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SINGAPORE ISSUE 7 APRIL 2014
Celebrity chef EMMANUEL STROOBANT on the secret ingredient to his success
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PUBLISHED BY COGENT MEDIA
MCI (P) 114/08/2013
(psst, it’s not passion)
THE BARBIE DOLL EFFECT = Children with low self-esteem
Do you know if your kids watch PORN?
Protect your children from PUBLIC TRANSPORT MOLESTATION
The King Of Clubs
Pangaea founder and nightlife doyen Michael Ault prefers an evening on the couch, believe it or not Apr 2014 • Family & Life
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Contents 4
SNIPPETS 4
Mother Dearest
Choice Products, Interesting News and More!
ld not do for her child? To s there anything that a mother wou all the mothers out there, we of t spiri able celebrate the indefatig en in our lives on page 6. Raising raise a toast to the greatest wom cover star king of clubs, Michael a toast is definitely something our break from his busy schedule Ault, is familiar with. He takes a nd the world and reveals to running his different nightclubs arou else except at home with here us a side of him rarely seen anyw e is glorious, Of course, when there is wine, ther 8). e (pag son his supermodel wife and chef Emmanuel brity cele tic isma char end morning with glorious food, so we spend a week his life, his passion and home kitchen. Read more about Stroobant and his family in their his family on page 10.
I
SLICE 6
To The Greatest Women In Our Lives Trivia about Mother’s Day, true stories of sacrifice and more
COVERSTORY 8
6
Descend Into The Rabbit Hole
d of Internet th as we explore the dangerous worl Digital takes centrestage this mon to our family tion atten e mor g and the benefits of payin pornography addiction (page 16), rtphones (page 19). and children and less to our sma
Give Michael Ault a book and a couch over dancing and music
FOCUS
has been a part Barbie turns 55 and while this doll 2014 is also the year the iconic doll t sunny smile. We anen is a darker side behind that perm of many young girls’ lives, there cal psychologist clini d wne reno 14. Our guest columnist, explore the Barbie Effect on page t the power abou hter daug his to e us a letter he wrot Dr Kelly Flanagan, also shares with the subject of he can to protect her (page 30). On of the media and how he will do all to ask: how can a ers, doctors and other professionals protection, Jade Tan talks to lawy al predators? Find sexu ic transport protect herself from young girl travelling alone on publ out on page 18.
10 The One With The Chef
10
& The Permanent Roommate
Emmanuel Stroobant shares his culinary and romance tales
10MINUTESWITH... 12 Heather Lim
est that you would like azine with us or any topics of inter Share your thoughts about the mag dlife.sg or leave your us an e-mail at editorial@familyan us to consider covering. Just drop m/familyandlifemag. comments on our Facebook at fb.co
COO of Carl Zeiss SEA, kettlebell enthusiast and experimental mother
NURTURE
14 Do You Want To Be
y this Happy reading and we hope you enjo
A Barbie Girl?
Managing Editor Gerald Woon
Taking a closer look at every girl’s favourite doll, Barbie
16 The Scourge Of Internet Porn
ting it. issue as much as we enjoyed crea
Porn addiction is real and your child might just be an addict
18 Say No To Touch & Go:
HEALTH
20 Fun Ways To Lose That
Pregnancy Weight
Exercise can be fun and beneficial, not sweaty and tiresome
Drink nature, literally
Shampoo Bottle?
21 A Juicer Fit For Outer Space
Dealing With Public Molestation
Teaching children how to deal with the predators on the buses & trains
19 Turn Off & Tune In:
Banishing Digital Addiction
Smartphones are taking over our children’s lives and it is not good
22 What Actually Is In Your
We explore the different chemicals you put in your hair daily
19
CREATIVE
23 A Buffet Cheaper Than A
MANAGING EDITOR EDITORIAL
SALES & MARKETING
RELAX
familyandlife.sg
CONTACT US
Break out the dice and travel with us around The Grandstand mall
BITES
28 Chicken Stuffed With
Garlic & Thyme
Fine dining brought home
EVENTS
29 What’s Happening
A list of upcoming family events
OP-ED
30 Words From A Father
2
To His Daughter
A letter written from the makeup aisle of a shopping mall Family & Life • Apr 2014
26
Sales Administrator| Michelle Lee sales@cogentmedia.sg
Daniel Chan Koh Sze Kiat
26 The Grandstand
Senior Marketing Executive| Emily Choo emily@cogentmedia.sg
PHOTOGRAPHY ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE
A traipse back in time to the eight provinces of the Teochews
Designer | Zach zach@cogentmedia.sg
Chef Tim Meijers Dr Kelly Flanagan Jade Tan Song Shandong Maureen Schuster
24 Here Come The Teochews!
Writer | Farhan Shah farhan@cogentmedia.sg
CONTRIBUTORS
Frappucino? You Bet!
A healthy and scrumptious buffet that won’t break the bank
Gerald Woon gerald@cogentmedia.sg
Manager | Jessica Ong jessica@cogentmedia.sg Editorial Enquiries editorial@familyandlife.sg Advertising Enquiries +65 6704 9271 sales@cogentmedia.sg
MCI (P) 114/08/2013 Colour Separation & Printed by Times Printers Private Limited 16 Tuas Avenue 5, Singapore 639340 Tel: +65 6311 2888 Fax: +65 6311 2801 Licence No. L021/09/2012 Distributed by MediaWheel Singapore 31 Toh Guan Road East #07-01 LW Technocentre, Singapore 608608 Tel: +65 6560 5272 Fax: +65 6560 4090 All materials printed within Family & Life are Copyright 2014 © and protected under the Copyright Act. All rights reserved 2014.
Family & Life is published monthly by Cogent Media Pte. Ltd. 100 Beach Road #32-01 Shaw Tower, Singapore 189702 Tel: +65 6704 9266 Fax: +65 6396 3045 Registration No: 201231255H No material of this publication can be reproduced in any form or means – graphic, electronic, mechanic, photocopying, recording, videotaping, etc. – whether in part or in whole, without the written consent of the Publisher. Family & Life will not be held responsible for any infringements of Copyright material in articles submitted by contributors. While every reasonable care has been taken in the compilation of information contained in this publication, the Publisher, editors or their employees and agents shall not be liable for any errors, inaccuracies, and/or omissions howsoever caused. All views expressed in all articles are solely those of the authors, and are not necessarily those of the Publisher and editor. Family & Life reserves the right to refuse any advertisement or advertorial for any reason and are not liable for claims made by advertisers. The information provided in this publication is solely for reference only. Readers are advised to seek the professional advice from the appropriate advisors, professional or institution for advice and instruction with regard to their personal health issues.
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SNIPPETS A list of choice products, interesting news and cool developments, handpicked by the Family & Life team that will interest parents and families!
EXCLUSIVE DEALS JUST FOR YOU DEAR READER!
When we’re not hunting for great stories or running around with a notebook and a camera, our team regularly goes around the island to strike family-friendly agreements and deals with some of our favourite shopping centres. This month, we have teamed up with The Grandstand, the largest family lifestyle destination in Bukit Timah, to bring a wealth of deals for you and your kids! For the arty types, The LPN Art School (#04-09) is giving away: • 1 for 1 deal for on-spot art • 15 percent discount when you sign up for its progressive learning classes (Art Play, Art Touch, Creative Art and Pottery Art) Need more art? Art Grain (#04-18) is also letting you enjoy 10 percent off its April Holiday Workshops! After you and your children are done painting, head on down to Kiddi Playhouse (#02-K51), located within the confines of PasarBella, and get 5 percent off all their items. Just mention “I’m a Family & Life reader” at the cashier! Parents aren’t left out. Boulevard Outdoor Furniture (#01-18) is giving away its Dior III Hanging Chair, a work of art if we do say so ourselves, at only S$399! Once again, only you, our dear reader, get to enjoy this offer. So, what are you waiting for? Head on down to The Grandstand today and discover why everyone is talking about it!
The Grandstand, the largest family lifestyle destination in Bukit Timah, is at 200 Turf Club Road, Singapore 287994. To find out more about The Grandstand, flip your way to page 26!
SHAKING UP THE ONLINE SHOPPING SCENE Purchase it today, get it tomorrow – that is new online retailer SOSOON’s revolutionary promise to every shopper who buys an item, big or small, from its e-store. “We want to rock the online retail game here in Singapore and change the infrastructure and customer mindset by committing to delivery in 24 hours for all our customers,” says Robert Van Lith, the General Manager of Uitox, which is the company behind SOSOON. SOSOON’s premise is simple. Although we have the convenience of shopping from the comfort of our couches, the gratification of holding our purchases in our hands is delayed by a few days to a few weeks, depending on the retailer’s shipping promise. “This does not fit my definition of convenient online shopping! SOSOON will enhance the online experience to exceed even physically shopping in store,” is Van Lith’s bold claim. Uitox has the credentials to back up its words. Its parent company, which is based in Taiwan, is the first e-commerce operation with a fivehour delivery guarantee in Taipei City and a 24-hour guarantee for the rest of Taiwan. Colour us impressive!
Discover the revolutionary shopping experience at SOSOON.com.sg. If you receive your purchase later than 24 hours, SOSOON will give you a S$10 credit!
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Family & Life • Apr 2014
PUTTING THE FUN IN FUNCTIONAL! Usually relegated into the far reaches of your desk drawer, the ubiquitous office stationery – the Scotch tape – is coming or shall we say, colouring, back with a vengeance! Gone are the days when tapes have to play hide and seek with your notes and wrappers. Now, you and your children can exude your personalities and styles with the new Scotch Expressions Tapes! Besides using them as your trusty companion in your arts and crafts projects or present wrapping responsibilities, these colourful tapes are perfect for unleashing your creativity. Tear out a few long strips to decorate your desk; cut them out into squares and create a one-of-a-kind checkers board; turn your hohum stationery into beautiful art pieces; the possibilities are endless! To fire up your creativity, the tech wizards at 3M Singapore have also launched a website called MyActivityRoom.com, which showcases a myriad of different projects and creations that can be done using Scotch Expressions Tapes. Now, who says scotch tape is boring?
The new Scotch Expressions Tapes from 3M retail between S$3.90 and S$9.90, and are available at selected POPULAR bookstores and other leading retailers.
MAKING THE ONLINE WATERS SAFE
Whether you like it or not, online gaming is here to stay. You might be glad to know that many studies have been done that demonstrates the benefits of gaming such as better visual processing ability and enhanced mental capabilities. So, all that time your child spends obliterating other virtual characters may not be going to waste! However, there is a darker side to online gaming: the constant barrage of abuse from other gamers who have no qualms threatening physical violence. It was an issue Deepak Pathak was wrestling with. Then, she realised the answer was right in front of her. You see, Deepak is the CEO of WEWANA:PLAY, an app that helps to connect gamers with their friends, and she realised the app was also being used by parents to help keep tabs on the people that their children were playing with. “Surprisingly, a number of parents are actively encouraging their children to use WEWANA:PLAY, as the app connects young gamers with their friends, thereby helping to protect them from the dangers of playing online alone. The app facilitates a safer environment by giving parents a tool that actively encourages playing with those that they know well,” Deepak says. So, go ahead and ask your child to download the app, and let’s create a safer and more fun online environment for everyone in the family.
WEWANA:PLAY is available for free on the App Store and Google Play. To discover more, check out www.wewanaplay.com.
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THE LUGGAGE FOR THE WET AND WILD ONES Holidays are fun. Packing for that holiday? Not so fun, especially if you have to pack for the children as well. That is why we are big fans of American Tourister, which makes family-friendly luggage at affordable prices. And recently, the packing experts have released their latest collection, aptly named Tropical to evoke warm, sun-kissed days and beach vacations. Beach vacations, though, tend to get wet and wild, which is why the collection includes a detachable wet pouch to hold your last-minute wet swimming gear and clothing. The American Tourister Tropical collection comes in three summer vacation colours – Vivid Blue, Coral and Timeless Black – and is built to be enduring and resilient, so be prepared to pass them down to your children as an heirloom!
The American Tourister Tropical collection is available at the American Tourister stores at Suntec City Tower One and Tampines One as well as leading departmental stores.
LABEL IT, OWN IT & KEEP IT!
There is nothing worse than purchasing for your child a new pencil box or water bottle only for your child to return home and tell you that it has gone missing! So, when we heard about Stuck On You, we had to give it a spin and see whether its huge range of product labels could stand up to the rigours of childhood.
A MEAL FIT FOR THE QUEEN IN YOUR LIFE – YOUR MOM Let’s be completely honest: there are a plethora of restaurants vying for your time and money on Mother’s Day and you are spoiled for choice. Take it from us though, you would be in your mom’s good books when you take her to Spuds & Aprons. Being on top of Mount Faber, the restaurant offers an incredible view of Singapore that is only beaten by the specially-created Mother’s Day lunch menu. Here’s what you can expect: grilled prawn with lemongrass, superior seafood pumpkin soup and braised beef cheeks with dashi stock and shoyu. If that doesn’t whet your appetite, you will be glad to know that Spuds & Aprons is offering a complimentary cake surprise if you make your reservations by 7 May 2014! We’ll see you at the top!
The Mother’s Day lunch menu is only available on 11 May 2014, Sunday from 12 pm to 2.30 pm and is priced at S$42 per person. To make your reservations, call +65 6377 9688 or email customerservice@mountfaber.com.sg.
In a nutshell: yes it can! Whether you are looking for labels for clothes, shoes or even socks, Stuck On You has a label for the occasion. You can even personalise your child’s lunchboxes, drink bottles and backpacks with his or her name and the number of compartments he or she wants. It will be easy for your child to spot his or her bag, even from a distance away. Stuck On You also makes quality backpacks and insulated lunchboxes for children. Its drink bottles are made from stainless steel and BPA-free too!
Get sticking with Stuck On You labels at www.stuckonyou.com.sg. Basic labels begin from S$29.95 for a pack of five and are safe for washing.
JUICE UP, HAZE BETTER WATCH OUT! The haze scourge returned with a vengeance last year, setting off coughing fits and dry throats, and this year could potentially be the same. Launch a pre-emptive strike against the haze and fortify your body’s defence with the help of F&N Fruit Tree Fresh! You see, the haze pollutants in the air introduce more free radicals – elements that are potentially detrimental to your health – into you and your children’s systems. This is where antioxidants come into the picture! They are nutrients capable of counteracting the damaging and inevitable process of oxidation caused by free radicals. These sprightly chemical friends also protect your heart and prevent premature skin aging. And one of our favourite ways to load up on the antioxidants is with the F&N Fruit Tree Fresh antioxidant pack – Cranberry Pomegranate and Apple, Fresh Yuzu and Fresh Orange. Not only are they delicious, they are also refreshing and healthy, a great combination for any finicky child. So, the next time you make a trip to the supermarket, reach out for a pack of F&N Fruit Tree Fresh and make your stand against the haze.
F&N Fruit Tree Fresh is available at your favourite supermarket. We highly recommend Fresh Yuzu! To find out more about their antioxidant goodness, check out www.fb.com/FruitTreeFreshSG.
Apr 2014 • Family & Life
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SLICE
To the
GREATEST
Women Lives in our
Mark 11 May 2014 on the calendar because that is the day to celebrate the life and love of the greatest woman in our life – our mothers! To commemorate this occasion, we have put together a few interesting facts and figures, tales of sacrifice and love, and more, in this month’s Slice. Remember to shower your mothers with love and affection, not just on Mother’s Day, but every day of the year!
MOTHER’S DAY DINNERTIME
CONVERSATIONS!
Family dinners are the perfect way to bond with each other. So, put away those smartphones and use these Mother’s Day-related factoids to start conversations the next time everyone is at the dining table!
What are your thoughts on Hallmark holidays? • The modern-day Mother’s Day celebration first began in 1908 when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother in West Virginia. However, as Mother’s Day became more and more commercialised, Jarvis grew infuriated and actually spent the rest of her life as well as her remaining inheritance to fight what she considered “an abuse of the celebration”. Towards the end of her life, Jarvis even wished that she had “never started the day because it had spiralled out of control”.
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Family & Life • Apr 2014
Did you know many countries in the past politicised Mother’s Day? • Back in the 1920s, Germany was facing a deepening crisis – birth rates were plunging to the point that Germany had one of the lowest birth rates in Europe, and the trend looked set to continue. The issue was attributed to women’s increased participation in the workforce, so in an effort to encourage women to bear more children, the Mother’s Day holiday was introduced. The more progressive groups, however, resisted the holiday because they saw it as a way to eliminate the rights of the working woman. • Following Germany’s lead, the conservative Mexican government, led by Álvaro Obregón, imported the American Mother’s Day holiday in 1922 as a way to promote a more conservative role for mothers in families. The socialists, however, criticised the holiday for promoting an “unrealistic image of a woman who was not good for much more than breeding”. • Mother’s Day was first brought to Egypt by renowned spitfire journalist Mustafa Amin in 1943. Although the day was not immediately accepted, the concept soon spread and Egypt finally celebrated the holiday in 1956. There were attempts by the government to change the name of the holiday from Mother’s Day to Family Day to prevent the Egyptian people from remembering the founder; Amin was regularly arrested and imprisoned for his published critical views of Nasser’s regime. The attempts, however, were unsuccessful.
MOTHERS
AND THEIR TRUE AMAZING
SACRIFICES
HUMAN SHIELD
In April last year, a social activist and mother, Ong Ai Siam, and her daughter were trekking along a trail at Gasing Hill in the state of Selangor when a group of four teenagers menacingly approached them. Without any hesitation, Ong pushed her daughter backwards and told her to run away. Ong was immediately stabbed with a kitchen knife by the group in front of her daughter, and when the robbers tried to move closer to the young girl, Ong selflessly blocked them. The robbers continued stabbing her. Ong’s daughter screamed and the robbers immediately fled empty-handed. Ong’s last words to her daughter before she passed away was “I love you so much”.
ONE LIFE FOR ANOTHER Chiara Corbella
was overjoyed when she received the good news that she was pregnant. She and her husband had been trying for a child for very long – her first two children passed away shortly after birth due to birth defects – and when the doctor told them that the foetus was developing normally, the both of them were ecstatic. Unfortunately, jubilation quickly turned into sorrow when Chiara was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. The doctors told her that the cancer could be managed with treatment. However, undergoing this treatment would mean putting her unborn baby in a position of extreme risk. Chiara decided to postpone it until Francesco was born so that he could grow up strong and healthy. Baby Francesco arrived healthy and happy, and Chiara underwent the different treatments. Tragically, the cancer had ravaged her insides and it became clear that death was imminent. On 13 June 2012, Chiara passed away.
Y M M O M
TR?VIA • Valentina Vassilyeva gave birth to 16 sets of twins, seven sets of triplets and
four sets of quadruplets over a period of 40 years (1725 – 1765)! She still holds the record for the most number of children, 69 in total, birthed by one woman.
• The youngest confirmed mother in medical history is Lina Medina from Peru
who gave birth to a healthy baby boy at the age of five years, seven months and 17 days. Her parents had brought her to the hospital when her abdominal grew at an alarming rate. Originally thinking it was a tumour, the doctors then realised she was already seven months pregnant. Medina went through a Caesarean section on 14 May 1939. Her son grew up healthy but passed away at the age of 40 due to a bone marrow disease. Medina is still alive and is currently living in Lima, Peru. Apr 2014 • Family & Life
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COVERSTORY
Descend Into the Rabbit H le By Farhan Shah
Michael Ault, the man credited with revolutionising the nightlife industry with the bottle service concept, has everything any male would dream of – an empire, a supermodel wife and a loving child. We descend into his world of fantasy and discover surprises and revelations galore.
Michael Ault is running late. “His son took longer than usual to finish school,” his publicist offered by way of apology. So, we stand in the shade, seeking refuge from the scorching afternoon sun, and exchanged stories and pleasantries along the Singapore River. Twenty minutes later, a splotch of colour appears in the distance, too far away to discern any recognisable facial features, yet Ault’s publicist perks up. “That looks like him.”
For decades, Ault’s name has reigned supreme in the global nightlife scene. The doyen has designed and built more than twenty nightclubs the world over, all of which are not only successful but have stood the test of time, a rarity in this fickle industry. His name is synonymous with decadence; saunter past the gatekeepers at his ultralounge Pangaea Singapore and you will discover an intoxicating escape filled with crocodile-skinned couches, African tribal masks and sloshed, moneyed individuals.
Pause.
Phoenix is captivated by the way the staff and guests treat me, and is very eager to begin working and be in charge. He even flirts quite openly with the ladies!
“That is him.” Ault has a penchant for colourful and eye-catching – some might even say garish – shirts, especially for magazine photo shoots, and today is no different. His feet, though, are surprisingly shod in what looks like really comfortable bedroom slip-ons. His clothing choices might be a huge contrast but, then again, the incongruity is the perfect metaphor for Ault’s life.
It is no wonder that the club is making money hand over fist, as millionaire punters return evening after evening to descend into the rabbit hole where anything is impossible, if only for a night. In 2013, Pangaea Singapore reportedly made more than US$20 million and was the largest grossing nightclub per square foot in the world. Pangaea Singapore is the equivalent of Ault’s colourful shirts. But when the music has died down and the lights are switched on, Ault heaves a quiet sigh of relief. For all the parties he has thrown and the nightclubs that he owns, Ault surprisingly considers himself “somewhat of a recluse and an academic”. If he was given a choice between a crowded night catching a concert and an evening alone on the couch with a book about the wars of the world, Ault would plump for the latter, hands down. Take a seat Swedish House Mafia; Ault would rather discover Sumerian civilisation instead. In fact, he reads so much that he can easily finish an 800page book every week. His interests? History, mythology, the history of art and architecture, and military conquests, to name a few. That heaving bookshelf is Ault’s bedroom slip-ons, his escape, quite an irony considering his customers view his establishment as their escape from the real world. Ault’s ascent to the red velvet throne is well-documented. A son of a blueblooded high society couple – his stepfather is the late Dean Witter while his mother is Faith van Cleef of the
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Family & Life • Apr 2014
jewellery behemoth, Van Cleef & Arpels – Ault turned his back on a promising Wall Street career and “the best education money could buy” to throw parties. Instead of relying on the financial might of his family, Ault chose to strike out on his own. “I lived in a studio apartment and slept on a pull-out bed. I had virtually no money in the bank, which made my decision even more of an inconceivable risk,” says Ault. “Of course, it was a super way to meet top models, which at that stage of my life, was a significant goal!” One of those models, Sabrina Randall, believed in his vision and became his second largest investor in the first Pangaea in New York. Little did she know that, at that time, Ault had “an enormous crush on her” and had overlooked better locations for Pangaea in favour of a plot of land that was adjacent to Sabrina’s apartment. Sabrina’s association with the nightclub sent its stock soaring. Within weeks, the who’s who of the fashion and modelling world flocked to Pangaea New York to party the night away. By the sixth month of the club’s opening, Ault had quadrupled the establishment’s revenue. Ault was unsurprisingly pleased with the progress of his club. However, his romantic overtures to Sabrina was not making as much headway as he hoped it would and when Sabrina went to Mykonos and got engaged to a Greek DJ, Ault knew he had to step it up a gear. “When she returned, I moved quickly and orchestrated the break-up of their engagement,” says Ault cheekily. The nightclub mogul then went on a charm offensive, bringing Sabrina on a whirlwind trip around the world. Starting in Paris, the duo travelled to Cape Town before going on several unforgettable safaris in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana. As New Year approached, Ault craftily sneaked a six-carat diamond ring into his luggage, which he whipped out when they were on the summit of the Andes mountain range in Peru. It was an unforgettable moment, made even more memorable with Machu Picchu in the background.
The following day, on New Year’s Day, Sabrina and Ault exchanged vows with only the presence of the official and with no family members or friends “on Venice’s finest gondola, which was covered with white lilies and stocked with fruits and champagne”. It was what anyone would have come to expect from a man like Ault.
Bridge. As my photographer takes a few test shots, I decided to chat with Phoenix, who is precariously balancing an ice cream cone in his right hand while seated on his new BMX bicycle. “Would you like some ice cream?” Phoenix thrusts his hand out. “No thank you. I prefer chocolate.”
The newly-minted Sabrina van Cleef Ault would go on to become Ault’s life and business partner, helping him to grow both his brand and, eventually, the family. The both of them happily welcomed their bundle of joy – Phoenix – in 2009. With the new addition to the family, the Aults took stock of their lives. “It became increasingly obvious that our life in New York, a city that both Sabrina and I love dearly, was soon to end. Obviously, both our responsibilities were heightened and our future plans had to be more carefully considered,” says Ault. So, in 2010, when the Singapore Tourism Board invited Ault to expand the Pangaea brand in the mecca of millionaires – Marina Bay Sands – Ault jumped at the chance, setting up base here. Overseeing a sprawling nightclub empire is a 24/7 business, especially if you consider Ault’s exacting standards. He, however, is an ardent subscriber of former US president Ronald Reagan’s mantra – surround himself with the best people he can find, delegate authority and then, not to interfere as long as the policy he has decided upon is being carried out.
“You don’t like vanilla?” asks Phoenix, clearly confused that there was someone out there who preferred a flavour other than vanilla. “Why not?” I told him that there was no reason to my preference and the five-yearold took that as a chance to try to convince me of the merits of vanilla. I had just met him not more than ten minutes ago and here he is, playing the role of consummate charmer, just like his father does on an almost daily basis. According to Ault, Phoenix is enamoured of the clubbing experience and loves the business. The fact that Ault is the top dog whenever he enters the clubs might have also played a part with his son’s fascination. As Ault reveals, “he is captivated by the way the staff and guests treat me, and is very eager to begin working and be in charge”.
Phoenix also seems to have inherited his father’s charisma and his mother’s enchanting personality, easily forming a strong affinity with lovely women wherever he goes. Ault says with a laugh: “He even flirts quite openly with them!” The trio regularly travel around the world; Ault tries to bring everyone along on his business and leisure trips, clearly believing in Saint Augustine’s famous quote that the world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page. Young Phoenix has clearly benefited from the frequent travels, possessing a social skill-set that would be the envy of many adults. And frequent travelling is on the agenda for the foreseeable future, as Ault looks to expand his brand into even more cities. The social set and party people in Manila are already eagerly tracking the construction progress of Ault’s two nightclubs while the busy Ault has penned deals for more clubs to be built in Istanbul, Dubai, Shanghai, Miami, Seoul and
Bali. More escapes, more rabbit holes, more unforgettable nights. The 50-year-old Ault, however, is not planning to add to his own brood any time soon, or ever, if he can help it. It is not that he is being selfish. Rather, he admits he is far too old to raise another child: “I would like to be alive for their college graduation and even marriage! That is quite possible with Phoenix, but not with a new baby.” Having another kid would also curtail the jet-setting Aults and that is a restriction Ault does not want to impose on his family and his massive nightclub empire. It’s amazing how just a few decades ago, a younger Ault was pulling out his bed in his cramped New York apartment and head to sleep, dreaming of lavish nightclubs and a certain Sabrina Randall. Now he has both but he’s not planning to stop. The world needs more rabbit holes and Ault, the King of Clubs, is just beginning. Just excuse him if he is a bit late. After all, who arrives at a party on time right?
“Much of my efforts are front loaded, with an overall goal to ensure that the choreography and execution of each night’s party follow the guidelines that were set in advance of each night. If I have done my job right, the amount of time and effort that I put in should be kept at a manageable and sustainable level.” Good news for his family then. Home is a three-bedroom apartment in Robertson Quay, and Ault politely requests for the photo shoot to be at the colourful Alkaff
Apr 2014 • Family & Life
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FOCUS
Chef & the Permanent Roommate
The One with the Meet the power duo behind the Emmanuel Stroobant Group, one of Singapore’s hottest culinary movers as they regale us with tales and advice from the kitchen. Trust us, it will get hot in here.
Unsurprisingly, the kitchen is the pièce de résistance of Emmanuel Stroobant’s two-storey apartment in River Valley – a large marble island with an induction stove, a wall-to-wall chiller that could likely store food for the whole of France, and enough knives and equipment to rival a fullservice kitchen. What is surprising, however, is that this Belgian celebrity chef is a vegetarian, and has been one for the past five years. The yoga enthusiast explains that it was a gradual lifestyle change; he had to stop eating meat due to his alarming cholesterol levels and saw a dramatic improvement during his daily yoga practice. Slowly but surely, Stroobant began cutting out eggs, dairy and seafood from his diet until only plants were left. “I have a weakness for good sashimi and chardonnay though, and indulge in it two to three times a year,” he shares conspiratorially. “And maybe spaghetti bolognaise,” a humorous afterthought. You might think that being a vegetarian chef is an oxymoron but amazingly, Stroobant’s talented palate became even more discerning after he cut out meat from his daily meals. He says: “I’ve actually improved in the kitchen. Now that I don’t eat meat anymore, my brain reacts differently when I have to taste my meat dishes, which happens on a daily basis. The texture, the flavour and the taste are more distinct since meat is not part of my normal diet.” Stroobant’s rise to the upper echelons of the food and beverage industry is welldocumented. Starting out as a simple dishwasher when he was a teenager, Stroobant spent his formative years at various Michelinstarred establishments within his home country of Belgium. When he turned 23, Stroobant opened his first restaurant Le Bal in Liege. His thirst for adventure coupled with a refusal to succumb to complacency encouraged him to fly to Australia, where he was introduced to the fusion of Eastern
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Family & Life • Apr 2014
By Farhan Shah
and Western cuisine. Subsequently, the nomadic chef crossed the Java Sea and headed to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the country that would serve as the backdrop for the most momentous event (at that time) to occur in his life – meeting his business and life partner, Edina Hong. No love at first sight for Stroobant and Hong; think an episode of the Sex and the City instead with three acts. Act one: enter well-meaning friends. “His restaurant manager,” says Edina, motioning to a smiling Stroobant, “was going out with a friend of mine, and the both of them mentioned to me that there was a new restaurant opening up in KL that needed some help with publicity.” The chef of that new restaurant was none other than Stroobant, and Hong, a communications and public relations whiz working in a hotel, agreed to help out. Hong brought along her housemate, a writer working with a food publication, on their first meeting. Act two: introduce sad backstory and sceptical housemate. Whether it was the environment, the people or the food, Malaysia did not agree with Stroobant’s wife. Instead of talking it out though, Stroobant came home from work one day to find his wife had packed her side of her life into a few suitcases and left the country, leaving him high and dry. The chef was understandably heartbroken. But, the bright lights and cosmopolitan personality of Kuala Lumpur proved to be a hardy band aid and Stroobant started dating a bevy of women, all of
whom were attracted to the rock star European chef with the Renaissance good looks and charming personality. Word got around in the city about Stroobant’s serial dating and when Hong’s housemate found out that Hong thought Stroobant was “cute lah”, the troublemaker issued a challenge. “My friend bet a week’s worth of housework duties that I wouldn’t be able to date Stroobant for an extended period of time and I was like, ‘Bring it on!’” says Hong with a laugh. Act three: the party and the proposal. Stroobant and Hong’s mutual friends planned a party, “coincidentally” on the day that the lady whom Stroobant was seeing would be out of town. Later on, Hong moved in to Stroobant’s residence and, in his words, “never moved out”. He says: “She claimed she had a water shortage in her house!” A year and a half later, Stroobant received a job offer in Singapore and asked Hong to join him. “I told him, ‘Well, it’s got to be a bit more than just that if you want me to follow you!’” Hong says. The both of them got married and moved to Singapore in November 1999. The phrase “a match made in heaven” is thrown about very loosely and liberally in today’s context, sometimes too loosely, but if there was a pairing that deserved such praise, it would be Stroobant and Hong. Stroobant gamely admits that he would not be where he is today – owner of multiple awardwinning restaurants and a yoga studio, author of two books, and father to two
children – if not for Hong while Hong acknowledges the God-given talent of Stroobant that helped to propel the Emmanuel Stroobant Group to where it is today. “He really is very talented,” Hong says while flashing a look of admiration at her blonde-haired husband. “With Edina and me, one plus one is not equal to two. One plus one is equal to three or even more. Without each other, I would probably only have one restaurant while she would just be a Director of Communications and that would be it. We have complementary skills, but most importantly, we respect each other’s expertise, which makes us what and where we are today,” Stroobant eulogises. It is not just capitalising on each other’s strengths that has made them successful but also acknowledging the weaknesses of one another. Stroobant professes to be hopeless with money and its management, only caring about sourcing out the best ingredients possible without taking into consideration the costs involved. On the flip side, Hong is grounded in practicality, constantly reining in Stroobant’s wild ideas and passion with one hand while jabbing in the numbers into a calculator with the other. “My mother has given us nicknames – passion and money. Guess who passion and money are?” Hong questions me rhetorically. With more than a decade’s experience in the heat of Singapore’s kitchen and having built a dining empire that has thrived in the country’s fickle food and beverage scene, Stroobant’s and Hong’s opinions carry a lot of weight. So, I decided to ask them what they thought of the multitude of restaurants by international celebrity chefs mushrooming around the island. There has been a growing clamour of voices questioning whether our tolerance for costly gastronomy has reached its limits.
Emmanuel Stroobant Group is immune to changes but rather because she genuinely believes in putting her diners’ needs first and foremost. That means thinking whether paying S$500 for a meal is an affront to most diners’ sensibilities (we’re looking at you Waku Ghin), especially in an age when extravagance is frowned upon, vulgar even. “We want to put ourselves in our consumers’ shoes and understand what it is like when you pay a certain amount of money for food,” explains Hong. At the same time, the both of them wanted to promote a relaxed and casual environment within their dining establishments, and slapping on an eye-gouging price tag usually creates the exact opposite – stiff upper lips. A memorable meal does not necessarily have to create a huge dent in your wallets. And what about those dime a dozen international celebrity chefs? Hong is not impressed. “One of our chefs was invited to a dinner where home-grown young chef Julien Royer was cooking alongside international superstar Mark Best. He said that Royer really shone in the dinner while Best was rather mediocre. One of the best ways to tell whether your food is good is to see how clean the plates are and while Best’s items returned to the kitchen half-eaten, Royer’s plates were wiped clean!” says Hong. She goes on to declare that Singapore’s dining scene is certainly the best in the region hands down. However, one aspect of the industry that the both of them are quite concerned with is the perennial staffing problem.
Stroobant says: “Generally, people work in the restaurant service industry not because of passion but because they lack the specific skills to land a job in another field, hence the reason why the restaurants in Singapore have a lot of Filipino and mainland Chinese waiters. However, it is not a career to these people, just a means to an end.”
“I was happy though,” Stroobant offers by way of argument.
This idea perpetuated in our Asian culture that serving someone is supposedly a low-class career puzzles Stroobant. Hong too admitted to feeling a bit embarrassed when she first put on the server’s uniform and believes that it might be due to her upbringing. After all, many of us have been brought up by our parents to aim for medical and financial aspirations and not servitude.
Their banter over the large marble dining table in the kitchen is perhaps the perfect representation of their strong relationship, a marriage of two strong and unyielding minds glued together by a healthy dash of respect and liberal servings of space. And now that they have embarked on a new adventure – parenthood – with two young children in tow, their culinary journey has now taken them to the cradle of gastronomy: the school canteen.
Stroobant though thinks differently. “I want my children to grow up healthy and happy, and if they are happiest when they are baking bread, then by all means be a baker! It is my child’s passion after all!” At this point in the interview, Hong looks at Stroobant disapprovingly before turning to me with an exasperated sigh. “You see, this is where we differ. To me, you can have all the passion in the world but if you have no money, it is pointless!” “Happiness doesn’t equate to the number of zeroes in your bank account,” declares Stroobant. “It helps!” Hong counters. “When I first met him, he only had RM300 in his bank account!”
“Are you not happy now?” Hong asks him, her arched eyebrows daring him to answer back. Stroobant erupts into laughter and pacifies Hong with a few well-meaning words of encouragement.
Stroobant is a strong advocate of fresh produce untainted by chemicals and preservatives, and has brought his belief to the children studying in an international school in Singapore. “I’m really passionate about kids’ nutrition because many health issues and diseases ultimately stem from diets. We, as adults, have many misconceptions about children and their eating habits, such as their refusal to eat vegetables and the like. From my interactions with them, I know this is not true. It’s just how you present the food!” says the Belgian chef. Similarly, the children have galvanised Stroobant’s appetite for life and even though he and Hong have gone on many adventures around the world, nothing compares to the path that they are on right now, that of teaching their children the dreams and wonders of life. And perhaps the practical concerns too. Hong and Stroobant would not have it any other way.
Surprisingly, Hong admits to not paying a lot of attention to the developments in the industry, not because she believes that the
Apr 2014 • Family & Life
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10MINUTESWITH...
Heather Lim By Farhan Shah
COO of Carl Zeiss Southeast Asia, Kettlebell Enthusiast and Experimental Mother
Beneath her petite exterior and sunny demeanour lies a lean, mean, kettebellswinging mother who had no qualms putting her 11-year-old alone on an aeroplane to Toronto.
My parents were civil servants; my Dad was a teacher and my Mum was a nurse. However, within the household, my parents gave me a lot of managed freedom to do whatever I wanted. I started doing a lot of operas, plays, etc. It was a happy childhood of expression.
It is the same philosophy that my husband and I have for our children – the freedom of expression. At the same time, we set an example for them and equip them with the tools that would teach them responsibility. For example, responsibility for your health, which explains why all of us are fitness enthusiasts! We also believe in giving choices. For example, you cannot order your children to eat their vegetables if they do not want to. Instead, we decided to introduce a wide variety of colourful vegetables and let them choose which they preferred. They are bound to hit one that they like. We strongly advocate the spirit of independence. When my second daughter Kathleen was 11, I put her alone on an aeroplane that was flying to Toronto so that she could see her aunt. To be honest, it was a deliberated experiment and a decision that I only went through after talking to my friends and relatives. I wanted Kathleen to have an experience. I did not want her to live in the shadow of her elder sister Ashley, who was more extroverted than her. I knew Kathleen would be all right when I got a phone call from her when she stopped over in Tokyo. Somehow, she managed to change her money at the money changer and find a payphone to dial home. And remember, she was only 11! I had tears in my eyes because even though I did not ask her to call me when she was in Tokyo, she did. My husband and I felt vindicated that our efforts in bringing them up were paying off. Experimental parenting! Yes, I get that from my mom a lot of times. Of course, it is not just letting them do whatever they want; I impose my own rules on them. I strongly believe in respect and filial piety, and constantly ingrain these in my two children. 12
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Respect is a two-way street. You cannot just expect your children to respect you by virtue of your position. I accord them the same level of respect that I expect them to give me. It is something that I apply even when they were little girls in Primary Six and did not do so well in school. I did not flinch although it was not an easy journey. With the world and Singapore being incredibly globalised, I think it might be time that we relook at the subtler aspects of our education system, especially the concept of meritocracy. We are creating an elite group of scholars who are finding it hard to integrate with the other classes of society. We really should tell children that it is fine if they do not become straight ‘A’ scholars. I think this is something that many parents in Singapore have a problem with. We ask our children who in school is doing great, who did not do so well, etc. Is the dinner conversation so limited that we can only talk about grades? As the COO of Carl Zeiss Southeast Asia, I have had the pleasure of interviewing smart Singaporeans and I must say that the ones with international exposure tend to have a broader perspective on issues and understand how important it is to bridge the cultural gap between different classes. The ones who studied exclusively in Singapore? Not so much. They take things for granted. Everything is cosy for them here, perhaps too cosy. After 14 years of working in a global company, I have come to realise that the people who are purportedly the cream of the local crop are the ones who unfortunately do not excel as much. The youth who are agile and flexible will be the ones who will inherit the world. You do not have to be a specialist in your field. Instead, if you have the smarts to be able to do multiple tasks competently and produce good results, I would take you on board over one person who is able to create excellent results but only in one field. It does get quite busy for my husband and me at work but we try as much as possible to have dinner at home with our children. All of us also have digital shared calendars which helps and our schedules quite set in stone. Of course, now that my two daughters are flying overseas for their university studies, the house will be a bit empty! I have mixed emotions about their leaving. Sure, you know you have to let them go sooner or later, so I guess I just have to manage my emotions. I still have my husband and two dogs though!
Slimming Down
The Healthy Way
Helping customers slim down healthily is our top priority. Everyone wants to lose weight quickly and look beautiful, but they neglect to address the health repercussions that come with unsupervised weight loss methods. Potentially dangerous slimming methods include: 1 Crash diets, weight loss from lack of proteins and nutrition 2 Slimming pills without doctor’s advice 3 Over exercising without knowing one’s own stamina and body limits.
put her BMI in an unhealthy range. Instead, she became our facial customer and continues to receive monthly nutritional consultations.” Many people also think seeking help at slimming centres is purely for vanity but Suddenly Slender sees lot of customers who want help with losing weight for health reasons. These customers regularly have health issues such as high blood pressure, diabetes, fatigue, body aches and more but these problems tend to improve or lighten once they have successfully lost the excess weight.
Suddenly Slender’s techniques do not include any of the above. “Not only do we have effective methods to help customers slim down, we also have nutritionists and therapists that help customers monitor their progress,” General Manager Aitty Cheng shares. “We had a customer who was losing weight so quickly, nearly six kilograms in 10 days, that we had to alter her treatment plan so that she could achieve her target weight at a more steady and healthy rate.” “We also had a model, who weighed 43 kilograms, who came to us because she wanted to lose another four to six kilograms. We declined to help her as that would have
How does Suddenly Slender help customers lose weight the healthy way? 1 Monitoring weekly weight loss progress 2 Consultations and advice from certified staff, such as nutritionists and physiotherapists 3 Thorough BMI assessment and counselling before proceeding treatment course 4 Effective slimming treatments and formulas from USA
Apr 2014 • Family & Life
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NURTURE
By Farhan Shah
Do You Want To Be Girl? a By Farhan Shah
Life in plastic might be fantastic, but when it comes to flesh and blood, perhaps Barbie might be taking it too far. We explore the dangerous Barbie Effect, in which your child’s dolls might actually be having a negative impact on your children and their self-esteem.
Cindy Jackson holds the unenviable world record of having gone under the knife the most number of times. The 58-year-old has had 52 cosmetic procedures, including four facelifts, two nose operations and several sessions of liposuctions; she even removed the fat on the inside of her knees. The driving force behind her obsession with plastic surgery? “I looked at a Barbie doll when I was six and said, ‘This is what I want to look like.’ I think a lot of little six-year-old girls or younger, even now, are looking at that doll and thinking, ‘I want to be her.’” The Barbie doll is an incredible global cultural phenomenon, with an estimated three dolls sold every second, according to Mattel. The idea was first conceptualised by Ruth Handler when she noticed that her daughter Barbara was playing make-believe with paper dolls and realised that the paper clothing was doing a terrible job at sticking permanently on the paper dolls. While vacationing in Europe in 1956, Handler saw the German Bild Lilli doll, which was being sold as an adult gag gift, and brought it home. She reworked the design and named it Barbie after her daughter. Barbie first made her appearance on 9 March 1959 at the American International Toy Fair in New York.
A Finnish hospital’s study found out that Barbie would actually lack the 17 to 22 percent body fat required for a healthy woman to menstruate.
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More than five decades later, more than a billion Barbie dolls have made their way into the houses, hearts and minds of young girls (and arguably, boys) all over the world. And with such fame comes great power and influence – critics of Barbie claim that the blondehaired doll implants an unhealthy body image in the minds of young, impressionable girls. A standard Barbie doll is 11.5 inches tall, giving her a height of about 1.75 metres if blown up to real size. As for her vital statistics, researchers have estimated it to be 36 inches (chest), 18 inches (waist) and 33 inches (hips). A Finnish hospital’s study has found out that Barbie would actually lack the 17 to 22 percent body fat required for a healthy woman to menstruate.
But, does playing with Barbie actually affect a young girl’s perception of beauty and normality? Yes, it does, according to a study done by researchers from the University of Sussex and the University of the West of England. In the investigation, the psychologists exposed images of Barbie dolls, Emme dolls (a figurine with realistic proportions) and non-dolls to 162 girls aged between the ages of five and eight. Those who were exposed to the Barbie dolls reported “lower body esteem and a greater desire for a thinner body shape than girls in the other exposure conditions”. The researchers also discovered that the negative impact of the Barbie dolls was not as pronounced and in some cases, no longer evident, in the oldest girls. The study’s conclusions are not surprising considering that the desire for thinness emerges in girls around the age of six, according to another study by Lowes and Tiggemann.
36”
Interestingly, the vice-president of design for Barbie, Kim Culmone, defends the doll’s proportions in an interview with online magazine Fast Company. She says: “Barbie’s body was never designed to be realistic. She was designed for girls to easily dress and undress. Primarily, it is for function…, for real-life fabrics to be able to be turned and sewn, and have the outfit still fall properly on her body.” She also goes on to say that Mattel has no intention of changing Barbie’s proportions because of “heritage and business reasons”. Simply put, the company wants to ensure that future expansions or clothes fit older Barbie dolls. “There is an obligation to consistency, unless for some reason in the future, there is a real reason to change the body because of either a design or functional imperative.” I posed this argument to Dr Kelly Flanagan, writer and licensed clinical psychologist, and asked what he thought about it. He was understandably concerned and explains: “It is in our children’s best interest to learn how to struggle and persist, and to regulate emotions of frustration in the midst of difficulties. Culturally, I believe we are working too hard to make things easy for our children, possibly at the cost of their ability to develop resilience. If a child cannot be motivated to persist in dressing a doll they enjoy, what chance do they have when it comes to persisting in school or work, both of which are typically less fun?” He also echoes the results of the study done by the University of Sussex and adds that children are not yet capable of critically thinking about and analysing the messages that they are receiving from the media and other sources. After all, children who play with Barbie dolls are usually acting out adult roles, and will therefore have her body image linked to being a grown-up.
18”
33”
On the flip side, Barbie has also been touted as a beacon of
independence, dreams and female power. The doll has become a race car driver, an astronaut and several other professions that were once exclusively male domains. The child is free to relate to the doll in whichever way she chooses and in this sense, Barbie becomes an opportunity for the child to express her personality, preferences and interests.
As the eponymous doll writes in a blog post that was published after her controversial appearance in the 50th edition of Sport Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition, “my bathing suit now hangs beside a Presidential power suit, Pastry Chef hat and Astronaut gear in a wardrobe reflecting the more than 150 careers I’ve pursued to illustrate for girls that they can achieve anything for which they aim”. And in today’s contemporary society where the aspirations of women are no longer hampered solely on the basis of their gender, Barbie serves as a powerful role model to young girls that they can be anybody they choose to be. As Barbie says: “Today, truly anything is possible for a girl. Let us place no limitations on her dreams, and that includes being girly if she likes. It’s easy to say the culprit is the colour pink or the existence of makeup. That is easy, and predictable. Neither prevents girls from excelling in their own fashion. Let her grow up not judged by how she dresses, even if it is in heels; not dismissed for how she looks, even if she is pretty. Pink is not the problem.” It is hard to find fault with such impeccable reasoning and Dr Flanagan agrees, seeing this new trend of empowering young women to be bold in pursuing their interests regardless of gender stereotypes as a great step forward. He sounds a note of caution though, explaining that “at the same time, women who do so are still often expected to look perfect and to appear perfectly put together”, an unfair double burden on women.
Barbie serves as a powerful role model to young girls that they can be anybody they choose to be.
EFFECT ON YOUNG BOYS With all this debate and discussion about how Barbie affects the self-esteem and image of young girls, I thought it was also important to talk about how the Barbie doll influences young boys as well. Dr Flanagan was happy to oblige.
Do you think the Barbie Effect also subtly influences young boys? If so, how? Dr Flanagan: As a bald man, I can attest to the fact that Ken’s body image is also completely unattainable. Ha! In all seriousness though, based on my work with young men, I can definitively tell you that boys are also affected by the ideal female body image depicted in the culture. Men tend to be more visual creatures and they develop strong ideas and expectations about beauty. When they become attracted to unrealistic body ideals, they lose the ability to be attracted to women with realistic body types. Talking about that, young boys usually play with toys that tend to promote violent play. In your opinion, do you think that these toys might actually promote an unhealthy obsession with violence in young boys? Dr Flanagan: Yes and no. I remember my boys finding ways to make guns out of almost anything. So, I believe boys will often find a way to incorporate aggression into their play if they want to. The question is: do you want to spend money to help them do so? In the case of both genders, what you are seeing is the use of toys to form the child’s ego, that part of the psyche responsible for forming an identity that is safe and protected. Young girls often seek this ego safety through perfect appearance while young boys often seek it through aggression and dominance. It is the same process played out in different ways.
TAKING A STAND
There have been multiple attempts by different people to produce a realistically-proportioned Barbie-esque doll. One such effort is the Lammily doll created by artist and researcher Nickolay Lamm. Lammily was created to have the same aspirations and ideals as Barbie – stylish, fun and driven – without the unrealistic proportions. The creator wanted Lammily to be made according to typical human body measurements and the public has responded enthusiastically to Lamm’s vision; he has managed to raise close to half a million worth of preorders on crowd-funding site CrowdtiltOpen. His target was only US$95,000.
Apr 2014 • Family & Life
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NURTURE
Scourge By Song Shandong
The of Internet Several recent studies have discovered that our teenagers are using pornography to find out more information about real-life sex. Unfortunately, this has incredibly undesirable consequences on their real-life behaviour, as Song finds out.
Porn
It might be a surprise to all just how early porn exposure begins. People tend to think that it is targeted at adults. But, the truth is, the majority of us have our first experience of viewing porn when we are, on average, 11-years-old, and almost everyone gets an eyeful of naked bodies well before the age of 18.
desire for learning more about sex grows stronger.
Children are extremely vulnerable to porn. To begin with, children are naturally curious about how sex and are always eager to learn where babies come from and what are the differences between boys and girls. When they grow older and ascend into teenage-hood, their hormones predictably rise. Consequently, their
The level of sex education in most Asian families almost never satisfies children’s needs and they begin learning about sex from other avenues, whether it be from friends or the media.
Unfortunately, in a conservative home environment, kids learn quickly that the subject is off limits once they try to talk about sex or porn with their parents, who always try to avoid the topic.
If parents are not there to resolve the porn issue with their children,
the dominoes begin to fall: emotional closeness between children and their parents begins to crumble; children might develop unnecessary shame of their interest in sex, which will possibly in turn, fuel their desire for porn. And in our digital world now, Internetdelivered porn can easily find a way to influence children. In fact, premature exposure to sexual material actually meant for adults is rapidly becoming a huge problem. Today, more kids are stumbling across porn on the Internet. After all, there are more than 400 million pages of pornography on the Internet!
Decades ago, we needed to look for vendors to buy porn videos and magazines. Back then, we needed time, money and energy to find porn; today, however, we need time, money and energy to avoid porn, especially on the Internet. With unsolicited e-mails, deceptive links and pop-up windows, porn can easily make its way into our lives. The omnipresence of porn has more of an opportunity to become something of significance.
• ONE OUT OF FOUR KIDS WHO HAVE INTERNET ACCESS EXPERIENCE ACCIDENTAL EXPOSURE TO PORN.
DOPAMINE
Family & Life • Apr 2014
SEROTONIN
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Unfortunately, by overloading your brain with pleasure chemicals, porn reduces your body’s natural ability to produce and effectively release them under normal life circumstances. If you have been watching porn regularly to ease yourself, withdrawal from it will produce feelings of agitation or depression. In fact, people in porn recovery take an average of eighteen months to heal from the damage to their dopamine receptors alone.
ADRENALINE
• STUDIES SHOW THAT ABOUT HALF THE MEN AND ONE-TENTH OF THE WOMEN WHO ARE EXPOSED TO PORNOGRAPHY IN CHILDHOOD GO ON TO USE IT REGULARLY AS ADULTS.
WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR BRAIN ON PORN When people get sexually aroused, dopamine is released in the brain. Porn evokes the production of dopamine, which then surges in our system. Meanwhile, production of other pleasure chemicals in the brain increases as well, including endorphins, adrenaline and serotonin. Watching porn could produce experiences of excitement, relaxation, and escape from pain. Over time, one can easily come to depend on porn to make oneself feel good and to escape from negative feelings.
ENDORPHINS
• 90% OF THE CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF EIGHTAND 16-YEARS-OLD REPORT THAT THEY HAVE VIEWED PORN ONLINE.
The more deeply one is involved with porn, the more negative the consequences that are likely to occur. Porn is delivered in ways that encourage addiction, and the impact of addiction can be explained in scientific terms.
While the changes in the brain’s chemical make-up are too subtle to discern, problems caused to one’s mental health or psychological well-being due to porn is easy to distinguish. Regular porn use often interferes with a person’s ability to maintain good self-esteem, especially the sense of self-respect and integrity. This is manifested in your actions and relationships with others. No matter how much pleasure we may get from porn, deep in our heart, we are quite aware that watching porn is morally wrong in the eyes of society. The fact that we often have to use porn in secrecy compromises our integrity and honesty in interpersonal relationships. The sense of shame and guilt that follows is more mentally destructive.
Prevention is always better than cure and luckily, there are many things parents can do to reduce the likelihood of children getting involved with porn. The most important step in preventing porn problems is actually encouraging open and positive discussion about sexuality, even if it is difficult for many parents to do. Children will continue watching porn if it remains THE primary way they can get any information about sex. DECREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE PORNOGRAPHY PROBLEM The following list identifies things you can do to help protect your child from the negative impact of pornography. We suggest that you follow these recommendations throughout the course of your child’s development, changing your approach to coincide with what is appropriate for your child age.
Maintain a porn-free
The truth is, whenever we do things in private that we feel bad about, it has an influence on our emotions, even if we are not consciously aware of it. Becoming easily irritated at trivial things and eventually becoming depressed are common occurrences for regular porn users. It’s hard to feel good about yourself when you’re plagued by shame, fear, and a need to hide a part of your life from those around you. This is how lonely porn users can be since they are isolated from the important people in their lives. MY WORK WITH PORN ADDICTS For three years, I have been volunteering for a Chinese online translation community with the goal of providing information for overcoming pornography addiction by translating English information and resources into simplified Chinese. Since then, I have had the chance to communicate with porn addicts, sexuality specialists and leading characters in the social sexuality campaigns. Millions of Chinese netizens have realised that their porn use has been affecting their lives, and they have been actively seeking help to overcome their dependency on porn. The majority of them are young people, who mentioned that their porn addiction started as an occasional diversion and entertainment. Slowly, it became a habitual problem that threatened their development. Their health degenerated, their self-esteem was impaired, and they suffered from emotional isolation due to excessive porn watching. Generally speaking, it is even worse for children as they lack a comprehensive understanding of the consequences of porn addiction. The founder of the online translation community Liang, who is in his midtwenties, can attest to this. Liang’s craving for porn can be traced back to his middle school days when he was extremely introverted and shy. He tried to escape reality by immersing himself in a sea of porn. Unfortunately, his parents did not show the slightest concern with his social issues and had no clue about his porn addiction. He did not hesitate to share with me how porn has ruined every relationship he has ever had, and how it consumed his energy and deflated his confidence. His story demonstrates how easy it is for children to slip into porn without the guidance of their parents. THE FIRST STEP Liang recommends The Porn Trap: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Problems Caused by Pornography by sex and relationship therapists Larry and Wendy Maltz as an effective tool for parents who want to help their children who are battling porn addiction. The book takes a comprehensive look at porn addiction and the consequences resulting from porn use. The book also works as an effective guide for family sex education, enabling parents to get the necessary information needed to guide their children’s sexuality development. Nowadays, the world is full of easily accessible sexual content. Parents can take multiple measures to diminish the availability of porn on home computers and mobile devices, but the truth is, you can never be able to fully shield your children. So, in addition to doing what you can to limit your children’s contact with porn, it is also wise to maintain an emotionally close and healthy relationship with your children, discuss the serious problems porn use can cause, and provide resources about healthy sexual behaviour and intimate relationships. If your children are involved with porn, they tend to hide the problem from you. When you confront them, they may deny viewing porn or refuse to talk about it. However, there will always be a few clues that you can watch out for, all of which are based on the extensive research done by Larry and Wendy Maltz.
home environment
Develop an emotionally sensitive, attentive, and caring relationship with child
Have regular, supportive conversations about your child’s concerns, challenges, and problems POSSIBLE INDICATORS OF A PROBLEM WITH PORN
Promote healthy sexual attitudes and boundaries in the family
1 Unexplained absences and unaccounted time 2 Possessing porn materials or visiting porn sites on the Internet 3 Excessive or late night computer use 4 Demanding privacy when using the television or computer 5 Social and emotional withdrawal 6 Maintaining a private e-mail address or private credit card 7 Vague and nonsensical explanations 8 Defensiveness when questioned about porn use 9 Evidence of hiding, lying, and secretive behaviour 10 Unexplained tiredness, anger, and/or irritability This list can help parents to evaluate whether the child is addicted to porn. However, it’s important to keep in mind that many of these indicators can also be related to other types of personal problems or addictive behaviour. As awkward as discovering a child’s porn use can be, it is important to find a way to respond with understanding and information. A parent’s ability to promote healthy and responsible attitudes about sex can help his or her child safely navigate through today’s porn-saturated world.
Validate your child’s curiosity and desire for information about sex
Encourage your child to talk with you about sexually explicit materials he or she encounters
Respond to your child’s questions, concerns, and disclosures about sexual matters in a calm, productive, and non-shaming manner
Educate your child about the inaccurate, misleading, and harmful messages in porn
Educate your child about the reality of porn addiction and other negative repercussions that might result from porn use
Openly discuss sexual concerns that exist in our society, such as unwanted pregnancies
Help your child access community resources for sex education For parents, knowing about the negative consequences of porn enable them to educate their children about what they will lose and what they reisk if they get involved with porn. Most importantly, parents need to speak up and remove the shame associated with porn and sex education as a whole. It is time to openly talk about the problem so that it can be addressed effectively. After all, in today’s world, addiction to porn is becoming a growing health problem and is not something that will go away if you ignore it. Apr 2014 • Family & Life
17
NURTURE
Say No to Touch & Go By Jade Tan
Dealing with
Public Molestation
Singapore faces about 1400 cases of sexual violation each year, a large percentage of them taking place on public transport. Many more go unreported because victims are unwilling to come forward. HAVING AN INTIMATE TALK WITH YOUR CHILD
We no longer live in the Neanderthal era, when cavemen clubbed women over their heads and dragged them back to their caves. These days, we eat our pizza with a fork and knife, and rinse our hands after we use the loo. But sometimes, rogue hands and other body parts still break the unspoken “Do Not Touch” rule by making their sneaky way onto delicate, not-for-sale displays. In our civilised times, this is termed as an outrage of modesty.
1
How to recognise inappropriate sexual behaviour. This can be done by identifying your child’s intimate areas (e.g. parts covered by undergarments). Beyond physical touch, questions or stories regarding those areas should also ring alarm bells.
2
They can directly refuse requests that they are uncomfortable with and leave. Reassure them that it is okay to say “no”.
3
Never to keep sexual incidents as a secret. Encourage them to notify a person of authority, or at least another “auntie” or “uncle” immediately after it has occurred so that they can help.
STOPPING A M OLES HIS OR HER TR TER IN ACKS!
1
Press the Emer gency Communication Button (ECB) beside th e door of the trai n to talk to the train officer and rela te to him/her what ha d happened.
2
Look for the ca rriage number; it is a four-digit number displayed at the adjoining part of each carriage, lo cated on the pane l against the twoseaters. Mentio n the carriage numbe r of the carriage you are in to the trai n officer. 18
Family & Life • Apr 2014
It appears so, with crime reports showing a one percent overall increase between 2011 and 2012, and 39 more offences being recorded on public transport. Law firm Gloria James-Civetta & Co receives an average of three to five molestation investigation charges monthly.
When one during peak hours. No, really, try entering reach you t before o one, you will not aligh int lf rse you e dg we to that has been you finally manage t even that errant hand No . ter wa h hig or ll he your destination, come a packed ride so that’s the past two minutes. It’s for gh thi r you st ain ag brushing normal, you reason. errant hand was what the owner of that be uld co t tha , Or . es this manner That’s true. Sometim ention to themselves in att ll ca to nts wa e on no t n be hard to identify. counting on – the fact tha . After all, molestation ca rty pa t en oc inn an g gin and risk wron an to pass their ill-intent as allow perpetrators to try nts me y, on vel vir ssi en ce d ex de en ow Cr ts” happ t brush. If these “acciden en oc inn an es Louis , vis mp ad , bu ge tal acciden r knowled of wicked intention and/o e nc de evi be a victim uld if co y on int to menti however, the This is an important po C. LL w La nt ge Re at Joseph, a lawyer . wishes to press charges the shock and ir offenders because of the t on nfr co t no do s Many victim . Young children are m from sexual violation embarrassment that ste awareness of their Although they gain selfle. rab ts lne vu ly lar cu rti pa of three, not all paren ons at around the age cti fun its d an dy bo l physica m then. explain sexuality to the e, who specialises in ychologist Dr Lucy Le ps g llin se un co r nio Se Counselling Centre, uths at the Singapore yo d an n re ild ch g llin counse faced with a gh a child’s mind when ou thr es go at wh on sheds light y violated, he/she will n a child feels sexuall sexual predator. “Whe her run away or (give) d helpless. They will eit an ed rri wo l, rfu fea l fee passive acceptance.”
ENTER THE TRAIN
Your child should know three basic things.
Don’t let a slippe ry harasser disappear past train doors! Here’s how to st op him in his trac ks.
More instances of molestation have been brought to light since the rise of smart phones, social media, and popular forums such as HWZ and CozyCot, but has Singapore seen an actual rise in such cases?
ren to sit through t wants is for their child The last thing any paren idents can result in especially since such inc , ce en sil in l ea ord ir the ch as being attitudes towards sex, su me tre ex ing op vel de children it. These incidents ur or having a phobia of prone to sexual behavio n rebelliousness. esteem and possibly eve can also cause low selfch as refusing to change in behaviour, su t rup ab an its hib ex ild If a ch and being easily ng quiet and reserved, mi co be , ren ild ch er oth play with nce. Parents red a traumatic experie ffe su ve ha t gh mi e sh agitated, he or ild to find out more. cautiously with their ch should broach the topic to agree on a of knowledge seem Professionals in this are do not have ns both young and old one thing – Singaporea ld be done to assault, and more shou a good grasp of sexual educate them.
e critically those who believe so. “W of e on is E AR AW of e and the concept of Sumedha Jalot helping people underst re, po ga Sin in on ati uc eped in shame need better sex ed ssions of sexuality are ste cu dis , en oft o To e. ag mmunicate consent from a young derstand and openly co un to le op pe ng you ch tea and secrecy. We need to of others.” She also respect the boundaries to as ll we as s, rie da nstitutes harassment their own boun dents to identify what co stu ch tea ld ou sh ls oo suggests that sch assault. pport friends who report su to ys wa t en fer dif the and
Sexual predation causes stress to all its victims, young or old, male or female, but we have the power to nip it in its bud and make sure justice is served. The lesson of the day is to empower ourselves, family and friends with the knowledge and courage to recognise sexual violation, display displeasure, and detain the perpetrator. In short, don’t be apprehensive, apprehend!
Turn Off & Tune In:
By Maureen Schuster
Banishing Digital Addiction In China, there are military-style boot camps to treat teenagers with Internet and digital addiction. In fact, China is the first country in the world to recognise this addiction as a clinical disorder. Take a look around the next time you’re out in public and you’ll see the same scenes unfolding everywhere; people of all ages with their heads bowed down and engulfed in the digital world. It’s time to take a stand.
Picture this, a beautiful Sunday afternoon at a restaurant on the water at Clarke Quay. A family of four dines on lunch sets with colourful salads and sandwiches piled high with cheese, lettuce and ripe tomatoes. The family is not engaged in conversation; instead their noses are buried deep in smart phones and tablets. Even as the server sets the decadent desserts on the table, no one looks up to say “thank you” or to marvel at the chocolaty goodness placed in front of them. They keep one hand on their devices and the other to reach for their spoons and mindlessly eat in silence. It’s a common sight on weekend afternoons in Singapore. Even the youngest members of the family are not immune to the media craze. A 2013 study discovered that one out of every three children are using digital devices before they even know how to speak! Technology is here to stay. We need it to run businesses and governments, complete school work, and basically manage our lives. But what happens when connecting with family takes a back seat to television, smart phones, and video gaming systems? It means that it’s time to make a change; turn off the electronics and spend more screen-free time with your family. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of two should not be watching television or using digital devices at all. Older children should also limit all forms of digital time to two hours or less per day. Unfortunately, today’s youth are clocking in substantially more than two hours of digital device usage, and technology without limits may have negative outcomes. Children who regularly use technology for more excessive periods of time are more likely to be overweight, have poor grades, suffer sleeping problems, and have difficulty maintaining personal relationships. Barbara Brock, researcher and author of Living Outside the Box: TV-Free Families Share Their Secrets, reports: “In recent years, there has been a demise of reading, family interaction, and social skills. With the hours of screen time going through the roof, it’s easy to draw a parallel between these two distinct activity groups.”
UNPLUGGING THE FAMILY: DO’S AND DON’TS Do lead by example. As the parent, you are your children’s most significant role model. Let your kids see you being actively engaged in life by participating in academic pursuits, exercising, reading, volunteering and being involved in hobbies. Do make it easy on yourself. Make the transition to reduced screen time less painful by preparing alternative activities to engage your family. Pull out board games and challenge the kids to a parent-versus-kid game. Kellie Parham, mother of four boys, keeps a huge basket of art supplies out on the table so her boys can create masterpieces throughout the day. She promotes this by displaying them in the style of a gallery. Do set reasonable limits. Nikki Walker established technology-free weekdays (with the exception of what is needed for homework).
Digital entertainment can easily become a behavioural crutch when it is not controlled. Families routinely sit idle in front of televisions and other screens while hours go by without any real interaction between each other. Brock continues: “I can’t help but think of all the things children as well as adults are not doing because they are spending so many hours in front of screens. They are not going outside and taking good care of themselves mentally and physically. They are not visiting friends and family, reading or doing homework. Tragically, they are not making many family memories.” Parents want to build strong family ties and bond with their children. This can only occur with active communication and quality interactions, which are difficult to achieve if the different members of the family are constantly texting and updating their Facebook pages. Singapore is not the only country with a love affair for all things high-tech. In fact, digital media is so prevalent among the youth that a new term to describe this digitally obsessed generation – Generation M2 – has been created which describes today’s technologically-savvy children whose lives revolve around media devices. So, how does a parent curtail their families screen time in a world that encourages being plugged in 24/7? According to Brock: “To make changes, everyone in the family needs to be on board and parents need to be motivated and set limits.” A few intentional changes will rein in your family’s digital hours and create a significant positive impact on your relationships. Only then can you begin to enjoy the benefits of a connected family, not only digitally but mentally and physically.
Do encourage their passions. Laura Reilly, mother of three school-going girls, easily keeps them busy and TV-free. She states that they “love swimming and playing sports, and Singapore’s year-round warm weather means that there’s no time to sit around staring at a screen when the sun is shining.” Don’t banish electronics completely; instead aim for balance. There’s no need for mutiny in the family. Use technology as an opportunity for family time such as playing an interactive video game that gets you moving. Don’t allow children to have their own television and computers in their rooms as there is no way to monitor their usage. Don’t allow anything “on” during meal time. It should be strictly reserved for family time. For example, make a mealtime ritual to discuss the highs and lows of everyone’s day.
Apr 2014 • Family & Life
19
HEALTH
Fun Ways to Lose That
Pregnancy Weight! We know how difficult it can be for busy career women and new mothers to get back into shape after going through one of the most trying and enriching moments of their lives – giving birth. Not to fret, we have scoured the island to find the most efficient and fun ways to lose that pregnancy weight.
Named after the ancient Greek word for movement, Kinesis is a deceptively simple-looking cable machine that introduces an additional element to your workouts – your range of movement. Traditional gym equipment usually focuses on only two things: strength and cardio. Kinesis, however, understands that the body moves in a 3-dimensional plane and therefore focuses on strength, cardio and movement, ensuring that your body is moving and functioning the way it should be.
Managing Director of HYPOXI Singapore Margaret Cermak explains how it works. “When we exercise, our body has a tendency to be warmer in the upper half of our body than the lower half, as more blood circulates at that part of our body. It is just the way our body is genetically designed. HYPOXI increases the blood circulation in the lower half of your body with the help of the specialised equipment in the studio, thus breaking down the fat cells in your thighs and buttocks.”
Ghaneswaran explains that he understood how intimidating and mind-numbingly routine a typical gym could be for a lot of people, especially new mothers, and hopes to dispel the notion that exercise is a necessary evil in our lives. “Exercise can be fun!” he says. After going through a one-hour session with Ghaneswaran on the Kinesis machine, we can honestly say that we have fallen in love with exercise again!
“Design your body”. That is the bold claim of HYPOXI, a weight-loss and body-shaping technique that couples vacuum compression therapy with light cardio to help you lose the stubborn fat deposits in your lower body. The sole HYPOXI Singapore studio already boasts many success stories of people losing as much as 10 kg in just three months. Butter Factory co-founder Tay Eu-Yen is a strong advocate of this revolutionary technique after having personally gone through the sessions and losing her pre-pregnancy weight within three months.
Each client’s weight-loss programme is heavily customised depending on their needs, aspirations and lifestyle, and everyone is recommended to go three times a week for best results. The best part: you barely break a sweat throughout the session and are able to continue doing your work and answering your e-mails while working out, perfect for on-the-go career mothers.
HYPOXI Singapore is located at 22 Lorong Telok #0201 Singapore 049034. A 12-session package starts from S$1050 and for a limited time, you can enjoy four sessions free when you sign up for 12 sessions. For more information or to sign up for a free trial, head on over to www.hypoxi.com.sg or give them a call at +65 6536 3080.
Family & Life • Apr 2014
A new gym on the top floor of The Grandstand, Kinetika Xtreme is unlike your typical run-of-the-mill fitness centre chain. Its two founders, Ghaneswaran Sukumaran and his wife Shanti Waren, are former personal trainers who realised how beginner-unfriendly normal gyms were and decided to create an all-inclusive place for people of all ages, sizes and fitness levels to work out. Their most important consideration: fun! And Kinetika Xtreme is indeed loads of fun, with an upbeat music playlist, an eversmiling trainer and the centrepiece of the gym, the eight Kinesis machines.
HYPOXI SINGAPORE
A typical HYPOXI session consists of a short 20-minute period in the HDC machine, which primes your body for weight loss through a series of painless massages (think of it as traditional Chinese cupping without the bruises) and helps with overall cellulite reduction, followed by 30 minutes on one of three HYPOXI exercise machines – the Vacunaut treadmill, the L250 reclined stationary bike and the S120 standing stationary bike.
20
KINETIKA XTREME
The trainers have also crafted a few routines catered to specific body parts such as the butt blaster programme and the thigh toning regime, depending on where your problem areas are. Also, the gym is offering a free twoday trial pass for anyone looking to give Kinetika Xtreme a whirl. Why two days? Well, Ghaneswaran believes that a single session is not enough for someone to fully enjoy the Kinetika experience.
Kinetika Xtreme is located at 200 Turf Club Road, The Grandstand #07-09, Singapore 287994. Membership begins from S$480 a month and includes unlimited usage of the gym, the personal trainers and the classes. The gym is also offering a free two-day trial pass for anyone who wishes to discover how fun exercise can be in the right environment. To apply for the pass or to find out more about the gym, give them a call at +65 9299 9472 or check out its Facebook page at www.fb.com/KinetikaXtreme.
A
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The core of the HUROM Slow Juicer, the helix-shaped screw is made from Ultem, a plastic-esque material designed to be used in spaceships! Do not be fooled by the name though; the juicer can churn out goodness in a glass as quick, if not quicker, than your normal juicers.
This is where the magic is housed in – a nondescript plastic container that comes with two spouts, one for the juice to flow out and one for the fruit and vegetable pulp. Mix the pulp with the glass of juice if you like it chunky.
HUROM Slow Juicer’s workhorse, providing the power that the other parts need as well as acting as the base. See that small silver rod in the middle? That’s where the magic begins.
This nifty item completes the HUROM Slow Juicer. Insert fruit and vegetables in the hole, not hands. Apr 2014 • Family & Life
21
HEALTH
What Actually Is In Your
Shampoo Bottle?
Ever try scanning the ingredient list on your shampoo bottle? It looks like English but the words don’t resemble anything you know or recognise. We break down the different chemicals most commonly found in off-the-shelf shampoos and tell you what they all mean, with help from TK Trichokare.
COMMON INGREDIENTS Sodium Laureth Sulfate/ Sodium Lauryl Sulfate A chemical derived from coconut oil, sodium laureth sulfate or its cousin sodium lauryl sulfate gives you that clean feeling due to the lather it creates. Of course, the two sulfates also contain actual cleaning properties. There has been some contention about whether the sulfate family is actually carcinogenic and many conflicting evidence has risen favouring both camps, but just to be on the safe side, we recommend opting for shampoos that use glucose (sodium lauryl glucose) instead of sulfate. Coco-Betaine This innocent-sounding chemical also comes from coconut oil and acts as a foaming agent. Some shampoo bottles list the full name – cocamidopropyl betaine – and in its finished state, it causes no harm to the body, so breathe or shampoo easy! Amodimethicone This tongue-twister is a siliconebased polymer used in shampoos and conditioners to seal in the moisture in your hair. Sounds good right? Not really, according to beauty industry chemist David Pollock, who says that sealing the scalp can actually lead to hair thinning.
No point looking good now if you will lose those lustrous locks in the future! PEG or Polyethylene Glycol A common ingredient found not just in shampoos but other personal care ingredients, PEGs are actually a class of ethylene glycol polymers that accomplish three objectives: moisturise, stabilise and enhance. These three letters are also usually accompanied by a number to indicate the ingredient’s absorbability – the lower the number, the easier the compound is absorbed by your skin. Although PEG itself is not extremely harmful, they are often contaminated with a host of dangerous impurities, such as ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, known human carcinogens, during the manufacturing process. Fragrances You’re probably thinking what is so sinister about fragrances. It’s just a bunch of chemicals helping to make shampoos better-smelling right? Well, thanks to a law that allows companies to protect their trade secrets, these companies are not required to list down the myriad of chemicals that go into making the fragrances in your shampoo bottles. However, in 2002, the Environmental Working Group found out that 54 personal care products (out of 72 items tested) contained phthalates, a chemical linked to birth defects, liver and kidney damage, and infertility. The chemical was not present in the ingredients list of these products.
GO FOR THESE NATURAL INGREDIENTS INSTEAD!
ALOE VERA:
improves blood circulation under the scalp to deliver nutrients to the hair follicles
NETTLE: adds softness and shine to the hair, also improves the strength and manageability of longer hair
JOJOBA: regulates sebum (oil) production and prevents the accumulation of toxins in hair follicles
BURDOCK: contains anti-dandruff properties, reduces scalp itching and helps prevent scalp allergies
CHAMOMILE: can be used to treat inflamed or irritated skin, also adds shine and lustre to long hair
CHICORY: commonly used to treat irritated or inflamed scalp LEOPARD’S BANE: also known as Arnica, Leopard’s Bane is used for dandruff control and to promote hair growth
Even if you have been subjecting your hair to the ravages of chemicals in generic shampoos, there’s no need to worry. What time steals, let nature heals, as TK Trichokare uses natural herbs to restore your crowning glory to its previous lustrous state. The company’s philosophy is to carefully analyse and deal with the underlying reasons for hair problems before treatment is recommended. Then, they craft treatments devised from a broad array of natural plant extracts (no chemicals!) to stimulate hair follicles and prevent hair problems from returning. 22
Family & Life • Apr 2014
A Buffet Cheaper Than
a Frappucino? You Bet! Transport fares are going up, your bills only ever increase, and life in Singapore is just getting more expensive. In fact, we are the most expensive city to live in according to the 2014 Worldwide Cost of Living survey done by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Well, not every price in our island is on the rise, as we discover with YES Supermarket.
You would assume that because we are rated as the most expensive city to live in, everything, including food, has to be expensive. Fret not! There is a way to eat to your heart’s content without causing your wallet to have a heart attack. But first, how much do you think an appetising buffet spread cost you in Singapore? S$20? No. S$15? No. S$10? No. Not even close! What if we tell you that you can get an appetising, healthy buffet for just S$3? • One-third of a movie ticket • One tiny McDonald’s cheeseburger • Two bags of regular-sized potato chips • Two, possibly three, cups of coffee from your neighbourhood kopitiam • One back-and-forth trip between your home and your workplace
Let’s see, here is what S$3 can get you in Singapore: As you can tell, S$3 cannot get you very far in Singapore. We didn’t think it was possible too but YES Supermarket proved us wrong! Tucked within the leafy suburbs of Hougang, inside the Hougang Community Club, is the YES Café, a nondescript, homely eating place that serves a buffet lunch every day (11 am to 2 pm) for just S$3. The buffet spread has a revolving array of one dessert, seven dishes, a selection of noodles or rice, soup and fruits, all of which you are more than welcome to pile high on your plate. Just remember to finish them all though! For the health conscious, there are also the less sugar, salt and MSG options available. If you are feeling a bit more extravagant (and we use the word extravagant really loosely here actually), there is also a wide variety of menu items such as laksa, chicken cutlet and other favourites for a really affordable price. One of our favourites is the spaghetti au fungi meal, deliciously creamy with chunks of mushroom, for only S$5.50. Discover this hidden gem before it gets too crowded!
Location: 35 Hougang Avenue 3 #01-05 Singapore 538440 Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday (9 am to 8.30 pm) Sunday (8.30 am to 1 pm)
Apr 2014 • Family & Life
23
RELAX
Here Come
Teochews!
the
In an ongoing series, we cover the different Chinese clans in Singapore and how life was for them in our island’s early years. This month, the Teochew clan is in the spotlight!
The second largest Chinese group in Singapore after the Hokkien clan, the Teochew people can trace their historical origins to the Eight Districts in Southern China. These Eight Districts are Teo Ann, Theng Hai, Teo Yeonh, Kit Yeonh, Jeow Pheng, Phow Leng, Hui Lye and Nam Oh. Most of them grew up poor and disadvantaged and decided to migrate in search of a better life. The two most popular destinations were Thailand and Singapore.
January 1819 When Sir Stamford Raffles sailed into Singapore in search of a trading post for the English East India Company, two things greeted him: marshland and a local population comprising about 100 Malays and 30 Chinese, most of whom were Teochew gambier planters living in the hills.
1821 – 1859 The Teochew people were strong agriculturalists, in contrast with the Hokkien clan who had an affinity with the mercantile trade. During this period, gambier and pepper experienced a massive expansion, accounting for 76 percent of the total acreage and 61 percent of the total agricultural gross revenue in 1848. In fact, in the late 1840s, the Teochews made up over 95 percent of the Chinese gambier and pepper planters and coolies.
1845 Seah Eu Chin, one of the most prominent and successful Teochew businessmen during that time (it was said that he was the first to start pepper and gambier planting on a large scale and his plantation stretched for more than eight miles from River Valley Road to Bukit Timah and Thomson Road), together with 12 other prominent members of the Teochew community, banded together and formed a self-help organisation named the Ngee Ann Kongsi. One of the major concerns the group tackled was finding a proper burial ground for immigrants who passed away in Singapore. The committee began buying pieces of land to be used as sites as temples or as burial grounds for migrant Teochews around Singapore.
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Family & Life • Apr 2014
1859 – 1910 The cultivation of gambier in Singapore begins declining due to soil exhaustion. A few Teochew planters begin moving north to Johor and what was then known as Siam to continue their agricultural pursuits. Those who stayed turned to trade and occupied both banks in the middle of the Singapore River. They became such a dominant force in the area that it was said that the Teochews in the right bank had virtual control of the trades in sundry goods and textiles while the left bank was filled with gambier, pepper and other tropical produce.
RENOWNED TEOCHEW CLAN MEMBERS Seah Eu Chin (1805 – 1883) Seah came to Singapore from Swatow province in 1823, working first as a clerk in a Chinese shop and then an accounts clerk. He started his own business at the age of 25 trading in local commodities and slowly built his wealth. Seah also ventured into gambier and pepper planting and owned massive tracts of land that were devoted to this venture. As the leader of the Teochew clan in Singapore, Seah was very active in community work, sitting on the board of Raffles Institution and helping to mediate a huge clash between the Hokkien and Teochew secret societies in 1854. His influence and power were so huge that he was nicknamed Emperor. Seah passed away in 1883, leaving behind four sons and three daughters. Lim Nee Soon (1879 – 1936) Lim was born in Singapore and was brought up by his maternal grandparents as both his parents passed away when he was still a young child. He attended St Joseph’s Institution at the age of 10 to learn English and graduated when he was 17-years-old. Lim began his career as a business apprentice and worked so hard that his employer praised him highly. In 1908, Lim was appointed the general manager of Sembawang Rubber Estates Ltd and inherited a few estates from his grandfather after he passed away. Two years later, in 1910, Lim was known as the Pineapple King and Rubber King, after having gone into rubber and pineapple planting with the land he got from his grandfather. Lim also co-founded the Chinese High School and had donated S$10,000 to the school in 1919. He was also responsible for turning the Ngee Ann Kongsi into an organised entity. Lim passed away in 1936 in Shanghai and today, his name lives on in many streets in the northern part of Singapore. Lee Wee Nam (1880 – 1964) Lee came to Singapore when he was 16, having been raised by his father in the poor subprefecture of Theng Hai. He began working hard and was soon recruited into the Sze Hai Tong Banking and Insurance Company Ltd. Rising through the ranks, Lee became Chairman and Managing Director in 1932. Lee was noted for his active community work, serving as the President for multiple organisations such as the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Teo Chew Poit Ip Huay Kuan. He was also very concerned with the education of the young and was instrumental in setting up the Ngee Ann Girls School, an institute for young Teochew women. He also sat on the board of Chinese High School and Nan Hua Girls’ School. Lee passed away in 1964. Even after his passing, Lee’s legacy in education continued as his family made a generous donation to Nanyang Technological University to help build a library for the Engineering and Science faculties.
1933 The Ngee Ann Kongsi Ordinance to incorporate the organisation as a legal entity was passed by Sir Cecil Clementi, the then Governor of the Straits Settlements. The Ordinance spelled out clear rules for the management of the Kongsi and set the foundation for the organisation to move forward with a clear leadership structure.
Lien Ying Chow (1906 – 2004) Well known for being the founder and Chairman of the Overseas Union Bank, Lien came to Singapore when he was 14 with his uncle Lien Han Poh and with just a few coins in his pocket. Like all Teochew immigrants, Lien saw Singapore as a land of opportunity and started his first business, Wah Hin, at the age of 23. Wah Hin was a trading company that supplied provisions to the British army and the civil service. Lien was also responsible for completing the Ngee Ann Building along Orchard Road in the 1960s, one of the first landmarks in that area. He was also key in establishing the then Ngee Ann College, now known as Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Lien passed away in 2004 at the age of 98.
TEOCHEW TRIVIA! • Ngee Ann City is a commercial and civic project that was conceptualised in the late 1980s by the leaders of the Kongsi to reinstate Orchard Road as the main shopping hub in Singapore! The land that the massive complex sits on belongs to the Ngee Ann Kongsi and was previously used as a burial ground. • To finance the building of Ngee Ann City, the Kongsi managed to secure a record S$412 million loan from the four major local banks. It was the biggest ever loan given to a charitable organisation at that time. The profits that the Kongsi earns from Ngee Ann City is funnelled back into society, financing the organisation’s many educational and community projects. • The oldest Teochew temple in Singapore (and amazingly still standing today) is the Wak Hai Cheng Bio on Phillip Street. The name of the temple literally translates into “temple of the calm sea built by the Kwangtung people” and was built in 1826 by a man named Lim Pan. Today, the temple is sandwiched between skyscrapers and is a hot tourist attraction. • In his book Lee Kuan Yew: the Man and His Ideas, former Minister Mentor Lee praised the achievements of the Teochews and pointed out how there was a disproportionate number of Teochew Chinese in the Singapore Cabinet. “Look at the number of smart Teochews there are…just count them. Teo Chee Hean, Lim Hng Kiang, George Yeo, Lim Boon Heng. Is it a coincidence? In a Cabinet of 15, how do you explain that?”
Apr 2014 • Family & Life
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RELAX For two to four players. Use any item around the house and explore The Grandstand, the largest family lifestyle destination in Bukit Timah, with our nifty game board! Every square has an instruction and you cannot move forward until you complete the written action! The winner is the first to complete one round.
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let the chef decide.
Tel: 6468 8381 Do your best impression of a fighter pilot!
ACE ACADEMY
As Confucius said: “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand”. Begone rote memorisation! Ace Academy (#05-01) emphasises active learning through experiential activities. Drink from the fountain of knowledge at www.ace-academy.com.sg.
Ace Academy
Tel: 6463 6586 Pretend to be a Pied Piper before your next turn!
Tel: 6469 5525/6469 5535 Move forward 4 steps!
Omakase Burger
The original Italian way; that’s the only method Ristorante Da Valentino (#01-19) subscribes to. Indulge in a family smorgasbord of antipasto, pizza and pasta. Trovare bellissimo at www.valentino.sg.
Ristorante Da Valentino
Tel: 6462 0555
Tel: 6763 2698
Do your best opera voice!
Go back 1 square!
RISTORANTE DA VALENTINO
OMAKASE BURGER
Photography: Todd Beltz
TREEHOUS
E CAFÉ
What happen s a treehouse when you put in out for your a café? Find self at Treeho use Café (#01-1 7), restaurant w a family ith an indoor treehouse fo r th young at hear e young and t! Swing to w treehousec ww. afe. more inform com.sg for ation. Tel: 6469 02 82
E-SARN AI TH CUISINE
ART BOOT CAMP
Kids! Sedia! Singapore’s leading art academy, Art Boot Camp (#02-01), provides the truest art learning experience for the whole family. Whether you’re three or 30, Art Boot Camp has a class for you. Discover the colourful big picture at www.artbootcamp.com.sg.
MAGIC FIDDLER
The Pied Piper of music classes, Magic Fiddler (#04-02), teaches music in a fun and holistic way! No more forced recitals, just fun as your children enter the intriguing world of music. Descend into the rabbit hole at www.magicfiddler.com.
Handmade patties ground fresh daily. USDA Choice-grade cuts. Ultra-hot griddles to seal in the big, beefy flavour. Daddy’s search for the ultimate burger experience ends at Omakase Burger (#01-05). Feast your eyes at www.omakaseburger.com.
Sawadee kah! The famous Thai hawker stall at Farrer Road has now expanded to The Grandstand. Make haste to E-Sarn Thai Cuisine (#0113) and discover delicious home-style Thai food. Warm your tongues at www.esarn. com.sg!
SISSONNET DANCE AR
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Tel: 6467 73
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Tel: 6468 4484
BOUNCE SMOOTHIE BAR any other You’ll never have u’ve had yo ce smoothies on ie Bar (#01Bounce Smooth d fruity, 22A)! Creamy an also ies th oo sm Bounce expected have exciting, un keep flavours that will ren ild ch ur yo d an you ce un Bo . ck ba coming fb.com/ your way to www. ar! BounceSmoothieB
Kinetika Xtreme.
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Family & Life • Apr 2014
YOUNG CHEFS ACADEMY
KINETIKA XTREME Get fit as a family at Kinetika Xtreme (#07-09). With eight state-of-theart Kinesis machines, everyone in the family, including the kids and even Grandma, can get fit! Get your heart pumping at www.fb.com/ KinetikaXtreme.
Let your children enjoy a unique creative culinary experience at Young Chefs Academy (#07-03). With monthly themes and fun cooking classes, this Academy will turn any child into a young master chef! Crackle the bread at www. youngchefsacademy.com.sg.
Tel: 6465 4990/9299 9472
Tel: 6219 9260 Move forward 1 square!
Young Chefs Academy
Complete 5 jumping jacks!
For ages 6 and up, and requires Mummy, Daddy and the kids to play! This gameboard is brought to you by Bukit Timah’s largest family lifestyle destination
MAD Mad s when The What happen ts food? The ee Chinaman m Diner (#01-20), an Modern Asi sum, tapas, m featuring di ils ries, cockta confectione crazy at www. o G and more! m. andiner.co modernasi
03
Tel: 6466 33
squares! e forward 2
If you’re playing in the morning, prepare breakfast! If not, lucky you.
MAD - Modern Asian Diner
PA F R R K EE I N G !
Greet the day the right way with piping hot ciabatta, slathered with layers of sweet butter and green pandan kaya at Good Morning Nanyang Cafe (#01-34A). Perfect for those weekend communal family breakfasts!
The largest Korean restaurant in Singapore boasts a 100-item menu and an authentic charcoal BBQ. Put on your hanboks and have your own family K-drama at Hansang Korean Restaurant & Market (#02-14). Say anyong haseyo at hansangkorean.com!
Tel: 6463 6508 Sing “Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!” now!
GOOD MORNING NANYANG CAFÉ
HANSANG KOREAN RESTAURANT & MARKET
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of is just a roll Inspiration erinos M n Sa at yarn away rveyor of (#04-12), pu Learn s. ed ne g craftin at the as a family needlework ment classes! ch ri store’s en ww. needle at w Thread the om. .c sanmerinos
PASARBELLA
SAN MERIN
32
Tel: 6464 63
Is there any other superlative adjective that has not been used to describe PasarBella (#02-K1 to #02-K81)? Featuring 60 independent gourmet grocers, speciality stores and personal services, PasarBella is the perfect place for a fun-filled weekend with the family. Enjoy the free performances by buskers, star chefs and more while tucking in to excellent grub! Get fresh at www.pasarbella.com!
Tel: 6887 0077 Do your best impression of a kacang puteh seller!
200 Turf Club Road Singapore 287994 General Enquiries: 6463 4610
Kaleidoscope Therapy Centre (#07-05) are wellversed in different therapy methods to help your children and treat their problems. They even offer home and school visits! Find solutions at www. kaleidoscope.com.sg.
Create a LEGO movie wit h your children at Bricks 4 Kidz (#04-11), an edutainme nt centre that uses LEGO to teach kids about math and scienc e, to build confidence and proble m solving skills, and more. Discov er the intellectual fun at www.bricks4kidz.com.s g.
Tel: 6466 9422
Like the mythical bird, a wine’s reputation can grow to legendary proportions, fanned by stories. Cut through the noise and appreciate good vino with your family at Phoenix Wines (#01-02). Be reborn at www. phoenixwines.com.sg.
Tel: 6468 7455
Tel: 6464 7751
Tel: 6468 8991
BRICKS 4 KIDZ
PHOENIX WINES
Bricks 4 Kidz
BUBBLES GYMNASTICS
A seafood lover’s dream come true! One of the most recommended Chinese restaurants in Singapore, Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant (#03-01), has more than 100 kinds of seafood for you and your family to poach, grill, fry and more! Go wild at ahyatrestaurant.com.sg.
Tel: 6883 2112 Sing “Just keep swimming”!
BEAUTE
Backflip through the air and land safely on your feet! Bubbles Gymnastics (#02-04) lets children learn the ins and outs of gymnastics in a fun, safe and positive environment. Bounce your way to www.bubblesgym.com.sg.
Electro-meridian therapy enhances meridian flow, improves skin complexion and eases body aches, good for Mummy. Discover this and more beauty secrets and services at Beaute (#04-22)!
Tel: 6466 4656
Tel: 6733 3393
Do one push-up!
Get 2 bonus turns!
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KALEIDOSCOPE THERAPY CENTRE
Tog out your children in the most fashionable brands at Little Once (#04-17). Whether you’re a fan of upmarket Ralph Lauren or prefer the down-to-earth silhouettes of Gap, you can find it at this children’s clothing boutique! Find your fashionable side at www.little-once.com.
AH YAT SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
LITTLE ONCE
Apr 2014 • Family & Life
27
BITES
&
Chicken Stuffed with Garlic & Thyme At Family & Life, we believe that cooking can, and should be, a family affair! This month, we present the chicken, a versatile ingredient that can be prepared in a variety of delicious ways. Our resident chef presents to you his take on the chicken.
Enjoyed by almost everyone, the chicken is one of the easiest yet also one of the most deceptive ingredients to prepare and cook. A few minutes too long on the grill and you will get meat that is too tough and rubbery. A few minutes too short and the chicken will still be undercooked. Fortunately, it is relatively simple to check. All you need to do is to cut the chicken into half with a knife to see whether the centre is still pink. Of course, pink means back into the oven it goes!
PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes 45 minutes TOTAL COOKING TIME:
Whole sweet corn...................... 4 Baby carrot..... 300 grams Bacon..... 200 grams Butter, salt and pepper....... 25 grams
MATERIALS
Tim Meijers is a globe-trotting chef with more than a decade of experience working in Michelin-starred fine dining restaurants. He came to Singapore three years ago and worked for Saint Pierre before starting Tim’s Fine Catering Services, bringing the luxury of fine dining to offices and homes all over the island.
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Family & Life • Apr 2014
We hope you have fun with this recipe. Do share your chicken creations with us on our Facebook page at www.fb.com/familyandlifemag!
INGREDIENTS PREPARATIONS
Milk............ 200 ml Cream............ 100 ml SERVES: 4 people (main size) Chicken breast......... 4 pieces DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: You need to Thyme.............. 50 ml know how to use a convection oven and a knife Garlic cloves...................... 8
ABOUT THE CHEF
Personal fine dining chef Tim Meijers, who runs his own fine dining catering business, has kindly shared his personal take on the ubiquitous chicken. He enjoys complementing the chicken with garlic and thyme. To make the plating more interesting, he also recommends adding colourful, contrasting vegetables such as carrots and corn to make it more attractive to your children.
Measuring cup Spatula Convection oven Frying pan Knife Deep tray Chopping board Spoon Blender Peeler Cooking pot Flat plate
Chicken 1. Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees and carefully cut the chicken into half 2. Cut the garlic in half and take the thyme leaves from the stem 3. Season the chicken on the inside 4. Add the garlic and thyme in a nice straight line in one half of the chicken and lay the second half on top 5. Lay the chicken on top of an unrolled bacon and roll the chicken in the bacon (the bacon should be keeping the chicken together, so roll it tight!) 6. Add butter to the frying pan before heating it up 7. Once the butter has turned brown and stopped bubbling, then add the chicken in 8. Grill the chicken until the outside turns a nice brown colour before taking it out and cooking it in the oven for about 35 minutes 9. After the chicken is cooked in the oven, take it out and let it rest for six minutes before slicing it Corn Sauce 1. Boil a pot of water and cook the corn for at least 20 minutes 2. After the corn is cooked, cool it down in ice water 3. Slice the corn, put a quarter aside and blend the remaining in the blender with the milk and cream Baby Carrots 1. Peel the baby carrots and boil them with a bit of salt in water 2. Cool them in ice water and make sure they keep that nice crunch
EVENTS
WH? T’S
HAPPENING
DEVELOPING YOUR CHILD’S VOICE: SPEECH AND LANGUAGE In today’s digital world, the value of clear communication in school and at the workplace has dramatically risen. It has become even more imperative for children to be able to develop their own voice. The folks at Julia Gabriel Centre understand this more than most and have brought back its popular Positive Parenting Series that promises to provide parents with insights and hands-on guidance on how to nurture confident, independent, motivated and successful children. One of the workshops we highly recommend is Developing Your Child’s Voice: Speech and Language personally conducted by the founder and director of Julia Gabriel Education, Julia Gabriel. In the workshop, Julia will explore how children acquire their voice and speech, how language develops and how to establish a bilingual home. She will also give valuable tips on developing voice, speech and literacy in more than one language. And if there is one person in Singapore who knows early childhood education, it would be
Julia Gabriel, who boasts 30 years of experience in teaching children and has been heavily involved in the production of educational television programmes for the Ministry of Education Singapore.
When: 2 May 2014 Where: Julia Gabriel Centre, #04-00 Forum, 583 Orchard Road Price: S$65 per person or S$110 per couple. Package includes workshop materials. For more information and registration, call 6733 4322 or email enquiries@juliagabriel.com.
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE Returning for the seventh year running, Singapore Repertory Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park has been one of the landmark events of our fair country’s theatre scene. This year, prepare to spread your picnic blankets, uncork the bottle of wine (and grape juice for the children), and lose yourself in the rich world of The Merchant of Venice, where all that glisters is not gold!
ISLAND ADVENTURER: ALFRED RUSSEL WALLACE AND THE QUEST FOR THE ORIGINS OF SPECIES Who is Alfred Russel Wallace? He was a famous British naturalist who actually came up with the theory of evolution independently of Charles Darwin while exploring the Southeast Asian region, at that time called the Malay Archipelago, between 1854 and 1862. And this year, the Science Centre has curated an exhibition on the life of Wallace with the help of Dr John van Wyhe, one of the world’s leading experts on Wallace and his counterpart, Darwin. The exhibition highlights the extraordinary life and adventures of Wallace and also features a longforgotten Singapore, a place devoid of concrete and millions of people and filled instead with extraordinary flora and fauna that helped Wallace with his theories. We bet the exhibition will awaken the forgotten adventurer in you! Your children will love the fascinating insect, animal and bird specimens as well as the fossils that make up the exhibition. They will also get to see another side of Singapore rarely seen!
When: From now until 30 November 2014 Where: Hall B, Mezzanine Floor, Singapore Science Centre Price: From S$6 for children and S$10 for adults. Admission into Island Adventurer also gives you access to the other exhibitions in Science Centre. For a complete list of ongoing exhibitions, head on over to www.science.edu.sg.
BEE MOVIE @ CITY SQUARE MALL It’s rare that you get anything for free in Singapore right now but the nature lovers and marketing people at City Square Mall are bucking the trend, screening nature-inspired animated movies for free on selected Fridays. One of our favourite animated movies, Bee Movie, will be screened on 23 May 2014 at 8 pm! So, buy a few bags of popcorn, grab a picnic mat and head on down to City Square Mall with your family to enjoy an evening out while laughing at the antics of our bee protagonist. The fountain square, where City Square Mall is screening the movie, fills up really quickly, so be sure to go early to book a nice, cosy spot!
When: 23 May 2014 Where: City Square Mall, B1 Fountain Square Price: Free City Square Mall’s Monthly Movie Madness ends in the month of June. For more information on the mall’s other film screenings, do check with the centre’s concierge.
And if you believe that your children might not understand Shakespeare, SRT Artistic Director Gaurav Kripalani has this to say: “As a student, I didn’t understand the language Shakespeare used. It was only after I saw my first professional production done well that I began to appreciate why his plays are still performed 400 years later.” The Merchant of Venice features an amazing cast including multi-award-winning movement director Scott Graham and Singapore’s very own Ruth Ling, the talented composer who was bestowed the Young Artist Award last year. So, go ahead and plan a day out with the children at the park, and discover the adventures of Antonio, Shylock and Portia as they pursue justice and mercy. You will never see Shakespeare in the same light ever again, we promise you that.
When: 2 May 2014 to 25 May 2014 Where: Fort Canning Park Price: From S$35 (student and group concessions available) For more information or to purchase tickets, point your browser to www.srt.com.sg or www.sistic.com.
Apr 2014 • Family & Life
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OP-ED
Words from a Father to His Daughter (From the Makeup Aisle) By Dr Kelly Flanagan
In this series, our guest columnists-parents weigh in on the issues that are closest to their hearts. This month, a father stands in the makeup aisle of his store and realises the enormity of the media’s reach and how it enslaves his daughter without her knowing it.
As I write this, I am sitting in the makeup aisle of our local Target store. A friend recently texted me from a different makeup aisle and told me it felt like one of the most oppressive places in the world. I wanted to find out what he meant. And now that I am sitting here, I am beginning to agree with him. 30
Family & Life • Apr 2014
Dear Little One,
texted me from a local Target store. A friend recently our of e aisl eup mak the in ng sitti ld. I wanted to find out As I write this, I am the most oppressive places in the wor of one like felt it me told and e have power, and the different makeup aisl beginning to agree with him. Words am I , here ng sitti am I that now what he meant. And like: a deep power. Words and phrases words on display in this aisle have • Flawless finish • Infallible • Affordably gorgeous • Go nude • Liquid power • Brilliant strength • Choose your dream • Instant age rewind • Age defying • Natural beauty • Nearly naked house – a force to be just as strong as everyone else in the is she ise real to t star you r, ghte sitting in this store aisle, When you have a dau gifts and passions as any man. But and life e sam the with fire on l ty face and a body to reckoned with; a sou that way. They will see her as a pret her see not will ple peo t mos ise you also begin to real th or influence. to look a certain way to have any wor enjoy. And they will tell her she has pete with the words of words of a father can begin to com the be, may just be, may and er pow onalised shame and But words do have ghter through this gauntlet of instituti dau his ver deli can ds wor er’s fath not different words, but the world. Maybe a ess and beauty. A father’s words are thin wor own her of se sen le eab into a deep, unshak rent meaning: they are words with a radically diffe you discern in your r fingernails but in your heart! May you in not be ngth stre r you May h. Brilliant strengt out in the world. you fearfully but tenaciously live it centre who you are, and then may e within you. A real store shelf. Find the still-quiet plac ent artm dep a from not But am. have chosen, may you Choose your dre t to do in the world. And when you wan you t wha over Disc e. ther ted dream has been plan with hope. faithfully pursue it, with integrity and r gloves off. Pull no Please keep them on. But take you off. hes clot r you take to you ts wan ly knows what it means Naked. The world Embrace risk. Love a world that bare le. erab vuln Be rt. hea r you in is t punches. Say wha With abandon. to love itself. Do so nakedly. Openly. ion created by infallibility does not exist. It is an illus that re awa y llibl infa tly, stan con be e grace—for yourself, Infallible. May you k perfection, may it be in an infallibl see to ose cho you If let. wal r you in people interested and for everyone around you. and your youth will Age defying. Your skin will wrinkle always know how to fade, but your soul is ageless. It will l in this one-chance play and how to enjoy and how to reve the aging of your life. May you always defiantly resist spirit. ing to do with how Flawless finish. Your finish has noth to do with how your face looks today and everything your years be a your life looks on your last day. May aged by grace, may preparation for that day. May you be love become big you grow in wisdom, and may your your flawless finish enough to embrace all people. May the unknown be a peaceful embrace of the end and to everyone who that follows, and may it thus be a gift cherishes you. and frilly and I will Little One, you love everything pink eup is important surely understand if someday mak ain more to you. But I pray three words will rem ds you say every important to you—the last three wor ere are you the night, when I ask the question: “Wh ht no concealer most beautiful?” Three words so brig can cover them. Where are you the most beautiful? On the inside. From my heart to yours, Daddy
Apr 2014 • Family & Life
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YES Supermarket
Your Everyday Store MON
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YES035 35 Hougang Avenue 3 #01- 04/ 06 Singapore 538840 Tel: 6382 1989 Fax: 6282 1989
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