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A Tale of

Three Cities

Why Jakarta, Hanoi and Manila are hot right now

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page 3 Find Page 3 online at is.gd/page3

cover story

Money Talks

The city‑slicker’s guide to Jakarta, Hanoi and Manila

Singapore this week announced that it has a new official title sponsor: from May 2014 the country will be rebranded as Sandsland™. The contract is

for 500 years and comes with an option to extend,

trAvEL

ShoppING

with the new sponsor taking over from the now-

In-flight meals

Indie menswear boutiques

beleaguered finance industry as chief bankroller of the Southeast Asian nation. The partnership was announced at a private launch event, with a

special appearance from popstar Jessie J singing

FItNESS

“It’s all about the money, money, money”. Both

Mid-day workouts

the government and the casino industry at large described the new partnership as a perfect fit.

tEch

initially concerned about compromising our moral

dINING

drINK

All-in-one computers

A spokesperson for the pAp said, “We were

21 labyrinth

Gen up on gin

values, but that was before they invited us into the VIp lounge. OMFG.” A press release from the new sponsor went even further: “There are only a few countries in the world that would really have the appetite or ability to take on

ScENEStEALEr

LASt word

this sponsorship. plenty of others brushed us

Oon Shu An

Victor Cui

off with talk of addiction, broken families and ruined lives. Only Singapore Sandsland™ had the foresight to see, that, even if society does fall apart, half a millennium from now they will

who's in charge?

where to find us!

Country Manager Andrew hiransomboon countrymanager@asia‑city.com.sg

Media Executives denise Lim, Stephanie Zheng Gwen tang

Editorial Editorial Director ric Stockfis editor@asia‑city.com.sg

Marketing Marketing Manager Silver Adrienna Ng marketing@asia‑city.com.sg

Managing Editor Mrigaa Sethi Associate Editor crystal Lee Junior Writers delle chan, Letitia tandean Custom Content Editor clara Lim Custom Content Writer Samantha david Editorial Assistant Khairul Amri design Senior Designers Beverly chong, carmen Louise ho Designers Fishy toh, Janel Quek Multimedia Designer ‑ Photographer Mossy chew wenzhi Sales Business Development Manager Intan Agustina advertising@asia‑city.com.sg

Marketing Executive Lia roslan Finance Finance Manager Lynn Legaspi finance@asia‑city.com.sg Accountant huang huiping Admin Executive Goh ting Yu AcMG digital Digital Product Manager Nancy Ide

Group directors Chief Executive Officer Gretchen worth gworth@asia‑city.co.th Group Digital Director Greg duncan gduncan@asia‑city.com.sg

cover by Chantich Kongchanmitkul

Media Manager Shernan plameras

I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014

The Asia City Media Group Bangkok Asia City Publishing (Thailand) Ltd 22/F, Silom Center 2 Silom Road, Bangkok 10500 Tel: 02‑624‑9696 Fax: 02‑237‑5656 bkmagazine@asia‑city.co.th Shanghai shonline@asia‑city.com.cn Kuala Lumpur Pacific Tourism Communications Sdn Bhd Lot 2.44‑2.45, 2nd Floor, Wisma Cosway, Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: 60‑3‑2144‑4886 Fax: 60‑3‑2141‑1911 Distributed by

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WINNER

Editor of the Year

I‑S Magazine is published 24 times a year by Asia City Publishing Pte Ltd., 211 Henderson Road, #14‑03, Singapore 159552. Tel: 65‑6323‑2512 Fax: 65‑6323‑2779. Copyright ©2014 Asia City Publishing Pte Ltd. The title “I‑S Magazine,” its associated logos or devices, and the content of I‑S Magazine are the property of Asia City Publishing Pte Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. I‑S Magazine may not be distributed without the express written consent of Asia City Publishing Pte Ltd. Contact the Publisher for ad rates and specifications. All advertising in I‑S Magazine must comply with the Publisher’s terms of business, copies of which are available upon request. Printed by KHL Printing Co. Pte. Ltd., 57 Loyang Drive, Singapore 508968. ISSN 0218‑8872 MCI (P) 136/12/2012

be the galaxy’s premier gaming destination. Though, to be clear, we will not be inviting STB to produce the promotional video for us.” The new sponsorship also marks the end of the banking industry’s long-time affiliation with Singapore. In a statement, it said it was honoured to have funded the glorious growth of the last few years, but that tighter regulations and oversight meant it was “no longer making enough money to compete with even a part-time croupier”. Government officials declined to reveal the actual cost of the contract, stating only that they would all be taking early retirement starting this Friday.

UP FRONT Giveaways

And we have a winner Congratulations to Alarice Liew and Woan Chiu for winning 4 tickets for her and three of her friends to the Zouk 2300 event on Sat, Apr 19 (worth $140). Want to win some amazing prizes? Go to is-magazine. com/giveaways to find out more.

Charting the ups and downs of Singapore's openness, tolerance and freedom of expression

Social news website mothership.sg has given in to the Media Development Authority’s request to register under Section 9 of the Broadcasting Act. In a statement released by the site’s editorial team, the move is intended to clear suspicions that the site receives overseas donations which compromise its integrity and operations. The team also hopes that “[their] compliance will allow [them] to continue to serve the Singapore community, without fear or favor.” Activist group Free My Internet has criticized the move and called for a media space “that is based on encouraging responsibility rather than imposing regulation”.

Walk the Talk Who says charity work only happens in the waking hours? While the rest of the world is counting sheep, you can do good with the Willing Hearts Street Charity program. Once a week, in the wee hours between 10:30pm and 3am, volunteers scour the streets around North Bridge Road and Little India to distribute bread and bottled water to the homeless and foreign laborers. The items will be provided by the charity and volunteers simply have to aid in distribution. To find out more, call Tony at 6476-5822 or email tonynewhome@yahoo.com.sg.

Celebrating the city’s entrepreneurs, start-ups and innovative thinkers

Zensorium (www.zensorium.com) CEO Visit Thaveeprungsriporn speaks to us about his startup’s new flagship product, Tinké, a fitness and wellness monitor released in January. Weighing less than 11 grams, this iPhone accessory calculates your fitness score based on heart function, respiration and oxygen levels.

Number of marathons run in as many days by Gerrard Lin, a 31-year-old martial arts instructor for his “March Marathon Madness” campaign for bone marrow donors.

Age of Singapore’s famous Teochew porridge spot, Xu Jun Sheng, which closes its doors this month.

85.3

$6,000 Fine slapped on a man who molested his stepdaughter by trying to give her a “birthday kiss”.

Sources: Asia One, The New paper, Channel News Asia, The Straits Times, Today.

Quote of the Week

“I’m with you foreigners, kill the f****** Singaporeans” – Singaporean celebrity DJ Chris Ho, in a Facebook post mocking a Singapore Armed Forces advert. He has since apologized for the comment, stating it was meant as a joke.

The Bookie

This week you will mainly love your city for its...

Long weekends

Be Good

Singapore Sparks

Percentage of bosses upbeat about business prospects in the next quarter, according to a new survey conducted by the Singapore Commercial Credit Bureau.

OB Index April

Numerology

The Ministry of Manpower has announced that there will be seven long weekends out of the 11 public holidays next year. Chinese New Year will fall on February 19 and 20 (Thursday and Friday), for example, and Vesak Day on June 1 (Monday). Hurry up and make your travel plans already.

Tell us how Tinké works. The principal technology behind Tinké is the use of light to detect the slightest change in your blood volume while your heart pumps. As it does that, our algorithms unearth within seconds your heart rate, breathing rate, blood oxygen saturation and heart rate variability. We empower individuals in elevating their quality of life through a breed of innovative sensing devices. Everyone’s making tech wearables these days. Is there enough demand? We have observed numerous wearable products in today’s market, and this is a good indication of consumers pulling the technology. The market is flooded by and

KL-Singapore Rail Line to begin from west or city center To be finished 2020 Weekend getaway Bilateral agreement

Mass Rapid Transit Breakdowns from and to anywhere Began in 1987 Week-long mayhem Unanimous frustration

The odds: KL-Singapore Rail 99:1. Prosper thy neighbor.

large with activity trackers, and very little to none sensors for monitoring wellness characteristics. We see a clear marketspace for wearable and mobile health, and this segment will evolve with time, harvesting multiple ecosystems suited for multiple groups of users and devices. Is Singapore a good place to create a startup? Most definitely. Singapore’s environment to cultivate innovation is undeniable. The government’s drive for competitive human resources, strong intellectual property infrastructure and fusion of cultures are important foundation blocks towards enabling creation.

What’s one thing Singapore can change to make entrepreneurship better? A natural concern many companies would have is space. It will be interesting to [see] how Singapore can make this better. What’s a super device that you’d want to develop? A super device to us is one that can capture multiple vital sign parameters. Khairul Amri

FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2014 I-S MAGAZINE

CALENDAR Essential Events April 24 - May 8 SEE This

DO This

Heart Deco Tiong Bahru plays host to urban musical talents in Musicity (till May 10). Catch performances of spoken word poetry and live sets by local acts such as The Sam Willows, Seyra and Marc Nair. www.sin. musicity.info. $20-40.

Stage Right The Studios Season 2014 is in full swing with its envelope-pushing selection of stage pieces. Take a trip down Singapore theater-world memory lane with Rant & Rave (May 1-4) or catch Oon Shu An in the one-woman play #UnicornMoment (May 8-10). See Stage, page 23.

DON’T Miss

Say Cleese Comedian John Cleese of Monty Python fame brings us his unique brand of humor at these shows (May 4-5). University Cultural Centre Theatre, National University of Singapore, 50 Kent Ridge Crescent, 6516-2492. $98-188 from Sistic.

CALENDAR THURSDAY, APRIL 24 The three-day international laugh-fest Singapore International Comedy Festival arrives. See Stage, page 23. FRIDAY, APRIL 25 local and regional films like Mister John and Aberya debut at the Southeast Asian Film Festival. See Film, page 29.

OPEN DOOR Shoppes@Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-8868. $60-175 from Sistic.

on a mission around town. Through Jul 13. www. insidejob.com.sg. $70.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30 It’s all about the meats at the Macallan Whisky Pairing Dinner at 1-Altitude. Through Apr 30. Fat Cow. #01-01 Camden Medical Centre, 1 Orchard Blvd. $138.

TUESDAY, MAY 6 Shakespeare in the park returns with Merchant of Venice. Through May 25, 7.30pm. Fort Canning park, 6332-1200. $40108 from Sistic.

THURSDAY, MAY 1 It’s labor Day! Amazing SpiderMan 2 and Blue is the Warmest Color both open today. Read our review of the latter on page 29.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 7 Guggenheim Museum’s No Country: Art for South and Southeast Asia featuring regional artists makes its last worldwide stop in Singapore today. See Art, page 27.

SATURDAY, APRIL 26 Day party on a yacht? Boats and Beats have you THURSDAY, MAY 8 Boats and Beats covered. Oneº15 BBC show-turned-play Yes, Marina Club, 11 Cove Dr., Prime Minister gets www.boatsandbeats.com. FRIDAY, MAY 2 a reworking with $150-175. Get artsy with modern-day Mexican painter politicians SUNDAY, APRIL 27 Ricardo Mizal’s facing Sweat off your hangover with Kailash: Black domestic a rooftop session of Live Love Mountain. See pressure Laugh Yoga at Siloso Beach Art, page 25. and morally Resort. 9am. Siloso Beach questionable Kailash by Resort, 51 Imbiah Walk. $35 SUNDAY, MAY 4 offers from oilRicardo Mizal from peatix. Gluttons, rejoice! Chef hungry foreign Yeo teaches a Japanese countries. Through May 18, MONDAY, APRIL 28 Sushi and Maki Class. $148- 8pm. Jubilee Hall, Raffles The heyday of poodle skirts 158 from peatix. Hotel, 1 Beach Rd., 6412and leather jackets makes a 1335. $110-125 from Sistic. comeback with Grease: The MONDAY, MAY 5 Musical. Apr 25-30, 8pm. The staged heist mystery, MasterCard Theatres, B1/F The The Inside Job, takes you

I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014

63Celsius

The buzz: Helmed by the former owner of Foodbar Dada, this Mediterranean-leaning fusion spot is easily the sexiest place for food and drinks in Asia Square Tower.

smoky paprika sauce. For ultimate juicy indulgence, opt for the Burrata burger ($22) that has soft burrata cheese oozing down the sides of a plump beef patty slathered in truffle oil.

The vibe: The buzzing place seems a better fit for Tiong Bahru. The open-concept kitchen, exposed brick walls, colorful furniture and dim lights make you forget about work and want to party instead.

The drinks: A decent selection of wines (from $10/glass) and a surprisingly thorough range of spirits, including many artisanal bottles. What truly sets them apart from the nearby watering holes, though, is their strong cocktail menu, like the thirst-quenching chilli padicoconut water Spicy Mojito ($18) and the boozier perfecto ($22), made with gin, Aperol and Mancino Bianco. Don’t miss their 63Signature Gin & Tonic ($18) served with a zesty mandarin-thyme shrub.

The food: A mix of tapas and bigger sharing plates. Not exactly boundarypushing but a nice change of pace for the area. The baby squid in enoki egg nest ($12), a pretty dish with a soft boiled egg atop crunchy enoki mushrooms and baby squid, is both conceptual and comforting with its use of simple ingredients. Creamy black squid ink croquettes ($15) are an ideal precursor to the charred Galician octopus ($22) topped with

Why you’ll be back: Unlike most of the other blasé CBD places, it offers something more hip for an after-work drinks experience.

#01-03 Asia Square Tower Two, 12 Marina View, 6100-6363, www.63celsius.com.sg. Open Mon-Sat 7.30am-11pm. lETITIA TANDEAN

COVER stORy

THREE HOT CITIES

Take a break from Bangkok and Hong Kong: Jakarta, Manila and Hanoi currently offer three of the most vibrant arts and cultural scenes in Southeast Asia. By Vasachol Quadri

Q&A

Jakarta, Indonesia Top festivals to look forward to this year

OK Video

OK VIdEO

Art JOG

What: Biennial video art festival hosted by the Ruang Rupa collective established in 2003. Each year, the festival is based on a different theme and invites locals and international artists to share their thoughts through the format of video art.

What: Contemporary art fair with talks and exhibitions from both emerging and established Indonesian artists. When/Where: Jun 7-22, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta.

JAVA SOULNAtION FEStIVAL What: An annual urban music festival that spans genres like soul, pop, dance and R&B. When/Where: Oct 24-26, Jakarta Convention Center. www.javasoulnation.com

When/Where: Sep, venue TBA. www.okvideofestival. org

Top places to visit Recommended by Anggung Suherman (See Q&A, this page)

Komunitas Salihara

Ruang Rupa Jalan tebet timur dalam raya, No.6, Jakarta Selatan, (+62) 021-830-4220, www.ruangrupa.org. This non-profit organization was established in the early 2000s with an aim to support the local art scene. Their many projects include Art Lab, which provides collaborative spaces for artists; RURU Gallery, an exhibition space for young artists; an annual writing workshop (Jarakpandang.net); student art event Jakarta 32°c and OK Video (see above).

Galeri Nasional Jalan Merdeka timur No.14. Established in 1999, The National Gallery of Indonesia serves as one of the country’s preeminent cultural institutions, today exhibiting over 1,770 pieces by notable local and international artists.

Restaurants Recommended by Martin Archer (founder of asia-bars.com)

SKYE 56/F Menara BCA, Jalan M.H thamrin No. 1, (+62) 021-2358-6996, www.ismayagroup. com/skye. One of the most popular rooftop venues in Jakarta, it offers a variety of cuisines including

Union Brasserie, Bakery & Bar G/F, Plaza Senayan Courtyard, Jalan Asia Africa No.8, (+62) 021-5790-5861. This chic streetside all-day café and bar serves up European and Asian-style dishes amid an energetic bistro atmosphere. Come nighttime, the place is equally famous for its creative cocktails, which take their cues from the cuisine.

Blowfish

Asia-bars.com

Jalan Salihara, No. 16, Pasar Minggu, (+62) 021789-1202, www.facebook.com/salihara.org. This community of art enthusiasts bundles together a theater, gallery and café. It’s home to Jakarta’s first black box stage, which has a capacity of 252 people and can be adapted for open-air use. The gallery space is structured in an oval shape aiming to give viewers a borderless experience, and carries a range of local and international contemporary art.

Japanese, Latin American and Middle Eastern, with a laidback lounge and poolside seating that has a sweeping panoramic view.

Asia-bars.com

Galleries

G/F, City Plaza at Wisma Mulia, Jalan Jend. Gotot Subroto No. 42, (+62) 021-5297-1234, www.facebook.com/blowfishjakarta. Contemporary Japanese bar and restaurant that’s also a big player in the nightlife scene, welcoming big-name DJs from all over the world like Breakbot, Major Lazer, Laidback Luke and DJ Ono.

What’s the best thing about living in Jakarta? Party, party, party…and shopping. Jakarta has a great nightlife scene, especially for those after DJs every night of the week. Mainstream electro is everywhere, with lots of clubs to go dancing and get wasted at. Art is also quite big in Jakarta, with many artists living here and putting on exhibitions. Because Jakarta is the capital, it hosts lots of international festivals, meaning local artists get to meet artists from other countries. For me, though, Jakarta is not really a great place for making art, but good for selling

"Music is where it's at for Jakarta, with so much variety, from electro to punk." and exhibiting art. Music is where it’s at for Jakarta, with so much variety, from electro dance to punk. Some 90%-95% of Indonesia’s popular bands are from here, all the national media is here, so the media industry in Jakarta is really big.

Bars & Clubs Recommended by Bangkok’s left-field DJ Maft Sai

Café Modo Jalan Kemang raya No. 72 i, Jakarta Selatan. (+62) 021-719-5701, www.facebook.com/ CafeMondoJkt. “Café Modo is this very cool basement club with a record store on the third floor,” says Maft Sai. The three-story wooden shophouse offers Asian fusion dishes, cocktails and retro pop tunes. Some of their regular events include Large Up! (reggae, dub and ska night every Wednesday), Hit Machine (monthly event featuring special guest DJs) and Orkes Dorong Mondo (a monthly event under different themes, from old Indonesian tunes to Asian beat, garage and rare grooves).

We chat to Anggung Suherman, one half of music collective Delicate, a volunteer at Common Room Networks Foundation and Managing Editor at the Indonesian creative/culture magazine Suave.

SKYE

The Jaya Pub Jalan MH. thamrin Kav. 1-2, Jakarta, (+62) 021319-25633. Open since 1975, The Jaya Pub is one of the longest standing bars and restaurants in Jakarta. Expect local-international dishes, long happy hours and daily live bands performing not just dangdut (traditional tunes), but blues and international covers.

How have things evolved over the past five years? I think the internet has flooded us with information, so there are many references for people to make something new or different. Foreign artists coming to Indonesia have also given us fresh ideas. What do you think will be the big trend this year? I think there will be more concerts from international artists this year, which might actually make things more difficult for local artists. Personally, I hope more local artists get the attention of public—there are a lot of great musicians here.

FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014 I-S MAGAZINE

COVER stORy Q&A

Hanoi, Vietnam Top festivals to look forward to this year HANOI NEW MUSIC FEStIVAL What: Premiered in November and December of last year, this festival puts the emphasis on experimental music. Founded by composer Kim Ngoc, it aims be a platform for young musicians and also facilitate exchange with guests musicians from Sweden, Denmark, UK, Italy and elsewhere. Set in a gallery and outdoor space, the festival lineup spans solo and group physical performance, sound and visual performance and live experimental bands.

When/Where: May 24, American Club.

lin.Sup

ASEAN FEStIVAL II What: The festival started last year as a spin-off of the annual CAMA festival that has been running since 2005. Whereas CAMA is fully international in the sense that acts can come from anywhere in the world, this one aims to show and support music and youth culture from Southeast Asia. “Last year showcased acts from six of the 10 ASEAN countries and we'd like to do everything we can to make sure all countries are represented as soon as possible,” says co-organizer Giles Cooper (See Q&A, this page). “Anyone know any good acts from Brunei?”

Hanoi Sound Stuff

When/Where: Dates TBA, DomDom Art Hub and Space. www.hanoinewmusicfestival. vn/en

Hanoi New Music Festival

Top places to visit in Hanoi Quan An Ngon 18 Phan Boi Chau Street, Hoan Kiem, (+84) 3942-8162/63, www.ngonhanoi.com.vn. Set in a teak house, this restaurant offers up home-style Vietnamese dishes ithat keep with the vibe of the street they’re located on, which is famous for its stalls selling pho.

La Badiane CAMA-ATK

Tadioto

10 Nam Ngu Street, Hoan Kiem. (+84) 4-39424509, www.labadiane-hanoi.com. La Badiane focuses on international gastronomy and fusion food. Set in an old white colonialinspired building, surrounded by lots of trees, the place offers both indoor and outdoor seating, and is all about wine pairings and cocktails.

Bars Recommended by Maft Sai, Space 360, Giles Cooper and Douglas Pyper

CAMA-ATK Manzi

Art Spaces Recommended by Douglas Pyper

DomDom 9 tran thanh tong, www.facebook.com/domdom.vietnam. This hub for experimental art and music in Hanoi was founded in 2012 and provides training programs on everything from journalism to music. On top of training facilities, the space is equipped with a stage and gallery, which made it the ideal host for last year’s Hanoi New Music Festival.

Manzi 14 Phan Huy Ich St., Nguyen trung truc, Ba dinh, (+84) 4-3716-3397, www.facebook.com/ manzihanoi. Set in a charming 20th century French villa, Manzi is a café by day and bar by night. With its very comfortable, easy-going atmosphere, it’s a great place to dine and drink. What’s more, another section of the house is dedicated totally to art: exhibitions, video installations, movie screenings and art talks.

I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014

Tadioto 2/F Building A, 9 tran thanh tong, (+84) 4-6680-9124, www.tadioto.com. Tadioto occupies the second floor of a formerly abandoned building, with only minor redecorations to freshen things up. There’s a space to enjoy coffee, tea and alcohol, with another area for performances and exhibitions.

Restaurants Recommended by Giles Cooper and Maft Sai

Highway 4 101 tran thai tong, Cau Giay, (+84) 7305-5665, www.highway4.com. The longstanding Highway 4 recently moved to a new building which takes the rustic route thanks to its red bricks, bare cement and light brown wooden furniture. The focus is still on traditional Vietnamese cuisine and a drinks list that includes concoctions made with a local rice spirit called Son Tinh.

73 Mai Hac de, Hai Ba trung, (+84) 913524658, www.cama-atk.com. Founded by the CAMA group when they launched their CAMA festival back in 2005, this one-room bar is the epicenter of independent music in Hanoi. To give you some idea: this is the place where crate-digging DJ The Dude of Stratosphere played in January. Of course, the place also serves up killer cocktails.

Hanoi Rock City 27 to Ngoc Van, Quang An, tay Ho, (+84) 163316-6170, www.hanoirockcity.com. Hanoi Rock City plays host to regular lineups of up-and-coming local artists. Owner Phu Pham founded the place back in 2010 in order to support independent artists and establish one of the best places to catch live gigs in the country.

Chez Xuan 41/76 An duong St., tay Ho, (+84) 0915-0853-05. This outdoor bar in a garden setting is good for a spot of pre-gaming. The standalone house is decked out with heaps of Chinese-Vietnamese decorations, while the food spans Southeast Asia.

Last year, Hanoi hosted the very first ASEAN Music Festival, featuring performances by bands from Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. With a second edition in the works for May 24, we talk to two of the event’s in-the-know organizers, Giles Cooper and douglas Pyper of CAMA Vietnam (www. camavietnam.org). What’s the art, music and nightlife scene like in Hanoi now? Giles: There's a hell of a lot more going on here these days than when CAMA got started. The local scene, by and for Vietnamese, has really exploded over the last couple of years but it's still a challenging environment to operate in. douglas: It’s still very limited. Particularly now, the scene feels very one step forward, two steps back. Last year, a disused pharmaceutical factory in the center of the city became available for rent at reasonable rates, and young, creative people began to move in. Known as Zone 9, the space became home to the usual array of bars, cafes and restaurants, but also art galleries, workshops, and music venues. But unfortunately, the space was closed down by the government, and the renters all lost their investment.

"The local scene by and for Vietnamese has really exploded." What do you think will be the big trend this year? Giles: Steve Aoki played a show in Hanoi at the end of last year that was well attended and I can see 2014 throwing up more and more of that type of big-name action, assuming sponsors are willing to come on board to fund such shows. Personally speaking, that sort of thing doesn't interest me at all and I'd like to see more grassroots development of Vietnamese youth getting out and about on a regular basis to enjoy more esoteric offerings from local and international indie acts. douglas: It’s extremely hard to say at this point, as the city has lost so many venues in such a short space of time. One trend I expect to see continuing to develop is an increase in small-scale acoustic venues featuring solo singer-songwriters/ performers. I think we’ll generally see small venues and cafes looking to put on, informal performances as competition for customers heat up and demand for this kind of entertainment increases. What's the best thing about living in Hanoi? Giles: It's hard to look past a report that came out recently declaring Vietnam to have the cheapest beer in the world (bia hoi). But, if I had to, I'd say it's the “can do” energy of the place: beg forgiveness if necessary, don't ask permission.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY CHIJMES

D I N E A L L DAY AT

CHIJMES

Manila, Philippines Top festivals to look forward to this year

With its gorgeous historical surrounds and host of contemporary restaurants and bars, CHIJMES has always been a Singapore favorite. And with a fresh focus on all-day dining and four new tenants joining the fold, it’s only getting better.

Fete de le WSK

FEtE dE LA WSK What: Organized by SABAW Media Art Kitchen, Fete de la WSK is the Philippines’ only international festival of arts and new media. The festival promotes the country’s rising artists, with exhibitions spanning installations, video, film and experimental music both from local and international artists. When/Where: Nov, venue TBA. www.facebook.com/ FetedelaWSK

INtErNAtIONAL SILENt FILM FEStIVAL

MANILA MUSIC FEStIVAL

What: Claiming to be Asia’s only silent film festival, this is a collaboration between the Japan Foundation, the Goethe-Institute, the Instituto Cervantes and several foreign embassies. Films come from Germany, Italy and Japan.

What: Founded in 2012, the festival puts the focus squarely on local artists with a few international ring-ins. There’s also a separate stage for more experimental electronic sounds.

When/Where: August/ Shang Cineplex Mandaluyong. www. facebook.com/ InternationalSilent FilmFestivalManila

When/Where: May, venue TBA. www.facebook.com/ ManilaMusicFestival

Behind West Manor Grill & Bar

Dimbulah Coffee

Top places to visit Asia-bars.com

B-Side

#01-14

#01-17

Introducing a casual all day Grill & Bar specializing in enticing medleys of meats, seafood and vegetable dishes, grilled to perfection utilizing a custom made Argentine grill and smoker. The unique open concept kitchen and bar provides customers with a more personalized, interactive service. You’d be spoiled for choice with a selection of New World and Old World Wines and innovative cocktails.

Get your caffeine fix at this coffee joint, which uses coffee beans grown on their own plantation. You can enjoy a range of down under cafe fare—sandwiches, salads, pastas and much more. In the evening the focus is a small plate menu plus full bar service including espresso cocktails, beer, and a great selection of Australian and NZ wines.

Toast Box

Paprika & Cumin

Manila Contemporary Las Flores

Art Spaces Reccomended by Theculturetrip.com

Pablo Gallery Cubao X Branch: Shop 7 Cubao X, Gen. romulo St., Araneta Center, Quezon City, (+63 2) 440-8807. Fort Branch: C-11 South of Market, Bonifacio Global City, taguig, (+63 2)4007905, www.pablogalleries.com. Set in a two-story shophouse, the first branch (Pablo X) looks a lot like a cute café, but inside it’s filled with oft-challenging exhibitions from rising local artists. The second branch (Pablo Fort) keeps to the same art-friendly vibe but puts more focus on established artists.

Whitespace 2314, Chino roces Avenue, Pasong tamo Extension, Makati City. (+63 2) 576-5024, www.manilacontemporary. com Located in a proper, very clean white building, this place offers up all of its 360-sq-meters of high-ceilinged space to exhibiting contemporary artwork from young artists from the Philippines as well as other Southeast Asian countries. The main space promises 12 exhibitions a year while the smaller room on the second floor is for popup events.

Green Papaya Art Projects

#01-15/16, 6883 2294/9712 4844

#01-10, 6336 1046

This eco-friendly bistro does pan-European and Mediterranean food for the healthconscious. Plus, the herbs and spices used are cultivated in the restaurant’s own organic backyard. Take your pick from over 200 wine labels—you can even seek the advice of the in-house sommelier.

This warm, casual coffee shop chain unveils its first-ever premium outlet at CHIJMES. Well-loved for its nostalgic interpretation of 60s café fare, expect to see a new and refreshing menu in this premium outpost with many recreations of Singapore’s local dishes given a contemporary spin.

41B t. Gener St, Kamuning, Quezon City, www.greenpapayaprojects.org Sat in the middle of a commercial district, this old two-story shophouse is one of the city’s longest standing independently-run art spaces. It’s not only a place to catch exhibitions, but also art talks, gigs and more creative events from locals and international artists.

CHIJMES is located at 30 Victoria Street, Singapore 187996 6337-7810 | www.chijmes.com.sg

FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014 I-S MAGAZINE

COVER stORy Bars & Clubs

Restaurants

Recommended by Martin Archer, Maft Sai and Space 360

Recommended by Martin Archer (founder of asia-bars.com)

Las Flores

Rocket Room

Fort Bonifacio. G/F One Mckinley Place, 25th St., Bonifacio Global City, taguig City, (+63 2) 552-2815.

7th Avenue Corner 30th Street, G/F Bonifacio High Street Central, Fort Bonifacio, (+63 2) 621-3222.

Las Flores serves up modern European/ Spanish cuisine with lots of happening brunch, lunch and wine pairing events making the place always lively. Their creative cocktails and extended opening hours make it a tempting place to settle for the night.

Rocket Room is a hip bar and club that's decked out in a stylish industrial-retro vibe. It serves as a chill café by day and chic party spot post-sunset thanks to the wide selection of wine, beers, cocktails and DJs spinning all week.

Museum Café

B-Side

Ayala Museum Complex, dela rosa Street, Makati City, (+63 2)757-3000.

the Collective, 7274 Malugay St., San Antonio Village, Makati City. www.bsidemanila.com

Located on the ground floor of Ayala Museum Complex, the Museum Café, or M Café, serves up traditional Filipino dishes as well as other Asian favorites with an emphasis on modern presentation. With both indoor and outdoor zones, a proper bar and DJ booth on one side, the place is not so much a formal restaurant as a place to chill out. Museum is also known for its brunch events and occasional traditional performances.

Victorino’s Restaurant 11th Jamboree Street corner Scout rallos, Quezon City, (+63 2)-917-833-4148. Victorio’s Restaurant is the place to head for home-cooked Ilocano cuisine. This old house-turned-restaurant already offers a real escape from the crowds of Manila’s many, many malls.

B-Side is all about propping up independent/underground acts with occasional international DJs and acts brought in. It’s best known for its Sunday Irie weekly party that serves up reggae and dub with impressive visuals. “One of the best weekly parties in Manila,” says Bangkok's DJ Maft Sai.

Black Market Warehouse 5, LA Fuerza Compound 2, Sabio St., Makati, (+63)908-813-5622. Not as dodgy as the name sounds, Black Market may be set in a redecorated warehouse, but the focus is on up-to-the-minute electronic music. Aside from their weekly parties (Wednesday is hip hop/soul, Friday is bass music and Saturday is techno) Black Market is where big names like DJ Krush and Kode 9 perform when in town. n

Three Southeast Asian Indie Acts to Check Out ArCHAStEr Country: The Philippines Why you’ll like them: Filipino acoustic pop performer Francis Yu, better known as Archaster, is immediately recognizable for his deep charming voice, which is a little reminiscent of Kings of Convenience’s Erlend Øye. His previous songs pair melancholic lyrics with dreamy-pop (“Dreamland”) and psychedelic-infused pop (“Letter to Montecarlo” and “Oakwood Avenue”). But what really caught our ear is his latest release, “I Love You More Than Summer Time,” which leaves the sadness behind to be a real breezy summer anthem. www.soundcloud.com/archaster

AFtErNOON tALK Country: Indonesia Why you’ll like them: This Indonesian threepiece serves up a blend of folk and indie-pop. Expect interesting tunes, with some driving percussion and ukulele on tracks like the upbeat “Island” and slightly harder-edged “Hearts,” which is on their latest EP, Contradiction. www.facebook.com/afternoontalk

LyNA trINA Country: Vietnam Why you’ll like her: If you like strong female vocals accompanied by sparse guitar or piano (think Rachel Yamagata or Daughter), you’ll find much to admire in this Vietnamese bedroom artist. Lyna Trina caught our attention through her YouTube channel, which shows so much more than a pretty girl doing pop covers (yeah, well, she does play some covers). Her self-produced tracks, like her latest “Without,” are easy on the ear but veer from the sweet to the heart-wrenching. www.soundcloud.com/lynatrina/withoutdemo

I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014

travel

looking to get away? Sign up at www.is‑magazine.com/user/register to get Escape Routes delivered to your mailbox every Tuesday.

Spinning plates

taste test

Which budget carrier has the best in-flight food? By Samantha David, Crystal Lee and Khairul Amri

dds are you only look at flight timings and price when booking your weekends away. But when two airlines come out even, how are you going to choose between them? Since we're all food-obsessed, what better way than by picking your airline based on who has the best on-board grub? We sampled the food available on the Singapore-Bangkok route of four low-cost carriers, to see who came out on top.

Airlines

AirAsia

Scoot

www.airasia.com

www.flyscoot.com

Jetstar

Tigerair

www.jetstar.com

www.tigerair.com

Typical menu items

Destination-specific—in this case, a good mix of local Singaporean fare like chicken rice ($5.90) and classic Thai dishes like basil fried chicken with rice ($5.80).

Unless you’re pre-ordering your food (you have more local and international choices then), the focus is on Western favorites, although there’s also a Thai red curry with mixed brown rice ($12).

Specials

Expect seasonal items for festive periods like Hari Raya as well as locallyrelevant products like made-in-Thailand banana chips ($2.30).

Not so much; though they did have turkey on offer at Christmas.

• Thai green curry chicken with rice (only available prebooked, $5)

• Beef bourguignon pasta stew ($12)

• Chicken rice ($12)

• Beef kway teow (only available prebooked as a combo meal, $17)

• Udon noodles with shrimp ($12)

• Tom yam fried rice (only available pre-booked as a combo meal, $21.99)

• Chicken tikka masala ($12)

What we tried

A mix of local Singaporean choices, international options and Thai dishes. Don’t expect a wide range to choose from.

Festive season-dependent. During Songkran, there’ll be a pad thai dish on offer.

Singaporean and Southeast Asian signatures like mutton biryani ($12) and oriental chicken stew ($12). plus a solitary Thai red vegetable curry ($12).

Only ocassionally do they offer specials. The last one they had was during Christmas—a roast turkey with cranberry sauce.

scoot

Best for: Value‑for money meals

• Basil fried chicken with rice ($5.80)

• Thai green vegetable curry ($12) tigerair

• Hainanese chicken rice ($12)

• Roast beef with caramelized onions wrap ($9)

• Mango sticky rice ($4.60)

• Nyonya chicken rice ($12) • Nasi lemak ($12) Jetstar

• Smoky chicken sandwich ($12)

airasia

Presentation

Standard aluminium cases—solid, but unremarkable.

What we liked

Much cheaper than the rest; generous portions; and a decent level of spice.

The “healthier option” labeling is a nice touch; the beef bourguignon was ambitious but impressive.

What we didn’t

Nothing, really. Top marks for consistency.

Overall

It’s hard to argue with prices like that.

HHHHH

If they’re not covered with aluminium foil, they’re sealed with peel-off plastic. We struggled with the latter.

Neat, tidy and efficiently organized. Kind of like Singapore.

Best for: Damn good Indian creations

Comes in a plastic-sealed black container. It’s neatly arranged, at least.

The green vegetable curry and chicken rice were good; the chicken tikka masala even better.

Umami-heavy, tender chicken in the nasi lemak; juicy meat in the chicken rice.

It’s pretty pricey (relatively speaking); and the noodles and rice were a bit limp.

It was a hearty portion, but the udon noodles with shrimp lacked flavor compared to the rest.

Mushy rice; tough sandwich bread; spice overload with the Nyonya chicken rice.

Hard to fault the variety— especially if you pre-order—but we say pick their Western options over other items.

limiting their options does at least mean more attention to the ones they have. Go for Indian if you want the good stuff.

They don’t scrimp on flavors; but you’re better off sticking to the signature dishes.

HHHHH

Best for: Variety + healthy options

Best for: Great‑tasting SEA dishes

HHHHH

FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014 I‑S MAGAZINE

Travel Send your travel news and promotions to travel@asia-city.com.sg

ESCAPE ROUTES

with Delle Chan

Rimba Jimbaran Bali

INDONESIA

Nature Walk For a quieter take on Bali’s touristsaturated image, set your sights on new cliff-top spot Rimba Jimbaran Bali, sister resort to the well-known Ayana Resort and Spa. The eco-friendly, eighthectare property overlooking Jimbaran Bay is flanked by a fishing village and seemingly endless green surrounds. The sustainably-designed hotel features 282 contemporary-styled rooms, six swimming pools, six rooftop treatment rooms and a cooking school. Rates start from USD195 (S$245) per night. Find out more at www.rimbajimbaran.com. THAIL AND

Back to Bangkok

GRAND OpENING

Design: It’s like walking onto a movie set— all white and azure with sunbeds and shiny Champagne glasses. There’s a protracted entrance hall that opens up into their breezy, open-concept restaurant (which, we’re happy to report, is 100% beach-appropriate—think ceviche, sushi rolls, burrata salad and charcuterie platters). Upstairs is a VIP lounge overlooking the beach, but there’s not much point hanging

out there: you’ll want to be out soaking up the sun on one of the countless inviting daybeds on ground level instead. There are several bars scattered on the grounds, including one in the pool, so getting all boozed up requires minimal effort. Rave: Nikki Beach is best known for the parties, and this outpost doesn’t disappoint. We love their weekly themed bashes like the Mad Tea Party (Fridays) with zany entertainers and cocktails in teapots and the ultra-luxe Caviar & Champagne (Wednesdays). They have one-off shindigs, too, the next one being a Cannes Film Festival-themed brunch on May 18. Rant: It’s an excellent facsimile of the chain’s clubs around the world, but all the elements are so considered and immaculate that free spirits will find the whole experience almost too stiff.

62/11 Moo 6 Cherngtalay, Talang, Phuket, Thailand 83110, (+66) 7668-1161, nikkibeach.com/ phuket. CLARA LIM

I‑S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2014

SHANGHAI

Pushing the Limits If you’re into extreme sports, book a last-minute flight to Shanghai for the KIA World Extreme Games 2014, which will be held from April 30-May 3. Expect to see some of the biggest names in extreme sports, such as Vince Byron, the Yasutoko Brothers and Andy MacDonald, to name a few. Plus, there’ll be a series of new event highlights, including a freestyle Moto X international ramp to ramp competition. Tickets are priced from RMB150/day (S$30). Find out more at www.kiaworldextremegames.com.

Bangkok’s popular street shopping district Nana has just welcomed another new hotel—the U Sukhumvit Bangkok on Sukhumvit Soi 15. Each of the 82 rooms features local design elements from one of the four different regions in Thailand, a rare warm touch at this price range. Plus, the hotel’s introductory rates start from THB1,999 (S$78)—a steal deal, if you ask us. Learn more at www.uhotelsresorts. KIA World com/usukhumvitbangkok. Extreme

Nikki Beach Phuket

Overview: The 10th and latest venture of famed Miami beach club chain Nikki Beach is the second in Thailand—this time a slick, sexy number (no surprises there) along Phuket’s Layan Beach. What’s also special about this one is that it’s a collaborative effort with Singaporean property developer Castlewood Group, who are developing a luxury hotel and spa (slated to open in 2015) alongside the club.

14-night Gems of Indonesia itinerary (S$1,849 upwards) from Singapore to Indonesia. Plus, guests can receive up to $400 credit to spend on board for cruises longer than four nights. Book by April 30 to qualify. Visit www. celebritycruises.com for more info.

STAYC ATION

Birthday Stay

Staycations always make for fantastic surprise gifts—there’s nothing quite like getting away from the daily grind, without the hassle of traveling. Pan Pacific Singapore’s Happy Birthday staycation package sounds pretty Games 2014 great to us—for $370, you get a one-night stay in a Panoramic A SIA room, a complimentary birthday cake, $100 hotel credit and buffet breakfast If last issue’s Aqua Expeditions on the for two at Edge, among other things. Mekong didn’t set your sea-faring The package, which is valid during the heart racing, here’s something that celebrant’s birthday month, is available just might. Celebrity Cruises will till December 31. Find out more at be calling in Singapore during the www.panpacific.com/singapore. 2015/2016 sailing season—highlights include the 14-night Northbound Asian Allure itinerary (S$2,039 upwards) from Singapore to Hong Kong, and the

Plain Sailing

Now available for your iPad & Android Tablet The all-new Where® Singapore app —your complete guide to go.

Available for download now!

island

FASHION + FITNESS + TECH + HOME | GEt MorE out of SINGAporE

MMMBop You’ve drooled over Maison Martin Margiela’s capsule collection with H&M. Now, here’s your chance to get your hands on more of its fashion-forward pieces— the label has just opened its first, much-anticipated store here, stocking a plethora of womenswear and accessories from its MM6 diffusion line. $150 upwards from MM6 Maison Martin Margiela, #01-08 ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, www. maisonmartinmargiela.com.

fitness Rock Your Body

home Soft landing

tech Enter the Matrix

Forget the usual suspects like Nike and Adidas—you’ll now be able to get your chic workout gear at rockstar, too. The beloved multi-label boutique has recently started offering a collection of fashion-forward activewear, such as sports bras, tank tops and leggings, from renowned brands like lorna Jane, New Balance and 2XU. There’s also a curated range of New Balance running and gym shoes for women. $49 upwards from Rockstar, #03-08 Orchard Cineleisure, 8 Grange Rd., 6836-8201, www.rockstar.com.sg.

If you want a touch of quirk in your living space, check out Lucky Boy Sunday’s limited edition pillows. The darkly whimsical pieces (there are 18 designs in total) will make you want to snuggle with them all night. Some of our favorites include the cry baby pillow and the secret man chair pillow, pictured above. $54 upwards from fred Lives Here, #02-14/14, Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Rd., 6238-1051, www.fredliveshere.com.

Smartphone tinkerers listen up—the HtC one (M8) is here, and it’s bolder and more beautiful than ever. With its striking metal unibody, intuitive Sense 6 interface, BoomSound technology and preloaded fitness apps, it’ll definitely give the big boys from Samsung and Apple a run for their money. Also, it comes with a cool HTC Dot View case, which protects the screen while displaying notifications in a retro, dot-matrix style. $998 at all mobile operators and authorized dealers, including Starhub, #0136, plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Rd., www.starhub.com. FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014 I‑S MAGAZINE

island

fashion + fitness + tech + home

Man Up

STylE

Time to ditch those same-same high street names and seek out something more personal. By Crystal Lee Bespoke Tailor Q Menswear 116A telok Ayer St., 6636‑6939, www.q‑menswear.com.

Get fitted in a sharp set by Chong Han San, Raoul menswear alum and co-founder of bespoke menswear label Clothesmith. There are over 2,000 fabrics to choose from for your own bespoke suit—whether you like conventional or quirky—and custom-made shoes by Hong Kong brand Shoe Artistry. Multi-Label Swagger #01‑01 15 Ann Siang rd., 6223‑5880, www.swaggerstore.co.

Rather than pack the space with as many products as possible, this smart multi-label store has gone for the sparse and moody bachelor look, decorated with vintage items like a record player and weighing scales. Goods here, which run the gamut of fashion and grooming products, are mostly handcrafted by artisans from heritage-rich brands like Bonastre and Empire Union.

Swagger

High-Street Ambush

Formal Ready-to-Wear Benjamin Barker

#03‑14 Mandarin Gallery, 333A orchard rd., 6836‑7667, www.ambushstore.com.

#03‑01 Cathay Cineleisure orchard, 8 Grange rd., 6235‑3703, www.facebook.com/BenjaminBarkerStore.

Still one of the best high fashion boutiques in Singapore after more than a decade, this menswear-focused multi-label store specializes in progressive, high-end streetwear and on-trend collections from cult labels like Head porter, Hood by Air and Ssur.

Everything a guy needs for a dapper wardrobe can be found here—shirts, pants, blazers, ties, lapel pins, pocket squares and even polished leather shoes. And if that’s not spiffy enough, get your suit custom-fitted and spruce it up with finishes like grosgrain ribbon, embroidery and vintage buttons.

Multi-Label Beluga #02‑05 the Cathay, 2 Handy rd., 6735‑3573, www.belugastore.com.

Bespoke Tailor Kevin Seah Bespoke

Stylish threads from Swedish brand Nikolaj d’etoiles, France’s Sixpack, American label Kill City and london footwear label Swear occupy the racks and shelves of this sleek and minimalistic boutique. But the real reason for the healthy stream of shoppers is the store’s in-house label Grandiosity—a range of good quality basics that are fashionable and good value.

What better way to make an entrance than by donning a bespoke suit? Get measured by one of Singapore’s finest tailors Kevin Seah for a traditional Savile Row standard that features fine 1/8” French seams, 23 stitches per inch and mother of pearl. This means you get a shirt for you and you alone.

Ambush

5 Jalan Kilang, 9188‑4681, www.kevinseah.com.sg.

Benjamin Barker

OPEN STOrE

STylE

The Roof Top the buzz: This retro-themed, multi-label fashion and lifestyle store is inspired by the communal markets of 1960s Singapore—and who doesn’t love all things vintage? the vibe: The sprawling, open-concept 7800 sq ft space is a blast from the past—it’s designed to resemble a row of traditional shophouses, and is festooned with an array of (legit) vintage furniture, such as old box TVs, rusty tin signs and weathered shelves. It’s quite kitschy, really, but it’s also a whole lot of nostalgic fun. the goods: There’s a pushcart stocked with tidbits (20 cents

upwards) from childhood days, such as White Rabbit milk candy and brightly colored Fancy Gem biscuits. You’ll also find a range of knick knacks like vintage timepieces, old tin boxes and model toy cars, all at pleasantly low prices ($1 upwards—we’re not kidding). It’s not all dusty stuff, though—there are also fashion labels like Gala and TRT offering contemporary apparel. Why you’ll be back: Items are refreshed monthly, so keep checking back for new trinkets to decorate your home with. plus, plans are in the works for an old-school pastries counter— who wouldn’t come back for that?

#04‑33/34/35/36 City Square Mall, 180 Kitchener rd., 6636‑7898, www.facebook.com/rooftopMemoirs. open Mon‑thu 11am‑9:45pm; fri 11am‑10pm; Sat 10:30am‑10pm; Sun 10:30am‑9:45pm. DEllE CHAN

I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014

STYLE NOTES

With Crystal lee

Blueprint

Dare Devil Bookmark Brave (www.braveobjects.com) if the only shopping site you go to for luxury man-goods is Mr porter. While short on actual menswear, the new, local online store carries an evolving range of gentlemanly accessories and cool lifestyle items from brands such as Italian leather specialist Cedes and modern-industrial design house Danese ($35 upwards). More good news if you want to see the collections up close: barbershop Sultans of Shave (#02-01, 11 North Canal Rd., 6222-0201, sultansofshave.com) is hosting Brave’s pop-up store, which will also do bespoke accessories like travel bags, for three months till the end of June.

Bigger, Better Save that April paycheck for May when fashion tradeshow Blueprint (May 1718, 11am. Suntec City Convention Centre, 1 Raffles Blvd., www.blueprint.sg) and weekend bazaar Boutiques (May 14, 10am. F1 pit Building, 1 Republic Blvd., www.facebook.com/BoutiquesSingapore) make their return. Snag samples, limited edition merchandise and off-season collections at a bargain from more than 200 emerging local and international designer labels including Roggykyei and Kandee at Blueprint or, at Boutiques, spoil yourself silly with the eclectic lifestyle and fashion offerings from Singaporebased indie businesses like Susuu and Killari Jewellry.

fancy footwork

Palladium

French boot maker palladium has teamed up with Tokyo-based sneaker specialist atmos to give the classic pampa Hi and Baggy shoes a cool update. The collaborative collection consists of four different styles, with either black tie-dye or paint splatter on the uppers. Each pair also features—wait for it—a glow-in-thedark sole. $199 upwards from palladium, #B3-12 ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, 66348984, www.palladiumboots.com.

Add to Cart One of our favorite online multi-label retailers Inverted Edge (www. invertededge.com) has updated its inventory with the latest Spring/Summer collections from its list of cutting edge labels. Monochromatic dressers, make a beeline for Bless’ed Are The Meek’s sharp, geometric pieces and Stylestalker’s edgy-easy looks ($139 upwards). Fun, look-at-me prints are the focus at Hong Kong-based label Daydream Nation ($177 upwards) and Karen Walker ($37 upwards). While you’re there, show some love to local labels like Carrie K., AWOl and lion Earl ($82 upwards). style@asia‑city.com.sg

BUy SPy Made by Singaporeans for Singaporeans, roadside Stall is a patriotic but tongue-in-cheek t-shirt producer that celebrates the island’s many quirks and subcultures. On their website, you’ll find shirts with names like “The BTO-er” and “The Smoked” (featuring a graphic of a cigarette box labelled “pSI”). They’ll make great gifts for your proudly Singaporean friends with a functioning sense of humor. $25.90 each from www. theroadsidestall.com.

FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014 I‑S MAGAZINE

island

fashion + fitness + tech + home

fit

FITNESS

power lunches

ENErGy EAtS

Get in shape in under an hour with these midday workouts.

Stock up on nutrient‑rich supplements with these new local webstores. tHE fItNESS GroCEr www.thefitnessgrocer.com

rIot

NutASCy www.nutascy.com This site specializes in protein-rich nut butters. The line from US brand peanut Butter & Co. ($10 upwards) has yummy flavors like dark chocolate, white chocolate and maple (not so healthy we know). Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, get the powdered peanut butter from pB2 ($10 upwards), which blends well in smoothies.

Forget the sugar-loaded health drinks and granola bars. Here you’ll find genuinely healthy snacks, such as protein bars from Quest and Carb Rite ($3.25 upwards). Other bestsellers include Way Better Snacks Sprouted Tortilla Chips ($3 upwards), as well as p28 High protein Spreads ($17.90 upwards).

Delle Chan

INfItNIty www.infitnity.com Infinity stocks top-notch supplement brands like Optimum Nutrition and BSN ($21 upwards), as well as accessories like blender bottles ($20) and Gripads ($23). Founder Alvin lim tells us that plans are in the works to turn the site into a one-stop fitness portal, complete with training tips, articles and videos—so keep your eyes peeled.

riot

Circuit Blitz

Use step boards, medicine balls, ropes and your body weight at this 45-minute, interval-based class. Where: pure Fitness, 6/F Asia Square Tower 1, 8 Marina View, 6100-2233, www.pure-fitness.com. When: Various days and times. Swing It

A half-hour session devoted to swinging around a kettlebell every which way. Where: UFIT Urban Fitness, 87-88 Amoy St., 6225-5059, www.ufit.com.sg. When: 12:15pm on Wednesdays

A workout that packs cardio, gym rings, kettlebells, and TRX in one 30-minute session. Where: R-evolution, #03-09 VivoCity, 1 HarbourFront Walk, 6376-9697, www.r-evolution.com.sg. When: Various days and times thirty HIt

High-intensity interval training: expect jumps, squats, burpees and a lot more. Where: Virgin Active, 6/F One Raffles place, 1 Raffles place, 6908-7878, www.virginactive.com.sg. When: Various days and times HIIt

Shy ladies can head to this womenonly facility for 30 minutes of highintensity interval training. Where: Vivafit, #02-24 Blk 1, Tanjong pagar plaza, 6226-3630, www.vivafit.com.sg. When: 12:50pm on Wednesdays Delle Chan

a o m t t e u a o l she will love at m u M e k a T LIfE IS BEAutIfuL Red House Seafood

68 Prinsep Street Singapore 188661 · Tel +65 6336 6080 · Fax +65 6336 6801

PRINSEP

QUAYSIDE

#01-13/14 The Quayside, 60 Robertson Quay Singapore 238252 · Tel +65 6735 7666 · Fax +65 6735 2298

EAST COAST

Blk 1204 #01-05 East Coast Seafood Centre, East Coast Parkway Singapore 449882 · Tel +65 6442 3112 · Fax +65 6444 1332

www.redhouseseafood.com

I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014

TECH

All’s Well

Firmly a pC fan but still covet that sleek All-in-One iMac look? Khairul Amri looks at four Window-based desktops that integrate internal components with the display.

Lenovo IdeaCentre A530

HHHHH

Asus Et2702IGtH

the looks: A slim 23-inch screen mounted on a hinged stand that lets you shift the monitor from from vertical to horizontal.

HHHHH

the goods: Most internal components are located at the base below the screen. Inside, Intel’s latest i7 processor packs a muscular 8GB RAM and a graphics card to help power through photo and video editing as well as gaming. the verdict: Great-looking with even better components under the hood. This one’s able to take on high productivity and gaming tasks without a hint of lag. $1,999 from Harvey Norman

the looks: It’s got a black bezel screen and silver strip along the bottom, making it a rather pretty machine. The colors are crisp and bright, thanks to the 2,560 by 1,440 pixel, 27-inch screen, which is better than normal high-definition standards. the goods: It’s not bad on performance either: 16GB of RAM makes it super fast—plus you can opt for 3TB worth of memory, too, so you don’t have to worry about pesky external hard drives, possibly ever. the verdict: Good if you have thousands of windows and games open all day long long. Overkill for the average daily user, though. $2,949 from Challenger

Acer Aspire u5‑610

HHHHH

Dell Inspiron 23

I-S pICK

HHHHH

the looks: The glass display has 80 degrees of screen tilt to play around with. This is one of the best-looking displays we’ve seen on the market. the goods: 16GB RAM and 1TB storage—not a major work horse, but we like the Blu-ray combo drive and the improved Kepler-based GeForce GTX 7600M graphics card great for media creation and multitasking. the verdict: Movie buffs will love this, and creative industry-types will be lured in by the large high-resolution screen. We love it in part for the space-saving perks of its VESA wall-mount. $1,999 from Harvey Norman

the looks: A really basic look with a black frame and silver metallic stand, coming with a black keyboard and mouse. It’s not going to turn heads. the goods: On par with most competitors, with 2GB RAM and 1TB of storage. Not as high as competitors, but it works well most daily use. plus, there aren’t many pre-loaded applications to slow you down. We also like its collection of old VGA jacks useful for connecting old monitors or processing units. the verdict: Scoring well in the looks department has never been Dell’s greatest strength, but they’re value-for-money. Best for those not looking to conquer the world from their desktop. $1,799 from Best Denki

Essentials Harvey Norman #02 69/71 Suntec City Mall, 1 Raffles place, 6332-2312, www.harveynorman.com.sg. | Challenger #06-00 Funan Digitalife Mall, 109 North Bridge Rd., 6339-9008 , www.challenger.sg. | Best Denki ##02-07 Vivocity, 1 Harbour Front Walk, 6276-6636, www.bestdenki.com.sg.

OPEN dOOr

wEllNESS

Spa Club the buzz: This new spa along Beach Road is open till 2am daily, so even after a long night at the office, you can make an appointment for a pre-bedtime pamper session.

system, or the proprietary lava Bambu Massage ($288), which uses self-heating massage sticks made with porcelain and seashells to ease out the knots and kinks in your body.

the vibe: The sophisticated (think lots of dark wood and marble) two-storey space is one of the biggest spas we’ve seen yet—there are a whopping 22 treatment rooms, including three VIp couple suites.

How much: Treatment prices are generally pretty standard ($128 upwards). If you’re a spa regular, go for their membership packages—prices start from $2,988 a year for a Revive Bronze Membership, which consists of 10 spa treatments, complimentary consultations and even return transfer by limousine (!) to/from anywhere in the CBD.

What it offers: You’ll find top-notch spa brands, such as IlA, Stem Cell Gold and Aromatherapy Associates here, as well as a menu with over 50 face and body treatments —try the popular Detox & Revive treatment ($268), a massagecum-scrub which combines pink grapefruit, green rosemary and woody juniper berry to help flush out toxins from your

1/f fu yuen Building, 75 Beach rd., 6339‑9238, www.spaclub. com.sg. open Mon‑Sun 11am‑2am. DEllE CHAN

FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014 I‑S MAGAZINE

DINING

Gen Up On Gin

A guide to some of our favorite gins, and where to get the best gin cocktails in the city. By Vasachol Quadri and Letitia Tandean

alk up to a bar wherever you are in the world and two of the easiest and safest drinks to order are gin and tonic and dry martini (with gin). That’s not to say gin is boring. Today, places like The Spiffy Dapper and The Secret Mermaid are known for being gin specialists who carry all manner of artisanal labels. Made with the common ingredient of juniper berries in the initial distillation, each brand adds distinctive notes (lemongrass and coriander seed, to name a few)—the result being remarkably varied and highly customizable spirits. Here’s how to pick the ingredients that go best with four brands of gin (that you can find in Singapore).

HENDrIck’S Hendrick’s is pure gin with no re-distillation but topped with other ingredients like Bulgarian rose and cucumber, resulting in a mild and refreshing taste. Goes well with: Cucumber. Best to make: Gin and tonic, served with cucumber instead of the normal citrus fruits Local concoction: Get the Ritzy Flyboy ($20) made with Hendrick’s, Luxardo maraschino, celery bitters and Japanese cucumber from Spiffy Dapper (61 Boat Quay 2/F, 82339810, www.spiffydapper.com).

The Better Half TANQuErAy Ingredients: Follows the London dry distillation process with the addition of herbs like juniper, coriander, angelica root and liquorice the second time around. Goes well with: Earl Grey tea, lemon peel, campot orange Best to make: Citrusy cocktails. Refrigerate before serving for best results. Local concoction: A bespoke summery cocktail with Tanqueray, lemon, lime and grapefruit juice with a Shiso leaf ($20) at House of Dandy (74 Tras St., www.house-of-dandy. com).

A good gin only gets you halfway to a solid G&T. Here, some of Singapore’s best bartenders weigh in on their favorite tonic waters.

“I count St. George Terroir and CH Key Gin as some of my favorite gins, but when it comes to tonics, Fentimans and my own definitely come out tops.” (Hogan flavors his tonic with cinchona bark, fennel seed, anise, smoked lapsang suchong.) –Tom Hogan of ANTI:DoTE, 1/F Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah rd., www.fairmont. com/singapore Fentimans

“I think Fever Tree is a great tonic as it’s balanced and subtle. It’s also easily bought from la Maison du Whisky.” –Zachary de Git of Tippling club, 38 Tanjong Pagar rd., 6475-2217, www. tipplingclub.com

MoNkEy 47 Ingredients: This German gin has a strong taste of juniper, which is very bitter and also spicier than other premium gins. Goes well with: Wild berries (like blackberry) or rosemary. Best to make: Berry-flavored cocktails Local concoction: Try a Bronx cocktail with a splash of lemon juice ($26) at Ah Sam’s cold Drink Stall (60A Boat Quay, 6535-0838, www.facebook.com/AhSamColdDrinkStall).

Fever Tree

GrEENHook GINSMITH Ingredients: American gins like this one are slowly making their way onto our radar with floral and spicy notes of elderflower, orange, lemon peel, cinnamon, Thai galangal and chamomile. Goes well with: Cucumber, olive and heavier flavors Best to make: Something dry, strong and full-bodied Local concoction: Get an extra kick with a Dirty Martini (rounded off with dry vermouth and olive juice, $17) juice at The Secret Mermaid (#B1-08 Ocean Financial Centre, 10 Collyer Quay, www.thesecretmermaid.com).

“I prefer East Imperial tonic for its dryness, but George [Cherian, owner] also likes to work with Fever Tree Mediterranean.” –Hilda Tan of The Spiffy Dapper East Imperial tonic

Essentials: Get Fever Tree tonics from La Maison du Whisky. The pier@Robertson Quay #01-10, 80 Mohamed Sultan Rd., www.whisky.sg. Find East Imperial tonics at Jones the Grocer. Block 9 #01-12 Dempsey Rd., Dempsey Hill, 6476-1512, www.jonesthegrocer.com.

I‑S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014

BROUGHT TO YOU BY CLARKE QUAY $15 RAS The Essence of India

$25

Lunch Out, Save Up

Fremantle Seafood Market

larke Quay’s Executive Set Lunch promo is back, with delicious, value-for-money deals at over 20 restaurants, priced at $15, $25 or $35 nett. Whether you’re looking to hold a business lunch or enjoy a quiet midday break on your own, there’s something for every mood. And with a riverside view and free parking from Mondays through Fridays, 12 to 3pm, the only question is how to choose. Let us help:

Power Lunches Peony Jade

If you’re in the mood for more than soups and salads

Muchos Mexican Bar & Restaurant

$25 $35

Enjoy a five-course set lunch of contemporary Chinese favorites like roast duck and the signature Szechuan hot and sour soup.

Coriander Leaf

$35

Mulligan's Irish Bar & Restaurant

$15 $35

Both the two-course or four-course options offer hearty portions of pub grub like burgers and bangers and mash.

#02-03 Blk. A, 6732-3354, www.corianderleaf.com.

RAS The Essence of India

Chow on mains like chicken quesadilla, a Mexican wrap or chili con carne with rice—they come with a soup, a soft drink and ice-cream for dessert. #01-10 Blk. C, 6305-6726, www.mulliganspubs.com.

$25 $35

Your choice of two or three courses at this Asian-inspired bistro. We recommend the mini chicken tikka burger and the deep-fried butterfly prawn.

$15

#01-04 Blk. D, 6338-4748, www.katrinahldgs.com/muchos.html.

#02-02 Blk. A, 6338-0305, www.peonyjade.com.

Coriander Leaf

Mulligan’s Irish Bar & Restaurant

Hungry Man's Choice

Impress clients without breaking the budget $25

$15

RAS The Essence of India

$15 $25 $35

#01-05A Blk. D, 6837-2800, www.ras.com.sg.

Get two, three or four courses of hearty, flavor-packed Indian options here. They all come with rice, dal and naan bread.

Vintry Singapore

$15 $35

#01-01 Blk. A, 6338-2808, www.vintry.com.sg.

The five-course set here comes with a salad, soup, soft drink, ice cream and your choice of main. For mains, try the caramelized roast pork rice.

$15 Vintry Singapore

Cozy Catch-Up

Flying Solo Recharge over lunch at these cozy, quiet eateries

Sneak a bite with your bestie at one of these chill hangouts

Fremantle Seafood Market

Xiao Chen Gu Shi

$15 $25 $35

#01-05/06 Blk. E, 6337-1838, www.fremantleseafoodmarket.com.sg.

No one will judge as you indulge in a massive seafood spread. Super hungry? Go for the two- or three-course option.

Tomo Izakaya

Tuck into bak kut teh and plenty of side dishes like braised peanuts with their set lunch for two.

Fullhouse Signature Singapore

$15

#02-04 Blk. A, 6338-0885, www.fullhouseworld.com/sg.

$15

The three-course set lunch at this cutesy-themed spot comes with a pasta dish of your choice, plus a soup and an iced lemon tea.

#01-04 Blk. A, 6333-0100, www.tomoizakaya.com.

If you’re craving Japanese, drop by for the bento or don lunch set for sashimi, a salmon teriyaki don and more.

Tomo Izakaya

RennThai

Hot Stones

$15

#01-05 Blk. D, 6338-7200, www.katrinahldgs.com/ rennthai.html.

$15

#01-08 Blk. E, 6336-0939, www.xiaochengushi.com.sg.

Chase away workday blues with the zingy tom yum chicken soup and papaya salad, both part of the four-course set lunch here.

$15 $25 $35

#01-06 Blk. D, 6333-4868, www.hotstones.com.sg.

$35 Hot Stones

There are one-, two- and three-course options here, with satisfying mains such as US pork loin and Australian sirloin.

Still Can't Decide?

RennThai

Here are other affordable options to consider

www.clarkequay.com.sg/lunchtime POINTS 3X BONUS

WITH CAPITASTAR

*The award of STAR$® is limited to 2,000 STAR$® per member per day. 3X STAR$® are awarded upon scanning of valid Lunch receipts from participating outlets. Valid for Lunch Receipts from Monday to Friday, 12pm to 3pm, excluding PH.

/CLARKEQUAY

FREE LUNCHTIME

$15 Nett Bayang #01-05 Blk. A, 6337-0144, www.katrinahldgs.com/bayang.html Bamboo Bar #01-02 Blk. A, 6557-6268, www.indochine.com.sg Hutong #01-07 Blk. D, 6336-0212, www.katrinahldgs.com/hutong.html Hooters #01-03 Blk. D, 6332-1090, www.hooters.com.sg

PARKING

from 12pm to 3pm Monday to Friday

(excluding publich holiday)

CLARKEQUAYBLOG.TUMBLR.COM

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@CLARKEQUAYSG FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2014 I-S MAGAZINE

DINING NEW AND NOTED With Samantha David

Sweet Souffles Delicious to eat but notoriously difficult to make, souffles are best left to the experts. Here’s where to get some of the best in the city. db Bistro Moderne #B1-48 Galleria Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Ave., 6688-8525, www.dbbistro.com/singapore. Laurent Bernard Chocolatier #01-11 The Pier at Robertson Quay, 80 Mohamed Sultan Rd., 6235-9007, www.nibschocolate.net. Le Bistrot Du Sommelier 53 Armenian St., 6333-1982, www. lebistrotdusommelier.com. Morton’s The Steakhouse 4/F Mandarin Oriental Singapore, 5 Raffles Ave., Marina Square, 6339-3740, www.mortons.com/singapore.

db Bistro Moderne

Osia #02-140/141 Crockfords Tower (FestiveWalk), 26 Sentosa Gateway, 6577-6688, www.rwsentosa.com. The White Rabbit 39C Harding Rd., 64739965, www.thewhiterabbit.com.sg.

CUT #B1-71 Galleria Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 66888517, www.wolfgangpuck.com. Samantha David

Hashida Sushi X Néktar X THE TRAVELLING C.O.W.

Double Shots We love exciting collaborations, especially when food and alcohol are the primary ingredients. Chef Kenjiro "Hatch" Hashida of Hashida Sushi and mixologists from boutique bar Néktar (31 Scotts Rd., 6836-9185, www. nektar.com.sg) have teamed up with food truck The Travelling C.O.W. to bring you burger and cocktail pairings every Friday and Saturday from now till May 3 (prices start from $14). Expect whacky creations like the "kare" ramen burger and mixes such as the Harakiri—a spicy, savory cocktail with gin, umeshu, Cointreau, vanilla and kumquat. There’s also a four-course Macallan whiskey pairing dinner ($138, available till Apr 30) at Fat Cow (#01-01, 1 Orchard Blvd., Camden Medical Centre, 6735-0308, fat-cow.com.sg), where chef Dan Segall will be serving up dishes like chargrilled wagyu beef with a heady, slightly fruity 18 year old Macallan.

Savour Part Deux Missed Savour last month? Here’s your chance to play catch-up with the local chefs featured at the food festival. From now till Apr 30, 10 of the participating restaurants, including Forlino, Pind Balluchi, Saint Pierre and The Disgruntled Chef, are offering special multi-course menus highlighting dishes they showcased at Savour for only $99 per person. Book your tickets through Sistic or visit www.savour.sg to find out more.

Springtime Brews It’s almost springtime in Germany and you know what that means—yup, more beer and food. Organized by Erdinger, Maifest at Clarke Quay is set to take place May 9-10, from 7 to 11pm. Don't miss this chance to sample some of Erdinger's special beers, chow down on German grub, dance around the maypole to celebrate the arrival of spring—like all Bavarians do, of course. Visit www.facebook. com/Erdinger.SG for updates.

Slurp and Win

Fat Cow

Our friends at WAttention, a free publication about all things Japanese, are coming up with a ramen edition aptly titled Ramen Revolution—a comprehensive round-up of Singapore’s various ramen places. Who takes home the award for being the hottest ramen spot? That’s up to you. Vote for your favorite from now till May 31 and stand to win some prizes. Visit www. wattention.com for more info.

Guide Me Didn’t get your hands on a copy of our Eats guide? Never fear! You can download the e-version at is-magazine.com/eats. This casual, fun guide features over 250 dining spots spanning a crazy amount of categories, from brunch to lunch, desserts and sushi. Plus, the snazzy, interactive app edition (www. is-magazine.com/app) lets you book a table at many of these eateries through booking service Chope. food@asia-city.com.sg

I‑S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, april 25, 2014

OPEN dOOr

labyrinth The buzz: It's Mod Sin, European and modern gastronomy touches all rolled into one at this set-menu, multi-course fine dining concept by local talent Han li Guang. There aren’t many places that put out such fancy fare for under $100. The vibe: The layout matches the experimental nature of this 20-seat venture. It’s an open-concept kitchen with seats all around it, bar-counter style. The crowd is surprisingly laid-back and unpretentious; when we visited it was pleasantly noisy and the dress code seemed quite lax, too. No unnecessary theatrics in the open kitchen either, thankfully. The food: It's a five-course meal for $78—a real steal. You get progressive starters like a vegetarian-friendly tomato "steak" tartare with mango yolk and soft shell crab with chili crab ice cream and mantou crumbs. For the mains (you get a choice of two), Han combines different elements in one dish, such as superfood quinoa with a rich curry and chicken balls, or siew yoke fan with roasted pork belly and ramen-flavored risotto. The desserts are good, too: chendol xiao long bao with gula melaka syrup that comes disguised in a vinegar pot, and a deconstructed apple crumble with white chocolate crumbs and yogurt ice cream. The drinks: A good mix of Old World and New World wines, with house pours starting at $45 per bottle and $14 per glass. If you prefer, a small range of Japanese whiskies is on offer, namely from Nikka and Hibiki. Why you’ll be back: Just to see what Han has up his sleeve. He’s already planning to add new creations to the menu. 5 Neil rd., 6223-4098, www.labyrinth.com.sg. open Tues-Sun 7pm-11pm. SAMANTHA DAVID

Life’s too short to wait in line Book at Singapore’s best restaurants, get instant confirmation. chope.com.sg

FOOd FOr THOUGHT

Skip your usual fizzy drink and go for a boutique New Zealand-made soda instead. Thanks to local distributors cold Front co., these hard-to-find thirst quenchers, like All Good sodas (from $5; we’re loving the organic Karma Cola and lemmy lemonade), Six Barrel Soda syrups ($28) and Quina Fina beverages like Tonic Water and Bitter lemon ($5.90), are available at Symmetry (9 Jalan Kubor, 6291-9901, www.symmetry.com.sg) and other spots around town. Find out more at coldfrontco.com. Samantha David

lUNCH BOx Izy

The deal: This swish Club Street izakaya offers a weekday set lunch ($30) with a choice of five mains. You’ll obviously want to go for the chicken karage rice bowl as that’s the speciality here, although options like

wagyu beef (add $10) and soboro (perfectly-minced meat, veg and sweet tamago) are pretty solid, too. All selections are accompanied by standard sides: pickles, a goma-sauced salad, chawanmushi with a tangy lime kick, miso soup (our favorite, with unusual depth and spice) and a dessert, like yuzu pudding. Why it’s worth it: portions are a little small, but considering how much an a la carte meal here can cost, this is quite a deal. And how often do you get to sit at a bar for lunch?

27 club St., 6220-3327, www.izy.com.sg. ClARA lIM

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at is.gd/TheDish to get The Dish delivered to your mailbox every week.

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AUSTRALIA • BARBADOS • CANADA • ENGLAND • SINGAPORE FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014 I-S MAGAZINE

Need to know Theater & Arts The Arts House > 6332-6919 www.theartshouse.com.sg

Esplanade Box Office > 6828-8377 www.esplanade.com

Fort Canning Park > 6332-1302

chart the weeks ahead

www.nparks.gov.sg

Gatecrash > 6100-2005 www.gatecrash.com.sg

National Museum of Singapore > 6332-5642

Ticketbooth > 6296-2929 www.ticketbooth.com.sg

Cinema Ticketing Hotlines Cathay > 6337-8181 www.cathay.com.sg

Eng Wah > 6836-9074

www.ewcinemas.com.sg

Filmgarde > 6344-5997 www.filmgarde.com.sg

Golden Village > 1900-912-1234 www.gv.com.sg

www.nationalmuseum.sg

Shaw > 6738-0555

Singapore Art Museum > 6332-3222

Other Ticketing

www.singart.com

www.shaw.sg

Sistic > 6348-5555 www.sistic.com.sg

Peatix > www.peatix.com Sportshubtix > 6333-5000

The Substation > 6337-7535

www.sportshub.com.sg

www.substation.org

DON'T DON'TMiss Miss

Asian All Stars The Guggenheim's exhibition, No Country, concludes its world tour with a last stop in Singapore. Check out paintings, sculptures and multimedia pieces by artists from South and Southeast Asia. See Art, page 27.

DO This

SEE This

Oriental Classics

For the Money

Showcasing more than 30 Chinese films, including Cannes-winning A Touch of Sin, its the Chinese Film Festival's last few days.

SRT's brilliant regular Shakespeare in the Park series is back with The Merchant of Venice.

See Film, page 29

See Theater, page 25

Open Bar Manor Cocktail Room The buzz: Bitters & love cocktail master Din Hassan’s new venture in hip Ann Siang Hill is modelled after hush-hush whiskey bars and serves twists on prohibition-era cocktails. It used to be invite-only but now its signature cocktails are for all to imbibe. The decor: Forest green walls and teak panels exude an old-world gentlemen’s club vibe. We feel like we should be smoking cigars amid the tufted leather chairs, dim lighting and defaced classic art pieces.

The drinks: The full drinks list aside, the signatures are the big draw for us. Campbell’s ($20) is a tequila-based twist on the Bloody Mary, while Sweet Dreams ($20) is a vanilla-spiked Old Fashioned. Manor is also one of the only places that do flights of artisanal whiskeys. The food: The usual (but satisfying) bar bites like truffle fries ($14) and deep-fried bean curd prawn rolls ($6).

recent indie-alternative tunes with old-school disco and hip hop. The crowd: Industry insiders congregate with fellow barkeeps and pin their business cards to the world map near the bar to encourage international exchanges. Why you’ll be back: To feel like part of the inner circle with other bar folks there for a nightcap. If not, Din Hassan’s expertise should be enough to entice you.

The music: An eclectic mix of

8 Ann Siang Hill, 9696-6695, www.manorbar.com.sg. Mon-Thu & Sat 5pm-1am, Fri 6pm-2am. lETITIA TANDEAN

I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014

STaGe Email event news to stage@asia-city.com.sg

SCeneSTeaLer Oon Shu An We talk to writer-performer Oon Shu An, whose upcoming play, #UnicornMoment, has begun in earnest with a series of supplementary YouTube videos and will culminate in a stage performance that explores the past. Here we speak to her about this novel format and her most significant “unicorn moments”. Can you tell us more about the interesting format of your upcoming play? We are including an online element for the show, which could be seen as either the beginning of the play or a supplement to it. These aren't publicity videos, but rather an attempt to start a dialogue with the audience. We're trying to use the best parts of both the internet and theater. Online, you're able to build a relationship over a period of time with your audience, as opposed to theater, where people just go home after watching the show. However, we also love theater for its immediacy. So, we want to see how these two relationships can feed each other. Who or what inspires you as a theater practitioner? Wow, so many things. Watching people constantly create and push boundaries really inspires me. plus, working with Checkpoint Theatre and seeing the faith they have in new writers is also very motivating. I still cannot believe that this show is happening. What’s the most important “unicorn moment” you’ve had in life so far? That we all have our own version of the past, and that there is no true, accurate account. perhaps what's more important is to understand why people see the past the way they do. What about your most significant milestone? This! Having the opportunity to work with such an amazing company and creating a show like this. We haven't even completed the process yet, but I can safely say that this will be one of the things in my life that I will never forget. #UnicornMoment will be staged on May 8-9, 8pm and May 10, 3pm and 8pm. Esplanade Theatre Studio, 1 Esplanade Dr., 68288377, www.thestudios.com.sg. $28. To preview the videos leading up to the show, visit http://bit.ly/1fmkPef. DEllE CHAN

STaGe

3 WAYS

comedy

music festivals I-S PICK

I-S PICK> Magners Singapore International Comedy Festival Catch a whopping 131 stand-up shows at various venues around Boat Quay at this comedy fest, which features 29 performers from Britain, Australia, America, Malaysia and the philippines— many of whom are making their Singapore debut—as well as local comics. Through Apr 26, 6pm. Circular Road. $20-75 from Sistic.

Music Matters Live 2014 Enjoy a smorgasbord of music with over 60 established and emerging bands from around the region performing more than 160 shows, which will also be broadcast on YouTube. May 22-24, 8pm. Clarke Quay, 3 River Valley Rd., 6337-3292. Free.

classical

I-S DISTRIBUTION

Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony Sit back and listen to classical favorites at this concert, such as Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and Dohnanyi's Variations on a Nursery Song. May 9, 7:30pm. Esplanade Concert Hall, 1 Esplanade Dr., 6828-8377. $15-90 from Sistic.

Singapore Comedy Fringe 2014 Focusing primarily on up-andcoming comedians, Jonathan Atherton shines a spotlight on the burgeoning talents in our region. As the founder of the Comedy Club, Atherton calls it a coming-of-age for the Southeast Asian and the local stand-up comedy scene. Apr 23-26. DBS Arts Centre - Home of SRT, 20 Merbau Rd., 6733-8166. $20-55.

concerts

A. R. Rahman: Infinite Love Best known for his work on the Slumdog Millionaire score, lauded music legend A. R. Rahman performs at this spectacular three-hour show alongside over a host of Indian music artists. Tickets available on the website. Apr 30, 6:30pm. Gardens By The Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Dr., 64206841. $98-598.

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FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014 I-S MAGAZINE

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NIGHTLIFE + WORLD CUP 2014

What’s Your Number?

Putting the city’s best restaurants, its finest chefs and its most memorable meals on a plate. From fancy fine dining to more humble eateries, Top Tables features hundreds of venues all reviewed and rated by our crack team of experts.

21, 8:30pm. The Star performing Arts Centre, 1 Vista Exchange Green. Rooftop bar 1-Altitude (61-63/F One $88-168 from Sistic). Then there’s Raffles place, 6438-0410, www.1comic Korean performance Nanta altitude.com) has revamped its 61st (Cookin’) (Jul 10-13. Resorts World story space into a 250-capacity club Sentosa, 8 Sentosa Gateway. $48-128 called Altimate. Expect Xl bottles, from Sistic), which has chefs making VIp table service and house music music and performing hilarious feats accompanied by sexy light shows. with knives and other kitchen utensils. Meanwhile, the group’s seafronting bar 1-TwentySix has been taken over Culture Club and rebranded as Cotton (#01-26 It’s a long way off, but we want you Big Splash, 902 East Coast parkway, to hear it from us first: September is 6348-2126, www.cottonsg.com). But shaping up to be an awesome numero uno in our books month, even if you’re not is Bar Twentytwo (22 into F1. For one thing, the Mosque St., 8157-7556), Singapore International which is now the place Festival of Arts (Aug to go for off-kilter 12-Sep 21, www.sifa.sg) parties—think oldis bac k with local theater school funk, hip hop, director Ong Keng Sen at reggae and Afrobeat— the helm. Two stellar collabs plus, they have their to look forward to are Ong very own comedy night Facing Goya and Michael Nyman—who scored (every 22nd of the month). The piano and Gattaca—in Facing Goya , and indie duo CocoRosie and the Funny Honeys edgy Berliner Ensemble in a surreal, If the two ongoing comedy fests (see Rocky Horror-esque take on peter Comedy, page 23) have got you in pan. Also look out for A Design Film the mood for more stand-up, book Festival (Sep 5-14, www.facebook. a seat at these upcoming shows. com/designfilmfestival), which will Ventriloquist Jeff Dunham—most screen films about and inspired by well-known for the inappropriate designers and artists like legendary (to put it mildly) Achmed the Dead street photographer Vivian Maier. Terrorist—will be in town as part of

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Get the lowdown on Singapore’s top nightlife venues across a broad range of categories plus an insight into all the action in Brazil and where to watch the big games in Singapore. Ad closing: Fri, May 9 Advertisers, act now if you want to be featured in the guide – slots are running out fast.

F1 This exciting supplement gives readers a complete run-down of all the events, special deals and highlights of the unmissable F1 weekend, from the finest dining establishments to the hottest after-parties. Ad closing: Tue, Aug 12

E A P O R 2014 S I N GND PRIX GRA TOP TABLES

TOP SHOPS

A Night of Santana Musicians Alma latina with Douglas Olivero, The pablo Tani - Horn Section, Aspectrum and Vertigo will perform hits from Santana at this benefit concert for Club HEAl. May 10, 5:15pm. DBS Arts Centre - Home of SRT, 20 Merbau Rd., 6733-8166. $50 from peatix.

Published just in time for the festive season, this indispensable, independent guide to the country’s best shops, stores, boutiques and malls covers everything from fashion and jewelry to watches and tech, plus a complete round-up of sales, fairs and other Christmas events.

Hong Kong Superstars in Concert Join some of Hong Kong's most iconic celebs and singers on stage for a special Mother's Day comedy-concert. May 10, 8pm. Resorts World Sentosa Convention Centre, Sentosa Island, 8 Sentosa Gateway, 63485555. $28-188 from Sistic.

I-S PICK

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I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014

Epik Lah! Every second Thursday of the month, The Goodfellas and Jack & Rai will team up for a fun gig that pays tribute to other Singaporean artists. May 8, 10pm. Timbre @ The Substation, 45 Armenian St., 63388030. Free first drink.

theater

Directors’ Lab Sharing Sessions Join six participants from the Director's lab program (a mentorship program for upcoming local theater practitioners) as they share more about their individual projects. Apr 28-May 4, 7:30pm. The Substation Theatre, 45 Armenian St., 6337-7535. Free.

Email event news to stage@asia-city.com.sg and art@asia-city.com.sg

last chance

Shakespeare in the Park: The Merchant of Venice Expect plenty of high-stakes drama and some of the most riveting speeches in the English canon. Apr 30-May 25, 7:30pm. Fort Canning park, Cox Terrace, 6332-1200. $40-108 from Sistic.

Chinatown Vinyl Squad Watch 25 contemporary artists put a twist on some of Chinatown's vintage vinyl covers. Hosted and curated by Kult, artists include Adeline Tan, ANTZ, Flee Circus, Russell Taysom, and more. Get artsy while enjoying the bar's wide selection of drinks. Through Apr 29, 7am. Zui Hong lou, 8 Ann Siang Hill, 6423-9562. Free.

The Rise & Fall of Little Voice pangdemonium's take on the classic Jim Cartwright play follows the adventures of shy, reclusive little Voice, who spends her time perfecting impersonations and eventually goes on to make her stage debut. May 2-18. Drama Centre Theatre, National library, 3/F National library, 100 Victoria St. 6746-0046.

arT

Like! Musical Toy Factory production's fundraising concert will showcase its most memorable musical tunes, which will be performed by artists like Judee Tan and Constance Song. The concert will also enable audience members to get a glimpse of the musical and theater industry. May 16, 7:15pm. Singapore Marriott Hotel, 320 Orchard Road, 6735-5800. $400.

Between the Spaces Dennis Tan's exhibition critically examines the notion of space, especially between sound and words, through variant sound and kinetic sculptures. Apr 25-May 3, 12pm. The Substation Gallery, 45 Armenian St., 6337-7535. Free.

Of Indeterminate Time or Occurrence Heman Chong's solo exhibition will showcase four different bodies of works that highlight the relationship between image and text. Through May 4. Fost Gallery, #01-02 Gillman Barracks, 1 lock Rd., 6694-3080. Free.

continuing

Kailash: Black Mountain Inspired by his journeys to Mount Kailash, Tibet's holiest summit, Mexican artist Ricardo Mazal uses a multimedia approach that includes photography and video, he explores the themes of life, death, transformation and regeneration in his Singapore debut. Through May 15. Sundaram Tagore Gallery Singapore (Gillman Barracks), #01-05 Gillman Barracks, 5 lock Rd., 6694-3378. Free.

I-S PICK

Paintings for All and None Chinese contemporary artist lam Fun uses ideas inspired by German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, to create a provocative painting style that transports viewers to another reality. His art approach stems from transcontinental experiences that fuse together memories, contemporary events, myth and ritual. Apr 25-May 10. Galerie Belvedere, #01-10/11/12 Old Hill Street police Station, 140 Hill St., 6423-1233. Free. Download the free I-S Now app to find out about this and hundreds more upcoming events!

WHY nOT? Be a Detective

Allegories of Spring Spanish artists Vanessa Linares, Jordi Pinto, and Dider Lourenรงo show their interpretations of springtime with the vibrant use of color and strong individual styles, reflecting the changing mood when the world awakens after the winter. Through Aug 1. Barnadas Huang Gallery, 22 Dempsey Rd., 6635-4707. Free.

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Ever wanted to be a Sherlock Holmes? Then why not participate in novelty production The Inside Job (www. theinsidejob.com.sg)? part theater, part treasure hunt, you'll get to weave through neighborhoods, landmarks and restaurants to figure out your role in a heist, helped along by various actors. The production will run every Saturday and Sunday, until July 13. Tickets to the "show" aren't cheap (they're $70 a pop), but it might prove to be your most engaging and interactive theater experience yet. Delle Chan

WHAT WE PLAY IS LIFE LOUIS ARMSTRONG

FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014 I-S MAGAZINE

arT » STUFF » nIGHTLIFe I-S PICK

opening

Nikos Kypraios: Ecstatic Breadth of Freedom Using fish to symbolize humanity silenced and misled by media and material pursuits, the Greek artist is back for a second time in Singapore to raise awareness and to support for local art and artists. part of the proceeds will go towards the International Young Artists Exchange which helps disadvantaged youths develop their artistic skills. Apr 26-May 6. The Arts House, 1 Old parliament lane, 6332-6900. Free.

Annie Leibovitz A Photographer’s Life 1990-2005 Famed photographer, Annie Leibovitz, who shoots editorials for publications like Vogue and Vanity Fair exhibits close to 200 selected photos. Documenting both her personal life and work, the exhibition showcases a unified narrative of a period of her life that includes professional triumphs and personal losses. Through Oct 19. ArtScience Museum, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-8868. $11 from Sistic.

Unearthed The Singapore Art Museum's first exhibition after the Singapore Biennale features artwork that investigates our relationship with the natural world. Through Jul 6 2015, 10am. Singapore Art Museum, 71 Bras Basah Rd., 6332-3222, $10.

I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014

Affordable Art Fair Over 70 galleries from all over the world offering an extensive range of contemporary art, all priced from $100 to $10,000. May 23-25, 12pm. F1 pit Building, 1 Republic Blvd., 6884-6940. $12-15 from Sistic.

I-S PICK> No Country: Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia In recent years, the Guggenheim Foundation and finance giant UBS has invested tons of money in contemporary Asian art. The traveling exhibition of their acquisitions, spanning 16 different artists from 11 countries, is now on view here. Don't miss this collection of paintings, video art and other multidisciplinary pieces that touch on history, post-colonial issues, globalization and more. May 10-Jul 20. Centre for Contemporary Art, Gillman Barracks, 43 Malan Rd. Free.

Email event news to art@asia-city.com.sg, stuff@asia-city.com.sg and nightlife@asia-city.com.sg

SpOrTS

Energizer Night Trail Singapore 2014 The fourth Energizer Singapore Night Trail Run will see participants using an lED headlight to guide them through the dark trails. The event will also feature carnival activities. May 10, 3pm. lorong Asrama, Mandai. $37-58.

Improvisation Workshops learn how to create unscripted but thematically engaging scenes at this workshop, which is suitable for actors and non-actors alike. Held every Tuesday. May 1-Jun 19, 7pm. Haque Centre of Acting & Creativity, #0201, 22 Dickson Rd., 9420-6960. $600.

ACOUSTIC LIVE THROUGH THE ROOF

Malaysia Super League 2014: LionsXII vs ATM FA lionsXII will battle it out with ATM FA in this exciting soccer match. May 24, 7:45pm. Jalan Besar Stadium, 100 Tyrwhitt Rd., 6292-2418. $13.

Sundown Marathon 2014 Singapore's pioneer night marathon makes a comeback this year, and it promises to be better than ever. Battle sleep and fatigue with thousands of other participants, and try to beat the sunrise. Registration is open till Apr 30. May 31, 12pm. F1 pit Building, 1 Republic Blvd.. 6340-4204. $53-90.

I-S PICK

Dr Sketchy Hosted by drag queen Becca D'Bus, this life drawing art jam (held every second Tuesday of the month) features interesting models ranging from pole dancers to performance artists to pinup models. There will also be a drawing challenge where particpants can win prizes. Bring your own drawing materials. May 13, 8pm. Artistry, 17 Jalan pinang, 62982420. $10.

Green Corridor Run This 10.5km run along the Green Corridor, a stretch of forest that runs the entire length of Singapore, starts from the historic Tanjong Pagar Rail Station and finishes at the old Bukit Timah Rail Station. The surface of the course is a combination of trail, grass, gravel and clay. Registration closes on Apr 30. May 18, 9am. Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, 30 Keppel Rd. $56.

Download the free I-S Now app to find out about this and hundreds more upcoming events!

Singapore Noir Book Launch Get ready for an evening of intrigue at the official launch of Singapore Noir, a multi-author anthology of short crime fiction. Register by emailing sales@monsoonbooks.com. sg. May 8, 7pm. The Arts House, 1 Old parliament lane, 6332-6900. Free.

Literary Translation Boot Camp 2014 This boot camp, which is limited to just ten participants, will bring together writers, translators and editors for an intensive week of workshops and discussions revolving around best practices in literary translation, creative writing and editing. Book early. May 12-15, 10am. The Arts House, 1 Old parliament lane, 6332-6900. $300.

Blueprint Singapore Take a peek at Asia's up-and-coming fashion leaders and style icons at this multi-faceted trade and consumer show. The trade show is from May 15-16, while Blueprint Emporium will be open to shoppers May 17-18. May 15-18, 10am. Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre, 1 Raffles Blvd., 6337-2888. Free.

BRING ON THE JAZZ EVERY THURSDAY

WITH MERYL JOAN LEE & KEYBOARDIST JOEL

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TOP HITS

nIGHTLIFe

dj gigs

STUFF

Celebrate evenings at Halo with local artistes performing jazzy tunes and contemporary renditions on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m.

WITH IDAH & GUITARIST YAZID EVERY FRIDAY

Para//el presents Secret Cinema with Hong Techno stalwart Jeroen Verheij aka Secret Cinema from the Netherlands will take control of the decks for a night of epic dancing. Apr 25, 10pm. Velvet Underground, 17 Jiak Kim St., 6738-2988. $25-32. Zouk x Ibiza Dreams presents Ivan Gough with JP Candela (F*** Me I’m Famous / Pacha Ibiza) and FORMATIVE DJ Ivan Gough from Down Under makes his Singapore debut for an all-nighter, together with the Ibiza Dreams collaborative, dishing out hard-hitting dance tracks for one smashing night. Apr 25, 10pm. Zouk, 17 Jiak Kim St., 6738-2988. $25-32.

MORE TOP HITS EVERY SATURDAY

WITH REBECCA BURCH & GUITARIST KEVIN

Jack’s Hit #5 In its fifth instalment, three pioneers of the electronic music scene, Jean Reiki, Zul Othman and Dean Chew, take you through various musical decades with their discerning sounds. May 3, 9pm. loof, #03-07 Odeon Towers Extension Rooftop, 331 North Bridge Rd. 9773-9304. Free.

Halo, Level ‘R’, WANGZ Hotel 231 Outram Road, Singapore 169040 www.wangzhotel.com www.facebook.com/Halorooftop For reservations, please call (65) 6595 1388 or email inquiry@wangzhotel.com

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FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014 I-S MAGAZINE

nIGHTLIFe Email event news to nightlife@asia-city.com.sg

I-S PICK

On THe Bar Takeaway Bars For those times you just feel like drinking in the comfort of your home.

Drinks & Co.

Papa Shop

Way We Were

As one of the first bars to offer takeaway bottles, this Club Street stalwart is the go-to for wine lovers hunting for good deals. Whether you drink it in their cafe or bring it home, decent bottles are usually below $50, like New Zealand’s Mud House pinot Noir ($45). They also have your runof-the-mill spirits on the cheap. We say this place is definitely worth a visit on your next liquor run.

This “liquor kiosk” sells a solid range of craft beers, ciders and boutique spirits. Modelled after your neighborhood 7/11, most bottles are chilled for immediate consumption at their outdoor space. Although most commercial brews are not available, try Hoegaarden’s Forbidden Fruit ($11), a Belgian-style strong dark ale, or the Singlish Ale ($8.90), an English ale by local microbrewery, Jungle Beer. For something stronger, the lauded Monkey Shoulder Scotch goes for $115.

This specialty wine and whisky store is part retail shop and part showroom with an area for private dinners and events. Aside from doing regular tastings, they routinely host experts for your edification. However, be prepared to pay as their range of Japanese whiskys, Burgundy, Spanish and other offbeat wines run into the thousands. We spied that the cheapest bottle there is a 2012 Hungarian sweet wine retailing for about $30.

44 Club St., 6222-2005, www. drinksandco.asia. Open Mon-Sun 11am-midnight.

#01-K2 CT Hub, 2 Kallang Ave., 9191-0677, www.facebook.com/ thepapashop. Open Mon & Sun 5-10pm, Tue-Thu 5-11.30pm, FriSat 5pm-midnight.

92 Neil Rd., 6224-1607, www. way-we-were.com. Open Mon-Fri 9am-6pm. lETITIA TANDEAN

Nightlife Guide

Advertise in I-S Magazine’s exclusive

Nightlife + World Cup 2014 Guide Published 6 Jun 2014

Offering the lowdown on only the top nightlife venues in each category plus an insight into all the action in Brazil this June and July and where to watch the big games in Singapore. Don’t delay, contact our Sales team today at 6323 2512 or email sales@asia-city.com.sg

I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014

King Pong Think you can handle your drink? Join in OverEasy's very first beer pong smackdown for a shot at the championship title. Sign up at kingpong. overeasy.com.sg or just show up in your wackiest team outfit. For more details, check their Facebook page. May 17, 5pm. Overeasy Bar & Diner, #01-06 One Fullerton, 1 Fullerton Rd., 6423-0701.

FILM

The Rabbit Hole Presents – Breakbot (DJ Showcase) French producer and electronic DJ Breakbot brings polished disco featuring his signature sounds of yacht pop and golden funk for one night. May 3, 7pm. The White Rabbit, 39C Harding Rd., 6473-9965.

nightlife events

Poptart “My Light Shines On” A night that unites all indie music lovers, with tunes from The xx, Arcade Fire, Two Door Cinema Club among other aural gems, and the occasional surprises of soundbites from iconic movies from the 80s & 90s. The event will be anchored by resident DJs weelikeme, Jinmart & KiDG. Apr 26, 10pm. Velvet Underground, 17 Jiak Kim St., 67382988. $25-32 Includes two drinks.

I-S PICK

Singapore Chinese Film Festival 2014 Highlights of the more than 30 films showing at this event include the Cannes-winning A Touch of Sin, A Time in Quchi from Golden Horse-winner Chang Tso-chi and a retrospective of Wuxia master King Hu. Held at various venues. Through Apr 27. $10-13 from Sistic.

FILM Email event news to film@asia-city.com.sg

Blue Is the Warmest Colour

France. Directed by Abdellatif Kechiche. Starring Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos. Opens May 1.

Blue won the palme d’Or at Cannes in May 2013, after which it was commercially released in France and the US in October and in the UK in November. So why are we only seeing it on the big screen now? probably because of all the red tape between the film’s distributor and the MDA, which rejected the original cut due to the extensive—both in terms of duration and, um, configuration—lesbian sex scenes. In case you were wondering (of course you were), these by-now-infamous scenes won’t be in the local version. But the film is pretty solid nonetheless. Exarchopoulos plays a babyfaced, sensitive homebody who loves to cook—a stock Cancerian, really—who crosses paths with blue-haired compulsive flirt Seydoux and falls in love. The resulting tenderness and trials will resonate with just about anyone who’s ever been in a serious relationship. But although stirring, the portrayal of their relationships doesn’t quite break new ground. Nonetheless it’s worth a watch if you can sit through a rather slow three-hour film, if only because it’s so rare to see female pleasure so sensitively handled in cinema. There’s a particularly stirring scene in a café that somehow conveys sexual ecstasy and emotional agony simultaneously—it’s like nothing else we’d ever seen. Clara Lim

And Cut! Recent films the MDA has snipped The Black Swan For: lesbian sex scene Dallas Buyers Club For: An utterance of “Jesus f***ing Christ”

Dallas Buyers Club

The Wolf of Wall Street For: Drug-fueled threesome, mile-high orgy Paradise: Faith [banned] For: Sexualized scenes of Catholic devotion Shame [banned] For: Threesome

Southeast Asian Film Festival 2014 Singapore Art Museum’s eyeopening Southeast Asian Film Festival is back this year for its fourth edition. The almost month-long affair promises to be at least as impressive as the previous one, with opportunities to catch rare documentaries and challenging indie films from the region, as well as to meet their creators. Through May 4. Singapore Art Museum, 71 Bras Basah Rd., 6332-3222. $10 from Sistic.

Paradise: Faith

Spanish Film Festival 2014: Pasión y Fantasía Watch some of Spain's favorite films, such as pan Negro and la Raya, at this festival. There'll be eight feature films and three short films in total, screened at various timings. May 6-11. The Arts House, 1 Old parliament lane, 6332-6900. Free.

FRIDAY, ApRIl 25, 2014 I-S MAGAZINE

freewill astrology

TAURUS (Apr 20-May 20): You remind me of a garden plot that has recently been plowed and rained on. Now the sun is out. The air is warm. Your dirt is wet and fertile. The feeling is a bit unsettled because the stuff that was below ground got churned up to the top. Instead of a flat surface, you’ve got furrows. But the overall mood is expectant. Blithe magic is in the air. Soon it will be time to grow new life. Oh, but just one thing is missing: The seeds have yet to be sewn. That’s going to happen very soon. Right?

GEMINI (May 21-Jun 20): Here’s an excerpt from “Celestial Music,” a poem by Louise Gluck: “I’m like the child who buries / her head in the pillow / so as not to see, the child who tells herself / that light causes sadness.” One of your main assignments in the coming weeks, Gemini, is not to be like that child. It’s true that gazing at what the light reveals may shatter an illusion or two, but the illumination you will be blessed with will ultimately be more valuable than gold. CANCER (Jun 21-Jul 22): Would you like to forge new alliances and expand your web of connections and get more of the support you need to fulfill your dreams? You are entering the Season of Networking, so now would indeed be an excellent time to gather clues on how best to accomplish all that good stuff. To get you started in your quest, here’s advice from Dale Carnegie: “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

Mr. KNOW‑IT‑ALL Our Favorite Smart Aleck Answers Your Questions Dear Mr. KIA, I’ve recently bought a bunch of DIY home improvement things like door handles and fixtures but I can’t seem to actually find the time to install them. Then again, I’m also a bit of a klutz so figuring out how to install these things will end up taking ages. What should I do? —DIY Fail Dear DIY Fail, I feel your pain. Overestimating my personal skills is always a problem I face. Luckily, I’ve stumbled upon an ingenious solution. DIY store Home-Fix has introduced a ‘DIFY’ (short for ‘Do It For You’) service. They’ll come to your house to tend to all your home improvement needs. Just go on their website (www.home-fix.com/do-it-for-you-services), tell them what you need and book a slot.

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LEO (Jul 23-Aug 22): Does Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt run faster than any person alive? As far as we know, yes. He holds three world records and has won six Olympic gold medals. Even when he’s a bit off his game, he’s the best. At the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, he set the all-time mark for the 100-meter race—9.69 seconds—despite the fact that one of his shoelaces was untied and he slowed down to celebrate before reaching the finish line. Like you, Bolt is a Leo. I’m making him both your role model and your anti-role model for the foreseeable future. You have the power to achieve something approaching his levels of excellence in your own field— especially if you double-check to make sure your shoelace is never untied and especially if you don’t celebrate victory before it’s won. VIRGO (Aug 23-Sep 22): In his unpublished book The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, John Koenig coins new words that convey experiences our language has not previously accounted for. One that may apply to you sometime soon is “trumspringa,” which he defines as “the temptation to step off your career track and become a shepherd in the mountains, following your flock between pastures with a sheepdog and a rifle, watching storms at dusk from the doorway of a small cabin.” To be overtaken by trumspringa doesn’t necessarily mean you will literally run away and be a shepherd. In fact, giving yourself the luxury of considering such wild possibilities may be a healing release that allows you to be at peace with the life you are actually living. LIBRA (Sep 23-Oct 22): “The supreme pleasure we can know, Freud said, and the model for all pleasure, orgasmic pleasure, comes when an excess tension built up, confined, compacted, is abruptly released.” That’s an observation by philosopher Alphonso Lingis. I bring it to your attention, Libra, because I expect that you will soon be able to harvest a psychospiritual version of that supreme pleasure. You have been gathering and storing up raw materials for soul-making, and now the time has come to express them with a creative splash. Are you ready to purge your emotional backlog? Are you brave enough to go in search of cathartic epiphanies? What has been dark will yield light. SCORPIO (Oct 23-Nov 21): The potential turning points that might possibly erupt in the coming days will not become actual turning points unless you work hard to activate them. They will be subtle and brief, so you will have to be very alert to notice them at all, and you will have to move quickly before they fade

away. Here’s another complication: These incipient turning points probably won’t resemble any turning points you’ve seen before. They may come in the form of a lucky accident, a blessed mistake, a happy breakdown, a strange healing, a wicked gift or a perfect weakness. SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec 21): If you happen to be an athlete, the coming week will not be a good time to headbutt a referee or take performance-enhancing drugs. If you hate to drive your car anywhere but in the fast lane, you will be wise to try the slower lanes for a while. If you are habitually inclined to skip steps, take short cuts and look for loopholes, I advise you to instead try being thorough, methodical, and bythe-book. Catch my drift? In this phase of your astrological cycle, you will have a better chance at producing successful results if you are more prudent than usual. What?! A careful, discreet, strategic, judicious Sagittarius? Sure! Why not? CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19): My interpretation of this week’s astrological data might sound eccentric, even weird. But you know what? Sometimes life is—or at least should be— downright unpredictable. After much meditation, I’ve concluded that the most important message you can send to the universe is to fly a pair of underpants from the top of a flagpole. You heard me. Take down the flag that’s up there, and run the skivvies right up to the top. Whose underpants should you use? Those belonging to someone you adore, of course. And what is the deeper meaning behind this apparently irrational act? What exactly is life asking from you? Just this: Stop making so much sense all the time—especially when it comes to cultivating your love and expressing your passion. AQUARIUS (Jan 20-Feb 18): You need to take some time out to explore the deeper mysteries of snuggling, cuddling, and nuzzling. In my opinion, that is your sacred duty. It’s your raison d’etre, your ne plus ultra, your sine qua non. You’ve got to nurture your somatic wisdom with what we in the consciousness industry refer to as yummy warm fuzzy wonder love. At the very least, you should engage in some prolonged hugging with a creature you feel close to. Tender physical touch isn’t just a luxury; it’s a necessity. PISCES (Feb 19-Mar 20): Your body contains about four octillion atoms. That’s four with 27 zeroes after it. Believe it or not, 200 billion of that total were once inside the body of Martin Luther King, Jr. For that matter, an average of 200 billion atoms of everyone who has ever lived and died is part of you. I am not making this up. (See the mathematical analysis here: http://tinyurl.com/AtomsFromEveryone.) As far as your immediate future is concerned, Pisces, I’m particularly interested in that legacy from King. If any of his skills as a great communicator are alive within you, you will be smart to call on them. Now is a time for you to express high-minded truths in ways that heal schisms, bridge gaps and promote unity. Just proceed on the assumption that it is your job to express the truth with extra clarity, candor and grace. ARIES (Mar 21-Apr 19): If for some inexplicable reason you are not simmering with new ideas about how you could drum up more money, I don’t know what to tell you—except that maybe your mother lied to you about exactly when you were born. The astrological omens are virtually unequivocal: If you are a true Aries, you are now being invited, teased and even tugged to increase your cash flow and bolster your financial know-how. If you can’t ferret out at least one opportunity to get richer quicker, you might really be a Pisces or Taurus. And my name is Jay Z.

LAST WOrD Victor Cui A black belt in taekwondo, Victor Cui is the founder and CEO of ONE Fighting Championship, Asia’s biggest MMA event organizer. He tells Khairul Amri the lessons he has learned from athletes, business and living in Singapore. I deal with some of the best fighters in the world, but my wife can kick all of their butts. I feel like a kid in a candy store on his birthday. I can’t believe I’m so lucky to be able to be around so many great athletes. The world is dying to find out who is the next Bruce Lee. One thing that amazes me is the amount of respect fighters have for each other. After going to war they shake hands, they hug, they bow—you don’t see that in a lot of sports.

A lot of people come to Singapore and they’re tricked by the fact that it looks very Western, acts very Western and speaks very Western. But it is anything but Western. And there is a distinct Asian way to doing business and living life here.

Singapore’s so clean that there are no jokes written in the toilet

We had a fight in Malaysia where it was a rematch between a Malaysian and a Cambodian fighter. After the fight, the Malaysian found out that the Cambodian’s house had burned down. He took his winnings and donated it to the Cambodian. The ethos of martial arts is about respect for others, respect for yourself and to make yourself a better human being—that’s the foundation of every martial art form. I worry about the rising cost of COE. The cost of buying a family van in Singapore can get you a 7 series BMW in Canada. Things are just rising and rising.

If you think you can live here for one or two years and impart your knowledge, you’d get your ass served to you. Singapore’s so clean that there are no jokes written in the toilet. I’ll be the first to admit I enjoy a good joke graffiti-ed on the toilet wall. The people that no one has any idea about and have no opinions are never going to be leaders. They are not taking enough risks, they are not taking challenges and they are not doing enough to make a difference.

My kids think about the movies Frozen and Cars. You govern yourself in business and in practice to the highest levels of integrity so you could always come home and be proud to tell your kids what you’re doing. If you need a relationship, it is too late to build it. People think you can suddenly have a good idea, build relationships and everyone is going to rally behind you. If you’ve not spent the last decade building relationships across everything that you’ve done, you can’t do it.

I was born in Canada but raised in Africa until I was 13 years old. I’ve lived in Singapore for the past nine years. The talent in Singapore is as good as any foreigner. Gone are the days when we needed to import a whole bunch of foreign talent.

I-S Magazine comes out every two weeks! Look for the next issue of I-S on May 9.

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FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2014 I-S MAGAZINE

APRIL~MAY \ 2014

17 JIAK KIM STREET SINGAPORE 169420 +65 6738 2988

25.FRI

02.FRI

16.FRI

ZOUK

VELVET UNDERGROUND-DANCE

ZOUK

PARA//EL PRESENTS DJ KOZE GER*SG DEBUT* WITH JEREMY BOON

ZSS PRESENTS FORMATIVE & HONG

ZOUK X IBIZA DREAMS PRESENT IVAN GOUGH AUS*SG DEBUT* SPA WITH JP CANDELA + FORMATIVE

03.SAT PHUTURE

VELVET UNDERGROUND-DANCE

PARA//EL PRESENTS SECRET CINEMA NED WITH HONG

EP!C PRESENTS SHOWTEK NED WITH HONG

26.SAT

SUPER SWAG 18

PHUTURE 18TH ANNIVERSARY WEEKENDER - DAY 01:

BULLETPROOF 1ST ANNIVERSARY WITH GHETTO & MATTHEW FEAT. SHIGGA SHAY

Every Wed > TGIW : ZOUK / Bounce with Ghetto & Matthew feat. MC EJ. Phuture / CHARGED with Hong & Lincey

17.SAT ZOUK

ZSS PRESENTS FORMATIVE & HONG

VELVET UNDERGROUND-DANCE

SOLID GOLD KOFLOW FEAT. SHIGGA SHAY + THE PROFESSOR

09.FRI

ZOUK

BASSIC PRESENTS DISCLOSURE UK,DJ SET*SG DEBUT* WITH JEREMY BOON ADVANCE TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE AT TICKETING.ZOUKCLUB.COM & ZOUK

VELVET UNDERGROUND-DANCE

POPTART 'MY LIGHT SHINES ON' ZOUK WITH WEELIKEME, TRANSFIX PRESENTS JINMART & KIDG ANDREW RAYEL MOL

30.WED

WITH

HONG

10.SAT ZOUK

THE GREAT TGIW: MONOCHROME MANIAC WITH GHETTO & MATTHEW FEAT. MC EJ

ZOUK

PHUTURE

SUPER SWAG 18

PHUTURE 18TH ANNIVERSARY WEEKENDER - DAY 02:

DROPIT *LAUNCH PARTY* WITH MATTHEW & ANDREW CHOW FEAT. MATTHIAS (WICKED AURA) LIVE PA

ZSS PRESENTS FORMATIVE & HONG

02.FRI 12.MON (EVE OF PH)

Citibank Clear Platinum Cardmembers enjoy 5X Rewards, Free Entry and 1-for-1 drinks at Velvet Underground-Dance & Wine Bar. To apply, visit www.citibank.com.sg/clearplatinum Terms and Conditions apply.

ZOUK

ZSS PRESENT DJ BL3ND US*SG DEBUT* WITH FORMATIVE

ZOUK

ZSS PRESENTS FORMATIVE & HONG

Every Fri > Velvet Underground - Dance / Cue Up! with Jeremy Boon & Lincey Phuture / Bulletproof with Ghetto & Matthew

Every Sat > Velvet Underground - Dance / Cue Up! with Jeremy Boon & Lincey Phuture / Tease with Matthew & Ghetto

ZOUK