Southside Magazine February 2013

SOUTHSIDEISLAND SOUTH

WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK | 3

FEBURARY 2013

“HAppinEss oFtEn snEAks in tHRoUgH A dooR YoU didn't know YoU lEFt opEn” — JoHn BARRYmoRE

The really useful magazine

tHE plAnnER

4 Happening in FebruaryWelcome the Year of the Snake.

HEAltH & BEAUtY

30 Power armsHow to get arms like Michelle Obama’s. (And a body like Sonny Bill Williams’.)

nEws

8 What’s going on?CY Leung’s plans to redevelop Pok Fu Lam.

tRAVEl

34 Romantic weekends in MacauPool villas and more.

loCAl

12 One gift, TwoPresentsA Southside charitable business finds its legs.

gARdEning

38 Winter colourJane Ram brightens up dull days.

intERioRs

22 Warm feet...And other reasons to install underfloor heating.

ClAssiFiEds

44 Loads of random useful local stuff

winE

18 Great Hungarian wines(Yes, really.)

mARkEtplACE

40 Your guide to shops and servicesCool stuff to buy and do.

EdUCAtion

26 Ni hao?Where to learn Mandarin.

mY soUtHsidE

50 Bradley WhiteFrom Aberdeen to Yuen Long on delivery.

lEttERs

6 Have your sayA note from Paul Zimmerman. And a thank you.

HikEs

32 Up CountryPete Spurrier takes the high road to Lead Mine Pass.

intERViEw

10 Robert LuxtonA life of flight (and design).

pEts

36 Licking a problemControlling compulsive cats.

FEAtURE

14 Next stop: SouthsideThe latest on the MTR’s new South Island Line.

pEoplE

39 Oh snap!Life on the Southside.

motoRing

24 Supercar clubCarspotting with the millionaire petrolheads.

UltimAtE gUidE

46 All you need to knowNumbers that make life easier.

EAting

20 Tables for twoWhere to eat on Valentine’s Day.

BiRd At mY window

43 The cinereous titDavid Diskin on Hong Kong birds.

FAmilY

28 Red packet etiquetteLai see do’s and dont’s.

4 | WWW.SOUTHSIDE.HK

FeB 11LUNAR NeW YeAR FiReWORkS

Start the Year of the Snake with a bang, with the annual harbour fireworks display. Starts 8pm.

planner

FeB 17CONFUCiUS CARNivAL 2013Causeway Bay hosts a cultural carnival, including stage performances, booths, interactive games, lion dancing, Chinese orchestra, opera and choir performances. From 2pm in pedestrian zones in Paterson and Great George streets, East Point and Lockhart roads.

FeB 18-24HONG kONG SALSA FeSTivALSashay down to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for a week of salsa dance workshops, competitions, performances and parties. For details, visit www.hksalsafestival.com.

FeB 9-24LUNAR LUCkY FieSTA Ocean Park celebrates Lunar New Year with Taiwanese folk drums, Hong Kong's tallest spinning lantern and lots of lai see. Details at www.oceanpark.com.hk.

FeB 12CHiNeSe NeW YeAR RACe DAYHorse racing plus lion dancing, cultural performances and a bazaar. Sha Tin Racecourse. Gates open at 11am.

FeB 14vALeNTiNe’S DAYCupid strikes again.

UNTiL FeB 14HeLLO iT'S Me, GOODBYe: ANDY WARHOL'S CiNeMAFor the first time in Southeast Asia, the Osage Gallery in Kwun Tong is screening a selection of Andy Warhol's films to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his death. For details, visit www.osagegallery.com.

FeB 1-9kiDSFeSTChildren’s favourites Mr Benn and The Gruffalo live on stage. Tickets from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

FeB 4-9LUNAR NeW YeAR FLOWeR MARkeTParks and playgrounds across Hong Kong bloom with festive orange trees and other flowers. For the biggest display, head to Victoria Park, Causeway Bay, from noon daily.

FeB 10LUNAR NeW YeAR NiGHT PARADeTsim Sha Tsui turns into a big street party with brightly coloured floats and performers. Festivities start at 6pm on the harbourfront.

JAN 31-FeB 3MiCHAeL MORPURGO’S keNSUke’S kiNGDOMJoin Faust International Youth Theatre for a fantastical ocean voyage to an island of orang-utans. HK Jockey Club Amphitheatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $220-$270 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.


happening in february

Got an event? We can publish the details for free. Email [email protected]

BOOk NOW

MAR 5ADAM LAMBeRT LiveThe American Idol runner-up returns to Hong Kong with his second album, Trespassing. Star Hall, KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $590-$790 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

FeB 21-MAR 22HONG kONG ARTS FeSTivALThe city’s premier performing-arts event attracts world-class opera, theatre, music and dance. For details and highlights, visit www.hk.artsfestival.org.

FeB 22-24ASiA HOTeL ART FAiRExhibition of more than 3,000 contemporary Asian artworks at the Mandarin Oriental, Connaught Road Central. For details, visit hotelartfair.kr.

FeB 23COLD HALF SWiMThis inaugural 15km swimming race from Stanley Main Beach to Middle Island is the winter version of the annual Clean Half Swim. To take part in the solo or two-person race, au naturel or wetsuited and booted, register by February 16 by emailing [email protected].

FeB 23-24CYBeRPORT WeekeND MARkeTThe monthly gathering of stalls, games, movies and more. 11am-7pm, The Podium, Cyberport 2, Pok Fu Lam, www.cyberport.hk.

FeB 24 CDNiS JAzzThe Canadian International School Jazz Band, Steve Stiller, the China Coast Jazzmen and the HKIS MS Jazz Band Two perform big band jazz. Free entry. 7pm (6:30pm shuttle bus from Admiralty), 36 Nam Long Shan Road, Aberdeen, www.cdnis.edu.hk.

FeB 24HONG kONG MARATHONEntries are long closed but get up early to cheer on the thousands of able-bodied and wheelchair racers from Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui (near The Mira) to Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. From 6am. For details, visit www.hkmarathon.com.

FeB 25-MAR 3HONG kONG ReSTAURANT WeekRestaurants in Stanley, Aberdeen and The Peak join more than 50 eateries across Hong Kong for an annual event that enables the public to try top restaurants at cut-rate prices. For details, visit www.restaurantweek.hk.

MAR 22RUSSeLL PeTeRS LiveThe Canadian comedian will have them rolling in the aisles at the AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau. Tickets $488-$1,088 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

FeB 28HONG kONG MASTeRSElite show jumping featuring the world’s top 25 riders and a programme of horse clinics, photo shoots and meet-and-greet opportunities. AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau. Tickets $150-$450 from www.cityline.com, 2111 5333.

Dou

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Please email your letters to [email protected]. We may edit for length.

letters have your say

Thank you Southside!Thank you so much for featuring the upcoming opening of Stanley Wellness Centre in January's edition of Southside Magazine. We have received positive feedback and enthusiasm regarding the opening of the clinic from Southside residents. Thank you again for supporting our new business venture.Jeanette Blanks

Minibus routes to terminate? AMS Public Transport Holdings Ltd has announced it will return the operating rights of the Pok Fu Lam and Tin Wan minibus routes 10, 10X, 11 and 31 to the government. (Route 10 connects Cyberport and Causeway Bay; 10X connects Scenic Villas and Central; and routes 11 and 31 connect Tin Wan and Causeway Bay.) We understand the termination date is July 2013.

We worked closely with AMS and residents to develop revised schemes for operating these routes. The Transport Department has been unable to give good reasons for their delay in approvals.

My office will seek assurances from the Transport Department that quality public transport services will be available.Paul zimmermanSouthern District Councillor


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Stanley’s new marketStarting March 5, Saffron Bakery will host the Stanley Sampler, a pop-up monthly market of small, independent retailers and businesses. “Originating in Sai Kung, Sampler Markets are a group of small businesses who want to help the community,” says organiser Claire Brownless of Not Only Olives. The markets will be held on the first Tuesday of every month, 4pm-8pm, G/F Stanley Plaza, Stanley. Pop along.

Hong Kong International School has put a temporary halt on a $1 billion redevelopment project at its Repulse Bay campus following parents’ concerns about pollution at a temporary school site in Hung Hom. The project is on hold until the school can relocate its lower primary students. This means the extra 200 primary school places HKIS had planned to make available in the next few years will not now be released.

HkiS to stay put

Restrictions on property development in Pok Fu Lam may be lifted if a suggestion made by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying is adopted.

Speaking in his January 17 policy address, Leung proposed lifting 40-year-old restrictions in Pok Fu Lam and Mid-Levels to increase Hong Kong’s land and housing supply.

“We're actively considering relaxing or lifting a moratorium currently in force to restrict the sale of new land or modification to leases in Pok Fu Lam and Mid-Levels, so as to lift development

news

restrictions in these two areas," Leung said. The moratorium was set in the 1970s as

a temporary measure to control development until traffic infrastructure was improved. It enabled the government to reject applications for planning changes or new development that might worsen congestion.

Reacting to the news, lobbyist Albert Lai Kwong-tak of The Professional Commons told the SCMP, "Adding ever taller buildings on the hills will degrade the environment and pose a bigger

landslide risk. I don't see how releasing land in this luxury neighbourhood would help address the more urgent housing problem of the grass roots."

Southern District Councillor Paul Zimmerman said congestion remains a problem.

“[Aberdeen Tunnel] is closed intermittently every day due to traffic congestion, the routes through Kennedy Town and Sai Ying Pun… are overloaded and unsuited for any further increase in traffic. [And the government] has yet to prove it can provide practical solutions to the increase in traffic congestion which blocks traffic from the Southern District from entering the business districts along the northern shores of Hong Kong Island,” he said in a statement.

“The lifting of the Pok Fu Lam Moratorium is fair for private landowners and acceptable to the public as long as the new draft Outline Zoning Plan for Pok Fu Lam reflects the limitation of transport and traffic between the Southern District and the north shore of Hong Kong Island.”

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Entry Deadline: March 15


buying the kits and training myself. Ultimately, I decided to make it a proper business. We’re currently doing 360-degree aerial photography for schools and other properties. So people have an aerial virtual tour where they simply float in the air like a bird.

We have two drones, a four-engine and an eight-engine model. They are battery powered, so they’re not going to explode in the sky. No petrol. And if one of the engines fails, they’ll still fly. During testing we lost two propellers, and it still flew. It was difficult, but it landed.

I am fascinated by flight. It’s a way of extending beyond yourself. For the remote-controlled stuff, you’re not sitting in the cockpit, but you still get a sense that you’re out there a bit further than your own body. And while many people know what being a passenger is like, sitting at the controls is a different feeling. It’s exciting.

i love a challenge. If there’s a problem to be solved, I’ll jump on it. Particularly if someone says that it cannot be done. You know, challenge accepted! Generally, if I can think of it, I pretty much know it can be done.

Southside Magazine is published by Fast Me-dia Ltd. This magazine is published on the understanding that the publishers, advertis-ers, contributors and their employees are not responsible for the results of any actions, errors and omissions taken on the basis of informa-tion 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. Southside cannot be held respon-sible for any errors or inaccuracies provided by advertisers or contributors. The views herein are not necessarily shared by the staff or pubishers. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

w w w . f a s t m e d i a . c o m . h k

editorialJane Steer

[email protected] Whitaker

[email protected] Wong

[email protected]

Art DirectorSammy Ko

[email protected]

Graphic DesignerCarly Tonna

[email protected]

Sales ManagerNobel Cho

[email protected]

Sales executiveJackie Wilson

[email protected]

Traffic CoordinatorCecile Chui

[email protected]

Accounts ManagerClara Chan

[email protected]

PublisherTom Hilditch

[email protected]

Contributors Carolynne DearCynthia SmillieLouis DoctroveDavid Diskin

Hannah GroganJoshua Kindler

Jane RamKevin YeungPete Spurrier

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interview

The aerobots designer tells William Whitaker how a love of flight informs his art.

i started in university doing product design, coming up with new inventions and new ideas. I moved to Hong Kong when my brother phoned me up said, “Come over to Hong Kong, get your ID card.” And that was it. I thought I’d stay for six months, and the next minute it’s 16 years.

i really like things that move, mechanical installations, anything that has a motor, that catches your eye. One Lunar New Year we made seven-metre, helium-filled, remote-controlled goldfish and sailed them in the Langham Place atrium. It was like a giant tank. One day our pilots forgot to put the counterweights on, and they rocketed to the ceiling. Had to hire riggers to come in. At one point, we had a giant fishing rod to try to catch one.

i expanded into aerobots two years ago. [An aerobot is a mini aircraft driven by propellers that carries a camera for low-altitude aerial photography.] At the beginning, I couldn’t think how it would make money. I was inspired by it and so I started researching,

Robert Luxton


eye in the sky

Luxton (above) and an image of Repulse Bay taken by aerobot (below)

i love trying to make people smile, laugh, be intrigued, or want to explore something with my work. I like telling stories. The Library of Curiosity at Clockenflap was an idea that had been floating around for a while. We had one installation where you go up to a mirror and press a button, the mirror disappears, and behind it was a large set of mirrors. Then a pea would drop down, and you would see a whole series of reflections. We called it the Infinity Pea.

it was nice observing how people interact with all these odd things. It was a family event, and a lot of times kids can teach parents. They look at things with fresh eyes, and they don’t always need to have a reason for things. Sometimes it just is. For kids, it was one of their favourites.

Curiosity drives my inspiration. I find humour in almost everything, and joy in ridiculously simple things. Just watching what’s going on around me. I see a massive mountain and think, “that’s big”. Everyone knows it’s big, but suddenly you look at it with fresh

eyes and think that it’s pretty amazing. Lots of people do it, but it’s nice to step back, recognize where you are, and reflect in the moment.

if i had a philosophy of design, it would be humour. Something that makes me laugh or smile. There are really sleek designs, beautiful furniture and nice cars – I can appreciate that but that’s not what drives me. It’s about simple ideas that make you smile. Because if it makes me smile, then I’m enjoying creating it. And therefore I’m enjoying my work, and the time I’m putting into it.

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve received is “always times it by three”. If you think it’s going to take you an hour, it’s going to take you three. That advice has got me out of lots of problems. Whatever it is, never underestimate it. Another was from one of my dad’s construction workers when I was a kid. He was cutting a piece of wood and said, “let the saw do the work”. Don’t force things. Let the tool do what it’s supposed to do.

Why I choose to live in Southside? Tells us in our Readers’ Choice Awards for the chance to win prizes worth $100,000. Vote now on www.southside.hk.


Three people, TwoPresents, one ideaTwoPresents combines party fun with charitable giving. its Southside co-founders explain how it works.

In business, as in design, sometimes less is more. That’s the philosophy behind TwoPresents, a party-planning website that encourages guests to split their gifts, contributing to a local charity as well as to a present for their host. It was co-founded by Southside residents Karola Horvath Szovati, Mike Walshe and Mia Ejandal.

“TwoPresents is a way of sharing a party with a local charity,” Walshe explains. “You use the TwoPresents website to email invitations, and when guests RSVP they are given the opportunity to contribute money instead of bringing a present. All the money contributed is pooled and split, with one part donated to the charity of choice, and rest presented as a cheque for the host.”

The online process is quick and painless: hosts choose a charity from a list, set the donation percentage, choose an e-card invitation and add their guests’ email addresses.

“It’s a one-stop shop,” Mia says. And it’s environmentally friendly to boot, as it generates no paper invitations or waste gift packaging.

The idea came to Szovati a few years ago. “I was thrown into this cycle of gift-giving and receiving,” she says. “But we live in small apartments without much space. I really appreciate the sentiment and respect the traditions, but it became too much.”

Worse, she says, she wasn’t sure her son appreciated the thoughtful gifts he received.

“Hong Kong is quite a materialistic city, and money is in your face all the time. So for children to have these lavish birthdays, getting showered with gifts, it doesn’t help you as a parent if you want to keep them grounded.”

This desire to give their kids a sense of awareness and responsibility was of integral importance to the company’s founders. And they are not the only ones. Paige Sinclair, whose son Oliver recently turned six, used TwoPresents to organize his birthday party.

“As a parent, I think it’s really important to stay level-headed,” she says. “Of course you want to give your kid everything they deserve, and more, and you don’t want to deny them the big parties and other wonderful childhood memories. But if you can take those memories

and give back at the same time, it’s just great.” As it was his birthday, Sinclair wanted

her son to be instrumental in choosing the charity his event benefited. She said that while explaining the purpose of the various charities was not easy, he was enthusiastic about donating to Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR).

“It was not an issue at all for him not to be receiving loads of gifts,” she says. “We have such an amazing life here, our children have access to so many luxuries. And I think it’s important to teach them to give back.”

TwoPresents currently offers donations to eight charities, including Hong Kong Shark Foundation, Clean Air Network, PathFinders and HandsOn Hong Kong as well as HKDR.

“We selected based on greatest need, but also to cover different issues: the elderly, children, education, animals, the environment,” Ejandal says.

All the charities are local, Walshe adds: “We haven’t gone for worldwide foundations because there’s no guarantee that the money will go to the Hong Kong community.”

And as the idea gains traction in Hong Kong, TwoPresents is looking to expand internationally.

“In the next three to six months,” Walshe says, “I would love to see another region or two added to our site.”

For details, visit www.twopresents.com.

local

Paige Sinclair and son, Oliver, who used the website.

TwoPresents founders (from left) Mike Walshe, karola Horvath Szovati and Mia ejandal.

An MTR line would be great. It's too slow to travel by bus. The MTR is faster. And fast is good. – Mr. Po

With the MTR’s South island Line due to open in 2015, William Whitaker and Josh kindler ask what the Southside can expect.

It will be good once done. It'll help raise the price of real estate. But I wonder if Aberdeen will retain its charm. It'll be a shame to lose that. – Amy Laushard

Many things define the Southside: beaches, pets, priceless sunsets... traffic jams. Watching the sky turning stunning shades of tropical coral is distinctly less glorious while doing 2km/h through Wong Chuk Hang.

Which is why construction is underway at four MTR stations on Southside, offering residents an alternative to congested Aberdeen Tunnel, congested Pok Fu Lam Road or congested Wong Nai Chung Gap for their city commutes. By the end of 2015, the South Island Line (East) will open stations at Admiralty, Ocean Park, Wong Chuk Hang, Lei Tung (on Ap Lei Chau) and South Horizons.

feature

Next stop: island South

The South Island Line (East) will be a medium-capacity railway, operating three-car trains; by comparison, trains on the Island and East Rail lines have eight cars. Fares and

schedules will be in accordance with MTR standards, which means the trains will run every three minutes during peak hours. The trip from South Horizons to Admiralty will take approximately 10 minutes.

MTR plans for the South Island Line were first proposed in May 2002 and altered at least six times before June 2010. The most significant change was the decision to drop the South Island Line (West) – a large loop through Pok Fu Lam connecting South Horizons with the West Island Line at Kennedy Town – that was to include stations at Aberdeen, Wah Fu and Cyberport. The West Island Line is due to open

MTR plans for the South Island Line were first

proposed in May 2002 and altered at least six times

before June 2010.P

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I don't know much about the new MTR at all, but it's so sad that it won't come to Cyberport. It would be a lot easier to have an MTR out here to help get to where we live. – Rachel Solera

south island line

in 2014. For the time being, MTR officials say South Island Line (West) is “not a committed project”. However, they also point out that the Wong Chuk Hang Station is “designed to be expandable to include an additional platform for interchange [between the two lines]”.

The new MTR line is necessary for two reasons, according to Southern District Councillor Fergus Fung: to alleviate traffic and to stimulate economic growth, notably the development of tourism.

According to the Transport Department, about 92,600 vehicles a day pass through Aberdeen Tunnel, or 62 per cent of all vehicles that travel from Southside into the urban areas. What’s more, the number of cars using the tunnel is increasing by four per cent a year.

“Traffic congestion from the Aberdeen Tunnel seriously affects access to and from the Southern District during peak hours,” states an MTR report submitted to the Southern District Council on January 15. “Travelling by road-based transport between South Horizons and Admiralty takes 25 to 45 minutes during rush hours.”

The opening of the MTR line is likely to change all that. By 2016, the Transport Department is expecting nearly 50 per cent of all public transport journeys in Hong Kong to be on the MTR. Which is good news for Southside commuters, who will have a choice of taking the MTR or a less congested Aberdeen Tunnel, Fung says.

A transport network will link the MTR to the Southside’s major residential areas, says Denis Leung, assistant to Southern District Councillor Paul Zimmerman.

“Residents from other parts of Southern District [will be able to] take feeder services to Wong Chuk Hang for the South Island Line (East),” Leung says. “Aberdeen Tunnel currently suffers from intermittent closures at least 10 times day. To have an alternative reliable transport mode which takes people everywhere in Hong Kong would benefit residents and visitors extensively.”

L'hotel island South.

Having an MTR would have been amazingly convenient for Cyberport. It's too bad. – Benson Chan



feature

Southside's best-kept secret? Tells us in our Readers’ Choice Awards for the chance to win prizes worth $100,000. Vote now on www.southside.hk.

people an hour. Development ahead of the MTR opening began in Wong Chuk Hang in 2005. So far, this has included the high-profile openings of the 37-storey, 432-room L’hotel Island South, and the 29-storey One Island South office block, built by Wheelock Properties.

Wheelock’s plans for the area originally included a “mega-hotel” with 1,462 guest rooms,

which would have been among the largest in Hong Kong. Instead, anticipating competition from the Ocean Park expansion, the company has embarked on a $2 billion project to build 500 new apartments. Likewise, the MTR has revealed plans to build 4,700 apartments in four buildings above Wong Chuk Hung station, timed to coincide with the opening of the South Island Line in 2015.

All told, increased business activities in the area as a result of the new line will create an estimated 20,000 new jobs, according to the MTR Corporation. And this number does not include the 2,500 job opportunities created during its construction, or the 2,100 operational positions that it estimates will be available after completion.

With so many people travelling to the area, all local businesses can have a chance to benefit, Leung says. “Visitors to Ocean Park may decide to take the MTR to Ap Lei Chau for seafood, for instance. However, more work is required on how to attract visitors to spend more time and money in the Southern District.”

Additional reporting by Hannah Grogan.

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And there are likely to be a lot more visitors. Ocean Park has embarked on a seven-year, $5.5 billion expansion that will include the construction of three new hotels in the area. Fisherman’s Wharf Hotel, Summit Hotel and Spa, and the Ocean Hotel will have a combined total of 1,125 guest rooms. The number of attractions in the park will increase from 35 to more than 70, starting with last year’s opening of the Polar Adventure and the Ocean Express high-speed train, which travels between the Waterfront and Summit in four minutes and can transport 5,000


wineCsilla Maroti Fisher (pictured), who

grew up on her family’s vineyards in Hungary, believes the time has come for the country’s wines to stand up and be counted. So she set up Veritas Wines to import its best wines to Hong Kong.

“Hungary lies along the same latitude and has the same climate as central France, but many people do not know that it makes high-quality wine,” she says. “You get the greatest, nuanced wines in some of the humblest places in Hungary.”

She imports six wine labels, each representing one of the country’s wine regions. And she ensures its quality by shipping it in climate-controlled containers.

“Hungary, Georgia – we all have wonderful wines and wonderful history, and one thing I love is walking people

through it,” she says of Veritas Wine’s fortnightly wine-tasting events.

And the name? “Veritas Wine comes from the Latin saying in vino veritas, ‘in wine there is truth’,” Fisher says. “Because it is so true that Hungarian wines are amazing.”

For more details, visit www.veritas-wine.com.

Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Josef sent Queen Victoria an annual birthday present of Tokaji Aszú wine, one bottle for every month she had lived. On her 81st birthday in 1900, this totalled 972 bottles.

Northeast Hungary's Tokaj wine region is home to the world's first vineyard classification system, preceding the Bordeaux classification by a century. In the 18th century, Tokaj vineyards were classified into first, second and third class, depending on the soil, sun exposure, and the potential to develop Botrytis cinerea.

Fast facts

Hungarian wines could be one of the best-kept secrets of the old world. During the Soviet era, Hungary produced wine solely for the Eastern Bloc, with a focus on quantity not quality. But since 1990, the Hungarian government has invested heavily in its age-old wine industry. And for the past 20 years, Hungarian wines have been in resurgence.

etyeki kúria Pinot Noir 2010 $238 Veritas Wine’s award-winning “flagship” label is the country’s finest pinot noir, made from a grape that is relatively new to Hungary. It reflects the Old World-style with more body than its New World cousins, intense forest fruit aromas on the nose, and juicy fruitiness and an elegant velvety texture on the palate.

Recommended wineThe truth about Hungarian wines.in vino veritas

The best wine shop or wine delivery service? Tells us in our Readers’ Choice Awards for the chance to win prizes worth $100,000. Vote now on www.southside.hk.


Food of loveLooking for a table for two on valentine’s Day? Josh kindler knows just the place.

Top DeckCelebrate with your sweetheart in style at one of Southside’s favourite venues atop the famous Jumbo Kingdom floating restaurant. Up on the roof, in softly lit surroundings with stunning views across Aberdeen Harbour, Top Deck is romance writ large. For Valentine’s Day, it is offering a four-course set dinner ($1,314 a couple) including kumamo oysters, foie gras torchon with brioche, grilled dry-aged ribeye with horseradish cream and fingerling potatoes or pan-seared blue-eye cod with smoked fondant potatoes and black garlic paste. End on a sweet note with pavlova and praline ice cream, strawberry mousse, apple cider, dark chocolate and yoghurt. Top Floor, Jumbo Kingdom, Shum Wan Pier Drive, Wong Chuk Hang, 2552 3331.

Black Sheep Get away from the Valentine’s hype with an intimate dinner a deux at Shek O’s quirky little international restaurant. Cosy, cheerful and colourful, with its sarong tablecloths, thatched ceiling and busy fishtank, this is a place to make you smile, relax and engage. Date-night perfection for people of a laidback persuasion. Check the blackboard for romantic specials – whatever you order is bound to be mighty fine. And after dinner, you’re in the perfect location for wandering hand-in-hand on the sand. Valentine’s bliss. 452 Shek O Village, 2809 2021.

Aqualuna Set sail for an utterly romantic evening cruise on possibly the last handcrafted sailing Chinese junk in Hong Kong. Valentine’s

Day brings the Aqualuna’s “Romance on Victoria Harbour” package ($550 per couple), a 45-minute cruise past the twinkling city lights, with a glass of Prosecco and a white chocolate and lychee dessert. It could be chilly out on deck – the perfect excuse to cuddle up. For details and reservations, call 2116 8821.

Armani/Aqua Is this the most stylish restaurant in the city? With its fashion-meets-food ambience and ultra-cool decor – not to mention that glorious terrace – it’s certainly up there. Expect a thoroughly glamorous experience on Valentine’s Day, starting with a complimentary Rossini cocktail of Champagne and strawberry puree. The special menu ($888/person) includes sashimi, ravioli of blue lobster with scallop cream and black truffle, and pan-fried turbot with cuttlefish, Jerusalem artichoke and caviar. It’s sure to be chic. 2/F Landmark Chater, 8 Connaught Road Central, 3583 2828.

From top: Love is in the air at Top Deck; take a romantic cruise on Aqualuna; splash out on a diver-delivered

message at Neptunes, Ocean Park.

Neptunes Restaurant Ocean Park may not seem an obvious choice for Valentines, until you consider its track record: last year, more than 40 guests proposed at the park – their sweethearts all said yes – and 36 couples tied the knot there. Besides, Valentine’s Day at Southside’s favourite theme park is bound to be fun. Upscale seafood restaurant Neptunes is offering a special menu ($1,338 for two) including a Kir Royal cocktail, dill-cured salmon on toast with prosciutto and asparagus, mango and mint sherbert, oven-baked sea bass with champagne sauce, and chocolate mousse with raspberry coulis and bamboo charcoal cookies etched with your personal message. You can even arrange to have a diver display a message of love in the Grand Aquarium or have Whiskers personally deliver a bouquet. For reservations and special requests (three days’ notice required), call 3923 2161 / 2162.

Best restaurant? Tells us in our Readers’ Choice Awards for the chance to win prizes worth $100,000. Vote now on www.southside.hk.

eating


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1 Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place beef in a small baking dish, and spread with two tablespoons softened butter.

2 Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until browned. Remove from pan, and allow to cool completely. Reserve pan juices.

3 Melt two tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and mushrooms in butter for five minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

4 Mix together pâté and two tablespoons softened butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread pâté over beef. Top with onion and mushroom mixture.

5 Roll out the puff pastry dough, and place beef in the centre. Fold up, and seal all the edges,

making sure the seams are not too thick.

6 Place the beef in a 9 inch x 13 inch baking dish, cut a few slits in the top of the dough, and brush with egg yolk.

7 Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until pastry is rich, golden brown. Keep warm.

8 Place reserved juices in a small saucepan over high heat. Stir in beef stock and red wine, and boil for 10-15 minutes, until slightly reduced. Strain, and serve with the beef Wellington.

Note: Beef Wellington should always be pink in the middle. Don’t overcook!

While Valentine’s Day may warm the hearts of lovers, February typically brings Hong Kong’s coldest days. Time for hearty soups, filling stews and delicious roasts from South-Stream-Seafoods.com. Beef Wellington makes an impressive dinner presentation for guests, family or that special someone on Valentine’s Day. Adjust the recipe accordingly.

Beef WellingtonBy South Stream Seafoods

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(Makes 8 servings)1.5 kg beef tenderloin from south-stream-seafoods.com

6 tbsp butter, softened 1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 3oz liver pâté

3 tbsp butter, softened salt and pepper to taste

1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 egg yolk, beaten 400ml beef broth 3 tbsp red wine

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Home comforts

“Ours is a lifestyle element; we work to make the home extremely comfortable,” says Ilkka Hyttinen, a pilot and director of Hong Kong-based company Eco Living, which provides European-standard heating and ventilation systems for homes.

Its flagship product is Ensto underfloor heating, an “invisible” system that involves laying 3mm-4mm cables under a concrete or wooden floor. Once installed, it is maintenance-free and safe for homes with small children and pets. Thermostats prevent the floor becoming too hot and control the air temperature.

Popular in northern Europe, underfloor heating keeps the home toasty in winter, and can be left on in warmer months to help reduce

interiors

of expensive, energy-guzzling air conditioning. And he recommends investing in a decent

ventilation system that helps purify the air of unwanted pollutants and further reduces humidity.

“It brings the pollutants down to an industry-approved level, in particular the carbon dioxide levels. Over summer, it can remove up to 60,000 litres of water from the air and take it away from the house.”

Hyttinen is such a firm believer in Eco Living’s systems that he is currently in the process of installing them in his own home. For details, visit www.ecoliving.hk.

humidity, making it an excellent tool in the fight against mould, particularly in damp areas such as bathrooms. It’s also economical to run.

“We're trying to teach people that it doesn't cost that much to buy good products that you can leave on and let do the work for you,” Hyttinen says.

In conjunction with the underfloor heating,

Hyttinen recommends homeowners install insulation

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Hong Kong is home to the world’s highest concentration of sports cars and supercars per capita. The city’s collection of exotics comfortably humbles London’s and even Beverly Hills’. Garaged during the week, these gems are taken out and exercised by their lucky owners at weekends.

kevin Yeung joins the millionaire petrolheads on a Sunday morning drive.

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Best car to drive? Tells us in our Readers’ Choice Awards for the chance to win prizes worth $100,000. Vote now on www.southside.hk.


Kevin Yeung is a Southside resident and entrepreneur. He is a founder of Feeding Hong Kong and a motoring enthusiast.

motoring

There are two favourite destinations for these supercar Sunday drivers: Shek O at the southern tip of Hong Kong island and Luk Keng in the northeast New Territories. Enthusiasts drive to these locations along some of Hong Kong's most scenic roads then gather and mingle over simple breakfasts. Everyone is an enthusiast and happy to share their interest in cars. The atmosphere is always friendly and inviting.

These weekend gatherings of supercars have also become popular with photographers. One of Hong Kong’s most respected action photographers, Daryl Chapman, is a regular. He has been capturing stunning photographs of exotic cars over the years.

1. Pagani zonda Absolute This Pagani Zonda Absolute is a one-off special edition made especially for Macau Grand Prix racer and avid car collector Eddie Yau. On a humdrum carspotting day, we checked Facebook and saw a photograph of it at Luk Keng had just been uploaded. We jumped in a car and drove to West Kowloon just in time to photograph it heading through the Western Cross Harbour Tunnel.

2. Gumpert Apollo In 2009, a street-legal Gumpert Apollo set a lap record of 7:11:57 at the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany, wiping 11 seconds off the time set by the previous record holder.

Carspottingenthusiast Daryl Chapman offers a field guide to Hong Kong’s rarest motors.

You can count on one hand the number of Gumpert Apollos in Hong Kong, even fewer are licensed – most are collected like stamps and kept in a garage somewhere. So spotting this one was a great surprise.

3. Ferrari F40The F40 has been voted the best supercar of all time (even Top Gear’s Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson agree on this). It is not a limited-edition car – 1,315 were built from 1987 to 1992 – but many are locked up in private collections or museums, making it very rare on the road. So seeing this one at Luk Keng in April 2011 was a golden moment.

1. 2. 3.


Mandarin – how hard can it be? Josh Kindler finds out.

For non-Chinese speakers, learning Mandarin can seem a daunting task, with its notoriously tricky tones and upwards of 100,000 characters to memorize. But, people, it’s not brain surgery (or rocket science, for that matter) and more than a billion speakers worldwide prove it can be done. And that you’ll have plenty of chances to use your newfound skill.

Which is not to say it’s easy. Mandarin is notably different to Indo-European languages, in particular, although many learners may welcome the lack of verb conjugation in Chinese.

“The grammar is different, too,” says teacher Flora Wan of the Hong Kong PRES Language Centre. “For example, in Chinese language questions and statements have the same sentence order, whereas in English they don't.”

Pronunciation requires different mouth configurations to those most Westerners are used to, she says. But it’s those tones that cause the most difficulties. Modern Mandarin has four, which can be difficult to nail down for non-tonal language speakers. Beginners can expect to spend five to six hours a week on tones and pronunciation.

“It takes quite a long time,” Wan says, “about a whole year to learn conversational skills and longer sentences.”

Wan suggests beginners start with pinyin – romanized characters – and to start as young as possible.

“Younger students definitely learn faster,” she says. “They pick

it up quicker and have a better memory. But there are no real limitations for learning at any age.”

Mit Programs Offers Mandarin classes for children in English on Mondays and in Mandarin only on Fridays. Sun Ying Industrial Centre, 9 Tin Wan Close, Aberdeen, 2573 6623, mitprograms.hk.

victoria international Nursery & kindergartenOffers bilingual (English and Mandarin) and trilingual (English, Cantonese and Mandarin) preschool programmes. South Horizons, Ap Lei Chau, 2580 8633, www.victoria.edu.hk.

Sunshine HouseOffers bilingual (English and Mandarin) and Mandarin-immersion preschool programmes. Pok Fu Lam Gardens, 2551 3213, www.sunshinehouse.com.hk.

essential Chinese Language Centre Runs private and group Mandarin lessons for children and adults. 8/F, 12-13 Jubilee Street, Central, 2544 6979, eclc.com.hk.

City Fun Chinese Julie offers private Mandarin lessons for adults and children of all ages at the location of the student’s choice. [email protected], 9873 7236, sites.google.com/site/cityfunchinese.

Best place to take children? Tells us in our Readers’ Choice Awards for the chance to win prizes worth $100,000. Vote now on www.southside.hk.

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iTS School Placements offers fast facts on non-eSF international primary schools.

Which primary school?

For parents still mulling over what primary school is the best fit for their child for 2013-14, there are alternatives to the English Schools Foundation system. Here is a brief overview of some of Hong Kong’s other international primary schools.

American international School Curriculum: Designed to meet US educational standards, the programme balances knowledge in all subject areas with the development of learning skills. 125 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, www.ais.edu.hk.

Anfield British SchoolCurriculum: British National Curriculum following Key Stage 1. The curriculum is broad, diverse and subject based, focusing on the core subjects of English, mathematics, science and ICT. World Wide Gardens, Tai Wai, Sha Tin, www.anfield.com.hk.

Delia School of CanadaCurriculum: Ontario Curriculum. This diversified programme focuses on four core academic areas – English, mathematics,

science and technology, and social studies – plus health and physical education, the arts, and international languages. Tai Fung Avenue, Taikoo Shing, www.delia.edu.hk.

island Christian AcademyCurriculum: International Primary Curriculum. A cross-curricular, thematic, and rigorous teaching structure, designed to engage children of all abilities. 70 Bridges Street, Sheung Wan, www.generations.edu.hk.

Japanese international School Curriculum: IB Primary Years Programme. Children participate in six Units of Inquiry examining the themes “Who we are”, “Where we are in place and time”, “How we express ourselves”, “How the world works”, “How we organize ourselves” and “Sharing the planet”. These themes promote the trandisciplinary study of science, philosophy, social studies, geography, history, mathematics and language. 4663 Tai Po Road, Tai Po, www.es.jis.edu.hk.

kingston international School Curriculum: IB Primary Years Programme.

Follows the IB PYP while fostering a strong bilingual environment. Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, www.kingston.edu.hk.

The Harbour School Curriculum: The Harbour School (THS) has adopted a flexible, best-practice curriculum that incorporates different educational approaches from Britain and the US. 23 Belcher’s Street, Kennedy Town, www.theharbourschool.edu.hk.

ITS School Placements provides an education consulting service that

works with families and employers to find the right schools for individual children in Hong Kong, from nursery to secondary schools. ITS also offers research, policy and advisory services for corporations. For more details, contact [email protected] or 3188 3940.


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health & beauty

How many women over 40 are happy to show off their upper arms? Well, Michelle Obama, 49, Stella McCartney, 41, and Gwyneth Paltrow, 40. But most women are faced with a choice: do you confront the cursed bingo wings or forever wear loose-sleeved tops? With the power arm set to be de rigueur in 2013, it’s time to tackle those wobbly bits.

Good news, ladies: You don’t need to spend hours in the gym. All you need is a stool, space to spread your arms and these simple gyrotonic exercises.

Arch, curl and spiralSit on a stool with your legs spread in a comfortable V shape, toes and knees aligned in the same direction.

Push your heels to the ground to create a space under the arches of your feet and curl your toes upwards. Arch your back and, with palms facing out, straighten your arms and spiral them in a circle upwards. Stretch your elbows as far from the body as you can.

As your arms rotate upwards, you should feel your pelvis narrow and a pull on your lower abdominals. Inhale as your arms expand outwards and upwards.

Trainer Nonie Yung reveals how to get power arms without going to the gym.

A call to arms

Once your fingertips arrive at the vertex, exhale, and slowly point your hands towards the sides of your ribs as if reaching for inner pockets. Touch the sides of your ribs and slide your hands towards the pelvis.

Sideway archThis set of exercises helps you wind down. With your arms by the sides of your body, straighten the fingers and point the tips upwards. Draw a circle upwards by stretching the elbows in the direction of your fingers. Inhale as the arms rise, feeling the chest open as the arms go out, and the lower abdominal muscles pull.

Rotate your shoulder joints so that the palms meet at the vertex. Then, like eagles, let your arms relax downwards returning to the sides of your body.

Do eight sets before moving on to the next exercise. Repeat for three cycles.

Nonie Yung is a certified gyrotonic and gyrokinesis master trainer. Nonie Studio, 1601 Tung Sun Commercial Centre, 194-200 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, 2333 2027.

Best pamper spot? Tells us in our Readers’ Choice Awards for the chance to win prizes worth $100,000. Vote now on www.southside.hk.

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the right tone

The days of rugby players being considered bulky, overweight and lazy are long gone. Every player on the pitch, from winger to forward, is built like a tank, lightning quick and extremely agile. At 1.91m and 106kg, Sonny Bill Williams, a centre for the New Zealand national squad, is a perfect example of a player who possesses all these attributes.

Elite rugby league players can perform a 40-metre sprint test in just over five seconds. They also possess good speed off the mark and acceleration power. They have aerobic capacities that are moderate to high allowing them to sustain a high work rate for a full 80-minute match.

To train like a rugby player, here are a few examples of exercises you can perform in the gym, that focus mainly on explosive strength and plyometrics. The aim is to increase strength, power and muscle mass.

Basic exercises could involve dead-lifts, barbell cleans, olympic lifts and weighted squats. As the aim is to increase power and

Louis Doctrove ([email protected]) is a NASM-certified personal trainer with a Sports and Exercise Science BSc. He specialises in strength training, weight loss and TRX suspension training.

Getting a rugby player’s physique is not easy, Campese. Louis Doctrove tackles the discipline.

Touch, pause, engage!

strength, you should be looking to perform two to three sets for each exercise, consisting of six to eight reps. This means you will be lifting slightly heavier weights than normal, so I would recommend training with a partner to prevent injuries. Leg strength plays a vital role in a rugby player’s performance, so try to include at least five different exercises targeting the legs in your workout. These could include box jumps, front lunges with weights and Bulgarian squats.

All this training won’t mean anything if you don't back it up with proper nutrition. To gain muscle mass you should consume about 1.5 grams of protein per kilo of body weight per day. Increase your meal count to five to six small meals a day, with protein featuring each time. Protein shakes will help you achieve this on the go.

With the rugby sevens coming up on March 22-24, this is the perfect chance to get the physique you have always wanted. Train three to four times a week – and stick with it!

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hikes

rises steadily over roots, earth and boulders on its way up to Lead Mine Pass.

Lead was indeed once mined on the slopes of Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong’s highest peak, but the miners stopped work over a hundred years ago owing to the poor quality of the metal ore. However, this valley is also rich in kaolin, used for the production of pottery, and so a porcelain industry sprang up in the villages below. There are still some ruined kilns in the undergrowth, and the Fan Sin Temple in Wun Yiu village, which the minibus passes, is the only one in Hong Kong dedicated to the patron saint of potters.

At the pass, many paths converge. The MacLehose Trail crosses from left to right, on its

Pete Spurrier follows the Wilson Trail through the Lead Mine Pass.

Take the high road

Warm your bones on a cold winter’s day by tackling the Wilson Trail. Some sections of the long-distance route climb into Hong Kong’s highest altitudes, right in the middle of the New Territories. It’s a long hike with several steep uphill sections, so it’s recommended only for walkers with lots of stamina. You’ll need four to five hours’ walking time, so set off early.

Take the MTR to Tai Po Market station, and catch the 23K green minibus beneath the Tolo Highway and up a steep, narrow valley into the hills, flanked on both sides by new village houses trying to outdo each other in baroque gates and balcony railings. At the end of the line, near San Uk Ka village, get off and carry on walking up the quiet road.

At a map board and pavilion, turn left and keep climbing. Tai Po can be seen far below. Soon, the Wilson Trail departs from the road by means of steps that strike off to the right. (This higher point in the valley can also be reached by minibus 23S from Tai Po – not a frequent service – or green taxi.) From here, the path

Sections of the long-distance route climb

into Hong Kong’s highest altitudes.


get your boots on

Pete Spurrier is the author of The Leisurely Hiker's Guide to Hong Kong and The Serious Hiker's Guide to Hong Kong (FormAsia).

way from the Tai Po Kau forest reserve to the summit of Tai Mo Shan. Our route lies directly ahead, down an easy, sun-dappled paved track that drops towards the Shing Mun reservoir.

This part of the country park has some of Hong Kong’s most mature woodland. The Shing Mun Arboretum, on the left, is an area of native tree species planted in the early 1970s. You are likely to see (or hear) macaques swinging through the trees on your way downhill.

At the fork in the paved road, turn left. It’s signposted towards the main dam. Beyond the picnic area just around the corner, you can make a detour onto a wonderful grassy meadow at the head of the reservoir. Bordered by attractive paper-bark trees, the grass is kept short by feral cattle and in times of heavy rainfall, the waters rise and the trees are partly submerged.

The trail leads around the edge of the reservoir eventually reaching the main dam, built in the 1930s to supply water to fast-growing Kowloon. Here it meets the MacLehose Trail again. Turn right and follow the waterworks road around the banks of the reservoir, passing barbecue sites, to the stop for green minibus 82, below the face of a smaller dam. The bus descends into the noisy market streets of Tsuen Wan, and a short walk across footbridges to the MTR.

Scenes from the Wilson Trail, the "other" great New Territories route. Right: Shing Mun Reservoir.


Galaxy HotelThe Galaxy Hotel lies at the heart of the giant playground that is the mighty Galaxy resort complex. Its 1,500 rooms and suites offer contemporary luxury, with tasteful furnishings, Egyptian cotton sheets, LCD TVs and all the other details you might expect from a five-star hotel. But what really sets the Galaxy apart is the fun factor: this is the place to come to be entertained. Watch a world-class stage performance, listen to live jazz, ride the surf in the wave pool, pilot an inflatable jet ski or catch the latest movie from a private balcony box. It’s enough to give anyone an appetite. There are more than 30 food outlets across the resort, from authentic Korean barbecue at Myung Ga to Portuguese-Macanese classics at Gosto. For Valentine’s Day, try Italian fine dining at Terrazza or catch the chefs in action at Yamazato’s kaiseki performance grill. For details, visit www.galaxymacau.com.

Plan a romantic getaway to Asia’s own slice of european charm. Hannah Grogan and Megan Corbett visit Macau.

travel

Banyan Tree MacauPart of the new, $1.9 billion Galaxy Macau resort complex, the Banyan Tree Macau looks mysteriously Oriental. Outside, it’s all golden domes and soaring angles. Inside, the 246 contemporary, marble-floored suites each comes with its own indoor relaxation pool – heated to suitably steamy temperatures. Had enough of playing in the pool? Submerge in the Japanese-style wooden bathtub, complete with complimentary incense and candles for the full romantic ambience. Some suites even have their own private spa-treatment salon for two – try the couple’s “rainmist” treatment, a Banyan Tree innovation that involves a dousing by a tropical cascade on your treatment bed.

But for the ultimate luxury, check into one of its 10 pool villas – 450 square metres of sheer indulgence, each with its own indoor and outdoor pools, garden, sunbathing deck and “resort host” to cater to your every whim. It’s a hedonistic haven worth leaving only to slurp down oysters in Belon restaurant, set your tastebuds singing in Saffron Thai restaurant, or cruise past the canopied day beds and private cabanas around the main pool before slipping back into the incense-scented cocoon of your own private idyll. For details and reservations, visit www.banyantree.com.

A pool villas at Banyan Tree Macau.

We Macau


Forte, Leal Senado and the facade of St Paul’s, and a bungee jump away from the adrenalin-packed attractions at Macau Tower. For details and reservations, visit www.rockshotel.com.mo.

Wynn HotelThe Wynn Hotel, Macau is the first resort in the city to win the prestigious Forbes Five Star hospitality award (which it has achieved for four consecutive years). It is all about sumptuous living, from the pillow-topped beds to the floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the city skyline. Keep an eye out for the famous fire-breathing fountain at the Perfomance Lake, which never fails to awe, and quirky attractions such as the moon jellyfish aquarium. Dip into the cosseting

travel

Rocks HotelFor a more traditional romantic getaway, try the old-world charm of the Rocks Hotel. This five-storey boutique hotel has just 72 rooms, each boasting Victorian architecture and romantic interiors: gilt mirrors, mahogany beds, roll-top desks and pretty floral wallpaper. Our favourite feature is the lacy wrought-iron balconies off every room, which beg to be enjoyed with a bottle of bubbly. Take in views of Macau and the sea from the comfort of the rooftop bar and Sky Lounge, or graze the fine Australian produce on the buffet tables at Vic's Cafe. Located 10 minutes from the Macau-Hong Kong ferry terminal, it’s close to the Macau Fisherman’s Wharf and historic city landmarks such as Monte

whirlpool and dry out in a private cabana. Or, for the ultimate relaxation, head to the Wynn Hotel Spa. This oasis of rejuvenation has a menu of more than 30 therapies to relieve every last knotted muscle and soothe away all those urban tensions. Dining options are suitably luxurious, with two hotel restaurants winning two Michelin stars: northern Chinese restaurant Golden Flower, and Cantonese restaurant Wing Lei, with its amazing flying crystal dragon. Treat yourselves. For details, visit www.wynnmacau.com.

Rocks Hotel.

Wynn Hotel.


pets

Dr Cynthia Smillie tackles compulsive disorders in cats.

Repeat repeat

When I first saw Pogo he was a very sorry-looking cat. He was covered from head to toe in a rather damp body suit that had been made by his distressed owners in an attempt to prevent his compulsive licking behaviour. Underneath the suit Pogo’s skin was red and scabby and he had lost most of the hair from his abdomen and flanks.

Animals suffer from a variety of compulsive disorders and while Pogo's case was extreme, it is not uncommon. In cats compulsive behaviour is generally associated with repetitious or exaggerated grooming, which leads to self mutilation. However, it may also involve light spot- or shadow-chasing, wool sucking or a condition called pica in which the cat ingests a variety of materials including fabrics, plastic, cardboard or rubber, with the risk of intestinal obstruction.

Stress and anxiety are significant factors in overgrooming and so it is important to improve the cat's living environment, particularly as many of the cats I see with the condition are confined indoors. Best pet to keep? Tells us in our Readers’ Choice Awards for the

chance to win prizes worth $100,000. Vote now on www.southside.hk.


hello kitty

that repetitive behaviours such as licking provide relief from stress. It then becomes a substitute for other normal behaviours and even when the environment has been improved, the cat may continue to behave compulsively.

Treatment includes increasing the cat’s range of activities through environmental enrichment so it has less time for the behaviour as well as removing stressors, which may include other cats. However, progress is seldom achieved without anti-anxiety medication and relapses are common. It is also important not

to punish a cat or attempt to soothe it when it is engaged in overgrooming as this will cause distress or simply reinforce the behaviour.

Pogo still has some way to go, but most of his hair has grown back and he is a much happier cat. His overgrooming has been considerably reduced and there has been a noticeable increase in normal activity. His owner is delighted because instead of hiding away Pogo is now spending time with the family again and playing with the dog. It is not just people who want to hide on a bad-hair day.

Dr. Cynthia Smillie BVM&S PG DIp CABC MRCVS is a veterinary behaviourist and deals solely with behaviour problems in companion animals. For appointments please call 9618 2475 or visit www.petbehaviourhk.com.

Indoor cats have no chance to engage in normal cat behaviour and so may increase the time spent on activities such as grooming as a substitute for frustrated hunting and exploratory behaviour. Another cause may be the social stress of competition and conflict between cats living in the same household. Oriental breeds such as Siamese and Burmese show a higher incidence of compulsive disorders as do cats that were hand reared as kittens.

Before diagnosing overgrooming and self-mutilation as compulsive disorders it is important to exclude medical causes such as allergies, parasites, localised or referred pain and diseases such as feline idiopathic cystitis or feline hyperaesthesia. Even if the condition is a true compulsive disorder your vet may need to treat the skin with antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs.

Early intervention is important in any compulsive disorder because the behaviour becomes reinforced over time as the cat learns

Stress and anxiety are significant factors in

overgrooming and so it is important to improve the cat's living environment.


gardening all things bright and beautiful

Latin for GardenersThis year’s best Christmas present was undoubtedly a copy of the new Royal Horticultural Society book, Latin for Gardeners. In addition to an A-Z listing, author Lorraine Harrison explores many other areas including plant profiles, plant hunters and plant themes such as origin, terrain, colour, fragrance and taste. It’s not exactly a picture book, but it has enough botanical paintings and drawings to successfully leaven the text. As

Jane Ram is a professional writer with a passion for plants. She has been gardening in Hong Kong for more than 30 years and is still learning. For queries, and details of events, please email [email protected].

the author says in her introduction, once you understand the wealth of information conveyed by the Latin name, it makes everything easier to remember.

Winter colourPyrostegia ignea (or firecracker vine to you and me!): Winter colour does not get much brighter than the firecracker vine that blazes away this season. I am happy to “borrow” the bright orange flowering shoots that intrude into my garden from a huge nearby plant, but year-round this is not one of my favourite creepers. In relation to its relatively brief flowering span – about six weeks – it requires too much space and attention. It’s a rank grower and needs to be kept in check by heavy pruning. Try your luck with hard-wood cuttings taken after the flowers end. Or layer a few pieces in a pot.

Holmskioldia sanguinea (or Chinese hats, cup-and-saucer, parasol): Originating in the Himalayan lowlands,

this straggly but colourful shrub will reach three metres or more if left to its own devices. As with bougainvillea, the colour comes from bracts that surround insignificant flowers. The dark red colour typically lasts four to five months a year. Out of season, however, it is not a pretty sight and easily gets out of hand. Once the flowers finish, keep trimming it hard until September, when you can leave the flower-bearing shoots to riot away.

Saturday workshopsFeb 16: Ferns. Mar 16: Hibiscus. Apr 20: Passiflora family.

Art with Roz Draw closer to nature in some of Hong Kong’s most beautiful gardens on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

Feb 6 Shenzhen Chinese New Year Flower Market A cross-border coach trip to the enormous annual market.

Mar 20 A hands-on creative day in a superb old colonial home and garden in the New Territories, with bread baking, paper making and cutting, painting and drawing close to nature.

Late April Enjoy Guangzhou’s spectacular Alpinias at their best in the South China Botanical Garden.

Gardening events

Gardening tasks: Beat the pestsIt stands to reason that healthy plants are more resistant to diseases and pests. My plant mentor, Ah Choi, advises that a little action at this time of year can save a great deal of grief as the weather becomes warmer and more humid.

Powdery mildew, rust and black mould all spread fast once a plant is contaminated. He suggests regular preventive spraying with neem oil solution plus a few drops of liquid soap and recommends a few cloves of garlic stuck into the soil as a general bug repellent. He sprays weekly with garlic, chilli, onion or ginger water: Finely chop the raw ingredient and let it steep in water for a few hours or more. Filter the liquid before pouring it into your sprayer. He rotates the flavours so pests do not become too accustomed to them.

I am experimenting with neem cake, which is the residue left when neem oil is extracted from the seeds. It works like a slow-release organic fertiliser-cum-pesticide that needs to be sprinkled on the soil surface about once a month. Its strong garlicky odour will hopefully deter aphids, caterpillars and the ants that carry mealy bug and many other gardening challenges.

The nectar is a magnet for sunbirds, which is a great reason for growing it. It strikes easily from cuttings at any season and will grow in a pot, although it does better in the ground. If you see the pretty lemon-yellow version (citrina) in a nursery, buy it – it is hard to propagate and is rarely available. I have read about a special pale pink and violet blue version (H. taitensis) that looks highly covetable.

TomatoesBlack cherry and sungold tomato seedlings are thriving in a big trough on my roof. I have read they will reach a height of two metres or more, so I have rigged up a bamboo framework to which they can be tied and enclosed the whole structure in netting. I hope this will not count as an illegal structure. Fortunately tomatoes don’t need insects to pollinate them as they mainly rely on the wind – unless grown indoors or in a greenhouse where the air is still. So I don’t need to get busy with a paintbrush to help nature along.

Holmskioldia sanguinea

Jane Ram colours in winter gardens. Shades of winter


people watch the birdie

Out and about on Southside.

Oh snap!

Pho

tos:

Han

nah

Gro

gan

and

Tho

mas

Lai


PET BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS?BY YOUR PET?!!!STRESSED

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Tel: 9618 [email protected]

can help resolve aggression, fear, anxiety, separation related problems, compulsive disorders, inappropriate toileting, noise phobias etc.

Not all behavioural problems are simply training issues.

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To advertise, email: [email protected] or call 2776 2772.

marketplace


marketplace


bird at my window

David Diskin is a writer and photographer based in the New Territories. His latest book is Hong Kong Nature Walks: Kowloon, Hong Kong & Outlying Islands. Details at www.accipiterpress.com.

If you look for the cinereous tit in the index of the field guide, The Birds of Hong Kong and South China, you will not find it. However, you will find the great tit, Parus major, a grey, black and white bird. To anyone from Western Europe, it looks like a monochromatic version of the green and yellow bird that frequents feeders in the region’s gardens. For years, the version we have in Hong Kong was considered a subspecies of the great tit because of its appearance, behaviour and calls.

But over the past 25 years the taxonomic classification of birds (as well as other animals and plants) has been transformed owing primarily to genetic analysis. Scientists can now compare the DNA of birds to establish how closely different species and subspecies are related. This has resulted in the “splitting” of a number of species. The cinereous tit is a good example: mitochondrial DNA analysis of the “great” tits that occur in southern Asia established that Parus cinereus diverged from Parus major about 1.5 million years ago.

The cinereous tit is abundant and widespread throughout Hong Kong. It is a “generalist” species, meaning it is at home in a wide variety of habitats wherever there are trees, although it is less frequent in urban parks and gardens than great tits in the West. Pairs build nests in natural holes in trees, laying four to six eggs and raising two broods a season. Breeding has been recorded in Hong Kong from the end of February to August.

The cinereous titaka Parus cinereus

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NATiONAL HARBOUR ReNOvATiONSHome and office reno upgrades.Plumbing, electrical and handyman services.Call Charles [email protected]

Judo & Martial Art Class6302 0999

Tennis Performance Asia LimitedLessons/Training: Private, Groups – Adult, children, Ladies Coaching .Kowloon, NT, HK IslandHK, Australian, USPTA Qualified CoachesContact Senior Coach Todd Hooper – 97335197: t [email protected][TPA] Director – Ray Kelly

Live BAND SCHOOLWANT TO PLAY iN A BAND?Calling all singers, guitarists, bass players and drummers. Join our Band Workshops in Causeway Bay. Ages from 11 to 19.Contact : [email protected]

Shenzhen DayTrip Shopping Hk 2,000 with 7-SeatersLighting MallFurniture MallArt villageHomedecoration , Carpet and Rugs.Franki (90362128)[email protected]

if both parents die together, children become Wards of Court A HK orphanage would likely be their new home! For quick, simple and affordable Wills, call Phoenix Wills 3100 0101 Email: [email protected]

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ReGiSTeR AS A vOLUNTeeRGive a few hours of your time to Sai Kung Stray Friends. If you want to do something worthwhile come and help at our holding facility in Sai Kung. Any day or time suitable to you. Various tasks, sweeping, cleaning, dog walking, paddock Mum or just providing some love to the dogs. Dads are welcome too for mowing duty!Email: [email protected] Narelle: 9199.2340 (English), Jessie: 9097.4591 (Chinese)

DONATe CLOTHeS, SHOeS, BOOkS, toys and electrical appliances in good condition. Reach out to help the poor and disadvantaged men, women and children in our communities. All profits help the needy in Hong Kong and mainland China. Collection hotline: 2716 8778. Donation hotline: 2716 8862. Website: www.christian-action.org.hk Blog: http://siewmei.cahk.org Email: [email protected]

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the ultimate guide to southside

elite Nursing ltd.2566 [email protected]

CommUNiTY & HealTH

7-eleven 2299 1110

Circle K Convenience stores (HK) limited2294 9164

City lifestyle2856 1817 (Stanley)

2580 1314 (Aberdeen)mannings2553 3244

market Place by Jasons2812 0340Parknshop2294 9327

Taste2813 9521Wellcome2813 9363

dailY NeCessiTies

The Telo’s Group lCCwww.telosgroupllc.com

Grand Hyatt Hong Kong2956 1234 | http://hongkong.grand.hyatt.com

le meridien Cyberport Hotel2980 7788

one island south 2118 2992 | [email protected]

The arcade, Cyberport3166 3111 | [email protected] | arcade.cyberport.hk

stanley Plaza2296 9634 | www.thelinkreit.com

Habitat Property ltd2869 9069 | [email protected]

www.habitat-property.coml’Hotel island south

3968 8888 | [email protected]

real-esTaTe aNd HoTels

Jones lang lasalle2846 5000

www.joneslanglasalle.com.hk

China light & Power emergency services2728 8333

China light & Power Customer info line2678 2678

electrical appliance repair Hong KongMr Ho

9846 8082st John ambulance assn & Brigade dist Hq

2555 0119 Tung Wah Group of Hospitals

2538 5867Typhoon emergency Centre

2773 2222Water fault reports

2811 0788Water supplies department

2824 5000

UTiliTies, serViCes & emerGeNCY

Nuan [email protected] | www.nuancashmere.com

sabai day spa — stanley2104 0566 | www.sabaidayspa.com

sense of Touch2517 0939 | [email protected]

www.senseoftouch.com.hk

itsie Bitsie Boutique2565 0818

fasHioN & BeaUTY

The american Club Hong Kong2842 7400 | [email protected]

www.americanclubhk.comCaritas-HK

2538 7777 / 2550 7620feeding HK

2205 6568 | http://feedinghk.orgWatermark Community Church


Homeopathy to Health6908 3234 | www.homeopathytohealth.org

repulse Bay family [email protected]

Wellness & birth, pre & postnatal home care9022 1779 | www.wellnessandbirth.com

[email protected] Parenting

5304 [email protected]

www.lotusparenting.com

asian artworks Gallery2812 0850

Broadway Circuit 2529 3898dymocks2803 1623

anthony Buckley and Constantine Portrait Photographers


www.buckleyconstantine.co.ukVenture Photography

2885 6262www.venturephotography.com/hk

Hong Kong arts festivalwww.hk.artsfestival.org

Chunky onion Productions ltd.3188 1874

[email protected]

my little Paper, daily 7/daily 10www.daily7-daily10.com

mUlTimedia

anastassia’s art House2719 5533

[email protected]

Craft Box9014 3262

[email protected] | www.craftbox.asiaGrand Piano

www.grandpiano.hkiTs

3188 3946 | [email protected] for Children


www.montessori.edu.sgmorningstar Preschool and Kindergarten


orton-Gillingham Centre for different learners2525 8998

[email protected] | www.msl-orton.com.hksunshine House Pre-schools Hong Kong


sylvan learning2873 0662

[email protected] | www.educate.comBebegarten

3487 2255 | www.bebegarten.comisland dance


Kidville2892 8893 | www.kidville.hkThe edge learning Center

2783 7100 / 2972 [email protected] | www.theedge.com.hk

imran Cricket academy2575 3400 / 9745 2700

[email protected] | www.imranacademy.comQuest study skills

2690 9117 | www.queststudyskills.comrugbees Play & learn

www.rugbees.comsouthsite institute

3568 8470 | [email protected]/southsiteinstitute.html

learNiNG CeNTres

GET LISTEd

call 2776 2772email [email protected]



directory

attic lifestyle2580 8552

[email protected] | www.attic-lifestyle.comCalcite indoor environment


Chez Uno2791 9662 / 2723-8990 | www.chezuno.com

eco living2792 7998 | [email protected] | www.ecoliving.hk

indigo living ltd.2552 3500 | [email protected]

www.indigo-living.comJCaW Consultants


lift lifestyle international ltd.3907 0386

[email protected] | www.liftlifestyle.comeverything Under The sun

2554 9088www.everythingunderthesun.com.hk

Box design2573 3323 [email protected]

Home

everfine membership services limited2174 7880

[email protected]

sum Hing Carton Box [email protected] | www.boxx.hk

Truly Care Pest Control services2458 8378

[email protected] | www.trulycare.com.hkKing Kong Ping Pong

[email protected]

shopping Hong [email protected] Hing Carton Box [email protected] | www.boxx.hk

oTHer serViCes

animal Behaviour Vet Practice 9618 2475 | [email protected]

www.petbehaviourhk.comanimal emergency Centre


ferndale Kennels & Cattery2792 4642 | www.ferndalekennels.com

Pacific Pets @ stanley Veterinary Centre / Pet shop2813 7979

[email protected] Central North Point Hospital


stanley Veterinary Centre2813 2030 | [email protected]

www.stanleyvvetcentre.comVet2Pet

6999 [email protected] | www.vet2pet.com.hk

The Vet 88Dr med. vet. Kerstin Meyer


PeTs & VeTs

Crown relocations2636 8388 | [email protected]

www.crownrelo.com/hongkongexpert-Transport & relocations Warehouse

2566 4799 | www.expertmover.hkscorpion riBs Hong Kong


Heavens Portfolio2571 3018 | [email protected]

www.heavensportfolio.comClub med

3111 9388 | www.clubmed.com.hkelite Charters

5434 [email protected] | www.elitecharters.hk

Webjet HKUnit 1706, Bea Tower, millennium City 5, 418 Kwun Tong road, Kwun Tong, Kln, Hong Kong2313 [email protected]

TraNsPorT & TraVel serViCes

lucy's2813 9055

Prompt (international Buffet)2980-47417 | [email protected]

www.lemeridien.com/hongkongrestaurant & Bar Umami (Japanese)

2980 47406www.lemeridien.com/hongkong

organic experience management Group2981 2888

www.organicxp.comCafe deco Group

2108 4467Castello del Vino

2866 0587 / 77 | [email protected] arrangements

2295 1108 / 2385 0158 | www.EdibleArrangements.hkGolden Goose Gourmet


www.goldengoosegourmet.comColour Brown Coffee

2791 7128 | shop.colourbrown.com.hkPickled Pelican

2813 4313The Boathouse

2813 4467secret ingredient

www.secretingredient.com.hk

south stream seafoodsUnits 202-204, lai sun Yuen long Centre, 27 Wang Yip st east, Yuen long, N.T. Hong Kong2555 [email protected]

food & BeVeraGe

Holistic fitness & Therapy9667 0940 | [email protected]

www.holisticnaresh.comNonie studio

2333 2027 / 5198 9903Power fit studio

3621 0180 | www.powerfitstudio.com.hkPrimal strength


flex studio2813 2212 | [email protected] | www.flexhk.com

Hypoxi2537 6637 | [email protected]

www.hypoxi.hkelite Personal Training

2552 9925 | www.eliteptstudio.com

Weight Watcher2813 0814 | [email protected]

soCial, sPorTs & eQUiPmeNT

fiNaNCial serViCes

Bank of China (Hong Kong) limited2553 4165 / 2553 0135

Bank of Communications 2553 6281 / 2553 8282 Hang seng Bank ltd

2822 0228 standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) limited

2814 0845 The Bank of east asia limited

3609 1651/ 3609 1637/ 3609 1636Kwiksure3113 1331

[email protected]

Bouncy Kids9228 5772

[email protected] | www.bouncykids.hkBumps to Babes

2552 5000 (Ap Lei Chau Main Store)2522 7112 (Pedder Building Branch)

www.bumpstobabes.comPetit Bazaar (stanley)

2407 1892 | [email protected]/petitbazaar

ToYs, aCCessories & Kids’ ParTies


Southside magazine continues to extend its reach in our community, here is the latest in distribution news.

Larvotto due to popular demand, we’ve increased distribution to Larvotto by 30%. This marine-themed luxury residential complex offers unmatched waterfront views and is only 5 minutes from upscale shopping at Horizon Plaza. Southside Magazine can be found at the Larvotto clubhouse on the coffee tables of many of its residents.

Pok Fu Lam- Kellett School- Kennedy School- Sunshine House Chi Fu- Sunshine House Pokfulam- Woodland Pokfulam Pre-School- Woodland Tree House

Cyberport- Baguio Villas- Bel-Air Clubhouse- Cyberport Arcade- Delaney’s- GoGym- International (Park N Shop)- Kosmo Plus Wellness Cafe- Le Meridien Hotel Cyberport- Scenic Villas- Starbucks- Thaima-V

Ap Lei Chau- Bumps to Babes- Chapin House- Everything Under The Sun- Indigo- Indigo Kids- Indigo Outlet- Larvotto- Little Picasso Studio- Okooko- Pacific Gourmet- Tequila Kola- Shambala Cafe- Tree

Deep Water Bay- Pizza Beach- Coco Thai- Hong Kong Country Club- Park N Shop

Aberdeen- Aberdeen Marina Club- Flex Studio- Golden Goose Gourmet- Hong Kong Country Club- Jadewater- Leader Golf Training Centre- One Island South- Ovolo, Shek Pai Wan- Park N Shop- Singapore International School- Top Deck- Wicka Designs- Woodland Harbourside Pre-School

Stanley- Pizza Club- Boathouse- Cafe De Paris- Cafe Groucho’s- Chez Patrick- Cheers Real Estate Limited- The Chocdate Room- Classified- Haagen Dazs- Lucy’s on the Front- Mijas- Pickled Pelican- Pizza Express

- Ricacorp Properties- Rocksalt

- Saigon in Stanley- Smuggler’s Inn- Spiaggia

- Stan Cafe- Stanley Main Street Bar & Cafe

- Stanley Veterinary Centre- Starbucks- Taste Supermarket

- Watson’s Wine- Wildfire

The Peak- Cafe Deco The Peak- Delifrance- Haagen-Dazs- International (Park N Shop)- Pho Yummee- Starbucks- Sunshine House The Peak- The Peak Lookout Café- Woodland Pre-School The Peak

Cyberport

Chi Fu

Pok Fu Lam

Aberdeen

Shouson Hill

Deep Water Bay

Repulse Bay

Chung Hom kok

Red Hill

The Manhattan

Tai TamParkview

Bel-AirBig Wave Bay

Shek O

Ap Lei Chau

Stanley

The Peak

Repulse Bay- Anastassia’s Art House- Bayley & Jackson Dental Surgeons - HS Modern Art- Indigo- Manhattan Tower- Sense of Touch- OT & P- Spices- The Club- The Lily- The Somerset- The Verandah- Woodland Beachside Pre-School- The Woodland Montessori Pre-SchoolRepulse Bay

Manhattan TowerThis exclusive residential building, tucked away in a lush country park setting, houses some of the most stunning apartments on the Southside. All 40 units are 2,400 square feet with fully fitted kitchens and bathrooms, teak floors and best of all, large balconies to soak up the breathtaking views of deep Water Bay and the South China Sea. Southside Magazine is now conveniently placed at the Manhattan Tower reception.

Tai Tam / Shek O- American Club- Ben’s Bar- Craigengower Cricket Club- Fusion (Park'N Shop)- Happy Garden Restaurant- Hong Kong Cricket Club- Hong Kong International School- Hong Kong Parkview Resort & Spa- Hong Kong Parkview Suites- Lulu Shop- The Manhattan- Pacific View Residential Clubhouse- PIPS Kindergarten- Redhill Clubhouse- Shek O Chinese & Thai Restaurant- Shining Stone Restaurant- Soma Spa- Sunshine House Tai Tam- Wellcome, Red Hill Plaza- Woodland Tai Tam Montessori Pre-School

Wong Chuk Hang

One island SouthLocated in the elegant surrounding of Wong Chuk Hang, this highly prestigious office building with spacious design offers a fresh new world of unlimited potential for work, life and innovation. One Island South is ideally located with inspiring sea views of deep Water Bay and lush greenery of Shouson Hill. Employees at One Island South can now find Southside Magazine located at the lobby.

distribution


The Repulse Bay Bel-Air

Cyberport Arcade Le Meridien Cyberport

Redhill Peninsula The Manhattan

Pacific View Hong kong Parkview

Join our communityWant Southside Magazine in your residential building’s reception or clubhouse? Want to distribute Southside Magazine in your restaurant or store?

It’s easy as pie and best of all, completely free of charge. Send all enquiries to [email protected] call (852) 2776 2772

Hey Mr. PostmanJoin our free mailing service to have your copy of Southside Magazine delivered straight to your mailbox. It’s Free and exclusive for residents living in Southside or the Peak.

Sign up herewww.southside.hk/subscribe

where to find us


my southside

I first passed through Hong Kong in May 1980 and spent four months with friends who were working at The Manhattan Club d’Elegance. It was loads of fun and the start of a 30-year love affair with Hong Kong. In February 1981, I was back working for the same group and stayed through the 80s. It was a boom time for Asia and we opened up places from Melbourne to Okinawa, Borneo to New Delhi.

We set up South Stream Seafoods in 1990. It was the blind leading the broke. I’m not sure we thought through the difficulties of limited working capital or anticipated the reticence of banks to loan to new businesses. Luckily I was offered a chance to set up the first Planet Hollywood restaurant in Asia and took a two-year hiatus from South Stream, which helped replenish the bank account.

Our office was close to our cold-storage facilities in Aberdeen. Mark Mowday, Paul Bouler and myself were all keen boaters and water-skiers, and we shared office space at the Aberdeen Boat Centre, around the corner from Aberdeen Boat Club.

South Stream is inextricably tied to the tragedy of August 1995, when a huge landslide on Shum Wan Road took the lives of our partner, Paul, and his girlfriend Sonali Singh. They will be forever missed. At the same time it destroyed our office.

in 1998 we moved to Yuen Long for easy access to the airport and to set up a licensed food factory as our business focus shifted from hotels to homes.

My favourite Southside hike is from Stanley Village Road car park to Stanley Plaza via the restaurants along the street. Yum.

The South Stream Seafoods founder explains why the business will be forever associated with Aberdeen.

Bradley White

My favourite dish? That’s a bit like asking a parent to choose a favourite child. I can’t do it. We eat really, really well at our house. Take some of the best food available in Hong Kong, add our helper, Juvy, and her cooking skills and you end up with nightly meals that span Asia and the West. We seldom go out – the food is better at home.

i’m a Christmas turkey specialist as that way I limit my time in the kitchen to one day a year. (It’s much better this way.) My daughter, Tanya, would probably argue my finest dish is a roasted veal tenderloin with red wine reduction.

i’m reminded daily through emails and calls that the food we provide makes a difference in the way many families eat. It’s heartwarming. It’s what keeps us going.

Plans are in motion to give our customers more products to choose from, more delivery days, and more options in general. We hope to make it a one-stop shop that will allow our customers to buy the best food in Hong Kong at the best prices from the comfort of their armchairs.

My favourite dish? That’s a bit like asking a parent to choose a favourite child.

Southside Magazine February 2013

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Transcript of Southside Magazine February 2013