Magazine Mar/Apr 2018

THE AMERICAN CLUB S INGAPORE ISSUE 153 • MAR / APR 2018 www.amclub.org.sg

PRINTER: NAILI PRINT MEDIA MCI (P) 004/08/2017 0210/1948RAC

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

CLUB'S MANAGEMENT

General Manager Devin Kimble

President Kristen Graff president@amclub.org.sg

Assistant General Manager Patricia Au

Vice President Kenneth Fagan vicepresident@amclub.org.sg

Assistant General Manager Vijaykumar Raj (Vijay)

Senior Director of People Development Tan Lee Lee

Secretary Diane Knox secretary@amclub.org.sg

Senior Director of Facilities & Security Tang Teck Wah

Senior Director of Club Services Su-Ann Khor

Treasurer Rahul Arora treasurer@amclub.org.sg

Director of Food & Beverage Malik Riley

Director of Fitness & Leisure Randy Simon

GENERAL COMMITTEE Aaron Kim Ashok K. Lalwani Beng Bak Low

Director of Finance Angie Ng

Assistant Director of IT VP Chai

Executive Sous Chef Paul Ng

Bill Bowman Dana Hvide Ngiam Siew Wei Peter Proft Phua Swee Leng Richard Hartung

Duty Managers Anthony, Palani & Ronald

MAGAZINE

Marketing & Communications Manager / Data Protection Officer Jacklyn Ong jacklyno@amclub.org.sg Marketing & Communications Executive Constance Yeo constancey@amclub.org.sg Senior Graphic Designer / Magazine Designer Geraldine Soh geraldines@amclub.org.sg

American Association Representative Stephanie Nash

American Embassy Representative Lt Col Howard Eyth

American Women’s Association Representative Cyndy O’Connor

Senior Graphic Designer Sarah Lau

Canadian Association Representative Sandra Johnson

Advertising Tel: (65) 6739-4388 / Fax: (65) 6737-2963

C ontents ISSUE 153 • MAR / APR 2018

01 FROM THE PRESIDENT 02 FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER 03 NEWS We Want Your Memorabilia! The Union Bar Needs You Looking for Summer Camp Counselors Club Wins Niche Group Lucky Draw Member Visitors to Committee Meetings A Warm Welcome to Our Newest Club Members! Rant & Rave The American Club Redevelopment Project Update 13 LIBRARY A Literary Evening: Stephanie Suga Chen Book Club Movies at The Club 15 MEMBERSHIP The American Club Hong Kong Hong Kong Football Club Reciprocal Clubs 17 ART SCENE A Journey with Color and Texture 19 TRAVEL Jet Away This Spring 21 EVENTS Happy Saint Patrick's Day Easter at The Club Grillhouse - Coming Soon! Wine Rant

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27 MEMBER FEATURE Cycling Through The Gates of Hell 31 SPA What's New at sên March & April Promotions 33 STAFF FEATURE Say Hello to Our New Managers! 35 YOUTH Easter Egg-stravanganza @ The Zone Luck O' The Irish Celebration Spring Camp Drop-off Weekend Funtastic Fridays Project Parkour Street Smart Self Defense Kids' Library Activities 41 TENNIS 43 GYM Mini Ironman Challenge Ketogenic Diet 45 AQUATICS 46 ESSENTIALS

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Strategic Partners:

While the excitement of the new spaces is here, we are simultaneously entering a more challenging part of the project, with the Lobby, Eagle’s Nest and Gym all being closed to receive their own makeovers. We are aware that the next several months will require additional patience on our Members’ part (not forgetting that of our staff), and we apologize ahead of time for the inconvenience. Our project team is and will continue to work as efficiently as possible to complete the remaining phases of the project to deliver a new and improved Club to you. Overseeing these changes will be our newly appointed General Manager, Devin Kimble. Devin is an American who is a longtime resident of Asia, having lived between Hong Kong and Singapore for the last 23 years. He holds an undergraduate degree from Yale University and a Master’s degree from the Cornell University Hotel School. After a regional job with Dan Ryan’s restaurant, he established the highly-regarded Brewerkz restaurant and microbrewery, the expansion of whichwas joined by new food and beverage concepts including Wine Garage and Café Iguana. Over the last few years Devin has been working in Hong Kong on the Hong Kong Beer Company, turning it into an award-winning brewery. Devin is also a longstanding member of the American community here in Singapore, having served on boards for the Singapore American School, Hwa Chong International School, the Restaurant Association of Singapore and the American Chamber of Commerce. His commitment to the community here in Singapore is deep and far-reaching. Please welcome Devin to The Club the next time you see him around the premises. He’s officially started at the end of February and is spending a lot of time getting to know the team and Members. As an observer to the GM search process, I can confirm that trying to find a newGeneral Manager for our club was no easy feat – we have a unique and very special culture here and finding the right fit is so important to both Members and staff. For tackling this search with commitment and enthusiasm, I especially want to thank the GM Search Committee, chaired by James Eyring and including Sally Greene, Jenny O’Malley, Joseph Chen, Bill Cornwell and Harvey Glick. These Member volunteers spent an incredible amount of time evaluating, interviewing and weighing the pros and cons of each candidate to allow us to get to this successful outcome. My thanks also to the Members and staff who took time out of their schedules over January to interview each of the final three candidates. Your feedback and observations were a key part of the decision-making process for the General Committee. Finally, a special thank you to Lee Lee, our Senior Director of People Development, for her guidance and support throughout this search, and to Patricia and Vijay for effectively leading The Club seamlessly through this time of transition.

FROM THE President

As I write this message, our new clubhouse is getting cleaned up, with teams of people behind the scenes checking, testing, and re-testing in order to pass the long list of inspections required to obtain our Temporary Occupancy Permit (TOP), and finally be able to open the doors to Members. It’s hard to believe that the first opening phase of our new building is finally here. The sên Spa is spectacular. The little details that the Spa Committee reviewed and discussed over many meetings are evident everywhere you look – from the twinkling lights in the treatment room ceilings and the oversized, comfy seating in the pedicure area, to the private hair service capsules – it is a space that has truly been transformed. The pools look so refreshing – I can’t wait to dive in! Elspeth (our Aquatics Manager) and the Aquatics team have been busy assessing swimmers to get them enrolled in our new swim program, Swim America, and as of this writing, there are still spaces available if you’re interested in signing up. We know our Aquatics team and lifeguards are looking forward to their return back to The Club. Central, our new café, is beautiful and spacious, now with indoor and outdoor seating. There will be a wider variety of healthy grab and go items in addition to Barista made coffees and bakery items. We’ll have smoothies and freshly squeezed juices, plenty of salads to choose from, and sandwiches and wraps as well. I am really excited about the new spaces and outlets, and at the same time incredibly proud of all the work we‘ve done over the past two and a half years to get us to this point. It has been a member-driven design process with hundreds of Members contributing valuable input. Many more Members have volunteered countless days attending meetings, viewing samples, and working out difficult design issues. The knowledge and care our Members have provided in their assistance is immeasurable and we appreciate all your help. When the new spaces open, we know there will be items here and there that will need to be fixed. As with the opening of Thinkspace, it will take up to a year to rectify some of the issues – that is part of the construction and contractual processes. I appeal to your patience and understanding as we fine-tune our processes and let our staff adjust to the new spaces, menu items, and procedures. We are all working hard to make The Club more enjoyable for everyone. As always, we welcome your feedback on ways to make things better. You can drop us a note at redevelopment@amclub.org.sg and we’ll get back to you.

Looking forward to seeing you by the pool,

Kristen

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FROM THE General Manager

As the newly appointedGeneral Manager of The American Club, I am thrilled and honored to have this exciting opportunity to work with a fantastic group of managers, terrific staff across The Club’s operations, a stellar General Committee, and a very loyal and supportive membership. With TAC rapidly approaching the end of its renovations as well as its 70th anniversary, it’s a wonderful time to reflect on where The Club has been, and what it has meant to Singapore and the American community in particular. But more importantly, this will be a test of our ability to set a successful course for The Club’s future. I first arrived in Asia in 1992 and became a Singapore resident in 1995, so I’ve seen the region grow, prosper, and drastically change for the better. Where there was once a triangle comprising the American School at Ulu Pandan, McDonald’s at Far East Plaza, and The American Club at Claymore Hill defining the American community, the American School now sits in Woodlands and has been joined by a host of other educational options, while Singapore today boasts 38 Michelin-star restaurants. While The Club has remained at its current location for close to seven decades, upon the completion of the redevelopment project, we will virtually be a new club. Although Singapore would be nearly unrecognizable by a modern-day Rip Van Winkle, the reconfigured, reworked, and rebranded club must remain an anchor for the American community here, and be imbued by the better angels of its nature of tolerance, inclusion, family, and easy-going fun, all while embracing the best of what both America and Singapore have to offer. I am lucky to be given the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of some excellent club GMs. Josie Tulipano, Kathleen McGuire Urquhart, and Martin Rudden have been in charge of The Club’s operations during the years my family and I have been Members. I have been most impressed with the organization they have built. Over the last few months I also had the opportunity to meet with several TAC managers who have amazed me with their dedication, and in many cases, their five, ten, fifteen, and more years of service. Even those who are new to the team showed much passion for their jobs and colleagues. This speaks volumes to the excellence of The Club’s leadership over the years, and for that I am inspired and grateful.

The Club is, moreover, not just a business. It was founded by and for its members and the evident care, concern, and consideration shown by the volunteers who make up the General Committee, its various subcommittees, and by the Members at large who have engaged in the GM selection process, have greatly impressed me – their desire for continual improvement of services is interlaced with their great concern for the wellbeing of the employees of The Club. The challenges facing The Club abound. Some of the most difficult days of the renovation are immediately ahead of us, and just as the noise and dust begin to settle, we will need to hire a significant number of people to staff new outlets like Grillhouse, re-establish the Banquet department, man the larger Union Bar, etc., and all this by drawing from a labor pool that has very few employees to offer. With my over 20 years in Singapore, involvement in building a multi-unit F&B and brewery operation with over 200 employees, membership on boards and participation in several organizations serving the American community in Singapore, I will certainly be bringing all of my connections and experience to bear in solving the problems facing The Club in the near future, and in the years ahead. Above all, I count myself more than lucky that I will be working with a terrific group of managers, wonderful staff, and a General Committee and membership that truly want The American Club to fulfill its vision – “To create a vibrant community with a distinct American culture; a place families can proudly call their home away from home.”

Devin

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NEWS

WE WANT YOUR MEMORABILIA!

A new history wall will soon be unveiled at our new clubhouse, and will feature images, collections and memories of The Club from years past. If you have any old items relating to The Club – such as old photographs, collectibles (e.g. mugs, photo frames, souvenirs, etc.), uniforms, membership cards, documents, publications, or any other Club memorabilia that you would like to contribute to our history display, please drop them off at the Concierge before August 1. We want to showcase them!

Please note that items selected for display will not be returned.

THE UNION BAR NEEDS YOU Our club renovation is proceeding at pace and our beloved Union Bar will soon shift to a new, bigger, and better location. In keeping to our cherished theme and to ensure your school is proudly represented on the walls of our new bar, we are calling on you to bring us your college pennants! Pennants can measure up to 30” long and 12” wide and can be dropped off at the Concierge. USAF Colonel Ed Whalen (far left) and Member/retired USAF Colonel Jim Tietjen (far right) presenting their new falcon flag to Union Bar Captain Naresh Kumar. Huge thanks for the support!

LOOKING FOR SUMMER CAMP COUNSELORS Calling all enthusiastic, hardworking and fun-loving individuals to be part of the biggest Camp of the year – our Stars ’n Stripes Summer Camp! We are looking for volunteers between the ages of 16 to 21 years who have experience working with young children (2 to 14 years). Step up to the challenge and become a Summer Camp counselor from June 11 to August 10. Email our People Development team at pd@amclub.org.sg to schedule an interview on weekdays from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Recruitment begins Thursday, March 1 and ends on Friday, April 6.

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CLUB WINS

2018 has just begun, but we are certainly off to a great start with the following wins this year!

Expat Living Readers’ Choice Award 2018 The American Club has been voted Silver winner in the Best Social/ Sports Club category of the Expat Living Readers' Choice Awards 2018. The annual Readers’ Choice Awards provides readers a platform to cast their votes for businesses they wish to commend for great products or services. This year, more than 3,500 respondents took part in the vote across 105 categories. Platinum Clubs of the World 2018-2019 We are proud to be recognized as one of the Top 100 Platinum City Clubs in the Platinum Clubs® of the World 2018-19 election, conducted by Club Leaders Forum biennially. Platinum Clubs excel in best practices and represent the standard of excellence for the finest golf & country clubs and city clubs around the globe. The finalists are elected by an international panel of industry experts, historians and connoisseurs.

NICHE GROUP LUCKY DRAW

Congratulations to our winners and thank you to all Niche Group Members who have taken part in our monthly draws!

December – Scott Wharton $1,000 cash + SpaRitual hamper worth $800, courtesy of Kerstin Florian

January – Sangeetha Narasimhan A pair of round-trip Business Class tickets to Tokyo worth $7,200 from Delta Air Lines

MEMBER VISITORS TO COMMITTEE MEETINGS The Club has a large number of Member volunteers who do an exceptional job of contributing to numerous aspects of the Club’s business, from purchasing of books for the Library to supporting the redevelopment project in various capacities. These volunteers dedicate a tremendous amount of time and expertise working closely with Management to ensure that our service offerings remain exciting, current and professional. To ensure the governance structure of our Club remains inclusive, any Member who wishes to witness a committee meeting (including General Committee meetings) in action is more than welcome to join in a session. To obtain the dates of committee meetings as well as an overview of the process for attending such meetings, please email Sandra at sandrac@amclub.org.sg. Please note that a handful of meetings are off-limits to Member visitors owing to the sensitivity of information being discussed, as prescribed in our bylaws.

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A WARM

TO OUR NEWEST CLUB MEMBERS!

Peter Huynh & Zann Kwan Donald William Klip & Kristina Debbie Tan Kariya & Ayu Kayamori Alan Leung & Anne Marie Gutierrez David & Eri McKinnon Alexandra & Cooper Mcguire Donald & Sohie Macintyre William & Nicolette Hendricks James & Sharon Murray Christina Ng & Desmond Lim Chia-Hung Tsai & Daphne Wang Timothy & Robin Tierney Natalie Rose Vander Vorst Lester Alfred Wong & Veronica Lam Patricia Woo & Leonard Ng Teresa Lynn Woo Maxwell & Hang Nguyen Robinson James Lim Lauren Chan Daniel William Fagan Rajat & Monica Gupta Sara & Andrew Bland Dale & Audrey Jones Shaily Shah & Rohit Varkey George

Ong Sek Hian Pearlyn & Eugene Dev Gopalan Jennifer Wong & Chia Kee Seng Yi Sang Uk & Yoo Jin Suk Curtis & Sarah Jean Creed Narinder Kapoor & Ira Mehra Christopher Daryl Davis Steve Yoonsoo Kim & Won Kyung Park Sharon Chang & Wong Foot Ban Angel Cheung & Cary Kiva Horenfeldt Mark & Gioia Battistoni Jennifer Mari Boyle & Yeoh Yung Juen Christopher John Makely & Lin Nuyu Derek Zhu & Pearl Yu Jonathan & Maura Watras Christopher & Lisa Blackard David Lacherade & Maria Mangual Faria & Tawfique Hamid Gregory & Robyn Hebard Michael & Terri Crabtree Kimberly Beeman & Daniel Beraca Visel Ashwin Jayaram & Radhika Shukla Frederic & Akiko Eechaute Mohana & Jyotsna Lakhamraju

Spencer W Seto & Byeol Kim Amit Prothi & Anjali Acharya William & Allie Hutton Bradley & Mindy Adorador Joon Myong & Esther Kim Myong

Vijay & Benu Minocha Ashish & Manju Kapoor Timothy Chia Jagannath & Deepika Dholakia Martin Choo & Belinda Ting Lindsay Abigail Downing & Sam George Williams Bobby Effendi & Chilip Charlene Luk Kevin Lee Coll & Li Chia-Ying Manida & Stuart Bruce George Alan Hellawell & Virginia Fang

Teresa & Shanks Wilborn Michael & Erika Power Jonathan Richard Binns & Margaret Elizabeth Gunning

Choi Song Yi & Liu Xiaoheng Francois & Adeline Fournier Shigenori & Mahoko Ezaki

Karen Hsieh & Chan On Bon Christopher Hur & Tan Poh Ling

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Beat the summer sLIDE. Join us at Summer Semester!

Session 1 June 11 to June 22

Session 2 June 25 to July 6

Register now at: http://www.sas.edu.sg/summersemester

Rant Rave &

We receive hundreds of valuable feedback from our Members each month. Positive or constructive, your comments are important in helping us assess our services and offerings, and enable us to identify ways to better meet your needs.

Read on for a selection of our most recent Member feedback.

I had a ham and cheese sandwich from Thyme café and was really disappointed. Considering that the sandwich costs $9.90, I would have expected some vegetables such as spinach or tomatoes or something more than just a plain sandwich with ham and cheese. For just a bit more I could have gotten a Reuben sandwich from Eagle’s Nest, but I was rushing for time so I couldn’t do so. Can you please pass this feedback on to your kitchen staff and review those sandwiches? It was really disappointing, especially after a workout!

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us and for highlighting this unfortunate oversight. You’ll be pleased to know that after reviewing our options with the Chef, we have included lettuce and tomatoes in our ham and cheese sandwiches at Thyme Café. The Club always aims to provide healthy and delicious meals for our Members, and we hope the addition of vegetables have made our sandwiches more palatable.

I just stopped by The Zone and was happy to see how busy it is on a Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. It is even busier than it was in the old setting! I suspect that having the kids’ activities together but segregating the younger ones from the older ones encourages more kids to hang out at The Zone. Do we intend to cluster all the kids’ activities like this in the new Youth wing at the Scotts Road building? I would encourage it.

Thank you for your feedback The new building design features an entire block dedicated to our Youth activities. These begin from the toddler area on the first storey (current poolside level) and continue on to kids’ games and activities, bowling, studios for classes and events, as well as an outdoor area. We look forward to seeing you and your child at the new wing and play spaces!

We want to hear from you! Email your feedback to info@amclub.org.sg. Your comments may be published in subsequent issues of our magazine.

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Thank you to the dozens of you who submitted possible taglines for our new poolside BBQ restaurant Grillhouse. After much consideration, we’re pleased to announce the winning tagline: Winning Tagline Revealed Grill & Chill assortment of meat resulting in tender, juicy, delicious Texas-style BBQ you’ll love. The commercial grill will sit behind a glass wall so you can see your burgers and classic food favorites being prepared. You’ll enjoy the all-new poolside menu that will offer succulent BBQ with all the fixin’s, our popular burgers, stone-grilled pizzas, and plenty of icy-cold drinks. Come and get it! We had several Members who submitted this winning line and each will be receiving a $25 Grillhouse voucher to discover some new favorite dishes! Lazy summer days outside around the BBQ with friends and family. The warm air, a cold beer in hand, kids running around, and easy conversation as the day fades. There are few things in life that can top the simple luxury of having a summer poolside party anytime with family and friends. At Grillhouse, the wood-fire smoker, manned by our team of BBQ experts, will slowly cook an Grillhouse will remind you of home

REDEVELOPMENT UPDATES

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO MEMBERS: Kelly Sia, Laya Sweeny, Bob Mok, Lindley Halloway and Genelle Hung!

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D E E P D I V E

T HE POOL The pool will open approximately 3 weeks after the migration begins. Our Aquatics team will be located back at the pool in their new aquatics office, and swimming lessons will resume onsite. We will announce a specific date for the opening once it is finalized. Our baby pool is several inches deep, perfect for splashing and playing with little ones. Baby Pool

Lap Pool Our lap pool is regulation size and is six lanes wide. We have a stairway with railing for easy entry, as we recognize our older swimmers and those undergoing physical therapy need a better way to enter the pool. Lane lines are stored under the deck and can be put in place easily when needed. Our inflatables will be up and running in this pool during family fun days and other club events. This pool is all one depth.

Training Pool

Our training pool is where we’ll be providing lessons for our younger and beginner swimmers. It has a ridge below the surface, so kids can sit in the water comfortably while they have their lessons. It’s also the perfect spot for playing for those who are too small to play in the lap pool.

CEN T RA L You can expect Thyme café to close on the migration date. This outlet will be demolished and redeveloped as a new space. Central, our new cafe replacing Thyme, is taking shape and looking great. You can anticipate Central to open approximately 3 weeks after the migration date.

Floor Tiles

Dining Area

The beautiful floor tiles have been installed into the space and look fabulous. This unique pattern was specially designed by our Interior Design team.

Outdoor Seating

The construction team is still working on the large seating area in Central, but it’s coming together for its launch.

Central will have both indoor and outdoor seating for your convenience.

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LIBRARY

A Literary Evening

Join in our next edition of A Literary Evening with author Stephanie Suga Chen, who will discuss her debut novel Travails of a Trailing Spouse . The semi-autobiographical novel follows the adventures of Sarah, a successful Taiwanese-American partner at her San Francisco law firm, and her neuroscientist husband Jason as they move to Singapore with their two young children. They became part of a close-knit group of expatriates and enjoy evenings filled with Trivia Nights, barbeques and drinks. But when cracks

appear in this seemingly perfect world – with two members of the group getting arrested after a pub crawl – Sarah and her friends discover how complicated and varied life as an expatriate can be.

Travails of a Trailing Spouse by Stephanie Suga Chen - Weekly Bestsellers at Kinokuniya Singapore - #2 on The Straits Times’ Bestsellers list

Available at Kinokuniya, Amazon and selected bookstores.

Thursday, March 1 Adults’ Library 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Complimentary Light refreshments provided Members’ guests are welcome!

Program: 7:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.: Registration and mingling 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: Author reading and Q&A 9:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.: Discussion and mingling

Registration is required. For more information or to register, please drop by the Library, call 6739-4308 or email library@amclub.org.sg.

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Book Club Book lovers rejoice! Our monthly Book Club meetings are the perfect platform for you to connect with other avid readers. Members are invited to read the book of the month in their own time then join our meetings for a discussion. A facilitator will encourage participation with talking points.

All adult Members are welcome! Email library@amclub.org.sg if you’re interested in joining our meetings

Adult’s Library 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Complimentary Light refreshments will be served

March 29: The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same. April 26: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead A magnificent tour de force, Whitehead’s award-winning novel chronicles a young slave’s adventure as she makes a desperate bid for freedom in the antebellum South. The narrative seamlessly weaves together America’s sagas from the brutal importation of Africans to the unfulfilled promises of the present day.

Books are available at the Club Library, Kinokuniya, the National Library, and Amazon.

Movies at The Club

Beginning March 1, you can enjoy a selection of high-definition movies on our portable DVD players! Simply approach any of our friendly Thinkspace staff to view our movie selection. Members are free to watch the DVDs anywhere within Thinkspace. Perfect for keeping the young ones occupied when you need to work, or simply to enjoy some much-needed downtime.

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MEMBERSHIP

The American Club Hong Kong The American Club Hong Kong combines five star facilities with outstanding services. A premier club with a world renowned reputation, The American Club Hong Kong is the city’s preeminent social and business club, enjoyed by one of the most affluent international memberships in the world. The town club offers breath-taking views from its prestigious and convenient location at the top of Exchange Square Two in Central – the heart of Hong Kong’s financial district, while the country club is nestled amid 3.5 lavish acres of land in beautiful Tai Tam, on the south shore of Hong Kong Island. Amenities include a private box at the world-famous Happy Valley Racecourse, a total of 10 dining options to choose from, spa, kids’ club, golf, tennis and more. THE AMERICAN CLUB HONG KONG Town Club: Floors 48-49, Two Exchange Square, Central, Hong Kong Country Club: 28 Tai Tam, Tai Tam Road, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2842 7400 Email: member.services@americanclubhk.com Website: www.americanclubhk.com

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Hong Kong Football Club The Hong Kong Football Club name reflects its origins and distinguished one hundred and thirty-year plus history as a club for playing Association and Rugby Football. Although these continue to thrive as core sports of the Club, HKFC is about much more than just football. As one of the finest sporting clubs in Asia, the Club boasts superb facilities across a broad spectrum of competitive and recreational sports. It is also proud to host top international sporting events and touring sides, making it one of the largest and most successful clubs in local sports competitions. In living up to its name as a foremost private members' club in Hong Kong, HKFC provides leisure, entertainment and a wide variety of food and beverage services to enhance the lifestyle of every member of the family.

Hong Kong Football Club 3 Sports Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2830 9500

Email: frontdesk@hkfc.com Website: www.hkfc.com.hk

Membership at The Club goes beyond enjoyment of just our facilities – all Members benefit from access to over 150 reciprocal clubs worldwide (via our Club management program) and more than 300 clubs in the United States (via ClubCorp USA). A visit to any of our reciprocal clubs is easy – simply request for a letter of introduction from our Concierge (concierge@amclub.org.sg) and present this letter and supporting documents to your destination club upon arrival. Any payments at the club will be made through credit card or cash coupons. Reciprocal visits to ClubCorp clubs in the US require no letter of introduction and can be arranged via email to Clubcorp (clubline@clubcorp.com) prior to your visit.

To view our list of reciprocal clubs, visit the Membership section of our website or request for one at the Concierge.

Reciprocal Club Recommendations We are continuously looking to enhance and add to our list of reciprocal clubs. If you have visited a club that you think would be a great addition to our reciprocal list, let us know by forwarding the club’s name and website to kimberlyl@amclub.org.sg or by calling 6739-4360. Reciprocity arrangements will be subject to our management and Membership Committee’s review, and the process may take 3 – 5 months.

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ART SCENE

A JOURNEY WITH Color and Texture BY YEE LING CHOW

Reminiscent of Singapore in the 1960s and 70s, artist Yee Ling Chow’s art evokes a sense of sentimental nostalgia. She specializes in using the palate knife in her oil paintings, the colors and textures of which act as a vessel for her deep emotions, while her strokes carry energy. Her works are inspired by nature, life and freedom.

EXHIBITION AT THE CLUB February 1 – April 30

Yee Ling Chow http://artsofyeeling.com http://facebook.com/yeeling.chow.9 Tel: +65 9749-8100

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TRAVEL

JET AWAY THIS

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Step out of the ordinary this spring break! Enjoy unparalleled family bonding time and great savings with our specially curated holiday experiences.

Sri Lanka Wildlife Adventure Available from Mar 1 – Apr 30

Angkor Heritage & Odyssey Available from Jan 1 – Apr 15

Excitement awaits you on this wildlife adventure! Hop on board a safari jeep and behold amazing jungle animals. Delight the young ones with a whale and dolphin cruise, and round off your trip with a bike ride through the lush countryside. Enjoy 1N free in Uga Residence Colombo, discounted rates at Chena Huts, free resort credits and a spa treatment at Anantara Tangalle (worth USD 1,300 / family)

Indulge in a hearty breakfast amid tranquil temples and meet friendly locals. Discover traditional village customs and cultures, or up the adrenaline with a quad bike ride through the beautiful countryside of Siem Reap Province.

Book by March 31 to enjoy a free 1D Angkor tour & 30-min foot massage by Anantara Angkor (worth $460 / couple)

Pristine Laamu Atoll in Maldives Available from Jan 1 – Dec 21

Koh Samui Indulgence Available from Mar 1 – Oct 31

Escape to Six Senses Laamu, an indubitable exclusive sanctuary and the only resort in the ethereal Laamu Atoll. Snorkel among Oriental sweetlips, parrotfish and green turtles, or surf Maldives’ most famous wave Yin Yang.

Escape to PANACEA, a private active retreat surrounded by breath-taking natural scenery. Break a sweat and clear your mind with yoga and pilates, and enjoy Thai cooking classes before heading for Aqua aerobics.

Enjoy a Stay 3, Pay 2 offer

Two kids under 12 stay and dine for free (min. 5 nights)

Blackout dates, minimum nights and other terms & conditions apply; valid for new bookings only.

For more information, please drop by the Travel Desk, visit www.countryholidays.com.sg, call 6735-1033 or email traveldesk@amclub.org.sg.

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EVENTS

Don your party hats and join the sea of green! Celebrate St Patrick’s Day by grooving to traditional and contemporary Irish folk music, savoring Irish grub, and delighting in our liquid (pot of) gold special – Guinness pint at $10.50!

Thursday, March 15 Union Bar 7:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Limited seating available; maximum capacity of 65 No reservations required

Back by popular demand! Gan Ainm – Singapore’s no. 1 Celtic Band

For more information, please drop by Union Bar or call 6739-340.

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AT THE CLUB EASTER BUFFET BRUNCH Sunday, April 1 The 2 nd Floor First Seating: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Second Seating: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Adult Member: $69.95 Adult Guest: $79.95 Child Member (6 – 11 years): $34.95 Child Guest (6 – 11 years): $39.95

Child (4 – 5 years): $9.95 Child (under 4 years): Free

Reservations required; a 48-hour cancellation policy applies A la carte menu is not available Maximum capacity of 110 pax Niche Group promotions not applicable to this brunch

For more information or reservations, please call 6739-4329 or email 2ndfloor@amclub.org.sg.

EASTER TAKEAWAY Food is our universal language, and what better way to delight your loved ones than with a tempting festive spread? Choose from our assortment of hot and cold meats, freshly baked sweets and themed Easter treats. Available from March 19 to April 1. Order forms available at the Lobby.

For more information, please contact our Catering Team at 6739-4394/417/387 or email catering@amclub.org.sg.

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COMING SOON! The essence of a true American BBQ involves wood, chunks of meat and smoke – lots of it! This is what Grillhouse sets out to do – reminding you of home where many evenings were spent over authentic flavorful barbeques and warm conversations with loved ones.

We have ditched electric grills for real, smokin’ wood, so can enjoy the smell of burning wood amidst the sounds of happy conversations and children’s laughter from the pool.

Here’s a sneak peek at our brand-new menu…coming your way soon!

Sharing BBQ Platter

Applewood Smoked Glazed Pork Ribs

Come & Take it! Crisp Mini Mac & Cheese Bites

Smoked Half Roasted Chicken

Warm Croissant Pudding with Raisins & Salted Caramel

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WINE RANT

WHEN IN SPAIN

By Alvin Gho, Wine Specialist

Spain – the land of matadors, la fiestas, and heavenly paella. Perhaps a surprising fact to some, it is also one of the world’s largest producers of wine, that includes the iconic (and cheap) Riojas and the palate-neutral Galician Albarinos. Barcelona is a coastal city where art, culture and football prevail. Unbeknownst to many, there are several important regions surrounding it. I recently had the pleasure of traveling to Barcelona and the wine regions west of it, seeking inspiration. Penedes Sparkling wines made like champagne are called Cava in Spain. Cavas are fantastic as they are superb quality wines, but often come at a much lower price than their champagne counterparts. While Cavas can be produced anywhere in Spain, Penedes (an approximately 45-min drive from Barcelona) takes the undisputed title as the Cava Specialists. Castell d'Age is owned by the Junyent family. Three generations of ladies running this winery to its present day success; it is small in size and production quantity, yet high in taste and quality. I met with General Manager Olivia who showed me around the fairly-new winery and inducted me to the business. Unfortunately, the winter prevented me from glimpsing the full bunches of grapes. Another Cava producer that I didn’t get a chance to visit is Gramona . Xavier Gramona now helms the family- owned winery that produces one of the highest quality and most expensive Cavas available. Gramona practices Biodynamic farming with a focus on sustainability. Also worth mentioning – I had the opportunity to tour Bodegas Torres and lunch with Miguel Torres, President of Torres, who showed me around his multi-million dollar winery and tasting room. Top international quality wines are produced here, with a focus on still wines rather than Cavas.

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Calstell d'Age wines are available at HOME and The 2 nd Floor. Gramona Cavas can also be made available upon request at HOME.

Priorat This region has a hilly, mountainous terrain that proved difficult and tiring for a city driver like me to navigate. Fortunately my mobile GPS did not give up on me even high up in the mountains. When I first entered this region, I realized why the wines here are generally more expensive than in other areas of Spain. Most vineyards are situated high up on the hills, with uneven terraces facing multiple directions. Virtually impossible for machinery access, producers have little choice but to hire manual labor to toil in these death-defying milieus. Clos Figueras is a quaint little winery in Gratallops, an old village with about 200 inhabitants at the heart of Priorat in Tarragona, one of the most beautiful regions of Catalonia. The winery is owned by Europvin, a Bordeaux-based wine trading company, and is currently run by Englishman Christopher Cannan who took me on a tour in his Ute (utility vehicle) up the undulating slopes. The wines are elegant, silky, and often velvety-textured and plush with tannins. Another winemaker I encountered was Franck Massard , a Frenchman who has lived in Spain for the past 15 years. He had honed his trade as a sommelier in top restaurants in France and London before he found his calling in Spain. Franck, who produces wines in several regions across Spain, is the epitome of a flying winemaker; but it is here in Priorat that he has found home. Lately, he purchased a little vineyard on one of the highest points of this hilly region and started to plant grapes. His wines are structured, and the obvious product of a sommelier’s intensity and eye for details.

Conca de Barbera This relatively unknown region has been established for more than 30 years, yet remains in the shadows of more famous territories. Conca de Barbera is located north of Tarragona and some 2.5 hours away from Barcelona. My desire to discover some small and unknown winemakers compelled me to visit this area. Joan-Ramon Escoda, owner-winemaker of Escoda- Sanahuja , welcomed me at 10:00 a.m. with his floppy white hair and a warm ‘Que pasa!’ He oriented me around his vineyards of well-tended vines, and I could not help but be infected by his passion for his trade and winery. We headed to the barrel room and partook in what he described as a ‘professional barrel tasting’, before adjourning to his restaurant for yet more professional (and countless) bottle tastings. Joan-Ramon's wines are not distributed in Singapore. Yet. Three regions, five wineries, and innumerable vintages. I left Catalonia with more appreciation and a tinge of wistfulness. The wines I had discovered in this beautiful country are, to me, embodiments of value, conviviality and passion. But as with all countries, there is so much more to discover and learn about in the quest to conquer the world of wines. I find it therefore necessary to keep an open mind, and to continue traveling to see what more this wonderful world has to offer. Salud!

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MEMBER FEATURE

Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression is an inferno of burning salt, sulphuric acid, lava and volcanic rock – a hell on earth. Our ‘Women on a Mission’ team had set itself a bold and pioneering challenge to cross the Danakil Desert on mountain bikes. No one had ever attempted such a feat before, and we soon realized why. With its furnace-like temperatures, bone-drying aridity, and chemical composition, the Danakil is an alien-looking desert. Known as the hottest place on earth – with daytime temperatures of over 50°C and average year-round temperatures of 35°C – it is considered themost inhospitable environment in the world. After five hours on the road descending from Mek’ele, the capital city of the northern Ethiopian Tigray region (perched at an altitude of 2,000 meters), our convoy of five jeeps loaded with bikes and a week’s supply of food and water arrived at Hamed Ela, located 150 meters below sea level. The group, comprising our ten-woman team and support crew (two cooks, five drivers, three guides and two armed guards) was thrilled to finally arrive at our first campsite. As we pitched up in Hamed Ela that first evening, the sweltering 38°C temperature sent an initial shock to our systems – a stark contrast to the breezy 23°C we had experienced in Mek’ele earlier that morning. Night had fallen when we finally settled into camp. After dinner, we

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prepared for sleep on our wooden camp beds under the stars. The heat was oppressive – even without exerting effort, we found ourselves dripping with sweat as we lay immobile on our mattresses. After a restless night, we woke up at 5:00 a.m. excited to embark on our first day of biking. The plan was to cycle to Dallol, a cinder cone-shaped volcano twenty-three kilometers northeast of Hamed Ela. The cycle across the salt plains was truly magnificent, and we arrived in high spirits at Dallol at 11:00 a.m. With the temperature already at a blistering 45°C, we began hiking up to the luminescent hot springs. Dallol was formed in 1926 by a phreatic eruption. This is when groundwater is heated by magma – essentially, a steam eruption without the lava injection. The resulting hydrothermal activity created a series of spectacular, bubbling sulphuric acid pools that are extremely acidic and salty. Our local Afar guide showed us springs that had not even been there a week ago, explaining that Dallol is constantly changing and extremely unstable. After exploring this alien-like environment, we continued hiking to see the salt canyons nearby. Boasting some of the most impressive features of the Danakil, the canyons are reddish pillars of salt rising up to 60 meters high. It is a sight to behold despite the oven-like atmosphere. By noon, the heat was completely debilitating and coming from every direction. The thermometer read 50°C – the kind of searing heat the human body isn’t built to endure. As the sun shone upon the rust-colored baked earth, we biked back to Hamed Ela. We had made a grave mistake by underestimating the effects of the heat on our bodies. By late noon, 70% of the team started experiencing mild to severe heatstroke symptoms. Without warning, one of our teammates fell like a ragdoll to the ground. Three others felt nauseous with pounding headaches, and by nightfall, several women were vomiting violently and burning up with fever. We quickly realized the gravity of the situation – we had no trained medic, limited facilities, and the closest hospital was a five-hour-drive away. With little alternatives, the team decided to wait it out. Throughout the night, the women who felt well took turns, each hour, to check on the sick, putting cold compresses on them, reminding them to take sips of water, and soothing them with reassuring words. Thankfully by dawn the fevers had broken, and although still weak, the patients felt much better. It had been too close for comfort, and we resolved to adjust our schedule by departing earlier every morning so as not to bike at the peak of the day’s heat. The next three days unfolded smoothly. We woke at 4:00 a.m., were on the road by 6:00 a.m. and tried to cover our target distances by noon. The afternoons were spent resting, under what shade we could find, counting the hours in the sweltering heat. Those times were true mental challenges for most of us. It was too hot to do anything and impossible to cool down. The air was stifling, our drinking water was tepid and the heat enveloped us completely, hanging like a heavy veil around us.

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During these moments of inactivity, we had few precious distractions. One of them was our guide, Mulugeta, who would regale us with stories of how courtship is conducted in parts of Ethiopia. “A man throws a lemon at the feet of the woman he wishes to date hoping she acknowledges him by picking it up,” he shared. On another occasion, we visited the village of Waideddo where the local Afar chief and his family received us. We spoke to him about their customs and the future of the region. “We don’t need our children to go away and get an education. We are very happy the way we are and do not want to change,” he declared. The Afar people are proud of their origins and very protective of their land. They are not particularly fond of tourists, and often refuse to have their photo taken. Our highlight was a visit to Erta Ale, known by the Afar people as the “smoking mountain”. Erta Ale is a 600-meter high volcano, one of only a handful of continuously active volcanos in the world, and a member of an even more exclusive group – volcanoes with lava lakes. While there are only five such known volcanos globally, Erta Ale often has two active lava lakes – making it an extremely unique site.

tears and sweat, our WOAM team successfully completed the first-ever crossing of the Danakil Depression of Ethiopia on bicycles. Two hundred kilometers in six days over vastly contrasting terrain – it was an arduous expedition, but we persevered, and every day we pushed on, finding resources we did not know we had. Throughout the journey, we were rewarded by breathtaking landscapes and unbelievable spectacles of nature, who transfixed and overwhelmed us with her raw power and might. However, our ultimate satisfaction came from pushing ourselves far beyond our comfort zones for a cause that bonded us together: the plight of women survivors of war. We were driven by the desire to make a difference in the lives of women deprived of the most basic freedom – the right to live in peace and happiness with their loved ones; to education and self-accomplishment; to live with respect and decency; to dream. In Mulugeta’s words, “Women are capable of anything if they set their hearts and minds to it.” On the last evening, the entire Ethiopian crew shared in the celebration of our achievement and felt just as proud to have taken part in this extraordinary, pioneering crossing. It was a voyage to an otherworldly place, an unforgettable adventure to the most inhospitable place on earth.

The cycle through the ‘Gates of Hell’ was indeed one of our most grueling expeditions to date. After much blood, toil,

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Pathway Membership One year Membership is available for North Americans for a limited time! Visit www.amclub.org.sg/membership or call 6739-4386 or email membership@amclub.org.sg for information and to book a Club tour.

Terms & Conditions apply. The Management reserves the right to change any of the Terms and Conditions without prior notice.

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