Dr Freud: a new member who's started free online psychoanalysis sessions for some of our more "unruly" members. He lists his occupation as "Serving the mental health of the community since a couple of weeks ago". Someone described him as: "Freud is at his funniest when he just pops up now and then (when someone is screaming out for analysis)"

He's become a regular in the new Fight Club forum, interjecting the firm & stern voice of authority into this usually very naughty playground...

bbdog: another new member, but he sounds (and looks) suspiciously like the illicit love child of bbchris & webdog! Just look at the sad-puppy-dog eyes and the all-white, innocent fur!

So far, no satisfactory explanations have been forthcoming from either one of them! The Lamma community has a need to know! Rumour-mongering and gossiping seems to be a primary human need around here!

• Topic

Very interesting & informative: HK & Kowloon Ferry & their new-found speed

• Publicity

"Dan Yiu of the Green Cottage reflects on a greener future for Hong Kong." Photo: Dustin Shum. © 2003 SCMP

Dan of the Green Cottage appeared in the SCMP, in extra large size! He was quoted extensively on environmental issues under a headline of "Nurturing nature".

RoadShow TV (the people behind the controversial in-bus TV shows) have been filming in restaurants & shops along Main Street on May 29.

Granny Cheung Yau Giu  (72, Wang Long) was featured on the Oxfam website, about her alu can collecting "business".

Her favourite thing: "I wish I didn't have so much work to do."

Talking of DickStock 2002: Unfortunately, Dick's just lost his court case a few days ago (noise complaint from a neighbour in Po Wah Yuen), sentenced to HK$2,000!

This might put a serious dampener on any future DickStocks and a new venue might have to be found!

In the meantime, after this defeat and two tough weeks filming the SARS crisis in Beijing for American TV, Dick's relaxing with his many friends (right).

• Contributor

Doggy: for his selfless contributions to the set-up of the new Fight Club, coming often under attack himself, but persisting despite considerable & spirited resistance to his persistent voice of reason! He impressed some of us moderators so much that we offered him his own forum on Lamma.com.hk. But as a free spirit eager to beware his sense of Scottish "craic", he turned us down! How does he dare!!! And what the heck is "craic" anyway?

• Website

www.Lantau.net: A brand-new website with the slogan "Promoting awareness of self and our world on the path to enlightenment". The web pages load even slower than this e-zine, due to a few MEGABYTE-sized but very poor-quality pictures clogging up the pages; plus loads of programming problems.

The confusing, "colourful" design is well below current private home page standards, making navigation difficult and slow.

But the content could become very interesting someday. Only news available so far: Living Island Movement fighting against the planned super prison on Hei Ling Chau Island. Sections "under construction": Lantau History, Ecotourism, Education. Let's give them a few months and then check out this site with great potential again.

1. Lamma Dragons Win Ladies Cup!

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   June 4, Dragonboat Festival: The Lamma Dragons ladies team wins the Stanley cup, adding one more big trophy to their most impressive collection (on display in the Island Bar above)!

   
   We've got a photo gallery of the big day, 60 photos, submitted by Paul Davis! See some of his best pictures from the Stanley races on the right!

   Enthusiastic, warm congratulations are pouring in from all over the world:

   Del Boy  (UK, ex-Lammarite):

   Well done to the mighty Lamma Dragons for a superb result at Stanley. Strengthen the shelves in the Island Bar there's some big trophies on their way.

   Kel Morgan  (ex-Lammarite):

   Congratulations Dragons!!! Wish I could have been a part of it all. Top effort everyone! Cheers! Kel

   Claire Powell  (Team Captain of the victorious team):

   What an excellent end to the season for the Lamma Dragons, the Stanley cup which the ladies won in 1999 and 2001 has been brought home AGAIN! It was an excellent day and for a change, the weather was brilliant too. It has been a tough season .. made harder than usual by SARS when trying to make up numbers in the boat, attendance to training etc.. but we managed it !! Stanley was our biggest race, with the internationals all cancelled, (we were going to return to Penang to race in their 25th International competition) we knew we had to bring home some silverware. The competition was tough, in both the men's and women's heats. Our men fought every paddle of the way and came overall 6th in the Expat A Class Cup final and 5th in the Chinese/Expat Joint Grand Plate Final. The ladies had 2 finals, they were hard and very very close, but EVERYONE dug in and found that TIGER STRENGTH and managed to pull just that little bit harder and keep going, and it was worth it, WE WON !! For me personally I think it was probably one of the best days I have had paddling with the Lamma Dragons. The spirit and passion this team has is unbelievable, we NEVER give up. I would like to thank everyone for being such a brilliant team, thank you for all your support this season and THANK YOU for Stanley, you all deserve the best because WE ARE THE BEST ! Thanks very much !! We are a very happy Lamma.. our fishermen got first and second places at Aberdeen !!!

    

   Claire (captain) & Luciene (website liaison) are both leaving HK for good this month! Did you join the Dragonboating fund raiser/season-end/farewell Latino Party last Saturday in the Island Bar?

   Check out the LAMMA DRAGONS WEBSITE on Lamma.com.hk with pictures from 2000-2003!

2. Restaurant News & Updates

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   After the dramatic slow-down in the local restaurant business before Chinese New Year, incl. several closures, it's great to see the recent revival with redecorations, new menus, promotions, even new places opening!

    

   Since the record Easter crowds and the expected end to the SARS crisis, local bars & restaurants seem to have become very active and competitive again.

   Even the Best Pub poll on Lamma.com.hk is becoming competitive!

   Aroy Thai and Island Bar are both leading, head to head, with the same number of votes so far, and the Deli Lamma just one vote behind!

    

   I've tried to keep track of all these bar/restaurant news, snapping many photos of most places (Sampan above, Man Fung Seafood on the right), but probably missed some news:

    

   Aroy Thai: BIG redecoration, merging the restaurant, bar and take-away, hot dark-red walls (a bit like some Thai girlie bars), big projector and TV screen (for footie games and the very latest movies), and high-class furniture (probably bought by ever-frugal Dan in some other "wholesale restaurant closure"?).

    

   I really liked the indomitable spirit of Dan's Refit poster: "... we're tough, us. Undaunted, even. Hah! ..." Last week, they've started a ribs promo ("Do you like meat?") on Friday nights, from 8pm. Reservations needed!

    Restaurant review, by Frazer:

   Was there last night, tremendous ribs. Really did have that 'melt-in-the-mouth' texture to them, a great addition to the Lamma food scene. A rack of baby back pork ribs, baked potato, bbq beans, coleslaw and a bottle of beer for $100. A bargain. Competition take note. Recommended to all.

    

   Bali Café: This new coffee shop-style eatery is part of the Bali resort house, conveniently located behind the public toilets. It had its soft opening on Easter weekend; serving hot dogs, fruit juices, sandwiches, cakes and snacks now. I'll wait for the official opening before reviewing it.

    

   Island Bar: Another change of management!  Chatty bloke Keith (click to enlarge) has returned from down under, after just 1 year off Lamma. He's taking over from Luciene who's emigrating to Thailand. Open from noon every day now, the regular barflies can start their marathon drinking sessions even earlier. An exhibition will start soon as well, a retrospective of Bob Davis' photographic art through most of the last century...

    

   Lamma Bistro:

   First the bad news:

   Cathi "got fired from the Bistro" a while ago, according to a usually very well-informed source. But even he didn't know the acrimonious details; and the e-zine hasn't (yet) turned into a gossip rag! A big loss for the Bistro, I think.

   Cathi has returned to temp-bartending in the Island Bar, where she worked years ago, before starting up her own catering business on Lamma. Anybody needs an experienced, professional food/beverage manager, stop by the Island Bar or email her.

    

   New manager Steve (right) has been quick to make a few changes and introduce a delicious bargain Sunday Roast:

   Lamma-Gung's Carvery Buffet review.

    

   The Bistro is also featuring now the first (and only?) MP3-driven sound system on Lamma. Set up by Mac guru V J, it's a tiny Apple iPod MP3 player with iTunes jukebox software, connected to an amplifier and Bose speakers.

   He's also helped to redesign their nice new printed menus. At least 5 different people have tried their hands at this amazingly "demanding" redesign (V J was #4, Lamma-Gung was #1 or #2, before last Christmas).

    

   Diesel's is advertising pub grub these days (left) and new chicken tikka hot dogs on weekends! Doesn't sound very much like the original American recipe to me, but let's try them anyway! They're also well-known for their frequent fun parties (left)!

    

   Man Kee:

   No changes. Don't mess with success! But they got a new sign, installed at night, so the welding sparks (right) looked quite impressive!

    

   Bookworm Café: After 5.5 years in business, they've finally acquired a liquor license. They'll soon start serving organic wines, importing some high-quality, affordable ones. They'll also open for dinner soon all week, not just on weekends. And no, this tasty brunch below is NOT from Aroy Thai, but from the Bookworm!

    

   Amazingly and unexpectedly, the Bookworm has become the first restaurant in YSW to offer free wireless Internet access (Wi-Fi from your laptop PC, portable Mac, Pocket PC or PDA)!

   Mr DickStock's donated one of his retired gadgets (Apple AirHub) and our Mac guru V J (see his new column below) set it up.

   I came across this little review, from 5 years ago. Not much has really changed, hasn't it?

   Peter Lloyd  ("Spiritual and Alternative Hong Kong'' book, 1998):

   The Bookworm is a recently opened vegetarian cafe in Yung Shue Wan. It also doubles up as a bookstore. Initially started as a bookcafé it is now run by a co-operative of local vegetarians and Wisdom Heart attendees. There is a daily variety of hot dishes, salads, herbal teas and juices. Uniquely there are also middle eastern dishes such as humous and baba ganoush. Sometimes they have talk shows or show videos.

    

   Emily's Ice-cream Parlour: New Mövenpick premium ice-cream, Lamma-Gung's favourite! Try Walnut/Caramel and you're hooked! And then there's this controversial poster ("...sons of bitches will stop sex and violence...") by budding poet Emily, based on Martin Luther King's famous speech. Click to enlarge...

    

   My Café: Replacing Offtime Café, but still using all their inventory (even the placemats), they have recently started to let patrons scribble graffiti on the walls (see left), giving it quite a distinct and unique look nowadays. You need something to do in there to spend your time, while usually waiting for more than an hour, even for a set lunch or dinner, even when it's almost empty...

    

   Holiday Mood: You must surely have noticed the redecoration in progress right now. Exactly the same dark-red walls like Aroy Thai! Clever Dan might have had some paint left, selling it at a profit to the new Holiday Mood management! Or maybe it has become a secret part of the ever-growing Dan Kwai Fong empire!? The new manager is planning to reopen before end of June, keeping the same name and signage for the time being, trying to generate some cash flow first..

    

   The new manager is very friendly and approachable (good English!) and seems eager for input & ideas from locals (potential customers). So don't be afraid of letting him know your food preferences & favourite dishes! He mentioned that the cuisine will be a mix of Western & Chinese, with a big Italian influence. That might be the reason for the dark-green ceiling! Red, green and white (plates? table cloth? face of diners after a meal or seeing the bill?) make up the Italian flag.

    

   This means that ALL restaurants closing before Chinese New Year have reopened now! The worst seems to be over and the local dining scene is slowly recovering, hoping for great business this summer! Even small places, like this low-key "restaurant" with the best waffles in the village, are full & bustling on weekends!

   
   By the way, in our restaurant ratings, Blue Bird Japanese (left) is now exactly tied with Pizza Milano in popularity! So far, both got ONLY Good or Great votes! Post your own review or rating for your own favourite!

    

   Note for bars & restaurants: If you'd like to post your menu, specials, promotions, discount coupons, scans of printed ads, web links and photos (inside shots, signature dishes...) into our Bar & Restaurant Guide (w/reviews & ratings), you're most welcome to do so...for free!  For more details.

3. Tree Planting Day

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   Lamma people of all ages joined in this fun family day, planting 500+ trees on top of a hill above Pak Kok!

    

   Check out the big photo gallery, with captions!

    

   THE LAMMA FOREST PROJECT

   (by ABLE Chairman Bobsy Jureidini):
    

   "the lamma forest is growing...on saturday the 10th of may the lamma community came out in force to take part in the ongoing reforestation of the scenic hills of their island. it was good to see so many families up on the hills and such an eclectic mix of people enjoying the fresh easterly winds and the hot sunshine. most people were up there for the first time and it was quite rewarding to see the delight on their faces as the realization of how well the forest is doing and the beauty of its location dawned on them.

   as always the day had its challenges, and its heroes and finally the reward of completing the task: all 500 trees safely tucked away in the rich soil of their new home overlooking the scenic hills, valleys and sea of lamma island.

   all the trees planted were native hong kong trees rich in seeds, flowers and fruits. indigenous species that will attract birds and other wild life in the coming years. thanks to the efforts of lamma people the total number of trees planted in the one area has climbed to 15,500. we estimate another 10,000 trees can be planted in and around the forest which stretches from po wah yuen in the south to pak kok in the north and from tai ping in the east to the coast in the west, covering some of the most picturesque scenes of our beautiful island.

   the species of trees (see photo gallery) were selected by experts from the kadoorie botanical farm and gardens to blend in with the local ecology. we planted 50 trees from each species.

   for ABLE CHARITY the challenge does not stop here. the trees need to be cared for especially in their initial stages by watering them as frequently as possible and that is quite a challenge as there is no water up in the hills and the task requires walking up and down with heavy water back packs... we will also be organizing forest maintenance days which will include pruning, weeding and clean ups etc...

   and that is how the forest grows with love, vision and commitment."

4. Local Artist: Christine Dodd Myers

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   Christine Dodd Myers put on her first solo exhibition in Hong Kong in May. I met her for the very first time at the Tree Planting Day, with her hubby Tony who shot all the photos here.

    

   Lamma Events Calendar: May 6-31, Muse Gallery, G/F, 40 Ship St, Wan Chai:

    

   For One Brief Shining Moment

   "First solo exhibition by Lamma-based artist Christine Dodd Myers of her paintings and ceramics, a collection of 25 new pieces related to the 7 chakras (energies) which flow through the human body."

    

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   Mandy - $4,000	Spirit is free - $6,000	Out of Balance - $5,000