A Magazine for the Women of Hong Kong • November 2019
NOVEMBER 2019
The American Women’s Association of Hong Kong, Limited. Established in 1956 We are a vibrant organization of international women. Our mission is to welcome and empower women to connect and contribute in Hong Kong.
AWARE PRODUCTION TEAM EDITOR Stephanie Chan [email protected] ASSISTANT EDITOR 12 Samantha Merton CONTRIBUTORS Stephanie Chan Georgia Davidson AWA Executive Board Annie Fifer Contents Cassidy Klein Beth McNicholas Vasavi Seethepalli Rehana Sheikh News from the Board 2 GRAPHICS AWA Enjoys 3 Jacky Ngan Better Know a Member 7 ADVERTISING MANAGER Rehana Sheikh Reboot Your Professional Life in Hong Kong 8 [email protected] 10 Grant Recipient Update: Helping Hand and Project Concern 10
PUBLISHED & PRINTED BY A Very AWA Thanksgiving 12 R&R Publishing Ltd. My Hong Kong Neighborhoods 14 2126 7812 [email protected] The Liang Yi Museum 18 www.rrpublishing.com.hk Tackling Fashion Waste with Redress 20 Calendar 21
PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE AFTER READING. 18
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Any opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author only and do not represent the opinion of the American Women’s Association. Any reliance by the reader upon any recommendation or opinion in this publication is at the reader’s own risk. The AWA accepts no responsibility for any loss which may result from such reliance. Copyright 2019. The content of the AWAre publication is the property of the American Women's Association. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is strictly prohibited. Information from within the publication may not be distributed without the express written consent of the American Women's Association. NEWS FROM THE BOARD
News from the Board By Stephanie Chan, AWAre Editor
IT’S NOVEMBER, and for many of Sailability, the charity that received us, that means remembering all we the grant, offers specialist sailing have to be thankful for in our lives. This programs for people with disabilities. year, for me at least, the exercise is Anchors AWAy took third place in both harder and easier than usual: their division and ninth place overall harder, because of the daily barrage in a field of more than 30 boats. of bad news and violence; yet easier, Congratulations to the Saturday since I (like many people who will read Sailors team that helmed Anchors this), enjoy the incredible privilege of AWAy, and to everyone in AWA — having a foreign passport — of having, it’s your fundraising efforts that made in the end, other places to go. this day possible! At AWA we are thankful for all our Speaking of which, AWA’s members who continue to turn out fundraising endeavors are a great and support our events, from a sold- way to support the local community out Welcome Back Breakfast at the in these tough times. The current beginning of the fall to the activities state of unrest threatens to take its and fundraising events that we continue to run in an greatest toll on the underprivileged, whose needs — as unpredictable environment. charitable donations committee chair Beth McNicholas If you’re feeling overwhelmed about living in Hong points out on page 10 of this month’s issue — are Kong right now, you’re not the only one. But one of the surprisingly basic (think fans and water heaters). It’s an best antidotes is staying active and doing something to honor to be in a position to help meet them. improve your connection to the culture and history of this So we hope you will join us for our Charity Bazaar, to city we all call home — whether it’s a walking tour of a far- be held on November 7 at the PMQ compound in Soho. flung neighborhood, a fascinating talk with a local Whether you come to volunteer or to shop — or hopefully, historian, or a heritage festival outing. to do both! — you’ll be helping to support one of AWA’s As we hold the safety and wellbeing of all of our flagship fundraising activities and to give back to your members to be of the utmost importance, we have fellow Hong Kongers. created a contingency plan that lays out how the AWA will proceed in different scenarios involving civil unrest. (Adverse weather conditions and cybersecurity Mark Your Calendars! challenges are also addressed.) AWA activity coordinators have been apprised of the policy, and it’s Charity Bazaar Thursday, November 7, 11:30 AM to 7:30 PM available on our website for you to review. PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Soho On a lighter note, in October three members of our board were delighted to visit the Hebe Haven Yacht Club Holiday Party in Sai Kung for the christening and official launch of Wednesday, December 4 Location and time TBA Anchors AWAy, a Hansa double-handed dinghy whose recent purchase was enabled by an AWA grant.
2 AWARE November 2019 AWA ENJOYS
Heritage Series: Deity Hau’s Birthday Festival
Welcome New Members
Julianne Anzman Zoe Lawler Benedetta Benassi Barbara Leland Sue Carter Manon Manno Rebecca Dance Bhakti Mathur Orla Deignan Lauren Mills Michelle Farrell Kristin Morse
Domestic Workers in Hong Kong Talk with Jason Wordie Carol Gatiss Amie Reed Chantal Gobel Paola Repetto Jacqueline (Jacci) Shikta Sapkota Grawburg Nadine Slater Sitara Kohli Jahna Szabo Annette Kornblum Diana Van Dooren
Mindfulness through Mandalas
November 2019 AWARE 3 AWA ENJOYS Welcome Back Breakfast The American Club, Tai Tam THIS YEAR’S breakfast featured a fresh new format, with Thank you to our sponsors: fewer speeches, more time for mingling, a curated selection of vendors and an informative panel discussion — while keeping the parts members have come to love and expect: an energetic performance by the AWA Globe Paddlers dragon boat team, a lucky draw and nice takeaways from our generous sponsors, Asian Tigers, Hybrid Gym and The Entertainer. Looking forward to gathering again with all your AWA friends? Save the date for our annual holiday party on Wednesday, December 4 (location to be announced).
4 AWARE November 2019 AWA ENJOYS
November 2019 AWARE 5 GLOBE PADDLERS PRESEASON NOW THROUGH DECEMBER
WHERE: STANLEY BEACH WHEN: MORNINGS, TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS
$150 per practice Beginners welcome (including non-members) Land training from 9:15-9:45 AM; paddling 10-11:30 AM Saturday clinic scheduled with Coach Cordi for Nov 23
Email [email protected] or WhatsApp 6693-3517 for more information or the link to sign up. FEATURE
Better Know a Member: Kristin Zeising
How long have you lived in Hong Kong? I have been here them or take inexpensive transportation is another. But the one year. unexpected bonus was meeting amazing people. I feel so How long do you think you are going to stay/live in Hong fortunate that making friends here has been so easy. Kong? We moved here for my husband to advance in his job What do you most dislike or find most challenging about as a Cathay pilot, which required him to be based in Hong HK? The dreadful summer heat and pollution. I’m an Kong. It will be a while until he’s senior enough to bid for a outdoorsy person and get stir-crazy staying inside. base back in the States. So I’m prepared to be here for the What do you wish someone had told you in advance of long haul! your move? That I should avoid comparing it to San Diego. Where are you from, and where have you lived? I’m For the first six months I was comparing the two and I felt like originally from New England. I was born in Massachusetts my heart was in two places. I realized I needed to stop that and also lived in Connecticut before my family moved to the and just embrace all that Hong Kong has to offer. It really San Francisco Bay Area. Once I became a licensed helped me settle in. psychologist, I was ready to branch out and had What challenges have you found in your work always loved the ocean, so I moved to San life in Hong Kong versus the U.S.? I’m Diego. I fell in love with the easygoing beach fortunate in that it’s been pretty community, endless sun and perfect straightforward and easy starting work here weather. as a psychologist. I didn’t need to get an Children/family status? I’ve been with additional license, and having a my husband for 10 years. His family is dependant visa allowed me to be scattered around Europe and my employed in Hong Kong. I joined a brother and parents stayed put in the group psychotherapy practice called Bay Area. No kids for us. Although I am MindnLife and am working on making considering getting another fur baby one connections and building my clientele. day. The only challenge is that clients have What is your greatest fear? One of my long work days, demanding schedules greatest fears has been public speaking. I and travel frequently so syncing up our would do anything to avoid having to be schedules can be a bit difficult at times. onstage in front of people. But that wasn’t going Where is your favorite travel destination? to get me anywhere professionally so I chose to face There are so many; how do you pick just one? I the fear in order to get past it. Now I say yes to speaking recently went to Burgundy and Provence, in France, and opportunities as a way to help me grow and it’s slowly, very am still on a high from it. Loved the countryside, quaint towns slowly, getting easier. and their love for good food and wine. What has been your favorite AWA moment? I remember What do you most value in your friends? Acceptance. when I first arrived and met some ladies at an event and they Where you know you can truly be yourself and not be judged. had such a wealth of knowledge about where to shop, or how How would you like to be remembered? As somebody who to get around, or even just validating my feeling about this big was caring and compassionate. Someone who helped change. It’s easy to feel lost here at first and they were so others, was enjoyable to be around — and knew how to have helpful in offering me some very practical advice and a good time! support. “Better Know a Member” is a series highlighting the diversity of AWA’s What do you most love about HK? The amazing assortment membership. To suggest a subject (or to volunteer yourself!), please of restaurants is a given. The fact that I can walk to many of contact Annie Fifer at [email protected].
November 2019 AWARE 7 FEATURE Reboot Your Professional Life in a New Country Getting back to the job scene in Hong Kong By Vasavi Seethepalli RELOCATING and settling into a routine in a new country isn’t industry, having a public social media account, especially an easy; it can be emotionally and physically challenging. updated LinkedIn account, is beneficial. Joining Facebook Finding a job in Hong Kong can seem especially daunting: groups and following companies of interest on Twitter can be where does one start? Hong Kong is renowned for its useful as well. cosmopolitan outlook, but is that enough to find a job that can accelerate a career? Re-Education Start by taking things step by step. Finding a job is a To climb the ladder in a career is to develop new or revisit old process and it doesn’t make sense to try to do everything at skills. When considering a continuing education program or once. Here are some practical ways to tackle the job hunt signing up for online courses, consider four points: and minimize stress: 1. Identify and be specific about what you wish to learn 2. Is it achievable? New Surroundings 3. Relevancy to existing skills within the industry Assimilate what is around and be aware of local history, 4. The time factor politics and culture. There are a tremendous number of LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) is a valuable communities in Hong Kong that can help you interpret the online source for attaining soft skills (leadership, creativity) as local scene: besides the AWA, Hong Kong is home to the well as technical training (graphic design, spreadsheets). It Australian Association of Hong incorporates quizzes after each Kong, the Danish Chamber of chapter and exercise files to work Commerce in Hong Kong, the Hong on. Welkin, a local computer training Kong Japanese Club, the French center, offers comprehensive Chamber of Commerce and computer skills, digital marketing, Industry in Hong Kong and many and design. Extension schools, like more. HKU SPACE and the School of Continuing and Professional Studies Valid Work Visa at the Chinese University of Hong Having the right visa or a work Kong, offer a wide range of courses permit is necessary. A dependant as well. Online platforms such as visa in Hong Kong is a credible Edx.org, Coursera.org and Udemy. work permit as long as the sponsor com offer a variety of courses from (usually a spouse) has a valid working visa. If your visa universities from across the world. There are numerous doesn’t allow you to work in Hong Kong, negotiate a working resources available, but it is how you use them to your visa with your potential employer. Hence, obtaining a job offer advantage that makes the difference. will be crucial in applying for a work permit, so stay focused. Look Out for Job Fairs Résumé Job fairs are credible grounds to scour for potential It is imperative to have a valid and updated résumé. Most HR employers. Make sure to find out what companies are departments and recruiters who list job postings online attending beforehand, prepare and hand out résumés, and request a résumé before even considering a prospective follow up accordingly. If you are interested in working for a candidate. Creating a personal landing page or website with tech company or a startup, look out for WHub and a portfolio and an “about me” page is rewarding, especially in ClusterTech job fair announcements online. certain industries. Tailoring your résumé and cover letter to better suit the job description can also significantly improve Volunteer your job prospects. To provide value to others can help you to keep abreast of issues affecting the local community, hone old skills and Online Presence develop new soft skills. Getting involved with communities Most recruiters browse social media platforms to research who need volunteers can also nudge you to network and candidates before making their first move. Depending on the connect with others.
8 AWARE November 2019 FEATURE
Network Last but not least, networking is a powerful strategy; it occupies a significant percentage of a job hunt. Getting out of your comfort zone and connecting with others in a formal Christmas or informal setting is the way forward. One cannot underestimate the power of connecting, as this is the optimal way to introduce your personal brand. Being comfortable Tues 12 November, Tues 26 November & Mon 16 December and staying confident, although not easy, is proven to be the 10am - 8pm, Conrad Hong Kong Grand Ballroom root of success. Identify a networking style that works best for you; it could just mean a coffee meetup. AWA WISE and the Delight Women’s Foundation (TWF) are ideal communities for women in exploring over 150 pop-up shops to network and feel inspired. featuring unique gifts not available To sum up, embracing a new city comes with its in shopping malls or challenges. Finding a community of like-minded people, as markets. well as understanding the local job market, sets the stage for a renewed career momentum. Being persistent yet managing Featuring an eclectic mix of your expectations is essential. gifts to suit all ages, styles and budgets. Book Now! A Reinvent Yourself and Switch Careers your Christmas shopping needs in one Join the AWA WISE series on November 15 to hear inspiring convenient location women share their stories of success, and attend workshops to held over three separate days. help you take on new challenges. Sponsors: prestigefairs.hk
BOOK NOW Bit.ly/AWAWISE2019-20 2 0 1 9 / 2 0 REINVENT YOURSELF & SWITCH CAREERS Join us for a discussion where women who have successfully reinvented themselves share their real life journeys, experiences and challenges. 15 November 2019 I 6:30 - 7:30 pm
ADA YIP ALISA CAMPLIN LAETITIA MERGUI JOSÉPHINE PARIS BHAKTI MATHUR CEO Olympic Champion Managing Director, APAC Executive & Business SCMP Feature Writer, URBAN SPRINGS Mindset-Resilience- CHLOÉ Coach Children's Book Author Performance Consultant COACHME
@awawisehk awa-wise-hong-kong Contact [email protected] for more details.
November 2019 AWARE 9 FEATURE
2018 Grant Recipient Update: Helping Hand and Project Concern AWA and AmCham funding brings smiles, cool air and hot water to low-income and elderly Hong Kongers
By Beth McNicholas, Charitable Donations Committee Chair
I’M BACK WITH an update on two more of our 2018 grant and the beginning of 2019, when Project Concern asked for recipients! Our first beneficiaries are the 64 residents living in the dentists’ specific equipment preferences. The items were Helping Hand Po Lam Jockey Club Housing for the Elderly. received in March 2019, and in March and April 2019 alone, An aging population is one of Hong Kong’s most pressing approximately 2,000 patients had teeth extracted with the social issues, so the CDC prioritizes the elderly when we new equipment. consider funding applications. (You can learn more about this Both these stories illustrate that the needs of our issue in an South China Morning Post article from May 18, applicants are often surprisingly basic. Fans, water heaters, 2018 titled “Hong Kong and safe dental equipment are items that most of us probably faces challenge in how take for granted or don’t think about much at all. Being able to to manage its ageing support organizations and help them improve the lives of their population.”) clients by purchasing these items is a very satisfying aspect Helping Hand’s of being part of the CDC. HK$47,440 grant was used to purchase 40 wall-mounted fans and six water heater units to replace worn-out CARPET WASHING & REPAIRS equipment. While the government does help PROFESSIONALS to fund many NGOs, CLEANING & REPAIR SERVICES including Helping Hand, Our cleaning and repair services are the best in Hong Kong. Free pickup and delivery. this funding generally does not cover equipment, which is why AWA and AmCham grants can be especially important. The response from both the residents and the Helping Hand staff has been very positive. Helping Hand is extremely grateful for the AWA’s support, as the new fans and water heaters have contributed to their efforts to provide a safe and comfortable environment for residents. Project Concern is another organization that does incredible work in Hong Kong. In addition to their seven dental clinics in housing estates in lower-income areas of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories, Project SHOP IN YOUR HOME Concern also operates three mobile dental buses. These You can buy a carpet in the comfort of your home. buses operate Monday to Saturday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 (We can bring the carpets to you with no obligation.) PM and 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM, providing oral examination, scaling, filling and simple dental extraction. CALL : 9018 0897 / 2851 3665 In June 2018, Project Concern received a grant of EMAIL : [email protected] HK$35,000 from AmCham to purchase dental forceps and WEBSITE : Iqbalcarpets.hk Luxators for teeth extraction in their mobile clinics and dental ADDRESS : G/F. 21 PO TUNG RD. SAIKUNG buses. The project was carried out between the end of 2018
10 AWARE November 2019 FEATURE R E D C R O S S H O L I D A Y
Cookie Drive S U G A R C O O K I E R E C I P E ( D I E T A R Y A P P R O V E D ) The Cookie Drive is one of INGREDIENTS 3 cups all-purpose flour the AWA's longest standing 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt holiday traditions. In late 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar (half of original recipe) November/early December 1 egg, beaten 1 tablespoon milk volunteers bake and deliver DIRECTIONS cookies for the Hong Kong Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Mix butter and sugar in large bowl. Add egg and milk, beat to Red Cross, which then combine. Mixer on low, gradually add dry mixture and beat until pulls away from side of bowl. Divide dough in half, distributes them to 21 Red wrap each half in wax paper and refrigerate 2 hours.
Cross Hospital Schools Preheat oven 375 F / 190 C. Sprinkle flour on surface and roll out 1 chilled pack of dough to 1/4 inch. Cut shapes and serving 2,000 handicapped place 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet or parchment. Bake 7-9 minutes, rotating sheet half way through, or until and hospitalized children. cookies just start to turn brown. Let cookies sit 2 minutes on sheet before transferring to cooling rack. Serve as is or decorate with icing. Email [email protected] to sign up
November 2019 AWARE 11 FEATURE
A VERY AWA Thanksgiving
By the AWA Executive Board
IT’S NOVEMBER, and for many of us on the AWA board, Yield: 6–8 servings that means harvest-themed celebrations with family and Prep time: 45 minutes friends. Here are some of our favorite fall recipes, from Ingredients classic American Thanksgiving dishes (cranberry relish and • 200 g smoked bacon, chopped or cubed pumpkin pie) to festive international foods (savory baklava • Vegetable oil and moong dal halwa, or sweet lentil pudding). Whether or • 2 celery ribs, chopped not you celebrate Thanksgiving, you’re sure to find something • 1 large carrot, chopped in these pages to spice up your next autumn dinner party. • 1 medium onion, chopped • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Butternut Squash Soup • 3/4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed This a recipe that I found years ago on a website and I have • 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cubed modified to my own preferences. The hints of apple, • 3.5–4 cups butternut squash, cubed cinnamon and smoked bacon add a lovely depth to the taste. • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth It can be made a day in advance and reheated on the stove. • 2–2.5 cups water —Jessica Cheng, Recording Secretary • Sour cream, for garnish (optional)
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Tip: Raw butternut squash can react with your skin so wear tray (approximately 30-by-20-centimeters) with melted kitchen gloves when prepping it. butter, line the tin with a sheet of filo, brush with butter and Instructions repeat until you have a 3-layer thickness. 1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook bacon in a little bit 4. Spread half the onion mixture over the pastry, top with half of vegetable oil until cooked through. Remove with slotted the almonds, the dates and half the feta. Sandwich 3 spoon and set aside. layers of filo together, brushing each with melted butter 2. Add a bit more vegetable oil to the bacon fat (you want and place on top of the onion and feta mix. Top with the about 2 tablespoons total) and then fry the onions, celery remaining onions, almonds and feta and again top with a and carrots until soft but not brown. 3-layer thickness of filo. Lightly score the top, cutting 3. Add cinnamon and cook for 1 minute. diamonds or squares, brush with butter and splash with a 4. Add the apples, potatoes, squash, stock, water, salt and little water. Place on a baking tray and cook for 30 to 35 pepper. Simmer until very tender on a medium-low heat. minutes until golden. Stir occasionally. 5. Leave to cool a little before serving, then drizzle each 5. Add bacon back in for a few minutes to reheat it. portion with honey. Serve with a fennel salad and some 6. Puree either with either a glass beaker blender (contents tzatziki. will be very hot so do in batches) or with an immersion (Recipe from Maria Elia’s The Modern Vegetarian, Kyle hand blender. Books, 2009) 7. Serve. Can be garnished with sour cream. Mac and Cheese Tomato, Feta, Almond and Date Baklava Since we tend to celebrate Thanksgiving in Hong Kong in Although not American, we do like to celebrate Thanksgiving larger groups, I always make mac and cheese. This was with our friends. Being a vegetarian household, turkey is off actually not something my family made growing up, but a the menu but this savory baklava hits the spot. new tradition that we started when we moved to Hong Kong. —Barbora Mayer, Director of Operations Then again, mac and cheese is kind of a Thanksgiving dish Yield: 6–8 servings in the South, so it’s not totally out of line with my time spent Ingredients growing up in Virginia. This version, adapted from an Ina • 100 mL olive oil Garten recipe, is always a hit with both kids and adults. • 5 Spanish onions, halved and finely sliced —Beth McNicholas, Charitable Donations Committee Chair • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped Yield: 6–8 servings • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon Ingredients • Pinch of granulated sugar • Kosher salt • 1 bunch dill, finely chopped (or 3 teaspoons dried) • 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi • 10 vine plum tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped • 1 quart milk (reserve half of the juices) • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided • 3 teaspoons tomato puree • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour • 1 packet filo pastry (9 sheets) • 12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups) • 150 g melted butter • 8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated (2 cups) • 60 g blanched almonds, whizzed to a crumble • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 100 g Medjool dates, stoned and finely sliced • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg • 250 g feta cheese, crumbled • 1 1/2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs (5 slices, crusts • 4 tablespoons clear honey removed) • Tzatziki, for serving (optional) Instructions Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 375 F / 190 C. 1. Preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C. 2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the 2. Heat the olive oil in a large-bottomed pan. Gently fry the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the onions over a low heat, add the garlic, cinnamon and package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well. sugar and increase the heat. Fry for about 12 minutes, 3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t until caramelized. Add the dill, tomatoes and half of their boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot juices and the tomato puree and cook for a further 10 and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, minutes, until reduced. Season to taste. stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and 3. Unfold the pastry and cut in half; keep it covered with a cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. damp cloth to prevent it from drying out. Brush a baking Off the heat, add the Gruyere, cheddar, 1/2 tablespoon
November 2019 AWARE 13 FEATURE
salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and Ingredients stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish. For the lemon dressing 4. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them • Juice of 1 orange with the fresh breadcrumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake • Juice of 1 lemon for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the • 1/3 cup olive oil macaroni is browned on the top. • Salt and pepper to taste (Recipe adapted from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Family • Honey to taste (optional) Style, as listed at foodnetwork.com) For the salad • 4–5 cups arugula, spinach, or a greens blend • 2 cups cooked wild rice • 1 cup pomegranate seeds • 2 cups chopped firm apples • 1/2 cup cashews or pecans • 1/2 cup dried cranberries • 1/2 cup sliced red onions • Minced fresh parsley (optional) Instructions 1. Shake all dressing ingredients together in a jar with a tight lid until smooth. Taste it and add more salt and pepper as needed (without enough salt and pepper, it will be bland, so season generously). 2. Arrange or toss the salad ingredients together in a bowl, reserving a few slices of red onion to arrange over the top. Drizzle with the dressing, toss to combine and serve Wild Rice Salad immediately (or save everything separately and assemble I am the fifth of five kids from Minneapolis, Minnesota, also just before serving). known as the land of 10,000 lakes. We grew up with chaotic Thanksgivings full of stories and traditions that included The Best Cranberry Relish EVER! Native American culture (specifically from the Ojibwa tribes). My family gathers in Vermont every year for Thanksgiving. One of our family’s favorite dishes to this day features wild Because we’re a small (and dwindling) bunch, we often invite rice. The 4-foot-tall plants, which grow naturally in friends and “holiday orphans” to join us in giving thanks over northwestern Minnesota, are harvested using long sticks to a beautiful meal. knock the rice into the body of a wooden canoe. It is We always used to make our cranberry relish from an considered food from the creator and our family is thankful to Eating Well recipe. Until one year my mother’s wonderful share this dish each fall. friend Glenda ever-so-gently asked whether we would be —J’nee Hilgers-Easter, Branding and Communications Chair open to trying her recipe instead. So we did … and even Bob, our 86-year-old Thanksgiving orphan, asked to take some home with him at the end of the night. When does that ever happen with cranberry relish?! —Augusta Nichols-Even, Education and Scholarship Chair
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Ingredients slowly and keep stirring again. Once the water gets • 1 bag raw, organic, whole cranberries absorbed, add 1 cup of sugar (you can vary it to your • 1 whole orange, quartered and with the ends cut off (keep taste, once you become an expert) and keep stirring it. rind on) 4. When you want to eat it, heat (or reheat) it nicely by • 1/2 pineapple, cored and sliced adding a little milk to it. Garnish with chopped almonds • 1 pomegranate and saffron, and a delicious dessert is ready! • Agave or maple syrup, to taste (optional) Instructions In a food processor, process cranberries, orange and Grandma’s Pumpkin Pie pineapple well. Transfer to a bowl. Add the seeds from 1 This is my grandmother’s recipe, which my family looks pomegranate. Add agave or maple syrup to taste if you like forward to every year at Thanksgiving. Both my grandmother your relish sweeter. and my mother made this using “real,” i.e., not canned, pumpkin. My dad always cut the pumpkin, my mom would Moong dal Halwa cook it and then they would both strain it until there were no We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in our family, but Diwali is stringy parts. They did this without using a blender or food our biggest festival and it comes in the fall season. I grew up processor — very labor intensive. I use canned pumpkin and eating this every Diwali and it is a family tradition that I am it is almost the same. very attached to. It is a great dessert when a light nip in the —Kim Rehmann, Community Service Chair air starts coming. Ingredients —Priyanka Agarwal, President • 2 uncooked pie crusts • 6 cups pumpkin (canned or fresh) • 2 cups sugar • 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch • 2 cups milk • 1 teaspoon nutmeg • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla • Cinnamon • Whipped cream, for serving (optional) Instructions Preheat oven to 450 F / 230 C. Mix all ingredients and put into uncooked pie crusts. Sprinkle top with a little bit of cinnamon. Cover the outside edge of the crust with aluminum foil until the last 15 minutes to keep it from getting too brown. Bake at 450 F / 230 C for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to Ingredients 300 F / 150 C for 45 minutes. Serve with whipped cream on • 1 cup moong dal (yellow lentils) top if desired. • 9 to 10 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) • 1 cup sugar • Chopped almonds, for garnish • Saffron threads, for garnish • Milk, to finish Instructions 1. Soak the lentils in enough water a night before. 2. In the morning, drain the water and grind the daal to a smooth paste with some water. 3. In the pan, melt the ghee. Once the ghee is hot, keep the heat on medium flame, add the daal paste and stir. This is the toughest part. The daal should not stick to the pan. And this is the arm strength test! We take turns in the house to keep stirring it. The paste will start turning golden yellow and then slightly brown. When you start seeing the ghee on the side of the pan, add 2.5 cups of warm water
November 2019 AWARE 15 FEATURE
My Hong Kong Neighborhoods From Repulse Bay to Tuen Mun, a Personal History
By Rehana Sheikh
MY FAMILY’S extended expat life in Hong Kong, spanning three decades, has been about living in various neighborhoods both on and off Hong Kong Island. At the start, we wanted to live on the island and nowhere else, partly because our children were schooling there. As we stayed longer and longer, we ventured out into other neighborhoods because of rising rent or because we discovered an apartment suitable to our needs. Buying was an option we never considered because we did not know how long we were going to be around, and besides, with China set to take over, who knew what would happen to Hong Kong and to us expats. Such was the mindset back then. We had a stint in Repulse Bay, which was memorable for Castle Peak Road, one of Hong Kong's few dual carriageways (divided highways) its views, beaches and old-style apartments. I learned that the feng shui there is very good; most apartments face the sea, with mountains behind. That, I was told, is why many burial spots are only granted on a temporary basis. When a Chinese bought up property there for their whole families. burial spot “expires,” the remains are dug up and returned to We spent many years in Pok Fu Lam. Considering the the family for cremation or whatever they choose to do with number of international schools located there, and that it’s them. I often saw bones laid out near the home of the around the corner, so to speak, from Sai Ying Pun, Sheung graveyard’s caretaker, who would tell me they needed to be Wan and Central, it was a surprisingly big production to get dried in the sun because they were damp. The coffins, I am from our home to any part of the island. For that reason, I am told, were recycled into furniture and other things. Every not a fan, but I did find the huge graveyard right by our grave had a photo; often a couple shared a grave. Old-style building to be full of things I did not know about. graves were in another section, where large mounds I learned about burials, both religious and suggested that family members had been buried together. nondenominational. Due to the lack of space in Hong Kong, We had quite a few stays in the Mid-Levels. The first time was back in the late ‘70s, when we were relocated under the Crown to a very colonial Hong Kong. We rented a large apartment for HK$8,000. Incredible, isn’t it: this amount now wouldn’t get you a subdivided flat or even a single room. But that’s all in the history of Hong Kong. Construction of new, good-quality apartments in the New Territories over the years presented affordable variety and choices. We decided to check them out and ended up living in Tuen Mun, of Gold Coast, Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre and Light Rail fame. Friends often joke that to visit us in “deep, dark” New Territories, they need a visa. Yes, it’s far and perceived as way out there somewhere — not where everyone else is. But I must say that the public transportation is excellent out here. The Gold Coast Marina berths some of the largest luxury yachts in the Also, I have seen more gas stations around here than region. anywhere else in Hong Kong. With wide roads and sparse
16 AWARE November 2019 FEATURE traffic, driving is comfortable and doable, unlike the merchants. It also had a military garrison for coastal defense, aggravation that is Hong Kong Island driving: lack of parking situated on the eastern side of the Pearl River estuary. During and clogged traffic winding on a single road through the ‘70s and ‘80s, Tuen Mun went through phases of massive residential areas. construction creating housing projects, schools and My “backyard” is the last but easy tenth stage of the hospitals. otherwise grueling MacLehose Trail. My apartment faces the I often walk to the two open-air markets, Yan Oi and San South China Sea, the larger of the two towers at Hong Kong Hui, to browse and buy fresh produce. I stop, fascinated, to International Airport, and the HKIA runway, with landings that watch black sesame seed paste being made, while taking in I have frequently timed to be every few seconds. the aroma wafting through the air. The steaming bao stuffed When we moved here about six years ago, abundant flora with crunchy vegetables is a must for me on every visit. and fauna surrounded us. Once I saw a large monkey Behind my apartment complex are four massive crossing the road, very humanly checking both directions construction sites, soon to become towering residential before scurrying off to the other side. I come across lizards buildings and sprawling man-made gardens. The earth is darting in and out of bushes. There are snakes too, merely hollowed out with rocks and dirt laid bare by deafening, crossing the path on their way to wherever, but others have heavy-duty borers and picks. It will be two to three years seen them, not I — phew! There are colorful birds chirping before this construction is completed, so for now I have been and calling out from trees at all hours of the day and in all enjoying the dense foliage and the wide span of skyline seasons — a bird watcher’s delight, for sure. From March to showing off spectacular sunsets and rainbows. September I pick sweet-smelling Arabian jasmine in my residential garden. Seasonal blooms abound on hillsides and in ravines. My favorite is when strong winds whip up the clusters of A 10-minute walk gets me to the trees to do a wild dance, making the treetops, from a high floor, a sight to behold. Gold Coast development on Castle A 10-minute walk gets me to the Gold Coast development on Castle Peak Road, lined with tall palm trees, California- Peak Road, lined with tall palm trees, California-style, and a dual carriageway, a rarity in Hong Kong.
When I ride into Hong Kong Island, I like to sit on the upper deck of the bus to see the 360-degree view of the bridges and islands. It is indeed a stunning panorama. No matter which neighborhood you choose to live in during your tenure in Hong Kong, there will always be a hiking trail, a country park, everyday conveniences and, of course, super-efficient public transport nearby. The best parts, which we all share, are the views, whether it’s the Jasmine bush expanse of the South China Sea or the surrounding lush mountains. These views are common to all areas and are style, and a dual carriageway, a rarity in Hong Kong. there for us all to enjoy, no matter how densely packed the Here a marina is crowded with fancy yachts and the high-rise buildings around our apartments. open-air “piazza” filled with restaurants and supermarkets. Once again my husband and I are on the move, awaiting For Easter, Christmas, Mid-Autumn Festival and Chinese another experience — but this time we move into our own New Year celebrations, it gets the relevant festive look. bought apartment. What took you so long? you might well On my way to the shopping center, I often stop to look at ask. It just was not meant to be before! I will shrug and say. the roadside displays of archaeological finds that were This time it’s a neighborhood on Lantau Island, with excavated from prehistoric sites in So Kwun Wat, a Disneyland nearby, much to the delight of our grandchildren. neighboring village, and Castle Peak Bay in the 1920s, 1930s My feet are waiting to leave their prints along the long and and 1970s. winding hikes all over the island. Tuen Mun used to be a hub for local and foreign So it’s goodbye, Tuen Mun and hello, Discovery Bay.
November 2019 AWARE 17 FEATURE
The Liang Yi Museum A Hidden Gem Amidst Hollywood Road’s Antiques Row
By Georgia Davidson PHOTOS COURTESY OF LIANG YI MUSEUM
FOR CULTURE VULTURES SICK of being snubbed by museum is named and one of whom is the director) share gallery staff in H Queen’s while continuing to wait for the full memories of living in an unconventional household. At times M+ museum to open, an alternative awaits, hiding in plain they would return from school only to find that a perfectly sight. Chances are good you have walked by the Liang Yi functioning school desk had been replaced with a Japanese Museum, in Sheung Wan, numerous times without noticing it. Meiji-era table, or a bed had been magically turned into a But like an Egyptian tomb or speakeasy, once you gain four-poster antique. entrance you will be fully rewarded. Here, though, the reward Eventually, the collection got so out of hand that Fung’s is entry into a unique and eclectic world of Chinese and wife said enough was enough. Due to Hong Kong’s extreme Japanese antiques. lack of building space, Fung set out to strategically purchase One of the rare privately owned museums in Hong Kong, and renovate multiple contiguous buildings along Hollywood the building in which the Liang Yi Museum is housed is itself Road’s antiques row. The top two stories house the museum, an interesting story. According to interviews in other the first holds an event space, and the ground floor remains publications, the owner, Peter Fung, has spent the last forty separate antique shops into which the museum’s entrance years amassing antiques. His two daughters (for whom the blends.
18 AWARE November 2019 FEATURE
The modesty of the entrance is on purpose and its greatest appeal. Access is by appointment only. Small, interactive docent-led tours in English, Cantonese and Putonghua provide the insights and background to the pieces; no written descriptions are available. The increased crowd control allows the museum to permit patrons more access. Hands-off is not the default here. When the museum opened in 2014, the mainstay of the collection was twofold: 400 pieces of Ming- and Qing-era furniture made of beautifully carved, lustrous zitan or huanghuali wood; and 800 clutches, compacts and powder boxes, many of which are exceptional examples of Japanese- and Chinese-influenced art deco style. The artistry of their jade, onyx and coral carvings is stunning. More recently the museum has acquired a collection of Japanese Meiji-era antiques used by the rich in everyday life, from women’s hair combs and pins to smoking pipes and writing utensils. Again, the intricacy of these pieces is spectacular.
When the museum opened in 2014, the mainstays of the collection were the beautifully carved Ming- and Qing-era furniture and some 800 art deco clutches, compacts and powder boxes.
The current exhibition, entitled “Crowning Glory: The Beauty of Ladies’ Ornaments from Asia and Europe” and running until February 27, 2020, explores the role women’s clothing and accessories played in gender and identity in China and Japan from the late imperial era to the early modern period. On a recent tour, the docent wove together a narrative linking together many of the 250 pieces, which include objects of everyday use, traditional Chinese furniture associated with the boudoir, Japanese hair ornaments and silver pieces, and European vanities. On loan from other galleries and museums were textiles from both cultures. The atmosphere provides ample opportunity to ask questions and linger over pieces to appreciate the extraordinary detail and craftsmanship. A tour of the exhibition is an aesthetically pleasing way to learn about the historical concepts of Eastern feminine beauty, the impact of Western culture upon it, and its reciprocal influence on the West.
Liang Yi Museum 181-199 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan Tuesday – Saturday, 10 AM – 6 PM (by appointment only) HK$200
November 2019 AWARE 19 FEATURE Tackling Fashion Waste with Redress By Cassidy Klein
asked to use core sustainable design techniques and practices including zero waste, upcycling and reconstruction. After a lengthy process 10 designers were chosen to come to Hong Kong for a fashion show at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the winner getting the chance to design a collection for a retail brand. Another success Redress had in 2018 was collecting 20 tons of used clothing. However, Anneleise pointed out that in Hong Kong alone 370 tons of clothing goes into the landfill each day! That’s 16,000 garments dumped in landfills every Redress volunteers sort through donated clothes hour. Redress collects unwanted clothing all year-round through 21 boxes located at partner stores: Zara Hong Kong I RECENTLY CAUGHT UP with Anneleise Smillie, the & Macau, PizzaExpress Sai Ying Pun and Jeeves Dry executive director of Redress, at her Central office. Redress Cleaners. is an environmental charity formed in 2007 to address the October 2019 was “Get Redressed Month” at Redress: a waste and environmental pollution caused by the fashion big push to collect used clothing, leading up to a 24-hour industry. clothing Sort-a-Thon on Friday, November 22 and Saturday, Anneleise explained to me that Redress takes a two- November 23. Their corporate sponsors will send 20 teams to pronged approach to their work. The first “pillar,” as they call do the sorting while Redress provides a party atmosphere it, is to prevent waste and environmental damage caused by with live music, food and entertainment. Redress expects to the fashion industry; the second is to promote the reuse of sort more than 10 tons of donated clothes for resale, reuse, textile waste for new purposes. upcycling and recycling. More than 20 local charities will be To achieve these goals, Redress chooses to put most of beneficiaries of the sorted clothing. their resources towards education. Redress promotes fashion Redress invites AWA members to volunteer to work with designer education in several ways, such as organizing the Redress staff to organize the flow of work during the Sort-a- Redress Design Award for emerging designers and providing Thon. There will also be volunteer opportunities at Redress’s sustainable education materials for universities and design next designer pop-up shop, to be announced at the end of schools. The Redress design education pack contains lesson November. Interested AWA members can contact Chiara plans, design techniques and theories. So far 680 educators Rodriquez at [email protected] or Cassidy Klein at and industry professionals in 80 countries have downloaded [email protected] to be added to the Environmental the tertiary-level sustainable fashion curriculum. Committee’s Redress volunteer mailing list. The focus on educating new designers is critical because 80% of a garment’s overall environmental impact is set at the initial design stage, Smillie said. One of the strategies for Fashion Waste By the Numbers eliminating waste is to design clothing that can be reused or 370: Tons of clothing dumped in Hong Kong landfills each day repurposed when the consumer has worn it out, thus 16,000: Garments dumped in Hong Kong landfills every hour achieving a circular or “cradle to cradle” model. 20: Tons of used clothing collected by Redress in 2018 10: Tons of used clothing to be processed at Redress’s Sort-a- Redress also has many consumer education programs, Thon on November 22 and 23 such as exhibitions, workshops, clothing drives and pop-up shops. Seeing that extending the life of the average clothing item by nine months would reduce garment-related carbon waste and water by 20% to 30%, they published a book in 2017 about how to care for clothing. Redress also produced a five-episode miniseries about their design competition, which is available on YouTube. Smillie is most proud of the annual Redress Design Award, the largest sustainable design competition in the world. Last year, new designers from 55 countries submitted collections made entirely from textile waste. Applicants were
20 AWARE November 2019 The 2019 Redress Design Award fashion show CALENDAR - UPCOMING EVENTS
Lunch Series: Avenue of Stars Stroll and Lunch at Educational Series: @Home with Helpers Rosewood Hong Kong When: Tuesday, 19 November, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM When: Friday, 1 November, 10:15 AM – 3:00 PM (Approx.) Cooking with Passion: The Mixing Bowl Cooking Class Hong Kong Local Craft Beer Tour When: Tuesday, 19 November, 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM When: Saturday, 2 November, 11:45 AM – 4:15 PM (Approx.) (Approx.) Register by Tuesday, 12 November Register by Wednesday, 30 October Charity Tour: St. Barnabas' Society and Home Educational Series: Human and Animal Interaction in When: Wednesday, 20 November, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Hong Kong: Veterinary College When: Monday, 4 November, 8:45 AM – 12:00 PM Entertainment Series: High Tea Rosewood Hotel (Approx.) When: Wednesday, 20 November, 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM Register by Sunday, 3 November (Approx.) Register by Friday, 15 November Wander Asia Adventure Series: Hakka Tulou – China When: Tuesday – Thursday, 5 – 7 November Educational Series: Human and Animal Interaction in Register by Saturday, 5 October Hong Kong: Trinity Towers When: Friday, 22 November, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM (Approx.) Exploring Neighborhoods: Taikoo Register by Thursday, 21 November When: Wednesday, 6 November, 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM (Approx.) Hong Kong-Themed Embroidery Register by Monday, 4 November When: Tuesday, 26 November, 10:00 AM – 12:30 AM (Approx.) Entertainment Series: Piano Performance and Cocktail Register by Sunday, 24 November When: Saturday, 9 November, 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM (Approx.) Recreational Series: Burgers and Bowling What's for Supper?: A Plant-Based Meal – When: Wednesday, 27 November, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Cooking with Nat (Approx.) When: Monday, 11 November, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Approx.) Looking Forward Educational Series – Walking Tour with Jason Wordie: December Happy Valley Cemetery – Tombstone Tourism When: Tuesday, 12 November, 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM (Approx.) Educational Series – Historical Talk with Jason Wordie: Reformers to Revolutionaries: Hong Kong Women in the Shopping Series: Yuet Tung China Works – Hand-Painted 20th Century Thursday, 5 December, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM Porcelain When: When: Wednesday, 13 November, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Educational Series – Walking Tour with Jason Wordie: Educational Series: Introduction to Mahjong “The Gin Drinkers Line” – Shing Mun Park WWII Tunnels Saturday, 7 December, 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM When: Thursdays 14, 21, 28 November and 5 December, When: (Approx.) 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Register by Tuesday, 12 November Register by Tuesday, 12 November Educational Series – Walking Tour with Jason Wordie: Arts/Crafts & Design Series: Matryoshka Dolls – The Kennedy Town Many Layers of Being a Woman Thursday, 12 December, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Thursdays 14, 21, 28 November and 5, 12, 19 When: When: (Approx.) December, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
November 2019 AWARE 21 LOCAL TOURS AND ACTIVITIES
Lunch Series: Avenue of Stars Stroll and Lunch at Rosewood Hong Kong WHEN: Friday, 1 November, 10:15 AM – 3:00 PM (Approx.) WHERE: Meet at Star Ferry TST Lower Deck Exit COST: $100 member/$160 member's guest CAPACITY: 6 min/18 max COORDINATOR(S): Susanne Salg 9175 6909 Heidi Rockowitz 9090 7909 Enjoy a leisurely stroll of the newly renovated Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui. We will also explore the newly opened Victoria Dockside complex. The walk will be followed by a lovely lunch at the brand-new Rosewood Hong Kong, at shared expense.
Hong Kong Local Craft Beer Tour Educational Series: Human and Animal WHEN: Saturday, 2 November, Interaction in Hong Kong: Veterinary 11:45 AM – 4:15 PM (Approx.) College Register by Wednesday, 30 October WHEN: Monday, 4 November, WHERE: Meet at TST MTR (Exact location will be 8:45 AM – 12:00 PM (Approx.) emailed to participants) Register by Sunday, 3 November COST: $790 member/$850 member's guest WHERE: Meet at Kowloon Tong MTR, Exit C CAPACITY: 10 min/20 max (excluding coordinator) COST: $60 member/$120 member's guest COORDINATOR(S): Cecilia Leung 6201 6332 CAPACITY: 10 min/12 max Hop on Hong Kong Foodie's brew bus for a behind-the- COORDINATOR(S): Lynne Stewardson 5696 0604 scenes look at the vibrant Hong Kong craft beer movement. Are you concerned about diseases that your animals (and As we whisk through revitalized industrial neighborhoods maybe you too) can catch in HK? What about the meat we buzzing with entrepreneurial energy, quench your thirst with eat? Is the pig disease African swine fever contagious? What special brews, fill up with tasty beer bites and lunch, and is the latest concern for our dogs when out for walkies? The meet the artisans that are making a name for themselves in Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life the craft beer business. Eat, drink and be merry at two Sciences at CityU may hold the answers to your questions. unique local breweries and a taproom that specializes in Join world-leading experts and professors for an insightful local craft beer. A perfect outing for beer lovers or those talk about the school and their current work. Follow on with a wanting to learn more about Hong Kong's craft beer scene. guided behind-the-scenes tour of the veterinary diagnostic Private transport, brewery tour, 12 types of local craft beer, lab with interactive experiences of the work and explanations snacks, lunch and gratuity are included in the AWA special from their experts. discounted rate of HK$790 for AWA members and HK$850 for guests. Wander Asia Adventure Series: Hakka Tulou – China WHEN: Tuesday – Thursday, 5 – 7 November Register by Saturday, 5 October No refunds will be given at any time. WHERE: TBA (Exact location will be emailed to participants) COST: $7500 member/$7900 member's guest CAPACITY: 8 min/12 max COORDINATOR(S): Kathryn Abbott 9781 2024 Scattered across the hills in Fujian province, the Hakka tulou are colossal multistory fortified villages, predominantly built in
22 AWARE November 2019 LOCAL TOURS AND ACTIVITIES a doughnut shape. More than just empty castles, they were Entertainment Series: Piano Performance the epitome of traditional communal living, with hundreds of and Cocktail people living in close proximity. We will explore a few WHEN: Saturday, 9 November, authentic tulou, still occupied by real villagers (with chickens 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM (Approx.) running around), and stay overnight at one to experience WHERE: Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel (Exact authentic Hakka food and hospitality — avoiding the location will be emailed to participants) crowded, commercialized tulou favored by typical mass- COST: $560 member/$620 member's guest market tours. Discover: CAPACITY: 6 min/16 max - The history and evolution of tulou, exploring them in their COORDINATOR(S): Susanne Salg 91756909 many forms (they are typically round but can be squarish Come and enjoy a relaxing afternoon piano performance at as well!) the elegant Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel. The performance - How the architecture and interior layout of tulou provided a will be complemented with a selection of savory and sweet functional and comfortable living environment to the Hakka canapés, including finger sandwiches, desserts, fresh fruit people for hundreds of years and pastries, and a glass of wine, house spirits or coffee/tea. - The ingenious defense system of tulou, such as the anti-fire Our guest pianist is Melissa Stock, former adjunct professor main gates and underground escape tunnels of music at Northwest Christian University and music director See website for itinerary. at the Crystal Cathedral in California, and currently the country manager for Agape International Missions (AIM) Exploring Neighborhoods: Taikoo Cambodia. WHEN: Wednesday, 6 November, 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM (Approx.) What's for Supper?: A Plant-Based Meal – Register by Monday, 4 November Cooking with Nat WHERE: Meet at Taikoo MTR (Exact location will WHEN: Monday, 11 November, be emailed to participants) 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Approx.) COST: $60 member/$120 member's guest WHERE: Tseung Kwan O (Exact location will be CAPACITY: 3 min/12 max emailed to participants) COORDINATOR(S): Natasha Bochorishvili 9853 0253 COST: $560 member/$620 member's guest Come for a walk to explore the Eastern District of Hong Kong CAPACITY: 3 min/5 max Island, often referred to as “Eastern Soho.” The area has COORDINATOR(S): Natalia Morrison 6415 9880 been undergoing major revamping and gentrification; at this There are a lot of health benefits to eating a plant-based diet. stage the shiny office towers and trendy art galleries and In this class, nutrition educator and cookbook author Natalia restaurants coexist with relict conglomerates of densely Morrison will guide you through a delicious, easy-to-prepare stacked, atmospheric residential buildings. During the walk plant-based menu from her cookbook, Home Cooking East & we’ll see some local cultural attractions, like an exhibition on West. We'll then sit down (with a glass of "mental health Cantonese opera in film at the Hong Kong Film Archive, and food"!) to enjoy the quinoa black bean burgers with chili lime enjoy the view from the scenic Quarry Bay Promenade on mayo, avocado salad with lemony yogurt dressing and the way to Hatoba Japanese restaurant to have lunch there homemade buns we made together. (at your own expense). Educational Series – Walking Tour with Jason Wordie: Happy Valley Cemetery – Tombstone Tourism WHEN: Tuesday, 12 November, 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM (Approx.) WHERE: The Hong Kong Jockey Club Museum, adjacent to the main stands on Wong Nai Chung Road (Exact location will be emailed to participants) COST: $440 member/$500 member's guest CAPACITY: 10 min/18 max COORDINATOR(S): Natalia Morrison 6415 9880 A graveyard can be a great place to explore local history. Happy Valley is one of Hong Kong’s urban contradictions, with the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s racetrack (one of Hong
November 2019 AWARE 23 LOCAL TOURS AND ACTIVITIES
Kong’s most popular attractions for the city’s living) on one WHEN: Thursdays 14, 21, 28 November and 5 side of the street and the historical Colonial Cemetery on the December, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM other side. Join us as we explore this famous cemetery with Register by Tuesday, 12 November local historian Jason Wordie to learn about the fascinating WHERE: AWA Office lives of the people buried there (including many young COST: $240 member/$300 member's guest women) and the contributions made by various distinct CAPACITY: 8 min/12 max ethnic communities to Hong Kong’s social and economic COORDINATOR(S): Lynne Stewardson 5696 0604 development. Muslim, Roman Catholic, Hindu, Parsee, Martine Vallone 2866 9801 Protestant Europeans and Russian Orthodox individuals Do you feel like you're the only person in Hong Kong who share the cemetery with prewar Japanese residents, doesn’t know how to play mahjong? Can't tell a dragon tile descendants of Portuguese migrants from Macao and White from a wind and never heard of "chi" or "pong"? Then this is Russian refugees who escaped the Bolshevik Revolution. your lucky month! Our own Martine Vallone will teach you all Learn the secrets of the headstones and grave markers. It’s the basics you need to know in just four easy and fun a fascinating look into the tastes and dangers of an era. lessons! This introductory class (beginners only please) will Come and enjoy being a tombstone tourist! meet weekly on Thursday for four consecutive weeks. Please plan on attending all four sessions. Shopping Series: Yuet Tung China Works – Hand-Painted Porcelain Arts/Crafts & Design Series: Matryoshka WHEN: Wednesday, 13 November, Dolls – The Many Layers of Being a Woman 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM WHEN: Thursdays 14, 21, 28 November and 5, WHERE: Meet at Admiralty MTR (inside) near M&S 12, 19 December, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM Foods (Exact location will be emailed to WHERE: Wild at Art Studio (Central) (Exact location participants) will be emailed to participants) COST: $60 member/$120 member's guest COST: $3300 member/$3360 member's guest CAPACITY: 5 min/10 max CAPACITY: 4 min/10 max (excluding coordinator) COORDINATOR(S): Lisa Wallis 6715 0653 COORDINATOR(S): Natalia Morrison 6415 9880 Just in time for your holiday shopping! Are you looking for a great place to buy some of the best porcelain in Hong Kong? Yuet Tung China Works has made hand-painted china since 1928 for restaurants, hotels and customers like you. This shop offers a range of ready-to-go china, but the real draw is either choosing a pattern from their sample book or having your own design custom made. Optional lunch will follow, at shared expense. Educational Series: Introduction to Mahjong
As women we are many-layered beings, playing different roles that accumulate, shift and change through our lives. Russian matryoshka dolls are a beautiful representation and metaphor for our many-layered selves and can represent the lifetimes of experiences stored inside us! In these hands-on art workshops, you will be guided to create your very own set of matryoshka dolls that symbolize the roles that you play in your life and the accumulated wisdom that you bring to the lives around you. We will paint our own set of wooden nesting dolls as we illustrate and treasure each stage of life and the rich seam of experiences within -- helping us to identify, explore and treasure the myriad roles we have
24 AWARE November 2019 LOCAL TOURS AND ACTIVITIES played throughout our lives. This will culminate in the final Charity Tour: St. Barnabas' Society and painting of the largest outer doll as the glorious manifestation Home of your wise and brilliant present-day self. WHEN: Wednesday, 20 November, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Educational Series: @Home with Helpers WHERE: Western District (Exact location will be WHEN: Tuesday, 19 November, emailed to participants) 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM COST: $60 member/$120 member's guest WHERE: AWA Office CAPACITY: 10 max COST: $300 member/$360 member's guest COORDINATOR(S): Lee Parr 5698 9163 CAPACITY: 4 min/30 max St. Barnabas’ Society and Home started off small, formed in COORDINATOR(S): Natalia Morrison 6415 9880 1987 by two people who began a ministry of outreach to For many expats, having someone who works for you living street sleepers, the poor, and the homeless in the Western in your home is a new experience. Building a positive and Kennedy Town districts of Hong Kong Island. Today the relationship based on clear communication is key to a happy organization has a large presence in the Western District. It and healthy home life for everyone. In this talk, Natalia continues to serve the homeless and now provides home- Morrison will share insider tips to help you effectively cooked meals at the center, as well as other facilities for all communicate your food-related needs, preferences and ages. St. Barnabas is a recipient of AWA 2019 funding and expectations regarding how food is to be handled in your we are planning a visit to the center for a tour and to hear home. The tips and hands-on tools described in this seminar more about the future projects the organization is planning. are based on a chapter in Home Cooking East & West – Kitchen Happiness with Domestic Helpers, which Natalia Entertainment Series: High Tea Rosewood wrote with input from her domestic helper, Elsa Amistad. Hotel Participants will each receive a complimentary copy of this WHEN: Wednesday, 20 November, recently published cookbook (and more!). 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM (Approx.) Register by Friday, 15 November Cooking with Passion: The Mixing Bowl WHERE: Meet at Admiralty MTR (inside) near M&S Cooking Class Foods WHEN: Tuesday, 19 November, COST: $60 member/$120 member's guest 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM (Approx.) CAPACITY: 6 min/12 max Register by Tuesday, 12 November COORDINATOR(S): Tracey-Lee Hayes 9130 0851 No refunds after registration deadline. Barbara Galligan 6080 6523 WHERE: The Pemberton, 22-26 Bonham Strand, Artful interiors set the stage for a memorable afternoon tea at 23/F, Sheung Wan the Rosewood’s Butterfly Room. Inspired by some of COST: $700 member/$760 member's guest Europe’s most exquisite tea rooms in interior designer Tony CAPACITY: 8 min/16 max Chi’s eclectic style, the Butterfly Room offers a substantial COORDINATOR(S): Heidi Rockowitz 9090 7909 menu of savory bites and finger sandwiches, fluffy Kim Rehmann 6039 2311 homemade scones, irresistible pastries and indulgent Come learn how to make amazing pizza and Chinese egg confections by resident pastry chef Holger Deh, some of tarts! The Mixing Bowl will show us how fun it is to cook, and which are served on a silver trolley. The high tea will be at afterward we will enjoy the results of our efforts. The classes shared cost (dependent on the number of participants). are easy and ingredients simple. Only common domestic Price: HK$720 for two guests, with an additional Delamotte appliances are used, so you will be able to recreate this Champagne pairing for HK$260. meal at home for the family. Educational Series: Human and Animal Interaction in Hong Kong: Trinity Towers WHEN: Friday, 22 November, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM (Approx.) Register by Thursday, 21 November WHERE: Meet at Sham Shui Po MTR, Exit C2 COST: $60 member/$120 member's guest CAPACITY: 12 min/20 max COORDINATOR(S): Lynne Stewardson 5696 0604 Want the best 24/7 care in Hong Kong for your beloved pet,
November 2019 AWARE 25 LOCAL TOURS AND ACTIVITIES or just interested in exploring behind the scenes of a state-of- Bay) the-art animal health care facility? This is the tour for you. COST: $60 member/$120 member's guest Trinity Towers opened earlier this year and offers specialist CAPACITY: 6 min/8 max (excluding coordinator) services and equipment comparable to most human COORDINATOR(S): Lavinia Hemandas 2838 2199 hospitals. Recently relocated from Peace Avenue, this Situated in the south side of the island, the Hong Kong brand-new facility is providing a private tour just for us. Country Club is a renowned, elite, multicultural club, boasting an exclusive membership of 2,500. It is reputed as Hong Kong-Themed Embroidery one of Hong Kong's premier clubs, serving the finest cuisine WHEN: Tuesday, 26 November, and providing the very best sports and recreational facilities 10:00 AM – 12:30 AM (Approx.) since 1962, including — you guessed it — a bowling alley! Register by Sunday, 24 November Today we'll have a chance to enjoy a delicious lunch at the WHERE: AWA Office Garden Room, followed by some fun-time bowling, both at COST: $550 member/$610 member's guest shared expense. Shoes will be provided, but please bring CAPACITY: 10 min/12 max (excluding coordinator) along your own socks. COORDINATOR(S): Susan Orchard 9634 6655 (WhatsApp +447891575475) If you love Hong Kong there is no better way to celebrate Looking Forward that than by creating a beautiful embroidery hoop inspired December by this wonderful city! The talented Gilmour sisters from Make and Do will lead us in our very own Hong Kong- Educational Series – Historical Talk inspired embroidery session, suitable for all levels from with Jason Wordie: Reformers to absolute beginners on up. All supplies are provided. What's Revolutionaries: Hong Kong Women in the your favorite thing that comes to mind when you think about 20th Century Hong Kong? Is it the skyline, the red taxis, the ding-ding WHEN: Thursday, 5 December, trams, dumplings in dim sum baskets, the Aqua Luna? We 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM have lots of cute templates for you to choose from! This is WHERE: AWA Office not the kind of cross-stitch your Grandma has hanging on COST: $330 member/$390 member's guest the wall, but a cheeky spin on traditional handmade crafts. CAPACITY: 10 min/25 max You will gain some insight into the world of embroidery and COORDINATOR(S): Susan Soskin West 9191 1503 learn a number of embroidery techniques that can be used Twentieth-century Hong Kong experienced tremendous on your final masterpiece. You are welcome to bring along societal change, and in few aspects was this transformation your own snacks if you wish; tea and coffee available at cost. more profound and long-lasting than in the changing role and status of women. In particular, the public role played by Chinese women altered profoundly, and the effects of greater opportunity in all fields continue into the present day. In this insightful talk with local historian Jason Wordie we will explore the broader international and local circumstances that contributed to this evolution, and track these changes through the fascinating lives and careers of various women from very diverse ethnic backgrounds, educational levels and socioeconomic circumstances who all made their lives in Hong Kong. From Lady Lugard to sex workers and the world of Suzie Wong; from famous authors, engineers, and women in politics to the first female vicar of the Anglican Church; this talk is filled with valuable revelations. Educational Series – Walking Tour with Recreational Series: Burgers and Bowling Jason Wordie: “The Gin Drinkers Line” – WHEN: Wednesday, 27 November, Shing Mun Park WWII Tunnels 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Approx.) WHEN: Saturday, 7 December, WHERE: Meet at lobby of Hong Kong Country 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM (Approx.) Club, 188 Wong Chuk Hang Road Register by Tuesday, 12 November (between Aberdeen and Deep Water
26 AWARE November 2019 LOCAL TOURS AND ACTIVITIES
WHERE: Meet at Tsuen Wan MTR, Exit C (Exact Kong. Tucked away amongst new developments are location will be emailed to participants) examples of interwar architectural styles, temples and some COST: $440 member/$500 member's guest very significant military relics. One of the most surprising sites CAPACITY: 10 min/18 max we will visit is the Lo Pan Temple, on the steep network of COORDINATOR(S): Susan Soskin West 9191 1503 hillside terraces between Kennedy Town and Hong Kong Shing Mun, with its extensive series of wartime sites, will University. Dedicated to the patron saint of carpenters, the interest and intrigue those who combine an interest in the temple is an architectural jewel. Long-established shops, Pacific War period with enjoyment of Hong Kong’s operating for decades, add to the bustling atmosphere along magnificent open countryside. We will visit the surviving the last remaining stretch of rocky shoreline on the northern tunnels and emplacements of the prewar Inner Line — coast of Hong Kong Island. Join local historian Jason Wordie popularly referred to as the "Gin Drinker's Line." This 12-acre to explore the dramatic evolution of this fast-changing underground citadel formed the largest single entity in an neighborhood. extended defensive complex that extended right across the Kowloon hills from Gin Drinker’s Bay to Port Shelter. On this Registration Procedures visit, we will learn how and why these tunnels were built and Local Tour and Activity (LTA) events are open for registration as of subsequently defended. We will discuss their role in the the first of each month in which the activity will be held. Activities being held in the early part of the following month are open for tense years that led up to the eventual defense of Hong Kong registration on the first day of the prior month. Check the AWA in 1941. After the reservoir’s capture by the Japanese, water website at www.awa.org.hk for the most up-to-date schedule and supplies to urban areas, particularly on Hong Kong Island, don’t forget to register early as many of the events will sell out. were critically affected; this desperate situation materially affected the eventual outcome of the Hong Kong campaign. Refund, Cancellation and Substitution Policies Every activity includes an administrative fee of HK$60 Member/ Educational Series – Walking Tour with HK$120 Member’s Guest. This base fee is not refundable at any Jason Wordie: Kennedy Town time unless the AWA cancels the event. Charges in excess of the base fee are refundable if cancellation is received by the AWA WHEN: Thursday, 12 December, office at least one full week before the activity date. For example, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Approx.) if the activity is on a Tuesday, cancellation must be received prior WHERE: Meet at HKU MTR, Exit A (Exact location to midnight of the previous Tuesday. If the AWA cancels an event, will be emailed to participants) the entire activity cost will be automatically credited to you. Credit COST: $440 member/$500 member's guest notes are not transferable and must be used within six months CAPACITY: 10 min/18 max from the date of issue or by the end of the AWA fiscal year (30 June), whichever is earlier. You may request a check in lieu of a COORDINATOR(S): Susan Soskin West 9191 1503 credit at any time before the credit expires. Owing to the popularity of AWA activities, many have a wait list and therefore substitutions cannot be accepted. If you are unable to attend an activity, please, inform the AWA office to cancel your place and allow someone on the waitlist to attend. *The $60 registration fee is purely an administration fee. It is not donated to the Charitable and Education fund.
At the extreme western end of Hong Kong Island, Kennedy Town is often overlooked. By the 1870s it was recognized that the city of Victoria (approximately Sheung Wan, Central, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay) was developed almost beyond its existing capacity; Kennedy Town thus emerged as one of the first efforts at urban decentralization in Hong
November 2019 AWARE 27 CONTACT INFORMATION Ongoing Clubs and Sports The AWA’s many ongoing clubs and sports offer the most popular and easiest ways for members to make new friends. Keep busy and expand your network of friends with these activities, organized by AWA members for AWA members. One-time registration (at www.awa.org.hk) is required in order to receive updates about scheduled activities. ARTS/HOBBIES FOOD Afternoon Book Club Penny Van Niel: [email protected] Galloping Gourmet Linda Gomoll: [email protected] Kathryn Abbott: [email protected] Jean Han: [email protected] Art Lovers Natasha Bochorishvili: [email protected] Mary Oliver: [email protected] Kumiko Matsushima: [email protected] Penny Soder: [email protected] Photography Group Angela Bellas: [email protected] Lunch Bunch Connie Albracht: [email protected] Sew It’s Thursday Connie Albracht: [email protected] SPORTS GAMES Globe Paddlers (Dragon Boat) Sarah Brundan: [email protected] Bridge and Lunch Social Wendy Maize: [email protected] Augusta Nichols-Even: [email protected] Games Galore (Mahjong Or Bridge) Beth Hall: [email protected] Golf Society Nicci Button and Tanya Keg: [email protected] Mahjong Madness Katherine Fenton: [email protected] Hiking Group Strenuous Hikes Gail Sousa: [email protected] Alison Doran: [email protected] TOPICAL Moderate/Social Hikes Kathryn Abbott: [email protected] Environmental Committee Chiara Rodriquez: Jane Hotchkiss: [email protected] [email protected] Spiritual Literacy Group Kate Weisman: [email protected] Women’s Forum MaryAnn Boone: [email protected] Membership Programs and Meetups AWA BUDDY PROGRAM CHAT (COME HAVE A TALK) The AWA Buddy Program pairs interested new members with a CHAT is an informal drop-in gathering for members, newcomers, and “Buddy” who helps answer questions about life in Hong Kong and/or non-members. the AWA. WHEN: Thursdays, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM WHEN: Ongoing (except public holidays) COORDINATOR: Alison May, [email protected] WHERE: Café 8 (rooftop of Central Pier 8, above the Maritime Museum) COST: No fee (all food and drink at personal expense) FOON YING – COORDINATORS: Nancy Acee, [email protected] HONG KONG INSIGHTS Avril York, [email protected] Foon Ying means “welcome” in Cantonese and the whole idea of NEIGHBORHOOD COFFEES these sessions (three sessions over a three-week period) is to embark on adventures and embrace new friendships. The program is great If you live, work or play in any of the following neighborhoods, join for both brand-new “Hong Kongers” and those of us who have been others in your area for a monthly coffee. Contact your local here a while and watched our first batch of friends and contacts head coordinator for details of forthcoming coffees. home or off to new pastures. Every month HK SOUTHSIDE SAI KUNG WHEN: Jean Han, [email protected] Katherine Fenton, [email protected] WHERE: AWA office or alternate location as agreed COORDINATOR: Helen Pott, [email protected] POK FU LAM AND SHOUSON HILL KOWLOON Annie Fifer, [email protected] Penny Soder, [email protected] AWA WISE DISCOVERY BAY A supportive, nurturing networking and professional development Kathryn Abbott, ykathrynabbotty group for women, offering workshops on trending topics and @hotmail.com networking meetups with other like-minded women’s groups. AWA WISE events are open to non-members. WHEN: Email coordinators or follow AWA WISE on OWL (OUT WITH THE LADIES) Facebook @awawisehk for event announcements COORDINATORS: Priya Bhasker and Josephine Paris, Come join us any week or every week – same time, same place [email protected] (except public holidays). WHEN: Tuesdays, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM WHERE: Oolaa, 20 Bridges Street, Soho COORDINATORS: Maureen Brugger, 5504 1515 Jennifer Bartolomeo, 9310 5522
28 AWARE November 2019 CONTACT INFORMATION
About the AWA The AWA (American Women’s Association) is a dynamic community of women of all nationalities, with more than 650 members from 40 countries. Our mission is to welcome and empower women to connect and contribute in Hong Kong. We are sure you will find your niche through our diverse range of activities, events and opportunities to volunteer. Current members: you are our best ambassadors. Please introduce new arrivals and old friends to AWA – over wine at OWL, at a Neighborhood Coffee or CHAT, or an AWA WISE event. If you have any questions about the AWA, please contact the office or any of the Executive Board members.
OFFICE EXECUTIVE BOARD Phone 2527 2961/2 Fax 2865 7737 EXECUTIVE BOARD [email protected] Hours 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM Mon-Thu President Priyanka Agarwal: [email protected] Address No.5, 11th floor, Arion Commercial Centre, 1st VP Fundraising Robin Neiterman: [email protected] 2-12 Queen's Road West, Hong Kong 2nd VP Membership Gail Sousa: [email protected] Website www.awa.org.hk 3rd VP Activities Natasha Bochorishvili: [email protected] Director of Operations Barbora Mayer: [email protected] Treasurer Alison Doran: [email protected] Membership Representative Joanne Lam: [email protected] Recording Secretary Jessica Cheng: [email protected] Charitable Donations Beth McNicholas: [email protected] Community Service Kim Rehmann: [email protected] COMMUNITY Education & Scholarship Augusta Nichols-Even: [email protected] COMMUNITY SERVICE [email protected] AWAre Editor Stephanie Chan: [email protected] Sponsorship Debbie Cruikshank: [email protected] Chairperson Kim Rehmann: [email protected] Branding & Communications Soup Kitchen Claudia Ciesielski: [email protected] J’nee Hilgers-Easter: [email protected] HK Society for the Blind Lee Parr: [email protected] Ronald McDonald House Renee Cheung: [email protected] Hong Kong Hosts: SOCIAL Adopt a Marine/Sailor Tiffany Broeckelman: [email protected] China Merchants Wharf Tiffany Broeckelman: [email protected] ACTIVITIES [email protected] 3rd Vice President Natasha Bochorishvili: [email protected] Asian Tours Tracey-Lee Hayes: [email protected] EDUCATION & SCHOLARSHIP Annie Fifer: [email protected] [email protected] Local Tours Natalia Morrison: [email protected] Chairperson Augusta Nichols-Even: [email protected] English Programs: Kwun Tong Marti Law: [email protected] BRANDING & COMMUNICATIONS Pok Fu Lam Liz Clark: [email protected] [email protected] Sham Shui Po Barbara Iannazzone: [email protected] Chai Wan Linda Gomoll: [email protected] Chairperson J'nee Hilgers-Easter: [email protected] Kathy Barber: [email protected] Newsletter/E-Blast Coordinator Mei Foo Reading Program Shirley Andruko: [email protected] J'nee Hilgers-Easter: [email protected] Lai King Karen Prosser: [email protected] Forum Moderator J'nee Hilgers-Easter: [email protected] Mock Interviews Katherine Payne: [email protected] Dialogue in the Dark Jenlen Ng: [email protected] Joining the AWA is easy, and all women are
MEMBERSHIP [email protected] welcome! Just visit our website at awa.org.hk or call 2527 2961. 2nd Vice President Gail Sousa: [email protected] Membership Discounts [email protected]
November 2019 AWARE 29 JOIN US TODAY
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The American Chamber of Commerce is the largest international chamber in Hong Kong, with almost 50 years of history and influence in the Asia-Pacific. Our mission is to serve as a center for networking, information and advocacy for our valued members.
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