When the O’Malleys first visited Macau in 2015 they came with a certain amount of skepticism. Why leave their beautiful home, nestled in the foothills of the southern Californian canyons of San Juan Capistrano, for the hustle-bustle, crowded, high-rise lifestyle that we have here?
But that one visit was enough to convince them that yes, a move presented a myriad of exciting opportunities: interesting work challenges for Karen, a good standard of education for 12-year-old daughter Lily, for Matt, a chance to take a break from his property valuation business to immerse himself in a new culture, and for the family, a perfect springboard for exploring other parts of Asia.
And so the decision was made, and after a short time of looking around at the various options, they soon settled on their preferred choice of home: a 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom, unfurnished unit in One Grantai. The 6-tower complex, carved into the Grande Taipa hillside ticked all their boxes: “We like it because it’s removed, private, yet still close to the Cotai strip and Old Taipa village”, explains Karen.
The building is relatively new, with stunning views of the Cotai Strip, it’s within walking distance of Karen’s work and Lily’s school, and importantly: “Coming from the wide open spaces of southern California, having the Nature Park’s greenery and walking trails on our door step was a major factor for us,” explains Karen, “it’s a little escape, to get away from the buildings and the traffic. We go out jogging most days with our dog, Abby”, a mini Australian shepherd.
“We’ve chosen not to have a car,” adds Karen, “it’s quite liberating. And the free shuttle bus provided by the building management is amazing.
“I appreciate the building’s nice amenities,” says Matt, “I use the weights room three times a week. The infinity pool with its view straight down the Cotai strip is awesome! There’s ping pong, pool, tennis and badminton, and a little cinema theater which Lily has used with friends. The place feels more like a compound, safe, well managed and the security team is brilliant”.
The O’Malley’s apartment is bright and airy, with a balcony off the living room that takes in a 180-degree view of Cotai on the left, Galaxy straight ahead, the bird sanctuary and Old Taipa Village mid-view and the high-rises of central Taipa in the distance to the right.
When furnishing the apartment, Karen decided on a different style to the one she has at home in the US.
“At home its very Spanish hacienda style, lots of stone and rough hewn wood, but here I wanted to try a more contemporary look, clean and colourful using pinks and blues.”
Karen opted to rent furniture, rather than ship from the US or buy new. It’s something that they discovered is not at all common in Macau, but they were introduced to Indigo in Hong Kong, who offer several lines of rental furnishing varying in style, quality and price. Lily’s room, with its loft bed combo with desk is charmingly styled; perfect for a soon-to-be teenager.
For the curtains, Karen chose the fabric and had them made up by local shop, Fiona. A lovely rug was found in Zara Home, one of Karen’s favourite shopping haunts, “they have good sales”, and City Square in Taipa, “they deliver and install”. Several Chinese scroll paintings from the Art Museum hang in the master bedroom, and Matt, who enjoys his art, splashed out and bought an original from local Australian artist Denis Murrell, which hangs in pride of place above the sofa.
Another good source for purchasing home items is the ‘Bye Bye Zaia’ Facebook page. “We bought a double bed for MOP250 which has been ideal as a spare bed.”
And after almost a year of living in Macau, one of the things the O’Malley’s have appreciated the most so far, has been the warm friendly expat community.
“We’ve got active in the Macau social scene,” says Karen, “there’s a lively expat social life and the International Ladies’ Club of Macau has been brilliant for networking with like-minded people and for making connections and finding friends, especially for Matt who enjoys socializing. There’s something being organized to do most days!”
“For me, I’m enjoying the peaceful tranquility of the hiking trails. We often go up to the A-Ma temple in Coloane. It’s ideal for dog walking too and Abby has a great time. I also love exploring the streets and old heritage buildings in central Macau. I’m very interested in animal welfare: we’re big fans of ANIMA, and with work we’ve got involved in several local children’s charities.”
“The food here, of course, is something we’ve come to like very much”, says Matt. “Yes, I never was a fan of dim sum until coming here,” Karen laughs, “we’re enjoying sampling the fusion of cuisines, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Portuguese, particularly in the smaller family-run restaurants.”
