Summer 2011 30 71 82 features 27 SHANGHAI EXPRESS 63 WE ARE FAMILY A weekend getaway gives one family Take the time to learn about your a glimpse of Shanghai’s mix of history family, before it’s too late. and modern-day marvels. 66 LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX 30 PLAY IT SAFE With swimsuit season upon us, and Summer fun starts with water safety. bodies displayed more freely than normal, your kids might just start 36 SUMMER IN THE CITY asking tough questions. Try these activities to keep the kids entertained. 71 SOFT TOUCH Learn how to give your baby a five-star 42 PACK YOUR BAGS massage at home. PHOTOGRAPHY A bit of planning can make your home Aimee K Photography leave a bit less taxing. 74 HONG KONG YOUNG WRITERS AWARDS 2011 MODEL Annabelle 50 HERE COMES THE SUN Congratulations to all of the winners! Take precautions to keep your kids CLOTHES safe in the sun. 76 STYLISH SPACES Annabelle wears Key Sun Hong Kong has everything you’ll need Zinke, SPF30+, UVA-AVB broad 55 spectrum sun protection, in SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER to transform your child’s bedroom into pink and blue (more colours Lazing by the pool or getting a head a unique and refreshing space. available), $40, Bumps to start on the next academic year? How Babes, and kids pompom should kids spend the summer? 82 HERE COMES SUMMER kaftan, from Sabina Swims. Cool and comfy cottons are perfect for 59 GET OUT, GET FIT long, hot days. Playing isn’t just for kids. Get the family fit while enjoying sunny days 93 ECHOES OF NATURE together. Beat the heat: spend a summer day inside creating wearable art with your kids. Summer 2011 55 59 66 upfront regulars 10 WHAT’S ON 23 TOY BOX A look at what’s going on around town Toys that celebrate the season this summer 25 BOOKSHELF 12 HAPPY CAMPERS Perfect picks for summer reading Find the perfect summer programme for your kids. 100 THE LAST WORD Nury Vittachi shares his thoughts on 14 HOT OFF THE PRESS computers taking over the world. Hip new shops, services and products information 18 FINGER ON THE PULSE Parenting news from around the world 95 STOCKISTS See something you like? We’ll tell you Bookshelf 21 ECO HERO where to get it. pg 25 Ideas and products for greener living Toy Box pg 23 Eco Hero pg 21 contributors EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Tracey Starr t: 2973 6078 e: [email protected] PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR Jo Allum t: 2973 6159 Tina Purvis e: [email protected] Coming from a sleepy town in Hertfordshire, just north of London, Tina’s need to keep on the move stood out like a sore thumb. Early symptoms ADvERTISINg SALES AND DISTRIBUTION Narelle Edwards ranged from bouts of frequent rearrangement of t: 2973 6131 furniture in her bedroom to coaxing and cajoling e: [email protected] her two younger sisters into taking part in her mini theatrical productions. As time moved on, so did her need for speed, and ACCOUNT MANAgER it wasn’t long before she was the proud owner of a 550cc motorbike, Wendy Clarke a Dart catamaran and Golf GTI. However, she gave them all up to take t: 2973 6279 part in a round-the-world yacht race that saw her survive the worst of e: [email protected] the Southern Ocean, but also engaged to a Hong Kong-born competitor. Now a happily married, Hong Kong permanent resident herself, whatever ACCOUNT MANAgER energy she has left from trying to keep up with her three young sons, Cath Worthington t: Tina puts into her business of writing life-stories for everyday people. And 2973 6139 e: [email protected] competing in triathlons, of course. ACCOUNT MANAgER Florence Choy t: 2973 6187 e: [email protected] PRODUCTION MANAgER Michael Chau Davide Butson-Fiori Leading a nomadic existence, Davide was born ART DIRECTOR in Maine and moved countless times throughout Timmy Ho his childhood. But changing schools and locations wasn’t always easy. He was picked on for being the tall, lanky new kid. Dreaming of winning the hurdles event in track and field, he’d envy the jocks at school. gRAPHIC DESIgNER He thought of trying out for the track team, but his self-esteem was low Samuel Tang from being picked last for any team sport, and he chickened out. Today, Davide is no longer a 30 kg weakling. Instead, he’s a 100 kg man made of solid muscle who runs his own fitness company and CEO competes in races worldwide. While he honed his craft as a fashion David Tait photographer and graphic designer, he never gave up his love for sports. t: 2973 6791 e: [email protected] He has created his own company, Circuit25, where he builds confidence in others so that they will never be picked last. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS & DISTRIBUTION t: 2973 6131 CONTRIBUTORS: Melanie Adamson, Jennifer Barnes Eliot, Angela Baura, Davide Butson-Fiori, Anthea Damman, Andrea Dann, Andrew Dembina, Aimee K Photography, Dr Rosann Kao, Ingrid Keneally, Tina Purvis, Claudia Saunders, Sarah Simpson, Kelly Yang PUBLISHED BY: PPP Company Ltd, 20/F Carfield Commercial Building 75-77 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2973 6131 PRINTED BY: Fantasy Printing Ltd. in Hong Kong ISSN 1726-183X Published by PPP Company Limited. The publication is sold on the understanding that the publisher, advertisers, contributors and their employees are not responsible for the results of any actions, errors or omissions taken on the basis of information contained in this publication. The publisher, advertisers, contributors and their employees expressly disclaim all and any liability to any person, whether a purchaser of the publication or not, in respect of any action or omission or the consequences of any action or omission by any such person, whether whole or partial, upon the whole or part of the contents of this publication. All rights reserved, 2011 PPP Company Limited. No part of this work, covered by the publisher’s copyright may be reproduced in any form by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or information storage and retrieval, without the written permission of the publisher. Any unauthorised use of this publication will result in immediate legal proceedings. welcome Tracey and models James, Annabelle & Anya ummer has certainly arrived in Hong Kong! After a generously cool and dry start to the year, the heat and humidity we’ve been expecting (dreading?) has made its Sappearance. Nearly every conversation among my girlfriends now includes in-depth debates about how to handle your hair and questions about how you’ll spend your summer holidays. While you’re on your own with your hair, we have addressed your summer holidays. Whether you’re heading out on home leave or looking for ways to enjoy Hong Kong’s coastline, we’ve got it covered. And no matter where you’ll be enjoying the season, I hope our tips regarding sun and water safety ensure a happy ending for the whole family. We had so much fun shooting this month’s fashion spread. Thanks to the folks at the Aberdeen Boat Club, we enjoyed a fabulous setting and rewarded ourselves with delicious snacks when the work was done. It was a treat to welcome back one of our favourite photographers – Aimee K – who was visiting from her new home in Mallorca. Aimee will be back again in November for anyone who would like to have some gorgeous family photos taken. For us here at Playtimes, summer means the monthly magazine treadmill will pause, allowing us to take a breath, too. I’m looking forward to my own home leave, where I hope to share some relaxing times with family and do some frenetic shopping. This summer, Wendy will return from her maternity leave. We’ve missed her, and look forward to welcoming her back. But, as she returns, another team member will leave us. After three years on the Playtimes team, Narelle will be leaving Hong Kong. She and her family will set off on their next adventure, this time in Bahrain. Narelle has been such an important part of our team, and she will be missed tremendously. We all wish her the best in this next chapter and are delighted to feature her son James in the fashion spread inside. I do hope you enjoy this summer reading. And, as the song goes, I’ll see you in September. Thanks for reading, Tracey Starr, Editor-in-Chief 8 Playtimes WHAT’S ON Summer THE HOTTEST HAPPENINGS AROUND T OWN Kids’ Gallery students present Neverland. Tinkerbell is sick, a storm is brewing, and Peter BASF Kids’ Lab interactive Pan and Captain Hook are chemistry education about to join forces! programme aims to educate Find details at and raise children’s interest in www.hkticketing.com. science. Learn more at Join award-winning, American www.kidslab.basf.com. author Susan Conley for afternoon tea at The Peninsula to celebrate the launch of her critically acclaimed memoir The Foremost Good Fortune. Buy tickets at Dymocks bookstores. Looking for a safe, non- invasive, drug-free way Catch Annie, the musical, to improve your family’s at Hong Kong Baptist health? BodyTalk will teach University. Proceeds will be children aged ten to 18 donated to the HK Society simple techniques. for the Protection of Children. Register online at Click www.hkticketing.com www.bodytalksystem.com.hk. for tickets. Visit the Hong Kong Book Fair 2011 to find both Chinese and The International Arts English books, Carnival 2011 offers exhibits and acrobatics on ice, dance, events.