dr Bunhead’s (Don’t) Try This At HomeWacky experiments with the Blue Peter and Brainiac science guy. Drama Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $195-$435 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

OCT 11-12Debut Hong Kong Classic Car and Vintage Festival With more than 100 rare cars and motorcycles, a vintage market, food, drinks and more. Details at www.hkclassiccar.com. 11am-10pm, Central Harbourfront Event Space, www.handmadehongkong.com. OCT 17-19

Stick ManThe favourite children’s book live on stage. Drama Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $195-$435 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

OCT 18East Aquathon 16.3 Race from Chung Hom Kok to Quarry Bay, through sea, mountains and jungle. Over-16s only. Reigstration $400-$464 at www.revolution-asia.com, 2891 1505.

OCT 18-19Secret Island PartyStay for the day or sleepover at this weekend of art, music and performance. Tickets $500-$670 from www.hushup.hk.

OCT 19Rat Race Central Suits go cuckoo for this fancy-dress obstacle race in aid of Mindset. Register at www.centralratrace.com.

OCT 31-NOV 2Charlie & Lola’s Extremely New Play See the BBC’s favourite brother and sister live on stage. Drama Theatre, HKAPA,

Wan Chai. Tickets $225-$435 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

NOV 8-9Walk for Nature Enrolment is open for the annual fundraising conservation walk at Mai Po Nature Reserve. Details at www.wwf.org.hk.

NOV 25-30 Avenue Q This comedy phenomenon is strictly for adults only (for full puppet nudity and worse). Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $395-$795 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

NOV 28-30 Seussical the MusicalThe Cat in the Hat, Horton and the Whos lead the charge through Dr Seuss’ favourite tales. Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $265-$595 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

DEC 21-JAN 4Phantom of the OperaAndrew Lloyd-Webber’s musical returns. AsiaWorld-Arena, Lantau. Tickets available from Sep 1, $292-$1,195 from www.lunchbox-productions.com, 8203 0299.

BOOK NOW

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Part of the fun of Mid-Autumn Festival used to be making your own lanterns out of bamboo sticks, wire and colourful, translucent paper. Traditionally, lanterns were shaped like rabbits, starfruit, pomelos, goldfish and even aeroplanes. But today many lanterns are plastic, some even sing, and come in a huge range of designs and anime characters.

One of our favourite places for festival booty is Fu Chong Toys, a one-stop shop in Prince Edward. This two-level toy shop has everything you need: candles, glowsticks, sparkle rings, candle-lit lanterns in all sorts of colours and sizes, modern lanterns and other surprises.

Traditional candle-lit lanterns – rabbit, starfruit, goldfish – come in three sizes, from $68 for a lantern about the size of two watermelons. (Tip: use a lump of Blu-Tack to secure the candle, which have a tendency to tip over and set fire to the lantern.) But this year’s top sellers are expected to be Frozen princesses ($78).

Fu Chong Toys, G/F, 14 Tai Yuen Street, Prince Edward. (Take the MTR to Prince Edward or Mong Kok East.)

1. Victoria Park, Causeway BayArm yourself with candles, lanterns and glowsticks and join thousands of families picnicking in every corner of the park: last year more than 400,000 squeezed in. As well as stalls selling festive food and snacks, there are fire-dragon dances, handicraft workshops, professional entertainment, a spectacular lantern centrepiece and lanterns designed by primary and secondary schools.

2. Clearwater Bay Second BeachTake a picnic and arrive just before sunset. The beach is long, the sand is soft and children will love the excitement of being out at night. Keep tabs on your kids by encouraging glowstick “jewellery”. Teens take over once the little ones have left and hardcore moon lovers keep the candles glowing till the wee hours.

3. Repulse Bay BeachSpread out a blanket to stake a claim on this perennially popular beach. Every Mid-

Where to go for Mid-Autumn Festival

Autumn Festival, the trees are hung with lanterns, carefully monitored fire pits are on the go and glowstick-bedecked kids are out in force. The international-school teenage set likes to hang out here too. Although the long stretch of sand will be busy, the vibe is friendly and relaxed.

4. Discovery BayWith so many families in the area, DB goes large for Mid-Autumn Festival. Expect live performances, food stalls and game booths in the plaza and the beach to be awash with lights and lanterns. The sand will be packed but one long-term resident says you can always find a spot to spread your blanket.

5. Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza If parks or beaches aren’t your thing, try the piazza and promenade in front of the Cultural Centre where the LCSD stages an annual lantern exhibition. This year’s is titled “The World in Colours”. Think lantern-making on a vast scale.

Let there be lanterns

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Rabbit Cute bunny lanterns represent the Jade Rabbit, said to live on the moon and manufacture elixirs as a companion for the moon goddess, Chang’e, who floated to the moon after drinking an immortality potion given to her husband by the queen of heaven.

Goldfish In Chinese culture, the goldfish is the symbol for abundance – of wealth and children. Leaping carp are also a symbol of success, which in ancient times was linked to passing important exams.

Starfruit Old-school paper lanterns referenced natural things such as the starfruit. Its five lobes symbolises that you have it all: health, luck, fortune, good relationships and happiness.

Red Traditional red lanterns are raised during celebrations to signify good fortune, prosperity and happiness.

Pomelo Not only does this large yellow citrus fruit look moon-like, but its Chinese name, yuet lok yuet yau, translates as “the more you roll it, the more you get”, which applies to happiness, health, prosperity and other good things. No wonder pomelos feature in many Chinese celebrations.

Strike a light

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Nobody likes unwanted visitors and head lice are as unwelcome as they come. Yet the beginning of the school year often sees a lice epidemic as children and teens get their heads together while playing, posing for selfies, holding sleepovers, borrowing hairbrushes... No respecters of race, nationality, hair colour or age, nits are easy to come by and a battle to get rid of, but here’s how to do it without resorting to strong chemical shampoos.

1. Take a deep breath and don’t freak out. Yes, they are revolting and make your head itch just thinking about them, but they aren’t harmful to health nor an indicator of an unhygienic household,

slovenly parenting or dirty hair. You’re not the first family to get them in your neighbourhood and you won’t be the last.

2. Get a Nitty Gritty NitFree comb ($109 from Bumps to Babes). An essential weapon in your nit-busting armoury, this specially designed comb with stainless-steel grooves gets rid of head lice and live, unhatched eggs. Once armed, towel-dry wet hair and smother it with regular conditioner. Go through the hair section by section, wiping the comb’s contents repeatedly onto loo roll or tissues. Repeat daily until the war has been won. Trust us, it works.

3. Make a natural remedy. Mix half a cup of hair conditioner, half a cup of olive oil and a teaspoon of tea tree, lavender or neem oil. (Test for allergic reactions by putting a drop on the back of your child’s hand before use.) Thoroughly coat the infested hair and wrap in clingfilm or a shower cap for an hour to smother the bugs, then use a nit comb. Repeat a week later. Not only is this concoction a bug buster, but it leaves hair soft and shiny.

4. Use a preventative spray. One Hong Kong mum swears by this concoction, which she sprays on her children’s hair daily before school. Mix 100ml of distilled water with two drops of lemon oil, two drops bergamot oil, two drops eucalyptus oil and five drops of glycerine, then spritz. Alternatively, mix a teaspoon of either tea-tree oil or eucalyptus oil with 100ml of distilled water.

The nitty grittyzeitgeist

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For serious fun, head to Hong Kong’s newest and largest soft-play centre. The whopping 14,000 sq ft Discovery Land in North Plaza, Discovery Bay, will keep kids gainfully occupied for hours on super-fast slides, trampolines, climbing walls, a shooting gallery with soft foam balls and a huge, multi-level climbing frame with nets, tubes, swinging obstacles and ropes.

There’s a soft-play area exclusively for the under-threes while older kids can wear themselves out in the laser tag room, overhead AirTrek assault course with harnesses and the enclosed sports court.

There are no food or drink facilities at Discoveryland yet so take snacks or plan to make a day of it and fill hungry tummies at one of North Plaza’s family-friendly restaurants.

Open daily: Mon-Thu, 9.30am-7.30pm; Fri-Sat, 9.30am-8pm; Sun 9am-7.30pm. $148 for one child under 12 plus an accompanying parent; $188 at weekends. G/F, 31 North Plaza, 96 Siena Avenue, Discovery Bay, 2441 0098, www.discoverylandhk.com.

Discovery Land

Signs of the times

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Sexy in the City 2: Working it for Cambodia

Space saver

For a wild night out in a good cause, invite your friends to the “Sexy in the City 2: Working it for Cambodia” party on September 18. Working with Link Universal and Italian charity Missione Possibile, the event is being organised by Hong Kong mums Mindy Tagliente and Audrey Jack to raise money and awareness to stamp out child trafficking and help Cambodian children receive an education.

It’s being held from 7pm till late at the new-look Joe Bananas in Wan Chai, which has been given a New York loft-

Living in Hong Kong typically comes with certain space constraints. Go N Live Storage’s “virtual cupboard space service” enables customers to clear clutter without throwing it away.

Seldom-used items, or those used only at certain times of the year, can be packed in pre-delivered boxes, which the company picks up and stores at its facility in To Kwa Wan. Whenever you want certain items back, simply look it up on your personal online inventory and have it delivered whenever and wherever you want it.

Storage costs from $99 a box a month (for a minimum of three months) and delivery is $100, plus $25 a box.

For details, call 5970 4316 or visit www.gnlstorage.com.

style makeover (yes, really). As well as live music, a DJ and a raffle, there will be an auction for a “date” with a sexy single or a chance to see your favourite yummy mummy or delicious daddy in their itsy-bitsy teeny-weenies. And if you’re thinking of changing your hairstyle, the organisers are still looking for a volunteer to have his or her head shaved for the charity. Tickets are $250 in advance or $300 on the door, including a free drink and canapés, from Tagliente on 9748 4567 or Jack on 9734 2155.

Chuan Spa is offering one-on-one swimming lessons for kids in its outdoor heated pool while mum relaxes with a treatment. Lessons are $1,500 for four 45-minute sessions and poolside fun, including a complimentary day pass with access to health and well-being facilities for one accompanying adult. Langham Place, Mong Kok, 3552 3510.

news

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CLEAN OrganicALLY

Boarding schools for special needs

Funky flip-flops

Present company

Go green and look great in the process. Homegrown Foods has launched a new range of organic and vegan personal-care products and household cleaners.

Made in Tuscany, Biolù soaps, hand and face washes and baby care are eco-friendly, free of animal and petrochemical derivatives, parabens and other potentially irritating chemicals and are suitable for all

Choosing the right British boarding school for your children can be a minefield at the best of times. Add into the mix learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyspraxia and the task becomes even harder. Taking the hassle out of the process is Dyslexia School Search, a British-based organisation that specialises in matching children with learning difficulties with the best boarding schools to help them.

It is run by Sheridan Steen, who has years of experience in education, expertise in learning difficulties from dyslexia to autism, knows the headmasters and teachers in myriad schools and can advise on educational psychologist assessments. She will also approach the schools of your choice on your behalf.

Steen will be in Hong Kong on September 19-26 and would love to meet anyone interested in using her service. To book a free consultation, email her at info@dyslexiaschoolsearch.com.

With the cool weather still a couple of months away, slip into G.O.D’s newest range of Hong Kong-inspired flip-flops. In true G.O.D. style, the flip-flops are decorated with local iconography, including a Nathan Road-inspired neon sign graphic and the always popular double happiness print. Available in varying styles and sizes for $228 from your nearest store. For details, visit www.god.com.hk.

Celebrate the arrival of a baby with a gift from mamahen (www.mamahen.com.hk). Operating like a wedding list, the new online gift registry enables mothers-to-be and new mums to select items they would like to receive and friends and family can view and order online. Gifts are delivered directly to the new parents.

To celebrate its launch, mamahen is offering complimentary prenatal yoga sessions, led by local experts, until September 27. Simply “like” the mamahen Facebook page and sign up to the event at www.mamahen.com.hk/news (one class for each pregnant mum).

skin types. It also has a household line of eco-friendly detergents. All products come in refillable containers to reduce waste.

Meanwhile, Homegrown Foods has also expanded its food range, with an online meat and deli counter and an expanded variety of grocery and snack items for sale online. For details, call 2671 2771 or visit www.homegrownfoods.com.hk. Discount kids’

haircuts

Specialist children’s hair salon Magic Mirrors has been successfully cutting even the most fidgety kids’ hair since 1992 with its winning formula of carousel animals to sit on, cartoons to watch and toys to play with. Now the salon is offering Expat Parent readers an exclusive 20 per cent discount on their kids’ next hair session.

Show this page to take advantage of the offer until October 31. Reservations required. 2/F Windsor House, 311 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, 2882 2118; G/F, Olympian City 3, 1 Hoi Wang Road, Mong Kok, 2957 8000, www.magicmirror.com.hk.

ReadeR offeR!

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BOIN

G!TP Genius 12 ft Trampoline$5,500, including net and ladder, from Bumps to Babes, bumpstobabes.hk.

Junior Sport Kanguro hopper$189 from ItsImagical, www.itsimagical.hk.

Trampolines and other essential outdoor toys.

By Melody Liu.

Little Tikes Grand Coupe $999 from Toys Club, www.itoysclub.com.

must have

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Radio Flyer cart$1,399 from Toys Club.

Grow’n Up Qwickfold slide$350 from Toys R Us, www.toysrus.com.hk.

Green Forest baby swing$999 from ItsImagical.

Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox$929. Sandtastik allergy-free white sand, $145 for 25lb. Both from Toys Club.

Hide Me Tent and Tunnel$659 from Toys Club.

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Question 1 This month, we’re eating...a. Liver with some fava beans and

a nice chianti b. Hairy crabs c. Mooncakes d. Dau miu, snow-pea leaves

Question 2 Sports fans rejoice! But what for?a. Tennis stars hit Hong Kongb. Chessboxing makes its local debut c. Slow-motion golf – the excitement buildsd. The Puppy World Cup (our money’s on

the Alsatians)

Question 3 What’s coming to theatres near you?a. A man in a maskb. ABBA tunes and a complicated weddingc. Wizards on broomsticksd. All of the above

Question 4 What’s the world celebrating on September 21?a. World Dishwashing Dayb. International Day of Peacec. World Wide Web Week by the

Alliteration Appreciation Associationd. Britney Spears Day

Question 5 Who’s taking the mic?a. The Electric Pet Shop Boysb. The Solar-powered Flea Market Menc. The Mechanical Reapers d. The Steam Punks

Question 6 Make a million at the…a. Beachb. School fair c. Bitcoin exchange d. Mark Six

the monthlyquiz

Question 7 What’s a fun place to take the kids?a. To play in the traffic.b. School, of course c. Playgrounds, they never get oldd. The bar (cute kids equal free drinks)

Question 8 8. Caught out in a lightning storm, you should…a. Fly a kite to recreate Ben Franklin’s

experimentb. Crouch as low as possible d. Take refuge under a large umbrella d. Charge a flux capacitor to go back to the future

are you ready for september?

quiz

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1. Answer: cMooncakesIt’s Mid-Autumn Festival on September 8 and Hongkongers will take to the hills, parks and beaches by the light of the full moon, with lanterns, glowsticks and boxes of the holiday delicacy, mooncakes. Whether you’re a fan of the traditional lotus-seed paste and salted egg yolk variety, or prefer the more modern chocolate or custard, we’ve got you covered. Check out Food, p.50, for our top picks and where to get them. Fret not: dau miu and hairy crab will be here soon.

2. Answer: a TennisThe Hong Kong Tennis Open will be held from September 8 to 14. This year, 32 international women tennis players will compete for the trophy in Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. Players such as Francesca Schiavone, Hsieh Su-Wei, Eugenie Bouchard and Peng Shuai will bring their A-game. Tickets are $220-$2,800 from www.hkto.eventclique.com. For details, visit www.hongkongtennisopen.com. (And, yes, chessboxing is a thing, but not in Hong Kong as far as we know.)

3. Answer: d All of the aboveColour us excited, show fans, Hong Kong is about to be inundated with musical theatre. Bookings open on September 1 for Broadway’s longest-running show, The Phantom of the Opera (Dec 21-Jan 4 in the AsiaWorld-Arena, $295-$1,195 from www.lunchboxhkticketing.com). The HKAPA in Wan Chai has two productions this month. For Harry Potter fans, children’s comedy Potted Potter (Sep 23-28, $395-$550) condenses all seven books and a Quidditch match into 70 minutes. Then unleash your inner dancing queen for Mamma Mia! (Sep 24-Oct 22, $395-$896). Tickets from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

4. Answer: bInternational Day of PeaceThe annual International Day of Peace is

observed worldwide on September 21. The United Nations General Assembly has declared it a day for fostering peace between nations and peoples. This year’s theme is the “Right of Peoples to Peace”. The UN is calling for a cessation of hostilities on the day.

5. Answer: aThe Electric Pet Shop BoysDust off the vinyl, it’s going to be a vintage month. Pet Shop Boys Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe play live at AsiaWorld Arena on September 26 to promote their 12th album, Electric. Tickets are $480-$1,280. They will be followed by more nostalgia gold in the shape of 80s heartthrob Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet (September 28, Star Hall, KITEC, $480-$880) and 90s teen crush Shane Filan from Westlife (September 29, AsiaWorld Arena, $480-$880). Tickets are available from www.hkticketing.com. All together now: “I’ve got the brains, you’ve got the looks, let’s make lots of money…”

6. Answer: aBeach It may be September, but the beach is still the place to be. On September 21, the Community Chest is holding its annual Swim for a Million at Repulse Bay Beach from 9am to 1pm. Registration is closed, but cheer on the competitors on the day or donate at www.commchest.

org. Meanwhile, it’s not too late to join the Hong Kong Cleanup, which also starts on September 21 and runs into November. Help clean up our beaches, country parks and city. Register at www.hkcleanup.org.

7. Answer: cPlaygrounds With humidity dropping, September’s sunny, blue-sky days are the perfect time to rediscover Hong Kong’s best playgrounds. And to help, we’ve compiled a list of top spots around town in our feature, p.28.

8. Answer: bCrouch as low as possible With 377 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes recorded in one hour in the New Territories last month, give some thought to what to do if you’re caught in a storm. The best place to be when lightning strikes is inside an enclosed building: stay away from electrical outlets, appliances, sinks or toilets and definitely don’t take a shower (lightning can travel through the water mains). If you are caught outside, move away from tall trees and crouch as low as possible without touching your hands or knees to the ground. On a boat, take refuge in a cabin, or crouch in the middle of the boat so you are not the tallest object onboard. Do not lie down, fly a kite or raise an umbrella. However, if you do manage to get back to the future, look us up.

theanswers

are you ready for

september?

quiz

24 expat-parent.com

International families share their experiences of local schools with Adele Brunner.

Chris and Leonor Davies sent their daughter, Ocean, now 12, to a local kindergarten, primary and secondary schools.

I’m British, my wife is Filipina and our daughter, Ocean, was born in Hong Kong, where we’ve been living for 25 years. This is her home and we wanted her to learn the native language. So many kids are born here, go to an international school and then university overseas. When they decide they want to come back to Hong Kong to work,

they are often stymied because they don’t have the necessary Chinese to find a job.

My wife worked in a Chinese trading company and I have travelled extensively in China. Chinese companies have expanded everywhere in the world so if somebody can speak the language, it has real appeal for employers. We also concluded that travel is a big part of education. There are Cantonese restaurants wherever you go, so at the very least, Ocean could always get a job washing dishes in one of them!

We live in Sai Kung and Ocean went

to local schools: Lok Yuk Kindergarten and Lee Siu Yam Memorial School (LSY), a government-run primary school, with some of the best views in Hong Kong. It celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and was, I believe, the first government school to offer a tailor-made Chinese/English education programme for non-native-speaking students.

It is a dual Cantonese/English curriculum with Putonghua elements. One day everything is taught in Cantonese and the next, in English. The programme was

Ocean (with her parents, Leonor and Chris Davies) is fluent in Cantonese.

going local

meet the parents

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established seven or eight years ago as an Education Bureau experiment and has been such a success that it has added a third class for children starting school this month.

The families sending their children to LSY (and it’s not all about cost) are diverse. Most of Ocean’s friends are Chinese but there are Thai, Australian-Chinese, English and English-Chinese students at the school.

Cantonese is predominantly the playground language but Ocean has never had any communication problems with children or teachers. Homework wasn’t particularly overbearing but LSY ran after-school tuition classes in which children could stay behind for an hour a day and go through homework.

Ocean loved LSY. Even if she wasn’t feeling well, she would still want to go in and I think she was only absent for two days during her time there. She learned to read, write and speak Cantonese and is now fluent. Hearing her speak, most people don’t realise she’s not from a Hong Kong-Chinese family. The school was also very good at integrating sport and art into the curriculum: taekwondo, hip hop and art. Teaching is a vocation for a lot of the teachers at LSY and they just want to use their skills to enrich the lives of the children.

Ocean now goes to the Hong Kong Taoist Association The Yuen Yuen Institute no.3 Secondary School (YY3), quite a wacky place in a housing estate in Tseung Kwan O. It is using the same integrated curriculum model as LSY but has only done so for three years. Ocean was the only one of her friends to go on to this school – one got a scholarship to a top Chinese school,

others went to Creative Secondary School [in Tseung Kwan O] – but she has been placed in the top English class and one of the highest-ranking Chinese classes. She is an example of the pros of going to a local school.

Melissa and Patrick Megan sent their three children to Junk Bay Kingsland Kindergarten in Hang Hau: Molly is now 13, Maggie, nine, and Kelly, five.

Although I am Australian and my husband, Patrick, is Canadian, and we go back regularly to both countries, ties are not that strong. Part of the reason for choosing a local school was because we wanted to give our children a sense of Hong Kong identity and some knowledge of the local society and language. We’ve lived here

for 15 years and all our children were born here so why not?

I’m in language education and very interested in languages. I speak enough Cantonese to be able to talk to older neighbours on a basic level. I was able to tell the teachers if the children were sick, but communication was an issue at times. Now, a lot of the staff at the kindergarten speak good English but, 10 years ago when I first sent my daughter Molly there, that wasn’t the case.

Cost was certainly a factor. Kingsland Kindergarten (which used to be in Hang Hau Village but is now in the Yuk Ming Housing Estate) was $600 a month, which is a huge difference when compared with the fees of most international kindergartens.

Like most local schools, the facilities weren’t what expats have come to expect.

If somebody can speak [Chinese], it has a real appeal for employers

Ocean at Lee Siu Yam Memorial School in Sai Kung, a dual-language primary school.

26 expat-parent.com

Patrick and Melissa Megan sent all three children to Cantonese-speaking Junk Bay Kingsland Kindergarten.

There was no outdoor play area, it was all inside. The classrooms were clean but old. The whole curriculum was in Cantonese, as was the playground language, but they did have English lessons – taught by a very nice Belgian lady!

My children all started when they were about three years old with no prior knowledge of Cantonese. When Molly went to Kingsland, she was the only non-Chinese child in the school but of my children, her Chinese has always been the strongest.

We were very interested in sending

I felt it was good for my children to see another side of Hong Kong

meet the parents

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Maggie, Kelly and Molly at Kingsland, which Kelly still attends.

her to a local primary, but I was working with the Education Bureau at the time and the teachers I was training with said not to because the style of learning and homework in local schools is very different to international methods. Had Lee Siu Yam (LSY) in Sai Kung been an option when Molly was starting primary school, I would definitely have considered it.

I didn’t want Chinese to be just a token effort. We decided on Renaissance College in Ma On Shan because we felt it had a stronger commitment to Chinese than other schools. Molly can chat on the phone to her friends in Chinese and is in the Chinese stream for native speakers rather than foreign-language students.

All my kids are different. We haven’t pushed the Chinese as much for Maggie and it’s too early to say how Kelly will progress as he’s still very young. He can count better in Cantonese than in English and knows all the Cantonese names of insects and trees, for example.

I’m not a pushy parent and if I had ever felt the children weren’t happy at Kingsland, I would have taken them out. The principal and teachers were lovely and

caring and the children never felt anything other than secure and loved at school.

The only “con” was the lack of after-school playdates. Not that we are particularly wealthy, but there was a gap between us and the local kids from the estates or the children of domestic helpers, so birthday parties and the like were a bit awkward.

I liked the fact that here was a mixture

of children from different backgrounds and I also felt it was good for my children to see another side of Hong Kong. Not everyone lives in a big house in Clearwater Bay; there is a lot of poverty just down the hill.

There are now a few more Western kids at Kingsland and some from mixed-nationality families, which is very positive for the school. We certainly have good memories of it.

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feature

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Want happy, balanced and creative kids? Let them play, says Adele Brunner.

The next time you’re bemoaning the fact that your children have commandeered every cushion in the house for a den or covered the sideboard with unidentifiable playdough models,

think again. The benefits of unstructured play – unfettered by time, rules and adult intervention – are numerous. Play is so important to child development that it has been recognised by the UN High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child.

“Play is necessary for all areas of child development. Put simply: through play, children learn,” says Dr Nicola Birdsey, senior lecturer in developmental psychology at the University of South Wales and a frequent lecturer at the Hong Kong Shue Yan University, which has collaborated with the Welsh institution to offer an MSc in Play Therapy.

“Play enables children to develop in many ways, including the chance to explore the world around them and find out about their environment and others. It allows them to learn how to communicate verbally and nonverbally, socialise and develop friendships, negotiate roles, learn to share and wait for turns, resolve conflict and problems and develop their imagination and creativity. Skills within all domains of development (physical, cognitive, social and emotional) are enhanced through play.”

Fortunately, there are kindergartens and preschools, such as those under the

ESF umbrella and the HKPPA (Hong Kong Preschools Playgroups Association), that advocate learning through play. Their curricula offer children opportunities to explore, experiment and discover in a fun environment. While the children are supervised by qualified teachers and have various activities at set times, there are lengthy periods dedicated to free play.

“Free play is critically important,” Birdsey continues, “because it allows children the freedom to play whatever they choose at their own pace. It enables children to use their imagination without restriction, which in turn can build confidence as children learn what it feels like to gain autonomy. They feel empowered by playing out different roles.

“When children play spontaneously, without any rules or direction, they learn self-advocacy skills and how to collaborate with others. They get to communicate their ideas, listen to others and find out what it’s like to be, for example, a leader, a follower,

a teacher, a baby and so on,” she says. Yet children are getting less time to

play owing to an overload of scheduled activities, an emphasis on academics, homework and achieving goals even in preschool, and sedentary screen time.

Modern parents feel pressure to ensure their offspring keep up with their peers and make them into super achievers in the classroom, on the sports field or in the arts.

Tiger Mom Amy Chua’s style of parenting drew flak, particularly in the West, for being extreme (no television, no playdates, no sleepovers, no choice of extra-curricular activities), but many Hong

They communicate their ideas, listen to others

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Kong parents lay down similar laws in the quest for scholastic brilliance.

“Parents in Hong Kong put too much pressure on their kids to perform well academically,” says Gilbert Lam of Sinocham, who has been designing and creating playgrounds for 17 years and was the brains behind the Chinese junk in Stanley Plaza. “While studying and learning is important, kids also need to relax and go to a place where they can just be kids. Parents and their children can use playground time as bonding time and kids can also enjoy uninhibited free play.”

Parental fears about “stranger danger” and injuries have also put the brakes on children being allowed to play without hovering carers. According to a British report sponsored by Ribena Plus in 2012, in which 2,000 parents were interviewed, there was a huge discrepancy between what parents would like their kids to do and what they allowed them to do. A full 97 per cent of interviewees felt it was important

for their children to play outside but only a third let them, and just 30 per cent allowed their children to climb trees. Anecdotal evidence suggests the same may be true of Hong Kong, where extracurricular football is cancelled after rain in case children slip.

“In recent decades, academics have sought to understand not only the benefits of play but have been concerned with the impact of limited play opportunities or ‘play deprivation’ on children,” Birdsey says.

“Given that a strong body of research has established the critical role of play

Play is necessary for healthy brain development

A British survey found 97 per cent of parents believed it was important for kids to play outside, but only a third let them. Just 30 per cent let their children climb trees.

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1. Jordan Valley Playground Jordan Valley Park (not to be confused with Jordan Valley Playground) spans an area of 6.3 hectares. It includes two children’s play areas and a lot of green space, including a greenhouse, a community garden and a horticultural education centre. The park’s main attraction, however, are the radio-controlled model car circuits- perfect for the bigger kids, or kids at heart. 71 New Clear Water Bay Road, Kwun Tong.

2. Mount Austin Playground, The PeakA five-minute walk from the Peak Galleria, Mount Austin Playground is popular with local residents, with flowers, a quaint pagoda and a lush lawn to run around on. The play area has three sets of equipment for toddlers aged two to five and a large activity centre for kids aged five to 12. Mount Austin Road, The Peak.

3. Hong Kong Park PlaygroundAt the top of Hong Kong Park, the children’s play area is one of the best and biggest in town, spreading over 1,000 sqm on six different levels tumbling downhill. Notable features include a sandpit, a space station and a tunnel slide from one to the next. (Stairs are for grown ups.) Afterwards, play in the fountain or wander through the aviary, giant greenhouses and gardens –

beware the “don’t walk on the grass” signs, though. 19 Cotton Tree Drive, Central, Hong Kong.

4. Po Hong Park (Po Lam Playground)With eight play areas to choose from, children can jump, swing and climb. The park also contains a rollerskating rink, sports courts and near the multi-pool Tseung Kwan O Swimming Pool complex, where the whole family can cool off afterwards. 10 Wan Lung Road, Tseung Kwan O.

5. Discovery Bay Beach Playground Located right on the sand at Discovery Bay Beach, the large playground features a slide, swings, monkey bars and more, as well as a shady pagoda for parents and helpers. Plus there’s the sea and that huge natural sandpit to play in – take a bucket and spade. Discovery Bay Beach, Discovery Bay.

6. Stanley PlazaThe pirate ship playground is the go-to spot for children in Stanley thanks to features such as a fireman’s pole, tunnel slides and a climbing web. There’s alfresco seating at the nearby coffee shops, plenty of space for running around and at weekends there’s usually something going on in the amphitheatre. Stanley Plaza, Stanley Main Street, Stanley.

7. Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park The large playground has a train theme (based on Sun Yat-sen’s vision for the future), with a zipline, monkey bars, multiple slides and plenty of open space, including a paved area perfect for scooters and a circular lawn for picnics or running around. There’s also a sports centre and swimming pool. Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park, Eastern Street, Hong Kong.

8. Caine Road Playground This popular Mid-Levels playground is top spot for socializing and meeting new parents, with lots of dads gathering on Sunday mornings while their kids play on swings, slides, monkey bars and more. A pavillion provides seats and much-needed shade. For a run around, try the quieter Caine Lane Playground across the road. Caine Road, Mid-levels

9. Sha Tin Central Playground An oasis in the middle of the Sha Tin Racehourse, the eight-hectare Sha Tin Central Park has bike hire, botanical gardens, an artists’ corner, palm paths, and a great playground. A “Great Wall” connects the north and south garden playgrounds and tunnels connect equipment on three levels. There are also a zipline, monkey bars, slides, bridges and more. 2 Yuen Wo Road, Sha Tin.

Hong Kong’s best playgrounds

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in children’s cognitive, social, emotional and physical development, experts now recognise the deleterious impact of play deprivation, particularly during the formative years from birth to seven years.

“A growing body of neuro-developmental literature has identified that play is necessary for healthy brain development. Other studies have linked play deprivation in the formative years with restricted physical growth and delayed social skills. The most extreme examples have been institutionalised children in Romanian orphanages whose lack of play restricted all domains of development.”

While children may continue to achieve well in school, particularly with intensive academic training, Birdsey says the consequences of play deprivation may not be noticed until children are older and struggle to cope with life experiences.

“Moreover, there is increasing support for the link between poor mental health and limited play opportunities,” she says.

“Some authors argue that children who are not given sufficient opportunities to play are more likely to demonstrate anti-social, aggressive, withdrawn, anxious Children need and want to take risks when they play.

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or depressive symptoms and generally worse emotional wellbeing. In countries like Finland, where governments recognise the empirical evidence in support of play and base educational policy on such knowledge, children are found to consistently outperform other European countries academically. Children there are provided with extensive play opportunities... and don’t start school until they are seven.”

An added disadvantage for Hong Kong kids is the lack of outdoor space..

“Playgrounds are especially important in Hong Kong because most kids live in apartments without much access to open spaces where they can just run and have fun,” Lam says. “When I look at playground equipment in Hong Kong, there is an obvious lack of resources, a very tiny budget and our society’s obsession over minimising risks, which are causes for the standardised design of most playgrounds.

“Children need and want to take risks when they play. It is a part of growing up and it is our job to make sure it is an acceptable level of risk. If they don’t find the thrills they seek in the playground, they’ll look elsewhere.” Playgrounds are especially important in Hong Kong because most kids live in apartments.

feature

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open dayeducation

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Step into any classroom at the International Montessori School (IMS) in Stanley and you’ll find a hive of activity. Some children lie on their tummies on the floor solving mathematical problems

using different-sized blocks, others are clustered around a teacher, talking about book choices. A handful are absorbed in practising cursive writing (which they learn as soon as they start to form letters), and one group is tying on aprons for art. Busy as it is, however, there is a pervading sense of calm, independence and total absorption. And this is just the four- to five-year-olds.

“The Montessori method isn’t just about playing,” says co-founder Anne Sawyer, who set up the first school in 2002 with partner Karin Ann. “Kids have a natural thirst for knowledge and they want to work

in a way that is stimulating as well as fun. The approach, particularly at the younger levels, is multisensory so the classrooms are purposely stocked with a lot of well-designed materials that encourage children to touch, feel, experiment and learn.

“The children choose what they want to do each day but they have to complete all aspects of a particular level. A Montessori classroom is designed to have 25 children doing 25 different things.”

Near Stanley Plaza, but barely visible from it, the purpose-built campus comprises 50,000 square feet of tailor-made facilities. There are 30 light and spacious classrooms, children’s kitchens with low-level sinks and counters, multi-purpose rooms and a vast indoor gymnasium. Outdoors is a basketball court and small soccer area, an undercover play area, a children’s garden and a

playground with climbing frames. The non-profit, non-denominational

school was awarded the site in April 2013 and moved in after Easter this year, becoming the fourth IMS campus in Hong Kong, along with Mid-Levels, Tin Hau and South Horizons, and the second to offer primary as well as pre-primary education. IMS is an accredited member of the International Montessori Council, the only accredited primary Montessori school in Greater China and a world pioneer in dual-language Montessori environments.

Currently, there are 250 children at the Stanley school, which has capacity for 500 pupils, and two permanent teachers in each bilingual class of up to 25 children. Following Montessori philosophy, classes are in three mixed-age groups with three- to five-year-olds, six- to eight-year-olds and

IMS classrooms are designed to have 25 children doing 25 different things.

All together now…With its inclusive, dual-language, mixed-ages philosophy, International Montessori School Stanley is about more than playing, learns Adele Brunner.

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The Stanley campus is the second IMS school in Hong Kong with a primary section.

nine- to 11-year-olds together. Research shows this has many

advantages: older children solidify their knowledge by teaching younger ones, giving them confidence and a sense of pride, and the little kids, who look up to them, often take in more than if they were listening to a teacher. As the groups within a class are flexible and there are no grade limits, it is an inclusive system, particularly for gifted or special-needs children.

“You can’t push a child to a norm that doesn’t exist, so we offer an individualised,

child-focused way of teaching,” says Ann, who recently gave a TEDx Talk about how, in education, one size does not fit all.

“For example, you might have a six-year-old who is very gifted in maths so he might work in a group with older kids for that, but stay with his own age group for English. Because everyone is mixed age and ability, nobody feels different or singled out because of their talents or lack of them. Every child is allowed to develop at his own pace and completes each level to their maximum potential with no sense of failure. Essentially, in a Montessori classroom, you’ve got 24 brothers and sisters pushing and pulling you to learn.”

Stanley’s dual-language, English/Putonghua environment works in two streams – first and second language – with a full-time Chinese teacher assigned to each class. He or she adopts an “I will speak to you until you understand me” approach so the children soon learn that speaking any other language won’t cut the mustard. Montessori elements have been

Every child is allowed to develop at his own pace

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Children work at their own pace, indulging a natural thirst for knowledge.

added to the strong Chinese programme to make it interesting and enjoyable.

“When Anne and I started [the schools], we had small kids and we realised none of the Hong Kong schools at that time had an exceptional Chinese programme,” Ann says. “We wanted a strong dual-language school with small Chinese-language groups tailored to ability. In addition, we are an international school and we have many families for whom English is not their first language. Chinese is something that unifies them.”

The largest cohort of IMS graduates take up secondary-school places at the Chinese International School although Sawyer and Ann have good relationships with all secondary schools to ensure the children go somewhere that suits them.

Sawyer’s two children have been through the IMS system in the first-language scheme, despite her own lack of Chinese. “We need to give our children the tools to be successful, well-rounded adults. As well as academic achievements, confidence and adaptability to change are key traits. Montessori does this.”

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What did you want to be when you were a child? I wanted to be an opera singer, although I didn’t particularly like opera nor was my voice good enough. Then I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps and be a surgeon. The one thing I never thought I would be doing is starting a school. I attended 13 schools as a child, all over the world. One of my schools was a Montessori school in Germany, which I attended from ages nine to 11. It taught me how to think and to adapt. When I subsequently went to school in England, I found it easy to adapt.

What are some of the challenges of being a principal?I love the ability to encourage and enable teachers who are passionate about what they do. The part I enjoy most is helping an English-speaking and a Chinese-speaking teacher negotiate how they are going to work well together. Another challenge is the diversity of the parent community. With more than 40 nationalities at last count, the expectations for children and definitions of success tend to differ quite a bit.

ANNE SAWYERCO-FOUNDER OF THE IMS

From left: co-founders Karin Ann and Anne Sawyer.

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Most memorable event of your career? The night we were awarded the Stanley campus will always be a highlight! Jumping around with Karin. And, of course, walking into this gorgeous campus. I have to pinch myself every time. Other memorable events were opening a third class over the summer of 2002 owing to the huge demand for Montessori primary places. We expected to open with 48 students and we opened with 68.

What do you like most about Hong Kong? This is home. I love that it is Asian enough to be interesting and Western enough to feel comfortable, and that I can explore both sides of Hong Kong. I love that it’s not perfect and a little dirty, has a huge personality and a lot of humour.

The best advice you’ve been given? “If you don’t know the answer (or quite what the problem is), ask better questions.”

What talent would you like to have? I would love to be able to play an

instrument well and I to fly a plane, though not at the same time.

Did you have a favourite teacher? I had so many teachers, and so many who touched my life. My Montessori teacher in Germany loved Renaissance art and ancient history, and she taught me to appreciate how everything came together. It was a joy to call her years later and tell her, “Mrs Fleck, I’m starting a Montessori school!” Other favourite teachers were Mr Malleson, my O-Level maths teacher in England, and Mrs Shull, my high-school honours English teacher in Texas. They were gifted teachers who respected their students, expected great things from us, and gave us so much.

What are your hobbies? Travelling, reading and scuba diving.

What is your greatest fear? Apart from fears for one’s children and family, the idea that I might not dare greatly enough. Before IMS started in 2002, I saw a sign that asked “What would you do if you weren’t afraid to fail?” It was great to be

International Montessori School Stanley

Address: Phase III, Ma Hang Estate, Stanley (off Stanley Plaza)Tel: 2566 7196Website: www.montessori.edu.hk.

able to answer, “I’m doing it!”

Tell us a secret about yourself.I was expelled from my first nursery school at age three for painting another child’s glasses. I took my teacher literally when she said, “Go paint something.”

42 expat-parent.com

Complete the application on time and correctly. To save headaches later on, fill out the application early and precisely. Give detailed information. Schools are genuinely interested about your child.

Express an interest in the school that shows you understand and support its educational philosophy. Reflect on why a school appeals to you. Being able to articulate your interest and understanding of a school’s ethos is crucial. Be honest about your intentions for your child to be a part of the school community; express a desire to be an active part of the community via parent-based committees, etc.

Include all relevant documentation and ensure all school reports are up-to-date and teacher observation forms have been submitted on time. Supporting documents are requested for a reason. Also, photos should be recent and family photos should be natural and not professionally staged.

ITS Educational Services’ tips for applying to international primary schools.

Do your research. Before applying, narrow down the list of schools you’re interested in. Have the courage to allow your perceptions to change: keeping an open mind can lead you to unexpected places.

Think about your child’s strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes: Is your child shy? Does he/she respond well to pressure? Is your child inquisitive about lots of subjects? What is his/her learning style?

For a moment, disregard individual schools and list the attributes of a school that would be right for your child. With that list in mind, go back to the schools you have been considering and reread their websites, school brochures, particularly the philosophy and mission statements. Talk to friends and other parents. Try to detect significant differences between the schools.

Applying for primary

ITS Educational Services offers numerous services to families who are looking for entrance to international schools. These range from school advice, school assessment preparation, intensive English courses for entry into mainstream schools and consultancy support for entrance to universities. For details, email anne.m@itseducation.asia.

Write a thank-you letter. Send a personal letter or email after each information session or visit to a school to distinguish your application from the others. You may want to send a “first choice letter” to the admissions director of your preferred school. Badgering admissions staff will not secure a place – stay in touch but don’t annoy them or be overly persistent.

Accept interview invitations. Meet the acceptance date and pay the interview fee on time. Acting fast demonstrates your interest. Send a follow-up email to confirm an interview if one is requested – if it’s not, write anyway simply to express your gratitude for the opportunity.

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Hong Kong Football Academy

On the

for producing top-quality footballers with amazing skills. The BFA offers a variety of soccer classes, summer camps and training sessions to introduce children from age five to 14 to the moves, tricks and skills used by top Brazilian players. Sessions are 60-90 minutes long with prices varying according to age group and the number of weekly sessions attended. Venues are Hong Kong-wide. 3488 7724, www.bfa.hk.

Chelsea Soccer School Hong KongHaving set up Santos Soccer Training after his retirement, former Hong Kong football star, Leslie George Santos, travelled to Chelsea FC in England to receive intensive training and coaching education. The resulting Chelsea Soccer School Hong Kong offers weekend football sessions for kids aged five to 17. Membership is $800 a

runs mixed courses across Hong Kong daily during term-time for children of all levels aged five to 13 years. There are squad programmes for talented players and girls-only sessions while the under-fours are recommended to join the Kinder Kicks programme, which offers a fun introduction to the game. Prices vary according to location, age and session but players are required to sign up and pay per term. Classes last one hour to 90 minutes. APSS also runs private football-themed birthday parties and World Cup parties at the venue of your choice as well as football camps during school holidays. 2385 9677, www.apsoccer.hk.

Brazilian Football Academy (BFA)Brazil might not have won the recent World Cup but the country is renowned

Arsenal Soccer School Learn to play the Arsenal way. Hong Kong Arsenal Soccer School gathered coaches with Asian Football Confederation qualifications to offer a similar coaching philosophy and technical skills as the famous English team. Children aged three to 12 can attend various sessions; the school also provides intensive individual and squad training for select players. A tournament is held every season to help players put their skills into practice and keep them learning. Prices range from $90 to $140 per 75-minute session at locations including Central & Western District, Chai Wan, Quarry Bay, Wong Tai Sin and Macau. www.playthearsenalway.com.hk.

Asia-Pacific Soccer Schools (APSS)With more than 20 trained coaches, APSS

Classes for football-crazy kids. By Karen Wong

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Little Kickers

There are regular competitive tournaments and friendly matches

month for four 90-minute sessions (plus full kit) at Lok Fu Blue Pitch and Kowloon Bay Park. Limited spaces available. 2368 5218, www.chelseafchk.com.

ESF Lions Football ClubThe ESF Lions runs after-school football programmes for children aged seven upwards, including girls-only classes. Courses range from beginners to advanced while a Development Programme for the under-10s offers a more intensive learning environment and gives players a chance to participate in tournaments. Squad training for older players is organised by the ESF Lions Academy. U11-12s compete in the Hong Kong Junior Football League; U14s-U16s take part in the Hong Kong FA Henderson Youth League. $200 for a one-hour lesson at various venues across Hong Kong. 2711 1280, www.esf.org.hk.

HK Dragons Football ClubCoaching children aged three to 15, the HK Dragons Football Club endeavours to develop football talent and enthusiasm. Players are assessed in the first few lessons and then placed into groups according to their level and experience. $130-$220 per one-hour session in Discovery Bay, Mui Wo and Tung Chung. 2987 4274, www.dragons.hk.

HK Football Academy (HKFA)Established in 1994, the HKFA runs courses across Hong Kong for kids from three to 18 in English, Cantonese, Mandarin and Japanese. Its curriculum is divided into four ability-based groups, offering tactical and technical training in game-based

coaching sessions. Coaches are all UEFA certified and teams get to compete in the HK Junior Football League and the LCSD Mini Soccer League. It also runs holiday camps and clinics as well as intensive one-to-one training sessions for those who are serious about their soccer. The Happy Feet programme is for little ones aged three to five and teaches them introductory, age-appropriate skills. Fee for regular training sessions depends on the number of classes taken in a week. 2866 7931, www.hkf-academy.com.

HK Football Club Junior SoccerThe HKFC’s Junior Soccer programme helps children to develop their football

potential in a fun and interesting way. It offers programmes for players aged five to 14, plus a Youth Development Pathway for selected players aged 12-18 and and a specific programme for players with special needs. Coaching sessions take place on Saturday morning and there are regular competitive tournaments and friendly matches against other teams at weekends. The registration fee is $2,200-$2,500 for members and $3,000-$3,300 for non-members including refreshments during coaching sessions. 2830 9500, www.hkfcjuniorsoccer.com.

Little KickersLittle Kickers was launched in 2002 to tackle preschool obesity and the Play Not Push mission has already encouraged more than 10,000 children across Hong Kong to participate. Students receive an introduction to football and learn how to play in a stress-free, playgroup environment. Classes, which are lead by FA-qualified trainers, also enable children from 18 months to seven years to develop skills such as agility, co-ordination, balance and confidence. There are weekday and weekend sessions at a range of venues across Hong Kong. $1,200 for six sessions, $2,280 for 12 sessions; free trial classes available. 6772 5870, www.littlekickers.com.hk.

Ball skills

Soccer coach Greg Ewins of HK Dragons Football Club describes the life skills children learn from playing football.

1. Sportsmanship and simple good manners.2. Respect for others. 3. The ability to learn from mistakes and move on. 4. Social skills. 5. Listening skills. 6. How to work hard and earn rewards.

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Tiny Tods

Multi-Sport Striving to to “enrich life through sport”, Multi-Sport puts kids aged three to 12 through their football paces. Its professional coaches are renowned for their motivated and enthusiastic approach, above all making the sessions fun. The programmes incorporate coaching methods from South America, Europe and other leading soccer platforms from around the world, and teach everything from ball control to attacking and defensive skills. Weekly Saturday sessions are held in Stanley. Autumn term costs $1,870 for 11 sessions. 2540 1257, www.multi-sport.com.hk.

Sai Kung SharksFounded in 2000, Sai Kung Sharks train in the centre of Sai Kung four times a week and advocate principles of respect, fair play, fun and sportsmanship. Children aged five to 10 are welcome to attend; tournaments and league matches take place in Hong Kong and Shenzhen every Saturday during term time. Autumn term fees range from $2,880 to $3,060 for 16 90-minute sessions (plus a one-off fee of $250 for new members, for which

they receive a club shirt and shorts). Discounts apply for multiple weekly sessions and siblings. 9730 7125, www.saikungsharksfc.com.

Sport4KidsSport4Kids offers morning and afternoon mini-soccer classes for children from 18 months to seven years. The coaching philosophy is to teach through encouragement and praise in order to enhance each child’s self-esteem. Students learn the importance of coordination, skills

drilling and working as a team player. Although the cost is $150 for a one-hour class, children need to commit and pay in advance for a term of seven sessions. Venues across Hong Kong include Happy Valley Sports Centre, Hong Kong Academy and Glenealy School. If you can’t find a class to suit, get together a group of five kids and create your own. 2773 1650, www.sport4kids.hk.

Tinytots Soccer Carlos Nunes founded Tinytots Soccer to provide Brazilian-style training for preschoolers and children under five. Kids aged five to 12 can learn to play the “beautiful game” with Ole Soccer School, also run by Nunes. Squad training for older kids is provided on request. One-hour lessons at various locations including Stanley Ho Sports Ground, Sandy Bay, Discovery Bay and Mui Wo range from $160-$190, with a one-time five percent discount by “liking” Tinytots Sports’ Facebook page. Tinytots Soccer also run camps during school holidays and private football-themed parties. 3488 7724, www.tinytots.com.hk.

Programmes incorporate coaching methods from South America, Europe...

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I started acting at the age of eight. My parents thought that drama would be good for me because I was rather shy.

I do drama classes with Faust International Youth Theatre at Island school once a week for two-and-a-half hours.

We do many different things in class: acting, games, activities and challenges. We also learn all aspects of theatre; for example, we did Shakespearean insults and scenes from Macbeth, which was challenging but fun.

Acting has changed me a lot. I am far more confident and I’ve made loads of new friends from different schools.

I would advise anyone thinking about going to drama classes to give them a go. Don’t be shy because no one will mock you. Everyone is very supportive.

Faust stages an annual festival every year, which I have performed in for four years. I have been in two big productions, Kensuke’s Kingdom, and most recently, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In the latter, I was fortunate to play Edmund, a large and challenging role, and I was even interviewed on RTHK Radio 3. I miss the casts of both plays.

It is hard to choose my favourite part because I have loved them all. Nick Atkinson [creative development manager and group leader] at Faust says there are no small parts, only small actors – and it is true.

I get stage fright all the time before any production but it goes away as soon as I am on stage.

When I’m performing, I feel absolutely awesome!

I remember my lines by practising them constantly. Immediately before I go on stage, I run through the first few lines I have to say in my head and the rest seem to follow.

I don’t have any acting goals as such. At the moment, I just want to continue acting and I will audition for the next Faust production. Hopefully, I will get a part. Will you see me at the Oscars one day? Who knows!

WHERE TO ACTFaust International Youth Theatre (FIYT)www.faustworld.com.hkFIYT is hosting trial drama workshops for tots to teens on Saturday, September 6 at its Sheung Wan studio. Regular classes begin on Saturday, September 20.

Helen O’Grady Drama Academy www.helenogrady.com.hk

Kid’s Gallerywww.kidsgallery.com

Dramatic Englishwww.dramaticenglish.org

Hong Kong Repertory Theatre (mostly in Cantonese)www.hkrep.com

Hong Kong Players www.hongkongplayers.com

Enter, stage rightBudding thespian Mark Bojan, 12, has got his act together.

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This Mid-Autumn Festival, go starry-eyed for the best mooncakes in town. By Cherrie Yu.

Paul Lafayet What: Melt-in-the-mouth, chocolate-coated macaron mooncakes come with flavoured fillings including mango jasmine, lychee and banana balsamic. Also available are chocolate mooncakes topped with mini macarons, and a yuzu big “moon” macaron. Price: $350 for eight. Where: Any Paul Lafayet outlet; www.paullafayet.com.

Maxim’sWhat: The locals’ pick for traditional mooncakes. Choose from original, crunchy-crusted white lotus-seed paste with a double yolk or innovative flavours such as dried orange peel with red-bean paste. Price: From $208 for four. Where: Maxim’s branches, www.maxims.com.hk.

SiftWhat: Clair de Lune is a moon-shaped cake with layers of fluffy mango mousse, yuzu, mango and pomelo compote, coconut dacquoise and vanilla sablé, glazed with mango and passion fruit and enclosed in a Valrhona white chocolate dome. It’s out of this world. Price: $48 or $158 for three.Where: Pre-order in store or at order@siftdesserts.com, 2870 3887.

Eat. Gaze. Love.

Cheeky mooncakes What: Putting the “moon” into mooncake and a smile on anyone’s face, G.O.D’s naughty little buns come in various bottom-shaped designs including “Hot Pants”, “Full Moon” and “T-Back”, with white lotus-seed paste and egg-yolk filling.Price: $288 for four.Where: G.O.D stores; www.god.com.hk.

Tai PanWhat: Snow-skin mooncakes have a frozen crust of glutinous rice instead of baked pastry. They are filled with egg yolk and mung-bean paste flavoured with hazelnut and vanilla bean, almond crunch and more.Price: From $190 for four. Where: 1/F The Center, 99 Queen’s Road Central and branches, or call 2328 8162.

Häagen-DazsWhat: Chocolate-covered ice-cream mooncakes in various flavours (chocolate, summer berries, mango) and in nine boxed sets from the four-piece Petite Collection to the 18-piece Full Moon Collection.Price: $288-$1,688.Where: 24 D’Aguilar Street, Central and branches; www.haagen-dazs.com.hk.

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Over the moonPicture by Cherrie Yu.

Mooncakes are traditionally eaten by the light of the full moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar, which this year falls on September 8.

Families and friends gather to gaze at the moon (celebrated as the harvest moon worldwide), light lanterns and glowsticks and eat pastries. Traditional mooncakes are filled with white lotus-seed paste and the yolks of salted duck eggs, a stodgy and highly calorific combination usually paired with Chinese tea for better digestion. Modern versions are lighter, often filled with custard or even ice cream.

But mooncakes were once filled with more than food. In the Yuan Dynasty, mooncakes were used as communication tools for a secret military mission to overthrow the Mongols. To coordinate the Han Chinese revolt, peasant leader Zhu Yuanzhang and his adviser Liu Bowen hid secret messages inside the cakes or had them printed onto the pastry in the form of puzzles that could be decoded by cutting the cakes into four equal parts and reassembling them before eating the cakes to destroy the message. The successful uprising, on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, founded the Ming Dynasty with Zhu as its first emperor.

Special thanks to Stanley Cave, Basement, 25 Stanley Market Road, 2677 7007.

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Pizza Express Much-loved chain Pizza Express is renowned for its delicious thin-crust pizzas, dough balls and sumptuous pasta dishes as well as being incredibly kid-friendly. Its set Piccolo menu ($98), specially for little eaters, offers a seven-inch pizza or half portions of pasta in flavours children like (think Margherita pizza and pasta with bolognese sauce), plus a choice of drink, dessert and a Bambinoccino (chocolate cappuccino without the coffee). For older kids and adults, the regular menu offers all the old favourites as well as interesting new options such as the Pollo Forza ($159), a fiery pizza with chicken marinated in smoky paprika, garlic and chilli flakes, chargrilled sweet peppers, roquito peppers and parmesan. There are vegetarian options too, and if your favourite pizza isn’t listed, the kitchen will make it for you if it has the

ingredients. The menu is updated every season and take-away or party packages (from $2,168 for 15 people) are available by request.

Pizza Express also hosts pizza-making parties for children including party invitations, soft drinks, chef’s aprons and hats, balloons and a pizza-making class for $198 a child for up to 25 children aged four to 11. Reservations are essential. For details, call 2123 1083 or email parties@pizzaexpress.com.hk.

Open daily from 11am to 10.30pm at locations across Hong Kong, 2216 9919, www.pizzaexpress.com.hk.

Paisano’s Awarded Best Pizza for four years in a row (and Best Newcomer the year before that) by Sai Kung Magazine, this New York-style

pizzeria is a surefire bet for the whole family. Promising gourmet food at fast-food prices, Paisano’s deliver every time. Its portions are epic, freshly baked and very reasonable. A 12-inch slice costs $25-$45 and will satisfy most kids and many adults.

The menu caters for all tastes from plainer choices such as Cheese pizza (mozzarella and pizza sauce) and the children’s favourite Margherita to the more adventurous Paisano’s Pizza (sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, onions and pizza sauce).

The White pizza (ricotta, fresh cream sauce, mozzarella and parmesan) will suit the tomato averse and the new Chocolate pizza (chocolate sauce with banana, pineapple or marshmallow) will tick the boxes for anyone with a sweet tooth. Prices range from $90-$130 for a 14-inch pizza to $190-$310 for a 24-inch whopper, which

Karen Wong savours the best slices around town.

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Epic portions and a buzzing atmosphere make Paisano’s a family favourite. Right: a Pizza Express party.

will feed eight to 10 people. Paisano’s also has a wide selection of other dishes including calzone, homemade pasta, lasagna, sub sandwiches and salads. All-day sets are available based on the number of people eating with two options including a pizza or two pasta dishes, a salad or sub sandwiches and drinks. Prices start from $190 to $580.

Always buzzing, Paisano’s is a winner for eating in with kids. The ambience is supremely relaxed, mess never seems a problem and nor does noise. Just don’t go in expecting calm and quiet. Take-aways and deliveries are available; parties can be arranged on request for up to 10 people. Open daily from 11am till midnight. 27 Chan Man Street, Sai Kung, 2791 4445, and other locations, www.paisanos.com.hk.

California Pizza KitchenCalifornia Pizza Kitchen claims to have redefined the traditional concept of pizza with innovative toppings and a great pizza crust. It caters for most tastes and dietary requirements and offers a children’s menu, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Kids of all ages are welcome and high chairs are available on request.

Children can choose from a wide selection of pizzas, salads and pasta, as well as desserts and drinks. Hawaiian pizza ($102) is a popular kids’ choice while parents can try the signature thin-crust California veggie pizza for $96. Alternatively, sample one of the original hand-tossed pizzas such as original BBQ chicken ($108), spicy chipotle chicken ($106) and California club ($116). Children can celebrate their birthdays at pizza-making parties arranged by helpful staff at the restaurant. (For details, call 5500 7956.)

Set menus are available for up to seven people including appetisers, salads, pasta and pizza ($198-$518). Open daily from 11am to 12am, Shop A, 1/F, Gala Place, 56 Dundas Street, Mong Kok, 2374 0032, www.cpkgps.com.

208 Duecento OttoChildren are well catered for at 208 Duecento Otto with a play area, kids’ menu and caring service. Famed for its quirky interior design and layout, the whole family can enjoy the relaxing vibe and delicious food in a comfortable environment.

Recommended for children is the Happy Pizza ($78) with a sausage “smile”, mozzarella and tomato sauce. There is also a wide selection of spaghetti dishes as well as desserts, including ice cream and cakes specially for young diners. Healthy smoothies and juices make the perfect accompaniments.

Mums and dads might like to go for the restaurant’s best-selling Salsiccia e Friarielli ($188) made with Italian friarielli broccoli, sausage, mozzarella and chilli.

Besides family feasts, Duecento Otto

is perfect for other events ranging from private parties to wine tasting.

Open daily for dinner, lunch on Monday-Friday, brunch at weekends. 208 Hollywood Road, Central, 2549 0208, www.208.com.hk.

Motorino Pizzeria This celebrated New York City chain landed in Hong Kong last year and has quickly become known for its pizzas, made with the finest ingredients and lightly charred crust baked in a Ferrara wood-fired oven.

Don’t miss its signature freshly baked meatball pizza ($168), with meatball sauce, fior di latte mozzarella and pecorino cheese. If that doesn’t set mouths watering, try one of the restaurant’s other best-sellers such as Margherita or Quattro

The ambience is supremely relaxed, mess never seems a problem

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Formaggi ($138). Children can order from the main menu and high chairs are available on request.

Parents who need some time away from the kids might like the date night special: $388 including a choice of one pizza, a bottle of Gragnano wine and tiramisu.

Motorino is also happy to host private parties for kids and adults, and delivers to addresses throughout the Western district, every day from 6.30am to 10.30pm.

Open daily noon-midnight. 14 Shelley Street, Central, 2801 6881, www.motorinopizza.com.

Red It might not seem the most obvious spot to take children but Red at the top of the IFC ticks all the boxes, even though it have a kids’ menu. For that it can thank its outdoor terrace.

As anyone with fidgety toddlers and energetic offspring knows, can be a godsend. (Because the terrace overlooks Victoria Harbour, little boys into transport will love watching the seafaring traffic.)

Motorino’s wood-fired oven is responsible for its signature charred crust and meatball pizza (far right).

Left: 208 Duocento Otto’s Pizza Salsiccia e Friarielli

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Add to that, a long list of yummy juices and smoothies and scrumptious, thin-crust pizzas ($168) and it’s a no brainer. As well as all the classics (step forward, Margherita pizza), Red has everything from vegetarian to meat pizzas and recently introduced a shrimp pizza for seafood lovers. DJ mixes are piped through the speakers and the ambience is chilled so grab a cocktail for yourself and a mocktail for the kids and enjoy.

11.30am-midnight, Monday-Wednesday, 11.30am-1am, Thursday, 11.30am-3am, Friday-Saturday, 11.30am-10pm, Sunday & public holidays. 4/F, IFC mall, 8 Finance Street, Central Hong Kong. 8129 8882, www.pure-red.com.

Pepperoni’s Established in Sai Kung in 1992 (the first of the Castelo Concepts group that also includes Jaspa’s and Zaks), Pepperoni’s has been filling families with comfort food for years.

There’s a good children’s menu including favourites such as Margherita, Pepperoni and Tropicana pizzas (from $110 for an eight-inch pizza to $160 for a 14-inch pizza). The cheesy Super Hawaiian is one of its most popular pizzas ($120-$165).

If there’s a birthday on the horizon, Pepperoni’s will help kids under 12 celebrate by having their choice of toppings on pizzas and complimentary cold drinks. Up to 40 kids can be accommodated at one party. Contact the restaurant manager for more details.

Got the kids sorted? Now for the grown-ups. Pepperoni’s Special is unbeatable with its crunchy dough and rich ingredients including the finest mozzarella, while the New Orleans pizza fulfils sour

and spicy cravings with its cajun-spiced chicken, spinach, roast potatoes and mushrooms, topped with sour cream and sweet chilli.

Weekday discounts abound: get one pizza for $50 with the purchase of any pasta on Monday; buy one, get one free on specified items on Tuesday; and get any 10-inch medium pizza and pasta for only $155 on Wednesdays. High chairs are also provided on request.

Open daily from 11am to 10.30pm. 1,592 Po Tung Road, Sai Kung, 2791 1738, pepperonis.sk@casteloconcepts.com.

The celebrated New York City chain landed in Hong Kong last year

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morning gloria

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French dressing

Designer Y.C. Chen brings a hint of Parisian chic to Jardine’s Lookout, writes Evie Burrows-Taylor.

Say hello to Gloria. No, it’s not a person, it’s an apartment. It’s the name interior designer Y.C. Chen gave this 1,225 sq ft home in Jardine’s Lookout, which he designed for a professional Hong

Kong couple and their young son (they now also have a baby daughter).

Chen likes to give all his designs women’s names: the first, naturally, was Eve. This passion for branding stems from his previous career in advertising, which he followed for 11 years before returning to his first love, interior design.

Chen is the founder of hoo, an acronym of “home of one” to emphasise the uniqueness of his designs. Yet there is a common thread running through his projects, many of which reveal a Scandinavian influence. Gloria, however, has a distinctly French accent, a nod to the couple’s association with Paris, where they got engaged and later spent their honeymoon.

“It’s one of the most complete designs we’ve worked on,” Chen says. “Everything came together – both the interior design and the styling.”

The owners’ love of French style allowed the hoo team to bring a little bit of France to Hong Kong Island, but without feeling cartoonish. A sign in French, a clock that could have come from the local café

Left: a vintage clock, chandelier and fireplace add European elegance to the dining room. Above: a Murano-style mirror and Louis Ghost chair in the hall.

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Clockwise from top: the kitchen, breakfast bar, and calm contemporary bedroom.

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Homes need to look human

du coin, some white ceramic brick tiles... et voila, a hint of Parisian chic.

“The style might have been too much if we hadn’t gone for light walls and pared it down with some of the fresher decorations. It’s difficult to have heavy furniture in a small space, so we mixed it up.”

From the Murano-style mirror creating light by the entrance to the elegant parquet flooring, everything in this home has been expertly selected. The Danish chandelier, for example, was sourced by hoo’s vintage dealer.

“If I can, I like to work around key pieces,” he says. “Chandeliers often look too showy, especially in a small apartment, but this piece is delicate and understated enough to fit in with an otherwise very simple dining room.”

The hoo team draw inspiration from a wide range of sources, including fashion (the company strapline is “The haute couture of interior design”).

“It’s in fashion that you see some of the most interesting use of material, shapes and textures, and I like to bring that into my interiors,” Chen says.

In Jardine’s Lookout, this translated into a beautiful dark brown leather sofa, similar in colour to the floor, in an otherwise delicately accented living room. Sometimes these key pieces come from clients, but much of the furniture in this apartment was designed by the Chen’s team and reflects his love of minimalism in its clean edges, high-end materials and expensive finish.

“[This project] allowed us to do some real designing rather than just styling,” he says. “Minimalism has to be about more than a home looking cold, as if no one lives there. Homes need to look human.”

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Base table lamp$5,940, from OVO Studio. 2529 6020, www.ovostudio.com.hkLouis Ghost armchair

By Philippe Starck, $1,590, from Stockroom, 20/F, 444 Des Voeux Road West, Sheung Wan, 2817 0999, www.stockroom.com.hk.

Swiss Cottage Retro Metro tiles $1,137/sqm from Fired Earth, 24/F

Dominion Centre, 43-59 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, 2861 3864.

Maddox Mirror in gold$9,990, from Indigo Living. 2552 3500, www.indigo-living.com

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HelloAvast, me hearties! Cherrie Yu sets

sail from Aberdeen.

sailor

anchors aweigh

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off, the only noise is the wind in the sails. From this angle, Ocean Park’s

rollercoasters look like toytown trains and Hong Kong Island looks strangely rugged. We dodge the parade of container ships steaming down the Lamma Channel and cruise past the lovely beaches of the Southside, beyond Stanley Fort and out to Po Toi Island.

On the six-hour trips, Mann drops anchor here and his guests disembark to feast on seafood at the island’s famous Cantonese restaurant, but we continue round the island and head back to Stanley.

Much as we love junk trips, there’s more than one way to get out on the water. Hello Hong Kong runs sailing trips aboard the Local Hero, a 47ft cruising sloop that can carry up to 12 people in style. Comfortably fitted with two double cabins, two bathrooms and showers, the boat is available to hire for three or six hours, or overnight on two-day trips to Tai Long Wan, where it moors off Hong Kong’s most beautiful beaches.

We tried the three-hour trip from Aberdeen. Accompanied by experienced US skipper Ryan Mann and chirpy tour guide Laura Blackhall, we board the teak-decked sailing boat in Aberdeen Harbour. After motoring through the luxury yachts in the harbour, the sails are raised and we head east, tacking past Ocean Park, Deep Water and Repulse bays to Stanley (some tours return to Aberdeen).

What to seeAs the sloop glides out of Aberdeen, little islands pop into view, scattered across the sparkling South China Sea. With the motor

On windy days, the adventurous can dangle over the side

Things to doWe’re encouraged to get involved in the mechanics of sailing the boat, hauling on ropes to tauten the jib and taking turns at the helm. On windy days, the adventurous can dangle over the side to help balance the boat as it keels over – the leeside sometimes touches the water – and cool their feet in the occasional splashes.

If that doesn’t appeal, there’s plenty of space on deck for lounging. Near the wheel, the cockpit is lined with comfortable cushions and holders for the plentiful drinks (included in the price). Or find your sea-legs and venture up to the bow, where you can lie on the deck and gaze out to sea, or flip onto your back and watch the jib whipping inches above your nose as the skipper tacks and jibes against the wind.

The three-hour sailing trip from Aberdeen to Stanley costs $8,500 for up to 12 people, the six-hour trip is $14,000 and the two-day overnight tour is $20,000. For details, visit www.hellohongkong.com.hk.

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Whalewatching in Maui From December to May, so many humpback whales congregate in the waters off Maui to breed that locals claim you can almost walk across their backs to the neighbouring island of Lanai. They’re only exaggerating a little: in season, boats crossing the shallow Auau channel often have to swerve around pods of breaching giants and their calves.

While the whales are seasonal visitors, turtles and acrobatic spinner dolphins entertain tourists year-round. With its spectacular wildlife, beautiful scenery, world-class resorts and child-friendly culture, Maui has the wow factor in spades.

Beachfront accommodation ranges from B&Bs to five-star resorts. The Four Seasons Maui and the Grand Wailea, Waldorf Astoria Resort are among the big names boasting top-quality facilities and unrivalled pool complexes.

Baby Beach in Lahaina (the whalewatching centre) is a popular, kid-friendly spot for first-time snorkellers and novice surfers learning to catch a wave with companies such as Maui Wave Riders.

Take a break from the beach with a day trip to the renowned Maui Ocean Center aquarium, an interactive attraction with outdoor touch pools and an underwater tunnel through a tank filled with sharks, rays and other colourful sealife. Alternatively. embark on the Atlantis Adventure submarine for a 100ft plunge to a sunken ship and artificial reef.

After sunset, get a taste of Hawaiian culture at the Old Lahaina Luau. Aloha.

Go green

Eco-friendly holidays of a lifetime. By Kristen Tadrous.

Clockwise from left: SUP at Baby Beach, Maui; the Grand Wailea; a humpback whale breaches.

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Join a family cruise to Komodo, through tropical islands and waters thronging with life, aboard the Tiger Blue teak schooner.

travel

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Spend the days swimming among the manta rays, kayaking, wakeboarding

New Zealand Adventure Inventors of bungy jumping, zorbing and the jet boat, no one does “adventure” quite like the Kiwis. New Zealand is a fun destination for active families, with plenty of opportunity to get off the beaten track in a land virtually free of venomous animals and crime.

Arriving in Auckland, visit the cosmopolitan waterfront of the country’s largest city before venturing into the Bay of Islands to go sea kayaking or snorkelling over stunning coral reefs. In Waitomo, take a boat ride on an underground river through limestone caves lit by thousands of twinkling glow worms. Hold your nose at Rotorua’s steaming mud pools then journey to Tongariro National Park and New Zealand’s largest lake, the water-filled crater of an ancient volcano. And in the capital city of Wellington, enjoy the beautiful harbour and lovely museums.

On the South Island, head to sunny Nelson to spend two days enjoying some of the world’s best sea kayaking. Just a mile or so off Kaikoura, converging ocean currents create perfect conditions for giant squid and their main predator, the

sperm whale, which you can spot from a boat, helicopter or small plane. End your journey in Christchurch, a cosmopolitan city surrounded by mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

A customisable 12-day Auckland to Christchurch tour is available through Responsible Travel from $15,332 a person. For details, visit www.responsibletravel.com.

Island hopping in Indonesia Here be dragons! But don’t let that put you off a one-week family cruise to the Unesco World Heritage-listed Komodo island and its neighbours Rinja and Sumba. Sail and stay aboard a teak schooner and choose how you spend the days: swimming among the manta rays in Manta Alley, kayaking, wakeboarding, snorkelling or diving in waters teeming with

life, or trekking around Rinja in search of the Komodo dragon, perhaps.

After a six-day cruise, unwind on the white sands of Nihiwatu, the ultimate chill-out destination on the island of Sumba. Those in need of some “me time” can indulge in a massage, yoga class or simply laze on the beach with a book and a cocktail. The more active can go diving, surfing, stand-up paddle-boarding or mountain biking on this lovely island that is twice the size of Bali. Or visit a Sumbanese village, a land of bamboo houses where inhabitants maintain an ancient way of life.

Jacada Travel is offering an eight-day trip combining the Luxury Komodo Island Cruise aboard the Tiger Blue plus Sumba Escape, with accommodation, meals and excursions from $37,286 a person. For details, visit www.jacadatravel.com.

The geysers of Rotorua are just one of many New Zealand hotspots for active families.

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PlayBy Stuart Brown with Christopher VaughanStuart Brown is a physician and psychiatrist who has comprehensively studied the effects of play on people and animals. A must-read for parents, this book makes a compelling case for play, arguing it is as essential to life as oxygen. Anecdotes detail play habits across the world, from polar bears to CEOs, showing how play is beneficial to all, regardless of age – or even species. From $136 at www.paddyfield.com.

Wreck This Journal EverywhereBy Keri SmithCreative types will love the newest addition to the bestselling interactive journal series that encourages readers to draw on, smear, print, stick and rip its pages. This edition gets “wreckers” out of the house and into the great outdoors. Travel through city streets and country lanes and “destroy” the journal as you record the adventure. $122 at Dymocks, IFC Mall, Finance Street, Central.

Extra TimeBy Morris GleitzmanIn the new book by the bestselling Australian author, 13-year-old Aussie soccer player Matt is offered a chance to try out at one of Europe’s most prestigious football clubs. The story is told through the eyes of his younger sister and manager, Birdie, who tags along with Matt as he helps top footballers rediscover their passion for the game. Reading it will make anyone want to kick a ball. $119 at Dymocks, IFC Mall, Central.

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Enjoy Hiking HDExplore Hong Kong’s wild places with this app from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. It showcases various hiking trails divided by category from family walks to long trails and by region. Select a route that matches your interests, physical fitness and experience and unleash your inner Bear Grylls. Download for free on Apple and Android devices.

TroverAn app for adventure seekers, Trover lets you visually explore the world just around the corner or halfway across the globe. Discover new places on the go, and join the Trover community to share tips and ideas with fellow explorers. Follow them to see where they’ve been. A quick scroll through the app will inspire the most dedicated couch potato to indulge their wanderlust. Download for free on Apple and Android devices.

Runtastic MeGet fit with Runtastic Me, which tracks your activity and records your daily movements, personal habits and fitness potential. Use the information to make changes and live more healthily. The app tracks step counts, minutes of activity, calories burned and marks your progress towards goals you set. Download for free on Apple and Android devices, and integrate it with other Runtastic apps. For details, visit www.runtastic.com/en/apps.

If you have a book or app you’d like us to review, please email editorial@fastmedia.com.hk.

To advertise, emailmarketing@fastmedia.com.hk or call 2776 2772.

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2014 UU Sun Mandarin Commonweal Speech Contest2014優優陽光普通話公益演講比賽

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business directory. To advertise, email marketing@fastmedia.com.hk or call 2776 2772.

Children’s Toys and Supplies

Bumps to Babes2552 5000 (Ap Lei Chau Main Store)2522 7112 (Pedder Building Branch)www.bumpstobabes.com

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Woodland Pre-Schools www.woodlandschools.com

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Capstone2893 6060 | 28936067info@capstoneprep.comwww.capstoneprep.com

ITS Education Asia2116 3916 | es@itseducation.asiawww.itseducationasia.com

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Concordia International School852 2789 9890www.cihs.edu.hkoffice@concordiaintl.edu.hk

Jumpstart Mandarin Learning Centre2791 4838jumpstart@netvigator.comwww.jumpstartmlc.com

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m.i.l.k. (mansang interactive learning kingdom)28569801 | admin@imilk.cowww.imilk.co

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Trinity International Language 2114 2812 enquiry@trinitylanguage.comwww.trinitylanguage.com

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ESF Sports852 2711 1280www.esf.org.hksports@esf.org.hk

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Hong Kong Elite Spirit Taekwondo Club+852 6070 9847 | info@hkestkd.orgwww.hkestkd.org

Rolly Pollies Hong KongA | Rm 1517, 15th Floor Leighton Center | 77 Leighton Rd | Causeway Bay | Hong Kong SART | 852 35685292www.RollyPollies.com.hk

food and beverage

South Stream SeafoodsUnits 202-204,Lai Sun Yuen Long Centre, 27 Wang Yip St East, Yuen Long, N.T. Hong Kong

2555 6200 | fish@south-stream-seafoods.comwww.south-stream-seafoods.com

Pacific Gourmet Ltd2137 9985butcher@pacificgourmet.com.hkwww.pacificgourmet.com.hk

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sports & fitness

Escapade Onlinewww.escapade.com.hk

Everfine Membership Services Limited2174 7880 | enquiry@evergolf.com.hkwww.evergolf.com.hk

Sport4Kids2773 1650 | info@sport4kids.hkwww.sport4kids.hk

home and interiors

Patio Mart2555 8988 | patio@kh-group.comwww.patiomart.com.hk

International Schools

Australian International School Hong Kong3A Norfolk Road Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong2304 6078 | info@aishk.edu.hkwww.aishk.edu.hk/

English Schools Foundationwww.esf.edu.hk/

Norwegian International School2658 0341 | office@nis.edu.hkwww.nis.edu.hk

Overseas Education

Caloundra City Private School+61 07 5437 5800 | admin@ccps.qld.edu.auwww.ccps.qld.edu.au

Tertiary Education

HKU Space hkuspace.hku.hkenquiry@hkuspace.hku.hk

RDI Ltd2992 0133info@rdihongkong.comwww.rdi.co.uk

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A Mother's Touchwww.amotherstouch.com.hk

Hong Kong Laser Eye CentreCentral 2526 3333 & TST 2628 1111admin@hklasereye.comwww.hklasereye.com

Stanley Wellness Centre2372 9700 | info@stanleywellnesscentre.comwww.stanleywellnesscentre.com

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HARVEY LAW GROUP2116 1333contact@harveylawcorporation.com

Onsite Computer and Internet Services Company23976418 | enquiry@microtechhk.com

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HAHA Helper Network9029 2653 | admin@hahaasia.com

Monex Boom Securities (H.K.) Ltd2255 8888 | service@boomhq.comwww.boom.com

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travelux limited2201 0733, 2201 0788emilie@travelux.hk, jackie@travelux.hkwww.travelux.hk

CAR MECHANICSAdrian Sing: 6030 0484Golden Sun: 2792 2808HP Cars: 2558 0222Sai Kung Motors: 2792 2998Sun On Motor Services: 2792 4280

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GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTSGovernment Call Centre: 1823 Health Department: 2961 8989Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department: 2311 3731SPCA Emergency Hotline: 2711 1000

HONG KONG OBSERVATORYWebsite: www.hko.gov.hk General enquiries: 2926 8200 Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Enquiries: 1828 200

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ClassifiedClearwater Bay Equestrian CentreColour BrownCool Doggies GroomingFirenzeHill ViewJaspa’sLeisure Book ShopLet’s JamOlde Hong Kong Tea CaféPaisano’sPark n Shop (Fusion)Pepperoni’sPets CentralPiccolo’sPole ParadiseQueen’s Castle Organic Day SpaSai Kung Animal HospitalSai Kung EnglishSai Kung Reflexology CentreSense of Touch• Sai Kung• Tseung Kwan OStarbucksSteamersTala’sTaste – Tseung Kwan OThe BottleshopThe CourtyardThe Dutch The GivernyThe HiveThe Sandwich ClubThe Village RestaurantWood + Kitchen鬆Zone @ Sai Kung Reflexology Center

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Death: it’s a subject I’ve given a lot of thought to over the summer. While the children frolicked without a care in the Adriatic sunshine, I skulked in the shade at the back of the beach moodily contemplating my mortality.

Maybe it’s because I was guilt-racked for flying my family by Aeroflot over Ukrainian airspace to save a few

miserly dollars on our fares to Europe. Maybe it’s because I drove past so many Balkan roadside memorials to young men who were wonderful husbands and devoted fathers but crap at taking corners.

Whatever the reason, I’ve returned to Hong Kong ready to do the dance macabre with the Grim Reaper – and one consolation is I don’t have to waste time writing my epitaph. It’s already been done for me and it goes like this: shame on you, Simon Parry.

Google my name and you’ll find it. It may follow me to my grave and I’m secretly rather pleased. It’s already become something of a family catchphrase, chanted in unison by my wife and children if I forget to buy the Honey Nut Cheerios or leave a bad smell in the bathroom.

Where did it come from? It was the headline for a rant by an angry Hong Kong blogger who took violent exception to a piece I wrote for the South China Morning Post back in 2010 about how parents were campaigning against an ESF primary school trip to Shenzhen. The parents were worried about hygiene and safety and wanted their children to go on an Outward Bound course in Hong Kong as pupils had in previous years. The school eventually caved in and cancelled the trip.

My offence, according to the incensed blogger, was firstly that the issue was “incredibly parochial” (ie, the kind of issue that should presumably be left to local papers like the SCMP) and secondly that I failed to declare I had children at this particular school.

True enough. I did have children in this and other ESF schools at the time. However, none of my children were involved with the Shenzhen trip, and I was not one of the protesting parents – either of which would constitute an interest worthy of declaring. I was, therefore, wholly indifferent to whether or not the little brats were sent to China or Timbuktu, for that matter, but considered it newsworthy that the trip could provoke such anxiety when ESF was trying to extend its grasp to the lucrative mainland market.

Nevertheless, the blogger, unencumbered by any need to check

Formerly the owner of dreams and a full head of hair, Simon Parry is a jaded, middle-aged journalist and father of four. He lives in Sai Kung with his wife, his children and his sense of profound disappointment.

Shame on meSimon Parry declares his interests.

I have written about the quality of Hong Kong’s air even though I have been seen breathing it in public

facts, concluded that “Simon Parry, and/or his confreres” (meaning colleagues or co-workers, apparently) were using the newspaper as a “conduit for their personal campaigning”. His blog has drawn some amusing responses from readers including one, using a pseudonym of course, who quipped that he was shocked to hear that “a journalist can send his rats to ESF” and asked: “Why are they allowed to breed?”

Fortunately, born into the double misfortune of having journalists for both father and mother, my children are used to being embarrassed daily by their parents. They also throw funnier and more spontaneous insults at each other over the dinner table. (Note to

“Foamier”: must try harder.)Meanwhile the anonymous

blogger – an educated sort who quotes C.S. Lewis, name-checks Noam Chomsky and holds forth on everything from Sino-US relations to the scandalous failure of his local HSBC branch to stock Thai baht – should know he missed a trick.

Had he investigated with journalistic vigour, he could have exposed how I have written about Cathay Pacific even though I am a Marco Polo Club member, about Hong Kong politics even though I am a registered voter, and about Sai Kung even though I live nearby. I

confess that I have also written about the quality of Hong Kong’s air even though I have been seen breathing it in public.

I know: more shame on me. But give me a break. If I didn’t write copiously about parochial and yet curiously newsworthy issues in which I have a clear and undeclared interest, how on earth could we afford the school fees for those pesky, loveable little rodents?

of fatherhoodthe bald truth

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